《Return of the Unrivaled Spear Knight》


 Chapter 1

    The undefeated Spear Knight.


    The shining star of the Duke¡¯s house, who smashed tradition to be a Master Knight without wielding a sword.


    The great hero who brought an end to the Avalon Empire¡¯s long civil war.


    The most powerful man in the vast continent of Igrant.


    Joshua Sanders.


    He was known as Kaiser¡¯s strongest spear, but the way he dripped with blood would not make you think he was the ¡°strongest¡± at anything.


    Tragically, this situation was caused by none other than his liege, Kaiser.


    "Why¡ª"


    Blood spilled from his mouth when he tried to speak. He groaned and had to prop himself up with his arms. His beloved spear, Lugia, the reaper of the battlefield, alsoy helplessly on the ground.


    Four men and a woman surrounded the defenseless hero.


    Among them, an old man in a long ck robe that hid half of his face spoke:


    ¡°For a soldier like you, magic and divine power are fatal opposites.¡±


    ¡°¡­" Joshua couldn¡¯t answer through the pain.


    ¡°The shock alone of their collision would have killed any ordinary person.¡±


    ¡°Keugh. Ugh¡­ why?¡± Joshua¡¯s gaze was heavy with disbelief.


    He never had any desire to usurp the throne.


    <em>I wasn¡¯t interested in anything like that. I just wanted to shake off the contempt people had for the spear.</em>


    He was proud to assist his master and only close friend in ending the Empire¡¯s long civil war. For the rest of his life, he wanted to stand by the Emperor''s side as the shield of the Empire.


    However¡­


    This time, a man in a white cloak stepped forward. His well-worn face bore a slight smile.


    Joshua knew this man.


    <em>Master of the Magic Tower¡­ Evergrant.</em>


    Joshua ground his teeth at the sight of his Master.


    "Joshua, there are people in this world whose mere existence is a threat."


    "¡­"


    ¡°The Emperor is free to exercise his grand ambitions. The entire continent? No¡­ With the civil war over, nothing can stand in his way.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°But you! You are the only thing the Emperor fears¡­ Even warriors who have obsessed over mana techniques all their lives struggle to use mana on a small dagger. But you¡­ you have that gigantic spear! How many men have you killed with that spear?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°No, beyond that¡­ I know you crossed another wall long ago.


    "¡ªKeugh.¡± Joshua spat dark red blood again, despite his endurance.


    Evergrant¡¯s palm cradled a gray ball which began to emit an intensifying light.


    A medium that simultaneously channels both magic and divine power.


    <em>It must¡¯ve been that ball¡­ but it should be in the ruins of Amon. How did they¡ª</em>


    A middle-aged knight took a step forward and faced Joshua. He wore golden armor adorned with a roaring dragon on the chest te. It was the symbol of the Knights¡­ Avalon¡¯s Knights.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid of that spear too. Just looking at it made me feel like I was about to be attacked¡­ It might drive me crazy.¡±


    Joshua wanted to speak, but couldn¡¯t even open his mouth.


    The suppressed magic and divine power inside him began to collide, ording to the will of the Master.


    In such huge quantities, it was impossible to even try to control it. Joshua simultaneously spat blood and groaned in pain.


    His consciousness flickered.


    ¡°Joshua, I would like to thank you; we owe the pride and sess of the Empire to your help¡­ I¡¯m truly grateful.¡±


    At this, Evergrant bowed deeply. It was a polite and humble expression of gratitude, befitting the most powerful person on the continent. Evergrant then straightened his bent back and whispered,


    "Goodbye, old friend."


    For a moment, Joshua and Evergrant''s eyes met. His eyes were sad but the corner of his mouth stretched into what looked suspiciously like a smirk. Joshua, having guarded the Emperor''s side with Evergrant for a long time, knew exactly what that strange expression meant:


    Derision.


    Evergrant was mocking Joshua.


    <em>Damn it¡­</em>


    Joshua snorted inwardly.


    As this happened, the Emperor of the Avalon was watching silently from behind them.


    Kaiser tilted his back and turned around.


    "I can''t watch, but, at the same time, I must see the end of a very close friend."


    Kaiser''s voice was quiet and cold. His face however, showed a hint of sincere sorrow.


    Seeing the Emperor made Joshua suddenly nauseous. The charade was unbearable.


    <em>Kaiser von Britten¡­</em> Joshua muttered inwardly and clenched his teeth.


    At the same time, the magic circle on the ground brightened. Joshua knew this magic circle well: it was a type of explosive magic circle with the power to annihte everything within a 50-meter radius.


    The gradually intensifying light made his heart pound.


    <em>At this speed¡­ Five minutes at most.</em>


    What nonsense.


    The greatest knight of all time?


    What a joke.


    In the end, he was murdered by his friend in a random forest. The rage he felt right now defied words.


    <em>Kaiser, don¡¯t think that it will end like this.</em>


    He stared at the five faces watching him die andmitted them to memory.


    In the middle of the endless pain, he swallowed and clenched his fists. He then went into deep concentration.


    Magic and divine power.


    He desperately tried to control the rampant beast inside him.


    <strong>Cough</strong>


    Dark red blood leaked from his closed mouth. It felt like a decade or two to Joshua, but only a mere three minutes had passed.


    His will to live and thirst for revenge finally bent.


    <strong>Whoosh¡­ whoosh¡­ whoosh...</strong>


    Hearing the resonance in his ears, Joshua struggled to lift his heavy eyelids.


    <em>Lu¡­ gia?</em>


    The dark red spear, Lugia, reaper of the battlefield, exuded a terrifying energy.


    As if telling Joshua to never give up.


    Lugia had rested quietly in the ancient ruins before Joshua found it and grew famous while wielding it.


    <em>I knew that it had a special power in it¡­ but I never expected it would show that power at a time like this.</em>


    They had been together for decades but the power was never seen.


    Joshua became more aware of his surroundings, as if his survival instincts were being awakened.


    Like a possessed man, he desperately stretched his hands towards the spear. Joshua choked down the pain, telling himself that acting now would end the suffering.


    He sighed triumphantly when his hands finally met the spear.


    <strong>Whoosh</strong>


    And then there was a bright sh apanied by a thundering boom. The magic circle exploded with an earth-shattering <strong>Bang!</strong> With a violent roar, everything disappeared.


    A meaningless ending unfit for the Unrivaled Spear Knight.


    In thend of Knights, the Grand Duke of the Avalon Empire.


    Joshua Sanders.


    His memory was left untouched.

 Chapter 2

    <strong>Cough.</strong>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped open when his excruciating headache peaked. He immediately scanned his surroundings, though blurry silhouettes were all that weed him.


    He expected to see a gorgeous chandelier hanging above his head.


    He expected luxurious carpets to gently cover the cold marble floor.


    He expected various war trophies to adorn the maroon wall.


    But when he opened his trembling eyes once again, his vision was cleared. Joshua was not at all where he expected to be.


    There was no trace of luxury in this ce.


    The shabby wooden roof was bare, coarse straw and haystacks littered the ground beneath him, and only horse dung perfumed the air.


    This was obviously not the Duke¡¯s chambers, but it was familiar nheless. Even if he wanted to, he could not hide the fact that this was his humble origins.


    He got up and examined his surroundings once more.


    <em>Hey, what is this?</em>


    Joshua¡¯s throbbing headache was forgotten as he looked around.


    It was undoubtedly the residence of Duke Agnus¡¯s family. This is where he lived but not quite his home.


    <em>No way¡­</em>


    A sudden thought had him running like a madman towards the corner of the stable.


    Here horses can quench their thirst and can receive enough sunlight for the day. The windows are open and sunlight is streamed freely into the stable.


    It was also where he used to work out when he was a kid.


    <em>What¡¯s happening? How am I here?</em>


    He mmed the stable doors open. And¡­


    The sight left Joshua momentarily ck-jawed.


    An enormous, beautiful garden was arrayed before him. The flowers¡¯ sweet aroma permeates the air outside, overpowering the smell of dung and evoking the depths of the forest.


    Blue roses scattered throughout the garden convinced him,


    <em>I¡¯m really back.</em>


    The rare blue roses could only be found in the Agnus territory.


    He spotted his reflection in a nearby puddle: a young boy with barely a wisp on his chin. And unlike his familiar head of bleached hair, his scalp was decorated with dark blue locks. His eyes were a deep blue which seemed to suck people in.


    <em>It¡¯s obvious now that I¡¯ve gone back in time.</em>


    Joshua felt a rush of both joy and sorrow. The raw emotions were enough to make him shiver and clench his fist. It was a strange expression indeed, and it made his face look rather creepy.


    <em>Kaiser Van Britten!</em>


    Joshua was in his early 50s before he returned. He didn¡¯t know his exact current age but it was clear that he¡¯d moved at least 40 years into the past.


    Kaiser was probably the same age as him. He¡¯d be the fourth Prince once again, with a long, arduous struggle for power and admiration¡ªand the throne.


    <strong>HAHAHAHAHAHAHA¡­!</strong>


    Joshuaughed maniacally. He was ecstatic because, for the first time, he can dream of getting revenge from Kaiser.


    And then...


    "Hey!"


    Joshua turned his attention to the man''s voice in his ears.


    <em>These guys¡­</em>


    Joshua frowned softly. It was faint, but he could remember them. Or at least what they did to him.


    They were the Duke¡¯s soldiers, who tormented him as a child. Knights of their status would not dare to harass a child of the Duke, but Joshua was different. His mother was the exclusive maid of the Agnus family, and he was the Duke¡¯s lowly illegitimate child..


    Joshua was conceived when the Duke forcefully bedded Joshua¡¯s mother.


    The Duke at least provided them a ce to stay. Even if the Duke didn¡¯t care for him like a father should, Joshua was satisfied with his situation.


    In the Duke¡¯s eyes, Joshua is just the byproduct of hisrking; nothing more and nothing less. Knowing this, the soldiers abused Joshua his entire childhood. They derived a strange satisfaction from tormenting someone with noble blood.


    <em>Particrly the three in front of me¡­</em>


    The Duke¡¯s centurions: Rols, Roid, and Gort. He promised to make them pay.


    ¡°What¡¯re you doing out here? Didn¡¯t they tell you to muck out the stables?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget? This bastard is a dumb mute¡­ Of course you¡¯re not going to get an answer!¡±


    "Hah!¡±


    ¡°Remember the Duchess¡¯s promise? Even if we rape that bitch Lucia and kill that asshole, the Duchess will take care of it.¡±


    Rols and Roid began giggling as if they were really considering it.


    ¡°Ah, what a shame. I wish the Duke would give us a taste of that Lucia.¡±


    ¡°Same.¡±


    ¡°Crazy¡ª!¡±


    Something in Joshua snapped when the two men giggled and passed their vulgar jokes and ns back and forth.


    Lucia.


    She was Joshua''s mother, the poor victim of their despicable desires.


    <em>I was going to take revenge slowly, without attracting attention.</em>


    But he could not ignore the people who insulted his dearest mother.


    <em>Will it work?</em>


    Joshua closed his eyes and quietly examined his body.


    The mana technique Joshua learned was unique; he found it in ancient ruins along with Lugia. It was powerful enough to shake the heavens and earth, and he can achieve its optimal state in only a short amount of time.


    Most importantly, Joshua¡¯s mana technique operatedpletely differently.


    Instead of umting and drawing mana into the mana hall, located just beneath the stomach, the existing mana is used as-is. It¡¯s not limited to the contents of the man hall, either¡ªinstead it draws mana from throughout the body. And then he can concentrate the mana where it is needed and ignite it all at once..


    As a result, Joshua could skip the process of creating his mana hall which everyone else went through.


    ¡°Enough chatting! Let¡¯s go beat his ass. If I don''t blow off some steam right now, I''ll go crazy." Gort spoke up for the first time, shaking his head from side to side.


    ¡°Did you get rejected by your crush again?¡±


    "Shut up! It¡¯s not like that!¡± Gort growled at Rols and Roid, who burst intoughter, before turning to Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna let loose today. Got it?¡±


    Despite the chilling threat in Gort¡¯s voice, Joshua kept his eyes shut and didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Did he pass out standing up? Are you that afraid?¡±


    ¡°Closing your eyes, huh? Is that how you want it?¡±


    The three soldiersughed but Joshua¡¯s concentration never wavered. This was a very crucial moment for beginning his revenge.


    <em>Just a handful¡ªI need to move just a handful of mana.</em>


    It takes an average of 5 years for a normal knight with a decent mana technique to construct their mana hall. Considering that, Joshua was twice as slow: before his return, it took him 10 years to move a handful of mana.


    But when Joshua finally moved a little bit of mana, he steamrolled the other knights.


    <em>I know how to do it.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped open and a blue light shed through them.


    The sight made Gort hesitate. Joshua, however, focused his gaze on his right fist and slowly manipted the mana around him.


    <em>It¡¯s more difficult to infuse mana directly on the body than on an object.</em>


    However¡­


    <strong>Whoosh</strong>


    A sound resonated from the stable and carried across the grounds.


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Joshua''s expression brightened; finally, a pale blue mana lingered on his fists.


    <em>I did it!</em>


    Joshua¡¯s sneer made Gort burn with anger.


    ¡°You¡¯re making fun of people, huh? Bastard!¡±


    Gort¡¯s club shot towards Joshua¡¯s young head.

 Chapter 3

    If Joshua showed his mana technique right now, his n for quiet revenge would go down the drain.


    However, he also knew that there was no meaning in hiding his power, especially in critical situations.


    <em>I had no intention of being dragged around by anyone anymore.</em>


    <em>Maybe it would be better to show a little bit of power here¡­</em>


    On average, a noble Knight takes about 5 years to form his mana hall, with constant training. And then it takes another three years to draw mana back out from the mana hall and use it inbat, earning them the title of ¡°C-ss Knight¡±.


    Therefore, a Knight who can form a mana hall around the age of 15 and manipte mana would be known as a genius, and was sure to leave their mark in the history of the kingdom. At that age they are sure to master their mana technique by the time they¡¯re 20. It was a very long and tiring process.


    However¡­


    If you look at Joshua right now, he¡¯s undoubtedly a 10 year old boy. He is at least half the age of the idiot centurions in front of him. Imagine the attention he¡¯ll draw when everyone knows that at his young age, not only could he form his mana hall but he could also use it effectively in battle.


    The Dukedom will be turned upside down.


    No¡­ the whole world will be turned upside down.


    At his age and with his level of mastery, he would be the youngest and greatest genius not only in the Kingdom, but in the entire continent.


    <em>Last time, I started with nothing. Actually, it¡¯s not a bad thing to gain recognition early.</em>


    If he was acknowledged as the best at a young age then Kaiser, the fox, would surely bow before him.


    He would find Joshua because he was more focused on recruiting outstanding people more than anyone else. He was sure that Kaiser would be the same as before.


    <em>I was thinking about a lot of things, but only a moment has passed. A hundred thoughts in a fleeting breath.</em>


    Gort¡¯s club was about to smash into his nose. However, Joshua¡¯s quick reflexes let him dodge the fist with wless posture and short, concise movements, causing the club to miss by a hair¡¯s breadth. 1


    It was a simple action, but its speed and power were anything but.


    Joshua took a single step to the side, avoiding the punch, and clenched his right fist.


    <strong>Whump!</strong>


    Gort¡¯s body made a sound like ripping leather when Joshua¡¯s fist struck home.


    ¡°Eu¡ª!¡±


    He couldn''t even manage a groan and copsed to the ground, eyes rolling back into his skull.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Rols¡¯s eyes went wide with bewilderment. Gort stood with his back facing little Joshua, obscuring what happened behind him.


    After a moment, Gort¡¯s unconscious body fell to the ground with a thud. The next moment, his silent whimper of defeat faded along with his consciousness.


    ¡°This bastard!¡±


    Roid, who was more hot-tempered than Rols, drew his sword.


    It made a resounding <strong>Chaang!</strong> as he unsheathed it. It was amon longsword that could easily be found on the street. Joshua noticed the rust speckling the sword here and there but it was plenty sharp.


    <em>This is dangerous.</em>


    Immediately after using the technique, Joshua felt something strange inside his body. He could feel something lumpy and unpleasant in the pit of his stomach which he wasn¡¯t familiar with.


    <em>Just one more time.</em>


    His head was ringing, but he didn¡¯t pay it any mind.


    <em>If I defeat Roid, the probability of Rols attacking me is very low¡­ since he¡¯s the most cautious of the three.</em>


    ¡°Look here!¡±


    Roid approached him and swung his longsword at Joshua¡¯s neck.


    <strong>Whik!</strong>


    The longsword swung right over Joshua¡¯s face with a ripping metal sound. Joshua neatly avoided it by leaning back.


    Right now, he had the body of an untrained child, but he knew that as he gets older his muscles will harden and his flexibility will be improved.


    He bounced back up like a spring, and was greeted by Roid¡¯s surprised bunny eyes.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    <strong>Whoosh!</strong>


    It was definitely weaker than before, but clear mana appeared on Joshua''s fist once again.


    It was so close that Roid saw it too.


    ¡°No. Mana Ò»!¡± Roid muttered in astonishment.


    <strong>Crack</strong>


    It was not the sound of tearing leather like before, but a light thump sound.


    ¡°Finished.¡±


    <strong>Dump.</strong>


    Roid fell to the floor after being hit with a 100-point uppercut, shattering his jaw. Rols saw the situation unfold and gasped in surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± Rols spat a cuss and backed away.


    <em>Am I seeing this for real? The mute idiot is speaking, and he pummeled my friends with his tiny fist!</em>


    It was too much to be a coincidence. Now, it¡¯s safe to say that the peasant asshole had been hiding his skills for a long time now.


    <em>Well¡­</em>


    While Rols¡¯s brain was in turmoil, Joshua staggered.


    Obviously something was wrong.


    <em>Such pain from using only this much mana!</em>


    A cold sweat trickled down his temple. He knew he couldn¡¯t afford to show his weakness now. He needed to cement his victory. And he was sure that he would be.


    Rols was as quick-witted as he was cautious. He was a person who had risen to the rank of centurion using his eyes rather than his skills. However, in Joshua¡¯s current state, even someone of Rols¡¯s level was dangerous given his rapidly fading consciousness..


    Joshua desperately straightened his unsteady body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this.¡±


    ¡°¡­!¡± For a moment, Rols was stunned.


    ¡°You, you, you¡­ ! Spoke... Did you always know how?¡± Rols¡¯s looked wide enough to pop out of his skull at any moment.


    ¡°From this moment on, anyone ¨C including you centurions ¨C who insults my mother Ò»¡±


    The more Joshua''s youthful voice continued, the faster Rols retreated.


    ¡°Ò» I will never let go.¡±


    Blue me shed between Joshua''s two eyes as he finished speaking.


    ¡°Ah ah ah ah ah!¡± Startled, Rolls screamed and turned away. His many sins rattled his head as he ran.


    Joshua was dangerous. The child was no longer the dumb asshole he knew: he was a predator.


    <em>The Battle of Kraden ins was one of the worst battles I ever experienced. That kid felt like one of the first nine stars of the Empire I saw there.</em>


    ¡°He¡¯s a monster!¡±


    Rols did his best to flee, kicking up a cloud of dust behind him.


    Joshua stared at his silhouette until it disappeared.


    <strong>Thump.</strong>


    With a small noise, Joshua''s small body copsed.


    <em>Oh, shit.</em>


    Editor¡¯s Note


    ?1?Original said ¡°fist¡± but he was swinging a club at the end of Ch. 2

 Chapter 4

    Avalon, a powerful Empire with military prowess unmatched in the vast Igrant continent.


    One of the five great dukes of Avalon was Duke Agnus, and his territories were second only to the throne. In the center of an expansive, almost forest-like garden, you would find the great mansion of the Agnus family, which would not lose to any other pce in the Empire.


    This ce was one of the nine stars of the continent.


    And the residence of Duke Aden von Agnus.


    Duke Agnus''s mansion.


    Even in the early morning, the whole mansion was rowdy. Bizarre rumors had begun to spread among the Duke¡¯s soldiers.


    In a corner by the door, three servants chattered as they worked.


    ¡°Did you hear what I said? How the dumb asshole in the stable pounded three centurions into rice cakes?¡± (TL Note - The process of making rice cakes has created some interesting (and racy) idioms. A hammer was traditionally used to beat the rice into a chewy consistency. So <strong>if a team gets beaten badly in a sports game</strong> or if someone gets very drunk they are said to ''be rice cake''.)


    Brown was taken aback by the words of Paul, his colleague in the kitchen.


    "Shh! Watch your mouth!¡±


    ¡°What, why?¡±


    Paul tilted his head at Brown''s intense reaction. Brown peered pensively at their surroundings and lowered his voice as much as he could.


    ¡°I heard¡­ rumors... that he¡¯s not dumb."


    ¡°What?¡±


    This time, Paul was astonished. Although that dumbass was ignored even by mere servants, he was still a son of the Duke. If, one day, the child decided to out them to the Duke...


    Paul gulped, but his throat was bone-dry.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t believe it either.¡±


    Paul patted his chest. The atmosphere became tense.


    ¡°By the way, does the Duke know about these rumors?¡±


    "Right?"


    Brown and Paul eye each other apprehensively.


    ¡°If the rumors are true, then that dumb¡ªer, the young master made three of the Duke''s centurion bit the dust!" Bob eximed with a slight tremble in his voice. The other two stared nkly at him.


    ¡°Yes, what of it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    ¡°¡­?¡±


    Looking at the two people who still looked at him like he was speaking gibberish, Bob continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not really sure, but I heard that the Young Master is only ten years old!¡±


    "What?" The two men widened their eyes when they understood Bob¡¯s point.


    ¡°Really? Then he¡¯s four years younger than Master Babel, and he¡¯s not that much older than Miss Arsha,¡± said Paul, with a bewildered expression.


    Arsha von Agnus was the young daughter of the Agnus family. She just recently turned six and dominated the entire Dukedom with her cuteness. The Young Lady was just beginning to read textbooks, yet her simrly-aged brother is already beating people up.


    The two guys looked at Paul. It was alling together, but it wasn¡¯t looking good for the people who mistreated Joshua.


    ¡°Then¡­ you mean a ten year old child beat up the Duke¡¯s centurions, alone?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, if the rumors are indeed true.¡± Bob nodded softly at Brown''s words.


    "My God¡­¡± Seeing Brown''s wide open mouth, Paul burst outughing.


    ¡°Brown, that¡¯s why you can¡¯t get married. Because you¡¯re so naive.¡±


    ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    Paul waved flippantly at the furious Brown and continued.


    ¡°Rumors get exaggerated. Would it make any sense for a dumbass child to beat down three centurions with his bare hands?¡±


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re right.¡± It was strange, now that he thought about it.


    ¡°Hah, rumors are just rumors. The boy must¡¯ve done something; you know, maybe he¡¯s tired of getting bullied and asked the centurions to spread the rumor around.¡±


    ¡°But why would the centurions agree to such a request?¡±


    ¡°Probably because they want his mother¡­ You know, that Lucia girl has a pretty face and a great body.¡±


    Brown nodded in agreement. It was well known that the maid Lucia was strikingly beautiful, even more so than the Duchess of Agnus.


    ¡°I would die satisfied if I ever slept with that Lucia¡­ Such a pity that even men like the centurions can only look. How am I topete?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a man with children¡­! Go sleep with your wife!¡± Brown spat. The other men were startled but immediately regained theirposure.


    ¡°What is it, Brown? Did you also have feelings for Lucia?¡±


    ¡°T-too noisy!¡±


    <strong>Hahahahahahahah!</strong>


    Paul couldn''t help but burst outughing.


    ¡°You can¡¯t eat the same thing every day. Sometimes, a man needs to try something different to reset his tter. Not to mention, this dish is more appetizing.¡± Paul stoppedughing and licked his lips lustfully.


    Brown couldn¡¯t help but worry.


    Then Bob, who had been silent until now, opened his mouth.


    "However¡­ What if the rumors are true¡­? I wonder if the Duke would even bring that asshole into the mansion?¡±


    ¡°He probably won¡¯t. Since the family session will be ruined if apetitor suddenly showed up,¡± Brown answered honestly.


    ¡°Puhahahaha! Hey, Bob, are you thinking like Brown too? Why are you like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    But Bob looked at him with a closed mouth and solemn eyes. Paul¡¯sughter tapered off and he shrugged at his own unanswered question.


    ¡°Even if the rumors were true, he could never defeat Master Babel. You get that, right?"


    ¡°Right, since Master Babel can wield mana.¡±


    Brown turned to Paul.


    ¡°Master Babel is fourteen this year¡­ I heard that the Grand Duke only became a ¡°Master¡± at the age of sixteen¡­ In other words, Master Babel is a genius surpassing even the Grand Duke. Do you think the other Young Master could defeat Master Babel?¡±


    Paul shook his head.


    ¡°That sounds crazy.¡± And then Paul turned away.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about useless assholes and discuss something useful ¨C like all the ways we could enjoy Lucia¡¯s sweet body Ò»¡±


    They carelessly chattered away instead of working and giggled like little girls while they unveiled their wildest fantasies.


    Before Paul could boast about his ns to vite Lucia, he spotted a certain someone. Brown and Bob followed Paul¡¯s gaze and stiffened in shock.


    The main topic of the rumors was there. The boy with deep blue hair and eyes like an abyss. Gone was the scruffy, hunched figure he was known for. The dignity he exuded with his upright posture was reminiscent of a proud Knight striding into battle.


    ¡°Uh, since when Ò»¡± Paul stuttered.


    ¡°I need you to tell the Duke something.¡± Joshua stared straight at Paul and spoke calmly.


    ¡°¡­!¡±


    Their eyes popped wide open at the sound of his voice. It confirmed the rumors and showed them so much more.


    Joshua returned their stares with a steely gaze.


    <em>It¡¯s advantageous to hide your abilities as much as possible, because I know the consequences of indiscretion from my previous life...</em>


    However¡­


    When you show it, you go big or go home. His power is meaningless if he doesn¡¯t use it to protect the person he loves most.


    And so he spoke with utmost confidence:


    ¡°Tell the Duke that Joshua von Agnus is here.¡±

 Chapter 5

    The room was inly adorned: arge, solid bookshelf made from high-quality wood, and a wooden table upying the middle.


    This was the room of Duke Agnus, the shining star of Avalon, one of the most influential men in the entire continent.


    ¡°¡ªJoshua has arrived?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± The man who replied could only submit before the power of his lord and master. He was Count Valderas den Chiffon; hemanded the Red Knights, one of the three major arms of Duke Agnus¡¯s forces.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s hair was dark ¨C nearly ck ¨C blue, but his eyes were an icy pale blue. The stubborn set of his jaw bore a certain resemnce to that boy, Joshua.


    Arden von Agnus.


    One of only five Masters in the vast Avalon Empire.


    One of the Nine Stars, said to be the mightiest individuals on the continent.


    A monster on the battlefield, wielding a greatsword nearly two meters long.


    He was known as ¡°The Giant¡±.


    ¡°You said your name was Rols?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    Rols lifted his head from where he was prostrated on the floor.


    The Duke spoke quietly.


    ¡°What unit do you belong to?¡±


    ¡°The 29th Battalion!¡±


    ¡°The 29th Battalion¡­ ismanded by Griezmann?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Chiffon answered this time.


    Duke Aden¡¯s standing army numbered an impressive 40,000 men. The army was divided into 40 battalions, eachmanded by a general. Each general had ten centurions, and each centurionmanded ten sergeants. 1


    Duke Agnus examined Rols¡¯s armor. It was good armor, stitched from the tough skins of ck tribe orcs from the northern ins.


    However, his armor looked as if it had been sted apart by a mage¡¯s fireball.


    ¡°You mean to tell me Joshua did this?¡± The Duke¡¯s words were soft and deep.


    Chiffon smirked at the trembling soldier.


    ¡°Think carefully before you answer. If you lie even a little¡­¡±


    Rols choked and quivered on the ground. It wasn¡¯t that he wanted to lie, the story was just too absurd to believe.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, Duke!¡±


    ¡°Chiffon, did you examine the armor?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±


    The hole in the armor was somehow twisted at the edges.


    ¡°How old will Joshua be this year?¡± Duke Agnus asked Chiffon.


    ¡°He is five years younger than Master Babel, so Joshua should be roughly nine right now.¡±


    ¡°So a nine year old boy did this to ck orc¡¯s skin?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°With his bare hands, at that.¡± Chiffon¡¯s cold eyes dared Rols to speak up. The knight was equally unconvinced.


    If Chiffon was asked to break leather of that kind, he couldn¡¯t confidently say he could. He didn¡¯t know if he could even rupture it without mana.


    ¡°Well, if he could use mana¡­ it might be possible.¡±


    ¡°But how could that child¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your Grace! There has never been a single case of someone using mana at the age of nine. Not in the Empire, not anywhere!¡± Chiffon shook his head confidently. ¡°Even if someone had pulled it off at some point in history, it could just as well be a B-ss knight. They can infuse mana into their hands, too.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°So there¡¯s no reason to believe that Joshua did this, given he¡¯s only nine years old.¡±


    Duke Agnus remained silent and unmoving.


    ¡°Perhaps, Your Grace, this is a coverup for whatever shady business this soldier was up to.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°If Your Grace allows it, I will take this guy out and correct the soldiers¡¯ discipline.¡± The knight bowed his head and waited silently for the Duke¡¯s answer.


    ¡°I never lied! What I said waspletely the truth! Duke, please save me.¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth!¡± Chiffon roared. His hand dropped to the hilt of his sword.


    He took Duke Agnus¡¯s continued silence as affirmation and slowly approached Rols.


    ¡°Duke! Duke!¡± Rols¡¯s face turned pale as he desperately retreated from Chiffon.


    ¡°What if¡­?¡±


    ¡°Duke?¡± Chiffon stopped.


    ¡°This problem will only be solved when I¡¯ve met with the other side of the issue.¡± The Duke spoke with a resounding authority, ignoring the shivering Rols.


    ¡°...It was about time, anyway.¡± He muttered sadly. ¡°I will see him on my own.¡±


    Chiffon¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>The Duke himself, taking interest in the concubine¡¯s son! Even Master Babel, the treasure of the Agnus family, doesn¡¯t get this kind of treatment.</em>


    ¡°Where did you say Joshua was?¡±


    ¡°I was told he had just entered the mansion. He may be in the first floor waiting room.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Duke Agnus stood and strode slowly to the door. Chiffon spared a nce at Rols before quickly following his lord.


    <strong>Thud!</strong>


    The door shut behind them, leaving Rols slumped on the cold floor sobbing. His thin pants were beginning to stain with a fishy yellow liquid.


    Editor¡¯s Note


    ?1?Original said manders¡±, but ¡°sergeant¡± makes more sense for a unit of ten men.

 Chapter 6

    ¡°Huh?¡±


    A boy with curly blond locks and light armor was walking through the mansion when he noticed something that stopped him dead in his tracks.


    This boy was Babel von Agnus, a tanned fourteen year old boy with handsome looks many said he inherited from the Duke. He was also the only legitimate son of the Duke.


    His reputation made him seem even more attractive, considering he became a C-ss Knight at the young age of 14.


    ¡°Why is that garbage here?¡± Babel rubbed his eyes, wondering if he was hallucinating. On the first floor of the mansion stood a small boy that resembled his father.


    ¡°Joshua¡ª!¡± he grunted. Ignoring his growing irritation, he slowly approached Joshua. As the distance closed, his sharp eyes shone and his lips curled into a smirk.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Joshua stared nkly at the wall, making the blond boy seethe in anger.


    ¡°How dare you ignore me!¡± Babel raised his fist at Joshua¡¯s back like a madman. Joshua, however, was oblivious to the iing danger.


    From the moment Joshua was born, Babel despised him. At best, he considered Joshua the byproduct of his father¡¯s idle lust. It infuriated him that Joshua resembled his idol, the Duke.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can keep that act up.¡±


    <strong>Whik!</strong>


    Babel¡¯s fists snapped forward with an audible boom. His speed was unbelievable for a child of his age¡ªthe sound alone was proof enough of his prowess.


    However¡­


    <strong>Whoosh!</strong>


    What happened next was even harder to believe.


    As soon as Joshua entered the mansion, his eyes were glued to the wall. Above the stairs was a wall of portraits. On it was a portrait of someone Joshua could never forget: a middle-aged man with dazzling blond hair, rare golden eyes, and a smile as bright as his hair, rendered on luxurious canvas.


    <em>Kaiser von Britten.</em>


    Joshua spat the words like rotten food.


    They looked exactly the same, but he knew this portrait was not of Kaiser. This was the current emperor of Avalon.


    Rationale, however, could not suppress the anger swelling in Joshua¡¯s stomach.


    <em>I feel like I¡¯ll go crazy if I don¡¯t release this anger right now. If only I hadn¡¯t seen that face¡­</em>


    <strong>Whik!</strong>


    Just then, he felt a presence approaching from behind. Instinct kicked in and he sharply avoided the strike.


    <strong>Thwack!</strong>


    ¡°...!¡±


    A small fist was caught in his hand. The other boy stared wide-eyed at the unexpected sight.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Babel¡¯s fist was crushed in Joshua¡¯s hand, drawing a pained groan. Joshua looked at the fist in front of him and squeezed it tighter. The boy made a sound like a dying cat.


    Who was this boy? Joshua couldn¡¯t be bothered to recall. He was just grateful to have someone to vent his anger on.


    <strong>Crack.</strong>


    Babel broke into a cold sweat.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Babel swore. Joshua¡¯s grip on his fist was nowhere near weak or pleasant.


    Of course, he had heard the rumors.


    Of course, he had not believed it at the time.


    <em>A kid who only shovels horse dung knocked down three of the Duke¡¯s elite centurions?</em> It would be more usible for a dragon to mate with an orc.


    And yet¡­


    <em>Could it really be true?</em> Babel clenched his teeth. His instincts told him to draw mana from his hall into his fist.


    ¡°Stop!¡± From the top of the stairs, a shout resounded across the house.


    ¡°Ah! Father!¡± Startled, Babel turned towards the speaker. It was his father and the lord of the Dukedom, Aden von Agnus.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Duke Agnus asked, eyes cold as he slowly descended the stairs. Babel, realizing his fists were already free from Joshua¡¯s death grip, quickly collected himself.


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡±


    <em>ce your right fist over your left breast, and, keeping your right leg straight, kneel with your left leg.</em>


    Babel recited a knight¡¯s standard greeting for the umpteenth time in his head. The Duke only nodded slightly without replying.


    <em>Ah.</em> Chiffon, at the Duke¡¯s heels, admired the young master. It was a knight¡¯s pride and honor to maintain a dignified appearance regardless of the circumstances.


    ¡°I asked what you were doing.¡± Duke Agnus nced at Joshua, who did not move, before addressing Babel again.


    ¡°We were just greeting each other.¡±


    ¡°Greeting?¡± Duke Agnus frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I saw him, so I went to greet him, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°One handshake is all I needed.¡±


    Duke Agnus looked at Joshua.


    ¡°...¡± Joshua nodded silently.


    Chiffon red scornfully at him.


    <em>He dares respond with just a nod to the Grand Duke? Is he insane?</em> Chiffon¡¯s hand reached for the hilt of his sword, awaiting the order to punish the insolent child. However, the order never came.


    Instead, the Duke gestured for him to hold.


    ¡°Your eyes¡­ are full of poison,¡± Duke Agnus murmured in a low voice.


    To the Duke, seeing Joshua¡¯s face was like looking into a mirror. However, Joshua¡¯s face was awash with a frightening mixture of anger, resentment, and suffering.


    <em>Damn it¡­</em> Joshua muttered inwardly and chewed his lip. This should not be happening. Joshua had a cold personality and an iron-fisted mentality, yet the portrait broke hisposure.


    And the Duke of Agnus he remembered would never suffer a disy of hostility.


    <em>Even his own kin¡­</em>


    Then Duke Agnus broke the silence.


    ¡°Come closer.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I must verify it myself. Is it true that you used mana?¡±


    ¡°What¡ª!¡± Babel¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>Mana? This lowly bastard? That¡¯s impossible! He¡¯s just the son of a servant and he¡¯s much younger than me!</em>


    ¡°Come closer.¡±


    If the Duke hadn¡¯t spoken again, Babel would have punched Joshua in the face.


    ¡°Duke, what are you¡ª?¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s heavy gaze shut Chiffon¡¯s mouth immediately.


    ¡°Come.¡±


    Joshua chewed his lip. Duke Agnus was one of the few Masters in the entirety of the Empire. Even more, he was one of the Nine Stars, the strongest people in the continent.


    <em>If he were to discover an abnormality in my body¡­</em>


    <strong>Sussuk!</strong>


    While Joshua was drowning in his doubts, Duke Agnus appeared before Joshua in the blink of an eye. His movement was eerily silent.


    <strong>Bump!</strong>


    When the Duke approached and snatched his wrist, Joshua could do nothing but sweat.


    ¡°This¡ª!¡± The Duke¡¯s normally emotionless face twisted. A moment, a second, a minute passed and his face remained colored with astonishment.

 Chapter 7

    ¡°This¡ª!¡± The first one to notice the Duke¡¯s strange reaction was Chiffon, who stood guard at his side.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    Despite Chiffon¡¯s concerned inquiry, Duke Agnus remained intently focused.


    Babel¡¯s face squirmed; he itched to know what the Duke had found out. Joshua¡¯s face, however, was wracked with worry.


    <em>Damn it,</em> Joshua thought to himself. He didn¡¯t bother worrying about the Duke¡¯s grip on his wrists, because there wasn¡¯t a single thing he could do about it.


    <em>Right now I¡¯m not Joshua Sanders, the strongest Spear Knight of all time; I¡¯m only Joshua von Agnus, the nine year old boy.</em>


    So there wouldn¡¯t be anything of interest about his body.


    But when the Duke¡¯s eyes popped out of their sockets, it felt like Joshua had been dunked in ice water. If Duke Agnus sensed something he shouldn¡¯t have, all his ns would be thrown into chaos.


    <em>What should I do?</em> A cold sweat trickled down Joshua¡¯s back.


    Duke Agnus mulled over it with his eyes closed for a long moment before speaking.


    ¡°None.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Chiffon asked nkly.


    ¡°Mana¡­ none.¡±


    Babel smirked as if to say ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Chiffon burst intoughter.


    ¡°Duke, of course¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the mana hall.¡± Duke Agnus quietly shook his head. ¡°Hmm. It does feel different.¡±


    Chiffon¡¯s eyes widened.


    Mana.


    Mana is in every living creature in the world, whether a knight or a wizard. It was in the general popce, and even inside base creatures.


    Mana is a driving force of life.


    The total absence of mana is like ck magic. That¡¯s why Duke Agnus was so intrigued when he examined Joshua¡¯s body.


    ¡°What is this? Where the mana hall should be, there¡¯s something¡­ foul, sticky, and lumpy.¡±


    Joshua had controlled his expression until now, but his eyes popped wide open.


    No!


    rms rang in his head.


    He had not paid much attention to theck of mana in his body, because his mana technique, at a certain level, would assimte his internal mana with the natural mana in the environment.


    He knew he could still use mana. But what the Duke was talking about might be connected to his ¡°regression¡±.


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Chiffon picked his words carefully. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of children born without mana.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Agnus swallowed stiffly.


    There were cases of children being born without an ounce of mana ¨C about 1 in 100,000 ¨C known as ¡°congenital mana disorder¡±. It was said to be a curse from God, and would kill the child before they reached eighteen. There were no exceptions.


    Given its rarity, Duke Agnus knew only what he had read.


    <em>But it doesn¡¯t seem to be a disability.</em> Duke Agnus murmured inwardly. He locked eyes with Joshua, making him jump.


    Duke Agnus stood with a smile.


    ¡°Duke?¡± Chiffon¡¯s worried voice pulled him out of his musings.


    ¡°For now¡­¡±


    ¡°...Let¡¯s watch.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡± Chiffon blurted.


    ¡°If the child really has congenital mana disorder, then the rumors must be false.¡± Duke Agnus shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to behead those three right now. A centurion belongs to the estate. They should act like it.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for my moment of indiscretion.¡± Chiffon dropped to a knee. The Duke nodded in acknowledgement, then turned his head to Joshua.


    ¡°You¡­ prepare a room for him to stay in.¡±


    ¡°Duke?¡± Babel jolted.


    ¡°Is there a problem, Babel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Babel bit his lips when Duke Agnus¡¯s cold gaze fell on him. ¡°There is none.¡±


    ¡°You can tell Joshua about living in the mansion.¡±


    Babel took a minute topose himself.


    ¡°Yes.¡± He replied, weakly.


    ¡°Chiffon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke!¡±


    ¡°Starting tomorrow, teach Joshua the basic knight¡¯s training. If he has the talent, you can teach him the Red Knights¡¯ mana techniques.¡±


    ¡°Yes? But, Duke, master Joshua is obviously¡ª!¡± Chiffon choked on the end of his sentence. He was afraid to say that Joshua might have congenital mana disorder.


    ¡°There is plenty of time. It doesn¡¯t have to be done quickly. It would be even better if it turned out he¡¯s not suffering from that curse.¡±


    ¡°¡ªI obey, Duke.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Duke Agnus looked at Joshua strangely. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for a year.¡±


    ¡°If something changes in you then¡ª¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s mouth hung open as if he was about to say something, but he turned away. ¡°¡ªI look forward to returning from Arcadia next year.¡± 1


    ¡°Chiffon, remain here.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± He answered vigorously.


    All three watched the Duke¡¯s figure disappear.


    ¡°You should stay here for a while.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t respond.


    <em>Were the rumors true?</em> Chiffon frowned. <em>I heard he lived in a stabled ever since they were thrown out of the mansion. This room is more spacious and better furnished than a peasant¡¯s entire home.</em>


    The boy remained expressionless. Chiffon sighed in frustration.


    ¡°Call me if you need anything.¡± Chiffon knew the boy was the child of a mere maid, so he left without further decorum.


    <strong>Thud!</strong>


    The door shut. Joshua sighed.


    <strong>Whump.</strong>


    Joshua let his body melt into the bedsheets.


    ¡°I could fall asleep right now...¡± Joshua mumbled, fighting his heavy eyelids.


    Duke Agnus was probably referring to when he would return to the capital city of Avalon, the Imperial Castle Arcadia.


    Duke Agnus spent most of his time there. He had probably returned to the Agnus estate for recreation, though he was the type of person who didn¡¯t understand how to rest.


    <em>You look forward to seeing me in a year.</em> Did the Duke know something Johsua didn¡¯t? Whatever it was, it couldn¡¯t be good. The fact that anyone knew his hidden cards is a risk, because it had been his leash in the past.


    <em>I can¡¯te up with anything right now.</em> Joshua shook off his restlessness.


    ¡°Babel von Agnus¡­¡± Joshua chuckled. Babel¡¯sst words were still lingering in his head.


    <em>¡°Watch your step! I¡¯ll cut your limbs off if you¡¯re trying to fool everyone. Same for your maid mother too¡­¡±</em>


    Joshua sighed.


    Strange things were happening inside his body right now and he had a feeling he could solve it.


    ¡°I need to restore my strength¡­ and for that¡ª¡±


    Having just entered the Duke¡¯sir, Joshua knew he needed to stay low-key and avoid suspicion. That¡¯s why he¡¯d avoided seeing his mother, whom he missed so much.


    <em>After midnight, I¡¯ll go look for you.</em> In the dim setting sun, Joshua¡¯s eyes glittered brightly.


    Editor¡¯s Note


    ?1?Arkady ¡ú Arcadia

 Chapter 8

    It was midnight when Joshua poked his head out of the window. He exhaled deeply and resolved to exit the mansion.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua let out a short groan as he walked. The eerie lump where his mana hall should be was acting up. The pain was bing more restrictive every minute.


    The problem is the energy inside the lump, a subtle but familiar mixture.


    Divine power, magic, and¡ª


    ¡°Heurk¡ª!¡± Joshua snapped and coughed up blood. On the bright side, it was clean, bright blood rather than the foul blood from when he died.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± For some reason, the energies that killed him hade back in time with him. They wed at each other, engulfing Joshua in a terrible, shuddering pain.


    At first, Joshua thought he had just lost his strength when he¡¯d travelled to the past.


    <em>But that¡¯s not it.</em> He could still feel the energy working inside him.


    After all, this was Joshua, the Undefeated Spear Knight of the Avalon Empire. Joshua was sometimes called the ¡°absolute man¡± and considered the most talented person alive. He was renowned all across Igrant.


    His senses told him that something was suppressing the power of the shing energies¡­


    ¡°Lugia.¡± Joshua frowned.


    His dear friend, Lugia. Somehow, Lugia¡¯s enormoustent power was restraining the conflicting energy inside him. Perhaps Lugia would provide the solution to his bizarre condition.


    The pain subsided, and Joshua hurried onwards.


    ¡°If I could make all three energies my own¡­¡± Even Joshua knew it was crazy. Magic and Divine power were antithetical. Not a single person, ever, had wielded both at the same time.


    ¡°A little North of the stable. Next to the house-sized rock.¡± Joshua mumbled to himself. Across the vast holdings of Duke Agnus, only Joshua knew this secret.


    Joshua was getting close. He was about to pass the stable when¡­


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!¡± A high-pitched scream pierced his ears.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes flew open.


    ¡°This voice!¡± It had been a long time, and it was only a scream, but Joshua could never forget this voice. His heart ¨C and his feet ¨C raced violently.


    A trembling woman in herte twenties was surrounded by three men. She was dressed shabbily, but her singr beauty shone through. Her eyes were a sparking emerald and her hair was the blue of a m sea. Though her face was marred with suffering and shadowed by anxiety, she was beautiful enough to make anyone look twice.


    It was Joshua¡¯s mother, Lucia.


    Lucia was in a very difficult situation.


    ¡°Let me go! Why are you doing this to me?¡± The bound woman spoke with a tremulous voice.


    ¡°Hehe. Lucia, let¡¯s not do this when we know each other¡¯s situation.¡± The man clutching Lucia¡¯s wrists, Gort, sported a disgusting smile.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It must be ten years since the Duke embraced you, right? Don¡¯t you somewhere to blow off steam, while you¡¯re at your prime?¡± Gort gestured at Lucia¡¯s body.


    ¡°Well, even if you don¡¯t need it, we do. We have to take care of our needs from time to time, too.¡± Roid smiled.


    ¡°Then¡ª! You think the Duke will ignore this?¡±


    ¡°What? You think the Duke wille running to save you?¡± Lucia could not refute Gort. ¡°You¡¯re just a lowly maid¡­ Rather, you should consider it an honor to serve the Duke¡¯s centurions.¡±


    ¡°Hehe. Can you believe this guy? Don¡¯t worry. Today I¡¯ll give you a taste of paradise,¡± Roid teased.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about yelling. Well, even if you did, no one would hear.¡±


    ¡°You know we¡¯re responsible for this area, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Lucia could only tremble.


    ¡°But¡­ is this really okay?¡± Unlike the other two, Rols stepped back and muttered nervously.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on with this fool, huh?¡± Gort scratched his head andughed at hisrade.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that¡ª If that boy¡ª Oh God, if he shows up!¡±


    ¡°Fuck! Then you take care of it!¡± Roid spat. His eyes hadn¡¯t left Lucia¡¯s body. ¡°We came here to teach that bastard a lesson, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut it! If you bber about that bastard¡¯s punches again, I¡¯ll beat you down before he can!¡±


    Rols shut his mouth.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t even make sense. Three centurions felled in one shot by a peasant child of less than ten years. He cleans horse manure!¡± They muttered to themself out of Lucia¡¯s hearing.


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy. Maybe he was possessed by a demon.¡± Roid nodded at Gort¡¯s words. Rols flew into a rage.


    ¡°But obviously I¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut it!¡± Gort shouted. He made a disgusted face. ¡°You can quit anytime, Rols! But if that kid dide back¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua? Where the hell is my child!¡± Lucia had been frozen stiff, but shouted and screamed when she heard Joshua¡¯s name.


    Gort scowled, but then had an idea and smirked. He pointed to the lone tree next to the stable.


    ¡°I beat him up and hung him from that tree.¡± Gort let out a grim chuckle, wondering what Lucia was thinking now.


    Lucia slumped. The shock of what she heard drained her energy in an instant.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take it any longer.¡± Gort licked his lips and he leered at Lucia.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, please¡ª¡± Lucia desperately retreated.


    ¡°Hey Gort, can we start now? I think I¡¯m going crazy.¡± Roid tugged at his pants and approached Lucia.


    ¡°But what if that guy shows up while you¡¯re doing it?¡±


    ¡°We only need one person to deal with him.¡± Gortughed.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Roid burst outughing.


    ¡°Let¡¯s start right away.¡± Gort let out a dark chuckle. When he reached Lucia, she bit his hand.


    ¡°Ouch! This bitch!¡± Gort pped Lucia. Her screams sounded in session, and her slender body sank to the ground.


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Gort clicked his tongue as he examined the maid.


    ¡°Hey, I think this is too harsh¡ª¡± Rols said.


    ¡°This Duchess will take care of it, you coward.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re scared, just leave.¡± Seeing Rols, shut his mouth, Gort grinned. ¡°Well then.¡± He approached Lucia¡¯s unconscious body.


    <strong>ck. ck. ck.</strong>


    The sound of unfamiliar footsteps echoed around them, amplified by the dark.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Gort¡¯s head snapped towards the sound.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    A boy approached from between Rols and Roid. A boy with dark blue hair and freezing blue eyes.


    Joshua howled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±

 Chapter 9

    Anger!


    Like the cold midnight moon, Joshua¡¯s anger wasid bare for all to see.


    Lucia had been harassed constantly by the Duchess because of her noble visage, but young Joshua could do nothing at all. In his past life, she contracted a terrible chronic disease and died, alone and despairing, when he was 14 years old. Joshua was frustrated by his powerlessness and cried for a long, long time.


    For Joshua, his mother was his only refuge from the constant bullying he received. It was only when she passed away that Joshua realized how much she meant to him. With his world crumbling around him, Joshua swore off personal attachments unless he had the strength to protect them.


    But this time, even at the tender age of nine, Joshua had the power to protect his beloved mother.


    Joshua cast his gaze across the ground. He found a rake used to clean horse manure and kicked it into his hand with a smile.


    ¡°¡ªg-go!¡± Rols stuttered. He¡¯d been trembling from the moment he saw Joshua.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°We should go. That kid isn¡¯t the one we know anymore!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, you bastard?¡± Gort red at the small boy. Roid just shook his head. Only Rols, who had witnessed everything, was nervous.


    ¡°Get out of the way. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± Gort got up and dusted off his pants.


    ¡°Don¡¯t work yourself too hard, Gort. Rols¡­ you crybaby.¡± Rols said with a rxed expression.


    ¡°Come on then. I woulda been worried if you didn¡¯t show up.¡± Gort mocked Joshua like a small animal. Gort burst intoughter when he saw Joshua remain silent like the mute he was.


    <em>He looks so pathetic</em>, Roid thought.


    ¡°Well, whatever.¡± Gort shrugged. ¡°When someone¡¯s mother gets raped right in front of them, even a mute will open their mouth.¡± At that, Roid couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore and his giggles turned into full-blownughter.


    ¡°Whatcha you gonna do about it?¡± Roid mocked. Joshua eyed his mother before finally speaking out.


    ¡°Come out!¡± The three centurions jumped.


    <em>He really can talk. Were the rumors true?</em> Gort mused nkly.


    ¡°This oughta be good.¡± Roidughed, but Rols was still shaking.


    ¡°Huh, yeah. If you insist.¡± Gort unsheathed his sword and pointed it at Joshua.


    This kind of sword was standard-issue, but this was the Agnus estate; they provided the highest quality materials and weapons to knights of all levels. It was in decent shape, with a few spots of rust here and there, but it was as sharp as the day it was forged. Gort licked his lips as he examined the sheen off


    his sword.


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said: <eme out.</em>¡± Gort had been edging towards Joshua, but he felt something was off and halted. Joshua was looking in his direction, but not directly at Gort.


    ¡°What are you going on abou¡ª¡±


    ¡°How did you notice?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Gort screamed, and the three thugs whirled around. What they saw astonished them.


    There was a young man with brown hair and tan eyes ¨C an ordinary appearance you could see anywhere on the street, but his clothes told a different story. There was a distinctive red cross embossed on his leather armor. This mark, considering its origins, was instantly recognizable to anyone: it was the insignia of Duke Agnus¡¯s Red Knights.


    Even a knight was as far from a soldier of this caliber as amoner was from nobility. The difference was like Heaven and Earth.


    ¡°I greet the Red Knight!¡± The centurions snapped to attention at once.


    <em>ce your right fist over your left breast and bow your head deeply.</em> This greeting was clearly different from how they would greet the duke. No one else was treated as he was, not even theirmanders.


    <em>Kneel to no one except the master.</em> The unspoken rule of Duke Agnus.


    The Red Knight, Cain, met Joshua¡¯s cold eyes. He couldn¡¯t hide his embarrassment.


    <em>Is this really the dumb kid they were talking about?</em> He could see Joshua¡¯s small, fragile body was nothing like Cain¡¯s, yet he seemed to emanate a strange feeling of intimidation from his tiny form.


    <em>What is this?</em> Cain tried to swallow, but his throat ran dry. He knew of only one person with this kind of presence: the Duke.


    ¡°I have a question.¡± When Joshua spoke, Cain¡¯s mind went nk. He¡¯d been assigned to monitor the boy by Chiffon, but, when the boy addressed him, all of that disappeared. Only the instinctive desire to answer remained.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°A soldier attempted to sully the Duke¡¯s mistress¡­ ording to the Duke¡¯s military regtions, how should we handle this case?¡±


    <em>A mere maid¡ª!</em> The words remained stuck in Cain¡¯s throat. He was too afraid to utter them when faced with the boy¡¯s intimidating aura.


    Cain bit his lip. For a moment, he met Joshua¡¯s eyes. He had no words for what he felt then. All he could do was obey.


    ¡°¡ªImmediate execution.¡±


    ¡°You know what to do.¡± Joshua tossed his rake aside.


    Cain drew his sword, and the three centurions prostrated themselves in unison.


    ¡°Spare me! I will never consider such nonsense again! Please!¡± Cain nced from them to Joshua, but Joshua¡¯s eyes were unwavering and merciless.


    He swung.


    An unnerving scream split the silence, echoing across the Duke¡¯s estate.


    Joshua only sighed.

 Chapter 10

    Cain didn¡¯t spare a second thought ¨C his swing was quick and concise. From only a single swing Joshua could tell that Cain had achieved a great understanding of the sword.


    The Red Knight looked to be in his 20s. If he was sent to monitor Joshua, there was a high probability that he was the youngest and lowest ranking in the troop.


    But his skills¡­


    Even though the Red Knights were one of the three strongest units in the Duke¡¯s army, it was the weakest of the three.


    <em>With that in consideration, this young knight is¡­</em>


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡±


    Cain red down at the three centurions, his chilly eyes freezing the tense atmosphere.


    Roid and Gort were already dead.


    He rounded on Rols.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Gort¡¯s and Roid¡¯s blood dripped off Cain¡¯s sword. ¡°I¡ª please! Forgive me just¡ª just this once¡­!¡±


    Cain looked unshaken even after cutting down two centurions. Instead, he approached Rols with a singrly indifferent expression.


    ¡°Please! Forgive me!¡± Cain raised his sword as if he hadn¡¯t heard.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Cain halted.


    Joshua approached slowly under the dim moonlight.


    ¡°...There is only one punishment for the crime of insulting the Duke¡¯s woman: immediate execution.¡± Cain had yet to lower his sword. As expected, even an untitled knight knew the rules so well. Cain stared at Joshua for a moment before turning back to Rols.


    ¡°Young Master! Please save me! I swear¡ª I swear my eternal loyalty if you save me!¡± Rols begged and scraped at Joshua¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Cain clenched his sword tight enough to make his veins pop.


    ¡°From that insignia, it looks like you¡¯re a member of the Red Knights. What is your name?¡± Cain¡¯s grip loosened when Joshua addressed him.


    ¡°My name is Cain.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain. Before you continue, I have one question.¡±


    Cain blinked at him. Joshua stared straight into his eyes and said,


    ¡°Who is your master?¡±


    Cain paused for a second before answering.


    ¡°My master is Duke Agnus.¡± His chest puffed with pride.


    ¡°Then one more question: Who am I?¡±


    A cold gust blew across them, as if even the air could feel the tension.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened with understanding. <em>Obey me.</em>


    ¡°Sheath your sword.¡± Joshua¡¯s voice was frigid.


    ¡°...I obey.¡± Eventually, Cain slid his sword back into its scabbard with a sigh. Metal hissed against leather, and the de disappeared from sight. Rols shouted in jubtion,


    ¡°Thank you Young Master Joshua! I will be forever loyal¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need this loyalty you speak of.¡± Rols¡¯s mouth snapped shut.


    ¡°Did you think I saved your life because I wanted your loyalty? Who are you kidding, you bastard?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°The ones I want to hurt the most are the ones who bared their teeth at my people.¡±


    Rols huped. Joshua¡¯s grim words made his heart tumble and shake.


    ¡°You¡¯re a quick-witted guy, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll understand what I say next.¡± His low voice dripped with malice.


    ¡°Just¡ª Just give an order, Young Master!¡± Rols banged his head on the cold, wet ground, cutting his scalp.


    ¡°Tell the soldiers everything you saw today. And¡ª¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes glittered dangerously. ¡°¡ªif anyone else tries something like this again¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take their pathetic lives with my own hands.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes, yes!¡± Rols kept his answer short; he knew how terrifying Joshua looked even without lifting his head.


    ¡°Now get out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°I will!¡± Rols forced his shaky legs to carry him away. Destination: <em>Anywhere but here!</em>


    With Rols gone, Joshua¡¯s freezing gaze thawed. He looked beside him: therey the most beautiful and special woman in his life, the woman he¡¯d yearned for even in his dreams. Joshua¡¯s mother in the flesh.


    <em>Mother¡­</em> Joshua squeezed his hands together with uncontroble joy. As his anger subsided, he realized that his childhood was stained with regret and his mother had been his only light. His mother, who died so early.


    <em>I thank Heaven for granting me another chance. This time will be different. We will never bend.</em>


    Now he was Joshua von Agnus, only child of a humble maid, spawn of the Duke, not Joshua Sanders, the hero, strongest spear knight in history.


    ¡°Are you¡­ really the same person I knew?¡± Cain, watching the iron-spirited child soften, cautiously spoke up.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense.¡± Rather than being angry, Joshua burst outughing.


    ¡°But... The Young Master I remember was¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Master¡¯s mistake, the child of amon maid, the dung shoveler¡­ Should I continue?¡±


    Cain suddenly stood straight and locked eyes with Joshua.


    ¡°At the age of 23, a knight may choose their master.¡± All knights of the Agnus estate obey the Duke. However, their fealty was ultimately their own choice and responsibility.


    ¡°Next year, I will also face that decision.¡± Cain stared intently at Joshua. He took three steps back and gripped the hilt of his sword. ¡°I trust my instincts. In a year¡¯s time I will be by your side, Young Master.¡± With that, he ced his hand over his heart and bowed.


    Then he vanished before Joshua could reply.


    Joshua stared nkly at the air.


    <em>You idiot.</em> He burst outughing.


    Cain. A budding Red Knight.


    This situation was anything but normal. Practically speaking, Cain¡¯s future would be more secure if he gave his loyalty to Babel, the treasure of the Agnus family, rather than Joshua. His thoughts were a mystery.


    ¡°Joshua?¡± He was startled by the delicate voice rising from his side.


    ¡°Mother?¡± Joshua knelt down to help his mother sit up.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay!¡± Lucia forgot her aching body when she saw her child¡¯s face. Her gentle caress on Joshua¡¯s face made his heart melt ¨C the sensation of having a mother once again was truly incredible.


    A tear trickled down his cheek.


    ¡°Now¡­ I will definitely protect you.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s smile was brighter than the moon in the sky.


    An, the ancient empire.


    It was the most powerful country in the world until, long ago, the continent was riven into the East and West. After thousands of years, it disappeared even from memory. Perhaps ancient tomes contained records of it, but who could say?


    Now only a few people knew of its existence. Joshua, having returned from decades in the future, was one of them.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s mansion sat directly on Iris, the ancient capital of the An empire.


    <em>Who knew?</em> Who knew of the great secret hidden beneath the Duke¡¯s magnificent castle?


    ¡°This is the ce.¡±


    It had been a few hours since he managed to put his mother at ease, who¡¯d only gotten more worried because of his frantic gestures. Time was running out. The sun would rise soon and no one should see him here.


    When Joshua arrived at his destination, he smiled softly. <em>It</em> was here.


    ¡°Lugia,¡± he muttered, and forged onwards.


    Here he would be the Unrivaled Spear Knight.

 Chapter 11

    North of the Duke¡¯s gardens, in a quiet ce; the house-sized rock here hid a secret only Joshua knew. This imposing, 5-meter boulder, known as the ¡°guardian stone¡±, shields the estate from danger. However, it is also the connecting passage to the ruins of the ancient capital city, Iris.


    This ce was considered sacred, so it saw few visitors. In fact, it was forbidden to even touch it but Joshua was climbing it nheless.


    In his past life, Joshua frequently visited to connect with his dead mother. He thought it would be better to go to the top of the Duke¡¯s castle, but was turned away at the door.


    ¡°Right... here.¡± Joshua reached the top of the rock with a few popped joints and more than a few groans. He groped at the stone for a long time before he managed to find a neatly concealed needle-sized groove. He¡¯d only managed to find it the first time because he swept his hands around every time he climbed the rock.


    A secret was hidden inside. His eyes lit up, breath hiking, and his blue irises dted with excitement.


    Joshua knew what to do next: he needed blood.


    He bit his index finger and his blood dripped into the groove. It lit up and opened into a tight passage, justrge enough to fit Joshua¡¯s small body.


    Soon, he would see things that defied exnation.


    Joshua hurled himself into the dark muzzle, which sucked him in with a throbbing sensation across his entire body.


    The first thing Joshua saw was a narrow passage which, if his memory was correct, opened into a wide cavity. There he would find what he was looking for.


    <em>What I really need right now.</em>


    Joshua advanced slowly down the dark passage with a smile, which widened as he approached the end of the tunnel.


    ¡°Ack!¡± Joshua was momentarily blinded by the bright light.


    Up to this point, everything had matched his memories of the ruins. But when he opened his eyes¡­


    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Joshua¡¯s voice echoed across the damp room.


    In the middle of the room was one ¨Cpletely empty ¨C altar.


    Cain de Harry


    As his name suggests, he was the son of a noble family. His family traced its roots back to a barren ruralnd to the Northwest, far from the Duke¡¯s territory, the Viscounty of Harry.


    His father was the Viscount Bron de Harry. Once, he had earned a position in the center of politics using his hardworking nature and talent for administration. Everything turned upside down when he was almost demoted to Baron but, sure enough, no one could ignore the Harry family¡¯s vast connections.


    Cain, his son, had been a promising talent since childhood. Curiously, he didn¡¯t inherit his father¡¯s administrative ability and pursued swordsmanship instead.


    He went to study at the Academy in the Imperial Capital. There he developed his talent and caught the eye of the Grand Duke, leading to him joining the Duke¡¯s army.


    But no one knew of his true abilities¡ªexcept one. Everyone else thought that Cain¡¯s abilities were average for a C-ss Knight. Considering he was 22, his skill was only slightly above average.


    In reality, he¡¯d surpassed the C-ss Knights and even the B-ss Knights. He was beyond simply wielding mana; he was at the point where he could shape it at will. This kind of talent wasparable to Babel, the treasure of the Duke¡¯s family.


    His talent couldnd him a position in the Golden Man Order, the strongest arm of the Duke¡¯s army. But for some reason, Cain¡¯s talent was wasting away in the Red Knights.


    ¡°I have received your report.¡± A middle-aged man sat behind a desk on a mahogany chair and rummaged through his documents.


    Chiffon raised his stylishly mustachioed head.


    ¡°You also punished two centurions, soldier?¡±


    ¡°¡ªYes.¡± Cain saluted Chiffon and answered. Chiffon¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Your actions followed the word ofw¡­ but for the Duke¡¯s centurions, it¡¯s a different story. These centurions belong to the Duke himself, so there must be another reason.¡± Cain was conflicted for a moment, but his judgement was quick.


    ¡°They insulted the Duke¡¯s wife,¡± he answered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They tried to sully the mistress, therefore¡ª¡±


    Chiffon leapt to his feet and mmed his fist against the desk.


    ¡°Is that true? Those crazy bastards did <em>what</em> to Lady Vanessa¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not Duchess Vanessa.¡± Cain shook his head quietly. Chiffon gave him a sideways look.


    ¡°It was¡­ Lucia.¡± Chiffon¡¯s brows furrowed. He sighed and dropped back into his seat.


    ¡°Lucia? <em>That</em> Lucia?¡±


    ¡°Yes: the Duke¡¯s second wife.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Chiffon let out a sadugh. He leaned his head against his palm and red at Cain. ¡°You mean you beheaded two centurions for a maid?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not just a maid.¡± Cain shook his head firmly. ¡°Whatever her status, the Duke¡¯s wife is not to be insulted by a mere soldier.¡± Chiffon swallowed a heavy sigh. That¡¯s right. Even if Lucia was a maid, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that she bore the Duke¡¯s second son.


    ¡°The Duke may not pay attention to her, but I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s relevant. If the Duke hears that Lucia was insulted¡ª¡±


    ¡°Setting aside whatever pity you felt for the maid, I assume you are willing to take responsibility.¡± Chiffon straightened and looked Cain square in the eyes.


    ¡°If what I did was wrong, I will dly ept punishment.¡± Cain stood proud, hand over heart.


    ¡°...Alright.¡± After a long silence, Chiffon sighed. ¡°Sorry for doubting you. I know you¡¯re a very smart young man. Maybe I¡¯m just a little sensitive these days.¡±


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Chiffon frowned at his question.


    ¡°Do you know why I attached you to that lowly child? I wanted to confirm if the rumor of him beating the three centurions was true. Imagine! He was just a dumb child before.¡±


    ¡°Obviously it¡¯s nonsense, but it had to be verified. If it was true, he could be an obstruction to Master Babel.¡±


    ¡°...Why? Do you think Young Master Joshua is a threat to Master Babel?¡± Chiffon flinched.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s a joke¡­ Don¡¯t say bullshit like that.¡± His eyes were sharp. ¡°Master Babel is a once-in-a-lifetime genius. He must be the leader of the family.¡±


    ¡°Imagine what a shame it would be if Master Babel¡¯s position were stolen away by the son of a lowly maid.¡± Chiffon made a ridiculous expression. ¡°I just hope that Master Babel¡¯s road will never be blocked, so that he may hone his strength to its full potential. There cannot be any obstacles... We will remove them all, even the tiniest pebble.


    <em>Pebble,</em> Cain mused. That boy he saw was anything but a pebble. <em>Perhaps he will tear the sky in two and shake the earth like a meteor.</em>


    That strange feeling of intimidation Cain felt from Joshua¡­ He knew he¡¯d felt it before.


    <em>Joshua von Agnus,</em> he muttered with a soft smile. <em>I will trust my instincts. They have never failed me before.</em>


    ¡°Anyways, continue to monitor the child. If there is anything unusual, report it immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir.¡± Cain saluted and quickly left the cold office.


    Cain¡¯s face couldn¡¯t hide his excitement, and his footsteps were lighter than ever.

 Chapter 12

    ¡°What the hell is this?¡± Joshua spat. Right in the middle, there should have been a temple built in the unique style of the ancient empire. His spear, Lugia, was nowhere to be seen, to say nothing of the mana technique that should have been right next to it. Instead, he could only see the faint traces of a temple.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Joshua couldn¡¯t suppress his disappointment.


    <em>I wonder if anything will change in six years?</em> Joshua was fifteen when he found this ce in his past life; based on what people were saying, he knew he was nine years old now. Would it be better if he came back when he¡¯d originally found it? Would someone rebuild the temple over the next six years?


    <em>That¡¯s nonsense.</em> Joshua pondered for a moment, then shook his head. <em>Only I know about this ce.</em>


    ¡°Perhaps¡­¡± He looked around. Although ruined and fragmented, it was clearly the temple he remembered. Joshua paced towards the altar in the center.


    His eyes widened. At first nce, it looked as dpidated as the rest of the temple; but when he approached, he could see a rod of iron where Lugia should have been chained to the altar.


    ¡°This stick¡ª¡± His hand touching the cold iron triggered something unexpected.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± A bright light enveloped young Joshua. He couldn¡¯t move ¨C all he could do was wait¡­


    Duke Agnus¡¯s personal study


    When the Duke was at his estate rather than the Capital, he spent most of his day in his study.


    There was a knock on the door.


    ¡°Duke, the guest has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Duke Agnus swallowed. He always received visitors when he came to the estate, but he wasn¡¯t enthusiastic about this one. This guest, however, while lower-ranked than the Duke, wielded an undeniable influence.


    Duke Agnus stood and quickly walked out the door.


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡± The old butler, Chiffon, and his soldiers bowed in respect.


    ¡°Where are they?¡± The greatest master of knights in the Empire mustered a proud facade.


    ¡°I was told they were in the first-floor reception room.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Duke Agnus moved, and Chiffon quickly fell in behind him.


    ¡°However¡­ Count Rebra was not alone,¡± Chiffon ventured.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Lady Iceline apanied him.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what he¡¯s up to.¡± Duke Agnus heaved a sigh as he walked.


    Iceline Jean Rebra, daughter of Count Poncel Jean Rebra, was also a treasure of the Duchy. Like Babel, she was one of the Empire¡¯s renowned talents: a magical genius who achieved the Second ss at the precocious age of nine.


    Innate mana sensitivity. Some people were born with the congenital mana disorder, but some people overflowed with it. Iceline was blessed to be able to feel and wield mana by instinct alone. Among wizards, it was considered a God-given blessing.


    Avalon was an empire of knights, unlike Terra, the Kingdom of Magic, so Iceline was even more of a rarity.


    <em>The reason Count Rebra came here with his precious daughter must be¡­</em> Duke Agnusughed bitterly.


    ¡°Poncel is going to make me suffer all day. Young Master Babel will turn fifteen next year. Only three years before hising-of-age¡­ Everyone must be anxious. But Babel¡­¡± Duke Agnus frowned. ¡°I have Princess Charles for Babel.... How can I¡ª¡± Duke Agnus let out another deep sigh.


    The five Dukes of the great Avalon Empire wielded influence beyond imagination. Princess Charles is a daughter of the Pontier family, a Ducal house that rose to power with wealth alone.


    ¡°As the Duke said, considering the Pontier family, it is correct to choose Princess Charles.¡±


    ¡°I always feel it, but what a pity.¡±


    ¡°You are greedy.¡± Chiffon chuckled. Duke Agnus¡¯s lust for talent was insatiable, such that it was difficult to just call it mere ¡°greed¡±. Chiffon was proud to serve under this master.


    <em>So long as they have the ability, no one will be discriminated against ¨C regardless of rank. My master judges people only by their skills.</em> Even his own blood.


    ¡°...What about Joshua?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Chiffon was dragged out of his musings by his master¡¯s voice. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said, ¡®How about we ce Iceline by Joshua¡¯s side?¡¯¡±


    Chiffon couldn¡¯t believe what he heard, and it showed. He had to look twice at the Duke to realize he wasn¡¯t joking.


    ¡°Duke? But Master Joshua¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Yes: he is Lucia¡¯s child, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that he¡¯s also my son.¡±


    Chiffon¡¯s face hardened, and he chose his next words with great care.


    ¡°...Duke. Unlike Master Babel, Master Joshua has no talent. I apologize for saying this, but until recently everyone called him ¡®dumb¡¯. You saw Joshua for yourself, didn¡¯t you? With his physical condition, even though he¡¯s still young...¡± Chiffon shook his head. He was convinced that Joshua was born with a mana disability¡ªthere was simply no other exnation for his utterck of mana. ¡°We need to wait a little longer to be certain, yes. But if it really is a mana disorder¡­ Introducing such a person to Lady Iceline is a bit¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. They¡¯re probably waiting.¡± Duke Agnus gave Chiffon a sideways look and then burst intoughter. He had stopped moving for a while, but set off again with a grin.


    ¡°Duke, don¡¯t leave me behind!¡±


    <em>Somehow, the Duke looked both amused and excited.</em>


    ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Joshua let out a groan and cracked open his eyelids. At once, a crushing headache hammered into his skull.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡± Joshua cussed. The pain felt like it would knock him out at any moment, but somehow he felt like he absolutely could not afford to pass out here. He desperately clung to his thread of consciousness and slowly exercised the only mana technique he knew. One slow breath at a time, the ringing in his head faded away.


    Some timeter, a sh of light snapped his eyes open.


    ¡°Where am I¡­?¡± He was surrounded by sterile white space. Not even the smallest insect would crawl in here.


    <em>¡°Are you here?¡±</em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at the echoing voice.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Joshua shouted and whirled around. But he saw nothing¡­ Just endless bright whiteness.


    <em>¡°Right here.¡±</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes filled with astonishment. Something floated in the pure white space above him.


    ¡°The iron rod from before?¡±


    <em>¡°I am not an ¡®iron rod¡¯.¡±</em> Joshua¡¯s mouth fell open. He¡¯d heard of swords with a will, but never in his two lives had Joshua seen such a monstrous object.


    ¡°You¡­ Who are you?¡±


    <em>¡°I am¡­¡±</em> The object spoke slowly. <em>¡°...the Demonic Spirit, Lugia.¡±</em> 1


    Joshua fell to the ground in shock.


    Trantor¡¯s Note


    ?1?(ħÉñÆ÷ - literally ¡°Demonic artifact¡±)

 Chapter 13

    ¡°Demonic Spirit, Lugia?¡± Joshua muttered nkly.


    <em>As in¡­ literally a demon¡¯s spirit?</em> If this iron rod really was his favorite spear, then this would be the first time he¡¯d ever heard it speak.


    The original Lugia had a two-ded prong. Although it looked quite odd at first nce, no one would dare mock Lugia. When Joshua wielded Lugia, their overflowing mana made them unchallenged on the battlefield.


    Which made it difficult to believe that Lugia had transformed into a talking iron rod.


    <em>¡°There is no time.¡±</em> Joshua was roused by Lugia¡¯s voice humming in his head.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    <em>¡°The curse within your body will suppress your strength and consume your life as time passes.¡±</em>


    ¡°Maybe¡­ You also came back to the past with me?¡± His eyes widened. It seemed natural since they were together for decades, but it was still strange.


    <em>¡°The only way to break the curse is using your body¡¯stent power.¡±</em> Lugia couldn¡¯t hear Joshua. <em>¡°In order to restore that strength, you must be at least at the 4th level of spear mastery.¡±</em>


    ¡°4th level!¡± Perhaps Lugia was talking about the ancient technique he found alongside the spear.


    The majority of Knights in Igrant viewed the sword as the ultimate weapon. The spear was viewed as a crude toy used by poorly trained conscripts.


    <em>If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles.</em> 1


    Among the knights, few understood the spear. There were only a handful of people who couldpete with Joshua in his past life.


    Joshua had reached the 5th level of mastery. Even after decades of hard work, the 6th level remained out of reach. In terms of knights¡¯ sses, an A-ss Knight can manifest their mana in the form of a sword. These knights are known as the ¡°Absolute One¡±. At the 5th level of his 8-stage spear technique, Joshua was the best knight in the empire. The 4th level, just below it, was equivalent to a B-ss Knight.


    Joshua¡¯s experience made him confident that he could reach that level, but he was only nine years old. Even before his return, it took him some time.


    <em>Of course we have to gather our strength. In order to approach Prince Kaiser, I need to show some skill.</em> Joshua made a gloomy face.


    <em>But in my present state...</em> Joshua bit his lip. <em>Well, don¡¯t I already have experience using it in this state?</em> He¡¯d already used a modicum of mana, although the consequences were painful. But even with this sliver of hope it would be difficult to be a C-ss Knight, let alone a master.


    Lugia began to dissipate into the air with a sigh.


    <em>¡°It¡¯s a temporary measure but, as long as I¡¯m by your side, you¡¯ll be able to use some of my power without side effects.¡±</em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>¡°Constantly refine yourself. When you reach the supreme state and regain your lost strength¡­¡±</em> Lugia¡¯s voice began to fade. <em>¡°To achieve what you desire¡­¡±</em>


    Joshua rushed closer to catch Lugia¡¯sst whispers.


    <em>¡°Self¡­ certain steps¡­ next time¡­¡±</em>


    ¡°Hey!¡± Joshua¡¯s hand shot towards Lugia, who hadpletely fallen.


    And¡­


    The vtile amalgamation of energies in his body exploded all at once.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Joshua screamed like his body was being torn apart.


    First floor reception room, Duke Agnus¡¯s mansion


    ¡°Duke Agnus has arrived.¡± Following Imperial etiquette, the servant opened the door after a short dy. The well-oiled hinges swung open almost silently. Inside, two men and two women waited patiently.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Duke Agnus tilted his head. There were more people than expected.


    Knights? No, it would be rude for a guest to be apanied by a knight in the Avalon Empire. It was like saying they didn¡¯t trust their host. Usually, their knights would wait in a different room.


    Above all else, the atmosphere inside the room was¡­ off.


    ¡°Charles?¡± Duke Agnus saw a familiar face and his eyes widened.


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡± A girl with ming red hair gracefully greeted Duke Agnus. She was a pretty girl in her early teens with slightly raised brows. She seemed sharp at first nce, but it only enhanced her charm.


    She was Charles de Pontier, daughter of the Grand Duke Pontier.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I came here on a whim, so I asked them not to inform you, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Cox!¡± Duke Agnus stepped forward with a smile. The short-haired, middle-aged man, Cox von Wagen, was a vassal of the Pontier family. He was born a merchant and rose to nobility, but he was more famous for his nickname: ¡°Gold Ingot¡±; as the name suggested, he had a monstrous appetite for gold. Hardly any money came into the Pontier family without passing through his hands¡ªtruly, he was a key figure in the Pontier Duchy.


    ¡°The princess insisted we visit, so I apanied her. My apologies, Duke.¡± Cox bowed his head with regret.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be sorry about! Even when we¡¯re both in the capital, it¡¯s hard to see each other¡­ When else will I get the chance to see you like this?¡± Duke Agnus took it in stride with a cheerful smile.


    ¡°Thank you for kind words.¡± At that, Duke Agnus smiled mischievously.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really sorry, how about you work for me now?¡±


    ¡°Haha, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve seen you. You didn¡¯t even greet me and you¡¯re already trying to poach our people?¡±


    ¡°Princess!¡± Cox¡¯s face flushed pale blue.


    <em>I¡¯ve known the Princess since she was very young and she always treated me as a thing, so it doesn¡¯t matter if I treat myself like an object¡­</em> But Duke Agnus was an entirely different story. Just as Cox was about to apologize, Duke Agnus burst into pleasantughter.


    ¡°Hahaha! Yes, Charles, it was a very poor greeting indeed. You¡¯re the same Charles I remember.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Charles pursed her lips. ¡°But, Sir Chiffon, where is Babel?¡±


    ¡°Ah, the master....¡± Looking between them, Duke Agnus smiled strangely.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± Charles noted his smile. ¡°I am of the same mind as you. As you know, our family has great wealth, and no one can challenge your strength.¡±


    ¡°Hummm.¡±


    ¡°By the time I heard Babel was promoted to a C-ss Knight, the rumors had already spread all over the capital. So I thought I might try recruiting a talent.¡±


    ¡°Princess, you say too much!¡± Cox couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. He shook his head tearfully. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Duke. The Princess is still immature¡ª¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Charles¡¯s voice was shrill.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You¡¯re just at that age.¡± Duke Agnus waved it off, but quickly shifted to an embarrassed expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ponsel. I forgot about you.¡±


    ¡°No, Duke.¡± The schrly man in his mid-thirties bowed his head. This blue-haired, sad-eyed man with a soft impression was Ponsel Jean Rebra, famed for his sorcery.


    Beside him was a girl with a rather simr atmosphere. She had wavy blue hair which flowed down like a waterfall and big droopy eyes. If Charles were ¡°pretty¡±, this girl was ¡°beautiful¡±. She was Rebra¡¯sst hope, the only remaining child of the Countess, and magical genius, Iceline Jean Rebra.


    ¡°You came, Lady Iceline.¡± Duke Agnus greeted her with a small smile.


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡±


    ¡°I came all the way here to get something to eat¡ª¡± Charles made a dissatisfied expression.


    ¡°Princess, why are you like this?¡± Cox grumbled.


    ¡°Oh! I heard something!¡± Ignoring Cox, Charles pped her hands as if she¡¯d remembered something. ¡°I heard you have another son, but he¡¯s sick so he doesn¡¯t stay in the mansion or something¡ª¡±


    ¡°Princess, that story!¡± Cox shouted in terror and embarassment.


    ¡°It¡¯s a nice ce¡­ I don¡¯t think the stable is a good ce, but¡ª¡± Duke Agnus smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Oh, a stable?¡± Charles looked surprised. ¡°So it¡¯s true he¡¯s your son?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    ¡°AHA! Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Princess, please!¡±


    <em>I haven¡¯t said anything yet,</em> Charles frowned.


    <em>Please, please!</em> Cox couldn¡¯t hide his anxious expression. <em>I pray the Princess doesn¡¯t go any further. I pray that I live to greet the sunrise...</em>


    But fate was not on Cox¡¯s side.


    ¡°¡ªHe would go perfectly with Iceline.¡±


    Cox cracked.


    Editor¡¯s note


    ?1?Quote from *The Art of War*

 Chapter 14

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Count Rebra.¡± Cox got up quickly and shook his head. As a merchant, Cox was very sensitive when it came to reading the atmosphere ¨C doubly so when he was in the same room as both a Count and a Grand Duke. Even though Cox was one of the most respected Counts of the Pontier family, he had no problem humbling himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s not something to lower yourself for.¡± Count Poncel Jean Rebra shook his head with a faint smile. ¡°Moreover¡­ I¡¯ve heard that rumor too, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°May I enquire, if it¡¯s not too rude?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, he¡¯s not half bad even if he¡¯s a bastard,¡± Charles spouted.


    ¡°Princess, please refrain from further rudeness!¡± Cox shouted before Charles could continue.


    ¡°What rudeness? I only told the truth,¡± she pouted.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Counts need to worry so much.¡±


    ¡°Sir Chiffon?¡± Cox tilted his head questioningly.


    ¡°Well¡­ As the Princess said, Young Master Joshua is unwell, so he¡¯s recuperating.¡±


    ¡°My word¡­ What manner of affliction?¡± Cox asked with a worried face. Chiffon eyed Duke Agnus before replying.


    ¡°From my observations, it seems to be congenital mana disorder.¡±


    ¡°The Curse of Mana!¡± Ponsel shouted in surprise. This curse ¨C congenital mana disorder ¨C was rare enough to break his normally quiet atmosphere. A strange look passed through Iceline¡¯s eyes, who otherwise sat expressionless like a doll.


    ¡°What the hell? A kid knocked out three soldiers with that kind of illness¡­¡± Charles mumbled with a sullen expression. Cox and Ponsel shared a sympathetic look.


    Their interest in Joshua, however, was cursory. Although they did not say it, they were only here for Babel von Agnus.


    ¡°Well, Ponsel, how about you take a look at the boy?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Ponsel stared nkly back at the Duke.


    ¡°After all, aren¡¯t there only a few 5th-ss Wizards in the Empire?¡±


    A 5th-ss Wizard was respected wherever they went; with the exception of the Magical Kingdom, Terra, someone with that level of skill could be the royal chief wizard wherever they chose. Considering the rtiveck of wizards in the Avalon Empire, Ponsel was especially valuable; indeed, he was one of the three most powerful people in the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°¡ªAll right.¡± Ponsel nodded softly. It wasn¡¯t too difficult, and he could earn the Duke¡¯s regard for a simple favor.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Chiffon adopted a faint frown ¨C it was his habit to frown when something was not to his liking.


    ¡°Duke, why don¡¯t you go and evaluate Master Joshua¡¯s talent?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Duke Agnus tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain it¡¯s congenital mana disorder but¡­ if you¡¯re willing, wouldn¡¯t it be better to check his health before leaving for the capital?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Duke Agnus stroked his chin with a troubled expression.


    ¡°If Count Ponsel is with you, you can observe him a little easier.¡± Wizards were more sensitive to mana. The way wizards and knights manipte mana are fundamentally different, but wizards could feel the ¡°flow¡± of mana.


    ¡°That would be fantastic¡­ And, I get to see my younger brother.¡± Charles pped her hands. ¡°Oh, you said he¡¯s nine years old, so he¡¯s younger than me right? Three years younger.¡±


    ¡°Hahh...¡± Cox was at a loss.


    ¡°How do you n to judge him?¡± Duke Agnus asked Chiffon.


    ¡°With your orders, I will send one of my knights to him.¡±


    ¡°One of the Red Knights?¡± Duke Agnus frowned. Chiffon was unperturbed.


    ¡°If Master Joshua can take down three centurions with his bare hands, then a Red Knight should be enough.¡±


    ¡°I think we should consider the other knights too.¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s answer was expected for the most prestigious family of knights in the Empire.


    ¡°Of course, the other knights are excellent but, for the Young Master¡¯s safety, wouldn¡¯t it be better to have someone who can control their strength?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± When Duke Agnus seemed concerned, Chiffon quickly added:


    ¡°I have the perfect candidate.¡±


    ¡°A suitable member of the Red Knights¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a knight you know well,¡± Chiffon continued with a smirk.


    His voice was strangely chilly.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Joshua took a deep breath and opened his eyes. ¡°Where¡ª¡±


    The first thing he saw when he woke up was the ruins of the ancient temple. The white space he was in earlier was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Was it real?¡± Joshua mumbled. But the weight in his hand told him it was neither dream nor fantasy.


    ¡°Lugia?¡± The staff ¨C he couldn¡¯t bring himself to call it a spear ¨C rested in his hand. Thisfortable and familiar grip¡ªclearly it was Lugia, his dear friend and partner.


    <em>¡°As long as I¡¯m by your side¡­¡±</em> Lugia¡¯sst words flickered through his mind. Joshua closed his eyes and began to exercise his mana technique.


    <em>Now!</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped open. An inscrutable ck haze rose from his body, a phenomenon that only urred when his mana technique was operating normally. Joshua hefted the iron rod and straightened his posture.


    ¡°Hooo!¡± Joshua took a short deep breath and stared straight ahead. This ancient spear technique ¨C the ¡°Magic Spear Technique¡± ¨C was divided into multiple stages, but his destination was clear.


    <em>Can I draw even a handful of mana from the air?</em> That was the standard for the first stage.


    <em>I can do it.</em> His grip on the iron rod firmed.


    <em>Lower your posture and contract your muscles, so that you can apply your full strength in one moment.</em> His muscles tightened like they would snap into action at any moment.


    <em>The first form: Stabbing.</em> There were only two spear methods in the first stage of his technique.


    In a way, it was just a simple stab¡ªa straight line to the target. Concise and straightforward, but fast.


    At the tip of the iron rod, a coin-sized mote of mana condensed. And when the mana waspressed to a point¡­


    ¡°Thunder.¡±


    A swarm of pure white light thrust forth from the end of the rod.

 Chapter 15

    True to its reputation, there were quite a number of training facilities in the Agnus estate. Each group of knights had a dedicated gymnasium and there was even one for individual training. Past the thirdrgest of these gymnasiums was a stone building with a red cross g waving above it: the headquarters of the Red Knights.


    ¡°Captain, this is Cain.¡± Cain knocked on a certain door.


    ¡°Come in.¡± Cain was already a bit out of sorts, so he was startled by the sudden reply. Behind the door he found themander of the Red Knights neatly sat in the middle of the room.


    ¡°I was told you needed to see me.¡± Cain saluted his superior.


    ¡°Well,¡± Chiffon nodded slightly. ¡°I need you to do something.¡±


    ¡°Please name it.¡± Cain straightened.


    ¡°Perhaps today or tomorrow, the Duke will call you.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He may be a member of one of the most sessful orders in the estate, but he was only a low-ranked knight himself. The number of times such a knight encounters the Duke could be counted on one hand.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous, ¡®cause I¡¯ll be with you¡­ along with the two counts and their daughters¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Count Rebra and Count Wagen?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened further. He¡¯d heard they were visiting the Duke, but what could bring such a collection of high-ranking nobles together?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It seems that the Duke intends to test Master Joshua.¡±


    ¡°They are testing the Master?¡± Cain stared nkly at Chiffon.


    ¡°Obviously, Lord Joshua is suffering from congenital mana disorder, but the Duke has doubts. So I¡¯ll nip it in the bud. This time, we can blow away any lingering suspicions.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­¡± Cain gulped, but Chiffon was tranquil.


    ¡°It is a subordinate¡¯s duty to alleviate their master¡¯s worries. I¡¯ll amputate the crippled limb.¡±


    <em>What did he just say? Has he gone insane!?</em> No matter how high-ranked you were, to say such a thing about the son of the Master without a hint of regret...


    <em>There must be some sort of rtionship between Master Babel and Sir Chiffon¡­</em> Cain could no longer deny it. <em>It¡¯s no wonder Sir Chiffon is biased.</em>


    Knights of the Duchy choose their masters, but it only changes priority. No matter which vassal they pledge their loyalty too, they ultimately take orders from the Duke.


    <em>I guessed Sir Chiffon pledged himself to Master Babel, but I never knew he¡¯d be so tant as this.</em> This was bad¡ªCain had alreadymitted himself to Joshua, after all.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to put up that facade.¡± Chiffon eyed Cain¡¯s troubled expression. ¡°He¡¯s also a child of the Master¡­ even if he¡¯s a mistake. Don¡¯t tell anyone, or you¡¯ll be punished.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Cain nodded reflexively.


    ¡°So I thought I¡¯d try something different. In order to confirm the truth of the rumors, we decided he should spar with a knight in front of everyone, including the two counts.¡± Chiffon locked eyes with Cain. ¡°His opponent is you.¡±


    <em>Damn it¡­</em> Cain knew this would happen.


    ¡°During the battle¡­ find the right moment to use your mana.¡±


    ¡°You want me to use mana?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, don¡¯t use it openly. The spectators will be masters of war¡ªin short, the very kind of people most sensitive to mana. Even a subtle flow of mana won¡¯t go unnoticed. Instead, you will only infuse the tiniest bit of mana into your body¡­ If Master Joshua really has a congenital mana disorder, that alone will be fatal.¡±


    Congenital mana disorders were a terrifying thing. It was more than ack of mana: the body was actually fatally allergic to it. Any mana ¨C even naturally urring ¨C being injected into their body¡­


    <em>Even left alone he wouldn¡¯t live to see 18 years. If it¡¯s really a congenital mana disorder, his life is in jeopardy. But the Master Joshua I saw...</em>


    ¡°For now, you just have to wait. Be prepared,¡± Chiffon continued, unaware of Cain¡¯s thoughts..


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°See yourself out.¡±


    Cain saluted and turned away.


    <em>This isn¡¯t so bad. With such a small amount of mana, themander won¡¯t notice if I don¡¯t use any at all.</em> Cain had decided to support Joshua. There was no way he would harm the boy, even under orders from his direct superior.


    <em>I¡¯m not suited for these kinds of things.</em> Cain moved away from the office with a determined expression.


    <em>I hope everything goes as nned.</em>


    ¡°Brother Babel!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Babel turned his head behind him. ¡°Charles?¡±


    ¡°Long time no see!¡± Charles clung to Babel.


    ¡°When are you¡ª¡± Babel abruptly realized Charles was not alone.


    ¡°Long time no see, Young Master.¡± Iceline lowered her head. Babel stared nkly as she greeted him with an elegance beyond her age.


    ¡°Iceline, you¡¯re here too.¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°Oh, I see...¡± Charles quickly interjected herself between them. ¡°I heard you have a younger brother!¡±


    ¡°Brother?¡± Babel frowned. ¡°Maybe¡­ that peasant bastard¡ª¡± Iceline¡¯s chilly gaze shut his mouth.


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about the maid¡¯s child, are you?¡±


    ¡°Yes? I knew he was a bastard, but a maid¡¯s son?¡± Charles rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah. The dung shoveler is trying to show off.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Charles adopted a pitying expression. ¡°A Duke¡¯s child and horse dung¡­ how pitiful.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pity him!¡± Babel¡¯s smile turned shifty. ¡°He was born from dirty origins and with mana disorder.¡±


    ¡°Ah! I heard that too. He has the Curse of Mana, right?¡± Charles pped her hands, saying <em>¡®Cheap!¡¯</em>


    ¡°Hah, the heavens must be angered by his mere existence.¡±


    ¡°But they said¡­ it might not be the curse after all.¡± Charles tilted her head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Duke said he would test it himself.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Babel frowned. As the atmosphere curdled, Iceline stepped forward.


    ¡°They want to confirm if the rumor ¨C of Master Joshua beating the three centurions ¨C is real. That would also prove if he has a congenital mana disorder or not.¡±


    ¡°Iceline?¡± Babel flinched at her quiet voice.


    ¡°That¡¯s why my father is organizing a sparring session. That way, the most subtle flow of mana will be easily captured.¡±


    ¡°Why is Count Rebra¡­?¡± Babel trailed off with a confused look.


    ¡°This is what Duke Agnus asked for,¡± Iceline answered.


    ¡°Father?¡± Babel suddenly grinned sharply. He turned to Charles urgently.


    ¡°When?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When and where are they sparring?¡±


    ¡°That is¡­ Maybe today or tomorrow. The Duke said it would be held in the small theater.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    <em>I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯s a pity it won¡¯t go anywhere.</em> Babel clenched his fists tightly. He couldn¡¯t forget his strict upbringing¡ªeven when he¡¯d used mana at only fourteen, his father had no special reaction.


    <em>Are you looking forward to next year? Go right ahead.</em> A deep chill settled in Babel¡¯s eyes. <em>If he¡¯s still alive by then.</em>


    By the time Joshua left the ancient ruins, the sun was past its apex.


    ¡°What a day,¡± Joshua sighed.


    <em>I have to¡­ No one will go looking for a bastard who was practically thrown out, but¡­</em> Most likely, he would have been found out by morning. He moved quickly.


    The Duke¡¯s mansion appeared in the distance. As Joshua approached, his eyes widened: standing in front of the entrance door was a familiar figure.


    <em>Is that Cain?</em> Cain also noticed him. They slowly closed.


    ¡°Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°Some morning exercise.¡± Joshua resisted the urge to walk away.


    ¡°That stick?¡± Cain cast a nce at Lugia.


    ¡°My training weapon.¡±


    ¡°Themander is looking for you.¡± Cain looked like he had more questions, but he didn¡¯t inquire further.


    ¡°¡®Commander¡¯? Are you referring to the leader of the Red Knights?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua stared at Cain. Cain took a hesitant breath. ¡°Probably because of the spar.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It looks like the Young Master¡¯s skill will be judged by the Duke.¡± Cain paused and examined Joshua. ¡°Your opponent will be knocked over immediately.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua gulped.


    Apparently, Duke Agnus had noticed his skills to some extent. Otherwise, there was no reason to talk much less test his so-called ¡°skill¡±. After all, Duke Agnus¡¯s hunger for talent was legendary.


    <em>What is this¡­</em> Joshua lifts his head to look at Cain, who gives him a pitying look.


    <em>I¡¯ll show you.</em> Joshua harrumphed. Cain misunderstood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have no intention of seriously sparring.¡±


    ¡°You mean you have no intention of winning?¡± Cain nodded back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll just pretend to lose. So don¡¯t worry¡ª¡±


    ¡°How funny.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened at Joshua¡¯s cynical muttering. ¡°Are you going to rig the game?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡± Cain struggled to answer.


    <em>He¡¯s right. I wanted to watch over the Young Master for a long time¡­ I can¡¯t harm him.</em>


    However¡­


    ¡°You knights have the right to choose your lord¡­ But I, too, have the right to choose my subordinates.¡± Cain was frozen stiff. ¡°The most important thing in the rtionship between master and subordinate is mutual trust. I have no intention of entrusting my back to such a petty, weak-minded person. If you want to see the real me¡­ Do your best.¡±


    ¡°After all, why else do you wield the sword?¡±

 Chapter 16

    ess to Duke Agnus¡¯s training hall was restricted to a select few. One of the two men standing in front of it opened his mouth:


    ¡°You¡¯re here,¡± Cain said. Joshua nodded silently in reply.


    A group of people, including Duke Agnus, approached in the distance ¨C exactly five men and two women: Duke Agnus, the two counts, and Chiffon, as well as¡ª?


    ¡°Young Master Babel?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened when he noticed an unexpected addition to the group, trailing behind the girls. Cain felt his stomach drop.


    ¡°You arrived first.¡±


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡± Cain crisply made his greetings. Chiffon, however, was watching Joshua, waiting for him to fumble his greeting. Unfortunately for him, Joshua¡¯s salute was picture perfect.


    How could this boy manage such a perfect salute? Astonishment flickered through Chiffon¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember teaching him etiquette, but he¡¯s really good at it.¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes held a different sort of light than Chiffon.


    ¡°I just learned by watching.¡± Joshua stood firm and looked the Duke square in the eyes.


    ¡°Hahahaha.¡± Duke Agnus straightened up and asked, ¡°Were you informed?¡±


    Joshua nodded.


    ¡°They said you wanted to test me.¡±


    ¡°A test....¡± Duke Agnus trailed off into a fresh bout ofughter.


    ¡°Please be careful with your choice of words, Young Master.¡± Chiffon stepped forward, having gotten his expression under control. ¡°You said it was a test.¡±


    Joshua gave Chiffon a cid stare.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a test, it¡¯s a diagnosis. The Duke only wishes to cure the Young Master¡¯s disability.¡±


    ¡°Disability?¡± Joshua was briefly embarrassed.


    Chiffon¡¯s slowly escting mockery; Babel¡¯s unexpected appearance; the ¡°congenital mana disorder¡±; and Duke Agnus, who was supposed to wait a year, suddenly testing Joshua¡ªthe puzzle pieces were falling into ce.


    Right¡­ Valderas den Chiffon was one of Babel¡¯s people. In hisst life, Joshua had left the Duke¡¯s family before he reached adulthood so he didn¡¯t know the specifics of the family¡¯s internal circumstances. He was much better informed of events in the distant future.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Duke Agnus asked.


    ¡°Yes.¡± As Joshua answered, Cain took a step forward.


    ¡°Not you.¡± Duke Agnus slowly shook his head.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cain asked nkly.


    ¡°A match between an adult and a child of less than ten years. The difference in basic strength is significant, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Cain nodded his head in agreement. He was at something of a loss.


    Wasn¡¯t it inconvenient to raise my sword at someone who might be a master in the future? It was like all his worries had been washed away in an instant.


    ¡°We owe this to Master Babel himself: he said he would help his brother by sparring with him.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t miss the sly smile that danced across Babel¡¯s lips for a moment.


    These guys¡­ Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold. Now I know for sure what these guys are thinking.


    They intended to make a viin of Joshua under the guise of sparring.


    If that¡¯s what you really think¡­ Joshua¡¯s eyes were freezing cold. Let me show you.


    Originally, Joshua hadn¡¯t had any ns for the Duke of Agnus in mind. In spite of their fearsome reputation, the Duke of Agnus and his army would copse in about 15 years.


    A great war would take ce in the next 10 years. This war wouldst for three years and result in the worst casualties in history. Duke Agnus would die in battle on the vast ins of Kraden.


    After the war, Babel von Agnus, the Duke¡¯s treasure, struggled to rebuild the family¡¯s glory alone. But when the First Civil War broke out in the weakened Empire, Babel threw in with the ill-fated Second Prince. After that¡­


    I heard the First Prince destroyed his mana hall and he became a delinquent. Joshua smiled bitterly.


    At the time, Joshua was working as a wandering mercenary. Before the outbreak of the Second Civil War, the Fourth Prince, Kaiser von Britten, caught his eyes.


    The reason Joshua wanted to leave the estate without regrets was that, even with his family¡¯s support, he was confident that he would achieve his goals. It was the minimum of politeness to the family where he was born and raised.


    But that was then and this is now.


    In the past, Joshua used whatever he could to reach his objectives.


    But on the other hand, with the Duke¡¯s support my work here would be easier. Right, Kaiser von Britten?


    ¡°As it is sparring, you will be required to use a wooden sword rather than the longsword,¡± Duke Agnus said.


    ¡°I have already prepared.¡± Babel held up the wooden sword he had prepared in advance. Duke Agnus turned to Joshua.


    ¡°Then you¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is fine.¡± Joshua picked up a broken push rod. For a moment, everyone was bbergasted.


    ¡°Is he kidding? Sparring with a stick...¡± Charles muttered.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Joshua replied to Duke Agnus without hesitation.


    ¡°Good.¡± Everyone but Joshua and Babel retreated from the hall.


    ¡°Babel, you already know this, but never use mana.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Babel said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t need it to beat this bastard,¡± he muttered under his breath.


    ¡°Do you think you can scratch my sword with something as petty as that?¡± Babel red at his opponent. ¡°I think a bag of horse dung is more suitable for a worm like you¡­ since you¡¯ll be a mess anyways.¡± Babel stepped forward with a grin.


    ¡°Begin.¡± As the Duke¡¯s voice boomed across the quiet hall, Babel¡¯s smile deepened.


    Just a touch of this will make your bones cry. Babel had a reason for preparing a sword in advance. This sword had an iron core beneath the wood ¨C he was sure it would hurt more than a wooden sword. Fitting for this bastard.


    ¡°HAH!¡± Babel nted his feet firmly on the ground. I¡¯ll beat you into a pulp!


    Babel shot towards Joshua with a mocking smile on his lips. He hefted his sword over his head, poised to strike Joshua¡¯s skull. Babel, the famed C-ss Knight, put all of his power into this strike.


    The movement is just fast, and therefore simple. Joshua¡¯s eyes lit up. It was an ignorant move that didn¡¯t even consider Joshua counterattacking.


    Joshua¡¯s arm stretched out just in time.


    <strong>Tak!</strong> The sound of a light strike filled the hall. Everyone¡¯s eyes flew open.


    Joshua had deflected the sword with the tip of his stick. Babel¡¯s arms were flung into the air, leaving half his body exposed. It was a god-like, awe-inspiring move, but the concentration and alertness it needed was equally impressive.


    Babel couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment at the sudden turnaround.


    Joshua spun to the side and, using the rotational force, mmed his stick into Babel¡¯s open side.


    ¡°Ow!¡± Babel grit his teeth, suppressing a moan from reaching the audience. His expression curdled as if he had been bit by a bug.


    This¡­ Joshua was disappointed. This is pure strength without mana.


    The body of an untrained nine-year-old child had its limits.


    If it goes like this¡ª Joshua clenched his weapon. It was only a wooden stick, but it would allow him to fully leverage his knowledge of the spear.


    Keep your distance. Hit and run using the long reach¡ª Joshua¡¯s meditations were interrupted.


    A subtle change was taking ce before his eyes¡ªhe could feel it. With a subtle vibration, mana gathered on Babel¡¯s wooden sword. It was not fully formed, like a hazy mist, but Joshua knew better than anyone how dangerous it was. This hazy mana was exclusive to a ss-C mana user.


    ¡°Die!¡± Babel¡¯s anger boiled over.


    Where not only my father but Iceline and the others are watching! A single blow from a mere worm left a gaping wound in Babel¡¯s pride.


    Babel, eyes rolling wildly, ran straight at Joshua.


    ¡°This¡ª!¡± Duke Agnus leapt from his seat. Count Rebra also started moving with a stiff expression. ¡°STOP!¡±


    But Duke Agnus was the one who stopped.


    Another flow of mana. It was small, but a second stream of mana could be felt from the two boys.


    ¡°No way.¡± Duke Agnus raised his hand to prevent Count Rebra from moving further forward, staring straight ahead.


    Mana gathered, small as a coin, but Duke Agnus and Count Rebra ¨C the finest in their fields ¨C could feel the peculiar air.


    After a long moment, his gaze frozen in ce, dumbfounded words spilled from Duke Agnus¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡± ...was where the mana gathered.


    No one else but this nine-year-old boy, his own blood. Nowhere else but the tip of the stick he held.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Astonishment swept the audience.


    A timeless genius, never before seen in history.


    His small steps echoed quietly around him.

 Chapter 17

    Duke Agnus and Count Rebra stood still and just watched. They couldn''t believe it.


    <em>What is this?</em> their eyes seemed to ask.


    But Babel, filled with jealousy, struck at Joshua with all his hatred. His eyes were cold and unforgiving, and filled with all the power the young sessor could muster.


    ¡°HAH!¡± With his sword held high, he cut diagonally across Joshua''s body. However, Joshua read the attack and deliberately stepped closer, lowering his body to avoid the attack. From this defensive move, one might say Babel had the upper hand¡ªbut sometimes, being too aggressive would leave you defenseless.


    Every muscle in Joshua''s body exploded into motion. His stick, which he¡¯d held carelessly, lunged at Babel.


    Babel''s eyes widened¡ªit was too fast!


    One of the sword''s greatest strengths is its speed; a weapon as long as a spear, like Joshua''s stick, could not hope topete. However, despite raising his sword first, Babel''s swordgged behind Joshua''s rod.


    Rather than the usual tter when two wooden weapons collide, the hall was instead rattled by an explosion.


    Mana and mana.


    A collision of Joshua''s mana, no bigger than a coin but condensed to its limit, against Babel''s hazy mana.


    Everyone watching was astonished; what happened defied all of their expectations. Unlike Joshua, who took a single step back, Babel stumbled backwards three entire steps.


    ¡°Keugh!¡± Babel, stomach churning, let out a harsh cough. He couldn''t believe what was happening. He was indeed¡­ losing.


    <em>Is it really mana?</em>


    This unwanted bastard?


    Trash born from peasant blood?


    <em>Mana?</em>


    Moreover, mana ¨C the end-all, be-all of weaponry in the Empire ¨C wielded by someone younger than him?


    ¡°Don''t make meugh!¡± he shouted. Teeth grinding, Babel breathed more and more mana into his sword. His hazy mana began to take on a vivid color.


    <em>That''s not real mana! I don''t know what kind of trick he pulled¡­</em> Unlike him, who cloaked his entire sword in mana, the scum in front of him had a tiny mote of mana on the tip of his stick. Surely there couldn''t be any mana in that.


    <em>It''s just a coincidence! This time I¡¯ll prove¡­</em> Babel bunched up his legs¡ªhe was preparing to attack Joshua again.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Duke Agnus''s mana-infused roar shook the walls of the gymnasium.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Joshua and Babel, who were close to the Duke, clutched their ears. Count Rebra, standing right next to him, was no different. The boys came to their senses and turned to find the source of the sound: Duke Agnus¡­


    ¡°You had to stop,¡± he murmured, and looked back. ¡°Chiffon, isn''t this enough?¡±


    Chiffon was shaken from his astonishment by Duke Agnus''s question.


    ¡°Do you still think Joshua has a congenital mana disorder?¡±


    That¡ª¡± Chiffon licked his lips and nced to the side. There stood Joshua, silently gripping his stick. Chiffon bowed his head briefly to Duke Agnus, hesitantly saying:


    ¡°But Duke, that mana¡ª¡±


    ¡°Clearly, it was mana alright.¡± Count Rebra interrupted. ¡°Young Master Joshua''s mana was not normal mana at all. In terms of quantity, it was iparable to Young master Babel. But the concentration¡­¡± Count Rebra swallowed hard.


    The audience wore mixed expressions.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Then you''re really a mana user¡ªa C-ss Knight?¡±


    Charles, mouth agape, bounced out of her seat.


    Iceline''s normally expressionless face hinted at her agitation.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Cain smiled, muttering so softly that only he could hear. His eyes were not wrong. I thought that this little boy might one day him, this boundless colossus. 1


    ¡°Mana at the age of nine.¡± Though quiet, Duke Agnus''s voice was heard clearly. An obvious smile graced his lips. ¡°How amusing.¡±


    Sparing onest nce at Joshua, Duke Agnus turned away.


    ¡°Duke¡­?¡± Chiffon muttered nkly at Duke Agnus''s back.


    ¡°Don''t talk about it anymore.¡± 2


    Chiffon immediately shut his mouth and followed. He knew better than anyone how to act when Duke Agnus''s voice oozed with such a sense of intimidation. His master, Duke Aden von Agnus, was infinitely kind in front of his trustworthy subordinates, but would never show mercy to someone who crossed the line ¨C no matter how talented.


    ¡°Poncel.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for today.¡±


    ¡°It''s nothing,¡± Count Rebra answered quietly, shaking his head.


    ¡°Just go back. And¡ª¡± Duke Agnus nced behind him. ¡°Babel.¡±


    ¡°You follow me.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Babel answered weakly.


    ¡°Finally¡­¡± Duke Agnus paused for a moment. Joshua, receiving the Duke''s attention, straightened. ¡°Come to my room tonight.¡± 3


    Chiffon and Babel were shaken¡ªDuke Agnus had never invited anyone to his room until now. The Duke spent most of the day in his office. To his family, Duke Agnus''s room was nothing more than a secret space.


    ¡°All right,¡± Joshua answered in a quiet voice.


    Duke Agnus smiled with satisfaction and walked away.


    Babel, who had been staring at Joshua for a long time, the two Counts, who were lost in thought, Charles, who was busy examining Joshua''s face, and Iceline, whose face was once again expressionless, followed after Duke Agnus.


    ¡°I want my master to be someone strong.¡± With only the two of them left, Cain quietly spoke up. ¡°Actually, as a knight sworn toy down his life to protect his master, this is an absurd idea¡­¡±


    ¡°For ten years, I grew up watching the back of Duke Agnus¡­ I hope the master I serve will be stronger than the Grand Duke. If the master suddenly bes weak, it''s hard to judge the future of the Estate.¡± Cain bowed with a before unseen respect. ¡°I wish you all the best, Young Master.¡±


    Shortly after Count Cox von Wagen and Charles returned to their room¡­


    ¡°Cox, that''s great! This is awesome!¡±


    ¡°Princess, please calm down!¡± Watching Charles run around in excitement, Cox broke out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°A mana user at the age of nine! Does this make sense? Uncle and Babel were in their mid-teens!¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ Princess, I¡¯m surprised too¡­ but please don''t get too excited.¡±


    ¡°There''s been a change in ns¡­¡± Charles continued without listening to Cox. ¡°He is a bastard in my mind, yes¡­ but with that kind of talent, it''s a very different story!¡±


    Why do bad omens alwayse true?


    Cox nervously awaited his master''s next words.


    ¡°Shouldn''t he be back in the mansion by now?¡± Charles, who was rolling around on the bed, bounced back to a sitting posture.


    ¡°Princess, please?¡± Cox frowned anxiously.


    ¡°Cox, rx!¡± With this beauty and prestige, how do you think I got this far?¡±


    ¡°Princess!¡± Cox screamed at Charles''s disappearing back.


    <strong>Creak.</strong>


    Cox slumped as he stared at the tightly shut door.


    ¡°Oh, God.¡±


    Trantor''s Notes


    ?1?I think he''s talking about the Duke.


    ?2?Talking about the mana disorder.


    ?3?Weird but okay.

 Chapter 18

    Avalon Empire, one of the three most powerful countries on Igrant. It had long been a country with strongly centralized power. There were many nobles who boasted great power, but all bowed before the authority of the Imperial Pce.


    This was owed to Marcus von Britten, the current emperor and only Sword Master in the Empire, who had ruled the throne with an iron fist for over a decade. Now in histe thirties, with the support of numerous nobles, his continued reign was assured.


    Emperor Marcus von Britten¡¯s temper was famous. In front of him, any noble who bared their teeth were purged ¨C he firmly believed there was no such thing as a permanent friend, even a family that had loyally served the Imperial family for generations.


    <em>No mercy for a traitor to the crown!</em>


    It would not be an exaggeration to say that it was his determined personality that defined the present-day Marcus von Britten, the Iron-Blooded Emperor.


    Matching his awful personality, the Emperor had a sister: Duchess Vanessa von Agnus, the legal wife of Duke Agnus and mother of Babel von Agnus.


    A chandelier adorned the ceiling of arge room, luxuriously furnished and lushly carpeted.


    In the middle, she sat with legs crossed on a soft sofa made from high-quality furs.


    From the sharply raised eyebrows, to the dull blonde hair, to the faint wrinkles of age, to the ck dots beside her eyes, Duchess Vanessa radiated intimidation. This woman, whose beauty had not faded with age, was the wife of Duke Agnus.


    ¡°I have something to report,¡± said the man kneeling before her.


    ¡°Tell me, Sir Chiffon.¡± It was none other than Valderas den Chiffon,mander of the Red Knights.


    ¡°That is¡ª¡±


    Seeing his hesitation, Vanessa tilted her head questioningly. Chiffon sighed.


    ¡°¡ªIt has to do with Young Master Babel.¡±


    ¡°Babel?¡± Vanessa straightened. Babel is her son. When it came to him, the Duchess was famous for handling it roughly.


    ¡°What happened to Babel?¡±


    ¡°...The Duke tested Prince Joshua.¡± At ¡°Joshua¡±, Vanessa¡¯s long eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s right for you to call him that in front of me, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡± There was a chill in Vanessa¡¯s voice.


    ¡°...Sorry. The Duke ordered a spar with a knight to test Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Really? How odd.¡± Vanessa made a ridiculing face. ¡°A mere maid¡¯s child. What did he do to deserve that kind of treatment?¡±


    ¡°It seems the Duke was trying to confirm the truth of the rumors about the centurions¡­ And the other day I reported that Joshua had a congenital mana disorder¡­¡± Chiffon trailed off with a look of regret. ¡°The child was born with a mana disability.¡±


    ¡°What of it?¡±


    ¡°It¡ª¡± Chiffon bit his lip and continued with difficulty. ¡°He used mana.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Vanessa frowned as if she¡¯d misheard.


    ¡°Joshua used mana. Perhapsparable to a C-ss Knight¡ª¡±


    Vanessa leapt from her seat like a startled cat.


    ¡°Are you joking with me, Sir Chiffon?¡± Her gaze was murderous. ¡°Mana? At that age? With that background?! He¡¯s neither a wizard nor a knight, but you¡¯re telling me he used mana?! Does that make sense?¡±


    Vanessa strode right up to Chiffon and lifted her hand without hesitation.


    <em>Damn!</em> With a loud smack, Chiffon¡¯s head snapped to the side.


    ¡°What is your mission?¡± Vanessa growled.


    ¡°To assist the Duke. Duke Agnus¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not some frivolous thing like that!¡±


    ¡°¡ªTo help Prince Babel and the Duchess be greater than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°How do you think you are doing right now?¡± Vanessa red directly into Chiffon¡¯s eyes. ¡°Did Sir Chiffon perhaps forget his only purpose in life?¡±


    ¡°In any case, the truth¡ª¡± Before he could finish, Vanessa¡¯s hand was raised to strike again.


    ¡°Young Master Babel¡ª¡± Babel¡¯s name made her pause. ¡°They sparred. At that point, I knew it was mana. Their mana collided, I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°However,¡± Chiffon looked up stiffly. ¡°Young Master Babel lost.¡±


    Chiffon took the Duchess¡¯s p with closed eyes.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!¡± The sounds of agony and anger shook the luxurious room.


    Joshua returned to his assigned room and copsed onto the bed.


    <em>It¡¯s difficult.</em> After his return, this was the first time he used mana inbat¡ªin <em>real</em>bat. There was a good reason for that, but¡­ <em>Even considering my age, this body is too weak.</em>


    Joshua took a deep breath.


    <em>This feels like hell.</em> His body was not trainable at this age. Was he not a bastard, thrown out of the mansion to clean horse dung for the rest of his life?


    <em>I was too busy being bullied.</em> Even the word ¡°training¡± was a luxury back then.


    Joshua had a sudden thought, and paused to mull over an earlier conversation.


    <em>¡°Did you say they were from Duke Pontier and Count Rebra? Those people, I mean.¡±</em>


    Oddly enough, he and Cain seemed more familiar after the fight and spoke casually.


    <em>¡°Yes, they are.¡±</em>


    <em>They were like rich people watching a chicken fight¡­ disgusting¡­</em>


    It was true that the Pontier family was great, but¡­ they would fall the same way as the Agnuses. The emperor would earn his nickname ¨C the ¡°Iron-Blooded Emperor¡± ¨C for none other than the Pontier family.


    <em>It was a huge shock at the time. Wiping out an entire bloodline¡ªno less than a Ducal house, the highest of nobles¡ªdown to its roots.</em> Afterwards, the Emperor announced it was for nothing but ¡°treason against the Imperial family¡±.


    Joshua didn¡¯t even know the exact story; he was too young at the time.


    Another memory came to him.


    <em>The other girl ¨C I remember she was not from the Duke¡¯s family. She was a high-ranked official, but not quite a Duke.</em> But Joshua was sure she was fallen nobility, because he had no memory of such an outstanding individual in the few descendents of the Fallen Dukes.


    <em>Then there¡¯s only one option left.</em>


    The house of Count Rebra¡ªa ce Joshua had no memories of.


    <em>Avalon Empire¡¯s first Seventh-ss Archmage; the Cold-Blooded yer; the Ice Flower¡­</em>


    ¡°...Iceline,¡± Joshua muttered.


    In his past life, she didn¡¯t have a full name; it was said her name was buried with her family. They had no special rtionship back then, but it was different now. This time, the more connections he had the easier it would be to achieve his goal.


    <strong>Thump! Thump! Thump!</strong>


    Suddenly, Joshua was roused by a knocking on his door. It was not a light knock¡ªit sounded almost like someone was kicking the door. Joshua opened the door right away.


    ¡°Hi?¡± Charles, a pretty girl with ming red hair, smiled at Joshua. ¡°Are you Joshua von Agnus? Oh, do you know me?¡±


    Charles powered through Joshua¡¯s stiff silence.


    ¡°I¡¯m Pontier ¨C Charles de Pontier. Ie from the fifth generation of the Ducal houses, same as you. I heard them say you¡¯re younger than me, so can I talk morefortably?¡± Charles paused her babbling to sp Joshua¡¯s hands. ¡°Ah! Well, I¡¯m not the kind of person who would discriminate against your mother because she¡¯s a concubine so don¡¯t worry. Well, feel free to call me ¡®sister¡¯.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go in and talk. I have a lot to say.¡± With that, Charles strode into his room¡ªor would have, but Joshua quietly blocked the way.


    ¡°What? Let¡¯s talk!¡± Charles gave Joshua a puzzled look.


    ¡°Hey.¡± His chilly voice made Charles flinch and tremble.


    ¡°Go away.¡±

 Chapter 19

    Babel von Agnus bowed his head to the Duke, who sat at the head of the office where he handled his official duties. Duke Agnus, gazing expressionlessly out the window, spoke quietly.


    ¡°Lift your head. An Agnus should not look like that.¡±


    Babel¡¯s eyes widened, and he slowly raised his head.


    ¡°Why did you use mana?¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s gaze was unflinching.


    ¡°That¡ª¡± Babel stopped and bit his lip.


    ¡°Do you feel inferior?¡±


    Babel¡¯s expression twisted.


    <em>Inferiorityplex? To that dung tosser? No way!</em> What was his father talking about now? Babel clenched his fists, digging his nails into his palms. <em>I don¡¯t want to admit it¡ªthat I used mana.</em>


    And the fact that he was pushed so far by that guy.


    <em>It¡¯s just a coincidence. I don¡¯t know what trick you pulled, but if we meet again¡­</em>


    ¡°Understanding one¡¯s enemy is also a skill.¡± Duke Agnus seemed to read Babel¡¯s innermost thoughts. ¡°Be strong. If your opponent is strong, be stronger. Be so strong that no one can make you kneel, not even the Nine Stars.¡±


    ¡°¡ªEven more than the Duke?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Duke Agnus nodded firmly.


    ¡°Can I ask you one thing?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Duke¡­ No, father¡­ who am I to you?¡±


    Duke Agnus gazed at him with a politely expressionless face. He didn¡¯t speak for a long while.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess?¡± Cox discovered Charles was in a poor mood all day. While she wasn¡¯t a child, she was always full of energy; this was the first time anyone ¨C even Cox, who had served her for so long ¨C had seen her looking so dejected.


    ¡°Get out, Cox.¡±


    Cox hesitated at Charles¡¯s weak reply.


    <em>What happened?</em> Charles frowned at Charles, who had buried her head into the bed. <em>Was it Joshua? I believe she saw him today.</em>


    ¡°Cox.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see, Princess.¡± Cox bowed his head and carried out his orders: to ¡°get out¡±.


    <em>I need to meet him at least once. If that boy really is a mana user, I must meet with him for my master.</em>


    ¡°Then I will leave, Princess.¡± Cox smiled bitterly at Charles¡¯sck of reaction.


    The door shut behind Cox with a heavy thud.


    ¡°Haaahhhh¡­¡± Charles, head still buried in the pillows, sighed deeply. The memory of her encounter was still fresh on her mind.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡± she murmured. Given her usual personality, when she first heard him tell her to shut up and go, it was inevitable she would react wildly.


    <em>I¡¯m the daughter of</em> the <em>Pontier family, for God¡¯s sake!</em>


    But being treated like that for the first time didn¡¯t result in angry outbursts, raging emotions, or outrageous tantrums.


    Instead, it made her afraid.


    <em>When I heard that voice, I thought my heart would stop.</em>


    This boy had something special that young Charles had never experienced.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡± Charles squeezed her eyes shut.


    Everything became so boring. Her family¡¯s current situation¡ªwhat must she do?


    <em>I just want toze around here and rest.</em>


    ¡°Annoying.¡±


    Duke Agnus was on his way out of the office, but halted. At the other end of the hallway, a woman wasing down the stairs.


    She bowed her head to the Duke. Duke Agnus approached with a measured gait ¨C neither slow nor fast ¨C and opened his mouth.


    ¡°Is the detached house good enough?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Duke,¡± said Lucia, Joshua¡¯s mother.


    The Duke looked at Lucia, then to Chiffon, and back to Lucia.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Duke Agnus quickly moved on. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± The two men walked past Lucia, whose head remained bowed. As he was in front of the Master, Chiffon did not neglect to offer Lucia a polite nod for formality¡¯s sake.


    ¡°If you need anything¡ª¡± Duke Agnus paused and spoke quietly. ¡°Come to me anytime.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Lucia trembled.


    With that, Duke Agnus walked away with Chiffon in tow.


    ¡°Chiffon, you are dismissed as well. I will train alone.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Chiffon saluted.


    ¡°Ah! Please bring Joshua to my room.¡±


    ¡°I heed and obey.¡±


    Chiffon stared at his departing back and frowned.


    ¡°Not good.¡±


    Joshua slowly rose from the bed.


    He would take the entire Duchy.


    Was this an impulsive decision?


    Absolutely not.


    Before his return, the Avalon Empire was wracked by a second civil war. If the first civil war was the bloody battle between the First and Second Princes, the second civil war was nothing less than a battle of the Fourth Prince against all the other princes.


    The Fourth Prince, Kaiser von Britten, lurked in the shadows until the First Prince was weakened by the first civil war. In one fell swoop, the Fourth Prince stole away control of the Empire. It was only possible because he¡¯d positioned himself as the First Prince¡¯s trusted advisor.


    Of course, there were some who believed his tricks. Some nobles imed to be neutral, refusing to weaken the Empire by ughtering their own kin. Other nobles were eager to invade other nations and supported the Fourth Prince from the very beginning.


    Extraordinarily, Kaiser weed the First Prince¡¯s forces with open arms rather than purging them¡ªperhaps he was afraid of how his own forces would react.


    ¡°Just you wait, Kaiser.¡± Joshua grinned savagely.


    The mighty forces of Kaiser von Britten¡­


    <em>In this life, I will personally crush you.</em>


    Rather than ambushing a clueless Fourth Prince, Joshua would cut him down when his power was at its peak, and he was intoxicated by the thrill of victory. Only then could Joshua show him true despair.


    <strong>Knock, Knock</strong>


    Joshua was dragged back to reality.


    ¡°Young Master. This is Chiffon,mander of the Red Knights.¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door swung open.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for your appointment with the Duke.¡± Chiffon nodded politely.


    Joshua stood and followed Chiffon. No words were exchanged.


    Chiffon stopped on the third floor, in the innermost part of the mansion, and only then spoke to Joshua.


    ¡°Here we are. Only people permitted by the Duke may enter this ce¡­ I will now take my leave.¡± Chiffon bowed his head and quietly stepped away, leaving Joshua to stare at the door.


    <em>Finally, a ce unknown to the people of the Duke of Agnus.</em>


    He knocked.


    ¡°Duke, this is Joshua von Agnus.¡± His full name felt awkward to say.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    As he opened the door and entered the room, which was decorated only with the desk the Duke sat in.


    Aden von Agnus, Duke of the Avalon Empire, one of the Nine Stars, stared at him with a terribly t expression.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±

 Chapter 20

    Duke Agnus stared at Joshua.


    ¡°I will ask again: who are you, really?¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    Duke Agnus looked deeply into his eyes with a gaze that seemed to pierce his very soul. Joshua didn¡¯t avert his gaze.


    ¡°A lot of things have changed since Ist saw you,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°Because a lot of time has passed.¡±


    Duke Agnus could only smile bitterly.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    ¡°I do not.¡± Joshua answered without hesitation, to the Duke¡¯s surprise. ¡°You expect nothing from anyone because you are watching the Imperial family.¡±


    Duke Agnus visibly trembled.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s voice was low and sombre. ¡°But I have a request.¡±


    ¡°A request.¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m sorry. Because in this ce, might is right¡ªIf you be stronger than me¡­ Then, I will apologize.¡±


    <em>An apology? I don¡¯t want such pleasantries.</em> In a world of savagery and cruelty, apologies were the privilege of apex predators. Anyone without strength would just be eaten.


    ¡°The reason you called me here must be because you saw some potential in me. The Duke is someone who reaches out to the talented, regardless of their origins.¡±


    ¡°...I won¡¯t deny it.¡± The Duke eyed him questioningly.


    ¡°You need to take me to the capital,¡± he said quietly. Again, surprise shed through Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes. The Duke waited for Joshua to borate, but no exnation was forting.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°There are two reasons.¡±


    ¡°Two?¡± Duke Agnus leaned forward with genuine curiosity.


    ¡°Firstly, it is your responsibility as the head of the family to keep the family in order.¡± Seeing Duke Agnus¡¯s silence, Joshua continued. ¡°Everyone here never doubted that you would be seeded by Babel von Agnus. But suddenly, I appeared. Normally, you wouldn¡¯t even worry about someone who was ignored and despised for being a bastard.¡±


    Now, Joshua¡¯s gaze sharpened.


    ¡°It would be a different story if that boy had the skills to ovee the sessor. The impoverished are slow to change their circumstances¡­ yet herees untold power. Anyone would be shaken.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you have that kind of power,¡± Duke Agnus muttered.


    ¡°At least¡­¡± Joshua ventured. ¡°I think it will be enough not to disappoint the Duke.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s lips curled upwards, ever so slightly. His eyes belied joy, a little anticipation¡­ and a little regret.


    <em>If I had raised him properly from the beginning¡­</em> Duke Agnus swallowed his disappointment. It wasn¡¯t toote. Joshua was already a C-ss mana user at the age of nine. Just the fact that this unprecedented talent was here would make the Agnus name renowned throughout the continent.


    ¡°What is the second reason?¡±


    ¡°Second is¡­ The Duke¡¯s personal greed for talent.¡±


    The Duke stared down at him.


    ¡°If I achieve a level beyond even the Duke, your power will rise again. Maybe to the point where you don¡¯t need to watch out for the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°Hoooh.¡± After a while, Duke Agnus let out a low chuckle.


    It was a masterpiece.


    <em>I thought he only had skills, but it turns out he also has guts.</em> His firstborn had talent that drew the envy of the entire Empire, but his mindset wascking. But the progeny standing before him was perfect.


    Did this little boy really turn nine this year?


    ¡°Okay. If you say so.¡± Duke Agnus was taut with anticipation. ¡°I have a card that can solve both at once¡­ Do you know what I know?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Joshua¡¯s immediate reply made the Duke¡¯s eyes light up.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking of sending me to the academy in the capital.¡±


    <em>That¡¯s right. But those two reasons aside, I also wanted to monitor him from nearby.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s incredible¡ªYou know what I¡¯m going to say before I say it. I¡¯m at a loss for words.¡±


    The children of nobles in the Avalon Empire are obliged to attend the academy from the age of ten to fifteen ¨C a period of six years. That said, with the right skills you could graduate early.


    Why did the Imperial family establish such an academy?


    The official reason was that their unique curriculum would foster outstanding talent, but only a fool would believe that. The Imperial family was holding the nobles¡¯ children hostage, binding the most talented children to the Imperial family.


    ¡°Babel has to leave the family next year, so it¡¯s not bad for you to stay up here¡­¡±


    For simr reasons, noble children are required to travel the world for three years upon their sixteenth birthday. Nobles have few opportunities to experience the world atrge, particrly if they¡¯re not called to war. However, most children would just take up residence with a suitable family and y around for three years.


    ¡°I think it would be best if you came to the capital along with me.¡± Duke Agnus smiled bitterly. ¡°If you¡¯re nearby, I can see you in person from time to time.¡±


    What an incredible statement. A Master, of which there were only five in the Empire, and one of the Nine Stars, was saying he would personally teach him the sword. This opportunity couldn¡¯t be bought, no matter how much you offered¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Joshua shook his head resolutely.


    ¡°Fine?¡± Duke Agnus asked nkly.


    ¡°The Duke is a master of the great sword. But I¡­¡± Joshua held out his hands. ¡°I intend to take up the spear.¡±


    ¡°Spear?¡± Duke Agnus frowned.


    <em>I wondered if it was possible to win a spar using a stick¡­</em> He never dreamed of such a thing. Nevertheless, the perception of the spear in Igrant was the worst.


    A crude weapon for untrained conscripts, nothing more and nothing less.


    Not a single spear-wielder stood in the vaunted ranks of the masters. Therefore, when Joshua beat back Babel with his stick, Duke Agnus firmly believed it was simply the result of Joshua¡¯s sophisticated understanding of mana.


    However¡­


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Hackles raised, Duke Agnus reached out and clutched Joshua¡¯s head. ¡°Will you really use a spear?¡±


    His oppressive energy made it difficult to even open his mouth, but Joshua refused to back down. His boundless pride for the spear was more than a match for the Duke.


    ¡°My¡­¡± Blood dripped from between his lips.


    ¡°My spear will topple anything that stands in my way. Even¡­¡±


    Joshua locked eyes with Duke Agnus.


    ¡°...Even one of the Nine Stars.¡±

 Chapter 21

    ¡°What? Even the Nine Stars?¡± Duke Agnus burst intoughter.


    Although... isn¡¯t this the same as what he said to Babel?


    <em>Anyone with such ambition should speak through actions, not words. They have to produce results.</em> Another of his blood stood before him who could live up to such ims¡ªbecause Joshua was indeed a child of talent.


    <em>But that weapon¡­</em> Duke Agnus frowned, drumming his fingers against the desk.


    Everything else Joshua said was fine, but what was with his choice of weapon? He didn¡¯t even want a ¡°big sword¡±, which was nothing more than a form of bragging. Even if he¡¯d said he wanted an assassin¡¯s dagger, the Duke would have nodded along¡ªalbeit reluctantly, because Duke Agnus firmly believed that the sword was the king of the battlefield. The spear, in contrast, was an insignificant weapon with more disadvantages than advantages.


    <em>A longer reach?</em> The spear was unwieldy even for its size.


    After a long moment, the Duke seemed to reach a resolution.


    ¡°Prove yourself worthy of the spear.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I will test you.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>Sparring? Again? It¡¯s not bad.</em> No, perhaps it could even be a good opportunity for Joshua; no matter what anyone said, Duke Agnus was one of the Nine Stars ¨C a chance to prove his talent was a once in a lifetime bargain.


    ¡°Do you agree?¡± Duke Agnus asked.


    ¡°Yes; however, I¡¯d like to propose some conditions.¡±


    ¡°Conditions?¡±


    ¡°If I pass the Duke¡¯s test, I hope you will allow me another request.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Agnus swallowed. <em>What the hell is he going to ask for?</em>


    ¡°I will tell you my request after the test.¡±


    The Duke concluded that there was no point in protesting if Joshua would answer before he could raise an objection.


    ¡°Fine. If you pass my test, I¡¯ll let you use the spear and hear out your request. However¡ª¡± Duke Agnus scowled at Joshua. ¡°If you lose, you obey my orders.¡±


    If Joshua was right, the Duke referred to apanying him to the capital, in addition to learning the sword.


    Actually, going to the academy was not a bad option. What he needed most was time; it was better to go to the capital, where his safety was guaranteed, than stay here where wolves lurked around every corner.


    <em>Most importantly¡­ If I go to the capital, I will find him.</em>


    Kaiser von Britten.


    ¡ªAnd the many nobles who would be his subordinates in the future. Joshua had memorized every one.


    <em>If I can contact them before he does¡­ I¡¯ll have no reason to hide my skills.</em> People would flock to his power like bees to pollen.


    <em>When I show them my skills, I can build a force using my own abilities ¨C just like in my previous life. And the foolish young Kaiser von Britten will have his castle crumble beneath him without suspecting a thing. Thus, I will give him the greatest taste of despair in his entire life.</em>


    ¡°All right.¡± Joshua''s eyes zed.


    ¡°He¡­ What did you say?¡± Vanessa goggled at Chiffon.


    ¡°Maybe¡­ I think the Duke will take Joshua to the capital.¡±


    ¡°What? Arcadia?¡± Vanessa frowned.


    ¡°If¡­ If Joshua¡¯s talent is real, you have to keep an eye on him a little longer. Undoubtedly, it was a terrifying talent¡ª¡± Chiffon looked up and immediately pped his mouth shut. The Duchess cast a murderous re down at him, such that he struggled to finish his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ In any case, it could lead to a very difficult situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware. Arcadia has too many eyes.¡±


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Chiffon ventured.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I think the Duke is trying to spread the word that Joshua is a C-ss mana user.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still hearing that nonsense,¡± Vaness frowned ¡°I thought it was a good idea¡ª¡±


    ¡°I saw not only the Duke but also the two counts with my own two eyes. Even if it¡¯s not really mana, I¡¯ll give it a try.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning on testing the boy¡­¡± Vaness muttered.


    Any noble could appoint a ¡°knight¡±, but it was a different story when it came to ssifying them as a mana user. There was only one way to be officially recognized as a C-ss Knight in the Avalon Empire: to prove your achievement to the Imperial Knights.


    The Avalon Empire awards incentives to knights ording to their ss; upon reaching B-ss, a knight would immediately be awarded a title and territories. In order to prevent such privileges from being indiscriminately squandered by the nobility, it was directly managed by the Imperial family.


    If you had the talent, you could contact the Imperial family first. When the Imperial family sees an incredible talent, they would stop at nothing to bring them to their side. Such a thing was only possible in the Avalon Empire, where the Imperial family always trumped the nobility.


    ¡°In the past, it was sufficient to disy mana to the Imperial Knights. But not anymore.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Chiffon nodded.


    ¡°Despite being recognized as a C-ss Knight, there were a lot of bluffers who could not wield mana properly.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°So they fight to determine if they have the swordsmanship skills to suit their ss.¡±


    ¡°Sparring? With the Imperial Knights?¡± Vanessa¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>The Imperial Knights.</em>


    The Knights Temr, made up of over a thousand elite members, was without a doubt one of the most powerful martial forces in the Empire¡ªeach and every one was C-ss or higher. In particr, the currentmander of the Imperial Knights was one of only five A-ss Masters in the Empire; his skills were a match for anyone.


    ¡°If we want to be tested as a C-ss, the Imperial family will probably send a C-ss Knight. Of course, the skills of a C-ss Knight can differ wildly.¡±


    An Imperial Knight who has trained extensively, and a knight who has just achieved C-ss; even if both were C-ss, the disparity was huge.


    ¡°Only three¡ª¡± Chiffon¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°I will test if he can withstand three of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Vanessa nodded in understanding.


    ¡°There used to be more nuance to it, but¡­ Nowadays, the Imperial family seems concerned with how much mana they can hold¡­ It can only mean that their standards have risen.¡±


    ¡°Therefore¡­ You¡¯re saying the Duke is going to invite the Imperial Knights to test the boy?¡± Vanessa asked, frowning. Chiffon nodded.


    ¡°The Duke values the honor of the family above all else. He wouldn¡¯t miss an opportunity like this.¡±


    ¡°How uninteresting.¡± Vanessa bared her teeth. ¡°Babel should be enough, but if his eyes wander somewhere else¡­ It disgusts me to see Babel beingpared to a filthy maid¡¯s son, Sir Chiffon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I suggested this.¡± Chiffon¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Doesn¡¯t royal blood flow through the Duchess as well?¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s eyes widened with realization.


    ¡°After all this time¡­¡± Her cold smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll have to call him again.¡±


    Joshua paused as he was walking through the Duke¡¯s mansion. At the other end of the long passageway, he saw another person approaching.


    ¡°Babel?¡± Joshua frowned. It was funny to see him try to challenge Joshua, but he didn¡¯t want to get involved.


    Their footsteps echoed down the empty hallway as they approached. Just as they were about to pass...


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡±


    ¡°What do you want?¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°I¡­ I cannot admit it¡­ The fact that someone like you used mana, and the fact that you defeated me.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Joshuaughed.


    ¡°Soe at me.¡±


    Joshua saw a fire in Babel¡¯s eyes. It was an emotion he knew all too well.


    Not vengeance, nor jealousy.


    A sense of victory.


    Pure passion.


    <em>I never want to lose.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°Great.¡±

 Chapter 22

    Babel and Joshua stood in a small training ground in the backyard of the Duke¡¯s mansion. This time, Babel¡¯s sword wasn¡¯t wooden. His reflection shone clearly from the de.


    ¡°This is my very own training ground, so you don¡¯t have to worry about someoneing. Last time, we yed games with those pathetic toys¡­ I don¡¯t think I can wield my mana properly through a piece of wood. This time, I want to fight using a real sword.¡± Babel shot Joshua a smug grin. The birds scattered from the trees around them, as if they could sense the danger in the air.


    ¡°If you need a sword, I can lend you one¡ª¡± Joshua interrupted him with augh.


    ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still crazy, Babel von Agnus. Pfft¡ª¡± Babel scowled derisively at Joshua. ¡°When I saw the look in your eyes, I thought ¡®Did <em>it</em> happen again?¡¯¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Babel frowned.


    ¡°Babel von Agnus¡­ treasure of the family.¡± Joshua didn¡¯t bother hiding his smirk. ¡°You think you can fool me with that pathetic act of yours? Your desire for victory is just an illusion! All you really want is to get your filthy mitts on the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Babel¡¯s face flushed red. This insult was a disgrace to his very name!


    <em>Are you doing this for recognition?</em> Babel thought.


    <em>You¡¯re dog shit</em>, Joshua thought. The Duke¡¯s treasure and only heir; a C-ss Knight at the age of fourteen, renowned across the Empire. A person worthy of respect for just being¡­ himself?


    <em>Such trash¡­</em>


    ¡°No more insults will be tolerated,¡± Babel grunted, hefting his sword. ¡°Take up your weapon, Joshua.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need any weapons.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For you, these fists are enough.¡± Joshua raised his bare hands. ¡°Let me show you the difference between our talents.¡±


    Babel¡¯s face burned unbelievably red.


    ¡°Die!¡± Babel dashed towards Joshua. He wasted no time gathering his mana into a hazy mist around his sword.


    ¡°Haa!¡± This time his swing was neat and efficient, unlike the ignorant movements he used before. Elementary, but powerful.


    When Joshua tilted to the side to avoid his attack, Babel calmly turned his sword towards Joshua¡¯s side. The sword hissed through the air. But¡­


    <em>He disappeared?</em> Babel couldn¡¯t hide his bewilderment.


    ¡°Here.¡± Babel¡¯s head snapped downward.


    <strong>Pang!</strong> Babel¡¯s sword rang from the impact of Joshua¡¯s fist.


    ¡°Hngh!¡± Babel desperately clutched the hilt of his sword, which was rapidly bing slick with his blood.


    <em>So much power.</em> Cold sweat trickled down his back.


    Many knights considered losing their sword in battle a fate more shameful than death. As a result, they tended to treat hand-to-handbat as a vulgar act for lowly mercenaries.


    ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re thinking just by looking at your expression.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You must have ignored the fundamentals of fistfighting, because it¡¯s ¡®just for sellswords¡¯?¡± Babel flinched.


    ¡°From now on...¡± Joshua clenched his fists. ¡°I will show you just how terrifying martial arts can be.¡±


    The spear technique Joshua learned epassed more than just the spear. It detailed various techniques to subdue the enemy using his entire body.


    Joshua shot towards Babel.


    ¡°Ma-Mana?¡± Even in such a brief instant, Babel could see the energy in Joshua¡¯s fists.


    Mana in his bare fists! Infusing mana into the body should be exclusive to the Masters; the difficulty of simply applying mana to a medium, such as a sword, and directly to the body differed by an order of magnitude.


    ¡°Haah!¡± Babel desperately swung at Joshua.


    The mana condensed on Joshua¡¯s fist exploded against the tip of Babel¡¯s sword. The training grounds shook from the detonation, louder even than thest time. Joshua had detonated his mana just before impact, doubling his effective power.


    The name of this technique was ¡°Aura Explosion¡±, and only Joshua could use it.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Babel tumbled away, head over heels. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his sword ¨C which he¡¯d managed to keep his grip on ¨C was bent at the tip.


    It was as if he¡¯d mmed his sword into a block of iron.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Babel slumped.


    <em>I don¡¯t want to admit it, but I have to: this guy is a genius.</em> A genius iparable to himself, who was already considered the best in the Empire.


    It was then that Babel understood how vast the sky was.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Joshua¡¯s voice rattled his exhausted body.


    ¡°Be strong.¡±


    <em>I know these words.</em> Babel¡¯s eyes widened. He¡¯d heard the same thing from someone else not so long ago. <em>I need to be stronger¡­?</em>


    While Babel mulled over those words, Joshua continued:


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget this feeling. Don¡¯t forget how you were beaten down by someone using their bare fists¡­ the fists you looked down on so much.¡±


    <em>I want to make an excuse, but nothinges to mind.</em> In the end, he was the one who lost the battle.


    ¡°ording to our agreement, one of your limbs was to bepletely broken.¡±


    Babel trembled.


    ¡°But because I haven¡¯t seen a passion like that in a long time, I will let it slide this once.¡± Babel heaved a sigh of relief; had he won, he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated for an instant.


    ¡°However¡­¡± Joshua approached.


    ¡°Tell me!¡± Babel desperately heaved himself up. The pain of defeat twisted his stomach, but he managed to look Joshua in the eyes.


    ¡°If you insult me or my mother again¡­¡±


    ¡°...I will make sure you never hold a sword again.¡±


    For the first time in his life, proud Babel felt fear.


    ¡°You and me, right now¡­ don¡¯t forget how I made you kneel.¡± With that, Joshua walked away.


    To Babel, it seemed as if Joshua¡¯s back wasrger than life.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± His quiet murmur echoed in the empty training hall.


    One of the most secretive ces in the Duchy was the Duchess¡¯s room.


    In the middle of Vanessa¡¯s room, a glowing orb of mana crystal sat on a wooden desk.


    A portable crystal ball like this one would cost iprehensible quantities of riches. Even high-ranking nobles above the counts would struggle to acquire one. It was hardly a normal artifact, after all: these crystal orbs, developed by a Master, were worth tens of thousands of gold at a minimum ¨C at that price, you could purchase any castle in the countryside.


    As the crystal ball brightened, a human figure became visible within.


    ¡°Everything is ready.¡± The robed figure bowed deeply to Vaness before stepping back.


    ¡°Uncle?¡±


    <em>¡°Oh, Vanessa. It¡¯s been a long time. Has the Duchy treated you well?¡±</em>


    ¡°I am always fine.¡± Vanessa¡¯s lips drew into a deep smile. ¡°Is uncle doing well?¡±


    <em>¡°Well, Arcadia is the same as always. The same boring routine, every day.¡±</em>


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Vanessa nodded along, but her eyes glittered with malice.


    Her next words were quiet, but heavy and cold like a snowstorm.


    ¡°Uncle¡­ I have something to ask you.¡±

 Chapter 23

    The Igrant continent hosted numerous countries¡ªIn terms of power, the continent was notcking in any way. The three major powers in Igrant were the Avalon Empire, the Sallow Empire, and the Hubalt Empire.


    There were seven kingdoms, including the Magic Kingdom ¡®Terra¡¯. The weakest two were the Principality of Thran and the Heart Kingdom, which had been weakened by almost ten years of civil war.


    The three major powers constantly monitored each other, resulting in an unprecedented period of peace. But Igrant was a ticking time bomb¡ªif they continue to build power, it would inevitably explode. The only reason a war hadn¡¯t started yet was because they knew that taking the first step would put them at a disadvantage.


    The Avalon Empire was well known as a haven for knights; the Imperial capital, Arcadia, had an especially long history of supporting the knights. Since the knights were as vain as they were skilled, Arcadia was borately decorated to reflect their character.


    In particr, the grand Pce of the Avalon Empire stood as the tallest and grandest structure in the capital. The Galtika Pce was one of the most beautiful castles on the continent; its majestic walls seemed to reject the merely mundane.


    The owner of this pce was none other than the Iron-Blood Emperor, ruler of the Avalon Empire, Marcus von Britten.


    The Imperial Courtroom was simple, but exuded the elegance and pride of the knights from every stone. At the end of a luxurious red carpet was a gold-adorned throne, engraved with dragons, which were thought to represent ferocity and fortune, on either side.


    Normally, the courtroom was used for aristocrats to report on various policies and situations to the Emperor, but today it was so empty you could hear a chill draft whistling across the stones.


    On the throne sat the most important man in the Empire. Emperor Marcus von Britten slumped into his seat, chin resting on his fist.


    A man appeared, prostrating himself before the throne. He was d in ck from top to bottom; the mask dangling from the side of his face disyed his membership in the Imperial family¡¯s ndestine forces. Known as the ¡°ck Wind¡±, he headed an intelligence group which reported directly to Emperor Marcus. Of course, only the Emperor himself knew his true identity.


    ¡°ck Wind¡± stood straightened and began his report in an eerily monotonous voice.


    ¡°A warning hase from the Red Wyvern.¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes snapped into focus.


    ¡°A child with the potential to be a star has appeared.¡±


    There was a long, pregnant pause.


    ¡°...If it¡¯s a ¡®Red Wyvern¡¯, it must be Duke Agnus?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°From the Ducal bloodline?¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s forehead wrinkled. ¡°If We <sup>1</sup> remember correctly, there was already a child born and raised with half of our royal blood. Our sister is there¡ª¡±


    ¡°Reports say he descended from Duke Agnus, but not Babel von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Surprise flickered across Emperor Marcus¡¯s normally imcable facade.


    ¡°Did the Duke have another child with Our sister?¡± Emperor Marcus was incredulous. ¡°This is the first We¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°That is... ¡° The man chose his words with care. ¡°I have heard it was not the Duchess¡¯s child.¡±


    ¡°...A bastard?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is said he was born from one of the Duke¡¯s maids.¡±


    ¡°She¡­¡± Emperor Marcus slumped back into the throne, exhausted. After a while, he burst outughing.


    ¡°How fun. That child is a treasure for the ages, and now he has two. We are truly envious.¡±


    ¡°But the princes are talented enough to make the world weep.¡±


    ¡°We disagree.¡± Emperor Marcus shook his head quietly. ¡°Obviously, there are a few with the qualities of an emperor. But in terms of strength, they¡¯re all lousy.¡±


    The man wanted to say something, but then shut his mouth. The general public would never evaluate the princes that way¡ªthe Emperor, a Master, simply had absurdly high standards.


    ¡°If the Duke decided to reveal his hidden card now, the boy must have had at least as much talent as that boy Babel?¡±


    ¡°That is¡ª¡± The man pursed his lips. Again, he was hesitant to answer.


    <em>I have no idea how I¡¯m even supposed to begin exining this.</em>


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s face stiffened with impatience.


    ¡°¡ªThere are rumors that Babel von Agnus was defeated by the boy.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Emperor Marcus couldn¡¯t hide his shock.


    Defeated? One of the best talents in Avalon, the Empire of Knights?


    ¡°Tell Us in detail. Was he already an adult or something?¡±


    ¡°...I believe he¡¯s nine years old this year.¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s mouth gaped open dumbly.


    There was no way the man would tell him such a lie unless he¡¯d gone insane. So¡­ it must be true.


    ¡°It is said Duke Agnus will request a dispatch of the Imperial Knights soon. In other words, it is assumed that the child is already approaching a C-ss Knight.¡±


    ¡°At the age of nine¡­ ss C¡­¡±


    <em>Wouldn¡¯t it be really fun if it were true?</em>


    Never in the entire continent¡ªnay, in all of history¡ªhad this kind of talent appeared. Some would say that this was Duke Agnus¡¯s glory <sup>2</sup>, but it wasn¡¯t¡ªit wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that this level of talent glorified the entire Empire.


    ¡°It¡¯s fun.¡± A deep smile danced on Emperor Marcus¡¯s lips. ¡°This is really fun. A nine year old bastard defeated the ¡®Duke¡¯s treasure¡¯, a C-ss Knight¡­ Hmm¡­ If he really defeated Babel, the boy¡¯s level is obvious. After all, it¡¯s impossible to defeat a mana user without using mana. Hahaha¡­ You truly are the pride of the Empire.¡±


    The Emperor chuckled for a while more.


    ¡°Jacken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°If you are born from lowly origins, there is a high chance you grew up disrespected by your family. Right?¡±


    ¡°¡ªYes, Your Majesty.¡± Seeing the Emperor¡¯s look of anticipation, the man spat an answer immediately. Now was the time to tell him what he wanted to hear.


    ¡°That means We have a chance, too.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± The man¡¯s face clenched with worry.


    ¡°We want to go there ourselves, but¡­¡±


    The man was astonished.


    Did the Emperor really consider going out and finding the boy himself?


    Talk was easy, but the effects would be unimaginable. The Emperor <em>is</em> the Empire¡ªsuch a move was like the Empire itself bearing down on Duke Agnus.


    Emperor Marcus spoke before the man could.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity We can¡¯t because of the swarms of opportunists.¡± The man breathed a sigh of relief. However¡­


    ¡°Send Evergrant, Valmont, and one of the princes instead.¡±


    The man said ¡°Fuck.¡± and sighed heavily. The people the Emperor mentioned were the future of the Empire: Evergrant was the current chief mage and had passed the wall of the Seventh-ss; Valmont was one of the ten deputy knights, leading the 9th Battalion of the Knights Temr¡ªhe¡¯d risen to his position at the tender age of twenty, and was frequently touted as the nextmander of the order.


    ¡°Your Majes¡ªYour Majesty,¡± the man stuttered, having just regained his senses. ¡°To send one of the princes away¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you set the table, it¡¯s up to us to eat it.¡±<sup>3</sup> Emperor Marcus smiled bitterly, but hints of yfulness leaked through his serious demeanor. ¡°Has anyone else heard the rumors of this monster?¡±


    ¡°Oh, they probably don¡¯t know yet. Rumors will spread quickly, but right now, things are quiet even within the Duke¡¯s family¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s keep this a secret.¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°An eye for talent is also a quality an emperor should have. There are only rumors of this child; the rest is up to them.¡±


    ¡°...If none of the princes make a move¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, what, aren¡¯t these guys lucky? If that¡¯s the case, We will bring him here personally, in secret.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡± The man bowed his head and prostrated himself again.


    ¡°We look forward to it. Hahahaha!¡±

 Chapter 24

    In the distance, a three-story stone building loomed intimidatingly over its surroundings. While old and well-worn, it was built tost.


    It was worth noting that all three floors were used for the same purpose. One floor contains private offices exclusively for themander and vicemanders of the Imperial Knights Temr; the widest room, in the middle, was themander¡¯s office; to the sides were the offices of the vicemanders in charge of the 1st through 10th battalions.


    There was an obvious reason for dedicating an entire floor to the senior leadership: inspiring pride in their duty, motivating them to constantly hone their skills.


    <em>Maybe someday</em> <strong>I</strong> <em>will rise to that position, too.</em>


    On the third floor, a young many on a sofa inside the 9th battalion office. He had ming red hair that sparkled like fireworks, but his silver eyes were freezing cold. His visage was the epitome of indolence¡ªit seemed as if nothing could shake him from hisziness.


    ¡°This is nice.¡± The man stretched his legs out on the sofa.


    He¡¯d been stuck at the rank of 1st Lieutenant for a long time ¨C and that was fine by him. His favorite pastime was avoiding his superiors¡¯ attention while he mooched around during work hours; after all, there was only one person in this building who was higher-ranked than him.


    The¡ªlocked¡ªdoor swung open without warning.


    ¡°...You were here too.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± The man didn¡¯t bother sitting up, only turning his head towards the exhausted voiceing from the doorway.


    ¡°Commander?¡± His eyes widened. There stood the only person who could give orders to anyone in the building: Rod den Hogg, the ¡°Master¡±, themander of the Imperial Knights.


    The man begrudgingly heaved himself off the couch.


    ¡°What brings you here, Commander? If you had contacted me in advance, I would havee to see you in person.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to talk back to me like a nerd?¡± Knight-Commander Rod exasperatedly shook his head at the other man yawning and muttering.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Please forgive me¡­ I must¡¯ve lost my mind because I saw the person I truly admire.


    ¡°Valmont, I see you¡¯re still running that deceitful mouth¡­ I wish you would show your respect by actions sometimes, not empty words. You¡¯re not just a knight of the Knights Temr, you lead an entire battalion.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m doing my best.¡± Valmont shed a yful smile.


    ¡°Then why are you here instead of training?¡± Rod shot him a fierce re, but didn¡¯t bother pressing the issue.


    <em>I know nothing will change¡ªI¡¯ll just end up nagging him again. Valmont dun Brown, you¡¯ve always been like this.</em>


    Valmont¡¯s talent was so overwhelming he sometimes made the Commander nervous, but Rod was confident that someone like Valmont was never going to take his ce. Simply put, he was bornzier than a barnyard pig.


    To be promoted to deputymander of the Imperial Knights, you must be at least a B-ss Knight ¨C that is, at least an advanced expert. It was as if Valmont achieved this supreme state with half as much effort as anyone else.


    ¡°I feel this all the time¡­ but somehow, medicine turned into a stick in the mud. Back then I was so proud, but one day¡ª¡±


    ¡°Chief, if I¡¯m a stick, doesn¡¯t that mean I¡¯m quite useful?¡± Valmont pouted.


    Rod clenched his fists, sighed, and held out his right hand.


    ¡°...His Majesty¡¯s decree.¡±


    Valmont wiped the yful expression from his face.


    ¡°Kneel and listen.¡± Valmont quickly dropped to one knee and bowed his head. The golden dragon embossed on the seal parted, revealing the hidden contents.


    ¡°...Hear me, proud Ninth Commander. We wish to dispatch the Imperial Knights to the Agnus territories, at the behest of the Duke. We order you to depart in thepany of the Imperial Chief Wizard Evergrant as soon as the equipment is prepared.¡±


    Each word shocked him more than thest.


    One of the Duke¡¯srgest training halls, located in the most remote region of the Duke¡¯s mansion, was built solely for training the soldiers. Dozens of his centurions were gathered there.


    ¡°Hey, did you hear?¡± A soldier in light leather armor ventured.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The stable bastard¡ªNo, the Duke¡¯s second young master!¡±


    ¡°Ah, that!¡± The soldier next to him pped his hands in apology.


    ¡°I heard he was actually a great talent? Rumor has it he even beat ogres with his bare hands?¡± This came from a young soldier to his other side.


    ¡°Hey! Even the knights would be mincemeat if they attacked an ogre with their bare hands. What is that child? Say something that makes sense¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t there even a rumor that the boy was already using mana?¡±


    ¡°This dumbass, really¡­ You mean to tell me a bastard of less than ten years can be a mana user? What? Then I¡¯m a Master¡ªNo, I¡¯m one of the Nine Stars!¡±


    The soldiers around them burst intoughter. Most of them dismissed the rumors as nonsense ¨C they simply sounded too absurd to be true. Any reasonable person wouldn¡¯t believe it¡ªexcept¡­


    ¡°Hey Rols! Answer us! Where did Roid and Gort get off to?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Rols! You said you¡¯re going to trash that Lucia girl! Didn¡¯t the three of you always bully that kid?¡±


    ¡°Well, with that face and body, of course she¡¯s going to catch someone¡¯s eye¡­ Ah, shoulda slept with that maid¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so small, you can barely get yourself off. It should be me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The centurions bantered on, but Rols couldn¡¯t say anything. After what he saw that day, Rols was quiet as if his tongue was cut off.


    ¡°You¡¯re such weird bastards¡­ I have no words.¡±


    ¡°Did you really ravage Lucia, after all this time? Women of Lucia¡¯s age are hungry ¨C I bet Rols was so small, Lucia was disappointed¡ª¡±


    ¡°This idiot talks with his crotch. When¡¯s thest time you gotid?¡± Again, the centurions¡¯ughter filled the hall.


    ¡°By the way, who called us today?¡±


    ¡°I think it was a Red Knight.¡± At the mention of the Red Knights, Rols slumped and his eyes lost focus.


    ¡°The Red Knights¡­ Hahhh, it¡¯s going to be a long day.¡±


    ¡°Does sparring take days or something? Let¡¯s just finish this quickly and go get a drink.¡± All of the centurions wore a resigned expression.


    The centurions¡¯ training was unusual; they were expected to lead 100 soldiers, so they were directly trained by knights withmand experience. The Duke¡¯s three great orders of knights took turns training them; among them, the Red Knights were famous for being the most difficult. Given their rtive influence, the Red Knights worked the centurions hard to avoid being underestimated by the other orders.


    ¡°Attention!¡± At the cry of the 1st Battalion leader, the most senior of the centurions, all of the centurions stood to attention.


    Small footsteps echoed in the silence.


    ¡°...Rols? Are you okay?¡± Rols shuddered uncontrobly when he saw the knight arriving. The reaper of that day¡ªthat terrible day¡ªappeared before him once more¡­


    ¡°Hmm? Why did the knight bring a child with him?¡±


    ¡°Wait. Isn¡¯t that the kid from the stable? Why is Lucia¡¯s kid¡ª¡±


    Rols, rattled by each passing word, managed to slowly raise his head. He met someone¡¯s eyes and groaned.


    ¡°Young master¡­ Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, today¡¯s training will be useful to you.¡± Cain, d in iron te engraved with the symbol of the Red Knights, looked around.


    <em>Why is a Knight of the Red using honorifics for such a child?</em> The centurions¡¯ ranks rippled.


    ¡°I am Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°...Hey, that kid¡ª¡±


    Joshua could hear the centurions muttering, but continued.


    ¡°Everyone here is a loyal servant of the Duke, yes?¡±


    The silence was suffocating.


    ¡°Your skills are probably good, if not great.¡± He looked around, eyes lingering on Rols. ¡°All of you¡­e at me.¡±

 Chapter 25

    Joshua suppressed a smile when he saw the centurions¡¯ bewildered looks. Even Cain was wide-eyed¡ªhe¡¯d never imagined that Joshua would try to take on all the centurions at once.


    ¡°Are¡­ Are you serious, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°You may get hurt. We are the elite, the centurions of Duke Agnus!¡±


    ¡°Right! No matter how great your blood is, this is an insult to all of us!¡±


    Joshua smiled menacingly at the centurions. <em>They looked like they were about to run away with their tails between their legs.</em>


    ¡°Do you think so too?¡± Joshua fixed his gaze on one face.


    Rols immediately had the attention of everyone around him.


    ¡°Y-young Master¡ª¡± Cold sweat beaded on his forehead.


    ¡°Oh, it seems you never told your dear colleagues about our conversation earlier.¡± Joshua¡¯s words turned the air frigid. Only a cold gust of wind stirred in the deafening silence.


    ¡°That¡ª that¡ª¡± Rols wanted to make an excuse, be he couldn¡¯t even form a proper sentence.


    <em>I watched two of my colleagues die before my eyes. How was I supposed to tell them I was humiliated by a dung shoveler?</em> None of the Duke¡¯s soldiers, certainly not the centurions, would have believed it; they would have thought Rols and his friends were just trying to monopolize Lucia.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry!¡±


    ¡°One chance is enough. Two would be too much.¡±


    Rols trembled like a reed in the wind and copsed onto the floor.


    The centurions watching on noticed a pole protruding from behind Joshua¡¯s back.


    ¡°...Spear?¡± A soldier quickly identified the identity of the object. A spear, amon implement of soldiers. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t just some metal stuck to the end of a stick; it was an iron spear that anyone present could have taken on a whim.


    Joshua twirled the spear, sending a gust of air whistling past the centurions. The sight of a child swinging a spear so easily was quite strange¡ªeven as an adult, it was not easy to adjust to the weight of a weapon like that.


    The centurions could only watch in silence as Joshua paced forward and mmed his spear in the ground before Rols.


    ¡°You will die here. You should have died when you insulted my mother, but you squandered that chance. So now you die¡­ Just like your colleagues did.¡±


    The other centurions were not entirely surprised. Rumors abounded about Roid and Gort¡¯s absence; from stories about retiring to their hometowns, to secret missions, every sort of story was tossed about but nothing was proven.


    If Joshua was believed, then Roid and Gort were not spared the Young master¡¯s wrath.


    ¡°One more chance, Young master! All I need is one more chance!¡± Rols desperately smashed his head against the ground.


    <em>I don¡¯t want to die like this.</em> Rols had only just be a centurion; he didn¡¯t want to die without enjoying the privileges of his rank.


    ¡°Please¡ª¡±


    ¡°As I said before: I won¡¯t give you a second chance.¡± Joshua red down at Rols.


    ¡°Young Master!¡±


    ¡°However¡­¡± Joshua hefted his spear. ¡°I have no desire to trample on the pride of a Duke¡¯s centurion.¡±


    Rols nervously met Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Take up your weapon. As a centurion of Duke Agnus, defend what little pride you have left.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you beat me¡­¡± Joshua huffed and whipped his spear around. ¡°...Then I will spare your life.¡±


    ¡°Try your best to kill me. You die, you lose. I die, well¡­ Imagine the fame!¡±


    <em>If this is how I die, I¡¯ll go out with a bang.</em>


    Rols had thought the feeling of fear he had feltst time was because of Cain¡¯s overwhelming presence, but now, looking at Joshua, his nerves ran cold and his muscles were stiff as stone.


    But he sighed and stood. He had to fight and fight well.


    The sword he unsheathed was surprisingly sharp and well maintained.


    ¡°That sword does not suit its master.¡±


    Joshua pointed the tip of his spear at Rols. He wanted to use Lugia¡ªrod or not¡ªbut in this kind of ce, using the same weapons as a soldier would maximize the intimidation factor. From his previous battles, he knew there would be no problem using his power for a time even when he was separated from Lugia.


    <em>Everything was calcted.</em>


    ¡°Come.¡±


    Rols bit his lip hard enough to make it bleed, staring at the boy in front of him¡ªwas it just an illusion, or had the small boy gotten bigger?


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Rols rushed in with a mad scream; the shining tip of his sword threatened to skewer Joshua¡¯s small body at any moment. Joshua merely smiled and raised his spear high.


    ¡°Uh, what do you think?¡± The surrounding soldiers began to murmur.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of using a spear in that position?¡±


    ¡°Ugh, I can¡¯t see them anymore.


    Joshua fully disyed the dignity of a Duke¡¯s son, but he was shovelling horse shit out of the stables not long ago. Rols, on the other hand, was a powerful man who was promoted to centurion at a rtively young age. No one doubted he would be run through by Rols¡¯s sword any moment now.


    Furthermore, the spear is a weapon specialized in stabbing attacks to maximize its long reach; raising your spear left you vulnerable below, and only a fool would attempt a shpared to the long shaft, the spearhead was only about as long as two adult fists.


    <em>Easy target!</em> Rols¡¯s sword cut sharply towards Joshua. Some of the centurions shut their eyes, believing they were about to witness the death of the Duke¡¯s own blood.


    But then, Joshua brought his spear down. It was a rtively slow movement, but it had a ponderous weight to it.


    <em>The first method: Thundering Strike.</em> <sup>1</sup>


    The first stage of the spear technique contained only two methods, including Thundering Strike.


    Just like the second method, it was a very simple movement ¨C up and down ¨C but it contained the power of a mountain.


    Mana gathered at the pinpoint tip of the spear, resonating faintly.


    ¡°Hahh.¡± For a moment, the swish of the spear sounded like thunder.


    Time seemed to freeze¡ª


    ¡ªRols¡¯s sword was split down its length, and fell to the floor.


    ¡ªDark red blood sttered forth, staining Joshua.


    And with a thump, Rols fell to the ground.


    In two pieces.


    Joshua mmed the butt of his spear back onto the floor. You could hear a pin drop in the resulting silence.


    ¡°I am the blood of Duke Agnus. I am Joshua von Agnus. If you have mastered the sword, speak with your skill not your mouth. On the battlefield, judging your opponents by their appearance alone will cost you your life.¡±


    A middle-aged man, probably a senior centurion, knelt on the ground.


    ¡°May glory follow wherever you walk! I greet Prince Joshua, blood of the Grand Duke!¡±


    Was this the trigger? All of the centurions, without exception, dropped to their knees.


    ¡°We greet you!¡±


    Before them stood only Joshua.


    <em>Also¡­</em> Cain had stepped back with a faint smile. His senses were not wrong. <em>With this, Young Master Joshua has gained the honor of his mother and the trust of the soldiers in one fell swoop.</em>


    It may be a temporary trust, gained through fear, but there was no surer method for their first meeting.


    <em>Maybe, really¡­</em> It felt like that little boy¡ªnay, his master¡ªcould really make his dreame true.


    <em>I will do my best to serve you...</em> Cain¡¯s smile deepened as he gazed upon Joshua¡¯s proud back.


    <em>...Master.</em>

 Chapter 26

    Early in the morning was the busiest time in the outer walls of the pce. Within these majestic edifices, almost a hundred armored men mored; they exuded the knights¡¯ pride with every movement.


    At first nce, it seemed to be a lot of people; but looking closer, you would see that it was actually a very small percentage of the Imperial Knights. Numbers were not everything, of course¡ªeach one of them was more capable than a hundred menbined.


    This group of knights and wizards was preparing to depart for Duke Agnus¡¯s territories. Leading them was a small, fair-skinned, middle-aged man with tinum blonde hair, draped in a white robe; his emerald green eyes glittered brightly and seemed as if they peered into peoples¡¯ hearts, and his gaze was cold and imperturbable. He was one of the most powerful wizards in Avalon: the Imperial Chief Wizard, Evergrant von Aswald.


    His five aides clustered around him with worried expressions.


    ¡°Chief, are the rumors from the Agnus Duchy true?¡±


    Evergrant paused for a moment before replying.


    ¡°True or not, we are wizards. It¡¯s our duty to follow orders and remain unbiased¡­ Until we see it with our own eyes, we have to assume it¡¯s true.¡± In addition to his remarkably gentle personality, Evergrant was well known for the polite way he addressed his subordinates. This, along with his knowledge, won him the respect of those under him.


    ¡°This is nonsense. If anyone told me he mastered 2nd-ss at the age of nine, I wouldn¡¯t believe it either¡­ Didn¡¯t Miss Rebra enter the 2nd-ss at that age as well?¡±


    If a child responds to mana for the first time around the age of ten, they are dubbed a prospective wizard. Iceline, on the other hand, had mastered the 1st-ss and already entered the 2nd-ss. She was known as one of the continent¡¯s greatest magical talents, and rightfully so.


    Unlike swordsmanship, which can be developed by pure effort, magic and sorcery depend entirely on innate talent. As such, the ratio of knights and wizards was heavily skewed¡ªthere were only a few wizards in the entire Empire.


    That said, knights who can infuse mana into the sword ¨C so-called ¡°mana user¡± or ¡°higher level¡± knights ¨C were just as rare as wizards.


    ¡°Once a knight can wield mana, even a 2nd-ss wizard struggles to defeat them. By that logic, 2nd-ss wizards will kneel to¡­ a nine year old child.¡±


    ¡°We have to be thorough with our judgement. But if the rumors are true, that kind of talent¡­¡± Evergrant¡¯s words were muffled, but the other wizard shook his head.


    ¡°I am worried. In our beloved Avalon, the gap between knights and wizards is widening¡­¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°If the rumors are true, I think we should convince him by any means necessary. But if that fails¡ª¡±


    ¡°That boy is a talent His Majesty ordered us to watch. Don¡¯t think about such nonsense.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± The wizard immediately backed down for Evergrant.


    ¡°Sir Valmont, are the preparationsplete?¡± Evergrant called out to the young knight approaching them.


    ¡°Well, as you can see it¡¯s going smoothly.¡± Themander of the 9th Battalion tilted his head and shrugged. Hisziness kicked in at the wrong moment.


    ¡°This is for His Majesty and the glory of the Empire,¡± Evergrant scoffed. ¡°I expect you will leave no room for error¡ªnot now, not ever.¡±


    ¡°Hah, how many useless worries do you wizards have?¡± Valmont was careful to keep his voice too low to be heard.


    Evergrant was not a noble¡ªinstead, his rank was based entirely on rtionships. The favor of the Emperor won him his position as Chief Wizard and treatment better than any high-ranking nobleman. To put it bluntly, Evergrant outranked Valmont in every way.


    In the Avalon Empire, thend of knights, wizards were known as a tool of convenience. Valmont, an Avalon knight down to the bone, used to ignore wizards outright. But Evergrant was a wizard at the beginning of the 6th-ss; even in the Empire, he wielded considerable influence.


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to act like this the entire mission, I¡¯ll have no choice but to report it directly to His Majesty.¡± The mention of ¡°His Majesty¡± made Valmont tremble.


    Evergrant and Valmont red at each other. The bizarre confrontation gathered the attention of the thirty wizards and one hundred knights around them¡ªit looked as if a fight would break out at any moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s a joke, it¡¯s ajoke.¡± Valmont lifted both hands with a friendly smile. ¡°Can¡¯t you take a joke, Chief Wizard? Ahh, it¡¯s so boring. No one has a sense of humor¡­¡±


    ¡°Rx, wizard.¡± Valmont patted Evergrant¡¯s shoulder on the way out. ¡°I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re ready~¡±


    ¡°That damn bastard!¡± One of the wizards stamped his foot.


    ¡°Halt. It¡¯s already done.¡±


    ¡°But Chief Wizard¡ª!¡±


    Evergrant shook his head, and the wizard could only bite his lip and back down again.


    The knights gathered were not aware of the true power of the wizards. In this era of peace, the knights were used to one-on-one battles where their well-trained bodies would not give a wizard the time to harness their mana.


    In war, wizards truly shined¡ªbut in these peaceful times, there was no way a war would happen.


    If they knew what I was thinking, they would be furious.


    Valmontughed so hard he choked. The knights standing nearby had to bite their lips to stifle theirughter.


    The angry wizard¡¯s nails dug deeply into his palms. Valmont smirked at him.


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s orders were to send all one hundred knights of the 9th Battalion, including me, to represent the Imperial Knights Temr. The Chief Wizard was well are of this, and he knew there were ten intermediate B-ss, thirty lower B-ss, and numerous C-ss in the battalion.¡±


    ¡­And you¡¯re probably as old as my uncle. Valmont almost added insult to injury, but decided to wrap it up.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Evergrant swallowed nervously. I already knew it, but it¡¯s something else to hear and see it in person.


    With those numbers, the 9th Battalion could take on all the knights in the Empire outside of the Knights Temr. Within the Empire, there were only a few known A-ss; below them were no more than fifty B-ss.


    ¡°The fact that His Majesty deployed an entire battalion¡ª¡±


    ¡°It means,¡± Valmont interrupted, ¡°that one of the princes is going on this expedition.¡±


    The crowd was instantly abuzz.


    ¡°A prince? A prince ising with us?!¡±


    ¡°This is even weirder! No matter how talented that Agnus child is, how could they dispatch a whole battalion and a prince? It¡¯s just a bit of mana!¡±


    ¡°And the battalionmander and Chief Wizard together? With this kind of power, no one in the Empire will stand in our way.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s life.¡±


    Valmont frowned and raised his hand to silence the crowd.


    ¡°Do you know which prince ising?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I did not hear anything else from His Majesty. Matters of the Imperial family are top-secret and totally ssified until just before the mission.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Valmont swallowed a sigh. ¡°That aside, are you already aware of why we¡¯re going to the Agnus duchy, Wizard Evergrant?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the rising star of the Agnus family?¡±


    ¡°The rising star?¡± Valmont¡¯s eyebrows twitched and his anger rose sharply. Evergrant¡¯s choice of words was provocative: anyone who deserved to be called a ¡°rising star¡± had the potential to challenge the Nine Stars. Babel von Agnus was a ¡°rising star¡± because he became a C-ss Knight at the age of fourteen.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe such nonsense, do you?¡±


    ¡°When Young Master Babel became the youngest mana user in the Duchy, everyone reacted the same way.¡± Evergrant shrugged it off.


    ¡°Do you know the second youngest mana user in the Agnus family?!¡± By this point, Valmont was shouting. ¡°Duke Agnus wielded mana at sixteen! If you¡¯re born from that lineage, fourteen years old just barely makes sense¡ªbut this kid! Amoner, a nine-year-old born from a maid!¡±


    Even if the Duke is to be believed, it¡¯s the duty of an Imperial Knight to keep the high-ranking nobles in check on behalf of His Majesty. Even for the Grand Duke Agnus, there¡¯s something fishy about this incident¡­


    Normally, Valmont was endlessly fickle. But now, he had no intention of ignoring this potential threat: if this peace was broken, he was doomed.


    The shame¡­ Evergrant clenched his fists. An Archmage on the verge of entering the 7th-ss, the Realm of Demons. No where else would I receive this kind of ridiculous treatment¡ªif not for the Emperor, I would have left right away. But in the near future, everything will change. And¡­


    Evergrant stared coldly at Valmont.


    This staid peace will soone to an end. When that timees¡­


    ¡°Lord Valmont; Sir Evergrant; what are you talking about that¡¯s so amusing?¡± One of the pce gates burst open, revealing a small boy nked by two knights.


    ¡°Prince!¡± The two men knelt before the boy with golden eyes and golden hair¡ªwithout a doubt, a scion of the Imperial family.


    ¡°Yeah, did you say the kid¡¯s name was Joshua?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Prince Kaiser.¡±


    Over a hundred knights and sorcerers were graced by Kaiser¡¯s dazzling smile.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Joshua von Agnus¡­¡±

 Chapter 27

    On a chilly afternoon in the Agnus Duchy, two men sat in the office staring at each other. The older of the two was, of course, Duke Agnus, lord of the duchy andmander of legions; The other was Joshua, a young boy with flushed ears. The thick soundproofing allowed no sounds inside to interrupt their terse silence.


    ¡°I received some reports¡­¡± The Duke heaved a sigh and drummed his fingers against the table. ¡°...that said you requested a sparring session ¨C no, more of a showcase ¨C with the soldiers. And, hahh, some lives have been lost.¡±


    Any ordinary person would find it mentally taxing to just look at the Duke right now. Behind his mild tone and stoic expression, he could be hiding a blistering rage.


    <em>The Duke must be ufortable with a child wielding such power.</em> Joshua didn¡¯t miss the disappointment in the Duke¡¯s eyes¡ªhe knew he had to reply, and fast.


    ¡°Yes. But my actions were fair and just. They were executed for ndering the nobility.¡±


    ¡°nder?¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s frown creased his forehead.


    ¡°That soldier disrespected my mother. ording to militaryw, a soldier who insults the nobility should be immediately executed.¡±


    Duke Agnus knew that, of course. He knew everything that happened in the Duchy. But when he found out, the first thing he felt was anger.


    <em>I don¡¯t think he did the wrong thing.</em> Were the Duke in the same situation, he would have cut the soldier¡¯s head off with a single strike. <em>But what a pity.</em>


    In Duke Agnus¡¯s opinion, Joshua mishandled the issue. While his actions were technically correct, soldiers were still human beings. From their point of view, a summary execution could be seen as a disregard for their lives; considering Joshua¡¯s age, they would think their lives could end because of a child¡¯s tantrum.


    Most of all, the Duke was unhappy that Joshua hadn¡¯t discussed it with him.


    ¡°Do you think it was just a child¡¯s tantrum?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t miss the Duke¡¯s surprise.


    <em>I have no intention of throwing away the favor I¡¯ve umted.</em>


    ¡°He insulted my mother¡­ but no, that wasn¡¯t the only reason.¡±


    ¡°There were others?¡±


    <em>Why would he do something that would obviously antagonize the soldiers?</em>


    ¡°If that was the only reason, there would be no reason to do it in front of all the other centurions.¡±


    <em>It has to do with the Duke, too.</em> Duke Agnus was a decisive factor in Joshua¡¯s childish reputation, after all.


    ¡°I have two reasons. One is to make the soldiers treat my mother properly. Second¡ª¡± Joshua savored the words on the tip of his tongue. He¡¯d been looking forward to this moment for quite a while now. ¡°¡ªto stabilize my position in the Duchy.¡±


    ¡°The soldiers know me as a dung shoveler. After all that, they¡¯d struggle to respect me no matter what skills I had. That is to say, the only way to make them respect me was to make them fear me.¡±


    Duke Agnus gaped at him.


    ¡°I do not intend to sit still and make concessions because of my origins. I was also born from the Grand Duke¡¯s bloodline.¡±


    <em>The Agnus bloodline begets great ambition and skill to match.</em> Truly, these were the qualities of monarchs and conquerors. His eyes were never wrong.


    Duke Agnus couldn¡¯t control his twitching lips anymore and a chuckle rolled from his lips. When he¡¯d returned to his hometown, exhausted from his stagnant life, he¡¯d had no idea such a great gift was waiting for him.


    <em>How delightful.</em>


    ¡°They say the Imperial family will send someone in tomorrow. To evaluate your mana, of course.¡±


    ¡°I heard.¡±


    Duke Agnus paused to examine Joshua. The boy was like a deep ocean, quiet but dangerous ¨C he was clearly the Duke¡¯s child, but he had no idea what went on in his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s just my bias speaking, but¡­ you seem to have changed.¡±


    <em>Have I changed?</em> Joshua kept his expression politely nk.


    As a child, there was no interaction between them at all. The rtionship between the high and the low was more distant than any other family.


    But neither of them would say that out loud.


    ¡°They say humans are adaptable creatures.¡± Joshua¡¯s voice was practically a whisper. ¡°An animal will adapt, or it will die.¡±


    ¡°That is true¡ª¡±


    ¡°And!¡± Joshua pursed his lips. ¡°Doubly so for me.¡±


    <em>Was there ever an Agnus with such a desperate heart?</em> Duke Agnus was astonished. <em>Could their environment really change a person like this?</em>


    The tense silence was broken by Duke Agnus¡¯sughter.


    ¡°It really is amusing. Let us see if you be the apex predator in this ¡®environment¡¯.¡±


    Duke Agnus leaned forward.


    ¡°I received a message from the Imperial family not long ago. It seems this mana evaluation expedition is quite unusual¡­ possibly because of you.¡± Duke Agnus thrust his finger at Joshua. ¡°Perhaps because it was a nine year old¡­¡±


    ¡°They are nning to take me for the Imperial family¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You may have attracted that level of curiosity.¡±


    The Duke lifted a piece of paper off the table. It was embossed with the seal of a roaring golden dragon¡ªa missive directly from the Imperial family.


    ¡°It says that the entirety of the 9th Battalion of the Imperial Knights will be dispatched on this expedition ¨C including the battalionmander.¡±


    In general, only two or three Imperial knights would be dispatched to a noble¡¯s request. Depending on the talent and influence of the family, the numbers of the expedition increased but there was never<sup>1</sup> a case where an entire battalion was dispatched like this. Even when Babel von Agnus, the ¡°treasure of the Empire¡±, was tested, only a toon of ten was dispatched.


    ¡°No matter how talented you are, doesn¡¯t the size of the dispatch make you curious? The Emperor could just call you directly to Arcadia. Besides which, it¡¯s being led by the battalionmander himself. Valmont, that <em>friend</em>.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s face flickered with suspicion. Despite being a battalionmander, the name ¡°Valmont¡± wasn¡¯t familiar to him.


    <em>He might be using a pseudonym. If not, he disappeared before I had a chance to meet him¡­ such as in the civil war.</em>


    ¡°And the Imperial Chief Wizard will be apanying them as well.¡±


    Joshua froze.


    <em>The current Imperial Chief Wizard¡­?</em> If his memory could be trusted, there was only one possibility.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever heard of him¡ªhe¡¯s greatly favored by His Majesty the Emperor. His name is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Evergrant.¡± Joshua¡¯s voice hissed like a winter storm.


    ¡°Evergrant von Aswald.¡±

 Chapter 28

    Joshua flopped into his bed, tired as hell. His mental and physical exhaustion mixed together to form a weird, roiling sensation.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m really tired,¡± he muttered, capitting to the sleep god.


    The events of earlier danced through his mind.


    My own father¡­ The Duke¡¯s words seemed to capture his heart in a jar. It was not a pleasant feeling.


    <em>¡°The archmage Evergrant, yes¡­ He will be here, along with a member of the royal family. Rest assured it won¡¯t be the Emperor, but the identity of the royal in question won¡¯t be revealed until just before their arrival ¨C for security, I heard.¡±</em>


    <em>But for some reason, I have an ominous feeling that the iing royal is someone I know very well.</em>


    ¡°If it¡¯s really Evergrant and <em>him</em>¡ª¡± Joshua gnawed on his lip. The worry pooled into his stomach; he worried if he could control himself if they met face to face. As of now, he couldn¡¯t even touch a hair on Evergrant¡¯s head.


    <em>Let¡¯s not be hasty.</em> The revenge he was after wasn¡¯t inflicting harm on a young, foolish boy, even if he got Evergrant too.


    <em>Don¡¯t let your thirst for revenge cloud your judgment, Joshua!</em>


    <em>When you stand at the top, drunk with that pitiful euphoria you call ¡°victory¡± and ¡°happiness¡±, that¡¯s when my spear will find you. Just you wait.</em>


    ¡°Haha¡­ Even your name tastes bitter, Kaiser von Britten.¡±


    The Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire, the roaring golden dragon, were hand-picked by the wise Emperor Marcus. He was very particr about their abilities; when it came to the Knights Temr, noble titles were nothing more than words on paper. From the moment you joined the Imperial Knights you were told to throw your titles out the window, because everyone was a potential master there.


    The only thing you need? Your skills. If you were skilled enough, even a knight from a baron¡¯s family could outrank the sons of dukes.


    Within the Imperial Knights¡¯ headquarters a ndestine conversation was taking ce in the 1st Battalion office.


    ¡°Are the preparations going well?¡± The blonde, middle-aged man with a neat mustache and a noble visage was Joker, themander of the 1st Battalion.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The young man who answered had the number 9 engraved on his shield, and the number 2 engraved on the dragon¡¯s head, indicating he was the second strongest in the 9th Battalion.


    ¡°I got a call from <em>him</em>.¡±


    The young man shivered.


    ¡°¡ªIs this your mission?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ the purpose of this dispatch is ot ensure that the young master of Agnus will not be able to hold a sword again for the rest of his life¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s because of Vanessa. None other than his¡ª¡± Goosebumps ran up the younger man¡¯s skin and he snapped his mouth shut.


    ¡°Remember where you are¡­ Watch your tongue.¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    Murderous thoughts danced wildly in Joker¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Rumors have already reached his ears. The rumors that, in the duchy, an undisputed genius has surfaced that can even surpass Babel von Agnus. It would be perfect if he could be made to kneel, but that¡¯s impossible considering he¡¯s an Agnus. <em>He</em> doesn¡¯t want to leave any seeds that could grow into trouble in the future.¡±


    ¡°Yes. It would be better to trample such weeds before they grow.¡± The young man rose from his seat and saluted.


    That shouldn''t have happened.


    It goes without saying that Joker was highly respected because hemanded the strongest battalion, but the Knights only saluted their direct superiors. That meant the Master of the Knights, Rod den Hogg, and themanders of their own battalion. By decree of the Emperor himself, it was taboo to salute a knight from a different battalion in order to foster a fiercepetitive spirit.


    ¡°I will now take my leave.¡±


    ¡°I trust there won¡¯t be any mistakes.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Pitiful as it seemed, the young man¡¯s face bore a deep and painful scar.


    The next morning, the Duke¡¯s men assembled before the master of the house. Duke Agnus was nked on both sides by two of hismanders, including Chiffon.


    ¡°He¡¯sing.¡± Chiffon nced out the front door.


    A troop could be seen in the distance, moving at speed; the golden dragon and the number 9 emzoned on their gear clearly disyed their identity.


    ¡°At that size¡­ it seems that the entire battalion really came, as the Imperial family said¡­ That person in the pure white robe at the front is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, he seems to have attracted a lot of attention from the Imperial family. After all, he wields mana at nine years old.¡± The middle-aged man to the Duke¡¯s right side opened his mouth this time. He was Armstrong,mander of the Duke¡¯s finest men: the Golden Man Corps.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Agnus chuckled. ¡°Is that really all?¡±


    ¡°¡ªYes?¡± Armstrong turned to follow Duke Agnus¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°That boy?¡±


    ¡°A Britten¡ª¡±


    ¡°By that, you mean¡­ a prince?¡± Everyone except the Duke was agape.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince¡­ Kaiser.¡±


    ¡°My God. My God.¡± Armstrong¡¯s jaw twitched.


    Only Chiffon maintained hisposure.


    ¡°This is clearly discrimination! How is the Young Master to ovee the pressure of the entire battalion and the Chief Mage?¡± Armstrong was the first toe to his senses. ¡°I am concerned he will be too nervous and he¡¯ll make a mistake in front of the prince.¡±


    Armstrong¡¯s concerns were understandable. Joshua¡¯s mistake could affect the entirety of the Agnus duchy.


    ¡°What do you think, Joshua?¡±


    To Armstrong¡¯s astonishment, Joshua strode out of the ranks of the knights. The shimmer of his deep blue hair and his well-oiled leather armor were a perfect match.


    Joshua took in the gazes of Duke Agnus and hismanders and smirked. Contrary to his own expectations, the rage Joshua felt from seeing Kaiser had frozen solid.


    <em>I don¡¯t have the strength to hurt them right now. My revenge will wait, Evergrant and Kaiser.</em>


    Joshua came up to Duke Agnus¡¯s side.


    ¡°The Imperial household¡­¡± Joshua basked in the expectations of the crowd. ¡°...will forever remember the Agnus name.¡±

 Chapter 29

    ¡°Duke Arden von Agnus greets the fourth light of the Empire.¡± Duke Agnus bowed in front of the intent gaze of the 4th Prince; even while genuflecting, his pride and dignity shone through. His courtesy was neither excessive nor insufficient.


    ¡°I am honored to meet Duke Agnus, the pride of the Empire.¡± Kaiser stepped down from his horse.


    The audience was dumbfounded when Prince Kaiser bowed his head with a gentle smile.


    ¡°Prince!¡± An embarrassed Evergrant shouted. No matter how high-ranking an aristocrat was, the fourth prince was a direct descendent of the Emperor himself, in an age where the Imperial family had never been stronger.


    It was said that nobles treat dukes and princes much the same, but for a prince to treat a duke as a peer was uncalled for.


    ¡°Not only the Imperial Knights, but the Duke¡¯s family are watching. The Prince¡¯s actions could undermine the authority of the Imperial family¡­¡± Evergrant whispered worriedly into Kaiser¡¯s ear. His voice was small, but most of the knights¡ªincluding Duke Agnus¡ªhad superhuman hearing. Curiosity twinkled in the Duke¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°As a powerless fourth prince, if I have to posture in a situation like this I¡¯ll spend my life being ridiculed.¡± Kaiser smiled at the Duke.


    The Duke was subtly surprised. He wasn¡¯t wrong¡ªthe first and second princes had the greatest influence and were the most likely candidates for the throne. Even the third prince, who was rtively inferior, had a higher chance of taking the throne than the fourth prince. Power had a pride of its own, and power was precisely what Kaisercked.


    ¡°I apologize for the sudden visit, Duke Agnus. I was appointed by the Emperor and was only fulfilling his will. So please, kindly understand my immature behavior¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind, Prince.¡±


    <em>It¡¯s odd that there¡¯s almost no talk of the Fourth Prince throughout all of vast Arcadia. This cub is keeping his ws hidden¡­</em>


    Duke Agnus kept his thoughts to himself, just as Joshua did. Joshua had been staring at Kaiser with a bitter smile on his lips, like an old man looking back on his poor life choices.


    <em>This is the guy. A hypocrite who pretends to have no self-respect on the outside, acts like a gentleman, and dresses himself up with all kinds of rhetoric, but is exactly the opposite on the inside.</em>


    How many people bled for that false grace?


    How many people died for that smile?


    Joshua was one of them.


    <em>In the end, I was betrayed by my trusted master, and my life vanished in the nameless wilderness¡­ It will be different this time, Kaiser.</em>


    Did he feel Joshua¡¯s gaze? Kaiser turned his attention to Joshua. Startled when they suddenly met eyes, Kaiser forced a smile while a cold sweat trickled down his spin.


    ¡°Hah! You must be the famed Young Master Joshua.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t answer, prompting Valmont to step forward. Though he was known for cking, he knew what he had to do now. He was here to protect not only the lives of the Imperial family, but its prestige. Above all, this mission came directly from His Majesty the Emperor.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be rude, Young Master Joshua. Compose yourself before the Prince.¡± The entire 9th Battalion scowled at Joshua.


    <em>If it were Duke Agnus himself, I wouldn¡¯t say anything. But how dare a bastard¡ª</em> Valmont¡¯s expression curdled. His sword was drawn in an instant, and the rest of the Imperial knights rested their hands on their own weapons.


    The Duke¡¯s Knights tensed. To them, Duke Agnus was greater than any Emperor. When their master was threatened they would fight, Imperial Knights or otherwise.


    ¡°Cheeky¡ª!¡± Valmont clenched his sword.


    ¡°¡ªThat¡¯s funny.¡± Joshuaughed, bursting the tension like a soap bubble.


    ¡°Wha-what?¡± Valmont¡¯s eyes popped.


    ¡°There cannot be two suns over the Empire. Excepting their liege lords, thew of the Avalon Empire states there is only one person a Knight can salute. In such a situation, is there any reason I would salute to a self-proimed ¡®fourth prince¡¯?¡±


    <em>Isn¡¯t he just a kid?</em> Valmont¡¯s jaw dropped. For the first time, Valmont discovered someone who was an even worse shitter than himself.


    No other knights in the Avalon Empire could present such power as the Knights Temr did. Who else would they be escorting except the Imperial family?


    <em>Are you iming they have to present His Majesty¡¯s decree to receive courtesy?</em>


    ¡°What a cheeky kid!¡±


    ¡°How rude!¡±


    ¡°How dare you? He was cleaning horse dung not long ago, wasn¡¯t he? He must¡¯ve fallen into a dung heap and gone crazy!¡± The Prince¡¯s retinue was in an uproar.


    <em>¡°There cannot be two suns over the Empire.¡±</em> ¡ªat first nce, it seemed obvious. The Emperor, Marcus von Britten, was the center of their universe. It seemed like an expression of infinite respect, but under the circumstances it was obvious that he meant he refused to respect the rest of the Empire.


    ¡°Damn!¡± Joker, his cross-shaped scar pale against his reddened cheeks, drew his sword in anger. All of the knights followed suit, ready to kill for their respective masters.


    ¡°<strong>Stop!</strong>¡± A voice loaded with mana nketed their surroundings. The knights groaned under the impact.


    Duke Agnus strode forward with a grim scowl.


    ¡°Showing this damn attitude in front of the prince¡ªDo you want to die?¡± His voice chilled them to the bones. He swept his gaze across the crowd, implying his sermon was not targeted just at a certain somebody. Even the Imperial Knights couldn¡¯t challenge the weight of authority in his voice.


    This is the power of the Nine Stars, Duke Agnus¡­¡± Admiration painted Valmont¡¯s face.


    ¡°Knights! Sheathe your swords!¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± The Duke¡¯s knights obeyed without question.


    ¡°We¡¯re in front of the Prince!¡± Valmont came to his senses and shouted urgently, ¡°Please, sheathe your swords!¡±


    ¡°...Yes!¡±


    Duke Agnus then turned his overbearing charisma to Joshua, standing next to him.


    ¡°Your hasty words and actions caused this. Apologize to the Prince.¡±


    Joshua smirked bitterly. He¡¯d lived a whopping half century, and yet¡­ <em>I thought my mind and body had grown enough, but my mind is like a child¡¯s.</em> When you despise someone so much you¡¯re swept away by the moment¡­ Joshua steeled himself, but Prince Kaiser spoke just before he could step forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. It¡¯s already done¡­ and he¡¯s not entirely wrong.¡±


    ¡°Prince¡ª?¡± Evergrant whirled around, bewildered.


    ¡°Young Master Joshua is right. The only person who deserves the salutes of the Knights is my father, His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Prince Kaiser wore a polite and benevolent smile. ¡°I¡¯m fine, so don¡¯t worry about me my dear knights.¡±


    ¡°Prince¡­¡± Some of the knights teared up. They thought he was putting his pride aside to resolve a meaningless conflict.


    <em>But I would be lying if I said that I, a scion of the noblest blood in the Empire, wasn¡¯t offended.</em>


    ¡°Also, knights need to prove themselves with their skills¡­¡± Prince Kaiser beamed at Joshua. ¡°I believe you¡¯re well aware, Young Master Joshua?¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Kaiser truly was a clever spokesman; he¡¯d quickly taken control of the atmosphere and affirmed the trust of his subordinates in one move, and now he smoothly segued into testing Joshua.


    <em>A master maniptor. Then, let me match your pace¡­</em> Joshua left the Duke¡¯s side with a sharp smile.


    ¡°Anytime you¡¯re ready.¡±


    ¡°A cheeky bastard until the end, I see¡­¡± Joker came forward with a sly grin. ¡°Prince, Battalion Commander, I ask your permission to perform this mana test.¡±


    ¡°Joker?¡± Valmont shot a worried nce at the Duke. Joker was careful to keep his fangs hidden.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I just want to see if the Young Master has the skills to back his words.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Let him do it.¡±


    ¡°Prince?¡± Troubled, Valmont turned to the Prince.


    ¡°Sir Joker has already surpassed an expert¡ªa B-ss intermediate¡ªright?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Taking the Young Master¡¯s safety into ount as well, I think Sir Joker¡¯s experience would be helpful.¡±


    Joker beamed contentedly as Valmont was forced to zip his mouth shut.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous¡­ Young Master, if you can handle my first attack, you will pass the exam. Of course, the attack isn¡¯t the same for everyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°You talk a lot.¡± The space was immediately filled with a suffocating silence.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡±

 Chapter 30

    Everyone was gathered in the biggest training arena in the Duchy. The retinues of Arden von Agnus and the fourth prince Kaiser von Britten and Archmage Evergrant were present; being the grandest such facility in the estate, it could amodate the entire crowd with room to spare, even with knights and their weapons on each corner.


    Valmont gulped when he spotted the Duke¡¯smanders in the crowd. It was his first time seeing these prominent figures in the flesh.


    Two men stood alone in the middle of the arena, judging each other and being judged by the spectators.


    Or rather, one man and a boy¡ªa young cub without a hair to tickle his chest.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± The boy¡¯s opponent was Joker, the second-inmand of the Imperial 9th Battalion. Seeing him nod, Joker continued. ¡°The test will be simple¡­ We will fight three rounds before the judges. If any of them nod in approval during those three rounds, you pass.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry too much. I¡¯ll only use mana on the lowest levels of C-ss.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s unresponsiveness made Joker chuckle.


    <em>I guess anyone would be nervous in this kind of situation.</em> Of course, Joker had no intention of amodating him. <em>There was a reason why I didn¡¯t like this scumbag of a child. I can¡¯t even think straight in front of him.</em>


    ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous. Should an ident happen, wouldn¡¯t the Duke, the pride of the Empire,e running right away?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡±


    Joker spoke with a modicum of courtesy because the people of the Duchy were watching, but to Joshua his patronizing attitude was palpable. The Imperial Knights were aware as well and wereughing their heads off.


    ¡°But I told you¡ª¡± Joshua smirked coldly. He wasn¡¯t about to let Joker walk away.


    ¡°¡ªYou talk too much. You¡¯re a proud knight of the Empire, right? Don¡¯t you need to watch your wagging tongue?¡±


    ¡°You crazy¡ª!¡± Joker was furious but he had to shut his mouth; the other Imperial Knights were equally silent. His expression was stiff but his anger was obvious nheless. Joshua had just insulted the entire Imperial Knights.


    ¡°...You¡¯ll regret saying that.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯d regret it, I wouldn¡¯t spend my timeughing at your pathetic face right now.¡± Joshua guffawed.


    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not soft enough to feel something as frail as ¡®regret¡¯ even in the most unusual circumstances.¡±


    ¡°I guess you fight with your tongue, not your arms.¡± Joker¡¯s eyes were as sharp as the de hissing from his sheathe.


    <em>I was nning to give you a mild beat down because there¡¯s so many eyes¡­ But I¡¯m going to make sure you never hold a sword again.</em>


    Joker was about to take a step forward, but abruptly halted.


    ¡°¡ªIs that a weapon?¡± When he first saw the iron rod lying on the ground, he didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. He ignored it and focused on his opponent. But when he saw Joshua pick up the rod, he frowned.


    ¡°...What are you up to?¡±


    ¡°The test is too abstract. I want to change the rules a little bit.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Joker rolled his eyes.


    ¡°Simple¡­ if you take a step back after receiving a hit, you lose. How about that?¡±


    The arena was overtaken by silence.


    <em>Is he insane?</em> Is he trying to take on a B-ss intermediate knight? Even Duke Agnus¡¯s imcable facade cracked.


    ¡°You¡¯re a cheeky bastard with too much ambition¡­ I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re talented or just prideful.¡±


    But, when Joker stopped to think about it, isn¡¯t this the best situation to get the job done? It was way better than doing something that would cost him his pride.


    ¡°Are you okay with that, battalionmander?¡± Joker¡¯s lips curled into a fishy smile.


    ¡°Ah, that¡ª¡± Valmont was rattled by the sudden turn of events.


    He nced at Duke Agnus. Valmont was responsible for the test, but he couldn¡¯t help but look to the Duke for approval.


    ¡°If you wish.¡± The Duke seemed to settle his thoughts and nodded sharply.


    Valmont smiled awkwardly and raised his hand, joining his thumb and forefinger to sh an OK sign.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it if that¡¯s what you want.¡± Joker grinned savagely at Joshua and adopted a stance that bnced defense and offense. ¡°Attack me first.¡±


    <em>What nice weather! I was thinking¡­ I¡¯ll show that cheeky kid hell on earth. As an added bonus, I¡¯ll cripple him so he won¡¯t be cocky again.</em>


    Outwardly, though, Joker¡¯s words retained a veneer of sympathy:


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen, but the test will end if I take even one step back¡ªin other words, you¡¯ll officially be a C-ss Knight of the Avalon Empire from that point on.¡±


    Joshua hefted the iron rod. The motion was incredibly natural, as if the iron rod were an extension of his body.


    Joshua and Duke Agnus shared a look.


    ¡°If you want to gamble, you go big or go home.¡±


    Joker made a puzzled expression.


    ¡°I think a slight punishment is in order if you¡¯re the loser¡­ the number of steps you take back will be the number of times you crawl on the floor and bark like a dog.¡±


    ¡°I want to teach you a lesson¡­ The way you posture like royalty troubles me.¡±


    <em>¡°Like a dog at its master¡¯s heels¡­¡±</em> Joshua mouthed thesest words, but Joker had no trouble understanding him.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just begin!¡± His face flushed red.


    ¡°Great.¡± Joshua gripped the rod firmly and straightened his posture. The yfulness in his face was suddenly gone, reced with a trance-like focus.


    <em>What is this feeling¡­?</em> Joker was startled by the sudden incongruity. <em>He¡¯s just a child with an appetite¡­ Even if he¡¯s a genius beyond even the Grand Duke, I know he¡¯s only a C-ss at best¡­ But what- what is this ominous feeling?¡±</em>


    Isn¡¯t this what a knight felt when he looked Death in the eyes on the battlefield? Joker could feel the specters of death hovering in the air.


    In contrast to Joker, Joshua was a little troubled.


    <em>At this level, it¡¯s still difficult to use with a young body.</em> Cold sweat beaded on Joshua¡¯s forehead. He could tell he was overworking himself right now. <em>To use this technique properly, I have to be at least level 3. In an adult¡¯s body it¡¯d be easy but¡ª</em>


    Joshua hadn¡¯t been standing still thisst day. He¡¯d managed to master the technique Lugia had told him about; Joshua had passed the first stage of the Magic Spear Technique and reached the second stage.


    <em>It¡¯s still unstable inside.</em> Like parasites, the two energies in his body were still locked inbat. He had enough control to exert a modicum of control over them, driving them into every corner of his body. The magic and divine power were usually quiet, but they had a tendency to react violently and unpredictably to Joshua¡¯s mana; like a maddened beast, it would lunge at Joshua¡¯s mana.


    <em>It takes a lot of time to use, but its destructive power¡­</em> Joshua had tensed as if he was going to rush forward right away, but didn¡¯t move after a long minute.


    ¡°This is the wrong time to be scared, kid.¡± Joshua didn¡¯t even react to Joker¡¯s sarcasm.


    <em>I slowly raised the mana in my body over time.</em>


    Did his efforts finally pay off? The three energies, entangled and absorbed, spilled forth from Joshua¡¯ fingertips and embraced the iron rod.


    <em>Except that one time, this is the second time I¡¯m using this.</em> Joshua squeezed his eyes shut.


    <em>Hey, what is this¡­?</em> Was it just an illusion, or did Joker feel an explosion of huge energies?


    Joshua shot Joker an embarassed look, and lowed the iron rod at Joker.


    ¡°Lugia.¡± The rod responded eagerly to Joshua¡¯s voice. The shape changed little by little as if it knew exactly what it had to do¡ªfrom an ordinary iron cylinder to a peculiar spear with a forked tip.


    ¡°An artifact?¡± Duke Agnus was astonished.


    A weapon that changes shape? As far as he knew, only artifacts had special powers. What¡¯s more, a weapon with such unusual shape was probably ancient.


    ¡°Perhaps the test will end with this round,¡± Joshua intoned.


    The sparks running hotly across the spear finally gathered at the tip.


    Joshua¡¯s mana, which lost its dazzling luster, was an enigma. The color of mana is determined by a person¡¯s innate character, but Joshua¡¯s mana was dark blue, a ck-than-ck hue, and a pure white. None of the colors mixed, like oil in water.


    ¡°Crazy!¡± Joker rushed to rouse his mana.


    ¡°Now.¡±


    Lugia shot forth with thundering force, leaving behind a blinding trail of white.

 Chapter 31

    Joker couldn''t believe his eyes.


    <em>Isn''t this as good as Commander Valmont?</em> He expected to see these kinds of skills from a battalionmander. rms were ringing in his head.


    This boy¡­ is fucking dangerous. Joker clenched his teeth tightly. His instinct told him he needed to rouse his own mana to protect himself from the splendid point of mana Joshua had gathered.


    <em>I''ll match you¡­ No, I''ll overpower you.</em> The power Joker gathered wasn''t hazy or cloudy; his mana was a deeper and darker blue than the depths of the sea: the exclusive traits of a B-ss Knight.


    <em>No one even noticed.</em> Everyone''s eyes were glued on the young boy across from him¡ªno doubt they could feel the oppressive atmosphere as well as he could.


    <em>A spar between a C-ss and B-ss Knight rarelysts this long. Under normal circumstances, the repulsive force alone would cause injuries¡­ and my mission would beplete just like that. But what is this?</em>


    Joker''s eyes narrowed. No matter hyped his skills were, the boy was only a C-ss Knight¡ªand the gap between sses was an imprable wall. Yet, nobody took note of the difference in their value.


    Sparks flew; weapons collided. Even as the shower of sparks faded, Joshua was mming his foot against the ground.


    "¡ªWHAT?!" The stamina it took to perform those kicks and runs was astounding.


    What happened next shattered all expectations.


    Joshua stretched forth,shing out to stab at Joker. His spear was too fast to track, leaving a white streak across the audience''s vision.


    <em>That''s too fast! I was going to counterattack, but¡­ at this speed?</em> Its speed was blinding¡ªfaster than light. All he could do was jam his sword in its path.


    Lugia met Joker''s sword, and the sky trembled. A swarm of white lights burst from the tip of Joshua''s spear and scattered over the entire arena.


    "Ugh!" Valmont was forced to shut his eyes.


    <em>It was so dazzling I couldn''t keep watching. Is this a nine-year-old boy? This is a test, but his skill¡­ is fit for the battlefield!</em> A bewildering flood of thoughts washed through Valmont''s head. He had never before seen someone more talented than him. Babel von Agnus, the rising star of the Empire? As talented as he was, he was famous for training in every waking moment; Valmont had achieved C-ss at the same age, but he took his time along the way to enjoy everything life could offer. Joshua was a level above them by talent alone.


    When Valmont opened his eyes to brave the fading light, the first thing that caught his eyes was Joshua von Agnus. Red blood dripped from his lips.


    <em>No matter how powerful Joshua seemed, it was a sh between a B-ss and C-ss. The oue was expected. No unexpected variables will emerge now.</em>


    "...Ten steps." Joshua wiped the blood from his lips. "You took ten steps back."


    Valmont was shocked. He finally looked to the other side of the arena: unlike Joshua, who stood in the middle of the arena just as he''d started, his opponent was pushed into the far corner. Even more incredibly, he''d had to thrust his sword into the ground to stop himself from keeling over.


    "What is this nonsense?" Valmont''s voice was thick with disbelief, and no one could object to his words.


    The arena was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Most of the knights just gaped nkly at Joshua and Joker¡ªeven Evergrant, who understood little of swordsmanship, seemed mesmerized.


    A small p broke the silence.


    "I really would have regretted noting here." Prince Kaiser von Britten apuded Joshua with a wide smile. "As a Prince of Avalon, I recognize your talent¡­ You will truly be a gem of the Empire."


    This time, the Prince''s words were sincere.


    "Lord Valmont, isn''t this enough for the test?" Prince Kaiser turned towards the still-shocked knights.


    "Yes? Ah¡­"


    "Even with my cursory knowledge of swordsmanship, I think Young Master Joshua is amazing."


    "Yes, of course."


    Valmont drew his sword¡ªit wasn''t the sword he usually used, but a gorgeously decorated piece given to him by the Emperor for a specific purpose. The sound of it being unsheathed rang startlingly clear through the arena.


    "I, Valmont dun Brown, speak by order of His Majesty the Emperor, the Sun of Avalon." As one, the Imperial Knights drew their des. Their swords were raised in salute, and their faces were steely and expressionless.


    "Joshua von Agnus, second son of the Duke of Agnus: approach."


    Joshua made a troubled expression. Although he didn''t show it, he was having trouble just staying standing¡ªthe side effects of using this power had stressed him beyond his limits.


    <em>I have no intention of ying along with this charade, but¡ª</em> Joshua grit his teeth. <em>I never intended to show weakness.</em>


    Everyone was watching, to say nothing of Prince Kaiser and Duke Agnus''s greed for talent.


    <em>My whole body burned for revenge when I looked at Kaiser. If I fail now, will I ever have a chance at defeating him?</em>


    "Are you okay?" Duke Agnus came up to his side. His eyes were clouded with worry.


    <em>What is this?</em> Joshua chuckled. <em>I''ve never seen him make this face before.</em>


    "I''m fine." Joshua gingerly made his way towards Valmont.


    The hall was eerily silent except for Joshua''s footsteps. The Imperial 9th Battalion, the Knights of Agnus, the Fourth Prince, Evergrant, the Duke of Agnus¡ªeveryone''s eyes were locked on the small boy.


    Eventually, Joshua stood proudly before Valmont. Valmont''s eyes trembled, but his voice was steady and solemn.


    This moment was the birth of the youngest mana user in the history of the Avalon Empire¡ªNo, in the history of the entire continent.


    "In ordance with His Majesty''s will: from this moment forth, I dere Joshua von Agnus a C-ss Knight!"


    The day after the test, the Imperial retinue had returned to the Imperial Pce. Of course, Prince Kaiser hadn''t left without trying to seduce Joshua with his sweet promises. Joshua had deflected him with vague responses.


    <em>"Young Master Joshua¡­ no, it''s ''Sir'' Joshua now¡­ I won''t say that I want you to be mine now. There will be plenty of time in the future. If you happen to be in Arcadia, please don''t forget to visit me. It would be a great help for the Young Master."</em>


    <em>"I have to ask¡­ what kind of help are you talking about?"</em>


    <em>"Bypassing the normal exams, the royal family can rmend a knight to their service. Unlike the exam, you would not be obligated to ten years of service¡­ In other words, the Young Master can have his fill of honey and leave whenever he wishes."</em>


    <em>"Obviously, this isn''t something I should be saying as a member of the royal family, but I want you to know that my greed for you is that great."</em>


    Joshua couldn''t help himself fromughing at the memory. When Prince Kaiser offered him that kind smile, however, he felt his stomach turn. If it weren''t for Evergrant and Valmont, Joshua would have shoved Lugia through his foul mouth<sup>1</sup>. No two words described him better than "hypocrisy" and "idiocy".


    <em>Contrary to public knowledge, the Imperial Knights have more than ten battalions.</em>


    <em>The 11th and 12th Battalions: the knights personally brought in by the royal family.</em>


    The higher you go, the more skilled the knights were.


    <em>There was a chance to challenge a battalionmander¡­ and once you be a battalionmander, you have an opportunity to set foot inside the Pce once a year.</em>


    The Pce housed an ancient artifact hidden from the public. It was one of Joshua''s greatest regrets.


    <em>First of all, I should deal with the situation right in front of me.</em>


    He stood before an enormous and grandiose door. This was the entrance to thergest conference room in the Agnus estate; today, the entire family was gathered.


    "In this life¡­ You won''t be treated like a puppet."


    <em>I''ll take it into my own hands.</em>


    Joshua''s expression hardened as he gripped the doorknob.


    The door creaked open.

 Chapter 32

    The conference room wasparable to the courtroom of the Imperial Pce. It was where the Duke discussed matters big and small and where he held his most important meetings.


    The Duchy of Agnus, one of the most powerful military forces in the Empire, divided its vassge into the knights, and the various nobles below Earl who took charge of administration, recruitment, and external affairs.


    Today the Duke held a regr session with his vassals. A long line of the Duke¡¯s most key subjects stood on either side of the luxurious red carpet, waiting for him to speak. The man himself was perched on a seat as ornate as the Imperial throne, lost in contemtion. He just stared wordlessly at the door with hazy eyes.


    ¡°Next, please. Important issues only, since we all know the day approaches when the Duke will return to the capital. Please take this chance to inform us of the biggest issues on the agenda.¡± Count Anghel, supposedly the brains behind Duke Agnus, was managing the proceedings. A middle-aged, impressively muscled man quietly raised a hand.


    ¡°Sir Armstrong, speak.¡±


    ¡°Our dispatched members have returned suddenly.¡±


    Several of the gathered vassals caught their breath. The Golden Mane Corps, Armstrong¡¯smand, were undoubtedly the strongest knights in Agnus; their performance was without question.


    Except for the bare minimum required to defend the family, the knights of Agnus were deployed outside the territory. Duke Agnus intended for his knights to gain practical experience from the world atrge. Of course, this was only a minor part of their mission: the main goal of their dispatches were to understand the dynamics of the Empire, purge impure elements, assassinate or abduct traitors, and so forth; Despite their outward pride, they were heavily involved in wetwork.


    The return of not one, but two deployments was bound to be trouble.


    ¡°Firstly¡­ it was reported that the situation in the ck Monster Forest, to the north, has changed dramatically.¡±


    The ck Monster Forest, bordering Agnus to the north, was true paradise for monsters. When the blood moon rose, ferocious monsters woulde down to prey on their people. It was one of the Duchy¡¯s long-standing troubles.


    ¡°Up until now, the garrisons could handle it on their own¡ªbut, for some reason, the number of monsters descending has doubled.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ There must be thousands of them then¡­¡±


    Armstrong nodded in affirmation.


    ¡°The bigger problem is that the ck Ogre has appeared with them.¡±


    ¡°ck Ogre¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why is that monster showing himself¡­?¡± The conference room rippled with agitation.


    The ck Ogre, a ferocious and solitary beast, was the apex predator even amongst the vicious monsters inhabiting the ck Forest. Its jaws could tear through trolls, and its thick hide could weather any magic below ss 3. In other words, only a 4th-ss wizard or a B-ss knight could challenge it.


    ¡°I will take care of it,¡± said Duke Agnus. The noisy conference room quieted in an instant. Here, the word of Duke Agnus wasw¡ªif he said he would take care of it, the vassals didn¡¯t question him. It was one of the oldest rules of Duke Agnus.


    Count Anghel broke the silence with a small cough.


    ¡°¡ªPlease tell us about the next one, Sir Armstrong.¡±


    ¡°...Okay. The second case concerns the Fifth Duke.¡±


    ¡°The Fifth Duke?¡± This time, Duke Agnus was interested enough to straighten up.


    ¡°Yes, the Pontier family.¡±


    ¡°The Pontier family¡­¡± The Pontier family was the wealthiest in Avalon. Above all else¡­


    Did Charles and Cox have another reason toe here? Duke Agnus mulled over it for a while.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear that report separately.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Armstrong stepped back.


    ¡°If you have anything to add to the agenda, please speak up.¡± Count Anghel nodded firmly. Some of the vassals raised their hands and spoke their concerns.


    The family¡¯s financial condition, the movements ofrge sums of money¡­ Various topics were brought up, such as a report on a promising new knight, but Duke Agnus remained aloof.


    ¡°Finally, we have the most important item on today''s agenda.¡± A hush fell over the conference room.


    ¡°As you are all aware, something significant urred just yesterday. Master Joshua, only nine years old this year, has been elevated to a C-ss Knight in recognition of his abilities. He is the rising star of the Duchy. In terms of talent alone, he is said to surpass even Master Babel, who thought to be the finest talent in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Count Anghel, isn¡¯t that too subjective?¡± One of the vassals openly frowned.


    ¡°Yes, Count Tluman¡­ Which part of my sentence would you call ¡®subjective¡¯?¡±


    Count Tluman nced around before rising from his seat. He had a thick, bushy beard and a cheerful demeanor that made him look more like a marauding bandit than an aristocrat. Contrary to his crude appearance, however, he sat in one of the most powerful positions in the family, the financier.


    ¡°I admit that Young Master Joshua¡¯s talent indeed deserves recognition. However, we can¡¯t say for certain if his talent can surpass even Young Master Babel. Master Babel has rigorously practiced since his childhood, while Young Master Joshua has only just awakened to his mana. Even if they¡¯re both C-ss, there will no doubt be a significant disparity.¡± Count Tluman carried on, unaware that Joshua and Babel had already tested their prowess against each other. ¡°If that¡¯s all, I would be done. But¡­ don¡¯t you know? Young Master Joshua certainly has some unclear circumstances.¡±


    Most of the Ducal vassals shook their heads. Some of them agreed, some of them were shaking their heads in disapproval.


    Count Tluman nced at Duke Agnus; seeing that his expression remained stoic, he opened his mouth again.


    ¡°As you know, not so long ago, Master Joshua was an outsider and often called a bastard. Most people would not have recognized his face. He was far cry from the genteel upbringing Young Master Babel received.¡± Some in the audience nodded eagerly. ¡°He appeared one day and became a C-ss Knight at meteoric speed. Considering his age, this situation bes even harder to exin! How did he reach that level, anyways? Even if the Duke guided him year-round, it would be a bumpy road. ¡®Talent¡¯ isn¡¯t sufficient to exin this.¡±


    ¡°So, what does Count Tluman want to say?¡± Count Anghel pushed him to get to the point.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Count Tluman hesitated. ¡°I suspect Young Master Joshua bowered the power of a monster.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®monster¡¯?¡± Count Anghel was taken aback, but most, including the knights, nodded as if they¡¯d anticipated it.


    ¡°Everyone must have seen it. That unheard-of weapon Young Master Joshua used.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°A weapon that changes form. As far as I know, the only things imbued with magical powers are artifacts. Even I haven¡¯t seen a weapon like that.¡± All the money and treasures headed for the Duchy passed through Count Tluman¡¯s hands, including those destined for the Duke himself. Tluman had acquired an eye for weaponry.


    ¡°It had an odd form. Although it superficially resembled a spear, I doubt such an enormous force could be contained in a spear. Or at least, this was the first I¡¯d ever seen it.¡±


    Such was the extent of their understanding of the spear.


    ¡°I agree with Count Tluman.¡± Chiffon rose to his feet. ¡°I had the opportunity to see Young Master Joshua a little earlier than most of those gathered here. Back then, he looked so weak I thought he might have a congenital mana disorder.¡±


    The vassals were abuzz.


    ¡°Those who were present yesterday must have felt it. The eerie auraing from Young Master Joshua when he struck Lord Joker was mixed with various auras, but in a sense it definitely had simrities with magic.¡±


    ¡°Magic¡ª!¡± The audience erupted.


    ¡°...In other words,¡± Count Anghel inquired with a grim expression. ¡°Sir Chiffon also believes that Young Master Joshua achieved that state by borrowing the power of a monster?¡±


    Chiffon nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then Young Master Joshua¡ª¡±


    ¡°ck magic and demon magic are taboo across¡ª¡±


    ¡°It would causes great damage to the family. It feels like I¡¯ve been turning a blind eyes to such¡ª¡±


    Despite his vassals¡¯ agitation, Duke Agnus remained silent.


    Then, the tightly shut doors swung open, allowing a small boy into the conference room.


    Instantly, the hall was silent enough to hear the fall of his little feet. Duke Agnus and his vassals cast peculiar looks at Joshua.


    ¡°Monster¡­¡± Joshua murmured, and cast Chiffon a frigid smile. ¡°You can test it yourself.¡±


    The assemge was astounded by the wordsing from his tiny mouth. Only Duke Agnus, eyeing him from down the length of the table, sported a wide smile.


    How long will you entertain me?


    Duke Agnus chuckled, too quiet for anyone else to notice.

 Chapter 33

    "What are you implying, Young Master Joshua?" Chiffon frowned down at the boy. Joshua smirked back at him.


    "It is what it is. Shouldn''t you try it for yourself? See if I really did borrow a monster''s power or not? You can tell if we fight, can''t you?"


    <em>If I make a mistake¡­ I''ll be punished by the Master immediately.</em> Chiffon''s jaw clenched. Agreeing was not an option, right in front of the Duke. The vassals who''d raised their voices earlier now wore casual expressions and kept their lips sealed like it had nothing to do with them.


    <em>They''re like vultures.</em> Chiffon cussed under his breath.


    <em>In a swordfight¡­ the boy''s skills are¡­</em> Chiffon was loath to admit it, but Joshua didn''t need a monstrous weapon to be a monster. He''d seen Joshua fight Babel. The boy in question was looking him straight in the eyes with a devilish smile dancing on his lips.


    "What, aren''t you confident? Hahh¡­ Shouldn''t one of the Duke''smanders be among the bravest?"


    Chiffon wouldn''t normally react to such a tant, childish provocation, but something about the situation made his blood boil.


    <em>This brat!</em> There was death in Chiffon''s eyes, but Joshua grinned daringly at him.


    "Stop." The conference room rattled under Duke Agnus''s mana-infused voice.


    "Chiffon, you should stop. Joshua, you need to stop also."


    Chiffon stepped back, and Joshua shut his mouth.


    "There is one thing you all, including Chiffon, are overlooking. You hadn''t forgotten who was there when Joshua''s mana was assessed, have you?"


    The doubt in his vassals'' eyes faded, reced by understanding.


    "I don''t believe our family''s knights were somehow inferior to them, but¡­ they are the best knights in the Empire."


    "The Imperial Knights¡­" Armstrong wasparing them to the Golden Mane Corps. In terms of sheer power, the Golden Mane was the equal of one of the Imperial Knights'' top five battalions¡ªin other words, they were more than a match for the Imperial 9th Battalion.


    <em>But no one can predict that until they actually face each other inbat. The fact that the Imperial Knights Temr are the strongest in the Empire is unquestionable.</em>


    Yesterday''s fight was spectated not only by the Imperial Knights but by the Imperial Chief Wizard Evergrant and the Master, one of the 9 stars of the Empire. One of the Imperial Knights personally crossed des with Joshua.


    <em>If he really did use a monster''s power, someone would have noticed. After all, these are the most extraordinary men in the Empire.</em> Not to mention, Joshua had the Duke''s utmost attention.


    "I believe that should resolve the controversy. Any objections?" No one responded¡ªtheir mouths were shut like the issue had nevere up in the first ce.


    "I have no doubts. In my opinion, that weapon didn''t look like a monster''s artifact at all. But¡­" Duke Agnus turned his gaze onto Joshua. "...That doesn''t mean all the questions have been answered."


    Duke Agnus''s grim, humorless smile seemed to pin Joshua in ce.


    "I have many things I''m curious about. I wanted to inquire about your sudden growth, and I''m sure my vassals are curious as well."


    <em>Yes!</em> Chiffon cheered, exhrated. <em>What was I so worried about? If the Master wishes it, I''ll dly dig up this boy''s dirt.</em>


    Chiffon gazed imploringly at Duke Agnus but wasn''t spared a nce.


    "Joshua¡­ I will take you to the capital."


    "Duke?" Chiffon was bewildered, and the rest of the vassals were no different.


    <em>You''re taking him to the capital?</em> That could only mean one thing.


    "Questions aside, Joshua''s talent is undeniable. ording to the customs of the Duchy, we should give the child a chance."


    Such was the iron rule of the Duke: all talented people are given equal opportunities regardless of rank. Anyone with a passion for swords would not be in need.


    <em>This damn¡ª!</em> Chiffon bit his lip angrily. The moment that brat gets away from here, it would disrupt all his nning. If he was talented now, then when he returned in a few years¡­


    <em>Young Master Babel would lose the race for session! I don''t even want to think about it¡­</em> It wasn''t far-fetched at all, seeing how fast he''d grown till now.


    <em>That monstrous talent can render all my power meaningless¡­ but there''s no point in fretting. The Master''s words are final. What more can I say?</em>


    "Are you dissatisfied?" The Duke regarded Joshua with a slight smile dancing on his lips.


    <em>Obviously, going to the capital is a massive advantage at this point. But¡­</em>


    Joshua shook off his doubts.


    "I have one request."


    "What?"


    "I want to go to the capital with my mother."


    "That''s impossible!" Chiffon shouted. "If the Duke went to the capital with Madame Lucia, what would be of Duchess Vanessa?"


    "What if people don''t look?" Joshua''s voice was frigid. "Are you saying the Duke should only care about these selfish reasons?"


    <em>This bastard!</em> Chiffon clenched his teeth, feeling the atmosphere turn against him. Again, he couldn''t say "Yes" here¡ªhe would sound like a mother-inw. The feeling of being led around by this kid was driving him crazy.


    "I-I am only worried that the Duke''s reputation will suffer if he only favors Madame Lucia." Chiffon tried and failed to hide his embarrassment.


    "Shut it." Duke Agnus raised his hand.


    "Yes, Duke."


    "I''ll allow it."


    "Thank you, Duke." Joshua bowed.


    Duke Agnus smiled¡ªJoshua''s bow was unusually sincere.


    <em>He''s still no ordinary child.</em> The Duke chuckled to himself. <em>I don''t know how long it''s been since I''ve felt this way. I never experienced it with Babel or that Red Cross "kid".</em> <sup>1</sup>


    "Does anyone have an opinion on this matter?" Duke Agnus looked around.


    "Everything ording to the will of the Master." Count Anghel was the first to bow.


    "Everything ording to the will of the Master!" Even Chiffon followed.


    "Then it''s decided." With that, Duke Agnus rose from his seat. "As soon as we clear the ck Forest, we leave for Arcadia. All things rted to your reports must bepleted by then."


    "Understood!"


    "And Armstrong? Bring Pontier''s report to my room as soon as it''s in order. Even better, bring the knights from the dispatch with you, if possible."


    "I heed your order." Armstrong bowed.


    "Joshua, I want to see you in my room as soon as the meeting is over."


    "Yes."


    "Today''s meeting is adjourned." Duke Agnus walked forward with a satisfied smile.


    "Wait a minute!" A loud voice slipped through the open door.


    The person who emerged from behind the door left the vassals dumbfounded.

 Chapter 34

    "Yo-Young Master Babel," Chiffon stuttered upon seeing Babel at the door. Babel had been confined to his room without food or water for days, ever since his second fight with Joshua. Of course, Chiffon hadn''t known the reason for his confinement and had been forced to stare at Babel''s closed door, clutching his chest.


    <em>I did¡­</em>


    Yet here he was, neatly dressed.


    "Babel von Agnus has arrived to greet the Duke." Babel bowed. Duke Agnus eyed him contemtively for a moment before granting him a nod of approval.


    "I haven''t been able to show myself for some time¡­ and I apologize for that. Still, I''mte for this meeting."


    "I apologize," he continued. "I needed time to myself to think."


    <em>Has something¡­ changed?</em> The Duke''s eyes bored into Babel, making him duck his head. <em>What should I say? Externally, nothing has changed¡­ I can''t pinpoint it exactly, but I''m sure something about his atmosphere has changed. It''s not a bad feeling.</em>


    "Do you have something to say here?"


    Babel didn''t reply to the Duke¡ªinstead, his gaze was drawn somewhere else.


    "¡ªWell?" Joshua, suddenly the subject of everyone''s attention, shot a puzzled look back at Babel. "Do you have something to say to me?"


    "Prince Joshua!" Chiffon shouted angrily. "There are eyes watching here! Young Master Babel is unequivocally your superior here! Please be polite."


    "Hah!" Joshua smirked snidely. "Are you his spokesperson, then?"


    "What¡ª!?"


    "I''ve always thought of you like Babel''s loyal dog¡­ You know the only person here who should receive your loyalty is the Duke, no?"


    "What a joke! I only speak because the Young Master seems unaware of ourws and etiquette!" Chiffon shouted to hide his bewilderment.


    There were invisible lines within the family that even the knights couldn''t cross. The Duke wanted their thoughts to be concerned only with their own training.


    "Anyone is admirable if they have the skills; if you want to make your opinion known, speak with your skills and not your words¡ªwasn''t that the w" you were talking about?"


    "That¡ª" Chiffon looked as if he''d boil over any moment now.


    <em>I can''t stand the way this boy looks like he''spletely broken Young Master Babel.</em>


    "¡ªI''m fine, Sir Chiffon."


    "Young Master?"


    "It wasn''t a lie at all, was it?" Babel smiled bitterly.


    <em>What does that mean?</em> The vassals rippled with surprise. <em>Did Young Master Joshua really defeat Young Master Babel? How did that happen?!</em>


    <em>This guy was full of bluffs¡­</em> Duke Agnus was equally surprised. <em>He doesn''t seem to stand on his ego as he did a while ago. Should I say¡­ he has the bearing of a knight?</em>


    The Duke''s lips drew into a gentle curl.


    <em>Good.</em>


    "''Speak with your skills''..." Babel locked eyes with Joshua and spoke carefully. "That''s how I really feel right now."


    <em>His eyes¡­ I''ve seen it before.</em> Joshua burst intoughter. Right after their second match, he''d had that rotten¨Cfish-like gaze.


    "I¡­ will rise higher," Babel muttered like he was hypnotizing himself. "Don''t think I''ll just look on from the bottom."


    "Whatever floats your boat," came Joshua''s flippant reply.


    "Duke." Babel now turned to Duke Agnus.


    "Yes, please speak."


    "I wish that, from this time on¡­" Babel hesitated, then seemed to find his resolve. "I hope that the seat of session will be vacated."


    The conference hall instantly erupted.


    "The-the seat, vacated¡ª? My word¡ª!"


    "Prince Babel? Are you saying you will even give up your position?"


    "Why?"


    Babel was the official heir to the Duke of Agnus. Until Joshua appeared, Duke Agnus had no other sons; with Babel''s "perfect" talent, his position was indisputable, not even when Joshua appeared.


    The boy descended from the Imperial bloodline, and a bastard born from a maid¡ªthe gulf between them was too wide to be charted.


    And yet, Babel said he would voluntarily abandon the seat.


    The name of Agness was a weighty one. A dukedom of one of the continent''s three great powers. You would have to be crazy to give up such power on your own, or so the vassals thought.


    "When your monstrous younger brother suddenly appeared, did you disappear?" Duke Agnus asked with a stern expression.


    "No." Babel shook his head without hesitation. "I just want topete fairly. If the seat is meant to be mine, it will be mine; there''s no need to fuss."


    Duke Agnus''s smile widened as he looked into Babel''s unwavering eyes.


    "I''ll think about it."


    "Thank you." Babel nodded gratefully.


    <em>It feels like things are changing little by little.</em> A myriad of emotions flickered through the Duke''s eyes as he gazed upon his son. <em>I don''t know what form it will take, but I don''t think it''s bad.</em>


    <em>All of this¡­</em> Duke Agnus''s eyes turned to one person: there stood the boy at the center of all these changes. His other blood, with eyes so deep they divulged none of his thoughts.


    Duke Agnus smiled. Joshua flinched but didn''t look away.


    "I look forward to the future," he muttered as they passed.


    Then Duke Agnus walked out the door.


    <em>His expectations¡­</em> Joshua chuckled.


    A few hours after the meeting had ended, the Lady of Agnus was resting after a walk.


    "What are you saying? Are you joking with me right now?" Vanessa looked like she could kill someone.


    "I am most certainly not, Duchess."


    "My head hurts." Vanessa pressed her palms against her temple.


    "Duchess!" Chiffon rushed forwards to support Vanessa.


    "When I heard that my uncle was unsessful, I felt absurdly angry. But in another corner of my heart, an unknown anxiety crept up¡­ and now¡ª" Vanessa bit her lips hard enough to draw blood. "¡ªit has be a reality."


    "Princess¡ª"


    "You know Babel is my everything, yes?"


    "Yes, I am aware," Chiffon answered solemnly. "I''m sorry¡ªI should have done everything to stop the Young Master."


    "That boy¡­" Vanessa shook her head. "I know better than anyone that he inherited that stubbornness from his father¡­ there was nothing you could''ve done about it."


    Vanessa clutched her fiery hair and straightened her back.


    "You can''t do what the Imperial Knights failed to do." Vanessa''s visage became ominous, and her eyes turned cold.


    "But¡ªIt is unlikely¡ªbut, if that child goes beyond simply threatening Babel''s position¡­ I''ll address him directly."


    Chiffon stiffened for a moment before immediately bowing his head. No one was happy when the Duchess herself made a move.


    "Do not worry. It will not happen."


    "Yes, I hope so too," Vanessa muttered, staring out the window. "Now, what are the future ns?"


    "Tomorrow, the Duke will go to the Locke estate."


    "The Locke Estate?! What will he be doing in that barrennd?" Contrary to the beautiful scenery she saw outside the window right now, Locke Estate was a barrennd in the typically fertile Duchy. Ity in their territory''s northernmost region¡ªabout two days'' travel from the mansion.


    "It was reported that the monsters of the ck Forest are running rampant again, so the Duke is heading there himself¡­ the two Young Masters will apany him as well."


    "Babel, too?" Vanessa asked, surprised.


    "Yes. I thought he would only take Young Master Joshua with him, but¡­ towards the end of the meeting, Young Master Babel volunteered as well."


    "... Isn''t it dangerous? I heard rumors that the monsters in the ck Forest have be especially ferocious these days." Worry creased Vanessa''s face.


    "You don''t need to worry about that¡ªthe Duke will personally assist them."


    Vanessa nodded.


    "But when will he return?"


    "It would depend on the situation in the ck Forest¡ªbut at least a week or more, considering the time to travel there and back."


    "When hees back, will he go straight to the capital with Lucia and the child?" Vanessa shook off her pensive expression and looked up.


    "Perhaps."


    "Tell him that we''ll have a meal before they go¡­ I''ll tell Lucia myself."


    "Understood." Chiffon made a short bow and left.


    Vanessa''s eyes glittered brighter than ever as she watched him go.

 Chapter 35

    A girl sat on the second-floor patio sipping tea, eyes darting quizzically. Charles, hair burning like a beautiful open fire, looked over the edge of the terrace where she heard voicesing from.


    ¡°Cox?¡± When she discovered Cox looking up at her with a flushed face, Charles tilted her head.


    ¡°Princess! This is an emergency! I have to tell you something!¡±


    ¡°Calm down first, Cox, and then speak.¡±


    ¡°A new C-ss Knight was promoted here yesterday! Yes! Right here!¡±


    ¡°Cox, please.¡± Rather than excited, Charles just frowned. ¡°You must have forgotten that this is the Agnus Estate¡ªthey¡¯re famous for producing great knights. Such a fuss over a C-ss promotion. <em>Hah</em>. I expected more from you.¡±


    ¡°What if that C-ss Knight was only nine years old¡ªeven younger than the princess?¡±


    ¡°What?! ¡­No way.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Fortunately, Young Master Joshua has finally been recognized by the Imperial Family! Now he¡¯s a legitimate mana user!¡±


    ¡°Yes, he is.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you surprised?¡± Cox was puzzled by Charles¡¯s lukewarm reaction. ¡°You¡¯ve been cooped up in your room for quite some time now, so I thought the news wouldn¡¯t fly so fast to you¡ªbut I guess you already knew?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Charles shook her head. ¡°In fact, this is the first I¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you reacting like that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the weird one, Cox. This isn¡¯t anything new; we already knew his talent.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but this is different from such an informal evaluation. Official Imperial recognition means that he will be known across the Avalon Empire as the youngest mana user in history!¡±


    Cox¡¯s face scrunched up in frustration. His life revolved around money; he rarely thought of the knights as anything more than numbers in his checkbook. As far as he was concerned, money was the truest transcendental power¡ªbut such boundless talent was a whole different story.


    <em>What happens when the world knows of Joshua¡¯s incredible talent?</em> The world could not leave Joshua alone. Cox knew that better than anyone.


    ¡°Honestly, when the Princess first took an interest in Young Master Joshua, my head felt heavy. Back then, he was just the bastard son of a concubine with a smattering of talent¡ªor so it seemed. But now, it¡¯s clearly different. Never before in the history of the continent has someone be a mana user before the age of ten.¡±


    Charles stared silently at him, making Cox feel somewhat self-conscious.


    ¡°The Pontier family have money and fame aplenty. However, even the most talented person can only do so much with it¡­ Sometimes, money isn¡¯t the solution.¡±


    ¡°...What is it?¡± Curiosity crept into Charles¡¯s expression.


    ¡°Do you know why your father sent both of us here?¡±


    ¡°...He must¡¯ve sent me here to do something with Babel¡¯s brother somehow,¡± Charles muttered bitterly.


    ¡°Half right, half wrong.¡± Cox shook his head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The important issue is why he wanted the Princess and Young Master Babel together: the Mercenary King. Nobody thought he would be with the Marquis of Crombell.¡±


    Charles frowned.


    The Mercenary King Barbarian: a Sword Master ofmon birth, with the skill of an A-ss Knight. No¡ªhe would be more urately described as an Ax Master. He wielded an ax the size of a grown man in one hand and with it battled his way across the continent, gathering mercenaries as he went. Thus, he was known as the ¡°Mercenary King¡±.


    He was widely considered to be just below the Nine Stars¡ªreally, he could be one of them if he wanted to.


    Unfortunately for the Pontier family, there were rumors that the Mercenary King had secret ties with the Marquis.


    Marquis Crombell was the second most wealthy noble in the Avalon Empire, after Duke Pontier. The head of the family lived in the same area as the Pontiers, so they inevitably bumped shoulders from time to time. In recent times, their shes had intensified; now, it has reached the point where war could break out at any time.


    ¡°If the rumors are not true, it doesn¡¯t matter¡ªbut if it¡¯s the other way around, there¡¯s nothing we can do about it,¡± Charles said with a serious expression. ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m in a situation where I can tell the people around me about my situation.¡±


    ¡°You understand very well, Princess.¡± Cox smiled softly and nodded.


    Both families were closely tied to the merchants and were thus very sensitive to rumors. What if whispers arose of a war between their two families? Their customers would react poorly, and theirpetitors woulde snapping at their heels. The Imperial Pce forbids warfare without justifications, but the investigation they would send was a problem in its own way.


    Therefore, the struggle between the two families stayed within the shadows.


    ¡°If a territorial battle takes ce, the whole world would be watching. The best solution would be to finish the job in the shortest time possible¡­ In the end, the key is how quickly you can repel your opponent.¡±


    ¡°¡®Money isn¡¯t the solution¡¯... You were referring to the Mercenary King?¡±


    ¡°You really are the daughter of the Pontier family.¡± Cox nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s why they were trying to curry a rtionship with Babel¡¯s brother¡­ If it develops, the Crombell family won¡¯t be able to sit still.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°...I like strong people too, but I can¡¯t help but feel bitter after learning the truth.¡±


    <em>What?</em> Was he mistaken, or had this free-spirited girl matured at some point? <em>Then¡­ am I going to be the keystone of this operation?</em>


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just ask uncle<sup>1</sup> for help?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so¡­ Don¡¯t you know this isn¡¯t a normal situation? It¡¯s the Mercenary King. I don¡¯t think he¡¯s solely driven by money, so it¡¯s not an emergency. I don¡¯t believe it¡¯s necessary to bow down and beg for help first.¡± When Charles¡¯s expression did not improve at all, Cox sighed. ¡°...That¡¯s what the elders of the family think¡­ You may not understand it yet, Princess, but for a noble, there is nothing more important than his pride¡ªeven more so in front of a higher-ranking noble.¡±


    ¡°You mean you don¡¯t agree?¡± Charles looked up. ¡°...At least I don¡¯t do anything stupid that would put my pride in jeopardy during a family crisis.¡±


    ¡°You say that, but¡­ I know you, Princess. You pretend to be interested, but you don¡¯t really like Young Master Babel at all. I have served the Princess for a long time; I hope your life will not be sacrificed in the name of your family.¡±


    ¡°Cox¡­¡± Charles looked moved.


    ¡°But¡­ as a vassal of the Pontier family, this crisis cannot be ignored. It is my wish that the Princess and Young Master Joshua have a serious conversation at least once, if both of you are willing. For a brief moment, you were somehow different when you dealt with Young Master Babel versus Young master Joshua. There was nothing strange about it¡ªI felt, shall I say, ¡®sincerity¡¯?¡±


    Cox scratched his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I was mistaken¡­ It is indeed a great setback for the Pontiers for them to have a second child of such unprecedented talent. Don¡¯t worry too much about it¡ªI only said it because of greed.¡±


    ¡°No, Cox.¡± Shaking her head, Charles¡¯s dull eyes sharpened. ¡°Before we leave¡­ arrange a meeting with the Young Master. When that child is avable¡­ I hope Cox would be kind enough to arrange a meal for the two of us.¡±


    Cox¡¯s expression brightened.


    ¡°Leave it to me!¡± Cox bowed and moved away from the terrace.


    <em>Is this really okay?</em> Charles, left alone on the terrace, let the worry show on her face. Cox didn¡¯t know, but Charles still couldn¡¯t forget the way that child had reacted.


    Charles¡¯s sigh wafted quietly across the terrace.


    Father and son sat across from each other in the Duke¡¯s room.


    ¡°Do you understand why I said that?¡± Duke Agnus was the first to broach the silence.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want the family to bleed; the battle for session is not just a matter between the heirs. Many will be purged¡ªif it were within my abilities, I¡¯d make it so that no one would get hurt.¡±


    Duke Agnus examined Joshua¡¯s face without saying a word.


    <em>He has the right idea.</em> Joshua¡¯s precocious talents made the Duke like him more and more.


    ¡°Confidence and arrogance are separated by a thin line.¡± The Duke chuckled. ¡°In that sense, your confidence is not bad.¡±


    ¡°Now, before you go to Arcadia, you will have to give up the name of ¡®Joshua von Agnus¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Let me give you a present.¡± Duke Agnus held out something to Joshua.


    ¡°This is¡ª?¡±

 Chapter 36

    The ck Monster Forest Expedition assembled in short order, led by Duke Agnus himself. The expedition was quite modest for a group led by a duke of the Empire¡ªit consisted of only a hundred people, including Armand, the only 4th-ss wizard in the Duchy, the Red Knights, and the two Young Masters.


    Naturally, the vassals¡ªparticrly themander of the Golden Mane Corps, Armstrong¡ªwere fiercely opposed. Were something to happen to the Duke''s personal health, the entire Duchy would be shaken to its roots.


    "Who is protecting whom?" Duke Agnus silenced the opposition just like that. After all, Duke Agnus only allowed the strong to participate in the expedition; in fact, the initial n was for the Duke to take his two sons into the ck Forest with no one else, but his vassals'' objections were too strong.


    <em>There''s no denying he''s a great person</em>, muttered Joshua as he watched Duke Agnus walking ahead of him. He was the worst father, but there was no better superior¡ªhis personality was superb, to say nothing of his skills. The present aristocracy was locked up in their sense of privilege down to their bones; only a few people treated their subordinates like actual human beings.


    <em>That''s probably why so many people gathered under him.</em>


    Joshua fiddled with a small ring the Duke of Agnus had given him the day before. It was a "Deon Ring", a family treasure. This ring, smaller than a finger knuckle, was created by the Magic Tower Master at immense cost. It was known as the "Masterpiece of the Magicians", but its function was simpler than one might think: infusing mana into the ring would instantly provide the wearer with armor; it also amplifies magic, and provides the ability to ignore magic below a certain level.


    All existing Deon Rings were divided into ranks simr to those of the knights. Even the lowest level C-ss Deon Ring could buy an entire castle. But Deon Rings could not be purchased with wealth alone¡ªas if to capitalize on their scarcity, their creator would sell them only to nobles with a reputation to match their money.


    <em>Later, a Knight made the ring so popr that it became a necessity¡­ but that was a long time ago. The important thing is¡­</em> Joshua nced awkwardly at the ring in his hand.


    A golden border around a wless white body; a sh of purple brilliance in the center.


    <em>¡­this Deon Ring is an A-ss.</em> There were less than ten A-ss Deon Rings in the entirety of the Avalon Empire.


    Each family owned at least two rings: one, of course, was for the head of the household; the other was for the family''s heir, the next chief of the household, although there were times when nobles and the Imperial family would give their spare Deon Rings to their most trusted knights.


    However, no family on the continent could boast of two A-ss Deon Rings¡ªthe family''s second ring would always be of a rank lower than the ring the head wore.


    And yet, a second A-ss Deon Ringy in Joshua''s palm.


    <em>"This¡ª?"</em>


    <em>"It''s called a Deon Ring¡­ It''s not mine, of course. There was a time when I helped the Master, and he gave this to me; he said that I should give this to my child when he was born. I won''t go into detail on how it functions¡­ just put a little bit of your mana in here, and you''ll understand everything."</em>


    <em>"This¡­ Deon Ring¡ªwasn''t this artifact supposed to be passed to the sessor?"</em>


    <em>"Don''t get me wrong."</em> Duke Agnus had burst intoughter. <em>"I''m not giving this to you. I''m just¡­ lending it. It would just rot in the corner otherwise."</em>


    Joshua had been dumbfounded. He couldn''t believe the Duke would treat this precious artifact like amonce product.


    <em>"Well, that''s not all. The armor the Deon Ring creates bears the insignia of the family it belongs to. Above all, I really hate when someone covets what''s mine."</em>


    <em>Is he marking me as his own?</em>


    <em>"If you go to Arcadia, you will need to give up the name ''Joshua von Agnus''. Your false identity is the heir of an anonymous author. It would be good toe up with a good name for yourself."</em>


    Joshua sighed. Why did he have to hide his identity? It had to be the same reason the Duke was "lending" him the ring: it was the best way to prevent anyplications.


    <em>I don''t think he''s considering my training at all.</em> Joshua smirked. Indeed, the Duke was forged from iron, and his bloodline was no different. He had no time to spare to take care of Joshua.


    But, the Duke was right: he had to hide his identity.


    <em>If someone of noble blood tries to hit me, I should use the Deon Ring.</em> "Don''t mess with the Agnus family," is what the Duke implied by giving him the ring. The Imperial family wouldn''t dare recruit Joshua when they knew he already belonged to the Duke.


    <em>"Do you resent me?"</em>


    Joshua had lifted his head to regard the source of the quiet yet dominating voice. Then, for the first time, the Duke hadid his emotions bare for Joshua to see¡ªand then it was gone as quickly as it appeared.


    <em>"...Ah, you know what? Let''s just go out."</em>


    Joshua had saluted the Duke and quickly left the room.


    <em>Am I resentful?</em> Joshua pondered, quietly repeating the Duke''s words.


    <em>Do I resent the Duke?</em>


    <em>I honestly don''t know.</em>


    Joshua''s memories of him in his past life had faded into a blur. He certainly hadn''t wanted to see the Grand Duke die in vain.


    <em>If I had to say, maybe his crime of neglect?</em> He''d left Joshua and his mother alone, causing his mother''s early death; however, he''d had so many enemies in hisst life that the resentment faded away.


    <em>Time is the best medicine, but that doesn''t mean his neglect can be forgiven so easily.</em>


    <em>More importantly¡­</em> Joshua could feel a hot gaze probing him from the side. It''d been like this the entire expedition. Babel, walking side by side with Joshua, eyed him from head to toe; Joshua was starting to wonder if there was something on his face.


    <em>This is ufortable.</em> Joshua frowned.


    This is exactly why Joshua hadn''t wanted to participate in this expedition in his first life. Now, however, Joshua desperately needed to buy time.


    <em>A vessel sufficient to hold the power will be created naturally as my body grows, just by standing around and doing nothing.</em> But that was not enough for Joshua. He needed to push his young body to the limits and to understand this new power.


    He needed to contemte himself¡ªall he needed was time on his own.


    <em>If I hadn''t recalled my distant memories, I would have avoided this expedition at any cost.</em> At this time, monsters would rampage simultaneously across the continent. From his past life, Joshua knew why.


    <em>The stones of origin. One of them must have been in this ce, the ck Monster Forest.</em>


    Attribute stones differ from the mana stones wizards refine; in other words, it was apletely different material than what was used in magical objects. Unlike the mana stones, which only contain "mana", the origin stone has each "attribute". Only five such stones were found in his previous life¡ªsuch a powerful object would obviously attract Joshua''s attention. The stone of origin would be of great help to him one way or another. It could even amplify his potential power once again and control the boundaries that only he knew.


    "From here, we ride horses."


    Joshua was shaken from his thoughts by a voice.


    The expedition silently departed their home and found their way to where horses were prepared for them. The family servants who managed the horses had bowed their heads from the moment they spotted Duke Agnus approaching in the distance.


    "How are the horses?"


    "I have prepared the best for you, Duke."


    Duke Agnus nodded and mounted his white horse.


    "Each one of you, choose a suitable horse and mount immediately! From here on, we need to speed up our march!"


    "Yes!" The knights sprung into motion in unison, leaving Joshua standing nkly by himself. Chiffon saw him and burst intoughter.


    "Duke, it seems that Young Master Joshua does not know how to ride a horse. Perhaps he never learned."


    Duke Agnus frowned. It seemed as if the issue hadn''t urred to him.


    Chiffon had spoken with arge voice, allowing everyone to hear him. He smiled winningly when the other knights nced towards them.


    "Actually, he hadn''t lived with the family until not too long ago¡ª"


    "You said you lived in a stable? You lived with horses all your life¡ªshouldn''t you know how to ride?"


    "You shovel horse manure, right?" But¡­ surely you don''t think it''s that easy to ride a horse?"


    "Wouldn''t it be better to send Young Master Joshua back?"


    Some of the knights sounded concerned, but most were just ridiculing. For a knight, horseback riding was as natural as breathing¡ªwas there anything more shameful for a proud knight?


    Only when all the knights were mounted, did Joshua begin to move. He padded quietly towards a horse, with Chiffon watching eagerly.


    <em>"I''m only bluffing, sorry." No, you should give it a try¡­ Hah! Horses are not that easy, you bastard.</em> Chiffon grinned snidely.


    Joshua stroked the horse''s nose, drawing a happy rumble from the animal. Joshua gave a satisfied smile and leaped off the ground,nding neatly on the saddle. His movements were light and acrobatic¡ªeven the horse didn''t react to the sudden weight.


    Chiffon and the Red Knights were astonished.


    "What is this¡ª?" Chiffon choked on his words.


    Duke Agnus loosed a heartyugh.


    "Depart!"

 Chapter 37

    As magic had its own properties, so too were there objects with the power of the origin. Wizards spected that each attribute had origin stones, such as water, fire, wind, lightning, and ice. However, only five stones would ever be found¡ªeven then, not untilter.


    Origin stones were a true treasure to the wizards: they could raise the power of a one-circle spell, like Fire Arrow or Ice Arrow, to that of 3rd Grade magic, such as Fire Spear or Ice Spear.


    If so, wouldn''t it be useless to the knights?


    Not exactly¡ªin Joshua''s previous life, a knight achieved some truly formidable feats using the power of the origin stone.


    <em>The Knight of Red me, bis.</em>


    One swing of his sword split the ground in two. A sea of fire erupts from the thrust of his sword and engulfs the world in relentless mes. An incarnation of battle, sweeping through his enemies like a wildfire.


    <em>Sen, the only principality on the continent, will eventually gain independence from Seuwalloulo and be a sovereign kingdom.</em>


    The independence of the Sen Principality would shatter the status quo between the continent''s three powers.


    <em>The person who moved mountains to make this happen was the "Knight of the Red me", bis.</em>


    <em>bis ascended as the first king of Sen Kingdom, then surpassed the 12 superhumans and upied the first seat of the Nine Stars.</em>


    He was the ideal figure of the Absolute: intelligent, skillful, and utterly undefeatable. Even as a child, bis''s talent for swordsmanship was too great for a mere kingdom¡ªit was extraordinary even in an empire, befitting one of the strongest in the continent.


    He was called a "magic swordsman" and shook his head at the knights who imed such a thing was impossible. Many wondered if he would be the first and only superhuman of his kind; but, when his secret was revealed, everyone concluded that the "magic swordsman" was a lie.


    It turned out, bis was using the Red origin stone, the origin stone infused with the me attribute.


    "The attributes are not important," Joshua muttered.


    They were dubbed "origin stones" because they collect the primordial power of the beginning; these artifacts had umted power over an iprehensible amount of time, far from human hands.


    <em>I couldn''t even begin to imagine the power that stone is hiding.</em>


    "Halt!" A roaring from the front of the expedition roused him from his thoughts.


    Before him lied a small castle, designed with obvious practicality: the lord''s castle in the Locke Territory, which bordered the ck Monster Forest.


    "Salute the Duke!" At the cry of a muscr, middle-aged knight, the Locke soldiers saluted, chins raised.


    "Rise!" Duke Agnus dismounted his horse and approached the knight.


    "It''s been a while, Roben."


    "Yes, Duke."


    Duke Agnus smiled softly.


    "I always feel sorry for everyone here¡­ especially you. Even after retirement, you''re still suffering in this barrennd." Duke Agnus disyed a sincere expression of regret.


    Roben is one of the seven knights that served the Duke until just a few years earlier. The Duke particrly liked him for his dedication.


    "I am honored to be able to assist the Duke with my humble efforts," Roben said with a friendly smile. "Even though my body is old and my strength slowly leaves my body, my heart is always with the glorious Duke. Moreover, all I wanted for the rest of my life was to settle with my family. I am happy, Duke."


    <em>The life he wanted¡­</em> Duke Agnus''s expression tightened. The Duke knew he could spend the rest of his life with his family too, but he knew that life would never be smooth sailing.


    Roben was suddenly pushed aside by an enormous middle-aged man.


    "I greet the Duke!"


    "This¡ª" Roben made an embarrassed face.


    "Roben, are you losing your eyesight? If the Duke arrived, you should have called me first!"


    "That¡ª" Roben was about to say something but shut his mouth. He hadn''t had any time to catch his breath while preparing himself for the expedition into the ck Forest, but he couldn''t offer such excuses in front of the Duke.


    "... I''m sorry, my lord." Roben quietly lowered his head.


    "This is why you have to step down when you get older! With that kind of thinking, I''ll have to take responsibility for any security breaches in the estate in the future!"


    "Once again, I apologize." Roben''s face flushed beet red. It was amon sort of discrimination, but it was difficult to defend himself especially in front of his most respected Duke.


    No one cared if the venerable knight felt humiliated or night.


    The middle-aged man stared at Roben as if waiting for the others to back him up. After a few seconds of silence, he ducked his head and turned away.


    "Ahem¡­ It''s been a while since Ist saw you, my Duke. I apologize for this rather unfortunate greeting¡ªI was too busy preparing for dinner. It pains me, but it''s my fault for managing the staff poorly. Please punish me, my Duke."


    "No need," said the Duke, straight-faced. "...Although I must say, you seem to have gained weight since west met, Vig."


    As the Duke had noted, his flesh swayed with each movement, and buckets of sweat poured down his body like broth¡ªa distinctly ufortable sight for the knights. The more perceptive vassals noticed the difort in Duke Agnus''s words, yet the man named Vig burst outughing. Like a pig, it seemed as if he didn''t notice their judgment at all.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! I''m sorry¡ªbut isn''t this all thanks to the Duke''s special attention?" Vig rubbed his hands together as he spoke. "I was deeply moved when I heard the Duke came to solve the problems of this humble estate within a month."


    Roben, the only man with equal authority to Vig, simply remained silent. This ponderous, bloated, piggy man was the lord of the Locke estate, Viscount Vig Beck Stek. Viscount Vig was rted to Vanessa, the currentdy of the Agnus family; when Vanessa was married to the Duke of Agnus, Viscount Vig came with her. To put it bluntly, he was a low-ranked noble riding on the Imperial bloodline.


    Duke Agnus opened his mouth to say something but instead sighed and turned to someone else.


    "¡ªAnna, how are you?"


    "I greet the Duke." The girl in question had brown hair and light freckles, amon appearance she shared with her father. She couldn''t bepared to Charles or Iceline, but her beauty stands out in its own way¡ªpure white skin, a pretty face, and fine features. Anna, the only daughter of Viscount Vig.


    Duke Agnus eyed the Viscount once again, startling him.


    "Huh? Is that¡­ Young Master Babel is also here!" The Viscount approached Babel with an ever-so-weing expression.


    "It has been a while, Uncle."


    "You have grown taller, Young Master Babel! This makes me so happy and emotional. Hahahahaha."


    Babel smiled faintly.


    Some people might point at me and say I''m only doing this out of self-interest¡ªbut to me, at least, he loved me like a rtive."


    "You''ve be so powerful that even me, who knows little of swords, can feel it!" Viscount Vig quivered. "I wonder if another master will be born in the Empire soon¡­ Hahahahaha."


    Viscount Vig then tilted his head.


    "And who might this be¡­?" Only then did he notice Joshua standing beside his father. The presence of this young child stood out in this dangerous ce.


    "This is Young Master Joshua, Viscount Vig." Chiffon stepped forward to answer.


    "Ah! Long time no see, Sir Chiffon¡ªbut¡­ Young Master Joshua¡­?"


    "The Duke''s second son."


    Naturally, Viscount Vig''s expression was incredulous. Rumors abounded of Joshua''s unheard-of talent, but it had only been a short time since he had gained influence¡ªhe''d changed so much, one might think he was someone else entirely. The remote Locke estate received information at a slow trickle.


    "I see¡ªI must have had my eyes and ears shut for a long time, haha. When did sister Vanessa give birth to the Young Master, again?"


    "He''s not a son of Lady Vanessa." Chiffon shook his head.


    Viscount Vig felt like a bucket of ice water was dumped on his head.


    "Did the Duke take a concubine?"


    The Duke showed no intention of answering his question, nor did anyone else. Even Viscount Vig could notice he''d broached a sensitive topic.


    "Oh, I hope you can forgive me¡­ I was just surprised by the sudden revtion. I never knew the Duke would take a concubine, but I don''t mean it as a bad thing! It''s only natural for a hero to take in a second or third wife."


    Viscount Vig shot nces at Chiffon, but the knight refused to meet his eyes.


    "Well then, what lineage does the Young Mastere from?"


    "Unfortunately, it''s not a noble family."


    "What do you mean?"


    This time, Chiffon kept his mouth shut. "Commoner, and a lowly maid," rose in his throat, but he would rather not offend his Master. Vig ought to be able to understand it on his own.


    Just as he predicted, contempt stained the Viscount''s demeanor.


    "Dirty bastard," Viscount Vig muttered, studiously avoiding Joshua''s "disgusting" gaze.


    But the knights'' sharp senses could hear him clearly.

 Chapter 38

    ¡°Don¡¯t greet him now¡ªisn¡¯t there something more urgent we need to attend to?¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s soft voice rolled over the knights. Joshua eventually closed his mouth.


    Viscount Vig¡¯s voice was lingering in Joshua¡¯s mind for some reason.


    Considering the total poption of the continent, aristocrats were a rarity. Physical ability? Irrelevant. Inherited status, caste, origin, and blood ties determined everything;moners were less than bugs to the ranking nobles.


    Still, Joshua smiled bitterly.


    ¡°You. I¡¯ll watch you,¡± muttered Viscount Vig with a glimmer of contempt in his eyes before towards the Duke with a sunny expression. ¡°Duke, it¡¯s a little modest, but I humbly prepared dinner¡­ why don¡¯t we head inside and unwind a little before we set off¡ª¡±


    ¡°My knights are not that weak.¡± Duke Agnus shook his head firmly. ¡°If it was a break, everyone would have been too drunk to continue moving. Hmm¡­ however¡ªANYONE WANT TO REST?!¡±


    Who could say yes before such an intimidating presence?


    ¡°We will leave right away.¡±


    ¡°Please allow us to apany you.¡± Viscount Vig spat his thoughts out into the open. When subjected to the Duke¡¯s questioning gaze, he continued: ¡°Unfortunately, my abilities are toocking to handle it myself¡ªbut as the Lord of the estate, I can¡¯t just bite my fingers on the sidelines, can I?¡±


    Duke Agnus showed a worried expression. Seeing this, Viscount Vig pressed forward.


    ¡°The knights and the soldiers gathered are thinking the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    ¡°We want to be of help to the Duke!¡±


    ¡°We are honored to apany the Duke!¡±


    The shouts of the assembled knights of Locke, in such numbers, filled the air.


    Duke Agnus sighed.


    ¡°What do you think, Anna?¡±


    ¡°Oh! You don¡¯t have to worry about her at all! My daughter will certainly be of some help to the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you want to take this child into that dangerous ce too?¡± The Duke frowned.


    ¡°Sylph.¡± A gust of wind blew, followed by murmuring. Then, the ground and wind shook.


    ¡°What¡ª?¡± muttered Armand, the 4th-ss wizard.


    ¡°As it turns out, I just recently learned that my daughter has a talent for elemental arts!¡± Viscount Vig stepped forward with a pleased expression.


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Duke Agnus let out a small sigh.


    Joshua turned to examine Anna. There were only a tiny number of people with a talent like Anna: like magic, the elemental arts are exclusive to those born with the talent¡ªeven the lowest rank of Elemental Artists, the junior Elemental Artist, had only a few hundred members across the entire continent.


    The rarity of Elemental Artists was no different here in the Empire. At that age, with that kind of talent, her renown would quickly spread across the Empire into the entire world. However, this ¡°Anna¡± was entirely absent from Joshua¡¯s memory.


    This girl¡­ her face is familiar, somehow¡­ Maybe I saw her somewhere¡­? She had a pretty butmonce visage, yet something about it tickled his memory.


    Hmm¡­ Oh? Joshua tilted his head. He realized Anna¡¯s gaze was firmly fixed on one ce.


    Babel von Agnus¡ªwho, on the other hand, had his eyes still glued to Joshua like he hadn¡¯t even noticed the girl.


    Babel and this girl¡ª


    ¡°Great, let¡¯s go together,¡± the Duke decided.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°However, the Red Knights will take the lead, and the Locke Estate¡¯s forces will be in the rear. The rest of us will stay in the center.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°We heed and obey!¡±


    Duke Agnus nodded.


    ¡°Prepare to depart immediately!¡± The troops quickly erupted into a hubbub of preparation.


    Joshua, however, couldn¡¯t shake the uneasiness lingering in his heart.


    If it¡¯s someone important enough to affect my ns, I¡¯ll think about it¡­ For now, we¡¯ll keep moving. Joshua set his thoughts aside and followed the Duke towards the gloomy forest.


    ¡°Depart!¡±


    In the glorious pce of the Avalon Empire, the Iron-Blooded Emperor sat upon his throne.


    ¡°...I mean, it was¡­¡± the Emperor muttered softly to himself, while the man who just delivered his report prostrated before him. The silence stretched for a long moment while the Emperor mused.


    ¡°¡ªIt¡¯s fun!¡± Marcus burst intoughter. ¡°Not only did he live up to the rumors, he even made the B-ss Knights¡ªthe pride of the Empire¡ªback down.¡±


    Genuine joy danced on Emperor Marcus¡¯s face.


    ¡°Evergrant, how did he look to you? We want to hear your personal opinion¡ªnot as a knight, but as the greatest wizard in our Empire.¡±


    ¡°As Your Majesty said, it is difficult to make a hasty evaluation. The mana of a wizard and a knight are too different, particrly in the way they exercise it.¡±


    ¡°Just your hunch is enough for Us. How far do you think that child will grow?¡±


    Evergrant fell into a deep contemtion while the Emperor waited with a patient smile.


    ¡°...It would be too abstract to speak from the perspective of a wizard, so I¡¯ll use the Imperial Knights as an example.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The Emperor nodded. He was a swordsman himself, so it was only natural that he would understand it better this way.


    ¡°First: Sir Valmont, who was with me a few days ago. While I just met him in person, I can say that if I ever had the chance to face him in a one-on-one battle¡ª¡± Evergrant paused. ¡°¡ªI would never be bored.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Emperor Marcus nodded eagerly.


    ¡°Valmont is the youngest battalionmander in the Empire¡ªI could count his ilk with my hands and have fingers to spare. Though, Your Majesty could do much better.¡±


    Emperor Marcus was the only one who recognized Evergrant in Avalon, a country that habitually disrespected wizards. He was also one of the few people who understood Evergrant¡¯s true skill.1


    ¡°But Young Master Joshua? He indeed felt different.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you couldn¡¯t win a fight with him?¡± The Emperor¡¯s eyes were wide with surprise.


    ¡°It certainly felt different, but,¡± Evergrant shook his head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t¡­ for now.¡±


    ¡°Then you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Within the next ten years, possibly sooner, I will begin to lose. That is my sincere feeling.¡±


    Astonishment colored the Emperor¡¯s eyes. The wizards were terribly rational beings, and Evergrant was a wizard among wizards.


    By the way¡­


    ¡°Answer Us one question.¡±


    ¡°Anything, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What do you think the oue would be if you and I had a one-on-one match?¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes widened with astonishment. In the end, he could manage no words.


    ¡°...Ha.¡± Emperor Marcus eyed Evergrant. ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    Hisughter grew tinged with madness.


    ¡°THIS IS FUN! A shame We only could send the prince. If We knew, We would havee to see the child ourselves! If nothing else, We must see the child.¡±


    The Emperor snapped his fingers. A man in ck slipped out of the shadows without a sound and prostrated himself before the Emperor.


    ¡°Jaken, can you keep that child tied up here in the Imperial Pce, even for a little while?¡±


    ¡°From what I know, the Fourth Prince is already preparing to do so.¡±


    ¡°Kaiser?¡± Emperor Marcus was surprised.


    ¡°A little while ago, the Imperial Knights received a letter of rmendation from the Fourth Prince. The subject of the letter was, of course, Young Master Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°A letter of rmendation, you say¡­ So that¡¯s his way. Although it was made for a specific purpose, the idiot battalions, the 11th and 12th, were bothering Us¡­¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s smirk deepened as he spoke. ¡°Report the progress of that situation regrly.¡±


    ¡°I heed and obey, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­ Maybe he¡¯s perfect for ¡®the job¡¯.¡±


    I think what the author is trying to say is that the Emperor has a better grasp of peoples¡¯ power than Evergrant does.?

 Chapter 39

    The sun was at its apex when the troupe set off; now it was setting, and the light falling on the dark forest ahead of them gave off unsettling vibes.


    "Halt! We will stay the night here. SET UP CAMP!"


    At the Duke''s cry, everyone stopped in their tracks without question¡ªexcept one.


    "D-duke, you''re sure we''re going to camp here tonight? In a ce like this?" Viscount Vig made a bewildered expression. Ever since they''d departed, Viscount Vig hadn''t been able to hide his regret. Though the Locke estate was a barrennd, he''d squeezed out a luxurious life on the backs of the hard-working locals. He couldn''t bear the thought of living like a vagrant out where monsters could attack at any moment.


    "...The report so far had one striking simrity."


    "What do you mean¡­?" Vig tilted his head, drawing a deep sigh from Roben. Even before Duke Agnus had brought up camping, Roben knew what made the Duke ufortable. It wasn''t just him¡ªall of the knights and soldiers of the Locke estate would understand the meaning of those words. They''d dedicated their lives to stopping the monsters here, after all.


    But his lord clearly had no awareness of it at all, despite the duties of his position.


    <em>No¡­ he''s just not interested at all.</em> Roben smiled bitterly. <em>I''ve served him for nearly a decade, but Viscount Vig hasn''t shown an inkling of care for anything other than his own desires.</em>


    Whether he understood Roben''s thoughts or not, Duke Agnus continued with no change in expression.


    "At night, monsters run rampant into the vige as if they were possessed¡­ especially during a blood moon. However, the issue is that they attack even on days when the blood moon doesn''t rise." Duke Agnus faced the ck Forest with a grim expression. "Even when the sun rises, it''s still dark as night over here¡­ That''s why it''s called the ''ck Monster Forest''.


    "I don''t know if the monsters crawl out of there of their own ord, but there''s no reason for us to go in there when we can''t maintain visibility and their attacks are intensified."


    "Aha! That''s why you''re the Duke!" The Viscount pped his hands and encouraged everyone else to do the same. "I hadn''t thought of that. Once again, I am amazed by the Duke''s insight and ingenuity. Hahahahahahaha."


    Vig''s loudughter made the knights shift ufortably.


    "Begin preparing the camp!" Chiffon shouted through the stiff atmosphere. "Locke soldiers, assist the knights!"


    "Yes!"


    One person had been quietly observing and staying out of sight.


    <em>This is my chance.</em> Joshua edged away from the rest of the group.


    The group was upied with setting camp or gathering water and firewood, so no one was paying attention to Joshua.


    <em>Lugia is preventing the changes to some degree, but I know it''s only a temporary measure¡­ In my current state, the origin stone is absolutely vital for me. In particr¡ªif my memory serves me right¡ªthe origin stone can do even more than controlling the rogue energy in my body.</em>


    <em>I need to go to the deepest ce in the ck Forest. It should take an hour to get there.</em>


    With that decided, Joshua slipped away from the campsite¡ªbut there was, in fact, one person who''d kept their eyes on Joshua without him realizing.


    One pair of eyes gleamed in the light of the setting sun.


    <em>It''s really dark.</em> Joshua looked around and frowned.


    It had been an hour since he entered the ck Forest. A trickle of light had leaked through initially, but the deeper he went the darker it got.


    Joshua felt his heart shake. Something cried out in front of him¡ªthe first monster he''d seen since entering the ck Forest.


    <em>ck Ogre¡­!</em> The apex predator of the ck Forest¡ªit had to be twice as big as a typical ogre!


    <em>Unlike regr ogres, who have very little resistance to magic, a ck Ogre can neutralize all forms of low-level magic. Not only that, its grip is so strong it can tear the toughest troll''s skin¡­</em>


    Joshua scowled. For now, it was best to avoid the ck Ogre.


    <em>But the origin stone lies directly in the heart of the forest¡ªand the ck Ogre is blocking the only path there.</em>


    <em>If it''s alone, I can try to take it down all at once!</em>


    Joshua''s eyes lit up with anticipation. Only a B-ss Knight or higher could fight a ck Ogre one-on-one. The Joshua of a few days ago would never have even tried¡ªbut the sh with the Imperial Knight during his mana test gave Joshua confidence. Just like back then, if Lugia could contain <em>that</em> energy on its own, he would be able to kill the Ogre in an instant.


    Joshua took a sharp breath and slowly approached the ck Ogre.


    <em>If I approach within ten meters, there''s a high chance it will notice and attack me.</em>


    A moment''s mistake could lead to his immediate death. If he didn''t finish it in one blow, he might not get a second chance. He raised his five senses to their absolute limits, and his legs tautened tounch him forward at any moment.


    <em>A little more¡­</em> A cold sweat trickled down Joshua''s back.


    The Ogre stood still and stared into the dark sky. Odd, but, for Joshua, a prime opportunity.


    <em>Now¡ª</em>


    Just as he was about to push off, the ck Ogre loosed a wild roar, and its red eyes shone with a vicious light as it lowered its head.


    <em>Damn this.</em> Joshua started to back away. <em>How can I face that ck Ogre head-on in my condition? It would be a horrible death.</em>


    Even as he withdrew into the shrubbery, more problems arose.


    "This is crazy¡ª!" Joshua involuntarily spat a swear.


    Behind the ck Ogre, dark silhouettes emerged. Dozens¡ªno¡­ there were hundreds of them!


    Goblins, kobolds, orcs, even trolls¡­ All the monstrous inhabitants of the ck Forest crept out, even the famously solitary trolls. He''d been so focused on the ck Ogre that he hadn''t looked behind it.


    <em>If they decide to run over here¡­</em>


    The ck Ogre roared, whipping the rest of the monsters into a screaming cacophony. They all moved in the same direction, making the ground tremble under their advance.


    "Blood moon!" Joshua looked up and groaned.


    <em>My predictions came true.</em> Joshua pushed himself deeper into the bushes. <em>I don''t know about the other monsters, but the kobolds'' sense of smell could be dangerous if they get close.</em>


    Joshua jumped onto a tree and slowly gathered his mana. Instead of pushing his mana into a particr part of the body, this technique would coat his entire body like a cloak. He''d learned this technique from a friend in his past life; it had been a while since he''d tried it, so he wasn''t sure if it would work.


    <em>Halt your breathing and forget your surroundings¡­ Imagine you''re one with the environment¡­</em>


    The raging monsters ran right past him.


    As the monsters flocked to the outskirts of the ck Forest with the ck Ogre in the lead, Joshua only held his breath tighter.


    <em>If I''m found now, everything is over.</em>


    Joshua didn''t breathe until the monsters had¡ª


    One of the kobolds in the rear screamed and flicked its head around, bringing the whole mob to a halt.


    <em>Did I lose my concentration?!</em>


    Joshua locked eyes with the kobold.


    <em>Damn it!</em> Joshua cussed like never before. The kobolds, or rather the ck kobolds, screamed even louder.


    <em>Ah, I can''t help it.</em> Joshua unwrapped the mana cloak with a resigned expression.


    About thirty monsters had trailed behind: mostly ck kobolds, with a scattering of orcs mixed in.


    <em>If that''s the case, then¡­</em> Joshua''s eyes glittered in the dark. <em>I have a better idea.</em>


    This was an excellent opportunity for him to test the second stage of the Spear Arts, which he''d achieved a few days ago.


    The monsters were already rushing towards him even as he descended from the tree. He slowly drew Lugia and set his stance.


    <em>Type J¡­ A gust of wind rages with a single swing.</em>


    If the first technique was designed for one-on-onebat, the second technique was effective against multiple enemies.


    Joshua spun Lugia with both hands like a windmill. When the mana gathering in Lugia reached its peak, Joshua let its name slip from his lips.


    "...Thunderstorm."


    The razor-sharp wind swept through the monsters.

 Chapter 40

    With a single sh¡ªjust one¡ªeverything in Joshua''s path was swept away. All he could see were shredded bodies and mulched vegetation. It had all been reduced to a sticky mess by the wind pressure from Lugia. The howling vortex seemed to take on a life of its own, smashing through the forest like a titan''s fist.


    It was a bloody massacre¡­ Maybe he''d swung Lugia a little too hard?


    "Hup!" Joshua took a short breath and mmed Lugia against the ground. There was a thump like a boulder hitting the ground, and the slowly settling dust was sted away. Only the whimpers of dying monsters remained to disturb the still air.


    "Ah, well¡­" A disappointed sigh slipped out of Joshua''s lips.


    <em>I thought I''d mastered level 2, but it seems I''m still far from perfection. It''s not even half the original power. A child''s body has its limits.</em>


    His whole body screamed from the excessive mana use, but Joshua had no time to waste.


    <em>I saw the direction the monsters were going¡ªthere''s a high chance they''ll encounter the campsite soon.</em>


    Time was of the essence. He had to get the stone and rejoin the group as quickly as possible.


    <em>It''s definitely here.</em> Joshua''s eyes lit up as he peered into the darkness the monster horde had departed from.


    As he approached, the confidence in his eyes was slowly reced by caution. The origin stone had the strange power of attracting all living things, like a sweet siren song. Joshua''s finely tuned senses could feel the energy radiating from the origin stone¡ªenergy that would give Joshua tremendous power.


    Joshua stepped into the heart of the forest, eyes dancing with excitement when theynded upon the dark object buried in the forest floor.


    The entire forest felt tense, as if weighed down by the primordial power practically exploding from the legendary stone. It crackled with ck currents of energy as if tapping into the power of the forest itself.


    "Bronto."


    The Red Knights and the soldiers of the Locke Estate were enjoying their sweet break time¡ª


    "Battle stations!" A hundred Red Knights hurried into formation at Chiffon''s call.


    "The Knights of Locke will take their respective positions! Soldiers, cover the knights!" Roben rallied the thirty-or-so knights and five hundred soldiers that had apanied them.


    "Duke, something is strange." Viscount Vig, clearly having just woken up, approached Duke Agnus with a trembling voice.


    "Ah, well¡­" Duke Agnus licked his dry lips and nced into the sky.


    The Blood Moon peeked bashfully back at him from behind the hazy clouds. By all calctions, the Blood Moon shouldn''t have risen until midnight of the next day¡ªobviously, though, they''d been wrong.


    <em>And now we pay the price.</em>


    Duke Agnus stared at the thousands-strong monster horde approaching them.


    "A knight should never lose hisposure, neither in fortune nor failure."


    The humming of voices fell silent as Duke Agnus spoke.


    "Just show the skills you''ve trained all this time, and¡­" Duke Agnus took a careful look at the knights. "...follow my lead."


    A rush of adrenaline flooded their veins.


    "The Duke is with us!" Chiffon was the first to voice his excitement.


    The air was quickly filled with their shouts.


    "The Duke is with us!"


    "YAHHHHHH!"


    "The proud men of Locke shall also go forth!" Even Viscount Vig, who wore a perpetually terrified expression, puffed his chest up and stepped forward.


    "YAHHHH!" The troops of Locke jostled each other, ovee by the mood. Viscount Vig grinned, buoyed by their confidence.


    Duke Agnus turned slowly to face the horde.


    "Captain, we¡ª"


    "Please hold." Chiffon raised his hand to stop his subordinate, who looked ready to jump out at any second.


    "Yes? But¡ª"


    "The Duke has not issued orders."


    The young Red Knight turned to watch Duke Agnus intently. For an instant, he seemed to shiver, and then his sword appeared in his hands. A dark blur of movement split the air in front of him¡ªsomething had been cut, though no one had seen the sword move.


    "Uh¡­ sooner orter¡­" The knight was a promising young talent in his early thirties who had recently reached the expert level, yet he hadn''t felt the Duke move at all.


    But what happened next was even more astounding: hundreds of creatures, well over 20 meters away, erupted into a chorus of screams as they were split in two. Their halved bodies tumbled to the ground, staining it with blood and viscera.


    "That sh¡­" Chiffon mumbled nkly.


    At first nce, the move was simple, but these were godlike actions only another Master could duplicate. Even then, Chiffon was sure that they wouldn''t be able to match his master''s sheer power. His overwhelming strength stunned even the simple-minded beasts; nowhere else could you see a monster cowering before a human being.


    "Young Master! That is your father: Aden von Agnus!" Viscount Vig shouted at Babel with a flushed face. The boy quivered with growing excitement, though he didn''t show it on his face. "You, who inherited his blood, will surely be like that too! Ah!"


    <em>No matter how much of a monster you are, you''re still a child. No doubt it''s surprising to see this for the first time.</em> Viscount Vig smiled as he misinterpreted Babel''s trembling.


    <em>Isn''t he a lovely nephew?</em> He was an infinitely caring uncle to Babel. Vig knew Babel would be a big help to him in the future.


    <em>Wait¡­e to think of it¡­</em> A startling notion brought a frown to his face. He snapped around but couldn''t find what he was looking for.


    Viscount Vig cautiously approached Chiffon, his frown deepening.


    "Sir Chiffon, where is that trash¡ªah, no. Where is that child?"


    "What do you mean, ''that child''?" Chiffon cocked his head quizzically.


    "I mean, the bastard who said his name was ''Joshua''?"


    "Ah!" Chiffon nodded in understanding and peeked around. "Yes. Come to think of it¡­ I can''t see him either."


    "I guess he ran away and left us all to die, did he? This lowly thing. Tsk."


    The knights could clearly hear Viscount Vig''s voice in the peculiar lull created by Duke Agnus''s attack.


    "What? Did he really run away?"


    "No matter how young he is, I haven''t seen him once."


    "Hah, I knew it. He really was different from Young Master Babel."


    "He''s really acting like this¡ªthe blood of the Duke no less!"


    Little by little, the murmurs of discontent swelled. <em>Noblesse oblige</em>¡ªyet the person who should be leading by example was the first to flee. Joshua''s reputation was tarnished.


    "What are you doing? There are enemies before us!" The Duke''s thunderous voice drew them back to the present.


    "Glory to Agnus!"


    "The Duke is with us!"


    "Raise your swords!"


    Duke Agnus advanced towards the reeling monsters as the knights prepared to do battle. Just as the horde looked like it had lost the will to fight, a thunderous roar kicked up a dense cloud of dust behind the beasts.


    "ck Ogre!"


    The ck Ogre emerged from the forest and casually reduced a kobold into mincemeat. The terrified monsters began to edge towards the knights again.


    "It''s¡­" Chiffon''s face fell. This could have ended as a minor incident, but that was all in vain.


    <em>We will have no choice but to confront the monsters head-on like we''d nned.</em>


    Duke Agnus had remained stoic through it all, but now:


    <em>This energy¡­?</em> For the first time, his countenance was shaken.


    Something <em>dark</em> erupted from behind the monsters'' ranks.


    "I¡ª That¡ª!" Chiffon boggled at the sight. "Joshua¡­ Young Master Joshua?"


    Before the eyes of the assembled knights, Joshua fell from the sky like a bolt of lightning.


    "Thunderbolt."


    With a deafening roar, white lightning struck the ck Ogre''s head.

 Chapter 41

    A piercing scream cut through the night. The rampaging ck Ogre, rumored to be invulnerable to anything less than an expert knight, slowly parted down the middle. Joshua stood before it, engulfed in pure white currents of electricity.


    "He, he, he¡ª!" The Viscount pointed a trembling finger at him.


    He fell from the sky like an angel bathed in blood.


    <em>Did he just do that? A ck Ogre, over five meters tall? It doesn''t matter how he was raised¡ªhow is it possible for a child to split something several times his size in a single blow?</em>


    <em>It had to be impossible¡­ Yes¡­ clearly impossible.</em> Viscount Vig looked around and saw that the reactions of the knights were not that different from his.


    Joshua was examined by untrusting eyes.


    <em>This trashy kid¡­ He hid it until now so he could use this situation to flex. What kind of attitude is that?</em>


    "The Duke even defeated the ferocious ck Ogre in one blow!" shouted Viscount Vig, eyes wild. "What are the men of Locke doing? Help the Duke, quickly!"


    The knights heard his voice and nodded to themselves as if saying, "As expected."


    "No matter how talented the Young Master is, a C-ss Knight is not able to defeat a ck Ogre. Everyone knows a B-ss Knight would struggle."


    "It was just convenient timing."


    "Everyone, help the Duke! Wipe out the rest of the monsters!"


    "Yes!"


    Joshua giggled as he watched the knights advance¡ªhe''d heard everything they''d said.


    <em>So, I''m just a shallow child to them.</em>


    His father, Duke Aden von Agnus, locked eyes with him from across the battlefield.


    <em>You''re hurting my self-esteem¡­ I expected him to show a little surprise, but it seems like he totally expected it, that monster. I don''t like that at all.</em>


    <em>I''ve already used Thunderbolt before¡ªI must have not left a strong enough impression on them.</em>


    "Let me surprise you a little." Joshua gripped Lugia, still in its rod form, and twisted his waist. His mana gathered once more. A child''s body definitely couldn''t handle this technique twice in a row, but, with a portion of Bronto''s power, he might pull through.


    <em>Even if I fall, that monster will save me.</em>


    The key to this technique was "perfect bnce." Unlike Thunderbolt, which concentrates every iota of mana to a single point, this skill spreads its power evenly throughout the length of the spear. The sensation of the spear in his hand was significantly different.


    Joshua smiled savagely as pure white sparks spewed off of him.


    "Thunderstorm," he whispered, and swung Lugia from left to right.


    Laser-straight lines of crystalline lightning stitched across the air with a sh of white, one after the other. They fanned out in all directions, embroidering the air in crackling electricity.


    <em>Is this what a falling star looks like?</em> The lovely lights left the audience agape, but the result was anything but.


    The horrific howling of the monsters curdled the air. Winds of lighting-like force ripped them apart, leaving them scorched, shredded, and scattered by its passing.


    <em>Whoaaa, heeheehee heeheehee.</em>


    It was a mad, mad wind that struck with a life of its own.


    When the winds settled, only one person one left standing in the storm''s path: Joshua, a boy a mere fraction the size of the in monsters.


    "My word¡­ This is absurd¡­" Viscount Vig fell to the ground, shaking all over. He didn''t have the courage to stay standing in the face of such frightening power.


    "Hey¡­ humor me here¡­ This is the skill of a C-ss Knight, right?"


    "No! I''ve never seen or heard of any mana user that can use elemental attributes like that!"


    "You mean it was Young Master Joshua who actually took out the ck Ogre? Its skin shouldn''t even be scratched unless it''s attacked by a B-ss Knight."


    The knights were abuzz with spection.


    "I wonder if Young Master Joshua is a magic swordsman¡­"


    "Wha¡ª ''Magic swordsman''?"


    Under the known theories of mana, a magic swordsman was regarded as impossible¡ªbut how else could you exin Joshua''s feat?


    "¡ªKill the rest of the monster!" Chiffon clenched his teeth and infused his voice with mana to drag the knights back to reality.


    "Assist Young Master Joshua!"


    "Wipe them out!"


    Now, no more than half of the monsters remained. The rest, already taken by fear, fell under the knights'' swords in droves.


    "What do you think, Armand?" Duke Agnus''s low, sunken eyes gazed steadily at Joshua, unperturbed by the chaos around him.


    Even Armand, a 4th-ss Wizard, had never encountered such a thing in his many experiences. It took him a long time to gather an answer.


    "Magicians believe that only one in ten thousand is so blessed; only the truly chosen can use this gift from the gods." Armand paused. "¡­We call it "Double Casting", the power two wield two magics at the same time. It requires you to know the intricate forme by memory. Most high-ranking wizards of 5th-ss or higher can do it, but that kind of talent is a blessing from the gods in its own way.


    "In terms of power alone, the power Young Master Joshua just demonstrated is simr to the 3rd circle magic, Chain Lightning¡ªNo. Not even Chain Lightning is soplex. I don''t know if you could achieve the same results with several casts of Wind Cutter and Chain Lightning at the same time¡­"


    Armand pressed his lips into a thin line.


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "¡­As a wizard, I can roughly understand what the knights are training for, but I can''t understand their true abilities. Young Master Joshua, however¡­ If he''s a ''magic swordsman'', as the knights say, he must be equivalent to a 3rd-ss Wizard at least. A genius C-ss Knight that can use Double Casting.


    "He would be a monster. A monster that could single-handedly rewrite the history of the continent."


    Joshua stood proud and tall at the heart of the battlefield, but, from Duke Agnus''s perspective, his position was perilous¡ªboth of his legs trembled and threatened to copse.


    <em>So, you don''t want to reveal your frail side¡­</em>


    "I see what you''re saying." Duke Agnus chuckled and then disappeared from his spot. He appeared behind Joshua, supporting his small body.


    "Blood doesn''t lie," Armand muttered as he watched the Young Master copse into his father''s arms.


    <em>To be gifted in such a way¡­ I honestly didn''t think it was possible.</em> A trump card to finally fulfil the master''s deepest wish.


    "Duke¡ª!"


    The Blood Moon, rising high over the carnage, shone brighter than ever before.

 Chapter 42

    <em>I feel drowsy, like I¡¯m swimming through the air. I want to move, but¡­ I feel so tired.</em>


    It felt as if he was looking down from outside his body, like a ghost.


    <em>¡­A dream?</em>


    As soon as he realized he was in a dream, thendscape exploded into crimson mes. Joshua recognized this ce from his past and his present.


    <em>The Agnus Duchy¡­!</em> Duke Agnus¡¯s grand pce, rivaling the splendor of the Imperial Pce, was aze. One figure, sword in hand, stood with his back to the smoldering castle.


    Aden von Agnus? No¡­ not him. The man wielded the Duke¡¯s signature magenta greatsword, but that face¡­


    <em>Babel von Agnus.</em> His son. The heir of the Duke, in his first life. This wasn¡¯t the prepubescent boy Joshua knew now, but a fully grown man.


    <em>Is this what the Duchy looked like when it was destroyed? It should have happened in ten years, so why¡­?</em> The razing of the Agnus Duchy shouldn¡¯t happen for a long time¡ªwhat¡¯s more, Joshua had not seen it happen. He only heard it long after he¡¯d abandoned the Duchy and taken up mercenary work.


    <em>But what does this dream mean, then? Is it an oracle?</em>


    <em>I can make an educated guess: I recently obtained a new ability¡ªthis dream is most certainly connected to it.</em>


    Babel von Agnus staggered forwards. His body dripped with crimson blood, but he never slowed down.


    Two people stood in opposition. Though the mor of battle filled the manor, the three seemed to stand in a bubble of calm. Their voices were inaudible as if enchanted to silence, but Joshua¡¯s vision seemed to be unnaturally sharp in exchange.


    One man and one woman. The man¡¯s face was cloudy and obscured, but the woman¡¯s face was clear. A young woman, in her thirties or so; the brown hair the Igrant continent was known for; a gorgeous body even her robes couldn¡¯t conceal. She wasn¡¯t beautiful, but her face would draw a second look.


    <em>Wait¡­ that¡¯s the girl¡­</em> Surely this was the girl he knew as ¡°Anna¡±?


    ¡°AHH!¡± Babel howled in a fit of rage. The woman¡¯s face contorted murderously, and she waved her hand. Her actions were light, but the results were anything but.


    A short scream was torn from Babel¡¯s lungs as a gale ripped his battered body to shreds. Silion, a superior wind spirit that took on the form of a translucent lion, revealed its true nature through Babel¡¯s scattered blood.


    <em>Anna Bell Grace.</em> Joshua¡¯s skin dimpled with goosebumps. <em>What the hell is going on with that girl? Why is she here?</em>


    <em>I must check.</em> Silion¡¯s appearance dredged up memories of a certain someone¡ªAnna¡¯s teacher was <em>that man</em>.


    Even in a dream, he drove Joshua to the verge of madness.


    <em>I can¡¯t see him!</em> His blood boiled. He felt so powerless when answers were right in front of him. <em>Damn it!</em>


    His face, his voice¡ªnothing. Only his foggy outline indicated there was anyone there at all.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAHHHHHH!¡± Babel reached the limits of his grief and loosed a deafening scream. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if he bled to death then and there.


    The man raised his hand, dissipating the spirits like a lie. He approached Babel¡¯s kneeling form and opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Do you believe the Agnus name can halt a tide like this?¡± His voice came through first¡ªthen, slowly but surely, his face began to clear. He raised his hands to the heavens, drawing Silion into a new form.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Amidst Babel¡¯s anguished screams, the man¡¯s face was finally revealed.


    Just as Joshua opened his mouth to cry out, the world erupted into dazzling white light.


    ¡°Draxia Bell Grace¡­!¡±


    Joshua inhaled sharply and blinked his eyes open. The first thing that greeted him was the magnificent chandelier; gradually, his surrounding became clear.


    ¡°This ce¡­¡± Joshua scowled as he looked around.


    Intense aches wracked his body. Joshua sighed as he recollected what had happened just before he passed out.


    <em>My body still struggles with it?</em>


    He had progressed well beyond the first stage of his spear arts, but he had also acquired new abilities he hadn¡¯t had in his past life. Being unable to absorb those powers on his own ced far too many constraints on him.


    <em>However, it lends me significant strength. The second stage of the magic spear arts is roughly equivalent to the highest levels of a C-ss Knight. However, in terms of monster fighting, it could contend with an entry-level B-ss Knight.</em>


    <em>Bronto¡­</em> The origin stone with the attribute of thunder. Unlike the other stones, Bronto was rtively small. It constantly shot bolts of lightning in all directions. <em>I swallowed it whole, so it might have burned my stomach¡­</em>


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but giggle at how ridiculous that sounded.


    <em>Bronto¡¯s strength¡­ Is it truly all about possessing the right qualities?</em> In hisst life, the great tower¡¯s magicians had not gleaned the true nature of the origin stones even after nearly a century of study. <em>Perhaps I just won¡¯t tell the world¡­</em>


    But if that dream was actually a new property of Bronto¡­ Joshua absolutely had to investigate. That kind of ability went beyond personal power.


    <em>I¡¯d like to learn a little more about the other origin stones,</em> thought Joshua.


    Having settled his thoughts, Joshua gingerly raised himself up. The pain was tolerable but still present.


    Then he saw the Duke standing at the window, silhouetted by the pale moonlight.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you intrigued?¡± The Duke slowly turned around.


    ¡°Yes?¡± <em>What kind of question is that? Where¡¯s the context?</em>


    ¡°Only a few hours ago, the light of the blood moon seemed to devour the entire world¡ªnow it bathes it in such cold, serene moonlight.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Joshua followed Duke Agnus¡¯s gaze out the window. They both basked in the cool, clear light for a moment.


    ¡°You will depart for Arcadia as soon as you return. As I stated, you will no longer be ¡®Joshua von Agnus¡¯. You will be the only son of the troubled Viscount Frederick, a fallen nobleman trying to resurrect his shattered family.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Joshua nodded firmly. He agreed with the n¡ªno good coulde from attracting attention while he regained his strength.


    ¡°And¡ª¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s aura mped down on his body. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you were sleep talking or not, but you mentioned a quite amusing name.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes glittered brighter than the icy moonlight.


    ¡°¡¯Draxia Bell Grace¡¯. Hmph. How did youe across that cursed name?¡±

 Chapter 43

    Inside a dark, cramped, dim room, in the deepest parts of Locke Castle, a secret space for Viscount Vig, two men sat facing each other. The first was Viscount Vig; the second was¡­


    "Sir Chiffon, does sister Vanessa know about this?"


    "She is well aware."


    Vig grimaced.


    "Was it just recognizing that ''it" could jeopardize their position in the future?"


    "They couldn''t do anything about it; they didn''t even have a chance to respond."


    "Is there anything else to it? This is the first time I''ve even heard of him!" Vig furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you have any more information on him?"


    "That''s not surprising. He was a dung cleaner till not long ago."


    "What?" Vig couldn''t believe it.


    "He wasn''t allowed to set foot inside the mansion since he was born. Then he had this huge aptitude for mana before he was even ten years old, like everything else was all a lie."


    "How does that make any sense?"


    <em>It''s fine. I can''t believe it, and I don''t want to believe it¡ªbut let''s say, as Lord Chiffon said, he really was born with such great skill: did he really achieve it himself?</em>


    "Young Master Babel grew up taking many elixirs, systematically managed, and personally mentored by the Duke, and he became a mana user at the age of fourteen! Today he''s recognized as the Empire''s finest talent¡­ but then that horseshit bastard showed up¡­" Vig trailed off into a dejected sigh.


    He¡ªthe child of a maid, no less¡ªhad more talent than his beloved nephew.


    <em>I wouldn''t say anything if I didn''t see it with my own two eyes. I simply refuse to believe it.</em>


    "Let me ask you something." Vig''s eyes lit up.


    "Say it."


    "I heard he was recognized as a C-ss Knight by the Imperial family only a few days ago."


    "That''s true."


    "All C-ss Knights are the same when ites to the monsters in the ck Forest. Is there anyone else who can make the same ims as Joshua?"


    Chiffon''s face tightened.


    <em>Is that a skill a C-ss Knight can boast of?</em> No. Joshua was godlike. It''s simply impossible for anyone else¡ªonly a B-ss technique could have such a widespread effect.


    <em>If I think about it, he might be able to do it right now¡­ The other knights must be saying the same thing.</em>


    A magic swordsman¡­ should be impossible with all known conventions of mana utilizations. A swordsman creates a mana hall in his lower belly, while magicians form their mana into a ring around their heart. Having both at once would cause them to continually sh, making it entirely impossible to control your mana.


    <em>Well, it''s not like it doesn''t exist at all¡­</em> One lord of the Nine Stars; a high-ranking magician, but also an Absolute of Master status.


    <em>Only a few people are born each generation with such an unusual constitution. That''s why magical swordsmen are a rarity throughout history¡ªbut did that child have such a lucky constitution?</em>


    It was virtually impossible without divine providence.


    "I''ve thought about it for a long time. I can tell you''re serious just by the look on your face.


    "I don''t think he''s a wizard with a sword. You''d have to be at least a 3rd-ss Wizard, ording to Armand, to disy that kind of power. Is it even true he did all that? The opposite would be more believable."


    "¡­But what if he did?"


    "One day, he awoke with tremendous power. Do you understand?"


    "No way¡­" Chiffon''s eyes widened.


    "It''s conceivable he made a contract with a demon¡ªeven a high-ranking demon in the top 100."


    "That''s¡ª!" Chiffon gaped at him. The Viscount was making some dangerous ims. The affairs of demons, warlocks, and the Demon Realm were best kept to the shadows. Their reign of terror, brief as it was, swept across the continent like a savage wind.


    "People were taken aback, even in Karius. I''m confident there are ''Demons of Lightning'' who can wield the thunder attribute."


    "This is ridiculous! All of the Imperial Knights, including the Duke, have already recognized Young Master Joshua. I was there too. The magicians¡ª"


    "It doesn''t really matter if he made a deal with a demon or not."


    Now, Chiffon understood what Viscount Vig was driving at.


    "It''s amazing what a nine-year-old bastard can do. Are you certain that Aden von Agnus will be seeded by Young Master Babel?"


    "That¡ª" Chiffon struggled for words.


    <em>I don''t want to admit it, but even I was astonished.</em> Indeed, what he saw that day was bordered on the divine.


    "Fortunately, I don''t believe his mentality is as mature as his gift. Kids his age don''t know how to hide their power¡ªthey just want to unt it. So, I just have to prove that his immature actions will put his life in jeopardy."


    Vig''s deeply buried eyes glittered in the dimmplight.


    "I don''t know what sister Vanessa is thinking. I''ll say it again: I''m not sure what she''s <em>really</em> thinking. But even if he immediately departs for Arcadia, there''s still a way to get to him."


    "What?"


    "My daughter will also be attending the Imperial Academy."


    "Ah, yes." Chiffon nodded with understanding.


    "Sir Chiffon, I''d like you to pay closer attention to this part, however you choose to approach it. If that child wants to im session¡­ it''s going to be a nightmare. Before that happens, we need to get our hands on him.


    "I''m confident you''ll be ready."


    Vig stood up and walked out of the room, leaving Chiffon alone.


    "A demon¡­"


    The day the Red Knight returned from the Locke Territory, the first grand dinner in a long time was held in the Agnus Estate to congratte them on their safe return and to pray for the safety of those who would soon be departing.


    Joshua wasn''t one for those kinds of things and slipped away.


    "Is it okay for today''s protagonist to run away, master?"


    "Your choice of words is interesting. ''Master''." Joshua chuckled at Cain. "Don''t you think it would raise eyebrows if someone heard?"


    Until they swore the "Knight''s Oath", all knights of the Agnus Duchy belonged to Duke Agnus and Duke Agnus only.


    "It''s not like I''m making things up." Cain shrugged. "This makes my heart ache¡­ and so, I now appoint you as my lord."


    "Don''t I get a choice? You do know that I can decline the Knight''s Oath?"


    "I don''t believe my master would deny the subordinate who will be his closest aide."


    "¡­ You''re more daring than I had imagined."


    "I appreciate thepliment," Cain said with a wide grin. Joshua could only shake his head.


    When they arrived before Joshua''s chambers, Cain looked around carefully before politely bowing his head.


    "Please restfortably. And¡­ I meant what I said. Beyond even your enormous abilities, I believe you have incredible potential. I hope you will grant me the privilege of serving under someone like you."


    Joshua stared down at Cain''s head and smiled.


    "I''ll think about it."


    <em>Not bad.</em> Joshua watched Cain walk away before reaching for the doorknob. <em>Not bad at all.</em>


    Even in his past life, a fair number of people gathered around him. Of course, Joshua had gently pushed them away¡ªhe''d promised himself he would spend the rest of his life under the one who had protected him. Joshua thought he would be on the alert for people flocking to Joshua, particrly those superior to his own ability.


    <em>That''s why I got rid of them, but¡­</em> Joshua chewed on his lip. <em>Kaiser, why?</em>


    His heart shook. Broken friendship, broken trust.


    Naturally, his mind went to the conversation he''d had with the Duke the night before.


    <em>Draxia Bell Grace.</em> A man he''d once called friend.


    "Damn it." His grip on the doorknob tightened. A searing headache was pressing down on his skull.


    <em>I just want to go to sleep.</em>


    "Young Master Joshua?" An old butler hade up behind him with a troubled expression. "Are you feeling unwell?"


    "I''m fine," he said. He tried to push the door open.


    "The table is set for Young Master Joshua," the butler ventured. "Everyone is looking forward to you¡ª"


    "If that''s the case, could you please inform them that I''m not feeling well and won''t be able to attend?" Joshua didn''t bother to turn around.


    "This isn''t a dinner party," said the butler with a shake of his head. "This dinner is prepared for you by Duchess Vanessa. Your mother, Lady Lucia, is already there."


    Joshua''s eyes darkened.


    "What?"

 Chapter 44

    The promised dinner was held in a room a short distance from the banquet hall, a ce reserved solely for the blood of the Agnus family.


    Joshua approached the door and pulled it open before the old butler had a chance to say anything.


    ¡°Yo-Young Master Joshua!¡±


    Joshua was too upied to hear the old butler. The first thing he saw through the open door was a middle-aged beauty with piercing eyes and arched brows. And next to her:


    ¡°Mother¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua?¡± Lucia was startled by Joshua¡¯s sudden appearance. Vanessa, at the table¡¯s head, and Chiffon, next to her, didn¡¯t seem bothered.


    ¡°You¡¯re Joshua, right? Is this the first time you¡¯ve seen something like this?¡± Vanessa greeted him with a grin, but Joshua didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Young Master Joshua, you stand before thedy of the Agnus family. Be courteous.¡± Chiffon scowled at him.


    Still, Joshua remained silent.


    ¡°Young Master Joshua!¡± Chiffon eximed.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped onto Chiffon for a moment, and his body quaked with shivers.


    What kind of eyes does that boy have? Chiffon¡¯s throat quivered. Before those eyes, all pretensions of etiquette were blown away; nothing was left but primordial instinct.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you say your greetings, Joshua?¡± Lucia looked him up and down with a worried expression.


    Joshua groaned.


    ¡°I am Joshua von Agnus. I greet the Duchess.¡±


    Vanessa twitched. Was he disrespectful? No. She was bothered by the way he used the name ¡°Agnus¡±. However, the Duchess recovered quickly.


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re departing for the capital shortly. I was a little worried since I feel like I¡¯ve never properly gotten to know you.¡±


    ¡°¡ªArcadia? Are you talking about Arcadia, Duchess?¡± Lucia¡¯s eyes flew wide open.


    ¡°Just call me ¡®Sister¡¯,¡± Vanessa said.


    ¡°Oh my God, how dare I¡ª¡± Lucia stuttered with a confused expression. Both were Duke Agnus¡¯s mistresses, but their standings were as different as heaven and earth. Vanessa, descended from the noblest blood in the Avalon Empire, and Lucia, nothing more than a maid; in any other situation, it would be unthinkable to even look each other in the eye.


    Vanessa¡¯s demeanor made Lucia feel ashamed. She¡¯d never treated Lucia so well before.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t heard anything yet?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The Duke said he¡¯d take my younger sister1 and Joshua with him when he returned to the capital.¡±


    ¡°Ah, what exactly do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Joshua is a Knight.¡± Chiffon stepped up to fill in the holes.


    Lucia stared nkly at Joshua.


    ¡°This is a sore spot for me, because it looks like I never invited anyone to dinner¡­ Don¡¯t you think I¡¯d be such a jerk to leave you like this?¡± Vanessa grinned.


    ¡°My, Duchess, don¡¯t say that.¡±


    ¡°You called me that again.¡± Vanessa furrowed her brows.


    ¡°Sister¡­ sister.¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies for neglecting you. If there is any lingering ill will, it is my wish that those feelings beid to rest.¡±


    ¡°There are no grudges! You¡¯ve been so gracious to extend this hospitality to us!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Vanessa pped her hands together with a bright smile. ¡°Please prepare the table as soon as possible.¡±


    The door opened, and tters poured in one by one.


    ¡°Is your seat ufortable?¡± Vanessa asked Joshua. ¡° You haven¡¯t looked this nice in a long time.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite inconvenient.¡±


    Vanessa was puzzled by Joshua''s immediate answer.


    ¡°Young Master Joshua!¡± Chiffon couldn¡¯t hold it in any longer.


    ¡°Do you want to die?¡±


    Chiffon flinched like he¡¯d been bitten. His hand instinctively dropped to his belt.


    This! His cheeks flushed. The implications of being chastised by this youngster¡ª!


    ¡°You disgraceful¡­!¡±


    rm bells rang in Chiffon¡¯s head as the energy around Joshua¡¯s body thickened. Chiffon prepared to draw his sword.


    Swordsmanship isn¡¯t something you acquire just by growing up. Only the talented can learn it. So¡­


    Cold sweat trickled down Chiffon¡¯s back like he was facing down a B-ss Knight.


    Joshua seemedpletely centered, like the emotions of other people meant nothing to him. It seemed as if he was in control of his life, somehow.


    ¡°Seeing as you¡¯re ready to draw your de, it appears Sir Chiffon has a short temper¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    Joshua ground to a halt when he realized who was there. Chiffon let out a long breath like he¡¯d been scrubbed clean. Vanessa grimaced, and Lucia looked annoyed.


    If they¡¯d been left alone¡­


    ¡°Stop it, Sir Chiffon,¡± said the Duchess.


    ¡°What impoliteness is this, Joshua?¡± said Lucia.


    ¡°Sir Chiffon, may we speak for a moment?¡± Vanessa locked eyes with Chiffon.


    ¡°I understand, Your Highness.¡±


    Vanessa rose gently and turned to Lucia.


    ¡°Wait for just a moment,¡± said the hostess. ¡°You can eat first.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lucia didn¡¯t have time to reply before they walked out the door.


    ¡°Joshua, what¡¯s the matter with you? What do they mean when they say you¡¯re going to the capital? What about bing a knight¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Lucia came to an abrupt halt when she saw the genuine remorse on Joshua¡¯s face.


    ¡°Should I wait untilter to hear what happened?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°All right¡ª¡±


    ¡°However.¡±


    Lucia cocked her head curiously.


    ¡°For the time being, I hope you¡¯ll trust me.¡±


    ¡°Joshua?¡± Lucia was confused by Joshua¡¯s stern expression.


    His eyes were more frigid than they¡¯d ever been.


    Vanessa turned around once she¡¯d gone some distance from the dining room.


    ¡°Sir Chiffon, what are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop ming others.¡±


    ¡°My apologies.¡± Chiffon bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re acting so cruelly, Sir Chiffon.¡± Vanessa red at him with poisonous eyes. ¡°You¡¯re fighting a small child.¡±


    I remember the first time I saw that boy. From the depths of his heart, rage swelled. Animosity, without reason. He didn¡¯t understand that emotion until now. Isn¡¯t this envy?


    I don¡¯t want to admit it, but I couldn¡¯t help myself. Damn it. Chiffon chewed his lip. An unbelievable talent, superior to his beloved master, and a profound sense of dignity that draws people in.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be influenced by irrational feelings,¡± the Duchess said. ¡°If you wanted to see good things, you may be out of luck.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Those things just arrived yesterday,¡± replied the Duchess.


    Chiffon stared wide-eyed at her.


    ¡°Gari¡± was a well-known poison among the knights. It was a pure white powder that was nearly tasteless and odorless, even to the highly developed senses of knights.


    Gari might work.


    ¡°Even for a mere best, thest road is afortable one,¡± Vanessa said as she made her way slowly back to the dining room. ¡°Knight? Arcadia? It¡¯s not even funny. I don¡¯t think a bug could be better than him.¡±


    Vanessa¡¯s smile was as cold as ice.


    ¡°This time, don¡¯t make a mistake.¡±


    ¡°Have you been waiting for us¡­ Was I holding you back? I¡¯m ashamed we¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just so cozy!¡±


    Vanessa shed a bright smile at Lucia¡¯s reply before looking at Joshua.


    ¡°I offered Sir Chiffon some harsh advice; I hope you¡¯re satisfied by it as well.¡±


    Vanessa sat down and examined the food set on the table. Peculiarly, extra food was ced in front of Lucia and Joshua¡ªVanessa''s intentions were, of course, hidden within.


    ¡°Sister Lucia, I hope your seats aren¡¯t bothering you or your child?¡±


    ¡°Not at all! We¡¯re fine.¡± Lucia spoke loudly, as if unsure of herself.


    ¡°I¡¯m thrilled!¡± Vanessa smiled. ¡°Thank god. I was afraid my sister would despise me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± said Lucia. She leapt to her feet like a frightened rabbit.


    ¡°I¡¯m serious.¡± Vanessa covered her mouth bashfully. ¡°I want to get to know my younger sister a little better.¡±


    Although I wasn¡¯t criticized openly, I had to sleep with one eye open for years. Lucia was greatly moved. It was only natural she would feel reassured by the first warm words offered to her.


    ¡°Shall we eat, then?¡±


    Lucia nodded brightly.


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± The voice filled the dining room, instantly capturing the guests¡¯ attention.


    Joshua¡¯s lips curled into a tiny smile.


    ¡°Before we eat, I¡¯d like to express my regret. I had no idea there was a deeper meaning, and I was oversensitive.¡± He rose from his seat and bowed. ¡°Please ept my heartfelt apologies.¡±


    ¡°All is well.¡± Vanessa seemed perplexed but smiled and nodded. Lucia, too, was smiling.


    ¡°It appears my young mind has umted useless poisons,¡± Joshua continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think my elder mother thinks like I do. If we¡¯d known ahead of time, we would have prepared something ourselves¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote.¡±


    Joshua grinned widely at Vanessa¡¯s reply.


    ¡°I appreciate you saying that, but you reached out first¡ª¡± Joshua pointed at the table. ¡°I can¡¯t ept this kind of treatment from you.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Joshua, what do you mean?¡± Lucia shifted ufortably.


    ¡°Mother, it appears my elder mother is overly concerned about us. She only receives a small portion of the food, while we have so much.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Indeed, delicacies were piled high in front of them. Vanessa¡¯s cheeks flushed with unease as Joshua continued to push her.


    Joshua drew an angelic smile on his lips as he pressed the attack home.


    ¡°Elder mother, I hope we can all enjoy ourst dinner together.¡±


    For the first time, Vanessa¡¯s perfect smile cracked.


    Lucia.?

 Chapter 45

    Joshua defended the Emperor for numerous decades since he became the Emperor''s Sword. His life came under threat hundreds, if not thousands, of times; every time was unique in its own way. Pursued by the continent''s finest guild of assassins, backstabbed by a trusted subordinate¡­


    Poison was, of course, among them. Joshua was confident that few people had fallen victim to as many poisons as he had.


    Joshua was never one to rely on his subordinates when he could be taking the initiative. By the time one of his subordinates had killed one person, Joshua had killed ten, or twenty, or more. His aggressiveness left his body a wreck on the inside and outside. He was always on the front lines, meeting the enemy''s blows head-on.


    <em>It''s gari.</em> Joshua burst outughing. Gari''s greatest strength was its subtlety. Gari gradually drained its victims rather than melting organs like other infamous poisons. It took roughly a week for symptoms to manifest, making it very difficult to find evidence. Additionally, its properties were difficult to identify as poison.


    Joshua knew a truly odorless, colorless poison would be invented by the famous alchemists of Fordran''s southernmost kingdom after decades of research. However, that wouldn''t happen until far in the future¡ªat the very least, Joshua was confident it wasn''t in his food right now.


    <em>But for now, Gari is worth its weight in gold, and he''s put in a lot.</em>


    <em>It''s been expertly blended into the seasoning, and the tes have been carefully arranged to only target the right people.</em>


    As expected, Joshua couldn''t see signs of gari in Vanessa''s food. The Duchess kept smiling, as she always had.


    <em>I look forward to seeing that expression twist.</em>


    "Since this is the first time the entire family is sharing a meal, how about we all enjoy it together, elder mother?"


    Vanessa''s facade was already melting. Joshua''s heart buzzed with excitement the more he saw.


    "That¡­ It''s not always easy¡­ I''ve gained a lot of weight recently, so I''m paying more attention to my diet."


    "Is my elder mother afraid of something?" Joshua shot the Duchess an innocent, wide-eyed look. "Is it really worth the effort of worrying about? You''re already stunning."


    <em>This brat is really¡ª!</em> Vanessa sighed deeply. <em>I was almost convinced he already knew everything¡ªNo, maybe he does. Rumor has it he''s intelligent enough to conceal his abilities for years¡­</em>


    Vanessa''s uneasiness grew as the idea festered in her mind. What if this cunning boy said he wouldn''t eat unless the Duchess did?


    "Isn''t it all over when I depart for the capital? This time, let''s eat together so my mother can rx and enjoy herself."


    Vanessa had an overwhelming urge to smash her fists into the boy''s smug face.


    "What''s the matter? Is it possible the meal was poisoned?" Joshua belted out a longugh.


    "Young Master Joshua, you''re overdoing it!" Chiffon stepped forward when he saw Vanessa''s flustered expression.


    "Such impoliteness! What kind of joke is that? This is poison we''re talking about!"


    "Yes, son, the Duchess took special care to prepare this dinner!" Lucia chided Joshua and turned to Vanessa. "Please ept my apologies. Joshua, what are you doing instead of apologizing?"


    Lucia''s urgency grew as she saw Vanessa''s expression stiffen.


    <em>I had no intention of getting involved in the war of session of a soon-to-be-destroyed family, and I certainly didn''t want to make new enemies.</em>


    But these people had crossed the line.


    <em>I could put up with it if I was the only one who received their silly anger.</em>


    But these people hadid their hands on someone they never should have even looked at.


    "Impolite¡­ You were probably thinking the same thing."


    "Uh, what¡ª"


    "I have a question." Joshua looked Chiffon dead in the eyes. "Do you have any idea who I am?"


    Chiffon stiffened. He hadn''t even stopped to think about it earlier.


    "I suppose your silence is an answer."


    Chiffon''s lips remained tightly sealed. Even if Joshua was scum born from the lowest blood, Chiffon couldn''t dispute that he was directly descended from the master.


    "What do you think, elder mother?"


    Vanessa met Joshua''s gaze and shivered.


    "I was joking, but Sir Chiffon''s reaction makes it seem like it''s not a joke." Joshua''s eyes glowed with a dangerous light.


    "Did you really poison it?"


    "This- this, this¡ª!" Chiffon couldn''t take it anymore and drew his de just before Vanessa lost control. "I can''t let this go any longer, no matter how much of the master''s blood you have! Contempt of the Imperial family is grounds for immediate execution!"


    "You dare¡­?" Joshua growled at Chiffon.


    <em>Am I¡­ nervous?</em> Chiffon received the full brunt of Joshua''sser-sharp focus. He <em>knew</em> the gap between a C- and B-ss Knight was insurmountable, but instinct was taking over.


    "Don''t mess with me!" he screeched. His mana poured out in all directions like a small bomb. Chiffon''s heart felt as safe as a lie as heshed out with the deep blue mana rising from his mana hall.


    "Die," Joshua mumbled. A long iron staff blinked into existence in Joshua''s hand.


    <em>Built-in subspace magic!? I thought it was something unusual, but I never imagined it would be this incredible.</em>


    That wasn''t the most pressing issue, however.


    <em>Is this a C-ss skill?</em>


    Chiffon, buffeted by Joshua''s energy, could not believe his eyes. The mana he felt was vast and boundless; it had to be B-ss, at minimum.


    <em>What a phenomenal rate of progress¡­!</em> Chiffon was terrified at this point, but he couldn''t hold back his sword now. <em>I have no idea how much you''ll grow if you leave like this. I''d much rather you die here¡ª!</em>


    Chiffon breathed every scrap of mana he had into his sword.


    The moment peaked with exquisite tension; it teetered and dallied on the edge of catastrophe.


    "Tell me, what are you doing?"


    The immense Imperial Pce contained a variety of pces reserved solely for the princes. One, in particr, stood out: the furthest from the Imperial Pce.


    This one was definitely shabby, unlike the other elegantly adorned pces.


    Curiously, its door was wide open today.


    In the fading light of the setting sun, a knock echoed quietly in the detached pce''srgest chamber.


    The man seated by the window gently raised his head from his book at the sound. Or perhaps we should call him a boy rather than a man? A boy with brilliant eyes and bright blonde hair that would attract attention wherever he went: Kaiser von Britten, fourth prince of the Avalon Empire.


    "This is Evergrant, Prince."


    "Please, enter."


    The door gently swung open to admit Evergrant, Chief Wizard of the Empire, dressed in his trademark spotless white robe.


    "A letter has arrived from Agnus."


    "It appears he has made up his mind." Kaiser''s eyes twinkled. He''d been looking forward to this letter arriving. "Have you examined the contents?"


    "I thought it would be impolite, so I brought it here as soon as it arrived at the Imperial Pce."


    All mail sent to the Imperial family via the Imperial Pce''s mana post was routed through Evergrant, the most senior mage.


    Kaiser smiled warmly at Evergrant for his consideration.


    "Will he actually take me up on my offer?"


    "I believe he will ept." Evergrant responded without hesitation. "All knights dream of joining the Knights Temr. You would be an idiot to refuse this chance."


    "Let''s see¡­" Recalling the boy with the remarkable blue hair brought a smile to Kaiser''s face as he skimmed through the letter.


    <strong>Tak.</strong> The letter fell from his hand.


    "Prince?" Evergrant cautiously leaned towards him. His fears were confirmed when Kaiser didn''t respond.


    "Hahahahaha¡­" Kaiser chuckled.


    "Prince?" Kaiser''s sudden outburst left Evergrant confused and embarrassed.


    "Hahahahahahahaha!" The discarded letter was crushed under Kaiser''s heel. His modest smile stretched into a maddened rictus, and his kind eyes glittered with a psychotic light.


    "...Joshua von Agnus."

 Chapter 46

    "Duke!" The sudden appearance of Duke Agnus left Chiffon flustered.


    "I asked you what you think you''re doing, Chiffon."


    "I¡ª!" Chiffon struggled to swallow as he faced down Duke Agnus''s deeply sunken eyes. No doubt it looked like he was bullying Joshua.


    <em>Isn''t this an inexcusable situation? I''m doomed.</em>


    While Chiffon was iling around for options, Vanessa quietly stepped forward.


    "I called Lucia and the boy over. They imed you were taking them to the capital, so I figured I''d have lunch with them before they go."


    The way Vanessa emphasized the word "capital" made Duke Agnus consider his next words carefully. He carefully looked around: the Duchess''s eyes smoldered with anger; Lucia was anxious and restless; the food¡­


    Vanessa''s reaction was all the exnation he needed.


    "How long are you going to stand around like that?"


    "Ah¡­" Chiffon hastily sheathed his sword. Likewise, Lugia disappeared with a shake of Joshua''s hand.


    "We are leaving tomorrow morning¡­" Duke Agnus eyed Joshua and Lucia. "Just get up¡­"


    "All right." Joshua stood from his seat without hesitation and approached Lucia. "Mother¡ª"


    "Ah! Yes¡­" Lucia was gently escorted out of the dining room.


    A voice came from behind Duke Agnus as he was about to leave.


    "Why are you doing this now?" Aren''t you even going to deny it? Why are you always keeping me in the dark?"


    "...Do you hold a grudge against me?" Duke Agnus slowly turned to face Vanessa.


    "I''m sorry." Vanessa''s face crumpled.


    "What is it that you are so upset about?"


    "It''s¡ª"


    "¡ªIs it because I took interest in Joshua and Lucia all of a sudden?"


    "Don''t bring up that bitch in front of me! Is this what you married me for!? You never cared about me, your pride and honor always came first."


    Duke Agnus remained stoic throughout her violent outburst.


    "When you''re born into the Imperial family, an arranged marriage is a given. I didn''t marry you because of love, so I''m not going to get that. However¡ª!" Vanessa bit her lip. "I will not remain silent if that child harms Babel. Babel means everything to me, just as family and honor means everything to you. As one of the Empire''s highest nobility, so long as you have basic manners you will be well looked after¡ª"


    "How about some ''basic manners''?" Duke Agnus smirked. "Would a person with ''basic manners'' do such a thing?"


    "What¡­?"


    "Did you think I wasn''t aware?" The Duke''s steely gaze bored down on Vanessa and Chiffon.


    <em>He knew everything.</em>


    Lucia nagged Joshua for over an hour after they left the dining room.


    <em>I''m sure you were upset.</em> Joshua smiled bitterly. He hadn''t mentioned anything in advance, despite the tremendous changes going on. From Joshua''s perspective, it wasn''t a big deal¡ªhe was just too busy to talk. But that was just an excuse.


    <em>Shouldn''t I have time to talk to my mom? We live in the same house.</em>


    Humans constantly create excuses that are favorable to them, and those excuses are gathered and fastened to their parents'' hearts.


    Joshua stopped berating himself when he noticed he had a guest waiting outside his door.


    "Cain?"


    Cain''s footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as he approached Joshua.


    "I was anticipating your arrival." The knight bowed before Joshua.


    "Have you been waiting for a long time?"


    "Please." Cain chuckled and shook his head. "I''m not that sluggish."


    "Hmm¡­ Is that so?" Joshua cast Cain a doubtful look.


    "Did you have a good meal?" Cain sheepishly changed the subject.


    "You knew?"


    "You weren''t in your room, so I asked the butler."


    <em>Was the butler in on the game?</em> Every part of this affair had to have been meticulously prepared. No doubt Vanessa had her fingers in every corner of the Duke''s estate¡ªanother reason for Joshua to move to the capital as soon as possible. He wasn''t bothered by the insects swarming around him, but he wouldn''t let them bother his mother.


    "I heard you''re leaving for the capital tomorrow."


    Joshua raised an eyebrow at him.


    "It''s just my opinion, but¡­ I believe it''s a fantastic choice. The Young Master can build up his power safely with the support of the capital, and you''ll be able to learn something from the Grand Duke."


    Cain hesitated for a moment, then his expression firmed.


    "I have a request, Young Master."


    "What?"


    "What I mentioned before; my heart''s desire. Will you ept me as your servant?"


    Joshua''s expression fell. Cain''s question was troubling¡ªclearly, the more capable his followers all, the easier his life was. He was already nning on recruiting talent anyway. However, there was one thing he had to make sure of.


    "Do you have any idea what path I''ll take? You''vee to the wrong spot if glory is what you want. People will reject the path I walk because it is paved with blood." Joshua stared Cain dead in the eyes. "Do you still wish to follow me?"


    "A knight merely trusts and obeys his master." Cain slowly knelt before Joshua. "No matter how much blood lies on their path. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I, as a knight, will stake my life on Young Master Joshua.


    "Would you grant me this honor?" Cain mmed his fist over his heart.


    Joshua broke his grim facade with a bright peal ofughter.


    "Maybe."


    The next morning, the Duchy''s staff were busy as bees. No oneined, even though they''d hosted a grand dinner the night before.


    Today was the day the Duke departed for the capital, after all.


    "Attention!" The Duke''s knights were lined up in front of the castle''s main gate as Duke Agnus made his appearance.


    "Salute!" As one, their swords were raised to the sky. Hundreds of knights moved in perfect unison, like clockwork.


    "Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "Everything is fine."


    "You may be acting as a fallen noble, but your attendants are not limited. Don''t you think it would be inconvenient to be apanied by only one knight?"


    "Did you forget how I used to live?" Joshua grinned and tossed a nce over his shoulder at Cain. "One is excessive."


    "All right. Well, then." Duke Agnus snapped his reins.


    "For Agnus!"


    Joshua spared the estate onest nce before he followed the Duke through the forest of gleaming des.


    "Wait!" A thundering voice broke the solemn silence.

 Chapter 47

    ¡°...Charles?¡±


    ¡°You were about to depart, Duke, yet I couldn¡¯t even greet you properly.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Agnus sighed deeply at Charles¡¯s unusually solemn demeanor.


    ¡°I apologize for turning up without warning at a ce like this Duke,¡± ventured Cox. ¡°But it wouldn¡¯t reflect well on me if I didn¡¯t even see you as you left.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right, Cox.¡± Duke Agnus turned back to Charles. ¡°Indeed, Rebra and Iceline didn¡¯t show their faces before they left. You seem to be feeling a little better now.¡±


    ¡°Ah. Thanks to the Duke, my recovery hase a long way. Please ept my apologies for burdening you.¡±


    ¡°Is it just my mood, or has our tomboy princess suddenly transformed?¡± Duke Agnus pulled a long face, much to Cox¡¯s vocal amusement.


    Not so long ago, Charles was a naive youngdy who dashed about with no aim and no restraint. ¡°Mister, Mister!¡± was one of her signature phrases.


    ¡°Your father must be proud of you. What a shame, though¡­ I miss the way you were, somehow¡­¡±


    ¡°Alrighty, Mister! Wanna just do it like we used to?¡±


    ¡°¡ªEh!?¡± Cox yelped when Charles abruptly reverted.


    ¡°Haha! That¡¯s my Charles. If you¡¯re thinking of visiting the capital, would you care to join me? Did you know your father is also in Arcadia?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness, but I believe that would be impossible. Just promise to pay Cox¡¯s family a visit when you return.¡±


    ¡°Such a promise, Princess¡­¡± Cox looked troubled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not doing it for Cox, I¡¯m doing it for Anna, your beloved.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Cox sighed and mped his mouth shut, bringing a cheeky smile to Charles¡¯s lips.


    ¡°And¡­ Young Master Joshua?¡±


    <em>What the hell?</em> Joshua panicked when Charles called out to him. Somehow, her approach set him on edge. All the vassals and knights of the Duchy were watching¡ªit would be pretty irritating if they started spreading rumors.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to eat you.¡± Charles smiled sweetly.


    ¡°Huh!¡± The knights sputtered.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is the mark of our family.¡± Charles grinned and held out her hand to Joshua.


    ¡°Pri-Pri-Princess!?¡± Cox was the first to recognize the object in her hand: a palm-sized, pure gold pendant engraved with a golden owl. The rest of the audience was equally wide-eyed, boggling at the unexpected appearance of the Pontier family crest.


    ¡°Why did Princess Charles offer Young Master Joshua such a valuable gift¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is it possible that Young Master Joshua has a bond with Princess Charles?¡±


    ¡°What a load of nonsense! Princess Charles already has Young Master Babel in her heart!¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? A woman¡¯s heart should sway like a reed. They¡¯re not even dating, so what¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Ah, says the guy who doesn¡¯t know how a woman¡¯s heart works.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mood sank. He wanted to showcase his abilities, not lubricate the rumor mill.


    ¡°What am I going to do with this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m no snob. It doesn¡¯t mean anything, just¡­¡± Charles winked. ¡°I¡¯d like you to consider it an invitation. Please pay our family a visit if you travel to Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Why should I¡ª¡± Joshua hesitated because Charles looked like she was about to cry.


    ¡°What are you crying over, Princess Charles?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s a reason thedy gave it to him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just an invitation, but Young Master Joshua is a formidable opponent.¡±


    Obviously, Joshua¡¯s superhuman senses heard everything.


    <em>This is¡­</em> The boy was greatly perplexed. <em>If this tomboy actually cries right now, the rumors will spread like wildfire. Everyone will be trying to figure out who I am. No good.</em>


    Joshua grimaced. It would take him at least five years to restore his strength to a decent level; all his ns would be foiled, however, by Charles¡¯s shenanigans.


    <em>I don¡¯t have to use it if I take it. After all, Arcadia is huge¡ªI won¡¯t see them unless I go looking for them.</em>


    ¡°...Okay?¡± Charles awkwardly extended the pendant towards Joshua again. ¡°Are you going to embarrass me like this? I¡¯m just trying to make amends for my prior indifference¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah! Okay! I get it!¡± Joshua grabbed the pendant. A teasing little smile flickered across Charles¡¯s lips, but Joshua was too preupied to notice.


    ¡°We have a long way to go.¡± Duke Agnus coughed politely but wore a mischievous little smile. ¡°We¡¯d best leave soon. Charles, may I visit as well?¡±


    ¡°Of course, uncle¡ªno, Duke! You are always wee.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to prepare the Heart Kingdom De Bellue in advance! Your father is rumored to be quite the drinker! Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll see you again, Princess Tomboy.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Duke!¡±


    ¡°Stay well, Cox.¡±


    ¡°Duke. I¡¯ll see you next time.¡±


    ¡°Depart!¡± The Duke spun around.


    ¡°Depart!¡±


    Duke Agnus eyed Joshua¡¯s back as they departed.


    <em>Perhaps you don¡¯t know what it implies for ady to bestow their family crest to someone.</em>


    The Duke¡¯s smile was as bright as the rising sun.


    Jaken, head of the Emperor¡¯s intelligence agency, prostrated himself before the Emperor¡¯s throne.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we have received new information regarding Duke Agnus, as you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡± A glimmer of light shone in his dark eyes.


    ¡°Duke Aden von Agnus and his second son, Joshua von Agnus, are expected to arrive in the capital in three days. And¡­¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°The Fourth Prince Kaiser¡¯s rmendation to the Imperial Knights Temr¡­ was declined.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes popped wide open. ¡°He refused?¡±


    The power of the Imperial Knights could not be overestimated. No noble below a count could take on even a single member. It was no exaggeration to say they were the most powerful military force in the Empire, with the rise of the Imperial family¡¯s power.


    Suffice to say, Emperor Marcus believed he was the most powerful man on the entire continent. Joshua, apparently, disagreed. A second son¡ªa bastard, no less. In most families, he would live or die by the eldest son¡¯s grace.


    ¡°...Do you believe you can seize your family with just your own strength? I¡¯m disappointed.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t seem that way.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°ording to Joshua von Agnus¡¯s letter to Prince Kaiser, ¡®I don¡¯t need the Prince¡¯s approval. I will obey His Majesty the supreme Emperor¡¯s will in ordance with thews of the Empire.¡¯¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes slowly opened.


    <em>You will obediently carry out mymands?</em> That could only mean one thing¡ªand it was the safest and most straightforward method for an outsider to control the situation with just their own strength.


    <em>Only you would be so exceptional.</em>


    ¡°Are you going to tear it down? Our Imperial Knights, the Empire¡¯s pride and joy?¡±


    Jaken tried his best not to attract the Emperor¡¯s attention as his madness rattled the court.


    ¡°AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!¡±

 Chapter 48

    ¡°You are wee to stay here for the moment.¡± One of the Agnus knights showed Joshua to a modest building.


    <em>We arrived in Arcadiate this afternoon. It lives up to its glorious reputation.</em> The awe-inspiring Imperial Pce loomed over the lesser buildings, dominating the capital¡¯s skyline¡ªof course, Joshua had grown bored of it a long time ago.


    Arcadia¡¯snd prices were as incredible as its splendor; Duke Agnus, one of the highest-ranking aristocrats in the Empire, resided in one of Arcadia¡¯s most expensive areas. A single building in the heart of Arcadia would cost as much as a fort in a rural area.


    The building Joshua and his group stood before, on the other hand, was located on the city outskirts.


    ¡°This location¡­¡± Cain muttered.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Right. Arcadia is where I spent my childhood and where I came into the Duke¡¯s following.¡±


    <em>You were close enough for him to bring you along?</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes twinkled. <em>But it was I who made use of your full potential.</em>


    It was obvious to Joshua that Cain was concealing his abilities, even if his senses weren¡¯t even a tenth as sharp as they used to be. Curiously, though, that was all he knew about ¡°Sir Cain¡±. That could mean one of two things: either he failed to break his limits and faded into obscurity, or he was wiped out with the rest of the Agnus Duchy before he had a chance to fully blossom.


    <em>Whichever it is, he¡¯s better off with me.</em> Joshua would make sure his people could walk with their heads held high. It was how a master should show his appreciation for his subordinates¡¯ devotion.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only been here once.¡± Cain scratched his head. ¡°He invited me here to put my abilities to the test. As you may have noticed, the Duke¡¯s residence has many eyes¡ªso, there¡¯s no better ce to train quietly than here.¡±


    With that, Cain pushed open the door.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lucia giggled in delight when she saw the interior opening before her. It was big and clean, in contrast to its outdated exterior; hidden away in the backyard, they could see a small but private training ground.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It was exactly what Joshua wanted: a peaceful spot to train and meditate without being distracted by prying eyes.


    <em>However, security is the worst because it¡¯s in such a thinly popted area.</em>


    Except for Cain, everyone who came with them were maids to assist Lucia. That was exactly what Joshua wanted, but if he was attacked¡­


    <em>It would be difficult for Cain to defend my mother on his own, and I can¡¯t stay here all the time. Then¡­</em>


    Thest school year had just ended, so the academy was on break; that meant there were still over two months until the start of the new semester. Plenty of time.


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be gone for a while.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about right now?¡± Cain blinked at him.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t tell my mother, even if she asks.¡±


    ¡°... It¡¯s big here. You¡¯ll get lost if you wander around,¡± Cain muttered nkly as he watched Joshua fade from view. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯ll just amble around for a bit.¡±


    Joshua took a slow walk to the center of the capital and had a look around. The experience was curiously fresh, despite his obvious familiarity with the ce.


    <em>Impressionster. I have more pressing matters at the moment.</em> Joshua strode away with purpose. Right now, he needed information¡ªJoshua was desperate to fill in the gaps in his memory.


    Joshua detoured from the entertainment street and winded through alleys away from the center.


    ¡°It¡¯s just the same as it was decades ago.¡± Joshua chuckled. He stood before a building dubbed ¡°A ss of Wine in the White Rawolf¡± on a sign that rattled and shook like it would fall off any minute. It was a bar, as the name suggested.


    <em>Looks fine on the surface.</em>


    ¡°Kid, did ya go down the wrong road?¡± A voice interrupted him just as he was reaching for the doorknob.


    <em>Finally, the main character appeared.</em> Joshua had felt the man following him the minute he stepped into this alley.


    Joshua slowly turned around and smiled sweetly at him.


    <em>I¡¯m in the right ce.</em> The man¡¯s face confirmed that.


    An informant needed neither enormous strength nor a smart head; they needed discretion and deception. In that sense, the young man¡¯s unremarkable, entirely forgettable appearance made him an ideal specimen.


    ¡°I came to recover the red coin buried in the depths of the Raulf River.¡±


    Surprise flickered across the man¡¯s expression, but hisposure returned almost immediately.


    ¡°Come this way.¡±


    Joshua grinned. The man would never ask questions, regardless of the customer¡ªnot even if they traded a dragon¡¯s heart. Discreet transactions for reasonable rates.


    <em>You might be intrigued by my childish physique, but you stick to your guidelines. That, I suppose, is how you stay the best in the business.</em>


    The bar wasn¡¯t in its peak hours yet. The majority of the tables were empty, with a handful of people drinking by themselves. They weren¡¯t ¡°real¡± guests, to be sure.


    ¡°Take care of the counter, Ryan.¡±


    One of the ¡°drinkers¡± then stood up and walked out the door as Joshua and the man passed by.


    <em>You don¡¯t have to be concerned about security. I¡¯d be interested in a dragon¡¯s heart, but there¡¯s no incentive to reveal any information unless it¡¯s arge item.</em>


    Above all else, ¡°trust¡± is the lifeblood of this industry. After all, who would trade information if it was leaked all over the continent? Any breach of security would spell the doom of thepany.


    The young man turned the corner and groped at a dimly-lit corner. With a small click, a hidden underground passage was revealed.


    ¡°Be careful; it¡¯s dark.¡±


    A bright red door guarded by two men lied at the end of the passage.


    ¡°It¡¯s a client.¡±


    The guards opened the door without a word.


    <em>Is he higher up than I assumed?</em> Joshua eyed the young man curiously. To get that kind of reaction from the guards, even in a secret corridor¡­ This man couldn¡¯t be judged by his appearance.


    Past the door was smaller than Joshua had imagined. The waiting room was about the same size as the room upstairs, with many smaller rooms lining the sides. There were six rooms,beled ¡°1¡±, ¡°2¡±, ¡°3¡±, ¡°4¡±, and ¡°5¡±, with thest one hidden behind a dark curtain. Joshua¡¯s guide led him into the third room and gestured to a front-row seat.


    ¡°Please, sit.¡±


    Joshua sat cidly in his chair and looked around the room. It was modest, just like the waiting room: one table in the middle and a fist-sized hold in the back wall, where the young man sat.


    <em>Perhaps the data is delivered through that hole?</em>


    ¡°All right, what information do you require?¡±


    ¡°Are you also an informant? You sell, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct; is that an issue?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just amusing that someone like the branch manager escorts me merely for level 3 information¡­¡± Joshua chuckled and shook his head. ¡°Is there a personnel shortage, perhaps?¡±


    The young man¡¯s eyes flinched.


    ¡°...You seem familiar with ourpany¡ªbut how did you know that I¡¯m the branch manager?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­ but it was obvious from your reaction just now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Simple,¡± Joshua smirked. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t ask ¡®how did you know that I¡¯m the branch manager?¡¯ if you weren¡¯t the branch manager.¡±


    Joshua raised a finger.


    ¡°The informants¡¯ identities are kept hidden to maintain operational security¡ªeven informants from the same branch have no idea who each other are. It¡¯s the best structure I¡¯ve ever seen.


    ¡°One of the organization¡¯s distinguishing features is that each branch has a manager who controls and monitors every aspect of its operations. Some informants aren¡¯t even aware they exist, much less their name.


    ¡°I just made an educated guess based on people¡¯s reactions to you.¡±


    Joshua settled into his chair with a confident expression.


    ¡°I thought the stories were overblown, but now I believe they were more fact than rumor.¡± The mysterious young man looked Joshua dead in the eye. ¡°Young Master Joshua, second son of Agnus.¡±

 Chapter 49

    Chapter 49


    ¡°You seem familiar with who I am,¡± said Joshua, unconcerned.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most talked-about person in the Empire. If I didn¡¯t know that much, I¡¯d be out of a job.¡±


    That was both good and bad in equal measure. A lot of nning had gone into keeping his arrival secret: his smallpany was divided into smaller groups before they arrived at Arcadia, and Joshua was prepared to act as a member of Viscount Frederick¡¯s family if anyone asked. Yet, despite his best efforts, this man already knew his identity.


    From a client¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s a warm wee. It implies that they¡¯re credible. But, on the other hand, that information could be sold at any time.


    It¡¯s almost certain that someone else knows my whereabouts.


    Joshua shook his head. He didn¡¯t want this to happen, but it was inevitable¡ªhe just couldn¡¯t control all the information on his own.


    ¡°I think I know what you¡¯re thinking.¡± Afortable smile danced on the man¡¯s normally harsh features. ¡°Let me tell you one thing¡­ At this point, the only people who know your true identity are me and a few of my subordinates. Incidentally, no one has yet to approach us for information about the Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Can you just tell me that? It seems like valuable information.¡± Joshuaughed. ¡°I can¡¯t even pay right now because I¡¯m a powerless punk.¡±


    ¡°You came without money?¡±


    ¡°Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a real pity¡­¡± The man scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure the guy in front of me is really a nine-year-old kid. It feels like you¡¯re an old man who¡¯s seen it all, yet¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°Well, as I said before, I won¡¯t take any money¡ªit¡¯s a token of appreciation for our first meeting.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°...I had no intention of even presenting myself, at first¡ªbut I suppose I should, for the Young Master.¡± The man stood up from his seat. ¡°My name is Jero, branch manager of the Moon Gate in Arcadia. It is an honor to meet the future of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to admit you¡¯re the branch manager just like that?¡±


    ¡°The branch managers are an open secret.¡± Jero shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not publicly avable information, but it¡¯s not that much of a secret.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ keeping it a secret hasn¡¯t helped me obtain information, so it doesn¡¯t seem like a business loss from my point of view.¡±


    Jero sat back down and rubbed his chin.


    ¡°That was a long introduction. So, let¡¯s get down to business¡ªMay I inquire as to why you approached our organization in this manner?¡±


    ¡°Before we discuss my objective, I¡¯d like to ask you a question. Would it be fair to say that this room means you¡¯re only allowed to pass information up to level 3?¡±


    ¡°That was correct at the time, however¡­¡± Jero looked deeply into Joshua¡¯s eyes. ¡°I will supply you with the highest level of information permissible, up to level 1 information.¡±


    ¡°..Why are you giving me so much information on my first time?¡±


    ¡°The same as previously.¡± Jero shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s a long term investment. It would be a shame to let you walk away when your genius will soon leave its mark on the Empire¡ªor even the continent atrge.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed as he listened to Jero. It might be a gamble, but there were no such things as unpaid favors. If he supplied first-rate information, his demands would be monumental to match. All information handled by the Moon Gate was renowned both for its exceptional quality and its oundish price.


    But that doesn¡¯t imply I need to reveal my weaknesses right away.


    ¡°With a pseudonym like ¡®Jero¡¯, I would have thought I could obtain at least Earth-level information. It seems like that¡¯s not the case, however.¡±


    ¡°... You¡¯ve impressed me once again.¡± Jero¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°How in the world did you know that?¡± He was starting to think one of his personnel was a mole. Otherwise, an outsider wouldn¡¯t know so much about the organization¡¯s internal affairs.


    ¡°You supply the customers information, no questions asked¡ªwasn¡¯t that the Moon Gate¡¯s iron rule?¡±


    Jero grimaced and bowed his head.


    ¡°...I apologize for my mistake. Tell me what information you need.¡±


    Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for something.¡±


    ¡°An object? What might¡ª?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an heirloom from the family of Count Orbis, who were wiped out ten years ago. I want to know who owns the item now.¡±


    ¡°The Orbis family¡­¡± Jero worked his jaw while he thought. ¡°It¡¯s not difficult. Most of the Orbis family¡¯s propertynded in the ck market. If we focus there¡­¡±


    Joshua knew it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as it appeared. The confidentiality and security of the ck market are its primary appeal, such that the public ispletely unaware it exists at all. Jero could only be so nonchnt because he worked for the Moon Gate.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll take a long time?¡±


    ¡°A week is plenty.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Joshua¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°Do you require any other information?¡±


    Joshua hesitated; his next inquiry was extremely sensitive¡ªsensitive enough to provoke a reaction from Duke Agnus.


    The Moon Gate appears to be a multinational intelligence agency with no national roots on the surface. I¡¯m not saying anything right now, but¡­ Joshua squeezed his eyes shut and grumbled to himself. ¡­ there¡¯s no such thing as a well-kept secret.


    If what I know reaches someone¡¯s ears, it could cause a lot of problems. Joshua unconsciously drummed his fingers against the table. It would be good to start by just observing to not draw suspicion. I¡¯ll just say I know nothing if anyone presses me.


    If his n worked, he could get two birds with one stone.


    ¡°May the moon bless whoever discovers the red coin buried in the Raulf River¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, what¡ªHow did you know?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t ask customers for personal information¡ª¡±


    ¡°This ispletely different! Only a few people in ourpany know that myth! What is your real identity!?¡±


    ¡°Whoever seeks the Moon Gate will find it, am I right? Well, not for an outsider like me. But it is what you¡¯re looking for right now?


    Joshua raised three fingers.


    ¡°Three years. Three years, and I¡¯ll find it. There are, of course, conditions.¡±


    ¡°...Are you certain?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say I was a long-term investment?¡± Joshua smiled. ¡°Believe me or not, I will find it.¡±


    Jero pondered for a brief moment before slowly opening his mouth.


    ¡°...To be honest, the sessor¡¯spetition finished a year ago. It¡¯s an item that no longer needs finding.¡±


    I thought the session battle would be drawing to a close around this time, but I didn¡¯t expect it to already be over. Maybe it was only natural¡ªthe new leader of the Moon Gate possesses such incredible talents, after all.


    ¡°...But. That mark is a symbolic object that our organization has sought for decades. Perhaps ¡®he¡¯ is eager to find it too.¡± Jero¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°Let¡¯s start with your conditions, then we can judge the value of the investment.¡±


    ¡°Great. My conditions are simple: from now on, you will never disclose the information I¡¯m about to ask for to anyone. That¡¯s my condition.¡±


    ¡°Our organization never sells customer information¡ª¡± Jero pped his mouth shut when Joshua shot him a baleful stare. ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯m telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anyone.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you doing this as an investment? I¡¯d like to make an investment as well.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯ve worked for the organization for decades, but I¡¯ve never met anyone like the Young Master.¡± Jero shook his head helplessly. ¡°So, what is your request?¡±


    ¡°Draxia Bell Grace.¡±


    ¡°Draxia Bell Grace¡ª!¡± Jero leapt up from his seat, staring at Joshua with wide, terrified eyes. ¡°Draxia Bell Grace, the War God!¡±

 Chapter 50

    Two months passed faster than I thought. Joshua had spent them regaining his strength, as well as doing his best to convince his mother to move to the safety of Duke Agnus¡¯s mansion. However, Lucia was loath to part from her child¡ªthe new environment let her spend time with her son without other people disturbing them. There was a fight, but Lucia ended up raising the white g; it seems no parent can win against their child. The most likely threat to Lucia while Joshua was in the academy was from the inside, not the outside.


    With only a week until he would enter the academy, Joshua was getting nervous.


    ¡°Young Master, it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you.¡±


    The Imperial Pce Restaurant sits deep within Arcadia, with arge sign boasting, ¡°Experience the cooking of the Imperial Pce¡¯s chef!¡±


    Joshua, sipping a ss of milk at a corner table, shot a nce to the side. There sat Jero of the Moon Gate.


    ¡°You¡­ Are you Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain flinched¡ªhe¡¯d been on high alert since Jero appeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Cain went back to eating without another word.


    ¡°The fact that you approached me like this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Jero interrupted with a beaming smile, ¡°I executed your order wlessly.¡± Jero pulled something from his sleeves and passed it furtively under the table, where Cain snatched it out of his hand.


    ¡°The tracking took longer than expected due to the number of people involved. However¡­ thest location has been found.¡±


    ¡°How much does it cost?¡±


    ¡°Ah, consider it on the house.¡±


    Joshua was taken aback.


    ¡°This is a little thing inparison to other requests.¡± Jero smiled. ¡°You advise us to go, but these seem to bepletely mundane things¡­ I¡¯m wondering if they have some secret power we¡¯re not aware of.¡±


    ¡°Stop thinking about it.¡±


    Joshua and Jero stared each other down for a moment.


    ¡°...Was that too far from the realm of possibility?¡± Jero got up from his seat. ¡°Now then, since the rest of themission remains upleted, I¡¯ll keep you updated.¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    ¡°Ah, we¡¯ll take care of the request fee then.¡± Jero pped his hands together. ¡°This is alsoplimentary; our organization takes an advanced payment for every request.¡±


    ¡°Complimentary¡­¡± Joshua puffed up withughter.


    There¡¯s no such thing as a free lunch. There will be a time, when the fruit is ripe, that he¡¯ll ask for something bigger.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going now¡­ I¡¯ll be in touch now and then.¡± Jero bowed deeply and disappeared out the door.


    Joshua swept his gaze over the inside of the restaurant. It waste afternoon, well past lunchtime, so the restaurant was quite quiet.


    ¡°Are there a lot of aristocrats on the second floor at this time of day?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. Of course, because it¡¯s regrly used by the nobility, there will be additional fees¡ª¡±


    Joshua was making for the stairs before Cain could finish his sentence. Cain followed him with a bemused expression, and the figures of a man and a boy vanished into the second floor.


    ¡°Oh, Young Master Vis!¡± A bloated man ran into the yard with no shoes on.


    This plump man¡¯s estate lied on the outskirts of town, across from the home Duke Agnus gave Joshua. As a baron, the lowest of the aristocrats, his home was far from the Imperial Pce. However, his mansion was farrger than a typical nobleman of his rank¡ªeven on Arcadia¡¯s outskirts, that meant having money to burn. This was the residence of Baron Provalum, a well-regarded man throughout the entire Empire.


    ¡°Young Master, what brings you to this filthy ce without warning?¡± Baron Provalum wiped his sweaty palms as he approached the young man who had just arrived.


    He had pristine white skin and emerald hair. He seemed unprofessional, but his eyes were dark and steely.


    ¡°Provalum, I believe the deadline has already passed.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Baron Provalum shook his head remorsefully. ¡°As you are aware, Young Master, female elves of any race are quite scarce. It¡¯s quite difficult for us to acquire such products. If you give me a little more time, I¡¯ll be able to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in your excuses. I believe I entrusted you to carry the task to fruition.¡±


    ¡°I apologize profusely, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°Does a week suffice?¡±


    ¡°Of course, of course! Can someone bring me some water?¡±


    The young man scowled at the sweaty baron and abruptly turned away. The tter of armor echoed around Baron Provalum¡¯s lowered head as the young man¡¯s retinue disappeared from sight.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t how I want to live up to my name.¡± Baron Provalum flopped over where he stood. ¡°It¡¯s the same way every time¡­¡±


    ¡°Baron, the water is here.¡± The butler handed Baron Provalum a ss of water, which he downed instantly.


    ¡°I¡­ Baron, is a week really enough? For an elf, a week¡ª¡±


    ¡°I want to make it possible, even if it¡¯s impossible.¡±


    Baron Provalum shivered. That young man is the reason why he, a bottom-rung aristocrat, could enjoy such wealth.


    I could have lost everything at a single word or doubled my wealth.


    ¡°The Vis¡­¡± Baron Provalum whimpered.


    The Emperor¡¯s confidant, the Marquis of Vis. Veron Shen Vis, the only son of Marquis Shen Vis, a powerful pro-Imperial general, had made his appearance.


    Count Orbis¡¯s family was one of the few families of noble wizards in the Avalon Empire, an oddity in and where magic was scorned. They¡¯d formed a pair with Count Rebra¡¯s family. Despite Avalon¡¯s knight-centric culture, Orbis had defied the stereotype that a wizard could not defeat a knight in singlebat. The head of Orbis had famously cemented his ce as the first battle wizard on the continent.


    The incident didn¡¯t gain much traction in Avalon, the kingdom of knights, but in Terra, the magic kingdom, the response was explosive. The monarch of Terra even went out of his way to invite the patriarch of Orbis to his kingdom.


    Such was the Orbis family, a family whose passion for magic was unmatched. A passionate advocate for the rights and interests of wizards; a family that may have altered the Empire¡¯s perception of wizards. But only a few years ago, the prosperous Orbis family had fallenpletely.


    Not to just anyone¡ªthey fell to the Imperial family.


    When you look at the records, you can¡¯t help but wonder if the Imperial family is eliminating nobles on purpose.


    Joshua eyed the parchment Jero had delivered. It bore a single line of writing.


    ¡°Baron ent¡­¡± Joshua scowled.


    ording to Moon Gate¡¯s report, the Orbis heirloom Joshua sought was most likely owned by Barron ent. Unfortunately, Baron ent was quite well-known in the area.


    Not famous, but notorious. Joshua smiled wickedly.


    His initial n was to buy the item with cash as soon as he could find it. Joshua hoped to capitalize on the fact that he was the only person who knew the object¡¯s true value. Despite being the heirloom of a prominent family of wizards, it was neither an artifact of unique power nor encrusted with gemstones. In the eyes of most people, it was nothing more and nothing less than a lovely golden ring.


    It¡¯s impossible for its true value to be exposed immediately¡ªbut that¡¯s the issue. I can¡¯t just go out and buy it when I don¡¯t know anything about Baron ent¡¯s character.


    ¡°...Colossus of the Night, ent Provalum,¡± Cain mumbled.


    ¡°Do you know who he is?¡±


    ¡°Just a smidgen. He¡¯s reasonably well-known. ve trading, smuggling, drug dealing¡ªhe uses the influence of high-ranking aristocrats to engage in all sorts of nefarious activities. He¡¯s also the younger brother of Viscount Vig.¡±


    ¡°His brother?¡± Joshua frowned.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cain nodded. ¡°It¡¯s well-known within the Duke¡¯s family. Not to mention he¡¯s such a powerful character behind the scenes; everything in the ck market passes through Baron Provalum¡¯s hands.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua sighed.


    ¡°Young Master Joshua?¡±


    An unexpected voice drew their attention.

 Chapter 51

    ¡°Do you think Baron Provalum can truly get the elves in a week, Young Master Veron?¡± One of Vis¡¯s knights asked.


    ¡°Well¡­ It¡¯s gonna be difficult.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ but may I inquire as to why you gave him a strict deadline?¡±


    ¡°I wanna try something fresh¡­ There¡¯s a lotta bitches around, but this is a good main course¡­ And a little grip on the Baron isn¡¯t a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wiser to extend the deadline a little? Considering the product¡¯s quality¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a reason I gave Provalum a week.¡± Veron looked around calmly.


    ¡°Muker.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡±


    ¡°What do you believe is the most essential issue for a monarch to address?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Muker¡¯s face contorted anxiously. ¡°...Is it the carrot and the stick?¡±


    ¡°Sure, carrots are important.¡± Veron chuckled. ¡°But, it depends on the situation, too. Would a pony eat the carrot if he¡¯s already full?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Provalum. Only low-ranking nobles can be the ¡®Emperor¡¯s Night¡¯ and acquire as much wealth and reputation as a higher-ranked noble. So, what does a fat pony like this need?¡±


    ¡°The stick.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Veron nodded. ¡°When dealing with his underlings, the king should prioritize the whip; it turns hungry animals, venomous bastards, and fat pigs into tamed dogs instantly, like magic.¡± Veron shed a toothy grin. ¡°I¡¯m going to crush him. And then, when he¡¯s most afraid, I¡¯ll offer him my hand, and he¡¯ll never think about disobeying again.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s brilliant¡­¡± Muker was in awe of the way his master deftly manipted his minions. <em>And only fourteen years old, at that!</em> Muker couldn¡¯t even imagine how much Veron would grow in the future, given how far he¡¯de in his short life so far.


    ¡°More importantly, I thought he¡¯d find out today given his abilities.¡± Veron chewed his lip like he really felt sorry for Provalum.


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform a receptionist to be prepared to serve you.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Today I want to eat out. Thatmoner¡¯s service was remarkablest time.¡± Veron paused and gestured towards a nearby restaurant. ¡°I¡¯ve been out for a while; I¡¯m tired and starving¡­ I¡¯ll think about it while I eat.¡±


    ¡°Very good, Young Master.¡±


    Veron¡¯s entourage moved towards a restaurant with the bold slogan, ¡°Experience the cooking of the Imperial Pce¡¯s chef!¡±


    ¡°Young Master Joshua?¡±


    Joshua and Cain¡¯s heads snapped up at the same time at the startling sound of a woman¡¯s voice.


    ¡°What is it, Miss Iceline?¡±


    Iceline Jean Rebra, a girl with blue, flowing hair and a cold expression.


    <em>In a ce like this, I knew we had a high chance of running into the Rebras,</em> Cain thought. <em>They left the Duchy early because they said they had an urgent matter to attend to.</em>


    ¡°So¡ª¡± Cain jumped out of his seat and looked around. <em>No way.</em> He discovered a young man eating in an inconspicuous corner with only a handful of escorts. In front of him was a man with huge, sad eyes and an unmistakable resemnce to Iceline. The Rebra family head was gesturing in Joshua¡¯s direction with a smile.


    ¡°Count Rebra,¡± Cain walked up to the Count and bowed, ¡°it¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping to have a peaceful meal¡ªI hope I¡¯m not bothering Sir Cain and Young Master Joshua.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too kind.¡± Cain waved it off.


    In Cain¡¯s opinion, Poncel Jean Rebra didn¡¯t act like a noble¡ªbut not in a negative way. He was born with a weak body but a humble personality. Even when he was hurt, he never said anything negative about others. He always spoke up for people, evenmoners. Nobles, even a high-ranking one such as a count, would be despised and ridiculed by the other nobility if they dared to speak with amoner. Count Rebra, however, could not be swayed: he remained ever kind and humble. Unknown to most nobles, Count Poncel Jean Rebra was greatly respected by themoners.


    Cain couldn¡¯t wrap his head around the way the Count greeted them, but the Rebra knights didn¡¯t seem to think anything of it.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, Young Master,¡± Iceline said to Joshua as she straightened from her curtsey.


    ¡°Indeed, Lady Iceline.¡±


    ¡°I thought it might be you. Young Master Joshua¡¯s hair would be unusual anywhere on the continent¡­¡± Iceline fluttered her fingers as if grasping for words. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°What is this? Why are there so many people hanging around at this time of day?¡± A group of people came up the stairs just as Iceline was about to speak.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this so you can rx,¡± one of the newly-appeared knights said.


    ¡°Wait a moment¡­¡± Veron Shen Vis¡¯s eyes lit up. <em>Did Arcadia always have a beauty like that?</em> Veron licked his lips as he groped Iceline with his rude gaze.


    Her porcin white skins, her aura of purity that conjures a man¡¯s beastly instinct¡­ Veron could already feel his lower half stiffening.


    <em>How would she act when she¡¯s pinned underneath me?</em>


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve met such a lovely woman in Arcadia,¡± Veron said, managing to suppress his desire beneath a pleasant smile. ¡°May I inquire as to which family youe from?¡±


    Iceline remained frostily silent; this boy¡¯s hungry gaze made her skin crawl like she was being drowned in maggots.


    ¡°This is Veron Shen Vis.¡± Muker stepped forward when he saw Iceline¡¯s stiff reaction. ¡°Marquis Vis¡¯s eldest son.¡±


    ¡°The Marquis of Vis!¡± Cain groaned under his breath.


    Even in a ce as dense with aristocrats as Arcadia, Marquis Vis stood firmly at the top of the food chain. No one couldpete with the twelve marquis¡ªknown as the ¡°twelve families¡±¡ªexcept for the five mighty dukes. Furthermore, as one of the Emperor¡¯s trust confidants, Vis¡¯s military power was considerable even amongst the twelve families.


    And Veron Shen Vis was his only son¡­


    ¡°From my memory¡ªwhich, by the way, is excellent¡ªI don¡¯t recall you being a member of the Imperial family, nor a duke¡­ because, you see, we only have five of them.¡±


    Iceline was startled and stepped back.


    ¡°So, if you¡¯re a lower rank than me or even a noble without a title, how dare you¡­¡±


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you showing the Young Master the respect he deserves?¡± Muker¡¯s hand dropped to the hilt of his de threateningly.


    Cain was about to step forwards, but someone beat him there.


    ¡°Please ept my apologies for my daughter¡¯s coldness, Veron¡­ It is, however, a privilege to encounter the kin of the renowned Marquis of Vis.¡±


    ¡°And who are you?¡± Veron tilted his head at Poncel.


    ¡°I am Poncel Jean Rebra, the patriarch of the Rebra family.¡±


    Contempt flickered through Veron¡¯s eyes as he gazed at Poncel¡¯s lowered head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking <em>you</em> to apologize, Count Poncel Jean Rebra.¡± Veron turned his head to Iceline. ¡°I¡¯m asking you, aren¡¯t I? Now, I can¡¯t stand the insult.¡±


    Veron was being tantly provocative. Naturally, nobles would be offended if lower-ranking nobles didn¡¯t pay their respects¡­ but that was for public asions. Who would be prepared to show their respect in such an informal environment? Obviously, Veron intended to embarrass Iceline.


    ¡°You should apologize.¡±


    He was utterly trampling on the Rebra family¡¯s dignity.


    <em>What a burden¡­ Isn¡¯t he just a jerk who uses his family name to stir up trouble? This is only because he knows he can get away with it. Tsk.</em>


    The son¡ªnot even the Marquis himself¡ªwas ignoring the head of a noble family.


    <em>Ah, this, really¡­</em> Veron licked his lipssciviously, oblivious to the burning stares of the people around him. <em>I¡¯m looking forward to it.</em>


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to understand your fault.¡± Veron stepped closer to Iceline.


    ¡°Oh, t-that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°This insult will haunt me for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is not even remotely amusing.¡±


    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± Veron¡¯s head snapped around towards the unexpected interruption.


    ¡°Marquis Vis must be anxious because his one and only heir is a fucked up bastard.¡±


    ¡°You! What did that brat just say?!¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Muker drew his de and grinned viciously. ¡°With a wagging tongue like that, you must have a death wish! Make yourself known!¡±


    ¡°Did you just draw your sword?¡±


    Muker flinched. ¡°¡ªWhat are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°If you live and die by the de, I assume you understand the significance of your actions.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have to be held ountable for your actions.¡±


    <em>What is this energy?!</em> Muker¡¯s eyes spun as the air seemed to strain, making his entire body tense.


    The epicenter of this storm was, of course¡­


    <em>What is this energy oozing from that little boy?</em>


    Joshua¡¯s energy was narrowly focused on Muker, because everyone around them remained oblivious of his terrible presence. He took a slow step forward, and Muker swallowed nervously.


    ¡°You asked who I am?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes bore down on Muker. ¡°My name is¡­ Ash den Frederick.¡±


    ¡°Ash¡­ den Frederick?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to think about it that hard. I¡¯ll sear it into your mind right now.¡±

 Chapter 52

    Muker panicked.


    ¡°Defend our lord!¡±


    The other Vis knights, waiting in the back, grudgingly drew their swords. Immediately, over a dozen people were blocking ess to Veron. Count Rebra¡¯s knights were reaching for their swords, too, when Joshua raised his hand.


    ¡°Do not step forward.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°This situation is my problem¡­ I don¡¯t believe the Rebra Knights should be involved in this.¡±


    ¡°What do¡ª?¡± <em>Doesn¡¯t this concern Young Lady Iceline¡¯s safety? Even if Young Master Joshua is handling it right now, this still concerns Rebra.</em> The knight¡¯s shame was palpable.


    But Vis¡¯s knights, who had no idea who Joshua was, were absolutely perplexed by the situation.


    How could the descendent of some family he¡¯d never heard of act so boldly towards a Marquis¡¯s son, Varon wondered.


    <em>Isn¡¯t that borderline suicidal? I certainly wouldn¡¯t object to a swordfight breaking out.</em>


    ¡°The Frederick family¡­ I¡¯m not familiar with the name. What is your rank?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, really.¡± Veron burst outughing. ¡°After all, your family will disappear from history real soon.¡± The boy sneered. ¡°Your sin was not understanding the difference between my heaven and your earth. Interfering in my business must mean you have a death wish¡ªI won¡¯t just wipe out your family, I¡¯ll kill your dogs and every nt growing on your estate. Then you¡¯ll understand how foolish you were for provoking Veron Vis.


    ¡°That¡¯s how powerful I am.¡± Veron¡¯s mouth stretched into a savage grin. ¡°Get down on your knees, Ash, and I might be merciful to only cut off one limb.¡±


    He didn¡¯t show it, but Veron was pretty pleased with the current situation. He was used to getting what he wanted: all he had to do was threaten everyone involved and they¡¯d apologize, beg for their lives, and fork over the goods. However, despite his prodigal habits, he knew a Marquis¡¯s son didn¡¯t have the clout to challenge a high-ranking noble like a Count.


    <em>Well, it¡¯s not that I fear the Rebras; it¡¯s just that it would be a nuisance if the rumors reached my father¡¯s ears.</em>


    As such, Veron was quite happy to assuage his pride by trampling the boy in front of him.


    <em>He¡¯s perfect.</em> By all appearances, Joshua was the spawn of some low-ranking noble hick. Veron¡¯s snake-like eyes glittered, and he licked his lips.


    ¡°This is nauseating.¡±


    ¡°¡ªWhat?¡± Veron was jolted out of his fantasies. ¡°What are you up to now¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said it¡¯s horrid. The smell of trash makes my stomach churn.¡±


    The rest of the group was blown away by Joshua¡¯s offensivement.


    ¡°This kid!¡± Muker shouted. ¡°How desperate are you to die?! You don¡¯t even know how respect works!¡±


    ¡°Respect? For that <em>thing</em>?¡± Joshua howled withughter. ¡°Is that the same ¡®respect¡¯ you use when you get a gang of knights together to persecute a woman?¡±


    ¡°Muker!¡± Veron decided that fun-time was over.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°How much longer do I have to put up with these insults?¡±


    ¡°Give me the order! I¡¯ll take care of it immediately!¡±


    ¡°Immobilize that insect¡ªI¡¯m going to kill him myself.¡±


    ¡°I apologize: it seems you need to die.¡± Muker hefted his sword. ¡°You were the one who threw away yourst chance¡­ You have no one to me but yourself.¡±


    ¡°Hah! ¡®me¡¯, you say?¡± Joshua sneered. ¡°There¡¯s no such word in my vocabry.¡±


    Joshua stepped forward to meet Muker¡¯s advance.


    Three people sat in the private office of Viscount Steck in Locke Castle: the owner, Viscount Vig Beck Steck, an unidentifiable, gray-masked individual, and a girl. Viscount Vig¡¯s empty eyes stared into nothingness while the other two spoke.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Miss Anna.¡± The masked one bowed to the girl.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Ju-ang. I see you¡¯ve arrived earlier than expected.¡±


    ¡°I came in a rush when you summoned me.¡±


    Anna just smiled.


    ¡°Figures¡­ So, what did you want to talk about?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a problem,¡± Anna said.


    ¡°You think it¡¯s a problem?¡±


    The girl nodded. ¡°Maybe I should call it a nuisance rather than a problem?¡±


    <em>She seems to be in a good mood¡­</em> Ju-ang¡¯s eyes flickered with curiosity as Anna¡¯s speech became excited.


    ¡°May I ask what this problem is?¡±


    ¡°A monster has appeared in the Agnus duchy.¡±


    ¡°Are you referring to Babel von Agnus?¡±


    ¡°I see the rumors haven¡¯t spread too far yet, after all,¡± Anna said with a shake of her head. ¡°Another child of Duke Agnus has appeared¡­ and, horribly, he¡¯s a scumbag who outstrips Babel von Agnus¡¯s abilities.¡±


    Ju-ang was astonished; Babel was one of the most talented people on the continent, never mind the Empire¡ªhow could some kid possiblypare to a genius like Babel?


    ¡°Howe you didn¡¯t report this sooner?!¡± Ju-ang leaped out of their seat. ¡°You could have used amunication tool¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a chance the information could leak.¡± Anna giggled when she saw Ju-ang mp their mouth shut. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you, Ju-ang, so don¡¯t overwork yourself. This information will spread all over the continent anyways.¡±


    ¡°What¡ª?¡±


    ¡°He could wield mana before ten years old. That kind of talent is the greatest of all time, in the continent and beyond. Do you think Avalon will stand still with such a treasure in <em>his</em> hands?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus will spread the stories throughout the Empire to elevate his family¡¯s reputation. In times of peace, like now, whispers like this can whip up a storm.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Ju-ang nodded.


    On the surface, it appeared they were living in an unprecedented period of peace¡ªbut the continent was closer to a primed powder keg.


    The continent had been engaged in a quiet buildup of power. The simple folks might rejoice because their country had be stronger, but those in the halls of power whispered of ¡°rebellion¡± and ¡°civil war¡±.


    However, there was always a solution:


    War.


    ¡°In battle, the power of a ¡®master¡¯ is absolute,¡± Anna whispered. ¡°No country would fight a war if they didn¡¯t have a chance to win. So, they always need to know what the other countries are up to; the number of intelligence organizations has been steadily increasing.¡±


    ¡°The right information could be a game-changer when the other countries decide to defend or attack.¡± Ju-ang¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°...I understand now, Miss Anna. But regarding the other son of Duke Agnus: his appearance is bad news for us. If you make a mistake, decades of your nning could go to waste in an instant.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let that happen.¡± Anna smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Are you thinking of¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. What if we could subdue that monster?¡±


    ¡°Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible. Because he¡­¡± <em>Once upon a time, he, too, was abandoned¡­</em>


    Anna swallowed the words and waved her hand. ¡°Anyways, Ju-ang, I¡¯vee up with an idea. I¡¯ll travel up to Arcadia to enroll in the academy.¡±


    ¡°The academy¡­ Then, Duke Agnus will¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, for the time being. Believe in me: I will bring him here, upon the name of Anna Bell Grace.¡±

 Chapter 53

    ¡°You know what? You can go ahead and fuck off.¡±


    ¡°What is this? What¡¯s happening?¡± Veron couldn¡¯t believe his eyes: the elite Knights of Vis were scattered across the floor, moaning in pain.


    <em>They were all defeated?</em> Funnily enough, everything was done by one boy, whose underdeveloped body was half the size of an adult knight¡¯s.


    ¡°Keugh!¡± Muker was the first to copse. The bloody phlegming out of his mouth made it clear that he had severe internal injuries. Clearly, even a certified B-ss Knight was no match for the Young Master.


    Veron and Muker gaped at Joshua, trembling with shock and fear. <em>How is it possible for a child to defeat a man-wielding knight with his bare fists?</em> One hit straight to Muker¡¯s lower abdomen had put him on his back. Joshua didn¡¯t even draw a weapon¡ªalthough that assumed he had one, to begin with. He just looked like a cute kid running at Muker with his little hands.


    A knight stepped in front of Muker to try to protect him from Joshua¡¯s advance. The knight was decked out across the floor by Joshua¡¯s punch in no time at all.


    <em>Damn it.</em> Muker cursed Joshua. He¡¯d be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t afraid of the boy. Death was too good for the brat; Muker decided he¡¯d cut up Joshua all day long.


    ¡°Heup!¡± Muker dashed towards Joshua, enveloping his sword in mana as he ran. The clear, flowing mana of a B-ss Knight was an awe-inspiring sight to behold.


    Joshua chuckled and casually punched at Muker.


    The result?


    Well, it¡¯s safe to say it worked out just fine for Joshua.


    Muker¡¯s sword stopped neatly against Joshua¡¯s hand, sending Muker staggering back. No ordinary person would have been able to predict the de¡¯s trajectory even if they somehow knew the exact distance between them. It was perfect¡ªperhaps even godlike.


    Muker, however, was more concerned with Joshua¡¯s other fist, which was headed straight for his stomach.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Muker bent 90 degrees and dropped to the floor. The brutal impact rattled his body and left him reeling as he desperately fought to drag his battered frame back into action.


    <em>I have no choice but to ept it now.</em> Muker was dead certain he couldn¡¯t deal with Joshua.


    Muker groaned as he forced his jaw open. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°It matters to me.¡± Muker put up a strong front, but his heart was ready to burst with surprise. It wasn¡¯t fair¡ªhow could he, a B-ss Knight, be beaten down with a single punch?


    But he¡¯d felt it rippling through his body as those tiny fists mmed into his stomach, that razor-sharp energy.


    <em>Mana.</em> Only a ¡®master¡¯¡ªan A-ss Knight at a minimum¡ªcould infuse mana into his bare fist. Muker couldn¡¯t believe such a child could have obtained that level of perfection, but¡­


    It was unlikely that the boy was known to the rest of the world. His existence was probably a long-kept family secret¡ªand that family could not possibly be ordinary.


    ¡°Tell me, Young Master,¡± Muker said, managing to straighten his back, ¡°what¡¯s your real identity?¡±


    ¡°Do you think knowing will help you feel more at ease?¡± Joshuaughed at him.


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses for losing. Don¡¯t chase others¡¯ strength; instead, acknowledge your own ws. Then you can seek loftier heights.¡±


    Muker was stunned. The boy was right: Muker lost to himself more than he lost to Joshua. It made him understand that sometimes losing is actually winning. When you win, your shorings are hidden by the bright light of victory; when you lose, you can find the enlightenment to move forward. <em>Should I have been more aggressive</em>, or, <em>If I¡¯d understood my opponent¡¯s abilities better</em>.


    What mattered was that he couldn¡¯t just make up excuses. Was he going to give up and sulk, or, on the other hand, would he use his defeat as a springboard to take the next step?


    ¡°Muker! What are you doing?!¡± Veron screamed at Muker when the knight stiffened like he¡¯d been struck like lightning. He knew he was on the edge of losing his fortune if his knight couldn¡¯t shape up.


    Veron whirled to face Joshua. ¡°Who the hell are you?¡±


    ¡°Were you not listening? I already introduced myself: Ash pen Frederick!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh,¡± Veron shouted back. ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of the Frederick family! Do you have any idea how serious of a crime it is to pretend to be a noble?¡±


    Joshua paused. It seemed like Veron resorted to terrible jokes when he was backed into a corner.


    ¡°You have no idea who I am, you idiot! I am Veron Shen Vis! The sole heir of the Marquis of Vis, one of the twelve families! I can crush you like a bug with a single word!¡±


    ¡°So noisy.¡± Joshua¡¯s mild expression disappeared like a ghost.


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Muker finally came to his senses, only to see Joshua vanish from his sight.


    ¡°First and foremost, I have to crush that nasty mouth of yours.¡± Joshua swung his fist.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Veron flopped over like a sleepy baby. ¡°Shut¡ª¡±


    Veron groaned in pain, and his hand shot up to cover his mouth. Something fell from between his fingers and dropped to the ground with a quiet tter.


    It was Veron¡¯s tooth.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Muker dashed between Veron and Joshua¡¯s fist, even though his legs trembled from the exertion.


    ¡°Be quiet. There¡¯s nothing left for you to do.¡± Joshua¡¯s icy gaze pinned Muker in ce. ¡°I¡¯m not soft enough to be merciful to my enemies¡ªdon¡¯t try to interfere, or I¡¯ll crush you too. Are you willing to die?¡±


    <em>I¡¯m going to die¡­</em> Muker¡¯s body was wracked with fear. The boy was dead serious about killing Muker and his master, Marquis of Vis or not.


    Muker dropped to his knees, and anyone could see it wasn¡¯t the same as when Joshua knocked him over earlier. Consciously or not, Muker was kneeling before Joshua to beg for forgiveness.


    ¡°Please have mercy on us, just this once,¡± Muker eximed, beating his head against the ground.


    Joshua was intimately familiar with a knight¡¯s pride. He knew it was more dear to a knight than their life and that Muker was willing to cast it away to keep his master safe.


    <em>¡­I remember him.</em> In his past life, this man aplished nothing. He¡¯d bumbled about gaining nothing and losing everything for Joshua¡¯s sake. Joshua smiled sourly. He couldn¡¯t hold on to his wrath like this.


    ¡°I already told you, I¡¯m not charitable enough for mercy.¡± Joshua gave Veron a hefty kick to the face, sending him rolling away. ¡°What a nuisance.¡±


    Every instinct Muker had screamed that the boy was about to kill them both.


    Joshua approached the unconscious aristocrat and snatched Veron¡¯s ring from his hand. It was embossed with swords and shields, marking Veron as the sessor of Marquis Vis.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here for a while,¡± Joshua said in a low voice. ¡°Tell him toe back right away if he wants this back. If he doesn¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ll sell it on the ck market.¡±


    The audience could only watch nkly as Joshua¡¯s back disappeared down the stairs.


    ¡°...Are you crazy?¡± Cain¡¯s gaze flicked between Muker and Veron. He took off after Joshua, and, for some reason, Iceline was quick to follow.


    That left the teary-eyed Count Rebra to clean up the mess.


    ¡°...Please take them to the nearest hospital.¡±

 Chapter 54

    ¡°Ugh¡­ What¡¯s happening¡­?¡±


    ¡°My lord, you¡¯re awake?¡± Muker lifted his head when he heard the groaninging from the bed.


    ¡°Where are we?¡± Veron slowly rose to his feet with a frown.


    ¡°This is the recovery room in Shani Temple. We brought you here instead of the clinic because of your critical condition¡­ My word, I was so worried.¡±


    The cost of visiting a temple was unimaginably highpared to a general clinic. No one but the rich would dare to set foot in the temple, where the amount of healing you got was defined by your ¡°donations.¡± Devotees, knights, and nobles were extorted for ludicrous sums of money across Igrant, yet they kepting. The healing that holy magic could provide was iparable to what a doctor could do.


    ¡°The temple? Why¡ª?¡±


    Veron¡¯s eyes popped wide open, and he shot up from his seat. He ran over to the mirror in the corner of the room.


    ¡°AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!¡±


    Muker quietly turned away; he¡¯d expected Veron to act like this.


    Whether it really worked or not, the holy magic had at least made the swelling go down¡­ but that didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS?!¡± Veron sobbed and cursed and howled. ¡°My teeth¡­¡±


    Veron tore at his hair. His clean, bright teeth neatlyplimented his handsome face¡ªbut now his beautiful, petal-like lips pped over empty gums. Even his incisors were gone.


    ¡°MUKER!¡± Veron¡¯s face flushed unbelievably red.


    ¡°Yes, Young Master,¡± Muker quietly responded.


    ¡°Right now¡ªGet that bastard right now!¡±


    ¡°With my strength, that would be impossible.¡±


    ¡°Useless bastard¡­ Knucklehead! You call yourself a knight after being defeated by that tiny bug?! When I get home, every knight that was with me is going to be severely punished¡ªincluding you, you imbecile.¡±


    ¡°I obey.¡±


    ¡°Go back and find out who the hell those Fredericks are. We¡¯ll find them and burn their estate down to thest strand of grass¡ª¡± Veron paused. ¡°¡ªAh, no. It¡¯d be better to cut their heads off one by one while I make that bastard watch. His parents, his brothers, his servants¡­ NOW GATHER MY TROOPS AND BRING ME WHAT I WANT.¡±


    Muker bit his lip pensively. ¡°...Impossible.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°We have no reason to do that¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡®Reason¡¯, you say?! What are you talking about? The heir of Vis was humiliated¡­ yet you say we have ¡®no reason¡¯?¡±


    ¡°No one would believe that a boy defeated an aristocrat¡¯s knights, especially the best of the family¡¯s knights¡­ Even if they believed it, the honor of Vis would be deeply stained.¡±


    ¡°How is that important?¡±


    ¡°It is important, Young Master.¡± Muker forcefully interrupted Veron¡¯s impending outburst. ¡°Sometimes, the family¡¯s honor is more important than life.¡±


    ¡°Wow¡­ this useless knight wants to teach me now?¡±


    ¡°Even if you say that,¡± Muker continued, ignoring the violent light in Veron¡¯s eyes, ¡°the Marquis might think otherwise.¡± Veron shivered at the mention of his father. ¡°If our defeat¡ªand revenge¡ªreaches the ears of the Marquis, he might not settle with just punishing us.¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Veron punched the mirror, scattering bloody shards over the expensive marble tiles. ¡°...Evidence. If I remember correctly, there¡¯s no evidence that that bastard beat us, right?! Like we nned, we have to silence everyone involved.¡±


    Muker remained silent.


    ¡°What? What does your silence mean? Do you intend to refuse my order? Are you afraid of the lowly Rebras?!¡±


    ¡°The evidence¡­¡± Muker¡¯s face hardened. ¡°The evidence was left there.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you spouting this time?¡±


    ¡°The Vis insignia.¡±


    Veron¡¯s head jerked.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not here,¡± he mumbled. ¡°The Deon Ring.¡±


    Veron¡¯s expression crumbled. The ring,vishly carved with the sword-and-shield insignia of Vis, was more than a family heirloom: it was a masterpiece of the Magic Tower, a precious B-ss Deon Ring.¡±


    <em>That shit is worth more than a castle!</em>


    ¡°He said that if you want it back, you have to return right away. He said he¡¯ll be waiting¡­ but besides proof, he may have noticed it was more than just a trinket. Perhaps¡­¡± Muker¡¯s head drooped. <em>Perhaps everything was intentional.</em>


    Muker¡¯s skin was riddled with goosebumps. It was hard to believe a child could have that kind of mind. He couldn¡¯t even begin to fathom what kind of person Ash would be as he grew.


    <em>I don¡¯t know¡­ but I do know that he isn¡¯t someone we should anger.</em>


    ¡°...He didn¡¯t ask for anything difficult. But, for the time being, I rmend we bide our time.¡±


    ¡°What should I do, then? Should we just give him the artifact?!¡±


    Muker just stared stolidly at him.


    ¡°No way¡­ You¡¯re not telling me to apologize to him, right? Never! I can¡¯t do it! Me? Veron, apologizing to an insect?! Do you even know what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°He told you toe in person, but¡­ let¡¯s send a proxy first.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Young Master! Are you still here?¡± Cain approached Joshua with a bbergasted face. He thought Joshua had left the buildings, so he swept the entire area to find him. It turned out he¡¯d just been watching from the corner of the building.


    ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± Joshua grinned when he noticed the sweat glistening on Cain¡¯s brow.


    ¡°You left first, so I thought you would be around here somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Did you help Count Rebra? It looks like you¡¯re having a hard time tidying up the ce.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m simply carrying out your directions, master,¡± Cain said, drawing a nk stare from Joshua.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you call ¡®over-loyalty¡¯.¡± Joshuaughed.


    ¡°It¡¯s how I roll.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not style.¡±


    ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like it, there¡¯s nothing you can do about it. More importantly¡­ are you going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean, the Marquis of Vis¡­ What¡¯s going to happen now? It doesn¡¯t seem like things will go ording to n.¡±


    ¡°Of course it won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m referring to this.¡± Joshua pointed to the ring resting on the table.


    ¡°Do you honestly believe Veron Shen Vis wille back here?¡±


    ¡°He won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡± Cain eyed him questioningly.


    ¡°He can¡¯t note because I have his treasure in my hands.¡± Joshua fiddled with the Vis si. ¡°But, perhaps, he will send a proxy¡­ a representative trustworthy enough not to disclose sensitive information.¡±


    ¡°And who might that be?¡±


    ¡°Arcadia is rife with rumors. They say ent rules the Emperor¡¯s Night, but the House of Vis rules over ent.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I know that!¡±


    ¡°If those rumors are true, he wille to me¡­ and then, we know what happens next.¡± Joshua shed a beatific smile.


    ¡°My word¡­¡± Cain¡¯s mind raced. The Marquis of Vis, one of the twelve families, was a major power in Arcadia. They could have coexisted peacefully, so why would his master suddenly make enemies of them? It turned out it was all part of his master¡¯s strategy to reach a particr goal¡­


    <em>Perhaps you will grow more powerful than even I anticipated¡­</em>

 Chapter 55

    ¡°Hello, excuse me.¡± A tiny, feminine voice drew Cain and Joshua out of their conversation.


    ¡°Young Lady Iceline?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­¡± Iceline fiddled with her dress as she searched for words. ¡°I just wanted to thank you for your help.¡± She ducked her head, cheeks flushed.


    Cain grinned and stepped back. He knew her words were meant for someone else.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it for you,¡± Joshua grumbled. He had other motivations, despite knowing that Iceline would be a world-famous archmage.


    ¡°Still¡­¡± Iceline clenched her delicate fists, determined to power through despite Joshua¡¯s tepid response. ¡°You saved our family¡¯s honor, as well. We may have been in a difficult situation, but thanks to you, Young Master, I was able to keep my calm¡­ Thank you.¡±


    Joshua eyed Iceline curiously. The Iceline he remembered had never shown such a gentle personality. He recalled a beautiful woman standing effortlessly in the freezing cold of the mountain cliffs, a woman with no emotion, no blood, and no tears¡­ A woman who could freeze her enemies at a whim. They called her the ¡°cold-blooded murderer¡±.


    I thought her nickname was frighteningly urate. Imagine angering the Iceline from the past¡­ Just thinking about it made Joshua tremble slightly. He¡¯d heard stories about mercenaries angering Iceline¡ªthey didn¡¯t end well.


    Her magic was entirely unique for her time, earning her the title ¡°Ice Mage¡±. The Magic Tower only granted monikers like these to the best in their field.


    ¡°As I was saying,¡± Iceline continued, oblivious to Joshua¡¯s trepidation, ¡°if this incident puts the Young Master in jeopardy, we are to me. So I thought that my family should be the one to take the initiative this time. Perhaps if we take a stand on your side, the Imperial family will listen.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that this situation is so serious.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Would they truly sit still if Count Rebra appears to testify against that idiot son of Marquis Vis? Do you think it will be over just like that?¡±


    ¡°It still concerns our family.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so, Young Lady.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s face hardened, drawing a burst ofughter from Joshua.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pointless concern. Have you forgotten who I am?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    Joshua lifted a finger. ¡°If you truly care¡­ I hope you will do me a favor,ter.¡±


    ¡°We can do it!¡± Iceline reached out and grabbed Joshua¡¯s hand. Joshua was taken aback and then burst intoughter.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you¡¯re agreeable.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, honestly.¡± A masked man dropped from the third-floor roof, shaking his head. His surprise was palpable enough to almost make him trip as hended. ¡°I¡¯d heard a monster had appeared in the Duchy, but I wouldn¡¯t have believed it if I hadn¡¯t seen it myself.¡±


    The man ducked into a quiet alley and tossed his mask away. It was Jero, the branch manager of the Moon Gate.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡± The boy had left a deep andsting impression on Jero, despite only meeting twice.


    ¡°He was obviously aware that I was just observing him.¡± Jero was observing Veron¡¯s rampage from the roof; he¡¯d done everything he could think of to prevent anyone from feeling his presence. Yet somehow, he¡¯d met Joshua¡¯s eyes. The smile Joshua gave him sent chills down his spine.


    Jero had sharp instincts from his years as an informant; sometimes, they told him good things, sometimes bad. His instincts were buzzing, but Jero opted not to act on them for the time being.


    Frankly, Jero had doubted Joshua¡¯s ability to find that item¡ªhe¡¯d assumed that Joshua was just trying to cash in on some scraps of information he¡¯d stumbled upon. Jero had epted the boy¡¯s request for the sake of getting a better read on him.


    The location of the Orbis heirloom that Joshua asked for wasn¡¯t particrly valuable information¡­ It could be tracked down with only a few facts to work off of. In contrast, Joshua had smashed every expectation. Jero saw the potential for Joshua to be priceless in the not-too-distant future.


    Jero clenched his fists. Now I need to adjust my ns.


    The informant made his way to the slums on the outskirts of Arcadia and cautiously approached one of the old houses. By all appearances, it was just like any other house in the area: dangling nks, broken ss everywhere, a few missing bricks.


    The direct line for reporting was reserved for urgent dispatches. It was only known to executive-level or higher members of the Moon Gate, and the meeting location changed frequently.


    ¡°I only follow the master¡¯s orders¡­ All decisions were his.¡±


    Jero threw himself towards the pitch-ck room.


    An hour had passed since they¡¯d finished cleaning up the restaurant and the Rebras had departed.


    ¡°He really came, Young Master¡­¡± Cain was surprised to see an overweight man struggling his way up to the second floor. ¡°Baron ent Provalum¡­¡±


    Despite his low rank, he was infamous for overseeing Arcadia¡¯s ck market, thergest on the continent. It was not a job to boast of, but he was proud of it. Provalum, a baron, had influence rivaling that of many counts.


    ¡°Who- Where is the son of the Fredericks?¡± Provalum nced around nervously.


    ¡°This one is¡­ I mean, this Young Master here is the son of the Fredericks, Ash pen Frederick.¡±


    Provalum was astonished. He¡¯s¡­ just a kid? However, he was a master of business and schooled his emotions before anyone noticed his surprise.


    ¡°The name¡¯s ent Provalum,¡± he said with a warm smile. ¡°It¡¯s such an honor to meet the son of the Fredericks.¡±


    Provalum then bowed his head, much to Cain¡¯s amazement. No matter how low, a baron had no reason to bow to someone like Joshua, and Provalum¡¯s true power was far beyond any baron. He had no business treating a fallen noble¡¯s son like this.


    Joshua, on the other hand, remained expressionless. ¡°I believe I told that jerk, Veron, toe to me himself¡­ He dared send a pawn?¡±


    Cain and Provalum reeled with shock.


    ¡°I, uhh¡­ What did you say?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself.¡±


    ¡°Young Master, if you¡¯re not aware of the family that Young Master Verones from¡ª¡±


    ¡°Does it make a difference? He mocked my family; now, he owes me his life. Why do I need to know his family?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡± Provalum choked down a retort. He knew Ash had the upper hand here. ¡°That¡¯s correct, Young Master. You saved his life, so it¡¯s up to you if you want to know about him or not. You were raised so well.¡± The baron rubbed his hands together with an uneasy smile. ¡°That aside¡­ What Young Master Ash took from the boy is a priceless Vis treasure¡ªit was their si. Now, why don¡¯t you return it to its rightful owner¡­?¡±


    Joshua scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again: if he wants this back, he has toe here himself.¡± Joshua casually tossed the Vis si ring in the air like a toy.


    ¡°Tell him I¡¯ll melt it down if he doesn¡¯te here in person,¡± he said, snatching the ring out of the air.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡± Provalum¡¯s life shed before his eyes. This little scumbag!


    He¡¯d love to rip the boy to shreds, but he knew what had transpired. It¡¯s unbelievable, but, knowing who it came from, I can¡¯t ignore it.


    ¡°Young Master Veron couldn¡¯te right now because he is still weak,¡± Provalum said, quelling his rage. ¡°He needs to rest.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not as strong as I imagined. Sorry,¡± Joshua muttered, much to Provalum¡¯s chagrin.


    Patience, Provalum told himself.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Joshua¡¯s lips curled into a cheeky smile. ¡°I thought of something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Just send that knight named Muker that was always next to that bastard.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°When that knightes, I¡¯ll negotiate with him. Also¡­¡± Joshua eyed Provalum¡¯s hand. ¡°When something goes missing, it has to be reced, right? Since I did you a favor, I¡¯d like you to fulfill one of my requests.¡±


    ¡°What request?¡±


    ¡°That ring you¡¯re wearing looks quite expensive. Hand it over.¡±


    Provalum saw his life crumble before his very eyes.

 Chapter 56

    Baron Provalum hurriedly fled the scene of his ¡°negotiations¡± with Joshua.


    ¡°When did my master be the devil?¡± Cain shook his head.


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Joshua wore a bored expression like he was toozy to piece together Cain¡¯s meaning.


    ¡°The Orbis heirloom finallynded in your hands¡­ but it seems like you had to use dirty tricks to get it. What¡¯s worse, you seempletely indifferent about it.¡±


    ¡°I had to.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Joshua tossed him azy nce and shrugged. ¡°If you¡¯re implying that I extorted the heirloom from him, I didn¡¯t¡­ I gave him a chance to prove his worth as ackey, so it¡¯s only natural for him to pay me for my time.¡±


    ¡°How can you say such a shameful thing¡ª¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®shameful¡¯?¡± Joshua returned Cain¡¯s stare with a bewildered expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised at how far you¡¯vee¡­ You couldn¡¯t even look me in the eye, before.¡± Cain shrugged. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll ever be like you? No, wait¡­ I think it¡¯s already happening.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you always like that?¡±


    Cain carefully avoided Joshua¡¯s gaze and whistled nonchntly. ¡°What a sight. These girls from Arcadia are real eye candy. The way they walk and talk is so elegant!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, enjoy yourself.¡± Joshua chuckled and turned his attention to the object resting in his palm.


    This is the Orbis family heirloom, known as the ¡°Elf¡¯s Tears¡±. It had a distinct leaf shape and a subtle green hue. The only reason this apparently-unremarkable ring received a moniker like that was because of the legends of the Orbis family¡¯s rtionship with the high elves.


    For now, it¡¯s just a pretty relic of a defunct family. That information onlyes to light muchter. The world would learn that the inheritance contained exceptional powers thanks to the words of the high elves, who had appeared on the continent for the first time in centuries.


    The head of the Orbis family had made yearly pilgrimages into the Elven Forest, which, for the most part, was adamantly opposed to human visits. Only the Orbis patriarch could think about such a thing.


    The elves had an istionist attitude. In the eyes of the elves, who value nature and the trees, humans are animals who destroy the elves¡¯ beloved forests and kidnap them for their beauty¡ªand then use them as sex ves to sate their vile desires.


    To protect themselves and their homes, the elves gathered in the great forest at the southern tip of the continent and erected a massive barrier the size of several major cities put together. Even the elves, naturally born with magical abilities, found it nigh-impossible to construct such a barrier. Dozens of high elves died in the process¡ªexcept one. One high elf didn¡¯t die.


    Fast forward a hundred years, and the elves¡¯ hate for humans had spiraled out of control. They rallied around the single remaining high elf, dubbing it the ¡°Elenbers¡±, their ruler. The issue is that humans were practically poisonous to the elves, who shuddered at the thought of even meeting a human.


    The rest of the story was a bit blurry in Joshua¡¯s mind, but he knew the essential details.


    ¡°Jerath Dick Orbis,¡± Joshua grumbled. Thest head of the Orbis family had vanished ten years ago along with the rest of the family. He¡¯d been reported missing, but Joshua knew he was dead. In all of the forty years of Joshua¡¯s previous life, Jerath had remained absent. It was quite likely the entire family had died as soon as the household copsed.


    I¡¯m sure he was tormented. He was the only person on the continent who could enter and exit the Elven Forest¡ªthose dogs and pigs in power couldn¡¯t leave him alone.


    Jerath Dick Orbis had said nothing about the Elven Forest until his family was wiped out. Then he vanished from the face of the continent. The Elenburs came to the continent after hearing the news and found Jerath¡¯s child in dire circumstances, serving as a servant to another noble household.


    She wept, apologizing, and the tears streamed down the back of her hand, seeping into the ring she was wearing. That ring would eventually be known as the ¡°Elf¡¯s Tears¡± to the rest of the world.


    Then she became seriously ill and died not long after¡­ I guess it¡¯s an honorable story because they died protecting what they cared about the most.


    What a terrible fate.


    ¡°Young Master?¡± Cain¡¯s voice drew Joshua away from his thoughts. ¡°Can you tell me what you¡¯re thinking?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡± Joshua swallowed his words and just shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, I¡¯m just a bit tired. Did you say something?¡±


    Cain tilted his head curiously. ¡°We¡¯re home? We¡¯ve been here for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Joshua nodded. They¡¯d arrived at Joshua¡¯s home for the foreseeable future.


    Regardless of whatever else is happening, it¡¯s a terrific area to practice in peace. But¡­ Joshua¡¯s expression hardened as he nced over the building. It was absolutely terrible if you were trying to protect someone. The thought had been making his head throb since he¡¯d arrived in the capital.


    Joshua finally came to a decision. ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I believe it would be best for my mother to live in Duke Agnus¡¯s residence, since it¡¯s more central and closer to the Pce.¡±


    Cain paused for a moment before nodding in understanding. ¡°As the Young Master says, this is clearly not the right ce for Lady Lucia to live. Even if you¡¯re displeased, I believe it is correct for her to live where the Duke is. More importantly, she¡¯d be truly alone when the Young Master enters the academy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a favor.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cain was taken aback by Joshua¡¯s abrupt reply.


    ¡°For the time being, I want you to protect my mother on my behalf.¡±


    ¡°You mean you want me to be Lady Lucia¡¯s escort knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°However, if I do that the Young Master will be in serious danger,¡± Cain replied with a stiff expression. ¡°Even low-ranking aristocrats from the countryside with unknown ancestries have at least two knights beside them. Ignorance and contempt are the bare minimum you could expect, among a slew of other annoyances¡­ Given the Young master¡¯s nature, I know you¡¯ll never stand for what will take ce before your eyes. You¡¯ll need me to stop you from acting, ahead of time.¡±


    Seeing as Joshua¡¯s mouth remained firmly shut, Cain took it that he¡¯d hit the nail firmly on the head.


    ¡°Additionally, Veron Shen Vis is also an academy student. It might be a stretch, but I¡¯m concerned.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. I truly desire to be ¡®silent¡¯.¡± Joshua grinned at Cain¡¯s apprehensive expression. ¡°I¡¯ll spend my time quietly, like a dead mouse. I specialize in solitude, believe it or not. I¡¯ve had more than my fair share of being ignored and insulted.¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ true?¡± Cain struggled to wrap his mind around Joshua¡¯s words.


    It was true. The bastard pariah¡­ the stable¡­ Cain had forgotten about Young Master Joshua¡¯s history.


    ¡°I hate to see your miserable expression.¡± Joshua chuckled at Cain¡¯s stiff expression.


    ¡°Young Master.¡± Cain pressed his head against the floor.


    ¡°May I ask a favor of you? It¡¯s for me, but it¡¯s also for you.¡± Joshua¡¯s words made Cain raise his head. ¡°I need a subordinate that I can trust to watch my tack. I don¡¯t need a weak or drowsy guy who dies before I do on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    Joshua grinned widely. ¡°We should ask Duke Agnus to teach you the sword.¡±


    Cain¡¯s pupils dted¡ªthat only meant one thing. Cain knew it was not in Joshua¡¯s nature to bow or apologize to anyone. Yet here he was, making such a promise.


    ¡°Your words¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cain,¡± Joshua interrupted. ¡°This is a request, not a demand¡­ Listen carefully to what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Joshua quietly bowed his head, startling Cain. Was there anyone else like this in Cain¡¯s life?


    Never¡­


    Cain sighed heavily.


    ¡°Raise your head,¡± Joshua said. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see you bowing your head to anyone¡ªme included.¡±


    ¡°This is fine for me¡­ but this is my Lord¡¯s request.¡± Cain smirked sarcastically. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t debts be repaid? I¡¯m hoping the Young Master will also grant me a wish.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll listen,¡± Joshua said with augh.


    The smirk fell from Cain¡¯s face, reced with a solemn expression. ¡°Please don¡¯t force me to bow to anyone but my master.¡±


    Joshua and Cain looked deeply into each others¡¯ eyes for a while. Cain bore witness to the burning passion in Joshua¡¯s deeply sunken eyes, hotter than an erupting volcano.


    ¡°Yes¡­ I will do that¡­ In the name of Joshua Sanders,¡± Joshua whispered just barely loud enough for Cain to hear. But that was enough for the knight.


    ¡°My lord,¡± Cain said with a smile and a vigorous nod. ¡°I wish you all the best in the future.¡±

 Chapter 57

    ¡°You¡¯ve returned, Joshua?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother, I have returned.¡± Joshua grinned from ear to ear as Lucia greeted him with a warm smile. There was nothing he¡¯d missed more than this, and the memory was excruciating every time. Even now, as he gazed at his mother, it seemed like a dream.


    <em>I</em> will <em>protect you this time.</em>


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Cain, for looking after my needy son.¡± Lucia gracefully bowed her head.


    ¡°Oh no, Lady Lucia.¡± Cain scratched his head, flustered, and waved his hand. ¡°Rather, I am eternally grateful to the Young Master for allowing me to serve him.¡± Lucia gave him a dubious look. ¡°It may be a little rude of me to say so, but my Lady has a great son.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Lucia beamed. She was so preupied with her work at the Duke¡¯s mansions that Lucia didn¡¯t pay much attention to Joshua. As a mother, she felt bad for her son¡ªbut it seemed that Joshua had blossomed into a great young man. Who wouldn¡¯t be proud?


    Lucia strode towards the kitchen with an undisguisable bounce to her step. ¡°Have you two eaten? It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve had the opportunity to demonstrate my skills.¡±


    ¡°Lady Lucia! My word¡ªThere¡¯s a maid. You should utilize the staff the Duke gave¡ª¡±


    Joshua stopped Cain with a raised hand and a tiny shake of his head. ¡°I hate to say it, but my mother is a fantastic cook; hermb soup, in particr, is¡­¡± Joshua took a deep breath and shot Cain a thumbs-up. ¡°It¡¯s something to look forward to.¡±


    Cain watched Lucia disappear into the kitchen. ¡°That aside¡­ I have a question. That ring¡ªdoes it contain the heritage of the Orbis family? Does it have any unique powers? It appearspletely ordinary.¡±


    ¡°A unique object has to be reawakened in a unique way.¡± Joshua held the ring up. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s just sealed.¡±


    Just then, as if responding to Joshua¡¯sments, the ring floated upwards and shook the air. Its outer surface peeled away, allowing strangely-shaped characters to emerge.


    ¡°Runes?! Are these runes?!¡± <em>How does the young master know about the runes? They should be the sole knowledge of powerful wizards!</em>


    A rune was more than just a character; each rune possessed a unique ability on its own, which could not be acquired simply by copying their appearance. Only high-ranking wizards of at least Fifth-ss, calctingplex mathematics forme, could make a real rune appear.


    And Joshua was casually reciting them¡­


    <em>Is he truly a magic swordsman?</em> Cain¡¯s astonishment swelled.


    Joshua felt like dying. <em>I was ready, but¡­</em> He bit his lip, eyes darting from ce to ce with intense focus.


    Contrary to Cain¡¯s belief, the runes didn¡¯t fall from his lips so lightly. These runes were not the same as those used by the wizards¡ªif any of them saw this, their eyes would roll backwards and pass out. This was an ancient runenguage.


    <em>This is thest one.</em>


    ¡°?.¡± Joshua spat out the final rune.


    A swarm of pure white lights exploded forth as the resonating air reached a crescendo, engulfing their surroundings in a blinding light.


    In the very center of Igrant, a marvelous, pure ivory tower stretched into the sky, buttressed by skyscrapers on three sides. This was the holynd of wizards, the Magic Tower.


    At the top of the Tower was arge round table with exactly seven chairs around it¡ªthe meeting spot of the seven highest-ranking wizards in the Tower, known as the ¡°Seven Magicians¡±. They gathered at this table to handle the Tower¡¯s most critical issues.


    The meetings were a rare urrence, given the strongly individualistic impulses of the busy wizards. However, they were gathered now, for the first time in a very long time.


    An old, crooked man with a bent back sat at the table¡¯s highest point. His long white robe draped over his wizened body, and his long beard fell all the way to his frail chest. At first nce, he looked too weak to even move himself.


    But no one on the continent could ignore him. He was, without a doubt, first among the Seven Magicians. After all, he was the leader of the Seven, Ian Teon Murray.


    Ian¡¯s immacte gray eyes darted around the table. ¡°The Red me, Thunderstorm, and Void¡¯s seats are empty¡­ What¡¯s going on with these empty seats I see?¡±


    A middle-aged man on Ian¡¯s left with an unruly, haphazard beard responded with a heavy voice. ¡°As you are aware, Red me and Void are always out of reach. Even if we could reach them, it¡¯s difficult to make theme here. The Thunderstorm, however, I believe, left for the capital yesterday. I also believe he sends his greetings to everyone here.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Ian clicked his tongue in displeasure. ¡°This is the start of our twenty-seventh regr meeting. Despite the fact that there are only four of us, the meeting cannot be postponed. There is an agenda item on the schedule: the conference¡¯s main agenda is the ¡®Primordial Stone¡¯.¡±


    The man on the left remained expressionless, but the other two peoples¡¯ bored expressions roused with interest.


    A man in his early thirties opened his mouth. ¡°Why are we talking about this again?¡±


    ¡°...Be courteous, Storm. This is a plenary session.¡±


    ¡°Yes sir¡­ Will do, old man Earth.¡± Storm pouted his lips.


    ¡°This is a rarity,¡± Ian said. ¡°The one who doesn¡¯t even show his nose is here.¡±


    ¡°Well said, my Lord¡ªI mean, as the High Magician said, we have an issue to solve. I believe I heard a rumor that the Magma has vanished.¡±


    ¡°Not only has the Magma vanished, so has Bronto.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± The young man¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Do you have any other information?¡±


    An attractive middle-aged woman spoke up for the first time. She had pure white hair and blue eyes like ake, befitting the owner of the Frozen Seat. ¡°Only the Magician¡¯s Tower has ess to information on the Primordial Stones¡­ A leak would be a serious issue, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly as you say,¡± Ian replied. ¡°Although there is some information regarding the individual who took the Magma, it is unknown whether Bronto truly rose into the sky or was returned to the ground.¡±


    ¡°That Thunderstorm guy left suddenly,¡± the young man mused. ¡°Does he have anything to do with this, or is he just trying to find out more?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that there isn¡¯t any information,¡± replied Earth, the middle-aged man. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it has anything to do with Bronto, but there was another odd bit of information.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°There are rumors that a magical swordsman appeared near Bronto¡¯s location.¡±


    ¡°Oh, a magical swordsman?¡± The young man licked his lips.


    ¡°What do you mean?!¡± The woman kicked her chair aside and leapt to her feet. ¡°Did <em>he</em> show up?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, it isn¡¯t him. This time, the magical swordsman¡­¡± Earth spoke in hushed tones. ¡°They say he¡¯s only nine years old this year.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªwhat?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°...There is no definitive information,¡± Ian said. ¡°But, did I mention that Bronto was discovered in the Avalon Empire?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Marcus, keep an eye on Magma. Ask Thunderstorm to help, if you want. Even if Magma was discovered, there¡¯s little we could do about it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Marcus¡ªEarth¡ªnodded his head.


    ¡°And Theta, I say this because you¡¯re still young: don¡¯t be conceited. People won¡¯t merely pass by if you make a mistake in your haste, no matter how great you are. I know this from experience.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m causing idents every day?¡± Theta, the Storm, pouted.


    Frozen shouted excitedly, ¡°Could it be his descendant? I can¡¯t imagine a lifetime without a magical swordsman!¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Ian sighed. ¡°I think you¡¯re jumping to conclusions.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no denying that he¡¯s his descendant, but¡­ it¡¯s more likely that they¡¯re unrted.¡±


    The woman¡¯s head snapped around to face Marcus. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°ording to the rumors, it¡¯s the son of Duke Aden von Agnus.¡±


    A sh of surprise cut through the woman¡¯s dazed expression. ¡°If it¡¯s Aden von Agnus, perhaps¡ª¡±


    Ian mmed his fist against the table and swept his eyes over the Magicians. ¡°At this point, nothing is certain. Please keep an eye on the situation and refrain from taking rash actions.¡±


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, get out of here.¡±


    With Ian¡¯s abrupt ending, the three stood up and walked out, leaving Ian alone at the pinnacle of the Tower.


    ¡°The world¡­ is changing at a breakneck pace. Whether this is good or bad remains to be seen¡­¡±

 Chapter 58

    The radiance gradually dissipated.


    ¡°Wow, this thing¡­¡± Cain stared at the ring with wide, shocked eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the Orbis heirloom that we were just talking about?¡±


    The heirloom was just an ordinary ring, with a in surface and a lovely tinge. However, when the seal broke to reveal its true form, it was bizarre to look at. It had the appearance of a conventional woman¡¯s ring, but, despite its slim width, ancient runes were densely etched on its smooth, leaf-like, rust-colored surface.


    <em>Is it possible to engrave runes in such detail with current human technology?</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re going to swallow a fly.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Cain regained hisposure and shifted his attention to Joshua.


    ¡°¡ªYoung Master! Are you all right!¡± Cain dashed over to his master.


    Joshua watched him run over with silent curiosity, but his body was drenched with sweat. One might even think that someone had poured water on him.


    It was unavoidable. Using ordinary runes demanded intense concentration, but these were ancient runes.


    ¡°A doctor, yes! No, I¡¯ll summon a priest!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so noisy. It¡¯s all right.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª Young Master¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all right.¡± Joshua proudly squared his shoulder, adopting a picture-perfect posture.


    ¡°I¡­ I trust you, Master.¡± Cain stepped back. A knight simply had to trust and obey his master.


    Joshua turned back to the floating object. ¡°Do you, perhaps, know what this thing is called?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ do not know.¡±


    ¡°Some call it the ¡®Elf¡¯s Tear¡¯.¡±


    ¡°The Elf¡¯s¡­ Tear?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Elves are an inherently pure race. They are one of the few species with the same intelligence as humans, but they are entirely distinct in that theyck the same plethora of desires that humans have.


    ¡°Their race is incapable of telling a single lie. This ¡®Elf¡¯s Tear¡¯ is shed by elves¡ªthe high elves, known as the King of Elves, in particr¡ªout of genuine sadness. Dwarves, the artists of the gods, etched these runes.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Cain¡¯s jaw dropped.


    Dwarves and elves. Both were hostile to humans and highly istionist; it was rare for the average person to see either even once in their life.


    The dwarven race had an unrivaled capacity for creation¡ªeven the simplest dwarf-made longsword held incredible value. Simrly, the high magical potential of the elves would allow them to create high-value artifacts.


    However, a relic crafted from the Elf¡¯s Tears and dwarven runes was unprecedented. Cain had no idea how much an object like that would cost, never mind what abilities it would hold.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s eptable for me to ask what kind of power this object has¡­ But I am very curious.¡±


    ¡°I know a little bit about its power¡­ I believe that in an emergency, a magical barrier¡ªshield magic¡ªwill activate to protect the user until they¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°Young Master!¡± Cain dropped to his knees, to Joshua¡¯s bemusement. ¡°Can you use the artifact?¡± Joshua stared incredulously at the knight. ¡°No, I mean¡­ since the Young Master is a monster, I guess you don¡¯t need such an artifact. Ugh, what am I doing¡­ What am I saying?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I am unable to use this artifact.¡± Joshua gave Cain a small smile. The knight¡¯s face rapidly shifted from surprise to disappointment.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Joshua continued, ¡°but it seems you misunderstand something: the ring isn¡¯t wed or anything. If I tried to use it, it would just be a pretty ring on my calloused fingers.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°The High Elves created this ring for the Orbis family¡¯s children. They couldn¡¯t find the patriarch, Jerath Dick Orbis, so this protects his offspring in his stead.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ is it forbidden for anyone other than the Orbis children?¡±


    ¡°Well, a man can¡¯t use it¡­ Because Jerath Dick Orbis¡¯s child was a woman.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cain let out a short exmation, much to Joshua¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°I had an idea, but I didn¡¯t know you had such an outspoken personality.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®outspoken,¡¯ it¡¯s ¡®honest¡¯! A straightforward person like me will never attack someone from behind.¡±


    However, Cain¡¯sints only made Joshuaugh more.


    Cain grumbled and pushed himself to his feet. ¡°What are you nning on doing with the artifact?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give this to my mother.¡±


    ¡°With the best knights and the most powerful artifact protecting her, no one could harm Lady Lucia.¡± Cain bowed deeply, hiding a sneaky smile from the perplexed Joshua. ¡°So, Young Master¡­ Leave Lady Lucia¡¯s safety in my hands. I guarantee the safety of Lady Lucia, even if it costs me my life.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips curled upward.


    ¡°I believe you.¡±


    One could easily lose themselves in the house¡¯s many rooms. However, it remained deserted; the only thing it held was a mana crystal ball formunication, deep in the center.


    The sound of footfalls echoed through the chamber, breaking the motionless silence. A man¡¯s figure emerged. It was Jero, the man who introduced himself to Joshua as the manager of Moon Gate¡¯s Arcadia branch.


    He approached the crystal ball andid his hand on it, causing it to sparkle brilliantly and resonate. The light revealed why the space was sorge: a magicmunication circle upied half the floor, centered around the crystal ball. The circle blocked any disturbances from passing through its circumference. The exorbitant amount of money invested into this modest magical circle was just another demonstration of the Moon Gate¡¯s enormous power.


    The balls¡¯ resonance reached a crest, giving birth to a figure slowly rising above the circle.


    ¡°I greet you, Master.¡± Jero¡¯s posture was incredibly polite, despite the vague projection.


    ¡°Your rush to contact me is, after all, because of that child?¡± The voiceing from the ball sounded filtered, disguising the speaker¡¯s gender.


    ¡°Yes¡­ There was a small incident. I believe Joshua von Agnus is more than he appears.¡±


    ¡°I had a feeling he was one-of-a-kind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just a feeling; he really is one-of-a-kind¡ª¡±


    ¡°The tower is already making its move.¡± The doll in the crystal ball cut off the end of Jero¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°Are you talking about the Magic Tower?¡± Jero¡¯s pupils shrank.


    ¡°There are rumors that one of the Seven Magicians is about to move personally to investigate rumors that Enslot¡¯s progeny had appeared. I have been looking for that man in the Tower for a long time.¡±


    Jero¡¯s face flushed with surprise. ¡°Enslot¡¯s descendants!¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s only a surface exnation for the ruckus that¡¯s stirring up the Tower. Most likely, the Origin Stone is the true reason. It¡¯s more believable than that sort of rumor, you know.¡±


    ¡°The rumor¡­ I¡¯m curious about the rumored descendant of Enslot.¡± Jero¡¯s belied his disbelief.


    The hitherto-unheard-of magic swordsman, and the mysterious disappearance of his descendants¡­


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus. The rumor revolves around that child.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    ¡°It makes no difference if the rumors are true or not,¡± the figure continued. ¡°Inevitably, great powers will converge on that child. The Imperial family of Avalon, the Magic Tower¡­¡± Startlingly, the figure continued to speak to Jero. ¡°Until I know if the red coin was there or not¡ª No, no¡­ The tremendous tides of fate will surely pull that child under. I wish I could return to Arcadia, but¡­¡±


    Jero quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Are you going to approach the master directly?¡±


    ¡°...Thepany¡¯s internal conflict is still ongoing. Going back is unrealistic¡ªand I¡¯m not sure if that child is genuinely looking for the red coin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    Jero¡¯s face hardened. <em>I had assured the Young master that the conflict within thepany was over, but this was not the case. It was simply hidden because there was no need to show all of our cards right away.</em> <em>Perhaps it is the only card that could put a clean end to thepany¡¯s long, awful civil war.</em>


    ¡°Hail the master!¡± Jero hastily knelt as the light in the mana orb began to dim.


    Jero pulled himself up and stared into the vast, empty space when the light faded away.


    ¡°Hahhhh¡­ What do I do now?¡±

 Chapter 59

    The months flew by quickly. It was now Joshua¡¯s first day at the Academy. He looked around his new room, stretched his muscles, and stared at the boxes and boxes of stuff Cain had helped him pack.


    <em>Hahhh. Time to start my six-year life in the Academy. My n is just to lie low and regain my strength.</em>


    Joshua had already consumed a lot of his spare power to demonstrate his potential. It was mentally and physically exhausting. Therefore, he had no intention of drawing attention to himself, even though he was in disguise.


    <em>Now, what do I do about this?</em> Joshua scowled at the room. There were three beds and several pieces of furniture in thisrger-than-expected room. In other words, he had roommates.


    <em>Hmm¡­ Roommates. I hope they won¡¯t be assholes.</em>


    The door suddenly opened with a clunk.


    ¡°Oh? I wasn¡¯t the first one here?¡± The boy who had just entered the room looked at Joshua with wide eyes.


    He had exotic purple hair and big, bright purple eyes to match. Despite his slight figure, he seemed healthy, and his skin was deeply tanned.


    ¡°It¡¯s great to meet you, new friend!¡± The new kid walked over to Joshua with a yful smile and sped his hands. ¡°I¡¯m Agareth! Agareth kun Dous.¡±


    Joshua stared nkly at the too-bright boy for a long moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ash¡­ Ash pen Frederick.¡±


    ¡°Frederick? Hmmm, I¡¯ve never heard of that name before.¡± The kid frowned, making Joshuaugh. Joshua had expected Agareth¡¯s reaction.


    Agareth was a member of the Empire¡¯s top 1%; he and his peers were raised in aristocratic households where their every need was met. In the Academy, your status was determined solely by your family¡¯s power. What sort of perspective would the Academy imprint on their minds in this gathering of young lords?


    <em>I¡¯ll remain silent and calm.</em> With a resigned expression, Joshua tried to turn away.


    ¡°Are you alright? Ash, look after me for this year.¡± Agareth pumped their joined hands up and down. ¡°Firstly, I must unpack. There isn¡¯t much time left to prepare for the event.¡± The boy gestured to the luggage piled up behind him.


    <em>The Dous n¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s first impression wasn¡¯t bad; he was a noble but not boastful like the others. It was usually children of lower aristocrats who acted like this. It was probably for the best¡ªit was much better than the kids who unted their family¡¯s authority like it was their own.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯m thest one?¡± A voice from the doorway made Agareth and Joshua¡¯s heads turn.


    ¡°You!¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled with wonder.


    ¡°Ah, you!¡±


    A typical forest would soothe the mind with its rich green light¡ªbut this forest was tinted a mncholy magenta color, and seemed to be dark even in broad daylight.


    The ck Monster Forest. Its very name conjured an image of being devoured by the abyss.


    A man¡¯s voice sounds quietly through the din of monsters¡¯ noise.


    ¡°A ray of light pierces the vastness of the sky.¡± His voice attracted the attention of every monster in the area¡ªhundreds of monsters, at the very least. A sight that would make even the calmest person tremble.


    The man didn¡¯t seem to mind and continued reciting his spell. ¡°Gather at my fingertips, lightning, and strike down all foes that stand in my way.¡±


    The first to rush at the man was a dark troll, and the rest of the creatures soon followed. Their screams cut through the pitch-ck gloom over the rumble of hundreds of footsteps.


    ¡°A violent downpour of light falls upon their heads.¡± The man finished his spell with a disinterested expression as if it all had nothing to do with him. A dazzling white light gathered at his fingertips, transforming into innumerable raindrops that soaked into the dry ground.


    ¡°Lightning Rain.¡±


    A sh of light.


    It was over before the monsters could scream. For a moment, the darkness split. Then the sky was darkened by a thunderstorm; electrical currents raced across the ground, illuminating only the dark coals of the incinerated monster. Nothing else remained to attest to their existence.


    ¡°That¡¯s my magic¡­ How would youpare it to that child¡¯s ¡®strength¡¯?¡±


    When he didn¡¯t receive a response, the mage turned. An obese man, trembling like shaken gtin, screamed as he approached. To him, the mage¡¯s footsteps sounded like the reaper¡¯s boots. It was Viscount Vig Beck Steck, Lord of the Locke Estate.


    ¡°Hey! I asked you a question¡­ and I demand an answer. I know you saw something¡­¡±


    ¡°You really are a Sixth-ss Mage¡­¡±


    ¡°Who you think I am or am not is up to you¡­ But I want you to answer my questions, and I don¡¯t have the time or patience to listen to bullshit.¡±


    Vig screamed convulsively. ¡°I am a noble of the Great Avalon Empire! Do you think you can get away with this if they hear of this preposterous treatment?!¡±


    ¡°Empire?¡± A strange smile flickered across the man¡¯s lips. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t havee if I was afraid of something like that.¡±


    Vig¡¯s eyes bulged as the man¡¯s frightening energy poured down on him. The Viscount had spent his whole life relying on his ability to read people; the man in front of him certainly didn¡¯t seem like he was lying.


    <em>The Empire won¡¯t care.</em> This man could end Vig¡¯s life right now; he was a god, for all intents and purposes.


    ¡°Ah! Your magic is obviously more powerful! I am a stranger to magic, but I am certain of it! Even after he used the same lightning bolt, arge number of creatures survived!¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the man said with undisguised pride. ¡°There are innumerable schools of magic; even the same spell can vary wildly in power depending on your school. Even if the child is a direct descendent of <em>him</em> and a powerful magician like myself¡­ It can¡¯t be that strong.


    ¡°Besides, he wasn¡¯t the type of person to use lightning as his primary weapon.¡± The mage frowned, scowled, rubbed his chin, and frowned some more. ¡°Also, why did he take Bronto? But there are consequences¡­¡±


    The man jerked his head to the side. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll have to meet the boy in person. Obviously, Duke Agnus¡¯s estate isn¡¯t easy to sneak into, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait! Hold for a second! If you¡¯re thinking of seeing Joshua von Agnus, you¡¯re making a serious mistake!¡±


    The man gave him a dark look. ¡°Am I doing things incorrectly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, but he followed the Duke to the capital. I was told he¡¯d be admitted to the Academy¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Academy?¡± The man smirked. The Agnus Estate was not a particrly big issue, but Arcadia was a different story. The walls had eyes there; he couldn¡¯t run around, no matter how strong he was.


    ¡°It¡¯s a real problem¡­¡± The mage grimaced.


    ¡°I, I will assist!¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    For a moment, Vig forgot his fear. ¡°I hate that kid¡ªthat bastard! I couldn¡¯t even begin to tell you why I hate him! I¡¯ll help you kill that kid.¡±


    The man stared at Vig for a moment and burst outughing. Finally, he drew the hood of his blue rob off his head. The man within the robe was very ordinary, save for his pleasantly deep voice. He was middle-aged, with light blue hair and blue eyes of a moremon shade than Joshua¡¯s deep blue irises.


    But there was one feature that drew Vig¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Sterope¡¯s mark! Why do you¡ª?¡± Under his right eye was a circle surrounding a lightning bolt.


    <em>He¡­ as expected.</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re one of the Seven Magicians!¡± Vig¡¯s voice exploded with emotion. ¡°The Thunderbolt! Jack Steropes!¡±


    Jack smiled widely.


    ¡°By the way,¡± he said, gesturing to Vig¡¯s bloated body. ¡°I can¡¯t just let a little piggy lend me a hand, no matter how urgent the problem is, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I said I didn¡¯t care, but it could be a pain if my identity is revealed.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean you¡¯re nning to kill me? If I, an Imperial nobleman, suddenly vanished, the Empire, or the Duke of Agnus, would immediately go looking for me! Your true identity will be revealed¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, no.¡± Jack lifted his hand with a sunny smile. ¡°Pork kebab is the best way to cook a pig.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Die.¡± Jack flicked his fingers, piercing Vig¡¯s swollen bulk with a single lightning bolt.


    Vig¡¯s screams echoed through the peaceful woond.

 Chapter 60

    Joshua was thinking about the past again.


    The First Prince¡¯s Civil War, which would go down as the Empire¡¯s bitterest and bloodiest war in history, was on his mind. The power vacuum left by Emperor Marcus¡¯s disappearance plunged the already-weakened Empire into an all-out Civil War. The numbers of soldiers¡ªand their apanying Masters¡ªon both sides was astonishing.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but wonder if the fight was really worth it. Even the Masters avoided the conflict; they weren¡¯t dumb enough to risk their lives in a war against their own people.


    Hundreds of battles, big and small, took ce over the ten-year civil war. Only three engagements garnered casualties in the ten thousand in all that time. Critically, the Second Prince lost all of his supporters in those battles. He lost half of his army in the first battle and most of his territory in the second. The third battle was¡­


    Truly, the Second Prince¡¯s juvenile tactics lost him all of his forces except the Masters on his side. Regardless, the Masters jumped over to the First Prince¡¯s side like they were turning a new leaf, and the Second Prince¡¯s most important men, including Babel von Agnus, became the First Prince¡¯s prisoners.


    That aside, the First Prince weed the remains of the Second Prince¡¯s army with open arms. In the aftermath of the devastating Civil War, the First Prince offered thempassion for the sake of the nation. The Second Prince¡¯s allies were demoted, and a supervising organization was founded.


    But then, out of nowhere, two people¡¯s hands reached out to the dying Empire, like the light at the end of the ten-year-long tunnel. The Fourth Prince of the Avalon Empire, Kaiser von Britten, hoarded his knowledge and spared no words offort. Beside him was a master of tactics, said to carry a thousand stratagems in his mind; a war god, who led demon-like warriors to victory.


    Icarus, Heaven¡¯s Mind. And here he was, standing a few feet away from Joshua and Agareth. Joshua had to wonder if it was coincidence or fate. Icarus, like Joshua, was murdered at the hands of Kaiser von Britten, their trusted lord.


    Joshua stared at Icarus. But at that time, he was obviously¡­


    Icarus had pale, sky-blue hair and piercing blue eyes, charged with energy like a loaded gun. His features were nothing short of angelic, like a piece of Heaven sent down to Earth. He looked like a woman at first nce, and it made Joshua¡¯s palms sweaty1. Agareth mumbled something about uglier noblewomen he¡¯d met, suggesting he thought the same as Joshua.


    ¡°Ah, you¡ª!¡± Agareth¡¯s finger stabbed at Icarus. ¡°Commoner! The only one!¡±


    The Imperial Academy was famous enough that even foreign nobles and the royalty of minor countries traveled to attend the Academy. It wasn¡¯t exclusive to the nobility but essentially was, in practice. The Academy didn¡¯t treatmoners¡¯ applications poorly, however; there were special exceptions.


    Notably, Icarus. He was the one and onlymoner currently attending the Imperial Academy¡ªactually, he wasn¡¯t amoner anymore. Hees from Habest Estate, in the Southern part of the Empire. The childless baron and baroness there noticed his brilliance and adopted him so his talents wouldn¡¯t go to waste.


    Avalon¡¯s nobles had an excessive pride, evenpared to other countries, so the baron¡¯s neighbors heavily mocked him for this umon happening. Of course, the baron didn¡¯t pay them any mind¡ªhe had no desire for power, nor did he have the power to shut their mouths. And so, Icarus garnered some small fame.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Icarus grinned shyly and bobbed his head as if he¡¯d anticipated the shocked reaction. ¡°I¡­ I never expected I¡¯d share a room with Young Master Agareth. I don¡¯t know if this is good or not.¡±


    ¡°Haha! I¡¯m in the same boat as you¡­ but don¡¯t you think it¡¯s going to be a great year?¡± Agarethughed heartily.


    ¡°I had a feeling beforehand, but Young Master Agareth seems like a talkative, happy-go-lucky sort of person.¡±


    ¡°Is that apliment?¡± The subtle sarcasm in Icarus¡¯s voice seemed to fly over Agareth¡¯s head.


    Joshua felt strangely excluded. Aren¡¯t they talking like they¡¯ve known each other for a long time? He scowled. They were definitely as new to the Academy as he was, but there wasn¡¯t a hint of unfamiliaritying off them.


    There was an anecdote about Icarus that Joshua remembered very well. The low-born Icarus was a perfect victim for the bored noble brats¡ªthey just couldn¡¯t leave him alone. Icarus¡¯s life in the Academy was a living hell. Regardless of his abilities, Icarus was the perfect target for their contempt and disdain.


    This is the first I¡¯ve heard of Icarus having a friend. In that nightmare, the first person to reach out to Icarus was none other than Kaiser von Britten, the Fourth Prince. He was the first to treat Icarus like a human being. Kaiser discovered a diamond in the rough and gave him the chance to grow as his heart desired. Icarus was devoted to Prince Kaiser.


    However, until then¡­ Joshua eyed the boy suspiciously. We¡¯ll see soon. Icarus is a one-of-a-kind talent I can¡¯t let get away.


    He and Icarus had a lot inmon: they were taken away from disdain and contempt only to die at the hands of Kaiser von Britten. In Joshua¡¯s eyes, Icarus was already a friend; the enemy of your enemy is a friend, after all. This friend happened to be glowing with talent.


    Let¡¯s take our time and enjoy it. There will be an abundance of opportunities in the future. Joshua watched Agareth and Icarus with sparkling eyes. He was convinced that their meeting was ordained by fate. Over a thousand cadets enrolled every year, and the three of them had ended up as roommates. How could anyone believe it was just a coincidence?


    My trusted friend turned out to be my enemy¡ªbut was fate on my side? Joshua¡¯s lips curled into a gentle smile.


    But Joshua didn¡¯t know that fate was a fickle mistress.


    ¡°Can you tell me what you¡¯re doing?¡±


    ¡°Du-Duke!¡± Lucia jumped like a startled rabbit and spun around to face the Duke. ¡°My humble self greets you, my Duke.¡±


    Duke Agnus gazed at Lucia with clouded eyes for a long minute.


    ¡°Are you enjoying your stay?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thanks to the Duke¡¯s thoughtfulness, I am living a humble but good life.¡± Lucia bowed her head respectfully.


    The Duke eyed her with obvious interest. He seemed to contemte something and then sighed. ¡°If you find anything ufortable, please feel free to let me know. I¡¯ll let everyone know you can approach me at any time.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lucia fidgeted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Duke Agnus turned around without giving Lucia an opportunity to speak.


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± The middle-aged man apanying the Duke bowed to Lucia and then hurried after Duke Agnus.


    Lucia finally came to her wits and hurriedly bowed to Duke Agnus¡¯s distant back. I hope he¡¯s not upset that my bow waste.


    The man walking beside Duke Agnus cautiously broached the silence. ¡°Duke¡­¡±


    Duke Agnus cast a sidelong nce at him without stopping. He had a moustache but apletely bald head. The man¡¯s name was Baron Hed, one of Duke Agnus¡¯s few true vassals and the long-time manager of the family¡¯s administration. He was also Duke Agnus¡¯s personal secretary in the capital, and he rarely offered advice.


    Baron Hed resolved himself and gave Duke Agnus a questioning look. ¡°It may be pretentious of me to ask, but¡­ May I inquire as to why Lady Lucia was brought into the mansion? I¡¯d heard you¡¯d made a wager with Young Master Joshua. However¡­¡± Hed seemed a little frightened. ¡°I¡¯m concerned that Duchess Vaness would be jealous.¡±


    Duke Agnus offered him no reply.


    ¡°Young Master Babel has been the designated heir for a long time now. Even the vassals are perplexed by the current state of affairs. I¡¯ve heard that Young Master Joshua is incredibly skilled, but even if he¡¯s stronger, I can¡¯t help but consider Young Master Babel¡¯s royal heritage. I think it¡¯s best you take a firm stance this time and maybe just let Young Master Joshua assist the family in other ways.¡±


    ¡°To put it another way, you¡¯re worried about Joshua¡¯s lineage.¡±


    Baron Hed nodded without hesitation. ¡°Yes¡­ Young Master Joshua¡¯s blood cannot be ignored; if Young Master Joshua received the Agnus name, there would be an uproar in and out of the family.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± Duke Agnus slowly shook his head. ¡°If it¡¯s about bloodlines, then¡­¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡± The Baron tilted his head inquisitively.


    ¡°...No. For the time being, let¡¯s keep an eye on it.¡±


    ¡°Yes. As the Master wills.¡±


    The legitimacy of blood¡­ A strange light shone behind Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes.


    Mom¡¯s spaghetti?

 Chapter 61

    Joshua learned about Agareth and Icarus¡¯s friendship far sooner than he¡¯d anticipated. It turned out the two of them were already well-known in the Academy. Not in the positive sense, of course. Sometimes, people are more famous for their mistakes than their achievements.


    The afternoon after the admission ceremony, everyone was called to the canteen. When Joshua and the other two had arrived, the dining hall was already bustling. It was like an enormous restaurant, brimming with luxurious decorations and expensive foods. The dining hall was designed to amodate every student in the Academy, allowing cadets from all sses to mingle and socialize.


    <em>I would have assigned a different time for each ss if I were the manager¡­ This ce is luxurious, but God, is it cramped.</em>


    The students already in the hall turned to look at the first-year students who¡¯d just arrived.


    ¡°Look over there¡­ are Agareth and Icarus a couple?¡±


    ¡°What are they doing, teasing each other? Pfft.¡±


    ¡°You know, I heard they share the same room.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t the Academy do that on purpose? They must have lumped them together because they¡¯re the only two fools who got stuck in freshman year.¡±


    ¡°Are they worried that their stupidity will spread to the other students?¡±


    The students¡¯ shamelessughter made Joshua grimace, but he was starting to understand Icarus¡¯s rtionship with Agareth.


    The Imperial Academy had six grades; each grade had to pass a promotion exam to move up. Fail twice, and you would be expelled.


    <em>I don¡¯t get what they¡¯re talking about. Heaven¡¯s Mind, failing the exam? What the hell happened?</em>


    While Joshua was engrossed in his thoughts, three cadets blocked his way. They looked intimidating, but Joshua didn¡¯t notice them at first. The boys wore yellow neckties, indicating that they had just started their sophomore year. ording to their grade, the color went from white to yellow to green to blue to red to ck.


    ¡°What kinda team is this? The illegitimate son of Count Dous and amoner!¡±


    <em>Illegitimate son?</em> Joshua grimaced. His life wasn¡¯t getting any easier.


    Only two students failed to advance grades. One was amoner, who was bound to draw attention by virtue of his background; the other was a child born out of an adulterous rtionship whose family refused to acknowledge him. Whether Joshua liked it or not, he was stuck with them.


    Why was it so much trouble for him to avoid attracting attention?


    <em>Damn it¡­ Even if they act like shit, the ones who look good get apuded, and the others getughed at.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s face contorted. He couldn¡¯t pretend he didn¡¯t know anything because he¡¯d already decided to bring Icarus to his side. In other words, he had to put up with the scorn of the people around them.


    <em>I don¡¯t care for it; I¡¯ve dealt with plenty of this in myst life.</em> Joshua was not worried about dealing with this in the slightest. <em>Should I just beat the crap out of them?</em>


    While Joshua¡¯s thoughts were spiraling out of control, Agarareth responded with a foolish smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s because we¡¯re friends?¡±


    ¡°Friends? Hah!¡±


    ¡°Two losers sharing a room. Are you two in love?¡±


    The two boys on either sideughed heartily, but the boy in the middle turned his slit-like eyes onto Agareth¡¯s face. ¡°Now, what you just said¡­ that¡¯s not funny, Agareth kun Dous. Aren¡¯t your parents ashamed to have you as their child?¡± The thin-eyed boy turned away scornfully. ¡°You¡¯re trash, and you always will be. I¡¯m embarrassed to have been a friend of yours.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little excessive, Young Master Amaru?¡±


    Amaru halted.


    ¡°How dare you, idiot?¡± The boy on the right stepped towards them as Amaru growled. ¡°How dare this worthless peasant show such disrespect to the heir of Sten!?¡±


    <em>Sten? Ah,e to think of it, he looks a lot like his father.</em> They had the same gray hair and narrow eyes.


    Count Arie bron Sten was one of only five of the Empire¡¯s Masters. He was known as the Rapier Master and the Conductor of the Battlefield. The way he wielded his narrow rapier was an art form in itself; those who witnessed it are said to be enthralled by its beauty. His opponents im to see the supernatural in his de.


    The rapier was lighter than the traditional long sword, and widely considered a weapon for women. However, no one who underestimated Count Sten lived to tell the tale. His technique was known as ¡°Alteration¡±, a style that truly conveys the feeling of change. In his past life, Joshua saw Count Sten and his rapier sweep across the battlefield.


    ¡°An insult to my friend is an insult to me! How dare you interrupt him¡ªyou ought to be punished!¡±


    <em>What a load of</em> bullshit<em>!</em> Icarus bit his lip, managing to stop himself before he yelled something foolish.


    The other cadets crowded around them, jostling each other to get a good look.


    ¡°What?¡± Duncan<sup>1</sup> sported a twisted smile as he watched Icarus bite his lip. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with what I said?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything that could possibly offend you or your crew! What exactly are you implying?¡±


    ¡°You have no idea?¡± Duncan¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°You lowly bastard tried to stick his head into other peoples¡¯ business and tried to butt into a conversation you don¡¯t belong to¡­ And this,¡± Duncan sniffed the air. ¡°You¡¯re breathing the same air as we are. How absurd is that?


    ¡°What else would it be but an insult?


    ¡°Humans raise cattle to ughter them for food. That¡¯s what you are to us. How could we not be enraged when our livestock wants topete with a human?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Icarus¡¯s cool demeanor cracked. The insult to himself and his parents was too much for him.


    The mockery of the surrounding students was like salt on his wound:


    ¡°Hahahaha.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it¡­ To be honest, it¡¯s just too much. We¡¯ve been forced to take sses alongside amoner sincest year¡ªa piece of shit.¡±


    ¡°Did you think you actually became a nobleman because you got adopted by some random baron?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never even heard of the baron who adopted him.


    Duncan¡¯s delight grew with everyment.


    ¡°Amaru! Isn¡¯t this too far?!¡± Agareth clenched his teeth. Even his happy-go-lucky attitude couldn¡¯t cope with this situation.


    ¡°Before you say that, why don¡¯t you take a good look at yourself? You have a great time together; you even look good together. Is it true? Are you lovers now?¡±


    Agareth¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Whether you believe it or not¡­ Icarus and I are friends.¡±


    <em>My n to remain anonymous was utterly wed.</em> Joshua sighed. <em>It can¡¯t be helped. People are already paying attention to me because I¡¯m next to people who stand out.</em> He would¡¯ve preferred to grab Icaruster if he¡¯d known this would happen.


    Joshua was furious, though he didn¡¯t show it. His lifestyle wasn¡¯t any different from the one they were insulting. His life in the stables¡­ T<em>hey treat people the same way they treat livestock.</em> It wasn¡¯t just Duke Agnus¡ªall the nobility on the continent treated peasants the same. It may be stereotyping, but it was the truth. Aristocrats¡¯ lust for power made them blind to the importance of diversity; they¡¯d trample their subordinates for any advantage they could get.


    <em>It feels like I¡¯m interfering in children¡¯s arguments, but¡­</em> Joshua stepped forward with a smile stered on his lips. <em>They¡¯re all the same¡­ so I¡¯ll wipe them all out.</em>


    As Joshua opened his lips for the first time¡ª


    ¡°Prin-Prince?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Prince!¡±


    ¡°My word, why is he here?¡±


    The back of the audience erupted into noise. A brilliant boy with blonde hair and golden eyes, the iconic features of the Imperial Family, emerged from the other side of the room. As a prince, he had at least three knights wherever he went, even in a ce like this.


    The golden child approached Joshua and shed him a dazzling smile. ¡°I see you did it.¡±


    Joshua visibly stiffened, in contrast to the golden-eyed boy¡¯s thrilled expression. The enormous dining hall went dead silent as he arrived.


    ¡°Kaiser von Britten,¡± Joshua muttered.

 Chapter 62

    ¡°The Fourth Prince knows that bastard?¡±


    ¡°Heup! I mean¡­ Yes, the Prince went out of his way to approach Ash first.¡±


    When Veron shen Vis heard what had happened, he threw a tantrum.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Veron yelled and shook. ¡°Tell me every detail!¡±


    ¡°Regarding that¡­¡± Muker recounted what he¡¯d heard. Ash pen Frederick was roommates with the two failed students from Veron¡¯s ss when Veron wore a yellow tie instead of a red tie. He couldn¡¯t believe that Ash was epted into the prestigious Academy to begin with. And then Ash and Prince Kaiser met up¡­?


    Veron¡¯s face twisted and turned as Muker spoke, ultimately settling into a savage grin.


    ¡°What¡­ is that it?¡± he asked.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, yes.¡±


    ¡°Are you deaf? Didn¡¯t you just say he knows the Fourth Prince? What happened after that? Did they talk?¡±


    Muker smiled sardonically. His master had been jittery ever since that incident.


    It¡¯s a good thing you didn¡¯t toss me away. Nothing was more disgraceful for a knight than to be abandoned by his master.


    Once chosen, it was a knight¡¯s duty to protect their master with his life. In Avalon, backtracking on your beliefs was unthinkable, but Muker had to consider what would happen if his Master threw him away in the middle of this chaos.


    ¡°Yes. The Prince supposedly whispered something in his ear, although it was only a brief moment¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? Useless bastard.¡±


    ¡°My sincerest apologies.¡± Muker bowed his head, despite being entirely faultless. Veron gave him a disgruntled nce and then spun around.


    ¡°That bug got the chance to meet the Fourth Prince? There¡¯s something else¡­¡± Veron smirked. ¡°No matter how hard I looked, I couldn¡¯t find anyone named Viscount Frederick. Now I¡¯m assuming he¡¯s either a fallen aristocrat or a foreigner¡­¡±


    The plot thickened the more Veron thought about it. It was clear that Ash was not a fallen noble¡ªno mere fallen nobleman¡¯s child would be able to meet the noblest blood in the Empire. So the only possibility left was¡­


    A nobleman from another country. In addition, a family with close ties to the prince. Veron was dumbfounded.


    The sons of many noble houses, including the 5 Dukes and the Twelve Families, spun through Veron¡¯s mind. I hate to admit it, but I¡¯ve never heard of a nobleman in my own country with such remarkable skills as that age.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick¡­¡± Veron grit his teeth.


    I was over the moon when I heard he¡¯d been epted into the Academy. At the very least, there were endless ways Veron would be able to bully him.


    However, there was an unexpected variable: the biggest variable you could possibly think of, the Prince.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Veron stared down at his hands. It was Ash¡¯s fault that the family Deon Ring hurt to wear on his finger.


    Veron made a quick decision. ¡°Muker!¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± he replied.


    ¡°For the time being, send a request to the Moon Gate.¡±


    ¡°What kind of request¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ask them to find out where that damnable Frederick family crawled out of, even if they have tob the entire continent.¡± Veron¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°And, in case you didn¡¯t realize, I also want them to tell me everything there is to know about Ash pen Frederick himself, the bastard.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Muker bit his lip. ¡°Master, it may be a foolish suggestion, but if you break your pledge now, the entire Vis Estate willy the me on you.¡±


    Veron red murderously at Muker, but the knight didn¡¯t avert his gaze. He knew the gravity of the vow he¡¯d made for his family. Ash had imposed a request on Veron via Muker, who¡¯de in ce of Baron Provalum, who¡¯de in ce of Veron himself.


    ¡°The ring will be returned¡­ But, on behalf of your master, apologize and pledge to the Rebra family to never stoop to such low behavior again.¡±


    That Ash pen Frederick¡­ Muker scowled. He couldn¡¯t get the boy¡¯s name out of his head.


    Regardless, Count Rebra had been there as a notary to ensure that Veron kept his promise.


    ¡°My pledge?¡± Veron shot a fishy smile at Muker. ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? What does a promise you made with them have to do with me?¡±


    Muker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°My lord¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Such flimsy pledges are made to be broken,¡± Veron spat. ¡°Shut your mouth and get to the Moon Gate. Ipetent fools like you should just listen like an obedient dog.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Muker¡¯s nails dug into his palm.


    ¡°What? Why are you still here? Shoo. Useless scum.¡±


    It¡¯d been a few days since the weing ceremony. Unlike Agareth, who¡¯d been sleeping on his stomach since morning, or Icarus, who focused on ss with glittering eyes, Joshua was upied with thoughts totally unrted to ss.


    ¡°I received your response¡­ But, Young Master, I couldn¡¯t give up on you. Do you know why?¡±


    The memory of Kaiser¡¯s face brought a sharp smile to his face. Now I know every bit of his personality.


    How many teeth did he hide behind that pretentious mask?


    He requested I visit the Imperial Pce at least once before I graduated, but I was nning on it even if he hadn¡¯t asked. The Imperial Knights¡­ That ce held a lot of memories. Joshua needed something from there.


    ¡°Agareth kun Dous!¡± Joshua¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the middle-aged instructor¡¯s irate voice. Even though he was over fifty years old and had a powerful figure, he frowned like a kid.


    Since Joshua, Agareth, and Icarus were roommates, they were in the same ss. The Academy¡¯s primary curriculum was discovering the cadets¡¯ aptitude, but that wouldn¡¯t happen until their third year. Right now, all the first years took the same sses, regardless of their chosen department. Naturally, as the Empire of Knights, that meant everyone took swordsmanship sses.


    Time for some swordy.


    The first, second, and third grades¡ªthe underssmen¡ªtook their swordsmanship ss together. The Academy was worried that only fighting opponents of a simr level would twist their perception of real war.


    Icarus was so focused on the course that he hadn¡¯t noticed Agareth falling asleep. Now, he urgently shook the other boy awake.


    ¡°Agareth! Young Master Agareth!¡±


    ¡°Uh? Is it already time for dinner?¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± A few students giggled as they watched Agareth stagger to his feet and wipe the drool off his chin. Their surroundings grew noisy with chatter.


    ¡°What a turd.¡±


    ¡°What is he doing? Idiot.¡±


    ¡°How did the Dous family produce such a moron?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a bastard.¡±


    ¡°Agareth kun Dous, concentrate on your ss,¡± the swordsmanship instructor chastised. ¡°Unless you want to be sent home.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yes! I¡¯m going to concentrate!¡± Agareth stared forward with his eyes wide open.


    The instructor shook his head. ¡°Now, let us continue. The sword is frequently referred to as the king of weapons and the master of death. It is the most powerful weapon in the world. That is why most knights prefer it in battle.¡±


    Themotion faded as the instructor resumed his lecture.


    ¡°The present emperor, who attained the highest level of mastery while also governing the entire Empire, and one of the Nine Stars, the Empire¡¯s pride, Duke Aden von Agnus, both wield swords. The five Masters of Avalon are the same.


    ¡°So, why is the sword said to be the best weapon?¡±


    One of the students quietly raised their hand.


    ¡°Ah, yes.¡± The instructor nodded and pointed at him to speak. ¡°Amaru bron Sten. I¡¯m looking forward to your answer.¡±


    Amaru stood up. My father is one of the Empire¡¯s most powerful swordsmen¡ªof course he expected me to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. Every weapon except the sword is junk.¡±


    Joshua had lost interest in the ss, but Amaru¡¯s response made his eyebrows twitch.


    ¡°All weapons except swords are worthless¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, no weapon can beat the sword at the same level of skill. I don¡¯t deny that, but your remarks are obviously wed, Amaru bron Sten.¡± The instructor shook his head. ¡°Most soldiers are equipped with spears, not swords; this is true in any country. Avalon outfits its soldiers with spears, as well¡ªare you suggesting we teach them swordsmanship instead?¡±


    Amaru shook his head and continued without hesitation. ¡°What I said pertains to people with simr abilities. Disposable soldiers are not included,¡± Amaru said with pride.


    Amaru, a noble to the bone, had been raised to think of spearmen as disposable assets. Most of the cadets nodded along. Themon soldier meant as little to Avalon¡¯s aristocrats as sheep.


    ¡°The ignorant will overlook the terrain¡­ Those sorts of people are too blind to dodge a weapon, nor do they have the ability to do so. However, trained knights are different. Distance? It¡¯s not an issue with a sword, but a spear? Its length is difficult to move. So long as you attack quickly, it¡¯s an effortless victory.


    ¡°Wars aren¡¯t limited to the ins, either. A sword isn¡¯t affected by its surroundings, such as mountainous terrain or cramped environments.¡± Amaru vigorously powered forwards, taking the instructor¡¯s continued silence as a license to continue.


    ¡°I may have been exaggerating a little, but I believe the swords is the finest¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hrious.¡± A voice from the corner stopped Amaru in his tracks. It took him a moment to find the source of the voice, and it confused him.


    Wasn¡¯t that the boy who hung out with those two louts?


    ¡°Are all weapons useless except the sword?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, the sword is¡±


    Joshua cut him off. ¡°The sword is, in my opinion, the greatest piece of rubbish ever made...


    ¡°Especially those rapiers the girls use.¡±


    What did he say? Amaru was stunned. I misheard, right? Amaru¡¯s mouth pped wordlessly.


    ¡°Rapier¡­¡±

 Chapter 63

    A suffocating silence nketed the ssroom.


    Most of the students were thinking the same thing: ¡°What did he just say?¡±


    <em>I don¡¯t know what family he belongs to, but that boy is pretty interesting.</em>


    <em>His appearance doesn¡¯t match his personality¡ªwhat a strange kid.</em>


    <em>Surely he knows he¡¯s talking to the heir of Count Sten?</em>


    Despite the Count¡¯s apathy towards the title, he was head and shoulders above any other count; in fact, the Sten family was powerful enough to fend off one of the Twelve Families or Five Dukes. It was no exaggeration to say that their family¡¯s status rode entirely on the shoulders of Count Arie bron Sten.


    Amaru made it well known how proud he was to inherit the Sten legacy.


    ¡°Did you¡­ just say something? Just now?¡±


    Joshua met Amaru¡¯s gaze with a politely nk expression. ¡°I said, ¡®The rapier is the greatest piece of rubbish ever made¡­ and only girls use it.¡¯¡±


    The cadets exploded.


    ¡°This¡ª! This dumbass¡ª!¡±


    The second and third years were especially noisy.


    ¡°Who is he? He must be a freshman, because this is the first time I¡¯ve seen him. Do you think hees from some great family?¡±


    ¡°Ah, let me in on the talk! Did you hear any rumors that the son of a high-ranked family wasing?¡±


    ¡°But what¡¯s he going to do next? Is hepletely insane?¡±


    Kane, the underssman swordsmanship professor, frowned at Joshua. For a moment, he pondered the idea of Joshua being the son of a powerful lord, but he quickly recalled that there wasn¡¯t a single child on the admission list that sparked his interest. Not a single one came from the upper nobility.


    ¡°You said¡­ the rapier is a piece of garbage¡­?¡±


    Amaru leapt from his seat.


    ¡°YOU DARE¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Kane brought his foot down. ¡°Fighting amongst cadets is strictly forbidden!¡±


    Amaru tensed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a proud member of the Sten family! Are you telling me to stand idle while our name is insulted?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Kane trailed off. He knew that the blue-haired boy¡¯s words were tantly insulting. With Amaru¡¯s pride, Ash¡¯s opinions were like a gut punch.


    ¡°It¡¯s ludicrous,¡± Joshua said. He snorted and grinned cruelly.


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why are you insulting the weapons you don¡¯t use and only put the ones you do use in the spotlight? Isn¡¯t this textbook asshole behavior?¡±


    ¡°This motherfucker!¡± Amaru¡¯s face flushed scarlet, like his head could pop at any moment. ¡°I¡¯m just telling it like it is!¡±


    ¡°¡®Like it is¡¯? Let me repeat what you said: ¡®All weapons besides swords are useless¡¯. Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes! The Masters, the country¡¯s heroes, except barbarians like the Mercenary King, use swords.¡±


    Joshua lips twisted into a lopsided grin. In his first life, he¡¯de to despise this mentality. These stereotypes were deeply entrenched in these people¡¯s brains, like the roots of an old tree.


    <em>I could tell just by looking at the instructor¡ªthe man didn¡¯t even blink at what Amaru said.</em>


    Joshua¡¯ twisted smile stretched wider. <em>How much scorn did I receive just because I wielded a spear?</em>


    The spear was a symbol of bravery, selflessness, and righteousness. <em>I tried to show that to the rest of the world, and all I got was scorn and contempt. But this life, I¡¯ll show you.</em>


    ¡°Fighting between cadets is strictly prohibited.¡±


    Amaru froze awkwardly, but a snide smile quickly found its way onto his lips.


    ¡°What? You¡¯re going to quote the rules now like you didn¡¯t want to punch me a second ago?¡±


    The other cadets chuckled.


    ¡°But.¡± Joshua stood and faced Kane. ¡°If it¡¯s for practical training, it wouldn¡¯t break any rules.¡±


    Kane flinched.


    ¡°You want a real fight¡­¡± Amaru pondered it and then nodded enthusiastically. ¡°A practice ss is scheduled for tomorrow.


    ¡°Excuse me, Instructor. Please give me a chance to prove to my ssmates that I¡¯m not a liar. If you approve this sparring session, I won¡¯t argue anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kane sighed deeply.


    Regardless of the students¡¯ backgrounds, the teachers always overruled them within the Academy. It¡¯s how they ensured equality. Kane wasn¡¯t easily fazed, either, but, given the circumstances, he couldn¡¯t turn Amaru down. There was a distinct possibility that the issue would spiral out of control if he left it alone.


    <em>It¡¯s going to be a long year.</em>


    ¡°Fine. The sword, however, is prohibited for sparring. You may use the wooden sparring weapons in the Academy storehouse; anything else, I will not allow.¡±


    Amaru¡¯s face brightened. A wooden sword was perfect for breaking limbs.


    <em>I¡¯m going to crush you.</em>


    At the time, no one knew that this incident would permanently change the teaching of swordsmanship in the Academy.


    Jero had been using the Arcadia branch¡¯s secret room frequentlytely. Many wealthy clients visited the Moon Gate in recent years, and they all wanted something big and shy.


    <em>Maybe I have too much daily clothing.</em> Jero scratched his head absently.


    An expressionless man sat in the chair across from him. Jero didn¡¯t know the knight¡¯s identity, but the family he came from could not be overlooked¡ªhis armor was embossed with the shield-and¨Csword motif of the Marquis of Vis.


    <em>I don¡¯t think the Marquis has been involved in any particrly troubling instances recently¡­</em> Jero was skeptical, though. Wouldn¡¯t it be an issue if everything ran <em>too</em> smoothly? <em>Well, I¡¯ll find out if I just ask him.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s a privilege to meet a knight of the illustrious Marquis of Vis. I am Jero, an informant.¡±


    ¡°Muker.¡±


    The brusque greeting made Jero hesitate, but he didn¡¯t let it show. Only a newbie would allow the client to see their emotions.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Sir Muker. So, how did youe across our branch¡­?¡± Jero went straight to the point, knowing that these kinds of people didn¡¯t appreciate circling the topic.


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to find everything on one boy¡­ or person.¡±


    ¡°Regarding this¡­ boy¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a young man named Ash pen Frederick. At this time, he¡¯s enrolled in the Imperial Academy.¡±


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick?¡± Jero cocked his head.


    <em>¡°While I¡¯m at the Academy, I¡¯ll go by ¡®Ash pen Frederick¡¯. Find me there if more informationes in.¡±</em>


    ¡°My word¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea about his origins?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Jero smiled. ¡°I know, roughly.¡±


    Muker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Tell me everything there is to know about the boy. I¡¯ll pay you as much as you want.¡±


    Jero appeared to contemte something.


    ¡°As you are aware, the information our organization handles is quite costly.¡± The informant smiled sweetly.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about money¡ª¡±


    ¡°Especially!¡± Jero cut Muker off. ¡°Especially if it falls under our organization¡¯s unique management.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to take extra precautions?¡±


    <em>There¡¯s something about that kid. I knew it!</em> He couldn¡¯t be ordinary if a vast organization like the Moon Gate put him under special management. <em>I expected it but actually hearing it is like being struck by lightning.</em>


    ¡°Tell me. I¡¯ll pay as much as you want¡ª¡±


    ¡°One¡­ million pieces of gold.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Muker stared nkly at Jero.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick¡¯s information is worth one million gold.¡± Jero emphasized each words to make sure Muker didn¡¯t hear anything wrong.


    ¡°The Moon Gate will not ept this request unless you can pay.¡±

 Chapter 64

    Muker left, leaving Jero alone in the secret room.


    Young Master Joshua¡­ He smiled sweetly. Sometimes, he seems like a walking goldmine.


    Muker babbled endlessly and eventually got turned away forck of funds. A million gold pieces¡­ A singlemunication crystal costs a thousand pieces of gold; a rural castle was simrly priced. A million gold pieces were far more than the annual revenue of a major city.


    Even if the Marquis of Vis himself hade instead of his vassal, he would¡¯ve left empty-handed.


    Of course, there was a rational reason for that price.


    He imed that his goal was to graduate without drawing any attention. But, given his conflict with Vis¡¯s heir and an unexpected meeting with the Fourth Prince, he¡¯s drawn huge amounts of attention.


    The Moon Gate¡¯s eyes missed nothing.


    The Veron shen Vis I know woulde for vengeance no matter how hard he¡¯s beaten¡­ People like him will look for the information they want from other sources if they can¡¯t get it from us.


    The Moon Gate was the most powerful among its peers, but it had manypetitors. If not, the Moon Gate would already control the entire Igrant Continent. As the saying goes, whoever controls the information controls the world.


    Jeor grinned. Veron shen Vis would be better off keeping his head down. Despite Joshua¡¯s youth, his exceptional abilities and his rtionship with the Fourth Prince proved that he was a formidable opponent. Even Veron was beginning to realize that.


    When doubt bes certainty, I¡¯m confident that Veron shen Vis will abandon his petty revenge and make a run for it. He¡¯s the sort of person that acts weak to the strong, and strong to the weak.


    Jero stared idly at the entrance as if he didn¡¯t have a mountain of work piling up.


    ¡°...Will he find the red coin and finally put an end to this war?¡±


    ¡°That was a risky move.¡±


    Those were the first words Agareth said to Joshua when he returned to their room after ss. Agareth¡¯s feckless smile was gone for the first time, reced by a serious expression.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you really not know? It¡¯s insane for you to dismiss the rapier in front of the second son of the Sten family!¡±


    ¡°I know what I did.¡±


    Agareth clutched the back of his neck and groaned while Icarus whisperedforting words to him.


    ¡°I thought your free-spirited soul would never shoulder these kinds of problems.¡± Joshua snickered. ¡°Turns out, you pay attention sometimes, too.¡±


    ¡°This guy¡­¡± Agareth mumbled some kind of calming mantra under his breath. ¡°Amaru always holds a grudge. You hurt his pride. Expect revenge¡­ He¡¯s going to try to hurt you badly.


    ¡°Can you tell me about your abilities? We¡¯re all in the same age group, but he can already feel his mana. It¡¯s a skill that only a few students can do. It might be basic, but it¡¯s a milestone; he really is a Sten¡ª¡±


    ¡°You seem to know a lot about Amaru bron Sten.¡±


    Agareth took a deep breath and nodded. ¡°I knew him pretty well since we were friends for a long time.¡±


    The past-tense phrasing made Joshua pause.


    ¡°The nobility knows that the heads of Sten and Dous are intimate friends,¡± Icarus offered.


    In the far north of the Empire, the Sten and Dous families had no choice but to rely on each other. The two families bordered Lemegeton, the ¡°Deatnd¡±. Agareth¡¯s father assisted the Sten head, themander of the north. The two had been exterminating the demons flooding in from the north for a long time.


    ¡°What, is that it?¡±


    Agareth nodded. ¡°There¡¯s something Amaru and I have inmon. Both of us are the younger brothers of a skilled older sibling.¡±


    Joshua nodded silently. I didn¡¯t need to hear the backstory to understand his situation. They were in simr circumstances. Agareth was a bastard like Joshua if not treated quite as poorly. Like any other family, the eldest son must have pushed him into a corner¡ªand unlike the Agnus duchy, the northern regions are a constant battleground. They wouldn¡¯t have the time to deal with their family affairs even if they wanted to.


    ¡°The second son has no say in family affairs or matters of inheritance,¡± Agareth continued. ¡°Anyways, there isn¡¯t much to say about my childhood. Amaru and I got close because of our circumstances.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Icarus heaved a relieved sigh.


    ¡°In any case,¡± Agareth said, donning his foolish grin again, ¡°this is why I told you that I know Amaru better than anyone else¡­ So don¡¯t be stubborn and apologize. I don¡¯t want my new friend to break.¡±


    Joshua looked Agareth in the eyes and burst outughing.


    ¡°What are youughing for?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about your friendship or whatever your game is¡­ Let me make one thing clear: you think that the weak should apologize to the strong just because they¡¯re strong?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°You must enjoy smiling like an idiot and turning the other cheek.¡±


    ¡°Ash! You know Young Master Agareth doesn¡¯t mean it like that. He was just concerned.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s concerned about who? I¡¯m not like that. I don¡¯t like degrading my pride; since I have the skill, let me show them.¡± Joshua pushed himself to his feet.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to live in someone else¡¯s shadow, fight to change your fate, and don¡¯t waver in your beliefs.¡±


    Agareth nkly gaped at Joshua as he walked out the door.


    A glimmer of something awakening danced behind Agareth¡¯s eyes.


    In some ways, the Academy was a way to reinforce the Imperial family¡¯s power by holding the house¡¯s sessors hostage; thus, the Imperial family managed it very carefully. That meant that the students had no issue going wherever they wanted after ss unless someone had gone missing.


    Joshua went to his private training ground, the tiny mansion on the outskirts of Duke Agnus¡¯s sphere of influence. After Lucia had departed for Duke Agnus¡¯s residence, the ce was empty. It was perfect for some quiet meditation.


    Ah, this is great. Joshua nodded to himself as he settled into meditation.


    Within his body, two tremendous energies were locked in conflict. It felt rather ufortable before, but Joshua quickly got used to it. The two powers had be astonishingly stable once a new power was introduced to the mix.


    Bronto. The powerful Primordial Stone could stand toe-to-toe with the other two energies¡ªand maybe even more than that.


    Joshua could feel something new¡­ an entirely new realm he¡¯d never seen in hisst life. He had no idea how strong it could be.


    Magic Spear Arts¡­ Third Stage. An all-new triumvirate of divine power, magic power, and Brontobined with his own mana.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped open. I can do this.


    He moved his mana gently and delicately at first as if he were handling a baby and gradually led the two conflicting energies out of the corners they¡¯d been pushed into. A subtle, undetected electrical current spread across his body.


    A vein popped on Joshua¡¯s forehead. Just a little more¡­!


    Joshua¡¯s body was suddenly pouring with sweat. It dripped off his body into a puddle of viscous liquid like tepid water. The foul stench of it irritated his nose.


    Divine power and magic are like water and oil. They can¡¯t mix, so let¡¯s not try. Don¡¯t force it¡­ just let it flow.


    Joshua delicately guided the two energies using his mana and Bronto, which almost seemed willing to help him. His body swelled and tightened as if it would pop.


    How much time had passed?


    It began with Lugia rattling on the floor.


    Joshua¡¯s body transformed. The electrical currents dancing around him sucked into Joshua¡¯s body, and his eyes opened.


    A thunderous boom shattered the silence, bathing the area in ck and white lightning.

 Chapter 65

    Joshua forgot the passage of time as he concentrated on the next level of the Magic Spear Arts. But it was not meant to be¡ªhe was flung against the wall and lost consciousness.


    There was a bit of a stir in the Academy. In less than a month after the start of the school year, rumors were already flooding the Academy.


    <em>Count Sten was insulted by a random Viscount¡¯s son!</em>


    The Count¡¯s second son, Amaru bron Sten, challenged him to a fight to the death. It was only thanks to Professor Cain¡¯s intervention that it was reduced to a spar.


    Rumors always get blown up to ridiculous proportions, to say nothing about how well-known Amaru bron Sten was in the Academy.


    The students¡¯ initial reactions to the rumors fell into three categories: astonishment, ridicule, and¡­ fervor. Life in the Academy was tedious, and the students were stuck there whether they liked it or not; they were locked inside its walls while the teachers hammered the art of war into their heads. A fight between students was a rare break from the monotony, so they flocked to it in droves.


    But it should have been impossible, as far as they could tell. Family was everything in Avalon; a powerless family quarreling with a high-ranked family was practically suicide. Even a fight between their children would drag in the entire family¡ªthus, the lower household would always bow their head and beg for forgiveness.


    By what right does this obscure noble¡¯s son disrespect the scion of Count Sten? Who is he to demand such a thing from the son of one of the Empire¡¯s five Masters?


    ¡°Is it today? The duel?¡±


    ¡°Did you say it¡¯s a duel? I thought it was a real fight.¡±


    ¡°Eh, either way. Is he sick in the head? No one in their right mind would even dare to look at Amaru¡¯s chin.¡±


    ¡°Who? What was his name? Puredator or something? Have you heard of it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Frederick, not Puredator. And no, I¡¯ve never heard the name before.¡±


    This spar had been hotly debated all morning.


    ¡°This sucks! I¡¯m not gonna see the fight of the century¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡­ and this ss is boring.¡±


    ¡°I keep thinking: it¡¯s only been a day or two since we got here. You think this sparring is going to affect graduation?¡±


    The new kids had gotten themselves into a lot of trouble. Willing or not, this issue had to be resolved.


    ¡°Did he show up?¡±


    ¡°You think he¡¯s gonna run away?¡±


    ¡°Anyone would want to run away once they realize they¡¯re up against Amaru bron Sten¡ªbut what about his family? Is he willing to leave his family to hang?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Even if the Frederick boy did show up, the Stens would not tolerate the insult. Their pride would drive them to get revenge, one way or the other.


    ¡°Damn it, looks like there¡¯s no fight.¡±


    The underssmen grumbled as they dispersed from the auditorium.


    The rumored boy, Joshua, took three days toe to his senses.


    <em>How long has it been?</em> Joshua slowly cracked open his stiff eyelids.


    His face lit up. <em>It¡¯s done!</em> A sliver of electricity flickered across his eyes as he opened them fully.


    The air around him vibrated, and his surroundings were tinted ck and white¡ªor was it all in his mind?


    His vision was still a little blurry, but his body felt light as a feather; a tremendous amount of energy filled every muscle. Joshua knew this energy well.


    <em>Magic Spear Arts, Third ss.</em> He could fully control his mana and envelope his weapon in this state. That said, there was a significant difference in mana density depending on the grade of the wielder.


    He¡¯d beaten an intermediate B-ss Knight before. <em>But now everything is different. Imagine the possibilities.</em> He had a brand-new power to apany his mana.


    Joshua closed his eyes and turned his focus inwards. The weird, lumpy energy, which rejected each other like oil and water, was gone. It wasn¡¯t perfect, but a massive force embraced the strange intertwining of the two energies.


    <em>This kind of power¡­</em> Joshua clenched his fists. He owed Bronto an awful lot. Who would¡¯ve guessed that the Origin Stone possessed such power?


    ¡°Ah!¡± It urred to Joshua that he could use <em>that</em> at the third level of the Magic Spear. He stretched his hand out and found¡­ nothing? <em>My dear Lugia!</em> Where was it, his heart of hearts?


    [Are you a moron?]


    Joshua heard a child¡¯s voice from over his shoulder. He spun around to find a long object casually floating in front of him¡ªa glimmering silver rod emitting a strange light.


    ¡°Lugia¡­?¡±


    [Your stupidity is on another level. Why would you sleep for three days where the enemy can attack you on all sides?]


    ¡°Three days¡ª?¡± Joshua¡¯s face paled.


    [Thank and adore the great Lugia! The greatestpanion in the world! This body cared for you while you slept dumbly for three days!]


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Lugia¡¯s constant chatter was making it hard for him to think.


    Something wasn¡¯t right. Joshua had expected Lugia to transform; simr changes had happened in his former life as well.


    The thing was, each stage of the Magic Spear had distinct qualities. One of these was the ¡°subspace¡±, which allowed an artifact to appear and disappear. Lugia had its own subspace magic, a distinguishing trait of the extremely rare ancient artifacts.


    However, those relics were typically tiny objects like rings and nes¡ªthere were almost no subspaces that epassed an entire weapon, especially one asrge as Lugia. Even a handful of space took enormous amounts of mana to twist, and generating a subspace required twisting space all the way.


    Joshua had relished Lugia¡¯s subspace abilities in his first life. In the blood-soaked carnage of the battlefield, Lugia could appear from nowhere and strike at an enemy at any ce and at any time. To his enemies, Lugia was like the reaper emerging from hell to drag Joshua¡¯s victims into the underworld.


    Another one of Lugia¡¯s unique properties was the ability to alter its appearance, as Joshua showed the Duke.


    <em>I didn¡¯t realize Lugia could change its shape until this life.</em>


    Joshua was ecstatic that he could disguise Lugia as an iron rod. He was worried that its distinctive shape would draw people¡¯s attention.


    <em>But thisst ability is what puzzles me the most.</em> Joshua¡¯s brow furrowed.


    Lugia can talk. In other words, it had an ego.


    <em>This happened to me before, shortly after I returned, so I wasn¡¯t surprised. I felt like I was dealing with a serious middle-aged man at the time, but now¡­</em>


    [Are you seriously telling me that you think I act like a child?]


    ¡°Like a child¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes popped when he realized he¡¯d been talking out loud. ¡°What was¡ª¡±


    [Are you done being surprised? Don¡¯t be a wimp and don¡¯t rely on this weapon that just awakened, okay? Also, I can read minds, if you hadn¡¯t noticed.]


    Joshua mped his mouth shut.


    [Surely you¡¯re not forgetting something important.]


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    [Hahhh¡­ Worry about yourself before you start worrying about your enemy. Do you know if your body is okay right now or not?]


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡±


    [Want me to tell you something?] Lugia pushed up close to him.


    ¡°You know something?¡±


    [The Stone you got earlier¡­ You¡¯d be a fool to believe that all it has is an ¡°attribute¡±.]


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t?¡±


    Lugia seemed to roll its imaginary eyes before it continued.


    [If you don¡¯t know that, I have to wonder how much research humans have done on the Origin Stones. Its true power is different.]


    Joshua stared at Lugia.


    [You want some examples? The Origin Stone Magma has the power of extinction. It will devour everything in its scorching mes. Aqua has ¡°regeneration¡±, Gaia has ¡°harmony¡±, and so on. In summary, they all have their unique properties. What matters is: what kind of power does Bronto have?]


    Joshua mulled it over for a while. <em>I have the thunder attribute, known for its destructive power, but does it have more than this? No, it must. This stone is clearly on the same level as bis¡¯s red Origin Stone.</em>


    [Consider your options carefully¡­ The answer could be very helpful in your situation.] Lugia teased him like it had no intention of giving him a straight answer. [Remember your ns? The <em>revenge</em>?]


    The sound of Lugia¡¯s voice made his eyes fly wide open.


    ¡°You!¡±

 Chapter 66

    The Academy had a minor incident today. On the fourth day of ss, the boy who¡¯d been absent for three days showed up like nothing had happened.


    ¡°Please ept my apologies for beingte.¡±


    The cadets erupted into whispers when they saw him enter the ssroom.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick¡­¡± Kane stopped Joshua as he walked in.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Nice of you to show up three days after the first day of school. You haven¡¯t been here for that long and you¡¯re already missing content.¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies.¡± Joshua bowed his head with a repentant look until Kane shook his head.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Kane gestured for Joshua to raise his head. ¡°However, I expect you¡¯re prepared to ept the consequences of your actions? For example,pensation and such.¡±


    Kane¡¯s voice sounded intimidating at first, but Joshua noticed a tinge of sadness in it as if he was both happy and sad that Joshua had returned. It was like he wanted to know why Joshua hadn¡¯t fled while he had the chance¡­ but he never put those thoughts into words.


    Kane took his responsibilities seriously; all of his students were his disciples, and he didn¡¯t want friction between them. His authority as a teacher could curb some of it, despite the students¡¯ aristocratic rank, but he couldn¡¯t solve it just by telling them ¡°No.¡± Whether he liked it or not, these children wielded more power than you might think. One wrong move could spell his death.


    <em>It would have been fine if he just lied low, but¡­</em> Kane sighed and peered towards the corner of the ssroom.


    Amaru had been ring murderously at Ash the moment he stepped through the door.


    Kane could only hope that everything went smoothly from now on. Soon, however, his expression firmed.


    <em>I¡¯ll do my best to protect everyone.</em> As always, he absolutely could not allow bad things to happen when he could stop them. <em>Haven¡¯t I been sessful so far?</em>


    <em>I need to dy this for as long as I can. Even if it¡¯s only a spar, we¡¯re talking about Amaru here. I wouldn¡¯t know what to do if both of them lost control.</em>


    ¡°Please take your seat immediately. ss must continue.¡±


    ¡°Yes, instructor.¡± Joshua shuffled over to his seat under Kane¡¯s watchful gaze.


    ¡°Now that everyone¡¯s here, I¡¯ll continue my lecture. The theory I¡¯ll discuss now will show up in the uing exam, so I need your eyes and ears on me. Pay attention.¡±


    Agareth, seated next to Joshua, leaned over.


    ¡°Why did youe back?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear? Frederick¡¯s manor is in ruins! And if you did know, does that mean you¡¯re thest of your line?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s rxed. ¡°They did their research.¡± <em>They must have numerous connections, as expected of the nobility¡¯s children.</em>


    ¡°Yeah¡­ It¡¯s been well-publicized among the students. When you didn¡¯t show up for days, Amaru must¡¯ve used his family¡¯s connections to sniff it out. He¡¯s definitely flexing, but he¡¯s just that powerful.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not toote. It told you that bending would make everything easier, right? Just take my advice! Instead of living like that, just try lowering yourself a little.¡±


    Joshua opened his mouth to reply, but he stopped when he saw the puppy eyes Agareth was giving him¡ªhalf pitying and half cute. Icarus met Joshua¡¯s eyes from the front row and gave him a simr look.


    <em>I knew it before they said anything.</em> No doubt there was a huge fuss when he disappeared from school.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m still going to show you how to stick to your beliefs.¡±


    ¡°This guy really¡ª!¡± Agareth was fuming next to him, but Joshua had already closed his ears. It was obvious why they were so worried, but Joshua had other things to worry about. His conversation with Lugia had given him a lot to think about.


    <em>¡°Lugia¡ª¡±</em>


    <em>[You must be bursting with questions for me?]</em>


    <em>¡°I want to know how you found out about my revenge¡­ and what are Bronto¡¯s other power? And did you reallye back in time with me!?¡±</em>


    <em>[No, no, no. I didn¡¯t travel back in time with you. Who are you again? I can¡¯t seem to remember.]</em>


    <em>¡°Stop joking¡ª¡±</em>


    <em>[What a chump. Seriously?]</em>


    <em>The childish voice rattling inside Joshua¡¯s head made him purse his lips. He wanted toin but immediately killed the thought when he remembered that Lugia could read his mind. It felt weird to get angry at a voice inside his head, considering it was a¡­ voice inside his head.</em>


    <em>[Consider your choices carefully. I¡¯ve got the upper hand here, so I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be the one with regrets if you turn me down. What are you gonna do if I decide to just shut my mouth and go to sleep? Aren¡¯t you in a hurry? Hmmmmmm? Time is ticking, Joshua.]</em>


    <em>Joshua sighed. He already knew this was a battle he would lose¡ªhe never really had a choice, to begin with.</em>


    <em>¡°What are your conditions?¡±</em>


    <em>[I¡¯m d you¡¯reing around.]</em> Lugia spun cheerfully like it was swimming through the air. <em>[It¡¯s no biggie, just¡­] Lugia stopped directly in front of Joshua. [Find the connections from your past life and¡­ take care of yourself a little more. Nothing bad will happen if you value yourself a little higher.]</em>


    <em>¡°What¡­?¡± Joshua was taken aback. He¡¯d been worried that Lugia, the self-proimed demonic spirit, would spout some pompous demands¡ªbut ¡°value yourself?¡± Really? The first condition made some sense, but thetter was just absurd. It would¡¯ve been easier to believe if Lugia had told him to dive into the Demon Realm and y the Demon King.</em>


    <em>[Are you going to do it or not? Give me an answer already, cause I¡¯m tired! You too, right? You¡¯re busty too, right?]</em>


    <em>¡°You? Tired?¡±</em>


    <em>[Are you gonna answer, or do I have to send you back to sleep?]</em>


    <em>Joshua mulled it over for a while.</em>


    <em>¡°Deal.¡± He nodded. For the time being, there was nothing to be concerned about. Everything was going ording to n, and that was fine by him.</em>


    <em>[Finally. It took you that long to say one word?]</em>


    <em>Lugia¡¯s body hummed.</em>


    <em>[A vow made to a deity like me is a great burden to bear. Try not to forget that.]</em>


    <em>[Do you really, truly believe that Bronto¡¯s power is ¡°foresight?¡±]</em>


    <em>Joshua¡¯s face lit up. Of course he did¡ªhe¡¯d seen the dream with the burning Agnus manor. He assumed it was because of Bronto¡¯s power.</em>


    <em>[Sorry¡­ but you¡¯re obviously wrong. It wasn¡¯t because of Bronto.]</em>


    <em>¡°What do you mean?¡± Joshua scowled. The dream had felt so real that it was difficult to believe Lugia.</em>


    <em>¡°I have good memory. The demise of the Agnus house will definitely happen. That wasn¡¯t a dream, it was an oracle.¡±</em>


    <em>[I mean¡­ who doesn¡¯t have a good memory when ites to bad things? I said it wasn¡¯t Bronto¡¯s power; I didn¡¯t say it wasn¡¯t a lucid dream.]</em>


    <em>¡°Then why¡ª¡±</em>


    <em>[That isn¡¯t the point right now. It¡¯s said that when you think about someone or something hard enough, it finds its way into your dreams. In your case, you kept thinking about getting revenge on</em> him<em>. That¡¯s why he was there.]</em>


    <em>Joshua stared nkly at Lugia.</em>


    <em>[To put it another way, the ¡°oracle¡± you had came from one of the energies in your body: divine power.]</em>


    <em>¡°The divine power?¡±</em>


    <em>[Some idiots think that divine power only does things like healing or bringing the dead back to life. They couldn¡¯t be more wrong.]</em>


    <em>¡°You mean¡ª¡±</em>


    <em>[Literally, the power of God. Have you ever heard of a high priest receiving divine warning of impending danger?]</em>


    <em>Joshua nodded.</em>


    <em>[Your dream is something simr. The power of divinity can do things no human can. If you can fully absorb the energies within you¡­] Lugia crackled with electricity. [No human can stand in your way.]</em>


    <em>¡°Ah¡­¡± Joshua let out a deep breath. ¡°That¡­¡± He was a little put-off by Lugia¡¯sments, but he couldn¡¯t linger on it now.</em>


    <em>¡°Thank you for the story¡­ Now tell me what Bronto¡¯s real power is.¡±</em>


    <em>Lugia gently drifted to the ground as if catching its breath.</em>


    <em>[The Origin Stone, the Gem of the Gods¡­ Bronto, imbued with the power of lightning, is the fastest and most destructive of them. Its true power is ¡°expansion.¡±]</em>


    ¡°Instructor!¡± A loud voice from the corner of the ssroom interrupted Joshua¡¯s memory. ¡°Are you really going to end the ss like this?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kane gave Amaru a perplexed look.


    ¡°Instructor, you approved our fight¡ªand not just any fight. This is for the nobles¡¯ dignity. My family, and¡­ what¡¯s left of his.¡± Amaru put on a despondent expression. ¡°If you¡¯ve changed your mind, I have no choice but to believe that you¡¯re allowing my entire family to be mired in shame.¡±


    <em>This is the opposite of what I was hoping for!</em> The hierarchy between students and teachers was only skin-deep; in Avalon, family trumped everything.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you came up with, but if you think I¡¯m just gonna stand around after the shame he brought us, you¡¯re wrong. The stick is the best medicine for a disobedient dog, after all.¡±


    ¡°I think this works surprisingly well.¡± A soft voice sounded from the other side of the ssroom. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on walking away.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°After all¡­¡± Joshua paused for a moment and let out a hearty chuckle. ¡°Sticks are the best medicine for mad dogs.¡±

 Chapter 67

    After ss, rumors about the fight spread like wildfire.


    If I¡¯d know that I¡¯d break my promise to Cain this easily¡­ Joshua grinned and drummed on the table with his fingers. If I hadn¡¯t made it, Cain wouldn¡¯t be so worried about his lousy master.


    Joshua had lived half a century, including his past life, but it felt like he was bing more childish every day. It matched his body.


    I¡¯m more annoyed that they¡¯re ignoring the spear than that they¡¯re ignoring me. When he¡¯d be a Master, no one was able to talk shit about the spear. However, he had to deal with their constant criticism and humiliation until then. He¡¯d spent so long ignoring them that it all blurred together.


    No¡­ Hearing someone belittle the spear always makes my blood boil, no matter my age.


    ¡°Ash¡­ it¡¯s not toote to back out.¡±


    Joshua turned to face Icarus.


    ¡°Could you stop saying that, please?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll be frank.¡± Icarus¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but you won¡¯t be able to beat Amaru. Even if he doesn¡¯t win the spar, you can¡¯t escape the wrath of the Stens. Please don¡¯t challenge him over the rapier.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry: I alone am enough to bring them down.¡±


    Icarus eyed Joshua like he¡¯d gone insane.


    ¡°Young Master Ash! You ought to worry about yourself first! Can¡¯t you see how worried we are about you? Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re trying to save you?¡± Icarus knew that he and Amaru were the only people worried about Ash¡ªAsh himself certainly wasn¡¯t concerned about his life.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Agareth gave Joshua the puppy-eyes again. Joshua carefully tucked the memory into a special ce in his brain.


    ¡°If you¡¯re aiming to change this ce, it¡¯s doomed to failure. You can¡¯t change this ce on your own!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Is that what you think?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡ª¡± Icarus stared at Joshua and then shook his head. ¡°I apologize, that¡¯s irrelevant. The issue at hand is more important, Young Master Ash.¡±


    ¡°You know what?¡± Joshua pointed at Icarus. ¡°I enjoy betting¡­ a lot.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s make a bet. We¡¯ll bet on this¡­ craziness, shall we? If I survive this match without a hitch, or unscathed, or whatever you want to call it, then I win.¡±


    ¡°You really¡ª You want to gamble in this situation!?¡±


    ¡°And the loser owes the other person a request.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­.¡± Icarus eyed him. ¡°For the record, my goal is to stop you from fighting. Now you¡¯re telling me that you losing is supposed to be a win for me?


    ¡°That aside, I already know what I¡¯d ask for if I won the bet¡ªbut I¡¯m too afraid to say it.¡±


    ¡°I never considered that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Losing.¡±


    Icarus gaped at Joshua. What the hell does his confidencee from?


    Icarus wanted to tell Ash that he was about to go down like the Frederick household did, but Icarus knew that Ash wouldn¡¯t take it well.


    ¡°Ah, wouldn¡¯t it be fun?¡±


    Icarus whirled around to face the voiceing from the other side of the room.


    ¡°Can I join in on this wager?¡± Agareth has abandoned his serious face and sported a manic, ear-to-ear grin.


    ¡°Young Master Agareth!¡±


    ¡°No, hear me out, Icarus. There¡¯s no other way out of this. Ash here couldn¡¯t possibly let it go; even if he got an apology, he¡¯s not nice enough to forgive and forget.¡±


    ¡°But still¡ª¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯re still unconvinced. Look at it this way: Amaru wouldn¡¯t settle for anything less than a beatdown no matter how far Ash ran.


    ¡°Anyways, Instructor Kane will be officiating. Let them break each others¡¯ limbs¡ªmaybe we¡¯ll get something good out of our bet.¡± Amaru turned to face Joshua. ¡°¡®Course, I¡¯m betting on Amaru.¡±


    ¡°Whatever floats your boat.¡± Joshua shed him a smile.


    Swordsmanship practice is typically held at therge gymnasium in the middle of the Academy. At the moment, it was packed with thousands of students eagerly awaiting the fight.


    ¡°Was your brain working properly? Or did you lose it after you fled?¡± Amaru smirked at Joshua.


    Amaru¡¯s voice was loud enough for the audience to hear, to their vocal amusement.


    ¡°I admire your courage¡­ You actually came back in this state. But what you said about that ¡®garbage¡¯ weapon is not good, I must say, not good. If you disappear like this¡­¡± Amaru looked towards Kane, standing in the middle of the gymnasium, then looked back at Joshua andughed. ¡°Don¡¯t be arrogant now; go get a real weapon. You¡¯ll hurt yourself if you use the wrong weapon.¡±


    Joshua tightened his grip on the stick he was holding rather than responding to Amaru¡¯s taunts. No one could see it, but Joshua was going through a transition. He stared down at his hands, pondering the art of spearmanship and the 3rd-grade Magic Spear Arts he¡¯d recently learned.


    He knew he could handily ovee anyone¡¯s swordsmanship with his spear alone. Joshua wasn¡¯t being humble¡ªhe could beat Amaru with brute force.


    Once again, I will show the world how great it is to wield the spear.


    Joshua began to review his fundamentals. Every martial arts style was distinct: Duke Agnus¡¯s swordsmanship hinged on the power of his immense bulk, while the Sten¡¯s style carried a flowing elegance and produced endless variations.


    Soft beats strong, fast beats soft, heavy beats fast, and strong itself beats strong. Based on this logic, you might think that Count Sten would beat Duke Agnus¡ªbut that was nonsense. That battle would be trivial for an Absolute like Duke Agnus.


    There were few such exceptions, however. The logic held for the vast majority of people, and it was critical for achieving victory. Thus, how should Joshua approach this fight? What kind of technique would counter his opponent?


    Swift annihtion.


    Joshua cheerfully hefted his stick. He¡¯d never used it before, but he quite liked the way it looked. It rather resembled his Lugia.


    Swords were suited to many people, but spears were robust and heavy and generally difficult to wield in battle. The advantage of the spear, however, was its versatility. Until mana became an established resource in Igrant, thence was a knight¡¯s primary weapon.


    I¡¯ve always been looking towards the next milestone while I run. But when I get over one wall, there¡¯s always another one a thousand times taller. I can¡¯t stop running.


    There was no end in sight to this spear. He believed that because he¡¯d mastered the art of magic.


    I¡¯ve sprinted all the way to the front, hoping to see the finish line, but it¡¯s all turned into poison.


    Joshua, you idiot. There¡¯s nothing more important than basics and initiative. If I¡¯ve forgotten that, then of course I still have a long way to go.


    Joshua realized that he¡¯d lost track of the basics after wielding the spear for so long. His memories from his past life were obscuring the path to his future.


    ¡°Prepare to fight!¡± Amaru grit his teeth and stomped forward. ¡°Do your best, you fucking bastard.¡±


    Joshua stood with his eyes closed as if ignoring Amaru.


    ¡°If that¡¯s your wish¡­ I¡¯ll crush you like this!¡± Amaru pushed off the ground, rushing forwards. His thin eyes glimmered with a cold light.


    Joshua¡¯s instincts told him that his opponent was approaching fast. The audience might call it a thunderous speed, but Joshua felt otherwise: it felt like time was passing slower as if one second was stretched into a million. There was a long, painful wait while Amaru approached.


    Joshua blinked his eyes open expectantly.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking abou¡ª¡±


    Amaru¡¯s inquiry was cut short by a bright ray of light striking his abdomen.


    The gymnasium was held in a peaceful silence while the audience tried to figure out why Amaru¡¯s violent advance hade to a dead halt.


    ¡°Amaru.¡± Even Kane couldn¡¯t hide his perplexed expression. ¡°What are you do¡ª¡±


    Amaru let out a pained scream and copsed before the disbelieving eyes of the students.


    Only one person looked happy.


    Pleasure above pleasure, pleasure beyond pleasure. Making the opponent bleed was a pleasure his opponent couldn¡¯t even understand.


    Joshua¡¯s grip tightened, crushing the stick in his hand.


    Even in his past life, he¡¯d never attained this skill.

 Chapter 68

    Icarus was the first toe to his senses.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Hecked even a basic understanding of swordsmanship and martial arts¡ªhis focusy in strategy, tactics, and research. Icarus had no idea how great his roommate¡¯s technique was. Icarus opened and closed his eyes, but all he saw was Amaru falling to the ground.


    He couldn¡¯t even see Ash¡¯s movements properly¡ªno one could. Kane¡¯s dumbfounded expression made that obvious.


    My calctions have never been wrong before, but I didn¡¯t imagine that Young Master Ash would have such skills. I¡¯m stunned.


    Icarus watched over Joshua from the top of the stadium. Whether Joshua knew it or not, everything he did meant something to Icarus. An act of courage and arrogance by an untalented person was just that; but the conviction and courage of a powerful person like Ash was a disy of talent.


    However¡­ Worry creased Icarus¡¯s face.


    Something unexpected had urred, and it was not a good thing. The scion of a great swordsman was defeated by a boy with a spear, of all things. It was a clear insult. Even worse, it happened in front of the children of nobility.


    Sten would not stand for this humiliation. The next blow might very welle from the family itself.


    I need to help. Icarus¡¯s expression was filled with determination. Ash¡¯s next move needs to be carefully nned to prevent something like this from happening again. My tactics can help him.


    Beside him, Agareth gaped nkly at the center of the gymnasium. Icarus nudged him, but he was unresponsive like he¡¯d passed out. Icarus sighed and turned back to look at Ash.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡±


    Icarus was startled and turned to face the source of the voice tickling his ear. It came from a girl with ubiquitous brown hair; she wore the same necktie as them, suggesting she was of the same age.


    Joshua von Agnus¡­? Icarus tilted his head thoughtfully. Hmm. Where did I hear that name?


    He wasn¡¯t familiar with the name, but he¡¯d definitely heard it somewhere. Any name that wasn¡¯t absolutely bottom-of-the-barrel would find its way into every ear in the Empire.


    What if¡­ he¡¯s connected to that family? The Agnus Duchy, the most prestigious and one of the biggest gatherings of knights in the Empire, often known as the ¡°Knight¡¯s Family.¡± Besides Duke Aden von Agnus himself, only one person bore the Agnus name.


    Icarus gasped. The Empire¡¯s treasure, Babel von Agnus.


    There was another weird rumor bouncing around the Capital: a new talent was discovered that could shatter the status quo. The idea terrified Icarus enough that he couldn¡¯t keep it from his expression.


    No way¡ª! Icarus whirled around to look for that curious girl¡ªbut she had already vanished, leaving Icarus to mumble to himself.


    Can I verify it for myself? What if there¡¯s no way? Suspicion swelled in Icarus¡¯s heart and spiraled out of control. He¡¯d been so sure that Ash came from a situation not unlike his own; but then Ash had smashed through the Sten family with a single blow¡ªand smashed Icarus¡¯s expectations, too.


    But the events leading to this moment were too suspicious. Icarus needed to know who this Ash pen Frederick really was.


    In the meantime, the rest of the audience wasing to their senses. The gymnasium rapidly filled with noise again, but Icarus¡¯s deeply sunken eyes never wavered from their target.


    The Academy¡¯s dormitories were identical for males and females. They were also both empty¡ªthere was quite some time until the students were due to return to their lodgings.


    The door to a certain room swung open with a creak, allowing a rather ordinary-looking girl to enter.


    ¡°I thought you would be quiet like a dead mouse¡­¡± Anna1, the girl in question, bit her lip. She took a quick nce around the room to make sure she had privacy, then pulled out hermunication crystal ball.


    A device like this was far too valuable for a noble¡¯s child to be carrying on their own. Anna was on a mission, however, and she had to take the risk.


    By injecting a little bit of mana into the ball, a hologram slowly coalesced on top of the crystal. Anna was surprised when she realized who the fully-formed figure was. The crystal ball wasn¡¯t good enough to show her in detail, but the glossy, dark-brown hair drew her eye.


    ¡°Ah¡­ I never thought it would be you, father.¡±


    [It¡¯s been a long time, Anna.]


    ¡°Why did father¡­¡±


    A lovely young man gently waved his hand as Anna settled into her seat.


    [Indeed, it¡¯s me. How¡¯s the Academy? Are you enjoying it?]


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well¡­ but how is father able tomunicate with me directly?¡± Anna¡¯s words caught in her throat and her eyes widened. ¡°Is it¡­ Are there problems with the Empire?¡±


    [Problems with the Empire?] The man in the ball erupted intoughter. [Thran has been irate recently, but I can¡¯t do anything on my own since I¡¯m merely a Master.]


    ¡°Ah.¡± The way the man casually spoke about the most powerful position, short of the Emperor himself, made Anna flush. ¡°Then why¡­?¡±


    [Vig beck Steck is dead.]


    ¡°What!? The Viscount is dead? Did you hear it from Duke Agnus? Or did he somehow get tangled up in something that¡ª¡±


    [No, that¡¯s not the case.] The man shook his head. [The Duchy is also in turmoil right now.]


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    [The Seven Magicians.]


    Anna boggled at the man. ¡°The Seven Magicians of the Magic Tower did this? What proof do you have?¡±


    [It¡¯s said that the Thunderbolt, Jack Steropes, is on the move.]


    Anna was silent for a moment while she absorbed the unexpected information.


    ¡°Is the Tower aware of our ns? This is so sudden¡ªthey were so arrogant and greedy, so what are they doing now?¡±


    The man nodded. [The Magic Tower runs on money. They never move their fat asses unless there¡¯s money involved, and that¡¯s exactly why they¡¯re moving now.]


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    [Their movements have nothing to do with our ns. They were silent since Duke Agnus intervened, and judged us as having nothing to do with them. But they have one goal¡­ to destroy.] The man paused for a moment, eyes glittering.


    [The child you¡¯ve been observing, Joshua von Agnus. It appears he found what the Tower was protecting.]


    ¡°What was it?¡±


    [They were keeping the Origins Stones. A stone imbued with the power of an attribute; some say that one was found in the fertilends of Thran as well.]


    Anna hesitated. ¡°...Wouldn¡¯t it be huge if he obtained such a powerful object from the Magic Tower? It¡¯s best we seize it from Joshua von Agnus¡ª¡±


    [No. It¡¯s a waste of power.] The man shook his head firmly. [After all, it¡¯s not like anyone except the Magic Tower could ever use the power of the Stone. Our bloodline, on the other hand, would be immediately wiped out if we were discovered taking interest in such things.]


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I thought of something useless again.¡±


    [As a result of his tendency to attract unexpected variables, your work has be even more crucial.]


    ¡°I will keep a closer eye on him.¡±


    [Did you see him today, as well?]


    ¡°Yes. I have been monitoring him constantly.¡±


    [In the future, report to me directly for anything about the boy.]


    ¡°I will.¡± Anna took a deep breath. ¡°As soon as he arrived at the Academy, Joshua von Agnus had an ident.¡±


    [ident?]


    ¡°He belittled the rapier, so the second son of Sten challenged him to a duel. Joshua eagerly epted and then, just earlier, knocked down Amaru bron Sten in front of everyone.¡±


    [That¡¯s fantastic.] The man¡¯s stiff expression copsed intoughter. [I can¡¯t wait to see how Duke Agnus reacts when he hears about this.] The man pped his hands together.


    ¡°This makes me nervous. Monitoring will be difficult if Duke Agnus pulls Joshua back into the household out of fear of a greater incident.¡±


    [The Duke getting involved? Well, it¡¯s not impossible¡­]


    ¡°If the Duke starts to have negative ideas, it¡¯ll be difficult for us. The Duchy isn¡¯t a ce we have enough intelligence on.¡±


    [That isn¡¯t the issue, is it?] The man shook his head and smiled widely. [I know a terrific man named Duke Agnus who will be thrilled to hear the news. Perhaps that child will take over as the Duke¡¯s official sessor.]


    ¡°If the session is flipped, it won¡¯t be pretty¡ªespecially since he¡¯s a concubine¡¯s child. Would the Duke really set Babel von Agnus aside? I mean, no matter how much the Duke loves talent¡­¡± Anna shook her head; she didn¡¯t believe it would ever happen. ¡°I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    [He is indeed the humble child of a maid, but¡ª] The man grinned inscrutably, to Anna¡¯s consternation. [wouldn¡¯t it be lovely if his own child was better off than the others?]

 Chapter 69

    The day after, Joshua had assumed his roommates would be bombarding him with questions; but, to his surprise, the two of them were quiet. You might even call it peaceful.


    Icarus was deep in his thoughts yesterday and only returned around midnight. Agareth, too, walked out with a shocked expression and didn¡¯t show his face until the next morning. Joshua didn¡¯t get a chance to bring up the bet, even as a joke.


    <em>However, I have no intention of continuing this charade.</em> Joshua sneered.


    Right now, Joshua was in a rather spartan room: it contained a desk, a chair, a bookcase, and nothing else. Instructor Kane had called Joshua into his study before sses.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick. What is your true identity?¡± Seeing Joshua stay silent, Kane continued. ¡°It¡¯s best to look through the student roster and other records. The Frederick estate, in the countryside, is now owned by Viscount Hook¡ªit¡¯s the ¡°Hook estate¡± now. It says here that Viscount Frederick suffered financial troubles and barely kept his noble status. Five years ago, he sold his entire estate to Viscount Hook.¡±


    Kane had probably pulled this information from the ¡°Imperial Nobility List¡±. In certain libraries, a list of Imperial aristocrats were avable to everyone who needed them¡ªespecially members of the Imperial family. Naturally, it took note of where a family lived.


    That said, it didn¡¯t go into detail; the risk of the information being exploited by an enemy was too great. Despite the scarce information, Kane had managed to deduce quite a lot.


    ¡°The son of the illustrious Sten family was felled in a single strike, by the son of a fallen noble nobody even knew the name of. Even I couldn¡¯t see what you did, or how you did it.¡± Kane¡¯s experience with swordsmanship extended far beyond the sphere of a B-ss Knight. His sword was known for forcing his peers to fold beneath its crushing weight.


    ¡°Your identity makes less sense the more I think about it. Viscount Frederick, the head of your family, vanished ages ago; regardless, he was not a well-known Martial Artist. He doesn¡¯t have any reputation for swordsmanship or spearmanship anywhere on the continent.¡±


    Kane stared at Joshua with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you once again. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°I am¡­ Ash pen Frederick.¡±


    Kane bit back a retort and the two spent a long moment in silence.


    ¡°Sometimes, high-ranking nobles or royals from neighboring countries enroll in the Academy with hidden identities.¡± Kane¡¯s eyes probed Joshua for a reaction, but Joshua¡¯s expression was unchanging.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t give a damn what you think. This situation doesn¡¯t sit well with me. Even as a sparring session between students, it still involves the Sten family. This could have ended much worse. Belittling the Sten swordsmanship in front of the noble children is an entirely separate issue.¡±


    ¡°I take full responsibility.¡±


    Kane gave him a questioning look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll carry it all.¡±


    ¡°You say you¡¯re gonna take full responsibility¡­¡± Kane smiled bitterly. ¡°There was a guy who felt the same as you,st year. Shimizu kun Dous was his name.¡±


    ¡°Dous¡­¡± The familiar name made Joshua tilt his head.


    ¡°The most important thing to remember is that this isn¡¯t a problem you can address on your own. Even among students of the same rank, there¡¯s hierarchy and cliques. You shouldn¡¯t be surprised¡ªfamily is everything here.


    ¡°Amarues from the Sten family, and that ced him in certain circles before he even arrived at the Academy. They will see this as a challenge.¡± Kane looked Joshua straight in the eyes. ¡°Do you understand what I¡¯m saying?


    ¡°From now on, those children will bully children from humble households. That means you. They¡¯re afraid of what you did to Amaru and they¡¯ll worry that they¡¯re next¡ª¡±


    ¡°I only have one question,¡± Joshua interrupted. ¡°Splitting the students into ¡®social sses¡¯, disregarding the abuse and intimidation taking ce behind closed doors¡ªis this what a teacher, an adult, does?


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything left to learn from a teacher like you.¡± Joshua got to his feet. ¡°If you leave it alone because you¡¯re afraid of the immediate consequences, their behavior never stops. Ever.¡±


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick.¡± Kane addressed Joshua¡¯s departing back. ¡°You know, there¡¯s a lot of things that are impossible to change, no matter how hard you try.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as ¡®impossible.¡¯ Not trying is for cowards¡ªand I assure you, I am not one.¡± Joshua seized the doorknob.


    ¡°Unless you intend to do something at the Academy¡­¡± Joshua halted in the doorframe as Kane spoke. ¡°If all you want is toplete thepulsory education, then I would advise you to take an easier route. You can join the Imperial Knights, it¡¯s the same as mandatory education. With your strength, the admission test will be easy.¡±


    <em>Then I won¡¯t have to waste six years here once I¡¯ve figured out Bronto¡¯s new power.</em> Even if he skipped grades, his stay at the Academy would be four years at minimum. On the other hand, the Imperial Knights were bound to serve for ten years. Kaiser¡¯s proposal was long gone¡ªJoshua¡¯s pride would not allow anything else.


    <em>Of course, it¡¯s not like that¡¯s the only method.</em> Joshua recalled the letter he¡¯d sent Kaiser the day before he left the Duchy and chuckled to himself.


    He often sneered when he thought about Kaiser.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Kane pressed on, assuming that Joshua was thinking it over. ¡°Even if you¡¯re already enrolled in the Academy, you should be able to pass the exam with just a little effort.¡±


    ¡°I have no desire to squander my time in a ce like this.¡±


    Kane¡¯s face brightened. ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But. I have no wish to flee like that. I¡¯m not afraid of anything. Excuse me.¡± Joshua bowed his head slightly and walked out the door.


    Kane stared at the empty doorway.


    ¡°I¡¯m a coward¡­¡± Kane stared at the warm sunlight streaming through the window. ¡°Would you agree, Shimizu?¡±


    ¡°The warp gate is so useful.¡± The man who just exited the warp gate took a look around. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Arcadia! Ah¡­ Actually, it¡¯s been a couple of years.¡±


    ¡°Hic!¡± A young man dressed in a brown wizard¡¯s robe huped, drawing the man¡¯s attention.


    <em>This is insane.</em> Shawn, the young wizard in charge of the warp gate, snorted to himself and looked away. He was amazed by what he was seeing.


    The Magic Tower controls all the warp gates on the continent. It was one of the Tower¡¯s most important assets, and it certainly enforced the Magic Tower¡¯s influence on the continent. Avalon¡¯s knights were just as cautious of the wizards as the wizards were cautious about them.


    Shawn was struck by a wave of dizziness and had to mp his mouth shut to stop himself from swearing. In the deep shadows of the traveler¡¯s blue robe, a little lightning-bolt pattern shone through.


    <em>That¡¯s Steropes¡¯s pattern. Who is this man¡­?</em> Could it be the one he¡¯d heard so many stories about? The idea was enough to make his body tremble.


    ¡°Hic!¡±


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes¡ªhic!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to ask you a question.¡±


    ¡°S-say it¡ªhic!¡±


    The man peered at Shawn for a while.


    ¡°Can you tell me where the Academy is?¡±

 Chapter 70

    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    Joshua found himself in an absurd situation: a student had walked into his ssroom and dragged Joshua off to an unfamiliar location. Amaru bron Sten, with his tremendously amazingly tiny eyes, appeared shortly after and bowed his head to Joshua.


    ¡°I said, ¡®I¡¯m sorry.¡¯¡± Joshua stared nkly at Amaru. ¡°In my utter ignorance, I mocked the spear. I repent.¡±


    <em>Did he always have this kind of personality?</em>


    A noble¡¯s pride was so immense as to be iprehensible to an ordinary person. They would put their lives on the line for their pride; bowing like this was nigh impossible. It was unthinkable for the Stens, one of the most prestigious families on the continent.


    ¡°It¡¯s done¡­¡± Joshua grinned bitterly. ¡°I will lower myself since you are my opponent.¡±


    ¡°Will you forgive me?¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t anything you should beg forgiveness for.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Amaru¡¯s face brightened as he straightened up.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to express gratitude¡ª¡±


    ¡°Can you teach me something?¡±


    <em>So that was what he wanted.</em>


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what the point is with the stick you used¡­ but before I lost consciousness, I felt a great power pushed into my gut.¡±


    Joshua was confused enough for Amaru to see it in his expression.


    ¡°I learned that when two points are connected, the key to finishing the fight quickly is to reach the enemy as fast as possible. It¡¯s the easiest, fastest way.


    ¡°However, when I tried it with you, I felt my entire body twist as that power struck me. It seemed simple, but I feel like it¡¯s much moreplicated than that.¡±


    <em>He felt the magic ¡°revolving¡±?</em> Joshua was astounded. <em>I had high expectations because hees from Arie bron Sten¡¯s blood, but isn¡¯t he better than I thought?</em>


    The boy had been struck by an unknown force and wracked by unbearable pain. He¡¯d almost lost his mind, but he still wasn¡¯t ashamed of his defeat; even standing in front of Joshua, an enemy just yesterday, he felt no shame in asking Joshua to teach him martial arts.


    <em>Why didn¡¯t I know this guy in my past life?</em> Joshua rubbed his chin and pondered for a moment, then nodded as he found an answer.


    Agareth had said it: this young man had a very talented older sibling. As Joshua remembered, Arie bron Sten had one sessor, and, unlike Amaru, that child didn¡¯t look anything like his father.


    The Sten family didn¡¯t follow the Agnus family in their downfall. They remained fully neutral thanks to the heir¡¯s remarkable ability to read the tides of war and rode it out through the end.


    Their family was not originally nobility¡ªtheir renaissance came after the appearance of Arie bron Sten. After he retired from the front lines, the Sten family did not produce another genius like him for decades. After his disappearance, the Sten family pursued a simpler life.


    <em>But now¡­ Sten is still a count. If this guy seeded him¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled as he examined the boy. The Stens would enjoy prestigeparable to the Five Dukes by his estimations.


    But there was no ¡°if¡± in history. It was not for Joshua¡¯s hand to turn around everyone¡¯s life for the better¡ªhe had his own life to deal with.


    ¡°Can you teach me?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mouth twitched, and a giggle spilled out when he saw Amaru¡¯s impatiently expectant face.


    ¡°I¡¯ll teach you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°On one condition¡ªsomething taken, something given. I, too, have a few questions I¡¯d like you to answer.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ are we friends now?¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡±


    Amaru nodded eagerly. ¡°Mutual assistance¡ªisn¡¯t that usually what you call friendship?¡±


    Joshua burst outughing. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think, but I doubt it will be well-received by your friends.¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Amaru was the one confused this time.


    ¡°I met your circle of friends at the cafeteria the other day, remember?¡±


    ¡°Ah, them.¡± Amaru scowled. ¡°I don¡¯t like them; it¡¯s just stupid to be alone. They follow me everywhere and annoy me. I never thought of them as friends; they¡¯re just a bunch of foxes lusting after power.¡±


    ¡°Then get rid of them.¡±


    Joshua abruptly changed topics.


    ¡°Finding euphoria isn¡¯t as easy as you believe.¡± Amaru¡¯s ears pricked up as Joshua spoke. ¡°...The fastest way to euphoria, while connecting the dots, to be precise. Essentially, it isn¡¯t a straight line. Think about that on your own.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not gonna tell me the whole story?¡± Amaru stared wide-eyed at him. ¡°Does that mean we¡¯re done?¡±


    ¡°You can only grow if you reach an understanding on your own¡ªit¡¯s like research. You¡¯ll get stuck for the rest of your life if you get the answer right away.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡±


    Amaru nodded without hesitation. ¡°Anything. Anything except my family¡¯s secret techniques.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need for that.¡± Joshua was a little embarrassed that the Sten swordsmanship hade up.


    ¡°I have two inquiries: one is about the Academy¡¯s cliques; the other¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s voice became low and muffled.


    ¡°Tell me all about Shimizu kun Dous.¡±


    ¡°An urgent letter has arrived, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Marcus, pondering on his throne, raised his head. Jakan, the chief of his personal intelligence agency, bowed at the bottom of the stairs.


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°A letter from Swallow has arrived.¡±


    ¡°Swallow¡­ Must be from Draxia.¡±


    ¡°It says that the n will be executed sooner than anticipated; therefore, I request your assistance by altering Your Majesty¡¯smitment to meet the time frame.¡±


    ¡°It seems Thran¡¯s retaliation is stronger than expected.¡± Marcusughed. ¡°As We said, no military support is avable. Draxia would be pleased if We sent the Empire¡¯s two lords.¡±


    ¡°Send Geschard and Arie, and make sure to tell them to remain discreet. Is that enough?¡±


    ¡°All right.¡± Emperor Marcus nodded. ¡°We shall order it. But if ites to light that we¡¯re behind it, we may be used of war crimes. We¡¯d be condemned across the continent. It¡¯s not something to be concerned about, but there¡¯s no harm in extra precautions.¡±


    With that, Marcus settled back into his throne.


    ¡°I¡ªthere¡¯s one more thing. I have a separate report for you, Your Majesty?¡±


    Emperor Marcus beckoned for Jaken to continue.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus entered the Academy under the pseudonym ¡®Ash pen Frederick.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ what a funny guy.¡± Emperor Marcus could discuss the strangest things and his expression would show nothing but boredom. Now, however, his eyes sparkled with amusement.


    ¡°Yes¡­ He and Amaru bron Sten sparred because Joshua insulted the family¡¯s swordsmanship. It was a fight to restore the family¡¯s honor¡ªbut Amaru lost.¡±


    ¡°Sten. Arie¡¯s family?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Amusing.¡± The Emperor¡¯s lips curled into an amused grin.


    <em>It¡¯s like art.</em> The Stens, one of the greatest and proudest families in the Empire¡ªyet Joshua had so much fun after just his first day of school.


    <em>Figures¡­ Even Babel von Agnus was no match for him.</em>


    ¡°Jaken.¡± Emperor Marcus folded his arms.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Have We ever expressed our concern about high-ranking aristocrats¡¯ hasty admissions?¡±


    Jaken quickly shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t see any of what you refer to. Good thingse in small packages, and His Majesty was kind to those who exhibited the smallest amount of kindness.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The Emperor¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Jaken, We have a task for you.¡±


    ¡°Name it, sire.¡±


    ¡°Enlist that child in the Knights Temr. We will write a letter of rmendation, if necessary.¡±


    Jaken was shocked. Entering the Imperial Knights was hard enough¡ªbut a rmendation letter from the Emperor himself?


    His was the highest seat in the Empire, and his word wasw. No one could refuse him.


    ¡°Of course, We have considered that he defeated Our knights. How silly of Us to suggest that he needs a letter of rmendation.¡±


    Joshua was still a child in the Emperor¡¯s eyes. Even as a child, he imed to have been born with the greatest talent the world had ever seen.


    ¡°The mana test he took was ten steps behind the Imperial Admission test, however.¡±


    The difficulty was increased because it was oriented towards real-world experience. From what the Emperor said, Joshua would be taking an informal exam rather than the official annual exam.


    <em>One must put his life on the line or else bebeled a loser and thrown from his seat. He can kiss goodbye to bing a knight¡ªis there a greater dishonor?</em> The loss would be unimaginable; like unripe fruit falling from the branch, he would be no more than garbage. That was why the Emperor proposed a letter of rmendation.


    However, it didn¡¯t take him long to realize that thinking about it was a waste of time.

 Chapter 71

    Joshua returned to his room after ss and took a deep breath.


    <em>I thought it would just be a simple get-together for kids, but I guess I was wrong.</em> He shook his head.


    The cliques or ¡°circles¡± he¡¯d asked Amaru about. A circle was a small group within the Academy dedicated to particr hobbies of extracurricr activities; the issue was Avalon Academy¡¯s definition of a circle was a bit different. They weren¡¯t made for fun; they were made as a way for the children to throw their weight around.


    Children, as usual, loved to show off to their peers. Seeing their ssmates bowled over with one punch, or crushed by their family¡¯s might, made them feel a rush of sess and satisfaction. The ¡°circles¡± are just a vehicle for it.


    The children of high-ranking aristocrats flex their power to form a circle with children of simr prestige. The children of lower-ranking aristocrats are left in the dust while the more prestigious families gather talents.


    <em>They¡¯re not scared to kill the children who oppose them. There are hundreds of children from influential families, so the instructors have to watch themselves.</em>


    That was what Kane was worried about.


    <em>But you can¡¯t expect changes unless you adapt to reality. Leaving the matter untouched will create another vicious cycle.</em>


    <em>I¡¯m leaving this ce, but I¡¯ll dismantle the system before I do.</em> Not out of some irrational sense of justice, but to serve his own ends.


    <em>Perhaps I can win Icarus¡¯s heart more easily than I expected.</em> Joshua grinned. <em>I¡¯m looking forward to seeing Kaiser struggle after I steal Icarus from him.</em>


    The door opened, and a young boy entered the room.


    ¡°They imed that if I said anything, a tiger woulde for me¡­¡± Joshuaughed.


    Icarus froze.


    ¡°I see you were here first.¡±


    ¡°As you can see.¡±


    ¡°What are your ns now? They say the Sten family is sending someone soon.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s no need to be concerned. I¡¯m getting along swimmingly with the person in question.¡±


    ¡°You met Young Master Amaru?¡±


    Joshua nodded.


    ¡°...Even so, there¡¯s no assurance that the Stens won¡¯t act. They certainly feel like their swordsmanship hasn¡¯t received the recognition it deserves. It would help them reestablish their position.


    ¡°More importantly, Araksha will surely approach Young Master Ash.¡±


    Raksha was thergest circle in the Academy, ording to Icarus.


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I can solve both of those problems at the same time.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°How do you n on doing that?¡±


    ¡°Simple: I just need to make them so scared they sweat just from hearing my voice. Anyone can understand power.¡±


    <em>That¡¯s obviously impossible!</em> Icarus had to swallow a lump in his throat. Yet there was a curious expectation that the boy would actually do it.


    ¡°Do you recall our wager? You said you¡¯d grant my request if I defeated Amaru bron Sten and lived to tell the tale.¡±


    ¡°I recall.¡±


    I¡¯m going to say it now: I want you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Icarus gaped nkly at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Literally: Icarus, I want you to be my man.¡±


    Icarus¡¯s face flushed. <em>Your wording is a little deceptive.</em> He calmed himself quickly, but his heartbeat refused to settle.


    Joshua approached and gripped Icarus firmly.


    ¡°Will you use your abilities solely for me?¡±


    Icarus backed away from him.


    ¡°If¡­ If Young Master Ash actually makes his n happen, I¡¯ll consider it.¡±


    With that, Icarus turned around and left the room.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this progress?¡± Joshua grinned.


    What Icarus was thinking, he didn¡¯t bother wondering.


    ¡°Hooh. Hooh.¡±


    A man stood inside of a small training ground lit by the sun. He exhaled hot air, carefully managing his focus; blood and sweat dripped to the floor from the wounds on his body. His swords were ck in his grip as if they could fall at any moment.


    It was Cain, Joshua¡¯s first knight.


    ¡°Are you sure this is enough to protect your lord? Looking at you now, I¡¯d be surprised if you didn¡¯t trip and twist your ankle in a battle.¡±


    Cain bit his lips hard. The insults made him want to hurl himself at his opponent, but he knew that any mistake would cost him his life. The man closed the distance between them with a quiet stillness, filling the space with his massive presence.


    Cain, on the other hand, could not manage a single step. His body had been pushed to its limits as he swung his sword with all his might for three hours under the withering sun. Cain¡¯s skin was marred by cuts big and small, enough to put down a lesser man¡ªbut Cain fought through by sheer force of will.


    The approaching man looked down his nose at Cain for a moment.


    ¡°You¡¯ve bled too much now. It¡¯s a miracle you¡¯re still standing, just looking at your wounds.¡± The man¡¯s expression was mild and unchanging. ¡°What¡¯s with the sudden urge to change weapons?¡±


    ¡°...Ankle.¡± Cain¡¯s voice was shaky and tenuous. ¡°I don¡¯t want to twist my ankle.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The man seemed amused by his familiar choice of words.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t want to be a stumbling block to my chosen master; I want to be an asset. That¡¯s why¡ªno matter what, no matter how many wounds I take¡ªI can¡¯t break that promise.¡±


    ¡°Promise?¡±


    Cain nodded without hesitation. ¡°No one¡­ He will ensure that I bow to no one except him. I promised my lord¡­ to guard and trust my master. My aim, from now on¡ªto be strong.¡±


    Cain gripped the des with all his remaining strength. He staggered but swiftly recovered his strength.


    ¡°So now¡­ I respectfully decline the Duke¡¯s offer.¡± Cain leaped off the ground towards Duke Agnus, eyes burning with passion. One would not believe that just a moment ago, he¡¯d been on the verge of unconsciousness.


    ¡°Your determination is admirable.¡± Duke Agnus watched Cain soar towards him with a faint grin.


    The Duke gently swung his magenta greatsword up and down. The training ground was instantly filled with its raging light, hurling Cain¡¯s body into the corner before he could even get close to Duke Agnus.


    He was defeated.


    ¡°Take him and heal him.¡± Duke Agnus spared the unconscious knight a nce as he turned away.


    ¡°Yes, Duke!¡± Several knights, waiting nearby, moved quickly to follow the Duke¡¯s orders.


    ¡°To make one of my people so loyal in such a short amount of time¡­¡±


    Asking the Duke to teach swordsmanship to this guy was ridiculous. The first time the Duke had heard it, he¡¯d been furious at Joshua¡ªbut now, his anger had vanished.


    All that was left was an inexplicable feeling of contentment and delight.


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to bow to anyone except him?¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s grin stretched widely as he left the training ground. ¡°How fun.¡±


    ¡°Duke.¡± Baron Hed, the Duke¡¯s exclusive servant, was waiting outside. ¡°Intelligence says that the Imperial Family willplete ¡®the task¡¯ soon.¡±


    Baron Hed immediately had the Duke¡¯s full attention.


    ¡°...What¡¯s the source?¡±


    ¡°The Sten family.¡±


    ¡°Is this directly from Arie?¡±


    ¡°For more information, take a look at this letter.¡± Baron Hed pulled a paper from his breast pocket and reverently held it out with both hands.


    Duke Agnus silently took the letter and began reading it. He quickly checked the contents and then burned the letter with his ring¡¯s fire magic.


    ¡°Should I say¡­ Finally?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ns?¡±


    Duke Agnus shook his head. ¡°For the time being, I have no choice but to watch. There¡¯s nothing we can do right now on our end.¡± The Duke seemed to fall deep into thought and then started moving quickly. ¡°In any case, if you notice anything unexpected, report it right away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke.¡± Baron Hed bowed deeply.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s face was more serious than ever as he hurried on his way.

 Chapter 72

    The Swallow Empire was one of the three big powers on the Igrant continent; its broad ins gave rise to its world-renowned horsemanship.


    Lately, the Swallow Empire had been having an issue. Discussions were held daily inside the Imperial Pce in Svenu, the capital of the Swallow Empire. A middle-aged man sat on the throne before the arrayed nobility; his thick golden beard and droopy eyes gave off a pleasant, tranquil-as-could-be atmosphere. In contrast to Emperor Marcus, known as a despot and a tyrant, the emperor of Swallow was renowned as the greatest sage of all time.


    ¡°Your Majesty, now is the time to make a decision!¡± Duke Altsma, themander of the north, had a sharply angled chin and gave off a striking impression.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Duke Altsma is correct.¡± A man in full te armor stepped forward. ¡°There¡¯s a good chance that if we monitor our neighbors like this, things will turn out the way they want.¡±


    Many of the nobles raised their voices when Duke Baxter, the man in armor, spoke up.


    ¡°Thran has been a vassal for a long time. There¡¯s no need to calcte every move!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that we¡¯re going to give them a new reason to fight!¡±


    ¡°Give me the order, Your Majesty! I¡¯ll go right now and take the reactionaries¡¯ heads off!¡±


    In the freezing north of the continent, the Swallow Empire was known for its aggressive inhabitants, in contrast to its unflinchingly pacifist emperor.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The Emperor looked confused. ¡°What does the Prime Minister think about this?¡±


    A white-bearded old man approached to answer the Emperor. The Prime Minister was known as the sage of Swallow, and he had a keen sense for the country¡¯s undercurrents.


    ¡°It¡¯s only my personal opinion, sire, but we cannot remain insensitive to the activity of our neighboring countries¡ª¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister! What are you trying to say? Are you implying we should just stay silent about those sly foxes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s exactly what I said, Duke Altsma.¡± The Prime Minister rolled his eyes and sighed. ¡°And please refrain from calling them ¡®foxes.¡¯ We are all aware of just how much power those two countries hold, just as we are aware of how much power we have.¡±


    Duke Altsma¡¯s face flushed red.


    ¡°Let me ask you: do you think you can defeat every kingdom on the continent, including Avalon and Hubalt, when you start a war?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Duke Altsma¡¯s reply was immediate¡ªjoyful, even. ¡°Even if a million armies stood in my way, I know I can defeat them. Just grant me permission, Your Majesty.


    ¡°Even the Nine Stars¡ªtheir standards are so low it¡¯s not even funny! Those so-called ¡®Absolutes¡¯! ¡®Titan of Avalon,¡¯ Duke Aden von Agnus; ¡®Knight of the Gods,¡¯ Crysler Jean Sebastian. I don¡¯t know who gave them those nicknames, but they¡¯re awfully tacky.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Duke has a chance to beat them?¡±


    Duke Altsma rolled his eyes and pped his chest.


    ¡°Prime Minister! Just leave it to me,¡± he said with a confident nod. ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll bring you their heads!¡±


    The Prime Minister gave him a slight shake of his head. ¡°You seem to be forgetting something: He and Grand Duke Lucifer are both part of the Nine Stars.¡±


    ¡°So? I¡¯m talking about the other Nine Stars! Please don¡¯tpare them.¡±


    The Prime Minister could only shut his mouth and sigh. Apparently, words wouldn¡¯t work. If the Duke didn¡¯t want to see reason, there was nothing the Prime Minister could do about it. At the very least, they both wanted the best for the Empire.


    ¡°Enough¡­ We all know how good the Duke of Altsma is.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Duke Altsma stared nkly at the Emperor.


    ¡°Tigers do their best even when catching rabbits because they know their prey¡ªbut didn¡¯t you say it yourself? You¡¯ve never met one of the Nine Stars.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Duke Altsma¡¯s face scrunched.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say you¡¯re confident enough to win, even if you don¡¯t know your opponent,¡± the Emperor continued with a calm expression. ¡°You do know that¡¯s not called ¡®confidence?¡¯ That¡¯s called ¡®arrogance.¡¯ You might be stronger than them, but so what? Even small animals can have tricks up their sleeves.


    ¡°Nor is it just the Duke¡¯s problem if he loses. It will be a major national issue, as well as a serious setback for the Empire as a whole.¡±


    ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty. My thoughts were shallow.¡±


    The Emperor just nodded as Duke Altsma back down.


    ¡°Prime Minister, I would like to hear your thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I understand.¡± The Prime Minister cleared his throat and resumed speaking as if nothing had happened. ¡°The other two kingdoms won¡¯t be able to move quickly¡ªthat much is certain. Everything is under control, so we don¡¯t need to worry about them for now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°On the other hand, the two empires can mobilize very quickly. We need special precautions for that. Hubalt, however, is upied with tending to the new pope of the Holy Empire.¡±


    The Emperor nodded thoughtfully. ¡°Has it already taken ce?¡±


    Uniquely, the Holy Empire Hubalt had two rulers: the Emperor, who held absolute power, and the Pope, who had no particr powers but was symbolically significant. Hubalt had adopted this system in an effort to stand out, emting the empires of old. Essentially, it was a grand y to gain poprity.


    Every five years, the Hubalt Empire elects a new pope; this year happened to be that year.


    ¡°It allows us to concentrate a little more on Thran, but the issue is¡­ Avalon.¡±


    The Emperor sighed. Everyone knew it before the Prime Minister said anything.


    It¡¯s always like this¡­ Like a mountain beyond a mountain again.


    After a moment¡¯s deliberation, the Emperor rose from his seat.


    ¡°We shall not make hasty actions so long as Thran has not made their move yet. Lords, be prepared for battle at any moment.¡±


    The nobility voiced their agreement. With that, the meeting was adjourned. The Emperor was left alone with one person.


    ¡°Marco. Is it true that He is a major character in Thran?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He hasn¡¯t shown up recently, but everyone acknowledges that he¡¯s Thran¡¯s ally in spirit.¡±


    ¡°bis¡­¡± The Emperor stared out the window and shook his head disbelievingly. ¡°Is it such a poor notion to wish for peace and happiness for the entire continent?¡±


    ¡°It takes a lot of strength to safeguard happiness.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s forlorn eyes stared into space.


    He was the greatest sage in the history of the Swallow Empire, revered by all of its people. His name was Veron belle Grace, 21st emperor of Swallow.


    Is he connected to Icarus? Joshua grit his teeth angrily.


    After Icarus left the room, an unwee visitor arrived and preached to Joshua.


    ¡°You have no idea what Raksha is like! If you think they¡¯re just a bunch of kids ying pretend, you¡¯re dead wrong! Their circle is not as simple as you think!¡± Agareth massages his temples¡ª his typical dumb expression was nowhere to be found. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll stop at just your academy life? No! You and your family will be in jeopardy if you keep this up. Even if you flee, they¡¯ll hunt you down and torment you!


    ¡°I told you to be patient, Joshua. If you keep being stubborn, you¡¯ll never make it out alive!¡± Agareth turned around, hands visibly shaking. ¡°Do as I say, this time. Really, I¡¯m trying to help you.¡±


    Joshua burst outughing. ¡°What¡¯s the matter with you?¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°I was asking if you were worried because something simr happened to your brother.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Agareth bit his lip.


    ¡°You can run away if you¡¯re scared; no one will judge you.¡±


    Agareth stepped forward threateningly, mumbling curses under his breath.


    ¡°What do you know¡ª¡±


    ¡°But!¡± Joshua met Agareth¡¯s advance, causing the other boy to pause as Joshua approached. ¡°The first time is difficult. Then, you get used to it. Then, you get bored. Then, it just bes like clockwork.¡±


    Joshua pressed in close to Agareth¡¯s face, his words stabbing at him like a dagger to the heart.


    ¡°They¡¯ll make you sorry,¡± Agareth shouted as Joshua walked out the door. ¡°Their leader is Veron shen Vis¡ªone of the Twelve Families!¡±


    Joshua howled withughter.


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Agareth stared nkly at him.


    ¡°I said, it¡¯s good that it¡¯s Veron.¡±


    The door shut firmly behind Joshua, leaving Agareth to stare nkly at the wall.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good?¡±

 Chapter 73

    Raksha had imed a spacious chamber on the 4th floor of the Academy, in the far most corner. In some small way, the kids rebelled against the Imperial Family¡¯s oppressive power by forming a sort of Court¡ªthough a gaggle of teenagers could not emte the solemnity of a proper Court.


    Besides the sons of the Five Dukes, whopleted their Academy life much faster than anyone else, all the sons of the most powerful families are part of the famed Raksha. At the moment, however, only three chairs were set up in a room fit for a hundred. Their owners had already been decided; the other children stood silently behind them.


    The girl in the leftmost seat finally broke the suffocating silence. Her voice was crisp and high. She had high eyebrows and vivid green hair that inevitably aroused memories of vegetables.


    ¡°I believe everything is in order; shall we start this meeting?¡±


    ¡°What are you making a fuss about, Natasha? Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You¡¯re always in a rush.¡± A small-eyed boy on the right shrugged his shoulders. His thin chin and broad forehead lent his head a distinct triangr shape. In Natasha¡¯s opinion, he looked like a frightened pig, but his face always exuded smugness.


    Natasha muttered ¡°freak¡± under her breath and clicked her tongue.


    ¡°Gehog, you¡¯re way too rxed, always. Marquis Crombell must be concerned, but he¡¯s too busy to worry about his children.¡±


    ¡°Well, a family business will still be a family business. I¡¯m just enjoying the moment¡ªwhat¡¯s there to worry about for a kid like me, anyway?¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Natasha shot Gehog a dirty look.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be nice if Charles de Pontier was here? She¡¯d be much more amusing.¡±


    The mention of the Crombells¡¯ ongoing feud with the Pontiers made Natasha shiver.1


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a good idea?¡± Gehog grinned. ¡°All else aside, Charles has a lovely face. It¡¯s so much better than you and your moods.¡±


    ¡°What did you say? Say it again!¡±


    ¡°Stop being an idiot and think carefully! Do you think anyone would like a girl who runs her mouth?!¡±


    Natasha flushed and leapt from her seat.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop this instant. This isn¡¯t the time for your childish brawl.¡± The emerald-haired boy in the middle restrained them with his low voice.


    Both of them turned to look at Veron shen Vis.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not backing down until that three-headed jerk apologizes for what he said!¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?! Coming from the puked-up vegetable head?!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Veron stared at Natasha, who rolled her eyes and sighed, and then looked at Gehog.


    ¡°Gehog, that¡¯s too much. Natasha only spoke out of concern for you and your father. Why don¡¯t you apologize first?¡±


    ¡°Her concern is unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°The rift between your family and the Pontiers is quite concerning indeed. I¡¯ve heard news that physical fights are happening; how can we, asrades, not be worried about you?¡±


    ¡°Pfffft.¡± Gehog was bemused by the way Veron casuallybeled them asrades.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on elsewhere, but you have no need to be concerned about the Pontier family. As merchants, we can match them in every way; I¡¯m sure that even the Mercenary King is on our side at this point.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    Gehog nodded. ¡°In a few more years, Marquis Crombell will control all the money in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Please let me know if you need help, anytime.¡± Veron smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll inform my father¡ªthe Marquis of Vis will be happy to assist.¡±


    ¡°Very good.¡±


    ¡°Shall we begin the meeting now that we¡¯re reasonably organized?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard the rumors?¡± Natasha asked. ¡°Amaru bron Sten was assaulted by a Viscount¡¯s son¡ªwhat¡¯s worse, a fallen nobleman¡¯s son!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re correct.¡± Veron nodded.


    ¡°What kind of kid is he? This is amazing!¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like that again.¡± Gehog was taken aback, even knowing Natasha¡¯s masculine tendencies. ¡°Now, how do we do that again?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s see how it turns out.¡±


    ¡°This is insane¡­¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t take this lightly, Gehog.¡± Veron shook his head. ¡°Please pay attention.¡±


    ¡°What are you thinking, Veron? He¡¯s a fallen nobleman¡¯s child! He disrespected a high-ranking student¡ªAmaru¡¯s family has ties to the Emperor!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m saying. Veron is acting weird.¡±


    ¡°We¡­¡± Veron¡¯s face tensed nervously. ¡°We¡¯ve met before.¡±


    ¡°Ah?!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    The surrounding students broke into murmurs. It must have been quite surprising to hear that two apparently-unrted people had already met before.


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right? That kid already knows the child of Marquis Vis?¡±


    ¡°Who is he really? It¡¯s even rumored that he¡¯s connected to the Fourth Prince, Kaiser von Britten.¡±


    ¡°Is he foreign royalty? Maybe he¡¯s using a pseudonym?¡± Natasha¡¯s eyes sparkled as she hypothesized.


    ¡°Not a chance, Natasha.¡± Veron¡¯s brow wrinkled. ¡°It¡¯s a wild guess, but as far as my research tells me, none of the Empire¡¯s higher nobility or royalty from other countries have dark blue hair.¡±


    ¡°Hair colors are gic, which tells us a lot, but what of his skills? Were they unique and powerful?¡±


    ¡°This is the first I¡¯ve heard of it,¡± Gehog said in hushed tones.


    ¡°I hate to say it, but¡­¡± Veron pressed his lips into a white line before smoothing out his expression. ¡°His abilities are genuine. If you asked me if Amaru really got beaten into a pulp, I¡¯d say ¡®yes¡¯ without a doubt. The son of Sten is still not even close to being a C-ss; no matter how strong his heritage is, it¡¯s impossible for him to beat Ash. My escort knight was one of his many victims.¡±


    ¡°Your escort knight¡­ Mooker?!¡± Gehog¡¯s calm shattered. ¡°Mooker is a B-ss Knight! And Ash is a first-year, right? He only recently entered the Academy¡ªis it even possible for him to beat a B-ss Knight?!¡±


    ¡°My word¡ªThese¡­ revtions are too much for me to absorb.¡±


    The students around them looked to have simr reactions but stifled their words. None were brave enough to interrupt the children of the Twelve Families.


    Gehog gently broached the stillness.


    ¡°Why not recruit him? Everything goes well whatever we do anyways.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Veron looked at Gehong, thinking he must have misheard. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Amaru, well¡­ I never enjoyed hispany; none of us liked him because he was forced on us. If Ash is truly talented, he will be a great asset for us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m thinking, as well,¡± Natasha said. ¡°We had to get close to Amaru because he¡¯s a Sten, but things have changed, haven¡¯t they? He sullied his family¡¯s reputation. I don¡¯t think the Stens will be concerned about Amaru anymore.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± Veron shook his head.¡± Even with no backing from his parents, his brother will be a hindrance.¡±


    ¡°More importantly,¡± Veron continued. ¡°Ash pen Frederick¡ªI hate him.¡± The boy grit his teeth, remembering the humiliation Joshua had inflicted on him.


    ¡°Oh¡­ It wasn¡¯t a good rtionship?¡±


    ¡°Idiot. What do you think made him so popr among the other students? Come on; there would be no reason for Mooker to attack him.¡±


    Veron sulked while the other two discussed.


    ¡°In any case,¡± he growled. ¡°I won¡¯t sit here and let him do as he wishes.¡±


    ¡°How will you silence him if Mooker was no match for him, and his skills are as great as you im?¡±


    ¡°Shimizu kun Dous.¡± Veron offered them a cheeky smirk.


    ¡°Aha!¡±


    ¡°Right. He¡¯s a fallen aristocrat. There¡¯s no one around him.¡±


    I¡¯ll make you regret reaching above your station.


    Joshua was in the top floor of the Academy, standing in front of a door.


    ¡°Dean¡¯s Office.¡± Joshua sighed and muttered something inaudible. He¡¯d suddenly been called by the Dean; Joshua had been expecting this, but it still caught him by surprise.


    Does it have something to do with Amaru?


    This is why he was trying to hide his identity. Too much attention will hinder his recovery¡ªbut things didn¡¯t always go as nned.


    Joshua rapped on the door with a resigned expression.


    ¡°It¡¯s Ash pen Frederick.¡±


    There was no response, despite his heavy knocking. Joshua tilted his head curiously and decided to open the door.


    In the middle of the darkened room was a lone man. His body was draped in a ck cape, disguising his body.


    Joshua had never seen him before, but he was damn sure that this was not the Dean.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus?¡± The voice was eerie and monotone.


    You know who I am?


    The man in ck examined Joshua¡¯s expression and slowly stood from his seat.


    ¡°Looks right.¡±


    Joshua stared into the deep, deep eyes hidden inside the mask.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    The Crombells are the rich merchant family that the Pontiers have beenpeting with. See Chapter 35.?

 Chapter 74

    ¡°My name is Jaken,¡± he said.


    ¡°Jaken?¡± Joshua cocked his head. He¡¯d never heard the name before.


    ¡°Have you heard of an organization called ¡®ck Wind¡¯?¡±


    ¡°ck Wind!¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    The Emperor¡¯s personal intelligence agency, known only by name except to the highest-ranking aristocrats. They were elites among elites, answered only to the Emperor, and would die for him if he ordered it. ck Wind wasn¡¯t known to the general public, but Joshua was intimately familiar with it from his past life¡¯s memories.


    In particr, the Assassin King was a member. Joshua had mixed feelings about them.


    ¡°I asked if you were aware.¡±


    ¡°A little.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great, although it¡¯s not aplicated topic.¡± Jaken¡¯s eyes gleamed. He didn¡¯t bother asking how Joshua knew. ¡°By His Majesty the Emperor¡¯smand, I havee to deliver a message.¡±


    ¡°Him? He sent you personally?¡±


    Jaken nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve been dispatched in secret in order to simplify the procedure. Be grateful for his consideration.¡±


    Generally, a proxy had to be treated the same as the person they represented¡ªin other words, even the highest noble, a duke, is forced to bow before the Emperor¡¯s agents. Nobles would usually be polite enough to send someone appropriately ranked as their agent, but some would deliberately send a low-ranking agent to humiliate them.


    Joshua despised tedious procedures; typically, he would wee this, but¡­


    <em>Weirdly, it puts me in a foul mood.</em>


    ¡°Are you still talking nonsense?¡± Joshua¡¯s mouth twisted into a nasty smile.


    ¡°What?¡± Jaken boggled at him.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even delivered His Majesty¡¯s will yet, but it¡¯s obvious this conversation is going nowhere.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ Did you expect me to address you formally?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the ck Wind¡¯s agents abandoned their real names and families. You have no title, but you think you can talk like that to me?¡±


    An institution that reported directly to the Emperor had great authority in the Avalon Empire. Even the Twelve Families and Five Dukes tread lightly around them; it was ridiculous for Joshua to be acting like this.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for you? Strictly speaking, only your father is a nobleman.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so the ck Wind, the Imperial Family¡¯s eyes and ears, doesn¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Joshua shrugged mockingly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that anyone who bes a C-ss Knight is immediately bestowed the rank of Baron? Or were youpletely unaware that I am a C-ss Knight?¡±


    ¡°Hoho.¡± Jaken chuckled.


    ¡°What amuses you?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Pardon me forughing. However, the rumors said you were very mature for your age¡ªbut it seems like you¡¯re no different from the other kids your age.¡±


    ¡°Ah, they do spread those kinds of rumors, I see.¡±


    ¡°Yes, they do.¡± Jaken nodded. ¡°I¡¯d like to talk more, but I¡¯m short on time. Even if you concealed your identity, you wouldn¡¯t want a never-ending chat either. I will announce His Majesty¡¯s will now:


    ¡°¡®Listen, Joshua von Agnus. Your letter to the Fourth Prince was to Our liking. Still, would you note under Ourmand? Our hands itch because of this pleasant feeling.¡¯¡± Jaken coughed. ¡°¡®We sincerely hope that you will join the Imperial Knights. We wish for you to entertain Us for a little longer; We have heard how brilliant you are, so you will know what We mean.¡±


    ¡°..Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is all. He also mentioned that if a letter of rmendation is required, he would be more than happy to write it himself¡ªand if you can¡¯te, hang in there.¡± Jaken stood up. ¡°He also encouraged me to bring you, even if you were kicked out for different reasons.¡±


    Joshuaughed. ¡°I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s a fascinating individual, but His Majesty seems a little different from the rumors.¡±


    ¡°What exactly do you mean?¡± Jaken¡¯s expression became frigid.


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Joshua shrugged. ¡°I just find it fascinating that he seems to have a perfect talent for spotting talented people.¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not,¡± Jaken said, ¡°with Babel von Agnus already graduated, you being here will greatly impact your future. It¡¯s not impossible, but¡­¡± Jaken walked past Joshua. ¡°Arcadia is different from Agnus. If you fall off the rails, you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the advice.¡±


    ¡°The will of the Emperor is absolute,¡± Jaken told Joshua as he walked out. ¡°Please visit the Imperial Pce as soon as possible. And please take care here.¡±


    Joshua watched Jaken vanish from view.


    ¡°Should I move the n forwards a little?¡± he muttered.


    Joshua took onest nce in the direction Jaken had left, then walked away.


    sses were over. In a vacant lot behind the Academy, a child writhed on the floor surrounded by snickering children. His clothes were caked in dust, and his skin was bruised, cut, and torn. His glossy sky-blue hair glittered in the sunlight despite the dust and dirt.


    ¡°Icarus! Veron shen Vis, you motherfucker!¡± Agareth cradled the bloodied Icarus.


    ¡°Whoa, Agareth! Take a deep breath and rx.¡± The gloomy-eyed boy leading the gang smirked. ¡°Why are you acting like this? It¡¯s not like it¡¯s the first time this has happened. Besides, this guy is just amoner, unlikest time. He¡¯s got nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ Why are you torturing me like this?¡± Agareth screamed. ¡°What did I do to you guys?¡±


    ¡°Did I ever say you did anything wrong?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Gehog, next to Veron, answered him. ¡°If having the wrong older brother was the crime the first time, this time it¡¯s the crime of having the wrong friend.¡±


    ¡°You heard that, right? Now¡­ What did your nerdy roommate do this time?¡±


    Agareth grit his teeth.


    ¡°We¡¯ve only been at school for a few days. Do you think he regards us as friends?¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯m not sure, but I know he¡¯s outgoing.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Agareth was taken aback by Veron¡¯s statement.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know the specifics. You have a straightforward task: bring your friend here, right away.¡±


    Agareth¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>They didn¡¯t have to exin what they were doing because I already knew.</em> Agareth went through the same thing.


    ¡°As you might expect,¡± Veron eximed, ¡°I¡¯m going to kidnap both of you and shatter all his limbs. If that guy pulls any silly stunts, your family might be in trouble. I don¡¯t need to say anything else, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it,¡± Gehog said. ¡°He¡¯s from fallen aristocracy with no roots. We ought toe up with a backup n in case we can¡¯t get someone to vent on.¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Natasha said, nudging Icarus¡¯s head with her toe, ¡±do you think this kid will be scared even if we threaten his family? He¡¯s adopted anyway.¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking? Adopted or not, we¡¯ll figure it out!¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡± Natasha stared at Icarus.


    ¡°To put it another way, this guy is a low-value hostage. So, you want to y a little game with me?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s at it again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a fresh start.¡± Gehog shook his head, dissatisfied.


    ¡°Do you know how sad this guy¡¯s brother made me?¡± Natasha jerked her chin at Agareth. ¡°He was my taste, but he¡¯s such a jerk.¡±


    <em>If only I were a little stronger¡­!</em> Agareth bit his lip hard enough to draw blood.


    These were the real powers in the Academy, not the Imperial Family.


    ¡°You know what happens if your friend iste?¡± Natasha reached down and tugged on Icarus¡¯s shirt.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Agareth leapt up, refusing to watch Natasha¡¯s filthy hand unveil Icarus¡¯s pure white body.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about that. I¡¯m already here.¡±


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick!¡± Veron screamed at him as he recalled the awful memories Joshua had given him.


    ¡°Veron shen Vis. You¡¯re doing a great job,¡± Joshua replied with a chilly smile.


    Veron flinched but quickly reced it with a smug expression.


    ¡°Are you going to follow through?¡±


    ¡°Touching my friends is a bigger offense than you seem to believe.¡±


    Agareth¡¯s eyes moistened when Joshua called them ¡°friends.¡±


    ¡°You? You have friends?¡± Veron shot him a disbelieving expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to judge you for that crime, so¡­ do look forward to it.¡±

 Chapter 75

    ¡°Is that him?¡± Natasha¡¯s expression shifted subtly as she examined Joshua. She stepped back from Icarus as if she¡¯d lost interest. ¡°It¡¯spletely out of the blue, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick¡ªYou finally showed yourself, huh? Anyways, this is the first time I¡¯ve ever remembered the name of a useless trashmoner like you.¡± Veron scowled, revealing his magically-imnted front teeth.


    ¡°What is this bastard saying¡­ Are you gonna get in trouble, Veron?¡± Gehog asked with a calm expression.


    ¡°What is he doing?¡± Gehog lifted a finger and twirled it around his temple, implying that Joshua was sick in the head. The surrounding childrenughed.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Veron red at Joshua. ¡°I told you to halt! Do you care what happens to this guy?¡± Veron stomped on Icarus¡¯s head and grinned viciously at Joshua. Icarus was half-conscious at this point.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how this works, so don¡¯t even think about moving. You know that I have the authority to expel you and them from the Academy; I also have the power to torment their families for the rest of their lives. You must have a reason foring to the Academy. Don¡¯t throw it all away now.¡±


    Joshua finally came to a halt, much to Veron¡¯s pleasure.


    ¡°Ah, finally. Now we can talk. The reality here is that family power is everything¡ªso what options do you have?¡±


    ¡°Are you really that great? What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Seems pointless,¡± Natasha mumbled under her breath.


    ¡°Let me ask you something¡­ Why return this?¡± Something on Veron¡¯s finger glittered in the sunlight as he waved his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s like for lesser or fallen aristocrats like you, but this is a bigger deal than you think. You could buy an entire castle for this thing.¡±


    ¡°Veron, he wouldn¡¯t even know if you told him. It¡¯s just a normal ring to that kid.¡±


    ¡°No, he wouldn¡¯t have taken it and threatened me with it if he hadn¡¯t known.¡± Veron shook his head.


    Gehog shrugged. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, this makes me even more curious about your rtionship. And I supposed you¡¯ve insulted Veron too much.¡±


    ¡°Is it appropriate to talk about this in front of these kids?¡± Natasha looked worried. ¡°If the rumors get around, your father¡¯s going to hear¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who would dare?! At this point, it doesn¡¯t matter. If somebody lets slip to my father, I¡¯ll stop at nothing to hunt them down.¡±


    A stiff silence weighed down on the assembled students.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± Veron said to Joshua. ¡°You could have scared me for a long time with this; it would have ended poorly, but you would have lived.¡±


    ¡°If I did, what would be the difference between you and me?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be no different from scum like you, right?¡±


    The students stirred in surprise. They couldn¡¯t believe someone was trash-talking the Vis heir, especially where so many people could see. Was he insane?


    ¡°The Sten swordsmanship also got called trash¡­¡±


    ¡°Is he insane? What makes him so bold?¡±


    ¡°How can you talk like that unless you belong to the Imperial Family or the Five Dukes?¡±


    ¡°Three of the Twelve Families are represented here¡ªeven the Five Dukes wouldn¡¯t challenge us. I mean, I guess Duke Agnus or Duke Dremblin could¡­¡±


    Veron smirked.


    ¡°Of course you keep up the act. I would¡¯ve been upset if you changed your tune.¡±


    Veron then pumped mana into his Deon Ring. A faint light rose from it, growingrger andrger. Soon, Veron¡¯s entire body was coated in the light; through the glow, a faint rustling could be heard.


    The light fell away, revealing Veronpletely encased in te mail. Its magically-lightened bulk was a stunning, polished silver. Red feathers on the helmet¡¯s crest pped elegantly in the wind, and the sword-and-shield motif of the Vis house was embossed prominently on the chest.


    ¡°Kyaaa! Isn¡¯t Veron¡¯s Deon Ring always gorgeouspared to the other B-ss?¡±


    ¡°Should I get mine modified?¡±


    ¡°Who knows,¡± Natasha snorted at Gehog, ¡°maybe your father will be happy to trade you for a good Deon Ring.¡±


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    Veron stepped closer, and Gehog licked his lips in anticipation.


    ¡°Wake him up.¡±


    Icarus was doused with cold water from a barrel they¡¯d had prepared.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± The water jolted Icarus awake. Even soaking wet, his sky-blue hair and immacte white skin glowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to break his limbs, one by one. Having the wrong friend is a crime, you see.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Agareth eximed.


    ¡°As your senior, I¡¯d advise you to stay still unless you want to see this gentleman and his family die.¡±


    Joshua met Icarus¡¯s eyes.


    <em>It must be painful and frightening.</em> Icarus¡¯s tiny frame shook uncontrobly.


    Yet, his gaze was unwavering. Something in Joshua¡¯s heart soared and raged when Icarus solemnly shook his head.


    <em>I know what it¡¯s like to have something you need to protect.</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re just like Shimizu kun Dous, this bastard¡¯s older brother.¡± Veron jerked his chin in Agareth¡¯s direction. ¡°An idiot who didn¡¯t know his ce and dared to cross the line and try to change this ce. Aplete idiot. Instead of joining hands with me and living a pleasant life in the Academy, he would rather go to the professors to snitch and beg for help. He didn¡¯t even know we¡¯d already bought out half the staff in the Academy. Funny, right?¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­ Please stop.¡± Agareth desperately tried to block his ear.


    ¡°It was annoying, you know? I mean, who would take the tough road when you can live in luxury? But you know what I did with him?¡± Veron grinned at Agareth. ¡°I turned him into a cripple.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes dted slightly.


    ¡°Of course, it got waved off as an ident. I initially nned on just murdering him, but I figured that would be too inconvenient. Making him atone as ame didn¡¯t seem like such a bad idea.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ No one can use their funny words when we threaten their family, right?¡±


    Natasha raised her hand. ¡°The Dous family cannot threaten us without concrete evidence.¡± She licked her lips. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your name was Ash, right? If you pay close attention, I¡¯ll make sure you avoid any unfortunate idents.¡±


    ¡°You, Natasha¡ª!¡± Gehog started to protest but noticed her give him a little wink.


    <em>Are you nning on ying with him before you crush him?</em> Gehog stepped back. <em>You got it right, crazy woman.</em>


    ¡°Is that all right, Veron?¡± Natasha asked.


    ¡°...My businesses first. It¡¯s time to get rid of that unfortunate eye color; it seems to be begging me to remove them.¡±


    ¡°Ummm¡­ I don¡¯t want to scratch those blue eyes because they¡¯re so umon¡­¡± Natasha thought about it for a second. ¡°Should I just give up? Hmm, no¡­¡± She suddenly pped her hands. ¡°We¡¯re doing this because Veron noticed you first, right? When I think about it, having one eye is a different kind of charm too!¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Right, crazy bitch.¡±


    ¡°...What did you say, Gehog?¡± Natasha gave him a frosty re.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± He waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Huh?!¡±


    Veron stopped paying attention to them and turned his focus back to Joshua.


    ¡°Let me pull those cheeky eyes out before I break this guy¡¯s arm.¡± Veron stepped forward confidently. The fear creeping up on his heart had been washed away by the reassuring weight of the Deon Ring wrapped around him.


    <em>A C-ss Knight can barely scratch a B-ss Deon Ring. If you¡¯re not as careless as that idiot¡­</em> Veron gripped his de and cautiously approached Joshua, watching for a surprise attack.


    ¡°You mentioned something like¡­ ¡®Family is everything here.¡¯¡±


    Veron paused. ¡°Okay, so you n to rely on your feeble strength to flee¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kind of right.¡± Joshua drew something out of his sleeves.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡± Veron, the closest person to Joshua, quickly figured out what it was. ¡°Deon Ring?!¡±


    <em>No way!</em> There¡¯s no way a fallen noble would have a Deon Ring.


    ¡°You!¡± Veron backed away, recalling Mooker¡¯s words.


    ¡°Let me show you the power you were boasting about.¡± Joshua shoved the Deon Ring onto his finger and injected it with mana.


    A thundering resonance, far beyond what Veron disyed, shook the air around them.

 Chapter 76

    Joshua was seething. This should be a ce of learning, not a stage for bragging about your family¡¯s power. A child¡¯s mind should have more than one kind of emotion.


    <em>Why is this ce like this? Is this all they know?</em> They said things like ¡°murder¡± and ¡°destroy their family¡± without batting an eye! Maybe it was just their upbringing, but these were things for adults, not children.


    Joshua¡¯s rage fueled the Deon Ring; it shook like a ticking bomb while Joshua¡¯s searing gaze bored into Veron.


    The ring itself was white with a golden disc in its center. It was beautifully crafted, with no signs of aging or damage.


    It enveloped Joshua¡¯s body in a purple glow, blinding the children with a st of light. Unlike Veron¡¯s quiet transformation, the mor of Joshua¡¯s Deon Ring rattled their senses and left them reeling.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too bright¡ªwhat is this power?¡±


    Veron cautiously opened his teary eyes as the light began to fade.


    Icarus held Agareth, and then the two of them vanished from Veron¡¯s sight. As Veron¡¯s sight cleared, he saw that they had moved beside the source of the overpowering purple glow. Like everyone else, their gaze was captured by one thing.


    The boy stood in front of them, chin up and with a perfect knight¡¯s posture. He looked so dashing you could mistake him for a prince¡ªsphemy, but true. His white armor was immacte, and the ck lining and golden trim drew nothing but admiration. All of it harmonized with Joshua¡¯s face, offering the spectators the pinnacle of beauty.


    But that wasn¡¯t the most striking detail.


    <em>Is this how the legendary Elyos descended from the sky?</em>


    On the boy¡¯s chest was the symbol of Elyos.


    There was only one ce in the Avalon Empire where you could see this insignia. The ¡°Knight¡¯s Tomb,¡± a small hillside marked on the side with a sword and shield.


    ¡°That pattern¡ªis it¡­?¡±


    There was a legend in the Avalon Empire that had been passed down for generations: the noble knights of Avalon were said to return to the bosom of nature when they died. Even when the body perished, the knights¡¯ wills remained with the Empire forever.


    Eventually, the legend reached the Emperor¡¯s ears. The 7th Emperor, Solsjaker ben Roberto, constructed a massive memorial stele and dubbed it the ¡°Knight¡¯s Tomb.¡±


    The will of the knights will always be with you, even beyond death.


    <em>¡°This monument is dedicated to the greatest knights of the Empire of the time. Those families who climb to the apex of Knighthood will be honored by the will of Avalon for ages toe.¡±</em>


    Of course, you had to prove yourself; Emperor Solsjaker wouldn¡¯t settle for just ¡°the best.¡±


    The issue is that the tombstone has never been moved once in over a century. Many families have produced Masters, but the ¡°best¡± had never changed. Thus, one family had be deeply associated with the Knight¡¯s Tomb.


    ¡°Agnus¡­¡± Veron gaped incredulously. He wasn¡¯t hallucinating, but he still couldn¡¯t believe what he saw.


    <em>Why?</em> Why was the Agnus crest inscribed on such a piece of trash?


    <em>Babel von Agnus? No, not him. He just graduated, and I know his face better than anyone else.</em>


    Something clicked in Veron¡¯s head: recently, there were rumors shaking Arcadia, if not the entire Empire. It was a hrious story¡ªa genius for all time, unprecedented in all of history, came into the Agnus house and could manipte mana at the age of nine.


    <em>When I first heard it, I assumed it was a ruse devised by the Imperial Family and the Dukes to keep the rise of the Twelve Families under control.</em> But it turned out the rumors were true. It was no wonder Mooker was defeated; even if he¡¯d been ten times more careful, Mooker still would¡¯ve lost.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Joshua von Agnus,¡± Veron mumbled.


    In the stifling silence, all the children could hear Veron¡¯s words.


    His rare dark blue hair, his eyes dark like the abyss and wise beyond his year. Standing next to Veron, a reputed nobleman, he seemed to glow. Finally, the deep blue mana coating his long sword.


    It could not be denied. The rumors around him were not rumors at all.


    Joshua von Agnus.


    ¡°Did you say family power trumps everything? Let me ask you¡­ What do you think my family¡¯s standing is in this school?¡±


    ¡°That- That-¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, there must have been a misunderstanding,¡± said Natasha while Veron was stammering. ¡°If we had known in advance that the Young Master came from the Agnus family¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up. I didn¡¯t ask you.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°That means don¡¯t interrupt me while I¡¯m talking to this bastard.¡±


    Natasha¡¯s face flushed with embarrassment. The dozens of students of various ranks crowding around them made it worse. Joshua spared a nce at the frozen-stiff girl before returning his attention to Veron.


    ¡°I gave you your chance, Veron shen Vis.¡± Joshua steadily advanced on Veron, leaving him too afraid to respond. Veron felt like a tiny, powerless critter in front of a wild beast.


    Joshua had the power to topple dozens of knights at once and a fantastic background as a member of the fame Agnus Duchy. Veron¡¯s towering pride evaporated like a puddle in the sun; all that was left was the fear he¡¯d managed to bury deep inside his heart, erupting out and consuming his body like a flood.


    ¡°Wait a minute!¡± Gehog shouted, but Joshua kept walking. Gehog bit his lip angrily. ¡°We cannot be treated like this, even if youe from the Agnus house!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®treated like this¡¯?¡±


    <em>Damn it.</em> Gehog shivered, and he could feel his legs giving out from Joshua¡¯s stare.


    ¡°We are the heirs of the Twelve Families! Do you really think that Agnus can just punish us however you want? That¡¯s crossing the line!¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Natasha¡¯s face regained its color¡ªshe was no longer scared stiff like she was earlier.


    The other children were of like mind. <em>It¡¯s alright.</em> No matter how intimidating he was, he was alone. Surely there was no one foolish enough to charge into a battle he¡¯s clearly going to lose.


    Above all else, this was the heir of Marquis Crombell speaking. They trusted him. After all, the Crombells were on par with the Pontier family, one of the Five Dukes.


    The children¡¯s faces began to rx.


    Joshua gasped withughter.


    ¡°Mistreatment¡­ Now that I¡¯ve cornered you, you¡¯re telling me it¡¯s ¡®mistreatment¡¯¡ªand you¡¯re even bringing up my father! Is this what you do, Young Master Crombell?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask it the other way around,¡± Joshua said sarcastically, ¡°are you willing to y games with Duke Agnus?!¡±


    ¡°That¡­ that¡­¡± Gehog took a step back, suddenly self-conscious.


    Duke Pontier¡¯s pressure was already a struggle for his family¡ªand Duke Agnus was not the same as Duke Pontier.


    <em>I can¡¯t lose to the Duke of Agnus in this situation! Our family wouldn¡¯t be able to survive it!</em> If he put the family in jeopardy, he¡¯d be disowned in an instant.


    ¡°I only care about those who picked a fight with my friends,¡± Joshua said. His voice was low and quiet. ¡°Anyone not involved can leave.¡±


    Gehog bit his lip.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to be my enemy, leave now.¡±


    Most of the children present came looking to connect with the Twelve Families; there was no loyalty, and none of them had lofty ambitions.


    ¡°I think I have an assignment?¡±


    ¡°My parents will be visiting me today, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Gehog could only watch and tremble as the crowd dispersed. Joshua waited patiently until only the three from the Twelve Families remained.


    ¡°Raksha¡¯s name disappears from the Academy today.¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Any objections?¡± Joshua stared at Gehog, then Veron.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I ought to teach you a lesson about not thinking nonsense.¡±


    Fear stained Veron¡¯s eyes behind the slits of his helmet.


    A young boy¡¯s anguished screams filled the air.

 Chapter 77

    A squirming boy had been decked out t across the cold floor. His silver armor, which used to gleam brilliantly in the sunlight, was battered and dented; the sumptuous crest of feathers were dusty and broken, like the loser of a cock fight.


    ¡°Take <em>it</em> away,¡± Joshua said, staring down at the unconscious body with cold, half-open eyes.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Gehog bared his razor-sharp teeth at Joshua as he ran over to Veron. ¡°Help me right now!¡±


    ¡°Ah. Yes, I¡­¡± Gehog¡¯s scream snapped Natasha out of her daze. She rushed over to Gehog and grabbed Veron¡¯s other arm.


    Gehog red at Joshua.


    ¡°The heir of Agnus is Babel von Agnus. It won¡¯t change no matter what you do! No matter how talented you are, you¡¯re nothing unless you do something incredible. Today went your way, but the day wille when you¡¯ll regret it.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Joshua burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it. Eventually.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Gehog staggered away. Their confidence and smug posture was gone¡ªnot it looked like they struggled with each step forward.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Agareth stared nkly into space. ¡°...Who are you again?¡±


    ¡°Everyone has secrets, just like you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Agareth swallowed his words. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    Joshua approached Icarus, who was still on the ground.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m all right.¡±


    ¡°Were you surprised? I¡¯m not the person you thought I was.¡±


    ¡°As far as that goes, I was expecting it.¡± Icarus¡¯s response made Joshua¡¯s brow furrow. ¡°I thought it was unusual from the very beginning¡ªwhy would the son of a fallen aristocrat take the risk of enrolling in the Academy? Everyone knows the Imperial Family doesn¡¯t bother with people that poor. Maybe you came here to find ways to rebuild your family, but it¡¯s unreliable; besides, then you¡¯d be leaving your family to suffer while you live in luxury.¡±


    Joshua grinned. Icarus had certainly thought this through.


    ¡°Did youe here to make connections, like Raksha? That doesn¡¯t make any sense! No one here would pay attention to a fallen noble¡ªI mean, just look at me!


    ¡°But all else aside, Young Master Ash is the only¡ªout of a thousand students¡ªsole heir of a fallen nobleman. There¡¯s exceptions to everything. Very few need to conceal their identities.¡±


    ¡°I never considered that.¡±


    ¡°But the Young Master seems to overthink things. It appears there are others who are already aware of the Young Master¡¯s identity.¡± Icarus recalled the brown-haired girl he¡¯d met<sup>1</sup>.


    <em>I was expecting this.</em> Joshua grinned. Even knowing Joshua¡¯s true identity, Icarus spoke his mind without hesitation. This was the sort of courage Joshua expected from the finest soldiers. <em>It¡¯s no wonder he considered fighting a million troops with only ten thousand men.</em>


    Joshua looked into Icarus¡¯s eyes as he thought. Those signature charming blue eyes, overflowing with courage; despite his severe beating, those eyes never lost their shine. Joshua had a sudden urge toplement Icarus for his lovely, gem-like eyes.


    ¡°Why are you staring at me like that?¡± Icarus flushed.


    ¡°Your eyes¡­ are lovely.¡±


    ¡°Huh?!¡± The boy¡¯s cheeks went red as a tomato.


    ¡°By the way, are you going to keep calling me ¡®Young Master¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Was I the only one who thought we were friends?¡±


    Icarus and Agareth offered him a wide-eyed stare.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny for friends to call me ¡®Young Master¡¯.¡±


    The three of them shared a warm smile.


    The Principality of Thran was a minor kingdom, ruled by a prince rather than a monarch, and had long been a part of the Swallow Empire. Thran was a self-contained state and could fend for themselves without the help of an empire, but the rest of the continent disagreed; Thran¡¯s long association with the Swallow Empire had led to it being regarded as a vassal state.


    The Prince of Thran had worked for decades to prove that Thran was capable of thriving on its own. He wanted to create a fully independent Thran Kingdom. The Swallow Empire regarded Prince Anthony as a troublemaker, despite its pride; yet, the Prince was known as the ¡°Eloquent Magician¡± for his charm that captured the hearts of the neighboring countries.


    It got to the point where the Empire couldn¡¯t do anything about it anymore. The charming Prince was free to plot the independence of Thran.


    But heaven was not always on his side. The Principality of Thran soon encountered a major challenge: Prince Anthony, the icon of chance, suddenly became ill and bedridden.


    In a bedrge enough for ten full-grown men, only a single elderly, ailing man slept peacefully. Several people sat around the bed, wearing solemn expressions. Even as he slept, silent and still as the dead, he was carefully watched over by his subjects.


    He was the Prince of Thran, Anthony de Val Agretta III.


    ¡°Can we ease his pain? Is there anything you can do?¡± A man in his thirties was the first to speak. His eyes shed with a glowing crimson hue.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ We all need to prepare ourselves now. His Majesty is over seventy years of age; it¡¯s a miracle he survived this long without mana.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡± A young woman wept.


    ¡°How could there be no way, Priest? If I need to, I¡¯ll bring you a dragon¡¯s heart right now¡ª¡±


    The priest just shook his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± The man trudged towards the bed with a pained expression.


    ¡°¡­bis.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes!¡± The man¡¯s head snapped up. ¡°Your Majesty, bis is here.¡±


    ¡°Come closer¡­¡± The Prince¡¯s eyes opened weakly and he gingerly beckoned to the man. ¡°Hello¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I have a lot of things to do, but¡­ I feel so weak¡­ I just want to rest now.¡±


    The Prince held the man¡¯s hand, and both of them wept. bis struggled to maintain hisposure.


    ¡°Thran¡­ my daughter¡­ I don¡¯t know what to do¡­ but as an old man¡¯s dying wish¡­ please take care of them.¡±


    bis bit his lip.


    ¡°Thran¡­ my dear Thran¡­ I give it to you.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­ me, Your Majesty?¡±


    Prince Anthony¡¯s head sank weakly back down.


    ¡°Your Excellency!¡±


    Dark clouds hung over the afternoon sky.


    Year 721. The saint of Thran¡¯s freedom, its ruler, Prince Anthony de Val Agretta III, passed away at the age of 78.


    <em>I need to prepare to leave as soon as possible.</em> Joshua looked back at the Academy building, silhouetted against the sky.


    <em>I never thought I¡¯d be leaving so soon.</em> Joshua chuckled. <em>Cain¡¯s going to be surprised.</em> The thought of Cain¡¯s confused expression sent Joshua into full-blownughter.


    Then he turned and kept walking. There was no point in waiting any longer¡ªhe¡¯dpleted all of his objectives, and he¡¯d made up his mind to leave.


    <em>I¡¯ll pack my things and say my goodbyes, and then I¡¯ll go straight to the Imperial Pce.</em>


    It was obvious after his interaction with Amaru the day before. The reality was, working with arge group of skilled people was far more beneficial than recovering his strength by muddling in the past.


    Who would¡¯ve guessed that Joshua would achieve far more in this life than in his past life?


    <em>More importantly, there might be some hidden treasures buried in the Imperial Pce.</em>


    Joshua halted. While he was walking in a daze, he¡¯d managed to arrive at his destination: his private training area on the outskirts of Arcadia.


    He couldn¡¯t afford to put it off anymore. Joshua needed to shake the feeling that he¡¯d acquired his new skills by pure chance.


    <em>But I don¡¯t know how far I can go with a body that just learned the third stage of the Magic Spear Arts.</em>


    Joshua pushed open the door and his face immediately tensed. Someone he didn¡¯t recognize wasying on the sofa.


    <em>Is it Cain? No.</em> Joshua backed up warily. For the first time since resurrecting, Joshua was nervous. rms ran constantly in his head. Even without getting close, he knew that the dirty man on the sofa was dangerous¡ªhis colossal presence quietly filled the air.


    <em>He¡¯s strong.</em> Joshua¡¯s anxiety was peaking, and he had to choke down a dry lump.


    ¡°Ah! You¡¯re finally here! I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing you for a long time.¡± The man sluggishly pulled himself up and smiled like he was pleased with himself.


    ¡°Ah, you look nice¡ª¡± He offered Joshua a smile and stood up, stretched, and grinned manically once more. ¡°¡ªJoshua von Agnus.¡±

 Chapter 78

    There was a volcano to the west of the Principality of Thran, famed for its majesty. People across the continent of Igrant were awed by its mere mention.


    The locals called it the Wolf.


    Its peak constantly spewed forthva, drawn from fissures deep in the crust. An enormous vortex of fiery liquid constantly swirled beneath its mouth, the crimson tides threatening to erupt forth at any moment.


    The Wolf was one of the hottest ces on the continent, far too hot for any normal person to enter. The volcano proudly boasted temperatures of roughly one thousand degrees¡ªeasily enough to burn a man to death.


    But somehow, a man walked slowly around the mouth of the volcano; only a few drops of sweat fell from his brow. There was only one exnation: he was a mana wielder¡ªa knight or a wizard. That would allow him to protect his entire body with mana.


    His name was bis, the de of Thran, a man who can walk onva unscathed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time now,¡± he mumbled, face tense.


    Only a few people close to the Prince were present when he died. It was only a matter of time before the world found out, though. Rumors spread quickly. The cunning nobles of Swallow would be quick to notice if the Prince fails to appear in public, ¡°deteriorating health¡± or not.


    ¡°Thran is like a candle in the wind, without the Prince.¡± Many imed to be the center of Thran. Sometimes, bis himself was said to be the center of Thran. Everyone was wrong. Thete Prince, Anthony de Val Agretta III was the only man who could im to be the heart of Thran. Without him, the Principality would have absorbed into the Swallow Empire, and ¡°Thran¡± would vanish from the map.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± bis stared ahead with determination.


    There was a wall inside the Wolf, at its base. The thing bis was hunting lied at the far end, which opened up like a cave. He¡¯d found it when he¡¯de here to train¡ªa treasure hidden beneath the raging mountain.


    <em>Just as people go to the sea to challenge the water pressure, practicing in a ce like this where it¡¯s difficult to even breath can massively improve physical ability. However, I can¡¯t be here when the volcano is too active.</em>


    It was a true life-or-death training regime. In the face of mounting Imperial pressure, bis was desperate to be stronger.


    <em>There are five Masters of Swallow, just as there are five Masters of Avalon. No, if you count the ones they¡¯ve kept secret¡­</em> bis¡¯s expression darkened. He was well aware that the Swallow Empire¡¯s Masters were not the ¡°real¡± powers. <em>Swallow¡¯s Knights are the strongest by far. Although they are known as the ¡°Northern Barbarians.¡±</em>


    bis¡¯s swift footsteps came to a halt. A tunnel loomed, like the jaws of some dark beast. Deep in its darkness shone something bright red.


    bis had read the ancient texts, and he knew exactly what it was.


    ¡°Primordial Stone¡­ Magma.¡± bis slowly approached like a man possessed.


    His mana, imbued with zing crimson magma, assaulted the Stone.


    In the depths of the wilderness, brilliant red mes pierced the darkness, lighting up the night.


    No one should have been here.


    <em>Who is he, exactly?</em> Joshua tensed his muscles, allowing him to move at any time¡ªa sort of battle stance.


    It made no difference that the other person knew who he was; the problem was that this man was stronger than Joshua. It was the only thing Joshua could think about right now.


    ¡°Ah, those eyes recognize power¡­¡± The man¡¯s mouth formed into a lovely curve. ¡°As expected, you never disappoint me.¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Hah! My introduction was indeedte.¡± The man doffed the hood of his robe, revealing his vivid blue hair and eyes¡ªand the lighting bolts underneath them.


    ¡°Is that the Steropes mark?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you recognize it? You deserve a reward?¡± He pped his hands in approval.


    ¡°The Seven Magicians of the Magic Tower. Everyone knows the Steropes mark, passed from generation to generation of the Thunderbolt seat.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡± The man bowed gracefully. ¡°I apologize for thete introduction. Let me introduce myself: Jack Steropes, one of the Seven, and the owner of the Thunderbolt seat.¡±


    Joshua was astonished that his hunch turned out to be right.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care for your like¡ªa Tower running for money, business-like wizards.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ This is suddenly disappointing.¡± Jack shrugged. ¡°You understand why I¡¯m here, don¡¯t you?¡± The Thunderbolt¡¯s voice became frigid. ¡°Where is Bronto? So long as you tell me where Bronto is, I will not harm you. Well, you know, that thing will rip you to shreds if you y with it. A kid can¡¯t touch that.¡±


    Evidently, Jack hadn¡¯t even considered that Joshua had already absorbed Bronto.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again: what do you know about Bronto?¡±


    ¡°Wizard¡­ I don¡¯t think this is the ce where we should talk about this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Please move.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s sudden politeness made Jack grin.


    ¡°Good. I may talk like an old man, but if you even try acting ignorant, my magic will roast you.¡±


    That was a lot of self-confidence. Regardless, Joshua figured he¡¯d be able to respond to anything Jack did.


    <em>It¡¯s lucky I¡¯m a child right now.</em>


    ¡°This way.¡± Joshua gestured to the door with a wicked smile.


    The two departed through the eastern gate and kept walking, following a sparsely popted forest trail for the better part of an hour.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Jack asked. ¡°Isn¡¯t this ce fine? It¡¯s quiet and there¡¯s only the two of us here.¡± He peered around at the beautiful grass.


    Joshua abruptly stopped walking.


    ¡°Well¡­ I figured this is the best ce.¡±


    ¡°For what?¡± Jack was puzzled by Joshua¡¯s rapid shift of attitude.


    ¡°Here, we don¡¯t need to worry about third parties getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ª¡± Jack clutched his head. ¡°Wa¡ªkid, you drew me in, for this?¡±


    ¡°In a one-on-one match, I¡¯m confident I won¡¯t lose to a wizard.¡±


    Jack¡¯s pride as a swordsman was prickled.


    <em>He¡¯s too arrogant; all he¡¯s done is use mana at a young age. Well, he¡¯s just like a frog in a well.</em>


    Just a kid. Jackughed.


    ¡°So a weak wizard like me isn¡¯t even worth a punch from the great knights of the Avalon Empire, right?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have any weapons. How do you intend to defeat me?¡±


    ¡°You ask too many unnecessary questions.¡± Joshua raised his pretty fists, much to Jack¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°You¡¯re insane.¡±


    ¡°Are you doubting me?¡±


    Jack sighed dramatically.


    ¡°No way.¡± The man flexed his fingers. ¡°Come. I¡¯ll show you how insignificant a knight is.¡±


    No more waiting¡ªJoshua kicked off the ground and sprinted towards Jack.


    <em>He¡¯s fast.</em>


    Jack caught Joshua¡¯s fist, but he didn¡¯t notice the other one alreadying for his stomach. He managed to stop both, however.


    ¡°Are you surprised that a ¡®weak¡¯ wizard is doing this?¡± Jack smiled slyly at Joshua¡¯s astonished expression. ¡°My moves might not be as good as a pure physical battle wizard, but I have faith in my abilities. You know what? Haste and Might is too much for your kind.¡±


    Haste and Might, spells which improved agility and strength, respectively, were a favorite of lower-ssbat mages. When used by a higher ranked mage, their effects were beyondprehension.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m done talking, should I start with half-killing you? You¡¯re so confident about your fists.¡± Jack¡¯s grin widened and he cocked his fist back.


    <em>Now!</em>


    Space peeled open behind Jack; something sharp slowly emerged, like a beast hunting its prey.


    ¡°Lugia!¡±


    Jack turned his head, startled.


    A horrific shattering sound broke the air.

 Chapter 79

    <em>What just happened? I couldn¡¯t read his moves!</em>


    Jack only needed to hear to understand the situation. It was a two-pronged attack, exploiting Jack¡¯s carelessness, but Lugia only cut his robes. Joshua¡¯s eyes were gloomy.


    ¡°How dangerous. That might¡¯ve gone through my ribs if I hadn¡¯t heard it.¡±


    Jack used Blink and reappeared 10 meters away from Joshua.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Jack examined Lugia in Joshua¡¯s hands. ¡°An antique artifact?¡±


    Lugia was rather lovely, having changed from an iron rod into a spear. Two des sprouting from a pure white shaft, like a strange sort of fork, but exuding a mystical aura. Most striking was the blood-red des, which shone so brightly that the light alone could rend flesh.


    ¡°An artifact with its own integrated subspace¡ªand quiterge, too. Is this the source of your lightning?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want to talk, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it. But, you know, I won¡¯t stop until I get what I want. I¡¯m going to start with spiritual magic to pry open your lips.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning on using Mind Control¡­¡± Mind Control, the highest degree of psychic magic, was only avable to wizards of ss 6 or higher. That implied that the man in front of him was one of the most powerful wizards on the entire Igrant continent. The Seven Magicians were no joke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to deal with a little headache, but it¡¯s better than nothing, right?¡± Jackughed sullenly.


    Mental magic, unlike other elemental magics, consumes mental capacity as well as mana. Most wizards disliked that, and most wizards couldn¡¯t use it; mental magic is reserved for the upper castes of wizards, who have prodigious mental abilities.


    The issue was that any magic that directly affects the brain could destroy the mind of the caster.


    ¡°Lightning de.¡± Jack smirked and casually produced 4th-Level magic with a mere word.


    The lightning de flickered with sparks from the ultra¨Chigh-voltage current running through his hand.


    ¡°I won¡¯t murder you. I need information from you, so¡­ I¡¯ll just use torture. Psychic magic is more effective that way.¡±


    Joshua hefted Lugia.


    Jack wasn¡¯t a battle wizard, but he picked Lighting de, a closebat spell, for a reason: his opponent was a knight with great pride in his abilities. The damned kingdom of Avalon was particrly dismissive of magic, such that wizards were often treated like aliens.


    <em>An undefeated child genius¡ªwhat if he loses a close-quarters battle to one of the wizards he looks down on so much?</em> The wizard grinned. The mental shock would boost Mind Control¡¯s effectiveness even more.


    ¡°Hooh.¡± Jack let out a low chuckle.


    Long ago, Jack got his thrills from crushing people where they were most proud. It seems like old habits die hard.


    ¡°You¡¯re too quiet. What else can you show me?¡±


    Joshua bit his lip but said nothing.


    Jackughed. ¡°If you¡¯ve got nothing, I¡¯ll move.¡±


    And then he vanished.


    Joshua was starting to feel the stress, but his mind was ice-cold.


    <em>I need to memorize his attack pattern.</em> But any unnecessary movements would give the enemy an opportunity.


    Joshua stabbed his spear to the left.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jack was surprised to find that Joshua had blocked his Lightning de, sending a shower of sparks flying in all directions.


    The wizard vanished again. Joshua thrust¡ªto the right, behind him, above his head. He was beginning to feel hopeful.


    Lugia¡¯s Lightning Spear, a 3rd-ss spell, causes a series of explosions. Joshua used the effect to strike in front of him.


    Jack canceled his Lightning de and Blinked away.


    ¡°You truly are an incredible kid. Instead of avoiding the attack, you took it head-on; some B-ss Knights can¡¯t even take one hit.¡±


    Joshua was too focused to listen. He couldn¡¯t afford to rx like Jack did, he needed to be vignt at all times. A single moment of inattention could decide his fate.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Are you listening now?¡± Jack¡¯s smile widened. Hundreds of lightning spheres had surrounded them in all directions¡ªthere were no holes to escape from.


    ¡°I suggest you move carefully, because these adorable balls will stun you the moment you touch them. It¡¯s called ¡®Lightning Bolt¡¯, basically a 1st-ss magic. Its effects would bepletely different if a wizard from this country casted it. Best avoid it if you don¡¯t want to bepletely roasted, boy.¡±


    Joshua trembled a little, but examined his surroundings calmly.


    The man clenched his fists, sending hundreds of lightning spheres on a collision course for the same spot. A bolt of lightning struck the floor, sending sparks in all directions, shaking the very ground and air.


    ¡°Lightning Bolt.¡± Before the dust settled, Jack formed and detonated hundreds of additional lightning spheres.


    Joshua emerged from the dust; he was burnt here and there,pletely transformed from the neat appearance he had earlier.


    But, he was still standing.


    ¡°This is interesting.¡±


    Jack pondered using the 5th-ss magic, Thunder Cannon, but shook his head. It wasn¡¯t the right spell for the job; Jack wanted to torture Joshua, not kill him.


    ¡°Rune re,¡± he eventually whispered.


    Of the four sses of magic, fire magic is regarded as the most destructive.


    The man fashioned a spear of red-hot mes andughed.


    ¡°I could stop this¡­ Yes, if you beg for forgiveness and admit I¡¯m not ¡®just a wizard.¡¯¡±


    The red light was aimed straight at Joshua¡¯s lower abdomen¡ªwhere his mana hall would be, if he were a typical knight.


    Joshua bit his lip as he watched the scarlet mes bearing down on him. Every spell was powerful enough to rattle Joshua¡¯s little body.


    <em>Dodge?</em> Joshua¡¯s young body was too weak to many attacks, much less use attacks of the same level.


    [What idiocy is this, Joshua?]


    <em>Lugia?</em> His eyes widened.


    Time stopped. No¡­ more like it slowed down, as if each second had been divided into ten thousand.


    [All I see is a pathetic boy who can¡¯t even use his new power.]


    <em>But the enemy is too powerful!</em>


    [Since when did you care? Your way was always to break through, no matter what stood in your way.]


    <em>My way¡­</em>


    [Even if it leads to your defeat, I¡¯ll always be by your side. So let¡¯s do it. If you do it, Bronto¡¯s power of growth will propel you to new heights.]


    Lugia¡¯s voice faded away.


    Joshua made a choice¡ªbut first, he had a few hundred lightning spheres to deal with. He swung his spear slowly, creating an infinite number of spears. Or were they shadows? Their continuous motion looked as if they were moving as one.


    <em>It doesn¡¯t matter who the enemy is. I am Joshua Sanders.</em>


    His key to win is disguising the spears and striking his opponent when he leasts expects it. Jack can¡¯t banter when he¡¯s fending off spears from in ihs blind spots.


    <em>Magic Spear Arts, 3rd ss.</em>


    ¡°Asura¡¯s Path.¡±


    Hundreds of Lugias embroidered the air.

 Chapter 80

    The sound of hundreds of lightning spheres bursting at once was overwhelming.


    Joshua filled Lugia with mana and hurled it at the Rune re.


    Lugia leapt forward, bones cracking. He bit his lips, fighting the pain and focusing on his one and only goal: defeating Jack.


    Jack was astounded¡ªhe¡¯d never imagined Joshua would throw his weapon away. Knights were so proud that losing their weapon was more humiliating than losing their life.


    It almost looked like the dust was swirling around Joshua, emphasizing his incredible potential.


    The amazement kepting. Joshua smashed Jack¡¯s Rune re; a weapon should be devoid of mana as soon as it left its wielder¡¯s hand, but Jack could see that the spear seemed to have a mana of its own.


    The spear punched through the Rune re and went speeding towards Jack.


    ¡°Blink!¡± Jack reappeared five meters away, only to be greeted by Joshua¡¯s cold eyes. However, his reflexes didn¡¯t fail him. The Thunderbolt seat was clearly not for show.


    An ominous crackling filled the space between them, itching at Jack¡¯s skin. His eyes, tinged with astonishment, slowly looked downwards.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ How?¡±


    A pure white spear pierced straight through his heart.


    <em>I still have so many things I wanted to ask him.</em> However, his body no longer responded to his will. His knees shook, and he couldn¡¯t feel anything.


    ¡°Hoo¡ª¡± Jack hacked up bright red blood. His arteries were losing strength; the powerful pumps were slowing. His blood, instead of circting his body, was gushing out of it.


    ¡°What¡­ kind¡­ of¡­ strength¡­ this¡­¡± Jack weakly reached out and grasped Lugia with both hands.


    The power of lightning that had been umting inside Lugia engulfed Jack¡¯s entire body, turning his body stiff and his eyes dead and gray.


    The death of Jack Steropes, one of the Seven Magicians and the strongest wizard in the world, famed for his thunder magic, met an unbelievably tragic end.


    <em>He was too confident. He didn¡¯t pay enough attention.</em> Throwing a spear was a simple action, but making a weapon retain mana after it leaves your hand is something only a Master could do. Joshua threw Lugia with all his might, and it flew straight as aser.


    The result was decided as soon as Jack used Blink. Joshua¡¯s senses, roused to the extreme, found Jack as soon as he teleported. Lugia retreated to its subspace, and then reemerged to stab their opponent¡ªright where Joshua predicted. Everything went on course, like water running through a river.


    ¡°Keugh.¡± Joshua vomited blood. It was pale, dead blood rather than the vivid scarlet Jack had bled. Pushing his body past its limits had left Joshua with grievous internal injuries. The hand holding Lugia in Jack¡¯s heart began to falter. <em>I¡¯m losing consciousness.</em>


    His body gently tilted as he began to lose vision. Joshua knelt down, gripping his bloodstained clothes.


    Even with his full power, the prowess of the Seven Magicians was not to be taken lightly. The only reason he was alive right now was hisbat experience and a healthy dose of luck.


    <strong>Crackle.</strong>


    Brilliant sparks clouded Joshua¡¯s body, cloaking him in a blinding glow as bright as the sun. They came from Lugia¡ª


    No, they came from Jack Steropes heart, where it was impaled by Lugia.


    A wizard¡¯s heart stored the essence of their mana; with the wizard dead, the mana in his heart ran amok. Lugia became a conduit, directing the power into Joshua¡¯s body. There was nothing the boy could do as hot sparks assaulted his body. He couldn¡¯t so much as life a finger, he didn¡¯t have the strength.


    <em>Perhaps I could liken it to sinking into the depths of the ocean? I¡¯m so tired.</em> It felt to Joshua like a pair of fat horses was dragging down his eyelids.


    <em>But it feels like I can¡¯t sleep like this, for some reason. It¡¯s like I¡¯ll sleep forever if I close my eyes now¡ª</em>


    [The Magic Spear Arts¡ªQuickly!]


    <em>Who?</em> It was like someone was crying out to him, begging him to escape the water. As his consciousness waned, Joshua desperately clung to the small voice like a rope.


    <em>Lugia?</em>


    [Use the Arts quickly! Use Bronto¡­ before it blows up.]


    If Lugia said anything else, Joshua couldn¡¯t hear them; his mind had only one thought: the Magic Spear Arts. He began to exercise the ancient mana technique with a single-minded determination, as if he¡¯d been possessed.


    Soon, the earth and sky were bathed in a dazzling white radiance.


    Among the dozens of instructors gathered in the Academy¡¯s staff meeting room, Kane¡¯s determined expression stood out.


    An old man, Count Shutein ain Albert, the head of the Academy, checked that everyone was present and opened his mouth.


    ¡°I apologize for calling such a hasty emergency meeting. We had to hurry because, well, things happened.¡±


    ¡°President. Is it true that the ¡®issue¡¯ has resulted in student protests?¡±


    Shutein returned the magic instructor¡¯s question with a nod.


    ¡°I heard that students from all over the ce are protesting at the staff offices.¡±


    ¡°It would be fine if that was it, but there¡¯s rumors that a family is going to request a formal exnation.¡±


    The Count smiled bitterly.


    ¡°It has to be one of the Twelve Families.¡±


    ¡°Three of the Twelve Families are currently represented in the Academy.¡±


    Shutein remained silently, cautiously examining the instructors. Most of them had already heard the news and wore troubled expressions, while some were tilting their heads curiously.


    ¡°President¡­ I¡­ I haven¡¯t heard some of these rumors yet. Could you please expand?¡±


    Shutein nodded to the dwarven history instructor.


    ¡°I, too, would like a more thorough exnation. The subject of the protest, what the students are trying to find out, the cause of the emergency meeting¡ªit¡¯s because of ¡®expedited admission.¡¯¡±


    The magic instructor raised her hand. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve beenpromised. You know that we can ept students who enroll under a false name to protect their identity? It¡¯s only because the Imperial Family is willing to ignore it,¡± the President said. ¡°This time is not like the others. Most students who chose expedited admission came from families who were hesitant to divulge their identity for various reasons. By hiding their family, they avoided issues with existing students. As a result, even if their family was exposedter, most would just close their eyes and move on. There was nothing to be unhappy about because the students didn¡¯t seem to mind.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the students are demanding the truth, regardless of the consequences.¡± The magic instructor nodded. ¡°If this person can exert direct influence on the Imperial Family, they would have toe from the highest ranks of the nobility, or foreign royalty.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are they?¡± the history instructor asked.


    The conference room quickly became quiet as a tomb. Several, if not most, already knew, but they were hesitant to say it. No one wanted to provoke that family.


    ¡°Ash pen Frederick, a student.¡± Shuten smiled sourly.


    ¡°Never heard of that family.¡± The history professor cocked his head thoughtfully.


    ¡°It¡¯s a false name. You wouldn¡¯t know them, they were just Viscounts before they fell.¡±


    The history instructor gave him a nk look. ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°His real name was¡­ Joshua. Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Agnus¡ª!¡± The instructor looked like he¡¯d been struck by lightning magic. ¡°A-A-A-Agnus?!¡± His eyes bulged. <em>There¡¯s only one family with that name!</em>


    Duke Aden von Agnus, the pride of the Empire, stands at the forefront of the country, even in the Empire of Knights. A person even the almighty Emperor Marcus has to pay attention to.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡±


    The conference room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop.

 Chapter 81

    No one spoke, despite their surprise. Everyone was too busy staring at each other¡ªno one dared to show their true feelings in this situation.


    ¡°President,¡± the magic instructor said, ¡°since the majority of the student body is involved now, it can¡¯t be ignored¡ªeven if it involves the son of Duke Agnus.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± said a well-dressed middle-aged man, the professor of Imperial Law. ¡°The environment at the Academy is bing a little strange. It¡¯s safe to say that it¡¯s a fight between the Agnus house and the rest of the students.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The President looked miserable.


    ¡°If we let this rift continue as is, even though we know that he was admitted through special means, and continue to ignore the students¡¯ concerns, the Academy¡¯s prestige will plummet. We can¡¯t let that happen, or else¡­¡± The Law professor looked frightened. ¡°Next year¡¯s enrollment will bepletely empty. There might even be cases wheremoners hear the rumors and try to enter the Academy¡ªyou see how this will sully our reputation?!¡±


    The President¡¯s frown grew as the teachers debated.


    Many aristocrats pushed for their children to attend the Academy, regardless of rank or how powerful the Imperial Family was. Shamelessly enough, they expected their children to be treated like treasures. The Emperor may be strong, but the nobility wasn¡¯t weak enough to be ignored; if enough issues piled up, the nobility would lose their mind.


    <em>Because they¡¯re the children of lesser aristocracy, it will most likely end with a simple protest and a list of demands, especially since the Academy is such an ideal location for socializing andworking. The real problem is¡­</em>


    Veron shen Vis, along with the other two from the Twelve Families he considered friends. Count Stein heaved a sigh.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s nothing we can do here,¡± said a man with a wide temple and small chin¡ªthe Etiquette teacher. ¡°There¡¯s only one way out: the students should be expelled.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Kane interrupted, ¡°what do you mean ¡®expelled?¡¯ This is school-level discipline; we need to hear the student¡¯s side first before we decide to terminate him. We need to know why he used a false identity!¡±


    ¡°Will the other nobility stay silent about this?¡±


    ¡°They¡ª¡±


    ¡°If we leave it alone, you, me, and every noble will be affected¡ªespecially us. We are obviously below them, and they will take full advantage of this. Do you honestly think that something like this won¡¯t happen again?¡±


    Kane could only bite his lip. The Etiquette instructor sighed and turned to the President.


    ¡°Are we expelling him or not, President? I cannot stress enough how important your decision is. One wrong move could be the catalyst for something enormous; whether good or bad, I cannot say.¡±


    The President was loath to answer. He knew that the Etiquette instructor was the Vis family¡¯s closest friend; that was why he acted so brashly.


    <em>Baron Chwisegi¡ªIt was rumored that Marquis Vis would introduce him to politics. This man has been blinded by power.</em> Kane¡¯s expression soured. No one despised this situation more than he did.


    There were many students whose families wielded significant political power, but many were members of Raksha. The children of the powerless, lower-ranking families, with almost no money or connections, were mocked and bullied at every opportunity. Those students constituted almost 90% of the Academy¡¯s total poption.


    Raksha treated them like objects, dividing the student body into a strict hierarchy, and ruled over them. Several teachers, including Kane, were aware, but chose to remain silent; while they were drowning in what-ifs, their hesitation had allowed the worst to happen¡ªright before their eyes.


    <em>Shimizu¡­</em> Kane clenched his fists and set his jaw with determination. <em>How many times have I wished that I¡¯d done something? Once is enough. A child had to step up because the teachers wouldn¡¯t act. Why expel a child just because they need to save face?</em>


    Kane didn¡¯t care what family Joshua came from. He was a brave young boy trying to change the Academy.


    ¡°Are the other teachers in agreement with the Etiquette instructor? Is there anyone who disagrees?¡±


    The other instructors remained silent, making the Etiquette teacher beam.


    <em>I need to do something, somehow. We can¡¯t let this garbage institution run like this anymore; perhaps the change I wish for wille sooner.</em>


    ¡°I am of a different mind.¡±


    ¡°Instructor Kane?¡± Everyone¡¯s attention was drawn to the swordsman.


    ¡°Despite rumors of him entering the Academy through an unusual method, there has never been a case where a punishment as harsh as expulsion was imposed without hearing his case¡ªespecially not in our Academy, because of our prestige.¡±


    The history professor scratched his head. ¡°That¡¯s not even¡ª¡±


    ¡°More importantly, I heard that the student revealed his identity after taking part in a stupid fight that even we, the teachers, refuse to talk about. If we were not so ignorant, this wouldn¡¯t be an issue to begin with.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s very insensitive, Instructor Kane!¡± the Etiquette instructor screamed.


    ¡°Oh, were you unaware?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows that Raksha is led by three of the Twelve Family¡¯s children. They, even their ancestors, had a long-standing influence on the Academy¡ªthey¡¯ve done things, terrible things, that are difficult to even put into words.¡±


    ¡°Kane!¡± The Etiquette teacher leapt from his seat. ¡°You¡¯d best be prepared to take responsibility for your words!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re degrading yourself.¡± Kane smiled nastily.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I know you still have some shame left in you,¡± Kane snarled.


    The Etiquette teacher shivered. Kane was easily the strongest person in the room, whereas the Etiquette instructor was basically ordinary.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for all of us! We¡¯ve lived under pressure, either blinded by power or scared of it. Now our students suffer for it.¡± Kane red around the room. ¡°How long will you choose silence?¡±


    Only the Etiquette teacher looked up. The President hastily tried to fix the awkward atmosphere, but someone¡¯s voice interrupted him from outside the door.


    ¡°With that said, I concur.¡±


    ¡°You are¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Joshua gently cracked his eyes open. Despite the screaming paining from every bone in his body, his soul was incredibly renewed.


    Joshua gingerly stood up and immediately flinched.


    ¡°Jack Steropes¡­¡± All that was left was an unidentifiable lump of charcoal.


    <em>I defeated one of the Seven Magicians¡ªwith this body.</em> Only a Master could take on one of the Seven, no matter how low-ranked they were.


    Well, the wizards were more afraid of the Masters in a war.


    ¡°By the way, this ache¡­¡± <em>Is it joint pain, or muscle pain?</em>


    [It¡¯s growing pains, right?]


    ¡°Lugia?¡±


    [Doesn¡¯t it seem like your eyes are a little higher?]


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± Joshua examined his body; his clothing was burnt and torn, but one thing was evident. ¡°Are my clothes¡­ smaller?¡±


    [It¡¯s not that your clothes have shrunk, your body has grown.]


    It was just as Lugia said¡ªhe didn¡¯t suddenly develop an adult body, but there was a visible difference.


    Joshua paused. ¡°...Perhaps Bronto¡¯s other skill is ¡®growth?¡¯¡±


    [Yes. We didn¡¯t anticipate this¡­ The Primordial Stone¡¯s power seems to have elerated your growth. At this rate, it won¡¯t be long until you¡¯re fully grown!]


    [Well, not to say you¡¯re going to be a rickey old geezer. Bronto¡¯s growth power is focused on constructing a physique that will allow the user to employ their full potential.]


    ¡°How did this happen in the first ce?¡± Joshua mumbled.


    [Five years.]


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    [Your body will be fully developed in five years. You need to focus on bncing your body while it grows.]


    [One more thing!]


    Lugia¡¯s form rose and approached him, bathing Joshua¡¯s surroundings in a pure white light.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±

 Chapter 82

    His hair was a gray that made you question how old he was. His mouth curved into a delicate grin, and his eyes looked like they were just two lines drawn on his face.


    No one recognized the man; he looked like someone else. Only people who had met him personally would recognize his visage.


    ¡°Count Sten?¡± The astonished mutter of the history professor was loud in the silent conference room.


    The head of the prestigious Sten house, one of the Empire¡¯s five Masters¡ªArie bron Sten.


    There were additional footstepsing from behind Count Sten. The Etiquette teacher only shifted his attention away from the Count¡¯s enormous presence by ident.


    ¡°Ah!¡± His voice wasced with awe and delight. ¡°Duke Agnus?!¡±


    Before the mystified gazes of the teachers, a being greater than even Count Sten, the brilliant star of the Empire, Duke Aden von Agnus, slowly entered the conference room.


    The bright light fades away. Lugia still floats in the air; now, it has a distinct scarlet diamond at the joint between shaft and de.


    Joshua stared at it, like the sparkling crystal had hypnotized him.


    [I suppose what happened is that Bronto appears to have consumed the power of his own kind and awakened a lost power. It¡¯s also possible that your unexpected growth has something to do with it.]


    ¡°Then this¡ª¡±


    [Yes. You could call it Bronto¡¯s crystal. Capturing the Primordial Stone, a heavenly object, with a mundane human body is nigh-impossible¡ªso I used my strength to remove a portion of it. Well, thanks to that, your curse was lifted. You¡¯d have to be a Master otherwise, so you¡¯d better be grateful.]


    ¡°You really did that?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression hardened. Cause and effect; there was no great power without a price, just as there would be a wonderful fruit at the end of trial and tribtion. Lugia, by her own words, was a demonic artifact¡ªthe devil¡¯s weapon, to put it another way. Joshua couldn¡¯t imagine something like that would provide its assistance for free.


    [Are you sure you won¡¯t regret it?]


    ¡°What?¡± Joshua frowned.


    [My identity¡ªAre you confident you can bear the weight?]


    Joshua didn¡¯t need to think about it for long.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a question of whether I can or can¡¯t. I¡¯m not going to use you anymore if you don¡¯t answer.¡±


    [You¡¯re not going to use me?]


    Joshua nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t need a monster with unclear goals. I know your poweres with a price.¡±


    [Haha! You¡¯re exactly the kind of person who would repay favors even to his enemies.] Lugia fluttered in front of Joshua, who stared at the spear with his mouth firmly shut.


    [If you¡¯re really interested, I¡¯ll tell you: this body is¡­.] Lugia paused dramatically, causing Joshua¡¯s face to tense. [...Lord Lugia! The best and most beautiful artifact in the whole universe!]


    ¡°Yep¡­ I should probably throw you away.¡±


    [It makes no difference whether you use me or not; the contract has already been signed.]


    ¡°We most certainly have not signed a contract.¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°A contract that I don¡¯t know about? Are you insane?¡±


    [No, it¡¯s definitely a contract you¡¯re familiar with. It couldn¡¯t be fulfilled without your consent.] Lugia gently dropped to the ground, peering at Joshua.


    [What is this¡ªyou¡¯re still unsure? Yes, the contract has already been signed. It was signed the moment you went back in time.]


    ¡°Hey, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°What is Duke Agnus thinking?¡± the President mumbled.


    ¡°When his child does something wrong, isn¡¯t it just polite for the father toe and visit?¡± Duke Agnus smiled warmly.


    ¡°D-Duke,¡± the President stammered, ¡°I apologize; I will watch my tongue.¡±


    ¡°No worry.¡± The Duke shook his head. ¡°This is a precious center of learning. This is the ce where the future rulers of the Empire are taught, and nowhere else. This is the ce where I want my child to be disciplined, more or less.¡±


    ¡°A punishment¡­ No, it¡¯s not even worth the trouble.¡± The history teacher shook his head urgently.


    ¡°No, hasty admittance is unquestionably wrong, regardless of the cause,¡± Count Sten replied. He smiled heartily and turned to the Etiquette teacher. ¡°It¡¯s that right, Chwisegi?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Despite Count Sten¡¯s borderline insulting statements, the Etiquette teacher was unable to answer. The moment he met Count Sten¡¯s narrow eyes, his body stiffened like a rat in front of a viper.


    ¡°Stop it, Arie.¡± Duke Agnus heaved a sigh and Count Sten shrugged. ¡°Now, as you may have suspected, I¡¯m here to help my son with his troubles.¡±


    ¡°...Are you saying that, with the Duke¡¯s power, you¡¯ll turn this expedited admission into a no-go?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°My name is Cecil, the professor of Magic at the Avalon Empire Academy.¡± Cecil stood up boldly, much to the surprise of her colleagues. ¡°You said it yourself: this is a ce of learning, the cradle of the future of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    Cecil was startled by Duke Agnus¡¯s quick reply and needed to take a long breath.


    ¡°As you said, this is a ce where the children can make a ce for themselves. The mere presence of an adult, even Duke Agnus, will have adverse effects on them; they have no choice but to be influenced, knowingly or not.


    ¡°However, there¡¯s nothing I can say if you came here as a parent to deal with your child¡¯s issue. Due to the nature of expedited admission, I believe it is not the responsibility of that particr student.¡±


    Can a student really go through expedited admission without help?


    Cecil¡¯s words were nothing short of a direct reproach. The highest noble in the Empire, the second most powerful man in the Empire, versus an Academy teacher. She was nothing more than a baroness. The Academy staff were losing their minds.


    She may be ounting for the Imperial Family¡¯s backing, but her actions were driven more by her strict adherence to her principles than logic. It made Duke Agnus smile.


    ¡°I agree as well,¡± said the Etiquette teacher, having gathered his courage. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one decision we can make when someone like Duke Agnus appears in a ce like this, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°You kept your mouth shut even when the Raksha circle acted worse than thugs, you <em>rat</em>.¡± Count Sten scowled at the Etiquette teacher.


    His voice was quiet, but it reached the Etiquette instructor¡¯s ears clearly. No, everyone heard it¡ªthe conference room they were trapped in was very quiet. The staff blushed in embarrassment, or reddened in anger. Kane was one of the former, the Etiquette teacher belonged in thetter.


    ¡°You appear to be misunderstanding something,¡± Duke Agnus said. ¡°There are two reasons why I came here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For starters, I¡¯d like to apologize for my son¡¯s treatment of this friend.¡± Duke Agnus gestured to Count Sten. ¡°When I spoke to the Stens, they said that they already knew about this rift. I was in a rush, wondering if the bastard had lost his mind and did something inappropriate to his acquaintance.¡±


    ¡°Duke, I haven¡¯t forgiven him yet, to be sure.¡± Count Sten smiled. His narrow eyes widened. ¡°If you can¡¯t back up your words¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be worried about that. You¡¯ll be surprised.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Count Sten smiled pleasantly again.


    ¡°And there¡¯s one more thing¡­¡±


    The staff gulped nervously. <em>What words will that mouth utter?</em>


    ¡°I want to warn you that if expedited admission bes a problem big enough to affect the entire Academy, Joshua could face severe consequences¡ªincluding expulsion.¡±

 Chapter 83

    Agareth saw a boy approaching him and halted. It was his old best friend, the boy with light gray hair and slit-like eyes. Agareth flinched and stared down at his feet.


    ¡°Are you going to flee once more?¡± Amaru held his arm up to stop him.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I asked you if you¡¯re going to run away again. If you let this continue, that child, like your older brother Shimizu, will be expelled. You know that, right? Even if he¡¯s Duke Aden von Agnus¡¯s child.¡± Amaru stared at Agareth. ¡°No matter how pathetic you are, you have a choice not to make the same mistake again. Besides, you and that kid are the only reason he had to reveal his identity early, right? You need to repay that kindness¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Agareth bit his lip.


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Can you imagine how I felt when my older brother was expelled from the Academy for his horrible acts?¡± Agareth shouted angrily. ¡°Do you realize what sacrifices I had to make for him? Me! I wanted to just run away and hide¡ªbut I can¡¯t, because of him! Everytime I look into his eyes, I wish they were gone.¡±


    ¡°How many older brothers push their younger brothers to take the lead?¡± Amaru shook his head. ¡°I think there are few. Our society pushes them to do it. We live in a ce where we kill or die just to achieve¡ªthat¡¯s the fucking society we live in.¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°My brother felt the same way. He saw me as a threat because I had a little talent; he didn¡¯t hesitate to hurt me any way he could. It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t recall a single happy memory of my family.


    ¡°But you know, your brother is different. It irritated me¡ªI was envious.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± <em>Have you ever been envious of someone?</em> The Amaru bron Sten, the proud, was envious?


    ¡°You know, some people might not love you even if you¡¯re brothers. I guess what I¡¯m trying to say is that not everyone is like Shimizu kun Dous. His body may be crippled, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s worried about you even though he¡¯s pushing you to keep studying. He¡¯s worried that what happened to him will happen to you, too.¡± Amaru¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°Having such an admirable older brother makes you an enviable man.¡±


    Amaru slowly began to walk away.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want anyone to sully his image anymore, isn¡¯t it your turn to defend him? Your friend Ash¡ªno, Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°...friend.¡± Agareth stared at Amaru¡¯s departing back for a long minute.


    Agareth took off running with a sparkle in his eyes.


    On a t, barren in stood six towers of the same height. At their center was an ivory tower, half again as tall as the other six, extending straight into the sky. In the top of that tower, a menacing collection of six people sat at a round table. They sat in silence, examining each other.


    There should have been seven of them.


    ¡°You¡¯re well aware that something appears to have gone wrong with Jack,¡± said Ian, the highest-ranked magician. He pointed to the vacant Thunderbolt seat.


    All of the seats, except the Master¡¯s seat, had fist-sized orbs atop them. These orbs, dubbed ¡°Bio-Reaction Orbs¡± were one of the Magic Towers¡¯s creations. They were linked directly to the body of each of the Seven Magicians. The Master of the Tower designed the orb to fulfill many functions, but there was one function of particr importance¡ªa sort of safety device, allowing them to quickly respond to emergencies.


    ¡°It¡¯s not that the lightning¡¯s force has waned¡ªit¡¯s gone nk, like it¡¯s vanished entirely. The Master is correct,¡± Marcus, the Earth Magician stated. Indeed, the Thunderbolt Orb was a dull gray color. ¡°Unless he had a change of heart and did something foolish again.¡±


    ¡°I must say my part as well. Perhaps he mastered a skill that can overpower the Master of the Tower, but,¡± the Ice Magician, Elisha, shook her head, ¡°it¡¯s more likely he did something stupid and got himself killed.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way he could have surpassed the Master.¡± Theta, the Storm Magician, shook his head as well. ¡°He¡¯s weaker than me and only recently reached Sixth ssst year. I agree¡ªhe¡¯s dead.¡±


    ¡°I will adjourn this meeting,¡± Ian dered. ¡°For now, the Magic Tower will enact our emergency protocols. Halt all of your work and focus on finding anything regarding Jack¡ªdead or alive.¡± Ian nced around and stood. ¡°I want to remind you that our enemy¡ªor Jack¡¯s enemy, at least¡ªis still unknown. If you find out whether they¡¯re alone or working in a group, report it immediately. Refrain from reaching beyond your means; you¡¯ll end up like Jack if you insist on carrying your pride around.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°First and foremost, we must consider the Avalon Empire. The Agnus duchy had to be Jack¡¯sst destination.¡±


    Marcus and Theta were the first to leave; eventually, there was only one person left at the top of the tower.


    The one and only magician of the void¡¯s eyes twinkled from beneath the shade of his robe.


    ¡°Duke Agnus, I had no idea you¡¯d suggest they expel your child from school. Well, it certainly made things interesting. Everyone seemed so surprised that they could burst.¡± Count Stenughed at the memory, and Duke Agnus joined him shortly.


    ¡°What were you going to do if they really did expel him? He¡¯s the Duke¡¯s son, but not the Duchess¡¯s; since you¡¯re here frequently, you can¡¯t protect him if he goes back to the duchy¡ª¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t return to the duchy.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard the Emperor has issued a promation for him to join the Knights Temr.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty?¡± Count Sten was astonished.


    ¡°He appears to be greatly talented. The Imperial Family has been chasing after that boy for quite some time now.¡±


    ¡°Talent isn¡¯t everything.¡± Count Sten shrugged. ¡°Although we can¡¯t deny that it was his talent that has the Imperial Family so excited. His Majesty wouldn¡¯t have bothered if Joshua was a useless bastard.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more,¡± Duke Agnus said. ¡°I understand His Majesty the Emperor has given us orders to travel to the Swallow Empire.¡±


    ¡°Will you go?¡± Count Sten grinned back at him. ¡°As His Majesty¡¯s instructions, this task is vital. However, I will not be affected even if my family¡¯s swordsmanship is neglected and I, as head of the household, refuse to act.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Duke Agnus groaned. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, even if we dy, there¡¯s still plenty of time. The Duke must have heard of the recent changes here, right?¡±


    ¡°Hahh.¡±


    ¡°Startling news from Swallow! They dispatched the haughty Master Duke Altsma and 200,000 soldiers to Thran shortly after they learned of the death of the Prince. However,¡± Count Sten added with a smirk, ¡°contrary to expectations, losing their leader had not left Thran as defenseless as they thought. The Swallow Empire suffered a great setback. They were too cocky¡ªthey lost half of their soldiers and their leader, Duke Altsma, was gravely wounded.¡±


    The Swallow Empire, one of the continent¡¯s three major powers, had broken the peace they were enjoying. It may have been treated as a civil war because the Principality of Thran was considered a vassal of Swallow, but that was not the point.


    The Swallow Empire, in all of its immense power, had been defeated. That was the only thing the other countries cared about.


    ¡°It¡¯smonly said that a siege requires at least three times the number of defenders. But that fortress was guarded by only 50,000 men¡ªSwallow had four times their numbers. I had doubts that Swallow would have even botheredunching an attack.


    ¡°However, the tales are true. For the time being, His Majesty will be keeping a close eye on the situation.¡±


    Duke Agnus grimaced. ¡°I have no idea what he¡¯s thinking. War is a game of numbers. It¡¯s more interesting if Thran has good strategists and tacticians, but Swallow has Duke Altsma inmand. You know how powerful a single Master can be.¡±


    ¡°Naturally, I¡¯m well aware.¡±


    ¡°The only thing that can defeat a Master is another Master¡ªbut there¡¯s no Master in Thran. The Swallow Empire made sure of that.¡± Duke Agnus grimaced even more. ¡°Hopefully, a hidden talent has emerged¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡± Count Sten shook his head. ¡°The one who defeated Duke Altsma is someone we know.¡±


    ¡°Is that true? He¡¯s been a Master for over a decade. Are you sure he¡¯s not from another country?¡±


    ¡°No. He¡¯s from Thran.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Hah. Someone from Thran, close to its ruler¡ªthere¡¯s only one person, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°...bis,¡± Duke Agnus whispered.

 Chapter 84

    Chapter 84


    The Emperor of Swallow, Verona belle Grace, pondered quietly on his throne. He didn¡¯t show it, but his mood was foul.


    Finally, he broke the eerie silence:


    ¡°Duke Altmsa¡ªyou say he sustained major injuries?¡±


    ¡°His wounds didn¡¯t appear severe. But, for many days now, he¡¯s been staring into space and crying. As best as I can tell, he¡¯s been psychologically traumatized.¡± Gandar, the sage and prime minister of Swallow, had visited Duke Altsma on behalf of the Emperor.


    ¡°I¡¯ll visit him myself,¡± Emperor Veron said with a bitter smile. ¡°I will provide ourrade the support he needs.¡±


    ¡°But Your Majesty! He¡¯s just a soldier like everyone else! He lost over half of our forces in a single day and had the gall toe back alive¡ªwhat kind of leader is he?!¡± This came from one of Duke Atlsma¡¯s long-time rivals, his bald head winking in the sunlight.


    ¡°The Duke is right, Your Majesty! In times like this, he should be punished, not consoled. He is shameful and needs to be disciplined,¡± Duke Albert van Momori shouted, stepping forward. He was another of Swallow''s Masters, as well as Duke Altsma¡¯s rival.


    ¡°If he acted rationally, this could never have happened! Were it not for his pride, our Empire would not have suffered this defeat. He could have resolved it in a duel with the enemy¡¯smander before it devolved into a full-fledged war.¡±


    ¡°Or, even if he didn¡¯t stop to think about it, our troops massively outnumbered the Principality. But he went in recklessly and lost immediately. Our men¡¯s morale is in shambles.¡±


    Even Emperor Verona, with his saint-like temperance, could not help but sigh. He knew their true desires.


    Even when the Empire is damaged, they can¡¯t set aside their selfishness. They just want to take down Duke Altsma. The Emperor shook his head with a sour smile. Why do I always think of him when something happens?


    ¡°Brother Demero¡­¡± Veron idly gazed out the window. Even now, you¡¯re still the Splendor of the Empire. Charismatic or not, he was fit to be the Emperor.


    ¡°The failure of our soldiers was not Duke Atlsma¡¯s fault,¡± the Emperor told his vassals. ¡°Who could have guessed that the Principality had someone who could take on an entire army?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is right.¡±


    ¡°Ourck of knowledge is the leading reason why we lost. We assumed that Thran did not have a Master.¡± The Emperor looked his vassals straight in the eyes. ¡°I believe, in times like these, it is important for everyone to work together to find ways to win theing wars, rather than seek methods to punish someone they think caused the failure to begin with.¡±


    ¡°I most definitely agree with His Majesty.¡± Prime Minister Gandar nodded with a smile.


    ¡°Then¡­ I propose we should send more soldiers and at least two superior Masters with them,¡± the Duke said. ¡°It will be a sure victory; if Your Majesty agrees, I will take charge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± The Prime Minister shook his head coldly.


    ¡°What are you saying, Prime Minister?¡±


    ¡°This attack was our preemptive strike, taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Prince¡¯s death. What if we seeded and wiped out the Principality? All eyes will be on us¡ªwe wouldn¡¯t be able to make a move.¡±


    ¡°Right¡ª¡±


    ¡°Surely,¡± Gandar interrupted Duke Momori, ¡°the Duke is not thinking the same thing as Duke Altsma?¡± The Duke broke into a cold sweat.


    ¡°Am I wrong? Too much pride is the bane of a knight.¡± The Prime Minister Gandar turned away with a small smile. ¡°Sir, it is my opinion that, for the time being, it is best to only monitor the situation. There will be other opportunities in the future.¡±


    ¡°If the Prime Minister thinks this way, then so be it. Does anyone object?¡±


    There was no reply, and Emperor Verona nodded conclusively.


    ¡°How was the situation in Thran?¡± he asked.


    The Prime Minister¡¯s face stiffened. ¡°They believe that our preemptive strike was hical and disrupted the peace on the continent. This ces us in a situation where we have to be wary of our neighbors.¡±


    ¡°And he¡¯s also the reason for this?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Gandar nodded. ¡°He¡¯s called bis. He brought Duke Altsma to his knees without mercy. His tremendous power has earned him the title ¡®Knight of the Red me,¡¯ and he¡¯s well versed in literature and martial arts.¡±


    ¡°I heard that when he strikes, the ground splits open and spits sparks.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like a legendary magic swordsman, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°This bodes poorly for us.¡±


    Abruptly, the courtroom doors mmed open. Someone ran inside and prostrated himself before the Emperor.


    ¡°A messenger?¡±


    Gandar noticed the red g on the messenger¡¯s back, indicating that he carried urgent information.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Please forgive my rudeness!¡± The messenger took a quick breath and kept speaking. ¡°The future Prince of Thran has been announced!¡±


    Verona and Gandhar burst outughing¡ªthen they realized it wasn¡¯t a joke.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This is insane!¡±


    ¡°Thran is our vassal! How dare they do this without permission!¡±


    The court erupted into rage. By custom, the reigning Prince would travel to the Imperial Pce of Swallow to pay their respects and inform the Emperor of who would take the throne of Thran. This practice¡ªknown as the Oath of Allegiance¡ªwas a long-standing custom. It may have been dishonorable from Thran¡¯s perspective, but Swallow saw it as the natural order.


    ¡°Maybe they did this because of their damned independence movements.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think it is?¡± Verona asked.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s to say who will take the throne?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    The messenger swallowed nervously. ¡°The 17th Prince of Thran, seeding Anthony de val Agreta III, to marry his daughter, is the Knight bis. It is said he will take the Agreta name.¡±


    The court was plunged into stifling silence.


    Demon Lugia. In the end, Lugia hadn¡¯t given him any more information. All he knew was that his miraculous regression was somehow linked to Lugia. But Joshua couldn¡¯t deny it anymore¡ªLugia was literally the devil¡¯s weapon.


    Was it actually sleeping, or was it just pretending? Joshua eyed Lugia, strapped to his back in its iron rod form.


    Demons, or evil spirits: a deity with a greater ability inbat than any other species. It was well known that the top hundred demons were enormously powerful, and could even summon dragons to aid them in battle. The eight demon kings were godlike, and could challenge an elder dragon. A demon even stronger than the demon kings would be a match for a Dragon Lord.


    It¡¯s not a god for no reason. What else but a god could exin such a miracle?


    Joshua abruptly stopped. He¡¯d arrived at his destination, but found a crowd bunched up around the Academy entrance.


    ¡°Oh, there he is!¡±


    Joshua unconsciously stepped back as the children raced over to him.


    ¡°Agareth¡­ and Icarus?¡±


    ¡°Why are you always sote? The school is inplete chaos because of you.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t expect this, as the son of a Duke? Do you even remember when you said ¡®to my friends¡¯?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Young Master Joshua can¡¯t do that.¡± Icarus smirked along with Agareth.


    ¡°This is rather¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is what, exactly?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to run away anymore,¡± Agareth said, looking Joshua dead in the eyes. ¡°All the students here are assembled to protest the school¡¯s disciplinary action against you.¡±


    ¡°Young Master Agareth worked hard,¡± Icarus added. ¡°It didn¡¯t take long to gather these students.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Everyone was thinking the same thing.¡± Agareth grinned. ¡°You said the Academy is a ce the students make for themselves; that¡¯s why you say they should listen to themselves as much as possible, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a flimsy excuse. In front of Duke Agnus, you wouldn¡¯t be able to say you¡¯re going to do whatever you want,¡± Icarus interjected, shaking his head.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to file a petition opposing your disciplinary actions. There are roughly a hundred people in the opposition¡ªthose who are demanding disciplinary action. It¡¯s impossible for them. We have far more than a few hundred people.¡±


    Agareth cocked his head at Joshua, who had yet to speak.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t blown away, were you?¡±


    ¡°Let me wipe the tears away.¡± Icarus patted his cheek.


    Joshua finally broke into a soft smile, warm as the brilliant sun.

 Chapter 85

    In the President¡¯s office, two men sat facing each other at arge table, leisurely enjoying their tea. One of them was the President; the other was the Etiquette teacher, with his mouselike, triangr face.


    ¡°President, are you sure you don¡¯t want him out of the Academy?¡± The teacher seemed frustrated.


    ¡°He¡ª¡±


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s Duke Agnus¡¯s, he¡¯s up against three families! Furthermore, Marquis Vis and Marquis Crombell. Between them they control half the Empire.¡± The Etiquette teacher became more and more agitated. ¡°Life is a series of decisions! You have to be alert and focused at times like these¡ªdo you understand that these choices will shape the rest of your life?!¡±


    Suddenly, his voice became low and serious.


    ¡°Today¡­ Central politics have a lot of potential if managed properly, especially if you¡¯re in the right position. For instance: you, President, have the potential to be Prime Minister. I strongly advise you to pursue the position.¡±


    ¡°Did Marquis Vis say that?¡± The President¡¯s eyes brightened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fret. It¡¯s not just the Marquis Vis. Marquis Crombell also said he¡¯d support you; both of them wish you luck.¡±


    ¡°Why are they¡­¡± The President was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Are you talking about Marquis Vis? He¡¯s a militarymander, so it¡¯s not impossible¡ªbut the military holds a greater regard for people, you know.¡±


    It wasn''t just the warriors. All of Avalon¡¯s knights admired him as a role model.


    <em>It¡¯s no good if they¡¯re envious or jealous.</em> The President grumbled to himself. <em>Someone whose cup was never full¡­</em>


    ¡°What made Marquis Crombell say such a thing?¡±


    ¡°He¡­¡± The teacher cautiously peeked around and leaned in. ¡°Did you hear that Marquis Crombell and Duke Pontier¡¯s trade war has escted into physical violence?¡±


    The President gave him a tiny nod.


    It wasn¡¯t a little war between lords in the countryside, as sometimes happened. It was a battle between two powerful families¡ªthe most prestigious, some might say. It was an event big enough that most of the nobles of Avalon already knew.


    ¡°With rumors spreading that the Mercenary King has thrown in with Marquis Crombell, everyone expected his victory woulde shortly. I thought the same thing: the only difference between them is their titles; the two families split the Empire''smerce almost perfectly in half.¡±


    ¡°Were the rumors true?¡± The President¡¯s eyes were wide with disbelief. ¡°What does His Majesty say about this?¡±


    Technically, the Mercenary King was an outsider here. In therger context of the Avalon Empire, he was an obvious stranger¡ªnot a member of the feuding families. Is the Emperor supposed to sit idle while an outsider intervenes in the affairs of his vassals?


    ¡°How could such a moronprehend the profundity of His Majesty¡¯s words? I¡¯m sure everyone thinks the same,¡± the teacher assured him. ¡°The important thing is that His Majesty has no intention of interfering despite the Mercenary King¡¯s involvement.¡±


    ¡°Well.¡± The President sighed deeply.


    ¡°Anyways, it was reported that Duke Pontier sent Princess Charles directly to Duke Agnus some time ago.¡±


    ¡°How does that make sense?¡±


    The Etiquette teacher nodded. ¡°In this critical time, he risked everything by sending his daughter to Agnus. Isn¡¯t the reason obvious?¡±


    ¡°He sought assistance from Duke Agnus?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he did. They¡¯ve been close for quite some time now.¡±


    The President silently pondered the Etiquette teacher¡¯s remarks.


    ¡°If you have any more concerns, just leave it to me. More than a hundred students have already filed aint; if you try and use that as an excuse¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pre-President!¡± The door burst open and man dashed inside.


    The Etiquette instructor scowled at the man, while the President eyed him intently.


    ¡°Why are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You need to see this! Hundreds of students are protesting outside! Also¡ª¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say we don¡¯t need to do anything?¡± The Etiquette teacher smiled slyly and shrugged. ¡°The students will do it for us: by eliminating the ¡®evil¡¯ Joshua von Agnus, the Academy¡¯s ¡®justice¡¯ will be restored.¡± He burst intoughter.


    ¡°You see¡­¡± The man cautiously interjected. ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the opposite.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The Etiquette teacher bent his head at him.


    ¡°They¡¯re protesting against Raksha, not to have Joshua von Agnus disciplined.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The teacher leapt from his seat.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go see,¡± the President said.


    The other two men followed him out the door.


    ¡°This is the voice of the students! Former and present! We are against Joshua von Agnus¡¯s punishment!¡±


    ¡°Dissolve Raksh! They¡¯ve tormented the students for too long! They¡¯re evil and vile!¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t their ything!¡±


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± The President boggled at the hundreds of students gathered in front of the entrance.


    ¡°Those scumbags¡ª!¡± The voice startled the President. He turned his head to see the Etiquette teacher marching towards the children with a monstrous expression.


    ¡°Do you still call yourselves the children of nobility?!¡± The teacher¡¯s voice silenced the crowd for a moment. His face was flushed with growing excitement.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing but expedited admission.¡± One of the children mustered enough courage to step forward. ¡°If it were me, I wouldn¡¯t be offended by such a favor¡ªI¡¯m a high ranking noble!¡±


    It was Agareth. His customary bumbling demeanor was gone, reced with sharp, bright eyes.


    ¡°On the contrary, I¡¯d like to ask the instructor something.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± The Etiquette instructor threw him a disgusted look.


    ¡°You call yourself a teacher¡ªbut can you honestly call yourself a proud nobleman of the Avalon Empire?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Some of the students established a group called Raksha and proceeded to harass the lower-ss students of the Academy. Actually, no. Can we even call it harassment? They paralyzed my only sibling and had him expelled from the Academy. You watched it unfold before your very eyes, and no one, not even you, took action. You just watched while a child¡¯s life was irreparably ruined.¡±


    ¡°It was an ident!¡± The Etiquette teacher seemed to be scrabbling for what¡¯s left of his pride.


    ¡°Do you seriously believe that?¡±


    ¡°Of course it was an ident! You may be nobles, but you¡¯re still kids! idents happen when you y!¡±


    Agareth almost exploded when the teacher started making excuses, but he managed to keep it down.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so sure that Raksha has been bullying your ssmates all this time, then give me some tangible proof! You kids are so shameless, to be saying that sort of thing without basis. We are not joking here, kids.¡±


    ¡°There is no proof, but there are witnesses.¡±


    The Etiquette teacher whirled around. ¡°Instructor Kane?¡±


    Kane stared coldly down at the other teacher, looming over him with his muscle figure.


    ¡°I am the witness.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Apologies.¡± Kane bowed deeply to Agareth, to his amazement. ¡°I know what happened to your brother. The mastermind¡­ I knew it all. Shimizu asked me for help.¡±


    Nothingpared to how shocked Agareth was now.


    ¡°I was terrified. As a teacher, I should have acted¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t. My safety was more important to me. I¡¯m ashamed. I feel like an idiot, thinking about it now. I ignored it and it just got worse.¡± Kane turned to face the President. ¡°President, I will resign as swordsmanship instructor after this.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± A teacher¡¯s position at the Imperial Academy was not a light thing. Many low-ranking nobles with no connections ascended in the political world through the Academy. It was a ce forworking for students and teachers.


    ¡°You¡¯re such a hypocrite¡ª¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Kane rounded on the Etiquette teacher.


    ¡°Instructor Kane: you are a hypocrite. Do you think this is going to ease your conscience?¡± The teacher smiled. ¡°The kid who asked for help got thrown away, and now you¡¯reing clean. I¡¯m getting tired of this. I want no part of such hypocrisy. You need to face reality.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kane murmured.


    ¡°I think I¡¯m going to get sick. This ce stinks of garbage.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Wh-wh-what?¡± The Etiquette teacher flinched. A boy had pushed his way out of the crowd to stand in front of him. ¡°Jo¡ªJoshua von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, I will take personal responsibility for my expedient admission. However¡­¡± Joshua offered him a cold smile. ¡°Before you go, make sure you clean up the trash. As a descendant of the great Agnus family, I don¡¯t want the future rulers of the Empire to be sullied by such filth.¡±

 Chapter 86

    The Etiquette teacher was furious enough to throw a punch¡ªif he could get away with it. If it weren¡¯t for these meddling kids, that Agnus brat would¡¯ve been kicked out of the premises before the teacher could even blink. Those children from the poor households should¡¯ve been too scared to speak up, but instead circumstances had pushed the Etiquette teacher onto the stage.


    <em>God dammit.</em> He bit his lips. <em>I finally learned something about this Joshua boy.</em>


    In his ratherte introduction, he¡¯d been revealed as the second son of Duke Aden von Agnus. Crucially he was not the legal child of Duchess Vanessa; the fact the Duke Agnus, who shared his father¡¯s demeanor, had taken a concubine¡ªa maid, no less¡ªhad already spread across Arcadia.


    <em>I only have one choice now¡ªthe most dependable, straightforward method.</em> Chwisegi, the Etiquette teacher, raised his head and scowled at Joshua. <em>I did my part, even though it went downhill very quickly. Now the rest is up to the Twelve Families.</em>


    Just as he was about to speak up, a group emerged from behind him.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus!¡±


    The Etiquette teacher whipped around, and found a boy and a girl leading hundreds of children¡ªthe members of Raksha, without a doubt.


    ¡°You¡¯re not satisfied with merciless violence against your ssmates¡ªnow you besmirch academics in the name of your family?¡±


    Joshua peered at the boy¡ªit was Gehog, the heir of Crombell. Joshua sighed and bemoaned the boy¡¯s idiocy.


    ¡°Violence? Ah, like persecution.¡±


    ¡°How are you going to take responsibility for the fact that Veron, our close friend and the heir to Vis, is still blind because of your assault?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to hear what you have to say about the im that you¡¯re a bastard,¡± Natasha added. ¡°And¡ªoh my gosh¡ªis your mother a maid?¡± She pped her hand over her mouth.


    ¡°His mother is a concubine, and a maid?¡±


    ¡°A lowly maid?¡±


    ¡°Then¡ªhe¡¯s not a child of Agnus?¡±


    ¡°Is it true?¡±


    Joshua took in Raksha¡¯s stolid gazes and burst outughing.


    <em>Now I understand.</em> No wonder they were suddenly brave enough to challenge him: they thought he didn¡¯t really have the support of the Duke.


    ¡°I never believed that the fair and just Duke Agnus would condone such childish, immature behavior!¡±


    ¡°Why would he care about a kid with no roots?¡± Natasha muttered, but her voice was loud enough that even Joshua¡¯ group could hear.


    ¡°This vegetable head¡ª¡±


    ¡°Icarus, no!¡± Agareth grabbed Icarus by the arm before he could punch Natasha.


    ¡°Let me go, Agareth! I swear I¡¯m gonna sew her mouth shut. Damned broli girl.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary¡ªHey!¡± Agareth broke into a cold sweat. Icarus¡¯s slender body was exerting an astonishing amount of strength, and it took everything he had to keep the boy back.


    <em>Were you always so hot-blooded, Icarus?</em>


    ¡°What I¡¯m doing now has nothing to do with my family,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Or are you just saying that because you don¡¯t want to upset your family now?¡± Gehog shed a shifty smile. ¡°Are you afraid of what the Duke will do to you? So sad, it¡¯s toote now¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joshua scowled. ¡°I¡¯m being literal. Agnus or not, I will personally punish everyone implicated in this.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mana-infused voice nketed the area in a frigid, nervous silence.


    ¡°Ha! What a load of shit¡ª¡± <em>Why¡­ Why am I shivering?</em> Gehog unconsciously clenched his trembling legs. Like him, the rest of the children were backing away.


    ¡°Gehog of Crombell, Natasha of Brolly, and Veron of Vis.¡± Gehog and Natasha shuddered as their names left Joshua¡¯s lips. ¡°I will make sure the three of you are held ountable for your actions.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh. Those threats aren¡¯t even funny¡ª¡±


    ¡°On top of everything else, you belong to that filthy Raksha!¡± Joshua¡¯s booming voice sent more and more children fleeing.


    Joshua took one step forward, and Raksha took one step back.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you one more chance. Get out of my sight, now. The people here will pay for your sins.¡±


    ¡°You! If you keep acting like this¡ª¡± Gehog choked. Joshua¡¯s eyes sucked him in like a bottomless abyss, inviting Gehog to his death.


    ¡°If I hear¡­ stuff¡­ <em>rumors</em> that I¡¯m doing something you don¡¯t like after you¡¯re out of here¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I gotta go!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you!¡±


    ¡°All I want to do is graduate!¡±


    Raksha was fleeing before Joshua finished his sentence. Something in his voice tapped deep into their psyche.


    ¡°President! Are you just going to sit here and watch?¡± Chwisegi demanded. ¡°President?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, you must also ept responsibility for your acts.¡± The President¡¯s face was stony.


    ¡°Wha-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m familiar with your rtionship with the Twelve Families. We couldn¡¯t take action because there was no substantial evidence.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡ªWhat are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say it yourself?¡± The President grimaced. ¡°They¡¯re offering their support to fix the mess they created.¡±


    ¡°Please wait, President. It¡¯s the Prime Minister¡¯s seat, but that¡¯s such a silly idea¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is the position important?¡± The other man shook his head. ¡°I believe that whatever position you¡¯re in, being content is good enough.¡± The President eyed the terrified teacher. ¡°I¡¯m going to request disciplinary action from the Imperial Family, in addition to termination of your employment.¡±


    ¡°Who¡ªOn what grounds?!¡±


    Shutein ignored him. ¡°With that, I, President of the Academy, resign from my position and submit myself to judgment. It was most certainly necessary after all that happened¡­¡±


    ¡°This¡­ This is not how it was supposed to go¡­¡± Chwisegi fell to his knees, bewildered.


    While the Etiquette teacher was going mad, Gehog had finallye to his senses.


    ¡°Do you think our family will leave it like this? Surely you don¡¯t think dear old Papa Agnus wille rushing in to save you after this, do you? His sessor is still Babel von Agnus! It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re more talented than him¡ªhe¡¯s not going to y against our families for you!¡±


    ¡°Heirs¡­ You know, it can change at any time, so I¡¯ll leave it alone for now. I¡¯m not in a rush, after all.¡±


    All three of them jerked around.


    ¡°Duke¡ªDuke Agnus?¡±


    ¡°What is this¡­¡±


    Two men came into view. One was a middle-aged man with deep blue hair, the other was a thin-eyed man with an atmosphere not unlike Joshua.


    ¡°Why¡­ Even Count Arie bron Sten?¡±


    ¡°You take care of your problems between yourselves, children.¡± Duke Agnus stared down at the trembling children. ¡°That¡¯s Academy rules¡ªunless you want to provoke the Agnus family?¡± The Duke grinned wickedly.


    <em>Oh my God, he was listening!</em> Natasha was dumbstruck.


    ¡°You are smart kids,¡± Duke Agnus looked at Icarus, who withered under his gaze. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll never do anything that will upset the higher families. That is, if you love¡ªno, at the very least, if you care about your family.¡± With that, the Duke walked away.


    Count Sten did not. He looked Gehog and Natasha dead in the eyes and ran his thumb across his neck.


    The two kids copsed like broken trees.


    ¡°Joshua, follow me.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua padded after Duke Agnus.

 Chapter 87

    ¡°I overheard an amusing story. Have you received the Emperor¡¯s orders?¡±


    ¡°I thought I would have a quiet life here, but I guess I was wrong.¡± Joshua grinned. Duke Agnus snorted and chuckled.


    ¡°Yeah, it certainly doesn¡¯t look that way. So you¡¯re going to follow His Majesty¡¯s orders and join the Knights Temr?¡±


    ¡°I guess. I¡¯m just a powerless subject of the Empire after all.¡±


    Duke Agnus let out a weak, meaninglessugh and leapt to his feet.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Count Sten was mortified. <em>You canugh like this too?</em> ¡°You¡¯re leaving already?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve figured out what this kid is thinking.¡±


    ¡°Is this some kind of conversation I¡¯m not rich enough to understand?¡± Count Sten looked utterly dumbfounded. He wet his lips and shed a smile at Joshua. ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn. Do you know who I am?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°A proud knight of the Empire; a Master; you are Count Arie bron Sten.¡±


    ¡°Huh. Why are you so calm then?¡±


    ¡°I knew I¡¯d meet you one day. It was inevitable.¡±


    Count Sten giggled hysterically. ¡°I like your attitude.¡±


    Suddenly, his expression went nk.


    ¡°You did something interesting.¡± Count Sten licked his lips again. ¡°I wanted you to confirm if it¡¯s true or not.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the rapier¡­¡± Joshua carefully weighed his words. ¡°...then what you heard is correct.¡±


    ¡°Oh, so you say my weapon is a piece of garbage that only women use?¡±


    Joshua kept his mouth shut. He knew better than to rush into a situation where he didn¡¯t know the other party¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°My kid even proved it¡ªthe rest of the world ought to believe it as well.¡±


    ¡°I want to hear it from his mouth. Do you really believe that rapiers are useless?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t consider rapiers trash. But, I don¡¯t believe that any weapon canpare to the spear.¡±


    A very clever answer.


    Duke Agnus flinched¡ªno doubt Joshua¡¯s opinions included the Duke¡¯s greatsword as well. Count Sten looked disappointed, but his boisterous sense of humor had himughing in short order.


    ¡°Ha! Hahahahahaha!¡± The Countughed until his eyes teared up. ¡°It seems I¡¯ve been too proud of myself. I honestly thought it was because you were looking up to your father. Indeed, arrogant and conceited.¡±


    Count Sten¡¯s eyes narrowed and bored down on Joshua. Their one-of-a-kind intensity crackled on every nerve of Joshua¡¯s body.


    <em>Murderous aura!</em> Joshua pupils dted; he knew this feeling well. Only a Master could exude this kind of energy. Any ordinary person, and some knights, would falter under this ominous stare, but Joshua only clenched his fists and quietly began to circte his mana.


    Murderous aura was an expression of will¡ªthe will to kill your opponent, in its ultimate form. The sensation can¡¯t be exined, only felt.


    The crucial point was that skill had no bearing on your murderous aura.


    <em>The greatest assassins are those born with the finest killer instincts. They don¡¯t regard lives as anything special, and will end them without a second thought. Murderous aura is an ideal tool for them¡ªit can dy their target¡¯s actions for a moment, giving them the perfect opening for their dagger to strike. Controlling your murderous aura is the hallmark of a sessful assassin.</em>


    Is it something you have to be born with, then?


    No.


    No one is naturally murderous, at least to begin with. Once, twice, three times¡ªafter a few times, killing bes natural. But to master the basics of murderous aura, one must spill the blood of a thousand people.


    Joshua considered one person to be the true master of his murderous aura; an old friend, and a key contributor in a new philosophy of martial arts.


    <em>The Assassination King, Pacheucheut.</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes flickered with sparks.


    Strictly speaking, the energy Count Sten and the other knights emitted was not truly a murderous aura. It was just a kind of momentum, a crystal-pure energy that has not been processed by the body¡¯s ability.


    Joshua¡¯s fathomless blue eyes sparkled with a strange light.


    <em>This energy¡ª</em> Count Sten¡¯s eyebrows twitched. He¡¯d been observing the boy quite closely; he found the boy¡¯s cool demeanor in front of a Master to be rather refreshing. The Count was curious to see what the boy would do.


    It was the right thing to do. The boy kept his calm through it all and even went beyond standing his ground¡ªthe boy¡¯s energy pressed against the Count¡¯s and matched it.


    Count Sten began building up more and more momentum¡ªbut then, he stiffened. Ominous rms rang inside his head; he took an unconscious step back, and stared at Joshua.


    <em>I saw it in his eyes, clearly.</em> That murderous aura, hanging in the air was like an invisible dagger stabbing at his heart. It wasn¡¯t like wizard¡¯s illusion magic; Count Sten wouldn¡¯t fall for such parlor tricks.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Count Sten let out a lowugh. The boy had taken a step back, like he had, and the shing energies faded away like they¡¯d never been there at all. ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡±


    <em>Did I hurt your self-esteem?</em> Joshua thought to himself. <em>You¡¯re wee!</em>


    It was the opposite, in fact.


    <em>That was a lot of fun. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how far this little guy can go.</em> The boy had yet to produce the fruit of sess, but it was ripe and ready to fall. How sweet would it be?


    ¡°Haah¡­¡± A shiver ran up his body and he wrapped his arms around himself. ¡°Heok!¡± Count Sten¡¯s nails dug into his skin.


    <em>I want to run my rapier across his little neck.</em> How would it taste? What kind of face would he make? <em>When your life shes before your eyes, will you beg?</em>


    ¡°Patience¡­ I have to be patient. Later¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Duke Agnus positioned himself between them while Count Sten was desperately trying to control his bloodlust.


    <em>Oh yeah. He was here.</em> Just like that, Count Sten was serene again.


    He licked his lips again. The finest dishes should be saved until the end¡ªNot many delicacies could excite Count Sten¡¯s taste buds as much as this one.


    ¡°Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Duke?¡±


    ¡°If it is your will, I will allow you to leave the Academy. And¡­ If you decide to join the Imperial Knights, get into the 3rd Battalion at the very least.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. It was obvious to him what Duke Agnus meant.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    Duke Agnus turned and walked away.


    ¡°...if that¡¯s what you want.¡±

 Chapter 88

    The Duchess Vanessa¡¯s room, delicately perfumed with flowers, was one of the most private ces in the Duchy. The Duchess allowed only one person unrestricted ess, and that was Duke Agnus. Yet, someone else was present.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think you look bad?¡± Chiffon grimaced at the Duchess, whose normal beauty had withered down to the bone.


    ¡°I gave everything for Babel in the Imperial Court¡ªnot somewhere else! I¡¯m so mad.¡±


    ¡°You look terrible.¡±


    ¡°For him to say that, and for the Imperial Family to summon Babel so abruptly! I can¡¯t get a good night¡¯s sleep, because of that upstart brat!¡±


    Chiffon watched the Duchess fret for a minute.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Arcadia.¡± He knelt before Vanessa where she sat on the bed.


    ¡°What?¡± The Duchess went still. ¡°You¡¯re going to act without his consent?¡±


    ¡°If this continues, as the Duchess is worried about, our long-term ns will fail, and I will struggle to survive Duke Agnus¡¯s clutches.¡± He smiled softly. ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to be beaten half to death rather than wait for the ax to fall?¡±


    ¡°The Imperial Pce is a dangerous ce,¡± Vanessa mumbled, eyeing Chiffon strangely. ¡°Even your head may end up rolling at any moment.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I used to be a member of the Knights Temr?¡± Chiffon lifted Duchess Vanessa¡¯s hand and kissed it. ¡°Don¡¯t be concerned about me. Even if deathes, I would dly meet it for you.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ Please return safely.¡±


    Chiffon lifted his head and beamed.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Joshua flopped around on the bed in his manor on the outskirts of Arcadia.


    ¡°I always thought Count Sten was a lunatic.¡± I¡¯ll never forget the sensation of the snake eyes darting over my body.


    But Joshua shook it off quickly.


    ¡°More importantly¡­¡± He clutched his chin, pondering Duke Agnus¡¯s words.


    The Third Battalion, at least?


    The more talented you were, the higher your rank in the Imperial Knights, and the bigger the benefits. The upper battalions¡ªthe 1st through 3rd¡ªreceived particr special attention from the Emperor himself.


    Titles. Ordinary knights were treated like barons, although they were not, strictly speaking, true nobles. The Emperor bestowed noble titles on those who make significant contributions to the country¡ªwhich, particrly in Avalon, was as simple as plucking a star out of the sky. Even more so in times of peace.


    Is he advising me to abandon the family? Or¡­? When the son of a prestigious family seeks a new title, rather than inheriting the family name, it has only one connotation: he was abandoning the battle for session, and is founding a house of his own.


    Joshua closed his eyes thoughtfully.


    Although even if he did get his own title inheriting the duchy wasn¡¯t impossible. All I have to do is give up the new title and then take up the Agnus name.


    ¡°How long are you going to do that?¡± he said to the empty ceiling. ¡°Is this the first time you¡¯ve visited unexpectedly?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t wrong after all.¡± A dark figure fell from the ceiling. It was Jero, the manager of Moon Gate¡¯s Arcadia branch. ¡°Even knights with a decent sixth sense would struggle to detect my presence unless they understood stealth¡­ The more I learn about you, Young Master, the more it seems I have to learn.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try¡ªyou might get hurt.¡±


    Jero gave him a nk look and then burst outughing.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to do that,¡± he gasped, ¡°but it''s my job.¡±


    ¡°So, does your job involve sneaking in here?¡±


    ¡°Really now¡­¡± Jero shrugged morosely. ¡°I am here for work, but not to scavenge for data.¡±


    ¡°That means¡ª¡±


    ¡°An issue hase up with your information request.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It appears that I will have to leave Arcadia for the time being. Some hups in the supply of your requested information will be inevitable because I am the only person in Arcadia who can handle the information you¡¯re interested in¡ª¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re headed to the Principality of Thran?¡± Joshuaughed.


    Jero flinched. ¡°Really,¡± he said, tilting his head, ¡°to infer that much from just a few sentences¡ª¡±


    ¡°War is prime business for intelligence organizations like you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t refute that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little disappointed. Moon Gate is throwing away its existing customers¡¯ trust for profit.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°What an awful thing to say.¡± Jero looked truly saddened. ¡°From our perspective, we¡¯re making a huge gamble on the Young Master¡¯s potential¡ªbut the conflict between Swallow and Thran will go on for a long time, and the value of information is soaring on both sides of the war.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t our deal already settled?¡± Joshua looked shocked. ¡°But now that the cost of information is skyrocketing, youe waltzing over here topare it with mymission? Has the Moon Gate be a bunch of gangsters?¡±


    ¡°Hahhh, really¡­ I¡¯m not falling for it. The Young Master is the bully here, not us.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°Is there anything else you want?¡±


    ¡°For the time being, I believe I owe the Moon Gate. However¡­¡± Joshua smiled cruelly at Jero, who looked apprehensive. ¡°I¡¯d like you to extend the deadline for the red coin a little longer. I know I said it would take at least three years, but I¡¯m moving.¡±


    The mention of the red coin made Jero¡¯s expression harden.


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re going to leave the Academy, even though you just got here?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like I said. The Emperor ordered me to join the Imperial Knights.¡±


    Jero was unable to hide his surprise and his eyes widened.


    ¡°...It seems we¡¯ll need to work hard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not even surprised.¡± Joshua chuckled. ¡°I was expecting you to ask me what happened.¡±


    ¡°Well, I already said¡ª¡± Jero gave up on making an excuse and sighed. I always thought so, but this boy always drags me along when I talk to him. Maybe he¡¯s actually a dragon ying around with polymorph magic¡­ He shook his head and chuckled. ¡°Anyway, it¡¯s fine. You will be given aplete timeline for the red coin assignment. We don¡¯t have time to worry about it at the moment¡ªthe entire organization is busy.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡± The boy gave Jero a satisfied grin. ¡°Now are you going to tell me about the changes to my information request?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to your expression when I tell you this.¡± Jero¡¯s concern had faded, reced with mirth. ¡°Give me the look of an innocentmb, please.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it as well. What in the world do you have stewing?¡±


    ¡°Draxia bel Grace, the War God. He¡¯s been in contact with the Imperial Family, in some fashion.¡±


    Jero watched Joshua¡¯s face carefully.


    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised at all.¡±


    ¡°I already knew.¡±


    ¡°Really? You knew he was connected to the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. He remembered that Draxia had ties with Kaiser, not the Emperor.


    ¡°...No way.¡± The situation between the Swallow Empire and the Principality of Thran, the ties the Imperial Family of Swallow had¡­ Is that right? Joshua was only guessing, but it was a good guess.


    ¡°Let me ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Jero looked up.


    ¡°Do you really trust the information from the Moon Gate?¡±


    ¡°To be honest¡­ I do believe the data is reliable.¡±


    ¡°And it has nothing to do with his father¡¯s link to the Imperial Family of Swallow?¡±


    ¡°So you knew that too.¡± Jero¡¯s eyes glowed. ¡°Just like your father¡­ We won¡¯t be able to discuss this fully without Demero¡ªDemero bel Grace.¡±

 Chapter 89

    ¡®War God.¡¯


    As the title suggested, it meant ¡®God of war¡¯.


    Even on the vast continent of Igrant, only a single person was given this illustrious title by the inhabitants of the continents.


    He was someone who had obtained victory without a single defeat in every war he had participated in, and he himself was a strong man with a Master-like appearance.


    As a matter of fact, it could even be said that the existence of the current Swallow Empire couldn¡¯t be exined without him. Despite all these rumors around him, he was really young. Apart from the renowned name of ¡®War God¡¯, he also shared another, more noble title. He was the nephew of Verona Belle Grace, the Emperor of the Swallow Kingdom.


    ¡°Draxia Belle Grace¡± the thin-eyed man said quietly while stretching out his right arm.


    In conjunction with that small motion, sharp-edged rapiers were pulled out and an appearance rushed forward. A streak of fresh blood sttered on the right cheek of the thin-eyed man.


    ¡°Keugh.¡±


    The man in front of him copsed with the sound of squirting blood. The eagle insignia of the Swallow Empire was visibly engraved on the deceased man''s breast.


    ¡°Kekeke.¡±


    A little giggle erupted from the narrow-eyed man who licked his red tongue over the blood spattered on his cheek.


    ¡°Arie, it''s ok if you have a little fun, but remember that we don''t have a lot of time.¡±


    The old man, who was wearing a monocle and had his white hair carefully brushed back, swung his arms over his body. As his swing came down, a sword''s hilt glinted in the moonlight and as he pulled it out, a bloodied saber could be seen.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    Another man who appeared to be a Swallow Empire soldier fell to the ground with a weak cry.


    ¡°Please¡­ save¡­ save¡ª¡±


    <strong>Shing.</strong>


    ¡°Hooh.¡±


    The old man shook the saber when he saw that it was already covered in blood. As he did that, the blood that had umted on the sword''s de, sshed all over the floor. He looked disgustedly at hisst victim as he spit on his body.


    <strong>Tak. Tak. Tak.</strong>


    ¡°...¡±


    Count Arie Bron Sten who whistled softly, turned around and faced the old man.


    He made a thumbs up gesture as he smiled slyly.


    ¡°That was very clever, Duke Tremblin. Every time I see you in action, you never cease to amaze me. Are you really an old man?¡±


    Geshart Kon Tremblin.


    He was one of the five great Dukes. An absolute being who had reached the level of a Master over 20 years ago.


    Even within the vast Avalon Empire, Duke Geshart Kon Tremblin, who was standing in front of Count Sten, would probably be one of the top three talented men.


    With a frown on his face, Geshart said, ¡°They said that this is a border zone, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that this is still the enemy¡¯s territory. Aren¡¯t we tooid back with our attacks?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, Duke...what are you so worried about? I don¡¯t know if going straight to an enemy camp and taking the head of Emperor Verona would be considered funny.¡±


    ¡°A Knight always needs to do his best.¡±


    ¡°Sigh.¡±


    With a disgruntled grimace on his face, Arie stepped forward.


    ¡®This old man doesn¡¯t know how to have fun even though he¡¯s very skilled. Unlike Duke Agnus who was much much more intriguing¡ª¡¯


    Especially that child, the one with the strong desire.


    Arie trembled as he recalled the memories he had with Joshua.


    ¡®I have to wait a little longer until that fruit is ripe.¡¯


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡±


    Seeing Arie licking his upper lips, Geshart asked.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    ¡°Why did you mention his name? Draxia Belle Grace? Have you forgotten that the emperor has given you a warning about practicing caution with both your words and your actions?¡±


    After hearing Geshart¡¯s scolding, Arie ruffled his bangs.


    ''The old man has a pair of brilliant ears too¡ª''


    Arie, who had been muttering to himself, straightened his face and opened his mouth and said.


    ¡°I was merely expressing my dissatisfaction with the situation.¡±


    ¡°What are you so displeased about?¡±


    Arie resumed his speech as he watched Gesharting to a halt and questioning him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like how Draxia Belle Grace is forcing us around. I think it shows that our great Empire is being forced to join hands with that kid who can only see blood.¡±


    ¡°It is His Majesty¡¯s will.¡±


    Geshart took a deep breath and bent over and opened his mouth, ready to say something.


    He got up after rummaging through the dirt and finding a piece of fabric. As he examined the pattern in the fabric, Arie made a remark.


    ¡°I don''t believe they''ll be fooled by such inane jokes.¡±


    ¡°It makes no difference whether they¡¯re tricked or not.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    Geshart continued talking after noticing Arie''s face because it showed that the man needed a bit of exnation to understand what he had just said.


    ¡°People have a proclivity to believe what they want to believe. If the guards in the border area near Thran were killed in the present anti-war crisis¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then the eyes of the people will be in that direction?¡±


    Arie, who had started chuckling as if he were amused, came to a halt as he realized something.


    ¡°Draxia Belle Grace. What that kid wants is the throne, right?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Geshart rose up and took a quick look around before responding,


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°Since the Emperor of the Swallow Kingdom has no sons who can inherit the throne, then the kid is probably aiming for it. This would exin everything.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Does he want the position so much that he would dly join hands with an enemy country?¡±


    ¡°Stop trying to find out everything. His Majesty will make all the important decisions.¡±


    As if he didn''t care, Arie spread his palms out,


    ¡°I¡¯m curious about why you are moving so slowly. I mean, it¡¯s not like I hate this ce you know, with the blood and everything¡­but as you said, we don¡¯t have much time left.¡±


    Arie began to walk gently after speaking.


    ¡°...¡±


    Geshart let out a deep sigh as he stared at Arie''s back.


    He was walking through a bloody path as he returned the same way that he hade from.


    Hundreds, if not thousands of bodies wereying on the ground and the grass all around them was stained with red blood as he walked all over the bodies.


    All of the bodies had holes in fatal areas including the forehead, heart, and nape of the neck, and all of the bodies were dripping blood.


    ''He''s the type of person who has no idea when or where he''ll be, so I can only sympathize with Evergrant''s warning to be extra cautious now.''


    With a shake of his head, Geshart started following Arie.


    ¡°I''ll apany you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    With a ridiculous expression on his face, Joshua inquired as he looked at the boy barring him from proceeding with his arms wide extended in front of him.


    After sending the formal letter of withdrawal to the Academy President''s Office, Joshua was on his way back.


    There was someone in his way, waiting for ast goodbye...


    ¡°Icarus¡ª¡±


    Joshua quietly began examining the boy in front of him.


    Light blue hair with a rich sheen that shone brilliantly and resembled the sky.


    His double eyelids drooped, hisrger-than-average eyes were full of color, and his diminutive face, on the other hand, was in perfect equilibrium with his features.


    Icarus had no idea, but Joshua knew that Icarus¡¯s stunning appearance would be at the top of the list when it came to the list of most desirable spouses of the noble families in the area.


    ¡®Perhaps if he wasn¡¯t a boy, then he would be¡ª¡¯


    ¡°Beautiful, absolutely lovely.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Icarus jumped in astonishment as Joshua idently spewed out his feelings.


    Icarus blushed as if he understood what Joshua meant and Joshua broke outughing.


    ¡°Come with me? What do you mean?¡±


    Icarus raised his head in response to Joshua''s question.


    ¡°I meant what I said. You said that you¡¯ll be going to the Imperial pce, didn¡¯t you? So please bring me along with you.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what you¡¯re saying right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Please take me in as your servant. I want toe along as Young Master Joshua¡¯s servant.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua closed his jaws and stared Icarus in the eyes.


    Icarus nced at Joshua without looking away, despite the fact that his face was burning hot.


    ¡®Is he serious?¡¯


    As he grumbled inside, Joshua''s eyes dropped down,


    An attendant.


    It literally referred to someone who rides with a knight. Someone who was like the eyes and the ears of the knight.


    One needed to be a knight, but he also needed a servant who would run errands for him outside the pce or wherever the Knight was dispatched.


    ''No one can deny that he is descended from peasants, but now that he is indisputably a nobleman, so why is he referring to himself as a servant?¡¯


    At Icarus¡¯s words which he couldn¡¯t properly understand, Joshua just stood therepletely immersed in his thoughts trying to figure out Icarus¡¯s request. At that moment, Icarus opened his mouth and exined.


    ¡°But what I want is a permanent type of contract. One that clearly entails within it the starting to the ending terms.¡±


    ¡°A fixed contract?¡±


    Icarus nodded when Joshua asked the question with a perplexed expression.


    ¡°The term will only be until you¡¯re with the Knights corps at the Imperial Pce. If you leave the Imperial Pce, then the contract will also end.¡±


    Joshua burst outughing almost immediately, as if he knew what Icarus was saying.


    ¡°It''s as if you think I''m going to join the Imperial Knights, which has never happened before in any generation.¡±


    ¡°I know because I trust what I saw.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Icarus'' confident statements caused Joshua to sigh slightly,


    ¡°If you don¡¯t really want to be my servant, what is the true purpose?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    Icarus spoke with a determined expression on his face after a little pause.


    ¡°By being with the Young master, I know that I can prove my worth.¡±


    ¡°You want to prove your worth.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Icarus continued with an exnation after offering a brief response,


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you wanted me to be one of your people?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I did.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to earn that ce just because I¡¯m your friend. If possible, what I really want to do is to amaze you with just my abilities!¡±


    Icarus straightened his brows and gazed at Joshua.


    ¡°When the contractes to its end, I hope that the Young Master can give me the ce that I think I deserve.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua took a breath and turned to face Icarus.


    ¡°Let me ask you one question.¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°Are you just betting on me, because of my family?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    With a resolute expression on his face, Icarus shook his head.


    ¡°Despite the fact that your name is Joshua von Agnus, I believe that one day, you will grow to exceed that name of yours. At least that¡¯s what I¡¯m seeing every time I look at you.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua finally grinned at Icarus''s answer.


    Joshua was now convinced that like Cain, Icarus in front of him was now one of his people.


    You want to demonstrate your worth?


    There was no need for such a time-consuming procedure.


    Because Joshua was already aware of Icarus''s power.


    ''He has a lot of charisma. In my opinion, nothing is more certain than having Icarus on our side.''


    As he gazed at Icarus'' lovely face, a warm spark shed in Joshua''s eyes.


    ''However¡ª''


    Then Joshua, with a determined expression on his face, opened his mouth.


    ¡°Your suggestion¡ª¡±

 Chapter 90

    ¡°This is very urgent!¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The nobles of the Swallow Empire had a suspicious expression on their faces as they saw the messenger rushing into the court.


    ¡°Speak slower and tell us what¡¯s going on.¡±


    Prime Minister Marco asked on behalf of the dumbfounded aristocracy.


    ¡°The Baker estate was attacked! About 1000 of the guards who were manning it are dead!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The nobility of Court''s eyes widened in surprise in an instant.


    ¡°What nonsense is that?¡±


    The enraged Duke Momori screamed.


    ¡°Please exin it in full detail.¡±


    Prime Minister Marco replied, his palms casually outstretched as though attempting to soothe the duke.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Lord Baker is looking into it for now, but the only thing that was clear from the scene was this¡ª¡±


    The messenger produced a muddy rag that he had kept concealed in his arms.


    ¡°This¡­ This is the only evidence that was found.¡±


    ¡°Bring it here.¡±


    The messenger swiftly approached Prime Minister Marco and politely put out a piece of cloth in response to his words.


    ¡°The Baker estate is located between Thran and Swallow¡­ His majesty¡¯s burdens are piling up each day¡ª¡±


    Duke Momorimented, punching his own chest as if he was fighting his urge to explode in anger.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    When Prime Minister Marco saw the pattern engraved on the piece of cloth, he let out a quiet groan.


    ¡°Prime Minister! Do you have any information regarding the suspects'' identities?¡±


    ¡°This design¡ª¡±


    When the Duke asked the question, Prime Minister Marco sighed and held out the piece of fabric.


    It resembled the Swallow Empire''s pattern, but it wasn¡¯t the same.


    The pattern showed a small bird soaring in the sky.


    ¡°What does the pattern mean?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this pattern clearly Thran¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Those motherfuckers¡ª¡±


    The prime Minister took a step forward when the nobility of the court descended into chaos, where some were bursting with anger, whereas some were readying to flee.


    ¡°Stop! It¡¯s too early to conclude who was responsible!¡±


    In response to Prime Minister Marco¡¯s restraint, Duke Momori raised his trembling voice.


    ¡°What are you saying, Prime Minister? Do we still need more evidence? If this doesn¡¯t scream Thran¡¯s preposterousness, I don¡¯t know what will! What other country will attack ours if not them?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°One victory is all they need topletely be hostile against us! Am I the only one who sees this? It''s clear evidence! Their deration for an all-out war is this, a piece of cloth!¡±


    ¡°No, that isn''t it. Don¡¯t any of you think that there is something odd about this?¡±


    As Prime Minister Marco''s quiet but powerful speech reverberated throughout the court, the murmur began to dissipate.


    ¡°If arge army moved to y a thousand of our men, then Lord Baker would¡¯ve noticed it because the ce is situated in a vast innd. This meant that what we are dealing with here was only a small number of people.¡±


    Prime Minister Marco finished his speech with his eyes gleaming, having correctly summarized the circumstance in only a few sentences.


    ¡°This is strange indeed. Since such a situation would mean that there were only a small number of people. They¡¯re definitely talented, but they left such evidence.¡±


    After speaking, Prime Minister Marco waved the piece of cloth in his hand.


    ¡°No! That¡¯s only the Prime Minister¡¯s guess! The post war situation made it clear what¡¯s on Thran¡¯s mind!¡±


    Duke Momori, who had been chasing after the Principality of Thran, continued to raise his voice.


    ¡°This time, we have to get rid of thempletely! I''ll get permission and go out on my own as soon as His Majesty enters the pce!¡±


    ¡°Let me ask Duke Momori something!¡±


    Prime Minister Marco, too, raised his voice, as if he didn''t want to lose.


    ¡°Can the Duke y a thousand elite guards with only ten of your knights with you? Moreover, in just half a day?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Duke Momori eximed enthusiastically without hesitation.


    ¡°Even if the adversaries are on par with our Empire''s elite warriors, who have the continent''s strongest battle capability, if it were me and my knights, I am confident that I could kill that many soldiers!¡±


    ¡°What rubbish¡ª¡±


    The aristocrats in the Court began to grumble again when Prime Minister Marco¡¯s words fell short on the ears of the Duke.


    ¡°This time, let¡¯s show those bastards who we really are! Since when did the Swallow Kingdom think about any other Kingdom in the first ce?¡±


    ¡°Duke Momori is correct! The more we keep our silence, the more our neighbors will think less of us!¡±


    ¡°We must make use of this opportunity to spread the empire''s splendor throughout the entire continent!¡±


    Duke Momori nodded his head, satisfied at the responses of the nobles..


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to stop me, Prime Minister Marco! I will go by myself now.¡±


    ¡°How can you just make such a hasty decision¡ª¡±


    Prime Minister Marco''s face soon changed into a contemtive expression as he was about to say something.


    It was because he understood that, no matter what he said in this environment, not even the slightest of it would be heard by anyone.


    ''The only option is to wait for His Majesty to rush into the pce¡ª''


    His Majesty the Emperor, who went to the flower garden with the princess, would have heard the news by now.


    It was a special time the two of them shared after such a long time apart, yet it was now going to be cut short because the situation had be what it was.


    ¡°Haah.¡±


    Prime Minister Marco''s long sigh echoed silently in the atmosphere where the aristocrats raised their voices.


    A lovely flower garden with a wide variety of flowers.


    Behind the army of Knights, a man and a woman were talking.


    Emperor Verona, who made people feel at ease just by ncing at him, smiled as he opened his mouth.


    ¡°Yerona.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes Father?¡±


    The blonde beauty who was strolling alongside him, turned and answered his call.


    ¡®Hasn¡¯t she just turned twenty?¡¯


    A blonde woman with mncholy and huge eyes.


    She was in a pristine white gown, and her aura was eerily simr to Emperor Verona''s.


    Her name was Yerona Belle Grace.


    Emperor Verona had three daughters. All of them were extremely brilliant and smart, but he treasured his youngest daughter the most.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking about a lot of thingstely¡ª¡±


    Princess Yerona straightened her stance in response to Emperor Verona''s anxious voice.


    ¡°Is there something bothering you, father?¡±


    ¡°If I¡ª¡±


    Emperor Verona sighed and resumed his speech, which had been disrupted by an introspective memory near the end of it.


    ¡°I have a hunch that if I had given Demero the throne, more and more of the Empire''s people would have been happy.¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying this all of a sudden?¡±


    Princess Yerona, whose eyes widened for a brief period at Emperor Verona''s surprisingments, stated as she remembered something,


    ¡°Is it due to the Thran Principality¡¯s affairs?¡±


    ¡°They are our people too. I usually think of them as a subordinate country, but I hate it when the situation is twisted like this¡­ I don¡¯t want to call them our enemy. I find this situation very unpleasant.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Princess Jerona remained silent in response to Emperor Verona''s statements.


    It was because she sensed a tremendous longing in the Emperor''s heart for all of his subjects.


    ¡°Do you have a number of policies in ce for the Principality of Thran? They too must have a betterprehension of your heart than anybody else.¡±


    ¡°Look at this.¡±


    Emperor Verona reached into his bosom and handed Princess Yerona a parchment.


    ¡°This¡ª¡±


    After reading the contents of the parchment, Princess Yerona¡¯s eyes gradually began to erge.¡±


    ¡°¡­guards were wiped out¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''ll have to look into the details, but this wouldn''t have happened if I had handled it properly in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Father.¡±


    Princess Yerona whispered, her voice seemingly mncholy.


    He was a father who had adored his children beyond all else, and after them, came his people.


    That was why he was ming himself and condemning himself for the current predicament the Empire was in.


    Princess Yerona, whose face had hardened, opened her mouth.


    ¡°With my shallow eyesight, I can''t foresee everything, but¡­ At the very least, we''re aware of one thing.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Princess Yerona resumed her speech while her father turned to look at her with a perplexed face.


    ¡°The people of the Empire would have suffered far more than they do today if Uncle Demero had risen to the throne. On the first day I left for the pce with father, I will never forget the smiles on the faces of the Empire''s people, and the way they honestly honored father.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Father¡­ You''ve done a good job thus far, as the sun of the empire, and my father, of whom I am the proudest of. I am sure that you''ll do much better in the future. As a result¡ª¡±


    Princess Yerona paused her speech and snatched both of Emperor Verona''s hands.


    ¡°Don''t hold it against yourself. Of course, I don''t want my father to be like this, and neither do the people of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Thank you so much.¡±


    Emperor Verona instantly smiled sweetly.


    For a brief period, Emperor Verona raised his head toward the heavens, smiling at Princess Yerona¡¯s words.


    ¡°I can''t help but think of Demero at moments like this... he was the most dependable person¡ª¡±


    Princess Yerona''s visage had be a frosty scowl.


    ¡°For more than ten years, he hasn''t shown himself. He probably doesn''t care about the Empire because his life or death is unclear.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Emperor Verona remained silent as he saw the fluttering birds in the sky.


    ¡®I was reminded of the previously amicable Empire and the Principality of Thran when I watched those birds ying together.¡¯


    ¡°Please, don''t let any more blood pour into thisnd¡ª¡±


    Emperor Verona, who had been mumbling a little, moved hurriedly and stiffly to somewhere.


    ¡°I have to refuse.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Icarus was taken aback by Joshua''s quick response.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a worthless servant so I won¡¯t be a nuisance to the Young Master.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Icarus spoke urgently but Joshua kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°All I want is to prove myself to the Young Master! I will never wish for anything! You don¡¯t need topensate me or anything! Please reconsider¡ª¡±


    ¡°On the contrary¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Icarus was taken aback when he noticed Joshua interrupting his speech in the middle and shouting loudly.


    ¡°I''m saying this because I believe your worth is excessively more than for my benefit alone."


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you really want to show me how valuable you are¡ª¡±


    Joshua said firmly, looking into Icarus''s lovely eyes,


    ¡°After I leave, change this ce yourself.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Icarus'' eyes widened as he heard Joshua''s following remarks.


    Joshua continued speaking and a warm smile spread across his face as he looked at Icarus.


    ¡°Well, if it is necessary, you can always use the name of my family. Besides, staying here where so much knowledge has been umted is more beneficial to you rather than following me and being my servant.¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡ª¡±


    Icarus quicklyprehended what Joshua was trying to tell him and muttered something iprehensible.


    It was difficult to believe that the proud Agnus family''s child in front of him was so caring towards Icarus.


    When Icarus saw Joshua get closer and approach him suddenly, he was surprised and gasped a little.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    Joshua finished hisst words, directing a deep, deep gaze on Icarus, whose face was now blushing red.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want my person to be a servant.¡±

 Chapter 91

    The Imperial Chief Wizard¡¯s private chambers were modest, despite the manamunication orb illuminating the room with its soft light.


    ¡°Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°My liege, it¡¯s been a long time.¡± The wizard, dressed in a pure white cloak, bowed to the person on the other end. Few people could receive such respect from Evergrant, but Ian teon Murray, lord of the Magic Tower and the only Seventh-ss magician on the continent, was one of them. Even for the highest wizard in the Avalon Empire, it was only natural to bend to Ian.


    ¡°Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much.¡± Ian smiled weakly at Evergrant, sadness evident in his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m just short on workers after you left abruptly.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing I can do but apologize.¡± Evergrant bent his head remorsefully.


    ¡°No¡ªThat¡¯s not the reason I called. The older I get, the grumpier I am about my subordinates.¡± Ian looked over Evergrant carefully. ¡°Is the Emperor treating you well?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He¡¯s given me everything I need.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    There was a moment of silence before Ian opened his mouth with a stiff expression.


    ¡°I know why you epted the Emperor¡¯s offer¡ªI am aware of your ambitions. While he may be ruling like a dictator, you had few good options. But, you see, I also know that you are supporting the Fourth Prince.¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your choice seemspletely random; I don¡¯t believe the Fourth Prince has any chance of inheriting the throne. Rather, it would be best to curry favor with the First or Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t argue.¡± Evergrant quickly gave up on finding a counterargument. The Tower Master wasn¡¯t wrong: based on all avable information, the First and Second Princes were the ones with the best chances of taking the throne. However, what Evergrant had felt the first time he saw the Fourth Prince was not so easy to deny.


    ¡°Jack is dead.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Evergrant boggled at Ian. ¡°He¡ª¡±


    ¡°That means that someone killed Jack Steropes, a member of the Sevens and the seat of the Thunderbolt.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªThat doesn¡¯t make sense!¡±


    ¡°So I reached out to you. I need a favor.¡± Ian¡¯s voice became deep and somber. ¡°Evergrant von Aswald, I would like to offer the empty seat to you. I want you to be a member of the Seven Magicians.¡±


    ¡°Master¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I believe this position will be of great help to you in realizing your goals¡ªmore than the uncertain path you¡¯re taking now.¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to put it that way¡­¡± Evergrant shook his head, biting his lips anxiously. ¡°I can¡¯t ept.¡±


    ¡°I expected that.¡± Ianughed heartily. ¡°Maybe you saw some potential in the Fourth Prince, I don¡¯t know. But I do know that you don¡¯t make hasty decisions. I trust you and your aims for the Imperial Family of Avalon. Plus, the monument made of Jade stones in the Imperial Knights¡ª¡±


    ¡°You knew about that?¡± Evergrant blurted.


    Ian nodded. ¡°A wizard always seeks the truth, and I always pursue my curiosity.¡±


    The Tower Master took another look at Evergrant.


    ¡°My offer stands. I¡¯ll do my best to fix up your ce if you decide toe back.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Evergrant was touched.


    ¡°It¡¯s shameless of me to ask you for a favor like this; I hope you understand.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize, Master!¡±


    ¡°I know thest ce Jack stayed. It was easier to find than I expected¡ªhe used a warp gate.¡±


    Evergrant nodded and quietly recalled what he knew of the warp gates.


    ¡°Where¡ª¡±


    ¡°The capital of Avalon, Arcadia. Where you are.¡±


    Evergrant leapt out of his seat.


    In this quiet ce, out of Joshua¡¯s knowledge, history was being rewritten.


    ¡°I¡¯m his man?¡± Icarus was mumbling to himself after Joshua left.


    Joshua, his role model, had departed, leaving Icarus to prove his worth.


    The boy¡¯s face went beet red. Whenever he thought of Joshua and that day, his face burned.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prove my worth. One day he¡¯ll be asking me for favors¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you alone?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Agareth?¡± Icarus turned towards the voice. ¡°Wh-wh-why do you look like that?!¡±


    ¡°Ah, I just finished something and was about to take a shower, so I took my clothes off¡ª¡± The underwear-d boy paused. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with your face? Are you sick?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I¡¯m not sick, I just feel a little hot¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Agareth nodded. ¡°Great, should we shower together?¡±


    ¡°No thank you!¡± Icarus¡¯s face flushed impossibly red. Icarus mmed the door shut, carefully avoiding meeting Agareth¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°...What¡¯s wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen you in person.¡± Joshua gazed up at the towering walls of the Imperial Pce with regretful eyes.


    This ce gave him the most vivid memories of his life. It was where he lived; a house, but never a home. He knew this ce better than his own home, the Duchy, because he spent so much time by Kaiser¡¯s side.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Joshua smiled bitterly. ¡°The battlefield was home for me.¡±


    He¡¯d spent most of his life on the battlefield. Rotting bodies and the smell of blood was more familiar to Joshua than anything else.


    ¡°Halt! This is the Imperial Pce of Avalon. Unauthorized visitors are not permitted.¡± A guard blocked the outer gate as Joshua approached. ¡°Please, if you could show me a card or pass to prove your identity.¡±


    Despite Joshua¡¯s appearance, the guard remained cautious and courteous. Even though the Imperial Pce was obviously not a ce for children to be visiting alone, there were very few people who came at all; the guard was very professional.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to apply for Berche¡¯s bloody battle.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± The guardughed. ¡°Do you have any idea what that means, kid?¡± He¡¯d been looking down on the boy to begin with, but this was too much.


    ¡°River!¡± The other guard grimaced. ¡°That¡¯s a visitor to the Imperial Pce¡ªwhat kind of attitude is that?¡±


    ¡°Bunto¡­ That kind of attitude annoys me the most. Was there ever a time when a kid this small entered Berche¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°The¡­¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Riverughed. ¡°You¡¯ve never done something like this before.¡± He turned and hissed at Joshua. ¡°Little guy, they¡¯re busier than you think. I¡¯ll forgive you this time, so scoot. Come back when you¡¯ve got some more height and weight to that body.¡± River flicked his finger dismissively at Joshua.


    Of course, who would believe that a child would have a real reason to visit the Pce on his own? Joshua was struggling to even begin to find a way to exin himself.


    ¡°This kid even has the balls to bring up Berche¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop scolding the kid.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Joshua smiled and stepped forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re still here?¡±


    ¡°Say it.¡±


    ¡°I, Joshua von Agnus, havee here per His Majesty¡¯s instructions.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this¡ª¡±


    Joshua pumped mana into his ring. The soldiers were astonished by the boom of energy filling the air.


    ¡°T-The Agnus crest!¡±

 Chapter 92

    ¡°Oh! The pattern of the Agnus Duchy!?¡±


    River¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the Knight¡¯s emblem which was encased in the pristine white armor the boy in front of him was now wearing.


    He was unable to rationalize his thoughts and he couldn¡¯te to his senses.


    <em>¡®How did the kid have the Agnus¡¯ pattern on his chest?¡¯</em>


    ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, Young Master!¡±


    The other quick-witted Knight, Bunto, immediately bowed his head right away.


    ¡°...!¡±


    When River saw what had transpired, he immediately followed his subordinate and bowed his head.


    ¡°The bearer of the mark of the Agnus duchy, wee to the Imperial Pce!¡±


    River scolded himself for his previous statements, which he now realized were utterly out of context..


    ¡°What the heck¡ª¡±


    The boy in front of them began to move as River spat out curses.


    The sound of the boy¡¯s movements along with a faint metal sound was the only thing they could hear in the dead silence that surrounded them.


    <em>¡®What the hell is this¡ª¡¯</em>


    It was the mark of the Agnus duchy.


    And as far as he knew, the artifact that Joshua had used just now was a Deon ring.


    Even if the armor appeared to be slightly strange,


    River was convinced that the young boy in front of him was probably going to be the next master, or even the sessor of Duke Agnus.


    River''s expression gradually began to turn into tears.


    He had been married for 10 years, and he was now 30 years old.


    <em>¡®Why do I find myself desperately thinking of my rabbit-like children and my bear-like wife, whom I love so much at such a time?¡¯</em>


    ¡°Oh God¡ª¡±


    River sincerely prayed to the God that he typically didn¡¯t believe in.


    But as if it were a lie, God responded to River¡¯s wishes.


    <strong>nk.</strong>


    The sound of metal crashing to the floor was constantly heard as the young boy walked away. A sound which still brought chills to River. But he still opened his eyes when the sound of the metal faded away from his ears.


    His co-worker, Bunto was still standing there, immobile. Joshua had approached his co-worker and had passed by him.


    He looked at the back of the young boy whose figure was now slowly getting smaller and smaller.


    ¡°Did he leave? He did not punish us or anything?¡±


    ¡°Haah¡ª¡±


    When River came to terms with everything that had happened, his knees felt weak and after a moment slumped to the floor.


    ¡°What happened to you, River? How could you be so reckless?¡±


    After ncing at River who sighed deeply like he had been scolded, Bunto shook his head.


    River looked towards the direction where Joshua had left and Bunto said,


    ¡°If he didn¡¯t say that he was the son of Duke Agnus, would you still let him in?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª Anyway, I¡¯m d that he did not strike me down.¡±


    After listening to his words, Bunto held out his hands towards River and helped him up.


    ¡°Is he serious? About wanting to participate in Berche¡¯s bloody battle?¡±


    River stood up and shook off the dirt on his buttocks, murmuring nkly.


    Berche¡¯s bloody battle.


    It was a violent battle, named after Prince Berche, the Avalon Empire''s first imperial knight, and was initially intended to be apetition of pure skills between different battalions.


    However, as time passed, the rivalry passed down from previous generations of the battalions grew more intense, and the Imperial Knights'' status and ranks also grew in tandem.


    There was a reason why this battle was called the Battle of Blood.


    This is because the then reigning emperor, Marcus Ben Britten, was dissatisfied with the current system and had proposed a new one.


    Apart from the battalionmander, the higher the battalion, the more privileged they would be. Knights from the lower battalions were free to challenge knights from higher battalions at any time, but any idents resulting from the encounter were entirely the responsibility of the people involved.


    Apart from this, anybody who wanted to could participate in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle¨Cirrespective of whether they were part of the battalions or not.


    Emperor Marcus'' name sparked a massive uproar inside the Avalon Empire in the early days.


    This was because, ording to Emperor Marcus'' neww, any Avalonian could rise to the rank of imperial knight if they could sessfully defeat any Knight from a battalion.


    And a Knight, if challenged, couldn¡¯t refuse no matter what.


    Furthermore, many people believed that thepetition would only get more intense as time went on because all the members of the 1st through 3rd battalions, i.e., the top battalions, had the honor of receiving titles¡ª


    ¡°I never expected that the son of Duke Agnus would participate in this¡­ Berche¡¯s bloody battle.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, me too. But he wanted it, so be it.¡±


    Bunto nodded as he looked at River.


    ¡°If the loser is a knight, then he forfeits the title of ¡®Imperial Knight¡¯. Do knights who value honor more than their lives have a greater humiliation than that?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why none of the outsiders who have participated in the event have survived so far. Everyone knows that if you¡¯re half hearted, you will lose and face the consequences. That¡¯s also the reason why the battle was heralded as a legend to the general public.¡±


    Bunto looked towards the direction where Joshua had disappeared.


    ¡°He was just as old as your son¡ª¡± River tilted his head at Bunto¡¯sments,


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t the treasure of the Empire, Babel von Agnus, the Duke Agnus¡¯ kid and heir? I guess that kid looks a little young for it to be Master Babel.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡±


    Bunto eximed as he remembered the rumors he had heard.


    ¡°Duke Agnus has another child¡­ a mana user at the age of nine. At least, it was rumored that he was much younger than Young Master Babel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    River¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Yes¡­ that Young Master¡¯s name is definitely something unforgettable.¡±


    Bunto murmured the final words in hushed tones, his gaze fixated towards a particr direction of the imperial pce.


    ¡°The Empire¡¯s new talent, Joshua von Agnus.¡±


    Emperor Marcus was sitting in a gorgeous chair. Jaken, the head of the ck Wind, opened his mouth in a polite manner and said, ¡°Your Majesty, Duke Geshart and Count Arie will return to the capital shortly because they¡¯re already done with their mission.¡±


    ¡°Nice¡ª¡±


    Emperor Marcus, who replied with a delighted expression on his face, nced at Jaken and asked,


    ¡°What about the situation in Swallow?¡±


    ¡°So far, I haven''t had much of a response. I believe that they already know the situation, but we still need to keep an eye on them.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ they¡¯re the barbarians of the north, people who get excited when there¡¯s war.¡±


    As he reached the conclusion of his sentence, Emperor Marcus smirked and burst outughing.


    ¡°Maybe this is because of Verona Belle Grace¡¯s friend.¡±


    ¡°Prime Minister Marco is a wise man and he¡¯s been helping the Empire for a long time now.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    The Emperor nodded as he swallowed a lump in his throat.


    ¡°This is a headache¡­ If Demero Belle Grace had been the emperor, his mentality and physical abilities would have rivalled mine.¡±


    Emperor Marcus smacked his lips, clearly very unhappy.


    Jaken dropped his head even lower at that point, as if he had recalled something distasteful.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I have one more thing to report.¡±


    ¡°One more? What is it?¡±


    ¡°Vig Beck Steck was reported dead.¡±


    ¡°Vig Beck Steck? Who¡¯s that?¡±


    Emperor Marcus frowned and murmured gently.


    ¡°I believe I''ve heard of this name before. Where have I heard it?¡±


    ¡°He was the Lord of the Locke estate, a territory of the Agnus Family, and the other day he approached His Majesty for help as well.¡±


    ¡°Ohh! The pig!¡±


    Emperor Marcus nodded, as if it had just urred to him who the man in question was.


    Emperor Marcus, with an uncharacteristically solemn expression, inquired further about the incident.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that Aden von Agnus noticed our ns?¡±


    ¡°After further investigation, I found out that the death of Vig had nothing to do with Duke Aden.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Duke Agnus has nothing to do with our ns then?¡±


    Emperor Marcus'' counter-question was respectfully answered by Jaken,


    ¡°Yes¡­ It was reported that the Duke had been residing here in Arcady during the time of Vig¡¯s death, and moreover, there was nothing suspicious going on in the household. In short, they were not aware of his death¡ª¡±


    Emperor Marcus interrupts Jaken''s long speech and asked,


    ¡°So, the cause of death wasn¡¯t confirmed at all?¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies.¡±


    <strong>Boom!</strong>


    Seeing Jaken m his head on the floor in apology, the Emperor slightly waved his hand at him in forgiveness.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright. The ck Wind has limits too¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was ack of knowledge from our side.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡ª¡±


    Emperor Marcus, who had his chin on his hand and looked like he was mulling over something, shifted his gaze onto Jaken after a little while.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to meet him, maybe he knows something that we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    In the current atmosphere, Jaken couldn¡¯t face the Emperor.


    He couldn¡¯t say anything because he was afraid.


    All he had to do now was obey the Emperor''smands.


    There was no authority that he could challenge from the viewpoint of the Emperor.


    Jaken, who had juste up with a fact, promptly opened his mouth,


    ¡°Come to think of it, his daughter, who was just with him in the Locke estate, just enrolled in the academy.¡±


    ¡°Our academy?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Marcus'' eyes gleamed brightly in response to Jaken''s response.


    Jaken continued speaking, ¡°She¡¯s known as Anna Beck Steck, but her real name seems to be Anna Belle Grace.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It is unclear if she¡¯s his biological daughter, but she was clearly loved by him.¡±


    ¡°That''s right. That¡¯s all I wanted to hear.¡±


    Emperor Marcus, who was thinking of something, soon gave his orders to Jaken.


    ¡°I have to meet her first, bring her to me.¡±


    ¡°I heed your orders!¡±


    Jaken, who politely bowed his head, quickly disappeared.


    ¡°...¡±

 Chapter 93

    ¡°The Young Master has been called to the Imperial Pce, Duke.¡±


    Duke Agnus paused. In his hand was a tree branch a little thicker than the two of his fingersbined.


    ¡°He did all of this crap as he pleased, then he fled to the imperial pce so eagerly, and now I¡¯m left cleaning after him.¡±


    Duke Agnus burst outughing as he eximed. Baron Hed, his secretary, bowed his head and apologized.


    ¡°What do you feel about the actions of your Master, Cain?¡±


    Duke Agnus shifted his gaze to his front, and Cain, who was soaked in sweat, was seen.


    ¡°Haah, haah, haah¡ª¡±


    Looking at Cain, who kept breathing heavily, Duke Agnus smiled coldly,


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. This happened because your master asked me to do this.¡±


    Cain sweated buckets when he heard the Duke emphasizing the words ¡®he asked me to do this¡¯ over and over again.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s brutal!¡¯</em>


    Kane stumbled and took a step back, screaming inside.


    What Duke Agnus is currently doing, it was obviously an outburst of rage.


    rms were constantly ringing inside Cain¡¯s head.


    <strong>Pak.</strong>


    Just like how he had done until then, Duke Agnus kicked the ground and dashed towards him again.


    ¡°Crazy¡ª¡±


    While watching the Duke approach Cain with tremendous speed, all Cain could do was lift his two handed sword and mutter.


    ¡°I¡¯m too slow!¡±


    <strong>PAK.</strong>


    ¡°Keugh.¡±


    Cain, who opened his eyes wide, groaned ufortably due to the immense power of the branches that were now embedded in his abdomen.


    It was a typical branch the Duke had randomly picked up from a tree.


    But it became a legendary weapon when it was used by the legendary Duke Agnus himself.


    <strong>Flop.</strong>


    Duke Agnus immediately turned his head around when he saw Cain lose his bnce and then fall unconscious.


    ¡°Did the kid do something wrong, Duke? You¡¯re clearly venting your anger out on Cain.¡±


    Baron Hed looked at the unconscious Cain.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even started yet. Don¡¯t you believe that it''s too early for him to fall asleep?¡±


    ¡°He¡ª¡±


    Duke Agnus asked the dumbfounded Baron Hed,


    ¡°What are the twelve families doing? Especially those who had been chastised before?¡±


    ¡°Nothing much on the two families, but the Vis Family have filed a formalint since their lone heir was beaten half to death like that¡ª¡±


    With a look of being in jeopardy, Baron Hed trailed off at the end with a troubled face.


    As everyone knew, what had transpired between the two, would be engraved in the history of the Academy from now on.


    Veron Shen Vis got what he deserved after acting like a viin.


    Veron Shen Vis, who had been romping around without realizing that the environment was frightening, was severely affected by the bodily agony and the mental shock that had been far above anything that he had ever experienced.


    Of course, there were a slew of undesirable consequences as well.


    ¡°Are you thinking about that? Because I was about to ask if that was your intention¡ª¡±


    Duke Agnus nodded in response to Baron Hed¡¯s question.


    ¡°My intention?¡±


    ¡°If Marquis Vis writes us an officialint, then we need to respond in some way to prevent any bacsh in the future.¡±


    The formalint, which included the family''s seal, was not something that was insignificant.


    If they somehow ignored theint, it was like saying that they were ignoring theining family as well, and an usation like that was definitely not good news.


    It could even be the reason for a territorial war.


    Well, the Marquis would never be crazy enough to walk over the Agnus household even if he wanted to¡­


    ¡°It is certain that what happened to the Vis Family¡¯s Heir will be discussed at the quarterly Noble¡¯spetition.¡±


    Then Duke Agnus would have to give an exnation to the family in front of everyone.


    In conclusion, this would prove to be a huge embarrassment for Duke Agnus because of his title as one of the nine stars.


    But,


    Duke Agnus, who had earlier smirked and burst outughing, spoke as if it wasn''t such a huge problem.


    ¡°It¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Duke Agnus continued to speak while looking at Baron Hed who kept asking him questions with a nk expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m not the type of father who would care so much as to wipe his son¡¯s butthole. I¡¯m not thatpassionate. And I¡¯m not the type of person to scold someone if what they did was something that suited my temperament either.¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    Baron Hed was about to say something when he noticed Duke Agnus'' smile, which at first nce appeared mischievous.


    The Duke was his master¡­someone who he had been with for a long time.


    <em>¡®Despite this, I have no idea what is going on within that head of his.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Hed. ¡°


    ¡°Yes Duke?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Maquis Vis. And if he has some conscience left, then he himself will take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°Yes Duke.¡±


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus, he¡¯s doing a lot of things as soon as he reached the capital.¡±


    Duke Agnus smiled deeply when he looked at Cain and then started walking.


    ¡°Duke!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Duke Agnus came to aplete halt when he heard a voice behind him.


    ¡°You have a message from the Duchy. Young Master Babel was called to the capital. His Majesty wants to see how the treasure of the Empire is doing. Knight Commander Chiffon is apanying him and they are expected to arrive in a few days.¡±


    Baron Hed, who had been speaking, came to a halt.


    This is because, unlike before, Duke Agnus'' current countenance was stiffer than ever, as he slowly turned his head.


    Duke Agnus opened his mouth with a shaky voice toward Baron Hed, who was now dead silent, and said,


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    "Everyone, pay attention."


    A voice full of Emperor Verona''s majesty resounded at the court of the Swallow Empire.


    ¡°I hereby dere that the fight against the Principality of Thran to be postponed indefinitely until a separate order is received.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±


    With an astonished face, Duke Momori opened his eyes.


    ¡°No way, Your Majesty! What do you mean by giving us orders like that? I¡¯m concerned that other countries will mock our empire because we are staying quiet even though we were assaulted like this!¡±


    ¡°The Duke is correct, Your Majesty! They will look down on us and thoughts like those have to be culled immediately!¡±


    ¡°Please consider it once more, Your Majesty!¡±


    When Prime Minister Marco noticed Emperor Verona sighing as if had been expecting the responses he got, he took a step forward.


    ¡°His Majesty is not suggesting to halt it indefinitely, but merely stating that more time is required to identify the enemy¡¯s true identity!¡±


    ¡°The identity of the culprit has already been revealed, Prime Minister! What kind of identity are we still waiting for?¡±


    Duke Momori clenched his fist, clearly irritated.


    ¡°Please remember that you¡¯re a nobleman. This is why we are not making any progress. It is because all you think about is fighting.¡±


    A voice was suddenly heard from behind them.


    ¡°Who is this crazy fellow¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who the hell are you¡ª¡±


    As the lords of the court expressed their surprise, the red-faced Duke Momori turned his attention toward the door.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    Duke Momori¡¯s eyes widened in an instant.


    ¡°Are all of you here?¡±


    The man in front of the court entrance smiled brightly as he drew the people''s attention.


    He appeared to be a young man, perhaps 30 years old.


    The hair on his head resembled a dark red blood rather than a ming red color.


    The audience was creeped out by his bloodshot eyes, which were the same color as his hair.


    Obviously, his clear features were admirable, but the attractiveness he emitted was far from pure, and it rather disyed an image of decadence.


    This kind of atmosphere was possessed by only one individual in the Swallow Empire.


    Unlike his youthful glow that was exhibited outside, his real age was much older than that.


    He was one of the nine stars and a subordinate of the past emperor, Cerona belle Grace.


    ¡°Archduke Lucifer.¡±


    Archduke Lucifer smiled cruelly as he heard Emperor Verona mumble in a quiet voice.


    ¡°I greet the sun of the empire.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    Archduke Lucifer bowed properly to Emperor Verona, who was staring silently.


    The court became so quiet that even the sound of a needle falling could be heard.


    Nobles who had been energetically shouting at the Emperor earlier, were now quiet as dead mice.


    ¡°Are you aplete moron?¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    At the stark words of Archduke Lucifer, Duke Momori stuttered with a puzzled look.


    ¡°Which country do you think this urrence will benefit the most?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Archduke Lucifer continued to talk even before Duke Momori finished his sentence,


    ¡°Do you think that the new Prince of Thran will leave behind such a mistake if he was behind the incident?¡±


    Archduke Lucifer smiled coldly as he looked at Duke Momori¡¯s face as he mumbled his excuses.


    ¡°...¡±


    Archduke Lucifer, who caught a glimpse of Duke Momori, who was trembling from the unforgivable insult, now cast a nce around the entire room.


    ¡°Does anyone else have the same thought?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Archduke Lucifer smirked and broke outughing as he swept through the nobility of Court who had not responded to his question.


    ¡°But since you still have your doubts, I¡¯ll exin it to you.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The nobility opened their eyes wide when Archduke Lucifer spoke quietly to them.


    ¡°A lot of countries would definitely benefit if this situation depleted our military might, and among them¡ª¡±


    Archduke Lucifer licked his lips.


    ¡°Except for the Hubalt Empire, which is preupied with the Pope''s election, we can limit all the potential countries who stand to gain the most into a single location, and I¡¯m not even going to think about the other trash countries who would dare try to meddle with us behind our backs.¡±


    After speaking, Archduke Lucifer turned to Emperor Verona with his arms wide open.


    ¡°Don''t you think so, Your Majesty?¡±


    Emperor Verona grumbled as he looked at Archduke Lucifer, who inquired with a light smile as if he was attempting to turn all the attention to him,


    Prime Minister Marco eventually whispered the name with a hard face on behalf of Emperor Verona, who now had a concerned expression on his face.


    ¡°The Avalon empire.¡±

 Chapter 94

    The Agnus territory is vaster than any other estate in the country. But the boisterous splendor of the Imperial Pce dwarfed the Duke¡¯s manor. It would be easy to immediately get lost on your first visit, but Joshua walked forwards without an ounce of hesitation.


    <em>It¡¯s still the same. The buildings haven¡¯t changed at all, just the people in them.</em>


    Joshua was moving at a quick pace despite the white te armor he was wearing. It was very heavy for a child¡ªespecially because it was full-body armor¡ªbut the lightening magic made it actually very lightweight.


    <em>It¡¯s not so bad without the helmet.</em> Joshua smiled to himself. He wouldn¡¯t express it openly, but he was thrilled to receive the ring from Duke Agnus.


    He¡¯d been stopped by the guards many times along the way, but, thanks to the Duke¡¯s insignia, he hadn¡¯t encountered much trouble.


    <em>The 11th and 12th battalions are just mercenaries but with titles. They¡¯re battlefield warriors, but their superiors treat them likemodities; nothing more, nothing less.</em> Joshua sighed. In some ways, the 11th and 12th Battalions were the driving force for the Empire¡¯s ferocity. The two of them represented the very essence of the Emperor¡¯s policy.


    <em>I just need to reach the 1st Battalion and bemander. Maybe as a bonus, I¡¯ll receive a title.</em>


    Joshua had made preliminary ns before he¡¯d arrived at the Imperial Pce. Five years was all he needed, with the help of Bronto.


    ¡°Assuming there¡¯s no problems, of course.¡± He clenched his fist.


    This was an opportunity in a way. With new powers he¡¯d never even imagined before, this ce was an ideal location to stabilize his powers over the next five years.


    ¡°Oh, this ce is¡­¡± The towering inner walls of the Imperial Pce loomed before him, protected by iron-d guards.


    ¡°This looks like a prison, even now.¡± Though ostensibly, it was to protect the Imperial Family¡¯s pces.


    Though he couldn¡¯t see inside, the scent of flowers drifting over the walls was enough for Joshua to remember whaty within.


    An expansive flower garden, surrounding a pure white pce.


    ¡°Hwahwa Pce¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s chest throbbed; when he¡¯d still lived in the Imperial Pce, the owner of Hwahwa Pce was very special to him. Despite her peerless bloodline, she had a particr attitude about herself and was despised and alienated by many nobles.


    So much had happened in such a short period of time. Joshua¡¯s cold, distant personality had faded away; all that was left was thankfulness. Gratitude. Not the clumsy feelings that came from love or sympathy, but a deep, heartfelt gratitude.


    She saw Joshua as a human, not just a mercenary.


    Joshua bit his lip and shook his head. ¡°I need to go¡­¡±


    <em>I wanted to visit while I was here, but I can¡¯t right now.</em> He had too much to do. <em>But a quick peek probably wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.</em>


    People, however, are not in control of their destiny.


    ¡°Is somebody there?¡± A woman¡¯s voice drifted over the walls. Joshua knew this voice, though she was much younger than he remembered.


    Joshua struggled with himself for a moment before abruptly turning around and walking away.


    ¡°Please wait for a second!¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t resist that anguished voice and halted.


    ¡°I have no idea who you are, but please tell me¡­ Wait, can you just listen to me for a second?¡± When she didn¡¯t hear any movement on the other side of the wall, the woman continued speaking with a bright tone. ¡°My name is Sersiarin von Britten¡ªif it¡¯s not too rude, can I ask for yours?¡±


    ¡°My¡ª¡± Joshua bit his lip. ¡°Joshua¡­ Joshua Sander.¡±


    The bonds of their past life were rekindled, though the wall between them may be too thick to cross.


    At the same time, another group approached the magnificent Imperial Pce.


    A knight d in silver full te-mail eyed the towering pce appearing in the distance.


    ¡°From this point onwards, we are within the Imperial Family¡¯s safe zone. In a few hours, we shall arrive at the Imperial Pce¡ªas you can see over there. Is that eptable, Young Master Babel?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your work, Sir Chiffon.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s a privilege to assist the Young Master in this way.¡± Chiffon gave the emaciated boy a worried look.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been here¡­ since the Academy.¡±


    ¡°Please, do not be concerned. His Majesty the Emperor is just like your father: they both love talent. This is why he called you here¡ªhe wanted to see how much you¡¯ve grown, and to marvel at the genius of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Genius¡­¡± Babel shook his head, grimacing.


    Chiffon bit his lip¡ªhe knew what the young Duke-to-be was thinking.


    <em>It¡¯s that bastard who appeared out of nowhere. I can¡¯t even look at him without remembering he¡¯s a pesky maid¡¯s child.</em> Chiffon¡¯s eyes crackled with a terrible chilliness.


    ¡°Young Master Babel¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Babel tilted his head at him.


    ¡°Always remember: I, and all the vassals, are with you. I believe I can say that with confidence.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Sir Chiffon.¡± Babel smiled. However, a shadow flickered over his face.


    Chiffon clenched his fists. ¡°If¡­¡±


    Babel eyed him curiously when he didn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°You know¡­ what if¡­¡±


    ¡°Take a deep breath and speak, Sir Chiffon.¡± Babel smiled encouragingly.


    ¡°If your father was not your real father, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Sir Chiffon?¡± Babel¡¯s face hardened, and Chiffon huped when the knight realized what he¡¯d said.


    <em>This atmosphere¡­ How did this happen?</em>


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what Sir Chiffon is getting at,¡± Babel said with a smile. ¡°I usually¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah! It¡¯s nothing, haha.¡± Chiffon hastily fished for an excuse. ¡°It¡¯s my colleague¡ªhow would you feel if you were in his shoes?¡±


    <em>Damn it, what a blunder¡­</em> Fortunately for him, Babel¡¯s expression rxed.


    ¡°Was there such a person in the Red Knights? I¡¯d be quite worried. Is there anything I can do to be of assistance¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Young Master need not bother¡­ haha¡­¡± Chiffon sighed in relief.


    ¡°I would be shocked, but¡­ would it matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Even if my father turned out to be someone else, I don¡¯t see why it would be a big enough issue to disrupt my life.¡±


    ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Babel nodded without hesitation. ¡°I don¡¯t know why it should matter; regardless, wouldn¡¯t both fathers be pleased if I lived my life to the fullest?¡±


    <em>Ah, I see¡­ The Young Master has matured.</em> Chiffon¡¯s face glowed with emotion.


    ¡°We¡¯ll bete if we don¡¯t hurry,¡± Babel warned him. ¡°The message must have reached the Imperial Pce by now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Master.¡± Chiffon turned to address the rest of the group. ¡°Prepare to depart!¡±


    ¡°Yes Sir!¡± More than a hundred knights of Agnus responded to Chiffon at once.


    Chiffon nced one more time at Babel as they departed.


    In the fading sunlight, his figure seemedrge and manly.

 Chapter 95

    ¡°Oh¡­ Joshua Sanders¡­¡± The girl behind the wall, Sersiarin, seemed equal parts amused and bemused. The way he¡¯d introduced himself made it clear he wasn¡¯t an aristocrat. No doubt she was confused to find amoner wandering through the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°You have a beautiful name¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard it in a book. Sanders, a flower that only blossoms in the Tripia region in the extreme east of the Empire; it¡¯s said to be more beautiful than a rose in full bloom, but its meaning in thenguage of flowers couldn¡¯t be more tragic¡ª¡±


    ¡°You need to stop.¡± Joshua frowned.


    ¡°What are you saying¡­?¡± Sersiarin was perplexed. ¡°Did I say something wrong? If that¡¯s the case, you have my sincere apologies. Please forgive my rudeness.¡±


    ¡°You did nothing wrong.¡± He shook his head firmly. ¡°...By the way,¡± he asked after a moment of silence, ¡°is it ufortable going out of the pce without an escort? Are you alright going out alone?¡±


    ¡°How did you¡ª¡±


    Joshua smiled sourly. ¡°I¡¯ve also heard the story of the beautiful yet tragic Princess of the Hwahwa Pce.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sersiarin gasped. ¡°Could you tell me more about the rumors you heard about me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Hwahwa Pce is secluded from the world; there lives a beautiful princess whose looks are unmatched in all of history¡­¡± Joshua trailed off into a sigh. ¡°...but it is said that she is blind.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡­ I never expected¡ª I see.¡±


    <em>This is why I didn¡¯t want to see you right now.</em> Joshua shook his head. Sersiarin sounded so lonely.


    Joshua was well aware of the Imperial Family¡¯s hidden troubles; the reality was, the Princess behind the wall suffered the most.


    <em>The most likely reason the Emperor imprisons his own daughter is because she¡¯s disabled.</em>


    ¡°The eyes that see the truth¡­ that¡¯s the most important thing,¡± Joshua mumbled, too quiet for anyone else to hear.


    ¡°I hope you don¡¯t feel sorry for me.¡± Sersiarin¡¯s voice wasced with bitterness.


    Joshua cursed himself. <em>I know my mistakes¡ª</em>


    ¡°I think I understand Young Master Joshua¡¯s reaction a little. The rumors¡­ After all, my father has a reputation for being overprotective, right? But¡­ that¡¯s not true. I can¡¯t go out because I¡¯m weak; I don¡¯t know when I could fall unconscious¡­¡±


    Joshua bit his lips until they bled.


    Master or not, Sersiarin saw right through the Emperor. She almost certainly knew the Emperor¡¯s true motivation for imprisoning her from the very beginning¡ªand the awful truth of the great tragedy that even some of the Imperial Family were unaware of.


    <em>If it were me, would I have acted like her when I found out the truth?</em> Joshua shook his head. The reality was, it wasn¡¯t the kind of thing you could deal with in a rational manner.


    ¡°Why am I crying¡­¡± Sersiarin could be heard sniffling behind the wall. ¡°I¡¯m fine, but why does it feel like you lost something¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sad?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Joshua fumbled for words for a moment before resolving himself.


    He had to make sure. Had she really known, all this time?


    As for helping her, he¡¯d decide afterwards.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why you were born with a disability¡­?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The tragedy of your birth.¡±


    She didn¡¯t answer, but that told Joshua everything. She knew, even before they¡¯d met in his past life.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª!¡±


    This wasn¡¯t the usual ce for the Emperor to receive guests; it was a private annex in the back corner of the Pce.


    ¡°I greet His Majesty Marcus von Britten, and sun of the Empire and the great Master of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Are you the messenger¡¯s daughter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± She bowed. ¡°My name is Anna belle Grace.¡±


    Emperor Marcus smiled warmly at the youngdy. ¡°Did you enjoy my present?¡±


    ¡°I am very grateful to His Majesty for his gift.¡±


    ¡°Good!¡± Marcus pped his hands andughed.


    ¡°By the way,¡± he whispered furtively. ¡°I¡¯ve heard things are a bitplicated¡­¡±


    Anna¡¯s expression tightened.


    ¡°Has he finally shown himself, after all these years?¡±


    ¡°It was just a normal rumor¡ªAvalon has Duke Aden von Agnus, and Swallow has Archduke Lucifer.¡±


    ¡°Is there any way out of this?¡± Emperor Marcus leaned back with a tranquil smile on his face. ¡°No matter how good of a messenger your father is, it¡¯s not going to be easy on him.¡±


    ¡°To tell you the truth, I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Emperor Marcus was surprised. It seemed the girl had the same sentiments as her father. No doubt it had to do with the peculiar spiritual bond between them.


    <em>I¡¯ve never seen them say anything so weakly in all the years we¡¯ve known each other.</em>


    He didn¡¯t call someone a ¡°messenger¡± on a whim. Her father was an undefeated general¡ªsimply unbeatable.


    Draxia belle Grace.


    <em>And now, I just want it more¡­</em> Marcus¡¯s grin stretched wider.


    He was of the same mind. bis¡¯s appearance was an entirely unexpected variable¡ªeverything went wrong as soon as he appeared. Even the Emperor didn¡¯t expect the Swallow Empire¡¯stest defeat.


    ¡°After this, how dare you say you¡¯re not confident.¡±


    Anna struggled to breath, shivering uncontrobly.


    ¡°You were one hundred percent confident in victory. That was why I showed you mercy.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty the Emperor¡ª¡± Anna clutched her neck desperately. With a low level of mana resistance, she was gasping for air.


    The Emperor reigned in his mana, allowing the blue-faced girl to fall to the ground.


    ¡°Ugh! She coughed violently. ¡°Haack! Thank you for your eternal kindness¡ª¡±


    The Emperorughed at her pain.


    ¡°Do not interfere,¡± he said. ¡°I will reward you with the Duke¡¯s seat.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Anna¡¯s eyes were wide with astonishment. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your father would understand.¡±


    Anna bit her lip asprehension dawned.


    Eliminating the border guards was unnecessary. That is to say¡­


    <em>Even this is a game to Emperor Marcus. He¡¯s insane, a madman obsessed with murder and war.</em>


    Anna quickly pivoted.


    ¡°But this is too much, Your Majesty. I don¡¯t know if we¡¯re able to ept.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s lips curled upwards. ¡°Jaken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Anna broke into a cold sweat when a ck figure appeared out of nowhere.


    ¡°Would you mind answering for me? Who dares to stand in the way of what I want to do in this Empire?¡±


    ¡°Everything is done ording to His Majesty¡¯s wishes,¡± the spy replied without hesitation.


    ¡°Tell your father not to be concerned,¡± the Emperor said with a smile. ¡°We will proceed as nned.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°No stopping. Not until it¡¯s over.¡±


    The Emperor turned to Jaken.


    ¡°Jaken. Prepare in secret; make sure nobody notices.¡±


    ¡°I heed and obey.¡±


    ¡°I am not a patient person,¡± Marcus said to Anna. ¡°I will not be kept waiting for long.¡±


    ¡°We will return as soon as possible.¡±


    Emperor Marcus stood up and walked away, amusement dancing on his lips.


    Anna, too frightened to even raise her head, was left to shiver in fear.

 Chapter 96

    Emperor Marcus, also known as the cold blooded ruler, drew innumerable rivers of blood before seeding to the throne, as his nickname implies.


    Not to mention his adversaries: brothers, cousins, and even distant rtives.


    People who inherited even a smidgeon of the royal family''s blood were ughtered until their seeds dried up.


    The body count eventually piled up to a mountain, and it spilled blood enough to fill a river that flows around the Imperial pce.


    There was no single male of the family other than Emperor Marcus who was left with the surname Britten. Of course this implies the generation before his sons.


    Fearing that the Emperor Marcus'' pure bloodline would be cut off, there were only a few rtives who could be termed the Imperial Family at the time, and they took a very frightening and extreme move.


    <em>¡®That is the tragedy of the Britten family¡­ and throughout the Avalon Empire¡¯s history, it will be remembered as the darkest catastrophe.¡¯</em>


    As he grumbled inside, Joshua''s eyes dropped down.


    Beyond the wall, Princess Sersiarin was the first casualty of that disaster.


    <em>¡®There was a good reason why the Princess was born with such congenital impairment¡­ because of the inbreeding of the Brittens.¡¯</em>


    Joshua gave a sour smile and shifted his gaze to the huge wall in front of him.


    Princess Sersiarin, if his memory serves him correctly,


    Emperor Marcus and his cousin had a child as a result of incest.


    And thus the princess was a really pure blooded royal.


    ¡°Please tell me! Please tell me how much you know¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Princess Sersiarin?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua took a step back when another woman''s voice came from behind the wall.


    ¡°Are you talking to the wall?¡±


    ¡°Oh! No¡­ what¡¯s going on Ellen?¡±


    Princess Sersiarin mumbled the inquiry, unable to mask her shame.


    ¡°Your health¡­ I know you¡¯re not feeling well yet you¡¯re still here. Let¡¯s go in now, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I see¡ª¡±


    Joshua, who grasped the general atmosphere, sighed briefly and turned around.


    <em>''We will meet again when the time is right.''</em>


    Joshua murmured to himself and started walking slowly.


    Joshua''s figure swiftly vanished from the scene, leaving behind the wall that soared high as if it might cut through the sky.


    <em>''I don¡¯t believe it. He seemed to know everything.''</em>


    As she returned her gaze to the flower garden full of vibrant flowers, the girl''s face was flushed with surprise.


    The girl was sitting beside the window, cushioned under a soft pillow while reminiscing the earlier encounter.


    The girl''s attractiveness could not be hidden even though her eyes, which are an important element of her appearance. But she closed her lids and frowned.


    Is she ten years old now?


    Her blonde hair shone beautifully in the sunlight, as if to boast that she inherited royal blood, and her small face, straight nose, and dense features below that were in perfect harmony with her little face.


    It¡¯s like she has never been outside the sun before. It seems life if she really did go outside, her pristine white skin will melt.


    And even though she¡¯s angry, everyone will still think of her as an adorable doll.


    Due to her young age, she was still simply a doll-like kid who everyone would admire at least once, but she is on her way to bing one of the empire''s most beautiful girls.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Ellen, the private maidbing her hair from behind, inclined her head so she couldprehend Princess Sersiarin''s little mutter.


    ¡°Have you ever heard the name Joshua Sanders, Ellen?¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders?¡±


    Ellen''s skepticism became more pronounced.


    ¡°I''m not sure? No middle name impliesmoners, right? Do you know someone with that name?¡±


    <em>''Is he a peasant?''</em>


    Princess Sersiarin snorted a little when she heard Ellen''s remarks out of her one ear.


    Ordinary people who have no knowledge of the whereabouts of the imperial family must be oblivious of this secret that only a few members of the royal family are aware of.


    ¡°Ah, now that I think about it¡ª¡±


    Ellen pped her hands for a little moment, as if contemting something.


    ¡°I was curious if it was familiar, but I believe I''ve heard the name Joshua before.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Princess Serciarin inquired, her voice anxious.


    Because there were so many people''s names and their families in the Empire, the chances that they were the same individual were slim.


    <em>¡®I can always double check¡­ since I remember the feeling that he gave me even if he was beyond the wall¡­ I will definitely know if it¡¯s him.¡¯</em>


    Princess Sersiarin''s face was filled with confidence.


    In any case, the presence or absence of a wall didn''t matter to her.


    She was still blind even if there was no wall.


    ¡°Tell me, Ellen, When was the first time you heard the name?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª It¡¯s because I heard something on the way here.¡±


    ¡°Please speak.¡±


    Ellen, who had been afraid to respond, suddenly sighed in response to Princess Sersiarin''s desperate face.


    ¡°The knights said that we have a new talent with the name of Joshua.¡±


    ¡°You mean one of the people who can be considered as the continent¡¯s most gifted?¡±


    Ellen smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Yes¡­ and the other one was Babel von Agnus. His Majesty was very happy because this could be good for our Empire.¡±


    ¡°So his name was Joshua¡ª¡±


    <em>¡®I expected him to be an unusual person, but I never imagined that he would be a great person because his voice sounded so young.¡¯</em>


    Selene spoke up after seeing princess Sersiarin contemting.


    ¡°It¡¯s not confirmed yet¡­ because in order to be a solid little star, everyone must acknowledge him.¡±


    ¡°You mean because of the fact that he was nominated means that there is a huge chance of it being true, right?¡±


    ¡°That is true¡­ because people who had been nominated before excelled in the Reinhardtpetition that attracts people from all across thend.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s like that.¡±


    Selene continued speaking with a strong expression on her face as Princess Sersiarin gently nodded her head.


    ¡°However¡­ ording to the knights, the majority of aristocracy are opposed to this topic.¡±


    ¡°What are you suddenly saying?¡±


    Princess Sersiarin asked a query with a tilt of her head.


    ¡°They say that aristocats are wary because those geniuses has big chance to be nine stars in the future, and given the fact that there¡¯s two little stars from one family is so¡ª¡±


    Princess Sersiarin flinched and shook at Selene''s following remarks.


    <em>¡®Two little stars from the same family?¡¯</em>


    Was Joshua rted to the other two geniuses?


    There was only one person¡­


    ¡°All well, then. Maybe that person named Joshua¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Selene vigorously nodded and finally continued herstments.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus is his full name. He is imed to be Duke Aden von Agnus''s second son, the Empire''s pride.¡±


    Just now, an unexpected visitor appeared at Duke Agnus'' office.


    ¡°I greet the Duke.¡±


    ¡°Chiffon? What brings you here?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    Chiffon threw a regretful grimace towards the end of his speech.


    <em>¡®I couldn''t speak the truth since the Duchess had ordered it.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Howe there isn''t a response?¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies, Your highness.¡±


    Chiffon knelt on the floor right away.


    Duke Agnus raised the atmosphere.


    Chiffon gulped hard when his body started shaking violently against his will.


    ¡°I inquired. What brings you here as a Knight of the duke?¡±


    ¡°Oh Duke¡­ Please, don¡¯t be enraged.¡±


    ¡°Valderas den Chiffon, tell me who is the Lord you serve.¡±


    Chiffon bit his lips when he realized that he needed to answer the question.


    ¡°Ah, Duke Aden von Agnus, the big star over Avalon, is my master¡ª!¡±


    Chiffon couldn''t take it any longer and mmed his head on the marble tiled floor.


    Duke Agnus''s ferocious fury toward him grew stronger.


    ¡°I''m well aware that you pay more attention to Vanessa than mine.¡±


    ¡°This is a misunderstanding¡­ Keugh¡ª¡±


    ¡°I decided to leave you alone since you¡¯re doing well with your job, but you crossed the line this time¡­ do you plead guilty?¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies¡ª¡±


    ¡°Exin why you should be forgiven.¡±


    Chiffon frantically shook his head.


    <em>¡®Make sure you don''t get this one wrong.¡¯</em> he kept telling himself.


    When it came to blunders, the master was not particrly forgiving.


    Now is the time to speak the truth.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor... he ordered a private meeting with Young Master Babel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I need to guard Young Master Babel back and forth the Duchy¡­ AAAACKK!¡±


    Chiffon heaved a hard cough as the energy that had crushed his entire body vanished like a lie.


    ¡°Is it urate what you just said?¡±


    ¡°I swear on my life, there isn''t a single lie.¡±


    ¡°Aside from that, what else have you failed to inform me of?¡±


    Chiffon instantly straightened his stance in response to Duke Agnus'' question.


    ¡°There is no such thing!¡±


    ¡°You will, without a doubt, have to think and respond. If something simr urs again¡ª¡±


    <em>¡®I could predict enough even if I didn''t listen to his next words.¡¯</em>


    Chiffon mmed his head against the ground once more.


    ¡°Not at all, Duke! Have faith in me!¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    After casting a frigid re at Chiffon''s back, Duke Agnus rose to his feet.


    ¡°Can you tell me where Babel is now?¡±


    ¡°I only know that he will have a private meeting with the Emperor and nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Alone with the Emperor¡ª?¡±


    Duke Agnus'' impression hardened even more.


    ¡°Chiffon, I can only give you one piece of advice, as a lord.¡±


    ¡°Haah! Please say so.¡±


    ¡°If you want to pursue that n of yours, learn how to grope the string that won¡¯t break. Because if you hold onto a string that will, you and that person will stumble together¡­ You must know how to strive harder as you grow older.¡±


    ¡°My lord¡¯s advice, I will engrave it deep into these bones!¡±


    ¡°Go rest for a moment.¡±


    ¡°All right, I''ll ept your orders!¡±


    Chiffon quickly followed suit.


    Duke Agnus left the office and Chiffon alone.


    He didn¡¯t even look back at theying Chiffon on the ground.


    ¡°Damn this.¡±


    Chiffon let out a furious cuss word as he was left alone.


    <em>¡®I know how to cut the line myself. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m doing now.¡¯</em>


    If he insist on using the iron fist,


    ¡°Who willugh at the end, my lord, I¡¯d like to see with my own two eyes.¡±

 Chapter 97

    Emperor Marcus divided his battalions up ording to their skills; therefore, the Imperial Knights¡¯ training facilities were likewise ¡°differentiated¡± to the point that it was a bit unfair.


    To begin with, the sunny lodgings and training facilities of the 1st through 3rd Battalions were arranged into a neat triangle around the Imperial Pce. The remainders¡ªthe 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Battalions<sup>1</sup>¡ªguarded the outskirts of the Pce. A unique formation, to be sure, but it was undoubtedly the most practical approach to guarding the Pce; each Battalion worked as a single organism to protect the Imperial Pce.


    That aside, Joshua was headed towards the massive Imperial Fortress, directly opposite from the Imperial Pce. He could hear the crowd¡¯s cheering growing louder as he approached.


    <em>It¡¯s been a long time,</em> Joshua grumbled¡ªbut he was grinning. In some ways, his ns weren¡¯t so different from what he¡¯d done in his previous life. <em>I also came here before entering the Imperial Pce, before bing particrly powerful.</em> Joshua cast a hazy nce into the horizon, much like his old mercenary buddies. <em>I could proudly say that it was a job that was ours¡ªperfectly.</em>


    Two massive training halls appeared as he closed in on his goal; they were the training grounds of the 11th and 12th Battalions. Despite their reputation as ¡°bastards¡± with no connections, they had remained here without change for several decades.


    ¡°ARGHHHH!¡± Weapons shed.


    ¡°AHAHAHA! Are you feeling good, Ranger? Is that it? Does it feel good to have a bastard pinning you now?¡±


    ¡°Do you hear yourself? You¡¯re in the 12th Battalion¡ªlower than mine.¡±


    ¡°What? So how do you differentiate the top battalions from our bunch? You prideful bastard¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why His Majesty said that all the fools must be mercenaries! You don¡¯t even know how the battalions are divided up!¡±


    ¡°What? Did you just call me a fool? Scum!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing that never changes,¡± Joshua remarked with a hearty chuckle as he passed by the boisterous voices and tter of metal.


    Eventually, Joshua arrived at his destination. One of the two enormous training halls, fit to house dozens of people, was empty, as if it had been shut down for the day. The other hall was packed to the brim; hundreds of people watched two men exchanging blows.


    ¡°Looks like today is the day,¡± Joshua muttered, running his eyes over the hall.


    The audience was split in two, each cheering for a different knight.


    ¡°Hey Ranger! I bet all of this month¡¯s pocket money on you, so you¡¯d better win! m that guy into the ground! Show them how the 11th Battalion ys!¡±


    ¡°Kases! If you lose, I¡¯m gonna be kicked out of the house! I bet everything my wife and I have! Save me!¡±


    The raspy voice made Joshua smile. The lowest battalions, the 11th and 12th, used to have regr fights like these. It was supposed to fosterpanionship throughpetition¡ªbut it backfired.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s been so long¡­¡± Joshua smiled warmly and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve missed this badly.¡±


    As he was musing, one of the swords wasunched away and went crashing into the corner of the training hall. The victor pointed his sword andughed, while the loser looked desperate.


    ¡°ARGH!¡±


    ¡°My word¡ª¡±


    ¡°I knew it! I knew Ranger wouldn¡¯t let anyone from a lower battalion sully the 11th Battalion¡¯s honor! But, uh¡­ this is very shameful.¡±


    The loser threw away his pride and clutched at the victor¡¯s pants.


    ¡°Brother Ranger! Save me just this once¡ªI mean, you know my wife, right? Everything I do annoys her and I can feel my dick shrinking in shame. Since I lost, she¡¯s going to take everything from me. I don¡¯t know what to do!¡±


    ¡°What? Look at this dunderhead, heheh. You willing to take a chance?¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Ranger looked down on Kases mockingly. ¡°I didn¡¯t notice you, I thought you were a bug. What were you saying? Do you a favor, hmmmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha! Ranger, you do realize that if you save him, he¡¯ll have more chances to attack you in the future?¡± One of the other knights patted Ranger on the shoulder.


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°I know how to repay my favors, so please,¡± Kases begged. ¡°Help me, Brother Ranger, please¡­¡±


    The audience on one side wasughing their heads off; on the other side, they were shaking their heads.


    ¡°Kases is a disgrace to the 12th Battalion.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, that thing isn¡¯t a knight. He¡¯s worse than a bug.¡±


    Joshua slowly made his way into the middle of the mob.


    ¡°Oh? Who is this kid?¡±


    ¡°Where did youe from, kid?¡±


    ¡°Did some noble brat get lost on the way to the yground¡­¡±


    ¡°Kid¡­¡± Ranger eyed the boy. ¡°This is not a yground for the likes of you. Did you get lost?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m in the right ce.¡±


    Ranger scowled at him. It was clear he didn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for a reason¡­¡± Joshua smiled cruelly, capturing the mob¡¯s attention. Their faces lit up, eager to see what he had to say. ¡°I¡¯m here for¡­ Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.¡±


    The atmosphere was instantly dampened, as if they¡¯d been sshed with cold water.


    Two men were hiking through the dense woonds near the eastern gates of Arcadia. They arrived at a small, vacant lot.


    ¡°This is it,¡± the huge, middle-aged man on the left whispered, picking up a handful of dust. He had a low-pitched, pleasant voice that suited his stature nicely. He had a body like a boulder and a strong, in demeanor. However, his true identity was hardly pleasant: this was Marcus Lindblom, the Earth Magician.


    ¡°Huh.¡± The other man peered at Marcus¡¯s palm. ¡°The dust is different here.¡± He smiled.


    This man looked to have not yet reached his 30s. He had cool features, light-green hair, and a face that promised mischief. Theta Leyers¡ªhe, like Marcus Lindblom, was one of the Seven Magicians. Theta held the Storm seat, earning him the epithet ¡°Magician of the Wind.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not dirt, Theta,¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°I suppose not. Would it make you feel better if I called it ¡®ash?¡¯¡±


    A sudden gust of wind blew the dust out of Marcus¡¯s hand, drifting into the air as the Earth Magician watched.


    ¡°May Damocles¡¯s blessings be upon you¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too much!¡± Theta pped his hands together in emphasis. ¡°Your prayers are disrespecting the dead. May his soul stay with us even if his body is now dust.¡±


    ¡°Theta.¡± Marcus chastised Theta in hushed tones.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go and investigate, shall we?¡± Theta shrugged. ¡°I haven¡¯t been out in a long time.¡±


    Marcus frowned. ¡°You want to ditch so soon? The identity of the murder is not yet revealed.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s bothering you? There¡¯s a lot of evidence out here.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Theta straightened up.


    ¡°Close your eyes and imagine the wind rushing past you,¡± he instructed Marcus. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Marcus looked bewildered, but when he saw Theta¡¯s solemn expression he slowly closed his eyes. Theta was perpetually naughty, Marcus knew, but every now and then he could be deadly serious.


    His eyes were only closed for a moment.


    ¡°There¡¯s no mana?¡±


    Mana is naturally distributed throughout the atmosphere. It would be normal for mana to be concentrated in the heart of a dense forest like this¡ªhowever, there was not a smidgen to be found. What¡¯s more, it was only in a single ce, about 10 feet away from the pair.


    ¡°No way¡­ A mana vacuum¡­¡± Marcus was incredulous; he was well aware of the significance of this phenomenon.


    ¡°A vacuum manifests itself in two ways. One is a naturally urring phenomenon¡ªhowever, in a forest like this¡ªright next to the capital no less¡ªthere¡¯s no way it wouldn¡¯t have been discovered already.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one possibility. Circle rush.¡± Theta nodded firmly. ¡°If the heart of a ss 6 or higher magician is severely wounded¡­¡±


    Theta mimed an explosion with his hands.


    ¡°Total obliteration in a one kilometer radius. The problem is, this area is too clean; it only happened once, and recently.¡±


    ¡°Stone¡­¡± Marcus groaned.


    ¡°Yes¡­ It¡¯s like the Primordial Stone Magma¡¯s effect.¡± Theta¡¯s eyes glittered. ¡°This is his destination, and where he died¡­ but this is a forest. If he was pursued, he would¡¯ve left traces. He came here of his own will.¡± Theta gestured wildly.


    ¡°Do you understand? The perpetrator¡ªit was an individual, not a group. Jack was following Bronto. The vacuum indicates he found it. Assuming the worst case scenario¡­¡± He looked around. ¡°The person who killed him was the one who took Bronto. By finding the stone, we find the murderer.¡±

 Chapter 98

    ¡°Wait a minute¡ªwhat did the kid say?¡±


    ¡°Am I hearing this right? Is he talking about the Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle we¡¯re thinking about.¡±


    ¡°Hey, kid. That¡¯s not funny. Where did you hear that?¡±


    While the 11th and 12th Battalion¡¯s murmuring grew, Ranger calmly stepped forwards.


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re sure about what you just said?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips remained sealed.


    ¡°Hngh.¡± Ranger stretched his hand out to Joshua. ¡°Tell me where you live and we¡¯ll escort you out of the Pce. You must¡¯ve gotten lost or something¡ª¡± He suddenly stopped. ¡°A Deon Ring? Am I seeing this right? Is that really a Deon Ring?¡± Ranger seemed amused.


    Joshua infused mana into the ring, drawing surprised mumbles from the knights. Soon, his pristine white armor bathed them in its dazzling light.


    ¡°The Knight¡¯s Tomb!¡±


    ¡°Does that kid belong to Duke Agnus?¡±


    ¡°With an artifact like that, he must at least be a blood rtive, right?¡±


    Ranger cautiously opened his mouth. ¡°Are you a child of Duke Agnus?¡±


    ¡°I am Joshua von Agnus; I¡¯m here for the Bloody Battle.¡±


    A deafening stillness fell over the stunned men.


    ¡°A child of Avalon, Joshua von Agnus,¡± Ranger whispered. ¡°An unprecedented genius who could control mana before the age of ten. Rumors say he was born in the Agnus Duchy.¡± The knight eyed Joshua. ¡°Is that right, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle is practically a fairytale now?¡±


    ¡°If an Imperial Knight loses, their position is immediately revoked; on the other hand, the winner is promoted to Imperial Knight, regardless of their former rank. However, whatever happens during the fight is between the fighters and no one else¡ªsuch is the will of His Majesty, Marcus von Britten. Disobedience is taken as treason.¡± Joshua stared Ranger dead in the eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ It seems like you¡¯re well aware, but you still want to join?¡±


    Joshua nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Ranger looked around and sighed. ¡°Is anyone willing to take part?¡±


    The knights quickly averted their gaze, leaving the training hall quiet enough to hear a needle drop. They knew how brutal the battle would be.


    <em>If we win it¡¯ll be a huge problem. If the Young Master is seriously injured, there¡¯s no guarantee that he¡¯ll let it go given the nobles¡¯ pride.</em> Ranger groaned to himself. <em>Of course, we are protected by His Majesty¡­</em>


    Above all, Duke Aden von Agnus, the great star of Avalon, was held in the highest esteem by the knights of the 11th and 12th Battalions. Who would want to do something that would cast them in a bad light to their role model?


    <em>He just had toe when the Battalion Commanders were gone¡­</em>


    Ranger gave Kases, his opponent, a pained look.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Did you hit something weird, Sir Ranger?¡± Kases clutched his stomach. ¡°Why am I suddenly in pain¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Ranger shook his head, ¡°but we need a C-ss Knight at least. That¡¯s the best we can do to stop someone from getting hurt.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna fight me?¡± Joshua quietly asked as Ranger stepped forward.


    ¡°Exactly. But I¡¯m not that merciful¡ª¡±


    ¡°How do you see yourself, in this situation?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Ranger frowned.


    ¡°I heard that you¡ªthe 11th Battalion¡ªaren¡¯t like the other battalions, but it seems like there¡¯s quite the simrity between you and the 12th. But the problem is¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s face reddened, but he couldn¡¯t hold in hisughter. ¡°People with a rmendation from the Imperial Family climb the ranks quickly, but I guess that¡¯s not the case for you, right?¡±


    ¡°Young Master¡­ Wh-what are you saying?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the ability¡ªor maybe the courage¡ªto beat the top battalions, so you just pity yourself. As for the rest? Just look at them: they look terrified because they don¡¯t know what to do. Aren¡¯t you just a bunch of cowards?¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s words cut deep, and stung like salt in the wound. The fact was, they tried their hardest to ignore the truth lest it wipe out the final vestiges of the 11th and 12th Battalions¡¯ pride.


    Like Ranger, the half-curious, half-interested mood had disappeared from the knights¡¯ faces. Right now, they were openly hostile to Joshua.


    ¡°Ranger,¡± Kases said with a cool, quiet voice, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of this.¡±


    Unlike Ranger¡¯s cool impression, Kases¡¯s voice held a frightening edge.


    ¡°Kases?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tolerate this kind of attitude. This kid needs to learn that a knight¡¯s pride and honor isn¡¯t something he can trample over.¡± Kases stepped towards Joshua. ¡°Young Master, oh, my Young Master. Please don¡¯tin when you get hurt.¡±


    ¡°You?¡± Joshua gasped andughed again.


    He couldn¡¯t be more insulting. Kases finally snapped.


    ¡°How dare you. This brat has no humility! Do you get it from your surname? I¡¯ll tell you now, it¡¯s not gonna help you in the future!¡±


    The other knights joined in, battering Kases¡¯s ears with their shouts.


    ¡°Kases, you better do it right! If you¡¯re nning on holding back, then get out! I¡¯ll do it for you!¡±


    ¡°That kid shouldn¡¯t p his gob! Make him pay by crushing those jaws!¡±


    ¡°Make sure he gets what he deserves for asking for Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle!¡±


    The knight in question slowly retrieved his de from the corner where it hadnded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it my all. I¡¯ll crush your sword and show you how big the sky is.¡± With that, Kases began injecting mana into his sword, tearing the air open as it coated his de. It wasn¡¯t the cloudy mana of a C-ss Knight; rather, his mana was dense and defined. The 11th and 12th Battalions, as expert knights, were bordering on B-ss.


    ¡°You can raise your de at me and maybe scratch me a little when you¡¯re a B-ss Knight¡ªbut you¡¯re C-ss! Just look at the difference between us!¡±


    ¡°Well, there have been people who said the same thing as you, but¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s smile grew as he drew Lugia from its subspace, to Kases¡¯s astonishment. ¡°...I don¡¯t care about your ss.¡±


    He began pumping mana into his spear. Bright white currents of electricity poured into the ground, scattering in all directions and driving the knights into a hasty retreat. Soon, the electricity began to umte into a single point¡ªinto Lugia, to be precise.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­¡± Kases gaped at Joshua as the white light flooded from the boy¡¯s body into Lugia.


    Before, the mana was like oil meeting water. Now, the blue mana from Joshua¡¯s hand mixed freely with a color they couldn¡¯tprehend, adorning Lugia in bright splendor. It was not inferior to Kases¡¯s mana in any way¡ªin fact, it even seemed to be clearer and better defined.


    It was obvious to everyone that Joshua had the aura of a B-ss Knight.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m a C-ss?¡±

 Chapter 99

    ¡°Your Majesty¡ªYoung Master Babel von Agnus, the pride and talent of the Empire, is waiting for you in the reception area.¡±


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s here?¡± The Emperor looked up and smiled, straightening his clothes and his posture. ¡°Evergrant,¡± he asked, ¡°that thing I asked you for¡ªis it done?¡±


    ¡°This is it, Your Majesty.¡± Evergrant drew something from his sleeves and offered it to the Emperor.


    Marcus grinned deeply as he examined the clear, swirling contents of the handcrafted vial. It was small, yet mesmerizing.


    ¡°This is the elixir that restores long-lost memories, right?¡±


    ¡°That is true, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Side effects? Expected results?¡±


    ¡°This is for reviving old memories, not creating new ones. The impact will be excellent, and we are expecting no side effects.¡±


    ¡°As expected of Wizard Evergrant.¡± The Emperor returned Evergrant¡¯s smile with satisfaction. ¡°How about mass-producing the Elixir, now that an antidote has been created?¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s face became worried.


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible, Your Majesty. Unlike the antidote, I didn¡¯t create the Elixir itself.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I can see you¡¯re hesitant.¡± Marcus eyed the unhappy wizard. ¡°I heard the Magic Tower offered to make you the next Magician of Thunder. Is it true?¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes widened, though his expression remained unchanged.


    ¡°Seeing your shock, I¡¯d like to remind you that I have eyes and ears all over the continent.¡± The Emperor shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re a pretty capable magician yourself; it¡¯s not a question of whether or not you can fit in the Seven. I¡¯m just a little sad, you see, that the great Avalon will lose a great talent like you. There are not many people like you nowadays.¡±


    ¡°You see¡­¡± Evergrant appeared to ponder something, then opened his mouth with renewed determination. ¡°I already rejected their proposal. I will never leave Your Majesty¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Marcus smiled, but it was a strange smile. ¡°Is it because of the Fourth Prince, after all?¡±


    ¡°The¡ª¡± Evergrant stopped.


    Emperor Marcus could read his subjects like an open book, to say nothing of events happening in the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°I see the Fourth Prince as a snob with no regard for anything. So how was he able to fish up a talent like you?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Evergrant said, ¡°I serve Your Majesty, the Sun of the Empire, exclusively.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡± Marcus chuckled. ¡°And the Fourth Prince will have to keep his eyes open; if he meets my expectations, who knows? Maybe he will be the next one on the throne.¡±


    The Emperor tapped his palm against his throne.


    ¡°It was nice to see you, but I won¡¯t beat around the bush anymore. The Elixir isplete¡ªdo you need something in return? I¡¯ll hear it. If you want a title, I¡¯ll give it to you. Women? I can give you one that will hang onto your every word. I can give it to you, because it is within my power.¡±


    It was impossible to contradict that statement, arrogant as it was. This was none other than the Emperor of Avalon, Marcus von Britten.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Evergrant responded, eyes bright. ¡°I would like your approval to ess the Royal Archives.¡±


    ¡°The Archives?¡± Marcus tilted his head curiously. ¡°What an odd request. Isn¡¯t there something else you want? That¡¯s a bit¡­ I mean, I can give you anything you want.¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty. I¡¯m looking for something, and I know that I can find it in the Royal Archives.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve been looking for this for a long time now?¡± It seemed like Evergrant had piqued Emperor Marcus¡¯s interest.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m looking for a book.¡±


    ¡°A book?¡± Marcus leaned back into his throne, examining Evergrant with a smoldering curiosity. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that what you¡¯re looking for will be hard to find. It¡¯s like something an old-fashioned wizard would want.¡±


    The Emperor waved his hand.


    ¡°Jacken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± A man d entirely in ck appeared.


    ¡°As soon as the work is finished, open the Archives.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡±


    ¡°Very good. Then¡ª¡± Emperor Marcus pulled himself from his seat, casting a meaningful gaze towards the door. ¡°Tell Babel von Agnus to proceed to the court.¡±


    I can¡¯t believe what I just saw. I don¡¯t want to believe it, even if it¡¯s true.


    Kases has begun his career as a mercenary¡ªa rare urrence for an Imperial Knight.


    The mercenary guild of Igrant divided their ranks by skills and experience, as if imitating the Knights. Missions like running an errand, subjugating monsters, and participating in minor territorial disputes were 1-2 stars.


    For the guild to acknowledge someone as a true mercenary, a ¡°gold card,¡± they needed toplete at least a hundred 3-4 star quests. The chances of that happening were astronomical¡ªof a million mercenaries, only a hundred would receive the gold card.


    Kases had managed this feat before he reached the age of forty¡ªone of Kases¡¯s 4-star quests was taking the head of a B-ss Knight. He went on to be a mercenary knight in Aradia, thend of opportunity, and eventually even an Imperial Knight. Still, the long, slow journey had not sated his ambition.


    Up until this moment, he¡¯d done as he wished. He knew he could move up to the top battalions¡ªif he had the skills. The knights of the 11th and 12th Battalions struggled to climb to higher battalions, and were scorned for it.


    The young man in front of him was just stating the truth that Kases was trying to avoid. What¡¯s more, the boy had already mastered Aura at the tender age of ten.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to mock me!¡± Kases scoffed at the blue-haired boy. ¡°That can¡¯t be Aura! C-ss is a stretch of the imagination already, but now you¡¯re a B-ss? You¡¯re just a brat covering up your little tricks with the Duke¡¯s power!


    ¡°You should be ashamed!¡± Kases screamed, red-faced. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand how your childish behavior is harming the Duke¡¯s reputation?¡±


    Joshua justughed.


    ¡°Are you smiling!?¡± Kases¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°Do the 11th and 12th Battalions fight the Bloody Battle with their tongues?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we give this a shot instead?¡± Joshua brandished Lugia at the dumbfounded knight. ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Goddammit!¡± Kases didn¡¯t wait for someone to tell them to start¡ªhe leapt off the ground and sprinted towards Joshua, channeling his rage into the lethal edge of his de. It looked like he wanted to split Joshua¡¯s strangely-shaped artifact in two, but that was dangerous.


    ¡°Kases! Wait!¡± Ranger shouted at Kases, but it was toote. He could only watch in horror. This is bad, he¡¯ll be injured at this rate!


    Joshua watched Kases rush at him with dark eyes, clenching his hand around Lugia.


    If he tries to cut it in half, it could backfire. He should definitely observe his attack patterns first.


    Kases approached, bringing his four-foot de down at Lugia.


    If that¡¯s how you want it, then so be it. Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled as he stretched out Lugia to meet Kases¡¯s longsword.


    Kases¡¯s eyes widened, but his reason had returned toote. Joshua was moving too fast for Kases toprehend, much less avoid the confrontation with his Aura.


    Their weapons collided with a deafening roar, Joshua¡¯s spear meeting the tip of Kases¡¯s sword head-on. Ranger and some of the other knights turned their heads away and squeezed their eyes shut, imagining Joshua puking blood and passing out.


    But¡ª


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    The knights didn¡¯t know if they should be surprised or worried.


    ¡°This is fucking crazy,¡± Ranger spat.


    The Agnus boy wasn¡¯t the one spitting blood. It was his colleague, Kases, Imperial Knight of the 12th Battalion.


    ¡°I¡­ eugh¡­ lost.¡± Kases gazed up at Joshua with trembling eyes.


    Joshua slowly raised Lugia.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Ranger fearfully called out.


    ¡°Stop!¡±

 Chapter 100

    Joshua unconsciously looked towards the voice, but his gaze turned friendly.


    ¡°Viper?¡±


    His sunken eyes glowed brightly, as if poised to spit fire at any moment. The man¡¯s thick mustache was nowhere to be found, but his face was exactly as Joshua remembered.


    ¡°Why is the captain here?¡±


    ¡°I heard he was on vacation¡­¡±


    Therge but polite man carefully approached Joshua, ignoring the 12th Battalion¡¯s loud mumblings. His tall frame loomed over the ten year old boy, casting him in shadow.


    ¡°I have heard the rumors. Are you Young Master Joshua von Agnus?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Viper Baison, right?¡± Joshua peered intently up at him, wearing a sweet smile.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Surprise shed across his face. ¡°You seem to know me well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡±


    Viper examined Joshua with a puzzled expression.


    He hasn¡¯t changed. Joshua¡¯s grin widened as he recalled old times.


    Viper was more loyal and obedient than anyone else, even when Joshua was roughing it as a mercenary. He stood at the front lines, bravely breaking through anything in their path. He was a trustworthy leader, well-regarded by both his superiors and subordinates.


    He was one of the reasons why Joshua chose to join the Imperial Knights.


    I thought we would meet soon, but not this soon.


    Viper spoke up just before Joshua could.


    ¡°How well do you know Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°...Yourrades asked me the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The way Joshua described Viper as the knights¡¯ rade¡± rather than their ¡°captain¡± caught Viper¡¯s attention. ¡°Do you know the rules of Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle?¡±


    ¡°Rules?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°One, or even two, captains at the least should be present; we don¡¯t want anyone selling off their rank for money.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re here to see the results?¡± Joshuaughed. ¡°But from what I know, only the 10th Battalion and higher have captains. It¡¯s said that the 11th and 12th Battalions¡¯ captains are just puppets for formality¡¯s sake.¡±


    ¡°I was just exining the rules,¡± Viper calmly exined. ¡°The restrictions still apply, even if the captains in question have no power.¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­ Viper.¡±


    ¡°Kases?¡±


    Kases heaved himself up, covered in blood.


    His defeat was witnessed by a few hundred knights, whether they were following the rules or not. His fate was set in stone, and seeing Viper try to defend him only made his heart sink.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m alright, Commander.¡± He propped himself up on his unsteady knees and gingerly wiped the blood from the corners of his mouth. ¡°I always say that if we want to run away from the painful truth, we have to keep our pride intact at the very least.¡±


    ¡°Kases¡­ I know you¡¯re trying to keep your pride, but it never mattered. You said you wanted your kids to see you as a knight, rather than a scary mercenary, right?¡±


    Kases sagged.


    ¡°And what happens to your daughter? Your status gets her treated by a high priest in the capital¡¯s temple, but it isn¡¯t going to cure her. If you go back to being a mercenary, the priest will demand donations you can¡¯t afford to pay. What good is your pride when you have a family to feed?¡±


    Kases bit his lip, choking down his tears.


    ¡°Young Master,¡± Viper said to Joshua, ¡°I apologize on their behalf for showing you something so unsightly.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Joshua shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m actually grateful that nothing has changed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re worried about your subordinates, isn¡¯t there still a way?¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°I know the rules are different when a captain or a unitmander is the one losing the fight. Am I right?¡±


    ¡°Commander, this is ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°I would rather resign than make you fight the Young Master!¡±


    ¡°What is this trash¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you understand what you¡¯re saying, Young Master?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Joshua knew more about the fight than anyone else¡ªhe¡¯d seen it first hand.


    Each battalion had two seats¡ªtwo leaders. When the captain was absent, the unitmander assumedmand. On the off chance that one of them was defeated¡­


    I¡¯d stay an Imperial Knight, but I would be stripped of my rank. What¡¯s more, I¡¯d never be able to climb the ranks again.


    In other words, losing would mean he¡¯d be trapped in the low ranks forever. He¡¯d be doomed to watch his subordinates be promoted over him, and then watch his juniors do the same. Taking orders from someone you used to outrank was like a p to the face, to the point where it was preferable to resign of your own will.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same, even if I resign. It was foolish of me to think that there was another way around this.¡±


    ¡°Commander!¡±


    ¡°This never should have happened¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop that.¡± Viper looked over the silent knights with hard eyes. ¡°This role was only created because it gave us a better chance at survival.¡±


    ¡°Captain¡­¡±


    ¡°That aside, I consider you all myrades¡ªand my friends.¡± Viper looked around at the knights. Each one met his eyes and bowed. ¡°Young Master, you should be recognized by at least three knights of the battalion for you to rece me. In order to do that¡ª¡±


    ¡°I just need to be smarter than them.¡± Joshua smiled faintly.


    ¡°Are you sure? I mean, I''m embarrassed to say it, but the level of skill between you and the knights is significant. We were formally trained and ordained as the Empire¡¯s strongest knights.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Joshua took a step back to look at the knights. ¡°Then what¡¯s this trampled pride I smell in the air.¡± He hefted his spear and grinned at Viper.


    ¡°Five years,¡± he told the bewildered knight. ¡°I¡¯ll turn the 11th and 12th Battalions into the greatest knights that Avalon has ever seen.¡±


    I can do it. I can imitate it.


    Then, Joshua pumped unfathomable amounts of mana into Lugia. It hummed with barely-contained power.


    The knights could hear thunder. They didn¡¯t know where it came from, but it was certain that it had something to do with this¡­ spear. It felt like the same energy as when Joshua summoned his Aura, but what happened next waspletely unexpected.


    The crackling energy formed a third de between Lugia¡¯s original two. Its sheer power threatened to tear the fabric of the world in two, forcing some of the newer knights to shut their eyes and cover their ears.


    Viper stared at the spear, dumbfounded.


    ¡°Aura¡­ de.¡±


    ¡°I greet the dazzling Sun of Avalon, Your Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Babel. It¡¯s been a long time¡ªI recall thest time I saw you was when you graduated from the Academy.¡± Emperor Marcus smiled at the boy¡ªno, he¡¯d grown quite a bit. It would not be a stretch to call him a man already.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Babel bowed once again.


    ¡°Now, now. Please, raise your head.¡±


    ¡°As you will.¡±


    Babel¡¯s prim and proper manners made the Emperor¡¯s eyes crinkle.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve progressed even more. C-ss Intermediate, right? That¡¯s a great achievement! You make Avalon proud.¡±


    ¡°All by His Majesty¡¯s grace.¡± Babel bent his head once more.


    ¡°Oh, please. It was all because of your overflowing talent. You¡¯re gifted beyond measure.¡± Emperor Marcusughed heartily. ¡°What age are you now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fifteen this year.¡±


    ¡°Even your father wasn¡¯t at that level at your age, and you¡¯re not far from being B-ss. Keep up the great work! I¡¯m expecting great results soon.¡±


    A boy¡¯s face briefly shed through Babel¡¯s head. Why?


    Because it doesn¡¯t feel like this praise belongs to me?


    ¡°Your Majesty, there is still much to be done.¡± He smiled cruelly. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m still far from what you expect.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Marcus said, leaning in closer with a wide smile. ¡°Inparison to that boy, it¡¯s not nearly enough. Your brother, Joshua von Agnus¡ªbut worry not! I shall bestow a gift to you.¡±


    Emperor Marcus snapped his fingers with a boisterousugh. Jaken appeared and presented Babel with a vial of clear liquid.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but¡­ what is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift, for the Empire¡¯s greatest treasure. You may be able to obtain arge amount of mana through this, thus elerating your ns.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    The effects of such elixirs varied a little, but most boasted sky-high prices.


    ¡°Such a priceless present, Your Majesty¡ª¡±


    ¡°I order you to drink it.¡±


    Babel mumbled something iprehensible.


    ¡°Take it as soon as possible. If your father is busy, I can help you manage the effects of the elixir.¡±


    ¡°How can I impose on Your Majesty like this¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making that an order.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I shall obey.¡± Babel epted the elixir gracefully, oblivious to his monarch¡¯s ulterior motives. He let the delightful aroma tickle his nose for a moment, then downed the elixir.


    Emperor Marcus let his satisfaction show for a brief moment.


    Soon, another man emerged and slowly approached the ck, dull-eyed young man.


    ¡°It was a sess, Your Majesty.¡± The man bowed.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Evergrant.¡± Emperor Marcus rose from his throne and examined Babel.


    ¡°We met pretty frequently when you were a student at the Academy,¡± he said to the half-conscious boy. ¡°You made a pledge to me at that time. You must seed Aden von Agnus, which means you must not lose your position to your half brother. Do you understand?¡±


    Emperor Marcus smiled eerily, finding a glimmer of gold in Babel¡¯s vacant eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m cing my trust in you, Babel von Britten.¡±


    ¡°Father¡­¡±


    Frightening revtions in the Imperial Pce aside, five years passed in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 101

    There were many of noble blood in the vast territories of Avalon, but only five families could im the highest seats: the five Dukes. Their unique qualities had be the focus of Avalon¡¯s affairs in recent decades.


    Firstly, it is a pleasure to introduce the Sword of the Empire, the center of the Circle, Duke Aden von Agnus.


    Another Master, of the oldest family in the Empire: Duke Tremblin of the east.


    Hailing from a family known for producing Prime Ministers and other high-ranking politicians, Duke Prius of the west. It was said that Duke Tremblin and Duke Agnus lead by strength of arms, but Prius leads with his nobility.


    Duke Reiye of the north, known as the Empire¡¯s military counselor, was a master of diplomacy and strategy.


    Finally, in the south: Duke Pontier, who controlled half of Imperial trade.


    These were the five unshakeable pirs of the Empire.


    But times were changing. It seemed that one of the pirs was at risk of copsing.


    The room was ten square meters, modestly decorated.


    The woman was 170cm tall, just right for her age. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, like fire being bundled into a blinding sheaf; it had its benefits, though: it left her neck exposed. Ruby-like eyes twinkled underneath slightly raised eyebrows. Her reclining posture did nothing to hide her curves and cat-like beauty, which disyed the distinct features of the southern people. She was easily one of the three most attractive women in the entirety of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Young Lady Charles, it is time to go.¡±


    The woman sighed deeply as she was interrupted from her reverie¡ªIndeed, she was a woman now, having just turned eighteen.


    ¡°Cox, do we really need to go now? Can¡¯t we just stay here?¡± A rude noise escaped from her bright red lips.


    Time andbor had creased Cox¡¯s face, but it was safe to say he still loves money.


    ¡°You know you can¡¯t do that, right? If you disregard these customs, they will look down on you. That is the great nobles for you. But it¡¯s more than that; we should consider the Duke¡¯s heart.¡±


    ¡°Those motherfuckers¡­¡± Her sweet mouth blistered with curses. ¡°Marquis Crombell.¡±


    A lot has changed in thest five years. Duke Pontier, one of the most prominent figures in Avalon, had slowly declined. The absence of their patriarch had left the Pontiers in a worse position than expected.


    They lost for the first time. It wasn¡¯t just their financial strength, as crucial as it was. The number of knights, their quality, and the quantity of rank-and-file soldiers all fell behind Crombell.


    And then, the Mercenary King. The Ax Master. Someone outside the Twelve Families and Nine Stars, someone with his own rules and nows.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to rub it in,¡± Cox continued glumly, ¡°but with the continual decline of the Duke¡¯s health, I¡¯m afraid that the Young Lady will have to take over soon.¡±


    Charles bit her lip anxiously.


    ¡°This birthday of the First Prince is only celebrated once a year. So please, Young Lady, don¡¯t let the Pontier name die.¡±


    ¡°I understand, Cox.¡± Charles sighed and rose from her seat with a resolute expression. There wasn¡¯t much time left till the feast, so she had to prepare immediately.


    ¡°Do you mind going out for now, Cox? I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll need to rush my preparations now.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Young Lady.¡± Cox smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯ll instruct the attendants to assist you.¡±


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    Cox bowed and left Charles to gaze out the window.


    None of her sources were reliable anymore.


    <em>But why do I still remember the face of the boy who broke my heart? Do I miss him?</em>


    That was a time when she could be carefree, like a child.


    ¡°Hahh¡­¡±


    Charles¡¯s long sigh carried the weight of a world.


    The door to the 9th Battalion captain¡¯s office mmed open.


    ¡°Are you cking off again?¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡± The room¡¯s owner fell off the sofa where he waszily napping in the warm sunlight.


    ¡°Tch.¡± He scratched his head. ¡°Sir, I¡¯m not cking. You know, while I had my eyes closed I¡¯ve defeated more opponents than you have. Isn¡¯t that the most important thing?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re full of shit.¡± The middle-aged intruder sighed and shook his head. ¡°Did you forget, Valmont?¡±


    ¡°Sir¡­ What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°This is not a joke,¡± Rod den Hogg,mander of the Imperial Knights, answered. ¡°It¡¯s the First Prince¡¯s birthday. Do you think it¡¯s fine for one of the captains to be sleeping in the corner while everyone needs him?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a job for the top three battalions?¡± Valmont pouted at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s just in case. Don¡¯t be so rxed.¡±


    ¡°Meh. You¡¯d have to be crazy to attack the prince while he¡¯s surrounded by the most elite knights in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Valmont!¡± Hogg, also known as the ¡°Rod Night,¡± scowled.


    ¡°Ahh! No matter how proud the 9th Battalion is, they¡¯re not happy! Their only job was to patrol the outskirts, like a lousy sub-battalion.¡±


    Rod sighed again.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just ept it? If you do your best, no one will be able to ignore your men¡ªI mean, isn¡¯t it obvious when you see him? Don¡¯t tell me you still don¡¯t understand how he changed the 11th and 12th Battalions from chaff into some of the finest in the Knights Temr.¡±


    ¡°That kid is a monster.¡± Valmont scowled.


    ¡°So are you, in my opinion. When you were in your twenties, you and your B-ss status were equally monstrous. You might bezy, but I know you, Valmont den Brown, are one of the most talented leaders in the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a kid anymore,¡± he replied, but his lips curled into a pleased smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t think themander thought so highly of me, though.¡± Valmont stood up, still wearing that smile.


    ¡°Now that he¡¯s a baron, I think he might have a little too much work.¡± Valmont paused to think and then shrugged. ¡°Well, not that I mind. I¡¯m a viscount.¡±


    He turned to his superior.


    ¡°Where is he now, by the way?¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, he¡¯s out there doing his duty.¡±


    ¡°He must be excited because of the banquet.¡± Valmont grinned cruelly. ¡°Ah, I¡¯d better make an appearance as well.¡±


    ¡°Valmont.¡± Unlike Valmont¡¯s twinkling silver eyes, Rod¡¯s expression was irate.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°The difference between being the best and being a Master is <em>enlightenment</em>.¡±


    Valmont stared at the Knight Commander, startled by his seriousness.


    ¡°Exploring new things and fighting stronger swordsmen are better than practicing alone. I already told you, you¡¯re the most talented person I know; if you¡¯ve hit a wall, it¡¯s because youck experience. You¡¯re still a kid, after all.¡±


    <em>He knew? As expected.</em> Valmont smiled bitterly.


    ¡°Commander.¡±


    Rod paused as he was about to walk through the door.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you down. I will prove that I¡¯m better than Joshua.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± Themander closed the door behind him with a softugh.


    Valmont pondered his words.


    ¡°It¡¯s Baron Joshua.¡±

 Chapter 102

    Return of the Unrivaled Spear Knight Chapter 102


    The birthday party of the First Prince, Kiser von Britten, was a grand celebration, fit for the heir apparent. The banquet hall, which could hold over a thousand guests, was already packed¡ªit had been an Avalon custom for an extraordinarily long time to not miss the birthday of an unmarried prince or princess. Such events were known as the prince¡¯s (or princess¡¯s) ball.


    The long rows of tables were piled high with fish and other seafood, but the nobility were unconcerned with such petty delights; they gathered in groups of three to five and chattered between themselves. They had upied themselves with their own agendas before the main character had even arrived.


    Nobles live for their own glory. As such, they tended to choose a partner of simr means; so, even if their outward appearance was less than satisfactory, the groom would be willing to ignore it.


    And yet, any Young Lady of an esteemed house would be humiliated if no one asked for her hand in dance. Family aside, it would imply that shecked feminine allure. What the young women present at today¡¯s ball were most concerned about, however, was which girl would be the Prince¡¯s partner by the end of the night.


    ¡°Just once, I wish I could be the Prince¡¯s partner,¡± sighed one of the youngdies clustered at the side of the banquet hall.


    ¡°Don¡¯t dream too much. That would mean beating the women from more powerful families.¡± Another girl gestured towards the center of the hall, where the daughters of the powerful counts¡ªnotably the Twelve Marquis¡ªstood in the limelight.


    ¡°It¡¯s just wishful thinking! Stop reading into it so much.¡±


    ¡°So dream more realistically, girl.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying? It¡¯s all the same.¡±


    A different girl, this one a petite, cute blonde, raised her finger and tilted her head inquisitively. ¡°Aside from the Prince, who is our Empire¡¯s most popr bachelor?¡±


    The otherdies mulled over it for a while.


    ¡°Young Master Babel?¡±


    ¡°There are others apart from Young Master Babel, of course. Not talent-wise, I mean,¡± the girl shrugged, ¡°but maybe in appearance.¡±


    The blonde girl¡¯s eyes became misty and absent.


    ¡°Ah, here she goes again.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m sick? Not even Young Master Veron¡¯s face impressed me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what? Young Master Veron where? You saw him?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mentioned it, Senna, I want to see him too. But there¡¯s so many knights present, it¡¯s going to be like finding a needle in a haystack.¡±


    ¡°Oh, right! Isn¡¯t Senna¡¯s father the Imperial Knight¡¯smander?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Senna smirked proudly. ¡°You must know that the Imperial Knights have quite a few very attractive men.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s true. I mean, I know the training is hard, but at least no one from the Imperial Knights looks like the unlucky son of Count Shibre.¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± One of the girls shot a nce at the big man in question as he strolled over to the central table. ¡°Keep your voice down!¡± She nced around nervously. ¡°My father told me something,¡± she said in hushed tones. ¡°Count Shibre discovered a mine that could output the Empire¡¯s budget for at least several years!¡±


    ¡°Surely not?¡± Senna inquired with wide eyes.


    ¡°Yes. My father is in total control of the Imperial Archives! Not too long ago, he saw that there were high-grade mana stones being stocked up and sold¡ªfrom Count Shibre, of course.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ If that¡¯s the case, then a new power has risen, right?¡±


    ¡°I believe Count Shibre¡¯s goal is to add another seat to the Twelve Families! It seems like the Emperor was happy, so maybe the umted favor means it¡¯s not impossible? Especially now, it won¡¯t hurt to add another family!¡±


    ¡°Uh-uh. I don¡¯t like this¡­ and I¡¯m not dancing with someone with,¡± Senna cast a fearful look at Count Shibre¡¯s son, ¡°that kind of look.¡±


    Even though it wasn¡¯t particrly hot outside, his entire body ran with sticky oils. His face was bloated with an excess of fat and flesh, just barely revealing the two pinholes that were allegedly supposed to be his eyes.


    As the daughter of a knight, Senna despised a man that couldn¡¯t look after themselves. Worse, Young Master Pig set Shibre was infamous for flirting shamelessly with the noblewomen.


    She grimaced ¡°Where is he going?¡±


    ¡°From the looks of it, it seems he¡¯s heading towards the daughter of Marquis Brolly.¡±


    ¡°Natasha moon Brolly?¡± Senna shook her head, watching the center of the banquet hall with a concerned expression. The girl in question, with her striking broli-colored hair, needed no introduction. ¡°Not wise¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s aiming for a youngdy that will be on the same level as him.¡±


    ¡°H-Hi.¡± The overweight young man nervously fiddled with his clothes. ¡°Lady Natasha, if it¡¯s not too much to ask, will you dance with me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± The young scion of Marquis Brolly turned to examine the man. The sight of his face made the corners of her mouth twitch.


    This pathetic Pig¡­ She was struggling to keep her expression under control.


    Was she worried about the consequences? Not at all! Feuds were a problem for the elders to take care of, not the children.


    Natasha only wanted to shine wherever she went. If she responded poorly here, her image would shatter. That would ruin her chances of being chosen by the young men here, to say nothing of the Prince.


    Yes, Natasha. Think about the Prince, and use this Pig as your stepping stone.


    Natasha felt the eyes on her, and stered a wide smile over her face.


    ¡°You are Young Master Pig set Shibre, right? I heard your father¡¯s contributions have made the Empire more prosperous.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We were just serving His Majesty.¡± Pig puffed up his chest and offered Natasha his hand with renewed confidence. ¡°Lady Natasha, may I have this dance?¡±


    ¡°Apologies, but what can I do?¡± Natasha hastily apologized. ¡°I¡¯m not in the best mood to dance right now.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡±


    ¡°Please, ept my heartfelt apologies, Pig.¡± She gently bowed before Pig could say anything else.


    There was nothing Pig could say, but it was evident that he was unwilling to give up. She wasn¡¯t just the daughter of a higher-ranking family¡ªshe was a Brolly, with all the prestige that entailed.


    ¡°I suppose I didn¡¯t notice you weren¡¯t feeling well. Please ept my apologies for being so insensitive¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! On the contrary, I¡¯m feeling quite down because I had to turn your request down.¡± She smiled and shook her head sadly.


    Natasha had caught the eyes of some of the noblemen.


    ¡°Marquis Brolly¡¯s young daughter has a lovely heart.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t she? She can turn down the lower-ss children without offending anyone or marring her pride.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not from the Twelve Families by mere ident.¡±


    Everything went ording to n. Natasha¡¯s grin stretched even wider as the men¡¯s voices tickled her ears.


    Pig, whether he understood Natasha¡¯s intentions or not, wore a rotten expression as he walked away.


    ¡°Damn this,¡± he muttered. The music in the banquet hall hid his sudden foul mouth from everyone except his nearby friends. ¡°I don¡¯t even like your face¡ªat all! I was just curious because youe from a family with some clout, but you dare refuse me?¡±


    Pig wheezed, his cheeks flushing like an oversized, bby tomato.


    Children of the lower aristocrats approached and rubbed their hands together expectantly. Pig didn¡¯t mind them. It was only natural, after all; people flocked to the powerful, and Pig had power.


    ¡°First of all, he¡¯s the one who approached her first.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s known to turn down men who dare to get close to her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s foolish. She has no right to treat Count Shibre so casually.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡± Mollified, Pig let out a little cough.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go somewhere after the banquet. I know a ce¡ª¡±


    ¡°Eh? Okay.¡± Pig smiled. ¡°I¡¯m a little excited if it¡¯s Baron Trax¡¯s suggestion.¡±


    Their conversation was interrupted by the steward.


    ¡°Princess Charles de Pontier, daughter of Duke Pontier, is entering!¡±


    Pig turned towards the entrance, and his eyes were instantly entranced by the red-haired beauty entering the banquet hall. He had seen a lot ofdies, but he was taken aback by her tiny, white-gowned stature.


    ¡°I heard that the Pontier¡¯s daughter was one of the most beautifuldies in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯vest seen her. But she¡¯s still a beauty even on the verge of bankruptcy, I guess.¡±


    The other men¡¯s gossip made Pige to a halt, his lips twisting into a little smile.


    He whispered under his breath, ¡°Princess Charles, you say?¡±


    The Pontier family, one of the five great dukes, would make for a fantasticpanion no matter how much the family is falling apart.


    This is going to be so much fun. Pig licked his lips. His frustration was gone, reced with furious plotting.

 Chapter 103

    A silhouette flitted silently across the expansive rooftops of the Imperial Pce, dancing lightly as if ridiculing the vignce of the Imperial Knights. Finally, itnded gently on the roof of a certain building, cold wind whipping at its dark robes. Its face was hidden, lit only by the dim shine of moonlight.


    <em>Aim for the moment when he¡¯s dancing, drunk in the mood. You only have one chance. If you fail¡­</em>


    The silhouette burrowed its frigid fingers deeper into its pockets. The freezing sensation was bing familiar, and it reminded the figure that it was still alive.


    ¡°I¡¯m still¡­ alive.¡± It was difficult to tell if the figure¡¯s voice belonged to a man or a woman.


    The silhouette pondered.


    The birthday banquet would be a horrific affair, filled with screams rather than cheers¡ªbut the blue eyes behind the robes shone calmly in the dreary darkness.


    Everyone was staring at Charles. The men were praising her appearance, but she was angry. Her family, which used to stand among the most affluent in the Empire, was on the decline. The title of ¡°Duke¡± felt like a joke now. Everyone seemed to be gossiping about her family as they stared at her.


    <em>I can¡¯t run away. I need to be brave for my father.</em> Charles bit her lip and moved confidently into the throng.


    The center of the banquet hall was particrly boisterous.


    ¡°Who does she think she is?¡± Natasha mumbled. ¡°Her family is in decline and she still has the gall to dance?¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Natasha pped her hand over her mouth and giggled. ¡°Maybe she¡¯s here because of her father.¡± She reached over and nudged the man next to her.


    Gehog, son of Marquis Crombell, returned Natasha¡¯s gaze with a menacing expression.


    <em>What¡¯s her deal?</em>


    Natasha shrugged absently, drawing a scowl from Gehog. He seemed anxious, but then his eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s here to save face. Show everyone that her family is still strong.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Right.¡± Natasha covered her lips, astonished.


    Gehog cast a nce at Natasha before returning his gaze to Charles.


    ¡°Her face has changed since Ist saw her.¡± Gehog shed slyly, like a polite pig. ¡°She¡¯s like a trophy. I want to break it.¡±


    Charles came closer and closer, but was interrupted by a fat man.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    Charles turned her head towards the voice.


    ¡°I am Count Shibre¡¯s eldest son, Pig set Shibre.¡± A pleasant smile graced his lips. For obvious reasons, Pig had only been greeting the nobility.


    ¡°Ah, Count Shibre.¡± Charles nodded. It didn¡¯t take long for her to grasp the situation; in her family¡¯s situation¡ªpractically total war¡ªshe had to keep her ear to the ground. Knowing which families could be friends wasn¡¯t an option, it was a necessity.


    ¡°I am Charles du Pontier.¡± Charles gracefully lifted the hem of her dress. ¡°It¡¯s great to meet the son of the illustrious Count Shibre.¡±


    Pig¡¯s grin widened. Charles hardly looked like the daughter of a dying Duchy; each action dripped with dignity, embellished by her stunning looks.


    <em>I could tell from the way all the men¡¯s eyes look at us. I can work with this.</em> Pig clenched his fists, his heart pounding with possessive lust.


    <em>I want this woman.</em> It was apletely different feeling than when he was looking at Natasha: this had nothing to do with his family, this was about his manhood. <em>I want to see more of her reactions. Her looks aren¡¯t bad.</em>


    Pig brushed his thoughts aside and resumed the conversation with a smile.


    ¡°Rumors had it that the daughter of Duke Pontier was one of the most beautifuldies in the Empire. It seems to me that it¡¯s not a rumor at all.¡± Pig let out an uncannyugh, his eyes sparkling. ¡°By the way¡ªit must¡¯ve hurt. Your family¡¯s situation and all that, I mean.¡±


    Charles trembled, but she quickly responded with a small smile.


    ¡°Thank you for your worries, Pig. Yes, as you said, we were in a dire situation, but I know that I¡¯ll be able to fix it soon.¡±


    ¡°Ahh.¡± Pig¡¯s eyes glowed. He saw Charles shift her gaze towards the center of the banquet hall¡ªspecifically, towards the child of Marquis Crombell.


    Pig grinned. ¡°If you believe that,¡± he muttered to Charles, ¡°I believe I can assist you in some way.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Just as I said,¡± Pig muttered. ¡°My family just recently uncovered heaps and heaps of mana stones. That means money¡ªthe most crucial thing in a war. Between your family and my family, who knows what we could achieve?¡±


    The bait had been thrown. Given the Pontiers¡¯ current predicament, it was a difficult thing to resist; there was a good chance that Charles wouldn¡¯t be able to turn him down.


    No, he was certain she would say yes.


    <em>I own 10% of the mana stones, but that will suffice. The Pontiers will slowly regain their name if they secure a highly profitable business.</em>


    Pig stared at Charles with a malicious smile, who bowed politely but had yet to reply.


    ¡°Please, would you allow me to apany the Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Charles sighed. ¡°Thank you for the thought, but¡­ I¡¯m afraid I have to decline.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Pig was puzzled¡ªand skeptical.


    ¡°Money is indeed vital, but that¡¯s not our family¡¯s only problem right now¡ªAnd I don¡¯t want to trouble your father.¡± She bowed and sighed again. By all appearances, it seemed she was totally unbothered by the fact that Pig came from a lesser social ss. ¡°Thank you for the thought, Pig.¡±


    Pig¡¯s expression twisted, jaw clenching as he stared nkly at Charles. His ears rang, deafening him to everything but the sound of his rejection¡ªagain.


    His feelings of inadequacy finally came to a head.


    ¡°Are you full of yourself, or are you just blind?¡±


    He spoke just loud enough to reach Charles, who stood right in front of him.


    ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said¡­ You have too much pride for a dying family.¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Shocked? You shouldn¡¯t be. That¡¯s why the Duchy is failing¡ªbecause Duke Pontier has a daughter like you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t talk to me like that?¡±


    ¡°You must be wrong, Princess.¡± Pig gestured around them, smirking. ¡°No one here will help you.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    ¡°No one except me is willing to speak to you, because they don¡¯t want to look bad in front of Marquis Crombell. Hm. I heard you¡¯ve lost more than 70% of your business, right? Don¡¯t forget that it¡¯s money that brought you here. It¡¯s your father¡¯s only talent¡ªbut, oh, now it¡¯s all ashes¡­ What else are you going to do? You¡¯re too cheeky for someone who has practically nothing.¡±


    Charles clenched her fists, but couldn¡¯te up with a reply. Everything Pig said was true.


    <em>You can¡¯t show them that you¡¯re weak.</em> Slowly, she pushed it down. Tears threatened to burst forth at any moment, but Charles tolerated it.


    She was the eldest daughter of Pontier, Charles du Pontier.


    ¡°Now think carefully, and take my hand. Not many people would be willing to help you, <em>Princess</em> Charles.¡± Pig offered his hand once more with a smirk.


    Gehog, watching from a distance, burst outughing.


    ¡°This is fun¡­ Hey, dance with me for a while.¡±


    ¡°I will grant you the honor of touching me because you¡¯re the great Crombell¡¯s son.¡± Natasha took Gehog¡¯s hand,ughing cheerfully.


    Charles slowly raised her head, fighting to control her trembling body.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡ªYou!¡± A high-pitched voice drew everyone¡¯s attention away from Charles towards a corner of the dance hall.


    ¡°Hey, Senna! What is your problem?!¡± One of the other youngdies held Senna, casting her a puzzled nce.


    ¡°It¡¯s him¡ª!¡± Senna pointed with a shaking finger.


    ¡°Who the hell is ¡®him¡¯?¡±


    They all turned to follow Senna¡¯s finger.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Immediately, exmations escaped from their lips.


    There stood a man, over 180cm tall and proportioned like he¡¯d been sculpted by the gods themselves. He had exceedingly rare dark blue¡ªalmost ck¡ªhair, matched with deep blue eyes dark like the depths of the abyss. His pointed nose and sharp features aroused images of the goddess of beauty; indeed, he was more attractive than any man Senna had ever seen.


    He eventually arrived in front of Charles and Pig, who shared the same nk expression as the rest of the crowd.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Youngdy Charles du Pontier.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Charles stared at the man¡¯s face, awed by his visage and his deep voice.


    ¡°Would you grant me the privilege of dancing with you?¡±

 Chapter 104

    Pig¡¯s surprise faded instantly, quickly reced by feelings of humiliation and irritation.


    Count Shibre was an equal to any of the Twelve Families now. Who in their right mind would dare to interrupt his approach on Charles?¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes widened with understanding. ¡°Why are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who are you to behave this rudely?¡±


    ¡°Rude?¡± The handsome man tilted his head curiously.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it obvious you¡¯re ruining the mood? We were talking before you barged in.¡±


    ¡°Ahh.¡± The man nodded andughed loudly.


    <em>He¡¯sughing!?</em> Pig¡¯s face reddened.


    ¡°Are you sure I¡¯m interrupting something here? I don¡¯t think I am.¡±


    ¡°Haah.¡± Pig¡¯s face twisted. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Did thedy take your hand? It doesn¡¯t seem like it.¡±


    ¡°What¡ªYou¡ª!¡±


    The man returned Pig¡¯s murderous gaze with a briint smile before turning his attention towards Charles.


    ¡°Did I guess correctly, Princess Charles?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ I¡­¡± Charles, suddenly ashamed, tried to avoid meeting his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Young Lady Charles! Think about the future of your family!¡± Pig cried like a fat blob of oil. ¡°If you refuse me now, I¡¯ll make certain nothing will go ording to your ns.¡±


    Charles bit her lip. She wanted to avoid harming her family, even if it didn¡¯t hurt her personally.


    <em>But¡­</em> Her jaw took on a determined set. <em>I don¡¯t want to appear weak. I always thought this way, but this man makes me feel so much stronger.</em>


    She turned and looked Pig straight in the eye.


    ¡°As I said before, my answer is ¡®no.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Are you serious¡ªOh,e on! Princess Charles, you will be sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, how the world has changed such that a Count¡¯s son can threaten the daughter of a duke,¡± the other man mocked.


    ¡°How dare you speak like that to me? Do you want to suffer?¡± Pig reached up and grabbed the man¡¯s cor. ¡°How dare you act like a bastard in front of the great Shibres? What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Pig¡¯s sudden actions drew the attention of the other aristocratic children, who cast curious nces their way. Pig was known for unting his noble blood, and asionally liked to put on a show.


    The other man stared down at Pig, who continued to clutch his cor, and slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Baron Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Their surroundings immediately erupted into noise.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders? <em>That</em> Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Oh, I know! That kid?¡±


    ¡°I heard he was good-looking, but I didn¡¯t think he¡¯d be <em>this</em> good-looking. And this is the first time he¡¯s shown himself in the social world.¡±


    ¡°The youngest officially titled!¡±


    Pig heard none of this; he was caught up on a single word.


    ¡°Baron? That¡¯s your title?¡± He cast a dismissive nce at Joshua. ¡°You¡¯re just some low-ss motherfucker, yet you dare offend me?¡±


    Joshua expressionlessly peered down at the squealing Pig and slowly peeled Pig¡¯s hand off of his neck.


    ¡°It¡¯s not <em>just</em> Baron¡­¡± Joshua flung his hand away, filling the room with a sickening crack.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhh!¡± Pig howled, clutching his disjointed wrist.


    ¡°It¡¯s <em>official</em> Baron.¡± Joshua leaned in towards Pig, close enough for their noses to touch. ¡°That makes me superior to you, a Count¡¯s son. I have an official title¡ªdoes that make sense to your big fat head?¡±


    ¡°Go away, you crazy¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯mpletely sane, you know.¡± Joshua reached out again.


    ¡°Hey¡ªHey, stop!¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡±


    Joshua looked over to his side.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bloody your hands because of me.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not because of the Young Lady.¡± Joshua shrugged and clenched his outstretched hands.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Pig¡¯s eyes rolled back into his head.


    Joshua slowly rose to his feet, examining Pig¡¯s limp body with a twinkle in his eye.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Joshua found himself surrounded by knights in light armor. The 1 stamped on their chest pieces marked them as knights of the 1st Battalion.


    ¡°What are you doing all of a sudden, captain?¡± A middle-aged knight, the most senior-looking, walked up to Joshua. Besides the captain and the unitmander, this neatly groomed man, Baron Hughes, was the strongest knight in the 1st Battalion. Though they were both barons, Joshua was slightly outranked by Hughes.


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡± Baron Hughes met Joshua¡¯s gaze. ¡°This is excessive. Remember, the captain is here to guard this location.¡±


    Joshua looked away. ¡°That¡¯s not the case.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Baron Hughes was surprised by Joshua¡¯s uncharacteristically meek behavior and just watched him go, drawing everyone¡¯s attention as he went.


    Charles stared at his back with a solemn expression and soon followed.


    Charles found Joshua on the patio. Under the bitter moonlight he exuded an even more intriguing aura than he had in the raucous banquet hall. Her gaze flicked over the gleaming ck earring on his right ear before she spoke up.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed. Self-centered jerk.¡±


    ¡°People don¡¯t like to change.¡± Joshua smiled, but didn¡¯t look away from the moon.


    Charles¡¯s gaze wandered over the walls silently for a few moments, before she joined Joshua in staring into the sky.


    ¡°I know you went overboard on purpose.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± he asked, his gaze still fixed on the rising moon.


    ¡°Because the Joshua von Agnus that I know would never lose his cool. I realize now that your ¡®rash¡¯ actions were trying to protect someone¡­ your mother.¡±


    Joshuaughed. ¡°You have a very subjective opinion of me. Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Charles¡¯s ruby eyes twinkled in the moonlight. ¡°...a woman¡¯s intuition?¡± She grinned and turned to face Joshua. ¡°Now thoseds back there will change their behavior because of your example.¡±


    ¡°Whatever the method, I¡¯m d I could help.¡±


    Charles¡¯s brilliant crimson eyes finally drew Joshua¡¯s gaze down. In the silence of the tranquil night, interrupted only by the sounds of insects, their eyes met.


    Something inside Charles burst into tears.


    <em>You still don¡¯t understand? Did you ever stop to think about it?</em>


    <em>Does he understand what it means for a noblewoman to gift someone their family crest?</em>


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can go in now¡­ I¡¯d like to be alone right now.¡±


    Charles pped her mouth shut, leaving her words unsaid.


    <em>It was a thrilling ride.</em> Though brief, Charles was happy to think of this meeting as a passing romance.


    <em>But why¡­?</em> The reason her heart, normally as steady as a rock, was in such turmoil¡­


    <em>I¡¯m annoyed.</em> Charles chewed her lip.


    ¡°Please excuse me.¡± She abruptly spun around and strode towards the dance hall.


    Joshua watched her go with an odd expression.


    ¡°Come out now,¡± he said to air.


    ¡°...Are you going toe out?¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes and an invisible energy leeched off of his body, forcing a silhouette to stagger¡ªbut it quickly recovered and rushed Joshua without a moment¡¯s hesitation. Joshua pped the de away, lighting up the night with a shower of sparks.


    ¡°You! Who are you? How did you know about the Jinsal Energy?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mouth stretched into a wide grin when he heard the assant¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious as to how <em>you</em> know Jinsal¡¯s secret. Only a few Dark Elves know.¡±


    The robed figure¡¯s blue eyes went wide with shock.

 Chapter 105

    The ck cloak was removed, revealing the figure¡¯s face.


    Sad blue eyes, like stars plucked from the night sky; dark brown skin that naturally blended into the darkness; and long, pointed ears.


    A Dark Elf.


    ¡°Are you a member of the n?¡± The Dark Elf eyed Joshua warily, surprised to find a human as physically attractive as an elf.


    An elf¡¯s skin color and their distinctive ears could be concealed by artifacts, but the energy he emitted was a kind that could only be found from Dark Elf assassins.


    The Dark Elves, sometimes known as ¡°fallen¡± elves, were not afraid to take life¡ªunlike the Light Elves, who resided in the woonds and cherished life. Many Dark Elves were meat-eaters, in fact, and a disproportionate amount of Dark Elves were born with a poisonous nature.


    ¡°No. You thought you were so smart, didn¡¯t you. Isn¡¯t that why you suddenly attacked?¡±


    The Dark Elf was deeply puzzled. If he wasn¡¯t an elf, how could he deal with Jinsal energy?


    ¡°Aisha.¡±


    The elf stared at him, bewildered and amazed.


    ¡°Aisha Sestropy¡­ That¡¯s your name, right? Not ¡®ck Wind No. 4¡¯.¡±


    Aisha abandoned any pretense of civility. She filled with cold energy, like a piercing gale ripping through her body.


    ¡°Listen carefully: How did you know my name, and how can you use Jinsal energy?¡±


    Aisha¡¯s de gleamed sharply in the moonlight.


    ¡°I have one piece of advice for you: stopmitting heinous acts like attempting to assassinate the First Prince.¡±


    Aisha attacked. Her light, quick movements were enveloped in a veil of dark smoke, giving her a lethal advantage.


    But her opponent was far too calm. Joshua just smiled, watching Aisha calmly while he circted his mana.


    His mana split the air with a <em>crack</em>, faster than the speed of sound.


    Straight towards his right earlobe.


    The air trembled from a massive roar, but only Aisha could hear it.


    <em>Keep it together!</em> Aisha thrust her dagger towards Joshua¡¯s face¡ªbut stopped, against her will.


    ¡°I see. This sensation¡­¡± Her back trickled with cold sweat. She staggered and stammered, clenching her legs and backing away.


    ¡°D-Dragon fear¡­?¡±


    ¡°Idiot! Bastard! Sea urchin¡ª!¡± Charles kicked at the precious red carpet, spitting blistering curses that werepletely at odds with her sweet lips. ¡°How could you do that? It¡¯s been years since you¡¯ve seen me! Am I not attractive to you?¡±


    Charles was deeply offended by Joshua¡¯s behavior. Strangely, though, she didn¡¯t know why it made her so angry.


    ¡°Such a scumbag¡­¡± Charles¡¯s face fell.


    <em>Why did he even help me, in the first ce? Because of the past? He even did it in public.</em>


    ¡°For some reason, you just rattle people¡¯s brains.¡± She shook her head. <em>I want to take him by the cor and demand answers, but I can¡¯t¡­</em>


    She couldn¡¯t act on her emotions, not when her family was in danger.


    Charles du Pontier, the girl, was long gone.


    She heard footstepsing towards her and she hastily fixed her unkempt clothing.


    ¡°Gehog von Crombell.¡± Charles¡¯s face stiffened and she grit her teeth. This was the first time she¡¯de face-to-face with the heir of Crombell, the source of her family¡¯s crisis.


    ¡°Charles de Pontier. Even if you bring him in, you must realize you can¡¯t change anything, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡ªoh, right, he¡¯s Joshua ¡®Sanders¡¯ now. He¡¯s not an Agnus anymore. Babel is the heir¡ªeven if you asked for his help, Duke Agnus would never help you. Are you sure you want to throw your pride away for a helping hand from the wrong person?¡±


    ¡°A helping hand?¡± Charles clenched her teeth, beating down the rage welling in her chest.


    ¡°He¡¯s been a total outcast since joining the Imperial Knights. He got a title that didn¡¯t even exist. What a joke. But, he¡¯s a monster. A B-ss knight, while Young Master Babel was still only C-ss.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Gehog von Crombell?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± Gehogughed.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°One thing is certain,¡± Gehog hissed. ¡°Nothing will change even if Joshua Sanders joins the fight. Not after five years. No matter how hard he fights, he¡¯s just a B-ss knight.¡± Gehog stepped back wearing a strange smile. ¡°He¡¯ll never beat him at that level.¡±


    ¡°The Mercenary King¡­¡±


    ¡°What can a fifteen year old kid do to a big-shot like him, anyways? One of the 12 Superhumans?¡±


    Charles trembled with anger drawing a chuckle from Gehog.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal. Marry me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before your family copses. At this point, there¡¯s only one way you can end this war on your own. It¡¯s a win-win situation: your family¡¯s legacy carries on, and the war ends peacefully. Isn¡¯t it a great idea? Marrying someone of my stature?¡±


    <em>Gehog smiles ugly,</em> Charles thought.


    Gehog took Charles¡¯s silence as worry. He leered at her body, already imagining the way his lower half would ache when he had Charles pinned underneath him.


    <em>She¡¯ll make for a fine trophy, and I¡¯ll win the legacy of a Duke. That¡¯s a great marriage right there.</em>


    ¡°My answer¡­¡±


    Gehog leaned in expectantly, eagerly clinging to her whispered words.


    She shoved her middle finger in his face.


    ¡°Go fuck yourself, you little shit.¡±

 Chapter 106

    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but let out his mischievousness when he saw Aisha¡¯s look of despondent humiliation. She was known as a cold-blooded assassin, but Joshua knew better.


    <em>It¡¯s bullshit.</em>


    Joshua burst outughing, making Aisha tremble. She nervously swallowed but her throat was bone-dry.


    ¡°I¡¯m having such a good time¡­ but how dare you raise your sword at me twice?¡±


    Aisha¡¯s eyes swam, overwhelmed by the apparentck of effort Joshua needed to deal with her.


    ¡°So¡­ Should I take your hostility as a challenge from the entire Dark Elf n?¡±


    ¡°Wait.. that¡¯s¡­¡±


    Aisha pored over every detail of the man in front of her.


    A face as beautiful as an elf, with dark blue hair and eyes, though Aisha was too afraid to appreciate this. Handling abilities only her n knows of.


    Dragon fear.


    Aisha moaned and copsed to her knees.


    ¡°A-Aisha Steropi greets the Master of mana!¡±


    Joshua smiled down at her as she prostrated herself. Aisha, however, couldn¡¯t imagine what he was thinking and mistook his silence for unquenched rage.


    ¡°Everything was my mistake! I never wanted to offend you, so please spare my n!¡±


    ¡°Raise your head.¡± Joshua¡¯s smile widened, as did Aisha when she heard his stately voice.


    However, she didn¡¯t raise her head.


    ¡°Are you ignoring me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no!¡± Aisha shook her head.


    ¡°If I wanted, I could destroy everything your n owns.¡±


    Aisha¡¯s breath caught in her throat and she mmed her head onto the ground again.


    ¡°That was a joke¡­ because I¡¯m having fun.¡±


    ¡°T-Thank you!¡± Aisha bowed again, this time much, much lower than before.


    ¡°But I meant what I said about not assassinating the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Aisha was hardly in the mood to question him. Besides which, Dark Elves were the most fickle race in the world¡ªthere was no need for her to go back to her old ways.


    ¡°Are you sure you understand!¡±


    ¡°Yes! I understand!¡±


    ¡°As soon as the mission is confirmed to have failed, the ck Wind will be hunted down. This is the best chance to leave Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°I have a question¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t speak again.¡± Joshuaid his hand on her head, making her go stiff. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Finally, I¡¯m happy¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Aisha was obviously perplexed.


    ¡°Now go. Get as far away from Arcadia as quickly as you can.¡±


    Aisha leapt to her feet and vanished, leaving Joshua peering into the night sky.


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± <em>That¡¯s how it came to be, yes.</em>


    Why did he bothering to the banquet in the first ce? In his previous life, the year Joshua turned 15, the Empire was swept by shocking news: the attempted assassination of Kiser von Britten, the First Prince, using an Imperial Knight. Though it failed¡ªor rather because it failed¡ªthis incident became famous. It was the only blemish on the Assassin King¡¯s illustrious career.


    Indeed, Aisha Steropi was Joshua''s old friend and the soon-to-be Assassin King.


    ¡°She¡¯d be seriously injured and then the Imperial Family would hunt her for years and years. She¡¯s going to be chased either way, but at least she¡¯s not injured.¡±


    He had no idea who issued such an order to her. She was a member of ck Wind, the Emperor¡¯s own intelligence organization, after all. Aisha just never talked about these things.


    But that aside, Joshua tried to help wherever he could. He owed her a lot from his old life.


    ¡°If fate wills it, we will meet again.¡±


    Aisha leapt wildy through the frigid night wind, scaling a three-story building in a single bound. For a Dark Elf, it was a trivial effort.


    ¡°ck Dragon¡­¡± Aisha cast a tired gaze back towards the Pce. ¡°The mission failed on purpose, but it turned out for the better.¡± Her troubled expression brightened.


    The strength of such power, quietly residing in the Avalon Empire¡ªor just the Igrant continent in general¡ªwas unfathomable.


    <em>Avalon has the Imperial Knights¡ªthe Shield of the Empire¡ªand the ck Wind.</em>


    ¡°...But they never could have guessed this. Their ns will be in chaos after this. I hope that the Master of mana is having fun over there.¡±


    <em>I epted their request for various reasons, but it doesn¡¯t matter anymore.</em>


    Aisha tensed her legs and leapt, higher and higher.


    She still thought Joshua was a dragon.


    ¡°What¡ªThis bitch.¡±


    ¡°Oh, what made you angry, Young Master-to-be of the Duke?¡± Natasha cocked her head at Gehog.


    Gehog walked straight past her. ¡°Get out of here. I¡¯m not in the mood to deal with you.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± She snorted, then noticed the atmosphere was suddenly abuzz and smiled slyly. ¡°It¡¯s because of <em>her</em>, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Charles was reentering the banquet hall; unlike before, she was alone. That made Natasha simultaneously uneasy and satisfied.


    <em>What happened before was a childish joke.</em> A smile danced on Natasha¡¯s lips. <em>I</em> will <em>make you mine, Joshua Sanders.</em>


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Anne, a Viscount¡¯s daughter, cocked her head. ¡°Young Lady Charles came back alone, after she left with Baron Joshua?¡±


    ¡°Why not? He helped her out of a difficult situation, and, now that it¡¯s done, he gives thedy some privacy¡­¡± Senna¡¯s face flushed with joy. ¡°What a gentleman.¡±


    The other girls nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°I suppose so? Senna¡¯s babbling made my ears fall off a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°He looks like Duke Agnus, but isn¡¯t his vibe totally different?¡±


    ¡°Right¡ªIf Duke Agnus is like a sharp de, Baron Joshua has a softer, sexier, <em>decadent</em> beauty¡ª¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeeek!¡± The women shrieked and gasped, their cheeks flushing with a passionate heat. They lost something of their dignity, but for some reason they felt more and more proud of themselves even as their shame increased. The joy of sharing their interests with friends had them lost in the moment.


    ¡°So what¡¯s Baron Joshua to gain from the daughter of a dying family?¡±


    ¡°Family ties?¡±


    ¡°For Baron Joshua? That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s fantastic, though: a prince rushing in to save the damsel in distress from the wicked¡­¡±


    Pig had been viinized in an instant, while Joshua wasvished with praise.


    ¡°Kiser von Britten, First Prince of the Avalon Empire, and Princess Sersiarin von Britten have arrived!¡±


    A calm silence fell over the banquet hall. The sons and daughters of the nobility¡ªNatasha, Gehog, Senna, and all the others¡ªpaid their respects to the young man observing quietly from above with his distinctive golden eyes.


    ¡°Ah. Young Lady Charles.¡± The Prince slowly descended the stairs, a definite twist to his lips.

 Chapter 107

    She may be blind, but Princess Sersiarin was scanning the banquet hall nheless.


    <em>He¡¯s not here.</em> She sighed, obviously dissatisfied. <em>Joshua.</em> She couldn¡¯t feel his energy.


    That time five years ago had left a strong impression on her. No one had made her feel that way again, and she was eager to see¡ªto feel¡ªhim again. Sersiarin wanted to know what that sensation was.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three years¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes? Sersiarin, did you say something?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing, brother.¡± Sersiarin shook her head, offering Prince Kiser a small smile.


    ¡°Alright.¡± Kiser went back to looking over the crowd; soon, his face brightened.


    ¡°Young Lady Charles.¡± He strode down the steps with a smile.


    Princess Sersiarin¡¯s expression, however, was beginning to darken.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d see you again once I was out of Hwahwa Pce¡­¡±


    Three years ago, the Emperor had freed her from her ten years of protective imprisonment in Hwahwa Pce for unknown reasons. Having spent most of her life in that pce, Sersiarin was happy to have this little freedom; she thought she¡¯d be able to learn about all the important people and events.


    The men watched her sigh again.


    ¡°Rumor had it she is one of the most beautiful women in the Empire¡ªever. It seems it was no joke.¡±


    ¡°Would it be so easy to be called one of the most beautiful women in the Empire? If Young Lady Charles is a beauty with hidden thorns, the Princess is like an untouched white lily.¡±


    ¡°I want that woman, rather than Young Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°Wake up, you¡¯re the second son of a Count. The difference between you is like heaven and earth¡ªShe¡¯s a princess, for goodness¡¯ sake.¡±


    Sersiarin was, without a doubt, incredibly beautiful: blonde hair, ck eyes, pristine white skin, and strong features. Every gesture was imbued with nobility, and she did it all with a lovely smile gracing her lips.


    Her only w was her sickness, her frail aura¡ªbut many men found that appealing, too.


    ¡°Hey, be quiet! The prince might hear you.¡±


    The men saw Prince Kisering in their direction and hastily shut their mouths.


    ¡°Young Lady Charles.¡± The Prince smiled warmly.


    ¡°I greet thee, Prince Kiser von Britten.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the warm wee; but please, don¡¯t be so stiff.¡± His smile widened.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not like that.¡± Charles shook her head, bewildered.


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to see me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you since my birthday three years ago.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± She flushed with embarrassment. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry¡ªI should havee and represented my family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of your family circumstances.¡± The Prince shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ I really wanted to see you. So, will you dance with me?¡±


    The people around them were dumbfounded; they couldn¡¯t hear much, even though they were nearly silent, but the Prince¡¯s gestures were unambiguous.


    ¡°Did the Prince just ask her to dance?¡± Natasha mumbled, her face twisting into an amused smile.


    ¡°Is it that stupid rule that whoever stands out most dances with the Prince?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Prince, he can do whatever he wants.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he doesn¡¯t know? I mean, how can he dance with Young Lady Charles if he knew her family¡¯s situation?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s practically from a peasant family.¡±


    ¡°Oh my. Stop being so cruel.¡±


    Envy and jealousy bore down on Charles, particrly from the women.


    The woman herself was equally astounded; the Prince certainly knew, so why did he offer her that weing smile? If she took his hand, she¡¯d provoke everyone. Her family couldn¡¯t risk that.


    ¡°Please ept my apologies. I¡¯m not sure I can dance with the Prince.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Prince Kiser seemed confused.


    <em>Wasn¡¯t this something every woman here desires? To take his hand in theirs?</em> He was the First Prince of Avalon, heir apparent to the most powerful man in the Empire.


    What he didn¡¯t realize was that his position was poison in this situation. Kiser was used to doing as he pleased; he had no inkling of the nuanced feuds between nobles.


    Or more urately, he simply didn¡¯t care. As far as he was concerned, asking Charles for a dance was just that.


    ¡°Is something bothering you?¡± Kiser¡¯s smile was turning stiff.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡­¡± Charles fumbled for words.


    ¡°Is she refusing the Prince¡¯s hand?¡±


    ¡°Is that really possible? Her family is out of power, and yet she dares?¡±


    ¡°She seems oblivious.¡± Natasha cackled.


    ¡°Hm? What do you mean, Natasha?¡±


    Natasha thrust her chin towards Charles.


    ¡°How dare the future maid of the Crombell house dance with the Prince, anyways?¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness, is that true?¡± The other womenughed.


    ¡°How does that sound, Master Gehog?¡±


    ¡°Not bad for a trophy.¡±


    Prince Kiser was getting more and more irate, but Charles could only clutch her skirt helplessly as the sound ofughter washed over her.


    <em>I don¡¯t know how to respond¡­</em>


    ¡°She already has a partner, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who¡ª?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you.¡± The man had picture perfect etiquette. ¡°I am Baron Joshua Sanders.¡±


    The room fell dead silent, allowing Joshua¡¯s pleasant voice to fill the air.


    This room was made specifically for Marcus¡ªit wasn¡¯t somewhere he¡¯d normally receive a visitor.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious to see how they react when they find out you¡¯ve returned after almost five years.¡± He chuckled. ¡°I think this is the first time we¡¯ve seen each other face-to-face. What a wonderful meeting¡ªif we can¡¯t take over the Swallow Empire, is it so bad to be a Duke of Avalon?¡± Emperor Marcus leaned in close to the man on the other side of the curtain. ¡°It¡¯s only a matter of time before you being there causes a war. Anyways, our n has been dyed by ten years due to unforeseen circumstances.¡±


    The other man rose to his feet, setting his green hair aflutter.


    ¡°If you trust us, we will deliver satisfactory results,¡± he said, his green eyes glowing.


    Marcus¡¯s lips curled into a thin smile.


    ¡°Now I¡¯m looking forward to it, Draxia belle Grace.¡±

 Chapter 108

    <em>This sensation¡ª!</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s him!¡± Sersiarin trembled with excitement.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Ellen, the Princess¡¯s personal maid, tore her gaze off of the handsome man who had just appeared. ¡°What is it, Princess?¡± She found that Sersiarin had jumped to her feet and was staring at someone.


    ¡°Baron Joshua Sanders?¡± Prince Kiser, unusually, wore a frown on his face.


    ¡°Prince,¡± Baron Hughes said, ¡°he is the extra captain of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°Ah! Yes!¡± Prince Kiserughed. ¡°You are that talented knight. You will represent our Empire in the next Reinhardt Master battle. By the way¡­¡± He cocked his head. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you around. I mean, I should know because the Imperial Pce is not that big¡ª¡±


    ¡°Unlike the top battalions, the 11th and 12th Battalions are in the outer regions of the Pce,¡± Baron Hughes supplied. ¡°Further, he has only been deployed on external dispatch operations in the three years since enlisting, so it¡¯s no surprise you¡¯re only seeing him for the first time.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see.¡± Prince Kiser stroked his chin. ¡°Anyways, it¡¯s a privilege to meet such a famed person.¡±


    ¡°It is a privilege to meet the reputed Prince Kiser.¡±


    Kiser offered Joshua a shy smile.


    ¡°However, what do you mean she already has a partner?¡±


    ¡°Precisely what I said, my Prince. Young Lady Charles epted my offer of a dance¡ªthat¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    Prince Kiser gave Charles a questioning nce, to which she, somewhat overwhelmed, hastily nodded.


    ¡°I mean¡­ Yes, kind of.¡±


    A loud voice arose from the edge of the banquet hall, as if it was waiting for Charles¡¯s answer.


    ¡°How conceited, Baron Joshua! How impolite!¡± Gehog stormed over to the Prince. ¡°My heartfelt greetings. I apologize for the rude interruption.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Gehog! It¡¯s been quite some time!¡± Prince Kiser¡¯s face radiated genuine happiness. The Crombell family was good friends and strong supporters of the First Prince, hence why he was willing to overlook Gehog¡¯s rudeness.


    His greetings done, Gehog rounded on Joshua.


    ¡°How dare you steal the spotlight during the Prince¡¯s birthday banquet?¡±


    Joshua justughed.


    ¡°Are youughing!?¡±


    ¡°I was just worried about the Prince¡¯s hono¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He was pressuring someone else¡¯s partner in front of all these people.¡± As Joshua outlined the situation, Gehog¡¯s eyes widened with understanding. ¡°Should I beplimenting him, then? If not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hahh¡­¡± Prince Kiser sighed. As Joshua said, other peoples¡¯ opinions were paramount in situations like these. Enough minor rumors could be fatal in the Prince¡¯s battle for session.


    ¡°Lady Charles, were you going to dance with Baron Joshua?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Princess Charles carefully avoided Prince Kiser¡¯s heavy eyes. ¡°Please ept my apologies; Yes, I will be Baron Joshua¡¯s partner.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The Prince let out a disappointed sigh.


    Joshua stepped over to Gehog and offered him a grin and a pat on the shoulder.


    ¡°If you see something rude, then just be content in knowing,¡± he whispered. ¡°You don¡¯t want to end up like they did <em>that day</em>, do you?¡±


    Gehog¡¯s face flushed. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I would not havee for thedy if I knew she was your partner,¡± the Prince said to Joshua. ¡°Please, ept my apologies.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I should apologize for being impolite.¡±


    There was nothing more Prince Kiser could say to him. Who could have guessed it would turn out like this? He sighed.


    <em>I don¡¯t usually care, but¡­</em> ¡°I need a partner for the next banquet,¡± he said to Charles. ¡°I hope thedy will ept this time.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Charles blushed briefly. ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Prince Kiser briefly gazed into her ruby eyes and then turned around. It seemed to the crowd that his shoulders sagged as he climbed back up the stairs¡ªbut maybe it was just their imagination?


    ¡°Now, Young Lady. Shall we?¡± Joshua offered Charles his hand. Charles seemed hesitant but ced her hand over Joshua¡¯s.


    ¡°Thank you for your assistance. But don¡¯t misunderstand me.¡±


    Charles¡¯s gloomy voice infected Joshua¡¯s smile, turning it sour.


    Despite his height of 185 centimeters, the man was skinny, dreary, sun-worn, and battered. His eyes had dark circles almost down to his cheeks, and the enormous two-handed sword he gripped almost dragged him to the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m finally here.¡± He shook with emotions as he beheld the Imperial Pce.


    He¡¯d been through hell and back in thest five years. The promised goal was met, and the reaper¡¯s grip had been broken.


    ¡°How are you going to react when you see me?¡±


    <em>He¡¯s supposed to be at the Prince¡¯s feast right now, from what I¡¯ve heard.</em> For his duty, not as a guest, given his mission, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    The man had other things on his mind.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t touched a woman in so long because of him, and I¡¯m past the age of marriage. But maybe that guy is having a great dinner party with thedies.¡± His sped hands trembled. ¡°This is treachery. A betrayal of a master to his servants.¡±


    The man was 28 years old; other men might have three or four children by now, but he¡¯d never been in such a rtionship. His problems rattled deafeningly in his head.


    ¡°God knows what I¡¯m going to do to you after all this time, Master Bastard.¡± He grit his teeth and advanced on the gate, eyes aze.


    ¡°Halt!¡±

 Chapter 109

    Therge stage in the center of the banquet hall could amodate a considerable crowd of men and women as they danced in exquisite harmony.


    But not right now. The entire banquet hall was enveloped in a profound hush; no one could do anything but stare¡ªeven those deep into their cups couldn¡¯t tear their gaze away from the couple ascending the tform.


    And then¡­ they danced.


    ¡°...They¡¯re beautiful¡­¡± Senna unwittingly blushed. Their dance was as graceful and lovely as they were; every move was like art brought to life, drawing the audience¡¯s enraptured gaze with an almost magical maism. Senna was enthralled¡ªand so was everyone else.


    Problem was, Charles and Joshua were having a conversation that had nothing to do with that.


    Charles was bewildered. <em>What is it about this man that makes him such a natural?</em> She was deftly led by Joshua and couldn¡¯t help but blurt out her thoughts.


    ¡°Do they teach the Knights how to dance?¡±


    Charles¡¯s pricklyment made Joshua pause.


    ¡°What can I do?¡± he asked, smiling kindly back at her.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°Neither have you, Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°This is all within your expectations, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Joshua gave her a questioning look, which made her blush and look away.


    ¡°If I dance on stage with you, Prince Kiser will stop bothering me. His dignity is more valuable than his dance partner.¡±


    Joshua was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re overestimating me,¡± he said with a heartyugh.


    ¡°Why did you save me?¡± Charles asked, undeterred. ¡°The Young Master¡ªthe Baron could have been in huge trouble for that.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s say I felt bad for breaking a promise.¡±


    <em>That wasn¡¯t the answer I expected¡ªnot at all. So he remembered?</em>


    As the dance wound down, Charles came to a resolution and opened her mouth.


    ¡°I have a question¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help you this time¡ª¡±


    Charles stared at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a member of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about,¡± Charles huffed. ¡°I was just wondering how you got so tall.¡±


    As soon as the music came to an end, Charles curtseyed and quickly distanced herself.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    Charles spun around and strode away, leaving the rapid ck of her heels behind her.


    ¡°Your temperament hasn¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Joshua spun around. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    The voice hade from outside the stage, as if waiting for the dance to conclude.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    ¡°...Princess Sersiarin.¡± Joshua¡¯s words verged on a groan.


    This woman, though descended from the noblest blood, suffered misfortune like on other.


    He approached.


    Hubalt, the Holy Empire: one of the three great powers of the continent. In the midst of the Imperial Citadel was a massive temple, as befitting of a ¡°holy empire¡± in the service of the gods.


    Hermes Temple, guarded by thousands of priests and pdins, was the permanent residence of the Pope, one of the dual rulers of the Hubalt Empire.


    The somber, sunlight ambience of the ancient marble edifice was marred by a furious debate taking ce in the corner.


    ¡°I¡¯ll never understand His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s views. Is he nning to send Sir Christian to the Reinhardt Masters Battle?¡± The first man to speak was undeniably a pdin; his immacte white armor, emzoned with the golden wings on the breast, made that obvious.


    ¡°The Pope agreed as well.¡±


    ¡°That makes it even more perplexing, High Priest!¡± a young priest fumed. ¡°Why reveal him to the public now, after he¡¯s been hidden so deep?¡±


    ¡°One key fact seems to have escaped Sir Modrian¡¯s notice.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Pdin Modrian, the heated young man, tilted his head.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Pope¡¯s agreement mean that he¡ªthe man you look up to so much¡ªhas epted it as well?¡±


    ¡°Themander¡­¡± Modrian sighed.


    ¡°Sir Chrysler jean Sebastian, Knight of God.¡±


    Themander led all of the pdins of the Hubalt Empire. Among them were three hundred ¡°White Knights¡±, the most divine and powerful of them all. They answered to no one but God, and were the only superhumans so devoted.


    ¡°Sir Christian is the best disciple he has¡­ and he wouldn¡¯t be able to join Reinhardt¡¯s Battle without permission. Sir Christian has been a Master for a long year now, by human standards. He¡¯s our Empire¡¯s secret weapon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re God¡¯s knights, first and foremost,¡± a different man, also a pdin, said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure why people cling to such fame.¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Sir Christian¡¯s participation is motivated by two things.¡±


    ¡°Two?¡±


    ¡°Duke Altsma will be participating in this year¡¯s Master Battle.¡±


    ¡°Duke Altsma of Swallow? He¡¯s the one who was disqualified, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. He¡¯s the one.¡± The High Priest, Harold, stepped forward and looked Modrian in the eyes. ¡°Like Emperor Marcus, a lunatic of his time, bis, Prince of Thran, voiced his desire to participate in this Master Battle. Duke Altsma¡¯s reentry isn¡¯t just about restoring his dignity¡ªit¡¯s also for revenge.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    You couldn¡¯t be a Master just by bing an A-ss Knight. Masters enjoyed international, intercontinental privileges, hand-tailored to their personal needs; as such, every Master had to be recognized in front of the entire poption of the continent. That is, during the Reinhardt Master Battle, also known as the People of All Continents Festival.


    ¡°Because of the tournament structure, the two of them could square off in the near future¡ªif they¡¯re lucky. Duke Altsma is not concerned about the title, which he could restore quickly by attaining recognition from the Masters of other kingdoms.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the other reason, then?¡±


    ¡°Five years ago¡ªdo you recall the new talent picked at the Reinhardt Battle? The <em>monster</em>,¡± the other pdin whispered. ¡°He was only ten years old at the time.¡±


    High Priest Harold nodded in agreement. ¡°His Majesty the Pope was unconcerned at the time, but His Majesty the Emperor was. No, the entire Imperial Pce was in chaos; everything that happened in Reinhardt is inextricably linked to political power. By the way, they¡¯re saying that monstrous child from back then is going to participate in the Master Battle.¡±


    Modrian''s eyes widened.


    ¡°So this time, our Empire has decided to dispatch someone with the potential to shake the continent: Sir Christian. He is the most talented of the unofficial A-ss Knights.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that excessive? A fifteen-year-old at the Master Battle?¡±


    The High Priest shook his head with conviction. He knew that when it came to these monsters,mon sense held no sway.


    ¡°He¡¯s a very capable kid,¡± Harold noted, ¡°this Baron Joshua Sanders.¡±

 Chapter 110

    Princess Sersiarin quaked before the man¡¯s presence, even before he approached. She couldn¡¯t understand his demeanor, and she was no slouch. Her senses were quite developed, blindness aside.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± She clutched her fluttering chest.


    ¡°I will visit Hwahwa Pce soon,¡± he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear. ¡°Your medicine is already finished.¡±


    ¡°Wha-What drug?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s payment for the debt I owed in my past life.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡± she called out, but the man was already gone.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess? If you run off like that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ellen¡­¡± Princess Sersiarin sighed, noticing the amount of attention she¡¯d garnered.


    ¡°Are Baron Sanders and Princess Sersiarin well acquainted?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. The Princess only goes out on select asions.¡±


    ¡°Do they share anything inmon?¡±


    Sersiarin could feel the weight of their whispers and their eyes bearing down on her. If she kept drawing attention, it might put Joshua at risk.


    <em>He said he woulde.</em> The Princess clenched her little hand. <em>Let¡¯s just calm down and not make a fuss.</em>


    She couldn¡¯t hardly see an inch in front of her, but that made the sensations that much more distinct. One aura stood out in the midst of so many others: his, blinding her heart¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ellen.¡± She smiled apologetically at the maid.


    ¡°You did nothing wrong, Princess.¡±


    Sersiarin gradually worked her way out of the limelight, allowing the banquet to settle.


    ¡°I have something to report, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Speak, Jaken.¡±


    ¡°There are certain locations you need to pay particr attention to.¡±


    ¡°...The Great ins of Kraden?¡± The Emperor cast his thoughts over the vast expanses of the northern continent.


    ¡°Yes. The first battle will have a great effect on the future wars.¡±


    ¡°The Swallow Empire has a fairlyrge share of the Great ins.¡± Marcus rubbed his chin while he thought and then smiled. ¡°I think this is where the messenger will shine¡ªnot fighting for Swallow, but for Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe him, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Believe?¡± Marcus guffawed. ¡°I have no faith in anyone. I only care if they¡¯re useful or not.


    ¡°Now, the ideal situation would be for Aden to fall there. Even better if I could bring Duke Lucifer of Swallow with me.¡±


    ¡°The ck Wind and the messenger agree. We believe that in order to bring Duke Aden von Agnus down, we will need the power of at least three Stars.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Because he is also a Star¡­ and the difference between them is huge.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Marcus rose to his feet. ¡°For now, it is obvious that the demise of a renowned figure like Aden von Agnus would be catastrophic to the Empire as a whole. But a sword that can¡¯t be used, on the other hand, is worthless garbage no matter how famous it is¡ªthat¡¯s what irritates me the most. Despite his abilities, his pacifism makes him as insignificant as a half-penny.¡± The Emperor bared his teeth in a twisted smile. ¡°If he¡¯s so adamantly opposed to war, he¡¯ll be the first person I¡¯ll ce inmand of it. Jaken!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Use Babel.¡±


    Jaken closed his eyes and loosed a heavy sigh.


    ¡°The n will be finished soon. This is a ten-year strategy¡ªDon¡¯t rush, take it slow and report regrly.¡±


    ¡°I obey.¡±


    Joshua halted outside of the banquet hall¡¯s massive entryway. There was a man leaning against the far wall, clearly waiting for him.


    ¡°Cain!¡±


    Cain, now almost in his thirties, grinned at Joshua.


    ¡°I saw everything, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°From start to finish¡ªI saw everything, my lord.¡± Cain strode towards Joshua, his frustration clearly visible.


    ¡°How?¡±


    Joshua gave him a confused look.


    ¡°You threw me into the deepest pits of hell and here you are, having a good time with yourdies! Are you a demon?!¡±


    ¡°Wait, wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t get it? Look here. See?¡± Cain held out his palm. Every centimeter was covered in calluses, evidence of his suffering. ¡°I swung again and again, thinking only of my master! I didn¡¯t even attend weddings, I¡¯ve never even held a woman¡¯s hand! All I exist for is to swing this awful hunk of metal for you!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a dangerous thing to say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Cain cried, ¡°I¡¯m serious here!¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry.¡± Joshua was quick to mollify his knight. ¡°I¡¯ll find you a wife.¡±


    Cain hesitated. ¡°...Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua nodded without hesitation. ¡°Have you ever known me to lie?¡±


    ¡°No, my lord.¡± Cain sped his hands together fervently. ¡°Please, my lord. She should be a lovely and honestdy if at all possible. For example, the twodies the master was spending time with in the banquet hall earlier¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think your training is the reason you didn¡¯t get married.¡± Joshua shook his head. It was obvious which women Cain was talking about, and Joshua wasn¡¯t happy about it.


    ¡°Since you came to find me, do you think you¡¯ve already reached <em>that</em> point?¡±


    ¡°That hurts. I¡¯ve spent, like, a hundred years with that devil Duke and almost turned into literal garbage.¡±


    Joshua was obviously perplexed, which made Cain¡¯s smile stretch even wider.


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s so many monsters out there that makingparisons to humans is kind of pointless¡ªI mean, I¡¯m sure that my abilities aren¡¯t that bad. Heh. Now I can be proud of my skills; second only to my master!¡±


    Joshuaughed. ¡°Confidence is important. Just don¡¯t get overconfident.¡±


    ¡°How could that happen?¡± Cain looked astounded. ¡°Rather, standing at your side¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please ept my apologies for interrupting your conversation.¡± A messenger approached. ¡°There is a visitor waiting for you outside the Pce.¡±


    ¡°A guest? For me?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He stated that he was looking for Baron Joshua. Guests are, as you know, not permitted to enter the Pce without invitation.¡± He cast a meaningful nce at Cain.


    ¡°How <em>did</em> you get in, Cain?¡±


    ¡°I got in using Duke Agnus¡¯s name, but,¡± he shrugged, ¡°as you can see, I¡¯m not allowed into the banquet hall. It isn¡¯t easy getting a look inside. The Imperial Knights had eyes that could kill.¡± Cain gestured towards the knights guarding the back door.


    ¡°The Duke will be angry if you keep acting like this.¡±


    ¡°But everything turned out fine! I won¡¯t use the Duke¡¯s name anymore.¡±


    ¡°How long has it been since you did something like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bitte, but isn¡¯t it time I swore the Knight¡¯s Oath, my lord Baron Joshua Sanders? As a knight of Baron Sanders, I won¡¯t need the Duke¡¯s name anymore¡ªand I already got his permission.¡±


    Joshua just walked away. ¡°Think about your actions.¡±


    ¡°Wait for me, my lord!¡± Cain hastily followed.


    ¡°Was there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±

 Chapter 111

    Joshua¡¯s heart was beating rapidly as he exited the Pce. His waiting guest was mesmerizing: waist-length, flowing light blue hair and eyes like gems plucked out of the heavens; a petite stature (less than 160 centimeters), and perfectly proportioned. Not beautiful like Charles, but charming and adorable.


    Just like Joshua remembered. He hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°Icarus?¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Icarus pulled his gaze away from the stars and smiled at Joshua. ¡°Baron Joshua.¡±


    ¡°My word¡­¡± Cain gaped. ¡°My lord! Who is that gorgeousdy over there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either¡ªI think my mind is ying tricks on me.¡± Joshua shook his head, half-convinced he was hallucinating. He knew Icarus was pretty, but wasn¡¯t this a bit much? He looked just like a woman when he grew out his hair.


    <em>Was Icarus a woman all this time?</em> He couldn¡¯t know for sure¡ªJoshua had never met Icarus before he traveled back in time, only heard of his¡ªher?¡ªexploits. He¡¯d always assumed that, in a country as patriarchal as Avalon, the Emperor-to-be¡¯s strategist would be a man.


    <em>Come to think of it, there are definitely more opportunities for a man in the Empire. Maybe that¡¯s why Icarus worked so hard even before I died.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Baron Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Your hair¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Icarus touched the long locks while Joshua was still struggling with his inner turmoil. ¡°Does it look odd? I¡¯ve been growing it out for a while now.¡±


    ¡°No, no¡­ I mean, it looks good.¡±


    Icarus¡¯s face lit up.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes lingered on Icarus¡¯s body.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°A little too¡­ womanly.¡±


    ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Icarus flushed, handsing up to block Joshua¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°My lord!¡± Cain was enraged. ¡°How could you be so rude to thedy?¡± He stepped forward while Joshua turned away, confused. ¡°Ah, miss Icarus. I have heard the rumors: the most brilliant strategist of the Academy and one of its top students¡ªI never knew you would be both brilliant and stunning!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ who are you, again?¡±


    ¡°I am Cain, Baron Joshua¡¯s knight.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ are you really a¡­ woman?¡±


    ¡°Well, is it important?¡± Icarus seemed oddly irate. ¡°Do you have some hidden prejudice against women, Baron?¡±


    ¡°Does it look like it?¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°Of course not. I wouldn¡¯t havee this far if you did.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡± He smiled.


    ¡°I came here to fulfill my promise. Are you finally epting me?¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡¯s this about?¡± Cain managed to move past the fact that Icarus had ignored him and found that the conversation was moving in a direction that could be easily misunderstood. ¡°The master truly is a troublemaker! Aren¡¯t the two most beautifuldies in the Empire enough? Are you now going after the Academy¡¯s brightest student, too? Isn¡¯t that a little too much?¡±


    ¡°Most beautiful women in the Empire?¡± Icarus¡¯s gaze rapidly cooled. ¡°Baron Joshua, I believe you owe me an exnation.¡±


    Joshua broke into a cold sweat under Icarus¡¯s contemptful gaze.


    ¡°Stop making the conversation weird, Cain¡ªJust calm down and listen, Icarus.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not making it weird¡ª¡± Cain caught Joshua¡¯s stern look and backed off with his tail tucked between his legs.


    ¡°Right¡­ You said you came to fulfill your promise?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You didn¡¯t forget, did you?¡±


    ¡°Impossible.¡± Joshua held out his hand with a smile. ¡°I would have gone to you if you hadn¡¯te. There¡¯s no one else like you.¡±


    Icarus¡¯s cheeks flushed again. Of course, Joshua was referring to Icarus¡¯s skill¡ªno one else knew them as well as Joshua did. But the way it sounded in Icarus¡¯s ears¡­


    ¡°They say a soldier has to refuse twice to find a master that knows their true worth. If I went to you, you might have had to ask three times.¡±


    Icarus grinned and took his hand.


    ¡°Are you going to keep harassing me?¡±


    Cain stepped in and pped his hands on their shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s do well from now on, Military advisor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a nice title.¡± Icarus gave Cain a dazzling smile.


    ¡°So¡­ Shall we discuss our ns now?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°ns?¡± Cain and Icarus cocked their heads at him.


    He nodded. ¡°I¡¯m thinking of meeting the Emperor and then leaving for Reinhardt.


    ¡°The neutral city?¡±


    ¡°I intend to leave the Imperial Knights, like you.¡±


    ¡°Will the Emperor allow it? And what about the 11th and 12th Battalions if you leave?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m meeting the Emperor¡ªthe 11th and 12th, too.¡± Joshua grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll meet again if fate wills it.¡±


    ¡°Cold-hearted.¡±


    Joshua let Cain¡¯s words go in one ear and out the other.


    ¡°As for you two, I have a favor to ask. I¡¯m really sorry, but¡ª¡± Joshua grimaced regretfully as Icarus. ¡°I don¡¯t want you two to go to Reinhardt. Instead, I need you elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°After all those years of separation, we¡¯re going to split up right after we met? Really, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªit¡¯s only for a few months, and I¡¯m asking because you two are the only ones who can pull this off.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Let¡¯s listen first,¡± Icarus said after a long silence. ¡°Where do you want us to go and what do you want us to do?¡±


    ¡°I want you to go¡­¡± Joshua paused. ¡°...to the Pontier family.¡±


    ¡°The Pontiers?¡± Icarus and Cain blinked at him.


    ¡°You see¡­¡±


    ¡°Theta.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes.¡±


    ¡°Did you hear what I said?¡±


    ¡°Code Zero will be joining the Master Battle, right?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Ian nodded. ¡°You will represent the Magic Tower this Battle.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Theta leapt out of his chair. ¡°Why me? There¡¯s no benefit in ying with those kids. The Master Battle has only had a wizard in it once, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Only the winner of the Master Battle has the privilege of facing the Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans. And, like the ones who surrender in the middle of the Battle, you can learn something about the Masters. There¡¯s two reasons you need to join: first, to learn more about Code Zero and locating the object; second¡­ I¡¯m getting old. Shouldn¡¯t I have at least one heir?¡±


    ¡°Tower Master?¡± Theta¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t my sessor at least have credibility? Otherwise, our Tower would be ignored.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You already achieved the point.¡±


    ¡°You realized?¡± Theta trembled.


    ¡°Who do you think I am? I felt the subtle shift in mana around you for a long time now. In terms of pure magic, only me and Evergrant can rival you¡ªno other wizards. Theta.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°Go settle Jack¡¯s death. Remind the continent that our Tower still stands. Only you can do this. Are you up to the task?¡±


    Theta sighed. ¡°...I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled, then.¡± Ian smiled contentedly.

 Chapter 112

    The 11th and 12th Battalions of the Imperial Knights shared a three-story building on the side of the Imperial Pce. Of course, Joshua¡¯s personal office was in this building as well.


    Joshua scowled. <em>Is there someone here?</em> His keen senses were telling him that he had a <em>visitor</em>¡­ but they didn¡¯t seem to be hiding themselves from Joshua.


    ¡°Hmmmm¡­¡± The banquet had begun in the evening and wouldst until morning. As such, the majority of the 11th and 12th Battalions would be stationed near the First Pce, where the party was being held; in other words, the building should be empty at this time of day.


    ¡°C¡¯mon, don¡¯t be like that. Come on in, I won¡¯t bite.¡±


    Joshua froze. ¡°That voice¡ª¡±


    ¡°I just came to take a look at things, but it seems like I made a mistake.¡±


    Joshua sighed and pushed the door open.


    ¡°Yo.¡± The man waved cheerfully at Joshua from the sofa. He had striking silver eyes and was generally very attractive.


    ¡°...Lord Valmont.¡±


    Like Joshua, hemanded a battalion of the Imperial Knights¡ªthe 9th. Even in a group as prestigious as the Knights Temr, this man was a genius; yet, he was theziest, most carefree person you could imagine.


    Valmont sluggishly buried himself into the sofa, sporting a shocked frown.


    ¡°I was surprised to learn that the Princess knew our great captain¡ªlike a moth to a me, was it? A perfect match.¡±


    ¡°Was Captain Valmont keeping track of a lot of things?¡±


    ¡°A lot?¡± Valmont shrugged.


    ¡°Hahhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Nevermind that. Are you going to leave now?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened, but he quickly brought his expression under control.


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t y dumb with me; I¡¯m a lot smarter than you think.¡± Valmont sat up. ¡°I remember the first time we met each other¡ªDuke Agnus¡¯s estate, right? You were a kid taking his mana exam. That kid surprised everyone with his talent, and then joined the Imperial Knights¡­ and I¡¯ve been watching your progress ever since.


    ¡°I was shocked when they suddenly promoted you to B-ss¡ªI mean, you have the potential and the favor of His Majesty, but you¡¯re just too young. But you were like a machine with no brakes; your endeavors didn¡¯t stop there: you smashed through the knights of the top battalions and immediately gained the Emperor¡¯s favor. Then you became the youngest Baron in history¡­¡± Valmont stared into Joshua¡¯s eyes, dumbfounded. ¡°Do you have any idea how happy I was when you finally became a captain like me?<sup>1</sup>¡±


    ¡°Can you stop beating around the bush?¡±


    ¡°<em>Excitement</em>. For the first time in my life, I was so excited it made me shiver. Because of you.¡±


    Valmont¡¯s characteristic disinterest was gone; instead, there was only passion, burning in his eyes like zing embers.


    <em>Hoseungsim¡­</em><sup>2</sup> Indeed, an undying passion for victory. Joshua knew what Valmont would say next.


    ¡°Let¡¯spete, Joshua Sanders, before you leave. If you leave now, there won¡¯t be any more chances. I beg of you, humor my shameless request.¡±


    ¡°I have one question for you.¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the famously unambitious Captain Valmont wants to spar with me.¡±


    Valmont huffed and shed a smile at Joshua. It was frosty white, colder than the moonlight.


    <em>Can a human have such a dazzling smile?</em>


    ¡°Obviously¡­ I want to prove that I¡¯m the best.¡±


    The training ground behind the building was lit only by the moonlight.


    Valmont used a longsword of average length; Joshua faced him with a normal soldier¡¯s iron spear.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Valmontzily replied. ¡°I¡¯m always ready. Since I have seniority, I¡¯ll give you the first move.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips twitched and his eyes glowed with excitement.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    As soon as the word left his lips, Joshua¡¯s body shot forward. His speed was beyond all expectations, sending his spear shrieking towards Valmont¡¯s face¡ªthe way it obscured the older captain¡¯s vision was an added bonus.


    Sparks flew, des collided. Valmont broke into a sweat, realizing he¡¯d only barely deflected Joshua¡¯s spear.


    ¡°I expected it,¡± Valmont mumbled.


    The young man in front of him¡ªno. Joshua was no longer a snot-nosed kid he could test. He was like a mastercrafted spear now, capable of reaching out and piercing the heart of anyone, at any time.


    ¡°Please, ept my apologies.¡±


    Joshua stepped back and adjusted his posture, only to be confused by Valmont¡¯s words.


    ¡°¡®Seniority¡¯... I was making up things. I¡¯m going to give it my all from now on.¡±


    Valmont sprinted forward, shing at the tip of Joshua¡¯s spear with his sword. Joshua used the recoil to rotate, striking towards Valmont¡¯s stomach. The older man danced backwards andshed out, only for it to be met by Joshua¡¯s spear again, and again, and again.


    Valmont could only sigh; Joshua wielded his spear perfectly. He hadn¡¯t even broken a sweat. That was no mean feat: Valmont¡¯s sword, with his inherent physique and talent, was incredible. Many swordsmen would struggle to even react, such that he was rightfully known as ¡°the Fastest Star of Avalon.¡±


    Valmont stepped back, allowing his adrenaline to calm down.


    ¡°Why are you doing that? Is it not worth going on the offensive against me?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mouth remained firmly shut.


    Valmont knew the answer: his opponent, unlike Valmont, was not putting in his utmost effort. Joshua hadn¡¯t even moved¡ªhe¡¯d forced Valmont to stay at the edge of his range. Valmont had never seen anyone exploit a spear¡¯s reach so efficiently in his entire life.


    The senior captain grit his teeth. ¡°You¡¯re dead wrong if you think you can beat me with such a stupid attitude.¡±


    Valmont raised his sword to point straight up, allowing his face to reflect off of the de. It was a stance that belonged on parade ground, not in a battle¡ªbut the sheer energy could not be ignored.


    His muscles clenched and trembled rapidly like they would explode at any moment, beating a near-audible roar into the air. Mana poured from his mana hall, concentrating into his sword.


    ¡°This is my best move. If you can stop this, I¡¯ll do whatever you want¡ªbecause I won¡¯t be able to move afterwards, anyways.¡±


    Valmont¡¯s mana took on a new shape over the de, to Joshua¡¯s astonishment.


    ¡°Aura de¡­¡± wed, but undeniable.


    <em>It¡¯s almost like the stars have formed into a halo around his de.</em>


    ¡°It¡¯s my best move. If you can¡¯t dodge this, you¡¯ll be seriously wounded.¡±


    It was a skill only taught to the blood of the Brown family; a secret that had earned Valmont the title of ¡°Fastest Star.¡±


    ¡°Here it goes.¡± Valmont aimed for Joshua¡¯s right shoulder¡ªif he struck right, he¡¯d be able to avoid causing lethal wounds.


    He exploded forwards, faster than he¡¯d ever moved before. He was like a meteor hurtling to the ground, its tail the only indication he was ever there. His sword, too, stitched a bright line through the air.


    But even if Joshua struggled to follow Valmont¡¯s movements, his spear was raised and waiting.


    <em>Toote.</em> Valmont smirked. He¡¯d crossed the point of no return; already his sword was inside his opponent¡¯s reach and fast closing. The spear, on the other hand, remained stationary.


    Or not.


    Joshua¡¯s spear rose slowly to meet the sword.


    Slowly?


    It wasn¡¯t slow at all. Valmont was mistaken.


    A brilliant sh of light lit up the night, and the air was split by an ear-bleeding scream.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Valmont staggered back several paces and fell to his knees, propped up by his sword. His eyes were shaking¡ªit was clear he didn¡¯t understand what had happened. He frantically raised his head, casting a frantic gaze forward.


    He contended with a single spear. Amon iron spear¡ªwith more power than any famed de.


    It was clear and strong, not like his imperfect rendition. There was naught Valmont could do but groan.


    ¡°Full¡­ Aura de.¡±

 Chapter 113

    The morning after the Prince¡¯s birthday banquet, Charles¡¯s travel preparations were interrupted by a soft knock on her bedroom door.


    ¡°Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°Cox?¡± Charles tilted her head.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I know you¡¯ve been busy¡­ but a visitor has arrived.¡±


    ¡°A guest? For me?¡± <em>No way.</em> Her eyes widened like a rabbit. ¡°Wait¡­ Wait a minute.¡± Charles¡¯s face lit up with a peculiar sense of expectation. She nced in the mirror to check her freshly brushed hair and cleared her throat. ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cox gently opened the door, followed by a man and a woman.


    Charles¡¯s face was tinged with disappointment when she saw their faces.<sup>1</sup>


    ¡°Oh my word¡­ my god¡­¡± Cain, dressed in a knight¡¯s robe, unusually, and hair neatly pulled back, pped his hand over his mouth and prayed to a god he didn¡¯t believe in. ¡°I heard stories of Young Lady Charles¡¯s famous beauty, but I never expected¡­ this.¡±


    She was so beautiful that, even in the morning, her shine was untouched; it seemed as if time held no sway over her.


    ¡°I would like to ask your names¡ªwould that be too rude? You are an inspirational, one-of-a-kind knight.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Icarus began, ¡°we are¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Charles!¡± Icarus was shoved to the side as Cain stepped forwards and shot a nasty re at the knight¡¯s back, but Cain was too busy simping<sup>2</sup> to care. ¡°From now on, you are my liege¡ªno, my goddess¡ªagh!¡±


    Cain fell onto his butt clutching his nape. Icarus offered Charles a pleasant smile, despite just smashing a knight.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a pleasure to meet you, Young Lady. I¡¯m honored to meet the youngdy of the renowned Pontier family. My name is Icarus; like the Young Lady, Ie from the Southern province¡ªthe Harvest Estate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, ¡®Icarus¡¯!¡± Charles reached out and took Icarus¡¯s hands. ¡°I¡¯ve heard so much about you, Icarus! They say you¡¯re the smartest person in the country! I¡¯ve wanted to meet you for such a long time now¡ªwhat a pleasure.¡±


    Icarus couldn¡¯t help butugh at the unexpectedly warm reception.


    It was really quite natural, actually. Icarus was the most prestigious graduate of the Imperial Academy; already, the heads of several renowned houses were swooning over this brilliant mind. How excited would Charles be when Icarus came looking for her?¡±


    <em>But¡­ was Icarus ady?</em> Charles shook her head. <em>It doesn¡¯t matter so long as she¡¯s here. Her estate and ours are neighbors, so¡­</em> Her eyes filled with anticipation.


    ¡°This man is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am Cain, knight of Duke Agn¡ªBaron Sanders! Young Lady, it is a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Baron Sanders? No way¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Joshua Sanders, the second son of Duke Agnus. You are correct, Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°W-wait. Then you are¡­¡± Charles looked at Icarus, who nodded back.


    ¡°I am in the Baron¡¯s service, albeit not officially yet.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I see¡­¡± Charles¡¯s expression fell, to Icarus¡¯s embarrassment.


    ¡°I believe you should have a thorough discussion with these two, Princess.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Cox?¡±


    ¡°They¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me exin,¡± Icarus interrupted.


    ¡°Then, please.¡±


    Icarus was now a Count, yet she still stopped to offer Cox a grateful smile and a nod.


    ¡°Our lord, um¡­¡± Icarus coughed, slightly embarrassed to be calling someone ¡°our lord.¡± ¡°Well, Baron Joshua told us to look after you. I mean, well, we still need your consent.¡±


    ¡°No doubt Duke Agnus is attempting to assist us through the two of you; he is well aware of our family¡¯s circumstances.¡±


    Charles pouted. ¡°Then what about that person?¡±


    ¡°You never know; it could be Duke Agnus¡¯s order.¡± Cox smiled bitterly.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it.¡±


    ¡°No?¡± Cox frowned suspiciously at Cain.


    ¡°My lord, Baron Joshua Sanders, is the sole authority in all of this. No other wills influence the master¡¯s decisions.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡ªNot even his father, Duke Aden von Agnus. No one stands above the master.¡±


    Cox¡¯s pupils dted; even Charles stared nkly, though in a different way than usual. Cain¡¯s conviction had left a strong impression on her.


    <em>He seems so lighthearted and yet he has such faith¡­ What the hell did you do?</em>


    ¡°UGH¡ª!¡± Cain folded over, clutching his side.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re trying to show off?¡± Icarus scowled at him.


    ¡°Are you implying that I look cool?¡± Cain immediately jumped to his feet, smiling broadly.


    ¡°Stop tooting your own horn.¡±


    Cain¡¯s face fell.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ but it¡¯s not my type,¡± Icarus mumbled.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Icarus¡¯s cheeks flushed under Cain¡¯s gaze and she looked away.


    ¡°Wai¡ªYou¡ª!¡±


    ¡°To summarize, that man¡ªNo, Baron Joshua sent you two to assist my family?¡±


    ¡°For the time being, absolutely,¡± Cain responded.


    ¡°I am very grateful, but honestly, I don¡¯t understand; he must be aware of our family¡¯s position, so why did he issue such an order?¡±


    ¡°The lord has ordered us to assist the Young Lady, and so we shall.¡± Cain smiled. ¡°That¡¯s all there is to it.¡±


    Imperial Knights Temr headquarters, top floor, office of Rod den Hogg, Master and Commander of Avalon¡¯s most elite knights; he was also known as Master Rod, and his expression was stern.


    ¡°A letter of resignation¡­ Among the captains of the Imperial Knights, there has never been a case of someone resigning without a clear reason like you.¡± The Master eyed the small paper on the table. ¡°Joshua Sanders, captain of the extra battalion¡­ Actually, Valmont just left. It was a pretty goodugh¡ªI haven¡¯t seen him smile like that since he joined the Knights. He rose to captain without even trying. You didn¡¯t hurt his pride, you just ignited his will to train¡­ just by existing.¡± The Knight-Commander examined Joshua¡¯s face closely. ¡°Let me ask you something.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Did you go beyond the wall?¡±


    The office was silent for a while. Joshua didn¡¯t say anything, but Rod didn¡¯t need him to. The answer was alreadyid bare; to suppress Valmont, at the pinnacle of B-ss, without harming him could only mean one thing. But believing it was another matter.


    <em>A Master at fifteen¡­ It¡¯s insane.</em>


    There was nothing Rod could do butugh.


    ¡°As I stated, I will not ept your letter of resignation; I don¡¯t want to miss out on a talent just because I already have too many. The decision, thus, is based purely on His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s desire. Are you still confident?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± His smile widened. ¡°If you¡¯ve made your choice, then go and make the world remembered the name ¡®Joshua Sanders.¡¯¡±


    Joshua saluted and left; the door closed behind him with a thud, leaving the Knight-Commander alone in the office.


    ¡°I remember the first time I met him. I expected this day woulde sooner orter, but¡­¡± He raised his face, letting the sunlight from the window y across his face.


    ¡°...Master Battle.¡± He astonished himself with the fiery passion surging from his wizened heart, and he hastily brushed it aside. Soon, his office was once again a ce of only pens scratching on paper.

 Chapter 114

    Joshua stopped as he was walking down the road leading away from the Knights¡¯ headquarters. A man, over two meters tall, was nted squarely in the middle of the road.


    ¡°Viper¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard you¡¯re leaving, Captain.¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly as Viper approached.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the rumors to spread so quickly. That look doesn¡¯t suit your size, Viper.¡±


    ¡°Talking with you is pointless.¡± Viper closed in, blocking out the sun with his enormous frame.


    Joshua¡¯s smile widened when he realized what Viper was doing.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need shade.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to leave?¡±


    When he saw Viper¡¯s expression, Joshua couldn''t bring himself to reply.


    ¡°You¡­ can¡¯t even answer?¡±


    ¡°Not now¡­¡±


    Viper bit his lip. ¡°Can you answer this? Did you even think of us as your subordinates? Me¡­ the 11th and 12th Battalions¡­ I want to know what the Captain is thinking.¡±


    <em>It would be a lie if I said I didn¡¯t feel anything.</em>


    The longer Joshua remained silent, the more Viper¡¯s expression twisted. He admired Joshua, regardless of his age, and had truly considered Joshua his captain for the past five years. But¡­ he was leaving now. And he hadn¡¯t even nned to tell them. Did it mean nothing to him?


    ¡°I¡­ I never considered the 11th and 12th Battalions, including you, my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± It felt to Viper like the sky was falling. Everything he believed in came crashing down.


    ¡°Yeah, not subordinates¡­ Not evenrades, nor colleagues¡­ This position was only created to improve the Knights¡¯ survivability, wasn¡¯t it?¡±


    His words were somehow familiar.


    ¡°Captain¡­¡± Viper¡¯s eyshes trembled, threatening to flood with tears.


    ¡°If you asked me if you were my people, I would have said yes without hesitation. My people. My preciouspanions.¡±


    Viper dropped to his knees.


    ¡°The Captain I know wouldn¡¯t leave without a reason. It must be so confidential it might end up harming us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting guess¡­ but it¡¯s more of a personal thing.¡±


    ¡°Right. But if we said we¡¯d follow the Captain to help with his personal matters, you¡¯d stop us, right?¡± Viper smiled. ¡°The Captain was faithful to his promise; you said you¡¯d make us the strongest, and that we¡¯d never have to bow to anyone. No one challenged us for the top since you took over¡ªat least, not voluntarily¡ªbecause everyone admires you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m extremely grateful for the past five years.¡± Viper stood and saluted, fists against his chest. ¡°I don¡¯t know what the others will think, but you will always be my Captain.<sup>1</sup> I¡¯ll wait for you, Commander, so please¡­ will you return?¡±


    ¡°Viper¡­¡±


    ¡°This cow is pretending to be cool again.¡±


    ¡°Ca-Cazes?¡± Viper turned around, perplexed.


    ¡°Right. If you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, don¡¯t say anything; you¡¯re just being arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Ranger.¡±


    Cazes had purple hair and deep eyes, while Ranger had a white lion¡¯s mane of hair. These two came up to Viper¡¯s nks, like his very own knights.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°We heard everything, Captain. If this <em>yangban</em><sup>2</sup> is going to put on airs, we figured we¡¯d give it a shot too.¡±


    ¡°The 11th and 12th Battalions agree with Viper. We stand by you, Captain. Not as your subordinates, but as your people.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Joshua¡¯s lips curled into a smile.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to call it thest time, but¡ª¡± Ranger, captain of the 11th Battalion, drew his sword. ¡°To our once, future, and eternal Captain, Baron Joshua Sanders, the most brilliant in all of history! Salute!¡±


    The other two drew their des, saluting Joshua as well.


    The Imperial Pce was decorated with a long, seemingly endless red carpet. Beautiful chandeliers embroidered the chamber with their light, and a magnificent throney at the end of it.


    Of course, only one person could sit in it. Avalon¡¯s cruelest tyrant and the first person in history to achieve the vaunted rank of Master. A man who wore a frightening smile on his lips at all times.


    Emperor Marcus von Britten, current monarch of the Avalon Empire.


    For the first time in a long time, the court was filled with people. No noble lied outside of his sight right now; not the twelve marquises of the Twelve Families, not the Dukes. Every single one blessed the court with their presence.


    ¡°I can¡¯t even begin to say this¡­ but our Empire, the kingdom of knights, has no participants in the Master Battle. Not one.¡± Marcus stared at the middle-aged man with the deep blue hair in the front row.


    The courtroom was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.


    ¡°Y-your Majesty, I heard that the extra captain will take part¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a story I purposefully spread to other countries, and it¡¯s not final yet.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± The nobleman pped his lips dumbly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re socent as to believe this era of peace willst forever?¡± Emperor Marcus smiled shiftily. ¡°The only reason there is no war now is that the three great powers are in perfect bnce. But what do you think will happen if one side bes stronger and the bnce is broken?


    ¡°It hurts to say, but the continent will be stained with blood. The weak will be devoured by the strong¡­ And why? Because that¡¯s the rule of the world. At this rate¡ª¡± He paused, the corners of his mouth rising. ¡°At times of peace like this, when war is absent, how can the people of the continent evaluate our power?¡±


    The Emperor turned to the side, towards a middle-aged, mustachioed and bearded man with his long hair tied back. He was a knight of Avalon through and through.


    Duke Jegar dun Reiye stepped forward.


    ¡°The great men of our Empire will lift our g over the entire continent. That¡¯s what I think, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ fame is still the standard.¡± Emperor Marcus smiled contentedly. ¡°Regardless of actual power, the proportion of Masters in a battle isrge. Even after ten years, if this side has five Masters, and that side has ten, it¡¯s obvious who will win. So you have to show your hand to the other countries a little¡ªand Reinhardt is the best ce to do it.


    ¡°And yet, not a single person wants to participate. Can you guarantee there will be no more wars?¡±


    Jegar, knowing exactly what the Emperor wanted, spoke slowly.


    ¡°War is¡­ I believe it alwayses unannounced, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ So. What are your thoughts, Aden?¡±


    The nobles shuffled nervously. If Emperor Marcus was a hardliner, Duke Agnus, the strongest of the nobles, was a moderate. In fact, Duke Agnus was a ¡°breakwater¡± for the Emperor, who was ready to kick off a war at any time.


    Duke Agnus slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I will take part in the Master Battle.¡±


    The crowd was wide-eyed as the voice pushed its way through the open door. Emperor Marcus himself cast a perplexed nce at the young man entering the court.


    Duke Agnus was startled to find that the man was strikingly simr to himself.


    ¡°...Joshua?¡±

 Chapter 115

    There were two people with the same name in the Imperial Knights, though they had different surnames: Joker Rick Friedman of the 1st Battalion, the second best in the Imperial Knights, and Joker Bersium of the 9th Battalion, under themand of Valmont.


    The chances of finding two people with the same name in a small area was astronomical¡ªthere were so many names and surnames in the vast expanse of the Avalon Empire. Everyone assumed it was a bizarre coincidence, but there was in fact a reason for it all.


    A long time ago, both individuals received identical names from the same entity.


    The private office of the 1st Battalion¡¯s captain had a transparent barrier wrapped around the couch. It was silence magic, a barrier that prevented sound from leaking outside.


    Within the barrier were them¡ªthe two men with the same name. One was a young man with unremarkable looks; the other was a middle-aged man with wavy blonde hair and a luscious beard.


    ¡°C-Captain, is it okay to talk in such an open space? We were given orders to be extra careful for now, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think I called you here because Ickmon sense, Higgs Bersium?¡±


    Joker¡ªor ¡°Higgs¡±¡ªflinched when the other man suddenly used his real name. He dropped to his knees and prostrated before the captain.


    ¡°I spoke foolishly. Please forgive me¡­¡±


    ¡°We have a problem.¡± The elder Joker¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°Yes? If-if there is an issue¡ª¡±


    ¡°I got a message from <em>him</em>.¡±


    Higgs¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°May Heimdall¡¯s light shine on the continent! Long live!¡± He mmed his head against the floor three times.


    ¡°The reason he wants us to lie low¡­ is to kill the First Prince, Kiser von Britten.¡±


    Higgs¡¯s entire body shook uncontrobly.


    ¡°The Emperor is a maniacal tyrant. If Duke Agnus¡ªthe one he always calls dirt in his eyes¡ªis gone, he¡¯d dere war on the continent in an instant.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Emperor is not an easy opponent, no. In fact, he¡¯s one of the best. But despite that, his ns for Duke Agnus are taking much longer than expected. I don¡¯t know what the Emperor hopes to aplish, but his ns have met a significant setback. This order is the result. He needs apelling ¡°justification,¡± something beyond what even Duke Agnus could provide: the assassination of the First Prince.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± A cold sweat ran down Higgs¡¯s back.


    ¡°The n was ready¡ªwless, to say the least. All of the Prince¡¯s guards were my men, and we hired the best assassin there is. But at the moment of truth, the assassin was nowhere to be found.¡± Joker smiled and licked his lips wolfishly. ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m on probation for the time being. Keep your activities to a minimum, but try to keep your ear to the ground.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey!¡± Higgs viciously mmed his head on the floor.


    Joker¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Emperor Marcus discovered a young man entering the room.


    ¡°Is this real? The extra captain of our Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°I greet His Majesty the Emperor.¡± Joshua presented himself politely.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ I believe you said something about the Master Battle, if I¡¯m not mistaken.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°Just as you¡¯ve heard, I will participate in the Master Battle on behalf of Avalon.¡±


    The courtroom stirred as the nobles started whispering. It was obvious they all had something they wanted to say, but none were willing to speak up before Emperor Marcus¡¯s imposing presence.


    ¡°You went to Reinhardt years ago and brought glory to our Empire¡ªand now you wish to return? In my eyes, this can only do good; however¡­¡± His eyes gleamed. ¡°Do you understand that the Master Battle is different from the tournament you participated in before?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Marcus paused. ¡°What age are you this year?¡±


    ¡°I am fifteen.¡±


    ¡°Fifteen¡­ Yes, you were always someone who refused to adhere tomon sense.¡± Emperor Marcus let out a lowugh and rose from his seat. ¡°Show me. Right here, in front of everyone, show me you have the skill topete in the Master Battle.¡±


    The nobles¡¯s mutterings surged. Of course, most of them were wondering if Joshua could deliver. The young man himself, however, seemed unphased.


    ¡°Before I prove myself, I have several conditions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy¡ª!¡±


    ¡°How dare you try to talk to the Emperor like that?!¡±


    Duke Agnus was grinning, ever so slightly.


    ¡°Stop.¡± The voice was quiet, almost inaudible, but silenced the entire crowd with that single word. ¡°How amusing. You have¡­ conditions.¡± The Emperor let out a longugh. ¡°You¡¯re the first person to talk to me like that. I¡¯m quite enjoying it.¡±


    Had anyone else spoken like that, Marcus would have cut their limbs off immediately. But this young man was always adding a little excitement to his mundane existence; Marcus thought he deserved a few snide remarks.


    ¡°Please, go on. Anything except leaving the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Joshua was silent, making the Emperor lean into his hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­ Are you really leaving my side? I hate it when what¡¯s mine leaves¡ªmore than you know.¡±


    The court was taken aback by Emperor Marcus¡¯s abrupt shift in temper.


    ¡°A knight who joined through Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle¡ª¡±


    ¡°<em>I</em> am thew of Avalon.¡±


    There was nothing Joshua could say.


    ¡°If you agree, I will add another condition¡­¡± The Emperor snatched one of the guards¡¯ sword and sent it hurtling towards Joshua at blinding speeds. In this motion he disyed the highest level of talent: the ¡°heart sword¡±, the ability to wield a de with only his will.


    It seemed as if the sword would go straight through Joshua¡ªbut it stopped, trembling, before Joshua¡¯s face.


    There was only one exnation: Joshua was using the heart sword, same as the Emperor. The sword shuddered between the battling forces, and was eventually forced back.


    ¡°...I was trying to test your Aura de, but it seems you¡¯ve even already mastered the heart sword.¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice wasden with amazement. ¡°Hahahahaha¡­ AHAHAHAHAHAHAH!¡± Marcus seemed to have lost his mind; hisughter was unmistakably filled with delight. ¡°Aden. I¡¯ve never been jealous of you in my life¡ªuntil now.¡±


    Duke Agnus stared at Joshua. He seemed calm, but his eyes couldn¡¯t conceal his amazement.


    ¡°Great¡­ hahaha¡­ How am I supposed to act childish if you do this to me?¡± The Emperor dropped back into his throne. ¡°Feel free to flee. If you bring us a good oue, your requests will be granted upon my name.¡±


    The nobility stared at Joshua, awed by the Emperor¡¯s unusual words. Joshua soaked in their gazes and savored each word as he spoke.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you more than that.¡±

 Chapter 116

    ¡°Attention!¡± The guards saluted Joshua as he emerged from the castle gates.


    Suddenly, he stopped, pausing to look at the castle. His eyes lingered on the Imperial Pce, the ce where he¡¯d spend most of thest five years.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to get attached, but¡­¡± He¡¯d met all the goals he came here for¡ªexcept for one¡ªbut his face tensed for just a moment. He was promoted to captain, entered the Archives, reimed the obsidian earrings, and, as a bonus, took up the name ¡°Sanders¡± in ce of ¡°Agnus.¡± He met the Assassin King and changed her life, and gathered a cadre he could proudly im as his people within the Imperial court. But most importantly¡­


    ¡°Kaiser von Britten.¡± His brow furrowed.


    Joshua¡¯s first n was to demolish all the foundations Kaiser built, particrly those who had followed Kaiser since he was a child. Joshua wanted to prevent him from meeting his ¡°real¡± people, as opposed to the ¡°fakes¡± who would arrive soon, when he¡¯d safely established his ce in the Pce.


    <em>I didn¡¯t even bother making a list because I already memorized all of their faces.</em> However, Joshua¡¯s n had failed.


    ¡°...They were Kaiser¡¯s people even before I approached them.¡± He grimaced; this was not something he¡¯d anticipated. It didn¡¯t make any sense to begin with¡ªthe Fourth Prince¡¯s support base was so poor there was no point inparing it to the First and Second Princes.


    Was he supposed to take the throne with less than 5% of the overall power and his ¡°life skills?¡± That made about as much sense as a priest marrying a warlock. The issue had been gnawing at his mind until a few days ago.


    ¡°That day¡­ The Emperor¡¯s sudden disappearance must be rted to this. A power that can make even Aisha tremble in fear¡­ the third power.¡±


    The new information was unsettling; even the mighty Emperor Marcus was unaware of this army. The most usible exnation was that there was a third faction supporting Kaiser, whose very name, to say nothing of its strength, remained unknown.


    The problem was, Joshua found out toote. He was hoping to draw in Kaiser¡¯s followers with his talent, but if they were Kaiser¡¯s since birth¡­


    <em>No, maybe it¡¯s Kaiser who belongs to them¡­</em> Joshua felt pitiful¡ªhe went around unting himself without realizing he was right in the middle of the enemy.


    <em>As soon as I realized it existed, I had to flee the Imperial Pce as quickly as possible.</em> The Master Battle made for a convenient excuse. <em>Reinhardt, the venue of the Master Battle, is an independent, extranational metropolis. Its central location makes it a trade hub and an excellent ce to gather information. It houses the Moon Gate¡¯s headquarters¡­</em> Information was a matter of life and death in these circumstances.


    Joshua realized there was someone in his path and stopped.


    ¡°Father¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua. Five years have passed and not once have you visited me. And now you¡¯re just going to leave.¡± Duke Agnus quietly approached. ¡°Are you¡­ angry? Do you despise me for choosing Babel as my sessor instead of you? He was the most logical choice.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m¡­¡± A glimmer formed in Joshua¡¯s eyes and he struggled to get his words out. ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s lips curved into a sour grin.


    ¡°However, I never faulted you for that decision. In fact, it was a great choice. I have no regrets about my family anyways; you didn¡¯t choose me because I had no interest in the family name. You did what was best for the Agnus name.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­ if¡­¡±


    ¡°I loathe my father for one reason.¡± Joshua met Duke Agnus¡¯s gaze. ¡°You have more than enough power, but you left my mother to the family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Duke Agnus sighed. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s all in the past now. I¡¯ve never seen my mother as cheerful as she has been recently.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª?¡± Duke Agnus realized that Joshua had been visiting his mother but not the Duke and smiled sadly.


    ¡°Thank you very much for teaching my knight and caring for my mother.¡± Joshua bowed his head, to the Duke¡¯s surprise. ¡°And¡­ I wish you all the best in the future.¡±


    Duke Agnus smiled at his son, apanied by the chirping birds.


    ¡°Can you¡­ do me a favor, please?¡±


    A knight knelt in worship in the center of the enormous temple of Hermes in the capital of Hubalt. He was young, with long, waist-length lustrous blonde hair and wore pristine white armor. His green eyes sparkled with life, like carefully set emeralds, and his very body radiated divine power. Every inch of him screamed ¡°I am a Holy Knight!¡±


    ¡°Christian.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± The knight sprang up from his prayer. ¡°Master!¡±


    The other man was only about 30 years old. A young man with unusual silver hair and a neat white coat. His face overflowed withpassion, despite its gorgeous features that held up even inparison with the praying knight. Above all, he had an aura¡ªa heavenly halo just behind his back yet unreachable.


    He was one of the continent¡¯s Nine Great Stars, ruler of the Hubalt Empire: God¡¯s Knight, Chrysler John<sup>1</sup> Sebastian.


    ¡°You¡¯re preparing to leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Master.¡± Christian nodded eagerly. ¡°I will return in perfect health.¡±


    ¡°You have talent; you¡¯ll have no trouble getting their attention.¡± Chrysler smiled warmly back at Christian. ¡°No one short of the Nine Stars or Twelve Superhumans could challenge you, not even another A-ss.¡±


    ¡°Of course! All thanks to the Master¡¯s teachings!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Christian cocked his head.


    ¡°bis, the Crimson Knight. Be very careful if youe face-to-face with him.¡±


    ¡°bis¡­ The current ruler of Thran, Master?¡± He received a nod.


    ¡°That man is endowed with extraordinary, inexplicable abilities, and he¡¯s wary of the Tower. Most importantly, there¡¯s no need for us to get involved in someone else¡¯s quarrels is there?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Duke Altsma.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡±


    Chrysler paused for a moment, grinning to himself. <em>Did he say he was going to be in the Master Battle as well?</em> He shook his head, his smile wiped away by sadness as he recalled the Reinhardt Tournament years ago. <em>You¡¯re still a kid. No matter how brilliant you are¡­</em> He swept aside those concerns and returned the grin to his face.


    ¡°Have you made up your mind?¡± he asked Christian. ¡°If you haven¡¯t, I¡¯ll arrange a separate carriage for you.¡±


    ¡°No, Master. I still have some free time before traveling to Reinhardt, so I¡¯d like to make a detour at the border.¡±


    ¡°The border?¡± Chrysler¡¯s expression stiffened.


    ¡°Yes, Master. Within the Avalon Empire, beyond the western boundary.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying you¡¯ll go willingly into enemy territory?¡± Chrysler shook his head.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s risky, but¡­ there were rumors that a lich appeared there. As a Knight of God, I believe it is my duty to verify the rumors.¡±


    ¡°A lich!¡± Lich were high-ranking wizards with decaying bodies. They sacrificed their souls to cheat death because they could not give up their passion for magic. Many liches employed ck magic with devastating prowess beyond anything they could have done while they were alive, making them difficult opponents to deal with.


    Of course, there were so few high-ranking wizards that finding such a lich was like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    ¡°Is it possible it¡¯s a trap?¡±


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s reliable, because it came directly from High Priest Harald.¡±


    ¡°Is it a divine revtion¡­?¡± Chrysler sighed and pressed his hand onto his student¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Take care. In the worst case, your life may be in danger¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, Master! If that happens, we¡¯ll seek help from a local temple.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it.¡± He smiled, then paused as he recalled something. ¡°Now that I think about it, where was it?¡±


    ¡°Tripia, the easternmost province of Avalon.¡±

 Chapter 117

    Reinhardty to the east of Arcadia, the heart of Avalon, along the border with the Hubalt Empire. The distance it took to get there was substantially longer than it appeared on a map. The Avalon Empire, as one of the three great powers, had an expansive territory; duchies and estates, as major cities, had warp gates, while other cities did not. The quickest way to get from Arcadia to Reinhardt was to take the warp gate to the eastern Duchy of Tremblin, then travel the rest of the way bynd.


    There was one portion of the path that couldn¡¯t be avoided; a deste area of cast-aside baronies.


    ¡°Tripia¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes threatened to overflow with guilt as he examined the looming blue jaws of the warp gate.


    ¡°I¡­ Baron Joshua,¡± the dispatch wizard said anxiously, ¡°Haiburi castle is quite far away so the ride will be a bit bumpy. Please be careful.¡±


    Joshua simply nodded and stepped through the warp gate. The warp gate epassed Joshua in a flickering blue glow¡­ and then it was gone, along with Joshua.


    ¡°Hahh¡­¡± The dispatch wizard sighed. ¡°I heard the rumors, but I haven¡¯t felt like this since meeting the Thunder Wizard.¡± Shaun, the same dispatch wizard who ushered through Jack Steropes, shed a tired, relieved smile.


    He didn¡¯t know how to put the feeling into words.


    <em>What am I supposed to say? If Steropes was frightening because of his notoriety, then the most talked-about person in Avalon¡­</em> He needed a moment to process his feelings.


    ¡°I almost fell to my knees¡­ and for some reason, it feels like that¡¯s the way it¡¯s supposed to be.¡± It was like standing in front of a monarch¡ªbowing was instinctive. How far would he go in the future?


    Of course, it didn¡¯t make him feel pitiful or humiliated.


    ¡°This is embarrassing. I¡¯m terrified of a 15 year oldd,¡± Shaun groaned. He was having trouble matching the Joshua he saw with the one from the stories.


    ¡°Well, they live in apletely different universe than I do.¡± Shaun shrugged and went back to his work.


    Haiburi Castle was second only to Trember Castle, the Duke¡¯s estate, within Tremblin Duchy.


    A boisterous inn in the heart of the city¡¯s busiest district was packed to the gills. Three of the loudest men were congregated at one table.


    ¡°Hey! Did you hear me?¡± a rugged man in light armor with a scar across his cheek said.


    ¡°What? What are you talking about?¡± A man with a bushy beard tilted his head at the first man.


    ¡°It¡¯s all about this Master Battle! They said the application deadlines will close and Reinhardt will release this list shortly, but everyone says it¡¯s going to be big!¡±


    ¡°The Master Battle roster?¡± A polite, bearded mercenary looked up. ¡°So who¡¯s going to be there?¡±


    ¡°Without payment? This is valuable information that only high nobles have ess to.¡±


    ¡°Come on.¡± A gleaming coin went tumbling through the air.


    ¡°Always a pleasure to work with you.¡± The rough-faced man snatched the coin and grinned.


    ¡°Tell me, quickly.¡±


    ¡°First and foremost,¡± said Bera, the man with the scar, ¡°they say it¡¯s going to be the biggest Master Battle ever¡ªmore than twenty participants.¡±


    ¡°How many? More than twenty, really?¡±


    To join the Master Battle, you had to be A-ss at the bare minimum, and then pass their sponsor nation or organization¡¯s rigorous screening. As a result, the Master Battle averaged at about tenbatants¡ªA-ss knights, high-ranking wizards, and high-level spirits couldn¡¯t be found just anywhere.


    Bera was ecstatic to see his colleagues hanging on to his every word.


    ¡°From Babylon, Kingdom of Hearts: Red Heart; from Terra Kingdom, the First Magician, Force Magician Astello; the pride of our mercenaries and the keeper of two diamonds, the mighty Akschuler¡­¡±


    The mercenaries gulped as the prestigious cast grew.


    ¡°Not only that, but one of the Seven Magicians said that one of them would be participating in the Master Battle, for whatever reason. There¡¯s also rumors that the Duke of Altsma, the Wild King, the northern ruler of the Swallow Empire, will be there.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± One of the mercenaries sprung to his feet in amazement. ¡°The Wild King is fighting?¡±


    ¡°First off, sit down. They say the Wild King is out for revenge. bis, Prince of Thran and the Knight of Red me is going, too. There¡¯s even whispers that the Hubalt Empire is sending a secret talent this time.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God.¡± The man flopped back into his seat, overwhelmed. This mercenary, like most, would never participate in apetition as exclusive as the Master Battle. All he could do was listen to stories to quell his boiling blood.


    In the corner, a figure silently listened to the men talk. More urately speaking, this person was not actively listening to the men; rather, they were so loud that anyone in the vicinity was forced to listen. They wore a ratty gown and ate an equally ratty sd as if the taste meant nothing to them. Dull, empty eyesy behind the torn robe, filled with absolutely nothing.


    <em>Shut up.</em>


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait¡­ The great kingdoms have someone, but what about Avalon?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­¡± Bera¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper. ¡°This is top secret: Avalon¡¯s participant is a 15 year old boy.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°Bera, we paid too much to be listening to this nonsense¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me finish! If I told you¡­¡±


    ¡°Go on, let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    Bera hesitated, letting the words linger on his lips.


    ¡°...Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Everyone stopped.


    ¡°Avalon¡¯s monster? Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so excited, I can¡¯t¡ªOh my God.¡±


    Bera¡¯s mouth stretched into a toothy grin as his peers broke into whooping and hollering.


    ¡°Greg¡­¡± He noticed one of the men kept drinking, disinterested. ¡°Are you not interested?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no use talking about men you¡¯ll never see, right? I¡¯d rather talk about thedies.¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh!¡± The bearded man¡¯s curiosity was piqued. ¡°The Empire¡¯s three most beautiful women.¡±


    ¡°You curious, Dirk?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Of course I am.¡±


    Greg held out his hand, grinning widely.


    ¡°Pay up.¡±


    ¡°Here!¡± Dirk¡¯s wallet got a little lighter again.


    ¡°He¡¯s gonna be rich at this rate,¡± Bera said, shaking his head at Dirk. ¡°At least we can listen for free, though.¡±


    ¡°You won''t be disappointed,¡± Greg said cheerfully. ¡°I won¡¯t be talking about the two popr ones, I¡¯m talking about someone else.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean¡­?¡±


    Greg nodded knowingly at Bera.


    ¡°Nonsense! How can you know, if ady has been gone for more than three years and her family is devastated? ¡­Is it possible that there are three new beauties I haven¡¯t heard of? I heard Avalon¡¯s great strategist, Icarus is really¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, are you talking about thedy who went missing?¡±


    ¡°My information is urate,¡± Greg imed with confidence. ¡°It came from the priest who investigated the site. He found traces of ck magic.¡±


    ¡°Ohohohoho¡­¡± Dirk smiled.


    The figure in the corner stood up, paid and left. No one paid attention, and the discussions in the inn continued unabated.

 Chapter 118

    A crowd gathered around Haiburi Castle¡¯s warp gate, near the city center. A bright sh of light enveloped the gate, spitting out a figure. Soon, everyone could see it was Joshua.


    ¡°Wee to Haiburi Castle, Baron Joshua Sander, the pride of the Empire!¡±


    Joshua grimaced slightly as the crowd¡¯s cheers rolled over him. How did they know he wasing, though?


    <em>That insignia¡­ Count Haiburi?</em> Many of them wore a silver-ted medal with the same symbol that was proudly disyed on the knights¡¯ breasttes: two ovepping cartwheels, the crest of Haiburi¡¯s lords.


    Joshua saw a familiar middle-aged man and sighed.


    <em>The head of the household wille to see me, of course. So much attention¡­ I don¡¯t like it.</em> Joshua shook his head. <em>I¡¯d better get a new identity before I go on.</em>


    The middle-aged man met Joshua with a wide grin as he walked away from the warp gate.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time, Baron Joshua. We haven¡¯t met since His Highness the First Prince¡¯s birthday celebration, was it?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Count Haiburi. You¡¯re right, it¡¯s been quite some time.¡± Joshua smiled back at the kind-faced Count and shook his hand.


    ¡°No, I should be the one thanking you. It¡¯s such an honor to meet one of the Empire¡¯s greatest talents.¡±


    ¡°You tter me.¡±


    <em>I heard he acts just like an adult, but now that I see him he''s just fifteen. Yet, this atmosphere¡­</em> Count Haiburi cast a nce over Joshua, admiring his humility and calm attitude. He seemed tock the typical joy or arrogance of people his age.


    Joshua Sanders felt like a finely made sword¡ªor¡­ not? That wasn¡¯t quite right.


    <em>He¡¯s like a de that hasn¡¯t been unsheathed yet. His strength still sleeps within.</em>


    He grinned. Money, power, or force, Count Haiburi knew how hard it was to conceal your power.


    <em>He¡¯s very gifted. I can only specte as to why His Majesty the Emperor made such statements.</em>


    ¡°Why did youe out like this to greet me? A lot of knights were pulled from their stations just to say hello¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, you see¡ª


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ It¡¯s due to His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡± A woman with a striking simrity to the Count interrupted. She wasn¡¯t beautiful, but she was hardly bad looking¡ªa typical pretty woman you could find in anymunity. ¡°H-His Majesty said that since Baron Joshua is heading to Reinhardt, our house should take it upon ourselves to make him feelfortable and wee.¡±


    Joshua grinned with understanding.


    ¡°Who is this one?¡±


    ¡°Oh, she¡¯s my daughter. Mei?¡± Count Haiburi motioned her forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m Mei ken Haiburi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders, from the capital.¡± He smiled at the shy girl. ¡°It¡¯s a privilege to meet the daughter of Count Haiburi.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± She flushed crimson.


    Joshua was good-looking enough to draw crowds of admirers, but his frigid demeanor made him difficult to approach.


    ¡°My world¡ªReally, it¡¯s really Sir Joshua!¡± A blonde girl appeared, looking as thrilled as if she¡¯d met a prince from a fairy tale. It was Senna, who visited Arcadia to attend the Prince¡¯s birthday party. When she found out that Joshua was traveling to Haiburi, she forced her father to let her use the warp gate.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s my niece¡ª¡±


    ¡°Senna! My name is Senna lu Reifonbeo. It¡¯s such a privilege to meet you here, I mean, I really really adore you, see?¡±


    ¡°Reifonbeo¡­¡± Joshua examined Senna. ¡°Ah! Torosen lu Reifonbeo,mander of the 7th Battalion of the Imperial Knights.¡± His memories conjured images of a middle-aged blonde knight with a crisp bearing.


    <em>Hmm¡­ Yes, he looks like her.</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re Sir Reifonbeo¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we go inside for now?¡± Count Haiburi interrupted, attempting to prevent Senna from talking for hours as she was wont to do. She pouted, but the Count ignored her. ¡°How are you feeling? It would be great if you stayed in our castle for a day or two¡ªthe Master Battle is still a ways off.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your consideration,¡± Joshua replied, instantly brightening their expressions. ¡°However¡­ I have a number of personal affairs to attend to, in addition to the Master Battle. I¡¯ll have to settle for the Count¡¯s good intentions.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡± Count Haiburi and the girls let out disappointed sighs. ¡°Then why don¡¯t we get something to eat?¡± he ventured, refusing to give up hope.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± It would be difficult for Joshua to reject the Count¡¯s offer.


    ¡°Given His Majesty¡¯s instructions,¡± the Count added, ¡°supper would greatly relieve my heart. Please spare my reputation.¡±


    Joshua nodded, resigned, much to their delight. He could only smile bitterly at their excitement.


    ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± <em>After all, I have to travel there first.</em> ¡°However, it will be difficult at this time¡ªthere is an important matter I must address immediately. I¡¯ll make it to Haiburi Castle by evening.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Count Haiburi beamed. He had enough political expertise to know that pressing the issue would end poorly. ¡°Please let me know if you need assistance at any of Haiburi Castle¡¯s inns. All of the inns in the area are rted to our family.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for taking such good care of me.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll see youter.¡± Count Haiburi turned around and the crowd followed suit.


    ¡°You muste,¡± Senna implored him. ¡°We¡¯ll be waiting.¡±


    Joshua watched them go.


    ¡°For now, let¡¯s start with the Mercenary Guild.¡±


    An enormous map filled the table, spilling over its edges. It charted the division of the continent, particrly the holdings of the Avalon Empire.


    The map was worth every penny, but thedy in front of it lifted her finger and pointed without even looking at it.


    ¡°This blue region here¡ª¡± She gestured towards the southern section of Avalon. ¡°¡ªrepresents the Pontier family¡¯s current territory.¡±


    The tall man next to her grimaced at her words, though they flowed from her lips like jade beads.


    ¡°Then there¡¯s the red spots¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah. The Crombell family¡¯s domain. Before the all-out war over territory, the areas in green were our family¡¯s estate.¡±


    ¡°It looks bleak.¡± The man sighed heavily.


    The green region was at least one and a half times bigger than the red before the territorial war. But the blue area was now not even half the size of the red. The Pontier estate was no more than a third of the Crombell territory.


    ¡°The rumors were not exaggerated. The Pontier family is about to be decimated¡ª¡± Cain halted, realizing what he was saying.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Charles said. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°The Princess¡¯s pragmatism ismendable.¡±


    ¡°I-Icarus?¡± Cain seemed puzzled.


    ¡°Do you think we have a chance, Icarus?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    Icarus smiled sweetly, took up a pen, and drew a straight line across the map.


    ¡°There.¡± Icarus turned to Charles. ¡°Now I¡¯ll show you why they call me a genius.¡±

 Chapter 119

    Unlike the rugged, mountainous, and sparsely popted northern and eastern regions of Avalon, the south was t and fertile. It produced around 80% of the Empire¡¯s foodstuffs; the roads were paved much better to amodate the amount of trade that entailed.


    The ruling ss was always concerned about the treatment of the southern provinces, but recently they¡¯d been particrly interested.


    Especially the businessmen.


    The room was magnificent, decorated in gold from floor to ceiling.


    The owner, a middle-aged man, sat at the head of the room. He had an intimidating visage at odds with the artistic decor, such that everyone wondered why it was decorated like so. His name was Gehor von Crombell, an instantly familiar personage.


    In front of his awaiting vassals, he lifted his diamond-adorned fist and smashed it down on his desk.


    ¡°Duke Pontier.. Tough as cockroaches. We need to put them down. Completely. <em>Now.</em>¡± Crombell shot a re at the bearded man next to him, who smiled andughed nervously. ¡°Got! Are you certain we¡¯ve taken care of Duke Pontier? He is poisoned?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure of it, my lord. He only needed to consume a little; its effects are not easy to recover from.¡±


    ¡°But he was supposed to be dead by now! Why are they still hanging on?¡±


    ¡°May I, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Speak, Jackson.¡±


    Jackson, a count, was the Crombell¡¯s most powerful knight, and no less than the Marquis¡¯s right hand. Whatever he had to say, it was worth listening to.


    Jackson bowed his head gratefully.


    ¡°As you are aware, we are in a stalemate. The Pontiers¡¯ territories and businesses are less than a third of what they were. The difference between our overwhelming sess and the tight battles we were used to is our use of ripple assaults¡ªand <em>him</em>.¡±


    ¡°The Mercenary King¡­¡± Marquis Crombell grimaced. ¡°They won¡¯tst long without their patriarch.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Jackson nodded. ¡°He was responsible for acquiring half of the Pontiers¡¯nd¡ªwhich is now ours. I don¡¯t know if His Majesty would agree, but if the Mercenary King trusts us, I¡¯m sure he would too. No, he might be grateful given his appreciation for talent, and there¡¯s no reason for him to risk making an enemy of the Mercenary King.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any need to make an apology when we¡¯re at an advantage. I just don¡¯t know how much of an excuse he¡¯ll ask for.¡±


    ¡°So how do we proceed? Their resistance has weakened; we can push through their undefended routes. I¡¯m sure their best defenses are still waiting.¡±


    The southwestern area, the Pontiers¡¯st bastion, was a basin surrounded by steep mountains. There was only one way in, unlike the rest of the south.


    ¡°Aiden Gorge¡­ It¡¯s foggy, even in broad daylight. It¡¯s nothing short of a fortress for them. We must take it.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Bring me a map.¡±


    The servants hurried toy out a map on the table; it was as good, if not better, than the Pontiers¡¯ map.


    ¡°We can exploit a w they didn¡¯t think about¡ªthe source of Aiden Gorge¡¯s fog.¡± Jackson took a red marker and drew a line to the Dennis River, which cut straight through the basin.


    ¡°The river¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible, my lord,¡± Got said. ¡°The Dennis River flows too strongly. We might lose our forces before we even get to the fight.¡±


    Jackson¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°But what if we can regte the river¡¯s flow?¡±


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you certain?¡± Cromwell asked.


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡±


    The Marquis clenched his jaw thoughtfully.


    ¡°...Our current system stands¡ªbut pay attention to that spot. Additionally, ambushes on the escort wagon are permitted, especially the ones headed to the basin. Smash them into pieces. I don¡¯t want an extended battle, so cut them off.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°And¡ª¡± Marquis Crombell pointed to the red line. ¡°I¡¯ll leave this to you.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I will do everything in my power, even if it costs me my life.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re done for today. Make sure everyonepletes their objectives without dy.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    The meeting was cut short and the vassals went to their work.


    But what they didn¡¯t realize was that Icarus and Jackson had drawn their lines in the same ce.


    Joshua sighed as he approached the mercenary guild in the heart of Haiburi Castle. The more he walked, the more attention he gathered. He hadn¡¯t nned for this.


    ¡°M-my god.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not human! He can¡¯t possibly be human!¡±


    ¡°An elf! Using an artifact to make his ears look normal!¡±


    People were dropping things on the ground and staring at him, regardless of age or gender¡ªalthough it was particrly severe for the women.


    [Hey buddy, why don¡¯t you grab yourself a robe?]


    Joshua grimaced at the familiar voice in his head.


    ¡°I thought I warned you about jumping out whenever you want, Lugi,¡± Joshua mumbled under his breath.


    [And I thought I told you that I don¡¯t want to be called that! Call me Lugia! How dare you use nicknames for me. Do you know how famous my name is in the demon world? You treat me like your neighbor!]


    Joshua sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to shove you back into your subspace¡ªas a bonus, I¡¯m not going to let you out for a week.¡±


    The voice bouncing around in his head immediately shut up.


    [...Scumbag.]


    Joshua smirked as he ducked around the corner and donned his robe.


    ¡°There¡¯s a lot I need to be careful of.¡± Not just his family history, he knew; people were reacting in all sorts of ways he hadn¡¯t had to deal with in his past life. Joshua was no longer a kid from a peasant household, contempted and neglected. He hadn¡¯t worn his feet down against the mud and the unsanded wooden nks after his mother died. He hadn¡¯t taken up his spear and spent his life on the battlefield.


    <em>In retrospect, my life was pretty unpleasant.</em> He grinned grimly.


    Somehow, he¡¯de back from a horrible death and all he thought about was revenge. He still did, of course, but he was beginning to consider his life beyond vengeance.


    [You¡¯re forgetting something: my life after your vengeance. After all, we are in a contract. Should we go take over the demon world? After all, this body is still a spear¡ªOH MY GO¡ª]


    Joshua shoved Lugia into its subspace.


    [Master! Master, no! Brother¡­ please! It¡¯s cold and stuffy¡ª]


    The subspace shut, cutting off Lugia. By now, the awe of encountering Lugia had worn off and Joshua was beginning to question if Lugia was the real deal.


    In his other life, Lugia had manifested itself once Joshua passed the fourth level of Spearmanship and reached the equivalent of an A-ss knight. Naturally, this life was much different.


    <em>Stop thinking about it.</em> Joshua shook his head. What mattered right now was finding a way to hide his identity. A mercenary card would make for a good alter ego, but his appearance would give him away and jeopardize his mercenary status.


    <em>There are definitely artifacts that can change someone¡¯s entire appearance. One of them was made by a girl from Avalon, not from Terra or the Tower.</em> He didn¡¯t know the details, just that the girl was born with a natural aptitude for mana and created that masterpiece in the middle of a crisis while also being pursued for years.


    Joshua grinned sourly.


    ¡°The cold-blooded killer, Ice Flower.¡±

 Chapter 120

    The entrance to the mercenary guild was made of aged wood, as was the rest of the building. It opened and closed to admit a robed figure. There were a few mercenaries in the guild who¡¯de to collect their quests, but they barely spared the figure a nce.


    Joshua smiled to himself. Every mercenary guild was the same, no matter how far apart they were: gloomy and heavy. There was no war on¡ªthe Swallow Empire had abandoned its little war against the Principality of Thran. The guild was just always like this.


    Why? Because mercenaries¡¯ allegiance belonged to whoever paid them. A friend today could be an enemy tomorrow. Even worse were the wretches with no morals to begin with. Joshua had be intimately familiar with this situation in his past life.


    Mercenaries fought purely for the sake of survival. They weren¡¯t knights who, although they could be called up to battle at any time, spent most of their days devoted to personal training. Even when they went to war, they only fought on their house¡¯snds. Every day of a mercenary¡¯s life was stained with blood. Monster taming, transporting valuable artifacts, exploring ruins, fighting in territorial conflicts¡ªall this and their names would never be known.


    ¡°I came here to train as a mercenary.¡±


    The receptionist looked up at him glumly.


    ¡°Over there.¡± He pointed irately. ¡°They¡¯re the ones in charge of the mercenary examination.¡±


    ¡°Thanks.¡± Joshua offered him a short bow and walked away.


    ¡°I¡¯m here for the mercenary exa¡ª¡±


    ¡°Fill out these papers and give them back to me.¡± The young, surprisingly attractive brte dismissed him without a nce. Joshua grinned sourly and took the paper.


    It was a one-page pamphlet. Quite straightforward, really: ce of birth, given name, past work experience, and motivations. There was just one problem.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for the Bronze Card,¡± Joshua said. ¡°I¡¯m here for the Silver one.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyebrows twitched, though she still wasn¡¯t paying attention to Joshua.


    ¡°Please hand me your bronze card, and I need proof of sessfullypleting 100 or more 2-Star quests¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a mercenary yet, but I know there¡¯s a way to get a Silver Card immediately.¡±


    ¡°Haaa?¡± The employee stood up angrily.


    Then she blinked.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± She peered at Joshua¡¯s face under his robe. She saw a pointed nose and fair skin and electric-blue eyes that were deep as the abyss.


    Jenny, a veteran receptionist at the mercenary guild, could honestly say she¡¯d never met anyone as attractive as the one in front of her now.


    ¡°Um¡­ You see¡­¡± Jenny blushed.


    ¡°Did that guy in the robe just say he wanted a Silver Card immediately?¡±


    ¡°Are you getting too old to hear properly?¡±


    ¡°Is he serious?¡±


    Jenny tensed ufortably as the voices prickled her ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you know,¡± she said, refusing to meet Joshua¡¯s eyes, ¡°but to get a Silver Card¡ª¡±


    Joshua drew a simple longsword from his robe, fashioned by a local cksmith. Mana poured into the de, filling the air with a short hum.


    ¡°A-Aura!¡±


    ¡°Did you just say aura? Is this kid B-ss?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    The mercenariesughed it off; after all, even in Haiburi Castle, one of the biggest cities in the Empire, fewer than 0.1% of every million mercenaries could wield aura. All sorts of people wound up in the mercenary guild.


    ¡°Oh my God¡­¡± Jenny¡¯s eyes burned with passion. Superhuman beauty, and skills to match? After a lifetime of dealing with rough mercenaries, Jenny couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing.


    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Joshua stared awkwardly at the unresponsive receptionist. ¡°The test¡­¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯vee to us, we need to deal with you separately,¡± a voice said from behind him.


    Joshua turned and bowed his head to the speaker. His eyes widened as he realized who it was.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡±


    Darkness.


    <em>I can¡¯t see.</em>


    Nothing but pitch ck.


    ¡°The Emperor is beginning to make serious moves.¡±


    The voice was strange and inhuman, like scraping iron, and seemed toe from every direction at once.


    ¡°He seeks to spark a global war by inciting their umted forces. Now that he¡¯s concentrating on Duke Agnus, we don¡¯t need to intervene. You could be called upon to y the most important part; are you capable of doing it? Remember, I am your father, first and foremost.¡±


    ¡°I only have one father.¡± This voice sounded like a young man.


    ¡°There is no need to be concerned about Duke Agnus at this time,¡± a third, odd voice said. ¡°The Emperor himself, and no one else, was responsible for this. You understand this, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the young man replied. ¡°We¡¯ve already set all of our preparations in motion.¡±


    ¡°Tell me, please.¡±


    ¡°The bnce of power hinges on one person: Aden von Agnus. If he were gone, it would be a trivial effort for the Emperor to swallow the duchy. As you are aware, Babel von Agnus¡ªno, Babel von Britten¡ªis the Emperor¡¯s child. He will seed Duke Agnus and swallow the Agnus name.¡±


    ¡°And your ns?¡±


    ¡°For the time being, we allow the Emperor to go about his business. When the timees, all we have to do is step in and offer our help. The Emperor will be drunk on victory and entrust Babel with the entirety of Agnus¡ªat that point, I will personally execute Babel, the Duke of Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ You would be most appropriate for the situation. Our presence must not be revealed to the world yet.¡±


    ¡°I will be careful.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    The strange voices vanished, and a dim glow began to illuminate the wall of the pitch-ck chamber. It formed a pattern: a big six-pointed star lit in an unsettling blood-red glow.


    That wasn¡¯t the strangest change, however. The pale glow revealed the faces of two men trapped within the stiflingly still void. Somehow, two of the noblest of nobles had been brought together.


    The first to speak was a young man with blonde hair and distinctive golden eyes.


    ¡°If you ever need assistance at the Imperial Pce, please, do not hesitate to contact me. I will embrace you with open arms if you¡ª¡±


    The other man burst intoughter.


    ¡°I will not be ensnared by your pretty words. I may have abandoned my country, but I still have pride in my aplishments.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it like that. Let¡¯s be friends, shall we?¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± The man¡¯s smile stretched. ¡°That¡¯s an awfully nice thing to be talking about when your father threatens to leave this world at any moment.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a monster with an obsession with killing. He was never a father to me.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± The man cackled, surprised. ¡°You¡¯re really something, Kaiser von Britten. Dense, too. Your hands haven¡¯t been bloodied yet.¡± He shook his head and turned away.


    ¡°Draxia bell Grace.¡±


    Draxia bell Grace, scion of the Swallow Imperial line, a military genius of mythic proportions¡­ and Joshua¡¯s most formidable adversary in hisst life. He paused, just for a moment.


    ¡°My offer stands. In the meantime, I look forward to your next move.¡±


    And so, two of Joshua¡¯s murderers came face to face for the first time.

 Chapter 121

    ¡°Manager!¡± Jenny sobbed.


    ¡°Manager?¡± Joshua¡¯s brow wrinkled.


    A huge man stood before Joshua¡ªas big as Viper. Unlike Viper, he had in brown hair and a shaggy beard you¡¯d expect to find on your neighbor. That wasn¡¯t what Joshua was thinking about, however.


    <em>I¡¯d never imagined such a powerful man would be a branch manager. And this sensation is familiar¡­</em>


    ¡°Greetings.¡± The man bowed his head. ¡°I am Haiburi Castle¡¯s mercenary guild manager, Aiden.¡±


    Despite his introduction, Joshua remained tight-lipped. He noted that Aiden was actively hiding his strength, but it was difficult to hide from someone equally as strong.


    <em>A-ss, at minimum. He¡¯s a branch manager?</em>


    A branch manager was not a particrly high position within the mercenary guild. It was called the ¡°honey sucking¡± position because it was assigned by participation, not ability. The guild tended to offer branch manager positions to seasoned mercenaries looking to retire. A branch manager could not be sweeping through the battlefield, even if he tried.


    <em>There¡¯s only two mercenaries that are this strong: the mercenary king, Barbarian, the pinnacle of mercenaries and first of the Twelve Superhumans; and the sole mercenary participating in the Master Battle, the formidable Akshuler.</em>


    But this ¡°branch manager¡± was not either of them. Joshua would know¡ªbefore he joined up with Kaiser, he¡¯d spent most of his life as a mercenary.


    <em>They have the same physique, but¡­</em> Joshua hesitated. <em>No way¡­</em>


    ¡°You were asking about a position?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Joshua said, eyes sparkling. ¡°I am.¡±


    Aiden couldn¡¯t get a read on the robed man sitting in front of him, calmly sipping his tea. He felt his heart flutter nervously but he tamped it down.


    <em>I can¡¯t feel anythinging from him.</em>


    People like this fell into three categories.


    <em>One, an average citizen who has never learned the sword¡ªbut he¡¯d seen this man wield aura on his de with his own two eyes.</em>


    <em>Second, he had mastered a technique for concealing his energy.</em> Aiden dismissed the idea after only a moment of thought¡ªonly assassins learned these kinds of skills, and this man moved far too openly to be an assassin.


    That left one option.


    <em>This young gentleman¡­ is stronger than me.</em> Aiden swallowed nervously.


    As if on cue, Joshua quietly set his teacup down.


    ¡°I believe we understand each other better now that we¡¯re face-to-face.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shapeshifting. I¡¯m astonished that Laypone¡¯s artifact is already working so well¡ª¡±


    ¡°Identify yourself.¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that someone who knows a secret like that came just to get a Silver Card.¡± He red at Joshua with cold anticipation. ¡°What happens next depends on your answer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a nobleman yet,¡± Joshua replied with a chuckle, ¡°but I will be.¡±


    He pulled his robe away.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ª!¡± Even Aiden was momentarily stunned by Joshua¡¯s appearance. More beautiful than an elf, more powerful than he was.


    ¡°I believe that Akshuler, themander of a million mercenaries, would surely recognize me.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ I suppose you¡¯re right.¡± Aiden¡¯s eyes remained glued to Joshua¡¯s face. ¡°The monster of Reinhardt; a genius among geniuses. Baron Joshua Sanders, the star¡­¡± He sighed.


    Of course he knew the rumors. He always thought that, no matter how talented Joshua was, the boy was only 15 years old. He figured that Joshua was a naive boy and that if they ran into each other at the Master Battle, Aiden would just stomp him.


    Aiden couldn¡¯t smile now.


    ¡°There are two requirements for earning a Silver card immediately,¡± Joshua stated. ¡°One, being able to use a bare minimum of mana; two, finishing a 4-Star quest to prove you¡¯re not bluffing. Is that correct?¡±


    ¡°That is true, but¡­ you¡¯re an aristocrat. I can¡¯t give you a card so easily.¡±


    ¡°Anyone who cares to look would say I¡¯ve already finished the task.¡±


    ¡°<em>If</em> they believe the rumors. With you sitting in front of me now, it¡¯s going to be even harder¡ªthat¡¯s why I can¡¯t give you the card.¡±


    Joshua snorted andughed.


    ¡°Since when did the cards have so much meaning?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries offer their talents to customers. Customers pay mercenaries for their services. That¡¯s how it¡¯s always been, even since the days of Desu Dembaba, the first mercenary king.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries are loyal to money, and nothing but. It¡¯s very simple.¡± Joshua leaned in. ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again: all I want is to offer my talents and be paid for my services. What else do you need?¡±


    Aiden sighed. Just as he said, mercenaries care for nothing but money. What does it matter if other people talk?


    ¡°I understand¡­ I¡¯ll issue a request.¡±


    Joshua smiled.


    ¡°However,¡± Aiden continued, ¡°there¡¯s something I need to verify first.¡± He narrowed his eyes at Joshua. ¡°This is a personal matter¡ªunrted to the mercenary guild.¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°If possible, I want you to tell me everything you know.¡±


    Joshua examined Aiden for a moment.


    ¡°If I can.¡±


    ¡°Laypone¡¯s artifact. I¡¯m absolutely certain that it remains secret. I can¡¯t not believe it, because the name was decided only recently. So,¡± Aiden said, his eyes gleaming, ¡°How on earth do you know its name and capabilities?¡±


    ¡°Laypone, a body-altering artifact named after the creator¡¯s family¡ªspecifically her father,¡± Joshua recited from his past life¡¯s memory. ¡°She made it to evade capture. I¡¯m sure you can deduce the connection with my birthce.¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus,¡± Aiden mumbled.


    ¡°Let me meet her. Then you¡¯ll understand.¡±


    Aiden¡¯s head drooped thoughtfully for a long moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you meet her¡ªafter you¡¯re recognized in the guild.¡±


    ¡°However you like.¡±


    ¡°Additionally, your assigned mission will be¡­¡± He paused, giving Joshua a stern look. ¡°Five stars.¡±

 Chapter 122

    ¡°A five-star quest¡­?¡± <em>As far as I know, the entirety of the mercenary guild only has a handful of five-star quests.</em>


    The vast majority of high-level missions were four-stars. To put it into context, one of the five-star quests from Joshua¡¯s past life was dragon reconnaissance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so anxious. This is a straightforward escort request, with a substantial reconnaissanceponent.¡±


    ¡°Funny how an escort quest got rated five stars.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to take it?¡±


    Joshua nodded after a moment of silence.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it. When can I depart?¡±


    ¡°Right away. It¡¯s in the eastern regions of Tripia¡ªwhere Count Rebra lived.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. <em>Now that I think about it¡­!</em> He grimaced as old memories came to light.


    ¡°If I seed, you¡¯ll exin your rtionship with her?¡±


    ¡°No problem, as long as you finish it. But I acknowledge your request.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Oh.¡± Joshua smiled. ¡°Another thing.¡±


    Aiden had a bad feeling. That grin was oddly familiar.


    ¡°A test, and a mission¡ªthere has to be a reward, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fairly certain you won¡¯t be stingy about it.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    <em>I remember now.</em> Aiden groaned inside. <em>That middle-aged guy with the short hair.</em> Not only did he work with excessive amounts of money, but he was also an expert at fundraising. He had the smile of a gold-eating monster¡ªthey called him the ¡°gold ingot¡± of Avalon.


    ¡°Well¡­ it¡¯s a test and a mission, so I do intend topensate you. However, since this is a personal request, the pay won¡¯t be thatrge¡ª¡±


    ¡°You already know what I want, don¡¯t you? This is the hardest a quest gets, short of un-starred missions. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m asking for too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Laypone, isn¡¯t it.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s grin widened and Aiden felt the urge to grab his head and shake it. He acted like the continent¡¯s greatest bully, not its greatest talent.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be best to leave it in the hands of someone who appreciates it? Its value hinges on how valuable people find it in the early stages of testing.¡±


    ¡°The creator has no intention ofmercializing it at this time¡ª¡±


    ¡°Inventors always want to see their devices used well.¡±


    Joshua had a knack for this¡ªhe¡¯d make for a good businessman, in Aiden¡¯s opinion. Aiden found himself unable to answer, even though the boy was less than a third of his age. Of course, he had no idea that Joshua had an entire life behind him already.


    ¡°She holdsplete authority over Laypone, as I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware. Also, my artifact is customized, so I don¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Arranging a meeting with her is sufficient, because, as far as I¡¯m aware, you¡¯re the only one who can. I¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±


    ¡°...That¡¯s probably true.¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    Aiden shook his head, bbergasted by Joshua¡¯s casual demeanor.


    ¡°You¡¯re something, you know that? You¡­ Did you know Ie from Avalon? You remind me of a nobleman I know. They call him the ¡°gold ingot¡±¡ªa real gold-eating monster.¡±


    ¡°Ah, Cox von Wagen? Not exactly the most polite-sounding nickname¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Aiden smirked. ¡°In any case, we¡¯ve been talking for quite a while. You will attend to my request, Baron Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Right away.¡± Joshua tugged his robe back up and smiled. ¡°By the way: it¡¯s not ¡®Joshua Sanders,¡¯ Avalon aristocrat, it¡¯s ¡®Ash,¡¯ the mercenary.¡±


    ¡°Achoo!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Did you catch a cold, Cox?¡± Charles cocked her head at Cox as he sniffled.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. I think someone is cursing me, though.¡±


    Charles snorted and giggled.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised with how you usually act.¡±


    <em>She lost all sense of humor after her father died,</em> Cox thought. <em>It¡¯s such a relief to see her like this, rare as it is.</em>


    <em>No, she hasn¡¯t found her sense of humor¡ªshe¡¯s found herself.</em> He smiled. <em>We owe it to them.</em>


    ¡°They really are incredible. Sir Cain has already taken to training our family, and Icarus remains shut in her chambers, plotting her next move. It¡¯s clearly someone else¡¯s business, but they¡¯ve taken to it with aplomb.¡±


    Cox was extremely grateful, even though he considerably outranked both of them. He nodded appreciatively, especially thankful for the young man who sent them.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Charles agreed. ¡°We are forever grateful. They ought to be rewarded¡ªwe are not a great family for nothing, after all.¡±


    ¡°Just the two of them?¡± Cox smiled menacingly.


    ¡°What?¡± Charles shivered.


    ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that they¡¯re just following their master¡¯smands. Their prize should ount for him, too.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Charles flushed. ¡°Of course. We owe him our thanks as well. However, even if we seed, the cost of rebuilding the family and our finances would be considerable. Monstrous, even. A princess with no sense of money wouldn¡¯t understand, she already has more than she knows what to do with!¡±


    ¡°True¡­ but if everything goes well, we¡¯ll swallow all of their business, too. So the reward¡ª¡±


    ¡°You seem optimistic, but it seems to me like it¡¯s only possible because of his help. Besides, do you think money is a joke?¡±


    Cox¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand how money works? We need to rebuild everything from the ground up,¡± Charles berated. ¡°Even if our family is a giant and we somehow win the war, we still have to regain the trust of our customers.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°We need money to make money. It¡¯s going to be a long time before it¡¯s smooth riding again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a manufacturing nt, so it¡¯ll be extremely profitable even if left alone, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough, Cox. I know.¡±


    ¡°Then don¡¯t talk about money so casually.¡±


    ¡°The reputation of our family as merchants is our top priority. If we ask for help without paying it back, how are we to earn our prestige back?¡±


    ¡°Who said there would be nopensation?¡± Cox gave her a wide-eyed look.


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°I brought up money as an example¡­ but I¡¯m certain that Young Master Joshua isn¡¯t concerned about such things.¡±


    Thising from a man who loved money more than his own life.


    ¡°...But?¡±


    Cox grinned at her.


    ¡°Without money, there¡¯s only one option isn¡¯t there? Put your whole body into it.¡±


    Charles stared nkly at Cox for a moment.


    ¡°C-Cox!¡± She flushed bright red. ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°A rtionship with the man who saved you¡­ It¡¯s like a fairytale!¡±


    ¡°Get¡ªget out! This money pinching man!¡±


    A Pontier aide burst in, interrupting Cox¡¯s teasing.


    ¡°This is serious! The Crombells are on the move.¡±


    Charles and Cox locked eyes, and went scrambling out the door.

 Chapter 123

    Charles mmed open the door almost hard enough to break it.


    ¡°Specifics. Now.¡±


    ¡°Y-Young Lady,¡± Count Troi, one of her vassals, said. ¡°They¡­ They¡¯ve begun striking our family¡¯s remaining convoys¡­ and the queue of customers¡­ Well, they¡¯re not our only problem. The most serious issue is that all products entering the regions have been cut offpletely. If our food reserves fall at this pace, the entire province will starve.¡±


    Cox stepped forward angrily.


    ¡°Are they not even pretending to not be bandits anymore? There are unspoken rules they need to follow¡ªthey can¡¯t just attack whenever they want! We should lodge an officialint to the Pce! They¡¯ll settle this much faster. What would a different family do?¡±


    ¡°At this rate, we will bepletely cut off, Young Lady.¡±


    Charles rubbed her eyes.


    ¡°In addition to trade products¡­ Is there any way to produce the quantities of food required to feed the poption currently inside our territory?¡±


    ¡°Somewhat, based on the yearly harvests, but only about 70%. There is nothing for the remaining 30%.¡±


    ¡°Any opinions?¡±


    The meeting room was deafeningly quiet.


    ¡°Where is Icarus?¡±


    ¡°A stranger is not permitted into private family disc¡ª¡±


    ¡°<em>Stop yapping!</em>¡± Charles¡¯s scream froze the room like a bucket of cold water. ¡°Are we really going to put our pride first in this situation? Our family is in jeopardy and anyone who has the heart to help is wee! We need their help, and we need it now!¡±


    ¡°Y-young¡­ Young Lady¡­¡± The vassals stared at her, wide-eyed. Charles may have maturedtely, but she was still embarrassed¡ªthese people had been watching over her since she was young.


    Regardless, she powered on with dignity.


    ¡°Bring me Icarus¡­ <em>Now</em>.¡±


    <em>Any inn here is linked to the Haiburi family, so sending a message should be straightforward.</em>


    Joshua needed to depart quickly, but it would be rude to leave without a word when Count Haiburi had weed him.


    <em>And¡­ Reifonbeo¡¯s daughter was there.</em> That was the only reason why Joshua had epted Count Haiburi¡¯s request, burdensome as it was. Torosen lu Reinfonbeomanded the 7th Battalion¡ªneither a high nor a low battalion. However, he would lead the Imperial Knights in the not-too-distant future. Joshua¡¯s return may have altered destiny, but it didn¡¯t matter.


    <em>I don¡¯t want to pull him in just forworking. He may look like a cheerful guy, but his personality is superb. Even if I left the Imperial Family for personal reasons, there¡¯s no reason to carelessly discard the rtionships I built.</em>


    He recalled the people he¡¯d met in thest five years fondly. They weren¡¯t entirely new rtionships¡ªseveral of them, including Viper, had followed him in hisst life.


    <em>It wouldn¡¯t be so bad to have them as friends now.</em>


    Joshua shook his head and returned to the task at hand. He pushed the door open.


    ¡°Wee!¡± A youthful voice greeted him. ¡°Allow us to extend you a warm wee from Blue Shelter!¡±


    The kid looked docile and tame, and had to be no more than eleven years old. The sight made Joshua¡¯s chest throb, for some reason.


    <em>He reminds me of myself¡­ not his appearance, but his atmosphere.</em> Joshua let out a breath, remembering yet another rtionship. There was a kid who adored Joshua; he had no parents, so he treated Joshua as one. His life had been just as awful as Joshua¡¯s.


    <em>I¡¯ll see you soon.</em>


    ¡°Are you ordering something? Or staying? Either way, I can offer you a discount.¡±


    Joshua let down his robe as the child chattered, exposing his face.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± The boy¡¯s lips stilled.


    After a long moment, the kid bounced up from the counters, eyes alight.


    ¡°Bro! I swear I¡¯ve never seen anyone as handsome as you! I promise!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a good sense for business.¡± Joshua grinned. ¡°I¡¯m ttered. You certainly know how to capture the hearts of your customers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not ttery, though.¡± The kid pounded his chest. ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°Aden!¡±


    ¡°Aden?¡± Joshua choked down a fit ofughter.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ My father named me after the pride of the Empire, Duke Aden von Agnus. It¡¯s embarrassing, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Joshua nodded cheerfully.


    Naming your children after idols and great figures was a rare thing in the aristocracy. On the surface, they treated it as an act of disdain and an affront to the gods.


    <em>They¡¯ve developed a distinct culture. Respecting it would be the right thing to do.</em>


    It¡¯s not incorrect, it¡¯s <em>unique</em>. Joshua knew that the first step towards appreciating people is acknowledging their differences.


    <em>I see myself in the most unexpected ces. Not just these little children, but also from other living beings and even inanimate objects. There¡¯s so much to learn.</em>


    If someone heard what Joshua was thinking, they¡¯d probably call him an old man.


    ¡°But! My views have changed!¡±


    ¡°...Have they?¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus is so great that I¡¯m afraid to talk about him, but my hero has changed!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ good?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard?¡± Thed bounced up, eyes twinkling. ¡°His son, Baron Joshua Sanders¡ªthey say he¡¯s even more magnificent than Duke Agnus! The Empire¡¯s youngest baron! The world¡¯s smallest mana knight! The Imperial Knights¡¯ youngest captain!¡± He was over the moon. ¡°When I was younger, I¡¯d already heard hundreds of tales of the Reinhardt Tournament. They still make my heart throb. They even say he grew up miserably, but¡­¡± The boy¡¯s eyes grew wistful. ¡°Could I ever be like him?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    The kid got right up to Joshua while he was busy gaping.


    ¡°I¡¯d be ready to die if I could meet him just once! I¡¯d brag about it to Loony and Tom for days and days! When they saw one of the Duke¡¯s knights, they talked about it so much I almost hated them! I heard whispers that Baron Sanders is so attractive that elves fall in love with him¡ªlike you, bro!¡± He cast an admiring gaze over Joshua.


    ¡°He¡¯s got dark blue eyes that suck you in, and ck hair that¡­¡± Aden stared at Joshua nkly. ¡°...skin fairer than a woman¡¯s, and a thin, lean frame, over 180cm tall, and¡­¡± His eyes crept up to Joshua¡¯s ear. ¡°...an earring on one¡­ ear¡­¡± Aden¡¯s voice trailed off into silence.


    ¡°Baron¡­ Joshua¡­?¡±


    Joshua scratched his head in embarrassment.

 Chapter 124

    ¡°Icarus!¡±


    Icarus halted, turned towards the speaker and smiled.


    ¡°Thank you for calling me, Princess.¡±


    Charles¡¯s heels ttered against the floor as she ran to Icarus and sped their hands together.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing. You¡¯ve been very helpful.¡±


    ¡°Not at all¡ªthat¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I really appreciate it.¡± Charles smiled. ¡°Would you like to be briefed on the situation?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m already aware.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not be concerned.¡± Icarus shot Charles a bright, enthusiastic grin. ¡°I have prepared countermeasures.¡±


    ¡°So¡ª¡±


    ¡°What good can a new graduate do?¡±


    ¡°What did you just say, Baron Ashbal?¡± Charles red at the man.


    ¡°She¡¯s a child with no real-world experience,¡± he shouted, rising to his feet angrily. ¡°Also, how much would amoner know about our family?¡±


    ¡°Baron Ashbal!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just getting started! I don¡¯t even know if Icarus is a man or a woman?¡±


    ¡°What does it matter? Are you saying this is a job for men only, Baron Ashbal?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°What disrespect is this, Baron Ashbal!?¡± Cox stepped forward with a furious grimace on his face. ¡°The Young Lady, too, is a woman!¡±


    ¡°Count Cox¡­¡± Baron Ashbal was clearly rxed, despite the difference in their rank. ¡°It¡¯s not just me¡ªhave you seen the other vassals?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± He paused and looked around.


    Just as he said, every face wore the same expression: dissatisfaction.


    ¡°I¡¯m not qualified to be a legitor, but I will be candid.¡± Baron Ashbal peeked in the same direction as Charles before continuing. ¡°Young Lady¡­ You were a snob when it came to family matters before, no? It was only after the Lord was gone that you came here and threw some random things at us¡ªwhy, may I ask?¡±


    ¡°What in the name of God is that rubbish? Don¡¯t you understand that the Young Lady remained outside to gather allies while the Lord tended to our internal affairs? Are you so blind to her efforts?¡±


    ¡°Efforts that yield no results are wasted time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°At the end of the day, not one family hase to our aid! What contribution did your so-called Princess make to the family?!¡±


    ¡°Ashbal!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here, Count Cox! I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if the Pontiers dere bankruptcy tomorrow! I won¡¯t tolerate being ruled by an ipetent and a woman!¡±


    ¡°You!¡± Cox stomped towards Baron Ashbal, hand raised to p him.


    ¡°Stop, please.¡±


    Cox froze.


    ¡°Please, stop. Surely you understand that division ys right into their hands?¡±


    ¡°Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°Does anyone else share Baron Ashbal¡¯s views?¡±


    None of the vassals spoke, but Charles didn¡¯t need an answer. Their facial expressions said everything.


    ¡°If that is what all of you believe, then I will withdraw from the front lines.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady!¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your thoughts, Count Cox¡ªbut I ept that I¡¯m a burden. I never want my family to turn on itself because of me.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡± Charles shook her head sadly, forcing Cox to bite his words back. He¡¯d never seen her face so saddened. ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s it.¡± Charles turned around with a tiny smile.


    ¡°Wait, just a moment.¡±


    ¡°Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Trust me, Young Lady.¡± Icarus grinned at her and then turned back to the meeting. ¡°Did you say your name was Baron Ashbal?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± He scowled.


    ¡°I overheard you. Not everything, but enough.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡®Efforts that yield no results are wasted time.¡¯ That¡¯s correct. In regr, peaceful times, that effort would be a priceless, unrepeatable experience, and would be the foundation for the future. However, it is wholly inappropriate during a territorial war. Losing means losing everything.¡±


    ¡°You seem to have an idea.¡± Baron Ashbal smiled cynically at her.


    ¡°Young Lady Charles, therefore, deserves praise. She has gathered more reliable allies than anyone else.¡±


    Baron Ashbal frowned, confused. Icarus boldly cocked a thumb¡ªbackwards.


    ¡°That¡¯s right: us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridi¡ª¡±


    ¡°We can produce enough food to feed 70% of the region¡¯s poption. In other words, if you disregard the civilian poption and focus on maintaining the soldiers and defenses, you can hold for much longer.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, Icarus¡ª!¡± The vassals stared at Icarus, shocked.


    ¡°However¡­ nobody wants that. War is a costly thing. As prestigious merchants, that is a situation I would avoid putting the Crombells in at all costs.¡±


    ¡°You want us to abandon our¡ª¡±


    ¡°No! The pieces are falling into ce¡ªthey have the advantage whether we feed our people or not. They may even seek a single, decisive battle to finish the war without affecting the people.¡±


    A Pontier messenger burst through the door carrying a red g on their back.


    ¡°We have a problem!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Cox asked.


    ¡°Marquis Crombell is amassing an army in front of Aiden Gorge! Numbers are estimated at over 30,000!¡±


    ¡°Thirty¡ª!¡±


    Marquis Crombell had around 50,000 soldiers. At any one moment, 10,000 soldiers were stationed at headquarters; 30,000 troops was roughly what they could deploy at any moment.


    ¡°Why¡­¡±


    The vassals looked towards Icarus, who just smiled.


    ¡°It matters not if we ept or reject their offers.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°If we take the lead, they¡¯ll wipe out our army with overwhelming force. Even if they don¡¯t, we¡¯ll be forced to drag all of our forces together.¡±


    ¡°What do they gain by concentrating our forces? Aiden Gorge is a natural fortress, as you said. There¡¯s nowhere better to defend, food issues aside. Why would they attack there?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only true if it¡¯s really a head-on confrontation. However, they¡¯re after something else.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°Their true objective is!¡± Icarus unfurled an enormous map over the meeting table. ¡°A two-front operation.¡±


    The vassals stared nkly at the bright red markings on the map.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous!¡± Baron Ashbal quivered with irritation. ¡°Whether they want to or not, the Dennis River is impossible to navigate! Even skilled knights would be swept aw¡ª¡±


    ¡°Compose yourself. I know of several approaches they could take.¡± Icarus stepped forward with confidence and boldly imed a seat at the table. ¡°Now then, shall we discuss?¡±

 Chapter 125

    Some hours after the meeting concluded, Charles sat in her room with her chin cupped in her hand and an adoring smile on her lips.


    ¡°Icarus is very good at such things¡­ Those dumbasses danced like puppets.¡± Her ruby eyes twinkled. ¡°Ah, I never asked because I didn¡¯t want to be rude, but now I wonder¡­ If Icarus is a woman, can I be like her?¡± Charles¡¯s voice drifted through the empty, still chamber. ¡°In any case, Icarus and Sir Cain were a godsend¡­ we owe him everything.¡±


    Charles¡¯s cheeks acquired a rich blush as she was reminded of Cox¡¯sments.


    ¡°Cox is only interested in money¡ª¡±


    Charles was startled by a knock on her door.


    ¡°Who is it at this hour¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for interrupting, Young Lady, but¡­ you have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°A visitor?¡± Charles cocked her head. It waste in the evening, far past supper time. At this time, most people would be drifting off to dreand.


    ¡°It¡¯s Icarus, Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Charles leapt out of her seat and mmed the door open.


    ¡°Young Lady,¡± Icarus said, ¡°I know this is abrupt and impolite, at this hour, but may Ie in for a moment?¡±


    ¡°You may! Come in.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡±


    The maid set two cups of hot chocte down and then left Charles and Icarus alone.


    ¡°Please, take a seat Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for only saying this now, but: thank you, Icarus. Thanks to you, everything worked out.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s toote to pass your thanks to my l-l-lord.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± Charles smiled uneasily.


    ¡°I will be direct: I came here to ask you something, if that¡¯s alright.¡±


    Charles cocked her head for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°Ask away.¡±


    ¡°I was not here for the first territorial war, so I don¡¯t know the facts, but I heard tales that the war was extremely restrictive. Is that correct?¡±


    The question seemed to bring up unpleasant memories, but Charles only bit her lip.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I know. The Mercenary King¡­ was a very cunning man.¡±


    ¡°I am well aware of the immense influence that a single superhuman can exert on the course of a war. However, he was only present at the beginning, right?¡±


    ¡°The issue is that the majority of his appearances were at critical locations. That alone was enough to set the tone of the war¡ª¡±


    ¡°From what I know, the Pontiers are not inferior to the Crombells in any way, Mercenary King aside. Military strength, financial strength, even your leaders were superior¡ªunless there¡¯s a factor I¡¯m unaware of.¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°The defender always has the advantage over an invader. The Pontier family had vigorous support in the beginning, yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m missing something¡­¡± Charles¡¯s brow wrinkled.


    ¡°Yes. To im that it was all due to a single man is too much. But there was something else that bothered me even more.¡±


    ¡°More?¡±


    ¡°Your father¡ªthe patriarch himself, Duke Pontier. He was the head of your family, one of the five great Dukes¡­ and he was poisoned?¡±


    Charles shivered.


    ¡°It¡¯s odd. As the patriarch, his food should have been rigorously tested for poison, wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that we have traitors?¡±


    ¡°Given the situation, the probability is high. To unravel our adversary¡¯s schemes, we must remain wary.¡± Icarus raised a finger and leveled it at Charles. ¡°Remember this, Young Lady: trust no one who ims to be your savior. Trust only yourself.¡±


    Joshua let out a deep sigh as the inn¡¯s kid finally released him. Aiden had been positively exuberant to meet his idol, but Joshua was exhausted.


    <em>It¡¯s not a bad feeling, though.</em> He smiled to himself. These moments were far from what he¡¯d grown familiar with in his past life. Back then, he would¡¯ve plunged his de into arade he¡¯d shared a meal with only yesterday, if he was ordered too. His spear had no regard for human rtionships, and his hands were always stained with blood.


    Joshua Sanders was the Emperor¡¯s soulless de and the symbol of his dreadful reign. For this child to approach him so eagerly¡­


    ¡°Hey newbie! Move!¡± A booming voice sounded behind him.


    <em>¡°Wear the robe if you don¡¯t want to be recognized by your famous face,¡±</em> Aiden had told him before he left. <em>¡°Also, tell everyone you¡¯re a newbie¡ªit might be troublesome, but that¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it?¡±</em>


    ¡°Sorry,¡± Joshua said to the mercenary.


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking for an apology, this is advice from a father! If you don¡¯t man up, you won¡¯t survive this ce!¡±


    The man had a harsh, scarred visage that screamed ¡°I am a mercenary.¡± Joshua didn¡¯t know it, but this polite mercenary was a veteran. He¡¯d been discussing the Master Battle in the inn for a while.


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave, Beo! There was a talented new recruit.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Beoughed.


    ¡°Have you heard? I think he¡¯s at least as good as our idols, the mercenary king and Akshuler. Not some wishy-washy newbie.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on. That¡¯s so stupid¡ªare you going to tell me that the little man driving that wagon is strong, too, Dirk?¡± Beo gestured towards a small figure in a worn-out gown standing next to a trio of wagons.


    Dirk eyed the person and nodded sagely.


    ¡°Maybe B-ss?¡±


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Beo said to Joshua. ¡°It might be a 2-Star quest, but it¡¯ll be hard for a newbie like you. You don¡¯t seem to know anyone here, so just stick to us¡ªwe¡¯ll keep you safe!¡±


    <em>2-Star quest?</em>


    ¡°The kid is frozen,¡± a different mercenary scoffed. ¡°Are you gonna charge him a protection fee, too?¡±


    ¡°Greg!¡± Beo cast a murderous re at the man. ¡°This guy¡ª¡±


    <em>This force¡ª!</em> Joshua felt a sense of doom descend on their surroundings.


    ¡°Prepare to fight!¡±


    The mercenaries assembled into ranks, their eyes widening as the enemy came into view.


    ¡°Undead?¡±


    ¡°Then the rumors were true?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look weak.¡±


    ¡°D-Duhan?¡±


    Even Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at that. Duhans, the headless knights, were enormously strong; they carried massive swords asrge as their own body with one hand. It could crush steel in a single hit, and an undead like the Duhan would feel no fatigue from swinging its weight.


    Most undead had a mediocre defensepared to their offensive abilities, but a Duhan was the exception. They were covered in full te armor¡ªeven their detached heads, which they carried by their side. Indeed, the Duhan was well-bnced between defense and offense; they weren¡¯t considered advanced undead for nothing.


    Joshua¡¯s face was cold and somber. There were ten of them¡ªregardless of how long Joshua stayed, he would need help to safely dispose of them. This was someone¡¯sst request.


    ¡°Hey, newbie! Stay close if you don¡¯t wanna die.¡±


    ¡°Look at that.¡±


    Joshua stared at their leader, the thin figure in the robe and was startled by their blue eyes.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    From within the robes, their delicate, wless white hand emerged. It swayed softly from left to right, as if to shoo away an insect.


    ¡°Nova Frost,¡± the figure whispered, only loud enough for Joshua to hear.


    The results were terrible: white frost nketed the lush pastures, though winter had not yet arrived, freezing everything in its path with a bitter cold.

 Chapter 126

    Frost Nova was a fourth-ss ranged spell of the ice element.


    ¡°A high wizard!¡±


    ¡°Frost Nova can only be used by a 4th-ss master, right?¡±


    ¡°Why is there a high wizard in a 2-Star quest?¡±


    The mercenaries¡¯ amazement was natural¡ªhigh-ranking wizards were even more scarce than knights who could use Aura, particrly in Avalon. The Tower officially registered less than a thousand fourth-ss or higher wizards. In contrast, the number of 2nd-ss and lower, the ¡°low-level wizards,¡± outnumbered them by a factor of ten.


    Freezing air swirled around the monsters like a vortex, freezing the skeletons solid with an audible crackle. The Duhans were slowed¡ªthe more they pushed their bodies, the more the ice crackled.


    Then someone struck them. With just a punch, the frozen undead were sted into smithereens. Like a barbarian warrior, the man¡¯s pot-lid sized hands plowed through the skeletons.


    ¡°Just what you¡¯d expect from Branch Manager Aiden!¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s true that he studied with Akshuler when he was a kid!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen someone smash a monster with their bare hands before. Imagine what Akshuler could do.¡±


    While the mercenariesvished praises on the man, Joshua carefully observed. He was particrly interested in his fists.


    <em>Abudaham¡¯s Knuckle¡­ I¡¯m certain this man is Akshuler.</em>


    The continent had a long history, and a variety of storied weaponry. They were known as the Three Skies, Seven Names, and Ten Exotics¡ªthree weapons to shake the skies, seven weapons that would leave their mark in history, and ten exotic weapons. Akshuler¡¯s favorite was Abudaham¡¯s Knuckle.


    <em>It was an ancient weapon made by an ancient dwarven king from a single piece of mithril. The stories say he had a friend¡¯s help.</em>


    Mithril was the ideal material for imbuing items with magic power. It was as hard as steel and very light, but only a skilled artisan could turn it into a true treasure. However, mithril was disproportionately costly¡ªno amount of money could buy mithril. Crafting with it was practically impossible.


    ¡°I¡¯d heard the rumors, but¡­¡± Seeing it in real life brought a sparkle to Joshua¡¯s eye.


    Abudaham¡¯s Knuckle was invisible to everyone except Joshua and its wielder because of its inherent invisibility magic. Joshua was able to see through it because of his strength.


    Aiden¡ªAkshuler¡ªswept through the frozen skeletons and mmed his fist into a Duhan¡¯s torso, stopping it dead in its tracks. Rather than the expected shattering noise, it boomed like a gong.


    ¡°Um¡­ is the Duhan too much for the manager?¡±


    ¡°That might be a bit much. Only Aura can hurt it¡ªbare hands would be difficult.


    <em>No.</em> Joshua shook his head.


    Before their astonished eyes, the Duhan¡¯s body crumbled into dust.


    ¡°Waaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Aiden for you!¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t act so familiar with the branch manager! This is why everyone looks down on us.¡±


    ¡°Then why are you so spiteful, huh?¡±


    Beo shrugged at Dirk and then pumped his fists into the air.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know! But long live Aiden!¡±


    ¡°Long live Aiden!¡±


    Joshuaughed and stepped back. If this was his normal power, Joshua wouldn¡¯t be able to match him at his best.


    ¡°Hey, newbie! Come on over here!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like Dirk all over again.¡±


    ¡°Am I like that?¡±


    The tension faded and the mercenaries gradually descended into a hubbub of chatter.


    ¡°Undead! Behind us!¡±


    ¡°B-Behind?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense! Why are they acting like this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like someone¡¯smanding them¡­¡±


    There had to be well over a thousand undead. Including lesser undead, about 2,000.


    There were less than 200 humans here, even including support staff. They were massively outnumbered. The only constion was that there were only three Duhans in the rear group, rather than the ten in the front.


    ¡°I¡ªPrepare for battle! Quickly!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes were pointed at the front as the mercenaries moved. He was fully aware of the situation in the rear, but he paid it no more mind than he would put into paying for his dinner.


    <em>Or at the very least, my presence is not as strong here.</em>


    <em>Given how quickly the undead moved, I had to wonder if there was one here.</em> He didn¡¯t feel its unique aura, though, which could only mean one thing. <em>At this point, it¡¯s possible to impart basicmands on advanced undead like a Duhan.</em> He pondered the battles of hisst life. <em>Hah¡­ I need to do something. Sitting around is not my style.</em> Joshua began to slowly push his way to the back.


    ¡°Hey!¡± Beo was shocked to hear Joshua¡¯s rxed footsteps. ¡°There¡¯s that crazy new bastard again!¡±


    ¡°Leave him be! Do you have the freedom to be worrying about some newbie? Be careful, everyone!¡±


    ¡°If he wants to die like that, let him die. Beo, don¡¯t even think about taking money from a dead person.¡±


    ¡°What?! What are these things, anyways?¡±


    The undead seemed to be wandering aimlessly at first, but now they were approaching with definite purpose. A Duhan lifted his sword and stabbed it forwards, sending the skeletons and ghouls charging forward.


    ¡°T-This is crazy.¡±


    ¡°Lugia.¡±


    [Oh, you wretched bastard! Sticking me in that closet for a whole day¡ªEh? What¡¯s with those ugly bastards?]


    Joshua ignored Lugia¡¯s yapping and hefted the twin-pronged spear.


    <em>Magic Spear Arts, fourth stage.</em>


    The spear points glittered under the sun.


    <em>Fourth rite. Basic strike, starting from suction.</em>


    Joshua tightened his grip on Lugia. Channeling the mana gently around his body.


    <em>Yes¡­ It¡¯s not all about striking.</em>


    He harvested mana from the air at the end of the spear using his mana technique and breathing. The collected mana was precisely focused into a penny-sized stone between Lugia¡¯s tines. Joshua smiled at the twin points hummed with an unearthly resonance.


    The undead were fast approaching, and threatened to surround them at every angle.


    <em>Fourth stage, Oui.</em> Joshua extended his spear.


    ¡°Annihtion.¡±


    It sounded like a bubble popped.


    The zombies were swept away by an exquisite beam of light.


    ¡°My God¡ª¡±

 Chapter 127

    Scorched earth<sup>1</sup>¡ªwhat other word could describe this scene? Everything within a hundred meters of Joshua¡¯s blinding ray had been swept away like dust in the wind, leaving nothing behind but a suffocating stillness.


    ¡°A¡­ unique skill?¡± Beo gaped nkly at the scene.


    A unique skill¡ªalso called a vision¡ªwas distinct from aura. One of the great examples was the Big family¡¯s swordsmanship. Also Valmont¡¯s swordsmanship, which had earned him the moniker of ¡°Rapid Star¡± for his lightning-fast de.


    ¡°A unique skill? That makes no sense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this¡­ Is he from some fallen family or something? Why the hell is he working as a mercenary?!¡±


    ¡°Look!¡±


    Of all of the numerous undead, only three duhans were left. Everything else¡ªthe skeletons, the ghouls¡ªdisintegrated before their very eyes. Common sense told them that an attack¡¯s power waned the further it went, but this new guy had proved them wrong.


    Akshuler cleaned up the rest of the enemies and went over to Joshua. Akshuler was unmatched¡ªhe had enough talent to take down a duhan without a scratch, equal to a high-ranking knight.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Duke Agnus having a hidden ability that could create such wide-spread devastation¡­¡± He cast a curious look at Lugia. ¡°The spear is unusual as well.¡±


    Joshua gave him a cheeky grin.


    ¡°All I¡¯ll say is that you¡¯d better leave it at that. You¡¯ll get a bloody nose if you keep sticking it in ces.¡±


    ¡°Bloody nose or not, I want to know. Were the rumors from Reinhardt false?¡± Akshuler grinned and then turned his attention to the mercenaries. ¡°Without their leader, these undead are just fodder! Make sure you don¡¯t get hurt.¡±


    The mercenaries shook off their surprise and moved to follow Akshuler¡¯s directions.


    ¡°Set up guard!¡±


    ¡°Having the manager with us is so reassuring.¡±


    ¡°And we get hidden talents for free!¡±


    Marquis Crombell¡¯s vast host steadily closed on Eiden<sup>2</sup> Gorge.


    In the Pontiers¡¯ grand training hall, someone was causing a ruckus.


    ¡°What is this idiocy? Is this training supposed to stop the Crombells?!¡± Baron Ashval, silver full-te gleaming in the early sun, bemoaned his knights¡¯ training.


    Baron Ashval led the 1st Knights Order of Pontier, known as the Vanguard. Given that he was a B-ss knight, it was safe to say he was the strongest person in the family.


    ¡°Crombell¡¯s forces will arrive in three days¡ªare you going to hold the gorge in this condition?¡±


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to lose my mind at this rate! And the family is at the mercy of a woman, like a candle in the wind.¡± Baron Ashval scowled.


    ¡°Are you referring to the Lady?¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s head jerked.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I came to check up on things.¡± Icarus shook her head and groaned. Cain stood behind her wearing a cheeky smile. ¡°Like you said, the situation is as tenuous as a candle in the wind. Pray tell, do you intend to create a division of forced conscripts?¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s lips stretched into a sardonic grin.


    ¡°Scram, little chick,¡± he snarled. ¡°I let you run your mouth because the house¡¯s leaders were watching, but do you really think that you, with your rank, are qualified to speak to me? This brat!¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s voice was low and quiet, but the training hall was equally quiet. All of the 1st Knights were able to hear him.


    ¡°Who is that lovelydy?¡±


    ¡°She looks like the Young Lady¡¯s guest. But Icarus is¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that genius strategist from the Academy? Were they a woman?¡±


    ¡°Is that Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain had be a familiar sight to the knights. He¡¯d spent thest three days practicing with them at the Pontiers¡¯ request. With his snarky, sarcastic demeanor, he fit right in.


    They didn¡¯t exactly know much about Cain, but he seemed extraordinary. He always had a word of advice when they ran into issues with their training, so the knights were ever so grateful to him.


    They were also familiar with Baron Ashval¡¯s personality¡ªnow they were worried that Cain might get caught undeservedly in the sparks of his anger.


    ¡°Your words¡ª¡±


    ¡°You went too far.¡± Cain stepped in front of Baron Ashval, to Icarus¡¯s surprise. His face was devoid of its usual yful smile.


    ¡°Are you Sir Cain? How did you get here?¡± Baron Ashval hadn¡¯t been absent for the vassals¡¯ meeting. As a result, he was unaware of the knights¡¯ budding rtionship with Cain.


    ¡°I am Cain, in the service of Baron Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Baron Sanders? That kid, Baron Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Oh? So he serves that Baron Joshua. I knew he wasn¡¯t just any old knight, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Baron Joshua only titled? I haven¡¯t heard of a knight being appointed to him.¡±


    The knights weren¡¯t overly worried about Cain¡¯s identity, since he and Icarus were the Young Lady¡¯s guests¡ªor rather, they didn¡¯t care. Courtesy was one thing, but Cain¡¯s abilities had earned him their respect.


    Baron Ashval¡¯s eyes shook.


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying¡­ Does that mean Duke Agnus is supporting us?¡±


    The knights blinked. This was no longer a question of Joshua Sanders¡¯s support, though he was known as a monster with no match. His father was the Empire¡¯s pride, one of the great Nine Stars.


    Cain shook his head.


    ¡°Unfortunately, we are here solely through my master¡¯s will. Duke Agnus is uninvolved.¡±


    ¡°Oh. Damn it.¡± The knights sighed regretfully. Monstrous as Joshua Sanders was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to turn the tides. On their opponent¡¯s side was one of the Twelve Superhumans, the Mercenary King Barbarian. He hadn¡¯t appeared recently, but he could show up at any time and wreak terrible carnage. Only someone stronger would be able to stop him.


    ¡°At the end of the day, is it pity or embarrassment?¡± Baron Ashvalughed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been friends for a long time now.¡± The Baron shrugged. ¡°He might send help if he¡¯s worried about how he looks to the other families.¡±


    Cain¡¯s expression hardened as he realized what Ashval was implying.


    ¡°He¡¯s worried that the other nobles will abandon Agnus, so he pretends to see nothing. Then the Duke hands off the problem to someone else¡ªhis child, of course.¡± The corner of his mouth crept upwards. ¡°Joshua Sanders then used the Master Battle as an excuse to send you instead¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if you serve the Pontiers, I will not let you speak ill of my master.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes burned.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡±

 Chapter 128

    After hours of hardbat, the route to Tripia was strewn with the remains of undead.


    ¡°It¡¯s done!¡±


    ¡°Damn undead! What a bunch of corpses!¡±


    ¡°Did you see how great manager Aiden was? He took care of all our problems!¡±


    ¡°And that newbie¡­ His skill¡ªmaybe the son of an aristocrat?¡±


    ¡°Where did they go?¡±


    Off to the side of the road, away from the mercenaries, Joshua and Akshuler conversed in hushed tones.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m not surprised by what¡¯s out there.¡±


    ¡°A lich, right?¡± Akshuler nodded. ¡°It¡¯s part of my contract with her.¡±


    ¡°Your contract¡­ Anyways, it hasn¡¯t been long since you got hold of the Laypone, but that Eiden character is quite the story.¡±


    ¡°Eiden is¡­ not exactly fictional.¡±


    ¡°No?¡±


    ¡°Eiden is a mercenary like me and my father.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ You know, you have a reputation for acting like a gangster.¡±


    ¡°Who, me?¡± Akshuler pulled a face.


    ¡°From what I heard from the mercenaries, this is a two-star quest, right? But then there was a horde of undead and duhans¡­ which would be quite the problem without aura. The mercenaries might quit if this bes the norm for two-star quests.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was a five-star quest at first, but,¡± Akshuler chuckled, ¡°with you and me here it¡¯s only two-stars. In my opinion, at least.¡±


    <em>To say that with such confidence¡­</em> It seemed Akshuler was unaware. They may be up against the most formidable opponent Joshua had faced in this life.


    ¡°Did you know that liches also have sses?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Like wizards?¡± Akshuler cocked his head. ¡°An arch-lich, maybe?¡±


    <em>He really doesn¡¯t know.</em>


    ¡°I¡¯ve got one piece of advice.¡±


    Akshuler gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°Remember that no matter how high you are in society, you¡¯re only human.¡±


    ¡°That seems rich,ing from someone who¡¯s barely human.¡± Akshuler shrugged.


    ¡°Most importantly¡­¡± Joshua nced towards the mercenaries. ¡°She¡¯s here.¡±


    ¡°I told you we¡¯d meet her if you took the quest. Come on, we¡¯ve been away for too long.¡±


    Akshuler turned around, hiding his oddly triumphant smirk from Joshua.


    Joshua stared at his back for a moment, then shook his head and followed.


    <em>Unbelievable¡­</em> Baron Ashbal sank to his knees, swordless. His hands were stained red by the blood of his ripped palms.


    ¡°Mukwolcham¡­! How did you¡ª!¡±


    Cain stared arrogantly down at the fallen Baron.


    ¡°How can a Baron¡¯s knight know a skill like that? How do you know that secret?!¡±


    ¡°Hahhh¡­¡± Cain grinned. ¡°My master often tells me that if I stick my nose in ces, it¡¯s going to get bloodied.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Baron Ashval ground his teeth together and staggered to his feet. He positioned himself as if to attack, putting Cain on guard immediately.


    Cain didn¡¯t let it show, but a fight of this level was exhausting.


    <em>I have confidence in my endurance, but to keep developing it, I have to pit myself against a variety of strong opponents.</em>


    ¡°Your master is a coward. With your talent, the only reason he¡¯d leave you here is to save face.¡±


    ¡°I told you to shut your mouth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one whose mouth is getting shut!¡± Baron Ashval roused every ounce of mana in his body. It was obvious that he had earned his position asmander of the 1st Knights¡ªenough mana cascaded off of his body that it crackled against the audience¡¯s skin and shook the air. Soon enough, his sword was coated in ayer of deep blue mana¡ªan aura de, albeit unfinished.


    ¡°In the middle of the training hall¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stop them? The Young Lady is going to go crazy if she hears about this.¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to stop them?¡±


    The knights¡¯ voices rose, but the choice was taken away from them.


    ¡°Please stop!¡± Cain and Baron Ashval stiffened as the red-haireddy stormed across the training hall towards them. ¡°What is this mess?¡±


    ¡°Y-Young Lady.¡± Icarus emerged from the corner where she had taken refuge, shaken.


    Cain perked up like a dog.


    ¡°Baron Ashval has insulted my master!¡± Cain lowered his head and acted miserable. ¡°I was merely asking questions, but he drew his de and¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Is that true, Sir Ashval?¡± Charles gave the Baron an icy look. He bit his lip nervously.


    Charles pped him hard enough to spin his head around. Even Cain winced sympathetically.


    ¡°Who am I that you would embarrass me like this? You dare disrespect my guests? Or do you still see me as some girl, even knowing who my father is?¡±


    ¡°N-No.¡± Baron Ashval didn¡¯t dare raise his head. Charles gave him onest re before shifting her attention to Cain.


    ¡°On behalf of the Knight of Pontier, I apologize to Sir Cain, knight of Sanders.¡± Charles bowed deeply, to Cain¡¯s consternation.


    ¡°Oh, no¡ªYoung Lady, this is entirely unnecessary.¡± He swiftly bent down to match Charles¡¯s bow.


    ¡°Please, notify me immediately if you encounter any further issues.¡± Charles leveled her icy gaze on Baron Ashval again. ¡°As the head of the household, I will no longer sit idle while my family pulls itself apart and insults our guests. Do I make myself understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Baron Ashval replied.


    Charles spun around and walked away.


    ¡°Princess!¡± Icarus was fast on her heels.


    ¡°Haha¡­¡± Cain scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯d better get going¡­ What time was that appointment?¡±


    He vanished, leaving Baron Ashval alone with the knights.


    ¡°This¡­ Damn!¡± The Baron trembled with rage. ¡°AHHH!¡±


    When he was done screaming he red at the knights. ¡°What are you doing, huh? War ising! You think you¡¯re prepared?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Commander!¡±


    Evidently Baron Ashval was the only one flustered.

 Chapter 129

    Just a half-day before the mercenaries reached Count Rebra¡¯s estate, Joshuayfortably on the swaying roof of a wagon, thinking.


    <em>I said all that to Akshuler, but I can¡¯t stay calm either.</em> He nced at their leader.


    Joshua had two reasons for traveling through Tripia on his way to Reinhardt, not including the Laypone: one, he wanted to find the connections from his past life; second, the ¡°special lich¡± which likely was rted to one of his foes, directly or indirectly.


    <em>Akshuler said there might be sses of lich and archlich, but he¡¯s not at that level.</em>


    Archliches were high-level monsters that had reached the level of a 7th-ss mage, whether they did it while they were still living or undead.


    Liches, unlike most undead, could think like a human¡ªthat made them far more dangerous than their lesser kin. The bigger issue was that liches¡¯ power varied wildly based on their ss.


    <em>They have a passion for magic that defies death. In order to do that, they have to sell their soul¡ªto a devil.</em>


    That was the distinguishing feature between the sses of liches. The Demonic Realm was as vast as the Human Realm, and its inhabitants were simrly diverse and numerous. All of them were powerful, such that even the strongest beings in the Human Realm¡ªdragons, for instance¡ªcouldn¡¯t guarantee a victory against a demon.


    However, demons of that power were rare; these ¡°high-level demons¡± numbered no more than a hundred. Still, even the lowest-ranking demons¡ªa subus, for instance¡ªcould contend with the most skilled mortals.


    That meant a lich could gain a lot of power in exchange for the magician¡¯s soul. Their pact allowed the lich to draw on a certain portion of the demon¡¯s strength. The distinction between sses lies in the strength of the bond between wizard and demon.


    Most demons were precluded from forming a contract due topetition within the Demon Realm. The majority of contracts were formed with intermediate demons seeking to get a leg up against theirpetition¡ªhowever, there were always exceptions.


    This was one of them. The lich Joshua was thinking of had formed a contract with a demon of the highest degree. A demon this powerful had distinct, unique features and would grant its contractor unfathomable power.


    <em>And this lich, the mastermind behind the bloodbath that bes known as the Massacre of the East: Richi Heinz, contracted to Asmodeus, ranked 32 in the Demon Realm.</em> Heinz was the first person on the continent to form a contract with one of the one hundred most powerful demons.


    After the Massacre, Heinz vanished. Formidable men from throughout the continent, to say nothing of the Holy Empire of Hubalt, were dispatched to hunt him down. Heinz wasn¡¯t seen for decades.


    That gloomy old man was the most misinformed of Joshua¡¯s adversaries. If Joshua met him, he was sure he could build rapport.


    It was peaceful right now, but he would strike¡­ and soon. Rivers of blood would be spilled.


    <em>Asmodeus has a very specific ability. This knowledgees from my past life, but if it¡¯s correct¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Kaiser discovered the enigmatic gray marble he used to kill Joshua in the ruins of Amon, the seventh-strongest demon. If that marble had the ability to store unique energies, then¡­


    <em>It may be a jump, but it¡¯s not too much of one. Kaiser¡¯s left hand was also a sorcerer.</em> Joshua grit his teeth as he remembered the old man in the ck robe that watched him die.


    ¡°The dark priest, Berber.¡± His eyes smoldered. The dark priest was more finely attuned to energy than anyone else; there was no way he could¡¯ve missed the aura of someone like Heinz.


    Evergrant von Aswald, current chief Imperial Wizard. Draxia bell Grace, progenitor of the war god and born of the noblest blood¡ªbut from the perspective of his homnd, he was nothing more than a traitor. And Berber, the dark priest, whose identity was secret to everyone, save Kaiser. These men had their hand in Joshua¡¯s death.


    <em>Soon, all three men will emerge at Kaiser¡¯s side. I will crush the people you count on for your power, Kaiser. Then¡­ I¡¯ming for you.</em>


    All priests of Hermes in the Hubalt Empire were granted a single privilege: the freedom to travel to anynd with a temple of the Hermes. Obviously, there were limitations on entering enemy territory, or regions which denied the existence of gods, but it was a privilege of no small power nheless.


    A priest with dark inclinations could easily be a spy, though it wouldn¡¯t be easy. Any priest who exercised this privilege would be carefully monitored; any evidence of spying would see them vilified by the entire continent and immediately dered a public enemy.


    With that said, Christian, pupil of Chrysler John Sebastian, knight of the gods and Hubalt¡¯s representative in the Master Battle, could use this privilege to travel to Avalon without much trouble.


    ¡°What¡­¡± Christian couldn¡¯t believe the state of Tripia. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors, but why is this ce still abandoned?¡±


    It was iprehensible¡ªnot even an insect could be found in these destends.


    Most border settlements were highly developed thanks to international trade. This ce was, frankly, nothing but ruins.


    Christian heard footsteps approaching from behind and turned to look.


    There were five men in robes; they were identical except that three wore blue robes while the other two wore brown robes. It was obvious that they belonged to two distinct groups.


    Christian frowned. The blue robes bore a symbol of a wide-brimmed wizard¡¯s hat on the chest, while the brown robes bore an ivory tower.


    It was odd¡ªwhy would Avalon¡¯s imperial wizards and the Tower¡¯s wizards be traveling together? As far as Christian knew, there was no interaction between the two organizations.


    <em>If I had toe up with an exnation, Evergrant was once a member of the Tower.</em>


    Even stranger was the fact that the Empire of Knights had sent wizards for a mission like this.


    A middle-aged man, one of the blue-robed and apparently their leader, examined Christian¡¯s clothing.


    ¡°Are you from the Hubalt Empire?¡±


    ¡°May God reward those who seek the truth¡ª¡±


    ¡°I apologize, but this is a restricted area.¡± The man bowed his head slightly. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°As a humble messenger of Hermes¡¯s will, must I have a destination? I go wherever I am needed. There are rumors that the remains of a remarkable creature was discovered here¡­¡±


    The middle-aged man shook his head firmly.


    ¡°You have fallen prey to false reports; I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve wasted your valuable time.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is an unfortunate result of some unpleasant happenings between the nobility in our Empire. You need not be rmed.¡±


    A war between families would not leave a hamlet in ruins like this. No country would allow their citizens to be harmed like this, if only for the sake of protecting their tax ie.


    <em>There¡¯s something¡­ fishy.</em> Christian¡¯s eyes glowed. <em>He¡¯s too determined about this.</em>


    ¡°If you detour a little further south, you will soon reach the Goddess¡¯s temple. I wish you a safe and enjoyable journey¡±


    ¡°Yes, indeed. Thank you very much.¡± Christian bobbed his head, but his expression was cold behind his politeness.


    Eventually, Christian and the wizards vanished from view.

 Chapter 130

    The night sky was lit only by the silent sparkling of the stars, barely illuminating the figure moving through the shadows below them.


    <em>This town, the whole eastern region of the Avalon Empire, is hiding something.</em>


    Christian had spent half a day secretly observing the hamlet. No one would be able to find him except the Imperial wizards and the Tower wizards.


    But more importantly, this eerie stillness was grating on his nerves¡­


    The town waspletely abandoned. The Imperial family had done little beyond deploying wizards and announcing it to the public, even though it had happened in the center of their territory.


    ¡°If a lich is here, as High Priest Herald¡¯s revtion said, and the Empire knows this but hides it¡­¡± Christian clenched his fists.


    Lich, as well as lesser undead and warlocks, were the continent¡¯s greatest problems. In other words, ignoring them was grounds for the other countries to band together to punish Avalon. It might even grow into a continent-wide war.


    <em>I need to be vignt.</em>


    ¡°For the time being, I need to prioritize fact-finding. I can¡¯t just walk around another nation¡¯s territory as I please.¡±


    A single scout could not be underestimated, even by a country as powerful as the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Emperor Marcus, what are you up to¡­?¡± There was no way a man of his temperament would be able to watch quietly while things were happening in his territory.


    Christian stood before a magnificent, ancient castle. This was the source of the energy that irritated his nerves¡ªthe home of the ancient line of Count Rebra. The outside world knew that the Rebras fell because of a territorial war. The Empire cared little for conflicts that didn¡¯t involve the five Dukes or twelve families.


    Christian knew this because it was the most affluent location in this distant area, primarily because it was near the Hubalt Empire¡¯s border, about one day west of Tripia.


    ¡°Count Rebra, even as a nobleman from a foreign nation, was known as a true gentleman¡­¡±


    Christian reached forwards and pushed the little side-door open. It had no lock, but the hinges shrieked in protest. These sorts of entrances existed in every castle; most were connected to the kitchen.


    <em>How far have I retreated to conceal my presence?</em>


    He went down the long, dark tunnel into the kitchen. A low, spooky howl, like that of an animal, pierced through the dark night and into his ear. Christian¡¯s perfectly attuned eyesight allowed him to see the beast through the darkness.


    Razor-sharp ws and fangs, crooked waist, glowing crimson eyes¡­


    <em>A ghoul?</em> He frowned.


    But this wasn¡¯t the typical monster. These three bodiescked the dposing bodies that typified a ghoul. They were actually quite human, with a few differences.


    ¡°A human?¡± The idea was astonishing and disturbing.


    One of the ghouls rose to his feet and wrinkled his nose. That, too, was quite different from a normal ghoul¡ªthey typically didn¡¯t have a sense of smell.


    As the ghouls moved, they revealed what they were gathered around.


    ¡°Oh my God¡ª!¡±


    It was a corpse, still dripping with vivid scarlet blood. The woman¡¯s torn innards were exposed to the air.


    One of the ghouls rose from the throne, gore still crusted on its jaws, and approached Christian. He could see it dragging something behind it, and he didn¡¯t need to look to know what it was.


    The faint hiss of metal heralded the arrival of pristine white steel, gold-finished edges and gilded grips¡ªone of only two holy swords in existence. ording to legend, Chrysler John Sebastian bestowed one of his dual swords to his disciple when he went into the continent.


    This sword, which would be known as one of the Three Skies, Seven Names, and Ten Exotics was¡ª


    ¡°Holy de, Durandal!¡±


    The ghouls shrieked back at Christian.


    ¡°I, Christian, will judge you in the name of Hermes!¡±


    The three ghouls ran at Christian at inhuman speeds, far faster than amon ghoul could do.


    Christian calmly inverted his sword, pointing the de down and bringing the pommel up.


    ¡°Hermes.¡± Divine power swelled in ordance to Christian¡¯s words, magnified through Durandal, expelling the darkness with a blinding cross of light.


    ¡°Holy Cross!¡±


    The light of Christian¡¯s sword dispelled the night.


    ¡°Let¡¯s sleep here, and we¡¯ll approach the settlement when the sun rises!¡±


    ¡°Prepare to make camp!¡±


    Joshua watched Aiden¡ªor rather, Akshuler¡ªfor a moment, then turned away and leapt off the top of the wagon.


    ¡°Why do we need to sleep here when the town is right in front of us?¡±


    ¡°Baron Dubwi is not very hospitable,¡± Akshuler replied, ¡±so we have to settle for this for now.¡±


    It was bing increasingly normal for Akshuler to speak to Joshua, despite being several years his senior.


    ¡°Why is he hostile to strangers?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand if you travel. These are people whose lives are constantly under threat. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡± Akshuler suddenly pped his hands. ¡°As I said before, Baron Dubwi¡¯s territory is rather extensive. In terms ofnd area alone, it¡¯srger than a count¡¯s, because the territory of thete Count Rebra was integrated into the Barony of Dubwi.¡±


    ¡°Does this include Tripia?¡± Joshua gave Akshuler a half-lidded look.


    He¡¯d kept his ear to the ground during his five years in the capital, but this was brand new information to him.


    ¡°Of course, Tripia is included, although there wasn¡¯t any formal deration from the Imperial family. Baron Dubwi administers these estates and collects taxes, so we have to pay attention. More importantly¡­¡± Akshuler¡¯s voice dipped. ¡°There are a few restricted areas in the barony.¡±


    ¡°...Prohibited?¡± The whole affair stank.


    ¡°That¡¯s where we have to go. Your mission requires it.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression softened a little. He was headed to Tripia anyways and he intended to search the entirety of the far east.


    ¡°Where do I need to go?¡±


    ¡°Near Tripia and the County of Rebra.¡±


    ¡°As expected.¡± Joshua nodded to himself. The Imperial court was the ideal ce to hide something. If a major family was taken down by a regional family, the Imperial family might restrict ess in and out until they established the truth.


    ¡°Territorial war¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡±


    Joshua carefully turned his head to look at the little robed figure behind him.


    Her identity was obvious, now.


    ¡°...Iceline.¡±

 Chapter 131

    The stranger¡¯s robe slipped off, revealing the person beneath. She stared at Joshua for a moment.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Joshua gaped at her.


    Had she surprised him? No¡ªin fact, it was exactly as he had expected. She was not the timid Iceline from before, but a true woman now. In Joshua¡¯s eyes, at least, her blue, waterfall-like hair, big, droopy eyes, and the contrast between her immacte white skin and brilliant, rose-petal lips was as attractive as ever.


    He knew she was still growing¡ªshe only came up to Joshua¡¯s chest¡ªbut she had the proportions of a goddess, which her heavy robe could not disguise.


    ¡°A lot has changed.¡±


    Iceline remained silent. She was no longer the same girl he knew five years ago. The pleasant glow remained, but it was tinged with an icy chill. Her stare carried a tangible cold, but they also hid something darker: sadness¡­ or maybe emptiness.


    They were the eyes of someone who had given up on life.


    Her long, wavy hair had been cut short, about to her shoulders. It seemed trivial, but it was anything but. Long hair symbolizes the femininity of a noble woman; for her, an aristocrat, to chop her hair off was a firm statement of abandoning everything.


    ¡°Humans are shaped by their environment,¡± she said, coldly.


    Joshua grimaced. He knew that look; he remembered it from his past. Iceline, the first 7th-ss archmage from Avalon, the ¡°Cold-Blooded yer¡­¡±


    ¡°This is not a battlefield. What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Let me rify,¡± Akshuler interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know this because of your association with the Imperial family¡ªthe battle of Rebra. You were in the midst of it all, so there¡¯s no way you haven¡¯t heard.¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Joshua nced around to see if any of the mercenaries had left the camp and gotten closer to them, then doffed his hood.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened as Joshua¡¯s appearance was revealed<sup>1</sup>, but only for a brief moment. Her expression frosted over quickly.


    ¡°If the outside is quiet, the inside is boisterous,¡± Joshua told them. ¡°Conflicts between major and minor territories in the Empire happen dozens or even hundreds of times per year.¡±


    ¡°However, if you only count the wars between counts or higher, is it stillmon?¡±


    Joshua nodded to Akshuler.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I find it strange. Even if I didn¡¯t hear any rumors from the Imperial family, I¡¯m ashamed that I only heard about this just now.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Akshuler scratched his chin thoughtfully.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes sank. He knew Iceline¡¯s family was doomed, in some fashion. She didn¡¯t carry a surname in Joshua¡¯s past life¡ªhe didn¡¯t even know she came from Count Rebra¡¯s family. What he didn¡¯t foresee was her family perishing in the same manner.


    ¡°...Does <em>that</em> have anything to do with it?¡±


    ¡°Does what?¡± Joshua cocked his head at Akshuler.


    ¡°Do you happen to know which family was at war with the Rebras?¡±


    Joshua shook his head. This was the first time he¡¯d heard of Count Rebra¡¯s war; he had no way of determining their opponents.


    ¡°The family responsible for the downfall of Count Rebra is Marquis Crombell.¡±


    Joshua was stunned.


    ¡°Marquis Crombell? From the Twelve Families?¡±


    Akshuler nodded.


    ¡°Their estate is far away, why did they¡ª¡±


    ¡°I agree, so I made my own inquiries. There was only one result, in the end. After Count Rebra fell, Marquis Crombellmenced his all-out war against the Pontiers¡ªwhich I assume you know of, since you¡¯re an Agnus.¡±


    Joshua nodded.


    ¡°This is no small territorial war, it¡¯s a battlerge enough to utterly destroy an entire family¡ªa Count and Duke. Do you think Marquis Crombell can do as he wishes when it would affect the entire nation?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°If this was the Emperor¡¯s doing, it would exin everything. Is Marquis Crombell not known as the Emperor¡¯s faithful dog? It¡¯s the best exnation at the moment.¡±


    ¡°Why share this with me? From the Imperial family¡¯s perspective, your words could be constituted as treason. Have you forgotten who I am?¡±


    ¡°How can I forget? You¡¯re Baron Joshua Sanders, the auxiliary battalionmander of the Imperial Knights.¡± Akshuler grinned and held out two fingers. ¡°There are two reasons.¡±


    ¡°Two?¡±


    Akshuler nodded.


    ¡°One, the issue is bing more urgent. Marquis Crombell ced a reward for her capture a few days ago for fleeing with a family secret. 10,000 gold, a significant sum.¡±


    ¡°That much¡­¡±


    There were one thousand silvers in a gold coin. A family of four couldfortably live for a month with five gold; with 10,000, you could purchase a stronghold in a rural area and live in luxury for three generations.


    ¡°With that said, I¡¯m going to change the quest conditions a little. Protect her from them!¡±


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me¡ª¡±


    Akshuler gave him a cheeky smirk.


    ¡°Did you not say that meeting her was a sufficient reward? Are you really satisfied with that? I wouldn¡¯t think so¡­¡± Akshuler peeked at Iceline¡¯s frosty visage and his smirk widened. ¡°What do you think? Laypone in exchange for protecting her and helping us dig up the truth.¡±


    ¡°She hasn¡¯t said anything yet.¡±


    ¡°I agree. You want the artifact I made; if you agree, I¡¯ll give it to you.¡±


    Joshua sighed. Evidently, Akshuler had figured out how much he needed Laypone. Given that Akshuler was already using it, he was surely aware of how useful it could be.


    ¡°I can tell he¡¯s epted from the look on his face.¡±


    ¡°I have one condition: I can¡¯t be with her all day. I have personal matters to attend to.¡±


    ¡°Just do what you can, and I¡¯ll take care of the rest. I may have been heavy-handed, but please.¡±


    Joshua nodded in acquiescence.


    ¡°You must be wondering about the second reason I¡¯m telling you this?¡±


    ¡°I understand. You don¡¯t need to spell it out.¡± Joshua¡¯s nonchnt expression drew Iceline¡¯s curiosity. ¡°Because I am Duke Agnus¡¯s descendant, is it not?¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Akshuler smiled affably. ¡°And that¡¯s the end of it. If you were an Agnus with ties to the Emperor, I¡¯d have my doubts, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯re an enemy.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not relying on that alone. Even in the storm of rumors about the escting conflict, your story has the entire Empire abuzz. As a real gambler, how could I resist?¡±


    ¡°Rumors about me?¡±


    ¡°You met with the Emperor, didn¡¯t you? Something about ¡®Whatever you¡¯re expecting, I¡¯ll exceed it.¡¯ But hey! That¡¯s a good attitude. Anyways, you¡¯re an awfully privileged child.¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s impression of Joshua made him scrunch up his face.


    ¡°Word has already spread that you¡¯re going to leave the Imperial Knights if you deliver in the Master Battle. The fact that you were headed to Reinhardt made me think you were just a boy obsessed with honor, but it seems like you¡¯re something else entirely. I¡¯m just banking on my intuition.¡±


    ¡°You sound like a real gambling addict¡­¡±


    ¡°I appreciate thepliment! There isn¡¯t much in this world as great as gambling. The excitement between falling into an unending abyss or ruling over all of humanity¡ªwhat¡¯s not to love?¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re done here.¡± Iceline walked away.


    While Akshuler chattered about gambling and youth, a figure in the distance spied on them while pretending to fix the camp.

 Chapter 132

    It was pitch ck; no light entered whatsoever. A deep darkness, terrifying on a primal level.


    ¡°Damn this¡ª!¡± Christian was covered in blood, and he couldn¡¯t tell if it was his or not.


    Something hooked onto his foot.


    ¡°It hurts¡­ It hurts, it hurts, IT HURTS!¡±


    Christian clutched his holy de and grit his teeth. These things looked just like a human, but they were anything but.


    ¡°Hermes¡­¡±


    He knew his Master needed to know everything he had seen and heard here¡ªespecially the thing clinging to his ankle. The Master Battle was irrelevant now; this information would consume all of Igrant in a bloody wind.


    ¡°...If this is the meaning of your revtion¡­¡±


    Christian cast his gaze about him and ran for the stairs. After some consideration, he began scratching at the wall with his de.


    ¡°Anyone should be able to recognize this, so¡­¡± He finished his scrawling and quickly moved away. His footsteps were quiet, but his body was fast as a rocket. He had to get to the exit on the ground floor.


    <em>I need to get out of here and smash this ce in half.</em>


    But his way was blocked¡ªa figure in a ck cloak, the same entity that resided in the basement, awaited him at the doorway.


    A calm hush pervaded the area as the figure gently turned around, and they locked eyes. The figure¡¯s two ruby eyes glowed like a me in the night.


    Christian felt his heart freeze. Now he knew what that thing was.


    ¡°Why are you here? What are you trying to achieve? Surely you understand you could cause a war?¡±


    The robed man slowly lifted his hand. As if on signal, a faint metallic noise came from both ends of the corridor, but Christian was unable to tear his gaze away.


    Eventually, two figures materialized before Christian¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°My God¡­¡±


    They looked almost identical to the one that was already blocking him, but Christian could just barely make out the details of their jet-ck armor in the faint light.


    <em>If I had to differentiate them, the one in the door looks like a wizard. The other two feel like knights.</em>


    Their presence flooded the area with a powerful spirit of death. Even without drawing their des, their speed, their magic, and the anticipation made him struggle to breathe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Christian¡¯s back dripped with sweat. These creatures¡ªthese demons¡ªwere in the top tier of undead. The number of these monsters that had appeared in the long history of Igrant could be counted on one hand. Monsters created from the body and soul of a B-ss knight at minimum.


    ¡°...Death Knight.¡±


    A formidable showdown.


    This was two days before Joshua arrived in Rev, the residence of thete Count Rebra.


    ***


    Wherever they went, there was always a group¡ªone member and one non-member.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one working because everyone is so timid here.¡±


    There was always that guy, even in the mercenaries.


    ¡°Hey! This is awesome, totally awesome, I¡¯m telling you!¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What the hell is your deal, Beo?¡±


    The group of four was a familiar bunch.


    Greg cocked his head at Beo, who was panting.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    ¡°The Empire.. . The Empire¡¯s three beauties¡ª¡±


    ¡°What about them?¡±


    ¡°Beo, take a deep breath and calm down. What¡¯s going on with the three beauties?¡±


    ¡°One of them is here! Right now!¡±


    The mercenaries boggled at him.


    ¡°What? Here?¡±


    ¡°What did you eat, dumbass? Did that awesome newbie make you go crazy?¡±


    ¡°No! It¡¯s true! I saw her with my own eyes!¡± Beo thumped his chest.


    ¡°Are you dreaming¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡± Greg held up his hand. It was clear he was their tacit leader. ¡°Speak, Beo. I don¡¯t think Princess Sersiarin would be in this kind of ce, nor would Young Lady Charles. You¡¯re not talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Right, right!¡± Beo nodded vigorously. ¡°It¡¯s her!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit! She¡¯s been gone for years, why would she show up here?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I can only specte.¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean, Greg?¡±


    ¡°Where are we going?¡± Greg asked them.


    ¡°We¡¯re going¡­ to Baron Dubwi, right? To bring relief supplies to the locals¡­¡±


    ¡°Right, but you¡¯re overlooking one important detail.¡±


    ¡°Are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so obvious¡ªdo any of you know who the client is?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    ¡°Branch Manager Aiden is the only person handling this task. Unless he¡¯s gone insane, he wouldn¡¯t try something on his own; top-rank mercenaries never do anything unless it makes them a profit. So there must be a customer. Why didn¡¯t he tell us who?¡±


    ¡°Because he doesn¡¯t need to? If it¡¯s handled at the guild level, we don¡¯t need to worry about losing money.¡±


    ¡°This has nothing to do with money.¡± Greg clicked his tongue. ¡°This is a matter of trust. Why would you be in a rush if you don¡¯t even know your client¡¯s name? It might be a matter of their identity. Treason, for instance.¡±


    ¡°Treason?!¡±


    Greg waved his hand dismissively.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say that¡¯s what it is. Why would the guild take a request like that?¡±


    ¡°So¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I can guess. Baron Dubwi is obligated to maintain this estate by His Majesty the Emperor, but he appears to be uninvolved here. So wouldn¡¯t it make sense for the request to be motivated by concern for the people of the former County of Rebra? And think: out of nowhere, a high-ranking magician has appeared.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡±


    ¡°A mystical genius born with the blessings of mana. Ady renowned for her skill in ice magic, one of the three most beautiful women in the Empire: Iceline jean Rebra, said to have vanished.¡± Greg¡¯s lips curled into a smile in the deafening silence. ¡°It has to be her.¡±


    ¡°Yikes! If I hadn¡¯t known, I¡¯d¡¯ve done something stupid. Maybe they¡¯re nning on recruiting?¡±


    ¡°What recruiting?¡± Greg smirked wickedly. ¡°I have a better idea.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget? Marquis Crombell put a ten thousand gold bounty around her neck a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°Greg, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Think about it. How far can we go as mercenaries when we could die tomorrow? You don¡¯t get a chance topletely change your life very often.¡±


    The mercenaries fell into a solemn silence.


    Beo squeezed his eyes shut regretfully. This might be a chance for him to have the most beautiful women in the Empire in his hands.


    ¡°Why not, right? We¡¯re just giving them what they want. It¡¯s not like we¡¯re doing something bad.¡± Greg giggled.


    The mercenaries gulped and swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like that! And I don¡¯t want any part of it!¡± Beo opened his eyes and ran away.


    ¡°That coward.¡± Greg shrugged. <em>Nothing I can do if he doesn¡¯t like it, no matter how amazing it is.</em>


    ¡°So, Greg. What¡¯s the n?¡±


    ¡°Wizards have ws, no?¡± he whispered. ¡°They¡¯re weak in closebat. And as far as they know, we¡¯re allies, yes? If we use that to get close¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    The mercenaries were so caught up with their ns for the three beauties that they were deaf to the rest of the world.


    They shouldn¡¯t have been.


    ¡°There¡¯s trash like you everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡±


    A tall, robed figure stepped out of the darkness.

 Chapter 133

    The jarring drum of horseshoes kicked up a heavy cloud of dust.


    ¡°Yah!¡± The driver flicked his whip. ¡°Hurry! Faster!¡±


    Following this wagon were four equally huge wagons. Given that each included roughly a hundred people, including knights, there were about 500 hundred knights present in total. Their numbers had doubled before they even left the road.


    ¡°Damn this.¡± Count Aerijona, sitting next to the driver, grit his teeth. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. They ambushed the caravan.¡±


    Marquis Crombell¡¯s actions were tantly in vition of Imperial Law¡ªImperial Law explicitly prohibited attacking caravans, in order to prevent a familial feud from affecting the popce atrge.


    ¡°What on earth is the Imperial family doing? There¡¯s no way they didn¡¯t send a spy to monitor a war between a duke and one of the Twelve Families¡ª¡±


    ¡°My Lord, the messenger says that the rear has been wiped out!¡±


    ¡°Everyone?!¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ They¡¯re taking their time, but they¡¯re still wiping out everyone¡­ The bodies¡­¡±


    ¡°These¡­ These madmen¡ª!¡± Count Aerijona¡¯s face flushed with anger. No noble had any businessmitting such heinous, iprehensible provocations. ¡°How far is Eiden Gorge?¡±


    ¡°We should arrive within the next ten minutes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Move swiftly! Every minute¡ªevery second¡ªcould mean a thousand dead!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    The horses, already driven to exhaustion, were driven a little harder.


    The ins were saturated with blood and nketed with the dead.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡± A man moaned as he was cut. Both of his eyes were stained with blood, one leg was missing, and the other leg was currently being mangled.


    ¡°Cutting a living person is better than cutting a corpse¡ªbecause of rigor mortis, you know?¡±


    ¡°Ple¡­ ase¡­ kill me¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What was that?¡± The young man stopped and brought his ear up to the dying man¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Death¡­ please¡ª¡±


    The young man spat on his face and smirked.


    The spittle mixed with the blood and dripped off his face and stained the golden owl engraved on his breast¡ªthe crest of the Pontier family.


    ¡°Killing you isn¡¯t worth the effort, dumbass.¡±


    The young man hummed cheerfully and went back to stabbing the dying man.


    Eventually, he passed out from the pain and the young manzily stabbed him through his heart. With a sickening crunch, he ceased all movement.


    ¡°Master Gehog.¡±


    Gehog, a young man with a <strong>very ugly face</strong><sup>1</sup>, turned to the voice. Behind him stood Baron Theo,mander of the 3rd Knights of Marquis Crombell.


    ¡°Can we really let them go? Seeing as the Pontiers¡¯ forces are already gathered in Eiden Gorge, I see no reason to let them carry relief supplies¡ª¡±


    ¡°No¡­ Do they think this is a game?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ Sheeps are most afraid when they¡¯re hunted¡­ but what if they¡¯re in a herd?¡± Gehog nced at Baron Theo, but he didn¡¯t seem to expect a response. ¡°Fear is infectious¡ªtheir fear will spread through the herd like a gue.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°When they¡¯re all scared, it¡¯ll be easier to kill them all at once. Even better¡ª¡± Gehog¡¯s wolfish grin stretched. ¡°When this war is over, their mothers and fathers and families have to die too, as punishment for pointing their swords at the great Marquis Crombell.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Gehog¡¯s brow twitched.


    ¡°What? What were you about to say?¡± The young man rounded on Baron Theo, spittle flying from his lips with each word.


    Gehog punched the Baron hard enough to spin his head around and split his lips.


    If any of the knights had seen it, they would be speechless. The truemander of this group was Baron Theo, not Gehog. No matter how great his blood was, Gehog had no leadership experience; therefore, Baron Theo, a seasoned knight, was personally tasked to lead thispany by Marquis Crombell.


    Gehog was in clear vition of themand hierarchy.


    ¡°I hate nothing more than lowly scum like you puking up words when I talk. I¡¯m not that imbecile, Veron shen Vis. Dumbass. Would you be willing to listen to someone who struggled to leash the dog he raised? To be insulted by a mere knight like you while you¡¯re under mymand.¡± Gehog growled. ¡°I only want to hear three things from you: ¡®Yes¡¯, ¡®I understand¡¯, and ¡®I obey.¡¯ Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it then.¡± Gehog stepped up to Baron Theo and pped him on the shoulder with a grin. ¡°Did I hurt you? It hurts me, too. As the <em>future patriarch</em>, I believe it¡¯s crucial to establish this. You understand how I feel, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s wrap this up.¡± He grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go inflict some fear into our prey, shall we?¡±


    A figure materialized from the darkness. Its face was obscured, but its tall, thin stature was not.


    The mercenaries didn¡¯t need to see his face to know who he was.


    ¡°Th-the newbie¡­!¡±


    <em>I¡­ I don¡¯t think he heard anything¡­</em> Greg fervently prayed. <em>¡­we weren¡¯t very loud¡­</em>


    Joshua soundly dashed his hopes.


    ¡°Colluding to rape a customer? You call yourselves mercenaries? You¡¯re worse than vermin.¡±


    <em>Fuck¡­</em> Greg squeezed his eyes shut. <em>He heard everything.</em>


    ¡°There¡¯s been a misunderstanding,¡± one of the mercenaries ventured.


    ¡°Misunderstanding?¡± Joshua¡¯s frigid gaze bore down on him. ¡°You should¡¯ve just knelt and begged for forgiveness. Spouting ame excuse like that is just pathetic.¡±


    ¡°That, um, those¡ª¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Greg shouted. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! No matter how powerful he is, he¡¯s fought a battle already! It¡¯ll take him days to recover from that!¡±


    ¡°B-but even then, the power back then was¡ª¡±


    ¡°So, what, you want to just sit here and die?!¡± Greg howled at the unnerved mercenaries. ¡°If the guild hears of this, what do you think is going to happen? Permanent expulsion, guaranteed, and specific guild-level punishments on top of that! How are you going to live, huh?!¡±


    The agitated mercenaries slowly lifted their heads.


    ¡°Dead people tell no tales! I will not remain still!¡±


    Greg¡¯s threat merely made Joshua smile.


    ¡°You really are trash.¡±


    ¡°Fuck! So what?! What¡¯s wrong with taking what you can get in this shitty world? You think everyone can be as talented as you?¡±


    ¡°You think tearing down others for your own benefit is justifiable?¡±


    ¡°This is exactly your problem! You came from a noble family, you¡¯d never understand! Try hitting rock bottom and then we¡¯ll talk!¡±


    ¡°Rock bottom¡­¡± Joshua smirked cruelly.


    ¡°Die!¡± A mercenary rushed Joshua from behind.


    The obsidian earring on Joshua¡¯s earlobe glistened subtly.


    ¡°Kneel.¡± A wave of energy radiated from Joshua in all directions.


    Every single mercenary was forced to their knees.


    ¡°What¡ª¡± Even Greg, stubborn to the end, copsed.


    Joshua stood alone in the silent moonlight.

 Chapter 134

    ¡°What is happening?¡± Akshuler felt a wave of energy¡ªtiny enough that the average person would not detect iting from where the mercenaries were.


    The camp was pitch ck¡ªeven the zing bonfire in the center had gone cold. Only Joshua remained standing in the murky night; the mercenariesy on their sides, drooling and unfocused like madmen.


    ¡°Br-Branch Manager!¡± Beo, the mercenary who had fled, returned shortly.


    The clouds scattered, allowing the brilliant moonlight to illuminate the scene for Beo¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Th-this¡ª¡±


    Akshuler slowly approached Joshua. He quickly deduced what had transpired there.


    ¡°Thanks.¡±


    Joshua nodded curtly in reply.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like being harassed. More importantly, you¡¯re here.¡±


    Akshuler shed him a friendly grin, but only for a moment. He turned to the mercenaries and his visage into a grim and terrible countenance.


    ¡°As of now, all of you are forever prohibited from serving as mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Bra-Branch Manager!¡± Greg, the first to regain his consciousness, pushed his trembling legs underneath him.


    ¡°In addition, the guild headquarters and all rted enterprises, including the noble families and high-ranking members, will be informed of the crimes you intended tomit today.¡±


    The mercenary guild operated across the entire continent¡ªcutting them off from the guild was a death sentence. Who would be willing to work with someone who vited the most basic trust?


    Greg dropped to his knees once again in front of Akshuler.


    ¡°I have a spouse and children. Please¡ª¡± Greg mmed his head against the ground with an audible <em>thump</em>. ¡°Please pardon my wrongdoings!¡±


    ¡°Are you really asking for <em>my</em> permission?¡±


    Footsteps slowly approached from behind Akshuler. Greg trembled like a branch in the wind as he realized who it was.


    ¡°I will leave the choice up to you, the customer. Even if you forgive me, as spokesman of the mercenaries I will not pass it on; this is a fundamental connection with God.¡±


    Indeed, trust was the driving factor for all deals. Who would entrust their work to persons who collude tomit crimes against their client? The issue extended over the entire guild, not just the mercenaries.


    What Iceline did next was startling: she unveiled herself before all of the mercenaries. Soon, her robe dropped entirely to the ground, revealing her stunning beauty to the world. Besides Greg, whose head remained nted against the ground, the mercenaries were dumbfounded.


    ¡°Silent¡­ Chased¡­ ¡± Iceline¡¯s voice was so frigid that even the air seemed to shiver, yet so alluring you could not escape it. ¡°After all of that, I have learned one important lesson: an indecisive attitude will be my noose.¡±


    Iceline lifted her hand.


    ¡°Silence.¡± A translucent film formed in a 15-meter radius around Iceline.


    ¡°Silence¡± was a 2nd-ss magic, but its range was proportional to the mana applied and the caster¡¯s ability. A typical 2nd-ss wizard could project Silence in a 3-meter radius; Iceline¡¯s skill was, once again, obvious.


    ¡°This¡­ will end poorly.¡± Akshuler turned away sadly.


    ¡°Ice Spear.¡± Iceline produced razor-sharp projectiles without the help of a spell.


    ¡°This is crazy¡ª!¡± Greg leapt up.


    Iceline gently waved her hand while Greg spat profanities.


    The campsite was silent. The mercenaries¡¯ cries were horrifying, but no one could hear them.


    Early at dawn, while everyone was still sleeping, Joshua was roused from his meditation by a faint noise approaching the tree he rested against. Soft footsteps¡ªady¡¯s. Joshua knew who they belonged to.


    ¡°You never said anything,¡± Iceline whispered from the other side of the tree.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything to say.¡±


    ¡°Are you curious as to why I changed?¡±


    <em>Curious? Surprised? Honestly, I would be if this were my first life.</em> However, Joshua already knew her as the Cold-Blooded Killer, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise.


    ¡°Not really. Humans are shaped by their environment,¡± he said, parroting her words back at her.


    Iceline was silent for a moment. Only the grasshopper interrupted their tranquility.


    ¡°You helped me twice already; first at the inn, and now.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t respond.


    ¡°Can I ask why you need the artifact I made?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ It seems convenient. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡±


    Joshua nced back, confused.


    ¡°I will prepare a Laypon for you, in spite of your desires. It will take time; it¡¯s not something I can make at will. Theponents are quite difficult to procure as well.¡±


    Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°I must carry my task through to the end with no ws. If there is an issue with the developer¡¯s identity, the items I need will cross the ocean too.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Can I ask you something?¡±


    ¡°I wish I could answer.¡±


    Joshua paused but pressed on.


    ¡°I want to learn more about your family.¡±


    Iceline didn¡¯t respond, as Joshua expected. He waited patiently¡ªrecalling terrible memories was a difficult thing; he wouldn¡¯t be surprised if Iceline got up and walked away.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to¡ª¡±


    ¡°My father¡­ he was in the same day our family was consumed by mes.¡±


    <em>I had my suspicions, but hearing it from her is different.</em>


    ¡°All of his knights were in, even the best of the best. Everything was razed¡ªthe documents, the furniture, the wheat my father stored for the citizens, all gone without a trace. All that remains is what portions of the mansion that were spared by the fire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say this, but if the house head surrendered, the whole war would stop¡­ They went too far, however¡ª¡±


    ¡°We did¡ªat the very beginning. My father cherished his loved ones above all else; he humbled himself and raised the white g to protect his family. It was useless, of course. They didn¡¯t even dere war.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. If it really had been a territorial war, Joshua would have heard it from the Imperial family at some point. And if the results had been so terrible, the news should havee even sooner.


    But it didn¡¯t¡­ That meant that someone was controlling the information. Joshua could say with confidence that there was only one ce with the authority and ability to control an entire region¡¯s information.


    Once again, the Imperial family was behind Marquis Crombell.


    <em>Emperor Marcus. What are you up to?</em>


    Theck of information was upsetting. In hisst life, Emperor Marcus had vanished without acting.


    <em>However, I can¡¯t just watch in silence.</em> After returning, anything Joshua did could change the future. The matter at hand was evidence, and others would soon follow.


    ¡°The estate''s inhabitants have been suffering the aftermath of the war for decades now,¡± Joshua said, thinking of the relief supplies in the wagons. ¡°The nobility is using innocent people to repair the harm that they caused¡­ They have no idea what¡¯s happening, they just keep taking taxes topensate for their uselessness.


    ¡°Humans are shaped by their environment, but their nature is not. You truly are a child of Count Rebra.¡± Joshua rose to his feet. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised that you¡¯ve changed, but¡­ Still, I liked you more back then. Not the ice-cold Iceline, shaped by the hand of reality, but Iceline jean Rebra, so full of life.¡±


    Joshua walked away, disappearing into the darkness.


    ¡°The past me¡­¡± Iceline¡¯s whispers were hidden by the buzzing of grasshoppers.

 Chapter 135

    Akshuler observed a small settlement in front of Baron Dubwi¡¯s estate.


    ¡°This is our destination,¡± he mumbled.


    There were quite a few other travelers on the road. All of them had the same despondent expression, like they¡¯d long given up on life. Iceline¡¯s fists clenched when she saw it.


    ¡°Master Aiden!¡± A mercenary approached them from within the settlement.


    ¡°Hans.¡± Akshuler¡¯s eyes twinkled. ¡°Did you do what I asked you to do?¡±


    ¡°Yes. As requested, I informed the guild headquarters that undead have emerged in the heart of the Avalon Empire. Fortunately, we have a tiny telmunications device here.¡±


    ¡°Great work.¡±


    Akshuler felt Joshua questioning gaze, said, ¡°There are more than two thousand undead wandering the Empire, not just one or two. I wouldn¡¯t know if I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own two eyes, but since I did, I have to tell you.¡±


    ¡°We should wait for a little while. If there¡¯s something behind all of this, we can find it an end the problem immediately¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is guarantee that these undead will not harm the people.¡± Akshuler shook his head firmly. ¡±We can¡¯t be carrying it with us when we might have to pass through a vige at any time. She doesn¡¯t want that, either.¡± He pointed to Iceline.


    Joshua knew the future and he was certain it wouldn¡¯t be an issue, but exining it would be difficult.


    It was fine, though, for the moment.


    <em>Prior to the Eastern Massacre, undead have never hurt a normal citizen. If they did, even the Hubalt Empire would have intervened.</em>


    Right¡­ for now.


    ¡°By the way,¡± Hans ventured, ¡°there was a little problem.¡±


    ¡°A problem?¡± Akshuler cocked his head at Hans.


    ¡°It seems that headquarters called them to verify that the Avalon Empire is aware, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°As soon as we contacted Avalon, they informed us that a huge number of undead had invaded theirnd. I¡¯m worried that the dark sorcerers might be returning after all hundreds of years¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Akshuler¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Joshua and Iceline were simrly startled. The title of ¡°Dark Sorcerer¡± carried a heavy weight in Igrant.


    ¡°The undead and dark sorcerers are the continent¡¯s greatest enemy. Our neighbors¡ªHubalt, for example¡ªuse this as grounds to scour the entire continent. What kind of emperor lets this happen?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems like Hubalt was already on the move before the announcement.¡± Hans looked uneasy.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Akshuler¡¯s forehead creased.


    ¡°It seems that the Hubalt Empire already knew. High Priest Herald apparently had a revtion from God and dispatched a priest before¡ª¡±


    ¡°But why?¡±


    ¡°Rumors say they lost contact for three days. He had a portable crystal ball, so there must have been an issue¡­¡±


    ¡°This is bing very problematic.¡±


    ¡°A priest from Hubalt vanishing is a serious issue,¡± Hans noted.


    ¡°Where was the site?¡±


    ¡°In the heart of the estate,¡± Hans told Akshuler. ¡°...Where Count Rebra¡¯s castle stood.¡±


    The other three were wide-eyed.


    ¡°As a result, Imperial rule over the region has been unusually rxed. ording to the rumors, the Hubalt Empire has already sent priests and pdins¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going first.¡± Joshua turned around.


    ¡°Wait. Here¡­ take this.¡± Akshuler threw something to Joshua.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± In Joshua¡¯s hand was a hexagonal, palm-sized que of sterling silver. The front was embossed with two ovepping axes; the reverse was inscribed with ¡°Mercenary Ash.¡±


    ¡°You might run into issues, so I warn you: an aristocrat of Avalon might find it difficult to pass through theirnds. The devoted priests of Herma might look upon you oddly and start something pointless.¡±


    Mercenaries used ¡°Herma¡± as ng for Hermes¡¯s priests.


    ¡°I wish I could go with you, but duty calls. I will contact you as soon as possible.¡±


    Joshua looked at Iceline, whose lips were pinched into a quivering line. She was biting her lips so hard they turned white.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use this well.¡± Joshua nodded and vanished.


    Akshuler groaned.


    ¡°I know you want to go right away, but hang in there. Take a look at these poor people¡ªyou wanted to help them without gathering the nobles¡¯ attention, didn¡¯t you? We can¡¯t do this fast, but we can do it well.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Iceline chewed on her lip.


    ¡°Right¡­ that¡¯s enough, then.¡±


    Akshuler smiled savagely and turned to Hans.


    ¡°By the way¡ªif a priest was carrying a portable crystal ball, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s normal.¡± Akshuler tilted his head. ¡°What was his name, Hans?¡±


    ¡°It was the first time I heard the name. He was called¡­ Christian.¡±


    ¡°Christian?¡± The name seemed familiar to Akshuler.


    <em>Ah! The one participating in the Master Battle¡­ It must be a coincidence, right?</em>


    ¡°Oh yeah! They also said that Hubalt dispatched thirty white-coat knights, the High Priest, and the saint on a mission to find this Christian. They said they would depart the day they received the news, so we expect them to arrive in around half a day.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡± Akshuler exhaled. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    A gathering like this represented the core of the Hubalt Empire. The High Priest is the second-highest ranking clergyman in the entire Empire of Hubalt. There were a mere three hundred white-coat knights out of tens of thousands of pdins. And a saint¡­


    ¡°That again¡­ hmm.¡± Akshuler looked at Iceline and coughed. ¡°It¡¯s getting worse. The Hubalt Empire is sending high-value troops deep into enemy territory for one man, and the Avalon Empire is letting them¡­


    ¡°What the hell is going on?¡±


    A st of wind heralded a figure speeding through the center of the forest. Joshua had covered three days and three nights worth of distance in less than half a day.


    <em>I treated the situation too lightly.</em> Joshua clenched his jaw and scowled.


    Joshua didn¡¯t have many memories of the days before and after the Eastern Massacre.


    <em>In my past life, I was 14 when my mother passed away.</em> At fifteen, he left the Agnus family and spent a long time buried in grief. All he knew about the massacre was what other people could tell him.


    <em>The little vige of Rev was where Rich Heinz, Asomodeus¡¯s contractor, established his first base. If he switches jobs before I can reach him¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s expression hardened.


    If that happened, there was a good chance that that awful Massacre would happen once more.


    And the kid¡­ Ash¡¯s parents¡­


    Joshua halted as Rev came into view. He could feel an aura touching on his nerves; barely a remnant, but definitely there.


    <em>It¡¯s him.</em> His face was always hidden by a mask, but Joshua could never forget that nasty, sticky energy.


    There were no more doubts. That dark, ominous aura¡ªalmost a curse¡ªhad pierced Joshua¡¯s body as he died.


    Kaiser¡¯s dog, loyal only to power.


    <em><strong>¡°Berber!!!¡±</strong></em>

 Chapter 136

    Joshua ran. This was Rev, the Rebra¡¯s former holding.


    The city was eerily peaceful. Even before the sun went down, the whole region was deserted. Almost bleak.


    <em>It¡¯s frighteningly quiet. There really is no one around¡­ What happened?</em>


    Joshua wandered through the city and eventually approached the big castle. He frowned at the gate and finally waved his arm.


    A mass of mana emerged from his fingers and detonated against the gate, coating everything in a denseyer of dust.


    The inside of the castle was slowly revealed. The more he saw, the more suspicious Joshua became.


    <em>There¡¯s no trace of life.</em> It was hard to imagine that the castle had been abandoned for three years since the family fell. The castle was immacte except for the spider webs on the ceiling. It made Joshua¡¯s nerves itch.


    <em>There¡¯s signs ofbat¡ªheavy enough that aura had to be used.</em> Sharp, deep scars marred the walls, obviously from a sword.


    His eyes gleamed as he swept through the castle.


    <em>Energy¡­</em> Joshua squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. <em>There was some sort of energy used here.</em>


    He opened his eyes and his gazended on the stairwell leading to the second floor. A weird energy was seeping out from its left.


    Joshua¡¯s footsteps echoed through the lengthy corridor as he advanced.


    There was nothing there. The castle was deste except for that weird energy; you would never think that an aristocrat lived here.


    Joshua halted at the end of the hallways. A dead end, but¡­


    ¡°Illusion magic¡­¡± He could feel a tiny wave of mana, a high-level illusion spell from a fairly powerful wizard. It blended in perfectly with its surroundings.


    Joshua focused mana into his right earring.


    <em>¡°Anti-Magic Field.¡±</em>


    There was a sound of shattering ss, and the illusion was broken.


    ¡°The way to the basement.¡± Joshua eagerly stepped forward but abruptly halted. ¡°This is¡ª¡±


    There were inscriptions on the wall by the hidden entrance. They looked like a child¡¯s scribbles: a star inside a circle, like a pentagram; directly below the pentagram, a little triangle with a pair of jutting horns, like a monster¡¯s head, with a cross on the upper part of the head, and a ¡°1¡± carved on its side.


    ¡°Seems like these were made recently¡­¡±


    While Joshua was scrutinizing the carvings, he felt a breeze¡ªbut there was no wind inside the castle. Something artificial wasing from the basement.


    He flung himself down the stairs without another thought. The ck energying from below was nothing like it had been before.


    Seven Magicians gathered at the top of the Magic Tower. All seats were filled, except for Thunder, which was now vacant, and Storm, who left to participate in the Master Battle.


    Marcus, the Earth magician, spoke first in spite of his tranquil disposition; it was proof of how seriously he took this issue.


    ¡°Now that everyone is assembled, I will begin by telling you something. First, Master: why did you dispatch wizards directly from the Magic Tower to the Avalon Empire?¡±


    Ian¡¯s lips remained sealed.


    ¡°Undead were found in that area. That¡¯s why the Hubalt Empire was investigating; but, you see, if this goes on, we can expect major consequences for the Tower as well.¡±


    ¡°I agree,¡± Elisha, the Ice magician, said. ¡°And to send Theta to the Master Battle without so much as a word of discussion with us¡ªI find the Master¡¯s recent decisions to be riddled with issues.¡±


    The others didn¡¯t speak, but their expressions said they agreed.


    ¡°The initial reasoning for Theta¡¯s participation in the Master Battle was¡­ At least in the Tower, I was the only person more talented than he.¡±


    ¡°What? Regardless of how talented he is, Theta is the youngest of us. Your words¡ª¡±


    ¡°Theta¡¯s skills are not to be taken lightly. In terms of talent, that youngster can even surpass me. I wager on my name that there are only three wizards on this continent who can guarantee a win against him in a duel.¡±


    ¡°Well, then who are the other two?¡± Elisha inquired. ¡°The previous royal head magician of Terra, Astello?¡±


    Ian shook his head.


    ¡°He¡¯s old. Now, as my vigor wanes, his waned further. One is Evergrant, the chief magician of Avalon. It was at his request that I sent our wizards.¡±


    ¡°E-Evergrant? The traitor?¡± Elisha gaped at him.


    ¡°Master, I don¡¯t understand,¡± Marcus said. ¡°Why fulfill his request after he left the Tower? This feels like too sensitive a subject for you to decide on a personal basis.¡±


    ¡°Because there was someone else involved?¡±


    ¡°Another?¡±


    ¡°Remember what Evergrant said the day he left? He said he would follow the twenty-year-old man¡¯s footprints.¡±


    Marcus leapt up from his chair hard enough to knock it over.


    ¡°N-no way¡­ No way¡­¡± Marcus¡¯s face was stiff with surprise and terror. His normal tranquility was shattered, a startling shift of attitude, and he struggled to put his feelings into words.


    ¡°Evergrant admired the man who defined the ¡®battle wizard¡¯ more than anyone else,¡± Ian said kindly. ¡°He swore he would follow the traces and return to Avalon, where he was born. It seems he now has other objectives, but his original intent is indisputable.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, truly¡­¡± Elisha, a woman with a reputation for being ice-cold, struggled to get her words out.


    That name had been lost to time. He was the most brilliant wizard ever seen, but at the same time was doomed to an equally terrible end. Abat mage of Avalon who even Terra lusted over; the only human that the high elves bestowed the ¡°Elf¡¯s Tears.¡±


    ¡°Jerath¡­ Jerath dick Orbis¡­¡±


    Joshua moved intently through the basement.


    Despite being concealed, there was nothing extraordinary to be found. There was a long hallway, and then a vast, empty room with another path in the rear.


    Joshua¡¯s face darkened. A man was slumped in the middle of the room. The only sign that he was alive was the muffled sound of his breathing.


    ¡°That must be the pdin who vanished. And¡­¡± Joshua scowled.


    A ck figure stood close to the fallen man. Even motionless, powerful magic flowed through its body.


    ¡°...A death knight.¡±


    The death knight¡¯s red eyes shed. The magic it emitted was powerful and terrible, unlike anything Joshua had felt before.


    The death knight took a step forward. Joshua prepared to fight, but someone was faster.


    [It¡¯s mine.]


    <em>Lugia?</em>


    [That one is mine.]


    Joshua scowled at the voice.


    From the depths of his heart, he could feel a strong yearning arising. Joshua had no control over it, almost like an instinct. If he didn¡¯t take care of it, it felt like he¡¯d go insane. Greed flooded his mind, like a raging river.


    ck sorcery, beyond even what the death knight had, burst from between Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You are mine.¡±


    Was it Lugia¡¯s voice or Joshua¡¯s?

 Chapter 137

    ¡°It can¡¯t be!¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes were filled with disbelief. If Evergrant had discovered evidence of a ¡°magical swordsman,¡± he could¡¯ve epted it¡ªbut Jerath dick Orbis was a different matter entirely. He was the whole reason why the Magic Tower had been studying magic swordsmen for decades; his disappearance was a prime opportunity to study the battle mage.


    If he had really returned, there was no time for games.


    ¡°Jerath dick Orbis! It¡¯s been twenty years since he vanished! If he were still alive¡­ he would¡¯ve shown up1 when his kid died¡ªbut he didn¡¯t, did he!¡±


    ¡°I share your sentiments, my lord,¡± Elisha said. ¡°He was the only human on the continent who could enter the Elven Forest, with the exception of the battle mage. There was not a single person who did not lust after his power, even in the halls of the mighty. Any traces of him would be of enormous worth¡ªand we¡¯re to believe that Evergrant found them? I cannot believe it.¡±


    ¡°As you said, Elisha, any knowledge about Jerath is enormously valuable in and of itself,¡± Ian said. ¡°So let me ask you: an enemy strikes a bargain with the Magic Tower in exchange for the aforementioned information; should I, as the Master of the Tower, have refused the deal?¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡± Elisha bit her lip¡ªthe answer was obvious. Any information on the Elven Forest was valuable, even for the Tower; there were numerous rare magical ingredients which only grew in thosends. The elves themselves had such excellence in magic and spirits that any wizard would drool over their research.


    What¡¯s more, acquiring Orbis¡¯s research data on the battle mage meant battling A-ss Knights.


    <em>Right. It¡¯s not untrustworthy in any way; no one can resist when they learn of the tie between Evergrant and Jerath.</em>


    ¡°Theta¡¯s mission and this transaction¡ªI simply made the most logical choice, as the current leader of the Tower. I put a great deal of thought into this and concluded it was an essential need.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask something?¡±


    Ian gave Marcus a small nod.


    ¡°This bargain¡­ Are you certain it will benefit our Tower? Please, no honeyed words¡ªtell us the truth.¡±


    ¡°...Evergrant¡¯s request seemed fair¡­ and I am Ian teon Murray, reigning Master of the Magic Tower and a Grand Mage.¡± Ian¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would lead the Tower astray, right?¡±


    The gathered wizards were silent.


    There was a ck figure in front of him.


    He could hear his instincts.


    Magic, among other things, slept inside its body¡ªan abyssal energy with unmatched destructive power.


    <em>I¡¯ll force that death knight to his knees with this power.</em> He¡¯d force the death knight to its knees with an exponentially more powerful magic than what resided inside its body¡ªnothing else would do.


    The death knight trembled in the vice of the ck magic and finally lifted his de. It gleamed with a ck light and hummed malevolently.


    Death de¡ªthe pinnacle of the Aura de, the unique distinction of an A-ss Knight.


    The death knight vanished from sight and instantly reappeared right before Joshua¡¯s nose. Joshua gently extended Lugia to meet him.


    The sh of their magic meeting filled the chamber with the sound of shattering crystal. The death knight was knocked back five paces and stopped to examine Joshua¡¯s body.


    The magic leaking off his body gave him a distinctive appearance; his deep blue eyes had been stained ck as night; his unblemished white cheeks had been marred with ck veins like he¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    ¡°If you¡¯re not going to attack, I will.¡±


    Joshua seemed to be entirely unbothered. This was the first A-ss Knight he¡¯d encountered since his return; an untiring death knight, no less. On top of their unwearying body, the death knight had all of the swordsmanship they had rued in their living form¡ªa death knight was no easy foe.


    But that mostly applied to regr people


    This was Joshua Sanders.


    Joshua¡¯s muscles wound up; he dropped his stance and raised his spear, concentrating his aura de into a dense point on the tip.


    The first form, the most sinct and basic of the magic spear¡¯s techniques, yet the quickest and most effective: Thunder.


    This was not the typical, ethereal color of normal thunder¡ªinstead, Lugiaunched a beam of ck light at supersonic speeds.


    The death knight reluctantly lifted his de.


    There was a deafening roar. The chamber trembled unnervingly like it was ready to copse, showing its upants with dust.


    Joshua was suddenly on the other side of the room, lightly holding Lugia. A dark afterimage traced his dance across the room.


    The death knight, unable to fully repel the onught, convulsed. Dense smoke seeped from the gaping hole in his right shoulder.


    Joshua watched intently as the smoke dispersed.


    The death knight¡¯s shoulder was instantly repaired¡ªbut it was out of magic now. That meant that Joshua was far stronger than the death knight.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°Mine,¡± greed whispered. ¡°Take it. Don¡¯t let anyone steal it from you.¡±


    Iprehensible want wed at Joshua¡¯s sanity.


    ¡°Hooo¡­¡± Joshua took a long breath and managed to push it away.


    In the meantime, the death knight demanded his attention. The reanimated knight was gathering all of his power for his ace-in-the-hole. The hazy cloud of smoke was gathering into a single spot: his sword. Its Death de began to change from an ordinary longsword into something else.


    Death knights had a special power: Sword Transformation. It allowed them to transform their de into a shape simr to the weapons they used when they were alive.


    This death knight¡¯s de becamerger and longer; where it was an ordinary long sword, now it had be a broad two-handed de.


    But the transformation didn¡¯t stop there.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The de began to develop a saw-toothed edge, creating what was known as a ¡°Neptune¡¯s Sawtooth¡± for its shark-like appearance.


    Joshua only knew of one person who would wield a deformed de like that.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make sense, he¡ª¡± Joshua took a deep breath and stared at his opponent.


    His enemy remained in ce. It had taken an unusual stance where the sword was held in both hands but the tip rested on the ground.


    Joshua¡¯s doubts became certainty.


    ¡°Are people headed for the Master Battle headed here instead? And then dying and bing death knights?¡±


    He didn¡¯t have any more time to wonder¡ªthe death knight¡¯s sword struck the ground, shaking the earth like it was splitting in two and creating a shower of sparks as the serrations scraped against the stone. The massive shockwave it created mmed into Joshua; the flying dust cut at his skin as if it was trying to tear him apart, and some kind of numbing force bit into his skin.


    There was only one ce in the continent that used such esoteric swordsmanship: the distant reaches of the northern Swallow Empire.


    Even between the three great powers, you could count the truly powerful on one hand. This man, even having lost to Prince bis with an army of two hundred thousand, could proudly im the position of ¡°Master.¡± A savage ruler who didn¡¯t share his secrets¡­


    ¡°Nanga Sword¡­ the howl of the wolves.¡±


    Joshua finally swung Lugia in a wide arc, shaking the castle to its foundations once more.

 Chapter 138

    The Emperor¡¯s abode was awe-inspiring. Crystal chandeliers dripped from the ceiling; the floor was paved in priceless marble. The front of the castle was the pi¨¨ce de r¨¦sistance: a towering edifice of vibrant blue, serving as a backdrop for an eagle with its wings proudly spread.


    Anyone would recognize it as the g of one of the three great powers of Igrant: the mighty Swallow Empire.


    The Imperial throne¡¯s golden luster was hidden beneath a coat of vivid scarlet¡ªtoo dark to be properly red and too red to be properly ck.


    A dark crimson.


    Blood.


    The blood of the aristocracy of Swallow had yet to cool¡ªin fact, it boiled.


    ¡°Hehehehehehe.¡±


    The wizened man on the throne slowly opened his eyes to look at theughing man.


    The giggling man looked to be just about thirty years old; his eyes and hair were, eerily, the same color as the blood staining the throne. He was lovely, but his beauty was sticky, almost decadent.


    And he was one of the Nine Stars¡ªsomeone who could challenge Duke Aden von Agnus.


    His name was Archduke Lucifer, also known as the Blood Sky. He was one of the major figures ruling the Empire of Swallow.


    ¡°Lucifer, why did you do this¡­? And how¡­?¡± The elderly man¡¯s eyes fell upon the scene behind Archduke Lucifer.


    The bodies were piled high and blood flowed like an ocean. Each and every drop of blood came from a noble line, as the corpses¡¯ clothing showed.


    Something dropped from Lucifer¡¯s hand: a bald man with his eyes still wide-open with surprise. Duke Albert van Momori, head of the Imperial Knights and a steadfast supporter of the throne. He¡¯d been a Master for over ten years now.


    Anyone who witnessed this would be horrified.


    ¡°You have retreated too far, Emper Verona.¡± The Archduke slowly mounted the steps to stand before the Emperor and gazed down at him haughtily. ¡°So many have praised you for your kindness. They were insistent that you were the right man to be the Emperor, yet no one seemed to understand how ridiculous your pacifist stance is. All that power and nowhere for it to go¡ªhow did you think it was going to end?


    ¡°Bang!¡± Lucifer smirked. ¡°It goes up like a powder keg, tearing apart everything you were fighting for. That¡¯s how your peace ends. Haven¡¯t you ever read a history book? We were unique, once.


    ¡°No true king would do something as asinine as plead for peace merely for the benefit of the people. If you were born a man¡ªif you were born destined to rule a nation¡ªyou should dream to unify the continent.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying war serves the citizens of this nation? Hrious. Do you know how many people this war of yours will kill? Do you think a mother will be happy knowing that her child won¡¯t live to see tomorrow? What about those denied the chance to drink and be merry? Those are our people¡ªthe people we vowed to protect and serve!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only right for livestock to die for our future.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± The Emperor exploded with rage. ¡°You¡¯re contradicting yourself! Look at what you¡¯ve done! Use those blood-stained eyes! You¡¯re just a bloodthirsty killer. Do you really think you¡¯re serving the Empire?¡±


    Archduke Lucifer eyed the puddle of blood soaking into his shoes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not really for the Empire¡¯s sake¡­ I don¡¯t know now, HAH!¡± Archduke Lucifer¡¯s crimson lips smirked at Emperor Verona. ¡°In the end, you are not my emperor. Your elder brother Demero should be sitting there.¡±


    Hearing Demero¡¯s name made Veron¡¯s face darken.


    ¡°Is this why you persuaded Duke Altsma to go to the Master Battle?¡±


    Unlike Avalon, Swallow had twomanders of the Imperial Knights. Duke Momori,mander of the 1st Knights Division, and Duke Altsma,mander of the 2nd Knights Division and also known as themander of the North, were the two highest-ranking members of the Knights.


    Swallow¡¯s Imperial Knights had no captains; therefore, the two knightmanders led the entire order and protected the Imperial Pce at the same time.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lucifer smiled creepily. ¡°The real question is why those two worms were described with such flowered words. One of them was humiliated by that ¡®bis¡¯ brat. The other one¡­ is dead! AHAHAHAHA!¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ Duke Altsma¡­ dead?¡±


    ¡°There are no second chances in battle. If amander was foolish enough to reach beyond his means and thene back, of course he would need to relinquish his pitiful existence.


    ¡°No¡­¡± Verona shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh¡­ his injuries were severe, but he¡¯s definitely¡­¡± The Emperor¡¯s voice trailed off into silence and his eyes quivered.


    ¡°HEHEHEHE.¡±


    ¡°Gandar¡­ Why did he¡ªno¡­¡±


    When Duke Altsma returned from battle, it was Prime Minister Gandar who certified his health, not Verona. That meant¡­


    ¡°He¡¯s a clever one.¡± Lucifer cackled manically. ¡°He knows how to read the flow. We¡¯re going to be good friends after you¡¯re dead.¡±


    <em>Ah¡­ Gandar¡­</em> Emperor Verona¡¯s face became gloomier.


    ¡°This has been a long timeing. I thought the Master Alone would be insufficient, but Avalon has drawn the entire continent¡¯s attention there. Heaven is truly on my side.¡±


    Lucifer drew a small ss bottle from his coat. An unknown blue liquid swirled within.


    ¡°Without a son of your own, the next in line is the princess¡¯s husband¡­ me. You¡¯d best rest in bed until I¡¯ve assumedplete control of this nation.¡±


    ¡°Lucifer, you bastard¡ª!¡± Emperor Verona red at Archduke Lucifer with impotent fury.


    Lucifer¡¯s eyes glowed as his hand mped around the Emperor¡¯s chin.


    ¡°Rest well. I shall put your work to good use.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ Gami¡ª¡±


    Lucifer regarded him for a moment and then forced the vial into Verona¡¯s mouth until the blue liquid overflowed from his lips. Emperor Verona¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°This is my final mercy, Emperor Verona. I would never give this to anyone else on the continent, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s such a terrible way to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª you¡­¡± Emperor Verona¡¯s rage gradually stiffened.


    The concoction acted quickly. Verona¡¯s eyes went nk.


    Lucifer calmly moved the body. Suddenly, three men in blood-red armor were in front of him.


    ¡°We now begin the conquest of the Empire in earnest. The news of the Emperor being taken by a persistent illness will arrive immediately after the Master Battle concludes¡ªaim for the period when the continent¡¯s attention is on Reinhardt. I presume I do not need to borate further?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Archduke!¡±


    Lucifer ignored his soldiers'' salute and turned his back to them.


    ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend, but this is but a transient friendship. In any case, they were also our adversaries in the past. Avalon¡ªparticrly Evergrant, the head wizard¡ªhas little faith in him. His intelligence and his abilities are admirable, even to me.¡± He stared at the banner of Swallow hanging on the wall. ¡°It would be fantastic if it were our skills, but it¡¯s not, so we must eradicate it entirely. I can¡¯t even cling to such illogical ideas¡­ We have scant time to spread the word throughout the continent. Do it silently and without fail.¡±


    ¡°We hear and obey!¡±


    Lucifer waved his hand and the soldiers vanished as swiftly as they had emerged.


    Before long, an oppressive hush descended on the throne room.


    The great war woulde in only a few years¡ªa violent prelude that would ultimately lead to the death of Duke Aden von Agnus.


    ***


    Joshua stared silently.


    This made no sense¡ªthe Master Battle was rapidly approaching. How could a hero be reduced to an undead?


    ¡°Duke¡­ Altsma?¡± The death knight¡¯s true identity was a lord of Swallow and the proudmander of the Imperial Knights.


    And still, the instinct continued to whisper.


    <em>Take it.</em>


    <em>It could be yours.</em>


    ¡°If I can win this fight¡­ this would be the first time I had a Master in my service.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed.

 Chapter 139

    A man and a woman led a train of mounted Holy Knights in white armor. The man, wearing a white priest¡¯s garb, was High Priest Herald¡ªthe only one of his rank in the Hubalt Empire. The woman wore dress-like priest¡¯s raiments that concealed her body; most of her face was covered with a white veil, leaving only her long, shining blond hair shown.


    ¡°That¡¯s it. That¡¯s the ce.¡± Their guide, a man in blue robes, pointed to an unremarkable castle.


    The guide¡¯s robes gave away his identity, no introduction necessary. The left breast was stitched with the gold dragon of the Avalon Empire; the other with a wide-brimmed wizard¡¯s hat. He was an Imperial Mage of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°As I said, there was a battle between two families in our Empire only three years ago. This location was, among other things, the former territory of the Rebra family.¡±


    ¡°I know. Everyone was talking about it since it was so close to our kingdom. Count Rebra may have been a foreigner, but he was a man of exemry moral integrity¡­¡± The High Priest looked apologetic. ¡°The continent is vast, and there are a great number of people whose true nature cannot be judged by their appearance. Count Rebra was but one.¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe it, though,¡± a Holy Knight named Modrian interjected. ¡°A count of the Empire was involved with a group as nasty as that¡­¡±


    ¡°We, too, only happened upon it by coincidence,¡± the wizard calmly replied. ¡°A priest passed by here and sensed the traces of evil magic. He passed the word in private, but the information could not be disseminated immediately due to its sensitive nature. However, it could not have been ignored. You must have your own backup n.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ The priest¡­?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, even the Imperial family of Avalon has yet to learn his identity.¡± The wizard shook his head.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Modrian let out a disappointed sigh.


    ¡°However, the story has reached the ears of His Majesty the Emperor; he has instructed us to investigate, given our sensitivity to mana. Our chief wizard deemed that insufficient so, naturally, he called upon the Tower using his personal connections.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s why the Tower¡¯s magicians were also here.¡±


    The wizard nodded to Modrian.


    ¡°We¡¯ve spent thest three years investigating some suspicious points on our own¡­ And we¡¯ve finally arrived at a conclusion. Hopefully, the hordes of undead will not threaten the heart of our nation.¡± The wizard bowed to Modrian and the High Priest. ¡°I am ashamed. This incident has grown to involve not just our Empire, but the entire continent. I should have revealed it immediately¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Herald shook his head. ¡°As priests of God, we believe that the incidents caused by that group are our issue.¡± The High Priest groaned. ¡°Negotiations between nations are no simple things. With so many entangled interests¡­ I understandpletely.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The wizard bowed his head again.


    ¡°More importantly¡­¡± Mondrian turned to Rev Castle. ¡°Seiren, do you feel anything?¡±


    The veileddy silently nced at the crystal ball in her palm. This translucent crystal sphere, often called the ¡°Tears of the Gods,¡± was a relic of the Hermes Temple; when it absorbs divine power, it glows brilliantly and agitates nearby magic.


    The crystal ball hummed for a moment and released a faint, dark light.


    The veileddy opened her eyes and nodded.


    ¡°The fact that there are outsiders here is¡­ not helping at all.¡± Mondrian pulled an awkward face. ¡°There is almost certainly something here. This is also Sir Christian¡¯s final confirmed location. Given his abilities, it¡¯s unlikely he¡¯s in danger, but I believe we should make haste just in case.¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡± The High Priest nodded in agreement. ¡°This ce makes me feel horrible for some reason.¡±


    ¡°I believe we will arrive within a few hours. Let¡¯s go then.¡±


    The wizard led the party swiftly to Rev Castle.


    Time slowed.


    Hundreds of thousands of ck particles filled every cubic centimeter of space and all of them were headed towards Joshua. He knew from experience that each particle held enough destructive force to smash through rock, despite their diminutive size.


    Joshua searched for a stratagem to counter the assault. He considered the way he had battled Thunderbolt of the Seven Magicians but shook his head.


    <em>Asura¡¯s Path is a focused attack, but it has limitations.</em>


    Joshua had several options; he wanted the most effective way to force the death knight to his knees.


    He recalled one of his several spear techniques in particr and hefted Lugia.


    Stages one through four of the Magic Spear arts were formic. Literally, their techniques could only be activated by moving mana through predefined forms.


    However, everything changed at the fifth stage, when Gangi<sup>1</sup> could be used. There was no more form in the spear, only form. Two distinct traits could bebined to create an infinite number of applications; their destructive power would be enhanced with corresponding auras. One suchbination was something called ¡°Myolsam,¡± whichbined the traits of striking and suction.


    In addition, each fifth-stage form had an additional attribute.


    <em>First, water.</em> Water was extremely capricious. Even a typically cid river could drown a city when enraged. When the strength of a river wasbined with the power of change, the results could be as powerful as a tsunami or a typhoon¡ªan overwhelming force that swept heaven and earth before it. When the power of heaviness and the strength of a river were joined, it hammered down like a towering waterfall.


    In a simr manner, the crushing weight of falling water would bring a knight to their knees.


    The passage of time and the gentle flow of water¡­ Rain descends from the sky and wets the earth¡­


    Lugia resonated with Joshua¡¯s mana and the basement filled with the sounds of heavy rainfall.


    Joshua¡¯s muscles tightened like rope stretched to its breaking point¡ªalmost like he was using the Asura¡¯s Path, but differed in that itbined gentleness with sudden shifts.


    A mass of Gangi came forth. Obviously, it was not aimed directly at his opponent¡ªJoshua intended to wipe away everyst trace of the ck particles.


    ¡°Type one: Water Rain.¡± Joshua delicately held his spear out.


    The spear cut hundreds of thousands of times, leaving behind a white afterimage. It was not its typical brilliant red color, but rather dark and coated with magic. It resembled a torrent of rain cascading from the heavens.


    The death knight¡¯s ck eyes seemed to flicker for a moment.


    One by one, the dark particles began to dissipate, each one creating a massive explosion as it died until all of them had vanished.


    The death knight was before him, and Lugia hammered forwards. The death knight shuddered as Lugia pierced through his heart.


    [I can¡¯t believe this¡­]


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened¡ªthat wasn¡¯t Lugia. That was the voice of the now-undead knight, Duke Altsma.


    ¡°I cannotprehend the injustice of turning you into a death knight. One thing, however, I can guarantee: you chose this of your own ord.¡± Joshua gazed at the death knight. ¡°A human soul, particrly one as strong as that of a Master¡¯s, should never be forced.¡± Joshua stood tall and approached him. ¡°I do not know what your lingering regrets are, nor do I know if you seek that route¡­¡± He paused, grasping his spear. ¡°...but I will travel this path with you.¡±


    A terrible energy¡ªwhether it came from Joshua or Lugia, no one could tell¡ªwhirled like a hurricane around the two figures.


    Trantor¡¯s Notes:


    Me while reading 139: wtf is happening

 Chapter 140

    It was pitch ck.


    ¡°Where am I¡ª¡± Joshua stopped.


    None of his words were actuallying out.


    He felt like he was flying. He could pick out every detail around him, like an eagle.


    Joshua had experienced something like this before¡ªthe day the Agnus duchy was razed.


    As soon as he realized that, his surroundings changed. The darkness that surrounded him on all sides vanished, giving way to brilliant light.


    A huge in stretched across his vision. In its center stood a castle, proud and secure.


    Joshua saw the g waving above the ramparts and his eyes widened.


    That¡¯s¡ª!


    This experience was different from thest time. Watching Draxia put the duchy to the torch was like a dream. Joshua wanted to move, but he couldn¡¯t; he wanted to look, but he couldn¡¯t. All he could do was quietly observe as the scene was presented to him.


    This time, though, was different. He could streak through the air like a spirit, allowing him to look anywhere he wanted.


    And what he saw was a chrysanthemum in bloom against a red field¡ªthe distinctive banner of the Principality of Thran.


    Then¡­ Joshua looked around with a sparkle in his eyes.


    There were few reasons why a castle¡¯s gates would be fully shut, and the bright red pennant pping beside the national g was only flown during wartime.


    I thought so.


    There was a massive army positioned before the castle¡¯s entrance. They covered the ins, with no end in sight.


    That¡¯s the army of Swallow. If that death knight was really Duke Altsma, then this memory¡­?


    The Principality was a very young country, in contrast to the Swallow Empire; the Empire had viewed the Principality as a subordinate state¡ªalmost like a master-ve rtionship¡ªsince its inception. As such, there were few actual wars between the Swallow Empire and the Principality of Thran. Joshua definitely did not remember an army of this size everying siege to Thran¡¯s citadel.


    The biggest incident he knew of was their campaign against Prince bis; Swallow fielded 200,000 soldiers against Thran¡¯s 50,000 and failed to breach the stronghold, losing 80,000 men in the process.


    A loud shout arose from the front of the enormous army.


    ¡°bis, get out here, you brat! I swear, upon my name, that I, Lord Altsma, will have my revenge! I¡¯m going to wipe Thran off the map!¡± Duke Altsma hefted his gigantic, sawtooth sword.


    The knights behind him jostled each other.


    ¡°Is that his famous sword?¡±


    Some of them hurled provocations.


    ¡°You sullied the name of our Lord!¡±


    ¡°Are all Thranians1 cowards? Are you just gonna cower behind your walls?¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    The entire countryside roiled with mockery.


    A man on a horse squeezed through a gap in the gates barelyrge enough to fit a man through.


    ¡°Who¡­?¡± Duke Altsma furrowed his brow.


    ¡°Fiery red hair, a tiny de half the size of a longsword¡ªNo doubt about it, he¡¯s bis, the heir of Agreta.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just a kid!¡± Duke Altsma belted out augh and then spurred his horse forwards.


    ¡°Duke?¡±


    ¡°Back off, all of you. Let me handle this.¡± He chuckled to himself and then snapped his reins. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The space between the two men shrank under the horses¡¯ galloping hooves.


    When there was barely ten meters between them, Duke Altsma¡¯s smiling lips parted.


    ¡°Are you the brat named bis? I am Altsma brun Edenhaits2 of the Swallow Empire.¡±


    His red-haired opponent stared at him with his deep, burning eyes.


    ¡°You need to introduce yourself again?¡±


    ¡°I just wanted to make sure you knew.¡± Duke Altsma dismounted with a broad grin. ¡°Besides, wouldn¡¯t it just be cruel if you didn¡¯t know the name of the man who sent you to the afterlife?¡±


    ¡°The thing is,¡± bis said softly, ¡°you like to run your mouth, before and after the battle.¡±


    ¡°Bastard.¡± Duke Altsma grinned brightly and sprinted towards bis, swinging his enormous sword. The de was as long as he was tall, but quite narrow; it allowed him to both rip through flesh and stab, bringing him all the benefits of a two-handed sword and a one-handed sword.


    Weapons like these were known as bastard swords.


    The entire de was crimson as if it were made of fire.


    Duke Altsma¡¯s eyebrows twitched. bis maintained his stance in the face of Altsma¡¯s attack, seemingly unaffected.


    ¡°You fool, breaking through made you overconfident.¡± Duke Altsma¡¯s sword was raised towards bis, shaking with ferocious mana. His Aura de was on full disy. ¡°Even if you broke though, I¡¯ll show you that not every A-ss is created equal. The title of ¡®Master¡¯ is not a joke!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it.¡± Brilliant crimson mes burst forth from bis¡¯s de, a raging and all-consuming inferno¡ªyet there was something unshakeable about that mana.


    Duke Altsma¡¯s eyes brightened as he saw the Aura de.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see a bug like you block this.¡± Duke Altsma grinned savagely. ¡°I¡¯ll annihte everything you fight for, along with the fortress behind you.¡±


    He pointed his de at the earth, dragging it along the ground. The shower of sparks was identical to what Joshua had seen the death knight¡¯s sword produce. Duke Altsma was about to unleash the ¡°Wolf¡¯s Cry¡± once more.


    bis gently lifted his delicate red de. Even in front of Duke Altsma, who had been a Master for almost a decade, there was not a hint of anxiety in bis¡¯s expression.


    ¡°me Emperor, wolves,¡± bis whispered.


    bis¡¯s swordsmanship was inspired by the ce where he discovered the Primordial Stone, Magma. His mana caused the ground in front of him to fracture like an earthquake, and crimsonva gushed out of the fissures.


    Heaven and earth were consumed by that dreadful ze as the two warriors met.


    ¡°AHHHHH!¡±


    A boom rent the skies, sending a cloud of dense smoke in all directions.


    Whoa. Joshua let out a gasp. This was the first time he personally witnessed bis¡¯s power.


    The smoke slowly cleared, but the scene it revealed was exactly the opposite of what Joshua expected.


    The scene changed.


    Duke Altsma awakened and howled with rage.


    A crowd of nobility mocked and reviled him.


    He was derived of the status of Master.


    Time passed.


    This is¡­? Joshua frowned, perplexed.


    Duke Altsmay in a room of about 20 square meters, covered in bandages and burns of varying sizes. In front of him stood a middle-aged man that resembled Emperor Verona, albeit more rugged.


    Duke Altsma was screaming at him.


    ¡°Why would you do this? How can you¡ª! Is it the throne you want? Why didn¡¯t you try taking it, then? One of the Nine Stars should be able to do it.


    ¡°No, if you had shown even a trace of ambition for the throne, I would have readily followed you instead of your younger brother. Why are you here now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I¡¯m getting more capricious as I age,¡± the other man said with his deep voice.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I have no particr desire to be Emperor, it¡¯s just that the world is so dull and monotonous right now. At my age, everything feels the same. We need a change.¡±


    The man drew a knife from his sleeves.


    ¡°You crazy¡ª What are you¡ª?¡± Duke Altsma tried to force his damaged body up, but he found the knife buried in his heart.


    ¡°Why¡­ ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°Just be silent.¡± The man twisted the knife around. ¡°You¡¯re going to die.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Altsma¡¯s eyes gradually dimmed, and his body eventually fell ck.


    That was where the Duke¡¯s memories ended.


    An astonishing conclusion, but Joshua¡¯s vision didn¡¯t end there. Just like when he saw the duchy aze, the memory continued for a little while after death.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    Two men entered the room.


    These two¡­ Joshua¡¯s eyes were taken with a bloody rage.


    ¡°You¡¯ve worked hard, Father.¡± One of them, a man with green hair and eyes, bent his head. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to Lucifer.¡± He turned to thest man, who was shrouded in a ck cloak. ¡°Now it¡¯s time to create that monster. With the soul of a knight who has dedicated himself to evil, it ought to be easy.¡±


    The robed man bowed without speaking. When straightened back up, his face was exposed.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes bulged with surprise.


    Was that¡ª?


    Swallow was in the throes of a violent power struggle, just as Avalon was.


    Nevertheless, everyone in the room was linked to the Imperial family of Swallow.


    Then the pattern at the basement entrance¡ª


    A brilliant white light swallowed Joshua.


    Thren? Thranners? Just ¡°Thran¡±? ??


    We (I) may have used ¡°Duke of Altsma¡± at some point, but apparently that¡¯s his first name. ??

 Chapter 141

    Once again, Joshua was surrounded by nothing but darkness. There was one change, though¡ªhe wasn¡¯t alone this time.


    - Speak your name.


    A different consciousness invaded Joshua¡¯s thoughts.


    He knew the owner of that voice, now.


    ¡°Duke Altsma.¡± Joshua peered ahead. In this ce between reality and who-knows-where, Duke Altsma was no longer a rotting corpse. There stood Duke Altsma in his prime, an honest-looking middle-aged fellow. Fully human, and a Master no less.


    ¡°My name is Joshua Sanders.¡±


    - Joshua¡­ Sanders.


    Duke Altsma tilted his head thoughtfully before nodding.


    - Are you the one they were calling a monster in Avalon?


    Joshua was not surprised. Aftering back to life, nothing surprised him anymore.


    ¡°Do you regret it?¡±


    Duke Altsma remained silent, prompting Joshua to speak again.


    ¡°A death knight can only be made from a knight of the highest order. But without the knight¡¯s consent, it would be impossible to create a monster like that. That¡¯s what makes them so rare. Unlike a wizard, a knight is more than willing to die for their ideals.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°A knight is the paragon of their country; there is no greater shame for them than to degenerate into an undead monstrosity.¡±


    - I know.


    ¡°Is it about revenge?¡±


    - Revenge?


    Duke Altsma thought about it for a while and shook his head.


    - This is not about bis. We were enemies, he had every right to fight me.


    bis and Duke Altsma would bepared long after the Duke was dead. bis would someday be known as the Knight of the Red me and one of the Nine Stars, but that day was a long way away.


    For now, he was just a knight who had just attained A-ss. The mere fact that he bested a behemoth like Duke Altsma was enough to rattle the continent, but for the Duke to shake it off so casually was unprecedented.


    However, the revenge Joshua spoke of was not against bis.


    ¡°Demero belle Grace.¡±


    The whole mental construct they were in shuddered as Duke Altsma became agitated.


    ¡°Did you not know the identity of the one who killed you?¡±


    - Is that it? You say it?


    ¡°Perhaps I know something you don¡¯t.¡±


    Duke Altsma didn¡¯t speak for a long time.


    - His Majesty¡­ No, Demero belle Grace was the first lord I served when I became a knight.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened<sup>1</sup> slightly at the new knowledge.


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    - It¡¯s more than just revenge. This is a betrayal. Even when he vanished, leaving only word that he would cede the throne to his younger brother, I, his knight, remained silent.


    - I must¡¯ve been a terrible person in my past life¡­ I¡¯m weaker than the master I was sworn to protect. I¡¯ve never felt like this before. I can¡¯t believe I was born just to be a monster¡­


    Joshua was beginning to sense Duke Altsma¡¯s emotions. Frustration, despondancy, powerlessness, and rage filled the hitherto empty void.


    Joshua knew how it felt to be betrayed by your master. He would be furious.


    A face appeared in Joshua¡¯s mind¡ªDuke Altsma¡¯s first master, who seemed to know no wrongs. The things Duke Altsma felt as he wielded his sword for his master were clearly conveyed.


    <em>If we meet again, I could introduce you to a very nicedy¡ª</em>


    Joshua shook it off.


    - You must be wondering why a man with no regrets like me did such a thing. Honestly, it''s not that I didn¡¯t want revenge, I was just curious. I wanted to understand his motives.


    ¡°There¡¯s a tragic saying that those without dreams or hearts are the ones in power.¡±


    Duke Altsma¡¯s expression told Joshua that he did not understand.


    ¡°The unification of the continent.¡±


    Duke Altsma¡¯s eyes flew wide open.


    ¡°When his own homnd is weak and powerless, conquering the continent is a pipe dream. The story would be different if he had more power, but even then¡ª¡±


    - Hm? I wonder if he really conspired with the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Avalon? What do you mean?¡±


    - You must have heard that his son, the War God, escaped to Avalon, no? Demero definitely knew that Draxia belle Grace and Emperor Marcus were connected in some way.


    Most likely, though, it was a transactional rtionship. Draxia would be standing at the Fourth Prince¡¯s side in the future, not Marcus von Britten¡¯s.


    That was the only conclusion that made sense.


    Joshua grimaced.


    On top of all that, there was a substantial chance that the man who took down the pdin Christian and converted Duke Altsma into a death knight was one of Kaiser¡¯s people as well.


    The design on the door was suspicious.


    <em>I don¡¯t know where it came from, but it seems genuine. If the lich, Heinz, was the same person and not just someone linked to him¡­</em> Joshua clenched his fists.


    It was a very powerful force.


    Duke Altsma took a step forward.


    - Now that I¡¯m here, such things are irrelevant to me.


    - You need to kill me.


    Joshua blinked.


    - The power you now possess is capable of liberating me. You may be a total stranger, but please.


    ¡°So you feel¡­ regret.¡±


    - I do. I regret it. I was ovee with an all-consuming sense of betrayal. I still want to know, but not enough to be a ck sorcerer¡¯s puppet.


    - If I do not escape, I will be manipted against my will. So before my honor ispletely tarnished, destroy me.


    Joshua silently gazed into Duke Altsma¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°...I refuse.¡± He slowly shook his head. ¡°Even if it was the wrong choice, it was your choice. You alone are ountable for it.¡±


    - Heh.


    Contrary to Joshua¡¯s expectations, Duke Altsma grinned and then copsed to the ground.


    - You are correct. I cannot allow another person to carry my burdens. This defeat is mine alone, and yet I continue to bandy words.


    ¡°I have a suggestion, although you may have realized already.¡± Joshua stepped forward.


    - A suggestion?


    Duke Altsma gave him a suspicious look. Joshua nodded reassuringly.


    ¡°I will apany you on your journey. I am not a particrly pleasant person. I¡¯m not even old enough to shoulder someone else¡¯s burden¡ªbut a mutually beneficial agreement is a different matter.


    ¡°It¡¯s a reasonable bargain. You lend me courage, and I will follow you on your journey. Even if that path is thorny and filled with sorrow and anguish, I will follow you. Even though you hail from another nation and another people, I will follow you. Those are my conditions.¡±


    The space was held in a pregnant silence. Duke Altsma looked bemused, while Joshua continued to stare into his eyes.


    - How amusing.


    Duke Altsma¡¯sughter filled the void.


    - I think it would be more entertaining watching the continent¡¯s greatest talent develop than it would be working as a warlock¡¯s servant.


    ¡°So you agree. Lugia!¡± The evil magic dormant in Joshua¡¯s body was released.


    - I¡¯m looking forward to this.


    Duke Altsma then transformed into a ck sphere and was absorbed into Joshua¡¯s body.

 Chapter 142

    A wave of energy washed out of Lev Castle.


    The High Priest and Holy Knight Modrian locked gazes. The High Priest came to his senses first and nodded solemnly.


    ¡°It¡¯s magic.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God¡­ This much magic¡­? Man, what the heck is happening here? Surely the demon king didn¡¯t descend here, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Herald sighed. ¡°To expel this much magic into the human world¡­ It would have to be one of the top 100 at least, perhaps even the demon king himself¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this too risky for a human?


    ¡°We¡­ should go back and get help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take time for people to get here! If he moves, the whole continent will drown in blood!¡±


    ¡°Look, everyone is affected. These knights are the proud representatives of our Empire!¡±


    ¡°I just mean¡ª¡± Mondrian noticed the ray of anxiety shing across the knights¡¯ faces. ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand your concerns, but you must maintain yourposure. If the demon lord has indeed descended, we cannot deal with him with just the people here. Valuable lives would be wasted to no avail.¡±


    Modrian grit his teeth. The High Priest may have dressed his words well, but Modrian knew that he was saying that entering the castle was certain death.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°Seiren¡­?¡± Mondrian and the High Priest spun around.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the demon king.¡± The veileddy gently shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯re mistaken.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s not the demon king, then this insane power is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s not the demon king.¡± She turned to the High Priest. ¡°And we cannot leave, knowing that Sir Christian is here, can we?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°First, let¡¯s go inside. Hermes¡¯s guidance led us here, after all. In an emergency, we will leave the bare minimum of soldiers and make haste.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The High Priest stifled a groan and nodded. ¡°I am helpless. However, if you feel anything strange, you should leave immediately. God would never want to see your blood spilled in vain in such a ce.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    ¡°Hoohhh¡­¡± Mondrian let out a long breath. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes fluttered open.


    ¡°Am I back?¡± He scanned the area.


    Everything was the same. The basement still held its distinctive musty, wet aroma. The pdin was still unconscious.


    The only thing that changed was that Joshua had used dark magic.


    There was no trace left of Duke Altsma. Maybe it was all just an illusion¡­


    Joshua¡¯s gaze turned inwards. He began to consider the inside of his body. The traces around him¡ªheavily damaged in ces¡ªtold him that what he saw was not, in fact, an illusion.


    <em>This feeling¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s eyebrow twitched. He discovered an unknown force lingering in his body.


    [Congrattions, bud! You¡¯ve made a great subordinate!]


    Joshua¡¯s eyes blinked open.


    ¡°Lugia?¡±


    [Death knights arepletely subservient to their caster. Short of totally destroying their armor, they cannot be permanently killed until the sorcerer dies, halting the flow of magical energy.]


    <em>That means¡­</em>


    [As soon as the connection between the caster and the death knight is severed, the death knight should be instantly destroyed. But the caster isn¡¯t dead. Transferring ownership should be impossible. This feat is only possible because of my magnificent self!]


    Lugia sounded downright smug.


    ¡°Then¡­ is hepletely obedient to me?¡±


    [For now.]


    [The death knight¡¯s caster isn¡¯t nearby. Or at the very least, I sense no presence here.¡±


    ¡°The caster isn¡¯t here?¡±


    [If a top-tier monster like a death knight is almost destroyed, the caster will suffer tremendous psychological shock unless they¡¯re using a direct pact with a demon. What this implies is¡ª]


    ¡°Keep prattling and I¡¯ll put you in the subspace.¡± Joshua scowled.


    Lugia was shocked into silence, but only for a moment.


    [Hmpf. How long do you think that I can be cowed by this threat? You are a brutish, contemptible human.]


    Joshua silently lifted his hand.


    [Nuh-uh. No. Put your hand back or your fingernails will fall out and turn floppy. Just do it and I¡¯ll stay silent.]


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this.¡± Irritation shed across Joshua¡¯s face.


    If the Lich Heinz, presumably the sorcerer in question, was not here, Joshua needed to change his n. He¡¯d originally wanted to save Ash¡¯s family from Heinz, but, with the root of the issue gone, it would be alright to postpone that for a bit.


    Ash¡¯s work could wait until he got back to Arcadia from Reinhardt. He¡¯d have to visit Reinhardt just to get updated information.


    <em>Besides the Moon Gate, I can¡¯t postpone the trip to Reinhardt. There¡¯s too many influential people gathering there. I have no alternative except to wrap up the current situation as fast as possible¡­</em>


    [So it means that the caster is mad. I already said it, but regardless of what anyone else believes, that means that the death knight is entirely under yourmand, driven only by your magic.]


    That was one less thing to worry about, then.


    [Do you feel good?]


    ¡°I made a vow.¡±


    [A vow?]


    Lugia¡¯s counter question made Joshua think seriously again.


    <sup>1</sup><em>That symbol¡­</em> The carving on the basement entrance was probably made by the fallen Holy Knight. Given that he came from Hubalt, not Avalon, the images were rather simplistic: two bulging horns atop of an inverted triangle¡ªthe universal depiction of a dragon¡¯s head¡ªand above it, a star inside a circle.


    At first nce, Joshua thought it was a magic circle. That was how everyone on the continent would depict it. But a magic circle over a dragon¡¯s head? Magic and dragons were intrinsically bound together, but not in a way that was relevant to the situation.


    Hubalt found magic even more distasteful than Avalon. Those of the Holy Empire regarded it as heresy against the divine intent. The rarity of magical swordsmen and the difficulty of controlling divine power and mana at the same time reinforced their beliefs.


    <em>So they don¡¯t use magic circles. That leaves one possibility.</em>


    There was one itemmon to the Hubalt Empire that resembled that design: Hubalt¡¯s native coinage.


    <em>Money¡ªor rather, gold. Combine the two symbols and you get a golden dragon.</em>


    You would be a fool to consider dragons in an abstract context. After all, golden dragons were surprisingly abundant in Igrant.


    ¡°The crest of the Avalon empire¡­!¡±


    That sent him on another train of thought.


    The triangle¡ªthe wizard¡¯s hat. The ¡°1¡± numeral obviously meant ¡°first.¡± Lastly, the cross on the head¡­ It wasn¡¯t misshapen¡ªit was deliberately inverted.


    The gold dragon signified the Imperial family of Avalon. The wizard¡¯s hat, marked with the number 1, signified the chief wizard. An inverted cross signified heretics.


    Putting it all together¡­


    <em>The chief wizard of Avalon is a ck magician.</em>


    That meant that Duke Altsma was not turned into a death knight by the lich.


    The robed man who appeared at the end of Duke Altsma¡¯s memories¡ªgiven that they were in the heart of the Swallow Empire, Evergrant should not have been anywhere near there.


    <em>I was too young to know about Heinz and Berbers¡¯s activity in my past life, so I¡¯ve been working off of historical documents. But I was relying on them too much.</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes fell.


    If the Imperial family had intentionally altered those documents to say that the lich never set foot on the continent after the Eastern Massacre¡­


    God¡¯s revtion, conveyed to the High Priest of Hubalt, was undeniable. Heinz, contractor of Asmodeus, was in the continent.


    So the question was why the Imperial family of Avalon wanted to conceal the ughter of hundreds of thousands of its citizens.


    [You have to think about something that simple for so long?]


    Joshua frowned skeptically.


    [Do you think you can wield the power of a demon strong enough to be the demon king¡ªwith no strings attached?]


    Joshua stiffened.


    [If it were that simple, I would have signed a contract with a dog or a cow just as easily as a demon king. The power you receive depends on the entity you contract with.


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    [In order to fully harness a demon¡¯s power, you need a sacrificial offering. A blood sacrifice.]


    [For a demon as powerful as Asmodeus, you would need at least tens of thousands of humans.]

 Chapter 143

    The throne room of Avalon was empty except for only two people. Emperor Marcus perched arrogantly upon his throne; Jacken, the leader of the ck Wind, the Emperor¡¯s personal intelligence agency, knelt before him with his head nted firmly against the ground.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Jacken cautiously said, ¡°Do you really agree to this?¡± He looked up at the Emperor, but Marcus remained silent. ¡°Hubalt is moving in the eastern reaches of our territory. Pdins, a saint, and a High Priest have already arrived.¡±


    ¡°Excellent news!¡± Marcusughed heartily.


    ¡°What? But Your Majesty, the undead first appeared in the center of your domain. If they return, their report could be problemati¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jacken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Jacken dropped his head to the floor once again.


    ¡°Do you recall the day Babel recovered his memories?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Jacken nodded without hesitation. He¡¯d said he¡¯d never forget it, so he never forgot it.


    ¡°I told Evergrant that, having sessfully aplished his task, I would grant him a request. Titles, territory, women¡ªanything within my power, I would give him.¡±


    ¡°I remember, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Evergrant told me that all he wanted was a book from the Imperial archives.¡± the Emperor mused. ¡°At first, he seemed to think it was antiquated magic, but as time passed he grew fascinated. What kind of book would an uninspired, uninformed man be seeking? So I did a little research of my own.¡±


    Jacken was startled to hear that the Emperor had acted personally. His Majesty was not one to act when he could order someone else to do it.


    ¡°It was a book on ck magic.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Jacken was certain he¡¯d misheard.


    ¡°The book concentrated on the biology of ghouls and their rtionship with necromancers. I never imagined that such a book would exist in the family archives.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª!¡±


    ck magic was reviled by all people of Igrant, to say nothing of the parts which directly experimented on humans or defiled the dead. It was an indisputable casus belli<sup>1</sup> for the entire continent.


    ¡°Even knowing that¡­ you decided to leave him alone?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Marcus smiled.


    ¡°May I inquire as to why?¡±


    ¡°...I thought it would benefit the world.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°There is an oue for every process.¡± The Emperor stared down at him. ¡°To unify the continent, a war is inevitable. No nation should feast and sit idle¡ªat the least, no one ce should be dominant throughout the battle.¡± Marcus rose to his feet. ¡°The Continental War hinges on whether the three great empires be involved. In that sense, the Swallow Empire has no need to be concerned¡ªthere is someone there who is as eager for war as I am.¡± He chuckled darkly.


    ¡°The issue, then, lies with Hubalt. Those hypocrites would never wage war unless their territories were attacked first. However, it would be uneptable for us to make an unprovoked attack on them, something that has the Swallow Empire jumping with delight.¡±


    ¡°To provoke Hubalt without a preemptive strike¡­¡± Jacken¡¯s eyes suddenly flew open.


    ¡°That boy, Evergrant, exceeded all expectations. I know the fundamentals of magic well enough to know that every person is suited to different magics¡ªbut, as you would expect of the ¡°All-ss Magician,¡± he is exceptional in all fields of magic¡­ even dark magic.¡±


    ¡°The undead¡­ were created by Evergrant?¡±


    ¡°Amazing, isn¡¯t it?¡± Emperor Marcus chuckled. ¡°One of the terrifying benefits of his dark magic is that he can fend off many warriors on his own. More, if the target is a high-ss wizard.¡± The Emperor looked ecstatic. ¡°The appearance of demons in ournds¡ªIf many, dozens, even, appeared in Hubalt¡­ the first true Continental War would be at hand.¡±


    Jacken¡¯s body trembled as the Emperor outlined a n of epic proportions.


    ¡°While Hubalt is distracted by the appearance of demons in theirnd, the rest of the world is at war. At that point, even Aden will be forced to join the war.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s voice dripped with glee.


    The old structure looked like an ancient temple.


    A man in white robes focused, his eyes squeezed shut. In front of him, a dark urn radiated ck light.


    He suddenly vomited blood and copsed to his knees. He raised his trembling hand before his eyes and regarded the blood staining it.


    ¡°Who in the world¡­?¡±


    The vessel was nearingpletion. For such a variable to appear now¡­


    ¡°Was there someone capable of besting Duke Altsma?¡± The robed man was bewildered.


    His green eyes and tinum hair shone through the white robes. It was Evergrant von Aswald, current chief wizard of Avalon.


    ¡°The day of your rebirth approaches¡­ Despite being resurrected as a lich, Heinz, this, your name, is my¡­ my gift to you, in the Ancient Language, as suits you best.¡± Evergrant¡¯s voice shook and he spat more blood. ¡°No one values loyalty and faith more than I. For your faith, the glorious darkness that I willingly offer my soul to the devil¡ª


    ¡°Your new name is¡­ Berber.¡±


    Evergrant fell to the ground, unconscious.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time left. I need to go straight to Reinhardt.¡± Joshua stood. ¡®But before that¡­¡± He frowned at Christian, who was still unconscious. ¡°I can¡¯t leave him alone like that.¡±


    He picked Christian up.


    <em>Wait.</em> He stopped in the middle of the stairs. <em>I can¡¯t leave like this¡­</em>


    If he handled this poorly, the innocent people of Avalon would be caught in the aftermath.


    War spared no one, after all. He needed to erase anything that would add to the confusion¡ªor worse, trigger a war outright.


    Joshua waved his fingers towards the drawings on the wall, carvings deep lines through them. Satisfied, Joshua walked to the lobby.


    ¡°Wait, this is¡­¡± He sighed awkwardly, realizing that there were presences outside the mansion. At least thirty of them, scattered around the grounds. He¡¯d been too preupied to notice earlier.


    ¡°This is the perfect situation to be misunderstood¡­¡± Joshua nced at Christian¡¯s limp body and sighed again.


    While he was idle, the mansion door began to open, creaking on its old hinges. A group of people poured through the gap¡ªModrian and his party, dressed in all white.


    The moment Joshua and the crowd met, the lobby was trapped in a suffocating silence, quiet enough to hear a pin drop.


    Joshua scratched his head awkwardly. Modrian, the High Priest, and the rest of their party looked Joshua up and down suspiciously.


    The silence didn¡¯tst very long.


    <em>This feeling¡­!</em> Modrian frowned at Joshua. For some reason, the colossal magic energy tingling against his skin had disappeared like it was all a lie. However, the eerie scent of demons still faintly tickled his nose.


    But most important was the Tears of God in Seiren¡¯s hands. That divine artifact glowed differently in response to magic and divine power¡ªand at the moment, it glowed <em>ck</em>.


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±

 Chapter 144

    "Wait!"


    The Holy Knights paused just as they seemed ready to charge.


    "This is all a misunderstanding."


    "Silence, vile creature!" Modrian grit his teeth. "The foul magic radiating from your body tells us everything we need to know."


    Joshua furiously wracked his brain for words.


    "Listen, knights! Do not be fooled by that vile tongue! We are the blessed of Hermes!"


    "Hermes'' blessings be with you!"


    "Whew." Joshua chuckled as the pdins roared.


    "Wait a minute, Sir Modrian."


    "High Priest?" Modrian''s hand halted.


    "Isn''t there something strange about this situation?"


    "What do you mean, ''strange''? High Priest, can''t you sense the evil in his body?"


    Herald peered at Joshua, who met him with a steady gaze that spoke of an unshakeable conviction. His eyes were clear and calm in a way that the High Priest had only ever seen in one other person.


    <em>It might just be me, but his eyes remind me of¡­ Sir Chrysler.</em>


    Certainly, there were differences. Where the "Knight of the Gods" was gentle and respectful, this man radiated a sense of power that made people shrink back in fear.


    <em>I could''ve been convinced that the demon king really had descended¡­</em> Herald heaved a long sigh. It was hard to believe that a man with such pure eyes was the source of the immense enchantment.


    "It''s faint," Herald finally said, "but I can sense Sir Christian''s vitality."


    Modrian blinked, seeming toe to an understanding.


    "Regardless of why he is restraining Sir Christian, we should remain cautious in case he is an enemy."


    "We must think and act with more caution. Do you understand what I mean?"


    "Regardless of how nasty they are, would someone with that much magic hold a hostage? If I wasn''t imagining all that power, he could destroy us instantly."


    "Stop whispering over there." Joshua gave them a veiled, viinous grin. "If you take one step further¡­" Joshua gently grasped Christian''s neck. "It may be a misunderstanding, but I can''t help it if you keep acting like this."


    "This... bastard." Modrian scowled. "If it''s really a misunderstanding, show us your face!"


    "Oh, this?" Joshua scratched his head awkwardly. He thought about it for a moment and then gently ced Christian on the ground and removed his hood.


    "Oh¡­" The crowd was swept away by his beauty.


    Joshua raised his fathomless eyes and smiled.


    "I just want to talk. I never intended on harming him." He looked around and met their nk gazes. "I am Joshua Sanders, a nobleman of the Avalon Empire."


    "J-Joshua Sanders?"


    "The one everyone was talking about? Avalon''s representative in the Master Battle?"


    "I don''t think the rumors do him justice. Even the elves would weep when they see that face."


    Joshua''s rare blue hair fluttered as they murmured.


    "Stop!" Modrian grimaced. "How do you intend to prove your identity? Surely you don''t expect us to believe you just based on your appearance? The continent is vast. There are many people with simr faces."


    "There''s no way someone can look like him¡ª"


    Modrian shot the knight a stinging re.


    "Show me."


    "dly." Joshua chuckled and imbued mana into his Deon ring.


    A beam of light epassed Joshua''s body, dding him in pure white armor. It had a simr hue to the armor the holy knights wore, but the opulent gold trim gave it a much more regal appearance. If not for the superior performance of the Deon ring, it would be totally impractical ceremonial armor.


    "Hmm¡­" Modrian examined him calmly. The rest of the knights, on the other hand, were excited about how good Joshua looked in the armor.


    "Sword Grave¡­no." Modrian''s eyes lit up. Even in the Hubalt Empire, knights knew the tale of the Sword Grave, even its connection to a certain family.


    "I''ve heard that Baron Joshua Sanders''s Deon Ring is a family heirloom given to him by his father, Duke Aden von Agnus. However, your armor does not carry that crest¡­ Am I wrong?" Modrian was trying to keep his voice neutral, but his anger crept in.


    Joshua looked down and smirked. Indeed, the ck sword on his chest te had vanished, leaving only a pristine, smooth white surface.


    "The day I took the name Sanders was the day I left behind the Agnus name."


    Obviously, this was not by his own volition. The Duke ordered it when he selected Babel as his heir. No, not an order¡ªa request. He didn''t want to be tied down by the Agnus name.


    "That''s not enough. Surely you realize that?"


    "Heh."


    "What''s so funny."


    "I''m going to borrow this for a while," Joshua said to the air.


    "A sw-sword!"


    "What''s happening!"


    "Is he moving things with his will¡­? Is this really happening right now? For real?"


    Christian''s sword slipped out of its sheath and settled neatly into Joshua''s hand.


    "Watch out!"


    "Rx. I''m not going to hurt you," Joshua said, before injecting mana into the de.


    The atmosphere thrummed with mana as a second sword was forged over Christian''s holy de.


    "...Aura de." Modrian stared nkly at it.


    "Is this good enough?"


    "Well¡­" Modrian bit his lip. An Aura de was no rock on the street. There <em>were</em> rumors of a blue-eyed man with the skills of a Master and looks to match. And no two people could have a unique A-Grade Deon Ring like that.


    "Enough, Sir Modrian."


    "Seiren?" Modrian flinched.


    "A demon contractor could not possibly wield a holy de in the first ce, correct?"


    "Hrmgh¡­"


    "And, most importantly¡­" The veileddy gently stepped closer.


    "What are you doing¡ª?"


    "There''s no way someone with this face could be the demon king, right?" She lifted a finger and gently stroked Joshua''s jawline.


    Even Joshua was stunned by her boldness.


    "You don''t like this, do you?"


    "Obviously." Joshua stepped back.


    "Make a bet with me."


    "A bet?" Joshua mimed dumbly.


    Thedy lifted her veil and licked her scarlet lips.


    "If you win," she said, staring into his eyes, "I will personally guarantee your identity here."


    Just before he was about to protest the way she framed him as a viin, he heard her murmur in his ear.


    "No one seems to have noticed yet. I don''t think you have it."


    Joshua looked at the glowing crystal ball, then at thedy''s revealed face, and sneered.


    "Why should I do that?"

 Chapter 145:

    Chapter 145:


    "What?"


    "Oh, didn''t you hear me? It seems like you misunderstood me back then. I asked you why I need to make a bet on something I don''t even need to exin."


    Seiren''s face went nk. She was a saint, venerated the world around. Who was this man to speak to her like this?


    She grimaced. "Didn''t you hear me?"


    "You all might be used to it¡ªbut I don''t have any of their preconceptions. You can manipte it if you try, no?"


    Thedy stared at him, aghast. How dare he speak of the God''s Tears like that? If this were the Hubalt Empire, his head would fly.


    "Your words are senseless heresy," she coldly replied.


    "This is Avalon, not Hubalt."


    Seiren was speechless¡ªJoshua was not. She looked him up and down for a long moment before lifting a pristine white finger up to her veil.


    "Seiren!"


    She waved Modrian off and tugged her veil all the way off.


    "Ohh¡­"


    "It''s impossible to be ustomed to your beauty no matter how many times I see it."


    Her waist-length golden hair framed a face as pure and white as her clothing and eyes of brilliant jade.


    If Princess Sersiarin was the treasure of Avalon, Saint Seiren was the gem of Hubalt.


    "Satisfied?" She grinned at Joshua.


    Joshua looked perplexed.


    "I will help you, with no one''s power but my own."


    Seiren''s voice radiated confidence.


    Men reacted to her in two ways: dazed by her beauty, or too busy leering to respond.


    <em>Seeing as he couldn''t answer my question, it seems like he belongs to the former group.</em> She smirked.


    "It''s like being a child again. Everything is done at random, and she acts like she owns the world." A particr fiery redhead shed through Joshua''s mind<sup>1</sup>.


    "W-What?"


    "My answer hasn''t changed: I have neither the desire nor motivation to ept such a ridiculous proposition."


    "This crazy¡ª!" Seiren boggled at him. "Are you mad? Is there something wrong with your head?" She massaged her temples, but her petal-like lips didn''t stop moving. "I''m here to help you." She pointed at herself. "You''re just going to give that up? Really?"


    [She looks like a scammer, not a saint. This is insane.]


    The muffled voice in his head didn''t give Joshua pause, either.


    <em>I didn''t show it, but I was actually pretty empathetic.</em>


    [She''s crazy! I can''t believe their beloved saint is a psychopath. I wouldn''t trust her even if it''s the end of the world! <em>Tsk tsk tsk</em>.]


    Seiren''s eyes suddenly widened. The God''s Tears suddenly darkened. No one realized, but it was responding to Lugia''s power.


    "...Magic?" Seiren tried to back away but found herself frozen.


    After a moment, a diabolical grin, one you''d never expect to see on a saint, crept onto her face and she backed away. The holy knights braced themselves to spring into action.


    "There''s been a misunderstanding. The demon king has not descended, it seems, but I believe we need an exnation for <em>this</em>." Seiren flourished the crystal ball.


    "The God''s Tears!"


    "That dark light¡ªis it magic?"


    It was not, in fact, nearly as frightening as she made it out to be. The dark light was dim and weak¡ªat most, like that of a low-level undead. Critically, however, there were no undead here, only humans.


    [Look! She''spletely insane! She deserves a hell worse than any devil!]


    Lugia''s excited chatter made the God Orb react, and stronger this time.


    [Some apostle of the gods, huh? At least demons don''t stoop this low.]


    <em>Shhh.</em>


    Lugia went silent, but the knights had already seen the dim light of the Tears.


    "Draw your des! Protect the saint!" Modrian brandished his sword and the other knights eagerly followed suit.


    Seiren stepped behind the knights and smirked at Joshua.


    <em>It''s not toote</em>, she seemed to be saying.


    Joshua burst outughing.


    "What are youughing at?"


    "Nothing. It''s just, you don''t seem to act much like a saint. I''ll have to reconsider my definition of what a saint is."


    "I don''t think you understand the situation you''re in¡ª"


    Seiren''s voice caught in her throat as Joshua''s demeanor abruptly changed.


    "What are you going to do if I decide to kill them all now?"


    Seiren reeled in shock.


    Joshua''s voice was easily loud enough for the knights to hear.


    "Fool!"


    "Atst, you show your true character, cretin!"


    "You¡­ How could you even say something like that¡ª"


    "Don''t you know who I am? My name is Joshua Sanders of the Avalon Empire."


    Seiren choked on her words.


    "Enough words! Gather your divine power! Our might against his magic!"


    "Hermes''s blessings be with you!"


    The pdins roared, gathering a pure white light. The divine artifact in Seiren''s hand hummed in reaction to the manifestation of their divine energy.


    "Stop, now. You''ll regret this." Seiren retreated, fear curdling in the depths of her heart.


    "Regret? I don''t know about that¡­" His gaze was heavy with perilous intent.


    <em>This man¡­ he''s serious!</em> Seiren clenched her teeth. <em>I feel like he could really wipe out everyone here¡­ S-Surely not?</em>


    "Poweres with responsibility. Dozens¡ªeven hundreds¡ªof innocent bystanders could perish because of your careless words. The more power you have, the more care you must take. The consequences of your actions affect not just you, but your innocent subordinates."


    Joshua lifted his hand.


    "Not another move!" Modrian shouted.


    Joshua ignored him and channeled his mana, instantly dragging the God''s Tears into his hand.


    "The¡ª"


    "Thus, you don''t deserve this." Joshua smirked at the crystal ball. "An artifact that reacts to divine power and magic?"


    "S-Stop!"


    "Drop it! If you''re really Baron Sanders of Avalon, this could create an international incident!"


    "Hmph." Joshua snorted and began to channel his energy. The tangled mass of four different powers melded into one.


    <em>Now I know how to wield them independently.</em>


    "Some things can''t be believed, even when they''re seen. Let me show you."


    Joshua let loose a second, explosive burst of energy. A pure white light, far beyond what the pdins had created, swept over the castle.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    Charles, waaaaaaayyy back in chapter 19.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 146:

    Chapter 146:


    Before, when Joshua was dueling Duke Altsma, a man and a woman conversed amongst the mercenaries'' hectic activity.


    "The residents here had everything they needed. Obviously, I entrusted the valuables to reliable people in the estate."


    Iceline pulled her eyes away from vacantly staring into the sky and turned.


    "Thank you, sir."


    "I just did what had to be done." Akshuler shook his head. "We can leave for Rev immediately, but I wouldn''t rmend it."


    "I understand your concerns, but I¡­ must know the truth."


    "Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. The pursuit of truth does not always lead you where you want to go."


    "It may be a difficult truth to ept, but I do not want to live in ignorance."


    Akshuler could find no reply.


    "I''m always thankful to you, sir. For all that you''ve done for me this time, I am especially grateful." Iceline bowed her head. "But as of today, I go alone. I know how perilous this ce is, yet I cannot bring you to the heart of the storm. Besides, you don''t have much time left, do you? For the Master Battle."


    Akshuler grinned sadly. "I''m really sorry I only amount to this much."


    "That''s not¡ª"


    "Every time I see you, I am reminded of your father, Count Rebra."


    Iceline realized she''d heard something simr before and hesitated. She recalled a deeply profound gaze boring into her.


    <em>Why did I think of that day?</em>


    "As you know, most aristocrats considermoners¡ªsuch as my own parents¡ªas less than cattle. There are few true nobles, but Count Rebra was one of them." Akshuler raised his head confidently. "As amoner, I can say that Count Rebra was a noble among nobles, and I grieved his death beyond belief.


    "I owe him a debt. I would not be able to face the Count in the afterlife if I let your life fall into jeopardy. Thus, I must protect you, even if it makes you despise me."


    A flicker of warmth passed through Iceline''s chilly eyes.


    "Thank you¡­ Thank you so much, sir."


    Akshuler offered her a kind smile.


    "Regardless, Rev Castle lies along the path to Reinhardt. The undead will make a good warm-up for the Master Battle." Akshuler flexed his tree-trunk arms and smiled bitterly. "That said¡­ my ''warm-up'' might be gone by now."


    "Hm?" Iceline cocked her head. "What do you mean¡ª"


    "Did you forget? Someone got there a day before we did."


    "Ah¡­" The man lingering in her thoughts instantly came to the forefront of her mind. "Isn''t this rather risky, though?" she asked with a concerned expression. "He may be a one-of-a-kind talent, but he''s only fifteen¡ªnot so different from me."


    "Fifteen?" Akshuler''s eyes widened. "Ugh. That kid looks like he ate an ape. What''s he been up to at that age? What a time to be alive. It''s so absurd it makes me want tough." He sighed and shook his head.


    Akshuler nced at Iceline and noted the unusual concern in her eyes.


    "Hmm¡­" Akshuler''s expression became mischievous. Iceline noticed and quickly resumed her normal expression.


    "Is that what you mean?"


    "Not really." Akshuler shrugged. "What I''m concerned about is that if Joshua Sanders of all people has an issue with his identity, I would not be safe there either."


    Iceline was astonished. Just who was Akshuler, after all? His name was one of the most prominent on the entire continent, a gifted man on the verge of bing a Master, and not one to be easily overlooked.


    <em>But to give such a humble assessment¡­</em>


    "Haven''t you noticed as well? You know him better than I do."


    "Right." Iceline nodded as she delved into her childhood memories.


    "In the end, though, that''s just how the times are." Akshuler nodded as well. "A kid of that age used mana before he turned ten, then went on to be the star of the continent.


    "You saw it, didn''t you? You can''t just wipe out an entire horde of undead in one go¡­ especially not with three duhans."


    "...Can I ask you something?" Iceline looked concerned.


    Akshuler gave her a nod.


    "If you and him face each other in the Master Battle, how do you expect it to end?"


    It was a rather rude question.


    Akshuler had twice Joshua''s years, regardless of their reputation or talent. His wealth of experience was not something easily gained. However, Akshuler''s dyed response was enough to settle Iceline''s mind.


    "Well¡­ We all know how excited people get about young Joshua Sanders, but I don''t really see it that way. I''d have to see it personally to draw any kind of conclusion, but I couldn''t say with confidence that I won''t lose. Perhaps I would lose to a fifteen year old boy."


    Iceline''s eyes widened, breaking her normally-frosty expression.


    "...That''s enough of that. If you''ve made your choice, you''d better head straight for Rev Castle. I need to go to Reinhardt, and I''ll have to move quickly."


    "Ah¡ª" Iceline scrambled to catch up to Akshuler.


    ***


    "My eyes!" Modrian and the High Priest gasped as they were blinded by the sh of pure white light.


    The significance of this light was obvious to everyone present. All of them belonged to a group called "Hubaltra". In a group as high-profile as this, education was a requirement, not a choice.


    "Divine power¡­? No, that''s madness," Herald muttered. "Is this <em>his</em> divine power? The H-Holy Father¡­?"


    Bemusingly enough, there were sses even among the priests of the Hubalt Empire. A strange thing for men of God, but they were only human, after all. There were hundreds of thousands of first-, second- and third-year priests. There were also bishops, archbishops, high priests, and cardinals, but the Pope stood at the apex of them all.


    Herald was a high priest¡ªquite a lofty position¡ªbut even he only met the Holy Father a few times a year. Cardinals, despite being roughly equivalent in rank, served closely with the Holy Father.


    Regardless, it was enough for him to recognize the light¡ªThe problem was, it came from a foreign knight, not even a high-ranking priest.


    Suddenly, a cracking noise dragged Herald''s attention away.


    "T-The God¡ª"


    The light had diminished, but not enough to see clearly. Despite this, Herald''s eyes were wide open.


    The crystal ball cracked, sending shards in all directions.


    "No, no! I can''t contact the Holy Father if something goes wron¡ª"


    The High Priest''s impassioned words froze in his throat.


    A beam of light tore through the fading glow,nding on Joshua''s back and taking concrete form: a pair of enormous wings of light that filled no less than half of the first floor. They showered the chamber with menacing sparks, a peculiar trait that the High Priest recognized.


    "The archangel, Michael¡­!"<sup>1</sup><ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    In Judeo-Christian tradition, Michael is usually the highest-ranking of the archangels. That may or may not be relevant, but I haven''t read 147 yet. I wouldn''t be surprised, though.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 147:

    Chapter 147:


    The bright light engulfing the castle suddenly vanished. The wings that the High Priest saw vanished as well. In the profound stillness the glow left behind, everyone was eager to see what had happened.


    [Hey, you fucking bastard of a master!]


    Joshua idly mused that Lugia¡¯s electric tones did not fit the tranquil ambience at all.


    [Are you crazy? I brought you back and you repay me by poisoning me? Did I just waste all my power on you? I¡¯m in your head, covered in filth!]


    Joshua ignored Lugia¡¯s panicked voice and proceeded to explore the changes to his body. It was his first attempt at using divine power on its own, as opposed to all four energies¡ªhis own mana, Bronto¡¯s power, divine power, and magic¡ªat once. If he¡¯d done it wrong, it could have done serious harm to him. Magic and divine power were pr opposites, and absolutely could not be mixed lest they ruin his body.


    It was thanks to the efforts of Duke Altsma that Joshua could manipte the magic independently. It was a gamble that had paid off, and one he silently congratted himself on.


    Interestingly, he found that drawing out one energy did not diminish the potency of the remaining energy. If something unexpected happened, he should be able to use it to respond without exhausting his reserves.


    <em>Still, I obviously have no idea how effective it would be in battle.</em>


    While he was thinking, the crowd remained dumbfounded.


    The blessed crystal sphere was now strewn across the floor. As Joshua took a step, the scattered shards crackled under his boot. That seemed to serve a signal to bring Modrian back to his senses.


    ¡°W-What have you done?!¡±


    Joshuaughed. ¡°Pick one: either speak gibberish, or speak respectfully.¡±


    Modrian realized his mistake and flinched.


    ¡°A God-given vessel couldn¡¯t contain the divine power of a mere knight from another country. Is this the might of the Hubalt Empire?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Modrian choked on his words. He could not possibly bring himself to say ¡°Yes.¡± The minute he did, the saint¡¯s treasure, something he called the ¡°Tears of God¡±, would be reduced to a joke.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± He clenched his teeth and lifted his sword. ¡°There¡¯s no way that was divine power! You people have no appreciation for religion to begin with! You, with the energy of a demon¡ªthere¡¯s no way you can use the power of God!¡±


    The other knights concurred.


    ¡°Tha-That¡¯s right! There¡¯s no way that power is sacred!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense for him to have divine power when he¡¯s neither a priest nor a pdin!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just mana! Don¡¯t make usugh!¡±


    The pdins bristled. They may have seen it with their own two eyes, but they refused to believe it. They didn¡¯t <em>want</em> to believe it. It was uneptable.


    They wanted to deny the blood and sweat Joshua invested before he was known as a ¡°genius¡±. They felt envious, inadequate. It was an emotional reaction.


    ¡°I dunno¡­ I might disagree on a point or two,¡± Joshua mused dully.


    ¡°What are y-you saying?¡± Modrian looked around nervously. Soon, he noticed the High Priest¡¯s wide eyes and Saint Seiren¡¯s trembling body. It was perplexing¡ªthose two had more divine power than everyone elsebined. ¡°High Priest¡­ Seiren¡­ how¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop treating him with disrespect, Sir Modrian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I promise you, that energy is¡­ it really was divine power.¡±


    <em>What? That can¡¯t be¡­</em>


    The pdins boggled.


    Herald pushed his way through the throng and bowed respectfully. ¡°Please ept our apologies, Baron Sanders of Avalon. I speak for all of us in asking that you quell your anger.¡±


    Joshua gave the High Priest an odd look, oblivious to the surprise of the others. Regardless of all else, Joshua was an aristocrat of a foreign nature and young enough to be Herald¡¯s grandchild.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The High Priest lifted his head.


    ¡°This man¡ª¡± Joshua stepped back and gestured to Christian. ¡°¡ªdoes not seem to be in danger, but seeing as he¡¯s still unconscious, there must be something else.¡±


    Herald suddenly approached.


    ¡°High Priest Herald!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Herald waved off Modrian and walked up to Christian. He nodded once more to Joshua and examined Christian.


    ¡°Well.¡± He sighed. ¡°I apologize for wasting Sir Modrian¡¯s hard work, but we need to move Sir Christian.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± the knight asked. ¡°Is he in a bad condition?¡±


    Herald nodded. ¡°His power is feeble, but I can feel it.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Modrian¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°For someone with as much divine power as Lord Christian, magic is poisonous. Infiltrating his body is very difficult, but once it has¡­¡±


    ¡°So the magic I felt before was¡­¡±


    ¡°We have no time for this. Sir Christian needs to be treated <em>now</em>.¡±


    ¡°Right, I understand!¡±


    Modrian and the knightsplied. They remained vignt, but the light of the magic had dimmed and the High Priest¡¯s assurance was sufficient to mollify them.


    Modrian, carrying Christian, paused.


    ¡°My apology,¡± he mumbled to Joshua, ter¡­ I¡¯ll formally apologize in Reinhardt.¡±


    Joshua, surprised, grinned sadly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The knights hurried back through the main door. The High Priest, hustling to keep up with the rest of the group, also paused.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why I saw Michael¡¯s wings,¡± he whispered, quiet enough that Joshua had to lean in to hear, ¡°but if this is God¡¯s will, I look forward to the day we meet again.¡± The High Priest nced at him and bowed his head ever so slightly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ bet!¡±


    Joshua jerked and saw the Saint hot on Herald¡¯s heels.


    ¡°It¡¯s not over yet! Watch out!¡± She mmed the door behind her.


    [Nutjob.]


    Reinhardt, the one and only neutral city in Igrant, had a long and storied history. Every generation came to Reinhardt to parly over the most important treaties and ords. To this day, it was the location of choice for meetings between world leaders. Because of this, Reinhardt was also considered a symbol of peace.


    Given all that, Reinhardt became the biggest tourist destination on the continent.


    [See, isn¡¯t this the first formalpetition where my master willpete with people from all over the continent?]


    As usual, Joshua, covered from head to toe by his robe, ignored the voice in his head.


    An enormous fortress wall appeared in the distance. It was the first time he¡¯d seen it in this life, but Joshua clearly remembered the vast metropolis from his past life.


    ¡°Reinhardt¡­¡± This was the first step in aprehensive strategy. If he achieved the level of Master, not only could he return to his homnd, but his authority would be significantly expanded. Other rewards were forting, if Emperor Marcus¡¯s personality and the world¡¯s apparent arrogance allowed it.


    ¡°The Master Battle¡­¡± Joshua approached the wall.


    A week had passed since the chaos at Rev Castle. Now, finally, it was time for a celebration of individual power from every continent.


    The gates of Reinhardt were wide open.

 Chapter 148:

    Chapter 148:


    There was a temple in Reinhardt dedicated to the god Hermes. A portion of the temple was set aside for emergencies.


    On a ratherrge bed was a lifeless young man in his twenties. Christian, pdin of the Hubalt Empire, had yet to awaken since being relocated.


    ¡°Hoooohhh.¡± Herald let out a deep breath. He¡¯d spent a long time by Christian¡¯s bedside silently channeling his divine power into the man. Expelling the magic that had prated his body was harder than he thought.


    To a priest, reliant on divine power, magic was poison. If his body¡¯s energy was misdirected, the whole body could be infected by the magic, putting his life in serious danger. Thus, the High Priest had to handle Christian with extreme care.


    ¡°High Priest.¡± An impatient voice sounded from behind him.


    ¡°Sir Modrian?¡±


    ¡°I apologize for bothering you at this crucial moment.¡± Modrian, d in white armor, ducked his head.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t say that.¡± The High Priest gently shook his head.


    ¡°Are you¡­ going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°I sessfully drove out most of the magic¡­ but the problem is in his head. It¡¯s a delicate organ, you see, so he¡¯s yet unable to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ It¡¯s probably too much to hope that he¡¯s going to wake up soon, right?¡±


    ¡°Most likely.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Modrian heaved a sorrowful sigh.


    Christian health was obviously worrying, given that he had not yet regained his consciousness, but that was not the only reason for his impatience.


    The Master Battle¡¯s slots would be drawn tomorrow. Three days after that, the much-anticipated opening match would take ce. Therefore, the powerful participants of the Master Battle were converging even now. Christian, however, was still unconscious. Modrian could not help but be concerned.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ thinking about resigning.¡±


    The High Priest¡¯s expression fell to match Modrian¡¯s.


    ¡°It seemed like His Majesty was cing a lot of hope in this.¡±


    ¡°Yes. He revealed our secret weapon, Sir Christian, to the world.¡±


    ¡°The Master Battle is important, but Lord Christian¡¯s recuperation is more so.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Modrian bowed.


    He seemed to battle with himself for a moment and looked to reach a resolution.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to question you now, High Priest,¡± he ventured with an agonized expression, ¡°but may I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°That day at Rev Castle, we felt magic so powerful it made our skin tingle. These are just my thoughts, but¡­ if that much power was contained inside his body, even Sir Christian wouldn¡¯t have bee¡ª¡±


    ¡°You still distrust him.¡±


    ¡°Honestly, yes. There are a lot of suspicious factors¡ªplus he was the only one with Sir Christian.¡±


    ¡°I can say with confidence that the energy that crushed your spirit was divine power. If you can¡¯t even identify that power, you need to relinquish your priesthood.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ felt it too.¡± Modrian shook his head.


    ¡°I have nothing more to say, then.¡± The High Priest smiled.


    ¡°Mm?¡±


    ¡°The quantity of magic that prated Sir Christian¡¯s divine power and entered his body is miniscule. If we say the magic we felt was like an ocean, the magic assaulting Sir Christian is a few fistfuls.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you understand? Magic and divine power cannot coexist. Sir Christian¡¯s condition is a perfect illustration of this.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s one in a million, someone who can control both magic and divine power¡­¡± The High Priest stared into space. ¡°He may be already beyond humanity. We should treat him as a divine entity, since he has the ability to create matter from nothing¡ªthe ability to make the unthinkable possible.¡±


    ¡°G-God! Even though¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I mean.¡± Herald smiled. ¡°Thus, it¡¯s impossible for Baron Sanders to also be the source of the magic.¡±


    ¡°I understand¡­ I apologize for showing you the ugly side of my personality again¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The High Priest smiled warmly. ¡°In fact, he did not strike me as particrly human.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°That aside, can I have a moment alone with Sir Christian?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Does he still need something?¡±


    Herald nodded. ¡°Instead, I have a different report to make.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking to him¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something else.¡± The High Priest shook his head.


    Herald¡¯s face hardened. If he¡¯d really seen Michael¡¯s wings at Rev Castle, it could dramatically change the course of the Great War.


    Where the demonic realm has a demon king and eight evils, the heavenly realm had the archangels and seven divine spirits. Michael was the strongest of them in terms ofbat power, and was often known as the patron of war.


    The Great Temple was built around the aplishments of the Archangel Gabriel¡ªthis incident could shake the Great Temple to its roots.


    <em>The world is changing fast. Our priority can no longer be the Master Battle.</em>


    ¡°Just give me a minute,¡± Herald told Modrian.


    ¡°Well, absolutely.¡±


    Reinhardt¡¯s sky had been decorated with colorful magic since the early hours. Today was the day the slots would be drawn for the Master Battle. All the influential people of the continent were gathered.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Akshuler muttered. Beside him stood a stoic Iceline, concealed by a robe.


    The amount of people entering Reinhardt was severely restricted during the Master Battle, but Iceline had little issue entering as ¡°the Great Akshuler¡¯spanion.¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to follow you here. Am I troubling you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re doing it again.¡± Akshuler shook his head. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be looking for him?¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s words managed to make Iceline stop for once.


    ¡°The wizards from Rev Castle should no longer be there, since they either belonged to the Imperial family of Avalon or the Magic Tower, so why not question the Hermas<sup>1</sup> who returned after their investigation? They are, strictly speaking, foreigners.¡±


    Though a mercenary, Akshuler was a native of Avalon.


    ¡°In the end, Joshua Sanders is the only one who can exin what urred there.


    ¡°I will help you¡­¡± Iceline mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡± Akshuler cocked his head.¡±


    ¡°I will help you as much as you helped me, mister!¡±


    Akshuler blinked and then burst outughing.


    ¡°I will have to do my best. The prettiestdy in Avalon is cheering for me. Look forward to it.¡±


    While they chattered, they¡¯d made their way to the enormous building where the drawing was held.


    ¡°The great Akshuler!¡±


    ¡°Oh, oh, oh, oh! The penultimate mercenary!¡±


    ¡°Look at those forearms! Are those for real?¡±


    Akshuler grinned at the rowdy crowd.


    ¡°Even with limited entrance, we still have to deal with Reinhardt¡¯s residents. There¡¯s no room to walk in this crowd.¡±


    Akshuler was no longer using Laypone, the disguising artifact. His thus revealed appearance was quite manly. With two te-sized hands, sunken eyes, a pointed chin, and an aquiline nose, he was masculinity exemplified. It was no wonder the crowd had recognized him immediately with a physique as enormous as his.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move.¡± Akshuler casually strolled through the crowd with a grin and Iceline silently trailed behind him.


    Fortunately, Reinhardt¡¯s representatives were rigorously monitoring the way in.


    ¡°The Iron Knight Babylon of the Heart Kingdom and the Seven Magicians of the Magic Tower I saw earlier were impressive, but the dread you get from seeing Akshuler in person is noughing matter, huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it! I¡¯ve heard that Akshuler¡¯s fists are made of rocks¡ª!¡±


    ¡°This battle only has people with a reputation behind them. This is going to be one of the greatest Master Battles ever.¡±


    Iceline levitated herself slightly and leaned towards Akshuler¡¯s ear.


    ¡°You¡¯re popr,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°If you took off your robe, I¡¯d lose all my poprity immediately.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    They eventually made their way to the front door.


    ¡°It¡¯s bis!¡±


    ¡°The Knight of the Red me!¡±


    ¡°The Prince! Prince! Prince!¡±


    ¡°Waaaaaaahhh!¡±


    The crowd roared even louder from behind them.


    ¡°Prince?¡± Akshuler and Iceline both turned around.


    They discovered a young man strolling towards them. His long red hair and red armor fit him perfectly.


    Akshuler and Iceline came to a halt. bis, Prince of Thran, continued moving without hesitation.


    On this long road, the two men came face to face.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    If you don¡¯t remember, ¡°Hermas¡± is a ng the mercenaries use for priests of Hermes.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 149:

    Chapter 149:


    ¡°bis! bis! bis!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Knight of Red me!¡±


    ¡°Kyaaa! He¡¯s so handsome!¡±


    After inheriting the Agreta name and bing the 17th Prince of Thran, bis was the most-like person on the entire continent.


    The three great powers had been at a standstill for a long time, like a pool of stagnant water.


    And yet, the 50,000 soldiers of Thran repelled the 200,000 strong army of Swallow. bis toppled the goliath that was Duke Altsma and became the first to ascend to the throne by virtue of his knighthood¡ªmany knights came to revere him as a hero, much as the people of Thran did. On top of all that, he was a handsome and skilled young man in his own right.


    He was known as ¡°Miracle bis¡± across the continent.


    ¡°He¡¯s very popr,¡± Akshuler whispered.


    Iceline nodded. ¡°Of course he is, he¡¯s the prince.¡±


    ¡°They say he¡¯s hotter than hell. Are you going to fight him, by any chance?¡± Akshuler joked.


    ¡°I¡¯m a wizard, not a knight,¡± Iceline tly replied.


    bis walked right up to the door and then noticed Akshuler.


    ¡°Second Mercenary?¡±


    Akshuler silently met bis¡¯s burning eyes.


    Mercenaries called Akshuler the ¡°Second¡± as a mark of respect. He was second only to the absolute reign of Barbarian, the mercenary king.


    <em>I see¡­</em> Akshuler¡¯s expression hardened. As a Master, he could clearly distinguish another Master from the mundane warriors. <em>His reputation as a monster precedes him.</em>


    Akshuler saw fire. There was no other way to describe it. Even in the quiet stillness, bis¡¯s furious mes threatened to engulf everything in his path.


    <em>If I had to fight him¡­</em> They weren¡¯t fighting with swords, but their sweat-drenched hands.


    If someone asked Akshuler if he was nervous, he would have said ¡°Absolutely not.¡± As far as he was concerned, it was a win-win situation. Ashuler loved fighting strong people.


    ¡°Please pardon my interruption,¡± was all he said, however. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors about the Prince, but¡­ to my astonishment, you¡¯re even more impressive than they say.¡±


    bis¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, despite the threat in Akshuler¡¯s tone. Interestingly, the four knights¡ªtheir armor clearly emzoned with the crest of Thran¡ªapanying him reacted the same way. Theck of reaction to an insult towards the ruler of their nation spoke highly of bis¡¯s knights¡¯ mental training.


    ¡°You too,¡± bis said. ¡°You¡¯re better than I expected. I really want to fight you.¡±


    Akshuler broke into augh.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    ¡°Then excuse me.¡± bis left Akshuler and Iceline to themselves, shadowed by the quartet of knights.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ the Knight of Red me and¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like it! It¡¯s not just the number of participants, but their reputations are bigger than any other Battle in history!¡±


    ¡°Ahh, what are we supposed to do? Ordinary folk like us would be kicked out just for getting too close to them.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Moments like these make me embarrassed to be bornpletely normal.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. We get to see heroes like this because we live in Reinhardt!¡±


    Akshuler heard them gushing and shook his head. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go inside.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    While bis and Akshuler were talking, a booming voice filled the inside of the building.


    ¡°The drawing for the Master Battle will begin in thirty minutes! If your country¡¯s representative hasn¡¯t arrived yet, we urge you to ready them as quickly as possible!¡±


    The structure was huge, big enough to fit thousands.


    Against one wall was a table¡ªa prestigious one to be sitting at, to be sure¡ªwith a clear view of the podium. At it sat ten eager young men and women. They were all about 20 years old, an odd thing when most people here were in their thirties or forties.


    However, it wasn¡¯t all that strange. This group was assembled by the participant nations as an advertisement to potential investors, and each person was chosen extremely carefully. As the continent¡¯s brightest up-anding stars, they were poised to lead the continent, hence their youth.


    It was worth noting that they were not a homogenous group, despite the simrity in their standing. It was only natural, given their diverse ethnic backgrounds.


    ¡°The Master Battle will be a lot of fun!¡± a lovely blondedy eximed. ¡°In the Martial Arts tournament, they only used fake skills. You can¡¯t evenpare them.¡±


    The square-faced man next to her smiled.


    ¡°Princess Terraforce, it seems this is your first Master Battle?¡±


    ¡°Yes! Aren¡¯t you new as well, Shrek?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the oldest one here.¡± He grinned.


    Sonna moon Terrafroce, princess of Terra, was already a 4th ss Mage at only 17 years old. Shrek, a mercenary, was already 24.


    ¡°Who do you think will win? Prince bis? He¡¯s been acting like he¡¯s the strongest.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a prize for winning, right? I agree, it seems like Prince bis is not satisfied with being ¡®just¡¯ a Master.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter who wins or loses? Sir bis is on a different level to the rest of the Master Battle. Even the most fearsome of foes was brought to his knees¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t listen to this,¡± someone eximed.


    ¡°Terra will be powerless forever if they¡¯re all as ignorant as you,¡± another voice added.


    ¡°Wh-What?!¡± Sonna fumed.


    The two boys who spoke had the same brown hair, the same tan eyes, and the same dark skin¡ªidentical twins. They were the Logen brothers, Test and Estra, scions of the illustrious Logen n of the Swallow Empire. The Logens¡ªthe 5th Dukedeom of Swallow¡ªwere the only other family on the continent who could boast of having two rising stars.


    Much of Avalon¡¯s nobility agreed that Joshua would not be able to surpass the Logen twins.


    ¡°A random thought, but do you think that mongrel is the best?¡±


    ¡°If that makes them feel better¡­ People from tiny nations do enjoy their fantasies.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª You!¡± Sonna flushed.


    ¡°Stop it. There¡¯s no point in fighting in a ce like this.¡± Shrek sighed and cast his gaze around for anything that could help him resolve this situation.


    The Holy Knights of Hubalt remained still, as if it had nothing to do with them. The lone wizard from the Magic Tower was from a non-governmental entity, much like Shrek. The two kingdoms¡¯ men had their eyes on the issue, but intervening now would only make things worse.


    The only option left was the man sitting by himself.


    ¡°Now that I think about it¡­ There was only one person from Avalon participating in this event.¡±


    A hushed sigh wafted down the table.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that he, one of the rising stars of Avalon, hasn¡¯t been seen in his homnd for some time now¡­¡±


    The isted man slowly raised his head. He looked to be in his early twenties, with bright blue eyes and pale blonde hair. He was huge, with a face just as masculine as his stature.


    ¡°Ah! Sir Joshua and Sir Babel are brothers!¡± Sonna eximed.


    ¡°Who¡¯s brothers?¡±


    Sonna froze stiff under the man¡¯s gaze. If looks could kill, she¡¯d be dead.


    <em>Oh, man¡­</em> Shrek¡¯s face darkened.


    Bavel von Agnus, one of the three rising stars of Avalon, was considered the continent¡¯s greatest talent until <em>he</em> came along. Right now he was suddenly very energetic.


    Shrek hastily rose to his feet, desperate to smooth over the situation.


    ¡°Thran¡¯s representative, the Knight of the Red me, Prince bis, and the mercenary Akshuler are entering!¡±


    Shrek was saved by the gruff, booming voice.

 Chapter 150:

    Chapter 150:


    The Pontier household was located in the center of the basin of Eiden Gorge. The fog there was so thick that even the morning light struggled to illuminate the entrance of the basin.


    ¡°I¡¯m very disappointed in you today.¡±


    The Pontier knight¡¯s shoulders slumped. ¡°What¡­ What do you mean, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been holed up in the basin for two weeks since Marquis Crombell started bleeding us out, but now we¡¯re wasting our time in this¡­¡± Cain sighed and shrugged. ¡°The fact that everyone is dispersed makes me, an outsider, nervous, thanks to a certain someone.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± The knights shuffled nervously.


    ¡°Are you talking about me?!¡± Baron Ashbal red furiously at Cain. ¡°When the enemy could strike at any moment, you have to be ready for anything.¡±


    Cain¡¯s lips remained firmly shut, drawing a low growl out of the Baron.


    ¡°You¡¯re like a flower in a greenhouse¡ªat best, you¡¯ve spent your time cleaning your young master¡¯s ass. You have no idea what war is like.¡±


    Since discovering that Cain had no title, Baron Ashbal¡¯s mockery had be increasingly vicious.


    ¡°At this rate, they are sure to make the first move. Victory goes to the fearless, as they say.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ashbal snorted. ¡°It¡¯s elementary for anypetentmander.¡±


    Cain chortled. ¡°No, maybe I should say¡­ it sounds like you know what they¡¯re thinking?¡±


    He spoke quietly, but just loud enough for the Baron to hear.


    Ashbal halted. ¡°Are you using me?¡±


    ¡°Oh my, what a shameful thing to say. Even criminals wouldn¡¯t think of such things¡± Cain pped his hand. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t understand. Please, I implore you, find it in your magnanimous heart to widen the vision of this little one.¡±


    Baron Ashbal red at Cain and then stomped away.


    ¡°What about what Icarus, themoner girl, told us: ¡®the longer people live, the worse they get¡¯?¡±


    ¡°¡­Though the two families are vastly different, militarily and economically, there is no reason to continue the conflict for so long. The war budget may not have changed, but public opinion may have,¡± Baron Ashbal said, gazing into the mists. ¡°But if this state persists for too long, it will affect the neighboring estates, which is something Marquis Crombell would never want.¡±


    Cain sneered. ¡°I asked you a question and you turned your back on me. Seems you trust our men. I noticed you were saying the same things.¡±


    Baron Ashbal narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°The head¡¯s presence made it inevitable.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t act like themoner girl is the only one who deserves praise.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, sure.¡± Cain shook his head amusedly, making the Baron¡¯s face harden.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the war, I would¡¯ve snapped. You¡¯re lucky the Young Lady appeared to save you.¡±


    ¡°Was I¡­ saved?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°<em>I</em> thought it was already over. Losing your sword is such a shame, after all. That¡¯s a rule all swordsmen adhere to.¡± Cain waggled a finger. ¡°I remember that sound clear as day¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see it, punk!¡± Baron Ashbal snarled, ready to charge in.


    ¡°Kyaaaa!¡± Cain flung his arms into the air and danced backwards.


    ¡°That long tongue of yours ought to be pulled out!¡±


    ¡°S-Sir!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way! I¡¯m going to tear him apart!¡±


    ¡°B-But, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m here for.¡± The young knight pointed towards the canyon. ¡°I¡¯m here to deliver a message.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡± Baron Ashbal froze. The sound of hoofbeats rang clearly in his ears.


    Soon, a rider bearing a red g came into view. It was immediately obvious that he was one of the knights assigned to guard the canyon entrance.


    ¡°Tell me! Are they moving already?¡± the Baron angrily shouted at the distant figure.


    ¡°Thi-This is bad, Sir! Look at the water!¡±


    ¡°Slow down! I can¡¯t understand you!¡±


    The horseman frantically sawed at the reins. His hysteria was palpable as he approached.


    ¡°The Dennis River ispletely frozen!¡±


    The knights hummed with agitation. Cain and Ashbal locked eyes, tension flickering between them.


    ¡°No way,¡± Cain murmured. ¡°Just like she said¡­¡±


    The Dennis river never froze, even in the middle of winter. In fact, moving water never froze.


    The river¡¯s thunderous flow made it impassable¡­ but if it froze, it was a road straight into Eiden Gorge.


    <em>It¡¯s a straight path to the heart of the Pontier family!</em> Cain gulped nervously.


    If what the messenger said was urate, they were in dire straits¡­ if the Pontiers had been caught unaware. One person in particr had predicted this well in advance, as Cain knew.


    ¡ª


    ¡°They were both so¡­ magnificent,¡± Sonna mumbled.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± Shrek drooled enviously as he watched Akshuler.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t from any of the great powers, are they?¡±


    ¡°We can take them.¡±


    The Logen brothers¡¯ bold words made Shrek¡¯s brow quiver.


    ¡°You two talk too much,¡± he chided them.


    ¡°Shrek?¡± Sonna gave him a confused look. Evidently his admiration for Akshuler was greater than she expected.


    Test, the elder Logen brother, gave Shrek a cursory nce. ¡°Rumors are just rumors, no matter how many red-ming knights and gems are involved.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what their reputation is,¡± Estra continued. ¡°What matters is how they wield their sword.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡± Shrek nodded. ¡°I may have spoken too quickly.¡±


    The knights from Hubalt listened in as well.


    ¡°The Giant is known all across the continent, of course,¡± Test began.


    ¡°But Thran and Joshua Sanders have no concept of grace. The rumors about them are just that,¡± Estra finished.


    Babel twitched at the mention of Joshua¡¯s name.


    ¡°Well then, why does Sir bis act like that?¡± Sonna angrily asked. ¡°Has anyone seen him before?¡±


    ¡°Young Master Babel is the only exception,¡± Test continued. ¡°That is an objective fact.¡±


    The Reinhardt Martial Arts Tournament had few entrants, unlike the Master Battle. The famous rising stars looked down on it, viewing it as a low-rankingpetition, and invested their efforts into personal training and other things. The original intent of the Tournament, then, was a distant dream.


    ¡°I was there.¡±


    The Logen brothers¡¯ heads turned to the voice. The source was a gorgeousdy in pristine whitedy, who raised her hand. Her mysterious silver hair and eyes identified her as the strongest swordswoman under the age of 30.


    ¡°Lilith¡­?¡± Her fellow Holy Knight, seated next to her, wore a perplexed look.


    After a brief look, Test continued speaking.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one. If you don¡¯t believe me, ask around. All I can hear is ¡®Joshua Sanders¡¯. No one is more perfect, evidently. His talents were beyond definition at the age of fifteen and he already intends to participate in the Master Battle. His pedigree is wless as well.¡±


    No one challenged Test¡¯s words.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it interesting how someone this perfect just appears out of nowhere?¡± Test shook his head.


    ¡°Even fairy tale characters have more decency than that,¡± Estra added.


    Sonna interjected. ¡°There must have been several people who saw¡ª¡±


    ¡°Making heroes is practically an imperial tradition,¡± Test spat. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if he was bullied into disappearing afterwards.¡±


    ¡°I guess he¡¯s not showing up here.¡±


    ¡°Of course the Avalon Empire likes to have a ¡®hero¡¯. He¡¯s probably just a chump. I doubt he¡¯s even good-looking.¡±


    ¡°How ironic.¡± The othersughed.


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Sonna shuffled restlessly and turned to Babel. ¡°Don¡¯t you think the citizens of Avalon would be offended by this?¡±


    ¡°I wish.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Babel¡¯s response was above and beyond Sonna¡¯s wildest expectations.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± The Logens¡¯ heads swiveled around.


    <em>Hrious¡­</em> Babel smiled bitterly. He would have assumed the same thing in their shoes. To put it another way, Joshua was truly one of a kind.


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Babel lost interest immediately. His attention was caught by the sudden silence in the chamber.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Are they starting the drawing now?¡±


    But then, in the eerie hush, a footstep thudded in the doorstep.


    The Master of Ceremonies<sup>1</sup> could only stare nkly as a man walked in. Incredibly handsome, blue hair, and eyes as deep as the abyss.


    ¡°Uh, r-representing the Avalon Empire,¡± the official stammered, ¡°Baron Joshua Sanders has arrived!¡±


    The crowd was shaken out of their stupor.


    Joshua had made his debut, and he did it in front of the continent¡¯s biggest names.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ¡°Master of Ceremonies¡± is just a job title here. He¡¯s not going to be swinging a sword or using mana.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 151:

    Chapter 151:


    A sense of tranquility pervaded the building. The source was, of course, the man who had just entered.


    ¡°What the fu¡ªugh.¡± Estra managed to choke down his idental outburst.


    The new man was incredibly handsome: tall and proud¡ªover 180cm¡ªand very lean; clear, wless, almost divine facial features, unlike oneself<sup>1</sup>. Even his eyes seemed to exude a maizing aura.


    At the very least, his appearance lived up to every rumor Estra had heard. In fact, the rumors might not do him justice.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Joshua Sanders?¡± Sonna mumbled. As princess of the Kingdom of Terra, she had met all of the allegedly gorgeous nobility. But this man was like nothing she¡¯d ever seen.


    Babel watched calmly as Joshua walked past him without sparing a nce at their table.


    Often, people called Babel the first rising star, despite Joshua¡¯s singr talent. On top of that, they shared the same blood.


    ¡°Joshua von Agnus¡­¡± Babel sighed. It¡¯d been several years since his brother had left the family.


    <em>I don¡¯t feel any joy.</em> Joshua was no longer truly an Agnus. There was no connection between the Duke¡¯s sons anymore.


    He¡¯d never considered Joshua a brother in the first ce.


    Jealousy? The same. Babel would be lying if he said there was none, but the immature emotions of his childhood had long faded. In fact, Babel found that the sight was quite interesting.


    Yet it only made him feel more intense. The ss divide between Babel and the person he once called his brother was higher than the towering fortifications of the Imperial pce of Avalon. Even looking was forbidden.


    <em>I know¡­ I admit it.</em> Joshua von Agnus¡ªno, Joshua <em>Sanders</em>¡ªwas not the same person. Even in a room filled with the powerful, Joshua bowed to no one.


    ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Babel slowly inhaled and exhaled. Somewhat more rxed, he lifted his eyes again.


    ¡°You¡¯rete,¡± Akshuler said.


    ¡°I saw you pass by me.¡± Joshua walked right up to Akshuler, who was seated directly in front of the podium.


    ¡°The main character is alwayste, eh?¡± Akshulerughed boisterously.


    ¡°You can have it back.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Akshuler shook his head. ¡°If you y the Master Battle with eloquence, you would definitely win.¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if you¡¯re not limited to words, the oue won¡¯t change.¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Pretentious,¡± someone said.


    Joshua¡¯s head swiveled, scanning the area to find the speaker.


    A conversation between the great Akshuler and Joshua, the most talked-about person of the time, was of interest to everyone. Aside from their poprity, both Akshuler and Joshua were formidablebatants. The apparent connection between the mercenary and a scion of the most prominent noble house in Avalon was something everyone was thinking about.


    Only Master Battlepetitors and their apanying officials were seated in the tables closest to the podium. In other words, the only people who could hear them were the truly powerful.


    ¡°Good,¡± Joshua whispered, and grinned.


    The onlookers¡¯ eyes widened. Confidence and arrogance were two sides of the same coin¡ªhow were they to interpret the actions of this brash child.


    ¡°Fighting the powerful is always fun.¡± Joshua¡¯s grin stretched as he whispered.


    Obviously, Joshua was just expressing his feelings, but the intensity was making Akshuler¡¯s skin tingle. These were people whose names were known far and wide he was talking about.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡± A pair of red eyes shed as they beheld Joshua. ¡°That¡¯s a familiar name¡­¡± bis cocked his head, trying to pin down the unfamiliar sensation. Ever since Joshua had walked in, bis hadn¡¯t been able to take his eyes off him. He made bis¡¯s nerves itch, a feeling he¡¯d never felt before.


    The Master of Ceremonies scrambled to salvage the odd atmosphere. ¡°All right: now that it¡¯s time, let¡¯s begin by describing the matching method before the drawing. If any parties have not yet arrived, please provide the official¡¯s exnations and the results of the drawing to them. If I could please have your attention for a minute, parties and representatives.¡±


    The audience¡¯s gaze slowly left Joshua.


    ¡°Inside this wooden box are numbered ss beads. There are exactly 21 marbles, matching the number of participants. Each participant¡¯s fights will be determined by the following table.¡± The Master of Ceremonies gestured to a huge board on the podium. The board disyed a traditional tournament bracket, simr tost year¡¯s Master Battle. However, the odd number ofpetitors meant that one person would be given a bye.


    ¡°As you know, the oue of your matches has no bearing on qualifying for bing a Master. If three or more of the six current Masters agree, the participant will immediately be deemed a Master, even in the middle of a match. For the sake of fairness, three Imperial Masters, and three non-Imperial Masters will be judging this Battle. Any questions?¡±


    Someone immediately raised their hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m Akshuler.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you.¡±


    Akshuler nodded. ¡°Continuing with the Battle is up to the individual participants, yes? Just likest year.¡±


    ¡°Just as you said.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ winning the Battle has the same reward.¡±


    ¡°If you are talking about challenging the Twelve Superhumans and Nine Stars, then absolutely.¡±


    The crowd stirred¡ªespecially those from the three great powers.


    The Twelve Superhumans and Nine Stars were the only known entities superior to a Master. Any one of them could shake the continent. From a different point of view, they were people with more power than kings.


    Only someone who had been a Master for at least a decade could challenge them¡ªand if you lost, you had to wait for another decade without losing your Master title. The only exception was the champion of the Master Battle.


    However, this wasn¡¯t the only reason the Imperials were so excited.


    ¡°Additionally, the victor of this Master Battle will be the owner of the Nagasin Hammer.¡±


    The audience visibly shook.


    Reinhardt was neutral ground. It was the heart of the continent and an economic powerhouse that put any other city to shame, among other desirable traits.


    Generations upon generations of monarchs had coveted Reinhardt, but Reinhardt could not be acquired in any sort of normal way.


    ¡°So the winner of the Master Battle will¡­ be the owner of Reinhardt,¡± bis mumbled. ¡°Such is the will of Nagasin, the first ruler of Reinhardt.¡±


    The Lordship of Reinhard did not actually confer much influence upon the city itself¡ªas a symbol of peace, it could not be restricted to a single nation. Nevertheless, it was symbolically significant. The 10% cut of Reinhardt¡¯s astronomical tax revenue was just a bonus.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long wait, so let¡¯s begin the drawing immediately. Simply draw a marble and hand it to our magician.¡±


    The magician waiting in the corner bowed his head.


    ¡°This is the Master Battle, an honor and a celebration. Thus, to add a little suspense, we will withhold the schedule until after all the marbles have been drawn. Of course, you need not worry about cheating. Everyone here will be able to see the marbles with their own eyes.¡±


    When the Master of Ceremonies finished his speech, the chamber was gripped by a short silence. The participants began to make their way to the podium¡ªfrom Prince bis, rxed and smiling, to Akshuler, whose expression was tight. Finally, Joshua expressionlessly drew his bead and everyone moved to examine their marbles.


    ¡°Well then. I shall announce the results of the draw now.¡±


    With a loud ¡°Paat!¡±, words appeared beside the numbers on the board.


    ¡°Oh my god¡ª!¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: What an underhanded joke right there author. ED/N: I have a feeling that¡¯s supposed to refer to Estra, but it¡¯s funny so it stays.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 152:

    Chapter 152:


    ¡°For¡­ for the first round, Sir bis and Akshuler are starting¡­¡± Princess Sonna stared at numbers 11 and 21 on the bracket.


    The two most exciting participants in the Master Battle would be facing each other.


    ¡°Group A is a wizard¡¯s battle? Terra¡¯s Force Magicians and the Seven Magicians¡­¡±


    ¡°Insane¡ªthis is really insane!¡±


    Babel ignored the mor around him and intently examined the board.


    ¡°Where is he¡­ Group A, number one. His opponent is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Someone young like us became the opening act,¡± Sonna noted.


    ¡°His opponent¡ªThat¡¯s not a good sign. The Iron Warrior, Baylon.¡± Shrek sighed.


    The Iron Knight Babylon,monly known as the ¡°Red Heart,¡± represented the Kingdom of Hearts.


    ¡°That cocky brat is gonna be humiliated before thepetition even begins,¡± Test sneered.


    ¡°The Iron Knight is one of the few non-imperial knights with real skill. It doesn¡¯t matter how hard the bastard runs, he doesn¡¯t stand a chance,¡± Estra added.


    Masters from outside the three imperial powers were held to a much lower standard than those from the empires. Most were merely A-ss, just able to wield an aura de; in contrast, the A-ss knights of the empires were held to rigorous standards. National pride and the sheer number of other knights demanded that the imperial representatives distinguish themselves from their peers through a series of fiercepetitions.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand Avalon. To ignore so many talented knights in favor of this child.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a disgrace to the entire nation. ¡®Iron Knight¡¯ or not, he isn¡¯t of imperial origins¡ªhow hrious would it be if he took out Avalon¡¯s representative in the first round?¡±


    ¡°Non-imperial this, non-imperial that,¡± Sonna fumed. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever get tired of saying that? You don¡¯t know anything for sure until you see it.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to see it.¡±


    ¡°Do you need to cut an apple open to find out if it¡¯s red? No, of course not.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Sonna trembled while she watched the Logen brothersugh.


    The other non-imperial participants refrained from speaking up, but their expressions were simr.


    ¡°How can you openly discuss your roots in public? Just how conceited and impolite can you be? I don¡¯t want to meddle, but that is a deceptive metaphor.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The Logen brothers turned.


    The speaker was the silver-haired, silver-eyed Holy Knight.


    ¡°Lilith, there¡¯s no need to mediate,¡± her flusteredpanion said.


    ¡°No. Not all imperials think that way. In my opinion, you¡¯d be better off abandoning such biases.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The other pdin sighed. ¡°Do what you want. Considering how often you talk to Seiren, I doubt I can get past your stubbornness.¡±


    Lilith, one of Seiren¡¯s fellow saints, then turned to the Logen brothers.


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite, goddess of Hermes. What did you just say?¡± Test demanded.


    Lilith¡¯s lovely face twitched. Like most swordswomen, Lilith abhorred being judged by her beauty rather than her de. Her hands were marred by callouses, just like any other knight.


    ¡°You said you don¡¯t need to cut an apple to determine if it¡¯s red?¡±


    ¡°Just so.¡± Test nodded firmly. ¡°There are such unchangingws of the world. The kind of things that we can take for granted¡ªthews of nature.¡±


    ¡°Thews of nature?¡± Lilith smirked. ¡°Nothing in this world can be taken for granted. That¡¯s just your prejudice speaking. Your little metaphor, well,¡± she paused. ¡°The apple could be green, no?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡®Unchangingws of the world¡¯? Restricting your mind like this likewise restricts your ability to grow. Like you.¡± Lilith offered the brothers a warm smile, but her eyes were freezing cold. ¡°As such, you brothers will never be able to defeat him until the day you die.¡±


    The Logens sprang from their chairs.


    ¡°Listen to this girl¡ª!¡±


    ¡°We were going to let it go because we¡¯re imperials. What¡¯s your deal?!¡±


    ¡°The drawing has ended! The first match of each group will take ce in two days, so please be prepared.¡±


    Test and Estra froze.


    ¡°Finally, if your country¡¯s representative has yet to appear, I hope you will convey the relevant information to them. Participants will forfeit their match if they fail to appear.¡±


    Surprisingly, Test turned around.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Estra. There¡¯s no sense in listening to her drivel.¡±


    He marched away.


    ¡°Only say things if you¡¯re prepared to take responsibility for them, Lilith Aphrodite.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same.¡±


    Estra red at Lilith for a moment and then followed after his brother. Eventually, the twins vanished from view.


    ¡°She¡¯s so awesome,¡± Sonna whispered.


    ¡°True.¡± Even Shrek was impressed.


    While Sonna and Shrek were ogling, Babel rose from his seat. By sheer coincidence, he happened to lock eyes with Joshua. They stared at each other for a long moment.


    ¡°In the end, it will be mine. You¡¯ll be chasing me until the end¡­ and that¡¯s a fact,¡± he mumbled. Then he turned around, unable to meet Joshua¡¯s gaze any longer.


    ¡°Babel von Agnus¡­¡± Joshua watched his once-brother disappear.


    Someoneughed. ¡°Joshua Sanders, monster of Avalon. I can¡¯t wait for two days.¡±


    ¡°So it was you who called me pretentious, Iron Knight.¡±


    The middle-aged man stopped walking and tossed Joshua a backwards nce.


    ¡°Was I really that loud?¡± Babylon smiled charmingly. ¡°You know, I thought everyone from the Empire was excellent. The feeling gets stronger the younger the person is.¡±


    He returned Joshua¡¯s perplexed look with a yet-wider grin.


    ¡°Oh! I hope you don¡¯t mind if I talk about my age. If I did well in battle, my mother would cook me something delicious, but now¡­ I feel bad. It¡¯s like stealing a child¡¯s toy. You¡¯re young, though, so don¡¯t worry about it. Merely participating in the Master Battle brings great honor to your family.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips began to curl. He knew these kinds of people¡ªan iron fist hidden in a velvet glove. They were always the most insidious. If this was his first opponent, Joshua had no reason to hesitate.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear what I said?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Babylon tilted his head.


    ¡°The oue doesn¡¯t change.¡±


    ¡°Are you certain you aren¡¯t just talking nonsense?¡± Babylon slowly turned around.


    ¡°Well,¡± Joshuaughed, ¡°You¡¯ll see for yourself soon.¡±


    The other man¡¯s feet slowly stopped.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to it,¡± he spat.


    For the key yers in the Master Battle, the fight had already begun.

 Chapter 153:

    Chapter 153:


    There was a huge, luxurious inn in the center of Reinhardt with no less than three floors, yet everyone staying there was a Hubalt Empire official. During the Master Battle, the organizers thought it would be a good idea to provide free lodging to national representatives and their entourages.


    The important thing was that all of the upants wore grim expressions.


    Someone mmed the inn¡¯s door open. ¡°Hurry, it¡¯s urgent!¡±


    ¡°What happened?¡± High Priest Herald tilted his head.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ the first person to drop out of the Master Battle was announced.¡±


    ¡°Dropped out?¡±


    ¡°Who was it?¡± Modrian asked with a puzzled expression.


    ¡°It was Duke Altsma. Just now, the Swallow Empire that he¡¯d be withdrawing from the Battle because of his poor health. So¡ª¡±


    ¡°What a surprise¡­¡± The High Priest sighed deeply. ¡°The proud Duke withdrew just because of his poor health¡­¡±


    Modrian made a small noise of affirmation.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that Duke Altsma, but it won¡¯t impact the Swallow Empire greatly. They still have two more contestants.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ we have to make a decision now.¡± The High Priest let out a smaller sigh. ¡°Number 21¡­ We¡¯re lucky enough to best, but Sir Christian is not fit to fight.¡±


    ¡°The Battle is split between morning and afternoon¡ªtwo battles a day. In other words, the first round will end in less than two weeks, including vacation days. If Sir Christian doesn¡¯t regain consciousness before then, he won¡¯t make it¡­¡±


    The High Priest¡¯s pensive expression darkened.


    ¡°Even if he fightsst, he needs time for his health to recover. It will take him months, at least.¡±


    The inn was silent for a while.


    ¡°Whoa¡­ This is a big deal. If you withdraw, how are you going to face the Emperor after he put so much hope into you?¡± The Marquis of Mornd, representing the officials of the Hubalt Emperor, shook his head.


    Modrian and Herald grimaced. The unique dual-monarch structure of the Holy Empire entailed. aplex and subtle faction rtionship.


    Someone mmed their hand against the table.


    ¡°What sort of embarrassment is this, at such a critical juncture?¡± an obese aristocrat raged. ¡°Sir Modiran and High Priest Herald¡ªwere the two of you really there at all?!¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting we lied, Count Ford?¡± Modrian¡¯s brow furrowed


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense! Are you saying that the God¡¯s Tears shattered like candy, and Sir Christian can¡¯t heal fast enough even with the Saint and High Priest Herald¡¯s help? And what else¡ªhis body is full of magic?¡± Count Ford grumbled. ¡°Yeah, undead have definitely appeared on the continent¡ªbut no matter how I think about it, there¡¯s no way you should¡¯vee back empty-handed?¡±


    ¡°What were we supposed to do?¡± Modrian scowled.


    ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? There was someone else there! Sir Christian, the representative of our great Hubalt Empire, student of the Knight of God, Sir Jean Sebastian Chrysler¡ªare you telling us that he was mangled by a fifteen-year-old boy?¡±


    ¡°Count Ford, please don¡¯t raise your voice.¡± Modrian¡¯s icy eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Hooh¡­¡± Count Ford trembled under Modrian¡¯s gaze and took a deep breath to calm himself down. ¡°Fine. One thing, however, must be made clear.¡± His eyes gleamed. ¡°His Majesty the Emperor, unlike His Majesty the Pope, wants to know the truth. However, understanding the truth from your words is impossible. Thus, us nobles will immediately begin our own investigation.¡±


    ¡°No¡ª¡±


    Herald stepped forward, interrupting Modrian.


    ¡°High Priest Herald?¡±


    ¡°Count Ford. Could you please borate, in detail, your n for your investigation?¡±


    ¡°It is what it is. We will investigate Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The High Priest sighed deeply. ¡°How do you n on doing that?¡±


    ¡°Our knights will monitor him closely during the Master Battle. If they find anything suspicious¡­ I will kill him if needed, in the name of the Empire.¡±


    Modrian and Herald¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The Avalon Empire¡­ are you suggesting you want to start a war?¡±


    ¡°How long have we been watching Avalon?¡± Modrian asked nkly.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Count Ford snorted. ¡°He must be rted to Sir Christian if Sir Christian really is infested with magic. The Holy Father can¡¯t say anything if we just find evidence.¡± Count Ford nced at the two men.


    The existence of the pope meant that Imperial power in Hubalt was somewhat weak. The priests were not afraid to get involved in mortal politics, and high-ranking priests aspired to more power and privilege than ordinary aristocraft. Count Ford didn¡¯t like that.


    <em>How can you be a man of God when you dabble in all kinds of hypocrisy?</em>


    There were so many unclear things in the current situation, but he was trying to work through it.


    <em>God¡¯s blessings and all that bullshit¡­</em> Count Ford¡¯s expression hardened.


    ¡°Anyways, you both know now. Only when we return to the Empire will we be able to end the internal strife.¡±


    The High Priest pondered for a moment and then nodded. ¡°For now, let¡¯s go with Count Ford¡¯s n.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Herald?¡±


    Herald shook his head at Modrian.


    ¡°Priests and pdins, please cooperate with the investigation as much as possible. I do hope you will do your best to avoid any ¡®idents¡¯.¡±


    Modrian seemed mollified. The High Priest would keep an eye on it.


    Obviously, there were a lot of suspicious parts. A matter as sensitive as this could devolve into an international issue.


    <em>That old-fashioned codger! Come on!</em> Count Ford was gnashing his teeth inwardly. <em>If I find anything suspicious, I¡¯m not going to wait!</em>


    ¡°Then you¡¯ll see!¡± Count Ford turned to Marquis Mornd. ¡°Leave this to me, Marquis.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish, then please.¡±


    Count Ford was pleased¡ªhowever, none of them knew that all of this would soon be irrelevant.


    Reinhardt¡¯s sky was lit up by unique magical firecrackers. Today was a festival with all the people of the continent¡ªtoday was the day of the opening match of the Master Battle, a showdown of the strong.


    A sea of people¡ªover 10,000 people¡ªwatched the stage in the center of the colosseum, eagerly waiting for the first match to begin.


    ¡°Here ites! Your firstpetitors are entering!¡±


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡± The audience shouted and screamed, raising a deafening cacophony.


    One one side, the crowd was cheering for Joshua¡ªespecially the noble women.


    ¡°Little Master! Show me that age isn¡¯t everything!¡±


    ¡°Show me that the Empire of Knights isn¡¯t just a name!¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, fight!¡±


    ¡°Kyaaaaaaaaaaaa! So handsome!¡±


    On the other side, the voices of men dominated.


    ¡°Jail the Imperial bastards!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s half your age! Show me a veteran¡¯s dignity!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose to that stupid bastard!¡±


    ¡°Knight of Steel, fight!¡±


    Babylon grinned at Joshua.


    ¡°Did you sleep well? I was so nervous but I slept quite a bit. My mother must¡¯ve been holding my hand.¡±


    When Joshua remained silent after a minute, the moderator spoke up.


    ¡°Any idents that ur during the Master Battle are the sole responsibility of the involved parties. However, you may dere your surrender at any time, and any attacks after surrender will disqualify you from thepetition. Be careful.¡± The moderator then quickly descended from the stage. ¡°Then let¡¯s begin right away!¡±


    Babylon calmly drew his sword.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too nervous, juste at me. But since I¡¯m the oldest, the first¡ª¡±


    ¡°How boring.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Babylon watched disbelievingly as Joshua drew Lugia from its subspace.


    ¡°You¡¯re more powerful so I thought you might be different¡­ but no. You¡¯re not that different at all¡ªespecially since you judge people based on appearance.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Our genius Young Master must have been thinking about my words.¡± Babylon nodded to himself. ¡°Well then,e in and see¡ª¡±


    ¡°You were going to say you¡¯d conceded the first move, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ª¡±


    Babylon suddenly stiffened. A storm of force poured out from the other side of the arena.


    ¡°Unless you want to regret it for the rest of your life, I think it¡¯d be better for you to stop thinking and start acting.¡±

 Chapter 154:

    Chapter 154:


    If someone asked him to describe how he was feeling right now in one word, what would it be?


    Overwhelming.


    <em>Is this the momentum of a boy who¡¯s barely fifteen?</em> Babylon could hear his heart pounding as he struggled to swallow.


    The boy had drawn a long red object from somewhere. It had an odd, two-pronged shape, but Babylon could feel something special from it, something he hadn¡¯t felt even from the many famous swords he¡¯d held before.


    ¡°What is that? Isn¡¯t that a spear?¡±


    ¡°So the rumors were true? The young monster of Avalon uses a spear?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. Why would he use a <em>thing</em> like that?¡±


    <em>No.</em> Babylon was screaming in terror on the inside. <em>That¡¯s not a ¡°<em>thing</em>.¡±</em>


    Spears were a weapon for unskilled soldiers, made effective by their sheer length. However, their length was not always the most important factor. The spear was as tall as it was long, and as heavy as it was tall. That made it unwieldy and practically useless once the range closed. Not a single one of the Absolutes used a spear, so it was true that Babylon had disregarded the spear.


    <em>But why does it look more impressive in his hands than any sword¡­?</em>


    ¡°Are you conceding?¡±


    Babylon was startled from his thoughts.


    ¡°Well, I won¡¯t refuse.¡± Joshua shot forward like a loosed arrow.


    <em>Crazy!</em> Babylon hastily raised his sword and barely managed to block Joshua¡¯s attack. <em>How the hell does he swing a spear of that size so fast?</em> He broke into a cold sweat.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Once again, a bright red sh shot towards his side.


    Babylon took a deep breath. It looked like the spear was attacking from all directions, stitching a splendorous embroidery in the air.


    Another loud bang rattled the air.


    Second sh.


    The spear cut through the air so fast it was hard to track with the naked eye. Babylon¡¯s right hand was flung away, unable to block the attack.


    Third sh.


    Joshua turned around and dropped low, sending the spear slicing through the air towards Babylon. The older man stepped away quickly, but the spear drew a sharp line across his cheek nheless. He immediately retreated ten paces and stared at Joshua warily.


    Babylon found Joshua watching him with a rxed expression. It looked as if he didn¡¯t feel like attacking any more. His eyes overflowed with arrogance, the way the strong looked at the weak. Babylon grit his teeth, but then he felt something sticky trickling down his cheek. His skin had been cut no less than three times by Joshua¡¯s spear.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear any more excuses. Stop being careless. I came to Reinhard to improve the spear¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Babylon¡¯s hand clenched around his sword.


    ¡°Kid¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ten. I¡¯m going to finish this in ten blows, including the ones so far.¡±


    Babylon stared nkly at him for a moment.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Babylon snorted. ¡°You¡­ you must think I¡¯m a joke. I admit, I misjudged you. You¡¯re fully qualified to participate in the Master Battle.¡±


    Joshua smiled. It seemed that Baylon¡¯s reputation as a man of steel was not unearned.


    ¡°Come. From now on, I will give it my all.¡± Babylon began to infuse mana into his sword.


    The air hummed and split with blue mana. Anyone who aspires to be a knight¡ªand even those who are knights¡ªdreams of this: aplete aura de, rising from Babylon¡¯s sword to pierce the sky.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. Here, now, he was being watched by everyone on the continent. Among them were tremendously powerful men with pride to match, some of whom could im to have ¡°one-shot.¡±


    Before his return, Joshua was known as the Undefeated Spear Knight<sup>1</sup>, although more for his notoriety than his fame. They called him a ughterer, a blood-crazed killer, the Emperor¡¯s dog, Kaiser¡¯s puppet. He spent his whole life on the battlefield, and there was never a day where the blood had time to dry on his hands. They whispered about Joshua Sanders, not about the spear.


    The pinnacle of mankind was a lonely ce, but Joshua was more saddened about the reputation of his weapon of choice than by his solitude.


    <em>Now I will show you. God, there is no finer weapon than a spear.</em>


    Joshua suddenly cranked his right arm as far back as it would go and raised his left palm to point at Babylon. The muscles in his shoulders and back began to visibly contract.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Babylon examined Joshua¡¯s posture, puzzled. Was he¡­ going to throw his spear?


    <em>I hope not.</em> Babylon calmly lifted his sword, feeling optimistic. There was no point in getting caught up in his opponent¡¯s pace. All he had to do was respond to whatever he did. Even so, Babylon never imagined that Joshua would really use his spear like a javelin; losing your weapon in a battle of A-ss or higher was like digging your own grave.


    Babylon was startled from his thoughts by a st of noise mming into his ears.


    Possibility had be reality¡ªa bright ray of light shot towards Babylon, leaving a streak of vivid crimson behind it.


    <em>It¡¯s too fast! I can¡¯t¡ª I can¡¯t avoid it!</em>


    The crowd went wild.


    Fourth sh.


    The flying spear collided with Babylon¡¯s sword.


    <em>If I can stop this¡­!</em> The older knight grit his teeth.


    The momentum of the spear was unbelievably strong¡ªbut if he could block it, his opponent would be unarmed.


    Suddenly, something dark fluttered in front of him. Babylon¡¯s eyes bulged, but by the time he came to his senses, Joshua was dancing in front of his nose. The spear¡¯s astonishing rush forward evaporated as it was sucked neatly into his opponent¡¯s hand.


    <em>He¡¯s controlling the spear with his will?!</em>


    Joshua gripped the spear lightly and spun it into a graceful twirl before suddenly stabbing it at Babylon¡¯s side. His dextrous move managed to both deceive his opponent¡¯s eyes and take advantage of his blind spots.


    Fifth sh.


    A bright beam of red light flew towards Babylon¡¯s left thigh.


    Despair flickered in Babylon¡¯s eyes.


    <em>I can¡¯t stop this¡­</em>


    A scorching pain spread from his thigh, announced by a horrific crunch. He managed to twist his body, but the blow was fatal nheless. Btedly, he realized that Joshua had infused his spear with aura just before it struck his thigh. All of Babylon¡¯s training would not have helped him stop this blow.


    Sixth sh.


    With an almost boneless flexibility, Joshua flicked the spear upwards.


    Babylon¡¯s eyes unconsciously squeezed shut as the spear flew towards his face. A storm of thoughts whirled through his head.


    <em>I¡­ never had a chance to fight back.</em> Careless? Hrious. He may have underestimated Joshua at first, but he gave it his all after the third strike. If he¡¯d been serious from the start, it wouldn¡¯t have changed anything. Joshua was just that strong.


    ¡°Are you done?¡±


    Babylon cautiously cracked his eyelids open.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    His mortally wounded thigh twitched, weeping tears of red blood.


    <em>To continue the battle like this¡­ would only embarrass me further.</em>


    A faint voice, barely a whisper, squeezed from between Babylon¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I lost.¡± Babylon copsed to the ground like his hamstrings were cut.


    What was left of his pride demanded he stand, but his opponent crushed that thought.


    The arena was gripped by a suffocating silence.


    One man¡¯s hair fluttered in the air; the other knelt before him, crushed by his red spear.


    The match was over.


    An earth-shaking shouting shook the colosseum to its foundations as the crowd unleashed a torrent of raw emotions.


    The greatest Master Battle of all time was on, and they¡¯d found their protagonist.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    So that¡¯s it, huh? We¡¯re some kind of Suicide Squad??</li></ol>

 Chapter 155:

    Chapter 155:


    As the crowd¡¯s shouts subsided, the host thought it was a good time to speak up.


    ¡°It was such a short match, I didn¡¯t get to see the reactions of the Master judges! Now that the round has ended, we have to check it out!¡±


    The audience¡¯s attention turned towards the top of the front row. It had exactly six seats, and exactly six upants. Each one was a long-recognized Master, and their steely gazes watched the Master Battle intently.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I heard rumors about the Avalon Empire¡¯s greatest talent of all time, but¡­¡±


    There were three great powers, seven medium countries, and two weak countries.


    A hundred years back, the Master of the Allied Powers of Palentine had merged numerous small territories together.


    ¡°Well¡­ I didn¡¯t think there¡¯d be such a difference between the imperial and non-imperial knights¡­¡± Hasegi was an entric Master who fused swordsmanship with the alchemy that his homnd, the kingdom of Fordran in the south of the continent, was famous for into a new form of science. He wore a serene expression that was at odds with his typical demeanor.


    Hasegi did not take Babylon, the Knight of Steel, lightly. He was only a few ranks lower than Hasegi, after all. Non-imperial knights were prone to underperforming, but Babylon was one of those who could contend with any of the three great powers.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡± A low-pitchedugh came from the far left seat. An energetic young man, clearly less than forty and with a truly insufferable face: Count Arie bron Sten, with his gray hair and snake-like eyes. ¡°You¡¯ve really exceeded my expectations, Joshua Sanders. I¡­ I can¡¯t take it anymore! I¡¯m telling you¡­ Hehe!¡±


    Arie wrapped his arms around himself with a flushed expression. Before was a fruit that ripened as soon as it matured, and its beauty was something to behold.


    <em>I want to shove it down my throat right now.</em>


    Arie bron Sten was faithful to his desires.


    ¡°Five years¡­ I waited five years. Just a little longer now¡­¡± The Count licked his lips.


    ¡°First, the representative of the Heart Kingdom. If you think that Babylon, the Iron Knight, deserves the glory of ¡®Master,¡¯ raise your hand.¡±


    The host¡¯s voice was loud and clear thanks to amplification magic, but none of the Masters responded.


    <em>It wouldn¡¯t be fair to judge until we¡¯ve seen it,</em> they thought. Babylon didn¡¯t even manage a proper attack, so what was there to judge?


    ¡°Um¡­¡± The host looked bewildered. In the ufortable silence, Babylon¡¯s expression began to crumble.


    How could he have prepared himself for this? Babylon was forced to his knees before the entire continent in the opening round.


    ¡°Keep your head up.¡±


    Babylon shivered.


    ¡°Are you ashamed of losing?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Babylon bit his lips. <em>Am I ashamed? It was just so fast. I was so angry and ashamed that I felt like I was going crazy.</em> When had he, the red heart of the Kingdom of Hearts, ever felt this way?


    Joshua gazed down at Babylon. ¡°To be honest, I have no idea what you¡¯re feeling right now, because I have never experienced defeat.¡± <sup>1</sup>


    Babylon¡¯s eyes went bloodshot. He trembled with rage for a moment, then seemed to give up.


    ¡°Hah. What is this, a joke?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t me anyone for this. If it was provocation, Babylon had started it. Either way, Joshua was the victor here.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s the winner¡¯s right,¡± he mumbled weakly. A sense of helplessness swept through his heart.


    ¡°There are two kinds of people.¡±


    Babylon stiffened. ¡°Two?¡±


    ¡°First, a person who, like you right now, stops moving forward because they feel helpless.¡±


    Babylon shuddered.


    ¡°And second, a person who builds on that defeat to keep moving. This isn¡¯t a war, where defeat is uneptable,¡± Joshua whispered. ¡°You have a choice. Whatever you choose is your decision alone, but there¡¯s one thing I can say for sure: if you ovee this, you will be far stronger than you are now. Maybe I¡¯ll be the first person who needs to worry about losing to you. That¡¯d be a new feeling. I hope you¡¯ll teach me next time.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha.¡± Augh leaked out of Babylon¡¯s stiff lips. ¡°You¡¯re a funny guy. If you¡¯ve never lost, how am I supposed to teach you how to lose? Me? A total stranger? Hah. Typical idiotic imperial arrogance.¡± Babylon stretched his arms out and finally raised his eyes. He met Joshua¡¯s deep blue orbs, but he didn¡¯t feel too bad about it.


    <em>No, on the contrary, I¡¯m feeling a bit better. What a unique guy.</em>


    Babylon shook his head. ¡°Why are you doing this to me?¡±


    ¡°Because I can feel it, too. The eyes of the people of the Heart Kingdom.¡±


    Babylon¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡¯re not the only one who¡¯s lost. A lot of people in the Kingdom of Hearts are watching you right now. After their body and mind have been rotted by the long civil war, you are a beacon of hope. Are you going to disappoint them?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice seemed to weigh down on Babylon¡¯s heart. Nearly ten years of civil war had left deep scars in the Heart Kingdom¡ªthe arrival of bis was their only reprieve. Now more than ever, the people of the Kingdom of Hearts wanted the world to know that their homnd was not yet dead.


    That was the hope resting on Babylon¡¯s shoulders.


    <em>Damn it¡­!</em> Babylon¡¯s hand covered his pained expression.


    ¡°Stand up.¡± Joshua slowly stretched out his hand. ¡°Rise up, and show your people that the Red Heart still beats.¡±


    Babylon bit his lips.


    Defeated, from skills to mentality. No matter how few years he had lived, his opponent was a man worthy of respect. Who else would stop to think about someone else in the middle of the Master Battle?


    ¡°I¡­ admit defeat, Joshua Sanders.¡± He reached out and sped Joshua¡¯s hand.


    The crowd broke into wild cheers and a faint smile danced on the people of the Heart Kingdom.


    ¡°Now! All that remains is to judge the representative of the Avalon Empire, Joshua Sanders¡ª¡±


    Immediately, six hands were lifted into the sky. Even Arie¡¯s hand was raised, although he wore a bitter smile.


    ¡°Unanimous¡ª!¡±


    The first Master of the year was born.


    ¡°Wow, ahhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Awesome, Joshua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°I love you! Please marry me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your fan now! Please be our lord of Reinhardt!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s impossible talent and his inhuman looks captured the hearts and minds of the continent. Master Joshua Sanders had left his indelible mark in the history of the continent. The only question left was if he¡¯d be satisfied with ¡°just¡± Master.


    A true professional, the host quickly reigned in his astonishment.


    ¡°Now, the winner of the Master Battle has a unique right: whether or not to continue the challenge.¡± The host nced at Joshua. ¡°Since you have been recognized as a Master, you may withdraw from the Battle if that¡¯s all you want. But if you have other desires¡­¡± Despite his professionalism, the host¡¯s voice seemed eager for Joshua to press on. Joshua Sanders seemed to have a magical attraction that left the host hungry for more.


    Joshua was silent for a moment as he pondered.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    what¡­ stfu Joshua?</li></ol>

 Chapter 156:

    Chapter 156:


    ¡°The rumors weren¡¯t exaggerated at all.¡±


    ¡°More importantly, I never imagined that a conscript¡¯s spear could be so powerful¡­ Babylon never stood a chance.¡±


    ¡°It was fast, strong, and precise. With all three elements at his fingertips, his opponent was doomed¡­¡±


    ¡°Now that proves that the power depends on the wielder. Joshua Sanders¡ªDamn, he¡¯s only fifteen years old?¡±


    The seats closest to the waiting rooms buzzed with chatter.


    ¡°Here hees¡­!¡± The crowd fell dead silent as Joshua approached the waiting room.


    Joshua didn¡¯t pay much attention to it, but he could hear the voices tickling his ear.


    <em>No matter what anyone says, the spear is the finest weapon in the world, not the sword.</em> A faint smile danced on his lips as he walked.


    He was half a century old, counting his previous life, but right now he was living in the moment. Joshua acted casual on the outside, but he was beaming on the inside.


    [Woooooow¡­ this is good. Are you happy? This body is being praised by those lowly human beings¡ªdoes that make you happy?]


    Joshua¡¯s expression slowly fell as Lugia¡¯s voice rattled in his head.


    [Is that how it is? Or is it like taking your pretty girlfriend around town?]


    ¡°It¡¯s not because you¡¯re being recognized¡ª!¡± Joshua gave up and sighed. What was the point? Lugia might be known as a ¡°Demon artifact,¡± but this was the real Lugia.


    [Whoo-hoo! Even the chumps in this world recognize how great this body is. They¡¯re sharp!]


    ¡°Hooooo¡­¡± Joshua took a deep breath as he left the waiting room.


    ¡°Congrattions on winning the opening match.¡±


    Joshua halted. The voice was clear and pure, but somehow cold. He turned around and met her cool, blue eyes.


    ¡°I knew you were great, but this is more impressive than I expected,¡± Iceline murmured. She sounded tired. Considering her normal stoicism, that was rather unusual.


    [Ohohoho! They say that women are drawn to heroes. Great! Really great!]


    Joshua couldn¡¯t take it any longer and cut the connection with Lugia.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Akshuler? Why aer you alone?¡±


    ¡°His first opponent is the Prince, so he went somewhere on his own early in the morning. Maybe he¡¯s nervous.¡±


    Joshua silently nodded in understanding.


    bis, the Knight of Red me. Even Joshua thought he was the most important person participating in the Master Battle. In the not-too-distant future, he would climb beyond the Twelve Superhumans and ascend to the Nine Stars. On top of that, he had the other Primordial Stone.


    Joshua only caught a brief nce of bis at a distance, but he couldn¡¯t forget the feeling.


    <em>It was the first time Bronto reacted since I encountered the ¡°Thunderbolt¡± of the Seven Magicians.</em> The minute heid eyes on bis, Bronto¡¯s power had roared to life. Joshua was hoping he¡¯d be able to confirm this bizarre phenomenon if they met again.


    And then¡­ another of the Seven Magicians. Storm. He was a fairly young man with looks that evoked the wind. He had an usual name as well: Theta. However, his appearance wasn¡¯t what Joshua remembered when they passed by each other.


    <em>The Storm, Theta¡­</em>


    ¡°But Young Master,¡± Iceline said, ¡°before that¡ª¡±


    ¡°How long do you n to call me ¡®Young Master?¡¯¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m no longer an Agnus. I think ¡®Young Master¡¯ is a little out of ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Iceline nodded.


    ¡°Then, Baron Sanders¡ª¡±


    ¡°Just call me Joshua.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Iceline stared nkly at him, far cry from her usual ice-cold demeanor.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends?¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡± Iceline fell into thought. It was not that she never thought about Joshua¡ªno, on the contrary, she thought about him rather often in thest five years of her flight. Joshua Sanders felt different than other people, even herself.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like that, well, there¡¯s nothing I can do about it.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s not like that!¡± Her heart suddenly twisted.


    <em>Why did I¡­?</em> When was thest time she¡¯d felt this way since she lost her family?


    ¡°Well, you are my friend,¡± Joshua said with a light smile, ignoring her obvious embarrassment.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I wish you all the best, Iceline. So, what were you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Iceline quickly gathered herself. ¡°The¡­ Laypone. I think the Young Ma¡ªJoshua needs it now.¡±


    Although she was trying her best to act calm, Iceline was starting to stutter badly, making her even more embarrassed. Her cheeks were bing faintly pink.


    ¡°Laypone¡­¡± A body transformation artifact that changed not only your appearance, but also your atmosphere. As she said, Joshua would be more and more recognizable the more famous he was, regardless of where he went. It was not a wee thing for Joshua, who preferred peace and solitude. The gazes crawling over him was proof of that.


    While he was thinking, Iceline had managed to regain her calm.


    ¡°In fact, we had all the ingredients. I just needed time.¡±


    ¡°Is it time to let the people know who I am?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Iceline quickly shook her head. ¡°Laypone is considerably moreplex than it looks. That little thing eats up more mana than most people can even imagine. The mana needed to maintain it can be supplied by mana stones, but it needs my mana for the initial development. At the time, my physical condition was not perfect, so I couldn¡¯t make it even if I wanted to¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want me to see you when you were weak.¡±


    Iceline shut her mouth.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s reassuring words made something in Iceline¡¯s heart tremble.


    ¡°Can I ask you for something? Not as a client, but as your friend.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± Joshua smiled widely.


    <em>If it¡¯s this guy, then maybe¡­</em> Iceline¡¯s expression firmed.


    ¡°If you were defeated by the Prince, and you meet Barbarian¡ª¡±


    ¡°Barbarian? You mean the Mercenary King?¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Iceline nodded. ¡°Apart from my family, he and Mister Akshuler¡ª¡±


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    Iceline and Joshua turned around. There stood Akshuler, drenched in sweat.


    ¡°I heard the news when I arrived. Congrattions on winning the opening match, Master of Avalon, Baron Joshua Sanders.¡± Akshuler smiled bitterly. ¡°Oh, is it too early to celebrate? You aren¡¯t done here yet. At this rate, I might face you soon.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a little too confident?¡± Joshuaughed. ¡°If the Prince heard that, I think he¡¯d be a little upset.¡±


    ¡°Who goes into a battle thinking they¡¯re going to lose before they even fight? Are you supposed to make things happen without expecting them to?¡±


    Joshua just shrugged.


    ¡°By the way, you two. What were you talking about without me?¡± Akshuler shot Joshua a menacing re. ¡°By any chance¡ª¡±


    Iceline cut him off. ¡°We were talking about Laypone. It was a deal, not a celebration.¡±


    ¡°Aha!¡± Akshuler smiled cunningly. ¡°Then are you going to do it again like you did for me?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a custom artifact? You gotta make sure it fits him perfectly, so you have to take measurements. You know¡ª¡± Akshuler patted his face and chest. ¡°¡ªfeel him.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡ª¡± Iceline¡¯s face started to heat up again. <em>¡ªsomething I hadn¡¯t even thought about.</em>


    ¡°Oh, is that so? Come to my room tonight. Don¡¯t make me wait.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Joshua may not have thought anything of his words, but he probably should have.

 Chapter 157:

    Chapter 157:


    The room was big enough to aodate dozens of people, but there were only two people in it: a handsome man and woman facing each other right in the center. The woman had glistening hair that spilled from her head like a waterfall. Her beautiful, enthralling hand slowly rose to stroke the man¡¯s mysterious, deep blue hair, and then dropped a little to his sharp, pale jawline.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    The woman¡¯s hand, however, did not stop. She continued down to his slender neck, unable to believe it belonged to a man. There was a long moment of silence as she stared at his bright, luscious, cherry-red lips. Every time her hand moved, his lips seemed to get more moist.


    <em>What are you thinking?</em>


    ¡°A little more¡­¡± The women¡¯s fingers went lower, to the chiseled muscles of his upper body. She could tell his breathing was getting rougher, and so was hers.


    ¡°Haah¡ª!¡± Iceline snapped out of it. ¡°What was I thinking¡­?¡± Did she get drunk on the atmosphere and possessed by her dream self? Iceline blushed and shook her head vigorously. She stared into the sky, unable to look at Joshua.


    ¡°Ah!¡± The night sky was decorated by a stunning panoply of glittering stars¡ªjust like that day. ¡°Am I out of my mind? I can¡¯t believe I¡¯m thinking these things¡­¡± Iceline¡¯s face smoothed into its usual cold mask and she started walking away.


    What she didn¡¯t realize, however, was that her porcin cheeks were redder than ever.


    The Masters selected as judges had dedicated amodations. In one of them, there were three Masters wearing grim expressions¡ªthose from non-imperial countries.


    ¡°In the first match of Group B, we expected our knight to lose, of course¡­ Group A¡¯s morning match was really unexpected¡ªeven the knights from the Empire would agree it was strange.¡±


    Another man, his skin white as snow, nodded grimly to Windmill. His name was Aiture, Master of the notoriously cold Ice Kingdom.


    ¡°The apparent gap from the imperial Masters is bing ufortably wide.¡± Aichu¡¯s face wrinkled with worry. ¡°Not only in numbers, but also in quantity¡­ The empires have well over ten, including the unofficial ones, while the other kingdoms have no more than three.¡±


    The third person, Hasegi, Master of Fordran Kingdom, spoke up.


    ¡°Do the numbers even matter? Think: ten years from now¡ªno, five years from now¡ªthat kid Joshua Sanders is going to be a monster.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Maybe, he¡­ maybe we¡¯ll have the youngest ever member of the Nine Star¡­¡± Windmill whispered.


    ¡°You two may not have known, but I was here at the Reinhardt Martial Arts Tournament a few years ago,¡± Hasegi said.


    ¡°The year when Joshua Sanders made his first appearance?¡±


    Hasegi nodded.


    ¡°It finally makes sense to me. I knew he wasn¡¯t using his full skills back then, even though he took 1st ce by a storm.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Everyone was talking about how godly he was.¡±


    Hasegi groaned. ¡°Didn¡¯t you two see? The weapon he used.¡±


    ¡°His weapon¡­ The red spear?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. ¡®Overwhelming¡¯ would be an understatement. The problem is¡­ he didn¡¯t use a spear at the Tournament years ago.¡±


    Windmill and Aiture¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Hey, what do you mean? He managed to train his spear skills that much in a few years?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªhe was hiding his skills from the very beginning.¡±


    The room was enveloped in a crushing silence. How were they supposed to ept that? He crushed his opponents without using his real skills even when he was ten, and at the age of fifteen he crushed a prospective Master without breaking a sweat. On top of that, he came from one of the three great powers. The world was not kind to the weaker kingdoms.


    ¡°Well then,¡± Windmill suddenly asked, ¡°if not the spear, what did he use at the Martial Arts Tournament?¡±


    Hasegi¡¯s face scrunched as he thought back.


    ¡°A sword.¡±


    ¡°A sword?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Arge sword, like that giant.¡±


    ¡°That giant¡­ Come to think of it, he¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus,¡± Aiture groaned. ¡°Before he can grow more¡­ he has to be eliminated.¡±


    Windmill shivered. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡ªYou¡¯re saying you want to assassinate someone in the middle of Reinhardt? Eyes are everywhere here.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s for my country, I¡¯d do anything.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Windmill trailed off nervously.


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible, under the right circumstances.¡± Hasegi¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that¡­ too dangerous? If you slip up, it could end up starting a war.¡±


    Aiture shook his head coolly. ¡°High risk, high return. You won¡¯t get anything if you don¡¯t take risks. Where do you think the sword of Avalon will point once it reaches its limit?¡±


    Even Windmill couldn¡¯t retort to that. Aiture hit the problem on the head: the Avalon Empire lied in the center of the continent; that meant that it had more shared borders than any other country on the continent. When the inevitable war came, who knows who their first target would be?


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not saying we rush into this blindly. As Lord Windmill said, it would be absolutely insane to try it in the middle of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°What we can do, however, is aimi for when he leaves Reinhard to go home,¡± Aiture muttered. ¡°ording to intelligence, he traveled alone, unlike the other participants.¡±


    ¡°That means he has confidence in his skills. Cheeky.¡± Hasegi clicked his tongue and stood up. ¡°You¡¯ve been here for too long. Let¡¯s break it up for today. If the imperials saw this, they¡¯d be suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Windmill also rose. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to people and see what else I can find out.¡±


    Windmill and Hasegi leaving Aiture behind in his room.¡°


    ¡°Master of Avalon, Joshua Sanders¡­¡± Hasegi¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Joshua was syed out, alone, on an enormous bed.


    ¡°Akshuler and the Mercenary King¡­¡± The Mercenary King, Barbarian, was the first of the mercenaries to achieve widespread recognition when he ascended to the Twelve Superhumans. Mighty Akshuler followed closely on his heels, but it seemed that there was some sort of friction between them despite the insurmountable differences in their status.


    <em>There has to be something, or else Iceline wouldn¡¯t have talked like that¡­</em> Joshua frowned. This was the Mercenary King, though. It was almost like fate.


    Existing Masters often say that they don¡¯t take the ¡°Nine Stars¡± seriously, as it¡¯s just something the Twelve Superhumans created. The Masters would never admit anything until they saw it in person, but Joshua had seen the harsh truth already: no one Master could ever defeat any of the Superhumans.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if someone as talented as bis can grow further, but if it¡¯s Akshuler¡­¡±


    Decadester, Akshuler would remain the undisputed sessor of Barbarian. Joshua had nothing to do with them in his previous life, but the rumors about them were everywhere. Anything that happened between them was bound to end as rumors.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Just then, there was a knock on his door.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    The door slowly began to open.

 Chapter 158:

    Chapter 158:


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Iceline strode into the room with a short greeting. She was struggling to control her nerves¡ªregardless of her age, she hadn¡¯t quite made the transition from girl tody yet. ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°I want you to finish what you were saying earlier.¡±


    Disappointment flickered across Iceline¡¯s face, but that was all.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Mercenary King, Barbarian?¡± Iceline asked expressionlessly.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Indeed.¡±


    Iceline paused for a second.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ve figured out something from what you¡¯ve seen so far¡­ Tell me what you know, first.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s simple. But I think we should talk about the Rebra family first, no?¡±


    Iceline nodded after a moment. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Marquis Crombell is, ostensibly, the perpetrator of the Rebras¡¯ demise and the current attacks on Duke Pontier. Then there is the Mercenary King, their hidden asset.


    ¡°Actually, I was confused when I saw you with Akshuler the first time. I couldn¡¯t understand why he was with you. It would seem normal at first nce¡ªmercenaries look egalitarian and free-spirited, but the truth is that no one is as hierarchical as they are.¡±


    Anyone who had worked with the mercenaries would know. Joshua, having worked as a mercenary in his previous life, knew them better than anyone. Their hierarchy was no less rigid than the knights¡¯. Their system of ssifying people using silver and gold cards was an excellent illustration of this principle. If all they wanted to do was prove their identity, there would be no reason to divide the mercenaries into ranks.


    ¡°They may both have a diamond card, but Barbarian is the first Mercenary King. No one can deny that he¡¯s the real head of the one million mercenaries.¡± Joshua nced at Iceline, who remained silent. ¡°And yet, Akshuler acts directly against the King. That is, to help the one and only scion of Count Rebra, the man the King brought down.


    ¡°You and Mr. Akshuler¡ªas a third party, I have no idea what kind of deep rtionships you have or what deals you made, but I know one thing for certain.¡± Joshua looked Iceline in the eyes. ¡°If the Mercenary King and Akshuler had a good rtionship, no one would have helped me so openly. Those two are literally the face of a million mercenaries. It may sound cold-hearted, but someone like Akshuler would never act on something as simple as an old rtionship when it could destabilize the entire organization.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Iceline inclined her head slightly.


    ¡°The bottom line is: if those two men aren¡¯t on good terms, there had to be some circumstances to bring them where they are today. That¡¯s all I can guess with my rough grasp of things. If my knight had been there, I may have been able to pick up on other things, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your knight?¡±


    ¡°A little feisty, but a very capable friend.¡± Joshua chuckled. ¡°So, is that enough?¡±


    ¡°Of course. And¡­ Thank you for telling me. It may be a little sensitive¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you trusted me when you had no way out. As I said before, I understand.¡±


    <em>What should I say?</em> It seemed to Iceline that this man understood peoples¡¯ feelings too well. Even her, a normally frosty personality, felt something. <em>If he approaches other women¡­</em>


    Iceline shook her head.


    ¡°Just as he thought, Akshuler hates the Mercenary King to the point of disgust.. I think it has negatively affected countless other mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Disgust¡­¡± Joshua thought back to when Akshuler preached on the existence of mercenaries.


    The mercenary guild was akin to the most profit-oriented merchants, in some ways. Rather than sellingmodities, they exchange their manpower forpensation. Ergo, in order to remain as profitable as possible, the guild had to remain neutral¡ªif they favored one country, what would their enemies think of the guild?


    ¡°Rumors have spread that the Mercenary King has been in the Marquis of Crombell¡¯s pocket for many years. It¡¯s even grown into rumors that there¡¯s some kind of rtionship with the Emperor. Speaking as an outsider, his actions are nothing more and nothing less than interfering in internal affairs no matter how you dress it. Because the reigning emperor tolerated it for so long¡­¡± Iceline clenched her fists as dark memories washed over her.


    ¡°The actions of the Mercenary King could be interpreted as that of the entire guild. As such, Akshuler judged that Barbarian¡¯s actions were corroding the guild as a whole. He¡¯s been building up to a confrontation for a long time¡­ is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua stroked his chin thoughtfully. ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± he eventually asked.


    ¡°Mister Akshuler is going to win the Master Battle this time and officially challenge one of the Twelve Superhumans. His target is, of course, the Mercenary King.¡±


    ¡°That makes perfect sense. If all goes ording to n, he takes the King¡¯s seat and the whole situation is neatly resolved.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Iceline nodded.


    <em>However¡­</em> Joshua had reservations, given his knowledge of history. He didn¡¯t know anything else about the rtionship between Barbarian and Akshuler, but he did know who the winner of this Master Battle would be. Assuming nothing changed¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him so nervous.¡±


    ¡°So at the end of the day, your request is for me to challenge the Mercenary King instead¡ªassuming Akshuler loses.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Iceline shook her head weakly. ¡°Originally, I was going to ask you to stop Akshuler from taking the challenge once he wins, but¡­ after seeing him thest few days¡ªseeing how nervous he is¡ªI thought that maybe winning the Battle was too much. In that case, there¡¯s no need to worry. Regardless, whether you win or lose, I was going to say you should avoid the Mercenary King.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Joshua stared deeply into Iceline¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve met him before, so¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, please.¡± Iceline shook her head. She wore an expression of ugly anguish. ¡°I¡¯m begging you. I don¡¯t want to lose the people around me anymore.¡± She paused, and her gaze fell on Joshua. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ friends, right?¡±


    ¡°Friends¡ª?¡± After a moment, Joshua burst outughing. ¡°I¡¯ll take your advice to heart.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°For now.¡±


    Iceline tilted her head.


    ¡°That¡¯s for the day I win the Master Battle. For now, I have a fight to worry about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh! I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to bother you¡­¡± Iceline bowed her head.


    ¡°Now that¡¯s the Iceline jean Rebra I know.¡± Joshua smiled brightly.


    ¡°What?¡± Iceline stared at him nkly.


    ¡°It¡¯s your expression.¡± He lifted a finger and tapped her face. ¡°Looks a lot better than before.¡±


    Iceline could only keep staring.


    ¡°That was a long introduction. Shall we get down to business?¡±


    ¡°Business?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joshua removed his jacket, startling Iceline.


    ¡°What are you d-doing¡­?¡± Iceline¡¯s porcin flushed an almost unrecognizable red, even though Joshua was wearing a shirt underneath his jacket.


    ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say you needed to take measurements for Laypone? I thought I should take my jacket off¡ª¡±


    ¡°W-Well, you just have to stay still. I¡¯ll take care of the rest¡­¡±


    Joshua gave her a confused look but finally nodded. ¡°Then please.¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Iceline mumbled.


    The long night of the opening match of the Master Battle wound down to an end.

 Chapter 159:

    Chapter 159:


    By the fourth day of the Master Battle, several losers had emerged for failing to demonstrate abilities befitting a Master¡ªsometimes both participants in a match at the same time.


    Only two people had been awarded the rank of Master so far. First, Marquis Australo, from the Swallow Empire, known as the ¡°Mihwang¡± for his double-length limbs. And then there was Joshua, victor of the opening match and one of Reinhardt¡¯s most well-known characters.


    Today there was a fight that attracted even more attention than usual.


    In the designated seating for national officials, two people sat in identical brown robes. The substantially smaller person on the left spoke first.


    ¡°Group A¡¯s morning match is between the Force Magician and one of the Seven Magicians; in the afternoon¡­ it¡¯s your turn.¡±


    ¡°Mmm.¡± Joshua sighed and turned his attention towards the arena. This was the first time he¡¯d watched someone else¡¯s match.


    He recognized the man entering the stage immediately.


    <em>Theta, Theta¡­</em> Around thirty years old, light green hair, cool, picturesque features. <em>He looks familiar. Where have I seen him?</em>


    ¡°WAAAAAAA!¡± Joshua¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by the crowd¡¯s raucous cheering.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the first time wizards have fought in the Master Battle?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Normally the knights¡¯ fights are over in the blink of an eye, but this is something else entirely!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t magic beautiful? Even being able to see them outside of the Continental Magic Battle, here at Reinhardt¡ªmy goodness!¡±


    The Continental Magic Battle was a festival of wizards analogous to the Master Battle that took ce in Terra every four years. The contents were slightly different to the Master Battle: only wizards were allowed to participate. Also, interest in the Magic Battle had not waned as much as it had in the Master Battle. Terra Kingdom¡¯s astute management had ensured its continued poprity.


    One thing thepetitions shared, however, was their opening ceremonies.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡±


    Joshua watched the arena intently, sparing Iceline no reply.


    The man named Theta, a polite-looking storm magician, cast an unbothered gaze at the colosseum. On the other side was a man in his forties wearing a gray robe and face that screamed ¡°I am a wizard.¡±


    <em>The Force Magician, Astello¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. His gaze wasced with strange emotions¡ªremorse, possibly? Joshua shared a unique bond with the man, though Astello didn¡¯t know it. It was more of a connection than a partnership, really.


    Terra, the Magical Kingdom, stood as the apex of magic in the midst of the three great powers¡ªbut it would be annihted within decades. Soon after Kaiser¡¯s ascension to the throne, he felt the need to channel the nation¡¯s attention elsewhere. Terra was his first victim. After losing, it was reduced to a tributary of Avalon.


    All Joshua used to know was that Kaiser aspired to unite the entire continent. He convened the golden generation of Avalon¡ªincluding Joshua¡ªand issued an order to wipe all traces of Terra from thend. So he¡­ murdered them. Murdered and murdered again. Not just the people¡ªTerra was burned to the ground, every brick of every castle.


    Aste, the Force Magician, was the head magician of the royal family of Terra. He had been in their service for two decades, but after Kaiser¡¯s war, he vanished from history¡ªby Joshua¡¯s hands.


    ¡°In the end, your exploding magic circle is what killed me¡­ fate isughing at me.¡± Joshua smiled sourly.


    While he was musing, the fight was in full swing.


    ¡°The brilliant magician Astello uses four spells at once. That¡¯s beyond double- or triple-casting. The best is the best, after all.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can act calm.¡± Astello waved his hand, conjuring a Fire Lance and Ice Spear without a word. ¡°Go!¡±


    ¡°Storm Wall.¡± A wall of solid stones rose into the sky to protect Theta and shed with Astello¡¯s magic.


    Unphased by the tremendous explosion, Astello recited yet more magic.


    ¡°Ice Fog.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Theta tilted his head at the curtain of blue mist. ¡°Burn away and erupt: Burn re.¡±


    ¡°Woah¡ª¡±


    Burn re, a 5th-level me-based explosive spell, violently shook the arena, engulfing it in crimson-hot mes that threatened to melt everything.


    ¡°Dangerous, dangerous.¡± Theta appeared in the corner of the area, having used Blink to flee the danger. His fleet sshed into a puddle.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± He recoiled from the dampness. Theta looked up and grinned at Astello. ¡°Old man, cut it out! Are you nning on murdering me? This seems a little excessive for a kid!¡±


    Astello grinned back. ¡°All I see is a careless kid.¡±


    ¡°No, no, wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose like that.¡± Astello scanned the battleground.


    When the icy fog and high-energy mes met, the entire arena was drenched. That meant that the Theta had nowhere to escape from Astello¡¯s next spell.


    ¡°Crazy!¡± Theta eyed sparks flying from Astello¡¯s hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to die, you cheeky boy.¡±


    ¡°Ah, seriously¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Double Chain Lightning.¡± Astello hurled the superimposed lightning at the ground, coating the entire arena in a web of electricity.


    Astello opened his eyes again after a moment.


    ¡°Uh, how¡ª¡± His eyes widened.


    ¡°It hurts, mister.¡± The sparks still crackled on Theta¡¯s flesh.


    Astello¡¯s spell was good. So how¡­?


    ¡°How are you fine?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t see this, did you? I altered it myself. How does it look?¡± Theta turned towards Astello, showing him a gray, transparent barrier.


    ¡°Wind?¡±


    ¡°Wall-type protection magic is getting a bit of attention these days, right? However, as you noticed, this one has a very weak wind attribute. Fire wall, ice wall, rock wall¡­ Each of these spells has their advantages, depending on the situation, but wind wall is just a waste of mana. Where are you supposed to use a wind wall? Maybe to deflect arrows, but a rock wall would be better, no? It bothers me, because wind magic is my specialty. So I tweaked it. What do you think?¡±


    ¡°What a gift!¡± Astello was surprised, but amazed. Modifying magic was an easy thing to say, but practically impossible. You had to rewrite the form from beginning to end, with not a single mistake throughout.


    ¡°I call it the Wind Shield Curtain! What are your thoughts, eh? Awesome, innit?¡± Theta grinned, basking in the wind power around him.


    ¡°Damn boy¡­¡±


    ¡°I remember!¡± Joshua sat up like he was struck by lightning. That wind wrapping around Theta¡¯s body was practically his trademark. ¡°The first 8th-ss Magician of the Magic Tower¡­ Thetapirion Whitesocks¡ªthe traitor.¡±

 Chapter 177:

    Chapter 177:


    The blinding white light gradually faded away, but Joshua¡¯s face was still hidden. His entire body was cloaked in a curtain of raging electricity that threatened to explode in all directions at any moment.


    The reserved seats hummed with quiet excitement.


    ¡°¡­The god of lightning?¡± Shrek, a mercenary, mumbled.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Sonna moon Terraforce, the first princess of Terra, was equally astonished. ¡°Is he even human?¡±


    Test and Estra, the famous Logen twins of the Swallow Empire, had their jaws drop low enough to scrape the ground.


    Everyone was in the zone. Prince bis and Joshua Sanders were on a different level.


    ¡°Haha!¡± The sword of Hubalt burst intoughter.


    ¡°You seem pleased, Lilith, or am I mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Something wrong with that?¡±


    Her fellow pdins and spectators frowned.


    ¡°He¡¯s a foreigner, as I¡¯ve noted before. Someone as powerful as that could be a threat to our kingdom.¡±


    ¡°He could be a threat¡ªbut equally, he could be an asset.¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you talking about?¡± Jermieng¡¯s brows knit.


    Lilith shrugged casually. ¡°All I¡¯m saying is that you won¡¯t need to worry about Joshua for long. We have <em>him</em>.¡±


    That gave Jermieng pause.


    ¡°And now, Joshua will have to ept my offer.¡± A smile crept onto Lilith¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I refuse.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°There are no problems with marrying me, correct? No, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance, yes?¡±


    She rose from her seat, presenting Joshua with the seductive lines of her swordsmanship-honed body.


    Joshua stayed silent and seated as Lilith moved behind him.


    There was no one else here<sup>1</sup>. The guards had been sent outside earlier, so there was nothing to stop Joshua from leaving¡ªobviously, Lilith didn¡¯t think Joshua would try to hurt her.


    Which is to say, there was no one to see Lilith press her body against Joshua, tickling his nose with the sweet scent of her perfume.


    ¡°Is there a better candidate for Master¡ªBaron Joshua Sanders, the disowned and propertyless? My family is as powerful in Hubalt as the Agnuses are in Avalon. I myself lead the Moon Gate, both in name and in practice.¡±


    Joshua felt something touching his elbow.


    ¡°Every man on the continent obsesses over having me. How many women can say that? You could have me, my family, and the Moon Gate in one fell swoop.¡± Lilith¡¯s hypnotizing lips dropped one bombshell after another. ¡°Embrace me. Embrace me now, and I¡¯ll forget what you just said.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s thin garments slipped to give Joshua a drool-worthy view of her porcin shoulder and the deadly line of her cor.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders is the only person on the continent with this privilege. No more refusals¡ªmy dignity will not allow it. If there is someone else you like¡­ Yes, you will never leave your wife, but I will ept a concubine. Great heroes always have many women, after all.¡±


    Acquiring the most distinguished family in Hubalt and the finest intelligence organization on the continent at the same time? Merely the idea of refusing her offer was absurd¡ªunless you were a eunuch. Even Joshua wasn¡¯t an exception.


    Except¡­ Joshua was no ordinary opponent.


    Joshua let out a little chuckle, crushing Lilith¡¯s bravado.


    Her eyebrows quivered. ¡°What is so amusing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. It¡¯s not profitable for me, but it¡¯s not quite a loss, either.¡±


    ¡°What are you on about?¡±


    ¡°I grew up with a great deal of bullying¡ªbut I think you¡¯re worse than I am.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a little cheap for trying to marry the strongest person on the continent?¡±


    <em>The strongest on the entire continent?</em>


    ¡°Surely you don¡¯t think bing a Master makes you better than the Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans?¡±


    Lilith was a very well-informed person. She knew just howrge the difference was between the Twelve Superhumans and a ¡°normal¡± Master. No matter how skilled Joshua was, he wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat them right now.


    ¡°Anyone who grew up under Duke Agnus would know this¡­¡± Lilith stepped back and frowned.


    Confidence was beneficial; arrogance was not. They were two sides of the same coin, but arrogance was worse than useless.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Five years,¡± Joshua interrupted. ¡°In five years, the entire continent will kneel. Including the Twelve Superhumans and the Nine Stars.¡±


    Lilith looked into his eyes and was astonished once more. The suspicious look they had until now was gone, reced with something else entirely.


    <em>It¡¯s absurd, but when he says it, it seems¡­ certain.</em>


    Five years. Brief was brief, and long was long, but five years to be the strongest person on the continent wasn¡¯t what you would call ¡°brief.¡±


    ¡°Again, I¡¯m prepared to ept if you provide reasonable terms. And onest thing¡ª¡± Joshua shot Lilith a cheeky grin. ¡°I despise easy women.¡±


    ¡°Fufu. Ohohohohoho.¡± Herughter was peculiar, abination of ridicule, delight, and a plethora of other emotions.


    Had anyone ever spoken to her like that?


    ¡°Fine¡­ As you say, I was too cheap.¡± Lilith sat down with a bright expression, despite having received what amounted to a kick in the face.


    A certain phrase came to mind: hell hath no fury like a woman scorned<sup>2</sup>.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my offer the same. But this time, rather than marriage¡­¡± Lilith licked her mischievously smiling lips. ¡°Win the Master Battle and face the Lion King.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Lion King is one of the few who understands the true nature of the Moon Gate, as you do. His inspections have greatly curtailed the scope of the organization¡¯s operations. His status as king allows him to do so. Naturally, if you win the Master Battle, the monarchy of Reinhardt changes and the organization¡¯s restraints will be lifted. However¡­¡± She smiled bitterly. ¡°Even after stepping down from the throne, I am unable to silence him. If he travels around the continent as a free knight, spouting nonsense¡­¡± Lilith shook her head glumly. ¡°Even without being the King of Reinhardt, he is a powerful man. Defeat him, and you will be the true, undisputed lord of Reinhardt. Your rule will greatly benefit from the support of the locals. Handle the Lion King. I don¡¯t care how you do it.¡± She smiled. ¡°That is my new offer.¡±


    Lilith beamed as the memory slipped away.


    ¡°Of course, I can¡¯t deny that I¡¯m happy. When I saw those bratty brothers from the Swallow Empire act like that after ignoring Joshua for so long because he¡¯s a ¡®stereotypical hero¡¯¡ª¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°What did you just say, Lilith Aphrodite?¡±


    The Logen brothers¡¯ ears burned bright red.


    A thunderous boom interrupted them. The audience¡¯s eyes¡ªand the Prince¡¯s¡ªwere drawn to the arena floor.


    Joshua had transformed into a bolt of lightning and was streaking towards bis.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: Dude, he¡¯s literally fifteen, what are you talking about.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Original trantion was ¡°a girl filled with resentment will make the hottest of summer feel cold¡±.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 178:

    Chapter 178:


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡± A man spat blood into the thick mists of Eiden Gorge. More blood seeped from his body, and his tattered clothing did nothing to stop it. The only reason he hadn¡¯t copsed to the ground was that he¡¯d propped himself up with what remained of his sword; as it was, he didn¡¯t even have the energy to turn his head.


    ¡°Remarkable,¡± a big middle-aged voice whispered. ¡°An untitled knight with this much skill?¡±


    The world-famous Eiden fog suddenly lifted. Beneath it was a bloodbath¡ªmountains of corpses, rivers of blood<sup>1</sup>. A quick nce revealed easily a thousand dead. Most of them wore the golden owl of the Pontier family.


    A line of knights in full-te armor waited nearby.


    The middle-aged man hefted his enormous ax. ¡°Tell me your name.¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡ª¡±


    A determined light shed through the eyes of the battered knight.


    ¡°Cain.¡± He spat blood again. ¡°I am¡­ Cain, honored knight of the Sanders house.¡±


    ¡°Cain¡­ knight of house Sanders.¡± The axman nodded and stepped closer. ¡°If we had met in ten years, maybe I would be the one on his knees.¡±


    The waiting knights stirred with shock. Just who was this axman, if not one of the strongest superhumans on the continent?


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember your name. You deserve it.¡± He raised his ax. ¡°Remember my name as well, in the afterlife. My name is Barbarian.¡±


    And then the ax fell.


    A single spear stretched out, but its length wasposed of a thousand lightning strikes, heralded by the ear-splitting boom of thunder.


    He looked like the God of Thunder, Jeranos.


    bis whipped his sword at Joshua, heedless of the raging storm¡¯s might. If Joshua was the God of Thunder, then bis¡¯s zing figure and fiery whip made him Ifrit, King of the Fire Spirits.


    Hundreds of blows were delivered in a single breath. Afterward, they paused, allowing the thick walls of the colosseum to copse like putty in the silence.


    ¡°Do you feel it too?¡±


    bis¡¯s question came just as Joshua was about to step forward again.


    ¡°Magma hungers for Bronto¡¯s power, to take the next step forward. I¡¯m delighted, Joshua. The prize for winning the Master Battle just feels like a stepping stone now.¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡± Joshua roared withughter. ¡°Why not make a wager, then?¡±


    ¡°A wager, you say?¡±


    ¡°If I lose, not only will I give up Bronto, I will also give my loyalty to Thran.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± bis¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­to serve me?¡±


    Joshua nodded without hesitation.


    ¡°That¡¯s difficult to believe. You¡¯re already a Master and well on your way down the path of glory, yet you want to y at being my subordinate?¡±


    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s never gonna happen.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± bis frowned<sup>2</sup>.


    Joshua smirked back at him. ¡°The problem isn¡¯t you controlling me; it¡¯s just that you¡¯d never be able to win. I can¡¯t lose, so it¡¯s impossible for me to be your subordinate, right?¡±


    bis stared at Joshua until augh managed to slip through his tightly-shut lips


    ¡°Ahahahahaha! HAHA! I thought we were simr to each other, but it looks like I was wrong.¡± He slung the whip sword over his shoulder. ¡°Think about it: with the monster of Avalon on our side, Thran¡¯s ascendence would no longer be a pipe dream. I know you will keep your word.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡± Joshua adjusted his stance with a wide grin. ¡°But if I win, you will have to obey my request.¡±


    ¡°No such thing could happen.¡± bis hefted his sword. ¡°If it did, though¡­ wouldn¡¯t it be fun to have a monster as a servant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Joshua spun Lugia, dispersing the lingering mes.


    The time for words was over. All that remained was their skills.


    <em>Fourth Form.</em> Joshua began to draw mana from the environment, working Bronto with a deftness no one else could match. He could hear his muscles creaking as new currents of white electricityshed out at the arena.


    Humankind has always been fascinated by lightning¡ªits deafening crack, its earth-shaking roar, and its sheer, sky-rending violence. As they reeled from the shock, they imagined it was the fury of heaven.


    ¡°The so-called ¡®divine power¡¯ of thunder is notoriously uncontroble. That¡¯s why wizards struggle to understand it.¡± Joshua¡¯s body slowly tensed as if he was preparing to spring forth. Every muscle was as taut as a drawn bow; small flickers of electricity danced across his eyeballs. If he could control this power, he had enough destructive potential to shake the pirs of heaven.


    ¡°Emperor, Wolfs. ming Barrier!¡± bis was enveloped by an inferno, warding off Joshua¡¯s lightning and even threatening Joshua himself.


    ¡°Damnit.¡±


    mes surged along the length of bis¡¯s sword. His fiery whip¡ªcapable of not only surviving the mes of annihtion but amplifying them as well¡ªhad returned.


    In response, the tightly restrained electrical currents elerated and converged into one of the most effective spells of the fifth level of the Magic Spear Arts. It was devastating in terms of raw power alone.


    Joshua¡¯s muscles bulged like overinted balloons.


    <em>Speed and power¡­ Lightning is the wrath of God.</em>


    Fire and lightning struck, apetition that had been hotly debated since antiquity. The impact and explosive force of fire was powerful against groups, but the prating force of a lightning bolt was effective against any number of opponents. ording to Theta, wizards¡¯ debates would escte into battles over the topic.


    Joshua didn¡¯t care, though. No force in existence could bring him to his knees.


    A mor swallowed the arena.


    bis, unable to handle the bizarre atmosphere, struck first. His burning de mmed down on Joshua like a lion¡¯s fang. A trail of fire stretched between them, faded, and then vanished in a spectacr fireworks disy. It was as intoxicatingly beautiful as it was deadly.


    Joshua suddenly kicked off the ground, startling bis. The Prince hadn¡¯t anticipated Joshua jumping in headfirst¡ªit was like a moth drawn to a me, except this me consumed everything.


    ¡°This is crazy¡ª!¡± If this went on, Joshua would be skewered on bis¡¯s sword and reduced to ash.


    However, Joshua¡¯s eyes were impossibly serene in the face of mortal peril.


    ¡°Hah!¡± bis instinctively loosed a st of mana. He couldn¡¯t afford to stop and think¡ªthis battle would be decided on the splitting edge of a single moment.


    <em>First Form: the final evolution of lightning.</em>


    A wall of crimson fire blocked Joshua¡¯s path, but he transformed into a streak of light and punched right through the thick of it.


    <em>True Lightning.</em>


    There was a faint sound of something being cut. A bold afterimage flickered on the stage.


    And, like thunder following lightning, a shower of pure white lights covered heaven and earth.


    The match was over.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: muh elden ring meta reeeeee.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: No gae moments for you daddy U.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 179:

    Chapter 179:


    Have you ever seen a sword strike so fast that it outruns its own sound? So fast that the victim only realizes he¡¯s been cut when he sees his headless body copse?


    bis had.


    The gore on that de never dried. The people who survived more than three moves from it could be counted on one hand. Its wielder could bury a man¡¯s skull in the ground with a swift kick. He was one of the reasons why Thran had been a vassal of the Swallow Empire for so long and the reason Swallow insisted that Thran would be a vassal once more.


    Archduke Lucifer of the Nine Stars.


    bis had never seen another de move that fast¡ªbut today, that changed. A new de was etched into his memory, and this one was even faster than before. It was, incredibly, a spear, not a sword.


    bis¡¯s eyes were drawn into the air, towards the lingering afterimage of Joshua¡¯sser-straight thrust. At the end of that ray was a young man with deep blue hair and arger-than-life reputation.


    ¡°I¡­ still can¡¯t believe it.¡± The Prince grit his teeth.


    A barely audible crack quivered through the air. bis¡¯s beloved lifelongpanion, a fragment of the deity that harnessed the fires of annihtion, the medicine for the Prince¡¯s pains¡­ had fractured. It crumbled into dust and disappeared into the wind. His de, his old battlefield friend, was gone. What else was there to say?


    <em>If this were a real battle, I¡¯d be dead the second I lost my de.</em>


    Fortunately, it was not a real battle. It was the Master Battle, which was fundamentally a spar.


    bis lifted his head to regard his opponent through the still-rising mes.


    Those eyes held nothing but an empty void. Defense had never been a consideration; retreat was an impossibility; a head-on assault was only inevitable. bis had yed his most powerful hand against his most formidable foe; what was left to do?


    <em>So, I lost.</em>


    No regrets. No remorse.


    ¡°That was a close call,¡± Joshua muttered. A razor-thin line on his cheek slowly welled with ruby drops of blood, which he raised his hand and dabbed away. He grinned sourly as he turned around. <em>The future Nine Stars are nothing to scoff at.</em>


    As calm as Joshua looked, he was aze on the inside. Ever since he learned that the Mercenary King was on the move, a glimmer of worry had sunk into his heart, and it only got worse after he met Lilith.


    Ending the fight immediately was a calcted risk. If bis hadn¡¯t reacted in time, he could have been in serious danger.


    ¡°Not moving makes you look like the submissive one,¡± bis mumbled to himself. ¡°You, the king of a nation, got drunk on the moment and said things you can¡¯t take responsibility for¡­¡± He shook his head and stared at his empty head.


    ¡°I only need one thing from you.¡±


    ¡°I must listen. Anything is better than servitude.¡± bisughed. ¡°I have two concerns, however. May I ask?¡±


    ¡°If all you want is words, then yes.¡±


    ¡°You look like you¡¯re only fifteen years old, but on the inside you¡¯re as old as a whole fistful of old men.¡± bis shrugged. ¡°The spear is a soldier¡¯s weapon, first and foremost. Its reach and power are unmatched, but¡ªgiven its size and weight¡ªits speed is inferior to that of a sword. This is an undisputed truth.¡±


    Joshua was confused as to why bis would talk about this right after losing a fight. He was certainly much different from the other people Joshua had encountered; instead of being discouraged by his defeat, bis sought to examine his failure and learn from his mistakes. The Prince was not done growing yet; that much was certain.


    <em>Is Magma merely a helper, then?</em>


    ¡°Luck was on my side as soon as I drew my sword¡­ but how did your spear arrive before my de? And¡­¡± bis hesitated for a moment and then pressed onward with renewed determination. ¡°How could you, in the middle of your strike, aim precisely for my sword?¡±


    bis¡¯s words were surprising. In some ways, they were self-deriding. Joshua had deliberately targeted his sword? In those conditions? Was that even possible?


    Joshua grinned. ¡°First of all, I didn¡¯t intend to break your sword¡­ but I had to get it out of the way. The way it moved was genuinely odd. It was incredible¡ªyou never knew when, where, or how it would strike. I had no choice but to watch your sword carefully.¡± His smile stretched wider. ¡°That¡¯s why my spear got there first, though. Isn¡¯t it obvious?¡±


    bis looked perplexed.


    ¡°I was stronger. That¡¯s it.¡±


    The Prince was dumbfounded. That was it. What other answer could there be? An artist does not fault his equipment; likewise, it was a battle between humans, not a battle between weapons<sup>1</sup>. Joshua¡¯s speed had trumped all other factors¡ªhis victory proved that beyond doubt.


    <em>What a shame he¡¯s from an Empire. If he was from Thran¡­ no, anywhere else¡­</em> A bitter smile crept onto bis¡¯s lips. <em>Joshua Sanders is a monster.</em> And he was not a viin like the others; Joshua¡¯s personality was spotless. If he wielded his de for Thran¡­


    ¡°Hup¡ª!¡± bis heaved himself up with his aching muscles. ¡°I can¡¯t be weak, even when I¡¯ve lost. The heart of Thran still beats, I say.¡±


    The two warriors shared a smile.


    ¡°My second concern: Thran. Are you¡­ our enemy?¡±


    Suddenly, bis was not the Knight of Red mes; he was Prince bis of Thran, the lord and protector of his people.


    ¡°Neither my spear nor my sword will be raised against you unless the sword of Thran is first turned against my people or me.¡±


    bis smiled with relief. He hadn¡¯t lived that long, but he was convinced that he had an eye for people; at the very least, he knew that Joshua didn¡¯t have a dishonorable bone in his body. Even as opponents, he admired that unwavering conviction.


    ¡°You¡¯re the best opponent I¡¯ve ever had.¡± bis turned around with a small grin, donning his confidence once more. ¡°Next time we meet, let¡¯s be friends, not opponents. I acknowledge my loss, Master Joshua Sanders of Avalon.¡±


    The mes red angrily and then began to dim as if bis had used hisst reserves of power. The seemingly unquenchable mes of annihtion shrunk and then began to converge on a single point.


    Onto Joshua, who still radiated a wreath of lightning.


    [The Primordial Stone establishes a direct link between its will and its user. It is known as god¡¯s treasure and has a sense of pride to match. They¡¯re intolerant of defeat. Soon, Magma will eject itself from that human.]


    A zing red stone of pure power, like a miniature sun, hovered above bis¡¯s head just as Lugia predicted.


    [Now Bronto will ¡°absorb¡± Magma, the weaker Stone.]


    The slow-moving currents welled around Joshua, emitting immense torrents of light.


    [It may not be such a bad idea to reunite all of the Stones. If only you were capable of¡­]


    The end of Lugia¡¯s sentence was lost to the ether.


    <em>I¡¯m absorbing it.</em>


    Two apparently opposed auras met but remained entirely distinct. The infinitely powerful force of lightning dominated the power of fire.


    A burning sensation engulfed Joshua¡¯s body. Near Joshua¡¯s heart, the apocalyptic power of annihtion had been rekindled.


    ¡°This year¡¯s Master Battle has been won by the representative of the Avalon Empire. Your champion¡¯s name is: Joshua Sanders!¡±


    The colosseum rumbled with thunderous apuse[^n2].


    A new king of Reinhardt had been born.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: i kinda wanna see one now.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 180:

    Chapter 180:


    His whole body felt sluggish. His eyelids were too heavy to even think about lifting; in fact, he considered letting sleep take him again. He¡¯d spent three days in gruelingbat against tens of thousands of foes without food or rest. His body had been pushed beyond its limits.


    <em>I don¡¯t want to get up.</em> He wriggled like an oversleeping schoolboy. ¡°Five more minutes¡­¡±


    Deep sleep chipped away at his fragment of awareness in a sea of emptiness.


    <em>That¡¯s it¡­ Keep going¡­</em>


    His eyelids twitched.


    <em>Keep going? For how long?</em> Would he ever wake up if he gave in to the allure of that voice?


    <em>Why can¡¯t I wake up?</em> A small light red in the corner of his awareness. <em>I can¡¯t sleep forever.</em>


    Eternal sleep was basically death. What would happen if he <em>did</em> die? He lived his life touching only iron, suffered like a dog, and then died alone in a canyon that didn¡¯t even have a name¡ªhe never even held a woman¡¯s hand before he was 30.


    His wouldn¡¯t be the only corpse memorializing this tragedy.


    - Here lies the noble knight Cain. -


    <em>In my future life, please reincarnate me as a groundbreaking archmage¡ª</em>


    ¡°This frickin¡ª¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes snapped open, reddened and watery as they were.


    <em>Are you going to ept this?</em>


    He managed to gather himself and looked around. The scenery was moving, despite his leaden limbs. Cain was startled to find that he was being dragged along.


    <em>I¡­ I¡¯ve never let anyone¡­ my body¡ª</em> The fact that someone was holding him was more surprising to Cain than the fact that he¡¯d survived. He wasn¡¯t pleased about it, either.


    <em>Oh, but maybe if it¡¯s a woman?</em>


    Cain cut that train of thought off immediately. He couldn¡¯t imagine a youngdy handling his body.


    <em>I¡¯m sure that at thest minute¡­</em> His forehead wrinkled. Thest memory he had before he passed out was of someone d in all ck.


    ¡°It¡¯s Barbarian.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes were firmly shut as they thumped along, rattling his aching head.


    ¡°Are we there?¡±


    A thousand thoughts raced through his fuzzy awareness, particrly his regrets. What a shame that he wouldn¡¯t be able to meet his master again after all he¡¯d done. What a shame he¡¯d never live happily ever after. Standing at the side of the best man on the continent, meeting a beautiful, kind wife, and having at least five little kiddos¡­


    <em>I finally managed to see what bits Icarus had under those clothes.</em> (Not really.)


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Cain could feel the darkness closing in.


    Suddenly, he felt himself stop, and he was lobbed into a corner.


    ¡°Oh my god¡ª¡± Cain mmed head-first into the ground with an audible thud. He managed to lift his head.


    <em>Master¡­?</em> The dark silhouette was oddly familiar. <em>No, not the master, I¡¯m afraid.</em> This presence felt grittier and darker, and his physique wasn¡¯t quite right.


    ¡°Dark Knight of Dennis River!¡±


    <em>Dark Knight?</em>


    ¡°Ah-hah.¡± Cain grinned with relief.


    A few days ago, he became like a ghost to the Pontier family, the trump card of Icarus¡¯s hand. The knowledge that Cain was watching over them was a huge boost to their morale.


    <em>How odd¡­</em> Cain¡¯s vision blurred as his awareness began to wane.


    He remembered a monster dripping with ck smoke wielding an enormous ax, a strange warrior who soared through the dust.


    ¡°Say your goodbyes, my brave soldier!¡±


    The massive ax thundered in, heralded by the howls of ferocious beasts. He felt a strong jolt, and then nothing.


    ¡°Arm¡­ right¡­¡± Cain¡¯s eyes narrowed. His rescuer had used his left arm to carry Cain¡ªbut his right arm was¡­ gone.


    ¡°To rescue me¡­¡± Cain bit his lip and groaned.


    His savior was a swordsman of no less than A-ss. Cain knew just how much work it took to reach that level and what it meant to sacrifice his arm.


    <em>Cain¡­ are you really so pitiful?</em> He clenched his hands until his nails drew blood from his palms. This man lost his arm to save someone, but here Cain was dreaming about women¡­ <em>I have to step up.</em> His eyes glowed with determination as he gazed at the cloaked man¡¯s wide back.


    Don¡¯t let yourself be a burden to others, no matter what you do. Cain had made his choice.


    He forced his jaw open. ¡°Leave me.¡±


    Cain didn¡¯t care that his voice sounded like a rusted hinge.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you are¡­ but I will repay you for saving my life. I don¡¯t know that I¡¯ll make it, though, so¡­ go. Now.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes were locked on the other man¡¯s back, but he didn¡¯t receive a reply.


    ¡°¡­Hello?¡± Surely this knight, who was apparently stronger than Cain was, would have at least realized that Cain was awake by now.


    <em>Am I talking to myself?</em>


    He stared at his savior for a moment. It didn¡¯t take Cain long to realize that the knight was emitting some kind of energy that grated on his nerves and burned his muscles.


    ¡°Is that¡­ your arm?¡± Now that he was more aware, the man¡¯s right arm wasn¡¯t quite <em>gone</em>.


    He thought it was just a distinct vor of mana¡ªbut there was only one thing that felt as sticky and dreary as this.


    ¡°Magi?¡±


    The stump of his right arm dripped with a steady stream of dull smoke.


    One month had passed since Marquis Crombell began his attack.


    ¡°Greetings to the new king of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°Greetings to the new king of Reinhardt!¡±


    The audience was quick to follow thementator.


    ¡°As the victor of the Master Battle, the King may issue a fresh challenge to standing Master. This includes, of course, the great Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans, a time-honored Master Battle tradition.¡±


    The crowd roared with ecstatic excitement.


    A new power. A new messiah. A new trial.


    The new King was young and so handsome that even the legendary elves had to fold.


    ¡°Oh, my King!¡± someone cried, ¡°Ignore the politics, if you can, and choose an opponent!¡±


    Historically, most Master Battle victors saw the other Masters in their Battle as obstacles. The challenge was an excellent opportunity to cut the enemy¡¯s power. If the challenged failed to respond within a month or declined the challenge, they would immediately lose the rank of Master. The same held true even for the Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°Okay! What happens when a Master defeats another Master? Let¡¯s look forward!¡±


    ¡°We want Joshua in the Twelve Superhumans! We want Joshua in the Nine Stars!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t even want to get to the Nine Stars this fast, so let¡¯s take it slow!¡±


    Joshua absorbed the crowd¡¯s eager shouts and stepped forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m up for the challenge.¡±


    The audience erupted into a fresh round of exmations. Lilith and the six judging Master, who had yet to depart, watched Joshua tensely.


    ¡°I speak to the people of the entire continent: my next opponent, as the new king of Reinhardt, is¡­¡±


    The cheering subsided as the audience swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Barbarian of the Twelve Superhumans, and the apex of a million mercenaries. He is my next opponent.<sup>1</sup>¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: im seriously having some youtuber boxing matches vibes here?</li></ol>

 Chapter 181:

    Chapter 181:


    ¡°Why did you turn down my offer?¡± a familiar female voice called out to Joshua as he was leaving the waiting room.


    Joshua stopped but didn¡¯t bother turning his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to y puppet or act on someone else¡¯s orders anymore,¡± he said.


    The conviction in his voice made Lilith hesitate.


    ¡°My life belongs to me. No one can get in my way, whether it¡¯s my father, the Emperor¡­ or you.¡±


    Lilith boggled at him, shocked. The obvious implication was that he hated upstarts. If she had heard this from any other person, Lilith would be snorting in anger. Coming from Joshua, though, she felt something very different.


    <em>When I¡¯d heard he left the Agnus Duchy, I thought he was kicked out¡­ but maybe he¡­</em> Lilith blinked. She was confident but not the type to show off.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the Lion King. He knows he can¡¯t run his mouth when I¡¯m around¡­ and if he does, I can handle him.¡±


    Lilith jumped like a startled rabbit.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as when I told you about being king. I know how to handle myself¡ªan entire city is not a problem,¡± Joshua assured her. ¡°I¡¯ll show you¡ªno, I¡¯ll show them¡ªI can do it without resorting to petty tricks.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°You care about them a lot. I actually feel¡­ genuinely envious right now.¡±


    Lilith smiled gently, and her mysterious silver eyes sparkled with an innocent light.


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll tell you everything I know, including about the Pontiers and the Mercenary King. But before that, answer me this.¡± She stepped closer to Joshua. ¡°Can I be your friend?¡±


    ¡°¡­Friend¡­?¡± Joshua suddenlyughed. <em>I¡¯m getting more and more of these ¡°friends¡± in this life. How very amusing.</em> ¡°Well¡­ a friend is fine, as long as it¡¯s not a wife or soul mate.¡±


    ¡°Being friends is enough for me.¡± Lilith beamed. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt like this before. You hurt my pride¡ªI¡¯ll let you go this time, but I still seek a partnership.¡± Her smile turned mischievous. ¡°We¡¯re friends, but we¡¯re also business partners. I need something from you. Not coteral, but¡­ a token of our deal.¡±


    ¡°A token?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it.¡± Lilith¡¯s grin stretched from ear to ear as she leaned closer to him.


    Soon enough, they were close enough to feel each other¡¯s breath.


    A temporary tent was set up on one side of the colosseum. By the time the Finals were over, there were easily more than a thousand people standing in front of that tent. That is people who bet on Joshua vs. bis. The real gamblers.


    The important thing to notice was that most of them looked like they¡¯d given up on life.


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone wrong. Damnit, damnit¡­ I didn¡¯t think the Prince would lose¡­¡±


    ¡°Who knew that a 15-year-old kid would win this year?¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you think he¡¯s really fifteen? With how he looks and how he fights, I can¡¯t believe it. It doesn¡¯t even matter whose child he is, but he¡¯s even on par with <em>the</em> Duke Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Damn, why did this happen? My wife is going to kick me out! I lost a whole year¡¯s worth of money in this Battle!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you get for misreading the game. Well, I guess that¡¯s fate.¡±


    Peopleined and made noise; the ones who didn¡¯t have enough money to make up for what they lost had to swallow their regrets andugh.


    ¡°This is fun. How novel. Betting on the underdog is the best way to bet.¡±


    ¡°You look so happy, Mister.¡± Iceline shook her head at Akshuler¡¯s happy face.


    ¡°People should be honest about their feelings. Why don¡¯t you tell him how you feel about him now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mock me.¡± Iceline turned her head, but she was so used to it that her expression didn¡¯t change.


    ¡°Heh¡­ By the way¡­¡± A small grin danced on Akshuler lips as he looked out the tent.


    A skinny man looked up from where he was working an abacus. Behind him were piles of jewels, pouches of gold, and a variety of other valuables.


    ¡°Mr. Akshuler¡¯s winnings are¡­ Since you bet 12 times against the odds, your winnings are about 36,000 gold.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡ª!¡±


    The people around him looked envious, but Akshuler was nursing his regrets.


    ¡°If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would¡¯ve dipped way deep into my emergency funds. 3,000 gold multiplied by twelve, but what a shame!¡±


    Even when theirs were bursting with fish, people always wanted more. That didn¡¯t make Akshuler less deserving of a smack on the head.


    ¡°Can I pay you in continental coin? If it¡¯s too much trouble to carry, you can use a Reinhardt-guaranteed note of credit¡ª¡±


    Akshuler shook his head, cutting the man off. Cash was the best way to get your payout; the feeling of holding all that gold was beyond exnation.


    ¡°No problem. All in gold.¡±


    ¡°Oh, okay. I see.¡± In short order, the thin man offered Akshuler a hefty leather patch. ¡°Continental coins are 100 gold each. This pouch contains 360 if you care to count¡ª¡±


    Akshuler weighed the pouch in his hand and grinned. ¡°Exactly. Thank you.¡±


    The skinny man¡¯s poker face broke for a moment, but only just.


    ¡°Pleasee again.¡± His taciturn expression was back as he bowed to Akshuler.


    ¡°Your turn, Iceline.¡±


    Akshuler realized everyone had gone silent and looked around, confused. Even Iceline was frozen.


    ¡°Iceline?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± Iceline quietly raised her finger. ¡°What was that girl¡¯s name?¡±


    A tall, slender beauty was approaching, apanied by three men. She stood out. Men were particrly drawn to the curves of her body, but all aspects of the silver-haired, silver-eyed mysterious beauty were jaw-droppingly captivating.


    Lilith pushed through the silent crowd toward Akshuler and Iceline. For a moment, she seemed to have a pair of devilish horns poking out of her hair, but then she stopped and smiled familiarly at them.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other in a long time. Ah, congrattions on taking over the whole continent, Mr. Akshuler!¡±


    Akshuler came to his senses and scratched his head. ¡°With such beauty¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The silver-haired woman turned to look at him.


    Akshuler looked at Iceline for a moment and then shook his head. ¡°No, rather, what brings the best swordswoman on the continent to a ce like this? I hope you¡¯re here to gamble rather than try something stupid¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Why wouldn¡¯t Ie to a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°I know what Lilith Aphrodite is like, and this ain¡¯t it.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes twitched as the other woman¡¯s name was revealed. Iceline had been suspicious from the moment sheid eyes on Lilith. They¡¯d never met, being from different countries, but Lilith was too well-known not to know her name. Whatever field you put her in, she always rose to the top. Even in Avalon, they said she was as beautiful as she was powerful.


    <em>This woman¡­</em> Iceline¡¯s blue eyes gleamed under the hood of her robe. Unlike Iceline, Lilith walked with her face boldly uncovered. Iceline had seen many famous people in Reinhardt, but never a woman her age.


    Their eyes met for a moment.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lilith looked at Iceline and let out an odd snort, and smiled. ¡°Actually¡­ Yes. I can¡¯t say I don¡¯t enjoy gambling, but I¡¯m more interested in something else.¡±


    ¡°Something else?¡±


    Lilith nodded. ¡°It¡¯s my boyfriend¡¯s victory. Shouldn¡¯t I be cheering for him in any way I can?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Iceline reeled.


    ¡°Boyfriend?¡± Akshuler gaped. ¡°Boyfriend¡ªyou mean Joshua?¡± The big mercenary struggled to wrap his head around it.


    However, it couldn¡¯t be Prince bis¡ªhe was twice as old as Joshua and already married.


    It wasn¡¯t impossible for Lilith to be Joshua¡¯s paramour, but Akshuler just couldn¡¯t imagine it. He knew how proud she was.


    Iceline stared at her oddly.


    ¡°Yes? So what?¡± Lilith pirouetted, basking in the attention she was getting.


    The ~~bitch~~ girl was smiling.

 Chapter 182:

    Chapter 182:


    Cain¡¯s eyes flicked from the wide back of his captor to the rapidly changing scenery and back.


    ¡°Master¡­ What are you doing? Seriously¡­¡±


    Cain was adaptable¡­ or maybe he just resigned himself quickly.


    The mysterious ck knight had magic dripping out of his severed arm. If Cain¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t deceive him, that was a fabled death knight, servant of necromancers.


    <em>Even if I¡¯d known earlier, I was too weak to move. Second, I didn¡¯t think that someone who¡¯d sacrificed his arm to save me would suddenly turn on me.</em>


    ¡°I heard legends that death knights have their own wills and egos, despite being controlled¡­ But what do I know? Whew.¡± Cain reached up and rubbed his dry lips. He was certain that he was dehydrated now. They had to have been moving for at least half a day, and Cain still didn¡¯t know where he was being dragged to. The death knight had not said a word the entire time, nor did Cain have the energy to ask.


    So instead, he just kept wondering.


    ¡°God¡­ This is a mountain trek, and I don¡¯t recognize anyndmarks. I can¡¯t even think properly around this guy¡­¡± The slightly unsteady knight scratched his head. ¡°The Mercenary King hase. I need to recover my strength and fast. But Master Sanders must be worried by now, right?¡± He looked worried. ¡°No! He can¡¯t know! He¡¯s out there fighting¡ªif he hears his people were defeated, he won¡¯t be able topete properly. My god, I¡¯ll have to throw myself onto his sword.¡±


    Cain¡¯s head was too fuzzy to imagine what Joshua looked like right now. His loyalty was overriding.


    Later, he would realize that his worries were pointless. A knight should be worried about himself and his principles during battle, not hisrades.


    It may be more urate to call Cain a ¡°servant¡± rather than a ¡°knight.¡±


    Lilith Aphrodite was not only a beauty, but she was also a philosopher and the sword of the Hubalt Empire. Thebination of sage and swordswoman was a dangerous one indeed. Her pretty face, voluptuous body, and skill with the sword drew men¡¯s eyes wherever she went.


    On top of that, she had her family.


    The Hubalt Empire had a unique dual-ruler structure. One was the Emperor, whose position was passed from generation to generation; the other was the pope, an equally powerful and symbolic position, who was carefully chosen. The pope was chosen on two principles: first, God¡¯s blessing, judged by divine power; second, their reputation, judged by the high-ranking priests¡¯ votes.


    There was a family in the Hubalt Empire which had given birth to no less than three popes: the Aphrodite family¡ªthe family of Pope Marzel. As her name suggested, Lilith was the Pope¡¯s niece. She was one of the few students directly taught by the Knight of God, Chrysler john Sebastian, along with Christian. Both students were the best in their fields in the Empire. At the moment, Lilith was the only woman in Hubalt with more power than the Princess.


    <em>I¡¯m a little annoyed right now.</em> Lilith pursed her lips. Her senses¡ªabout a hundred times more sensitive than a normal person¡¯s¡ªcould feel someone looking at her. And it was a woman¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You know what? Since you¡¯re connected to this, Mr. Akshuler, do you know the name of the girl currently wanted by the Mercenary King and the Imperial family of Avalon? I think she¡¯s called¡­ Iceline jean Rebra.¡±


    Lilith had a pretty good memory, almost as good as Jero¡¯s. She was also the current Moon Master. But that aside, the woman in question was standing right in front of her. Staring at her. Iceline¡¯s eyes hadn¡¯t moved since they firstnded on Lilith.


    <em>Am I that pretty?</em><em>Or maybe¡­</em>


    Every time beauty and elegance were discussed, the Avalon Empire never failed toe up, especially since they had three of the most beautiful women on the continent¡­ one of which was Iceline. It didn¡¯t bother Lilith that Iceline was rated on the same level as her, but it did bother her that their skills and styles ovepped. They both had a cold aura, but their skill¡ªswordsmanship and magic, respectively¡ªwere top-notch. If it weren¡¯t for the Rebras, Lilith would most certainly have been considered one of the great rising stars.


    Lilith was about 20 years old, but she was very good at her job¡ªboth as a knight and managing the Moon Gate. Iceline was around the same age, maybe a little younger.


    All that contributed to driving Lilith¡¯s impression of Iceline lower and lower.


    <em>You refused to kiss me because of this girl?</em> Lilith felt something she¡¯d never felt before, and it drew her porcin face into a scowl. <em>He was¡­ thinking about this girl¡­ right?</em>


    They say that love makes fools of people.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say.¡± Lilith smiled. ¡°By the way, Mister Akshuler, won¡¯t you introduce me to yourpanion?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªWhat?¡± <em>Did she say Joshua was her boyfriend, even though she isn¡¯t interested in men?</em> ¡°Oh, uh¡­ she¡¯s my¡­¡±


    While Akshuler was struggling to find words, Iceline stepped forward.


    ¡°My name is¡­ Selena<sup>1</sup>.¡±


    Akshuler gaped nkly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Lilith feigned ignorance. ¡°You didn¡¯t give me your surname¡­ Are you amoner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­¡± Iceline shrugged her delicate shoulders. ¡°You never know. Maybe I¡¯m a princess in disguise.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Ic¡ªSelena, why would you joke like that?¡± Akshuler tried to puzzle out Iceline¡¯s strange expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m also Joshua¡­ ¡®precious friend.¡¯¡±


    ¡°His¡­ ¡®precious¡­ friend?¡¯¡± Lilith¡¯s polite smile shook for a moment, but she fixed it before Iceline and Akshuler could notice. ¡°Friends¡­ Friends¡­¡± Lilith had put a lot of thought into that wordtely. <em>She¡¯s basically amoner now. Friends with a king? Who is she kidding?</em> Lilith looked Iceline up and down, paying particr attention to certain parts of her body, and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s a little difficult being friends with him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Iceline was no durd. She may have made a name for herself in spite of her broken family, but she knew where she stood. It was not something she could afford to ignore.


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get me wrong! After all, Joshua is very mature for his age.¡± Lilith saw Iceline¡¯s flustered reaction and was quick to stop the other woman before her emotions got the better of her. Lilith was <em>not</em> that kind of person.


    However, Lilith didn¡¯t forget to advertise her body. Whilst Iceline wore a thick robe that covered her from head to toe, Lilith wore only a single piece of leather armor of a light cotton shirt. The slightest movement highlighted her thin waist and full breasts even more.


    ¡°UOOOOOOOOOH¡ª!<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°Wow, those rumors about a goddess in Hubalt weren¡¯t kidding.¡±


    ¡°Getting kicked out of my house is okay now. This is a good way to die.¡±


    Men suddenly forgot that they¡¯d squandered their fortunes and swallowed dry lumps. Their eyes were faintly pink with infatuation. Astonishingly enough, Lilith didn¡¯t seem bothered by the attention¡ªon the contrary, she wore a satisfied smile.


    ¡°Fake¡­¡± Iceline mumbled, just loud enough for Lilith to hear.


    ¡°What?¡± Lilith kept smiling, but her forehead creased. ¡°What did you just say¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me¡­¡± Someone interrupted them.


    Lilith looked around and discovered that the man handling the payouts had spoken up.


    ¡°Um¡­ There are a lot of people waiting, so I¡¯d like you to continue your conversation elsewhere if you don¡¯t mind¡­?¡±


    Lilith closed her mouth awkwardly.


    ¡°¡­Ah, yes.¡± She smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for disturbing your work.¡± Lilith turned to Iceline, and her voice dropped into a low whisper. ¡°I¡¯m just talking to this¡­ girl.¡±


    She turned back to the manager. ¡°I¡¯m here to get my paycheck.¡± Lilith produced a palm-sized piece of paper, obviously of high quality, and set it down with a distinct ck.


    ¡°Silver paper?¡± The tent buzzed with excitement.


    People who bet less than 10,000 gold received a white paper. People who bet more than 10,000 but less than 100,000 gold received a softly glowing silver paper. They were treated with advanced magic, making them impossible to alter, and were the only way to process your earnings.


    Akshuler¡¯s was white. Lilith¡¯s, as the crowd had noted, was silver. She had bet over 10,000 gold on Joshua.


    ¡°I think I bet¡­ 50,000?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god!¡± The gamblers went wild.


    50,000 gold at those odds yielded an entire 600,000 gold.


    The skinny man stared at the silver slip, but his veneer of professionalism had cracked. He looked confused.


    Much to Lilith¡¯s confusion, Icelineughed and swaggered up to the table.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you¡ª¡±


    Iceline pped down her chit.


    Lilith peered at it. There was something odd about its color. It wasn¡¯t silver like hers was; it was bright yellow.


    ¡°¡­Gold?¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: should be celine, selene¡­ but its too close so I made it selena?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: My¡­ My whole existence! Has truly! BECOME SEX!!!?</li></ol>

 Chapter 183:

    Chapter 183:


    Gold paper. A lot of powerful people put money on the Master Battle this year¡­ and their tickets symbolized their wealth. The gold slip was in terms of the sheer investment it represented.


    ¡°Iceline¡­¡± Akshuler was so shocked he forgot that Iceline was using a fake name. ¡°You bet over 100,000 gold?¡±


    A hundred thousand gold, the bare minimum it took to receive a gold card, was already enough to build a fortress. It was surprising that Iceline had that much money, but it was even more surprising that she had put it all on Joshua. Who would have thought that she wouldmit so hard?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I think it¡¯s 500,000.¡±


    Akshuler and Lilith froze.


    ¡°500,000 gold¡­ multiplied by twelve¡­ <em>Six million gold?!</em>¡±


    ¡°Half a million¡ª!¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s jaw dropped, and Lilith¡¯s perfect smile copsed. Iceline put her hands on her hips and smirked at them.


    ¡°My best friend is fighting on that stage. It¡¯s the least I can do, right?¡± Iceline shed a winning smile at Lilith. Right now, she was the real winner of the Master Battle.


    She clenched her fist cutely. <em>With six million gold, I can¡­!</em> Of course, she couldn¡¯t let it get to her head; she had to remember what she needed the money for.


    <em>Mr. Akshuler probably doesn¡¯t know, but I gambled my family treasure on this. Blue Wings¡­</em> It had never left her body even when her family copsed¡­ but now it sat in a pretty box behind the skinny man.


    Not many people knew of the Blue Wings, actually; when it was discovered, no one recognized just how valuable it was. But any wizard who saw it would be drooling, whether they knew its origins or not.


    <em>The final legacy of thest Battle Mage in the history of the Empire¡­ Jerath dick Orbis.</em>


    The Blue Wings ne was a very special thing. When someone wore it, it cleared their mind and sharpened their focus, making it much easier to derive the forme for magic. In other words, casting time, the fatal w of magic, was reduced exponentially.


    <em>I feel so different without it.</em>


    She wouldn¡¯t have even considered betting the Blue Wings on Joshua if she wasn¡¯t sure he was going to win. It was too important to her to lose.


    <em>I saved the Blue Wings and made a ton of money. With the money, I can¡­</em> Iceline¡¯s mind began to wander again.


    Take revenge.


    Reim mynd.


    <em>Raise the g of Rebra where it belongs.</em>


    ¡°¡­And when all that¡¯s done, build a good house for him and live happily ever after¡­¡±


    <em>What are we going to do when it¡¯s just the two of us¡­?</em>


    Iceline blushed furiously.


    ¡°¡ªlena¡­ Selena.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Iceline jerked.


    ¡°What are you thinking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­ What were you saying, mister?¡± Iceline quickly changed the subject.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Akshuler gave Iceline a strange look and then shrugged. ¡°I asked you what you think about this.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Iceline asked nkly.


    ¡°We never talked about it, but I don¡¯t really have any friends either.¡± Akshuler put on a sad face. ¡°You might not know this, but I¡¯m usually pretty lonely. I don¡¯t even have anyone to drink with when I¡¯m down. I want to be your best friend. You don¡¯t discriminate based on age, right?¡±


    The women were speechless. Even Lilith was looking at Akshuler like he was human trash.


    ¡°Amazing¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Akshuler and Iceline turned to Lilith.


    ¡°I never thought about it. Did you say your name was Selena?¡± Lilith smiled brightly at Iceline, who nodded but didn¡¯t reply. ¡°I suppose that means you¡¯re very close to him and that you know his charms much better than I do. I haven¡¯t been seeing him for very long, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s ears perked up. <em>For long?</em>


    ¡°The way you two reacted makes me want to know him a little better,¡± Lilith whispered.


    Iceline wanted to tell her off immediately but didn¡¯t want to look weird.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going to say this once¡­¡±


    Akshuler discovered a strange smile on Lilith¡¯s face.


    [I¡¯d like to get back to our transaction. It¡¯s been on hold for quite a while.]


    The mercenary¡¯s eyes widened as the voice resonated in his head. <em>Magic message¡­!</em>


    [It¡¯s rather sudden, but you needn¡¯t worry about my terms. They¡¯re very generous, Mister Akshuler.]


    Akshuler nodded pensively, drawing a wide smile from Lilith.


    [I actually made a deal with him as well. If he wins the Master Battle, the Lion King should be his next opponent.]


    Akshuler was stunned by the sudden revtion.


    [Of course, I made that deal because he thought he could beat the Lion King. He¡¯s young and powerful, but the reigning king is strong both in name and ability. However, even if he didn¡¯t win, he would still achieve his goals so long as he showed the continent the possibilities.]


    The mercenary¡¯s thick lips twitched. Lilith¡¯s reasoning evidently came from her other persona. Her every move was calcted down to the most mundane detail, so Akshuler was not surprised that she knew Joshua would win the Battle.


    <em>The new king needs to take root in the hearts of the people,</em> Akshuler thought. <em>His seat, what he represents, is the very essence Reinhardt.</em>


    Akshuler nced to the side. Iceline was a very smart person; as soon as she felt the flickers of mana in the air, she politely looked away, a gesture Akshuler greatly appreciated.


    [Eyes on me, please. Pay attention.]


    <em>Oh, I see¡­</em> Akshuler inclined his head apologetically, hiding a sly smile.


    [Anyway¡­ My perception of him hasn¡¯t changed. It was purely spection, but yesterday¡­] Lilith¡¯s eyes lit up. [After seeing him fight against the Prince, I changed my mind. I was proud of what I knew of fighting, but the big<sup>1</sup> spear technique he showed me¡­ I thought he might really be able to beat the Lion King, but I¡¯m not sure.]


    <em>Hmm. Same as everyone else,</em> Akshuler mused. Lilith was known for being objective, to the point of being cold-hearted. Joshua¡­ knew himself better than anyone else did¡­


    ¡°Well,¡± he muttered, ¡°I couldn¡¯t even keep up with that speed at the end¡­¡± Akshuler smiled bitterly to himself. <em>If that spear was aimed at me, would it havended?</em>


    The answer was ¡°yes.¡± Akshuler couldn¡¯t deny it, even if he wanted to. He¡¯d never fought Joshua, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t win against the young Master of Avalon, even when he was only fifteen years old.


    <em>As for where he ends, I have absolutely no idea.</em>


    [Now, let¡¯s talk about details.] Lilith¡¯s silver eyes shone, bright and mysterious. [If he can beat the Lion King, then he can beat the Mercenary King. Barbarian will kneel¡­ And if he can beat Barbarian, then a new Mercenary King will take the throne.]


    Akshuler was suddenly very attentive.


    [I know what you¡¯re thinking: even if he beats Barbarian, you won¡¯t take that seat. You¡¯re not tied to the throne; it¡¯ll probably go to someone else. But you can¡¯t do that. You have to sit at the highest seat of the mercenaries so you can help him. If you do, I will follow through with the deal you suggested earlier.]<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: I had to do this?</li></ol>

 Chapter 184:

    Chapter 184:


    A long red carpet ran over the polished marble floor to a stunningly beautiful throne. Bizarrely, a truly colossal hammerrger than any adult man¡ªloomed behind the throne. It was the mighty hammer of Wilhelm, the first king of Reinhardt, favored by the god Naga.


    ¡°Will hee?¡± the man on the throne rumbled. People lined both sides of the carpet with bowed heads, but this man sat with his head held high.


    His name was Ryan Geiger, the reigning king of Reinhardt. As one of the Twelve Superhumans, he was known as the ¡°Lion King,¡± a name that suited him well.


    ¡°Hoho¡­¡± The Lion Kingughed softly. He could feel a powerful energy approaching from the other side of the closed doors. It was clear to Geiger that whoever wielded that power had no intention of hiding it at all. ¡°So you want to act bossy instead of like a king?¡± he muttered as he rose to his feet. ¡°That¡¯s not going to work in a ce like Reinhardt¡­¡±


    That person was just outside the door. Soon, it would open, revealing the throne¡¯s new owner: the youngest king in Reinhardt¡¯s history, Master Joshua Sanders.


    The door quietly creaked open, allowing a man to slowly enter. Glossy, dark blue hair, and eyes deeper than the ocean¡ªthe Lion King, in all his years, had never seen anyone as handsome as this. He¡¯d have preferred that the Prince won, as opposed to an Imperial, but what could he do? The new king brought him such happiness.


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay you back for all the fun we had, Joshua Sanders,¡± the Lion King whispered to himself.


    Out loud, he eximed: ¡°Wee, new king of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°My King.¡±


    ¡°My King.¡±


    The rest of the hall simultaneously dropped to their knees, leaving Joshua an unobstructed view of the Lion King.


    ¡°Hoh.¡± The Lion King let out a low breath. <em>I knew this would happen, but seeing it in person¡ªhe¡¯s like a work of art, isn¡¯t he? When¡¯s thest time I¡¯ve felt like this? It¡¯s not the same as when we ran into each other at the colosseum.</em>


    ¡°Raise your heads. Shouldn¡¯t you see the face of the man you will serve?¡± Geiger donned a pleasant smile. ¡°I can promise you that his rule will be very strong.¡±


    Reinhardt¡¯s servants slowly rose to their feet. As the session ceremony had yet to ur, the Lion King still remained the rightful lord of the castle.


    ¡°I¡¯m kind of busy.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Geiger cocked his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s skip to the important bits.¡±


    The hall fell dead silent, but Joshua carried on like nothing had happened.


    ¡°The Mercenary King will be here in Reinhardt in a month if he epts my challenge. The match will happenter, but it will still be in less than two months, even if we take our time. In the meantime, I might have to leave Reinhardt on pressing business.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s¡­¡± The Lion King clenched his jaw thoughtfully and then looked at Joshua. ¡°Is it important?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Geiger nodded. ¡°Well, there¡¯s nothing I can do if the Avalon Empire is calling for you.¡± He chuckled, assuming that the Emperor of Avalon was calling for Joshua.


    ¡°Get started with the formalities and make sure it¡¯s done by today.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    The servants gave Joshua a wide-eyed look.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kingaitu, a young man with green hair and frog-like cheeks, stepped forward. He was a confidant of the King of Reinhardt both because of his knowledge and because of his genuine concern. He was also in charge of Reinhardt¡¯s budget.


    ¡°The continent recognizes you as king in name only¡ªand you want to wave away one of the most important session ceremonies like this? Is this a joke to you?¡±


    The Lion King smiled sadly. Kingaitu despised when people disparaged the King of Reinhardt¡¯s title. Kingaitu was a smart man, so there was no way he didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    <em>He¡¯s trying to put a leash on the new king, using the current king to protect him.</em> Geiger¡¯s head bobbed. <em>If he¡¯s going to push this strongly, there¡¯s nothing else I can do¡­</em> This old knight had lost his teeth; it was time for the Lion King to flee this battlefield and enjoy his win. Joshua was responsible for leading these people now.


    ¡°Your other skills don¡¯t make you a good king. You need a good eye and a just hand to handle the city¡¯s affairs. If you try to brute force the citizens, you will only make them angrier.¡±


    Geiger looked up, his interest piqued.


    ¡°He¡¯s as good as the rumors say he is, but he still has to show his subjects¡ªpeople easily twice as old as him¡ªhow good of a king he is, which is going to be difficult.¡± The Lion King smiled and rubbed his chin. ¡°Hey, Joshua Sanders. Look: what will you do about those who refuse to change?¡±


    The entire hall was watching Joshua intently as he opened his mouth.


    ¡°What does Reinhardt care for the opinions of the rest of the continent?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kingaitu asked nkly.


    ¡°A king is a king if his skill proves him worthy, no matter where his bloodes from. Isn¡¯t that the belief and will of Naga?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°What a shame. You w your way past people whose names are renowned across the continent. But then you spend all of your time worrying about the outside, even little things like this¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s voice dripped with disappointment. Somehow, the young man¡¯s voice made Kingaitu¡¯s heart race. ¡°¡­If you¡¯d told me that was how I would end up, I would have turned you down.¡±


    The audience¡¯s eyes bulged. <em>You don¡¯t want the throne? You¡¯re saying you want to leave this seat, where just sitting in it entitles you to all theforts of the world?</em>


    ¡°Are you saying¡­ You want to give up the throne?¡± Kingaitu asked.


    ¡°I can do nothing by myself,¡± Joshua immediately replied. ¡°I don¡¯t have the confidence to lead you if you don¡¯t want to change. Even if everyone on the continent thinks as you do, <em>I</em> will not.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s words resonated deeply with the spirit of the people of Reinhardt. His background only added weight to his statement.


    ¡°I will go.¡± Joshua turned around without a second thought.


    ¡°Well, look¡ª!¡± Kingaitu unconsciously took an anxious step forward.


    The Lion King watched Kingaitu and chuckled to himself. <em>That wasn¡¯t art; it was a one-of-a-kind masterpiece.</em> Even Geiger wanted to cheer for Joshua. He¡¯d never seen anyone else who could capture hearts and minds with a few words.<sup>2</sup> That, too, was a skill, one that Joshua Sanders had perfected like all of his other skills.


    Joshua walked away, undeterred by Kingaitu¡¯s protest. As he passed, the servants¡¯ faces crumbled. A great champion of the ideals of Reinhardt had appeared, and what had they shown him?


    Kingaitu finally gave. ¡°I¡ªI was wrong!¡± he shouted.


    The ominous fall of Joshua¡¯s heels finally ceased.


    ¡°I¡­ I made a mistake. I apologize. Help Reinhardt change, please.¡±


    ¡°I, too, would like to change,¡± a different man added.


    ¡°We are at fault, my king!¡±


    Joshua stood silently for a moment.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your ego get in the way,¡± he finally said.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let it hold me down,¡± the servants replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look at people with bad intentions.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t even open my eyes.¡±


    ¡°Hold fast to what you believe in.¡±


    ¡°I will stand by you. I will serve the new king.¡±


    Joshua looked each man in the eye and spoke with solemn gravity.


    ¡°I, Joshua Sanders, am your new king.¡±


    The vassals¡¯ hearts quivered. How trustworthy! How kingly! They had found their king, and he would be their guiding light.


    One by one, they fell to their knees and bowed to their king. It was different from when the Lion King ordered them¡ªthis time, it seemed toe from the heart.


    ¡°All hail the king!¡±


    ¡°All hail the king!¡±


    Their shouting shook the castle to its foundations.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Demanding¡­ ???</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: really? Seemed like you never heard of politicians before?</li></ol>

 Chapter 185:

    Chapter 185:


    The conference room wasrge and grandiose, fit for the most important of asions¡ªbut it was filled with a thick, oppressive silence. Most of the people there looked ready to fall asleep in their seats.


    The seat that stood out the most held a catlike woman with her hair pulled into a ponytail and slightly upturned eyes: Charles, the current head of the Pontier family.


    ¡°I¡¯d like to begin¡­ the eleventh meeting.¡±


    She sounded pitifully weak to the vassals. How could she be strong when everything was going so wrong? The enemy was still infiltrating, and Eiden Gorge, theirst line of defense, was lost.


    ¡°I have good news and bad news.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start with the good news,¡± Count Verdot, generalmander of the Pontier family, said. ¡°I think we could all use some good news.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, your grace.¡±


    Count Verdot stood up. ¡°The Mercenary King has once again vanished from the enemy camp, ording to reports.¡±


    ¡°He went straight through the first andst lines of defense and then vanished¡­ Did you find out anything else?¡± Charles asked.


    Verdot nodded. ¡°From what I know, it seems to involve the neutral city of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°Reinhardt?¡± Charles¡¯s fatigue was abruptly forgotten.


    Reinhardt would be fully upied with the Master Battle. What¡¯s more, it would take a full moon of day and night travel to get from Eiden to Reinhardt. How could Reinhardt be rted to what was going on here?


    ¡°A lot of you probably don¡¯t know this yet, but the Young Lady helped me acquire a ss Amunication crystal this morning.¡±


    The vassals¡¯ eyes lit up with surprise. A ss Amunication crystal would easily circumvent the spells that the Crombells had put up to prevent outsidemunication, as befitting a treasure of its price.


    ¡°As luck had it, your father¡¯s secret safe had the one thing we needed most right now.¡±


    Charles¡¯ eyes lit up at the mention of her father. Even after months of sickness, he brought Charles to see the ball venue. Short as it was, the moment they shared together was precious to her.


    ¡°Now is not a good time to change your mind.¡±


    Charles tried to blink away the memory, but her father¡¯s image had shaken her.


    ¡°Thanks to that, we can find out what¡¯s going on outside, bted as it is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief. As the battle drags on, information will be our most important asset.¡± Cox, seated next to Charles, smiled. ¡°It¡¯ll be alright.¡±


    Charles and Cox shared a look. The Young Lady saw his steady, reassuring expression and happy smile and calmed down.


    <em>Cox¡­</em>


    ¡°It turns out that the winner of the Master Battle challenged the Mercenary King for his seat among the Twelve Superhumans, which is what drew him away.¡±


    The conference hall rustled with confusion. The Superhumans hadn¡¯t been challenged in twenty years.


    ¡°What happened? Who was it?¡± Charles inquired.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so shocked,¡± Count Verdot said. ¡°The victor is¡­¡±


    Someone audibly gulped.


    ¡°¡­Baron Joshua Sanders. A man of Avalon and Duke Agnus¡¯s blood.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it!¡± The conference room buzzed.


    Charles felt an electric thrill run down her spine.


    While she was overwhelmed with surprise, someone else leaped out of his seat.


    ¡°I don¡¯t get it.¡±


    ¡°Um, Baron Ashval?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. I have my doubts as to whether he really won the Master Battle, but even then, why would he keep trying to help us when his subordinates¡¯ lives are at risk? His reputation isn¡¯t worth that much.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he was genuinely concerned for our family. The fact is, the Mercenary King is no longer creating problems for us.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s doing it for us or whatever. The disadvantage is toorge, and we¡¯ve already lost Sir Cain. Nothing has gone our way¡ªin fact, I struggle to see how it could have gone worse.¡±


    The room fell deathly silent when Cain¡¯s name was brought up. Charles bowed her head guiltily, and darkness erased the light in her eyes once again.


    Baron Ashval nervously scratched his pointed chin. ¡°I¡¯m loath to admit it, but he was a true knight. More than half of our troops owe him their lives, thanks to his three-day battle. I am one of them. That androgynous brat¡ª¡± He leaned towards the Pontier servants. ¡°The evidence is there; we just need to pick up the pieces. I think you understand what I¡¯m saying: we have a mole.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ªIn the family, Lord Ashval?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you seen the way they¡¯re moving into the basin? They walk through our territory like it¡¯s their own backyard, digging up our traps and cutting off our supply routes. What kind of tactics are those? They even used the secret passageways only a few people in our family know about! They have our people hostage! How many vassals have they conquered already? We don¡¯t even know if Barons Axel, Pedro, and Yudir are still alive!¡±


    Someone sighed despairingly.


    ¡°Half of the basin is lost! Without the ck Knight protecting the Dennis River or Lord Cain holding Eiden Gorge, we must catch this rat.¡±


    ¡°So who the hell is it?¡± Count Verdot demanded. ¡°If you¡¯re so insistent, you must have an idea.¡±


    ¡°Time is of the essence, so I won¡¯t y with words. All of us here have been with the family for a long time. We all had plenty of chances to leave, but we¡¯ve stayed true to the end.¡±


    The vassals nodded. Their frustration had been building in their hearts. It felt good to finally be able to direct it somewhere.


    ¡°Right! There¡¯s no way they could know!¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is it? I¡¯ll make them pay.¡±


    ¡°Quickly, Baron Ashval, speak! I¡¯ll cut off his head and bring it to the Young Lady myself!¡±


    Baron Ashval squared his shoulders, but Charles¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do¡­¡± Charles muttered. The enemy held a sword to the Pontiers¡¯ neck, and they were eager to use it. Letting doubts drive them to internal conflicts would kill them as surely as the Crombells¡¯ army.


    <em>Baron Ashval is thest person who saw Lord Cain. If he¡¯s the rat, he¡¯s ying the room well¡­</em> She shivered.


    ¡°So it has to be someone who knows our secrets but isn¡¯t one of us. The culprit is obvious!¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Charles shook her head.


    ¡°Bring thatmoner, Icarus, here!¡±


    ¡°What a joke! Icarus risked just as much as Sir Cain did,¡± Charles refuted. ¡°Just who prepared us for the assault on Dennis River?¡±


    ¡°Young Lady, that only increases my doubts.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°A month has passed, and Icarus still hasn¡¯t exined the logic behind reinforcing the Dennis River.¡±


    ¡°None of us thought they would attack us through the river. If we hadn¡¯t been prepared, we¡¯d be destroyed. Why inform us ahead of time?¡± Charles was no fool. Why would they take the long way around when they were eager to end it quickly?


    ¡°So, what are you nning on doing next?¡± Count Verdot asked.


    ¡°Even if they get into the basin, we can buy more time if we switch to gueri warfare.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get that rat to trust me so I can kill them once and for all when the time is right.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t know when Marquis Crombell will make his move¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll drag Icarus here like a dog right now!¡± Baron Ashavl shouted. ¡°I¡¯ll kill that rat and show them the might of the Pontier family¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s necessary.¡±


    Ashval flinched. Someone was walking through the door. Their beauty was clouded by sorrow; their sky-blue hair was dull and brittle¡ªbut still, Icarus remained radiant.


    ¡°A-Ah!¡± Baron Ashval jumped like he¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    ¡°I found your rat.¡±


    The crowd roared. ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    ¡°I-Icarus?!¡± Even Charles was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Are you happy with your acting?¡± Icarus¡¯s bright blue eyes stopped.


    Charles turned to follow Icarus¡¯s gaze and stiffened with shock. She¡¯d known him for years, even longer than the rest of the family. He¡¯d been her steadfast support the whole way.


    ¡°Count Cox von Wagen,¡± Icarus intoned. ¡°The gold-eating monster of Avalon.¡±

 Chapter 186:

    Chapter 186:


    ¡°What?¡± Cox stared back.


    ¡°You show up out of nowhere and talk shit like that¡ªWhere are you getting off?¡± Baron Ashval raged. ¡°What do you mean the rat is Count Cox!? Do you have any idea how much he¡¯s done for the family? We¡¯ve been patient with you so far because you¡¯re the Young Lady¡¯s guest, but you¡¯ve crossed the line!¡± He red hatefully at Icarus. If he had his sword, he would be pointing it at Icarus. ¡°You dug your own grave. You thought I wouldn¡¯t see through your n to sow chaos at thest minute?


    ¡°Where are the knights?¡± he demanded. ¡°It¡¯s not enough to let this brat intrude; you¡¯re going to make us listen to this drivel too?¡±


    A fistful of knights stormed into the room with weapons in hand.


    Charles snapped out of her shocked stupor. ¡°Wait, hold!¡± She struggled to keep up with the rapid turn of events.


    <em>It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust Icarus¡ªhow could I doubt Joshua¡¯s people?</em> Charles considered Icarus the most reliable friend she had, even if they weren¡¯t able to meet frequently. Just how many people had Icarus¡¯s ns saved? <em>But¡­</em> Charles turned her head to Cox, who looked just as confused as Charles was.


    It was hard to believe, even if no one else knew him as Charles did. Cox had never left her side since she was a toddler; in some ways, she trusted him more than her own father.


    ¡°Icarus,¡± Charles looked at Cox and then Icarus. ¡°I really hope¡­¡± For a moment, they regarded each other, and then Cox gave her a reassuring smile. But when she saw Icarus¡¯s blue eyes, her blood ran cold.


    ¡°I have three reasons.¡±


    The knights hesitated. The truth was, they were the people with the most doubts about this situation. They owed Cain too much for holding the Gorge on his own.


    ¡°What the hell are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute, Baron Ashval.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear Icarus out. You can make a choice afterward, no?¡±


    The vassals carefully avoided looking at Cox.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Charles said to the confused knights, who backed away.


    Icarus gave her a grateful look before speaking. ¡°I knew there was a traitor from the beginning. No matter how strong Marquis Crombell is, even with the Mercenary King¡¯s favor, one of the pirs of the Empire is not defeated so easily.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not saying anything we don¡¯t already kno¡ª¡±


    ¡°And.¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes glowed with determination. ¡°One particr event put the Pontiers onto the defensive, ultimately pushing them back into this basin deep in Eiden Gorge.¡±


    ¡°What of it?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°The attempt on Duke Pontier¡¯s life, the center of this¡­ mess. Isn¡¯t it strange how the Duke himself was poisoned in the middle of the war when security was at its maximum? You¡¯re telling me that the patriarch of one of the five greatest families in the Empire was <em>poisoned</em>, despite multiple tasters? And no trace of poison was found afterward, mind you.¡±


    This time, not even Baron Ashval was willing to speak up. He wasmander of the knights and, therefore, responsible for the Duke¡¯s security.


    ¡°The poison used on the Duke was Blue Mountain Gary. It is scentless and tasteless, making it difficult for even a knight to detect it. Even a small amount of this white powder is lethal.¡±


    ¡°Everything brought to the Duke was taste-tested by three different servants,¡± Count Verdot interjected. ¡°The traitor would have to bypass all three of them for the poison to reach the Duke. It¡¯s not impossible, but it certainly wouldn¡¯t be easy. The servants have been in the family for the longest time. You may be able to buy out one, but all three?¡±


    ¡°Then what¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not impossible to bypass the taste-testing. The ce we need to look isn¡¯t the way the food is made, but where it¡¯s served.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Baron Ashval sneered. ¡°The Duke always had the knights and I by his side while he ate. No one could have fooled our eyes¡ª¡±


    ¡°So you guarded the Duke?¡±


    Ashval gave Icarus a poisonous re, but the young strategist was undeterred.


    ¡°And all the knights are under yourmand¡­ You see where I¡¯m going here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Charles tried to intervene.


    ¡°Even within the family, only four people had permission to speak with him directly: Young Lady Charles, only daughter of the Pontiers, Count Verdot, directly in charge of the Pontiers¡¯ affairs, Baron Ashval,mander of the knights, and, finally¡­¡± Icarus looked sadly at Cox. ¡°Count Cox, responsible for the Pontier family¡¯s finances. As a merchant family, the Duke ced a huge amount of faith in Count Cox, as much faith as his own daughter.¡±


    ¡°But, Cox¡­ No, Cox was always with me, unlike everyone else. Ever since I was a child, I was usually away from the house¡ª¡±


    ¡°That makes him even more suspicious, Young Lady.¡± Icarus firmly replied. ¡°Because he was always apanying the Young Lady, he had many chances to meet with foreign agents. It made it easy for him to keep out of sight.¡±


    Cox chose that moment to speak up. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? You have to believe in yourself, Young Lady. But, Icarus, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit of a stretch to say that I¡¯m the only one implicated by your evidence?¡±


    ¡°Second reason.¡± Icarus pushed past the knights and strode toward the table.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°May I direct your attention to the map for a moment?¡± Icarus pointed to a set of four bright yellow lines¡ªthe aforementioned secret supply routes. ¡°As you can see, we discussed four different supply routes at our conference. I added some tricks to them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­¡± Most of the vassals looked confused, but Count Verdot and Baron Ashval seemed to have a realization.


    ¡°Young Lady?¡±


    Charles jumped guiltily when Icarus called out to her. ¡°There was actually one additional route that we didn¡¯t speak of at the meeting. Count Verdot and Baron Ashval¡­ I only told Count Cox about the fifth route. I apologize. It wasn¡¯t because I didn¡¯t trust you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Young Lady.¡± Count Verdot shook his head knowingly. ¡°It only makes sense, given the situation.¡±


    ¡°None of the supply routes I talked about are the same.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, they were bait. Even if the enemy didn¡¯t try to attack the fifth supply route, I thought they would at least try to verify their intelligence. I was right.¡± Icarus stared at Cox as she spoke.


    ¡°There is a direct path between here and the Aksel estate. When I told Count Cox, a strange man dressed like an herbalist showed up.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just an herbalist¡ª¡± Cox began.


    Icarus cut him off. ¡°Third andst. Count Cox was spotted leaving the areate at night.¡±


    Cox¡¯s face hardened. ¡°I couldn¡¯t sleepst night, so I went for a walk.¡±


    ¡°Did I say it wasst night?¡± Icarus smiled, but it did nothing to hide her anger. ¡°Thatst one was a lie.¡±


    ¡°Once again, I admire you for taking on such a challenge. I¡¯m kind of sad, actually. It would¡¯ve been nice if you said something to me¡­¡±


    Joshuaughed out loud. ¡°The match can be used for any kind of battle, even one not between superhumans.¡±


    The Lion King looked confused for a moment and then burst outughing as well.


    ¡°Must be nice¡ªI mean, being young. Here, take this. A gift from me to you.¡±


    Joshua plucked a hexagonal te out of the air. It had a lion with a sword in its mouth on it.


    ¡°As someone who doesn¡¯t listen, I¡¯ll give you one piece of advice.¡±


    Joshua gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°I¡¯ve only lost once and only tied once in my entire life. I fought for two days and two nights¡ªnot against one of the Nine Stars or Twelve Superhumans, but against a ¡®normal¡¯ Master. What you see isn¡¯t everything, so don¡¯t look forward too much. It helps to look back sometimes.¡± The Lion King smiled bitterly. ¡°I say that because I¡¯m worried that you¡¯ll break your neck by staring forward.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate any advice.¡±


    ¡°You have no sense of humor.¡± Geiger waved his hand as he resumed walking. ¡°Thank you, but I have a lot to do. Let¡¯s go; I¡¯ll handle everything else.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Remember what you have to do. I don¡¯t know about the rest, but you must engrave your name on Naga¡¯s tombstone. Don¡¯t forget: the royal tomb is on the outskirts of Reinhardt.¡±


    Geiger then realized that the new king wasn¡¯t there¡ªemotionally¡ªanymore.


    ¡°If you¡¯re too busy, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± He shook his head and started walking back to the castle. ¡°By the way¡­ That snake jerk has been with us for two days, but he still hasn¡¯t said goodbye. How sad¡­¡±


    In the end, the Lion King¡¯s seal of words, which was where he said hisst words, was no longer anywhere in the castle.

 Chapter 187:

    Chapter 187:


    On the edge of Reinhardt, deep in Wilhelm¡¯s Forest, the chirping of birds apanied the soft sounds of a beautiful grass flute. Three men stood on a narrow path¡ªthe judges for the Master Battle. They were the only three Masters who didn¡¯te from one of the empires.


    Master Aiture, a cold, tense middle-aged man from the Kingdom of Dryia, was the first to break the silence.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders wille down this path soon. Today may be thest chance.¡±


    ¡°I never expected him to skip all the events,¡± mused Master Windmill of the Allied Powers of Palentine. ¡°The only thing he did was engrave his name on the ancestral stone¡­¡±


    ¡°I heard he¡¯s only interested in improving his skills. If he had given the outside world a little more thought, he wouldn¡¯t have made such a foolish choice. No doubt Reinhardt¡¯s vassals threw a fit. Hah.¡±


    ¡°His martial arts skills really don¡¯t fit intomon sense, do they.¡±


    The rumors were a mess of ambiguous reports. Joshua had dived headfirst into politics when all he¡¯d ever known was fighting.


    Hasegi calmly put down his grass flute. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to eliminate him before he bes a bigger issue. Thest move he used against the Prince was¡­¡±


    Aiture and Windmill didn¡¯t reply.


    ¡°Avalon¡¯s power has massively increased because of this Master Battle. Marcus von Britten is a bloodthirsty monster.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not keeping his head down because he¡¯s weak. He could start a war any time he wanted¡ª he¡¯s just looking for the right moment.¡± Windmill sighed.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders bing king of Reinhardt is the same as Emperor Marcus controlling the most important location on the continent.¡± Aiture regarded them frostily. ¡°Do you think that madman will miss a chance like this?¡±


    The other two Masters spat a sigh when Aiture said what was on all of their minds.


    ¡°¡­Even in the Swallow Empire it¡¯s a huge mess,¡± Windmill said.


    Aiture tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°At the end of the Master Battle, the people of the Principality of Thran were moving strangely. The Emperor vanished like a ghost as soon as the Battle was over¡­ so I looked into it.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you were paid.¡±


    Windmill was silent for a moment before nodding stiffly.


    ¡°Word is, Emperor Verona belle Grace¡¯s life is in danger.¡±


    Aiture and Hasegi stared at him, wide-eyed.


    ¡°There are rumors that his sickness is getting worse, and that it was triggered by an attempt on his life. I don¡¯t know the details¡ªin that, the Swallow Empire has been silent. Regardless, the most important thing is that Emperor Verona is in no condition to worry about anyone besides himself.¡± Windmill looked worried. ¡°Emperor Verona has no sons, only three daughters. That means that with him gone, the throne of Swallow falls to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer¡ª!¡± Aiture let out a strangled moan.


    The crownnded on the heads of the two most bloodthirsty men on the continent, it seemed. War was inevitable.


    ¡°Do the other monarchs know this?¡±


    Windmill nodded. ¡°The news must have been sent by express service to all kingdoms. Perhaps Swallow will have something to say soon.¡±


    ¡°All that¡¯s left is to see how the Hubalt Empire turns out.¡±


    ¡°In times like this, all we can do is take things one step at a time,¡± Hasegi reassured Aiture.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± Aiture¡¯s trembling eyes calmed. ¡°When the war kicks off, all of the biggest names in history will be involved¡­¡±


    The other two gave Aiture tight, apprehensive looks. They knew exactly who Aiture was referring to: the ck God. Duke Aden von Agnus of the Nine Stars was famous for his dark red de. In the Avalon Empire, they called him a great god out of respect for his prowess. Elsewhere, he was better known as the ck God or the Battlefield yer. He went into battle dressed in ck from head to toe.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Aiture whispered. ¡°Something¡¯sing!¡±


    They could feel something slowly making its way down the other end of the road. The three Masters didn¡¯t need to think about who it would be. In spite of its name, the royal tomb held no bodies or treasures; it was just arge structure. There was only one person who would being here.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    A steady flow of powerful energy emerged, seemingly in response to Aiture.


    <em>Ah¡­ This is a Master¡¯s energy indeed¡­</em>


    But then, their eyes widened. There was a second presence; they thought it would be the Lion King¡­ but they were wrong.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡± Hasegi muttered. ¡°¡­and someone else?¡±


    Something was wrong.


    The figure slowly emerged into view. They knew who it was, but it wasn¡¯t the person who they had been waiting for.


    ¡°HEHEHEHE.¡± The young man got close enough to smell them and licked his lips with his bright red, snake-like tongue. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this for so long now¡­ I can¡¯t let you go¡­!¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Windmill inhaled sharply. The man¡¯s energy was stranglingly powerful. ¡°Is this how a Master moves?¡± The back of his neck dripped with cold sweat. They knew there was a difference between Imperial Masters and the other Masters, but it wasn¡¯t this big. This man was something special.


    ¡°This will be a great pre-meal workout,¡± the young man babbled.


    ¡°Shit,¡± Aiture swore. ¡°This is exactly what we were talking about.¡±


    ¡°No joke. They say Imperial Masters are getting arrogant enough to lie in the other Masters¡¯ faces.¡±


    Aiture and Hasegi shifted threateningly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The man smirked slyly as he approached. ¡°It would be hard for me to treat them the same way you treat each other.¡±


    Every trace of him vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you.¡±


    Joshua met a pair of stubborn eyes with a worried expression.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d act like this as soon as I got the Laypone. Disappointing.¡±


    ¡°Iceline¡­¡± Akshuler scratched his head. ¡°You know Joshua didn¡¯t mean to say that?¡±


    Iceline stared at the ground, fuming. Akshuler had expected this ever since they heard Joshua was going to leave on his own.


    ¡°I know,¡± she said, raising her head. ¡°You have to confront the Mercenary King. When the Pontier family was attacked, they must have thought they would die. I know you¡¯d never be able to turn your back to danger.¡± Iceline¡¯s blue eyes gazed up at him sadly.


    She¡¯d never really thought about how sad it would be if she couldn¡¯t help anyone. Iceline had more than enough reasons to go to the Pontiers, even if Joshua hadn¡¯t. Marquis Crombell was Count Rebra¡¯s enemy as well.


    But at this point, Iceline following him would only add to the stress.


    ¡°When we see each other again¡­ When we see each other again, I will be the one helping you. And¡­¡± Iceline blushed furiously. ¡°As Laypone¡¯s value rises, you¡¯ll get more deals. Be ready.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t our dealplete already?¡± Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    He smiled slyly. ¡°This all works because I was taught well. You haven¡¯t forgotten what you learned from Baron Provalum, have you?¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­ I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d know that.¡± Iceline stretched her hand out. ¡°Make sure youe back. If you do something foolish, I¡¯ll chase you all the way to hell.¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Joshua took her hand. ¡°Great. I¡¯ll hold you to it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Iceline blushed.


    ¡°Be careful. This Prince is not the same as the Mercenary King,¡± Akshuler warned Joshua.


    ¡°Thank you for your help.¡±


    Akshuler took a step back and smiled.


    ¡°Is it my turn now?¡± Lilith moved forward. ¡°Our deal still stands. It¡¯s strange that you turned down my second offer and challenged the Mercenary King instead, but you are still our¡ªNo, <em>my</em> priority customer.¡± She shed her usual smile. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you again, Master Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Stop that. You know I¡¯ll treat it like the Holy Grail.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that greatly.¡±


    Lilith felt a stinging re and made an ¡°oops¡± expression, but then she smiled slyly. ¡°And¡­ Next time, let¡¯s pick up where we left off that night. That shouldn¡¯t be too much to ask for, I think?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    Iceline and Akshuler both shouted at the same time.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I have to go now.¡± Lilith departed, leaving confusion and silence in her wake.


    ¡°That¡­ night?¡± Iceline raged inside as she watched Lilith¡¯s back disappear.

 Chapter 188:

    Chapter 188:


    A heavy, suffocating silence weighed down the Pontier conference room. The vassals stared in shocked silence at Count Cox von Wagen, thest person they would have suspected of being a traitor.


    The man himself slowly stood up from his seat, looked the others in the eye, and smiled. ¡°I wanted to be good until the end for the sake of the Young Lady, but it seems I won¡¯t be able to do that any longer.¡±


    ¡°Cox¡ª¡± Charles choked. There was a lump in her throat, but she forced herself to keep speaking. ¡°Why¡ª?¡±


    Cox sounded poetic¡­ after admitting he was the rat. It was hard for her to believe. She didn¡¯t want to believe it.


    <em>Is this how it feels to be betrayed by the person you trust the most?</em> He¡¯d cared for her since childhood, even before she could remember. Twenty years¡­ all gone. <em>I was so grateful that you stuck with me through all the years of hard times.</em>


    ¡­And he was the one who <em>took care</em> of the Patriarch until the very end.


    <em>My mouth tastes bitter.</em>


    Charles thought that the family¡¯s tight-knit bonds would prevent this kind of situation¡­ but the truth had been buried deep until now.


    ¡°Why¡­ That¡­ Betray¡ª¡±


    She finally understood what the weary, worried gaze her father sent her meant. He knew. He¡¯d known for a long time. He wasn¡¯t looking at Charles; he was looking at Cox.


    ¡°Everything¡­ You knew¡­ Ugh¡­¡±


    Icarus looked at Charles and spoke the words that the Young Lady was too distraught to say.


    ¡°Why did you betray your family?¡±


    ¡°Before I answer that, I have a question for you. How did you find out that Marquis Crombell would use the Dennis River?¡±


    Icarus¡¯s expression pinched for a moment. ¡°Knowing your enemy is the essence of strategy. Marquis Crombell fought somewhere else before he came for the Pontiers, yes?<sup>1</sup>¡±


    ¡°Ahah¡­¡± Cox nodded wisely.


    ¡°The southern provinces have wide, fertile ins; the eastern and northern regions of the empire, on the other hand, are rough and uninhabited. The cursednds begin at the Loch estate in the central region and stretch in a straight line all the way to Tripia, the former holdings of Count Rebra. ¡°


    There wasn¡¯t much food in the north and east. That was why Iceline was so desperate for supplies. It got even worse in the winter when some of the arablend was frozen solid. The people of Tripia squirreled away food before the cold set in, but they never had enough. Their families were always hungry in the winter. Tripia was more prone to starvation than anywhere else in the Empire.


    When Count Rebra acquired thend, his careful management alleviated the issue¡ªbut the new lord that took over after Count Rebra was killed was affiliated with Marquis Crombell. He immediately raised taxes to fund their war, making it impossible for the citizens to save food.


    The people of Tripia were assaulted from without and within. Their lord taxed everything they gathered, and the monsters from the ck Forest ravaged their farnd.


    ¡°The same thing happened to the Rebra family. We fled, at first, given the power difference, but they eventually rallied to the Patriarch. On the other hand, the Rebras quickly assembled a strong defense.¡±


    The vassals found the difference concerning. After the family had copsed, they only spent 60% of their time working, and the remaining 40% was spent trying to w each other out.


    ¡°Tripia is a barrennd, but its geography is extremely easy to defend. You can¡¯t move arge army in Tripia because Hubalt shares the eastern border. Steep cliffs bracket the north, and the forest looms in the west. It¡¯s a natural fortress. Count Rebra had no trouble organizing his defense¡ªBut Marquis Crombell¡¯s army didn¡¯te from the south. It emerged from the west, through the demon¡¯s forest. I think you¡¯ve all heard the stories.¡±


    ¡°¡­The ck n will curse anyone who enters that realm,¡± someone muttered The vassals nodded grimly.


    Icarus nodded. ¡°The ck Forest in the Tripia region has been forbidden territory for a long time, unlike in the central regions. To add insult to injury, Marquis Crombell had troops moving in from the south as well.


    ¡°But we have cliffs on all sides. The Marquis can¡¯t fly his troops over the hills, so the Dennis River was the only way in.¡±


    ¡°And for you, it was like putting together a puzzle. My word.¡± Cox shook his head resignedly. ¡°My master had a habit of saying ¡®Never say never.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Are you going to tell us now? Why did you betray the Pontier family and the Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget my nickname?¡± Cox smiled widely.


    ¡°The gold-eating monster?¡±


    ¡°A monster that devours gold like a starving animal. What other reason could there be?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s all,¡± Icarus refuted.


    Cox cocked his head. ¡°You speak of Marquis Crombell as though you know him well. Since I¡¯m a traitor¡­ doesn¡¯t that make me family as well?¡± His expression hardened. ¡°The future Ducal house came after Count Rebra¡­ and that got me curious. How high can Count Cox go?¡± Cox¡¯s polite smile returned. ¡°The Pontier family is the result of my hard work as a young man. It is very important to me.¡±


    ¡°Is this who you really are?¡± Baron Ashval raged. ¡°What are you doing?¡± he yelled at the knights. ¡°This man should already be in chains!¡±


    The knights quickly pushed their way from Icarus to Cox. The Count, however, stared out the window.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s almost time¡­ I hope you didn¡¯t think I was saying those things because I gave up, did you? I just don¡¯t need to pretend anymore.¡±


    A strong, acrid smell tickled their noses.


    Baron Ashval¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What is that smell?¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡± The crackling of mes could be heard outside.


    Thest stronghold of the Pontier family, Ether Castle, was swallowed by the ze.


    While the shocked vassals leaped out of their chairs, Cox remained undisturbed. He continued to gaze out the window, his eyes reflecting the growing fire.


    ¡°Today, the Pontier name disappears from the map.¡±


    Joshua ambled down a trail, fiddling with a hexagonal object.


    ¡°Why did he give this to me?¡±


    The Lion King had handed it to him rather casually, but the hexagonal tile was anything but ordinary. The symbol it bore, a lion biting a sword, was the insignia of free knights if he remembered correctly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it has anything to do with Reinhardt¡­¡±


    Joshua stopped and sniffed the air.


    ¡°¡­Blood?¡±


    This was the ¡°King¡¯s Road.¡± As befitting its name, it was a path few people traveled.


    Joshua felt a burst of energy. It could only mean one thing.


    <em>He¡¯s calling me.</em>


    Joshua thought about it for a while, then resumed walking. He only took a few steps before he stopped to scan the area.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± A middle-aged man writhed in pain, gripped around the neck by a snake-like man. Two other men wereid out across the ground, desperately searching for salvation. All three of them bled profusely.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders.¡± The thin-eyed, blood-covered man turned to Joshua with a smile, ignoring the dying man he held.


    Joshua recognized him immediately. His name held more weight than even the Prince¡¯s.


    ¡°Count Arie bron Sten¡­¡±


    ¡°The fruit is ripe. Ahh, the harvest hase.¡± Arie licked his lips. ¡°You have no idea how long I¡¯ve been waiting for this, Joshua Sanders. AHHHHHH!¡± The Count¡¯s face glowed with excitement.


    <em>Ah¡­</em> Sten¡¯s energy crawled over Joshua¡¯s body like a thousand writhing snakes. Joshua had the urge to scrub it off his skin, but the Count¡¯s murder lust kept pouring out stronger and stronger.


    Arie tossed away the man he was holding.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t disappoint me.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Just shop talk with the man who murdered Charles¡¯s father while she¡¯s <em>right there</em>. Sure.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 189:

    Chapter 189:


    Joshua¡¯s eyes slowly passed over the three unconscious men. He knew their faces¡ªthey¡¯d been judges at the Master Battle. Most kingdoms had no more than three Masters, and these men were all marquises or higher. All of them had important positions and contributed unique skills to their countries.


    And all of them were lying in front of a single man.


    ¡°HEHEHEHE!¡± Arie strode down the path and lightly flexed his wrist. A thin, delicate, and very sharp de appeared in his hand. The blood speckling it was sttered all over the ground.


    Joshua listened carefully for a moment and let out a small sigh of relief. He could just barely hear their breathing. Still, they obviously weren¡¯t in good shape. Many of their injuries looked like they would be fatal if not treated soon.


    <em>Count Arie bron Sten¡­</em> Joshua knew he deserved some respect. Not just anyone could lift his family to power singlehandedly. His exploits in Joshua¡¯s past life were nothing short of heroic. He may be an Imperial master, but regardless of his origins he could take down three Masters at the same time while suffering nothing more than scratches. <em>¡­practically godlike.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s hooded eyes glimmered subtly. Why, with his skills, didn¡¯t Count Sten try to go further rather than hiding in the back?


    ¡°Quit worrying about silly things and just enjoy the moment,¡± Arie interrupted. ¡°Thest time we talked was five years ago in Arcadia, no? Oh, don¡¯t worry.¡± Arie smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯m not trying toy me now. I¡¯ve already said this, but all I want to do is show you that rapiers aren¡¯t as bad as you think.¡±


    They locked eyes.


    ¡°Ugh. I just can¡¯t take it anymore. Joshua Sanders, no more talking.<sup>1</sup>¡± Arie licked his bloody palm<sup>2</sup> and pointed his rapier at Joshua.


    ¡°Are you crazy? No matter how smart you are, even you can¡¯t handle the fallout of kicking off a war, could you?¡±


    Traces of sadness could be seen on Arie¡¯s face¡ªbut only for a moment.


    ¡°HAHAHAHA! These scumbags aren¡¯t good for shit. They¡¯re drunk on the prestige of being a Master. They don¡¯t know what they¡¯re talking about. ¡­And don¡¯t even get me started on the ones who¡¯ll die anyways while their country burns.¡±


    Arie¡¯sst whispers were only audible because of Joshua¡¯s superhuman senses.


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I say no more talking?¡± Light shes, and then a beautiful old tree next to Joshua sported arge hole through the center. The force of Arie¡¯s sword had crossed at least ten meters, almost like magic.


    Joshua just stood there, unperturbed.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Arie gripped his sword and straightened, adopting a stance that would allow him to attack or defend at a moment¡¯s notice. ¡°If you beat me, I¡¯ll share a little secret with you. It¡¯ll be good, so do your best, okay?¡±


    When thest word rolled off his tongue, Arie¡­ disappeared. Joshua had his spear ready. He didn¡¯t even flinch, but he did take a step back. Arie was suddenly in front of Joshua, his silver tongue waving<sup>3</sup>.


    One of the reasons why Arie was so sessful on the battlefield was because he could keep a secret. Another one was his fast-paced attack. Half of his skills relied on feinting, fooling his enemy into creating an opening where he could level a hundred strikes on vital points of their body.


    They called it¡­ the Dance of the Butterflies.


    Count Sten closed in on Joshua in one swift motion. Sparks flew in a constant shower, and steel shed.


    <em>Don¡¯t let those beautiful movements deceive you.</em>


    <em>Don¡¯t even try to see what¡¯s going on.</em>


    <em>Use your sense to feel it. Just stab where your instincts guide you.</em>


    There was a small swish, and the shing attacks halted. Thebatants watched each other intently.


    ¡°AHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Arie examined the severed end of his sleeve with delight. The fruit was just as sweet as he expected. Joshua was the perfect opponent to cool his excitement¡ªindeed he was the only thing that could make Arie happy right now.


    ¡°UOOHHH¡­¡± Arie turned around, making a strange sound somewhere between a moan and a scream. ¡°Hngh. You¡¯re the best!¡± The Count shivered as he reached the peak of pleasure<sup>4</sup>. His body was overtaken with bloodlust.


    <em>For Joshua?</em>


    No.


    <em>The worms thrashing around on the floor?</em>


    Yes. The idea that those fools had tried to steal the finest prey he¡¯d ever seen made him so mad he wanted to tear them limb from limb.


    Arie looked at Joshua and suddenly smiled. And then hisughing figure vanished once more.


    Their weapons mmed into each other. For a moment, the air rang.


    Lugia was so powerful it could pulverize rock with every strike. Even a ncing blow could do the same to bone. The amount of energy flying through the air was incredible.


    An artifact that destructive would not have an ordinary master. Joshua was pretty strong, but Lugia thought he might actually be scared.


    Joshua¡¯s perception of time slowed down as Lugia spoke.


    [Are you frightened?]


    [Don¡¯t worry!]


    [Can¡¯t you feel the power in your body!]


    Lugia moved. It shed with bright red lights¡ªbut they weren¡¯t afterimages. Each of the numerous lights was an attack in its own right, and they met Arie¡¯s power head-on.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡± Windmill was roused by the violent vibrations transmitted through the ground and groaned like his head was being bashed in.


    He forgot the pain as soon as he saw what was happening.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­ Count Sten¡­!¡±


    Two monsters grinned at each other<sup>5</sup>.


    Joshua didn¡¯t wield a sword¡ªhe had something better.


    Two of the strongest beings in the world fought, but they wielded their weapons almost casually.


    ¡°Are these¡­ Masters, like us?¡± Windmill shuddered. He wanted to pretend it was all a dream, a pain-induced mirage. It was too much to believe, even if he saw it with his own two eyes. What kind of madness inspired him to try to take on such monsters?


    Joshua and Arie¡¯s battle raged.


    ¡°AHHHH!¡± Arie¡¯s teeth were bared with pleasure. Joshua¡¯s defense could stop any of his attacks with no apparent effort. His cold, unshakeable eyes seemed to find all of Arie¡¯s ws.


    <em>How would it feel if that red spear went right through my heart? I want to see everything.</em>


    The Count took five steps back, trembling with excitement.


    ¡°Mmmm, Joshua¡­¡± His voice was friendly, almost loving. ¡°Does it upset you that you were born to a concubine?¡±


    Joshua stopped.


    ¡°A sad life filled with insults and lies. You pushed past all those things and rose to your position in just a few short years. Before you got here, you did everything you could to hide the power you had. Once you got there, you left your family without regrets. It made me very curious. But¡­ You know what¡¯s more exciting?¡± Arie licked his lips. ¡°You¡ªDuke Agnus, your entire family¡ªYou never wanted for anything.¡±


    Joshua remained stoic, but that only set Arie off harder.


    ¡°KEHE. PWAHAHAHAHA!¡± Hisughter held a note of madness. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s it. That¡¯s my Joshua. Everything goes just right for you!¡± He raised both hands like he was asking for a double high five. ¡°Does he know? Does your father, the Sword God, know?¡±


    That made Joshua¡¯s eyes widen, ever so slightly. Arie¡¯s lips curled upward.


    ¡°Give me a little more fun, Joshua.¡± The tip of his sword pointed at Joshua. ¡°Come with me. Let¡¯s see how this ends.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Lmao must be the hard on?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: ew?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: like a snek?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I think he just coomed.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Flirt yesssssss?</li></ol>

 Chapter 190:

    Chapter 190:


    Windmill dragged himself across the ground.


    ¡°Aiture¡­¡± he groaned. ¡°Master¡ªMaster Hasegi¡­¡± He bit his cracked lips as he examined their supine bodies. Their breathing was weak, and Windmill himself was barely conscious. They wouldn¡¯t be in this state if it weren¡¯t for Joshua Sanders. ¡°This sucks¡­¡±


    Windmill snapped a look at the battle. The twobatants had obliterated everything in the vicinity during their fight.


    ¡°Everything we¡¯ve seen¡­ We need to tell the kingdoms as soon as we can.¡±


    Arie¡¯s abilities alone justified withdrawing. The fact that the snake-like man could topple three Masters at once was incredible, but it paled inparison to what he¡¯d said to Joshua.


    ¡°Avalon Empire¡­ Emperor Marcus¡­¡± Windmill pried a bloody piece of shrapnel out of his corbone with a pained groan. He clutched the dripping wound with one hand while he propped himself up with the other. He looked up.


    The slitted eyes of Count Arie bron Sten of Avalon looked back.


    ¡°AHAHAHAHAHA.¡±


    Windmill stared dumbly at him for a moment. Arie immediately lost interest and turned to the man lying next to Windmill.


    ¡°Holding your breath because¡ª!¡± Arie lifted his rapier over Hasegi¡¯s prone form.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Windmill weakly groaned. ¡°Stop! He¡¯s a marquis! You can¡¯t just kill him¡ª¡±


    Arie grinned. ¡°And you? You just tried to kill a Master of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª No, I mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, well.¡± Arie¡¯s smile stretched from ear to ear. ¡°If you¡¯re going to die anyways, it might as well be sooner rather thanter¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Windmill boggled at him.


    ¡°The continent will be bathed in blood soon. Those three kingdoms will be the first. Dryia, Fordran, Palentine¡­ They¡¯ll all be reduced to ashes, along with the ones who lead them¡­¡±


    Windmill¡¯s eyes trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Avalon, the war¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Would it be only Avalon, I wonder?¡±


    Windmill¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°But you¡¯re here.¡± Arie¡¯s smile remained fixed on his face. ¡°And criminals need to be punished.¡±


    Windmill vainly wished for Arie to disappear as his thin hands wrapped around Windmill¡¯s neck.


    ¡°AGH¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Stop bothering me and just go to sleep,¡± Arie muttered.


    Windmill felt himself flying through the air until he hit the ground headfirst.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±


    Thest thing Windmill remembered before he lost consciousness was hearing ¡°First¡­ go away.¡±


    His mind descended into an indistinct haze.


    As Windmill departed the battlefield, the only thing on his mind was warning the kingdoms. The continent had been at peace for a long time¡ªif the Continental War had started, it was important that the kingdoms were forewarned so that they could coordinate.


    ¡°AH¡ª!¡± His eyes popped open. When he finally stopped trembling long enough to look down, he saw a thin rod skewering his heart. ¡°No, no, no. I can¡¯t get caught yet¡ªUgh!¡±


    ¡°Arie bron Ste¡ª¡±


    Arie¡¯s form flickered like a ghost. His rapier was withdrawn, and then there was a pair of cracks, so fast they were almost simultaneous. Hasegi and Aiture received stab wounds like Windmill¡¯s. It didn¡¯t take long for them to stop thrashing.


    It was over in the blink of an eye. Joshua didn¡¯t even have time to move.


    Count Sten looked up as the light faded from Windmill¡¯s eyes. ¡°The nuisances are gone. Let¡¯s keep ying.¡±


    ¡°What the hell?¡± Joshua stared at him coldly. ¡°Killing Masters from other countries?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Emperor will mind,¡± Arieughed. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you¡­ but I really like obedient dogs the most.¡±


    Joshua recoiled. His worst fears hade true.


    This was wrong. It was too soon.


    <em>Has fate been twisted because I went back in time¡­?</em>


    ¡°Is the Emperor really considering a continental war?¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, Joshua, Joshua.¡± Arie let out a long breath. ¡°Please don¡¯t worry about that right now. Just pay attention to me.¡± His perpetually slitted eyes slowly opened to regard Joshua.


    Joshua noted his eyes were grey, just like his hair<sup>1</sup>.


    Given how Arie usually acted, this was definitely strange. He was practically drooling; after all, he¡¯d been waiting for this feast for over five years. He wanted to take his time savoring the vor, enjoying the fruits of his patience¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t stand it for much longer. With this much power, it was obvious why he was in Reinhardt.


    ¡°A¡­ little too dangerous.¡± A strange light passed through Arie¡¯s now-open eyes, and a powerful energy swallowed the atmosphere.


    Joshua shrugged aside his thoughts and hefted Lugia.


    The fight was on.


    Arie¡¯s figure vanished like a wisp of smoke once again. He was stronger and faster than any opponent Joshua had met before. The small sword flickered as if to say, ¡°This is how a rapier is used.¡± It lunged for his heart, forcing Joshua onto the defensive.


    The sound of metal striking metal was reced with booming explosions. There was no ¡°reach¡± advantage¡ªArie¡¯s zing rapier struck everywhere.


    Joshua¡¯s feet kicked up plumes of dust as he was pushed back¡ª


    <em>No.</em>


    He lowered his body, protecting his vital points from Arie¡¯s probing de, although the Count may have avoided aiming for them to draw out the fight.


    If Arie had be his rapier, then Joshua would be the spear. He would kill anything in his way.


    Count Sten¡¯s eyes widened.


    They became their weapons. Thendscape faded away, reced by a white veil; there was only Joshua and his spear.


    And then there was no longer Joshua or his spear because they had be one.


    ¡°Haha!¡± Arie felt the impending danger and scowled. He mmed his feet against the ground,unching himself into the sky.


    Jumping was not often used in one-on-one matches. It was impossible to avoid an attack in midair.


    But, impossibly, Arie rose higher and higher, as if he was jumping off the air. When he finally stopped, he almost looked like he stood upon the sun as he stared down at Joshua. Then he fell, fast as lightning.


    Blood rushed through Joshua¡¯s ears as a flicker of silver descended toward him. One of the most beautiful sword skills on the continent originated from the Sten family. That singlebo could change everything. The rapier danced like fluttering petals, drinking deeply of its opponent¡¯s blood.


    Joshua jammed Lugia into the ground, raising its point into the sky as he roused the power of destruction slumbering inside the spear¡¯s haft. The fight with bis had taught him that nothing was impossible. The Prince¡¯s secret ability was crimson fire magic that flew so high it looked like it could rend the sky in two. Joshua knew how to use a spear technique just like it, and with Magma¡¯s power of annihtion added¡­


    Mana imposed itself on the atmosphere. A ze arose with Joshua in the center.


    If the petals form an inescapable, then all you had to do was burn them away<sup>2</sup>. Bring out a dragon that will eat the fire and the earth.


    A dragon rose into the air, cast from the unquenchable mes of annihtion.


    Arie watched the dragon rise toward him with wide eyes.


    And atst, the world was consumed by an earth-shattering explosion.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: His eyes are the same color as his hair, just like everyone else in this novel? You don¡¯t say.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: When in doubt, use fire¡­ i think??</li></ol>

 Chapter 191:

    Chapter 191:


    The air was shredded by the fire dragon. Its gaping jaws opened, disying its dizzyingly hot innards. Every stray insect in the area was instantly incinerated as the dragon¡¯s jaws devoured Arie¡¯s attack. He walked straight into it¡­


    Ariended softly in the debris. He still moved as light as a feather, but he looked nothing like he used to. His clothes were scorched, and his cheeks were deeply charred.


    ¡°OHHHHHHHHH¡­¡± Arie let out a long, long moan as if he was releasing his long pent-up emotions. After a moment, he turned to Joshua and spoke¡ªmore quietly this time. ¡°I love you.<sup>1</sup> Joshua Sanders, I love you from the bottom of my heart.¡± He ripped the burned clothes off of his heaving chest.


    Was the sudden disy of power an attempt to cow his enemy into submission?


    Of course not. Once again, the fight for life and death had sent him to the peak of pleasure<sup>2</sup>, filling his skull with a white haze.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I am so sorry.¡± Arie¡¯s expression was genuinely remorseful. It had taken him too long to deal with the unexpected bugs; now, he was running out of time with Joshua. Already he could feel a presence approaching, no more than ten minutes away. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful if I could enjoy this for a little longer, hmm?¡±


    ¡°I wish you¡¯d stop acting like a pervert. Do you see people as food?¡± Joshua probed, his voice low.


    ¡°Are you curious?¡± Arie asked with a smile. ¡°Oh, don¡¯t make that face. I really am sad.¡± He waved his hand as he approached his stiff-faced opponent. ¡°You have to keep your promises. Obviously, I have to finish my business first.¡±


    Joshua tensed as Arie¡¯s feet left the ground, wary of a surprise attack¡ªbut Arie¡¯s next actions threw his ns into disarray.


    The Count reached to his chest and pulled out a bottle the size of his knuckle. He popped the lid, allowing a distinctive sour smell to waft into the air.


    There were many poisons in this world. Some of them maximized their effect using magic called ¡°Spell Poison.¡± One, in particr, had a very unique scent; it was said to be able to kill a person with just a few drops and leave not so much as a bone behind.


    ¡°Fire bon Acid. It can make a human body disappear without a trace.¡±


    Joshua gave him a look that asked, ¡°Really?¡± and Arie smiled back at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit too soon for everyone to know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to use that to defile their bodies?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t attach meaning to a corpse, Joshua. It¡¯s just trash, isn¡¯t it? HAHAHAHA! Joshua, Joshua. Why are your eyes so fascinating? Those stares are the most exciting of them all. I think I¡¯m going to go crazy with happiness.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Arie stoppedughing. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask just in case, but you¡¯re not going to get in the way, are you? Starting the war right now wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea if you wanted it¡ªbut don¡¯t you still need some time?¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t deny it. No kingdom would be able to stay still if they knew their Masters had been killed, which would waste a lot of Joshua¡¯s time. He needed a few months to sort everything out. No, maybe years. It might work out if he could stop the war, but he couldn¡¯t. He couldn¡¯t even guarantee the lives of the few people under him right now.


    He quietly closed his eyes. Duke Altsma had reacted violently at first, but had been quiet ever since. Joshua knew, better than anyone, that things didn¡¯t always go as nned. A short dy could lead to irreparable damages. His people were his top priority.


    Arie watched Joshua think with great amusement.


    ¡°Duke Agnus knew everything from the very beginning. So why didn¡¯t he do anything? It¡¯s been almost twenty years. Is he too scared to y with fire? Or maybe he just has something up his sleeve?¡± Arie smiled. ¡°I like the look on your face. By the way,¡± he added, ¡°There¡¯s at least three people in the Empire who are stronger than me.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes flickered briefly in surprise. That would mean that there were at least two more powerful superhumans in the Empire besides Duke Agnus.


    Arie let a few drops of acid drip onto the bodies. The acid fizzed in the blood and eventually consumed the entire body.


    ¡°Keep an eye on your father,¡± the Count muttered. ¡°The Sword God of Avalon is more dangerous than the Emperor.¡± He slowly turned around. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for the day we see each other again.¡±


    ¡°Is this what you meant?¡± It was a question that could be answered in any number of ways.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Arie¡¯s smiling figure vanished. ¡°At least I love you from the bottom of my heart, Joshua.¡±


    Someone gasped.


    When Cox finished speaking, the man in light armor blocking Cox¡¯s path copsed. But there was something odd. His chest proudly bore the golden owl of the Pontier family.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Lady! Calm down!¡± Baron Ashval straightened up and started shouting orders when he heard the harsh breathing. ¡°The safety of the Duke should be our number one priority! Do you understand me?¡±


    The young knight in front of him snapped to attention. ¡°We obey!¡±


    The Patriarch swayed weakly.


    ¡°Father¡ª!¡± Charles bit her lips as emotions choked her throat.


    The fire blinded their eyes. The rancid smoke scoured their nostrils. From time to time, screams drifted towards them.


    The safest ce in the Pontier Territory, Fendra Castle, the furthest point from the battle, was being razed¡ªalong with everything the Pontier family stood for.


    ¡°Is this what you want, Morrossi¡­?¡± Charles pleaded with the God of Destiny for answers, her anguish inly visible on her face.


    How did this happen? It wouldn¡¯t be so tragic if it were an attack from the outside. But it looked like the attack hade from the inside.


    Cox wasn¡¯t the only traitor. When the secret hade to light, half of the vassals at the meeting had joined Cox¡¯s side. The knights were at a loss as for what to do.


    The family had been falling apart for a long time. This was just the pus rising to the surface.


    ¡°This is my fault,¡± Icarus bemoaned. ¡°I was nning to put Count Cox in a vulnerable position and hunt down the rest of the traitorster¡­¡±


    Icarus¡¯s failure was believing that there wouldn¡¯t have been so many traitors. They looked like loyal people.


    But, even if they¡¯d known, there wasn¡¯t much they could have done about it. Sorting out the traitors would have caused too much confusion. The Pontier family was already in shambles¡ªthis situation was not something they could cope with.


    ¡°Young Lady, I think you should withdraw to Peril Castle and make ns for the future,¡± Count Verdot advised. ¡°It will take at least four days for the enemy to reach there.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s for the best,¡± Baron Ashval agreed. ¡°Our main force and all but a thousand of the reserve forces are there. There¡¯s nowhere safer right now.¡± He nodded, his face brightening slightly. The east gate wasn¡¯t too far away. ¡°The horses should be ready near the eastern gate. We should join the knights there right away!¡±


    ¡°There they are¡ª!¡± From behind Charles¡¯s group came a shout.


    Baron Ashval made a face. ¡°Make sure Group Two has a safe way out!¡±


    ¡°We obey!¡± Seven knights bowed to Charles.


    ¡°May Hermes¡¯s blessings grace the Young Lady¡¯s path.¡±


    ¡°You must survive, Young Lady.¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes were wet as the knightsid their emotions bare.


    ¡°How about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    As the enemy stomped closer, Charles bit her lip and bowed her head.


    ¡°In your sacrifice¡­ the Pontier¡¯s name will live on.¡±


    The seven knights stiffened. A golden owl flew high above the smoke.


    Some may say it was a foul bird that would even eat its own mother, but no one would ever forget the Pontier name.


    When Charles finally left the knights behind, her back looked even smaller and sadder than before.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: This is not me feeding the ship okay?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Get yourself a man with as much stamina in bed as Arie.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 192:

    Chapter 192:


    A slight tremor ran through the ground.


    The group¡¯s frantic footsteps paused.


    <em>What¡¯s happening?</em> Kingaitu thought, but said nothing.


    ¡°The new king is travelling in that direction. I think I should go.¡±


    ¡°I agree. Any issues with the King¡¯s well-being are an uneptable threat.¡±


    Hundreds of men, each d in ck full-te mail, stood behind Kingaitu. Just as Reinhardt had its sentinels, its monarch had his own guard. They had been charged by the first king, Wilhelm, to protect the new king, and were bestowed with the power to do so.


    And so the Wilhelm Knights guarded the king.


    As high-profile as their principle was, the Knights themselves rarely made themselves known; they followed the king quietly, like his shadow. There were two things that could make them abandon their usual discreteness: one, the king¡¯s life was in jeopardy; two, Reinhardt¡¯s security was in jeopardy.


    That meant they were generally forgotten about. There wasn¡¯t much that could harm the king, who was worth more than a legion in and of himself, nor could anything short of an all-out invasion threaten Reinhardt.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move, quickly.¡±


    The men¡¯s faces brightened as the Lion King spoke. He may technically no longer be their king, but, under the circumstances and given the fact that it had been less than a day, they could be forgiven.


    ¡°Knights six through ten will remain here in case of a further emergency,¡± Akison, Wilhelm¡¯s first knight, ordered. ¡°¡ªbut the rest, follow me.¡±


    ¡°Move!¡±


    The knights sallied out in orderly groups.


    The Lion King¡¯s expression hardened and he suddenly dashed forward. ¡°I¡¯m going ahead,¡± he told them, and then he sped up and vanished from sight.


    Akison watched him go and then shouted at the knights.


    ¡°Hurry! We need to catch up!¡±


    ¡°These are¡­¡± The Lion King arrived first and examined the scene with a tense expression.


    Everything was in ruins, no matter where he looked. The trees sported unsightly holes; there was a strange odor that made the tip of his nose tingle; and finally, there was a figure practically bathed in dust.


    The Lion King quickly grasped the situation and slowly approached.


    ¡°What happened?¡±


    When Joshua remained silent, the Lion King¡¯s expression darkened even further. It was not an issue of his silence. Conflict had broken out right on Reinhardt¡¯s doorstep, and the King was all alone.


    ¡°This situation could develop into an international issue. Reinhardt¡¯s status is unique.¡± The Lion King sighed. ¡°More people will arrive shortly. They won¡¯t be as understanding as I am.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it.¡±


    As the Lion King predicted, the scene was shortly crowded with people.


    ¡°What the heck is this?¡± Kingaitu and the other knights pulled the same face as the Lion King. Their mouths gaped disbelievingly as their eyes wandered over the devastation.


    ¡°This is the first time we¡¯ve met, My King,¡± a harsh-faced man said. ¡°I am Akison Demeter, first of the King¡¯s Knights¡ª¡±


    ¡°My King,¡± Kingaitu interrupted, ¡°are you hurt?¡±


    Akison¡¯s and the Lion King¡¯s eyebrows shot up.


    <em>What is he saying?</em> This man was obsessed with Reinhardt and Reinhardt alone. Why was he so worried about Joshua?


    The Wilhelm Knights watched Kingaitu fuss over Joshua doubtfully.


    ¡°I was careless. I should have prioritized the king¡¯s safety no matter how distant the danger was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kingaitu?¡± Akison¡¯s doubts finally spilled out. ¡°All signs point to the assant being at least a Master. You understand that the situation has changed, yes? Masters are the faces of their countries! Don¡¯t you understand that you wouldn¡¯t stand a chance? It¡¯s like a battle between a shrimp and a whale,¡± he hissed into Kingaitu¡¯s ear. ¡°We both know how that ends!¡±


    The true purpose of the Wilhelm Knights came to light.


    The lords of Reinhardt came from many origins, but they were always winners of the Master Battle and had ambitions to match. Reinhardt¡¯s neutral status and symbolic significance limited its monarch¡¯s movements, but who wouldn¡¯t try to flex their power?


    Thus, the Wilhelm Knights weren¡¯t guardians, they were handlers, responsible for stopping such incidents before they could happen.


    ¡°Akison!¡± Kinaitu snapped. ¡°You heard what thest king said, too.¡±


    Akison flinched. ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°How much longer must we be treated as rootless fools?¡±


    The other knight fell silent.


    ¡°Fools, wandering marauders, savages,wless degenerates,¡± Kingaitu bemoaned, ¡°They call us all these things and more.¡±


    Kingaitu watched Akison chew his lip and took it as a sign to continue.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t that our dream? To make Reinhardt a truly independent nation?¡±


    Akison¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The king lit a fire. It¡¯s up to us to use it.¡± Kingaitu swept his gaze over the other knights. ¡°I gave the king my word. I made an oath. Rather than spending the rest of our lives in the other nations¡¯ shadows, letting them shower us with insulting monikers, let us take a bold step toward change. Honorable Wilhelm Knights, are you satisfied with your lives?¡±


    The Knights¡¯ hands were clenched into fists. Their hearts were roused by the inexplicable power in Kingaitu¡¯s words.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Kingaitu pounded his fist against his breast, where the Wilhelm crest was emzoned. ¡°Not as Kingaitu, the King¡¯s watcher, but as Leo de Gran, proud Knight of Wilhelm.¡± The magic suppressing ne that hung on the neck of Kingaitu¡ªor rather, Leo de Gran¡ªwas thrown to the ground.


    A hurricane of momentum rushed out of Leo¡¯s body, startling the Knights. He had never trusted the Lion King enough to show him this. For the first time in twenty years, the full force of an A-ss knight was on disy.


    ¡°My friend¡­¡± Akison¡¯s eyes trembled, but he drew his sword anyway. ¡°May the Knights of Wilhelm always carry Naga¡¯s will!¡± The knights¡¯ voices rose high into the sky.


    Leo took a step forward.


    ¡°My Lord, I have a question.¡±


    Joshua watched them with a small smile.


    ¡°May we follow you?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s grin widened. ¡°If you so choose.¡±


    ¡°I understand, my lord.¡± de Grans turned around wearing an ear-to-ear smile. ¡°From now on, the Wilhelm Knights serve the king!¡±


    The other knights drew their swords, following Akison¡¯s lead.


    <em>Have I ever felt this? Have I ever dreamed of this?</em>


    Reinhardt was a kingdom, not a city on the sidelines. It was time they took the first steps to prove that fact.


    ¡°Let our king pass! We march until we reach his destination!¡±


    The wind carried the shouts of more than a hundred men.


    Two men faced each other, surrounded in splendor and gold.


    The one on the left was one of the most influential men in southern Avalon: the head of Crombell, easily identified by his sleazy eyes and sharply pointed skull.


    ¡°You ticked that superhuman, didn¡¯t you?¡± Marquis Gehor<sup>1</sup> tapped the table, making no attempt to hide his uneasiness. ¡°Pendra Castle contacted me just now. Don¡¯t you understand that we need to take the remaining castle all at once, now that we¡¯ve broken their headquarters? If they resort to gueri warfare, this war will drag on and on. Even worse, what if that dreadful ck Knight shows up again?¡± Gehor scowled. The reports were unambiguous.


    If he lost his seat now¡ª


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m never leaving.¡±


    Marquis Gehor took a deep breath. ¡°Why do you say that? Are you going to step down from the Superhumans?¡±


    ¡°Not if I can be a marquis like you after we¡¯re done.¡± The other man shed a strange smile. ¡°A marquis of the Empire is better than those Superhumans with nothing but their names, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    The Marquis licked his lips. It was a typical crass, mercenary-like statement. If he, as the leader of a million mercenaries, did it, the other mercenaries would suffer for it. It went without saying that the guild¡¯s reputation would suffer as well.


    <em>It¡¯s not my problem at all, but it¡¯s better this way.</em>


    He kept that thought to himself.


    ¡°Have youe up with anything else?¡± he asked, straightening up.


    ¡°This might be thest time, but I¡¯ll give it a whirl.¡±


    Gehor gave him a bewildered look, which earned him a smirk from the other man.


    ¡°I¡¯ll use the Mercenary King¡¯s Order.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: That¡¯s Marquis Crombell¡¯s first name.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 193:

    Chapter 193:


    The constant drum of footsteps made the Lion Kingugh out loud.


    ¡°You¡¯re like an onion. Peeling ayer just reveals another one<sup>1</sup>.¡± He shook his head.


    Joshua was on foot and he still outpaced the Wilhelm Knights¡¯ steeds. It still felt like he was pacing himself.


    ¡°Hah. At this rate, we¡¯ll reach southern Avalon in less than a week. Normally it¡¯d take fifteen days.¡± Leo de Gran¡¯s thoughts were decidely less mad than their speed. ¡°But more importantly¡­ Why did the Lion Kinge with us?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The Lion King returned Leo¡¯s look. ¡°What, you wanted to have fun by yourself and make me take care of the mess afterward?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I mea¡ª¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯ve known each other for a long time, haven¡¯t we? Let¡¯s not let this get between us. Sometimes I need to see things for myself¡ªand if I find my recement at the same time, so much the better. That¡¯s why I gave him the tile.¡± The Lion King nced at Leo de Grans and smiled bitterly when he didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Also, consider how we¡¯re going to cross the border. Unlike him, we¡¯re uninvited guests.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m too busy chasing after the king.¡±


    The Lion King stared dumbly at him.


    <em>Now that I think about it, he¡¯s usually like this. And with all his nagging¡­ You¡¯ve got a lot to deal with, little king.</em>


    The Lion King offered up a quiet prayer for Joshua¡¯s future.


    They ran far, far away from Fendra Castle.


    ¡°Ahhh, hahhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Young Lady, there! Once we¡¯re past that field of reeds, we won¡¯t be far from where the horses are tied.¡±


    At Baron Ashval¡¯s words, the group¡¯s faces lit up. It consisted of the Baron, three knights, Verdot, Icarus, Charles, and a few others. It was far from ideal, considering how many people were after the Pontier family¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Everyone¡­ stay strong. It¡¯s just¡­ a little trek¡­ nothing much.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady¡­¡± It was clear that Charles was struggling, but she was more worried about the rest of the group. They watched her with pitying eyes.


    Except for one.


    ¡°Something¡¯s off.¡± Icarus¡¯s blue eyes shook with pain, and they were just as tired as Charles¡¯s.


    The reed field was an excellent ce to set a trap. From their perspective, it promised death as much as it promised salvation. If the enemy was indeed hiding there, the Pontiers were doomed.


    <em>I can¡¯t believe a veteran like Baron Ashval doesn¡¯t know such elementary stra¡ª</em> Icarus¡¯s expression copsed.


    ¡°Baron Ashval. Let me ask you a question: did you really see Sir Cain¡¯s end?¡±


    Charles stopped ying with her feet, took a deep, shaky breath, and stood up. There were many traitors, but the death of Cain, an outsider, rested solely on her shoulders.


    ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Baron Ashval shot back. ¡°Does it matter?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it does matter,¡± Icarus firmly replied. ¡°Besides, why did you think I was a traitor when Sir Cain and I had nothing to gain from helping this family.¡±


    ¡°Icarus,¡± Charles began. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Baron Ashval abruptly stopped in front of Charles with a scowl. The rest of the group stopped when they heard the rasp of his sword leaving its sheathe.


    ¡°If we¡¯re going to waste time like this, I¡¯ll cut off your head.¡± He shot Icarus a venomous re. ¡°You asked if it was important? You think your words matter? Look around you¡ªthe same family you helped is falling apart. We have every reason to suspect you and your kind.¡±


    Charles clenched her fist.


    ¡°That just means we need to be more open,¡± Icarus insisted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think Sir Cain is dead. The man I know wouldn¡¯t waste his life like that, in a ce like that.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense is this?¡± Baron Ashvalughed. ¡°He¡¯s gone. He¡¯s a real knight, unlike you. If he hadn¡¯t given up his life, none of the knights of Pontier, including me, would have¡ª¡±


    ¡°Would have died.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°We would¡¯ve died together. You said he gave his life for you? You¡¯re not our master. And Sir Cain? He hasn¡¯t so much as held a woman¡¯s hand in his life. You think he¡¯s going toy down his life for someone who¡¯s not his master? Never.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°I-Icarus?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious, isn¡¯t it?¡± Icarus asked the stunned group. ¡°Especially when we¡¯re talking about Baron Ashval. Don¡¯t you remember all the times he talked about bad luck?¡±


    Now, even some of the knights spoke up.


    ¡°It was odd, even ounting for Count Cox¡¯s betrayal. No one in the family saw any signs of sabotage before the castle burned.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes bored into Baron Ashval. ¡°Baron Ashval should have been the first to notice a threat to the patriarch¡¯s safety. The idea that he didn¡¯t notice anything is patently ridiculous. And you didn¡¯t even get reprimanded, did you?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Icarus decisively cut off Verdot. ¡°Pendra Castle sits at the deepest part of the basin. It¡¯s strange how so many of the vassals safely evacuated when the enemy came over the Dennis River¡­ unless you take into ount that over half of them were traitors.¡±


    ¡°I know the territory like the back of my hand. I know the routes the enemy doesn¡¯t.¡± Baron Ashval confidently replied.


    ¡°Then why did you pick this route? Unless you¡¯re an idiot¡ª¡±


    ¡°This bastard!¡± The Baron¡¯s face reddened.


    ¡°D-Do you¡­ suspect him of being a traitor?¡±


    Icarus nodded. ¡°As you can see, there are no rules against having more than one kind of traitor. If there are enemies hiding in the reeds, we¡¯re in serious trouble. Ah¡­¡± Icarus turned to the group. ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange how quiet it is? It¡¯s about time the enemy caught up.¡±


    Doubt began to creep in.


    ¡°Now that I think about it¡­¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s eyes darted back and forth nervously. Icarus didn¡¯t miss it. The others¡¯ eyes widened as Icarus stepped toward the Baron in spite of his naked steel.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so sure, you should go first.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re close to A-ss, you ought to be able to crush anyone hiding in the reeds, right?¡±


    Baron Ashval froze.


    ¡°¡­Heh. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!¡± A lowugh slipped between his teeth as he clutched his face.


    ¡°B-Baron Ashval?¡±


    ¡°Alright. I went through so much trouble to see the Young Lady¡¯s sad face one more time.¡± He whipped a magic re out of his clothes and tossed it into the air.


    There was a swish and a boom, and then the reed field rippled with movement. No less than 200 knights in silver full-te armor emerged.


    ¡°The 3rd Knights¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Baron Glen and the 4th Knights¡ª¡±


    Charles¡¯s three apanying knights couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± one of them shouted at Baron Ashval. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of turning your back on your family? Do you value your life above your honor?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee to join us.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± The knight holding the supplied snorted. ¡°We will do the right thing, even if it costs us our lives.<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°They said I would keep my job under Marquis Crombell. Also, it costs a lot of money to move. And honor? Is it honorable to drown in a sinking ship? Would you build a monument for the ship¡¯s dog?¡± The Baron smirked. ¡°History is written by the victors.<sup>3</sup> When the war is over, you people will be remembered as ipetent losers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to rationalize your craven behavior!¡±


    Icarus frowned as she watched them rage. It was now clear that there was another reason why the Pontier family copsed so quickly.


    <em>The entire family is fucked up. Maybe their merchant origins are why so many of them have a screw loose.</em>


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right. As a leader, that¡¯s thest thing I¡¯m worried about.¡± The Baron smiled strangely. ¡°If you really think that way, then die for your ideals.¡± His sword hummed as aura ensconced it. The three knights were quick to draw their des in response.


    ¡°This is wrong¡­¡± Charles looked like a husk of the woman she once was, and Icarus was desperately searching for options. Not only did they need to deal with Baron Ashval, they then had to escape the iron wall of knights around him.


    They were in a bad spot, that much was certain.


    ¡°Can you find a way?¡±


    ¡°Y-Young Lady?¡± Icarus was surprised to find Charles¡¯s hand resting on Icarus¡¯s<sup>4</sup> shoulder.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Icarus. I¡¯m sorry for getting you involved in all this.¡±


    Icarus felt a tight knot of worry grow; and, soon enough, that fear was realized.


    ¡°Get rid of them.¡±


    Charles stepped forward. ¡°If the point is to take the Pontier name, then my father and I are enough, right?¡±


    ¡°Young Lady, I don¡¯t leave loose ends behind.¡±


    ¡°But if you do¡­ I¡¯ll marry that boy Gehog.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady?!¡± Icarus shouted.


    The Baron eyed her suspiciously. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I think Marquis Crombell will be more than happy with this arrangement. But you must guarantee their safety.¡±


    This way, Marquis Crombell would absorb the remaining Pontier family forces rather than deal with annoying reactionary rebellions.


    ¡°Young Lady, I¡¯d rather die fighting!¡±


    ¡°Our lives are not important!¡±


    ¡°Your life is worth more to me than anything else.¡± Charles smiled sadly. ¡°In the past, when I was an immature ruler, you helped me greatly. Now, allow me to ease your burdens a little in my own way.¡±


    Verdot shut his eyes and turned his head away.


    ¡°I apud the Princess for her bravery,¡± the Baron said


    ¡°How dare you¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Enough! Enough of this.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady.¡± The knights stilled, allowing Baron Ashval to approach.


    ¡°AHAHAHAHAH!¡± Baron Ashval roared with unrestrainedughter. He stretched out his hand to Charles. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to see you again, Princess¡ªor should I say, <em>Duchess</em>.¡±


    Charles squeezed her eyes shut.


    <em>They bragged about how smart I was¡­ but why can¡¯t I think of anything¡­?</em> Icarus suffered in silence.


    Verdot looked defeated. The knights looked ready to fight, but everyone knew it was over.


    And then came the screaming.


    ¡°Wha-What?¡±


    ¡°Take your hands off her, asshole!¡±


    A roar cracked through the sky, carrying a familiar voice.


    He was alive.


    Icarus¡¯s cheeks were wet with tears.


    ¡°This¡­ This idiot¡­!¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Like an ogre.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: ME LIKEY LIKEY?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Fuck that in a lot of sense?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I apologize for how awkward this sounds, but I couldn¡¯t figure out a better way to maintain the quantum uncertainty of Schrodinger¡¯s naughty bits.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 194:

    Chapter 194:


    ¡°What?! This bastard!¡±


    Baron Ashval shouted a stereotypical viin¡¯s line as three knights were tossed into the air by a booming strike. Pitch ck energy cut through reeds and men alike.


    ¡°Sword¡ª?! Is that¡ª?¡±


    Someone pushed off the ground with all his power and soared through the air like a bird,nding squarely in front of Baron Ashval.


    The Baron whipped out his sword, but he immediately staggered from the sheer onrush of mana shaking his body inside and out.


    ¡°It seemed like the most natural way to respond when you asked who I am,¡± their new guest said as he seated himself next to Charles. He didn¡¯t forget to shoot the wide-eyed Young Lady a grin. ¡°Sir Cain, knight of justice, savior of the Princess, has arrived!¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡± Charles finally came to grips with what was happening.


    ¡°Ah! Please, don¡¯t cry. Your tears, lovely as they are, are totally unnecessary.¡± Cain reached out a hand to forestall her impending outburst. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take my hand, Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ heuk¡­ I was wondering what I would say to you in the afterlife¡­ or what you would say to me¡­ ugh¡­¡±


    Cain¡¯s smile stiffened. He wanted to shout, <em>Wait, why the hell are you killing off a perfectly healthy person?</em> But it didn¡¯t seem appropriate at the moment. At any rate, he was very happy being not dead. He still had things he wanted to do.


    ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful knight, Sir Cain, but I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re trying to advance your ¡®interests¡¯ at a time like this,¡± a husky voice chided him.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cain turned and cocked his head, his cheerful smile still firmly affixed to his face. ¡°Icarus! Whatever could you mean?¡±


    ¡°You said it like it was the most natural thing in the world: ¡®I wish I could hold a woman¡¯s hand, just once.¡¯¡±


    Cain flinched. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Uh, that¡¯s not it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, <em>of course</em> it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Are you angry at me right now?¡±


    ¡°Me? Angry? How could I be anything but absolutely overjoyed that you survived?¡±


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell you. I¡¯m sorry, I had to be wary of spies once I knew there were traitors.¡±


    ¡°I know. It would have given the enemy the upper hand. You did well.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Icarus smiled.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re mad at me.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s mad? Me?¡±


    ¡°Did you weep for me? I don¡¯t see any tears.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Cain. The head does not understand how the heart feels.¡±


    Cain stared at Icarus. <em>Is this what being popr is like?</em>


    ¡°Did you eat something weird?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Cain answered. ¡°I had plenty of food, even though I was being chased.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡±


    ¡°What, now you¡¯re concerned about your fiance¡ª¡±


    Icarus scoffed. ¡°You are thest person I¡¯d want to be my husband.¡±


    ¡°Oh? So you admit you¡¯re a woman?¡±


    ¡°Hah! Give me a break. Honestly!¡±


    The rest of the group couldn¡¯t help but smile at the endearing scene, despite the predicament hanging over their heads.


    ¡°This¡ªThis is bullshit!¡±


    Cain and Icarus turned toward the voice just in time to see Baron Ashval stomp out of the reeds, furiously beating the dust<sup>1</sup> out of his clothes. Cain hid Charles behind him.


    ¡°You¡¯re still alive?¡±


    ¡°What, you didn¡¯t hear me earlier?¡± Cainughed. ¡°I¡¯m going to die of shame.¡±


    ¡°This won¡¯t end likest time. We might both be B-ss Knights, but the swordsmanship I studied is nothing like yours. I¡¯ll show you why people distinguish between Imperial and non-Imperial knights.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Who¡¯s the Master?¡±


    ¡°Even a house a young as yours would have heard of him.¡± Baron Ashval puffed up his chest. ¡°My family is the Deogrant house from the south. My grandfather was Ashva Deogrant, the leader of his generation and one of the Empire¡¯s great Masters.¡±


    Cain knew who Ashva Deogrant was. He died twenty years ago. He only became a Master when he was already over seventy years old, making him the oldest Master in the history of the Empire. For his ten years of Mastery, he crushed anyone and everyone who disparaged him for his age.


    ¡°I studied the sword with him since I was a boy. Even before your lord, Joshua Sanders, was born.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡± Cain hefted his enormous sword to match the Baron¡¯s.


    ¡°Our family¡¯s technique takes longer to build than that of other families¡ªbut after a certain point, the speed rises dramatically. The distance between B-ss and A-ss is as great as that between a beginner swordsman and B-ss. It only serves to prove how exceptional our family is.¡± He loudly proimed the merits of his family¡¯s mana technique with a sly grin<sup>2</sup>. ¡°Everyone here except the Young Lady and the Patriarch will face my wrath. You have no one to me except yourselves. And¡­¡± Baron Ashval leered at Icarus. ¡°You, especially, have a lot to look forward to. I¡¯ll make sure my soldiers are happy, woman or not.¡±


    Icarus shivered.


    ¡°Your teacher is not always your choice¡­ but your Master should be. Sadly, you chose poorly. And you¡¯ll die for that mistake.¡± The Baron let out a low, confident chuckle, despite having lost to Cain before.


    Cain calmly scanned their surroundings. The enemy¡¯s encirclement was iron-d. It would be impossible to break through this siege on their own.


    <em>Then all we can do is hold out until the signal arrives.</em>


    Cain stepped forward with a grin that dripped with derision.


    ¡°If you¡¯re so sure, let¡¯s give it another go.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not just bluffing, are you? Show me the great Deogrant family¡¯s might.¡±


    ¡°Are you provoking me? Don¡¯t be ridiculous¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s enough people here to serve as witnesses. You don¡¯t even need to worry about us trying to escape¡­ but are they ready to watch you lose?¡±


    Baron Ashval did want this fight. There was a reason he boasted about his family¡¯s mana so much. <em>I¡¯ve been longing for this day ever since I lost that damn spar.</em> The way his subordinates looked at him stung more than the defeat itself. His confidence had been driven to its lowest point. He¡¯d put a lot of thought into why he lost, and his efforts had recently been rewarded.


    ¡°Okay then, I¡¯ll start by cutting off your head, and then I¡¯ll take that kitten by your side.¡± The Baron moved ahead with a smile that threatened to split his visage in two.


    ¡°As expected of the Deogrant¡¯s scion.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you¡¯ll keep smi¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey. If you share the story of your teacher, isn¡¯t it only fair that you hear the story of mine?¡±


    ¡°Unnecessary.¡± Ashval smirked. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear it or anything else.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡±


    ¡°Besides, your family¡ªViscount Harry¡ªwas abandoned out in the deste north, even by His Majesty the Emperor. These days, even Barons get ignored. Correct me if I¡¯m wrong, but your family doesn¡¯t have anything but its swordsmanship, does it? But they¡¯re sooooooo proud of themselves.¡± He sneered and flexed his muscles. ¡°Enough small talk!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m telling you, listen.¡±


    Baron Ashval looked confused, much to Cain¡¯s amusement. Ashval¡¯s teacher was a Master twenty years ago. Cain¡¯s teacher was the strongest man on the continent.


    ¡°If you have the time to look up my family, you should¡¯ve taken the time to look a little deeper.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Knowing you, I think you¡¯ll be shocked.¡± Cain mmed his sword into the ground,unching himself up at gravity-defying speeds.


    Baron Ashval¡¯s jaw dropped. <em>For God¡¯s sake, that sword¡¯s bigger than he is!</em>


    Steel shed, throwing up a vicious shower of sparks.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Don¡¯t reeds usually grow in mud??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: ?</li></ol>

 Chapter 195:

    Chapter 195:


    The swords collided, not with the crash of metal, but with a concussive boom.


    Cainshed out with a series of straightforward shes¡ªnheless, Baron Ashval was fully upied with preventing the strikes from biting into his flesh. Unfortunately for him, their swords seemed to be maically drawn to each other.


    The Baron stared at his sword, perplexed. <em>What¡¯s going on here?</em>


    ¡°Huh.¡± Cain exhaled sharply as he jumped. He gripped his man-sized sword in both hands and mmed it down with the weight of his entire body. Baron Ashval was crushed. The sheer force of the impact drove his feet into the ground and sent a sharp pain running down his spine.


    Cain smiled grimly.


    ¡°One. More. Time.¡±


    This time, Cain jumped a bit higher. He added a spin at the top, augmenting the force of his attack.


    Such huge moves were frowned upon in a battle between the strong<sup>1</sup>. The tant disregard for Baron Ashval made him erupt like a volcano.


    ¡°Boy!¡± He wrenched his mana into motion. A little more focused. A little more purposeful. There was more mana in his sword than a B-ss Knight could harness. It fluctuated violently from moment to moment but bathed his sword in misty blue mes.


    ¡°Aura de!¡± No one knew who said it.


    Cain¡¯s body flopped into a far corner.


    ¡°AGH¡­ Ugh.¡± The young knight coughed bloody phlegm, wincing at his bruised innards, and smiled bitterly. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to reach A-ss that fast.¡±


    ¡°This is what a proper teacher gets you, rather than learning from some shady con man.¡± Ashval sneered. ¡°If you crawl like a dog and lick my boots¡­ maybe kneel before my crotch as well<sup>2</sup>, and I¡¯ll spare your life. I might cut off a few limbs or a muscle here and there¡­ Maybe rip out an eye or two? But you won¡¯t die.¡±


    Some of the enemy¡¯s knights burst outughing as Baron Ashval thrust his hips provocatively<sup>3</sup>.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡± Charles stared at Cain anxiously.


    ¡°Heuk.¡± Cain spat a glob of blood. ¡°I¡¯ll think about it once Baron Ashval eats a few of my attacks.¡±


    ¡°See that? That¡¯s a person who still can¡¯t tell his asshole from a hole in the ground. Ahhhh¡­ I guess I¡¯ll just have to beat it into his head.¡± He wagged his finger at Cain. ¡°Come here. I¡¯ll make you understand how weak and worthless you are.¡±


    ¡°Even if you didn¡¯t say anything¡­¡± Cain drew his body taut like a bowstring. ¡°¡­that¡¯s exactly what I was nning on doing.¡±


    Cain barreled toward the Baron like a loose cannonball, much faster than the older man expected.


    The second round did not go like the first. Their des met with just as much explosive force, but Cain was not as wild as he was earlier. Baron Ashval realized that he wouldn¡¯t be able to snap Cain¡¯s de. Supposedly, there was nothing in the world that an Aura de couldn¡¯t cut, making it the ultimate weapon¡ªbut something was stopping him from unleashing its total power.


    ¡°Crazy¡ª!¡± Ashval cussed as he was sprayed with blue sparks.


    A-ss was something every knight dreams of facing. You could not retreat from it. It not only persists, but it constantly presses the enemy.


    It wasn¡¯t like Baron Ashval¡¯s deep blue mana. This threat was subdued but menacing. Powerful, refined, and indisputable.


    It was Aura de. Astonishingly, the young man had proven himself to be an A-ss, just like Baron Ashval.


    There was a bang, and then a shadow went bouncing across the field.


    ¡°You¡­ What did you¡ªUgh!¡± Baron Ashval puked blood. He struggled mightily but eventually copsed to one knee.


    ¡°What was it you said?¡± Cain grinned cruelly and hefted his gigantic sword over his shoulder, reminiscent of a certain someone. ¡°Oh, right: ¡®Crawl like a dog, lick my boots, kneel before my crotch, and I might just let you live.¡¯ Cutting off your limbs and eyeballs is too easy, don¡¯t you think? How about we feed it to an orc or something while you¡¯re still conscious? Like, I¡¯ll take your eyeball out and dangle it in front of you for the monsters to eat.¡±


    Baron Ashval could only grit his teeth before Cain¡¯s scathing tongue. He couldn¡¯t believe it, even after seeing it with his own eyes. It took him nearly fifty years of hard work to reach this state. Fifty years were sacrificed to birth an A-ss Knight in the Deogrant family.


    And this kid, barely out of puberty, was already at the same level as him. He <em>might</em> be thirty years old at the oldest.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh!¡± Tears of blood welled in Baron Ashval¡¯s eyes. His hoarse cry bordered on a screamden with jealousy and envy of Cain¡¯s strength. It felt as if his entire life¡¯s work had been invalidated with one word: talent.


    His very mana trembled. The air around Baron Ashval sank and rumbled until it suddenly stilled.


    And then it copsed.


    ¡°UWAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    ¡°This is bad¡­¡± Cain backed away with an awkward smile.


    ¡°Wha-What?¡±


    ¡°Fire! Fire!¡±


    The reed field went up in mes, obscuring the air and sending the knights into a panic.


    <em>Excellent timing.</em> Cain¡¯s grin widened. He swiped his de onest time, capturing the weakened Baron in a sh of shadow.


    ¡°Sir¡­ Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain looked over his shoulder. ¡°Very soon, the most powerful reinforcements in history will cut us an escape route. The Young Lady and everyone else needs to follow my lead.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes!¡± Charles was curious about ¡°the most powerful reinforcements in history,¡± but she wasn¡¯t in a position to question him.


    She got her answer soon enough.


    ¡°It¡¯s the B-ck Knight!¡±


    ¡°The Dennis River¡¯s ck Knight!¡±


    ¡°M-M-Move!¡±


    Cain strode onto the path without hesitation.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Knights, follow me closely and cover the nks.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Charles¡¯s group slipped out of the encirclement into the growing mes.


    Leo de Grans and the Lion King peered anxiously at the Reinhardt-Avalon border. The other Wilhelm Knights wore simr expressions.


    There were 3,000 troops standing in their path.


    ¡°Why are there so many interesting people on the outskirts of Reinhardt?¡±


    ¡°This seems like a bit much. There are usually only a thousand of them; this looks like three thousand at minimum.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ What a pain.¡± The Lion King rubbed his head.


    Joshua stepped toward the troops.


    ¡°I am Joshua Sanders, Baron of Avalon.¡±


    Someone on the other side moved to meet him. The aged knight wore a red cloak over his te armor, identifying himself as the troops¡¯mander.


    ¡°I am Count Castar. I oversee the protection of Reinhardt¡¯s border. We wee Baron Joshua Sanders, proud Master of Avalon, to his return.¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights puffed themselves up. Their king was favored, it seemed.


    ¡°We have been granted the honor of escorting the pride of Avalon home.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate your hospitality.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Count Castar peeked at the gaggle behind Joshua. ¡°I was unaware you would be apanied by a party like this. These knights, well¡­ I won¡¯t question your rtionship with them, but I must inform you that I cannot allow them to pass. Their identities are unknown. I¡¯m sorry, but I must ce the security of the border before your escort.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Leo sighed despondently.


    It was only to be expected. Count Castar¡¯s response waspletely reasonable¡ªafter all, who would let a hundred unknown knights wander through the border unchecked? The responsibility fell on Count Castar alone.


    The Wilhelm Knights wanted to follow the king¡¯s journey to its conclusion, but it appears they would stop here instead.


    ¡°I am¡ª¡± The Lion King was about to step forward.


    ¡°They¡¯re my knights,¡± Joshua said. His voice was rather quiet, almost casual¡ªbut it struck a chord deep in the Wilhelm Knights¡¯ hearts.


    Their fists clenched. <em>Our</em> king. Leo¡¯s words lingered in their minds.


    ¡°Is there a problem with that?¡± Joshua asked.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Maybe because raw force is weaker than mana infused or magi or something like that? ED: I think it¡¯s just that big attacks leave you more open to counterattacks.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I have no idea what ¡°kneel before my crotch¡± is supposed to be, but it sounds gay enough to be correct.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I was wrong to doubt. It was literally gay.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 196:

    Chapter 196:


    Despite their dusty garments and narrowly escaping the enemy, Charles¡¯s trio of loyal knights found themselves less worried than before. The three knights couldn¡¯t help but nce across the field. After they¡¯d shaken the enemy, the mythical ck Knight had taken position ahead of them.


    ¡°He must be at least A-ss¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you see that? There¡¯s smoke all over his body like he¡¯s burning.¡±


    ¡°How is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°I heard¡­¡± The knight, Tor, who had carried the Patriarch for most of the day before passing him to Cain, lowered his voice furtively. ¡°I heard that the ck Knight is a member of the Sanders family. The second knight of Baron Sanders.¡±


    The other two knights staggered like they¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    Cain, strolling alongside Charles and Icarus, gave them a confused look. ¡°What¡¯s the problem?¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ Nothing, Sir.¡± Tor smiled awkwardly and gestured for the other knights toe closer.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°If it is true, it¡¯s going to turn the entire Empire on its head,¡± the knight whispered excitedly. ¡°See, no matter where you go, there are very few people who can im to lead two of the most exceptional knights on the continent. Two A-ss Knights! Under a fifteen-year-old lord, to boot!¡±


    ¡°Right¡­ and even Icarus, the genius of the century! What a household it is!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± A knight shook his head. ¡°Maybe there¡¯s something going on behind the scenes that we don¡¯t know of¡­¡±


    The three knights were suddenly silent.


    ¡°Maybe I should go to the Sanders family?¡±


    The other two knights pinned Tor with a withering re.


    ¡°Are you serious? Have you forgotten the good graces the Duke has given you?¡±


    ¡°Not funny.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Tor smiled and scratched his head. ¡°However, there¡¯s a good chance that the Empire¡¯s going to be rattled when Baron Joshua returns. As far as rewards and punishments are concerned, nobody tops the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Is he going to jump two ranks now?¡±


    ¡°From the lowest noble to the highest noble in one go? That¡¯s a bit much, even for him.¡±


    ¡°That Count Sten also became a Master a long time ago, but changing his title hasn¡¯te up yet. I have no idea what the Imperial Pce is going to do.¡±


    ¡°Look at the situation this way: even in the Twelve Families, it¡¯s not about the skills. It¡¯s always about the rank¡ªmaybe that¡¯s why Marquis Crombell fusses over being a duke so much.¡±


    The knights shared an unhappy look. Despite the immense power of their reinforcements, the Pontiers¡¯ situation was still dire.


    ¡°¡­Baron Sanders,¡± Tor murmured.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°His deeds have been absolutely incredible. Almost unbelievable. Don¡¯t you think he could turn the tide?¡±


    The knights pondered in hushed silence. Joshua Sanders¡¯s name alone had be a beacon of hope for the Pontiers.


    Cain¡¯s ear pricked up. ¡°Master¡¯s poprity increases day by day. A lot of people are cheering for him right now.¡± His chest swelled with vicarious pride.


    ¡°Hohoho. Imagine the poprity he¡¯s gained from the opposite sex.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s totally unrted!¡± Cain flushed. ¡°Stop that!¡±


    Icarus left Cain to fret to himself.


    ¡°Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Charles looked up, startled from deep thought.


    ¡°I apologize.¡± Icarus bowed.


    ¡°What¡¯s this now?¡± The Young Lady looked perplexed.


    ¡°I should have pushed forward with my work, despite the confusion. I knew there would be more traitors.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that.¡± Charles chuckled. ¡°Our family would have vanished off the face of the earth without Icarus and Sir Cain. Perhaps I would have lived and died as the Marquis of Crombell¡¯s ything.¡±


    Charles¡¯s blunt words made Icarus¡¯s expression stiffen. Terrible things had happened to Charles for such things to pass from her lips.


    ¡°Young Lady.¡± Icarus frowned sternly at her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You may be my superior, but I will save you from this hell.<sup>1</sup> And him¡­¡± Icarus watched Cain¡¯s energetic march for a moment. ¡°He¡¯s my master¡¯s friend, and even if he doesn¡¯t realize it, he¡¯s a very good man.¡±


    Cain chuckled to himself, unaware of Icarus¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°You can trust him. He really is a good man.¡±


    Charles smiled at Icarus, but it meant something much different now. ¡°He is trusted¡­ and loved.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°No, I mean¡ªHe¡¯s reliable! Yeah, he can get the job done.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Icarus saw Charles¡¯s contemtive expression and quickly collected herself.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you worry about your ns after we¡¯ve escaped?¡±


    Charles immediately shook her head. ¡°The danger is nothing. But if Baron Ashval brought it up, there must be something more to it.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª?¡±


    ¡°My uncle is the lord of Peril Castle.¡± Charles smiled wanly.


    ¡°We lost the Young Lady.¡±


    ¡°You fool!¡±


    A foot mmed into Baron Ashval¡¯s stomach, sending an acute spike of pain through his body.


    The kicker had no experience in martial arts. The Baron could have avoided it, but he didn¡¯t. He knew that it would have guaranteed him more tickets to the hell that is Gehor.


    ¡°You scumbag! Stupid bastard! You can¡¯t even do things right when they¡¯re handed to you on a silver tter!¡± Marquis Gehor flung anything within arm¡¯s reach alongside his cusses. From heavy wooden crates to metal candlesticks, Baron Ashval took it all without a groan. He simply bit his lips and bore it.


    ¡°I hope you will give me a chance to¡ª¡±


    ¡°To what?¡± Gehor red at him.


    ¡°The Princess must be in Peril Castle by now. She¡¯ll assume that they¡¯re safe, but it¡¯s a trap ready to be sprung. Give me one more chance, please, and I¡¯ll bring you the Princess and the Patriarch.¡± Ashval¡¯s words wereced with desperation.


    ¡°Disgusting! You want to give them the initiative,¡± Marquis Gehor fumed. ¡°Gehog already went there! You¡¯ve already failed. You¡¯re useless! Moron!¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s fingernails dug into his palms. When was thest time he¡¯d been treated like this? Never, not even in the Pontier¡¯s, one of the Five Dukes. He was an A-ss Knight, a force to be reckoned with.


    <em>Damn it all.</em>


    ¡°Keep it in mind. But I¡¯ll give you another chance.¡±


    Marquis Gehor and Baron Ashval¡¯s heads snapped around. The Mercenary King, casually sprawled over a chair, met their looks with a calm expression.


    ¡°The guild has received the summons, but it will take some time for our mercenaries to arrive.¡±


    ¡°Gehog and my knights are sufficient for Peril Castle.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think I¡¯ve forgotten who¡¯s there, do you?¡±


    Gehor flinched.


    ¡°The Pontier¡¯s refugees have two A-ss Knights with them¡­ and one of them is the ck Knight.¡± The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes sunk. He saw the ck Knight once, but briefly. He managed to cut off one of his arms, but Barbarian had a sinking feeling deep down that it wasn¡¯t going to slow him down. Above all else, his skill with the sword was a serious issue.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the person I know¡­¡± The Mercenary King grinned to himself. Exciting things were happening. It was a fresh breath of life in his monotonous existence.


    ¡°Anyhow, even the dumbest A-ss Knights are useful. Just use them for brute force if they can¡¯t think.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Marquis Gehor¡¯s head whipped around to look at Baron Ashval. ¡°They have A-ss Knights?¡±


    Ashval shivered. Not because the Mercenary King insulted him, but because he was terrified of the way Barbarian¡¯s eyes seemed to peer into his heart and mind.


    The Mercenary King chuckled as he stood up. ¡°It would be wise to be prepared for anything. With enough manpower, I could take him down in less than a day.¡±


    Marquis Gehor swallowed nervously as he listened. That meant enough force to contend with an entire kingdom.


    ¡°Escort him directly to Peril Castle. And¡­ I¡¯ll go there as well. I¡¯m hungry.¡±


    He shed a vicious, predatory smile.


    ¡°There¡¯s no issue if they¡¯re your knights.¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights¡¯ faces sagged with relief.


    ¡°Baron Joshua Sanders,¡± Count Castar said. ¡°Did you take the throne of Reinhardt?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s silence was answer enough.


    ¡°Very good. I can identify them with certainty now.¡±


    ¡°I will take care of matters with His Majesty if there are any issues.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªrather, I should be the one in your position.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I am proud to be your fellow countryman.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°May I ask you another question, if you don¡¯t mind?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you seek to recover your former position? You are the king, after all.¡±


    The Agnus family history was a well-studied topic. Count Castar¡¯s question touched upon many things. Did he want to restore the status he lost because of his poor background? He had the skills now. Does he wish to free himself of that humiliation?


    Joshua, of course, had no interest.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Do you really think the Agnus name will satisfy me now?¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    Ykw, I never actually thought about Charles x Icarus ship¡­ well i guess i do now?</li></ol>

 Chapter 197:

    Chapter 197:


    Reinhardt was renowned for having the highest tax ie on the continent. It wasn¡¯t because the territory was taxed heavily, but because every major corporate office¡ªthe Moon Gate, the association of Free Knights, the Mercenary Guild, etc.¡ªwas headquartered in Reinhardt. These hugely profitable businesses made Reinhardt a very rich city.


    In the Mercenary Guild¡¯s headquarters, everyone¡¯s eyes were turned toward the door.


    Two figures entered. The man was middle-aged, massively built, and wide-mouthed. His powerful frame was tucked into a robe, but everyone who saw his face immediately bowed.


    ¡°Akshuler.¡± The young man at the counter stood up.


    ¡°I was informed that the Mercenary King issued a direct summons.¡±


    ¡°Yes, just as you heard.¡±


    ¡°Where are they headed?¡±


    ¡°The Pontier family household, in the southern region of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°Damn¡­¡± He sighed.


    ¡°About a thousand mercenaries were sent. There are about fifty-four gold cards who are not on duty.¡±


    ¡°Damian.¡±


    The young man shut his mouth.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got a brain in your head, I¡¯m sure you already knew what I was thinking from the moment I stepped in here. Why didn¡¯t he say anything to me beforehand? Is it too much to ask for him to consider my opinion, to seek a different route?¡± Akshuler scowled.


    ¡°¡­They want to keep it for themselves.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No matter how many times the Mercenary King calls, they can¡¯t be forced. That means they¡¯re responsible for their actions, but¡­¡± Damian¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°If we consider Barbarian¡¯s behavior, he would have to be a moron not to demand an enormous sum from the Avalon Empire. And you know how mercenaries act with that kind of temptation.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    <em>Why go there of their own will?</em>


    ¡°Their own title,nd, and hopefully, a family. The deal makes sense because the Mercenary King is the greatest of us all and one of the Twelve Superhumans. But they¡¯ll have no vassals even if they receive a title¡­ so they can¡¯t be alone.¡±


    ¡°Alone? They actually thought about that?¡±


    ¡°Most mercenaries aremoners. Over 90% joined the guild to earn money, risking their lives in the process because they have no other way to support themselves. They basically live at the mercy of the de. This is their chance to dream. Not only does it promise a secure future, but it also promises a once-in-a-lifetime chance to rise to Imperial noblemen. That¡¯s the cold hard truth, Akshuler. Not all mercenaries are like you.¡±


    Akshuler looked around, but none of the other mercenaries would meet his eyes.


    <em>I¡¯m not judging them for their decisions.</em> It was a perfectly reasonable choice. Contrary to belief, Akshuler understood their thoughts perfectly. He¡¯d climbed his way up from the bottom, too.


    So if he didn¡¯t like it, then he had to change it. He couldn¡¯t wait for someone else to do it¡ªit was time for Akshuler to take matters into his own two hands.


    Iceline stopped chewing her lip and raised her head when she felt a hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Without another word, the two turned around and walked out the door.


    No one followed them, except with their eyes.


    Damian quietly closed his eyes.


    Desperation and irritation grew as the battle persisted.


    ¡°Our main forces have been obliteratedpletely. We have only sixmanders, two C-ss Knights, and a thousand enlisted soldiers who are ready for battle.¡±


    The Lord¡¯s chamber of Peril Castle fell silent.


    Nine people sat around the round table. Charles, Icarus, Verdot, and Cain arrived earlier. Five lords were already present: Count Keiros, the lord of Peril Castle, and four lesser nobles.


    The four nobles came from a vassal family who had dedicated themselves to the Keiros family and was bound by blood, fortunately. Thatst part was particrly important to Charles, having experienced betrayal firsthand.


    ¡°We have an emergency!¡± A messenger rushed through the open door, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°The border watch sent a message! A force of at least 5,000 is marching on us!¡±


    ¡°Five thousand¡­¡±


    ¡°This is the worst thing that could happen.¡±


    While the vassalsmented, an elderly man quietly stood up. He was Count Keiros, lord of Peril, and Charles¡¯s uncle.


    ¡°Go and tell our remaining forces to prepare for ourst stand.¡±


    The messenger¡¯s eyes widened, but he nodded. ¡°I understand!¡±


    Count Keiros watched the messenger vanish. ¡°The enemy¡¯s numbers may be overwhelming, but I¡­ as lord of Peril Castle, I refuse to take my fate lying down.¡± His eyes brimmed with tears as he bowed to Charles and took up his sword from where it rested on the table. ¡°I, Keiros, will show the enemy that the Pontiers are not so easily killed.¡±


    No one said anything because of the small women leading them.


    ¡°I will go with you.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. War was no joke¡ªa Young Lady should not have to see these things. ¡°I¡¯d rather¡ª¡±


    Icarus pinched his thigh.


    ¡°The soldiers are out there, protecting us¡ªme¡ªI can¡¯t just run away and hide.¡±


    ¡°But Young Lady¡ª¡±


    ¡°I am Charles <em>de Pontier</em>.¡±


    Count Keiros looked into Charles¡¯s unflinching eyes and bowed his head.


    ¡°May the fire of the Pontiers burn eternally.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    The room hurried after Charles.


    Gehog grinned as the trumpet blew.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Perfect. Hehehehe.¡±


    Peril Castle was highlighted by the rising sun. The weather was perfect this morning.


    Gehog peered at the wall and quietly eximed.


    ¡°Charles de Pontier?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time a princess has taken center stage.¡±


    ¡°Herst hurrah or something. Damn, I can¡¯t wait to see the expressions she¡¯ll make when she¡¯s kneeling in front of me.¡± Gehogughed and licked his lips. Charles¡¯s vivid red hair, distinct even at a distance, waved in the wind. He couldn¡¯t see her face properly, but the memory of her pale skin, feisty attitude, and innocent visage drove his lust mad. ¡°I thought they¡¯d arrive tomorrow¡­ but she just couldn¡¯t bear the idea of waiting for me, could she?¡±


    ¡°Sir Wright, what are your thoughts?¡± Gehog scanned the area.


    A middle-aged man with a magnificent mustache answered him: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Sir Cain just became A-ss. The ck Knight of Dennis River lost his arm to the Mercenary King.¡±


    ¡°And your ns?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough, and so have my knights. Give me the order, and I will deliver their heads to you myself,mander.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡± Gehog¡¯s smile widened at mander.¡±<sup>1</sup> ¡°Sir Wright, I¡¯m liking you more and more every time you open your mouth. Did you take a ss in ttery or something?¡±


    ¡°I was just telling the truth.¡±


    ¡°Heh. There¡¯s no need to share¡ªLook, it¡¯s only a small castle. You can topple it with brute force. Furthermore, those mercenaries¡­¡± Gehog came to a decision. ¡°Begin preparations. We will end this ugly war before the main forces arrive.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡± Wright saluted.


    The Crombell army began to assemble; soon, two units advanced on the castle. The Pontiers didn¡¯t expect the siege to begin so soon.


    The tension was rising.


    Gehog watched Peril Castle from a distance, an amused grin dancing on his lips.


    He couldn¡¯t imagine that someone else was watching them.


    ¡°Oh my. How many people did he bring for that little castle?¡± The Lion King whistled. ¡°Don¡¯t ask for my help. I don¡¯t want to go.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning to.¡± Joshua didn¡¯t even spare him a nce as he rode forward. ¡°You too,¡± he told the Wilhelm Knights. ¡°Reinhardt has nothing to do with this. Don¡¯t be hasty on my ount.¡±


    Leo de Grans gripped his reins, drawing a neigh from his horse. A hundred ck knights on their own horses followed behind him.


    ¡°You are our king, and this is what our king wants to do. What else needs to be said?¡±


    Birds took flight as a hundred B-ss Knights unleashed their Aura. Each and every one of them was utterly enthralled by Joshua Sanders¡¯s persona.


    ¡°How nice,¡± the Lion Kingmented.


    Joshua smiled. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Wilhelm Knights, destroy all who oppose the king!¡±


    ¡°AHHHHHHHH!¡±


    The shouts of knights and steeds mingled as Joshua thundered down the ridge at the head of a hundred knights.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: fuck you and your weird head?</li></ol>

 Chapter 198:

    Chapter 198:


    The drums beat rhythmically, driving people¡¯s heartbeats in sync. Blood warmed, and breaths became quicker by the minute. It was the kind of harmony that made soldiers¡¯ morale soar.


    High above, a dazzling golden owl soared. It may be a species that would resort to cannibalizing their own mothers, but it symbolized the Pontiers, and the Pontiers would not let that be forgotten.


    Icarus¡¯s hands clenched. From where they stood, they could see thousands upon thousands of enemy troops surrounding them.


    They could hear the tension in each breath. The soldiers knew that the person standing next to them could be dead in moments.


    Such was the bitter truth of war.


    Someone tapped Icarus on the shoulder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to force yourself to do this. If it¡¯s too much, then you can go rest for a while. Tactician or not, you¡¯re only fifteen years old.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be sixteen soon. Besides, I¡¯ve learned how pointless knowledge is without experience. I have no intention of hiding, either. Anyway¡­ There¡¯s that ¡®boy¡¯ everyone¡¯s calling a monster.¡±


    ¡°Monsters¡­ are exempted.¡±


    ¡°You have an answer for everything.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. The Master Battle is over and we still haven¡¯t seen hide nor hair of our master. What are we going to do about him?¡±


    Cain¡¯s contemptuous mannerisms made Icarus¡¯s face darken.


    He rubbed his temples. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He?¡±


    ¡°The ck Knight. I don¡¯t believe I¡¯ve seen him since we arrived here¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve got a problem, then.¡± Cain¡¯s expression sharpened.


    ¡°A problem?¡±


    ¡°He vanished.¡±


    ¡°He what now?¡± Icarus¡¯s head popped up.


    ¡°I followed him into the woods because I was worried he wasn¡¯t feeling well, but¡­¡± Cain sighed. He knew that the ck Knight was, in fact, a fabled Death Knight, but nobody else knew that. It made it difficult for him to exin the situation.


    <em>His magi suddenly swelled and then he disappeared into smoke¡ªbut I can¡¯t tell them that.</em>


    Cain shook his head. ¡°Even if he¡¯s on our side, he¡¯s unpredictable. You don¡¯t know who he is yet, do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. I¡¯ve never seen him before, but I believe that he was sent by our master.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re satisfied with that conclusion, you¡¯ll die without learning the truth.¡±


    Icarus paused. ¡°¡­Right.¡±


    ¡°Gah, don¡¯t give me that look. I feel like I¡¯ve wrongfully used you. Anyway, let¡¯s trust our master¡ªI know he won¡¯t leave his people to die.¡±


    Icarus stared at Cain sullenly until he poked Icarus in the side with his elbow.


    ¡°So¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes shed, although Cain barely managed to pick it out in the liquid eddies of Icarus¡¯s blue pupils<sup>1</sup>. ¡°Why are you talking to me informally<sup>2</sup>?¡±


    Cain scratched his head awkwardly. He certainly couldn¡¯t tell her, ¡°You¡¯re like my younger sibling.<sup>3</sup>¡±


    ¡°The enemy is marching!¡±


    Their heads snapped around. Just as they¡¯d heard, the enemy was advancing on Peril Castle.


    ¡°Prepare for battle!¡±


    The drums began to rattle out a rapid cadence as the soldiers hustled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell youter¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Cain gave Icarus a confused look.


    ¡°Th-There!¡± Icarus jabbed her finger outside the walls.


    The enemy was approaching¡ªbut a third group was approaching the enemy. It was a small group, a hundred at Icarus¡¯s best guess. Their momentum was strong, their horsemanship skilled, and their ck armor was more intimidating than its dull finish would suggest.


    The indistinct ck dots gradually resolved into distinguishable figures as they approached.


    Cain squinted at them, making the best of his superhuman vision. <em>Are they the Marquis¡¯s backup?</em> He would be able to tell their identity based on whoever led them. The clothing didn¡¯t look right, but if that was the Mercenary King¡­


    His eyes widened. Cain would recognize that deep blue hair, no matter how far away they were.


    ¡°Oh my god¡ª¡± Cain¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Master!¡± His cheeks flushed.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes traced Cain¡¯s gaze and quickly flooded with tears.


    Baron Joshua Sanders, their one and only master, led the ck-d knights.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª¡±


    ¡°Gwakkkkk!¡±


    The sounds of boiling rages and the cries of horses washed over the battlefield.


    It started simply. A hundred men, at most, against a massive force of five thousand. The Crombells¡¯ army didn¡¯t even stop¡ªwhat could a force that small do against them?


    In retrospect, their logic was obviously wed.


    ¡°The enemy! The enemy is attacking us from behind!¡±


    Gehog scowled. ¡°The enemy?¡±


    ¡°We should take a look.¡±


    ¡°I thought you said they only have a hundred people.¡±


    ¡°It appears they also have a hundred knights behind us,¡± Wright, an A-ss Knight, noted.


    ¡°Hired knights?¡± Gehog frowned. ¡°Nobody said anything about this.¡±


    ¡°They may not be working for the Pontiers.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell are they doing here? Helping the Pontiers when they¡¯re on the brink of defeat? Is this a joke?¡±


    ¡°Whoever they might be¡­¡± Wright murmured.


    ¡°I hope I see some headless bodies¡­ soon.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it too much.¡± Gehog smirked. ¡°Just send two units.¡± He then fed mana into his voice. ¡°Army! Advance!¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡± Wright bowed his head and turned his horse around.


    Two units of knights¡ªabout 300 men¡ªfollowed him, three times as many as the group that had struck from behind.


    A Crombell knight approached Wright and bowed.


    ¡°Is that them?¡±


    ¡°Affirmative, Commander!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen that coat of arms in the Empire before. That pattern¡­¡± Wright examined the hammers and arches embossed on the ck armor and scowled. Their heraldry was not the only problem¡ªeach and every one of them was highly skilled. Their des cut the opposing knights like a scythe through grain.


    Uncertainty crept onto Wright¡¯s face as he kept looking. There was a man at the front of the pack, youthful and attractive. He definitely recognized that face.


    ¡°¡­Duke Agnus?¡±


    They¡¯d cut ties years ago, but everyone in the Avalon Empire would recognize the simrities between their faces<sup>4</sup>.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see now. That¡¯s Joshua von Agnus¡ªJoshua Sanders, the greatest talent of all time.¡± Wright rubbed his chin. The corner of his mouth couldn¡¯t help but curl upward as he admired Joshua. He thought the rumors had been exaggerated, but apparently, he was wrong. Joshua¡¯s skills alone were a feat worthy of the history books.


    ¡°Hah.¡± Wright abruptly stopped and turned toward Joshua. The three hundred knights following him gave him an odd look, but that was just how he liked to do things.


    Joshua and Wright locked eyes.


    ¡°I am a knight in the service of Marquis Crombell. My name is Viscount Wright seon Nagari. I¡¯ve heard the rumors, Joshua Sanders, but I never expected to meet you like this.¡± Wright¡¯s smile continued to grow. ¡°To throw in with the losing team¡ªyou must be a fool.¡±


    The Crombell knights jeered.


    ¡°Are you worried about your men? Or¡­ do you feel guilty for abandoning them?¡±


    Joshua responded by wresting his crimson spear from the fabric of space and leveling its zing tip at Wright.


    ¡°You talk too much.¡±


    ¡°Boy, don¡¯t you know how scary heaven is?¡± Wright drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll chop off your head, my men will chop off your limbs, and then I¡¯ll feed you to the dogs.¡±


    The young Baron stared darkly at him.


    ¡°No excuses¡ªyou pointed your weapon at me first.¡± Wright¡¯s de shimmered with Aura. Mana danced on its edge like fire, subtly denser than that of a fresh A-ss Knight.


    Leo de Grans noticed the danger and began to advance cautiously.


    They were interrupted by a soft pop.


    ¡°Ugghhh¡ª¡± Wright lowered his head and stared at the spear running through his heart. ¡°When¡ªWhen did you¡ª?¡±


    The light faded from his eyes quickly. All that was left behind was his bewildered expression.


    It was an astonishingly pointless conclusion for an A-ss Knight.


    The Wilhelm Knights stared in awed silence while the Crombell knights were crushed by the iprehensible reality.


    ¡°Proud Wilhelm Knights, hear me!¡± Joshua brandished his spear.


    ¡°Speak!¡± Leo de Grans trembled, but in a different way from Wright. He dropped to his knee, quickly followed by the other ck-d knights.


    ¡°Eliminate these nuisances, quickly.¡±


    ¡°Your will is ourmand!¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights brayed like rabid dogs straining at the leash. What was there to fear when they were led by a man like this? Numbers meant nothing to them anymore.


    ¡°y anyone who dares stand before our king!¡±


    ¡°WOOOOOH!¡±


    A feast of blood began as their mad howl pierced the heavens.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: That must be a beautiful pair of eyes¡­ Manhwa, don¡¯t fail us!?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Cain often used ¡°-nim¡± when referring to Icarus and I¡¯ve tried to make him sound more formal when ites out. Maybe I¡¯ve done a shit job, but you¡¯re stuck with me until the rest of the team figures out that I have no idea what I¡¯m doing.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: ?? ???¡ª No pronouns again, I see¡­ I now feel so bad for asserting that Icarus is a girl when the story itselfcked pronouns -_-?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: huh? I guess here, but manhwa¡­ nuh-uh?</li></ol>

 Chapter 199:

    Chapter 199:


    ¡°Oh! Oh my god,¡± Cain babbled. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    Their master came, leading a horde of men they didn¡¯t know. Everyone was excited and relieved, but Cain couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°That¡¯s all you brought?¡± When he saw three hundred of Marquis Crombell¡¯s knights sally out to meet them, Cain wanted to jump off the wall and run to his master.


    He didn¡¯t get the chance.


    Far in the distance, he saw Joshua smile and shake his head, unconcerned. All the worry slipped out of Cain¡¯s heart, reced by excitement. Watching a hundred knights fall in behind his master made Cain shiver.


    When one of Marquis Crombell¡¯s best knights, Viscount Wright, stood in the way of his master, Cain unconsciously clenched his fists, only to be astounded by his first and final move.


    Space itself opened to reveal a shining red spear. It lunged for the Viscount¡¯s heart with pinpoint uracy as if it had been purpose-made for this moment, ending the encounter in an instantaneous blur of motion.


    An electric thrill ran down Cain¡¯s spine. Joshua had indeed crossed thest great wall. He was a god that made the sky shake and the earth move.


    ¡°Viscount Wright has been an A-ss for more than three years¡­ It¡¯s over so quickly¡­?¡± Count Keiros, lord of Peril Castle and a B-ss Knight himself, muttered.


    ¡°Wh¡­ What happened?¡± Icarus asked. ¡°Who are those knights behind our master? Are they on our side?¡±


    Cain¡¯s usual joviality was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°For now¡­ It¡¯s safe to say they¡¯re friendly.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s voice was exuberant.


    ¡°Oh, and¡­ It looks like there¡¯re a lot of women with him. Real jaw-droppers.¡±


    Charles¡¯s ears perked up.


    Icarus¡¯s gaze turned lethal. ¡°What¡­ did¡­ you¡­ say?¡±


    Whatever Icarus was going to say was drowned out by the shouts and footsteps of Marquis Crombell¡¯s army.


    Count Keiros was quick to react. ¡°Prepare to fire!¡± he shouted. He knew the enemy would be in bow range soon. Cain ignored the archers; his eyes were fixed firmly at the back of the Crombells¡¯ army, picking out details most people wouldn¡¯t be able to see.


    Having put down the enemymander, his master¡¯s spear was now aimed at the rest of Marquis Crombell¡¯s knights. The ck knights following him were no less eager for blood, and, unbelievably, they had the skills to match Duke Agnus¡¯s knights.


    There was just one thing bothering Cain, however.


    ¡°Why is there a dog crawling in my ce¡ª!¡± He drew his sword. Cain thought he¡¯d manned up, but it wasn¡¯t true. His ce was glued to his master¡¯s side like a lover, and no one would take that from him. ¡°I am Cain, the right hand of Baron Joshua Sanders! AHHHHHHHHHH!¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡ª!¡± Icarus reeled in shock as Cain leaped off the walls and ran across the battlefield screaming<sup>1</sup>.


    ¡°Dumbass¡ª!¡± Even Count Keiros, a famously mild-mannered man, let his thoughts slip out. No matter how you looked at it, Cain¡¯s actions were madness.


    Marquis Crombell¡¯s forces noticed him a momentter.


    ¡°Who is that madman?¡± one of Gehog¡¯s lieutenants wondered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± the lieutenants who¡¯d taken Viscount Wright¡¯s ce replied. ¡°I¡¯m sure someone¡¯s going to knock him over eventually.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡±


    Gehog frowned and took a step back to look at the bigger picture.


    ¡°Someone over there was very eager to get rid of them.¡± Gehogughed and waved dismissively. His attention was on the walls of Peril Castle. ¡°Charles¡­ Charles de Pontier¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!¡± Gehog¡¯s eyes took on a gleam of madness as he considered what he was going to do.


    Hisughter abruptly stopped when the ¡°crazy¡± man collided with his forces.


    Their ears were assaulted by an ear-splitting roar as the maniac¡¯s ck sword scythed through the Crombells¡¯ front lines.


    ¡°That guy¡ª Don¡¯t tell me¡ª!¡±


    There was only one person in the Pontiers with that kind of presence. That trademark ck sword told them everything they needed to know.


    ¡°First Knight¡­ Cain de Harry¡­¡±


    ¡°First Knight?¡± Gehog asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the name people gave him when he became Baron Sanders¡¯s only knight. Baron Sanders recently became a Master, making him famous across the continent.¡±


    Gehog scowled. Hearing the name of the guy who humiliated him was unpleasant, but he had to take the ¡°First Knight¡± seriously. It was one thing to have a nickname within his family, but for it to be known across the continent meant that he was a serious heavyweight. Thest people with names like that were the Seven Knights of the Emperor, who lived over 200 years ago. Imperial power was at its strongest back then, and all seven knights were on par with a modern A-ss Knight.


    ¡°It was awful. That guy is such a good-for-nothing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nicknames are just a boring hobby for lower-ss people,¡± Gehog sniffed. ¡°Send one unit. Focus on the strongest¡ªI don¡¯t want any nuisances when we¡¯re so close.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡±


    ¡°Have our best knights focus on that one. You, too. The rest of the troops will break through the gates in the meantime. As soon as you have his head,e join us.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    While they talked, a knight was cutting through Gehog¡¯s protective cordone from behind. They didn¡¯t notice.


    ¡°Master Gehog! Oh, this is important!¡± A messenger knelt in front of Gehog.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± the lieutenant demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª! S-Sir Wright is dead!¡±


    Gehog and the lieutenant boggled at him.


    ¡°What nonsense is this?!¡± Gehog ground his teeth together angrily.


    ¡°Tell us the details,¡± the lieutenant ordered.


    ¡°T-The enemy came from behind¡ª¡±


    In an attempt to stave off Gehog¡¯s rage, the lieutenant started yelling at the messenger for him.


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me Commander Wright lost to a hundred people?!¡±


    ¡°Not a hundred¡­ just one.¡±


    ¡°He challenged someone to a one-on-one fight. It looked like their leader. He killed Sir Wright before he had a chance to react.¡±


    A terrible silence fell over the group.


    ¡°¡­Who did this?¡± Gehog rumbled.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t confirmed their identity yet, but the one who killed Sir Wright was¡ª¡±


    ¡°Was me.¡± A figure fell from the sky.


    ¡°You bastard! What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Gehog¡¯s guards drew their swords and surrounded the uninvited guest.


    Gehog himself, however, was speechless. He just stood there with wide eyes and a stiff face.


    ¡°Is this the first time we¡¯ve met?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll send you to join your friend, Veron shen Vis. It¡¯s always the same with your clique¡ªwhy do the children of the Twelve Families all look like shit when they see me?¡± He called up the unsettling red spear and hefted it. ¡°You and your family have gone too far. No more.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t¡ª You can¡¯t be serious!¡± The lieutenant shivered, and his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    There was a rumor from Reinhardt about a spear. Spears were weapons for simple soldiers; strong men didn¡¯t even bother looking at them. But that was a huge mistake on the part of Igrant¡¯s people. Their mockery and disdain became frustration and despair as the young Master of Avalon shook the continent.


    ¡°Are you gonna kill me? I¡¯m the son of Marquis Crombell? Do you know what that means?!<sup>2</sup>¡±


    Joshua, king of Reinhardt, smiled bitterly as Gehog shrieked.


    ¡°Kill? Why would I want to kill you?¡±


    Gehog felt a spike of anxiety pierce his chest. His worries were realized soon enough.


    ¡°Your house is the most sessful merchant family in the Empire, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! Well, I mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Joshua interrupted, his smile growing. ¡°I¡¯m going to steal everything from you except your life.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: LEEEEEEROY JENKINS!?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: Having Signora¡¯s final moments shback?</li></ol>

 Chapter 200:

    Chapter 200:


    ¡°Eek!¡± Gehog shrieked. ¡°The enemy is alone! Everyone, protect me!<sup>1</sup>¡± He staggered away from Joshua, frightened by his strange words<sup>2</sup>.


    Two hundred knights flooded in to protect theirmander.


    ¡°Stand fast! This coward may have tricked Sir Wright,<sup>3</sup> but we are the Knights of Marquis Crombell!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s 200 against one! Don¡¯t let the rumors fool you!¡±


    ¡°Archers! On my signal!¡±


    Joshua, alone, was surrounded by two hundred fully armed and armored knights. Their hushed breaths suffused the air, and behind them was a forest of readied bows.


    One against many. Not just any old random warriors, but high-level knights. Joshua had never been through something like this before.<sup>4</sup>


    In this life, that is.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance.¡± Joshua gave his spear a few practice swings.


    ¡°What?¡± The knights shivered.


    ¡°Choosing the wrong lord to serve was a foolish mistake, especially if you intend to serve him for the rest of your life.¡±


    ¡°What?<sup>5</sup>¡±


    ¡°Turning a blind eye to wrongdoings is a sin. Even if you didn¡¯t know the first time, you can¡¯t im innocence the second time.¡± Joshua stared at them with burning eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. There¡¯s no saving that boy, but any of you can back out now if you wish.¡±


    ¡°This trash¡ª!¡± The lieutenant gritted his teeth, infuriated by Joshua¡¯s dismissive treatment. ¡°Our opponent is a Master, even though he¡¯s young!¡± he shouted to the knights. ¡°Gather your mana and prepare your defenses!¡±


    The horde of knights pointed their swords at Joshua. It merely erased any doubts he had left.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± He pointed the tip of his spear at them and slowly gathered his mana. ¡°There¡¯s only one thing I need right now¡ªthe only way to make up for the numbers disadvantage.¡±


    The air shook like it was being torn apart, sending the knights reeling from Joshua¡¯s sheer momentum.


    ¡°The primordial stones were originally one, it¡¯s said. Therefore, it¡¯s possible to use Magma¡¯s annihtion and Bronto¡¯s growth at the same time.¡± On the tips of Lugia¡¯s des, a ball of fire and a ball of lightning appeared. <em>Bronto¡¯s thunder and Magma¡¯s fire joined into one attack.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s strength had grown greatly, but he had yet to try anything new. He simply hadn¡¯t met an opponent who could stand up to the techniques he already had¡ªbut if he didn¡¯t progress, he¡¯d stagnate like fetid water. Eventually, someone stronger woulde along and cut him down.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    The mana of two hundred knights surged forward in ordance with the lieutenant¡¯s roar. They shook off their fear with a brandish of their swords, and their des fell upon Joshua like rain.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Joshua narrowly scraped past a sword. Lugia was already moving. In fact, it was spinning. It left vivid red streaks in the air as it flew like the tail of aet, and its impact was just as powerful.


    There was a sh. The fire burned the sinners, and the thunder purged everything that was left. With that kind of power, even heaven would weep.


    It was a famous technique of the Magic Spear Arts: the Fiery Thunderstorm<sup>6</sup>.


    Lugia¡¯s meteoric descent finally ended with an all-epassing explosion.


    Count Keiros slowly lowered his hands. The archers¡¯ bows rxed, forgotten as the archers stared down the walls.


    The chaos of the war was suddenly gone. All that was left was silence.


    A hundred men against five thousand¡ªbut it was the men in ck<sup>7</sup> who won the day.


    One knight¡¯s head rolled from his shoulders as his body copsed. Another was trampled by a horse. None of them wore ck; the battle was aplete rout. The front line couldn¡¯t move because there was an A-ss Knight still running rampant, and the ck knights were picking apart the rest.


    No one knew where they came from, much less their blue-haired leader.


    Their chain ofmand was falling apart, whilst the blue-haired knight seemed to be able tomand his forces without a word.


    His devastating one-against-five-hundred showdown left a deep mark on the psyche of everyone present.


    ¡°¡­G-God of War?¡± one of the Pontier soldiers whispered.


    Knights fled even when his spear was idle. It gave off an aura of blinding fear, and its crackling lightning could be felt from yards away. What could he be but a god?


    The climax of the war was certainly something to behold.


    Duke Pontier¡¯s soldiers were suddenly forced to take cover as they were showered by dirt thrown up by Lugia¡¯s impact. When they finally opened their tightly shut eyes, they could only gape at the aftermath.


    In the epicenter of the st, there was only one man left standing<sup>8</sup>.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­¡±


    The soldiers took in Charles¡¯s words and were filled with an inexplicable sensation.


    The blood of the Sword God; the youngest Master on the continent; the newest legend¡ªa man higher than nobility or royalty.


    Joshua Sanders.


    His name was etched upon their hearts.


    ¡°WOAH!¡±


    ¡°The pride of the Empire is with us!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! Follow the God of War!¡±


    Count Keiros couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists. He wasn¡¯t the only one¡ªeveryone on the wall could feel their hearts swell with emotion. The Count barely kept his emotions in check as he infused mana into his voice.


    ¡°Follow the God of War!¡±


    ¡°WOOOAHHH!¡±


    The gates of Peril were thrown open, unleashing the soldiers of Pontier.


    Joshua was about to get another name.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Hack¡ª!¡±


    Joshua stared.


    A man dragged himself across the ground, gasping for breath. His clothes were torn and burned, and his face was scorched beyond recognition.


    ¡°You must not value your life.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­ save¡­ m¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s rare that someone¡¯s willing to sacrifice his own life for his superior¡¯s.¡± Joshua looked down at the charcoal husk of Gehog¡¯s lieutenant. If he hadn¡¯t thrown himself in the way at thest moment, Gehog would have been fatally wounded. Where did this blind devotione from?


    Needless to say, the rest of the Crombell knights were no better off. It was hell on earth. Joshua had to avert his eyes from the grisly scene. He looked at the man crawling on the ground and raised his eyebrows.


    ¡°There¡¯s no point in this battle anymore,¡± he muttered. Joshua lifted Lugia and then mmed it into the earth, sending a tremor through the entire battlefield.


    ¡°Am I¡­ dreaming?¡±


    ¡°A god! He¡¯s a god!¡±


    ¡°How are we supposed to beat that? He¡¯s not even human!¡±


    Fear spread like a virus; it started with the ones who could see Joshua and swept across the battlefield. One by one, Marquis Crombell¡¯s army threw down their weapons. The Pontiers ruled the battlefield.


    ¡°The enemy is in your hands.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s quiet voice was carried across the battlefield by the wind. Fear and hopelessness, awe and reverence¡ªhis words incited a bevy of different emotions.


    ¡°We¡¯ve won.¡±


    His voice was quiet but heavy with mana.


    In the deepest, darkest, forbidden depths of Count Rebra¡¯s manor, the ground shook with a bestial roar of uncontroble rage.


    The beast had once heard that humans were forgetful animals. It wasn¡¯t sure if it had actually forgotten where it heard that or if it knew and simply didn¡¯t care enough to dredge up the memory.


    All it cared about was punishing the insects who had awoken it from its long slumber.


    <em>You came into the realm. You broke your word. Britten¡¯s descendants will pay.</em>


    An angry growl rippled through the densely packed trees.


    The trees of the ck Forest.<sup>9</sup><ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: what a selfish bastard?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I dislike your funny words, magic man.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: dude he knew who joshua is?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: ¡°Never Tell Me the Odds.¡±?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: What??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: How is it famous if this is the first time it¡¯s ever been used, my man??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Gehog is not human confirmed. Lugia is the Noisy Cricket??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: he killed his soldiers too??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: A new challenger has appeared.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 201:

    Chapter 201:


    Joshua was the very picture of a mighty general as he rode his glossy ck horse into Peril Castle.


    A hundred Wilhelm Knights followed close on his heels, their ck armor exuding a subtle aura of mystery.


    The castle was almost perfectly silent, much to Count Keiros¡¯s consternation. He¡¯d expected raucous apuse, but most of the soldiers were too dumbfounded to open their mouths. Perhaps Joshua was just that intimidating.


    Keiros sighed and stepped forward.


    ¡°Baron Sanders, we¡¯re delighted to wee you to Peril Castle.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± Joshua got off his horse and shed a winning smile<sup>1</sup>. His voice was a clean, youthful baritone, belying his actual age.


    Count Keiros found himself deeply troubled; Joshua had gone out of his way to help them, despite his young age. Despite their nominal ranks, the Count couldn¡¯t bring himself to treat the young Baron like a subordinate. He had trouble figuring out how to treat Joshua, period. It was quite a unique quandary for a nobleman.


    ¡°Um¡­ First of all, thank you. We¡¯re enormously grateful for you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Joshua.¡±


    Keiros blinked. ¡°Young Lady?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been some time.¡± The red-haired woman appeared beside Keiros, drawing a wider smile from Joshua. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot since Ist saw you.¡± Charles¡¯s eyes darkened.


    Icarus saw that and ran up and prodded Joshua in the side.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    ¡°It must have been quite difficult.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ It took a lot of work.¡±


    Strangely enough, Icarus¡¯s ire melted like snow under the sun from a few short words from Joshua. He had a strange way of making people¡¯s hearts skip a beat<sup>2</sup>.


    ¡°Long live the God of War!¡± a voice shouted from somewhere. Words Icarus wanted to say butcked the confidence to do so. It felt like a disease festering in Icarus¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Long live Baron Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Hail to the Baron! Wee to Peril Castle!¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Master!¡±


    Peril Castle rumbled with shouts and celebration.


    The Wilhelm Knights watched this from behind Joshua and smiled to themselves. They were proud¡ªted¡ªto have a man like this at their head. They would be together for a long time, that much was certain.


    Count Keiros smiled at Charles and Joshua.


    ¡°Everyone, stand to attention!¡± he suddenly shouted. ¡°To Baron Joshua Sanders, who traveled far to help our family! Salute!¡±


    The Pontiers¡¯ troops brandished their weapons and cheered. Then, as one, they stamped their feet.


    That Sunday afternoon, the warm noon sunlight lit Peril Castle in a golden glow.


    ¡°You wanna die?¡±


    Cain broke out in a cold sweat under Icarus¡¯s murderous gaze.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean, miss?¡±


    ¡°Miss? MISS?¡±


    Cain wisely kept his mouth shut.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to believe a single word thates out of your mouth from now on. You have to be crazy toe up with a joke right now¡ªyou have to be even crazier to say it out loud!¡±


    ¡°What did I do wrong? I¡¯m just kidding, so¡­¡±


    His quip earned him another death re from Icarus.


    ¡°How amusing. Just what do you think about me?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That elbow.¡±


    Cain followed Icarus¡¯s eyes and flinched.


    ¡°You got yourself hurt pointlessly. You went in at the most dangerous moment possible, and you had no idea what the enemy was going to do. If you had any faith in my tactical skill, if you ever thought of me as yourrade¡ªno, I guess not.¡±


    After a moment of stiff silence, Cain bowed his head.


    ¡°Sorry.¡±


    The apology came from his heart. Icarus was right: he¡¯d been careless. There was nothing else he could say.


    It¡¯s not that he didn¡¯t care about Icarus, but for a split second, he couldn¡¯t control himself; he was too eager to wield his sword alongside his master.


    Icarus eyed his lowered head and sighed.


    ¡°You better not do this again if you care about me at all.<sup>3</sup>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll remember!¡± Cain saluted. ¡°It¡¯s never going to happen again.¡±


    ¡°That better not be lip service¡ª¡±


    ¡°I swear it on my name, Cain de Harry, First Knight.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re having a lot of fun with this ¡®first¡¯ thing.¡± Icarus snorted with pursed lips. ¡°Must be nice.¡±


    ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±


    ¡°Ack¡ª!¡±


    They spun around with wide eyes.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Joshua smiled at them. This was the first time all three of them had been in the same ce at the same time since the Master Battle.


    Icarus shivered wordlessly, but Cain¡­


    ¡°Master. Let me hug you, just once.<sup>4</sup> Just one¡­ hug.¡±


    Joshua took a step back as Cain approached him.


    ¡°The main force will arrive soon. Marquis Crombell and the Mercenary King are on their way.¡±


    Cain and Icarus straightened up immediately.


    ¡°The Mercenary King is bringing tens of thousands of hired troops with him. We can¡¯t treat them like the ones we fought earlier.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about the Mercenary King, but the Marquis¡¯s forces shouldn¡¯t be too bad.¡±


    Joshua¡¯spanions pped their hands over their mouths. They couldn¡¯t believe that their master was treating the threat so flippantly. War was no joke; who could fight when they were outnumbered by a dozen or even a hundred times?


    ¡°Is it possible?¡±


    Joshua and Cain turned to regard Icarus. The young tactician<sup>5</sup> was startled to discover the trust in their gazes.


    ¡°Time to use your hidden cards,¡± Icarus said to Joshua.


    ¡°Got it.¡± He grinned.


    ¡°It would be ideal if I could pick somewhere near Reinhardt. To do that, we need a qualified, neutral, and well-regarded notary.¡±


    ¡°I know just the one.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±


    Cain frowned. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°First, can I ask you for your thoughts?¡±


    ¡°Anything.¡± Joshua nodded to Icarus¡¯s beautiful face<sup>6</sup>.


    ¡°What is your real goal, master?¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was very curious as well.


    ¡°¡­I want to rule the world. A little bit of it is just personal satisfaction, but it¡¯s mostly to protect my people.¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­¡± Cain¡¯s jaw dropped. He looked around nervously. If anyone had heard that, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Joshua was immediately sentenced to death for treason.


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯re considering <em>it</em><sup>7</sup> for the job? As far as I know, only a Britten can be the Emperor.¡± The idea seemed to put Icarus in a poor mood. It was like sacrificing yourself to save someone else.


    It was just Icarus¡¯s misunderstanding, though.


    ¡°How old-fashioned. I don¡¯t need to stick to the Britten name.¡±


    Icarus blinked in surprise and smiled widely. ¡°I have a dream, too. I want to be a member of the Royal Knights, not of a noble house¡¯s order.¡±


    ¡°You can be.¡± Joshua smiled back.


    ¡°Ah! I don¡¯t care how hard it is; the first position belongs to me, master,¡± Cain loudly insisted.


    Joshua and Icarus gave him a bemused look. No doubt Iceline would have had many things to say if she¡¯d been there.


    ¡°Were there not Seven Knights of the Emperor, once upon a time? When the Avalon Empire was at its strongest.¡± Cain raised his chin. ¡°If anyone asks, I¡¯m the First Sword.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it,¡± Joshua said with augh.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°For the record, I¡¯m in charge of choosing who¡¯s who.¡±


    Cain was silent for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Now that I think about it, the Second Sword doesn¡¯t sound so bad either. Well, the numbers don¡¯t really matter that much. Even a three-year-old wouldn¡¯t be so childish¡ª¡±<sup>8</sup>


    ¡°Pft¡ª¡± The abrupt change in position made Icarusugh helplessly.


    The day after the battle ended in good cheer.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: well shit, I like cain more but don¡¯t smile like that joshua¡­ it¡¯s bad for my heart?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: Read: Icarus is a simp?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: what is this flirty flirty over here?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: do you all remember when cain tried to kill joshua? No? Just me??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: I¡¯m just gonna headcanon Icarus as Robin from FE:A now, yeah.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: joshua my boy on his way to ruin cain and icarus¡¯s peaceful life ED: Tags: NTR?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: what ¡®it¡¯?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: The man really opted for being side piece number two, down bad for real.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 202:

    Chapter 202:


    The Twelve Families and the Five Dukes, the great, ponderous gears that kept the Empire running, had gathered.


    Emperor Marcus sat smugly upon his golden throne, surveying his subjects. All of them were present except two: Duke Pontier¡¯s house and Marquis Crombell¡¯s house.


    Beside the Emperor stood his personal secretary; he was responsible for all the paperwork the Emperor couldn¡¯t do. He kept track of everything happening in the Empire¡ªit was safe to say that anything the Emperor knew, he knew.


    ¡°The war between Marquis Crombell and Duke Pontier is at its climax,¡± the secretary recited. ¡°Pendra Castle, the Pontiers¡¯ ancestral home, will soon raise the white g. The Duke and the Princess safely relocated to Castle Peril. Two days ago, 5,000 soldiers attacked Peril in the early morning. The result: Crombells werepletely crushed.¡±


    The courtroom was deathly silent.


    ¡°Two units of knights and 1,500 soldiers were killed immediately. Gehog von Crombell, the Marquis¡¯s eldest son, is imprisoned below Peril Castle. Viscount Wright shen Nagari, an A-ss Knight, was killed, and his corpse hangs outside the gates like a scarecrow.¡±


    The silence dragged on. How were they supposed to handle this shocking news?


    Emperor Marcus, ever inscrutable, eventually opened his mouth.


    ¡°How bad is it for the Pontier family?¡±


    The secretary examined the report for a moment and then looked up. ¡°I apologize, Your Majesty, but there is hardly any information on that. The number of casualties¡ªdead and injured, both serious and minor¡ªare estimated to be less than a hundred.¡±


    A low sigh slipped out of Marquis Brolly¡¯s lips. He knew the gist of what was happening because he was acquainted with Marquis Crombell.


    <em>I didn¡¯t know, however, that it would be this big.</em> He couldn¡¯t believe the Pontiers had won, much less without any damage.


    A strange smile danced on Marcus¡¯s lips. ¡°Does Duke Pontier still have enough power?¡± His voice was slightly raised as if urging them to listen.


    ¡°The biggest factor behind the Crombells¡¯ defeat was because of a powerful group of knights who appeared to assist the Pontiers at thest moment.¡±


    The Emperor gestured for him to go on.


    ¡°The reports im that they are the Wilhelm Knights of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°The¡­ Wilhelm Knights?¡± Marquis Vis gaped.


    The Dukes already knew this, so none of them had said anything, but Marquis Vis didn¡¯t have enough connections to find out until now. He¡¯d been paying attention, given the obvious significance of the war, but his territory was on the opposite end of the Empire. News inevitably arrivedte.


    ¡°Why are they there instead of Reinhardt?¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights¡¯ name held serious weight. There were only 100 of them, but each and every one of them was as skilled as any other knight on the continent.


    ¡°Baron Sanders. He cut Viscount Wright¡¯s head off and led the Wilhelm Knights to victory against Marquis Crombell¡¯s 5,000.¡±


    ¡°Fucki¡ª¡± Marquis Vis caught himself at thest moment and snapped his mouth shut.


    ¡°Hehehehehe.¡± Emperor Marcus smiled, much to Vis¡¯s relief.


    ¡°Everyone who fought in this battle is saying the same thing: a god of war was born in our Empire.¡±


    ¡°Recite Article 21 of the Imperial Laws,¡± the Emperor ordered.


    ¡°All territorial battles within the Empire must be approved by His Majesty the Supreme Emperor in advance. Section 1 states that no more than 5,000 enlisted soldiers per family may participate in a war. Section 2¡­¡± The secretary droned on and on until he finally reached the part they were all interested in. ¡°Section 8: It is always forbidden to invite outsiders or other groups that could harm the Empire. All of these sub-uses can be changed at the discretion of His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    Thest use was key. In the end, the painstakingly writtenws were little more than scraps of paper in the hands of the Emperor<sup>1</sup>.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t the only thing they were concerned about.


    ¡°Strictly speaking, the Wilhelm Knights are not part of our Empire. Theye from a foreign country.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the nobles immediately replied.


    The Emperor singled out one of them with a sly smile. ¡°What do you think¡­ Aiden? It¡¯s not enough for your child to harm the most valuable people in the Empire¡ªmy property¡ªbut now he¡¯s attacking the very order of our Empire. What am I meant to do with this brat?¡±


    The reply came from the other side of the table from Duke Agnus.


    ¡°Vitions of Imperialw should be punished harshly. Your Majesty, I think it¡¯s best to bring him to the Imperial Pce and hear how he justifies himself,¡± Duke Prius, renowned as a man of culture, asserted.


    ¡°Well, technically speaking, it¡¯s not against Imperial Law. He was brave enough to do that without saying a word to me¡ªbut I don¡¯t hate it, for some reason. And that¡¯s the problem.¡±


    Duke Prius remained silent this time.


    ¡°First of all, I did allow Marquis Crombell many favors. In that sense, the war was already unfair for Duke Pontier.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The nobles exchanged nces. They hadn¡¯t expected the Emperor to be so straightforward; everyone had thought he was turning a blind eye to the Mercenary King for some reason. His current conversation, however, certainly overturned those expectations.


    While they were confused, the Emperor grinned and added, ¡°No one can argue with his achievements, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty,¡± Advisor Duke Reie was quick to agree. ¡°His aplishments at Reinhardt delivered the name of Avalon across the continent for the first time in many years. I think that should be recognized with distinction.¡±


    ¡°I know, right?¡± Satisfied, the Emperor continued. ¡°When hees back, I was going to give him the rank of marquis. I was also considering giving him thends in the south.¡±


    The aristocrats shared an astonished look. They knew the Emperor wouldvish him with praise, but this was a lot. Even Arie bron Sten was still a Count, despite being a Master for some years now. A fifteen-year-old boy bing a Master and now a Marquis? That was skipping three ranks at once. It waspletely unprecedented and would likely never happen again.


    ¡°My god, Your Majesty¡ªwhat do you mean?!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is too much!¡±


    Both Marquis Brolly and Marquis Vis raised their voices<sup>2</sup>.


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s response was swift and cold.


    ¡°I am the lord andw of this empire.¡± He pinned them to the ground with a freezing-cold re. ¡°I will do what I want. Is that a problem?¡±


    They both mped their jaws firmly shut.


    ¡°His growth will inform our future ns. This meeting is adjourned. Also, as of now, anyone who does anything that could affect the war in the slightest¡­¡± After a moment, Emperor Marcus let out a softugh. ¡°I¡¯ll hold you responsible for getting in the way of my fun!¡±


    His flippant disregard for the future of the two families set some of the nobles¡¯ nerves on edge.


    ¡°Get out of my sight.¡±


    ¡°We hear and obey.¡± The nobles stood.


    ¡°Aiden, stay for a little while.¡±


    The Duke stopped. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Marcus and Duke Agnus were eventually the only people left in the conference room¡ªdiscounting the people hiding in the ceiling, but only the Emperor could see or hear them.


    ¡°Shall we talk for real now?¡± The Emperor bared his teeth in the first genuine smile of that day.


    The Lion King hummed as he wandered through the beautiful gardens of Peril Castle.


    ¡°You must pay for your food.¡±


    ¡°Food?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve yed and eaten for free until now, haven¡¯t you? You may not know this about me, but I¡¯m not the kind of person who takes kindly to freeloaders.¡±


    ¡°Your money?¡± The Lion Kingughed crazily. ¡°Isn¡¯t it Count Keiros¡¯s, or maybe Princess Charles¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Then pay to get in.¡±


    The Lion King stared at him nkly for a moment. ¡°Hah! I¡¯ve never seen someone try that before¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it takes for a child like me to make it in this harsh world.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± He rocked back like he¡¯d been struck by a hammer. ¡°I¡¯m not paying, but how much does it cost?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t cost you anything.¡±


    ¡°Knowing you, I¡¯d rather pay in cash¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like you to act as a notary.¡±


    The Lion King flinched. ¡°A notary?¡± he asked with a serious expression.


    ¡°The challenge will happen here, not in Reinhardt.¡±


    The Lion King¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The actors are ready, so all you have to do is move the stage. Most importantly, there¡¯s no audience unless they can pay the price.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you realize, but this is a pretty big burden for me too. Being your notary means I¡¯m responsible for all the problems that incident caused.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who can pay the entrance fee. Here¡¯s what I want you to do¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not a request, that¡¯s a threat¡­¡± The Lion King was silent for a moment. ¡°I have some conditions,¡± he calmly stated.


    ¡°If your conditions are¡ª¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°The bnce is wrong, and the tickets are too expensive.¡±


    ¡°If you do this¡ª¡±


    ¡°Two things.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°In the future, you will grant one of my requests.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re wee to refuse the request if you think it¡¯s too much. You see, I¡¯ve lost and tied only once in my entire life. It was against someone named Arie, whoes from the same country as you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s mouth soured.


    ¡°In the past¡­¡± The Lion King looked at Joshua and abruptly stopped. ¡°No, I don¡¯t think this is the time to talk about this. You have a duel to prepare for.¡±


    ¡°Is it rted?¡±


    The Lion King nodded.


    ¡°I get it, for now. What about the other condition?¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to ept?¡±


    ¡°I thought you said it¡¯s fine to refuse.¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± The Lion King smiled sadly. ¡°The other¡­¡± His basso voice trailed off. ¡°Be my sessor.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be your notary.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: This is the part where we understand why Joshua wants to be the Emperor or ruler of all. Some might say that this is because of his revenge and I¡¯m not doubting that. But his words said ¡®in order to protect the ones important to me¡¯ so I think along his long run, he found another reason for wanting to take hold of power¡­ it took us 200 chapters but here we are, so cheers!?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: I¡¯m assuming that they were the ones who raised their voice because Joshua hates them and they know that¡­ considering they¡¯re now on the same level, Joshua could do something legally to make their lives a living hell.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 203:

    Chapter 203:


    Joshua stood deep in the forest near Peril Castle; not a single soul could be found nearby. He was staring at something dark, like a stain, on the ground in front of him.


    Eventually, he began to emit a thick cloud of ominous smoke.


    ¡°Get up.¡±


    The dense mana in the air quickly began to disappear, coalescing into a human form.


    When he lived, he stood at the pinnacle of mankind and held absolute authority in his country. His skills were renowned around the world. They called him ¡°Yawang<sup>1</sup>¡± innds near and far, even across the oceans.


    Now he was a legendary Death Knight, Joshua¡¯s loyal subject.


    ¡°Duke Altsma.¡±


    Glowing red eyes appeared in the hollow eye sockets of the smoky figure.


    [¡­I feel terrible. It¡¯s like dying and then waking up again.] He rolled his head as if he still had bones.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± Joshua noted.


    Thete Duke replied with a nod.


    ¡°Is he strong?¡±


    [He lives up to his title as one of the Twelve. I couldn¡¯t do anything but flee.]


    ¡°Thank you for going out of your way to help my knight.¡±


    Duke Altsma shook his head. [Even if I was still alive, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to beat him. Never.]


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened slightly. It was a strange thing to say, even if it was true. A Master¡ªespecially an imperial Master¡ªhad the pride of someone who had achieved godhood of some sort.


    [Is it that surprising?]


    ¡°¡­It really is.¡±


    [I understand why I died now.]


    Joshua was quiet for a moment. He understood what defeat meant to knights like them.


    <em>The stories of the Death Knights are really scary because they can continue to achieve enlightenment and grow, despite their undead bodies.</em>


    Of course, there were other things that needed to happen before that. Namely, a powerful desire, like water desperate to escape from a dam.


    ¡°When this is all over¡­ I¡¯ll let you meet him again.¡±


    The burning red lights in Duke Altsma¡¯s skull flickered. Even in death, his desire was obvious.


    When he got back to the castle, Joshua pulled something out of his sleeve andid it on the table with a hefty thump.


    ¡°Master?¡± Icarus paused and gave it a confused look.


    ¡°I want this money to go where it¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°Money?¡± Icarus eyed Joshua, head cocked inquisitively. ¡°Oh, wow¡ª¡± Icarus opened the leather pouch and was blinded by the glitter of gold. ¡°How much is this? Where did ite from? Don¡¯t tell me you seduced some richdy somewhere.¡± The tactician stared at Joshua with wide-eyed disbelief.


    There were a plethora of 100-gold pieces and some paper notes as well, which meant Icarus was holding at least a couple thousand gold. That kind of money didn¡¯t just appear out of nowhere.


    ¡°Reinhardt has a good system.¡±


    ¡°System? You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°They recognize some kinds of gambling as legal.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    ¡°I gave it a shot.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡ªDid you just bet on yourself!?¡±


    Joshua nodded shamelessly, to Icarus¡¯s chagrin.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of self-confidence, huh?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really say for sure, which makes it even more silly.¡± Icarus plucked the sack off the table. ¡°This will help offset our costs nicely. I¡¯ll make sure the budgeting is done just right.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°It¡¯s kind of a one-off, but that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯s poorly spent¡ª¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? Why would you spend this money to pay for someone else¡¯s war?¡±


    Joshua looked confused.


    ¡°The Pontiers have plenty of funds¡ªThey¡¯re merchants, in case you forgot. This money should be invested into setting the foundations of your own household. I¡¯m telling you, you should make your house an empire in its own right!¡±


    ¡°Is that important right now? Our priorities should be work¡ª<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°No, no!¡± Icarus scowled. ¡°Master, you are a Baron in name only! You¡¯re the only noble without a household in the entire Empire! Look at us: your people don¡¯t even have a ce to call home! We have to save for furniture, attendants¡ªstuff like that! Surprise, surprise, they cost a lot of money! Everything costs money!<sup>3</sup> If you insist on using it as war funds, then give me an itemized list, and I¡¯ll check it.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no getting away from you¡­¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡± Icarus stared him dead in the eyes.


    ¡°Nothing¡­ I just feel like I¡¯m being heckled by my wife.¡±


    After a moment, Icarus¡¯s face flushed bright red.


    ¡°That¡¯s apliment¡ªYou¡¯re very hands-on with your job.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not bad.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Icarus changed the subject quickly.


    ¡°It may seem like a lot of money right now, but building a household is hard. This will be gone in a sh¡ªeven a billion gold wouldn¡¯t be enough to make this house famous.¡± Icarus smiled, expression back to normal.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°So, master, from now on, you have to work hard and make a lot of money.¡±


    Joshua stared nkly at Icarus.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡± Icarus shed a pretty smile at him. ¡°I¡¯ll take good care of it.¡±


    The antique pottery hit the ground and shattered into a thousand pieces.


    ¡°Again. Say that again.¡±


    The knight flinched. He had to answer, but that might just make the Marquis angrier.


    He swallowed a lump and opened his mouth again. ¡°1,500 dead, 3,000 taken captive, 471 returned safely¡­ and Sir Wright and Master Gehog¡ª¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± This time, Marquis Crombell sent a piece of furniture through the window. He bit his lip so hard it bled. ¡°The Mercenary King¡­ Where is he?¡± he grunted.


    ¡°Right here.¡± He walked through the open door as if he¡¯d been waiting. ¡°Your face looks awful.¡±


    ¡°You think I care?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me like that.¡±


    Marquis Crombell flinched.


    ¡°This is your son¡¯s fault. He was blinded by his greed and made the same mistakes countless greedy people have made before him.¡±


    The Marquis squeezed his eyes shut, and the Mercenary King sighed.


    ¡°I mean¡­ That Joshua Sanders is pretty impressive, but I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d lose this bad.¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders,¡± Marquis Crombell hissed through clenched teeth.


    ¡°Give memand of this war.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There are 2,000 mercenaries waiting outside, and people all over the continent already know that I¡¯ve sided with the dimwitted Marquis Crombell. This is going to ruin my career¡ªit¡¯s going to be near impossible to get jobs in the future. That means I¡¯m putting my life on the line for this job. So give memand.¡±


    It made sense, Crombell had to admit. But was he willing to give an outsider control of 7,000 troops?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there anything else you can do?¡± he eventually asked.


    ¡°Does it matter to me what your son is like?¡± the Mercenary King asked. ¡°To you, maybe, but to me? No.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really know what to do after being defeated one time, do you? So I¡¯ll negotiate for you. It might be hard¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    The Mercenary King was startled to find that Marquis Crombell¡¯s eyes suddenly glowed with a cold light.


    ¡°Our family won¡¯t have a blind leader anymore.¡±


    ¡°If¡­?¡±


    ¡°Even in peacetime, I know you¡¯ve walked the fields of battle for many years. I¡¯ll give youplete control over this territory, along with my son.¡±


    For a moment, the Mercenary King¡¯s face waspletely nk. Leaving his own son out of the decision was not something the Marquis would propose lightly. The heartlessness was honestly puzzling.


    ¡°Great.¡± The Mercenary King smiled sourly.


    ¡°However, we must win this war,¡± Marquis Crombell insisted. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut off Joshua Sanders¡¯s head and hang it from my gate.¡±


    ¡°As you wish.¡± The mercenary smirked. ¡°Tell them.¡±


    The knight who came in to report lifted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s sweetest when they¡¯re drunk on victory. I¡¯ll drag them down to the abyss with my own hands so they can taste the deepest depths of despair.¡± The Mercenary King¡¯s body swelled with fighting spirit.


    <em>That kid is about to find out how vast the sky is.</em><ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: ¡°Yawang¡± means some form of monarch. I¡¯m convinced they¡¯re calling him ¡°Bonk King¡± and no one can convince me otherwise.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TLN: This kind of mentality could be traced back when Joshua¡¯s a mercenary¡­ because the only time he gets paid is when he does work where he needs to spend money as well.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    EDN: me irl?</li></ol>

 Chapter 204:

    Chapter 204:


    Icarus was hard at work, with only the dim moonlight for illumination. A knock came at the door, dragging the tactician¡¯s attention away.


    ¡°Come in, please.¡±


    ¡°Miss.¡±


    Icarus frowned at Cain. ¡°You can stop calling me ¡®miss,¡¯ now.¡±


    ¡°I have a question.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kick you out again if it¡¯s something weird like looking inside my clothes!¡±


    ¡°Wh-What do you take me for?¡± Cain smiled and scratched his head awkwardly. ¡°Master Joshua told you that he wants to rule the world?¡±


    Icarus paused.


    ¡°He did.¡±


    ¡°And you said that there¡¯s only one way for him to be the Emperor without having Britten blood in his veins.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Yes.¡±


    ¡°My guess is¡­ political marriage? I sat down and thought long and hard about it, and that¡¯s the best answer I coulde up with. With no Britten blood, someone who did have that blood would do¡­ But if he marries the Princess, everything will go sideways. The Brittens have four children, and the mad Emperor doesn¡¯t seem interested in handing the throne to any of them.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about that, but blood ties aren¡¯t that easy to ignore. After all, blood is thicker than water.¡±


    ¡°You think the crazy Emperor thinks about it that way?¡±


    Icarus shrugged lightly. ¡°No one knows what¡¯s going on in other people¡¯s heads. More importantly, you¡¯re speaking rather disrespectfully of His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Only one man rules over me,¡± Cain immediately proimed.


    Icarus shivered. ¡°It must be nice having a servant like this.¡±


    ¡°Come clean,¡± Cain said. ¡°You said the Britten name isn¡¯t needed.¡± He locked eyes with Icarus. ¡°Are you nning a rebellion?¡±


    ¡°If it fails, people will call it a revolt or a coup. If it works, it¡¯s a revolution for the history books.¡±


    ¡°This is crazy.¡± Cain slumped and ran his fingers through his hair. He wasn¡¯t surprised at all. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s wrong with our master? Did the fame push the brains out of his head when he became a Master? You don¡¯t think I¡¯m being too greedy, right? An A-ss Knight like me should at least be able to get married?¡±


    Icarus sighed. This man always managed to make things involve his marriage.


    ¡°The name of the Imperial family never changed in the entirety of the Avalon Empire¡¯s history, has it? The Brittens basically built the Empire from the ground up.¡±


    ¡°It would be easier to create a new country,¡± Cain mused. ¡°You could walk into any library, and any couple of books you looked at would tell you how many people bled that day. I¡¯m sure you knew that already.¡±


    ¡°Our master knows that too.¡±


    Cain shut his mouth.


    ¡°Nothing our master does has ever been normal. Telling lies, doing things we can¡¯t imagine¡­?¡±


    ¡°That just makes it more ridiculous,¡± Cain pouted. ¡°Why take the hard path when he could take the easy one? A normal person would at least give his subordinates that much thought!¡±


    Icarus grinned. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else to say, but it is pretty dumb.¡±


    ¡°What, are we getting along now?¡± Cain shed her a crooked smile. ¡°I hope we get along just as well in the future. Hopefully, you¡¯ll save me if I¡¯m ever in a pinch!¡±


    ¡°You think I have the power to save you?¡±


    Icarus started to shove Cain away when bells began nging outside. Their eyes widened.


    ¡°Emergency! The enemy snuck up on us!¡±


    The two shoved past each other to get out of the door first.


    ¡°Get the hot oil ready!¡±


    ¡°Boil water if you run out of oil!¡±


    ¡°The enemy will be here within the hour! Hurry!¡±


    The walls were already a hive of activity by the time Icarus and Cain got there. Peril Castle didn¡¯t get much sunlight¡ªthe nights were dark and came early. Cain and Icarus were gratified to find, therefore, that the troops were wide awake and the preparations were proceeding in good order.


    ¡°Master?¡± Cain spotted a familiar figure. ¡°When did you get here?¡±


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Get Gehog don Crombell out of the prison right now.¡±


    Joshua just stared at the rising moon. His voice was low and cold, and his face was terribly expressionless.


    After a moment of trepidation, Cain bowed his head. ¡°I hear and obey.¡± He pushed aside his thoughts and hurried away.


    ¡°Master!¡± Icarus stepped toward Joshua.


    Joshua examined Icarus.


    ¡°The table is set for negotiations, but it looks like the other side isn¡¯t too interested in what we have to offer.¡±


    ¡°Haha. That¡¯s no surprise. Many nobles put their household ahead of their own children,¡± Icarus remarked. ¡°We¡¯ll have to monitor the battle carefully, in that case. Isn¡¯t that right, master?¡±


    ¡°¡®Master¡¯ feels good to hear right now.¡±


    ¡°Oh, well¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s face turned pale, though Joshua couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°If you insist on fighting to protect everyone, you may survive, but you won¡¯t win the war.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª!¡± Icarus¡¯s voice rose. ¡°Never! It was the same back then, but this is much bigger!¡±


    ¡°It may be worth a shot.¡±


    Icarus gave him a confused look.


    ¡°Even if we pull off a surprise attack and shock their main force, it won¡¯t break their morale. Instead, they¡¯ll try to prepare by feeling out our weak spots¡ªbut a head-on sh would be a different story.¡±


    ¡°First of all, a head-on battle is only possible if we can bring the same force to bear,¡± Icarus strongly refuted. ¡°You know everyone has a trick up their sleeves when ites to these things. If you¡¯re confident you can win, that¡¯s the mentality you need to have!<sup>2</sup>¡±


    Joshua smirked. ¡°So you¡¯re doing it, right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn!¡±


    ¡°Can you see those soldiers over there? The ones carrying stones?¡±


    Icarus paused. ¡°Their¡­ expressions.¡±


    ¡°If you try to bottle up your fears, they¡¯re bound to leak somewhere¡ªthat¡¯s what you see on their faces right now.¡±


    Just as he said, Icarus could see a hint of worry on the soldiers¡¯ faces.


    ¡°They¡¯re standing at the edge of a cliff, one foot already in the air. One defeat is all it takes for them to lose their family and everything they¡¯ve built. Nominally, Imperialw says they can¡¯t directly harm the people of the territory, but¡­ they¡¯ll feel it anyway. You can tell just by looking at what happened to the old Rebra territory. They¡¯ll be ves for life if they lose.¡±


    Sparks began to appear on the horizon. Marquis Crombell was here, and he wasn¡¯t being subtle about it. The thundering footsteps of his legion shook the castle to its foundations¡ªThey were getting closer, their shouts rolling across the ground before them.


    If the walls fell, the enemy would be right on top of them.


    ¡°Wars are decided by the first battle.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± Icarus spun around with a bright smile. Cain stood there holding Gehog¡¯s limp body.


    ¡°Master, please reconsider this.¡±


    ¡°Hm.¡±


    ¡°Master, please¡ª¡±


    Joshua jumped off the wall before Cain could finish his sentence.


    The Pontier soldiers erupted into whispers.


    ¡°I¡ªWhat¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Was that Sir Cain again?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± One of the soldiers peered into the dark. ¡°No, that¡¯s Baron Sanders!¡±


    The soldiers¡¯ worried expressions changed slightly. Their dark faces were still there but tinged with a hint of anticipation. Most of them had seen Joshua fight before; a lot of them had even seen him fight more than once.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain scowled and looked ready to jump off the wall too.


    [One ss higher, and you¡¯ll get something even stronger than an Aura de.]


    Cain heard an electric whisper in his ears, and his eyes widened.


    ¡°Pow¡­er?¡±


    [So, just watch carefully.]


    Joshua cut the transmission with a smile.


    Why did people call him the Unrivaled Spear Knight<sup>3</sup><sup>4</sup> in his past life?


    He led a hundred thousand battles, and each one ended with glory.<sup>5</sup>


    This was the beginning of a story. A long story about a great hero forced to fend off hundreds or even thousands of enemies.


    For a moment, the air around Joshua shook as if the fabric of reality was being torn apart. Huge amounts of power rose from within his body, rising on five-colored wisps of smoke.


    ¡°Force Aura.¡±


    Joshua slowly advanced on the enemy with tranquil eyes.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: Iirc, there¡¯s no Crown Prince yet??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: I have no idea what mentality Icarus is talking about here tbh.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Because he¡¯s in some kinda Suicide Squad or somethi¡ª Wait, wrong series.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: AWWWWWWWWW SHIT ITS A MOTHERFUCKING TIIIIIITLE DROP!!!!!!?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: ZERO LOSSES?!?!!?!?</li></ol>

 Chapter 205:

    Chapter 205:


    When a sword is infused with mana, it bes an Aura de, making the sword faster and more dangerous. Infusing mana was like forging, and its ultimate result was the Aura de.


    You could say that if a regr sword was water, then an Aura de was ice.


    So¡­ what is Aura Force?


    Aura de concentrates mana into one spot¡ªnamely, a sword. Aura Force, on the other hand, is much more deadly because its power is infused into the entire body. Aura decks the destructive power of the much-rarer Aura Force. The ¡°ice,¡± at a certain level of mastery, would disperse again¡ªthis time, into a fog.<sup>1</sup>


    Even trying to use Aura Force required a high level of mana maniption, that of an intermediate A-ss Knight at minimum. It demanded vast quantities of mana but afforded the knight with incredible versatility in exchange.


    Consider this: what happens if a knight could suddenly elerate from a speed of 3 to a speed of 10? Even if he couldn¡¯t maintain it for long, it presented a serious threat to his opponent.


    Now consider what would happen if Joshua could use all the mana in the environment around him as his battery, rather than just what was in the limited confines of his mana hall.<sup>2</sup>


    ¡°Forward!¡± The drumming of hoofbeats heralded the arrival of a horde of three hundred knights; both horses and men were d in silver armor from top to bottom. It was a formation that could crush any normal unit of soldiers in a single fell swoop.


    ¡°Archers! Prepare!¡±


    At Count Keiros¡¯s shout, the troops raised their bows. With a single word, the Count would be able to rain arrows on the enemy¡¯s advance.


    ¡°C-Count!¡±


    Keiros peered over the wall, and his jaw dropped when he saw a man charging toward the enemy alone.


    ¡°Baron Sanders!¡± he shouted. ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°Advance! The Wilhelm Knights follow the king!¡± Leo de Grans vered to join his liege.


    Count Keiros grit his teeth.


    ¡°No!¡± A voice grabbed their attention. ¡°Master told us to stand by.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Our master will seed once again.¡±


    ¡°But Marquis Crombell¡¯s army is not the same as it wasst time¡ª¡±


    ¡°I-Iing!¡±


    They spun around. Joshua was much faster than they¡¯d expected; in mere seconds, he¡¯d crossed roughly a kilometer and crashed through the enemy¡¯s front lines.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Aura Force¡­?¡± Cain stared at Joshua in disbelieving awe. Even from far away, that power was clear. He saw Joshua not holding the spear but <em>being</em> the spear. His master punched straight through the enemy¡¯s defense like a spear¡¯s point.


    No one could have missed what happened next.


    ¡°ARGH!¡± A man screamed at the top of his lungs for reasons unknown.


    The silver-d knights raced forward like an unstoppable tsunami¡ªbut when they met Joshua¡¯s spear, they were the ones swept aside. In a single move, five or more knights were tossed off their horses.


    His spear was unstoppable.


    One moment, it was like the bone-shattering jaws of a wild beast sinking its fangs into its prey; another moment, it was like the feather-soft pping of a butterfly¡¯s wings<sup>3</sup>. It was the epitome of ¡°soft¡± strength.


    With the situation rapidly deteriorating, the enemymander was forced to make a snap decision.


    ¡°Dismount! Assemble formation!¡±


    ¡°You really do deserve to lead the Marquis¡¯s army.¡± With Lugia in hand, Joshua leisurely admired the grace with which the knights leaped off their galloping horses in spite of their heavy armor.


    He smiled.


    No single person, no matter how strong, can fight a war on their own. Raw power was important, yes, but his allies had to have the will to fight.


    ¡°Ahem, ahem.¡± Joshua casually cleared his throat, heedless of the danger surrounding him. The white smoke curling around his figure began to gather around his mouth¡ªanother, older form of Aura Force. He was no dragon, but Joshua¡¯s way of using mana to amplify his voice was far superior to normal methods.


    ¡°Did you see that? The spear rules the battlefield.¡± His low, soft voice was heard cleanly across the battlefield.


    The prelude had finished; it was time for the orchestra to begin its main act.


    ¡°It is a path where all those who walk it will be showered in flower petals. It leads to glory, above all else.¡±


    His mana-infused melodies enchanted the ear, sweeping away the Pontiers¡¯ fears.


    Then, it reached a dark crescendo.


    ¡°And those who oppose it¡­ the reaper of the battlefield¡¯s wrath awaits you with open arms.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s soldiers clenched their fists in determination and weed the ominous message into their hearts while the Marquis¡¯s knights shivered in fear.


    ¡°EEK! Wh-What are you doing?! You used some kind of trick! 1st and 2nd units, forward!¡±


    ¡°Huh!¡± Crombell¡¯s knights shook their shoulders as if throwing off the feelings welling up from deep inside them.


    ¡°Is¡­ Is this what the Master wanted us to see?¡± Cain could feel Joshua¡¯s words affecting him deep in his bones. His mana was resonating, filling every nook and cranny of his body with energy. It made him feel light as air and unstoppable.


    It was a whole new world.


    ¡°Master¡­ are you a god?¡±


    ¡°Our king!¡±


    Cain frowned.


    ¡°He¡¯s my master.¡±


    ¡°No¡­ he¡¯s the lord of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°He picked me first.¡±


    ¡°He epted us only a few days ago.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Cain¡¯s forehead creased.


    ¡°Well¡­ the order doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Our king is thinking: if the body wastes away, then so does the mind.<sup>4</sup>¡±


    ¡°This son of a¡ª¡±


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    ¡°GLORY TO THE HERO!¡±


    ¡°LET¡¯S GO!¡±


    Cain and Leo were blown away by the soldiers¡¯ enthusiasm.


    ¡°If we leave them alone, they¡¯ll barge out of the castle and fight until they drop¡ªbut the main force hasn¡¯t arrived yet.¡±


    ¡°Hmm. Count Keiros is here, he¡¯ll take care of those maniacs.¡±


    Cain cast his gaze around for the man in question and found him standing next to Charles, who had juste up the walls to see what all the fuss was about.


    There was something wrong, though. Count Keiros had always been diligent and serious whenever Cain had seen him; he should have been waiting calmly for the signal. Instead, he had his chest puffed up, his face was red, and his eyes glittered.


    ¡°WOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! ONWARDS! FOR THE HERO! FOR BARON SANDERS!¡±


    ¡°Haha¡­¡±


    It turned out that polite old Count Keiros still had quite the pair of lungs on him.


    ¡°This¡­¡± Joshua considered the situation for a moment. ¡°This should do for now¡­¡± The war wasn¡¯t over yet, but he felt satisfied.


    He nced behind the enemy, where the bulk of the enemy¡¯s forces was approaching. Joshua could feel an enormous presence within them.


    ¡°Mercenary King.¡± He gripped Lugia tightly.


    ¡°Go!¡± Upon theirmander¡¯s orders, hundreds of the Marquis¡¯s knights thundered toward Joshua, slicing through the fog with their Aura des.


    Joshua looked at each and every de and then he slipped away. It was a single, simple step. If you hadn¡¯t been paying attention, you may not have noticed it at all. He came to a halt, still as a rock, and quietly set Lugia down.


    The dense fog slipped away, and the moon peeked through the clouds.


    The fight had only just begun.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: This is¡­ an interesting analogy I suppose.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR: Wait¡­¡­doesn¡¯t he already do something simr??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: Attack pattern¡­ I guess, or like a jet ski leaving a trail of water sshes behind type of scene.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: i think he¡¯s insulting cain that he¡¯s brainless?</li></ol>

 Chapter 206:

    Chapter 206:


    ¡°The main force has arrived at Peril. As expected, the opennd precluded any ambushes. No magical traps, either.¡±


    ¡°Go.¡± Marquis Crombell looked over the neck of his white horse at the man with the crystal ball who hade to report to him and gestured him away.


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡±


    The Marquis turned back around. ¡°Thank you for taking this into ount. I didn¡¯t even request anything else.¡±


    ¡°This is your battle, so it¡¯s only fair that the Marquis¡¯s knights lead the way,¡± the Mercenary King replied. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°How can I not? We both know you need to distinguish yourself in this battle.¡± The Marquis smiled. ¡°Our family will never forget your generosity.¡±


    When the Mercenary King nodded casually, Marquis Crombell¡¯s smile widened.


    On the outside, it may look like someone foisting gifts on an unwilling recipient, but the reality was different. If all went well, the Mercenary King would be a high-ranking nobleman; he didn¡¯t need to grovel, but showing his respect ahead of time could only benefit the Marquis. He knew just how great a man the Mercenary King was.


    ¡°People still talk about the Battle of Pluto,¡± Crombell whispered to himself. The Kingdom of Hearts had been wracked by a long civil war. The only reason itsted for so long was because the Mercenary King had massacred all two hundred knights and a thousand troops¡ªpractically the Kingdom¡¯s entire army¡ªand then took the head of Duke Desito, theirmander, for good measure.


    ¡°This energy¡­¡± The Mercenary King¡¯s feet suddenly stopped.


    Gehor looked up. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    The Mercenary King squinted at the battle.


    ¡°¡­Aura Force?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Was there someone in the Duke¡¯s house who could use Aura Force¡­?¡± The Mercenary King scrunched up his face. ¡°It¡¯s not the ck Knight. His kind can¡¯t use Aura Force¡­ So it must be <em>him</em>. And it doesn¡¯t seem like Aura Cloak¡­.¡±


    Marquis Crombell stared at the mercenary, puzzled by his apparently insane muttering.


    ¡°No way.¡± Someone popped into the Mercenary King¡¯s head. ¡°Is it him? The beardless boy?¡±


    ¡°What are you whispering about?¡±


    ¡°Marquis Crombell.¡± The Mercenary King turned to him with a sudden intensity. ¡°Did you see him, for real?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°That kid named Joshua Sanders.¡±


    The Marquis shook his head, barely containing his rising irritation. ¡°Never met him personally, only heard the rumors. Is he here?¡±


    His answer came from behind him.


    ¡°Marquis! Someone just jumped off the walls of Peril Castle. One of their own.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± His ears perked up.


    ¡°The man is running toward our main forces right now. He¡¯ll meet them soon enough.¡±


    ¡°What is this bullshit? That¡¯s at least a few kilometers away! I told them to hold position in case of traps. How exactly did they end up meeting him halfway?!¡±


    ¡°T-They didn¡¯t disobey orders. The enemy is moving so fast it¡¯s hard to believe he¡¯s even huma¡ª¡±


    He didn¡¯t get a chance to finish. A noise washed over them that was so loud it stole the sound from the air.


    ¡°I think the rumors might be a bit wrong¡­¡±


    ¡°What in the world is this?¡±


    ¡°We need to catch up, now.¡± The Mercenary King eyed the rising plume of dust ahead while Marquis Crombell beat his chest in frustration.


    ¡°Summarize the n for me.¡±


    ¡°Just focus on moving right now. Otherwise¡­¡± The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°You¡¯ll lose all the knights you¡¯re so proud of.¡±


    ¡°Master, what¡ª?¡±


    ¡°My king¡­¡±


    The Pontiers couldn¡¯t bear to watch Joshua, their king and master, take on the enemy alone, so they abandoned the walls and flocked to Joshua¡¯s side as fast as their legs would take them. Every step they took, they could feel a strange power filling their body and their minds bing more and more focused on the fight ahead.


    When they reached him, he stole their breath away. A suit of shining white armor, decorated with scintiting golden trim, had mysteriously appeared to gird his body, and his blood-red spear echoed the carnage around him. If it weren¡¯t for the mounds of corpses at his feet, he¡¯d look like a hero straight out of a painting; as it was, it looked like a god had descended.


    For a moment, Leo could only shuffle forward in an awed daze.


    ¡°In war songs, sometimes the drums beat in time with the heart; sometimes in time with the body,¡± de Grans recited. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that schrs spent many years studying the way this harmony affects people¡¯s emotions.¡± A small smile crept onto his lips. ¡°In the end, it looks like their hard work paid off. A song for a broken heart, a song for finding new love; music has more power than you can imagine. But war songs¡­ war songs are a bit special.¡± He gazed reverently at his king. ¡°War songs make us forget our fears¡ªsome hormones creep into our brains that make the pain go away. Music is the perfect tool to pluck our strings, but it has clear ws as well. Today, when I heard your song for the first time, my heart beat so fast.¡±<sup>1</sup>


    Indeed, it was ridiculous to think that sound would distinguish between friend and foe. Unless the king perhaps had special powers.


    ¡°My king. I don¡¯t think this is the right time to say this, but I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll get another chance, so I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± All eyes were on Leo as he addressed his liege. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt yourself. I do wish My Lord would take better care of his body. For the first time in my life, I have a king I truly wish to serve with all my heart. I don¡¯t want to lose this fortune.¡± His voice was heavy with emotion. ¡°We will protect you, no matter what it costs.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips curled into a soft smile. ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary. First of all, the sword won¡¯t be pointed at you. I¡¯ll take your advice, though, since it¡¯s one of my people¡¯s first requests.¡±


    Being described as one of ¡°his people¡± struck a chord deep in Leo¡¯s heart.


    They all felt a vibration under their feet and looked up.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡±


    The main host of the enemy¡ª10,000 soldiers¡ªwasing, and they had a Superhuman at their head.


    Cain clenched his fists and nted himself firmly by Joshua¡¯s side. ¡°Master¡¯s side belongs to me, no matter how much you try.¡±


    Leo de Gran¡¯s eyebrows beetled. Everyone else looked at Cain like he¡¯d gone mad.


    ¡°Wanna bet?¡±


    ¡°Bet?¡± Cain peered at him.


    ¡°Whoever takes the most heads will be the one to stand beside the king.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cain rubbed his chin thoughtfully. ¡°The Mercenary King killed a crap ton of people, so I¡¯d better return the favor.¡±


    ¡°Where does your confidencee from?¡±


    Cain chuckled. ¡°So what happens to the loser?¡±


    ¡°If you lose, I¡¯m your older brother.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be your younger brother.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see.¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°I guess you don¡¯t know what my nickname is¡­¡± He brandished his sword, already infusing mana into the de. ¡°They call me the First Knight of Sanders.¡±


    With that said, Cain took off running.


    ¡°Wha¡ª! This coward!¡±


    Joshua stared at their backs for a moment, shaking his head. Then he ran after them anyways¡ªtoward an enemy that outnumbered them a hundredfold.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR/N: ¡­¡­I can¡¯t deny I found this part to be slightly cool¡­.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 207:

    Chapter 207:


    ¡°The enemy is approaching!¡±


    Marquis Crombell¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. ¡°Enem¡ª Did you say ¡®enemy¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Marquis! Joshua Sanders seems to be leading about a hundred knights toward us.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck¡­? What about our knights?¡±


    ¡°There have been no furthermunications since earlier.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The Marquis frowned.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you? All the knights you¡¯re so proud of will die.¡±


    ¡°No way¡ª! That¡¯s too fast. In less than ten minutes¡ª Th-There must be some kind of trickery! The Pontiers are falling apart, how could this happen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Heh. Don¡¯t think about it too hard. There are no tricks.¡± The Mercenary King eyed the front and shrugged. ¡°Joshua Sanders¡¯s power isn¡¯t something we can take lightly. Don¡¯t worry¡ªif they move first, then we¡¯ll just return it tenfold.¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s changed. I¡¯ll smash straight through them, and they¡¯ll be dead right away. They¡¯re going to be sorry they came out here on their own and gave up their best card.¡± He smirked. Lady Luck was on his side today: the battlefield was a t in with nothing around it. There was nowhere for the Pontiers to hide. Once again, history would be written by the victors.


    He never realized that his chalice was poisoned.


    ¡°There aren¡¯t many of them, but their skills and experience can¡¯t be ignored. Pull the soldiers back and put the other 500 knights forward.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more troops, but it hasn¡¯t changed the main unit,¡± Marquis Crombell worriedly objected.


    ¡°No, it isn¡¯t. I¡¯ll be there, won¡¯t I? Your knights will be supported by my mercenaries and a few wizards in the back.¡± He grinned knowingly. ¡°Today, we erase Joshua Sanders¡¯s name from history.¡±


    ¡°AHHHH!¡± Cain ran full-tilt down the ins.


    ¡°HYAAAA!¡± Leo de Grans was right behind him, screaming in an equally strange voice.


    The two of them ran like they had money on the line and managed to get several hundred meters ahead of the rest of the group.


    Leo paused and tossed an anxious look behind him. ¡°I don¡¯t think we should be so far away¡ª¡±


    ¡°Never mind that, I¡¯m going to do it too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The sword that slices through the battlefield.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    Leo stared nkly at Cain.


    ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be scared.¡±


    Leo pulled a face. ¡°The proud Wilhelm Knights have no fear.¡±


    ¡°Great, then. How old are you, by the way?¡±


    De Grans hesitated for a moment, confused by the non-sequitur. ¡°¡­I¡¯m 33 this year.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ You¡¯re a freak too.¡± Cain shook his head, stamping his feet against the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re no simple man either.¡±


    ¡°Me¡­?¡± Cain scowled. ¡°Oh, his father saw my potential.¡±


    ¡°You mean the Sword God of Avalon?¡± Leo stared at him, wide-eyed.


    Cain quickly tried to change the subject. ¡°Are you married?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°At that age?¡± Cain¡¯s expression twisted. ¡°You¡¯re still single?¡±


    Leo was quick to provide excuses: ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know, but I¡¯m responsible for Reinhardt¡¯s management and foreign affairs. With training added on top of that, I don¡¯t have time to think about getting married.¡±


    He was obviously over the age for marriage; most people got married when they turned 20.


    Cain gave Leo an unreadable look.


    ¡°This year, I¡¯ll be 30. And¡­ I¡¯m still single.¡±


    Leo¡¯s eyes widened again. ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ever since I learned to wield the sword, I¡¯ve never been able to hold a woman¡¯s hand.¡±<sup>2</sup>


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡± For the first time, Leo¡¯s eyes held sympathy. It was aplex, nuanced emotion that heldpassion and understanding.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the bet,¡± Cain resolved. ¡°When this fight is over, I will treat you as my older brother¡ªNo, you are my older brother from now on.¡±<sup>3</sup>


    The determination in Cain¡¯s voice made Leo straighten his back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry: I will use everything at my disposal to protect my younger brother.¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    Men were simple. A single idea had changed them from rivals to brothers.


    The rattle of horseshoes drew Cain¡¯s attention ahead. Atst, the enemies wereing into view¡ªand en masse.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a n.¡±


    ¡°A n?¡±


    ¡°I want to protect the master like the Seven Knights of Avalon, the best on the continent, did so long ago. Seeing you only strengthened my resolve.¡±


    Leo was confused again.


    ¡°The fewer women you date, the better knight you are,¡± Cain rified.


    Leo shook his head. ¡°How is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sanders¡¯s Seven Knights should not be married men¡ªuntil we two, the first and second, get married first.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    They were both full of themselves, but they got along very well.


    ¡°I even thought about the name.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t have to be a boring name like ¡®The Seven Knights,¡¯ so it¡¯ll be good.¡± Cain gripped his sword tighter as the enemy closed in on them. ¡°The knights who guard Joshua Sanders will be named¡­¡± He mmed his foot into the ground, swiping his mana-infused de outward. ¡°The Gold Spirit Knights!¡±


    ¡°The continent loves gold more than anything else. Commoners don¡¯t know about orichalcum, but they do know about gold; hence, gold-spirited knights.¡±


    ¡°Good idea.¡± Leo took off after Cain with a smile.


    The two men mmed into the enemy.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Knights were knocked off their horses and went flying through the air as Leo and Cain¡¯s swords swept the battlefield.


    ¡°Is it alright to leave them like that?¡± Marquis Crombell watched his knights¡¯ dwindling ranks with concern. ¡°Please decide quickly! Time is of the essence!¡±


    More and more knights fell. Unbelievably, only two men were needed to take on Crombell¡¯s hordes¡ªand they wereughing while they did it. A single sh of their swords would send three or more knights flying. All of the Marquis¡¯s knights were C-ss or B-ss; that meant that their opponents¡­


    ¡°A-ss Knights¡­¡± The Mercenary King stepped forward with a chuckle. He suddenly sported an ax twice the size of the average person. If it weren¡¯t for the energy it emanated, the ax would almost beical. ¡°This will make for a nice appetizer.¡± His weapon hummed like a raving beast as he infused mana into it. ¡°Taorin,¡± he said to the ax, ¡°When¡¯s thest time you ate?¡±


    His legs squeezed until they looked ready to explode, and then he was gone.


    ¡°Heup!¡± Cain knocked down another knight, and then his eyes widened. He could feel something strangeing. By pure instinct, he whipped his sword behind him, just in time to deflect an enormous ax headed for his neck.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± Leo watched Cain fly backward and m into the dirt with an audible thump.


    ¡°Ah, good moves there, kid.¡±


    Leo¡¯s eyes popped. ¡°Barbarian¡­!¡±


    ¡°A-ss¡­ and an A-ss beginner?¡± The Mercenary King seemed to grasp their skills with just a nce.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± Leo nervously raised his sword. ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Hak¡ª!¡± Cain got up and dusted his clothes off. ¡°This is nothing.¡±


    <em>What kind of power is this?</em> Though he acted as if nothing was wrong, Cain was very worried. He only hit Cain once and still managed to fling him a good few yards; it was important to assess the enemy as soon as possible. <em>I need to set the stage for my master¡¯s arrival.</em>


    The young knight¡¯s eyes gleamed as he poured mana into his sword with renewed vigor. It manifested as a bright de of light he¡¯d never shown before.


    ¡°Older brother, cover me!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a given¡­¡± Leo¡¯s sword turned into an Aura de.


    The Mercenary King took in their tense expressions and snapped his fingers with a smile.


    ¡°Come on then¡­¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Cain, who had the shorter temper of the two, took a heavy step forward. His greatsword was aimed at the Mercenary King¡¯s legs. Leo was right behind him, his sword directed at Barbarian¡¯s right shoulder. Both attacks took advantage of his blind spots, a remarkable degree of coordination for people who had never fought together before.


    However, the Mercenary King sent them both flying with a swift sh of his ax.


    ¡°Hey, look at this power¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I expected him to be strong, but this¡­¡±


    Cain and Leo both struggled to control the recoil of their attack. It felt like their Aura des had been cut off. That meant the Mercenary King¡¯s Aura de was at least as good as theirs, and at their level, the only way to improve their Aura de was to improve their swordsmanship.


    But¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s what they call an Aura Ovey.¡±


    ¡°Aura Ovey¡­?¡±


    ¡°Aura is whatposes the Aura de. In a sense, Aura is water, and Aura de is ice,¡± the Mercenary King informed them. He examined their stiff expressions and grinned. ¡°However, newly formed ice isn¡¯t going to put a scratch on ice that¡¯s been formed for decades.¡±


    They looked at the Mercenary King and his Aura de with astonishment.


    ¡°Now I¡¯ll show you a once-in-a-lifetime performance¡ªthe reason why there¡¯re Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re the only one who knows, Mercenary King. Don¡¯t be so full of yourself.¡±


    The Mercenary King¡¯s eyes popped open, and he sucked in a deep breath.


    A bright red spear streaked through the air. It was too fast for the Mercenary King to dodge; he resorted to warding it off with his beloved Taorin.


    There was a roar.


    The sheer force of the impact made his wrists tingle. But the real damage wasn¡¯t from the raw kic impact alone.


    The Mercenary King stared at the ovepping haze of lights on the raging spear in shock.


    ¡°Aura¡­ Ovey?¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Now hold on Cain, your chuuni is leaking.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR/N: Sigma Male Grindset.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR/N: A Bro Moment.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 208:

    Chapter 208:


    The Mercenary King couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. A knight had to be A-ss before he could form an Aura de; even then, those who could wield it like an extension of their own body were few and far between. The Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans were prime examples of those talented few.


    ¡°You¡ª How¡­? How did you learn that? ¡­No, no.¡± The Mercenary King got his emotions under control. ¡°Now that I think about it, it¡¯s only natural, but¡­<sup>1</sup>¡± he mumbled. A certain face¡ªone very simr to Joshua¡¯s¡ªcame to mind. Right. Aiden von Agnus, of course; it made sense, the Mercenary King wasn¡¯t crazy after all. But there was something he still couldn¡¯t quite figure out.


    ¡°What is that Aura de? How can you use Aura Ovey after the weapon leaves your hand?¡±


    Each Aura de differed based on its wielder¡¯s mana and natural talent. Aura strengthens power, scope, and defense¡ªit didn¡¯t allow someone to use a knight¡¯s mana hall and a wizard¡¯s mana circle at the same time. They should have been mutually exclusive, along with every other mana-based skill.


    Although perhaps the Mercenary King¡¯s information was out of date.


    ¡°Hoho.¡± Someone snorted.


    The Mercenary King turned toward the voice.


    ¡°One of the Twelve Superhumans¡ªpfft. Our master is stronger than you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Youughed at us, iming we wouldn¡¯t understand, but now you¡¯re just as dumbfounded as we are.¡±


    The Mercenary King seemed toe to a sudden epiphany and heaved himself off his knees.


    ¡°You¡¯re tricking me,¡± he asserted, stepping forward. ¡°Right, you can¡¯t use Aura Ovey on a weapon you¡¯re not touching.¡± Barbarian hefted his ax once more with a bold smile, confident he¡¯d seen through Joshua¡¯s magic tricks.


    His vigorous actions startled Leo and Cain.


    ¡°His Aura is¡­ burning?¡±


    Years and years of specialized training had turned his mana red. It danced over his weapon like a fiery mist, and then it changed again.


    ¡°This is thest form of Aura Ovey, where it alles together. Come on, I¡¯ll show you how it¡¯s really done!¡± He shot a nce behind him, where Marquis Crombell and his bodyguard knights were watching. ¡°Withdraw the knights.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°This is a fight between predator and prey.<sup>2</sup>¡±


    The Marquis shivered.


    ¡°When I¡¯m done cutting off the heads of their¡­ totem, Peril Castle will surrender of its own will.¡± He then turned back to Joshua. ¡°This is what you want too, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re as confident as the rumors say.¡± Joshua gave him a small smile and then looked back to the Wilhelm Knights. ¡°Did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°I wish I hadn¡¯t, but now it haunts me.¡± A middle-aged man pushed his way out of the knights with a sigh. His leonine mane of hair gave away his identity immediately.


    ¡°The Lion King?¡± The Mercenary King frowned.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± The former ruler of Reinhardt bowed his head.


    Barbarian¡¯s expression cooled. ¡°I was wondering why the Wilhelm Knights showed up. So you were backing the Pontiers. Should I take it that this is the collective will of the free knights?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong.¡± The Lion King shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not involved in the fight, and I don¡¯t n to be. But the Battle of Superhumans requires a public notary, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°¡­You traveled a thousand miles just to be a notary?¡± The mercenary King frowned doubtfully. ¡°You expect me to take that seriously?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen what he can do too, haven¡¯t you? I¡¯m here because I¡¯m interested in Joshua Sanders.<sup>3</sup>¡±


    He got a nk stare in return.


    The Lion King shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you believe it or not. But it is the will of the Wilhelm Knights. I can¡¯t change that; I¡¯m not their king anymore.¡±


    Barbarian was a man of logic, and he believed that no one did anything without good reason. So why? What did the Lion King get out of this? All of the Mercenary King¡¯s strategic experience could only make him shake his head. <em>It doesn¡¯t matter.</em> The potential gains were small¡­ but the losses were huge. The mad emperor, unlike himself, wouldn¡¯t watch the Lion King from the sidelines.


    With all that said, Barbarian wouldn¡¯t be able to win the fight if the Lion King joined in. He needed security.


    ¡°Marquis Crombell.¡± The Mercenary King stood.


    ¡°You¡­ Tell me what you need.¡±


    ¡°It looks like the war will have to be postponed.¡±


    ¡°W-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It will happen¡ªbut for now, we need to spread the news. Use themunication crystal to tell everyone that the Battle of Superhumans is happening, with the Lion King as their witness. Divide the army into three and send them home by different routes.¡±


    Cain¡¯s ears pricked up. He realized that this was what Icarus and his master were talking about the other day. They had the whole thing figured out already.


    ¡°Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Startled, Cain turned to the familiar voice.


    ¡°Did you notice anything about me?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Cain recalled what his master told him: <em>¡°Look closely.¡±</em> ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen Aura used as a physical boost or to increase morale.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more yet toe.¡± Joshua left the confounded knight behind and turned his attention to the Mercenary King.


    The morale-boosting sound wasn¡¯t that amazing¡ªit was a fraction of what the skill was capable of. This ¡°sound attack¡± could reach all the way to the eastern continent to strike an enemy with the power of sonic waves. This power of sudden death¡ªwhere will became words, and words became power<sup>4</sup>¡ªwas said to be something only the dragons had.


    <em>Now I¡¯ll show you another way to use it.</em>


    ¡°How about this? The war ends with our duel,¡± Joshua proposed.


    ¡°What? What?!¡± Marquis Crombell kicked up a fuss from behind his protective cordon of knights. ¡°What kind of nonsense¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Alright, fine.¡±


    The Marquis gaped at him.


    ¡°You decided to let me handle this war, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Gehor bit his lip. ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Trust me.¡± He turned back to Joshua. ¡°But are you allowed to do this?¡±


    Joshua revealed something in his hands. One day, many years ago, it had been given to him in front of Duke Agnus<sup>5</sup>: a pendant of solid gold, about the size of his palm. In the middle of it was a beautifully embossed owl, the insignia of the Pontier family.


    ¡°If you have the right to decide, then so do I.¡±


    ¡°Good. Mercenaries, back off!¡± he shouted with mana in his voice.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡± The sudden mor of the mercenaries moving caught Marquis Crombell by surprise. ¡°Crombell Knights, stand aside!¡±


    ¡°The Knights will abide.¡±


    Cain, Leo, the Wilhelm Knights, and the Lion King backed away.


    Joshua pointed his spear at the Mercenary King. ¡°Anything else you want me to say?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not.¡± Taorin, the Mercenary King¡¯s best friend, was wrapped in his raging Aura.


    As if in response, a thin cloud of white smoke wrapped around Joshua.


    ¡°You can still use Aura Force?¡±


    Everything was ready. All that was left to end this stupid war was to cut off his head.


    The Mercenary King pushed those thoughts out of his head and smashed the ground. Even from far away, the audience could feel the tremors running through the ground like Barbarian was standing right next to them.


    Then the big ax came for Joshua.


    After that, it was a blindingly fast storm of thunderbolts and fire.


    Curls of white smoke once again surrounded Joshua¡¯s mouth. He whistled a short note, but only the Mercenary King heard it.


    Barbarian¡¯s seemingly-unquenchable Aura flickered; his eyesight blurred and the world spun. Joshua¡¯s sound attack went beyond what normal sound could do. It had the ability to directly interfere with people¡¯s senses. Right and left were switched; the whole world was flipped upside down like Barbarian was being transported to a different dimension. At the same time, the shockwave picked him up and tossed him into the corner like a doll<sup>6</sup>.


    After that, the battlefield waspletely silent.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: he said this because he knew that this boy is Joshua Sanders, so it¡¯s perfectly normal?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: I¡¯m starting to get some major neckbeard vibes from ol¡¯ Barbie here.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Thank god. We¡¯ve been starved for gay innuendostely.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Yer a dovahkiin, Joshua.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Raws said it was given to him <em>by</em> Duke Agnus, but we¡¯re certain that¡¯s not right.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Fus roh dah?</li></ol>

 Chapter 209:

    Chapter 209:


    One of the mighty Twelve Superhumans, thrown away with a single attack.


    The Mercenary King mmed into the ground, coughing fitfully. How was he supposed to handle this absurd reality?


    ¡°Oh my god, the Mercenary King¡ª¡±


    ¡°My king¡­¡± Leo de Grans whispered reverentially.


    Cain hissed through his scowling teeth. ¡°I¡¯m the first sword.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still going on about that? I thought we were finished with this conversation.¡±


    Cain rolled his eyes. ¡°What do you mean, big brother? I said I¡¯d treat you like my older brother, not give up on being the first sword.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to act like a child?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I should be saying. Can¡¯t you let your younger brother have this?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know there¡¯s a proper order to everything?¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t care about the order?!¡±


    ¡°This boy is overstepping his bounds!¡± The veins on Leo¡¯s neck popped. Somehow, their casual conversation had gone haywire. ¡°Ugh, damn it¡ª¡±


    They both froze as the Mercenary King pulled himself off the ground, cussing and swearing. The humiliation stung, to say nothing of the fact that he¡¯d never heard of Aura being used like that before.


    ¡°Ugh.¡± Barbarian clenched his teeth as the ringing in his ears got worse. ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhh!¡± The Mercenary King roared like one of the wild warriors of the north<sup>1</sup>, driving away Joshua¡¯s sound with his own mana-infused noise.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s an angry man.¡±


    ¡°Uh, hahahah.¡± Cain awkwardlyughed.


    The Mercenary King exhaled smoke and then disappeared, leaving Joshua to blink at the empty space where he used to be while Taorin sliced toward his right shoulder. The mighty ax cut a white streak through the air¡ª


    ¡ªBut Joshua wasn¡¯t there anymore. He used Lugia as a lever to swing his body around, whipping his mana-hardened leg into the Mercenary King. It sounded more like an iron pole than delicate flesh when it smacked into Barbarian¡¯s body.


    The Mercenary King should¡¯ve been able to easily avoid an attack like that; even with Joshua¡¯s Aura Force, Barbarian could¡¯ve used Aura Ovey to dodge. But with that awful ringing in his ears, he couldn¡¯t muster the razor-sharp focus it took to wield a supernatural force like Aura properly.


    That damned noise.


    Joshua was undeterred by Barbarian¡¯s defense. His legs, trailing wisps of white smoke, hammered into the Mercenary King over and over. The speed of his rotation was faster than what Joshua¡¯s opponent expected, and it was only getting faster¡ªBarbarian couldn¡¯t do anything but block the kicks.


    Suddenly, Joshua tugged Lugia out of the ground<sup>2</sup>.


    ¡°What are you¡ª?¡± Taorin suddenly stopped mid-swing, apanied by a mist of blood droplets. Did he hit Joshua? When?


    No.


    The Mercenary King could feel the blood dripping out of his right thigh onto the barrennd. If he hadn¡¯t managed to move at thest moment, that long cut would¡¯ve severed the entire leg.


    ¡°You¡¯ve ignored something very important: the world revolves backwards here. You never know if you¡¯re fooling the world or the world is fooling you.¡±


    Barbarian¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now you get it, right?¡±


    The Mercenary King¡¯s body erupted into a torrent of blood; he had sharp cuts carved into his thighs, knees, shoulders, and sides. He wasn¡¯t dead, but he wasn¡¯t in good shape.


    He stared at his bloodied body for a moment. ¡°Keuk¡­ kekekekekeke.¡±


    Joshua watched himugh in silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s clear now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a special case. It¡¯s no surprise¡ªyour lineage has so many secrets.¡±


    Joshua stared nkly, surprised to find that the Mercenary King could still stand. The battle was decided, but perhaps Joshua had gotten ahead of himself. The Mercenary King was very different from any of the Twelve that Joshua had seen before. At the very least, he was a man who knew his weaknesses, much like bis, the Knight of me.


    ¡°Be happy with who you are. Anyway, Taorin won¡¯t be too happy with you.¡±


    Joshua waspletely confused but shrugged it off when the Mercenary King came running at him again. Then, just like before, he opened his mouth and let loose with his sonic attack.


    The Mercenary King cursed again but thenughed. If Joshua could fool his eyes and ears, then the solution was simple: close his eyes, and shield his ears with mana. When he shut his eyes, he could feel everything around him; when he covered his ears, every hair stood on end, and every cell in his body woke up. He could still sense Joshua¡¯s energy, and Joshua could never fool that sense.


    <em>I can¡¯t see it, but I can feel it.</em>


    His Aura started to burn again like he¡¯d never been knocked down. His Aura Ovey emerged over his hand with explosive force.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!¡± The Mercenary King attacked with a strength unfettered by sanity. He swung Taorin¡ªor rather, he swung his entire body like a windmill, crushing everything in his path. This was one of the secrets that made the Mercenary King what he was: Taorin¡¯s Wind.


    With a bang, the Mercenary King transformed into a silver wind aimed straight at Joshua. The nearby knights were lucky enough to be running away already, or else they would have been caught up in the all-consuming wind.


    ¡°This is the final form of my Aura Ovey!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes were perfectly tranquil, even in the face of this howling typhoon. <em>The Mercenary King was never really a worthy opponent</em>¡ªas the fight went on, that idea became a certainty.


    It was time to end it. Not for his opponent, but for his loyal subordinates.


    There was one spear technique that would be perfect for this situation <sup>3</sup>, and Joshua was eager to try it out.


    Joshua slowly swung Lugia, leaving behind rings of red until he was encased in a perfect sphere of crimson, like a blood moon.


    The Fifth Form of the Magic Spear Arts, Moon¡¯s Space.


    The moonlight shone upon the earth for a moment and then, strangely enough, disappeared. Joshua was left behind, surrounded by a thick carpet of white smoke.


    The smoke didn¡¯t stay white for long. It became a deep, imprable ck¡ªa ck hole.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± The Mercenary King was instantly imprisoned in a ball of ck smoke.


    Joshua quietly approached and examined the obviously furious mercenary. He lifted Lugia, eyes gleaming, and sent its sharp de slicing through the sphere on an elegant trajectory as if he was cutting the moon itself out of the sky.


    ¡°Moon¡¯s Decapitation.¡±


    Out of nowhere, Joshua appeared behind the Mercenary King<sup>4</sup>. A heartbeatter, it erupted into a fountain of blood. Slowly¡ªever so slowly¡ªBarbarian¡¯s body copsed to the ground.


    Joshua trembled. He got it¡ªnow he was as strong as he had been in his past life<sup>5</sup>. The spear knight who had never met defeat, no matter how far and wide he searched for an opponent. The strongest spear in the Avalon Empire.


    Unconsciously, Joshua clenched his fist as he watched the Mercenary King fall.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: You might even call them¡­ barbarians.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: I think Joshua has been twirling around Lugia like a stripper pole. Wild shit.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR/N: Of course there is.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: *teleports behind you* ¡°Nothing personnel, kid.¡±?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: While you touched grass, I studied the spear!?</li></ol>

 Chapter 210:

    Chapter 210:


    ¡°Is¡­ Is this real?¡± a mercenary mumbled in the ensuing silence.


    In some people¡¯s eyes, they gazed upon a god. Some, a role model or a goal.


    Barbarian fell. One of the Twelve Superhumans, the Mercenary King, a paragon of Igrant¡ªand he didn¡¯tnd a single blow on his junior opponent.


    Marquis Crombell trembled like an aspen tree in the wind as his reality was upended. Ryan Geiger, the Lion King, repeatedly opened and closed his mouth. After a moment of thought, he just smiled. Cain, Leo, and the Wilhelm Knights itched to speak but also remained silent.


    Joshua took notice of none of that; his eyes were firmly fixed on the fallen warrior. The man¡¯s long braid hade undone and was syed across the mud; his frightening best friendy in the grime in two pieces as well. His body was covered in cuts, all weeping dangerous amounts of blood. The only indication that he wasn¡¯t a corpse was the faint sound of his breathing.


    ¡°Even when the weapon is in front of you, you can¡¯t even look straight,¡± Joshua told him, although the Mercenary King didn¡¯t seem interested in what he was saying. ¡°You failed to understand your opponent because you were certain that you¡¯re the best. You weren¡¯t willing to settle for anything¡­ not even your current lofty position.¡±


    Barbarian was still silent.


    ¡°You ought to know that you¡¯ll lose if you try to fight someone stronger than you, given your years of experience.¡±


    The Mercenary King flinched. With his years as a mercenary, that was an outright insult to him.


    ¡°Kkk¡­ Grrr.¡± An animalistic growl slipped from between his grit teeth. ¡°It¡¯s incredible.¡± The Mercenary King¡¯s dark red eyes peered through his fallen, bloodied hair. ¡°You fooled me. To pin me down and shred my Aura Ovey¡ªI¡¯m not sure that even ¡®Absolute¡¯ urately describes you. I wanna know¡­ Who are you?¡± The bloodied mercenary stared intently at Joshua¡¯s face.


    ¡°My name is Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°You know damn well that that¡¯s not what I¡¯m asking.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a knight and a soldier like you¡ªbut unlike you, I know my opponent.¡±


    That silenced the Mercenary King.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Joshua began but was interrupted by the approach of the other mercenaries. Hostility was clear in their eyes¡ªthe Mercenary King¡¯s defeat meant they would be forced to face the consequences of their choices. Of course, there was no reason to feel sorry for them when they made that choice of their own volition. That was simple cause and effect.


    Joshua spared them a nce and quietly closed his eyes before continuing.


    ¡°Those who stand by me consider me their master and king.¡±


    His knights came up behind him, ready to keep the mercenaries¡¯ hostility in check while gazing at Joshua with soulful eyes.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°My king¡­¡±


    ¡°Even now, youe to me with the desire to kill, even when all I¡¯m doing is speaking to him.¡±


    The mercenaries shivered as the Wilhelm Knights roused their violent energy.


    ¡°It¡¯s no surprise¡ªto lead, you need skill and charisma. What a leader says can make or break the entire organization.¡±


    ¡°Then maybe you knew it all along.¡± The Mercenary King ignored Joshua¡¯s confused look and raised his body. ¡°Listen, my dearrade mercenaries. The war starts now. Kill everyone here, and seize Peril Castle.¡±


    ¡°M-Mercenary King, you mean¡ª?¡±


    He watched Marquis Crombell stutter and smirked. ¡°Are you worried about me? Don¡¯t. Just stick to the n.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± When Marquis Crombell nced at Joshua, fear shed through his eyes¡ªthe fear of prey in front of a predator.


    ¡°3,000 people abandoned us, but there¡¯s still 5,000 here. Even those 3,000 can be called back with the crystal ball. There are only a hundred people here; they may be knights, but we have time and numbers on our side. Before you start worrying about me, worry about the man behind us.¡±


    ¡°Pl-Please don¡¯t say that!¡± Gehor eximed.


    A man stepped forward, interrupting them. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m just going to watch?¡±


    ¡°Lion King.¡±


    ¡°You <em>did</em> think I was just going to stand here, didn¡¯t you? Barbarian, you swore that the war would end with the Battle of Superhumans. I heard it very clearly.¡±


    ¡°This is none of your business, though¡­¡±


    The Lion King stared at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°This is between Duke Pontier and Marquis Crombell of the Avalon Empire. I don¡¯t think you have any say in this¡ªit¡¯s outside the scope of the Battle of Superhumans. From their point of view, you and I are both outsiders. If you get involved, do you think the Emperor will stay still?¡±


    ¡°Do you have no sha¡ª¡±


    Barbarian stuck his tongue out at him. ¡°As a leader, I¡¯m more than willing to sacrifice my honor for the greater good.¡±


    His sarcasm left the Lion King speechless.


    ¡°Give me a weapon.¡±


    ¡°What¡ª?¡± The mercenary he ordered hesitated for a moment, then grudgingly pulled his sword off his waist. He was only a gold card, one of a million mercenaries, and not even a veteran. He had no choice but to obey the Mercenary King¡¯s orders.


    <em>If we go back with nothing but the bitter taste of defeat¡­</em> Not only would the guild¡¯s reputation hit rock bottom, but they¡¯d all starve. <em>That can¡¯t happen.</em>


    The mercenary steeled himself and handed over his sword with renewed determination.


    ¡°Ice Spear.¡±


    The mercenary went stiff as three shards of ice barely missed him.


    ¡°Magic¡­¡± He spun around.


    In the back stood a cloaked silhouette. Beside that figure was a familiar man. The Mercenary King stared; he knew exactly who he was.


    ¡°¡­Akshuler?¡±


    ¡°The mercenaries should never give up their honor.¡±


    ¡°Akshuler!¡± The mercenaries broke out into confused shouts. The second-ranked mercenary, the second holder of a diamond card, Master Akshuler, had appeared.


    ¡°Look at this.¡± Barbarian grinned.


    ¡°Barbarian.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I heard you became a Master. I¡¯mte, but congrats! I¡¯d congratte you properly, but as you can see, I¡¯m not in good shape. We¡¯ll have our partyter, and I¡¯ll make it grander than any other banquet on the continent. You¡¯re the face of our guild, and we¡¯re proud to have you.¡±


    His emphasis on ¡°our guild¡± made Akshuler¡¯s mouth harden into a thin line.


    ¡°Lead them for me. As you may know, I signed a contract with Marquis Crombell.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will lead them in your ce.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Akshuler.¡± The mercenaries were deeply surprised. Akshuler¡¯s rtionship with the Mercenary King was no secret within the guild. If he was epting the Mercenary King¡¯s orders, then¡­


    One by one, the mercenaries resignedly raised their weapons.


    ¡°Marquis Crombell.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the famed Akshuler. I¡¯ve heard so much about you.¡± The Marquis¡¯s lips curled into a small smile. They were still facing a monster, but with another Master on their side, they still had a chance. Plus, they had a clear numerical advantage.


    ¡°I¡¯m breaking the deal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Listen, mercenaries. As your newmander, you are to obey my orders. The contract is now terminated. Everyst mercenary here should leave.¡±


    ¡°This crazy¡ª!¡± Marquis Crombell burst into a fit of cussing. ¡°You know what this means. The penalty for breaking a contract is ten times the initial down payment. Do you have any idea how much money your king got from me?¡±


    ¡°You know what? Our mercenaries¡¯ peace of mind is more important than petty cash.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?!¡± Gehor turned to the Mercenary King, his shoulders shaking with rage. ¡°Mercenary King, am I to listen to this dog shit?¡±


    ¡°Akshuler.¡± The Mercenary King smiled at Akshuler, but his eyes were sad.


    ¡°Barbarian, your time is over. I¡¯ll take care of the follow-up, but I¡¯m not going to clean up your mess.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so cheeky¡ª¡± He ground his teeth. ¡°I am your king! I am the Mercenary King, Barbarian, one of the Twelve Superhumans! Obey me! I am your king! Kill them all!¡± Barbarian red at the unmoving mercenaries and prepared to regale them with another mana-filled shout.


    ¡°You¡¯re done.¡± Joshua stepped forward with a soft smile. ¡°All of the participants in the Battle of Superhumans are to me. The Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans are established such that we¡¯re never content with what we have, even though we have plenty¡ªisn¡¯t that right?¡±


    ¡°You are.¡± The Lion King nodded.


    ¡°As such, no one can get involved or be held responsible for conflicts between us, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct about that as well.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Joshua turned to the Mercenary King. They locked eyes. ¡°The Battle of Superhumans hasn¡¯t ended yet, because you haven¡¯t surrendered.¡±


    Barbarian red at him.


    ¡°Best you go away and let the guild start over from scratch.¡±


    ¡°This kid¡ª¡±


    He didn¡¯t get to finish. Joshua¡¯s spear flickered, and the Mercenary King¡¯s head flew.


    The bitter end of a powerful era.

 Chapter 211:

    Chapter 211:


    What were they supposed to say? The scene was fascinating but impossible to exin.


    The moon shone brightly on one side of the horizon; the sun on the other. It was the perfect dawn.


    A headless corpse sttered blood onto a man holding a spear, who stared heedlessly into the sky.


    Joshua Sanders. A monster that took Igrant like a meteor.


    Atst, the monster¡¯s mouth opened.


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes! I¡¯m here, master!¡± Cain jumped to attention.


    ¡°What happened to Gehog?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I took him out of the dungeon and tied him to the wall as you ordered.¡±


    Joshua turned to Marquis Crombell, who shivered violently when his son¡¯s name was brought up.


    ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You and your son insulted my friend, Charles de Pontier, a princess of the Empire<sup>1</sup>. You also attacked the pride of my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Like your son said, we could cut off his limbs and throw them to the rutting orcs¡­¡±


    Joshua¡¯s casual threats made the Marquis suck in a deep, shaky breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking¡­ you should join your son.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s some thought.¡±


    ¡°Soy down your arms.¡±


    Marquis Crombell let out a sigh of relief, but then his anger was back immediately.


    ¡°Even¡­. Even if the Mercenary King is dead, I¡­ I still have my troops!¡±


    ¡°You really believe that?¡± Joshua leveled his spear at the Marquis.


    Gehor scrambled to hide from the terrifying spear behind his knights, who nervously raised their weapons while silently cursing their master for his stupidity.


    ¡°You must already know you can¡¯t win this. Abandon your great pride; take pity on the knights who must abide by your foolish orders.¡±


    Marquis Crombell felt like he¡¯d been dunked in cold water. Joshua sounded like he actually cared about them, the aggressors, rather than hating them.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you!¡±


    As soon as he spoke, Joshua¡¯s body moved with lightning-fast speed. The area was cloaked in a white mist again, sending the Marquis¡¯s troops into a panic.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s the lone reaper!¡±


    ¡°Eeek!¡±


    The Crombell Knights began to berate themon troops.


    ¡°What are you doing? Raise your weapons!¡±


    ¡°Cowards will be court-martialed!¡±


    Even so, the knights couldn¡¯t control their own fear; their hands shook very slightly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Marquis Crombell peered at Joshua through his protective wall of knights.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find my terms quite eptable.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Ahem¡­ I suppose I¡¯ll listen.¡± He was no fool; his quick wits had earned him the nickname, ¡°noble fox.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your honor safe.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ honor?¡±


    ¡°The nobility and, of course, the Imperial family have eyes and ears everywhere.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s the possibility that everyone already knows that we have your son hostage.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± The Marquis put the rest together.


    ¡°So exiting the war to be a better father would save face.¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll believe that?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you tell them, what can they say?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll mock my family.¡±


    ¡°Better than dying.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Marquis Crombell frowned.


    ¡°I can send your head flying with a flick of my wrist. Wanna see?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying, you madma¡ª¡± Curses rose in Marquis Crombell¡¯s throat, but he choked on them, realizing Joshua was more than capable of it. Even the great Mercenary King lost his head withoutnding a proper blow.


    ¡°Are you going to take it?¡±


    ¡°¡­GAH!¡± He seemed to give up. No matter how hard he thought about it, he couldn¡¯t think of a better option; most importantly, he had a feeling that Joshua was going to decapitate him if he refused. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Joshua grinned. ¡°I need a lot of money. First,pensate the Pontiers and restore their holdings to their prewar state.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes¡­¡± Part of the Marquis had expected this. <em>But when this is over¡­</em> He offered a small nod to hide his dark musings.


    ¡°Reveal the traitors in the Duke¡¯s family as well.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not up to me.¡±


    ¡°Then stay out of it. The Pontiers will take care of it on their own.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I understand.¡± The Marquis ducked his head unhappily. ¡°Now give me my son back. I want to get out of this hellhole.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just putting things back to where they were before. This is where the real talk begins.¡±


    Marquis Crombell¡¯s jowls trembled.


    ¡°When you hurt someone, you have to pay for what you did. Are you a business man or not?¡±


    ¡°Well, how much do you want?¡± Marquis Crombell, a man driven by gold through and through, forgot his fear and pressed Joshua for details.


    ¡°Not much.¡± Joshua waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Only a hundred million gold.¡±


    For a moment, Marquis Crombell just stood there nkly.


    ¡°You can pay in installments; the interest will be low.¡±


    ¡°This guy¡­¡± Marquis Crombell¡¯s face reddened. <em>100 million gold? That¡¯s a lifetime of very!</em> Joshua was turning the Marquis¡¯s life inside out.


    <em>Once this is all over, I¡¯m going to p him across the face!</em>


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Joshua cocked his head to the side.


    ¡°One million gold per year¡­ will be paid in¡­ a hundred years.¡±


    Joshua nodded along, taking the Marquis¡¯s disingenuous tone in stride. ¡°Then I want you to take a noble¡¯s oath upon the name of His Majesty the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°This boy¡­ You just want to see me¡ª!¡± He barely managed to bite back his words. <em>SHIT!</em> Marquis Crombell bit his lip so hard it bled, and spat out each word as if he were chewing it. ¡°I, Gehor von Crombell, 17th head of the Crombell family, solemly swear upon the name of His Majesty, Marcus von Britten, to abide by the terms of our deal.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Joshua began to walk away. ¡°Oh!¡± He turned around with a small smile. ¡°And¡­¡±


    Marquis Crombell was just about to give the order to withdraw. ¡°What else?¡± He frowned.


    ¡°Our entire discussion has been transmitted to the Imperial Family in real-time.¡±


    ¡°What the fu¡ª!¡± The Marquis saw the bright, swirling orb in Joshua¡¯s hand. It was unmistakably amunication crystal reserved for meetings between the great nobility. The five dukes and Twelve Families only had one each. ¡°How¡­?¡± Gehor fell to his knees and groaned.


    The great Marquis Crombell was falling apart.


    When all their work was done, morning had long since gone. The sun was already setting. The Pontiers set their tiredness aside and gathered at the gates, awaiting Joshua. He came along with Akshuler and Iceline¡ªoutsiders, as was true of the Lion King¡ªand quietly dismissed the crowd, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡±


    [Hey, master.] A voice rang in Joshua¡¯s head. [I¡¯ve got something good to tell you. Stop walking.]


    Joshua ignored Lugia and kept walking. He still had much to do. Even a ¡°monster¡± like him needed a little rest.


    <em>I need to sleep now.</em>


    [You¡¯ll regret not hearing this.]


    <em>Say it while I¡¯m still listening.</em>


    [Why don¡¯t you just turn around and go the way you came?]


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Joshua frowned softly.


    ¡°Master, are you hurt somewhere?¡± Cain gave him a worried look.


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Joshua shook his head lightly and redoubled his pace.


    [The guy you fought seemed pretty tough by human standards, didn¡¯t he?<sup>2</sup> I have a lot of power. Interested in another subordinate?]


    This time, Joshua couldn¡¯t help but stop.


    <em>No way¡­</em>


    [But it¡¯s true.]


    Joshua could practically see Lugia¡¯s obnoxiously smug smile.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Friendzoned.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: This part weirded the heck out of me, cause Lugia should be able to remember right? Maybe he¡¯s teasing Joshua but maybe the author forgot that Lugia also went back in time.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 212:

    Chapter 212:


    [There are a few requirements to make the best undead.]


    A hypothetical had be a certainty.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes darkened as he walked. If what Lugia said was true, it would be possible to wield up to twelve superhumans like an extension of himself. Joshua didn¡¯t have the whole story, but it was intriguing nheless.


    [First, the caster. You need to find a magician who¡¯s familiar with the death contract¡ªbut you don¡¯t need to worry about this part. You¡¯re in luck. I, Lugia, can do that!]


    [Second, a vessel for the soul to reside in. Thanks to that big ignorant brute burying the body like it actually means something, we shouldn¡¯t have a problem there. The best vessel is the soul¡¯s original body,] Lugia triumphantly proimed.


    [Magi¡­ as far as I can tell, you¡¯re fully capable of utilizing this demonic power. If I¡¯m correct, your strong affinity with magi will smooth out any problems.]


    [It¡¯s been less than twenty-four hours since he died, and it¡¯s a beautiful day¡­ This is the perfect time.]


    <em>Even if everything is taken care of, what are you able to do with just your will?</em> Joshua interjected.


    [Oh? Now you¡¯re interested. You¡¯re actually pretty greedy, aren¡¯t you?]


    <em>It¡¯s just a legend, but everyone knows that you can¡¯t form a Death Knight¡¯s contract without the contractee¡¯s permission.</em>


    [It wouldn¡¯t be a Death Knight if it was.]


    <em>What?</em> Joshua twitched.


    [Like you said, I can¡¯t make him a Death Knight through sheer force of will, even if I were the demon king. So why waste your time, right? You have to find a way around the problem. In this case, the solution isn¡¯t the next best, it¡¯s <em>the</em> best.]


    Joshua didn¡¯t reply, but Lugia¡¯s words lingered in his mind.


    [What I¡¯m trying to make is a Duhan, a myth even in the demon realms: the Lord of Duhans.]


    Joshua blinked in surprise.


    [Of course, there¡¯re a lot of requirements for making the legacy of the demon god, but¡­]


    Lugia continued to speak, and each revtion saw Joshua¡¯s eyes widening more and more.


    ¡°Master?¡± Cain gave Joshua a concerned look when he suddenly stopped walking. Almost everyone was already inside the gates; only Cain and Joshua, who were in the back, remained outside the castle.


    ¡°You go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡±


    ¡°My king?¡± Leo approached, his ears slightly red.


    ¡°I need to go out.¡±


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°It may take some time.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡ª¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°You two need to get to work immediately. For now, Cain?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m listening!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to be easy, but the mission should be ready to depart at noon.¡±


    ¡°The mission?¡± Cain blinked.


    ¡°We¡¯re headed to Eiden Gorge. We¡¯ll leave the bare minimum garrison and move as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°U-Umm¡­¡±


    ¡°You intend to deal with Count Cox and the other traitors.¡±


    ¡°Icarus?¡± Cain flinched when the sapphire-eyed tactician came up beside him.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t dig up the roots, the weeds could spring up at any moment. We don¡¯t want that thorn in our foot.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°There is a problem, though. There¡¯s an extra way out of the basin right now.¡±


    ¡°I already sent someone there.¡±


    ¡°Someone¡­? Ah!¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes lit up.


    ¡°I sent him to the Dennis River and told him to find them.¡±


    ¡°Who the hell is he? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard his name yet¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯lleter,¡± Joshua murmured.


    <em>What¡¯s the point?</em> Icarus unconsciously clenched a fist in irritation.


    Icarus¡¯s attention was drawn elsewhere, however, when Cain began nodding sagely.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, master. If that¡¯s the case, then go ahead. I was worried you¡¯d leave me behind. Also, I¡¯ve decided that you can¡¯t leave without my permission. I¡¯m watching you for the next 24 hours, so don¡¯t try to trick me.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± A sharp voice came from behind them.


    Icarus and Cain both tossed a confused look over their shoulders.


    ¡°Oh, um¡­¡± Iceline suddenly found herself at the center of attention and blushed.


    She still didn¡¯t know what they were so excited about, but now everyone knew there was a woman under the cloak.


    ¡°Master¡­¡± Cain¡¯s expression just barely managed to avoid looking angry. ¡°Seriously, you have some problems¡­¡±


    ¡°yboy,¡± Icarus spat.


    For once, Cain and Icarus agreed on something.


    Joshua sighed. ¡°Leo.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my king. Please, speak.¡±


    Joshua turned to face him and was immediately blindsided by the look of admiration in Leo¡¯s eyes. It was worse than the look Leo gave him after he defeated the Mercenary King. Joshua coughed awkwardly and tried to ignore it.


    ¡°You take the Wilhelm Knights back to Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes. We will also assist, of course¡ª¡± Leo blinked. ¡°You said Reinhardt, not Eiden Gorge?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ why?¡±


    Joshua turned to Icarus, who nodded.


    ¡°Reinhardt is in danger.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°EHHH?¡±


    Leo and Cain were stupified.


    ¡°Reinhardt is the symbol of peace¡ªbut then suddenly appeared in the middle of the Avalon Empire. How do you think people are going to react?¡±


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t what it meant. We just¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think it means. People believe what they want to believe. This is Reinhardt we¡¯re talking about. It¡¯s powerful, well defended, and the only neutral city on the continent.¡± Icarus turned from Leo, who still looked confused, to Joshua. ¡°To be honest, I still don¡¯t get it. The Wilhelm Knights could onlye here if His Majesty the Emperor allowed them to cross the border.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s not much to say. He let Marquis Crombell and the Mercenary King join forces,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°You don¡¯t understand the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°In English, please, miss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in as day: he wants to swallow up Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°Really¡­¡± Cain shook his head. They called the Emperor mad for his warlike tendencies¡ªit was no surprise he wanted to conquer Reinhardt.


    ¡°Since our hero won the Master Battle, he must have decided that now is the best time to take Reinhardt. The whole continent will change depending on how our master here acts.¡±


    They were silent for a moment while that sank in.


    ¡°Right now, not much is happening. But whatever you, master, decide will drastically alter the fate of the continent.¡±


    Cain shivered. It seemed like the whole world was made for his master. Would he have ever felt this way if he hadn¡¯t sworn himself to Joshua Sanders?


    ¡°So.¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply in the moonlight. ¡°What will you do next?¡±


    Joshua was silent for a long moment.


    ¡°¡­I¡­¡±


    The skies above the ck Forest were torn apart by a bestial roar as an enormous shadow tore through the canopy.


    The Beast of Tripia directed its wrath at the ground.


    Mighty man-eating ogres held their breaths, the nigh-unkible trolls cowered in the shadows, and the orc hordes trembled.


    A monster asrge as a castle hovered over the dark trees. Its eyes were proud and golden, and its scales were ck and imprable.


    ¡°Overwhelming¡± would be a hrious understatement.


    The dragon, the strongest creature in the world, roared.

 Chapter 213:

    Chapter 213:


    [Shall we begin?]


    Joshua nodded tersely.


    Castle Peril sat at the end of an enormous in. It was empty, despite thezily rising sun. A small mountain of unattended bodies still littered the grass, slowly staining the ground with dark crimson blood like a morbid morning dew. The battle had ended, but the ghosts of the dead still lingered.


    It was perfect for an undead.


    <em>Wait¡­ ghost?</em> Joshua jerked.


    [Focus!] Lugia floated into the air, humming ominously, and began to spin. One turn¡­ two turns¡­ three turns¡­ Finally, it stopped and began moving toward a small hill.


    [King of the defeated.] Lugia slowly revolved, but it was only getting faster. [A grudge deeper than the darkness of the Spirit of Gucheon.]


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Joshua groaned as a very specific energy roiled and oozed out of his body. The most difficult energy to handle. ¡°Magi¡­¡±


    [I, Lugia, the spear,mand thee to unleash the bitterness and torment of thy loss!] The spear froze in ce in the middle of the corpse pile.


    The area was bathed in a grim, threatening red light.


    Then, slowly, something wed its way out of the bodies.


    ¡°Duhan¡­¡± It looked exactly like the Duhans Joshua had seen before: a horrific being d in dark armor with no head. The only difference was that this one was twice the size of the ones he was familiar with.


    But it was supposed to be the same Duhan contract¡­


    Joshua eyed the unmoving creature while Lugia spoke.


    [Didn¡¯t I say that I needed a few more of you here to call up the spirit of the Lord of Duhans?]


    <em>A pact¡­</em> The other day, Lugia had told him that the Duhan¡¯s contract doesn¡¯t require consent of any kind, unlike a Death Knight¡¯s. However, that meant it wasn¡¯t bound to anyone¡¯s will¡ªthe only way to tame it was to defeat it.


    This was where the problem began. Was controlling the Lord of Duhans as simple as beating it?


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    [Give him the highest, most pure Magi¡ªlike that of one of the twenty strongest demons, at a bare minimum. Some have tried to im it before but failed. I told you I¡¯m here to help you with anything to do with Magi; I¡¯m a demonic artifact, after all. But I¡¯m a little concerned about that damned holy power all mixed up in your body.]


    [We can¡¯t worry about it now, though. Just go for it¡ªbut you know what happens if you lose, right?]


    Joshua¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    [Death. Once he realizes some idiot woke him up again, he¡¯ll cut your head off and dangle it from his pauldron.]


    Lugia seemed very casual about the frightening affair.


    [Begin.]


    The atmosphere abruptly shifted. Joshua could almost feel the weight of the air pressing down on his shoulders. It was as if he¡¯d been transported to an entirely different world.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    [8th Lesser Demon Realm, Infinite Hell.]


    Their surroundings slowly shifted. The early morning light was wiped away, reced by a heavy darkness. Everything around Joshua was stained dark red as if a bloody curtain had been drawn around them.


    Everything within a hundred meters was flipped upside down.


    Joshua stumbled. ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    There was no ground. He thought the earth had turned pitch ck¡ªbut no, it was just a bottomless pit. Bloodcurdling screams arose from it as he stared.


    [The Demon god gave each of his eight servants their own space, although they really weren¡¯t much more than henchmen. This Infinite Hell is one of them.]


    A helmet decorated with an ugly, rusted crown floated out of the pit, heralded by a crescendo of wails, and hovered in the air.


    [There is only room here for the Lord of Duhans, the once-monarch of the Duhans.]


    The ominous magical force coalesced upon the Lord of Duhans. As he reimed his head, red lights ignited in his eye sockets.


    [To be honest, I¡¯m intrigued. The Lord of Duhans fed on the souls of countless men¡ªimagine the power!] The nearly three-meter-tall undead moved for the first time, shrugging off falling debris with casual ease. [What will you do?]


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened as the alien voice washed over him.


    ¡°The Duhan has its own consciousness?¡±


    [He¡¯s one of the Demon God¡¯s henchmen. Are you seriously asking that right now?]


    ¡°¡­Um.¡± Joshua stared forward with confused eyes.


    [No¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter, really, because this body of mine itches to tear him apart.] The Duhan¡¯sment seemed to be directed at himself. He leaped off the ground holding his weapon in one hand and his head in the other.


    Joshua boggled. The undead was even faster than the Mercenary King. He sent a mixture of Aura and Magi crashing down fast enough to tear Joshua apart limb-from-limb.


    Joshua grinned and adjusted his grip on Lugia. It was toote to get away, so he¡¯d take the first attack and seize the chance to counterattack while maintaining his defense.


    That¡¯s what he thought, anyway.


    The first attacknded with an explosive bang. Joshua¡¯s holy power wasn¡¯t as strong as it could have been, but whenbined with the power of his spear, it was nothing to sneeze at. Yet the Duhan¡¯s strike still forced his legs to strain with exertion.


    Joshua heard a strange noiseing from their interlocked weapons.


    The Mercenary King¡¯s beloved weapon, Taorin, was rejoining its broken halves together. Joshua knew it was the same weapon¡ªthat double-ded ax was totally unique.


    The possessed body of the Mercenary King began to whip his arms around. Once, twice, three times. He got faster with each revolution until it turned into a veritable whirlwind.


    It wasn¡¯t that different from what the Mercenary King had done in life¡­ until it was. The storm hurtled straight at Joshua and crashed into the ground with a bang. The hole it left spewed hellfire, and Taorin burned with Aura Ovey¡ªAura on top of Aura.


    It was not an attack polite enough to give its victim a chance to strike back. It had earned the Mercenary King his reputation during the once-sided massacre on the Kingdom of Hearts. It was the wrath of a killer.


    [GAH! What are you doing? Do you want to die?!]


    Joshua remained still, despite the rapidly changing situation.


    He felt his heart race as soon as he realized that the Lord of Duhans had a consciousness. Others might have been frightened¡­ but Joshua felt right at home.


    His body swelled with energy that roiled likeva. And when he let it out, his body <em>changed</em>. His skin darkened and exuded ck smoke. Emerging from his head were¡­


    [Horns?]<sup>1</sup>


    The power of an angel could be determined by the size of its wings; the same could be applied to demons based on the size and shape of their horns.


    Joshua stared forward with abyssal ck eyes and stretched out his empty hand.<sup>2</sup> Lugia saw the pattern on the back of his hand and trembled like it¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    [Are you kidding me? This is impossible¡ªhe¡¯s been gone for at least a thousand years¡­]


    The Red Moon of Devildom. There was no way Lugia could have mistaken it. This unique symbol could only be wielded by evil beings more powerful than the Demon King; it was even known as the ¡°total control pattern.¡± Throughout the long history of the demon realm, there had only ever been one demon who wielded it.


    The Lord of the Duhans recognized it as well and immediately knelt in adtion to his new master.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: Joshua is now a horny boy confirmed?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: We could totally change Joshua¡¯s name to Mordecai Darkde and it wouldn¡¯t even be out of character. He¡¯s like Everyone¡¯s First D&D Character<sup>TM</sup>.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 214:

    Chapter 214:


    Only two people upied the spacious conference room at Peril Castle.


    ¡°Marquis Crombell left Peril Castle in peace. He said he¡¯ll formally issue his surrender as soon as he returns to his estate.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ That¡¯s¡­ That¡¯s good.¡± Charles¡¯s eyes began to leak tears. ¡°When my father wakes up¡­ he¡¯ll be happy, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Young Lady¡­¡± Count Keiros sighed under his breath. He won, but the victory hurt. The family was still copsing without its patriarch, and the mysterious dealings between Joshua and Marquis Crombell left a bitter aftertaste in his mouth.


    <em>I should have just retired and spent the rest of my years fishing.</em> He looked at Charles and shook his head. The Pontiers were already out of the water; what they needed right now was a pir to rely on.


    ¡°More importantly, Young Lady¡­ I heard something¡­¡± Count Keiros changed the subject with a little smile. ¡°You gave Baron Sanders the family insignia?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you think about him? If I remember correctly, giving someone the family insignia means that you want to spend the rest of your life with them¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that what it means?¡±


    Charles hadn¡¯t said a word; the voice came from the doorway. Count Keiros and Charles spun around with confused looks on their faces.


    ¡°Sir Cain! And Icarus!¡±


    ¡°Oh, uh¡­¡± Cain smiled and scratched his head. Icarus was ring at him. ¡°I apologize. I didn¡¯t mean to eavesdrop.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. What brings you two¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I apologize for troubling you so early in the morning, but I have something urgent to tell you, Young Lady.¡± Icarus¡¯s hands were pressed together in apology.


    ¡°It¡¯s not rude at all.¡± Charles smiled and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m more than happy to see you. You are our heroes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course!¡± Cain pounded his chest. ¡°Even if our master hadn¡¯t ordered us, we would still help the Young Lady!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that, Sir Cain? Your words mighte back to bite you,¡± Icarus jabbed.


    ¡°What?!¡± Icarus seemed to have hit Cain right in his white knightplex.


    Charles tried to hide herughter behind her hand. ¡°I always get the feeling that you two are great friends?¡±


    ¡°Great friends?¡± Cain and Icarus said at the same time. ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°Oh! I remember the saying: love and hate are two sides of the same coin.¡±


    ¡°Grrr! That aside, Young Lady, was Count Keiros correct? Is it true that you feel something toward the master?¡±


    Charles answered his straightforward question with a bright, unworried smile. ¡°With the Avalon Empire at peace, Baron Sanders is the most eligible bachelor in all of Igrant.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡­.¡± Icarus and Cain couldn¡¯t hide their surprise.


    ¡°Just joking.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Icarus sighed in relief.


    ¡°Of course¡­ Baron Sanders¡¯s ambition aside¡­ I am a woman before I am the head of my house.¡± Charles watched Icarus¡¯s reactions with great interest. ¡°I gave it to him when we were kids because he didn¡¯t even want to look me in the eyes.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°But now¡­ Now I don¡¯t even understand my heart. He¡¯s such a good man¡ªor should I say he¡¯s godlike, too glorious to touch.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Our master is not called the War God for nothing.¡± Icarus poked Cain in the side with a smirk as if Icarus was the one being praised.


    ¡°I agree.¡± Charles nodded firmly. ¡°Of course, the question is whether or not I can afford to think about dating or love right now. Don¡¯t worry about that, though. I won¡¯t take him from you right now.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady¡­¡± Despite Charles¡¯s yful tone, Count Keiros could see what was really going on. Thousands of eyes were judging the young princess¡¯s every move; the Count couldn¡¯t begin to imagine how much pressure that ced on a woman who wasn¡¯t even twenty years old yet. It made for a rather delicate atmosphere. ¡°Hmmm. Oh, by the way.¡± Count Keiros looked back at Cain and Icarus. ¡°What was it you wanted to tell us?¡±


    ¡°Ah. Master told us about them.¡±


    ¡°Who?¡±


    ¡°The traitors. Count Cox. How they¡¯re going to be dealt with.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Count Keiros cast a careful nce in Charles¡¯s direction. Cox and the Princess¡¯s rtionship was hardly a secret.


    ¡°The master instructed me to cut all of their heads off.¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Cain?¡± Icarus grabbed his arm, just as confused as Count Keiros, who just sat there with his eyes wide open.


    It was a brutally simple solution.


    ¡°Sir Cain, we need to talk¡ª¡±


    ¡°But before that, he told us that we should always seek Princess Charles for advice, as this is family business. That¡¯s why we came to see you.¡±


    Icarus sighed. The cat was out of the bag, so all that was left was to see how Charles responded.


    ¡°Take care of it,¡± Charles finally said. ¡°Traitors are traitors. No matter how much we trusted them before, we must avenge those who died.¡±


    ¡°Young Lady¡­¡± Count Keiros stared at Charles, astonished by her cold, unhesitating judgment.


    Then, even more shockingly, she bowed her head to Icarus and Cain.


    ¡°Y-Young Lady!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Icarus, Sir Cain, can I ask you for your help?¡±


    Cain and Icarus nced at each other.


    ¡°O-Of course.¡±


    ¡°Princess, you don¡¯t need to do this.¡±


    Despite their protests, Charles remained bowed for a long moment.


    When she finally rose, her ruby eyes were steady and tranquil. Charles had taken the first step toward bing the ¡°Steel Empress.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    He thought the sky was going to copse, but the abyss gave way to a peaceful in.


    The small mountain of corpses was gone, as were the ugly sores on the ground. All of them had been consumed by the 8th Lesser Demon World, Infinite Hell.


    A pattern flickered on Joshua¡¯s fingers for just a moment. It resembled the Duhan¡¯s head, proof that he had subjugated the Lord of Duhans.


    [That power originated from a demon.]


    Joshua admired the quiet break of dawn as Lugia spoke.


    [That pattern as well¡ªthe Blood Moon. That pattern is something I could never duplicate. It came from an angel¡ªa fallen angel, one of the most powerful with the biggest and most numerous wings. Comparable to the demon king, but a little different. Only Michael, the finest warrior amongst the angels, was capable of challenging them; it was Michael who put down his rebellion and ended his n to achieve godhood.] Lugia hovered along beside Joshua. [That angel lost his four wings and took refuge in the demon realm. The demon king took him in, but¡­] The spear hummed. [Then he betrayed the one who had taken him in, stole his power of total control, and then fled. He is the only being known as a traitor in both heaven and hell.


    [At his strongest, he can take on two demon lords simultaneously. But even worse, he has total control¡ªotherwise known as total destruction.]


    ¡°That means¡­¡±


    [Now that symbol appears on you. What could it mean?] Lugia continued to muse. [It looks as if the total control symbol is sealed for some reason¡ªbut if you could somehow wield it, you¡¯d be godlike.]


    ¡°What does this angel call himself?¡±


    [Lucifer, the one who steals light.]


    As soon as Lugia uttered that word, the spear was filled with a bright red light. When it faded, the spear was transformed into something else entirely.


    Lugia had fulfilled the conditions for its second awakening.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Oh no, now Charles has a chuuni nickname too.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 215:

    Chapter 215:


    The Mercenary King was dead.


    The Lion King, one of the Twelve Superhumans, formally announced it, and the tumultuous news spread across the continent like wildfire¡ªa testament to the significance of the war between Duke Pontier and Marquis Crombell.


    Akshuler, the new leader of the mercenary guild, then made an announcement:


    <em>¡°The mercenary guild admits that it was contracted to Marquis Crombell. No mercenaries will remain within the Avalon Empire. In addition, all requests will be issued a 50% discount for the next two years.¡±</em>


    He went one step further by writing a letter of apology to all the most important countries and organizations. The speed and tact with which he handled the situation astonished the rest of the mercenaries.


    It had to be stressed how important the Marquis¡¯s contract was. No matter how you looked at it, it couldn¡¯t have been done without the Emperor¡¯s approval. If people began to believe that the Emperor had a special rtionship with the mercenary guild, no one would hire them. Emperor Marcus¡¯s rule had earned him more enemies than allies.


    Even with that in mind, a 50% discount on allmissions was a difficult pill to swallow. The guild usually only made a 50% profit margin to begin with, meaning it wouldn¡¯t be making any profit at all for the next two years.


    Akshuler also promised that themission fee would be split 7:3 between the mercenaries and the guild after the two years were up. On top of his earlier promise to cover the damages with the guild¡¯s money, he¡¯d earned himself a nice poprity boost.


    There was more to it that nobody else knew about¡­


    ¡°I said no.¡±


    ¡°I told you I didn¡¯t want it, either.¡± Akshuler frowned. ¡°I didn¡¯t fight him so I could take his job.¡±


    ¡°It was for the downtrodden mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to understand from what Iceline¡¯s doing.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the same.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe that.¡±


    Akshuler sighed. ¡°Is it so difficult for you to help a dying man?¡±


    ¡°Imagine a <em>dying old man</em> asking for help from a <em>literal child</em>.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk about it, cause if a child doesn¡¯t listen to his elders, he might end up with bad luck.¡±


    ¡°If you think there¡¯s anything an 80-year-old man can learn from a kid, I suggest you give up now. If you care about the mercenaries, then don¡¯t cause a fuss.¡±


    ¡°Hmph!¡± Akshuler shook his head in frustration. ¡°Imagine you were an already-established mercenary. Then you go out and beat the Mercenary King¡ªthink about what it would do for your reputation. You¡¯re the right person to be the new leader, especially with that skill.¡±


    Akshuler was pressing Joshua to take charge of the new and improved mercenary guild.


    ¡°With a little help from me, the mercenaries will also¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I were to agree, for whatever reason, then I¡¯d be the first person in control of both the free knights and mercenaries at the same time.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Since the Lion King agreed to act as notary, I took his ce.¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s eyes widened. If this was true, the continent would be thrown into chaos again. Joshua would not only lead an entire country, but also a continent-spanning guild. Nobody had ever held the reigns of both the mercenary guild and the free knights¡¯ alliance at the same time.


    ¡°I have some conditions.¡±


    ¡°Conditions?¡±


    ¡°If all you need is a figurehead, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    Akshuler¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°But, only if you¡¯re by my side the whole time. I don¡¯t have enough time on my hands to take out other people¡¯s trash.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Akshuler nodded. He never intended for Joshua to take the position in totality. What he was really worried about was Joshua taking revenge for the mercenaries raising their swords against him. If his anger was directed at everyone in the guild¡­ Akshuler was loath to admit it, but there was no way they could stand up to that spear. Joshua¡¯s power spoke for itself.


    In the midst of his worry, Akshuler stumbled upon a fantastic idea: make Joshua the new leader of the mercenary guild.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, but¡­ am I going to be the only one responsible for cleaning up the crap?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t be the only one to suffer.¡± Joshua smirked. ¡°Also¡­ didn¡¯t you need to take out the Mercenary King anyway?¡±


    Akshuler gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°You took the Moon Gate¡¯s offer, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You knew?¡± His expression stiffened. Moon Gate had strict privacy standards.


    ¡°That¡¯s all I know. I know where to find the things she needs<sup>1</sup>, so she wants me to be a little more sensible. I suppose that¡¯s why I made you agree to my terms.¡±


    Akshuler pondered for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Are you curious? About what she promised me if I helped you and became guild leader.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯s been trying to swallow up the guild for a while now. Barbarian knew about it too, of course. Nobody cared, and I couldn¡¯t deal with him on my own. He already had other ns, as you could see,¡± Akshuler said, ignoring Joshua¡¯s refusal. ¡°It was the same person that gave the Lion King the first beating of his life.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°He¡¯s one of the Nine Stars and one of the few people who could challenge your father, Duke Agnus, in a one-on-one battle. He¡¯s one of the most powerful beings in Swallow right now.¡± Akshuler locked eyes with Joshua. ¡°He goes by the name ¡®Lucifer.¡¯¡±


    The traitors were holed up in the half-burned ruins of Pendra Castle.


    ¡°The Mercenary King and Joshua Sanders went head-to-head in the Battle of Superhumans¡­ and the Mercenary King didn¡¯t evennd a single blow.¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s face crumpled like the notice clenched in his hand.


    ¡°Do you actually believe this nonsense?¡±


    ¡°It was witnessed by the Lion King! And Marquis Crombell is nowhere to be found¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± Baron Ashval shouted. ¡°They must have used nullification magic on ourmunications¡­¡±


    After a moment, a different nobleman cautiously spoke up. ¡°By the way¡­ did the Lion King help him? Because there¡¯s no way Baron Sanders could win against the Mercenary King, no matter how you look at it.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make a difference right now,¡± Cox, the real leader of this ce, said, instantly dousing the traitors¡¯ mood. ¡°Right now, we should discuss where we¡¯re going next. If it¡¯s true¡­ They¡¯ll being soon.¡±


    They shivered. Joshua scared them more than the Grim Reapering to drag them down to hell.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡¯d rather¡­¡± The nobleman that Baron Ashval had shouted at squeezed out his words. ¡°Wh-Why don¡¯t we just surrender?! The Marquis already gave up¡ªand the Princess is in charge now. How hard could it be to fool her? Even the soldiers were sent home unharmed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Buoyed by their reactions, the nobleman pressed onward. ¡°It¡¯s only a step back. One step back, three steps forward, as they say. We n for the future.¡±


    ¡°That seems reasonable¡­¡±


    ¡°It makes sense.¡±


    The nobles nodded along, to the speaker¡¯s satisfaction.


    ¡°Impossible.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°The Princess has already resolved to eliminate us. There are rumors that the enemy is making for Eiden Gorge¡ªour only way out.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s just¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Crazy bitch¡­¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already acting like the head of the household, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°Is that true, Count Cox?¡± Baron Ashval inquired, watching the nobles carefully.


    ¡°I have eyes and ears in Peril Castle.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He let out a deep sigh.


    ¡°One of these things is true. Shall we just act on blind faith, then? Or shall we take our chances and flee? Baron Sanders can¡¯t stay here forever, after all, and all we have to do is kill the Duke and the Princess.¡±


    Cox was certainly living up to the callous remarks he¡¯d made. He was toote, though. His enemies were already there.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Princess, give me your orders.¡±


    Charles gazed at Pendra Castle with cold eyes. Thousands of weapons gleamed in the rising light of the chilly morning. From beside her, Icarus nodded to Charles, and the Princess sharply raised her hand.


    ¡°Get rid of what¡¯s left of the enemy,¡± she said.


    Cain ced his hands over his heart with a smile.


    ¡°Upon my heart, it will be done.¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: It¡¯s the D. She wants the D, and she already knows exactly where to find the D.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 216:

    Chapter 216:


    The rm bell rang furiously.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± A nobleman cast a befuddled look around.


    ¡°The enemy snuck up on us!¡±


    The nobles in Pendra Castle leaped out of their seats.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a look at the situation.¡± Baron Ashval ran out the door with a stiff expression and hurried up the castle walls.


    ¡°The Ducal g?¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Baron Ashval shouted, ¡°They¡¯re here!¡± He grit his teeth. ¡°Use the walls! Shut the gates and get your bows!¡±


    ¡°Noted!¡±


    ¡°Also, be prepared for the enemy bringingdders to the walls. And get the oil heated.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Baron Ashval peered over the busy soldiers and spotted the young Duchess Pontier slowly approaching.


    ¡°This stupid war ends today, Princess.¡±


    He shut his eyes.


    ¡°Master, it looks like the enemy has no ns to leave the castle.¡±


    ¡°Unless their heads are just there for decoration, they¡¯ll defend that castle to theirst breath,¡± Cain quipped. Icarus grinned.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. We¡¯re ending this now.¡± Joshua¡¯s feet didn¡¯t even pause.


    The soldiers behind him stared. They could see the enemy garrison¡¯s faces from here¡ªobviously, anyone trying to advance was going to be peppered with arrows.


    ¡°Oh, whoa, whoa.¡± Cain stepped in front of Joshua, earning him a bemused look. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to y the hero all on your own. Master¡­ sometimes I wish you were the kind of king who knew how to use his subjects properly.¡±


    ¡°Huh? I have no idea what you¡¯re on about, but we need to break through that gate immediately.¡±


    Cain peered at the gates. Most castles in the Empire had two gates d in solid steel, whereas lesser countries would use tes of iron. Some smaller cities only had timber. That was to say, Pendra Castle¡¯s gates were enormous bs of steel. No attack could even leave a scratch on them, much less prate.


    The young knight¡¯s tightly pressed lips slowly curled into a smile.


    ¡°You told me to just watchst night. Master, this time, watch me.¡± His feet began to move. ¡°I¡¯ll show you what my awakening has done.¡± Cain abruptly elerated, letting loose a battle cry as he ran.


    The defenders were quick to respond with a hail of steel. Every step Cain took was littered with death, but he never hesitated once. The first arrow barely missed him. The rest were already on their way.


    <em>I can do this.</em> As he ran, he began chanting in his head: <em>Aura ovey; aura over aura.</em> Cain fell into a state of hyper-focus, making everything around him slow to a crawl. It was as if he was in another world, just like the night when Joshua gave him a new purpose.


    Cain attained enlightenment.


    He always thought that the aura de was the end goal of all knights¡ªbut there was a sky above the sky. A heavenly gift.


    ¡°If I could use aura ovey as a war song¡­ I could trick my opponent as well.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Anything¡¯s possible with aura¡­¡±


    His ears twitched, and then drew his aura into a film over his body.


    ¡°Aura protection.¡± Joshua smiled, admiring the arrows clunking off of Cain¡¯s aura.


    Baron Ashval was shocked. ¡°What is that?¡±


    Cain wasn¡¯t done, though. He wanted to swing his sword, so he coated it in the same film and whipped it forward, something that should have been impossible ording tomon sense. The whole time, he was moving at blinding speeds.


    ¡°This is crazy!¡±


    ¡°H-He¡¯s gonna hit!¡±


    Cain¡¯s sword struck the gate with a terrible boom.


    ¡°This is it.¡± He gripped the sword with both hands and hammered it into the wall with a tremendous mass of mana. ¡°Break.¡±


    The steel-lined gates were torn apart like paper.


    Cain strode right through the gateway and roared like a lion.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this!¡±


    With the gates broken, no one could stop the Pontiers¡¯ army. Baron Ashval was the most powerful of them, but Cain had already beaten the shit out of him once; most of the soldiersid down their weapons soon after the gates copsed.


    Charles examined the tied-up traitors expressionlessly.


    ¡°This is¡ª! Untie me at once! I am Baron Ashval, a nobleman of the Avalon Empire, I say! You can¡¯t treat me like this, <em>girl</em>! Do you understand me?!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s still like this¡­¡± A gentle hand on the shoulder was the only thing stopping Icarus from stomping forward. ¡°Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain shook his head and winked in Charles¡¯s direction. Icarus remained confused but retreated for the moment.


    Charles gazed over the prisoners, her eyes stopping on one person in particr.


    ¡°Cox. Is there anything else you would like to say?¡±


    The disgraced count slowly lifted his head.


    ¡°What more could a simple traitor say, Princess?<sup>1</sup> The only shame is¡­ we didn¡¯t achieve our goals in the end,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°¡­Is that right? Thank you, Cox.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you can do it.¡± Cox¡¯s lips twitched into a helpless little smile.


    Charles turned around without replying, leaving only the wind to whistle into their ears.


    It was time to bring this long story to an end.


    He was closer to her than her own blood. A father better than her own father. Even through the hard times, he was there for Charles¡ªbut now, he had betrayed their family and struck against them. Now she had a decision to make.


    ¡°Baron Sanders. May I ask a favor of you?¡±


    She looked straight forward, but Joshua noticed her wavering eyes, the slight trembling in her frosty voice, and the tears leaking from her eyes.


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡± He drew Lugia from its subspace. Charles was only a girl in her teen years; Joshua couldn¡¯t carry all the weight on her shoulders, but he could carry some of it.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders! Prisoners of war have to be treated ording to Imperialw!¡± Baron Ashval desperately shouted. His hands and feet were bound in iron shackles specially made for him by the Magic Tower¡ªJoshua¡¯s mercy was his only chance at survival. ¡°Even you can¡¯t weather the wrath of His Majesty the Emperor if you break Imperialw! Do you understand me?!¡±


    ¡°Noisy till the end,¡± Icarus couldn¡¯t help but mutter.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about such things,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°Wait, what?¡±


    ¡°If I was worried about the Emperor, I wouldn¡¯t have even dared to do this in the first ce.¡±


    The listeners reeled in shock.


    ¡°Crazy bastard!¡±


    Baron Ashval¡¯s mouth never stopped spitting curses, but it did nothing to stop Joshua from raising Lugia.


    ¡°You, you¡ª!¡±


    [Master! Master, this is a chance!]


    Joshua paused.


    [Let¡¯s make an army of duhans for the Lord of Duhans! Or¡­ he¡¯s still alive, so he can be a death knight if we torture him enough to make sure he doesn¡¯t act up. He¡¯s not half bad, right?]


    ¡°Hehehehe¡­ Now you get it?¡± Baron Ashval arrogantly stuck out his chin


    But in fact, it only got easier for Joshua to cut off his head.


    ¡°No.¡±


    [Ooookay?]


    ¡°I don¡¯t want a soul tainted with betrayal.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s arms moved, and the Baron¡¯s head flew.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: FUCK THE PLOT FOR MAKING COX THE TRAITOR?</li></ol>

 Chapter 217:

    Chapter 217:


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat me to death this time, hah! No way!¡± Cain stood with his hands on his hips, oozing pride.


    ¡°For once, I agree with him,¡± Icarus muttered.


    ¡°Same.¡± Akshuler, Icarus, and the remaining Wilhelm Knights agreed. Iceline didn¡¯t say anything, but her tightly clenched fists spoke volumes.


    ¡°¡­If Marquis Crombell hears that I¡¯ve been spotted in Tripia, he might think differently of me.¡±


    Cain snorted. ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I would have thought my master was crazy.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just one thing.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to ditch your servants again?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn. You know she needs help, right? Icarus and Cain, you can help her.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t everyone know that?¡± Cain fumed, having already been through this. ¡°You, Baron Joshua Sanders, are my master¡ªnot Princess Charles! My master is the most important person here, not the Five Dukes or some beautiful women, damn it!¡± He pointedly turned his head away from Joshua with a huff, his face red with annoyance.


    ¡°Cain¡­¡± Icarus sighed.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we put these personal matters aside for a while?¡± Akshuler suggested.


    The face of a blind woman lingered in Joshua¡¯s mind as he shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t put things off any longer,¡± he said.


    ¡°However¡­ You know what¡¯s going on there, right?¡±


    Cain shivered.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t anything like the enemies you¡¯ve faced so far. We¡¯re talking about people who can crush the Imperial Pce with a single move or mow down hundreds of men with just a word,¡± Akshuler cautioned. ¡°These are the kinds of things that were relegated to myths for hundreds of years. No matter how strong you are¡­ you¡¯re still human in my eyes. It¡¯s not safe.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    ¡°But if you must go¡­¡± Cain grit his teeth. ¡°I will go with you.¡±


    ¡°S-Sir?¡± Iceline was so surprised that she couldn¡¯t stop herself from speaking out loud. ¡°How can you just say that? Do you have nothing to lose?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you people tell a dragon from a dog!?¡± Cain howled. ¡°A vige has already been wiped off the map! Themonfolk have been evacuated for ages because that damned lizard flies around at least once every three days, terrorizing the countryside!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like¡­ a warning.¡± Iceline¡¯s eyes flickered thoughtfully from underneath her cloak. ¡°Dragons never show themselves. As the guardians of middle-earth, their appearance can throw off the bnce of the world. They¡¯ve only done it twice in almost a thousand years: once when the Demon King came into this world and again when humans threatened their safety. So¡­ most likely, this will end with a warning about infringing on their territory. That¡¯s probably why it razed an abandoned vige, so¡­¡± She eyed Joshua. ¡°Now that I think about it, I also think Joshua has the right idea.¡± If anyone wanted to go to Tripia, it was Iceline. It was her family¡¯s homnd, after all.


    Not that any of their opinions changed Joshua¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Well, if what you said is true then¡­¡± Joshua slowly opened his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s not a warning, it¡¯s probably a threat.¡±


    The room stilled like the silence before the storm.


    From what he had seen in Count Rebra¡¯s castle in both lives, it was easy to see why the dragon was acting the way it was.


    ¡°Jacken,¡± the Emperor called, deep within the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Now is the time.¡±


    Jacken¡¯s eyes widened for a moment. He let out an ¡°Ah,¡± and chuckled.


    ¡°It would be a lie to say I didn¡¯t expect it, but the discovery of that treasure has set us ahead by much further than I thought. Joshua Sanders of Reinhardt¡­ is now one of the Twelve Superhumans!¡± By his standards, Emperor Marcus was practically jumping for joy as he issued his orders. ¡°Call the nobility to gather, and bring Joshua Sanders to the Imperial Pce as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°As you will, Your Majesty, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if it interferes with your work, but I promised Aden I¡¯d do it. I have to reward his son, at least. From his point of view¡­ I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s a good thing or not.¡±


    Jacken could never figure out what went through the minds of these people. They were always aiming des at each other¡¯s backs, but then they said they had some sort of promise¡­ He couldn¡¯t contain his curiosity anymore.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it is presumptuous, but¡­ I¡¯d like to ask you something.¡±


    Marcus offered him a light nod, and Jacken lowered his head even more.


    ¡°Duke Pontier and Count Rebra are the coffers and brains of Duke Agnus. I¡¯m curious about his condition, since he didn¡¯t react much when you cut off his limbs. Especially Count Cox von Wagen¡ªisn¡¯t he quite special?¡±


    Despite his best efforts, Jacken couldn¡¯t bring himself to ask about the promise.


    ¡°Money is not the problem. Our progress is thanks to an unexpected boon. I made a deal with the life of his son as coteral.¡±


    The ck Wind agent¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°He¡¯s not the type to care about threats, but his son¡¯s ident was a pretty major issue.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Jacken¡¯s mind raced furiously as he struggled toprehend the implications.


    The only thing that happened yesterday was the announcement about Reinhardt. The Wilhelm Knights served Reinhardt, the only neutral ground on the continent and its symbol of peace. Now the Avalon Empire¡ªone of the three great powers keeping the delicate bnce of power intact¡ªhad swallowed Reinhardt, and all the other countries knew it. Reinhardt¡¯s official statement eased some of their worries.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think taking Reinhardt would be a bad idea,¡± the Emperor said. ¡°But you know that Joshua Sanders wound up ruining the n like a jerk.¡± He looked immensely bored. ¡°¡®The Wilhelm Knights came to this country only to keep me, the king, safe. I, Joshua Sanders, swear before all the people of the entire continent that the Wilhelm Knights have no ties to the Avalon Empire, or else I shall never set foot in thends of Avalon again,¡¯¡± Marcus recited and smiled brightly. ¡°What an absolute thick-skulled jerk. I didn¡¯t think those cowards would believe such nonsense, but¡­¡± His smile widened. ¡°When word spread that he¡¯d taken the Mercenary King¡¯s head, things changed dramatically.¡±


    The oath of a newly ordained Master did not carry nearly the same weight as that of a new member of the Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°I wanted to kill him for the nerve of rejecting the name of Avalon. But¡­ Aden, for once, showed some emotion to me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He begged me not to harm his son. And I¡­¡± The Emperor clenched his fists. ¡°I told Aden that he would take the lead if a war broke out.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Duke really agreed?¡± Jaken was utterly astounded.


    ¡°Can you believe it? He dly epted that kind of half-assed offer.¡± Marcus stood up and stared at Jacken. ¡°For Igrant! The Star of Avalon will lead the way! Duke Aden von Agnus will lead the way!¡±


    A small figure kneeled in front of a crumbling hut in a small, remote town in Tripia, scribbling on the floor.


    Joshua slowly opened his mouth. ¡°So you were here too.¡±


    The figure continued to act busy.


    ¡°You still act like you don¡¯t care about people you haven¡¯t met before. Are you going to keep doing this, Ash?¡±


    The figure stopped but didn¡¯t say anything. Then ¡°Ash¡±¡­ stood up<sup>2</sup>.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: DUDE YOU¡¯RE LITERALLY SPEAKING TO THE LIGHT STEALER!?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: I wish me standing up was interesting enough to be used as a cliffhanger.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 218:

    Chapter 218:


    Information is power. No one was willing to make a move when their weaknesses might be in their opponent¡¯s hands.


    The ck Wind was the Emperor¡¯s personal, top-secret intelligent service. It was totally unknown to the general public, yet could rival the Moon Gate in its reach. Jacken, the leader of the ck Wind, ruled the Avalon Empire, though no one knew his name.


    That wasn¡¯t reassuring for him. He looked around at his fellow agents and saw a grim situation.


    ¡°So Duke Agnus will lead theing war. You can talk about blood ties all you want, but Duke Agnus is a die-hard pacifist. For him to stand in front of His Majesty and swear to go to war is¡­ contradictory.¡±


    The agents were silent for a long moment before Number Two spoke up: ¡°Do the rumors hold water?¡±


    Jacken gave her a questioning look.


    ¡°The Wilhelm Knights. They came here to protect their king, Baron Sanders.¡±


    After Number One, Number Two was the most powerful member of the ck Wind<sup>1</sup>. She had been tasked with hunting down the traitor¡ªnow known as the Assassin King¡ªand thus had been absent from the Imperial Pce until she received an emergency summons.


    ¡°Since when did they respect their king? Even the Lion King was treated like a sack of potatoes.¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make it even worse?¡± Jacken pondered. ¡°Besides being a prodigy, there¡¯s something about Baron Sanders we don¡¯t know about.¡±


    ¡°Many things have changed since the Master Battle. Isn¡¯t it time we made a choice?¡±


    ¡°It seems like something of a foregone conclusion. His Majesty, Emperor Marcus, is the sole master of the ck Wind.¡±


    ¡°So instead of attempting something openly, we discussed ¡®preparations.¡¯ His Majesty agreed, did he not?¡±


    Jacken mulled over No. 2¡¯s words for a moment. Histest conversation with His Majesty was raising doubts. Why hadn¡¯t the Emperor chosen a sessor yet? The first prince was well-rounded and physically perfect, making him the obvious candidate. So how did the Imperial court end up so chaotic?


    Ultimately, the crown would not be given to anyone who had not earned it for himself, regardless of the trouble the first prince had already gone through. It made for a constant talking point at the noble¡¯s council, a discussion that His Majesty was content to listen to with a strange smile on his face.


    Jacken once asked him about it: <em>Do what your heart tells you to do,</em> the Emperor had told him. Jacken smiled bitterly. <em>Do whatever you want, he says.</em> Evidently, Marcus didn¡¯t care what happened once he was dead; it was no wonder he reacted strangely to the way Duke Agnus cared for his blood.


    ¡°Right now,¡± Jacken said, ¡°there¡¯s only one thing we need to worry about. If you want to know what will happen in the next Continental War, you should watch the nobles. In particr, No. 1 and No. 2 should keep an eye on Duke Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Good enough.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ I will meet the first prince in person to discuss session.¡±


    The agents¡¯ eyes widened behind their masks.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°On the surface, there doesn¡¯t seem to be much difference between the first and second prince¡¯s power, but we already know that <em>that person</em> recently joined the first prince¡¯s side, don¡¯t we? The faster these things move, the harder it will be to keep up. As always, we can¡¯t step forward, but we can support the first prince from behind as quietly as possible.¡± Jacken¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Under the next emperor¡­ the ck Wind won¡¯t blow in the shadows anymore¡ªwe will blow in the sun.¡±


    The ck Wind agents shivered.


    Suddenly, someone walked up behind No. 4.


    ¡°Why are you here, No. 5?¡± Jacken eyed him.


    ¡°We found Asiru.¡±


    The agents¡¯ eyes nearly popped out of their sockets in surprise.


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Jacken was absolutely dumbfounded.


    It had been twenty years since Asiru hadst been heard of. For him to appear just before the Continental War¡­ wasn¡¯t it too much of a coincidence?


    ¡°Yes.¡± No. 5 nodded.


    Jacken let out a deep sigh. ¡°Where¡­ is he?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s in¡­ Agnus Duchy.¡±


    Ash.


    On the outside, he looked like any other ten-year-old boy.


    Joshua would never forget the day he¡¯d first met the boy in his past life.


    Snow covered the world in a nket of pure white, camouging a small vige in its drifts. The only remarkable thing about this vige was a cute boy sheltering in a broken-down hut. He was rather out of ce¡ªhis hair was golden, and his skin was perfectly white like that of a noble scion.


    But Joshua knew better. The boy was no mere aristocrat, and the world around them was not as real as it seemed. Indeed, it was all an illusion.


    ¡°What are you?¡±


    ¡°Someone who can save you,¡± Joshua answered with a small smile<sup>2</sup>.


    The boy examined him thoughtfully.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know how I got here¡­ and my name isn¡¯t Ash.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re Ash.¡±


    Joshua got a confused look in return for his insistence.


    ¡°I made it that way, and you liked it. Quite a bit, actually.¡±


    The boy¡¯s expression changed as he tilted his head. ¡°I think you¡¯ve mistaken me for someone else. You should go now¡ªyou¡¯re not familiar with this ce, are you?¡±


    It was a very good question. They were standing in the middle of the monster-infested ck Forest, which made it even stranger to find a snowy vige there.


    Again, it was all a trick.


    ¡°Antimagic Field.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s obsidian earrings twitched, followed by the sound of something breaking. The world was flipped upside down, transforming thendscape entirely. Lush green forest reced the snowfields, and the houses became grand old trees. The only thing that hadn¡¯t changed was the neglected, moldering hut.


    That suffering was not an illusion.


    This was the truth of Ash¡¯s home. Worse, it was a breeding ground. As the boy quietly raised his hand, the enraged shrieks of demonic beasts thundered down on them. Fiercely snorting orcs, the vicious snouts of trolls, and the grimy tusks of ogres¡ªmore than a thousand monsters of all different colors surrounded Joshua on all sides.


    ¡°I told you to leave.¡± Ash¡¯s emerald eyes gleamed. ¡°Go.¡±


    Joshua examined the boy without replying. With the illusions gone, a pair of pointed ears poked out of his golden hair, and on his forehead shone a fingernail-sized starburst.


    Ash wasn¡¯t human. The humans thought his species had died out, but they had no idea of the truth. Here sat a legendary high elf, a species of peerless magical ability.


    ¡°An antimagic field. You must be a pretty important human, right? Unfortunately, you can¡¯t leave anymore.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshuaughed out loud. ¡°From what I¡¯ve seen in the past, I don¡¯t think you can beat me.¡±


    ¡°Human pride still hasn¡¯t changed.¡± The boy began to lower his hand.


    ¡°Are you satisfied?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Are you happy to give up the Ellonbers name and be merely a breeder of Crevasse¡¯s beasts?¡±


    ¡°How did you¡ª?!¡±


    Joshua locked eyes with the boy. ¡°The reason I¡¯m here has nothing to do with your current owner. I¡¯m here only to save you and get Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Sanders¡­<sup>3</sup>¡±


    ¡°I need to save a life¡­ Can you help me?¡±


    ¡°¡­How disappointing. I almost got caught up in it, after all. She can see with the eyes of her mind. What¡¯s the issue?¡± The boy looked at Joshua, who remained silent. Ash shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to get anything out of someone as proud as you. I guess I¡¯ll have to force it out of you.¡±


    His waist-length golden hair began to wave in the wind as a thousand demons rushed at Joshua in a storm of raging magi.


    Joshua¡¯s lips stretched into a wide smile. Ash was in for a surprise. His obsidian earring moved again, ever so slightly.


    And suddenly, the earth and sky were ripped apart with a bestial roar.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: You don¡¯t say.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: He kinda looks like Vanitas?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Yup, Joshua¡¯s here for the sanders. Turns out all this spear hubaloo was just to disguise his obsession with abrasives.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 219:

    Chapter 219:


    Joshua yed the Mercenary King, spreading his name far and wide; now, he was finally in Tripia.


    In the Imperial court of Avalon, another life was disappearing. She came from the noblest blood¡ªbut at the same time, the circumstances of her birth made her life harder than any of her kin.


    ¡°Haah¡­ haah¡­ haah¡­¡±


    The exquisite expanses of Hwahwa Pce were filled with a pained moan.


    ¡°Princess¡­¡± Ellen, the Princess¡¯s only maid, leaned over the bed worriedly.


    The Princess¡¯s golden hair had turned dull and ashen, and her skin was grey and worn, yet her beauty still shone through.


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Princess¡­¡± The maid¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. If she was going to die before she even reached her twentieth year, why did she have to spend the rest of her life locked up in this ce? The Emperor¡¯s favor was no gift at all. God would take away her life as he had taken everything else from her.


    A knock came at the door, and Ellen quickly wiped away her tears. She needed to be strong at times like this.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Amy, Madame. A visitor came to the pce, is all¡­¡±


    ¡°Amy¡­¡± Ellen¡¯s brow creased. ¡°You know that the Princess can¡¯t see anyone right now, right?¡±


    ¡°I, um¡ª¡±


    ¡°I came here to see my sibling. It¡¯s me, Kaisen.¡±


    Ellen¡¯s eyes widened, and she leaped out of her seat¡ªit was no wonder Amy was so flustered. She opened the door and immediately bowed.


    The guest¡¯s somber visage¡ªas if his signature golden eyes weren¡¯t enough¡ªwas immediately recognizable. Ellen had seen this man many times before.


    ¡°Greetings to the second prince. I am Ellen, a servant of Hwahwa Pce.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± The prince walked past Ellen without sparing her so much as a nce.


    ¡°P-Prince! Princess Sersiarin is sleeping right now¡ª¡±


    ¡°How dare this lowly girl¡­¡± The second prince thrust a de at Ellen¡¯s neck, drawing a few drops of blood from the razor-thin cut. ¡°Try to get in my way again, and you¡¯ll lose your neck.¡± Kaisen left behind the quailing maid and approached the bed.


    ¡°All your life you¡¯ve been used by your father, and now you¡¯re so miserable, Sersiarin¡­¡± Kaisen watched his sister slowly die.


    At first, Hwahwa Pce was forbidden even to the Imperial family. The ck Wind kept watch over it, but at some point, those eyes had vanished¡ªspecifically, when she¡¯d fallen into aa.


    The implications were clear: even her father had abandoned her now that the poor girl was no longer useful. Was there ever a more tragic tale than this?


    ¡°Your cursed power even broke your leash.¡± He¡ªand the rest of the Empire¡ªknew that the Princess had special abilities. Just like the legends of the elves, she had the eyes of truth. Emperor Marcus¡¯s judicious use of this ability secured his tyrannical reign better than any weapon by stopping any rebellion before it started. Sersiarin¡¯s sicknesses didn¡¯t stop the Emperor for a moment.


    <em>I think he said she still has a month to live. You may not be useful to your father, but you are to me, Sersiarin.</em> Kaisen¡¯s lips stretched into a mad rictus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take Sersiarin.¡±


    Ellen heaved a deep breath.


    <em>Please, no¡­</em> She wanted to speak up¡­ but she wanted to live more. All she could do was watch Kaisen disappear with the Princess.


    All of the demons suddenly froze like statues. The orcs curled into the fetal position; the house-sized trolls cowered behind the trees; the mad, man-eating ogre was nowhere to be found.


    Ash¡¯s legs copsed.


    ¡°No, no¡­ How can this be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nothing¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bullshit me! The only dragon who isn¡¯t asleep is Crevasse!¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°What makes you think it¡¯s a dragon? You can change the color of your hair and eyes with magic¡ª¡±


    ¡°That just proves it!¡± The boy snapped his fingers as he jumped to his feet. ¡°Dragons may change their appearance for amusement, but they¡¯re too proud of their species to disguise their race. It goes against their very being!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua sighed. He was only going to do a little trickery, but it seemed he couldn¡¯t fool someone who lived with a real dragon.


    ¡°How is it that a human can use fear?¡±


    ¡°Are you curious?¡± Joshua smiled mischievously.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s smile widened. ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to die of curiosity.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested!¡±


    ¡°You seem very interested.¡±


    ¡°ARGH!¡± The boy rounded on Joshua. ¡°I¡¯m not interested, so go away! I don¡¯t want to see you again.¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but reminisce about his past life. It was fun to y around for a while, but he was running out of time.


    ¡°¡­Someone thought they knew where an old elf-friend named Jerath dick Orbis was. I¡¯ll tell you what I know.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± The boy couldn¡¯t help himself. Jerath¡¯s name was not spoken lightly.


    For a moment, the boy¡¯s eyes sparkled like real emeralds. <em>I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s happening, but¡­</em> ¡°Why should I trust you?¡± he demanded with a frown.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it, even if you can¡¯t see it?¡±


    The boy¡¯s inscrutable eyes peered into Joshua¡¯s heart. ¡°¡­What do you want me to do?¡±


    Joshua smiled softly. ¡°There¡¯s a person born with a curse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± The boy cocked his head in surprise. ¡°She won¡¯tst long¡ª¡±


    ¡°But if the genius alchemist Ash made a cure for her¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The boy¡¯s ears wriggled.


    Joshua pressed forward, already knowing how the elf would react.


    ¡°Can you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ So this is why you need Sanders.¡± The boy coughed a few times and nodded in a forced disy of seriousness. ¡°If I do, you¡¯ll tell you how to use fear.¡±


    ¡°You thought it was interesting, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Nuh-uh! This is a fair price for my genius,¡± the boy insisted.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Joshuaughed helplessly. ¡°I¡¯ll teach you if you give me the cure.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Ash ran up to Joshua with a sudden familiarity and stretched out his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s swear upon mana¡­ human friend.¡±


    Joshua looked confused for a moment, but shrugged it off and took the boy¡¯s hand.


    <em>Stupid human. Hehe.</em> The boy¡¯s shoulders shook with sadistic mirth. A human like him had no idea because the eyes of truth were astronomically rare in humans¡ªit was a blessing for elves, but for anyone else, it would cripple their lifespan. Breaking the curse was anything but easy. Eachponent was near mythical. <em>He¡¯s going to spend the rest of his life ¡°looking for materials.¡± Hah!</em> Ash coughed to hide hisughter. ¡°I¡¯ll write down the ingredients, but you need to get this first. It¡¯ll probably take a long time, so I¡¯m going to say¡ª¡±


    ¡°Everything¡¯s been prepared.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The boy gave Joshua a dumbfounded look.


    Joshua smirked knowingly.


    ¡°I. Have. All. The. Ingredients. Here.¡±

 Chapter 220:

    Chapter 220:


    The Imperial Pce had its own magician¡¯s tower, dubbed ¡°Orbis¡¯s Tower.¡± Emperor Marcus built it for his magicians as a brazen insult to the Magic Tower and closed it to anyone but the Imperial magicians.


    For the time being, it was the residence of Evergrant von Aswald.


    At the top of the tower, two men sat in conversation.


    ¡°Princess Sersiarin is now in Britannia Pce, just like you said, Your Highness. And His Majesty didn¡¯t even react¡­¡±


    Kaisen lived in Britannia Pce.


    The other man needed no introduction. If Kaisen was a guest, then obviously, there must be a host.


    ¡°Right¡­ Very good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, by the way: I have a question.¡± Kaisen eyed the middle-aged wizard. ¡°Why help me now? I tried to persuade you earlier, but you didn¡¯t listen.¡±


    Kaisen was a straightforward man and cared little for talking in circles.


    ¡°Besides, you aren¡¯t the type of person to change his mind¡ªand it¡¯s impossible that my brother hasn¡¯t made a move.¡± He scrutinized Evergrant intently. The wizard¡¯s silence did not deter him.


    ¡°¡­Because the Empire is changing.¡±


    Kaisen¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°You mean the situation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m confident that you aren¡¯t a simpleton, My Prince. A genius like you has surely realized that this is the calm before the storm, right?¡±


    ¡°War.¡±


    Evergrant nodded. ¡°I know this is rude, but¡­ since His Majesty is only focused on the oue of the war, I, as his servant, have no choice but to take over. At least, for the preparations. As his loyal servant, I must be prepared for everything.¡±


    ¡°Prepared for¡­ Avalon losing the war, you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Kaisen gave him a cold re.


    ¡°I believe that even if we win the war, the second prince should take over for His Majesty in the aftermath.¡±


    In the eyes of the wider world, Kaisen was an intelligent and adaptable man. They also noted despotic tendencies simr to his father. Realistically, Evergrant should be speaking to the first prince if he wanted to stabilize the country; Kiser was the calm one, not Kaisen, and Kaisen knew it.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you¡¯re after, shouldn¡¯t you go to my brother?¡±


    Evergrant was silent.


    ¡°If you refuse to speak, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I want to be Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?!¡± Kaisen leaped out of his seat. There was only one way the chief wizard of Avalon could be the Tower Master¡ªturning his back on the Imperial family! ¡°You bastard¡­¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I want to keep my position as the chief wizard of the Empire.¡±


    The prince¡¯s hand froze on the hilt of his sword.


    So this was Evergrant¡¯s true form¡ªhis true intentions. Greed makes the man, after all. He wasn¡¯t interested in the war at all, only in what he could get out of it.


    It was a tale as old as time.


    ¡°Now you seem like a real person.¡± Kaisen sat down with a chuckle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. The Tower means more to me than anything you could possibly offer me.¡±


    ¡°I apologize.¡± Kaisen¡¯s tone turned curious. ¡°Tell me about your ns.¡±


    ¡°I know how to make an elixir.¡±


    ¡°An elixir?¡±


    ¡°An elixir that, for one day, can make a terminally ill person move as if they¡¯re perfectly healthy. In the east, it¡¯s known as ¡®terminal lucidity;¡¯ as you can imagine, the side effects are very, very severe. Simply put, it burns the rest of your lifespan to grant you a day of immunity.¡± Evergrant¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Once the effects are up, the user will lose their life and suffer from unimaginable pain as they go.¡±


    Kaisen didn¡¯t even blink at the idea of using his sister.


    ¡°The elixir will let Princess Sersiarin see the world for the first time¡­ but only for a day.¡±


    ¡°Good for her.¡± Unimaginably, Kaisen¡¯s lips curled into a smile. ¡°It makes no difference whether she dies now or diester, anyway, but at least she¡¯ll have some peace. I think this will also inspire some gratitude to us for freeing her from the curse¡ªafter all, she¡¯s sacrificed her childhood for someone else¡¯s selfish goals.¡±


    Evergrant stared.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Right. Then¡­¡±


    What Evergrant told Kaisen had the prince enraptured. When they were done speaking, the second prince wore a strange smile on his lips as he stood.


    Kaisen offered Evergrant his hand. ¡°I wish the best for you, Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, Your Highness the Crown Prince.¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t believe it! I don¡¯t believe it! Even if you got everything else, thest one¡ª¡±


    ¡°The dragon¡¯s heart?¡± Joshua grinned. He fiddled with his ears for a moment, then stretched out his hand, offering Ash a ck object. ¡°I answered your second question, and here¡¯s the answer to your first one.¡±


    ¡°The obsidian earrings!¡± Ash flung his hands into the air. ¡°Are you a fraud?!¡±


    ¡°A fraud? Where?¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± The elf grit his teeth together and wheezed in frustration. All the evidence pointed to it being genuine, unfortunately for him. ¡°You still haven¡¯t answered my question! Even if the obsidian earring allows you to use fear, how can a human use it?¡±


    <em>Right¡­ How?</em> Even Joshua looked a little doubtful. He¡¯d never thought about it before.


    ¡°No human can handle the power of those earrings! They¡¯re like a curse, like the eyes of truth¡ªthey¡¯re cursed by the most powerful being in the world, a dragon! It¡¯s made out of pure elemental and emotional energy<sup>1</sup>! No human could stand up to the raw anger of a dragon without going mad instantly!¡± His voice slowly calmed down. ¡°You¡­¡± He examined Joshua seriously. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    This time, Joshua had no response. Why was he able to use the obsidian earrings? He just always could, and that wasn¡¯t a good enough answer for him or the elf.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The young baron rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Lugia would know, but the spear had been silent since Joshua had awakened the Lord of Duhans.


    If he didn¡¯t have the truth, then all he had to do was tell Ash something believable. Their deal hadn¡¯t included anything about Joshua¡¯s real identity, after all.


    <em>If pretending to be a dragon doesn¡¯t work, I¡¯ll just have tomit sphemy.</em>


    Joshua smiled bitterly, to Ash¡¯s consternation.


    ¡°Do I still seem like a human?¡±


    Ash swallowed nervously. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Joshua stared down at him with a smirk. ¡°I am a god.¡±


    The elf¡¯s knees gave out from underneath him<sup>2</sup>.


    Finally, the servant had learned to listen.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Primarily teenage angst.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Are elves easily frightened, or do they just have weak knees??</li></ol>

 Chapter 221:

    Chapter 221:


    Evergrant was left alone at the top of Orbis¡¯s Tower after Kaisen left.


    ¡°Going back to work is fun.¡± The magic curtain in the corner morphed and spat out a human. He shared the same unmistakable golden eyes and hair as the more vulgar Kaisen: Kaiser von Britten, fourth prince of the Empire of Avalon and Joshua¡¯s murderer.


    ¡°Are you certain your brother will act as you predicted?¡±


    Kaiser nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t be one hundred percent certain¡­ but as long as he believes that you mean well, he won¡¯t think there¡¯s anything to lose. Why wouldn¡¯t he do it?¡± A smile danced on the fourth prince¡¯s lips. ¡°Of us brothers, Kaisen is the most attentive.¡±


    ¡°But Brutus was the one who spread nder, not Cairo.¡±


    The predecessor of the Avalon Empire was known as the Allied Powers of Arcadia. Its first king was Brutus. He imed the throne through a menagerie of tricks, but his children used the same tricks to seize the throne from him when he grew old. On the other hand, King Cairo was one of the best kings in history; his rule saw Arcadia in control of nearly half the continent.


    ¡°There is a certain phrase that oftenes up in books when they discuss monarchy.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°¡®The sess or failure of a leader¡¯s policies depends on how well he can control his own desires.¡¯ Kaisen goes one step further¡ªhe wields the desires of others to his advantage.¡±


    Evergrant found it rather surprising that Kaiser would evaluate his brother so highly.


    ¡°If Duke Tremblin is not an ally of Kiser, then this should be a pretty easy fight.¡±


    The wizard found himself surprised once again. Duke Tremblin was as powerful as Duke Agnus, but Trembling was clearly aligned with the first prince. That wouldn¡¯t be a big problem, except that Duke Tremblin had some powerful backers as well.


    ¡°Of course, we were in a much better ce.¡±


    ¡°Have you considered the future at all?¡±


    ¡°Focus on the big picture, not the details. If you face multiple foes, the best n is to work with the weaker enemy to take out the stronger one first. In this case, that means helping Kaisen gain the momentum he needs¡ªbut, as you can tell, I¡¯m too weak for that.¡±


    There was another yer in this game, but that was old news at this point. Everything that was happening right now was just a test for Prince Kaiser.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to achieve with a ahead-on approach, but we may be able to sway them in a more roundabout method¡­ Let¡¯s make his heart pound a little, for example. The morepetition there is, the more chances I will have. I will need your help for that, Sir Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°I will give it my all.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time to set the stage.¡± Kaiser smiled. ¡°This is my chance to knock down Kaisen and earn Kiser¡¯s trust.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll make sure the preparations go smoothly. However¡­ the Imperial pce has been quite noisy these days. I¡¯m afraid that if <em>he</em>es back, our ns will be disrupted.¡±


    The prince¡¯s smile stiffened. Only one man got that much attention in Arcadia.


    ¡°¡­Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty personally summoned him¡ªand it doesn¡¯t seem to be for punishment. You should be careful around him. I first met Joshua Sanders when he was quite a bit younger,¡± Evergrant mused. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt anything else quite like it. If we can¡¯t control him¡­ then it¡¯s better to destroy him,¡± the wizard advised<sup>1</sup>.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Indeed.¡±


    Evergrant sighed regretfully. Joshua Sanders was a one-of-a-kind talent, the kind that blew away all expectations, but he¡¯d grown too big. Trying to control him now would be like trying to break a wild horse.


    ¡°So we don¡¯t need him on our side after all¡­¡± Kaiser seemed genuinely saddened. ¡°A man with no blood on his hands. I¡¯m sure the nobles hated his guts, given how he threatened their interests.¡±


    ¡°As you say.¡±


    ¡°Can you exin to Joshua Sanders what Kaisen wants to do?¡±


    After a moment of thought, Evergrant¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°If he makes it to the Imperial pce in time, yes.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for saddling you with so much work.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. And¡­ in the meantime, I will have to take care of the matter concerning the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Isn¡¯t it too early?¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling I may be toote. I need to move forward so that you, my prince, can move in the shadows more easily.¡±


    ¡°You will support Kaisen in the open?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s better to do it that way so those clever old men will have fewer doubts. Also, if the second prince loses, an assistant would probably be spared.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Do not fret,¡± Evergrant reassured him. ¡°On that day, I, Evergrant von Aswald, will stand at the side of Your Majesty as Master of the Magic Tower.<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I trust you, Lord Evergrant, more than anyone else.¡±


    Evergrant bowed his head gently.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been in your way for too long. Rest.¡± Kaiser stood up.


    ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought about it before,¡± Evergrant interrupted, ¡°But, Your Majesty, do you think Brutus or Cairo was the better king?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if this answers your question, but¡­ If I had to choose one as a role model¡­¡± The prince grinned. ¡°Heimdal. I want to be like him.¡±


    The northern winds gusted over the cliff.


    Ash pointed to a white flower dangling precariously on the edge. ¡°The flower of oblivion, Sanders.¡±


    The elf took Joshua¡¯s silence for fear and gave him a triumphant look.


    ¡°You can still back out. Why not turn back? Surely you don¡¯t think you¡¯re as strong as I am, do you? Just let me wear the obsidian earring. Come on.¡± He waved his little fists around. ¡°Anti-magic field, dragon¡¯s fear¡ªhow do you know these things? Am I just supposed to give you the medicine and trust you to not ruin things?¡±


    Joshua ignored his contradictory statements and held his finger up to his lips. ¡°Shh. Do you want to be punished by heaven, noisy child?¡±


    Ash visibly trembled.


    <em>Is he really a god?</em>


    Joshua chuckled and turned his attention back to the cliff¡¯s edge.


    <em>Sanders¡­</em> The flower of oblivion and thestponent of Sersiarin¡¯s elixir. Tripia was the only ce it grew.


    ¡°Just in case, you do know what Sanders¡¯ side effects are, right? Even if the cure works, the side effects can¡¯t be countered.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Ash saw the somber look in Joshua¡¯s eyes and trailed off. ¡°¡­Oh. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He ducked his head.


    The baron smiled bitterly. He didn¡¯t need Ash to tell him; he was already well aware of Sanders¡¯s side effects.


    Anyone who touched the flower would lose their memories. This was why wizards were so afraid of the faintly magical flower. No one could tell how much memory would be lost; long ago, superstition held that even smelling it would wipe away all memories of your family.


    So Sersiarin would lose her memories along with the curse.


    ¡°Everything has a price. That¡¯s equivalent exchange.¡±


    It was ironic, though. Sersiarin once told him, in his past life, that in thenguage of flowers, Sanders meant¡ª


    The rumbling growl of an animal demanded Joshua¡¯s attention.


    ¡°C-C-Creva¡ª¡± Ash pped his hands over his mouth.


    Joshua slowly turned around and was greeted by a mass of tan. It didn¡¯t take him long to figure out that it was the eye of the strongest being in the world.


    He quietly reached for mana.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: I think the same premise when Joshua is killed in TL1¡­ It¡¯s because he¡¯s aplished much more than Kaiser so that little beta bitch decided to yeet Joshua into oblivion?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: And do you, Kaiser, take Evergrant to be your husband? Do you promise to be faithful to him in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health, to love him and honor him all the days of your life??</li></ol>

 Chapter 222:

    Chapter 222:


    Nowhere else in the world could you find a being asrge or as powerful as this.


    Its scales were darker than dark, seemingly sucking in the sunlight; its yellow eyes, each wider than Joshua was tall, seemed to peer deep into the young baron¡¯s heart. Joshua craned his head, but he couldn¡¯t see where the dragon¡¯s eye ended.


    It was so massive.


    The greatest creature on earth roared wildly into the sky.


    [GRRRRRRRR!]


    ¡°Eek!¡± Ash wrapped his arms around his head and curled up on the ground. The dragon¡¯s cry was nothing like what Joshua had done¡ªthis fear shook his very soul.


    <em>The evil dragon, Crevasse.</em> The ck n of dragons had reigned for over three thousand years now.


    Joshua watched the mighty being tensely. He was doing his best to prepare, but the mana he was trying to use to protect himself kept changing.


    [Who are you?]


    The source of the voice didn¡¯t need to be exined, as overwhelming as it was. The bigger issue was that a dragon was asking him a question. It asked Ash as well, but the elf wasn¡¯t capable of answering.


    Joshua wasn¡¯t crazy enough to pretend to be a god in front of a dragon.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Crevasse! I think he¡¯s up to no good!¡± Ash leaped up and ran around. ¡°He¡¯s a human god! He¡¯s wearing obsidian earrings!¡±


    Joshua scowled. He couldn¡¯t make excuses anymore.


    <em>If I can get through this without getting hurt¡­</em> He grit his teeth and continued his efforts to gather mana.


    [Isn¡¯t this¡­ just a human?]


    ¡°Huh?¡± Crevasse¡¯s confusion seemed to confuse Ash just as much. ¡°Yes?¡± The elf stared at Joshua. Ever since he¡¯d found out about the obsidian earrings, he¡¯d treated Joshua like some sort of god. ¡°I-I don¡¯t believe it! Really?¡±


    [He has both magi and divine power¡­ What is this strange blending?]


    Joshua let out a little sigh of relief. He was worried at first that the dragon would be upset when he realized that his n had been used to make the obsidian earrings, but he didn¡¯t seem to care at all. Dragons were, after all, very isted creatures. They cared little for what happened to the n unless it involved the safety of the hatchlings¡ªwhich was the only reason the n existed in the first ce. Most likely, it doesn¡¯t matter to Crevasse at all.


    [The only thing I care about is that this hybrid hase into my world.]


    <em>Damn it¡ª!</em> He was wondering how this would end, and here they go again.


    [It has a price.]


    Joshua¡¯s vision went ck as his mind was pummeled by a truly overwhelming amount of energy¡ªthe instant death magic that only dragons could use. It was absolute and unerring.


    [Die.]


    Now he understood what Crevasse meant.


    A man swung his sword in Peril Castle¡¯s training hall. His statuesque muscture propelled the de as it whistled through the air.


    ¡°Sir Cain.¡±


    He kept swinging.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    Cain finally turned around to face Icarus.


    ¡°You know, you¡¯ve been doing this for three days and three nights.¡±


    ¡°Has it really been that long?¡± He had dark circles under his eyes, and his facial hair was unkempt.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you tired, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°The princess came with you,¡± Cain remarked, noting thedy¡¯s fiery red hair.


    ¡°¡­Are you really that mad?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Yes. I am.¡±


    Charles had no reply.


    ¡°I felt like we were beginning to understand each other. But once again, it turns out that I was the one who didn¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    The growing misery in Cain¡¯s voice made Charles and Icarus¡¯s expressions darken.


    ¡°You have to experience it to understand the anger of being left behind by your master¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m weak. I need to be strong so that he doesn¡¯t have to face trials like these again.¡±


    Icarus and Charles were silent. Cain was powerful and had incredible potential, but his master was simply the most powerful man on the continent.


    When he started swinging his sword again, they noticed the blood dripping from his grip.


    ¡°Sir Cain! Why don¡¯t you get treated first, hmm?¡±


    Cain brushed Charles off. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to take it this far?¡± Icarus mumbled. ¡°Are you implying that I¡¯m useless to the master?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Icarus?¡±


    ¡°I mean, there are other ways to be stronger.¡± Icarus¡¯s finger rose to tap against the tactician¡¯s head.


    ¡°My job as a knight is to wield my sword for my master,¡± Cain refuted. ¡°Your job is to strategize. Don¡¯t demean yourself by suggesting that I take your wo¡ª¡±


    ¡°Before you are a knight, you are a servant of the great Baron Sanders, are you not?¡±


    Cain seemed toe to an epiphany.


    ¡°Is there anything better than knowing that our master will have a home to return to once his work is done?¡± Icarus continued with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°How long do you n to live like a vagrant? We need to make the Sanders family a reality for the master to rest at.¡±


    ¡°I will help as well,¡± Charles added. ¡°I need to make it up to you. I¡¯m not strong, but I want to be.¡±


    ¡°Princess¡­¡± Cain lowered his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got a lotta work for you, Sir Cain.¡± Icarus shed a wide grin. ¡°You¡¯re man enough for the job, right?¡±


    ¡°Man¡ª¡±


    ¡°Imagine having the perfect master¡ªenvied by all, household sessful beyond belief. Our poprity will be incredible! Maybe you¡¯ll even get married next year!¡±


    The knight¡¯s eyes began to regain their light. Icarus, as always, could y Cain like a fiddle.


    ¡°Where do I start?¡±


    Icarus¡¯s grin became still wider. ¡°We should find a ce toy our foundations.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°The master said he would be the emperor.¡±


    ¡°WHAT?¡± Charles boggled at them. ¡°Ahem¡­ Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh no, Princess. It¡¯s fine. Anyway, after a lot of thought, I¡¯ve realized that we have to build <em>there</em>.¡±


    ¡°To catch a tiger, you must go into its den, as they say?¡±


    ¡°Indeed.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    Icarus cut off Cain¡¯s overenthusiastic response. ¡°The rest will have to be decided based on how muchnd the Emperor grants our master.¡±


    ¡°But what if the reward isn¡¯t territory?¡±


    ¡°You have to ask?¡±


    ¡°The Academy¡¯s finest¡­¡± Cain chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s all you need?¡±


    ¡°Whatever ns I make, it won¡¯t matter if our master does something else.¡±


    ¡°He wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Cain refuted.


    Icarus couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I hope you¡¯ll put everything you¡¯ve got into it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my line.¡±


    ¡°My word¡­¡± Charles, swept away by their utterly mad conversation, could only stand and stare.


    It was dark. Pitch ck, broken only by the tiniest thread of awareness.


    Ever so slowly, ripples began to form on the stillness.


    [Who are you?]


    It was a question many people had asked him.


    <em>Who am I?</em>


    A fruit of the great tree known as Duke Agnus. An undefeated knight. A man living a second life. There were many ways to describe himself, but none of them would answer the dragon¡¯s question.


    It was asking for something much more important. Joshua couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.


    Something else appeared while Joshua was thinking. A magical spirit, deformed and goblin-like, with horns and wings.


    <em>Lugia¡­ What is my purpose?</em><sup>1</sup>


    [Even if you ask me, I don¡¯t even know my own purpose anymore. My memory is hazy. I do know one thing for certain: your answers lie at the end of this road.] The spirit transformed into its familiar spear form. [Get up. You need to greet your guests. You already know how to leave this creepy lizard¡¯s space, don¡¯t you?]


    Joshua stretched out his hand but didn¡¯t speak. He was thinking.


    Yes, he didn¡¯t need to be confused anymore. Right now, he was just Joshua Sanders, a person.


    Even without touching his hand, Lugia began to follow Joshua¡¯s movements.


    There was nothing in the world he couldn¡¯t cut¡­ therefore, there was nothing that could keep him out. Especially not something as flimsy as someone else¡¯s will.


    Joshua¡¯s own earth-shaking will rose to challenge the realms of heaven.


    Defying Heaven. The 6th Form of the Magic Spear Arts could tear the sky in two.


    The tension in the air finally came to a head, and light flooded in. Joshua, suddenly floating in the air, raised his head.


    [Hybrid¡­ What is this¡ª?]


    Joshua smirked at the enormous eyes.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: To pass the butter.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 223:

    Chapter 223:


    One man stood in heaven; his every action changed the world. The people feared him and thus avoided him. He was forced to walk in the shadows.


    He was always alone¡­ too alone.


    His life went on, solitary and dark, for ages. But one day:


    <em>Help me!</em>


    For the first time, someone asked for his help. Two words were all it took. He asked no questions and abandoned his lofty perch to return to the real world.


    The world he knew was gone. Laughter had been lost to desperate screams and despair; the long-standing peace was shattered. The first attempt on his life was by people aiming to im his position. A hundred monsters died with every swing of his scarlet spear; not even the war tribe could stand up to his blows.


    They cowered before him like he was a god. Their morale¡ªalready like that ofmon thieves¡ªplummeted. His existence alone ended a thousand years of war.


    After the war, he was no longer alone. He even had, for the first time, someone he could call a friend. It felt good. He thought his life would never be so lonely again.


    But it was just an illusion. His associates became frightened of him. His ¡°friend¡± trampled all over him wearing a smile. Thousands upon thousands of enemies beset him on all sides, whittling down his strength. He killed and killed, but he could not bring himself to kill the ones he called friends.


    It was the first lesson that life taught him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t resent you¡­ but for disobeying God, I shall take your wings.¡±


    These things had fulfilled their purpose, so they ceased motion. In the end, there was nothing left to live for.


    A swordsman of pure white sliced him from head to toe. His beautiful wings were shredded and torn free, and blood flowed freely from his body.


    After that, it was dark. Half-forgotten memories came and went, but only fragments: a pure white ce filled withughter, a ce lit by a red moon.


    That was how his story finally ended.


    He¡ªa being with a human body but no face¡ªdisappeared all at once. All that was left behind was his burning red spear.


    If neither heaven nor hell would ept him, then there was only one ce where he could go.


    ¡°Ho¡ª!¡± Joshua took a sharp breath as the memory flooded in. ¡°The sixth form¡­¡± he muttered.


    He still didn¡¯t know who this person in his memory was. Strangely, though, the memories turned out to be quite useful. When he used Moon¡¯s Space, the Total Control Pattern was revealed to him. This time, when he used Defying Heaven, he was shown a memory of that man. If Joshua¡¯s guess was right¡­


    The Magic Spear Arts were the way forward. The sixth form¡ªthe Superhuman level¡ªonwards hid the existence of something else. When he reached the eighth form, a god¡¯s power, he would know everything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes snapped open. The space he was trapped in was almostpletely shattered; all he had to do was thrust his spear.


    The space shattered like ss.


    [Hybrid¡­ What the hell is this?] Crevasse¡¯s quiet, startled voice rumbled in his head.


    The dragon had to wonder if Joshua was still a human being at all; he still looked more or less like a human, but the differences were obvious. His eyes were pure ck and what looked like a horn protruded from his forehead. Large wings spread dramatically behind him, coated with curling mes that instantly incinerated anything they touched. A swarm of lights danced through the mes and into his hair, bleaching it white.


    But why was it happening?


    [Hngh.] Crevasse¡¯s enormous body, floating in the air, shivered. His sheer bulk seemed to shake the sky along with him. [What the¡­]


    He saw a spear streak through the air, filling the space behind it with a veil of bright red. It was so beautiful that, for a moment, the dragon was entirely enthralled¡ªbut more pressingly, it <em>frightened</em> him.


    The spear fell right on top of his head. It was awful. It was no mere cut but a terrible, tragic pain. Nothing Crevasse had ever felt before could have prepared him for this; it went beyond pain of the body, it assailed his very mind.


    The dragon¡¯s instant death magic bore a heavy price for its failure; mental magic that could destroy the victim¡¯s inner reality had a potential bacsh that could threaten even a dragon.


    Crevasse never had to worry about that, of course. Never in over 3,000 years of life¡ª3,071 years, 5 months, and 23 days, to be exact¡ªhad he ever failed.


    ¡­Until now.


    Joshua slowly lowered himself to the ground, locking eyes with the dragon as he descended. Crevasse didn¡¯t remain afloat either¡ªhe copsed to the earth like a drunk before safely nting his feet on firm ground. By that point, Joshua had already returned to his normal appearance.


    [Who are you¡­ and what did you do?]<sup>1</sup> Crevasse struggled with the skull-splitting pain.


    Joshua took a deep breath; he was also exhausted, but he didn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean any harm. You did try to kill me, though, so why should I answer your question?¡±


    [You¡­] Even among his own people, Crevasse was known for his anger. Up until just now, anyone who made such rude noises at him would¡¯ve been crushed under his feet¡ªbut he couldn¡¯t do that now. Aside from the still-growing pain, he was distinctly afraid of the ¡°human.¡±


    ¡°I will get what I deserve.¡±


    [What?]


    ¡°I put my life on the line.¡± Joshua stood defiant before the dragon. ¡°I need Ash and the blooming Sanders.¡±


    <em>Oh, no!</em> Ash, still cowering behind the tree, trembled like he¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    Crevasse saw Ash¡¯s anxiety and smirked.


    ¡°Hah!¡± Ash looked up at the dragon and clenched his fists, nervously choking down augh. <em>Do you think he¡¯s just going to sit around and let you walk all over him like that?</em>


    [You won¡¯t leave here alive.] The dragon¡¯s tremendous mana enveloped the area. Mental damage<sup>2</sup> had kept him asleep for five hundred years, but he would remain still no longer.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you a deal.¡±


    [A deal?] The fracturing of reality paused.


    ¡°I know that the humans¡¯ intrusion isn¡¯t the only reason you¡¯re angry.¡±


    Joshua thought back to what urred at Rebra Castle. Crevasse peered into his eyes and was startled by what he found.


    [You saw it, too. Humans crossed the line between the realm of possibility and reason. They have betrayed their own kind, and for that, they must die.]


    Startling revtions continued to spill from Crevasse¡¯s mouth:


    [It was forbidden, and it should have been impossible to even try without using the power of the demons. I will hold the emperor of this country responsible.]


    There were some other important facts: Crevasse would have awakened on his own even if Marquis Crombell hadn¡¯t broken the dragon¡¯sws. The dragon was not, however, acting as guardian of Middle Earth. Joshua had carefully hidden this information from the Imperial family in his past life.


    <em>Even his own people treat Crevasse like a different species. When the Imperial family struck a deal with him, it may have been the first time humans and dragons have conversed since the hatchling incident.</em>


    Crevasse was the only known dragon in Avalon at the time, so it was obvious that he would cooperate with the Imperial family.


    <em>Keep it secret and stay out of their business. In exchange¡­</em> Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. Crevasse was a ck dragon, an Evil Dragon. Their mana was pure magi, making them perfect for studying demons. Even a creature as long-lived as a dragon may never see a demon in their lifetime, but with the Avalon Empire¡¯s help¡­ The highest-level demon contractor in the Imperial family still lived.


    <em>And I¡¯m here to stop him.</em> Joshua smirked. If everything went as nned, this was his chance to be a dragon knight rather than just the first dragon yer.


    It was time for him to cheat again.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Who¡¯s yo daddy and what does he doooooo??</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: He¡¯s not only mentally damaged, he¡¯s mental and he¡¯s damaged¡ªjust like every other character in this story.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 224:

    Chapter 224:


    ¡°Icarus?¡± Cain was surprised to find the tactician sitting outside his room after a long day of training, staring vacantly at the candlesticks. Cain nced around quickly, but, yes, this was his room.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± A lovely visitor in thete hours¡­ Icarus¡¯s eyes sparkling in the candlelight¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sir Cain! I thought you¡¯d finish up your training and be back soon, so I thought I¡¯d wait here.¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡± Cain trailed off. The only words he heard were ¡°wait here¡± and ¡°be back soon.¡± ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± He fiddled with his outfit.


    ¡°The Emperor¡¯s orders just arrived at Peril Castle.¡±


    Cain¡¯s fantasies were smashed.


    ¡°An imperial decree for the Pontiers?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ I can¡¯t open it, so I don¡¯t know what it says.¡± Icarus brandished an envelope stamped with the Imperial seal. ¡°It¡¯s for Baron Sanders, our master.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°Right. It seems everything is going as we expected.¡±


    There was a long, long silence. Icarus was busy nning for the future, and Cain was trying to figure out what to do now. But no matter how much they worried over it, there was really only one thing to do:


    ¡°Let¡¯s open it¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡ªShall we see what¡¯s inside?¡±


    They blinked at each other and thenughed.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t we a little too casual about saying things that could ruin the family?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just you, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°As you know, I¡¯m single and childless.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m also single.¡±


    ¡°How about me, then?¡±


    Icarus smiled softly. ¡°Very funny.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What¡ª I mean, basically everyone knows that you¡¯re a woman.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    ¡°But Sir Cain is not my type.¡±


    Cain held his tongue.


    ¡°And the truth is¡­ You¡¯re better off flying solo. You¡¯ll probably always be alone.<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°How could you say that?!¡± Tears dripped down Cain¡¯s face.


    ¡°That aside, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m going to open it.¡± Icarus nervously reached for the letter.


    ¡°Hold it!¡± Cain grabbed her wrist. ¡°Let me do it.¡± He winked and whisked the letter away<sup>3</sup>.


    ¡°Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°I can see your hands shaking. Were you always a pathological liar?¡±


    Imperialw held few things as sacrosanct as an Imperial decree. Since they were both born in the Empire, viting thatw made them feel likemon thugs. This would, in fact, be the first time that Icarus had broken thew.


    ¡°I will shoulder this burden.¡±


    ¡°But what about your family?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all the same. You¡¯re the one getting all worked up over it, not me.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Did I make you fall for me?¡± Cain smiled bitterly. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s open it up.¡±


    Cain unceremoniously broke the seal. He skimmed through the contents of the letter and grimaced.


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Icarus asked anxiously. Cain silently handed her the letter.


    ¡°¡­Should we give it to him?¡±


    ¡°Tripia is a long way from Arcadia¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s expression crumpled as well. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to stop anywhere. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Cain growled, ¡°We have to handle this immediately.¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯ll need to elerate my ns¡ªwe have to leave for Arcadia tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°But the Pontiers¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already taken care of it.¡±


    Cain gave Icarus a puzzled look.


    ¡°I¡¯ve hired someone we can trust¡ªsomeone with certain skills. I used the Tower¡¯smunication system, so we¡¯ll get a reply by tomorrow at thetest.¡±


    Cain could put two and two together: Icarus had contacted a very special organization.


    ¡°¡­But even so, it would be rather pointless if they didn¡¯t agree.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡ªyou two know each other.¡±


    Cain cocked his head. ¡°Someone I know?¡±


    ¡°Even without the money, this is a chance for them to regain their honor, now that the fires have died out.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cain came to a realization. ¡°No problem, then! Let¡¯s go make preparations.¡± And then he walked right out the door.


    Icarus was left alone, holding the letter. In the dimly flickering candlelight, a few short lines could just barely be made out on the luxurious parchment:


    <em>¡°Baron Joshua Sanders, subject of the Sun of the Empire, Marcus von Britten, andmander of the Imperial Auxiliary Battalion, will present himself at the Imperial Pce on the 25th of February, Year 457 of the Imperial calendar. Duke Aden von Agnus will also be present.¡±</em>


    It was currently February 20th. They only had five days.


    ¡°There.¡± Ash shot a hooded nce to the side. His fidgeting hands stilled long enough to offer up a fern-like vial of golden liquid. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve finished the elixir.¡±


    ¡°Good job.¡±


    Joshua and Ash stood up.


    ¡°I wanted to ask you something, though¡­ Why are you doing this to me? The medicine¡¯s done, so can I go back now?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joshua smothered Ash¡¯s confidence immediately. ¡°You¡¯re practically singing about dying. I can¡¯t be bothered¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s not what I meant.¡± The elf¡¯s ears drooped. Ash was too cute to resist. The little dimples on his perfect skin¡ªevery cherubic feature was tailor-made to trigger maternal instincts.


    This time, though, he chose the wrong target.


    ¡°I was lonely because I didn¡¯t have a servant. I mean, I do, but he¡¯s a knight, so it doesn¡¯t count.¡±


    ¡°S-Servant?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep you around for the next ten years. After all, elves can live for over a thousand years, so it¡¯s not that long, right?¡±


    ¡°But a servant¡­¡± Ash had been trapped in this ce his entire life, but he was hardly ignorant. Their was filled with books, many of which discussed history and culture.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Ash clenched his fists. ¡°I am the direct descendant of the high elves! To think you¡¯d offer me a position as lowly as a servant¡ª¡±


    ¡°So, no?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­ sir¡­¡± The elf cowered. He had no choice; as long as Ash wasn¡¯t in control of his life, the only thing he could do was go along with Joshua, no matter how awful it felt.


    He shook his head.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal as well.¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡± Joshua casually crossed his arms.


    ¡°I know where another primordial stone can be found! You have to trade me something of equal value!¡±


    The sheer suddenness caught Joshua by surprise.


    ¡°When you¡¯re looking for something with more destructive capacity than even magic, it has to be the primordial stones, no?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°You can already use two primordial stones. I can¡¯t believe it, but there¡¯s clearly something different about you. Maybe ¡®different¡¯ isn¡¯t the right term¡­¡±


    Joshua peered silently into Ash¡¯s eyes.


    The elf urgently pressed him. ¡°I don¡¯t want much! You did free me, but I don¡¯t want to spend my new life working for someone else! Ten years is too long. Three years¡ªNo, five years! Take it or leave it!¡± He watched Joshua¡¯s reaction anxiously.


    Joshua had to suppress augh. Ash had surprised him in spite of how well he knew the elf. The little boy was rather soft-hearted behind all that bluster¡ªin other words, he was a pushover.


    ¡°Alright¡­¡±


    Ash¡¯s eyes sparkled like the sun.


    ¡°So¡­ What is this primordial stone you speak of?¡±


    ¡°Tempest!¡± Ash eagerly blurted, as if anxious that Joshua would change his mind. ¡°The fragment of the god of wind, Tempest!¡±


    When they were done with the medicine, Joshua and Ash went down the cliff where the blooming Sanders grew. A handsome man with waist-length ck hair was waiting for them.


    ¡°Are you all done?¡± His obsidian eyes blinked at them.


    The pair nodded at him.


    ¡°You can go directly to the Imperial Pce; if you can, you should circle around the Pce once,¡± Joshua advised.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget your promises,¡± the man answered drily. ¡°A promise to a dragon is not like a normal promise.¡±


    The man disappeared into a ball of light, and a ck dragon soared into the sky with a furious roar. Curiously, the notoriously cruel dragon carried an elf who used to work for him and a human.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: This means I don¡¯t have to y funny games with pronouns, right? <em>Right?</em>?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Icarus, you a biiiiiiiiiiiitch.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Cain, you a siiiiiiiiiiiimp.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 225:

    Chapter 225:


    The man in the boss¡¯s office of the mercenary guild had changed.


    ¡°Mr. Akshuler.¡± Damian, a receptionist who had taken over handling negotiations, sat across the desk.


    ¡°Kind of strange to see you like this.¡± Akshuler scratched his head awkwardly.


    ¡°May I ask why you gave me the responsibility of something as important asmissions?¡±


    It was often said that the three most important departments in the mercenary guild were themissions department, the mercenary management department, and the treasury department. They were deeply ingrained in the workings of the guild.


    Barbarian had chosen his own people to manage these three departments, a natural result of his authoritative tendencies. Akshuler, on the other hand, had selected Damian for themissions department and no one else. Damian may have worked at the headquarters already, but for him to be promoted so quickly seemed suspicious to the other mercenaries. In fact, he had been an outspoken critic of Akshuler¡¯s ns.


    ¡°I¡¯m not one of your supporters, nor do I favor your ideals¡ªI find them unrealistic.¡± Damian closed his eyes. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think it was a bad choice; mercenaries¡¯ existences essentially revolve around money, after all. So at the risk of being rude, I thought I¡¯d face you in front of everyone and tell you what I thought.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it works.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Damian blinked at Akshuler.


    ¡°¡®Dancing on the knife¡¯s edge¡¯ isn¡¯t something we say as a joke, and Barbarian exploited that. We risk our lives for petty cash. But¡­ that doesn¡¯t mean we should only look out for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°I want the mercenaries to have a future with more meaning than just grubbing for money. I know earning millions is fun, but together we can elevate the mercenary guild as a whole.¡± Akshuler extended a finger. ¡°Here¡¯s an example: the alliance of free knights takesmissions¡ªjust like the mercenary guild, right? But they earn twice as much as we do. Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°They¡­¡± Damian couldn¡¯t find an answer.


    ¡°If you said it¡¯s because there¡¯s a difference in skill, I get it. But even gold cards and higher take unfavorable rates inparison to the free knights.¡± Akshuler locked eyes with Damian. ¡°Because they stand for something that we don¡¯t.¡±


    The manager stiffened.


    ¡°The mercenary guild took on any request as long as the client could pay. We had enough people that we even fought for both sides of the conflict.¡±


    It was obviously duplicitous, but Barbarian¡¯s mercenary guild didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°But the free knights are different. They exercise ¡®chivalry¡¯ and only take requests that meet their standards. How has that worked out for them? Did it cripple their organization? Did it stop them from putting food on their tables?¡± Akshuler shook his head. ¡°No¡ªit just boosted their reputation even more. Their strict adherence to their code made them more reliable in their clients¡¯ eyes. And their clients are willing to pay them more than twenty gold. As I said, it¡¯s all about the image.


    ¡°The rtionship is clear: they improve their image, and profits follow naturally. They get paid like real knights.¡± He held out a paper to Damian. ¡°I¡¯m hoping the fledgling new mercenary guild isn¡¯t going to do anything foolish.¡±


    Damian¡¯s eyes slowly widened as he examined the paper. ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    ¡°So we ought to fix the wrong button first, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Akshuler smirked.


    ¡°Ahah!¡±


    The paper detailed what could be the firstmission for the reborn mercenary guild. The rudely scribbled contract read:


    <em>Duke Pontier requires assistance.</em>


    <em>Client: Icarus of House Sanders</em>


    <em>Length of Employ: Indefinite</em>


    <em>Payment: Your lost trust</em>


    ¡°Your Majesty, all of the nobles you requested are in the courtroom except for Duke Agnus.¡± Jacken knelt before the Emperor.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Emperor Marcus stirred in his soft chair. ¡°Aden isn¡¯t here, you say¡ªAh, do you think it¡¯s because of the Empire¡¯s Treasure, Jacken?¡±


    ¡°There is a chance.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHA! Do you think I went too far, Jacken?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s will is absolute.¡±


    Marcus chuckled. ¡°Aden should be fine, given his promise. If there¡¯s something wrong with Reinhardt, then it can¡¯t be helped. But what do we do about the next three days?¡± He smiled bitterly. ¡°How do we punish him for his tardiness? I made a promise, and it¡¯s true that he brought honor to the Empire, so punishing him directly would be of no help¡­¡± As the Emperor pondered, his smile grew bigger and bigger. ¡°¡­As I recall, he¡¯s quite protective of his people, no?¡±


    Jacken took a moment to think. ¡°If you examine his work at the Academy and his recent behavior, I believe you are correct.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± The Emperor bowed his head solemnly. ¡°We¡¯ll take one a day,¡± he proimed expressionlessly.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Jacken stared stupidly at him.


    ¡°Every day he¡¯ste, we¡¯ll kill one of his people. And since he¡¯s a noble in name only, we¡¯ll extend it to his futurepanions as well. And the Wilhelm Knights¡­ What¡¯s his is mine, no?¡± Emperor Marcusughed uproariously.


    Jacken, of course, remained absolutely silent. He was hardly the first person to suffer from the Emperor¡¯s mad bloodlust.


    Marcus stood up. ¡°I¡¯m leaving in five minutes. Anyone who arrives at the throne room after me iste, Aden or otherwise.¡±


    ¡°As you will.¡± Jacken made to stand up, but a name shed through his mind, freezing his limbs for a moment. <em>I can¡¯t tell him anything yet, we don¡¯t have enough details.</em> If Marcus heard that name, there would be no stopping him.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Majesty.¡± Jacken bowed to the Emperor and slipped away.


    It had been a long time since the noble¡¯s assembly had been held. All of the most important houses were present, but the most important seat was still empty.


    Duke Gergar teon Reye,mander of the Grand Army of the Empire of Avalon, stood in front of the assembly and coughed. ¡°Before His Majesty arrives, I will summarize the two most important topics for this meeting.¡±


    The room settled down.


    ¡°The first is the dragon that recently appeared in our Empire, as you are aware.¡±


    The nobles let out a sigh. Dragons were no easy subject.


    ¡°I have a rough guess as to why, but this isn¡¯t the ce to discuss right or wrong. Instead, we will consider our future ns¡ª¡±


    ¡°Once His Majesty is present, I will exin that part.¡±


    ¡°Sir Evergrant?¡±


    The middle-aged man, dressed in a white robe, stepped forward, inciting the nobles to whisper again.


    ¡°I apologize for interrupting you, Duke.¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Duke Reye shook his head. The dragon wasn¡¯t the main point, anyway. ¡°Then, moving on to the second subject: the Wilhelm Knights, guardians of Reinhardt, ¡®invading¡¯ Imperialnds.¡±


    The nobles¡¯ pent-up frustration immediately burst.


    ¡°The thunder-cursed child¡­¡±


    ¡°Is he mad? Damned arrogant bastard¡­¡±


    ¡°His youth has gone to his head, the idiot¡­¡±


    Knowing that Duke Agnus hadn¡¯t appeared yet, the nobles didn¡¯t think twice about what they said. They were snakes, all of them, envious of Joshua¡¯s talent. Joshua himself, well, they¡¯d love to throw him into a bottomless pit.


    ¡°He should be stripped of his title and sent to an insane asylum!¡±


    ¡°He brought a band of foreigners into ournd! The Imperial Knights are meant to protect the Empire, and this man is supposed tomand the auxiliary battalion? Uneptable!¡±


    ¡°We have to set an example!¡±


    Their words differed, but the meaning was the same: they wanted to clip Joshua¡¯s wings to protect their interests.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Is Joshua going to make me happy now? Is he going to show me a good time?¡± Arie licked his lips. Duke Tremblin silently shut his eyes.


    In summary, the discussion waspletely pointless.


    On the other hand, someone who could solve all their problems had just arrived.


    Some brave man burst through the gates of the throne room and started shouting before the nobles could react.


    ¡°Th-The clouds!¡±


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°A d-dragon is flying above the pce!¡±


    At once, the nobles were frozen stiff.

 Chapter 226:

    Chapter 226:


    Half a day before the dragon¡¯s shadow was cast over Arcadia, Joshua and Ash were making their way over to where Crevasse was waiting.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡±


    Joshua frowned. ¡°Ash, you promised.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the same! You said you¡¯d grant me freedom as long as I gave you something about the Tempest Stormwind! And why do you keep calling me Ash? That¡¯s not my name; my name is Ashteras Fairy Elunburse Norn¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too long,¡± Joshua grumbled.


    ¡°Huh!¡± Ash stared at him. ¡°Anyway! Even if you hit me or burn me alive, I can¡¯t! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    ¡°Are you scared?¡±


    The elf¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-What do you mean, scared? Who¡¯s scared¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re afraid of heights.¡±


    ¡°How di¡ª¡± Ash pped his hands over his mouth.


    Joshua grinned sourly. He remembered how funny it¡¯d been when he first discovered that Ash was afraid of heights. High elves did not build their homes in the eaves of the world tree like the forest elves did, which hade as a real surprise to Joshua.


    In the meantime, the boy had nted his feet stubbornly and refused to move.


    ¡°If you¡¯rete, how do you n to handle your former master¡¯s anger? I can¡¯t help you there; he scares me a little too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can¡¯t you tell me what you were talking about?¡± Ash eventually asked.


    Joshuaughed. ¡°We were discussing Asmodeus¡¯s contractor,¡± he casually answered.


    ¡°Asmodeus¡­sss?¡± The elf¡¯s eyes grew to the size ofnterns. ¡°Asmodeus. Asmodeus¡ªIs that the same Asmodeus that I¡¯m thinking of?¡±


    ¡°Maybe.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no¡­ What¡¯s happening?¡± Ash was too exhausted to be surprised anymore. Demons had disappeared from Middle-earth for over a thousand years¡ªthe strongest of them would be much older than Ash. But the 32nd most powerful of them all, Asmodeus, had suddenly appeared.


    Joshua suddenly wrapped his arms around him.


    ¡°What?!¡±


    ¡°If you keep acting like this, I¡¯m going to drag you there.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really really sorry!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± Joshua chastised the struggling elf. Ash¡¯s fear was reced by bewilderment as a beam of warm energy slipped into his body, calming his mind.


    ¡°Look, just close your eyes. I¡¯ll be here, and I¡¯ll help you work it out.¡±


    ¡°Help me what now?¡±


    ¡°Help you get over your fear,¡± Joshua firmly replied. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you never want to go to Yggdrasil.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª What are you? How did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much about you,¡± Joshuaughed, ¡°but I do know one thing: running away is not the answer.¡± He pulled off his robe and tucked it around Ash, feeling the boy¡¯s tiny shivers through his fingertips.


    If he thought it would fix anything, Joshua would have done the same. He never did, although he may have thought about it. He broke through, leaping past everything that stood in his path, never backing down.


    And he¡¯d do it again, even in his enemies¡¯ den, the Imperial Pce.


    Joshua slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Demas and Porter, Knights of the 2nd Battalion and the first people to notice that something was going on, were cking off during training.


    Demas leaned into the corner and yawned. ¡°Hey, whether we¡¯re C-ss or B-ss, do you think our boring life is going to change at all? Training, training, training. I¡¯m so tired I could die.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it good to die while you¡¯re in your prime?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just what people say these days. You¡¯re a virgin with no hair on your head and a lot of hair on your chest; they say that¡¯s a sign of low vitality.¡±


    Demas grunted. He had a cross on his forehead. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°No, I just mean¡­ There¡¯s no smokeing out of the chimney, you know?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no fire lit, duh. What are you on about?¡±


    ¡°Ah, jeez. If you¡¯re too tired to think straight, just go home and rest.¡±


    Demas¡¯s shoulders trembled. He wanted to tell his colleague to go fuck himself, but he couldn¡¯t help but admit that Porter had a point.


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Porter nced to the side and frowned. ¡°What are these worthless people here for?¡±


    ¡°The 12th Battalion?¡± Demas followed Porter¡¯s gaze and spat on the ground. ¡°Lowly things are only knights in appearance.¡±


    The finely tuned senses of the 12th Battalion Knights couldn¡¯t help but pick up on their insults.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Porter muttered, ¡°Watch what you¡¯re saying. Theirmander, Baron Sanders, is a proud Master of our Empire,¡± he sarcastically proimed.


    ¡°Oh my gosh~ I¡¯m so scared I almost peed myself.¡±


    One of the 12th Battalion knights made toward Porter and Demas.


    ¡°These bastards¡ª Captain Ranger?¡±


    ¡°We can hold it in; why can¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Ranger¡¯s jaw clenched. Joshua was looked down upon by more than just the nobles. Before Joshua became a baron, he was an Imperial Knight.


    He was a living legend, themander of the auxiliary battalion, the youngest Master, and a talent unmatched across the entire continent. It was no wonder the 11th and 12th Battalions walked with their chins held high, and it was equally obvious why the other battalions would be envious.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, bow your heads. Yeah, looks good.¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey, your captain that you¡¯re all so proud of is basically a criminal right now. It would be weird if he wasn¡¯t killed.¡±


    ¡°These jerks¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re the one who told me to calm down¡ª!¡±


    In a sudden reversal, the knight was now holding back Ranger.


    ¡°Just give me one second and I¡¯ll put my boot into that bald fool¡¯s groin!¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯re going to sully the Captain¡¯s name right when he¡¯s about to return?¡±


    The other knights of the 12th watched them and shook their heads sadly.


    Demas threw his head back andughed, just in time to see something dark sh by with a woosh.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± He tilted his head again. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Porter, confused, followed Demas¡¯s vision.


    Both knights¡¯ faces flushed red with surprise at the same time.


    ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­¡±


    Two great wings blew gusts of wind down at the pce. Porter and Demas had seen this creature before¡ªin a book of myths.


    ¡°Dragon¡­¡±


    ¡°Run! Damn it!¡±


    ¡°They called us through the crystal ball! Commander Rod is summoning everyone to the front of the Imperial Pce!¡±


    Even without the knights who had been dispatched, there were still well over a thousand Imperial Knights garrisoned in the Imperial Pce, enough to swallow any lesser nation whole. Yet none of that stopped Ranger from running so fast that his feet sweat.


    ¡°Dragon! A dragon!¡±


    ¡°In the middle of Arcadia? <em>How?!</em>¡±


    The dragon in question was big enough to cast the entire Pce into shadow.


    ¡°Take the high ground!¡± Commander Rod¡¯s mana-infused voice boomed. ¡°1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions protect the Imperial Pce!¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°4th, 5th, and 6th Battalions, into the Pce! Protect the other nobles, but prioritize His Majesty¡¯s safety first!¡±


    ¡°It will be done!¡±


    ¡°Everyone else, to your stations! Those of you who just got here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sorry we¡¯rete. I am Captain Ranger; the 12th Battalion is here to help.¡±


    ¡°Ranger!¡± Caves, Viper, and the rest of the 11th and 12th were waiting for them.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± After a moment of thinking, Commander Rod nodded. ¡°The captain of the 11th and 12th Battalions is still missing, so they will remain in reserve. Move quickly, everyone!¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, trash sub battalion! Can¡¯t you hear the Commander telling you to stay out of the way? Move!¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Ranger¡¯s face flushed bright red. He couldn¡¯t believe they were shit-talking in a situation like this.


    ¡°Iing!¡±


    They barely heard the warning because a ck object was falling from the sky. Even from several hundred meters away, they had no trouble seeing it.


    ¡°The wizards have already ced their magic shields around the Pce! Remain calm and act with deliberation.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    In spite of their answer, the knights couldn¡¯t hide their nervousness. They were fighting a dragon.


    ¡°Hold on, that¡¯s¡­¡± Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped.


    They stared; the 11th and 12th looked like they¡¯d seen a ghost.


    ¡°C-Captain?¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡ª Is that Captain Sanders?¡±


    The man fell freely out of the sky; even from a distance, he sparkled.


    ¡°Captain!¡± Ranger yelled. It hadn¡¯t even been a year, and yet there were so many things he wanted to say. <em>Why was he here? Was anyone hurt?</em> He didn¡¯t care about the naysayers right now; he just listened to his instincts.


    ¡°HEY, DIPSHITS!¡± he shouted. ¡°OUR CAPTAIN IS HOME!¡±


    The 11th and 12th Battalionsughed until they cried.

 Chapter 227:

    Chapter 227:


    Joshua descended from the sky as gently as a feather, right in the middle of the oh-so-mighty Imperial Knights.


    The crowd was utterly silent, as if they were in mourning. A person riding a dragon? Who could have possibly expected it?


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a wyvern?¡± Porter dumbly muttered. The Imperial Knights gathered around him couldn¡¯t help buttch onto that word.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s impossible; the Wyvern Knights are one of Swallow¡¯s finest units.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s close enough, isn¡¯t it? It¡¯s hard to tell up there, but it looks like a wyvern; they¡¯re called small dragons for a reason. They say wyverns take over twenty years to tame¡­¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ If he could tame something that powerful, shouldn¡¯t he be the deputymander of the Temrs?¡±


    ¡°Right! But there¡¯s no way, right?¡±


    The aristocrats and knights¡¯ murmurs swelled. However, Crevasse was not kind enough to let them run their mouths.


    [GRRRRRRRR.] The dragon¡¯s roar rolled over them, quashing their illusions. The weaker knights quaked in their boots or just dropped to their knees. There was no question of the identity of the beast looming over Arcadia anymore: it was a dragon.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°N-No way, he tamed that¡­?¡±


    The knights of the upper battalions were frozen stiff. The 11th and 12th, on the other hand, were transfixed by Joshua¡¯s visage<sup>1</sup>. Ranger¡¯s thuggish face looked ready to burst into tears at any moment.


    ¡°12th Battalion, attention!¡±


    ¡°11th Battalion, attention!¡±


    Ranger and Cazes shouted at the frozen knights. They drew their swords, des pointed into the sky, and raised them to their chests in salute. All of them turned to Joshua.


    ¡°To the Captain¡¯s safe return! Salute!¡±


    The knights¡¯ cheers shook the sky, proudly proiming the return of themander. The rest of the Imperial Knights, even the top battalion, could only watch.


    [GRRRRRRR.] With a roar, the dragon¡¯s shadow was gone¡ªfast as the wind, just as it hade. Joshua looked up, but that dragon was already a distant ck dot.


    When Joshua stepped forward, the 11th and 12th Battalions opened the way for him; the rest of the Imperial Knights had no choice but to follow suit. His advance was unstoppable, like that of a returning king. Each footfall was a pounding heartbeat in the chests of the 11th and 12th Battalions.


    Valmont watched from the side, shaking his head in a disappointed manner.


    Joshua didn¡¯t halt until he stood face-to-face with the man whomanded the entirety of the Imperial Knights: Master Rod den Hog.


    ¡°Captain Sanders, reporting in,¡± he said to the flinty-eyed Knight-Commander. ¡°Master Joshua Sanders, captain of the auxiliary battalion, haspleted His Majesty¡¯s orders.¡±


    A thrill ran up the backs of the 11th and 12th Battalions¡ªthe so-called ¡°auxiliary battalions.¡± On the other hand, the upper battalion knights like Porter were despondent, and the rest were feeling let down.


    Joshua¡¯s return, as varied a response as it received, was a beautiful way to announce the prelude.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we go outside? What if the building copses on us?¡±


    The nobles were bing agitated.


    ¡°They say a dragon¡¯s breath can destroy a city!¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we evacuate before we start talking about countermeasures? We¡¯re all going to die!¡±


    ¡°Hah¡ªis there a smart way out of this? Against a dragon¡­¡±


    ¡°We might be safer here. His Majesty¡¯s pce has been ensconced in severalyers of shielding magic over hundreds of years.¡±


    ¡°Hmmmmgh¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait for now. Since the Dukes and Sir Evergrant already left, why don¡¯t we settle down and figure something out?¡±


    Having collectively decided that waiting was their best option, the nobles began to calm down.


    ¡°A dragon¡­?¡± A smile danced on Arie¡¯s lips. <em>Countermeasures?</em> Even the Twelve Marquises were gone. <em>I like that. Those clever foxes probably ran as soon as they caught wind of a chance to show off their loyalty. A crisis is an opportunity, as the saying goes.</em> Arie had no doubt that when dragons imed the skies over the Imperial Pce, they¡¯d look like they were willing to die for their emperor.


    But it seemed to Arie that they didn¡¯t understand the Emperor very well. If he was right, the Emperor was not that different from Arie.


    ¡°Even after all this, the Emperor didn¡¯t even think abouting back,¡± Arie muttered to himself. ¡°And the first person to disappear looked like they knew that something wasing¡­¡± He nced at the empty space beside the throne and smiled bitterly. ¡°The Imperial Chief Wizard, Evergrant von Ashwald, is the key to this situation.¡±


    The nobles gathered in a small room near the courtroom. Emperor Marcus stared straight ahead, sparing no attention to the desperate gazes the nobles leveled at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little early, Your Majesty, but it¡¯s as we expected.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Even considering the time, it¡¯s over Arcadia instead of Tripia. This is ¡®expected,¡¯ Evergrant?¡± Emperor Marcus stared down at Evergrant¡¯s bowed head with half-lidded eyes.


    ¡°The location is a little different, but we¡¯ll never be able to deny it. Dragons are more selfish and greedy than humans.¡±


    Anyone who heard their conversation would think that they knew exactly what was going on. Just what did they know?


    ¡°I angered him by breaking the pact. I even experimented with the dead in his realm¡ªbut we haven¡¯t gone too far yet. If it had been a lich or a death knight instead of a ghoul, even an infamously aloof ck dragon wouldn¡¯t have been able to ignore it,¡± Evergrant exined. ¡°No, I must have threatened him in the process of achieving my goals.¡±


    ¡°Enough theory. Just tell me the facts.¡±


    In response, Evergrant politely offered the Emperor an eerie, yellowish-brown horn with a sharp tip.


    ¡°An intermediate demon¡¯s horn. The horn is an amalgamation of magi and is the demon¡¯s source of power. Since demons have been gone from thisnd for ages, I¡¯m certain this will get a reaction.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°If you can get someone¡¯s attention, you¡¯re already halfway there. It¡¯ll probably try to find out where the horn came from, and then I can use my information to carry on the tug of war. That¡¯s my specialty.¡±


    ¡°So, will it be enough to mollify the lizard?¡±


    ¡°I think so¡ª¡± <em>Huh?</em> Evergrant saw a strange light sh through Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes and shut his mouth.


    ¡°What is it, Evergrant?¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s eyes bored into the wizard, but he didn¡¯t get a chance to reply.


    ¡°The dragon is leaviiing!¡± A cry came from outside the door.


    ¡°W-What¡¯s happening?¡± Evergrant¡¯s calm copsed. <em>Is that it?</em> ¡°P-Please excuse me, Your Majesty.¡± Evergrant bowed deeply to Emperor Marcus, who gave him a light nod, and then ran out the door.


    ¡°Jacken.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Follow him.¡±


    ¡°I hear and obey.¡± The head of the ck Wind quietly trailed after Evergrant.


    A valet brought Joshua before the throne room¡¯s enormous gates.


    He held a finger to his mouth. ¡°The effect is stronger the more attention you attract,¡± he said. ¡°Can you do it?¡±


    ¡°No, why would I?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what a servant does.¡±


    Ash stared at him.


    ¡°Shout like I told you earlier. Announce¡ªgrandly¡ªwhere we stand, so that everyone is paying attention to me.¡±


    ¡°With a face like that, I don¡¯t think you need help getting attention.¡±


    ¡°Do your best.¡±


    ¡°Tsk.¡± Ash pouted as he walked toward the doors.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need anything special, just shout as loud as you can¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, trust me. I¡¯m a high elf.¡± Ash paused. A sly smile crept through his unhappy expression. ¡°If I¡¯m doing this, I gotta do it right, don¡¯t I?¡±


    He¡¯de up with a n¡ªan excellent way to do what he was asked to do, while still achieving his own satisfaction.


    Joshua tilted his head, puzzled. The way Ash was looking at him nted a seed of doubt in his heart.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the n?¡±


    Ash eagerly threw his head back and shouted at the top of his lungs: ¡°The dragon is leaviiing!¡± He lifted his foot and kicked the door open. ¡°Get outta the way! Joshua Sandersin¡¯ through, ya stupid shitheads!¡±<sup>2</sup>


    Joshua¡¯s jaw dropped.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: No homo, just a little bit.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    PR/N: YEEEHAAAW.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 228:

    Chapter 228:


    The noble who saw him first looked oddly embarrassed. When Joshua waltzed into the room, their faces were awash with surprise and amazement¡ªuntil they realized who he was. Then, all the scorn, jealousy, and embarrassment they felt were thrown aside; instead, they showered him with jeers.


    ¡°Who do you think you are, Baron Sanders?¡± Count Yorik demanded, his mustache bristling. ¡°If you¡¯re going to drag yourself back to the Imperial Pce after all this time, at least do your damn job, knight! What are you doing, strolling into here?!¡±


    The other nobles were quick to add their voices:


    ¡°Huh! Just because your name has been going around, you act like you¡¯re above everyone.¡±


    ¡°Everyone here outranks you, Baron, so you¡¯d best watch yourself¡ªunless you¡¯ve gone bad?¡±


    ¡°The whole world¡¯s gone crazy! You may be a Master, but there is still a hierarchy we follow. Humble yourself¡ªyou stand under the eaves of the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Joshua stared into the distance longingly while Ash whistled nonchntly. The scorned baron sighed quietly and began to examine the gathered nobles.


    They all hated each other mutually.


    After a moment, Joshua¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk.


    <em>So this is the game we¡¯re ying.</em>


    A hotbed of plots and conspiracies; where someone who smiled and shared a meal with you today would casually stab you in the back tomorrow; where everyone would do anything to get ahead¡ªthat was the aristocracy.


    Buoyed by his fellow nobles¡¯ support, Count Yorik raised his voice at Joshua again. ¡°Baron Sanders¡ªno, Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion Sanders, we demand to know why you are here!¡± He grinned ear to ear. Joshua was only a baron, but the nobles called by the Emperor to this meeting were all deeply connected to the center of power; the least among them was a viscount¡ªand Joshua was only a baron.


    After a long, pregnant moment, Joshua slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°Is that it?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Count Yorik was befuddled.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I can¡¯t see anyone above a marquis, let alone the Emperor.¡±


    The Count stared dumbly at him for a moment. <em>Has he gone crazy? Does he have any idea what he¡¯s saying?</em>


    ¡°I mean¡ªYou at least need to greet us first,¡± he fumed.


    ¡°Close, but not quite right.¡±


    The nobles¡¯ jaws dropped.


    ¡°You mad fool¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, so you¡¯re just spouting bullshit¡­¡±


    ¡°Is this what we should expect of the knights who protect the Imperial family? This is too much!¡±


    Regardless of all else, Joshua was only a baron, and their words could seriously harm him; politics could not be underestimated.


    ¡°His Majesty Marcus von Britten, the Sun of the Empire, is now entering!¡±


    Just in time, the servant¡¯s cry interrupted them. They set aside their argument with Joshua and immediately bowed, even Count Yorik.


    The Imperial retinue came through the door with an insurmountable momentum. Each one of them individually was powerful¡ªtogether, they were the strongest force in the Empire. The man leading them looked to be carved from iron; everyone else trailed behind him like servants.


    The first master of the Imperial family. The iron-blooded ruler. The craziest, most bloodthirsty man. It would be no exaggeration to say that he was the most storied Emperor of Avalon in history. Marcus von Britten, the Master of Avalon, was the only person who could silence the highest nobles and greatest knights.


    ¡°W-We greet Your Majesty the Emperor!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Emperor Marcus paid no mind to their chorus of hails. His attention was solely on the young man who knelt at the front.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡±


    Duke Agnus was too embarrassed to say anything, allowing the Emperor to speak however he wished.


    ¡°I greet Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you get here?¡±


    ¡°I set out as soon as I received your summons, Your Majesty.¡±


    Impossibly, the Emperor¡¯s unshakeable gaze seemed to waver. He was not nearly as impulsive as he seemed¡ªeach and every move he made was carefully nned.


    ¡°You see, I heard about Duke Pontier in the south of the Empire a few days ago¡­¡±


    ¡°It is all owed to Your Majesty¡¯s grace. However, this great task that Your Majesty has granted me requires many preparations first.¡±


    ¡°Oh? A ¡®task?¡¯¡± Marcus cocked his head. He couldn¡¯t remember anything of the sort. If Joshua was talking about the Master Battle, he would¡¯ve said that it was a job well done.


    Joshua bowed his head apologetically to the Emperor before turning elsewhere. ¡°Count Yorik djon Palesman, you said something about my job earlier.¡±


    Count Yorik was so startled he nearly stopped bowing.


    ¡°My job is to protect the Imperial Pce and the Empire and to act as His Majesty¡¯s sword¡­ not protect bastards like you.¡±


    ¡°This crazy bastard¡­¡± The nobles¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor is the only one who canmand the Imperial Knights to his side.¡± Joshua stared at Count Yorik¡¯s shocked-stiff back. ¡°You daremand us like puppets dancing in your palm? You overstep your bounds¡ªalong with the rest of your traitorous ilk.¡±


    ¡°Traitor? What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°More crap¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Joshua Sanders?¡± The Emperor enquired.


    ¡°Your Majesty, in this hall is a traitor who has done great harm to the Empire. Had my efforts gone awry, the Imperial Pce would have been reduced to a sea of fire, and tens of thousands of our people would have died. I intend to punish this traitor, as Your Majestymanded.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes widened in understanding. ¡°You¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    ¡°The one who drew the dragon¡¯s ire over Arcadia is here.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± The nobles could not hide their confusion.


    Joshua slowly turned. His target trembled like he¡¯d been struck by lightning when their eyes met.


    ¡°Marquis Gehor von Crombell. You used the unique circumstances of territorial wars to break an inviblew, thus angering the dragon.¡±


    ¡°Th-th-that¡ª¡±


    Marquis Crombell probably couldn¡¯t have even imagined that his cards would be revealed in a ce like this. He paid a considerable premium to quickly teleport back to Arcadia and spent the entire day doing damage control. He just barely managed to prevent Joshua¡¯s real-time broadcast from reaching the other nobles, but it was all for nothing.


    <em>This bastard couldn¡¯t keep his damn mouth shut¡­!</em>


    ¡°I mean, i-isn¡¯t it over already? A hundred million gold is more than enough¡­¡±


    ¡°What does their rightfulpensation have to do with this?¡±


    ¡°What I mean is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make excuses,¡± Joshua coldly interrupted. ¡°You can tell the whole story when you¡¯re rotting in prison, Marquis Crombell.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s defiance of the aristocratic hierarchy for the sake of honor moved some of the audience to tears.


    ¡°Your Majesty, with your permission, I will take care of the traitor immediately.¡± He bowed with the utmost respect.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Emperor Marcus stared at him. He found himself at a loss; he couldn¡¯t predict where Joshua was nning to take this situation.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­¡± The nobles choked down a lump in their throats.


    ¡°Granted.¡±


    The nobles reeled in shock. Everyone knew who was backing Marquis Crombell. ¡°Granted¡± was akin to admitting defeat to a boy in the prime of his youth.


    Joshua swung toward the quivering Marquis. ¡°Knights of the 11th and 12th Battalion, arrest this sinner and traitor, Marquis Gehor von Crombell!¡±


    ¡°We hear and obey!¡± Arge group of knights entered as if they¡¯d been waiting outside.


    This was why Joshua had allowed Marquis Crombell to return; this was why they called him ¡°Reaper¡± in his past life. Once his prey had taken the bait, the Reaper would drag them straight to the gates of hell.

 Chapter 229:

    Chapter 229:


    Crevasse took Joshua to the Imperial Pce in just half a day. Cain and Icarus set out immediately when they received the Emperor¡¯s summons and in that time had only just made their way out of the basin. They were currently in thergest city nearby, Anorad. Anorad happened to have the second-highest tax ie in the Empire, after Shardi, the home of the Pontier family.


    ¡°The people here are much livelier than I thought. From their point of view, I suppose their lord paid the price for taxing them so heavily,¡± Icarus muttered as she looked around. On the other side of the road, a woman strolled down the street with a basket. Children weaved in and out of alleys; there were even people sitting on the streets hawking their goods. All of their faces were bright¡ªshe¡¯d never have thought that the territory had just been conquered.


    ¡°Count Rebra¡¯s territory wasn¡¯t like this.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Their Lord fought tooth and nail and still lost. If you went into the streets right now, you¡¯d see armed soldiers that weren¡¯t there yesterday. Imperialw or not, the powerless still feel unsafe.¡± Cain¡¯s face was stoic. ¡°And Marquis Crombell turned their worries upside down. When he came, he lowered their taxes and promised to never harm them. They don¡¯t care what their lord is like on the inside so long as he acts kind. If he tells them he¡¯ll give up an arm and leg, he doesn¡¯t have to change in the slightest. Horrible stuff.¡± His eyes gleamed. ¡°That¡¯s politics.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Typical politicians. This ce is new; you might even say it¡¯s safe to live in. The taxes are low as well, so there¡¯s no shortage of willing residents. After a little while, people get used to it¡ªand thenes the bad guy. They swoop in, make up all their losses in one go, and then leave the ce like the old Rebra territory.¡±


    Icarus could only stare nkly at Cain¡¯s face. Since when did he think like this? He used to be the sort to use his fists before his brain.


    <em>Viscount Harry¡­</em> Icarus considered Cain¡¯s family. Ten years ago, Bron de Harry, Cain¡¯s father, rose to the aristocracy as an administrator, not a knight. In fact, he waster promoted to count, making him the only man to attain that rank through sheer administrative talent.


    However, the Harry family was not a count¡¯s house. Dozens of nobles rose and fell every year, and the Harry house was not fortunate enough to retain its position in the capital. Their estate was far from Arcadia¡ªit was a barrennd to the northwest. One had to wonder if it was a home or a punishment.


    But when Icarus examined Cain now, she suspected that there was more than one reason why he was pushed away.


    ¡°Did I ruin the mood? Why does the prettydy look so pensive?¡± Cain asked, wearing his usual smile again.


    ¡°Nothing, really. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, if you get what I¡¯m saying, then could you postpone the announcement? The well-off people will be confused to suddenly learn that the Pontiers won.¡±


    Icarus ducked her head. ¡°Like I said, I didn¡¯t think it would turn out this way. I just thought that there might be another traitor. Unlike the Rebra family, the vassals didn¡¯t band together; this ce hasn¡¯t been gutted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Cain nodded firmly. ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t it be fine if master marries Princess Charles?¡±


    Icarus scowled.


    ¡°If the new Pontier family had our master as patriarch, they¡¯d eclipse their former prestige immediat¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Icarus cut him off.


    ¡°I mean, we know what kind of person our master is, so we can¡¯t be sure.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t happen because it can¡¯t happen.¡±


    ¡°But honestly, Princess Charles is a really good match for our master. Her family and¡­ that body. <em>God</em>, that body.<sup>1</sup>¡±


    He got a disgusted look from Icarus.


    ¡°If <em>I¡¯m</em> being honest, Princess Charles is not good enough for the master.¡±


    ¡°What now?¡± Cain looked dumbfounded.


    ¡°He said he wanted to be the Emperor, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°So he should marry a real princess?¡±


    ¡°If he thinks getting married is a business. I don¡¯t think he does, though.¡± Icarus ignored Cain¡¯s confused look and quickly changed the subject. ¡°I didn¡¯t realize it was sote,¡± she noted.


    ¡°Now that I think about it¡­¡±


    ¡°Also, why did that person say they¡¯re going to follow us?¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ Maybe¡­¡± Cain paused and smiled bitterly. ¡°Are you sure about that woman? Maybe they miss our perfect master?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still on about that?¡± Icarus clenched her fist.


    ¡°Come on, can¡¯t you take a joke?¡± Cain backed away. ¡°But they¡¯re not even talking, so how are we supposed to tell? Besides, they have a lot of power in addition to our master¡¯s backing, so they¡¯re hardly normal people. There must be something else we don¡¯t know. Ask them yourself¡ªLook.¡± Cain pointed to the other side of the road.


    There stood a person hidden head to toe beneath a robe. They were already walking toward Icarus and Cain.


    ¡°Shall we?¡±


    The pair hastened away.


    In the aftermath of Marquis Crombell¡¯s arrest, the throne room was gripped by a terrible silence. Emperor Marcus sat broodingly upon his throne, and the nobles sitting at his nks didn¡¯t dare let out so much as a cough. The silence really was perfect.


    It went on for so long that they had to stifle yawns before a servant¡¯s voice interrupted the silence.


    ¡°Baron Sanders will now enter¡­¡±


    The nobles watched intently as Joshua entered. Ash tiptoed after him, but no one was paying attention to him.


    ¡°I have returned from the long journey, Your Majesty.¡± Joshua saluted to the Emperor.


    ¡°Every time I see you, you surprise me. I¡¯m more wary than interested in your confidence now.¡±


    Wary? This proud emperor? The nobles were shocked.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders. I heard Reinhardt was doing well. Have you brought the Wilhelm Knights along?¡±


    ¡°They¡ª¡±


    ¡°Looks like you didn¡¯t,¡± Emperor Marcus interrupted. ¡°That¡¯s your prerogative, of course, so I won¡¯t judge you for that.¡±


    Joshua remained silent. In fact, he had no idea that the Emperor had issued a decree.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to be angry about the Wilhelm Knights entering mynds.¡±


    ¡°My sincere thanks.¡±


    ¡°At the same time, I will grant you the rank of marquis for your contributions to the Empire¡¯s glory.¡±


    The nobles visibly stirred with surprise. Even Duke Agnus was blown away.


    ¡°This peerage will ce you right below your father, Aden. No one has ever leaped from baron all the way to marquis¡ªuntil now, anyway.¡±


    The audience was choking.


    ¡°Be my sword.¡±


    ¡°I am already Your Majesty¡¯s sword,¡± Joshua quietly answered.


    ¡°You know that¡¯s not what I meant. If you want, I could give you my daughter, Sersiarin.¡±


    The nobles were beyond surprised. There was only one thing this could mean.


    <em>Great.</em> Ash¡¯s eyes twinkled. He¡¯d been following the situation closely and he knew more than enough about human society to know that a marquis was a very important person. Even the Emperor wanted Joshua¡ªhe was offering him his daughter! <em>He should agree immediately, right?</em> Ash¡¯s hand itched to prod Joshua, but he managed to hold the urge down and rocked back on his heels instead. He was still running on adrenaline from kicking the doors open.


    Unknowingly, Ash was already shaping up to be Joshua¡¯s most faithful servant.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± Duke Zegar, renowned as the smartest person in Avalon, couldn¡¯t contain himself anymore. ¡°I apologize, but the Princess¡­ The Princess¡¯s health is¡­¡±


    ¡°Then the deal is that much better.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to be bound to a dying Princess. Once she signs the marriage contract, you are part of the Imperial family¡­ even when she¡¯s dead. You may be a marquis, but you canpete for the throne as well. Even without my blood, you can try yourself against my sons.¡±


    The throne room reeled as if it had been struck by a storm, leaving them fumbling to gather their senses.


    ¡°How does that sound? It¡¯s a straight trip past Duke Agnus and the other dukes. You¡¯re smart enough to know what this means. Be the sword of Marcus von Britten. Say yes, and all of this, and more, can be yours.¡± The Emperor folded his arms confidently. As far as he was concerned, Joshua could not refuse.


    Joshua remained silent for what seemed like hours.<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: Bonk. No horny.?</li></ol>

 Chapter 230:

    Chapter 230:


    ¡°I appreciate the offer, but I do not believe I can do this.¡±


    ¡°M-My god,¡± the nobles cried, swallowing nervously. It wasn¡¯t as if the Emperor was giving him an impossible order. Not that it mattered¡ªJoshua was already a member of the Imperial Knights.


    ¡°Has he lost his mind?¡± All Joshua had to do was agree, and all his problems would go away.


    Money, fame, and power were all his for the taking.


    Joshua¡¯s independence was surprising, but his ignorance was even more surprising.


    ¡°Are you refusing my offer?¡± Emperor Marcus looked devastated. ¡°My words arew in this Empire. You know what will happen to you if you try to backtrack on this, yes? I will give you one more chance¡ªbut this time, it is an Imperial order, not a request.¡±


    The atmosphere changed instantly. Some of the nobles acted busy, while others nced furtively at Joshua and the Emperor.


    Duke Tremblin quietly looked around, and his eyesnded on Duke Agnus.


    ¡°I thought you¡¯d at least be a little surprised,¡± he said to the other duke. Agnus¡¯s usual tranquility was gone, leaving him stiff-faced. What thoughts hid behind that icy visage?


    ¡°If you refuse again, it goes beyond a simple rejection,¡± Emperor Marcus warned. ¡°It will be treason. You see, if I can¡¯t have something, I¡¯ll simply destroy it so that I don¡¯t have to be jealous of anyone else having it.¡± He sped his hands together and leaned forward. ¡°And just so you know, it¡¯s illegal to bring foreigners like the Wilhelm Knights into this country without good reason, even if you treat them like your own. Do you get what I mean?¡±


    After the carrot came the stick<sup>1</sup>.


    This time, the Emperor waited with visible eagerness¡ªbut he was to be disappointed.


    ¡°It seems I have no choice but to repeat my answer, Your Majesty.<sup>2</sup>¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The nobles¡¯ eyes were filled with joy, but the Emperor¡¯s were cold.


    ¡°Can you afford to refuse?¡±


    ¡°Your Majestypared me to a thing, after all.¡±


    ¡°Did I upset you?¡± Marcus looked glum.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Well, no, actually. It¡¯s the opposite.¡±


    The Emperor was clearly confused.


    ¡°You understand that things are priced based on their worth.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°There are ¡®premiums,¡¯ as they¡¯re called, based on how much the customer wants the product, how many other customers there are, and how manypetitors there are.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes spurred him onward. Even the nobles were watching intently now, daring Joshua to step further into a political battle with the Emperor. Would he still be able to hold himself high after this meeting?


    ¡°If I may dare, Your Majesty, there¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to say: as a sword, I am highly desirable. I am utterly unique, with all the demands that entails. As time goes on, not only will the price go up, but so will the number of buyers. I reckon that Your Majesty is the only one bold enough to offer me such a petty price.¡±


    Emperor Marcus wasn¡¯t stupid enough that he needed Joshua to finish his words to understand what he meant.


    ¡°So¡­ You want to bargain with me.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is it that obvious that I want to market my product to Your Majesty? I¡¯ve decided that I won¡¯t sell myself just yet. If you and I wait a little longer, haggling should go quite smoothly for both of us.<sup>3</sup>¡±


    The tension in the throne room was palpable. Who would be brave enough to speak in front of that mad emperor?


    ¡°AHAHAHAH. You are a funny guy after all.¡± There was a strange light in the Emperor¡¯s eyes as he stared down at Joshua. ¡°Firstly,paring you to a thing isn¡¯t as correct as you made it sound.¡± He arrogantly rxed into his throne. ¡°As a buyer, I don¡¯t want for anything. I¡¯ve bought everything I¡¯ve ever wanted¡ªI never even considered losing it to someone else.¡± Marcus¡¯sughter ceased. ¡°But you see, boy, my patience doesn¡¯t stretch that far.¡±


    ¡°A knight chooses his lord when he turns 18¡ªthat time is enough.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Not only are you famous across the entire continent, but I presume you have a rtionship with a dragon. What a revtion! HAH!<sup>4</sup>¡± Emperor Marcus was going mad upon his throne. An inexplicable rush of pleasure rose up in him<sup>5</sup>.


    ¡°Tell me what you need. Heh. Don¡¯t overthink it, I just want to leverage my position against my futurepetitors. Don¡¯t tell me it isn¡¯t allowed.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Tell me what you want.¡±


    Joshua broke into a grin. Half the n was aplete sess.


    <em>I have to get as much as I can.</em> Joshua was just as greedy as the Emperor.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he eventually said, ¡°I need my own knights.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said. I want tobine the 11th and 12th Battalions into a single, independent order of knights.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s casual tone didn¡¯t fool the nobles for a second. The pushback came immediately.


    ¡°Your Majesty, this is insane!¡±


    ¡°A knight order that doesn¡¯t belong to the Imperial Knights? You can¡¯t find anything like that anywhere on the continent!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, I don¡¯t think Baron Sanders has thought this out!¡±


    Of course, none of it so much as moved a hair on the Emperor¡¯s head. He casually waved their objections away.


    ¡°What level are you aiming for?¡±


    ¡°Because it will be a new order, I want it to retain the same status. Dropping would negatively affect their morale¡ªI want the transition to be smooth.¡±


    In other words, for them to be treated the same as the Imperial Knights.


    ¡°You can see how difficult your request is?¡± Emperor Marcus gestured at the nobles sadly.


    Joshua knew instinctively that this was where the real fight began.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m proud to say that I understand the hearts of the 11th and 12th better than anyone else here.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been disrespected my whole life.¡± Joshua spared a nce at Duke Agnus. ¡°My mother, my only family, was insulted and assaulted by a mere soldier. No matter how great I may be, the way I see myself hasn¡¯t changed. I was denied the freedom to live my life as I wished, simply because I am the son of a maid.¡±


    ¡°A sense of humility.¡±


    It made sense. Joshua really did expel himself from the most respected family in the Empire. Babel was great, but Joshua was second to none.


    ¡°Like me, they want to be the finest knights in the Empire¡ªknights that no one can ignore.¡±


    Anyone who looked at Joshua right now would be struck by his arrogance and unshakeable conviction, especially given his age. More importantly, Emperor Marcus liked it.


    ¡°I¡¯m lucky to get the most famous sword in the world, and maybe even the strongest shield. Fine. Is there anything else you need?¡±


    ¡°This is enough, Your Majesty.¡±


    Emperor Marcus rose from his throne with a heartyugh. ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave the matter of the Wilhelm Knights alone. And Joshua Sanders will rise to a count this time.¡±


    The jaw-dropping announcements kepting.


    ¡°In addition, all of Marquis Crombell¡¯s property will be seized for his crimes. I will give it all to you. You¡¯ve gone straight to the center of power. Consider your name carefully.¡± He peered at Joshua¡¯s kneeling form strangely before turning away. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see you again, Count Sanders.¡±


    Three dukes followed him, leaving Duke Agnus trailing behind. The Marquises of the Twelve Families barely managed to avoid tripping over their feet as they hastened to do the same.


    ¡°And don¡¯t make me wait for the reunion greetings,¡± Duke Agnus spat under his breath as he passed Joshua.


    The throne room began to fill with murmuring.


    ¡°Oh, how silly. The greetings are just a formality¡­¡±


    ¡°He must be at the same level as Knight-Command Rod, right?¡±


    ¡°That guy is only 16 years old. What are you talking about?¡±


    Joshua slowly stood as their whispering washed over him.


    Everyone else in this room was a noble of a lower ss¡ªno one there outranked Joshua anymore.


    Joshua felt a gaze on his back and turned around to find Ash behind him, his face flushed red.


    ¡°That was pretty neat.¡±


    ¡°But are we done yet?¡± Joshua smiled sadly.


    The nobles eyed him as he stood.


    ¡°I will give you a chance right now. This is the first time, so you will get special treatment over those who jointer.<sup>6</sup>¡±


    ¡°What on earth are you¡­?¡± The confusion was tantly obvious on their faces¡ªexcept for Ash, who was visibly excited.


    ¡°Yes! Yes! I will!¡±


    Joshuaughed and nodded his head.


    ¡°Anyone who wishes to join us,¡± Ash joyously shouted, ¡°Stay here!¡±<ol><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: The carrot represents the Emperor¡¯s coaxing, the stick are his threats?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: I really like this Joshua¡­ the humble Joshua?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    ED/N: You can add underage prostitution to Joshua¡¯s Big List of Poor Life Choices.?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: the dragon awakens because there has been some kind of magical/demonic energy imbnce which they are sensitive to¡­ I just figured that out lmaooo T^T?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: I think I can smell Arie somewhere?</li><li role="doc-endnote">


    TL/N: CAN SOMEONE PLS DO ASH X JOSHUA FANFIC¡­ dang im not into bl but they just look so adorable, can¡¯t wait for Ash to be in the manhwa?</li></ol>

 Chapter 231:

    Chapter 231:


    TL/N: For those of you who want to visualize what Dyurahan and Lichi looked like, watch Kono-suba¡­ I just realized that right now hehe~


    ¡°Let¡¯s use the warp gate.¡±


    The clear, flowing voice stopped Cain and Icarus in their tracks. They looked at each other.


    ¡°Do you have money?¡± Icarus whispered.


    Cain shrugged. ¡°Do I look like someone with money?¡± he whispered back.


    ¡°What did you do with your sry back then?¡±


    ¡°You got your sry?¡±


    Icarus tilted her head. Now that she thought about it, she couldn¡¯t remember getting paid. She just didn¡¯t realize it because Joshua handed her a giant bag of money. The truth was, none of that money went to Joshua¡¯s vassals.


    ¡°Wow. Our master is a scammer after all,¡± Cain bemoaned.


    ¡°We¡¯re basically homeless and penniless right now. We really need the family to protect our rights¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re stating the obvious.¡±


    ¡°So, you don¡¯t have any personal savings?¡±


    ¡°No, nothing at all. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d ever need the money.¡±


    ¡°I had my hopes up, but I really don¡¯t think you¡¯re ever going to get married now.¡±


    ¡°What are you on about?!¡±


    ¡°Who wants to marry a man with no money these days?¡±


    ¡°If I set my mind to it, I¡¯ll have no problem making money! Is that all women are interested in?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah¡­ Keep telling yourself that.¡±


    While Cain and Icarus¡¯s voices continued to mount, Iceline stared at them from beneath the hem of her robe.


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t have money, I¡¯ll still get married before you.¡± Cain looked pointedly at her body.


    ¡°What are you trying to say, you old bachelor?¡±


    ¡°E-Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, you should be the ¡®Solo Knight,¡¯ not the ¡®First Knight.¡¯ Add ¡®incel[^n1]¡¯ in there while we¡¯re at it, you creep.¡±


    ¡°As if you have any experience!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that I can¡¯t, it¡¯s that I don¡¯t want to. If I set my mind to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, where have I heard that before?¡±


    Icarus red at Cain with killer eyes. ¡°Old man.¡±


    ¡°Poor.¡±


    ¡°Ignorant.¡±


    ¡°Stupid.¡±


    ¡°¡¯<em>I¡¯ve never held a woman¡¯s hand in my life.¡¯</em>¡±


    ¡°Forever alone, unidentifiable gender.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Icarus¡¯s face was red with anger.


    Cain stuck his chin up and shrugged. It felt like he¡¯d won in some strange way.


    ¡°Even an emergency fund would be nice.¡±


    ¡°As youmand.¡± Cain looked down and pulled a small leather pocket from his waist.


    ¡°You said you had no money!¡±


    ¡°Every man has his secrets.¡±


    ¡°True.¡± Icarus wore a wide smile on her face, despite her anger moments ago. It made Cain inexplicably nervous[^n2].


    ¡°This money will be very useful for the family.¡± Icarus suddenly produced an even bigger leather pouch and stuffed both wallets into a fist-sized pocket.


    Cain¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Is that a subspace artifact?¡±


    ¡°As the saying goes, the more, the merrier. We can¡¯t see the future, so we have to save up as much money as possible. You understand that, right? I¡¯m so d you¡¯re willing to sacrifice yourself for the cause.¡±


    <em>¡­Looks like I need to give Icarus another name.</em>


    ¡°Stingy.¡±


    ¡°Call it a woman¡¯s touch.¡±


    Cain clenched his fists in frustration.


    ¡°Hey¡­¡± Iceline¡¯s charming voice broke their standoff. She smiled at them. ¡°I have a lot of money.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡±


    ¡°I think we should be focusing on getting to Arcadia as soon as possible, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Their response was a silence stiff enough to cut with a knife.


    There wasn¡¯t a reason for them to argue in the first ce¡ªafter the payoff from Iceline¡¯s bets in Reinhardt, she had enough money to live like a queen for three generations.


    Real masters don¡¯t advertise their presence.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    The 400 knights of the 11th and 12th Battalions were waiting for Joshua.


    ¡°Congrattions on achieving your goals!¡±


    ¡°I was so surprised. I can¡¯t believe you would say something like that in front of the proud central nobles¡­¡± Just thinking about it made Viper trail off. Cazes and Ranger were tearing up.


    ¡°What do we do? No one chose to stand with us, the idiots.¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s this boy?¡± Ranger peered at Ash.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about him,¡± Joshua replied. ¡°More importantly, I think I owe you an apology first.¡± He bowed deeply.


    ¡°S-Sir! What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for making such a decision without discussing it with anyone. For you, it must havee out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what we were thinking!¡± Ranger protested. ¡°Hey, who¡¯s thinking like that?!¡± The big knight red at the others.


    ¡°Is that a threat?¡± Joshua shook his head. ¡°It was a unteral decision by your ignorantmander. If you don¡¯t agree with my choices, I will help you transfer to another battalion peacefully.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll help as well.¡±


    ¡°Sir Valmont¡­?¡± Viper gaped.


    Valmont dun Brown, captain of the much more prestigious 3rd Battalion, waved at them from atop the roof.


    ¡°I owe your master quite a debt, so I¡¯ll give you a hand. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t believe me, but my only request is another spar. How about it?¡±


    Joshua nodded, drawing a chuckle from Valmont.


    ¡°Great.¡±


    And that was that. Any worries they had were groundless.


    ¡°And if we stay?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you until the day we die! Even if you tell us to get lost.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you aren¡¯t going to throw us away because we¡¯re out?¡± Ranger couldn¡¯t suppress his smile.


    ¡°The Captain is our hero!¡±


    ¡°What a breath of fresh air!¡±


    ¡°The captains of the top battalions should¡¯ve seen the dumb looks on their faces!¡±


    ¡°An order independent of the Imperial Knights? The other battalions are gonna die of stomach aches!¡±


    The knights stuck their thumbs up, making Viper and Cazesugh. All of them were in agreement.


    ¡°No one wants to leave, Captain,¡± Ranger informed Joshua.


    Joshua was silent.


    ¡°Ah, is five years too long or too short? That was how long it took you to make your men obedient. Now it feels like gold wouldn¡¯t even make them blink,¡± Valmont admired as he stood up. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t have any problems. Enjoy your battles with your own people now.¡±


    Joshua mulled over Valmont¡¯s words once he was gone. Valmont hade for a reason, but he picked this moment in particr.


    ¡°¡­Now that everyone knows,¡± Viper ventured, ¡°I have a question¡­ What kind of knights did you have in mind, Captain?¡±


    Instantly, the knights fell silent.


    ¡°Perhaps you haven¡¯te up with a name yet?¡±


    ¡°Ranger.¡± Cazes frowned.


    Ranger smiled brightly. ¡°Does it matter what the name is? Just call us the Knights of Ranger! Don¡¯t rush, but don¡¯t take it for granted either¡ªI mean, take your time but put some thought into it!¡±


    That was the crux of the issue. Whether they liked it or not, their order was real. From the point of view of the 11th and 12th Battalions, this felt like ditching a stable job for a very uncertain one.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ve already thought this through.¡±


    Joshua would never put over two hundred knights in an uncertain position on a whim. He¡¯d been thinking about his own order of knights for a long time now.


    <em>Swallow has their Wyvern Knights, and Avalon has the First Sky Knight¡¯s Order.</em>


    He felt excitement welling up when he saw the heat in the knights¡¯ eyes.


    He¡¯d made another deal with Crevasse, one that was quite handy. There was nothing more effective at taming wild animals than the threat of a dragon.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I can¡¯t say more right now. Will you still follow me, nheless?¡±


    ¡°But Captain, we asked you about the name of our order,¡± Ranger apologetically pressed him.


    ¡°The name?¡± Joshua slowly met eyes with each knight. ¡°Crevasse, Frozen Nightmare of Earth.¡±


    The newborn Crevasse Knights would be famous in the not-so-distant future for slicing through the wide expanses of the heavens.


    [^n1]: Originally ???? (<em>motaesollo</em>, ¡°person who has never had a romantic partner,¡± literally ¡°single since birth¡±)


    [^n2]: TL/N: hey author, I¡¯ll smack you with my own twist in the story if you made Cain fall harder to Icarus without sailing the ship¡­ *holds spearknight at gunpoint*

 Chapter 232

    Chapter 232


    <em>Knock, Knock, Knock.</em>


    ¡°Battalion Commander, sir, you have a guest.¡±


    Joshua stopped just as he was about to leave his private office in the Imperial Knights¡¯ headquarters.


    ¡°Is it about paperwork again?¡±


    Ash walked by and opened the doors before Joshua could do anything else.


    ¡°<em>Ahem!</em>¡± The elf put his hands on his waist and officiously demanded. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    ¡°Battalion Commander, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Cazes?¡± Joshua had a foreboding feeling as he examined the familiar faceing through the door. Why would they announce Cazes as a visitor when he was working for Joshua? Something was going on.


    As expected¡­


    ¡°It has been a long time, Joshua. I mean, how have you been, Count Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Sir Armstrong.¡± Joshua''s eyes shed.


    There was a middle-aged man with a fierce demeanor, angled chin, and bright eyes standing by the door. He was none other than Count Armstrong. Based on the emblem of a golden mane on his chest, he was a member of the Golden Mane Corps. More specifically, he was the Commander of the Golden Mane Corps.


    <em>¡®Ah, this is going to be a bit difficult,¡¯ </em>Joshua thought with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    ¡°I owe it to the house¡¯s nurturing.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re too modest. I don¡¯t think anyone in the Agnus household would say that.¡±


    ¡°I mean, I¡¯m serious. The family did help me.¡±


    ¡°The world would see it as a tribute rather than a donation.¡±


    ¡°I never would have thought that you came here to gild my image¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Duke Agnus¡¯s call, Count Sanders.¡± Armstrong gave him a small smile.


    ¡°If that¡¯s true, then he could have just sent a servant rather than you, Count Armstrong.¡±


    Ash snorted and interrupted. ¡°Does a servant even have their own life?¡±


    ¡°...¡± There was a short pause. Armstrong made a sidelong nce at the busy Ash and said, ¡°Everything has already changed for you, Count Sanders. Lady Lucia¡¯s standing in the family has changed as well.¡±


    The mention of his mother¡¯s name made Joshua freeze.


    ¡°That¡¯s great news.¡±


    If it hade from Chiffon, it would have been a different story¡ªbut Joshua knew that Armstrong wasn¡¯t like that. He seemed like a normal knight who only thought about swords.


    ¡°All right. I still have some work to do, but I¡¯ll definitely go and see His Grace once it bes possible.¡±


    Armstrong eyed Joshua for a moment, then nodded. ¡°You should.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for being open-minded.¡±


    ¡°If you don''t mind, could you tell me what¡¯s going on? I¡¯ll brief His Grace about it.¡±


    After a moment of thought, Joshua realized that everyone should have already known by now what happened inside the Imperial Pce. There was no doubt that he had already attracted heaps of attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to the Magnificient Flower Pce.¡±


    ¡°The Magnificient Flower Pce?¡± Armstrong¡¯s eyes darted around Joshua as he said, ¡°Are you going to visit Princess Serciarin? Are you familiar with her, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s proposal has nothing to do with it,¡± Joshua quickly interjected.


    ¡°Forgive me for the presumptuous remark. Anyway, I¡¯ve heard that Her Highness isn¡¯t in the pce right now.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua''s eyes widened as his gaze bored into Armstrong. <em>¡®No way¡­!¡¯</em>


    Armstrong noticed Joshua¡¯s gaze and said, ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you have any idea, but His Majesty just made an announcement. I¡¯m sure everyone is already talking about it.¡±


    Joshua felt a twinge of worry. ¡°What announcement?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is looking for Princess Serciarin¡¯s groom. His Majesty even allowed the ordinary citizens to present themselves as candidates.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua¡¯s head went nk. He turned to Cazes, but the knight¡¯s hanging jaw showed that he was equally surprised. It always took a long time for the news to trickle from the upper battalions all the way down to the lower battalions.


    However, if this was true¡­


    Joshua''s eyes quivered.


    Princess Serciarin had already shown interest in him during the birthday feast of His First Highness. Everyone knew that Princess Serciarin was interested in him. Could it be that Emperor Marcus had no idea about that?


    <em>¡®That¡¯s impossible¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua revealed a despondent look.


    Joshua looked sad.


    Emperor Marcus truly was a scumbag. Of course, he had long be widely acimed as a madman, but what he had done went beyond the norms.


    ¡°The children of the Five Dukes and Twelve Families have already announced their candidacy. It seems that they really want to seize the opportunity to be a part of the Imperial Family.¡±


    ¡°How will the groom be decided?¡±


    ¡°Soon, through Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.¡±


    ¡°Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle¡­!?¡±


    ¡°To be precise, a slightly modified version of Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle. When His Majesty the Emperor became a Master, he ced strength above all else. The other thing is that you learn better by gradually figuring it out yourself. The subjects will be tested by the Imperial Knights. The test ends once no one wants to be tested.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Joshua started.


    Armstrong nodded and said, ¡°The <em>lucky</em> victor would be Her Highness¡¯ groom after being pummeled his way to the top. The others will definitely be beaten half to death and would have to go home crying.¡±


    Lucky? How funny. Joshua already knew who suggested this mad idea to Emperor Marcus. The modus operandi reeked of that bastard¡¯s sickening ideas.


    ¡°Is Her Highness currently at the Ivory Tower?¡± asked Joshua.


    Armstrong froze. He stared at Joshua for a moment before shaking his head. ¡°It seems that you already have an idea about Her Highness¡¯ condition. Fortunately, Sir Evergrant has a solution to it, and it¡¯s a great solution, apparently.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Sir Evergrant has no idea when Her Highness would rpse because it was only a partial cure¡­¡± Armstrong trailed off upon noticing Joshua¡¯s anger. ¡°His Majesty said that a single healthy day would make her find it easier to embrace death¡­¡±


    ¡±His Majesty is hoping that a brief respite would allow everyone to show her how much they loved her. His Majesty is hoping that she wouldn¡¯t die a horrible death, lest the worsees to worst. His Majesty is hoping that she would rest in peace.¡±


    He was definitely mad beyond belief. No father would treat their daughter like that.


    ¡°Where is Her Highness Serciarin?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in Second Highness¡¯ Pce. ¡°Kaizen ben Britten has taken custody of Her Highness.¡±


    Joshua exhaled. What a sad and miserable life Princess Serciarin had been living all this time. Her father had used her throughout her life, and now her brother was trying to use her in an effort to squeeze as much value as he could from her.


    Was there anyone else with a worse life than her in the Imperial Pce?


    Joshua¡¯s eyes darkened at the thought.


    ¡°Pardon me. I¡¯ll be going first,¡± said Joshua.


    As Joshua walked out of the office, Armstrong stared at his back with strange eyes.


    ***


    Evergrant paced down a pitch-ck tunnel toward someone in a dark robe.


    ¡°Everything is a mess.¡±


    - I know. I can feel it.


    An otherworldly voice came from the individual d in dark robes.


    ¡°What do you want to do next?¡±


    - Are you worried? Nothing really changed.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    - Crevasse¡­ who could have known thatzy bastard would be tamed by a mortal?


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    - Yes. He knew about the death knight and me. He found a way to lure us out.


    Evergrant¡¯s words changed upon hearing that. ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders.¡±


    - I don¡¯t think it¡¯s possible for him to be a Dragon Knight, but I¡¯m sure they talked about something. Otherwise, there would be no way to exin everything that has happened so far.


    ¡°We have to upy the Tower as soon as possible.¡±


    - Are you ready?


    ¡°For decades now, yes¡­¡±


    - I was talking about your mind.


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°I am prepared to y the being that endangers our world, the enemy of my master¡ªthat thing must die.¡±


    - Stop. Forget about it.


    ¡°...¡± Evergrant went silent at the dark-robed individual¡¯s words.


    - Heimdall said something about Asiru ben Britten¡¯s ns, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. However, it seems that His Majesty still hasn¡¯t heard of it. Perhaps ck Wind sabotaged it.¡±


    - It does not matter. The point was for us to remain behind the scenes.


    The figure d in dark robes stopped talking. They started walking into a corner before continuing.


    - Three years. A battle will set the stage. If all goes as nned, Marcus ben Britten will never appear in our y again. I wish he had something like a wish¡­ Avalon¡¯s Emperor as my Death Knight¡ªsounds good, right?


    - Anyway¡­


    The individual in dark robes momentarily stopped talking.


    - Do you really think that I wouldn¡¯t know?


    A ck silhouette shed amidst the dark like a bolt of dark lightning.


    ¡°<em>Argh!</em>¡± A man let out a gut-wrenching scream.


    - You brought a rat with you.


    ¡°ck Wind?¡± Evergrant looked up and saw a man in a ck suit.


    ¡°A lich? No¡­ a human?¡±


    - The fact that you were able toe all the way here is a testament to your skills, but you got too cocky.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    - The stealth techniques of ck Wind. It¡¯s pretty difficult even for me to find someone using that stealth technique if I¡¯m not paying attention. You must be a big fish even in ck Wind.


    The figure reached up and slowly removed the hood of his robe. Jacken¡¯s eyes became bloodshot upon realizing what he was looking at, but the strange energy the stranger¡¯s hands were emitting froze him stiff. His vision was getting better for some reason, but he couldn¡¯t move at all.


    What was happening to him?


    - Don¡¯t be afraid; it will be over soon.


    The white bony hand mped around his neck slowly turned red.


    ¡°Silence!¡± Evergrant snapped out of his stupor and waved his hand, surrounding all three of them in a transparent membrane.


    ¡°<em>Aaaarghhhh!</em>¡±


    A helpless scream reverberated throughout the pitch-ck tunnel.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 233

    Chapter 233


    When Cain and Icarus finally arrived at Anorad Castle, where a warp gate was located, they couldn¡¯t help but stare worriedly at each other.


    ¡°Is this going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°How would I know?¡±


    ¡°Stop being careless. Have you forgotten how much the ticket costs?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s far! Arcadia is far! At least a hundred gold!¡±


    Icarus gave Cain a bbergasted look. ¡°How can you be so calm, knowing that?¡±


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s not enough, the one with the money willpensate.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get back at me?¡±


    ¡°G-Gosh, do I look that petty to you?¡±


    ¡°No, you look like the world¡¯s unluckiest man.¡±


    Cain shrugged and said, ¡°What should I do? We don¡¯t have money, so we have to do something stupid to get by in this harsh world.¡±


    <em>¡°Ugh¡­</em>¡±


    The trio chattered on their way to the warp gate.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to use the gate,¡± Iceline quietly announced.


    A middle-aged man who seemed like he was acting as if he were a distinguished mage with his horn-rimmed sses swept his gaze across Cain and Icarus. He seemed to be asking the two about what they were doing here.


    ¡°Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re young, and there are only three of us. We look like we work for the nobility.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to Arcadia,¡± Iceline continued, ignoring Cain and Icarus¡¯s whispering. ¡°Just the three of us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Before that, I need to confirm your identities,¡± the middle-aged man bluntly interrupted.


    ¡°I knew mages were sassy, but don¡¯t you think he¡¯s being too much?¡±


    ¡°No, no, it¡¯s fine¡­¡± Icarus said indifferently.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cain tilted his head, seemingly confused.


    At that, Icarus exined, ¡°What do you think is the best and the quickest way for criminals to escape?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cain eximed as if he finally understood it.


    Icarus snorted and said, ¡°Ignorant.¡±


    ¡°Well, you didn¡¯t have to say that, Young Lady.¡±


    Iceline was rifling through her sleeves while they were speaking. Eventually, she managed to produce a golden te.


    ¡°Is that a golden mercenary card?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes. The small sheet of gold was precisely stamped with the name ¡®Selena.¡¯ ¡°I can¡¯t believe I¡¯d get to see a golden mercenary card, especially from a mage.¡±


    The middle-aged man made a sidelong nce at the golden te. ¡°Please show your face.¡±


    Iceline pulled down her hood inpliance with the middle-aged man¡¯s demands.


    ¡°<em>Oh?</em>¡±


    The face underneath belonged to a woman in her mid-twenties, blue-eyed, pale with freckles, and she had a somewhat pointed nose. If she had been an ordinary person, that would have been everything of note, but something about her gave off a strange vibe.


    It was hard to pin down, but if one looked at her long enough, it would be strange if one wouldn¡¯t notice it. Reipon¡¯s perception-altering abilities could only do so much to hide someone¡¯s real demeanor. Care and discipline had to cover for the rest.


    ¡°This is the first time¡­¡± Cain muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cain tilted her head at Cain, who was staring at Iceline¡¯s face in shock. He also looked like he was ready to cry.


    ¡°W-what¡¯s up with that look? What do you mean the first time?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time traveling with a woman my age!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god.¡± Icarus stared agape at Cain. ¡°Even at a time like this¡­¡±


    Cain was staring at Iceline with sparkling eyes. Of course, he still had no idea about Iceline¡¯s true identity.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mage?¡± The middle-aged man eyed Iceline doubtfully.


    ¡°Yes, as you can see.¡±


    ¡°Mind telling me your status?¡± asked the middle-aged man.


    Iceline¡¯s expression contorted for a brief moment. The question was considered rude, even for knights


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> right. I think I understand it now.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s definitely a mercenary,¡± whispered the middle-aged man under his breath.


    Of course, the three of them heard him loud and clear.


    ¡°This guy is being an asshole.¡± Icarus rolled up her sleeves angrily.


    ¡°Are the people standing behind you mercenaries as well?¡± asked the middle-aged man.


    Icarus abruptly straightened up and smiled brightly as he said, ¡°No, we belong to the Sanders Family.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah,</em> right! Baron Sanders¡­!¡± eximed the middle-aged man.


    ¡°Hey, Icarus, watch yourself! You know he¡¯s a mage of the Magic Tower, so he definitely knows.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh!</em> I almost did him wrong. Of course, a mage of the ¡®Tower of Knowledge¡¯ would know!¡±


    Cain and Icarus were oddly in sync.


    The middle-aged mage muttered, ¡°Baron Sanders, a Baron¡­¡±


    ¡°Our master is great and famous!¡± eximed Cain.


    ¡°<em>Mmhm.</em>¡± Icarus nodded as well.


    Eventually, the middle-aged man stopped thinking and spoke, ¡°Do you have any cash on you?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Cain and Icarus¡¯ stopped smiling.


    The mage gave them a knowing look, and with a smile of his own, he said, ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know you since your faces aren¡¯t on the wanted list. You said your destination is Arcadia? The warp will cost you 1,000 gold per person, for a total of 3,000 gold.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± Icarus eximed in disbelief.


    ¡°How can you say that? It¡¯s not much when you consider that you could travel across the entire continent with that money.¡±


    ¡°Are we being scammed?¡± Cain squinted at the mage, whose expression rapidly darkened. In spite of their insr habits and mids, mages were quite proud of their identity.


    ¡°How dare you¡­ And you im that your master is famous?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°You said Baron Sanders, right? I don¡¯t need to look him up. Since his attendants are acting like this, then he must be a mercenary.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Cain¡¯s expression crumpled as he listened to the mage¡¯s words. Joshua¡¯s name carried an undeniable weight across the entire continent, but the mage had good reason for being so inflexible.


    Avalon, after all, did not hold really hold mages in high regard, and mages were solely in control of the warp gates. The Avalon Empire merely collected taxes on its operations throughout itsnds.


    In this arrangement, the Avalon Empire was the only one that would suffer if the arrangement was broken. Like a golden goose, the warp gates generated tremendous wealth with minimal intervention. If the Magic Tower decided to shut down the warp gates throughout Avalon, then Avalon would lose a ton of money.


    Therefore, warp gates were staffed by the mages of the Magic Tower from top to bottom.


    ¡°Fire, go forth and pierce my enemies¡ªRune re!¡±


    A red spear manifested in mid-air.


    ¡°A¡­ ss 4 Mage¡­¡± Icarus was astonished. She couldn¡¯t imagine why such a mage was managing a warp gate in the middle of nowhere when there were less than a thousand ss 4 Mages throughout the entire continent.


    ¡°<em>Um¡­</em>¡± Cain seemed confused.


    ¡°Leave,¡± the middle-aged man demanded. ¡°If you make this worse, I will file a formalint to the Imperial Family.¡±


    While Icarus and Cain were frozen, Iceline finally stepped forward.


    ¡°You said 3,000 gold?¡± Iceline dropped three heavy leather pouches in front of the middle-aged man. ¡°Open them yourself and check. There are ten 100-gold pieces in each pouch.¡±


    The middle-aged man remained quiet for a while. Eventually, he said, ¡°The price just changed. You wasted my time, so it¡¯s now 1,500 gold for each of you.¡±


    ¡°You crazy¡­!¡± Cain couldn¡¯t help but exim.


    However, the middle-aged man simply smiled at Cain and said, ¡°Stand down. The additional gold pieces are to make up for the damage your insulting words had inflicted on me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make you stand down¡­!¡± Cain exploded. He reached out for his sword and was about to draw it when a cold breeze swept past him.


    ¡°Freeze. Let the cold wind bless the ground: Ice Field!¡±


    Both men jumped in shock as the ground beneath their feet was frozen solid. The spell that emerged from Iceline¡¯s palms was a tremendously powerful 5th Circle SPell. The middle-aged man was stupefied at the sight of it.


    ¡°In that case, then I will have you pay for ignoring and calling us mere mercenaries.¡± Iceline shed an icy smile at the middle-aged man.


    She wasn¡¯t going to let herself lose money because she had a future she wanted to build with Joshua, and it was an expensive future to build. ¡°I am Selena, a deputy director of the Mercenary Guild. I will file an officialint to the Magic Tower about this.¡±


    The middle-aged man took a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if a deputy director was actually capable of filing an officialint with the Mercenary Guild¡¯s name, but the middle-aged man wasn¡¯t willing to bet on the opposite.


    ¡°Hold on, please!¡± the middle-aged man hurriedly eximed. ¡°I-I was wrong! I m-mean it! I¡¯m really,<em> really </em>sorry!¡±


    The middle-aged man bowed at a ny-degree angle and dispelled his Rune re.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you also apologize to them?¡±


    The middle-aged man visibly shivered and flinched.


    ¡°What? Does it hurt your pride?¡±


    ¡°N-No, not at all.¡± The middle-aged man bowed to Icarus and Cain as he broke out into a cold sweat before saying, ¡°I apologize.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah¡­ </em>Whatever, it¡¯s done,¡± Cain replied.


    Icarus angrily elbowed him, but Cain simply smiled and nodded.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Iceline prompted.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You need to make up for your damages as well.¡±


    ¡°<em>Err¡­</em> what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Give me a hundred gold per person. And the warp will beplimentary, of course.¡±


    ¡°Y-you crazy¡­!¡± the middle-aged man reacted in exactly the same way as Cain had reacted earlier.


    At the sight, Iceline¡¯s smile widened. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°N-No!¡± Tears welled up in the middle-aged man¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll get right into it!¡±


    ¡°Wow, she¡¯s so cool.¡± Cain gasped.


    ¡°I agree¡­¡± Icarus remarked.


    Cain and Icarus couldn¡¯t help but congratte Iceline for her small victory. Iceline had always been fighting for her future on her own, so this was her first time receivingpliments for a victory she had done herself.


    Hearing Cain and Icarus¡¯ words, Iceline¡¯s chin was subtly raised higher a bit higher from before.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 234

    Chapter 234


    ¡°<em>Ah,</em> this is so much fun!<em> Ahahahaha!</em>¡± Emperor Marcus covered his face with his hand. It was impossible to tell whaty behind hisughing visage.


    Emperor Marcus couldn¡¯t remember thest time he had felt this way about one person in particr. ¡°And they say, ¡®Like father, like son!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, everything is ready for the meeting with the nobles.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Just tell them toe here.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Eventually, the tter of footsteps drew the Emperor¡¯s attention. He was confused at first, thinking that an order of knights hade to see him. His anticipation was resolved shortly thereafter.


    ¡°All of the guests have arrived, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Come in!¡±


    ¡°Then, let theme inside!¡±


    At the Emperor¡¯s behest, arge group of people entered¡ªfifteen, to be exact. All of the higher nobility except for Marquis Crombell, who was a convicted criminal, and Duke Pontier, who was on his deathbed.


    ¡°Aden.¡± Marcus¡¯s eyes were fixed on the Duke in the front. ¡°You are Avalon¡¯s true treasure and a loyal friend.¡±


    Duke Agnus bowed respectfully.


    ¡°My jealousy of you started five years ago. I¡¯m so jealous of you that I feel like I was going crazy. It¡¯s unprecedented!¡±


    ¡°You tter me too much, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°<em>Hahaha,</em> but it¡¯s true, yes?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Duke Agnus didn¡¯t say anything in response, nketing the throne room in a terrible silence.


    ¡°What do you have that I don¡¯t? Money? Fame? Power? ADEN! I am the master of Avalon. Avalon is me, Marcus ben Britten! Is it personal strength? Do you mean that the one they call the Titan of Avalon and the Dark God is more important than me? Such words!¡± Emperor Marcus stared at Aden with eyes that looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.


    Eventually, Emperor Marcus smiled and continued. ¡°You¡¯re not that special. But that kind¡­ No one does that kind of thing, Aden. No one dares to steal my fancy out of the blue. And that¡¯s what I¡¯m missing¡ªmy children.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, the princes¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, Aden. Do you want to make me look bad in public? Joshua von Agnus¡ªor Count Sanders, which is his current identity. <em>Hehehe.</em>¡±


    ¡±We know, and they know¡­ everyone knows that he''s the finest in Avalon. I am simply denying reality for the sake of my pride.¡± Emperor Marcus looked at the nobles and asked, ¡°Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°...¡± The nobles remained silent. They didn¡¯t dare to answer.


    Emperor Marcus clicked his tongue. ¡°Tsk. It¡¯s hard for you to all say yes at the same time, after all, isn¡¯t it? You all have sons his age, and your pride won¡¯t let you admit it, either¡­¡±


    ¡±Anyway, thank you, Aden! I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You gave me a chance to see his talent as well. I would have been sad if Joshua were the heir of your name rather than Babel. <em>Hahaha!</em>¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s staid reaction made Emperor Marcus lose interest, and he sank into his throne. ¡°Your son will help me a great deal. He has undesirable traits that we will have to change, of course. For example, you know how arrogant he is for his young age, right? We have to whittle that down.¡±


    Duke Agnus slowly shut his eyes. He knew that Emperor Marcus wouldn¡¯t have done something so wild without considering his own children. Now, it was clear that Emperor Marcus was going to use Joshua to save his children¡¯s plummeting status.


    ¡°We shall now begin thepetition for Princess Serciarin¡¯s hand. The final decision lies with me, of course. Raw strength is important, but I wouldn¡¯t mind someone with the right skills and connections.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Duke Prius, who was famous for his martial prowess, asked, ¡°I wonder what Your Majesty means¡­¡±


    ¡°I said that thepetition would end when the Imperial Knights receive no more challenges from the participants, but the candidates can also win without fighting.¡±


    Finally, the nobles understood what Emperor Marcus was talking about. In fact, more than a few marquises stirred and quivered at the realization.


    ¡°<em>Ahahaha!</em> What do you think about that? Even if ournd is called the Empire of Knights, isn¡¯t this rather fair as well? If you still can¡¯t figure it out, then the clue is that my knights are pretty expensive. That¡¯s it! Do your best.¡±


    It seemed that Emperor Marcus was truly a madman. Otherwise, why the hell would he encourage them to bribe his knights?


    ¡°Ah! Of course, if your child is great, you don¡¯t need to deal with any of thatplicated stuff. And onest thing¡ªpersonally, Count Sanders is my first choice. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty truly has the greatest breadth of mind throughout Avalon.¡±


    A small group of quick-witted marquises rushed to fawn over the Emperor. Their excitement was clear to see in their eyes.


    No matter how strong Joshua Sanders was, there was no way he could beat every Imperial Knight by himself, not to mention Knight Commander Rod, who was a Superhuman.


    Joshua was a Superhuman as well, but hecked Knight Commander Rod¡¯s experience. By the time he was done dealing with every single Imperial Knight, he would be too tired to deal with Knight Commander Rod.


    The nobles were already imagining Joshua¡¯s reaction when he was plunged into despair after his sweet moment of hope.


    ¡°<em>Pffft! Hahaha!</em>¡±


    The nobles had no idea that Emperor Marcus was the one who was enjoying the situation the most.


    Eventually, Emperor Marcus stoppedughing as he turned to the two people who were still indifferent, and he started talking to them with a bright smile.


    ***


    <em>¡®Serciarin¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua strode forward with a hard expression. He smashed the golden elixir in his hand into a ss wall, which proved his mounting fury. <em>¡®I was so caught up with getting stronger that I lost sight of what was important!¡¯</em>


    Getting stronger¡­


    Taking revenge¡­


    Getting even stronger¡­


    Keeping his people safe¡­


    Joshua¡¯s goals were clear, but it seemed that, at some point, the priority had been flipped around. Strength stopped being a means to achieve his goals. It had long be the goal itself.


    However, he could no longer ignore the thoughts he had long buried in his head.


    <em>¡®What am I so afraid of?¡¯ </em>A voice emerged from deep within him, asking, <em>¡®Are you worried that you¡¯ll lose the happiness you¡¯ve so fought to get back?¡¯</em>


    No, he wasn¡¯t¡­ He worked harder than anyone else to protect that happiness.


    <em>¡®Are you worried that you¡¯ll make the same mistake again?¡¯</em>


    No, he wasn¡¯t dumb enough to repeat his mistakes twice.


    <em>¡®Are you afraid that you won¡¯t be able to change the future you think you know?¡¯</em>


    Joshua froze. He couldn¡¯t exin it, but this feeling made his chest ache. It was something he¡¯d never thought about before, but he couldn¡¯t resolve himself to deny it


    <em>¡®Right. You¡¯re not afraid of the future itself. You¡¯re afraid that your efforts to change the future will be futile and that the future you know might remain the same despite your efforts.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Right.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists. Joshua always had to remind himself that, even though he had to be strong, he was only human. He had to ept the waves of uneasiness in his chest.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a human being. I can still feel happiness, anguish, and anger.¡±


    If he wanted to move on, then he had to control his feelings and let go of his worries.


    However, Joshua was somewhat convinced that reaching the next level of the Magic Spear Arts was easier thanpletely controlling his feelings and getting rid of his worries. After all, emotions, feelings, and worries were what defined a human being. Freeing yourself from them was simr to transcending the limits of humanity.


    Honestly, Joshua was convinced that it was the only way forward.


    ¡°From now on, everything changes,¡± said Joshua with a fire in his eyes.


    People from the Second Prince¡¯s pce hade out of the walls to meet him, and they were led by a handsome blond man with sparkling eyes.


    Many knights were following him. The blond man was, of course, Kaizen ben Britten, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire.


    In Joshua¡¯s past life, he was the first prince who died in his brother¡¯s hands.


    Joshua was convinced that Armstrong had told everyone that Joshua was going to pay Kaizen¡¯s pce a visit. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The Commander of the Golden Mane Corps had always been that kind of person.


    ¡°Count Sanders, what brings you to my pce?¡±


    ¡°You want to make a bet with me?¡±


    ¡°A bet?¡± Kaizen frowned at him.


    ¡°You trash!¡± The Battalion Commander of the 8th Battalion, Jekarta, whose duty was to ensure the safety of the Second Prince, was furious. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve met His Second Highness, and you¡¯re already acting high and mighty?!¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Kaizen quietly raised his hand. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find my terms quite appealing. If I lose, I will give you something that even His Majesty the Emperor couldn¡¯t get.¡±


    ¡°Something that His Majesty doesn¡¯t have¡­¡± Kaizen froze as a strange look crept up his face as he said, ¡°What happened back then was something else. It was unprecedented. Perhaps you¡¯re talking about¡­¡±


    ¡°What else would it be?¡± replied Joshua.


    ¡°You mean I¡¯m going to be the owner of the famous sword, ¡®Joshua Sanders?¡¯ The sword that even His Majesty couldn¡¯t get?¡± Kaizen furrowed his brows as he stared intently at Joshua.


    ¡°Of course, but only if you win.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Kaizen''s eyes widened. He stared deeply at Joshua as if he wanted to uncover whether Joshua was telling the truth or not.


    Eventually, he smirked and said, ¡°I thought you¡¯d be an unwee visitor, but you¡¯re nobler than I had expected. Even though I can¡¯t offer as much as my father, I can still give you something great. Tell me, what do you desire?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be greedy, then,¡± warned Joshua.


    ¡°<em>Oh?</em>¡± Kaizen¡¯s smirk deepened as he nodded lightly, signaling Joshua to continue.


    ¡°If I win¡­¡± Joshua finally said, ¡°Her Highness Serciarin shall be mine.¡±<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 235

    Chapter 235


    ¡°You madman¡­!¡± Jekarta stepped forward.


    ¡°I told you to stop.¡± Kaizen¡¯s cold voice made Jekarta stop in his tracks. ¡°What is the bet?¡±


    Joshua stared at Kaizen, who was also staring at him. ¡°Isn''t everything already prepared?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you can do it?¡±


    ¡°I have always been able to do anything.¡±


    ¡°How arrogant.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s just a very fine line between arrogance and confidence.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I hope those aren¡¯t just empty words.¡± Kaizen chuckled before raising a finger. ¡°I have one more condition.¡±


    ¡°Tell me.¡±


    ¡°You need to win using your own strength alone.¡±


    ¡°That has always been my n.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that rather risky for you?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you think, I hope you¡¯ll do something for me.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Kaizen replied, ignoring the fact that Joshua had overstepped his bounds.


    ¡°I want to see how Her Highness is doing.¡±


    Jekarta looked like he was going to explode. Once again, Kaizen had to tell his knight to stand down.


    ¡°Why?¡± Kaizen asked doubtfully.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be all for nothing if I ended up winning, but Her Highness is already gone?¡±


    Kaizen revealed a dumbfounded look. It seemed that Joshua¡¯s words had caught him off guard.


    ¡°At the very least, I don''t think I can fight with confidence unless I know that Her Highness is doing fine,¡± added Joshua.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Kaizen said. He stared at Josuha as if he wanted to see inside thetter¡¯s hand.


    However, Joshua didn¡¯t even hesitate to meet Kaizen¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°I am not sure if Your Highness has already heard about it, but I can wield divine power as well.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen turned his head to ask for credibility from Jekarta. Jekarta nodded his head despite his anger at Joshua¡¯s way of speaking toward Kaizen.


    ¡°I can cast healing magic. Actually, the priests from Hubalt said that my healing magic is strong enough to heal a severely injured man.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> I see, I guess you met those priests at Reinhardt.¡± Kaizen seemed surprised.


    ¡°If my skills can help Her Highness even a little, then my mind would be at ease.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Kaizen thought about it for a moment before nodding in approval. ¡°In that case, then you have my approval. Do what you have to do.¡±


    ¡°And I hope that no one else will enter the room while I am checking up on Her Highness,¡± added Joshua.


    At that, Jekarta couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. ¡°Don¡¯t get too full of yourself, Reserve Battalion Commander Sanders. Why should we let you speak to Her Highness alone?¡±


    Joshua''s eyes darkened. ¡°Can''t you see that I''m talking to His Highness?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Jekarta was dumbfounded.


    ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m just a mere Reserve Battalion Commander?¡± said Joshua with narrowed eyes.


    ¡°...!¡± Jekarta''s eyes widened as a shiver ran down his spine. He started trembling as he felt like he was standing in front of a predator. He was already a knight at the peak of B-ss, but he still found it hard to breathe in front of Joshua¡¯s aura.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s a Superhuman as well!¡¯ </em>Jekarta¡¯s expression changed when he recalled a fact he had been ignoring until now.


    ¡°Do you really think that you¡¯re qualified to talk to me like that?¡± Joshua asked with a cold smile. ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Jekarta furiously trembled under Joshua¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way. I¡¯ll let you off once, but if you keep on testing my patience¡­¡± Joshua trailed off. He red sharply at Jekarta before continuing, ¡°I¡¯ll cut you down.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah!</em>¡± Jekarta eximed and staggered. He felt as if he had lost a few years of his lifespan after being subjected to Joshua¡¯s fierce aura.


    ¡°<em>Tsk,</em>¡± Kaizen clicked his tongue and turned to look at the panting Jekarta before saying, ¡°I told you to stop. And also, I will allow your request.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Highness¡­!¡± Jekarta barely managed to squeeze these words out of his throat.


    At the sight, Kaizen said, ¡°It seems that you need to train more. How could you be a qualified knight if you wear your heart on your sleeve?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Jekarta eximed in surprise.


    Kaizen waved his hand dismissively before turning to look at Joshua again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°I think Your Highness has misunderstood¡­¡± Joshua started.


    ¡°...?¡± Kaizen stared at him with a frown.


    Joshua smiled slightly and said, ¡°Your Highness isn¡¯t an exception¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡± Silence instantly nketed the surroundings¡­


    ¡°I was serious when I said that I wanted to be alone with Her Highness.¡±


    ***


    ¡°I haven¡¯t been here since the academy days¡­¡± said Icarus. They had just arrived at Arcadia through the warp gate. Icarus looked around and muttered, ¡°We need to find a mansion before we go to Master. Somewhere close to the city center¡­¡±


    ¡°Is it alright if I catch up with youter?¡±


    ¡°Selena?¡±


    Iceline responded to Icarus¡¯ confused look with a warm smile. ¡°I need to go to the Magic Tower¡¯s branch here to inquire about something personal.¡±


    ¡°Well, if that¡¯s the case¡­You must return,¡± Icarus nodded, but she seemed regretful.


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll see you in a while,¡± Iceline smiled, but she seemed equally unhappy about the separation.


    ¡°Then, I will go with you. Goodbye, Ica¡ª<em>ah!</em> That hurts!¡±


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Icarus mercilessly yanked Cain¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Oh, that hurts! That hurts!¡± Cain had to hold back his tears.


    ¡°Stop being such a yboy ande with me. Do try to control your time messing around.¡±


    ¡°No, I really have to do something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah, </em>my head¡¯s starting to hurt.¡±


    ¡°I can make your head hurt even more¡­¡± Icarus warned.


    <em>Flinch.</em>


    Cain directly lowered his head when he saw Icarus rolling up her sleeves. ¡°I have to do this so I have something to show Master when we meet again!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I was nning to stop at a few ces to meet old friends. Then, I¡¯ll be heading for the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you have friends?¡± asked Icarus in disbelief.


    ¡°I can be considered the Knight Commander of our family, but what use does being amander have if I do not have any knights under me? I mean, the Wilhelm Knights aren¡¯t part of our family, after all.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± Icarus let go of Cain¡¯s ear, which had turned red from all the yanking. ¡°<em>Wow.</em> You¡¯re thinking more and more like a noble. Are you really the Cain that I know?¡±


    ¡°Heh, I can be noble when it matters.¡± Cain stuck his chin up with pride.


    ¡°So the Sanders family knights¡­ the Sanders Knights? It sounds weird to use the name of a flower¡­¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Cain shook his head. ¡°I have a different name in mind.¡±


    ¡°Really? What is it?¡±


    <em>¡°Hehehe. </em>I think you¡¯ll like it, Icarus.¡±


    Seeing Cain¡¯s grin, Icarus stared at the former with an expectant look.


    ¡°The Golden Spirit Knights! Knights with hearts of gold!¡±


    ***


    When Joshua finally walked into the room, Jekarta opened his mouth as if he had been waiting to speak.


    ¡°May I ask why Your Highness agreed on such a nonsensical bet?¡±


    ¡°You see¡­¡± Kaizen¡¯s golden eyes twinkled as he chuckled and said, ¡°Isn''t it fun?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    They had also agreed that his sister¡¯s life should be filled with nothing but happiness from now on. His Second Highness Kaizen ben Britten was famous as Emperor Marcus¡¯ second choice.


    ¡°Did you change your mind when His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s decision came out? And why is it that Your Highness doesn¡¯t seem to mind it?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ It¡¯s more than that. I just figured that there¡¯s no way he will be able to beat the entire Imperial Knights Order, even if he¡¯s a Superhuman.¡±


    At that, Jekarta remarked, ¡°I hate to admit it, but that guy has some serious confidence. It irks me, but I think he has a chance of beating every member of the Imperial Knights Order.¡±


    ¡°And he has a good head between his shoulders as well,¡± Kaizen added.


    ¡°Yes?¡± muttered the dumbfounded Jekarta.


    ¡°But in reality, even if he beats the Imperial Knights, what can he do on his own? He is powerful, yes, but he isn¡¯t influential at all.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know what happened in the throne room? The first thing he did as a count.¡±


    Jakerta¡¯s eyes flickered from ce to ce. He had a feeling that something was off.


    ¡°I can¡¯t be certain, but if Joshua Sanders became as powerful as Duke Agnus, he would be a powerful rival.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he can pass the test with Duke Agnus behind him?¡±


    ¡°<em>Hmm.</em> Thirty percent.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Jekarta¡¯s eyes widened at Kaizen¡¯s reply. Wasn¡¯t thirty percent a lot?


    Kaizen seemed like he knew what Jekarta was thinking. He smiled at thetter¡¯s dumbfounded expression and exined, ¡°He has done things that were apparently impossible. It¡¯s just fair for us to assume that he¡¯s Duke Agnus¡¯ real power.¡±


    ¡°Real power?¡± asked Jekarta.


    Kaizen nodded and added. ¡°The Titan of Avalon and the Dark God is the idol of all knights. Who do you think would dare to stand against someone with such a backing? Do you really think they¡¯ll just stand idly by?¡±


    ¡°In that case, why didn¡¯t Your Highness raise the ante?¡±


    ¡°This is better.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it? He still couldn¡¯t get his father¡¯s approval, so he made a bet that sounds like an alliance.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Jekarta quivered ever so slightly as he stared wide-eyed at Kaizen.


    ¡°It is not really strange. He had already abandoned the Agnus name, so there¡¯s no way he can return to the Agnus Family and start using their name once again.¡±


    Hearing that, Jekarta finally understood. There was no way Joshua had no idea that His Second Highness Kaizen didn¡¯t really have enough power to give Her Highness Serciarin to him.


    Kaizen was simply taking care of his younger sister. Joshua had to have proposed that absurd bet to mask his true intentions of establishing an alliance with Kaizen. It was his real goal rather than taking Her Highness Serciarin for himself.


    He simply wanted to take advantage of His Second Highness Kaizen.


    If these were true, then everything would make sense.


    Kaizen licked his lips and continued. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter what his real goals are, this is still a huge opportunity for me.¡±


    ¡°Does this mean that the 11th and 12th Battalions are on our side?¡±


    ¡°Aside from the 1st and 2nd Battalions, which take orders directly from the Emperor, there are four battalions rooting for Kiser, three for me, and one for Kaiser¡­ If Joshua joins the battle on my side, the scales will tip in our favor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why a contract is needed¡­¡±


    ¡°We need evidence,¡± Kaizen said, seemingly bored.


    ¡°I evaluate him highly but I¡¯m worried that he brings too much risk to us.¡±


    ¡°<em>Hahaha.</em> Well, you can say that. I know that as well, and that was why I gave him a condition. He has to win using his own strength alone.¡±


    ¡°And if he does?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s absurd¡­¡± Kaizen¡¯s lips slowly curled into a sly grin. Setting the Knight Commander aside, <em>he</em> had just recently returned to the Imperial Knights Order. ¡±Joshua Sanders¡¯ chance of passing the test without Duke Agnus¡¯ backing is¡­¡±


    ¡°Only one percent.¡±

 Chapter 236

    Chapter 236


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua examined the blonde beauty lying on the bed. She was asleep, but her sleeping beauty was enough for her to be one of the top three beauties of Avalon.


    Her brilliance and vitality had faded since hest saw her. Sunken, hollow cheeks, a skin and bones physique, and pale yellowed skin. Her forehead was also damp with cold sweat, and all these meant that she was suffering from a terminal illness.


    What caught Joshua¡¯s attention the most were the deep, parched lines around her eyes, as if both nature and the gods had agreed to take her sight first before anything else as punishment formitting the heresy of incest¡­


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± Joshua shook his head and closed his eyes momentarily.


    When he opened his eyes once again, he stared at the ss vial in his hand. There was a golden liquid swirling inside the ss vial. He had discovered the cure to her illness in his past life, but he had failed to give the cure to her in time.


    All he had done was go to her eternal resting ce and beg for punishment. Now, Joshua could cure her. He could do it. However, the issuey on the question if he had the right to take her memories away.


    In the first ce, did he even have the heart to do that? What if they were the priceless memories of thest ten years? Would he be able to talk to her the same way when she¡¯d lost the memories of her very identity?


    He was ready to fight anyone who would tell him that saving her life should be his top priority here. The people would remember Princess Serciarin, but she would forget him.


    ¡°I¡¯m also concerned that His Majesty will continue to use you even after you get better,¡± he muttered.


    Emperor Marcus and the princes had never seen her as anything else other than a tool. Saving Princess Serciarin would mean taking her out of the frying pan and hurling her into the fire.


    ¡°<em>Ah!</em>¡± Princess Serciarin moaned.


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Argh¡­!¡±


    He rallied the divine power in his body without thinking.


    ¡°He who links man to heaven,¡± he muttered, filling the room with a bright white light.


    ¡°Who shines brightest with healing¡­¡±


    This was knowledge from heaven.


    ¡°There is no ce where the warm light does not shine.¡±


    The divine power of no equal in the domain of healing.


    ¡°Let the dead rest and give life to the living.¡±


    One of the first four great angels in heaven long before the seven great angels of today.


    ¡°Holly Regist.¡±


    A divine powerparable to a bishop of Hubalt burst from Joshua¡¯s hands.


    Of course, the way Joshua wielded his divine power was different from the priests of Hubalt, but if a priest of Hubalt were here, then they would have been scared silly by the sight.


    ¡°<em>Nng¡­</em>¡±


    A few momentster, Princess Serciarin¡¯s pale and yellowed skin returned to its normal color and vigor. The sight made Joshua smile. Of course, he understood that he had simply treated the symptoms.


    The problem ran much deeper.


    ¡°I have to make a choice now.¡± He held the vial filled with a golden liquid as he fell into deep contemtion. After a while, Joshua seemed to have made up his mind as he tried to make a move, but¡­


    ¡°Joshua?¡± Princess Serciarin muttered as her eyes finally opened.


    ¡°...!¡±


    ***


    There were rumors going around that Count Sanders had privately met with His Second Highness Kaizen. As soon as His First Highness Kiser heard of that, he summoned someone.


    Kiser and his guest sat across from each other in front of a table in the former¡¯s room.


    ¡°Knight Commander Rod¡­¡±


    ¡°How have you been, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Never been better.¡± Kiser hid his impatience behind a wide smile.


    ¡°I heard the rumors. Is His Majesty¡¯s strange behavior worrying you as well, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°<em>Eh, </em>it¡¯s fine,¡± replied Kiser dismissively.


    Knight Commander Rod looked like he didn¡¯t mind Kiser¡¯s dismissive reply as he muttered, ¡°I had no idea that His Majesty would choose Princess Serciarin¡¯s husband in such a manner. In addition, she¡¯s still sick as well. What a shame.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I heard that the first challenger is the Reserve Battalion Commander,¡± Kiser got to the point.


    At that, Knight Commander Rod shook his head and said, ¡°He¡¯s no longer a Battalion Commander. He¡¯s not even my subordinate anymore.¡±


    Hearing that, Kiser¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°This will be easy, then.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Knight Commander Rod directed a confused look at Kiser.


    ¡°I have a favor to ask of you,¡± Kiser took a moment to think before addressing the elephant in the room by saying, ¡°I¡¯ll be straightforward. I¡¯d like you to step in once he has sessfully beaten everyone else.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Knight Commander Rod remained silent and expressionless.


    At the sight, Kiser added, ¡°Knight-Commander Rod¡ªno, Uncle¡­ I know better than anyone else how fair-minded you are. But Joshua Sanders doesn¡¯t deserve your impartiality. Can¡¯t you see? The deal he struck with Kaizen doesn¡¯t really matter; what matters is how Duke Agnus will handle the aftermath.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The same words could mean differently depending on who heard them. Joshua was a way for the Second Prince to restrain the First Prince. The First Prince, Joshua, and the Duke were all wary of each other.


    The Second Prince and the First Prince agreed that Joshua was a newpetitor, and it was incredible that two men as prideful as the princes would both acknowledge a mere nobleman as a threat.


    ¡°I am not surprised at all that you called me here. After all, Joshua Sanders is your opponent,¡± said Knight Commander Rod with a sigh. ¡°However, his return also means that I finally have a good enough sessor.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I lose, then I will step down as the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights Order.¡±


    Kiser stiffened as he said with aplicated expression. ¡°Is that even possible? He¡¯s a monster, yes, but I don¡¯t think he can beat you, Knight Commander, sir.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no such thing as absolutes in this world; what can happen will happen.¡±


    <em>Flinch.</em>


    Kiser noticed Knight Commander Rod¡¯s conflicting emotions, so he hurriedly changed the topic.


    ¡°I see! That just means that your breadth of mind is as great as your prowess. But have you already decided on your sessor? Is it Sir Valmont?¡±


    ¡°That guy¡­ <em>Hmm, </em>he still has a long way to go. He has been training more frequently these days, but I don¡¯t think that he¡¯s already qualified. I am not saying that he isn¡¯t talented enough, but he still needs a few more years.¡±


    Hearing that, Kiser tilted his head and asked, ¡°Then, what did you mean when you said that you finally have a good enough sessor?¡±


    ¡°Who else? I think you¡¯re also familiar with him. Why did the Third Prince, who inherited His Majesty¡¯s skill with the sword, leave the pce on his own?¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Kiser''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Sir Ghad has returned?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll hand over my position as Knight Commander to him. I mean, he had always been my choice.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Kiser trailed off.


    Knight Commander Rod nodded and exined, ¡°Yes, it doesn¡¯t matter what will happen. I will still retire, nheless. It is long overdue.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡± Kiser sighed sadly.


    He wished he could keep Rod around for longer, but it had been forty years since Knight Commander Rod started his service, and Kiser was familiar with how much effort and time Knight Commander Rod had dedicated to servicing Avalon.


    ¡°<em>Ah, </em>it must have been hard on you. It¡¯s such a relief that Sir Ghad returned. You will be able to transfer my burdens onto him.¡±


    ¡°So Joshua will not be taking over my position. Don¡¯t worry,¡± Knight Commander Rod replied.


    ¡°You knew?¡± Kiser was astonished.


    ¡°I have many eyes and ears.¡±


    Kiser went silent at that. Eventually, Knight Commander Rod leaned closer and asked in a whisper, ¡°May I ask why Your Highness isn¡¯t willing to rope him in?¡±


    Why? Kiser hesitated.


    The ruby-like eyes of the most beautiful woman Kiser had ever seen shed through his mind. However, he couldn¡¯t say that. It would be shameful to admit that his jealousy had blinded him and that he couldn¡¯t see Joshua¡¯s abilities.


    This was hardly the first time this had happened, of course. These matters had brought many countries into conflict many times throughout history.


    ¡°He just¡­ didn¡¯t seem like a good fit for me.¡±


    Kiser had no choice but to give that kind of answer.


    ***


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never been much better in my life.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯re still as full of life as ever.¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m not strong, I¡¯m better off dead.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous. All you have to do now is get married.¡±


    ¡°Married?¡±


    ¡°Your poprity is through the roof in Arcadia, especially with the women.¡±


    ¡°You must be joking. Most people here want to kill me rather than marry me.¡±


    ¡°<em>Eh?</em>¡±


    ¡°It was a joke, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Pffft!¡± Princess Serciarin burst intoughter.


    ¡°The next time I participate in a banquet, I¡¯ll definitely boast how I managed to talk privately with Joshua Sanders, the idol of Arcadia¡¯s women.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I allow you to do it.¡± Joshua arrogantly replied.


    ¡°I¡¯d do it without your permission anyway,¡± Serciarin stuck her tongue out at him.


    There was a long, intense silence afterward.


    Princess Serciarin didn¡¯t see Joshua struggling with indecision earlier.


    Eventually, Princess Serciarin shattered the silence.


    ¡°Why do you look like you¡¯re agonizing over something?¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua flinched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to shoulder everything on your own. And think about how I would feel if I were to me for the pain?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really that worried, then¡­ will you be my friend?¡± Princess Serciarin smiled brightly.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Promise me¡­¡± She lifted her pinky finger.


    Joshua bit his lip. How could he say no to that? Droplets of water were falling from Serciarin¡¯s face, but they weren¡¯t tears.


    ¡°Sure¡­¡± Joshua finally answered.


    Princess Serciarin smiled sweetly. She looked like a withered flower that hade back to life.


    ¡°For some reason, forgetting you scares me more than forgetting His Majesty and my brothers.¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only one who had seen me for me. <em>Oh, </em>don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªthis isn¡¯t ttery.¡±


    Joshua looked sad. ¡°Where did you learn to talk like that?¡±


    ¡°Ellen taught me.¡±


    He had no reply. Ellen was Serciarin¡¯s maid and her only friend in the cold Magnificient Flower Pce.


    ¡°Is she married?¡±


    ¡°Ellen?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°No. Not yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Then, it¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    ¡°I have a good friend that I would like to introduce to her.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh!</em>¡± Princess Serciarin pped her hands. ¡°I¡¯m sure Ellen will be pleased. I often worry that she wouldn¡¯t be able to get married because of me.¡±


    ¡°I guess it¡¯ll be a match made in heaven,¡± said Joshua.


    Princess Serciarin stared at Joshua and smiled. ¡°Do you know what Sanders means in thenguage of flowers, Joshua?¡±


    Princess Serciarin¡¯s hopeful expression as she stared at Joshua made thetter reply in the proverbial blink of an eye. ¡°Never forget me. And remember me¡­¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> you knew!¡± Princess Serciarin¡¯s face brightened. ¡°I will never forget you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s time to go.¡± Princess Serciarin¡¯s frail figure started to go limp, and Joshua jumped out of his seat to hold her up.


    While she was in Joshua¡¯s arms, Princess Serciarin said, ¡°I hope we won¡¯t forget how we felt when we see each other again.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you do me a favor and get me some medicine?¡±


    Joshua nodded. He couldn¡¯t dy it any longer, and he had already made his decision. In addition, Princess Serciarin¡¯s life was already waning.


    Joshua carefully raised the golden liquid to Princess Serciarin¡¯s lips, and at the sight of that, Princess Serciarin spoke, ¡°It seems that there¡¯s one more thing I can brag about...¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Princess Serciarin slipped into aa and started wheezing.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s thankful¡­¡± Joshua clenched his fists while staring at the unconscious Serciarin.


    He managed to save her, unlike his previous life.


    <em>¡®I will definitely¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua had decided that the first thing he would do after all these was to kill those who had sunk their fangs into her.

 Chapter 237

    Chapter 237


    The manager of the Magic Tower¡¯s Arcadia branch stared speechlessly at the piece of paper that had been handed to him. How was he supposed to believe such a tale?


    A ss 5 mage in her early twenties showed up and was iming to be from the Mercenary Guild.


    ¡°I¡¯m going crazy.¡± The mage scratched his head anxiously, eyeing the papers stacked on his desk.


    He had just turned forty-three, but it had only been a year ago since he became a ss 5 Mage.


    Was he too slow? No! Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have be the manager of the Magic Tower¡¯s Arcadia branch, which was deemed more important than any other branch out there. It wouldn¡¯t be much of a stretch to say that he was more talented than anyone in the Magic Tower short of the Seven Mages.


    Tower Master Ian was a ss 7 Mage twice his age, and the fact brought the manager no small amount of relief. At this rate, bing a Master mage wouldn¡¯t be just a dream for him.


    However¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s half my age at most, but she¡¯s already at that level?¡± The mage burned the paper and sighed for a long time. Of course, he knew that there would always be a mountain higher than a mountain, considering Igrant¡¯s vast expanse.


    Still, this was a bit too much.


    ¡°I¡¯m not even sure whether it¡¯s good or bad that she¡¯s a part of the Mercenary Guild rather than the Magic Tower.¡± He smiled bitterly. <em>¡®It¡¯s not even funny.¡¯</em>


    The wealth of books and valuable magical items in the Magic Tower and easy ess to the assistance of other mages made it a haven for mages. Moreover, high-ranking mages¡ªss 4 and above¡ªwould get a privateboratory in addition to a sry and annual research budget.


    However, in some ways, these benefits were a shackle. The Magic Tower wasn¡¯t a charity institution, after all. In exchange for these benefits, the mages of the Magic Tower would have to do missions, research, and even soak their hands in blood for the benefit of the Magic Tower.


    It was actually the impetus behind the Massacre of Astera. In contrast to what the Magic Tower had been iming, they were an organization that valued profits more than altruism.


    ¡°Manager, it¡¯s Robinson.¡±


    ¡°Enter¡­¡±


    A round and green-haired young man came into the room.


    ¡°Mr. Act has just arrived in Arcadia.¡±


    Act was the mage in charge of the Anorad warp gate.


    ¡°Seems like he used the warp gate.¡±


    ¡°But why¡­?¡±


    ¡°He wanted to speak to you directly.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah.</em>¡±


    Robinson nodded knowingly.


    ¡°Robinson.¡±


    ¡°Yes, manager?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a ss 5 Mage from the Mercenary Guild, would you abandon the Mercenary Guild and join the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Robinson remained silent for a while before eventually answering, ¡°Maybe¡­?¡±


    The manager peered out of his fifth-floor office. Busy as the branch was, he could see many peopleing and going.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about thirty years ago. Something simr happened, and I think you know about it,¡± said the manager.


    ¡°...?¡± Robinson seemed confused.


    ¡°An oddball mage was doing his own research and experiments and almost blew up an entire floor while he was at it. The experiment was a sess¡ªrich people flocked to him, saying that he had created a rare stimnt.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> are you talking about Heaven¡¯s Mandragora?¡± asked Robinson.


    ¡°Yes.¡± The manager nodded. ¡°A product that can keep you going for three days straight. Do you have any idea how popr it must have been at the time? It sold like hotcakes, but it was pretty expensive. On the ck market, it went for several, even tens of times as much as the market price.¡±


    ¡°But the side effects¡­¡±


    ¡°No one knew about it at the time.¡±


    Heaven¡¯s Mandragora hadn¡¯t been around for that long, and it had been less than ten years since the world found out about its dangerous side effects. Long-term use was potentially lethal, and it was guaranteed to make you go bald.


    Unfortunately, the world back then only recognized it as a great stimnt that would remove all traces of fatigue and exhaustion. Speaking of the side effects, there was a famous story about it.


    It was a story involving a lucky noble couple in the Hart Kingdom. The man would climb an enormous mountain every day and gaze proudly down its slopes, but one day his world fell apart.


    Eventually, he couldn¡¯t even go into his own backyard to nt mushrooms, let alone climb a mountain. Strange things started happening to his home.


    In the end, even the sound of dripping water froze him in terror.


    All long-term users of the Heavenly Mandragora experienced the same side effects, andints poured in like a deluge to Magic Tower before long.


    Unfortunately, most of the people involved in the creation of Heaven¡¯s Mandragora had already abandoned the Magic Tower at that point.


    ¡°At the time of creation, the boy was only in his teens, but he ran out of the Magic Tower screaming about people taking away his research¡­¡±


    ¡±He didn¡¯t return for over a month.¡± The manager chuckled. ¡°The Magic Tower was turned upside down. Honestly, I was more worried about the boy selling his research to Terra or something than about the boy himself.¡±


    ¡°So what happened afterward?¡±


    ¡°The current Tower Master liked him, so he wasn¡¯t crippled at the very least.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah.</em>¡±


    ¡°Lord Ian really liked him.¡±


    Robinson noticed something odd, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Now that I think about it... How did the boy get out of the tower?


    <em>Flinch.</em>


    The manager flinched and went silent with a stiff look. ¡°You see¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I also want to know how...¡± The manager shook his head. ¡°To be honest, we pour everything into our research, but the results will belong to the Magic Tower. It¡¯s unavoidable. Your brain is the property of the Magic Tower, and they¡¯re no phnthropists. It makes sense for them to fund your research. The Magic Tower won¡¯t let you go, especially if you¡¯re ambitions are huge.¡±


    Robinson''s eyes widened as he asked, ¡°Will that rumored ss 5 Mage go to the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that the appearance of the ss 5 Mage isn¡¯t just a coincidence because¡ª¡±


    <em>Knock! Knock! Knock!</em>


    ¡°Sir! Are you inside?¡±


    Someone urgently knocked on the door, grabbing their attention.


    ¡°I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°I think you have toe downstairs, sir.¡±


    The manager seemed confused. ¡°What''s happening?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ a ss 5 Mage wants to sign up.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The manager and Robinson stared wide-eyed at each other, and then the two of them simultaneously made a break for the door.


    ***


    ¡°What was Master even thinking? How am I supposed to live in peace at this rate?!¡±


    Cain had quickly made his way over to the Imperial Pce, but terrible news greeted him as soon as he arrived.


    ¡°What?! He¡¯s going to take on the entirety of the Imperial Knights Order? What kind of absurd nonsense is that?!¡± In spite of his ingrained chivalry, Cain was trembling as he eximed, ¡°He¡¯s going too far! Is he seriously trying to turn me into an old bachelor? Is he trying toy his hands on every beautiful woman of Avalon?¡±


    Those who weren¡¯t really familiar with Cain would be fooled by his disy of wrath. In all honesty, he was just expressing his frustration as a jealous old bachelor. He didn¡¯t really think that his master was doing something wrong here.


    <em>Stop.</em>


    Cain came to a halt and furrowed his brows.


    ¡°What is this? Again?¡±


    The Imperial family lived in the inner section of the Imperial Pce; everyone else lived in the outer section. There was only one entrance between them, which Cain had to go through. The issue was there were at least three hundred Imperial Knights standing in front of the so-called checkpoint.


    ¡°There are too many of them. What¡¯s happening?¡± Cain turned his ear toward them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    ¡°I really wanted to go up against the Captain again.¡±


    ¡°I could brag about fighting a Superhuman for generations!¡±


    Cain tilted his head when he heard that. ¡°Are they talking about the Reserve Battalion Commander?¡±


    A man, looking to be somewhere in his thirties, pushed his way through the knights. He was quite handsome. His sharp features and purple eyes made him seem to look lethally charming. The dragon emzoned on his shield made it obvious that he was an Imperial Knight.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job,¡± he said, ¡°but it¡¯s not good to mingle with his kind. Are any of us knights willing to get caught up in Count Sanders¡¯s punishment?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cain was both dumbfounded and furious, but he didn¡¯t say anything.


    No one stepped forward.


    ¡°This is absurd¡­¡±! Cain was about to step forward.


    ¡°...!¡±


    However, Cain was horrified when a handnded on his shoulder.


    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t even feel his approach¡­!¡¯</em>


    Cain broke out into a cold sweat as fifty-thousand thoughts ran through his mind in the proverbial blink of an eye. Cain was an A-ss knight, someone far above themon man.


    Even in Avalon, someone powerful enough to sneak up on him had to be¡­


    ¡°Keep quiet,¡± said a familiar voice.


    ¡°Master?¡± Cain was pleasantly surprised.


    ¡°Don''t get too worked up. You haven¡¯t forgotten where you are, right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, don¡¯t get too worked up? You almost gave me a heart attack!¡± Cain turned around, but Joshua¡¯s grim look froze him in his tracks.


    ¡°M-Master? W-what is going on?¡± Cain followed Joshua¡¯s intently focused gaze. The knights seemed to have noticed them by now, and they were staring back at them.


    ¡°He was talking shit about you, so I wanted to teach him a lesson,¡± said Cain.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t afford to be arrogant in front of that man.¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    Joshua took a step back.


    ¡°Ghad du Lancelot.¡±


    The rumored sessor of Knight Commander Rod. Most importantly, he was Evergrant, Berber, and Draxia¡¯s co-conspirator on that fateful night.


    He was one of Joshua¡¯s murderers.

 Chapter 238

    Chapter 238


    Iceline¡¯s sparkling eyes could be seen beneath the hood of her robe.


    When the conversation turned to men, she had a lot of thoughts. Especially that one man, her benefactor, someone she was fated to see only once in her life. She owed him a great debt, but she still had a long way to go before she could fully repay him.


    It was bothering her. How could she be of help to him? Is there a way she could finish the job without any more help?


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen a lot of things,¡± Icelin murmured, tightly clenching her fist. She couldn¡¯t afford to drag her feet anymore; if she remained the same, nothing would change. If she wanted something to happen, she had to work for it.


    Joshua made her realize many things, and it was time for her to make a move based on those epiphanies.


    Two men sat across from Iceline. The middle-aged man on Iceline¡¯s left stretched out his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you. I am the manager of the Magic Tower¡¯s Arcadia branch.¡±


    ¡°My name is Selena.¡±


    <em>Flinch.</em>


    Robinson and the man on Iceline¡¯s right met eyes.


    <em>¡®Is she that woman?¡¯ </em>they seemed to be asking each other.


    ¡°Excuse me, did youe from Anorad Castle?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Then, what about the Mercenary Guild¡ª¡±


    Iceline interrupted in a cheery voice. ¡°Is there something wrong with that?¡±


    ¡°Well, I mean¡­¡± Robinson was at a loss for words because of Iceline¡¯s tranquil and respectful behavior.


    Robinson sighed and let the manager take over.


    ¡°There¡¯s an issue, yes,¡± said the manager. ¡°You cannot be a mage of the Magic Tower if you¡¯re affiliated with another organization.¡±


    Iceline''s eyes shone as she said, ¡°It seems that there has been a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I came here to register my ss. I¡¯m not here to join the Magic Tower,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°Are you saying that you became a ss 5 Mage despite being an unregistered mage?¡± asked the manager with wide eyes.


    The Magic Tower was the organization that certified a mage¡¯s ss. If a Mage didn¡¯t register their ss with the Magic Tower, then they couldn¡¯t be considered a Mage on that ss, even though they were technically a Mage on that ss.


    Certified mages enjoyed a variety of benefits, simr to knights. It wasn¡¯t rare to see uncertified mages but to be a ss 5 Mage as an uncertified mage was an astounding feat.


    After all, the so-called uncertified mages weren¡¯t allowed to use the resources that the Magic Tower had to offer. Therefore, mages had more than enough reason to go through the trouble of bing certified mages.


    ¡°May I ask why you¡¯vee to be certified?¡± asked the manager.


    Iceline frowned. ¡°Do I need to answer that before I can be certified¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not. It¡¯s a personal question.¡± The manager groaned awkwardly and hurriedly exined, ¡°If you want to reach a higher ss, then you should really join our Magic Tower¡­¡±


    ¡±In addition, ss 5 Mages and higher are the ones with ess to the Magic Tower¡¯s real secrets. Miss Selena, without the Tower¡¯s help, you¡¯ll struggle to advance even when though you¡¯re certified. Surely you understand my sentiments?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Iceline remained quiet for quite a while.


    ¡°...I knew wizards were stereotypically self-centered, but this is worse than I thought. Just so we¡¯re clear, I don¡¯t want to be certified so I can learn from the Magic Tower. I¡¯m quite certain that I will never need the help of the Magic Tower,¡± said Iceline.


    ¡°H-Hey!¡± the manager eximed. ¡°You can¡¯t say that. The Tower is¡ª¡±


    Iceline interrupted the manager with a mutter, ¡°Not too long ago, the Magic Tower officially changed Jack Steropes¡¯ status from missing to dead. And they¡¯re searching for someone to rece him.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Robinson and the manager¡¯s eyes widened at Iceline¡¯s bombshell.


    ¡°They¡¯re vetting any mages approved by the Tower. The Tower Master himself said that the selection process would be fair and thorough. Perhaps the recent Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle had something to do with that?¡± asked Iceline.


    ¡°T-That¡¯s true, but you¡¯re an ice mage, Miss Selena. Mr. Act is responsible for ice¡ª¡±


    Iceline stared dismissively at Robinson and replied, ¡°It isn¡¯t as good as my ice magic, but I¡¯m pretty confident in my Lightning magic too.¡±


    ¡°A-a dual mage¡­!¡± Robinson grimaced in shock. ¡°But that¡¯s not enough to be one of the Seven. On top of that, you¡¯re still an uncertified mage, even though you¡¯re technically a ss 5 Mage. You haven¡¯t even met the Tower Master yet.¡±


    Iceline reached up and lowered her hood.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    She looked like she wasn¡¯t even twenty yet, astounding both Robinson and the manager.


    ¡°Please excuse me for a moment,¡± Iceline said.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    However, Iceline didn¡¯t even wait for their reply as she waved her hand lightly.


    The mana in the air started trembling as if in response to her gesture. The manager stood up and looked around; he found that his pens were rising from the desk with a slight resonant hum.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­


    The pens shed momentarily, and the manager was stupefied to find that the pens were now sporting mana des of different attributes.


    Both the manager and Robinson were frozen where they stood, and they stared ck-jawed that their jaws threatened to fall off their chins. Iceline had just cast a 4th Circle spell without any chant.


    In addition, the four mana des that had sprouted possessed the four principal attributes.


    This could only mean one thing¡­


    ¡°A-a ss 6 Quad Magician¡­!¡±


    The manager barely managed to squeeze those words out of his mouth.


    .


    ***


    Ghad du Lancelot. How could Joshua ever forget his name? He was the happiest when Joshua took hisst breath. He was the only one with a deep hatred for Joshua. Perhaps he thought that with the brave Joshua Sanders gone, the Imperial Knights Order would look up to him as their leader.


    Joshua, on the other hand, knew his fellow knights better. Ghad¡¯s personality was far too different from Joshua''s for Ghad to fill that hole.


    In addition, Ghad had never managed to beat Joshua. In fact, he never even tried again after losing just once. He was afraid of Joshua. He screamed like a baby until a ban was put in ce, saying he was going mad with fear.


    <em>¡®I promised to cut you up¡­ and I wasn¡¯t joking.¡¯</em>


    Joshua slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s about to start, my lord,¡± Cain said to Joshua. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re okay? You haven¡¯t said a word since yesterday. Why don¡¯t you go home as soon as this is over? You¡¯ve already reached an agreement with Sir Armstrong.¡±


    Joshua remained silent.


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> please say something! Do you really want me to die trying to figure out what you¡¯re thinking right now?¡±


    ¡°Cain¡­¡±


    Cain was actually surprised when Joshua¡¯s mouth finally opened.


    ¡°Yes, yes, Master, here I am!¡±


    ¡°...How many people do you think are waiting on the other side of that door?¡±


    ¡°<em>Hmm?</em>¡± Cain turned to examine the door in question.


    They were standing outside the building dedicated to the 2nd Battalion. The top three battalions shared a massive training hall, and the door in front of them was the entrance to that training hall.


    ¡°In terms of audience, just the Emperor and the nobles would be at least five hundred. And the perverts looking to get a beating from my lord based on yesterday, I think there are three hundred?¡±


    ¡°So three battalions in total¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Setting aside the two independent battalions and counting the two battalions serving under His Majesty means that there will be at least ten battalions, numbering over?¡± asked Joshua.


    ¡±There¡¯ll be well over a thousand people in the audience! And the finest in all of Avalon!¡± Cain smiled wryly as he answered with a grim look. ¡°I think you¡¯re in deep trouble. Are you still with me? Don¡¯t lose it!¡±


    Joshua smirked. ¡°Do you really think that I¡¯m going to lose?¡±


    <em>Flinch.</em>


    Cain flinched and scratched his head in embarrassment. ¡°It¡¯s not like that. But you¡¯re clearly going against a thousand people. What if you get seriously hurt? Can she afford to live as a widow?¡±


    ¡°A widow?¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh my, oh my¡­</em>¡± Cain dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve. ¡°You always act so recklessly even when there are people waiting for you. Seriously, this¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡± Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°Master, how could youugh right now? Are you the golden standard for dense people now?¡±


    Joshua regarded Cain warmly. ¡°As always, you have my thanks, Cain.¡±


    The knight scowled. ¡°Do you have to do this?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°But why are you so fixated on this?¡±


    ¡°This means as much to me as Cain¡¯s wedding.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god! You¡¯re going to save the world one day!¡±


    Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°You mustn¡¯t get hurt,¡± Cain insisted.


    ¡°That¡¯s a given.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re in danger, I¡¯ll be right there.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to because I won¡¯t be in danger.¡±


    ¡°So much as a scratch¡­¡± Cain exuded malice. ¡°I¡¯ll kill all of them myself. I don¡¯t care even if the target is His Majesty the Emperor..¡±


    ¡°I think the difficulty has gone up a lot,¡± said Joshua with a bitter smile. ¡°I don¡¯t mind fighting the entire Imperial Knights Order, but Knight Commander Rod is a tough nut to crack even for me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cain seemed confused. However, the moment he understood that Joshua was truly talking about Knight Commander Rod of the Imperial Knights Order, Cain couldn¡¯t help but exim, ¡°What?!¡±


    Cain was horrified as he turned to look at Joshua, who was already walking toward the door.


    ¡°W-wait! Give me a second! Stop!¡± Horrified, Cain ran after the confused-looking Joshua andmpooned to himself in a low voice. ¡°This is insane¡­ Will I really be able to get married at this rate? No, in the first ce, will I even survive long enough to get married?¡±<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 239

    Chapter 239


    In the middle of the vast expanses of the Imperial Pce was a massive training hall used by the knights. It wasrge enough to amodate three battalions at the same time, but right now, there was definitely more than three battalions¡¯ worth of people. In other words, the training hall was jam-packed.


    Knight Commander Rod swept his gaze across the training hall and boisterouslyughed.


    ¡°Is this all because of Joshua?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Setting aside the 11th and 12th Battalions, there are still at least a thousand people here.¡±


    ¡°Every Battalion Commander is here as well.¡±


    ¡°I feel like it¡¯ll be a waste of spit even if I say something.¡±


    ¡°Are you gonna participate as well, Valmont?¡±


    Valmont froze and frowned before saying, ¡°I¡¯m not interested.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a surprise. I thought you wanted a rematch with him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I don¡¯t want it like this,¡± replied Valmont.


    He closed his eyes and continued talking, ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know what the people here are thinking, Knight Commander, Sir. Those who came here with their swords are chasing after the honor of facing a Superhuman.


    ¡°Fighting a Superhuman is an honor that not even gold can buy. On the off chance that they won and managed to make a Superhuman kneel in front of them, it would be tantamount to reaching the heavens with a single leap.


    ¡°In other words, depriving a Superhuman of their honor and titles means that they¡¯re going to be¡­¡± Valmont trailed off.


    ¡°They¡¯re going to be famous,¡± said Knight Commander Rod.


    ¡°Yes, and I¡¯m not nning on bing one of them,¡± said Valmont with a nod. His eyes turned cold as he continued. ¡°Those people are the problem. Knights converse with their swords, but those people up there?¡±


    Valmont pointed outside the training hall and at the adjacent banquet hall. There were long, carefully spaced tables filled with various dishes and many other delicacies.


    It seemed that the high and mighty of Avalon were here to watch a show from the safe confines of the banquet hall just next to the training hall.


    Valmont coldly said, ¡°The fact that they¡¯re willing to take bribes and dip their fingers into political squabbles makes them a disgrace as knights.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Knight Commander Rod was silent at that. It was unknown whether Valmont¡¯s words were intentionally targeting him or not.


    A voice echoed from out of nowhere and said, ¡°If you¡¯re not happy about it, then why don¡¯t you try and change it yourself?¡±


    ¡°You are¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ghad,¡± said Knight Commander Rod, seemingly pleased by Ghad¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back, sir. Wait, should I call you Knight Commander, sir?¡±


    ¡°Since when did you bother with those things? Anyway, it has been really hard to catch even a glimpse of your shadow, even though we live in the same ce. How¡¯s His Third Highness?¡±


    ¡°As usual¡­¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to be happy to hear that?¡± Knight Commander Rod shook his head and exined, ¡°Since His Third Highness¡¯ personal bodyguard is here, then I guess it¡¯s only safe to assume that His Third Highness has returned as well, am I right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more of a scout than a personal bodyguard, but what do you think? Do you really think that His Third Highness needs a personal bodyguard?¡± asked Ghad.


    Knight Commander Rod shook his head and replied, ¡°He¡¯s strong enough to protect himself¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true, but he has no interest in the throne as well. So he has nothing to gain from throwing his weight around, and if he were to do that, he would just incur unwanted ire,¡± said Ghad.


    Knight Commander Rod nodded his head as if he understood. ¡°In that case, are you going to leave soon?¡±


    ¡°Well, he has always been a free-spirited person,¡± Ghad replied. He made a sidelong nce at Valmont and continued. ¡°Anyway, you were saying something interesting earlier. Why don¡¯t you go on/¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about petty political fights and bribery¡­¡±


    ¡°You said something about politics and bribery¡­¡±


    Valmont¡¯s expression stiffened. Even he couldn¡¯t meet Ghad¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°His Majesty himself gave the permission,¡± Ghad said with a smile. ¡°If someone else heard you rather than me, then you could have been used of treason.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Valmont grimaced.


    ¡°And the infamous Sir Valmont is actually talking about being a true knight? <em>Hah! </em>Considering howzy you are, if you were the definition of a true knight, then it would have been a miracle for Arcadia to havested this long!¡±


    Valmont''s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°Are you sure the brain inside that head between your shoulders is still working? All this is obviously a punishment for Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°A punishment?¡± asked Valmont, seemingly dumbfounded.


    ¡°His Majesty basically felt as if he had been refused by an insect. How is His Majesty supposed to uphold his dignity after being declined by a mere bug?¡± Ghad turned away from Valmont and continued. ¡°His Majesty is nning to let that brat know that he is nothing but hot air. It also severs any thought of rebellion in that punk¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m gonna ask you a question,¡± said Valmont.


    ¡°...?¡± Ghad turned around and stared at Valmont, seemingly confused.


    ¡°Are you going topete with him?¡±


    ¡°Compete? <em>Haha¡­</em> Compete?¡± Ghad smirked. ¡°Well, we¡¯ll just have to see if the opportunity arises, right?¡±


    ¡°And if it does?¡±


    Ghad¡¯s eyes twitched. ¡°Then, there¡¯s no way I¡¯ll refuse. I¡¯m eager as well.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the same, then¡±


    Ghad looked thoroughly confused.


    Fortunately, Valmont quickly exined, ¡°I¡¯ve always wanted to see how that <em>bug</em> will crush a certain someone.¡±


    Ghad¡¯s eyes narrowed upon hearing that.


    However, before he could even say anything in response, screams reverberated throughout the training hall.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting!¡±


    Every knight in the training hall turned to look at the entrance at the same time.


    There was a young man slowly walking into the training hall.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be damned¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod inhaled sharply. The tension was as sharp as a knife. The air was still as calm as a cidke, but he could feel the advent of a fierce tempest that would turn everything upside down.


    Without a doubt, the young man was one of the most well-known people in Avalon.


    Joshua Sanders was finally about to make his debut as a Superhuman.


    ***


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Emperor Marcus boisterouslyughed. He downed a ss of liquor and mmed the ss on the table before shouting, ¡°Let the banquet begin!¡±


    Joshua was alone as his opponents entered the arena.


    The way they acted was odd, and it seemed as if they had discussed what they were going to do beforehand.


    ¡°The rules are simple. The battle ends when there are no more challengers. It doesn¡¯t matter how long it takes!¡±


    Three knights stood next to each other in front of Joshua.


    ¡°I am Spare, the second son of the Huddles family and a knight of the 4th Battalion. I am your first opponent. It is an honor topete with a great Superhuman.¡±


    ¡°I am your second opponent. My name is Aaron Frank, the third son of the Frank family and knight of the 3rd Battalion.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m from the 5th Battalion¡­¡±


    Joshua zoned out and looked up at the sky.


    ¡°The weather¡¯s perfect for a pic,¡± Joshua casually muttered. The way he was acting should have been a tell-tale sign to his opponents that Joshua was a dangerous enemy to face.


    However, the three knights seemed oblivious as Joshua looked at them.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he said, to his opponents¡¯ confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t have much time, so let¡¯s get started right away.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Thepetition has already started.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The three men blinked, and Joshua disappeared when they opened their eyes once again. Joshua had moved so fast that they didn¡¯t even notice that they had already been sent flying away.


    ¡°<em>Ack¡­!</em>¡±


    <em>¡°Argh¡­!</em>¡±


    ¡°<em>Mmmph¡­!</em>¡±


    Their pained screams echoed throughout the training hall.


    Sadly, it was over. The three men were convulsing, and it was clear that they had lost consciousness. In the proverbial blink of an eye, Joshua¡¯s foot had struck their napes with pinpoint uracy


    ¡°...¡± A suffocating silence fell upon the audience.


    It was over too fast for the nobles¡¯ eyes to catch. They were still trying to figure out what happened, and it was a surprise, but even the knights had no idea what happened.


    When he moved. What he did. Where he struck. No one understood a thing. In fact, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to say that no one but a select few managed to catch Joshua¡¯s shadow.


    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± Knight Commander Rod eximed in surprise.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ghad seemed both amused and interested.


    Joshua swept his gaze across the knights in the training hall, and amidst the gaze of everyone, he casually said, ¡°So your n is toe here one by one and wear me down?¡±


    A few knights were furious when they heard that.


    ¡°Are you guys worried about the consequences of ganging up on me? Well, don¡¯t worry. There are no rules against that. In other words, all of you cane down here and fight me at the same time.¡±


    There was no way that the knights would have no idea about what Joshua was saying, and Joshua himself simply pointed it out to provoke the knights. Yes, it was a childish method of provocation, but it was more effective than anything else.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a pain if this bes simr to the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle, so¡­¡± Joshua shed a wide smile and said, ¡°All of you,e at me.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The knights stared at Joshua without saying anything.


    ¡°Have you all forgotten about what happened back then? You guys never managed to beat me even once five years ago¡ªno, you lot didn¡¯t even manage to scratch me, which is a bit hrious considering you people are Imperial Knights.¡±


    The knights¡¯ eyes turned bloodshot.


    At the sight, Joshua decided to deal the final blow. ¡°Come on, ditch that nauseating pride of yours when you can¡¯t back it up. Don¡¯t even unt that kind of thing in front of me.¡±


    ¡°You¡­! How dare you?!¡± A knight couldn¡¯t take it anymore, and he leaped into the air,nding on the grounds of the training hall with a loud bang.


    The knight started a deluge of knights charging toward Joshua.


    ¡°<em>Hmm. </em>There should be about five hundred of them.¡± Joshua looked around cheerfully. It was about half of the total opponents. As the finest knights in thend of knights, theirbined energy made Joshua¡¯s figure feel a tingle.


    ¡°Since the numbers are greatly stacked against me¡­¡± Joshua summoned his crimson spear from the subspace.


    Could he remain steadfast against the power of five hundred excellent knights?


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level 6: Earth''s Chapter.¡±


    The air around Joshua abruptly changed. He pointed the tip of his spear at the charging enemies and muttered softly, ¡°Mountain Crush.¡±


    Joshua turned into a giant ¡°mountain¡±.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 240

    Chapter 240


    Papir, a diligent member of the 4th Battalion of the Imperial Knights, couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. There were enough rumors going around to make his ears itch, but now, Papir had seen it himself. As fellow Imperial Knights, they had breathed the same air for thest five years, but Papir had never seen Joshua in action until now.


    And the revtion seemed to be too much for him to bear.


    ¡°Argh!¡± A pained groan slipped out of Papir¡¯s cked jaw.


    The first thing that he felt was shame.


    Spare van Huddles, hisrade in the 4th Battalion for ten years and hispetitor for the position of Battalion Commander, was knocked out before he could even draw his sword, and Papir was ashamed because it happened to him as well.


    It happened so fast that when Papir blinked, he was already staring at the ceiling. However, one thing was for sure. Joshua¡¯s fame as one of the Superhumans wasn¡¯t in vain.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not human.¡± Papir¡¯s body was damp with sweat. Surprise, wonder, fear¡ªhe felt like he was being dragged down by an invisible force. Even though Joshua was merely standing there with his spear pointing to the sky, Papir felt like he was facing tens of thousands¡ªperhaps even hundreds of thousands¡ªof soldiers.


    ¡°...!¡±


    When the crimson spear slowly started moving, Papir¡¯s eyes bulged, his heart thrashed wildly against his chest, and he was finding it hard to breathe.


    Papir hadmitted his life to the sword. He had heard of an elite among elites who had lost not even a handful of times. However, nothing he had ever seen before could have prepared him for this, and fear quickly overwhelmed him.


    <em>¡®Come at me¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua seemed to be saying that to them.


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t win¡­¡¯</em> Papir started trembling. He felt weak and useless. Most importantly, he was scared. <em>¡®I don¡¯t want to fight him.¡¯</em>


    ¡°<em>Ugh¡­</em>¡± Papir took a step backward. Right now, he wanted to turn around and flee.


    ¡°I-I give¡­ up¡­¡± It seemed that Papir wasn¡¯t the only one who had given up. A knight of the 9th Battalion had his eyes practically rolled back into his head.


    ¡°...¡± Joshua turned to look at Lugia with a sparkle in his eyes.


    The Magic Spear Arts was an offensive spear art, but it could also be used to defend. Whenever there was light, there would always be a shadow, and whenever one went up a hill, one would eventually have to go down.


    A mountain could send parching winds, but sometimes the winds were sweet.


    However, once one finally reached the summit of a mountain, one would find another mountain with a higher summit.


    ¡°This is the amalgamation of humankind,¡± Joshua muttered.


    How dare mere humans weigh their pitiful power against nature itself? The mountain was the spear. No, the mountain could kill through its sheer presence alone. Such was Mountain Crush.


    ¡°<em>Umf¡­</em>¡±


    The first person to reach Joshua was the youngest member of the 10th Battalion, a man with grand ambitions. As the first in line, he was inevitably the first one to get ttened by the sheer force Joshua was exuding as the avatar of a mountain.


    And that wasn¡¯t the end of it¡­


    The next one to tragically copse was a member of the 9th Battalion. The knights from the higher battalions were no different. Actually, they were still standing, but they were barely hanging on.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± someone eximed from somewhere.


    Joshua hadn¡¯t even brandished his spear just yet, but the knights¡ªthe self-proimed strongest knights in Avalon¡ªcontinued to fall just as they arrived in front of the former.


    ***


    ¡°Cazes?¡± Ranger stood in a damp, sunless patch hidden by the inner wall of the Imperial Pce. The noises from the training hall couldn¡¯t be heard in this ce.


    ¡°Tell me, Ranger,¡± said Cazes.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°For you, who is Count Sanders?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your question?¡± Ranger looked like he couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°He¡¯s obviously our Battalion Commander.¡±


    ¡°Right? He¡¯s our Battalion Commander, after all.¡± Cazesughed and nodded. ¡°He¡¯s our proud Battalion Commander, even if everyone tells us that he¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Ranger seemed frustrated. ¡°Do you still remember when he finally defeated the proud Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion?¡±


    ¡°Was itst year?¡±


    ¡°He gained so much respect back then. That scumbag Derek had always been looking down on our battalions, but he got humbled.¡±


    Cazes chuckled bitterly. ¡°Because of our Battalion Commander¡¯s background, Derek didn¡¯t even treat him like a human being. He looked at us like we were some kind of garbage.¡±


    ¡°Right! So Battalion Commander decided to beat the crap out of him, and he showed us how proud he was of us. Actually, I even took the initiative to start washing his underwear back then.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know that. Actually, do you have any idea what kind of rumors started after you started doing that? The pce maids were gossiping about how you had discovered a brand-new world or something.¡±


    ¡°What brand-new world? I¡¯m straight, goddamned it!¡± Ranger cursed before burying his face into his hands. ¡°I was just trying to support the Battalion Commander by using my own hands to wash his clothes!¡±


    ¡°...¡± Cazes couldn¡¯t help but smile. He was the only one who understood Ranger¡¯s feelings right now.


    ¡°Well, you have plenty of time now, right?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ranger¡¯s head jerked up.


    ¡°Word on the street is that the Battalion Commander has other loyal servants.¡±


    ¡°So what? Are they willing to wash his underwear?¡± Ranger frowned.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with that fixation on his underwear?¡±


    Ranger furiously shouted, ¡°It means that I¡¯m willing to go the extra mile for our Battalion Commander! Anyway, what are they?¡±


    ¡°Battalion Commander is apparently forming an independent knight order with those other loyal servants of his and the Wilhelm Knights.¡±


    ¡°The Wilhelm Knights?¡± Ranger¡¯s eyes widened. He had his own eyes and ears, so he had obviously heard the rumors by now.


    ¡°Yeah, the Wilhelm Knights of Reinhardt. And his First Sword apparently named himself the Golden Spirit Knight because of his noble soul or something,¡± added Cazes.


    ¡°Wait, really? That sounds cool,¡± said Ranger.


    ¡°Yeah, he apparently came up with his own moniker.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Ranger''s eyes sparkled. ¡°Let''s also do it, too.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s make our own moniker,¡± exined Ranger.


    ¡°He already gave us a name.¡± Cazes looked at Ranger in disbelief before saying, ¡°He gave us a great name. Crevasse Knights of the Frozen Nightmare.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our official, formal name! As a small group, we can name ourselves like his fan club! We can have another name, can¡¯t we?¡± asked Ranger.


    ¡°Technically, the Wilhelm Knights are¡ª¡± Cazes started.


    However, Ranger interrupted him. ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn! Let¡¯s make ours!¡±


    Cazes caved in and sighed when he saw that there was no way he could stop Ranger by now. In the end, he suggested. ¡°<em>Uh,</em> what about Two Souls Knights?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re part of the Imperial Family, right? But now, we¡¯re also going to be a part of our Battalion Commander¡¯s family.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh, </em>that¡¯s true!¡±


    ¡°So, Two Souls Knights because there are two souls in each knight. I mean, it¡¯s important for us to respect him as well, right?¡± exined Cazes.


    Ranger nodded confidently. ¡°I like it.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯llmit our souls to two different ces¡ªto our Battalion Commander and to our nation.¡±


    ¡°Cazes¡­¡± Ranger stuck his thumb up. ¡°You came up with such a cool name!¡±


    ¡°Thanks¡­.¡± Cazes smiled wryly.


    ¡°<em>ARRRGH!</em>¡±


    A gutwrenching scream reverberated out of the training hall. Cazes and Ranger whipped around and shouted over each other in surprise.


    ¡°What the heck¡ª¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    Aside from one person, there was no one left standing in the training hall.


    Cazes and Ranger then heard Joshua¡¯s familiar voice.


    ¡°You people were once myrades, so I¡¯m going to warn you all.¡± Joshua swept his gaze across the training hall and said, ¡°There are no rules against killing, so from now on, those who dare to oppose me¡ª¡±


    Joshua took a stance with Lugia and continued. ¡°¡ªWill die.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Awesome!¡± It was a simple word indicating the speaker¡¯s amazement at the other party¡¯s actions. However, it was a different story if the speaker was Emperor Marcus, who was considered to be the worst tyrant in history.


    ¡°Forcing five hundred people to their knees through sheer presence alone. Those were the imperial knights, to boot! Is that some kind of unique technique using mana?¡±


    ¡±Mana can be used in many ways, but it¡¯s strange. It¡¯s strange that a human being could actually do such a thing¡± Emperor Marcus couldn¡¯t contain his admiration.


    It was pretty obvious that Joshua¡¯s feats weren¡¯t something that just about anyone could do. After all, some mountains were truly impossible to climb for mankind.


    Emperor Marcus would always wear a facade whenever he was in the presence of other people, but in the face of those who were truly strong, his true personality would alwayse out.


    Speaking of those who were ¡®truly strong,¡¯ Emperor Marcus had acknowledged at least two people.


    ¡°Even taking that into ount¡­ Hmm. How fun.¡± He stroked his chin as he settled into his chair. ¡°How does seeing your child¡¯s growth make you feel, Adeh? Not bad, right? Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make it even more interesting.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Astonishingly, Duke Agnus¡¯ stony lips slowly opened as he spoke, ¡°I still haven¡¯t decided on my sessor.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Emperor Marcus turned to face him. ¡°The world already knows your ns.¡±


    ¡°I own the Agnus family, and Joshua is irrefutably my son. Who would argue otherwise?¡±


    ¡°And are you going to abandon that child, Babel von Agnus?¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯ expression shifted as he replied, ¡°Being the oldest child means nothing if your younger brother is superior to you.¡±


    Duke Agnus didn¡¯t express it outright, but he was obviously trying to say that Emperor Marcus should have noticed it by now.


    ¡°<em>Oh-hoh.</em>¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s expression was bemused, but his eyes shone dangerously as he said, ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve shown me something like this, and recently¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bit absurd to be against the Titan of Avalon and the world-famous Dark God. Emperor Marcus chuckled hollowly. ¡°What do you think will happen to the child when his promised future is taken away?¡±


    ¡±Well, it¡¯s up to the merchant to decide whom he is going to sell his merchandise to, and I¡¯m more interested in his mother. Apparently, she¡¯s a maid? Is that right?¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯ expression became much sterner.


    ¡°What kind of woman was daring enough to tempt you into fathering a child? I¡¯m interested to know more about her.¡±


    ¡°She is not worthy of Your Majesty¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who gets to decide that. Anyway, bring her with you the next time youe here,¡± said Emperor Marcus.


    Unbeknownst to the spectators, sparks were flying between the two most influential people of Avalon.


    ~


    Meanwhile, the training hall was once again filled with a cacophony of noises.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The noises vanished as a resonant hum tore through the air and flew toward Joshua, causing a loud explosion upon impact.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 241

    Chapter 241


    The Aura de caused a massive explosion.


    Joshua looked forward silently, gently flexing his arm to ease the vestiges of the impact. His attention was firmly fixed on the man who had just drawn his de, and his heartless expression had given way to a solemn demeanor.


    ¡°That was something,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you appreciate it¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Sir Valmont is the first A-ss offering?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    Valmont burst outughing.


    ¡°I was just surprised to see you.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t think I desire great honor? This is my chance to seize the center stage and be the continent¡¯s celebrity.¡±


    ¡°You? Great honor?¡±


    ¡°Heh. I know¡ªI didn¡¯te here just to talk. If I lose, the entire 6th Battalion will retreat.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The eyes of the imperial knights, who were silently watching the situation, widened.


    ¡°B-Battalion Commander, sir?¡± One of the 6th Battalion¡¯s knights in the area voiced the doubts that all the Imperial Knights shared.


    ¡°What? Anyints?¡±


    ¡°Well, no¡­¡±


    ¡°If you have anyints, then you lead. Of course, before that, you¡¯ll have to defeat me first here in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten, sir?¡± The knight pounded his chest in frustration and surreptitiously nced in the direction where Emperor Marcus was located.


    Valmont¡¯s expression hardened when he noted the Emperor¡¯s attention. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but he said we could use any means. Heck, he even said we could use our family¡¯s political power.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed. Although Valmont had lowered his voice, it wasn¡¯t low enough that Joshua couldn¡¯t overhear. Thanks to that, he was able to know that the Emperor had different intentions.


    <em>¡®I have no idea why he decided to step up but¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°Even if the 6th Battalion gets wiped out, the others will still be there!¡± The 6th Battalion knight protested. ¡°The losses then will be¡­!¡±


    Joshua interjected quietly, ¡°What happens if¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°What happens if one thousand knights attacked one person and don''t win? What will happen then? Of course, I¡¯m talking about the former and not thetter.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    A suffocating silence gripped the training hall as Joshua continued to speak.


    ¡°You people have made a big deal out of this. Do you really think that the news isn¡¯t going to spread?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The 6th Battalion knight didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°The problem here isn¡¯t what your people will think; it¡¯s what other people will think.¡± I


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights Order was defeated by one Superhuman, what do you think people will say or think? There are people much stronger than myself on the continent. Don¡¯t you think people may feel that with just one of the Nine Stars or a Superhuman, they may be able to capture the Imperial Pce?¡± ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure it will cause great humiliation on the Imperial Knights Order, and the national prestige will plummet. What do you think His Majesty will think about the Imperial Knights Order¡¯s failure to subdue a lone man?¡±


    The 6th Battalion knight gulped a mouthful of his own saliva, and his expression stiffened as he thought about the possible consequences¡ªexile, execution, or even three generations execution.


    However, the 6th Battalion knight found a glimmer of hope and eximed, ¡°That will onlye true if you win!¡±


    ¡°There is no other oue,¡± said Joshua as he stared right at the 6th Battalion knight while raising his energy.


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°<em>Ah!</em>¡±


    The mountain returned, pressing the knights into the ground from head to toe. Even the knights who hadn¡¯t attacked fell victim. A thousand knights were forced to their knees before Joshua. He was in total control of everyone.


    Knight Commander Rod himself clenched his fist uneasily. A long-forgotten feeling welled up from inside him: the spirit of pride he had when he was unbound. A pure,petitive urge to outdo the man in front of him.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t get it?¡± Joshua took a step forward with the momentum of an entire mountain. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you can¡¯t win, I¡¯m saying that I don¡¯t lose.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Past, present, or future¡ªdefeat does not exist to me.¡±


    Unfathomably arrogant¡ªbut to the knight, it didn¡¯t seem that way at all when it came out of Joshua¡¯s mouth. If anything, he was understating it.


    ¡°Here¡¯s one more thing to think about.¡± Joshua got right up to the knight¡¯s nose.


    ¡°Wha¡­t¡­ Ugkkk¡­¡±


    ¡°Those petty, cunning, scheming aristocrats have already noticed it, but there¡¯s a trap in His Majesty¡¯s orders about using the power of your family or something¡­¡±


    ¡°Trap?¡± Valmont looked up while he was circting his mana throughout his entire body to resist the mountain.


    ¡°In politics, information is power. Particrly information about inter-family power structures.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    If you were to examine who is close to whom¡ªthe conflicts, the alliances, the trends that follow¡ªyou could extrapte a lot¡­Of course, the information could have been fabricated as well, but the ability to identify suspicious forces is a positive.¡± Joshua deliberately raised his voice as he spoke thest bit.


    As expected, he received an immediate response.


    ¡°<em>Hahaha!</em>¡± Emperor Marcus burst into manic, uncontroble madness.


    It was at this moment that all doubts cleared and turned into certainty.


    Valmont finally spoke, ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed? How could honorable knights y at being a ridiculous politician?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°In the chivalry I had learned, at least, there were no such things as hundreds of knights taking up arms against each other for self-fulfillment.¡±


    Valmont tightly gripped his sword and started walking toward Joshua. ¡°So, even if I break you with a random attack, what would be the point?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua''s eyes narrowed as Valmont approached him.


    He had never stopped the effect of the spear art himself. The other knights couldn¡¯t resist the might of Joshua¡¯s Spear Arts, but Valmont dun Brown was resisting it and could even move beneath the mountain.


    ¡°After that defeat, I struggled on my own for quite some time.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d win just by reaching A-ss. However, Joshua Sanders, you¡¯re even more monstrous than anyone I had ever seen.¡±


    The Imperial Knights reeled. They stared wide-eyed at Valmont in shock. The infamouszy Battalion Commander was actually an A-ss Knight?


    ¡°I wanted you to be the first person to receive this 4th stage, Profound Origin.¡±


    A faint smile danced on Joshua¡¯s lips. ¡°It¡¯s an honor.¡±


    ¡°If you manage to counter this¡­ then yes. Rather than staying with the Imperial Knights for the rest of my life, it would be good to get a change of scenery.¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Are you saying that you want to be one of my knights?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to allow me, yes,¡± replied Valmont.


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua remained silent as he wondered what Valmont was thinking.


    ¡°Setting that aside, I want to ask you for a favor.¡±


    ¡°A favor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a win-win, so I¡¯m sure you would want to do it as well.¡±


    ¡°Sure, if it¡¯s not difficult. Of course¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It will only happen if you manage to beat me,¡± said Valmont. The good-natured smile on his face disappeared as the air around him changed.


    The air began to tremble as if being torn apart as the Brown family¡¯s secret technique was revealed once again. All the stars in the sky seemed to fall from his sword as he leaped forward in a decisive strike.


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua''s eyes widened. Valmont was moving faster than Joshua had seen in their previous battle. He had fought against Valmont before but it waspletely different from before.


    One. Ten. Thirty. In an instant, dozens of silver lights shot forward.


    As the Fastest Star of Avalon, Valmont was known for his dextrous swordy that resembled a meteor, but the swordsmanship he was disying right now wasn¡¯t just a lone meteor. It was a meteor shower¡ªa fierce, violent, and extremely destructive shower of falling stars.


    <em>¡®He changed his speed and pacing; his strength also increased. Not to mention, even one Aura de is difficult but he¡¯s created dozens¡­¡¯ </em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes twinkled. He was pleasantly surprised. It was difficult to imagine a brand-new A-ss pulling off a technique asplex as this.


    In fact, even Knight of Red me bis hadn¡¯t progressed this fast.


    Valmont dun Brown was a genius among geniuses; all hecked was the drive to grow stronger. Joshua, a hardworking genius, had never encountered a talent that could match his own¡ªexcept for one.


    <em>¡®I don¡¯t think it would be bad to give this model student a bit of a push.¡¯</em> thought Joshua with a light smile as he brandished his sword. <em>¡®You¡¯re ripe enough to take one step further if you can see this, Battalion Commander Valmont.¡¯</em>


    The time that had stopped finally started moving once more.


    ¡°...!¡± Valmont felt a sense of foreboding, and he raised his sword in response.


    Valmont¡¯s eyes widened when he saw Joshua¡¯s move.


    Joshua had raised his spear in a stance strikingly simr to Valmont, and the only difference was that Joshua was wielding a spear rather than a sword. Even more shocking was the stance Joshua had taken with the spear. Valmont was more familiar with that stance than anyone else.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Valmont was dumbstruck.


    Joshua¡¯s muscles on his back started to twitch Lugia forward l. Lugia¡¯s spearheads started to emit bright red tails in their wake, and the trails were much bigger and brighter than Valmont¡¯s.


    ¡°What are those¡­?¡±


    In the proverbial blink of an eye, hundreds of meteors descended on the training hall in a great meteor shower.

 Chapter 242

    Chapter 242


    Valmont had always been a famous genius since childhood. As the second son of the famous swordsman, Count Brown, and his talent, he received a great deal of attention since he was young. With the full support of his family, his fame reached a climax when he became a B-ss Knight before he was even twenty years old.


    Perhaps that was the reason why Valmont eventually burned out.


    <em>¡°Always keep up with your peers...¡± </em>


    <em>¡°Always strive to be above everyone else¡­¡±</em>


    <em>¡°You are the family¡¯s only hope¡­¡±</em>


    Valmont had always been doing his best to meet the family¡¯s expectations, and the family¡¯s expectations, beneath the mask of love, became an obsession. Valmont increasingly found it difficult to get along with his one and only older brother.


    Eventually, Valmont got fed up with that environment and simply gave up. He took refuge with the Imperial Knights Order and escaped the family, even though he had already be more than qualified to inherit the family.


    Valmont wanted to bepletely free from his family¡¯s obsession with his sess.


    Fortunately, Knight Commander Rod lent a hand, and he was able to pass the entrance exam with ease, with the help of Knight Commander Rod, who had already be akin to a father for him.


    However, even in a ce where Avalon¡¯s finest had gathered, Valmont still managed to remain the best. No effort was invested. No effort was necessary. He was so talented that he could still be one of the greatest, even if he didn¡¯t train.


    Such was the tale of Valmont dun Brown¡ªAvalon¡¯s Fastest Star.


    ¡°<em>Hah¡­</em>¡± Valmont sighed upon recalling that certain day. It was a day that started out as usual. Valmont expected it to be the same as the other days he had spent¡ªboring and monotonous.


    With such expectations, Valmont decided to enjoy a long nap.


    <em>Knock! Knock! Knock!</em>


    Someone knocked on the door and said, ¡°Sir Valmont.¡±


    ¡°What? Stop knocking. I don¡¯t want to see anyone right now,¡± Valmont grumbled, but his eyes widened in shock when he turned around and saw who was talking to him.


    The man who had entered after knocking thrice was one of his subordinate knights.


    ¡°His Majesty the Emperor has passed down an Imperial Edict.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The Imperial Edict states that my lord has to pack up his bags right now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s about time you start working. Otherwise, Knight Commander, sir, will get mad.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± This was Valmont¡¯s first time since he joined the Imperial Knights Order that he received a direct order to mobilize outside the Imperial Pce. The order also meant that his monotonous routine would change.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t think it¡¯s an edict.¡± Valmont stood up and straightened out his clothes. ¡°Do you have an idea what this is about?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a mana test.¡±


    ¡°A mana test? Isn¡¯t that for newbies? Come on! Isn¡¯t it overkill to dispatch me for a mere mana test? I really think that the old man is lying about how this is an edict. Geez, that lying old man.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think that he was lying, sir.¡±


    Valmont stared at his subordinate knight, seemingly doubtful.


    ¡°Your destination is the Agnus duchy.


    Valmont was sure that his life had changed when he met a boy who was more monstrous than human.


    ***


    Valmont raised his head and stared nkly forward.


    He knew that the boy was great. He also knew the boy was very talented, and that was why he tried¡­ Valmont thought that if he worked hard enough, he would be able to surpass him. After all, he had always believed that he was more talented than anyone else.


    However, he hadmitted a huge mistake. He had gotten toocent.


    ¡°How did you¡­¡±


    ¡°The Brown Family¡¯s swordsmanship really is excellent. I can see it now.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Valmont was convinced after hearing Joshua¡¯s words. His family¡¯s techniques were top secret, and not even Duke Agnus knew about their techniques.


    Valmont was finally convinced of Joshua¡¯s talent.


    After all, thetter was talented enough to perform Valmont¡¯s sword technique after only seeing it once. Valmont¡¯s eyes darted from side to side, shing with a strange light as he examined the young man.


    <em>¡®I got it.¡¯</em>


    Joshua noticed the subtle change in Valmont¡¯s demeanor and smiled faintly.


    ¡°Are you going to keep going?¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Valmont shook himself out of his thoughts and bowed his head with sincerity. ¡°I admit defeat. And¡­ thank you.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°The 6th Battalion will withdraw from the fight.¡±


    There was a brief buzz from the crowd, but it quickly subsided.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do me a favor, then?¡± asked Joshua.


    ¡°If it¡¯s within my power.¡±


    ¡°You can do it¡ªI¡¯ve seen your potential.¡±


    Valmont sheathed his sword, a sign that he was ready to talk seriously.


    ¡°If youck the motivation, try to find a sense of purpose.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Valmont stared nkly at Joshua.


    ¡°What I¡¯m saying is that if you¡¯re aiming for the top, then you should stay where you are right now.¡±


    ¡°What do you¡­¡± Valmont muttered.


    ¡°You¡¯re better off where you are than out here helping me. I¡¯m sure you have your ambitions as well, no? Especially taking that spot,¡± said Joshua with a smile.


    ¡°Knight Commander, sir¡­¡± Valmont surreptitiously nced at Knight Commander Rod.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say, but¡ª¡± A handsome man jumped out of the crowd and onto the stage in the middle of the training hall. ¡°It¡¯s rude to talk about bing the Knight Commander in front of me, Count Sanders.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes narrowed. ¡°Ghad.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not even sure if the Imperial Knights Order will have a future with him at the helm as the Knight Commander,¡± added Ghad.


    ¡°...¡± Ghad¡¯s cold words froze the air.


    ¡°What do you know?¡±


    ¡°Everything¡­ I don¡¯t know if you can tell, but he used to be my subordinate. That guy is¡­¡±


    Joshua nced at Valmont. The older knight¡¯s expression told Joshua everything he needed to know.


    ¡°If we put azy fool at the top of the Imperial Knights, I think even a child would be able to deduce what would happen.¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all¡­¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°<em>Hmm?</em>¡± Ghad tilted his head.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t changed. You¡¯re still selfish and self-centered,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°...!¡± Ghad¡¯s facial muscles visibly twitched at Joshua¡¯s scathing remark.


    <em>¡®The reason why Valmont had never managed to achieve much in my past life didn¡¯t really have anything to do with his personality. It was all because he had been taking orders as a subordinate knight of this bastard,¡¯ </em>Joshua inwardlymented.


    Having made his decision, Joshua spoke, ¡°Are you afraid of his talent?¡±


    Ghad flinched.


    ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I am truly delighted, Ghad du Lancelot.¡± For the first time, Joshua¡¯s smile was bright. He managed to confirm that Ghad hadn¡¯t changed at all, and Joshua¡¯s heart became filled with delight and child-like joy.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to defeat me.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to dissuade me from trying because you¡¯re afraid?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Isn¡¯t that what you came here for? Why don¡¯t youe up here, then?¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Ghad¡¯s eyes widened at Joshua¡¯s remark, and he rushed toward Joshua without warning.


    Joshua simply stared at Ghad with a smile.


    ***


    ¡°Listen to me, Imperial Knights!¡±


    Just before Ghad made a mad rush for Joshua, Knight Commander addressed his knights.


    ¡°Anything that happens from here on is beyond you.¡±


    ¡°What does Knight Commander, sir, mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°It pains me to say this, even if everyone here attacked him at the same time, you still wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him.¡±


    ¡°...¡± A suffocating silence settled on the knights.


    It was a startling statement because it came from the mouth of the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights himself, no less. Rod den Hogg¡¯s words basically meant that he was willingly admitting defeat.


    ¡°Our reputation will take a hit if we were to lose because he¡¯s not a part of the Imperial Knights Order anymore,¡± said Knight Commander Rod as he slowly unsheathed his sword.


    A strange anticipation took hold of the knights as the intricately engraved dragon on the pure white de was revealed. The famed sword, Dragonia, was said to have been awarded to Knight Commander Rod by His Majesty the Emperor himself.


    However, it had been such a long time since the sword appeared in the eyes of the public.


    ¡°Looks like Ghad is going to make his move.¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°If both the present and future of the Imperial Knights are in disarray, then even the slightest internal problem will be hard to resolve.¡±


    ¡°Are you nning to personally make a move, Knight Commander, sir¡­?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod nodded. ¡°At this rate, we will be buried in shame. In addition, this fight is for Superhumans only.¡±


    "Then¡­¡±


    ¡°We have to prepare for the great battle,¡± said Knight Commander Rod as he made a sidelong nce at one of the balconies overlooking the training hall.


    Ghad was already rushing toward Joshua, and Knight Commander Rod¡¯s words invigorated him.


    At the sight of that, Knight Commander Rod revealed a bitter smile as he muttered to himself, ¡°I guess this battle will be a bit long.¡±


    Ghad du Lancelot¡­


    Knight Commander Rod wasn¡¯t certain of his talent, but Knight Commander Rod was sure that Ghad could match him in a battle. Throughout the vast Avalon, there were certainly no more than five men capable of defeating Ghad.


    He was often touted as an unofficial Master across the continent, and it was clear that he deserved to get appointed as the sessor of Knight Commander Rod in the Imperial Knights Order.


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes lit up as booming thunder filled the training hall. Ghad was engulfed in a white light that was so bright that Knight Commander Rod had to squint.


    Ghad was showcasing the Lancelot Family¡¯s secret technique. In addition, the Lancelot Family¡¯s techniques specialized in obliterating their enemies in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    ¡°The Thunder God¡¯s Charge¡­!¡±


    Ghad¡¯s impressive sword technique¡ªthe Thunder God¡¯s Charge¡ªhad defeated many powerful men in mere moments.


    It was all because of the special power hidden within Ghad¡ªa power that even Knight Commander Rod couldn¡¯t afford to ignore.


    Knight Commander Rod was sure that Joshua Sanders would be in a world of hurt if he were to underestimate Ghad¡¯s sword technique, so he was sure that Joshua would respect Ghad¡¯s sword technique.


    However, the unbelievable happened¡­


    ¡°I¡­ what was that?!¡± Knight Commander Rod stared wide-eyed.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s ridiculous¡­!¡¯ </em>Admitting that what he had seen was the reality meant that he would be turning his worldview upside down. However, aside from doing that, there would be no other exnation for what he had seen.


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes widened until they looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets. He had no other choice but to admit it. The terrifying boom of thunder he had heard was too <em>real</em> for him to remain in denial.


    Joshua Sanders was truly a monster beyondmon sense.


    Immediately afterward, Knight Commander Rod hit the ground running with all his might as he made a beeline for his sessor, Ghad, who was currently falling to the floor with lifeless eyes.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 243

    Chapter 243


    On the outskirts of Arcadia was a mansion. Inside the mansion was a young man staring into the sky. He was young. He looked to be twenty years old at most and was very handsome.


    A shadow crept up behind the young man.


    ¡°If you are going to hide your presence, you have to pay more attention to your breathing than your steps.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± The shadow halted and smiled brightly. ¡°I had no intention of hiding anything. I just saw you and had the urge to surprise you.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The young man remained silent.


    ¡°No response?¡± the shadow clicked its tongue. ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡±


    At that, the young man finally turned around. His golden eyesnded on the shadow as he said with a bright smile, ¡°It¡¯s about time that the master takes care of his ugly disciple.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m joking. Don¡¯t be like that¡ªDid you really think that I¡¯d make a meaningless joke about this kind of thing?¡± The young man¡¯s golden eyes seemed to narrow ever so slightly. ¡°I just came back from seeing His Majesty. He just appointed you as the Kaiser ben Britten¡¯s great tutor. Isn¡¯t that incredible? The mercenary Joshua has be the great tutor of a prince. How incredible is it that His Majesty descended upon this mansion?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s endless chatter made Joshua smile bitterly.


    ¡°Right, why do you look like that? Are you disappointed to be the master of a powerless prince?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªthe opposite.¡±


    ¡°The opposite?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty has granted me a task of utmost importance.¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡± Kaiser gave him a bemused look. ¡°You¡¯re too humble. What do you mean ¡®utmost importance?¡¯¡±


    ¡°It was just a simple nickname given to me by my pals on the battlefield, the mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t say it like that!¡±


    ¡°Rumors are meant to be exaggerated.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that His Majesty treats you especially well,¡± Kaiser insisted, meeting Joshua¡¯s eyes with a steady gaze. ¡°Why not go to His Majesty, if I may ask?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to go to His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°No way! As much as he loves people with talent¡­ I can¡¯t just give away someone as talented as you. <em>Huh?</em> Could it be that you have already received an offer? Are you hesitating because of me?¡±


    Joshua remained silent at that. Eventually, he spoke, ¡°Your Highness was the one who brought me here, not His Majesty.


    ¡°...¡± Kaiser stared at Joshua for a while without saying anything.


    ¡°Let¡¯s think about what yourst name is going to be. We don¡¯t have to rush,¡± said Kaiser with a smile. ¡°I also want to introduce you to someone.¡±


    Perhaps already sensing the guest, Joshua¡¯s gaze turned toward the corner of the mansion. A robed man was approaching.


    ¡°You may take off your robe.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± a young man¡¯s voice responded.


    ¡°I trust Joshua more than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°If that is so¡­¡± He doffed the robe, revealing a handsome, purple-eyed man in his thirties.


    ¡°He is the sessor of Marquis Lancelot, and he has been the Battalion Commander of the 2nd Battalion of the Imperial Knights for quite some time now. Have you heard of him?¡± Kaiser asked Joshua.


    ¡°My name is Ghad du Lancelot,¡± Ghad said, introducing himself.


    ¡°I¡¯m Joshua, nost name.¡±


    They examined each other. Ghad¡¯s eyebrows twitched ever so slightly.


    ¡°It would be strange for me not to know of his name, Your Highness. After all, he became a Battalion Commander as soon as he returned from his long-term mission,¡± replied Joshua to Kaiser.


    Ghad offered his hand to Joshua. ¡°Let¡¯s work together.¡±


    ¡°I wish you all the best.¡±


    The moment Joshua took the outstretched hand, Ghad¡¯s arm muscles bulged explosively. Ghad saw the slight grimace on Joshua''s face and smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to our cooperation,¡± said Ghad.


    And that was how they first met¡­


    ***


    There was a light ng, and a sword went flying.


    ¡°Haah¡­ Haah¡­ Haak¡ª¡± Ghad, the sword¡¯s former wielder, clenched his fist as he gasped. The wrinkles around his eyes and the emblem of a golden dragon emzoned on his breastte were the only things that stood out.


    His armorcked any indication that he was in a battalion or uniformed personnel at the very least. However, a nk armor like that meant that the person d in such armor was the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights Order.


    ¡°Today makes it exactly one hundred.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡ª!¡± Ghad grit his teeth as Joshua lightly brandished his spear.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh,</em> please. If you executed the technique correctly and quickly enough, I could¡¯ve taken serious damage as well.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Ghad¡¯s battered visage contorted as anxiety filled his mind. He really felt like his mind wasing apart. One hundred battles and Joshua had taken victory every time.


    One hundred defeats¡­


    It had been twenty years since they started fighting each other, and Ghad was convinced that no one else had fought someone else for so many matches throughout the entire continent.


    Now, he had no choice but to admit it.


    ¡°Your mouth¡­ and your damned talent. They¡¯re both great at making people depressed.¡±


    Joshua gave Ghad a disappointed look. ¡°I am well aware that the Lancelot family¡¯s mana technique has a special, hidden lightning power amidst the flow. Even if I can¡¯t do anything about it¡­¡±


    Joshua raised his crimson spear and said, ¡°My spear knows about it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The Thunder God¡¯s Charge¡ªa technique that encourages the mana inside your body to explode all at once. Cutting the enemy¡¯s vital points three times in a single stroke, or to be exact, attack three times in one sh.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°The sh of lightning will temporarily steal the opponent¡¯s vision, and since lightning is both destructive and fast, the opponent would die even before they realized it. It¡¯s that fast and strong.¡±


    ¡°But why won¡¯t it work on you?!¡± Ghad shouted like a frustrated kid.


    ¡°I¡¯m just too strong. I can see the weakness in that technique,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°<em>Eh?</em>¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t work if your opponent is stronger than you. Of course, there are only a few people stronger than me on the continent.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°shing three times is great, but it exhausts a great deal of energy, so I rmend that you condense the power of those three shes into one¡­¡±


    ¡±If you can make that happen, the Thunder God¡¯s Charge would be reborn as the greatest technique on the continent, both in name and reality.¡±


    Ghad was so astonished that he couldn¡¯t help butugh. Honestly, the people who had created the secret technique had also said the same thing as Joshua.


    ¡°I think it should be something like this,¡± Joshua muttered and vanished.


    Ghad¡¯s eyes widened ¡°No fucking way¡­!¡±


    Three crimson streaks could be seen in the air, but the horrifying thing was that Ghad only heard a single brandishing movement behind him.


    Ghad broke out into a cold sweat as he turned around.


    The stone wall behind him had been cut open, revealing the rough stone within it.


    Speed, uracy, strength, and finally, stealth. Ghad had spent ten years honing the technique in secret, but for some reason, Joshua was better than him when it came to executing his own secret technique.


    And for Ghad, it was the fault of a damned word, which was ¡®talent¡¯.


    ¡°Damn it.¡± Ghad cursed, spitting out his feelings of frustration as well.


    He couldn¡¯t help but think that God was unfair.


    ***


    ¡°Congrattions on being awarded the title of Grand Duke.¡± Ghad greeted Joshua with a smile. His eyes were sparkling with joy, and any third party who caught sight of his smile would think that Ghad was genuinely happy for Joshua.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a title,¡± said Joshua with shrug.


    ¡°Come on! The title of Grand Duke is awarded to those who have a small country under their rule or a fellow monarch in an alliance with the empire. You say it¡¯s just a title, but it carries a heavy weight. I¡¯ve heard so much, but my heart is still not at ease¡­¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but smile at that.


    ¡°For once, I regretmanding the Imperial Knights,¡± Ghadmented.


    ¡°When the family is at peace, you can do outside work without worries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just asking, just in case,¡± Ghad couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Isn¡¯t it a pity?¡±


    Joshua stared at Ghad with a doubtful look.


    ¡°You have achieved so many things, so isn¡¯t it strange how you still haven¡¯t received any awards? You spend decades wading through the blood and corpses on the battlefield, and I think it¡¯s about time for you to settle down, right?¡±


    ¡°...As I said before, I¡¯m not overly attached to the seat. Besides, don¡¯t you have any idea how much chaos I would cause if I were to desire more power?¡±


    Ghad¡¯s eyes lit up for a moment. ¡°You really think so?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said Joshua with a smile.


    Ghad stared at Joshua from top to bottom before erupting into a burst of boisterousughter. ¡°I have to say this, though. His Majesty seriously favors you!¡±


    Ghadughed for quite a while, but he inexplicably stopped and said in a low voice. ¡°I-If it¡¯s all right with you, can we be friends?¡±


    ¡°Friends?¡±


    ¡°Yes, friends. Regardless of our age, I really want to be friends with you. It¡¯s been over twenty years since we¡¯ve met, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Joshua eyed him oddly, and the sight of that made Ghad feel uneasy. He didn¡¯t want to get rejected.


    ¡°All right.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Gahad¡¯s eyes briefly widened before his lips curved into a smile. ¡°All right, from now on, we¡¯re friends! <em>Hahaha!</em>¡±<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 244

    Chapter 244


    ¡°I wonder¡ªwho would have guessed that such a ce would be hidden just below the Imperial Pce?¡± Ghad stepped away from the two hundred fully-armored knights and looked around. ¡°I¡¯m really d I¡¯m with you today, Joshua.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same.¡±


    A satisfied smile came to Ghad¡¯s lips.


    ¡°ording to the Tower Master of the Magic Tower, this ce might be rted to the demons. They are different from any enemy we have ever faced before, so we have to be very careful.¡± Ghad gave Joshua a sidelong nce and continued. ¡°However, His Majesty sends the Legendary Spearman with me, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason for me to be afraid of anything.¡±


    ¡°This way!¡±


    They both turned around. The voice came from one of the knights that they had sent to scout up ahead. It seemed that the knight had been waiting for them.


    ¡°That stone gate.¡± Ghad¡¯s finger pointed at it.


    A snake? A wolf? A terrifying creature was emzoned on the gate, and its jaws gaped in a way that defied description.


    ¡°That image seems quite simr to descriptions of ¡®Amon¡¯...¡±


    ¡°Amon¡­ the highest-level demon?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    Ghad nodded with a stiff look. ¡°We all know the top fifty demon rankings, and they barely change as well. Amon has proudly maintained the 7th position for over a thousand years now. In terms of purebat power, Amon might be slightly stronger than the demons above him, ording to the Tower Master.¡±


    The two soon arrived in front of the stone gate.


    ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t this ce technically ripe for exploration? Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll find Hell or the Demon Realm. And if anything goes wrong¡­ It¡¯s up to us to stop it.¡±


    Ghad produced a sinuous key reminiscent of a snake¡¯s tail and nervously held it in his hand. ¡°Are you ready?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll open it now.¡± Ghad slowly inserted the key. It slipped in remarkably smoothly, even for a custom-made key, and when it was turned, the rumbling of unknown mechanical devices could be heard.


    However¡­


    ¡°W-wait¡­!¡± Joshua urgently called out upon noticing something strange.


    The air had rapidly be heavier. Joshua¡¯s highly tuned senses were telling him that something was amiss.


    <em>¡®Something is wrong¡­¡¯</em>


    Without hesitation, Joshua¡¯s trembling hands grabbed Ghad, and they were quickly devoured by a crimson light afterward.


    ***


    ¡°Get off me¡­¡±


    Joshua heard a barely-audible moan a moment before Ghad¡¯s eyes slowly opened.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?! Where are we?¡± Ghad eximed.


    ¡°We¡¯re probably beyond that stone gate¡­¡±


    ¡°We went inside the stone gate?¡± Ghad said nkly. He grabbed his throbbing head and asked, ¡°Where are the others? What are these statues?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just the two of us here. And¡­¡± Joshua nced around.


    Numerous bizarre stone statues were strewn around the capacious cavern. They bore characteristically demonic features: protruding canines, a pair of horns protruding from their bare heads, and a pair of wings. If Joshua¡¯s knowledge was urate, then they were¡­


    ¡°Gargoyles.¡±


    Ghad flinched. ¡°Gargoyles? The ones they call the watchmen of hell?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡± Joshua gestured with his chin. ¡°There¡¯s not a single exit in sight. The stone gate is also nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Ghad quickly looked around and eximed, ¡°Is this real? Are we really trapped?¡±


    ¡°Shh¡­ It¡¯d be nice if we only got trapped. Unfortunately, I think this ce is going to copse sooner orter.¡±


    Ghad¡¯s eyes widened when he noticed the cracks in the ceiling. Ghad could already deduce from a single nce that¡­


    ¡°...It¡¯s going to copse from the slightest shock.¡± Ghad let out a heavy, pained groan. ¡°Damn it!¡±


    ¡°It looks like we need to get there first.¡±


    ¡°There?¡± Ghad looked up and frowned. Joshua was pointing at a rectangr statue. ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Ghad looked pale as he stared at the silent Joshua and continued. ¡°It¡¯s just a rock right now, but if it¡¯s a gargoyle, it¡¯ll wake up as soon as we¡¯re in range. Do you know what that means?¡±


    ¡±The only way we can cut that hard thing is with aura, and that¡¯s not really a problem. The issue is that we¡¯ll definitely get buried alive once that monster wakes up and copses the ceiling above us!¡±


    Each gargoyle boasted a size of over five meters, and there were at least fifty of them here. With the cracks all over the cavern, the oue was obvious if the gargoyles were to wake up at once and started going rampant.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no way out.¡± Joshua swung his spear lightly. His eyes sparkled as he said, ¡°There are exactly 53 gargoyles in a hundred-meter radius around us. We just have to destroy them all in one go.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡± Ghad spat. ¡°You want to gamble at a time like this? Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to time it right? If you miss even one, we¡¯re done for!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the timing.¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to split them in half.¡±


    Ghad seemed dumbfounded as he tried to figure out what Joshua was trying to say.


    ¡°Anyway, I can do it on my own,¡± added Joshua.


    ¡°Pffft!¡± Ghad couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°<em>Hahaha!</em>¡±


    Joshua¡¯s words sounded so absurd that it was hrious.


    There was a reason why gargoyles were known as the watchmen of hell.


    Unlike most demons, gargoyles weren¡¯t shrouded in secrecy.


    It was true that they remained rtively unknown until recently when they were discovered in ancient ruins, old buildings, and even in the tombs of long-lost dynasties.


    However, they all had something inmon. A single gargoyle was extremely powerful. There was even a report of how a single gargoyle ripped two B-ss Knights into shreds.


    ¡°I thought you won¡¯t have to fear anything since you¡¯re with the Legendary Spearman?¡± said Joshua with a smile.


    Ghad hesitated. ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°This will be the first time I¡¯m going to show you my true power. Funny, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The older knight just gaped at Joshua. It was a truly strange attitude. That posture made it look like he couldn¡¯t even wield his spear; not that he looked weak, but he was practically dragging it along the ground.


    ¡°I reached some kind of enlightenment recently. And this¡­¡± Joshua slowly¡ªvery slowly¡ªrotated the spear.


    The spearheads were still being still dragged along the ground, but when the spear stopped moving, Ghad heard a faint crack echo inside the cave.


    However, before he could even react, an embroidery of fine crimson lines emitted a burst of crimson light within the cavern. Ghad¡¯s eyes widened when he saw hundreds¡ªno, thousands of crimson lines.


    There was no mistaking it. Joshua¡¯s spear had carved those crimson lines.


    ¡°This is the result of my enlightenment,¡± said Joshua.


    Ghad finally discovered the grim truth as he watched the gargoyles slowly crumble into dust. Joshua had faced numerous challenges throughout the years, but never, not even once, had he ever shown everyone his true power.


    ***


    The scenery changed once again.


    Joshua was kneeling in a dense forest as blood dripped down his lips. He was surrounded by four men and a woman.


    ¡°Joshua,¡± Ghad opened, ¡°do you remember the treasure we found in the ruins of Amon back then? Well, you said it was more of a cursed tool rather than a treasure, and it¡¯s funny because you¡¯re still going to die here.¡±


    ¡°<em>Ptoooey!</em>¡± Ghad retreated as Joshua spat another mouthful of blood.


    Ghad was in a good mood. All of Joshua¡¯s questions made sense to him now, and he was happy to say farewell to his friend. Ghad¡¯s concerns were finally about to end.


    ¡°I have always been afraid. The sight of that damned spear alone makes me feel like I¡¯m going mad!¡±


    Ghad had to admit it. It didn¡¯t really matter because it was the end of his source of fear.


    Now, it became clear that he respected Joshua not because of thetter¡¯s Superhuman capabilities nor of his great achievements. It was all because he had always felt inferior and afraid in front of thetter.


    As an explosion engulfed Joshua, Ghad smiled brightly. It was probably the brightest smile that Ghad had ever revealed in his life.


    ***


    This stage was created for the debt of that fateful day.


    Joshua¡¯s hollow eyesnded on Ghad.


    ¡°Atst, the time hase¡­¡± Joshua started. ¡°I will end you with the technique you feared so much.¡±


    <em>ng!</em>


    There was an audible ng as Lugia¡¯s spearheads collided with the floor.


    Joshua stared at Ghad, seemingly disgusted as he said, ¡°It¡¯s a bit disappointing to know that you will meet your end today. I didn¡¯t want to end things just like this, you know? Anyway¡­¡±


    Joshua transmitted his voice using mana into Ghad¡¯s ear.


    Ghad trembled as if he had been struck by lightning.


    ¡°H-How?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be quick, but I guess I¡¯m more than satisfied to see that kind of look on your face.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?! Tell me!¡± Ghad screamed.


    Joshua smirked. Ghad¡¯s expression was a mirror image of Joshua¡¯s own at the end of his previous life.


    ¡°Nope, I¡¯m not telling you. Please, die curious for me,¡± said Joshua as he made his move.


    Joshua could sense Knight Commander Rod approaching him at breakneck speed, but it was already toote.


    Knight Commander Rod stretched his hand out and screamed. ¡°No!¡±


    [When the battle is done, when blood and flesh are dust on the wind,


    Weep not for lives severed,


    Weep not for memories lost,


    Because of you, your shining example, thisnd will remain secure.


    Thy noble sacrifice, I will remember.


    In the deepest depths of the earth, sacred souls of the restless dead,


    Pour out thy resentment through this spear.


    Spear Art: Oblivion.


    - A tribute to the dead.]


    Finally, the spearheads of the crimson spear collided with the floor once more.


    Amidst the tapestry of crimson lines, Lugia¡¯s enthralling performance finally ended as it pierced Ghad¡¯s heart.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 245

    Chapter 245


    Magnificent¡­


    What other word could describe the scene? How fast did one have to move their spear to create an illusion like that?


    To the audience, it looked like crimson threads had imprisoned Ghad. However, when the threads were finally lifted, the audience members couldn¡¯t help but howl in surprise.


    ¡°<em>Ah!</em>¡±


    The audience members were horrified. The spear¡¯s beautiful andplex dance ended when it pierced Ghad¡¯s heart. This was a murder in the middle of the Imperial Pce, in the presence of His Majesty the Emperor.


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± Knight Commander Rod was enraged. He sent his sword hurtling toward Joshua, and the sword itself left a trail of fire in its wake. The attack was both fast and powerful, as expected from the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights.


    Joshua raised his spear, deflecting the sword by brandishing his spear. Knight Commander Rod was stupefied by how Joshua had easily resolved his attack, but of course, his surprise onlysted for a moment.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± Knight Commander Rod started screaming, ¡°How dare you harm the Imperial Knights of Avalon!¡±


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s usual calm and collected demeanor were nowhere to be found. It was only natural because Ghad was the child of his old friend. Officially, he was Knight Commander Rod¡¯s subordinate and thetter¡¯s sessor.


    A motherless child, an ambitious child, a child with above-average leadership skills, a child talented enough with the sword to be called a genius, and a child who would stand at the forefront of the Empire in the near future.


    Ghad was that kind of child in Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes.


    However, that child had died under Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes.


    The air heaved as the unique golden mana in Rod¡¯s sword strained against its bindings. Rod den Hogg pointed the shimmering de at Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you¡­!¡± Knight Commander Rod was trying his best to suppress his boiling rage. However, the way he growled made it obvious that he was failing to suppress his fury.


    The atmospherepletely changed in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    The nobles carefully watched Emperor Marcus'' reaction. The Imperial Knights were ring at Joshua with murderous eyes. Duke Agnus had been maintaining a poker face all this while, but his poker face finally copsed.


    ¡°This will be fun¡­¡± Emperor Marcus finally spoke.


    ¡°...!¡± The words that came out of his mouth were so unbelievable that the nobles stared wide-eyed at him.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty?!¡± one of them eximed.


    ¡°Honestly, I was getting a bit bored. I was starting to regret arranging all this,¡± said Emperor Marcus.


    The nobles didn¡¯t know what to say as they stood there and stewed in their own confusion and surprise.


    ¡°I put a lot of effort into preparing this punishment, but not much happened. What happened until now wasn¡¯t really exciting enough for my taste. It wouldn¡¯t have made sense to continue all this.¡± Emperor Marcus stared at Knight Commander Rod and muttered, ¡°Knight Commander Rod. <em>Ah, </em>the apex of the Superhumans. He¡¯s the strongest of the Superhumans. Just how strong do you think he is while he¡¯s furious? Aren¡¯t you lot excited to see that?¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯ eyes were practically sparkling, which was in contrast with his bored look earlier. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if we dy our judgment of this for a while.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty?!¡±


    ¡°From now on, let no one intervene in their fight.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    The voice was deeply reverential, but Marcus spared a nce at its source anyway. There sat Marquis Lancelot, father of Ghad and an indisputable member of the Twelve Families. His bloodshot eyes made it obvious that he was holding onto his reason by a thread.


    If it weren¡¯t for His Majesty the Emperor¡¯s order, he would have already snapped.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me some bullshit about giving courtesy to juniors,¡± Knight Commander Rod announced. ¡°You¡¯re nothing more than a criminal to be punished.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod didn¡¯t wait for a reply.


    He lifted his sword and took a stance. He didn¡¯t really move that much, but he seemed to have be another person after taking on his stance.


    <em>¡®Knight Commander Rod, the Imperial Family¡¯s First Sword.¡¯</em>


    Joshua lifted Lugia in response. Ghad¡¯s blood ran down Lugia¡¯s crimson shaft. He casually brandished Lugia next to him and shook the blood off of Lugia¡¯s body. It was a tant provocation and a very effective one at that.


    Knight Commander Rod couldn¡¯t take it anymore. He shot forward, and the glistening golden mana superimposed on his sword extended to cover his entire body.


    In Joshua¡¯s eyes, Knight Commander Rod looked like he was covered in golden fireflies. It was an absurd sight, and the power Knight Commander Rod had mustered was equally absurd as well.


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s every movement seemed like it was tearing apart the air itself.


    Joshua was still maintaining Mountain Crush, but Knight Commander Rod¡¯s sword seemed to be capable of splitting that mountain into two.


    Joshua had to admit¡ªhe had to admit that Knight Commander Rod¡¯s sword technique was something he had never seen before.


    Joshua¡¯s response to that kind of attack was equally astonishing as well.


    ¡°...!¡±


    There was a light ng, and Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes widened.


    He didn¡¯t think that his opponent was weaker than him, but it was an amateur move to try and dissolve and attack by using the same type of attack.


    When fighting an equally stronger opponent, the textbook response would be to parry a downward strike rather than face it head-on.


    Therefore, nine out of ten opponents that Knight Commander Rod had faced so far with his sword technique had opted to avoid it by backstepping.


    This was the secret behind why Knight Commander Rod¡¯s opponents would always retreat in the face of his sword.


    However, Joshua defiedmon sense and faced Knight Commander Rod¡¯s attack with an attack of his own. After the light ng, the two men were forced to retreat backward.


    ¡°That was a powerful move.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous.¡± Knight Commander Rod¡¯s rage seemed to have been assuaged as he asked, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you back down?¡±


    Joshua nced at Ghad on the floor and replied, ¡°I¡¯m afraid of ruining the moment.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long that confidence of yours willst,¡± Knight Commander Rod vanished, leaving only the final syble of his sentence in his wake. In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Joshua with his sword.


    Joshua repelled the attack, but Knight Commander Rod¡¯s attack was too strong for him to remain standing without moving. However, Joshua used the force behind Knight Commander Rod¡¯s attack to twirl around and sh at thetter¡¯s side.


    Knight Commander Rod responded by jumping into the air with his sword raised up above his head.


    It wasn¡¯t aplicated move.


    Knight Commander Rod simply jumped into the air, but he avoided Joshua¡¯s spear while being able to attack Joshua from above.


    However, Knight Commander Rod wasn¡¯t done just yet. His golden mana wrapped around his legs, multiplying their weight. Knight Commander Rod smirked. Joshua definitely wouldn¡¯t expect the change in his weight, so this should be enough to break Joshua¡¯s defenses.


    However, Knight Commander Rod frowned when he saw Joshua¡¯s expression.


    <em>¡®What¡¯s up with that smile?¡¯ </em>The younger man was rxed¡ªtoo rxed. The look on Joshua¡¯s face seemed like he was saying that he was giving himself and his spear to Knight Commander Rod.


    <em>¡®Wait. Giving himself up to me?¡¯ </em>Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes widened as rm bells started ringing in his ears.


    Joshua didn¡¯t retreat. He used the tip of his spear as a fulcrum to send his foot flying toward Knight Commander Rod¡¯s temple.


    Knight Commander Rod mustered even more mana so he would drop to the floor even faster, and it resulted in him barely avoiding Joshua¡¯s kick.


    ¡°...¡±


    There was a momentary lull in the battle as Joshua raised his spear. He wasn¡¯t really trying to kill Knight Commander Rod in the first ce. He was simply defending himself. However, Knight Commander Rod had a grudge against him.


    Lugia danced in Joshua¡¯s hand.


    Unlike the exhrating embroidery of crimson lines earlier, Lugia¡¯s dance this time was slower and tamer. However, Lugia had be even more powerful than before.


    Now, Lugia possessed enough weight to crush a greater weight and enough power to break those who were more powerful.


    <em>¡®Magic Spear Arts Level 6: Earth''s Chapter¡­¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®Offensive Mountain Crush!¡¯</em>


    Joshua swung his spear in a simple vertical upward cut. Knight Commander Rod responded in kind. As their weapons collided, the audience couldn¡¯t help but stare in wonder at their strength. The collision of their weapons distorted the space around them, and even the ground beneath them copsed.


    Nevertheless, neither of them backed down.


    Backing down at this point was tantamount to admitting defeat.


    Knight Commander Rod broke out in a cold sweat. He was confident in a battle of pure strength, but as time went on, he was starting to get pushed back. His famous indomitable sword seemed like it couldn¡¯t resist Joshua¡¯s power.


    <em>¡®I expected this, but this is ridiculous¡­! I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d have to admit that he¡¯s this exceptional and strong!¡¯ </em>Knight Commander Rod gnashed his teeth.


    Could even the blood of the Titan of Avalon ount for this?


    However, Knight Commander Rod couldn¡¯t let it end like this. Ghad¡¯s restless soul was still watching him.


    His eyes gleamed as the ringing of steel assailed his ears.


    There was no more room for hesitation.


    <em>¡®I was nning to hide this until I fought the Nine Stars, but¡­¡¯</em> Having made his decision, Knight Commander Rod gripped his sword with every fiber of his being. It was followed by a torrent of a Superhuman¡¯s mana from the bottom of his abdomen.


    ¡°Stop it. This isn¡¯t a fight to the death.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod stiffened. ¡°How can you say that after what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°We stand in front of His Majesty the Emperor and many nobles.¡±


    ¡°Youmitted murder before the eyes of His Majesty the Emperor and many nobles¡­¡± Knight Commander seemed despondent as he said, ¡°Enough. I will deal with you, my former subordinate, ording to thews of this country.¡±


    Joshua replied, ¡°It was I who acted in ordance with thews of this country.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Ghad du Lancelot hasmitted the unforgivable act of treason.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s brow was deeply creased in confusion, much like the rest of the audience.


    ¡°What nonsense is this?¡±


    ¡°The Lancelots¡¯ eldest son? Treason?¡±


    ¡°Has he really gone mad? Otherwise¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s lying. He just said whatever came to his mind, so he can worm his way out of this situation.¡±


    The furor grew bigger and bigger, but Joshua¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest.


    <em>¡®Yeah, it was around this time.¡¯</em>


    Ghad had returned to the capital, but the prince he apanied was nowhere to be seen, and he didn¡¯t appear even when Joshua became the Grand Duke.


    Most importantly, Ghad remained in the Imperial Pce during that time. Joshua hadn¡¯t learned the shocking truth until muchter, and he learned it directly from the mastermind''s mouth.


    ¡°I merely executed the traitor who dared to assassinate His Third Highness, and my actions are all ording to Imperial Law.¡±<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 246

    Chapter 246


    Silence prevailed as the audience confronted the impossibly far-fetched scene. Not a single one dared to break the silence by so much as drawing breath. Joshua¡¯s words were just that shocking.


    ¡°What¡­ did you say just now?¡±


    ¡°ording to Imperial Law¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, that is not what I¡¯m trying to ask. What did you say about His Third Highness? He was¡­ harmed?¡± Knight Commander Rod couldn¡¯t bring himself to say the word ¡®assassinate¡¯.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod muttered in disbelief.


    The audience members stared at Knight Commander Rod as if he were pitiful.


    ¡°Even if that was true, I know Ghad wouldn¡¯t be able to do it on his own. Do you have any idea who the Third Prince is?¡± Knight Commander Rod stared Joshua dead in the eyes. ¡°He is the finest swordsman in the entire Empire! I know this because I taught him since he was a boy¡ªand you dare pander such tales to me? Was crushing a man twice your age not enough for you?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes were filled with regret. ¡°I haven¡¯t seen him in some time, but I¡¯m certain that the Third Prince is doing well. What exactly do you im had happened between the Third Prince and his knight, Ghad?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°Someone who has never experienced it will never know.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone like you will never know how painful it is to be betrayed¡­¡±


    Knight Commander Rod stared dumbfounded at Joshua.


    ¡°Every day you see him, smiling with a bounce in his step¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Back then, my friend. My good old friend personally tore my heart out. You will never know that pain¡­¡± said Joshua with a mncholic glimmer in his eyes.


    ¡°...¡± Knight Commander Rod stared nkly at Joshua, but he soon startedughing as he eximed, ¡°Anyone who didn¡¯t know better might think you¡¯ve experienced a terrible betrayal! You¡¯re not even twenty years old yet¡­ How could you possibly have experienced betrayal?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod shook his head and asked, ¡°Then, let me ask you. Why would hemit treason? What is the reason behind that betrayal? Everyone knows that His Third Highness has no ambition for the throne. Even if he were sessfully assassinated, there¡¯s nothing to gain from it, so who would dare to do such a thing?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod¡¯s face flushed in fury as he continued in a somber voice. ¡°I am asking you. Why would he purposely target His Third Highness? Speak up. I¡¯m sure everyone here also wants to know why.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod looked like he wanted to kill Joshua right there and then, but he simply couldn¡¯t do so because there were too many people watching.


    Joshua swept his gaze across everyone¡¯s faces and spoke, ¡°You just said it yourself, Knight Commander, sir.¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    ¡°The noblest blood of Avalon is running through the veins of His Third Highness, so he is the most qualified to be the sessor of the throne.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you why!¡± Knight Commander Rod retorted.


    ¡°Political skills¡­ Those things can be learned, but the innate talent for swordsmanship cannot be learned,¡± replied Joshua.


    The realization silenced Knight Commander Rod.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if His Third Highness wants the throne or not. He¡¯s simply <em>too </em>influential to be left alone. You asked me for the motive behind the betrayal, right?¡±


    ¡°Stop¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod seemed like he was lost as he said, ¡°I need to know that you¡¯re not making wild guesses here. Provide us with the evidence.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any¡­¡± Joshua responded.


    Knight Commander Rod gnashed his teeth furiously and said, ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I only heard of it,¡± added Joshua.


    ¡°So you ran your mouth with no proof?¡± The Knight-Commander¡¯s energy exploded, and the Imperial Knights were quick to draw their swords as well. Their eyes were red with anger, and their rage was strong enough to freeze the air around Joshua.


    Just as Joshua was about to speak again, arge figure appeared in front of him.


    The figure¡¯s back belonged to someone he couldn¡¯t possibly be more familiar with.


    ¡°Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry. I just couldn¡¯t hold myself back any longer.¡±


    ¡°You dare?¡± Knight Commander Rod red at Cain.


    However, Cain simply lifted his sword.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Knight Commander Rod eximed.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cain met Knight Commander Rod¡¯s cold eyes and fumbled for words. He had a lot of things to say. He was the eldest son of the Harry Family. Duke Agnus himself had trained him to wield the sword. He was a rare A-ss Knight, and even among the A-ss Knights of Avalon, he was at the top.


    However, all that wouldn¡¯t be enough¡­


    Finally, Cain made a decision and said, ¡°I am the First Sword of Count Sanders, Cain de Harry, and I am here to protect my master.¡±


    With that being said, Cain mustered his strength. The air itself vibrated as Cain disyed his power. Immediately afterward, Knight Commander Rod was stupefied to see Cain flying toward him while wielding a gigantic sword.


    ¡°Aura de?¡± eximed one of the knights.


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­!¡±


    ¡°He can already wield Aura de? I thought he just reached A-ss. What kind of talent is that? It¡¯s rare that someone who had just be an A-ss Knight can already wield Aura de!¡±


    ¡°Count Sanders actually has such a talent next to him?¡±


    The Imperial Knights trembled when they saw Cain¡¯s Aura de superimposed over his gigantic sword.


    However, the surprise didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°How dare you people point your sword at our battalionmander!¡±


    ¡°11th and 12th Battalion¡ªNo, Crevasse Knights, protect our battalionmander!¡±


    Viper eximed along with Cazes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯rete,¡± said Cazes.


    ¡°I was going toe right away, but Cazes dragged me away,¡± Ranger huffed.


    ¡°I already knew what was going on, I was just trying to time it right because it will be dangerous not only for us but for the others, too,¡± Cazes retorted.


    ¡°I knew it, you¡¯re not brave enough. You would have been doomed to remain in the lower battalion you were in if it weren¡¯t for our battalionmander,¡± Ranger said.


    ¡°I thought you said I¡¯m good enough? And how dare a pot call the kettle ck!¡±


    ¡°When did I say that?¡±


    ¡°You said it when I gave us the name Knight of Two Souls! Isn¡¯t that our name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m calling it off! I could¡¯vee up with a cooler name, for sure.¡±


    ¡°A dumbass like you is actually making fun of me?¡± Cazesughed.


    Ranger red at Cazes and eximed, ¡°I can do it!¡±


    ¡°Sure, give me a cooler name, then.¡±


    ¡°Knights who will turn even the enemies¡¯ souls into ashes! Ash Soul Knights!¡±


    ¡°<em>Huh.</em>¡± Cazes paused, impressed by Ranger¡¯s imagination. ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    ¡°<em>Uh¡­</em> I mean¡­ Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that does sound cooler,¡± Cazes finally admitted.


    While they were goofing around, the knights of the former 11th and 12th Battalions were building a wall around Joshua.


    ¡°How dare they¡­!¡± Knight Commander Rod bit his lip so hard that he drew blood.


    <em>¡®What idiocy are they trying to show His Majesty the Emperor?¡¯</em>


    These knights used to live in the same building as him. Not only had Rod failed to prevent the murder from happening right in front of him, but his people had also been divided. There was no greater shame than this.


    Knight Commander Rod could no longer ignore it.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to cut you all apart myself¡ª¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander, sir, aren¡¯t you forgetting something important?¡± asked Joshua in a low voice.


    ¡°What do you want, you crazy bastard?!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no physical evidence, but I think there¡¯s still plenty of proof.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Rod gave him an angry look.


    ¡°Let¡¯s examine the Third Prince¡ªdon¡¯t say he¡¯s like¡­¡±


    Rod¡¯s eyes widened as he realized the meaning behind Joshua¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ghad is the Third Prince¡¯s knight. Ghad is here while His Third Highness is nowhere to be seen. Isn¡¯t that enough proof for his transgression?¡±


    ¡°He¡ª¡±


    ¡°Even if I hadn¡¯t killed Ghad, he would have still been punishedter on, am I right?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod went quiet as a mouse.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know this, but just in case. ording to Imperial Law, failure to protect members of the Imperial Family is a crime that warrants the death penalty, especially if themissioner of the crime is an Imperial Knight.¡±


    Joshua stared right into Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes before continuing. ¡°However, it seems that Knight Commander, sir, has been blinded by his personal rtionship with Ghad.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If that doesn¡¯t make it clear, then¡­¡±


    Joshua quietly nced toward the nobles and resolved to make a gamble. If his prediction was right, that person was probably hiding up there, too, keeping an eye on the events. All it would take was one word to make them move on their own.


    ¡°Ghad would have never thought that he¡¯d die here,¡± Joshua said with a sparkle in his eyes. ¡°So if you want evidence, I don¡¯t have time to look for evidence. However, I want you to take a look at everything he had done, every ce he has been, and every person he talked to. Everything.¡±


    Joshua pointed at Ghad¡¯s corpse and concluded. ¡°Of course, you should take a look at his body, too.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t forget to reveal a meaningful smile once he was done speaking. He swept his gaze across the crowd with a look that made it seem like he was omniscient. As always, he was ying the crowd like a fiddle.


    Joshua was expecting an agitated outburst, and that was what happened not too long after he was done speaking. Joshua revealed a smirk when it came true. It seemed that his expectations were correct once again.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Unedited</blockquote>

 Chapter 247

    Chapter 247


    <strong>Kaiser¡¯s Pce.</strong>


    Kaiser looked like an ant on a hot pan as he paced around his pce anxiously.


    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t expect this¡­ this is too much.¡¯</em> He eyed the crystal ball on his bed and bit his lips. He had been waiting for quite a while now, but the call still hadn¡¯t arrived.


    ¡°This won¡¯t do. If it goes on¡ª¡±


    <em>Beep! sh!</em>


    There was a sh of light, and Kaiser grabbed the crystal ball in the blink of an eye.


    The bright light appeared once again, but rather than disappearing in a sh, it coalesced to form the face of a man.


    ¡°Sir Evergrant!¡± Kaiser called out in joy.


    - Are you doing fine, Your Highness?


    ¡°I would love to say yes, but it has only been a few days, and so many unexpected things are happening. I can¡¯t help but feel anxious.¡±


    Evergrant''s eyes twinkled.


    - So you encountered problems.


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement. Anyway, how long will it take you toplete your task?¡±


    - As I¡¯ve said before, Tower Master Ian has many followers. Actually, he¡¯s like a god for most mages.


    ¡°Do you have a n?¡±


    - I¡¯ve done quite a bit during my business here, but I think a little politics will help.


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes widened. He knew Evergrant better than anyone else.


    ¡°What do you mean by politics?¡± asked Kaiser.


    - I have a great rtionship with a few high-ranked mages. With a little effort, I could overthrow the Tower Master in one fell swoop.


    ¡°What¡¯s the justification?¡±


    - That has been in preparation for a long time.


    ¡°Right. Once we seed, it seems that I will have to call you Tower Master rather than Chief Mage.¡±


    - It¡¯s still going to take a while. Anyway, can you please tell me what the matter is?


    Kaiser silently chewed on his lips for a while. Eventually, he said, ¡°It seems that someone else has discovered our ns.¡±


    - Huh?


    Evergrant tilted his head in surprise. Kaiser¡¯s words werepletely out of his expectations.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the incident with my brother.¡±


    - You mean¡­


    ¡°Sir Ghad is dead. No, it might be more urate to say that he was murdered.¡±


    -...!


    The crystal ball hummed to express Evergrant¡¯s surprise.


    - What do you mean?


    ¡°Count Ulysses came over just now, and¡­¡±


    Kaiser then told Evergrant the recent events, and when Kaiser was done speaking, both men remained silent for a while.


    - It¡¯s not like our ns areid out in the open. The helper beside Sir Ghad is considered to be one of the best in the field and wouldn¡¯t have made a mistake.


    ¡°Do you think there might be a traitor among us?¡±


    - That is very unlikely. Don¡¯t you know him more than anyone else?


    ¡°Why does Joshua Sanders know about the n, then?¡±


    - Perhaps they retrieved the information from Sir Ghad¡¯s corpse.


    Kaiser clicked his tongue and nodded in agreement. Indeed, that was a possibility.


    - Don¡¯t worry. ck Wind is on our side, so we can always twist the story.


    ¡°...!¡± Kaiser''s eyes widened upon hearing that. Then, he smiled and asked, ¡°You seeded?¡±


    - Yes. Sir Jacken will be our most important member.


    ¡°ck Magic truly is convenient...This is really some great news in a long while.¡±


    - Yes. Anyway, please just stand on the sidelines for now.


    ¡°What should I do now?¡±


    -...


    Evergrant remained silent. He seemed to be thinking of something.


    - You just have to make sure that the me won¡¯t fall on you.


    ¡°That¡¯s what I also thought, but it seems impossible.¡±


    - You have Princess Serciarin.


    Kaiser was struck by an epiphany.


    ¡°If I use Serciarin for that, though¡­¡±


    - Right, we have to dy upsetting the bnce between the First and Second Princes.


    ¡°Another case of the end justifying the means?¡±


    - I¡¯m not sure, but if we get caught right now, we¡¯ll lose before the war even begins. With Her Highness¡¯ Eyes of Truth backing you up, I¡¯m sure that even the distrustful Emperor Marcus will believe you.


    ¡°...How long will itst?¡±


    - Only a day, including the time that she recovers her vision. She will also do our bidding upon taking the elixir.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Kaiser. It was clear that he was still anxious about all this.


    - The elixir is also called Death Puppetry in ancient times, so we will be able to control her once she takes it. By then, I will ce the me on Prince Kaizen.


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes gleamed with a strange light.


    - It¡¯s a bit ridiculous that he ended up being our biggest obstacle rather than the other princes and His Majesty. That child Joshua Sanders. Anyway, we have to make our move as soon as possible.


    ¡°Is there really no other way? He grew so much that it¡¯s hard topare him to when we saw him five years ago. I heard that Knight Commander Rod couldn¡¯t evennd a single hit on him. I think he really did defeat the Mercenary King, and it¡¯s not by coincidental luck.¡±


    Joshua was extremely important to Kaiser. Their ns would definitely progress much easier if Kaiser were wielding the sword called Joshua.


    - If Sir Ghad really were murdered, then the next steps would have already been taken.


    Kaiser paused. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    - Sir Ghad has someone else with him at all times.


    Kaiser stiffened upon hearing Evergrant¡¯s words. It was all because he was struck with yet again another realization.


    ¡°<em>Um¡­ </em>But do you know the identity of that helper? Although I know Heimdall had arranged for him like us, but¡ª¡±


    - I¡¯m aware. He will be a huge help to us in the future.


    ¡°Who is he?¡±


    - The helper is¡­


    Evergrant¡¯s voice sounded in the silence of the room.


    - ¡°He¡± is an old friend. but he¡¯s rted to one of the Nine Stars, the King of Darkness. The Assassin King is a mere childpared to him.


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing that.


    Finally, Evergrant said his final piece.


    - Just wait a bit longer, Your Highness.


    ***


    <em>Shwing!</em>


    Joshua watched the strike bounce off of him, despite the tremendous force behind it.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    Knight Commander Rod didn¡¯t even wait for his attack tond before he charged at Joshua once again. His golden mana whipped across several hundred meters, changing dramatically as it flew.


    A figure in ck jumped into the air from the shadows behind the Imperial Knights.


    Joshua and the figure¡¯s eyes met. Joshua¡¯s eyes glimmered. The figure¡¯s eyes were telling him a lot of things. The figure seemed to be provoking Joshua.


    There were around a thousand Imperial Knights and two Superhumans. In addition, Duke Agnus and Emperor Marcus were here.


    The figure threw a dagger as a distraction, but there were so many strong individuals that the figure couldn¡¯t possibly distract all of them with a mere dagger.


    Still, the figure continued their escape. It seemed that they were sure that no one would catch them as long as they were fast enough. In addition, their skill enabled them to hide until they revealed themselves by throwing a dagger.


    <em>¡®You¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua had caught an idea who the figure might be, and his body had reacted even faster than his thoughts when he was attacked.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Knight Commander Rod yelled upon finally noticing the figure.


    However, the figure had already slipped away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think that your ims have already been proven! We¡¯re still going to chase after that escapee!¡± Knight Commander Rod eximed.


    ¡°It''s over.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Knight Commander Rod¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing the familiar voice.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°An intruder had walked right into the middle of the Imperial Pce and had even mingled with the Imperial Knights.¡± Emperor Marcus quietly stood up. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to uncover that intruder¡¯s identity?¡±


    Knight Commander Rod hurriedly bowed his head. ¡°I am ashamed.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to me you because they seemed to be quite the adversary¡­¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod nced at Joshua.


    Emperor Marcus smiled bitterly. ¡°What are you worried about? His father is still here. Even if the child runs away, we can still punish the father. Parents need to be responsible for raising their children poorly. Am I right, Aden?¡±


    Every noble¡¯s attention turned to Duke Agnus.


    ¡°As you say, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯ answer was decisive.


    ¡°Yes. I like cool people like you.¡± Emperor Marcus grinned. After all, what could others do if he already decided on what he was going to do? He turned to look at Joshua and said, ¡°Go. The fight is postponed until your return. Do whatever is necessary, I¡¯m enjoying all this, anyway.¡±


    ¡°I thank Your Majesty,¡± Joshua bowed his head slightly before vanishing.


    Joshua''s figure, who slightly bowed his head, was gone in an instant.


    ¡°Master! Let¡¯s go together!¡± Cain still looked like he had no idea what was going on, but he immediately chased after Joshua despite his confusion.


    ¡°What are you doing?! The Imperial Knights must act as well,¡± Knight Commander Rod berated the surrounding knights. ¡°Lack of caution would lead to serious situations in the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°We hear and obey, Knight Commander, sir!¡±


    With that being said, the Imperial Knights hurriedly made their move.


    ***


    There was a loud pounding noise over the sound of the wind. The figure d in ck was already far away, but Joshua could still track him. It wasn¡¯t really strange because Joshua was extremely familiar with the figure¡¯s movement technique.


    <em>¡®I wasn¡¯t sure that you¡¯d be here, actually.¡¯</em>


    Joshua took to the air like a bird andnded on the roof of a tall building in the middle of Arcadia, then leaped again. As he ascended, he got a clearer view of Arcadia¡ªincluding a figure walking through the city gates.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s already reached there.¡¯</em>


    His target was moving furtively, but Joshua could see them despite the figure¡¯s stealth.


    <em>¡®Killing two birds with one stone, as they say¡­¡¯</em> Joshua clenched his fists so hard that his nails dug into his palm.<em> ¡®</em>


    <em>¡®If I kill him, the King of Darkness will be angry, but¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua revealed a smile under the moonlight.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s the King of Darkness, anyone who would dare to stand in the way of my revenge shall die.¡±

 Chapter 248

    Chapter 248


    The middle of the forest was dark, even with the sun directly overhead.


    This forest was located on the outskirts of Arcadia, and it was known as the Forest of Fog. The forest wasn¡¯t that big, it was pretty close to the capital, and there were no monsters. Still, it remained uninhabitable due to the thick fog that enveloped it all year round.


    Joshua stared at the forest thoughtfully.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain swiftly ran and stopped next to him. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going in there?¡±


    ¡°Why are you not saying anything? Can¡¯t you see that it¡¯s a trap?!¡± Cain shouted anxiously.


    ¡°Cain¡­¡± Joshua finally started speaking.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I have something to do. And I may have to put my life at risk to aplish it.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened, and he flinched.


    This monster of a master would actually have to risk his life? Cain''s expression abruptly changed as he eximed, ¡°W-what are you trying to do?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua remained silent.


    ¡°You can¡¯t tell even your subordinate?¡± Cain revealed a worried look. Joshua¡¯s unusual behavior was worrying him. ¡°I want to be my master¡¯s sword. Not merely in name. I want to be known far and wide so that my master won¡¯t have to worry about his back. I want to be the sword of Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Cain locked eyes with Joshua. ¡°Is this really something you can¡¯t tell me?¡±


    He seemed faintly disappointed as he added. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll stop asking¡ª¡±


    ¡°What made you invest so much time and effort into learning the sword? Is it for your family¡¯s honor?


    Joshua slowly walked into the dark forest and replied, ¡°Or is it to be a Master as well? Just like every other knight out there?¡±


    Cain was still hesitating as he stared at Joshua¡¯s gradually disappearing back. In the end, he clenched his fists and said, ¡°I¡­ I wanted to reim my family¡¯s glory in our heyday, and I wanted to save my father from injustice.¡±


    ¡°I needed strength, and Arcadia was the ce to find it. Being a knight is the fastest and surest way to gain power in Avalon, thend of knights. That¡¯s why I took up the sword.¡± Cain looked back and pulled a normal longsword from his waist rather than his distinctive gigantic sword.


    Then, he dropped the sword to the floor.


    ¡°However, it all changed when I met a man named Joshua Sanders. I wanted to stand next to you, so I decided to practice with another sword.¡± Cain retrieved the gigantic sword he hade to favor from his back. ¡°Of course, that wasn¡¯t what I thought in the beginning¡ªI was a young knight looking for a master to serve for the rest of my life, so I might as well serve the best.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± replied Joshua.


    Cain smiled softly and continued. ¡°But I didn¡¯t want to follow someone who has achieved everything. That¡¯s boring. There¡¯s no fun if I can¡¯t prove myself during the process.¡±


    ¡°A sprout with a lot of personality, talent, and skill¡ªbut unpolished. That¡¯s what I thought about you at first.¡± Cain reached out to Joshua with a sad look. ¡°You will never understand how big of a leap that was for me. I thought that if I could somehow get closer to you, even the greatest mountain could be moved¡­¡±


    Cain¡¯s voice swelled with resolve. ¡°I just want to wield my sword for my master. It¡¯s my will, my dream.¡±


    Joshua became filled withplex emotions as he stared at Cain.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s hard to understand. It¡¯s fine; I just wanted to tell you how I feel.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Cain didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°I really wanted to help someone as well.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­?¡±


    ¡°I feel most alive whenever I am holding this spear, and I feel¡­ invincible.¡± Joshua continued walking into the forest. ¡°But¡­ It¡¯s scary at the summit.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Cain, seemingly confused.


    Joshua stopped and slowly turned around.


    The unexpected side Joshua was showing made Cain unable to breathe.


    ¡°I¡¯m d you found something that makes you happy.¡±


    ¡°Master¡­¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that your life¡¯s purpose is to be my sword. I want you to do what Cain de Harry wants to do, not what Joshua Sanders wants you to do. I don¡¯t want you to regret it further down the road.¡±


    Cain didn¡¯t know what to say upon hearing the mncholy in Joshua¡¯s voice.


    Joshua¡¯s deep eyes seemed to contain all the sadness in the world.


    ¡°Still, I¡ª¡± Cain clenched his fists as Joshua disappeared into the forest. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever regret the path I decided to take.¡±


    The dry leaves crunched beneath his feet as Cain started moving.


    ¡°My life¡ªCain de Harry¡¯s life¡ªhas never been better than the day I met you.¡±


    Cain followed Joshua into the forest.


    ***


    Joshua ran for quite a while inside the Forest of Fog, but he suddenly came to a halt. It couldn¡¯t be helped because he could feel a huge mass of sinister, dark energy just up ahead.


    <em>¡®A hundred? I am not really surprised. We¡¯re in the heart of Avalon, after all.¡¯</em>


    Cain also stopped moving and stood near Joshua. Upon sensing thetter¡¯s hesitation, Cain opened his mouth and said, ¡°I¡¯m going.¡±


    Joshua shook his head at Cain before asking, ¡°Have you ever fought an assassin?¡±


    ¡°An assassin?¡± Cain pondered for a moment, and then his face darkened. ¡°...Never.¡±


    ¡°Fighting an assassin is different from fighting a knight. Individual strength doesn¡¯t matter as much when fighting assassins. It¡¯s not as simple as a mere sparring, and a B-ss assassin is better than an A-ss Knight in more ways than one¡­¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that you¡¯re going to¡­¡± Cain seemed like he couldn¡¯t believe it.


    He knew just how powerful his master was, so why did Joshua say that he would have to risk his life to fight a mere assassin?


    <em>¡®Assassins are rampant in the whole continent. Even s</em><em>ince that person disappeared more than 10 years ago, the organization has been dwindling though¡­</em><em>¡¯ </em>Cain inwardly grumbled with wrinkled brows.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°<em>Hmm?</em>¡±


    ¡°You have to know that you must not underestimate those people. They could even be one of the Stars.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain threw himself forward the moment his instincts cried out to him.


    There was something sharp flying through the air.


    However, Joshua was already moving even before Cain could open his mouth.


    Sparks flew as Joshua brandished his spear and deflected the iing projectiles.


    Arrows were falling from the sky and from all cardinal directions.


    Cain furrowed his brows when he realized that the tip of the arrows was green and glossy. They seemed to have been coated with the most recognizable and deadliest poison out here.


    ¡°They must have gone mad for them to attack us,¡± Cain muttered into the air as he mustered all of his mana.


    Suddenly, dozens of ck-robed figures emerged from the shadows like smoke.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡±


    Cain brandished his sword warily. ¡°Master?¡±


    However, Cain¡¯s jaw fell to the floor when he saw that his master was smiling.


    ¡°Well-concealed footsteps and breathing, your killing intent is also hidden under the veil of darkness. I can¡¯t feel a single trace of life or energy¡­However, the bloodthirst is apparent in every movement.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Every single move is filled with intense killing intent. I don¡¯t know about others, but for me, that stands out more than anything else.¡±


    Was Joshua making a deduction here? The figures d in ck had no idea, but it seemed that they weren¡¯t interested in Joshua¡¯s words as they retreated back into the darkness to bide their time.


    ¡°I¡¯ve traveled the entire continent before, but only one assassin organization left a deep impression on me.¡±


    Joshua thrust his spear into the empty space on his nk, but his spear seemed to have struck something as someone screamed in pain.


    ¡°<em>Argh!</em>¡± a masked figure d in ck coughed up blood. The figure had been aiming for Joshua¡¯s artery and was about to throw his dagger.


    ¡°Even the strongest assassins couldn¡¯t kill me...¡± said Joshua.


    Who was he talking to? He seemed to be talking to no one else in particr as Joshua gracefully danced, avoiding a flurry of daggers.


    ¡°Three on the right, one on top, two in the back, and finally¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s words were immediately followed by a sharp attack from his spear, exactly where he¡¯d said. He stepped forward confidently.


    <em>¡°Ah¡­!</em>¡±


    ¡°<em>Argh¡­!</em>¡±


    Another masked assant fell from the shadows while coughing up blood.


    ¡°I knew it; it¡¯s you.¡± Joshua turned around. His assants had emerged from the shadows with worried looks, but Joshua didn''t even spare them a nce. His eyes were locked on an empty tree five hundred meters away.


    Joshua looked like he was meeting an old friend as he said, ¡°I knew you¡¯d be watching. I mean, you¡¯re Ghad¡¯s lover, after all, Evangeline Crepot.¡±


    The masked assants stiffened upon hearing that.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t move. Just watch. There¡¯s no way out for you here, and I won¡¯t let you escape, no matter what.¡± An energy shot out of Joshua¡¯s body. The energy was as dark as the masked assants. Perhaps even darker, like a fragment of the abyss. The abyss-like energy would surely not grant a peaceful death to those who were unfortunate enough to be struck by it.


    However, the dark energy Joshua had mustered was actually too much and too strong for it to only serve one purpose. The dark energy gathered in one ce, and Joshua casually spat amand.


    ¡°Stand up.¡±


    The dark energy shed and spread, and two figures started to form.

 Chapter 249

    Chapter 249


    The Imperial Pce was mostly empty. After Joshua left, the thousand-strong Imperial Knights vanished as well, not to mention the Emperor and the other nobles.


    Only Knight Commander Rod, Valmont, and a few Imperial Knights were left to collect Ghad¡¯s corpse.


    Knight Commander Rod looked around and said in a low voice, ¡°Valmont.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Knight Commander, sir?¡±


    ¡°Can you believe it?¡±


    Valmont trembled at Knight Commander Rod¡¯s ambiguous words.


    ¡°Honestly, I can¡¯t believe it. I can¡¯t believe that he¡¯s a Superhuman, just like me. I thought it was just some silly story. I thought that the Mercenary King simply let his guard down, or that brat worked with the Wilhelm Knights to put himself on a pedestal. I was so sure that the rumors were fake¡­ Knight Commander Rod revealed a despondent look as he said, ¡°However, I was wrong. I discovered that I couldn¡¯t be further from the truth when I fought him.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s only going to be sixteen this year, but he¡¯s already at least as good as me. I was trying my best to maintain my reputation as the strongest Knight Commander until I resigned, but it seems that he would be a better Knight Commander than me.¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander, sir¡­¡± Valmont muttered nkly.


    ¡°Haaah. He might actually be one of the Nine Stars before he turns twenty,¡± said Knight Commander Rod. Heughed bitterly at the words that emerged from his mouth.


    Valmont simply looked at him quietly.


    ¡°Valmont,¡± said Knight Commander Rod.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, Knight Commander, sir.¡± Valmont saluted.


    ¡°Are you really an A-ss knight already?¡± asked Knight Commander Rod.


    Valmont didn¡¯t bother with words; he drew his sword and injected it with mana. A blue mist swirled around the de¡ªindisputably an Aura de.


    ¡°Avalon is very much blessed to have so many young A-ss Knights...¡± Knight Commander Rodughed while inspecting Valmont¡¯s sword. ¡°Joshua Sanders is an inspiration for many people.¡±


    ¡°I admit it.¡±


    ¡°If his suspicions are correct¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod turned to regard Valmont with distant eyes. ¡°I will take full responsibility and resign from my position as the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights Order.¡±


    Valmont¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°As for the next Knight Commander¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod examined Ghad¡¯s corpse once again and said, ¡°I want you to be the next Knight Commander, Valmont.¡±


    ¡°Knight Commander, sir¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you willing?¡± asked Knight Commander Rod.


    Valmont closed his eyes and nodded.


    Whenever the Knight Commander of the Imperial Knights Order was about to retire, he would rmend one of the Battalion Commanders beneath him as his sessor.


    It was just a mere suggestion, but those who didn¡¯t agree with the Knight Commander¡¯s choice could argue through the Knights¡¯ code.


    Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle. They could argue their case by defeating every Battalion Commander of the Imperial Knights Order¡¯s battalions.


    Knight Commander Rod was basically asking Valmont if he was willing to ept all of that on top of taking charge of the Imperial Family¡¯s security.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t criticize you for saying no. I¡¯d know better than anyone else that you¡¯re not ready yet¡ªyou don¡¯t have to say anything.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Valmont opened his eyes as his words trailed off.


    <em>¡®I promised him. No, I have a new dream now, even if it¡¯s not for the sake of the promise.¡¯</em>


    At the end of the day, the choice was for him to make.


    And it was an opportunity for him to take a great leap forward¡­


    Valmont finally opened his eyes, and a glint shed through them.


    ¡°Yes. I can do it. I will take on the responsibility of being a Knight Commander.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod gazed into Valmont''s resolute eyes.


    ¡°Valmont dun Brown.¡±


    ¡°Sir, yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°I acknowledge you as the next Knight Commander of the Great Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights Order,¡± Knight Commander Rod said solemnly. ¡°I think you¡¯re going to do well.¡±


    Valmont mmed his fist against his chest in salute.


    ¡°I ept your will,¡± Valmont firmly replied, ¡°And I will live up to it.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s actions of killing Ghad changed someone else¡¯s life.


    ***


    The masked figures surrounding Joshua and Cain shivered.


    Two figures had appeared amidst the throng.


    One was a knight covered in what seemed like darkness itself¡ªand the most cursory nce showed that there was something wrong with his movement. His enormous sawtooth de seemed like it was excited to tear into the masked figures¡¯ flesh.


    Cain huped and eximed. ¡°The Dark Knight of Dennis River¡­!¡±


    However, the familiar figure wasn¡¯t actually the problem here.


    Cain had to take a deep breath when he pped his eyes on the other figure.


    Cain was frightened by the figure¡¯s sheer size. The figure was about three meters tall, and his body was broad and thick.


    He was wearing the same ck armor as the Dark Knight of Dennis River.


    However, the most terrifying part of it all was the fact that¡­


    ¡°H-Headless¡­!¡±


    He was astonished. There was no head between the figure¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡°An undead¡­?¡±


    ¡°A duhan!¡±


    The masked assants broke their customary silence.


    An unnatural monster had appeared. And a duhan was considered a high-level undead. Dark mages and their undead creatures were hated, no matter their origin and where they were.


    It turned out that the new Superhuman had been harboring a dark secret, and if this information got out, then Joshua¡¯s oue could be easily deduced.


    It was shocking, but they had no idea that the Dark Knight of Dennis River was a legendary death knight.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why I told you to live your own life instead of following my orders? If I told you that I want to summon the Demon King and bathe the entire continent in blood, what would you do?¡±


    ¡°This mad man¡­¡± One of the masked figures jerked and backed away warily. They knew that even if they didn¡¯t manage to eliminate their target today, they simply had to inform the world that Joshua was a dark mage, and the world would eliminate Joshua for them.


    Having made a decision, the masked figure started to retreat.


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡± He paused doubtfully upon hearing a strange sound. The sound sounded like something had been cut, and it came from nearby.


    He turned to look at Joshua, but Joshua was still standing there without moving¡­


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡±


    The masked man¡¯s eyes widened.


    He opened his mouth, but no sound woulde out.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the end of it.


    His vision started to tilt like his eyes were getting closer to the floor, and a few momentster, his eyes captured the stupefied looks of hisrades.


    Even more shocking was that they were looking down at him.


    Seeing that, the masked figure finally understood.


    The strange sound earlier was produced when one of the undead decapitated him.


    The masked figure¡¯s headless body copsed to the floor. The masked assants were even more terrified at the sight of that than when they first saw the towering Duhan.


    Sure enough, it was a quick and painless death.


    ¡°And that is how you should move through the shadows.¡±


    The masked figures were filled with an inexplicable sense of wonder and shock.


    ¡°But how¡­!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it.¡± Joshua swept his gaze across them and smiled before saying, ¡°All of you will die here today, so it¡¯ll be a waste of my time to exin things to those who are going to die anytime soon.¡±


    Once Joshua¡¯s words fell, the masked men copsed in a chorus of screams. Duke Altsma¡¯s de danced in the hands of the death knight like a wolf among sheep. It was harsh and vicious, befitting of a movement known as the Wolf¡¯s Roar.


    ¡°<em>Aaaah!</em>¡±


    Terrifying screams emerged one after another as the colossal de literally tore them apart. Even the best stealth techniques were useless in front of Duke Altsma¡¯s rage. He cut down dozens of them in the proverbial blink of an eye.


    ¡°Noting out yet?¡± said Joshua while observing the ongoing ughter.


    However, he received no response.


    <em>¡®Just because you¡¯re far away doesn¡¯t mean that you won¡¯t be noticed¡­!¡±</em>


    ¡°How arrogant.¡± Joshua¡¯s grin widened. It was just like in his past life. They were so sure that they could kill anyone on the continent, even a Star, if they tried. Their pride was higher than the heavens up above.


    They were a part of Dark Sunset.


    ¡°Are you not going to make a move? In that case, I¡¯ll make my move,¡± said Joshua.


    He waited for a while, but upon receiving no response, he decided to make a move.


    However, before he could take a step forward, the Duhan Lord suddenly raised his sword, which came as a surprise to Joshua.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    The demonic power within a fifty-meter radius around them coalesced. The Duhan Lord had opened his demonic realm, the 8th Lesser Demon Realm, Infinite Hell.


    From that bottomless abyss, hundreds upon hundreds of dark hands reached out, grasping at the soulless husks of the masked men and dragging them into the chasm in the ground.


    When they emerged from the rift, they were no longer the same.


    ¡°An army of duhans¡­¡± Joshua stared at the vile, headless figures. They all resembled duhans, and their abilities were simr to duhans as well. It seemed that the Duhan Lord was a one-man army.


    ¡°Duhan Lord¡­¡±


    - What do you think of the power of the Infinite Hell? It¡¯s great, right?


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at the voice that echoed in his head. His beloved weapon seemed to have awakened after a long slumber.


    ¡°You¡­¡±

 Chapter 250

    Chapter 250


    - Hmm, don¡¯t you think we should first catch those trying to get away?


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua''s eyes widened. He eventually shook his head and made the decision to leave Duke Altsma and the Duhan Lord to their own devices. In addition, they were simply conducting a ughter, so there wasn¡¯t really a need to supervise them.


    Of course, this was a decision that Joshua made out of the blue.


    It was a decision that came out of the blue, and each step he took became bigger with every step. Somewhere along the way, Joshua simply vanished. He didn¡¯t be too fast to be seen, he simply disappeared into thin air.


    The rocks, trees, and grass remained undisturbed.


    This meant that Joshua had melted into the shadows to disappear.


    ¡°Riding the shadows¡­?¡± The distant observer was startled.


    Those were hisst words, though nobody witnessed them. The beautiful old tree was sheared in two by a bright red curve, and the three assassins hiding in it were put down by Joshua¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Get into Kill Formation!¡± the oldest assassin yelled.


    In spite of their deeply rooted pride, the assassins of the Dark Sunset had to admit that Joshua Sanders was a monster beyondmon sense.


    The assassins slipped through the shadows in an impossibly stealthy manner; the only sign of the entire group¡¯s movement was the faintest hiss, like a snake slithering through the grass. Seen from above, their formation was a decagon with tenyers of defenses. However, with 2 units down, it was now an octagon.


    The assassins gripped their daggers with grim faces.


    ¡°Formation!¡±


    They let loose a mana that suited their profession perfectly. It was a technique that the King of Darkness made, and it was known as ¡®Darkshot¡¯.


    ¡°Group One: Flying Dragon¡¯s Beard!¡±


    About a dozen assassins in the deepest part of the formation spread their fingers, embroidering the air with silvery lines.


    ¡°Group Two: Poison Dragon¡¯s Fog!¡±


    The next twoyers threw fingernail-sized beads on the ground, which exploded into a cloud of thick purple smoke.


    It looked exactly what one would expect poisonous fog would be like.


    The oldest assassin couldn¡¯t help but smile. Their formation was alreadyplete, so there was no way that their opponent could still take a single step, not to mention make a move.


    He couldn¡¯t possibly move. A single step meant that he would be cut into ribbons by the razor-sharp wires that they had used to surround him.


    ¡°Group Three: Dark Dragon¡¯s Thorn!¡±


    The ground underneath Joshua¡¯s feet cracked open, and the third and fourthyers of assassins dove into the ground. The fifth and sixthyers of assassins upied their former ces.


    ¡°Group Four: Battle Dragon¡¯s w!¡±


    The seventh and eighthyers leaped into the air, their daggers ready to strike at the slightest opportunity.


    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± The oldest assassin smiled. It was over, and he was satisfied with how they had done this job and with the oue.


    Actually, there weren¡¯t many chances to use this technique, as such an obvious formation ran opposite to the essentials of assassination. In addition, simply killing the target was easier than setting up these borate formations.


    <em>¡®Themon understanding is that an assassin can never beat a knight in a head-to-head fight. And ¡®</em>he¡¯<em> was unsatisfied about it. This formation was one of his works to ovee that weakness.¡¯</em>


    The oldest assassin raised his weapon. It was strange, but he was wielding a sword rather than a dagger. Still, the oldest assassin was confident that he could kill his target without the advantages of using a dagger.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    A man¡¯s voice could be heard outside the formation.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless,¡± the oldest assassin grinned. Once the formation has been set up, the inside and outside of the formation were like two different worlds.


    In addition, the sheer amount of mana they had to use to create this formation meant that one¡¯s mana would have to exceed that amount for one to even try and break the formation.


    <em>¡®In other words, no one can possibly¡ª¡¯</em>


    ¡°Is this it?¡± asked Joshua in a low voice.


    ¡°<em>Huh?</em>¡± The oldest assassin stared at Joshua nkly.


    ¡°There is no greater despair than witnessing the copse of something you have absolute belief in.¡±


    Joshua looked like a fool in the oldest assassin¡¯s eyes. What the hell was he even saying? Was he really thinking that he could get out of this formation on his own?


    All of a sudden, the oldest assassin¡¯s brows twitched.


    <em>¡®Now that I think about it¡­¡¯</em> It took them quite a while to assemble the formation, but their opponent didn¡¯t even make a move, not to mention resist. In that case, if Joshua wasn¡¯t a fool, then his inaction only meant one thing.


    The oldest assassin¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°...Something¡¯s wrong!¡± he eximed in a hurry.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote,¡± said Joshua.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s crimson spear started spinning along with a resonant hum. If one wanted to break through an borate formation, one would usually have to disassemble it piece by piece, but Joshua didn¡¯t feel like doing something like that today.


    ¡°The oue should be the same if I cut everything down.¡±


    Joshua brandished Lugia in a perfect sphere, and the humming intensified.


    ¡°Kill him, now!¡± the oldest assassin shouted.


    The assassins decisively abandoned their formation. They were smart, so they knew what Joshua was trying to do. Therefore, they immediately swarmed Joshua in hopes of stopping thetter¡¯s n.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the decision they had taken.


    <em>¡®I don¡¯t think this will get any easier¡­¡¯</em>


    A burst of bright light illuminated the entire forest. The light was reminiscent of the days during time immemorial when the light itself was evil. The burst of bright light was simr to the disaster of light that struck the Human Realm back then.


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level 5: Day¡­¡±


    It was unknown if Joshua had tapped into Magma¡¯s power, but when he brandished Lugia once more, the crimson spear erupted into a burst of brilliant light that burned as hot as the sun itself.


    The following scene barely burned itself into the retina of one of the assassin¡¯s eyes, while the others didn¡¯t even have enough time to process the scene itself as the burning sun that Lugia had turned into exploded in a ster explosion.


    ***


    Time seemed to have stopped. The masked assassins had been reduced to ashes, while Cain was frozen stiff like a soulless husk, and he had only been watching from the sidelines.


    The forest around them had be a desert of gray.


    <em>¡®Where have you been? Why are you only appearing now?¡¯ </em>Joshua muttered to himself.


    Strangely enough, he received an answer.


    - It took me a while to remember what I had forgotten.


    <em>¡®Remember?¡¯</em>


    - Surely that isn¡¯t important, is it? Your goal is to get revenge on your murderers. It¡¯s been a few years since you took that first step, but your second target is already right in front of you. That¡¯s good news.


    Lugia¡¯s voice sounded strange and frightening.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes drifted to a nearby tree.


    - Why are you hesitating?


    <em>¡®I¡¯m hesitating?¡¯</em>


    - Do you want to have the same regrets again?


    <em>¡®No, never¡­¡¯</em>


    - Then, go ahead and kill her.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes flickered. He could feel his murderer trying her best to escape as the voice in his head urged him to kill.


    - There is only emptiness after revenge? Bullshit! Revenge is beauty itself!


    <em>¡®Revenge¡­¡¯</em>


    - Yes! Revenge! It¡¯s beautiful! Go and rip that bitch to pieces! Make sure she dies a painful death¡­!


    <em>Step!</em>


    Joshua started walking in a daze. His movements were strangely mechanical, and he looked as if he was being possessed.


    <em>- </em>Kill! Kill! Kill! KILL!


    ¡°Kill¡­¡± Joshua muttered briefly, and when he took his next step, the ground beneath him shattered as he shot forward.


    ¡°...!¡±


    His target inhaled sharply as she saw and felt the iing danger. She was covered from head to toe, but Joshua could never mistake her for someone else.


    Her body, her smell, and even her mana signature¡­


    She was definitely Evangeline Crepot.


    ¡°<em>Hah!</em>¡±


    A storm of demonic raged around Joshua, and it tore Evangeline¡¯s mask off of her face. Beneath the mask was a beautiful face with shoulder-length blonde hair and blue eyes.


    Joshua opened his mouth, and a strange voice came out. ¡°Do you really think that you can get away?!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s body swelled explosively as even more demonic power emerged from his figure. The sight of Joshua¡¯s abnormal figure alone would make anyone say that he was a¡­


    ¡°...monster! You¡¯re a monster! Get off me, you monster¡­!¡± Evangeline cried out in a trembling voice. She was also trembling in fear.


    Joshua was overjoyed at the sight, and he grinned. ¡°You¡¯re the monster here!¡±


    Evangeline''s slender figure quivered incessantly as she stammered. ¡°W-w-why¡­¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Joshua grinned even wider as he stared into Evangeline¡¯s terrified eyes and muttered, ¡°I want to know why as well. I was alone. I died alone in that damned forest without even knowing what mistake I hadmitted for me to deserve that kind of death!¡±


    ¡°W-what¡­? What are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°You have to experience the same pain I had to go through that day¡­!¡± Joshua interrupted Evangeline¡¯s muttering by grabbing her neck. The veins on his hand bulged as he squeezed. Evangeline struggled and tried her best to break free, but Joshua¡¯s hand remained unmoving.


    Evangeline struggled with all her might, but Joshua¡¯s hand seemed like it was made out of a boulder.


    Joshua cackled madly while looking into Evangeline¡¯s bloodshot eyes.


    ¡°Haha¡­ hahaha¡­! HAHAHA¡­!¡±


    <em>¡®Revenge¡­ It feels so good I¡¯m going crazy¡­!¡¯</em>


    Just as Joshua was about to tighten his grip¡­


    ¡°You can¡¯t kill me¡­!¡± Evangeline barely managed to squeeze these words out.


    ¡°Master, no¡­!¡±


    Two voices sounded out at the same time, and soon after, two figures swiftly stood in Joshua¡¯s way while he was drowning in the sea of madness.

 Chapter 251

    Chapter 251


    Evangeline Crepot.


    She got this name pretty quickly.


    Before then, everyone just called her No. 27, just like any other assassin.


    She must¡¯ve been a kid when it happened. She remembered being taken into the mountain ranges around the continent and being raised with the assassins from a young age.


    She killed someone when she was only seven years old. It was the only way to keep living¡ªbecause if she didn¡¯t kill, she¡¯d die.


    Of a hundred kids, she was one of the few fortunate enough to survive to the age of eight. She was proud to have lived through those terrible days of killing.


    When she was twelve, she killed everyone in a whole vige. It was her first mission as an assassin. Adults and children alike were ughtered, and their flesh... was burned sopletely that not even ashes remained.


    By that time, she was strangely at ease with the idea of killing.


    At the age of eighteen, she stabbed her birth parents in the neck. She didn¡¯t learn their names untilter¡ªshe thought she was an orphan to begin with, which prevented anyone from using her family against her.


    When she was twenty-one, she finally got the greatst name Crepot for her and her alone. As a bonus, she even received the name Evangeline instead of No. 27.


    She felt good. It felt like all of her hard work had paid off. It made her feel alive.


    And then she disappeared for four years. During that time, <em>he</em> taught Evangeline various skills, such as scamming.


    <em>He</em> is the King of Darkness.


    Darkness of Crepot was the best con artist at that time. She learned all of the secrets reserved exclusively for the Crepots.


    She''d done it all, and now she was out in the world with a bit of self-control.


    She only has one job to do: assist Gahad du Lancelot from the shadows, where no one would see her.


    Even she, a ughter puppet, felt unhappy at first about being assigned a mission to support someone rather than kill them.


    Still, she didn''t question it. She didn¡¯t let herself think about it, so she never questioned anything.


    Evangeline spent some time working with Ghad du Lancelot.


    ¡°How long are you gonna stare at me like that?¡±


    Evangeline¡¯s eyes popped open.


    She had given up, but¡­


    ¡°Evangeline, I''m talking about you.¡±


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    Hearing her namee from his lips brought a shocked expression to Evangeline¡¯s face.


    She was very good at hiding. She¡¯d concealed herself on the roof about thirty feet away from in a way that would make it impossible for anyone to notice except Ghad.


    Evangeline dropped to the ground with a hard expression.


    Ghad noticed her there and said something that waspletely unexpected:


    ¡°You were actually there?¡±


    Evangeline gave him a confused look..


    ¡°I just said it out loud, I can¡¯t believe that you¡¯re really there. I think I have to apologize.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ My name¡­?¡± she nkly muttered.


    Gahad grinned at her.


    ¡°I was curious when I heard your name, but I never thought that you¡¯d be such a pretty woman.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Until then, Evangeline thought that he wasn¡¯t aware and didn¡¯t notice her. But then she realized that he already knew that she was there.


    It was easy to figure out where he got her information. Perhaps that man told him; that meant that Ghad was an important part of the man¡¯s n.


    Since seeing Evangeline for the first time, Gahad acted like a child.


    ¡°Would you like toe down and get this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it hard to stay like that all day?¡±


    ¡°Does your pretty face get messed up all night? Lack of sleep is the worst thing for beauty, right?¡±


    She never answered. That didn¡¯t stop Gahad, even though Evangeline didn''t say a word. If someone else saw him, he would look like a crazy person talking to himself all the time.


    This went on for another year.


    At some point, Evangeline told him what was in her heart. Never before had she opened up to someone else instead of keeping her thoughts to herself, much less speak up because she felt an intense emotion.


    A new wind started to blow in Evangeline''s blood soaked life.


    But then he died before the wind could even shake the dying nts.


    He was murdered.


    She could still see Gahad¡¯s body being pierced by that bright red spear.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­¡±


    She was angry.


    But other feelings took over. When she made another eye contact with Joshua again, Evangeline passed out from fear for the first time in her life. Herst thoughts as her consciousness faded were that Joshua looked like someone she knew.


    Though she didn¡¯t like admitting it, this feeling of dread¡­ Evangeline felt that he stood on a height that could never be surmounted.


    That''s all.


    ---


    Joshua had lost his mind. Two people, a man and a woman, stopped him.


    Cain was, of course, on one side, clinging to Joshua with a stone-hard grip.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t hurt her!¡±


    Joshua silently narrowed his eyes at the woman obstructing his way.


    She wore a ck robe that covered her whole body, but her womanly curves showed through nheless. Her skin was the color of chocte, and her ears stood proud. She had a face so pretty that it made one wonder if the goddess of beauty would have a face like that.


    A dark elf.


    ¡°Aisha Steropi.¡±


    ¡°Great¡­ I see a great family¡­¡±


    ¡°Don''t get in the way.¡±


    Aisha abruptly rose from her slight bow.


    ¡°She might know something important.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. I won''t be able to forgive even you if you insist on getting in my way.¡±


    Aisha shivered.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Cain took a step into the path of Joshua¡¯s freezing re.


    ¡°I don''t know what triggered this, but you can''t keep killing. It¡¯s my job to stop you, My Master.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes looked very sad.


    ¡°Is that Cain de Harry¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is how I¡¯ll live my life,¡± he answered without hesitation.


    Joshua gave him a small smile.


    ¡°You don''t give up.¡±


    ¡°At least I know what is right and what is wrong.¡±


    ¡°Today, I''ll have to let go of one of my most valuable subordinates.¡±


    Joshuaughed, but Cain shook his head.


    ¡°No.¡±


    Joshua was puzzled.


    ¡°No matter who my Master is, I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll be by your side nheless.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Joshua made an expression of bewilderment, drawing a grin to Cain¡¯s face.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? If I do that, the people¡¯s perspective will change.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Cain ced his fist against his chest.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders is my first andst master. And as your servant, it is my duty to stop my master from going awry. For your sake, further killing is prohibited from this point forward.¡±


    Joshua was quiet for a long time.


    ¡°Still¡­¡± he eventually said. ¡°I need to kill her.¡±


    Cain started in surprise as Joshua extended his hand toward Evangeline¡¯s unconscious body.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case¡­¡±<strong></strong>Cain threw his sword to the ground and flung his arms wide. ¡°Kill me as well.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Master, this is not how a leader should act.¡±


    A strange battle took ce then: Cain stared unflinchingly at Joshua, and Joshua gave him a strange look.


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one who knows!¡±


    Aisha¡¯s loud voice made both men¡¯s heads turn.


    ¡°She knows where the Third Prince Kasselion¡¯s body is!¡±


    Joshua and Cain both widened their eyes.


    ¡°Only Evangeline Crepot knows the ce.¡±


    The forest instantly fell silent, just in time for a group of people to rush in.


    ¡°There!¡±


    At first nce, it looked like there were easily more than a hundred people there. They bore beautiful dragon crests on their chests, marking them as the Royal Knights of Avalon.


    ---


    When he saw the blond man who had just arrived at his pce, Second Prince Kaizen beamed.


    ¡°Even though we live under the same roof, it¡¯s really hard to see my brother¡¯s face!¡±


    ¡°Brother, I¡¯m ashamed.¡±


    Kaiser, the man with blonde hair, bowed respectfully.


    ¡°Evergrant told me about your n to use Serciarin.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that it will help Brother Kaizen in the future.¡±


    ¡°Stop. I asked about it but I already heard the detailed n.¡±


    Kaizen sat down and leaned forward. He did not ask Kaiser, his guest, to sit down.


    ¡°What I really want to know is what you really meant when you suddenly said you would stand by my side. I know you have no idea how powerful I am¡­ but I know you have hidden goals.¡±


    His straightforward speech reflected Prince Kaisen¡¯s personality.


    Kaiser only needed a moment to answer.


    ¡°You know already, right? There''s a saying that says the enemy of an enemy is a friend.¡±


    ¡°Is this what you''re going for?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it Brother Kaizen who can¡¯t beat your older brother with your own strength?¡±


    Kaizen stroked his chin as the conversation went on. He was expecting that answer¡ªall he needed was more proof. Kaizen didn''t have anything to lose, and this was a bad time to keep his cards hidden.


    <em>¡®I knew something was up when Evergrant told me that he would be on my side.¡¯</em>


    Kaizen thought for a while.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s arrogant. If I beat my older brother with his help, then he¡¯s sure to beat me as well¡­¡¯</em>


    Prince Kaizen''s smile got bigger and bigger as he pushed his thoughts away.


    ¡°Take it.¡±


    Kaiser stiffened.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you needed Serciarin?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I can dance to your song.¡±


    Kaiser was quiet for a moment, but he quickly bowed again.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m excited for this n. Since you and Evergrant concocted this together, I wonder what kind of n it is¡ª¡±


    The huge explosion outside the pce made them go deathly still for a moment.


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out and find out, Brother.¡±


    Just as Kaiser was about to turn around, they heard a cry.


    ¡°Fourth Prince Kaiser ben Britten,e out and surrender, immediately!¡±


    The princes¡¯ eyes popped open.


    ¡°This voice¡­¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡± Kaiser let out a quiet moan.

 Chapter 252

    Chapter 252


    ¡°C-Commander!¡±


    There wasn¡¯t so much as a knock before the door mmed open. The knight who ran in received looks of shock from Knight Commander Rod and Valmont.


    There was suddenly a flurry of activity outside the building¡ªbut more importantly, the intruding knight was Marlon, captain of the 4th Battalion, which had been sent after Joshua.


    ¡°What are you fussing about?¡± Rod, realizing the urgency of the situation, stood. ¡°Did you catch the perpetrator?¡±


    ¡°It doesn''t matter!¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The masked person was involved in the Third Prince¡¯s disappearance!¡±


    Knight Commander Rod and Valmont¡¯s eyes grew big.


    ¡°Wh-Where are they now?¡±


    ¡°Count Sanders caught the criminal and is now in the Second Prince¡¯s pce¡±


    ¡°Why is he at the Second Prince¡¯s pce?¡±


    ¡°The murderer said that Fourth Prince Kaiser was the one who did it.¡±


    Rod stiffened.


    ¡°I came straight here, but I just happened to see the 9th Battalion at the Fourth Prince¡¯s pce¡­¡±


    It was one surprise after another. Everyone was so confused that they could no longer hear each other talking behind their backs.


    ¡°Excuse me first, please.¡±


    Valmont¡¯s feet were moving as soon as he was ready.


    ¡°We have to go. Tell me the details on the way.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod ced his sword on his side and prepared to leave.


    ¡°I think you have to go see for yourself¡­ By the time we¡¯re finally there, I think it¡¯ll be done¡­¡±


    ¡°What will be done?¡±


    ¡°When we got to the scene, there was no body, but there was so much blood we could only assume that Count Joshua Sanders was already done with his job. The eerie thing was that the blood belonged to many, many people, but there was no one left there.¡±


    ¡°You said many people? Did the person have subordinates? ¡±


    ¡°I mean, if what I saw was right.¡±


    Knight Commander Rod looked at him in disbelief.


    ¡°Are you sure about that? This is Arcadia, the heart of the Empire. That many people wouldn¡¯t be able to bypass our surveince system¡ª¡±<strong></strong>The Knight Commander abruptly stopped talking when a thought crossed his mind. The criminal was hiding right next to Rod and Rod never noticed until they moved. The crowd couldn¡¯t ount for that¡­ That masked person was unbelievably good at hiding.


    If there were dozens of assassins who were as good at stealth¡­ No, that wasn¡¯t even the worst part.


    ¡°In such a short time¡­ Many were dead but there¡¯s no trace of them left behind?¡± The Knight Commander voiced his confusion.


    Joshua was ahead by five minutes at the most. That meant that in those 5 minutes, he took care of all the apparently upper-ss assassins without leaving behind a single body.


    As expected of him¡­


    ¡°Haah.¡±


    The Knight Commander¡¯s eyes shed. He let out a long sigh and set his jaw as he brushed his thoughts away.


    ¡°That aside, are you saying that the masked person gave up their story?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Count Sanders whispered something in their ear, but it was too quiet for me to hear.¡±


    ¡°He knows something.¡±


    Marlon nodded.


    ¡°Yes, whatever he told them made them tell the truth¡­¡±


    ¡°What''s going on with the other knights?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t hear that either? We can¡¯t do anything until His Majesty gives us orders.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The Knight Commander quietly eyed the Second Prince¡¯s distant pce. ¡°In the end, I guess I have no choice but to go see for myself.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    Atst, the Knight Commander kicked the dirt and took off as hard as he could toward the Second Prince¡¯s pce.


    ---


    Cain stood in front of the Second Prince¡¯s pce and looked around at the imperial knights standing in a circle around him.


    ¡°Master, do you have a n? ¡­Master?¡± he called again, but no one answered.


    Cain gave Joshua a sad look. His master had his arms crossed and simply stared at the Second Prince¡¯s pce. He¡¯d been like that since he shouted for the Prince toe out.


    ¡°Damn it. If I knew that this would happen, I would''ve stabbed everyone I saw before¡­¡±


    Not long ago, this man protected the Imperial Family. Now he was pointing his de at them. How the tables turn!


    Without a word of reply from his master, Cain had no choice but to suffer in silence. Joshua paid no attention to his servant¡¯s suffering¡ªhis thoughts were fully upied with one thought.


    The problem was the talk they had right before they went to the Imperial Pce. In fact, he wouldn''t have been working so hard if it weren''t for that. Thinking about that conversation brought a deep sadness to his eyes.


    Evangeline slowly opened her eyes.


    ¡°Ugh.¡±


    She took a deep breath. The face she was afraid would show up in her dreams was still right in front of her face.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­¡±


    ¡°Tell me¡­¡±


    ¡°W-What do you mean¡­?¡±


    Joshua leaned into Evangeline¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Tell me where the body of Kasselon III is¡­¡±


    Evangeline gaped at him.


    ¡°You must have a little kid, right? Evan, was it? The child you had with Ghad.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s low voice made Evangeline shake all over like she''d been hit by lightning.


    ¡°How do you¡ª This is impossible.¡±


    How on earth did this man know her secret?


    When she heard his voice again, it sounded like a reaper from hell.


    ¡°If you don''t tell... I''ll find him and I''ll rip him to pieces with my own hands.¡±


    Evangeline was already scared, but that threat broke her. Even if her child was marked as a low blood, he was her everything.


    ¡°Pr-Promise me¡­¡±


    ¡°I swear I won¡¯ty a hand on your child.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t even know the exact ce¡­¡±


    Joshua''s eyes darkened.


    ¡°B-But!¡± Evangeline hurriedly shouted, gesticting anxiously.


    She couldn¡¯t remember a time when she¡¯d felt a fear like this.


    [I want to tell you something.]


    <em>¡®Duke Altsma?¡¯</em>


    Joshua looked to the side, taking his eyes off of Evangeline, who was beginning to hyperventte. His Death Knight was calling for him.


    [I¡¯ve heard about the ce before¡­ but there is something that bothers me about this.]


    <em>¡®What is it?¡¯</em>


    [It has something to do with the person who made me like this.]


    Joshua''s eyes widened slightly. His guess was Berber and Evergrant. The ck Knight had his full attention.


    [He made more Death Knights than just me.]


    <em>¡®What does that mean?¡¯</em>


    [I was with another Death Knight right before you went to the castle and fought the knights of the Hubalt Empire.]


    <em>¡®Two¡­ Death Knights?¡¯</em>


    It was a big surprise. Even making one Death Knight was hard¡ªtwo was a feat to be proud of.


    [I didn''t have time to worry about it at the time because my ego, although it could think for itself like it does now, was weak. Even after I was reborn, I couldn''t guess what it was. Based on what I know, his swordsmanship alone suggested he was rted to the royal family of Avalon, but¡­]


    <em>¡®Doesn¡¯t anythinge to mind?¡¯</em>


    The ck Knight nodded.


    [I heard that a Death Knight can be contracted within a hundred days of dying. Even then, the chances of sess drop as time goes on. However, during that time, I don''t remember anyone dying with an A-ss body and soul who was rted to the royal family of Avalon.]


    <em>¡®But how?¡¯</em>


    [There was one thing he said that stood out to me.]


    Bright red light shot out of both of the Death Knight¡¯s eyes.


    [Blue Wolf of Swallow,e here¡­]


    Duke Altsma was also called the ¡°Blue Wolf¡± while he was alive.


    [The iparable light of Avalon will fall into our hand¡­<em></em>It won''t be long before Heimdall''s great will spreads throughout the Empire.]


    As the former Duke spoke, Joshua became as still as a stone statue.


    The iparable light of Avalon¡ªall clues pointed to Joshua and Babel.


    [We knew that the princes of Avalon are very talented, but I can¡¯t believe that someone could reach A-ss before turning twenty¡­ Of course, since I saw you, I''ve changed my mind about everything.]


    Joshua nodded.


    <em>¡®It would make sense for Prince Kasselon to be A-ss¡­ He has great potential.¡¯</em>


    [What do you mean?]


    Joshua lowered his eyes. At some point, he¡¯d acquired some strange ideas about the other world.


    Asmodeus, the mighty 32nd ranked demon, had an ability which, with his contractor, Berber, could have made it happen. That terrible ability granted great power in exchange for burning away thest of the recipient¡¯s lifespan. And if the Death Knight¡¯s contract was made in that state...


    Joshua''s eyes lit up for a moment.


    <em>¡®Where do we go?¡¯</em>


    [All I could remember was that it was a secret room somewhere underground in the Imperial Pce, and that it was connected to an underground passage on the edge of the city.]


    <em>¡®I think I have a good idea.¡¯</em>


    It was a ce he had frequented in his past life.


    After Kaiser finally had all of the real power of the Empire under his control, he hid his pce, and the creation of this hidden ce, from the eyes of the Imperial Knights with Evergrant¡¯s help.


    Kaiser¡¯s pce. The Fourth Prince¡¯s pce.


    <em>¡®After all, there''s probably only one way to go unless you know where the passage is.¡¯</em>


    People were pouring out of the pce, with many knights following them. Joshua¡¯s stony face finally broke into a wide smile when he saw the blonde man leading the crowd.


    ¡°Kaiser.¡±


    Joshua clenched his fists as tight as he could. He wouldn''t bend over anymore.


    The die had been cast¡ªthey would be enemies from now on.

 Chapter 253

    Chapter 253


    ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing right now?¡±


    Kaizen seemed emboldened by the fact that he stood in front of his own pce. He stood in front of Joshua with his arms crossed and red furiously at the young knight.


    ¡°Are you deaf? I¡¯m asking you, Joshua Sanders, why you are barging into my pce like this. Rudely, at that, I might add.¡±


    After Kaizen repeated his demand, everyone went silent at once and turned to Joshua. Prince Kaizen was a violent Prince, and everyone knew about that. Their fear turned the air around the pce grounds cold.


    Joshua¡¯s mouth remained stubbornly shut for a long moment.


    ¡°...I¡­ Your Highness the Second Prince¡­ You and I are standing in a public square.¡±


    ¡°HUH?¡±


    ¡°I am standing in front of you now not as Joshua Sanders, but as a count of the Avalon Empire and the captain of the Auxiliary Battalion of the Imperial Knights,¡± Joshua proudly dered. This simple affirmation of his values made everyone¡¯s eyeballs pop out of their sockets.


    No one here was so stupid that they didn''t understand what Joshua was saying. His words were not a threat tacked on as an afterthought.


    ¡°You¡­ What are you suddenly saying?¡±


    Joshua looked down on him.


    ¡°It means¡­ you need to show me some respect.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Kaizen scoffed and snarled, visibly offended.


    To borate, Kaizen was not as well-regarded as Joshua in the public eye. Hisck of a higher title like ¡°crown prince¡± perhaps just added salt to the wound¡ªnot to mention the power struggle between him and the First Prince taking ce.


    The problemy in Joshua¡¯s words: how dare an aristocrat demand ¡°respect¡± in front of the royal family?


    There was no mutual respect for each other. The royal family would do whatever they wanted to do, and the aristocrats would crawl beneath the feet of the most noble family in the country. That was how things had always been and always would be.


    Or should have been¡­


    Kaizen¡¯s footsteps resonated quietly in the still air as he stepped forward.


    ¡°Are you mocking the Second Prince in front of these people?¡±


    Before any of them realized, word spread like wildfire, attracting the attention of the nobles who were in the pce for official and non-official business. Since thepetition for the Princess¡¯s Concubine had begun, many high ranking nobles were still staying in the pce.


    Joshua looked around, acknowledging their presence, before he started speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for you, Second Prince. I believe that I made that very clear.¡±


    ¡°You came to my pce and you expect me to believe that?¡±


    ¡°I will make this clear¡­ <em>again.</em><em><strong></strong></em>I came here because I have something to settle with the Fourth Prince, Kaiser. That is my business.¡±


    Kaiser flinched and trembled in fear.


    In the end, Kaizen blew up.


    ¡°I see that your arrogance knows no bounds! Imperial Knights, what are you doing right now?! Will you stand and watch as this arrogant man tramples on the pride of the Imperial Family?!¡±


    Nearly three-hundred Imperial Knights all drew their swords at the same time. These knights were under the directmand of the Imperial family and Kaizen.


    But Joshua¡¯s people didn¡¯t just stand and watch either.


    ¡°Help the Captain!¡±


    ¡°11th and 12th Battalion Knights, draw your swords!¡±


    The other knights and nobles broke into a furor as swords hissed against their sheathes. This is a once in a lifetime show, but many wondered if the future held simr events.


    Calling it a ¡°challenge¡± would be an understatement. These knights, though they were supposed to berades, were now pointing their swords at each other.


    ¡°This is crazy¡­¡± Kaizen unconsciously clenched his fist.


    This situation wouldn¡¯t be as crazy if it wasn¡¯t about his brother.


    Two hundred knights pointed their swords against the Prince at the orders of a kid that has just be the Count¡ªa mere noble. And even younger than Kaizen.


    What the hell was this Joshua Sanders guy?


    Kaizen couldn¡¯t hide his internal struggle.


    ¡°Please stop.¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s head whipped around to the side toward the voice.


    ¡°Brother, there are a lot of eyes watching.¡±


    ¡°Kaiser.¡±


    ¡°Count Sanders said he has some business with me. In that case, it''s better to face him head on.¡±


    Kaiser moved forward.


    ¡°Ke-Keep the Prince safe!¡±


    In case of an emergency, the rest of the Imperial Knights, who didn''t have a side, gathered next to Caesar. Five hundred in total.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I believe your particr choice of words is reserved for criminals. Tell me,¡± he added when Joshua opened his mouth to speak, ¡°what¡¯s my charge?¡±


    ¡°I must emphasize, I am a Knight in the service of the Imperial Family¡ªI would never touch a prince¡¯s body without a proper reason.¡±


    Kaiser was about to reply, but Joshua¡¯s sudden smile made him flinch.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± he nervously asked.


    ¡°The Imperial Family defines treason as ¡®harming the Imperial family,¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen pushed for rification, but Kaiser¡¯s mouth was firmly shut.


    ¡°Furthermore, what kind of crime is it if you made an undead from the Imperial family you spoke so highly of?¡±


    ¡°Heup!¡± One of the noblemen watching inhaled sharply.


    Joshua¡¯s words were a great shock for everyone.


    Undead¡ªthat word made a huge difference.


    That day thirty years ago still was engraved deep in the hearts of the people of the continent. The day that Gas Kingdom was attacked because they were nurturing dark magicians.


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes sank deep.


    ¡°Your words¡­ What is your basis?¡±


    ¡°I know you''ve set up a separate ce to do experiments with the dead. Isn''t that enough proof?¡±


    ¡°That ce doesn¡¯t exist, right?¡± Kaizen mumbled, refusing to believe it.


    No ce in the Empire is safe from the priests'' watchful eyes. If someone made an attempt to tinker with undead or such dark practices, the watchmen would notice immediately.


    ¡°Above ground, it would be impossible, yes. But if it¡¯s below the pce of the great Avalon Empire, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kaizen was stunned even before Joshua was done talking.


    ¡°Count Sanders, are you willing to take responsibility for what you¡¯ve just said?¡±


    ¡°I don''t say things for which I can''t be held ountable.¡±


    Following Kaiser¡¯s example, the ce went dead silent. Even the Imperial Knights swallowed nervously. The nobles couldn¡¯t even breathe.


    A voice, a beautiful voice broke the undying silence. Unfortunately, the voice¡¯s words didn¡¯t fit the mood.


    ¡°That work¡­ Do you need help?¡±


    The voice came from the back of the pce, not from where the princes were standing.


    The gathered crowd couldn¡¯t believe their eyes, for they beheld a miracle.


    ---


    A pristine pce stood in the middle of Arcadia.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Someone stood in front of the lobby stairs, which spanned the full height of the mansion, and sighed deeply. The woman looked barely a day over thirty. She had baby blue hair, green eyes, and porcin white skin.


    A lone figure approached her from behind, making her flinch.


    ¡°What¡¯s up with the heavy sigh?¡±


    The woman backed away in shock, but when she realized who it was she immediately bowed her head, though she was confused.


    ¡°I-I greet the Duke.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up with the heavy sigh?¡± Duke Agnus repeated, not acknowledging her greeting.


    ¡°It was¡­ nothing,¡± she answered.


    Duke Agnus looked into her eyes and said, ¡°I see.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s hands were tightly tightly against her skirt.


    ¡°It must be because of Joshua¡¯s actions, right? I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but even if you grow old, you can¡¯t leave this mansion.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ You¡­ Your Grace!¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°Are you still not aware where you stand?¡±


    His words suggested that they¡¯d fought over this before.


    Lucia rarely raised her voice, but she did right now, as if she refused to lose this time.


    ¡°Duke, I¡¯ve never left the mansion even once, never went against your order even once since I¡¯ve been here!¡±


    ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? You said that you¡¯re happy just being in the same ce as your kid. On top of that, Joshua wanted this.¡±


    Lucia bit down hard on her lips.


    ¡°But¡ª! Even though I sound rude, I¡¯m still going to say this: I¡¯m worried about him¡­ I¡¯m worried about my son.¡±


    They say that a mother is always strong.


    Lucia didn¡¯t even have an ounce of power against the Duke, yet she spoke so boldly.


    ¡°My Joshua is still so young. That child is handling not a hundred, but a thousand knights all on his own.¡±


    <em>¡®So that was it¡­¡¯</em>


    Duke Agnus¡¯s expression shifted a bit when Lucia voiced her concerns.


    ¡°Stop. It''s nothing to worry about. He is a lot stronger than you think.¡±


    ¡°But you see, Duke¡­.¡±


    ¡°D-Duke!¡±


    At that moment, a man rushed through the mansion door. One look at the man¡¯s face put Duke Agnus on alert.


    ¡°Why are you rushing, Armstrong?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something going on!¡±


    With no further details, Duke Agnus could only remain confused.


    ¡°This is an emergency! The Sun¡¯s Retribution will be held for the first time in twenty years!¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    However, the surprises didn¡¯t end there.


    ¡°The person making the request is Captain Sanders of the Auxiliary Battalion against 4th Prince Kaiser ben Britten. It¡¯s an execution request.¡±


    Before Armstrong could even finish his words, Duke Agnus suddenly stood up with his eyes wide open.


    The Sun¡¯s Retribution was not an easy order.


    ¡°Armstrong, follow me.¡±


    ¡°I heed your orders!¡±


    ¡°Lucia, remember what I said.¡±


    ¡°B-But!¡±


    Duke Agnus kept walking forward, heedless of Lucia¡¯s cries.


    ¡°Duke, I need to report something else.¡±


    The Duke paused when Armstrong spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll listen as we walk.¡±


    ¡°Princess Serciarin will be present as a witness.¡±


    Duke Agnus never stopped moving, merely tilted his head.


    ¡°Who?¡±

 Chapter 254

    Chapter 254


    The Sun¡¯s Retribution.


    In the long history of the Avalon Empire, there had been a few trials for the royal line, but they were rare.


    Except for treason, the Imperial family was rarely held responsible for their crimes. The Sun of the Empire, the Emperor, was the only one who could punish the Imperial Family for their crimes. Especially so for the crime of treason¡ªor worse.


    Therefore, all citizens were duty-bound to report any kind of treason to the Emperor¡¯s Pce if they discovered it.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s face was rather stiff.


    ¡°With Duke Agnus as thest one, all of the upper-rank nobles are now here, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Call everyone, even the lower-rank nobles, and the Knights as well, if they want to participate.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s words made Military Advisor Zegar gape at the Emperor, but he then obediently lowered his head.


    ¡°I heed your orders, Your Majesty.¡±


    Military Advisor Zegar went out of the door.


    ¡°The judgment will begin when everyone is in the room. And¡­¡±


    He turned, letting his words trail off into silence. He first turned to look at Prince Kaiser and Prince Kaizen; their faces were hard to read. Then, his gaze turned toward the Twelve Families and the Five Dukes before finally setting on someone.


    ¡°Aden¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You probably heard beforeing here, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Agnus was also acting out of the norm. Emperor Marcus watched Duke Agnus¡¯s face harden.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± the Emperor continued. ¡°After all, I told your child to do whatever he wanted.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°For me, it doesn¡¯t matter if Kasselon is dead or alive. This is natural selection; if you¡¯re alive, you will be exalted, and if you¡¯re dead, you¡¯ll be forgotten. The people who will stay in the end are, after all, the Imperial Family.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Even if that were true, it was a cruelly cold way to treat his own child, especially his death.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    For a second, Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes held a glimmer of coldness. ¡°The situation is different when we¡¯re talking about the Sun¡¯s Retribution. This ces the dignity of the Imperial Family on the line, not just the pride of its individual members. You understand that, right?¡±


    ¡°I understand, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Agnus was the leader of the aristocrats. Emperor Marcus, understanding his situation, softened his expression.


    ¡°If Kaiser really killed his brother and turned him into an undead, the punishment will be served ordingly. Considering Hubalt and Hermes¡¯s fanatics, we have to exile him as far away as possible; it¡¯s the right thing to do.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The crowd remained quiet; it wasn¡¯t an unexpected decision. Although Emperor Marcus wasn¡¯t one to worry about the neighboring countries, he also wasn¡¯t one to be soft on his own blood.


    Everyone there knew what the fate of an Imperial Family member banished from the Pce was. Just speaking of Emperor Marcus¡¯ brothers, none of them had survived their banishment. If someone was kicked out of the Imperial Pce, it was safe to say it was a permanent exile.


    ¡°Kaiser, do you have any problems with what I¡¯ve said so far?¡±


    The response came from one side of Marcus¡¯ throne.


    ¡°None, Your Majesty,¡± Kaiser answered with an unreadable expression.


    Kaizen came up to Kaiser.


    ¡°Do not worry,¡± he encouraged the younger prince, ¡°I will help you.¡±


    Kiser, the First Prince, also approached him and said, ¡°I will help you as well.¡±


    ¡°Big Brother¡­¡±


    Kaiser was surprised by Kiser¡¯s support.


    ¡°It¡¯s not the time to argue amongst ourselves. Don¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter how the Emperor is doing, there is a possibility that the aristocrats could take control of the situation. Especially since that Joshua Sanders guy, the is at the center of it all.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Focus and don¡¯t let your thoughts wander.¡±


    Kaizen just shrugged when he heard Kiser speaking coldly rather than with his usual gentle demeanor.


    ¡°I''m sorry to be a bother.¡±


    Kaizen and Kiser both stopped and turned to look at Kaiser at the same time.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that I need the help of both my older brothers¡­ I¡¯ll just ept your intent and feelings gratefully.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡±


    Could it be that he had a glimmer of hope in the pitch-ck darkness?


    Emperor Marcus set aside the brothers¡¯ unusual camaraderie and spoke.


    ¡°But¡­ If Joshua Sanders went through all this trouble with ulterior motives¡­¡± A sudden, storm-like force erupted from his rxed form. ¡°I will personally cut his head off for his transgressions against the Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°But I hope I do not have to break my favorite toy with my own hands.¡±


    Some of the nobles shivered. From the way he spoke, it seemed like he cared a lot more about Joshua than his own son. He hadn¡¯t looked so solemn or sad when he was talking about the Fourth Prince.


    ¡°The Sun¡¯s Retribution will soon begin when everyone in the hall is assembled¡­ So call Joshua Sanders immediately.¡±


    ¡°I heed your order!¡± Some of the Imperial Knights saluted and went outside to fetch Joshua.


    He needed to be there, after all. He was the protagonist.


    ***


    On the other side of the Sun¡¯s Pce was a reception room. In it, two women sat across a table from each other. One woman had blonde hair, reminiscent of a goddess that came down from the heavens. Her well-defined nose, petal-like pink lips, and porcin white skin were picture-perfect, but her best asset was her sparkling golden eyes.


    After staring at each other for a long time, the other woman¡ªa maid, given her attire¡ªspoke first.


    ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡±


    ¡°Light and rxed, Ellen. Really.¡±


    Ellen¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears after hearing Serciarin¡¯s words, spoken not in the usual sick voice, but in a healthy one.


    ¡°I still can¡¯t believe what¡¯s happening¡­ The Princess, who had been sick since birth, nearly dying¡­ sitting and standing up¡­ and even your eyes have recovered¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel the same,¡± Serciarin responded with a small smile.


    Ellen hesitated for a moment before carefully asking, ¡°Do¡­ you¡­ still not remember?¡±


    ¡°...No, I still have no memories since I turned ten.¡±


    Ellen clenched her hands together and looked at the princess with determination.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Princess. I will help you make more beautiful memories to make up for the missing ones. So please, do not worry at all!¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Serciarin smiled a very big smile.


    ¡°More importantly¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you''re fine? You still haven¡¯t recovered fully, but you had to deal with things like this the moment you woke up¡­¡±


    ¡°I did it because I wanted to.¡±


    Ellen bit her lip tightly.


    ¡°It never seemed that way, but I guess you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Serciarin gave Ellen a confused look.


    ¡°Well, Your Highness might not remember this well, but he¡¯s very popr among the maids, especially around the Empire. I think it was because his image is already great.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Not only his skills, but his appearance as well¡­ not to mention that despite being young, he still showed respect for those below him while saying everything he needed to without being meek to the ones above him. In a way, he is like the light for the lower-rank nobles.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the reason why Joshua Sanders is always brought up as the most popr person in the capital¡­ No, in the whole Empire. But¡­¡±


    As she spoke, Ellen''s face was stained with disappointment.


    ¡°Many people will be upset because of this.¡±


    ¡°...Do you think that there¡¯s something wrong with him as well, Ellen?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡± Ellen answered without hesitation. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense for him to im that Prince Kaiser made Prince Kasselon into an undead! Because while you were sick, Prince Kaiser was one of the few people who actually visited the Hwahwagung pce.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I know there¡¯s something else going on. I¡¯m not very smart so I¡¯m not sure what it is exactly, but¡­¡±


    Ellen shook her head. When she saw Serciarin however, there was a strange air of dissonance about her.


    ¡°Princess, do you possibly think otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Serciarin returned Ellen¡¯s confused look with a smile.


    Serciarin saw the face of a man quickly sh through her mind. It was the face of neither the missing Kasselon, nor the problematic Kaiser who had visited her. She had only seen the man¡¯s face once after waking up, but strangely, he made her heart heat up rapidly.


    Serciarin brushed her thoughts away and looked at Ellen.


    ¡°The truth is always hard to take.¡±


    ***


    In case of emergency, eight hundred knights were deployed to the Imperial Pce, but of course, the 11th and 12th Battalions¡¯ Knights, who were close to Joshua, were nowhere to be seen.


    With an audience of two thousand, including the nobles, even this wide space felt crowded.


    A man simply walked into this political battlefield, drawing many people¡¯s attention. The echo of his heels made them feel shocked and suffocated.


    The Youngest Count. The Youngest Master on the Continent. The Superhuman who killed the Mercenary King and the person who could rival the Knight-Commander. The Empire¡¯s pride, who just jumped into a pit of enemies where he could be branded as a traitor with one wrong move.


    ¡°What is this hostility? I¡¯m not the criminal.¡±


    ¡°Cocky¡­¡±


    Joshua nced at the nobles andughed.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders,¡± Emperor Marcus''s voice called in the distance. ¡°I heard everything. Let''s not waste any more time; we¡¯ll get to the heart of the matter right away.¡±


    Emperor Marcus looked down at Joshua from atop his throne and asked the most pressing question of them all:


    ¡°Do you have any proof?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I do.¡±


    Emperor Marcus'' eyes lit up.


    ¡°You must know that unsupported words aren¡¯t a very good argument. Now that it¡¯se down to this, maniption is a very easy thing to do, whether thates from torture or something else.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Now¡­ there are two ways to add credibility to your words.¡± Emperor Marcus stood up. ¡°Bring Kasselon¡¯s body here, or¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s not feasible, just bring Kasselon, the undead, here.¡±


    Joshua bowed his head.


    ¡°Your Majesty, something is missing.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The ce where the experiments have urred. I¡¯m sure that demonic power could still be found there¡­ That ce¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you aware of the location?¡±


    Joshua nced at Kaiser before speaking.


    ¡°It¡¯s in Prince Kaiser¡¯s Pce¡­ specifically, the basement.¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes fell.


    ¡°...I distinctly recall saying that there are only two ways.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I see two problems with you using that location as evidence.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°First of all, even if it is under Kaiser¡¯s pce like you said, how will you find it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If it is like you said, then it must have been hidden skillfully in order to hide from the eyes of everyone in the Imperial Pce.¡±


    Some of the nobles understood what Emperor Marcus was saying, and they trembled.


    ¡°Second, how will you find the demonic power? Don¡¯t tell me you will bring Hermes¡¯ servants to my pce?¡±


    Even though the temple was in the Avalon Empire, it was hard to tell if the priest there was a real citizen of the country. As long as he remained a priest, he had no choice but to maintain some kind of rtionship with the Hubalt Empire, an independent state.


    However¡­


    ¡°I know how to do both at the same time.¡± Joshua smiled enigmatically.


    ¡°What?¡± Emperor Marcus stared at him with wide eyes; other people didn''t react much differently from him.


    <em>¡®I can also keep my promise to her.¡¯</em>


    Joshua smiled widely as he finished, ¡°The answer to that problem is hidden in the Imperial Archives.¡±

 Chapter 255

    Chapter 255


    In the middle of the Continent, there was only the neutral city of Reinhardt.


    And in the middle of the city, there was a building; and on the fifth floor¡ªthe top floor¡ªbusiness was taking ce.


    ¡°Master.¡±


    Someone stood in front of the thick curtain. He was the person who had told Joshua about Moon Gate.


    ¡°Won?¡± The silver-haired woman, Lilith, turned her head toward Won.


    ¡°I have some important news for you.¡±


    Usually when Won showed up without warning, it meant that something serious had happened.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Lilith asked, slightly nervous.


    ¡°The Blue Moon team just sent us a very important message.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s the Blue Moon¡­ then is it Avalon?¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes widened and she put her hand through the curtains. ¡°Give it to me.¡±


    ¡°Here it is.¡±


    Lilith snatched the parchment up and began reading in a hurry.


    ¡°Is this right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from Blue Moon,¡± Won answered defensively.


    Blue Moon had been an important part of Avalon for many years. With that considered, the team was about 90% reliable.


    ¡°Oh my, they are really going to start the continental war?¡± Lilith murmured, biting her lips. ¡°Won. If this is the case, then there is a possibility that those monsters really are rted to the Avalon Imperial Family.¡±


    ¡°The probability is high. They may be thinking of using the monsters for war.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ They im to be the center of the continent so how could they¡­ with them out of all things¡­¡±


    During such a time of peace, an unprovoked preemptive strike was likely to make them the continent¡¯s enemy. Still, Avalon''s forces moved forward without hesitation.


    She had wondered what made them so confident, but it seemed like it was this.


    ¡°Recently, the number of troops stationed along the Avalon Empire''s borders has grown by more than 30%. This needs to be monitored¡­¡± As Lilith continued to read, her face twisted in displeasure. ¡°Do the seniors know about this fact as well?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because of that, the entire country is upset right now.¡±


    ¡°The Imperial faction might rebel if they hear about this.¡± Lilith frowned, as if she could tell what was going on even without looking.


    ¡°And unfortunately, Martial Emperor Zactor returned to his residence yesterday.¡± Won cast an apologetic look through the curtain.


    ¡°Wha¡­ What did you just say?¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits.


    This was new information. Along with the Knight of God Chrysler Jean Sebastina, Martial Emperor Zactor was one of the Nine Stars. He had been absent for the past three years because, as a supporter of the Emperor, he had been checking out what was going on on the continent. But now, he had returned back to the Imperial Pce at what was arguably a dangerous time. It was as if he had been waiting for this day his whole life.


    ¡°Not good. This is not good at all.¡± Lilith shook her head back and forth as she stood. ¡°I have to go back to the temple right now.¡±


    ¡°The determined Emperor and the moderate Pope¡­ The result is predictable. No matter how much the Pope calls for peace, it cannot be stopped if this continues. If a war really breaks out, it will eventually be the priests who will lose everything.¡±


    ¡°Are you implying that we should wait?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Won firmly answered. ¡°There are still things I haven¡¯t informed you of yet..¡±


    ¡°What¡ª?¡±


    ¡°If demons and Avalon are really connected, shouldn¡¯t we find the Holy Grail as soon as possible?¡±


    When Won mentioned the Holy Grail, Lilith flinched and stopped pacing.


    Hubalt regarded the Grail as sacred, but even in the huge Empire, very few knew of the secrets it was hiding.


    ¡°But he said that the Holy Grail is being kept in the Imperial Archives of the Avalon Imperial Family. We can¡¯t do anything right now.¡±


    ¡°Now that I think about it, I¡¯ve been hearing strange rumors about that ce for a while now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I was going to tell you about it after I looked into it more, but¡ª¡± Won trailed off before continuing his words. ¡°People are saying that the Sun¡¯s Retribution is currently happening at the Imperial Pce of the Avalon Empire for the first time since many years.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes couldn¡¯t get much bigger now.


    ¡°It''s still being investigated. But one of the parties is¡ª¡± Won''s eyes sparkled. ¡°It¡¯s <em>that</em> Count, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ***


    ¡°It can''t be done.¡±


    When Emperor Marcus¡¯s voice rang out, silence fell in the hall. His lips slowly curled as he continued.


    ¡°Even if there is something I do not know about in the Imperial Archives, why should I lend you my belongings when you aren¡¯t even mine?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If I did, then it would be no different to me helping you. Above all else, this trial should be held on equal footing where neither side has the advantage. Otherwise, where would the impartiality be?¡±


    That was pure nonsense. The object Joshua had brought up was just a way to help discern the truth; it didn''t necessarily help Joshua.


    Unable to watch this any longer, Serciarin took a step forward.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I think¡ª¡±


    ¡°You. Stay put.¡±


    Serciarin froze.


    ¡°I¡¯m so d that you woke up just fine, Serciarin.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°But that makes me even more worried. It¡¯s not been a day since you recovered¡ªwhat if you got sick again because you overextended yourself? How do you think I, your father, would feel?¡±


    From the outside, this scene was that of a father who cared deeply about his daughter. But of course, no one present believed it. For Emperor Marcus, a father¡¯s affection was a totally alien concept.


    ¡°And what does the Princes think of this?¡±


    ¡°I am also concerned about my only sister¡¯s health, Your Majesty,¡± First Prince Kiser answered.


    ¡°I am very honored to witness Your Majesty¡¯s wisdom.¡± Kaizen bowed and spoke immediately after Kiser.


    Kaiser''s lips curled into a deep smile as he also bowed his head.


    ¡°What about the rest of the nobility?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s thoughts are the thoughts of the nobles,¡± the Military Advisor replied for the minor nobles.


    With a satisfied expression, Emperor Marcus turned to look at the other side. ¡°Do you think I''m going too far, Aden?¡±


    Duke Agnus nced at Joshua before shaking his head.


    ¡°No, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Having heard Duke Angus¡¯ reply, Emperor Marcus finally sat down.


    ¡°Everyone but you agrees with this. What will you do now?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua wore a bitter smile when Emperor Marcus looked at him.


    He knew exactly what was happening. First of all, he knew that he had no allies here. Marcus ben Britten was a member of the Imperial Family, not to mention, the most powerful of them all. He couldn''t have liked this situation, where the aristocratic faction could suddenly seize control. Joshua could understand that, more or less.


    So Duke Agnus, the de facto leader of aristocratic society, was a rude surprise. He could have said something different¡­


    <em>¡®...But despite our blood ties, I can¡¯t tell what he¡¯s thinking.¡¯</em>


    Joshua quickly pushed the thoughts out of his mind. It didn¡¯t actually matter that his father, Duke Agnus, and the other nobles were here. He couldn''t afford to turn his attention away from the opponent he was facing right now.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, tell me what you think.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression turned grave. Now, Emperor Marcus was making him decide. Either be the emperor¡¯s sword or be tossed aside.


    <em>Swish.</em>


    Joshua¡¯s index finger and middle finger shot into the air.


    ¡°...?¡±


    He quickly moved the mana in the air, leaving the aristocrats confused.


    <em>Wooooong!</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    The Imperial Knights ced their hands on their swords.


    Five different kinds of mana poured out of Joshua¡¯s fingers.


    <em>Shing!</em>


    The clear sound of swords been drawn from their sheaths rang out in the hall


    Emperor Marcus gazed at him coldly.


    ¡°Is that your reply?¡±


    <em>Swish.</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    Instead of responding, Joshua continued to move. What he did next made the Emperor¡¯s eyes widen.


    His Aura, that could be felt even from afar, was being directed to his other palm. His mouth curled into a small smile as he watched the blood droplets fall to the floor, to the undisguised shock of the audience.


    ¡°It''s not as if there is no way.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Heal.¡± At Joshua''s shortmand, a group of pure white lights burst out and filled the room.


    His wound, which had started to drip blood, quickly recovered.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t like the priests, then what about me?¡±


    The crowd buzzed with surprise. They had heard the rumors from Reinhardt, but this was likely the first time they¡¯d seen it in person. Even Serciarin was stunned for a moment when she saw divine magic for the first time since regaining her vision.


    ¡°I have a lot of skill with divine power, so if it¡¯s something like demonic power, then even I would be able to feel it.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I will personally find the proof.¡± Joshua took a step forward. ¡°If this doesn''t work either¡ª¡±


    Joshua''s aura shed and sparked in the suffocating silence.


    ¡°Then from now on, I, too, will do my best to keep myself safe.¡±


    ¡°You dare¡­ to threaten me?¡± Emperor Marcus growled.


    Joshua bowed his head slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the rudeness, but¡­ Isn¡¯t that why a sword has two edges?¡±


    He slowly straightened.


    Even Joshua was taking a chance on this. Bying here, he was making good on a promise he had made to himself: from now on, there would only be one winner.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    After a long period of silence, Emperor Marcus startedughing unbelievably hard.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, I really like you.¡±


    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em> The nobles looked around at each other. What was he saying? Maybe¡ª


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll permit it. I choose Joshua Sanders to investigate Kaiser¡¯s Pce.¡±

 Chapter 256

    Chapter 256


    The Sun¡¯s Retribution was now done.


    Actually, no. It was temporarily suspended.


    <em>¡®The final decision will be made in three days.¡±</em>


    That was the only thing Emperor Marcus had said before he stood up and coldly strode away.


    And then the air was dead again as everyone¡¯s attention was turned toward one man. They couldn¡¯t hide the hatred in their eyes.


    Joshua felt their burning stares, of course.


    Showing happiness in the midst could spark jealousy, and showing pain would mark him as weak. That was aristocratic society.


    ¡°Come with me.¡±


    The silence was broken by a man who was so respected in Avalon that they called him a ¡°god.¡± Joshua eyed Duke Agnus¡¯s back oddly before following.


    The only sound anyone could hear in that field was their fading footsteps.


    Their walk was agonizing. Duke Agnus didn¡¯t open his mouth until they were firmly outside of the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe and see me?¡±


    ¡°I''ve had a lot to do, so I''ve been busy.¡±


    ¡°Did it matter more than meeting with me?¡±


    ¡°You should know¡ªI¡¯m not part of the Agnus family anymore.¡±


    ¡°Count Sanders¡­¡± Duke Agnus muttered, then he spun on his heel.


    Joshua stopped and stared at Duke Agnus¡¯s back with undisguised anger.


    ¡°There will be a war soon.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to stop it?¡±


    ¡°Human hands can¡¯t dam a river.¡±


    ¡°But they say your dam is godlike¡­¡±


    ¡°If the river overflows, even the dam won''t help. Floods are disasters for a reason.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re too weak to be called a ¡®sword god.¡¯¡±


    Duke Agnus stopped and looked at Joshua for a moment and burst outughing.


    ¡°Hearing that from my own kid doesn¡¯t hurt. Not bad.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a mistake, I apologize.¡±


    Joshua recognized his mistake and bowed his head. When Duke Agnus didn¡¯t move for a moment, Joshua thought he was going to die¡ªand then the Dukeughed.


    ¡°When the head of the family prepares to go to war, he needs to make preparations in case the worst happens,¡± Duke Agnus said, eyeing Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯ve already had that talk.¡±


    ¡°Please don''t get me wrong.¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes shed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have done this if you hadn''t thought about this for a long time. I know that you can do this without my help.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s heart began to hammer against his chest. Duke Agnus¡¯s words blew him away. No matter how smart Joshua was, he was challenging a Prince of the Empire.


    And yet, with no evidence of Joshua¡¯s ability to seed, Duke Agnus still had faith in him.


    <em>¡®Does he know something? Why¡­?¡¯</em>


    Duke Agnus examined the pleased twinkle in Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Are you not satisfied with the Agnus name?¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to go higher?¡±


    Joshua shivered, something Duke Agnus easily noticed.


    ¡°One, you''ll never be able to make her follow you.¡±


    What was he saying? Was he trying to push Joshua to be his sessor?


    It didn¡¯t matter here, though.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want that either.¡±


    The air seemed to weigh down on Joshua as he spoke. The energy was inhuman and iprehensible. It frightened him.


    ¡°Do you know something?¡± Duke Agnus asked. ¡°Should I also be kept in the dark?¡±


    Joshua remained quiet. Duke Agnus stared at him, but soon slowly turned away.


    ¡°I was expecting so much so I pushed the child to do something great. Come any time if you need help.¡±


    Duke Agnus slowly walked away from the imperial pce.


    Joshua did nothing but stare.


    ***


    ¡°Let¡¯s get along well, partner.¡±


    Second Prince Kaizen frowned silently at his brother.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mean that we¡¯ll hold hands indefinitely; it¡¯s just until we beat Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re willing to go through this mess, then does this mean you failed to tame him?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I never even tried,¡± the First Prince replied.


    ¡°You mean you did nothing, brother?¡±


    Kaizen gave him a surprised look. With Kiser¡¯s mounting power, no one could reasonably refuse his hand. But even so, the number one target, Joshua Sanders, was untouched.


    <em>¡®Duke Agnus and Duke Pontier have been very close friends for a long time¡­ Is it true that my brother is crazy about Charles di Pontier?¡¯ </em>


    Kiser¡¯s voice interrupted Kaizen¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°An alliance is more likely to happen with unanimous agreement.¡±


    ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Is there not still one more party?¡± Kiser looked at Kaiser, who had been quiet up until that point. ¡°Kaiser, what do you say about this? You know that simply just saying, ¡®Yes, I want to,¡¯ doesn¡¯t cut it, right? We want to know the truth.¡±


    Kaizen also turned to Kaiser with an expectant look.


    ¡°Do you want to know everything?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s brothers gave him disbelieving looks.


    ¡°It¡¯s true: there is a space under my pce.¡±


    Kiser looked calm, like he knew what wasing, but Kaizen¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    ¡°Then¡­ Then what about the undead?¡±


    ¡°One.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes shed a weird light and he smiled.


    ¡°Are you sure I couldn''t have done a project that big by myself?¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been ten years. Back then, I was nothing¡­ My pride and ego hadn¡¯t been filled yet. That I could have done such a huge thing by myself without anyone in the Imperial Pce noticing¡ªdo you really believe that?¡±


    Kaizen had closed his eyes to listen, but they opened wider with every word. The reports he¡¯d received from his allies had suggested a strong link between the Imperial Pce and the undead.


    ¡°Do you think someone is behind me?¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°No way¡ª?¡±


    Kiser walked away from his brothers.


    ¡°Do you want the throne?¡± the First Prince asked.


    ¡°...Don''t worry too much, big brother. I''m only the fourth prince and I don''t have any power or support.¡±


    Kiser gave a slight nod.


    ¡°I also thought that. For now, at least.¡±


    ¡°It would be a lie, of course, to say that I have no ambition at all. No, I''m more driven than everyone else. But¡­ that ambition isn¡¯t directed in the same ce as my brothers.¡±


    Kaiser was borderline manipting the both of them.


    Feelings of betrayal began to boil up in Kaizen.


    ¡°What bull¡ª¡±


    Kaiser cut Kaizen off before the profanity could leave his lips.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to choke on my own greed, I just wanted to be the second most important person¡ªthe one that no one could ignore.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s your goal, then why did you kill Kasselon?¡±


    ¡°Haven''t I told you already? I am the most ambitious person in the world. Brother Kasselon was in my way¡­ And again,¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes were clouded by strange sentiments as he looked at the both of them. ¡°My other brothers are no different. Only one of you can take the throne.¡±


    When Kaiser was done talking, there was a calm silence. Kiser and Kaizen¡¯s minds were buried in their own inscrutable thoughts. Of course, neither of them believed what Kaiser said.


    ¡°Did His Majesty want you to kill Kasselon?¡± Kiser asked.


    Kaiser shook his head.


    ¡°He said that I¡¯m the one who killed Kasselon, but His Majesty didn¡¯t even do anything. Brothers, don¡¯t you know what kind of person he is?¡±


    Kaizen groaned.


    For fun, imagine a madman who values his family as little as a fly. That was Marcus ben Britten, their father.


    ¡°Do you still want us to work with you even after telling us these things? If yes, then why?¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯m on the edge,¡± Kaiser answered confidently, as if he¡¯d thought about the answer for a long time. ¡°I told you the truth so I could gain your trust and make you see that I don¡¯t have any interest in the throne. Second, because Joshua Sanders is one of the best saboteurs of all time; far more than I expected.¡±


    ¡°But there¡¯s onest point,¡± Kiser interjected. ¡°It doesn''t matter if we work together or not. Your political career is over if Joshua Sanders really does find that space. What do you think about that?¡±


    Kaiser smiled.


    ¡°Do not worry. He won¡¯t find it.¡±


    ¡°How do you know that?¡± Kiser insisted. ¡°We all know how monstrous his skills are¡ª¡±


    ¡°The difference between a knight''s mana hall and a mage''s magic circle is that they work in very different ways and on different principles,¡± Kaiser reasoned. ¡°Just like a mage doesn''t know everything about a knight, a knight doesn''t know everything about a mage either. Only people working in the same field would be familiar.¡±


    Kaiser met his brothers¡¯ eyes confidently.


    ¡°As far as I know, the person who hid that space is the best in their field¡ªever. Joshua Sanders doesn¡¯t stand a chance.¡±


    Kaiser ended his sentence with a smile.


    But it didn''t take even an entire day for that trust to turn into doubt.


    ***


    From one corner of Kaiser''s room came a loud noise like ss shattering. The clear film coating the wall was broken into two pieces and a dark, gloomy mouth opened on their path.


    When its job was done, the pure white light quickly dissipated.


    Joshua was the source of light that broke the barrier. He slowly turned, and the Knight Commander and the Knights went in, apanied by dozens of Imperial mages.


    Joshua looked deeper into the room and smiled.


    Kaiser was just standing there disbelievingly.


    ¡°Poor prince. You shouldn''t be too surprised, because from now on, things are getting <em>real</em>.¡±


    Joshua slowly disappeared into the suffocating silence.

 Chapter 257

    Chapter 257


    There was no room to wait, nor was there a reason to.


    Upon reaching Kaiser¡¯s Pce, Joshua knew exactly where he had to go next.


    Kaiser was not the kind of person to flex his power by living on the top floor. His room was on the first floor. More importantly, it was connected to the basement, where the underground passageway was located.


    <em>¡®Is this the corner?¡¯</em>


    Joshua looked past the crowd of people who had gathered after hearing the news. In his past life, that wall had always been an open entrance.


    It was only natural. He was Kaiser¡¯s closest aide at that time. As such, this was the first time that Joshua came across the magic barrier that sealed the entrance.


    However¡­


    <em>¡®This is a magic barrier made by at least a ss 6 Mage, but there is something else. Ah, right¡­ this familiar, disgusting energy¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua smiled.


    <em>¡®Demonic power.¡¯</em>


    It was so weak that some high-ranking priests wouldn¡¯t notice it, but Joshua''s senses weren''t fooled. That made things clear: this barrier was conjured by Berber and Evergrant.


    Joshua held his hand out towards the wall.


    <em>¡®He must¡¯ve thought that no matter how powerful you are as a knight, you can¡¯t break a high-grade magic circle without using some type of ck magic.¡¯</em>


    Joshua, however, had Kaiser dancing in the palm of his hand. To date, the continent had never seen anyone who could be called a ¡°magic swordsman,¡± someone who could use both a mana hall and a magic circle. It was the same as Joshua¡¯s first life, when he had gained the moniker of being an unrivaled spear knight.


    If someone tried to use mana from the lower abdomen with the magic circle from the heart at the same time, those two energies would always sh with each other.


    But someone shattered that idea decades ago.


    <em>¡®I should find time to find that being out. He might be a great help to my future ns.¡¯</em>


    Being in his second life, Joshua knew that that being, despite being deeply involved with the Magic Tower, was not, in fact, human.


    Joshua shook off his thoughts and clenched his fists for a moment.


    Unlike other knights, Joshua didn¡¯t use a mana hall; his mana came directly from the atmosphere. That made the Magic Spear Arts infinitely powerful and highly destructive.


    <em>¡®If you think that I can¡¯t detect the magic used here just because magic runs on different principles¡­¡±</em>


    Kaiser was fooling himself.


    A loud sound of ss shattering startled the crowd, particrly the mages.


    ¡°What in the¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that a barrier? I didn¡¯t feel any mana that suggested a barrier!¡±


    ¡°That must mean that it was made by a mage of at least a higher ss than the mages here.¡±


    ¡°Must be ss 6, right? We didn¡¯t even realize it. How could a knight find out?¡±


    Joshua let their surprise and doubt wash over him.


    ¡°Are youing with me?¡± he asked indifferently.


    They were anything but reassured.


    Knight Commander Rod nced at Kaiser. Thetter had on a stiff expression.


    ¡°Imperial Knights, don¡¯t be afraid. A hidden space that only royalty know of aremon in the pce. Don¡¯t act rashly unless something actually appears. Be vignt.¡± Knight Commander Rodmanded.


    ¡°Yes Sir!¡±


    ¡°Well, follow Reserve Battalion Commander Sanders in.¡±


    Joshua watched the Imperial Knights marching after him and smiled.


    ¡°Your Highness¡ª¡±


    Knight Commander Rod looked around for Kaiser, but what he found shocked him.


    A strange kind of atmosphere lingered in the area.


    ¡°A-Ah!¡±


    Suddenly, a dark, swirling vortex was torn open in space. It sucked in everything in front of it. Even Joshua was caught off guard by what happened.


    Someone managed to shout, ¡°Oh heavens!¡± before they were all swallowed.


    ***


    Joshua slowly opened his eyes as he felt an incredible amount of pressure weighing down on his body. He saw a world with nothing but imprable darkness. His nose stung from the metallic scent of blood.


    Demonic power lingered in the dense air alongside the stench. The air felt ten times heavier than before, and the pressure continuously weighed him down.


    It felt like a different world.


    It felt like¡­


    ¡ª It felt like the demon world has been moved here as it is?


    Hearing Lugia¡¯s voice in his head, Joshua''s eyes widened.


    ¡ª You should be careful. There seems to be something strange here.


    It didn''t take long for Joshua to make a decision. Joshua quickly but carefully gathered his mana, even though he couldn¡¯t feel anything changing.


    ¡°Hap!¡± Joshua shouted.


    The darkness scattered, letting light shine on the world. What it illuminated¡­


    It was awful. It was like a scene from hell.


    Mountain of Corpses¡ªthe name said it all. An ocean of blood and bodies piled high into the sky around a road that led to obvious doom. They cluttered the floor like some sort of red carpet. They were so grotesque that they seemed to repulse Joshua¡¯s eyes, but the corpses were in pretty good shape. Half of the bodies were snapped in two, yet some of the figures still clung to their torturous existence.


    Joshua examined the bodies and frowned.


    ¡°When¡ª?¡±


    All of them belonged to the Imperial Knights who had just died. Well over thirty knights were killed in moments.


    Strangely, Joshua was d to see any knights from 11th or the 12th Battalions there.


    ¡ª You would have been like that if you had a normal human body.


    ¡°How do you know, and what else do you know?¡±


    Joshua''s gaze darkened.


    ¡ª Is that what matters?


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡ª Iing.


    Joshua quickly straightened up and got into an attacking stance.


    ¡°Those¡ª¡±


    There was a wide space in front of him which could easily amodate a thousand people and already contained arge number of what looked like ¡°humans¡±.


    There was a creature with bizarrely long fingernails. Another creature had mrs sticking out of his mouth. Its hideous appearance really stood out. Although each of the had body parts that were different from a normal human, they had one thing inmon. Every single one of them had dead gray eyes, and yet their whole body was bursting at the seams with energy.


    In the near future, these existences would be recorded in history archives as ¡°Bio-Ghouls¡±. They could tear apart a knight like wet tissue paper and were the worse nemesis of humans to ever exist. Right now, they numbered over five hundred.


    That wasn¡¯t the worst of it.


    ¡°Lich!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s face hardened when five figures with bones protruding from their robes came into view. These high level undead were made out of the body and soul of a high-ranking mage of at least ss 5. Their ck magic made them much, much more powerful weapons than a mage.


    ¡°These monsters were hiding right under the Imperial Pce?¡±


    ¡ª Isn¡¯t it great?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡ª You know what one of the most exciting things in the world is?


    Joshua''s face twisted in confusion as he pondered Lugia¡¯s yful words.


    ¡ª It is¡­.


    Lugia yfully trailed off before continuing.


    ¡ª- Coveting someone else¡¯s property.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡ª Think carefully. Isn¡¯t it great to eat from someone else¡¯s table after they¡¯ve spent a long time preparing the food? Isn¡¯t it great? You can use these to make your army. Nothing but the troops of your enemy.


    Lugia¡¯s voice seemed to strum his instincts.


    ¡ª I''ll help you. Isn¡¯t <em>that</em> exactly what you¡¯ve been waiting for?


    Joshua looked past the undead and his eyes went wide. He saw a stone gate that looked strangely familiar, even though he had never seen it before.


    ¡ª They can¡¯t even use it, even though they¡¯ve been nning for a long time. The perfect n that failed. Isn¡¯t this a great prelude to your revenge?


    Joshua''s eyes slowly turned red.


    ¡ª I can make that happen. Rx and give me your body.


    Joshua stopped swinging the spear and watched the monsters slowly approach him.


    A ray of light emerged from between his eyes.


    ¡ª Worship.


    A voice came from Joshua''s mouth, but it was not his voice. It wasn¡¯t even human.


    ¡ª Obey.


    The monster army¡¯s steady advance suddenly stopped as if struck by lightning. Their bodies trembled like cornered prey.


    ¡ª Kneel.


    The first to give in to its instincts was a bio-ghoul. The other monsters were quick to follow. All that remained were the five liches, thanks to their powerful minds and coherent egos.


    But every time Joshua stepped forward, the liches stepped back.


    ¡ª Wha¡­ What is this¡­


    ¡°Obey me,¡± Joshua''s mouth said with a voice not his own.


    Even the liches stopped moving at some point.


    ¡°The demon god''s power is my power. The existence you hold with such high esteem is nothing but an insect to me.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes scanned the area.


    ¡°I am now your new master.¡±


    The mark of obedience was written again, and even the liches were finally forced to their knees before him.

 Chapter 258

    Chapter 258


    ¡°Grrk, Grrrrrk.¡±


    ¡°Guuuuhhh.¡±


    ¡°Giiiiikkk.¡±


    The bio-ghouls¡¯ mindless screams wafted out of the endless pit of darkness.


    Or, rather than ¡°mindless,¡± it would be more urate to say that their minds were stolen. Once upon a time, they were just normal people like any other.


    -He¡¯s past there.


    -He¡¯s our master.


    -The greatest demonic contractor.


    -We signed the contract, so we can''t defy his will. Please¡ª


    -Be careful.


    The liches called out to him as if his path was already decided. They were, as he had expected, former ss 5 Mages who had struck a deal with that man in exchange for their physical forms. And that man had agreed to the deal sot these liches can create more bio-ghouls.


    ¡ª Hmm. That¡¯s odd.


    Lugia¡¯s voice tickled Joshua¡¯s ear, and thetter stopped in his tracks.


    ¡ª He felt your energy, but it seems like he has no ns of moving.


    ¡°It should be one of these two¡­¡±


    A small smile crept onto Joshua¡¯s lips. He could feel at least ten different energies inside. Three of those energies belonged to a knight nearly equal to a Master.


    ¡°It¡¯s either that he¡¯s been trapped in his body here, or¡­ he doesn¡¯t think it¡¯s even worth checking out.¡±


    Joshua took a step forward.


    ¡ª Are you sure about that? It makes no sense.


    Joshua continued moving in spite of Lugia¡¯s concerns. One step, two steps, and something incredible unfolded before his eyes.


    ¡°Grrrrrr¡­¡±


    The cries of the ghouls continued to resonate softly in the area. Then, they parted like the sea before Moses. Hundreds of monsters shrieked and ran in all directions around Joshua as he walked. Some even fell to their knees; clearly, theycked egos or minds. Submission must be instinct to them.


    ¡ª Engrave this in your heart.


    Lugia¡¯s arrogant voice sounded in Joshua¡¯s head.


    ¡ª You will keep walking paths like this in the future. You will soon get sick of all these reactions.


    Joshua''s unfaltering march suddenly stopped.


    ¡°...But what if I like all of it? Does saying those cheesy lines make you feel like you¡¯re in power?¡±


    Lugia was stunned silent for a moment.


    ¡ª You¡¯re such an idiot, you don¡¯t even know how to act cool. You won¡¯t even consider learning from me.


    Joshua ignored Lugia¡¯s grumbling and arrived in front of the stone gate. A carving that looked like a cow was engraved on the door.


    Of course, Joshua knew what it was right away.


    ¡°Asmodeus.¡±


    Although he was only the 32nd rank demon now, he was once one of the Seven Demon Lords synonymous with the Seven Deadly Sins. Even in the Demon Realm, there were many stories about Asmodeus. If Joshua had to choose one story that best represented him, it would be the incident that caused Asmodeus to drop to the 32nd rank.


    As his other name, the King of Lust, suggested, he adored excitement. No¡­ he was obsessed with it. When he was at his strongest, he wielded his demonic powers against different races everywhere in the mortal realm, even Pandemonium.


    In the end, that twisted desire led him to the opposite end of existence. Just to satiate his desires, he tried to infiltrate the heavens on his own. His arrogance was his undoing. Asmodeus set foot in heaven, but achieved little else¡ªRaphael, one of the Seven Archangels, discovered him and threw him from heaven covered in wounds.


    ¡°Of course, Raphael was also fatally wounded as well. But that''s an old story. What¡¯s important is who Asmodeus¡¯s contractor is.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed in expectation. ¡°Beyond this gate lies Berber.¡±


    ¡ª Sweet revenge. This is getting interesting.


    pping sounds could be heard in his mind as Lugia seemed to apud for Joshua.


    ¡ª You already know how to break through these gates, right?


    Joshua didn''t answer. Instead, he reached out and grabbed the stone gate.


    There was only one way to bypass a demon barrier: using a greater authority to break the barrier. As always in the demon realm, might made right.


    There was a mighty boom, and the tightly sealed stone gate slowly creaked open.


    ***


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°It must be my lucky day. One of the Twelve Superhumans. I never thought that I¡¯d get the body of <em>the</em> Knight Commander Rod!¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Knight Commander Rod stared at his ck-cloaked captor with bloodshot eyes. ¡°You¡­ who are you¡­? To have such physical power, are you even a mage¡­ keugh¡­¡±


    Rod felt a worrying pressure on his neck again, and his expression distorted.


    He found it hard to believe at all. When he had opened his eyes, he saw a totally different world from before. He wondered if this was how hell would be like if it appeared on earth. Logic told him that he was still inside the Imperial Pce, yet there was an ominous blood-red moon hovering overhead.


    That wasn''t all, though. Hair-raising screams pierced the darkness, and the cold air weighed heavily even on the body of a Superhuman. Worse, he kept getting attacked by the hundreds of thousands or even millions of skeletons littering the ground. They seemed to have self consciousness. No matter how much he crushed them, they always got up again.


    But the biggest surprise was the existence that stood next to the robed man.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s¡ª¡¯</em>


    The existence standing beside the robed man was staring at him with a sullen attitude. One look at him and Rod broke out in cold sweat.


    d in full ck armor and with red eyes, he was sure it was the legendary demonic creature¡ªA death knight. But there was something wrong with him.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s using the swordsmanship of the Imperial family of Avalon. The Sun Sword that can only be taught to the Britten family¡­¡¯</em>


    Knight Commander Rod grit his teeth. The missing pieces of the puzzle had finally been put together. The missing prince was here; what Joshua said was true. He had to tell His Majesty everything he had seen and heard as soon as possible.


    He took a step back and reached for his mana. His golden mana stood spread out with him as the core.


    ¡°Pointless.¡±


    ¡°Keugh¡­!¡±


    A shattering sound pierced the air as energy infiltrated his body and he coughed up blood.


    ¡°Knights haven''t improved at all after all these years. They''re still proud and think they''re the best, especially in closebat. During my active days, you were already pretty famous, and yet, this is all you can do. Others would be just nothing but worms. Even back then, you only looked like a blood clot to me,¡± the robed man remarked.


    A thought shed through the Knight Commander¡¯s foundering mind and his eyes widened in shock.


    <em>¡®There was someone decades ago who was so good at fighting that even knights couldn''t beat him in closebat: the Battle Mage!¡¯</em>


    He hadpletely forgot about the existence of Battle Mages. After that, even since <em>he </em>disappeared, it was safe to say that battle mages were gone from the world for good. A few people tried to carry on his legacy, but they were all low-level wizards with a poor synergy of mana; they used his techniques as passively as they could.


    <em>¡®If the person in front of me is him¡ª!¡¯</em>


    Rod¡¯s fist clenched unconsciously.


    A mage so monstrous that he was even considered for joining the Nine Stars. His name was¡­


    ¡°Jerath dek Orbis!¡±


    ¡°Hoho?¡±


    The figure made a small sound of surprise and then threw back his robe, revealing the clean face of a man in his mid-thirties.


    Rod was shocked because he had thought Jerath was dead, but thetter didn''t look like a lich; on the contrary, he looked like he¡¯d gotten younger.


    ¡°How did you¡­?¡± Berber, no, Jerath said, eyeing the stone gate. ¡°I¡¯ve spent too much time on a dying man. Die! Be reborn and serve me as my faithful servant!¡±


    A mass of ck demonic power burst out of Jerath¡¯s body and wrapped itself around the Knight Commander¡¯s body.


    ¡°Keugh¡­¡±


    Knight Commander Rod fought hard against the sharp pain. It was like nothing he¡¯d ever felt. Despite pushing himself beyond the level of a superhuman, he had suffered a perfect defeat and felt so much pain. Never in his life had he experienced all these. Just as Knight Commander Rod¡¯s skin was turning ck, the sound of moving stones echoed in the air.


    The stone gate began to open on its own. Jerath¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief as he had no doubts in the security of his magic barrier.


    ¡ª You seem to have great luck. If you do well, you might be able to make another master of a Minor Demon serve you.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ A demon?¡±


    A man with a glowing red spear strode through the gate, but the voice wasn¡¯ting from him.


    ¡ª Oh¡­ You can hear me? Great, then you¡¯re worthy of your name.


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    ¡ª Are you surprised? Don¡¯t be, you¡¯re not the only one who can make contracts with demons. Woah, are you crazy? A lich with a living body¡­ Is that how it feels to be a thief?


    Lugia¡¯s rambling finally set Jerath off.


    ¡°What a crazy bastard. How dare a demon sealed in iron made by humans¡­!¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be the one who¡¯s angry¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Joshua strolled in with a smile on his face.


    ¡°I finally get to meet you, Berber.¡±


    ¡ª Leave it again to me this time.


    Before Joshua could answer, Lugia violently rattled.


    ¡ª Hey.


    Jerath jumped in surprise upon hearing Lugia¡¯s voice this time.


    ¡ª You have the guts to ask me if I dare? Calling me crazy and all¡­ Ha. Ha. I¡¯ll show you how insignificantly small you are¡­


    Demonic power of another realm swept through the area and Lugia''s appearance began to slowly change as the spear¡¯s unique skill began to take effect.


    It was his other form from a second awakening.

 Chapter 259

    Chapter 259


    Lugia¡¯s length emitted a swarm of red lights.


    As the ring red lights gradually dimmed out, Joshua slowly opened his eyes. Right before him, a whole new world wasid out.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    The previous scene with mountains of bones had vanished without a trace. The current scene was one he had seen before.


    It was a bottomless pit of unending darkness. From the pit emerged its master, apanied by the faint nking of metal. A chorus of the screams of the dead gave way to a figure holding his head in his hand.


    It was the Lord of Duhans, the master of the eighth minor demon world, Infinite Hell.


    ¡ª There¡¯s more.


    The moment Lugia¡¯s voice sounded, the ground in front of Joshua split in two. As per Lugia¡¯s words, there was more. Before his very eyes, the fires of hell rose through the fissures. ck chains twined around the twisting mes like predators regarding their prey.


    ¡ª A unique space like the minor demon realm is not exclusive to just the eight masters, including the Lord of Duhans and Lich King. It¡¯s just that ces like this are hard to find to be considered a minor demon realm. By the way, this ce you are seeing now is called the ck Chain Hell, the second minor demon world, and it once belonged to me.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡ª Basically, if you bind the eight minor demon realms, you could form a major demon realm. In the name of the Demon God, you would attain an absolute domain that even Demon Kings couldn¡¯t break.


    ¡°H-How?¡± Jerath demanded as he batted away the chains approaching him.


    It was an understandable response, given that the only thing that could break through a unique space was a higher-level unique space. Jerath was contracted to Asmodeus, the 32nd-ranked demon, after all. As such, he certainly was not able to ept that his space had been broken.


    ¡°You¡ªWhat¡¯s your real identity!?¡±


    ¡ª I told you.


    Lugia sneezed out a bunch of light as if to mock Jerath¡¯s fear.


    ¡ª Don¡¯t you dare talk about ¡°how dare I¡± in front of me.


    ¡°How dare a sealed demon be impudent!¡±


    ¡ª...this bastard.


    Jerath gritted his teeth. He was still sure that Lugia is a sealed demon. He wasn¡¯t wrong. A demon that lost its power and was trapped in a medium was called a sealed demon.


    The Demon Realm revolved around survival of the fittest. Some demons got stronger by keeping the demons they¡¯ve defeated within arm¡¯s reach. Even if that wasn''t their goal, there were a lot of demons who sealed other demons to keep as trophies.


    But the important thing was, being sealed was a mark of shame. It was undeniable proof of defeat.


    ¡°Right¡­ that¡¯s how it is. I¡¯ve heard stories of demons mainly focused on sub-space creation. You¡¯re one of them.¡±


    ¡ª I can¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°As permon knowledge, sub-space creation is only good for support purposes, and can never be a primary mean ofbat¡­That must be why you became a sealed demon.¡±


    Jerath smiled shiftily upon making his conclusion.


    ¡ª Well, some guys don¡¯t learn unless it¡¯s beaten into them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how long you can bark.¡±


    ¡ª I don¡¯t bark, I don¡¯t even have a mouth.


    Joshua briefly swung Lugia he was holding while he quietly listened to the two beings talk.


    ¡°Enough small talk,¡± Joshua said, swinging Lugia. ¡°Berber, pay for your sins.¡±


    - I will handle this guy.


    At some point, the ck Knight, Duke Altsma had strode up to Joshua. His burning red eyes boring into the other death knight, presumably Third Prince Kasselon, opposite him.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Jerath was surprised to see another death knight standing in his way. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    - I would like to see the Sun Sword created by Emperor Marcus, the first member of the Imperial family to be a Master.


    The Lord of Duhans took a step back.


    - I''d like to take care of him myself, but it looks like someone else has a bigger stake than me. I¡¯ll just watch, for now.


    When the undead duke¡¯s fiery eyes turned to Jerath, his face twisted into a scowl.


    ¡°You overstep yourself¡­!¡±


    Jerath¡¯s face was creased with justified anger. He found something that he had lost and been looking for, but it was being used by someone else. On top of that, that particr someone else was being nonchnt about it.


    Behind Jerath, space contorted as dozens of 4th Circle ck magic, Dark Balls were created.


    ¡°I will show you why people called me the best battle mage.¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°Then I¡­ will show you why they call me the Legendary Spear Knight.¡±


    ¡°How arrogant¡­¡±


    Jerath was the first one to move. He murmured a short spell. Kasselon also dashed forward, spurring the ck Knight into action.


    <em>¡®I''ll use teleportation magic to make up for the big difference in speed.¡¯</em>


    A glint shed across Joshua¡¯s eyes as he leveled his spear towards his right with a smile and a Dark Ball flew right into it and exploded.


    Jerath blinked away, undeterred by the failure of his first attack.


    <em>¡®Mages use other support-type spells topensate for their physical weakness.¡¯</em>


    Jerath reappeared behind Joshua with his arm covered in the tell-tale sparkling colors of strength and swiftness magic. Holding a dark ball in his hand, he swung his fist at Joshua''s vulnerable back.


    This time, however, Joshua¡¯s response startled him. Joshua didn''t try to get out of the way of the punch flying toward the back of his head, nor was the spear used to stop it like thest attack.


    His hand, though? The Dark Ball, a ck magic spell powerful enough to pulverize rock, was met by a human fist.


    ¡°Is this the pride of the knights? Hah¡ª!¡± Jareth let out a chuckle.


    ¡°Careful! Keough!¡± Rod called out having experienced Jerath¡¯s power himself. He had seemed to have regained his consciousness over time.


    ¡°Toote.¡± Jerath remarked.


    The Dark Ball began to change itsposition as it collided with Joshua¡¯s fist. Its destructive nature was transformed into a powerful suction force that seemed to warp the space around it. It spun in the air and began to emit a strange keening.


    The ck magic that Jerath used became something else: a ck Hole. The 4th Circle spell had been transformed into a 6th Circle spell.


    ¡°Go! Just go!¡± Rod screamed, and bit his lip.


    Physical force wasn¡¯t the only thing Joshua needed to worry about when it came to the ck Hole¡¯s suction.


    ¡°Would it be considered ck magic if you can avoid it by will alone? Hahahaha.¡± Jareth let out a heartyughter.


    The ck Hole slowly shrunk into an eerily glowing point.


    ¡°Does it go boom?¡± Joshua murmured.


    Jerath jerked.


    ¡°You have good taste, don''t you? Yes. It¡¯s gonna go boom. An explosion that can even destroy a Superhuman like you. The explosion will ur when the space is too full; the power of the explosion depends on the size of the object that it ate.¡± His smile grew wider and more sinister. ¡°Imagine, for instance: your mana!¡±


    ¡°Damn this¡­!¡±


    Knight Commander Rod shut his eyes despairingly.


    Just as Jerath said, ck magic could suck in everything, not just the physical matter of a thing. That included air and even the target¡¯s mana.


    And it would explode. Jerath dek Orbis had the ability to focus his destructive power into a small space.


    ¡°Watch! It will get smaller and go boom!¡±


    Jerath clenched his fist.


    ¡°You say you¡¯re the best battle mage, but you haven¡¯t changed.¡±


    ¡°Wha-What?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s monotone voice shook Jerath.


    ¡°Ah, useless Berber. I¡¯m so upset that a guy like you could deal damage to me.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s spear shot forward. Even though the ck Hole was still in front of him, he seemed oddly unperturbed by it.


    Jerath¡¯s eyes popped.


    ¡°H-How are you still moving?¡±


    ¡°This thing you¡¯re calling a ¡®ck Hole¡¯¡­ do you know what came before it?¡±


    Joshua waggled his spear teasingly and then whipped Lugia in a spin.


    A pitch-ck sphere came to being,pletely void of light and much bigger and darker than Jerath¡¯s ck Hole.


    ¡°This is the Annihtion Dark Sphere.¡±


    Jerath''s back was damp with cold sweat.


    Whatever Joshua said next, he couldn¡¯t hear because the enormous ck Sphere was looming ever closer to him.


    This one had the power to destroy the world.


    <em>¡®The sphere in arm with a will.</em>


    <em>Friend with pride.</em>


    <em>Consume the enemies before me.</em>


    <em>Leave nothing but destruction.</em>


    <em>Magic Spear Arts Level 6, Chapter of Void.</em>


    <em>Annihtion Dark Sphere.¡¯</em>


    ¡°AHHHH¡­!¡±


    Jerath¡¯s cries of pain were quickly swallowed by the Dark Sphere.

 Chapter 260

    Chapter 260


    Joshua quietly examined the Dark Sphere.


    The Annihtion Dark Sphere operated by overwhelming attraction, crushing its victims¡¯ entire bodies. Now that Jerath had been swallowed, there was no way out. The steadily disappearing demonic power made Jerath¡¯s fate abundantly clear.


    Unlike Joshua, who was feeling empty after how easily his revenge had gone, his servant¡¯s battle raged on.


    Their swords crashed and boomed every time they met.


    Duke Altsma¡¯s sword lived up to its nickname, Wolf Fang. Each blow was as arrogant as a wolf¡¯s roar. Its mad, fierce power seemed to destroy everything around it, like an overlord crushing his enemies.


    The other death knight¡ªwho Joshua thought was Kasselon¡ªwielded his sword with honesty and integrity. Like its name, the Sun Sword, it was as if he was insisting that the sword should be wielded with precision and order. If it hadn¡¯t been for the taint of demonic power, it would have been the epitome of nobility.


    The Wild King used his sword tounch himself into a midair spin. Upon their seventh sh, his opponent capitalized on the momentum of the rebound and charged at the Wild King. Raising up his sword, the enemy death knight sent his sword through the Wild King¡¯s right shoulder de.


    But the Wild King¡¯s voice was unfazed.


    The mortal wound wept ck demonic power; it was a critical strike. Despite that, the enemy death knight did not stop there.


    A shriek of abused metal assailed their ears as the enemy death knight pressed his sword deeper into the Wild King¡¯s shoulder, seemingly determined to cut thetter¡¯s arm right off.


    Just then, the Wild King sounded out.


    - Take it.


    The sound of tearing flesh and severed bones apanied a long flying object in the air. It was the Wild King¡¯s left arm.


    The Wild King had actually made the bold choice to sacrifice his flesh in order to cut into his opponent¡¯s bone, all to end the battle sooner.


    The sudden loss of his limb shifted the Wild King¡¯s center of gravity. Instead of opposing it, however, he went along with the movement, twisting his hips and turning his thrust into a cut.


    Thus, as soon as his feet touched the ground, the Wild King swung his sawtooth sword with all the might of his remaining arm, the de biting into Kasselon¡¯s waist.


    No¡­he didn¡¯t just cut into his opponent. He ripped the death knight in half.


    The death knight¡¯s upper half separated from his lower half with a sickening crunch of breaking bones.


    The Wild King shook his sword, flinging the bifurcated body away. The body oozed demonic power, evidence of the ck magic that had animated it.


    - You are too righteous.


    The Wild King muttered as he stared down at the enemy death knight. The death knight stared up with dimming red eyes.


    - Kill me.


    The words and the voice uttering them made Joshua¡¯s eyes widen. It wasn¡¯t Duke Altmsa that had spoken.


    ¡°No way¡ª?¡±


    - I just¡­ want to see how far my swordsmanship can go¡­ I want to find my mom¡­ I just left the Imperial Pce¡­


    ¡°It really was Third Prince Kasselon!¡±


    Joshua strode forward with newfound certainty.


    The Third Prince¡¯s life seemed to sh before his fading eyesight.


    ¡°No¡­!¡±


    ¡ª Get started before it''s toote.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Joshua hesitated.


    ¡ª You''ve done it before, right?


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened even more. He didn¡¯t need any more exnation from Lugia¡ªhe knew what he had to do.


    ¡°But he¡ª¡±


    ¡ª Are you gonna spew nonsense like ¡°But he¡¯s the prince¡±? Wake up. A death knight¡¯s contract is a mutual agreement. If the other party does not have the determination to see through it to the end, the contract can never be established. In other words, he¡¯s like this because he wanted to be.


    Hearing Lugia¡¯s words, Joshua turned to look at the Wild King. Duke Atlsma calmly nodded, unperturbed by the demonic energy leaking out of his body.


    The Third Prince¡¯s bodynguished on the ground until Joshua made up his mind and reached out his hand. Demonic power flowed like water from Joshua''s fingertips, coalescing into a ck ball of energy. It drew a unique mark that resembled a spear thrust through a full moon.


    It was a new contract for a death knight.


    ¡°Are you willing to sign a contract with me? I can''t promise you that I can fulfill all your wishes, but you can¡¯t find the truth by destroying everything. I can tell you one thing, though.¡±


    Joshua articted his remaining words with determination, ¡°I will give my all to help you.¡±


    A strange light shed through the death knight''s eyes.


    Words meant very different things depending on who said them. The speaker¡¯s power had an immeasurable impact on the listener.


    The feelings of the death knight¡ªno, the feelings of <em>Kasselon¡­</em>


    - I¡¯ll believe you.


    The demonic power that was hovering above Kasselon suddenly surrounded him, but Joshua wasn¡¯t prepared for what happened next.


    Kasselon¡¯s torn body wasing back together. But behind that, another figure wasing to view, no doubt conjured by the demonic power.


    ¡ª This is what he was like when he was alive.


    Was it because the figure was affected by demonic power? He looked to be about twenty years old with blond hair but eyes ck as the abyss. Joshua was certain, just as Lugia said, that the figure was the death knight as he was in life.


    It was the Third Prince, Kasselon.


    Bronto''s energy sparked in reaction. But before Joshua could even react to that, the reborn Kasselon dropped to a knee. He didn¡¯t care that he had been a prince when he was still living.


    - What do they call you?


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Kasselon nodded.


    - It''s funny that I¡¯m taking a knight''s oath with this body, but¡­


    Kasselon quietly pressed his fist against his heart.


    - As my new master, Joshua Sanders¡­ I will serve you forever.


    Just as Kasselon finished speaking, Bronto¡¯s energy slipped out of Joshua¡¯s body and wrapped around the death knight.


    Thunder roared.


    ****


    ¡°Damn¡­¡±


    A foul word slipped out of the kneeling man¡¯s mouth.


    He was about thirty. He had a happy-go-lucky face and light green hair, but his good looks were bruised up. Blood dripped from the tip of his chin and ran down his neck to the ground, and his robe was dirtied all over.


    Where was he anyway?


    The staff, his symbol as a mage, gifted to him by the Tower Master on his tenth birthday, worth thousands of gold, was lying on the floor in pieces. His two colleagues, one man and one woman, were also lying on the floor, unconscious.


    Thetapirion Whitesox was his name. He was one of the Seven Mages, the holder of the Storm seat.


    ¡°Son of a bitch¡ªEvergrant!¡±


    The man named Evergrant smiled, while Theta screamed and shouted.


    ¡°A person like you actually became a beginner ss 8 Mage¡­¡±


    ¡°Talent doesn¡¯t choose its recipients¡­ Even if God gives talent to a poor thing like you, nobody canin about unfairness.¡±


    ¡°How dare you stab Gramps Tower Master in the back!¡±


    Theta¡¯s outcry ended in a bloody cough.


    ¡°The Tower Master¡­you mean this old man, right?¡±


    With a rxed smile on his face, Evergrant brought something floating over to his side. It was a shabby old man with a reputation that didn¡¯t match his looks.


    The master of the Magic Tower.


    Ian tun Murray looked ragged and was breathing heavily while being unconscious.


    ¡°You¡­ You bastard¡ª¡±


    Theta''s eyes were bloodshot.


    ¡°It¡¯s karma. He exiled his friend and branded him a traitor for his own self-interest.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ What are you saying¡­¡±


    ¡°Is that all? No, as if that wasn¡¯t enough, he ended up killing his friend¡¯s family¡­¡±


    ¡°<em>C</em>o<em>ugh!</em>¡±


    Ian tried to speak, but it was buried by a pained moan. It was remarkable that he even had that much strength while experiencing mana reflux.


    ¡°But¡­ I understand why he did that now.¡± Evergrant shed a sinister smile. ¡°Because that¡¯s just how the world works. If you don''t betray, you will be betrayed. That only leaves you one choice, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What did you say, you son of a bitch?!¡±


    Theta¡¯s voice was shaking as old memories resurfaced.


    ¡°Soon, I¡¯ll teleport you away, and I will pin all of this on you, the traitor. But before that, I should get rid of your mana hall.¡±


    Two more mages stood on either side of Evergrant and sneered at Theta. Evergrant reached out his hand to touch Theta and the mana around him twisted.


    <em>¡®Is this the end?¡¯</em>


    Theta didn''t have enough energy left to move even a little bit of mana. All he could do was close his eyes and ept the end. Yet, something unexpected happened.


    Evergrant heard a strange sounding from his arms.


    ¡°The life vessel¡­ has cracked?¡±


    Confirming the origin of the noise, Evergrant¡¯s face distorted into an expression of panic.


    ¡°Get down!¡±


    A cold st of mana hit them from the back.


    Someone had gambled on a minor casting dy.


    Theta ttened himself against the ground by instinct as the 6th Circle ice spell, Ice Storm, went off right before him.


    Soon, pure white frost filled the inside of the top floor of the Tower where Theta and Evergrant were located.

 Chapter 261

    Chapter 261


    ¡°Are you crazy?¡±


    The woman held Theta by the shoulders as they descended the stairs.


    Theta recognized the young woman at a nce. She came to the Magic Tower a few days ago stating that she intended topete for the vacant seat of the Seven Mages. The woman¡ªwho looked to be somewhere in her twenties¡ªhad a very in face, but her soulful eyes and baby blue hair stood out.


    <em>¡®I think her name is Celine?¡¯</em>


    Theta felt his mana roil again and frowned.


    ¡°He warned you,¡± the woman scolded. ¡°How can you not still know this?¡±


    Theta¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Do you know Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Why else would Ie for you?¡±


    Theta sighed in relief. He¡¯d been worried that she was a rat nted by Evergrant¡ªafter all, the best way to gain someone¡¯s trust was to save them from the brink of death. He was right to think that something was up.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s¡­ all the more reason why I need to be sure.¡¯</em>


    Theta donned his poker face.


    ¡°Your evidence?¡±


    ¡°I beg your pardon?¡±


    ¡°Prove your connection to Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Iceline took the ring off her finger, producing a change in the ambient mana that Theta¡¯s finely tuned senses instantly felt. Of course, he had nothing to worry about.


    ¡°Shapeshifting?¡±


    The woman revealed from the shifting lights was a rare beauty with wless skin. Theta was now quite confused.


    ¡°My name is Iceline.¡±


    ¡°Iceline. You mean¡­ from the fallen Rebra family?¡±


    Iceline nodded.


    ¡°Are we done?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve confirmed your identity.¡±


    Theta already knew that the rtionship between her and Joshua was strange. He saw Iceline with Joshua back in Reinhardt, and he¡¯d heard the rumors surrounding her.


    ¡°Please answer me now. You already knew about it, so why did you not make any preparations?¡±


    ¡°I was getting ready for it,¡± he revealed.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°But there were three variables I didn¡¯t foresee.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, three?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened as she hastened her steps. She was surprised that someone had managed to fool a man as smart as Theta.


    ¡°I never thought that there would be two other traitors within the Seven Mages. I have no idea when the Void will betray the Tower, but¡­ the me¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s from Terra Kingdom. You should¡¯ve known this could happen, they¡¯ve always had a strained rtionship with the Tower.¡±


    ¡°Even so, the Tower Master was sponsoring him.¡±


    ¡°And the second variable?¡±


    After walking for a while, Theta fell. Iceline helped him up right away.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m fine. I know you felt it too, those artifacts that corrupt the nearby mana like it was nothing¡ª¡± Theta grit his teeth in pain. ¡°With no mana there, forcing our Circles to work would put great stress on our bodies.¡±


    ¡°Wait. When you say ¡®there,¡¯ you mean the top floor of the Tower, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh¡­¡±


    ¡°I still can¡¯t understand this¡­ I entered at the end, and that¡¯s why I could use my magic. But how was he able to use his powers?¡±


    ¡°That''s the third factor. Even though you¡¯re in a ce where there is no mana around, the mana inside your own body will let you use some magic. That¡¯s why he could use his magic.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s frightening how meticulous he can be. As a ss 8 Mage, he was already a match for the Tower Master, and yet he still has greater ambitions¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wha-What? ss 8?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s hair stood up.


    ¡°We have to leave. I only learned Ice Storm two days ago¡­¡±


    Theta knew what she meant. Hearing the rest would just be a nuisance.


    ¡°Dispel¡­¡± Theta sighed.


    ¡°You must have a n for us to escape, right?¡±


    ¡°My room¡­ There¡¯s a small warp gate in my room that we can use! It¡¯s mean for one-time use, but two people can fit in. My room is down on the 38th floor.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re now on the 40th¡ª¡±


    ¡°One more floor to go.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not great news. What about your colleagues?¡±


    Theta hesitated. The Earth seat, Marcus, and the Frost seat, Elisha; those two people had stood by him and fought against Evergrant¡¯s menace.


    Theta looked around uncertainly.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t worry,¡± Iceline reassured him. ¡°If he intended to take the Magic Tower for himself, he wouldn''t hurt the Seven Mages; that would destroy the organization. As long as they stay alive, <em>he</em> will save them. That¡¯s for certain.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Joshua Sanders. He¡¯s the most famous person on the continent, and for good reasons! So you can trust him.¡±


    A smile unconsciously crept onto Iceline¡¯s lips.


    ¡°He¡­¡± Theta searched for words for a while but eventually gave up andughed.. ¡°We have another ¡®ShuaShua¡¯ here.¡±


    ¡°ShuaShua?¡±


    Iceline cocked her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s a term coined by the mages in the Magic Tower. Since he¡¯s famous, he¡¯s bound to have more than a few fans out there.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes sparkled like she was the one beingplimented.


    ¡°But that aside¡­¡±


    Theta patted her shoulder, signaling that she could let go of him.


    ¡°We have to make sure <em>we</em> stay alive, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    In front of them were arge number of mages Evergrant had deployed just in case.


    <em>¡®This is bad.¡¯</em>


    ¡°You¡¯re right, we should do something about this right away.¡±


    Iceline left Theta swaying unsteadily and formed a pair of Ice des in her hands.


    ¡°I might fall for you if you saved me the second time.¡±


    ¡°How can you joke around in this kind of situation?¡±


    ¡°What can I do? This is how I am.¡±


    ¡°Stop joking and stay behind me.¡±


    Iceline brandished her Ice des.


    ***


    ¡ª This is the first time I¡¯ve seen this! Look, the Primordial Stone already chose its master, but now¡­ now it¡¯s lending its power to somebody else!


    Electricity crackled as if the stone was responding to Lugia¡¯s voice and the light was sucked into Kasselon¡¯s body. The undead prince sucked up the sparksing from Joshua¡¯s body like a cotton ball soaking up water.


    ¡ª There has never been a Thunderbolt Knight before. If this is the case, it would be possible tomand subordinates with attribute powers, right? Aka, the Primordial Knights.


    Not much could amaze an immortal like Lugia, but Joshua¡¯s attention was drawn elsewhere.


    ¡ª What¡¯re you thinking that¡¯s so important?


    ¡°If Berber really is the lich reborn through Jerath dek Orbis, there would be another life vessel somewhere. But I don¡¯t see it anywhere.¡±


    ¡ª Is that why you used the Annihtion Dark Sphere? As long as he¡¯s trapped in there, it¡¯s as good as being trapped in your space. The other pieces of his soul can be tracked down.


    Joshua maintained an uncertain silence. He had a feeling that he was still missing something important. After pondering for a moment, he shook his head and turned back to the Dark Sphere. At that point it just looked like a portal that could fit a single person.


    ¡ª I¡¯m surprised.


    Joshua felt a chill run down his spine. That wasn¡¯t Lugia¡¯s voice.


    ¡ª I can''t believe it. I can¡¯t help it¡­ it¡¯s been a thousand years since he disappeared, but he¡¯s stuck here. You¡¯re the brightest being in the Heavenly Demon Realm, so why are you meddling with the petty humans? Oh right, you are a demon sealed in a weapon and can¡¯t get out.


    ¡°Asmodeus!¡±


    Joshua determined the source of the voice quickly, but the amount of pressure made him swallow a lump in his throat.


    The Dark Sphere was slowly dwindling.


    ¡ª Now it¡¯s starting to get fun. HAHAHAHAHA!


    Asmodeus¡¯s voice rapidly faded.


    ¡ª This body is the fruit of my hard work, but to celebrate the great day we met, I would be d to surrender this body to you.


    Joshua was oddly calm as he watched the Dark Sphere shatter. From the ck powder fell a body that was broken beyond recognition. Only those who had witnessed the entire scene would be able to recognize it.


    It was Berber, the corpse of Berber that didn¡¯t even look like a human anymore.


    ¡ª Let us meet again, demon artifact.


    ¡°Wa-Wait!¡±


    Asmodeus¡¯sst words were obviously mockery, but Lugia was silent despite its typical straightforwardness.


    Joshua grabbed for Asmodeus, desperate for answers, but he heard voices approaching.


    ¡°They¡¯re over here!¡±


    Joshua halted. Arge crowd of people appeared, led by two men.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Count Arie¡­ and Duke Tremblin?¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders.¡±


    The two of them hurriedly up to him. Joshua was in a daze as he had not expect the two prominent figures. Duke Tremblin looked back and forth between the unconscious Knight Commander and Joshua.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Duke Tremblin asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Joshua replied with a pause.


    What he held made Joshua shiver. It looked like a normal, round, thin-bottomed drinking ss, but the outside was incredibly clean and spotless. Pure white.


    It was the Holy Grail of the Hubalt Empire that Joshua had been looking for a long time.


    ¡°The Hubalt Empire contacted us. They said that their God¡¯s artifact slept within the Imperial Secret Treasury.¡±


    Duke Tremblin pressed on before anyone could speak.


    ¡°As the Holy Empire¡¯s name suggests, Hubalt''s holy objects can interact directly with demonic power. So His Majesty gave me a direct order.¡±


    Joshua felt something ominousing even though Duke Tremblin hadn¡¯t broken his usual t tone nor had Count Arie stopped licking his lips.


    ¡°Can you see this? The Holy Grail, white and pure, is now dyed ck.¡±


    <em>¡®What is this?¡¯ </em>Joshua furrowed his brow. <em>¡®I can¡¯t believe this.¡¯</em>


    The winds of fortune had turned again.


    ¡°I can enjoy you again, Joshua.¡± Arie licked his lips again as he eagerly raised his rapier, totally expecting this scene.


    Duke Tremblin, like the Dark God, was a powerful figure in Avalon.


    ¡°Kaiser.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes darkened.


    If Knight Commander Rod would just wake up, this would be easy to solve. But Joshua¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t allow that. He couldn¡¯t let Kaiser defeat him again, even if it meant making an enemy out of the whole Imperial family.


    He couldn¡¯t even guarantee that Knight Commander Rod would help him.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    Duke Tremblin¡¯s brows trembled and Count Arie¡¯s visage looked ecstatic as Joshua slowly raised his spear toward the two of them.


    <em>¡®Let me show you.¡¯</em>


    The loser would be the one putting on a pretentious image.

 Chapter 262

    Chapter 262


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Joshua kicked off against the ground and took off as fast as his legs would propel him. Even the mad Count Arie was shocked by Joshua¡¯s unexpected move; for just a moment, his slit-like eyes widened to show a sliver of white.


    <em>Clink!</em>


    ¡°Keugh!¡±


    Their first sh made Arie groan a little.


    Joshua¡¯s raging spear had been aimed at his face. If it weren¡¯t for Arie¡¯s aura, then his rapier, as thin as it was, would have broken.


    But Joshua had no intention of stopping there. He continued to brutalize Count Arie¡¯s de. Every elegant swing of the spear ended with a tremendous explosion as it struck the rapier.


    Arie blocked it and tried to dodge it, but the spear¡¯s assault never stopped.


    And that wasn¡¯t even thest of it.


    If the spear for some reason decided that his neck was not a worthy target, it would change angles to aim at his heart. Arie realized after a few strikes that the spear was targeting every vital point on his body. His opponent didn¡¯t care if Arie died, if that was what it took to subdue him.


    <em>¡®This monster¡­ does he intend to kill me?¡¯</em>


    Finally, the first blood was drawn. Arie¡¯s cheek was scraped by Joshua¡¯s spear. The battle stopped for a moment. Arie looked at the droplets falling on the ground and licked his lips.


    The slightestpse of attention could be fatal.


    Was Arie afraid?


    Oh, he was not. This was the pleasure Arie had been waiting for¡­ for a long time now. His wait was finallying to an end.


    Their des banged against each other. Joshua retreated for a moment. Arie used the recoil to retreat as well.


    Arie shook his numb hand, pondered the pain for a moment and then shed a smile.


    ¡°As expected of you, you¡¯re the best, Joshua Sanders!¡±


    Arie screamed in ecstasy and moaned and shivered.


    His hand turned the rapier forward. His other hand was positioned oddly¡ªspread wide open and with visibly protruding veins. The nearby energy pooled at the tip of the de; clearly, he was preparing for something.


    Even so, Joshua couldn''t move hastily. He nced around. A strange, out-of-ce feeling brought his attention to his left blind spot.


    He could tell from just the slightest feeling that there was someone behind him. The energy exerted alone made his hair stand up.


    By the time Joshua noticed, Duke Tremblin''s saber was drawing a graceful curve toward Joshua.


    <em>¡®Even though we¡¯re all humans, the difference between a Superhuman and a Star is¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua let the memories flow as he circted his mana.


    No matter what Berber¡¯s motivation was, it did not change the fact that he sold his soul to the demons. Some might say that he gave his soul in exchange for greater power. But that was nonsense. Hecked power, so he had to borrow from the demons.


    But all that power was useless in front of someone stronger. That¡¯s basically why Jerath¡ªBerber¡ªknelt in front of Joshua.


    <em>¡®Butpared to him, Duke Tremblin is a master of swordsmanship.¡¯</em>


    As a Star for decades, it was only natural that Joshua found Duke Tremblin a more scary foe than Berber.


    A surge ofpetitive spirit warmed his heart and he gripped his weapon with new strength.


    But time was of the essence. He had a feeling he knew what Kaiser was up with.


    <em>¡®It won¡¯t go your way, Kaiser.¡¯</em>


    Bronto took the mana from the air and converted it to its energy, supplementing Lugia.


    Duke Tremblin reacted quickly to the swarm of lights gathering around Lugia. But he was very quickly forced to stop and stare.


    Joshua threw the glowing spear straight at the Duke¡ªbut Joshua himself went flying toward Count Arie. Joshua rushed forward with nothing but his own body like it was a sharp de ready to take his opponent¡¯s life.


    ¡°Your tricks¡­ HAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    Count Arie¡¯s eyes glimmered like a boy in love.


    ¡°I love you¡­ You, Joshua.¡±


    Arie''s sword fully charged and finally became one with the wind. The Sten family¡¯s secret is an offensive attack that could instantly turn anything into an unrecognizable mess.


    Blooming of a Thousand Petals.


    Arie''s face was beaming with delight as the rapier''s razor-sharp tip tore through Joshua''s body. He was badly curious now: how bad would the effect be on Joshua? It was something he¡¯d always fantasized about.


    Holes and wounds pockmarked every inch of Joshua¡¯s body. The young man slowly died before his eyes.


    Joshua¡¯s blood staining the ground, ah, what a high! Higher than the high Arie felt when they first met.


    Arie''s hopes were, of course, quickly dashed.


    A question surfaced in Arie''s mind as he raised his sword. There was nothing on his fingertips. It felt like he was cutting through the air. The perforated Joshua he wanted to see¡­


    ¡°...is gone?¡±


    Arie looked dumbfounded. Joshua¡¯s hole-riddled figure was fading away.


    As Arie was frozen in ce, Duke Tremblin took the liberty to speak his mind.


    ¡°This is exactly what a shadow is: an alter ego with a speed that exceeds human limits.¡±


    ¡°Blink?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different from magic. That kid¡¯s skills are from sheer physical power.¡±


    ¡°Really? That kid? Joshua Sanders? I guess he¡¯s really <em>his</em> child after all.¡±


    Duke Tremblin¡¯s eyes were locked onto the spear embedded in the ground in front of him as it faded away. Eventually, Duke Tremblin decided to stop worrying about Joshua¡¯s disappearance and examined the stone gate behind them for a while.


    He hesitated for a brief moment before instructing the stunned Count Arie.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave this ce to you.¡±


    The Duke thenmanded the knights. ¡°Half of you stay here to clean up the mess; the rest, follow me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± The knights¡¯ voices echoed within the space.


    ***


    What was this space made for?


    It was a dark room void of any light; a lone glowing crystal ball was the only light source.


    Soon, a face appeared on the crystal ball.


    ¡°Sir Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°You did well, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve done everything you told me to do, sir.¡±


    ¡°Great. Though there were some problems, I¡¯ve finished my work here safely as well.¡±


    ¡°Have the problems been solved?¡±


    Evergrant hesitated. There was one problem that was not on the n, but it wasn¡¯t the right time to talk about it.


    ¡°...Yes. Please do not worry about it.¡±


    ¡°If¡ª¡±


    Evergrant nodded.


    ¡°We n to announce the new Tower Master tomorrow.¡±


    Kaiser sighed in relief.


    ¡°There¡¯s a problem. It caused a bacsh, and now I feel like I¡¯m losing my grip again¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just that running away is the best option right now. Think of it as taking a break forter. In Arcadia right now, your power is just for show¡ªbut <em>his</em> power is real. Still, your safety isn¡¯t guaranteed even in the Imperial Pce.


    ¡°Especially considering the current Emperor¡¯s temperament¡­¡±


    Kaiser obviously held no affection for his father, seeing how he addressed Marcus ben Britten as though he was just a stranger.


    ¡°He won¡¯t keep someone around if they lose both their value and his interest.¡± Evergrant continued Kaiser¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°So for now, you should leave Arcadia. You need to leave immediately.¡±


    Despite Evergrant¡¯s words, Kaiser¡¯s expression showed no signs of improving. He was leaving the ce where he¡¯d lived his whole life.


    ¡°Are you sure you can handle Joshua Sanders?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s expression hardened as a murderous glint shed across his eyes.


    ¡°Hubalt is, for now, still the biggest obstacle to the war. The Emperor is not one to abandon his dream just for a short amusement.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Even though it was half tainted, the Holy Grail will increase the nobles¡¯ influence even more if it falls into their hands.¡±


    Kaiser fell silent.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s only for a while if you think about it. You can just delegate some of your responsibilities for a while. The best strategy is a full offense. Cause a rift between the two Princes and take care of the biggest hindrance, Joshua Sanders. And then the war will happen. It willst at most ten years¡­ Ten years is too much. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re sitting on the throne before that.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s mind still raced despite being reassured by Evergrant¡¯s words.


    ¡°Have you¡­ heard anything from Heimdall regarding Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t expect too much from the guy.¡±


    ¡°Also¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what you need to worry about, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    There was a long period of silence until Kaiser resolved himself. It was not the right time to think about those things. He knew that if he did not get himself together now, he would eventually lose.


    ¡°Alright¡­ I will leave Arcadia¡­ No¡­ I will leave this country. I will leave Avalon.¡±


    Evergrant''s expression brightened immediately.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Kaiser was clouded by his greed right now. A cold light shone from his eyes.


    ¡°I will be sure to take it back.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s murderous-filled voice whispered in the dark.


    ¡°Avalon belongs to Kaiser ben Britten.¡±

 Chapter 263

    Chapter 263


    Arcadia¡¯s main street was as bustling as always.


    A boy in his mid-teens had his cheeks puffed up angrily. But still, even though he was grumpy so early in the morning, he appeared to be in good health. His very cute face was sadly half-hidden by his robe.


    ¡°Jerk. First, you tell me to follow you because I¡¯m some sort of the best species and now you leave me like this?¡±


    The boy¡ªthe elf, who was actually a few hundred years old¡ªwas throwing tantrums like a brat. He even kicked at some pebbles on the ground.


    He was Ash, whom Joshua kicked out of the pce.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see. If I don¡¯t hear any news from you, I¡¯ll take my revenge by making you go crazy when you need me. HMPH!¡±


    But of course, the idea of finally getting a break was exciting as well. Despite his annoyance, his sudden dismissal was an opportunity for him toze about. However, Ash has no intention of spending his precious vacation somewhere crammed with humans.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t perfect at all, but I can take this chance to rest.¡±


    When Ash arrived at the forest Joshua had chased Evangeline into, his pout was reced by a smile. As an elf, there was no other ce where he felt more at ease than a forest.


    But his smile didn¡¯tst for long.


    ¡°You look happier, child of Elenburs,¡± a voice called out at that moment.


    Ash¡¯s face went ashen as his eyes widened in surprise. Someone had beaten him here, but that person shouldn¡¯t have been here¡ªever.


    ¡°S-Sir Krevas?¡±


    The statuesque, ck-haired man appeared before Ash.


    ¡°H-How did you¡ª¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for you to be rxing and enjoying such idle time, is it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    Ash quivered like prey before a predator. He shrunk and cowered as Krevas¡¯ dry and lifeless voice echoed in his ears.


    ¡°Do you know who that kid Joshua is going after? Asmodeus¡¯ contractor.¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°But of course, that contractor was once a human being¡­ His name is¡­¡± Krevas paused mid-sentence.


    Ash¡¯s face was tinted with curiosity, imploring him to continue.


    ¡°Jerath dek Orbis,¡± Krevas dered. ¡°Right. The elves once considered him a friend, right? It¡¯s the secret that you could never reveal to the world.¡±


    Ash¡¯s face fell as the weight of Krevas¡¯ words continued to ring in his ears.


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t being betrayed once enough? Human beings will never be friends with your kind. They are naturally selfish; that¡¯s how their god made them from the very beginning. Right now, the Primordial Stone is serving as the World Tree¡¯s recement, but now that he has appeared again, it won¡¯t be long before¡­¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    Krevas paused, an amused smile creeping onto his face. This was the first ever instance that the elf had interrupted him.


    ¡°The Great ins of Aiyash. There¡¯s a building there called the Magic Tower, made by humans who had stolen the fundamentals from us,¡± Krevas answered, ending the conversation.


    ***


    ¡°Master!¡± A familiar voice called out to Joshua as soon as he emerged from the underground space.


    ¡°Cain? How did you¡­?¡± Joshua stopped in his tracks upon hearing the voice. He was perplexed to see his knight.


    Cain had somehow broken through the barrier in the Fourth Prince¡¯s inner chambers. More importantly, there were ten men, presumably Imperial Knights, lying unconscious on the floor.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Cain snapped back swiftly, trying to rid himself of the me.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to do!¡± Cain immediately protested. ¡°Apart for a small number of people, everyone was trying to rush in. I camete, but I have no intentions of letting them in!¡±


    Cain pointed to the wall where Joshua came out from.


    Joshua frowned.


    ¡°So you decided to just whack all of them on the head?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than them making my Master look like a criminal,¡± Cain muttered to himself, but it did not go unheard by Joshua.


    ¡°A criminal? Me?¡±


    Joshua scanned Cain¡¯s face with a perplexed look.


    ¡°I mean, how could I not worry when I saw the people who went in? Knight Commander Rod who is a Superhuman like you, Count Arie, who¡¯s known to be a psycho, and even Duke Tremblin of the Nine Stars¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get moving first,¡± Joshua said as he tossed a single nce behind him before he strode away.


    ¡°Did you take care of everything already? How about those three¡­?¡±


    Cain swiftly followed after Joshua, and his eyes widened as he connected the dots.


    There was only one way in and one way out¡ªand his master left unscathed. The conclusion was obvious.


    ¡°Dear god¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but it¡¯s not what you think.¡±


    Cain mped his mouth shut.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it really unfair to have to move ording to the opposite party¡¯s wishes?¡± Joshua mused.


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°He wanted to push me to the edge. Maybe that¡¯s why he sessfully manipted the Emperor to send Count Arie and Duke Tremblin. I think I¡¯m left with only two choices now: Be obediently captured and try to exin my way out despite the long time it might take, or fight.¡±


    ¡°Master, what if you win the fight?¡±


    Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°As you said, they had sent a Nine Star and Superhumans. Doesn¡¯t that mean that they had assumed the worst scenario?¡±


    ¡°My word¡­¡± Cain nodded sagely.


    ¡°Even if I won against them, it wouldn¡¯t change anything. It¡¯s <em>them</em>. They were personally sent by the Emperor. I would instantly be branded as a criminal of high treason if I fought them¡ªand that¡¯s what he¡¯s hoping for.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter what¡¯s the oue, there¡¯s no loss to him. It was a n that he came up with that wouldn¡¯t even allow any w for a 1% risk that he might suffer a loss.¡±


    A question formed in Cain¡¯s head.


    ¡°When you say ¡®him,¡¯ you mean Fourth Prince Kaiser, right? Do you have some kind of history with him that I don''t know about? Because I could totally se¡ª¡±


    Cain¡¯s attention was yanked away from the conversation.


    As they exited the Fourth Prince Kaiser¡¯s pce, they found a vast crowd of people arrayed on the spaciouswn. There were thousands, possibly tens of thousands of knights waiting for them.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Cain cursed under his breath.


    ¡°There¡¯s Count Sanders!¡±


    ¡°We have an Imperial Order! Stay vignt¡ªno matter how young he looks, he¡¯s reached the ranks of the Superhumans!¡±


    ¡°Do not waver, Imperial Knights.¡±


    When were the Knights summoned? A variety of gs flew above the knights. Notably, the g of the Tremblin family. The other gs belonged to the other noble households.


    Cain swallowed a dry gulp.


    ¡°Master¡­ I know you can handle hundreds¡­ but can you handle tens of thousands of them?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Please take this seriously,¡± Cain wept. ¡°I really don¡¯t want to die in vain just like this. You might not know, but the moment I attacked the imperial knights, I would have already been branded a criminal of high treason.¡±


    ¡°Ah, right. I forgot about that.¡±


    ¡°Master! Please stop talking about it like it¡¯s not your problem too.¡±


    The army paid no heed to their conversation and closed in on the pair. To make things worse, another group of soldiers had appeared from their rear as well.


    ¡°Surrender immediately.¡±


    Cain recognized the voice. He nearly hurt his neck from how fast his head turned.


    A man that looked like a snake and an elderly man were making their way to Joshua. Cain knew who the elderly man was, of course.


    The Pride of the Empire. The Sword Emperor.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Duke Tremblin squinted, an unusual diversion from his poker face. ¡°I see that some talents have risen during my absence from the Empire. You don¡¯t look any older than thirty, yet you¡¯re already a very skilled A-ss.¡±


    The casual analysis of his skills in just one nce made a chill run down Cain¡¯s spine, underscoring the Duke¡¯s power.


    ¡°I am well acquainted with the name Joshua Sanders, but this is the first time I¡¯ve seen you.¡±


    ¡°Master.¡± Cain wanted to cower behind Joshua right now, but he instead turned to his master pitifully. ¡°How did you manage to get past those monsters ande out of that hole?¡±


    The encirclement glowed with a strange confidence. The Sword Emperor and a Master, who had already seen Joshua¡¯s escape method. A gathering of the best troops and Knights, and they even had mages supporting them from behind, all against two people.


    It was clear that Joshua and Cain were outnumbered.


    ¡°Choose.¡±


    Duke Tremblin took a step forward and drew his sword. Just the incredible, beyond perfect way he held his sword made Cain sweat.


    ¡°You can either surrender ording to the Imperial Order¡­ Or you can try gambling your neck against my sword.¡±


    Duke Tremblin stepped forward without waiting for an answer.


    But Joshua was unfazed.


    ¡°Ah, you asked how I escaped?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Cain nervously asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know yet. Because I¡¯m Joshua Sanders. Your master.¡±


    Cain¡¯s pupils trembled.


    ¡°Do you believe me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ I honestly don¡¯t¡­ but do I have a choice¡­?¡±


    Cain slowly quelled his nervous fidgets. He drew his own greatsword from his back and pointed it forward. He manipted his mana hall in his body and leaned against Joshua¡¯s back.


    ¡°Remember what I said before? No matter how rough the road is, I will always have your back.¡±


    ¡°Even if you have to be a bachelor forever?¡±


    Cain froze.


    ¡°Why are you talking about this now?¡±


    ¡°Dating is unnecessary for swordsmanship training.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you know this, but the main reason, up to 90% of it, that a man wants to be great and sessful is to get a kind and pretty wife.¡±


    ¡°You know that not everyone thinks the same way, right?¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m not gonna live alone for the rest of my life. If I can¡¯t get a wife, I¡¯m gonna stick to you forever, Master.¡±


    ¡°But I like women.¡±


    Cain gave Joshua a suspicious re.


    ¡°In that case, then please get us out of here safely and introduce some girls to me.¡±


    ¡°I will consider what you say.¡±


    ¡°Is that a promise?¡± Cain gleefully asked.


    The conversation ended there. They would be under attack soon with Duke Tremblin¡¯s saber aimed at them.


    <em>¡®We can¡¯t lose!¡¯</em>


    His remaining tension waspletely released as Cain spread his mana throughout his body. He refused to be a burden to his master. He believed that if he worked hard enough, he would not be falling back whenpared to others. He might not be able to go beyond the limits of his master, but Cain thought that it was enough to be able to stand beside him.


    The muscles in Cain''s body twitched as if they were going to explode at any moment.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    Apletely unexpected voice broke the standoff.


    Everyone¡¯s attention was diverted to one ce. To be exact, it was the space between Duke Tremblin and Joshua.


    Just then, a tremendous roar shook the pce. The reinforced stones of the Imperial Pce cracked and split apart like an earthquake had struck.


    One person stood alone in the epicenter.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    Even Joshua was dumbfounded, as he had not expected such a turn of events. After all, that person was never someone toe forward in a situation like this.

 Chapter 266

    Chapter 266


    An eerie tension formed in the Imperial Courts of the Pce once Joshua had escaped that hellhole. Second Prince Kaizen looked nervous, as if he was being chased by someone¡ªor something. Unlike Prince Kaizen, First Prince Kiser was very calm, almost unbothered.


    There were many nobles scanning the area with uneasy eyes. The atmosphere didn¡¯t change, but it was already obvious that they all had different thoughts on the situation. Slowly, they felt a grim weight settle on their shoulders. Internally, everyone agreed that only two people could break this fugue.


    Their salvation came sooner than expected.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡±


    Upon hearing Emperor Marcus¡¯s low voice, everyone turned around.


    Two men entered the room: the Prides of Avalon, heroes who had made their mark on the fabric of history, or rather two Stars among the stars that decorating the night sky.


    The Dark God, Aden von Agnus, and the Sword Emperor, Geschhard kon Tremblin.


    ¡°Everyone out except Aden and Geschhard.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± Military Advisor Zegar protested.


    ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you forgetting who I am?¡±


    Zegar immediately shut his mouth.


    ¡°I will obey, Your Majesty,¡± said Duke Prius, one of the five Dukes as he left first.


    With him taking the lead, the rest of the nobles likewise made their way out. Their curiosity was driving them mad, but not mad enough to deliberately shorten their lifespans.


    After the nobles had all left like a receding tide, Emperor Marcus parted his lips.


    ¡°This ident is very unlike you, Aden. Did something happen that I¡¯m not aware of?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far, Your Majesty.¡±


    Duke Tremblin shuffled closer to Emperor Marcus.


    ¡°Have I gone too far?¡±


    ¡°Joshua is still young.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t judge him by his age. Look at his actions: does his actions match his age?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s also going around calling himself a double-edged sword. Depending on who wields it and why, a sword can be good or evil.¡±


    ¡°High risk, high return. Are you saying that gambling on him might be worth the risk?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ something,¡± Duke Agnus replied.


    Marcus ben Britten shook his head.


    ¡°You see, there¡¯s something we call a ¡®limit.¡¯ And your son has gone beyond it. Things that I can¡¯t control can be a risk and might even endanger me. Especially since he can even handle demonic power.¡± Emperor Marcus licked his upper lip as he recalled the holy relic¡¯s response toward Joshua. ¡°Don¡¯t you feel sorry for me? A genius surpassing you has appeared in our Empire, of all ces, and that has be a problem for me. And even you, the person I trusted the most, is treating me like this.¡±


    Duke Agnus quelled his emotions and gave the Emperor a perfectly expressionless look.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t care about that at all in the beginning, did you?¡± Duke Angus asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The undead, drawing the Hubalt Empire into war, and subduing other countries by working with the Swallow Empire. Now that the Emperor of Hubalt and the Pope are at odds, the Holy Grail appears to drive the wedge home. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s what Your Majesty was <em>worrying</em> about.¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes sank even deeper. ¡°That might be all, but how certain could you be that <em>he</em> would be a benefit to your long term ns? Rather than worrying about it, you just decided to eliminate that variable. To make Avalon shine, to make the Britten name shine.¡±


    ¡°Your pretty words are pushing you across the line too, Aden,¡± Emperor Marcus growled.


    Duke Tremblin began emitting a rough, intimidating force toward Duke Agnus.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t you rather use Joshua in the war, just like me?¡±


    ¡°If I could do that, I would¡¯ve done it already.¡±


    Emperor Marcus silently examined Duke Agnus and seemed toe to a decision. He buried himself in the throne with a much more rxed expression.


    ¡°So why are we talking about these things? Oh? Is this your way of saying that you¡¯d rather turn your back on the Empire and abandon your family and friends? I don¡¯t think so, though. I don¡¯t think you are that heartless.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s silence made the Emperor sh a sinister smile.


    ¡°Calm down, Aden. As long as the n goes smoothly, I have no intention of harming your children. Plus, your son shines most when he¡¯s in peril.¡± Emperor Marcusced his hands together. ¡°He got kicked out of the pce, which means he¡¯s ready to wreak havoc somewhere else. Isn¡¯t that better? Eventually I¡¯ll call your son back and congratte him for everything that he¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°On the flip side, have you considered that he¡¯ll be a sword aimed at the Empire?¡± Duke Agnus questioned.


    ¡°HAHA! That would be quite fun too, but won¡¯t youe to the rescue anyways?¡±


    A strange light shimmered in Duke Agnus'' eyes.


    There was one thing the Emperor was missing¡ªsomething that eventually became his leash in Joshua¡¯s past life.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done talking, I¡¯ll go now and exin this to others. You don¡¯t have to thank me¡ªI did this because I really, really like you.¡± Emperor Marcus stood up. ¡°I hope this lights a fire under your kid to be more fearful of me and my movements. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing how things progress.¡±


    Duke Agnus felt impatient; he knew that Joshua would feel the same.


    ***


    ¡°I can''t do that. The Emperor intends to use me to drag Reinhardt in as well,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Cain had suggested they go to Reinhardt.


    ¡°They expected me to do this from the moment I used Kaiser of murdering Kasselon. The Emperor doesn¡¯t want the power of the Brittens to weaken; he nned this all along.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­¡±


    ¡°Think about it for a moment: what would happen if I turned against Avalon with Reinhardt¡¯s help?¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes popped at the realization.


    ¡°...That must be the justification they were seeking.¡±


    ¡°Finding a justification is the core of this event.¡±


    ¡°The continent is still leery of the idea of demonic power¡­ This might be difficult.¡±


    Cain¡¯s voicecked its usual confidence. Joshua saw his crestfallen face and snorted out augh.


    ¡°We¡¯ll finish the rest when ourstrade finally arrive.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cain nodded in understanding.


    One might well think that the two of them had already escaped Arcadia, but after half a day, they are still in the busy downtown.


    Joshua looked up and saw a robed figure walking down the road toward them.


    ¡°There you are,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°Icarus, we¡¯re over here!¡± Cain shouted, momentarily forgetting that they were currently wanted criminals. He immediately realized his mistake and mped his mouth shut. Instead of shouting, he just waved his hands to get Icarus¡¯s attention.


    ¡°...Hooh!¡±


    Again forgetting their current predicament, Cain tried to hug Icarus and got socked in the stomach for his trouble.


    ¡°You must be really crazy, you two,¡± Icarus chastised them.


    ¡°What are you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°What, you don¡¯t know? The news is currently spreading far and wide; the Imperial Pce is offering huge bounties each on criminals Joshua Sanders and his knight Cain de Harry formitting high treason.¡±


    ¡°But why are you only hitting me¡ª?¡±


    Icarus froze him with a re.


    ¡°Do you want me to beat Master? That¡¯s why you deserve it. You can¡¯t even keep your own master out of trouble.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Cain moaned.


    ¡°Also¡­¡± Icarus turned from Cain to Joshua and sighed. ¡°I think you¡¯ll have to dy the exnations for now¡­ but I¡¯ll have to hear the details eventually.¡±


    Joshua broke out in a cold sweat.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hear <em>everything</em>ter.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°I have much to say. But for now, let¡¯s decide how we¡¯re leaving Arcadia,¡± Icarus remarked.


    Joshua nodded in agreement. ¡°That, I can agree with.¡±


    ¡°So where?¡± Cain cut in.


    ¡°We should leave Arcadia¡­ no, Avalon. The Emperor¡¯s reach extends across the entire country.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t go to Reinhardt either.¡±


    ¡°I figured.¡±


    Unlike Cain, it only took Icarus one nce at Joshua to know theplete situation.


    ¡°How about exile in a foreign country?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Cain was visibly startled.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? No one will treat you like a hero in a country where you¡¯re a wanted criminal. So we should leave and be in another country where we might be treated as a hero.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    A look of concern passed over Cain''s face.


    ¡°It¡¯s only temporary. As you know, our lord is definitely not the kind of person to suffer, right?¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened. Icarus fixed her gaze on Joshua as thetter let out a chuckle.


    ¡°Small countries like Thran and Hart are fine,¡± she proposed. ¡°Other medium sized kingdoms are also fine¡­ but the other empires¡­?¡±


    Icarus discovered a smile floating on Joshua¡¯s lips and hesitated.


    ¡°You already have a ce in mind,¡± she realized.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain flinched and turned to look at Joshua.


    ¡°Our destination doesn¡¯t have to be a country. There are things that I need to take care of first.¡±


    ¡°So what is it? Please be a normal destination this time,¡± Cain nervously begged.


    ¡°The ce is¡­ the Great ins of Aiyash.¡±


    Cain and Icarus were both surprised.


    ¡°Aiyash¡­¡±


    ¡°No way you¡¯re serious.¡±


    Joshua nodded.


    The Great ins of Aiyash, a wastnd unimed by any country. It was home to the Magic Tower, also known as the Treasure House of Truth.

 Chapter 267

    Chapter 267


    Far from Arcadia¡¯s north gate, a panoply of torches lit the deep night.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down; there¡¯s a high chance that he¡¯s still in Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Hasn¡¯t it already been a full day?¡±


    ¡°So what? Right now, we need to make sure that no one with questionable identities can pass the gates.¡±


    As the capital of the Empire, each of Arcadia¡¯s gates was directly managed by the Imperial family¡¯s royal guard. Over the past day, the number of guards patrolling the area had doubled in preparation for Joshua¡¯s escape.


    ¡°Did you hear?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The rumors that His Majesty would review the nobles¡¯ rankings.¡±


    His senior¡¯s face suddenly froze.


    ¡°And His Majesty wanted to reduce the five dukes to only three dukes. He wanted to weaken the power of the nobility¡ªbut the question is, will they let him?¡±


    ¡°Of course they won¡¯t¡­ What do you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal: he wants to remove the Pontier and the Agnus family.¡±


    ¡°HUH?¡±


    The younger guard¡¯s eyes were stained with astonishment.


    ¡°Are we talking about the same Agnus family?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re saying it¡¯s only temporary. Maybe it¡¯s some kind of punishment for going against His Majesty. Supposedly it¡¯ll be reversed once the Emperor is satisfied with Duke Agnus¡¯s work, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But what about the Pontier family?¡±


    The older guard frowned.


    ¡°That¡¯s where things get serious. As you can remember from Marquis Crombell¡¯s example, if unqualified people are left at the top, misfortune is bound to happen. As the master of an empire, His Majesty can¡¯t let that go on forever.¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s way of drawing the line.¡±


    The older one looked at his bewildered subordinate and sighed. He fixed his eyes straight ahead.


    ¡°Stop worrying about other things; just focus on your job for now.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t help it, it¡¯s so shocking.¡±


    But the younger knight shook the thoughts out of his head.


    ¡°By the way, wouldn¡¯t it be a problem if he appeared here?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Oh? Didn¡¯t the higher ups tell you? There¡¯s a rumor going around in the Imperial Pce.¡±


    The younger guard stabbed his spear into the air with a swish.


    ¡°When he stabs his spear like this, fire and lightning strikes.¡±


    He mmed the point into the ground.


    ¡°If he stabs the ground like this, an earthquake happens.¡±


    Then he gave his spear a swing.


    ¡°And with a light swing of his spear, a raging storm breaks out. If those rumors are true, doesn''t that make him a walking disaster? Aren¡¯t we as good as dead?¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    The younger guard just shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying. With his skill, there¡¯s no way he¡¯s still here. He¡¯s probably far, far away by now.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t jinx it!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just calming myself.¡±


    ¡°You keep talking pessimistically. What a way to relieve the tension¡ªand this isn¡¯t the first time¡ª¡±


    A rustle from the grass to the side of the gates made them freeze.


    They locked eyes.


    ¡°Go and take a look.¡±


    ¡°M-Me?¡±


    The younger guard gave his superior a terrified look.


    To ordinary soldiers, Joshua was already nothing short of a god. Sometimes not just a god, but the Reaper himself. Word of Joshua¡¯s greatness was spreading far, far away, even among the ordinary people.


    ¡°Just go and take a look.¡±


    ¡°No! I won¡¯t go without you. It¡¯s only the two of us, and I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Right, there¡¯s only the two of us. So one of us has to report what we see.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re gonna let your subordinate kick the bucket instead of blowing the whistle?¡±


    ¡°What? Die? Well, let¡¯s see! Because of this guy¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re old, team leader. Are you going to act more polite in front of the coffin?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to put you into one now?¡±


    They heard the rustling again and fell silent. The young guard swallowed nervously and edged forward.


    ¡°If there¡¯s really something, please take care of my family.¡±


    ¡°Your wife said she¡¯s gonna go to the next royal guard wives¡¯ party. I saw her drinking with Roman from the 17th Battalion.¡±


    The younger guard shivered.


    ¡°If I die like this¡ª¡±


    Tree branches cracked under the younger guard¡¯s feet, and then he disappeared.


    ¡°Jackson?¡±


    Only the sound of the wind answered the guard¡¯s shouts.


    ¡°Jackson, you punk, if you¡¯re messing with me, I really will kill you!¡±


    Still, silence answered him.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    The older guard began approaching the bush with his whistle in his mouth and his weapon at the ready.


    ¡°Meow!¡±


    ¡°AHHH! CAT?¡±


    It turned out the rustling came from a feral cat. But why didn¡¯t Jackson answer?


    ¡°That bastard¡­¡±


    The man let the whistle fall out of his mouth. He could see Jackson¡¯s butt sticking out of the bushes¡ªhe must have been trying to hide.


    ¡­But his posture was a bit weird.


    The man sighed resignedly and was about to shout at Jackson.


    ¡°...Man.¡±


    A yful smile crept onto his lips and he began to sneak up on his subordinate, hoping to get a scare out of him.


    But his hopes were not answered.


    His eyes almost popped out of their sockets. The closer he got, the more a sense of danger crept over him. He realized that Jackson¡¯s posture was unnatural.


    ¡°This¡­¡±


    The man who approached Jackson from behind and examined the situation nkly.


    Jackson was not squatting. His hands were tied to a tree branch above his head. The older guard took a sharp breath and clenched his hands around his weapon.


    There was a dull thump and then the man copsed.


    Three new figures emerged from the bush, all wearing robes.


    ¡°Icarus, you¡¯re good at making cat noises,¡± Cain teased.


    Icarus ignored Cain and looked around worriedly.


    Joshua¡¯s expression was grim.


    ***


    A river flowed through the Great ins of Aiyas.


    ¡°Haah, haah, haah¡­¡±


    A woman with pretty blue hair wed for breath. Despite slender body, she supported a veryrge man. He wasn¡¯t moving¡ªit was hard to tell if he was still alive or not. The woman knew he¡¯d been severely wounded. The robe he wore was drenched in blood, and his body was covered incerations. One of his eyes was nothing but a bloody, gouged out hollow socket.


    ¡°If it goes on like this¡­¡±


    The woman bit her lip. Their pursuers were tenacious, even after several days. She could see another group in brown robes emerging from the other side of the river right then.


    ¡°There!¡±


    ¡°By order of the new Tower Master, Thetapirion Whitesox must be caught at all costs!¡±


    Thedy¡¯s eyes narrowed coldly.


    ¡°The cold breath of the north wind that freezes even fire.¡±


    Mana gushed out of her mana heart to her fingertips.


    Blood also gushed from her stomach; she was exhausted by the constant chase.


    But she endured.


    ¡°The purest, bluest mana in the world.¡±


    ¡°Stop her!¡±


    The pursuers felt the changes in the air and btedly attempted to conjure shield magic.


    ¡°Freeze their existence; annihte the enemies before me.¡±


    6th-Circle magic enveloped the entire river sweeping over the unprepared wizards in an azure wave.


    ¡°KAAKK!¡±


    Their desperate screams pierced the air, but a ck blood trickled down the corner of the woman¡¯s mouth.


    <em>¡®This is my limit.¡¯</em>


    Her vision blurred and her eyes spun. <em>He</em> wasn¡¯t here for her this time.


    The woman copsed.


    ***


    ¡°What are you talking about, by the way?¡± Cain asked as donned the guard¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°While the two of you were making a fuss in the Imperial pce, I was gathering information on this and that in the center of Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°You said you were looking for a house.¡±


    ¡°You think we can worry about a house right now? I have to worry about my life because of someone.¡±


    ¡°...Sorry.¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s weird about this situation,¡± Icarus continued.


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°The borders. Armies are gathering at international borders like they¡¯re preparing for war.¡±


    ¡°What, war?¡±


    ¡°Besides the three great powers, there¡¯s two countries acting especially strange.¡±


    ¡°Which two?¡±


    ¡°One is the Princedom of Thran, which our master is acquainted with. And the other one¡­¡± Icarus nced at Joshua.


    Joshua met Icarus''s eyes.


    ¡°Are you listening?¡±


    ¡°The other one is¡­ Terra?¡± Joshua guessed.


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You knew?¡±


    ¡°You mean the Magic Kingdom, Terra?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°The timing is wrong, but perhaps fate can¡¯t be changed,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    Cain was on the verge of the barest understanding.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    A new voice cut Cain¡¯s thoughts short.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    The figure approaching in the dim moonlight made Cain¡¯s eyes bulge.

 Chapter 268

    Chapter 268


    A ck greatsword sliced through the air, sending the air howling at its overwhelming strength. Perhaps this was how Amateos, the god of swordsmanship, looked when he descended to the earth.


    Or perhaps not. At least at this very moment, the swordsmanship disyed was something else entirely. The fighters¡¯ swords hadn¡¯t hit each other once, but the crack of thunder apanied every swing.


    This swordsmanship cut space itself, not the enemy. It was one of the reasons why Duke Agnus was one of the top nobles in all of Avalon.


    Space Tearing.


    Any normal opponent would¡¯ve run away immediately after seeing what Duke Agnus did. The problem was that his opponent was equally formidable.


    ¡°As expected¡­¡±


    An old man with gray hair wielded his saber with exquisite movements.


    Were they giving each other a break? No, anything but! No one¡¯s ego was big enough to let them rx around an opponent of this caliber. Age and experience didn¡¯t matter¡ªhis opponent was an Agnus. He was the epitome of what an opponent should be.


    Tremblin¡¯s de criss-crossed their air. Even though the space was as empty as it could get, something was audibly sliced.


    A poor duelist would be blinded by the beauty of their own weapon and lose sight of their opponent or perhaps be too focused on their opponent and miss a crucial detail. But the two people right here weren''t here to focus on their swords or movements. Their gazes were cast farther, and their vision was spread wider. Their fight was simply a battle to control as much space as possible.


    Duke Tremblin¡¯s body quivered. His body swelled with muscles that wouldn¡¯t be out of ce on a man half his age, but it was his aura that made him the Emperor of Swords. His aura rose and rose until iridescent rays twinkled at the tip of his saber and danced in the air.


    A sword without a will was created, aimed at the enemy¡¯s vitals.


    Another form of mana flew through the air towards the two of them, setting off an explosion right next to Duke Tremblin. Red sparks flew towards Duke Agnus¡¯s heart. Lights fluttered through their hair.


    Their lives danced on a razor edge.


    Heaven and earth were bent to their will.


    The battle between two Stars had begun, and it turned night into day.


    Finally, the two of them kicked the ground and hurtled towards each other.


    In an instant, they both felt their opponent¡¯s body, breathing, and overall face, because they were both so close to each other.


    And atst, their swords crossed.


    All who watched fell to their knees. They ducked their heads as Duke Tremblin deflected Duke Agnus¡¯s greatsword away from his shoulder. It was just the first strike, but it left a permanent mark on its witnesses.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡±


    A purple-haired knight arrivedte and was immediately crushed by an enormous, unprecedented pressure. He asked, ¡°Is this even a power of a human being?¡± What about the swordsmanship he¡¯d been learning all these years? No¡­ the right question was: ¡°Is this even swordsmanship?¡±


    It was¡­


    <em>¡®Anyone who got caught in that is dead!¡¯</em>


    Cold sweat beaded on his head as he stumbled over the increasingly fractured ground. He staggered back, his most primal instincts screaming at him to flee.


    A hand fell on the man¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Stop that,¡± a voice said from behind him.


    The man''s eyes widened with astonishment and a shadow of doubt colored his face.


    Something unexinable happened: someone intervened in the two Stars¡¯ duel.


    Between Duke Agnus and Duke Tremblin stood a man whose blond hair sparkled in the sun.


    ***


    Joshua spotted the purple-haired man.


    ¡°Cazes, how did you¡ª?¡±


    It was Joshua¡¯s subordinate and the current vice-captain of the 11th Battalion of the Imperial Knights. Why was he here instead at the Imperial Pce?


    Cain drew his sword from his back with an ominous rasp.


    ¡°Did they follow us?¡±


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Master, leave this to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Put the sword back.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°But what if¡ª¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not an enemy. He¡¯s one of my subordinates, just like you.¡±


    Cazes¡¯s eyes were now the ones which widened.


    ¡°Cazes. Considering your position, catching me is the right thing to do. You¡¯ll be able to sever the ties you had with me.¡±


    ¡°Captain.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not in a position to let you catch me¡­¡± Joshua stretched out his arms and beckoned. ¡°Come on. I am sorry, but when you open your eyes again, I will be gone.¡±


    Cazes¡¯s voice came out broken.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua nodded.


    But then a strange smile appeared on Cazes¡¯s face and he burst outughing. He raised both hands to show that he meant no harm.


    ¡°You already knew everything and you''re still mischievous, Captain.¡±


    Joshua smiled at him.


    ¡°I think so too.¡±


    The sudden change in atmosphere made Cain frown.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± he whispered to Icarus.


    ¡°How would I know? The important thing is, it¡¯s not bad for us.¡±


    ¡°Are we supposed to like this situation?¡±


    Icarus turned to Cain.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a man, you should understand the feelings between men.¡±


    Seeing Cain¡¯s nk look, Icarus sighed.


    ¡°When are you gonna be a useful man?¡±


    Cain frowned.


    ¡°You have be quite sassy since thest time I saw you, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What doesn¡¯t kill you makes you stronger,¡± Icarus coyly muttered.


    Cain gave her a puzzled look before turning back to Joshua and Cazes.


    ¡°A masked person calling themselves the ¡®Assassin King¡¯ told me where you were, Captain.¡±


    ¡°The Assassin King!¡±


    Icarus, still unaware of the rtionship between Joshua and Aisha, inhaled sharply.


    ¡°They said they will go to Reinhardt first because to take care of something¡­ Viper and Ranger wanted toe as well, but it¡¯s too risky for us to move together.¡±


    ¡°I know, you didn¡¯t have to tell me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet.¡± Cazes nodded knowingly. ¡°Everyone thinks the same. After we learned of the existence of the Assassin King, I was terrified as well. We were in total chaos¡ªsome were even shouting that they would never let the Assassin Kingy a hand on the Captain.¡±


    Cain was taken aback. His Master served the Imperial family for only five years. How did he manage to capture their hearts in that short period of time? Their acts were nigh treason in the eyes of the Imperial family, but Cazes seemedpletely nonchnt.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Cazes rummaged through his pockets and held out a neatly sealed envelope. ¡°A letter from the Princess.¡±


    ¡°The Princess?¡± Cain wondered.


    ¡°The only princess of Avalon?¡± Icarus echoed.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Joshua paused for a moment but bowed his head in gratitude.


    ¡°I will cover your position, temporarily.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great.¡± Joshua smiled faintly and gripped the letter firmly.


    ¡°Only temporarily. No one can take the Auxiliary Battalion Captain¡¯s ce.¡± Cazes took a step back. ¡°I¡¯ve lingered for too long, but I have something to say before I go.¡±


    Cazes suddenly drew his sword, making Cain jerk in surprise.


    ¡°Captain. Even if they pointed their fingers at you, Joshua Sanders, we will be forever proud of you¡­ Captain, pleasee back alive. You can call us anytime you need us. No matter where you are, inside or outside of the continent, even in the depths of hell¡­¡± Cazes gripped the sword tighter. ¡°I, Cazes¡­ no¡­ All of the 11th and 12th Battalions will risk our lives toe to your side.¡±


    Cazes pressed the sword against his chest.


    ¡°To my final Captain, may the infinite blessing of Prius be always with you, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Cain silently clenched his fist. Even Icarus¡¯s face was flushed from her rising emotions.


    Joshua impulsively summoned Lugia from its subspace before he knew it and raised it to his chest in kind.


    ¡°Even though I can¡¯t be with you, may Prius¡¯s brilliance fall upon you and everyone else, forever.¡±


    The dazzling light of the moon shone down on them.

 Chapter 269

    Chapter 269


    A tall ivory tower stood in the middle of the Great ins of Aiyash.


    The atmosphere inside was downright festive¡ªfor the first time in decades, the Tower Master had changed.


    ¡°New Tower Master, congrattions on this milestone!¡±


    ¡°Glory to the new age of the Magic Tower!¡±


    ¡°May the light of truth shine on the new Magic Tower Master!¡±


    Endless ttery was directed toward the highest reaches of the Magic Tower, where three men stood. One was dressed in a pristine white robe and gazed around with dead eyes; beside him were two men dressed in red and purple robes, respectively.


    The former chief mage of the Imperial family of Avalon, Evergrant con Aswald was the new Magic Tower Master. The seat of Red me, Zephyros and the seat of Void, Scorpino, were helping him.


    ¡°Long live Evergrant con Ahwald!¡±


    ¡°Long live the first ss 8 Master Mage!¡±


    ¡°Long live the pride of the Magic Tower, the Seven Mages!¡±


    The Tower mages cheered like the former Tower Master meant nothing to them.


    Evergrant raised his hands towards his new subjects. The ce instantly became dead silent.


    ¡°First of all, I would like to say thank you for the hospitality that you¡¯re showing me.¡± Evergrant bowed to them. ¡°I was driven away from the Tower for whatever reason before, but to receive such a wee¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not at all!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a given for the Tower Master?¡±


    ¡°We were justying low out of fear! We¡¯re so d someone finally stood up and revealed the truth!¡±


    A faint smile spread across Evend''s lips.


    ¡°I have learned to put new wine into new bags, and that stagnant water is bound to go bad.¡± Evergrant¡¯s eyes drooped. ¡°In a sense, Ian tun Murray is just that: the former Master of the Tower was rotten and fetid. He stole the position meant for his friend, and even murdered that friend out of fear. As a Tower Master, he was too soft. It seemed that the organization¡¯s progress meant nothing for him.


    ¡°During the twenty years that I stayed in Avalon, a question kept bugging me.¡± Evergrant''s voice began to gain strength. ¡°How long do we, the Magic Tower, have to suffer in this empty in?¡±


    His audience¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Are we paupers?¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°Are we powerless?¡±


    ¡°NOT AT ALL!¡±


    ¡°Are¡­ are we lesser than knights?¡±


    The mages unconsciously clenched their fists.


    ¡°Magic is the best on the continent!¡±


    ¡°There is nothing above magic!¡±


    ¡°Those knights are nothing!¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°Avalon is the Empire of the Knights.¡±


    The mages gulped.


    ¡°Even Swallow admits that.¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s slow footsteps echoed in the silence.


    ¡°Hubalt is the Empire of the holy¡­ the priests.¡±


    He reached the podium and looked down.


    ¡°But why is there no country of mages? I''m not talking about Terra¡ªthey care only for the attention of other countries. For the mages of <em>my </em>Magic Tower, I shall establish an empire of mages for you. We will name it, ¡®Aswald!¡¯¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s body started floating.


    ¡°I will build it on top of this continent.¡±


    An electrifying tingle ran down the mages¡¯ spines.


    Magic Empire! The very idea set their hearts aflutter.


    ¡°AAAAH!¡±


    Soon, thunderous shouts filled the entire Magic Tower.


    The Red me approached Evergrant with a satisfied smile, but his expression copsed almost immediately.


    ¡°Tower Master,¡± he whispered. ¡°They missed them.¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s brows twitched.


    ¡°I will go myself¡­ they must still be very close to the river.¡±


    ¡°I will apany you,¡± the Void offered.


    Evergrant nodded his head lightly and Red me and Void disappeared.


    ¡°Long live the new Tower Master!¡±


    Evergrant donned a fake smile and waved in response to the deafening shouts.


    In his head, he was formting long,plex equations.


    ***


    While Iceline and Theta were being chased, Joshua¡¯s group had ridden for two days and two nights.


    ¡°We¡¯re almost at the Great ins of Aiyash,¡± Icarus tiredly muttured.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ finally,¡± Cain groaned.


    Even though they were well out of the Avalon Empire, they never took a break. Yet despite using the Dark Gate that the Assassin King had arranged for them, they still had a distance to go.


    Dark Gates¡ªalso known as trap doors¡ªwere a kind of warp. They were different from regr warp gates in that they didn''t ask for the user¡¯s identification or the purpose. However, they had a much more limited set of connections, and cost tenfold what a warp gate would cost.


    ¡°We have to be on alert from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Cain eyed Icarus.


    ¡°If memory serves right, we must pass through one of the Magic Tower¡¯s facilities before we can enter the Great ins.¡±


    ¡°Facility?¡±


    Icarus nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s a checkpoint of sorts.¡±


    ¡°Ha?¡± Cain pulled an ugly face. ¡°By whose authority? Does the Great ins of Aiyash have the greatest Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°The problem is that others don¡¯t quite agree to that.¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the safest route. The scout mages are eagle-eyed and everywhere in the Great ins. Plus, the approach to the Magic Tower is littered with traps. I heard they¡¯re the most dangerous in the entire continent. But¡­¡± Icarus turned to Joshua. ¡°I would still prefer to face it head-on.¡±


    ¡°Icarus, are you forgetting the reason why we¡¯re going to the Magic Tower?¡± Cain chastised


    ¡°We¡¯re not sinners.¡±


    Cain shut his mouth.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡±


    Cain and Icarus looked askance at Joshua.


    ¡°Have they already noticed our presence?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Over there, look.¡±


    Cain followed Joshua¡¯s finger and his eyes popped. Above the tree hung a glowing¡ªalbeit faintly¡ªcrystal ball.


    ¡°A Magic Eye¡­!¡± Cain moaned.


    These surveince magic artifacts cost thousands of gold and they were hung everywhere.


    ¡°The Magic Tower, huh?¡± Cain muttered. ¡°Did they already notice us?¡±


    ¡°We are wearing robes.¡±


    ¡°Lucky us.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s luck¡­¡±


    Before Icarus could finish her words, the mana around her fluctuated lightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m scared to say it.¡±


    ¡°Damn.¡±


    A group of people appeared in front of Cain with a bright sh as he cursed.


    ¡°Wee to the Great ins of Aiyash.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°If we may ask, what is your business here?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ that¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move.¡±


    Icarus stopped Cain from stepping forward.


    The mage gave them a suspicious look.


    ¡°Excuse me, but could you show me proof of your identity? And,¡± The mage nced at the sword on Cain¡¯s back. ¡°If your destination is the Magic Tower, knights cannot enter.¡±.


    ¡°HUH?¡±


    Even Icarus was caught by surprise.


    ¡°This is the first we¡¯ve heard of that.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ please understand, this is a direct order.¡±


    Icarus fumed.


    ¡°That¡¯s asking for too much¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I came because I want to be a mage for the Magic Tower.¡±


    When Joshua, the knight, stepped forward, the mage furrowed his brow. Anyone could see the dense muscles on his body.


    <em>¡®It looks like he¡¯s just spouting nonsense¡­¡¯</em>


    The mage forced a smile and produced a hexagonal object.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is a special device that reacts to mana circles. It will not react to an impure mana hall.¡±


    The mage seemed to demean the knights¡¯ mana, but Cain didn''t react.


    Because it wasn''t exactly wrong. The mana hall goes through a kind of ¡°refining process¡± ording to the family¡¯s mana practice method.


    Inparison, mage used circles to try to draw raw mana, because pure power was the driving force behind magic. That wasmon sense.


    ¡°How can someone say that he wants to be a mage when he has no mana circle in his heart? It¡¯s not that difficult: just show one spell of any attribute through this mana stone. Even novices who¡¯ve just formed their circle can do that.¡±


    Cain''s eyes darted anxiously. Everything he knew told him that his master can¡¯t use magic.


    Like Cain, Icarus bit her lip. It was impossible for Joshua to know anything about this type of mana¡ªit had already been established that a magic swordsman was an impossibility.


    ¡°I will¡­¡±


    ¡°M-Master?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°What are you trying to do¡­?¡±


    Joshua chuckled and flourished the mana.


    The mage swallowed as the atmosphere trembled with mana. His eyes made his astonishment quite clear. Then a strange noise caught his attention. It wasn''t the sound leaking from the mana stone that reacted to mana, it came from¡­


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    ¡°MY GOD!¡±


    The mage marveled at the pir of fire that suddenly burst through the ground in front of them.


    ¡°Ack!¡±


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    ¡°Move away!¡±


    The confused mages hastily retreated and marveled at Joshua¡¯s work from a safe distance.


    Joshua gave them a sly smile.


    ¡°Fire Ball¡­ No, Wall.¡±

 Chapter 270

    Chapter 270


    <em>Swish! Swoosh!</em>


    A man with beautiful hair as red as mes swung his sword. His gorgeous muscles wereced with drops of sweat despite the cold morning air. His rising body temperature heated the surrounding air on the training ground.


    ¡°Still not enough,¡± he mumbled as he held on tight to his sword.


    That day¡¯s battle.


    That day¡¯s loss.


    That magnificent red spear haunted his thoughts.


    He untangled his memories and examined them one by one.


    After that, his muscles tensed again. Something cracked through the air. Was that the sound of a me, or was it something else?


    His sword ripped through the air; it grew, faded, and disappeared, but it wasn¡¯t connected by anything as mundane as a wire. It trailed a tail of fire behind it.


    As one might imagine, there was nothing in the training hall that was close to him within a radius of ten meters. So what did he cut?


    What happened next answered that question.


    The man returned his sword to its scabbard. As it rasped against the leather, an enormous tree ten meters thick fell to the ground with an earth-splitting roar. It was a giant tree that was rtively far from the training ground. And it didn¡¯t stop there. The fallen tree burst into mes.


    The man looked at the burning tree in silence. It then instantaneously crumbled into ashes. Just as he was about to take a step forward, he was interrupted.


    ¡°Congrattions, Your Highness.¡±


    The man stopped as he heard a voiceing from behind him.


    ¡°You have broken through yet another wall.¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t the full power yet.¡±


    ¡°I was astonished to discover that a knight could control fire without the help of Magma.¡±


    bis looked back at his loyal servant.


    ¡°It¡¯s not easy. I know that I have reached power beyond A-ss, but that power ces a lot of pressure on my body.¡±


    ¡°Is that right?¡±


    ¡°At times like this, I sometimes miss the power of Magma.¡±


    ¡°Can¡­ Can I ask what happened?¡± the knight cautiously inquired.


    bis didn¡¯t answer for a moment.


    ¡°I have never once thought of Magma¡¯s power as a cheat. Divine objects require talent to be handled well. The power to wipe out everything is not something allowed to the masses. Just like how Knights choose their own masters, the stones choose their own liege as well.¡± bis stared into the distance. ¡°In that sense, Magma was my pride.¡±


    ¡°If¡­¡±


    ¡°But suddenly, one day, a master appeared, and he could handle that power better than I could.¡±


    The knight¡¯s eyes widened at the unexpected revtion he had heard for the very first time.


    ¡°My ¡®pride¡¯ has been given to someone worthy, so you don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡±


    ¡°Well, if Your Highness deems it that way, then I understand,¡± the knight agreed. He revered his master too much to doubt him in the slightest. But if he knew what the Primordial Stones were, no amount of faith would have kept him under control.


    bis looked at him and smiled lightly.


    ¡°Ah, but what are you doing here so early in the morning?¡±


    ¡°AH!¡± The knight remembered his purpose, and his expression turned serious. ¡°Well, you see¡­ Your prior orders aside, the Swallow Empire has been acting strangely recently. About twenty moderate aristocrats, including Duke Amor were purged yesterday evening. They were all known to oppose the current royal power.¡±[1]


    bis froze upon hearing his subordinate¡¯s report. He knew clearly who was the real culprit behind the bloodbath in Swallow¡­


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer¡­¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes narrowed as he muttered the culprit¡¯s name.


    ***


    A novice mage¡¯s jaw hit the ground after seeing the mes burn a hole in the ground.


    ¡°Chief Mage, no matter how we look at it, this<em></em>is weird.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    The middle-aged man snapped out of his dumbfounded stupor. He¡ªthe one who had been speaking to Joshua¡ªwas Rodman, a ss 4 mage from the Tower.


    ¡°We all know that Fire Wall is a 4th Circle fire spell,¡± the novice mage quickly said. ¡°You¡¯d need to be ss 5 or higher to cast that spell by just saying the incantation.¡±


    The young mage stopped and nced at Joshua.


    ¡°...But what if it''s magic that was memorized in advance?¡±


    ¡°That''s not what I¡¯m trying to say. Putting his affiliation aside, for a high-level mage to show up out of nowhere¡ªisn¡¯t that <em>too </em>much of a coincidence?¡±


    Rodman remained silent as the question that the young mage had thrown back at him.


    ¡°Also, isn¡¯t he too muscr for a mage?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Rodman was aware of this and swallowed nervously.


    They were clearly not criticizing someone for being frail. Most mages were petite, like dwarves. The problem had to do with the way mages live and how people see them. In contrast to knights, who also valued physical training, mages tended to lock themselves in theirbs and focus on calctions and forms unless they were growing their circles. Theirck of physical activity precluded any significant muscle development. In fact, some even abhorred any form of exercise, saying that it would fill their brains with muscles as well, impeding their intellect.


    ¡°I think I can make a guess.¡±


    Rodman gave the younger mage a puzzled look and asked, ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a unique characteristic rted to the Mana Training Technique that a knight utilizes.¡±


    Rodman¡¯s eyes widened with realization.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t there been someone like that?¡± the novice eximed. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a knight that could also wield the fire attribute like this man before us?¡±


    ¡°bis¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s try again. Another attribute other than fire this time,¡± the younger mage proposed. ¡°If he¡¯s a mage ss 4 or higher, he can easily use 2nd Circle magic even if he¡¯s specialized in fire. If he still insists on using fire magic¡­¡±


    ¡°I get what you mean.¡±


    Rodman nodded with a smile. He took a step toward the slowly dwindling Fire Wall.


    ¡°I''m sorry, but¡­¡±


    ¡°I can do that as well.¡±


    Rodman cocked his head in confusion. Joshua stretched his palm out without skipping a beat, and a beam of light shot out of his hand toward the floor.


    <em>Bzzt!</em>


    Joshua was surrounded by white sparks, and, <em>crack!</em>


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    Rodman screamed in fear as a huge wave of electricity hit him. His novicepanion was already backing away.


    ¡°What was the name of this again?¡± Joshua whispered with a little smile as he watched their reactions. ¡°Lightning Wave?¡±


    Cain and Icarus could only shake their heads at their master¡¯s childish behavior.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he aplete fraud?¡± Cain remarked.


    ¡°Now you notice?¡±


    ¡°Is he a con man that sold his country in his past life?¡±


    ¡°Does it mean that he¡¯s an archmage?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There is a saying: if a man lives his whole life keeping his<em> purity</em>, he bes an archmage¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about me?¡± Cain frowned upon hearing Icarus¡¯ words.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say that.¡±


    Icarus shrugged at Cain, who snorted.


    ¡°Please! Stop now!¡± Rodman shouted. ¡°STOP! I get it already! I know you¡¯re a mage now, so stop!¡±


    Joshua smirked and reigned in Bronto¡¯s power.


    Rodman sighed in relief as he watched the lightning fizzle away.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d survive if I asked you to show me something else.¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯d do that?¡±


    ¡°I know, I know. I get it already!¡± Rodman turned away from Joshua.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do anything else; the Magic Tower has eyes everywhere!¡±


    ¡°I see. I will remember that.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to the Magic Tower, you will need to take that robe off!¡± Rodman turned around and growled at him. ¡°After all, you have to be alone.¡±


    ¡°Ch-Chief Mage!¡±


    ¡°Stop giving any excuses!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something else!¡± The young mage held up a brightly shining crystal ball. ¡°Thetapirion¡¯s tracks have been located!¡±


    Rodman¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s with a woman!¡±


    Rodman dashed toward the novice and questioned, ¡°Where!?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ Uh¡­¡± The younger mage looked nervous. ¡°They¡¯re at the Tower of Trials.¡±


    ¡°HUH?¡±


    ¡°Apparently, Zephyros and Scorpino have already gone after them.¡±


    Rodman bit his lip nervously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go quickly. We can¡¯t bete.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    ¡°All the fish have taken the bait! Opportunities like this don¡¯te too often! Stay alert and be prepared! Gather around me!¡± Rodman roared out his instructions.


    All of Rodman¡¯s mages assembled at his becker.


    <em>Pshh!</em>


    All of them then vanished in a sh of bright white light.


    Two people¡¯s mouths were agape. The third looked pensive.


    ¡°Tower of Trials¡­ Thetapirion. I¡¯ll make a move first,¡± Joshua snapped.


    ¡°M-Master!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s figure vanished before Icarus and Cain could stop him.


    ¡°How? How did he do it?¡±


    Icarus and Cain could only stare nkly in the direction Joshua had gone.


    1. <strong>Moderate (???) </strong><strong>Political ideology</strong>-Moderate is an ideological category that designates a rejection of radical or extreme views, especially in regard to politics and religion. A moderate is considered someone upying any mainstream position avoiding extreme views. ?

 Chapter 271

    Chapter 271


    At the top of the Magic Tower, Evergrant, the new Tower Master, regarded the ck-robed figure in front of him.


    ¡°How do you feel?¡± ¡°...¡± The figure clenched his fists experimentally.


    ¡°I feel¡­fine.¡±


    ¡°I was very surprised.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Even though it wasn¡¯t the main body, I can¡¯t believe someone cracked the Life Vessel of my senior¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Can I ask what happened?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Jerath dek Orbis¡ªor Berber, as he was now known¡ªdidn¡¯t respond to Evergrant¡¯s question for a long moment.


    ¡°I saw a demonic artifact.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Evergrant¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°A-A demonic artifact¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, literally the weapon of a demon.¡±


    ¡°My word¡­¡±


    In the past hundreds of years, there had never been anyone stronger than Asmodeus and his contractor, even though Asmodeus was only ranked 32nd in the demon realm. Considering the sheer number of heavyweights in the demon realm, the rankings were not to be taken lightly.


    If they were talking about the Demon God, however, the story would be startlingly different.


    The Demon God, the master of the demon realm itself, stood alone above the eight demon kings.


    ¡°How¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, because right now, it¡¯s only a demonic artifact in name.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°It looks like a demonic artifact on the outside, but the inside ispletely different.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°But we cannot forget the fact it could give us a bigger headache than the Demon God.¡± As if speaking to himself, Berber muttered those words. Then, he turned to look at Evergrant. ¡° I will take care of that myself, but more importantly¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Is Elenburs still close by?¡±


    Evergrant flinched but nodded obediently.


    ¡°Yes, I think they saw something.¡±


    ¡°How bothersome,¡± Berber sighed. ¡°An elf¡­¡±


    His brow furrowed for a moment.


    ¡°How about the Storm Wind?¡±


    ¡°Its location has already been discovered.¡±


    ¡°We have to find it.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Berber nodded and changed the topic.


    ¡°Too many problems are arising now that the army has almost finished gathering. That¡¯s not usually a good sign.¡±


    "The troops appear to be fully assembled."


    ¡°If the army was a body, then the ¡®head¡¯ who will lead the troops is still missing.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°The Death Knights are just the torso, they are not the head. So¡­¡±


    Berber trailed off, eyes gleaming.


    ¡°We need a new head¡ªa Lich tomand the troops.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Since we have the resources ready, we can make one Arch Lich and two Lichess. So the rest will be dealt with time¡­¡± Berber nced at Evergrant. ¡°We will start working on the third day after the full moon. Would that be possible?¡±


    ¡°I will do my best.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Berber spun on his heel.


    ¡°I have one more thing to tell you.¡±


    Berber paused when Evergrant spoke up.


    ¡°As long as Prince Kasselon¡¯s secret is revealed, It¡¯s only a matter of time before Asiru Ben Britten is revealed to the world.¡±


    ¡°...I see. It makes sense since Emperor Marcus would have gotten <em>some</em> information.¡±


    ¡°Should we make some kind of prep¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Hadn¡¯t Heimdall already expected this?¡± Berber chuckled. Soon, the silence was interrupted by Berber¡¯s rather shocking words. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see the Emperor¡¯s expression when his ¡®sister,¡¯ the one he believed to be dead, returns from the dead.¡±


    ***


    <em>Drip, drip.</em>


    Water continuously trailed down stctites and dripped onto the floor of a cave. Soon, it dropped onto a woman¡¯s cheek. She wasy so still that it was questionable whether she was alive or dead.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    As the cold water ran down her cheeks, the woman, Iceline, let out a small moan. She slowly opened her eyes¡ªher eyes were as clear as ake.


    ¡°This¡­ where¡ª¡±


    Iceline mumbled to herself as her smooth forehead wrinkled. She was thirsty beyond belief. Not only that, but she also felt that the mana inside her was totally depleted.


    <em>¡®Before I lost consciousness, I¡¯m sure¡­¡¯</em>


    Her expression hardened as she grasped for the memory. It wasn¡¯t that hard to recall: the Magic Tower had been pursuing them relentlessly. They were chased for more than fifteen days¡ªand if that wasn¡¯t bad enough, she had to carry an almost dead man on her back the whole time.


    Despite that, they escaped their pursuers. They finally reached the northern part of the Great in of Aiyash and worked their way deep into the mountains.


    The people waiting for them were far different from those Iceline had dealt with so far. They were two of the strongest mages on the continent.


    But when Iceline was deep in despair, what saved her was none other than Theta, who couldn''t even control his own body. Amid the swirling barrage of magic, he forced his abused body to unroll the teleport scroll.


    Iceline''s eyes slowly widened as she fully regained her consciousness.


    ¡°Theta!¡±


    At that moment, her gazended on the one-eyed mage. His clothes were stained so red that it was impossible to tell what their original color was.


    Iceline quickly approached him as he quietly meditated.


    ¡°T-The wound!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too noisy.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Almost impossibly, Theta was able to speak.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m not alright.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Iceline felt like an idiot.


    ¡°Wh-Where are we?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the 17th floor of the Tower of Trials.¡±


    ¡°Tower of Trials¡­?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened at Theta¡¯s answer.


    The Tower of Trials, as she remembered, was very famous. A hundred years ago, it was known as the home of mages, just like the Magic Tower was now. Currently, it was left abandoned on the northernmost part of the Great in of Aiyash and was only used to train mages, but what it signified was acknowledged throughout the continent.


    ¡°Why did you set the coordinates to a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°Because I handle this ce.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°But none of that matters right now.¡±


    Iceline had no choice but to shut her mouth. Theta looked at her and took something out of his robe as he stood up.


    ¡°Both the teleportation and the crystal ball formunication are dead. Perhaps they spread the magic block over the entire area.¡±


    ¡°That means¡ª¡±


    ¡°Escape is impossible. In other words, we¡¯re in a battle of endurance.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s hopes fell.


    Endurance? Two wounded mages against hundreds?


    ¡°There''s nothing to worry about. It won''t break easily."


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you know why this ce is called the Tower of Trials?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°You must have heard of it.¡± Theta grinned. ¡°While the Tower is active, various trials await its visitors on each floor. There¡¯s a reason it¡¯s used to train mages.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s built on an ancient magic circle the likes of which hasn¡¯t been seen in centuries; the higher you go, the harder trials await you.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t that just an illusion?¡±


    ¡°Nope, not an illusion.¡± Theta shook his head. ¡°I made it personally, so I know that it is far from fake.¡±


    ¡°HUHHH?¡± Iceline was startled. ¡°You mean you worked with ancient magic yourself?¡±


    ¡°Right. Even if Zephyros and Scorpino¡ªthose bastardse here, it won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°The Seven Magicians,¡± Icelene muttered.


    Theta¡¯s eye gleamed.


    ¡°The Void is more annoying than the Red me, but¡ª¡± Theta clenched his fists. ¡°I think we still have a chance.¡±


    He nced at Iceline.


    ¡°The backup you were talking about; are they still gonnae?¡±


    Iceline took a moment to realize what he meant.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± She gently bit her lip.


    In truth, she was just hoping. She had no idea if Joshua woulde or not.


    ¡°Is it a whole legion from the Empire? If you want to deal with the Magic Tower, that¡¯s the bare minimum you¡¯d need.¡±


    ¡°Um¡­ it¡¯s just one person.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Theta couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°Hey¡­ what did you just say?¡±


    Theta was about to interrogate Iceline more when they heard a bang run through the entire Tower, making both of them flinch.


    ¡°Has it begun?¡±


    His eyes sank. He believed that since it had been a full day since they¡¯d been in there, the opponent had made their move.


    But Iceline¡¯s eyes were suddenly full of hope.


    ¡°He always seems to appear at the most convenient moment,¡±<em></em>Iceline muttered, staring at where she assumed the entrance was.


    <em>Why? </em>Why was she so certain he would be there? There was no concrete reason; perhaps it was just her trust and expectations.


    Iceline¡¯s voice whispered through her slightly parted teeth:


    ¡°Joshua¡­¡±

 Chapter 272

    Chapter 272


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    Fire rose up with a flick of a finger.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    With another flick, undting waves of electrical currents rippled outwards.


    The far northern reach of the Great in of Aiyash, where the old Magic Tower¡ªnow called the Tower of Trials¡ªwas located, had be hell on earth.


    ¡°AHHH!¡±


    People were desperately screaming with no intention of stopping. All of them had something inmon: on the breast of their robes were embroidered the symbol for ¡°truth.¡± It marked them as magicians of the Magic Tower.


    ¡°Th-There should be a magic barrier, so how¡­?¡± Donald, a magician from the 3rd Magic Tower, muttered as if he were in a trance.


    The barrier was a masterpiece of the Magic Tower that was created after decades of research that had begun thest generation. Crystal balls and any magic below ss 6 werepletely useless inside the barrier¡­ at least, they should be. At this moment, the magic barrier waspletely useless.


    ¡°Who is that guy? How can he use magic so freely here?¡±


    ¡°MOVE!¡± At that moment, one of the mages shouted at him.


    Donald hurriedly threw himself to the side, and a stream of red fire, darker than crimson, passed through the ce where he had been standing. If he¡¯d been even a moment slower¡­


    Donald¡¯s hands became slick with sweat. All the mages around him had the same reaction.


    As many as a thousand mages were feeling pressure from just one man.


    ¡°A dragon¡­?¡± someone mumbled.


    A suffocating silence instantly descended on them.


    Dragons ¡ª the most powerful creatures in existence. The sole and only experts of ss 9 magic, as well as the guardians of middle earth.


    It was actually a fairly usible scenario when Donald thought about it. No human being had had ess to that kind of ancient magic for ages. If someone did have talent like that, rumors would have spread all over the continent by now.


    <em>¡®No way, is he really¡ª?¡¯</em>


    Donald shook off the thought and swallowed hard.


    A man with deep, oceanic blue hair strode through the stillness. The mages couldn¡¯t even resist him; they could only helplessly retreat across the utterly, indisputably barren ground of the northern Great in with each step he took.


    <em>¡®Even if it¡¯s a dragon, we can¡¯t let him through! The advanced team is already inside the Tower with two of the Seven Magicians. If he¡¯s allowed through like this¡­.¡¯</em>


    Donald shook his head; he didn''t even want to imagine what would happen.


    Then Joshua opened his mouth.


    ¡°In the past, the present, and the future, mages are always the same.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Even when you see it with your own eyes, you never want to believe anything that goes against your experience or knowledge. You always think with your head, putting aside your heart.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You do that even in situations where you should act as your heart tells you to¡ªlike now.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying¡­?¡± Donald nkly muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that I¡¯m still willing to let you flee.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The mages of the Magic Tower boggled at him.


    ¡°Face reality. Break out of that small world that your preconceptions and your stereotypes have fenced you into.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t change your perception, then you can¡¯t get what you desire.¡±


    There was no one on the entire continent who could say that unless they knew the future. Joshua knew that Evergrant would have taken over the Magic Tower, and Joshua had urately guessed what the new Tower Master would have said to entice the other mages: and created by mages, for mages, and only for mages.


    A Magic Empire.


    This problem is why the mages¡¯ aspiration had been dyed for years. Even Terra, while reasonably open, was headed for destruction.


    After all, Evergrant had no interest in such a thing in the first ce.


    But were a few words enough to change the future?


    Joshua tensed his muscles imperceptibly.


    ¡°I will help you get just a little closer to breaking free of that fence.¡±


    He quietly stretched out his arms.


    ¡°A knight can ¡®never¡¯ use magic; in a one-on-one fight, a mage is superior to a knight. Who the hell decided that?¡± he quietly muttered.


    A new transformation began. Raging mes erupted from his left hand. The thunder and lightning capable of destroying an entire civilization burst from his right hand.


    Joshua took the two powers that did not seem like they would mix and slowly edged them closer to each other.


    ¡°Magmaron¡­¡±[1] he whispered as the two energies merged into one.


    <em>sh!</em>


    The barren in was enveloped by a bright white light.


    ¡°...!¡±


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    There was a loud explosion, seemingly splitting the world in two.


    ***


    In the center of Arcadia was the mansion of Duke Agnus. A member of the family came to visit for the first time in a long while; plus, he was the sole heir to the vast wealth of the Agnus family.


    A knock was heard on the door of Duke Agnus¡¯s private office.


    ¡°Sir, it¡¯s Babel.¡±


    The voice from outside brought Duke Agnus back to reality.


    ¡°Enter.¡±


    When Duke Agnus gave permission, the antique door silently swung open and a man in his twenties with dark blond hair entered the room.


    ¡°I greet the head of the household.¡±


    The man bowed towards Duke Agnus.


    Babel von Agnus, the son of Vanessa and Duke Agnus.


    No, to be more precise, Babel wasn¡¯t the son of Duke Agnus; he was Emperor Marcus¡¯s son.


    ¡°...¡± Duke Agnus regarded Babel with grave eyes.


    ¡°What happened so urgently that you came without sending me a message?¡±


    ¡°It was rude of me, but I had something I wished to ask you.¡±


    ¡°You could have used a crystal ball¡­¡±


    The cold response made Babel clench his fist. Would he be treated like this if he were Joshua?


    But Babel couldn¡¯t care less. Joshua¡¯s fate had already been decided. He was a traitor in the eyes of the Empire, and that was all there was to it.


    All that was left for Babel was to fulfill the mission he came here for and nothing more.


    ¡°It is a very sensitive issue,¡± Babel continued with a gleam in his eyes. ¡°I came here because I was worried that someone might eavesdrop.¡±


    ¡°Tell me,¡± Duke Agnus prompted.


    Babel paused for a moment before pressing on intently.


    ¡°Some strange rumors are circting the capital as ofte. They say that inside the Agnus Duchy, there is a royal Princess <em>other</em> than my mother, Vanessa ben Britten.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯ gaze became serious as he listened to Babel.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t particrly credible, but as the <em>only</em> heir to the Agnus family, it wasn''t something I could easily ignore.¡±


    Babel emphasized the word ¡®only¡¯ as he continued to speak.


    ¡°I know it was a long time ago, but you must have heard it at least once, Sir. The younger sister of the reigning Emperor, Asiru ben Britten, disappeared twenty years ago.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°She was ten years old when she disappeared, so she should be around thirty now...¡±


    Babel''s expression hardened as he trailed off.


    ¡°The nobles who live closer to the capital, including the two princes, are reacting sensitively to rumors.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Duke Agnus asked.


    ¡°They are worried that the Princess is still alive and might¡¯ve given birth to a child,¡± Babel answered without hesitation. ¡°It would mean newpetition for them.¡±


    Babel paused to peek at Duke Agnus¡¯s expression before resuming.


    ¡°The Imperial family has already been affected because of Joshua Sanders. So it¡¯s obvious that people are particrly sensitive about rumors like this spreading.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°And as long as the rumors are rted to the Agnus family, I have no choice but to take it seriously. So as the heir to the family, I have taken some measures against it.¡±


    Duke Agnus examined Babel, whose eyes were sparkling.


    ¡°So, what action did you take?¡±


    ¡°First of all, as soon as I heard the rumors, I searched through the households of our vassals, including the families themselves, for women in their thirties and older and investigated their backgrounds. As for the result, I didn¡¯t find anything noteworthy. There is no way that the vassals, not the mention the Agnus Duchy who takes security seriously, would bring a woman of uncertain background into their family.¡±


    It seemed like there was a hint of regret in Babel¡¯s voice, so Duke Agnus thought the report wasing to an end.


    ¡°But then, I came across a rather surprising bit of information.¡±


    ¡°Surprising bit of information¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something reliable since this information came from the Imperial family, so you shouldn¡¯t dismiss it.¡±


    Babel looked Duke Agnus straight in the eyes.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t born at the time, so I didn¡¯t know, but¡­¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that Princess Asiru ben Britten has none of the characteristics of the Britten family. No golden hair, no golden eyes.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Instead, it seems like she had hair as blue as the depths of the sea and green eyes like emerald plucked straight out of the mine.¡±


    Doubt began to show on Babel¡¯s face.


    ¡°So why was it that after I heard that description, one woman came to mind? That¡¯s why I came here today to ask the head of the family a question.¡± Babel¡¯s golden eyes shed. ¡°About the woman who was once the Duke¡¯s maid, who now, both in name and practice, is the second mistress of the Duchy.¡±


    Babel''s voice was the only noise heard inside the room.


    ¡°Where is Lady Lucia now?¡±


    There was a slight noise. It seemed Duke Agnus was finally responding.


    1. Magma x Bronto ?

 Chapter 273

    Chapter 273


    About forty years ago, there was a woman in the Avalon Empire whose beauty wasparable to that of the three great beauties of the current time. It was said tales of her beauty were told innds far away from the Empire.


    Her name was Merian Peserose.


    She was the second child of Baron Peserose, a noble hailing from the western part of the country. At the somewhatte age of seventeen, she made her social debut.


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡±


    ¡°Her beauty is otherworldly...¡±


    Awed words spilled from the dumbfounded lips of the aristocratic children when they saw her for the first time.


    Her eyes were ck¡ªan eye color that was rare on the continent¡ªand in contrast to her pale skin, her hair was dark as the night sky. It was as if her perfect features and proportions were created by God, no, it was as if she <em>was</em> the goddess of beauty herself.


    The men fell hard for her like it was the first time they¡¯d seen a beautiful woman.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the capital to hear of her beauty.


    ¡°Come and be mine. I will make your dreamse true.¡±


    Those were the words Dous ben Britten, the Crown Prince of Avalon and Emperor Marcus¡¯s father, said when he saw Meri at his birthday banquet.


    For the mere daughter of a rural baron, it seemed like a fantastic opportunity. But Meri was not only beautiful, she was also wise.


    At the time, Prince Dous already had three wives. Meri was afraid of the repercussions of rejecting the prince''s request, but the hellish life that would follow if she epted weighed even more heavily on her mind. All of the Prince¡¯s wives were women from powerful families¡ªwhat good would it do her if she tried to mingle with such proud people? The moment that the Prince¡¯s affection cooled, she was as good as dead. With only the power of a baron¡¯s daughter, there was nothing she could do to prevent it.


    <em>¡®How should I approach this¡­?¡¯</em>


    Meri wrung her hands together while everyone stared at her. Her eyes met those of one man who was staring at her in a daze.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Her salvation came, miraculously, in the form of a man with deep, dark blue hair. The man stared into her eyes for a moment before taking a step forward.


    ¡°Crown Prince, I¡¯m sorry to say that¡­ she is already engaged to me.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The nobles¡¯ eyes widened in amazement. It didn¡¯t matter if what the man said was true or not. The Crown Prince, the future emperor of Avalon, had alreadyid im to her.


    Except¡­ the man who challenged the Prince had the qualifications to speak up.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Lord Toben of Agnus Duchy.¡±


    ¡°Oh? A standoff between the heir of the aristocratic faction and the Crown Prince?¡± [1]


    Crown Prince Dous frowned as the hall filled with whispers.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already have a wife, Lord Toben?¡±


    Toben shook his head.


    ¡°As you know, Your Highness, I currently do not have one.¡±


    ¡°So you n on getting a new wife? You?¡±


    Toben slightly turned his head at Dous¡¯s question. His gaze met Meri¡¯s, and she gave a small nod. He turned back to look at Dous and answered without hesitation.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°WAAAAH!¡±


    The audience pped at his sinct answer. Unlike the smile that stretched across Toben¡¯s face, Prince Dous¡¯s expression twisted.


    He felt a maelstrom of emotions, but there was one that was clear: jealousy.


    ***


    The leaves fell from their branches; then the buds emerged, and another warm spring arrived.


    Meri gave birth to a healthy baby¡ªa boy. In a country like Avalon, where boys were valued more than girls, Meri was able to bear Toben a son.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± Tobenforted her.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°The baby looks a lot like you. I think he¡¯ll make women cry when he grows up.¡±


    Meri gave a small smile at Toben¡¯s words.


    ¡°Do you¡­ have any names in mind?¡±


    ¡°I have a few, but¡­¡± Toben trailed off after he saw Meri¡¯s expression. ¡°Hmm? Do you have any names in mind?¡±


    ¡°I worry that it¡¯s not good enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. Just tell me.¡±


    There was silence for a moment before Meri¡¯s beautiful voice was quietly heard in the room.


    ¡°I hope that this child will live ording to his own will, free from the influence of those around him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he will.¡±


    ¡°After all, this is not a society that will allow him to live alone. It¡¯s human nature to band together into like-minded groups. If he was a god, then perhaps¡­¡±


    ¡°Then?¡±


    ¡°Is it too much to wish for him to be more god than human?¡±


    Toben smiled and shook his head.


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°But still, we can¡¯t name him ¡®God¡¯¡­¡± Meri looked at Toben and smiled. ¡°The ancient name for a god is ¡®Aden.¡¯ This child should be named Aden.¡±


    ***


    Much time passed again.


    In the meantime, the two young men who had argued over a woman became adults. One became the Emperor of a great Empire; the other one became the lord of a duchy.


    But one of them would never forget that day¡ªthat fateful day.


    The 67th Entrance Ceremony for the Academy of the Avalon Empire was held on a cold, gusty winter day.


    Almost as if by a divine prank, the two men''s sons were there as ssmates. They were about ten years old at the time.


    ¡°I never thought I would be able to cross swords with you in a ce like this, Aden.¡±


    The blonde-haired boy looked at the other, simrly-aged boy across from him and smiled. The blonde boy didn¡¯t like the other boy; they¡¯d beenpared for as long as he could remember.


    Aden von Agnus.


    The prince wanted to smash that arrogant, ck-eyed boy today.


    ¡°...¡±


    In contrast, Aden''s eyes were infinitely calm andposed.


    - Handle him with a delicate touch. Lose. Since your opponent is the Prince, the title you gain or lose means nothing.


    Aden kept thinking about what his father had said the previous evening. Like his father, Aden did not value being number one very much. Even if he tried to climb the mountain that was the Prince, he would never be able to do it in that short amount of time. He nned on taking it easy and losing after a bit.


    At least, that was the n. If the Prince hadn¡¯t used <em>that</em> word, Aden would have happily lost. But the Prince crossed a forbidden line.


    ¡°IIIk!¡±


    The sound of wood striking wood echoed again and again as their practice swords collided in front of a crowd. Soon, the Prince''s body was drenched in sweat.


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Unlike before, the Prince was annoyed. The situation was not going his way; he didn''t even know that Aden was going easy on him.


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff!</em> Why do I have to be humiliated like this by the blood of some bitch¡ª¡±


    Aden¡¯s sword froze mid-blow.


    ¡°What¡­ did you just say?¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    The abrupt change caused the Prince to recoil for a brief second before he quickly realized what had happened.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?¡± The Prince sneered. ¡°You mean the part about ¡®the blood of some bitch¡¯?¡±


    At the Prince¡¯s provocation, Aden¡¯s bones creaked as he clenched the wooden sword.


    Perhaps he was imagining burying the Prince? But, Aden was still very young and did not have the patience to contain his growing age.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your mother whore herself out to the head of a great family for the sake of her family?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Dirty bitch. How dare she refuse His Majesty¡¯s request. She ought to know her ce¡ª¡±


    A sudden whistle split the air.


    It happened so fast.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Aden¡¯s wooden sword violently deviated from its previous predictable trajectory. The Prince raised his sword with a bewildered expression, but it was already toote.


    The Prince¡¯s bones audibly <em>crunched</em>.


    ¡°UWAGHHH!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness Prince Marius!¡±


    When the onlookers saw the Prince fall to the ground while dripping blood, they ran over with pale expressions. The wound on the top of his head was obviously fatal. Even if it was a wooden sword, if the head was hit¡­


    <em>Shing!</em>


    The Prince¡¯s escorts had been watching the spar from a distance, but now, they all drew their swords. If this incident caused long-term problems for the Prince, it wasn¡¯t only the escorts¡¯ lives on the line. A dizzying thought¡ªthree generations of their family might also die with them.


    ¡°How dare¡ª!¡±


    When the knights quickly closed in on him, Aden silently stepped back. Even as he did so, he looked down at the fallen Prince coldly.


    ¡°Have you gone mad?¡± The senior knight shouted at him.


    ¡°The Prince insulted my mother first.¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ hahahahaha.¡±


    When thatughter filled the room, the senior knight, and the activity of all the other knights nearby, stopped.


    The senior knight¡¯s shouting, and the activity of all the knights nearby, stopped when thatughter filled the room. Aden couldn¡¯t control his expression either.


    ¡°Moron,¡± Prince Marius spat.


    And then he sumbed to the pain and passed out.


    ¡°Keugh¡­¡± Aden was struck on the back of his neck and he copsed, his eyes spinning.


    Aden faintly heard the knight¡¯s voice as his consciousness faded.


    ¡°We should throw him in prison right now, but we need to take care of the Prince first. A priest¡ªno, the temple¡­¡±


    The knight''s voice faded little by little.


    <em>¡®I have no¡­ regrets.¡¯</em>


    Aden hadpletely lost his consciousness.


    1. Agnus family is always has been the leader of the Aristocratic faction ?

 Chapter 264

    Chapter 264


    The ground cracked under the burgeoning weight of the gathering mana. Even some of the knights bowed under the pressure. However, the ce remained unbelievably quiet that one could even hear the sound of a pin drop.


    One manmanded the day.


    ¡°The Dark God¡­¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus? Why is he here¡­?¡±


    Despite the short remarks, it was evident that the crowd was filled with overwhelming admiration for the person in question. Some even bowed or ced their swords in front of their chests to show respect. But no one could hide their shock.


    Did hee here for his child? No, he wasn¡¯t like that. Considering his mannerisms, or at least what he showed on the outside, he should never have appeared.


    ¡°Duke Agnus,¡± Duke Tremblin said, his usual neutral expression in ce. ¡°Did youe here out of your own will? I came here because of the Imperial Order. Surely you know what that means, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Duke Agnus didn¡¯t answer. Duke Tremblin advanced on him with his brows furrowed together. He was only three steps away from reaching Duke Agnus.


    ¡°Move away¡ª¡± Duke Tremblin requested.


    ¡°Joshua is¡­ my son,¡± Duke Agnus finally broke his silence at that moment


    Even Duke Tremblin¡¯s calm broke as his eyes widened. Meanwhile Count Arie, silently watching from behind, licked his lips and smiled slyly. His interest was piqued.


    ¡°Is it so strange that a father is standing up for his own son?¡±


    ¡°...Are you serious?¡± Duke Tremblin radiated deadly energy as he stood among the confused crowd. ¡°To stand against those empowered by an Imperial Order is equivalent to disobeying His Majesty himself. For formality¡¯s sake, I must ask: are you willingly branding yourself as a traitor to protect your blood?¡±


    It was nothing short of a disaster.


    Anyone who knew of Avalon knew of Aden von Agnus. For decades, he had been the figure of admiration for all the knights within Avalon. He was a national hero who brought the country so many victories that they could drown in them. Even if he decided to retire there and then, his name would still be talked about for generations toe.


    Duke Aden von Agnus, the Dark God, one of the great Nine Stars of Igrant.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t do it, Duke!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one we look up to!¡±


    ¡°This might be your personal interest, but please think about your household!¡±


    ¡°Your Grace, please!¡±


    A truly bizarre situation ensued: numerous people raised their voices in an attempt to sway Duke Agnus''s heart, but ironically, these people were still pointing their weapons at him.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! This is the father and son duo that I need! I feel too much ecstasy! Isn¡¯t this so much fun, Duke Tremblin?¡± Count Arie let out a peal ofughter.


    Duke Tremblin scoffed angrily.


    ¡°A lot of knights look up to you. Think carefully before you speak. I don¡¯t want to lose my old rival like this¡­¡±


    Instead of answering Duke Tremblin, Duke Agnus raised his ink-ck sword. The might of the Dark God was truly a sight to behold. His ck cloak fluttered away, revealing the pitch-ck armor he wore beneath it.


    It was clear that his mind was set.


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± One of the knights on the sidelines unconsciously called out as he fell to his knees. The crest on his chest marked him as a member of the Imperial Knights, but Duke Agnus was an idol for all knights, regardless of their affiliation.


    ¡°This is astonishing.¡± Duke Tremblin looked at Joshua and sighed. ¡°What sorcery did you cast to bend a man with no blood or tears?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes shook. Even if it didn¡¯t show, he was also bewildered. He was the son of a concubine and the second child in the household. He couldn¡¯t even dream of life outside the stable when he was growing up. Joshua spent hisst life drifting from ce to ce doing mercenary work. Even right up till Duke Agnus¡¯ death when he was killed by three of the Stars in the Battle of the Kraden in, Duke Agnus had never sought out Joshua even once.


    So why was Duke Agnus being like this now? Did Duke Agnus somehow know that Joshua was living his second life? Did watching Joshua grow up make him regret the way he raised him?


    Joshua¡¯s eyes fell.


    Regardless, Duke Tremblin continued to speak.


    ¡°Whatever the case, it doesn¡¯t change my opinion. Can you see this?¡± Duke Tremblin held up a pitch-ck object that was shaped like a wine ss. ¡°This is the Holy Grail of the Hubalt empire. This is supposed to be pristine white, but it turns ck in reaction to demonic power. As you can see, it¡¯s been like this ever since Joshua showed up.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Duke Agnus¡¯s low voice intoned.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Duke Tremblin''s eyes widened.


    ¡°This is not the country of Hubalt. Why do we care if there¡¯s demonic power or not?¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­ are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin, aren¡¯t you already aware of it?¡±


    Duke Tremblin didn¡¯t bother masking his anger; he knew what Duke Agnus was referring to.


    ¡°No matter what we say, the people of the continent probably¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop,¡± Duke Tremblin muttered and clenched his fists. ¡°Duke Agnus, how can you change so much? You feel like a different person now. Thinking is for the top ranks only; it¡¯s not for minions like us. Enough talk!¡±


    Perhaps he was trying to prevent Duke Agnus from revealing some things, but Duke Tremblin disappeared from his position.


    His movements were every bit as impressive as what Joshua had shown in the Fourth Prince¡¯s pce. He abruptly materialized in front of Joshua''s face and swung his sword. The sawtooth edge leading the sword¡¯s elegant trajectory leaped for Joshua¡¯s throat. Regardless of Duke Tremblin¡¯s age, his body oozed with power.


    He did not, however, have a firm grasp of his foe.


    Duke Tremblin flinched when Joshua¡¯s body suddenly burst into mes. His spear was also engulfed in a halo of crimson fire, the messhing out at Duke Tremblin.


    It was Magma¡¯s power of annihtion.


    No, it was actually Joshua¡¯s own powerbined with Magma¡¯s power of annihtion that was scorching the air around him.


    Duke Tremblin¡¯s instinctive response was to parry the red spear, but the force of the impact rendered his entire hand numb. As he sessfully deflected the spear that was aiming for his chest consecutively with his sword, Duke Tremblin lightly jumped into the air. Joshua did not miss the opportunity. Joshua spun, whipping his mana-infused heel toward Duke Tremblin¡¯s head.


    The attack was stopped, of course, with his sword. Duke Tremblin wouldn¡¯t go down that easily. However, their sh created an unnaturallyrge explosion like that of the sh between high-level magic spells. The sudden tremendous battle that took ce in an instant startled the bystanders.


    Who was Duke Tremblin, after all? He was one of the continent¡¯s Nine Stars. Together with the Dark God, they were considered the two walls that were hard to ovee. His age only cemented his legend; over sixty years old, and he still had this much power.


    A living legend battling¡­ a boy a third his age.


    In a brief lull, Joshua took a few steps back and spoke.


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken about one thing, Duke Tremblin.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Duke Tremblin was flustered by Joshua¡¯s perfect defense.


    ¡°Did you really think that I retreated because I¡¯m not strong enough? That I¡¯m no match for an old duke because I¡¯m young?¡±


    ¡°This kid¡ª!¡± Duke Tremblin¡¯s wrath was ignited by Joshua¡¯s insults.


    ¡°Let me correct you now. You¡¯ve got it all wrong.¡± Joshua pointed the tip of his spear at Duke Tremblin. ¡°Before you worry about handling my father, you should worry about how you¡¯re going to capture me first.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!¡± Arie popped up next to Duke Tremblin¡¯s shoulder and burst into helplessughter. ¡°No kidding?¡±


    Duke Agnus tried to intervene.


    ¡°Stop¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Joshua shook his head defiantly. ¡°I have no intention of getting help from anyone, nor do I want to bring harm to the Agnus household.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the way I¡¯ve lived until now, and that¡¯s the way I n to live in the future. So.¡± Joshua gave Duke Agnus a cold look, freezing him in his tracks. ¡°Please move aside.¡± Joshua then called out, ¡°Cain!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Master?¡± Cain called out, flustered that his name was suddenly called.


    ¡°Make a way for us to escape.¡±


    Cain boggled at him.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me the first time?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ NO! I will follow your orders!¡±


    Duke Tremblin''s eyebrows twitched as he questioned, ¡°Do you actually think that you can get away unscathed?¡±


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s exactly what I intend to do.¡±


    ¡°This arrogant bastard¡ª!¡±


    The ground in front of Joshua suddenly cracked open and Duke Tremblin instinctively backed away. From the broken ground spewed the deadly fires of annihtion.


    ¡°That¡¯s Thran¡¯s bis¡¯¡­¡± someone muttered in awe.


    ¡°Such small tricks,¡± Duke Tremblin calmly asserted. He clicked his tongue and assumed his battle stance. He nned to cut through the mes and run after Joshua, but it was a fruitless effort.


    ¡°I told you to stop.¡± Duke Agnus interrupted.


    Duke Tremblin frowned.


    ¡°Duke Agnus¡­ You must¡ª!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean that¡¯s enough? It¡¯s an Imperial Order, and it stands above the country''sws! The voice of Avalon itselfes first before allws! I won¡¯t stand still if you keep acting like this!¡±


    ¡°This must be why this country is not moving forward.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s voice was tiny, but Duke Tremblin heard it, of course.


    ¡°You traitor¡­ How dare you¡­¡±


    Duke Agnus cast a nce at Duke Tremblin, thetter¡¯s murderous intent was evident. He then turned to look at the escaping duo.


    Cain had turned to look back and met Duke¡¯s Agnus gaze. Joshua, unlike Cain, never turned around.


    <em>¡®So this is it.¡¯</em>


    Duke Agnus gave Cain a light nod and straightened his back.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Duke Tremblin hollered.


    Finally, the two giants of Avalon collided.

 Chapter 265

    Chapter 265


    Two people were walking down the avenue that led to the Imperial Pce¡¯s main entrance¡ªbut in typical Emperor Marcus fashion, Joshua was blocked by hordes of Imperial Knights, apanied by the knights of the various noble houses. There were easily three thousand of them, and all of them were fully armed and armored for battle. And the mages that came with them had already prepared their magic circles the day before.


    ¡°Master¡­ isn¡¯t this too much?¡± Cain was leading the way, but stopped and broke into a cold sweat after seeing the ¡°wee party.¡± ¡°How about we find another escape route? We don¡¯t necessarily have to go through the main gate, do we?¡±


    ¡°If we do that, won¡¯t we be treated like real criminals then?¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Cain mumbled.


    ¡°Not once have Imitted any crimes; why should I flee like a fugitive and not walk out of the main gates righteously?¡±


    Cain fell silent.


    <em>¡®Right. This is my master.¡¯</em>


    A man that would bend but never break. Some might call him arrogant, but everyone knew that he had the means to back up his arrogance.


    Joshua confidently resumed his advance.


    ¡°Stop!¡± the captain of the 4th Battalion, Paul, shouted. ¡°Joshua Sanders! Immediately drop your weapons and surrender!¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    Paul stared at him, wide-eyed.


    ¡°My spear is blind¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°From this moment on, I will cut down all who dare to stand in my way, no matter who they are or where theye from.¡±


    An unimaginably powerful force filled the air around Joshua, making it difficult to even breathe. It was unlike any application of mana the knights had ever seen. Despite witnessing Joshua inhuman behavior several times before, Paul could not adapt.


    ¡°This bastard of a monster¡­¡±


    Paul¡¯s mumbling echoed the thoughts of everyone gathered there.


    It was another application of aura: force emission.


    ¡°Keugh¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t b-breathe¡ª¡±


    Soldiers that could not regte their mana were the first to fell to their knees after being exposed to such tremendous power. Their bodies knew that this enormous mana was too much for them. Even in the rear, mages and knights alike dropped. They didn¡¯t copse, thankfully, but they couldn¡¯t fight, either.


    A shadow of doubt flickered over Paul''s frowning face. The force that had been choking him suddenly faded¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t that Joshua had stopped releasing it.


    ¡°Count¡­ Sten?¡± Paul blurted.


    The Count had suddenly appeared out of nowhere and was standing before Paul.


    Joshua saw Arie and sighed before remarking, ¡°You know that even you can¡¯t stop me, right?¡±


    Arie flicked his tongue over his raised rapier and smiled.


    ¡°But it¡¯s manly to challenge situations that seem impossible. I decided that you¡¯re my prey, after all. Do you think I¡¯d let you go?¡±


    Joshua hefted his spear. The red spear once again bared its fangs, engulfed in unquenchable mes.


    ¡°I will do this, Master,¡± Cain offered.


    Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°We have no time.¡±


    ¡°...Then I¡¯ll finish it quickly.¡±


    ¡°No. I can finish this in a single strike.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes almost popped out of their sockets. A single strike? Count Arie bron Sten? The maestro of the battlefield?


    ¡°Besides, I have another reason to handle him personally.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!¡± Arie bron Sten let out a heartyughter and slowly moved.


    Joshua¡¯s momentum rose in response. The young knight¡¯s energy fluctuated wildly, making his earlier disy look like a joke.


    Arie shivered as he was immersed in the energy.


    ¡°Is this some sort of electricity?¡± the Count asked.


    ¡°I have a reason for choosing it.¡±


    ¡°You bastard. HAHAHAHA!¡± Arie shivered in ecstasy.


    Joshua, though, only gave him a little brush on the shoulders.


    The oue was anything but little, though.


    The ground below shook and cracks soon formed. The air howled in protest as mes erupted from the cracks and hovered near the spear. Electrical currents were summoned and soaked up by Joshua¡¯s body like cotton absorbing water.


    ¡°This crazy basta¡­¡±


    Someone could not help but curse upon gazing upon a man made god.


    Joshua and Arie both kicked off against the ground at almost the same time. Who went first didn¡¯t matter, because it was impossible to determine. Everyone just agreed that it was fast and powerful.


    Arie¡¯s sword conjured a flurry of attacks. His move was as surreal as its nickname, the Bloom of a Thousand Petals. And Joshua was more than willing to throw himself into the storm of petals¡­


    A blinding ray of light filled their vision. Everyone expected a booming explosion and struggled to see through it, but the scene ended with a crackle like stepping on a dry leaf.


    The two of them stood with their backs to each other, their positions reversed from when they started.


    Paul blinked and gaped nkly as he stared at Joshua standing before him.


    ¡°What was that?¡± Arie asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Lightning sh,¡¯¡± Joshua answered, assuming Arie was asking the skill¡¯s name.


    ¡°Ah, yes¡­ true to its name, it was too fast to even see.¡±


    Arie''s hair tie gently fluttered to the ground, letting his hair hang loose.


    Paul abruptly realized what seemed so strange about the scene.


    ¡°C-Count Arie! Yo-Your arm!¡±


    Midway between Joshua and Arie, the Count¡¯s beloved rapiery on the ground. Despite being a piece of metal, it seemed alive¡­ almost as if it was¡­ moving.


    But none of that mattered so much as why Count Arie had dropped his weapon: his whole arm had been cleanly severed. His right arm. And it was obvious that it was an irreversible wound.


    ¡°I would have preferred you cut my neck instead.¡±


    ¡°The cut is clean. If you hurry, you might be able to put it back.¡±


    Joshua could¡¯ve used the me of Annihtion to make the wound impossible to heal, but he decided not to. Even still, this wound would take years and years of recuperation.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully frivolous.¡±


    ¡°I called your son a friend for a few years. If you weren¡¯t his father, I wouldn¡¯t have hesitated for a moment.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s it?¡± Arieughed at Joshua and gestured towards the gate. ¡°Go on¡­¡±


    Paul stepped forward.


    ¡°C-Count!¡±


    ¡°Or do you n to stop him, Paul mon Terod?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­ Yes, w-we should¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I assure you, even if everyone here attacked him together, we still wouldn¡¯t be able to stop Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°What d-do you mean¡­?¡±


    The Count didn''t spare the captain another nce as he looked further beyond where the captain was standing.


    ¡°Pleasee out personally now. You can choose: either let the Empire¡¯s men die or let Joshua Sanders go.¡±


    The crowd immediately split in two.


    Two men then slowly stepped through the rift. Both carried the most noble blood in all of Avalon, signified by their golden hair and golden eyes.


    They were First Prince Kiser and Second Prince Kaizen.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that a brat could turn the situation like this. Damn it¡­¡± Prince Kaizen continued to unhappilyin.


    ¡°Just go,¡± Kiser quietlymanded.


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°HUH?¡±


    ¡°Clear the way, knights.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious, older brother?¡± Kaizen looked at his brother like Kiser had gone mad. ¡°He¡¯s a criminal! And you¡¯re letting him go like this? Do you think His Majesty will stay silent if he hears this?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an Agnus. That ought to mollify the Emperor. More importantly, shouldn''t we save our precious subjects?¡±


    ¡°Mhm. The older brother is wiser indeed,¡± Arie mumbled. ¡°Not like the younger brother who throws puerile tantrums¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    Kaizen could clearly hear what Arie was saying despite thetter¡¯s low volume. Count Arie just tsked andbed his hair with his remaining hand. Kaizen rolled his eyes, clearlycking the energy to deal with the likes of Arie anymore.


    ¡°Take your subordinates and leave, Joshua Sanders. From this moment forth, you are no longer a noble of Avalon, you are a fugitive.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just what I wanted.¡± Joshua smiled. ¡°I can¡¯t stand the rotten Imperial Family anymore.¡±


    Kiser''s eyes sank coldly.


    ¡°Let me tell you one more thing before you leave, Joshua,¡± Arie said. ¡°Do you remember what I told you before?¡±


    Joshua did not answer.


    ¡°Well, that sucks¡­ if you can¡¯t remember, then there¡¯s nothing we can do about it.¡±


    Arie shrugged and looked away, clearly unwilling to finish.


    Joshua eventually began to move, his eyes fixed on the gates. Knights gulped in awe as Joshua passed by them.


    Cain, however, wanted to faint. The situation was unbearable. It felt like threading through a den full of lions. How many people could walk this confidently in front of their enemies?


    <em>¡®Ah, I think none.¡¯</em>


    Cain nced around nervously.


    While Cain was caught up in his thoughts, they arrived before the front gates. There, right before exiting the Imperial Pce, Joshua spoke.


    ¡°The next time Ie back, I will be your enemy, not a colleague of you faithless.¡±


    A cold wind carried his voice to over three thousand pairs of ears.<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    3x3Minime: ¡°My spear is blind¡­¡± Kyaaa! So edgy.</blockquote>

 Chapter 274

    Chapter 274


    Prince Marius¡¯s fate was uncertain.


    Rumors rapidly began to circte in the capital. Marius was the first son born of the Emperor and his first wife. House Tremblin¡ªMarius¡¯s mother¡¯s family¡ªdirectly led the Noble¡¯s Conference, one of the two major forces in Avalon.


    ¡°Is everyone present?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    The nobles gathered in the Great Hall all bowed their heads to Emperor Dous.


    Seated in front were Aden¡¯s parents, Toben and Meri von Agnus.


    ¡°I believe this is the first time I''ve seen the two of you together since that day.¡±


    Realizing what the Emperor meant by ¡°that day,¡± Meri trembled slightly.


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you in ten years¡­ but it¡¯s unfortunate we have to meet under these circumstances.¡±


    Emperor Dous leaned back even more into his chair as he looked Meri up and down. He seemed to still lust for Meri¡¯s beauty.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, Your Majesty,¡± Toben said as he bowed deeply.


    ¡°Tsk. What could you possibly be guilty of.¡± Emperor Dous clicked his tongue at the Duke. ¡°While I want to move on from this¡­¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a personal matter but one that concerns the dignity of the Imperial family. If I act on my bias and close my eyes on this, then public order and bnce will fail. Some may even point their fingers behind my back, calling me a toothless tiger.¡±


    Meri couldn¡¯t stop herself from fidgeting nervously. Emperor Dous seemed to savor Meri¡¯s desperation for a while before he got up and continued the conversation.


    ¡°Furthermore, your son Aden has the ability and talent to control his sword, and yet, my son has be like this¡­.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Meri protested, ¡°it that was never¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jegar,¡± the Emperor called, ignoring Meri entirely.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the still-youthful military advisor answered.


    ¡°How heavy is the sin of deliberately harming the dignity of the Imperial family?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s deliberate¡­¡± Zegar was silent for a tense moment.


    Several of the nobles swallowed nervously.


    ¡°Since the Prince is no different from His Majesty, I think I can say that¡­ it would be treated as treason.¡±


    Emperor Dous donned a pitying expression.


    ¡°What if I rule them guilty of the crime of treason?¡±


    ¡°It depends on the degree of severity, but in this case, with the Prince''s life itself uncertain¡­plete annihtion of the entire family life.¡±


    A stiff silence fell over the hall after Zegar finished speaking.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what he says. What do you think, Toben?¡±


    Toben slowly raised his bowed head, but Meri suddenly stepped forward.


    ¡°I will pay for my sins!¡± she eximed. ¡°My child¡¯s upbringing is my sin. Please¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you overestimating yourself? Do you think your life is worth the lives of the rest of your family? Do you really think that your life will be an equivalent exchange forplete annihtion?¡±


    <em>Thump.</em>


    ¡°Your Majesty, please have mercy¡ª!¡±


    Seeing Meri prostrate herself on the floor, a lustful smile crept over Emperor Dous¡¯s face.


    ¡°But¡­.¡± He nced at Toben.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Toben, considering your devotion and that of the Duchy of Agnus to the Empire, I also think that annihtion is too severe.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°But as I said earlier, I can¡¯t leave this as it is¡­.¡± Emperor Dous''s smile deepened. It was as if he thought that, in the end, he was the winner.


    ¡°If you agree, I can do as your wife wants¡­ what do you think?¡±


    After a lengthy period of silence, Toben finally looked Meri in the eye. She shook her head dejectedly.


    Toben clenched his fist so hard that his nails dug into his palm. Despite being the head of a powerful family, what could he do? The Emperor had the upper hand here.


    ¡°...As Your Majestymands,¡± Toben eventually whispered.


    ¡°Tie up the criminal,¡± Emperor Dous ordered with a bright smile.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    The Imperial Knights were already prepared and quickly gathered around Meri, binding her in ropes in short order.


    That day, Toben von Agnus forgot what emotions were.


    ****


    ¡°Keep Aden in prison until further orders,¡± Toben coldlymanded upon returning to his home.


    ¡°Yes, Sir!¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡± Aden struggled against the knights holding his limbs. He was no fool¡ªhe could see what was happening and had already heard the shocking news.


    ¡°Please let me go! Why should Mother be the one to pay my sins¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because you¡¯re weak.¡±


    His father¡¯s words were deeply etched into Aden''s heart¡ªforever.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    In the end, Aden was kept in prison until everything was settled; he spent three years of what should have been his idyllic childhood there.


    He never saw his mother, not even after he was released from jail. When Aden asked about his mother, not a person gave him so much as a word of reply.


    So he worked harder.


    His n was to get stronger so he could enter the Imperial pce where his mother was being held captive¡­


    But Aden could not fulfill that n. By the time he was strong enough, his mother was no longer in this world.


    ***


    Twenty years passed.


    A bloody wind blew across the Avalon Empire.


    Emperor Dous had ten sons from seven different wives. A terrible civil war broke out after the Emperor''s health deteriorated as a result of an unexpected and fast-moving illness.


    The Imperial Pce descended into chaos. Not a single day went by when blood wasn¡¯t shed. Members of the Imperial family died, went missing, or killed each other. It had be a regr urrence for the noblest bloodline in all of Avalon.


    In the meantime, the immature boy matured into a man. Not long after he reached manhood, he obtained the title of ¡°Master,¡± something that many knights could only imagine. He was the youngest Master in the Empire, instantly making him the idol of all young knights in the Empire. He was also one of the most eligible bachelors in the Empire.


    When he was young, he would¡¯ve been proud of his bloodline. Instead, the man just silently swung his sword again and again and again.


    He had one wife, Vanessa ben Britten. His name was Aden von Agnus.


    A knight bearing an embroidered golden mane approached him.


    ¡°The bloodbath has begun, sir.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°As expected, the mad prince of Avalon has finally started ughtering his brothers.¡±


    At those words, Aden slowly opened his mouth to speak.


    ¡°Armstrong¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°The time hase.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The knight¡¯s eyes widened for a moment before he immediately lowered his eyes.


    ¡°Everything will go ording to your will, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°He cannot notice anything.¡±


    ¡°There have been no problems so far. Moreover, the cause for us to help him with his sister''s matter is also clear.¡±


    Aden nodded.


    ¡°I will use the chaos to finish my work. Any princess with Britten blood will do¡­ not just Vanessa, who seems to be on his side. I will end the Brittens¡¯ filthy bloodline myself.¡±


    The knight bowed his head.


    ¡°The havoc going on in the Imperial Pce has created a perfect opportunity,¡± Aden continued as he nced at the knight. ¡°I will not force you. You may end up as a fugitive, branded as a traitor for the rest of your life. If you don''t want to¡ª¡±


    ¡°I can do it, sir,¡± the knight firmly responded. ¡°My Lord, I swore my life to you that day. I live to serve, by choice. Please, give me your orders.¡±


    For a while, silence reigned. Aden regarded the knight calmly.


    ¡°We¡¯ll kidnap the Princess amid the chaos in the pce,¡± he slowly said. ¡°The seventh andst concubine of Emperor Dous has a daughter, but no son¡­ so people are not really interested in her. It¡¯s actually a miracle that she managed to stay alive until now. Not to mention, given the circumstances, not many know the face of the Princess. She will be of age soon.


    Aden finished his words with a gleam in his eyes.


    A light shed through the patiently listening knight''s eyes.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Avalonians¡¯ing of age was celebrated with a ritual. The Imperial family¡¯s celebration was rather unusual, but the huge banquet was not even the grandest part.


    It was held in the northern part of Arcadia, on top of the hill where the Imperial familyid their ancestors to rest. That the Imperial family¡¯sing-of-age ritual was performed in front of these ancient tombs was what made it so unique.


    The majority of the Imperial family¡¯s children spent their entire lives locked up in the pce because they were constantly under threat of assassination. Because of this, theing-of-age ceremony was the first time that a member of the Imperial family would be introduced to the public.


    ¡°The Imperial Tomb of Britneve is where we¡¯ll begin our rebellion,¡± Armstrong realized.


    ¡°It would be better to attack on the way back. The Imperial Tomb is usually tightly guarded.¡±


    "Ah,¡± the knight eximed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much,¡± Aden continued. ¡°I¡¯ve already sent the rough n.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a relief.¡±


    ¡°But there is one thing¡­.¡±


    The knight straightened.


    ¡°Please, tell me.¡±


    ¡°The princess I mentioned has none of the Brittens¡¯ physical characteristics, so familiarize yourself with her appearance in advance.¡±


    ¡°I will keep that in mind.¡±


    ¡°She has verymon blue hair, so if she gets too difficult to find¡­.¡± There was a frightening gleam in Aden¡¯s eyes. ¡°Kill everyone except her.¡±


    Armstrong was surprised at first, but he soon answered with determination.


    ¡°I obey!¡±

 Chapter 275

    Chapter 275


    <strong>Content warning: The following content contains depictions of rape that may be ufortable to some. Reader discretion is advised.</strong>


    In an unknown forest far from Arcadia, the night was silent.


    Armstrong bowed his head to Aden; the young knight didn¡¯t even think about pausing to wipe the blood off his body.


    ¡°The mission has beenpleted, and everyone has returned safely, My Lord.¡±


    Aden examined the unconscious woman Armstrong had brought him. His eyes held two distinct emotions: one was a deep rage that the average person would neverprehend; the other¡­


    ¡°Armstrong.¡±


    The knight raised his head, but when he saw the fire in Aden¡¯s eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but flinch.


    ¡°Yes, My Lord?¡±


    ¡°What else happened?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking about the aftermath, you don¡¯t have to worry about anything. As you ordered, we killed everyone who got in the way.¡±


    Armstrong casually spoke those terrifying words; it was as if nothing was wrong with what he had just said.


    ¡°But,¡± the knight warily continued, ¡°Something went wrong with the Princess during the kidnapping.¡±


    ¡°Something went wrong?¡± Aden asked, his brows furrowed.


    ¡°She¡¯s mentally unresponsive, like she received a mental shock. Her injuries, if any, are minor, but seeing that she¡¯s not woken up yet¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that she might not wake up?¡±


    Armstrong shook his head.


    ¡°That is not the case, My Lord. I had a doctor check her before bringing her here. The result was as I said: her body is fine, but there may be something wrong with her head¡ª¡±


    ¡°Good,¡± Aden interrupted.


    ¡°...Sir?¡± Armstrong nkly asked.


    ¡°If she was fine, I would have decocted Sanders, the flower of oblivion, and made her drink it.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The knight''s eyes widened slightly. Aden only spared Armstrong another moment of his attention before immediately turning to the unconscious woman.


    The second emotion his eyes contained was ¡°contempt.¡± Aden looked at her like she was a filthy insect.


    ¡°I want detailed, regr reports on her from the moment she wakes up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord.¡±


    ¡°And,¡± Aden spat, a light shing in his eyes, ¡°from this moment on, the name ¡®Asiru ben Britten¡¯ will be erased from the world.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But, it wouldn¡¯t be a bad idea to leave at least a trace of her name for future use,¡± he muttered as he nced at the woman again. ¡°Strip her of her Britten name. Change her from a princess to a maid. Her new name will be¡­ Lucia.¡±


    Aden''s voice hung quietly in the still air.


    The name Lucia had no meaning; it was just a reverse of her old name, Asiru.[1] Aden simply despised the Princess, even if his burning need for retribution was impossible to fulfill.


    ¡°I will inform the main house. Once she recovers, report her state to me and then take her straight to the head maid.¡±


    ¡°I understand, My Lord.¡±


    Aden turned around with a certain finality. The sharp motion seemed to whip up a cold wind, making Armstrong shiver slightly.


    One person''s destiny waspletely altered by a single word. The apex of Imperial society fell to the lowest of the low in an instant. And yet, she never stopped being the princess she was born as, even if she lived the life of a maid.


    Revenge and plots. It was a truly cruel method of ying god.


    Or maybe the man''s need for revenge had grown too strong? Had he be a monster?


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    Armstrong looked at Aden¡¯s back as he walked away. A ray of moonlight clearly illuminated the worry in Armstrong¡¯s eyes.


    ****


    Years passed again, and in that time, there was more news.


    ¡°I¡¯m stillcking, so I hope everyone will help me.¡±


    ¡°Glory to the new head of the household!¡±


    In a banquet held in the duchy, the knights cried out in exultation and raised their swords to salute their new master, Aden von Agnus, a Master and the new head of the Agnus Duchy.


    ¡°AH!¡±


    Aden was walking through the mansion with an expression rich with emotion but stopped walking when he bumped into someone: a familiar woman with blue hair wearing an unassuming maid outfit.


    ¡°I-I greet the Duke,¡± the woman stuttered.


    Duke Agnus looked at her with deep, inscrutable eyes.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    The startled woman raised her head.


    ¡°My Lord?¡±


    ¡°I asked you what your name is.¡±


    ¡°A-Ah!¡±


    She wanted to ask why a duke would want to know the name of a maid like her but managed to swallow the question down and answered.


    ¡°I¡­ I am Lucia, My Lord¡­¡±


    Aden flinched.


    ¡°I see¡­ Lucia¡­¡±


    Aden''s heart began to throb as he muttered that name. Something rose up in him again¡ªa new, twisted longing that brought dark thoughts to his mind.


    <em>¡®Is this carnal desire I feel? I thought I was beyond this.¡¯</em>


    His eyes began to regain life.


    His need for revenge had been fading after he became a Superhuman. But recently, that need had been rekindled after he had heard the news about his mother and the fate she had suffered.


    <em>¡®They said that mother¡­ was still alive for two years after I got out of prison.¡¯</em>


    Aden¡¯s expression darkened as he remembered. For the atrocitiesmitted by her child, Aden¡¯s mother was given neither the death penalty nor a prison sentence as Aden had been given.


    Instead, the moment she entered the Imperial Pce, she went from thedy of the Agnus house to one of the Empress''sdies-in-waiting¡­ for five long years at that.


    Aden was aware of the stories circting in the Empire about the incident involving Duke Agnus, Emperor Dous, and his mother. It was obvious what the Emperor had done to his mother.


    <em>¡®They said that she tried to kill herself multiple times but failed every time because the Emperor would always threaten her with her child¡­ She suffered for that long because of me¡­¡¯</em>


    Aden''s eyes slowly turned bloodshot.


    <em>¡®I will hurt you worse than you hurt her¡­ I will purge your rotten blood, Britten.¡¯</em>


    Aden grounded his teeth against each other.


    ¡°Follow me.¡±


    The woman felt a chill and froze in ce like a stone statue.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you hear me?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ Yes¡­¡±


    ¡°If you make me repeat myself again, I will cut off your dysfunctional ears.¡±


    Aden¡¯s freezing voice made Lucia tremble.


    ¡°I-I will keep that in mind, My Lord.¡±


    After speaking, Aden turned around.


    Their destination was the Duke¡¯s chambers at the end of the hallway.


    The woman anxiously chased after the sound of Aden¡¯s footsteps.


    ***


    Aden was in a small training ground reserved exclusively for the head of the household. He had just finished his training.


    ¡°My Lord.¡±


    Someone was waiting for Aden to exit the training ground. The Duke recognized the voice.


    ¡°Armstrong, what are you doing at thiste hour?¡± Aden asked.


    ¡°There is a problem, My Lord.¡±


    Seeing the man''s serious expression, Aden straightened.


    ¡°A problem?¡±


    ¡°The¡­ Princess... No, Asiru... gave birth to a child.¡±


    Armstrong saw Aden¡¯s eyes slowly narrow.


    ¡°I knew this would happen,¡± the knight quickly added. ¡°With her good looks, everyone¡ªeven all the knights and soldiers¡ªwas seduced by her beauty. They were all looking for an opportunity¡­ If I only paid more attention to that¡­¡±


    The man prostrated himself.


    ¡°My ignorance has brought this shame¡ª¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡± the knight returned,pletely taken aback by Aden''s unexpected response.


    ¡°I vited her.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Armstrong stiffened like he¡¯d been struck by lightning.


    ¡°That is my seed she is growing.¡±


    Armstrong¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock and astonishment.


    ¡°That¡­ wha¡ª huh?¡±


    ¡°Apart from being a tool for my vengeance, she was a reserve in case of an emergency¡­ in case I go wrong. Of course, the chances of that happening are extremely low.¡±


    The silence was suffocating.


    ¡°If she conceived a son¡­ Then maybe that child will even surpass me¡­ like fate.¡± Aden closed his eyes for a moment as he trailed off. ¡°And that fate is something I can utilize.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But I have no intention of doing so from the beginning. After all, the boy is also undeniably half Britten.¡±


    Where else on the continent would you find a father who speaks so cruelly about his unborn child?


    Armstrong couldn¡¯t understand Aden¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°If you¡¯re nning on going for revenge, why not Young Master Babel¨C¡±


    ¡°You should already know that he''s not my child, Armstrong?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°If I do as you say, then in the end, a pure-blooded Britten will take over the country again. That would be meaningless, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    It felt excessive to Armstrong, but he couldn¡¯t deny the logic, so he had no choice but to remain silent.


    ¡°There is nothingplicated about it. It seems that the first in line for the throne, Marcus ben Britten, wants to use me again to destroy my family.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°We are merely returning the favor¡­ using the same method.¡±


    Aden resumed his walk.


    ¡°As soon as you return, let the whole family know that she carries my child.¡±


    ¡°B-But if you do that,¡± the knight stammered, ¡°Princess Vanessa will not leave her alone¡ª¡±


    Armstrong¡¯s jaw dropped. He seemed to have realized something.


    ¡°Oh, no.¡±


    ¡°From now on, I don''t care what happens to her, so just leave her alone. Let destiny take its course. Besides, aren¡¯t Vanessa and Asiru blood sisters, strictly speaking?¡± A cold smile hung on Aden''s lips. ¡°It¡¯s a pretty good revenge¡­¡±


    ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    Armstrong''s voice slipped quietly into the night sky. He suddenly couldn¡¯t recognize his lord anymore.


    ***


    Duke Agnus finally freed himself from his thoughts and quietly opened his eyes.


    Britten eyes¡ªthose disgusting eyes¡ªlooked back at him.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Give me the Agnus Duchy right now,¡± Babel answered without hesitation.


    ¡°You are the heir to the Duchy, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You must know that I¡¯m not talking about anything that shallow. I want the Duke¡¯s ¡®true¡¯ feelings.¡±


    Babel looked straight into Duke Agnus¡¯s brooding eyes as he finished.


    ¡°That and the Deon ring that represents the great Agnus family. Give me both.¡±


    1. ???=Lusia/Rusia ???=Asiru/Asilu ?

 Chapter 276

    Chapter 276


    There once was a girl. She had the noblest blood in the Empire but a part of her blood was that of an insignificant bloodline. Her mother was just one of the Emperor¡¯s many concubines.


    Maybe she hadn¡¯t realized it before in her childhood, but now, the constant threats against her life were apparent. Her enemies would grin and offer her their hand and then, out of nowhere, throw a knife at her. She repeatedly ingested poisons as part of her regr diet, thankfully oveing death each time.


    That was the life the girl knew, ever since she learned how to walk. She lost her emotions before her tenth birthday.


    She always wondered if this was really life. Like a moth, she never knew whether she¡¯d live to see the next day or not. She existed entirely within the pce under strict conditions for the sake of her personal safety.


    That wasn¡¯t all.


    She knew what her fate would be after finally bing an adult after suffering through all that. Once she came to a marriageable age, she would be sold off to a high-ranking aristocrat or tossed into an arranged marriage to a foreign noble from a neighboring country.


    ¡°I want to die,¡± she mumbled the day before hering-of-age ceremony. Unlike her lush beauty and beautiful outfit, her voice was indifferent and dull.


    The girl truly did not want to live anymore. If someone told her that they could kill her without causing any pain, she had a feeling that she would answer quite quickly.


    Perhaps God had heard the poor girl¡¯s prayers?


    Then, things went crazy.


    <em>Shick!</em>


    ¡°Keugh!¡±


    The knight who had loyally guarded the girl her entire life let out a desperate scream and copsed.


    ¡°Pri¡­ Ru¡­ I¡¯m¡­ sor¡ª¡±


    Her guardian trembled for a minute before his body lost strength. His heart had been pierced.


    ¡°....¡±


    The girl wordlessly raised her eyes from her knight. People wearing ck masks had killed all of the knights who were escorting her.


    Except for herself, everyone was dead. And now it was her turn.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to kill me?¡±


    As she stared up at the ck-d figures, her voice couldn¡¯t help but tremble as it slipped from her lips.


    This was definitely not what she¡¯d wanted.[1]


    But why? Why did the one emotion that she had sealed deep in her heart suddenly rise up?


    Eventually, as one of the figures approached her, the girl muttered softly:


    ¡°I want to live¡­¡±


    After that, the girl lost consciousness.


    ***


    ¡°Haah!¡±


    The woman suddenly awoke and sat up in the bed. Her back was damp with cold sweat.


    ¡°Why is that old dreaming back?¡±


    She mumbled in a daze as she swept up her sea-blue hair with her hands. The moonlight pouring through the window told her that it was still the middle of the night.


    ¡°Recently, I¡¯ve been having nightmares about that time¡­¡±


    She bit her soft lips. She had started having those dreams again after a long period of quiet; it was probably because of the news about Joshua from days ago.


    The woman stood up with a determined look in her eyes. She appeared to have made up her mind on something.


    ¡°I need to find out.¡±


    <em>Knock, knock.</em>


    The woman was suddenly startled by someone knocking on her door. For a second, she felt guilty, like she was nning on doing something she shouldn¡¯t.[2] But who hade looking for her at such an hour?


    "No way¡­?¡±


    She was staring at the door when a thought crossed her mind; her eyes widened.


    Although he had a variety of trials that she could never even begin to understand, he was a child who put his mother before himself. Not only that, he always surprised his mother with miracles, so maybe¡ª


    She didn¡¯t think about it for long. Lucia quickly approached the door and roughly pulled on the doorknob.


    Her face fell with disappointment when she saw who was on the other side of the door.


    Although they were simr in height, the knight in uniform was not her son.


    The problem was, not only was she disappointed, but she also recognized the knight.


    ¡°I¡­ Sir Chiffon¡­ What brings you¡­?¡±


    Chiffon, Vanessa¡¯s closest aid, was the one behind the door. He was supposed to be at the main house, so Lucia¡¯s question was natural.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    Chiffon bowed lightly.


    ¡°Ah¡­ Yes¡­¡±


    Lucia pulled herself out of her stiff stupor and bowed lightly in return.


    ¡°I have something to tell you,¡± Sir Chiffon informed her.


    ¡°At this hour?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It must be now.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Will you please walk with me?¡±


    After Chiffon asked the question, silence filled the room.


    <em>¡®What did he want to talk about?¡¯</em>


    There were few people nearby, given the hour. Even if she had once been a maid, that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. No matter who was asked, they would all agree that his actions were very disrespectful.


    Lucia unconsciously clenched her fists and opened her mouth to clearly express her refusal.


    ¡°It involves the Young Master.¡±


    Lucia froze.


    ¡°Wh-What do you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Duchess Vanessa would like to see you.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ¡°Are¡­ Are you saying that <em>he¡¯s</em> here?¡±


    ¡°Not in the mansion, but in Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Outside¡­? You mean we need to go out,¡± Lugia moaned, still petrified.


    ¡°Also, he told me not to force you. But as you know, if you need something, then you need to act¡­¡±[3]


    Lucia eyed Chiffon with conflicted emotions.


    It may be a trap. No, the possibility of that was quite strong. Even so, she couldn''t help but fret.


    Life had a way of creating situations that demanded action, even when it was obviously wrong. For Lucia, this was one of those moments. Vanessa was no doubt nning on it.


    While she was deep in thought, Chiffon quietly whispered to her.


    ¡°Ms. Asiru¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lucia casually answered. ¡°I need to think¡ª¡±


    Her eyes suddenly widened.


    Chiffon stared deep into her eyes. The look he gave her said that he already knew everything.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t lost your memory, have you?¡±


    A suffocating silence engulfed the room.


    ***


    The god of fate seemed to voice his anger. Pure white lightning fell endlessly from the cloudless sky.


    Where the lightning struck, the ground broke out into a sea of fire, forming into a perfectly straight line like a road made from mes. Even from quite far away, the tremendous heat was enough to make exposed skin tingle and smart.


    ¡°Oh my g¡­¡±


    The mages belonging to the Magic Tower were split to the left and right of the inferno, too afraid to even dare to approach it.


    As if he were a god, one figure stood alone in the middle of that crimson road.


    [You''re pretty good at using both Bronto and Magma at the same time now.]


    ¡°...¡±


    [Anyway, wow. The Great in of Aiyash. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen it.]


    Joshua had been walking along that road of mes, but he paused at Lugia¡¯s words.


    ¡°Do you know this ce?¡±


    [Everyone knows. Oh, and you know that it humans weren''t the ones to build this, right?]


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua started walking again.


    <em>Whoosh</em>


    The mes obediently split to the sides, opening a path ahead of him.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ not human!¡±


    ¡°To think that a person could use the elements without knowing magic!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a god, a god!¡±


    Joshuaughed after hearing them instantly change him from a ¡°dragon¡± to a ¡°god.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    It seemed like fate was, once again, ying a prank on him


    Why was it that the piece of paper protruding from his chest pocket <em>happened</em> toe into his field of vision now of all times?


    ¡°It definitely came from Serciarin,¡± Joshua murmured as he entered the first floor of the Tower of Trials.


    The mages were no longer visible. The mes that seemed to sear the flesh even from far away were gathered in one ce as they blocked the entrance. The eternal me of annihtion, Magma¡ªeven without any power, the Primordial Stone¡¯s mes wouldst for an entire day.


    [Why don¡¯t you read it?]


    ¡°....¡±


    [It must be a love letter, right? Are you really a man if you make a girl wait?]


    Some people would immediately stop wanting to do something as soon as someone told them to do it, but that was not the case for Joshua.


    Even without Lugia¡¯s egging, Joshua had been nning on reading it immediately because there was something that he kept thinking about.


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua''s expression constantly changed as he read the letter from the Princess. After he had read all of its contents, he abruptly clenched his fist around the paper.


    Joshua closed his eyes with a serious expression.


    [Oh my¡­ Is that the letter that the blind Princess gave you?]


    Lugia shared Joshua¡¯s senses.


    [Figures¡­ She¡¯s different from the rest since she¡¯s not originally human.]


    Lugia was referring to Secsiarin¡¯s Eyes of Truth.


    [So, what are you going to do now?]


    Lugia¡¯s question seemed toe out of the blue, but the demon quickly rified:


    [By human standards, both emperor and duke are high positions, aren¡¯t they? You have the ¡®justification¡¯ that you humans all like, so it seems that the only thing left is to make your choice.]


    ¡°....¡±


    In the silence, Lugia¡¯s words were the only thing that Joshua could think about.


    Joshua finally opened his eyes and slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°For now, I want to finish this.¡±


    [Oh?]


    ¡°And...¡± Joshua smiled coldly, his dark eyes shing with darkness deeper still. ¡°Do I really need to choose?¡±


    [HUH?]


    ¡°I am greedy.¡±


    [....]


    ¡°What¡¯s mine should always be mine. No one can take them from me,¡± Joshua muttered into the empty room.


    He savored his final words before he spoke.


    ¡°If there are two choices, I just have to take both.¡±


    1. She wanted to die a painless death after all ?


    2. The original phrase used here was ¡®Was the thief admitting that their feet hurt.¡¯ but the meaning has been tranted instead ?


    3. The proverb used here was ?? ??? ??? ?? ? which can be directly tranted as ¡®The one who is thirsty will dig the well.¡¯ It means that the person who needs it will eventually do the work. ?

 Chapter 277

    Chapter 277


    On the 21st floor of the Tower of Trials, a woman stood amidst scattered metal scraps.


    ¡°Haah¡ª Haah¡ª¡±


    The woman looked, to put it bluntly, ghastly. Her blue waterfall-like hair was tangled with clumps of blood. Her eyes, once filled with sparks, were stained with exhaustion.


    But still, she was very beautiful.


    ¡°No matter how many times I look at you, I still can¡¯t get used to those looks,¡± Theta muttered, shaking his head.


    Iceline¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°Are you trying to make a move right now?¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m being sincere.¡±


    ¡°All the men I¡¯ve met have been like that. They all say stuff like, ¡®But I¡¯m being sincere¡¯ or ¡®I¡¯m in awe¡¯... I¡¯m used to being approached with all sorts of rhetoric.¡±


    Theta burst intoughter at Iceline¡¯s cold attitude.


    ¡°If you don''t like it, then why don''t you keep wearing that amazing artifact?¡±


    ¡°You didn''t believe me when I told you that I''m the daughter of the extinct Rebra family.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Theta trailed off with a sly smile.


    At that strange smile, Iceline''s beautiful brows furrowed once more.


    ¡°No way, you knew?¡±


    ¡°Well, who would risk their life to tell a lie like that?¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°I noticed the subtle change in your mana, but I didn¡¯t know what it was. I couldn¡¯t imagine that an artifact could change your appearance like that¡­¡±


    Theta wiped the joviality off of his face.


    ¡°But in all seriousness¡­ If we escape here safely, do you intend to patent that artifact you called Layphon?¡±


    ¡°Patent?¡± Iceline tilted her head in confusion.


    Theta nodded in reply.


    ¡°Patent the artifact in your name, and the Magic Tower will take charge of sales. Of course, they¡¯ll take a certain fee from you, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°How much of a cut are we talking about?¡±


    ¡°Very low. About ten percent of the sales revenue?¡±


    Theta''s only eye sparkled when Iceline seemed receptive to the idea.


    ¡°You won¡¯t take a loss. If I take over the sales¡­ then, when someone else might sell ten, I¡¯ll sell one hundred. On top of that, I¡¯ll make sure there¡¯s a bigger profit margin.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°My friends in the Magic Tower have a nickname for me: the ¡®Con Man of the Magic Tower.¡¯¡±


    Iceline seemed to forget their situation for a long moment while she deeply pondered Theta¡¯s proposition.


    Money. Money was good. The more, the better. The more products she sold, the more money she¡¯d have.


    As the scale of her operation grewrger, her dream could be a reality, as a bonus.


    Buying a huge tract ofnd in the southern part of the continent and rebuilding her fallen family. Buying a whole remote ind in the lower part of the kingdom of Foldran with warm sunlight and a pleasant sea breeze, and a great view of the beautifully glistening blue ocean. She¡¯d build a house that was just the right size¡ªnot too big, not too small¡ªwhere she could feel the pleasant breeze of a forest.


    For a moment, she forgot about survival and revenge and just thought about a future where she could enjoy the sweet taste of life.


    But she couldn¡¯t live alone on that remote ind. She needed one more person.


    Alone¡­ with him¡­


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Iceline squealed. Her face slowly flushed red as she muttered to herself. ¡°I have another reason to escape now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta was confused.


    Iceline¡¯s face hardened as she looked at Theta gazing at her nkly.


    ¡°In order to do that, aren¡¯t there a few conditions that we have to meet first?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Especially since right now, the present Magic Tower and you aren¡¯t¡­¡±


    Theta interrupted before she could continue.


    ¡°It¡¯s just temporary. I will kill Evergrant con Aswald with my own hands.¡±


    The atmosphere cooled instantly. Theta suddenly seemed like a feral beast to Iceline.


    She quickly changed the topic.


    ¡°By the way, what are these things on the 21st floor?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you know these? They¡¯re called Golems.¡±


    ¡°Golems?¡±


    Iceline, startled, quickly examined the debris surrounding them.


    Golems were an ancient, long-lost legacy. Not even the barest traces of them could be found in the modern day. They ranged in size from as small as two meters to asrge as ten meters, and their abilities were also diverse. Most important of all, they couldn¡¯t be easily defeated even with magic and swordsmanship, and as long as their nuclei weren¡¯t destroyed, they could move even without their limbs.


    ¡°But they don''t look like golems now.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to say that they¡¯re easy to destroy?¡±


    ¡°Like you said.¡±


    Theta casually shrugged.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s something you should be saying when you¡¯re about to die from overusing ss 5 magic.¡±


    ¡°But based on records, the golems¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re something that only high-rank mages, at least ss 7, could create,¡± Theta responded. ¡°But even the production method has been lost.¡±


    After listening to Theta¡¯s exnation, Iceline asked with a stiff expression.


    ¡°What is this ce?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I know that it was used as a base for the Magic Tower back then. I know that it¡¯s now used for training mages.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t find any records earlier than that anywhere on the continent, right? You seem to know something¡ª¡±


    A surprising answer came out of Theta¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°This ce was built by dragons.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    Iceline stared at Theta with a dumbfounded expression for a moment, unable to understand his words.


    ¡°To be precise, dwarves were ordered to make this by the dragons.¡±


    Astonishment leaked into Iceline¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Dragons? Are we thinking about the same dragons?¡±


    ¡°Although it has beenpletely abandoned by them now, this ce has a very old history.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you said you couldn¡¯t control this ce after you activated it, even though you¡¯re the keeper?¡±


    Theta nodded, affirming Iceline¡¯s conclusion.


    ¡°Well, yes¡­ But with my authority as the keeper, we camefortably to the 15th floor where the control room is located, right?¡±


    ¡°But after that, it was so hard that I thought I would die!¡± Iceline screamed as the memories came back to her. ¡°Not just the golems, hundreds of monsters I don¡¯t even recognize came at me like they wanted to eat me. The walls moved by themselves, and arrows poured down from above! That wasn¡¯t all! The one downstairs is definitely¡ª¡±


    Iceline looked down as trembles assaulted her body.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you beforehand¡­ the Tower of Trials has fifty floors, and on every floor, you¡¯ll experience something different.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know it would be something like this.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how safe it is right now. Some people lost their minds on these floors. No matter how powerful you are, the Tower will test your limits.¡±


    ¡°I have a question: what¡¯s the highest floor in the Tower that someone could reach?¡±


    Theta rested his chin in his hands thoughtfully for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the others, but my best record here is the 37th floor. Master Ian could go up to the 41st floor. Then, above him¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, my? The strongest mage in the Continent could only do 41 floors? Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not the strongest mage now.¡± Theta smiled bitterly. ¡°Floors one through ten are the lower floors, but the most important thing is that there are no easy floors. If we had followed the standard route and did one floor a day, it would have taken us well over ten days.¡±


    A low thud caused by an impact on the floor below startled Iceline.


    ¡°Are they that close to us now?¡±


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±


    ¡°The two of us are exhausted, and the two Seven Mages are in 100% condition. I hate to admit it, but if they catch up to us right now¡­¡± Theta shook his head. He didn¡¯t want to imagine what would happen then. ¡°Do we still have a backup?¡±


    Iceline seemed uncertain.


    ¡°Maybe now¡­¡±


    ¡°So¡­ Now that we¡¯re a little closer, can you tell me the identity of your backup?¡± Theta asked.


    ¡°You know him. The Young Superhuman of Avalon who became a Master with you.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    A face vaguely came to mind. When Theta figured it out, he couldn¡¯t be more shocked.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders?¡± Theta blurted with palpable surprise. ¡°Were you close with him?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure if he¡¯lle¡ª¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Theta cut her off. ¡°If he brings troops, he could easily turn the situation our way¡­¡±


    He nodded; his expression had be much brighter. Having faced him in person, Theta knew what kind of person Joshua was.


    ¡°He¡¯ll probablye alone.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s that kind of person. He tries to handle pretty much everything by himself.¡±


    Theta¡¯s positivity deted after realizing how likely it was that Iceline was right.


    ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re saying that a single person is going to fight against thousands of mages from the Magic Tower, within a week?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Iceline¡¯s mouth remained firmly shut. Theta could only take her silence as a ¡°yes.¡±


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Theta was dejected.


    Earlier, Iceline had no doubts that Joshua and his inhuman, god-like strength could save them from this predicament. But after experiencing the 20th floor, doubts started forming.


    ¡°Now¡­ we have to find a way out on our own,¡± Theta bemoaned.


    They didn¡¯t know that what they thought was a crisis biting at their heels was actually a miracle.


    ***


    On the 17th floor of the Tower of Trials, where Iceline and Theta had first fallen, the two members of the Seven Mages raised their voices at the hundred mages apanying them.


    ¡°They¡¯re just Lizardmen! Clean them up quickly and move on to the next floor!¡±


    ¡°Mages with depleted mana go to the rear! Second-line mages support them!¡±


    ¡°They are weak against fire magic, so mages specializing in fire go forward once recovered!¡±


    The mages moved in perfect harmony ording to their superiors¡¯ orders.


    ¡°KWAAAAK!¡±


    The screams of the monsters filled the interior of the room, apanied by the acrid smell of something burning. Zephyros, the seat of Red mes, watched the scene with a satisfied smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s going smoothly.¡±


    ¡°Only because we have enough people,¡± said Scorpino, the seat of the Void.


    ¡°If I knew there was no limit on the number of wizards that I could bring, I would¡¯ve brought more of them.¡±


    ¡°This is enough to catch two rats.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Zephyros nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s true that Thetapirion has reached ss 7? Because, if so¡­¡± Scorpino asked.


    ¡°He suffered a great loss by the Circle and was injured. He¡¯s missing an eye, so the two of us should be enough.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good, then.¡±


    Zephyros looked at the few remaining monsters and took a step forward.


    ¡°Is this the end of the hypocrisy? Our dreams will soone true.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Evergrant won¡¯t be satisfied with the Magic Empire. Yes, he is working with Avalon for now, but after that?¡± Scorpino smiled grimly before continuing. ¡°Only for us wizards¡ª¡±


    <em>¡°ARGGGH!¡±</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    Scorpino¡¯s monologue came to an abrupt halt when he heard a roaring from the rear, not the front. All the wizards, including the two of the Seven, stopped what they were doing at the same time and turned their heads.


    ¡°You¡¯ve wasted more time than you thought.¡±


    The mages had the privilege of witnessing the new record time for climbing the Tower of Trails.


    The man with a red spearing at them had taken only half a day to reach the 17th floor where it had taken them an entire week to get there.


    ¡°I¡¯ll clean up now.¡±


    The man hefted his spear and shed them a smile.


    His arrival was nothing short of a miracle to Theta and Iceline.


    Joshua was here.

 Chapter 278

    Chapter 278


    There was a mansion outside of Arcadia that had been unupied for a long time, yet the sofa and furniture were still neatly arranged. A middle-aged woman sat on the sofa.


    The woman soon saw two people enter the room and smiled.


    ¡°Please enter, little sister.¡±


    ¡°Duchess¡­¡±


    Lucia, walking alongside Chiffon, hesitated. She had finally realized who was in the room.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®Duchess¡¯?¡± Vanessa waved her hand. ¡°Just call me sister.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡± Lucia trailed off.


    Vanessa ignored her reaction and carried on.


    ¡°I never dreamed that you would be my little sister. Of course, we don¡¯te from the same mother, and since I was not in the Imperial pce at that time, I had never seen you¡­ Ah! Your name isn¡¯t Lucia, but Asiru, right?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t quite remember¡­¡± Lucia¡¯s gaze wavered.


    ¡°I understand.¡± Vanessa¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You continued to pretend that you lost your memories because you¡¯re worried about your child¡¯s future, right? It¡¯s obvious since that¡¯s usually the case for the children born from the Imperial family.¡±


    Lucia went silent, and Vanessa took the chance to strike the finishing blow.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that anymore, because I will help you.¡±


    Lucia was visibly startled. Noticing this, Vanessa smiled inwardly.


    ¡°You know, I only have one dream: making my child, Babel, the next Duke Agnus. To make that dream cane true, I can do anything, so¡­¡±


    Vanessa trailed off as she put on a desperate expression.


    ¡°My dear sister, please help me.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°If you do, I will give it my all to help your child, Joshua, get out of this country.¡±


    Finally, Vanessa''s die was cast.


    As if pondering over Vanessa¡¯s words, Lucia remained silent for a long time. She finally spoke.


    ¡°How could I dare¡­?¡±


    At that, there was a gleam in Vanessa and Chiffon¡¯s eyes. This was the moment where their doubts turned to certainty.


    <em>¡®This is it.¡¯</em>


    Vanessa jumped for joy inside, but on the outside, she carefully straightened her posture


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we get revenge on him?¡± Vanessa asked. ¡°He kidnapped you from a veryfortable life in the Imperial pce, raped you, and forced you to birth an unwanted child. That¡¯s not all: he also made your life a living hell by turning you into a maid with no future. Aden von Agnus ruined your life.¡±


    Lucia¡¯s eyes wavered as she listened to Vanessa. In fact, she had another secret that others did not know¡ªbut even taking that into ount, Joshua was the most precious thing in her life. After careful deliberation, the hesitation in Lucia¡¯s eyes suddenly disappeared, as if it was never there in the first ce.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care about revenge.¡±


    It was unexpected. To think that someone from the Imperial family had no thoughts of revenge even after going through something like that.


    Vanessa''s self-assured, satisfied smile froze, and her face gradually lost expression.


    Then Lucia opened her mouth again.


    ¡°I am fine. As long as Joshua is safe¡­ that¡¯s enough.¡±


    At those words, the suddenly heavy air became lively again. Vanessa brightened.


    ¡°I¡¯m really happy that I can be with my long-lost little sister.¡±


    Vanessa held out her hand but kept her eyes on Lucia. Vanessa might look weak on the outside, but on the inside, she was much, much stronger than anyone else.


    ¡°I hope we can get along, Asiru.¡±


    ¡°I abandoned that name a long time ago, so¡­¡±


    Vanessa hesitated for a moment when Lucia spoke quietly.


    ¡°From now and forever, please address me as Lucia.¡±


    Vanessa nodded with a wider smile.


    ¡°If you want.¡±


    ***


    Imyeong. [1]


    Special artifacts came with unique names. In particr, names were only given to the Three Heavenly, Seven Renowned, and Ten Unique Artifacts.


    Imyeong had two meanings: one was the name of a specific artifact, literally a nickname; the other one was the resonance of the artifact itself¡ªsuch as the sound that the red spear was releasing right now.


    The spear let out a cry and spewed a wave of fire. A group of up to a hundred wizards was swept away by the wave. The scorching heat burned through their skin and ultimately reached their souls.


    ¡°Aaaaaaaaaaagh!¡±


    ¡°What was that¡­¡± Zephyros and Scorpino murmured nkly as the acrid smell assaulted their noses.


    The screams of their fellow mages echoed inside the confines of the room.


    ¡°Is that an artifact with built-in magic?¡± Scorpino wondered. ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen someone use that with the me system¡ª¡±


    A white electric current flew across the floor, interrupting Scorpino. Just like a pebble thrown into a wideke causes ripples in the water, the current was small at first, but it grew wider and wider.


    ¡°Keugh¡ª¡±


    Everyone gathered on one side and spread shield magic before the waves of fire and lightning could reach them, but nearly twenty mages convulsed as they were electrocuted by the electric current that rode up from below.


    ¡°A double-core artifact?¡± Zephyros thundered, his voice heavy with astonishment.


    In most cases,mon artifacts only had one spell built-in. The criteria for distinguishing between an inferior and superior artifact, in this case, was the level of the built-in magic.


    Of course, there were also artifacts with two or three spells built into them. However, such items were usually only low-rank artifacts made for day-to-day convenience.


    But by that logic, then the sea of me and the sky of lightning in front of them right now, was ss 5 or higher magic.


    ¡°Plus, I don¡¯t remember seeing any magic spells like that before.¡±


    ¡°Is that a kind of ancient artifact?¡±


    Zephyros and Scorpino¡¯s faces were both quite tense. They hadn¡¯t figured out yet that the tremendous power belonged to the man they¡¯d just met.


    ¡°Even if he borrows the power of the artifact¡ª¡±


    ¡°The power it holds within is quite clear.¡±


    ¡°Since he already used the built-in magic, he wouldn¡¯t be able to manifest it anymore.¡±


    Zephiros held out a red staff, reminiscent of the sun. Scorpino, on the other hand, headed forward with a purple staff reminiscent of the dim moon.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time seeing that, so I¡¯m a little shocked.¡±


    ¡°But.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t let you,¡±


    ¡°Run wild anymore.¡±


    As if they had rehearsed in advance, the Red me and Void were in perfect sync. Maybe it was natural for them; their movements were so simr that it was hard to differentiate between the two of them.


    ¡°Sunlight illuminates the morning.¡±


    ¡°Moonlight illuminates the night.¡±


    The mana in the air began to fluctuate rapidly at the same time as a deep hum filled the air.


    Their voices continued in perfect sync.


    ¡°The power of the light is the source of all things.¡±


    ¡°And the energy of the moonlightpletes its other half.¡±


    On the staff held by Zephiros, hot fire mana formed.


    Simultaneously, purple mana, overflowing with obviously ominous energy, transferred to Scorpino''s staff.


    ¡°At this moment, the catastrophe of helles to reduce everything in creation to ash.¡±


    ¡°At this moment, even the slightest mote of light will be swallowed up and returned to the empty void.¡±


    ¡°Gather that heat into these fingertips.¡±


    ¡°Gather that void into these fingertips.¡±


    Finally, the two of the Seven Mages'' staffs were pointed at Joshua.


    ¡°The enemy is in front of me; annihte him.¡±


    Their two voices merged as one. The moment they spoke thest word, a tremendous roar filled the interior of the floor. It was a ss 6 unique spell. They were the only two in the entire continent who could cast this spell.


    Joshua, who had been sweeping away the enemies, began to slow. Soon, he stopped entirely. He already knew that the two mages were preparing for something, but Joshua remained still for one particr reason: he wanted to prove that he was stronger regardless of what they tried. He did not even look in their direction because he knew that he had the power to beat them down unconditionally.


    <em>¡®That refusal to believe in things that don¡¯t fit in yourmon sense¡ªthat arrogance is one of the reasons why you will never achieve your dreams.¡¯</em>


    Joshua swung his spear with hard eyes.


    A storm of mes was approaching him while scorching anything that crossed its path, and the energy of the void crushed everything in its way. Compared to the attacksing his way, Joshua''s movements were very shabby indeed¡ªbut he was sure that the results would be something else.


    Something set their hair aflutter. Something weird. Something that shouldn¡¯t exist inside the Tower. Both of the mages thought of the same question at the same time:


    ¡°Wind?¡±


    Zephyros was about to say something, but the sight he beheld unfolding in front of him forced his mouth shut. He was seeing it with his own eyes, but he still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Thebination of the ming storm that he sank all of his mana into, and the pressure of the void¡ªthe essence of his colleague''s magic¡ªshould have instantly annihted their enemies.


    But instead, their spells were gathering in one ce¡ªthe tip of their opponent¡¯s spear.


    ¡°What the¡ª¡± Zephyros¡¯s mouth was left gaping yet again.


    What was this situation?


    The energy wasn''tpletely lost, nor was it defeated by an enormous power. Just like how cotton absorbed water, the spear was absorbing the energies of their spells.


    Even more shocking than that¡­


    Joshua was not absorbing the shock¡ªhe embraced the shock, turning his body naturally like flowing water, sending out another gentle gust of wind. It was a secret technique that returned an attack to his opponent; the end, though gentle, maximized its power.


    Level 6 of the Magic Spear Arts, Void Spear: Void God¡¯s Wind.


    Joshua¡¯s muscles flexed as hepleted a full revolution.


    The original power, which had doubled in size, shot forth once again, heading toward two of the Seven Mages.


    The Red me and the Void stood still as a statue.


    1. We left it as imyeong because it is a homonym that has two meanings. It can mean another name or a resonance made by a weapon with an ego. ?

 Chapter 279

    Chapter 279


    A mage hailing from the Magic Tower shuddered helplessly like an aspen in the wind.


    His name was Toma. Early in life, his skills allowed him to be epted into the Magic Tower. He then went on to be a proud member of the 4th Magic Tower, which belonged to the Red me¡¯s seat.


    Toma''s mouth was so wide open that he was afraid that his jaw would fall off.


    ¡°Are you telling me¡­ that is a human?¡±


    The inside of the Tower shouldn¡¯t have any wind. It was impossible.


    But all of a sudden, a storm had started raging in front of him. Even more surprising was the fact that the great Seven Magicians of the Magic Tower were the ones on the receiving end of that crazy wind.


    ¡°How¡ª Against them, he¡¯s alone¡­ No, how are these people¡ª?¡±


    Many of them died and became ashes. Some were burned and killed by electricity. Plus, the two men they all looked up to were fighting for their lives against the very magic that they had cast.


    In front of them stood a man holding a spear. The sight of him made Toma¡¯s breath stop for a moment.


    ¡°Wait¡­?¡±


    <em>¡®Why?¡¯</em>


    For some reason, Toma thought the way the man was dressed was very familiar.


    The deep blue hair and eyes that weren¡¯tmon on the continent, the bright red spear that stood out, and the way he was dealing with the Red me and the Void without a single sign of strain on his face¡­ something about it was familiar.


    Toma had been very young when he left his hometown, but he had always been on the lookout for news from his country because he still cared for his family there.


    ¡°In the Empire of proud knights... a boy has been born.¡±


    <em>¡®Has something taken over my body?¡¯</em>


    A strangely-pitched voice kept speaking through Toma¡¯s mouth.


    That boy came from a family with the finest bloodline in the Empire¡ªbut the other half of his blood came from amon maid. He was ignored, despised, and looked down upon by everyone.


    Despite all that, he stood up for himself and held his own against the world.


    Ultimately, the future of the Avalon empire would soon be decided by his red spear.


    ¡°Oh no¡­¡±


    ¡°How very spectacr¡­ You held on pretty well.¡±


    Toma¡¯s eyes grew wide when he heard Joshua¡¯s voice.


    ¡°The Seven Mages? No matter how great that name is, you¡¯ve already fallen to your knees in front of a kid. If we added two more people, would anything change?¡±


    ¡°Keugh!¡±


    Zephyros used all of his mana to try to stop the storm of mes that wasing at him, but in the end, he couldn''t take it and vomited blood. Scorpino was barely maintaining control and shortly let out a scream of his own.


    ¡°Damn you, Joshua Sanderssssssssssssss!¡±


    They knew for sure who the man attacking them was: Joshua Sanders, the new Superhuman of the continent and the Young Master of Avalon. He was also assumed to be the wild beast that killed the Thunderbolt seat, Jack Steropes, years ago.


    ¡°I knew it! Jack died by your hands¡ª!¡±


    Now, they could cry out with certainty.


    Scorpio gritted his teeth and ignored the huge amount of pressure on his whole body as he forced mana to flow through him. It was a powerful spell, the true definition of a ss 6 magic spell. It was the most powerful spell that the Void¡¯s seat could cast right now.


    ¡°Void, the first power in the world that turns everything into nothing!¡±


    Mana in the air started fluctuating after thest word was finally said.


    The floor shook with a strange sound.


    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>


    Scorpino tried to continue to chant, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn¡¯t speak. His voice wasn¡¯ting out.


    Just as Scorpino frowned, unable to figure out why he couldn¡¯t speak, Joshua¡¯s voice reached his ears; he was speaking from directly in front of him.


    ¡°You see¡­ There¡¯s one thing that you don¡¯t understand¡­¡±


    Scorpino''s vision got more and more blurry as Joshua kept speaking. His body began to fall as he slowly lost consciousness until he hit the ground with a <em>thump!</em>


    ¡°NO!¡± Zephyros let out an anguished cry.


    Joshua casually tossed his spear into the air.


    ¡°Out of politeness, I went out of my way to wait for you,¡± Joshua mocked the mage.


    ¡°You bastardddd!¡±


    ¡°Have you ever met an idiot dumb enough to wait for a mage to finish chanting before he makes his move?¡±


    <em>¡®Fu¡­ ck this,¡¯</em> Scorpino swore. Hearing Joshua call himself an ¡°idiot¡± made Scorpino incredibly furious right before hepletely passed out.


    ***


    Theta and Iceline heard a quiet rumble like thunder before the lightning.


    Theta blinked for a moment.


    ¡°The fight is very noisy,¡± he noted.


    ¡°We¡¯re already on the 28th floor. We¡¯re quite far from theirst location, but if you can hear them here¡­¡±


    Afraid, Iceline couldn¡¯t finish her words. Theta sighed.


    ¡°We are not called the strongest Seven Mages on the continent for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Are they gonna catch up soon?¡± Iceline asked.[1]


    ¡°No,¡± Theta immediately answered, shaking his head. ¡°They don¡¯t have the experience. The current members of the Seven Mages are so prideful that they never came close to the Tower of Trials in their entire lives.¡±


    ¡°Ah.¡±


    ¡°They believe that personal training is enough. They¡¯re people who only want to add links to their circle; they¡¯ll never be able to climb this Tower easily.¡±


    Iceline was quiet for a while while she thought.


    ¡°What''s the deal with this Tower?¡± she eventually asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There was a floor with a dragonir! A jungle that showed up out of nowhere, and even a centuries-old fort! Plus a lot of monsters and traps that I¡¯ve never seen before! That¡¯s not all! After we cleared the floor, it went back to normal, like it was waiting for the next person to walk in and clear the floor! I remember hearing it in rumors, but seeing it for myself¡­ I just¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Theta said before Iceline could finish.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Dumbfounded, Iceline stared at him.


    ¡°No one will know,¡± he continued. ¡°Not on this continent. Not me, not you.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re the caretaker of the Tower¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a temporary position that the Magic Tower has given me. For them, this is a sacred ce.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I guess there¡¯s one more thing.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Iceline asked with a twinkle in her eyes that defied their current predicament.


    She was an<em></em>¡°icy beauty,¡± but she still couldn¡¯t get rid of the curiosity every mage had. Theta couldn¡¯t help butugh after realizing that fact.


    ¡°The top of the Tower.¡±


    ¡°The top?¡±


    ¡°It is a legend passed down from a long time ago. All of the truth, including the Tower''s secrets, is hidden on the top floor.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Right now, people just say it¡¯s a story made up to give meaning and justification for the Tower of Trials, but no one can know for sure. After all, no one has ever climbed to the top of the Tower.¡±


    ¡°So the rumors were true¡­¡± Iceline murmured to herself.


    Theta nodded in reply. ¡°Then have you heard of this one before?¡±


    ¡°Which one¡­?¡±


    ¡°There is a rumor that every time a floor in the Tower of Trials is cleared, the challenger gets a special reward.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Didn''t the Magic Tower have something to do with that?¡±


    ¡°What about the Magic Tower? They won¡¯t do something like that of their own volition¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t gain anything out of it.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps to promote the Tower of Trials?¡±


    ¡°Then what are they getting out of it?¡±


    Iceline had no choice but to stay silent because what Theta said made a lot of sense.


    ¡°Trust me, there is no one on the continent who calctes gains and losses more than the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°Then the prize¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is something that the Tower itself gives.¡±


    Iceline was once again dumbfounded.


    Most Tower prizes, like the lowest-grade mana stones, weren''t worth all the work they took to get. It was one of the little things that made it so that many mages hadpletely forgotten about the Tower of Trials. However, it was a bit different from the 30th floor, where the difficulty significantly increased.


    ¡°But if mana stones are somon, why haven¡¯t we gotten one even once?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m with you. The Tower knows the yer, and people who have already cleared the floor won''t get the same rewards twice.¡±


    Theta¡¯s voice echoed in the silence.


    ¡°Those are the Tower¡¯s rules.¡±


    ***


    On the Tower of Trials''s 17th floor, the incredible battle had left only three people standing.


    ¡°You bastard. What did we do for us to deserve this, for you to do this?!¡±


    Joshua looked down at the rags Zephyros was kneeling over, grieving for his fallen colleague.


    ¡°Do you think the Tower won¡¯t do anything to us when you¡¯ve done this to us? You think you can survive that?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret this! You¡¯ll suffer so much that you¡¯d rather die! I will make sure¡ª¡±


    ¡°So noisy.¡±


    ¡°Keugh!¡± Zephyros flew across the room with one kick.


    ¡°The Empire and I are already on bad terms. You really think I¡¯d worry about the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°Guuu¡ª¡±


    ¡°Plus¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes looked even further down. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re Evergrant¡¯s follower makes your death well deserved.¡±


    Zephyros¡¯s eyes widened as he inhaled sharply at Joshua¡¯s words/


    ¡°You rot and stink, so I will take care of you¡­ for the new Tower, for the new leader of the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°This guy¡ª You basta¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait for me in hell.¡±


    <em>Shick!</em>


    A gut-wrenching sound filled the room.


    Shocked, Zephyros looked down. The floating spear was now piercing his heart. Even so, there was no blood on the ground; it was as if it were being sucked up by the spear. He trembled for a bit and then fell t on the ground, the light going out of his eyes.


    Zephyros of the Red me was among the most powerful mages on the continent, and yet, he died an absurd death that didn¡¯t live up to his reputation.


    Joshua continued to speak, even though he appeared to be alone in the room.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯re awake.¡±


    Someone gasped from within the piles of dead bodies.


    ¡°Tell Evergrant this.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± Toma heard Joshua loud and clear and raised his head.


    ¡°Tell him that soon, Joshua Sanders will pay him a visit at the Magic Tower.¡±


    1. Theta is talking about how his sense as a one of the Seven Mages is advanced, and Iceline thought he was talking about the other two catching up so quickly. ?

 Chapter 280

    Chapter 280


    The 19th floor, exactly ten floors below the 29th floor where Iceline and Theta currently were, was called the ck Monsters¡¯ Stage.


    A weird sound, like something being chopped, was followed by the yelp of a hurt animal.


    After swiftly defeating a monster that was significantly taller than five meters¡ªa ck ogre like the one he had faced in the Duchy of Agnus¡ªJoshua flicked his spear. In one graceful motion, the monster''s blood was cleared from the spear, brocading the air with an embroidery of gently curving red afterimages.


    Joshua stood there silently, spear in hand, as he looked at the view in front of him¡ªck ogresying motionlessly with their heads neatly severed.


    On that day in his childhood, the ogre had felt like the leader of the monsters, but from where Joshua was standing now, he estimated at least fifty dead ogres at his feet.


    [Doesn¡¯t this feel like a trip down memoryne?]


    ¡°....¡±


    [It''s conveniently located next to the 20th floor. You ought to feel some apprehension now¡ªthe next floor will be a little different than the previous levels that the Tower of Truth has challenged you with.]


    Joshua had been reaching down, but he paused at Lugia¡¯s voice before continuing.


    ¡°Reward¡¯s not bad this time.¡±


    [Are you going to give that to me again, right?]


    Lugia¡¯s voice sounded like a child with a toy dangled in front of him. The lower-grade mana stone that Joshua had picked up off the ground had Lugia in a frenzy.


    At the end of each trial of the Tower''s ascent, the climbers were rewarded, but lowest to low-grade mana stones were all that was given. If Joshua had collected and kept them for himself, he would have a pouch full of them by now.


    ¡°I had a change of heart.¡±


    [Seriously?]


    ¡°I figure I should set them aside for now. Mages¡¯ eyes sparkle when you show them these kinds of stones, so selling this to them is a good idea.¡±


    [BUT WHY?]


    Lugia let out a strangled cry.


    [Won¡¯t you continue feeding them to me like you have been doing?]


    ¡°No.¡±


    [I¡¯m telling you, that¡¯ll be much more useful to you.]


    ¡°All low-quality mana stones can sell for 10 gold. The lesser mana stones, on the other hand, can sell for ten times as much. Once we¡¯re done scaling the whole Tower, we can buy a sizable territory.¡±


    [Are you seriously going to be that cheap and stingy and not give them to me?]


    ¡°... Cheap and stingy?¡±


    Their conversation continued for a while, but then, Joshua''s demeanor hardened.


    ¡°You know¡­ You never told me the truth.¡±


    [....]


    ¡°Even now, you¡¯re withholding information. As far as I know, this tower is called the Tower of Trials, not the Tower of Truth.¡±


    Lugia quickly fell silent. In other words, Joshua was correct.


    He didn¡¯t have the slightest knowledge of these things¡ªor rather, it was just that the demonic artifact knew things that a human being would never know.


    But the spear kept quiet regarding the most important particrs. After such a profound betrayal, Joshua felt that he could no longer remain quiet.


    ¡°I know I''ve been somewhat silent recently, but¡ª¡±


    [And if you don''t keep holding your tongue, what happens?]


    ¡°Huh?¡± Joshua was momentarily startled by Lugia¡¯s sudden interruption.


    [So, what, now that you¡¯re a little wiser, you don''t even need my assistance? Is that it?]


    ¡°....¡±


    [Well, you¡¯ve got serious power, so I guess you can be proud of it¡ªso long as you keep it firmly inside the bounds of humanity.]


    Lugia''s spear sways ever so slightly as it watched Joshua shut his mouth.


    [You can¡¯t lose sight of your original goal.]


    ¡°Goal?¡±


    [That¡¯s right, your original goal. What was it that you wanted to do once you returned? Didn¡¯t you want to stab the bastards who were responsible for your sufferings and drink their blood? Didn¡¯t you want to show the world that you were alive?]


    ¡°....¡±


    [Or have the changing circumstances made you change your mind?]


    Lugia''s spear suddenly bobbed upward.


    [But I know better than anyone else that isn¡¯t the case. Afterall, we share the same mind. I know that a raging fire burns at the core of your being.]


    The spear¡¯s entire body gave off an aura of omniscience.


    [So, always keep this in mind. While I have given you an opportunity for revenge, you have yet to give me anything in return.]


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ***


    Joshua froze.


    Although they were on a different floor from Joshua, Theta and Iceline did too.


    As soon as they got to the top of the stairs of the next floor, a dark and foreboding atmosphere spread out to greet them. It was apletely different feeling from the previous floors.


    Iceline¡¯s facial expression visibly tightened as she adjusted to the new surroundings.


    ¡°I thought this was the 29th floor.¡±


    ¡°I think it is.¡±


    ¡°Following the order, we should be meeting a mid-boss on the 30th floor.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°But what is this atmosphere¡­?¡± Iceline mumbled.


    She quickly trailed off into total silence.


    Iceline felt like something was crawling on her face.


    She gulped nervously and asked in a quivering voice, ¡°What''s behind this door?¡±


    ¡°Well, I''m at a loss for words.¡± Theta cast his eye upwards toward the top of the iron gate. ¡°I am certain about one thing.¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Someone got here before us.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Iceline''s eyes widened as she processed what Theta had just said.


    He was right. Each floor''s lobby featured a crystal ball about the size of a fist. The other balls had emitted a green light, but the 29th-floor crystal ball appeared to be stained crimson.


    ¡°What is this¡ª?¡±


    ¡°When the floor is clear, it''s green, but when a challenger is in it, it turns red, exactly like now.¡±


    ¡°So you''re saying there are other individuals in this Tower besides us? Besides those people that are chasing us?¡±


    ¡°I assume so.¡±


    <em>¡°Who is it?¡±</em> Iceline demanded impatiently.


    Theta''s visage hardened even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s an unexpected variable¡­ Normally, the 29th level is used as a resting area.¡±


    ¡°You said that there were specifdmarks to keep an eye out for.¡±


    ¡°Because I already know where everything is, but¡­ The challenge level increased dramatically. Maybe even more than any other floor in this Tower.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°There is someone in there who is at my level or higher, and I¡¯m speaking of when I¡¯m at my peak condition.¡±


    Iceline''s little jaw dropped. She was fully aware of Theta''s proficiency.


    ¡°The Storm seat, Theta,¡± Iceline mumbled her breath with gritted teeth.


    His Master, Ian, was the only other wizard in the Magic Tower to be called a Master. The young wizard gained his confidence by using his tremendous skill to vanquish countless powerful opponents. Thetapirion Whitesocks was a ss Seven Mage, making him one of the most powerful mages in the continent.


    However, Theta was saying that the person inside was, at the very least, the same level as himself..


    ¡°Should¡­ Should we go back?¡± Iceline blurted in a whisper.


    Theta shook his head.


    ¡°What happens if we go down? You want to just let them capture us?¡±


    ¡°You said that the one in front of us is at least ss Seven!¡±


    ¡°It''s not certain that he''ll be hostile to us.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious right now?¡±


    Theta responded to Iceline¡¯s mumble with a little shrug of his shoulders.


    ¡°Well, what do we have to lose here? Let¡¯s move forward and see what happens.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª I anticipated this in the past, but¡ª¡± Iceline went expressionless for a moment before continuing. ¡°Are you the type of person that doesn''t have any inhibitions at all?¡±


    ¡°My philosophy is to ¡®livefortably and then gofortably,¡¯ but the world clearly won''t let me get away with that.¡±


    ¡°Really, what sort of a human being are you?¡±


    Iceline sighed heavily, trying to vent her growing frustration.


    Theta was a man who truly embodied the wind. He doesn''t want to be pinned down or boxed in by any norms or expectations. For those types of people, it was best not to talk about it. It will only frustrate Iceline.


    And surely she''d dealt with someone very much like that before?


    ¡°It would be well worth it to spend time with him.¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Theta cocked his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Joshua,¡± Iceline responded.


    ¡°Aha¡­¡± Theta beamed. ¡°I''m not sure whether we''ll be able to get together again, but I''d love to reunite with the insanely talented Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll assume you agree with me and¡­¡±


    Theta finished his sentence by extending a hand toward the gate.


    Perhaps it was a premonition of their impending fate? Both of them felt air pressing down on their shoulders like a huge weight.


    ¡°Open the gate.¡±


    The steel door flew open with a jarring thud at Theta¡¯s mutter.


    ¡°What the¡ª Oh my god!¡±


    A world that they had never experienced before.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened even further as she gazed upon the vastness of hell.


    ***


    After a series of events, Joshua finally got to the 20th floor of the Tower of Trials.


    Nothing except empty space existed. Except for the gate through which he had entered, everything in the room was white, including the ceiling, the floor, and the walls to the left and right.


    One person stood alone in the center of it. He looked expectant as if he had been waiting for someone for a very long time.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Unmistakable astonishment rapidly took over Joshua''s face as he stepped confidently into the room.


    What did this mean? Was what he saw in front of him real?


    [Oh dear. So thates out on the 20th floor?]


    ¡°....¡±


    [I suggest you use extreme caution. If I recall properly, it actively reflects your body¡¯s capabilities.]


    Joshua gazed at the figure nkly, filing Lugia''s words away in a corner of his mind.


    He came face to face with the figure with barely ten meters between them. The figure¡¯s appearance triggered¡­


    Reminiscence.


    The figure suddenly broke from his stillness and lifted his hands in a subdued gesture. A blood-red spear, dancing at his fingertips, spewed a loud screech.


    Two emotionless eyes surrounded by a tranquil mane of deep blue hair. Who was the figure with a spear who mirrored Joshua?


    ¡°Me?¡±


    It was Joshua talking to himself.

 Chapter 281

    Chapter 281


    It was a fight between two powers.


    More correctly, it was a fight between an individual and an army.


    It was an unusual sight,pletely unlike anything in the real world. On the real 29th floor, there was a river flowing through a forest¡ªbut that was nowhere to be found. Only dry earth and lifeless mountains and streams remained.


    In the midst of overflowing demonic power, a person stood in what was no different than thend of the dead. That person, no, the <em>kid</em> looked to be in his teens but was, in reality, older.


    ¡°Jerath! You fucker!¡± Ash spat. His coarse words were at odds with his outward appearance.


    Ash looked terrible. There were multiple wounds on his body, and his shredded clothes proved that he went through something horrible. Most notably, one of his two long, prominent ears, which was noticeably even from a distance, was broken and hanging at an odd angle.


    ¡°An elf¡ª?¡± Iceline murmured uprehendingly as she stepped across the threshold.


    Elves¡ªa woond people whose presence in the open world was bing increasingly rare.


    That wasn''t all, surprisingly.


    ¡°Look further ahead,¡± Theta warned her.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Iceline''s eyes became tinged with bewilderment as she refocused her eyes. Past Ash, who had his back turned to them, was a group of <em>things</em>, all veiled in darkness.


    They were unnatural beings that should never exist in the world. The whole continent¡¯s enemy: an army of undead.


    ¡°Th-There. Are those death knights?¡±


    ¡°I think so.¡±


    ¡°And¡­ is that a lich? Aren¡¯t they only a myth?¡± Iceline wondered to herself, casting a brief nce in Theta¡¯s direction. ¡°Is this also by the Tower?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°You said you already came here before, so why aren¡¯t you answering?¡±


    Iceline impatiently pressed him, but Theta continued to be silent.


    ¡°How dare you do this to me!¡± Ash cried out.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± A person emerged from the horde of the undead at Ash¡¯s shout. It looked like a human being in a ck cloak.


    ¡°Answer me, Jerath!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to shout. Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re in the Tower, but your voice is deafening.¡± Jerath picked at his ear with his little finger.


    Ash stared at Jerath with his jaw clenched.


    ¡°I will kill you with my own hands!¡± Ash cried out in rage and extended his hand.


    Very quickly, the mana floating nearby started condensing on the tips of his fingers.


    ¡°Should we help out?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Iceline gave him a bewildered look.


    ¡°What do you mean why? It¡¯s only natural to help, right?¡±


    ¡°So¡­ you want to help when you don¡¯t know the situation or even who the enemy is?¡±


    ¡°Are you really this dense? Anyone can see who the real enemy is!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just discriminate against someone because of their looks.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re telling me that¡ª¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, interfering in other people¡¯s lives when it¡¯s none of your business is a surefire way to shorten your lifespan.¡±


    ¡°You. I misjudged you. I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d be like this!¡±


    Iceline had been throwing a fit, but now, she closed her eyes.


    ¡°Just forget it. I¡¯ll help him.¡±


    ¡°Before that¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you going to say now?¡±


    ¡°Look over there.¡± Theta, trying desperately to not pay attention to Iceline¡¯s snarl, raised a finger to one side of her.


    To be more precise, he pointed above their heads to the ceiling of the 29th floor.


    <em>Krrrrrrr.</em>


    A growl prated their ears as though it had been waiting for them.


    Iceline was frightened and shivered in response to the eerie sound. Afraid, she slowly looked at whereTheta¡¯s finger was pointing.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    She saw two big, monstrous eyes glowing in the darkness.


    ¡°Wait.¡± Iceline had a sudden epiphany. ¡°I remembered something.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Joshua once told me that a ck mage was connected to Avalon¡¯s Imperial family.¡±


    ¡°What the¡ª! Then¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the best ce to conceal a horde of monsters if no one was managing the Tower?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes flickered, but she kept staring rigidly at the ceiling.


    ¡°That is one insane Emperor.¡±


    ***


    Someone once said that fighting one¡¯s internal demons is the continual struggle of life. The emptiness of abandoned purpose is filled by indolence. Motivation can dissipate in mere moments.


    Joshua has surmounted all the great obstacles in his life. However, he, too, waspletely unprepared for this. He never expected that one day, he would have to fight himself¡ªhis other self.


    [It¡¯s a doppelganger.]


    ¡°Doppelganger?¡±


    [I''m guessing you''re familiar with it. The most lifelike copy God could make. I never thought I would see a species that went extinct thousands of years ago in an environment like this¡­]


    ¡°....¡±


    [On top of that, a monster of this caliber should, logically, only emerge from at least the 40th floor.]


    Joshua ignored Lugia''s words and stared ahead of him.


    ¡°It''s exactly the same,¡± Joshua groaned through gritted teeth.


    It was an exact mirror image. Everything about it was a dead ringer for him, even down to the huge spear in ¡°his¡± hand.


    Even Joshua has heard something of doppelgangers. The name was synonymous with a clone; in essence, they mimic their prey in every way, both the form and the mind and even ability. That was one of the reasons that the older than ancient doppelgangers were moremonly called a ¡°legend¡± than a ¡°monster¡± in modern times.


    [Is it the only one in the world now? Probably. But looking at the level of that thing¡­ it might be Kingdom?]


    ¡°Kingdom?¡±


    [I¡¯m talking about the king of the doppelganger. That one¡¯s different from the rest. It¡¯s not on par with the other things that the Tower can infinitely recreate. As you can see, that¡¯s as <em>real</em> as it gets. So¡­ be careful.]


    Joshua let Lugia''s parting advice sink in, but before Lugia could even finish saying ¡°careful,¡± the thing in front of them started moving.


    There was an air of eager expectancy as it clutched its brilliant crimson spear.


    One couldn''t discount how fast it was moving.


    That initial impact sent Joshua¡¯s body reeling back when he blocked the iing spear.


    ¡°This¡ª?¡±


    An incredulous look briefly crossed Joshua''s face.


    Not only does it have the devastating potential of a long weapon, but it was also fast and urate. Everything waspletely the same. It really was like fighting against himself.


    Once more, the doppelganger swung the spear and was blocked. The doppelganger did not try to control the force of his ricocheting spear but just went with the flow. It rotated into an outward thrust and stabbed Joshua in his armpits from an odd angle.


    It was a move that was very familiar to Joshua. Joshua matched the attack with an identical one.


    The collision of their spear points produced a deafening roar. Everything in their immediate vicinity shook as if it were ready to disintegrate at any second. This was the result of Joshua¡¯s spear meeting the doppelganger¡¯s speartip that had been aiming for his armpit.


    The tips of their spears were still locked in a contest of strength as they fiercely attempted to push each other back. The shing auras of their two spears threw everything into chaos.


    The doppelganger bared its teeth menacingly at its opponent, clearly eager to feast on the power it was about to experience.


    At that very instant¡­


    ¡°First form: sh stab.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at the low voice that slipped through his opponent¡¯s teeth.


    ¡°No way¡ª?¡±


    The doppelganger¡¯s hand clutched the burning, powerful spear.


    <em>¡®What if what I¡¯m thinking actually happens?¡¯</em>


    If the Magic Spear Arts actually worked¡ª


    Joshua¡¯s opponent¡¯s voice, a barely audible muttering, interrupted Joshua¡¯s thoughts.


    ¡°Lightning sh!¡±


    Joshua saw the spearing at him and took a deep breath. It was happening at such a high speed.


    He jerked his head to the side, and the spear''s sharp tip scraped his flesh. Joshua''s expression turned grave as he felt blood flow down his cheeks. He didn''t even notice that his opponent had retreated ten steps.


    ¡°How shocking¡­!¡±


    Joshua broke the silence with a brief exmation.


    The voice of Lugia echoed in his mind:


    [Kingdom isn''t its nickname for nothing. Was it two thousand years ago? That lizard lunged at it, iming he would subjugate it, and was crushed.]


    ¡°Lizard? The dragon?¡±


    [That''s why Kingdom is so terrifying: not only does it have nearly endless raw power, but it can also mimic its opponent''s exact movements as soon as itys eyes on them.]


    ¡°Wait a sec¡ª¡±


    [You''ll be rewarded handsomely for your efforts once you''ve brought him under control, but ¡ª]


    Lugia was midway through its sentence when Joshua cut the demon off.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying that it copies the exact conditions, at that very moment, of a person?¡±


    [What about it?]


    ¡°When the hell did it copy my abilities?¡±<em></em>Joshua murmured under his breath, squinting at his foe as it advanced toward him.


    [Maybe ever since you set foot on this level? I suggest we stop talking now, hmm?]


    His opponent interrupted its swift movement by lightly kicking off the ground¡ªbut its figure quickly reappeared elsewhere, as if using a mage¡¯s blink spell.


    Soon¡­


    ¡°Impermanence¡¯s Spear,¡± the doppelganger shouted and readied its spear.


    It seemed like it was beginning to have fun. Or maybe its goal was to upset Joshua¡¯s mental and emotional state?


    Then a remarkable thing happened: a mysterious sound rang, and at the same time, a wave of pure white electricity radiated outward from the tip of the opponent''s spear.


    Joshua''s eyebrow twitched. Now he knew.


    That rain and the lightning made Joshua angry.


    ¡°Bronto!¡±


    In that split second when Joshua finally mumbled that name, the spotless white room, sealed off from the rest of the world, reverberated with the booming noise.


    ¡°Sugahak''s Fury.¡±


    The attack was like a bolt from the blue.


    The bright crimson spear absorbed light from all directions. The entire room¡ªperhaps the entire world¡ªfelt the strength of the effect.


    It was the power topletely wipe out the enemy.


    Deadly lightning had finally been unleashed.


    Then, that tremendous might came crashing down like lightning.


    Joshua slowly, gently lifted his head and gazed upwards. Even in slow motion, a shaft of lightning wasing at him fast.


    It was impossible for him to block it head-on¡­ nor could he avoid it. If that was the case, there was only one thing he could do.


    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here, but¡­¡±


    Joshua kicked the ground as hard as he could. His opponent''s face rapidly filled his field of vision, allowing Joshua to see its startled expression.


    Perhaps it thought Joshua wasmitting suicide. But what Joshua was nning to tell his opponent was¡­


    ¡°Nothing can everpare to the genuine thing.¡±


    Joshua gripped Lugia, and with a smile, he conjured a bolt of lightning. He locked eyes with the doppelganger, whose expression had already warped into a maniacal, murderous grin.


    ¡°I am the real deal.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s deep voice heralded a tremendous roar that tore the earth and sky apart.

 Chapter 282

    Chapter 282


    There was much more toe after the boom that shook the heavens and earth.


    The two men''s spears flew into the air and mmed against each other repeatedly. One had to wonder if these pieces of metal could be called mere spears.


    White sparks flew in every direction. Electric currents crackled down toward the ground.


    Bolts of lightning crashed into each other with shes of blinding brightness. This was the power of the lightning¡ªeverything that got in its way was torn to shreds by its might.


    Sugahak¡¯s Fury was like divine retribution, it was as if the heavens were raining punishment onto the earth below.


    A split secondter, Joshua took to the air. Midair, he held the spear tightly as he pulled his arm back. All the mana in his body was focused on a single point just before release.


    The devastating force of his spear was amplified by the pull of gravity¡ªthere was a reason why this spear throw was considered the apogee of Magic Spear Arts.


    Surprisingly, though, his spear shot had little effect even after hitting his opponent¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Joshua said, right in his enemy''s face.


    The doppelganger¡¯s expression quickly acquired a tinge of fear. Joshua smiled.


    If his opponent copied his moves after seeing them once, then the solution was simple¡ªto be better than himself, who was easily copied. Even though it was only a short period of time since he had been copied, he had to be better.


    Joshua surpassed the limits of time. It seemed as though minutes were divided into seconds, and seconds was divided into smaller increments as he developed himself and his skills.


    With a strange sound, fine cracks began to spread across the entire length of the doppelganger¡¯s spear. Visibility agitated, it made a hasty effort to recover the spear.


    ¡°Do you even have the strength to continue?¡±


    Immediately following Joshua''s muttered words, the two engaged in a vicious scuffle.


    The first strike was Joshua charging forward with his clenched fists aimed at his opponent¡¯s face. As his fist flew forward, the space around him shuddered like the surface of a leather drum. The afterimage of his fist left in the air slowly faded away.


    His opponent responded the same. This response wasn¡¯t the same in the sense of responding to aggression with aggression¡ªthe response was like looking in a mirror. In the same manner and position, the doppelganger threw out his fist.


    The roar that followed was impossible to imagineing from a sh of human flesh.


    ¡°How interesting.¡± The grin on Joshua''s face became bigger.


    He was fighting himself. Joshua thought that he should pay attention and take advantage of the opportunity while he had it; he might learn something from it that he wouldn''t learn anywhere else.


    This time, Joshua kicked with his right leg. The funny thing was, his opponent also jumped and kicked with the opposite leg. They were both hanging in midair with their legs crossed.


    Joshua didn¡¯t stop moving.


    He used the leg his opponent was blocking with as support and kicked up with his other leg. Naturally, his left leg was higher than his right. He aimed for his opponent¡¯s head, but of course, the result was the same.


    No matter what Joshua did, the doppelganger responded in the same way. Since they both possessed the same power and ability, it was not easy to inflict damage on the other¡­ at least, that¡¯s how it would have appeared to outsiders.


    <em>¡®If your opponent uses the same tactic as you, you should move slightly faster and slightly stronger than them.¡¯</em>


    When Joshua¡¯s fists moved quickly, his opponent¡¯s fists also became dizzyingly fast.


    <em>¡®A little more¡­ More!¡¯</em>


    He clenched his teeth, tightened his muscles, heightened his senses, and spun his mana.


    And after that, <em>Poong! </em>


    A new sound emerged, like the pounding of a leather drum, far unlike anything that hade before. Joshua''s extended fist connected with his opponent''s stomach. The doppelganger¡¯s waist, of course, folded into a right angle.


    ¡°KWAAAAAAAA!¡±


    A scream came from the doppelganger¡¯s twisted body that made Joshua¡¯s ears tingle. The scream seemed to echo across the entire floor.


    ¡°I see¡­ You can feel agony.¡±


    ¡°You fucking bastardddddd!¡±


    ¡°You know how to swear too.¡±


    ¡°I WILL KILL YOU! I SWEAR TO GOD I WILL MURDER YOU!¡±


    The opponent, infuriated by Joshua''s sarcasm, held both hands high. A drop of blood trickled from between its lips; not real human blood, but a very dark liquid.


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level Six! Void Spear!¡± The doppelganger angrily yelled, hefting the brightly glowing spear it had summoned. ¡°There will be nothing left but rubble when this is all over.¡±


    A few secondster, apletely ck sphere materialized in front of Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Is it the Annihtion ck Sphere this time?¡± Joshua mocked it.


    ¡°JUST DIE!¡±


    The perfect Annihtion ck Sphere flew at Joshua.


    When a person was swallowed by the sphere, their body would instantly turn into a pool of blood, yet Joshua''s actions radiated calm confidence. He saw the attacking, but he kept his cool and pointed his spear upwards.


    <em>¡®This is the best time to try it.¡¯</em>


    Joshua was deep in thought, but what was he thinking?


    Light shed in Joshua''s eyes, and he thrust his spear up with all his power, audibly cracking the air.


    <em>¡®Soul makes the heavens.¡¯</em>


    From the spear''s point, a solitary me shot upwards toward the heavens.


    <em>¡®The body makes the earth.¡¯</em>


    Electricity began to stretch out of the opposite end of the spear, seeping into the ground.


    The tip of the spear was pointed at the heavens, and the spear¡¯s end was directed at the ground. Positive and negative energy came together and formed a new space: an entire universe fitted inside a single spear.


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level Seven,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    The doppelganger''s eyes widened as it listened.


    Right then, Joshua entered another state. It was a state that even in his previous life, he hadn¡¯t been able to achieve. It gave him power that could stand against a country, never mind a regr army.


    Disbelief, shock, and bewilderment. The doppelganger¡¯s eyes conveyed a range of feelings in a single nce.


    Joshua locked eyes with his opponent as he softly struck his spear against the ground.


    ¡°Boundless Mystery: Creation of Genesis.¡±


    ***


    <em>Krrrrrr.</em>


    Iceline stared nkly up at the ceiling.


    A terrifying beast loomed over the clouds, swooping up and down. It was thirty meters in length and made out of bare bones.


    Even though she¡¯d never seen it before, she had a feeling she knew what it was.


    ¡°Bone¡­ Dragon!¡± Iceline¡¯s shocked voice slipped out.


    A Bone Dragon was a monster with the might of a dragon; it was supposedly the strongest creature in middle earth. Despite its rebirth as an undead, the dragon retained none of the supernatural powers it possessed in its previous life¡ªbut even without that physical versatility, the bone dragon was already hailed as a contender for middle earth''s strongest. Even without magic, it possessed a formidable tool known as ¡°Breath.¡±


    ¡°That size¡ªis that an adult?¡± Theta¡¯s voice brought Iceline back to reality.


    ¡°How¡ª?¡±


    ¡°That would imply they have a fantastic lich over there.¡±


    ¡°Right, the lich!¡± Iceline groaned.


    The robed person took the lead against the elf. In case it wasn''t obvious, the objects protruding from between the robes looked suspiciously like human hands.


    ¡°Use your mana to perceive it, not your sight.¡±


    ¡°Mana?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a mage?¡±


    Iceline closed her eyes and silently concentrated. Then she seemed to have an epiphany.


    ¡°Demonic power!¡± she screamed.


    Iceline squinted as she was hit by a blinding ray of light. Demonic power floated suspiciously around the person wearing the robe.


    And that was not even the main issue.


    ¡°This is very dangerous!¡±


    ¡°Not for us.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Instead of answering, Theta pointed his finger in the direction of the blonde elf kid, who was staring ahead of him with a fiery hatred in his eyes.


    ¡°Too much time has been frittered away.¡±


    ¡°Jerath, you piece of shit. I will ask onest time, where is the World Tree?¡±


    ¡°Where would the fun be if I answered your question immediately, child of Elenburs? Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Fun? <em>Fun?</em>¡±


    The elf¡¯s eyes were bloodshot. The act that ended the lives of so many friends and the future of his species was considered fun.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    A powerful wind began to form between the elf¡¯s hands.


    ¡°A Twin Cyclone? But¡­¡±


    The robed figure extended his hand with a glimmer in his eyes. A sinister, jet-ck sword was fashioned from his fingertip.


    It was a Shadow Sword. Although it was unmatched in its sharpness, weak wizards avoided using it because of the danger that close-quartersbat posed.


    ¡°That¡¯s just a ss Six. You¡¯re rather shortsighted.¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Ash¡¯s mouth formed into a snarl as he prepared tounch the terrible cyclone, yet the robed figure remained calm.


    ¡°If thest ¡®high elf¡¯ vanishes, it wouldn¡¯t be a terrible idea to turn the remaining elves into undeads. I could also try something like ¡®Spirits of the Undead.¡¯ It¡¯d be the first time anyone would do it on the continent. And if I do, then thisnd would be easy prey.¡±


    That was the final straw for the elf kid, and thest vestige of his sanity melted away.


    ¡°You fucking son of a bitch!¡±


    <em>Whooooooooosh!</em>


    Atst, the elf kid''s fingers unleashed a raging tempest. It swelled tremendously, and the killer wind appeared ready to rip the opponent''s body to shreds at any second.


    But s, the adversary proved too powerful.


    <em>sh!</em>


    The robed figure suddenly disappeared, startling the elf child, whose eyes widened in surprise.


    Soon after, blood began to trickle down the elf¡¯s pale neck. Cold sweat ran down his back as he stared down at the ck sword aimed at his neck. The robed figure gently patted Ash¡¯s head with a grin.


    ¡°A mage should never show their true feelings.¡±


    ¡°Jerath dick Orbis!¡±


    Jerath¡¯s grip tightened.


    ¡°I enjoyed our brief encounter and can only say, child of Elenburs, that it was a pleasure to finally meet you. Don¡¯t fret. In the same way that I admire your bravery, your concern for Yggdrasil will be useful to me.¡±


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡± The kid closed his eyes in despair.


    ¡°The night is cold with the Frost Queen''s reign!¡±


    Iceline started chanting; she couldn¡¯t just stand there watching any longer.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Theta demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to help!¡±


    ¡°I thought I already exined this clearly¡ª¡±


    ¡°You''re calctive and very pragmatic, but I¡¯ll do what I have to do! Really, as if they wouldn¡¯t know you¡¯re a mage¡ª¡±


    Theta had been shaking his head from side to side, but Iceline¡¯s final words made him freeze.


    ¡°Mage¡­ Mage¡­¡± he mumbled.


    Theta¡¯s eyes widened. The air inside the closed space suddenly changed.


    ¡°Exhaling a chilly breath across thisnd¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡±


    ¡°Everything in my line of sight is about to freeze,¡± Iceline continued to chant, ignoring Theta¡¯s plea.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°Now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Someone¡¯sing.¡±


    Without warning, Iceline''s voice came to an abrupt halt.


    A refreshing wind was passing through the midst of the raging storm. Iceline¡¯s eyes grew wider as she sensed a growing sense of familiarity.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let anyone bother my servant, Berber.¡±


    The elf child and the robed man, sensing the shift, hastily turned their heads.


    ¡°How¡ª!?¡±


    Disbelief crept into their expressions, no, it was only the elf and the undead who was surprised.


    Iceline''s voice, glowing with astonishment and the delight of fulfilled expectations, filled the room.


    ¡°Joshua!¡±

 Chapter 283

    Chapter 283


    Ash was angry. He felt resentful and wronged to the point he was about to burst into tears. He¡¯d finally confronted his adversary, and yet there was absolutely nothing he could do because he stillcked strength.


    But did that mean he was weak? No. By human standards, he had long since surpassed ss 7.


    It was more urate to say that his adversary¡¯s strength and power had increased so much it was iparable to before.


    ¡°Damn¡­ it¡­!¡± Ash¡¯s voice was bleak.


    The pitch-ck sword pressed against his throat. The memories of the past were spinning around in his brain like a kaleidoscope.


    <em>¡®If I die like this¡­ my people¡­¡¯</em>


    About a hundred years ago, the elves that had lived among the humans disappeared from the world. They no longer had a ce in human society. As ast resort, they had fled to the edge of the continent, to what was now known as the Elven Forest, and had remained there hidden and unseen for millennia. But now, they were being told to give up thest of theirnd.


    <em>¡®If this guy hadn¡¯t run away with the source of the World Tree¡­!¡¯</em>


    Even in a situation where his life was at stake, Ash¡¯s eyes still glowed with rage.


    Yggdrasil, or the World Tree, had existed since the primordial beginning of the forest. It had stood for many centuries, possibly thousands of elven generations, to say nothing of human lives. The secret behind its longevity was unique and had been deeply hidden within the roots of the World Tree. It was no different than the treasure of the Elves.


    However, decades ago, someone had stolen it.


    It had been Jerath dek Orbis, the man standing in front of Ash right now. He had been the only human being who could go in and out of the Elven Forest. At one point, Ash had even considered him a friend, which was why he had never considered Jerath as the culprit.


    Jerath had vanished after leaving his only daughter behind¡ªperhaps because he thought his presence would be bad for the other elves. At least, that¡¯s what Ash had thought in the beginning.


    <em>¡®Why did I put myself through that?¡¯</em> Ash''s expression darkened as he began to question himself the more he thought.


    Yggdrasil was, despite having lost its life source, still alive, albeit hanging by a thread. This was possible because of the primordial stone, a godlike artifact. With it, they could rece the lost source of Yggdrasil. But this is where the problem arose.


    Contrary to expectations, the primordial stone did not lend its power to anyone as it did not acknowledge. Worse, not a single elf had been picked from among the candidates. Yggdrasil was the only one it would lend its powers to.


    <em>¡®I served the Evil Dragon Krevas for a long time as a means of subsistence. In the end, all of that effort was pointless.¡¯</em>


    A sense of defeat sank in as Ash reached a conclusion. There was just no way out. Even his will to live was gone.


    A human mage seemed to be doing something in the background, but Ash was a hundred percent sure that any human method wouldn¡¯t work now.


    ¡°Oh? There are intruders,¡± Jerath noted.


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Go, now.¡± Jerath spoke to them.


    <em>¡®Godda¡­¡¯</em> Ash squeezed his eyes shut, bracing himself for the pain of the de cutting through his flesh.


    [Bow your head, servant.]


    Impossibly, a new voice rang in his mind.


    ¡°No¡­ No way!¡±


    It was a miracle.


    ***


    ¡°How are you here?¡± Jerath dek Orbis¡ªno, Berber¡ªeximed in shock.


    The presence was overwhelming. Even in Jerath¡¯s dreams, the sight of that blood-red spear struck terror. After he saw it, the mere thought of it upied his mind for days on end.


    <em>¡®After being hunted for so long by the Empire, he really ought to be on the run right now; why is he even in this ce?¡¯</em>


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡± Berber yelled, his eyes bulging like they could pop out of his head at any moment.


    Joshua¡¯s figure disappeared without a trace. After disappearing like a ghost, he reappeared with the child of Elenburs in his arms. He slowly backed away with the same expression he had when he had first appeared.


    A thunderous yell erupted from Berber''s lips. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s going to end so quickly?¡±


    He stretched out his hands and demonic power from the depths of the night quickly collected at the tips of the fingers.


    In terms of destructive power alone, the fire was more devastating than any other kind of power. Inparison, the strength of ck magic was unparalleled.


    ¡°Dark Cannon!¡±


    <em>Booooom!</em>


    As Joshua ran with Ash in his arms, a streak of light shot out toward them, plowing through anything in its way. The demonic power was so powerful that it instantly reduced massive boulders to powder.


    The question was, why was he even bothering?


    Joshua continued running without rest; he simply ran without taking his eyes off his goal.


    ¡°Stupid!¡± Berber said with a smirk.


    It didn¡¯t matter that Joshua was a Superhuman. A direct hit from that beam would erase Joshuapletely that not even a single bone would be left.


    It made no difference whether Joshua¡¯s bold move was meant to demonstrate his self-confidence or it was made to save the elf''s life. Right now, the only thing Berber knew for sure was that Joshua was making a mistake.


    Iceline had her eyes closed as she finished chanting, but the situation was just enough to draw her attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s dangero¡ª! Joshua!¡± she screamed.


    Theta, standing next to her, gaped in shock as an overwhelming feeling of doom took over him.


    The two had seen Joshua being hit in the back by the beam as he covered the elf¡¯s tiny body with his own body.


    ¡°Hahahaha. Did you think that the pact with the sealed demon would guarantee you an invincible body?¡±


    Berberughed like a madman as he watched the smoke rise from Joshua¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    The joy of that moment quickly faded.


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    A column of fire shot upward with a sh, sending thick smoke billowing in all directions.


    ¡°What¡ª?¡±


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    A crackling, pristine white current swept at his feet. Startled, Berber retreated without thinking.


    ¡°Creation of Genesis.¡±


    A low voice reached Berber¡¯s ears.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The ground shook and cracked after the spear struck the earth.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡± Berber gasped as he discovered Joshua apparently unharmed.


    <em>Crack!</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    At that moment, the world changed. The sky suddenly went from utter ckness to a brilliant crimson, like the glow of the setting sun. The once-deadnd seemed to spring back to life and resume its old appearance.


    Berber''s expression shifted from shock to astonishment as he stared. The ability to revive not just a single object, but bring back nature''s lost vitality and reshape the ecosystem, was as a whole, the work of God.


    ¡°No¡­ there¡¯s no way. He¡¯s not reviving things¡­ he¡¯s¡­¡±


    Berber gulped as he trailed off. Finally, he understood.


    This was a ce where the sky and ground could be reimagined; it was a location that was far from reality.


    This was a ce created by the man in front of him.


    ¡°...ughh.¡±


    Berber let out a low sigh as the scorching air brushed across his face. His flesh was marred by a stray ember from the fire that he had made in the void.


    Then, suddenly, his senses were assaulted by a cacophony of sensations.


    Hundreds of ming spears stabbed his flesh. Even the most hardened of nerves would feel the sting of thousands of thunderbolt thorns. Berber struggled to even open his eyes in the storm of mana.


    ¡°I still have something up my sleeve!¡±


    Light red between Berber''s eyes as a look of desperation arose on his face. His attention was quickly drawn upward.


    In any case, his life would not be jeopardized so long as his life vessel was not destroyed, but he had no ns to remain idle. He couldn¡¯t die, but he could feel the pain.


    ¡°Forces of evil! Now is the time to heed my orders,¡± Berber said with the voice of the devil. The sound that came from between Berber''s teeth was bleak and horrible.


    The space surrounding them trembled violently as his words echoed around the room.


    The five death knights were the first to act. Numerous Duhan, numbering in the hundreds, soon after, plus thousands of skull knights.


    It didn''t end there.


    Hands popped out of the cracks in the ground and humanoid-looking monsters climbed out. Evergrant called this ¡°bio-ghouls.¡± Their numbers easily exceeded the thousands and perhaps epassed many tens of thousands.


    ¡°HAHAHAHA!¡±


    With a little grin on his face, Berber turned to face Joshua head-on. Joshua may have created a new space, but the existing one had been Berber¡¯s.


    Joshua must have been shocked because he hadn¡¯t budged an inch from his spot.


    But Berber still had more. He looked up at the sky at his finishing move¡ªthe dragon.


    ¡°Cremion!¡±


    <em>Krrrrrrr!</em>


    In reply to his shout, the massive shadow that was gliding through the air drew back its head, and the air shortly became permeated with a putrid odor.


    It wasn¡¯t like the Dark Cannon. This was the Dragon Breath¡ªa death ray in every meaning of the term.


    ¡°KWAHAHAHAHA!¡± Berber seemed to have lost his sanity as he burst out intoughter. He reached out with one hand.


    They were two entities that might grow to be significant factors in the grand scheme of things. They needed to be killed and would be killed as soon as Berber gave his finalmand.


    ¡°You can hardly contain your enthusiasm,¡± a voice intoned from behind him.


    Berber broke into a heavy sweat.


    ¡°How¡ª?¡±


    The voice seems vaguely familiar, but that was impossible. Joshua was standing right in front of him.


    The voice spoke again as if to imply, ¡°Yes, you are seeing it right.¡±


    ¡°I had a hard time locating the life vessel. It was very well disguised.¡±


    Berber whirled to look backward.


    ¡°You can¡¯t always leave it with Evergrant. In order to repair the vessel, you would have needed a safe ce.¡±


    ¡°You, you, you!¡±


    The appearance of a second Joshua Sanders made Berber''s jaw drop.


    ¡°I''m going to crack it open like this.¡±


    Joshua gripped the life vessel firmly with one hand and grinned despite the dark, evil force seeping out of it.


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°And as for the armies of the undead that are here¡­¡±


    Joshua nced in Theta and Iceline¡¯s direction and then turned back to mouth something.


    ¡°You bastard!¡±


    Rage filled Berber¡¯s heart as he spat obscenities.


    Although Joshua hadn¡¯t voiced anything, Berber understood what he had said. It was as if Joshua was taunting him by mouthing ¡®I will be enjoying this meal.¡¯


    ¡°AHHHHH!¡±


    Ominous yells in Berber''s nativenguage echoed across the area as a soft cracking sound prated the air.

 Chapter 284

    Chapter 284


    <em>Whooooooooo-</em>


    The wind roared, and a storm of demonic powers raged. However, in the eye of the storm, where it was quiet and calm, stood a man holding a round, half-shattered object. It was Joshua.


    ¡°What the¡­?¡± Theta trailed off, confused by the abrupt supernatural event.


    Iceline had been dumbfounded and unable to talk for a while now.


    Then, a piercing wail of desperation split the air.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be happeningggggggg!¡±


    Berber, Asmodeus¡¯s contractor, held the 32nd-highest position in the Demon Realm. Currently, he was known as Jerath dek Orbis, the continent¡¯s greatest battle mage, and yet, he was losing pathetically right now.


    ¡°You! You bastardddd!¡±


    Perhaps it was hisst resort, but Berber created a ck sword that was oozing with ck magic. He thrust his arm forward angrily to kill Joshua. Even if he chewed up and spat out the man in front of him, Berber didn¡¯t think he would be satisfied.


    ¡°Just give up,¡± Joshua spoke up.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Suddenly, Berber felt an overwhelming pressure pressing down on his entire body. He could even feel his head lowering. He gritted his teeth.


    ¡°JOSHUA SANDERS!¡±


    Even as his demonic power was disappearing, he could feel himself disintegrating into dust.


    Everything he had done had been done in vain. He felt bitter; he felt desperate.


    Berber had a dream. His dream wasn¡¯t something pathetic as petty revenge. If he achieved his dream, then revenge woulde naturally.


    <em>¡®It wouldn¡¯t have taken much longer. The force amassed here would have been sufficient to topple several kingdoms and empires. But¡­!¡¯</em>


    He grew angrier the more he thought. He vomited blood.


    He had all the resources he needed to make his dreame true. He had the undead army he had been preparing for decades and even had the Bone Dragon now.


    However, he lost them all.


    ¡°People say that trees give generously to humans.¡±


    Berber flinched when he heard Joshua¡¯s voice close to his ear.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Trees don¡¯t care that humans cut down countless trees for their own self-interest. They don¡¯t care that they¡¯re giving to what is, basically, their enemies. They still give humans fruits to eat, shades to rx under, and even clean air.¡±


    Berber seemed to be thinking, <em>¡®What the hell are you talking about?¡¯</em>


    Joshua smiled. ¡°I¡¯m saying that to me, you¡¯re like that.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Berber, you¡¯re just like that giving tree.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±


    Berberemitted fully to his attack. He squeezed out every bit of his power, down to thest bit.


    He also gave orders to his forces. If he couldn¡¯t move directly, then he could employ his subordinates. He believed that if he used the source¡¯s mana, then the scale would be tilted toward his side again. And if that happened¡­


    <em>¡®The mana of the sourcees from the soul. If the soul itself is struck, then it will be destroyed.¡¯</em>


    An emotion flitted through his eyes.


    <em>¡®But that doesn¡¯t matter. I already made a deal with the demon. My soul is¡­¡¯</em>


    - That isn¡¯t allowed.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Berber¡¯s eyes widened at the voice that rang through his head.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Joshua looked on, puzzled, as Berber started writhing in pain. Just a short while ago, Berber had been radiating with excitement like he had something great up his sleeve, so what was going on?


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it matters much,¡± Joshua muttered and then advanced.


    <em>Step.</em>


    That was the beginning.


    With that single step of his, tens of thousands of undead immediately bowed in submission.


    <em>Step.</em>


    Joshua took another step forward.


    This time, the Duhans, d in their usual pitch-ck iron armor, lowered their heads. Even the mighty knights weren¡¯t an exception.


    <em>ng.</em>


    With echoing sound metal, the infamous Death Knights, known for their haughty demeanor, dropped to their knees.


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression hardened as he looked at them.


    Death Knights were created with potent demonic power as well as the body and soul of an A-ss knight. There was no way that someone with that much skill and pride would give up that easily. It was most likely that Asmodeus¡¯s intimidation had pushed knights into Forced Contracts and Recall of Soul.


    But that was alright since Joshua had ample time. He could slowly take his time to investigate their identities.


    However, thest one was a problem.


    Krrrrrr.


    In the dark sky above his head, there was a monster with a huge, gaping maw that belched ck smoke and roared threateningly.


    ¡°Hoooooh.¡±


    Joshua raised his head and took a deep breath. Demonic power welled within him, wrapping him in an explosive aura, and when he opened his mouth, his words had within them the full weight of that power.


    ¡°Come to me,¡± he ordered.


    <em>Thump, thump. </em>


    The massive wings of the dragon continued to p in the air. It ignored Joshua¡¯smand and continued to hover in the air. With its mysterious power, was there anything the Bone Dragon couldn¡¯t do?


    <em>Boom!</em>


    The answer was no. The enormous monsternded on the ground with a heavy boom.


    The rare monster that Berber had created over the course of his life folded its wings and bowed its head in front of Joshua.


    In the end, the only one standing in the middle of the floor was Joshua.


    ¡°Oh, my¡­¡± From a distance, Iceline¡¯s mouth gaped in disbelief at this astonishing situation.


    But then, something strange happened.


    Joshua felt pressure on his wrist. His eyes widened. It felt like something was trying to hold him back.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    - New Master¡­


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua paused as he became aware of the many voices around him.


    Berber¡¯s forces had been snatched from the 4th Prince¡¯s pce, and now, one of the five liches was speaking.


    - Please¡­


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression turned grave. Even without listening further, he knew what the lich was saying. As it was a rtionship tied by the contract, he could feel their eagerness.


    ¡°Why?¡± Joshua couldn¡¯t hold back his question.


    What the lich desperately wanted was none other than then its former owner, Berber, so that it would be relieved of its pain.


    Just then, a voice interrupted from behind Joshua, a voice carrying intolerable rage.


    ¡°You! You can¡¯t be thinking¡ª!¡±


    Joshua turned around. It was his attendant Ash. He was visibly shaking with his ts clenched tightly.


    ¡°Ash¡­?¡±


    Ash gritted his teeth as he stared at Berber. Memories surfaced in his mind.


    ***


    Amidst a thick, verdant forest, a blonde boy was walking with a worried expression on his face when someone called out to him.


    ¡°Mr. Elenburs!¡±


    The boy turned. A man jumped over a fallen tree and dashed over.


    ¡°I found it!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    At those words, the boy¡¯s face immediately lit up.


    From an outsider¡¯s perspective, the situation seemed odd because the older man seemed overly respectful of the boy, who only came up to his chest.


    This, however, was to be expected, given that they were elves.


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    By this time, the man had reached the boy. He spoke without bothering to catch his breath.


    ¡°It¡¯s in the human empire known as Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Avalon?¡±


    The boy quietly repeated the word, then his face seemed to express that it was as expected.


    Since it was said that his homnd was an empire called Avalon, this oue did note as a surprise.


    ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    After that, two figures darted out of the forest immediately.


    ***


    The young elf stood in the heart of a busy marketce with his cloak hood over his head.


    ¡°Is that¡­ really her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I have no doubt.¡±


    The boy fell silent at the man¡¯s response.


    A woman was running errands as she carried a basket on her head. She was perhaps twenty years old and looked so frail that it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if she copsed instantly. She had been cured of her illness, but it appeared she would not survive long.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that he was a powerful mage by human standards. But when Jerath dek Orbis disappeared, her family copsed, and she ended up working as a maid for a different household.¡±


    The boy gritted his teeth before the man couldplete his sentence.


    ¡°Seems like his daughter is one of his lowest priorities. He was focused on monopolizing the root of the World Tree and didn¡¯t want others to benefit from it or take it away.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Fortify the perimeter¡ªwe don¡¯t know when he will reappear and give up the secrets of the Forest.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    The boy nodded at the man¡¯s response. He thought for a while beforeing to a decision.


    <em>¡®First¡­¡¯</em>


    He walked toward the woman. She seemed to have noticed someone approaching her because she flinched. Then, she entered an alleyway and straightened her back.


    ¡°...There¡¯s no need for you to be nervous.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an old friend of your father.¡±


    ¡°Friend?¡± The woman¡¯s eyes widened dramatically.


    ¡°Yes, a friend.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°He was the only human being I ever considered as a friend.¡±


    The boy slightly lifted the hood so she could see him. The look of surprise on her face was priceless.


    ¡°An e-elf?¡±


    With that response, the boy reached an immediate conclusion¡ªshe truly didn¡¯t know anything.


    ¡°I will give you a present.¡±


    He had purposefully waited until she walked into a deserted alleyway. He pulled out a ring he had prepared and started engraving something on it.


    <em>Scratch, scratch, scratch.</em>


    Strange patterns appeared rapidly as he engraved the ring. Since he just needed to put the finishing touches, it was a rtively quick process.


    <em>Whoooong!</em>


    Soon after, the ring was bathed in brilliant light as the elf sted it with mana.


    ¡°Wah!¡± The woman¡¯s eyes lit up at the unusual sight.


    <em>¡®Thest thing I need is a drop of tear.¡¯</em>


    <em>Drip.</em>


    A drop of his tear soaked into the ring.


    While the ring would keep the woman safe from harm, it would also serve as a form of fetter. No matter where she went, he would be able to find her. Whoever wore the ring, even if it was just once, their scent would be imprinted, and that wouldn¡¯t change even if they took it off.


    However¡­


    ¡°What a fucked up turn of events¡­¡±


    It didn¡¯t turn out the way he wanted as, not long after, the boy stood in front of a grave.


    Her short life had ended.


    ***


    ¡°....¡±


    Finally free of his thoughts, Ash raised his head.


    ¡°Ke¡­Kekekekeke!¡±


    Berberughed even as he was turning into dust.


    ¡°Jerath, you!¡±


    The lich had clearly said ¡°new master.¡± That meant its former master was definitely Jerath.


    Ash looked at Berber before letting the question leave his mouth.


    ¡°Did you turn your daughter into an undead?¡±

 Chapter 285

    Chapter 285


    ¡°You still don¡¯t understand?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ash inquired incredulously as he tried to decipher Berber''s words.


    ¡°You should be able to understand; after all, you¡¯re my old friend, Eleburs¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say nonsense!¡± Ash angrily yelled back. ¡°What you¡¯ve done is no different than killing your own child twice. Who would be able to understand?¡±


    ¡°An elf talking about fatherly love? Hahaha¡­. How funny.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Berber¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Elenburs, you must have a dream as well.¡±


    ¡°Don''t give me that hogwash. Where the hell is the root of the World Tree?¡±


    ¡°Amunity that finally sees the light and learns to coexist with its fellow human beings again.¡±


    Ash¡¯s spewing rage was suddenly cut off.


    ¡°That''s what you wanted, right?¡±


    ¡°What is the point of bringing that up?!¡±


    ¡°We are the same.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Ash¡¯s eyes widened a bit.


    ¡°You and I, aren¡¯t we in the same position? Both damaged beyond repair by people''s ridiculous ambition and now fed up.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Their lust degraded your people to merely objects to sate their lust, and their greed turned me into the monster that I am right now,¡± Berber spoke in a low voice.


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°You know, I couldn¡¯t help but think, why should I, a meless innocent, be punished for their filthy lust?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I wasn¡¯t strong enough,¡± Berber snarled. ¡°No talent, no status, and no power. I was just average. I didn¡¯t have the power to defeat and crush them. I needed power that no one would dare underestimate me; be someone so powerful that they wouldn¡¯t even dare to covet my power!¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I asked myself how I could get the power that I needed. I wondered whether I should organize a coup d''¨¦tat and sit at the top of the human world. Or whether I should cross the ss 8 wall and beyond, which the mages only know as myth and legend.¡±


    Berber shook his head slightly.


    ¡°All of it was too hard,¡± he quietly murmured. ¡°Not only was it unlikely, but I didn¡¯t know how long it would take. Then I thought of a faster and easier approach than that.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Ash¡¯s mouth dropped as he guessed the rest.


    ¡°I realized there was a group of monsters that uses the desires of the people as a source of their power¡ªthe Demon Kings with the power of evil sins.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why? Isn¡¯t this a reason to rejoice? Think of the pleasure that you would feel by using that desire to fuel your revenge!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy. You really sold your soul to the devil, then?¡±


    Theta, who was off to one side silently listening, seemed confused. If they were talking about the difficulties they faced, then both Berber and himself were in the same predicament. But, of course, it had never urred to Theta to sign a contract with demons.


    ¡°An ordinary person would never be able to understand¡­ But Elenbrs, you would¡ª¡±


    ¡°What was the reason you turned your daughter into a lich?¡±


    The soft tone of Ash¡¯s speech made Berber grin slightly.


    ¡°Manpower is another kind of power. But I had no need for humans who regrly betray others. I needed an army that would listen to me and only me.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°She also wanted that.¡±


    Ash swallowed his rage before speaking. ¡°Why did you take the World Tree¡¯s source?¡±


    ¡°I needed riches.¡±


    ¡°Riches?¡± Ash was confused.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s me, there was no guarantee that the Demon King would show up or form a contract with me, so I needed to have a backup n. I needed something that even a Demon King would covet¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°A dragon heart would have been ideal, but if I had the power to get that, then I wouldn¡¯t have considered signing a contract with a Demon King in the first ce.¡±


    All of a sudden, Berber started to shake violently.


    ¡°I¡­ I was¡­ craving for¡­ more than this¡­ I need¡­ kuh¡­ keugh¡ª Now¡­ there¡¯s not much left. If it¡¯s him¡­ my dream is possible¡­ It could havee true.¡±


    Berber had been speaking to Ash, but he turned a resentful gaze on Joshua.


    ¡°I will be there to see you burn, Joshua Sanders. You will never¡ª¡±


    He couldn¡¯tplete hisst words before hepletely disintegrated.


    Berber had been one of Joshua¡¯s biggest enemies in his previous life, but now, Berber¡¯s long, long life had finally reached its final chapter.


    However, Joshua said nothing even after attaining one of his lifelong ambitions.


    It wasn''t any different with Ash.


    It was because neither one of them could get rid of the unease they felt in a corner of their heart.


    <em>¡®At this rate¡­¡¯</em>


    Iceline watched the situation unfold right in front of her eyes. She was about to act when a voice from below interrupted her.


    - What a waste. I lost a prized horse.


    ¡°Who¡­?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s wide eyes belied her surprise when an unidentified voice echoed through the floor. She nced around, convinced that she must have misheard.


    However, everyone else was reacting simrly to her.


    In the meantime, the mysterious voice continued to speak.


    - I put in quite a bit of effort in him¡­ who knew I would lose him like this.


    ¡°Asmodeus¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s voice slipped from between clenched teeth. The expressions of those around him morphed into looks of shock.


    ¡°A-Asmodeus?¡± Iceline gasped.


    ¡°The greatest of the demons?¡± Theta muttered in shock.


    - But it doesn¡¯t matter since you appeared. When you first showed up, I was happier than I¡¯d ever been.


    Who was the demon speaking to? No one was responding to him, yet he continued to speak.


    - The current Demon Realm is the embodiment of chaos.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Since the Demon God mysteriously vanished, an evesting war has been raging between the Eight Demon Kings.


    ¡°....¡±


    - I wanted to see someone upset the delicately managed equilibrium of forces, but I knew it would need an entity with at least the same level of strength as the Kings. And deep down, I wanted that to be me.


    ¡°...!¡±


    - I wanted to regain the glory of the past. That was why I appeared in the middle earth, even with all the risks that came with it. Some of the forces here were appealing even to myself and worth consideration. But¡­


    A sense of happiness crept into the low voice as it spoke.


    - But in the middle of all that, you materialized in front of my eyes.


    Iceline and Theta¡¯s gazes were drawn inexorably to the same spot. Even though no one had told them, they had a strong feeling about who the ¡°you¡± Asmodeus was talking about.


    - If it is your power, it would not only upset the status quo, but it will also bring monumental change to the Demon Realm.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Hehehe, how fun. The Demon Realm has been so dull for so long, and now a fresh breeze will blow in.


    Joshua¡¯s mouth slowly opened. ¡°... Let me ask you something. What exactly are you here for?¡±


    - What am I here for¡­ As I stated before¡ª


    ¡°What. Something like ¡®regain the glory of the past¡¯? That¡¯s a load of bullshit. You¡¯re Asmodeus, the greediest demon.¡±


    There was an unsettling silence before Asmodeus burst intoughter.


    - Hahahahaha¡­ As I thought¡­


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    - Please don¡¯t be too impatient.


    Asmodeus''s tone abruptly became respectful.


    - I¡¯ve waited for such a long time, I don¡¯t even remember if it¡¯s hundreds or thousands of years. Compared to that, this is just a fleeting moment. You should savor this moment.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Besides, don''t you have a lot of other things to do?


    Asmodeusughed softly when Joshua remained silent.


    - Hahaha! Let¡¯s take this a bit slower; take our time a bit. I will be patiently waiting for you on the top of the hill where the ck moon rises. So, do whatever you must do, for you were once the most revered light and the ¡®Sole Darkness.¡¯


    ¡°Light¡­ and Sole Darkness?¡± Iceline wondered.


    At that moment, there was a surge of demonic power, making their eyes widen. The ce was quickly engulfed in total darkness.


    ¡°What is this?¡±


    - This is myst gift to you.


    ¡°...!¡±


    - I will anxiously await our next encounter.


    With those parting words, Asmodeus vanished entirely.


    Ash, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up.


    ¡°...The Seal of Contract¡± he whispered.


    Theta and Iceline''s eyes widened.


    Out of the darkness, a pattern began to emerge on the floor. It was in the pattern of a crown, and its deep crimson color and sinister feel suggested it was painted with blood.


    The Seal Contract, otherwise known as the demons¡¯ seal.


    ¡°Step back,¡± Ash ordered.


    Theta and Iceline stared at him, still as statues.


    ¡°HURRY!¡±


    They scurried away, but a single person was walking towards the center.


    <em>Step.</em>


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Ash yelled when he noticed Joshua. ¡°That pattern represents a deal with the demons, and no one can predict what type of creature would show up and take interest in you.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Joshua cut him off. ¡°Even if the Eight Demon King with the power of Evil Sines out¡­ It won¡¯t be me that gets destroyed in the end¡±


    Joshua''s faint voice was the only thing that could be heard in the room. He took a few steps toward the pattern


    <em>Whooooooong!</em>


    It resonated through the floor as though something underneath had been waiting for it, and the symbol slowly started to float upwards.

 Chapter 286

    Chapter 286


    Ash felt uneasy. His mouth was so dry from how nervous he was.


    The Seal of Contract was a connection to the demon world. It was the same as a contract with a spirit, so Ash knew that danger better than anybody else in the room.


    The Seal was an appeal to an unspecified being. Not only was the contractor a kind of sacrifice, but they also needed to prepare specific items as offerings as well.


    For example, for the elves¡¯ contract with the fire spirit, they had to obtain flints from the Wolf¡¯s Mountain. Of course, this wasn¡¯tpletely necessary, but without the offerings, no one could predict what would emerge from the ashes.


    <em>Whooo! Whooo!</em>


    ¡°Urk¡ª¡± Ash moaned softly as the wind raged.


    Soon, ferocious demonic power filled the area. Even at first nce, the power that was filling the area was unnatural.


    The sacrifice was <em>him</em>, a man who was only nominally a human, and his brilliant red spear was, even in the eyes of an elf like Ash, a rare artifact.


    ¡°If a Demon King really appears¡­¡± Ash mumbled. He clenched his teeth nervously. No matter how he thought about it, this wasn¡¯t right.


    ¡®<em>I need to put an end to this.¡¯</em>


    Ash didn''t doubt Joshua, but the stakes were just too high.


    This was the descent of a Demon King. This was no longer an issue restricted to the elven n¡ªit was possible the entirety of middle earth would be soaked in blood.


    ¡°Stop¡­.¡±


    ¡°Is it here?¡± Joshua spoke in a low voice.


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened. He suddenly felt a massive presence. He had felt Asmodeus¡¯s might firsthand, so he knew that what he was feeling right now was at least as strong as Asmodeus; no, it might be even stronger.


    <em>Kwaaaadik!</em>


    With an eerie sound, the very air around them suddenly began to freeze.


    The Seal itself turned a forbidding crimson red. Something changed in the middle of the pattern.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s toote.¡¯</em>


    Ash¡¯s face became the picture of desperation.


    In the middle of the raging demonic power, a being was slowlying into existence. Fangs that glistened with an unknown substance, a sharp horn on its forehead, and covered in pink scales that gave it an elegant vibe¡­


    ¡°Huh?¡± Ash realized something was off and gaped dumbly at the sight.


    He looked at the fully formed being in confusion.


    Was this how a dragon would look if it were shrunk until it became miniature? It was a tiny pink-scaled monster, not quite one meter in length. It stretched its mouth as though yawning.


    ¡°Kyuu?¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡ª!¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes sparkled in that girlish way.


    ¡°Hoh¡­ I know that brainless people are the noisiest, but this is seriously not funny,¡± Theta snarked irately.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    Only Joshua''s eyes were narrowed as he stared at the new addition to the group.


    ***


    The sky was pitch-ck. Not a trace of blue could be found, no matter how hard one looked. A red moon loomed overhead, shining brightly between the shes of lightning.


    A location like this didn''t seem like it would exist anywhere else, nor would anybody ever imagine that it did. It was only normal to feel that way in such a situation. This was a ce far from the continent of Igrant.


    It was a world inhabited by monsters and demons, where the strong survive at the expense of the weak; it was the Demon Realm.


    ¡°Hahaha. Is this not a return of our past glory?¡±


    At the edge of a cliff, a tall half-naked manughed darkly. He had two horns protruding on the side of his head like a bull. He was a former Demon King, but now, he was merely a 32nd-ranked demon.


    ¡°Is your task done, Mr. Asmodeus?¡±


    ¡°Ahh. It¡¯s still very early. The work is¡­ very interesting.¡±


    Asmodeus grinned in response to the inquiry from his red-skinned, bald-headed assistant, who also sported wings and horns. His assistant was a daemon.


    ¡°You seem to be in good spirits, sir.¡±


    ¡°How could I not be happy by the return of the greatest Battle Ghost in all of the Heavenly Demon Realm? Hehe¡­¡±


    The other demon stared at Asmodeus nkly before speaking. ¡°Sir? Then that means¡­¡±


    ¡°The Sole Darkness has appeared.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The daemon¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I-is that¡ª is that true?!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I was unsure at first as well, but now¡­ I¡¯m certain.¡±


    ¡°In the¡­ middle earth?¡±


    Asmodeus nodded in response.


    ¡°I just came back from conversing with him. I personally oversaw the contract¡¯s creation.¡±


    The daemon was absolutely shocked by Asmodeus¡¯s statement.


    ¡°But why¡­?¡± The demon grumbled worriedly. ¡°Sir Asmodeus, if what you¡¯re saying is true, then wouldn¡¯t it be too dangerous? He is the original wielder of the Evil Sin¡¯s power, and if he regained the power of ¡®egotism¡¯...¡±


    Asmodeus shook his head firmly.


    ¡°That''s impossible. As you¡¯re aware, the Demon Kings can¡¯t afford to meddle in the affairs of middle earth. ¡°


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But then again¡­ who knows what the Demonic Dragon of Lust will do.¡±


    Asmodeus continued with a sly grin on his lips when the daemon remained silent.


    ¡°Besides, right now, he¡¯s no different than being sealed inside a piece of metal.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why did you create the Seal of Contract?¡± the daemon enquired.


    Asmodeus'' grin widened.


    ¡°It¡¯ll spread the news of his existence throughout the Demon Realm, won¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The daemon¡¯s eyes grew big, it seemed like it realized something.


    ¡°Demon kings will jump out of hiding like their feet are on fire because of his reappearance. The more mistakes they make because of their impatience, the more intense the rivalry will be.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± The daemon trailed off.


    Asmodeus raised a finger.


    ¡°Poison will be subdued by poison.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The daemon¡¯s jaw went ck.


    ¡°After staying in middle earth for a period of time, that was one of the most remarkable things that I¡¯ve heard. I¡¯m not wishing forplete destruction. But if just one of them, especially the one with the power of ¡®Rage,¡¯ shows even the slightest gap¡­¡±


    There was a flicker of emotion in Asmodeus¡¯s eyes for a moment.


    ¡°I will make my move¡±


    ***


    ¡°I just can¡¯t seem to get used to that strange creature at all. I¡¯ve heard and seen records of doppelgangers, but¡­¡±


    Theta shook his head as he looked up into the air where the pink creature was flying around, going, ¡°kyuu kyuu.¡±


    The fact that Joshua, the concerned party, did not even react to it was astonishing.


    ¡°How about you? You were squealing earlier about how you were going to die from cuteness overload, so why are you silent now?¡±


    Theta asked Iceline, but she remained silent.


    ¡°Iceline?¡±


    He tilted his head in confusion at the silence, then he turned back to look at her.


    He was dumbfounded.


    She was bouncing up and down and looked absolutely silly with her mouth wide open. Her face turned pink and then pale, and then the cycle repeated itself. Her attention was squarely focused on one spot.


    ¡°Just what on earth are you¡­¡±


    His eyes followed Iceline¡¯s gaze; he froze.


    There was another strange creature, a doppelganger that looked exactly like Joshua, approaching.


    <em>¡®Two Joshuas!¡¯</em>


    Despite Theta¡¯s gaze burning into her, Iceline continued to stare and ¡®fantasize.¡¯


    ***


    ¡°Iceline.¡±


    ¡°I, I¡¯m not mentally or emotionally prepared yet¡­¡±


    The Joshua in her fantasy reached for her hand. It was only natural that Iceline¡¯s face turned red.


    Just then, she felt something hard behind her. Iceline¡¯s pupils dted. Another Joshua, who looked much like the one in front of her, pressed against her. She was trapped between two identical Joshuas.


    Her soft body against hard muscles, the contrast of soft and hard¡­ A moan escaped from her slightly parted pink lips.


    ***


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m thinking!¡± Iceline buried her face in her hands and copsed to her knees.


    Theta gave her a perplexed look and sighed. ¡°What the hell is she thinking¡­¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯ve tried this Tower before, right?¡± Joshua suddenly asked him.


    Theta turned to face him. Ahead of them was an iron door that led to the next level. Theta, being exceptionally perceptive, quickly grasped Joshua''s meaning.


    ¡°The 30th floor is a strategic battle for a stronghold,¡± Theta responded. ¡°Leave this one to me. I know an approach that, while time-consuming, will yield the desired results.¡±


    Theta pushed against the heavy iron door.


    <em>Creeaaak.</em>


    The door opened with a horrible creaking sound, revealing the interior.


    There was no need to exin the floor further. The magnificent castle they saw was quite obviously some distance away, and many beasts stood between them and their destination.


    ¡°I see; it¡¯s a monster stronghold.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all. Hundreds of wyverns are watching with sharp eyes over there. The 30th floor is not hard for nothing. If I push myself, a day will be enough.¡±


    ¡°But what can you even aplish with that body?¡± Iceline questioned Theta as she frowned.


    Theta ignored her objection and kept talking to Joshua.


    ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s not simply a stronghold. It''s an iron fortress defended by monsters with human intellect. If you don''t pay attention to the details, you''ll never¡ª¡±


    ¡°How simple.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°Simply put, the 30th floor is cleared the moment we upy the stronghold over there, right?¡±


    Joshua smiled.


    ¡°....¡± Theta couldn¡¯t say a word in reply.


    ¡°A simple yet devastating strategy for storming a fortress has been passed down through the ages.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Iceline asked with a gleam in her eye. She had the utmost faith in Joshua.


    ¡°Human wave attack.¡±


    ¡°Human wave attack?¡± Iceline repeated, baffled.


    Joshua nced at her before turning to Theta.


    ¡°I can¡¯t afford to lose a day here.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°10 minutes should be enough.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Theta¡¯s eyes widened.


    Joshua slowly lowered his hand to the ground.


    ¡°Listen to mymand.¡±


    <em>Craaaack.</em>


    With that one sentence, the ground split into two.

 Chapter 287

    Chapter 287


    At the top of the Magic Tower, Evergrant, the newly appointed Tower Master, stared intently at the center of the table. He had discovered something unusual¡ªa most unexpected result¡ªjust a few minutes ago. Along with the long-lost light of Thunderbolt¡¯s sphere, he found that the light of the Red me and Void¡¯s spheres were nowhere to be seen.


    And just then, another marble was reduced to dust with a barely audible sigh¡ªbut it was not on top of the table this time; it was in Evergrant¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Jerath, even you¡­¡± Evergrant muttered with clenched teeth.


    There were only a handful of beings who could pose a danger to them on the continent. With that bit of information, Evergrant had already reached a conclusion: he was one hundred percent certain that the mages¡¯ demise was caused by <em>him</em>.


    ¡°I should¡¯ve just destroyed the Agnus Duchy before¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Evergrant.¡±


    Evergrant slowly turned his head when he heard a voice behind him. A robed man with slightly hunched shoulders waited there.


    ¡°The other side hase back with a response to the problem you ordered to be handled the other day.¡±


    ¡°What did they say?¡±


    ¡°For the first time in decades, the fully stable system has been disturbed. They acknowledged the gravity of the situation and stated their willingness to agree to it.¡±


    As a result of the man''s reply, Evergrant¡¯s stony face rxed a little.


    ¡°The date is next month, about two years earlier than before. We¡¯ll send safety notifications two days in advance.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The man wasn¡¯t done, but he hesitated. ¡°Excluding the Tower Master, there will be a total of four attendees¡­¡±


    ¡°Four people?¡± Evergrant tilted his head.


    ¡°Originally, everyone would havee, but they cited the precarious situation as an excuse and will not be attending. And so, only a representative from each of the three major empires that have two Stars will being.¡±


    ¡°Then, thest one¡­?¡±


    ¡°The King of Darkness has announced his intention to take participate.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Evergrant fell silent. The King of Darkness¡¯s involvement came as a surprise since he wasn¡¯t the type to care much about the world around him.


    <em>¡®Then¡­¡¯</em> Evergrant¡¯s thoughts halted as his eyes suddenly snapped open.<em> ¡®Is it for revenge?¡¯</em>


    If that was the case, then it wasn¡¯t all that bad.


    Except for the King of Darkness, everything was going as expected.


    Hubalt Empire¡¯s Martial Emperor and God¡¯s Knight.


    Avalon Empire¡¯s Sword Emperor and Dark God.


    Since the Swallow Empire was missing one person, it only had one Star remaining.


    From the beginning, he hadn¡¯t considered the King of Darkness, who was an external power, and the other four Kings. Only the Tower Master had been considered.


    <em>¡®Perhaps things will work out easier than expected.¡¯</em>


    Evergrant finally pulled himself out of his thoughts and look at the man.


    ¡°In the event that you do obtain a detailed list, please inform me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Most certainly. And¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°What of Ian tun Murrary, Marcus, and Elisha¡¯s future in captivity¡ª¡±


    ¡°Prepare for an execution ceremony as soon as Terra¡¯s personnel arrive,¡± Evergrant said before the other man couldplete his sentence.


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°This is the long-awaited first step towards an empire of the great mages, so do not ck off in preparations.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I understand.¡±


    ¡°Now get out,¡± Evergrant directed.


    The man bowed deeply and hurriedly departed the room.


    ¡°Revenge¡­¡± Evergant murmured to himself.


    He grinned grimly once he was alone in the chamber.


    He was not like <em>him</em> at all. Evergrant had no intention of ruining his grand n because he couldn¡¯t control his desire for immediate revenge.


    Once everything happened as nned, he would be able to achieve everything he had ever wanted.


    <em>¡®Even if you have everything in the world, you still can''t achieve anything without the help of others.¡¯</em>


    An emotion flitted across Evergrant¡¯s face. He had been rejected by both his family and his country. An individual could not go against a group. If he could not win in a one-on-one battle, then he would win through a war.


    His dream was slowlying to fruition.


    Evergrant clenched his fist tightly.


    ***


    <em>Step, step, step.</em>


    The intrusive pounding of feet pained their ears.


    Joshua moved forward without hesitation.


    Theta¡¯s brows furrowed at the sight. Based on his memory, there were more than ten thousand monsters on the 30th floor. He had thought that Joshua had some kind of n, but it was obvious that Joshua intended to take them head-on.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Theta¡¯s eyes flew open at Joshua¡¯s words.


    Cracks formed on the ground they were standing on. Soon, the demonic power that Joshua began to radiate was felt everywhere¡ªTheta could feel it down to his bones.


    With a metallic nk, two hundred Duhans rose from the ground. Soon after, a thousand skull knights ttered upward from the earth. Five figures dressed in robes took the center, and the death knights joined the party.


    ¡°Holy shi¡ª¡±


    In a fraction of a second, a legion of supernatural beings came to being


    Iceline¡¯s jaw dropped, while Theta¡¯s eyebrow flew up in shock. Even though he had witnessed it himself, he still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    That was reasonable since only mages who wield ck magic couldmand the dead, and even then, it was only the Necromancers who had that particr set of abilities.


    Soon, a magnificent show began right in front of them.


    Joshua pointed his spear towards the stronghold a kilometer away.


    ¡°Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    Perhaps it was announcing the beginning of the war?


    Before Theta could even sort out his thoughts, the Lord of Duhans materialized in front of him and screamed. The Wild King approached beside him and emitted fighting power from every pore of his body. The army''s focus was now concentrated on one area.


    Joshua''s spear was aimed squarely at the stronghold.


    ¡°Advance.¡±


    The volume of Joshua''s voice may have been low, but it carried clearly.


    That was the beginning.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Joshua¡¯s army took a step as one.


    The ground trembled with that single move. It vibrated. It shook.


    <em>Thud, thud, thud, thud!</em>


    The vibrations became faster as the army moved.


    The highest-ranking undeads in the army were at the vanguard.


    The liches pointed their staffs in the air, unleashing demonic power.


    <em>Whoooong!</em>


    A terrible sound rang through the air.


    <em>Crackk</em>.


    Eight white horses sprang out of thin air after that. They weren¡¯t white because their hair was white; they were white because they were undead horses made only of bones. As their hooves propelled them through the air, they released demonic air.


    ¡°Ghost horses?¡±


    Theta¡¯s jaw dropped. His ability to see ck magic was unrivaled, but this ck magic was almost never used now; he never imagined he¡¯d see it.


    <em>- Neighhhh!</em>


    Seven ghost horses set out to locate their riders. Five of them went to the death knights that had be Joshua¡¯s servants inside the Tower. The other two went to the Wild King and Kasselon. Finally, thergest and most powerful ghost horse went to stand before Joshua. It blew ck mes through its nostrils as it softly neighed.


    Joshua gave the horse¡¯s nose a quick pat and then jumped off the ground to climb onto its back.


    <em>Screeeeech!</em>


    Meanwhile, the Wyvern''s screams pierced their ears like they had been waiting for Joshua.


    The war had already begun.


    ck beams were cast out of the liches¡¯ hands. One by one, the wyverns were brought down by the beams, lending an acidic odor to the air that stung their noses.


    ¡°Kwaaaaaaagh!¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Theta¡¯s eye widened.


    This time, a massive explosion shook the upper ground.


    There was a castle gate far too grand and borate that it was difficult to believe it was a monster stronghold, but an undead death knight lightly swung its saw-toothed de and ripped the gate like it was a sheet of paper.


    ¡°That¡¯s fu¡ª¡± Expletives spilled uncontrobly from Theta¡¯s lips.


    It wasn¡¯t just the skies and the castle gate.


    The duhans and the skull knights had yet to follow them. It was just the small group of undead in the vanguard that were ughtering everything in their way.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Is that even possible?¡±


    Theta¡¯s expression said it was impossible for him to believe what he was seeing.


    A huge duhan, one at least twice as big as a regr one, let out a roar. As if it was Dragon Fear, it was so terrifying that even an ogre known for its ferocity would scamper away.


    ¡°It¡¯s like a one-man army.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no one like him. Common sense doesn¡¯t apply to him.¡± Iceline spoke softly.


    ¡°The impact of this on the continent¡­¡± Theta mused.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What would the continental people think if they saw this? Would they think, ¡®Wow, that¡¯s amazing¡¯ as they cheer and p?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°As if. The entire continent would be instantly swept up, and I¡¯m sure there would be some who¡¯d be absolutely <em>thrilled</em>. Think about it. A foreigner who went beyond a Master to be a Superhuman, but turns out he¡¯s a ck mage.¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡±


    ¡°Not to mention, this was theirpetitor who¡¯s been raising his fame and value¡­ <em>Haa</em>. Did I pick the wrong side? Just the Tower Master on his own was a pain in my ass, but now, the entire continent might be an enemy¡­¡±


    ¡°So are you saying that you regret it?¡± Iceline¡¯s exquisite eyebrows furrowed. ¡°If you¡¯re afraid, then why don¡¯t you change sides now?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°For a man, you sure don¡¯t have any guts¡­ You¡¯re not going to be much of a help.¡±


    Iceline red at Theta.


    A quiet fell that was strange, unexpected, and out of ce on the chaotic battlefield.


    Theta stared at Iceline with an odd look in his eyes. ¡°Do you like him?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    He had struck a killing blow. Within seconds, Iceline''s face was flushed to the point that her earlobes were visibly red.


    ¡°Hoh?¡± Thetaughed in disbelief.


    ¡°No!¡±


    ¡°Your response was a bitte there.¡±


    ¡°Eek!¡±


    Their positions had flipped in a heartbeat.


    Iceline was saved from her predicament by a sound.


    It was a huge, deafening noise that could not bepared to anything else. Both of their heads swiveled around simultaneously.


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Iceline''s mouth opened as she eximed.


    On the roof of the stronghold, a person stood looking down. As Joshua had promised, the monsters on the 30th floor were wiped out in under ten minutes.

 Chapter 288

    Chapter 288


    <em><strong>Trigger Warning: Suicide</strong></em>


    The 40th floor of the Tower of Trials was called the Demon¡¯s Section. Joshua¡¯spany was just in front of it.


    Theta had been in a state of resignation for a while. They¡¯d cleared the floors below them in less than a day, all thanks to Joshua¡¯s strength alone.


    ¡°God, man. It''s so fucking unfair,¡± Theta muttered while pouting.


    The army of undead on the 30th floor had been just the beginning. They pushed with overwhelming numbers, and the monster stronghold had been captured in an instant.


    But that wasn¡¯t all.


    Even the booby traps that boasted so much power were useless in front of him! Flesh-eating mists, magic traps that breathed mes, even with the monsters constantly pouring in from all sides¡ªJoshua had defeated them all with his power alone.


    And the final stretch was nearing.


    The Demon¡¯s Section, 40th floor, was also called the Room of Illusions.


    ¡°...I swear, this is cheating,¡± Theta continued to mutter.


    A fog obscured their view, but someone was moving forward without hesitation.


    Theta gaped.


    Iceline¡¯s face was once again pale white, a familiar scene for Theta.


    There was a reason for both of them to be looking like this.


    It had started only ten minutes ago.


    ***


    Fog covered the entirety of the 40th floor.


    The Room of Illusions really lived up to its name. Its victims were tested by illusions, but the illusions were so convincing it was indistinguishable from reality. It went beyond just the five senses of the human body; the illusion even created pain.


    In the past, Theta had struggled greatly on this floor.


    The Tower Master Ian tun Murray, Theta¡¯s greatest teacher and one of the Nine Stars, had had to fight desperately with him.


    Theta shivered a little as he recalled that incident.


    ¡°It would be best not to move recklessly here,¡± Theta warned in a low voice. ¡°If your body is exposed to that fog even slightly¡ª¡±


    However, warnings were always one step behind.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Iceline had inadvertently stretched out her hand toward the fog and was swallowed up in it.


    ¡°No!¡±


    Theta¡¯s cry was thest thing Iceline heard before she was sucked into the mist.


    ***


    Iceline looked nkly around at her fog-filled surroundings.


    ¡°Where¡­?¡±


    In front of her, a man slowly appeared like her ghost.


    ¡°Miss.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Iceline¡¯s eyes widened at the sight. She was surprised, but soon, joy spread over her face.


    ¡°Viscount Vince? How are you here?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just him.


    ¡°We are also here.¡±


    ¡°Baron nco? Even Viscountess Seter!¡±


    From the same ce, well over twenty people appeared next to them. The important thing was that all of them were faces from Iceline''s memory; they were the vassals of her family that had been annihted by Marquis Crombell.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Why did you forsake us?¡±


    Iceline¡¯s heart dropped as her expression crumpled.


    ¡°Sorry¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­ I, if I¡­ had been with you back then, then¡ª¡±


    ¡°WHY!¡±


    Before she knew it, countless figures surrounded her.


    <em>Hic.</em>


    Iceline hupped.


    The features of the people, who were no different than her family, began to change. Simply put, their new appearance was horrific.


    Viscount Vince looked at her with one arm missing, but he was the best out of everyone. Baron nco¡¯s intestines spilled out of his torn abdomen. A third of Viscount Tommy''s scalp was missing, and his brain was visible. She saw Viscountess Seter¡¯s severely burnt and scarred skin.


    Soon, they were all cursing at her¡ªvicious and cruel words.


    ¡°Stop spouting bullshit when you don¡¯t even mean it!¡±


    ¡°Terrible bitch! Not even a monster would eat your body if it was ripped and shredded for them!¡±


    ¡°If only your kind-hearted father, Rebra, had a different mind, everyone could have survived! And even enjoyed even greater wealth and honor!¡±


    ¡°You bitch¡ªwhile you were ying with your dirty fantasies of men, do you have any idea how long we¡¯ve been wandering Gucheon.¡± [1]


    ¡°This makes me so mad. I feel so resentful. Because of this bitch, we¡ª¡±


    Iceline couldn''t bear it any longer and closed her eyes and covered her ears.


    ¡°Please, please¡­¡±


    But it was no use. Their cries lodged even more deeply in her ears.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t because of this bitch!¡±


    ¡°Dream on!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re feeling even the slightest bit of guilt, then die right here!¡±


    ¡°That is the only way to release our deep resentment¡ª¡±


    Iceline wavered.


    <em>¡®Should I¡­ just die?¡¯</em>


    Lost in thought, her eyes soon turned gray. The only emotion left in her was devastation, and soon, even that was gone.


    Was there any reason to hesitate? She didn¡¯t have any particr attachments left. If there were, it¡¯d be her want of revenge and rebuilding her family.


    When she thought of those two things, she had no choice but to grit her teeth and continue to live, if only because she felt guilty. But if her family and the others who were involved wanted nothing more than for her to die, then¡­


    <em>¡®Right. I don¡¯t deserve to even live, let alone be happy¡­ Why did I have such dreams in the first ce? Pathetic¡­¡¯</em>


    But someone¡¯s face seemed to cross her mind. Perhaps it was because she was thinking of death?


    The man¡¯s abyss-like eyes were particrly memorable. However, if she thought about what the people in front of her had said, she couldn¡¯t continue to think about him.


    <em>¡®Let¡¯s just die.¡¯</em>


    She found her vassals looking at her with eyes full of anticipation. Iceline lowered her hands from her ears. She slowly brought them further down until they wrapped around her neck.


    Someone grabbed her wrist. Iceline¡¯s eyes widened.


    A single tear fell from her eyes.


    ¡°What are you thinking?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Iceline muttered absentmindedly. She bit her lip, unable to continue her words further.


    Her life would always be saved like this. She couldn¡¯t believe that she had been deceived by a mere illusion and had been trying to escape from reality¡­


    Iceline¡¯s head dropped. She couldn¡¯t face the person who had saved her.


    Joshua nced at Iceline, then he looked beyond her.


    ¡°I don''t know who made this ce, but this is a nasty piece of work.¡±


    ¡°Agreed, but¡­¡± Theta looked at Iceline before continuing his question. ¡°How did you get inside the fog without losing your way? And how can you interfere with someone¡¯s illusion¡ª?¡±


    Theta nced at Joshua.


    The fog around them had dispersed, unable to gather in one ce. It was pretty crazy, and Theta knew that better than anyone else. After all, this was not a normal fog. If this was a fog that could simply be blown away by the wind, then Theta would have been able to do the same.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re trying to acquire very valuable information that can¡¯t be bought even with billions¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make a deal with you.¡±


    ¡°A deal?¡± Theta cocked his head.


    Joshua smiled at him.


    ¡°Are you married?¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Theta replied. ¡°I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Cain. There is an order of knights created by my subordinates.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re basically jobless, why don¡¯t you try joining?¡±


    Theta seemed bewildered by Joshua¡¯s question.


    ¡°If you do, I''ll tell you everything you want.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to be your subordinate?¡±


    ¡°Formally, that¡¯s how it is, but you can think of it as a simple alliance. My purpose is to create a force that I can trust.¡±


    ¡°Look, I¡¯m not even a knight.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s say I¡¯ve created a job for an idle person who¡¯s just wandering around eating and ying.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ll be paid pretty decently too.¡±


    Theta couldn¡¯t say a word. Joshua¡¯sments seemed patronizing. Regardless of whether Theta epted or not, he was still aware of certain things.


    Joshua was from Avalon, a nation that was called the Empire of Knights. Mages and knights. Oil and water. No matter how he looked at it, the two would never mix.


    ¡°Seriously¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you think about itter,¡± Joshua cut Theta off. He stared straight ahead as if he considered their business finished. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that the power of each floor is maintained by a special core located somewhere on the floor?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Theta quickly nodded, brought to his senses by Joshua''s voice.


    ¡°Is it the same for the 40th floor, the one you said was the worst?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s the same.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s simple.¡± Joshua donned a satisfied smile.


    Theta froze.


    ¡°What are you going to do¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just watch from behind, like you¡¯ve been doing until now.¡±


    Theta furrowed his brows.


    ¡°Hey, I get how strong you are now. I get that you are not at the level of a <em>human</em> like me,¡± Theta spat sarcastically. Based on how he emphasized human, it seemed like his feelings were hurt.


    ¡°However, this ce is an exception. As you can see, it¡¯s not a ce where you can do anything with brute force.¡±


    Joshua smirked.


    ¡°Please be rest assured¡­ This time, I will be watching from the back as well.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta¡¯s face crumpled into a confused expression.


    Someone took a quick step out. Just based on appearances, he looked like Joshua¡­


    ¡°My familiar,¡± Joshua yfully informed Theta.


    The other Joshua strode through the fog, unaffected.


    Theta watched it go and frowned.


    ¡°Seriously,¡± he muttered. ¡°This is cheating.¡±


    1. Gucheon- a ce where the dead lingers ?

 Chapter 289

    Chapter 289


    While Joshua was ascending the Tower of Trials, Avalon¡¯s Emperor sat atop his lofty throne in the Great Hall as he looked down at his subjects.


    ¡°Aden,¡± he said in a nd tone of voice.


    The man in front of him had been standing with his head bowed, but at that, he straightened.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I have something urgent I need you to do for me.¡±


    ¡°As youmand, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I suspect that you¡¯re already aware of what I want you to do.¡± Emperor Marcus watched Aden hesitate and leaned forward slightly. ¡°I assume you received it as well?¡±


    ¡°What is <em>it</em> that you are referring to?¡±


    Emperor Marcus nced at Duke Tremblin, who was standing nearby with a smile on his face.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the invitation to Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°....¡± After a slight pause, Duke Agnus nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about the meeting of Stars, then yes, I did receive an invitation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so about that.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°I have already notified them that you will be representing Avalon.¡±


    Duke Agnus¡¯s expression darkened at those words.


    ¡°As you know, that isn¡¯t just a simple gathering of friends. We can¡¯t <em>not</em> go. We need to show that we are a powerful empire and that we will <em>remain</em> a powerful empire, especially in times like now.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°And we can¡¯t send Duke Tremblin in a chaotic situation like this¡­ You are the epitome of the empire.¡±


    Emperor Marcus looked Duke Agnus in the eye. By bringing in Duke Tremblin, Marcus was asking, ¡®What will you, the father and son pair, do once Duke Tremblin leaves his post?¡¯ He was silently talking about Joshua.


    ¡°So, Aden, what do you think?¡±


    ¡°...I think it is a reasonable decision, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It is, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Emperor Marcus gave a satisfied smile in response to Duke Agnus¡¯s unexpectedly submissive reply.


    ¡°But.¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Emperor Marcus scowled.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s expression lightened. It was his turn to retaliate.


    ¡°I believe that the primary agenda for gathering the Stars this time is to wee the new Star. That is also why we are holding the gathering years earlier than the usual date.¡±


    Duke Agnus didn''t try to avoid the Emperor''s eyes as he continued, making sure to enunciate every single word.


    ¡°Evergrant con Aswald is also the organizer of this gathering. Will we just ignore the traitor who betrayed the Empire for the Magic Tower, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    The Great Hall fell into suffocating silence.


    The three Superhumans didn¡¯t say anything else, but they were busy prodding each other for any visible weakness. It wouldn¡¯t be strange if a fight broke out at any moment. However¡­


    ¡°That is indeed right.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Duke Agnus''s eyes widened.


    To everyone''s surprise, it was the Mad Emperor Marcus himself who gave in first.


    ¡°Aden, what you said is certainly right. Traitors must be punished. If we say that we¡¯re attending the gathering in Reinhardt for the Empire¡¯s prestige, but leave the traitor who betrayed his own master alone, then we would certainly be ridiculed.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    A broad grin spread across the Emperor''s face. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why I said I had something urgent I needed you to do for me?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Duke Agnus donned a pained expression for a moment. It seemed like he realized he had been defeated.


    ¡°Behead the traitor Evergrant con Aswald at Reinhardt. Even if he¡¯s a so-called ss 8, he¡¯s just a mage¡­ I¡¯m pretty sure that you¡¯re skilled enough to get it done, right, Aden?¡± The Emperor sank backfortably into his chair and looked at the still-silent Duke Agnus. ¡°I¡¯m sure he picked Reinhardt as the gathering ce to avoid this.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°After all, fighting is absolutely forbidden in Reinhardt.¡±


    Reinhardt wasn¡¯t called the Neutral City for nothing. A conflict there could be interpreted as expansionism¡ªespecially if it involved a Star. Although it was a different story if a fight happened outside the city borders, fighting was strictly forbidden within the boundaries of Reinhardt.


    ¡°Then, shall we wrap things up?¡±


    Duke Agnus''s ck eyebrows twitched noticeably.


    ¡°Right now, Reinhardt¡¯s lord is a fugitive; wouldn¡¯t you say that it¡¯s a good opening for war?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Take Reinhardt after you send Evergrant¡¯s head flying. Meanwhile, Duke Tremblin, will remain behind and lead an army in an assault on Terra.¡±


    Out of all the countries, they were attacking Terra for a simple reason¡ªAvalon wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard and attacked from behind in the middle of a war. However, Terra was perfectly located to be stabbed in the back by Avalon.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯sughter continued for quite a while.


    ¡°Avalon¡¯s Continental War will finally begin,¡± he grimly finished. ¡°And if all goes ording to n with Terra and Reinhardt''s part¡­¡±


    A look of lunacy crept onto the Emperor''s face.


    ¡°Gather all of the Empire¡¯s troops in one strategic stronghold.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, where is that¡­?¡±


    An even wider grin spread across the Emperor''s face.


    ¡°The Kraden ins.¡±


    ¡°The Kraden¡­ ins!¡±


    Duke Agnus let out a pained groan. Those two words allowed him to understand the Emperor''s thoughtspletely.


    The Kraden ins¡ªit was the only spot on the continent where the three great empires converged.


    ***


    Twenty minutes had gone since the figure that looked like Joshua disappeared into the thick fog.


    ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡± Iceline mumbled nervously. ¡°Do you think something happened?¡±


    Theta couldn''t contain hisughter. ¡°You think the infamous doppelganger would be in trouble?¡±


    ¡°I mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Your worries are unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°Is it truly a doppelganger?¡±


    Theta gave Iceline a little shrug in response. ¡°Then, how else would you exin that?¡±


    ¡°But still, it¡¯s strange! Not only is the fact that a doppelganger exists odd, but it¡¯s surrendered to him¡ª¡±


    Theta jumped into the middle of Iceline¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°That''s a great endorsement of your husband, I''m sure,¡± he slyly whispered.


    ¡°H- husband?!¡± Iceline¡¯s normally pale cheeks instantly flushed scarlet.


    ¡°Wow, way to make it obvious you like that.¡±


    ¡°NO!¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ seems like you¡¯re protesting a bit too much?¡±


    ¡°IT¡¯S A MISUNDERSTANDING!¡±


    ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m sure it is.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hit you!¡±


    ¡°You? Hit me?¡± Theta pulled aical face when he saw Iceline raise her tiny hand. ¡°Can you hit me?¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just a ss 6.¡±


    Theta grinned smugly as he saw Iceline tremble in anger. Then, he stopped teasing her and began acting normal again.


    ¡°By the way, Avalon really messed up there. Actually, maybe this should be considered a catastrophe rather than a mess?¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡± Iceline red at him.


    He looked at her and then nced at Joshua, who had his back turned to them.


    ¡°His own power alone can reach the level of Superhumans, but he also has the demonic power to resurrect the undead. If that''s not catastrophic, then what is?¡±


    ¡°Are you being sarcastic?¡± Iceline''s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You two can return,¡± Joshua suddenly said.


    ¡°...!¡± Iceline''s head jerked around at his deep voice.


    ¡°This is all your fault!¡± Iceline shouted at Theta.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ who knew you¡¯d be this narrow-minded,¡± Theta said to Joshua.


    ¡°Anyone would be offended, too?¡± Iceline shouted.


    ¡°Are you on his side now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I¡¯m saying.¡±


    Joshua slowly turned as Iceline continued to rage.


    ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­¡± Theta tried to exin himself to Joshua.


    ¡°I mean, there''s probably no point in going up the Tower now, right?¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The only reason you came up here in the first ce is because the Magic Tower was pursuing you, and you had no choice but to hide here.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Theta realized what Joshua was saying. ¡°But it¡¯d be a pity if I just went down like this.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You know, as the Tower¡¯s caretaker, I want to see what¡¯s at the top of the Tower before I die.¡± Theta gave Joshua an odd look. ¡°If it¡¯s you, Joshua Sanders, then it mighte true.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re shameless.¡±


    The reply came from someone who was not Joshua.


    ¡°...Huh?¡± Theta turned to Iceline.


    ¡°You just want to get carried, don¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Theta furrowed his brow.


    ¡°It¡¯s amon expression among young mages these days. You¡¯re riding the coattails of someone powerful enough to do the job. While others travel for miles and miles on, your kind restsfortably and only does the bare minimum.¡±


    ¡°Huh.¡± Theta scoffed in disbelief before Iceline had even finished speaking. ¡°Then what about you?¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking why you¡¯re climbing the Tower.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s because¡­¡± Iceline went silent for a moment, and then she blushed. ¡°I want to be with¡­.¡±


    ¡°What? What did you say?¡± Theta leaned in. ¡°How about you answer me a bit louder? I can''t hear what you''re saying.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s not my business. I¡¯m a curious person and can¡¯t stand not knowing.¡±


    ¡°You have a nasty personality.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know.¡±


    Joshua''s voice interrupted their verbal sparring. ¡°It¡¯s taking too long.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go in,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Both of them turned their heads at his words.


    ¡°Why?¡± Theta asked. ¡°You already know, don¡¯t you? This cannot be solved by force alone.¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°And that is exactly why.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°When you look at it, previous traumas, weaknesses, and foes from long ago will show themselves in the fog,¡± Joshua carefully exined, an odd light shining in his eyes. ¡°The only way you can go further is to confront your limitations.¡±


    Joshua grinned brightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a free chance to learn your weaknesses, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really crazy,¡± Theta spat. ¡°You¡¯re probably the first person to say that in the history of mankind.¡±


    Iceline remembered what she had seen before, and she paled once again.


    And then there was silence.


    Even though he didn''t know Joshua for very long, Theta had a feeling that Joshua was more stubborn than a mule. All Theta could do was shake his head resignedly.


    Joshua stepped into the fog, allowing it to swallow him. Soon, he heard footsteps, but they were not his own. Joshua hadn¡¯t moved a muscle since entering the fog.


    <em>Step, step, step.</em>


    Joshua stared in the direction he was hearing the footsteps from. His eyes widened when he realized who it was.


    It was a familiar-looking man in his prime.


    ¡°...This ispletely unexpected.¡±


    <em>Shing. </em>


    The man raised his weapon in response. It was a greatsword so dark that it seemed impervious to any light.

 Chapter 290

    Chapter 290


    Duke Agnus practically fled from the Great Hall.


    ¡°Ha¡­ Hahahahaha!¡±


    The Emperor had been immersed in his thoughts for a while, but he suddenly burst intoughter.


    ¡°I already realized this, but Aden¡¯s acting skills are improving day by day, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°If that really is an act, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to match it, Your Majesty.¡± Duke Tremblin shook his head, keeping his eyes on the entrance of the Great Hall.


    ¡°That just means he¡¯s naturally talented at it. What a cunning man. However¡­¡± Emperor Marcus stood up from his throne as he smirked. ¡°He¡¯s not at my level.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°How many crises and obstacles have I ovee until now? How many times have I almost died?¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s eyes seemed to glow with madness.


    ¡°I drenched myself in my father¡¯s blood and stripped off the flesh of my brothers until I finally rose to this position.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t even in line for the throne, so how do you think I managed to sit on this throne?¡±


    Duke Tremblin bowed his head as he spoke, carefully avoiding Emperor Marcus¡¯s crazed stare.


    ¡°This is due to the fact that Your Majesty¡¯s skill exceeded that of everyone else.¡±


    ¡°Close. It¡¯s because I looked ahead and prepared more thoroughly than everyone else.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Geschhard.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Do you think Aden will obey me?¡±


    Duke Tremblin stopped and thought about it before responding. ¡°Your Majesty, do you think¡­ he¡¯llmit treason and betray us?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡­ I know.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The Duke¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°But if you take Joshua Sanders in consideration, Duke Agnus will have no choice but to go to war¡ª¡±


    ¡°You think Aden has any thoughts of ¡®fatherly love¡¯? Hahahaha!¡±


    Duke Tremblin closed his mouth when Emperor Marcus started chuckling.


    ¡°Even a random dog on the street would find that funny.¡±


    ¡°Then, Your Majesty, you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Aden¡­ he¡¯s a worse person than me.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°He ims he likes brilliant people, but he''s the kind of person who can casually kill thousands of innocent people to rescue one of his own. He''s vicious and merciless and would do everything to achieve his goal.¡± The corners of Emperor Marcus''s lips rose. ¡°That is the Aden von Agnus that I know.¡±


    Duke Tremblin paused for a second before speaking carefully.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it may be presumptuous of me to say this, but shouldn¡¯t we be a bit more cautious¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°I know Aden better than anyone. He and I share a unique bond.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter that Duke Tremblin was the Sword Emperor; there was nothing more he could say now that the Emperor had spoken like this.


    <em>¡®Is there an unknown connection between the two of them? Well, they have been rivals for a while, so there must be some kind of rtionship¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry so much. I will personally deal with Aden.¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes gleamed brightly. ¡°You just do the task that I ordered you to do.¡±


    Duke Tremblin shook those thoughts out of his mind.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± the Duke answered as he bowed his head.


    The Emperor gave a satisfied smile.


    ¡°I guess we should double-check to make sure of the death? After all, we do need to exercise caution.¡±


    ¡°...Your Majesty?¡±


    Duke Tremblin was confused by the unpredictable Emperor¡¯s words, but only for a moment. He felt a presence waiting by the entrance of the Great Hall.


    ¡°Come in,¡± the Emperor ordered.


    <em>Creak.</em>


    With the creaking of the doors, a slender figure entered the Great Hall.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Duke Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened when he saw who had entered the hall.


    ***


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression hardened as he examined what was in front of him.


    It couldn¡¯t be considered an illusion anymore. An unpleasant and musty smell was piercing his nose, and the dampness of the fog seemed to be seeping into his skin.


    ¡°This is what I¡¯m afraid of?¡± Joshua muttered in disbelief.


    He looked at the man who seemed very much like himself, especially the impressionable eyes. Joshua wondered whether this was how he would look if he were a bit older.


    ¡°Father.¡±


    The identity of the man came directly from Joshua¡¯s mouth.


    There was only one person who would be called that by Joshua¡ªone of the continent¡¯s brightest stars, the Dark God Aden von Agnus.


    Of course, Joshua wouldn¡¯t really call Aden von Agnus ¡®father¡¯ to his face. It didn¡¯t matter that Joshua had Aden¡¯s blood running through his veins; the only thing that mattered was that Aden did not allow Joshua to call him father.


    ¡°Joshua.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s fist clenched on its own at the familiar voice. Even the force behind the voice was the same as the real Aden¡¯s.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡± Joshua snorted.


    The question was absolutely absurd, to say the least.


    The man¡¯s brows furrowed at Joshua¡¯s response.


    <em>Whoooong!</em>


    Soon, the air seemed to vibrate.


    ¡°You will never defeat me.¡±


    The man hefted his pitch-ck greatsword and advanced; his steps left footprints on the dry ground.


    ¡°You are beneath me.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s lips twisted as he lifted his spear.


    He didn''t want to ept it. Rather, he refused to ept it.


    He had thought he had ovee his fears a long time ago. Even if that fear was his father, the Dark God, Joshua had believed he had ovee his fears.


    ¡°It must be the vestiges of emotions handed down from my previous life,¡± Joshua mumbled to himself as he raised his spear to strike at the man.


    When Joshua had been a child, the Duke had seemed like a giant. Of course, while it was true that the Duke was powerful, it was only natural for Joshua to have that impression since, at the time, he was just a powerless pawn. By the time he could stand on his own, his father had already left the world.


    If someone were to ask Joshua to choose the current strongest person on the continent, who would it be? Excluding himself, of course.


    Joshua infused mana into his spear until it hummed. When he was finished, Joshua took a deep, slow breath.


    ¡°Even if this is all an illusion, even if this is all in my head¡­ I will never lose. Especially to you.¡±


    That was amitment he had pledged to himself.


    ¡°Because I still haven¡¯t forgiven you.¡±


    That was the first step towards getting rid of everything.


    <em>Shick.</em>


    Perhaps that sound was a signal? Duke Agnus¡¯s figure vanished in an instant.


    No, he hadn¡¯t actually vanished. It just <em>seemed</em> like he vanished.


    An illusion that seemed so real. A reality that seemed like an illusion.


    It was obviously not real, yet it represented a world in which the victor may take anything from their foe¡ªeven their life.


    Could that really be called an illusion?


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua shuddered as the Duke¡¯s pressure washed over his body.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s figure and the pitch-ck greatsword struck from behind.


    That sword could rip its enemies¡ªor an entire nation¡ªin two. The great Dark God¡¯s instrument of choice was named Vibrost.


    Joshua whipped his body around. Even if his eyesight was the best of the best, trying to follow the attack with his eyes would just lead to his defeat. Joshua needed to use all five senses, especially his sight, to track down his enemy.


    And the moment he <em>felt</em> his enemy¡­


    <em>Swish!</em>


    That was where his spear would strike first.


    <em>CLANG!</em>


    The greatsword and the spear collided with a ng and a shower of sparks.


    The spear was up against the most powerful weapon on the continent, but it didn¡¯t budge a single bit.


    The more pain Joshua felt in his hands, the wider he smiled.


    The thing in front of him was only an illusion. The real one was somewhere else. For that reason, the illusion might be a hair stronger or weaker than the real one because it¡¯s all an illusion from Joshua''s mind.


    <em>¡®But since when did I care about things like this?¡¯</em>


    <em>Screech! ng!</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    The initial impact only stopped Joshua¡¯s spear for a slight moment. With a screech of harsh metal, it began to move again.


    A look of surprise flitted across his opponent¡¯s face.


    <em>¡®Yeah, why does it even matter?¡¯</em>


    Joshua began to speak as he forced the enemy back with his spear.


    ¡°Please allow me to use this asion to convey my thanks in a way I wasn¡¯t able to in the past.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°With this, I will give up the lingering resentment and disappointment leftover from my previous life. But¡­¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°We are now in a state where we do not hold any favors or grudges. We are not enemies, but we also don¡¯t have a father-son rtionship.¡±


    Perhaps it was just Joshua¡¯s imagination, but the illusion¡¯s eyes seemed to waver.


    ¡°If you stand in my path¡­¡±


    Joshua¡¯s grip clenched around his spear.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut you down without hesitation.¡±


    <em>ng! Crack!</em>


    There was a loud noise and then the noise of human bone breaking.


    The spear had broken through the greatsword and pierced the illusion of Duke Agnus. He looked down at the spear with disbelief and fear in his eyes. His heart had been pierced by the spear. He stopped moving.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at the final words the illusion spoke as it began to disappear.


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    Even as it disappeared, it seemed to grin at him. Finally, the illusion vanished, leaving behind a single sphere.


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    Iceline was taken aback when the fog suddenly cleared, and Joshua was visible.


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Theta started to say something before he hesitated, looking puzzled.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes were fixed unwaveringly on a single spot.


    ¡°What¡ª?¡±


    A mysterious device, glowing brilliantly with five distinct colors, had appeared at his feet. It was the first reward on the 40th Floor, the Demon¡¯s Section.

 Chapter 291

    Chapter 291


    In a waiting hall outside the Imperial Pce, a man was pacing back and forth with a concerned expression painted on his face. The golden mane embroidered on the man¡¯s chest indicated he belonged to Duke Agnus.


    The man¡¯s eyes widened when he noticed the door open.


    ¡°My Lord!¡±


    ¡°Were you waiting long?¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t that long.¡± Armstrong shook his head in response to Duke Agnus¡¯s question. ¡°How was your visit? Did you get the results you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Duke Agnus looked around for a moment before dropping his voice into a whisper. ¡°There are too many ears here.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª!¡± Armstrong recognized his error and quickly spread his aura.


    <em>Whooong!</em>


    A translucent membrane appeared with a soft hum to shelter the two of them. Duke Agnus saw it and gave a little grin of approval.


    ¡°I can only assume your curiosity got the best of you,¡± the Duke said.


    ¡°Is it not an emergency?¡±


    ¡°It is¡­¡±


    ¡°Will it¡­ cause an issue to the n?¡±


    ¡°....¡± Duke Agnus said nothing, only stared at Armstrong. Armstrong''s anxiety grew as the silence continued.


    ¡°The n¡­¡± Armstrong ventured with a gulp.


    ¡°There¡¯s no change.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Armstrong¡¯s pupils dted in shock. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°I have received the Emperor¡¯s order. He has given us our marching orders.¡±


    His master finally spoke the words Armstrong had been expecting to hear.


    ¡°Shouldn''t we wait a little longer?¡± Armstrong asked, his tone naturally acquiring a note of excitement.


    ¡°The timing is a bit off, but isn¡¯t this what we¡¯ve expected all along?¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Armstrong gnawed nervously at his lower lip.


    Even if they had expected it, the n was progressing a bit too fast. Furthermore, the entire family had been caught up in the wake of Joshua¡¯s decision. There was no denying that the Agnus blood was pumping through Joshua¡¯s veins.


    ¡°Because of that, the Emperor probably thought now was the right time,¡± Duke Agnus continued.


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°I also think the same. There¡¯s no use in further discussing this.¡± Duke Agnus''s eyes gleamed. ¡°The Emperor''s will is my guide, and I shall act ordingly. But my de will not be aimed towards Reinhardt and the Kraden ins¡­¡±


    The sound of a knock on the door stopped them in the middle of their conversation. They locked eyes.


    Duke Agnus nodded, prompting Armstrong to immediately unveil the room. He then rushed towards the door and opened it.


    Ady waited for them behind the door.


    ¡°Pri-Princess?¡±


    Armstrong stared in shock at the appearance of someonepletely unexpected. She


    was dressed in a beautiful royal gown, with golden eyes and pristine white skin.


    ¡°Princess?¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus, how are you?¡± Thedy gave a slight curtsy towards Duke Agnus.


    Until recently, she had been blind and only a breath away from death.


    ¡°Princess Serciarin¡­ What can I do for you?¡±


    Upon hearing Duke Agnus''s inquiry, Serciarin quickly responded.


    ¡°His Majesty sent me because there was something he did not tell you earlier.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡­ sent you?¡± Duke Agnus cocked his head in surprise. ¡°Was there something else he needed to say?¡±


    ¡°He will give you two hundred thousand soldiers to help you carry out his order.¡±


    ¡°Two hundred thousand!?¡± Armstrong shouted, shocked.


    Two hundred thousand was around two-thirds of the capital''s total military presence, and the Duke had a hundred thousand men under his personalmand. Combined, that was three hundred thousand men.


    Even if the Emperor was thinking about going to war, it didn¡¯t make sense that he was entrusting an army of that size to someone who was no different than his enemy.


    ¡°....¡±


    While Armstrong stood in shock, Duke Agnus looked calm as ever. His usual poker face remained without a single change in expression.


    There was only one reason for that¡ªthe Princess¡¯s gaze had been fixed upon him the entire time.


    Her eyes twinkled with a curious light.


    ¡°I have a question, however¡­¡± she said. ¡°Are you thinking of Rigveda¡¯s rebellion?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Even Duke Agnus couldn¡¯t hide his shock this time. He quickly regained hisposure and answered right away, but Armstrong stood still with his mouth agape.


    ¡°Princess, that was a revolution.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it would be called a revolution if it had failed?¡±


    ¡°But it was a sess.¡±


    ¡°I know. History is written by the victors, and that is why it¡¯s called a revolution today.¡±


    ¡°The Princess¡¯s distant ancestor, Rigveda ben Britten did what needed to be done. The dynasty he served under was so corrupt that everyone in the continent was aware of it. That is why even themon folk regard Rigveda¡¯s work as the greatest revolution.¡±


    ¡°So if the reverse were true, he could have been the worst rebel leader ever,¡± Serciarin stubbornly persisted.


    Duke Agnus¡¯s visage stiffened even further.


    ¡°It has already happened and is history. There is no use in wondering what may have been, Princess.¡±


    ¡°Nothing happens by chance, and you can always learn from the past to better prepare for the future.¡±


    Duke Agnus met Serciarin¡¯s gaze head-on.


    ¡°Are you testing me, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°How could I possibly dare to test you? I would never dare to do so. I apologize if I came off too strong, Duke Agnus.¡± Serciarin curtsied again in apology.


    It didn¡¯t matter that he was the Dark God of Avalon, the one curtseying to him was a princess. It would be shocking to people if they were to see this.


    ¡°It has been a while since I¡¯vest seen you¡­ You¡¯ve changed a lot, Your Highness.¡±


    Serciarin straightened.


    ¡°For some reason, I find that you¡¯ve changed more,¡± she murmured. ¡°To the point that I wonder if you really are the same person from my memories.¡±


    ¡°...You must be mistaken, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because this is the first time I¡¯m seeing you with these eyes.¡±


    Duke Agnus went still for a moment at Serciarin¡¯s odd response. Then he spoke calmly, ¡°Are you nning on informing this to His Majesty?¡±


    Armstrong was the first to react to Duke Agnus¡¯s unexpected words.


    ¡°My Lord¡­?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think I would do that? Serciarin replied.


    ¡°Because I know you saw the truth¡­¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Armstrong quickly turned to look at Serciarin.


    Serciarin ignored his reaction as she pressed on.


    ¡°The Eyes of Truth are not all-knowing, especially on an Absolute like yourself.¡±


    ¡°But with this, you should know enough?¡±


    A peculiar light shone in Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes, breaking through his emotionless veneer. The tension between the Princess and the Duke burned like a volcano as they stared at each other.


    ¡°What makes you think¡­¡±


    ¡°Because I wasn''t hiding it,¡± Duke Agnus replied.


    ¡°...!¡±


    His response was met with suffocating silence.


    Armstrong¡¯s hand instinctively dropped to his waist, but then he froze. He had disarmed before entering the Imperial Pce.


    <em>¡®What am I thinking¡ª?¡¯</em>


    He had disarmed before entering the Imperial Pce, but it had still been instinctive to reach for his sword. After all, if the Princess knew it all along, then the logical action was to kill her.


    But it had been the Emperor who sent the Princess; it wouldn¡¯t have solved anything except to give him an excuse to kill everyone.


    Armstrong¡¯s predicament doesn¡¯t mean anything to Serciarin; she continued the talk.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know whether you would believe me, but my answer is ¡®no.¡¯¡±


    ¡°...Is that your answer to the first question or the second, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°The first, because there¡¯s no need to do so.¡±


    Serciarin¡¯s words suggested might have had a firm grasp on Duke Agnus¡¯s motivation already.


    Armstrong was taken aback by her rather surprising response, but Duke Agnus seemed to have anticipated it.


    ¡°And your reason is¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe if you indulge my curiosity, you wille to understand¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    Serciarin asked a shocking question. ¡°How is my aunt Asiru? Oh, I believe right now, she¡¯s called Lucia?¡±


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Armstrong spat and made a beeline for the exit. There was only one possible meaning behind her words.


    In spite of that, Serciarin kept talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m not as heartless as the Emperor; I understand the Duke¡¯s sentiments.¡± Serciarin¡¯s eyes welled up with a sadness that the Duke couldn''t quite put his finger on, making her stumble over the final few words of her sentence. ¡°ording to my orders¡­ Aunt Asiru¡¯s child, Joshua¡ªI can¡¯t harm him¡­ I can¡¯t even help him.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°As such, I''d like you to continue to act as a buffer for him for a little longer. In addition, I presumptuously would like to give you advice on that matter.¡±


    Serciarin whispered her final words under Duke Agnus¡¯s deep stare.


    ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m not sure about Reinhardt, but the Kraden ins¡­ Don¡¯t go there.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Memory rune?¡± Theta stared nkly at the object by Joshua''s feet.


    ¡°Me¡­ Memory Rune?¡± Iceline parroted.


    ¡°This¡­ is very ancient.¡±


    ¡°Yes? Really?!¡± Iceline walked over, her curiosity piqued by the word ¡°ancient.¡±


    The memory rune was an actual item that could be used to keep track of someone¡¯s unique memory. In a society where information was the primary form of exchange, antiques took on an even greater significance.


    The problem was that because it was a one-time-use item, it was impossible to know what kind of data or memories it contained until after it was used. For this reason, there were some wealthy people who only bought old memory runes in the hopes of bing even richer overnight.


    ¡°This pattern¡­¡± Joshua blinked and examined the memory rune intently.


    The center of the rune was engraved with a beautiful design, like two long strands intertwined.


    - How¡­ is this possible?


    A voice suddenly echoed in Joshua''s mind.


    - The Demon Realm. Why is the Icon of Evil Sin even here in middle earth?


    ¡°The¡­ Icon of Evil Sin?¡± he repeated.


    <em>Kyuu!</em>


    As if summoned, the pink creature cried in response.


    At that moment¡­


    <em>Boooooom!</em>


    ¡°Kyaaaaagh!¡± Iceline shrieked at the deafening boom that ripped at her eardrums.


    The ceiling showered them in a constant rain of stone dust.


    Ash broke his silence.


    ¡°The Tower¡­ is copsing?¡± he said in a trance.


    The others gaped at his words.


    ¡°How is that possible¡­?¡± Theta looked up with a puzzled expression.


    The question was answered soon enough by the scream of a creature outside the Tower.


    - KRAAAAAAAAA!


    ¡°...!¡±


    The sound definitely came from a wild beast. Theta and Iceline went rigid as the roar hit them; Ash¡¯s entire frame swayed as if he were about to pass out.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Joshua muttered, calm as ever, ¡°Dragon Fear.¡±<blockquote>


    Persephone''s Thoughts


    Minime¡¯s thoughts: I bet Armstrong sucks at poker.</blockquote>

 Chapter 292

    Chapter 292


    After Serciarin left, the two men remained in the room.


    Armstrong observed the Duke for a while.


    ¡°My Lord, what are you thinking of doing now?¡± he warily inquired.


    Duke Agnes remained silent.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what was going through the Princess¡¯s mind when she came here, but one thing is certain,¡± Armstrong persisted. ¡°There are people who have caught onto our ns. And of those people, one of them is¡­¡±


    Armstrong grimaced. The word ¡°Emperor¡± was caught in his throat, leaving his sentence unfinished.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know how much we¡¯ve beenpromised,¡± he continued. ¡°In this situation, it¡¯s too risky to continue. I think it¡¯s best to put our ns on hold for the time being and¡ª¡±


    ¡°As I''ve stated previously,¡± Duke Agnus interrupted, his eyes suddenly bright, ¡°The ns won¡¯t change.¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°From this point forward, the entire duchy and its vassals will be summoned and issued a notice of conscription.¡±


    Armstrong''s brows furrowed.


    ¡°Their destination is the Great Kraden ins. While I¡¯m carrying out the Imperial Order in Reinhardt, you will lead the troops.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    At Armstrong¡¯s question, Duke Agnus¡¯s eyes went cold.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t the Agnus Duchy a ce where even if you know the strength, you can¡¯t win against; the best family on the continent that can block any enemies with absolute force? Isn¡¯t that what we¡¯ve been working on for so long? For the Greatness of the Agnus Duchy?¡±


    Duke Agnus turned around as he continued talking.


    ¡°Do not fret. Do not be afraid. I, the Duke of Agnus, will be with you wherever you may be.¡±


    With those words, he walked toward the door.


    Armstrong clenched his fists.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s right. What do I have to be afraid of? The Dark God¡ªone who has reached the absolute top¡ªis here.¡¯</em>


    ¡°As soon as preparations areplete, report to me immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes, My Lord!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Aden is most likely thinking the same thing as me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Duke Tremblin stared back at the Emperor nkly. He couldn¡¯tprehend his words. ¡°It might be presumptuous of me, Your Majesty, but I don¡¯t quite get¡ª¡±


    ¡°Keke. How absurd. I cannot believe that there aren¡¯t enough foxes in politics.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Instead, we have people who think ¡®That¡¯s impossible¡¯ with things that are very predictable.¡±


    ¡°But Your Majesty, I¡­¡±


    ¡°I offered Aden a chance to stop being hesitant.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Tremblin gave the Emperor a confused look.


    ¡°Are you familiar with Rigveda¡¯s Withdrawal?¡±


    Shock took over Duke Tremblin¡¯s expression as he processed the Emperor''s voice.


    ¡°Rigveda¡¯s¡­ Withdrawal!¡± Duke Tremblin muttered.


    Fully understanding his reaction required some historical context¡ªthe story of the Avalon Empire¡¯s beginnings on the continent. The people of Avalon called it ¡°Heaven¡¯s Will,¡± but other countries saw it as the exact opposite of heaven¡¯s will.


    They saw it as a rebellion.


    ¡°The reason the previous kingdom Asgard, once known as a prosperous kingdom, copsed was because of one reason,¡± Emperor Marcus intoned in a low voice. ¡°At the end of that dynasty, King Kunir, had a vision like I do right now. That is¡­to rule all of the continent.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Asgard had the power to do so; after all, they were called the strongest on the continent. Not to mention, King Kunir had a great weapon.¡±


    ¡°Was it¡­¡±


    Emperor Marcus gave a knowing nod to Duke Tremblin, who appeared to understand the situation.


    ¡°King Kunir¡¯s weapon was Rigveda¡ªhis long-time friend who was, at the time, known as the best on the continent.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°The people on the continent concluded that Rigveda was one of the strongest in history, a monster well beyond Aden. Unlike today where there are arguments of who is strongest out of the Nine Stars, there was no one on the entire continent who could rival his strength.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°And then, one day, he received orders from King Kunir.¡±


    A brilliant light shed through Emperor Marcus¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°King Kunirmanded him to conquer the entire continent.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°With an elite army of half a million, under themand of Rigveda, Asgard¡¯s three neighboring countries werepletely destroyed within mere moments. The entire continent shook with terror. But¡ª¡±


    The Emperor''s eyes seemed to glisten with madness.


    ¡°Just as King Kunir was so close to achieving his dream, the worst thing that could have urred happened.¡±


    ¡°That¡­¡±


    ¡°Rigevda suddenly aimed the army not at the rest of the continent but at Asgard.¡±


    Up until now, this had all been recorded in history. However, Emperor Marcus¡¯s next words were shocking and had never been said before. Even the Duke of Tremblin was taken aback by it.


    ¡°How crazy is this? Giving up the continent. Just for some meaningless woman¡­ kekeke.¡±


    The Duke''s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°What¡­ What do you mean, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°The day Rigveda returned to the Imperial Pce, he beheaded King Kunir, who was clearly shocked. He became the first Emperor under the pretext of punishing the tyrant for threatening peace.¡±


    That was the founding of Avalon.


    ¡°After bing the Emperor, the first thing he did was make the wife of the previous king his own. Keke. Such a terrible thing that it¡¯s not even funny. If he had at least continued his conquest of the whole continent¡­¡±


    ¡°Then¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah, you came back just in time,¡± the Emperor mumbled.


    Someone had walked in through the open entrance.


    Duke Tremblin couldn¡¯t contain his astonishment once he saw who it was.


    ¡°Princess¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Serciarin, did you meet him?¡±


    Serciarin bowed slightly.


    ¡°That woman was correct,¡± she replied to the Emperor.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Duke Agnus, he¡­ he definitely has other intentions, Your Majesty.¡±


    Serciarin noticed the Emperor¡¯s gaze on her.


    ¡°Moreover,¡± she immediately continued, ¡°Duke Agnus didn''t appear to be aware that she was already gone.¡±


    Emperor Marcus immediately froze; an odd smile graced his face.


    ¡°Lucia¡­ no, where is Asiru?¡±


    ¡°I have led her to a different pce.¡±


    ¡°Heaven itself has helped me. I¡¯ve finally found her whereabouts, hahahahaha!¡±


    Emperor Marcus licked his lips.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty? What is¡­¡±


    ¡°You see, one of my sisters that I couldn¡¯t kill is still alive.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Aden has kept her under him for years now.¡±


    Duke Tremblin hadn¡¯t thought there could be anything else he would be surprised by, but he was wrong.


    ¡°Aden had his way with her, and she gave birth to a bastard, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°My God¡­¡± Duke Tremblin gaped in disbelief.


    ¡°A few days ago, when Aden was away, she came to me and begged for help to save her child. A brother who¡¯s only treated his sister badly¡­ At the very least, I should listen to her request, right? Hahahaha!¡±


    Emperor Marcusughed for a long time, and after he had his fill, he stopped.


    ¡°Aden is a scary man. He¡¯s been hiding his dark intentions for years now just, all for his revenge.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Maybe he has been thinking about this for a long time now, punishing the Brittens who made his mother like that. Maybe he wanted us to pay the same way¡­. Just like Rigveda¡­¡± the Emperor mumbled to himself. ¡°But what is he going to do now? I know everything.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure he thought everything was prepared. He was probably banking on having his son finish if he failed. Ha¡­ Aden, is that why you pretended you didn¡¯t want war when you secretly did want it to happen?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°GWAHAHAHAHAHA!¡± Emperor Marcusughed maniacally. ¡°I¡¯ll take this opportunity to show you that the name Agnus will never be as special as Britten! In the Great ins of Kraden, the reign of the Dark God will disappear into the annals of history!¡±


    Emperor Marcus¡¯s voice rang throughout the Great Hall.


    ***


    With a deafening rumble, the Tower that seemed to stab the clouds began to tilt.


    The Tower of Trials had been made so long ago that no one even knew how it hade into being.


    Theta stared in disbelief as the structure swayed precariously, threatening to topple over at any minute.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ believe it,¡± he said, ck-jawed.


    The Tower of Trials could weather any attack. But what was happening right now?


    - Is this the time to climb the Tower ever so calmly, Child of Elenburs, and the Master of the Sole Darkness?


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua and the others looked up toward the sky in the direction of the voice.


    Iceline was the first to speak. ¡°That can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Iceline thought it was nighttime when she first came out of the Tower, but it was clear to her then that it wasn¡¯t night at all. The being covered the entire sky; that shadowy figure in the sky was responsible for the darkness.


    ¡°A d-dragon?¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°Krevas¡­¡± Ash¡¯s fist clenched, slightly trembling.


    - Even now, no one is allowed to reach the peak of this structure.


    Joshua stepped forward, wearing a grimace.


    ¡°Who made that call?¡±


    - I don¡¯t think this is the time for you to be fighting with me.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    - Go back to where you belong.


    ¡°What do you mean¡±


    - The entire continent is going to be a sea of blood soon. ces like the human settlements or Elven Forest where you spent your childhood won¡¯t be safe from it.


    ¡°...!¡±


    - Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    - If you wish to ascend the Tower againter, I won''t stand in your way.


    After Krevas saw that Joshua kept his mouth shut, he began to p his wings.


    - We will talk in the future, Master of the Sole Darkness.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Choose between ignoring my counsel and resuming your ascent of the Tower, or returning to where we were and continuing our rtionship as it was.


    Joshua remained silent for some time before he finally responded to Krevas.


    ¡°I¡ª¡±

 Chapter 293

    Chapter 293


    While Joshua was having his conversation with Krevas, the situation of the continent was, as the dragon said, developing faster and moreplex than what was initially expected.


    It started in the southernmost part of the continent.


    A blonde man of middling age looked over endless greends,nds that even the people currently on the continent didn¡¯t know existed.


    ¡°Hidden like this, no wonder no one has found it for so long now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really incredible. I thought it was just illusion magic at first, but now that I''m seeing it, I can¡¯t believe that mana could be used in this way.¡±


    ¡°If it were a kind of illusion magic, any powerful mage would¡¯ve noticed it right away. The mana itself is twisted. They¡¯ve made it so that even the light that is reflected off a human''s retina is included in this.¡±


    ¡°They don''t call elves the gods'' favored race for nothing, but Mr. Evergrant, how did you know the forest was tucked away here in the first ce?¡± the other mage asked.


    At the mage¡¯s question, Evergrant recalled a face. It was the face of the person he held in the highest regard.


    However, that person was no longer with him; he had returned to mana''s side.


    Evergrant¡¯s hands curled into fists.


    <em>¡®For you, I will continue. So¡ª¡¯ </em>


    ¡°Umm¡­ Mr. Evergrant.¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s head swiveled around to face a voice behind him. It was a different speaker from before¡ªit was a big man who was constantly wiping sweat off his entire face. It was Yovik. With a line of carts behind him, he seemed to be screaming, ¡°I¡¯m an immoral merchant.¡±


    ¡°Is it really true that there are elves here?¡±


    Evergrant slightly frowned.


    ¡°You don¡¯t believe me?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ that¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that¡­ from here, it looks like there¡¯s only trees.¡±


    Instead of responding, Evergrant just raised one hand. The silver staff, which even at a nce seemed unusual, shone in his hand.


    ¡°Anyways¡­ I was thinking of starting now.¡±


    Yovik gave Evergrant a nk look until an enormous boom shook the air and made him recoil in shock.


    The unbelievable scene that emerged before his eyes astounded him.


    ¡°This¡ª?¡±


    <em>Crack. Craaaack. </em>


    An odd sound filled the air. A fissure began appearing in the very space before their eyes; not long after that, they noticed their surroundings gradually warping.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Their ears were assaulted by the deafening sound of what seemed like ss shattering¡ªbut that was impossible since they were in the middle of thick foresnd.


    After rubbing their eyes, the scenery before them was not the same as what they saw before. A new road emerged and at the end of that road¡­


    ¡°Oh my God, the legend of the World Tree is real¡­¡± Yovik said in awe.


    The towering tree reached into the clouds such that it was visible even from afar. That tree had existed since the dawn of recorded history. The legendary tree¡¯s name was¡­


    ¡°Yggdrasil!¡± the mage from the Magic Tower standing next to Evergrant yelled.


    Yovik, also known as the ve Trader, gulped. A million different calctions were running through his head; now that he¡¯d seen the truth with his own eyes, it was time to get down to business.


    <em>p!</em>


    He suddenly loudly pped his hands together.


    ¡°I knew it!¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Evergrant looked at him in bewilderment.


    ¡°I had no doubts that the Elven Forest was here!¡± Yovik proimed. ¡°After all, wasn¡¯t it you, the great ss 8 mage and the youngest Tower Master in history, who said it? Of course, I would trust your words! To think that you found it with just one gesture when so many talented people have searched for it for hundreds of years and failed.¡±


    ¡°....¡± Yovik''s shameless demeanor left even Evergrant speechless.


    ¡°I am jealous of the mages in the Magic Tower. With a great man like yourself at its head, the future of the Magic Tower will only get brighter¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough pleasantries,¡± Evergrant interrupted as soon as Yovik paused. ¡°More importantly¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course! Honorable Tower Master, please tell me what you want.¡±


    Evergrant sighed as Yovik excessively came to attention.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten your promise, have you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so that¡¯s what you mean.¡± Yovik rubbed his hands. His next move was very important. He proceeded rapidly with a glint in his eyes.


    ¡°As promised, twenty percent of the total profit will go to the development of Magic Tower. As long as Mr. Evergrant helps, this will basically be a monopoly and will generate a lot of profit. We¡¯re going to be sitting on piles of money! Just thinking about it makes me want to dance around in joy.¡±


    Evergrant frowned as he watched Yovik shimmy.


    ¡°I have something I¡¯d like to point out. I clearly remember it was 20% of the total revenue and not 20% of the profit?¡±


    Yovik stopped, and then he stiffened.


    <em>¡®This fucking petty mage.¡¯ </em>


    Yovik might have been swearing mentally, but he pasted a smile on his face as he spoke to Evergrant.


    ¡°You see, with work like this, this is always the case since the risk is quite high, no?¡± he responded with a smile. ¡°Since the prey is pretty great, there could be many powerful people eyeing it as well.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s not all. In the process of transporting the elves, I would also have to pay to make sure people keep their mouths shut, not to mention the ck market fee. Plus, I would also have to entertain the officials. You know, this may all cost more than what I get back,¡± Yovik cautiously continued. ¡°So¡­if you understand the risks, and consider that as the money put aside for emergencies¡­¡±


    Evergrant turned around without hesitation.


    ¡°I will look elsewhere.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°Because of my affection for Avalon, I offered you this opportunity first, but I didn¡¯t expect to be stabbed in the back like this.¡± Evergrant red as he spoke. ¡°And you won¡¯t bother talking about a penalty for breaching the contract, right? After all¡­ we haven¡¯t signed a contract yet.¡±


    ¡°W-wait a moment¡­¡±


    ¡°Then this is the end of my negotiations with your merchant group, Yovik. Since you came all the way here, be careful on your way back.¡±


    Yovik could tell that Evergrant was not joking. After decades of being in the business, he could clearly tell when he should be careful, and right now, he needed to be cautious. If he was this greedy for just a small sum of money, then it was possible that he could lose this deal to hispetition.


    <em>¡®...Oh no!¡¯</em>


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Yovik didn¡¯t think for long as he dropped to his knees.


    ¡°I-I will do it! 20% of the revenue will be dedicated to the development of the Magic Tower! Leave it to me! I guarantee that the oue will meet your expectations.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    The ce became deafeningly silent.


    Yovik prostrated on the ground, albeit hampered by his belly fat.


    He gulped.


    Evergrant maintained his silence as he stared down for a time.


    ¡°Thirty percent.¡±


    Yovik¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I won¡¯t give you another opportunity.¡±


    The merchant shivered. ¡°I-I understand! Thirty percent.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°Tha-thank you so much!¡±


    ¡°Please get up.¡±


    Yovik stood up. His body had be bathed in perspiration before he realized, whether due to his bloated physique or his nervousness, he did not know.


    ¡°Um, about the¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°How will the other countries react to the distribution of elves in Avalon? Won¡¯t they protest?¡±


    Evergrant responded with a hearty chuckle.


    ¡°With what justification?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I don¡¯t know about Imperial Law, but don''t the continent¡¯sws prohibit same-race trading? Although it¡¯s not as clear-cut anymore¡­¡± Yovik fell silent for a while before continuing anxiously. ¡°But they can always make it difficult. What if theyin about human rights?¡±


    ¡°Who is the master of the continent?¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Yovik asked, perplexed. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is it the dragons who slumbered for hundreds of years and not showed themselves even once? Or maybe the dwarves, with their unrivaled prowess in shaping metals? Are they the masters of the continent? Just look at Igrant right now. Human settlements cover more than eighty percent of the continent. No matter what anyone else says, we humans are the masters of thisnd.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Technically speaking, the elves are only partially human; they are not true humans. Isn¡¯t it only right that they be sacrificed for the sake of the true masters of the continent? For the benefit of us humans?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    It was incredibly self-centered and human-oriented reasoning, but Yovik had no response.


    He himself was ready to agree with any rationale that would bring him business.


    ¡°I have no idea, but do ves fetch a premium on the marketce?¡± the mage standing next to Evergrant inquired.


    Interrupted from his thoughts, Yovik provided an immediate response. ¡°Yes, of course! Even with humans, the price varies greatly depending on age, gender, and looks. But this situation right now is a bit special.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®special¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Even if someone did a thorough search of the continent, they would have a hard time locating elf ves today. Due to their scarcity, the price is whatever the trader says it is.¡±


    ¡°So how much would that be?¡±


    Yovik nced at Evergrant before slowly extending three fingers


    ¡°I would have to see them before giving you a more urate estimate, but if they look like the legends say they do, then about this much of the big ones.¡±


    ¡°Th-thirty gold?¡± The mage stuttered.


    Yovik shook his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s too low of a guess.¡±


    ¡°Then, three hundred?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Three thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s insane!¡± the mage eximed.


    With that, a person could pay a year¡¯s worth of rent for a decent property out in the countryside.


    <em>¡®But forget the elf ves. If the Primordial Stone really is here, then¡­¡¯</em>


    A mysterious light glimmered in Evergrant''s eyes as he thought.


    ¡®Stormwind¡­ if I could harness that power of wind, then I can ovee the wall that is ss 9 magic¡ªone that is only reserved for dragons.¡¯


    Evergrant had been thinking when he suddenly stiffened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end the conversation here.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    Rustle.


    Among those present, only Evergrant could sense the faint presence. It wasn¡¯t just one¡ªthere must have been hundreds of them.


    A hint of a grin began to develop on Evergrant''s lips.


    ¡°So it¡¯s true¡­I have heard that the rangers who protect the Elven Forest are made up of elves¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Leave this ce already, human,¡± a terrifying voice boomed loud enough to make their eardrums hurt.


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°M-Mr. Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for the best that you came here on your own.¡±


    Evergrant left the shivering merchant behind and approached the forest. It was nowpletely evident what had to be done, and there was no reason to hesitate.


    ¡°Mages of the Magic Tower, Imand you,¡± Evergrant gravely intoned.


    From behind him, the five hundred mages all yelled at once, ¡°Yes, Tower Master!¡±


    Evergrant looked over the woods. The ce was entirely silent except for his voice.


    ¡°Raze that forest. Don¡¯t let a single de of grass remain.¡±


    ***


    A beautiful woman with greenish blonde hair stood on the highest branch of Yggdrasil, the World Tree.


    ¡°The Forest¡¯s protective shield¡­?¡±


    ¡°Miss Freya!


    Another elfnded in front of her with lightning speed.


    ¡°An unknown person has entered the woods!¡± the new elf grimly informed her.


    ¡°I also just felt¡ª¡±


    A massive, deafening boom swept thend before the green-blonde beauty could react.


    ¡°Kyaaak!¡±


    At the same time, the World Tree began shaking.


    ¡°H-How can this be¡­?¡±


    The blonde beauty trembled, then froze for a moment.


    She had the highest level of mana sensitivity in her whole race because she possessed the rare talent of ¡°mana irvoyance.¡± Not far from the forest, she picked up the vibe of something massive and unsettling.


    She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°That energy didn¡¯te from the entrance¡­ It came from a little further than that¡­¡±


    The woman''s eyes widened.


    ¡°...The sky?!¡±


    She looked up. The energy Freya felt came from beyond the canopy of Yggdrasil¡¯s massive leaves.


    ¡°What is going on¡ª¡±


    She suddenly flinched.


    ¡°M-Miss Freya?¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait a second. What is this energy¡ª?¡±


    The energy¡­ she realized where it came from, and it made her entire being shake as though she''d been hit by lightning.


    ¡°No way,¡± she eked out through gritted teeth.


    Thedy¡¯s legs gave out.


    ¡°Mister Elenburs!?¡±


    ***


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Icarus and Cain were equally shocked. They had been waiting for their master, who had left them behind hours ago.


    But then the person they¡¯d been looking for materialized in front of them with a sh of light.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°Wh-where?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time, so hurry up.¡± Joshua extended his hand.


    After a brief exchange of nces, Cain and Icarus nodded and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go wherever you go.¡±


    ¡°Hold on tight.¡±


    ¡°But master¡­?¡± Cain ventured. ¡°Can I ask what you are nning to do?¡±


    Joshua was silent for a while before he answered Cain¡¯s question.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to clean up a mess.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something that I¡¯ve been putting off for a while now. I have to throw the rest of the garbage away now.¡±

 Chapter 294

    Chapter 294


    The wind wooshed loudly in their ears until shield magic was erected.


    ¡°Is this real, or am I dreaming?¡± Iceline muttered as she recovered her bnce.


    From the sky, the great Tower of Trials looked like a ck, fingernail-sized dot.


    ¡°What is this?¡± Cain cocked an eyebrow at her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you used to this by now?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no easy way to get used to this. We might be the first people to ride a dragon!¡± Iceline¡¯s voice rose, and her cheeks reddened.


    Cain stared at the scales under his feet.


    ¡°Really¡­ Now that it hase to this, I feel like a Dragon Knight,¡± he said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel that a Dragon Mage sounds cooler than a Dragon Knight?¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about!?¡±


    ¡°Plus, you are not even the first Dragon Knight, are you?¡± Iceline looked pointedly at Joshua.


    Cain stopped.


    ¡°Why does it matter who¡¯s the first? Anything can be meaningful as long as you give a meaning to it.¡±


    ¡°But you look disappointed¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just seeing things,¡± Cain quickly objected, cutting her off. ¡°Besides, our master is not the kind of person who can be described as a mere knight.¡±


    ¡°But Joshua isn¡¯t a mage, either.¡±


    Cain just shrugged.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s not <em>not</em> a mage. Master casts ck magic so casually that something like ¡®The Dark Dragon Mage¡¯ would be a more fitting name for him. So, you are not the first Dragon Mage either, are you?¡±


    ¡°Why are you so childish?¡±


    After listening to them bicker for a while, Icarus finally interrupted the argument. ¡°Miss Rebra, please understand. This is why he¡¯s not married yet.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain was infuriated.


    ¡°Since the olden days, taciturn men are the most appreciated, like our master over there.¡±


    ¡°You know there¡¯s nothing worse than when youpare me to someone.¡±


    ¡°Comparisons give you more motivation.¡±


    ¡°You should not live in this world with that kind of mindset.¡±


    ¡°Not everyone can afford to live your way.¡±


    Cain¡¯s forehead acquired a deep crease.


    ¡°Are you picking a fight?¡±


    ¡°What? What are you saying so suddenly?¡±


    ¡°Were you born just to irritate people? I already feel bad for whoever you end up marrying!¡±


    ¡°Well, at least I¡¯ll have someone for you to feel bad for. But you, Sir Cain¡­¡±


    Cain red at her.


    ¡°You know what, let¡¯s stop. Do you think that if you don¡¯t shut up, I¡¯ll just sit here and do nothing? I can hit ady too, you know.¡±


    ¡°My god¡­ How can you just say that like it¡¯s nothing¡­?¡±


    ¡°Monster,¡± Iceline used him, delivering the final blow.


    ¡°Damn it,¡± Cain grumbled, ring at the women. ¡°I can¡¯t even win!¡±


    ¡°So why are you acting up?¡±


    Then, and only then, did Icarus let her satisfaction slip through.


    ¡°You¡¯re a crossdresser with a nasty temper,¡± Cainined.


    ¡°Even if I were a true crossdresser, I''d probably be more popr among thedies than you, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Do you want to bet on that?¡±


    ¡°Great! What do you want to bet?¡±


    ¡°As much as you want!¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re certain you won''t regret itter?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Cain shouted.


    Icarus¡¯s eyes sparkled.


    After that, the second fight began.


    Theta watched them, shocked.


    ¡°Do they act like that all the time?¡± he asked Joshua.


    ¡°You''ll get used to it if you travel a lot with them; it''s actually kind of fun.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯d just get a headache,¡± the mage moaned.


    Joshua looked at Theta, whose voice was slowly trailing off, and couldn¡¯t contain hisughter.


    ¡°Figures. You must¡¯ve taken the time to choose them because you have your own ns and reasons,¡± Theta realized.


    ¡°They¡¯re my allies.¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do I need other reasons?¡±


    At that, Theta fell silent for a brief spell before continuing.


    ¡°...So, about your offerst time.¡±


    Joshua gave Theta a perplexed look.


    ¡°You know, the part where you said I should join your Knightly Order.¡±


    ¡°Ahh.¡±


    ¡°I will do it.¡±


    Joshua froze, a look of astonishment crossing his face.


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°But, there will be conditions.¡±


    ¡°Conditions?¡±


    ¡°Evergrant con Aswald. I''m aware of how deep your grudge against him is. But...¡±


    The look that shed across Joshua¡¯s face affirmed Theta¡¯s assumption.


    The mage spoke with great difficulty, ¡°Leave him to me.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I know that I¡¯m asking something hard, but if you could do me that one favor¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Then that offer¡­ hng?¡± Theta''s one eye stayedpletely open for a few seconds. ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not as hard as you think.¡±


    Joshua noted Theta¡¯s disbelief and smiled. He turned to look around him.


    ¡°Great,¡± Cain proimed. ¡°Then whoever loses has to grant the winner¡¯s every request.¡±


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Master, did you call for me?¡± Cain cocked his head to the side.


    ¡°Here, one of the Gold Spirit Knights'' newest recruits.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°As his senior, make sure to take care of him.¡±


    Cain stared nkly at those words. Theta stared back,pletely bewildered.


    In the awkward silence that resulted, a whisper of magic reached Joshua¡¯s ears.


    - We¡¯ll reach our destination shortly.


    As soon as Joshua looked, he caught sight of a massive tree towering high into the sky in the distance.


    It was Yggdrasil, the World Tree.


    In less than a day, Joshua and hispanions had traversed half the continent.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Ash, who had remained silent up until that point, suddenly spoke out in surprise. ¡°Why can we see Yggdrasil?¡±


    However, it was Krevas, not Joshua, who provided the answer.


    - The shield was broken.


    ¡°...!¡±


    - Are there any humans who could destroy the blessing of the High Elf?


    Ash¡¯s expression fell as Krevas spoke.


    ¡°No¡­ No!¡±


    Even a regr being like Icarus could see the World Tree with the naked eye now. But the real problem was¡­


    ¡°Is the tree¡­ on fire?¡± Icarus mumbled inaudibly.


    They could feel the heat even high in the sky. Joshua¡¯s expression turned grave as he looked up at Yggdrasil¡¯s burning branches.


    ¡°Before we go, I have one question.¡±


    - What is it?


    ¡°What was at the top of the Tower? I¡¯m going mad with curiosity.¡±


    Krevas remained silent. He finally spoke after a long moment.


    - Even if I had stopped you, didn¡¯t you still n on climbing the Tower?


    ¡°I can¡¯t for now.¡±


    - I could give you a hint¡­ Originally, the doppelganger was one of the rewards for reaching the Tower¡¯s peak. On top of that, only those who had been chosen by Kingdom could receive it.


    ¡°....¡±


    - In other words, what is at the top of the Tower is the equivalent of the reward given. And there is also the reality of this world.


    ¡°The reality¡­ of this world?¡±


    - Yes. However, that knowledge is now forbidden.


    ¡°....¡±


    - But, of course, you¡¯re an exception.


    Joshua looked down and frowned before he spoke again.


    ¡°I¡­ I will ask for the detailed story the next time we see each other.¡±


    What he did next made everyone¡¯s eyes widen in surprise.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    A series of shouts resounded from the sky high above. <em>Very </em>high above, in fact¡ªmany, many meters above the ground.


    Joshua had nonchntly leaped from a height that was bound to turn most people into a bloody smear on impact, with not a piece of bone left intact.


    ***


    Around the World Tree, Yggdrasil, countless elves had fallen and were bleeding. The green mountains and rivers had been painted a fiery crimson.


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s all money¡­¡± Yovik sat in the back and licked his lips as he watched the fight between the humans and elves. He never took his eyes off the in elves; he seemed to be feeling regretful about their deaths.


    ¡°Where¡¯s Stormwind? Answer me, Elf.¡±


    Freya, opposite Evergrant, bit her lip so hard it bled.


    <em>¡®Damn, that¡¯s high quality. I wish I could get my hands on that¡­¡¯</em>


    Yovik¡¯s eyes pored over Freya greedily. Her skin was as white as porcin, and her golden hair had an exotic green tint that couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else on the continent. Despite her best efforts to hide it, it was easy to tell that she was incredibly curvy and had exquisite, divinely sculpted features.


    She was so beautiful and perfect that it was obvious she was an elf.


    ¡°EK, WNRDLSEK, SLDRPS!¡± Freya shouted in anguage they did not recognize.


    ¡°Runes¡­¡±


    Evergrant erupted inughter and slowly raised a hand.


    ¡°Kyaa! Miss Freya!¡±


    Freya''s eyes widened for a moment. The screams came from behind the humans. There, a young-looking elf was attempting to free herself from a human hand that was holding her by the scruff of her neck. There were about twenty other elves of simr age nearby.


    Evergrant eyed the young elves silently.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t touched them since they look like harmless sprouts¡­¡± He grinned grimly. ¡°But if you fight, I will cast fire magic on them.¡±


    ¡°You coward!¡± the female elf next to Freya shouted furiously.


    ¡°You still won¡¯t speak?¡±


    Yovik added to Evergrant¡¯s words.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you first save the precious items¡­ no. Shouldn¡¯t you save the little ones? Elves feel maternal love, right?¡±


    Freya bit her lip again, shedding fresh blood as she stepped forward.


    ¡°M-Miss Freya?¡± the other elf was startled and gave her a confused look. ¡°You¡­¡±


    Freya softly shook her head and took out an item from her sleeves with a resigned expression.


    ¡°Please let the little ones go.¡±


    Evergrant looked at her.


    ¡°And if I do?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you what you want.¡±


    <em>Whoooosh.</em>


    Something like a gust of wind rushed over them¡­ or perhaps it was only their imaginations.


    Evergrant stared at the pale green thing in Freya''s palm as if he were possessed, a statement of its importance.


    ¡°Is that¡­ Stormwind?¡±


    It was unnecessary to check its authenticity. The air was pervaded by the strong scent of mana.


    ¡°I thought I¡¯d be stuck here looking for it.¡±


    Evergrant got right up to Freya and extended his arm. When heid his hand on the Stone, Evergrant felt as though a colossal wind had pierced through him from head to toe.


    ¡°The Primordial Stone!¡±


    Evergrant''s eyes lit up with happiness as he finally obtained the Primordial Stone.


    - That is not yours.


    Evergrant flinched.


    <em>¡®Whose voice is this?¡¯</em>


    Evergrant''s focus inevitably shifted toward Stormwind. However, it simply continued to give off its distinct vibe.


    <em>¡®Then¡­?¡¯</em>


    Without hesitation, Evergrant closed his eyes. He could clearly feel that the subtle changes in the mana waves hadn¡¯te from Stormwind.


    <em>¡®If it¡¯s not from Stormwind, then¡­ up?¡¯</em>


    With some intense focus, Evergrant was able to trace the energy by following its path of least resistance. It was most certainly not a suitable location for anything. But in this case, the energy was going¡­?


    Evergrant recoiled in astonishment as he sensed something.


    Right on time, a jarring noise filled the space like a gong.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡± Freya screamed softly as a cloud of dust rose to block their vision.


    ¡°We meet again, Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Evergrant''s eyes widened.


    The voice that pierced Evergrant¡¯s ears belonged to none other than¡­


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    Evergrant practically screamed.

 Chapter 295

    Chapter 295


    Despite entering the realm of the ss 8 mage, which already put him at the level of demons, Evergrant continued to seek out power. There was a reason for that: he didn¡¯t think he had enough.


    Despite his meticulous nning, the people who would be arriving soon in Reinhardt were no more normal than he was. They were called ¡°Stars¡± for a reason: they were the most powerful beings in the continent.


    But with the authority of the legend, a Primordial Stone, then things might change.


    <em>¡®ss 9. Even being limited to the wind attribute, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to use it as a stepping stone to be the Big Star in one fell swoop.¡¯</em>


    A way to rise beyond the ranks of the current nine brightest stars, to be a star that would shine above them.


    The Big Star. No one had received this title since the modern calendar of Igrant had been established.


    Evergrant clenched his fist as he looked at Joshua.


    ¡°... Why?¡± he asked angrily.


    Joshua gave him a questioning look.


    ¡°Why do you always hold such animosity against me that you¡¯re always standing in my way? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in it for merely wealth or honor, Joshua Sanders.¡± Evergrant red at Joshua. ¡°Are you¡­ smiling?¡±


    After confirming that Joshua was indeed smirking, Evergrant scowled at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ It wasn¡¯t intentional. I just remembered old memories.¡±


    Joshua turned to face Evergrant and stared directly into his eyes. Joshua had heard those words before, and they had been so painful that the words had been imprinted in his brain.


    But now their roles were switched, and Joshua was going to return the favor.


    ¡°Evergrant, there are people in the world that are a threat just by being alive.¡±


    ¡°... Huh?¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s me.¡±


    Evergrant gave Joshua a bemused look.


    ¡°Wealth and honor? I could get that whenever I want because I have the power to do so.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡± Evergrant found Joshua¡¯s assertions truly frustrating, yet he couldn¡¯t formte a reply. It was Joshua Sanders himself speaking, after all.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not particrly greedy for those things. In fact, it¡¯d be more correct to say that I¡¯m not interested. The only thing that matters to me is¡­¡± Joshua paused and looked up at Evergrant. ¡°Allies.¡±


    ¡°Allies?¡±


    ¡°Well, to be more urate, they were traitors that I thought were my allies.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense are you talking about¡ª¡±


    Evergrant''s eyes widened abruptly as his opponent¡¯s mood suddenly shifted.


    <em>Whoooooong</em>


    ¡°Let me show you.¡±


    With the sound of something vibrating, a crimson spear dropped into Joshua¡¯s waiting hand.


    ¡°This spear is the only thing you fear.¡±


    Joshua took a step toward Evergrant.


    ¡°This weapon had defeated numerous enemies of the Empire but was never defeated itself.¡±


    He directed the spear''s tip at Evergrant.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯m gonna use it on you,¡± he quietly finished.


    Evergrant didn¡¯t listen to Joshua¡¯s final words before he started cursing.


    ¡°You crazy¡ª!¡±


    Almost immediately after, he lifted one hand.


    ¡°Mages from the Magic Tower,¡± Evergrant yelled, ¡°Be prepared to cast your memorized spells!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tower Master!¡±


    The mages in the back stepped forward. At that moment, there was an immediate and noticeable shift in the environmental mana levels.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Gabiji, a ss 4 mage from the Magic Tower, looked around in the middle of wielding a whirling orb of mana.


    They were preparing for a me-type magic, Fire Wall. But why was the ground below them turning to ice?


    The answer that Gabiji was looking for came in an instant.


    <em>sh!</em>


    Gabiji gaped, blindsided by the sudden explosion of light in his face.


    ¡°Blink?¡±


    Two people came out of the sh of light.


    ¡°You guys should¡ª¡±


    ¡°Move!¡±


    A guy with one eye and ady as beautiful as an elf emerged and were shouting before they even hit the ground.


    ¡°Ice field!¡±


    Previously, only a small section of the ground had been frozen, but with the woman¡¯s words, the entire area froze. That wasn''t the end.


    ¡°Wind Storm!¡±


    The air roared in response to the one-eyed man¡¯s shout.


    ss 6 magic erupted right in the middle of the Tower mages.


    ¡°Kwaak!¡±


    The situation descended into chaos in mere moments.


    The mages that Evergrant took with him were mostly ss 4 mages or lower. They were confronted with ss 6 magic when they barely had even ss 5 mages.


    Gabiji, spared from the onught of mana, slowly backed away.


    <em>Screeeeeech</em>


    He had to stop suddenly.


    ¡°There¡¯s¡­ more?¡±


    Between the throng and the Tower Master stood a man.


    Cain hadnded softly and was surveying his surroundings with a beam on his face.


    ¡°No one will go beyond this point.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Gabiji¡¯s eyes naturally fell to where Cain was pointing. He trembled.


    There was a straight line dug deep into the ground¡ªthat eerie sound of something scraping against iron hade from this man.


    ¡°Where did these peoplee from¡ª?¡± Gabiji looked towards Evergrant hopelessly, but what he saw made him tense. ¡°T-Tower Master?¡±


    ¡°...Cocky,¡± Evergrant hissed through clenched teeth. ¡°Anti-magic.¡±


    <em>Craaaack!</em>


    ¡°...!¡± A sound akin to ss breaking made Gabiji¡¯s eyes open wide.


    The frozen ground melted instantly, and the raging wind that almost tore down the ce slowed and eventually stopped.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Gabiji cheered without thinking.


    Right. What was there to be afraid of? The Archmage was one-of-a-kind and had even brought Ian tun Murray to his knees. He was the new pride of the world.


    ¡°Thetapirion Whitesox.¡±


    Theta flinched as his mana began to fade, and he turned around.


    ¡°You¡¯re alive?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Lucky you.¡± Evergrant licked his lips regretfully. ¡°I thought you¡¯d already gone to join your master.¡±


    Theta''s eyes widened; Evergrant¡¯s words were like a knife in the gut.


    ¡°You¡­ You¡­ No way¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hoho.¡± Evergrant smiled pleasantly.


    ¡°Grandpa Tower Master¡ª¡±


    ¡°Unlike a certain foolish someone, I''m not the kind of person to kindly spare someone who could be a major nuisance in the future.¡±


    That was what Tower Master Ian did in the past, and now, Evergrant wasparing himself to the former Tower Master.


    ¡°YOU MOTHERFUCKER¡ª!¡± Curses sprang forth from Theta''s lips. ¡°I¡¯M GOING TO KILL YOU!¡±


    ¡°Supposing that¡¯s even possible.¡± Evergrant looked across at Joshua then. ¡°Are you going to interrupt?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Evergrant''s confusion showed through on his face.


    ¡°I promised him that I would give him the opportunity to slit the throat of the most viinous mage on the continent first.¡±


    ¡°Hohoho. You wille to regret that decision deeply.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I n to step in at any time if necessary.¡±


    Joshua was unfazed by Evergrant¡¯s taunt and stepped aside without hesitation.


    ¡°AAAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    Theta¡¯sst string of reasoning snapped, and he heaved at his mana with all of his strength. His heart pounded as he created magic circles; it felt like it was going to explode at any moment. Theta, of course, had no ns to quit at any point. He kept pushing through the difort, and, of course, rings continued to form one after the other.


    <em>Whooooong!</em>


    The air soon thrummed with powerful mana.


    The quick operation of his Mana Hall put Theta¡¯s body under extreme stress. When he reached five rings, he experienced a sudden, intense agony across his entire body. When the rings counted up to six, veins began to bulge all over his body. And when the rings came to seven, Theta only held back the stream of blood by swallowing it.


    He gritted his teeth and held out his hand.


    ¡°Twin Cyclone, triple!¡±


    Knowing the time was right, Theta screamed at the top of his lungs.


    He used ovep magic, like that used by Joshua back at Reinhardt, but with a threefold effect. It went beyond what Joshua had used back then.


    ¡°Foolish.¡± Evergrant smiled mockingly.


    A powerful wind swept between them.


    Theta¡¯s eyes popped open as he realized that something was deeply wrong.


    ¡°This¡­ what the hell¡ª¡± His jaw dropped.


    The magic he had done was a reflection of decades of hard work, but that giant force of the wind was beingpressed and vacuumed into one ce¡ªnowhere else but Evergrant¡¯s own palms.


    ¡°The Primodial Stone isn¡¯t called God''s artifact for no reason. In front of Stormwind, Storm of the Seven Magicians¡­¡± Evergrant trailed off into a widening grin. ¡°You¡¯re no match for me even before we talk about our ss.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The shock and awe on Theta''s face was palpable.


    Stormwind absorbed all of Theta¡¯s mana and set it sailing in a different direction¡ªbut far more potent now.


    ¡°Guhahahahahahaha!¡±


    With the power of the storm raging in both hands, Evergrant burst intoughter.


    ¡°You bastard! Die by the hands of the people you think you¡¯re allied with! This is a Primordial Stone! No matter how much power you have, do you dare challenge the power of a god?¡± Evergrant red at Joshua with wild eyes. ¡°Experience divine power for yourself with your frail human frame.¡±


    Joshua reacted withughter.


    ¡°... Kehehehe.¡±


    Evergrant trembled when he saw that.


    <em>¡®He¡¯sughing again?¡¯</em>


    Evergrant''s brows wrinkled as a wave of worry washed over him. It had been a long time since he felt this kind of feeling.


    ¡°Sorry about that,¡± Joshua apologized.


    But Evergrant¡¯s worries only intensified¡ªand he was usually right about those kinds of feelings.


    Joshua created two kinds of energy from his hands: crackling in one hand and buzzing in the other.


    ¡°Right, and I have two of them.¡±


    At first, Evergrant seemed confused by Joshua''s statement, but then astonishment crept onto his face.

 Chapter 296

    Chapter 296


    True vacuum. A space that defied description,pletely devoid of matter.


    Evergrant and Joshua stood on the edge of that.


    Everything seemed to freeze. Evergrant had sucked everything, even down to thest piece of dust, out of the air.


    Naturally, the people nearby stopped breathing in shock as they paid attention to the two in the true vacuum.


    ¡°Tower Master.¡± Gabiji''s mouth hung open in unabashed awe.


    That fight was between two humans who were far beyond human limitations.


    Evergrant stepped forward. The pressure of Theta¡¯s special magic,bined with Stormwind¡¯s power, continued to expand in Evergrant¡¯s hands.


    As he approached, Joshua calmly lowered his spear.


    ¡°You have an inted sense of self-importance. Your ability to tell lies without blinking is a notable quality, too.¡±


    ¡°Lie?¡± Joshua cocked his head to one side.


    ¡°I don''t know where you picked it up¡­ but a Primordial Stone is an instrument of a god; it would eat away human life itself, not to mention what two would do. Do you think it¡¯s possible to wield two?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± A gentle grin spread across Joshua''s face as he swished the spear''s tip to a new position. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    ¡°....¡± Evergrant¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°You should be ashamed of your arrogance. It will get you killed.¡±


    <em>Pop.</em>


    It sounded like air had popped out of something, but the effect wasn¡¯t as soft or as light as the sound had seemed.


    The entire area was engulfed by raging winds. The magic had finally left Evergrant¡¯s hands.


    <em>Crack.</em>


    The intense wind carrying intangible power swept by. Its pressure was so strong it cracked the ground, and the sky itself seemed to break apart.


    There were now three enormous winds that continued to grow in strength; no, it could no longer be described as wind. It was a superstorm, and it only had one target.


    ¡°M-Move!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m getting swept up!¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense and get out of the way!¡±


    The mages standing behind Joshua predicted the storm¡¯s route and started to yell as they began moving away.


    The storm did not stop. In fact, it just became stronger and more powerful.


    Joshua waited until he could feel the strong wind blowing in his face before he took action.


    The mana within him began to boil, soaking his entire being with power like water into cotton and waking up every muscle and cell of his body.


    His zing red spear rapidly began to draw a circle in the air, speeding up each time the long weaponpleted a rotation. It didn¡¯t just create a whirlwind. The spear point constantly released a white stream of electricity as it spun, and the annihtion mes, hotter than any other fire in the world, flickered and sparked on the butt.


    Red and white flew through the air; it was a feast for the eyes.


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes slowly widened as he took in the magnificent sight.


    ¡°No¡­ No way¡ª¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡®an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.¡¯¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice was backed by mana so that even above the howling of the storm, Evergrant could hear Joshua''s words clearly.


    ¡°Stormwind¡¯s power of the winds that you bear, and Magma and Bronto¡¯s power that I bear¡­¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s face was awash with wonder as he witnessed Joshua urately identify the Primordial Stone.


    ¡°Which do you think is stronger??¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s test it.¡±


    When Joshua was done talking, Lugia shifted¡ªa mass of wind pressure formed in front of the spinning spear.


    Magic Spear Arts, Level 6, Wind Spear.


    What started as a single gust of wind grew into a devastating hurricane. The force of it made the ocean cry out, the ground quaked, and the heavens above trembled in fear. How could a mere human being fight against what had be a natural disaster at this point?


    ¡°Stone Rain!¡± Evergrant yelled in a panicked voice.


    Summoned by the highest of earth magic, a lofty ss 6 spell, thousands of rocks began to fall from the sky.


    Evergrant managed to cast the spell with only the name and not a chant, and then he did it again.


    ¡°Stone Wall!¡±


    This time, a solid earthen wall was built to protect Evergrant. The speed of its creation was beyondprehension. If it had been a simple wall, it wouldn¡¯t have been this thick or sturdy, but the stones falling from the sky seemed drawn to the wall and fused to it.


    Evergrant made a good call there.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡± Iceline shrieked as the blustery wind stung her eyes; everyone else¡¯s reaction was the same.


    The storm created by Joshua¡¯s wind colliding with Evergrant¡¯s wind made it nigh-impossible to open their eyes.


    ¡°My god¡­¡±


    Cain¡¯s lips parted only as long as it took to speak and immediately closed afterward. Squinting against the wind, he had seen an incredible sight.


    Unlike what many had thought, the two winds created by the two opponents had not canceled each other out. One was winning over the other in a subtle but discernible fashion.


    ¡°As expected of our master¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you see?¡± Icarus asked from beside him with her head ducked against the wind.


    ¡°This¡­ fighting spirit¡ª¡±


    ¡°Exin it so I can understand!¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s wind is eating the ss 8 magic spell that the mage made.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Cain continued to mutter, dumbfounded by what he was seeing,


    ¡°If other people saw this, they may stop saying that a mage is better than a knight in a war¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous!¡± Theta yelled at Cain before the poor guy could even finish his words. ¡°Tell me: who would see that monster as a simple knight!?¡±


    ¡°What, then, you think he¡¯s a mage and not a knight?¡±


    ¡°A magic swordsman, at least¡­ No, I don¡¯t know, maybe he¡¯s a magic spear knight!¡±


    ¡°But he doesn¡¯t actually know how to use magic?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta¡¯s brow furrowed at Cain¡¯s words. ¡°Then answer this.¡±


    ¡°Do we have to do this right now¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is there any other knight in this entire continent that has the ability like your master?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°See?¡± Theta saw how stumped Cain was, and he startedughing.


    ¡°This and that is different!¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you one more thing.¡±


    ¡°Again? What else¡ª¡±


    ¡°About you, of course.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that one day, you¡¯d be able to demonstrate a simr ability to your master with just your sword?¡±


    Theta¡¯s words kept Cain silent. He thought about it for a while but ultimately decided it was pointless.


    After all, it was impossible for him to do so. His master wasn¡¯t someone who could be in the same category as himself.


    As the storm began to dissipate, Icarus noticed that Cain was bing increasingly glum.


    ¡°Why are you belittling him?¡±


    Theta responded to the sudden voice with an incredulous look.


    ¡°No¡ª¡± he began, opening his mouth slightly.


    ¡°Are you bullying him just because you¡¯re from the Avalon Empire?¡± Icarus fired off, her hand resting on her hip.


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t my intention¡­¡± Theta rubbed his chin.


    ¡°Icarus¡­¡± Cain''s expression changed as a realization hit him.


    Wasn¡¯t she usually the one who fought with him? But she was taking his side right now. He couldn¡¯t help but feelforted and emotional. Perhaps any attention was good attention, and they had just been pulling each other¡¯s pigtails.


    ¡°You, I knew it¡­ You like¡­¡±


    Icarus flinched and gave Cain a dubious nce as he gently approached her.


    ¡°Don''te at me with that disgusting look, or I will punch you because it''s not like that.¡± She turned to him and lifted her delicate fist.


    ¡°If¡­ It doesn''t matter if you''re a guy or a girl; I promise I won''t be disappointed either way.¡±


    Cain¡¯s words seemed to shake Icarus down to her core.


    ¡°What the heck does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°What do you think it means?¡±


    Icarus couldn¡¯t help but step back under Cain¡¯s burning gaze.


    ¡°Stop that. It¡¯s not possible in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Do you think we should emigrate?¡±


    ¡°Stop it!¡±


    <em>BOOOOM!</em>


    The two were unable to continue their talk due to the deafening sound.


    ¡°Master?¡±


    Icarus¡¯s head turned to the side. She could feel anxiety creeping up on her, but her worries were, of course, unwarranted.


    ¡°Kuuuuugh¡­.¡±


    A deep groan came from the direction Icarus was looking.


    The electrified and ming wind pounded violently against the hard rock barrier. Yet even the earthen wall¡¯s steely strength was not enough to resist such force as it began crumbling.


    ¡°How¡­ How is this possible!¡± Evergrant bit his lips.


    Even after witnessing it with his own eyes, he still didn''t believe it. He had thought Joshua was just bluffing, but now, he <em>had</em> to believe Joshua. Joshua really did have God¡¯s Artifact¡ªa Primordial stone. There was no other exnation. Nothing other than equal or greater strength could beat his Stormwind.


    ¡°Have you already be a god, Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°I still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡± Evergrant flinched as Joshua¡¯s voice reached his ears.


    ¡°I have something much more incredible to show you.¡±


    Something began to vibrate the air after Joshua was done talking.


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°This¡ª?¡±


    Something was vibrating nearby, and he could feel it. It came from¡­ right in his hand, of all ces.


    ¡°Stormwind?¡±


    His absentminded murmuring ended with an expression of anguish twisting Evergrant¡¯s face. The heat was so intense that it burned his skin.


    Understandably, Evergrant opened his hands in shock.


    A pale green light soon floated in the air.


    Joshua¡¯s familiar voice suddenly reached Evergrant¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you, that¡¯s not yours.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re not chosen, then you could never hope to achieve that power. Even if by some chance, I didn¡¯t have Magma or Bronto¡­¡±


    Joshua let the silence hang for a tense moment before grinning.


    ¡°I still wouldn¡¯t have lost to you.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    <em>Swish!</em>


    Stormwind dropped straight into Joshua¡¯s hands.


    After that, a swarm of pale green lights enveloped the sky.

 Chapter 297

    Chapter 297


    The bright green light disappeared; in its ce, a spotless white stone floated in the air.


    As if it had a conscience, it floated until it finally settled before the two of them.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the artifact of god, the Primordial Stone?¡± Theta stared at Stormwind with awe in his eyes.


    He felt an inexplicable sense of great power in that tiny object.


    Out of everyone present, he was the one most attuned to the wind attribute, so he knew better than anyone else that the Stone held the power to bring an entire nation to ruin. It was strong enough to bring thousands, no, tens of thousands of enemies to their knees on its own.


    ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not Stormwind¡¯s only choice.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    Joshua''s words shattered the moment of calm.


    ¡°You can see it from the way it¡¯s deliberating between the two of us.¡±


    Theta flinched and then began to tremble.


    ¡°But I¡ª¡± He stopped, bewildered.


    Theta was a man of great wisdom and clearly understood the dangers of unchecked authority and power.


    He had seen what happened to a mage who was obsessed with acquiring power. After all, hadn¡¯t he seen Jerath Dek Orbis¡¯s tragic end?


    ¡°What are you scared of?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°At this point, there¡¯s nothing else that you can lose, is there?¡±


    ¡°That¡ª¡± Theta fumbled for an answer.


    Joshua grinned lightly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re still unsure¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take it for a bit.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Theta¡¯s eyeballs bulged at Joshua¡¯sment. ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I gave you your chance.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s grin quickly became bigger. When it came to greed, he was the worst.


    It wasn¡¯t that he couldn¡¯t understand Theta; it was just that his resentment towards Evergrant was equal to or greater than Theta¡¯s.


    <em>Step</em>.


    Joshua took a step forward and reached out to take Stormwind. He had missed it once before because he had hesitated; he didn¡¯t n on missing it again the second time.


    His hand mped around the stone.


    ¡°Urk¡ª!¡± Theta frowned, blinded by the sudden burst of lights.


    The Primordial Stone, Stormwind, prated Joshua¡¯s body with powerful energy, changing even his outward appearance. His ck hair turned bright green, and a strange wind began forming around him. It was as if the wind was flowing all around his entire body.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let this go?¡± Evergrant screamed as he looked on.


    ¡°The power of the pentagram that does not exist anywhere in the world!¡±


    Theta heard Evergrant¡¯s first stanza and reacted immediately.


    ¡°That chant¡­!¡± he eximed incredulously.


    Among the seven sses of magic, fire magic was the most destructive.


    ¡°I, Evergrant, am going against the flow of the world!¡±


    ¡°No¡­ No!¡± Iceline shouted upon realization.


    ¡°Indomitable heat, annihte the enemy in front of me! Set them alight and turn them to ashes! Obliterate them!¡±


    ¡°N-no!¡±


    As a ss 8 Archmage, arge portion of the chant was omitted. But that didn¡¯t mean Theta and Iceline didn¡¯t recognize it.


    It was¡­


    <em>Whooooong!</em>


    ¡°....¡±


    An odd sound abruptly echoed through the air.


    Not long after, a pattern in the shape of an inverted pentagram began forming underneath Joshua¡¯s feet.


    Once Evergrant saw it, he extended his staff forcefully and finished his chant.


    ¡°Lagna st!¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡± Iceline cried out as the cluster of red lights began to fill her field of view.


    Above the pattern, a pir of me rose. It was so powerful that the force felt like it would pierce the sky.


    Nearby people flinched and retreated back because of the extreme heat, which was already burning their flesh.


    Soon, Joshua was hidden from sight. He was trapped inside.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ ss 7 magic¡ª¡±


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    Gabiji choked down the lump in his throat as silence descended onto the ce.


    It had been a few seconds since Evergrant and Joshua had been swallowed by the me. The onlookers called out to the other side, to no avail¡ªno answer was ever received.


    ¡°The Tower Master!¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Gabiji''s head turned towards the sound of the voice. It came from his fellow mages.


    ¡°As expected! Even Avalon¡¯s monster doesn¡¯t stand a chance against the Tower Master!¡±


    A glow of astonishment filled Gabiji¡¯s eyes.


    That first cheer was just the beginning.


    ¡°Our very first ss 8 Archmage!¡±


    ¡°Mister Evergrant!¡±


    ¡°Our dream wille true! History¡¯s first Magic Empire! To be with the person who will make thate true¡ª!¡±


    The moral of the mages of the Magic Tower was sky-high; in fact, there was so much enthusiasm that a few people actually started cheering. How could they not be happy when their enemy, the one who seemed more like a monster than a human, was defeated by their one and only Master?


    However, there was someone who dampened that enthusiasm.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡±


    ¡°Ash?¡± Iceline looked towards the person who spoke.


    ¡°At least as far as I know, there¡¯s no way a regr human could defeat Joshua.¡±


    <em>Boom!</em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    Iceline¡¯s pupils dted as the pir of mes was shed in half by an enormous explosion.


    Ash¡¯s voice continued on.


    ¡°At this point¡­ There is no one who can defeat him.¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    Unlike Iceline, Evergrant was not at the very least shocked. At the first hint of a change, he had already been plotting his next move. Evergrant sped his hands and started chanting again.


    ¡°ze at the bottom of the earth. The pinnacle of all fire. I bring forth the fire that only exists in Hell. Consume everything that you can reach, even heaven. Swallow it all if you desire.¡±


    <em>Woooosh!</em>


    ¡°...!¡± This time, even Ash¡¯s expression contorted, too.


    The mes that appeared in front of Evergrant¡¯s face were not red in color. It was hard to imagine that fire could have that deep blue color.


    ¡°Hellfire.¡±


    In Evergrant¡¯s hand, a ss 8 spell finally came into being.


    <em>¡®Although it¡¯s memorization which doesn¡¯t need casting, ss 8 magic still needs to be verbalized. In the end, your arrogance will be your doom.¡¯</em>


    Half of his mana hall was exhausted instantly, but Evergrant felt nothing but calm as he looked at the blue mes floating in front of him. Nothing existed in this world that Hellfire couldn¡¯t burn.


    Evergrant''s grin broadened quickly as he caught sight of Joshua emerging from the ze. He was not hurt, and the clothes on his body were in good shape as well, but at this point, it was useless.


    ¡°Can you block this? However divine the wind may be, it will always lose to fire.¡±


    Joshua took in Evergrant¡¯s words andughed out loud.


    ¡°I was wondering what you were bbering about again, but you¡¯re only talking about affinity?¡±


    ¡°Kekeke¡­ ¡®only¡¯?¡¯¡± Evergrant''s eyes narrowed dramatically. ¡°You have a high opinion of yourself if you think you know the key to affinity. There¡¯s nothing as important as an affinity for mages. Maybe if it was the Primordial Stone of Earth, but Stormwind¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why¡­¡± Joshua mumbled before Evergrant could finish.


    Evergrant bit his tongue.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mage.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice seemed to contain mana; it was so powerful that it seemed to pierce the ears of everyone there.


    The reaction was instant and explosive.


    ¡°That bastard!!!¡±


    ¡°Mister Evergrant! Show that Avalon dog what magic can do!¡±


    ¡°Please show him!¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes took in the hope and ambition in the mages¡¯ eyes before flicking back to Joshua.


    ¡°Alright¡­ If you¡¯re so confident, then stop this.¡±


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    It was at that moment that the floating, dark blue mes suddenly grew to terrifying proportions with a resonant hum. Evergrant had put in everyst bit of his remaining mana.


    ¡°Can I tell you something?¡±


    Evergrant flinched.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°In addition to the capabilities associated with its traits, each Primordial Stone possesses a unique set of abilities. Bronto grows, Magma delivers extinction,¡± Joshua continued to mutter in the midst of their bizarre confrontation. ¡°So, then, what abilities does Stormwind have?¡±


    ¡°That thing¡ª¡± Evergrant instantly had his staff fully extended in Joshua''s direction. ¡°That thing is insignificant when faced with ss 8 magic!¡±


    The dark blue mes of the Hellfire had grown as big as a body; it flew towards Joshua.


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHA!¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s madness leaked out. He had no doubt that the person whom he thought of as an eyesore was going to be fodder for the Hellfire one way or another.


    ¡°The answer is¡­¡± Joshua lifted his spear with a grin on his face and aimed it toward Evergrant. ¡°Symbiosis.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Evergrant''s eyes widened in surprise. Something changed, and Evergrant did not fail to notice this.


    There were three objects, all a different color, embedded in the spear. Evergrant stared intently at them. He realized what they were when he saw the white object that was so perfect it didn¡¯t have a single blemish on it.


    ¡°Primordial Stones!¡± Evergrant cried out, once again shocked.


    It was impossible. It should never have happened.


    Primordial Stones of unknown origin and a mysterious spear which Evergrant did not fully know of its origins, but could make a guess.


    How could the ipatible objects take shape like that?


    Smack!


    ¡°...!¡±


    The raging Hellfire Evergrant hadunched earlier came to a very anticlimactic stop just a few inches before it hit Joshua¡¯s face; it was as if it had simply been turned off.


    It was such a close distance that if it had been a normal person, then even their bones would have disappeared, but Joshua was no regr person.


    ¡°Earlier, I gave you a little peek.¡±


    He stared at Evergrant. The mage had be stiff as a statue under Joshua¡¯s gaze at that point.


    ¡°Now, this is the real thing.¡±


    <em>Woosh!</em>


    A bolt of me sprang from the earth and erupted.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Next, white lightning bolts crashed to the earth with a deafening scream.


    <em>Whooooo!</em>


    The gale that had been swishing around them both now converged on Joshua.


    ¡°The darkest pits of hell wee you, Evergrant.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Evergrant opened his mouth dumbly with no idea what to say.


    A dull roar filled his ears.


    <em>Thud.</em>


    Joshua pounded the earth with the butt of his spear.


    At that instant, thend split into two.

 Chapter 298

    Chapter 298


    ¡°Guuuh¡­¡±


    Evergrant opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed, but he knew that he felt unbearable pain all over his body. Despite opening his eyes, he did not regain his ability to see. The darkness was so intense that it was impossible for him to see anything. It seemed like he was in an abyss of darkness.


    ¡°Evergrant, this ce was created just for you.¡±


    Evergrant flinched as the voice whispered in his ears. He might be unable to see, but his other senses had heightened.


    As soon as he recognized the speaker, his brows furrowed.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡ª!¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°You bastard! Ugh¡ª¡±


    Almost immediately, Evergrant let out a muffled groan as another wave of pain washed over him. The important thing wasn¡¯t that he was in pain; it was the location.


    ¡°You¡­ Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡± Evergrant''s hand jerked up and immediately headed to a particr point of his body. ¡°My Mana Circle?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better take it slow. Right now, your circle is like a container on the verge of being broken.¡±


    ¡°The hell? What did you do to me?¡± Evergrant shouted loudly and angrily.


    He was incredibly incensed. His usual appearance was nowhere to be found, and he looked empty right now. Evergrant had a feeling that everything he had done all throughout his life was going toe crashing down.


    ¡°I know you better than you think I do.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap and answer me!¡±


    ¡°Berber. No, Jerath dek Orbis¡­ the reason why he craved so much power.¡±


    Evergrant stopped moving and fell silent as he processed Joshua¡¯s words.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes hardened.


    ¡°The two of you had the same reason.¡± He said in the darkness. ¡°The end justifies the means? Weren¡¯t you and Jerath willing to utilize whatever methods you had at your disposal to aplish your objective?¡±


    Despite Joshua¡¯s presence, Evergrant still remained silent as his enemy continued to speak.


    ¡°So I was really curious what it was that you wanted. Because you see, I knew there was no way you would spend your entire life working for someone else like their dog.¡±


    ¡°...What do you know?¡±


    It felt like an eternity had passed before Evergrant spoke, but when he finally did, Joshua smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯re curious now?¡±


    ¡°Just answer me.¡±


    ¡°The unification of the continent,¡± Joshua responded without the slightest hint of hesitation.


    ¡°...!¡± Evergrant''s eyes widened for a moment.


    ¡°However, not a continent that was brought together by Avalon, but rather one that was formed under you.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°You wanted a unified continent to be called the ¡®Magic Empire¡¯ from the very beginning.¡±


    Joshua''s voice was the only sound echoing through the abyss.


    ¡°You and the Emperor already knew each other¡¯s intentions. But neither of you cared. You both thought that you could use the other as a stepping stone for your own ns¡ªthat you could control the other.¡±


    This had been the cause of that peculiar feeling of incongruity between the Emperor and Evergrant. Perhaps in the distant future, Evergrant would eliminate Kaiser for his purpose. After all, unlike how he portrayed himself, Evergrant waspletely twisted on the inside with his dark desire for victory.


    <em>¡®But¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes hardened. There was something that needed to be cleared up.


    <em>Step. </em>


    ¡°...!¡±


    Joshua stepped out of the darkness.


    ¡°You! You were there?!¡± Evergrant growled after finding out that Joshua had been there the whole time.


    ¡°Marcus ben Britten is called a violent maniac. Whether it¡¯s based on his position or authority, the Emperor¡¯s confidence is understandable.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But Evergrant con Aswald, not you.¡± Joshua¡¯s head cocked to the side after he finished his sentence. ¡°You are so calctive that you don¡¯t mind hanging around your enemy for a long time and hiding your true colors. Even if you have the Magic Tower in your hands, the name and value of the Empire are so huge that you¡¯ll look like you¡¯re hitting a boulder with an egg.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°It was the same with Asmodeus¡¯s contractor, Jerath. From the moment his ck magices to light, he would be public enemy number one of the entire continent. In that sense¡­¡± Joshua momentarily stopped speaking and stared intently into Evergrant¡¯s eyes. ¡°What exactly is it that you¡¯re putting your faith in?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°While I was in the position of Auxiliary Battalion captain, I was able to ferret out a lot of information. Namely, the fact that there are three forces that wield influence over the Imperial family of the Avalon Empire, and you¡¯re one of the three.¡±


    What came out of Joshua¡¯s lips was shocking.


    ¡°And that you¡¯re an informant.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°I now know what even the Emperor hasn¡¯t fullyprehended; why a ss 8 mage is being used as their hands and feet¡­ It¡¯s clear now. You aren¡¯t the arm of some group or organization but a single being.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Heimdall.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes were brighter than ever before.


    Evergrant visibly froze for a few seconds. Joshua noticed the change, but he did nothing except stand there silently. It was almost as if he was waiting for Evergrant to respond.


    A brief silence ensued.


    ¡°Hohohohohoho.¡±


    The only sound that could be heard was Evergrant¡¯s lowugh, which finally shattered the oppressive quiet.


    ¡°I see. Is that all you know?¡±


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed, Joshua Sanders,¡± Evergrant whispered quietly as he pulled his disorganized hair back into a ponytail. ¡°The monster of the world was only able to find out that much. That must mean that you¡¯re merely human, just like me.¡±


    The expression of despondency on Evergrant¡¯s face was soon reced with the beginnings of a grin.


    ¡°Let me say this to you¡ªjust like the rest of us, you are just a pawn in the greater scheme of fate. You¡¯re just one of many, and you¡¯ve been so since even before you were born. Of course, in the beginning, you were an unexpected spare, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Because the same blood that runs through the Imperial family runs through my veins?¡±


    Joshua responded with a nk-faced expression before Evergrant could finish his sentence.


    ¡°Oh? You knew that too?¡± Evergrant answered with a hint of surprise. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°The rtionship between the Imperial family members is much moreplicated than you think. Like I said before, even if a variable like you hadn¡¯t appeared, there wouldn¡¯t have been a major influence in the grand scheme of things.¡± Evergrant¡¯s grin became bigger. ¡°This is obvious based on Heimdall¡¯s rtionship with the Emperor right now. No matter how much you try, you can never get to his level.¡±


    Evergrant''s eyes seemed to ze as he finished speaking. His eyes not only trust and yearning but also guilt and regret. All of his feelings seemed to gather in his eyes.


    ¡°Kill me,¡± Evergrant demanded in a low voice.


    Joshua''s forehead wrinkled in confusion.


    ¡°Are you just going to give up now? You?¡±


    ¡°Stop pretending. You know just as well as I do what my body¡¯s condition is like right now.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to make the same choice Jerath dek Orbis did?¡±


    ¡°You want me to turn into some sort of undead creature?¡± Evergrantughed. ¡°You talked about us like we were the same, but he and I are quite different kinds of people. I respected his passion for magic and theory and his confidence, but our values¡­¡±


    Evergrant abruptly stopped his prolonged chatter for no apparent reason.


    ¡°We had a lengthy discussion. Heimdall will deal with the repercussions.¡±


    ¡°Did you really think that I would kill you that quickly?¡±


    Evergrant shrugged in response to Joshua¡¯s bleak question.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to torture me? Well, do whatever you want¡­.¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Joshua answered without hesitation.


    He slowly paced forward.


    ¡°I always thought that death would be too merciful for you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    The trick that Evergrant pulled rendered decades of Joshua¡¯s work useless. Shouldn¡¯t Joshua pay it back with something equally terrible, not just with Evergrant¡¯s life?


    Swish!


    Joshua gave a bloodthirsty smile as he looked at Evergrant¡¯s bewildered expression.


    ¡°So, how can I exact my revenge in the most satisfying way possible?¡±


    - Oh, you made up your mind?


    ¡°...!¡± Evergrant¡¯s pupils widened slightly for a split second.


    That was not the voice of a human being but rather a voice that sounded as though it was emanating from directly within his skull. Evergrant¡¯s eyes were inevitably drawn to its source.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ an ego weapon?¡±


    - Can you hear me? I knew it! I have a great eye for human beings!¡±


    Lugia¡¯s spear floated in the air, swinging from side to side.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that I can¡¯t make Jerath dek Orbis mine.¡±


    - Can¡¯t do anything about that. Asmodeus is stuck to him too close¡­ but¡­


    The spear snapped down so that the point was aimed in Evergrant¡¯s direction.


    - I think this is fine.


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?!¡± Evergrant shouted.


    In reaction to it, Joshua shed a grin and a smile.


    ¡°What do you think I¡¯m saying? You, you belong right here.¡±


    Pitch-ck demonic power seeped out of Joshua¡¯s body with an unsettling noise.


    ¡°From the beginning, you didn¡¯t have a choice. Even if you refuse¡­¡±


    Evergrant shivered, his eyes widening for a split second as he registered the weighty touch on his arms. He soon spotted two people dressed in ck, and his face became red with shock at what he saw.


    ¡°I most definitely intend to carry it out.¡±


    ¡°Death Knights! YOU! Don¡¯t tell me¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, Evergrant.¡±


    Joshua extended his hand with an even broader smile.


    - I¡¯m going!


    Lugia pushed forward with all of its might.


    ¡°...Heup!¡±


    The spear entered Evergrant¡¯s chest with a horrifying squelch.


    Joshua murmured something under his breath as he saw the man shake all over as if he had been hit by lightning.


    ¡°The lesser hell in its true sense. The Lord of the Lesser Demon Realm wees you Evergrant.¡±


    Evergrant¡¯s eyes rapidly lost their brightness, and Joshua''s words faded into the background.


    ¡°Damn¡­ this¡­¡±


    Those were the final words Joshua had said in his previous life, but this time, those were Evergrant¡¯s.

 Chapter 299

    Chapter 299


    Everything nearby became tinted with red, and everywhere he looked, he only saw towering mes. From within, a continual wail of agony emerged.


    <em>Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!</em>


    He didn¡¯t know whose soul was screaming. But one thing was for sure: from where Joshua stood, at that very ce, it was clear that the ce was nowhere within the realm of human beings but rather another dimension.


    - The Second Lesser Demon Realm. You¡¯ve been epted to the Raurava Hell, and Imend you for that.


    Joshua stared wordlessly as Lugia¡¯s words went in one ear and exited out the other.


    A person in a ck robe appeared in front of him before he could react.


    - Gloomy clothing that¡¯s highly contrasting against the blue staff and that worn-out crown on his head¡ªexactly how I remember the Lich King.


    ¡°....¡±


    - The question is, how will you get his recognition when he¡¯s known for his pride¡­


    Joshua interrupted Lugia with a question before the demon couldplete its sentence.


    ¡°What happened to Evergrant¡¯s soul?¡±


    - His soul was a kind of sacrifice.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    - In other words, it¡¯s the price he paid. Since he dared to call the Lich King, who is of a different ¡®ss,¡¯ then he has to pay the price¡ªhis soul.


    ¡°....¡±


    -If you get the Lich King¡¯s recognition, then Evergrant¡¯s soul will be trapped in eternal torment inside the King.


    Lugia continued bleakly.


    -Even if you don¡¯t gain his recognition, the soul will still be destroyed.


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t voluntary?


    Lugia responded in a haughty tone¡­


    - It¡¯s within my abilities to make it happen.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Of course, there are a few stringent requirements. First, the offering itself has to be worthy of the King¡¯s attention¡­


    ¡°I see,¡± Joshua said as he took a step forward. ¡°How?¡±


    - Why are you asking that? You already know.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Bring him to his knees with power so overwhelming that nothing could match it.


    Lugia¡¯s statement made Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkle.


    Top-tier Demonic Power. Top-tier power.


    If there really is a ¡®ss,¡¯ then¡­


    Joshua slowly drew power up from the ground. Just as he was about to release his power, he was interrupted.


    - That¡¯s enough.


    ¡°...!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened when he heard a new voice. It came from in front of him.


    - You don¡¯t need to exert that much effort.


    ¡°....¡±


    <em>ck.</em>


    - I recognize you and bow before you, my new Master.


    Unbelievably, the figure dressed in ck knelt before Joshua.


    - This¡­ is beyond my expectations. King, he¡¯s one who was once called the Demon Realm¡¯s Great Strategist¡­


    Joshua was dumbfounded. Just like Lugia said, he had gained King¡¯s recognition so easily that it was absurd.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    - Do I need a reason to serve my Master?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you do,¡± Joshua responded firmly.


    The Lich King went silent as it took in Joshua¡¯s reply. They were both still for a while.


    - I see that you have already gained Cubar¡¯s recognition.


    ¡°Cubar?¡±


    - She was the strongest in the Demon Realm in terms of physical strength.


    ¡°....¡±


    - Right now, She may look like nothing, but she was once called the Demon Dragon. Once she regains her lost power, the Evil Sin, she will be a powerful force.


    ¡°Stop talking aboutplicated things. Just answer my questions.¡±


    The Lich King froze for an instant before abruptly standing up again.


    - A reason¡­ If it¡¯s a reason you want, then you should ask <em>him</em>.


    ¡°Him?¡±


    The Lich king wordlessly turned to look at a specific location¡ªhe was looking at the shining red spear.


    As if to show that he was equally surprised, Lugia dropped for a moment.


    - ¡­Me?


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua¡¯s gaze became sober.


    ¡°I see¡­ that seems about right.¡±


    - ¡­What?


    ¡°I have some knowledge about the Demon Realm that doesn¡¯t make sense, but the information I have about you is very clear. Which makes sense since these knowledge and memories aren¡¯t mine, but yours, Lugia.¡±


    - What the hell? Why is this going in that direction¡­


    ¡°At first, I thought you were purposefully limiting information, but now I know.


    - ¡­.


    Lugia had no choice but to remain quiet at that.


    ¡°You weren¡¯t attempting to keep secrets or hide anything from me. You didn¡¯t know it yourself.


    - ¡­.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t just your power and strength that you lost. Some of your memories have been sealed as well.¡±


    Only Joshua¡¯s voice was heard. Silence could also be taken as agreement.


    ¡°The Sole Darkness, the Lord of the Lesser Demon Realm, and one of the eight who hold the power of Evil Sin, pride. If I put all that together, I can figure out your real identity. It is¡­¡±


    It was the Lich King who finished Joshua¡¯s words.


    - The Battle Ghost, Lucifer.


    ¡°....¡±


    - I did not expect the glory of the past to show up in this ce


    Though it was soft, the Lich King''s voice quietly filled the air.


    ***


    The earth, no, it was the World Tree Yggdrasil, was split into two.


    Freya, known as the ¡®Brightest Elf,¡¯ looked at the scene in front of her with a devastated expression.


    ¡°The World Tree¡­ Mr. Elenbrus, what have we been doing all this time?¡±


    Ash clenched his teeth when he heard her. Her voice was filled with pain.


    However, the one who was suffering the most right now was him. He had endured decades of humiliation. As a High Elf, he should have been serving as the representative for the elves, but instead, he had had to live as a gatekeeper for the elves¡¯ sanctuary.


    He had done all that for the World Tree, but now¡­ it had lost all meaning.


    ¡°Damn it¡­¡±


    This was immediately followed by a slew of curses.


    - I have known you for a long time and consider you a friend, so I am saddened by your loss, Elenbrus.


    Ash¡¯s head swung up toward the voice.


    ¡°Krevas!¡±


    He shot a venomous re at the dragon, desperate to vent his anger at someone.


    - But I think this is rather for the better.


    ¡°What?¡±


    - How did the elvese to rely solely on the World Tree? If my memory serves me right, it hasn¡¯t been that long.


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    - I¡¯m saying that it¡¯s slowly time for you toe out of the darkness and into the light.


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened.


    - Isn¡¯t one mere human giving you, the cowardly elves, the opportunity to move forward?


    ¡°....¡±


    - Of course, the choice is yours, but¡­


    The elf remained silent, but Krevas¡¯s voice was loud and clear.


    - I am certain that the elves will never be able to leave this ce if it¡¯s not now.


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    - The King of the Dwarves had a dream¡ªan alliance of diverse beings.


    Ash¡¯s eyes widened until they couldn¡¯t get wider.


    - Isn¡¯t it worth attempting if it¡¯s for that?


    While the two of them were having a shocking conversation, something else was happening in a different area.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Cain?¡± Icarus asked in confusion.


    ¡°Why haven¡¯t we heard anything? Like, maybe there¡¯s a dungeon inside the World Tree, or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop talking nonsense!¡±


    When Icarus raised her voice, Cain shook his head as he looked at her.


    ¡°You never know with humans.¡±


    ¡°You still don¡¯t trust our master? Just be patient a bit and believe in him!¡±


    ¡°And what if something goes wrong? Icarus, you think you can make it alone in this harsh world?¡±


    ¡°How can you joke in this kind of situation?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m far from joking right now. I can¡¯t take this anymore. I¡¯m going down there myself.¡±


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened at Cain¡¯s words.


    ¡°Where are you going? You can¡¯t be talking about the massive tree. You can¡¯t even see the bottom of it!¡±


    They had climbed at least dozens of meters high, so if they took the roots into consideration, the tree could be much bigger. And yet, Cain was saying that he¡¯d jump down from that height.


    ¡°Do you think you¡¯re like our master?¡± Icarus said in a sharp tone, arching her brow.


    Cain flinched at her response, but his determination remained unwavering.


    ¡°No one can stop me, not even you, Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Seriously. You¡¯re not funny right now.¡±


    ¡°Master, I¡¯m going in¡­!¡±


    Cain really seemed like he was going to jump into the abyss.


    ¡°This virgin¡ª!¡±


    Just as Icarus was getting ready to yell some more, something ck shed before her eyes. Her expression turned strange.


    ¡°What just¡­?¡±


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± Icarus turned to look at Cain as she repeated.


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    ¡°Really¡ª?¡±


    Iceline and Ash shouted out as well.


    Soon, Joshuanded softly on top of the World Tree.


    - Kekeke. The protagonist has arrived.


    Krevas¡¯s low and resonating voice drew everyone¡¯s attention to one particr spot¡ªa man whose eyes seemed to take in the entire universe at once.


    ¡°That person¡­¡±


    Freya forgot about her devastation and looked at him with twinkling eyes.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he that human from before¡­?¡±


    ¡°He battled against a ss 8 mage on equal grounds.¡±


    ¡°Then that means he won, right?¡±


    The other elves weren¡¯t much different from her. Admiration, envy, and an unexinable sense of expectancy. All of them stared at Joshua.


    ¡°Did you wait long?¡±


    Icarus was the first to reply. ¡°That¡¯s all you have to say, master? I thought I was going to die from the suspense!¡±


    ¡°I believed in you!¡±


    ¡°M-me too, Joshua.¡±


    ¡°What took you so long?¡±


    Joshua grinned at the rapid session of their loud greetings.


    ¡°Seems like everyone has a lot to say.¡±


    ¡°Because you have a lot to exin,¡± Icarus said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer all your questions. But since we¡¯ve all been rushing without rest, let¡¯s sit down a bit and then talk.¡±


    ¡°Then I apologize, but¡­¡± A man moved forward as if he had been waiting. ¡°I feel like I should go first.¡±


    ¡°Theta?¡± Iceline¡¯s head tilted to one side as she looked at him.


    He¡¯d been holding a brilliant, spherical thing in his hand for quite some time.


    ¡°Crystal ball ofmunication¡­¡± Iceline mumbled as she realized what it was.


    ¡°It started.¡±


    ¡°It?¡±


    Joshua seemed confused at those words.


    ¡°As of today, in the 725th year of the continental calendar¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°The Continental War¡­ has begun.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    A deafening silence descended around them.

 Chapter 300

    Chapter 300


    While the people of Igrant had expected the Continental War to happen, they had thought it would begin in Avalon since the madman Emperor Marcus resided there. However, what actually happened was unexpected.


    It started in a very unlikely ce.


    The spark of war started in Hubalt, the country of peace. Previously, the two factions within Hubalt had kept their conflict in the shadows, but now, the Emperor¡¯s army and the Papal forces met head-on.


    ***


    In the capital city of the Hubalt Empire was the Great Hall of Hermes, arge temple that could fit a thousand people. But presently, even that appeared too small.


    A violent altercation between two well-armed groups was currently taking ce.


    The leader of one group walked forward wearing a silver full-te armor that gleamed brightly in the light. He was in his mid-forties, with short brown hair and a big body rippling with muscles, but what was particrly eye-catching was the bandages wrapped around both his hands.


    ¡°Sir Sebastian,¡± the man called out.


    Someone from the opposing side walked out wearing pure white armor. It was one of the Nine Great stars and the symbol of Hubalt, the God¡¯s Knight Chrysler Jean Sebastian.


    ¡°Zactor¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time.¡±


    ¡°Do you really have to do this?¡± Chrysler asked sadly.


    Zactor, the Martial Emperor and another of the Nine Stars, stared at him before speaking.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news. Your disciple, whom you cherished, is still going through hard times.¡±


    <em>Clench.</em>


    Chrysler¡¯s nails bit into his palm as he clenched his hands into fists.


    Martial Emperor¡¯s response had nothing to do with the question Chrysler had asked. It meant that further discussion was pointless.


    ¡°...Since it¡¯se this far, then no matter what I say, the situation will not change. Be careful. Even if we wererades, the sword is blind.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s hardly fitting for someone with a title like ¡®God¡¯s Knight,¡¯¡± the Martial Emperor remarked with a slight grin. ¡°Let me show you something.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°While you were focused on training your students, I only focused on training myself. And in the end¡­¡±


    <em>sh!</em>


    Martial Emperor¡¯s fists erupted with a powerful burst of concentrated mana. It was a blinding aura even Masters would have a hard time creating, and yet, he made it seem as natural as breathing.


    ¡°This is an aura that is above the other aura,¡± he said, beaming. ¡°This is actually even about that.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°In other words, this is the awakening state of aura. I call it ¡®True Aura.¡¯¡±


    As the Martial Emperor concluded his speech, immense energy filled the Hall.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time.¡±


    <em>Step. </em>


    ¡°You and me. Martial Emperor on the Emperor¡¯s faction, versus the God¡¯s Knight, the symbol of the Pope.¡±


    <em>Step, step.</em>


    ¡°Who will be thest one standing in Hubalt?¡±


    The Martial Emperor stopped merely ten steps away from Chrysler.


    His grin became bigger as hemanded his men. ¡°Knights of the great Hubalt Empire, heed me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°It is time for us to make a great leap forward for our new Hubalt.¡±


    <em>Thud!</em>


    The knights in silver all stomped their feet in unison.


    ¡°The first thing we need to do is get rid of the hypocrites who call for peace in God¡¯s name.¡±


    <em>Schik!</em>


    The knights in silver drew their weapons all at once.


    ¡°Holy Knights! Take up your weapons!¡±


    <em>Schik!</em>


    The knights in white also drew their weapons and brandished them at their opponents.


    The atmosphere was so tense; it wouldn¡¯t have been surprising if a fight broke out immediately


    ¡°Lilith¡­¡± a hushed voice called.


    At the back of the crowd of white knights, a beautiful silver-haired woman whipped around in shock.


    ¡°Ca-cardinal.¡±


    Lilith blinked rapidly as her eyesnded on a middle-aged man dressed in priestly garb.


    ¡°Go back to Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Someone should be making preparations for the future in case something goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°Father!¡± she shouted. Shepletely forgot about the situation around her in the face of the man¡¯s words. ¡°Are you¡­ are you saying that I should escape by myself?¡±


    He shook his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not telling you to escape. I¡¯m telling you to ask the others for help. You need to unite the other kingdoms that are not the three great Empires.¡±


    ¡°But someone else can do that¡±


    ¡°You, as the leader of the Moon Gate, are the only one capable of aplishing this.¡±


    When he gripped her hands, she couldn¡¯t protest any further.


    ¡°I know I am asking something difficult. And¡­¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    It was the first time she had heard that since reaching adulthood. Her lovely features contorted in agony.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hurry!¡±


    She bit her lip for a moment, then turned around. Just as she did, the temple rang with deafening yells.


    <em>CLANG!</em>


    ¡°WHAAAAAAA!¡±


    The two factions of Hubalt¡¯s supreme powers were going head-to-head.


    ***


    While the fighting was happening in Hubalt, a meeting in Thran Principality was interrupted by a courier bearing breaking news.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Seated on his throne, bis immediately sensed that something was wrong.


    ¡°What happened?¡± he quickly inquired.


    ¡°An army of three hundred thousand Swallows has raided our territory! It is said that Baima, Teimun, and even the Bern borders were taken in less than half a day!¡±


    The nobles of Thran were shocked as the messenger¡¯s voice echoed across the Great Hall.


    ¡°Wh-what did you say?¡±


    ¡°Three hundred thousand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ unless they went mad¡ª¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes hardened.


    ¡°Is Swallow saying they don¡¯t care about the other nations¡¯ reactions any longer?¡±


    ¡°Your¡­Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What did they say?¡± bis asked.


    ¡°They said it was revenge for their Master, the Wild King Duke Altsma¡­¡± the messenger stuttered.


    ¡°Revenge? Isn''t this a preemptive strike?¡± One of the nobles fumed, his face flushed red.


    ¡°Well¡­ they said that after being on the brink of death, he died not too long ago.¡±


    This was unexpected news.


    The noble mmed up immediately. ¡°Who is leading the enemy?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Duke Altsma has fallen. I doubt it¡¯s Marquis Australo since he just recently became a Master. So if it¡¯s someone who¡¯s above him, then¡­ Duke Eima?¡±


    ¡°N-no, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°No? Then who¡­?¡±


    ¡°The leader of the attacking army is¡­ is¡­ the Grand Duke Lucifer, the man with the most influence on the Swallow Empire right now.¡±


    The Hall fell into an eerie silence.


    ***


    In the Imperial Pce of Avalon, Emperor Marcus sat on his throne in the middle of his immense throne room andughed softly.


    ¡°Hehehe. Geschhard, have you heard the news?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. I wanted to be the first to lead in an event that would be recorded in the annals of history.¡±


    ¡°In the end¡­ only the victor will be remembered,¡± Duke Tremblin responded.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Emperor Marcus said, nodding. ¡°So, what is Aden doing?¡±


    ¡°He went out to the Great ins of Kraden first, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s surprising. I didn¡¯t think he would meekly follow orders like this.¡±


    ¡°I assume that he didn¡¯t think he would be able to hold out for much longer with two Empires already on the move.¡±


    ¡°So that two of our pride and joy, the Stars of our empire, started moving together? Very good.¡±


    There was a satisfied smile on the Emperor¡¯s face.


    ¡°Go.¡±


    ¡°...Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Go and show the others Avalon¡¯s potential.¡±


    ¡°As Your Majestymands.¡±


    ¡°I look forward to hearing the good news of your triumphant sess.¡±


    Done speaking, the Emperor waved his hand dismissively, and Duke Tremblin turned around. But suddenly, the duke froze and then turned back. It was not a typical action for someone as loyal as him.


    ¡°Might I ask you a question, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You told me once before that you and he share a close bond.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Hahahaha, that I did.¡± The Emperorughed heartily; he seemed to understand Duke Tremblin¡¯s point. ¡°Were you curious about that?¡±


    ¡°I kept wondering¡­¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, that won¡¯t do. After all, you have something important to do that will be remembered forever, don¡¯t you?¡± the Emperor said, making his characteristically dramatic gestures. ¡°Have I told you about Aden¡¯s mother?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t find it strange? How could I know the story of a woman that I never met before? A stranger who died before I was even born.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Duke Tremblin started saying something before he grew quiet.


    Now that he thought about it, it <em>was </em>odd.


    That incident was so famous that there wasn¡¯t any noble in the capital that didn¡¯t know about it. And since it was rted to the Imperial family, it made sense that the Emperor knew about it.


    But it was strange that the Emperor, who was known for only being interested in fighting and war, knew even the most intimate details of the story¡­


    ¡°Hehe. Are you curious? Do you want to know?¡±


    Duke Tremblin paused, then responded without hesitation.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Is it not obvious? When I was growing up, all I heard about was Aden.¡±


    ¡°By that, you mean¡­¡±


    ¡°My father, the emperor at the time, abducted a woman from a ducal household because he couldn¡¯t contain his perverted longings.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Like a dog in heat, he molested and abused her every night. She was treated even lower than a maid for many years as she was vited.¡±


    Even though Duke Tremblin was renowned for his poker face, he couldn¡¯t hold back the shock he felt at the Emperor¡¯s words.


    ¡°And the child she gave birth to at that time¡­¡± Emperor Marcus¡¯s mumbling lips curled into a wide grin. ¡°Was me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty?!¡±


    ¡°It makes sense that you wouldn¡¯t know. My father kept the matter a secret and killed everyone who was involved. Now, there isn¡¯t a single person alive who knows about it.


    Duke Tremblin stared at him, dumbfounded.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m curious whether I¡¯m the only one who knows about this.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Do you think Aden also knows? Hahahaha.¡±


    Still frozen like a statue, Duke Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    ***


    ¡°Master, what is your next move?¡±


    Joshua remained silent at Cain¡¯s question.


    ¡°How about Reinhardt?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Icarus?¡±


    ¡°I believe that right now, we need time. And, of course, we also need to acquire a clearer understanding of what is happening.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°We need a ce where we have allies and a location where we can reorganize. Is there a ce better than Reinhardt for that?¡±


    Theta stepped forward with a crystal ball in hand.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then it¡¯d be better to go to the Magic Tower. As you know, we left behind some safety measures. And not everyone in the Magic Tower agreed with Evergrant¡¯s thoughts. They could only go along with it because they were powerless.¡±


    ¡°But we can¡¯t trust thempletely,¡± Icarus asserted.


    Theta shook his head.


    ¡°This is also an opportunity. Now that Evergrant has been defeated, what better moment is there than now to seize the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know that we can win them over,¡± Theta said with confidence. Icarus could not find a reply.


    There was silence for a while. Cain gauged the mood before speaking carefully.


    ¡°Well, shouldn¡¯t we let our master decide?¡±


    As if by tacit agreement, they all turned to look at Joshua.


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s your decision¡­¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Where would you like to go? We are willing to go along with any choice you make,¡± Cain said with confidence.


    Cain straightened his back. True to his words, it seemed like Cain was ready to hear anything from Joshua.


    Joshua stared up at the sky. No matter how much the future had changed, he was clear about where everything all began.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not oveplicate things.¡±


    ¡°Then you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Taking the easy way isn¡¯t really my style.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no turning back. We charge forward¡±

 Chapter 301

    Chapter 301


    The third day of the fifth month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    Having received the Imperial order, Duke Agnus, the Dark God, set out toward Reinhardt with an army of three hundred thousand men.


    Reinhardt was a neutral city that did not belong to any one country; however, it was a strategic region that only made it more valuable to the other countries.


    The other countries were appalled at Avalon¡¯s actions. This was the prelude to a full-scale continental war.


    The fourth day of the sixth month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    In just over a month, Reinhardt fell at the hands of the Dark God.


    Excluding the time in transit, the actual battle took ce in less than a day.


    While this was happening, Grand Duke Lucifer of the Swallow Empire seeded the throne, and Hubalt¡¯s civil war ended with an overwhelming victory in favor of the imperial faction.


    Feeling a sense of crisis, the other kingdoms quickly formed an alliance.


    The tenth day of the ninth month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    Three months after Avalon upied Reinhardt, the continent received shocking news: Hubalt and Swallow had formed an alliance and were nning to invade Reinhardt.


    The twenty-third day of the eleventh month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    The three empires finally engaged in a fierce battle on the Great in of Kraden¡ªReinhardt¡¯s front yard.


    This was a battle that ended with hundreds of thousands of casualties and would go down in history.


    It was also here that Duke Agnus was attacked by three Stars.


    The first day of the twelfth month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    A week after the war started, the continent fell into shock once again.


    The famous Dark God had been killed in action, and the Avalon Armypletely lost its fighting spirit.


    Riding their momentum, Swallow and Hubaltunched an invasion on the maind of Avalon; however, another Absolute appeared on the battlefield of the Great in of Kraden. It was Reinhardt¡¯s ¡°real¡± king, who had appeared a beat toote. He was a strong man who had defeated many heroes at the young age of fifteen.


    That day, he was given a new name: the hero above heroes, the Hero King.


    The twenty-first day of the twelfth month of the 725th year of the continental calendar.


    The two empires were opposed only by one being, but they abandoned the invasion of Avalon.


    Around that time, Emperor Marcus also went missing for mysterious reasons.


    Just as Hubalt had been, Avalon was torn apart by a full-scale civil war as the two princes fought to be the next Emperor. Avalon¡¯s borders closed, and the other two empires¡¯ attention was directed elsewhere.


    But by now, the Continental War had already broken out, and the rulers of both empires were too ambitious to give up.


    The first day of the first month of the 726th year of the continental calendar.


    A new war dawned with the beginning of a new year.


    This time, it was Swallow who attacked first.


    Swallow¡¯s army had been stationed in Reinhardt by mutual agreement with Hubalt, but they struct Hubalt¡¯s army in a surprise attack. Due to this battle, Hubalt had no choice but to abandon Reinhardt to Swallowpletely.


    However, this was just the start of the war¡­


    The first day of the twelfth month of the 728th year of the continental calendar, three years since the dawn of the Continental War.


    A cold northern wind blew.


    An endless procession of people lined up near Erhaim¡¯s gates. Erhaim, formerly known as Reinhardt, was located in the center of the continent. Until recently, it had been under the control of the Hubalt Empire; after they had lost, Erhaim was now ruled by the Swallow Empire.


    Halfway to the gate, the so-called war-ve traders looked at the line in front of them with worried faces.


    ¡°Will we be able to get in today?¡±


    When the fat ve trader verbalized his worries, the ver next to him frowned in discontent. He was skinny with a particrly long chin that was quite memorable.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you to drink in moderation! You lost track of time because of your whoring¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Who was it that went drinking with me?¡±


    ¡°...Fuck. If only that elf hadn¡¯t been taken out of the cage¡­¡±


    The fat man smiled sinisterly as the memory of the night before suddenly came to mind.


    ¡°What? You didn¡¯t like it?¡±


    ¡°Because of that fleeting pleasure, a year of my work might be ruined!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    The fat man pulled something from his sleeves with a wide smile. It was a heavy-looking leather pouch.


    ¡°With this, we¡¯ll get a free pass.¡±


    The skinny man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Is that a bribe?¡±


    ¡°Kind of. It¡¯s twice the usual fee.¡±


    ¡°Are you insane? Farge, you bastard, have youpletely lost your sense of money because you¡¯re making some nowadays? Don¡¯t you know how much they¡¯re already extorting in the name of tax?¡±


    ¡°So then, what?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°You want to just wait here without a n and watch as ourpetitors beat us?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    The skinny man was about to say something, but he hesitated. He finally realized that he had been speaking too loudly; everyone around them was staring. He lowered his voice and continued.


    ¡°Just what the hell are you thinking? Your eyes might be getting bigger than your stomach!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that¡¯ll happen,¡± the fat man responded confidently.


    The skinny man shut his mouth.


    ¡°As long as this damn war doesn¡¯t end, there¡¯s nothing for us to lose.¡±


    ¡°Farge, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it ironic? The lives of themon people are getting more and more impoverished, but in the midst of this war with endless weeping, our work is enjoying the greatest growth in history.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°But then again, it¡¯s only natural. Food, sleep, and sexual desire are said to be the three basic human needs. With brothels booming, the military is directly buying sex ves to boost the morale of the soldiers.¡±


    Farge gave a nasty smile.


    ¡°The military says it¡¯s to protect themoners from the soldiers caught up in their bloodlust. But ha! That just makes meugh. They just need a convenient ything to take around so they can release their lust whenever they want.¡±


    ¡°Farge, if anyone is listening¡­¡± the skinny man spoke softly, anxious.


    Farge simplyughed in his face.


    ¡°And we don¡¯t even need to talk about dwarf ves,¡± Farge said, quickly changing the topic. ¡°During a war, there¡¯s no one better than them to make weapons.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°And since Swallow took the initiative again, their leniency towards us vers is good¡­ except for those damn tariffs, they¡¯re too high. Swallow is much better than Hubalt with their high and mighty noble act.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s¡­ things might be different if it was a regr ve trade, but you know that the Hubalt Empire sets very strict standards when ites to trading different races. And seeing how that¡¯s our main business, it might be fatal for us¡­¡± The skinny man suddenly flinched. ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡±


    ¡°I feel like¡­ someone was staring at us?¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    Farge tilted his head in confusion, then looked around. But then, they heard ¡°Next¡±e from ahead of them.


    Farge quietly frowned.


    ¡°Who are you say is watching us?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure it was from behind¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about our products? Merchi, that¡¯s your biggest problem. How can we aplish anything big when you, the manager, are worrying about everything?¡±


    Merchi¡¯s gaze turned toward the back again.


    Rattle.


    Soon, a dozen wagons came into sight, carrying cages of iron bars. Lifeless beings were locked inside the cages. Beings of various races were crouched inside with their limbs bound.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead and get things started. Bring them with you.¡±


    Farge began walking away.


    ¡°Um¡­¡± Merchi stood still and stared at his back. ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    The skinny man hurried after him.


    ***


    Two robed figures quietly slipped out from the middle of the line.


    The taller one spoke angrily in a low tone.


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have shown your killing intent that openly!¡±


    ¡°How can you expect me to stay calm after hearing that? Those guys are more like demons than human beings!¡±


    The taller one shook their head as they sighed.


    ¡°What should I do with this eunuch who¡¯s driven only by his will and sense of justice?¡±


    ¡°What!? Eunuch?!¡± the smaller figure spoke furiously.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t Holy Knights celibate? Even if you have it, you can¡¯t use it. Isn¡¯t that basically an eunuch?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s straighten something out,¡± the shorter one argued. ¡° We Holy Knights are different from the priests. We can get married and have kids if we want to!¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯m sure you can. So then, why aren¡¯t you married even though you¡¯re in your prime?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been bedridden for a long time now! And, aren¡¯t we the same?¡±


    ¡°Ho? What are you saying? I¡¯ve said it multiple times now, but I¡¯ll say it again: I have someone. But with the things being what they aren¡¯t, we can¡¯t show it yet.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ is it <em>her</em>?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± the taller one grinned as he spoke.


    ¡°Well, that just seems to be <em>you</em> thinking that.¡±


    ¡°Seeing how you¡¯re trying to deny the facts, are you jealous?¡±


    ¡°...Why am I even bothering with you.¡± The small man paused as he turned around.¡± Then¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°I should tell <em>her</em> everything. I¡¯m going to tell her that you insulted the Holy Knights and called us eunuchs. I remember her warning you about that before¡­¡±


    The taller man¡¯s face crumpled immediately as soon as he heard that. He was so pale it was almost pathetic.


    ¡°Sir Christian¡ª-no, Lord Christian.¡± The taller man bowed. ¡°Please don¡¯t tell her that¡­¡±


    The tables had turned in an instant. The smaller man, Christian, gave the other a look.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t you can¡¯t like this normally?¡±


    ¡°Ah, okay, I got it.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    Christian turned around. The movement caused his long blond hair, which had been escaping from under the robe, to sway.


    The taller man observed him enviously.


    ¡°Ahem¡­¡± he cleared his throat. ¡°Anyway, keep in mind. The first reason we came here was for reconnaissance. The second is to collect any information regarding my master. If we detect even the slightest bit of danger, we need to retreat to our base as fast as possible.¡±


    ¡°What do you n to do if someone tails us?¡±


    The taller man¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°I¡¯ll remove them. I won¡¯t make the same mistake as you. That¡¯ll never happen.¡±


    The taller man muttered thosest words as if to make a promise to himself.


    ¡°...Have you still not heard from your master?¡± Christian asked cautiously, watching his partner.


    The other man flinched.


    ¡°It has already been three years since he disappeared. If he had been there¡­¡± Christian bit his lip before resuming. ¡°Erhaim, no, Reinhardt would never have lost here, and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that. What difference does it make to talk about spilled water?¡±


    ¡°... I think I overstepped my bounds by bringing up your master. That was my mistake, and I apologize for it.¡± Christian bowed his head respectfully.


    <em>¡®Master.¡¯</em>


    The big man¡¯s powerful hands clenched into fists. Christian stood there and watched him.


    Three years was a period of time that was both long and short. Within that time, the continent faced an era of upheaval unprecedented in its history.


    Their surroundings, too¡ª


    ¡°Impossible!¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    The taller man¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a loud shout from ahead. From next to him, Christian also tilted his head in confusion as he stared at the shouting man.


    ¡°Wh-why are you being like this? Is the money not enough?¡±


    ¡°Look at the times. Do you really think petty money like this would be enough?¡±


    It was the ve traders.


    ring, a middle-aged man stepped out from amongst the gatekeepers guarding the gate. He seemed to be the most senior of the guards.


    Merchi, a member of the Hobbs Merchants, broke into a cold sweat.


    ¡°But, before¡ª¡±


    ¡°Before? When do you mean by <em>before</em>? Are you referring to the time when Hubalt and their infinitely dirty hypocrisy managed this ce?¡±


    <em>¡®We¡¯re fucked.¡¯</em>


    Merchi¡¯s face crumpled as the middle-aged man berated them.


    It was clear that the Swallow Empire was abusing its power after it seized control of Erhaim. As the victor of the war, it was their chance to profit and to set an example.


    The problem was that guards had decided to turn the ve traders, who had been trying to pass through the gates a little faster, into examples.


    <em>¡®Damn it.¡¯</em> Merchi swore to himself.<em> ¡®What do we do now¡ª?¡¯</em>


    He looked around for any sort of help.


    Suddenly, Farge came forward with his fat body. Perhaps this was the answer to Merchi¡¯s desperation?


    ¡°Sir.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t you take a look at the third wagon behind me?¡±


    The man turned to look at the wagons. He flinched.


    Inside the wagon were iron cages where dozens of figures, half-naked in their tattered clothing.


    Among those wagons, the third wagon had¡­


    ¡°Elves?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re luxury items that haven¡¯t even reached a hundred years yet.¡±


    The man nodded after ncing at the wagons.


    ¡°...I see. You¡¯re part of the Hobbs Merchants, right? The ones who¡¯s been making a great profit by trading different species.¡±


    It was only for a moment, but greed shed in his eyes.


    ¡°But even if it¡¯s an elf¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Look behind them.¡±


    This time, Farge¡¯s tone was more of amand than a request.


    With a slight frown, the middle-aged man turned his head. His eyes grew wider.


    ¡°That''s¡­!¡±


    There was a man behind the trembling elves. His clothing was stained in various ces, but the pattern on the breast of his garment revealed his identity.


    ¡°A priest of¡­ Hermes?¡±


    ¡°ording to thews of war, we can¡¯t trade prisoners of war as ves to enemy countries¡­ but it¡¯s a different story as long as we aren¡¯t caught, right?¡± Farge continued to whisper in his ear. ¡°Moreover, a priest of the Hubalt Empire¡ª when will you get another opportunity like this?¡±


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    The man gulped. Farge¡¯s words were like the devil whispering into his ears.


    Someone else also noticed the man¡¯s reactions.


    Christian gritted his teeth until hispanion could hear them.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about stopping me this time.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t n to.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°I feel the same way as you this time.¡±


    Naturally, Christian turned to look at him in surprise. The taller man was ring at one fixed spot. If looks could kill, the one he was looking at would be dead.


    ¡°...Sir Cain?¡±


    Christian¡¯s doubts were quickly dispelled as he heard Farge¡¯s next words.


    ¡°I also have another high-quality ve! At one time, his country dominated the continent, but now, they¡¯re closed off.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Avalonians.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°He came from the northwestern region, directly from Viscount Harry¡­¡±


    Once Christian heard the familiar name, he didn¡¯t hear anything else. His eyes widened.


    ¡°If it¡¯s Viscount Harry¡ª¡±


    Cain¡¯srge frame disappeared from sight.


    It had been three years since the start of the Continental War. People¡¯s lives had been getting harder and harder by the day, and in every country, the streets were filled with war orphans while ve trading was thriving in the shadows.


    There had been another big change. At one point in time, Avalon had been at the forefront of the three empires, but Avalon had been defeated and was considered a loser.


    Cain¡¯s master, who should have had hising-to-age ceremony, was no longer by his side. Because of that¡­


    ¡°I will do it.¡±


    Cain de Harry had to be the one to clean up the trash in front of his eyes.

 Chapter 302

    Chapter 302


    In the damp and dark iron cage, a woman trembled like an aspen leaf. Her pale skin had smudges of dirt here and there, but her beauty shone through anyways. Her long ears that peek out from her hair were distinctive.


    ¡°Based on the current market price, the elven children under ten years of age sell for about 150 gold, and girls are twice that price. After all, elves have a lifespan of at least ten times that of humans and are called the ¡®Race of Beauty¡¯ for a reason.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m thinking it would be difficult for you to find sufficient demand to justify such a high price.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s why we¡¯re in Erhaim.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Erhaim is the center of the continent, both literally and metaphorically. Its ck market is infamous for guaranteeing its customers¡¯ anonymity and a wide variety of rare goods on offer. It¡¯s be so great that it¡¯s a shame to call it a simple ck market.¡±


    The ve trader¡¯s gaze returned to the cages.


    ¡°And with a quality product like this¡­ how much do you think it¡¯ll sell for?¡±


    The elf shivered violently as the ve trader¡¯s repulsive eyes soon swept over her body.


    ¡°How could humans do something like this¡­¡±


    The elf, A, recoiled in fear at the ve trader''s words.


    She had lived in Westwood, the western portion of the Elven Forest.


    The day she had been captured had started off no different than any other day. She had gotten up in the morning and greeted the spirits, and got rid of the tree-eating pests. Then, in the afternoon, she and her friends had walked around the edges of the forest. However, after that¡­


    ¡®...I can¡¯t remember anything,¡¯ she frowned as she thought.


    She distinctly remembered walking through the forest, perhaps a bit further out than she normally would to satisfy her curiosity.


    ¡°Haa, haa¡­¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    A was started out of her thoughts by a moan from the side. There, she saw a thoroughly beaten woman with brownish hair, seemingly the same age as herself. Taking into consideration the differences between an elf and a human, A doubted the woman was older than twenty. She wasn¡¯t in good condition.


    ¡°I just can¡¯t understand it. How can they do this to their own kind¡­¡±


    ¡°Ughhh¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t leave her like this.¡±


    A¡¯s eyes shed with determination. She had a deep-seated hatred for humanity, but she was sure that amongst these humans, there must be someone like <em>him</em>.


    <em>¡®If I use a simple spirit magic¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°...Guh!¡±


    A let out a small scream as she gathered her energy. The attempt had made her head feel like it was going to split into two.


    Shocked, she looked down at her hands and muttered, ¡°Forbidden¡±


    She left hopeless as dark thoughts went through her mind. How much worse could things get? What would happen to her? Besides the two next to her, what had happened to the rest of her missing friends?


    Imagining extreme scenarios, she began considering some very drastic options that she could take.


    But then, something odd happened.


    ¡°...Keugh!¡±


    At first, the sound was so faint that even A, who had an extraordinary hearing, couldn¡¯t detect it. That was the beginning of the oddness.


    <em>Thump!</em>


    ¡°H-hey, hey! What¡¯s wrong with you all of a sudden?¡± the ve trader shouted.


    Until a moment ago, they had been talking about price, but the guard had suddenly copsed. How could he not be dumbfounded?


    Of course, no one there believed he had copsed due to outside forces. After all, Erhaim was currently under the governance of Swallow, an Empire that had won the war and held the most power in the continent. Not to mention, it was impossible to think someone would make a move when there were so many eyes.


    However, there were times when things didn¡¯t happen ording tomon sense.


    ¡°It¡­ it¡¯s an ambush!¡±


    A voice shouted loud enough that even someone deaf could hear it.


    ¡°Am-ambush?!¡±


    The ve trader¡¯s eyes widened.


    Soon, two people were visible in the distance. Christian wore a full suit of armor that was white; even his helmet was white. By his side, Cain¡¯s armor was theplete opposite. Hisrger body was d in ck armor and helmet. Their helmets were special in that theypletely covered their faces with their hair floating around them like a lion¡¯s mane.


    <em>Swish, twack!</em>


    Cain tossed a stone the size of a knuckle and then caught it. He took a step forward as a grin grew on his face.


    ¡°Guess he didn¡¯t die.¡±


    ¡°...I take it you shattered a few of your neighbor¡¯s windows as a kid?¡±


    ¡°Certainly. And not just windows.¡±


    ¡°What else did you break?¡±


    ¡°Hitting and breaking bastards like him was my specialty.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time that I¡¯m liking your habits,¡± Christianmented.


    Cain¡¯s grin widened.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill them all.¡±


    ¡°I will help. May God¡¯s mercy be on them¡­¡±


    ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t believe in God anymore?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong,¡± Christian muttered under his breath as he followed after Cain.


    ¡°Th-th-th-that!¡±


    The ve trader stared at the two knights intently, then groaned and sucked in his breath.


    Even if he searched through the entire continent, it would be rare to find people with such distinct looks. Even if they were just imitating¡­


    <em>¡®Wait, no. Unless they¡¯re insane, who would copy </em>them<em>?¡¯</em>


    As the man reached a conclusion, a surprised shout sprang from his mouth.


    ¡°The White Lion and ck Lion!¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°What about Mr. Merchi and Mr. Farge?¡±


    The ve trader quickly turned around. Fortunately, the two people who were in charge of their group were already aware of what was going on. Not only them but also everyone who guarded Erhaim¡¯s gates.


    ¡°Close the gates and sound the rm!¡±


    Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!


    ¡°Damn it,¡± The middle-aged man, the oldest of the guards, frowned. ¡°It¡¯s the Twin Lions.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter what the Twin Lions¡¯ purpose in Erhaim was.


    He only had one directive from his superiors¡ªthe city of Erhaim needed to be closed off to everyone except for trusted allies and merchants.


    ¡°Quickly! Go and deliver the news! The enemy of the Empire, the Twin Lions, hase!¡±


    The man¡¯s shout echoed.


    ***


    A nd voice reverberated in the practical gray hall of the castle of Erhaim, formerly Reinhardt.


    ¡°Sire.¡±


    The owner of the voice had huge eyes that made him look like a frog, but the eyes were lifeless.


    At one point in time, he had lived a life where he hadn¡¯t needed to be subservient to anyone.


    Once, he had been the head of the Wilhelm Knights and also been lucky enough to have served Joshua Sanders, a great king.


    But now, he was little more than a puppet of the Swallow Empire. He had been trusted with the responsibility of monitoring the king and had been given the title Kingaitu.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you making your hatred too obvious? Well, I¡¯m very d to see you, Servant. Hohoho.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re mistaken, sir.¡±


    ¡°I should hope I am,¡± the man mocked as he sat on the throne with his chin in his hand.


    He was Duke Eima, a Master of Swallow, and was easily recognizable by the X-shaped scar that had been carved into his forehead by a sword.


    It didn¡¯t matter why the Kingaitu hade, Duke Eima had no intentions of being monitored.


    ¡°So, what brings you here? You can¡¯t possibly be here to actually monitor me, can you?¡±


    ¡°...No, sire.¡±


    ¡°Well, while I¡¯d love to tease you some more, judging by your expression, I see that it¡¯ll have to wait. Hehe.¡±


    Duke Eimaughed creepily for a bit before instructing Kingaitu in amanding manner, ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°...We have received an urgent message that the Twin Lions appeared in Erhaim.¡±


    The Duke froze. His brows furrowed.


    ¡°The Twin Lions? Are you talking about the ones I think you¡¯re talking about?¡±


    ¡°The description matches them perfectly,¡± Kingaitu responded without the slightest change in his expression.


    ¡°...How coincidental that they appeared in a time like now. It¡¯s almost as if they had been waiting¡­¡± Duke Eima mumbled as he trailed off.


    The hall was inplete darkness as the heavy drapes were covering the windows.


    ¡°So, what do you think? I don¡¯t think that this is a mere coincidence.¡±


    Kingaitu wondered who the duke was talking to as it was clear that the question hadn¡¯t been for him. A new voice from the back quickly answered his question.


    ¡°Kekeke. What are you so worried about? Could it be that you, the new Star, are afraid?¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s me, I cannot handle two of them.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you to show weakness, Duke Eima.¡±


    ¡°Because out there, they are already regarded as Superhumans.¡±


    ¡°Heh, I see that the title Twelve Superhumans has gone to the dogs.¡±


    ¡°So, Your Majesty, will you give me a bit of help?¡± Duke Eima asked.


    A figure slowly emerged from the shadows.


    Step, step.


    ¡°As expected, flies are continuously drawn to Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Kingaitu¡¯s eyes widened.


    Until he heard the voice, Kingaitu had wondered if there really was someone when he couldn¡¯t feel a single presence in the shadows. But someone really dide out from the dark.


    ¡°Hehehehehe.¡±


    It was Lucifer. He walked out with a bloodthirsty smile while brushing back his long blood-red hair.


    ¡°The rumors say that the Twin Lions are connected to <em>him</em>.¡±


    ¡°By <em>him</em>, you mean¡­?¡± Duke Eima tilted his head.


    ¡°Our Swallow and Hubalt¡­ do you know what the two conquerors of the continent are wary of?¡± Lucifer¡¯s low voice was the only sound echoing through the hall. ¡°The Magic Tower that can¡¯t even take care of itself? If not, then Avalon that¡¯s just a shell of its former self? Or perhaps the kingdom where only fools gather?¡±


    His smile became bigger


    ¡°It¡¯s none of those.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I was there the night that Agnus, the Dark God, fell on the Great ins of Kraden. I saw that <em>he</em> arrivedte to the fight but still defeated an army of hundreds of thousands by himself.¡±


    Kingaitu flinched.


    ¡°Was that¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes gleamed as he spoke. ¡°It was Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Unless he reappears again, I doubt¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if he does show up again, I doubt he would be a danger to you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Hm¡­¡± Lucifer¡¯s gaze deepened. ¡°You can only truly understand it by going through it yourself.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Go check it out.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t think you could order me just because you sat on the throne, did you?¡±


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Duke Eima got off the throne with a shortugh. ¡°I solemnly swear to Your Majesty that I will carry out yourmand.¡±

 Chapter 303

    Chapter 303


    <em>Pak!</em>


    ¡°Keugh!¡± The big soldier groaned in pain and eventually copsed. The soldier''s iron armor looked horribly crumpled, as if it had been repeatedly struck by an iron hammer.


    ¡°...Did you kill him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so?¡± Cain shrugged and dusted his hand off.


    ¡°There will be serious consequences if you can''t rein in your strength.¡±


    ¡°How about you? Is it alright for a renowned Holy Knight like you to beat people up like this?¡±


    ¡°If you have a dog that just won''t listen, a stick is the best medication.¡±


    Cain cracked a grin when Christian showed him the wooden stick.


    ¡°So far, this has been a very enjoyable day for me. Let¡¯s see, I think about a hundred of Swallow¡¯s dogs were sessfully beaten up by your wooden stick?¡±


    ¡°You took care of half of them, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, I already know that you¡¯re a stuffy Holy Knight; you don¡¯t have to be that urate and detailed about it.¡±


    Cain clicks his tongue and tutted as he nced around.


    The soldier he¡¯d just knocked over was, of course, the final one. It had taken less than five minutes for them to beat up a hundred soldiers.


    ¡°There!¡±


    The two knights jumped at the sound of a cry from the other side of the gate.


    ¡°...That¡¯s a lot.¡±


    ¡°It seems like its ten times as many as the previous group. What should we do now?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to worry since our work is already done.¡± Christian turned to look behind him.


    Several of the iron bars from the cages were broken in half, and there were more lying on the ground.


    In fact, even the ve traders had been caught off guard. When they heard Cain say, ¡°Move, and you die,¡± they became petrified and hadn¡¯t moved even as all the ves they had worked so hard to catch scampered away in front of their eyes.


    ¡°I think we¡¯ve bought them enough time.¡±


    Cain smiled.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s about time for us to make a break for it?¡±


    ¡°After causing all this ruckus?¡±


    ¡°What is the issue here? Not only did we not murder anyone, but no one has any idea who we are.¡±


    ¡°If we escape now, it will just be easier for the ves to be caught,¡± Christian said with a serious expression.


    ¡°Exactly¡­ That¡¯s why we¡¯re going to be the decoy.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Christian let some of his bewilderment show on his face.


    They had just been talking about running away, and now the conversation had turned to being a decoy. The situation was just so absurd!


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to make it all thatplicated.¡± Cain raised a finger and pointed. ¡°There.¡±


    Christian lifted his head and turned to look. He blinked, his eyes abruptly widening.


    ¡°You mean¡­ into Erhaim?¡±


    ¡°A lot of people there are waiting anxiously for us.¡±


    ¡°My God, who¡ª¡±


    ¡°A head-first charge is my master¡¯s favorite way of doing things,¡± Cain said, ncing at Christian. ¡°Of course, our n is to quietly hide somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Spread out and surround the area!¡±


    Cain spotted the Swallow reinforcementsing from a safe distance and made his move.


    ¡°If you have no problem with that, then let¡¯s go! It will be troublesome if the Ice Emperor shows up.¡±


    ¡°Duke Eima¡­¡± Christian let out a groan and shook his head. ¡°I mean, I truly wonder how his head is still attached.¡±


    Cain walked away with a grin on his face.


    ¡°That''s what I was wondering as well.¡±


    ***


    Despite the historic five million people killed in the Continental War, the center of Erhaim was a bustling hive of activity as always.


    The bustling crowd was due mainly to two groups.


    ¡°Iron swords made by a dwarf ve; buy them here!¡±


    ¡°A tea made from tea leaves from the Elf Forest! It boosts your concentration! Come get thest stock!¡±


    ¡°ves from Dria Kingdom are avable here! Tell us your preferences so we can customize a product based on gender, age, and intended use, just for you!¡±


    Cain, who had his head covered by a robe, stared dumbfoundedly as voices washed over him one after another.


    ¡°This is the ck market? This ispletely different from the ck market I was imagining...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a name for convenience now since it¡¯s been named like that for a long time. This is a legal business the government runs now, so it¡¯s not a ck market anymore.¡±


    ¡°So, does that mean that the world has gotten better¡­?¡±


    Cain began to remove his hood.


    ¡°What are you doing? If anyone sees you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Who¡¯s going to look at me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still possible!¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, who seem to take such pride in your face, my face is so unremarkable that nobody seems to know who I am.¡±


    Cain¡¯s face was soon showing through his robe.


    He was in his mid-thirty years now. There were indeed no noticeable features to his face, just a face framed by brown hair. Just as he said, he had an unremarkable face that could easily be anyone they passed on the streets.


    But if the people of Erhaim found out who he was, they would bepletely blown away.


    ¡°We¡¯re supposed to meet here.¡±


    Christian''s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°You choose this crowded za to have your meeting?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s darkest right below the lighthouse.¡±


    ¡°Under themp.¡±


    ¡°Same thing.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, you are far too reckless. We''re smack in the middle of hostile territory here. Do you want to undo all the work you''ve done up to this point?¡±


    The volume of Christian¡¯s voice must have been too loud because the people walking past them gave him an odd look.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Christian lowered his head in shame after realizing his error.


    Cain beamed at him innocently.


    ¡°Let''s not get too rigid here; a little wiggle room would be nice.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a question? About earlier: Viscount Harry of Avalon is¡ª¡±


    Cain nodded before Christian couldplete his sentence.


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s my family name.¡±


    ¡°...Are you alright?¡±


    Christian wasn¡¯t asking if Cain wanted revenge. Christian knew better than anyone else that it was an act that wouldn¡¯tst long. He was just curious about what would happen to her. That was all there was to it.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°I gave up my identity and my family on the day my master vanished,¡± Cain said.


    Christian closed his mouth as Cain¡¯s determined words rang in his head.


    ¡°I performed the bare minimum of what was expected of a human being. I don''t care about my nation, my family, or anything else.¡±


    Cain clenched his fists with a sudden surge of power.


    ¡°Because I don''t deserve it,¡± he said, ¡°having failed to defend my one and only master.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    Christian murmured with a sad expression. Then, he cocked his head to one side.


    The reason for this was the abrupt increase in noise. The marketce had its usual noise, but now, it had be exponentially louder.


    ¡°Everyone, please assemble! I have brought you a masterpiece the likes of which you will never see again in your whole life!¡±


    ¡°What, what¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°This. This is the Astro Merchant Group¡¯s banner.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s why. No wonder their guards look extraordinary¡­¡±


    Cain froze as the people''s words echoed in his head.


    ¡°The Astro Merchant Group? One of the three merchant groups on the continent?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Astro Merchant Group is quite famous in Erhaim as well. The size of the three biggest merchant groups in the Empire is no joke, but the three biggest on the continent¡­?¡±


    Cainughed uncontrobly.


    ¡°Someone can always benefit from a crisis. The war had the greatest impact on the merchant ss, and that¡¯s the undeniable truth.¡±


    The two knights continued to chat in the midst of the hubbub.


    The Astro Group¡¯s auctioneer seemed to sense that the time was right and raised an item with great vigor.


    ¡°Last winter, before the renowned Hertonia passed away, the 99th weapon waspleted.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The incredulous onlookers'' ears perked up at the auctioneer''s voice, which seemed to be amplified by some sort of device.


    Renowned Hertonia. Furthermore, the number 99. Those two pieces of information were enough to stun everyone present.


    ¡°He-Hertonia? Is he talking about <em>that </em>Hertonia?¡±


    ¡°Oh my God, it was said that when Hertonia was young, he made the prototype of that; to think that this is the 99th and maybe the final version¡ª¡±


    ¡°To think the day woulde where I would be able to see a weapon crafted by the greatest weapons master of the time with my own eyes¡­¡±


    One of the observers cocked his head curiously.


    ¡°But that¡¯s¡­ a spear?¡±


    The expressions of the observers immediately changed to ones of deep doubt.


    The pure white spear, without a single scratch, was much longer than the average spear. It had a perfect ratio between the spearhead and the shaft, and the pointed tip glistened in the sunshine.


    Cain seemed to be possessed as he looked at it.


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing,¡± Christian remarked.


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°The weapon my master was wielding was Hertonia''s 98th, by the way.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± The look in Cain''s eyes changed dramatically. ¡°The one used by the God¡¯s Knight?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He was a close friend of my master. I¡¯ve met him before. He imed to have been inspired by something he saw in his old age, but I didn¡¯t know that it was a spear.¡±


    Cain''s thoughtful grin steadily broadened as his mind continued to work.


    ¡°This shift in opinion in the people of Igrant must mean something significant,¡± Cain spoke happily.


    ¡°...Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Is there anyone who would dare to think of a spear as a piece of trash and a mere infantry weapon?"


    Christian shook his head without stopping to think about it.


    ¡°You¡¯d never do that unless you were crazy.¡±


    ¡°So, in the end, its master has already been determined, no?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Instead of hesitating, Cain took a step forward.


    ¡°Master will be neen soon. He¡¯s not with me right now, but shouldn¡¯t I be ready? After all, I¡¯m his first knight.¡±


    Christian smiled bitterly.


    It had been three years since the master and servantst saw each other. Cain remained steadfast throughout that time span, despite the fact that his master¡¯s whereabouts were never established.


    By this point, Christian had developed a healthy dose of curiosity.


    He had never met a man like Joshua Sanders¡ªa man with a lot of rumors following him around. Christian couldn¡¯t help but wonder what he really looked like.


    ¡°Let''s get this auction going! The starting bid is ten thousand gold. Doubt this will happen, but if no one starts bidding, then this auction will be postponed.¡±


    The auctioneer¡¯s shouts brought on a fresh swell of murmuring from the crowd.


    ¡°No one could possibly be carrying so much cash.¡±


    ¡°Maybe if it was a sword, but for a spear¡­¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s why it¡¯s better. Don¡¯t you know that these days, a spear is more popr than a sword?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s only for weaklings like us. Renowned knights from prestigious families still use swords.¡±


    ¡°Tsk, that damn pride of yours. Are you only going toe to your senses after seeing the Hero King again?¡±


    ¡°How much do you have right now?¡± Cain inquired as he listened to the crowd¡¯s murmur with half an ear.


    ¡°Are you nning on buying it?¡±


    ¡°Just tell me.¡±


    ¡°Even if I searched every pocket, I think I have on me a thousand gold at most.¡±


    ¡°So when webine them¡­ a thousand five hundred gold?¡±


    Christian looked like he found the whole situation ridiculous.


    ¡°That¡¯s nowhere enough.¡±


    Christian looked at Cain and let out a breath. The bigger man looked disappointed.


    Christian didn¡¯t want to do anything that could attract more attention to them.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. Let¡¯s go about our business and then go. Where¡¯s the person you¡¯re going to meet?¡±


    While Christian spoke, the auction was moving right along.


    ¡°Ten thousand!¡±


    ¡°Fifteen thousand!¡±


    ¡°Eighteen thousand!¡±


    ¡°Oh! Twenty thousand! Twenty thousand gold!¡±


    Christian looked over at Cain. Cain still looked longingly at the spear. Christian was about to say something when a voice shouted, ¡°One hundred thousand gold!¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Christian¡¯s breath caught in his thought.


    ¡°All cash.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ Who is that¡ª?¡±


    ¡°We don''t need to go hunting for the person we¡¯re meeting anymore,¡± Cain was quick to respond when he heard the voice.


    Christian paused.


    ¡°What do you¡ª?¡±


    Cain gave a wide grin and started to walk about toward a person whose head only came up to his chest.

 Chapter 304

    Chapter 304


    ¡°Did¡­ did I hear one hundred thousand gold?¡±


    The number was met with amotion from the audience. Everyone¡¯s eyes were drawn inexorably to one point, and the crowd split apart in unison to reveal an individual, about 160cm, standing firmly in the center of it all.


    ¡°Wh-what did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I said, one hundred thousand gold.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The auctioneer''s mouth dropped open in shock.


    ¡°Is it insufficient?¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s just that¡ª¡±


    He stared at the small-robed person suspiciously, but the bidder¡¯s face was hidden deep inside the hood.


    The bid had increased from twenty thousand to one hundred thousand gold so rapidly that the auctioneer couldn''t believe it. This was a sum that could easily be used to purchase a mid-sized merchant group, so how could he maintain hisposure? The auctioneer felt the need to be cautious and meticulously scrutinized the bidder.


    ¡°Please tell me your name,¡± he asked carefully.


    ¡°....¡± The individual stared at him for a moment before reaching inside the robe.


    ¡°...?¡±


    He looked in confusion at the small leather pouch that was produced.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re asking for my name because you really want to know.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I believe that money is status here?¡± The individual nced at the pouch as they spoke. ¡°This is a subspace pouch. It contains precisely one thousand coins, each worth one hundred gold.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The auctioneer''s eyes widened greedily.


    <em>¡®What a goldmine!¡¯</em>


    There was no reason for the individual to be lying when they would be caught the moment the artifact¡¯s authenticity was checked. And once it was confirmed, there was no reason to bother opening it up to check the contents since the pouch itself was a representation of wealth.


    ¡°You may check it out for yourself. There isn''t any warding magic on it.¡±


    ¡°Ah, there¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    Having swiftlypleted his calctions, the auctioneer shook his head. He didn¡¯t forget to quickly scan the crowd with a trained eye as he shook his head.


    ¡°Are there any bids greater than one hundred thousand gold?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    As he expected, there was only silence.


    The robed figure spoke pleasantly, ¡°Let¡¯s stop dragging things out.¡±


    ¡°B-but we must adhere to procedures¡­¡±


    ¡°At a time like this, do you really think there¡¯s another who has the ability to pay such arge sum of money in full?¡±


    The robed figure¡¯s assertion instantly shut the auctioneer¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°I should also point out that it¡¯s not a sword but a spear that I¡¯m willing to buy for this price. If it¡¯s the ¡®Iron Empress¡¯ of the Astro Merchant Group, then maybe it would be more understandable¡­¡±


    The auctioneer flinched so hard it was visible.


    That was the problem. If it were a sword, the value would rise tenfold; no, he could expect to get more than that. Of course, he also wouldn¡¯t have to go through a cumbersome auction like this since the prestigious families would somehow hear about it without the Astro Merchant Group having to advertise it like this.


    <em>¡®But it¡¯s different with a spear. Damn, greed really is never-ending. It¡¯s a hundred thousand gold, but it still seems like a shame to sell it for this price.¡¯</em>


    The auctioneer smacked his lips in pity.


    Even the nobles ofrge estates overflowing with gold would hesitate to spend one hundred thousand gold. Hertonia¡¯s work may be renowned and expensive, but there were very few people who would be willing to spend arge sum of money on something that was no better than decoration.


    <em>¡®Most people on the continent now acknowledge the spear¡¯s superiority as a weapon, but they also know that it is a long and awkward weapon that is hard to handle. That¡¯s the problem.¡¯</em>


    For the infantry ormoners, it was their dream weapon, but knights, who aimed for much more, did not think the same.


    Currently, there was only one person who could maximize the potential of the spear: the Hero King, who had vanished.


    ¡°W-well then, I¡¯ll assume there are no more bids¡­¡± The auctioneer¡¯s voice rang through the silence. ¡°The renowned spear of Hertonia is sold for one hundred thousand gold!¡±


    ¡°WAHHHHH!¡±


    Erhaim Square was filled with cheers from the audience.


    ***


    Two individuals wearing robes walked through a rather dark alleyway far from the square. Their faces were covered by their hoods. The short one walked next to the taller individual, about 190cm, who was carrying a pure white spear that was double their height.


    They suddenly stopped.


    ¡°...We¡¯re being followed.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± The smaller figure nodded, unsurprised


    ¡°How long are you nning on following us?¡±


    ¡°Until the day your heart finally turns to me?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    The smaller figure¡¯s eyes widened at the cringy sentence.


    ¡°This voice¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you get so preupied with the spear that you forgot your promise to me?¡±


    ¡°...Then you should have acted better toward me.¡±


    The smaller figure¡¯s lips, just visible from under the hood, curved into a smile. Perfect white teeth gleamed in the darkness from between the lush lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Sir Cain.¡±


    The smaller figure removed her hood, revealing her face that was framed by shoulder-length light blue hair that shone like the sky. Her eyes glimmered with dazzling reliance, and in the past three years, she had gotten more beautiful as she matured.


    Icarus smiled at the person next to Cain as she spoke, ¡°How are you, Sir Christian?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well, thank you.¡± Christian gave Icarus a small smile in response.


    ¡°Are you looking at someone else when I, your boyfriend, am right in front of you?¡±


    ¡°Boyfriend? Who¡¯s my boyfriend?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about me, of course,¡± Cain proimed.


    ¡°You¡¯re still the same, Sir Cain. Aren¡¯t you tired of it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just part of my charm.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like clingy guys.¡±


    ¡°What a pity. You¡¯re so smart, and yet, you can¡¯t see what a fine man I am¡­¡± Cain trailed off as his eyes looked down. ¡°It seems like you¡¯ve stayed the same, Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Where are you looking?¡± Icarus screamed furiously.


    ¡°Look at the ice treatsdy over there; why are you developing every else but there? Or wait. Are you really ady-like guy?¡±


    ¡°Keep talking, and I¡¯ll take that part you¡¯re not using.¡±


    Cain flinched and stepped back, his body unconsciously shrinking away from Icarus.


    ¡°How are you able to speak such cruel words so nonchntly?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you that men who are reserved, trustworthy, and dependable are the ones who are popr?¡±


    ¡°Like?¡± Cain questioned.


    ¡°Like¡­ our master¡­¡±


    Cain and Icarus became silent simultaneously.


    Cain spoke again after a brief moment of pause.


    ¡°...So, I wonder what our strategist¡ªwho should be very busy with state affairs¡ªis doing all the way here in Erhaim¡­no, Reinhardt? I doubt you¡¯re here just to gather information¡­¡±


    Cain cast a quick nce at the spear the robed figure next to Icarus was holding.


    ¡°...I received a message...¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Saying that they think they found out our master¡¯sst whereabouts.¡±


    Even Christian, whose face had remained perfectly emotionless so far, widened his eyes at that.


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°First¡­¡±


    ¡°Who!¡± Cain rushed up to Icarus'' face in a frenzy.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the specifics either.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I told you, I just got a message.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s a message¡­¡± Christian seemed to know something. ¡°It must be the Moon Gate. Did <em>she</em> send you a message?¡±


    Icarus nodded in response.


    ¡°I came here to verify that. There is a possibility that someone could intercept messages if I used a crystal ball.¡±


    ¡°Then that means¡­¡±


    ¡°Since the situation is stabilizing, we now have some breathing room. As expected, the evasive Moon Gate¡¯s headquarters was actually still here¡­¡±


    All of a sudden, Cain and Christian, and even the robed figure standing in the shadow, still holding the spear, trembled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thister,¡± the robed individual¡¯s low voice suddenly spoke.


    ¡°Huh? What do you¡­?¡± Icarus looked at them in confusion as she asked.


    ¡°At least a thousand?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the number is the issue here.¡±


    ¡°Should we run?¡±


    ¡°Where to?¡±


    Cain frowned at Christian¡¯s question. He looked to the side to speak to Icarus.


    ¡°You idiot. This is why I always told you to be careful. Of course, you¡¯d be a target in this harsh world once people discovered that you¡¯re carrying that much money with just the two of you.¡±


    ¡°...Are we being followed?¡±


    When Cain quietly clicked his tongue, Icarus instantly grasped the situation.


    He closed his eyes and deeply focused for a moment. His expression hardened as she changed his attitude.


    ¡°...Sorry, I apologize.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not you. They¡¯re after us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± Christian muttered in response to Cain¡¯s words. ¡°The Ice Emperor is here¡­¡±


    ¡°Can you handle him?¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, are <em>you</em> confident you can handle him?¡±


    Cain erupted intoughter when Christian answered his question with a question.


    ¡°We¡¯ve waited for so long; you think we¡¯re going to get caught like this?¡±


    ¡°The opponent is one of the Nine Stars.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just hearsay.¡± Cain grinned as he drew an inky ck greatsword as tall as he was. ¡°He¡¯s never fought against me, has he?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± a new voice spoke.


    ¡°...!¡±


    The quartet¡¯s eyes flew open. The voice was clearly audible and seemed toe from right next to them.


    Cain¡¯s focus quickly shifted to the opposite end of the alley.


    A man with a palpable presence stood there, his silhouette against the light


    ¡°I like that confidence of yours. It is indeed true that you have to experience something to get the measure of it.¡±


    ¡°The Ice Emperor, Duke Eima!¡± Cain shouted


    ¡°After the death of the Dark God, I was able to obtain the lowest rank, but¡­¡±


    <em>Step, step, step</em>


    ¡°I¡¯m still a different ss from you.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Twin Lions, no, Solo Knight Cain and Blessed Knight Christian.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. I expected you to be here, but with two Superhumans here, His Majesty¡¯s worries will be reduced¡­¡±


    Duke Eima approached them and smiled.


    ¡°Let me ask you a question.¡±


    <em>Step.</em>


    ¡°Your master.¡±


    <em>Step.</em>


    ¡°The one who everyone praises as the Hero King.¡±


    The duke stopped in front of them.


    ¡°The one who escaped the attack of three Stars, which not even the Dark God could escape¡­¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Where is Joshua Sanders?¡±

 Chapter 305

    Chapter 305


    People who made a great impact on the history of the continent were called heroes, and it was said that war creates heroes. And indeed, after three long bloody years, there were many heroes.


    The Martial Emperor and the Crimson Sky broke the three-way tug-of-war between the three powerful empires, and their empires became the strongest on the continent; the one who was called the King united the individual kingdoms under an alliance; and the Prince of Thran who fought against hundreds of thousands of troops with just a hundred thousand men for a month to buy time for the alliance.


    Many people had perished, but many heroes had also emerged.


    It was only logical that the Twelve Superhumans and Nine Stars went through some changes in the process. People from all over the continent now called them the Three Celestials, Six Stars, Ten Superhumans, whose strength matched their names.


    Moreover, there was someone who existed beyond any of these categories¡ªhe was the Hero King. Just as his name suggested, he was at the top of the countless heroes.


    He constantly traveled a path lined with glory, and those who followed him consistently came out on top. Despite his abrupt and cold ending, he was a legend and had often been talked about on the continent.


    Some even said that Avalon¡¯s current ruin had to do with the absence of Emperor Marcus, the death of Duke Agnus, and the Hero King¡¯s disappearance. Of course, it was a given that should the Hero King reappear after three years, then the continent that had stagnated would go through another period of upheaval.


    But now, even the Hero King was solemnly talked about as the continent kept changing and the memories of the past heroes faded.


    ***


    ¡°There they are!¡±


    Icarus¡¯s eyes flew open as she heard Duke Eima shouting behind her. A group of men were gathered behind him. They all wore well-oiled dark brown leather armor, but it would be a mistake to think it was regr leather. What they were wearing was, in fact, ogreuis, a material that was harder and sturdier than iron.


    Across the entire continent, there was only one group who was given the privilege of wearing it.


    ¡°The Despera Knight Order of the Swallow Empire!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s also Erhaim¡¯s Wilhelm Knights behind them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, dear¡­¡±


    At Christian¡¯s muttered response, Icarus whirled around to shout at Cain.


    ¡°Just what the hell have you¡ª!¡±


    Icarus suddenly stopped as she flinched.


    Cain¡¯s face was uncharacteristically grim.


    ¡°Sir Cain, you¡­?¡±


    ¡°The most unsettling hunch is almost always the right one.¡± Instead of Cain, it was Christian who responded.


    He drew his sword. The holy sword, often known as the White de, gleamed in the sunlight.


    ¡°I will assist,¡± Christian spoke to Cain.


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Duke Eima, the Ice Emperor, chuckled darkly.


    ¡°And what is the answer to my question?¡±


    ¡°Do you need an answer?¡±


    ¡°I see. Hahahaha.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to talk further.¡±


    <em>Pah!</em>


    Before anyone could stop him, Cain kicked off the ground as hard as he could


    <em>CLANG!</em>


    The alleyway rang with the sound of two swords shing.


    <em>ng! ck! ng!</em>


    Bright crimson sparks flew as they exchanged blows.


    Cian wielded an inky ck greatsword that was almost two meters long, while Duke Eima¡¯s weapon was an oddly shaped short sword that was no longer than 150 cm.


    <em>¡®In a battle of physical strength, I won¡¯t lose!¡¯</em>


    <em>Brrrrrrrr.</em>


    Cain¡¯s aura-infused sword shook.


    Duke Eima noticed this and grinned.


    ¡°You must believe that if it¡¯s a battle of strength, you won¡¯t lose, right?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°But unfortunately for you, I don¡¯t n on entertaining that notion one bit.¡±


    <em>Crack, crack.</em>


    Cain flinched at the odd noise; then he frowned as his hand, which was gripping his sword hilt, became cold. Soon, that coldness turned to ice, which quickly spread across his entire body.


    ¡°Application¡ª?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be in trouble if you assume that it¡¯s just the aura changing form.¡± Duke Eima¡¯s grin became wider. ¡°After all, I have to uphold my position as a Star, right?¡±


    Cain¡¯s muscles twitched as he jerked his body. He was trying to shake the cold and ice loose, but as his body had started to freeze, it was impossible.


    ¡°This¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you, didn¡¯t I? This isn¡¯t just an application of aura.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°The Hubalt Empire calls this ¡®True Aura.¡¯ While the name is different, it is essentially the same.¡±


    As if he was teaching his opponent, Duke Eima continued to exin patiently. ¡°The Swallow Empire calls this the ¡®Manifestation of Aura.¡¯¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Cain¡¯s grip on his sword tightened.


    There was no way he didn¡¯t know since the disparity between the strong and the weak grew wider as a result of this.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to teach him.¡±


    As if they had been waiting for this moment, a new voice butted in.


    Duke Eima was confused.


    ¡°After all, you¡¯re not the only one who can do that.¡±


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Duke Eima turned to Christian and found the knight¡¯s face to be contorted with contempt.


    A bright, unadulterated white light poured out onto his de.


    ¡°Divine Power?¡±


    ¡°Oh, is that how you see it?¡±


    The white sword moved swiftly.


    The problem was that Cain was right in the sword¡¯s path. Soon, Cain¡¯s body was enveloped in a light and, at the same time¡ª<em>Crack!</em>¡ªsomething broke with the sound of a window shattering.


    Cain clenched and unclenched his fist when the force that had been impeding his movement disappeared.


    Duke Eima remained focused on Christian¡¯s sword.


    ¡°It¡¯s very fascinating,¡± the Duke gently mused. ¡°To think that you can also aura that way.¡±


    ¡°Do not be so arrogant,¡± Christian warned him. ¡°Our advancements have not fallen behind that of Swallow.¡±


    Duke crossed his arms, unbothered by Christian¡¯s warning.


    ¡°It¡¯s not arrogance.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°It is confidence.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°But who knows, if what happened at the Great in of Kraden three years ago were to happen again, then perhaps I would lose my confidence.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Hero King.¡±


    Duke Eima walked forward, shaking his head.


    ¡°But enough. Let¡¯s stop with the idle chatter. I don¡¯t want to waste precious time making conversation.¡±


    With an odd noise, Duke Eima¡¯s sword transformed.


    He had just swung his sword lightly, but the oue was astounding.


    An enormous form appeared in the skies. A massive dragon had been instantly formed with that small motion. It immediately opened its jaw to attack Cain and Christian.


    ¡°But even if <em>he</em> were to show up again, I don¡¯t think I would lose.¡±


    ¡°This¡­ how can you manifest an aura to this degree!¡± Christian gasped.


    Despite the fact that the dragon was, in essence, a mere block of ice, it still exuded an immense presence and sense of danger.


    There was a reason why Duke Eima was given the title Ice Emperor, as well as the Far North Spirit Knight. He was a special case as he had obtained an element after he had be an Absolute.


    A tremendous roar swept over the two knights, enveloping them with a terrible chill.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again, where is Jousha Sanders, the Hero King?¡±


    ¡°Damn, if this continues¡­¡±


    Cain focused all his energy on raising his de in front of him.


    At that moment¡­


    Woosh!


    ¡°Let me handle this.¡±


    Holding the spear, robed individual finally stepped exactly in the middle of Duke Eima and the other two knights.


    He threw a punch with all his might at the iing ice dragon.


    Boom!


    Human fist mmed into the ice dragon and a roar, unmatched by everything that had sounded before, rang through the air.


    The figure¡¯s face became visible through the shattered ice.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    Duke Eima¡¯s voice dripped with astonishment, and his eyes widened as he discovered who the robed individual was.


    ***


    <em>¡®Where is this ce?¡¯</em>


    It was very dark. Completely indistinguishable, absolute darkness. Furthermore, it was devoid of any sound.


    But right now, there was a change that was beginning to take ce.


    It first started with a small buzz. It was just a faint sound that unless paid attention to, it was easy to miss. But soon, that small buzzing quickly echoed through the space until it caused the entire area to vibrate.


    - How long are you nning to sleep?


    But how could vibrations cause a sound?


    - By now, you should have the guts to ept the truth?


    One thing was clear; it didn¡¯te from a human being.


    - The world has changed, so we can¡¯t wait any further. Get up.


    The echo¡¯s voice was the only sound in the otherwise dead silence.


    - You made a promise with me, a demonic artifact. Don¡¯t waste any more years.


    ¡°...I know.¡±


    The human voice was the first sign that someone was present.


    Another change then took ce. With a little rustling, a human-shaped object sprang up.


    Two eyelids appeared from the shadows; they silently shined, darker than the depths.


    ¡°I just needed some time.¡±

 Chapter 306

    Chapter 306


    Three years was a time period long enough for weaker kingdoms to fall. The same held true for empires.


    The civil war in Hubalt ended with the victory of the Imperial faction. It was inevitable that the country had gotten weaker from the infighting, and it became even more evident as the war prolonged.


    Hubalt only won control of Reinhardt twice, and it was pointless to even talk about Avalon, who was in the middle of their own civil war. Swallow had sole control.


    Around that time, there was a group that belonged to no nation who had to make a choice.


    That was how the mercenaries¡­


    ***


    It was just a single punch that flew straight. But that was all it took for the ce to be swept up by a storm. The man held an indescribably immense power in his fists.


    ¡°I thought nothing could surprise me anymore¡­¡± Duke examined him intently. ¡°Is that really you, Akshuller? I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you in a ce like this.¡±


    The man in question gazed at his frozen fist nkly.


    He was a tall man, about two meters tall, with bulging muscles, and his hair was cut so short that he was almost bald, while his beard was so shaggy he could be mistaken for a bandit.


    Duke Eima knew who was in front of him.


    ¡°Three Superhumans in one ce¡­ Oh, this is going to be fun.¡±


    ¡°You still think you can win?¡± Akshuller asked.


    Duke Eimaughed in response.


    ¡°Either I¡¯ve heard the wrong thing, or you¡¯ve be so arrogant just because you¡¯ve gained the title of ¡®king.¡¯¡±


    <em>Roaaaaaaar!</em>


    Duke Eima created another ice dragon. He smiled viciously as it roared overhead.


    ¡°Come to your senses,¡± Duke Eima rebuked Aksuller. ¡°Confidence and arrogance are only separated by a thin line.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re both called a king, you and Joshua Sander are in different sses. You are simply ying the part of being themander of mercenaries, Mercenary King Aksuller,¡± Duke Eima spat.


    Soon, Cain came up next to Aksuller and raised his greatsword.


    ¡°I will help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised.¡±


    ¡°I had already expected that.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the sponsor of the Pontier Merchant Group? And since the most important person is stepping up, his escort should also step up.¡±


    This time, Christian stepped up to stand on the other side


    ¡°We are running out of time. We need to finish this quickly.¡±


    ¡°You know, unlike what I thought, Holy Knights can be so cruel. How can you say something so cruel so easily? What if his pride gets hurt from what you said?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my point.¡± As he said, it was indeed a provocation.


    Cain nced back at their enemy.


    Duke Eima¡¯s countenance had gone from viciously smiling to a dark expression.


    ¡°How dare you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead, so follow me,¡± Christian muttered to them before darting away.


    <em>Shing!</em>


    Duke Eima drew his sword with a graceful arc, and the surrounding area became cold. It felt like the north wind had suddenlye to Reinhardt.


    <em>Roaarrrrr!</em>


    Christian froze when he saw the ice dragon racing toward them with a goosebump-raising roar.


    ¡°So it seems like your head isn¡¯t just a decoration. Hahaha.¡±


    ¡°May God bless me.¡±


    Christian raised his sword, and a bright white radiance soon spread in front of him.


    Hermes¡¯s 4th Defense Spell, Holy Cross.


    <em>Bang!</em>


    The glowing cruciform defensive spell collided with the ice dragon.


    <em>Crack crack. </em>


    Christian¡¯s eyes widened.


    The ice dragon was defeated much easier than he had expected. Because of that, he thought he had sessfully neutralized Duke Eima¡¯s attack. He was also confident that he had been able to defeat the attack because there was nothing more he was confident in than his defensive spell. It might be different if he was attacking, but there were very few people who could defeat him when he was defending.


    But there was a problem


    ¡°The ice is¡­?¡±


    ¡°That ice will slowly climb up your body.¡±


    Christian frowned as the chill he had felt from the ice dragon colliding with his Holy Cross passed to his hands and inched up his arms.


    But at that moment, there was a moment.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Duke Eima¡¯s rxed expression disappeared as he stumbled.


    Aksuller mmed his fists on the ground between Christian and Duke Eima and created an earthquake.


    ¡°Flip the ground over, big earthquake.¡¯


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Look here too!¡±


    Duke Eima flinched and then whirled around.


    <em>ng!</em>


    He used the rotational force of his body to create enough power to block Cain¡¯s sword with his own. The first strike was immediately followed by the dark steel de mming against Duke Eima¡¯s again.


    That technique was what Cain called the ¡°ck Moon sh.¡±


    <em>ng! aang!</em>


    Cain¡¯s de danced and drew close to Duke Eima¡¯s face instantly.


    The two swords blurred and danced through the air.


    Cain made excellent use of his advantage in reach. He resumed the attack while keeping a careful distance from his opponent¡¯s short sword. Normally, Duke Eima would have closed the gap and stabbed his enemy¡¯s vital organs, but¡­


    <em>Bang!</em>


    ¡°Keugh!¡±


    With the sound of a leather drum exploding, Duke Eima was pushed back.


    The problem was, if he tried to get close, a massive fist woulde flying at an odd angle to push him back.


    <em>¡®On top of that, there¡¯s that damned Holy Knight looking for a chance.¡¯</em>


    After thoroughly cursing out Christian mentally, he yelled, ¡°Promise!¡±


    <em>Whoooong!</em>


    A great hum answered his cry. The High Ice Spirit Promise had heeded his call.


    ¡°Get out of the way!¡± Christian shouted frantically. Cain and Aksuller started to retreat without hesitation.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    There was a loud sound, and the ice dragon smashed to the ground, giving way to an angry, raging snowstorm.


    It was the type of storm where the cold automatically froze their body, and the snow-covered their view.


    Duke Eima was known as the Ice Emperor thanks to one of his other hidden talents¡ªthe Ice Sword Second Form, Arctic Sunset.


    ¡°You worthless scums¡­¡± Duke Eima viciously snarled at the three men confronting him.


    They were at a standstill, and that infuriated him.


    Even if there were three of them and only one of him, he still believed them to be worse than himself.


    To him, a well-trained knight like him was better than a thousand soldiers. He considered the soldiers no better than human shields, and that fact was pping him right on the face at the moment.


    <em>¡®Wait¡­¡¯ </em>Duke Eima paused. He looked further back, behind the three men. <em>¡®That face looks somewhat familiar for some reason¡­¡¯</em>


    The figure in the distance looked really unique.


    Duke Eima''s shifted subtly. He was deep in thought.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, you all are somehow connected to the Hero King. My doubts are clearing up¡­¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Moreover¡­¡± Duke Eima¡¯s attention honed in on Icarus. ¡°I remember now, the one with the sky blue hair who looks more like a girl than a boy. The Heaven¡¯s Brain, a strategist who served the Sanders family before¡­ I believe the name was¡­ Icarus.¡±


    Icarus flinched.


    ¡°I find it very odd that everyone gathered here at Erhaim at the same time¡­ it¡¯s almost like it was nned¡­ Tell me, what do you n to do?¡± The corner of Duke Eima¡¯s mouth curled up into a smirk. ¡°Humor me.¡±


    He stepped forward.


    ¡°What if, unlike the rumors, the Hero King didn¡¯t die but only sustained injuries after the attack of the three Stars?¡±


    He took another step.


    ¡°And what if it''s the Pontier Merchant Group, one of the three greatest in the continent, that¡¯s hiding him?¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°How do you think the people of the continent will respond to that when their skin tingles at the mere mention of Joshua Sanders?¡±


    Duke Eima continued to steadily talk into the silence.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s the truth or not since humans naturally have a strong inclination to believe what they want to believe. Is there anyone who could keep theirposure after hearing the name of the Hero King?¡± Duke Eima shrugged. ¡°I am not one to easily believe exaggerated rumors, but since I¡¯m here to ease His Majesty¡¯s worries, I¡¯d like to go with the easiest solution¡ª¡±


    <em>Bang!</em>


    Aksuller interrupted Duke Eima by mming his huge fists together, buffeting the duke¡¯s ears with a loud bang.


    ¡°They¡¯re not exaggerated,¡± Aksuller stated.


    ¡°...?¡± Duke Eima gave him a bemused look.


    ¡°As someone who¡¯s fought with both you and Joshua Sanders¡­¡± A smile flitted across Aksuller¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯ll never be able to beat him.¡±


    ¡°Ke¡­kekekekeke.¡± Laughter burst from Duke Eima¡¯s lips, and then he stared at the sky. ¡°It looks about right¡­¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m talking about the time.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to be troubled.¡±


    ¡°What is he saying?¡± Cain muttered with a scowl as he listened to Duke Eima continue to say iprehensible things.


    ¡°Who do you think is backing me?¡± Duke Eima suddenly asked. ¡°He¡¯ll be here soon.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Christian realized what he was saying before everyone else.


    He couldn¡¯t help but wonder whether they were toote.


    The atmosphere surrounding them instantly twisted.


    <em>Thud!</em>


    Icarus, a regr human with a regr body, fell down and started gasping for air.


    Perhaps this was what people meant when they talked about an aura that sent chills down their backs.


    Duke Eima watched the petite strategist convulse.


    ¡°The sky is really red today.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s not what I¡¯m thinking, right?¡± Cain looked over to the side. The expressions of both Aksuller and Christian were both grim. ¡°He¡¯s¡­ really here?¡±


    ¡°Your expressions are a sight worth seeing! Hahahaha!¡±


    Duke Eima shot a light into the air as he anticipated the three worthless scum in front of being eliminated at once.


    While they had been arguing, they had slowly been surrounded.


    ¡°Hahaha¡­ I wonder how the Allied Forces and Hubalt will react after today¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more curious about your master¡¯s reaction.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Duke Eima was startled at the new voice.


    Arge man dropped down from the sky.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened as he stared at the broad back in front of him.


    ¡°H-how are you here?¡±


    ¡°Follow that child.¡±


    The man who had suddenly appeared pointed to a house where a child was poking their head from around the corner of a shabby house in the alleyway.


    ¡°B-but if we do that, then¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± The man roared withughter. ¡°Have you forgotten our three-year record?¡±


    ¡°For the both of youbined, wasn¡¯t it 159 losses and 159 victories?¡±


    ¡°We only lost 158 times!¡± Cain protested.


    ¡°It was only 158,¡± Christian affirmed with a straight face.


    The man grinned broadly. He was like a teacher to both of them.


    ¡°Do not worry. I also have backup.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it¡­and¡­¡± He lowered his voice so only Cain could hear. ¡°I think we¡¯ll find your master this time.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Askuller watched them talk and then stepped forward.


    ¡°I will stay behind.¡±


    ¡°You think I¡¯ll let you escape?¡± Duke Eima seemed to run out of patience as he stomped on the ground as hard as he could.


    <em>ROAR!</em>


    An ice dragon, much bigger than the previous ones, loomed above them.


    ¡°Go!¡± The new figure shouted to Cain.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª¡±


    Although he had deliberated for a long time, he moved quickly. He bit his lip as he turned around.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    And then, all at once, the three warriors met in a brutal sh that shook the very earth beneath them.


    ***


    ¡°....¡±


    Joshua carefully looked around.


    It waspletely dark.


    The distant past seemed like it had urred just yesterday.


    The waving banners. The advancing soldiers. Allies and enemies entangled in a fight.


    And¡­ the image of <em>him</em> wielding his ck greatsword.


    ¡°...Duke Agnus.¡±


    Joshua slowly moved forward.


    Darkness, deceit, treachery, goals, nder¡ªhe would eliminate all of them the moment he left his ce.

 Chapter 307

    Chapter 307


    Cain, Christian, and Icarus followed the boy and entered a shabby house, where they immediately went down a trapdoor that led to the basement. The basement itself led to a long andplicated underground tunnel.


    It was a rather perilous situation, but even in the midst of it, Cain couldn¡¯t help but wonder how a space this huge had been carved out under the city.


    The tunnel was quite long; halfway through, Icarus¡¯s stamina gged, and they just carried her in order to keep moving. Of course, she did have things to say about it, but with the situation being what it was, they ignored herints.


    Just as they wondered how much longer they needed to run, the boy began slowing down until he was walking.


    ¡°Hey! Shouldn¡¯t we be going faster?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    Cain shouted at the boy, but there was only silence.


    ¡°It¡¯s like talking to a wall¡­¡± Cain muttered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s it.¡±


    However, Christian disagreed with him.


    ¡°...Huh?¡±


    ¡°That boy, I don¡¯t think he can hear anything.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain gaped nkly at Christian. The other knight¡¯s words were quite unexpected.


    ¡°This whole time, he hasn¡¯t responded to a single sound. His breathing doesn¡¯t seem to change either.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°I think Sir Christian is right,¡± Icarus suddenly said from behind Cain.


    ¡°Icarus?¡±


    Cain looked back. She looked slightly sullen.


    ¡°...An informant who has ears but cannot hear; has a mouth but cannot speak.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re called ¡®guides¡¯ internally,¡± Christina said, quickly picking up on Icarus¡¯s meaning. ¡°It¡¯s a techniquemonly used by information guilds in order to prevent confidential information from leaking outside.¡±


    ¡°That could be possible, but¡­¡± Cain trailed off and nced at Christian. ¡°I never thought that the silver-haireddy could be that cruel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Christian firmly refuted, silencing Cain. ¡°Her heart is much purer than anyone else in the temple. What you are thinking is impossible. It¡¯s more likely that she found this disabled child and raised him and gave him a new life.¡±


    ¡°Three years.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Christian asked in confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that in the span of three years, the continent haspletely changed, so it¡¯s possible that she could also have changed.¡±


    Christian frowned at Cain¡¯s words.


    ¡°Perhaps we should prepare for the worst a bit.¡±


    ¡°Why are you so critical and cynical about everything?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being careful. And also, do you think I was like this from the beginning?¡± Cain responded as he shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve always been positive, but the environment changed me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not being careful; that¡¯s just having a victim mentality,¡± Christian retorted.


    ¡°What¡¯d you say?¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, you¡¯re afraid that someone will stab you in the back again, just like how your master left you with a word¡ª¡±


    Cain¡¯s face contorted at those words.


    ¡°I dare you to say that again.¡±


    ¡°As you said, three years have already passed. If your master were still alive, then he would havemunicated with you in some way or another. At least he would have if he thought about his people.¡±


    ¡°Something must have happened! He must have a reason! My master is not the kind of person to just abandon¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course, you would say that. But as someone who has never met him, I just have questions and doubts.¡±


    ¡°Stop this!¡± Icarus snapped, unable to take it anymore. ¡°Where are we fighting amongst ourselves? There are people outside who are fighting right now so that we can escape!¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    As Icarus¡¯s voice rang through the tunnels, Cain and Christian stopped ring and looked away from each other.


    ¡°Damn it¡ª!¡±


    ¡°So tell me, who was the person that appeared at the end?¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°His opponent is Duke Eima, one of the Stars! What if we somehow endangered that person¡¯s life?¡±


    ¡°I doubt that,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°He won¡¯t be in danger,¡± Christian said at nearly the same time.


    ¡°Howe the two of you are so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Because¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let me answer this.¡± Cain took a step forward as he interrupted Christian. ¡°Icarus, do you know where this guy and I were while you were helping the Pontier Merchant Group in the dark?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you were in the free city in the Kingdom of Thran.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. There, we learned some swordsmanship from that man. To be more urate, it was more like we were umting practice and battle sense¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean that person taught you?¡±


    Cain nodded before continuing, ¡°And eventually, Christian learned how to materialize his aura¡ª¡±


    ¡°And you too?¡±


    ¡°...No. I haven¡¯t been able to do it yet.¡± Cain¡¯s face grew somber.


    Christian noticed Cain¡¯s gloomy mood and held his tongue.


    ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing,¡± Cain said. ¡°But I haven¡¯t even gotten a feel for it yet.¡±


    ¡°Well, who cares about something like that?¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°In the end, it¡¯s just a feeling. Also, isn¡¯t there a precedent where a person can transcend limits even without materializing an aura?


    Cain shut his mouth.


    ¡°That person, he, even became a god above many strong men. Duke Aden von Agnus, the Dark God of Avalon¡­ no, of the entire continent.¡±


    Cain shook his head.


    ¡°But even he died in the hands of mere humans.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°I need to be stronger than anyone else. I need absolute strength, not just for myself, but so I can protect my master, someone who¡¯s praised as the Hero King.¡± Cain¡¯s knuckles cracked as clenched his fists. ¡°So if in the end, I can¡¯t materialize my aura, then¡­ as you said, someday I will transcend my limits with my own strength. I will have a real aura that can even destroy that materialization.¡±


    Icarus stood for a moment, cautiously taking stock of the heavy atmosphere, before carefully venturing, ¡°So, who is this person who taught you swordsmanship?¡±


    ***


    Icarus squinted at the bright light that hit her eyes. Nevertheless, her mood was much better than before as they had finally gotten out of that long tunnel.


    ¡°Finally¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Icarus flinched at the unfamiliar voice.


    When Icarus opened her eyes, she saw a woman with her long silver hair glinting in the sunlight.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Christian shouted.


    ¡°The Silver Spirit!¡± Cain followed.


    Lilith, the silver-haired woman, smiled brightly.


    ¡°Jun, you¡¯ve worked hard.¡±


    The well-mannered boy smiled as Lilith gently stroked his hair.


    Christian red at Cain.


    ¡°I told you.¡±


    ¡°...I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Christian rxed; Cain¡¯s quick apology had mollified him.


    ¡°Lilith! It¡¯s been a while!¡±


    Lilith immediately turned to him and smiled brightly.


    ¡°Sir Christian, you look well.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to you.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯re short on time, shall we continue talking as we walk?¡± Even as she asked, Lilith started leading them away.


    For a quiet moment, their soft footsteps were the only audible sounds.


    Cain, who had been looking around his surroundings, tilted his head. Despite everything being nketed in vegetation, something about the ce felt familiar to him. He felt like he¡¯d seen the mountains and rivers before.


    ¡°Seems familiar, no?¡± Lilith asked; it was as if she could read his mind.


    Cain turned to look at her.


    ¡°It¡¯s only natural it feels like that to you because this ce has a connection to your master Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Icarus was also surprised by Lilith¡¯spletely unexpected revtion.


    ¡°This is Erhaim. We are quite a distance away from what used to be Reinhardt. I believe you¡¯vee here a couple of times to look for him?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Seeing Cain¡¯s still puzzled expression, Lilith put her hands behind her back.


    ¡°At the end of this road is where thete kings of Reinhardt are buried.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡ª!¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes slowly widened. He had just remembered. When his master had won the Master¡¯s Battle, he hade to this ce to inherit Reinhardt¡¯s will. Cain stiffened like a statue as he realized he had passed this ce when he had been retracing his master¡¯s path.


    ¡°The person who became a Superhuman with just one arm.¡± Lilith continued. ¡°Joshua stopped and brought him to his knees. Duke Arie blocked him but couldn¡¯t seed, and Joshua boldly walked forward.¡±


    Lilith suddenly stopped in ce and looked back.


    ¡°The situation on the continent is not looking too good. Hubalt managed to obtain Reinhardt after a year of battle but lost it to Swallow in just a week. They are unhappy about it, and there are rumors that the Martial Emperor will lead his troops here.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Icarus and Christian¡¯s eyes widened when Lilith spoke of the Martial Emperor.


    ¡°R-really? It could be a smokescreen¡­¡±


    ¡°No. But it doesn¡¯t matter whether it¡¯s real or not. It has already been confirmed that the Emperor of Swallow has entered Erhaim undercover,¡± Lilith said.


    Icarus stared at her nkly, mouth hanging open.


    ¡°Cr-crimson Sky Lucifer¡­! Duke Eima was telling the truth!¡± Christian groaned.


    ¡°In both name and reality, they are the two most influential people in the Swallow Empire. They, along with the Martial Emperor, are the culprits behind the death of Duke Agnus. But since that day, this is the first time the Martial Emperor and the Crimson Sky areing forward.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°The two of them are even called Celestials by the people. Whether they fight against each other or create an alliance as they did against Duke Agnus¡­¡±


    Lilith trailed off before continuing in the suffocating silence.


    ¡°The status quo that the continent of Igrant has settled into will bepletely submerged in a sea of blood¡­ because the fact is, no one can stop them now. That is the only thing that matters.¡±


    Lilith looked directly into Icarus¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°As the head of Moon Gate, I have to make the calctions early on. But right now, I¡¯m sure that there¡¯s just one thing you want to know from me.¡±


    ¡°Have you really found something?¡± Cain eagerly asked.


    Lilith smiled bitterly.


    ¡°It is just a trace.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    I really hope that you can find him as well. Because if he¡¯s alive, then this continent might have a chance of surviving the crisis it¡¯s about to slip into.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ that trace you¡¯re speaking of. Where did you find it?¡±


    Lilith remained silent for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°The ce known as the homnd of the primitive human race, and where the magic city of Lucerne stood in its heyday, and where the Magic Tower of today was built: the great in of Aiyas.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s voice was t as she finished.


    ¡°Traces of Joshua was found in the Tower of Trials.¡±

 Chapter 308

    Chapter 308


    <em>Huff, huff.</em>


    Akshuller struggled to catch his breath. He could even taste the metallic tang of blood as he heaved for breath.


    A bone-chilling cold swept around him, yet his massive frame was still drenched in sweat.


    Even breathing had begun to feel like a chore.


    ¡°Damn this¡­¡± Akshuller cursed, his words thicklyced with anger.


    He really wanted to rest, but he couldn¡¯t. That wasn¡¯t a choice he could make. If he decided to slow down right then, it would only be a matter of time before the sharp ice sword would pierce through his ally¡¯s heart.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°...Keugh!¡± Akshuller clenched his teeth in response. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m good.¡±


    Inparison, his ally looked quite rxed.


    ¡°...He truly is the Ice Emperor. And I see that a Star¡¯s reputation is well-earned. He has two Superhumans attacking him simultaneously, but he is still standing¡­¡±


    ¡°Kekeke.¡±


    Duke Eima startedughing so hard his whole body shook in mirth; perhaps he had heard what his opponent said about him.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be amazed. I thought you were just at the level of the old Mercenary King, Barbarian¡­ but I see that your level is closer to me, a Star¡­¡± Duke Eima trailed off as he looked at his opponent¡¯s de.


    A huge, menacing form was materializing from the man¡¯s aura.


    - Grrr!


    <em>It</em> felt Duke Eima¡¯s gaze and growled like a living being. Duke Eima¡¯s body stiffened when the aura produced a noise.


    The power of the man¡¯s materialization was frightening. It was oddly simr to Aura Application.


    A thick ck mane covered the lion¡¯s head, a set of wings stuck out from the body¡¯s muscr bulk, and a tail as sharp as a sword waved behind it. It was clearly a beast, but it stood on two legs as though it was human.


    ¡°Manticore,¡± Duke Eima muttered as heughed like a maniac. ¡°The Manticore is a fabled phantom beast species; it is the embodiment of viciousness and brutality. And yet, here I am, looking at you, the one they call the pinnacle of justice, wondering, ¡®How can you materialize it?¡¯ Can you see the irony?¡±


    Duke Eima looked toward the man with a smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°So tell me, Lion King. What made you take that step? You hadn¡¯t even when the war was at its hottest. Then, you sheltered in Thran with vagrants.¡±


    Vagrant or vagabond were derogatory terms for the Free Knights; it was to the point that everyone on the continent called Ryan Geiger the Vagrant King.


    After staying silent for a long time, the Lion King finally began speaking. ¡°Aren¡¯t there a lot of contradictions in this world? After all, that¡¯s how the people of Igrant call a traitor like you a Star.¡±


    Duke Eima¡¯s expression darkened.


    ¡°I guess your mouth still works fine, then.¡±


    ¡°Everything else works fine as well.¡± The Lion King brandished his longsword, which at first nce seemed quite ordinary. ¡°Should I show you?¡±


    ¡°Kekeke.¡± Duke Eimaughed grimly. ¡°By all means. I am quite curious, but oh dear, it appears that the protagonist we¡¯ve been anticipating has finally shown up.¡±


    The Lion King¡¯s eyes widened. Askhuller followed the Lion King¡¯s gaze and flinched as he saw what the Lion King was looking at.


    <em>BOOM!</em>


    An enormous explosion shattered the air. It was quickly followed by a trail of brilliant crimson descending from the sky.


    Chills ran down their spines as an eerie chuckle echoed through the air as a man strolledzily through the thick cloud of dust.


    ¡°Seems like you¡¯re struggling quite a bit.¡± The man licked his lips.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked you for your help, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°The Lion King is here, I see. What a surprise.¡± The man cocked his head to the side.


    The Lion King met the neer¡¯s gaze. He understood the man better than anyone else.


    The neer¡¯s red hair and crimson clothing caused everyone seeing him to think of blood.


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer!¡± Akshuller groaned at the sight.


    The Lion King let Akshuller¡¯s cry of distress slip into one ear and out the other.


    ¡°I will give you a sign,¡± he told Akshuller.


    ¡°...HUH?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look back.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute! What the heck are you¡ª?¡±


    As if to show that he had no intention of expanding further on his words, the Lion King stepped forward.


    ¡°How can I just stand here and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down ande to your senses.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    ¡°Who do you think will benefit if the two of us die like this?¡±


    Akshuller gritted his teeth at the Lion King¡¯s voice.


    ¡°If I increase my true mana, then I can slow down both of them for a bit.¡±


    Akshuller was startled by the Lion King¡¯s statement because true mana was the source of life and was not something that could be restored.


    It was unbelievable that someone with the capabilities of the Lion King was willing to use his true mana, even if that meant his life span would be reduced indefinitely, to buy them some time and be satisfied with just that.


    ¡°There is only one chance,¡± the Lion King told Akshuller.


    Duke Eima noticed the odd atmosphere.


    ¡°Do the two of you have a n brewing?¡±


    Instead of receiving a response, Duke Eima felt an unprecedented cascade of power emanating from the Lion King like a waterfall.


    - GRRRRRR!


    The Lion King¡¯s aura added its own roar to the torrent as a beam of mana headed toward Duke Eima.


    ¡°Keugh!¡± Duke Eima staggered backward as he was struck by the golden mana.


    The Lion King¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    ¡°NOW!¡± he shouted in a powerful voice.


    Without a second¡¯s hesitation, Akshuller spun without hesitation and struck the ground with all his might as he ran. The ground began to tremble and shake. He was fully aware that a head-on fight would only result in their death.


    ¡°Kekekeke.¡±


    A sinisterugh entered Akshuller¡¯s ears. Even if his eyes couldn¡¯t see it, his senses were telling him that something was going on. It was as if there was something asking, ¡®Do you think you can run away from me?¡¯


    Despite that, he continued on. He knew that stopping for even a second would mean death for him.


    <em>¡®If I have to, at least an arm¡­!¡¯</em>


    Akshuller repeated this to himself as he dodge away, almost like he was prophesying his own future.


    Shick!


    He heard a de cut through human flesh. He couldn¡¯t help but close his eyes, expecting the worst, even as his legs continued to carry him forward.


    ¡°...?¡±


    Akshuller¡¯s expression gave away his confusion. It had been a while since he heard that horrifying sound, but he didn¡¯t feel any pain.


    He carefully opened his eyes; he turned pale.


    A spherical object was floating in the air.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be,¡± Akshuller muttered, his voiceden with shock.


    It was the head of a person who had be a Superhuman much earlier than Akshuller. It was the head of the Lion King.


    The surprising thing was that the Lion King hadn¡¯t been able tost long against the Grand Duke Lucifer.


    ***


    ¡°It¡¯s a small warp gate that¡¯s been pre-arranged. If you use this, you won¡¯t waste any time getting to the Great in of Aiyas.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    The only thing they could see was a vast wastnd with asional patches of weeds, but in the middle of it was a small warp gate.


    Cain stared at it before asking, ¡°Wasn¡¯t this formerly the site of Reinhardt¡¯s royal tomb?¡±


    ¡°To be more urate, it <em>used</em> to be here.¡±


    ¡°....¡±


    ¡°Hubalt and Swallow¡¯s first order of business after taking Reinhardt was to demolish this ce, saying that people needed to stop talking about neutrality and peace.¡±


    Cain epted Lilith¡¯s exnation with a nod.


    ¡°It was their n all along,¡± he mused.


    ¡°Will all three of you be going?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then, before you leave¡­¡± Lilith trailed off, looking specifically at someone. ¡°Icarus-nim.¡±


    ¡°...Yes?¡±


    ¡°You are already aware of this, yes?¡±


    Icarus looked puzzled. ¡°About what¡ª?¡±


    ¡°The fact that the impending disaster won¡¯t simply affect Swallow and Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡± Icarus asked her expression hard.


    ¡°Avalon.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Cain flinched at Lilith¡¯s unexpected response.


    ¡°Even in the ce where it is taking Hart Kingdom has a precedent, the winds of change are blowing.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, even so, it¡¯s just a defeated nation. What do they think they¡¯ll do now¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a simple issue that we can just toss into a corner.¡±


    The usually cynical Cain hesitated at Lilith¡¯s rebuke.


    ¡°Something is odd between the First and Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been fighting over the throne for three years now. Is there anything new about that?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there is.¡±


    ¡°...?¡±


    ¡°The long-lost Fourth Prince has suddenly shown up with a tremendous supporter.¡±


    ¡°...!¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened at that.


    ¡°The Fourth Prince ims to consider himself the First Prince¡¯s man. This information arrived just yesterday, so by now¡ª¡±


    ¡°For the time being,¡± Icarus interrupted. ¡°Let¡¯s think about what¡¯s in front of us right now. After all, we finally found a trace of our frustratingly elusive master, right?¡±


    ¡°Icarus¡­¡± Lilith ducked her head sheepishly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for adding something else to the te.¡±


    ¡°...No, it¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Well then,¡± Lilith straightened up. ¡°You can go ahead and step through the gate. The transfer will beplete in a blink of an eye.¡±


    ***


    In the center of an endless in stood a soaring tower that was slightly tilted. One side of the tower was scorched by a huge fire.


    ¡°Is this¡­ the Tower of Trials?¡±


    ¡°Is this your first time here, Icarus-nim?¡± Christian asked.


    Icarus nodded.


    ¡°I was powerless at that time, and I think others regarded me as a burden.¡±


    Christian was tongue-tied when Icarus spoke self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°...Shall we go in?¡± Cain asked in an attempt to break the stuffy atmosphere. ¡°Let¡¯s not hesitate.¡±


    They walked for a while, but after a few steps, Cain stopped. Icarus looked at him in confusion.


    ¡°Wha¡ª Why are you suddenly stopping like this?¡± she questioned.


    ¡°Are you getting scared?¡± Christian prodded. ¡°Is it because we¡¯re at the infamous Tower of Trials?¡±


    Silently, Cain discreetly gestured toward the Tower¡¯s door in response.


    ¡°What are you even pointing at¡­¡±


    Icarus¡¯s gaze followed his hand and she went as still as a statue when she realized what he was pointing at.


    ¡°Is that a person?¡±


    Christian quickly followed Icarus¡¯s gaze.


    <em>Shing.</em>


    ¡°Is that our pursuer?¡± Christian pulled his sword out of his sheath without dy.


    A lone man stood in front of the gate as though he were there to defend the Tower. The problem was the trio could not pick up any type of energying from the man.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s the problem. If he¡¯s a human, then I should be feeling vitality from him, even if it¡¯s just the slightest bit.¡¯</em>


    The stress on Christian''s face was palpable.


    There were two different scenarios that this phenomenon could result from: first, the person has less energy than the average human; second, the person in front of them was stronger than any of them¡­ thus making the situation utterly hopeless.


    And just by eyeballing it, it seemed that thetter was more probable.


    In Christian''s mind, he just couldn''t go on.


    ¡°Ma-Master?¡±


    Cain¡¯s skeptical voice rang in Christian¡¯s head like a bell. The pdin¡¯s eyes bulged until they threatened to pop out of his head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain shouted.


    In front of them stood a man with hair darker than the abyss and eyes that seemed to prate infinitely into the depths of their souls.

 Chapter 309

    Chapter 309


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­the Hero King?¡± Christian nkly murmured.


    Although it was his first time seeing the Hero King, he could instantly recognize the Hero King by the many rumors Christian had heard about him: his hair was deep blue, nearly ck, and when Christian looked into the Hero King¡¯s eyes, he felt like he was looking into an abyss. The Hero King¡¯s skin, on the contrary, was snow white. The man as a whole was surreally handsome.


    When Cain was five footsteps away from the Tower¡¯s entrance, he loudly shouted, ¡°Master!¡±


    <em>Thump!</em>


    However, the man who seemed to be his master mmed the end of the red spear, which Cain was familiar with as he was with his favorite weapon, against the ground. It was as if he had no intentions of allowing Cain to approach any further. Since Cain hadn¡¯t expected the man¡¯s reaction at all, he came to a halt and nkly gaped, unable to hide his perplexity as he quietly asked, ¡°Master¡­? Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Master, please say something¡­¡± Cain repeated, but he couldn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°That¡¯s not our master,¡± Icarus said.


    Cain¡¯s head snapped around to look at Icarus.


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°The master I know isn¡¯t that emotionless.¡± Icarus shook her head.


    Cain scowled at Icarus.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± he growled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°What are¡ª!?¡±


    ¡°There was a being who looked the same as our master,¡± Icarus reminded him before he could shout.


    ¡°¡­Wait¡­¡± Cain widened as he came to a realization.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. Our master got that being from here,¡± Icarus remembered.


    ¡°¡­A doppelganger!¡± Cain growled.


    Yes, if it was that, then he understood why he was able to feel the enormous power boiling inside the being like a volcano about to erupt. A doppelganger didn¡¯t just copy a person¡¯s appearance.


    -You¡¯re more stupid than I thought¡­


    A voice suddenly echoed inside Cain¡¯s head, making him flinch.


    -I¡¯ve been looking forward to seeing your ability, since you¡¯re his first subordinate¡­


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Cain instantly drew his ck greatsword from his back.


    -Well, I guess he¡¯s the only exception among humans¡­


    ¡°Where in the world¡­!?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes swept over their surroundings, but he quickly froze. No matter how hard he searched, he could only find one being aside from hispanions.


    -Yeah, you¡¯re wrong.


    A resonating sound echoed as if the voice was waiting for Cain to reach such a conclusion.


    -You should look further down.


    Up until then, Cain had been intensely staring at the doppelganger, but he gaped in shock after he saw another being, the one that was making the air tremble.


    ¡°A sp-spear is doing that?¡± Cain stuttered.


    The spear elegantly whirled around.


    -Never mind. Get ready. Although he asked me for my help, I¡¯ll be the one who decides if you¡¯re worthy enough for me to teach.


    ¡°What are you talking¡ª?¡±


    -So¡­


    The spear interrupted Cain and exuded an ominous ck, bloody light.


    -From now on, you¡¯re going to go through the same tribtions that your master went through. It¡¯ll be simpler than you think, though, since¡­.


    In the suffocating silence, only the spear quietly spoke.


    -You just have to use every bit of your strength to survive.


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Cain felt that something was up and subconsciously inhaled.


    A ck mouth appeared out of nowhere in front of Cain and devoured him.


    * * *


    While the Hubalt Empire had be weaker due to the internal conflict between the Pope and the Emperor, there were several causes for the Avalon Empire¡¯s slow crumble. It had started with the death of Duke Agnus, one of the Nine Stars, and then Emperor Marcus had suddenly disappeared, aggravating the battle for the throne between the two princes.


    In the end, Avalon had to lock down its border since they couldn¡¯t deal with the other countries while the power struggle inside their country was escting. Avalon had be a closed country.


    Right now, Kiser, the First Prince, looked up at the throne in the pce of the Avalon Empire and said, ¡°Did I really take only three months to get this back? My country is a mess. I don¡¯t understand how things got this far¡­ When in the world will this fight end?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­¡± someone immediately replied. ¡°I think the casualties will have to at least double before that happens.¡±


    ¡°¡­It sounds like you want that to happen.¡± Kiser narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± The person quietly chuckled. ¡°Maybe I do.¡±


    Kiser slowly turned back and saw a snake-like middle-aged man with only one arm.


    ¡°Arie,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± Arie answered.


    ¡°They¡¯re also the citizens of the Avalon Empire,¡± Kiser quickly reminded Arie.


    ¡°But they¡¯re also rebels who dared to point their swords at you, Your Highness,¡± Arie reminded the prince in turn.


    ¡°¡­Everyone makes mistakes.¡± Kiser looked away. ¡°They¡¯re just walking down the wrong path because they¡¯ve been deceived by that sly Kaizen.¡±


    ¡°If mistakes are repeated, then they can no longer be called mistakes, Your Highness.¡± Arie stared at Kiser.


    ¡°The important part is that no one taught them that.¡± Kiser closed his eyes.


    ¡°Maybe you want to believe so.¡± Arie shrugged, making Kiser unable to speak any further. ¡°If you still think that way, this civil war will continue much longer, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then what do you want me to do?¡± Kiser bit his lower lip.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it simple?¡± Arie asked, grinning. ¡°We can just kill them all.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Kiser stopped to heave a long sigh. ¡°...truly cruel.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Arie giggled. ¡°You already knew that, but you still came.¡±


    ¡°¡­Never mind.¡± Kiser shook his head and pointed at the door. ¡°By the way, there are some people I would like to introduce.¡±


    ¡°Oh, are they your guests, Your Highness? I was wondering who they were.¡± Arie¡¯s head turned toward the prince¡¯s guests; he was already aware of their presence. The door opened, and two men entered. When Arie realized who they were, he fervently stared at the men with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°¡­Woah? This is¡­ surprising. I did hear the recent rumor, but¡­¡± Arie¡¯s smile deepened, and he bowed slightly. ¡°It has been a while, Your Highness.¡±


    A man that resembled Prince Kiser approached.


    ¡°Yes, it really has been, Count Arie.¡± Kaiser, the Fourth Prince, smiled.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s exchange greetingster. Since you¡¯ve disappeared for the past three years, I didn¡¯t even know if you were alive, much less expected that you would show up here right now, Kaiser. And¡­¡± Kiser trailed off and nced sideways to look at a green-haired expressionless yet handsome man who was standing behind Kaiser. ¡°...you even brought the man who was once called the ¡®War God¡¯ of the Swallow Empire.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s smile widened.


    ¡°You recognized him.¡±


    ¡°In times like this, I should always be up to date with information.¡± Kiser shrugged.


    ¡°You¡¯re always careful.¡± Kaiser nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m just distrustful, not careful, and I¡¯m still distrustful.¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You and the War God are officially the worst criminals of two empires. The War God betrayed his country, and although everyone despises the undead, you¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll prove myself,¡± Kaiser dered.


    Kiser flinched.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Babel von Agnus is currently Brother Kaizen¡¯s loyal subordinate and leading all those rebels, so I¡¯ll bring his head to you,¡± Kaiser exined.


    Kiser snorted. ¡°You¡¯re going to take over a ducal family just like that?¡±


    Kaiser shrugged.


    ¡°Even though Duke Agnus¡¯s family may not be the same as before, it won¡¯t be easy for you to get rid of them yourself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kiser bit his lower lip.


    ¡°As they¡¯re paying attention to your every move, they¡¯ll mobilize all their force to deal with you if they feel you¡¯re even thinking of doing something to them. In contrast, there is only a rumor about me returning, so no one will be able to expect that I¡¯ll suddenly attack Brother Kaizen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Aside from all that, if you were me, do you think you¡¯d believe me if I said that to you?¡± Kiser asked.


    Kaiser shook his head without hesitation.


    ¡°No, I wouldn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust people. I just read the chessboard and n my next move,¡± Kaiser nonchntly exined.


    Kiser gaped at him slightly.


    ¡°So I came up with a good n,¡± Kaiser continued.


    ¡°A good n?¡± Kiser repeated.


    ¡°Extend an olive branch,¡± Kaiser suggested.


    Kiser¡¯s face crumpled up. He didn¡¯t need to ask to whom he should extend the olive branch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve had enough¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I received information that says that the Hubalt and Swallow Empires have formed an alliance.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser opened his eyes wide as he processed Kaiser¡¯s unexpected revtion.


    ¡°There is already a precedent for this, so why are you surprised?¡± Kaiser tilted his head curiously.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!¡± Kiser shouted. ¡°The Hubalt Empire was already betrayed once, so why would they form an alliance with the Swallow Empire?¡±


    ¡°To be exact, the two powerful figures from their respective empires reached an agreement, not formed an alliance,¡± Kaiser exined. ¡°They¡¯ll probably pretend to go to war and gather up their soldiers in one ce because they think they don¡¯t need to care about how other countries would react, nor do they feel the need to continue the meaningless war of attrition. The Crimson Sky would have promised to get rid of the Pope¡¯s people and the Knight of God, and on the other hand, the Martial Emperor¡ªno, the Martial God¡ªwill get rid of the Allied Powers and the ¡®King¡¯.¡±


    Kiser remained silent. Kaiser looked at him and continued, ¡°Isn¡¯t it amonly used technique? Get rid of the bothersome small fries first, and then the two empires will be free to contend for the supremacy of the continent to the very end¡­¡±


    Kiser gritted his teeth. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, they no longer consider the Avalon Empire a worthy opponent.¡± Kaiser shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to interrupt¡­¡± Arie jumped into the conversation between the princes with a grin. ¡°They didn¡¯t think of the Avalon Empire as a worthy opponent in the first ce.¡±


    A silence descended on the king¡¯s chamber, but Kaiser quietly broke it.


    ¡°It¡¯ll soon be the third anniversary of His Majesty¡¯s death,¡± he said. ¡°Although you don¡¯t have much power, you should at least have the power to hold a national memorial. Themoners and nobles of the Avalon Empire, Brother Kaizen, the rebels¡­ Summon everyone.¡±


    Kiser was silent for a long time.


    ¡°¡­Will they believe me that easily?¡±


    Kaiser smiled contentedly in his mind at Kiser¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Even if they don¡¯t, what can they do? They¡¯ll probably believe it once they meet the person I brought.¡±


    As soon as Kaiser finished speaking, the door opened again, and another man walked inside. It was an old man with slicked-back white hair with his hands sped behind his back.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Kiser¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. The servant had reported that two men had entered the pce, but, astonishingly, one more man had entered. But then Kiser¡¯s eyes widened until they threatened to pop out of their sockets. ¡°Yo-you¡¯re¡­?¡±


    ¡°Woah, today is full of surprises. Hahahaha.¡± Arie burst intoughter, unable to hold back his mirth anymore.


    ¡°D-Duke Tremblin?¡± Kiser gaped.


    ¡°¡­Greetings, Your Highness.¡± Tremblin bowed, but his expression was grim for some reason.


    No matter what anyone said, he was a legendary figure who had brought honor to the Avalon Empire. Although Duke Agnus had passed away, he and the Sword Emperor Duke Tremblin were called the two strongest men of the Avalon Empire. Therefore, naturally, his absence from the Empire when he began searching for the missing Emperor three years ago was a major contributor to the Avalon Empire¡¯s downfall.


    But he had appeared again.


    Tremblin shrugged.


    ¡°It has already been three years now, so it¡¯s time for the imperial family to officially acknowledge that His Majesty died and move on.¡±


    Kiser flinched. ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°A new emperor has to lead the Avalon Empire,¡± Kaiser mumbled. He clenched his fists and looked straight into Kiser¡¯s eyes. ¡°The day for you to make the Avalon Empire rise again hase.¡±


    Kiser clenched his fists.


    Kaiser instantly turned as soon as he finished speaking.


    ¡°If you¡¯re interested in my n, let¡¯s schedule a meeting and I¡¯ll tell you the details then,¡± he told his brother.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Kiser wasn¡¯t sure what to do.


    ¡°Oh, yeah! Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle ising up soon, so it¡¯ll be a good chance to gather up the Imperial Knights. You and Brother Kaizen each have exactly six battalions and you probably haven¡¯t been able to find out each other¡¯s power because of other countries, so it¡¯ll be a good chance to find that out. Hahahaha!¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s genuineughter echoed throughout the king¡¯s chamber.

 Chapter 310

    Chapter 310


    Cain stood on a vast, endless in. At first, he thought he was in the Great in of Aiyas, where the Tower of Trials was located, but he soon realized that he wasn¡¯t. Although it was also an empty in, there was one big difference.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s¡­?¡¯</em>¡¯


    Cain gaped dumbfoundedly at the horizon. He could see ck dots gathering up like ants. The ck dots were¡­


    <em>¡®¡­People?¡¯</em> Cain wondered.


    The group of people was running toward Cain, kicking up an opaque cloud of dust.


    He then realized they were knights and were armed to the teeth. In fact, the group of people was a gigantic army that consisted of at least a hundred thousand knights.


    <em>¡®Oh my god! Did the Hubalt and Swallow Empires really go to war against each other? I¡¯ve never seen this many knights moving at once since the Blood Battle of the Great in of Kraden¡­!¡¯</em>


    Cain had to stop thinking.


    Time seemed to move much faster; the knights were quickly closing on Cain. He could already see the knights in the front and also the familiar g that flew high up in the air above the army. Those crossed swords were the g of¡­


    <em>¡®The Hubalt and Swallow Empire Alliance!</em>¡¯ Cain thought in shock when he recognized the g.


    Throughout the long history of the continent, that g had only been used once: the Battle of the Great in of Kraden, which was the start of the Continental War and the main cause of the Avalon Empire¡¯s downfall.


    Cain trembled.


    <em>¡®They formed an alliance, but not to wage war against each other? The Hubalt Empire was already betrayed once, so they must be crazy¡­!¡¯</em>


    The great army was right in front of Cain, rushing in as if they were a tsunami. They were so intimidating that Cain could feel his clenched fists sweating, but soon he noticed something was wrong.


    ¡°Waaaaaaaaaaaah!!!¡± The army¡¯s thunderous roar shook the sky and ground, exuding extraordinary energy.


    ¡°Avalon¡¯s Dark God is dead!¡± they shouted.


    <em>¡®What?¡¯ </em>Cain¡¯s breath caught.


    ¡°In the end, Emperor Marcus couldn¡¯t hide his dark desires andunched a preemptive strike!¡±


    ¡°For the sake of the continent, the two empires have finally joined forces!¡±


    ¡°Let us eliminate ourmon enemy, Avalon, and bring peace to thisnd once more!¡±


    ¡°Get rid of all the remnants and trample everything in Avalon right away!¡±


    The way they talked was quite weird. The events that they talked about had happened over three years ago, but they were talking about them as if they¡¯d taken ce yesterday. Cain might have understood if they were talking about the Allied Powers, but they wanted to attack Avalon, which was already crumbling on its own.


    Therefore, it was unrealistic for the two empires to join forces again. Because thest time they had allied, the Swallow Empire had ambushed the Hubalt Empire and upied Reinhardt as soon as they had achieved theirmon goal, turning them into archenemies.


    <em>¡®Then¡­ I¡¯m seeing the past, not the present!¡¯ </em>Cain concluded. That would exin everything.


    After he realized he was watching a historical event that had intentionally been omitted from history, Cain quickly took a look around, hoping he might be able to find the answer to his question. However, his question wasn¡¯t about why Avalon had lost the war: Cain wanted to find out how the man the people of the continent once called a god had died.


    <em>¡®There is no way that monster died!¡¯ </em>Cain shouted in his thoughts.


    When he had first heard the news of the death of Duke Agnus, the Dark God, Cain hadn¡¯t believed it, and he still didn¡¯t believe it. Cain himself had gone up against the man, so there was no way that Cain would not know how strong Duke Agnus was. Cain might have thought differently if he had seen Duke Agnus¡¯s corpse or heard it from their allies, but he had heard about it from their enemies.


    <em>¡®The problem is that that monstrous man hasn¡¯t shown up since the Battle of Kraden, so maybe today I¡¯ll discern¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°Men in the front, halt!¡± the leading knight shouted.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    The knights standing in the front were staring straight at Cain. He couldn¡¯t help but think of the worst scenario.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the leading knight asked.


    Cain was shocked to realize that his worst scenario hade true.


    ¡°Who are you? Why are you blocking our way, alone at that?¡± the knight demanded.


    <em>¡®Fuck!¡¯</em> Cain unwittingly cursed.


    Although he desperately wanted to speak, he couldn¡¯t. It felt like someone had put glue all over his lips. It was driving him crazy.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± the leading knight wondered. ¡°That spear is¡­¡±


    <em>¡®¡­A spear?¡¯ </em>Cain also wondered.


    Cain felt something begin vibrating in his hand as if it had been waiting for this moment. He lowered his head and caught sight of a long spear in his hand.


    <em>¡®Hey, hey! This is unfair!¡¯ </em>Cain screamed in his thoughts and shook his head in denial as he looked at the long, red spear. His premonitions always turned out to be true, and this time wasn¡¯t an exception.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders?¡± the leading knight ventured. Cain¡¯s eyes became as big as they could get.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± Cain said, although he did not speak of his own will.


    ¡°Of course; is there anyone on the continent of this generation that doesn¡¯t know of you?¡± The leading knight shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about your achievements.¡±


    Once Cain¡ªno, Joshua¡ªrevealed his identity, the knights in the rear loudly stomped as if they were trying to threaten him.


    ¡°Are you going to stop us?¡± the knight asked Joshua. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you, it would be impossible to stop all of us.¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°I guess we¡¯ll have to find out.¡±


    The leading knight smirked. ¡°Being too arrogant will shorten your lifespan. Isn¡¯t that the reason why Duke Agnus, your father, was killed by us?¡±


    Joshua froze; his eyes turned cold.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    The leading knight tilted his head.


    ¡°Did he?¡± Joshua said, making the knight flinch and his eyes lose focus. Joshua elegantly swung his red spear, drawing a curved line in the air. ¡°Let¡¯s stop with the small talk.¡±


    The knight frowned. ¡°So you¡¯re going to stand in our way after all, huh?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell if I¡¯ll be able to do it or not, but if I can¡­¡± Joshua trailed off, but after a moment, he tightened his grip on his spear and continued. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to trample all over my country. Come.¡±


    As soon as Joshua finished speaking, he and the enemy knights whipped the air into a frenzy as they drew up their energies and began an intense staredown. The fight was about to start among the strongest people of their empires, people that would be called heroes in most kingdoms.


    ¡°Fuck, is this what the tribtion is?¡± Joshua cursed. His spear had already changed into Cain¡¯s familiar ck greatsword, so he held it straight.


    ¡°Attack!¡± the leading knight yelled, and the knight flew at Joshua like a storm.


    ¡°Well, I guess it means I have to go through shit.¡± Joshua¡ªor rather, Cain¡ªdiscontentedly grumbled. He sprang forth as fast as his legs would carry him toward the knights that were rushing in like a tsunami.


    * * *


    At the entrance of the Tower of the Trials, the doppelganger wearing the appearance of Joshua stood still as a stone sculpture.


    Icarus stared at the doppelganger for a long time until she came to a resolution.


    ¡°I want to ask you something,¡± she said, looking up at the doppelganger.


    The red spear hummed as it continued to fly around the air as it had been for a while.


    -You¡¯re calmer than I thought.


    Icarus shrugged. ¡°I know you won¡¯t harm us.¡±


    -Huh?


    The spear shook as if it wereughing at Icarus.


    -You must not be aware of this, but I¡¯m the infamous weapon of the demon spirit that you humans are terrified of. The demon spirit is at a much higher level than the demon king¡ª


    ¡°Your name¡­ was Lugia, right?¡± Icarus asked.


    Lugia didn¡¯t answer, but Icarus desperately pressed on.


    ¡°Please tell me what happened to Sir Cain and¡­ where is my master?¡±


    -Why should I?


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    -Why should I tell you that?


    Icarus was dumbstruck for a moment.


    -Nothing is free in this world. Don¡¯t you know thew of equivalent exchange?


    ¡°That means¡­¡± Icarus narrowed her eyes.


    -What can you offer me?


    Lugia ended its words with an ominous shine..


    Icarus clenched her fists.


    ¡°¡­Anything.¡±


    -What?


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you anything you want if you give my master back to us¡­¡±


    Lugia chuckled dumbfoundedly at Icarus¡¯s unexpected answer..


    -Huh? Listen, I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here because I DID NOT sell your master off or something, okay?


    ¡°¡­Is that true?¡± Icarus asked, still suspicious.


    -Well, I did hear you sometimes act like an idiot, but I didn¡¯t know it was this serious. Gosh, what a mess.


    Lugia stopped moving as if it were sighing and slowly came down to the ground.


    -I can¡¯t tell you everything, but I¡¯ll give you a hint.


    ¡°A hint?¡± Icarus repeated.


    -Don¡¯t forget about how you said you¡¯ll give me anything I want.


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Icarus nodded nheless. The determination she showed made Lugia shake its head in disbelief.


    -First of all, you don¡¯t have to worry about your master. His mind is unstable and he lost a significant amount of his power, but there are still not many people who can hurt him in the Human Realm.


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened.


    -His time in this ce stopped ever since that day.


    The iprehensible story Lugia reeled out only confused Icarus even more.


    -You don¡¯t worry about him that much, but even then, you''ll be able to meet him soon since he only left to finish what he started.


    ¡°Exin it in a way I can understand!¡± Icarus shouted in frustration.


    -He already knew that you would alle here, that humans would start this endless, bloody war¡­and everything else. Of course, he wouldn¡¯t have expected that you and I would meet this soon¡­


    Icarus¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    -Before he left, he asked me for a favor. If you move quickly, then you¡¯ll be able to meet your master much quicker¡­


    Icarus clenched her fists.


    -Once that idiot named Caines back in one piece, I need you to be my guide.


    ¡°Where are we headed?¡± Icarus hurriedly asked, but it took a while before Lugia replied.


    -It¡¯s the country where I had been asleep. It was built by you humans, but it¡¯s called the fallen empire in the present day.


    Icarus stared almost maniacally at Lugia as it spoke.


    -We¡¯re going to Avalon, where your master is headed right now.

 Chapter 311

    Chapter 311


    A ck hole appeared in the empty sky, and a person fell out of it.


    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­¡± The person panted. It was Cain, dripping with sweat. He had already surpassed the level of an A-ss Knight and be a Superhuman, so what could he have gone through during that short time?


    -He¡¯s like he fared better than I expected.


    Lugia seemed faintly shocked. That made Icarus¡¯s eyes widen, but her attention was quickly drawn to the way Cain leaned unstably on his sword.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± She hurriedly ran over to him.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Cain copsed onto his knees with an audible thump, his trembling body unable to hold him up any longer.


    Christian urgently approached to help Cain.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Christian froze up as he examined Cain¡¯s state. His whole body was covered with wounds; thecerations were still bleeding. The wound on his right shoulder was the worst because it was so deep that Christian could see the white of Cain¡¯s bone.


    ¡°Sir Cain, what happened to you inside there? Who could possibly hurt you like this here¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey.¡± Cain looked at Lugia instead of answering Christian.


    -Huh?


    ¡°Did my master really go through that?¡± Cain asked.


    After staying silent for a moment, Lugia turned full circle in the air.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± Cain demanded.


    -Well¡­


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m kidding!¡± Cain growled.


    -Do you think that is the only thing he went through?


    Lugia¡¯s quiet reply made Cain¡¯s eyes widen.


    -That space is simr to reality, so I would have shown you everything if I had my full power. It¡¯s a shame.


    Cain stayed silent.


    -Well, you returned safely, so I guess I should be satisfied.


    ¡°Sir Cain,¡± Icarus interrupted, ¡°tell me: what happened to our master in the war three years ago?¡±


    Cain stayed silent for a long time, but eventually the weight of Icarus''s determination drew an answer from him.


    ¡°¡­It was weird.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Do you remember what our master said before he left that day?¡±


    ¡°¡­I definitely remember¡­¡± Icarus pondered something with her chin resting in her hand for a brief moment. ¡°I definitely remember him saying that he was leaving to stop the destined future.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but he couldn¡¯t stop anything.¡± Cain bit his lower lip.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Icarus tried to say something, but she couldn¡¯t find the right words.


    ¡°That really bugged me. Our master knew that the three Stars would join forces to kill the monstrous Duke Agnus and that the Continental War would break out, but nothing changed in the end.¡± Cain shrugged.


    ¡°It was inevitable,¡± Icarus said in Joshua¡¯s defense. ¡°No matter how great our master is, he¡¯s just one man, so how is he supposed to¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Think: our master is perfect, so do you really believe our master isn¡¯t capable enough to change a future he already knows?¡± Cain asked.


    Everyone shut their mouth.


    ¡°The Swallow and Hubalt Empires formed an alliance and mobilized over a hundred thousand knights to attack Avalon for suddenly breaking the peace and upying Reinhardt,¡± Cain continued, looking Icarus in the eyes. ¡°Among those soldiers were the best imperial knights of the two empires.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Martial Emperor and Crimson Sky are known to be the strongest men of the two empires, and they spearheaded that war,¡± Icarus bitterly added.


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, but there were only ten thousand knights of Avalon who opposed them. Yes, theirmander was <em>the </em>Duke Agnus, but it was clear that they were outmatched. Although the Avalon Empire knew about this, they didn¡¯t send backup, so it¡¯s understandable that there was a rumor that the Emperor of Avalon feared Duke Agnus so much that he conspired to cause this war and use it as an opportunity to eliminate the Dark God.¡±


    Icarus was also aware of this.


    ¡°However¡­¡± Cain trailed off.


    Icarus tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°It turns out that the truth was totally different.¡± Cain looked down at the ground.


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Icarus nkly asked.


    Cain raised his head and fixed his eyes on Lugia.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t Duke Agnus and his ten thousand knights that stopped over a hundred thousand knights of the Alliance.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Icarus asked again.


    ¡°There were no ten thousand knights in the first ce; only one man stood against those knights.¡± Cain continued.


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°No way¡­!¡±


    ¡°After the Battle of the Great in of Kraden, the people of the continent praised a man and called him the ¡®Hero King¡¯, but that name originates from the people of the Swallow and Hubalt Empires. Among the knights from two empires, many of them could use the power that they call ¡®materialization¡¯, but unbelievably, the Hero King¡­ made them all retreat,¡± Cain choked out.


    Every word from Cain¡¯s mouth made everyone stiffen in shock.


    Cain turned back to Icarus once again.


    ¡°The Martial Emperor and the Crimson Sky had hired the Darkness Emperor, and when the three Stars arrived at the in, they fought Duke Agnus¡¯s son, not Duke Agnus. In other words, they fought our master.¡±


    Once Cain finished speaking, a suffocating silence descended.


    * * *


    In the capital of the Avalon Empire, Kaiser walked down the outer pce and smiled faintly.


    ¡°Returning to this ce reminds me of old memories.¡±


    Two men silently followed Kaiser.


    ¡°I have some work for you to do. First of all¡­¡± Kaiser nced at the young man who was standing on his right side. ¡°Draxia bel Grace, I need you to head to Agnus Duchy right away, just like I told you before.¡±


    Draxia, who was also known as the War God, frowned.


    ¡°Is that an order?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten Heimdall¡¯s order?¡± Kaiser asked. Draxia was unable to reply.


    ¡°It¡¯s necessary to earn Brother Kiser¡¯s trust,¡± he reassured the War God. ¡°And besides, Heimdall already gave permission. Wait, do you not know what that means¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine, I¡¯ll do it.¡± Draxia shrugged.


    Kaiser¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°This is a matter of the utmost discretion,¡± the Prince reminded him, ¡°so do not do anything that will make you stand out.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like I won¡¯t have any backup,¡± Draxia noted.


    Kaiser chuckled.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely the War God. Or do you need backup?¡± he provoked.


    Draxia chuckled. ¡°Forget it; one assistant is enough to deal with the current Agnus family.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that assistant of yours is trustworthy?¡± Kaiser asked.


    Draxia nodded. ¡°That child is like my family.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll trust you.¡± Kaiser then turned his head to look at the man on his left side. ¡°Duke Tremblin.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m listening, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin answered.


    ¡°Do you know why I mentioned Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle?¡± Kaiser asked, referring to the conversation he¡¯d had with his brother.


    With a grim expression, Tremblin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    ¡°I should get rid of all the people who might support that son of a bitch in case he returns, shouldn¡¯t I?¡± Kaiser shrugged.


    Tremblin didn¡¯t have to listen further to know which ¡°son of a bitch¡± Kaiser was talking about because there was only one person Kaiser would bear such a deep grudge against.


    ¡°Are you telling me¡­ to kill His Majesty¡¯s knights?¡± Tremblin asked in disbelief.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Kaiser nodded.


    Tremblin tensed up. ¡°Do you have to go that far? Once you regain power, they¡¯ll be your people, Your Highness. Besides, Joshua Sanders is still nowhere to be found, and the other countries¡¯ citizens believe he¡¯s already dead¡­¡±


    ¡°You still call me Your Highness, don¡¯t you?¡± Kaiser interrupted.


    Perhaps Kaiser sensed the emotion in Tremblin¡¯s voice. Duke Tremblin shut his mouth straight away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask again: do you really think that monster died?¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes were momentarily filled with murderous intent. ¡°Is that what you want to say?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Tremblin bit his lower lip.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust anything until I see it with my own eyes, so there is only one answer you can give me right now.¡± Kaiser pulled out an elegant ring that was engraved with a symbol of a golden dragon from his inner pocket¡ªit was the seal of the Avalon Empire, which had disappeared when the Emperor had gone missing three years ago.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one and only person that knows the Emperor¡¯s whereabouts,¡± Kaiser fiercely growled at Tremblin. ¡°When the right timees, His Majesty will show himself to this world again, and I am the rightful heir that carries on his will, not Brother Kiser nor Kaizen. Do you get it? Everything I do, I do because I have a n, so I request you to follow my orders until then.¡±


    After Kaiser finished speaking, he coldly turned away. Tremblin stared at Kaiser¡¯s back, clenching his fists so hard that his fingernail dug into his flesh.


    * * *


    Right after Tremblin exited the pce, he could feel regret overwhelming him as he headed to his home.


    He came to a halt.


    ¡°Does His Highness the Fourth Prince Kaiser really know the location of His Majesty?¡± he mumbled doubtfully. ¡°The ring His Highness had was definitely His Majesty¡¯s seal, but considering His Majesty¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t easily hand over the ring¡ªnot even to his children. Unless His Majesty is hurt, sick, or deceased, I should assume His Highness is speaking the truth¡­¡±


    His musings and his stride came to an abrupt halt shortly after entering a dark, remote alleyway. His eyes turned sharp.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    The Absolute¡¯s sharp senses were telling him that there was someone else there with him, hiding.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got guts to try to hide from me¡­ Are you not going toe out? Then¡­¡±


    ¡°I had no intention of provoking you,¡± a man¡¯s low, quiet, sonorous voice assured Tremblin.


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened.


    The man calmly walked out from the shadows under the awning.


    ¡°I just exuded my energy because I have a proposal that can benefit both of us.¡±


    Tremblin froze up.


    ¡°I want you to pretend to help Kaiser and look into one thing, then I¡¯ll give you the answer to your question,¡± the man suggested.


    When Tremblin saw the man, his jaw slowly dropped. The man''s unmistakable deep blue and his surreally handsome appearance¡ªjust a while ago, the man had been the topic of the conversation, and Tremblin had concluded that the man was dead during that same conversation.


    Duke Tremblin, his tongue clumsy with shock, stared at the man who had finally appeared before him.


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­?¡±

 Chapter 312

    Chapter 312


    A gigantic castle, just as magnificent as the Imperial Pce, was engulfed in fire.


    ¡°Arggghh!¡± The people¡¯s screams soon filled the sky.


    This was the castle of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus, one of the Avalon Empire¡¯s Five Ducal Families and also once the greatest Ducal Family among those five families.


    ¡°Mo-monster!¡± a knight mumbled. There was a symbol of a golden mane embroidered on his chest, signifying he was part of the Ducal Family of Agnus¡¯ first corps.


    ¡°It has been a while since I heard that.¡± A woman with waist-length brown hair smiled. She seemed like she had just be twenty years old.


    Behind her, an opaque shape of a vicious lion appeared.


    -Grrrr...


    ¡°A hi-high-ranking wind spirit? But you¡¯re too young¡­!¡± the knight stammered in disbelief.


    ¡°I used to hear that often when I was little, but of course, I don¡¯t hear that anymore after an even bigger monster than me showed up.¡± The woman shrugged.


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­?¡± the knight asked.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s a bummer; I quite liked the nickname.¡± The woman smacked her lips in disappointment.


    ¡°Syiron,¡± she called, her eyes gleaming.


    -<em>Roar!</em>


    As soon as the woman gave hermand, the lethal wind wed the knight.


    ¡°Arg-arghh!¡±


    Soon, the horrifying sound of human flesh being cut filled the air. The knight¡¯s head rolled across the ground, apanied by blood sttering everywhere.


    ¡°Coming back here brings back old memories, but I didn¡¯t know I''d be destroying this ce with my own hands after I¡¯d spent half my life here.¡±


    ¡°Anna,¡± a man called out to the woman.


    ¡°Oops¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk too much,¡± the man admonished her.


    Anna bowed immediately. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Father¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine. So did you say she was there?¡± the man asked.


    Anna went over her memories again before answering.


    ¡°Those thorny roses in the garden¡­ Yes, I¡¯m sure that ce is Vanessa ben Britten¡¯s pce.¡±


    ¡°What about the other one?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah! Lucia ben Britten is¡­¡± Anna hesitated a little before she continued. ¡°I made a request to the continent¡¯s best expert in this area since I heard he happened to be here¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Assassin King?¡± the man interrupted before Anna could finish. She nodded, affirming his assumption.


    ¡°Did he take the request?¡± the man pressed her.


    ¡°Yes, he took it like it was his job in the first ce.¡±


    The man pondered for a moment.


    ¡°¡­If you think so, then that would be the best decision,¡± he replied. ¡°Besides, we won¡¯t have to worry about getting the job done if the Assassin King I know took the job¡­


    ¡°But you shouldn¡¯t kill her,¡± he continued with gleaming eyes. ¡°Because she¡¯s different from Vanessa ben Britten.¡±


    Anna nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve also made that clear that we¡¯re asking him to abduct Lucia ben Britten, not assassinate her.¡±


    ¡°¡­It must have cost quite a fortune.¡± The man raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Does it matter?¡± Anna finally smiled faintly. ¡°This is thend of the once-greatest family in the Empire; the treasure house of this ce will have fine¡ª¡±


    ¡°You cannot go any further!¡± Someone shouted at the top of their lungs.


    Anna turned to the voice; standing in front of her and the man were over a hundred knights standing in formation.


    ¡°Who are you people?¡± one of the knights bravely shouted. "How dare you attack the castle of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus¡ª!¡±


    But he couldn¡¯t finish speaking.


    A wind suddenly blew, creating an opaque cloud of dust that rushed over the knights.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re really noisy; whining men aren¡¯t attractive, you know.¡±


    ¡°Spirit summoner¡­!¡± The knight gritted his teeth. He wore an embroidered symbol of the golden mane, just like the knight that had been killed just a while ago. The one difference was the borately engraved number one, meaning this knight was the Golden Mane Corps Commander.


    ¡°Co-Commander Chiffon,¡± someone suddenly said from behind Chiffon.


    Chiffon turned and saw the Duke¡¯s knights assembling one by one.


    ¡°Why are there so few of you?¡± Chiffon growled. ¡°I¡¯m quite certain I ordered the entire four corps of knights to gather!¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­ as you already know¡­¡± the knight hesitantly reported, ¡°His Grace headed to the capital, so half of us¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ fuck!¡± Chiffon cursed without listening any further.


    ¡°He departed this morning, so it would take at least half a day for them to return even if he moved as quickly as possible¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Anna shrugged.


    Chiffon¡¯s nning halted mid-thought, and he raised his head to look at Anna.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to wait here until Babel von Agnuses back,¡± she proimed with a grin.


    ¡°You bitch¡­!¡± Chiffon mumbled, gritting his teeth, but then he flinched. Why was he suddenly remembering the shocking stories he had heard from His Grace?


    She was too young to be a high-ranking spirit summoner, and she knew every little bit about the Ducal Family of Agnus. While she looked ordinary, she somehow seemed familiar to Chiffon. Just then, one name suddenly shed through Chiffon¡¯s brain.


    ¡°Anna bel Grace¡­?¡± he nkly mumbled.


    ¡°Oh, you remember me, Mr. Duchess¡¯s Gigolo.¡± Anna giggled.


    When his suspicion turned out to be true, Chiffon¡¯s breath in his throat.


    ¡°Then¡­!¡±


    Chiffon head jerked toward the other intruder. He hadn¡¯t even paid attention to the man standing next to Anna earlier because she was massacring everyone on her own. The man was very forgettable, but if the woman in front of him was actually <em>the</em> Anna bel Grace then Chiffon¡¯s assessment of the man was dead wrong


    ¡°The forest green hair, your face¡­ You¡¯re definitely¡­.¡± Chiffon muttered in deep shock. ¡°...the War God¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡± Draxia, the man who had been standing beside Anna, still as a sculpture, took a step forward.


    As he stared at Draxia, Chiffon¡¯s eyes widened as much as human eyes possibly could.


    * * *


    The beautiful silver-haired woman anxiously paced back and forth.


    Suddenly, a humming noise shocked her out of her fidgeting.


    ¡°Why are they already here¡­?¡± the woman, Lilith, nkly murmured.


    A small gate formed of white light appeared, disgorging a group of people before Lilith.


    ¡°No matter how many times I use this thing, I can never get used to this motion weakness.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what happened¡ª?¡± Lilith began to ask, but her words died in her throat when she saw someone in the group who shouldn¡¯t have been there. While she had missed that person more than anyone else on the continent, that person might be the only one who could change the situation they were in.


    ¡°Jo-Joshua?¡± Lilith dumbfoundedly mumbled.


    ¡°I need to trouble you to go through the process again,¡± Cain said without paying attention to Lilith¡¯s mumbling.


    Lilith naturally turned her head in the direction of Cain, and found that he no longer looked like the free-spirited man he used to be.


    ¡°We-were you really in the Great in of Aiyas?¡± Lilith asked. ¡°Then over the past three years, why¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not my master,¡± Icarus interrupted.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Icarus shrugged. ¡°To be exact, he¡¯s my master¡¯s doppelganger.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You heard about the legendary monster that copies not only a person¡¯s appearance but also their abilities and behavior, right?¡± Icarus exined.


    ¡°Then he¡¯s¡­?¡± Lilith pointed.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Icarus nodded, making Lilith gape slightly.


    Even if he <em>was</em> Joshua¡¯s doppelganger, he looked too simr to Joshua. In fact, he looked exactly the same as the Joshua that Lilith hadst met three years ago¡ªbefore he had disappeared. Although Lilith was disappointed on the one hand, if the doppelganger had Joshua¡¯s ability just like the legend said¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re heading to the Avalon Empire,¡± Cain said, bringing Lilith back to reality and drawing her attention to Cain.


    ¡°Starting from there, we¡¯ll set the twisted destiny straight and put an end to this old, tiring war,¡± Cain calmly continued, meeting Lilith¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°¡­Is he¡­ in the Avalon Empire?¡± Lilith asked, voicing the question that had been on her mind for a while.


    ¡°We don¡¯t know anything yet, but¡­¡± Cain nced at the doppelganger that wore Joshua¡¯s appearance. ¡°There is a high possibility. Although I couldn¡¯t even find a trace of my master over the past several years, I get to meet him like this¡­¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes shone for a moment.


    ¡°This is actually good. In fact, the timing seems perfect.¡±


    Icarus tilted her head, confused. She hadn¡¯t expected Lilith to calm down so quickly.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Soon, the Avalon Empire will soon make an official announcement.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The imperial family will acknowledge that the missing emperor, Marcus ben Britten, has died,¡± Lilith exined.


    ¡°Finally¡­!¡± Cain tightly clenched his fists.


    Icarus couldn¡¯t remain silent either.


    ¡°Do-does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lilith nodded. ¡°The next emperor of the Avalon Empire will also be decided that day.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Icarus shrieked. ¡°The formal heir hasn¡¯t even been decided yet; that is why this civil war has continued for so long that it tore this Empire apart. Unless one of the two princes dies, the civil war will never¡ª¡±


    ¡°A few days ago, someone capable enough to end this stalemate showed up in the Imperial Pce of the Avalon Empire,¡± Lilith said in a serious voice.


    Icarus, Cain, and Christian flinched, and their eyes popped open.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Lilith shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not your master.¡±


    Cain shut his mouth, disappointed, but what Lilith said next quickly changed his expression.


    ¡°This person and the Dark God were called the two strongest people in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cain asked, baffled.


    ¡°Duke Geschard kon Tremblin showed up,¡± Lilith said.


    Someone held their breath.


    ¡°The Sword Emperor showed up after three years,¡± Lilith continued while everyone was in shock.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°In the end, the prince that the Duke supports will be the heir to the throne since his influence is absolute in the current state of the Avalon Empire.¡± Lilith nced at the expressionless and unmoving ¡°Joshua¡± and faintly smiled. ¡°But¡­ things have be interesting.¡±


    The rest of the group tilted their heads in confusion.


    ¡°How would the Avalon Empire react if the great Hero King appeared in a situation like this?¡± Lilith asked.


    The rest of the group¡¯s eyes popped wide open after they finally came to a realization.


    ¡°Well, he is technically not Joshua, but everyone else will think it <em>is</em> once they see him, won¡¯t they?¡± Lilith shrugged.


    ¡°Wh-What¡¯s your n?¡± Cain stuttered.


    Lilith grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s turn the Avalon Empire upside down.¡±


    When Lilith finished speaking, silence filled the air.


    * * *


    ¡°How are you here¡­?¡± Tremblin slowly brought his hand to his waist. However, Joshua didn¡¯t even flinch.


    ¡°Please,¡± Joshua implored. ¡°I have to get to the Agnus Duchy right away.¡±


    Tremblin pulled out his sword.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny; I¡¯ve been doubting you ever since you disappeared in the war three years ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think I¡¯m involved in the Emperor¡¯s disappearance?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Of course! So I need to lock you in the Pce¡¯s dungeon. I¡¯ll look into the details by interrogating you myself!¡± Tremblin dered.


    ¡°Like I said, I don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your problem!¡± Tremblin yelled as he drew up his energy, making the sky shake. He was truly living up to his title of the strongest person in Avalon, but¡­


    The Sword Emperor¡¯s eyes widened because Joshua continued to stand still, but at some point, Tremblin was no longer able to detect any energy from Joshua, almost as if nothing existed in the first ce.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡± Tremblin¡¯s lips trembled; he could instinctively feel that Joshua had gotten stronger than before he had disappeared that day three years ago. The current Tremblin¡­ couldn¡¯t beat Joshua¡­


    ¡°What in the world¡­have you gone through the past three years?¡± Tremblin asked in disbelief. In the end, the Duke dropped his sword to the ground. ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely the Sword Emperor. You definitely know when to retreat.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°What do you¡­ want to know?¡± Tremblin closed his eyes.


    ¡°There is some big tycoon that Emperor Marcus didn¡¯t even know of behind Kaiser,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Wh¡­ What!¡± Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°So I want you to look into the person named ¡®Heimdall¡¯.¡±

 Chapter 313

    Chapter 313


    ¡°Hurry!¡± A knight hurried his horse onward when the castle of the Ducal Family of Agnus came into view. Now that he was somewhat close, it was obvious that something really serious was going on in the castle based on the ck smoke filling the sky above it.


    ¡°Your Grace! We¡¯ll arrive at the castle soon, so we¡¯ll have to prepare in case¡ª¡±


    Before he could even finish, the young man he spoke to, who was thirty years old at maximum, smiled crookedly as he rode his horse next to the knight. His ash blonde and ashen golden eyes made him look quite depressed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that there were only two enemies?¡± the young man asked.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± The knight bitterly nodded. ¡°But their skills are¡­¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha, how did the Great Ducal Family of Agnus be this mess?¡± The young man chuckled gloomily and turned behind him, rather than to his aide who was at his side.


    ¡°Armstrong,¡± he called.


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Grace,¡± Armstrong replied.


    ¡°There are at least three hundred knights in the family¡¯s castle, but there are only two enemies. Still, we¡¯re so worried that we¡¯re busting our asses to return.¡± The young man chuckled bitterly.


    Armstrong tried to defend the ducal family.


    ¡°¡­They would definitely be extraordinarily skilled people, or else¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not talking about that.¡± The young man narrowed his eyes. Armstrong shut his mouth.


    ¡°If my father was still alive, even the three Celestials wouldn¡¯t dare to ambush my family, would they?¡±


    Armstrong closed his eyes for a moment.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s meaningless to talk about ¡®ifs¡¯ in a situation like this, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right, hahaha.¡± The young man quietly chuckled. ¡°Do you resent me? For dozens of years, you¡¯ve devoted yourself to this family¡ªno, my father, to be exact.¡±


    Armstrong remained expressionless.


    ¡°You were the Golden Mane Corps Commander, leader of the best knights of this duchy, but I demoted you to a vicemander as soon as I acquired power. If you only said you¡¯d serve me, I wouldn¡¯t have gone that far¡­ but you didn¡¯t swear your loyalty to me in the end.¡±


    They had already made their way right in front of the Duke¡¯s castle, and they could already feel the heat of the roaring mes.


    The young man frowned for a moment. ¡°Would things have been different if Joshua led this family?¡±


    Armstrong flinched.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± The young man chuckled. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need to hear your answer.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­¡± Armstrong tried to say something, but his voice was drowned out when the young man began shouting


    ¡°Knights of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus, listen! Enemies trample over ournds right before our eyes! ¡±


    Still riding their horses, the knights drew their swords.


    ¡°Although there are only two enemies, their abilities are assumed to be as great as any Superhumans,¡± the young man said.


    The knights shuffled nervously.


    ¡°But do not be afraid. We are the first family, the leaders of the Avalon Empire, and no one can stand above us!¡± The young man lowered his helmet¡¯s visor. ¡°I, Babel von Agnus, order you as the head of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus!¡±


    ¡°We listen!¡± the knights shouted.


    ¡°Enter the castle immediately, and when you find the enemies that dared to trespass into thisnd¡­¡± Babel drew his sword ¡°...kill them all!¡±


    The knights stomped their feet on the ground.


    ¡°We will obey!¡±


    * * *


    At the same time, someone covered in ck clothesnded lightly on the rooftop of the Agnus mansion in Arcadia, the capital. To be exact, there were at least twenty people wearing ck clothes thatnded on the roof, even though it was midday.


    One of them¡ªhe seemed to be the most senior of the masked men¡ªlightly tapped the roof with the back of their hand and looked to their side.


    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s below here?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡±


    ¡°We can make no mistakes. There are only two guards standing by the door, so we¡¯ll only kidnap the target and escape immediately.¡±


    The other masked men simultaneously produced tight, sturdy ropes.


    ¡°We¡¯re done preparing,¡± they told their leader. ¡°Waiting for your order.¡±


    The senior masked man nced behind him at another masked person. This person¡¯s gender was impossible to determine just by looking at their physique, but he had an impressive ck dragon embroidered on his chest. He was the Assassin King.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time,¡± the senior masked man told the Assassin King.


    The Assassin King stayed silent.


    ¡°Assassin King!¡± the senior masked man hissed, but the Assassin King still remained silent. He frowned behind his mask and was about to shout again.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡±


    As soon as the senior masked man noticed something was wrong, he leaped like a fish returning to the water and spun midair, just as a sharp sword rose from underneath the roof where the senior masked man had been standing.


    The masked man realized he couldn¡¯t wait any longer, so he shouted, ¡°Enter!¡±


    A massive explosionrge enough to be heard throughout the entire mansion signaled the beginning of their operation. The masked men jumped into the mansion through the holes that had just been created in the roof.


    ¡°Arrgggh!¡± Horrible screams echoed in the air.


    Their leader quietly gritted his teeth. He looked to his side, realized that the Assassin King hadn¡¯t budged at all, and felt his anger boil over


    ¡°Have you forgotten how important this mission is?¡± he furiously demanded.


    The Assassin King stayed quiet.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but I¡¯m definitely going to report what happened today to the Darkness Emperor,¡± the masked man growled.


    After thatst warning, the masked man seemed to conclude that he couldn¡¯t waste any more time and he immediately disappeared into the holes.


    When the Assassin King was finally left alone, he began to whisper to himself.


    ¡°Mission¡­ My mission is¡­¡±


    He nced down and made a shocking remark.


    ¡°...disregard all the other requests and prioritize rescuing Lucia ben Britten.¡±


    His voice was angelic, but that wasn¡¯t nearly as important as the fact that he¡¯d just stated that his goals were the total opposite of the goals of the masked men who had just entered the castle.


    ¡°The person who made the request is¡­¡± The Assassin King clenched his fists. ¡°¡­the Hero King.¡±


    He¡ªno, she¡ªcrumpled up the parchment that she had been clutching in her hand btedly leaped down to the building through the big hole in the roof just like the masked men had.


    * * *


    ¡°Urgh!¡± A man wearing full te armor groaned for thest time before he died. The knight¡¯s blood btedly sttered in the air through the cut on his neck.


    After finally ying thest knight, Draxia swung his sword, scattering the blood on the de over the ground.


    ¡°Give up now,¡± Draxia said.


    But who was he talking to?


    Draxia adjusted his grip on his rather ordinary longsword.


    ¡°Raise your head, Babel von Agnus, and see the reality with your own eyes.¡±


    When he finished speaking, Draxia slowly walked toward an ash-blonde man whoy on his stomach, covered in blood. Blood welled up at the tip of the man¡¯s hair and dripped onto the ground. Draxia eyed Babel von Agnus, the ash-blonde man, silently.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just your family,¡± Draxia eventually continued. ¡°The Swallow and Hubalt Empire Alliance will devour the Avalon Empire anyway, and then your family will also¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha, hahahaha.¡± Babel burst intoughter.


    Draxia¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°¡­What¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Do you think the Ducal Family of Agnus will kneel before that bastard alliance?¡± Babel smirked.


    Draxia¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly regained hisposure.


    ¡°I admire your spirit, but it looks like your body says otherwise.¡±


    Babel panted so loudly that Draxia could hear it. Judging from how Babel asionally rasped, it looked like there was a problem in his lungs. And yet he forced himself upright with a crooked smile, even though his body was in no state to stand.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Draxia groaned to himself. ¡°Why is he so persistent?¡±


    ¡°A man oughta know when to give up,¡± Anna butted in, having watched the whole thing. ¡°Gosh, you guys are brothers, so why are you two so different from one another? On top of that, it¡¯s not like you¡¯re even strong or anything, but Joshua is quite an attractive man even without his abilities.¡±


    She sounded like she was talking about her lover.


    ¡°Aha, is it because you don¡¯t share the same blood?¡± Anna sarcastically continued, ¡°Well, yeah, you two have totally different parents¡­ so you guys are basically strangers.¡±


    Babel¡¯s head dropped, his eyes widening furiously. ¡°¡­You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Anna,¡± Draxia interrupted before Babel could finish speaking, ¡°I told you to not talk too much.¡±


    ¡°How¡ª<em>!</em>¡± Babel tried to speak again but coughed up blood and was forced to w for breath. He was at his limit; the dried-up blood blocked his view, and his body felt heavy like soaked cotton. The stab wound on his stomach was the worst of it all; it was so serious that his intestines were exposed to the air.


    ¡°Fu¡­ck¡­!¡± Babel quietly cursed at the reality he faced: Anna and Draxia had unbelievably annihted the Ducal Family of Agnus¡¯ knights.


    At that moment, someone called out in a faint voice, ¡°Your¡­ Gr¡­ ace¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Chiffon!¡± Babel quickly turned his head and saw the wounded Chiffon rapidly fading away right beside him. The knight¡¯s right leg had been neatly severed; his situation looked dire.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ for failing to protect you¡­ <em>Cough!</em>.. until the end¡­¡± Chiffon squeezed out with difficulty.


    ¡°Chiffon! Wake up!¡± Babel shouted.


    ¡°There is¡­ something I must¡­ tell you¡­¡± Chiffon continued, struggling to enunciate each word as clearly as possible.


    ¡°Tell me that after you survive!¡± Babel cried.


    ¡°<em>Tsk</em>, that¡¯s a pity. His only mistake was choosing the wrong master, but he died...¡± Anna said.


    Babel boiled with anger. She made him so furious that he felt like he was going to go mad. However, there was nothing Babel could do except grit his teeth. If a devil really existed, Babel desperately wished he could sell his soul for more power, but¡­


    Babel wasn¡¯t sure what was happening. A stranger suddenly showed up and stood between Babel and Draxia. At first, Babel thought Draxia had approached to cut off his head; however, it wasn¡¯t Draxia.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Babel asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte,¡± the stranger said without turning around.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry? Then you must not be a devil¡­ How dare you make the head of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus look up¡ª¡±


    Babel couldn¡¯t finish speaking. A wind suddenly blew, making the stranger¡¯s ck hair flutter, btedly catching Babel¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Babel nkly mumbled. For some reason, the stranger¡¯s back looked familiar to Babel. Then someone¡¯s face suddenly shed in his mind, making Babel¡¯s jaw slowly drop. ¡°No way¡­?¡±


    ¡°Rest for a while,¡± the stranger said.


    Someone else reacted first.


    ¡°Joshua?¡± Anna dumbfoundedly said.


    ¡°Draxia bel Grace,¡± Joshua called with his low, sonorous voice.


    When he heard his name, Draxia flinched and froze up.


    ¡°I¡¯m at thest stage of my revenge,¡± Joshua said.


    Draxia narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°And I¡¯ll start that stage with you.¡±


    That was all Joshua said.


    He wasn¡¯t holding the spear that hade to symbolize him, so instead, he just casually waved his hand. However, that was enough to shake the sky.


    The ground under him turned upside down when he fired his concentrated mana forward. And¡­


    ¡­an earsplitting boom wracked heaven and earth.

 Chapter 314

    Chapter 314


    It looked like the woman was just barely in her mid-thirties. Her hair cascaded from her head in an elegant waterfall.


    Right then, she was trembling like an aspen leaf.


    ¡°Wh-what is going on¡ª?¡±


    ¡°¡ª<em>Cough!</em>¡±


    At that moment, the horrible sound of a person being stabbed filled the room. The woman shut her eyes tightly, unable to take it anymore.


    ¡°La-Lady Lucia¡­¡±


    The guard that had always safely protected the woman, Lucia, was dying right before her. As soon as he had sensed something was wrong, he had immediately entered the room; the problem was that the opponents that had been waiting for him were too powerful.


    ¡°We¡¯ll leave quickly,¡± a strange man quickly said.


    ¡°Wh-Who are you?¡± Lucia asked.


    ¡°Stay still. We have no intention to hurt you so long as you don¡¯t resist¡­¡±


    ¡°Wh-What do you want from me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Put a gag on her,¡± the man instructed.


    Lucia visibly flinched because she knew the man wasn¡¯t talking to her.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯ll regret this!¡± she warned them, although she wasn¡¯t sure where she had gotten the courage from. Lucia shut her eyes and shouted, ¡°Who do you think I am? I am the Ducal Family of Agnus¡¯s¡ª!¡±


    However, she couldn¡¯t continue because she heard the horrifying sound of flesh being cut.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± Lucia sadly murmured. She gave up. Their goal was clear from the start, so no matter what she said, nothing would change.


    <em>¡®Joshua¡­¡¯ </em>


    Lucia couldn¡¯t help but think of Joshua as she pondered her impending death. If her child was really dead¡­ then could she be with him now? Although she had been terrified, she slowly started to feel peaceful.


    After she closed her eyes, she waited for a long time. She couldn¡¯t help wondering what was going on because no one attacked her with their swords even though they were supposed to. The moment Lucia carefully tried to open her eyes¡­


    ¡­It sounded just like the time she had cut out the rotten part of an apple when she was still just a maid. The sounds were neatly rhythmic, but it would be hard to say that they sound pleasant given what they actually came from.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you¡ª!¡± Lucia opened her eyes wide but immediately froze up. ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    She gaped nkly. A surreal, beautiful sight unfolded before her eyes. Instead of the Agnus knights, over twenty masked men¡¯s heads were flying in the air, and one person was standing in the center of everything. As blood spread everywhere, the thick smell of blood filled the room. Although it was a truly horrible sight, like nothing she had ever seen in her life, Lucia had no way of describing the sight except the word ¡°beautiful.¡±


    The person in the center held their two silver daggers in reverse grips and danced and swung their daggers in the air with clear murderous intent, yet what the person was doing was an artistic sword dance, not murder.


    ¡°Assassin King, you son of a bitch!¡± thest surviving masked man cried out loud as he coughed blood. ¡°Are you truly not scared of the Darkness Emperor¡¯s fury?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning¡­¡± Aisha, the Assassin King, trailed off for a moment. She smiled coldly behind her mask. ¡°I had only one client.¡±


    The masked man¡¯s eyes widened when he heard Aisha¡¯s voice. ¡°He¡¯s a s-she?¡±


    ¡°Did you mention the Darkness Emperor?¡± Aisha asked.


    The masked man clenched his fists.


    ¡°He¡¯ll also die at the Hero King¡¯s hands,¡± Aisha said with certainty.


    ¡°What the fu¡ª!¡±


    The man couldn¡¯t finish what he was shouting because she had pierced through his heart with her razor-edged dagger, although he wasn¡¯t sure when Aisha had moved.


    ¡°You¡­ bas¡­ tard¡­!¡±


    Aisha twirled around to look at Lucia and wiped the blood off her clothes as the masked man¡¯s corpse thudded onto the floor.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­?¡± Lucia cautiously asked.


    Aisha faintly smiled.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be able to meet him soon.¡±


    Lucia flinched.


    ¡°He¡¯s here right now,¡± Aisha said.


    Lucia trembled; she didn¡¯t have to ask whom Aisha was talking about. Her voice became choked with tears.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s really¡­ he¡­?¡±


    ¡°Those three years felt like three hundred years, but¡­¡± Aisha nced outside the window. ¡°...It looks like we don¡¯t have to wait anymore.¡±


    * * *


    Through a warp gate, Cain and the others arrived at a ce where they could get to Arcadia, the Avalon Empire¡¯s capital, within a day. Of course, Lilith, the leader of the information guild named Moon Gate¡ªwhich was once the greatest organization on the continent¡ªwas with them.


    ¡°Why are you trying to go with us?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Joshua is there,¡± Lilith concisely replied.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Icarus, who was walking beside her, was dumbfounded by the familiarity in Lilith¡¯s voice; it almost sounded as if Lilith was talking about her lover.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even blink in the Great in of Aiyas!¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Well, I was just guessing back then.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    Cain couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I hold too high a position to move based on a single uncertain piece of information.¡± Lilith smiled faintly.


    ¡°But we don¡¯t?¡± Cain sarcastically asked.


    ¡°Oh my, of course not.¡± Lilith held up her hand and covered her mouth in mock surprise. ¡°You and Sir Christian are the great heroes and Superhumans of the continent, aren¡¯t you? Compared to you, I¡¯m just a delicate woman.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh, where did the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword go?¡± Cain murmured. ¡°I can still vividly remember her cutting her enemies¡¯ heads off while she smiled as if it was nothing.¡±


    Lilith smiled. ¡°Women want to look the prettiest in front of the men they like.¡±


    ¡°¡­Like?¡± Cain goofily repeated as his forever-alone man¡¯s imagination went wild. ¡°Let¡¯s just have three children.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I want a daughter for our first child,¡± he absently dered.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind him. It¡¯s just an old bachelor¡¯s daydreaming,¡± Icarus interrupted. She snorted at Cain. ¡°Wake up. She¡¯s talking about our master.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cain was shocked. He turned to look at Lilith, wondering if Icarus was right.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to bother saying no, right?¡± Lilith giggled.


    ¡°My god, are you serious? Isn¡¯t there a big age gap between you and our master?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Age and nationality don¡¯t matter before love. Besides, the gap isn¡¯t that big.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    ¡°¡­That is quite admirable, somehow.¡± Cain shook his head and nced to his side.


    When Icarus noticed Cain was looking at her, she tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s just¡­¡± Cain trailed off.


    ¡°Is there something you want to say?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Nope, nothing.¡± Cain shrugged.


    Feeling the tension in the air, Lilith¡¯s smile deepened as she looked at Cain.


    ¡°People don¡¯t really live long,¡± she abruptly said.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Think about the current continent: over the past three years, millions died, so almost the entire poption of a kingdom died.¡±


    Lilith suddenly started a very serious story, making Cain shut his mouth.


    ¡°Anyone could die at any time nowadays,¡± Lilith continued. ¡°Thus, don¡¯t hesitate to express yourself. Time doesn¡¯t wait for you.¡±


    Although Lilith spoke nonchntly, Cain and Icarus felt the sadness in Lilith¡¯s voice for some reason.


    ¡°Lilith¡­¡± Christian gloomily looked at Lilith. He was the only one who knew her full story.


    Trying to brighten up the mood that had suddenly gotten serious, Lilith lightly pped.


    ¡°On top of that, is there a man who is more attractive than Joshua Sanders on this continent right now?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ true.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°Right?¡± Lilith raised her head and shed a bright smile that made her silver eyes sparkle. ¡°So¡­ I¡¯m going to try seducing him once I see him again. Although I failed once, little strokes make great oaks fall¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± someone shouted, loud as thunder.


    Lilith tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°U-uhh¡­! He¡¯s our master!¡± Icarus, the person who had shouted, stuttered with a red face. She quickly turned her head. ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Cain flinched in surprise.


    ¡°You seriously don¡¯t have a problem with this?¡± Icarus strode toward Cain.


    Cain took a step backward, intimidated.


    ¡°Wh-What¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s going to be our master¡¯s spouse. Do you truly not understand what this means?¡± Icarus reminded Cain.


    Finallying to a realization, Cain opened his eyes wide. ¡°Our master¡¯s¡­ spouse!¡±


    ¡°It means she¡¯s going to be our Lady Sanders!¡± Icarus yelled. ¡°In other words, as vassals, we¡¯d have to treat her like our master once she really bes Lady Sanders¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No, she can¡¯t!¡± Cain interrupted, his voice just as loud as Icarus¡¯s had been.


    That was when Icarus finally smiled.


    ¡°Of course, you¡ª¡±


    ¡°My master¡¯s spouse?! Marriage?! That¡¯s ridiculous! I¡¯m almost in my forties, but I didn¡¯t get to have or do any of those! So how can a kid who hasn¡¯t even be twenty do that?! I can¡¯t let that happen. it¡¯d be really unfair if I let that happen. Yes, of course!¡± Cain nodded fervently, acting like a typical greedy child that wouldn¡¯t let anyone have something that he couldn¡¯t have.


    ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t have brought it up in the first ce.¡± Icarus heaved a long sigh and gave up.


    -¡­Ha, you all are having fun, huh? But you¡¯re not realizing that you¡¯re driving someone else mad¡­ He should have seen you all.


    The sudden voice echoing in the air, drew Icarus to look at the long spear, covered in a thick cloth wrapping, held safely in the arms of the robed doppelganger.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± Icarus asked.


    -Hey, you idiot. The one who looks like he wouldn¡¯t be popr with thedies.


    ¡°¡­Are you talking about me?¡± Cain pointed at himself.


    -Is there another idiot here?


    Cain gaped dumbfoundedly for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Ha! I¡¯m being scorned by a spear now.¡± Cain shook his head in disbelief.


    -Are you relieved now that you¡¯ve found out he¡¯s alive?


    ¡°You know, this area is known for their rib-eye steak,[1]¡± Cain jokingly replied.


    -Are you not curious about why he suddenly disappeared?


    Although Cain had been answering Lugia¡¯s question with jokes, he froze up after he heard thest question.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to tell me?¡± Cain asked with a serious face.


    The spear hummed.


    -There is no reason to <em>not</em> tell you.


    What was Lugia thinking? The demon spear started a shocking story, unveiling a shocking truth.


    -He was in the Demon Realm.


    Cain and the others¡¯ eyes bulged upon hearing Lugia¡¯s unexpected revtion.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°The D-Demon Realm?¡±


    Lugia stopped for a moment as if it was enjoying their reactions.


    -Did you say only three years have passed in the Human Realm? ¡­But he traveled for much longer than that. The Human and Demon Realms are two different worlds, so time flows differently in each world.


    ¡°What are you talking¡ª? Cain asked.


    -Over such a long time¡­


    Lugia interrupted, continuing its unbelievable story.


    -...He fought a million battles.


    ¡°¡ªHup!¡± Someone¡¯s breath caught, unable to hold back their shock. One could only fight 365 times in a year even if they fought once every day, so if someone fought a million times¡­


    ¡°¡­What the hell!?¡± Cain cursed once he finally managed to pull himself together.


    * * *


    A chasm cracked open, and at least ten masked men jumped out from it.


    ¡°¡­<em>Cough!</em>¡±


    They were part of the assassins that Draxia had hired for the attack. Although he had left them just in case, the result of Draxia¡¯s decision was abysmal.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡± Draxia mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance,¡± Joshua offered.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°A chance to resist.¡±


    Draxia¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but his surprise was quickly reced with a smile.


    ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s okay to make such an offer without your spear? I¡¯m different from them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Joshua shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re not really much different from them from my perspective.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re arrogant,¡± Draxia growled, but his back was already soaked in sweat.


    Joshua had been injured? Nonsense. Draxia had felt the same way he was feeling now when he had met Grand Duke Lucifer, the hero of his country.


    Draxia sprang forward with a crooked smile.


    1. The raw is ??? ?????. ?? means both relieved and tenderloin in Korean. This is Korean wordy. It has been tweaked a little. ?

 Chapter 315

    Chapter 315


    ¡°Hold on a moment, Sir Cain.¡± Icarus made the angry knight step back; then she turned to Lugia. ¡°Then do you mean that our master stayed missing for all this time because he was in the Demon Realm?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re kidding me, right? That¡¯s absurd!¡± Cain shouted.


    The spear buzzed in Cain¡¯s direction, almost as if it were smirking at Cain.


    -Why is it absurd?


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cain asked.


    -He had to verify it.


    Cain crumpled up his face, frustrated by Lugia¡¯s continual vagueness.


    ¡°Exin it in a way I can understand!¡±


    -He knows the future, but a variable that even he didn¡¯t expect showed up. Thus, he headed to the Tower of Trials to check it.


    ¡°He kn-knows the future? Wait, what do you mean when you said he headed to the Tower of Trials for that reason?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    -All the truths in the world are hidden on the highest floor of the Tower.


    The more Lugia continued, the more frustrated Cain became. He was about to blow his top and start shouting at the demon spear.


    ¡°¡­I heard about that story,¡± someone quietly said with a voice that was as sweet as rain in a drought. Cain and the others automatically turned their heads to the speaker.


    ¡°Do you know something about it?¡± Icarus asked.


    Lilith, the one with the sweet voice, nodded.


    ¡°The legend about how all the truths in the world are hidden in the Tower is not only famous among wizards but also around the entire continent,¡± she said.


    ¡°The-then, it¡¯s really¡­?¡± Cain mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°But it¡¯s just a legend¡­¡± Lilith nced at Lugia. ¡°It is known that there is a mirror called the ¡®Full Moon Mirror¡¯ on the highest floor of the Tower.¡±


    ¡°The Full Moon Mirror?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a mythical treasure from the ancient age of magic that shows anything the user wants to see. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s rted to the past, present, or future.¡±


    Icarus and Cain stared at her in amazement.


    Christian, who had been watching the situation, interrupted.


    ¡°But, Lilith, the Full Moon Mirror is¡­¡±


    ¡°I know what you want to say.¡± Lilith held her hand up and nodded, immediately silencing Christian. Lilith¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°Everyone always has to pay a price to achieve a grand goal; it¡¯s the way of the world to sacrifice something in order to acquire the things we want. Time, effort¡­ it can be anything.¡±


    ¡°So my master had to¡­ go to hell to pay the price?¡± Cain muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°It¡¯s purely a conjecture of mine.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    Cain gaped nkly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the variable is, but using the Full Moon Mirror surely has an upside. Using that mirror, we would be able to get to the bottom of every shady event that happened over the past three years¡ªlike the disappearance of Emperor Marcus and the death of the Dark God. The ancient wizards tried to ovee the hurdle of ss 9, where they would practically be considered gods, using the Full Moon Mirror for a reason,¡± Lilith said.


    Some old memories of hers seemed toe to mind.


    ¡°The Joshua I know would have collected information before he moved. He¡¯s known to always finish his job perfectly, but it¡¯s only possible because he prepares very thoroughly and collects every possible piece of information before he makes a move.¡±


    -Do you want to know one more thing?


    Lugia finally broke his silence.


    -The Emperor you mentioned didn¡¯t disappear on his own.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    -To be urate¡­


    Lugia trailed off for a moment and hummed again. Shortly after, it followed up with yet another shocking remark.


    -He got <em>killed</em>.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Everyone¡¯s jaw dropped.


    -He was close to the truth. It was good for him, but just like I said, the problem was that the unexpected variable repeatedly urred.


    ¡°The Em-Emperor has been killed?! No, go back a little!¡± Cain shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Then do you mean my master really reached the highest floor of the Tower?!¡±


    When Lugia saw Cain¡¯s reaction, it chuckled.


    -¡­Well, hahaha.


    Was Lugia ever going to tell them the full story?


    -I¡¯ll cut to the chase. He ended up in the Demon Realm but returned to the Human Realm before he could finish the job he was supposed to do.


    ¡°What in the world¡­¡±


    -In other words, he could go back to the Demon Realm at any time once he takes care of his business in this realm¡­


    Lugia shook in the hands of the doppelganger as he continued.


    -Hey, you silver-haired woman. I advise you to keep your vain dream of mating to yourself.


    When Lugia finished speaking, silence descended.


    * * *


    In the Avalon Empire¡¯s outer pce, there was an old gray stone building, the headquarters of the Auxiliary Battalion of the Imperial Knights Order. A sharp, purple-haired man that seemed to be in his mid-thirties stood in front of the building.


    ¡°Commander Cazes.¡± A bald man approached, making the man flinch.


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t I tell you to not call me by that name?¡± Cazes growled.


    ¡°How else should I call mymander?¡± the belligerent-looking bald man grumbled; it seemed like it wasn¡¯t the first time they were having this kind of conversation.


    Cazes shrugged.


    ¡°You should use that name for someone else,¡± he told the other man.


    ¡°Here we go again.¡± The bald man quietly snorted. ¡°How long are you going to keep living in a dream?¡± he angrily shouted. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up now; you should let the dead man go!¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if you¡¯re right¡­¡± Cazes nonchntly said, ¡°Only one man is our¡ªno, mymander.¡±


    ¡°Urggh¡­!¡± The bald man groaned in frustration.


    ¡°He¡¯s definitely alive,¡± Cazes said with certainty.


    With a scarlet red face, the bald man quickly turned his head away from Cazes and loudly snorted.


    ¡°Why do we have to care about that? If that were true, he would have told us at least once over the past three years!¡±


    Cazes narrowed his eyes. ¡°Did youe find me to talk absurdities in broad daylight¡ª¡±


    ¡°His Highness the Second Prince Kaizen¡¯s messenger just dropped by,¡± the bald man reported.


    Cazes sighed quietly. ¡°¡­Again?¡±


    ¡°Do you know that everyone is exhausted now?¡± The bald man bit his lower lip for a moment before he continued, ¡°The messenger told me that His Highness himself is going to visit us the next time.¡±


    Although Cazes hadn¡¯t even flinched until then, that made his eyes lose focus. The bald man gave a look.


    ¡°We¡¯re constantly forced to choose, but over the past three years, we¡¯ve been busy tiptoeing around the princes as they fight,¡± Cazes¡¯s subordinate bemoaned tiredly.


    Cazes scratched his head.


    ¡°¡­That is why I allowed the knights to leave the battalion if they wished to.¡±


    ¡°And that is also why there are only half of us left,¡± the bald man sarcastically replied. Cazes could not reply. ¡°That¡¯s not the only problem. The remaining knights aren¡¯t sure about their decision to stay anymore since we all won¡¯t be safe if one of the princes wins. On top of that, they all have families, so they¡¯re constantly worried. However, they can¡¯t bring themselves to leave the battalion. Do you really want these men to get hurt?¡± the bald man fervently asked.


    Once again, Cazes couldn¡¯t say anything because the bald man was right. The battalion¡¯s knights had been tiptoeing around without helping any of the princes, so there was no way that one of the princes would not retaliate once he gained power. The knights were at the limit of staying neutral.


    ¡°Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle will soon take ce,¡± the bald man told Cazes.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cazes flinched, shocked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know all the details. Maybe they¡¯re trying to have a power struggle out in the open¡­ The important part is that if the battle is actually taking ce, then we can¡¯t stay neutral anymore.¡±


    The bald man looked straight into Cazes¡¯s eyes and carefully enunciated each word: ¡°I understand what you¡¯re saying, but the current Auxiliary Battalion Commander is the man in front of me, you.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Cazes closed his eyes. He knew it was time to make a decision. He was silent for a long time before he opened his mouth again.


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    At that moment, Cazes felt the ground tremble faintly, making his eyes widen.


    ¡°¡­Thunder in this weather?¡± the bald man murmured. ¡°The timing is¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Cazes shook his head. The bald man tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s mana, not a lightning bolt.¡± Cazes concisely murmured. His eyes shone with thrill.


    The shockwave hade from at least dozens of kilometers away from them, but it was strong enough for Cazes and the bald man to feel it, even though they were in the capital. After he noticed how powerful and familiar the shockwave was, he realized it resembled that of someone who he missed very much. Cazes unconsciously clenched his fists. He needed to go to the origin of the shockwave and check it out himself.


    ¡°Tell everyone to prepare to depart!¡± Cazes instructed and sprang forward, disappearing in a sh.


    The bald man just nkly stared at Cazes¡¯s back, dumbfounded by the unexpected order.


    ¡°Huh?¡± he mumbled.


    * * *


    A raging wind that was powerful enough to turn the ground upside down blew toward Draxia, but he simply swung his sword to defend himself. The gale subsided with a <em>pop!</em> like he¡¯d burst a leather drum. He smiled.


    ¡°Are you really the famous Hero King? You¡¯re not even pulling out your red spear¡­ I guess it was a false rm.¡±


    Joshua remained silent.


    ¡°Or did you really get injured in the Great in of Kraden?¡± Draxia asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little bit disappointing,¡± Anna, who was near Draxia, quipped. ¡°If that¡¯s all he¡¯s got, it looks like I could deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Do it,¡± Draxia suggested.


    ¡°¡­Father?¡± Anna¡¯s eyes widened.


    Draxia shrugged.


    ¡°From what I know, you recently took an interest in someone.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Anna gaped.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he a perfect opponent to test it on?¡± Draxia looked straight ahead without waiting for Anna¡¯s answer.


    ¡°You must be wondering why I¡¯m confident in front of the famous Hero King,¡± he said to Joshua. ¡°It¡¯s simple: while you disappeared from the continent, a new power, one that is powerful enough to crush the Nine Stars, has shown up.¡±


    Joshua still remained expressionless, but Draxia¡¯s smile only deepened.


    ¡°It¡¯s called materialization of aura. I¡¯ll give you a taste of my power.¡±


    As soon as Draxia finished speaking, a loud rumbling shook the sky.


    ¡°Besides, you would have no intention to answer my question, so I¡¯ll have to get my answer after I make you kneel¡­¡± Draxia smiled contentedly.


    ¡°You talk a lot,¡± Joshua replied, finally breaking his silence.


    Draxia¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    ¡°Are you going to fight with your mouth? Come.¡±


    At the same time, Joshua created a thrumming sound that was iparably louder than the one Draxia created, filling the sky.


    ¡°The materialization you talk about is just a cheap trick. Yes, you all thought I was using a cheap trick when I was using my spear. In other words, the important part in a fight is <em>who</em> is using a weapon, not what the weapon is or what technique that person is using.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Draxia flinched as the same raging wind started to blow from everywhere, threatening to hack him to pieces.


    ¡°I admit that even cheap trickse in handy from time to time because even dog poop can be used as medicine.[1]¡±


    ¡°D-dog poop?¡± Draxia stuttered.


    ¡°If you truly think that your dog poop is the sky...¡± Joshua said, the humming sound swelling with every word.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll show you the real sky now.¡±


    1. In ???? (ancient Korean medicine book), there is a record of using dog poop as medicine, so there is an idiom in Korea ¡°??? ?? ??? ?? (One cannot find dog poop when they try to make medicine out of it)¡± ?

 Chapter 316

    Chapter 316


    Joshua wasn¡¯t the one who created the raging wind that blew in every direction. It was the man who had earned the title of War God long ago.


    ¡°You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± Draxia growled in fury, letting his light green hair fly. ¡°You¡¯re going to show me the sky? How dare you¡­¡±


    One end of Draxia¡¯s mouth curled up into a smirk.


    ¡°I did hear that you were injured, but it looks like it was your head that was injured. Stop bluffing, Joshua!¡±


    ¡°Over the past three years, everyone on the continent forgot about Joshua Sanders because they think you¡¯re dead,¡± Draxia drily intoned, as if he was giving a lecture in the center of the raging winds. ¡°So, do you think I¡¯ll blink at your bluff after you suddenly show up again? People say the most pathetic ones talk the loudest. The only way you¡¯d affect them with your bluffing is if you make it sound even a little bit usible. ¡±


    Draxia clicked his tongue. ¡°¡­Of course, it¡¯s possible that you have a different idea of what ¡®materialization¡¯ is¡­ so let me show you.¡±


    ¡°Woah!¡± Anna¡¯s eyes popped wide open. ¡°You¡¯re going to do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Draxia nodded, ¡°I changed my mind.¡±


    ¡°What about me?¡± Anna asked.


    Draxia narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I want to make him realize how meaningless his power really is.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a pity.¡± Anna smacked her lips as if she genuinely thought it was a bummer. ¡°But he was still called the Hero King, so I wanted to go easy and make him mine¡­¡±


    ¡°Let me have him this time.¡± Draxia looked at Anna.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I saw you being this serious,¡± Anna giggled.


    ¡°He made me that way,¡± her father growled.


    ¡°Can you please not kill him though?¡± Anna pleaded.


    ¡°¡­We need to get a lot of information out of him anyway.¡± He shrugged


    ¡°Yay!¡± Anna jumped for joy.


    They talked very naturally, confident that they were never going to lose.


    ¡°You heard about the greatest human hero from the ancient age of magic that lived two thousand years ago, right?¡± Draxia asked, turning back to Joshua. The wind subsided like nothing had happened at all, allowing Draxia¡¯s hair to settle. ¡°He conquered two-thirds of the continent, so he was called the God of War and Conquest. Although only wizards were respected in the age of magic, the hero used his physical strength alone to crush every enemy in his path. The hero¡¯s name was Heradios.¡±


    A low yet loud resonance took hold of the sky. Joshua silently watched as Draxia''s aura gradually swelled to the size of a house. It also flickered, but Joshua was the only one who could see the flicker.


    Draxia took off his top like a barbarian warrior from the north, revealing his bulging veins and rippling muscles. The greatsword in Draxia¡¯s hands looked especially ferocious, like it was ready to cut the enemy in half at any moment.


    ¡°¡­Ha, it looks like you¡¯ve lost the will to fight back.¡± Draxia chuckled when he noticed that Joshua hadn¡¯t moved a muscle. ¡°I learned Heradios¡¯s swordsmanship years ago. With the old mana cirction technique, it¡¯s impossible to create arge aura like this, but the aura materialization technique makes it possible.¡±


    Joshua still stayed silent.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Draxia slowly held out his arms, extending his greatsword. When he drew an elegant curved line in the air¡­


    ¡ªAnd sprang forward, creating a ground-shaking boom! Anna already knew what was going to happen, and had moved far back. Draxia moved like the hero Heradios from the age of magic, swinging his greatsword intimidatingly in the sky.


    But Joshua¡¯s response to his attack was so unexpected that it made Draxia¡¯s eyes widen a bit for a moment.


    ¡°Wh¡­ What¡­?¡±


    Joshua simply took one step to the side, neatly avoiding the bottomless abyss that Draxia¡¯s earthquake-like impact had created.


    ¡°You¡¯re using a trick¡­¡± Draxia mumbled discontentedly. He felt his pride sting. His strike was definitely not the type of attack that could be dodged that easily; even the pressure of the wind was enough to crush most enemies¡¯ bones.


    Draxia lightly inhaled. He was currently twenty meters away from Joshua, but he didn¡¯t care. When he was using materialization, neither distance nor an Aura de¡ªwhich was the highest-level skill of refining mana¡ªwould be a problem in ying his enemies. The moment Draxia exhaled¡­


    His silver sword flickered around in the air like a swarm of bats; Draxia began his flurry of attacks by swinging his sword horizontally, then from left to right, from top to bottom, from bottom left to top right¡­ Draxia left dozens¡ªno, hundreds of scars in the sky. There was no pattern in his attack. From someone else¡¯s perspective, it might look like Draxia was swinging his sword wildly like a child that was ying with a sword.


    However, the results of his strikes were amazing and definitely not that of a child. Whenever Draxia swung his sword, he made the ground cave in, turning the ground upside down and creating gigantic chasms¡ªbut those chasms were only created around Joshua, trapping him. Then Draxia¡¯s sword created shockwaves that rushed forward like countless green waves threatening to crash into Joshua.


    ¡°¡­Huff, huff¡­ Heup!¡±


    The more Draxia attacked, the more he panted. Although the materialized aura was much more advanced and destructive than an ordinary aura, it used up a lot of stamina, so it was usually used to deliver the final blow.


    ¡°Why¡­?!¡± Draxia gritted his teeth and ground to a halt. His attacks were surely destructive, and yet Draxia had failed to hit his opponent even once. No matter how strong his materialized aura was, it was useless if Draxia couldn¡¯t deliver the blow properly onto his opponent.


    ¡°How can you avoid my attack using only your physical ability¡­?¡± Draxia finally ended up asking the question that kept bugging him. If Joshua had dodged Draxia¡¯s attack with difficulty, then Draxia would have thought it was eptable¡ªbut Joshua avoided every attack by only taking a single step away whenever Draxia struck.


    ¡°Why!¡± Draxia shouted in frustration.


    ¡°That is why I told you,¡± Joshua said, finally breaking his silence.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Draxia narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°The materialization you were talking about is a cheap trick.¡±


    Joshua was the only one in this world who could say that.


    Draxia growled.


    ¡°You arrogant¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you angry because your cheap trick doesn¡¯t work?¡±


    Draxia¡¯s eyes red in rage.


    ¡°Just like you said, so many events have taken ce since three years ago.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    What was he trying to say? Did he mean the start of the Continental War? Or was he talking about how countless heroes died in the war? As time passed, more questions filled Draxia¡¯s head.


    ¡°The concept of materialization was first created exactly three years ago,¡± Joshua casually mentioned.


    ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°After a long age of peace, the Continental War broke out and created numerous cheap tricks aside from materialization,¡± Joshua said.


    Draxia trembled with anger.


    ¡°You¡¯re humiliating¡­ me until the end¡­!¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°Do you know what it means? It means the technique only has a three-year history.¡±


    Draxia boggled at him. Joshua broke his stillness and strode forward.


    ¡°The aura technique has been continually refined for thousands of years. Compared to that¡­ materialization is just a cheap trick.¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Draxia instinctively pointed his sword at Joshua. Joshua didn¡¯t even have solid ground to stand on. Draxia¡¯s attacks had reduced thend around Joshua and turned into an abyss-like pit.


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re the Scheme King, not the Hero King. If you take one more step forward¡­¡± Draxia warned Joshua.


    ¡°On top of that,¡± Joshua interrupted, ¡°the past three years¡­¡±


    Draxia flinched and stopped speaking.


    ¡°...might have been just three years for you,¡± Joshua continued, his eyes turning cold, ¡°but they weren¡¯t for me.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking nonsense again!¡± Draxia shouted.


    ¡°Even if I disappeared and didn¡¯t show myself anywhere in the continent for three years, do you really think people would have forgotten about me?¡± Joshua asked.


    Draxia¡¯s eyes lost focus after btedlying to a realization.


    Joshua looked away from Draxia and quietly raised his hand. By going through countless wars on innumerable battlefields, Joshua had made one glorious achievement after another throughout the many years. Heroes may fall, but their countless achievements were recorded eternally in history. Therefore, the world could never forget the name of Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°Do you think you can handle me?¡± Joshua quietly asked.


    ¡°Yo-you¡­¡± Draxia could not hide his dismay.


    Joshua¡¯s aura gradually became bigger; it was as big as a longsword at first, but it didn¡¯t take long to be asrge as Draxia¡¯s. Even after that, Joshua¡¯s aura kept getting bigger as if it didn¡¯t have a limit.


    Joshua smiled faintly.


    ¡°This is your cheap trick that I imitated.¡±


    ¡°The fuc¡ª¡± Draxia unwittingly cursed.


    Joshua swung the giant sword that he had created down onto Draxia¡¯s head.

 Chapter 317

    Chapter 317


    ¡°Draxia bel Grace,¡± Joshua quietly murmured.


    Draxia was among the four men and one woman who had killed Joshua in his past life. However, everything changed in this life: Gahad was going to be the next Commander of the Imperial Knights, but he had died, causing Evangeline, his lover, to go insane due to the shock. The Imperial Chief Mage Evergrant con Aswald had be an undead and Joshua¡¯s subordinate forever. The Dark Priest Lich Berber had gotten destroyed down to his very soul, so he couldn¡¯t even go to hell anymore. Aside from Kaiser, Joshua had taken out all the people who had betrayed him.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you embarrassed?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Draxia panted, his whole body weeping blood.


    Anna called him father, but she had run away long ago. Even the person whom he considered his daughter valued him only that much.


    ¡°Did you want the throne that bad too?¡±Joshua continued.


    Draxia flinched.


    ¡°A member of the imperial family who lost his throne to his country¡¯s hero. Come to think of it, your fate is as tragic as mine.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Shut¡­ up¡­!¡± Draxia growled.


    ¡°Without borrowing the power of people from outside your country, you can''t even im your rightful throne. Well,¡± Joshua said, nodding thoughtfully, ¡°the Grand Duke Lucifer that I met was definitely not a person that is easy to deal with.¡±


    Even though he was dying, Draxia clenched his teeth.


    ¡°Stop showing off¡­ Joshua Sanders¡­! You¡­ can¡¯t even begin to fathom¡­ his identity, but¡­ you¡¯ll¡­ never be able to beat him¡­!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Heimdall,¡± Joshua assumed.


    Draxia frozepletely.


    ¡°Your face, wait¡­ No way¡­.?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I can¡¯t figure out his identity? I already have a rough idea of everything, so what I need right now is¡­ yes, a small conviction.¡±


    Draxia¡¯s eyes turned nk, his lower lip trembling. He couldn¡¯t survive anyway because every organ in his body had been shredded by the rain of aura attacks he had suffered.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯vemitted two sins. You¡¯re going to pay for the sin youmitted in your past life with your life, so for trying to harm my mother¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    Joshua concentrated his power into his leg and mmed it into Draxia¡¯s head, flinging the fragments of Draxia¡¯s brain in all directions with an explosive <em>Crack!</em>


    ¡°Born as the noblest imperial family member and die in a faraway country. And be forgotten by people like you¡¯re going to right now.¡±


    * * *


    Along the main street of Arcadia, Cazes leaped high into the air out of the narrow alley between the buildings as if he was flying. Ranger, the man with a veritable mane of hair, came up to Cazes. Viper, the two-meter-tall man, followed the two too.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Ranger asked Cazes.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Cazes nodded.


    ¡°Then that is actually a problem¡­¡± Ranger muttered.


    While he continued to leap from building to building, Cazes¡¯s expression turned noticeably dark. He quickly turned his head to Ranger.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t we waited for ourmander for three agonizing years? You should be happy.¡± Cazes narrowed his eyes. ¡°What is the problem?¡±


    ¡°Let me finish talking, you inflexible bastard!¡± Ranger shook his head in disbelief. He turned his voice down to a whisper. ¡°Let¡¯s say you really detected ourmander¡¯s energy¡ªyou haven¡¯t forgotten about his current situation, have you? ¡±


    Cazes flinched slightly.


    ¡°He is ourmander forever, but the Empire¡ªno, the Imperial Family doesn¡¯t think that way because, in their eyes, Joshua Sanders is a chicken who ran after losing the war,¡± Ranger said.


    ¡°¡­Those shameless bastards!¡± Cazes growled. ¡°He stopped the entire empire alliance in the Great in of Kraden on his own¡­!¡±


    Ranger shrugged. ¡°No one asked him to stop the alliance. The important part is that ourmander is an eyesore to the princes, especially the First Prince.¡±


    Cazes gave Ranger a death re.


    ¡°Woah, woah, don¡¯t scowl at me like that. Do you think I make a habit of sarcasm? I¡¯m just telling you to face the reality, the reality,¡± he said to his silently seethingrade. ¡°The Hero King is famous even in other countries, but in his own country, he is a criminal wanted for high treason¡ªthat means multiple death sentences. That¡¯s who ourmander is in this country. Since he had lost his noble title long ago, I shouldn¡¯t need to exin further. So do you really think ourmander would really exude his energy intentionally? That¡¯s begging to be captured. The Hero King doesn¡¯t hesitate, but isn¡¯t that too far-fetched?


    ¡°Although he may seem reckless from time to time, he always had a n,¡± Cazes confidently stated. ¡°I think he has a n this time too.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re one fine cult believer.¡± Ranger shook his head in disbelief again.


    He tried to continue, but someone just behind them shouted, ¡°It¡¯s from the Ducal Family of Agnus¡¯ private mansion!¡±


    Cazes and the others¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°Did other Imperial Knightse too?¡± Cazes muttered to himself.


    ¡°Any mishaps within Arcadia are in the Imperial Knights¡¯ jurisdiction. Although capital guards will take care of most matters¡­¡±


    Cazes quietly gritted his teeth. ¡°If I¡¯ve felt the energy, there is no way they wouldn¡¯t feel it.¡±


    ¡°In times like this, it¡¯s fortunate that we¡¯re in charge of the outskirts of the capital since we can arrive at our destination first. Although,¡± Ranger said with a shrug, ¡°the main reason why we took charge is that we¡¯re hated by higher-ups.¡±


    Cazes nodded.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    After the three finished talking, they sprang toward the direction of the Agnus mansion.


    * * *


    ¡°What in the world¡­¡±


    Upon reaching his destination, Cazes could only gape nkly. He had achieved one of his goals by arriving at the Agnus mansion faster than anyone else in Arcadia, but the sight that unfolded before him was too shocking.


    ¡°Move the wounded!¡±


    ¡°Gather corpses in one ce!¡±


    ¡°Contact the main mansion! Move, quick! What are you doing?¡±


    People were busily moving around the inside and outside of the mansion.


    Ranger stopped to take in the sight for a moment.


    ¡°It definitely looks like they got attacked,¡± he slowly said.


    ¡°Who could have possibly done that?!¡± Cazes violently snapped.


    ¡°Gosh, you surprised me,¡± Ranger said, sticking a finger in his ear. ¡°How should I know that, you bastard!?¡±


    ¡°In a time like this, at the center of the capital¡­ someone attacked none other than the mansion of the Duke Agnus¡­¡± Cazes nkly murmured.


    ¡°¡­This is a big problem,¡± Viper said, in an unusual break from his normal silence. Ranger and Cazes¡¯s heads swiveled toward him at the same time; it had been a while since they¡¯d heard Viper¡¯s voice.


    ¡°From what I know¡­ ourmander¡¯s mother lives here.¡± Viper narrowed his eyes as he looked at the mansion.


    The other two¡¯s eyes slowly widened as they came to a realization. A suffocating silence descended on the knights.


    ¡°If something bad has happened to her¡­¡± Viper grimly continued.


    Someone ominously chuckled.


    ¡°You would be horribly ashamed as his subordinates and could not bring yourselves to meet him again, wouldn¡¯t you? Hahaha.¡±


    Cazes, Ranger, and Viper all froze stiff from fear. Cazes felt his back drip with sweat. He slowly turned around to see who the person was.


    ¡°Yo-you¡¯re¡­¡°


    Over the past three years, they had made a remarkable process, constantly driven by the guilt of being unable to help theirmander. However, they hadn¡¯t even noticed when this new man had moved to stand beside them. It wasn¡¯t that they were weak, the man was too strong.


    <em>¡®Monster¡­¡¯ </em>Cazes thought as he examined the man.


    He was a middle-aged man with snake-like features; he had gray hair and razor-thin eyes which made it look like he was always closing his eyes.


    ¡°Lord Arie¡­?¡± Cazes mumbled.


    ¡°Should I say I¡¯ve expected this¡­?¡± Arie wasn¡¯t even looking at Cazes and the others, clearly ignoring the three. Instead, his eyes were fixed on the headless corpse.


    <em>¡®Fuck¡­¡¯ </em>Cazes cursed in his thoughts.


    Viper recovered from shock the fastest.


    ¡°¡­For now¡­¡± he said, ¡°let¡¯s find Lady Lucia¡¯s whereabouts first and report this to the people in the Imperial Pce as quickly as possible. Time is of the essence in matters like this, isn¡¯t it? We have to form a blockade and tighten it before the perpetrator flees any further.¡±


    ¡°There is no need since I¡¯m here, hehehe.¡± Arie took a step forward and quietly closed his eyes. After some time, Arie¡¯s eyes slowly opened, but it was hard to notice without looking closely.


    ¡°¡­I see you¡¯re there,¡± he mumbled. Sensing something, Arie disappeared in a sh.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get going too.¡± Viper immediately tried to follow Arie.


    ¡°¡­Wait, it¡¯s not there,¡± Cazes quietly muttered. He closed his eyes as if he was imitating Arie. Then he could detect the familiar energy that he had felt in the pce.


    <em>¡®There is no way for Marquis Arie to not feel the energy that I felt, but the energy has be so faint that it¡¯s impossible to detect the energy if I don¡¯t focus. It¡¯s like¡­¡¯ </em>Cazes continued to think, then slowly opened his eyes. <em>¡®...the person is calling out to me.¡¯</em>


    Cazes came to a decision.


    ¡°Follow me, now,¡± he said, and immediately took off.


    Viper and Ranger locked eyes with each other and nodded. They hastened after Cazes, who had already acquired a considerable lead.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, three men were already sitting at the top seats in the imperial council chamber of the Avalon Empire¡¯s pce. All the nobles standing in the chamber were looking in their direction.


    The First Prince Kiser, one of the three men, wore a grim expression.


    ¡°Has everyone arrived?¡± he asked. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long it has been since all the imperial nobles have gathered in one ce, regardless of their factions.¡±


    ¡°I beg your forgiveness, Your Highness,¡± the nobles immediately answered.


    To be exact, half of the nobles that had gathered replied to Kiser right away; and of course, most of them were nobles who supported the First Prince. Thrill flickered in their eyes, but their reactions were understandable¡­ as the Sword Emperor, who had disappeared three years ago, was there right now; he quietly stood beside the three men, but he caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    Tremblin paid no attention to what they were thinking; he was busy thinking about something else.


    <em>¡®He definitely said it was ¡°Heimdall¡±...¡¯</em>


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Tremblin heaved a long sigh and focused on the present.


    ¡°I¡¯ll begin by exining the main reason why we¡¯ve gathered up today. Kaizen,¡± Kiser prompted, turning to his younger brother.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to decide who is going to be the next emperor,¡± the Second Prince reluctantly said. ¡°It has already been three years since His Majesty went missing, and our national power is close to zero. Due to our fight, the lives of the innocent citizens of the Empire continue to be devastated. Although we¡¯ve been trying to ignore that fact, we can¡¯t sit on our hands any longer.¡±


    ¡°Therefore¡­ we¡¯ll put an end to our long feud today,¡± Kiser continued with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Before we do that,¡± someone else quietly interrupted, making the nobles in the chamber faintly tremble.


    Although everybody tried to look past thest of the three men, Fourth Prince Kaiser wouldn¡¯t be ignored.


    ¡°The matter of who between the two of you will inherit the throne hasn¡¯t been decided,¡± he pointed out with an enigmatic smile. ¡°So shouldn¡¯t we decide that first?¡±


    Silence fell upon the chamber. Everyone had been tiptoeing around the issue, although it was pretty clear that they were there exactly for that reason.


    ¡°However, I want to make it clear that I haven¡¯t brought it up to make ast-minute bid at iming the throne, given that the heir to the throne will be decided by Duke Tremblin¡¯s choice.¡± Kaiser shrugged.


    ¡°¡­What do you want to say, Kaiser?¡± Kiser snapped with cold eyes.


    ¡°Have you heard the news?¡± Kaiser asked.


    ¡°What news?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°The Agnus family was attacked.¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    Someone began shouting from outside the chamber as if they were waiting for that moment.


    ¡°I-I have an urgent report to deliver!¡±


    The nobles in the chamber, unable to believe what was going on, finally paid attention to Kaiser.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just the Duke¡¯s mansion in the capital,¡± Kaiser continued. ¡°The family¡¯s main mansion, which is not so far away from here, has been razed too. ¡±


    Kaizen sprang up from his seat and red at Kiser, but Kaizen was actually doubting Kiser for the obvious reason that the Duke of Agnus was on Kaizen¡¯s side.


    ¡°Due to the ambush, the family¡¯s four corps have been almost annihted, and Duke Babel von Agnus¡¯s condition is critical¡­¡±


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about?!¡± Kiser roared, his face flushed with anger from Kaiser¡¯s absurdity. He surely didn¡¯t want this imperial council to take ce, but even if he had received help from somebody else, he was about to finally end this war of session. However, how could Kaiser tell him that kind of story at a time like that?


    ¡°Well, what¡¯s the difference?¡± Kaiser shrugged.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Kiser asked, dumbfounded


    ¡°It has already been three years since the civil war began. Dozens of families fell and disappeared in a month, but we were momentarily baffled because it¡¯s the Ducal Family of Agnus that has fallen this time,¡± Kaiser continued. He quietly stood up from his seat and looked down at Kiser. ¡°You must have also expected it to some level, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Kiser gritted his teeth, infuriated by Kaiser¡¯s sly words.


    ¡°You ba¡ª¡±


    ¡°Besides, the Agnus family has been crumbling for a while,¡± Kaiser said with a shrug.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness!¡± The messenger hurried into the chamber confused because no one responded even after he had said that he had an urgent report to deliver.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve already heard your report. You may leave.¡± Kiser waved the messenger away.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± The messenger gave him a wide-eyed look. ¡°Bu-But¡­¡±


    ¡°Did you not hear me?¡± Kiser growled.


    The messenger broke into a cold sweat. ¡°Th-then how do you wish to handle the matter¡­?¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do with a family that is almost ruined¡­.?!¡± Kiser shouted in fury.


    ¡°N-no, that¡¯s not the only report I need to deliver¡­!¡± the baffled messenger stuttered. ¡°T-the traitor Cain de Harry has appeared at the e-entrance of the Pce, and a man who is presumed to be the Hero King has shown up in Arcadia!¡±


    The sound of someone dropping their belongings echoed throughout the chamber like thunder. It was like the people in the chamber had been hit by a storm. No matter if they were on the side of the First Prince or Second Prince, every noble¡¯s jaw dropped. Even Kaiser, who had been smiling rxedly, was shaken up as if he had been hit with a bolt of lightning.

 Chapter 318

    Chapter 318


    In the alley not far from the Agnus¡¯ private mansion, Aisha was quietly looking down at Lucia, who had fallen unconscious due to shock. Aisha suddenly raised her head¡ªshe¡¯d detected someone approaching from the end of the alley.


    ¡°Aisha.¡± The person revealed himself before long.


    Joshua always looked unreal every time Aisha met him, but she bowed without hesitation.


    ¡°I-I see the great¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that now. Don¡¯t you already know I¡¯m not a dragon because of my letter?¡±


    Aisha¡¯s eyes were filled with confusion.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting my mother. To be honest, I wasn¡¯t nning on revealing my identity¡­ but it felt wrong to deceive my mother¡¯s savior.¡± Joshua faintly smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Aisha shook her head.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Joshua didn¡¯t expect her response.


    ¡°I also received a favor.¡± Aisha looked at the ground.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°The elf forest,¡± Aisha reminded him.


    ¡°Oh, Evergrant¡­¡± Joshua nodded.


    Aisha was technically a dark elf, but she and the other elves all came from the same roots. Thus, she bowed without hesitation.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting my people.¡±


    Joshua smiled brightly at her, pleased that they had finally met each other without putting up facades after three years.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting my mother,¡± he responded in kind.


    * * *


    It had been a while since Cazes, Ranger, and Viper walked around the outskirts of Arcadia.


    ¡°Where in the world are we going?¡± Ranger grumbled.


    ¡°Just a little further ahead,¡± Cazes nkly said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already said that ten times!¡± Rangerined. ¡°We¡¯re not only in the opposite direction of the Agnus mansion but also the Imperial Pce. What is supposed to be in this kind of slum?¡±


    ¡°I definitely sensed it,¡± Cazes said with confidence.


    ¡°So what is ¡®it¡¯?!¡± Ranger snapped. ¡°Do you really not understand that your damn intuition can make things irreversibly bad? What are you going to do if that crazy Marquis Arie finds themander¡¯s traces before us? Logically, we should try to find something where the incident actually took ce, so why are we running around in a ce that has nothing to do with the ambush¡ª!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re focusing on the wrong thing,¡± Cazes said, finally ncing back at Ranger.


    ¡°What?¡± Ranger¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°We should check on Lady Lucia¡¯s safety first, not ourmander¡¯s trail,¡± Cazes calmly said. Ranger shut his mouth. ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten what themander asked us to do on the day he left, right?¡±


    Ranger tried to say something, but he ended up heaving a long sigh.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I sincerely hope your intuition isn¡¯t wrong because if things go south, I¡¯ll put an end to it even if I have to put you in a headlock this time.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Cazes confidently agreed. ¡°If ites to that, go right ahead.¡±


    That was the end of their conversation for a while until Viper broke the silence.


    ¡°There is a house in a ce like this¡­?¡± Viper wondered with undisguised shock in his voice.


    ¡°It¡¯s a house that the Agnus family owns,¡± Cazes exined.


    Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped. They were on the outskirts of Arcadia, where people were barely seen, but an ordinary-looking, single-floor stone building stood ominously.


    ¡°If this house is owned by none other than the Agnus family, then why is it in a ce like this?¡± he asked.


    ¡°This is a house where themander was going to live with his mother,¡± Cazes recalled.


    The unexpected story made Ranger and Viper noticeably stiffen as they remembered how theirmander had been born.


    ¡°Those sons of bitches, tormenting people because of their origins¡­¡± Ranger mumbled in frustration.


    But he abruptly came to a halt. He wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡°¡­You also felt it this time, didn''t you?¡± Cazes asked.


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Ranger nodded with a serious face.


    ¡°I guess I won¡¯t get that headlock,¡± Cazes remarked with a shrug.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is the important issue here,¡± Ranger grumbled.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cazes¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you felt themander¡¯s energy?¡± Ranger closed his eyes to detect energy, but frowned. ¡°This energy is like¡­¡±


    The unpleasant energy was dark and icky, as if bugs were crawling around his body. There was only one energy on the continent like that.


    ¡°Demonic power?¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°It¡¯sing,¡± Viper quietly mumbled.


    A sudden metallic ng made the three scramble for their weapons. The building¡¯s door slowly opened and a person came out from the building.


    Ranger¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I told you.¡± Cazes trembled with excitement because he had met the person before.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Ranger¡¯s and Viper¡¯s eyes also zed with excitement.


    The person¡¯s glowing ck full te armor was one-of-a-kind. He was definitely one of the beings that had disappeared along with theirmander: the death knight, the top-ss undead which was once considered a legend even among dark priests.


    Cazes immediately darted forward.


    ¡°Hey, Cazes!¡± Ranger shouted in surprise.


    In a sh, Cazes stood right before the death knight.


    ¡°You crazy bastard,¡± Ranger cursed, ¡°are you out of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lady Lucia!¡± Cazes yelled.


    Ranger¡¯s breath caught when he finally noticed the extraordinary-looking woman on the death knight¡¯s shoulder. It looked like the woman was unconscious, her waterfall-like hair spilling down.


    ¡°That¡¯s themander''s¡­mother?¡± he nkly muttered.


    ¡°¡­Alive,¡± Cazes said.


    Who was he talking about? Since Cazes didn¡¯t mention the name, there was no way for Ranger to find out, but he noticed that when Cazes took Lucia from the death knight, his eyes were red.


    ¡°Really alive¡­!¡± Cazes had looked nonchnt, but a tear rolled down his cheek then. At the same time, his small doubt changed into a solid conviction, igniting a fire inside him. Now was the time to change the whole n.


    * * *


    In the imperial council chamber of the Avalon Empire, numerous nobles stood on both sides of a red carpet. The knights were positioned menacingly around the chamber as if they were trying to threaten the two people who had just entered. No doubt the atmosphere made the red carpet feel like a path of thorns for those two, but they walked across the carpet with confidence nheless.


    ¡°He¡¯s really the ck Lion¡­!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that girl standing next to him the famous heaven-sent genius¡­?¡±


    ¡°Then was the rumor true? The one about how the Hero King¡¯s strategist is managing the Pontier Merchant Group in secret.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s crazy¡­¡±


    The nobles murmured among themselves, their voices gradually getting louder. Although everyone was talking about different topics, they all wanted to ask the same question, which was:


    ¡°But why did theye here voluntarily?¡±


    ¡°They must have gotten tired or¡­¡±


    ¡°Cut it out. You don¡¯t seriously believe that groundless rumor, do you?¡±


    Even while the nobles talked among themselves, Cain and Icarus walked forward without hesitation. Soon, they stood right before the top seats, where the three princes were sitting.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re here to deliver our master¡¯s message,¡± Cain quietly announced.


    The people who had been watching him stared wide-eyed, because, as far as they knew, there was only one person who Cain de Harry, the ck Lion, would call ¡°master.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a new master or something? How dare a traitor try this after he defied the imperial order and the draft?!¡± the hot-tempered Kaizen viciously growled.


    ¡°It was obvious how I was going to be used, but I¡¯m not a dispensable tool for your civil war, Your Highness,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Ha, I thought you might be trying to atone for your crime since you shamelessly returned voluntarily. However, you¡¯re giving me such bullshit¡­¡± Kaizen narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Whether in the past, present, or future¡­¡± Cain said, enunciating every word. ¡°...I have only had one master.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard!¡± Kaizen sprang up from his seat, unable to hold back his anger.


    However, Kiser suddenly interrupted


    ¡°¡­Is Joshua Sanders really in Arcadia?¡± he said, uttering the forbidden word.


    ¡°I can actually show him to you,¡± Cain confidently answered. He had the legendary doppelganger on his side, after all.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Kiser continued before the nobles could start talking among themselves again, ¡°Don¡¯t you think Joshua needs to present himself here then? I believe the incident that urred among us can¡¯t be taken lightly¡­¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°My master will show up soon. He¡¯ll make an appearance a weekter in the colosseum where Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle will take ce.¡±


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s going to prove he¡¯s innocent using his skills?¡± Kaizen interrupted. ¡°Joshua Sanders¡¯s biggest crime is his close involvement with the undead, and everyone in the Empire knows about it. So how dare¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are only the members of the Imperial Family allowed to practice ck magic?¡± Cain quietly asked.


    Kaizen¡¯s fervent speech stopped.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think the Imperial Family has made an official announcement to forbid that yet.¡± Cain looked at Kaiser, thest of the princes seated in the top seats. Cain was poking the beehive that no one in this ce had so far dared to.


    ¡°You bastard¡­¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°I and my master only wish to straighten out the misunderstanding. Of course, in the eyes of the Imperial Family, my crime would be assisting the traitor Joshua Sanders.¡± Cain¡¯s eyes shone. ¡°If my master is exonerated, then I would be exonerated too.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do that,¡± someone else unexpectedly interrupted.


    Kiser turned back and realized who had just spoken.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin?¡± he gaped.


    ¡°Your Highness, you haven¡¯t forgotten the current situation of the Empire, have you? Tremblin asked. ¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°If Joshua Sanders is alive and we could straighten out that ¡®misunderstanding¡¯, wouldn¡¯t that be the best news for the Empire?¡± Tremblin shrugged. Kiser was rendered speechless. ¡°Once the next emperor is chosen and our civil war ends, the two other empires and the numerous kingdoms won¡¯t leave us alone anymore; the only reason they left us alone so far is that we¡¯ve been crumbling on our own. The moment we try to rise again, they¡¯ll try to make sure we fall again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on the same page, brothers,¡± Kaiser immediately added. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be good if Duke Tremblin and the famous Hero King assisted us? Then the Avalon Empire will be able to rise high once again.¡±


    Silence fell upon the chamber as everyone was busy calcting the benefits and losses inside their heads.


    <em>¡®Yes, if he truly wants to help the Avalon Empire, it¡¯s perfect.¡¯</em> Kaiser smiled slyly in his mind.


    As long as Joshua lived in this world, he would never be able to defy Kaiser because Kaiser had the valuable seal that symbolized the Emperor of Avalon.


    ¡°Ha, hahaha¡­¡± Kaiser quietly chuckled, unable to hold down hisughter.


    But there was one thing that even Kaiser didn¡¯t know about.


    Meanwhile, Tremblin, another person who was deep in thought, quietly looked outside the window of the chamber.


    * * *


    <em>¡°I want to ask you a question,¡± Tremblin said. </em>


    <em>Joshua was about to leave, but he came to a halt.</em>


    <em>¡°Ask.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I don¡¯t want this country to fall nor this tiring civil war to continue,¡± Tremblin said with a serious voice. </em>


    <em>Joshua shrugged. ¡°Then you should have stayed in the pce.¡± </em>


    <em>¡°His Majesty was my priority.¡± Tremblin met Joshua¡¯s eyes. </em>


    <em>¡°Does it mean you¡¯ve given up now?¡± Joshua asked. </em>


    <em>¡°It has already been three years,¡± Tremblin bitterly exined, ¡°and during that time, the Empire has irreversibly declined. Even if His Majesty is alive, what¡¯s the point in finding him if he doesn¡¯t have a home to return to? Besides, I still have a deep love for my country. While I searched for His Majesty, I kept my eyes and ears on the Avalon Empire. So answer me carefully since my choice will differ depending on your answer.¡±</em>


    <em>Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°I assume you already met the Fourth Prince.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°That¡¯s not an answer to my question,¡± Tremblin irately returned.</em>


    <em>¡°You¡¯ve also seen the Emperor¡¯s seal,¡± Joshua guessed. </em>


    <em>That was when Tremblin froze up.</em>


    <em>¡°How do you¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Kaiser¡¯s seal is not the real one,¡± Joshua calmly answered. </em>


    <em>¡°Wh-What?¡± Tremblin asked, baffled. Joshua¡¯s smile deepened.</em>


    <em>¡°The real one is¡­¡±</em>


    <em>Tremblin¡¯s eyes bulged in shock, threatening to pop out any moment because Joshua was pulling out something that Tremblin was very familiar with.</em>


    <em>¡°...here.¡±</em>

 Chapter 319

    Chapter 319


    <em>¡°W-wh-why do you have that?!¡± Tremblin stuttered. </em>


    <em>¡°You already said my response, Your Grace,¡± Joshua said. </em>


    <em>¡°What¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡®That¡¯s not the answer to my question.¡¯¡± Joshua smiled. </em>


    <em>Tremblin gaped at Joshua, astounded by the audacity of Tremblin¡¯s words against him. </em>


    <em>¡°I know His Majesty¡¯sst location,¡± Joshua dered. </em>


    <em>¡°Is-Is he alive?¡± Tremblin gasped. </em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± Joshua said with a shrug, ¡°but I know who can give you an answer to that.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Who is it?!¡± Tremblin yelled anxiously. </em>


    <em>¡°I already told you that it¡¯s Heimdall.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Wait, did that man named Heimdall harm His Majesty¡­? That son of a bitch!¡± Tremblin shouted with murderous intent.</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes to my proposal.¡± Joshua turned away from Tremblin.</em>


    <em>¡°Wa-wait!¡± Tremblin reached out his hand. </em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯ll get going then¡­¡± Joshua disappeared immediately, it was like he had never existed in the first ce.</em>


    <em>That was thest memory Tremblin had of Joshua Sanders. </em>


    * * *


    ¡°Ourmander is alive,¡± Cazes said. Despite his sinctness, his words had a tremendous impact on everyone.


    ¡°¡­Huh? What are you talking about? You know it¡¯s still the middle of the day?¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right, since the man before us really is ourmander Cazes.¡±


    In fact, these knights were reacting gently.


    ¡°Do you want us to reaffirm our love for you just like my lover does?¡±


    ¡°Did you eat something weird during lunch?¡±


    ¡°Has he gone senile?¡±


    ¡°Well, you can get age too.[1] ¡±


    The knights giggled at their sillyments, but Cazes was unphased.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about me¡­ I mean our <em>real</em>mander.¡±


    The knights all seemed to turn into stone sculptures at the same time.


    ¡°¡­Ah, cut it out.¡±


    ¡°What? Our realmander? You¡¯re not talking about the man I¡¯m thinking of, are you?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say that kind of stuff. We¡¯re different from those unloyal bastards that left.¡±


    ¡°Well, I understand why you say such stuff since half of us already left.¡±


    Despite the knights¡¯ reactions, Cazes still looked straight into the knights¡¯ eyes.


    ¡°Vicemander Ranger! Sir Viper! What is seriously up with themander today?¡± One of the knights shouted with a frown. ¡°We already feel uneasy about our current situation, so why would he say such stuff? Jokes are only funny if you know why the person is joking¡­!¡±


    The knight¡¯s fervent speech petered off when he realized that Ranger and Viper were acting simrly to Cazes.


    ¡°¡­No way,¡± the knight gasped


    ¡°It¡¯s actually ¡®yes way,¡¯¡± Ranger said.


    The knight¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I myself have seen themander¡¯s traces,¡± Ranger continued.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± The Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s knights¡¯ jaws dropped. Some knights even shed tears. It had been way over three years¡ªno, it had been almost four years if they considered how their realmander had been used of high treason and hunted down. How many hardships had the knights gone through in the meantime? In fact, some knights had secretly resented themander.


    Of course, most of those knights had already left and joined the other battalions, but the other knights had silently stayed in the Auxiliary Battalion. In some ways, they were the true knights of the Auxiliary Battalion, so it was only natural that they were filled with emotion.


    ¡°¡­There are less than one hundred knights even if we count both the Eleventh and Twelfth Battalion¡¯s knights,¡± Steven quietly said; he was one of the Eleventh Battalion Knights and the first to recover from the shock. There were one hundred knights in one battalion, so the Auxiliary Battalions were only nominally a battalion.


    ¡°That''s why I¡¯m worried,¡± Steven continued.


    Cazes quietly looked askance at Steven. The other knight looked at the floor.


    ¡°¡­Themander might be disappointed in us.¡±


    Cazes smiled slyly.


    ¡°Who do you think ourmander is?¡±


    Steven¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°There are countless heroes who left their names in the history of the continent, but he¡¯s at the zenith of those heroes. Ourmander is the Hero King.¡°


    Silence fell upon the room as they processed Cazes¡¯s words.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Here and there, the knights gasped in astonishment.


    One of the knights suddenly held up his sword and fervently shouted.


    ¡°¡­Ah, ahhhhhh!¡±


    However, that was just the beginning.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Almost a hundred knights roared, shaking the ground and sky. Cazes¡¯s smile deepened the longer their celebration stretched.


    ¡°¡­Wait!¡± Ranger shouted, but the knights were not listening


    ¡°Ourmander ising back!¡±


    ¡°Wait a moment, you bastards!¡± Ranger yelled using his mana.


    The knights simultaneously turned in Ranger¡¯s direction discontentedly, their eyes silently asking why Ranger had to ruin the moment.


    ¡°Tov has something to say!¡± Ranger said and pointed somewhere.


    The battalion headquarters¡¯s door had been opened wide, and another knight was standing beside the door, baffled.


    ¡°Umm¡­ I don¡¯t know why you all are doing that, but I have big news.¡±


    ¡°Tov! You won¡¯t think of it as big news anymore once you hear our news!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just big news. Hahaha!¡±


    Tov ignored them. Before the knights could break into another uproarious celebration, he shouted at the top of his lungs:


    ¡°Exactly one week from today, Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle is going to take ce! And¡­¡± Tov trailed off for a moment before resuming. ¡°The next emperor has been decided internally!¡±


    The inside of the headquarters turned as quiet as the grave. The knights were stunned by the unexpected news.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    * * *


    The Military Advisor Duke Zegar tun Reye visited the Kir Pce, also known as the First Prince¡¯s Pce, to make his report.


    ¡°This year¡¯s Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle is going to be a tournament.¡±


    ¡°A tournament?¡± the First Prince Kiser asked, tilting his head in confusion, from atop his seat in the reception room.


    ¡°We¡¯re using the method of the Masters'' Battle since it¡¯s the first time Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle is being opened to the public in the long history of the continent,¡± Zegar exined.


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard¡­ each battalion will be going through group battles too,¡± Kiser mentioned.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zegar nodded with a heavy heart. ¡°The Second Prince, His Highness Kaizen, was very insistent, so¡­¡±


    ¡°Kaizen did?¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    Zegar smiled and began to tell a shocking story.


    ¡°It¡¯s because Duke Tremblin dered his support for you, Your Highness. The Empire¡¯s nobility are already praising you and calling you the next emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­It hasn¡¯t been confirmed yet,¡± Kiser replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Zegar continued to smile.


    After he had reappeared, <em>the</em> Sword Emperor had dered his support of the First Prince. Whatever his reasons were, the winner of the battle for session had already been decided.


    ¡°Why do you think Kaizen insists on having group battles?¡± Kiser asked.


    Zegar broke away from his thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming he wants this group battle to be his game changer,¡± he replied.


    ¡°By game changer, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°His Highness is thinking that he¡¯ll be able to change not only Duke Tremblin¡¯s mind but also other nobles¡¯ if his knights win in the group battle,'''' Zegar hypothesized.


    Kiser pondered that for a moment.


    ¡°This Battle is going to be public, an unprecedented event¡­ so he¡¯ll be able to turn the tide around if his knights acquire victory before the eyes of everyone on this continent?¡±


    Zegar nodded. ¡°Your assumption is right, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kiser groaned.


    ¡°Are you worried, by any chance?¡± Zegar asked.


    ¡°¡­Nothing is absolute in this world.¡± Kiser donned a slight, discontented frown.


    The Imperial Knight Order had twelve battalions¡ªno, eleven battalions because the Reserve Battalion had been merged into one¡ªand each battalion was going to fight against another battalion, flying the g of the prince they supported. The First, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Eighth Battalions were currently supporting Kiser. On the other hand, the Second, Sixth, Seventh, Ninth, and Tenth Battalions showed their support for Kaizen.


    If Kiser only considered which battalions supported him, his knights¡¯ abilities were significantly higher, but Kiser was careful, meaning his current assets weren''t enough to put his mind at ease. On top of that, this three-year civil war would be decided by the result of this Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.


    Zegar shook his head.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Kiser tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°You can leave the matter to me,¡± Zegar mumbled. His smile deepened, making Kiser quiet.


    ¡°But¡­ what will you do with the Eleventh Battalion Knights?¡± he cautiously asked.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes turned uncharacteristically cold.


    ¡°There is something that I¡¯ve realized again and again over the past three years.¡±


    ¡°¡­I beg your pardon?¡± Zegar asked.


    ¡°In politics, respect is a useless piece of trash. If they have no intention of joining our side¡­ then I¡¯ll have to eliminate the potential source of trouble.¡±


    Kiser leaned against his chair.


    ¡°That¡¯s an excellent decision, Your Highness,¡± Zegar said with a contented smile. ¡°You have to root out the source so it can never be a problem. I¡¯ll prepare ordingly, then. ¡±


    With the conversation finished, Zegar stood up from his seat.


    ¡°Are you leaving already? Why don¡¯t we dine together since you¡¯ve alreadye all this way?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I can.¡± Zegar shook his head. ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t have enough time to prepare everything even if I get moving now¡­¡±


    Kiser seemed disappointed.


    ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    Zegar bowed and bid his farewells to the Prince.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the colosseum where the Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle will take ce a weekter, Your Highness.¡±


    * * *


    After finishing a little act in the pce, Cain, Icarus, and the others were in a shabby inn on the outskirts of Arcadia.


    ¡°It feels like things have gotten out of hand,¡± Cain muttered.


    ¡°Wait, get away from me first before you talk any further,¡± Icarus interrupted and pushed Cain away. ¡°It¡¯s really cramped in here!¡±


    Cain shrugged. ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have any other choice. This room is for one person and yet four people are inside it¡­¡±


    ¡°Phew.¡± Icarus massaged her temple. ¡°So, as a person who made things get out of hand, do you have any countermeasures? If anyone notices the true identity of the doppelganger when it participates in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, because I have a n.¡± Cain pounded his chest confidently.


    That made Icarus instantly narrow her eyes.


    ¡°Out of everything I¡¯ve heard today, that was the most untrustworthy¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll make sure I¡¯ll at least take responsibility for your life, Icarus,¡± Cain assured her. She snorted.


    ¡°No, thank you.¡±


    After quietly watching their conversation for a while, Lilith joined in.


    ¡°A doppelganger is known to not only copy one¡¯s appearance but also one¡¯s abilities, so we won¡¯t have much problem if the doppelganger can move as skillfully as Joshua¡­¡±


    Despite that, Lilith looked worried.


    ¡°Two things are bugging me,¡± she said.


    ¡°Two things?¡± Icarus repeated.


    ¡°First of all, a doppelganger can¡¯t speak; second, the doppelganger¡¯s copied ability and appearance don''t change from the time that they were copied,¡± Lilith exined.


    Icarus nodded with a heavy heart; she had expected these issues to some degree.


    ¡°I admit that, unlike someone, my master is normally quiet¡­ but not enough so to put our minds at ease. The ones with sharp eyes will notice that something is up in no time.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about me when you say ¡®someone¡¯, are you?¡± Cain interrupted.


    ¡°On top of that¡­¡± Icarus continued,pletely ignoring Cain. She looked at Lilith. ¡°You said ¡®from the time that they were copied¡¯, so that means that the doppelganger has the abilities of my master from three years ago, right?¡±


    Lilith nodded. ¡°I guess so?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that after this technique called materialization was created, it made a great difference between ordinary knights and the knights that had learned the technique. The same goes for the knights of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    Cain chuckled. ¡°I understand what you¡¯re thinking¡­ but you¡¯re worrying about useless stuff.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Have you forgotten already? Our master already became a Superhuman like me way over three years ago,¡± Cain reminded Icarus. She shut her mouth.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me to imagine our monstrous master losing to someone,¡± he finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Icarus trailed off.


    ¡°In the current Avalon Empire¡­¡± Cain¡¯s face turned a bit serious. ¡°¡­nothing unusual will happen unless the Sword Emperor Duke Tremblin himself takes action.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Icarus gently eximed. ¡°Come to think of it¡­ I was really surprised because I didn¡¯t expect the Sword Emperor to show up at a time like this.¡±


    ¡°That would mean our rea¡¯ master is close by,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°You know how he causes all kinds of troubles and idents wherever he goes? It¡¯s like the world revolves around him.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t deny that.¡± Icarus chuckled.


    ¡°And about the doppelganger¡¯s appearance¡­¡± Cain¡¯s eyes shone for a moment. ¡°I have a solution for that.¡±


    ¡°Stop stopping and tell us already,¡± Icarus urged.


    Cain grinned. ¡°We already know the best expert in creating artifacts.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes widened in realization.


    ¡°This is exciting. I¡¯ll be able to hear that ice witchdy¡¯s voice soon,¡± Cain muttered with inexplicable excitement.


    1. The raw is ??? ?? ?? ??(You can eat age too). This is Korean wordy. If literally tranted, Koreans say they eat age, so yup. If you eat too much age, then you can go senile. ?

 Chapter 320

    Chapter 320


    After a week, the door to the colosseum in Arcadia was opened wide for the first time in a long time. Although the colosseum was big enough to fit thousands of people at minimum, there were so many spectators inside the colosseum that there were no empty seats.


    ¡°Woahhh!!!!¡±


    The spectators¡¯ roars filled the sky. The excitement for the potential end of the sickeningly long civil war made everyone in the colosseum feel like they were in a festival. Since Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle was essentially a method for the Imperial Knights to get promoted, it had never taken ce in public¡­ until now because the Imperial Family was trying to mollify the citizens¡¯ nervousness.


    Kiser sat on one of the highest seats in the colosseum, giving him the best view of the battles in the colosseum.


    ¡°Who¡¯ll be battling first?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We gave the opportunity to the criminals, Your Highness,¡± the military advisor Zegar reported.


    Kiser tilted his head. ¡°Because?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because the first battle is mostly considered the opening battle,¡± Zegar exined. ¡°Since we¡¯ve decided to do this Battle in public, wouldn¡¯t it be good to hear their excuses when the spectators are giving it their fullest attention?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re trying to test him,¡± Kiser mumbled.


    Zegar smiled subtly.


    ¡°The criminal will have to appear in order for this to happen.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he won¡¯t show up?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°Quite the opposite, actually.¡± Zegar¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin has shown up and is standing behind you now, so there is no reason for him to not appear if he¡¯s really alive since he would want to clear his name. He¡¯s charged with none other than the crimes of abandoning his dying father and foul ck magic, isn¡¯t he?¡± Zegar shrugged.


    Duke Tremblin, who was standing behind them, still didn¡¯t move an inch.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Kiser trailed off.


    Zegar nodded. ¡°A man who is nominally the Hero King is useless; we need to verify if he¡¯s still as strong as before and if the rumor about what happened at the Great in of Kraden is true.¡±


    ¡°¡­When you talk about the rumor, you also mean Joshua sustained an unrecoverable injury, right?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ªthat is why the opening battle is going to be a stage for Joshua Sanders. To refute the usations, he¡¯ll have to prove that he¡¯s as strong as ever before the eyes of the citizens of the Avalon Empire without using demonic power. If he fails even one of them¡­ the stage will immediately turn into a public execution made just for him,¡± Zegar coldly finished.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s very thorough,¡± Kiser quietly muttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s my job,¡± Zegar answered with a wide smile.


    ¡°Who is his opponent?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Zegar tiptoed around Kiser¡¯s question a bit for some reason and chose his words carefully. ¡°¡­we normally have these battles to promote knights or allow knights to join the order, but we¡¯re doing a test for a battalionmander who wants to be reinstated. Thus, we took volunteers¡­¡±


    Zegar¡¯s uncharacteristic hesitation piqued Kiser¡¯s curiosity.


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°To sum up, there are three volunteers, Your Highness,¡± Zegar reported.


    ¡°There are three?¡± Kiser repeated. He was surprised¡ªthere were not many people who could work up the courage to challenge the man known as the Hero King.


    ¡°You should be quite familiar with all the three volunteers, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kiser said with a nod. ¡°So who are they?¡±


    ¡°The first volunteer is Knight Commander Rod, the man who leads the Imperial Knights and is also known as the Lord of Knights¡­¡±


    Kiser had expected Rod to do so, so his calm was undisturbed.


    ¡°The second volunteer is Marquess Arie bron Sten, whom I¡¯ve told you to always be careful around, Your Highness.¡± Zegar shrugged.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kiser nodded again.


    ¡°Thest volunteer is¡­¡± Zegar trailed off.


    Someone else interrupted:


    ¡°If those two are defeated, then I myself will be going up against him.¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened. The voice hade from behind him.


    ¡°You will be fighting, Sword Emperor¡­?¡±


    * * *


    Inside the waiting room of the colosseum, the crowd¡¯s roar told Icarus that things had already heated up outside.


    ¡°Wo!!!!!!¡±


    Icarus looked faintly anxious.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t theying?¡±


    Coincidentally, the waiting room¡¯s door opened right then. Cain entered, and Icarus¡¯s attention was on him right away.


    ¡°How can you also bete on a day like this?¡± Icarus shrieked.


    ¡°Hm¡­ Well¡­¡± Cain scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°Forget it! How did contacting her turn out?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t¡­ get a hold of her¡­¡±


    ¡°O-oh, my god¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You said you¡¯d take care of the artifact!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It seems she¡¯s really busy. Come to think of it, I¡¯ve thought too lightly of talking to the famous Seven Mages,¡± Cain said with a nod.


    ¡°Have you realized that now?!¡± Icarus shouted, her face reddened with anger.


    ¡°You know¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do now? It¡¯s our master¡¯s turn soon¡­! Yes, we have a doppelganger on our side, but he can¡¯t look the same as he did three years ago when he appears in front of the crowd!¡± Icarus yelled in frustration.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. He was much more mature than a man of his age at that time,¡± Cain reassured her.


    ¡°Are you seriously¡­!¡± Icarus gritted her teeth.


    ¡°¡­We have a much bigger problem now.¡±


    Icarus seemed to turn into stone, suspending her incessant snapping.


    ¡°A¡­ bigger problem?¡±


    Icarus looked very nervous because when this simple man said they had a problem, it was never an ordinary problem.


    ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± she stuttered.


    ¡°¡­The doppelganger, the fucking spear¡­¡± Cain clenched his teeth. ¡°Everything is gone.¡±


    Icarus gaped nkly at Cain for a moment, unable to understand what Cain meant.


    ¡°Whattttt?!¡±


    ¡°Woah, woah, let¡¯s calm down a little. The Silver-eyed Ghost Sword and Christian are looking around everywhere and asking everyone, so they¡¯ll probably contact¡ª


    ¡°Shu-shut up!¡± Icarus screamed.


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± Cain solemnly answered, and immediately fixed his posture.


    ¡°He was definitely beside you until dawn!¡± Icarus fervently shouted. ¡°You swore you¡¯d bring him, so how¡ª?¡±


    ¡°He went missing when I went to the bathroom for a moment¡­ I¡¯m really sorry¡­¡± Cain looked at the ground.


    ¡°¡­Now is not the time.¡± Icarus clenched her fists determinedly. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit around and wait. The battle is going to start soon! We shoulde up with a n B as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°By n B¡­¡± Cain carefully asked.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?!¡± Icarus shouted, pulling on her hair. ¡°We should be trying to find the best escape route right now!¡±


    ¡°E-escape?¡± Cain was baffled. ¡°Hey, Icarus, you may not be aware of this, but there are Avalon nobles, half of Arcadia¡¯s citizens, and three princes in this colosseum. I don¡¯t know all the details, but if I had to pick the ce with the highest security within the Empire right now¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what are you suggesting we do?!¡± Icarus helplessly shrieked.


    All their ns had gone awry, and both Cain and Icarus were in a panic. At that moment, someone used an artifact to shout thunderously to all the spectators in the colosseum.


    ¡°We¡¯ll begin the unprecedented public Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle now!¡±


    ¡°Woaaaaahhh!!!¡± the spectators yelled in reply, loud enough for Cain and Icarus to hear it.


    ¡°Before we begin, I would like to sincerely express my gratitude to His Highnesses for making such a decision,¡± the host said.


    ¡°Woahhh!!¡±


    The host¡¯stest remark was met by noticeably quieter cheers. The three princes were the cause of this civil war, so how could the citizens thank the princes? The urate statement would be that they resented the princes. In many ways, the host¡¯s remark seemed absurd to the Empire¡¯s citizens. The host felt the crowd¡¯s mood shifting and quickly continued, ¡°The first battle will now start for the broken-hearted citizens of the Empire! The contender is¡­ don¡¯t be surprised! The youngest Master of the Avalon Empire¡ªno, the continent! The zenith of countless heroes!¡±


    ¡°Woooaaahhhh!!!!!¡±


    Even before the host could finish introducing the contender, the spectators shouted iparably louder than before. They didn¡¯t even need further exnation. Although he might be an eyesore to the Imperial Family, he was already a hero to ordinary citizens.


    ¡°Hooray for the Hero King!¡±


    ¡°Hurrah for Duke Tremblin too!¡±


    ¡°Two heroes came forward for the Empire in its crisis!¡±


    The two men had been missing until now, so their reappearance caused a great stir.


    ¡°Well, shit¡­ I have no other choice.¡± Cain shook his head.


    He had been sticking his head out through the window of the waiting room on the second floor to observe the mood inside the colosseum. After a moment, he had a feeling that he and Icarus were stuck between a rock and a hard ce, so he pulled out something.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing?¡± Icarus asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Do we have any other choice?¡± Cain shrugged and put on a robe that only mages would use. ¡°If I also put on a mask¡­¡±


    ¡°W-wait¡­¡± Icarus hesitated.


    ¡°We have that white spear they called Hertonya¡¯s masterpiece in our subspace magic pocket, right?¡± Cain asked.


    Icarus¡¯s suspicion turned into conviction, making her gape nkly at Cain. Meanwhile, Cain looked around Icarus¡¯s waist and snatched a small pocket from her.


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re not going to do what I¡¯m thinking, are you?¡± Icarus asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°Our heights and physiques are simr, so I¡¯ll be able to fool them for a while.¡± Although Icarus wasn¡¯t sure when Cain had pulled it out, he had already put on a ck lion mask when he looked back at Icarus.


    ¡°Get as far away from Arcadia as possible while I stall them.¡±


    ¡°Are you crazy?!¡± Icarus shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this because I¡¯m not,¡± he refuted.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even know how to use a spear!¡± Icarus shouted, frantically waving her arms.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he reassured her. ¡°I learned a couple of basic techniques over our master¡¯s shoulders.¡±


    Icarus shook her head. ¡°There is no way that will be enough to fool¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time,¡± Cain said. He winked from behind the mask, stymying Icarus¡¯s protest. ¡°I¡¯ll see you alive.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡± Icarus looked like she was going to cry.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Cain looked away from Icarus and was about to jump down to the first floor of the colosseum.


    ¡°Woaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!¡±


    ¡°The Hero King! The Hero King! The Hero King!¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    The spectators roared earsplittingly loud again, making Cain¡¯s eyes widen. He quickly approached the second-floor balustrade and looked down.


    ¡°Wh-what? That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Icarus also stood beside Cain and boggled at the arena floor. There was someone with the familiar deep blue hair standing in the center of the colosseum with his back turned to the pair.


    ¡°Who am I going up against?¡± the person asked with a low, sonorous voice.


    Although the man wasn¡¯t holding his trademark red spear, Cain and Icarus had no trouble figuring out who the man was.


    ¡°What? He was there?¡± Cain heaved a sigh of relief as he took off his mask.


    Icarus, on the other hand, noticed something odd.


    ¡°But something is¡­ ¡°He¡¯s far away from us, but he seems different than yesterday¡­¡± she mused.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Cain examined the man as well and tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Wait¡­ Can a doppelganger speak?¡±

 Chapter 321

    Chapter 321


    ¡°You¡¯re really¡­ Joshua Sanders?¡± The First Prince Kiser gaped at him disbelievingly.


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me!¡± Kaizen fiercely growled after he sprang up from his seat.


    ¡°¡­Ha!¡± Kaiser looked strangely happy for some reason. ¡°He¡¯s indeed the real deal.¡±


    In contrast to the princes, the citizens of the Empire were¡­


    ¡°The Hero King! The Hero King!¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Woah, is this real? The Dark God¡¯s blood has shown up after the Sword Emperor!¡±


    Some spectators said, ¡°A traitor dared to show up here?¡± but there were very few of them. In difficult times, heroes were created and they were essential to sess. The current Avalon Empire was crumbling down, so the Empire''s citizens needed a hero more than anyone else. So when the zenith of the heroes showed up as their ally, the spectators were ted.


    ¡°Oh my goddd!!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Hooray for the princes! Hurrah for the Hero King!¡±


    ¡°Hooray for the Sword Emperor too!¡±


    The Avalon Empire had lost the war, and as citizens of the Empire, their lives had be devastated. However, the civil war was about to end. On top of that, the two legendary figures happened to reappear, sparking the hope hidden inside the popce¡¯s hearts. When the spectators themselves were about to be deafened by their roar, two men jumped down to the floor of the colosseum.


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t believe my eyes. I¡¯m really shocked. Wait, you¡¯re not fake by any chance, are you?¡± Knight-Commander Rod, the middle-aged man with a mustache and full golden te armor, asked.


    Joshua smiled softly. ¡°I¡¯m also shocked.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Rod narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I thought you already retired and gave up the post to Battalion Commander Valmont,¡± Joshua said.


    Rod silently scanned Joshua for a long moment.


    ¡°The world didn¡¯t leave me alone,¡± he replied.


    ¡°That sounds like a line from a novel.¡± Joshua quietly chuckled.


    ¡°Time also changed me,¡± Rod said with a shrug. ¡°You know the saying about how you be uselessly sentimental as you age, right?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like that¡¯s the only change,¡± Joshua observed.


    Rod flinched; it looked like he wasn¡¯t the only one who had been observing his opponent¡ªbut the problem was that Rod hadn¡¯t even noticed it.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s really you. You¡¯ve be even more of a monster,¡± Rod marveled with genuine appreciation, but his eyes soon turned cold. He had even drawn up his power to make a close observation of Joshua¡¯s insides, but Rod could feel nothing. It was as if Joshua didn¡¯t exist there, which could only mean one thing.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s way past my level. Was the rumor about a critical injurypletely false?¡¯ </em>Rod narrowed his eyes.


    Rod broke away from his thoughts and slowly drew his swords. It was too early to be disappointed and give up. Just like Joshua had noticed, Rod hadn¡¯t used his new power yet.


    ¡°Valmont says he won¡¯t take over my post until the person he¡¯s waiting for returns,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite carefree in times like this,¡± Joshuamented.


    ¡°Well¡­ that doesn¡¯t seem to be the case if I consider how thatzy boy has been swinging his sword until his palmprints disappear.¡± Rod chuckled.


    Joshua smiled. ¡°You adore him, don¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Rod curtly replied. He drew up his power again. ¡°We¡¯ve had enough conversation, haven¡¯t we?¡±


    His power began to make the air hum.


    ¡°You¡¯d better overwhelm me with your skills in this fight because even the man beside me desperately wants to annihte you right now.¡± Rod nced to his side.


    ¡°Kekekekeke.¡± The one-armed Arie, whom Rod had nced at, chuckled ominously. ¡°I¡¯ve been acting polite to save your face, but I can¡¯t hold it back anymore. Joshua, he¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­He hasn''t changed.¡± Joshua took a step backward, frowning slightly.


    ¡°Prepare. You may know this already, but I¡¯ve changed quite a lot,¡± Rod warned him.


    Vigorous golden mana spread out from Rod and took on the faint shape of a gigantic shield.


    ¡°Now even the Knight-Commander is using a cheap trick¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Rod asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Well, there were many cheap tricks like this in the annihted heaven too¡­¡± Joshua muttered and lowered his arms.


    Rod could not make heads nor tails of his words.


    ¡°Although cheap tricks could indeed be powerful from time to time, they might be toxic depending on how you use them. If you have made such a choice to ovee your limitations¡­ then I¡¯m really disappointed in you, Knight-Commander Rod.¡±


    ¡°I told you to stop chitchatting!¡± Arie shrieked. He flew at Joshua, no longer caring about the fact that he was supposed to fight after Joshua had defeated Rod.


    Arie¡¯s aura quickly formed into the shape of a clown who continuously juggled sharp-edged daggers. The daggers flew in one direction, aimed precisely at Joshua.


    One of the daggers cut across the sky with a loud <em>swish</em>. At first, it was only one dagger flying through the air, but then it split into two. In a sh, there were dozens of them; when the daggers were right before Joshua, there were hundreds. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of Arie¡¯s attack.


    Joshua had been dodging the daggers one by one with the barest minimum of movements, then he tilted his head backward. He saw a white afterimage sh before his eyes; Arie had thrust his rapier using his one remaining arm with vicious murderous intent.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Although he had failed to attack Joshua, Arie burst intoughter. ¡°Die!¡±


    At the same time, the daggers flying around in the air poured down like rain toward Joshua while he was still leaning backward.


    Arie¡¯s eyes bulged because he could see Joshua putting his hands down on the ground. With that kind of posture, Joshua would never be able to stop the pouring rain of the daggers, so what was he thinking?


    ¡°Step back!¡± Rod yelled.


    As soon as Arie heard Rod, he instantly leaped far backward on pure instinct.


    The rain of the aura daggers poured down¡­ on the spot where Arie had been. A lengthy drumroll of ear-splitting explosions rattled the air, and thend before Arie was pockmarked with craters. Despite it all, Arie couldn¡¯t keep his eyes off Joshua.


    ¡°That monster¡­¡± Arie stuck out his red tongue and licked his lips as he watched Joshua continue to spin his legs like a windmill.


    Upon encountering the unavoidable and unstoppable attack, Joshua had chosen a truly unbelievable method; to redirect his opponent¡¯s attack back to him. Joshua¡¯s move made Arie feel a phantom aching in his missing arm.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I like him. Kekekeke.¡±


    Rod stepped up next to Arie.


    ¡°We¡¯ll have to deal with him together,¡± Rod said.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll ept such an offer?¡± Arie growled. Rod did not reply.


    Although Rod¡¯s title was lower than Arie¡¯s, Rod was older and held a position that was just as high-ranking as Arie¡¯s. However, Arie had already lost hisposure, so there was no way the Marquis could remain polite.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡± Arie shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± Rod clicked his tongue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll y you first if you get in my way.¡± Arie unleashed his murderous intent on Rod.


    Rod¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You¡¯re seriously¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Master!¡± a man yelled.


    Rod was going to roar in anger, but hearing the man¡¯s voice made him flinch.


    ¡°Take your spear!¡± the man shouted from the seat closest to the colosseum¡¯s stage.


    Rod turned to look.


    ¡°Cain de Harry¡­?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Be careful because I¡¯m angry and I might throw it harder than I mean to!¡±


    Rod¡¯s eyes widened.


    The man pulled back the arm holding the spear as far back as he could, as if he were throwing a javelin.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Rod mumbled.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let that happen!¡± Arie immediately sprang forward as he was more furious than intrigued by Joshua. Arie knew better than anyone else how much stronger that fucking spear made Joshua, but he was toote.


    Joshua smiled after grabbing Hertonia¡¯s spear because it felt <em>right</em>.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Joshua muttered, troubled. Cain had thrown it so hard that the entire spear was still shaking in his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be recorded in history as a master who got killed by his subordinate.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice was quite loud, so Icarus came next to Cain and shouted, ¡°Then you should have been better!¡±


    Despite Icarus¡¯ harsh remark, her eyes were teary as if she was going to cry any second.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s good.¡± Joshua smiled faintly.


    Was he talking about the reunion with his subordinates? Or was he talking about howfortable he was with the spear he was holding? Joshua quietly chuckled and pointed at not his two opponents, but at the top seats of the colosseum.


    ¡°Wh-what is he doing¡­?¡±


    The sudden turn of the fight made the spectators begin to murmur among themselves. The three princes, the subject of Joshua¡¯s attention, gaped nkly at the spearman. Although Arie was violently enraged and looked ready to fly at Joshua at any moment, he came to a halt, allowing Joshua to speak at his leisure.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t returned to thisnd to be your puppet¡­¡± Joshua trailed off for a moment before infusing mana into his voice and dering to the world:


    ¡°...I¡¯ve returned to be the emperor of the Avalon Empire.¡±

 Chapter 322

    Chapter 322


    A suffocating silence fell upon the thousands-strong crowd packed into the colosseum. It was so quiet that the sound of a person swallowing their saliva was thunderously loud.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± The hot-tempered Second Prince Kaizen violently thrust his finger at Joshua. But of course, his reaction was understandable. Joshua was wanted for high treason; he should have immediately kneeled and made excuses, and even that might not have been enough to keep him from being executed. However, Joshua dered that he was going to be the emperor¡ªbut that was just the beginning.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s going to be the emperor?¡±


    ¡°He must be crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°Did he just openly dere that he¡¯s going to start a coup? Oh my god.¡±


    The spectators¡¯ murmurings got louder and louder. Meanwhile, Joshua stood firmly upright in the center of the colosseum, quietly staring at the top seats of the colosseum.


    Joshua heard a low chuckling.


    ¡°Kekekekeke¡­ You¡¯re still the same. You¡¯re so interesting that I¡¯m getting goosebumps,¡± Arie said, licking the de of his rapier. Then he turned away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit it,¡± Arie said, shockingly. Arie, the prideful Superhuman and the most unique maverick in the Empire, voluntarily admitted defeat to the man who made him lose his arm.


    ¡°What are you saying?! Marquess Arie!¡± Knight-Commander Rod instantly roared. ¡°He¡¯s a rebel who is trying to overthrow our country! He just dered that he¡¯s going tomit treason!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Arie shrugged.


    ¡°What¡­!¡± Rod couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing.


    ¡°If you have a problem with that, why don¡¯t you subdue him yourself?¡± Arie suggested.


    The Knight-Commander¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°¡­What did you say?!¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll be possible though,¡± Arie said with a smirk.


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± Rod growled.


    Although Rod cursed at Arie, the Marquess paid zero attention to him and fixed his eyes on Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep watching you, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡­¡± Joshua finally broke his silence. ¡°...I didn¡¯t forget about your advice.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Arie¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Kekeke, I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±


    Only Joshua and Arie knew what they were talking about. After licking his lips once more, Arie jumped off the stage. In the meantime, there was another group of people who had been watching the two.


    ¡°¡­Is he really our master?¡± Cain nkly mumbled. He was frozen up like an ice sculpture.


    Icarus nodded.


    ¡°I think he is.¡±


    ¡°Or is there a possibility that that crazy doppelganger is acting right now?¡± Cain asked in disbelief.


    ¡°We can¡¯tpletely rule out the possibility¡­ but I still think it¡¯s our master,¡± Icarus confidently affirmed.


    Cain swiftly turned his head to Icarus.


    ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s exactly the same as our master as I remember him. He starts trouble first and takes care of itter. On top of that, he scares the life out of us using all sorts of methods.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cain nodded immediately. He could understand Icarus¡¯s reasoning.


    ¡°What are the Imperial Knights waiting for?¡± Kaizen shouted when he recovered from the shock of Joshua¡¯s appearance. ¡°He¡¯s a criminal! He dered that he¡¯s going tomit high treason before thousands of citizens of the Empire! Arrest him right¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Joshua interrupted with a mana-empowered shout. ¡°Wasn¡¯t this asion about acknowledging the death of Emperor Marcus ben Britten and selecting the next emperor in order to stabilize the country as soon as possible?¡±


    A storm of shock hit the spectators inside the colosseum.


    ¡°W-was it?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ then did His Majesty really pass away?¡±


    ¡°Well, it has already been over three years¡­¡±


    ¡°But still, how is it rted to him dering that he¡¯ll be the emperor?¡±


    ¡°No matter how hard I think about it, I think he¡¯s just crazy¡­¡±


    ¡°How is any of that rted to you?¡± Kaizen asked on behalf of the spectators.


    ¡°Of course it is,¡± Joshua said with a nod.


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m also a candidate for the throne. I carry the Britten blood, so I also want topete for the throne in a way that won''t cause any controversies in the future!¡± Joshua dered.


    Kaizen and the First Prince Kiser, who had been watching the conversation beside Kaizen, boggled at Joshua.


    ¡°Wh-what bullshit are you talking about¡­!¡± Kazien clenched his teeth.


    ¡°My mother was a member of the Imperial Family,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Kaizen¡¯s breath caught mid-curse due to shock and confusion.


    ¡°Before she became Lucia von Agnus¡­¡± Joshua took one step forward. ¡°...my mother¡¯s name was ¡®Asiru ben Britten¡¯.¡±


    Joshua moved one more step forward.


    ¡°I am her son, so no one can deny the fact that I also have a right to inherit the throne.¡± He arrived right before the top seats and stared up with shining eyes. ¡°Therefore, I, Joshua Sander, officially challenge the princes for the throne.¡±


    A silence fell upon the colosseum as everyone inside shut their mouths. At this point, some were having goosebumps. They wondered if Joshua hadn''t inherited the Ducal Family of Agnus for this moment.


    The ordinary citizens, who didn¡¯t know the full story, were confused. It was understandable since even the numerous nobles were bewildered as they had no method to authenticate Joshua¡¯s im right now. Only two people maintained theirposure as they were watching the situation.


    Kiser discovered one of them.


    ¡°There is no way that he¡¯d lie here since his lie would easily be caught,¡± he noted. Kiser quickly turned his head. ¡°Duke Tremblin.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin answered.


    ¡°Did you know about this?¡± Kiser asked. ¡°You¡¯ve been His Majesty¡¯s closest aide.¡±


    Tremblin was silent for a moment before concisely replying, ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Kiser groaned quietly.


    ¡°¡­Is he truly¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Kaizen shouted. ¡°I¡¯ve been living in the pce for quite a long time, but I¡¯ve never heard of the name Asiru! So¡ª¡±


    Tremblin nodded. ¡°Of course, you haven¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°It happened before you were born, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin informed him.


    Tremblin began toy the story that only he, a living witness, could tell:


    ¡°Dozens of years ago, there was also a dispute about who would inherit the throne. Due to the dispute, a bloodbath took ce in the pce. There was a certain beautiful princess, the most beautiful in the world. Her eyes were as brilliant as emeralds, and she was loved by everyone in the pce¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait¡­!¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes slowly widened as he remembered something. ¡°When Father was a prince¡­? Hold on, but she¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Tremblin nodded. ¡°She was thought to be deceased.¡±


    Kiser shook like he¡¯d been struck by lightning and groaned. ¡°The misfortune princess¡­ Asiru ben Britten!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, brother!¡± Kaizen furiously yelled. ¡°This isn¡¯t your first day in politics! Even if you know something, you pretend you don¡¯t know it, and vice versa. His story might really be true, but we shouldn¡¯t react like that!¡±


    ¡°¡­Kaizen,¡± Kiser quietly said.


    ¡°Shut it!¡± Kaizen raised his hand. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it¡ª!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s our aunt.¡± Kiser shut his eyes.


    Kaizen shut his mouth as if he¡¯d never spoken in the first ce.


    ¡°She¡¯s the one and only sister of His Majesty Marcus ben Britten, the son of a concubine,¡± Tremblin bitterly continued. ¡°I thought she passed away, but she became the Dark God¡¯s wife and the mother of the man who is known as the Hero King by the people on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Kaizen unwittingly cursed. Yes, the Imperial Family tended to have a messed up family tree, but this was too much.


    ¡°Brother Kiser.¡± Kaiser had been carefully observing the situation and now approached his brother. ¡°Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Now is really the time when we should join forces.¡± Kaiser smiled lightly.


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡± Kiser nkly mumbled.


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Kaiser dered with shining eyes.


    ¡°An idea?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you an emperor, brother,¡± Kaiser whispered to Kiser.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Will you trust me on this?¡± Kaiser asked.


    Like most firstborns, Kiser was cautious.


    ¡°¡­What do you want from me?¡±


    Kaiser smiled.


    ¡°The seat of the second inmand is enough.¡±


    Kiser was silent for a while.


    ¡°If you can really make it happen¡­¡± he eventually replied, ¡°then that would be good.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡± Kaiser stood up from his seat with a wide smile.


    ¡°I, Kaiser ben Britten, will answer your request on behalf of the three of us!¡± Kaiser¡¯s earsplitting voice echoed throughout the colosseum, attracting all the spectators'' attention. However, no one expected his words.


    ¡°If your im is true,¡± Kaiser continued, ¡°then it¡¯s true that you have the right to inherit the throne!¡±


    The spectators murmured among themselves.


    ¡°Kaiser, you bastard!¡± Kaizen furiously began.


    ¡°But!¡± Kaiser continued before Kaizen could interrupt, ¡°There is one thing you¡¯re mistaken about. Unlike what you think, the ugly fight between us has alreadye to an end!¡±


    Kaiser pulled out something from his inner pocket and confidently held it out.


    ¡°The symbol of His Majesty is right here in my hands!¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s!¡±


    The spectators and nobles¡¯ eyes bulged as they gazed upon a brilliant, rectangr sculpting of a dragon. Kaiser was definitely holding up the imperial seal that symbolized the Emperor of Avalon.


    ¡°It¡¯s the i-imperial seal?¡±


    ¡°What?! If that¡¯s true, then there was nothing to argue about from the start.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­¡±


    ¡°The Hero King was chasing a wild goose¡­¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s smile widened as the people¡¯s murmurs washed over him.


    ¡°His Majesty has already left hisst words about who will inherit his throne. So are you still going to talk about your right to the throne?¡±


    ¡°Woaahhhhh!!!!!!!!¡±


    The spectators were no longer shocked about the revealed story, and they were excited more than ever. The civil war had officiallye to an end, which meant that the citizens of the Avalon Empire no longer had to suffer. They were thrilled.


    Meanwhile, Tremblin was the only one who remained nonchnt throughout the whole situation.


    ¡°Oh, what shall I do?¡± Joshua broke his silence with a smile.


    There was no way Kaiser could have foreseen what was going to happen.


    ¡°It looks like I also have the same thing that you¡¯re holding right now,¡± Joshua said, and shrugged.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You definitely said¡­¡± Just like Kaiser had, Joshua pulled out the imperial seal and put it on top of his spearhead. ¡°...His Majesty left hisst word about his heir, right?¡±


    After he finished speaking, Joshua spun his spear as if he was mocking Kaiser. Nevertheless, his dexterous movements meant that the imperial seal stayed fixed on top of his spear as firmly as if it were resting on t ground.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say the same thing back to you.¡±

 Chapter 323

    Chapter 323


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡± Kaiser roared. He knew there was no way that the seal he had was fake since Heimdal himself had handed him this seal.


    <em>¡®There is no way that he made a mistake¡­¡¯ </em>Kaiser thought, shivering with denial.


    ¡°Kaiser,¡± Kiser quietly said. ¡°Don¡¯t lose it right now.¡±


    ¡°Brother Kiser¡­¡± Kaiser trailed off.


    ¡°Is your seal really the original?¡± Kiser asked.


    Kaiser went quiet as he recalled that day.


    * * *


    <em>¡°Three years would be enough,¡± the man muttered. </em>


    <em>¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Kaiser tilted his head in confusion; he¡¯d just entered the secret room.</em>


    <em>¡°I mean I¡¯ve made a decision,¡± the man said, and nodded. </em>


    <em>¡°Does that mean¡­?¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes narrowed.</em>


    <em>¡°Within several days, the War God will exterminate the Ducal Family of Agnus,¡± the man dered.</em>


    <em>Kaiser goggled at him. ¡°The Du-Ducal Family of Agnus? But that¡¯s¡­¡±</em>


    <em>¡°It¡¯s enough, so I¡¯d just be greedy if I let them live any further.¡± The man shrugged. </em>


    <em>¡°Then¡­?¡± Kaiser asked cautiously. </em>


    <em>¡°Although the Second Prince¡¯s influence has weakened, the Agnus name means more than that of a mere ducal house to the nobles.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I know.¡± Kaiser nodded. </em>


    <em>¡°You¡¯ll lead the operation and earn the First Prince¡¯s trust. And¡­¡± The man trailed off and pulled out something. ¡°Put an end to everything with this.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°That- that¡¯s¡­!¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes bulged.¡°Is-isn¡¯t that the imperial seal? Heimdall, how did you get¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°The deceased¡¯s belongings don¡¯t belong to anyone anymore, do they?¡±</em>


    <em>Kaiser shivered violently as if he¡¯d been struck by lightning.</em>


    <em>The man turned Kaiser¡¯s suspicion into a conviction as he nodded.</em>


    <em>¡°Yes, I killed the emperor.¡±</em>


    * * *


    Kaiser clenched his teeth after being lost in his thoughts for a moment.


    <em>¡®Was he nning to backstab me from the start? No, I would have noticed immediately if that was the case unless his every word was a lie¡­ ¡¯</em>


    ¡°Kaiser,¡± Kiser called. ¡°Are you okay? You don¡¯t look too good¡­¡±


    ¡°It-it¡¯s okay.¡± Kaiser turned to look at Kiser, wiping the sweat off his forehead. Kiser was looking back at Kaiser with cold eyes.


    ¡°¡­Things are also turning bad for us,¡± the First Prince warned him, ¡°not just for you, so you¡¯d better answer me, Kaiser.¡±


    ¡°You idiot! You want to be sly but you¡¯re too ipetent to be sly! If you were going to be greedy, then you should have at least gotten the job done!¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°I do have some idea about what is going on,¡± Kiser suddenly said, grabbing both Kaiser¡¯s and Kaizen¡¯s attention, ¡°but¡­ it would take more than a day at least to make such an exquisite seal.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Kaiser gasped. Kiser was right: the imperial seal was engraved with the golden dragon that symbolized the Avalon Empire. The way the dragon spread its wings wide and roared at the sky was marvelously borate and beautiful as it was made by the dwarf king, the god-sent craftsman himself.


    ¡°People of power always prepare two seals just in case; an emperor wouldn''t be an exception,¡± Kiser reminded them.


    ¡°That means¡­¡± Kaiser trailed off.


    ¡°One of them is a good-looking imitation.¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    The hot-tempered Kaizen leaned forward first. ¡°Is there a way to authenticate the seal?¡±


    ¡°I once heard from Father that the imperial seal will only respond to the current emperor¡¯s mana, so we¡¯d better beat him first if we want to have it¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one way to say do not ever dream about getting the throne.¡± Kaizen shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°¡­But there is a method,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Kaizen wondered.


    ¡°Magic Tower,¡± Kiser mumbled.


    Kaizen and Kaiser boggled at him.


    ¡°They¡¯re the ones who designed the imperial seal so that it would only react to the current emperor¡¯s mana, so we can request the mages of the Magic Tower verify it. The process will take at least three days, and there is a danger of other countries finding out about our current situation¡­¡± Kiser trailed off, ncing down at the colosseum stage. Joshua had continued to spin his spear mockingly the entire time, as if showing off how rxed he was.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Since he made a big mess, it¡¯s only a matter of time before the rumor spreads.¡±


    ¡°So what do you suggest we do?¡± Kaizen asked.


    ¡°This is for the better. We have three days, so even if that child has the original¡­¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes filled with uncharacteristic murderous intent. Only a fool would need to hear the end of Kiser¡¯s sentence to understand what he meant.


    <em>¡®Brother Kiser is showing such a reaction¡­¡¯</em> Surprised, Kaizen watched Kiser re down at the colosseum stage. <em>Is it because of that girl? Yes, if he¡¯s still fond of her, </em><em>then</em><em> I can make good use of that.¡¯</em>


    Kaizen smiled slyly in his mind as he reached a decision, firmly believing that he was going to be the final victor.


    At that moment, he heard a quiet footstep, making him flinch.


    ¡°It seems like that¡¯s the only possible decision right now,¡± Tremblin said with a nod.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­?¡± Kiser murmured.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡± Tremblin, who moved from behind Kiser to stand in front of him and bowed slightly. ¡°I have the duty to find out the truth.¡±


    ¡°Th-that means¡­¡± Kiser stuttered.


    ¡°Depending on what happens in the future, I might change my decisions, but¡­ please understand that this is my only possible decision right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Wa-wait!¡± Kiser shouted.


    Before Kiser could react, Tremblin jumped down to the stage. The spectators, already suffocatingly silent due to the shock, were petrified.


    ¡°The Sw-Sword Emperor?¡±


    ¡°H-he¡¯s not trying to cut off the Hero King¡¯s head, is he?¡±


    ¡°There are so many unanswered questions, so¡­¡±


    The spectator couldn¡¯t finish their sentences¡ªTremblin¡¯s unexpected next move after hended in the center of the colosseum stage made them hold their breaths.


    ¡°What does this mean?¡±


    ¡°Shh! Be quiet! Don¡¯t you know one wrong word will cost your head in a situation like this? ¡±


    ¡°Bu-but how can I stay still when I see that¡­?¡±


    When Tremblin was five steps away from Joshua, he stopped walking and stood behind him as if he was Joshua¡¯s guard. The sight made the spectators gradually quiet down. The Duke¡¯s actions needed no further exnation.


    At that moment, two legendary figures, the hopes of the Empire, were gathered in one ce.


    * * *


    While the morning part of Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle was in full swing, four people stood together inside the waiting room of the colosseum.


    ¡°Unless anything special happens, the knightbat will proceed as scheduled,¡± Tremblin said, now that he had be their colleague.


    Icarus tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Does it mean anything now?¡±


    ¡°The princes already came to an agreement,¡± Tremblin informed her.


    ¡°By ¡®an agreement,¡¯ you mean¡­?¡±


    Tremblin turned his head to Joshua and asked, ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°If you truly want to be the Emperor of Avalon, you¡¯ll have to ask even if you aren¡¯t curious.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being rude!¡± Cain growled before Joshua could say something. ¡°Since you¡¯ve found out that my master has imperial blood, you should pay respect like you would to any other member of the imperial family.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Tremblin smirked, drawing up his energy.


    The storm of energy Tremblin threw out right before Cain¡¯s eyes made him flinch.


    ¡°If you want my respect, then you¡¯ll have to tell me the full truth,¡± Tremblin said, locking eyes with Joshua. ¡°You¡¯ll tell me about His Majesty¡¯s death and how you ended up with the imperial seal.¡±


    ¡°Wait, do you think my master murdered His Majesty and took the imperial seal?¡± Icarus asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°I can¡¯t rule out the possibility,¡± Tremblin said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Icarus became petrified as she considered Tremblin¡¯s words. She had thought Tremblin had be their ally, but it turned out that wasn¡¯t the case.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon,¡± Joshua quietly replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a patient person,¡± Tremblin warned him.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll be able to find out before midnight.¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    Tremblin frowned. ¡°You¡¯re ying with words.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my specialty.¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes turned sharper. ¡°In that case¡­ is it fine to test my temporary colleague¡¯s ability?¡±


    ¡°If I can earn <em>the </em>Sword Emperor¡¯s recognition,¡± Joshua replied with a little smile, ¡°then of course.¡±


    ¡°¡­Just like I said, there will be group battles between the battalions of the Imperial Knights. We have to exclude Prince Kaiser since he decided to join His Highness Kiser¡¯s side, so these battles are practically between the First and Second Princes,¡± Tremblin exined.


    ¡°That means¡­¡± Icarus trailed off.


    ¡°The princes were going to ept the results of the knights¡¯ battle, and the winner was going to be the next emperor.¡± Tremblin pointed at Joshua. ¡°But then you showed up.¡±


    Cain confidently stepped forward. ¡°Master, in that case, you and I will be enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll let you do that?¡± Tremblin asked.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I told you that this group battle is only for the Imperial Knights, so obviously you can¡¯t join. And your master also can¡¯t participate because his position was already revoked.¡± Tremblin shrugged.


    The realization hit Cain hard.


    ¡°M-my master¡¯s Auxiliary Battalion is still part of the Imperial Knights, isn¡¯t it? If they win¡ª¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re one battalion, so do you really think there is a chance of them winning? On top of that, we can¡¯t use them even if they win unless one of us has nerves of steel¡ªbecause it was your master himself who abandoned them.¡±


    ¡°In the end, I have to be reinstated before this Berche¡¯s Bloody Battlees to an end,¡± Joshua concluded.


    ¡°¡­If you can do that, then there is no better method,¡± Tremblin said, nodding.


    Joshua grinned.


    ¡°I have a way,¡± he said.


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it, shall we?¡± Tremblin prompted.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Before any of that¡­ I have to earn the trust of the colleague who is standing right beside me, no?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Tremblin¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you.¡± Joshua nodded.


    Tremblin frowned. ¡°Stop messing with me¡­¡±


    ¡°¡ªAbout the death of the Emperor Marcus ben Britten and¡­¡± Joshua said, clear as day, making Tremblin go still as a statue. ¡°...and everything that happened three years ago.¡±

 Chapter 324

    Chapter 324


    Tremblin was leading the Avalon Empire¡¯s army of one hundred thousand soldiers to the Great in of Kraden during the second campaign.


    <em>¡°Your Grace!¡± someone yelled.</em>


    <em>Tremblin, who was leading in the front, pulled his reins. His horse neighed for a moment and stopped moving. When Tremblin turned back, he could see his aide approaching him. </em>


    <em>¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Tremblin asked. </em>


    <em>¡°We¡¯ve just received a message from the people in the pce,¡± his aide reported. </em>


    <em>¡°Give it to me.¡± Tremblin gestured at his aide. </em>


    <em>Once he had it, he quickly unsealed it and read the paper. Shortly after, Tremblin¡¯s lips trembled.</em>


    <em>¡°The Thran Kingdom¡­¡± he mumbled, ¡°was conquered by the Swallow Empire?¡±</em>


    <em>The aide, who stood silently nearby, raised his head in surprise. </em>


    <em>¡°Only two weeks have passed if I include today¡­¡± Tremblin bitterly muttered. </em>


    <em>¡°Wa-Wait¡­ Did the Prince lose?¡± the aide asked disbelievingly.</em>


    <em>¡°It looks like it,¡± Tremblin affirmed, nodding. </em>


    <em>¡°Wh-who could have¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>Tremblin eyed the paper.</em>


    <em>¡°First, the Swallow Empire ambushed the border area of the Kingdom of Thran on June 5th, Year 725 of the continental calendar. On the same day, the Emperor of Hubalt won the civil war.¡± </em>


    <em>Tremblin¡¯s aide also knew that. </em>


    <em>¡°Second, the Swallow Empire instantly forced their way into the center of the Thran Kingdom and upied the Kingdom¡¯s capital on July 10th, Year 725 of the continental calendar. It had only been a month since they started their conquest. The Prince of Thran managed to survive and fled to the Hart Kingdom with some of his subjects.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°The border of the Hart Kingdom¡­ Wait, are they thinking about forming an alliance with other kingdoms¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°On top of that, themander of the Swallow Empire, the man considered to be the biggest cause of the Thran Kingdom¡¯s defeat, is¡­ the Grand Duke, Crimson Sky Lucifer.¡± Tremblin closed his eyes.</em>


    <em>Tremblin¡¯s aide was appalled, but the Duke paid him no mind.</em>


    <em>¡°Third,¡± he continued, ¡°right after the great army of Swallow conquered Thran, their movement towards the Great in of Kraden was detected on August 1st, Year 725 of the continental calendar. Judging from their course, it is assumed that their destination is Reinhardt, the nearby city, and their goal is to join the army that the Swallow Empire previously mobilized.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Oh, my god¡­¡± The aide covered his mouth. </em>


    <em>¡°Fourth, the so-called civil war of the Hubalt Empire came to an end on August 3rd, Year 725 of the continental calendar. The details are still being investigated, but it is assumed that the Emperor won by holding the Pope and high-ranking priests hostage. Fifth, the Hubalt Empire btedly heard the news and mobilized their army on August 10th, Year 725 of the continental calendar. It¡¯s expected¡­ that the Avalon Empire, who sessfully conquered Reinhardt, is going to directly take on the two empires on the Great in of Kraden.¡±</em>


    <em>After Tremblin finished reading the message, he crumpled up the paper.</em>


    <em>¡°What date is today?¡± he asked his aide.</em>


    <em>¡°It¡¯s¡­ November 23rd,¡± the aide nkly answered. </em>


    <em>Tremblin looked at him and sighed.</em>


    <em>¡°It took less than half a year?¡±</em>


    <em>It only took half a year for the dozens of years of peace on the continent to be broken. The continent was being ravaged by the storm of war. </em>


    <em>¡°How long will it take for us to get to the Great in of Kraden?¡± Tremblin asked. </em>


    <em>¡°This noon at thetest,¡± his aide immediately replied.</em>


    <em>Tremblin bit his lower lip. ¡°Did we hear anything from Duke Agnus?¡± </em>


    <em>¡°Nothing¡­ yet,¡± the aide reported. </em>


    <em>Tremblin smiled bitterly.</em>


    <em>¡°Do I have to trust the saying that ¡®no news is good news¡¯?¡± he quietly muttered. ¡°I have no choice but to join him as soon as possible¡­¡±</em>


    <em>He flinched as a ground-shaking sound touched his ears. He was the only one who heard it. </em>


    <em>¡°¡­Get ready to fight,¡± the Duke ordered.</em>


    <em>The aide froze up. Although he was not sure why Tremblin gave such an order, his body responded right away¡ªhe was not allowed to think in this war.</em>


    <em>¡°Get ready to fight!¡± the aide loudly shouted. The knights on standby simultaneously pulled out their swords, filling the air with the tter of metal. That was just the beginning: next, one hundred thousand soldiers pulled their bowstrings as if the knights drawing their swords was a signal.</em>


    <em>After some time, Avalon¡¯s soldiers could see a group of people approaching.</em>


    <em>¡°Everyone,¡± the aide was about tomand, ¡° fi¡ª!¡± </em>


    <em>¡°¡­Wait.¡± Tremblin had been closely observing the group that was approaching them. His eyes slowly widened.</em>


    <em>¡°Lower your arrows,¡± he shouted, ¡°they¡¯re one of us!¡±</em>


    <em>The soldiers and knights stopped moving as soon as they heard Tremblin¡¯s words. Meanwhile, the group approached close enough for them to recognize. The aide scanned the group.</em>


    <em>¡°They seem to be part of Duke Agnus¡¯s spearhead unit!¡± the aide eximed.</em>


    <em>¡°I already knew that,¡± Tremblin said, examining the neers intently.</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Ah! Someone in the front is running toward us!¡± the aide noticed. </em>


    <em>As soon as the aide finished speaking, a knight holding high the g of the Avalon Empire quickly came up to the army.</em>


    <em>¡°I salute Your Grace, Duke Tremblin.¡± The knight stopped right before Tremblin and saluted. </em>


    <em>¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m Armstrong, His Grace, Duke Agnus¡¯s aide.¡± Armstrong raised his head. A golden man was proudly embroidered on his chest.</em>


    <em>Tremblin nodded. ¡°We¡¯ve met before.¡±</em>


    <em>Armstrong looked anxious for some reason, so Tremlbin waved his hand.</em>


    <em>¡°Let¡¯s omit the formalities. Why are you alone? Where is your master?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°He¡­ stayed behind, alone, in the Great in of Kraden,¡± Armstrong bitterly replied. </em>


    <em>¡°Wh-What?¡± Tremblin¡¯s eyes bulged at the unexpected answer.</em>


    <em>¡°We should get out as soon as possible because there is no time. A barricade has been formed around the area, and they even installed a Jamming Barrier, so ourmunications are entirely cut off.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I-it¡¯s true,¡± Tremblin¡¯s aide stuttered after examining the mana crystal ball he¡¯d pulled out. </em>


    <em>¡°Exin it in a simpler way!¡± Tremblin yelled. </em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯ll get to the point.¡± Armstrong straightened up. ¡°The Hubalt and Swallow Empires have temporarily formed an alliance and we continued to battle intensely against them. That¡¯s how we lost Reinhardt to them.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Wh-what?¡± Tremblin and his aide became petrified as they realized that things had gone really wrong. Those two empires were practically enemies, so how could they form an alliance?</em>


    <em>¡°That¡¯s ridiculous¡­¡± Tremblin said in disbelief. </em>


    <em>¡°My master said,¡± Armstrong interrupted, ¡°that it looked like the Martial Emperor and the Crimson Sky made a secret agreement.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°The Martial Emperor!¡± Tremblin came to a realization. ¡°Did he show up?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Yes, themanders of the alliance army are those two and the Darkness Emperor, whom they hired.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Shit¡­¡± Tremblin unwittingly cursed. </em>


    <em>The situation could not be worse. Three of the Nine Stars themselves had united¡ªand besides, Grand Duke Lucifer was considered to be as skilled as Tremblin himself or Duke Agnus. If everything was true, then how long could Duke Agnus stand on his own, even if he was called the Dark God?</em>


    <em>¡°That¡¯s why we need to go back to the Empire as soon as possible,¡± Armstrong asserted.</em>


    <em>¡°What are you talking about? That¡¯s all the more reason to ride as possible to the Great in of Kraden,¡± Tremblin angrily growled. ¡°How can you suggest we flee on our own¡ª!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°My master told me! My master told me that he feels that His Majesty¡¯s life is being threatened! The heart of our Empire is in danger!¡±</em>


    <em>A suffocating silence descended as soon as Armstrong¡¯s shocking revtion left his lips.</em>


    * * *


    After Tremblin finished recollecting, he looked at Icarus, Cain, and Joshua one by one.


    ¡°I needed to check. If Armstrong was right, then we couldn¡¯t waste the time that Duke Agnus had struggled to buy us. In the end, we turned back¡­¡±


    The room was utterly silent except for the sounds of Tremblin¡¯s voice.


    ¡°When we finally got to the Imperial Pce, it was toote. The knights that were supposed to remain nearby His Majesty to guard him had vanished, and the rest of the Imperial Knights didn¡¯t even know that His Majesty had gone missing. The knights from every battalion were constantly checking His Majesty¡¯s status¡­ so did everything happen in a moment¡¯s breadth?¡±


    ¡°I understand how you feel,¡± Cain mumbled. Tremblin chuckled.


    ¡°¡­Anyhow, I¡¯ve been looking for His Majesty for a long time. Only recently did I hear the rumor that you¡­¡± Tremblin trailed off and looked at Joshua. ¡°...were at the Great in of Kraden. Are you saying that you¡¯ll tell me what happened afterward?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Yes, just like you¡¯ve expected, the first thing I saw was the grand army of the Empire Alliance when I arrived. ¡±


    As the hidden history was about to be revealed, Cain unwittingly held his breath.


    ¡°But I couldn¡¯t see my father from anywhere, not even his corpse¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    ¡°What?¡± Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The world thinks the Dark God was killed in the battle against the three allied Stars,¡± Joshua said. ¡°I couldn¡¯t even find a trace of the great Superhuman.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± Tremblin dumbly mumbled.


    ¡°Soon, the grand army of the Empire Alliance surrounded me, but I couldn¡¯t take on a million soldiers alone. Thus, I was hunted and harried to the Great in of Aiyas,¡± Joshua recalled.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Having heard this much, Tremblin had a million questions since many parts of Joshua¡¯s story were different from the story that was known to the public. However, one thing was clear: he could fabricate a story, but he couldn¡¯t hide the revealed truth.


    Countless heroes must have chased persistently after Joshua in search of fame, and Joshua would have in all of those heroes to get to where he was right now.


    ¡°Of course¡­¡± Joshua said, bringing Tremblin back to reality, ¡°the enemymanders¡ªthe Martial Emperor and Crimson Sky¡ªwere with the million soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but you still managed to escape?¡± Tremblin wondered, but Joshua answered him with silence.


    After a moment, Joshua continued:


    ¡°There was another problem because the Darkness Emperor, who we knew had joined forces with the other two Stars, was nowhere to be seen.¡±


    ¡°Wha-what are you talking about now¡­?¡± Tremblin stuttered.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°You said you¡¯d received a report that His Majesty was in danger, fight?¡±


    Finallying to a realization, Tremblin trembled weakly.


    ¡°There is one person who is already a Master, and stronger than all in the Empire but a few,¡± Joshua reminded Tremblin. ¡°Even in such a state, that person could prate the security of the Imperial Pce, despite the numerous Imperial Knights on guard, and easily murder His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that the Darkness Emperor¡­ murdered His Majesty?¡± Tremblin shakily asked. ¡°But even he¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not really impossible if my father, the Dark God, helped the Darkness Emperor.¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s breath caught.


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡±


    ¡°You were leading tens of thousands of soldiers, and my father was on his own. Who do you think would return faster?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Then three Stars¡ªno, four Stars are in this together?¡± Tremblin mumbled.


    A series of shocks hit Tremblin, but he didn¡¯t bother asking why Duke Agnus had united with the other three Stars¡ªTremblin already knew the fact that the rest of the people in the world didn¡¯t know. There had been the Nine Stars, the practical leaders of the continent, but the Star of the Magic Tower had fallen, meaning there were eight Stars now. From that moment, the bnce of the continent had already ended¡­


    ¡°They must have thought it might be possible for them to take over the continent,¡± Joshua concluded on Tremblin¡¯s behalf.

 Chapter 325

    Chapter 325


    Even after their conversation had ended, Tremblin was lost in his thoughts for a long time, but it wasn¡¯t because Joshua¡¯s story was suspicious. Out of all the hypotheses that Tremblin had heard until now, the story that he had just heard was the most trustworthy since Joshua would have been more than capable of breaking through the ten thousand strong blockade of soldiers.


    ¡°I know you have a lot of questions,¡± Joshua said.


    Tremblin broke away from his thoughts and raised his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything I know¡ªno, you¡¯ll eventually find out even if I don¡¯t. Of course, only if you trust me on this matter.¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Tremblin finally asked.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Joshua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Everything else aside, he¡¯s your father,¡± Tremblin cautiously said. ¡°ording to the story that you told me just now, one of the hidden masterminds behind everything is him¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Joshua replied before Tremblin had a chance to finish. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about my love for my family, you don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you, as an illegitimate son, still resent your father?¡± Tremblin asked.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t.¡± Joshua firmly shook his head.


    Tremblin tilted his head. ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°I have a dream,¡± Joshua said with a small smile.


    ¡°A dream?¡± Tremblin repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯ve sworn that I¡¯ll be the Emperor and never lose my dear ones again,¡± Joshua said.


    Tremblin¡¯s emotions became muddled as he remembered something.


    ¡°¡­For that goal, you¡¯re even going to fight the Dark God?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Joshua nodded.


    Tremblin shook his head. ¡°You had your heart set on it from the beginning. You were serious when you said you were going to be the Emperor of the Avalon Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°My colleagues waited for me until now because they trust me, and they¡¯re dearer to me than my blood kin,¡± Joshua answered.


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Is that the only reason?¡±


    ¡°Do I need more reasons?¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Your position defines you. I don¡¯t trust the part where you said that all of this is just for your colleagues. Joshua of the Sanders Family, which is nominally a noble family, and Joshua, the great Emperor of Avalon, are bound to have different mindsets.¡±


    ¡°You say you don¡¯t trust me¡­¡± Joshua said with a smile, ¡°but you began to treat me differently at some point.¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes lost focus. Joshua was right¡ªregardless of the fact Joshua was an illegitimate son or how young he was, he was the son of the Duke, so Tremblin had treated Joshua like a child until now. However, Joshua pointed out a fact that even Tremblin wasn¡¯t aware of.


    ¡°But¡­ that¡¯s not the important part. The point is that you¡¯ll definitely change after you be an emperor.¡± Tremblin examined Joshua. ¡°There were a myriad of nobles who wanted the throne, but only one¡ªeven if I delve deep into history¡ªactually got the throne. After they became the Emperor, they changed. It was as if they became a totally different person in every way.¡±


    Only Tremblin, who had served three emperors, could say such a thing.


    ¡°But still¡­¡± he bitterly continued.


    ¡°Like His Majesty Marcus ben Britten, our current emperor?¡± Joshua asked.


    Tremblin shut his mouth.


    ¡°He must have hidden his ws to survive, so people didn¡¯t even mention him while they talked about who would inherit the throne. At the right moment, he revealed his hidden ws.¡±


    ¡°You mean he had been hiding his true nature, rather than changing?¡± Tremblin realized.


    ¡°People¡¯s natures don¡¯t change easily,¡± Joshua said with a shrug.


    ¡°You¡¯re saying you¡¯re different from them?¡±


    It wasn¡¯t Joshua who answered¡ªthe people standing beside him immediately replied.


    ¡°Our master is different!¡± Cain growled.


    ¡°Our master is far different from them!¡± Icarus shouted.


    ¡°How can youpare such a lunatic with our master!¡± Cain huffed and puffed with a reddened face.


    ¡°Watch your mouth!¡± Icarus immediately snapped at Cain. She had remained rtively calm, unlike him. ¡°He¡¯s still the Emperor¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, he di¡ªno, he passed away, didn¡¯t he? Everyone is the same once they die,¡± Cain answered, perplexed.


    However, Icarus still looked cold.


    ¡°You¡¯re badmouthing the deceased,¡± she scolded.


    Tremblin was starting to feel dumbstruck as he quietly watched the conversation between the two.


    ¡°You said your position defines you, right?¡± Joshua asked.


    Tremblin turned back to Joshua.


    ¡°¡­Are you going to tell me I¡¯m wrong on that too?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Yes, because I disagree. People are the ones who define their positions. Although it¡¯s said that a god chose our emperor, it was his fellow people who had made the emperor¡¯s throne, so those people can always change who sits on the throne.¡±


    Only Joshua, out of all the people in the world, could give such an answer. It cause Tremblin to tremble uncharacteristically.


    ¡°Can you really remain honest to those words?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re defying god''s will. How can you say anyone canmit treason that easily¡­?¡± Tremblin shook his head.


    ¡°History says so, and if I really be the emperor, then it¡¯ll be god¡¯s will,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°Are you treating an emperor and an ordinary citizen the same?¡±


    ¡°There is no empire without those ¡®ordinary¡¯ citizens,¡± Joshua reminded him.


    ¡°You may not know this, but the other nobles will not think so,¡± Tremblin warned Joshua. ¡°If they find out that you think that way, then they¡¯ll definitely not sit on their hands.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled for a moment.


    ¡°If they don¡¯t sit on their hands¡­ I¡¯ll have to turn everything upside down. ¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s mouth mped shut. The waiting room turned totally silent¡ªCain and Icarus were also stupefied by Joshua¡¯s shocking remark.


    The Duke looked at Joshua for a long moment without saying anything.


    ¡°¡­It was good talking with you,¡± he finally said, turning away. ¡°Can I answer you after the knights¡¯ battlees to an end?¡±


    ¡°That means¡­?¡±


    ¡°I think I at least have the right to test the candidate¡¯s ability¡­¡± Tremblin trailed off.


    Realizing what Tremblin meant, Joshua smiled lightly.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°¡­I look forward to seeing what happens soon.¡± Tremblin turned away from Joshua and exited the room, leaving the wide waiting room empty except for the three people left inside.


    ¡°Master, so all we have to do right now is to wrap up our business, don¡¯t we?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Our business?¡± Joshua looked confused.


    ¡°You value your colleagues that much, but I¡¯m not sure why you were nowhere to be seen over the past three years,¡± Cain said with a bite to his words.


    Icarus quickly poked Cain¡¯s waist. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with you now?¡±


    ¡°I feel so angry now that I think about it!¡± Cain shouted.


    ¡°He must have his reasons,¡± Icarus said in an attempt to calm him down.


    ¡°I mean, I have to hear <em>his reasons,</em>¡± Cain enunciated.


    ¡°He said he¡¯ll tell us over time. Besides,¡± Icarus pouted, ¡°you can already guess why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop, because I really need to hear an answer to this question right now.¡± Cain looked determined. ¡°Master, are you okay with that?¡±


    It was obvious that Cain was going to ask something serious, so Joshua slowly nodded.


    ¡°Go on; you have more than enough right to do so.¡±


    Cain bit his lower lip.


    ¡°I¡¯ll still ask it even if you say such things,¡± he solemnly replied.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Joshua nodded again. ¡°Do it.¡±


    ¡°This is the question that I want the answer to the most, so I really want you to be honest with me on this one,¡± Cain emphasized.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Alright.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll ask¡­ By any chance¡­ are you¡­¡± Cain hesitated.


    ¡°What in the world are you trying to ask¡­?¡± Icarus asked as Cain¡¯s silence stretched for an unnervingly long time.


    ¡°Married?¡± Cain blurted.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Icarus gaped, dumbfounded.


    ¡°No, do you have a lover?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    Icarus continued to stare, ck-jawed, unable to process Cain¡¯s words.


    ¡°On a side note, I still don¡¯t have one yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Icarus finally pulled herself together and scowled like a devil that had climbed up from hell. ¡°You idiot!¡±


    Icarus¡¯s hand whipped into Cain¡¯s back with a loud <em>Smack!</em>


    * * *


    There was a building that only the Imperial Knights could use, but only the Knight-Commander could use the office on the third floor.


    ¡°Commander, it¡¯s Joker.¡± Joker, the Captain of the First Battalion, knocked on the door.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Knight-Commander Rod replied.


    Joker opened the door without hesitation, looked around the inside of the room, and flinched.


    ¡°¡­I see you have another visitor. Cazes¡­¡±


    ¡°I greet the First Battalion Commander.¡± Cazes, who hade before Joker, stood up and bowed gently.


    ¡°Are you done with your business?¡± Joker asked.


    Cazes shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve just arrived.¡±


    ¡°Then excuse me. I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Joker immediately gestured outside of the room with his eyes, silently ordering Cazes to get out of the office.


    ¡°No need,¡± Rod said, shaking his head.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Joker asked.


    ¡°I happened to need both of your opinions.¡±


    Cazes and Joker both gave him a curious look.


    ¡°I received a message,¡± Rod said.


    ¡°By a message, you mean¡­?¡± Joker narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s from Joshua Sanders.¡± Rod pulled out a neatly-folded piece of paper from his pocket. ¡°He gave this to me as a gift before he got off the colosseum stage.¡±


    ¡°What does it say?¡± Cazes asked.


    ¡°If I summarize it¡­¡± Rod nced at Cazes. ¡°He has been exonerated, so he wishes to be reinstated.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Joker snorted dismissively. ¡°We postponed bringing the charge against him due to the situation, we didn¡¯t exonerate him.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that people don¡¯t think that way.¡± Rod shrugged.


    ¡°Why does that matter? Wait, you¡¯re not seriously believing the nonsense about how he has the blood of the Imperial Family, are you, Commander?¡± Joker took a step back in surprise.


    The words ¡°blood of the Imperial Family¡± made Rod stiffen.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have the right in the first ce since he¡¯s just a fugitive who abandoned the Empire. So how can he talk about reinstatement? If you¡¯re asking for my opinion, my answer is definitely no!¡± Joker shouted.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Commander, think carefully about this. Since His Majesty is missing right now, you¡¯re the one with the right to reprimand the Imperial Knights. That must be why he sent you such a message.¡± Joker clicked his tongue. ¡°Isn¡¯t his n obvious? He¡¯s trying to y hero in the group battle and earn the support of the Empire''s unwitting citizens.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he can¡¯t do it on his own,¡± Rod answered. Joker¡¯s face immediately brightened up. ¡°Even if he has the Imperial blood, the group battle is a different matter.¡±


    ¡°Which means¡­¡± Joker mumbled.


    ¡°There are precedents where a member of the Imperial Family became an Imperial Knights, but¡­¡± Rod trailed off for a moment, then he said, ¡°Berche¡¯s Blood Battle is a sacred battle of life and death, so how would it look if hundreds of Imperial Knights pointed their swords at a member of the Imperial Family? All the people on the continent wouldugh at us.¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Joker merrily shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I also summoned Cazes.¡± Rod pointed at the man in question.


    ¡°¡­What? What are you¡­?¡± Joker gaped dumbly at the Knight-Commander, wondering what happened that had made Cazes and Rod get along so well..


    ¡°Cazes,¡± Rod called, turning to the knight.


    ¡°Yes, Commander,¡± Cazes said, nodding.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± Rod asked.


    ¡°I¡­¡± Cazes pondered for a moment before strongly continuing, ¡°You and Captain Joker mean to say that you can¡¯t make an exception with Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡± Joker loudly pped. ¡°Cazes, you and I seem to be on the same wavelength, unexpectedly!¡±


    ¡°I have an idea,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Joker¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°An idea?¡± Rod looked intrigued. ¡°Shall we hear it?¡±


    ¡°Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Cazes said with a shrug.


    His reply sounded very random, but it wasn¡¯t so random that the veteran Rod couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°As long as you¡¯re a citizen of the Avalon Empire, everyone has the chance to be an Imperial Knight. This isn¡¯t about making an exception since this rule already exists. That was how the knights of my battalion, who had been mercenaries, became Imperial Knights,¡± Cazes reminded them.


    Joker¡¯s eyes popped open as he finally realized what Cazes intended.


    ¡°Why are you bringing up such nonsense right now?¡± he demanded. ¡°Why would you bring up that rule?¡±


    Cazes paid no mind to Joker¡¯s anger.


    ¡°A contender usually has to go through the entire tournament from the start, but¡­ this contender is the great Superhuman known as the ¡®Hero King¡¯. Out of respect to such a man, I myself will go up against him as the current Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion.¡±


    Joker gave him a wide-eyed look, thrown off by Cazes¡¯s totally unexpected proposition.


    ¡°If I am defeated, the position of the Auxiliary Battalion Captain is his in ordance with the old rules of the Bloody Battle. He¡¯s newly acquiring the position, not being reinstated, so I don¡¯t think there is a problem.¡±


    Rod¡¯s eyes sparkled subtly as he quietly listened, a faint smile sneaking onto his lips.


    ¡°No matter who you¡¯re going up against, you¡¯re going to lead the Eleventh and Twelfth Battalions and participate in the group battle as the new Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion?¡± he asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Cazes nodded.


    ¡°Are you speaking for all the knights of the Auxiliary Battalion?¡± Rod asked.


    Cazes, however, had already expected the question. That was why he had already asked for the knights¡¯ opinions, so he could answer with certainty¡­ And he knew that no one in the Auxiliary Battalion opposed his idea.


    Cazes readily nodded, with a little grin dancing on his lips.


    ¡°Of course.¡±

 Chapter 326

    Chapter 326


    A storm of shock had hit the capital, Arcadia. In thatte afternoon, the air inside the colosseum only heated up more as time passed. It wasn¡¯t easy for themoners to see knights spar under usual circumstances, let alone meet one, so the spectators were wildly enthusiastic. The fervor reached a zenith at the end of that bloody fight.


    ¡°Wow!!!!¡±


    ¡°Lo-look!¡± One spectator¡¯s eyes bulged when he noticed something.


    The First Battalion Knights, who were known to be some of the best knights, had just finished fighting. The spectators had been smacking their lips disappointedly because the fight came to an end too quickly. But then they saw a young man climbing up to thebat ring alone.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Hero King!¡±


    All the spectators turned their heads to look at the man as he moved to the center of the colosseum. He held a snow-white spear that was taller than he was. The audience knew that he was the one who had dered that he was going to be the Emperor before thousands of people. Even before he became twenty, he had aplished all kinds of great aplishments that would be recorded in history. He was the blood kin of the Dark God¡ªno, he was one of the former Twelve Superhumans. He was the Hero King, Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°Woahhhhh!!!!!¡± The crowd roared iparably louder than before, shaking the sky and ground.


    Joshua was already an idol and a god to themoners. Since he was a bastard of a noble family, he had to eventually die at the hands of his brother, meaning that his life wasn¡¯t better than theirs. That was why the spectators felt a sense of kinship toward Joshua, almost as if they had be Joshua himself.


    ¡°I want to kill him and dig him out of his grave to kill him again¡­¡± Kaizen, the Second Prince, stared down at the sight discontentedly and quietly gritted his teeth. ¡°Brother! Are you really going to leave him be?¡±


    ¡°What am I going to do if I don¡¯t?¡± Kiser, the First Prince, asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s a criminal!¡± Kaizen growled. ¡°How can you just let him participate in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle?¡±


    ¡°If you have ears, you must have heard Duke Tremblin saying that thepetition should be fair to everyone when he dropped by just now,¡± Kiser quietly replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s just one man¡¯s opinion!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    Kiser shrugged. ¡°ording to the rules, it¡¯s not a problem.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kaizen blinked at his brother, realized that Kiser was paying no attention to what he was saying, and pounded his chest in frustration. ¡°This is why even the nobles that oppose you think you are a good person, but you can¡¯t even tell that they¡¯re criticizing you¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Kiser turned to look at Kaizen.


    ¡°Never mind. Forget it.¡± Having nothing else to say, Kaizen looked away. ¡°Sir Triar!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I am here, Your Highness.¡± A middle-aged man, whose chest te was clearly engraved with the number two, immediately responded to Kaizen¡¯s summon.


    ¡°Which bastard with big guts did you say that is going to go up against Joshua?¡± Kaizen leaned his arm against his chair.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡¯s opponent is the current captain of the Auxiliary Battalion, Your Highness,¡± Triar said as he straightened back up.


    ¡°There are less than a hundred of them now, so Auxiliary ¡®Battalion,¡¯ my ass¡­¡± Kaizen grumbled discontentedly. ¡°How are the rest of them doing?¡±


    ¡°By the rest of them, do you mean¡­?¡± Triar trailed off.


    ¡°You know those vermin¡ªno, the knights that were in the Eleventh and Twelfth Battalion before they chose to be on my or my brother¡¯s side?¡± Just imagining them made Kaizen frown. ¡°Wasn¡¯t Joshua Sanders their direct superior in the past? Is there any possibility of them backstabbing us now?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Finally understanding what Kaizen meant, Triar nodded. ¡°They¡¯re already your men, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Kaizen narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure, Your Highness,¡± Triar repeated.


    ¡°You¡¯d better be so sure that you¡¯re willing to bet your life on that, Sir Triar. If they actually backstab uster, your life-long goal will be just an empty dream,¡± Kaizen coldly warned him. Triar tensed up a bit because he knew what Kaizen meant.


    <em>¡®The next Knight-Commander¡­¡¯ </em>He unconsciously clenched his fists into tight balls. While Joker, the Captain of the First Battalion, served the First Prince, Triar, the Captain of the Second Battalion, served the Second Prince. Although Valmont dun Brown had been considered the most promising candidate for the next Knight-Commander, he had cooped himself up in a mountain to train himself.


    By the time he returned, this old feud between the brothers would probablye to an end. A variable named the Hero King had appeared, but Triar was sure that Joshua would not be able to do anything on his own since physical strength alone didn¡¯t make one politically influential. In the end, depending on which prince got the throne¡­


    <em>¡®The next Knight-Commander will be decided,¡¯ </em>Triar concluded.


    With shining eyes, Triar bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check again so there won¡¯t be any problem.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you,¡± Kaizen said, his eyes locked onto Joshua.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. And there is a matter that I have to report¡­.¡±


    ¡°¡­Report?¡± Kaizen wondered, looking at Triar


    Triar approached Kaizen and quietly whispered into his ear, ¡°¡­We¡¯ve received a reply from the Magic Tower regarding the authenticity of the imperial seal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen eximed in surprise but soon quieted his voice just like Triar. ¡°They sent back a reply that fast?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they say they¡¯ll send people to authenticate the seal within a week,¡± Triar hesitantly reported. ¡°And¡­ the current Tower Master himself is going to visit the Imperial Pce¡­¡±


    ¡°The To-Tower Master himself?¡± Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened into twin moons.


    Triar nodded. ¡°Two of the Seven Mages¡ªthe new Ice Mage and the current Earth Mage¡ªwill alsoe to the Imperial Pce to assist the Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°Such high-ranking wizards are going toe to check one little object?¡± Kaizen¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°That ¡®one little object¡¯ is the imperial seal that symbolizes this empire.¡± Triar shrugged.


    ¡°Ah, fuck. I saw iting, but¡­¡± Kaizen groaned. ¡°If that¡¯s true, then isn¡¯t it just a matter of time before the other countries hear about this?¡±


    ¡°It was expected from the start,¡± Triar calmly replied.


    ¡°Does my brother know about this?¡± Kaizen asked, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully.


    ¡°The first wizard to receive the reply from the Magic Tower is on His Highness Kiser¡¯s side,¡± Triar bitterly answered. The implications of that were blindingly obvious to Kaizen.


    ¡°That sly fox¡­¡± Kaizen gritted his teeth. He felt Kiser ring at him just then, so he quickly changed the topic. ¡°¡­Keep an eye on this matter, Sir Triar. We must get the real seal, no matter which seal turns out to be the real one.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Triar nodded.


    ¡°And¡ª¡± Kaizen was about to give additional instruction, but the crowd¡¯s thunderous shout deafened him and drowned out any possibility of further discussion.


    They had been eagerly waiting for this moment, so they shouted just as loud as they had for Joshua¡¯s entrance into the arena.


    ¡°The Hero King¡¯s opponent ising out!¡±


    ¡°Who is it? Most people won¡¯t be able to hold up for even seconds.¡±


    ¡°I heard he is a high-ranking captain in the Knights Temr.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Would he be enough to fight the Hero King? Even the Knight-Commander, Rod, isn¡¯t certain that he can defeat the Hero King, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t matter who the opponent is sincemoners like us won¡¯t be able to see this kind of fight more than once in our lifetimes.¡±


    From where Joshua stood in the center of the arena, he was able to pick out themoners'' conversation through the roaring from the spectators, but when he saw his opponent enter the arena¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± Joshua¡¯s jaw dropped slightly when he saw a familiar physique and even more familiar clothes.


    The man, armed to the teeth, marched to twenty footsteps away from Joshua. His silver armor, covered by a red cloak, nged against the rest of his gear as he walked. He raised his sword vertically and looked intently at Joshua through the tightly shut visor of his helmet.


    ¡°It is my honor to meet the Superhuman that is famous around the continent,¡± the man said.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes slightly widened.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    Their surroundings were deafeningly noisy, but the man¡¯s voice was so clear that it felt like he was speaking right next to Joshua.


    ¡°Let me formally introduce myself first.¡± The man slowly opened up the helmet¡¯s visor. ¡°I am currently leading the Eleventh and Twelfth Battalion of the Imperial Knights¡¯ Order as the Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion¡­ I am Cazes Marahas.¡±


    ¡°It is you.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Long time no see, Captain.¡± Cazes bowed very politely.


    ¡°It¡­ really is you,¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°We don¡¯t need to talk any further, right?¡±


    His next move was surprising. He pointed his sharp-edged sword at Joshua without hesitation, but Joshua didn¡¯t look surprised at all¡ªin fact, Joshua looked content for some reason.


    The spearman felt mixed emotions. It was the first time he¡¯d held a spear since he had revealed himself in the Human Realm, and the first person he was going up against was perfect.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to hear your apology,¡± Cazes coldly mumbled. ¡°Hold your spear up.¡±


    There was no need for them to talk any further as one fight was enough for them to have a sincere conversation. Exchanging words a hundred times was unnecessary. Cazes had been desperately waiting for this day toe. He¡¯d swung his swords so many times that his hand bled and he could make a river with the sweat he shed. Now was the time to show the fruit of Cazes¡¯s effort to the man he respected more than anyone else in the world. In his heart, he eximed, <em>¡®This is how much I have been waiting for Joshua!¡¯</em>


    ¡°I know I¡¯m being rude, but I¡¯m going to test you this time to see if you¡¯re really the Captain Joshua Sanders that I know and to check if your skills have decreased over time. Since I haven¡¯t stayed idle in the meantime¡­ I think I¡¯m entitled to do this.¡±


    A loud, resonating sound made the air shake, and at the same time, brought a faint smile to Joshua¡¯s lips.


    A blueyer of energy slowly enveloped Cazes¡¯ sword: it was theplete form of Aura de, a feat dubbed ¡°The Knights¡¯ Dream.¡±


    ¡°You must have gone through a lot,¡± Joshua quietly noted.


    Despite Joshua¡¯s short answer, Cazes felt like he had been rewarded for all the hardships he went through¡ªbut still, he couldn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to go easy on you,¡± Cazes firmly dered.


    Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious,¡± Cazes said, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯m not counting on you going easy on me.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at controlling my power, so please be careful,¡± Cazes warned him.


    Joshua broke into a deep smile.


    ¡°I think¡­¡±


    Cazes tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°...I think I should be the one who says that,¡± Joshua finished with an unrestrained grin.


    Cazes flinched.


    ¡°Or do I have to <em>make</em> you remember?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right,¡± Cazes quietly mumbled, and tightened his grip on the sword. ¡°I apologize for crossing the line, so¡­ I¡¯ll also do my best from now on.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Cazes sprang forward as quickly as he could, throwing the air into chaos around him. At the same time, the me of Aura on his sword fiercely zed and soared toward Joshua as if it was going to swallow him¡ªor even everything in the world.


    The moment he focused on his opponent and forgot about everything else, Cazes felt like everything around him stopped. He only had one chance to pour out his everything. After finallying up close to Joshua, Cazes held his sword up high.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll cut him!¡¯</em>


    However¡­ Cazes couldn¡¯t achieve his goal in the end.


    ¡°Wind¡­?¡± Cazes mumbled dumbfoundedly when the whooshing warned him that something was wrong.


    At the same time, he heard a clear sh of metal and felt the weight in his hand be suddenly lighter. When he lowered his head, he saw that his sword had been broken into two pieces. Those pieces dropped to the ground and the Aura de, which could cut iron like paper, also dissipated.


    Cazes had put everything he had into that one attack, but one counterattack was enough to nullify it. He wasn¡¯t sure when or how Joshua moved; however, did that fact hurt Cazes¡¯s pride? No way! He couldn¡¯t hold down the euphoria that was overwhelming his body, such that he could only stand there for a moment, trembling.


    ¡°¡­Can I ask you one thing?¡± he slowly ventured.


    ¡°Yes, you can.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Am I¡ªno, are we still your men, Captain? Or¡­¡± Cazes couldn¡¯t finish speaking, so he looked at the ground.


    Joshua carefully picked his words.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡±


    Cazes slowly raised his head.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you can believe me¡ªno, I¡¯m not sure if I have the right to say this.¡± Joshua looked straight into Cazes¡¯s eyes ¡°But I never forgot about you and the other knights.¡±


    Cazes¡¯s eyes reddened.


    ¡°Was that enough of an answer?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cazes replied, quietly holding his clenched fist against his chest, ¡°that¡¯s enough.¡±

 Chapter 327

    Chapter 327


    When Joshua returned to the waiting room, Cain and Icarus were waiting for him, just as he had expected.


    ¡°It was a great fight, Master,¡± Icarus said.


    ¡°Hm.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°We only have a group battle left,¡± Icarus continued. She nced behind Joshua.


    Cazes seemed to feel her eyes and came forward and bowed.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you,¡± he said to her. ¡°I¡¯m Cazes Marahas, the subordinate of Captain Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Yo-you¡¯re too polite,¡± came Icarus¡¯s surprised reply, hastily followed by a bow in return.


    Just like Icarus said, Cazes was definitely too polite in some ways. A knight was considered the equal of a bar. On top of that, the Imperial Knights, the highest knights in the Empire, were practically the same rank as barons, cing them above bars. Despite all that, he was the first one to bow at Icarus, who was basically amoner¡­


    Cazes smiled lightly. ¡°You¡¯re Icarus-nim, aren¡¯t you? I heard a lot about you. I feel like the moment the Captain happily talked about how he recruited a great strategist was yesterday¡­ but three years have already passed since then.¡±


    ¡°Ma-master talked about me?¡± Icarus raised her head upon hearing an unexpected story, her eyes filled with curiosity. ¡°What did he say¡­?¡±


    Cazes¡¯s smile deepened


    ¡°He said that his strategist was very talented and was able to see the bigger picture in detail,¡± he kindly exined, as if he were speaking to his sister.


    Icarus eagerly waited on his every word, but no matter how long she waited, Cazes didn¡¯t say anything else.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± she asked, unable to hide her disappointment.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cazes tilted his head.


    ¡°Well, uh¡­ Did he talk about any other characteristics¡­?¡± Icarus was flustered for some reason.


    Cazes noticed and smiled knowingly.


    ¡°There is one natural-born swordsman in a hundred, but there is only one natural-born strategist in a ten thousand, so that title alone is extraordinary.¡±


    ¡°Yo-you¡¯re right. I must have put you on the spot with my useless question¡­¡± Icarus timidly said.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Cazes continued, stepping closer so he could whisper to her, ¡°You¡¯re more beautiful than most women of the Empire, but you pretended to be a man, although you were really bad at it. So he was quite impressed¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes widened. She instinctively turned her head to look at Cain.


    ¡°What?¡± Cain asked, tilting his head in confusion. ¡°Do you have anything to say to me?


    ¡°No-no.¡± When Icarus saw Cain¡¯s reaction, she repeatedly shook her head and turned back to Cazes. ¡°How in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two stop whispering between yourselves now?¡± Cain finally got fed up and decided that it was the right time to interrupt the two. ¡°Do you two know each other?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t!¡± Icarus yelled with a reddened face.


    ¡°You can just say no. Why are you yelling¡­?¡± Cain turned his head to look at Cazes.¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we introduce ourselves?


    ¡°You¡¯re the ck Lion Cain de Harry, am I correct?¡± Cazes smiled.


    ¡°Do you know me?¡± Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    Cazes shrugged. ¡°Who wouldn¡¯t know the Superhuman that is famous all around the continent?¡±


    ¡°Woah?¡± Cain eximed.


    ¡°On top of that, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, although it¡¯s my first time meeting you.¡± Cazes chuckled.


    ¡°You mean you heard a lot from my master, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Cazes said, nodding, ¡°that¡¯s correct.¡±


    That was when Cain loosened up a bit.


    ¡°I was also quite touched when I watched the battle just now,¡± Cainplimented Cazes. ¡°Although so many powerful figures were watching your fight, you had the guts to speak up with confidence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothingpared to your aplishments, Sir Cain.¡±


    Feeling the confidence rising inside him, Cain slightly raised his chin.


    ¡°You know a thing or two, huh?¡±


    ¡°Even a child knows that.¡± Cazes shrugged.


    ¡°I feel like we¡¯ll get along great¡ªunlike someone.¡± Cain nced sideways.


    Cazes noted where Cain was looking and smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor you think of me that way.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cain said.


    Cazes waited for Cain to finish speaking.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m being nosy, but are you married?¡±


    ¡°Here he goes again.¡± Icarus just shook her head because she wasn¡¯t even surprised anymore.


    ¡°I also have two children,¡± Cazes replied.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Cain smacked his lips as if he was truly sad to hear that, but he was secretly relieved. ¡°Well, no one is perfect aside from my master¡­¡±


    Cazes wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    ¡°Then are you living with your wife here in Arcadia?¡±


    A bitter smile spread across Cazes¡¯s face.


    ¡°She¡¯s dead.¡±


    Cain and Icarus¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°She was born weak, and it happened shortly after she gave birth to our second child¡­ But I didn¡¯t get to stay by her deathbed because I was away on a long business trip,¡± Cazes bitterly exined.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry for making you recall painful memories¡­¡± Cain apologized.


    Cazes shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s in the past.¡±


    ¡°<em>Phew¡­</em>¡± Icarus had been watching their conversation and ended up sighing. ¡°Why did you have to ask such a question¡­?¡±


    ¡°How about you?!¡± Cain snapped.


    ¡°I¡¯m not your honey[1], Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst. How could you joke in a situation like this?¡± Cain grumbled.


    Icarus crossed her arms.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see our master agonizing over the uing group battle, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain turned to the aforementioned master, but Joshua just shrugged. Cain snorted. ¡°Agonize, my ass.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s really the right word to describe our master? Since he¡¯s been reinstated as the Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion of the Imperial Knights, it¡¯s safe to say that he¡¯s already won the group battle. Even if they¡¯re going up against the Imperial Knights, our master will be able to take out all of them alone in thirty minutes.¡±


    ¡°But still,¡± Icarus insisted, but she couldn¡¯t continue.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet on twenty minutes,¡± Cazes quietly said.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll bet on ten minutes!¡± Cain shouted with a wide grin.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing better than wagers to get closer to somebody,¡± Cazes said with a little chuckle.


    ¡°Shall we have a wager then?¡± Cain suggested.


    ¡°You¡¯re on,¡± Cazes said. ¡°What will you bet?¡±


    ¡°I happened to have ten gold right now¡­ so I¡¯ll bet all of it,¡± Cain proimed, his grin stretching even wider.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you a bit reckless with your money just because you¡¯re single?¡± Cazes joked.


    ¡°Just don¡¯t change your mindter,¡± Cain warned him. ¡°I¡¯m not going to let you off the hook even if you beg me to return the moneyter because you don¡¯t have the money to buy snacks for your babies.¡±


    Icarus watched their conversation go on, dumbfounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a simple matter!¡± Icarus shrieked.


    ¡°¡­My eardrums are going to blow out,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°Master!¡± Icarus shouted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Joshua flinched as he was dragged into the crossfire.


    ¡°You know the other princes won¡¯t just stay still, right?¡± Icarus growled with zing eyes.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°They¡¯ll throw obstacles in our way by any means possible. Worst-case scenario, they might make your old colleagues fight against you.¡±


    ¡°Why do you care what happens to those traitors?¡± Cain said dismissively.


    ¡°Do you still not understand our master?¡± Icarus red at Cain. ¡°He must have a different opinion.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression changed a bit, as if to affirm Icarus¡¯s assertion.


    Cain frowned. ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Captain.¡± After Cain, Cazes came forward with a serious face. ¡°They didn¡¯t make that choice because they wanted to.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cain grumbled. ¡°I know everyone does something for a reason, but their choices were surely¡ª¡±


    ¡°Most of the current members of the Auxiliary Battalion are single,¡± Cazes interrupted.


    Cain flinched. ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, most of them are single or lost their partners. Half of the knights that left the Battalion have wives, children, and old parents, so they have mouths to feed¡ªand those mouths won¡¯t be able to survive without the knights,¡° Cazes bitterly continued. ¡°If anything happens to them, their families don¡¯t have anyone to protect them, so their futures are obvious¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t most of the Imperial Knights from prestigious noble families?¡± Icarus interjected. ¡°How bad can it be¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Most of the knights in the Auxiliary Battalion used to be wanderers, so no onees from the prestigious noble families that you¡¯re talking about. They were mercenaries or free knights that deserted their families for personal reasons,¡± Cazes exined.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that¡­¡± Icarus trailed off into an awkward silence that weighed down on the room like a heavy nket.


    ¡°Hey, hey.¡± Cain was unable to withstand the silence and thus quickly changed the topic. ¡°By the way, didn¡¯t you forget something, Icarus?¡±


    ¡°I forgot something?¡± Icarus tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Since the man right before me is our real master, then what happened to the person¡ªno, the bastard that was going to be our master¡¯s stand-in?¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah!¡± Icarus pped after she finally recalled. ¡°Master, did you meet them, by the way?¡±


    ¡°¡®Them¡¯?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°She means your doppelganger and that fucking spear,¡± Cain exined.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Joshua flinched and visibly stiffened. ¡°He¡¯s here?¡±


    ¡°¡­Master?¡± Cain was perplexed. Joshua¡¯s uncharacteristic nervousness contrasted worryingly with his usual unppableposure.


    ¡°No, no way¡­¡± Joshua mumbled.


    Cain stayed silent.


    ¡°Cain,¡± Joshua called.


    ¡°Ye-yes, sir?¡± Cain replied.


    ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°Ac-actually¡­¡± Cain stuttered, ¡°I asked because I also don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    Joshua shut his mouth and began to think. If Cain was right about him being here, then Joshua had an idea about his location, because there was only one location he would go to in the Avalon Empire.


    <em>¡®We took different routes¡ªno, he must have moved beforehand since he could sense me, then¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    At that moment, someone loudly shouted from the outside of the waiting room, bringing Joshua back to reality.


    ¡°Mr. Joshua Sanders! You have been ordered by the Emperor toe to the first-ss seat of the colosseum before the group battle starts!¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­?¡± Icarus tensed up when the event she had expected actually came true.


    ¡°Why would he say it''s an order from the Emperor when there isn¡¯t one right now?¡± Cain pouted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Joshua headed to the door without hesitation.


    Cain hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°Master, wouldn¡¯t it be better to summon the other knights of the Auxiliary Battalion and say hi¡­?!¡±


    ¡°I think the same,¡± Cazes chimed in. ¡°They¡¯lle running if you summon them right now. Since we don¡¯t know what kind of schemes the princes are up to, it would be better to move after you meet the knights¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t have the time.¡° Joshua even looked anxious, so Cazes no longer said anything. ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master,¡± Cain replied.


    ¡°Is it okay if I join in on the wager you guys talked about?¡± Joshua asked out of the blue.


    Cain gaped. ¡°¡­Pardon? When you talk about wager, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°One minute,¡± Joshua said.


    Cain boggled at him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll make all the knights and other Captains that attack me kneel within a minute. If I win, I want you to do me a favor withoutining,¡± Joshua told Cain.


    Then he immediately exited the room.


    Icarus, Cain, and Cazes gaped at the door that Joshua had gone through, dumbfounded.


    ¡°Did he say ¡®one minute¡¯¡­?¡± they mumbled.


    1. It¡¯s¡­ Korean wordy. The raw was ¡°???¡­¡± and ¡°? ?? ? ??? ??????¡° ?? means honey (as the term of endearment, not the actual honey.) in Korean. ?

 Chapter 328

    Chapter 328


    ¡°Joshua Sanders has arrived, Your Highness,¡± Kiser¡¯s guard reported.


    Kiser nodded.


    ¡°What are you going to do now?¡± Kaizen, who was standing beside Kiser, asked.


    ¡°I¡¯d better talk to him,¡± Kiser remarked, shrugging.


    ¡°With that bastard?¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°He might have a different mother, but we share the same blood, right?¡± Kiser calmly replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re bullshitting again!¡± Kaizen shook his head in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t ept that.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the truth that has already been revealed.¡± Kiser stroked his chin.


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we, the <em>real</em> brothers, have a constructive conversation?¡± Kaizen suggested.


    ¡°A constructive conversation?¡± Kiser repeated, perplexed.


    ¡°All the bullshit that he babbles aside, I admit that he has skills and I assume you think the same. Am I right, brother?¡±


    Kiser stayed silent, but Kaizen took that as a tacit agreement.


    ¡°We have a variety of choices,¡± he continued. ¡°We can ce his ex-subordinates before him and appeal to his emotions or disqualify him by postponing the time that he would be bestowed with the position. The nobles are still on our side, so he can¡¯t do anything on his own. If we work out our stories, then we have a ton of other methods to stop¡ª¡±


    ¡°What difference would it make?¡± Kiser interrupted, his eyes turning cold.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if he¡¯s the genius of the century and renowned as the Hero King, he¡¯s still a boy who recently became an adult. If we can¡¯t control him now, would we be able to protect our throne even when one of us bes the emperor?¡±


    ¡°Only the people who have eaten grilled fish know the taste of grilled fish[1]. He would need to take a seat in order to think of a way to cook the fish, right?¡± Kaizen shrugged.


    ¡°Anyone can eat a grilled fish. They just can¡¯t eat them because they don¡¯t have the fish to grill.¡± Kiser crossed his arm.


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°In the end, Having the right to eat a grilled fish is also a matter of your ability.¡±


    ¡°The important part is how you get the fish, not how you cook the fish. Due to that right, no one taught us how to fish.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so frustrating!¡± Kaizen angrily roared back. ¡°So you¡¯re going to serve the fish that you almost caught to that reckless simpleton because you don¡¯t have the power to pull up the fish even though you threw the bait? Is that what you truly want, brother?¡±


    ¡°Just like you said¡­ if I¡¯m not capable enough, then I have to.¡± Kiser shrugged.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Despite his hot temper, Kaizen noticed something was up with Kiser and stopped. He chuckled dumbfoundedly. Kiser¡¯s eyes were vacant as if he had truly given up on everything. It looked like he had be apletely different person over the past several hours.


    <em>¡®Did something happen in the meantime? But he has been </em><em>cooping</em><em> himself up in the colosseum, so nothing could possibly have happened¡­¡¯ </em>Kaizen thought. But then he flinched when a memory shed through his mind.


    ¡°Or¡­¡± Kaizen narrowed his eyes.


    Kiser looked askance at Kaizen.


    ¡°Did you hear something else from the Magic Tower?¡± Kaizen asked.


    When he heard the words ¡°Magic Tower,¡± Kiser froze, and Kaizen didn¡¯t miss that.


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Kaizen shook his head.


    Kiser bit his lower lip. ¡°¡­How did you know?¡±


    ¡°Do you think this gigantic pce is only filled up with your people, brother?¡± Kaizen jokingly said.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Kiser nodded.


    ¡°Now out with it,¡± Kaizen urged. ¡°What news in the world could have possibly made my confident brother this timid?¡±


    Kaiser was silent for a moment.


    ¡°There¡¯s something going on in the continent.¡±


    ¡°Of course there is.¡± Kiser shrugged.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just talking about Reinhardt,¡± Kiser added.


    Kaizen had been so certain that his prediction was right. Being proven wrong made him frown.


    ¡°Then what do you mean?¡±


    ¡°It looks like our Avalon has also be their target,¡± Kiser exined.


    ¡°That was also expected; that was exactly why we needed to stabilize the Empire¡ª¡±


    ¡°I mean we don¡¯t have the time to prepare anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaizen flinched.


    ¡°I received a report that arge army is moving on the border between our Empire and Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen was the one who froze up this time.


    ¡°It¡¯s the southmost border. That¡¯s very far from the downtown area, so I highly doubt that those soldiers are moving to spar with one another.¡± Kiser sat down in his seat.


    ¡°Oh, fuck¡­¡± Kaizen unconsciously cursed. ¡°Are you sure the report you received is correct? Why would the Swallow Empiree after us and not the Hubalt Empire? They¡¯re the ones who took Reinhardt¡­¡±


    Duke Eima, the current upier of Reinhardt, handed over the city in less than a day, which was much faster than Kaizen had expected.


    Kiser nodded. ¡°I repeatedly verified it with Count Gaerman, who protects the borderline area.¡±


    Kaizen was not mollified.


    ¡°So why would they go after Avalon?!¡±


    ¡°<em>Tsk.</em>¡± Kiser clicked his tongue. ¡°Cool down a little, Kaizen.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°What are you suggesting we do? Shall we run to them crying and ask them why they are attacking us?¡± Kiser snapped back.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª¡± Kaizen gritted his teeth. He took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°¡­How big is their army?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not perfectly urate, but¡­¡± Kiser bit his lower lip. ¡°There are at least two hundred thousand soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Tw-two hundred thousand?¡± Kaizen¡¯s jaw dropped.


    The Swallow Empire had deployed two hundred thousand soldiers when they brought the Thran Kingdom to the ground. The Swallow Empire would definitely not mobilize that amount of soldiers to just provoke Avalon.


    ¡°Are th-they truly¡­?¡± Kaizen stuttered.


    ¡°On the other side, we have thirty thousand border guards in the area right now, so Duke Tremblin requested more soldiers and permission to go to war,¡± Kiser calmly exined.


    Kaizen¡¯s face brightened up at the mention of Duke Tremblin.


    ¡°Of course we should give permission!¡±


    ¡°Do you think that is enough?¡± Kiser asked.


    Kaizen shut his mouth in surprise.


    ¡°Reinhardt was not the kind of city to give up easily, so if I consider the very worst scenario, then it would mean that everything was an act and the Swallow and Hubalt Empires formed an alliance...¡±


    Although Kaizen insisted in his mind that it was impossible, he couldn¡¯t help but hold his breath.


    ¡°I know Duke Tremblin is the Sword Emperor, but he¡¯s not enough¡ªeven the Dark God died because of them.¡± Kiser sighed.


    ¡°Wa-wait, the Hubalt Empire was already betrayed once, so there¡¯s no way that they agreed to form an alliance,¡± Kaizen desperately refuted.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± a new voice suddenly interjected.


    Kiser and Kaizen simultaneously turned their heads and saw Joshua quietly looking at them in front of the door to the first-ss seats that had been prepared for high-ranking figures at the top of the colosseum.


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-when did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t ask me that since you¡¯re the one who summoned me here.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Kaizen wanted to say more but couldn¡¯t, so he mumbled something iprehensible.


    Joshua turned his head to look at Kiser. ¡°You already knew I was here, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    The elder prince nodded. ¡°I ordered my men to let you in as soon as you arrive.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡± Joshua asked.


    Kiser hesitated for a moment, but spoke with determination.


    ¡°I want you to help this Empire. Please depart for the border immediately and assist Duke Tremblin there.¡±


    ¡°Brother!¡± Kaizen instantly shouted.


    ¡°Stay still, Kaizen.¡± Kiser red at him.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you going to y emperor alone after you lose our country?¡± Kiser growled.


    That was when Kaizen shut his mouth.


    ¡°On top of that,¡± Kiser exined, ¡°Duke Tremblin said he¡¯s not sure if he can stop the enemies alone and requested this.¡±


    ¡°<em>Th-The, </em>Duke Tremblin requested this?¡± Kaizen questioned.


    ¡°That means this is not the time to protect our pride,¡± Kiser said. He turned to regard Joshua again. ¡°Will you do it?¡±


    Joshua stood silent and unmoving, draping the room in quietude.


    ¡°Is that an order?¡± he finally asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Kiser firmly shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m asking you a favor to stand up for the Avalon Empire, not for me.¡±


    After he had finished speaking, Kiser stood up from his seat and¡ªshockingly¡ªbowed to Joshua.


    ¡°B-brother¡­!¡± Kaizen stammered, his jaw nearly touching the ground.


    ¡°Please...¡± Kiser was still bowing.


    Of course, Joshua wasn¡¯t the kind of person who would readily do Kiser a favor just because he bowed.


    ¡°I did hear that no younger brother is better than his older brother[2],¡± Joshua said, smirking at Kaizen. ¡°And it seems your head is quite heavy, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°Kaizen,¡± Kiser quietly called.


    Kaizen gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡­ must also ask you for a favor¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t hear you very well. Maybe because it¡¯s really loud inside the colosseum¡­?¡± Joshua trailed off.


    <em>¡®That son of a bitch¡­!¡¯</em> Kaizen felt the anger boiling up inside him, but he couldn¡¯t show it.


    ¡°Please, Joshua Sanders.¡± Kaizen bowed, biting his lower lip so hard that it was about to bleed.


    Joshua finally smiled.


    <em>¡®This isn¡¯t a bad method.¡¯ </em>


    Since he had found Lugia¡¯s trail, he had to leave anyway, so before he did that¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll go to the border,¡± he said, nodding.


    Kiser¡¯s head jerked up; he hadn¡¯t expected Joshua to agree to do it so easily.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I want to request two things in return,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°¡­Go on.¡± Kiser gestured for him to continue.


    ¡°First of all, I want to visit His Majesty¡¯s chambers.¡±


    Kiser squinted at him. ¡°When you talk about the chamber, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about His Majesty¡¯s bedroom,¡± Joshua exined, ¡°which even you can¡¯t enter, Your Highnesses.¡±


    Kaizen almost blew his top.


    ¡°Are you serious¡ª!?¡±


    However, Kiser quite raised his hand to stop Kaizen.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see to it so you can enter the room as soon as you return.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joshua shook his head. Kiser tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I want this done immediately,¡± Joshua insisted.


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Kiser trailed off.


    ¡°I want to enter the room before I head off to the border.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I''ll see to it.¡± Kiser nodded.


    Although he wasn¡¯t sure what Joshua was thinking, Kiser had already decided that he was going to grant every request Joshua made. Besides, there was no reason for Kiser to not show him the bedroom; even if it held significance, it had lost its owner.


    ¡°What is your other request?¡± Kiser prompted.


    ¡°If I safely return after I get the job done¡­¡± Joshua quietly said, looking straight into Kiser¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°If you safely return?¡± Kiser repeated.


    ¡°I want you to publicly announce that I¡¯m one of the Brittens.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kiser had to hesitate after he heard Joshua¡¯s second request. If Joshua was actually a Britten or not didn¡¯t matter because Kiser was the First Prince¡ªso if he announced that, he was officially acknowledging Joshua as hispetitor. It was obvious what would happen afterward.


    ¡°It¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    Joshua paid no mind to Kaizen.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t already forgotten what you said, have you?¡± Joshua said, quietly pressuring Kiser.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°There is no emperor without his country,¡± Joshua reminded him.


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Kiser nodded.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®alright,¡¯ you bastard brother?!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    Meanwhile, Joshua smiled contentedly and turned away.


    ¡°Are you going to leave right away?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s an urgent matter,¡± Joshua replied.


    Kiser¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you meet Kaiser if you¡¯re going to drop by the pce?¡±


    Joshua came to a halt.


    ¡°By now, he must be with a guest whom you would be d to meet,¡± Kiser informed him with a shrug.


    After a moment of silence, Joshua simply answered, ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡±


    Then he walked away from the first-ss seats.


    1. The metaphor started from the Korean idiom. It means people who are used to something can easily do it again. ?


    2. It¡¯s an old saying in Korea. It¡¯s not really used anymore. ?

 Chapter 329

    Chapter 329


    Although the meeting with the princes took less than an hour, many people were inside the waiting room when Joshua returned.


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s really Captain Sanders.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m truly d to see you again, Captain!¡±


    A hundred men were packed inside the waiting room. As anyone could have predicted, they were the Auxiliary Battalion knights who had been waiting for Joshua.


    ¡°Quiet!¡± Cazes was quick to shout using mana. ¡°The Captain is already busy, so you aren¡¯t all seriously going to bother him, are you? Because I don¡¯t see you helping him.¡±


    A silence descended on the room for some time, until Cazes broke into a joyful smile.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± he mumbled.


    The knights raised their heads, surprised.


    ¡°I told you the Captain would return, and look who¡¯s standing in front of you.¡± Cazes pointed at Joshua with his chin, prompting the knights to turn their heads and look at Joshua again.


    Most of them were rubbing their eyes in disbelief, but the man that they had been waiting for still stood in front of them.


    Unable to hold down his excitement, a knight clenched his fists and shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Wo!!!!!


    ¡°Woaaahhhh!!!!¡± The other knights followed the first knight and fervid shouts arose from here and there.


    ¡°Knights of the Auxiliary Battalion, listen!¡± Cazes shouted.


    The knights energetically held their fists against their chests.


    ¡°As the current Captain of the Auxiliary Battalion, I will give you myst order!¡± Cazes shouted with a little smile.


    ¡°We are ready to obey!¡± the knights yelled back.


    ¡°Salute to our forever captain, Joshua Sanders, who has returned as the new leader of the Auxiliary Battalion!¡±


    Cazes drew his sword, letting the clear ring of metal resonate in the air.


    ¡°Salute!¡± the knights eximed, grinning.


    Dozens of swords rose into the air as one, their wielders all looking in one direction with fervent eyes. They paid homage with every fiber of their body to show Josuha how long they had been waiting for him just by their actions.


    The knights took a deep breath, and a hundred voices shouted at once:


    ¡°Loooyalty!


    Cain and Icarus had stepped aside and looked at them with mixed emotions. Some might insult them and call them fools for acting that way since their superior had disappeared without even saying goodbye. After he had disappeared, they had been pressured by the higher-ups and couldn¡¯t even be sure if Joshua was going to return.


    Critically, Despite everything, the fact was that they had waited persistently for Joshua. Aside from Icarus and Cain, no one else would be able to understand those knights.


    ¡°Are you crying, Chorper?¡± Dave asked Chorper.


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not!¡± Chorper turned away.


    ¡°Yes, you are,¡± Dave teased. ¡°Man up, don¡¯t cry over¡ª¡±


    ¡°Dave, speak after you finish wiping off your snot!¡± Another knight chuckled.


    ¡°Look! Ranger is crying AND sniffling!¡± The knight standing next to Dave pointed at Ranger.


    Ranger looked away. ¡°Shut up, you bastard!¡±


    ¡°Bwhahahahaaha!¡±


    The waiting room became instantly noisy. No knights med Joshua, they just sincerely weed the return of their superior.


    Joshua, however, remained silent, even as Cazes took one more step toward him.


    ¡°A warm breeze blows after a storm passes, and we believe it¡¯s time for us to feel the warm breeze again. Captain, don¡¯t try to do everything on your own since we¡¯ll always have your back, even if you lead us to the fiery pits of hell.¡± Cazes¡¯s voice echoed throughout the room, touching the heart of Cain, who had been listening to everything.


    ¡°We¡¯ve heard the whole story!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not scared of the higher-level battalions if we¡¯re with you, Captain!¡±


    ¡°You know, we haven¡¯t been staying idle!¡±


    ¡°Well, putting everything aside, what can they do against the great prince?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s crush that group battle!¡±


    Although the knights eagerly mored, Joshua couldn¡¯t say anything because he couldn¡¯t find the right words to answer them with. Should he thank them for waiting for him? Or, should he apologize for leaving without saying anything?


    ¡°Captain.¡± Cazes looked at Joshua.


    Joshua¡¯s head jerked up.


    ¡°Please give your order.¡± Cazes smiled.


    When Joshua met Cazes¡¯ eyes, he could feel the strong trust in them and realized that he didn¡¯t say anything else to these knights.


    <em>¡®They¡¯re truly fools. I¡¯ve done something horrible to them.¡¯ </em>Joshua bit his lower lip.


    If he told them he¡¯d had no time to say goodbye, then he would be just making an excuse. So he should never disappear from them again.


    Joshua stared at his battalion for a long moment.


    ¡°There will be no group battle.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Several of the knights tilted their heads in confusion upon hearing the seemingly random remark.


    ¡°It seems a war is about to take ce,¡± Joshua abruptly revealed.


    The knights could only respond with wide-eyed stares.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± Icarus asked in shock, quickly closing the distance between her and Joshua.


    ¡°I just finished talking with the princes,¡± Joshua exined. Each word brought fresh changes to the knights¡¯ expressions. ¡°¡­So I¡¯m going to head to the border right away. Of course, I would have to stop by Duke Agnus¡¯s mansion¡­¡±


    ¡°You mean your childhood home?¡± Cain asked. ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°My weapon Lucifer¡ªno, Lugia¡ªis there,¡± Joshua exined.


    ¡°Lugia¡­ the fucking spear?¡± Cain dumbfoundedly mumbled.


    ¡°Are you with me?¡±


    Joshua was asking the Auxiliary Battalion, not Cain.


    Of course, the room fell into deep silence.


    ¡°Oh, wow,¡± a knight eventually mumbled. ¡°I¡¯ve been forgetting the fact that our Captain was the famous Hero King.¡±


    After the knight broke the suffocating silence, the other knights started to chuckle helplessly one by one.


    ¡°It would be really interesting if it turns out we¡¯re going up against the whole continent.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, the news of the Empires forming an alliance is too sudden.¡±


    ¡°Who cares? We¡¯ve all beenmenting over how we weren¡¯t there when our Captain earned the title of ¡®Hero King.¡¯¡±


    Cazes shrugged. ¡°¡­That¡¯s why they say, Captain.¡±


    Joshua looked to Ranger and Viper, who stood beside Cazes, and asked, ¡°Are you¡­ all on the same page?¡±


    Cazes, Ranger, and Viper broke into smiles at the same time.


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you anywhere, Captain.¡±


    * * *


    Inside the Imperial Pce, there was a warp gate that only high-ranking figures could use, and it shone brilliantly for the first time in a long time.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Someone groaned as a group of people wearing robes walked out from the gate.


    A blonde man who had been waiting for quite a while smiled faintly and took a step forward.


    ¡°Wee to the Avalon Empire, truth seekers of the Tower.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­?¡± a person standing in front of the group asked.


    The blonde man slightly bowed. ¡°I¡¯m Kaiser ben Britten.¡±


    ¡°If your surname is Britten, then you¡¯re surely¡­¡± The person gaped.


    A petite person who was standing next to the speaker quickly approached and whispered, ¡°He¡¯s the Fourth Prince of the Empire.¡±


    Although the group¡¯s leader didn¡¯t expect a prince would wee them, he took off the robe without hesitation, revealing the pale green-haired man¡¯s beautiful face. However, his beauty made the fact that he had only one eye stand out. Regardless, he bowed back at Kaiser.


    ¡°I¡¯m Thetapirion Whitesox,¡± he said.


    Kaiser''s smile deepened. ¡°I heard a lot about you. It¡¯s an honor to meet the Tower Master who is famous around the continent.¡±


    ¡°I never thought you''d be the one who wees us, Your Highness,¡± Thetapirion replied.


    ¡°Of course I should,¡± Kaiser answered, as if it was his job to greet them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not just stand here,¡± the prince politely¡ªalmost subserviently¡ªsuggested. ¡°Why don¡¯t we move to the drawing room?¡±


    Kaiser immediately tried to take the lead with a smile on his face, but he came to a halt when he heard a voice.


    ¡°Wait.¡± The voice was strikingly clear and as beautiful as if a goddess were speaking, instantly baffling Kaiser and the weingmittee.


    ¡°A woman?¡± someone mumbled.


    The petite person ignored thement and came forward.


    ¡°Would it be possible to check the imperial seals first, as you¡¯ve requested?¡± she asked. ¡°From what I heard, we have to authenticate two imperial seals.¡±


    Kaiser finally pulled himself together.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­?¡± he quietly queried.


    ¡°She¡¯ll be taking charge of authenticating the imperial seal, and I can guarantee her ability, Your Highness.¡± Thetapirion nodded.


    Thetapirion¡¯s introduction only increased Kaiser¡¯s curiosity. Although he couldn¡¯t believe the Tower Master¡¯s most trusted wizard was a woman, Kaiser knew he would mess everything up if he continued to question them for no reason, and he wasn¡¯t that kind of an idiot.


    ¡°¡­Just like you said, we asked the Magic Tower to authenticate the seal because two imperial seals suddenly showed up after the seal had disappeared.¡± Kaiser turned to the petite woman. ¡°There is only one real imperial seal¡­ which means that the other one is fake¡ª¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a chance that both seals are fake?¡± the petite woman quietly interrupted.


    The bystanders¡¯ eyes widened as the conversation took a sudden turn.


    At that point, even Theta couldn¡¯t hide his bafflement.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this the perfect situation for us to take the fall?¡± the petite woman said, shrugging.


    Theta frowned. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They say that one of the imperial seals is definitely the real one, but if both of them turned out to be fake after we authenticate them, then they¡¯ll say that no one else touched them and that we were the first ones to hold the imperial seal in our hands¡­¡±


    Only a fool wouldn¡¯t understand what was going on when the petite woman had exined that much.


    ¡°Just what do you think of us?!¡± one of the nobles snapped. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how serious we are? Look at how His Highness Kaiser himself came to wee you!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± the woman said with another shrug, ¡°but I¡¯m saying this because we¡¯re with His Highness.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± the noble stuttered.


    ¡°Besides¡­¡± The petite woman¡¯s eyes turned cold underneath her hood. ¡°...My <em>best</em> friend has the real imperial seal of Avalon, as I recall.¡±


    All the other people flinched in shock.


    ¡°So I won¡¯t move an inch until you tell me the whole story,¡± the woman dered.


    And as soon as she finished speaking, a deep silence descended.

 Chapter 330

    Chapter 330


    The shocking news about the Swallow and Hubalt Empires forming an alliance once again spread among a few people with power.


    Meanwhile, Lucifer stood in a pitch-ck room in the castle of Erhaim, formerly known as Reinhardt. His zing scarlet hair was lit only by the light of the crystal ball he stood in front of.


    ¡°How are you?¡± he asked with a sly smile.


    -I can¡¯t say I¡¯m well, thanks to someone.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s words had a bite to them even through the crystal ball, making Lucifer¡¯s smile deepen.


    ¡°We¡¯ve united again, so don¡¯t be too harsh,¡± Lucifer remarked with a chuckle and a shrug. The Martial Emperor snorted.


    -You should never think I did that because I trust you.


    ¡°Of course you do.¡± Lucifer¡¯s easy nod made the Martial Emperor frown discontentedly.


    -How are you going to fulfill our promise?


    ¡°All the people in the continent know the news of the Hubalt Empire finally upying Erhaim, so isn¡¯t having Erhaim enough? Our soldiers have already exited Erhaim and gathered along the border of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    Despite that, the Martial Emperor smirked.


    -Well, you never know. You people might attack ournd while pretending to attack the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°You have zero trust in me,¡± Lucifer intively replied.


    -If you¡¯re going to keep joking around, then the deal is off¡­


    ¡°We¡¯re going to hit the Avalon Empire right away with or without the Hubalt Empire army,¡± Lucifer dered as soon as the Martial Emperor finished speaking.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes widened.


    -What¡­?


    ¡°We mobilized all our soldiers out of Erhaim for that, including the Swallow Empire¡¯s proud Ice Emperor. Wouldn¡¯t that be enough to end this squabble about trusting each other?¡± Lucifer shrugged.


    The Martial Emperor was astounded.


    -The Swallow Empire is going to attack the Avalon Empire alone? Why so suddenly? Why would you bother taking the risk? You know, the Hubalt Empire might betray the Swallow Empire this time¡ªand on top of that, the Avalon Empire is just a white elephant.


    ¡°Think of it as paying back your trust,¡± Lucifer said, cocking his head. ¡°We can take care of the Avalon Empire on our own anyways.¡±


    The Martial Emperor narrowed his eyes.


    -What are you going to do if the Dark God shows up?


    ¡°Are you scared of him?¡± Lucifer said, grinning.


    -What?


    ¡°That would be very disappointing¡­ The Martial Emperor beat the Knight of God, but he¡¯s now afraid¡­?¡± Lucifer trailed off, but the Martial Emperor was not blind to what the Grand Duke was up to. Lucifer¡¯s opposite snorted.


    -Stop trying to provoke me, you¡¯re bad at it. Unlike you, I know loyalty. You didn¡¯t forget about our promise, did you?


    ¡°I¡¯ve already upheld the promise,¡± Lucifer said, so firmly that he sounded cold. That made the Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes widen a bit.


    ¡°You mentioned the promise. Well, you know, the Dark God wanted to disappear from this world, but in contrast, the Darkness Emperor wished toe to the light along with the members of his organization. We wanted this tiring power dynamic of three empires toe to an end. Thus the four of us made more than one promise, didn¡¯t we?¡±


    Lucifer reminiscing earned him a growl from the Martial Emperor.


    -Are you getting sentimental all of a sudden? Why are you dredging up the past?


    ¡°We shared a simr interest,¡± Lucifer continued, paying the Martial Emperor¡¯s rough manners no mind. ¡°Isn¡¯t that how the impossible¡ªfour Stars joining forces¡ªhappened?¡±


    -So¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s still the same,¡± Lucifer said determinedly, making the Martial Emperor flinch. ¡°You and I shared the same dream, unifying the continent, and the Avalon Empire can¡¯t bother us anymore. However, the cumbersome flies are still everywhere.


    ¡°Still, the promises we made in the past have already been fulfilled: the people of the continent already think the Dark God is dead, and the Darkness Emperor, the leader of the assassin organization, is working out in the open. The two most powerful people in the Avalon Empire went missing, instigating a long civil war that is still scarring the lives of the people in the Empire. But¡­ ¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°It looks like the promises we¡¯ve abided by so far are about to break now.¡±


    He received a nk look.


    -What are you talking about¡­?


    ¡°You have ears, so you must have heard the news about the Sword Emperor and the Hero King showing up in the Avalon Empire.¡±


    The mention of the two men made the Martial Emperor visibly stiffen.


    ¡°If the Dark God also dreams about unifying the continent, now is the perfect moment for him to show up again,¡± Lucifer said, narrowing his eyes dangerously.


    -That¡¯s¡­


    Lucifer was right. The Emperor of the Avalon had already gone missing, so nothing was stopping the Dark God anymore. During thest civil war, the Avalon Empire had decayed and many powerful people had been killed.


    ¡°It has already been three years. Although I don¡¯t know exactly why the Dark God wanted to disappear, I¡¯m assuming that it has something to do with the missing Emperor of Avalon.¡± Lucifer looked straight into the Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes. ¡°As the situation is progressing in an unpredictable way, at least the two of us have to build trust.¡±


    -¡­Have you verified the news?


    ¡°The news?¡± Lucifer repeated.


    -The news about how the Hero King showed up.


    ¡°Ah.¡± Lucifer chuckled and held up a pale, round human head without hesitation.


    -¡­Is that the Lion King¡¯s head?


    The Martial Emperor quietly groaned after he saw whose head Lucifer was holding.


    Lucifer nodded. ¡°He was with Cain de Harry, Joshua Sanders¡¯s first knight.¡±


    -¡­So it¡¯s safe to assume the news is true. The Hero King, huh¡­? Problems seem to just keep piling up for some reason.


    ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t expect that boy to have such power or to be capable of stopping us, but¡­¡± Lucifer trailed off for a moment.


    ¡°You and I finished our awakenings, so if we unite, we¡¯ll be able to defeat not only the Hero King but also his father,¡± Lucifer dered with a gleam in his eyes. ¡°After taking down the Avalon Empire, only the small kingdoms will remain. Why don¡¯t the Swallow and Hubalt Empires decide which empire will reign over the continent once we take care of the rest of them?¡±


    The Martial Emperor didn¡¯t answer Lucifer¡¯s proposal for a long time. The man on the other side of the crystal ball pondered something with a grim look for a long moment.


    -How can I be sure that you won¡¯t betray me again before the momentes?


    Lucifer shrugged. ¡°The city is the key region and the heart of the continent. It¡¯s also a fortress that can withstand ten attacks on its own, so handing over such a stronghold to you is quite a risky move for me too. ¡±


    The Martial Emperor shook his head.


    -Even if I consider that, taking Reinhardt is still not enough. You should take care of the Hero King.


    That was as good as a ¡°yes¡± from the Martial Emperor.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lucifer replied with a sly smile.


    * * *


    In order to authenticate the imperial seal, the three highest mages of the Magic Tower had been dispatched. The first mage was Thetapirion Whitesox, the current Tower Master; he was the only disciple of the previous Tower Master, Ian tun Murray, and had also held the Storm seat until recently. The second mage to be dispatched was Marcus, the holder of the Earth Seat. In spite of the critical injury Marcus had sustained from Evergrant con Aswald, the most viinous mage of the continent, Marcus remained the most senior of the Seven Mages.


    The woman who remained confident in front of the Empire¡¯s prince was thest wizard that had been dispatched. She was also one of the Seven Mages, the holder of the Ice seat. The woman quietly lowered the hood of her robe, gathering the attention of dozens of curious people.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°How can such beauty exist¡­?¡±


    People all around her marveled, and some just held their breath. It was their first time meeting such a beautiful woman.


    ¡°I see I haven¡¯t introduced myself.¡± The woman¡¯s voice echoed throughout the silent room, clear as the sky itself. ¡°My name is Iceline zin Rebra. I am in charge of authenticating the imperial seal as you requested.¡±


    ¡°T-the Cold-Blooded yer!¡±


    The nobles loudly murmured among themselves. All of them had heard the rumor of thedy from the fallen earl¡¯s family. In the Empire of Knights, a girl was born with an extraordinary gift for magic, but the girl was now known to be the most beautiful woman on the continent and just as merciless.


    ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± Kaiser pulled himself back together and smiled. ¡°The rumors I heard are quite true. Anyhow, I really didn¡¯t expect to run into the hero from our Avalon Empire. It¡¯s truly fortunate news. To be honest, I was a little worried because it¡¯s not easy to let outsiders handle the imperial seal of our Empire, although we have to do so for the authentication.¡±


    Kaiser hinted at Iceline¡¯s origins to try to make her feel like she was one of them, the people of the Avalon. Iceline saw through Kaiser¡¯s n immediately and coldly smiled.


    ¡°The Magic Tower is a supranational organization. We aren¡¯t part of any country.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s eyebrow rose, almost imperceptibly.


    ¡°Everyone on the continent knows about this,¡± Iceline continued, ¡°and I¡¯m here as a member of the Magic Tower right now.¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± One of the nobles pointed at Iceline with a reddened face. Even if she was right, how could she say such a thing before a prince?


    ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Theta quietly chuckled. Although he already knew her temper, it seemed to be worse today. But of course, Theta could assume why she was acting like this.


    ¡°Joshua truly has everything,¡± Theta mumbled in a way that only he could understand.


    Kaiser was uncharacteristically hesitant, thrown off by the clear line Iceline had drawn.


    ¡°Will you answer my question now?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m actually the one who wants to ask a question,¡± Kaiser said, changing.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Iceline narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Fair, objective, neutral¡­ you¡¯re acting noble in every possible way, but you¡¯re saying god-knows-who has the real imperial seal?¡± Kaiser shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the truth. If you want, I¡¯ll make a mana vow.¡± Iceline offered.


    ¡°You im that your friend has the real imperial seal, I¡¯m not sure what that im is based on. I don¡¯t even know who that friend is.¡± Kaiser gave Iceline a heavy look. ¡°You¡¯ll see it soon, but the imperial seal is being stored in a way that does not require assistance from anyone. Thus, no one can tamper with it.¡±


    Iceline shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying my friend recently acquired it. My friend has been keeping the imperial seal for the past three years¡ªsince the civil war broke out.¡±


    Kaiser was struck dumb by Iceline¡¯s statement.


    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s say you¡¯re right, Lady Iceline. But isn¡¯t that still a problem in its own way? Only the emperor of the great Avalon Empire is allowed to carry the imperial seal, but a person that isn¡¯t rted to His Majesty in any way has the imperial seal¡­?¡±


    The more Kaiser continued, the more tension filled the air. Some hot-tempered knights had their hands on the hilts of their swords, ready to draw them any second.


    ¡°Who in the world is your friend?¡± Kaiser demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± someone else interrupted as if they¡¯d been waiting for that moment.


    From within the warp gate in the center of the Imperial Pce, a man stepped out.


    When Kaiser realized who the man was, he erupted into a fury.


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± he growled.


    Almost as if it had been nned, all the nobles went silent at once. On the other hand, like the flower sprouting from the snow, Iceline broke into a glowing smile.


    ¡°Joshua!¡±

 Chapter 331

    Chapter 331


    After Kaiser came back to his pce, he burst into anger


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill that son of a bitch over and over again!¡± he cursed.


    He picked up a ss vase and mmed it into the ground, noisily flinging fragments all over the floor.


    ¡°What? ¡®Wait until they authenticate the imperial seal?¡¯ Hah! Hahahahaha!¡± Kaiserughed maniacally.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness¡­¡± the head butler of the Fourth Prince¡¯s pce stuttered.


    ¡°How dare they!¡± Kaiser picked up another piece of decor.


    The head butler shut his eyes tightly. Fortunately...


    ¡°You sound quite angry,¡± a man nonchntly remarked from the pce''s first floor. Kaiser went as still as a sculpture. Although his real personality was quite different, Kaiser liked to show an image of self-control and restraint in front of the others.


    ¡°¡­Brother Kaizen? Why are you here¡­?¡± Kaizen asked.


    ¡°For the same reason as you. I can¡¯t just stay in my bed at times like this, can I?¡± Kaizen said as he made himselffortable in the chair he was sitting in. There was a bite to his words that made Kaiser shut his mouth.


    ¡°I heard you greeted the mages from the Magic Tower,¡± Kaizen continued.


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Kaiser nodded.


    ¡°You also met Joshua Sanders.¡± One end of Kaizen¡¯s mouth curled up slightly.


    Kaiser¡¯s eyebrows twitched.


    ¡°¡­Brother, I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t feel well,¡± he said, an implicit yet clear request for Kaizen to leave.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t,¡± Kaizen said dismissively. ¡°I have a proposal. You must have already heard about the rumor that war will soon break out.¡±


    Kaiser remained silent.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders will soon head to the border.¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes widened; Kaizen had gotten his attention.


    ¡°If he survives the war and returns,¡± the older prince continued, ¡°he wants us to formally recognize him as a prince.¡±


    ¡°That lowly bastard doesn¡¯t know his ce¡­¡± Kaiser muttered. Kaizen chuckled. Kaiser¡¯s voice was so quiet that no one else should have heard, but Kaizen had read Kaiser¡¯s lips.


    ¡°Either way, we¡¯re suffering a loss. The whole Empire is in danger if he loses this war, but he¡¯ll be iparably influential if he wins it. Think about it: the citizens of the Empire have trouble sleeping due to nervousness. Right before the continent is about to be ravaged by the war, he rises victorious and returns to the Empire. He¡¯s going to be seen as thest hero of the falling Empire.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not going to happen,¡± Kaiser sharply replied.


    The enemies of the Avalon Empire were the two empires that practically ruled the continent. On top of that, the enemy¡¯s army was led by the two strongest Skies of the continent: the Crimson Sky and the Martial Emperor. Although it would be impossible to emerge victorious after defeating all of them, the princes of Avalon had no chance of winning the battle for the throne if Joshua pulled off a victory.


    <em>¡®¡­Besides, Heimdall himself would have to step in if the situation bes really bad. Only if it can happen¡­¡¯</em> Kaiser thought, unwittingly clenching his fists.


    Kaizen¡¯s voice brought Kiser back to reality.


    ¡°I also think so,¡± Kaizen said, ¡°but there is no harm in preparing in advance. The current ideal scenario would be him beating the bush and us catching the birds.¡±


    ¡°Brother,¡± Kaiser said, raising his hands. It was really difficult for him to keep listening to Kaizen¡¯s nonsense. ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop¡ª¡±


    ¡°Take my hand,¡± Kaizen offered.


    Kaiser flinched as he was about to continue.


    ¡°Brother Kiser is the worst hypocrite. An emperor can¡¯t exist without a country? Nonsense, why would you need a country if you can¡¯t be an emperor? I¡¯ll support you, so please help me too.¡±


    It looked like the second brother had a n, but Kaiser didn¡¯t expect much.


    ¡°¡­In what way?¡± Kaiser asked.


    ¡°You must have Evergrant¡¯s ancient spellbook, the one and only existing ss 8 spellbook,¡± Kaizen said, narrowing his eyes.


    Kaiser shook his head. ¡°What are you talking about¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t pretend like you don¡¯t know. I already know everything.¡± Kaizen¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°The spellbook you have is a treasure that a mage would sell their families and their soul for. On top of that, I heard that the current Master of the Magic Tower is talented, but that boy can¡¯t get to the next level because he doesn¡¯t have a good teacher. If we can have a private meeting with that boy, wouldn¡¯t it be possible to fabricate the imperial seal?¡±


    There was no way for Kaiser to not understand what Kaizen meant. Kaiser¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t trust me, Brother.¡±


    ¡°I hope your imperial seal is the original one too, but I¡¯m just preparing for the worst scenario. Besides, you know what the imperial seal symbolizes. Since Father disappeared, the seal itself is the previous emperor¡¯s will, so even a great, victorious war hero is merely a pawn on the chessboard.¡± Kaizen looked straight into Kaiser¡¯s eyes. ¡°Once we get our hands on that imperial seal, then we have the ¡®justifiable cause¡¯ that those old men love, and Duke Tremblin can¡¯t disagree.¡±


    Kaiser went quiet as he became lost in his thoughts. Truthfully, Kaizen¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t bad for Kaiser since he was already thinking the same as Kaizen. Wouldn¡¯t it be for the best if Kaiser could also get the Second Prince¡¯s support? Kaiser didn¡¯t have to ponder for a long time.


    ¡°¡­I won¡¯t beat around the bush since you already know,¡± Kaiser said, shrugging.


    ¡°I knew it¡­!¡± Kaizen¡¯s face brightened up when his assumption was confirmed.


    ¡°¡­Before we start, I want you to promise me one thing,¡± Kaiser cautiously said.


    ¡°Promise you what?¡±


    ¡°You said you¡¯ll support me, right?¡±


    Without hesitation, Kaizen nodded. ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°Then please gather up the nobles that are on your side and formally acknowledge me as one of your own,¡± Kaiser requested.


    ¡°That¡¯s not a difficult request.¡± Kaizen shrugged.


    ¡°If you do that, I¡¯ll try coaxing him as you requested.¡±


    Kaizen smiled brightly upon hearing the answer that he had been waiting for.


    ¡°Summon the Tower Master first in secret, then I¡¯ll grant any wishes of yours.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Joshua finally arrived at Emperor Marcus¡¯s bedroom. He stood in front of the door that was elegantly engraved with a golden dragon.


    The menacing Imperial Knights protecting the bedroom drew their swords, creating an ominous rasp of metal.


    ¡°Lower your swords,¡± Kisermanded.


    The Imperial Knights flinched. ¡°But Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who promised him this. Are you going to make me a liar?¡± the prince demanded, ring at them.


    Surprisingly, the Imperial Knights¡­ stepped back. For generations, the Imperial Knights of the First Battalion had protected the Emperor¡¯s bedroom, and they only obeyed the Emperor¡¯smand. Those prideful men were currently following the orders of the man who wasn¡¯t an emperor.


    ¡°Why did you insist oning to this ce?¡± Kiser asked Joshua.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember promising to tell you why,¡± Joshua replied as he moved to stand right before the door.


    Kiser sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise. Besides, you already got what you wanted, so it won¡¯t do you any good to be vignt around me.¡±


    Kiser looked at Joshua, but he stayed stubbornly silent. Kiser frowned slightly.


    ¡°¡­If you think so, fine, but you won¡¯t stop us from going into the room with you, will you?¡±


    Just as he said that, a loud stomp echoed down the hallway. The reason why Kiser used the word ¡°us¡± was that dozens of the Imperial Knights were following Kiser.


    ¡°Haha.¡± Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°¡­Are youughing?¡± Kiser frowned.


    ¡°There¡¯s no reason to not tell you,¡± Joshua replied with a shrug.


    Kiser was about to snap, but he restrained himself.


    ¡°¡­You sound like you¡¯re going to answer my question.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to find out the forgotten truth in this ce,¡± Joshua nonchntly replied.


    ¡°What?¡± Kiser narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I assume His Majesty was assassinated here?¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened; what Joshua said was basically a taboo. An emperor was basically a god in his empire¡ªhow could a god be killed by others? It was impossible and should never happen. That was the reason why the Avalon Empire¡¯s officials had publicly dered that Emperor Marcus had gone missing.


    A knight came forward, growling.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously¡ª¡±


    Kiser quietly raised his hand, stopping the knight in his tracks.


    ¡°¡­His Majesty didn¡¯t get assassinated.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious about the truth too, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser frowned subtly.


    ¡°What will you do if I say I have a way to find out the truth?¡± Joshua slowly turned to Kiser, who had gone still as a statue. ¡°Are you ready to face the truth, prince?¡±


    ¡°What are you saying¡­?¡± Kiser fixed his eyes on Joshua.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you if you say you¡¯re ready.¡±


    His next move put the knights on high alert. They jumped between Joshua and Kiser as Joshua put his hand into his pocket.


    ¡°Stop right now!¡± One of the knights yelled. ¡°Or else¡ª!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to be tense.¡± Joshua quietly chuckled and pulled something out from his inner pocket.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡± Kiser tilted his head in confusion. It was a round, earthen-colored object the size of a fist, but it was impossible for him to determine what it was until Joshua spoke up again.


    ¡°It¡¯s Gaia, the primordial stone,¡± Joshua exined.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes bulged; he¡¯d heard that name before.


    ¡°One of Gaia¡¯s abilities is peering into the memory left on the ground.¡±


    ¡°Peering¡­ at the memory?¡± Kiser repeated.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s also called the ¡®Memory Stone¡¯.¡±


    When he finally understood what Joshua meant, Kiser became petrified.


    ¡°That means¡­!¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Joshua¡¯s monotonous voice echoed throughout the suffocatingly silent room. ¡°It means we can find out the truth of that day.¡±

 Chapter 332

    Chapter 332


    Just like its name suggested, the primordial stone Gaia was a fragment of the god that held the earth attribute. Joshua had discovered the stone on the highest floor of the Tower of Trials, where he had least expected to find it. Although the legendary Full Moon Mirror, which was known to show anything that the user wanted to see, wasn¡¯t on the floor, there was Gaia, which had a simr ability. In addition to the stone, another object¡ªno, a special door had been there.


    <em>¡®¡­This is not the time.¡¯</em> Joshua shook his head, breaking away from such trivial thoughts before he became lost in them. Then he raised his head and looked levelly at Kiser


    ¡°His Majesty never allowed anyone to enter his bedroom,¡± Kiser was exining. ¡°Even me, the other princes, and his closest subjects weren¡¯t allowed.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean it¡¯s your first timeing into this bedroom?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Kiser shook his head and bitterly replied, ¡°Technically, I¡¯vee to this ce hundreds of times because I had to find out His Ma¡ªno, my father¡¯s whereabouts, but as you can see, I got nothing. Aside from the fact the room¡¯s owner disappeared as if he disappeared into thin air, nothing changed in this bedroom.¡±


    After Kiser finished speaking, he smiled self-deprecatingly¡ªbut just like he said, the bedroom was so ordinary that it was hard to believe that the room belonged to the man who ruled an empire. The only furniture in the room was one wooden bookshelf and a big bed in the center.


    ¡°There wasn¡¯t even a trace of battle?¡± Joshua wondered.


    ¡°Indeed, there wasn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t the bedrooms of the Imperial Family have secret passageways that are used to escape?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty got rid of it from the start.¡± Kiser quietly chuckled. ¡°He said that those passageways are useless.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°¡­I see he¡¯s still the man I know.¡±


    ¡°He was a skilled swordsman too.¡± Kiser shrugged.


    For a moment, Joshua silently looked at the bed. Then he turned to Kiser.


    ¡°Are you really going to keep watching?¡± he asked.


    Kiser nodded. ¡°Everything else aside, I have a duty to search for my father as his son.¡±


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°If someone else saw us right now, they would think you¡¯re the one who knows how to find His Majesty.¡±


    Considering he was speaking to a prince of an empire, Joshua¡¯s tone was very rude, but it looked like Kiser had instructed the Imperial Knights in advance because they didn¡¯te forward, although they flinched for a moment. After looking at the knights, Joshua¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    ¡°If¡­ If you can find His Majesty¡¯s whereabouts and your imperial seal is truly the original one¡­¡± Kiser looked straight into Joshua¡¯s eyes. ¡°...then I won¡¯t bother waiting until you return from the battlefield. I¡¯ll immediately make a public deration to exonerate you and formally acknowledge you as a prince of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness!¡±


    Joshua shook his head without hesitation, paying no mind to the shocked outburst of the knights.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t feel like I¡¯m gaining something from that since you¡¯re making a promise that we had already agreed upon.¡±


    ¡°But you can save time, and I¡¯ll leave the pce.¡± Kiser crossed his arms.


    Joshua¡¯s eyebrows deeply furrowed; he hadn¡¯t expected Kiser to make such a shocking offer. A prince left the ce for only one reason: he lost the war for session and his brother inherited the throne. Although most princes were usually killed before one of them inherited the throne, in the rare cases they hadn¡¯t been, they voluntarily left the pce once they lost.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± the imperial knights immediately responded. ¡°What are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°We really can¡¯t ept that! Please retract your words!¡±


    ¡°Please retract them, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Kiser shouted.


    Joshua grabbed Gaia and nodded.


    ¡°I see how firm your resolve is on this matter, Your Highness,¡± he said with a deep smile.


    Joshua had called Kiser ¡°prince¡± before, but Joshua called him ¡°Your Highness¡± now.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that you need to pay a price to achieve something great,¡± he remarked, shrugging.


    Kiser smiled bitterly.


    ¡°The price is quite high.¡±


    ¡°The price doesn¡¯t necessarily have to be something material¡­ so I hope you don¡¯t make the wrong choice after you find out the truth.¡±


    Joshua then began to circte his mana, filling the air with a low hum.


    In the past, he hadn¡¯t been able to find out the truth because he had ended up ¡°there,¡± but it was time to bring out the truth.


    Gaia shone brightly, and its light swept over the entire bedroom.


    * * *


    Theta was dumbstruck. He had definitely not expected that something like this would happen to him.


    ¡°It¡¯s a gift.¡± Kaiser smiled.


    Theta quietly looked down at the book that was handed to him: the cover seemed newly made as it was very stiff, and the pages were oiled. Even without reading it, Theta could tell that it was a very valuable book. No, he didn¡¯t need to read the book to find out what the book was¡ªthe phrase ¡°ss 8 Spellbook¡± was written elegantly on the cover.


    ¡°¡­Is it a bribe?¡± Theta asked.


    ¡°No.¡± Kaiser shook his head. ¡±It¡¯s just a gift.¡±


    ¡°It can no longer be called a gift if you want something from the gift receiver,¡± Theta said.


    ¡°I simply want the Magic Tower to improve, but I also wish you would also care for the Avalon Empire too, Tower Master. That is why I¡¯m giving you this gift.¡± Kaiser exined.


    Thinking Kaiser was basically exining the concept of bribery, Theta cut to the chase. ¡°What do you want?¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯re worried, but it¡¯s nothing big.¡± Kaiser kept smiling.


    ¡°That¡¯s up to me to decide.¡± Theta shrugged.


    Since Kaiser had thought Theta would be very happy after he saw the book, Kaiser raised one of his eyebrows in annoyance when Theta showed an unexpected reaction. Kaiser answered, ¡°Once you get to the ce that is set up to authenticate the imperial seal, many other people would have already arrived.¡±


    ¡°I would assume so since hell would break loose if someone swaps those imperial seals.¡± Theta nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to speak a little bit politically right now¡­ but after the imperial seal gets authenticated, a bloodbath will immediately take ce,¡± Kaiser said.


    Theta slightly shrugged. ¡°And why does that concern the mages¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t, but¡­ as a prince of this empire, I don¡¯t want to see our citizens getting hurt, so if this misfortune can be avoided with someone¡¯s help¡­ Then isn¡¯t it obvious what my decision would be?¡± Kaiser intively smiled.


    ¡°I guess that someone is going to be the lowly me,¡± Theta sarcastically said.


    ¡°A Tower Master is calling himself low. You¡¯re too humble.¡± Kaiser chuckled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll cut to the chase. What do you want?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s smile deepened. He almost had Theta on his side.


    ¡°When you finish authenticating the imperial seal, please tell me first.¡±


    Theta couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°That is all I ask for,¡± Kaiser gently assured him. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    Theta¡¯s lips turned down into a slight frown.


    ¡°It really sounds like you¡¯re going to snatch the real one and pretend that it¡¯s yours.¡±


    Kaiser shrugged.


    ¡°There is no need for the mages of the Magic Tower to care about that, isn¡¯t there? It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to witness it.¡±


    Theta shut his mouth, unable to riposte when his own words had been turned on him. Kaiser stared at him, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.


    ¡°My answer is¡­¡± Theta finally said after a long, silent moment, ¡°...no.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaiser asked in disbelief.


    A strong wind suddenly raged inside the room, forcing Kaiser to shut his eyes. Although he knew nothing about magic, he could feel how strong the wind that Theta summoned was, and he was afraid.


    ¡°I¡¯m still at the beginning stage¡­.¡± Theta intoned, his voice as clear as day despite the raging wind, ¡°...but I¡¯ve already reached ss 8.¡±


    Kaiser became petrified.


    ¡°So your offer isn¡¯t really intriguing.¡± Theta shrugged.


    ¡°B-but this is the treasure that all wizards desire¡­!¡± Kaiser hastily shouted.


    ¡°Above all, I¡¯m also his friend.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaiser couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°I¡¯m also Joshua Sanders¡¯s friend.¡± Theta grinned.


    Kaiser¡¯s lips trembled, even though the wind was subsiding.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Theta stood up. ¡°I can¡¯t stay here anymore because of the reek.¡±


    ¡°Yo¡­you¡­!¡± Kaiser quickly raised his head¡ªhowever, Theta was already gone. Yet hisst word, ¡°reek¡± echoed in Kaiser¡¯s ears.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Kaiser mmed the wall beside him with his tightly clenched fists.


    * * *


    <em>The only source of light in the dark bedroom was the dim moonlight shining through the window. Emperor Marcus leaned against the side of the bookshelf, lost in his thoughts.</em>


    <em>¡°Urgh!¡±</em>


    <em>Marcus flinched. The scream, which he could only hear because he had far surpassed the human level, came from beyond the door. Then a continuous stream of desperate screams filled the hallway.</em>


    <em>¡°Kekekeke¡­¡± Marcus broke away from his thoughts and chuckled insidiously.</em>


    <em>¡°I guess it turned out this way in the end.¡± Marcus noticed through the window that a person was slowly approaching. ¡°You¡¯re quite good. Who are you?¡±</em>


    <em>Shortly after, Marcus wasn¡¯t able to hear anything from outside. </em>


    <em>¡°Killer Sword,¡± the person answered. </em>


    <em>There was only one person on this continent who was called ¡°Killer Sword¡±.</em>


    <em>¡°I see, the Darkness Emperor¡­ Kekekeke, I didn¡¯t expect the gloomiest people on the continent would meet like this.¡± Marcus chuckled.</em>


    <em>Under the falling moonlight, the person¡¯s face waspletely revealed. </em>


    <em>¡°Aden, you came here in the end?¡± Marcus shut his eyes. </em>


    <em>¡°Didn¡¯t you already see iting?¡± Aden asked. </em>


    <em>Marcus nodded. ¡°I did ever since you bedded my sister.¡±</em>


    <em>Aden didn¡¯t expect to hear that.</em>


    <em>¡°You meant for this to happen?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°No way. I was also young back then, but I knew how ridiculous it was that you were acting as a moderate when the fact is, you¡¯re the most bloodthirsty person in this Empire, not me.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°...¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Let me ask you a question this time: are you doing this for revenge?¡±</em>


    <em>Aden shook his head without hesitation.</em>


    <em>¡°Revenge isn¡¯t enough to describe what I¡¯m trying to do.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Then?¡± Marcus looked straight into Aden¡¯s eyes. </em>


    <em>¡°It¡¯s fate,¡± Aden said.</em>


    <em>¡°Fate?¡± Marcus repeated. He tilted his head in confusion.</em>


    <em>¡°I was born with the fate to be unable to live under the same sky as the Britten family,¡± Aden said, but his exnation made his motives no moreprehensible to Marcus.</em>


    <em>¡°What do you mean?¡± Marcus asked.</em>


    <em>Aden stepped forward ominously. The room was utterly silent except for the sound of his voice.</em>


    <em>¡°In the ancient past, when this country was founded, your ancestor withdrew the army to attack the capital of his own country and built a new country named Avalon. Thus, he became the first Emperor Britten.</em>


    <em>Marcus frowned slightly. ¡°Why are you starting a history lesson¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°My ancestor is King Kunir, whom your ancestor killed.¡± Aden¡¯s eyes turned sharp. </em>


    <em>Marcus¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly regained hisposure.</em>


    <em>¡°Kekeke, is that so? That¡¯s new. My ancestor¡¯s karma descended for generations and came to me in the end, huh¡­¡±</em>


    <em>Marcus trailed off into silence for a moment, but then he smiled. His smile slowly deepened.</em>


    <em>¡°In the end, you¡¯re more than entitled to challenge the throne even if it wasn¡¯t for my sister, but you can¡¯t achieve that dream either. Although you did it to kill me¡­ the world forgot about you, so who won¡¯t doubt you if you show up right after something happens to me? You can¡¯t gain anything with the victory without a justifiable cause¡­ Kekeke¡­¡± </em>


    <em>Aden shook his head.</em>


    <em>¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± </em>


    <em>Marcus froze up. ¡°¡­What?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°My dream isn¡¯t to be an emperor¡­and I have many ways to rule this Empire even without the throne,¡± Aden stated.</em>


    <em>One of Marcus¡¯s eyebrows rose imperceptibly.</em>


    <em>¡°At first, my n was to use one of your sons as my puppet in ruling this Empire, but I don¡¯t need to anymore.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°What¡­?¡± Marcus tried to say something, but he had to stop because something happened to sh through his mind. ¡°Wait¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I never thought I would learn how fun it is to raise a child¡­¡± Aden smiled faintly. </em>


    <em>¡°¡­He¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, Marcus loosened up.¡°I¡¯ve met and seen what he did until now, but do you really think you can control him?¡±</em>


    <em>Aden shrugged. ¡°A tiger doesn¡¯t give birth to a dog.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Paternal love¡­ It really doesn¡¯t suit the Dark God.¡± Marcus shook his head in disbelief. </em>


    <em>¡°The Dark God doesn¡¯t exist anymore,¡± Aden resolutely muttered. He took off the ck clothes that gave him his title. As the ck cape, his symbol, slowly swayed down to the floor, Aden¡¯s white clothes were revealed. </em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯ve found my true light by disappearing from the world, so why would I need to live as a shadow anymore?¡±</em>


    <em>Aden strode forward.</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m Heimdall, the White God.¡± He held up his greatsword.¡°I¡¯ll get rid of you and be a true god.¡±</em>

 Chapter 333

    Chapter 333


    The memory of the earth ended when Aden was about to cut off Emperor Marcus¡¯s head with his sharp-edged ck greatsword, another symbol of the Dark God. Then the world became bright once again, and¡­ as if he had woken up from a long dream, Kiser shook his head as he opened his eyes. No, it wasn¡¯t just Kiser, because numerous knights were trembling as though they were suffering from hypothermia.


    ¡°This is¡­ the truth?¡± Kiser nkly mumbled, still as a statue.


    ¡°The truth is always cruel,¡± Joshua said.


    Kiser¡¯s eyes zed up with fury. He gritted his teeth and turned to Joshua.


    ¡°You bastard¡­¡± he growled. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t stay so calm if everything we saw is true.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I told you in advance¡­¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Kiser roared. ¡°Can you really not tell how serious the situation is? When someone kills their parents, they get executed. When theymit treason, their grandparents and children also get executed. If someone murdered none other than His Majesty, the entire family will be exterminated!¡±


    ¡°No one knows if His Majesty was killed at that moment,¡± Joshua mumbled, still maintaining hisposure.


    ¡°You shameless bastard!¡± Kiser burst into anger. ¡°What are you doing? Arrest the criminal right now!¡±


    The Imperial Knights drew their swords without hesitation. One hundred silvery des rasped against their sheats, and then all were pointed in the same direction.


    ¡°¡­You don¡¯t understand what I meant.¡± Joshua examined the swords pointed at him with cold eyes. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want to know the truth?¡±


    ¡°The truth? Are you seriously talking about the truth right now?¡± Kiser growled.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t seen what happened at the end yet,¡± Joshua reminded him.


    ¡°Be quiet!¡± Kiser stood before Joshua and scowled.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t like you in the first ce!¡± he shouted. ¡°You, a part of the Imperial Family? You share the same blood as us? Nonsense! You¡¯re mixed blood¡ªno, a mutt. You can never be considered one of us! On top of that, half of your blood is from Kunir, the archenemy of my Britten family!¡±


    ¡°¡­As expected¡­¡± Joshua slowly curled up one end of his mouth. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say that from the start?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kiser narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to know the truth¡ªyou just wanted to see reality as you wanted to see it.¡± Joshua sneered.


    ¡°You son of a bit¡ª¡±


    ¡°Now I can see that you actually resemble His Majesty the most amongst you and your brothers.¡± Joshua shook his head disparagingly.


    Kiser came to a halt.


    ¡°I¡­ resemble Father?¡±


    ¡°In the end, you¡¯re a Britten.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Do you think you can say anything you want just because I let you speak!?¡± Kiser turned to the Imperial Knights. ¡°Imperial Knights, do you n on standing around and watching him babble?¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Joshua menacingly yelled before the knights could move. He released his energy, and it hit Kiser and the Imperial Knights like a storm.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    His energy was so overwhelming that the Imperial Knights could feel their knees weakening in spite of their inhuman endurance.


    ¡°Do you really think you should be the one getting angry?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t even call Kiser prince anymore.


    ¡°You seriously¡­!¡± Kiser shook his head in anger.


    ¡°Can you still not tell?¡±


    Joshua took one step forward.


    ¡°If I wanted, I could overthrow this Empire on my own¡ªright now.¡±


    Despite the pressure on his entire body, Kiser wanted to yell, ¡°Bullshit!¡± But he couldn¡¯t because he could feel an instinctive fear rising from deep within his heart.


    ¡°The only reason I¡¯m not doing that is¡­ because I wanted to give you all a chance.¡±


    ¡°A¡­ chance?¡± Kiser nkly repeated.


    ¡°Because I can see ¡®it¡¯. The ancestor¡¯s karma passes down to their descendants. For generations, the karma has piled up, so one death isn¡¯t enough to atone for it.¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    Suddenly, the door mmed open.


    ¡°We have a pr-problem!¡±


    A knight ran into the bedroom but flinched when he saw his colleagues holding drawn swords. On top of that, a man was confronting the knights; it looked to the neer like they also had a problem.


    ¡°Wh-what is this¡­?¡± The knight looked around, bewildered.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s the problem?¡± Kiser quietly asked, trying to change the air.


    The knight pulled himself together.


    ¡°It¡¯s treason!¡± he quickly answered. ¡°You should take shelter, Your Highness!¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes became even wider as the unexpected news struck him.


    ¡°Wh-What? Did you say ¡®treason¡¯?¡±


    ¡°From the Second Prince¡¯s Pce¡ª! We don¡¯t have time! His Highness Kaizen is in danger!¡± the knight reported.


    There was someone who reacted faster than Kiser.


    Joshua disappeared from the room like the wind.


    * * *


    Inside the Second Prince¡¯s Pce, exactly half of the nobles within the pce were copsed on the ground, bleeding out; the remaining half were huddled up together, trembling with fear. They surrounded Kaizen, whose back dripped with sweat.


    ¡°You son of a bitch¡­!¡± he cursed.


    On his opposite side, Kaiser was watching them with a scarily expressionless face.


    ¡°I definitely didn''t expect you to pull off this kind of crazy stunt¡­ What are you trying to do?¡± Kaizen asked, but Kaiser was still silent.


    At first, Kaiser¡¯s request to have a meeting with all the nobles on Kaizen¡¯s side and be epted by them made Kaizen think that Kaiser was a really distrustful man, but he¡¯d never thought Kaiser had been scheming like this.


    ¡°Answer me, Kaiser!¡± Kaizen insisted.


    Kaiser finally broke his silence.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a good moment to start something?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaizen couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°Most of the Imperial Knights are at the colosseum, and the knights that were left to protect the pce are all in the council chamber, where the imperial seal is currently stored¡±


    ¡°You know very well that I¡¯m not asking that,¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°Why am I doing this?¡± Kaizer shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s simple: because I already promised to help Kiser.¡±


    ¡°Ha!¡± Kaizen chuckled dumbfoundedly. Although he wanted to say more, he knew that it was meaningless. He looked around for a moment and gritted his teeth. ¡°Where did this many peoplee from?¡±


    The masked men were surrounding Kaizen and the nobles with swords in hand, but those men¡¯s clothes were truly bizarre. If they were from the same group, they were bound to dress the same, but they didn¡¯t. Exactly half of those men were wearing ck, yet, like water and oil, the other half¡¯s clothes were white.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take it so badly because it¡¯s not like I haven¡¯t kept up the end of my bargain at all,¡± Kaiser said.


    Kaizen came to a halt. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°But then again, the Tower Master rejected my offer¡­ He already reached ss 8, so he doesn¡¯t need a spellbook. In addition to that, he also said that since he¡¯s that damned Joshua Sanders¡¯s friend, he can¡¯t do something that will cost him his pathetic friendship. If I knew things would turn out this way, then I wouldn¡¯t have bothered leaking the information to you¡­¡±


    ¡°The one who leaked the information about the spellbook¡­ was you?¡± Kaizen¡¯s lips trembled.


    ¡°How else would you have found out about the spellbook when it¡¯s well-hidden in my bedroom?¡± Kaiser sneered.


    Kaizen quietly groaned. It was clearly his mistake. He should have thought about it before he proceeded, but the anxiousness in the corner of his heartnded him in this situation.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ve wasted too much time.¡± Kaiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Don¡¯t spare anyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness,¡± one of the masked men quietly answered.


    The nobles trembled like aspen leaves because although there were at least fifty masked men in this ce, the masked man that had just answered was the one who had killed all the dead nobles. The nobles had seen with their own eyes how surprisingly skilled an assassin the man was¡ªin fact, he was as good as the Imperial Knights of the great Avalon Empire.


    ¡°N-no! I can¡¯t die like this.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness Kaiser, please at least spare us our lives¡­!¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t kill us, Your Highness!¡±


    The nobles¡¯ desperate cries filled the room.


    <em>¡®Is this my end¡­?¡¯ </em>Kaizen soon gave up and looked straight ahead.


    The masked man that had answered approached Kaizen and held his sharp-edged sword high up in the sky. Unable to look anymore, Kaizen shut his eyes, and¡­


    ¡­that was when something unexpected happened. Kaiser had stepped aside to watch the situation, but now, his eyes in surprise. One of the nobles had blocked the masked man¡¯s sword, an attack from a man who was considered as skilled as a captain of the Imperial Knights.


    However, the problem was that the noble who had stopped the masked man was someone that no one anticipated. Among the nobles, he was the only one who was wearing a robe, but he took off his hood now, revealing his identity.


    ¡°¡­Babel von Agnus?¡± Kaiser muttered in disbelief when he saw the man¡¯s face. ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you surprised that I¡¯m alive?¡± Babel nced at Kaiser as he was still blocking the assassin¡¯s de. He chuckled. ¡°You ought to be curious since I should be in hell after the War God killed me.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­?¡± Kaiser trailed off.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple: I¡¯m not the one who died.¡± Babel grinned.


    In an uncharacteristic break from his usual poker face, Kaiser¡¯s shock was in to see.


    ¡°It hurts my pride so freaking much to be saved by the person I never wanted to lose against¡­¡± Babel frowned.


    ¡°No way¡­¡± Kaiser mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°Still¡­¡± Babel fixed his grip on the sword and smiled brightly. ¡°My brother is better than you. From now on, I¡¯ll stop you even if it costs my life.¡±


    After Babel finished speaking, he drew up as much of his mana as he could.


    An ear splitting explosion rattled the entire pce.


    * * *


    Joshua had been darting forward, but he came to a halt and flinched when he heard a ground-shaking explosion from close by.


    ¡°¡­Is it from the Second Prince¡¯s Pce?¡±


    ¡°Master!¡± someone shouted.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened at that moment. He wasn¡¯t sure how they had found him, but two people were approaching him.


    ¡°Cain?¡± he wondered, bewildered. ¡°And behind you is¡­?¡±


    Using magic, Theta appeared right before Joshua and smiled happily.


    ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    ¡°How are the two of you here¡­?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Now is not the time to exchange greetings, master!¡± Cain hurriedly shouted. ¡°The two empires simultaneously started mobilizing their armies near Reinhardt just now!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The Swallow and Hubalt Empires?¡± he quickly asked.


    ¡°Yes, they¡¯re not moving their armies towards each others¡¯nds; they¡¯re headed to a different ce, as if they formed an alliance again¡­¡± Cain trailed off.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Among the two empires¡¯ armies, the Swallow Empire¡¯s army is expected to hit none other than our Avalon,¡± Cain reported. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ll soon join their grand army on the border!¡±


    Joshua gaped nkly at him, so Theta quickly added, ¡°I got the report from the mages of my Magic Tower that surveil the entire continent, so I¡¯m certain of the information¡¯s credibility.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s basically the Second Continental War right now! Icarus already went off to meet Lady Charles to return to the merchant group!¡± Cain said.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turn colder than ever.

 Chapter 334

    Chapter 334


    ¡°Where is she?¡± Joshua asked.


    Cain tilted his head in confusion. ¡°By she, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Cain pped when he finally realized what Joshua was talking about. ¡°She left Arcadia before Icarus.¡±


    ¡°She left?¡± Joshua wondered.


    ¡°She located the me Emperor,¡± Theta answered, rather than Cain.


    ¡°The me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Theta remembered Joshua¡¯s three-year disappearance. ¡°You may not know this. I¡¯m talking about bis, previously known as the Knight of Red me and the Prince of the fallen Thran Kingdom.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°He¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°Just like you, I thought he was dead¡­¡± Theta met Joshua¡¯s attentive gaze. ¡°The Moon Gate is connected deeply with the Magic Tower, so I¡¯ll be able to answer most of your questions.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then the organization that¡¯s been secretly helping the Moon Gate to get back on their feet is¡­?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t the only organization that¡¯s trying to help Moon Gate, but the Magic Tower is indeed one of them. In fact, you must be familiar with the other two groups that are helping Moon Gate; they are the Mercenary Guild and the Association of Free Knights.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression changed slightly.


    ¡°If the two empires have truly united, then the return of the me Emperor is good news for us,¡± Cain quickly added.


    ¡°I agree.¡± Theta nodded. ¡°The alliance may look tight and solid on the outside, but the two empires actually just want to devour each other whole.¡±


    ¡°That''s because there are many people who want power for themselves, even in times like this. Besides, the only reason that the Kingdom Alliance still exists is because of their leader, ¡®The King''...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s already bad enough to have organizations¡¯ leaders in the Kingdom Alliance, but then there are kings, the leaders of nations. Just the fact that they have to listen to each other''s orders must hurt their ego.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why there¡¯s a saying that everyone has a dream and n that looks decent¡­ before they get beaten up.[1]¡± Cain shrugged.


    Theta grinned. ¡°I don''t know who said that, but it¡¯s very refreshing to hear.¡±


    ¡°Isn''t it?¡± Cain grinned back. The two seemed to be hitting it off unexpectedly well.


    ¡°Anyhow,¡± Theta continued, ¡°the words of ''The King'' are thew during a time of war, and that is why the other eight kings are secretly divided into factions and growling with each other. Naturally, there¡¯s no way the Kingdom Alliance''s rtionship would be solid.¡±


    ¡°Despite such circumstances, the me Emperor withstood the empires'' attacks for over a year even when he and his army were greatly outnumbered, so if he reappears¡ª¡±


    Cain couldn''t finish speaking due to another loud explosion assaulting their ears.


    Joshua looked faintly anxious.


    ¡°What in the world is that sound? I keep hearing it.¡± Theta frowned.


    ¡°Well, it sounds like something is exploding¡­¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Cain,¡± Joshua interrupted, ¡°head to the border right now.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cain reflexively asked, surprised. ¡°What about you, master?¡±


    ¡°There is some unfinished business I have to take care of.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Are you trying to disappear again?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Not this time.¡± Joshua shook his head with a little smile. ¡°You can trust me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cain trailed off doubtfully.


    ¡°Does that order apply to us too, Captain?¡± someone interrupted as if they had been waiting for that moment.


    Startled, Joshua, Cain, and Theta simultaneously turned their heads to the voice.


    ¡°Cazes? And¡­¡± Joshua stared nkly at the numerous people that stood behind him.


    ¡°We were shocked because you disappeared again, Captain!¡±


    ¡°We thought we were going to be abandoned again!¡±


    ¡°Man, it was scarier than the time my wife tried to kick me out of my home¡­¡±


    ¡°Scary my ass. Didn¡¯t you want to get kicked out?¡± Ranger snorted.


    ¡°Vice Commander Ranger, do you really have to ruin the mood?¡±


    ¡°I just envy you because you¡¯re the only one who has a wife. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Ranger grumbled.


    Joshua watched one hundred knights of the Auxiliary Battalion chattering uproariously as they stood on both sides of Cazes, who was wearing full armor.


    ¡°You guys¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    ¡°No matter how hard you try to stop us, we¡¯re going to follow you this time, Captain,¡± Cazes determinedly said.


    Joshua became silent for a moment as he let it all sink in.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± he quietly ventured.


    Cazes and the other knights waited expectantly for Joshua to finish speaking.


    ¡°Can I also ask you to do this?¡± Joshua asked.


    Cazes¡¯s face immediately brightened up, and the other knights became so happy that some of them loudly shouted for joy.


    ¡°Of course.¡± Cazes nodded, smiling faintly.


    ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Joshua mumbled. He then immediately turned to Theta as if he was trying to hide the look on his face. ¡°Can I request the same from the Magic Tower too?¡±


    Theta smiled; he had been quietly watching the situation.


    ¡°The Magic Tower¡¯s fee is quite expensive¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll pay as much as is needed,¡± Joshua firmly replied.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need money,¡± Theta replied, shaking his head, ¡°but I want the Magic Tower and the Hero King to continue to maintain a good rtionship. That¡¯ll be enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay,¡± Joshua replied.


    Theta¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°That¡¯s a promise.¡±


    After Joshua finished speaking, he sharply turned away. It seemed his business there was done.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain quickly called out to him. ¡°Don¡¯t abandon us again.¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll really curse you if you leave us alone again. You¡¯ll get marriedter than me at least!¡± Cain fervently shouted.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, it won¡¯t take long,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll believe you!¡± Cain yelled.


    Joshua nodded and darted toward the distant Second Prince¡¯s Pce as fast as his legs would take him.


    * * *


    In front of the warp gate in Arcadia, Icarus rubbed the crystal ball in her hand anxiously.


    ¡°Please pick up,e on¡­! Come on¡­¡±


    Icarus¡¯s efforts finally bore fruit; the crystal ball lit up brightly.


    ¡°I got it!¡± Icarus delightedly shouted.


    -¡­Oh my, Icarus?


    The face of someone familiar appeared on the surface of themunication crystal ball. She was stunningly beautiful, with eyes that were a little bit like that of a cat, and zing red hair. Over the years, she had be a mature woman and even more beautiful than before, but in a different way.


    ¡°Lady Charles!¡± Icarus smiled, but Charles, the woman in the crystal ball, pouted.


    -I told you to not call me by that name when we¡¯re alone.


    ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Icarus fidgeted with her fingers.


    -Do it.


    ¡°Si-sister Charles.¡± Icarus sheepishly smiled. That put a smile on Charles¡¯s face as well.


    -Yes, my treasure. You¡¯ve never called after you left, so what happened?


    ¡°I¡¯m-m sorry,¡± Icarus was quick to apologize. ¡°How are you?¡±


    -Oh my. I wasn¡¯t trying to give you a hard time.


    Charles gently bit her tongue for a moment.


    -Anyhow, is it because of the war?


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Yo-you already knew?¡±


    -The war involves our Empire, doesn¡¯t it? Besides, war profits the merchant guild greatly.


    ¡°Then I can cut to the chase: please help me, Sister Charles.¡±


    -What happened?


    Icarus briefly exined what had happened until now. The more Icarus said, the more expressions appeared on Charles¡¯s face.


    -Th-then the rumoring from the capital was true?


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Icarus nodded.


    -Oh my god¡­ He really¡­


    It seemed Charles was remembering her old memories, but Icarus couldn¡¯t wait.


    ¡°War is costly because not only do we need food but also other supplies to support the army. No matter how great my master is, he can¡¯t fight a war on his own.¡±


    -Of course, that¡¯s why you tried as hard as you could over thest three years, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡± Icarus apologized again.


    Charles put her hands on her hips.


    -Are you really going to keep apologizing? What are you sorry about? Thanks to your efforts, my Pontier Merchant Guild was able to rise significantly.


    ¡°But still¡­¡± Icarus trailed off timidly.


    -Icarus, I¡¯m always grateful to you. In fact, I would have been disappointed if you didn¡¯t aid him.


    ¡°Sister Charles¡­¡± Icarus was touched. Charles smiled at her through the crystal ball.


    -It¡¯s finally the time for your efforts to bear fruit.


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right!¡± Icarus nodded as she smiled back at Charles.


    On the other hand, Charles showed her clenched fist to Icarus.


    -Trust me, I¡¯ll show everyone on the continent why I¡¯m called the Steel Empress.


    * * *


    While several nobles trembled in the Second Prince Pce, Babel went down on one knee with his back against the nobles and coughed blood.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡±


    The white fragments of his intestines were also mixed with his blood, so it was obvious that Babel was critically injured. In addition to that, his greatsword, which was his symbol, was already broken in half, and the fragments were scattered all around the floor.


    ¡°I see why you were once called the treasure of the Avalon Empire.¡± The masked man, the one who had single-handedly killed the nobles lying on the ground and went up against Babel, looked down at Babel. ¡°It might have been different three years ago, but it¡¯ll be difficult for you to fight against me using only aura.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Babel let out a short groan and forced himself to raise his head.


    The masked man¡¯s aura materialized and took the shape of six arms behind him as he looked down at Babel.


    ¡°I took the form of one of the Eight Legion Deities. He¡¯s called ¡®Asura¡¯ in the eastern continent,¡± the masked man mumbled, just loudly enough for others to hear him. The nearby nobles trembled in fear; the masked man knew how to stir fear in people very well.


    ¡°Asura,¡± the masked man mumbled.


    His sword hummed. As he moved, exactly six swords rose high up in the air.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Babel cursed.


    ¡°Kekeke, don¡¯t feel too bad because even that greenhorn named the Hero King won¡¯t be a match to me right now. On a side note¡­ I¡¯m the weakest among these people.¡± The masked man pointed at the other masked men.


    Babel visibly flinched.


    The masked man took a moment to examine Babel before raising his arm.


    ¡°Now die.¡±


    Babel could clearly hear the sound of the masked man swinging his swords down. Babel fell into despair, but he didn¡¯t look away¡ªrather, he fixed his eyes on the six swords as they descended.


    ¡°N-no!¡±


    Kaizen and the other nobles, who had been watching Babel, were the ones who looked away.


    <em>¡®If I knew I would die in vain¡­¡¯</em> Babel mumbled in his thoughts.


    ¡°Cheap tricks again,¡± a new voice suddenly interrupted. ¡°Besides, if you¡¯re going to imitate something, you should do it properly. The real Asura isn¡¯t like that.¡±


    Babel and the masked man¡¯s widened.


    Six sounds echoed at once. Babel and the masked man quickly searched for the source of the sound. It was easy to find: the fragments of exactly six silver swords were falling, sparkling as they tumbled through the air.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Babel gaped nkly as the new person lightlynded with his back turned to Babel. Babel was actually familiar with that broad back now.


    In a sh, silence fell upon the room. No one could react otherwise, aside from Babel. The masked man with his swords was really strong, but a person appeared and destroyed all the swords. The other masked men were in disbelief, and busied themselves measuring this new person.


    The silence was broken by the sound of someone grinding their teeth. Apparently, Babel wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d realized who had just shown up.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡± Kaiser furiously shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°You bastard! Are you going to stop me again?!¡±


    ¡°This is thest time,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaiser didn¡¯t understand what Joshua meant, but he flinched when he saw Joshua¡¯s next move.


    As if to answer by action, rather than words, Joshua swung his blindingly bright, snow-white spear, Hertonia¡¯s masterpiece.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to put an end to this long feud,¡± Joshua dered. ¡°Let¡¯s end this, Kaiser.¡±


    1. This is a Korean meme that originated from a saying that is simr to the English idiomatic expression ¡°knock some sense into them.¡± It''s supposedly the greatest way to distinguish con man or make someone pull themself together. ?

 Chapter 335

    Chapter 335


    In the faraway eastern continent, Asura was considered one of the protectors known as the Eight Legions. He was also called the King of Ghosts and used a truly bizarre way of fighting with his three sets of arms. Heimdall had personally taught the masked man that style of swordsmanship originating from the eastern continent. It was called ¡°Six-Edged Sword,¡± but¡­


    ¡°¡­This is impossible,¡± the masked man mumbled in disbelief.


    In terms of swordsmanship, the eastern continent was known to be more skilled than the western continent. And even in the eastern continent, the Six-Edged Sword was considered an exceptional technique¡ªthat was why these masked men could always emerge victorious. It didn¡¯t matter if they were going up against the strong¡ªup until meeting Joshua, the masked man had only lost twice with this power.


    <em>¡®I lost¡­ to this greenhorn, not </em>him<em> or Arietta?¡¯ </em>the masked man nkly thought.


    Yes, he could ept his first defeat¡ªthe masked man thought to himself that the great Heimdall had already exceeded the human level¡ªbut he didn¡¯t admit his second defeat since he thought his opponent just had an upper hand given the difference in their abilities. However, he was about to lose again¡­


    <em>¡®The other apostles are watching, so I can and should never lose.¡¯</em> The masked man quietly gritted his teeth.


    The masked man took a step forward. ¡°What¡¯s¡­ your name?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s Joshua Sanders!¡± Kaiser shouted at the top of his lungs.


    The masked man¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders? Huh¡­ You''re his¡­¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you introduce yourself first before you ask someone who they are?¡± Joshua chided; his voice was clear as the day.


    The assassin raised an eyebrow, visible despite the mask.


    ¡°You arrogant bastard¡­¡±


    He raised his hand and lifted his mask, revealing a man in his mid-forties with serpent-like yellow eyes.


    ¡°ger!¡± another masked man shouted in surprise.


    ¡°Did you ask me who I am?¡± the masked man mumbled. ¡°I¡¯m ger, the fiftieth and final apostle of the great Heimdall, and soon, I¡¯ll put an end to your life.¡±


    After ger finished speaking, his eyes were filled with murderous intentions. His pride had already been greatly hurt. Although ger was thest apostle, he was part of the strongest organization on the continent. In fact, the organization memberspiled all the martial arts on the continent. However, he was considered the weakest member of the organization as he had joined thetest.


    ¡°It¡¯sing from there!¡± a voice shouted from outside.


    ger coldly looked at the entrance to the pce.


    ¡°Enter immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    A group of people were pouring inside the pce after detecting the explosions. Kaizen realized who they were as soon as he saw them.


    ¡°The Second Battalion Knights!¡± he shouted, delighted.


    ¡°Your Highness Kaizen! Are you okay?¡± one of the knights asked.


    ¡°Why were you sote?¡± Kaizen demanded.


    Kaizen and the remaining nobles visibly rxed upon seeing that there were at least over fifty knights, a simr number as the masked men. In addition to that, many greatly skilled Imperial Knights were in the Second Battalion.


    Kaizen rapidly came to a decision and thrust a finger at ger.


    ¡°It¡¯s treason! They dared to attempt to murder the prince of the great Avalon Empire! Knights, raise your swords and eliminate these rebels here!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    ¡°T-treason!¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s remark was like pouring oil on a fire. From the moment the knights noticed the pile of nobles¡¯ corpses, they realized something was wrong, so the Second Battalion¡¯s Captain roared without hesitation.


    ¡°Draw your swords!¡±


    One by one, the knights drew their gleaming swords.


    ¡°Those moths don¡¯t know they¡¯re going to die in this fire¡­¡± ger smiled crookedly as he looked at the Imperial Knights. There were a total of fifty masked men, but ger alone was going to show these Imperial Knights why the masked men, who were trained with apiled version of all the martial arts on the continent, were called the strongest.


    ¡°You should wait for a moment.¡± ger pointed at Joshua, but from the way the spearman crossed his arms, it seemed he had no intention of getting himself involved in the fight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see how long you can act that rxed¡­ kekeke¡­¡± ger quietly chuckled as he began to move.


    ¡°Get into groups of three, then we¡¯ll get into formation! We¡¯re simr in numbers, so don¡¯t ever let your guard down! We¡¯ll protect the people until the backup arrives!¡±


    ¡°Keke, this is funny. I admire your efforts¡­¡±


    ger sprang forward. The captain¡¯s eyes popped wide open when he saw it¡ªthere were fifty Imperial Knights, but the assassin advanced on the knights on his own.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± The captain cursed.


    It was difficult for one person to defeat several people on their own, and outnumbering your opponents had a higher chance of winning than overwhelming skill. Even a three-year-old knew this, so even if ger was as skilled as an Imperial Knight, what he was doing was practically suicide.


    ¡°Men in the second line, don¡¯t move. Maintain formation! Men in the first line will deal with the rebel¡ª!¡±


    The Second Battalion Commander couldn¡¯t finish speaking because ger had already closed with them and shed with the knights in the front.


    ¡°Ahhh!!¡± ger loudly shouted, holding the swords made with aura high up in the air.


    Then he started his dance in front of the knights.


    He moved like a renowned dancer, his swords traveling in truly beautiful trajectories. By swinging once, ger was making six movements at the same time. The more ger swung, the more the sky was colored silver, creating a silver storm. In the end, the Imperial Knights couldn¡¯t see in front of them anymore.


    The captain finally realized something was up.


    ¡°Thomas!¡± he shouted, but no one answered him.


    ¡°Sh-shit¡­¡±


    ¡°C-Captain!¡±


    The knights in the second line of the formation called out, grabbing the captain¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Th-there¡­!¡± One of his knights pointed into the silver storm, so the captain peered into the whirlwind.


    Then his eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    The storm had been filled with nothing but silver, but now, a change was taking ce. Even from afar, the captain could see something vividly scarlet being mixed with the storm.


    ¡°Wa-wait¡­!¡± he stuttered.


    Ill omens always turned out to be true. Soon enough, the captain could smell the reek of blood, but that wasn¡¯t the real problem.


    The horrible sound of human flesh being cut over and over again emerged from within the storm until the captain couldn¡¯t take it anymore.


    ¡°St-stop!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°As you wish,¡± ger snarked. His onught of spinning swords gradually came to aplete halt, and he licked his lips.


    ¡°Where did such monsterse from¡­?¡± The captain trembled like an aspen leaf. When he nced around, he could see that half of his men had died by ger¡¯s single attack. Those knights didn¡¯t even get a chance to scream.


    ¡°Kekeke, this is my ultimate technique, called ¡®Asura Dance.¡¯¡± ger chuckled.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    Atst, the nobles realized what had happened. They saw the knights standing in the pce with them, alive, and then they were ripped to shreds and scattered on the floor.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    The sight was so horrible that some with weak stomachs couldn¡¯t take it anymore and started to retch.


    ¡°There are still¡­ so many monsters like him¡­¡± The captain was slowly filled with despair. He was an A-ss knight, but those levels meant nothing anymore because of the monsters of their generation like ger before him.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± ger¡¯s eyes when he noticed that Joshua was quietly holding up his spear in the corner. ger chuckled. ¡°¡­Haha, yeah, you don¡¯t have to rush me since it¡¯ll be your turn soon.¡±


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level 7: Three-Headed, Six-Armed Ghost Spear.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± ger tilted his head, confused.


    At that moment, Joshua released the energy that ger couldn¡¯t figure out. ger detected it first and flinched. If ever there was a moment when the phrase ¡°sent a shiver down his spine¡± applied, that was the moment. Although ger really didn¡¯t want to admit it, he knew very well what he was feeling.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m¡­afraid?¡¯ </em>ger thought disbelievingly.


    Thus ger gritted his teeth and darted forward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you again and again!¡±


    In a sh, ger closed in on Joshua.


    And¡­ there was a gigantic explosion.


    ger felt the shockwaves through his hands, and smiled victoriously. He only had to sh with his opponent once for him to win the fight; he usually fought by driving his opponent into a corner with a single collision. The six swords¡¯ course of attack always changed, so his enemies couldn¡¯t even think about fighting back. ger¡¯s fighting technique always enabled him to rise victorious. It surely did¡­ but what were these sounds and this feeling?


    Joshua stopped ger¡¯s first sword¡ªno, every sword that was aiming for Joshua¡¯s blind spot was getting blocked. No, that wasn¡¯t it either because the materialized aura swords were actually being destroyed, and the aura that ger hadn¡¯t materialized also got pulverized, scattering it into the air.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­!¡± This time, ger involuntarily came to a halt, his lips trembling hard.


    The nearby people who had been watching ger and Joshua tilted their heads in confusion. ger had relentlessly cornered his opponents earlier, but when he faced Joshua, he suddenly stopped after he had swung his swords less than ten times¡­


    At that moment, ger slowly said, ¡°What is¡­ the name?


    He had asked a simr question before, but anyone could tell that it was a different question right now.


    ¡°Asura Dance,¡± Joshua answered.


    ger froze stiff, his eyes wide.


    A bizarre, unidentifiable cracking sound echoed off the pce¡¯s walls. At the same time, ger tilted; he could feel his head moving closer to the ground. Did he ever feel such a thing in his entire life?


    <em>¡®It¡¯s¡­ Asura Dance?¡¯ </em>ger wondered.


    He had a million questions he wanted to ask Joshua, but he couldn¡¯t because he was losing consciousness.


    Maybe Joshua noticed how desperate ger was because Joshua exined, ¡°That is why I said that¡¯s not the real Asura.¡±


    ger¡¯s wide-open eyes quickly returned to their original state.


    ¡°Was¡­ that¡­ so¡­¡±


    ¡°O-oh my god!¡±


    The bystanders were petrified. ger¡¯s blood fountained into the air, drenching the sky and sttering all over the floor as his body was mutted into hundreds¡ªno, thousands of fragments, then scattered across the ground.


    But why was ger btedly able to see Joshua¡¯s movements?


    By swinging once, Joshua¡¯s spear moved in six bizarre trajectories. ger thought his movement was quite beautiful.


    ¡°This¡­ is¡­ the¡­ real¡­¡± ger tried as hard as he could, but he couldn¡¯t finish speaking and slowly trailed off.


    That was hisst word in this world.

 Chapter 336

    Chapter 336


    In a sh, silence fell upon the pce. It had only been a matter of seconds, but the masked man, ger, had ughtered every Imperial Knight inside the pce despite the fact that those knights were some of the best in the Empire. However, Joshua had ripped such a talented man into shreds with his single attack, eliciting all sorts of reactions from the people nearby.


    ¡°Was the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s captain¡­ always this strong?¡± the captain of the Second Battalion wondered. He and the other Imperial Knights could feel goosebumps running over their skin. Joshua¡¯s movements along just then were enough for him to be called the Hero King.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be happy or sad¡­¡±


    Kaizen and the other nobles had more reasons to be nervous since the situation had definitely not gotten better, considering the casualties. On the other hand, Kaiser was rendered speechless by his boiling anger.


    And the masked men, whom everyone was paying attention to¡­


    ¡°¡­Retreat,¡± one of the masked men mumbled, indicating that he was the leader.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kaiser was shocked and immediately whirled to face the assassin. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just like I said.¡± The masked man shrugged.


    ¡°So you¡¯re going to make a mess out of things and then just flee on your own?¡± Kaiser sarcastically snapped back.


    ¡°It was Heimdall¡¯s order,¡± the masked man replied.


    ¡°Wh...at¡­?¡± Kaiser dumbly asked.


    ¡°And Prince,¡± the masked man said, narrowing his eyes, ¡°I think we need to correct one thing: we¡¯re in this situation because of your misjudgment. You should take care of your own mess.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    At that moment, the masked man¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°Actually, I want to ask you¡ªdid you really think he wouldn''t know?¡±


    ¡°Exin it in a way I¡¯ll understand!¡± Kaiser shouted.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, it¡¯ll be thest time¡­ so I can do at least that much,¡± the masked man mumbled enigmatically, then took a step forward. ¡°Us directly taking out the Second Prince wasn¡¯t our original n. You know that, don¡¯t you? Since this whole thing was orchestrated by you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kaiser couldn¡¯t say anything.


    ¡°The Emperor is gone, but there are still some risks. Yet, the Second Prince doesn¡¯t have the capacity to rule over an empire, so he was destined to be eliminated by the First Prince,¡± the assassin said. The fact that Kaizen was right next to him did not make him hesitate in the slightest.


    ¡°So everything is my fault now?¡± Kaiser scowled.


    ¡°Why not? We were able to get everything we wanted even without getting our hands dirty, but we ended up getting into problems because of you¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you think I knew things would turn out this way?¡± Kaiser shouted in anger.


    The masked man shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding the point. I¡¯m not trying to me you.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Kaiser asked.


    The masked man curled up one end of his mouth. ¡°I pondered why you¡¯re overdoing yourself, but I got my answer easier than I thought. Once you save someone from being drowned, they ask you for their bag[1]... You didn¡¯t want to stay a puppet forever, did you?¡±


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick-witted, so you slowly tried to make yourself known as the Fourth Prince. By asking <em>him</em> for the imperial seal, you tried to flip the chessboard and earn the nobles¡¯ trust by getting directly involved in eliminating the Second Prince. However, he ordered you toy low as much as possible and support the First Prince from the shadows.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re mistaken!¡± Kaiser tried to refute. ¡°I only tried to sort things out in an easier¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Then why did you make those women meet in the middle of the night several years ago?¡± the masked man interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m assuming you wanted to crush anyone who would be a threat to you. Heimdall was paying great attention to Joshua Sanders at the time.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not going to say you didn¡¯t know, are you?¡±


    Kaiser turned pale.


    ¡°Asiru ben Britten is thedy of the house of the Duke of Agnus and also a member of the Imperial Family, so those two women shared many of the same characteristics. They suddenly had a meeting and made a not-so-secret agreement. Wasn¡¯t it you who nned the whole thing?¡± The masked man pointed at Kaiser, but his question was rhetorical.


    Kaiser wasn¡¯t slow-witted enough to be unable to tell that, so he held his tongue.


    ¡°Even if she is thedy of the Duke¡¯s house, it would have been a piece of cake to lure her out using her maternal love. In addition to that, she was ready to sacrifice her life to exonerate her son, who had just been used of high treason. I didn¡¯t even have to get to Vannesa ben Britten since Joshua Sanders was always an eyesore to her¡­ so you wouldn¡¯t even have had to nudge her. Here is the question, then: by going through this process, what benefit have you gained, Prince?¡±


    The masked man nodded knowingly as if the answer was easily discerned.


    ¡°You just told the two princesses the ¡®secret history¡¯ of the Imperial Family. How would those two women react after finding out about the whole truth? ¡­It was bloody obvious because they were going to me everything on <em>him</em>. Then, the next move of Joshua Sanders, a man who loves his mother very much, was also predictable.¡±


    ¡°You knew all that¡­but you condoned it?¡± Kaiser bemoaned.


    ¡°Of course, I was against the idea because I was disgusted by how you were challenging Heimdall, but he wasn¡¯t. If you could prove your value on your own¡­ it wouldn¡¯t be that bad, he said. Heimdall loves every person of talent, but in the end, you became useless and were discarded.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders,¡± the assassin continued, ignoring the frozen prince, ¡°I¡¯m going to leave today¡­ but you¡¯ll see me again soon.¡±


    Then the masked man turned away, but before he left, he warned Joshua, ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case¡­ but don¡¯t think about tracking me down unless you want to lose the mother whom you haven¡¯t seen for quite a long time¡­¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­Me?¡± The masked man only turned his head to look at Joshua and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Porth Arietta, the fourth apostle of the great Heimdall.¡±


    ¡°Porth Arietta¡­¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°Yeah, keep my name in your mind.¡± The masked man chuckled.


    ¡°¡­Are you not going to avenge your colleague?¡± Joshua asked.


    The masked man came to a halt.


    ¡°Avenge?¡± He tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Are you talking about that idiot who got cut to pieces? Kekeke, I wouldn¡¯t call that piece of crap my colleague. In fact, even a dog would smirk if it heard that. He got killed because he wasn¡¯t skilled enough, so why would I me you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss serious matters now,¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something important¡­¡±


    Joshua narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but then, the masked man spoke directly into Joshua¡¯s head.


    -¡­o.


    The unexpected telepathic message made Joshua¡¯s eyes widen. The masked man watched him for a moment and his smile deepened.


    ¡°Let¡¯s retreat!¡± he shouted.


    In a sh, the dozens-strong masked men disappeared into thin air. Their movements were so swift and furtive that no one other than Joshua detected them.


    ¡°You bastard¡­¡± After spending a very long time in silence, Kaizen finally pulled himself together and roared. ¡°Knights of the Second Battalion, arrest that criminal!¡±


    Kaizen pointed not at Joshua; it was none other than his brother.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡± The surviving Second Battalion Knights quickly surrounded Kaiser.


    Their encirclement was so solid that there was no way for Kaiser to escape, yet even in a time like that, Kaiser burst into maniacalughter.


    ¡°Kek, kekeke, kehahaha! If I knew things would end in vain¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Kaizen shouted at the knights.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Kaiser growled and pulled a piece of parchment out of his inner pocket.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s jaw dropped slightly when he realized what kind of magic circle was drawn on the parchment. ¡°That¡¯s the explosion magic circle that Evergrant created¡­¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be as powerful as the original one because I failed to get Tera Essence¡­ but I¡¯ll be able to at least blow up this pce,¡± Kaiser said.


    Joshua felt like a scene from his previous life was being reyed before his eyes.


    ¡°Kekeke, nobody move,¡± Kaiser warned.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Kaizen bellowed. ¡°Make him kneel, immediately¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Joshua shouted


    It seemed that caught Kaiser¡¯s attention because he turned to Joshua next.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­ It¡¯s a shame; I would have achieved my dream if it hadn¡¯t been for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Your dream?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°Do you want to know? Kekekeke.¡± Kaiser quietly chuckled, but his eyes were nk as if he had given up on everything. ¡°It was so close, but it¡¯s meaningless.¡±


    What dream was Kaiser talking about? No, did he have a dream in the first ce? Joshua was living his second life, but even he had no way of knowing what Kaiser¡¯s dream was.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t even think about following me. I¡¯ll kill myself anyway after Iplete my unfinished business,¡± Kaiser quietly muttered.


    Although no one could tell if Kaiser was telling them the truth, his remark was quite shocking, so much so that the nearby people froze in shock.


    Kaiser started to walk. Whenever he took a step forward, the knights that were surrounding him also took a step backward. It was obvious that the magic scroll held an extraordinary power, and on top of that, Joshua had warned them about it. It was hard for the knights to think lightly of the scroll.


    ¡°Brother Kaizen,¡± Kaiser said.


    ¡°You bastard, you¡¯d better kneel right now!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Kaiser said, shaking his head with a faint smile, ¡°but I can¡¯t grant you that request.¡±


    Kaizen scowled. ¡°You son of a bitch¡­!¡±


    ¡°But in return,¡± the younger prince quietly continued, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you something important before I go.¡±


    Kaizen came to a halt.


    ¡°Something important?¡± he echoed.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kaizen nodded. ¡°It¡¯s the answer to one of the questions you want to know the most.¡±


    ¡°¡­Go on.¡± Kaizen allowed Kaiser to continue.


    Kaiser paused for a long moment before he spoke.


    ¡°¡­Father¡ª¡±


    However, before he could even finish speaking, his eyes bulged. He slowly looked down, his lips trembling, and saw a dagger piercing his heart. That was also when he met the eyes in the shadow.


    ¡°You¡­ are¡­!¡± Kaiser tried to say something, but he coughed up blood.


    Even Joshua could only gape nkly at the unexpected turn of events. Although he had already sensed the presence, Joshua hadn¡¯t expected Kaiser to be killed immediately.


    ¡°Darkness¡­ Emperor¡­!¡± Kaiser choked out, writhing on the de.


    The moment he finished speaking, Kaiser copsed; his dimming eyes watched his blood quickly spreading across the ground.


    1. This is a Korean idiom about human greed and ungratefulness. ?

 Chapter 337

    Chapter 337


    While Joshua was battling in the Imperial Pce, people and beasts were stomping toward the Avalon Empire¡¯s border.


    The grand army of one hundred thousand¡ªno, two hundred thousand soldiers shook the ground beneath them.


    The howl of violent beasts echoed through the air. The sky was covered by a pack of wyverns that were so ferocious that it looked like they would tear clouds apart. Everyone looked at the horizon to see the gs raised by the soldiers at the front. At that moment, the wind sent the gs waving vigorously. They belonged to the Swallow Empire, one of the two empires that practically ruled the continent.


    ¡°Commander Eima.¡± An aide came up to Duke Eima, the man called Ice Emperor by the people of the continent.


    ¡°Report.¡± Eima gestured at the aide.


    ¡°We currently have a total of 213,298 soldiers. Aside from the infantry soldiers, there are 2000 wolf riders, 500 wyvern knights, and 5700 C-ss knights, who have been drafted from 68 knight orders,¡± the aide reported.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Eima interrupted. ¡°How is our main unit?¡±


    ¡°Ah! His Majesty has mercifully sent us the A-ss knights, including the ones that just became a Master, so if I add them¡­¡± The aide stroked his chin.


    ¡°If you add them?¡± Eima repeated.


    ¡°¡­There are a total of twenty-three A-ss knights,¡± the aide happily exined.


    Eima gaped nkly for a moment.


    ¡°That¡¯s splendid,¡± Eima said, breaking into a smile. ¡°I knew there were many hidden forces inside the Empire, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was also very surprised at first.¡± The aide nodded.


    ¡°That must mean the Grand Duke put his heart and soul into this war, but¡­ I might set my heart on a different agenda, so how could he entrust me with such an army?¡± Eima mischievously asked.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be an indication of how much he trusts you, master¡ªno,mander?¡± the aide carefully suggested


    ¡°Trust? The Grand Duke?¡± Eima chuckled, shaking his head. ¡°I guarantee you that is definitely not the case.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s certain about his skills and about his subordinates¡¯ loyalty toward him. In many ways, he¡¯s truly something.¡± Eima shrugged. ¡°Well, that is also the reason why I¡¯m betting my future on him.¡±


    ¡°Commander¡­¡± The aide trailed off.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop the silly talk.¡± Eima turned his head to look beyond the horizon. ¡°They¡¯ve also noticed it by now, haven''t they?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± The aide nodded. ¡°The wyvern riders finished scouting and detected unusual movement inside the castle. It appears that they are preparing for defense.¡±


    ¡°<em>Tsk.</em> It¡¯s meaningless.¡± Eima quietly clicked his tongue and fixed his eyes on the castle.


    In a civilian¡¯s eyes, the castle would be the size of an ant, but Eima could see the castle as clearly as if he was standing right before it. The old castle, no, it was more urate to call it a fortress, looked like it had been made decades before. However, it was this gateway and impregnable fortress that Eima¡¯s army had to pass through in order to get into the Avalon Empire. It was called¡­


    ¡°¡­Einberg.¡± Eima quietly mumbled, clenching his fists. ¡°How long have we dreamed of this moment? The moment our Swallow Empire army takes that damn fortress down and tramples over the Avalon Empire¡¯snd.¡±


    ¡°In the past, many of our empire¡¯s heroes have fallen here, so today is the day to avenge the spilled blood,¡± the aide added with a faint smile.


    ¡°What did the Grand Duke say?¡± Eima asked.


    The aide looked at the crystal ball in his hands. The crystal ball flickered three times at regr intervals.


    ¡°He says he¡¯ll entrust you with all the matters since you¡¯re themander,¡± the aide answered with shining eyes.


    ¡°We¡¯ll march right away,¡± Eima said without hesitation.


    The aide¡¯s eyes widened with surprise.


    He pulled himself together, loudly stomped his foot against the ground, and took a long, deep breath that made his chest puff up.


    ¡°March!¡± he shouted, his mana carrying his voice far and wide.


    The order to march was given to the entire army.


    * * *


    In a sh, the razor-sharp dagger pierced Kaiser¡¯s heart.


    <em>¡®He definitely said ¡®the Darkness Emperor,¡¯ one of the Three Celestials as people call them, but even if I considered that¡ª¡¯</em>


    Joshua flinched. The Darkness Emperor was about to move again tounch a much bigger attack, but no one detected his movement because he was hidden deep in the shadows.


    <em>¡®¡­I see he¡¯s not only good at being stealthy,¡¯</em> Joshua assessed as he moved.


    Kaiser was dying at that very moment, but the attack that the Darkness Emperor was about tounch wasn¡¯t something that could be taken lightly.


    Joshua disappeared. When he showed up again, he was right before the Darkness Emperor. The Darkness Emperor gave him a wide-eyed look, unable to hide his surprise. Joshua had no regard for his opponent¡¯s reaction and punched him as hard as he could.


    Joshua¡¯s attacks were bizarre, so the Darkness Emperor¡¯s hand also had to move chaotically, resulting in a brilliant disy of light shining off of his dagger. The moment he thought Joshua was aiming for his waist, Joshua changed his course of attack to strike the Darkness Emperor¡¯s jaw or his legs.


    ¡°Your hand-to-handbat technique is¡­¡± the Darkness Emperor quietly marveled after only a few blows.


    In the end, the Darkness Emperor lost his grip on the parchment in his other hand. It swayed down on the floor. Joshua reached his hand toward the parchment; however, the Darkness Emperor was quicker that time.


    ¡°Aha! Youid yourself open to attack!¡±


    The Darkness Emperor was already holding two daggers. Using the dagger in his right hand, he aimed for the top of Joshua¡¯s head, and with the other hand, he was thrusting at Joshua¡¯s heart. Both parts were vital parts of the human body that were essential for survival.


    Joshua¡¯s countermeasure for the Darkness Emperor¡¯s attack was truly splendid: Joshua spun, cutting through the air, and used the momentum to take half a step to the right and avoid the dagger that was flying toward his heart. Then he deflected the dagger that was aimed at the top of his head with a powerful kick. The resultant noise was an earsplitting <em>ng!</em> It was hard to believe that the sound had been produced by the collision between a three-centimeter-long dagger and a human foot.


    The recoil pushed the Darkness Emperor¡¯s arm backward, giving Joshua a perfect opportunity to fight back.


    However, Joshua immediately came to a halt and just watched the Darkness Emperor from ten steps away. The Darkness Emperor didn¡¯t try to resist the shockwave that was pushing him back. Instead, he used the recoil to let go of his daggers without regret, clearly revealing what his goal was.


    The Darkness Emperor¡¯s daggers dropped to the floor with a clear metal ringing. The parchment, which he had lost his grip on, lightlynded on top of those daggers. Joshua was going to dart forward again, since, if the man before him was really the Darkness Emperor, there was no way that Joshua could let him go, but¡­


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t do so in the end because someone happened to groan in pain. No one needed to tell Joshua who it was that was moaning in agony.


    ¡°Kaiser¡­¡± Joshua groaned after he looked down.


    The Darkness Emperor seemed to think it was his chance to flee, so he stopped attacking and disappeared into the darkness, but Joshua didn¡¯t even look in his direction.


    ¡°Do you have anyst words?¡± Joshua asked Kaiser.


    There was no way Kaiser could answer him. His injury was critical; it wouldn¡¯t be strange for him to die any second. Still, Joshua could tell Kaiser¡¯s answer from his eyes as they slowly turned lifeless.


    ¡°¡­Your inner pocket?¡± Joshua asked.


    Kaiser¡¯s eyes were fixed on his top¡¯s inner pocket, making his intent clear.


    Joshua rummaged in Kaiser¡¯s inner pocket for a moment and flinched when he felt something. He met Kaiser¡¯s eyes again.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Kek¡­ keke¡­¡± Kaiser wasughing even while he was dying. His mouth was bloody, but his eyes silently said that he didn¡¯t regret anything and had not lost yet. Kaiser tried to make his presence felt until the end.


    Joshua stared at Kaiser¡¯s corpse for a very long time and then shoved the object into his inner pocket.


    ¡°Second Prince Kaizen,¡± he quietly said, breaking the suffocating silence.


    Joshua was clearly addressing Kaizen as if the prince was beneath him, but his voice had the power to silence any protest.


    ¡°Wh-what is it?¡± Kaizen stuttered.


    ¡°Assemble all the nobles in the council chamber immediately,¡± Joshuamanded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell the First Prince, so gather up every single one of them.¡±


    Kaizen and the other nobles¡¯ breaths caught in their throat, and their eyes bulged at Joshua¡¯s unexpected words.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°This is not a request, it¡¯s an order. I¡¯m in no mood for games, and this is a matter of urgency.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what in the world are you trying to do¡­?¡± Kaizen stammered out.


    ¡°The central army, the mobilizable reserve forces in the provinces, each family¡¯s private army¡­ I¡¯ll summon all the forces to the Imperial Pce regardless of their faction or the size of their army,¡± Joshua exined.


    Even the surviving Second Battalion knights held their breath.


    The nobles reacted instantly.


    ¡°Ri-ridiculous!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do that! Who do you think you are to give such an order?!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re using the crisis¡­ that¡¯s so rude! I wasn¡¯t going to say anything, but I don¡¯t have a choice. How could you have such an idea¡­!¡±


    ¡°Above all, even Their Highnesses don¡¯t have the power to summon the families¡¯ private armies!¡±


    Joshua let the nobles¡¯ protests wash over him for a moment.


    ¡°Then do as you wish,¡± he replied with a cold smile.


    The nobles gaped nkly at him. They hadn¡¯t expected Joshua to stand down so easily after dropping such a bombshell.


    ¡°If any family doesn¡¯t wish to send their soldiers, then they don¡¯t have to,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Th-that means¡­?¡±


    Joshua began to speak, enunciating each word with a weight that brooked no interruption.


    ¡°But I¡¯m asking you to do this in order to save our country, because its fate is hanging in the bnce right now. If there are any families whose armies are intact after the war¡­¡±


    Joshua trailed off for a moment, then poured out his energy. The intangible energy spread outward from him, making the nobles freeze up as it rolled over them.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll punish them myself for turning their backs on their country in a time of crisis.¡±

 Chapter 338

    Chapter 338


    For the first time in a while, the wide council chamber of the Imperial Pce of the Avalon Empire was packed with numerous nobles. Perhaps it was because they were in a time of war. There were at least hundreds¡ªno, thousands of nobles, and they continued to enter the council chamber regardless of their factions or political inclinations.


    Their Empire was on the verge of crumbling down. That was enough to rally the nobles into working together. However, another event took ce that aggravated the crisis significantly¡­


    ¡°Einberg is under attack!¡±


    A message had just been delivered from the border. Silence fell in the audience chamber. There were many people inside the chamber, but no one talked. That was how shocking their current situation was.


    ¡°¡­We need to dispatch forces immediately.¡± Marquess Iron, a noble on the First Prince¡¯s side, broke the silence first. After the Military Advisor Zegar, he was the most famous advisor and strategist in the Empire.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to panic about,¡± Iron continued. ¡°Didn¡¯t we already expect that a war would break out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not something that you can conclude that easily,¡± Marquess Broy, the infamously greedy head of a merchant family, interjected. ¡°Due to the long civil war, our Empire¡¯s national power has already reached zero. We¡¯re outnumbered, and we have no source of money. Are you going to fight against the Swallow Empire head-to-head in a situation like this?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iron trailed off.


    ¡°Hahaha, this is ridiculous. While we were at each other¡¯s throats, the other two empires reached a level that we can¡¯t even touch. Wait, you don¡¯t really think we¡¯re still as powerful as the other two empires, do you?¡± Broy sarcastically asked.


    ¡°Then are you suggesting we sit on our hands?!¡± Iron growled.


    Broy shrugged coyly. ¡°Well, it looks like the smart Marquess Iron is having a hard time understanding me.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Broy! Are you insulting me right now?!¡± Iron shouted.


    ¡°Shall I be more straightforward?¡± Broy¡¯s eyes shone for a moment. ¡°Even with the central and provincial armies, we could never stop those empires. In the end, it means that all noble families will have to join in on the war¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that why we¡¯re all gathered here today?!¡± Iron yelled at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Let me finish. The majority of us here have been pointing our swords at each other until just yesterday,¡± Broy reminded Iron.


    Iron¡¯s mouth closed as he finally realized what Broy meant.


    ¡°Yes, amon enemy has appeared, and they¡¯re trying to bring our country down. However, you can¡¯t expect enemies to be friends overnight. There are people in this room who lost their family members to each other. This isn¡¯t it. Over the past three years, many noble families have been annihted, so how am I supposed to trust that nothing will happen after I empty my house and let my soldiers go?¡±


    The more Broy continued, the more the tension inside the room increased.


    ¡°Bu-But you¡¯ll lose all your noble titles if we lose the war,¡± Iron tried to refute.


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be odd if one of you put a dagger in my back right now, so do you think I would care about the war?¡± Broy narrowed his eyes.


    Kiser, who was sitting on the left throne, seemed to think it was time for him to step in.


    ¡°¡­All of you, stop,¡± he said. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ let the heads of the families decide how many soldiers they are going to dispatch.¡±


    Most of the nobles¡¯ eyes widened; they hadn¡¯t expected Kiser¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    ¡°Stay put,¡± Kiser warned him.


    ¡°But¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do we have any other solution?¡± Kiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°We were the ones who dragged everyone into this mess.¡±


    Kaizen bit his lip. Kiser quickly turned his attention elsewhere.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll set a minimum¡ªI request that all of you send at least half of your private soldiers residing in your houses.¡±


    ¡°Half¡­¡± Broy trailed off.


    It wasn¡¯t a difficult request for the noble families to ept, but there was an issue. Even the Imperial Family didn¡¯t know the exact number of private soldiers that the families had. Therefore, the nobles could just send only a part of their army and insist that they¡¯d sent half of their army.


    Broy came to a decision.


    ¡°¡­Then who do you wish to be themander-in-chief?¡± he asked on the behalf of all the nobles.


    ¡°For themander-in-chief¡­¡± Kiser trailed off.


    ¡°In my opinion, I rmend Marquess Demir,¡± Broy suggested.


    That made some of the nobles flinch. Marquess Demir, from the west, was surely a talented and experiencedmander, but the problem was that he was on Kaizen¡¯s side, while, of course, most of the nobles in this ce were on Kiser¡¯s side.


    ¡°Your Highness, how about Marquess Sten?¡± the quick-witted Iron swiftly interjected. ¡°He¡¯s experienced enough to be called the Commander of the North and also so skilled that he is a Superhuman. I believe he is just as qualified as Marquess Demir to be themander-in-chief.¡±


    ¡°Do you think he can swing the ceremonial baton asmander-in-chief with only one arm?¡± Broy snarked back. It seemed he¡¯d been ready for Iron¡¯s suggestions.


    Iron frowned. ¡°You are speaking ill of someone. You go too far just because he¡¯s not here. Why don¡¯t you try saying that in front of Marquess Arie himself?¡±


    ¡°Well, there is no reason I can¡¯t do that.¡± Broy shrugged.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?!¡± Iron growled, bursting into anger.


    Zegar couldn¡¯t stand watching the conversation anymore.


    ¡°How about Duke Tremblin?¡± he interrupted.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Some nobles eximed as if they had forgotten about him until now.


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s experienced and not in any faction. In addition to that, he¡¯s so skilled that the people of the continent call him the Sword Emperor. Besides, Duke Tremblin was in charge of the battles that took ce in the east, so I think he¡¯s truly the man for this job¡­¡± Zegar trailed off as he noticed Kiser¡¯s expression turn grim. ¡°¡­Your Highness, is there a problem¡­?¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin has already headed to the border,¡± Kiser bitterly answered.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Zegar nkly asked.


    ¡°One of the people that had detected the two empires¡¯ suspicious movements was Duke Tremblin,¡± Kiser rified.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already turned his back on his family for over three years¡­ so he must have been worried.¡±


    Zegar quietly groaned. ¡°¡­Then we should send back up as quickly as possible.¡±


    Brow shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t make Count Arie themander-in-chief.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Demir definitely cannot be themander-in-chief!¡± Iron shouted.


    ¡°Are you seriously trying to turn this into a political dispute right now?¡± Broy frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who should be saying that¡­!¡± Iron griped, dumbfounded.


    ¡°¡­Then how about the Hero King?¡± Zegar suddenly suggested.


    Broy and Iron¡¯s eyes widened at the same time.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t he the reason why all of us are here today?¡± Zegar shrugged.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s because of what he <em>said</em>, not <em>because </em>of him,¡± Broy cautiously said after ncing at the corner of the council chamber.


    The first time was always the hardest, so once Broy had brought the topic up, all the nobles inside the chamber voiced their opinions at once. However, they were basically saying the same thing.


    ¡°Yes, if we knew the enemy countries were going to invade us, we would havee right away even without his request!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t let Joshua Sanders be the leader of the army! We can¡¯t ept him yet!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still young, so he doesn¡¯t have the experience. He might be skilled as a knight, but it doesn¡¯t mean he has the ability tomand.¡±


    At least this time, all the nobles united and supported Broy.


    ¡°Some of you may already know,¡± Broy said, ¡°but there is a rumor that he¡¯s the descendant of the old Royal Family of Kunir.¡±


    His remark silenced all of the nobles. Half of the nobles groaned and nodded, and the other half of the nobles held their breath as if it was their first time hearing about it.


    ¡°So after he takesmand of the army¡­ no one knows what he¡¯ll do afterward.¡±


    ¡°The Royal Family of K-Kunir¡¯s descendant¡­¡±


    ¡°I-Is that true?¡±


    Broy nodded. ¡°On top of that, Aden von Agnus, Joshua Sanders¡¯s father, is the prime suspect for the murder of His Majesty.¡±


    Shock hit the nobles in the council chamber like a storm.


    ¡°Master, things are taking an unexpected turn,¡± Cain quickly whispered to Joshua in the corner of the chamber. ¡°Are you going to let them keep talking like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­This country can¡¯t be saved unless they change their minds on their own.¡± Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to happen if they¡¯re asking the ckmailer holding the knife to stab themselves¡­¡±


    Joshua quietly chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s just watch them for now.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that it doesn¡¯t look like things are going to get better over time,¡± Cain said, unconvinced.


    At that moment, the incongruous click of high heels drifted through the tense air in the chamber.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Cain cocked his head, baffled. He realized that the sound wasing from the chamber¡¯s entrance and instinctively turned his head to find it.


    ¡°She¡¯s¡ª!¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened upon seeing the jaw-droppingly beautiful woman. In fact, he was quite familiar with the red-haired woman.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my god. Such a beautiful woman exists¡­?¡±


    Cain¡¯s jaw wasn¡¯t the only jaw that dropped. Here and there in the council chamber, the nobles broke into exim. Kiser was especially busy stealing a nce at the woman as he sat on the throne, so much so that he forgot about the current issue.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Kiser murmured.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯mte.¡± The woman came to a halt in the center of the council chamber and politely bowed. ¡°I was quite far away, so it took a while even though I used a warp gate.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long!¡± Kiser sprang up from his seat, forgetting about his dignity.


    ¡°I, Charles de Pontier, greet Your Highness as the substitute head of the Pontier Family,¡± Charles elegantly said.


    ¡°Wee! I¡¯ve been hearing all about your aplishments. Wee, Lady Charles!¡± Kiser frantically waved his arms around.


    ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your hospitality, but I don¡¯t deserve it.¡± Charles smiled brightly.


    It was said that one beautiful woman was capable of bringing a kingdom down. The way Kiser became mesmerized by Charles¡¯s rose-like smile certainly suggested that the saying was true.


    Charles immediately cut to the chase; she¡¯d been polite enough, in her opinion.


    ¡°I happened to hear some of the discussions on my way over here¡­ So, please pardon me, but would it be okay if I asked all of you a question?¡±


    Kiser readily nodded before the nobles even could say anything.


    ¡°Ask anything you want.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, then I dare ask¡­¡± Charles looked at Kiser with her scarlet eyes. ¡°If the Imperial Family requests, the noble families have a duty to dispatch their private soldiers. Since we are under special circumstances where His Majesty isn¡¯t present, there is room for discussion regarding the number of the soldiers that the noble families dispatch, but¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡± Kiser repeated.


    ¡°¡­The noble families have the right to select themanding officer of their soldiers. Am I correct?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Of course,manding the whole army and one unit are technically different,¡± Kiser replied.


    Charles¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Thank you for your answer, Your Highness. My Pontier Family is nning to dispatch twenty thousand soldiers and five knight orders. In addition to military supplies worth two million gold, the Pontier Family is nning to supply food to the entire family for the duration of the war.¡±


    She was indeed the owner of the great merchant group. Who else could make such an offer in the current Avalon Empire?


    But she wasn¡¯t done there.


    ¡°And for themanding officer that will participate in the war on my family¡¯s behalf¡­¡±


    The nobles stared at Charles, wondering what she was going to say next.


    Charles slowly turned her head to Joshua.


    ¡°I will select Joshua Sanders, my best friend. On a separate note, the Mercenary King, his other friend, is nning to help him with his fifty thousand mercenaries.¡±

 Chapter 339

    Chapter 339


    Charles¡¯s entrance had turned the tide in a sh. Joshua finally came forward with a faint smile dancing on his lips.


    ¡°I¡¯ve listened to all your concerns,¡± Joshua said.


    The nobles, who had been tiptoeing around, flinched. Although they had been trying hard to ignore Joshua, his presence wasn¡¯t something that could be ignored once he stepped up.


    ¡°The clock is ticking right now, so I think it¡¯s meaningless to continue this meeting. What do you all think?¡± Joshua bluntly asked.


    The nobles bursted into anger.


    ¡°How rude¡­!¡±


    ¡°Their Highnesses are present right now¡ªhow can he be that insolent?!¡±


    ¡°He thinks he can have it all because he¡¯s skilled. Gosh, what will happen to this country¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s the man who threatened to destroy us if we didn¡¯t gather up immediately,¡± Marquess Broy sarcastically quipped, as he usually did.


    His remark came just as the nobles were about to quiet down. Naturally, the mood in the chamber turned cold¡ªmuch colder than before. Some nobles were even outright hostile, so if Joshua kept pressing, something bad was bound to happen¡­


    ¡°Then do as you wish,¡± Joshua said with chilly eyes.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Broy asked.


    To begin with, Joshua wasn¡¯t the kind of person to care about their opinions.


    ¡°Drown with the sinking ship or live happily ever after in hell together. I¡¯ll no longer involve myself in the Avalon Empire¡¯s affairs.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Broy frowned. ¡°You said you want the throne¡­!¡±


    ¡°This empire is doomed, so I see no reason to have lingering feelings about it.¡± Joshua stood up without hesitation.


    The chamber turned silent. The nobles couldn¡¯t say anything since they didn¡¯t know what Joshua was thinking.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    Everyone in the chamber was instantly frozen stiff. It was obvious what was going to happen once Joshua left.


    ¡°Gosh, so why did you have to get on his nerves¡­?¡±


    Just then, someone quietly criticized Broy.


    ¡°Come on, apologize.¡±


    ¡°Right! We¡¯re in desperate need of his help.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Broy!¡±


    Even Broy was forced to tiptoe around Joshua. In the end, Broy surrendered.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Sorry?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°I¡­ apologize¡­¡± Broy slowly said.[1]


    ¡°We got sidetracked for a moment.¡± Joshua finally loosened up and looked away from Broy with a deep smile. ¡°I agree with one thing: no one respects the Imperial Family¡¯s authority nor do they trust each other right now. So although I¡¯m not sure who in the world is going to be themander-in-chief, what would happen when the soldiers are asked to follow themander-in-chief¡¯s order? Just like you said, Marquess Broy, the soldiers won¡¯t be able to focus on the battle because they¡¯ll be too busy looking over their shoulders.¡±


    Joshua turned his head to look at the top seats.


    ¡°What do you think, princes?


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Kaizen was blindsided; he hadn¡¯t expected to suddenly be the center of attention. Deep in his heart, he already subconsciously feared Joshua. But, in contrast to him¡­


    ¡°¡­Then are you telling me that you¡¯re not going to follow themander-in-chief¡¯s order?¡± Kiser coldly asked. ¡°It¡¯s the basics of the basics in military strategy books. An army is an organism, so an army made up of discordant units is just sheep without a shepherd. That kind of army always loses in war. What you¡¯re suggesting is dividing up themand system even before we go into the war. No matter how hard I try to think of this in a positive light, I can¡¯t.¡±


    Joshua just chuckled.


    ¡°Then do you have any other solution, prince?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°If you¡¯re capable of finding an exceptionalmander-in-chief that also satisfies everyone¡¯s requirements, then we don¡¯t even need to have this discussion, do we?¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Kiser immediately shut his mouth because Joshua was right. This meeting was taking ce precisely because he couldn¡¯t find one, which was why, at least this time, the nobles were agreeing with Joshua.


    ¡°It¡¯s actually¡­ not bad,¡± one of the nobles mused.


    ¡°At least we won¡¯t have to worry about getting backstabbed¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to pay all our attention to fighting against the enemies.¡±


    Charles of the Pontier Family had unexpectedly shown the nobles her family¡¯s power, so they were baffled for a moment. However, that was it. After all, the Pontier Family was their ally who was going to fight with them, not their enemy who was going to point a sword at the nobles inside the chamber right now.


    On top of that, the method of each noble family choosing their ownmanding officer for their private army was quite a good way to protect their army. Since the nobles were able to choose someone from their own family to be themanding officer, the officers were guaranteed trustworthy. In the end, Kiser could only grit his teeth as he was forced into silence. Kiser had lostpletely before none other than his unrequited love.


    ¡°¡­Then I believe we¡¯vee to a decision.¡±


    Joshua immediately turned away; he had nothing more to say to them.


    Although it was rude to do so in front of the princes, no one stopped Joshua because he had left a striking impression on them. After that meeting, the name ¡°Joshua Sanders¡± was imprinted even in the provincial nobles¡¯ heads.


    Joshua quietly walked across the silent chamber, and the woman with scarlet eyes quickly followed him.


    * * *


    Right outside the pce, Joshua was walking and Cain was quietly following him.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    When they heard someone calling for them, they came to a halt.


    ¡°Lady Charles¡­?¡± Cain nkly mumbled. He quickly straightened his clothes as the stunningly beautiful woman with cat-like eyes walked towards them. The woman had fully blossomed over just a year like a rose in all its glory.


    ¡°Wait, is it because of me¡­?¡± Cain gaped in disbelief.


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff.</em>¡± When Charles reached them, she stopped and panted for a very long time. Then she raised her head. ¡°You are so mean!¡±


    Cain felt his heart sink because the beautiful woman in front of him was disappointed, but why? Fortunately, he didn¡¯t have to ponder for a long time.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lady Charles! I didn¡¯t know you¡¯d thought of me that way¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Joshua, you¡¯re still too apathetic. How can you do that?¡± Charlesined.


    Cain instantly became the disappointed one. Meanwhile, Joshua awkwardly smiled.


    ¡°Thank you for earlier,¡± he said.


    ¡°Is this how a grateful man acts?¡± Charles demanded, ring yfully at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m always like this.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°What are you talking about? You should have at least said ¡®hi¡¯.¡± Charles pouted.


    ¡°Well, you were there. I couldn¡¯t really say hi there¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it, I¡¯m expecting too much from you.¡± Charles sighed and looked into Joshua¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s good.¡±


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to see you alive.¡± Charles smiled lightly.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Did you wish something would happen to me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no, why would you think that?¡± Charles dramatically answered, giggling.


    ¡°Because of the many things I¡¯ve done,¡± he replied with a shrug.


    Charles looked down at his feet and smiled.


    ¡°It¡¯s really good that you do know that. I¡¯m serious. Of course, when I think about the things that have happened up to now, I want to break something¡­¡±


    Cold sweats ran down Joshua¡¯s back.


    ¡°Since we have a lot of matters to take care of, I¡¯ll let it slide this time, but I won¡¯t do it again,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡± Joshua elegantly smiled like nothing had happened.


    Charles then looked timidly down at the ground as if she hadn¡¯t just threatened Joshua.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m doing this for you because we¡¯re friends.¡±


    Her voice was inaudibly quiet, but it wasn¡¯t faint enough for Joshua to miss it.


    Cain watched her blush so hard that it turned her neck red.


    ¡°I miss you, Icarus¡­¡± he pouted.


    ¡°B-by the way!¡± Charles quickly changed the topic. ¡°Mr. Akshuller is waiting for you, soe with me right now.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    ¡°The number of soldiers that the Pontier Family can deploy is the same as what you¡¯ve heard in the chamber, and you need to lead them. But it¡¯s assumed that the enemy army consists of at least two thousand thousand soldiers¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I should have tried harder¡­¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°The only noble family on the continent that can mobilize seventy thousand soldiers would be the Pontier Family.¡±


    ¡°Well, fifty thousand of them are the mercenaries that are loyal to Mr. Akshuller.¡± Charles shrugged.


    ¡°Is someone else paying for the mercenaries?¡± Joshua asked.


    Charles finally smiled. ¡°It¡¯s good if you think of it that way. I¡¯m d that at least time is on our side. It¡¯s said that the attacking force needs at least double the numbers of the defending force, so if we hold for as long as possible¡­¡±


    ¡°No,¡± Joshua interrupted before Charles could finish, ¡°time is not on our side.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°The man I saw in the Swallow Empire was very dangerous.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    ¡°Are you talking about Grand Duke Lucifer?¡± Charles cautiously asked.


    Joshua¡¯s silence was as good as agreeing. Charles¡¯s expression turned grim.


    ¡°Over the past century, Einberg has been the impregnable fortress that protected us from countless enemy countries¡¯ attacks. In addition to that, the man protecting the fortress is Count Theord, one of the few A-ss knights in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I also know Count Theord very well, master,¡± Cain interjected. ¡°In the previous generation of knights, he was considered to be as talented as Marquess Arie, but he¡¯s more known for his leadership, rather than his sword skills. The story about how he defeated a grand army of a hundred thousand soldiers with only twenty thousand soldiers is still famous around the Empire.¡±


    ¡°On top of that, he¡¯s neutral, so he didn¡¯t join any sides. He¡¯s famous for saying that he¡¯s not interested in politics because his duty is protecting the border,¡± Charles added.


    ¡°There is a rumor that Prince Kiser, the first in line to the throne, offered to promote Count Theord to a marquess several years ago, but Count Theord insisted on staying near the eastern battlefront in spite of the fact that it¡¯s known as a ce for exiling nobles,¡± Cain exined.


    ¡°Anyhow, while Count Theord has been themander of Einberg, the ce¡­ has never been conquered.¡± Charles shrugged.


    Despite Cain and Charles¡¯s description, Joshua¡¯s expression was still grim.


    ¡°What happens after Einberg falls?¡± he asked.


    Was he considering the worst possible scenario? Charles had to think for a moment.


    ¡°The Avalon Empire knows the importance of Einberg,¡± she answered, ¡°so the Empire has mobilized most of the army to Einberg. So if your worst scenarioes true¡­¡±


    Charles trailed off for a moment and her face darkened. ¡°The entire eastern battlefront is going to copse immediately, so the best way to win would be to defend Einberg¡­¡±


    However, she couldn¡¯t finish speaking.


    ¡°Captain!¡± someone else loudly shouted. He practically flew over to Charles, Cain, and Joshua with how fast he was going.


    ¡°¡­Cazes?¡± Joshua nkly murmured upon realizing who it was.


    ¡°Th-there¡¯s a problem!¡± Cazes yelled.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion at Cazes as he mmed to a halt next to them.


    ¡°What is the problem?¡±


    ¡°A message has arrived from Einberg just now!¡± Cazes desperately reported.


    The other three nodded. They had a rough idea of what the message contained.


    ¡°That would be¡­?¡± Cain trailed off.


    ¡°Einberg¡­ has just fallen to the Swallow Empire¡¯s attack!¡± Cazes continued.


    The three¡¯s eyes simultaneously widened.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Instead of attacking the Swallow Empire¡­ Einberg has fallen?¡± Cain couldn¡¯t hide how shocked he was.


    It had been less than a day since they received the message that Einberg was under attack.


    1. Broy had apologized in an informal manner ????, so Joshua repeats it¡ªdrawing attention and questioning the informality. ?

 Chapter 340

    Chapter 340


    Duke Eima stood atop the half-burnt fortress, looking down at the ground. Thousands¡ªno, tens of thousands of people were kneeling down in a line, tied up with thick rope.


    ¡°What are the casualties?¡± Eima asked.


    His aide shrugged. ¡°They¡¯re minimal.¡±


    ¡°Do we not have the exact number yet?¡± Eima¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s not much to say¡­ We have only one severely wounded and a few dozen lightly injured.¡±


    Eima tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Severely wounded?¡±


    ¡°One of the soldiers fell from his horse when it threw a tantrum and he lost control¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that guy.¡± Eima chuckled and nodded. ¡°Then we barely shed blood to enter the castle.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, sir.¡± The aide also nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s all¡­¡± Eima trailed off for a moment and looked behind him. ¡°...thanks to you, Count Theord.¡±


    ¡°I did what I had to do,¡± Theord replied. The middle-aged man bowed, disying the perfectly centered parting of his white hair.


    ¡°I¡¯ll surely report this to the Grand Duke. No one can deny that our casualties would have been greater if you hadn¡¯t opened up the castle gate in advance,¡± Eima said.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for the gesture,¡± Theord bitterly replied.


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s only natural.¡± Eima shook his head. ¡°But¡­ may I ask why you did so? You¡¯re the man who has been stopping our Empire¡¯s attack for at least twenty years. Even we admire your uprightness and loyalty. Such a man had a change of heart overnight¡­?¡±


    Theord¡¯s expression turned slightly grim.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong,¡± Eima quickly added. ¡°I was genuinely curious, so if you don¡¯t want to¡­¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Theord shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve spent quite a lot of time on the battlefield. In fact, it¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that I¡¯ve spent most of my life on the battlefield.¡±


    Eima nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m well aware of it.¡±


    ¡°Just like how you can read the opponent¡¯s next move if you keep on ying chess, I was able to see a bigger picture on some level after spending all that time on the battlefield.¡± Theord looked at the sky.


    ¡°Yes, there is a saying that even a dog living in the academy on the eastern continent can recite writings,[1]¡± Eima said.


    Theord, who had beenpared to a dog just now, bitterly smiled.


    ¡°¡­In that regard, the current Avalon Empire is like a sinking ship.¡±


    ¡°A sinking ship¡­¡± Eima repeated.


    ¡°The fight between the foolish princes weakened the country, and the Empire is no longer one of the three most powerful empires on the continent. It made me doubt myself. I was no longer sure why I¡¯d been protecting thisnd for the past twenty years.¡± Theord shook his head. ¡°In fact, I even regretted my time on the battlefield.¡±


    Eima merely hummed in response.


    ¡°I just don¡¯t want to lose my dear family that I¡¯ve spent my entire life with,¡± Theord said.


    After Theord finished speaking, Eima¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°I understand your reasons.¡±


    He turned his head.


    ¡°Trukang.¡±


    ¡°Yes,mander.¡± Trukang, Eima¡¯s aide, stepped forward.


    ¡°Let them go,¡± Eimamanded.


    Trukang¡¯s eyes widened. Eima was clearly pointing at the tens of thousands of war prisoners that were kneeling on the ground.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Trukang trailed off hesitantly.


    ¡°Are you going to make me a liar?¡± Eima¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°N-no, sir. I¡¯ll follow your order.¡± Trukang immediately saluted and quickly ran down.


    Eima turned back to Theord and looked straight into his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also keep my promise.¡±


    For a moment, Theord¡¯s eyes lost focus.


    ¡°¡­Again, thank you very much, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I want to recruit you. Since you¡¯ve decided to abandon your country, why don¡¯t you also be my man?¡± Eima suggested.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Theord became visibly conflicted for a moment, but anyone would be in a situation like this. After all, Theord was about to start a brand new life.


    ¡°Please give me a moment¡­¡± he told the Duke. However, Theord didn¡¯t get the chance to finish.


    ¡°Comander!¡± Trukang shouted as he bolted back over to them.


    Theord and Eima simultaneously turned to look at him.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Eima asked.


    ¡°W-we received¡­ a report from our scouts,¡± Trukang said.


    ¡°Our scouts?¡± Eima wondered. He couldn¡¯t understand the fuss.


    ¡°They¡¯re the ones who reconnoitered the route to the maind Avalon Empire,¡± Trukang added.


    ¡°That means¡­¡± Eima trailed off, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°The enemy is sending reinforcement!¡±


    Eima and Theord¡¯s expressions were the pr opposites of one another: Eima was quite surprised while Theord¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it too early?¡± Eima frowned slightly. ¡°If reinforcements areing right now, then it means Avalon responded as soon as we made a move.¡±


    Trukang nodded. ¡°I also thought I was mistaken at first¡­¡±


    ¡°So how big are the reinforcements?¡± Eima asked.


    ¡°Well, they¡­¡± Trukang hesitated for a moment then carefully answered, ¡°It¡¯s one person.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Eima nkly asked. He had to stop to process Trukang¡¯s words for a moment.


    Theord couldn¡¯t understand what he had just heard either.


    ¡°On-one man¡­?¡± he repeated.


    Trukang bitterly noted their reactions before he finished his report.


    ¡°Yes, the report says there¡¯s one person¡­ moving unbelievably quickly toward here, Einberg.¡±


    * * *


    The news of Einberg¡¯s downfall was enough to make the princes and nobles move quicker. In only half a day, the grand army of one-hundred thousand soldiers gathered in front of the pce, but there was a problem.


    ¡°Is this it?¡± Icarus, who had regrouped with Joshua, Cain, and Charles, dumbfoundedly murmured. ¡°The enemies¡¯ advance army consists of over two-hundred thousand soldiers, but we have less than half of their numbers.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to take a while for the soldiers from the Pontier Family to arrive¡­¡± Icarus frowned.


    ¡°I know. Why did Lady Charlese here on her own? She could have at least brought her guards,¡± Cain said.


    Icarus swiftly turned her head to re at Cain.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± she shouted.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cain raised his hands. ¡°Let¡¯s not take out our anger on somebody else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one that made me do it!¡± Icarus growled.


    Cain shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m just stating a fact.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®fact¡¯? Then are you seriously saying that Lady Charles should have led seventy thousand soldiers here?!¡± Icarus gave Cain a death re.


    He awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯m not saying that¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Charles interrupted at the perfect time. ¡°Stop it, Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles?¡± Icarus turned her head to look at her.


    Charles nodded. ¡°It¡¯s only natural he¡¯d raise such a question.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. No matter how quickly you all ride your horses, it would have taken at least two weeks since you can¡¯t use the warp gate to teleport seventy thousand people. This wasn¡¯t something you could have done.¡± Icarus finished by scowling at Cain again.


    ¡°Haha¡­ If I knew Einberg was going to fall this quickly¡­ I would have at least thought of a n B¡­¡± Cain scratched his head guiltily and quickly changed the topic. ¡°By the way, where is my master?¡±


    ¡°How should I know?¡± Icarus grumbled.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t exactly asking you¡­¡± Cain¡¯s expression gradually turned gloomy.


    ¡°He¡¯s there,¡± Charles answered instead.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°There.¡± Charles pointed.


    Cain turned to look and his jaw immediately dropped.


    ¡°Wait, he¡¯s with those unsalvageable messes¡­?¡±


    Charles was pointing her finger at the front of the high pce, where numerous people had gathered. However, even in a time like this a quarrel was taking ce.


    ¡°Viscount Muntra! Our country is in a crisis, and you¡¯ve only brought a thousand soldiers?¡± VIscount Romeno shouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s funny to hear that from you when you¡¯ve only brought one thousand five hundred soldiers,¡± Muntra scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s not important,¡± Romeno snorted. ¡°You definitely had men to spare.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Muntra narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Do you think I wouldn¡¯t know that you decreased the number of the soldiers you were going to dispatch at thest minute after you found out about the number of my soldiers!?¡± Romeno shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t nder me if you can¡¯t take responsibility for your own words!¡± Muntra yelled back at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Responsibility?¡± Romeno growled. ¡°Well, I can definitely do that!¡±


    ¡°And let me get this straight! If wepare the overall numbers, we, the nobles on His Highness Kiser¡¯s side, brought more soldiers than the nobles on His Highness Kaizen¡¯s side!¡± Muntra added, pompously raising his chin.


    Even in a national crisis, meaningless disputes like such were taking ce here and there. The two men that were basically in charge of this army weren¡¯t exceptions.


    ¡°The higher-ups still haven¡¯t decided who themander-in-chief is going to be, so what are you going to do, Marquess Arie?¡± Marquess Demir asked.


    ¡°I have zero interest in the seat, but as you can see, I¡¯m not sure how the other nobles are going to react¡­ Kekeke¡­¡± Marquess Arie chuckled.


    Demir shrugged. ¡°I think things will easily be sorted out if you refuse the seat.¡±


    ¡°You know what? I don¡¯t want to do that.¡± Arie grinned.


    Demir had been nning to talk the matter out. He raised one of his eyebrows in annoyance.


    ¡°By the way,¡± he said, ¡°you keep talking to me like I¡¯m a friend of yours, so why don¡¯t we show¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well, there is a way.¡± Arie pointed behind him with his chin. ¡°If the great hero over there agrees on you being themander-in-chief, I might say yes¡­ keke.¡±


    ¡°Great hero?¡± Demir repeated, unsure of what Arie was talking about. He turned to look and frowned slightly. ¡°That boy is¡­ You¡¯re talking about Joshua Sander?¡±


    ¡°Kekeke, are you not sure if you can win?¡± Arie asked provokingly.


    ¡°¡­So you mean you¡¯ll willingly hand over the seat of themander-in-chief if I earn that boy¡¯s recognition?¡± Demir summarized.


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Arie chuckled ominously. He kept his true n hidden.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m taking care of him even without getting my hands dirty, </em><em>kekeke</em><em>,¡¯ </em>Arie thought.


    Of course, there was no way for Demir to know Arie¡¯s scheme, so he reluctantly walked toward Joshua. The clock was ticking, after all.


    The nearby nobles became quiet and watched Demir intently as he approached.


    ¡°I¡¯m Marquess Demir. I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, so I also know you¡¯re skilled. But the ability tomand an army and your fighting skills arepletely different things,¡± Demir told Joshua. The man himself, however, just stared back at Demir with his unreadable, deep blue eyes.


    After clearing his throat, Demir continued, ¡°I heard the Pontier Family has supplied you with seventy thousand soldiers. Since you must have made some promises to the Pontiers, it¡¯ll be better for you to move separately from us and back us up¡­ hmm?¡±


    Demir raised an eyebrow in annoyance. His one-sided conversation was cut short because Joshua turned away before Demir could finish speaking.


    ¡°How rude¡­¡± Demir clenched his teeth.


    ¡°Do as you wish,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t interested in leading soldiers who won¡¯t listen to mymands in the first ce. Just like you said, I¡¯m going to fight this war only with the soldiers from the Pontier Family and my colleagues,¡± Joshua dered.


    As soon as Joshua finished speaking, one hundred knights wearing full armor came forward. Of course, all of those men were knights of the Auxiliary Battalion that had trickled in one by one.


    ¡°I knew it¡­ Kekeke!¡± Arie, who had been watching the whole situation, burst intoughter.


    Joshua looked straight into Demir¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Keep in mind that we¡¯re going to depart first as the advanced army, not as the backup army.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Demir narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Did you forget?¡± Joshua calmly asked.


    Demir tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders,¡± Joshua said.


    Even the people who had been watching the conversation from the sides widened their eyes. A suffocating silence descended as they were finally reminded of some memories they hadn¡¯t recalled for a long time: Joshua was the youngest Master on the continent, the king of Reinhardt that had earned <em>the</em> Wilhelm, and the great hero that defeated numerous Superhumans.


    ¡°These one hundred men are more than enough people for me,¡± Joshua boldly stated. Then he immediately walked away. His knights trembled faintly, goosebumps running down their skin. Yes, that was how great theirmander was.


    ¡°We¡¯ll depart immediately!¡± Cazes shouted.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the Auxiliary Battalion knights shouted at the top of their lungs.


    1. This line came from an Korean idiom ¡®?? ? ? ??? ??? ???(A dog that spent three years in the school can read)¡¯. It emphasizes the importance of practice. ?

 Chapter 341

    Chapter 341


    Duke Eima stood on top of a watchtower with a clear view of the nearby ins. Despite what he saw with his own eyes, he still couldn¡¯t believe it.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly¡­ one man?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I checked repeatedly, but I wasn¡¯t able to see a single person besides that man,¡± Trukang reported.


    ¡°Well, he can¡¯t be a ghost.¡± Eima gently stroked his chin.


    No matter how Eima had far exceeded the level of humans, the person that they were talking about was too far away. After squinting at him for a while, Eima gave up with a shrug.


    ¡°Send out a scout party,¡± he told his aide.


    Trukang nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°The party has permission to kill this person on site if he turns out to be an enemy,¡± Eima said with cold eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell them so.¡± Trukang saluted and quickly ran downstairs.


    In less than the time that it took to boil water for a cup of tea, the heavy, gigantic castle gates slowly opened up and two hundred knights wearing full silver armor departed through them.


    ¡°Sending two knight orders to deal with one person¡­¡± Eima silently watched the scene for a moment, amused. ¡°Well, it does look like he¡¯s a force to be reckoned with, so I at least hope that the fight is going to be interesting¡­¡±


    ¡°March!¡± the knights loudly yelled as he was musing.


    The two hundred knights kicked up an opaque cloud of dust as they drove their horses relentlessly forward. Their advance ate up the kilometers in a sh¡ªat that rate, the unidentified man was going to be crushed into pulp.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Eima wasn¡¯t sure what he was seeing. When the knights were only a few hundred meters away from the man, he broke his sculpture-like stillness and finally moved. Up until then, there wasn¡¯t anything odd¡­ the problem was what happened afterward. The unidentified man pulled out a long object that Eima assumed to be a sword, and then¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ aura?¡± The eyes of Eima, who had been focusing hard on the sight, slightly widened.


    The size of the sword in the man¡¯s hand suddenly doubled, but it wasn¡¯t the sword that had be bigger; the ocean-like blue haze had taken the form of a sword on top of the man¡¯s sword and made itrger.


    Eima soon slightly gaped. ¡°No, he isn¡¯t simply using aura¡­¡±


    It was much more bright and vivid than an ordinary aura. It spread all over the sword like a zing fire¡­


    ¡°¡­Aura on top of aura!¡± Eima eximed when he finally realized what the man was doing.


    At the same time, the aura¡¯s brilliant light swallowed the world. The man swung his sword and its house-sized dding of aura at the knights before him, tearing all of them apart without exception.


    ¡°Arghhhh!!!¡± the knights screamed in pain.


    ¡°Such a talented man still exists¡­ in the current Avalon Empire?¡± Eima quietly muttered, his lips trembling.


    The desperate screams of the knights were so loud that even Eima could hear them from far away. The unidentified man swung his sword horizontally only once, but it was enough to make half of the knights fall off of their horses onto the ground, dead. However, the man wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Keugghh!¡±


    The man swung three more times and the knights¡¯ blood sshed in the air like fountains. The course of man¡¯s every attack was marvelously neat and precise, like a wolf that had crept into a herd of sheep. He cut off the heads of the fallen knights¡ªliterally ughtering them. He didn¡¯t make a single unnecessary movement, and it took less than ten minutes before two hundred knights from two knight orders were exterminated.


    After cutting off all the knights¡¯ heads, the man lightly swung his sword, scattering the blood that was smeared across his entire sword onto the ground.


    Eima¡¯s eyes widened as he was quietly watching the scene because a memory shed across his mind.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    As if he had waited for this moment, the man disappeared, then reappeared hundreds of meters closer to the castle. The man repeated the action once more, bringing him way closer to the castle than before. In fact, he was getting noticeably closer to the castle, such that Eima was able to clearly see the man even without trying.


    ¡°¡­Ha!¡± Eima dumbfoundedly chuckled.


    He had definitely seen the man before: The man¡¯s white hair was neatly slicked backward, and his saber was razor sharp. The way he always held one arm behind his back was unmistakable. His face was wrinkled, but his physique was robust, so it was impossible to estimate the age of this old man.


    ¡°Sword Emperor¡­!¡± Eima muttered through gritted teeth, shocked.


    * * *


    A group of people rode their horses out of the Arcadia, shaking the ground under the hooves of their horses.


    ¡°Master,¡± Cain asked at the front of the group, ¡°are you really going to go to the battlefield with only these people?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°A problem? Of course there is!¡± Cain flicked his reins, urging his horse to move up next to Joshua. ¡°Can you not see behind us any chance?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the number of people in your group?! Even if I include those foals eating grass over there, there are less than two hundred of us!¡± Cain pounded his chest in frustration.


    Just like Cain had said, Joshua¡¯s group was quite small: There were only about one hundred of the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s knights, plus Joshua¡¯s original colleagues like Cain and Icarus.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you this just in case you forgot, but I can¡¯t die yet. Never.¡± Cain shook his head fervently.


    ¡°Because you haven¡¯t been married?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°¡­Well, you know why really well. In fact, I¡¯m d you mentioned that.¡± Cain managed to smile with difficulty, but his expression quickly changed into a frown so hard that veins popped up on his forehead. ¡°Why are we acting like fleas that are biting an elephant?! There are <em>two hundred thousand</em> enemy soldiers waiting for us at Einberg, but this is what we have to fight with! Are you really going to let your only first knight die as a bachelor?¡±


    ¡°Cut it out,¡± Cazes interrupted. ¡°The Captain must have his reasons.¡±


    ¡°Reasons, my ass!¡± Cain pouted.


    Cazes sighed quietly. It would have been a lie if he¡¯d said he wasn¡¯t worried at all.


    ¡°Captain, do you have a n?¡±


    ¡°Once we reim Einberg, we¡¯ll attack Reinhardt right away,¡± Joshua immediately answered.


    His answer wasn¡¯t just shocking¡ªworse, it was outright petrifying.


    ¡°Ha, hahahaha¡­¡± Cain dumbfoundedly chuckled. He thought he had gone mad.


    Joshua paid him no mind.


    ¡°That ce was ours to begin with,¡± Joshua continued. ¡°The Wilhelm Knights and numerous other people might still be waiting for us.¡±


    ¡°But in order to do so, we need to take Einberg away from the enemies since it would be impossible to get to Reinhardt bynd without going through there,¡± Cazes said.


    Joshua stopped to think for a moment.


    ¡°What¡¯s the shortest route to Einberg?¡± he asked.


    ¡°We need to go straight ahead and climb over about three mountain ranges, but it¡¯ll still take at least three weeks. Of course, it¡¯s only possible if we ride our horses non-stop.¡±


    Their situation was so bad that just thinking about it made the group immediately dispirited. The situation eventuallypelled Icarus to step forward.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we use a warp gate?¡± she suggested.


    Cazes shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible because since Einberg is considered part of the border, no warp gate was installed in case an enemy country invaded the fortress¡ªas the Swallow Empire has done.¡±


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t Werner have a warp gate?¡± Icarus asked. ¡°That ce is pretty close to Einberg.¡±


    ¡°Even if we use the warp gate there¡­ it¡¯ll take at least a week. Besides, I¡¯m not sure if the Imperial Family will allow us to use the warp gate in Werner,¡± Cazes said with a shrug.


    ¡°Why so?¡± Icarus tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°During wartime, the Imperial Family hasplete authority on deciding who uses warp gates, and since they¡¯re afraid of getting backstabbed¡­¡° Cazes nced at Joshua. ¡°¡­they¡¯ll never allow us to use the warp gate.¡±


    ¡°Ah, my head.¡± Icarus grabbed her aching head.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t a divine signal to take it slow?[1]¡± Cain randomly said.


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡± Icarus frowned.


    ¡°What do you mean what am I talking about? I¡¯m saying, let¡¯s wait for Lady Charles. She¡¯s going toe back soon!¡± Cain exined. ¡° Wouldn¡¯t we have better chances fighting two hundred thousand soldiers with seventy thousand people, rather than one hundred people?¡±


    ¡°I have a solution,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°Yes, this is a solution¡ª! Huh?¡± Cain gaped goofily ¡°Ma-master?¡±


    ¡°It takes three weeks to get to Einberg, but I have a way to get there in half a day at maximum,¡± Joshua informed them with a sharp gleam in his eyes. The people around him boggled.


    ¡°Captain, what do you mean¡­?¡± Cazes cautiously asked.


    ¡°That man will make it possible.¡± Joshua pointed at a man wearing a robe who had been following their group.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you making me work too hard even from the beginning?¡± The man had been trying to blend in with the group rather than stand out, but when everyone¡¯s eyesnded on him, he sighed and took off his hood. ¡°I had no intention of meddling right this moment.¡±


    Everyone, especially the Auxiliary Battalion, was taken aback when they saw the face hidden by the robe. The handsome man had hair that resembled wind and an eyepatch over one eye. It was not easy to find another man that had such a unique appearance as him anywhere on the continent.


    ¡°To-Tower Master¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never teleported this amount of people at once¡­¡± Theta trailed off for a moment but broke into a grin. ¡°But I must pull this off since I¡¯m <em>the </em>ss 8 mage, right?¡±


    After that, Theta turned to Joshua and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to write down every single thing and charge you for all of it. I¡¯m not going to cut you a deal¡ªyou know that right?¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯ll pay any amount. And¡­¡± Joshua trailed off for a moment and took a look around his group. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the size of our unit.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± Joshua said. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if there are two million soldiers or two hundred thousand soldiers.¡±


    As if nature was answering to his will, a wind blew against Joshua, setting his hair aflutter.


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to let anyone here die,¡± he dered.


    ¡°Master¡­!¡±


    They had forgotten whom they were with right now. Joshua Sanders was the hero that had defeated several million soldiers of the two empires¡¯ united armies on his own. He was the new symbol of the Avalon Empire, and his name was now a legend on the continent.


    ¡°Then shall we begin right away?¡± Theta answered with a wide smile. ¡°My colleagues in the Magic Tower must be eagerly waiting for me too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Good,¡± Theta said, and then chanted, ¡°Mass Teleport.¡±


    A pool of radiant light engulfed Joshua and his group in seconds.


    1. This sayinges from a Korean idiom: ¡°???? ??? ????¡± (The more you¡¯re in a hurry, the more you should take it slow.), emphasizing the importance of patience. ?

 Chapter 342

    Chapter 342


    In a sh, Duke Tremblin closed in on Einberg castle. The people inside the castle were now in chaos¡ªhe was only a hundred meters away from the castle. The ordinary soldiers, the weakest of the upiers, were the first to lose their nerve.


    The Grim Reaper, Tremblin, came to a halt and held his saber up high in the air.


    ¡°Comander-in-chief!¡± Trukang hurriedly climbed up to the top of the watchtower.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t panic,¡± Duke Eima instructed.


    ¡°Bu-but he took out two knight orders in moments¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him now.¡± Eima narrowed his eyes.


    Trukang¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You¡­ are going to fight him yourself, Commander?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a fight between a retired Star and a current Star be quite interesting?¡± Eima said with a little smile.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s too dangerous!¡± Trukang stuttered.


    ¡°Dangerous?¡± Eima chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m the Ice Emperor. How would I be able to take over a continent if I can¡¯t deal with one old man like him?¡±


    After Eima finished speaking, he nced down the watchtower he stood on, realizing that he could clearly see Tremblin without effort.


    ¡°¡­Hmm¡­¡± Eima quietly groaned.


    Maybe Tremblin felt Eima¡¯s eyes because he was looking back at Eima. Neither of them needed to speak out aloud¡ªTremblin was clearly signaling Eima with his eyes


    <em>¡®Don¡¯t waste your men¡¯s lives anymore. Come out,e. Let¡¯s see who is the stronger one.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Geschhard kon Tremblin, the Sword Emperor of the Avalon Empire¡­¡± Eima tightly clenched his fists. How long had it been since he met an opponent that stirred up the desire to fight? It was probably the first since the Grand Duke Lucifer.


    ¡°So I at least have to pay my respects.¡± Eima slowly moved his hand to grip his weapon, but he wasn¡¯t grabbing the ordinary sword that he usually used. There was another sword that he was carrying, strapped horizontally to his waist. Although the size was simr to most longswords, the sword was almost perfectly transparent. Its name was¡­


    ¡°The Ice Sword, Iris, one of the Seven Fine Swords¡­!¡± Trukang, who had been watching Eima closely, quietly muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going,¡± Eima bluntly informed his aide.


    ¡°Comander!¡± Trukang tried to stop Eima, but he wasn¡¯t fast enough. Eima had jumped down from the watchtower as soon as he¡¯d finished speaking, and his next actions were equally unpredictable. As he fell, Eima lightly swung his sword and a set of ice wings sprouted from his back. He flew toward the old man using the momentum of his fall.


    Eima and the old man¡¯s initial collision created an earsplitting explosion. The onlookers¡¯ eyes widened. Since they all had eyes and ears, word quickly spread and everyone knew that the old man was the Sword Emperor.


    Two legends shed¡­


    It was so suffocatingly silent that everyone could hear when someone nervously swallowed. The Sword Emperor was fighting against none other than theirmander, but soldiers without their leader were anchorless ships and headless bodies. If they lost theirmander and the enemy¡¯s main unit ambushed them during that moment, they were going to be defeated for sure due to their significantly decreased morale. However, if Eima beat <em>the </em>Sword Emperor in a one-on-one fight¡­


    ¡°The morale of the enemy soldiers would be crushed; in that case, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to get to the hearnd of the Avalon Empire in one go¡­¡±


    ¡°Lo-look!¡±


    At that moment, someone pointed somewhere and yelled. There, the ice fragments were still flying around, but the hazy smoke was slowly subsiding¡­ revealing a surprising sight: the Ice and Sword Emperors¡¯ des were crossed against each other and neither man was taking a single step backward. If the audience had stopped watching there, the first collision would have seemed like a draw¡­


    But then a bizarre cracking sound hit their ears, attracting everyone¡¯s attention. The sound wasing from the Sword Emperor¡¯s saber.


    ¡°His ha-handle is¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ourmander is winning!¡±


    The Sword Emperor¡¯s favorite saber was freezing up; the vengeful ice ghost inside Duke Eima¡¯s sword was trying to devour the enemy. The Sword Emperor frowned and pushed away the sword with his saber, but the sword resisted even harder and tried to swallow him more fiercely with its coldness.


    ¡°Wow!!!¡±


    The two hundred thousand soldiers of the Swallow Empire that had been watching the fight cheered.


    Maybe Tremblin thought he couldn¡¯t keep fighting like that, because he drew up his aura, creating a resonance that was so powerful that it made the ground and his saber shake violently. The de, newly covered with a thickyer of aura, kept twitching as if it wanted to rip apart the enemy right away. Tremblin brandished the hungry saber and leaped forward.


    He swung his saber horizontally just like he had done to chop off the knights¡¯ heads in seconds, but he this time shed his saber three times at his enemy. However, even the Sword Emperor couldn¡¯t achieve his goal¡ªhe ended up retreating backward with his arm behind his back.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Tremblin quietly groaned.


    There was nothing special about Eima¡¯s sword technique. The problem was the bone-aching coldness that Eima¡¯s sword exuded. Whenever Eima swung his sword, the severe coldness followed Tremblin around like a tail¡­


    <em>¡®Have I gotten old? I didn¡¯t know I had to be this serious while going up against a man this young¡­¡¯</em> Tremblin smiled bitterly and was about to lower the arm tucked behind his back.


    ¡°Why are you distracted during our fight?¡± Eima said, interrupting Tremblin¡¯s thoughts.


    Tremblin realized his mistake.


    ¡°Ice Dragon,¡± Eima murmured.


    Their surroundings changed: the countless ice fragments that were scattered in the air started to transform into something giant.


    Soon, an ice dragon was created in the air. It loudly roared, opened its colossal jaws wide, and swooped down on the enemy before it.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­¡± Tremblin groaned, biting his lower lip.


    ¡°Wow!!!¡± The excitement of the thousands-strong army reached a peak as they watched the fight between an ice dragon and a human; even a few hours before Joshua arrived at Einburg, the fight was bing unexpectedly intense.


    * * *


    A pool of blue light was created in the sky. Then a group of people fell out of the pool.


    Theta was the first one tond on the ground. He touched down lightly, then took a look around.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­¡°


    ¡°Sir, I¡¯m here.¡± A man raised his hand.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Theta smiled gratefully once he found the person he had been looking for.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seeded without a hitch,¡± the man said with a smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s thanks to my best colleagues, who set the coordinates really well.¡± Theta grinned.


    ¡°Iceline worked really hard. She had to pull an all-nighter because we had to calcte so many variables since we didn¡¯t have a warp gate to use as a medium,¡± the stone-like man replied.


    Theta tilted his head thoughtfully.


    ¡°So where is the icedy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Probably over there¡ª¡±


    The man couldn¡¯t finish answering.


    ¡°Urggh¡­¡±


    ¡°Argggh! Why is it so freaking nauseating?!¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way, Sir Cain! You¡¯re suffocating me!¡±


    ¡°Ah, oh!¡±


    A group of people were lying on the ground, totally entangled with each other. There were over one hundred people, but Theta and Joshua were the only ones who weren¡¯t rolling inelegantly around on the ground with them.


    ¡°Have you teleported a long distance before?¡± Theta asked.


    ¡°Yes, but not that often,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Theta¡¯s jaw ckened in surprise for a moment.


    Compared to warp gates, a teleportation spell was unstable in many ways, but even a short-distance teleportation spell was considered a ss 5 magic spell¡ªwhich was pretty high. Therefore, it took at least a ss 7 mage to try casting a long-distance magic spell that was advanced enough to teleport several people at once, but there were not a lot of them on the continent.


    <em>¡®The more I get to know him, the more interesting he is¡­¡¯</em> Theta thought.


    The stone-like man slowly approached them.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Hero King,¡± he remarked.


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯ve also heard about him, right?¡± Theta said to Joshua. ¡°He¡¯s Marcus, holding the seat of earth in the Seven Mages. He¡¯s also my dear colleague.¡±


    However, Joshua was silent¡ªhis eyes were fixed somewhere else.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Marcus awkwardly smiled at Joshua¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Hey, he¡¯s being polite.¡± Theta nudged Joshua. ¡°The least you could do is say he¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­About ten kilometers away,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°There are two extraordinary energies and one of them is¡­¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    What was Joshua talking about? Was he sensing energies that were ten kilometers away?


    <em>¡®¡­Wait, if it¡¯s ten kilometers away from here¡­¡¯ </em>Theta thought disbelievingly.


    Joshua started walking away.


    ¡°Master,¡± Cain frantically shouted after him, ¡°are you really going to go to the battlefield like this?! How are you going to do it on your own?! It¡¯s still two hundred thousand soldiers¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not alone,¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Cain nkly asked.


    ¡°I have you all and¡­¡± Joshua trailed off as a veritable explosion of ck energy spread out from him.


    ¡°De-demonic power?¡± Cain nkly murmured.


    ¡°¡­countless soldiers here.¡± Joshua smiled subtly.


    The ck demon power permeated into the deep underground behind Joshua. Nothing existed within. And that was when things started to change.


    Several kinds of shadows were birthed out of the abyss: there was a headless human and some shadows resembled a mage and a knight. The shadow also created an overwhelmingly gigantic bird.


    Marcus trembled as a wave of emotions came rushing in. He could sense the energy of earth better than anyone, so he was taken aback at what was happening right now. The earth was trembling and screaming in fear, as was the sky.


    ¡°Wh-what in the world¡­?¡± Marcus muttered.


    ¡°Now is the time to use what I¡¯d taken from Berber before,¡± Joshua said.


    After he finished speaking, he sprang forward as fast as he could, headed to the ce where he had detected the two powerful energiesing from.

 Chapter 343

    Chapter 343


    Whenever Duke Tremblin and Duke Eima¡¯s swords shed, fragments of aura scattered, sparkling in the empty air.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Tremblin inhaled sharply, held up his saber, and then he darted forward.


    However, he looked a lot different than he had before. His top was ragged¡ªit was so torn that it revealed his shoulder. He was drenched like he¡¯d fallen in ake, for some reason, and¡­


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened slightly as he was fiercely swinging his sword. He had been ying the gigantic ice dragon before him, but when he had cut off about half of the dragon, he wasn¡¯t able to proceed any further¡ªit was as if his sword got stuck in a sturdy wall.


    The ice dragon opened its giant mouth as if it had been waiting for that moment and flew toward him with a roar.


    Eima smirked. ¡°My ice dragon is quite sturdy.¡±


    However, Tremblin wasn¡¯t disturbed. He stretched out the hand he¡¯d kept behind his back the entire time and used his second saber to cut off the ice dragon¡¯s jaw.


    He heard the sound of a clean cut that time. The ice dragon¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground¡ªit wasn¡¯t even able to approach its prey. The ¡°Sword Emperor,¡± Duke Tremblin, was known as a swordsman that used one saber, but he actually used two sabers at once. The only reason why he hadn¡¯t been using his second saber was that he hadn¡¯t met a worthy opponent.


    After achieving his goal, Tremblin disappeared into thin air.


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Eima flinched and gritted his teeth.


    Tremblin reappeared before Eima himself, swinging his two sabers. Silver lines criss-crossed the air in an instant. From left to right¡ªthen it was from top to bottom. Sometimes the lines were diagonal. At first nce, the course of Tremblin¡¯s attack was unpredictable, almost as if he was swinging his saber randomly, but once one paid attention to every course of his attack, they would notice something marvelous: Tremblin¡¯s every move directed his two sabers at Eima¡¯s vital points.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡± Eima groaned. He and Tremblins exchanged a continuous barrage of attacks. In the flurry of sparks, Eima was being pushed back.


    The old man that Eima faced was too strong. Tremblin wasn¡¯t using an ordinary sword technique¡ªthe urate description would be a ¡°sword dance.¡± The man had lived for over fifty years, and his sword dance was the essence of every martial art technique that he had learned during his life.


    <em>¡®A tiger is still a tiger after it loses its fangs, huh¡­¡¯</em> Eima gritted his teeth so hard that his gums bled as Tremblin wielded his sabers like an extension of his limbs. Due to the ragged state of Tremblin¡¯s clothes, Eima was able to see the Sword Emperor¡¯s bulging muscles. Who would think of him as a man who was over sixty years old?


    There was another person who had been watching the fight between Eima and Tremblin. In a tree not far from the ins near Einburg, Iceline had been watching the battlefield from a kilometer away using Magic Eyes.


    Her jaw dropped.


    ¡°It really is the Sword Emperor!¡±


    She had volunteered to reconnoiter the area for Joshua because she was sure he was going to do everything on his own once a battle took ce and this time she wanted to help Joshua in any way possible.


    Iceline was a high-ranking mage whose level exceeded ss 6, but the fight that was taking ce on the in was on apletely different level.


    ¡°But Duke Eima is also exceptional,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°The Sword Emperor has been a Star for at least a dozen years before him, yet¡­¡±


    Knights and wizards had a tendency to ignore each other due to their arrogance. The higher ranked they were, the more arrogant they were. However, anyone would have to admit that the current fight was exceptional.


    ¡°Did he do it out of youthful vigor? Duke Eima was clearly at an advantage, so I never expected him to agree to a duel. But¡­¡± Iceline muttered to herself, her eyes shining, ¡°...in contrast, this is a golden opportunity for the Avalon Empire. If the Sword Emperor defeats the Ice Emperor, it wouldn¡¯t be oundish for the force that is going to arriveter to reim Einberg¡­¡±


    ¡°Also a good chance to unite the people of the Empire,¡± a man¡¯s voice suddenly added.


    ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± Iceline stuttered.


    ¡°I agree with you.¡± The man nodded.


    <em>¡®Wh-when in the world¡ª!¡¯</em> Iceline felt her sweat running down her back. The man¡¯s white hand was held against Iceline¡¯s neck, indicating that he was ready to do a knife-hand strike at any moment. It was just a human hand. On top of that, the man¡¯s hand was as white and slender as most women¡¯s, so why was she feeling so threatened?


    ¡°Of course, that is not going to happen,¡± the man said, smacking his lips.


    Iceline hurriedly drew up her mana, stimting the Circle around her heart.


    ¡°<em>Psst. </em>If you do anything rash from now on¡­¡± The man tightened his grip around Iceline¡¯s throat.


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Iceline gasped for air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll snap this fragile neck of yours in half.¡± The man smiled.


    As her neck was in the man¡¯s hands, she had to stop circting her Circle. Iceline shivered like a rat in front of a snake. She didn¡¯t need to look closer at the man to see if he was bluffing¡ªher instincts were telling her that the man was overwhelmingly strong and that she couldn¡¯t even dare to start a fight with him. Just like the man had said, if she made one wrong move¡­


    <em>¡®He¡¯s really going to kill me without hesitation. He¡¯s¡­¡¯</em> Iceline couldn¡¯t continue thinking because the man was taking her hood off with his pretty hands.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± The mysterious man quietly eximed. ¡°I¡¯m really surprised. I didn¡¯t know there was a beautiful woman like you in Avalon, and on top of that, you¡¯re a mage of at least ss 6¡­¡±


    Iceline¡¯s lower lip trembled. The man knew her level of skill precisely.


    ¡°You¡¯re too good to be called a rat¡­¡± the man mumbled.


    ¡°Wh-who are you?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°Shh¡­ Didn¡¯t I tell you to be quiet?¡± the man whispered, tightening his loosened grip on Iceline¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Iceline groaned in pain.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be asking questions. Having fair skin like yours is one of the standards of beauty in my Swallow Empire,¡± the man quietly muttered. ¡°Everyone has dark skin since most of thend is ins where the shade of trees barely exists¡ªso skin like yours is a rarity. Maybe that¡¯s why those rich pigs would go nuts to have someone like you.¡±


    The citizens of the Swallow Empire technically had tanned skin, but the man was sexually objectifying her. However, that didn¡¯t matter to him at all.


    ¡°But¡­ you¡¯re too good to sell you off. Shall I just destroy the Circle around your heart and make you my toy for the rest of your life?¡±


    Just imagining it was horrible, but the man made such a remark as if it was nothing.


    Iceline thought furiously for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ a mage of the Magic Tower,¡± she dered with clenched teeth.


    ¡°So?¡± The man shrugged.


    ¡°What do you¡­ mean¡­ ¡®so¡¯¡­?¡± Iceline asked back in disbelief.


    ¡°Do you mean I should let you go because I should fear the Magic Tower? Kekeke,¡± the man chuckled, making Iceline shut her mouth in surprise.


    Judging from his remark, the man was definitely from the Swallow Empire, the strongest country on the continent and with hegemony over the continent, but that wasn¡¯t enough to disregard the Magic Tower like that. Everyone was still in the middle of the war, so nothing good would happen after making tens of thousands of mages an enemy of the empire. In fact, the Swallow Empire should be trying as hard as possible to make the mages of the Magic Tower their allies.


    <em>¡®In spite of everything, this man is confident, meaning he¡¯s either bluffing or he¡¯s not going to leave any witnesses¡­ The problem is that both scenarios seem highly unlikely¡­¡¯</em> Iceline thought.


    Then there was only one possible scenario.


    <em>¡®Even within the Swallow Empire, he must be holding extraordinary power and truly doesn¡¯t fear the Magic Tower.¡¯ </em>Iceline¡¯s eyes widened slightly.<em> ¡®Another man on an extraordinary level¡­!¡¯</em>


    ¡°Your head is filled with questions right now, isn¡¯t it? Kekekeke.¡± The man chuckled ominously, bringing Iceline back to reality. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You know, I¡¯m the so-called First Celestial, so I won¡¯t really eat you.¡±


    Iceline froze stiff.


    ¡°The First Celestial¡­!¡±


    There was only one man on the continent that was called with such an arrogant title. As a matter of fact, he had been considered at least as skilled as the Dark God of the Avalon Empire, and he was now considered one of the Three Celestials within the famous Nine Stars. He was the closest to achieving the goal of unifying the continent.


    ¡°Wa-wait¡­!¡± Iceline¡¯s beautiful face slowly crumpled.


    If this man was truly Grand Duke Lucifer, the current situation for the Avalon Empire was abysmal even if they were with the Sword Emperor. Although the Sword Emperor and Duke Agnus were considered the two strongest people within the Avalon Empire, the people from other countries thought differently. Among the Nine Stars, the Sword Emperor was considered mediocre, butpared to him, Lucifer had been and was still an apex predator.


    ¡°Kekekeke.¡± Lucifer licked his lips with his scarlet tongue.


    Iceline could see dark desires rising within him through his decadent eyes. For his entire life, he had always gotten his hands on anything he wanted because he had the power to do so, and that hadn¡¯t changed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s find out why you¡¯re hereter.¡± Lucifer grabbed Iceline¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing¡­!¡± Iceline shouted in shock.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it quite romantic here?¡± Lucifer smiled, making it quite obvious what he wanted to do.


    Iceline bit her lip angrily. It felt like bugs were crawling all over her body.


    <em>¡®Since things turned out this way¡­!¡¯ </em>She couldn¡¯t use her magic since the man wouldn¡¯t let her, but that didn¡¯t mean she was out of options. She began to n.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll overload my Circle myself. If I draw my mana to the limit before he can react¡­¡¯</em>


    It was obvious that she wasn¡¯t going to be able to leave this ce unscathed. Maybe she was going to die¡ªno, it was very likely that she was going to die¡ªbut it was a better option than being vited.


    <em>¡®I only have one chance, so if I fail¡­!¡¯ </em>Iceline narrowed her eyes slightly.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking, but the air around us changed. I think I have a rough idea of your n¡­ Well, I guess I have to destroy your Circle first.¡± Lucifer shrugged.


    <em>¡®Ah..!¡¯ </em>Iceline shut her eyes as she felt Lucifer¡¯s icky energy spreading inside her. That was the moment that herst hope was crushed.


    <em>¡®N-no¡­!¡¯ </em>Iceline clenched her teeth.


    And it was also the moment when her new hope showed up.


    ¡°Let go of her.¡±


    A projectile shrieked through the air toward Lucifer. He was unable to disregard the projectile and was forced to deflect it.


    It impacted with a violent metallic <em>ng! </em>Then the long projectile twirled through the air and ended up piercing the top of a nearby tree. It had been thrown with so much force that the projectile was still trembling even after that. It turned out the projectile was¡­


    ¡°¡­A spear?¡± Lucifer said, slightly dumbfounded.


    Just like he had said, the projectile was one white spear.

 Chapter 344

    Chapter 344


    The only sound breaking the suffocating silence in the forest was the measured sound of footsteps.


    Iceline and Lucifer were at the top branch of a tree dozens of meters tall, but the young man that had appeared just then was walking toward them on the tree branch very peacefully as if he were merely walking on the in ground.


    Iceline¡¯s petal-like lips slowly opened.


    ¡°Joshua¡­?¡±


    The reaction of Lucifer, the man who had been intimidating her, wasn¡¯t different.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    ¡°Has it been three years?¡± Joshua pulled his spear out of the tree. ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer.¡±


    Lucifer was shocked.


    ¡°¡­Is it¡­? So the rumor was indeed true? I can¡¯t believe I met you here.¡± He broke into ominousughter. ¡°Are you going to stop me again?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°If you covet my country again.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the only one?¡± Lucifer smirked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the same with everyone else.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still arrogant,¡± Lucifer replied, narrowing his eyes.


    ¡°You too.¡± Joshua retorted.


    Lucifer gave him a sharp look.


    ¡°Do you think you can beat me?¡±


    Joshua tilted his head thoughtfully. ¡°You asked the same question back then.¡±


    Lucifer flinched.


    ¡°That was the question you threw at me at the Great in of Kraden three years ago,¡± Joshua added.


    ¡°Are you talking about the day when you were hunted down?¡± Lucifer shot back with a crooked smile.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t the one being hunted¡­¡± Joshua trailed off for a moment then looked straight into Lucifer¡¯s eyes. ¡°...because I was luring you all.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t done so, the Avalon Empire wouldn¡¯t have survived until today.¡±


    ¡°You made us hunt you down on purpose?¡± Lucifer asked disbelievingly. His mind raced as he delved into his memories.


    Back then, one man had stopped the empires¡¯ allied army of a million soldiers. Joshua had run again and again to the Great in of Aiyas¡ªhundreds of kilometers away¡ªying countless heroes of the Swallow Empire right before Lucifer¡¯s eyes.


    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t have to chase him down¡ª-no, I wouldn¡¯t have wasted three years if I didn¡¯t have to hunt him down. The promise was just about making the world forget about Aden von Agnus, so the disappearance of him and the emperor of the Avalon Empire was the perfect opportunity to take over Avalon¡­¡¯ </em>Lucifer thought, his face darkening a bit.


    However, there was only one reason he hadn¡¯t done it.


    <em>¡®Contrary to my expectations, I had to chase Joshua around.¡¯</em>


    The spearman¡¯s techniques had been incredible, especially for a man who wasn¡¯t even twenty years old at the time. The people who had gone against Joshua were strong enough to be called heroes, but their limbs had all been chopped off while they had been still alive. Whenever Joshua had swung his red spear, Lucifer¡¯s soldiers had copsed, spilling their blood across the ground.


    After some time, Lucifer had finally realized that Joshua wasn¡¯t the hunted¡ªin fact, Joshua was the hunter. The allied soldiers had be very spiteful by the time they had arrived at the Tower of Trials, their final destination, but there they had encountered a transcendental being whom humans couldn¡¯t do anything about¡ªa demigod with a set of abyss-like ck eyes.


    When Lucifer remembered that much, he became stiff as a statue.


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯ve anticipated everything¡­?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t say anything, but that told Lucifer that he was right. The Grand Duke stared at Joshua with an uncharacteristic scowl marring his visage.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± Lucifer demanded.


    Joshua stayed silent.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Lucifer growled.


    At that moment, Lucifer released a formidable amount of energy. A cloud of blood-red smoke rose around him. Shocked birds flew high up into the air, and the trees bowed down, lowering their leaves. But suddenly the birds began to plummet out of the sky. Lucifer was at the highest level of killing intent, so he was able to take lives away with only his willpower.


    ¡°¡­Yes, there was definitely a rumor about how an adult ck dragon appeared in the skies of Avalon several years ago. Surprisingly, a human was riding on top of the dragon like the dragon knight from the legends.¡± Lucifer¡¯s lower lip trembled. ¡°I thought it was just nonsense that the Avalon Empire came up with¡­ but were you the dragon knight?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to retreat, then?¡± Joshua nonchntly asked.


    Lucifer¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but a bone-chilling smile crept onto his lips.


    ¡°No way. That lizard isn¡¯t scary enough to stop me from executing my n when I¡¯ve waited dozens of years.¡±


    Lucifer gradually began to release more energy, enough to shake the towering tree they stood on and to make the sky rumble.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who killed your father, the man the people worshiped as a god, so if anyone stands in my way, I¡¯ll kill all of them¡ªeven if it¡¯s a dragon¡¯s grandfather¡­¡±


    ¡°Kill? Who killed who?¡± Joshua sarcastically asked.


    That was the finishing blow. Lucifer stood dumbly as if he had been hit in the back of his head. Judging from Joshua¡¯s words and his face and if Lucifer¡¯s intuition was correct¡­


    <em>¡®¡­He knows the truth¡­?¡¯ </em>Lucifer wondered.


    After a moment, Lucifer swept aside his bafflement and regained hisposure. The situation kept taking an unexpected turn. He needed to verify everything before he moved on, even if it would take more time.


    ¡°¡­Come, you don¡¯t want this woman to suffer from our fight, do you?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    Iceline groaned in pain because Lucifer had tightened his grip on Iceline¡¯s neck again. This time, it was very strong.


    ¡°I have no intention of forcing you¡­ but she¡¯ll die if you don¡¯te.¡±


    Joshua nced at Iceline, who was furtively gesturing at him to not listen to Lucifer.


    <em>¡®Don¡¯te. You¡¯ll be in danger,¡¯</em> Iceline silently kept signaling to Joshua even until she was forced to disappear with Lucifer.


    Left alone on the top branch of the tree, Joshua put the spear on his back. There was no need to ponder whether or not he should go after them. He had already decided he would not leave behind any regrets ever since he had received a second chance at life.


    With a small sound, Joshua disappeared.


    * * *


    The in before the castle gates of Einberg turned unbelievably quiet in spite of the fact that two hundred thousand soldiers were present.


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff, huff!</em>¡± Duke Eima, the reason why the soldiers were silent, was panting hard, soaked in sweat. ¡°Fuck¡­ I didn¡¯t know the levels of our abilities were this different.¡±


    ¡°You were quite good,¡± Duke Tremblin said.


    ¡°Kek¡­ are you assessing me?¡± Eima asked.


    ¡°I had zero intention of doing so¡­¡±


    Eimaughed self-deprecatingly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have been defeated so devastatingly if only my level as an elementalist was a level higher¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just making that analysis based on what actually happened. It could have turned out differently.¡± Tremblin¡¯s eyes then turned cold. ¡°Are you going to continue?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re suddenly asking me that.¡± Eima¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you here to drive us out?¡±


    Tremblin shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m here to stop a war from breaking out.¡±


    ¡°It sounds the same.¡± Eima chuckled bitterly and shrugged.


    ¡°Are you the man in charge here?¡± Tremblin asked.


    ¡°As you can see.¡±


    ¡°Retreat,¡± Tremblin curtly ordered.


    ¡°Do you think your request makes sense?¡± Eima asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°A defeated general never speaks,¡± Tremblin said with a sharp look.


    Eima raised an eyebrow. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve lost yet.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to continue fighting until one of us dies?¡± Tremblin asked menacingly.


    Eima chuckled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll have to ept the fact I lost, so in return, I¡¯ll tell you the answer that you¡¯ve been desperately looking for.¡±


    Tremblin shook his head in confusion. While he was trying to process the situation, Eima sent him a telepathic message.


    -Emperor Marcus is alive.


    Tremblin was petrified.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Are you interested now? Hehehe.¡± Eima giggled.


    The air around Tremblin changedpletely.


    ¡°¡­Exin that more clearly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re ckmailing now, huh¡­?¡± Eima joked.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m joking?¡± Tremblin growled.


    ¡°It looks like I won¡¯t be the one who will answer that.¡± Eima looked up at the sky and smiled.


    Tremblin red coldly at him.


    ¡°Are you seriously¡­¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you feel it, Sword Emperor?¡± Eima grinned.


    ¡°Why do you keep saying nonsense¡ª¡±


    Tremblin couldn¡¯t finish his sentence. A shiver ran down his spine as he finally noticed the intense energy.


    ¡°Th-this is¡­?¡±


    ¡°Heh¡­ how much longer was he trying to make me wait?¡± Eima giggled.


    ¡°Who could have such a high level of killing intent and such strong energy¡­?!¡±


    Eima just chuckled again.


    ¡°¡­Sky!¡± Tremblin¡¯s head jerked upward and he stared into the sky with wide eyes.


    ¡°Wow!!!¡±


    At that moment, an earsplitting shout echoed throughout the in as the soldiers gazed upon the man with blood-red hair. Although the man wasn¡¯t a mage, he was floating in the sky unsupported, looking down at the ground. He was one of the three Absolutes, those known as the ¡°Sky.¡±


    ¡°The Grand Duke is here!¡± a knight of the Swallow Empire yelled at the top of his lungs, unable to hold down his excitement. His shout startled the wyverns, making them run amok.


    Lucifer was already a god to the people of the Swallow Empire, but it seemed that the <em>real</em> god didn¡¯t like what he was looking at.


    ¡°Wa-wait! The-there¡¯s one more!¡± one of the knights murmured. Gradually, the murmuring spread among all the people in the castle.


    ¡°Th-th-that¡¯s¡­!¡± A wyvern knight with good eyes stared dumbfoundedly at the second man in the sky.


    Standing not so far away from their respected Grand Duke, there was another man floating in the sky. The man¡¯s deep blue hair was just as striking as Lucifer¡¯s blood-red hair. The man was holding a long spear, a rarity in Igrant, although that particr spear wasn¡¯t familiar to the onlookers. Most people of the Swallow Empire that were there could never forget who he was: he was the damned Grim Reaper that had in countless heroes of the Swallow Empire.


    ¡°It¡¯s the He-Hero King¡­ Jo-Joshua Sanders!¡± the wyvern knight loudly screamed.

 Chapter 345

    Chapter 345


    ¡°Kekeke.¡± The Grand Duke, ¡°Crimson Sky¡± Lucifer, currently one of the strongest Absolutes, quietly chuckled with his back turned to Joshua.


    Joshua silently stared at the Duke¡¯s back with cold eyes. Even without exchanging attacks, he could tell that there was a reason why Lucifer was called the strongest person in the Human Realm. But, of course, that didn¡¯t matter to Joshua.


    Joshua twirled his white spear. Although he didn¡¯t have the Demon Spirit Lugia anymore, even if he fought with his bare hands, everyone had to kneel before him and admit their defeat.


    ¡°Ah¡­!¡± Iceline gasped after she regained consciousness. She could immediately see how shockingly high she was¡ªand she only had the hand that was suffocating her to keep her from falling.


    ¡°This¡­ is¡­ ?¡± Iceline choked out. She heard powerful, nonstop gusts of wind, and lowered her head slightly.


    Iceline froze. Just a minute ago, she was at the top branch of the thick tree, but when she opened her eyes again, she was floating in the empty sky with Lucifer''s hand still creepily wrapped around her neck.


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t¡­ use my mana¡­¡¯ </em>Iceline thought despairingly after she tried circting her Circle just in case. The Circle of mana in her heart, a mage¡¯s source of power, didn¡¯t move. It seemed to have been tied up. Although she had not lived for a long time, that had never happened to her in her entire life.


    ¡°Kekeke, stay still if you don¡¯t want to turn into pulp,¡± Lucifer warned her.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Iceline gritted her teeth.


    ¡°Watch your friend perish here, Ice Archmage,¡± Lucifer said.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened¡ªit turned out Lucifer knew exactly who she was.


    ¡°¡­Proud soldiers of our Swallow Empire, listen.¡± Lucifer¡¯s dignified voice quietly echoed over the in. His voice was quiet yet clear, such that all two hundred thousand soldiers could hear each word. ¡°Before I get to the point¡­ some quick-witted people must have noticed already, but the man responsible for our fallen colleagues is standing behind me.¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s voice gradually spread far across the in like the ripples from a pebble thrown into still water.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s indeed the Hero King!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡¯s really him¡­!¡±


    ¡°He killed Toby!¡±


    All two hundred thousand soldiers turned their heads to stare at the man venomously. For his part, his eyes remained fixed on the soldiers¡¯ idol.


    ¡°His name is Joshua Sanders. Although he doesn¡¯t deserve it, he¡¯s the man who earned the title of Hero King by ying numerous heroes of our Empire.¡± Lucifer slowly turned and locked eyes with Joshua. ¡°He foiled our grand n in the past, and he¡¯ll continue to do so¡­ Therefore, I am trying to crush him now. I¡¯m going to make him kneel and then make a toast with his blood.¡±


    The soldiers trembled with inexplicable excitement, which grew with every word Lucifer spoke.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡± Lucifer asked.


    ¡°No, sir!¡± came the soldiers¡¯ ear-splitting reply.


    However, Lucifer quietly shook his head.


    ¡°No, you must be scared, because even if we¡¯re talking about one enemy, many of our heroes were killed by that one man.¡±


    Suffocating silence fell upon the in.


    ¡°Still¡­ I¡¯m sure we¡¯repletely different from before. We¡¯ve be stronger, more special, enough to surprise even me.¡±


    Lucifer started to speak in the way that Joshua had done before¡ªwith Aura Force. It was the power of wordwielding, an ability only a select few could use.


    ¡°So¡­ don¡¯t be afraid.¡±


    ¡°The Gr-Grand Duke¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m standing with you¡­.¡± Lucifer smiled crookedly. ¡°I am Lucifer, your colleague, patron, and the First Celestial of the continent.¡±


    ¡°Woww!!¡±


    The moment Lucifer finished speaking, all two hundred thousand soldiers roared thunderously, loud enough to crack out over the entire in.


    Five hundred wyvern knights soared up into the sky as if they had been waiting for this moment. It was said that one of them could take on one hundred knights if they were fighting in the sky.


    Duke Eima had been looking up at the sky, lost in thought.


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± he finally said with a crooked smile, ¡°it won¡¯t work in the first ce.¡±


    While Lucifer had been speaking to the soldiers, he had sent another telepathic message to Eima, telling him that the Dark God and Joshua Sanders seemed to be connected in an unknown way. Eima was quite surprised by Lucifer¡¯s sudden remark because the Dark God and Joshua never behaved like they were in fact, father and son.


    Eima shook his head. <em>¡®It doesn¡¯t matter, even if they¡¯ve been acting until now.¡¯ </em>


    Since the Swallow Empire had be the strongest country on the continent over the past three years, even the Dark God¡¯s grandfather wouldn¡¯t be able to turn the tide. Still, there must have been a reason why Lucifer chose to send a telepathic message now since he was the most perfect and meticulous person Eima knew.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s continue our conversation, Sword Emperor,¡± Eima said. Duke Tremblin immediately flinched. Eima¡¯s lips curled into a deep smile. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the whereabouts of Emperor Marcus? Well, I happen to know them.¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes had been glued to the sky, but he lowered them right away as if he had been looking up at all.


    ¡°Emperor Marcus is¡­¡± Eima trailed off.


    Tremblin nervously swallowed his saliva.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the hands of Aden von Agnus, the Dark God.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Tremblin instantly growled. ¡°He¡¯s alive? You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me!¡±


    Eima shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not joking.¡±


    ¡°You keep saying nonsense¡­!¡± Tremblin gritted his teeth.


    ¡°We were the ones who spread the rumor of the Dark God¡¯s death,¡± Eima reminded him.


    Tremblin froze up, and Eima didn¡¯t miss that.


    ¡°Ha¡­ you already suspected it. Well, you¡¯ve been searching for Emperor Marcus more desperately than anyone¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­¡± Tremblin narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you already know? He didn¡¯t get killed and he returned to Avalon,¡± Eima said. His story was clearly different from the epted story.


    When the Hero King had been buying time for the Avalon Empire¡¯s army to retreat, the Dark God hadn¡¯t been with the army nor could he be found anywhere else. However, Tremblin had never believed the news of the Dark God¡¯s death, so he had been conducting an investigation about Duke Agnus in secret. Still, Tremblin couldn¡¯t let his enemy know that.


    ¡°Then¡­ why hasn¡¯t he appeared yet?¡± Tremblin murmured.


    Eima shrugged. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Tremblin frowned.


    ¡°That was the deal.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The Dark God demanded that we not interfere with his business and help him make the world forget about him.¡±


    Tremblin gaped nkly at Eima.


    ¡°Why would he make such a demand¡­?¡±


    ¡°In return, he promised to not interfere with our business. Isn¡¯t that why we felt free to start another Continental War?¡± Eima asked.


    It seemed thest pieces of the puzzle wereing together.


    ¡°On a side note¡­¡± Eima trailed off and pointed up. ¡°Joshua Sanders over there is the Dark God¡¯s son.¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s boggled at him. Was Eima trying to trick Tremblin into something? If¡ª<em>if</em>¡ªJoshua Sanders and the Dark God were truly involved in Emperor Marcus¡¯ disappearance, Tremblin had toe to a decision.


    On the other hand, in the sky, Lucifer stared fixedly at Joshua.


    ¡°Hehehe, the dice have been cast,¡± he said. ¡°You must also have questions for me, don¡¯t you? You won¡¯t be able to say you don¡¯t, so¡­ let¡¯s have a duel.¡±


    Joshua stayed silent.


    ¡°The winner takes everything from the loser. Answers to all the winner¡¯s questions and hegemony of this continent. Of course, I have no intention to fight on my own.¡±


    Lucifer took a step backward.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t forgotten about that day, so prove to me that what I witnessed that day is still true. You confidently fought back one million soldiers without hesitation.¡±


    Joshua heard a flurry of loud pping sounds and realized that the wyvern knights had alreadypleted a perfect encirclement. If anyone looked up from the ground, it would look like a swarm of ants was besieging their prey.


    Joshua looked around for a moment.


    ¡°If you want,¡± he quietly answered.


    ¡°Hah¡­ I like how you give me an answer straight away.¡± Lucifer glided backward, receding further away from Joshua. Although he was in the air, his movements were as graceful as the wind.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Lucifer smirked. ¡°I see you¡¯re still confident.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t bother to answer Lucifer; instead, Joshua¡¯s attention turned inward. He began circting his mana, then used it to cover his entire spear. The power Joshua was going to use from now on had been created by the person who had been called ¡°Grand Duke¡± long before Lucifer had.


    With both hands, Joshua continued to spin the white spear to awaken the second most shining darkness after the Demon Spirit, the power that was deeply rted to Joshua¡¯s past life.


    Lucifer watched Joshua silently.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Lucifer murmured in surprise. Joshua¡¯s spear had begun twirling so quickly that Lucifer was having trouble following its movement. The faster it spun, the more Joshua¡¯s spear resembled a bright ray of light.


    Joshua''s movement conjured a strong gust of wind out of nowhere. A sudden resonant sound made Lucifer¡¯s eyes widen, but Joshua didn¡¯t pay much attention to Lucifer¡¯s reaction¡ªhe focused on swirling his spear more quickly.


    It was the Grand Duke of the Demon Realm¡¯s trademark technique¡ªAwakened Magic Spear Arts Level 7, Peak Demon Spear. The deepest and most brilliant darkness was about to reveal part of its power to annihte every enemy in its path.


    Joshua¡¯s white spear epted as much power as it could handle. It shook violently¡ªand exploded.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Hertonia¡¯s masterpiece was worthy enough to be called a treasure in the Human Realm. It burst into pieces like a ss window, flingingpressed aura fragments in every direction. The fragments struck the wyvern knights, who had been having trouble approaching due to fear.


    Their remains fell to the earth in a surreal shower of gore. The wyvern knights had literally been torn to shreds¡ªJoshua had crushed all five hundred of them with a single attack. He stood amidst their remains and quietly fixed his eyes on Lucifer.

 Chapter 346

    Chapter 346


    Iceline froze in shock upon witnessing the blood rain.


    However, the blood rain was caused by one of the few men whom Iceline could call her friends, not the Grand Duke, ¡°Crimson Sky¡± Lucifer.


    ¡°Jo¡­ shu¡­ a¡­¡± Iceline painfully moaned.


    Five hundred wyvern knights, enemies which mages usually had trouble dealing with, were annihted without even getting a chance to fight back.


    But there was something more surprising.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Lucifer gaped nkly¡ªhe had noticed it too.


    Lucifer flinched as Joshua lowered his arms and began to move again. Joshua¡¯s snow-white spear was gone¡ªit had been pulverized and scattered into fragments of aura. The aura that Joshua now drew up was pitch ck.


    ¡°Oh, no¡ª!¡± Lucifer hastily drew his monster sword, Blood Rain.


    At the same time¡­ Joshua disappeared.


    ¡°Ahh!¡± Iceline screamed, but it was drowned out by the ground-shaking boom, leaving Iceline struggling to pull herself together for a few seconds.


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± Lucifer¡¯s lower lip trembled with anger.


    The explosion hade from the collision between his sword and Joshua¡¯s fist. Joshua had clearly thrown a straight punch¡ªin fact, it could even be called somewhat crude. However, the unknown ck aura around Joshua¡¯s fist had turned his simple punch into an unignorable attack. Above all, Joshua moved without hesitation in spite of the fact that one of Lucifer¡¯s hands was still wrapped around his colleague¡¯s throat.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Lucifer shouted furiously. His sword also hummed with simr anger.


    They shed head-on again, and Joshua¡¯s fist got bounced back.


    Lucifer wasn¡¯t done counterattacking. His sword technique emphasized speed¡ªhis sword attacks were known to be the fastest in history. Right now, Lucifer was just returning the attacks he had received with a straight thrust, but his sword was iparably faster than any other sword on the continent. Anyone would marvel at the sight of Lucifer using Blood Sword Level 1, Blood Tear Sword.


    Lucifer didn¡¯t need to make any preparation in advance to strike Joshua like a lightning bolt. His armshed out to its full length.


    ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± Lucifer chuckled slyly. He could tell from the feeling in his hand that he had definitely cut Joshua, and blood was actually dripping down Joshua¡¯s cheek. Joshua was bleeding quite hard; it looked like his wound was quite serious.


    However, Lucifer¡¯s smile died¡­ Joshua didn¡¯t flinch nor react in any way in spite of it all. Lucifer had aimed for Joshua¡¯s forehead; Joshua had dodged Lucifer¡¯s attack, but he hadn¡¯t been able to avoid Lucifer¡¯s attackpletely. Of course, the fact that Joshua had managed to dodge Lucifer¡¯s attack at all was praiseworthy, as it meant Joshua had been able to follow Lucifer¡¯s movement to a degree.


    However, there was one part Lucifer couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡°Jo.. shua?¡± Iceline mumbled in a trembling voice. She found herself in Joshua¡¯s arms.


    ¡°He took her¡­ during that moment?¡± Lucifer muttered in disbelief.


    From the beginning, Joshua¡¯s goal was to save his colleague, not defeat Lucifer.


    ¡°How could he move that naturally¡­?¡± Lucifer said, confused. Joshua was slowly floating down to the ground.


    No matter how far beyond the bounds of humanity Lucifer and Joshua were, it was quite difficult to move around in the sky as if it was t ground when there was nothing to stand on.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Iceline hurriedly asked in Joshua¡¯s arms.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened, but she soon heaved a sigh of relief. Although she was worried about how much Joshua¡¯s wound would hurt, his low, sonorous voice was the same as ever.


    ¡°...So far.¡± Joshua raised one of his eyebrows.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean?¡± Iceline asked, perplexed.


    ¡°Anyhow¡­¡± Joshua quickly changed the topic. ¡°It looks like now is not the time for chitchat.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Iceline eximed.


    ¡°Can you use your mana now?¡±


    ¡°Ho-hold on.¡± Iceline began checking over her condition.


    ¡°Let me help,¡± Joshua offered.


    ¡°¡­Argh!¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t even give her time to answer before he began infusing his power into Iceline¡¯s heart. It was quite dangerous to infuse one¡¯s power into someone else¡¯s body, but Joshua acted without hesitation.


    ¡°Ah!¡± Iceline moaned and wed for breath. The sticky, damp power that had been hindering her cirction of mana was pushed away in a sh. Joshua noticed Iceline¡¯s unconscious trembling and frowned slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯ll hurt a bit,¡± Joshua said, ¡°but you still have to endure this. There are other ways, but this is the quickest.¡±


    ¡°You still¡­¡± Iceline trailed off. Joshua tilted his head quizzically.


    ¡°You still don¡¯t hesitate. You¡¯re definitely the Joshua I know. I¡¯m fine, so¡­¡± Iceline reached her hand out and grabbed Joshua¡¯s. ¡°...be careful. I think I¡¯ll be really sad if something happens to you too.¡±


    After Iceline finished speaking, she fainted. Joshua¡¯s expression changed subtly. Although she hadn¡¯t said anything about it, she would have been feeling like her heart was being ripped out.


    Blood-red smoke wasing out from her body, indicating that Joshua had sessfully driven Lucifer¡¯s energy out of Iceline.


    Lucifer appeared before Joshua.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you even really a human?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    ¡°You¡¯d better exin yourself right now. I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve sold your soul to a demon and signed a contract, and if I¡¯m right, I and the entire poption of the continent will not let it stand,¡± Lucifer said.


    Joshua chuckled, drawing a frown from Lucifer.


    ¡°¡­Are youughing right now?¡±


    ¡°The entire poption of the continent won¡¯t let it stand, huh¡­¡± Joshua remarked. ¡°I think I can say the same to you.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re the one who signed a contract with a demon, not me.¡±


    Lucifer stiffened as if he had been struck by a lightning bolt.


    <em>¡®How in the world did he¡­?¡¯</em>


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Captain!¡±


    Cain and Cazes happened to arrive on the battlefield while Lucifer was confused.


    Cain drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll assist you, master!¡±


    ¡°¡­The ck Lion?¡± Eima, the first to recover from the shock, noticed the ck lion mask Cain was wearing and quickly stopped him.


    As the Sword Emperor was still lost in his thoughts, no one stopped Eima, but he stopped, dumbstruck, anyway.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ Wait, there are only two of you? Huh, you really wanted to follow your teacher¡¯s footsteps, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Cain flinched. ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Eima tilted his head in confusion upon seeing Cain¡¯s reaction. He smiled crookedly. ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡±


    Cain frowned. ¡°What are¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Lion King Ryan Geiger is dead,¡± Eima said.


    Cain¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


    ¡°I, the Ice Emperor, was the one who cut off his head.¡± Eima grinned.


    ¡°The Ice Emperor... Then you¡¯re definitely Duke Eima¡­!¡± Cazes, who hade up and stood beside Cain, groaned.


    ¡°You all won¡¯t be able to take a single step forward. No¡­¡± Eima¡¯s eyes were filled with murderous intent. ¡°You¡¯ll all die here.¡±


    As if he was trying to show he wasn¡¯t bluffing, Eima drew up his energy before Cain could react.


    Eima¡¯s sword slowly exuded a crackling coldness.


    Joshua was the first to break the lull.


    Joshua disappeared. This time, Lucifer had seen him vanish; he looked straight down to the ground. But¡­ that was it. Joshua instantly reappeared on the ground in front of Eima.


    ¡°He¡¯s my knight,¡± Joshua quietly informed the Duke. He then carefully handed Iceline¡¯s unconscious form over to Cain.


    Then one of the Swallow Empire knights roared, ¡°Protect ourmander!¡±


    Tens of thousands of soldiers poured out through the wide-opened castle gates with the highly mobile wolf riders taking the lead. Everyone wasing to attack Joshua and his group, but he was still calm. He was just looking at the enemies that were running toward him.


    ¡°Ma-master¡­¡± The sight was terrifying enough for Cain to feel nervous. There were only four of them, after all.


    ¡°¡­Cazes, the rest of the Auxiliary Battalion is hiding right now, right?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Huh? Ah, yes.¡± Cazes nodded. ¡°They must have taken cover nearby with Theta, the master Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    ¡°¡­But everyone had a hard time understanding why you¡¯ve given such an order,¡± Cazes cautiously ventured. ¡°They¡¯re really eager to fight with you¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re this outnumbered?¡± Joshua quietly chuckled.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say that. Why would we be scared when we¡¯re with the Hero King? You stopped a million soldiers on your own. If it hadn¡¯t been for your strict order, they would have fought with you even if it cost them their lives,¡± Cazes fervently dered.


    Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°Just tell them to wait until the end of this battle. I have <em>things</em> to take care of.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Cazes asked.


    That was the end of their conversion.


    ¡°¡­Come to me,¡± Joshua mumbled, his voiceced with demonic power.


    Cain flinched in surprise as the ground underneath him started to shake. He had sensed this power before, and the cold demonic power made him tremble too.


    ¡°The remains of the dead Berber,¡± Joshua said.


    Then a vast chasm formed on the ground; it was one that threatened to devour everything.


    Through the abyssal chasms, tens of thousands of soldiers of darkness revealed themselves, led by eight demonic creatures, each with their own distinct appearance.


    ¡°O-oh my god!¡±


    ¡°What are they?!¡±


    Of course, the enemies fell into chaos. They tried hard to stop the dark army, but the soldiers of darkness had momentum on their side and weren¡¯t going to give the enemy the chance.


    The headless demonic creature taking the lead stomped for the first time.


    When he stomped again, the tens of thousands of soldiers of darkness¡¯ eyes shone with red light.


    On the third time, the ground shook.


    At the same time, the headless demonic creature held up his arm high in the air; he was the Duhan Lord, the man who had been called the Mercenary King, Barbarian, while he was alive.


    ¡°¡­March,¡± Joshua ordered.

 Chapter 347

    Chapter 347


    The Undead Dragon, the owner of the zing hellfire volcano. The Wraith Lord, the owner of the prison where the prisoner¡¯s limbs were chopped off after they were tied down with Soul Chains. The Ghoul King, the owner of the swamp that crushed anyone trapped inside with the immense weight. The Lich King, with his frozen skeleton that could inflict myriad forms of pain on his victims. The Death Knight, the owner of the sword forest and its countless des that slit the flesh of anyone who entered the forest. The Subus Queen, the owner of the world-covering me of pleasure. The Duhan Lord, the owner of the abyss of eternal wailing. Even Evergrant and the other enemies who had fought against Joshua before they died¡­ All of them had sworn their loyalty to Joshua.


    The headless knight, the Lord of the Duhans, roared in ordance with Joshua''s order, spurred the soldiers of darkness forward.


    -Grrrr!!!


    Thousands of soldiers followed the Duhan Lord.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    Everyone who looked upon it staggered.


    The skeleton soldiers that were armed to the teeth, the Duhan Lord that couldn¡¯t even be hurt unless he wasn¡¯t attacked with aura, four liches that could utilize magic far more advanced than mages in the same ss, the wraith in the sky that directly affected people¡¯s minds¡­ they were all fine, but there was one creature that sent uncontroble shivers down everyone¡¯s spines¡­


    -<em>Krrrr</em><em>.</em>


    One of the Swallow Empire soldiers flinched in surprise upon hearing an animal¡¯s growling.


    Therge shadow of the creature was cast down from the sky. It looked down, shining the baleful red light in its eye sockets on the ground.


    ¡°Bone¡­dragon¡­?¡± the soldier mumbled disbelievingly, recalling old legends.


    However, it was quite different from ordinary bone dragons, which were made up of only bones, because the dragon in the sky was covered in flesh. But that was not the most immediately concerning fact.


    The dragon opened its mouth wide and inhaled deeply, making the air around it slowly distort.


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± The soldier fell into despair as he realized what it was going to do.


    ¡°Dragon bre-breath¡­!¡± The soldier could no longer stay still. It only took a moment for him to take action, spurred by the most basic survival instinct. ¡°<em>Runnn</em><em>!!!</em>¡±


    As if the dragon waited for that moment, the dragon shot out a ray of pitch-ck dragon breath from its giant mouth, striking the wide-open castle gates with the most powerful weapon of the strongest creature in the Human Realm.


    The earsplitting report made the ground and sky tremble, but no one screamed¡ªthe ray of dragon breath swept away everyone in the vicinity of the gates in a sh, leaving behind nothing but the scattered stone dust to indicate someone had ever existed there at all.


    Duke Eima nkly stared at the sight.


    ¡°Gosh, that lump doesn¡¯t have a brain,¡± a sonorous and very out of ce voiceined. ¡°We don¡¯t know when we¡¯ll have an opportunity like this again, so we have to enjoy this as much as possible¡­¡±


    Eima flinched and slowly turned his head. A half-naked woman was trying to get into Joshua¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Master!¡± she shouted, pping her adorable wings. ¡°You missed me, didn¡¯t you? Hmmm, in that case, I would¡¯ve liked it more if you¡¯d only called me¡­¡±


    -You¡¯re being rude, Cubar.


    A death knight stopped the beautiful woman from hugging Joshua.


    ¡°¡­Wild King,¡± she pouted with a frown on her lips.


    She looked very captivating, enough to stir the deepest desires of most men¡¯s hearts.


    -Step back.


    Unfortunately, it didn¡¯t work on the death knight standing in front of her at all.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but would you stop interfering with us every time?¡± Cubar venomously retorted.


    -I refuse.


    The death knight firmly answered. Duke ¡°Wild King¡± Altsma had been known as the Swallow Empire¡¯s Master, but he had be Joshua¡¯s loyal knight over time. On top of that, he even threatened a woman with his favorite sawtoothed weapon.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got to be kidding me.¡± Cubar¡¯s beautiful face crumpled.


    -Can¡¯t you sense what our master wants right now? I¡¯m sure now is not the time to exchange silly jokes.


    Cubar obligingly restrained her tempestuous demonic power. She looked at the Wild King for a moment, then she smiled seductively.


    ¡°¡­Wait, you¡¯re not thinking about what happened in the ¡®Gray Zone¡¯ because of these small fries, are you, master?¡±


    His eyes shining with red light, the Wild King chuckled as he quietly growled.


    -The warsted longer than nned¡­ because we lowered our guard. Nothing will change that fact, and we should never forget about that¡­


    ¡°Alright, alright!¡± Cubar threw up her hand and pouted. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it!¡±


    -¡­Good choice.


    The Wild King finally took a step to the side, revealing Joshua, who had been standing behind the Wild King. Cubar quietly smacked her lips and flew up in the air.


    Eima stared at them for a moment, stunned by the surreal scene. He really couldn¡¯t pull himself together.


    ¡°You¡­who are you?¡± he asked.


    Joshua didn¡¯t answer him.


    ¡°Answer me!¡± Eima furiously demanded.


    ¡°¡­Nothing,¡± Joshua finally replied. ¡°Nothing has changed.¡±


    ¡°Wh¡­ at¡­?¡± Eima froze.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders. I¡¯m Joshua Sanders from the Avalon Empire.¡±


    As if his remark was the signal, a storm of demonic power raged around Joshua.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Eima gritted his teeth and started to draw up his power, mixing the power of his elemental spirit with his aura.


    Joshua was considered to be as skilled as the Sword Emperor, so Eima had to give his best in this battle from the start. Eima awakened every drop of aura in his cells. His face reddened as he gathered all of his power.


    The bone-chilling coldness spread out from him, crackling as it froze.


    -You¡¯re arrogant.


    Eima¡¯s eye widened.


    Just as his ice dragon hadpleted its transformation, it was struck by a white aura. Eima flinched from the loud impact and held up his sword.


    Something exploded.


    ¡°What the fu¡ª¡± Eima cursed.


    The ice dragon blocked the white aura without difficulty using its meters-long wings.


    <em>Grrr¡­</em>


    However, that was it. The wings were destroyed as if they were made of paper. Although an ordinary aura couldn¡¯t even scratch the dragon, all it could do was block that white aura.


    ¡°How¡­¡± Eima murmured.


    The knight, d from head to toe in ck armor, that was responsible for the dragon¡¯s destroyed wings came forward. The sight was enough for the bystanders to forget about the army of darkness for a moment; they spent precious moments stealing nces at Eima and the knight.


    ¡°What¡¯s¡­ your name?¡± Eima asked.


    In contrast to the people¡¯s expectations, the knight readily replied.


    -Long time no see, Eima.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Eima asked, bafflement.


    -You¡¯re going to die soon.


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Eima inhaled sharply and hurriedly held up his sword when the Wild King appeared right before his eyes.


    The Wild King swung his white sword against Eima¡¯s ice sword.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Eima groaned.


    A high-leveled ice elemental spirit was the ancient ice itself. The coldness around the ice sword belonged to Eima¡¯s elemental spirit, which enabled Eima to be a Star by just existing beside him, but the result was¡­ the sword was cracking, creating creepy, ominous sounds as it gave.


    ¡°Impos¡­ sible¡­!¡± Eima¡¯s arms trembled as he strained against the Wild King¡¯s strength.


    -Remember one thing.


    The Wild King calmly told him.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Eima¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    -Remember my name because I am the one who is going to take your life away. I am the Wild King Altsma, the proud Master of the Swallow Empire.


    ¡°What?!¡± Eima was petrified by the Wild King¡¯s introduction.¡°Wa-wait, the Wi-Wild King? He¡¯s already dead¡ª!¡±


    -You talk too much.


    The Wild King leaned into his sword harder, pushing Eima to his limit.


    ¡°Ahhhh!!!¡± Eima shouted as hard as he could, trying to scrape up every existing mana in his mana hall. But¡­


    -It¡¯s meaningless.


    ¡­nothing changed.


    The Wild King¡¯s white sword shone radiantly, and Eima was cut in half by a single strike from the Wild King. In the end, Eima got cut in half by Joshua¡¯s subordinate, not Joshua.


    Eima, one of the splendid Nine Stars, copsed to the ground in a heap.


    After losing its owner, the ice dragon howled.


    Silence swept over the in as two hundred thousand soldiers of the Swallow Empire struggled to process the unbelievable events.

 Chapter 348

    Chapter 348


    Over the past decades, countless powerful people had kneeled before the Grand Duke, ¡°Crimson Sky¡± Lucifer, and Superhumans were no exception. Gauri, the Swordsman of Blue Sky. Akshuller, the idol of a million mercenaries. bis, the Knight of Red me. Even the famous Superhumans weren¡¯t able to withstand Lucifer¡¯s sword attacks.


    And it was said that there were differences in the levels of skill even between the Stars. In that respect, Grand Duke Lucifer, whom they had gone up against, was on the level of an ¡°Absolute¡±...


    <em>-Grrrrrrr!</em>


    That great man wasn¡¯t budging one bit right now, and it was because of another man; Lucifer¡¯s opponent was overwhelmingly strong¡ªa term usually used to describe Lucifer.


    ¡°Bring the boiling oil!¡± a senior soldier yelled.


    ¡°We¡¯re out of it already! There are too many monsters!¡± a junior soldier shouted as he hustled past carrying a bucket.


    ¡°Fuck! Then pour water!¡± the senior soldier growled.


    ¡°Bu-but they¡¯re evening from the sky¡ª Arghhh!¡±


    <em>-Kihihihihihi!</em>


    The junior soldier couldn¡¯t finish speaking. A wraith, a ghost-like monster, grabbed the soldier¡¯s shoulders and rendered him delirious. The soldier¡¯s eyes quickly turned nk.


    ¡°Ah, fuck¡­!¡± The senior soldier gritted his teeth.


    It wasn¡¯t just because of the wraith and his subordinate. Everything that was happening right now was new to the soldier.


    ¡°Where did so many monsters suddenly show up from?¡± he nkly murmured.


    Maybe the senior soldier¡¯s question was understandable. It had been practically impossible to find a trace of these monsters on the continent as their only habitat was the Demon Realm.


    -<em>Awooooo</em><em>!</em>


    Werewolves were climbing up the castle walls using their long ws as if those walls were made from tofu.


    The duhans were throwing themselves relentlessly against the castle walls, using their ironlike bodies like battering rams. They weren¡¯t the least of it. The legendary death knight was ying the Swallow Empire¡¯s mighty knights like he was cutting down scarecrows. The liches, fearsome mages equivalent of at least a ss 5 mage, poured an incessant rain of jaw-droppingly destructive magic.


    On top of that¡­


    ¡°Sk-skeletons are usingdders!¡±


    ¡°What? What do you mean the skeletons are usingdders!?¡±


    ¡°It-it¡¯s true! They¡¯re even approaching in formations! Arrows arepletely useless against them!¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable! Are you saying these skeletons have intelligence or something?!¡±


    ¡­the skeletons were moving in a coordinated manner like humans.


    ¡°The Grand Duke himself came, but¡­ we¡¯re in this state?¡± the senior soldier murmured nkly.


    ¡°Get a hold of yourself!¡± someone shouted, bringing the senior soldier back to reality.


    The soldiers flinched when he realized who the shout came from.


    ¡°Co-Count Theord¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going up against mere monsters¡ªis this all soldiers of the great Swallow Empire have?¡± Theord clenched his teeth.


    The senior soldier shut his mouth.


    ¡°I even abandoned my country. I came so far, so how can a boy¡­!¡± Theord looked over the walls with baleful eyes. Despite the distance, Theord could clearly see a very young man standing behind the army of monsters and looking up at the sky as if he had nothing to do with any of it.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡± Theord growled.


    ¡°Why are you calling my master?¡±


    Theord¡¯s breath caught in his throat, He raised his head and saw¡­


    ¡°...A woman?¡± Theord nkly murmured.


    Her silky purple hair sparkled mystically, and her mysteriously captivating red eyes contrasted with her hair. The half-naked woman was wearing pink leather clothes that were practically underwear¡ªthey barely covered her private parts.


    <em>¡®She¡¯s not human, then¡­¡¯ </em>Theord thought when he noticed her adorable wings. <em>¡®A demon¡­!¡¯</em>


    ¡°Master! It looks like I captured the enemy general!¡± the woman delightedly eximed.


    ¡°Identify yourself!¡± Theord furiously shouted.


    ¡°Oh, my, are you talking to me?¡± The woman covered her mouth and giggled, but it was still so alluring that Theord had trouble pulling himself together for a moment.


    Roaring, Theord drew up his mana and quickly circted it to regain hisposure.


    The woman¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite good,¡± she said.


    ¡°¡­Answer me,¡± Theord quietly demanded.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ so you asked me who I am, right?¡± The womannded lightly on the ground, setting the eye-catching part of her upper body bouncing energetically. ¡°My name is Cubar.¡±


    ¡°Cubar¡­?¡± Theord repeated, baffled.


    ¡°Huh, you don¡¯t know? I¡¯m quite famous back in my town. They call me Cubar of Lust and all¡­¡± Cubar trailed off, clearly disappointed.


    ¡°¡­Urgh.¡± Theord felt like his heart sank as he watched her. Her every word was enticing and charismatic; Theord was unable to resist her.


    ¡°Well, I guess that is understandable. Ever since my ¡®evil sin of power¡¯ was taken away from me, I haven¡¯t made contact with anyone from the Human Realm¡­ If my master hadn¡¯t gotten the Overlord Symbol, I''d still be hiding like a rat.¡±


    ¡°Evil sin of power¡­?¡± Theord dumbly repeated.


    ¡°Enough chit chatting,¡± Cubar continued, swaying her fine-looking bottom. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, mister, but I owe my dear master a great deal. And he¡¯s telling me that he has a very, very important business to take care of with you.¡±


    ¡°Business¡­?¡± Theord repeated again as if it was the only thing he could do


    ¡°In the Human Realm, he¡¯s known as the Hero King, so he can¡¯t be treated as a ck mage that controls monsters, can he? So we need you to y along because we happen to have a fine actor who signed a contract with a <em>real</em> demon,¡± Cubar proimed with a smile


    ¡°Bullshit¡­!¡± Theord growled.


    In response, stormy energy swirled around Cubar. Theord tensed.


    ¡°Even a very short moment would be fine,¡± Cubar said, ¡°so please entertain me.¡±


    ¡°How dare a demon¡­!¡± Theord grumbled, drawing his sword.


    Regardless of how the tide of the battle was turning toward the army of darkness, simr fights between talented people were taking ce everywhere on the battlefield.


    Meanwhile, Lucifer was standing still in the empty sky, letting his blood-red hair flutter in the wind in spite of the fact he was effectively themander-in-chief of the Swallow Empire¡¯s army.


    Although Reinhardt was the key region of the continent, he had given it up in order to conquer Einberg. However, even after the castle gate waspletely destroyed or Duke Eima, his right-hand man, got killed, he didn¡¯t¡ªno, couldn¡¯t¡ªmove. Lucifer knew better than anyone that Joshua was also going to take action if Lucifer made a move.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve gotten weak,¡± Lucifer said. He nced down and smiled to himself. ¡°Since when did I, Lucifer, tiptoe around anyone?¡±


    -Don¡¯t you dare do it, Lucifer.


    At the same time, a strong wind blew against Lucifer. A man was riding a gigantic bone dragon like the legendary dragon knight, releasing his energy intimidatingly. Eima might have been considered one of the weakest Stars, but he was still a Star. Yet, the man¡ªno, the monster disguised as a human had killed Eima with one strike.


    ¡°A death knight? Kekeke¡­¡± Lucifer chuckled.


    -I really wanted to kill you myself¡­ but I can¡¯t.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    -I won¡¯t let you approach any further.


    ¡°¡®Approach any further?¡¯¡± A cloud of red fog rose around Lucifer. ¡°Who dares to defy the sky?¡±


    He slowly released his energy. It didn¡¯t matter how Joshua found out about Lucifer¡¯s secret because Lucifer could tell how. Judging from the current situation, Joshua and he must be the same, so Lucifer didn¡¯t hesitate to reveal the power of the demon that he had signed a contract with. It was the strongest Battle Ghost from the Demon Realm.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Joshua, who was standing on the ground, reacted for the first time.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Cain asked, but Joshua was still silent. Cain was baffled. ¡°Master¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Cain.¡± Joshua called him.


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Take Iceline and step back immediately.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Cain asked, perplexed. ¡°Master, what are you talking about all of a sudden¡ª?¡±


    A howl of pain from the sky cut him off. Cain spun to see what it was.


    ¡°Th-th-that¡¯s¡­!¡± Cain¡¯s jaw dropped.


    The sky turned crimson as if it was soaked in blood, but that was actually not the part that surprised Cain. A dragon was called the strongest creature in the world. Indeed, the bone dragon knocked down the impregnable fortress. However, the bone dragon was plummeting to the ground because one of its wings, which were bigger than most houses, had been torn away.


    ¡°Wa-wait,¡± Cain stuttered, ¡°did Grand Duke Lucifer kill the dragon¡­?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Joshua groaned and prepared to make the next move.


    Cain quickly stopped Joshua.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± he asked.


    ¡°¡­I should go,¡± Joshua said with a shrug.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not asking about that. Are you going to go up against him with your bare hands?¡± Cain furiously demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay since I¡¯m already somewhat over the level of relying on weapons,¡± Joshua bluntly replied.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean¡ª¡±


    Joshua disappeared into thin air mid-sentence before Cain could stop him.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain shouted.


    Meanwhile, Lucifer burst into maniacalughter.


    ¡°Hahahahaha! Come! The Battle Ghost that can kill even a god with his overwhelmingly powerful battle techniques! The radiant fallen angel unweed anywhere or by anyone! The blood and flesh that you desperately crave are here!¡±

 Chapter 349

    Chapter 349


    The child¡¯s adolescence had been unfortunate. The Swallow Empire had once been called the country of barbarians, and the Ciba Tribe was made up of the lowest-ss citizens in the Empire. That was where the child was born.


    His story was cliche: one day, another tribe invaded the Ciba Tribe, utterly ruining them. The person who the child had called mother was raped by the invaders in front of the child, and they chopped off his father¡¯s limbs and fed him to the dogs. Then the invaders turned to the blood-soaked child. His fate was sealed¡­ until his savior suddenly appeared.


    His savior had exterminated the invaders and then introduced himself as the best ck mage on the continent; then, he gave the child one more opportunity. The child remembered what the mage had said vividly.


    ¡°Kekeke, you look quite talented. At this rate, you¡¯re going to die soon, so do you want to test our fate?¡±


    His savior had suggested that the child sign a contract with a demon, and the child had epted. That had happened dozens of years ago. The child climbed from the lowest social ss and had grown up to be someone who might as well be the emperor of the Swallow Empire.


    He called himself Lucifer.


    ¡°Kekeke¡­.¡±


    As a matter of fact, ¡°Lucifer¡± wasn¡¯t a well-regarded name in the human realm; the name belonged to the fallen angel, banished by his fellow angels. That Lucifer gradually earned the trust of the Demon Spirit, allowing him to be a grand duke¡ªin other words, Lucifer was the name of the Grand Duke of the Demon Realm.


    ¡°Kekeke.¡±


    The man who had made a contract with such a figure was the Grand Duke of the Swallow Empire, the man known as the Crimson Sky.


    Lucifer stoppedughing and ran his red tongue over his lip, eyeing the man who stood opposite to him in the blood-red sky.


    ¡°Seriously, it has truly been a long time since I became this serious about a battle,¡± he said to Joshua. ¡°Do you know the name ¡®Lucifer¡¯?¡±


    -Master! That man¡¯s power¡­


    <em>¡®It¡¯s okay,¡¯</em> Joshua reassured the sender of the telepathic message.


    ¡°I know,¡± he curtly answered Lucifer.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°You know the name?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the only being that is considered a traitor by both angels and demons,¡± Joshua calmly replied. ¡°He was an idiot who only looked straight ahead, and didn¡¯t even think about looking behind to see who wasing for him¡­¡±


    After listening to Joshua for a moment, Lucifer frowned.


    ¡°¡­It looks like you know a thing or two about legends, but what you know is different from the truth.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s different?¡± Joshua quietly asked.


    ¡°It was the hypocritic angels who betrayed everyone, not the fallen angel Lucifer.¡± The man¡¯s frown deepened as if it had happened to him personally. ¡°Angels betrayed Lucifer after he protected their home. He was catastrophically strong, so no matter how many angels pounced at him, he was capable of reducing them into pulp. Michael, the one they called the strongest warrior among the angels, woke up in surprise when he heard the name ¡®Lucifer¡¯.¡±


    Lucifer grew furious, his voice swelling.


    ¡°That was why Michael betrayed Lucifer first, even though Lucifer considered Michael his friend. Michael clipped the wings of his savior and then threw him into the abyssal depths of the Demon Realm.¡±


    The story sounded familiar to Joshua. Yes, it was like his life¡­


    ¡°Lucifer had enough power to stop it from happening, but he didn¡¯t bother. He thought it was his fault in the first ce.¡± Lucifer looked up at the sky for a moment, then turned his head to look at Joshua. ¡°That was how Lucifer was banished to the Demon Realm. While he was lost in despair, the first person to offer constion was¡­ none other than the Demon Spirit.¡±


    That made Joshua tremble faintly, but Lucifer paid no mind.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit wanted him. Although Lucifer lost his power after his wings were clipped, the Demon Spirit was certain that he¡¯d recover his power¡ªand the Demon Spirit was right. Lucifer was born as an angel, but it turned out he also had demon blood.¡± Lucifer smiled slyly. ¡°It was the birth of a monster that had never before been seen in the long history of angels and demons. Lucifer was the fallen angel with both angel wings and demon horns andbat prowess formidable enough to make even the gods in the heavens fear! In the end, even the Demon Spirit became scared of him.


    ¡°When the angels heard the news, they became nervous about what they had done. They practically reorganized the Angel Realm¡ªthe very ce Lucifer had protected¡ªandunched a surprise invasion upon the Demon Realm. However, the Demon Spirit was happy because it was a chance to take care of his problem without getting his hands dirty, but ¡­¡± Lucifer trailed off for a moment, his eyes turning cold. ¡°they all failed to realize that Lucifer was far stronger than they had expected. With his newly gained power, he slew every single one of the people who attacked him. Three of the Four Great Angels flew at him together, but they faced a devastating defeat. Uriel and Raphael sustained critical injuries, and Gabriel was forced into a humiliating retreat.¡±


    Lucifer looked Joshua in the eyes.


    ¡°Thest angel was Michael, that son of a bitch. Angels and demons stopped fighting to watch the fight between Michael and Lucifer, and the Demon and Angel Spirits weren¡¯t exceptions. But¡­¡± Lucifer¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°Lucifer was betrayed again. The moment he was about to stab Michael¡¯s heart with his sword and take his revenge for making him fall to the Demon Realm¡­!¡±


    Lucifer released a storm of menacing energy.


    ¡°Lucifer¡­ was stabbed in the back by Lugia, who transformed into the Demon Spirit¡¯s spear. The Demon Spiritughed at Lucifer as he was slowly dying and mocked the hypocrisy of the angels. Hearing the Demon Spirit¡¯s mockery, Lucifer fell once again, but he didn¡¯t end up in the Demon Realm or the Angel Realm. It was here, the Human Realm, where hended¡­ inside none other than me.¡±


    When Lucifer finally finished speaking, the sky behind him began to distort with a ground-shaking roar. It took the form of a man with angel wings that filled the sky, yet had horns and red skin like a demon¡­


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll show you the power of the one and only catastrophe of all the realms, not your iplete necromancy!¡± Lucifer shouted.


    Joshua finally broke his silence:


    ¡°Most of your story is wrong, but there are two big errors that we need to go over.¡±


    Lucifer stopped moving and frowned.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°First of all, the Lucifer you were talking about doesn¡¯t use a sword.¡± Joshua pointed at the figure behind Lucifer. Just like Joshua said, when the figure finished his transformation, he was holding a sword of light as tall as him.


    ¡°Nonsense¡­¡± Lucifer shook his head.


    ¡°Besides, I know the identity of the man standing behind you.¡±


    ¡°His identity?¡± Lucifer asked. He couldn¡¯t ignore those words.


    ¡°His name is¡­¡± Joshua looked at the figure for a moment. ¡°Azazel.¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s eyes widened.


    Azazel was another fallen angel and the Duke of the Demon Realm. In addition to that, he was the one person who respected Lucifer most, so he continuously tried to <em>be</em> Lucifer.


    But there was no way Lucifer didn¡¯t know about that.


    ¡°¡­Kekeke, I was wondering what nonsense you were talking about.¡± Lucifer shrugged off those thoughts with a wicked smile. ¡°Enough chitchatting. Die now.¡±


    Lucifer moved his hand to grab the sword hanging on his waist, believing for certain that he would be able to kill Joshua with a single strike.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you why I¡¯m called ¡®One Strike, One Kill¡¯.¡±


    Lucifer slowly drew his sword. The gloomy red de rumbled¡­


    A red lightning bolt struck Joshua.


    The people looked up at the sky not knowing know what had happened. The only sign that Lucifer had alreadyunched an attack with his sword was the ng of metal.


    ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± Lucifer smiled.


    Just as he had expected, he slew Joshua too easily. It was understandable because Lucifer had already been as fast as sound, but after he summoned Azazel, he moved like light. Once he¡¯d be that fast, no one in his entire life had been able to deflect his attacks¡­ until today.


    Lucifer saw a red spark and felt his hands go numb due to the recoil. His eyes popped wide open.


    ¡°¡­Unbelievable¡­¡± His jaw dropped when he saw Joshua casually stretching his neck as if nothing happened, although Lucifer should have in him.


    ¡°I swear I could feel my sword cut something¡­¡± Lucifer nkly murmured.


    The unbelievable sight rendered Lucifer speechless.


    ¡°Just like I told you before¡­ there are two main reasons why I¡¯m certain the man behind you is Azazel,¡± Joshua said.


    The man flinched in surprise and raised his head.


    ¡°First of all, he despises the sword since it¡¯s Michael¡¯s favorite weapon, so from the start, Azael¡¯s main weapon has been a spear. Secondly¡­¡± Joshua trailed off with a bitter smile. ¡°The real Lucifer is somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Lucifer didn¡¯t get to ask anything else. With a grand hum, unlike anything Lucifer had ever heard, Joshua produced a pitch-ck spear.


    ¡°¡­Magic Spear Arts Level 8, Final Origin: Battle Ghost Spear,¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°Magi-Magic Spear Arts¡­?¡± Lucifer gradually became petrified.


    When Joshua mentioned the Magic Spear Arts, the man behind Lucifer frantically howled.


    Joshua slowly swung his spear, the creeping point of his weapon creating a round form. With his aura, Joshua drew a moon and used his spear to impale it. The man behind Lucifer was well aware of this technique: it belonged to the shining darkness who had fallen to the Human Realm after the darkness had been pierced by the Demon Spirit¡¯s spear. His name was¡­


    ¡°Lucifer¡­?¡±

 Chapter 350

    Chapter 350


    Although humans weren¡¯t well aware of this fact, Grand Duke Lucifer of the Demon Realm had a weapon that symbolized him.


    Lucifer the human was equally unaware of what Joshua was holding right now. The spear in Joshua¡¯s hand was five meters long and had two heads, one on each end, that looked sharp enough to pierce the red moon looming over the battlefield. The spear¡¯s appearance was shockingly unique¡ªin fact, to a normal person it didn¡¯t really look like a weapon at all¡ªand the person who wielded it was just as special. No one in the Demon or the Angel Realms was able to withstand an attack from that spear.


    The legend shed across Lucifer¡¯s mind, but he could never ept that what Joshua had done was a technique pertaining to the Magic Spear Arts.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t be ridiculous,¡± Lucifer growled, his voice taking on a feral timbre. ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous!¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s energy burst out, making the red moon shine even over the light of day. The air around them became heavy as if gravity had been multiplied hundreds of times.


    Lucifer inhaled deeply and breathed out a mysterious blood-red smoke. His body had gotten a lot stronger, and his aura became much more vivid.


    Joshua was about to go up against Lucifer, but he just quietly picked up his spear. Although the weapon he¡¯d created from his ck demon power alone wouldn¡¯t be as good as the other one, it was still a weapon that had been made bypressing Joshua¡¯s power.


    Suddenly, it felt as if his heart was being stabbed with an ice pick. Joshua frowned. He had already overworked himself by raising the army of darkness, and the injuries he had sustained hadn¡¯tpletely healed. Thus, he was at his limit, but if Lucifer had signed a contract with Azazel, then Joshua needed to push himself a little further.


    Joshua swallowed the blood in his mouth, ignoring the eyes of everyone and even his own pain. He took a step forward. His head was filled with nothing else but the thought of making Lucifer kneel.


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Lucifer shouted.


    A light shed before Joshua; at the same time, Lucifer struck Joshua head-on with his ominous sword. It was an honest and straightforward attack, but his sword attacks were the fastest in the world.


    ¡­Of course, that didn¡¯t mean much. The tip of Lucifer¡¯s sword shed against the tip of Joshua¡¯s spear, which stopped the attack with an earsplitting ng. Joshua wasn¡¯t able to nullify the shockwavepletely, but he didn¡¯t stop at merely blocking the impact. Instead, he embraced the momentum, using it tounch his spear at Lucifer¡¯s waist.


    Lucifer¡¯s breath caught. The natural way that Joshua counterattacked, fluid as a river, meant that Joshua hadn¡¯t stopped his attack by mere luck.


    However, Lucifer was an Absolute of an empire and praised by the people on the continent as ¡°the Sky¡±. The collision earlier hadid Lucifer open to attacks, forcing his muscles to contort bizarrely so he could deflect Joshua¡¯s spear with a diagonal swing.


    <em>¡®If I counterattack in the same way¡ª¡¯</em>


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Lucifer inhaled sharply as Joshua¡¯s attack cut off his thoughts.


    Joshua¡¯s ck spear was speeding toward Lucifer¡¯s waist when it suddenly faded away and disappeared in a fraction of a second.


    Lucifer looked everywhere frantically.


    <em>¡®Wh-where did it go¡­?¡¯</em>


    Suddenly, he shuddered as if he had been struck by a lightning bolt. Slowly, he looked down and saw something ck piercing his waist and dark red blood spreading out from the wound.


    ¡°You¡¯re too strong, so you have a critical weakness that others don¡¯t know about,¡± Joshua calmly said.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡±


    Joshua stood only three centimeters away from Lucifer.


    ¡°For dozens of years, your nickname has been ¡®One Strike One Kill¡¯¡ªmeaning that you wouldn¡¯t have fought for at least dozens of years after you gained your nickname. Compared to other people on your level, youck experience. And that is the truth.¡±


    Lucifer couldn¡¯t say anything, but it wasn¡¯t because of his physical pain. The psychological shock was overwhelmingly worse than the physical one.


    ¡°There are some who fear reaching the peak because it means they¡¯ll fall in the end,¡± Joshua said with a gleam in his eyes, ¡°but no matter how boring their lives be after they reach the peak, they have to continue to improve themselves. Otherwise, even the most exceptional ones perish in the end¡­ just like you right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Lucifer smiled crookedly. ¡°Hahaha¡­ Kehahahaha!¡±


    It was the roar of a wounded beast. Up until now, Lucifer had been trying to ignore that fact, but it was still his biggest regret. Regardless, it was the one thing that no one was allowed to mention in front of Lucifer.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re arrogant.¡± Lucifer stoppedughing and gave Joshua a death re. ¡°You managed to stab me once¡­ and you now dare to teach me?¡±


    ¡°¡­If that¡¯s what you think¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way, are you feeling okay right now?¡± Lucifer mumbled with a sly grin.


    That was when a change took ce.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡± Joshua looked down quietly and realized that the blood dripping from Lucifer¡¯s wound had crawled up the spear and wet Joshua¡¯s hand. If that was all, Joshua wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about it. The problem was, the demonic power making up Joshua¡¯s spear weakened significantly.


    ¡°Kekeke, my blood has the ability to absorb, and since you made direct contact with my blood, you¡¯ll have trouble even lifting a finger.¡±


    The blood on Joshua¡¯s hand swelled up.


    ¡°Die.¡±


    Lucifer wasn¡¯t a fool, so he didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and used Blood Sword Level 4: Blood Explosion. The blood rain crashed down from the sky, shaking the ground.


    Lucifer scowled painfully. Contrary to his expectations, he had been unable to defeat his enemy with this attack. Before the explosion, Joshua had lightly swung his spear and escaped from the radius of the explosion.


    <em>¡®Shit, in that case¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua¡¯s spear snapped into position and¡­ thrust forward with extraordinary energy. The pitch-ck spear dissipated and covered Joshua. The monster previously wielding the spear had now <em>be </em>the spear itself, and he wasing for Lucifer.


    ¡°Argghhh!¡± Lucifer screamed in pain.


    He had to admit that the demon who had been giving him absolute power until now wasn¡¯t budging at all after he had seen Joshua. Therefore, Lucifer had to ept that fact as soon as possible ande up with a way to fight his outrageously strong opponent, Joshua. Lucifer instinctively realized that to awaken the true power of the demon he had made a contract with, he had to yell the demon¡¯s true name.


    Lucifer bit his lip so hard that it bled. Although he really didn¡¯t want to admit it, he didn¡¯t want to die in vain like this, so he had to do it.


    In the end, Lucifer screamed, ¡°Azazel!¡±


    His call was close to a howl¡ªhis voice had broken down because he had to give up thest of his pride. Although Lucifer was strong, he was an imitation and could never be the real thing.


    The first thing that changed was Lucifer¡¯s mana, which was the start of his aura materialization. After that, Lucifer¡¯s demonic power spread out from him like a tsunami. Since a human body was as fragile as ss, Lucifer was absorbing as much of the uncontainable power as possible and immediately releasing it.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Lucifer burst into maniacalughter again as he felt the power rushing through his veins. The power was so extraordinary that Lucifer felt like he could rip apart the sky! Yes, who cared if the demon he¡¯d signed a contract with was Lucifer or Azazel? With the power that was running through his veins, Lucifer felt like he would be able to get rid of not only the eyesore in front of him, but also everyone else in the world.


    ¡°O-oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°The Gr-Grand Duke is¡­!¡±


    ¡°I only saw the drawings from books, but he looks exactly like the Demon King¡­¡±


    ¡°Th-then are all these monsters controlled by the Grand Duke, not the Hero King?¡±


    ¡°But why are they attacking us?!¡±


    The turmoil started from Einberg and gradually spread to everyone else. It was very difficult to think of Lucifer as a human right now.


    ¡°Azazel! Azazel! Azazzzelll!¡± Lucifer shouted rapturously, feeling the demon¡¯splete descent into this realm. Although he wasn¡¯t able to think clearly anymore, it didn¡¯t matter¡ªhis mind and body had to be one with the demon in order to draw out the demon¡¯s true power.


    -Kekeke.


    Atst, Lucifer chuckled again, but his voice didn¡¯t belong to a human.


    Joshua had silently watched the whole thing happen.


    The demon¡¯s first act after he descended to the Human Realm was¡­


    -I, Azazel, offer my deepest respects to the shining darkness of the Demon Realm.


    ¡­to bow with as much respect as possible.

 Chapter 351

    Chapter 351


    A suffocating silence filled the vast in.


    The army of dark soldiers, who had been created by their enemy, Berber, broke the silence. The undead that the Avalon Empire had been nning to use to conquer the continent began kneeling one by one. The ferocious monsters that had been ready to rip apart the humans in front of them were long gone. Even wraiths, which didn¡¯t have physical bodies, bowed low.


    Over two hundred thousand living human soldiers werepletely dumbstruck, such that they immediately stopped fighting. None of them could fail to notice the giant figure prostrating himself to a man standing alone in the wide sky.


    Although the prostrating man¡¯s appearance had changedpletely, there was no way for anyone in this ce to not recognize him. He was their revered idol andmander.


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer?¡± one of the Swallow Empire¡¯s knights murmured, voicing the question everyone was thinking. ¡°But he looks¡­?¡±


    He didn¡¯t look like a human in anyone¡¯s eyes. In fact, he looked like a demon from old books, so more and more soldiers started to talk among themselves.


    ¡°The Grand Duke has lost?¡±


    ¡°The prideful Duke voluntarily bowed to somebody else¡­?¡±


    ¡°Wh-what will happen to our Empire from now on?¡±


    Their fortress¡¯s gates had fallen, and theirmander had lost the battle. Nevertheless, too many monsters still stood. No one could have known where those monsters hade from and why they were attacking humans.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± Iceline turned to look at Cain. ¡°Now is the time!¡±


    ¡°M-Miss Iceline?¡± Cain stuttered. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®now¡¯¡ª?¡±


    ¡°You really can¡¯t tell what Joshua wants you to do? Why would he have bothered to give the Auxiliary Battalion an order as strange as to not join the battle?¡± Iceline shouted.


    Cazes also stole a nce at Iceline.


    ¡°¡­Yes,¡± Cazes mumbled, ¡°he¡¯s trying to show that he¡¯s not on the same side as the undead¡­¡±


    ¡°Quickly, get out there and attack a ghoul,e on!¡± Iceline instructed.


    Cazes nodded. ¡°I think you¡¯d better listen to her.¡±


    ¡°What in the world am I doing¡­?¡± Cain grumbled as he reluctantly came forward. Just as Iceline instructed, he approached a ghoul.


    <em>-Krrr?</em>


    The ghoul instantly raised its head.


    After hesitating for a moment, Cain kicked the ghoul.


    <em>-Kyaaaaaa!</em>


    The ghoul¡¯s eyes lit up with red light.


    ¡°What do I do now? It got angry.¡± Cain scratched his head.


    ¡°Of course it became angry. Someone suddenly attacked it when it was standing still,¡± Iceline said as quietly as possible.


    ¡°What shall I do next?¡±


    ¡°Let it attack you!¡± Iceline answered under her breath.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    Right after Iceline finished speaking, the ghoul¡¯s long fingernails nged against Cain¡¯s armor.


    ¡°Now! Roll!¡± Iceline signaled.


    ¡°Argggh!¡± Cain rolled around on the ground, interrupting the suffocating silence that still filled the in. The nearby people quickly turned their heads to see what was happening.


    Just then, they heard Joshua speaking; his voice was loud and carried an unfathomably deep amount of mana.


    ¡°¡­All soldiers of the Swallow Empire, raise your swords.¡±


    The soldiers flinched.


    ¡°Are you going to give up fighting just because yourmander lost? I thought the Swallow Empire¡¯s army was the best army on the continent¡ªis this really all you¡¯ve got?¡±


    The soldiers bit their lower lips.


    A rookie knight of the Swallow Empire close to Cain flinched and subconsciously pulled out his spare sword, but he btedly realized his mistake and was obviously baffled.


    ¡°Damnit, rooki¡ª!¡±


    The vicemander of the Swallow Empire army was about to chew him out; however, he had to stop when he saw what happened next.


    The clear ring of metal continuously echoed in the air. Some were picking up the swords they had dropped; a number of people drew the spare swords hanging on their backs just like the rookie had done.


    The first step was always the hardest. Although there were only a few people at the start, more and more people took hold of their swords, and the soldiers at the rear soon joined in, filling the quiet ins with a cacophony of metal.


    ¡°Vi-vicemander¡­¡± The rookie¡¯s face crumpled up; he seemed to have finally realized his mistake.


    The vicemander looked at him and sighed. It wasn¡¯t the rookie¡¯s fault. The vicemander just didn¡¯t want to ept the fact that their master was actually a demon. Who would want to do that?


    ¡°As you can all see, yourmander, Grand Duke Lucifer, is a demon, and he dared to take over the continent using undead!¡± Joshua shouted.


    The soldiers gripped their swords more tightly.


    ¡°Is that what you all truly wish to happen to this continent?¡± Joshua asked. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the truth? It will be your turn to meet your demise once hepletely takes over the continent.¡±


    The soldiers were still a bit confused. Naturally, they had been feeling uneasy about their master¡¯s bloody red mana, but it was their first time meeting undead. Yet for some reason, it was difficult to not listen to the voice that spoke to them from the sky.


    ¡°You can already see what would happen from these undead. They attack humans without caring if the person they¡¯re attacking is their foe or friend and they no longer have the ability to think rationally,¡± Joshua reminded them.


    The vicemander and the knights agonized over the decision, and they weren¡¯t the only ones.


    ¡°Huh, I thought the Hero King controlled the undead.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I heard in Avalon that Joshua Sanders was rted to the undead¡­¡±


    ¡°Which one is the truth?!¡±


    <em>¡®Shit!¡¯ </em>On the other hand, Lucifer, the main cause of this confusion, was about to go nuts as he hung in the sky.<em></em><em>¡®What are you doing with my body, you bastard?!¡¯</em>


    -I am only following the natural order.


    <em>¡®Natural order?¡¯</em> Lucifer angrily shouted back in response. <em>¡®Don¡¯t be ridiculous! How is me, the Grand Duke of this empire, bowing to a greenhorn ¡°following the natural order¡±?¡¯</em>


    -Don¡¯t you humans have unwrittenws? Nobles andmoners¡ªno, is it the difference between a king and amoner in this case?


    <em>¡®What?¡¯ </em>Lucifer asked.


    -The family you¡¯re born from matters to you humans, and you created ranks and social sses to distinguish yourselves from one another. This is the same thing.


    <em>¡®What the hell are you talking about?¡¯ </em>Lucifer growled.


    The voice¡¯s response, on the other hand, was calm.


    -It¡¯s simple. You¡¯re destined to submit to the being before you.


    <em>¡®Do you think I¡¯ll just sit idly by and let that happen?¡¯</em>


    Lucifer began to draw up his power. Although he had lost his strongest power, it didn¡¯t matter anymore because he was going to also use his true mana, the root of one¡¯s life, all at the same time.


    But his mana didn¡¯t react, no matter how hard he tried.


    <em>¡®Wha-what is happening¡­?¡¯ </em>Lucifer mumbled, perplexed.


    -Are you baffled?


    Lucifer¡¯s eyes widened in surprise..


    -The top one hundred demons each have a title just like yours, ¡°Crimson Sky¡±...


    Lucifer was confused.


    -I told you that my name is Lucifer, but my true name is the ¡°Predator,¡± Azazel.


    Lucifer stayed quiet.


    -I¡¯d already consumed all of your power long ago.


    Lucifer gaped nkly in response.


    -And now¡­ I¡¯ll also eat your ego.


    The voice had power that Lucifer couldn¡¯t defy. Unbelievably, Lucifer was unable to even move anymore. The phrase, ¡°One person does all the work and someone else gets the credit,¡± was perfect to describe the current situation¡ªbut Lucifer had thought he would be the one benefiting, not the one doing all the work.


    ¡°Arggghhh!¡± Lucifer screamed in pain.


    Azazel¡¯s power had been dormant inside Lucifer for dozens of years, so it didn¡¯t matter if he was called the Crimson Sky among humans. He couldn¡¯t stop what was happening right now because that was how a contract with a demon was.


    Lucifer quickly stopped screaming.


    ¡°¡­I heard a lot about you,¡± he mumbled. He seemed like a totally different person.


    Since Joshua had been quietly watching the entire processes that Lucifer had gone through, Joshua knew that the man before him wasn¡¯t the Lucifer he knew. It was Azazel, who had sessfully incarnated into thisnd using Lucifer¡¯s body.


    ¡°I heard you met Asmodeus,¡± Azazel said to Joshua. ¡°Even by humans, you¡¯re constantly getting betrayed. It¡¯s truly tragic to see you, the one I respected most, in this state¡­¡±


    Joshua stayed silent despite the shocking implications of Azazel¡¯s statement.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit¡¯s curse is scary because it¡¯s practically a god¡¯s imprint on your soul,¡± Azazel bitterly muttered.


    If other people had heard what Azazel was saying, they would have been bound to wonder. All the citizens of the demon realm and the high-ranking demons respected the Demon Spirit, the ruler of their world. Thew of the Demon Realm was survival of the fittest and nothing else mattered, so the fact that the Demon Spirit was strong was enough to earn the other demons¡¯ respect.


    However, that didn¡¯t apply to Azazel. He hadn¡¯t been born as a citizen of the Demon Realm. Just like the ¡°shining darkness,¡± he was a fallen angel. He used to be an angel before he was a demon.


    ¡°So,¡± Azazel suddenly dered with a grin, ¡°I¡¯ll assist you from now on.¡±


    As if it was his job from the start, Azazel stood up without waiting for Joshua¡¯s answer.


    ¡°Will you go straight to the Demon Realm just like the day you disappeared from the human world three years ago?¡±


    ¡°...I have a job for you,¡± Joshua slowly said.


    Azazel gave Joshua a questioning look. He wondered what Joshua was going to ask him to do.


    Joshua pointed at the ground. ¡°I need you to be a true devil for them.¡±


    ¡°My, my¡­¡± Azazel chuckled as he btedly realized what Joshua meant. ¡°You¡¯re the only one who would use me, Azazel, like this.¡±


    ¡°The Demon Spirit¡¯s fragment is still in the Human Realm,¡± Joshua exined.


    Azazel¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t seem to think he needed to exin further, so he descended to the ground without waiting for Azazel¡¯s answer, just like Azazel had done to him. Joshua needed to sort things out right now.


    On the top of Einberg, Cubar had been patting the man in her arms, but when she saw Joshua, she licked her lips.


    ¡°Oh my, he¡¯sing to you.¡±


    The man stayed silent.


    ¡°Or maybe, he¡¯sing to me?¡± Cubar stroked her chin when Joshua came closer.


    Cuber started to call out to him immediately after hended lightly on the ground.


    ¡°Ma¡ª¡±


    ¡°Count Theord,¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Well, there is still a lot of time.¡± Cubar pouted, upset that it wasn¡¯t her who her master had business with. She grumbled for a minute and took a step back, but she didn¡¯t forget to growl at Joshua. She wanted to remain a perfect actress until the end.


    ¡°Why did you betray me?¡± Joshua asked.


    The man, Count Theord, stayed silent.


    ¡°Answer me,¡± Joshua demanded.


    Count Theord seemed topletely give up.


    ¡°It was for my country,¡± he bitterly answered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re contradicting yourself?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t me you even if you think so, but thend behind me isn¡¯t the Avalon I used to know.¡± Count Theord wore a hollow smile. ¡°You¡¯ll never know how I felt as I watched what happened to Avalon until now. I risked my life for dozens of years to protect this country, and yet, it¡¯s copsing because of an internal conflict, not the invasion of an enemy country.¡±


    ¡°The method you chose was wrong,¡± Joshua said.


    Count Theord flinched.


    ¡°My method¡­?¡±


    ¡°You should have tried to change this country, instead of betraying it.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering what you were talking about.¡± Count Theord smiled coldly. ¡°...Are you seriously saying that I needed to lead an army and overthrow the Empire? Wouldn¡¯t I be trulymitting treason then?¡±


    Joshua stayed silent.


    ¡°Ahh, yes, you¡¯re already the worst traitor to this Empire, Joshua Sanders.¡± Count Theord chuckled.


    ¡°Traitor¡­¡± Joshua quietly mumbled. ¡°Who decides that?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Count Theord narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°No one was born noble, so it¡¯s only natural for someone to step down from their position if they¡¯re incapable.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Count Theord¡¯s jaw dropped slightly.


    ¡°If they don''t know that natural way of the world, then wouldn¡¯t it be better to drag them down by force?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s a traitor¡¯s sophistry!¡± Count Theord roared.


    At that moment, another person, Cain, stepped in.


    ¡°Even if we¡¯re called traitors, isn¡¯t it better than selling your country?¡± he sarcastically retorted.


    Count Theord¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Selling my country?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the Swallow Empire has promised you a seat, so selling your country would be an urate description.¡± Cain shrugged.


    Count Theord¡¯s face flushed red.


    ¡°If I were you,¡± Cain continued, ¡°I would have tried to protect my country even if I were betrayed¡ªbecause that¡¯s what my country means to me.¡±


    Count Theord flinched, but remained silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a traitor who sold out your country,¡± Joshua quietly stated. ¡°Don¡¯t try to sugarcoat your sin by saying it was for the country.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice echoed in Count Theord¡¯s ears, making him tremble weakly.


    ¡°Atone your sin for the rest of your life, and¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    Count Theord silently kept his eyes on the ground.


    ¡°...watch everything from here,¡± Joshua finished.


    Count Theord quickly raised his head, startled.


    ¡°See how this country which you concluded was impossible to be saved will change from now on.¡±


    ¡°D-does that mean¡­¡± Count Theord stared vacantly at Joshua, speechless. He wasn¡¯t a person who was incapable of understanding what Joshua meant when he had exined that much.


    Joshua watched Count Theord¡¯s head slowly droop. He raised his head and looked around and saw some soldiers of the Swallow Empire stealing fearful nces at him, forgetting their situation.


    Joshua knew that unless he was going to kill all the soldiers there, he couldn¡¯t use undead anymore. The rumor about how he was a ck wizard who could control undead would spread throughout the entire continent, so¡­


    -Azazel, begin.


    -¡­I don¡¯t really like this, but roger that, Grand Duke.


    Azazel inhaled deeply.


    ¡°Listen, my proud subordinates! The time is now. Kill all the humans in this ce and take their flesh! Toast with their blood!!!!¡±


    -Argggghhhh!


    Azazel released a storm of demonic energy, and undead everywhere roared. The human soldiers flinched and slowly edged backward.


    ¡°Do not retreat!¡± Joshua shouted.


    The soldiers stopped moving.


    ¡°You promised to send the undead back to the Demon Realm¡­ but you¡¯ve broken the promise you made with me,¡± Joshua menacingly used Azazel.


    The soldiers¡¯ faces brightened up.


    Joshua turned back to the soldiers. ¡°I already defeated that demon, so what are you afraid of?¡±


    The soldiers bit their lower lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m with you,¡± Joshua dered. His mana carried his charismatic voice in every direction, quickly spreading it throughout the entire fortress.


    ¡°The He-Hero King!¡±


    ¡°All soldiers, raise your swords!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhh!¡±


    The nearby soldiers began shouting without realizing. All of them were soldiers of the Swallow Empire¡¯s army.


    The war had changed from a battle between the Swallow and Avalon Empires to a battle between humans and undead. Naturally, the humanmander was¡­


    ¡°The mighty Hero King, Joshua Sanders, is on our side!¡± a knight vigorously yelled.

 Chapter 352

    Chapter 352


    The Kingdom Alliance, the Hubalt Empire, the Avalon Empire, <em>him</em>... The story of the Battle of Einberg quickly spread throughout the entire continent.


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer lost,¡± Jabel¡ªthe Second, as he was known¡ªreported. ¡°To be urate¡­ it turned out that Grand Duke Lucifer had signed a contract with a demon, and Joshua Sanders and over two hundred thousand soldiers of the Swallow Empire defeated the Grand Duke together.¡±


    The other man didn¡¯t seem to react at all.


    ¡°At this rate, it¡¯ll hinder our great n¡ª¡±


    ¡°How has the Swallow Empire been doing after the war ended?¡± the man quietly said. Jabel flinched.


    ¡°They haven¡¯t made any official announcements yet,¡± Jabel answered.


    ¡°It sounds like they¡¯ll do so soon.¡± The man stroked his chin.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Jabel readily nodded. ¡°It¡¯s not actually good for us¡­¡±


    The man silently listened.


    ¡°Cerona Bel Grace, Lucifer¡¯s wife, came to the fore and is taking action to prevent the victory from turning into a victory for the entire continent,¡± Jabel continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the actual reason is to have her revenge,¡± the man said with a faint smile.


    Jabel nodded. ¡°I also think so. This will be the perfect time to regain the name ¡®Grace¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Using a national crisis to save her family¡­¡± The man trailed off and quietly chuckled. ¡°I see the Swallow Empire is near its end.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you okay with the current situation?¡± Jabel carefully asked.


    ¡°Everything is fine. The current situation is actually good for us since we only have to pay attention to Hubalt.¡± The man stopped tapping on the table in the dark, sealed room, and stood up from his seat. ¡°Tell the apostles to prepare to step into the light.¡±


    Jabel¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°Th-then¡­!¡±


    ¡°The world is changing, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to act in ordance with the change?¡± The man smiled.


    ¡°Of-of course!¡± Jabel hurriedly replied.


    ¡°I definitely didn¡¯t expect the rivalry between the two empires woulde to an end this quickly. On top of that, it¡¯ll be difficult to make the puppet named Kaiser into an emperor¡­¡± The man trailed off and looked straight into Jabel¡¯s eyes. ¡°Listen.¡±


    ¡°Yes! I¡¯m at your service,¡± Jabel said with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°The Joshua I know will definitely head to Reinhardt right away.¡±


    Jabel was surprised. He hadn¡¯t expected the man to say that.


    ¡°When you talk about Reinhardt, do you mean Erhaim? If he already defeated the Empire¡¯s army, then wouldn¡¯t it be better to withdraw the army and aim for the throne¡­?¡±


    ¡°His colleague is still there,¡± the man exined.


    ¡°Colleague¡­?¡± Jabel was dumbstruck. Joshua had the power to y a major role in achieving the victory, but was he going to throw away this golden opportunity for the sake of his colleague?


    <em>¡®After winning a grand victory, these pigs are so happy that they can¡¯t think clearly right now. This is the perfect chance topletely overthrow the Empire¡­¡¯</em> Jabel thought.


    ¡°He¡¯s confident that he can do both,¡± the man said as if he¡¯d read Jabel¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Jabel understood right away.


    ¡°Meanwhile, we¡¯ll prepare to greet the returning guest.¡± The man smiled.


    Jabel nodded.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯re going to step into the light and take over Avalon. Ultimately, we¡¯ll conquer the entire continent.¡± The man then slowly walked to the sealed room¡¯s window. ¡°How¡¯s the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s breathing, but he still doesn¡¯t listen.¡± Jabel shrugged.


    ¡°¡­Three years will be enough.¡± The man¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Bring him here right away.¡±


    Jabel¡¯s eyes widened for a moment before he stood straight.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do so, Heimdall.¡±


    * * *


    <em>ng! ng! ng!</em>


    Erhaim, formerly known as Reinhardt, was the key city of the continent. In that city, Hansen was pounding metal as usual.


    ¡°Hey, Hansen!¡± a man shouted.


    <em>ng! ng!</em>


    Despite the visitor in the forge, Hansen didn¡¯t stop because his inspiration as a craftsman hade for the first time in a long time. It was a very important moment¡ªif the forging process went well, he would be able to create the greatest masterpiece in his entire cksmith¡¯s career.


    ¡°You know, this is not the time for you to focus on making swords,¡± the visitormented.


    <em>ng!</em>


    ¡°Gosh, they will take everything away once war breaks out, so why would you bother working that hard on it!?¡± the visitor shouted.


    <em>ng!</em>


    ¡°You¡¯ll seriously regret it if you don¡¯t listen!¡± the visitor yelled in an attempt to intimidate Hansen.


    <em>ng!</em>


    Hansen happened to finish forging just then, so he irately put down his hammer and red at the uninvited guest. His death re made the middle-aged man, who looked like the stereotypical example of a merchant, take a step back.


    ¡°¡­Smith, I warned you to not talk to me while I¡¯m working¡­¡± Hansen growled.


    ¡°Hear me out first!¡± Smith, the middle-aged man, quickly took the initiative. ¡°A war finally broke out between the Swallow and Avalon Empire!¡±


    ¡°¡­War?¡± Hansen smiled coldly. ¡°I¡¯d call that a one-sided plundering, not a war, and it¡¯s probably over¡ª¡±


    ¡°Avalon won!¡± Smith shouted.


    ¡°Yes, Avalon¡­¡± Hansen stopped moving. ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°The Avalon Empire won the war, thanks to the Hero King! Our king returned and led his army to victory!¡± Smith excitedly yelled.


    The tongs in Hansen¡¯s other hand dropped on the ground with a ng.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it incredible?! From what I¡¯ve heard, the Swallow Empire will soon officially dere that they lost and will issuepensation for all the damage that they caused by their war crimes!¡± Smith eximed, his face reddened with excitement. ¡°So maybe we can also¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Hansen interrupted. He picked up his tongs from the ground. ¡°Nothing is certain yet, so don¡¯t make a big fuss out of it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°You seriously want the higher-ups to torture you for your loose lips, don¡¯t you?¡± Hansen sarcasticallymented. That was when Smith finally shut his mouth.


    ¡°¡­<em>Tsk.</em>¡± Hansen quietly clicked his tongue and picked up the heated metal with his tongs. Although Smith had unexpectedly interrupted him, Hansen had to finish working on this piece.


    Hansen rapidly quenched the very hot lump of metal by dunking it into the water. If he moved a little bit quicker, then by the end of the day he would be able toplete a fine sword which everyone would desire¡­


    The sudden sound of footsteps made Hansen tilt his head in confusion.


    As usual, the world didn¡¯t always go his way. A new visitor approached.


    ¡°I want to hear the conversation you had in detail,¡± the visitor requested.


    Hansen gave the guest a baffled look.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re¡­?¡±


    How long had it been? It surely hadn¡¯t been long because Smith stared at him like he¡¯d just seen a ghost. The attention-grabbing man with his frog-like eyes stood on the side of the forge; he was Hansen¡¯s customer and the owner of the sword that was soon to bepleted.


    ¡°A Wilhelm Knight¡­¡± Smith mumbled.


    ¡°Please,¡± the man requested


    * * *


    ¡°My king did¡­¡±


    Kingaitu returned to the castle with a smile on his lips. He had just heard that his king had returned alive several days ago. He¡¯d really wanted to return as soon as he heard the news. However, he couldn¡¯t abandon all the citizens while they were being persecuted.


    ¡°Even during that kind of moment, my king did wonders again¡­¡± Kingaitu mumbled.


    ¡°Hey, frog!¡± A knight of the Hubalt Empire suddenly appeared at the end of the hallway and swaggered toward Kingaitu. Kingaitu¡¯s face hardened¡ªhe knew this knight.


    ¡°Were you cking off in this kind of ce? That¡¯s unfair. Your subordinates are so busy picking up horse dung over there that they can¡¯t afford to take a break,¡± the knight said with a smirk.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve already finished what you asked me to do,¡± Kingaitu said.


    ¡°Huh? What I asked you to do?¡± The Hubalt knight tilted his head in confusion and soon came to a realization. ¡°Oh, yeah! Did I ask you to pick up pig poop here?¡±


    Kingaitu didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°We¡¯re seriously understaffed, so help out others when you¡¯re done, okay? Those men are your subordinates, right?¡± The knight instructed, finishing with a provocative pat on Kingaitu¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­Huh, are you frowning?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡± Kingaitu shook his head.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The knight studied Kingaitu¡¯s face to see if he was speaking the truth, but chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m joking, joking.¡±


    Kingaitu stayed silent.


    ¡°You¡¯re the leader of the great Wilhelm Knights, so how can I ask you to pick up animal dung too?¡± The knight tightly grabbed Kingaitu¡¯s shoulders and stepped back. ¡°Don¡¯t frown. I was just messing with you.¡±


    Kingaitu didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°Since there would be no one in the stable by now¡­¡± The knight trailed off ominously, making Kingaitu flinch.


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± Kingaitu asked.


    The knight shrugged. ¡°Well, I sent your colleagues to an arena.¡±


    Kingaitu¡¯s eyes widened. The word ¡°arena¡± shocked him more than he thought.


    ¡°You never said you were going to do that!!¡±


    ¡°Gosh! You surprised me!¡± The knight¡¯s face crumpled. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was the one who decided to send them to the arena, so why would you fucking yell at me, you son of a bitch?¡±


    Kingaitu btedly realized his mistake and shut his mouth, but the knight was already furious. He poked Kingaitu¡¯s forehead. ¡°We¡¯re in an age of war, aren¡¯t we? You ssless vermin wouldn¡¯t know, but raising the soldiers¡¯ morale is more important than anything else.¡±


    Kingaitu didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°And do you know how important the arena is in improving morale?¡± the knight asked.


    Kingaitu silently clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh. In the past, the Masters¡¯ Battles had been held on that sacred ground, but it wasn¡¯t the same sacred ground anymore. It had long ago turned into a garbage dump where people enjoyed unrestrained gambling.


    ¡°Are you angry? Huh? Are you frustrated?¡± the knight asked.


    Knigaitu stayed quiet.


    ¡°Then you should have behaved better in the first ce. You shouldn¡¯t have acted like such an opportunist, talking about Nagasin¡¯s will or something, you idiot.¡±


    The knight kicked Kingaitu.


    ¡°¡­<em>A</em><em>gh!</em>¡± Kingaitu copsed to the ground.


    The Hubalt knight huffed and puffed in anger. ¡°If you really don¡¯t like the arena, you can tell me anytime since you¡¯re not the one who has to prove your loyalty to the Empire.¡±


    Once again, Kingaitu didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°A brothel is more effective in improving the soldiers¡¯ morale, so there is no harm in that. Come to think of it, you have quite a pretty sister, right?¡± The Hubalt knight smirked.


    Kingaitu lowered his head and coughed up blood.


    The man speaking to him was the Holy Empire of Hubalt¡¯s so-called ¡°holy knight¡±. Ever since the Pope lost power to the Emperor, all the knights had been acting like this trashy knight.


    ¡°I got your filthy saliva on me because you coughed, you bastard. <em>Ptooey!</em>¡± The knight spat a glob of phlegm squarely on Kingaitu¡¯s forehead. ¡°Why don¡¯t you try feeling what I feel? I¡¯m going to keep an eye on you.¡±


    Nevertheless, Kingaitu couldn¡¯t do anything because he knew who would suffer if he caused trouble¡­


    * * *


    Kingaitu walked through the center of Reinhardt like a zombie.


    ¡°Woah!!!!¡±


    Kingaitu still had a long way to go before he arrived at his destination, but he could already hear the roar of the enormous crowd. Although his destination had once been his pride, he didn¡¯t want to go or see the ce now¡ªbut he had to go for the sake of his colleagues.


    He idently bumped into someone because he walked with his eyes to the ground, so he immediately bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Even though he quickly apologized, the person didn¡¯t move or say anything. Kingaitu was going to speak again.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you raise your head?¡± the other man asked.


    Kingaitu¡¯s lower lip trembled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been following you since you left the castle¡­ but it¡¯s been really hard to see your face,¡± the man gently said.


    Kingaitu¡¯s lower lip trembled even harder. This was the first time in ages that he¡¯d heard the man¡¯s voice. Kingaitu had been desperate to hear that voice even if only in his dreams, so he really couldn¡¯t believe what was happening right now.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± the man asked, as if to reassure Kingaitu that he wasn¡¯t dreaming.


    Kingaitu slowly raised his head and froze because it felt like his brain had stopped working.


    He let out a choked sob. ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking how I¡¯m here right now¡­¡± The man shrugged. ¡°...it only takes half a day to get here from Einberg.¡±


    There was no way it took half a day. No matter how close Einberg was to Reinhardt, it would at least take three whole days on horse.


    But it wasn¡¯t impossible for the man before Kingaitu.


    ¡°My¡­ king¡­¡± Kingaitu¡¯s eyes were already bloodshot.

 Chapter 353

    Chapter 353


    Ever since the Swallow Empire had given up Reinhardt, the city had been under the Hubalt Empire¡¯s management. To be urate, the people who sided with the Emperor took charge; they were led by the Second Sky, who was also one of the continent¡¯s Nine Stars.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty,¡± the Martial Emperor muttered in the center of the king¡¯s chamber.


    The Emperor of Hubalt, dressed in his regalia, smiled back at him through the crystal orb.


    -Sir Zactor.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± the Martial Emperor asked.


    -Of course, I¡¯m just cking off in my warm home.


    ¡°¡­No one thinks that way.¡±


    -I¡¯m ashamed. You¡¯re in a foreignnd, working really hard for the Empire¡­.


    ¡°Life here isn¡¯t that hard. I¡¯m just not at home, that¡¯s all.¡± Zactor shrugged.


    The Emperor shook his head.


    -The saying, ¡®there¡¯s no ce like home¡¯ exists for a reason.


    The Martial Emperor stayed quiet.


    -But¡­


    The Emperor looked at the Martial Emperor with curiosity.


    -¡­you don¡¯t look good. What¡¯s wrong?


    The Martial Emperor didn¡¯t answer.


    -¡­Sir Zactor, feel free to tell me. We¡¯ve known each other for such a long time that I can tell something awful happened just by the look on your face.


    ¡°¡­We¡­¡± Zactor broke the short silence by sighing. "...have three problems.¡±


    -Three?


    The Emperor¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Yes, and every problem is so serious that we can¡¯t disregard any of them.¡± The Martial Emperor bit his lower lip.


    -¡­I¡¯m ready to listen.


    Zactor double checked that no one else was inside the chamber.


    ¡°First of all¡­ I thought I almost got Lilith¡­ but I can¡¯t locate her now.¡±


    The Emperor¡¯s face hardened a bit.


    ¡°Although I was able to verify that she had been in Arcadia, the Avalon Empire¡¯s capital¡­¡±


    -¡­That¡¯s definitely a problem. Lilith Aphrodite is currently the only one who knows the location of the Knight of God Chrysler jean Sebastian¡¯s hideout.


    The Emperor looked tense as he continued.


    -As long as the Knight of God is alive, the Pope¡¯s subordinates are guaranteed to stab us in the back someday. Since the inside of the Empire is in disorder, it would be nonsense to talk about our foreign affairs.


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s any constion, I haven¡¯t lost herpletely,¡± the Martial Emperor cautiously reported.


    -Then¡­?


    ¡°Lilith lost her father, so she is very spiteful. That makes her predictable to a degree.¡± Zactor¡¯s eyes shone. "Herst known location was here, in Reinhardt.¡±


    -Reinhardt!


    The Emperor was genuinely shocked to hear that. He could see that the beacon didn¡¯t shine on its own base. Besides, Reinhardt meant a lot to Lilith because the Moon Gate¡¯s headquarters¡ªbasically the essence of her power¡ªwas there. And ording to the information the Emperor had recently received¡­


    -¡­Perhaps.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Zactor readily nodded, affirming the Emperor¡¯s guess. "She¡¯s searching for the me Emperor, bis.¡±


    -She¡¯s¡­ doing something useless, as expected.


    The Emperor clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Maybe it isn¡¯tpletely useless.¡± The Martial Emperor shrugged.


    -¡­What do you mean?


    ¡°It¡¯s rted to the second problem that I¡¯m going to report next.¡± The Martial Emperor tapped his index finger against his thigh.


    The Emperor gave him a questioning look.


    ¡°The Swallow Empire lost,¡± Zactor said.


    The Emperor didn¡¯t understand what Zactor meant for a moment. His draw jaw slowly dropped.


    -What? The Sw-Swallow Empire lost?


    Zactor stayed silent.


    -Do you mean the Ice Emperor¡­ Duke Eima lost?


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Zactor¡¯s expression hardened. "Due to the war, over fifty thousand citizens and ten thousand soldiers of the Swallow Empire died, and forty thousand soldiers were wounded. And¡­ theirmander, Duke Eima, died during the battle.¡±


    -Un-unbelievable!


    The fact that the Swallow Empire had lost to Avalon was shocking on its own, but when the Emperor heard that the Swallow Empire had suffered a devastating defeat, he was even more astonished.


    -Oh my god, the Ice Emperor died in battle?! Wai-wait¡­


    Something shed through the Emperor¡¯s mind. There were not many people on this continent that could go up against Duke Eima, one of the Nine Stars. The Emperor knew that another of the Nine Stars was probably capable of doing so. The conclusion he reached was natural.


    -¡­Geschhard kon Tremblin! I heard that the Sword Emperor showed up in Arcadia. Was he the one?


    Zactor didn¡¯t answer.


    -Although I knew about the rumor, I didn¡¯t think the Sword Emperor was that good¡­


    The Emperor vacantly stared into the air, confident that he was right.


    -How is Grand Duke Lucifer? No matter how great the Swallow Empire is, they won¡¯t be able to let this go.


    The Martial Emperor didn¡¯t answer.


    -Sir Zactor?


    The Emperor repeated, but still Zactor didn¡¯t answer. The Emperor became even more curious.


    Zactor broke the silence with difficulty.


    ¡°¡­I also had a hard time believing this¡­ but Grand Duke Lucifer was on the battlefield too.¡± Zactor bit his lower lip.


    The Emperor froze.


    -Wh-wha-what are you talking about¡­? Lucifer? Grand Duke¡ªno, the Sword Emperor is¡­?


    The Emperor struggled for words.


    Zactor shook his head. "It was Joshua Sanders, not the Sword Emperor.¡±


    -Joshua Sanders¡­.


    When he heard the familiar name, the Emperor¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°He¡¯s Aden von Agnus¡¯s son, the man who made the allied force of a million soldiers retreat when he was twenty years old. Now, he¡¯s called the Hero King.¡±


    -The Dark God!


    The Emperor screamed as soon as he pulled himself together.


    -You¡¯re right! Did the father and son conspire to do it together? If they both went up against Grand Duke Lucifer at the same time¡ªno, I can¡¯t still believe that the Crimson Sky has fallen. No, I should contact the Swallow Empire immediately and verify the matter myself!


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to say this¡­¡± Zactor¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°...but that¡¯s the third problem.¡±


    -Wh-what?


    ¡°Since yesterday, I haven¡¯t been able to reach the imperial family of the Swallow Empire,¡± Zactor bitterly answered.


    The Emperor¡¯s eyes opened so wide that it was impossible to make them any bigger.


    * * *


    At the top of the colosseum, where the Masters¡¯ Battles had been held in the past, Joshua looked down at the crowd filling the inside of the colosseum with their manic roar.


    ¡°Woah!¡±


    Kingaitu smiled bitterly.


    ¡°It reminds you of old times, right?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I really wanted to protect the freedom and the spirit of Reinhardt that you¡¯d returned to us, my king¡­¡±


    ¡°When did that happen?¡± Joshua pointed downward. Kingaitu saw a group of chained-up people wearing rags getting dragged out from the corner of the colosseum.


    ¡°It happened right after the Hubalt Empire regained control of this ce¡­ so it has been about two weeks. My colleagues also¡­¡± Kingaitu bit his lower lip, unable to continue.


    ¡°What are the casualties?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­The number isn¡¯t high yet.¡±


    Joshua looked downward and noticed that the casualties weren''t high ¡°yet,¡± just like Kingaitu had said. The inside of the hundreds of square meters wide colosseum was mostly divided into two areas by the thick stone wall: All sorts of beasts and vipers were roaming around Sector A, and the heavily-armed knights were on standby in Sector B. Joshua realized why they¡¯d bothered dividing the ce into two sectors.


    ¡°Nooo! Please, please save me!¡±


    ¡°Waaaahhhh! Mommy!¡±


    ¡°No-no! Please send me instead! Ple-please don¡¯t let my children¡ª!¡±


    The people who were sent to Sector A were mostly children, women, and elderly that didn¡¯t know how to fight. While the Continental War was still ongoing, the Hubalt Empire dragged their war prizes to Reinhardt and used them like this because¡­


    ¡°Kid! Run faster if you wanna see your mommy again!¡±


    ¡°I put five gold on you! You look like a swift woman, so hang on just for ten minutes!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I believed in you!¡±


    The colosseum was filled with people that were enraptured with the wrong kind of pleasure, the madness of murder.


    ¡°My colleagues will probably be sent to Sector B.¡±


    Joshua turned his head sideways and saw the Hubalt knights that were waiting in Sector B.


    ¡°Are they sending us ve diators again?¡±


    ¡°Shit, ying that spiritless trash isn¡¯t even fun anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°Still, you can look forward to this one.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The higher-ups gave us permission to punish them for their arrogant behavior.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°The rumors have already spread about how today¡¯s highlight is those arrogant Willhelm Knights.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?!¡±


    Joshua only needed to pay a little attention to hear such a conversation.


    ¡°¡­Do you have a mask?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°What?¡± Kingaitu tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I asked if you have the same kind of mask they have.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kingaitu finally understood.


    The colosseum¡¯s host put some sort of mask on the ve diators, modeled after livestock like cows, horses, and pigs to distinguish them from the knights.


    ¡°Why do you need a mask¡­?¡± Kingaitu cautiously asked.


    ¡°Well, there are masks everywhere, so I guess it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Joshua mumbled iprehensibly. He put his hood on. "See you.¡±


    ¡°My-my king?¡±


    Joshua leaped down before Kingaitu could react. Kingaitu¡¯s eyes widened, but soon he returned to his normal state. His king hadn¡¯t changed at all. No matter what happened, he didn¡¯t hesitate to take action¡­


    Kingaitu smiled faintly to himself and immediately followed Joshua. He knew Reinhardt would change that day.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still the same.¡±

 Chapter 354

    Chapter 354


    The current Reinhardt was a ce where the rich got richer and the poor got poorer. Reinhardt¡¯s main street, where the colosseum was located, was full of merchants selling jaw-dropping luxury goods. However, just like there were two sides to a coin, there was a dark side of the city that made people frown.


    A man and woman wearing robes showed up just now in an area near Reinhardt¡¯s west castle gate that people called a ¡°slum.¡±


    ¡°¡­The me Emperor is really in a ce like this?¡± the man asked.


    The woman nodded. "The information is urate.¡±


    ¡°But Lilith¡­¡± The man seemed to be skeptical of the information¡¯s credibility.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking,¡± Lilith said. "He used to be the king of a country, so it seems highly unlikely that he would waste his time in this slum¡­ That is what you¡¯re thinking, right?¡± Lilith slightly lifted her hood after she finished speaking, revealing her jaw-droppingly beautiful face.


    ¡°I can¡¯t deny that.¡± The man shrugged.


    ¡°Your prejudice is affecting you, Sir Christian.¡±


    ¡°Think about it: do you really think a man who was that powerful and influential can give up everything and live in a ce like this? Because I seriously¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually possible because it¡¯s <em>the</em> me Emperor,¡± Lilith said with a little smile.


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    Just then, Lilith found something that made her eyes sparkle.


    ¡°Look there,¡± she said.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Christian tilted his head, confused because Lillith was pointing at a group of children. He asked, ¡°Are they¡­?¡±


    To be urate, there was one adult and over a dozen children. The adult was carving an ordinary tree branch, rapidly transforming it.


    ¡°Woah!¡± A child who had been quietly watching marveled. "It¡¯s a sword!¡±


    The boy who received thepleted sword smiled brightly. The other children gave him envious looks and swiftly glued themselves to the man.


    ¡°It¡¯s so cool!¡±


    ¡°Mister! Can you ma-make a spear?¡±


    The man only used a very short dagger to carve the tree branches yet produced such elegant sculptures that it was hard to believe they were all made from ordinary tree branches. He was good with his hands.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be the one who uses a spear!¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m going to use a spear!¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯ll be the Hero King!¡±


    Christian observed the man behind the squabbling children. His beard was shaggy, and his clothes were practically rags. The dead skin all over his face made it hard to tell how old the man was.


    The beggar man must have felt Christian¡¯s eyes because he suddenly stood up.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s it for today,¡± he informed the children.


    The children were shocked and immediately stopped bickering and made long faces.


    ¡°Mi-mister.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry! We won¡¯t fight anymore.¡±


    ¡°Please make us just one more.¡±


    It looked like the children misunderstood why the man had suddenly stopped, but the man had no intention of going back on his words despite the children¡¯s desperate pleas.


    ¡°It looks like they¡¯re finished.¡± Christian quietly smacked his lips. "It¡¯s been a while since I saw something that good. He¡¯s unbelievably good for an ordinary beggar.¡±


    Lilith shook her head. "He¡¯s not a beggar.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Christian turned to look at her.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one who we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Christian¡¯s eyes popped open.


    ¡°N-no way¡­?¡±


    Lilith walked toward the man without hesitation¡ªno, she quickly blocked the man¡¯s way before he could leave.


    ¡°Lil-Lilith!¡± Christian shouted, bewildered, but it was difficult to stop her once she had made a decision.


    ¡°Excuse me,¡± Lilith said to the man.


    The children froze in surprise when two adults suddenly showed up. They must have been starving for such a long time because they were nothing but skin and bones.


    Lilith looked them in the eye one by one.


    ¡°Children,¡± she said, ¡°I have to talk to this mister, so I¡¯ll have to take him away.¡±


    ¡°Uh¡­¡± The children fidgeted with their fingers.


    Lilith smiled. "Why don¡¯t you take this and grab something delicious in the meantime?¡±


    ¡°¡­Woah!¡± The children opened their eyes wide when they saw a shining cold coin on Lilith¡¯s palm. "Wow!¡±


    They survived day by day by begging, so there was no way that they didn¡¯t know the value of the gold coin. The boy in the very front quickly grabbed it.


    ¡°Hey, you¡¯re cheating!¡±


    ¡°Me too! Me too!¡±


    ¡°Wait for me!¡±


    The children vanished in a sh, and the beggar man tried to get out using the chaos.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Lilith called.


    The man didn¡¯t answer.


    Lilith cut to the chase. ¡°I¡¯m here because I have a business to take care of with you.¡±


    ¡°Wa-wait!¡± Christian stuttered, baffled by her abruptness.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay on your guard. I don¡¯t mean any harm.¡± Lilithpletely took off her hood, revealing her beautiful face. The beggar man, however, wasn¡¯t fazed, despite setting eyes on a face that made men¡¯s jaws hit the floor even without knowing her identity¡­


    ¡°¡­You do know who I am, right? Please help us,¡± she pleaded with shining eyes.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know who you are, and you¡¯ve got the wrong person.¡± The beggar man swiftly turned away, underlining his refusal to deal with Lilith.


    However, the air around them abruptly changed when Lilith quietly said, ¡°King of Thran.¡±


    The man stopped moving.


    ¡°Or do you want me to call you by your other titles since Thran doesn¡¯t exist anymore? Which one do you want, the me Emperor or the Knight of the Red me?¡±


    ¡°bis is fine,¡± the man curtly replied.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, please help us,¡± Lilith repeated with sincerity.


    The beggar man, bis, slowly turned.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    * * *


    Just like he had done in the past, Joshua lightlynded in the center of the colosseum and took a look around the surroundings. He wore an ox-like mask that he had stolen God-knew-when.


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°Is he part of a new event?¡±


    ¡°Seriously? He looks too weak for him to be part of an event¡­¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s wearing an ox mask, isn¡¯t he one of the best ves?¡±


    People murmured among themselves, confused. The noise grew by the moment. Tens of thousands of eyes were focused on one person: Joshua.


    ¡°¡­This mask means that?¡± Joshua sighed lightly as he adjusted his mask. When he turned his head, the Wilhelm Knight whose mask he had stolen was looking at Joshua from within the prison, baffled.


    ¡°There is one more in Sector A.¡±


    ¡°Oh! He¡¯s moving!¡±


    ¡°What? Why is he killing beasts, not children?¡±


    When Joshua focused more, he could hear the audience¡¯s conversation through the iprehensible murmuring. It sounded like Kingaitu had begun to move.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s been enduring everything for a long time¡­¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°Hey, host!¡± A spectator loudly yelled. "Is this an event you guys prepared?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± That was when the host, Dorby, finally pulled himself together. The Hubalt Empire had delegated all powers regarding this gambling operation to him, but Dorby was from Reinhardt, not the Hubalt Empire¡­


    <em>¡®Fuck, why is this happening to me¡­!¡¯</em> Dorby cursed in his thoughts.


    There was no way that the higher-ups wouldn¡¯t tell him about an event that they had prepared, so it was clearly an ident. Dorby panicked. No matter what the reason was, he knew how people from the Hubalt Empire would react if he couldn¡¯t do his job.


    ¡°I can just bet if this is an event, right?¡±


    ¡°It seems fun. Besides, I was getting bored¡­¡±


    A remarkable idea shed in Dorby¡¯s head.


    "Ahahahaha! Yes, that¡¯s right!¡± he loudly dered to the audience using mana. ¡°Isn¡¯t it too boring to just beat those who are tied up?¡±


    ¡°Well, he has a point¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t know about Sector A, but the people in Sector B are going up against the knights of the Grand Hubalt Empire. So is there really a need to tie them up and beat them?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, dirty fights are the most interesting ones.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re bloody and quite thrilling.¡±


    Dorby silently screamed delightedly at the positive response from the crowd.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet ten gold that the ox-head man will survive for thirty minutes.¡±


    ¡°Thirty minutes?¡±


    ¡°His clothes, appearance¡­ He looks feeble but it seems like he¡¯s prepared himself really well. A mysterious ve diator that appeared at the most dramatic moment!¡±


    There was always the one who stood out, no matter where they were. When that one person talked sophistry, most spectators clicked their tongues.


    ¡°Bullshit.¡±


    ¡°Real bullshit.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s unarmed, so that¡¯s obviously not the case.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Wait¡­¡±


    The spectators marveled one by one when they noticed Joshua¡¯s appearance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bet five gold that he¡¯ll survive for ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Since it¡¯s an event, three gold for five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Four gold for one minute.¡±


    The spectators put together a usible hypothesis while they piled up shining gold on the big table at the corner of the colosseum. The gambling hosts got busy as they scrambled to record who bet how much on their ledgers.


    ¡°Hehe¡­ Luck is definitely on my side.¡± Dorby giggled.


    The more ledgers the other hosts had to bring, the deeper Dorby¡¯s smile became. In fact, he was the one who suggested the idea of an arena to the Hubalt Empire as soon as the Empire had taken over Reinhardt again.


    He had told the higher-ups that there was a way where they would not only be able to improve their soldiers¡¯ morale and earn money, but also to release their dark desires. That was why the Empire¡¯s higher-ups had left the arena-rted matters totally in the hands of Dorby, so it was obvious what would happen if an ident took ce in the arena.


    ¡°Yes, yes! Bet, bet! This is a one-time-only event! The odds will be revealed soon!¡± Dorby confidently shouted.


    The Hubalt Empire¡¯s knights calmed down.


    ¡°Oh, it was all an event?¡±


    ¡°Hey, boy. You look young. Where are you from?¡±


    ¡°Is he not a mercenary?¡±


    ¡°A mercenary?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, only mercenaries or wizards wear that kind of robe.¡± A knight pointed at Joshua¡¯s brown robe.


    The nearby knight chuckled. "Those inkies don¡¯t wear that kind of dull-colored robe to show how noble they¡¯re. There is no way that they¡¯d color their robes.¡±


    ¡°Keke¡­ you¡¯re right.¡±


    One knight swaggered through a crowd of over twenty knights, approaching Joshua.


    ¡°Hey, are you mute?¡± the knight asked.


    Joshua didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m bored, so I hope you at least make a franticst ditch effort before I slit your throat¡­¡± The knight grabbed his sheath and threw it at Joshua¡¯s feet.


    ¡°Toma, if you¡¯re going to give him something why don¡¯t you give him your sword?¡± the knight¡¯s colleague asked.


    ¡°Well, just in case.¡± Toma shrugged.


    ¡°Why? Are you scared?¡± His colleague smirked.


    ¡°What do you mean, scared?!¡± Toma snapped. "I don¡¯t want to get hurt while he blindly swings around a sword.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± The colleague continued to smirk, and the other knights burst intoughter.


    ¡°Bwahahaha!¡±


    ¡°Those sons of bitches¡­¡± Toma angrily walked toward Joshua, who remained still. ¡°Are you ignoring me, you ox-head?¡±


    Joshua still did not respond.


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to answer until the end, huh?¡± Toma gritted his teeth.


    His colleagues sneered loudly enough for Toma to hear as if they had been waiting for this moment.


    "It seems like Toma is very angry. He¡¯s taking out his anger on somebody else.¡±


    His other colleague shrugged.


    ¡°Leave him alone. I heard his wife is nagging him a lot nowadays. He has to vent somehow.¡±


    It looked like killing the fresh meat standing in front of Toma wasn¡¯t going to be enough to blow off his steam.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m going to kill him with one strike and then I¡¯m going after them!¡¯ </em>Toma concluded.


    Unable to hold back his anger, Toma pulled out his razor-sharp sword.


    "I have no time to waste on you,¡± he shouted. ¡°Die!¡±


    It looked like he had killed a significant number of people because he swung without hesitation. Toma¡¯s sword made its way swiftly toward Joshua¡¯s face with a clear intent to kill him


    Joshua responded by¡­ blocking Toma¡¯s sword attack with one finger.


    ¡°Un-unbelievable¡­¡± Toma staggered backward, bewildered.


    Joshua finally broke his silence.


    ¡°You¡¯re all going to die here today.¡±

 Chapter 355

    Chapter 355


    ¡°Go back,¡± bis snapped through his gritted teeth.


    ¡°Why?¡± Lilith asked.


    bis shrugged. ¡°I have no reason to help you.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t told you why I need your help.¡± Lilith tilted her head.


    ¡°If you¡¯re really the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, then the reason is obvious.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear it. I want to know what you think.¡± Lilith crossed her arms, indicating she had no intention of backing off.


    ¡°¡­Ever since the Continental War broke out, you¡¯ve been trying to contact the Kingdom Alliance¡¯s executives, am I correct?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Lilith nodded.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯ve failed to meet any of them.¡±


    ¡°<em>I</em> chose to not meet them because it was too risky. I needed an assurance since I can¡¯t trust anyone right now. Above all, I¡¯m from the Hubalt Empire, the country that the Kingdom Alliance people hate the most.¡±


    ¡°An assurance¡­¡± bis shot her an uncharacteristic smirk, making Lilith¡¯s beautiful face crumple up a bit. "Well, sure, a subordinate who assisted you for dozens of years can stab your back and still smile in this world.¡±


    ¡°There are people who can still be trusted in this world, like you." Lilith pointed at bis.


    bis was silent for a moment.


    ¡°You know nothing about me.¡±


    ¡°You tried to sacrifice your life to save your colleagues,¡± Lilith fervently insisted. ¡°It was clear that you were outnumbered, but you never left.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know why I did that.¡± bis bit his lower lip.


    ¡°Are you going to continue to sit on your hands?¡± Lilith looked into bis¡¯s eyes. "The Kingdom Alliance needs your help now more than ever.¡±


    ¡°¡­If they knew that, then they wouldn¡¯t have remained idle over the past three years,¡± bis growled.


    ¡°You resent them,¡± Lilith observed.


    ¡°No.¡± bis shook his head. ¡°I resent myself for being powerless back then.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean I like the Alliance. I am only human.¡± bis shrugged.


    Since she and bis were in the same boat, Lilith understood what bis was feeling.


    "¡­Fine, let¡¯s stop being sentimental and talk rationally and productively.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless.¡± bis coldly turned away. He took a step forward, but he was forced toe to a halt.


    ¡°You must have kept your ears open; you heard about Joshua Sanders, right?¡±


    bis stayed quiet.


    ¡°If you¡¯re reluctant to help the Kingdom Alliance, help <em>him</em> instead,¡± Lilith beseeched.


    This was Lilith¡¯s real request. She didn¡¯t trust the Kingdom Alliancepletely yet. The Alliance had been sitting on their hands when three kingdoms had crumbled at the beginning of the war.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also be frank: are you trying to get revenge?¡± bis asked.


    Lilith shook her head without hesitation. ¡°No, I¡¯m not."


    ¡°Then do you love him?¡± bis tilted his head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t deserve him.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    bis¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I would have seduced him already if I could.¡± Lilith smiled.


    bis was dumbstruck. He¡¯d asked the question as a joke to get rid of Lilith¡ªhe hadn¡¯t expected her to react like that.


    ¡°This is for the greater good,¡± Lilith said.


    ¡°The greater good?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s end the Continental War,¡± Lilith dered. ¡°Furthermore, reim the independence of the Kingdom of Thran. Thran¡¯s citizens are all depending on you.¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t seriously going to sit on your hands, are you? I¡¯m talking to <em>the </em>Knight of the Red me, right?¡± Lilith grinned.


    bis just listened.


    ¡°Joshua made the impossible possible. Over thest decades, no one was able to stop the army of the Great Swallow Empire, but Joshua defeated them alone. Who could have seen iting?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± bis quietly groaned. He had also heard the rumor: the Swallow Empire¡¯s army had invaded Avalon but was now retreating. If that child had truly done it alone¡­


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good opportunity for you too?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°¡­No, my decision remains the same.¡± bis shook his head.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Go back.¡±


    bis turned his back on them.


    Lilith scowled; she didn¡¯t know and couldn¡¯t understand why bis would be this stubborn. Since Grand Duke Lucifer had lost, the Hubalt Empire was the only country left, meaning that if they defeated Hubalt, then they could finally finish the Continental War. But¡­


    ¡°Waaahhh!¡± a child screamed.


    Lilith flinched.


    ¡°Mister!¡± the child shouted to bis.


    ¡°Stop moving!¡± a man growled at the child.


    Lilith turned and saw the slum children who she had met just a moment ago¡ªbut they weren¡¯t the only ones in this ce. A group of men wearing silver armor showed up.


    ¡°The arena is open right now. We don¡¯t have much time, so get moving,¡± a man who seemed to be the knights¡¯ leader instructed.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The knights¡ªover twenty of them¡ªsaluted and then quickly got to work. What they did exactly was utterly shocking.


    ¡°Waaahhh!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to go! Please let me go!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re already busy as hell, so why would these beggar bastards¡­¡±


    A child dropped to the ground in an attempt to prevent the knights from taking him away. A knight violently kicked the child, making the child fly through the air.


    ¡°¡­<em>Cough!</em>¡±


    The child was the boy who had so delightedly epted the wooden sword that bis had made. He looked ten years old at most.


    Lilith¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°What are they doing¡­?¡±


    "Those crazy bastards!¡± Christian clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.


    ¡°Don¡¯t interfere,¡± bis quickly said.


    Christian froze as he was about to jump in.


    "Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you interfere now, things will just get uglier,¡± bis insisted.


    ¡°How can things get uglier than they are now¡­!¡± Christian angrily growled but he held in his anger. He turned. "Lilith¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait a moment.¡± Lilith bit her lower lip.


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Lillith quietly shook her head.


    ¡°...Shit.¡± Christian tousled his hair.


    In the end, he could do nothing but watch all the children getting dragged away. The slum became empty and turned silent after the storm passed.


    Lilith could vaguely tell why bis stopped Christian.


    ¡°Is it because of the children in this ce?¡± Lilith finally said.


    The silence was all the answer she needed. She silently turned to look at the center of the slum. Dozens of children hid from Lilith¡¯s gaze. Her eyes narrowed.


    ¡°¡­If they¡¯re really the reason, then it¡¯s more difficult for me to understand you. Hubalt¡¯s soldiers always take their revenge and make their targets suffer more than they did, so you¡¯re worried that you might put the children that are hiding right now in danger if you take action. But at this rate, those children are also¡ª¡±


    ¡°Most children in this ce became war orphans because of me,¡± bis interrupted.


    Christian and Lilith blinked in surprise at the same time.


    "What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Over the past three years, I¡¯ve stopped the Empire¡¯s countless invasions. Naturally, the damage I¡¯ve caused in the process has been immeasurable,¡± bis bitterly said. ¡°The Hubalt Empire¡¯s soldiers trampled over the soldiers of Thran, which also affected Thran¡¯s civilians. The Empire¡¯s soldiers took adults as ves, and the children were literally abandoned here where there was nothing but dust.¡±


    Such was the harsh reality of the war.


    ¡°Then what would the abandoned children do?¡± bis asked.


    ¡°Perhaps¡ª¡±


    "Most of them voluntarily followed the Empire¡¯s people,¡± bis bitterly concluded. ¡°The children were too young, so they weren¡¯t able to think rationally, much less make a good judgment. The only thing they could do was follow their parents as they were dragged away.¡±


    ¡°Gosh¡­¡±


    ¡°The children who could walk were actually the fortunate ones. Babies and children who weren¡¯t able to move freely all starved to death because all their family members had been killed.¡± bis¡ªno, the living witness of the war pierced Lilith¡¯s and Christian¡¯s hearts. "¡­In the end, all the war prisoners were sent here, Reinhardt. The Empire was nning to gather war funds by selling the prisoners to various countries as ves. Reinhardt was the perfect ce for this since this city is located in the center of the continent.¡±


    ¡°The children naturally ended up in this ce like this¡­¡± bis trailed off and then met the eyes of Lilith and Christian.¡°...and that was how this slum was made. ¡­Fortunately, the Empire¡¯s people only noticed the existence of this slum a couple of days ago.¡±


    Christian finally broke his silence.


    ¡°You still haven¡¯t told us why,¡± he said.


    bis gave him a confused look.


    ¡°You knew what was going to happen to them, so why did you just let the children get dragged away?¡± Christian¡¯s eyes burned with anger. ¡°As a person who respected you in the past, I really hope you don¡¯t bullshit me and say you sacrificed them for the greater good.¡±


    bis didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°You have an obligation to take care of Thran¡¯s citizens even if there is only one left.¡±


    ¡°I think the same.¡± Lilith also took a step forward and looked into bis¡¯s eyes. "Although Thran doesn¡¯t exist on maps anymore, the people living here are the citizens of the Kingdom of Thran, and no one can say otherwise. You¡¯re the only one who can save the citizens who are suffering due to the Empire¡¯s greed.¡±


    bis was silent for a long moment.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s impossible unless we destroy the arena itself andpletely drive out the Empire,¡± he finally said.


    Lilith sensed something in bis¡¯s voice.


    ¡°You were already preparing to do it,¡± she realized. Her eyes sparkled.


    ¡°Just a little bit more. A little bit more¡­¡± bis didn¡¯t deny it, just clenched his fists.


    There was one thing they didn¡¯t know about, however¡­ Someone else was already knocking down the arena for good.


    * * *


    The inside of the colosseum had been filled with thunderous shouts of delight, but now it was filled with suffocating silence.


    ¡°Arggh¡­¡±


    The knights¡¯ groans asionally broke this odd silence. The Hubalt Empire¡¯s proud knights had been knocked down to the ground in a sh. The spectators nkly looked at the mysterious man who had done this disbelievingly.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Kingaitu whispered. He¡¯d quickly taken care of Sector A and hurried back to Joshua¡¯s side. ¡°Is it okay to wreak havoc like this?¡±


    ¡°I should wreak havoc to make them move,¡± Joshua replied.


    Kingaitu came to a realization: he should have expected this from his king.


    Joshua nced at him and then crouched down to examine the tied-up Wilhelm Knights. Their eyes had popped wide open when they heard Kingaitu¡¯s voice.


    "Comander?¡± they nervously asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty,¡± Kingaitu replied.


    "¡­Pardon?¡± The Wilhelm Knights gaped dumbly at him.


    To help them to understand the situation, Joshua lifted his mask slightly.


    All of them stopped moving as if they¡¯d been petrified. Some opened their eyes unbelievably wide in shock, and the other knights turned teary as if they were going to burst into tears any second just like Kingaitu had.


    ¡°Your Ma-Ma-Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talkter.¡± Joshua ended the long-awaited union and gave them an order for the first time in three years: "We¡¯re going to take out all these arrogant citizens of the Empire in three minutes.¡±

 Chapter 356

    Chapter 356


    Although there were less than two hundred Wilhelm Knights, each one of them was an elite knight of at least B-ss. When they were free from their shackles, they moved like fish in the water.


    ¡°Argghhhh! My arm!¡±


    ¡°Do-don¡¯t kill me¡­!¡±


    People¡¯s screams and the horrifying sound of human flesh being torn and cut filled the air. The Wilhelm Knights swung their swords without mercy, letting out their pent-up anger. They showed a certain someone that they hadn¡¯t been idle.


    Their battle turned into a one-sided massacre.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± A man grabbed the pants of a Willhelm Knight as he was running amok. A cross was clearly engraved on the chest te of the man¡¯s armor, so the Wilhelm Knight realized that the man was the knight of the Hubalt Empire.


    ¡°Save me, please¡­¡± the Hubalt knight moaned.


    ¡°¡­Haven¡¯t you heard that often?¡± the Wilhelm Knight asked.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean¡­?¡±


    The Wilhelm Knight narrowed his eyes. ¡°The children beyond that wall must have said the same thing.¡±


    The Hubalt knight¡¯s eyes widened. Then as if he had given up, his eyes lost their spark.


    ¡°I just¡­ followed orders¡­¡±


    ¡°That is why you should die,¡± the Wilhelm Knight coldly muttered.


    And then he cut off the Hubalt knight¡¯s head right off.


    Blood sprayed out from the headless corpse like a fountain. The Wilhelm Knight, Atoba, didn¡¯t move and let the scarlet blood ssh all over him. Atoba wasn¡¯t the only Wilhelm Knight that did that, however; they knew there was no such thing as legitimate murder.


    Some followed their superiors¡¯ orders, and some killed for pleasure. They also killed someone else to protect someone or something that was dear to them, but nothing could justify murder. The important thing was¡­


    <em>¡®There is no need to hesitate, but I shouldn¡¯t get used to murder. If I can finish something without killing someone, then I should because I¡¯ll have to live with the lives I take for the rest of my life.¡¯</em>


    Atoba put mana into his voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let someone who isn¡¯t involved in the arena get caught in our fight! Send the children to the west gate and the spectators to the north gate! Block the east and south!¡±


    Kingaitu saw what Atoba was doing from afar and turned to Joshua.


    ¡°Is that okay?¡± he nervously asked.


    Joshua gave him a confused look.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s right to evacuate the children to a safe ce, but as for the spectators¡­?.¡± Kingaitu trailed off, and Joshua finally understood what Kingaitu meant. ¡°This was only supplied because there was a demand for it. They could be considered bystanders, but I think they¡¯re worse in some ways.¡±


    ¡°Then are you suggesting we kill them too?¡± Joshua quietly asked.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Kingaitu nkly said.


    ¡°Do you think the other Wilhelm Knights¡¯ hearts would be at peace if we did that?¡± Joshua prompted him.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Kingaitu couldn¡¯t continue. How could he say anything more when Joshua said that? The Wilhelm Knight¡¯s respectable king was worrying more about the Wilhelm Knights than about those bystanders.


    ¡°Was his name¡­ Atoba?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Do you remember him?¡± Kingaitu hadn¡¯t expected Joshua to remember Atoba¡¯s name, but he quickly leaped to borate. ¡°He¡¯s twenty-nine years old just like most other Willhelm Knights, but it¡¯s actually safe to say that he¡¯s the strongest after me.¡±


    Kingaitu was basically themander of the Wilhelm Knights, so if he assessed Atoba as the strongest knight after himself, then Atoba was talented enough to be the vicemander of an ordinary knight order.


    ¡°They¡¯re there!¡± someone thunderously roared.


    Kingaitu flinched. A group of men was pouring in from the north gate of the colosseum, shoving their way through the spectators as they tried to flee.


    ¡°Move!¡±


    ¡°How dare you stop the Grand Hurent Knight Order?! Do you want to die?¡±


    Kingaitu heard the shouts and jumped.


    ¡°The Hurent Knight Order!¡± he eximed.


    ¡°Do you know them?¡± Joshua inquired.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ part of the Hubalt Empire¡¯s main unit, which practically rules Reinhardt right now. On top of that, they¡¯re the Martial Emperor¡¯s direct subordinates¡­¡±


    The more Kingaitu exined, the colder Joshua¡¯s eyes became.


    It seemed that at least five hundred knights were entering the colosseum. The other Wilhelm Knights had already stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the Hurent Knights.


    The Hurent Knights were indeed one of the Empire¡¯s most elite knights, so even the Wilhelm Knights tensed up once the Hurent showed up. The Wilhelm Knights couldn¡¯t be sure they would be able to win even if they fought in normal conditions, but they had gotten most of the weapons they were holding from the other Hubalt knights and they¡¯d been starved for a long time, decreasing their stamina¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose your courage!¡± Kingaitu shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°We are the proud Wilhelm Knights! On top of that, our king is with us now!¡±


    Kingaitu¡¯sst words boosted the Wilhelm Knight¡¯s gging morale. Merely the fact that Joshua was here made the Wilhelm Knights feel like a million soldiers were backing them up.


    ¡°Yeah, I think I can deal with them alone,¡± Joshua said as he stepped forward, affirming their expectations.


    A ray of light suddenly cut through the empty sky.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡± Kingaitu¡¯s eyes widened. His king held a four-meter-long light with a shape that Kingaitu was quite familiar with.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely the one from that time¡­¡± Kingaitu dumbfoundedly mumbled.


    Joshua moved without hesitation with his weapon held tightly in hand. The Wilhelm Knight that had stopped moving, the Hurent Knights that had just entered the colosseum¡­ Everyone paid attention to Joshua. In spite of the mask he still wore, the enormous light that Joshua held looked extraordinary. It was mesmerizing.


    Joshua sprang forward just like he had in the Masters¡¯ Battle which had taken ce here in Reinhardt. Announcing his return, the long, blindingly bright light showered the entire colosseum with brilliant white sparks.


    Joshua stretched out his arm, pointing his spear at the cluster of Hurent Knights.


    ¡°¡­Scathach¡¯s Fury.¡±


    The light of death that didn¡¯t allow the enemies to escape. The glow of despair. One of the highest level skills of the Magic Spear Art.


    The Hurent knights had no time to respond.


    ¡°Fu-fuck!¡±


    Something shed, and the white light drowned out heaven and earth.


    A secondter, the colosseum was rattled by an ear-splitting boom.


    * * *


    A knight hurriedly ran through the open door into the chamber of the Reinhardt¡¯s regent.


    ¡°Yo-Your Excellency!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°What¡¯s all the ruckus?¡± the Hurent Knights¡¯mander asked with a frown on the Martial Emperor¡¯s behalf.


    ¡°The enemy hasunched a surprise attack!¡± the knight reported.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°An ambush?¡± themander repeated.


    ¡°The colosseum has been invaded,¡± the knight informed him. ¡°The other knights already went there!¡±


    Themander¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Exin it clearly. What do you mean, enemies?¡±


    ¡°There is no time,mander! The knights that were protecting the colosseum have already been wiped out, and the other knights are also in danger¡ª!¡±


    Themander mmed the wall in frustration.


    ¡°Are there at least hundreds of enemies or something? But then how could no one have noticed when hundreds of enemy soldiers were at our doorstep?!¡±


    ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know all the details yet¡­¡± The knight looked at the floor.


    ¡°You fool! Lead the way, I¡¯ll go there myself!¡± themander angrily shouted. He immediately turned back to bow to the Martial Emperor. ¡°¡­I apologize, Your Excellency. I¡¯ll look into the matter quickly.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡± The Martial Emperor quietly raised his hand. His eyes were shining. ¡°It looks like you still have more to report¡­ Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well¡­¡± The knight trailed off reluctantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, so talk.¡± The Martial Emperor narrowed his eyes.


    The knight hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s not reliable, but¡­ ording to the eye-witness ounts¡­ there are only two intruders¡­ aside from the Wilhelm Knights who were set free¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you keep talking nonsense!¡± themander furiously shouted.


    In contrast to themander, the Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes were colder than ever.


    ¡°¡­And?¡± the Martial Emperor pressed.


    ¡°Yo-Your Excellency.¡± The knight took a step back.


    ¡°I said it was fine.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ The intruders were wearing masks, so we weren¡¯t able to identify their faces¡­¡± the knight reluctantly continued.


    ¡°But?¡± the Martial Emperor said.


    ¡°One of the two created some kind of long light¡­ but it looked like a spear....¡±


    ¡°¡­A spear!¡± Themander¡¯s eyes widened, bewildered. He would be lying if he couldn¡¯t think of anyone when the word ¡°spear¡± came up at a time like this.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡± The Martial Emperor groaned and stood up as if he¡¯d been expecting this surprise attack. ¡°Tell the knights.¡±


    ¡°You-Your Excellency?¡± themander stuttered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go there myself.¡±


    Themander and the knight both looked at the Martial Emperor disbelievingly.


    ¡°Tell them to brace themselves. It¡¯s highly likely that someone new is gaining supremacy of this continent today,¡± the Martial Emperor dered with quiet determination.

 Chapter 357

    Chapter 357


    After God knew how long, the outer wall of the colosseum had cracked as if it was hit by a bolt of lightning. The colosseum was so unstable that it looked like it would crumble down any second. The inside of the colosseum was even worse. The colosseum was always noisy because of the enthusiastic shouting from the spectators packing the stands, but those spectators were nowhere to be found. The colosseum was silent and its air had turned somehow colder.


    In the center of the colosseum, there was the half-destroyed, scorched grand arena. A man stood atop it, and over five hundred knights of the Hurent Knight Order trembled before him.


    ¡°Are we going to continue?¡± the man asked.


    White sparks were still jumping around the crushed stone floor, inches away from their faces.


    ¡°¡­This is¡­¡± A knight gaped, mesmerized.


    He wasn¡¯t the only one; a storm of mixed emotions hit all the Hurent knights¡ª-shock, fear, and awe. Some knights remembered seeing this lightning of death during the Masters¡¯ Battles, here in Reinhardt where people from across the entire continent had gathered to bear witness.


    A knight soon reached the logical conclusion.


    ¡°No way¡­?¡± His sword nged to the ground.


    The man was still wearing a mask, but the knight didn¡¯t need to see the man¡¯s face in order to know who he was. The knights never could''ve won against the man in the first ce. Even if their beloved Martial Emperor himself hade here, the knights couldn¡¯t be sure of the oue of the fight.


    The man¡¯s name burned in their minds¡­


    ¡°The Hero King, Joshua Sanders¡­¡±


    The Hurent Knights stopped moving as if they¡¯d been turned into sculptures. The quick-witted Atoba capitalized on this and came forward.


    ¡°Kneel!¡± he shouted. ¡°Anyone who surrenders will be spared!¡±


    His mana carried his voice to everyone in the colosseum. Atoba¡¯s goal was simple: although he was going to take the lives of the people who resisted until the end, he wasn¡¯t going to kill the ones who had surrendered because if he killed for no reason, he wouldn¡¯t be any different from them.


    He nced at Joshua to see if he was angry. However, the other person who had been watching everything didn¡¯t seem to share Atoba¡¯s idea.


    ¡°Atoba!¡± Kingaitu uneasily shouted.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°Kingaitu, don¡¯t stop him.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Kingaitu insisted, but he became quiet when Joshua shook his head again.


    Atoba gathered his determination.


    ¡°I also¡­¡± he began.


    Kingaitu tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I also have no intention of defying your orders, Your Majesty.¡± Atoba looked into Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Kingaitu asked with a slight frown.


    ¡°If you order me to cut off their heads, Your Majesty¡­¡± Atoba trailed off, but his eyes shone. ¡°Upon my life, I will execute that order.¡±


    That was when Joshua finally broke into a faint smile.


    ¡°You are indeed a wise man.¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty?¡± Kingaitu questioned, perplexed.


    Joshua nced at Kingaitu before turning back to Atoba. The junior knight flinched.


    ¡°You¡¯ve thought ahead,¡± Joshua observed. ¡°I¡¯m from the Avalon Empire, and that won¡¯t change no matter what. If peacees to the continent after we drive out the two empires, would the other kingdoms be happy?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Kingaitu asked.


    ¡°They would instead feel more threatened,¡± Joshua concluded.


    Kingaitu¡¯s eyes widened as that sank in.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Joshua continued, ¡°they would be grateful to us for taking out their two current strongest enemies¡­ ¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t Avalon busy taking care of their own mess?¡± Kingaitu tried to refute. ¡°And there¡¯s no way you would invade theirnd, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that they won¡¯t think that way. Let me put it this way, Kingaitu: would you be able to think the same if I was your enemy?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice struck Kingaitu like thunder, silencing him. He had never imagined bing his beloved king¡¯s enemy, but if that really happened¡­


    The thought made Kingaitu swallow nervously.


    ¡°Therefore, from now on, we have to show that we¡¯re different from the other empires by action, not by words,¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°Wait, did Atoba already think that far before we¡¯d won¡­?¡± Kingaitu asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°That¡¯s how much he trusts me.¡± Joshua smiled subtly.


    Kingaitu turned nkly to look at Atoba. Although his ability to see the bigger picture was superb, it was impossible to maintain that evaluation of himself if he didn¡¯tpletely trust his king¡¯s ability.


    ¡°I thought he was being unnecessarily sympathetic¡­¡± Kingaitu mumbled.


    ¡°That was why he bothered to divide the children and spectators into two groups and sent them to the west and north gates separately,¡± Joshua noted.


    ¡°Atoba,¡± he shouted.


    Atoba quickly stood up straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m listening, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Lead the Wilhelm Knights to the Reinhardt castle right now,¡± Joshua ordered.


    ¡°Y-you mean¡­?¡± Atoba stuttered.


    ¡°I guess,¡± Joshua quietly mumbled, ¡°you can say we¡¯re going to take over the city without shedding blood.¡±


    Atoba¡¯s eyes popped wide open as he realized what Joshua meant. Even though there were still hundreds of enemies in the city, Atoba didn¡¯t worry about that one bit since he was standing before Joshua Sanders, the man whom Atoba respected more than anyone else in the world and the true king of Reinhardt.


    He proudly raised his sword to his breast in salute.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    * * *


    Although they were still far from the colosseum, the Martial Emperor and his men could already see the traces of the battles everywhere. The thick smell of smoke was the first thing that they noticed. The smoke obstructed their views. When they passed by all of that and reached the center of the colosseum¡­


    The Martial Emperor groaned when he saw the man quietly watching the sky.


    ¡°¡­Joshua Sanders.¡± The Martial Emperor¡¯s expectations had turned out to be true. There were no more than three men on this continent that were capable of pressuring him just by standing there.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡± The Martial Emperor¡¯s aide stood behind him and stared nkly at the colosseum. The other knights¡¯ reactions were really no different from the aide''s. The aide quietly took a look around the silent colosseum. Five hundred knights were incapable of moving a muscle, and the arena hosts were lying everywhere. The inside of the colosseum was in ruins. The man in front of them must be responsible for everything.


    It looked like Joshua was never going to speak again, but he slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°...So is it two now?¡± he said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Aside from the Darkness Emperor and my father, I¡¯ll have taken out two of the main culprits of the Continental War if I eliminate you today, the Martial Emperor, Zactor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmmm.¡± The Martial Emperor nodded. He didn¡¯t seem surprised. ¡°You also knew about the Dark God, huh?¡± Then you must know this, too.¡±


    The Martial Emperor drew up his power.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders,¡± he continued, ¡°you¡¯ll never be able to beat me. We don¡¯t need to talk any further, do we?¡±


    The sky shuddered. The Martial Emperor was going to give his best from the start because he was a very careful person and never let his guard down, regardless of who his opponent was. He awakened his aura like an overlord that was about to crush his enemies; when the Martial Emperor put his mind to the fight, no one was able to beat him.


    The Martial Emperor sprang forth, smashing the air out of his way with a boom like someone had used explosion magic. Joshua grabbed a spear of lightning, simr to the lightning from before, as he watched the Martial Emperor approach.


    <em>¡®¡­Bronto,¡¯ </em>Joshua called in his thoughts.


    The primordial stone reacted, and his spear shone more brilliantly.


    The fight began with the Martial Emperor punching Joshua¡¯s spear of lightning like a cannonball. The Emperor¡¯s aura exploded as his fist shed with the tip of Joshua''s spear and the electricity spread everywhere.


    The Martial Emperor had to hold back a groan when the rebound hit him.


    Joshua thrust his spear straight ahead. One bolt of lightning soon split into a hundred rays of light, his single weapon forcing a hundred people onto the defensive¡ªit was the Magic Spear Arts Level 8: Lightning Spear, One Strike, One Hundred Punishments[1].


    ¡°Fuck¡­!¡± The Martial Emperor cursed and shielded himself with crossed arms.


    Countless bolts of lightning struck the Martial Emperor so quickly that he couldn¡¯t even follow their movement, much less fight back. As he rapidly retreated, the Martial Emperor finally realized that although he could have crushed any targets in his proximity once he¡¯d awakened his power, it was different now. The moment he allowed Joshua to approach, the Martial Emperor was going to be the one who got crushed, not Joshua.


    ¡°The spear is made from mana, but¡­ how can you be that fast with a long-ranged weapon?¡± the Martial Emperor asked. It was a question that anyone would ask. Even if Joshua swung light daggers, he would be slower than the Martial Emperor, who was fighting with bare fists. Their fight defiedmon sense in martial arts.


    ¡°The Martial Emperor, you¡¯re the worst in some ways,¡± Joshua bluntly replied.


    The Martial Emperor flinched. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°In contrast to Lucifer, you were born noble.¡±


    ¡°¡­So?¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of criticizing you for siding with the Emperor to gain power, but backstabbing the pope that raised you¡­ Only trash would do that, not a knight. On top of that, you left this crazy arena to improve the soldiers¡¯ morale?¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°You¡¯re being ridiculous.¡± The Martial Emperor shrugged and shook his head. ¡°Only the strongest prevail in this world, so why is it wrong for the strong to exploit the weak?¡±


    ¡°¡­That is why you cannot truly be strong.¡±


    ¡°Greenhorn, don¡¯t act cocky in front of me.¡± After repeatedly opening and closing his fists for a moment, the Martial Emperor smiled. ¡°I think I¡¯m at least in a better state than you. Weren¡¯t you abandoned by your own country?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Joshua asked.


    The Martial Emperor tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°You still can¡¯t see it. Can you really not see the state of your subordinates?¡±


    Joshua looked behind the Martial Emperor. The Martial Emperor followed his gaze and flinched. The five hundred knights that hadn¡¯t moved a muscle until then flinched as they met his gaze.


    ¡°Those cowards¡­¡± The Martial Emperor growled, ¡°I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re called knights.¡±


    ¡°They have already seen their lord betray before,¡± Joshua reminded him.


    The Martial Emperor narrowed his eyes at Joshua.


    ¡°Perhaps they fear that they¡¯ll also be betrayed someday. Do you think you could risk your life for that kind of lord?¡± Joshua asked.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s eyes lit up with murderous intent.


    ¡°I have to admit, you¡¯re a smooth talker,¡± he sneered.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know this, but my subordinates headed to the now-empty Reinhardt castle,¡± Joshua told him.


    ¡°¡­What?!¡± the Martial Emperor gasped.


    ¡°Our colleagues are still held as prisoners in that ce, but they were as good as dead if you were still in the castle. Still, they ran to the castle without hesitation when I ordered them to. That¡¯s called ¡®trust¡¯.¡± Joshua pointed his spear at the Martial Emperor. ¡°There¡¯s no future for a leader who¡¯s lost his people¡¯s trust.¡±


    1. It¡¯s named after the four-character Korean idiom. ?

 Chapter 358

    Chapter 358


    While the owner of Castle Reinhardt was gone, dozens of Wilhelm Knights poured into the castle.


    ¡°Where are other Wilhelm Knights?¡± Kingaitu asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably at the dungeon,¡± Atoba reported.


    ¡°Go immediately.¡± Kingaitu ordered.


    Atoba quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    They always moved like this: Kingaitu, themander, came up with a general n, and Atoba, who was practically his aide, figured out the details.


    ¡°You¡¯ve all heard what group you¡¯re assigned to, right? Ten people in each group. Three groups will stay by the gate to engage possible enemies while the remaining three groups will enter the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights moved without hesitation. There was basically no hierarchy among Willhelm Knights since every Willhelm Knight was equal aside from Kingaitu, themander. Atoba quickly led the knights to the dungeon, but they stopped dead in their tracks as soon as they were there.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    The first thing the knights noticed was the reek. It smelled like they were in a gutter, not a prison. Countries normally worried about how others would react or think of them, so they treated war prisoners with respect. This was too much.


    ¡°A-Atoba¡­?¡±


    Atoba¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing a familiar voice. His head whipped around.


    ¡°Mayden!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°I-is it really you?¡± Mayden asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Hold on! I¡¯ll get you out of there¡­!¡± Atoba couldn¡¯t finish speaking when he saw the cell on his left.


    The fifty-square-meter prison cell was crowded by Mayden and dozens of other adult men. Of course, Atoba knew who those men were right away.


    ¡°¡­Those¡­ Hubalt sons of bitches¡­!¡± Atoba muttered under his breath.


    Finding their colleagues was a miracle, but some of the men weren¡¯t moving at all. They were near their ends¡ªeven the surviving knights¡¯ eyes were lifeless.


    After realizing his fellow knights¡¯ state, Atoba clenched his fists; he knew exactly what they needed.


    ¡°¡­His Majesty has returned.¡± Atoba¡¯s voice was quiet at first, but soon it quickly swelled with confidence. ¡°His Majesty¡­ Joshua Sanders, the real king of Reinhardt, has returned!¡±


    The air in the dungeon changed, and even some of the dying knights raised their heads.


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fighting for us, alone. Since the Martial Emperor isn¡¯t here¡­ that would mean His Majesty already met him.¡±


    ¡°The Martial Emperor¡­!¡±


    The knights¡¯ eyes started to shine. Atoba slowly smiled; this was definitely what they needed to hear.


    ¡°Atoba! Open this door right now.¡±


    ¡°Me too! I¡¯ll fight with His Majesty too!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is doing that for us¡­ Keugh!¡±


    When the knights stood up, Atoba realized that their conditions were worse than he had thought. Some of their wounds were rotting because they had failed to receive timely treatments, but the knights didn¡¯t care about their wounds.


    ¡°Atoba, will His Majesty be¡­alright?¡±


    Atoba¡¯s face darkened. ¡°¡­Worry about yourselves.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Who do you think His Majesty is?¡± Atoba said with a little smirk. ¡°He¡¯s not just a hero. He¡¯s the great Hero King, the man who went up against a million soldiers on his own.¡±


    The knights were utterly silent while Atoba spoke.


    ¡°He¡¯s the one and <em>only</em> king of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°His¡­ Majesty¡­!¡±


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go. I highly doubt that His Majesty is in trouble¡­¡± Atoba chuckled and cut the padlock right off the prison cell. ¡°But we can¡¯t trouble His Majesty with misceneous work, right? We should take care of small fries ourselves.¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights stood up one by one, their eyes shining with a renewed conviction.


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    * * *


    The Martial Emperor clenched his fists as hard as he could. He couldn¡¯t listen anymore. In many ways, Joshua was truly something¡ªthe Martial Emperor could feel his anger rising as he listened to Joshua talk.


    ¡°S-sir! Let us¡­!¡± the Hubalt knights btedly responded.


    ¡°Don¡¯t!¡± the Martial Emperor roared. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll take care of him myself.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but¡­¡±


    ¡°If you all step in right now, what does that make me?¡± the Martial Emperor growled.


    That was when the Hubalt knights shut their mouths. Yes, if the knights stepped into the battle between the Martial Emperor and Joshua Sanders, it was only going to prove that Joshua was right. How ridiculous would the Martial Emperor look?


    ¡°¡­If you intentionally led the situation to turn out like this, you¡¯re truly a person to be feared.¡± The Martial Emperor pulled out a set of gauntlets. They were one of the Ten Unique Artifacts and had been his main weapon for a long time.


    ¡°H-he¡¯s using Ebrichim Gauntlets¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhh!!¡±


    The Hubalt knights¡¯ spirits soared. It was hard for them to imagine that the Martial Emperor was going to lose when he had put on those gauntlets.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s bulky physique sprang toward Joshua. He lowered his upper body as much as possible, a ssical brawler¡¯s stance.


    Joshua¡¯s white lightning spear and the Martial Emperor¡¯s aura-covered silver gauntlet shed in the air. The collision between the two weapons caused an intense shockwave strong enough to wipe the area clean.


    There was a wet <em>pop!</em> like a watermelon bursting, and bloody brain fragments were scattered everywhere. They belonged to the Hubalt knights unlucky enough to be in the vicinity of the shockwave.


    ¡°Ge-get out!¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t a fight between two ordinary Superhumans! Get back!¡±


    The other knights started to flee one by one; they knew that if they stayed here, they would just get ughtered, never mind being a help to the Martial Emperor.


    ¡°How long are you just going to defend against my attacks? Or¡­ maybe you can only deflect my attacks?¡± The Martial Emperor distanced himself from Joshua and beckoned him forward provokingly. ¡°Come.¡±


    ¡°No, my attack is¡­¡±


    However, before Joshua could finish speaking, a sound from below made the Martial Emperor freeze.


    His aura-d gauntlets burst apart.


    But those gauntlets were none other than one of the Ten Unique artifacts, they were as sturdy as adamantium!


    ¡°Wh-when¡­?¡± the Martial Emperor stuttered.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t notice?¡± Joshua mocked. ¡°Not only do you have the wrong mindset, you alsockbat power.¡±


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s face reddened from humiliation.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± he screamed.


    The Martial Emperor took off the remaining gauntlet¡ªit was just a burden now. Instead, he focused on his aura, making it stronger and maximizing its density.


    The violent cracking that resulted was hard to think of as a sound that came from a human body. The Martial Emperor was using Aura Ovey, well-known as the most destructive form of reinforced aura. His tremendous energy shook the sky while his muscles bulged as if they were going to explode. Horrible sounds emerged from him as if the Martial Emperor¡¯s every bone was being twisted.


    His arm muscles faintly trembled, but they moved so slightly that one couldn¡¯t be sure if they moved unless they took a close look.


    However, Joshua held up his spear and stopped the Martial Emperor¡¯s punch without hesitation. A long chain of explosions ensued.


    Someone said that if someone overcame a certain limit, then they would be able to move faster than sound. And just like that, a loud sound resembling an exploding leather drum caught up with the strike.


    ¡°It¡¯s good,¡± the Martial Emperor remarked with a contented smile. When he covered himself with the reinforced aura, he felt as light as a feather. In addition to that, a power as strong as an active volcano was rushing through his veins. In this state, the Martial Emperor had never lost to anyone.


    ¡°Kekeke¡­¡± The Martial Emperor chuckled quietly.


    Again, he sprang toward Joshua, who still stood in the same spot as if his feet were glued down to the ground. The Martial Emperor cut through the air, throwing a punch that was as lethal as the finest sword.


    His kicks were as destructive as explosion spells, but that wasn¡¯t all. The Martial Emperor threw an incessant rain of punches and kicks at Joshua. They were no ordinary attacks. Some could never achieve the level of creating aura even if they trained for their whole lives, but the Martial Emperor mixed a significant amount of aura into every one of his attacks before heunched them, and each was aimed at Joshua¡¯s vital points.


    ¡°Kehahahaha!¡± The Martial Emperor burst into manicughter as he watched Joshua focus on deflecting his attacks.


    The Hero King, feared by everyone on the continent? Ridiculous. Right now, the Martial Emperor felt like he could pulverize the Hero King¡¯s grandfather with one strike.


    ¡°Yes, rumors are bound to be exaggerated. You talked all big, but you¡¯re nothing!¡± the Martial Emperor arrogantly shouted.


    Joshua¡¯s lightning spear hadpletely disappeared at some point; the Martial Emperor assumed that it had dissipated after taking more damage than Joshua¡¯s mana could withstand. The Martial Emperor leaped at the opportunity and immediately threw a punch at Joshua¡¯s waist as it wasid open to attack.


    But somehow, his punch was stopped in midair. A drop of sweat formed on his forehead and dripped down his cheek.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± The Martial Emperor looked down and gaped nkly.


    His silver full-te armor btedly became dented, little by little.


    Joshua raised an eyebrow. ¡°Your closebat technique is good, at least.¡±


    ¡°Good¡­ at least?¡± The Martial Emperor frowned slightly.


    ¡°The people that use spears as their main weapon should also be good at closebat, so I imitated you a bit. How was I? Do you think I have the talent?¡± Joshua sarcastically asked.


    The Martial Emperor¡¯s lip trembled as he realized that his punch had been stopped because it had collided with Joshua¡¯s punch. The Martial Emperor began to taste blood in his mouth.


    ¡°Wh¡­ en¡­?¡± He bit his lip as his vision began to blur.


    To be defeated in closebat, of all things, was incredibly humiliating to him.


    Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°No matter what you do, you can never defeat me,¡± Joshua stated.


    ¡°¡­Ha! Hahahaha!¡± The Martial Emperor was so baffled that he ended upughing.


    He felt the nervousness rising from deep in his heart and had to admit that Joshua was right. He could tell that his knights were looking at him in apletely different way. If he epted his defeat right now, the Hubalt knights would surrender immediately¡ªthey would never fight for him at the cost of their own lives. He only needed to lose once for the knights to turn their backs on him. That was how much they trusted him, just like Joshua had said.


    ¡°Shit¡­!¡± the Martial Emperor cursed.

 Chapter 359

    Chapter 359


    The world called Zactor the Martial Emperor.


    He had always been confident. However, his confidence had no special reason. It was just that he had never been defeated by anyone in his entire life. The veteran knights, the high-ranking mages that people called ¡°human weapons¡± during wars¡­ Everyone had ended up kneeling down on the ground after Zactor had thrown his punch.


    His confidence had reached the zenith after he had defeated Chrysler jean Sebastian, his biggest rival and one of the Nine Stars.


    ¡°I have the Empire under my control, so it should be the continent next,¡± Zactor had said.


    After Zactor had taken the helm of the Empire, the Hubalt Empire¡¯s next move was decided: unifying the continent. As the ¡°Holy¡± Empire, Hubalt had been crying out for peace, but it had suddenly turned into a warmongering country. Of course, Zactor had met some obstacles before starting the war because the Pope, his savior and the person whom the people called His Holiness, had opposed the idea until the end.


    * * *


    <em>¡°Give up now,¡± Zactor said. </em>


    <em>¡°Zactor, you bastard¡­!¡± The Pope scowled at him. </em>


    <em>¡°I defeated Sebastian, so I have sole authority on this matter. Wait.¡± Zactor tilted his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t seriously hoping that our Hubalt Empire meets the same end as the Avalon Empire, are you?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°We¡¯re priests who serve God, but you¡¯re going to start a bloodbath all over the continent?!¡± the Pope shouted, his voice full of spite. </em>


    <em>Zactor shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t believe in god to begin with.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Are you kidding me¡­!¡± the Pope growled. </em>


    <em>¡°We call our country the Holy Empire and all, but it¡¯s still an empire in the end. Wouldn¡¯t it be a good thing if we mark the other country with our g and spread God''s word?¡± Zactor shrugged.</em>


    <em>¡°Are you seriously hearing yourself? It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯ve taught you wrong!¡± The Pope covered his face with his hands.</em>


    <em>¡°His Holiness¡ªno, </em>Father<em>.¡± Zactor smiled faintly.</em>


    <em>¡°Shut up! I¡¯m not changing my mind. If you and the Emperor are still determined to start a war, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to stop you both,¡± the Pope dered. </em>


    <em>¡°¡­So that is your final decision.¡± Zactor nodded. ¡°Then I guess I could consider myself a bastard now.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°What¡­?¡± The Pope frowned. </em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m nning to lock you up in a prison cell myself, Father,¡± Zactor said with a smile.</em>


    <em>¡°You bastard!¡±</em>


    <em>That day, Zactor locked the Pope, his father, in the dungeon.</em>


    <em>¡°Kekehahahaha!¡± Zactorughed again and again as if he had gone mad.</em>


    * * *


    The priests that talked all big as they sat in the corner of their rooms? Zactor killed them all. The pdins that were crying out for god? Zactor executed them himself and hung their heads near the castle gate. He made Hubalt the empire of warriors, not the Holy Empire.


    On the other hand, he was having fun, although he only got rid of his father. He should have gotten rid of him sooner. Although he had be a Star, his damned peaceful life had been quite boring. Why did he care about the fact that the Pope was his father? It felt like everything in the world was going his way. Zactor thought no one could stop him now, but¡­


    <em>¡®It doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡¯</em> he thought, biting his lip.


    Zactor threw a punch as he returned his focus to the present. No, he thought he threw a punch at Joshua Sanders as the spearman was charging toward him like a lightning bolt at surreal speeds. His fist seemed to crawl to a halt mid-punch.


    <em>¡®Why am I not moving?¡¯</em> Zactor wondered. Had he be paralyzed? No, Zactor was able to follow Joshua¡¯s movement, but Zactor couldn¡¯t move as fast as Joshua.


    At this rate, he was going to be skewered by the veritable ray of light that Joshua¡¯s spear had be. Now was the time for Zactor to use his ace in the hole. He had no other choice¡ªhe was going to definitely lose otherwise. Zactor immediately drew upon his true mana. The air shook like never before, and Zactor could continue his punch straight toward Joshua.


    Zactor wasn¡¯t going to lose the initiative he regained and was promptly rewarded with a ground-shaking impact.


    ¡°You!¡±


    The shockwave from the collision between Joshua¡¯s spear and Zactor¡¯s fist was so strong that Zactor¡¯s right fist went numb. Despite everything, he closed further in on Joshua; Zactor knew he had to take some damage in order to win this battle.


    Zacto whipped his foot through a neat spinning kick that smacked against Joshua¡¯s upheld arm with a bang like a drum exploding. However, Zactor relentlessly continued his attack. Joshua¡¯s temple, philtrum, Adam¡¯s apple, tendons¡­ Zactor turned his lethally weaponized body against Joshua¡¯s vital points again and again.


    While Zactor¡¯s endless storm of attacks proceeded, Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold even as he blocked every attack.


    <em>¡®Is he using his true mana?¡¯</em> Joshua mused.


    He tightened his grip on his spear. Zactor was putting his everything into this fight, even his life. Although Zactor had a terrible ethos, Joshua still had to pay his respect to an enemy who staked everything on a fight.


    Joshua came to a decision and immediately shoved Zactor away with his spear and sprang forward.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Zactor eximed with a sneer. He couldn¡¯t believe Joshua was voluntarily entering his attack range. He had to be crazy to approach Zactor, a close-quarters fighter. Besides, Zactor was using his fists, not a sword, so he was certain that he could throw ten punches in the time it took Joshua thrust his long spear once. Even if Joshua abandoned the spear and fought hand-to-hand against him, Zactor wasn¡¯t going to lose. He¡¯d awakened his true mana and he could move incredibly fast!


    ¡­But in contrast to Zactor¡¯s analysis, the fight did not go his way. Zactor¡¯s initial n was to deflect Joshua¡¯s iing spear attack and step back a little to throw a counterpunch¡ªhowever, Joshua wasn¡¯t slower than Zactor in spite of the fact that he was using a spear. In addition, the spear wasn¡¯t his only weapon.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡± Zactor groaned in pain after he took a straight punch to his right breast.


    At some point, Joshua¡¯s spear had disappeared and Joshua had turned to his fists. Yet, whenever Zactor tried to respond to Joshua¡¯s punches, Joshua was using that damned spear again. Joshua¡¯s fighting techniques made it impossible for Zactor to pull himself together. Joshua was truly worthy of the name of Martial God.


    ¡°Ah, fuck!¡± Zactor cursed. He brought his arms close up against his chest, focusing all his mana into his fists. Helplessly letting his opponent strike him wasn¡¯t his style, so he was going to use the ultimate technique that had made him the Martial Emperor: it was Infinite Rainshower, the fist technique that was about striking all the human vital points in a sh with countless punches.


    A totally different kind of explosion split the air. Just like the technique¡¯s name, Zactor poured out his aura, seemingly without limits. A bundle of beautiful aura rays was fired off in a focused st.


    Joshua silently tracked the movement of all the aura rays that were flying toward him, and slowly held up his spear.


    Just like before, Joshua lightly swung his spear. It may have looked like he only moved once, but Zactor could sense that Joshua had performed hundreds of movements in a single second, leaving behind a flurry of afterimages of his spear in the air.


    Joshua used Magic Spear Arts, Level 8: High-Speed Spear, thrusting his spear like a storm. He brought down every single aura ray flying toward him, even though there were at least hundreds of them.


    That wasn¡¯t all. Using the momentum, Joshua pushed Zactor back over ten meters.


    ¡°Keugh!¡± Zactor was hit in the lower abdomen, where his mana hall was, and went flying.


    The gigantic man copsed in the center of the colosseum.


    ¡°¡­<em>Agh!</em>¡± Zactor trembled for a moment and then coughed up blood, but the blood was ck, indicating that his internal injuries were quite serious. However, he didn¡¯t give up. He forced himself to stand up in spite of his wobbling legs. ¡°<em>Huff</em>¡­ <em>Huff</em>¡­¡±


    He copsed again.


    After copsing and standing dozens of times¡­


    ¡° Wh¡­ y¡­¡± Zactor choked out.


    Then he fainted.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    The citizens of the Hubalt Empire watching the fight were rendered speechless. They were utterly shocked by the sight.


    Although they clearly outnumbered Joshua, the citizens lost their will to fightpletely¡ªthere was no way they could defeat such a monster. They had seen the fight with their own eyes, but they still couldn¡¯t believe it. The Martial Emperor Zactor had been their idol forever and the greatest Absolute in the Hubalt Empire¡ªno, in the continent, but¡­


    ¡°You all are the same,¡± Joshua said.


    The Hubalt knights flinched, realizing that the monster was looking at them.


    Joshua was the man who had gone up against a million soldiers and now defeated the knights¡¯ idol. He was the Hero King¡ªno, the Martial God, Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all ashamed of yourselves?¡± Joshua chided. ¡°There are so many of you, but you immediately tuck your tails between your legs after your master loses.¡±


    Some knights clenched their fists from the stinging wound to their pride, but they still couldn¡¯t bring themselves to attack Joshua. They knew that they had no chance of winning against Joshua Sanders, but they still felt bad deep in their hearts.


    ¡°You all knew that it was wrong,¡± Joshua used them. ¡°You should have stopped your master using any means necessary, even if it cost you your lives. A knight that feels scared of their master when they should have trusted and relied on their master? Isn¡¯t that too pitiful?¡±


    They were well aware of their fear. Their master had backstabbed his father without hesitation, so the knights didn¡¯t need to wonder what their master was going to do with his subordinates. Who would be able to trust and rely on such a master?


    ¡°The Martial Emperor¡­ really lost?¡± a Hubalt knight mumbled.


    Everyone was brought back to reality as the silence was broken.


    The word ¡°lost¡± left a deep impression on them.


    The knight dropped his sword. Today, the Second Sky of the continent had been utterly defeated before all the Hubalt knights.

 Chapter 360

    Chapter 360


    Knights poured into the street leading to the Reinhardt colosseum from all directions. It seemed they¡¯d noticed that something was up. This was the situation Kingaitu had been worried about: the knights who had been guarding the border and the castle gates wereing here.


    ¡°Stop them! Hold them off with your lives!¡±


    The mor of shing metal filled the air. Unlike the usual days, the street was empty¡ªexcept for hundreds of Hubalt knights blocking the street.


    ¡°We¡¯ll depart immediately!¡± Kingaitu shouted. ¡°Seriously wounded to the back! Groups one and two in the front! This is our front yard! You shouldn¡¯t feel nervous like you do on a foreign battlefield!¡±


    ¡°Now they¡¯re just invaders!¡± a Hubalt knight yelled; it seemed he was the leader of the Hubalt knights.


    ¡°y everyone who stands in our way!¡± Kingaitu ordered.


    ¡°Kill everyone who dares to attack us!¡± the Hubalt knights¡¯ leader roared.


    Kingaitu turned and locked eyes with his opponent and his eyes turned cold.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡±


    In contrast to Kingaitu, the Hubalt knights¡¯ leader was standing at the rear of his troops. Kingaitu knew his name. He was Chase, a man with whom Kingaitu had a sickeningly long and bad history.


    Kingaitu truly hated that kind ofmander who only knew how to yell ¡°March!¡±, instead of telling their subordinates to ¡°Follow me!¡± They were trash that considered their subordinates dispensable tools and prioritized their own safety. How many of Kingaitu¡¯s colleagues had suffered indescribably horrible humiliation because of Chase?


    Kingaitu came to a decision.


    ¡°¡­Atoba.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Atoba asked.


    ¡°Take charge for a moment.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡ª?¡±


    Atoba couldn¡¯t finish asking the question because Kingaitu darted straight toward the rearmost part of the enemy formation.


    ¡°Oh, no!¡±


    ¡°Arggghh! My arm!¡±


    Kingaitu punched right through at least three hundred knights and didn¡¯t even stop to breathe. Just like he had ordered the rest of the Wilhelm Knights, he killed every enemy in his way. Hearing the horrible sound of human flesh being shredded, Atoba clenched his fists. He knew sympathy wasn¡¯t going to do any good now. On top of that, Kingaitu was ying the people who had been enving the Willhelm Knights, so Atoba had no reason to hesitate.


    ¡°Let¡¯s help ourmander!¡± Atoba roared, mana amplifying his voice.


    ¡°Woaaahhhh!!!¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights began to fight harder, ready to put an end to the fight.


    * * *


    After about thirty minutes, Kingaitu was panting hard.


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff, huff¡­</em>¡±


    Chase was kneeling before Kingaitu with his chest cut wide open, deep enough to reveal his red muscle to the air.


    ¡°¡­Why did you do it?¡± Kingaitu quietly asked once he¡¯d caught his breath.


    ¡°<em>Cough!</em> Hehehe¡­¡± Chase chuckled. ¡°This is pathetic. I got humiliated by you ssless pieces of trash.¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Chase asked.


    ¡°Since the man in charge has changed, I understand how you people from Hubalt started the war in spite of the fact that you were all crying out for peace. However, no country, no matter how heinous their war crimes, has ever mistreated civilians like <em>this</em>.¡±


    He was talking about what had happened in the colosseum. Hubalt citizens had tossed the helpless elderly, children, and women into cages of beasts, purely for their own pleasure.


    ¡°I was wondering what the hell you were talking about. Hehehe¡­¡± Chase coughed up blood, but it didn¡¯t stop him from chuckling slyly. ¡°Did anyone make aw about that?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kingaitu frowned.


    ¡°Did someone, somewhere make aw that says we shouldn¡¯t harm civilians?¡± Chase repeated.


    Kingaitu and the other Wilhelm Knights stared at him disbelievingly.


    ¡°What the fu¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey! That¡¯s a given! That¡¯s an unwrittenw of war between countries! ¡±


    ¡°Your Pope repeatedly emphasized that! There are lines people should not cross!¡±


    Chase shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s stop talking about that dead old man.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?!¡±


    What was he talking about? The Pope was dead?


    ¡°Are you shocked? Hehehe, my master¡­ the Martial Emperor did it. Isn¡¯t he cruel? The Pope¡­ was his father. That is life, and this is reality. Another little example¡­ a son asks his parents to die, so why is it wrong to take away what strangers have?¡± Chase asked, amused.


    ¡°You¡­ are truly beyond redemption, scum.¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t say anything¡­ Even if you get backstabbed after crying out for peace, the one who got backstabbed is an idiot. Since you¡¯ve all been through that yourselves¡­ you know understand this, don¡¯t you?¡± Chase smirked at the knights.


    ¡°You son of a bitch¡ª!¡± A Willhelm Knight became so angry that he drew his sword.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Kingaitu ordered.


    ¡°Butmander!¡± the Wilhelm Knight angrily shouted.


    Chase brazenly pressed on, despite the death res the Wilhelm Knights were giving him.


    ¡°If you feel like it¡¯s unfair, then you should be stronger. The Neutral City¡­ <em>Cough</em>. Reinhardt? You vermin¡­ are proud of that title, but you¡¯re all really pathetic. In reality, you just tiptoe around other countries and get dragged around by them because you are weak¡­ but you all console yourselves, iming that you¡¯re the protectors of peace.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ you and the Pope are ultimately the same. You go through the same process and reach the same end.¡±


    Although he was a citizen of the Hubalt Empire, Chased showed zero respect for the Pope.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. Joshua Sanders, your so-called king, will be crushed by the Martial Emperor soon enough¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen.¡± Kingaitu finally interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s going to win, even if the rest of Nine Stars came to attack him together.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hehehe, you¡¯re really arrogant, just like yourmander.¡±


    Chase¡¯s voice weakened with each word. His chest wound was slowly sapping his life away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see how your absurd dream shatters from hell¡­¡±


    ¡°Farewell.¡± Kingaitu took hold of his sword without hesitation.


    The unsettling sound of human flesh being cut echoed down the silent street. Chase trembled violently for a moment, and then his head fell.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll leave a skeleton crew of knights here and head straight to the colosseum,¡± Kingaitu instructed.


    ¡°We¡¯re¡­?¡± Atoba trailed off.


    ¡°We¡¯ll aid His Majesty.¡± Kingaitu stood up, looking away from Chase¡¯s corpse.


    That was when Kingaitu noticed the piles of corpses in the street. Of course, most of the corpses belonged to Hubalt¡¯s knights.


    ¡°Many of our men are quite injured too,¡± Atoba anxiously said. ¡°It might be better to do first aid on the wounded before we depart¡­¡±


    ¡°Even as we speak, His Majesty is fighting for us. Are you just going to receive his help again?¡± Kingaitu interrupted.


    Atoba shut his mouth immediately. It wasn¡¯t just him¡ªKingaitu¡¯sst remark had erased every bit of nervousness from the Wilhelm Knights.


    Someone else suddenly joined their conversation.


    ¡°No need,¡± the new voice said, breaking the silence in the street. ¡°he would have sorted out the situation by now.¡±


    Kingaitu went on high alert.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Kingaitu asked.


    He and the other Wilhelm Knights turned to look. They hadn¡¯t felt any other presence beside themselves since they¡¯d annihted their enemies. However, they couldn¡¯t identify this new voice.


    Kingaitu¡¯s breath caught in his throat when heid eyes on the shadow of a person standing in the far corner of the street.


    <em>¡®This person is strong, more powerful than me at least ¡­!¡¯</em>


    Kingaitu¡¯s eyes slowly widened as the figure slowly ambled forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­!¡±


    He had met their new guest before.


    * * *


    Joshua stood in the center of the colosseum and silently looked down at the Martial Emperor, Zactor. The continent called Zactor the Second Sky, but now he was lying on the ground. The inside of the colosseum was so quiet that they could hear a pin drop.


    The remaining Hubalt knights were utterly confused¡ªthey had no idea as to what they should do next. However, helping hands showed up: a woman and a man.


    ¡°Are you not sure what to do now?¡± Lilith, the woman, asked.


    The knights¡¯ heads snapped to the colosseum entrance, but Joshua remained quiet and calm as if he already knew Lilith was there.


    ¡°I¡¯m genuinely surprised that you even defeated the Martial Emperor¡­¡± Lilith trailed off.


    ¡°You were in Reinhardt?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I arrived here a lot earlier than you,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I had someone I had to meet.¡±


    Joshua tilted his head, silently asking her who it was.


    ¡°Do you want to know?¡± Lilith smiled, revealing her white teeth. ¡°It¡¯s you. I knew you were going toe here¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s save chitchatting forter,¡± Joshua coldly responded.


    Lilith pouted.


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re not curious, they¡¯lle here soon enough. Anyhow, you¡¯re also wondering where you should go next?¡± Lilith¡¯s lips stretched in a deep smile. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the answer: go back to Avalon, your country.


    ¡°You have unfinished business,¡± Lilith continued without waiting for Joshua¡¯s answer. ¡°Like session to the throne, your family¡­ Don¡¯t worry. The Swallow Empire¡¯s citizens will take care of their problems themselves. Since most of the soldiers were forced to follow Grand Duke Lucifer. Besides, we also have the right person to clean up the aftermath.


    ¡°And, of course, you have fewer reasons to worry about Hubalt since I¡¯m here,¡± she confidently dered. ¡°It might be possible now to end the war just like everyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do you think I want this war to end?¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Lilith nkly asked.


    ¡°I defeated the two strongest men from the two empires that imed to hold hegemony over the continent. Even the most unambitious man would start to have some dreams at this point,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Wh-what are you¡­¡± Lilith, the Silver-eyed Ghost Sword, couldn¡¯t hide how shocked she was right now; she hadn¡¯t expected Joshua¡¯s response at all.


    Joshua took a step forward, making Lilith flinch.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it, Joshua.¡± Christian, the man standing beside Lilith, quickly stood between Joshua and Lilith.


    However, Joshua kept advancing.


    ¡°Yo-you¡­¡± Lilith stuttered nervously. She felt like she¡¯d been hit in the back of her head with a hammer. Yes, Joshua had the ability and a justifiable cause, so why wouldn¡¯t he have such a dream?


    Joshua came to a halt five steps away from Lilith.


    ¡°Unifying the continent¡­¡± she nkly mumbled.


    ¡°Cut it out, now.¡±


    Lilith and Christian¡¯s eyes widened as a ball of me streaked past their eyes out of nowhere.

 Chapter 361

    Chapter 361


    The air filled with the tter of over a hundred Wilhelm Knights drawing their razor-sharp swords, pointing the gleaming des in the same direction with murderous intent.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Kingaitu growled, having just arrived in the colosseum.


    ¡°¡­Are you pointing swords at my back?¡± The mysterious fireball-throwing man narrowed his eyes. ¡°It seems you all want to die.¡±


    ¡°I want to ask you the same thing. How dare you ambush our king?! Do you want to die?¡± Kingaitu threatened.


    ¡°¡­By you?¡± The mysterious man chuckled. Despite the forest of swords pointed at him, he was quite rxed; he seemed certain that he could still win even if all the knights attacked him together.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Kingaitu shouted. He raised his sword without hesitation, fully intending to cut the man in two.


    ¡°Stop.¡± Joshua raised his hand.


    Kingaitu came to a halt. ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the guest I¡¯ve been waiting for,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Wh-what are you talking about¡­?¡± Kingaitu asked, perplexed.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while,¡± Joshua said to the man. He was even smiling slightly. Joshua bowed slightly and then took a step backward from the man.


    Joshua¡¯s guest had short red hair. His beard and hair had been neatly trimmed, revealing his fiery eyes. Even in Lilith''s eyes, the man didn¡¯t look like the beggar she had just met, but Joshua instantly recognized him.


    ¡°The King of Thran,¡± Joshua noted.


    bis looked away. ¡°My country doesn¡¯t exist anymore, so I¡¯m not a king¡­¡±


    ¡°A king of a ruined country is still a king.¡±


    bis frowned slightly. Joshua hadn¡¯t hesitated to use the phrase ¡°ruined country¡± at all.


    ¡°Are you trying to pick a fight with me?¡± bis asked.


    ¡°Maybe I am.¡± Joshua shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m such a petty man that I don¡¯t like what I¡¯m looking at.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°All this time, you¡¯ve been running away as if you don¡¯t have anything to do with any of this¡ªbut you show up after everything has been sorted and take out your anger on someone else?¡± Joshua bluntly answered. bis¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°What have you done until now? Escape from the Empire and hide like a coward?¡±


    The air around bis clenched.


    ¡°¡­Do not mock me any further.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous,¡± Joshua smirked at bis. ¡°Did I hurt your pride?¡±


    ¡°You!¡± bis growled. ¡°Are you seriously¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Everyone else in the world can worry about getting their pride hurt, but you¡¯re the one person who shouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    bis¡¯s fists trembled faintly.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already know what was going around here?¡±


    bis was silent.


    ¡°Men are enved, and women are used as maids. Children don¡¯t know anything, but they¡¯re being thrown into the beasts¡¯ cages to satisfy those disgusting desires. I¡¯m only listing what I¡¯ve witnessed so far; I¡¯m not sure how many more people have been suffering¡ªno, are suffering right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± bis interrupted.


    ¡°That is the fate of a defeated nation¡¯s citizens.¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°That is why a country¡¯s one and only leader is very important: because citizens share the same fate as their country, good or bad. bis¡ªno, King of Thran, you shouldn¡¯t worry about your pride getting hurt, not if you¡¯ve ever stopped to think about your people. They believe that you¡¯ll someday save them from the suffering they¡¯ve endured over thest three years.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but the Swallow Empire was the one who attacked first,¡± Lilith interjected. ¡°They¡¯re the bad ones! What happened to the Thran Kingdom was inevitable, not because bis failed as a leader. Despite everything, he tried his best to fight back¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not pointing fingers here. I¡¯m only talking about how he acted after the fall of his country. Try his best? Do you sleep better at night if you console yourself like that, bis?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Lilith mumbled, unable to continue any further. Even she had been furious when she had reunited with bis, although it had turned out that he had been formting a n in secret¡­


    <em>¡®In the meantime, Thran¡¯s citizens are still going to suffer from all the damages¡­¡¯ </em>Lilith thought, smiling bitterly.


    On the other hand, Joshua was confusing her. At first, he had acted like a person who was going to unify the continent right away, so why was he acting like this now?


    <em>¡®I thought I knew him a little by now¡­¡¯ </em>Lilith thought intively.


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite,¡± Joshua called, bringing her back to reality.


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡± Lilith replied, surprised.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the n?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°P-n? What¡­?¡± Lilith stuttered.


    ¡°A country without a leader is doomed to fall. In fact, you don¡¯t have to search hard for an example. Think about Avalon, my country.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°Y-you mean¡­!¡±


    ¡°If there are only people of simr skill within a country, a civil war will break out even before the country has healedpletely from the war. Inevitably, there are people who want the throne for themselves. The next leader has to get rid of the two Absolutes¡¯ traces from the empires while also fending off those hyenas that have been waiting for the opportunity to strike. Are there people who are skilled enough and with the right mindsets in the two empires right now?¡±


    Lilith wasn¡¯t an idiot, so she understood Joshua right away. Her face brightened up immediately.


    ¡°Of course! Don¡¯t worry about the Hubalt Empire. Although His Holiness passed away¡­ there is a perfect sessor.¡±


    Christian was quick-witted enough to understand what was going on and came forward.


    ¡°The Martial Emperor was our biggest problem, but he¡¯s gone now,¡± Christian said. ¡°So my teacher and I will be able to take care of the remnants.¡±


    ¡°Your tea-teacher?¡± Kingaitu dumbly repeated, still awkwardly holding his sword. From what he knew, Christian, one of the Twelve Superhumans, had only one teacher. ¡°Is¡­ the Knight of God still alive?¡±


    Christian nodded. ¡°Yes, but he still needs to recuperate.¡±


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡± Kingaitu gasped.


    ¡°Still, his condition won¡¯t matter much. The fact that my teacher is alive alone will be enough to keep them in check, and I¡¯ll take care of most of the remnants. Of course...¡± Christian nced cautiously at Joshua for a moment. ¡°...it¡¯ll be a lot easier to get things done with Sir Cain or Akshuller¡¯s help¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Christian!¡± Lilith screamed.


    Christian looked away. ¡°I¡¯m just saying¡­¡±


    Lilith scowled at Christian, her eyes boring angry holes into him. Eventually, she nced at Joshua to see if he was angry. Christian made her feel ashamed as they had already received a lot of help from Joshua. Besides, Cain and Akshukller were practically Joshua¡¯s people.


    Joshua, however, nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll request help from the Magic Tower too,¡± he said.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Lilith tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°We¡¯re short of hands,¡± Joshua concisely stated.


    Lilith¡¯s hands trembled¡ªthat could only mean one thing.


    ¡°Are yo-you really okay with that?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Joshua readily answered.


    ¡°Th-thank you. I really don¡¯t know how I should repay this favor¡­¡±


    Joshua nced at someone else. ¡°How about you?¡±


    Lilith tensed up without finishing her expression of gratitude as she realized that there was one more issue they needed to take care of.


    ¡°¡­It may sound like an excuse, but I¡¯ve raised an army,¡± bis answered. ¡°So if you¡¯ll entrust me with the matter, I¡¯ll try persuading other countries in the Kingdom Alliance.¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not asking about that. What¡¯s your decision?¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes widened with realization.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try my best¡ªno, I¡¯ll get it done.¡±


    That was when Joshua smiled faintly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll look forward to it.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I can ask this¡­¡± Lilith hesitated.


    Joshua gave her a bemused look.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m the leader of an information guild, right? And I¡¯m someone who really has to get an answer to my question, so if¡­ it¡¯s not too much¡­¡±


    Lilith beat around the bush, but Joshua simply said, ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±


    With Joshua¡¯s permission, Lilith loosened up.


    ¡°Earlier,¡± she continued, ¡°you mentioned that unifying the continent won¡¯t be impossible for you¡­¡±


    ¡°Li-Lilith!¡± Christian hastily yelled, worried that Lilith would make Joshua have a change of heart.


    It turned out he was worried over nothing.


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of unifying the continent?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Lilith tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Even the existing countries on the continent are hellbent on conquering each other. These people were born different from one another; will the people of the continent be happy if I force them to gather in one ce?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes widened.


    Indeed, Joshua¡¯s mindset was entirely different from most people with power. Instead of fulfilling his greed, he prioritized what people needed. If such a person became the ruler of a country¡­


    ¡°¡­I truly envy your people,¡± Lilith said with a smile.


    The Wilhelm Knights held their heads up high. Such a man was the king of Reinhardt and their master for life.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Joshua said, changing the topic, ¡°there are more important matters than unifying the continent right now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Lilith was baffled. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can leave this matter to you, right?¡± Joshua asked.


    Lilith smiled, lighting up her face like a beautiful flower blooming. ¡°Leave it to me. I¡¯ll get it done.¡±


    She turned. The Moon Gate¡¯s people were emerging from underground and entering the colosseum.


    ¡°Arrest those rebels right now,¡± she coldly ordered.


    The Moon Gate¡¯s members saluted. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Hubalt¡¯s knights had already lost the will to fight and didn¡¯t resist.


    Meanwhile, Joshua exited the unsettled colosseum.


    ¡°¡­I envy you for having such a superior officer¡­¡± bis quietly said as he watched Joshua leave.


    ¡°He¡¯s our king.¡± Kingaitu beamed as he lowered his sword. The other Wilhelm Knights quickly followed.


    ¡°What are you going to do from now on?¡± bis asked. ¡°Since you reimed Reinhardt, you¡¯ll need to restore the city, but it¡¯ll take time.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Kingaitu shook his head unhesitatingly. ¡°We have a more urgent matter to take care of.¡±


    ¡°¡­A more urgent matter?¡± bis tilted his head in confusion.


    Kingaitu clenched his fists tightly. ¡°This time, we¡¯re going to help His Majesty this time. Even if his next destination is hell, we¡¯ll follow him.¡±


    His eyes were fixed on Joshua; his gaze seemed to say that he was never going to let Joshua go again.

 Chapter 362

    Chapter 362


    Just as expected from the Silver-eyed Ghost Sword and the Knight of Red me, Lilith and bis picked up the pieces perfectly once they¡¯d returned to their respective countries. When the unbelievable news of the Hubalt and Swallow Empires¡¯ defeat was delivered to each empire, they became unsettled, but in their own ways, Lilith and bis brought peace to their countries splendidly.


    ¡°The war is over.¡±


    The Hubalt Empire¡¯s nobles stared wide-eyed at the woman who had just entered the pce.


    ¡°Lady Li-Lilith¡­!¡±


    It was Lilith Aphrodite. This beautiful silver-haired woman was the deceased cardinal¡¯s only daughter. No one had been sure if she was alive or dead. Even the prideful nobles couldn¡¯t take her lightly due to her social ss and skills, but¡­ the Emperor and the nobles on his side currently held power in the Hubalt Empire


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know the rebels would voluntarily walk into this ce,¡± Carlsberg, the current emperor of Hubalt, coldly mused atop his throne. ¡°Knights, what are you doing? Arrest the criminal!¡±


    Despite the Emperor¡¯s order, no one responded. It wasn¡¯t just the nobles who were unresponsive.


    ¡°Can you not hear me?!¡± Emperor Carlsberg shouted again. He sprang up from his seat.


    At that moment, Lilith took another step forward.


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless, so why don¡¯t you stop, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Carlsberg asked.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense¡ª¡± Carlsberg stopped mid-sentence as he noticed something else. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Instead of Lilith, who was coldly facing down Carlsberg, everyone in the council chamber was looking at the big, half-opened entrance behind her.


    ¡°Come in,¡± Lilith said, signaling hundreds of knights in white full-te armor to pour into the chamber. Carlsberg and the nobles knew who those knights were better than anyone else.


    ¡°Pa-pdins?¡±


    ¡°How are they here¡­?¡±


    ¡°The surviving pdins were banished to the outskirts of the capital¡­¡±


    In contrast to the nobles who couldn¡¯t hide their bafflement, Carlsberg flew into a rage.


    ¡°What were the knights doing when these many people were entering the pce?!¡± he roared.


    ¡°That is why I told you it¡¯s meaningless,¡± Lilith said.


    Carlsberg¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°Yo-you¡¯re¡­!¡±


    The three men that just entered the council chamber were enough to make even Carlsberg petrified. Distrust, shock, despair¡­ Various expressions shed across Carlsberg¡¯s face.


    Carlsberg instantly understood the situation as soon as he saw the man in a robe standing on the left of the three men. He was quite handsome, and his light green hair entuated his looks. However, that made the fact that he had only one eye stand out even more¡ªyet it made the man look more mythical. There was no one else on the continent with such a unique appearance.


    ¡°I received a request.¡± Theta, currently the one and only ss 8 Archmage, shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to dethrone you by force if you¡¯re going to continue, Emperor Carlsberg,¡± Christian, the man standing next to Theta, growled.


    Although Christian openly mentioned dethronement, the people in the chamber still couldn¡¯t say anything¡ªthest man¡¯s presence utterly paralyzed them. The man had a deep eye-catching sword scar across his face. Maybe even the divine power wasn¡¯t enough to heal the wound.


    When he took another step forward, the nobles flinched. Carlsberg was trembling as if he were going through a seizure.


    ¡°Chrysler¡­¡± the Emperor nkly murmured, ¡°you were alive?¡±


    The Knight of God¡¯s beautiful face was long gone. Chrysler looked around the council chamber with freezing cold eyes.


    ¡°¡­I repeat,¡± he said. ¡°This sick war is going to end today, Carlsberg.¡±


    * * *


    While Lilith chose to use force to reim the empire, bis decided to persuade the people of the Swallow Empire¡ªhe was going to bring more trouble in the end if he resorted to force. Technically, bis was a citizen of the fallen Thran Kingdom, not a citizen of the Empire. Although the kingdom was merged into the Empire, the Empire''s citizens discriminated against and alienated the people from Thran. Over time, their discrimination worsened, making the kingdom''s citizens'' lives even more grueling.


    It was already a chaotic age, and bis had no justifiable cause to meddle in the Empire''s affairs. Besides, he knew very well that he could gain nothing if he used force in a situation like this, so¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised, bis. I didn¡¯t know you would visit me yourself¡­¡± a nobledy murmured with genuine surprise. It was clear that she held a very high social status.


    ¡°Actually, I¡¯m more surprised. I requested a private meeting with you, but I never thought you would agree, Lady Cerona.¡± bis quietly chuckled.


    Cerona bel Grace, the First Princess of the Swallow Empire and Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s wife, smiled. ¡°As you already know, the current state of affairs isn¡¯t good.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± bis trailed off.


    ¡°We need all the help we can get. Besides, you¡¯re one of us now, so I have no reason to reject a private meeting with you,¡± Cerona elegantly said.


    When Cerona said ¡°one of us,¡± bis smiled bitterly. He noticed how clearly she drew a line on the matter regarding the Thran Kingdom¡¯s independence.


    ¡°I see no need to waste time, so let¡¯s cut to the chase, shall we?¡± Cerona straightened her back. ¡°You¡¯ve been hunted for years, but you came to visit me in spite of the risks. Therefore, I assume you have a good reason, so tell me. I¡¯m ready to listen to any advice or suggestions.¡±


    bis knew that Cerona was definitely not an easy opponent. He quietly sighed.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here to give you advice or suggestions, Lady Cerona.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Cerona tilted her head slightly in confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to make a proposal,¡± bis dered.


    Cerona froze with her teacup halfway to her lips.


    ¡°Did you say¡­ a proposal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Your Highness,¡± bis said, intentionally using Cerona¡¯s previous title.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Cerona narrowed her eyes slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to aid you in any way I can so that the imperial family¡¯s power will be restored¡ªand you¡¯ll be the first woman to rule an empire in history.¡±


    Cerona¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly regained herposure.


    ¡°¡­Are you proposing a deal?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± bis asked back, confused.


    ¡°In return, you want the independence of Thran, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Finally realizing what she meant, bis shook his head.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± he replied. ¡°I have zero intention of aggravating the current state of affairs.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Cerona no longer had the slightest clue as to bis¡¯s motivations.


    bis shrugged. ¡°I just wish for someone with strong leadership to put an end to this war so that no one has to suffer like my people did.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that true?¡± Cerona cautiously asked.


    ¡°Of course, if I can be a little more greedy¡­¡± bis trailed off for a moment. ¡°...I want no one else to suffer in thisnd just because they¡¯re from Thran.¡±


    Cerona silently looked into bis¡¯s fiery eyes, thoughtful.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dly ept your kindness, Sir bis,¡± she said after some time.


    ¡°That means¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, actually I should be the one who asks for such a favor.¡± Cerona quietly stood up from her seat and¡­ suddenly bowed to bis. ¡°Please help me.¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Please, this is too much,¡± he protested. ¡°Don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not a deal when only one side gains something. I¡¯m not sure I can call this returning the favor, but I can tell you that the title of Prince will still exist in this Empire. If the countrypletely stabilizes, I promise you Thran¡¯s autonomy.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡± Cerona¡¯s remark was enough to break bis¡¯ poker face. ¡°Are you saying¡­ you¡¯ll choose one country, two system policy?¡±


    Cerona readily nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    Just like a female ruler, there was no precedent of an empire choosing to have two systems of government.


    * * *


    On the other hand, Joshua¡¯s group and the Wilhelm Knights were moving quickly¡­


    ¡°Your Majesty, the Swallow and Hubalt Empires made a joint statement just now,¡± Kingaitu reported.


    Joshua remained silent, but Kingaitu was unbothered; he knew Joshua¡¯s personality better than anyone.


    ¡°One, the empires dere that the war is over and that they will try their best to restore the damages caused by the war. Second, the empires will not invade any other countries for the next fifty years. If the empires vite this, they will provide marypensation a hundred times the amount of the financial damage. And third¡­¡± Kingaitu nced at Joshua for a moment before continuing. ¡°The empires will <em>permanently</em> give up on the region currently called Erhaim, previously known as Reinhardt.¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights had been quietly listening in to Kingaitu¡¯s report. Their eyes opened wide with surprise.


    ¡°Reinhardt belongs solely to Joshua Sanders, the great hero who ended the Continental War. The empires will not ept anyone else ruling over Reinhardt apart from the sessor that Joshua chooses. This will remain the same if the Masters¡¯ Battles resume in the far future. Unlike before, the king of Reinhardt will never change¡­¡±


    Thest part was basically the empires¡¯ vows. They trusted and respected Joshua unconditionally.


    ¡°¡­There are other detailed provisions, but these three points are the main points of the statement. So the only thing left is¡­¡± Kingaitu trailed off, looking up ahead.


    It was still far away, but they could clearly see the pce of the Avalon Empire, one of the three empires.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Kingaitu energetically answered. His face looked brighter than it had at any moment in the past three years.

 Chapter 363

    Chapter 363


    There were only three countries in the continent that used the term ¡°imperial¡± pce rather than ¡°royal¡± pce. Among those three countries, the Avalon Empire had been an empire for the longest time, but Avalon was currently like the calm before the storm.


    ¡°After his grand victories in the battles against the Swallow and Hubalt Empires, Joshua Sanders will soon arrive at the capital,¡± the military advisor, Zegar, reported.


    However, the council chamber was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. Unbelievable news of a series of victories had arrived, and every victory was jaw-droppingly great. Everyone should, therefore, be happier than before, so why were they feeling worried?


    ¡°¡­He defeated the Crimson Sky and Martial Emperor?¡± First Prince Kiser asked.


    Zegar quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I think I received the report about his victory more than a month ago¡­ but why did he only arrive today?¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°ording to a rumor, he didn¡¯t use any warp gates on his way back to the Avalon Empire,¡± Zegar answered.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we notify him that Avalon will pay for all the expenses?¡± In an uncharacteristic disy of emotion, Kiser let an unpleasant expression creep onto his face. ¡°He has an easy way back home, but he¡¯s willing to detour¡­ Is he nning something?¡±


    Zegar tilted his head. ¡°By nning, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I heard the viges that he passed by ran out of palm fronds,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Zegar gasped softly as he finally realized what Kiser meant.


    Right now, Joshua was crossing the Empire on a path directly to the capital. Naturally, the citizens weed Joshua with the utmost hospitality, holding as many palm fronds as they could fit in their hands.


    ¡°Palm fronds symbolize victory and conquest. I understand why the citizens are acting so, but I heard that some praised Joshua as a Martial God.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, I admit his achievement is great, but a god? No¡­¡±


    Like a rebound, people be jealous when someone bes more sessful than them. On top of that, there was only one man known as a god in the wide empire, and of course, the god was as powerful as the emperor.


    ¡°A tiger gives birth to a tiger, huh¡­¡±


    ¡°Just like you said, Joshua Sanders became too influential; it¡¯s difficult for anyone in this chamber to take him lightly.¡±


    ¡°When was he not influential? You know, he¡¯s the youngest Master¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for us toe up with a solution, not chitchat. Everyone knows that Joshua Sanders is the descendant of the Kunir Kingdom, right?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s more famous than ever, so if he, the descendant of a rebel, decides to betray us¡­¡±


    The murmuring among the nobles became louder.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Kiser yelled, silencing the nobles at once. Then he slowly shook his head. ¡°No matter what anyone says, his achievement is surely great. Who else could achieve such a great victory against the current Swallow and Hubalt Empires?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    Kiser¡¯s remark made the council chamber quiet again.


    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for him, the Empire would have perished in the disastrous war, so the citizens will riot all over the Empire if we be blinded by jealousy and banish him from the Empire under a pathetic pretext.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I quite agree with your opinion.¡±


    The nobles in the council chamber sided with Kiser one after another. At least at that moment, their factions didn¡¯t matter. They were united, if only perhaps because they now had amon enemy named Joshua.


    ¡°I learned to make sure to reward or punish those who deserve it during the age of chaos,¡± Kiser said, ¡°so I would like to hear your opinions on what kind of reward we should bestow him.¡±


    ¡°How about we don¡¯t call him a rebel anymore?¡± a noble immediately suggested. It seemed he¡¯d thought of this already. ¡°And restore his title as a count.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t we already move on from that? Besides, all the citizens think of him as a hero that saved the Empire from a crisis, not a rebel.¡±


    ¡°They not only call him a hero, they call him a god.¡±


    Finally thinking rationally, most of the nobles reacted negatively to that noble¡¯s idea.


    The Second Prince, Kaizen, who had so far just sat in his seat, spoke up: ¡°If you decide to give him a carrot, then you should give a good one¡ªyour suggestion is worse than no carrot at all¡­¡±


    ¡°Then what¡¯s your opinion?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear about it before?¡± Kaizen asked him. ¡°Father would already have made him a marquess if he said he would be Father¡¯s sword. In that case, it would have been the Thirteen Families, not the Twelve Families.¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes turned cold. If Joshua had actually be a marquess at that time, he would have be the youngest marquess in history¡ªon top of that, Joshua himself was receiving the noble title, not inheriting his father¡¯s title. It was no wonder why it had been big news. The achievement was too great for a boy who was less than twenty years old.


    ¡°¡­Then are you suggesting we make him a marquess?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Kaizen sarcastically replied. ¡°He was a count in the first ce, so you don¡¯t really think restoring his title would be enough to quiet all thismotion, do you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kiser quietly grunted.


    The two princes¡¯ conversation now had the attention of the entire chamber.


    ¡°A marquess¡­ Marquess¡­¡± Kiser pondered for quite a while. ¡°Then how about making him a duke?¡±


    The nobles¡¯ eyes bulged in shock.


    ¡°A d-duke?¡± Kaizen stuttered, just as startled as the nobles.


    ¡°Making him a duke is too much, Your Highness!¡±


    Kiser shook his head. ¡°I know that you are all concerned that we might end up adding fuel to the fire, but isn¡¯t this the only way to persuade the people of Avalon?¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree with you, Your Highness.¡± Zegar, the man known as the brains of the Avalon Empire, chimed in with support for Kiser¡¯s suggestion. ¡°Aren¡¯t we already missing one duke? Besides, it¡¯s not like he¡¯s totally unrted to the duke¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Upon hearing Zegar¡¯s remark, the nobles became conflicted. Indeed, the son of the Duke ¡°Dark God¡± Agnus was none other than Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°You¡¯re indeed good at this, brother. If he bes a duke, he won¡¯t be able to go after the throne anymore,¡± Kaizen thundered. ¡°But it looks like everyone forgot about something for a moment.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness Kaizen, what are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°Since the Swallow Empire attacked our border first, we need to talk aboutpensation from them¡ªso we need someone to take charge of negotiating¡­ I think <em>Duke</em> Joshua Sanders would be the perfect man for this job, don¡¯t you all agree?¡±


    The air in the room changed.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ the Hubalt and Swallow Empires indeed made a public statement about restoring all the damages caused by the war.¡±


    The nobles¡¯ eyes turned sharp like the hyenas going after their prey, slowly revealing their greed. Yes, why did it matter if Joshua became a marquess or a duke? The noble title was just a name in the end, so Joshua wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything with it. Besides, their new priority right now was wringingpensation from the other two empires.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s proceed with the matter after Joshua Sanders arrives.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Now, the nobles started a heated discussion to ensure that their own families earned as many benefits as possible.


    The discussion went on for quite a long time.


    * * *


    Since they started the meeting in the early morning and ate two meals since, at least half a day must have passed, but the meeting continued with enthusiasm. They had clear yet different goals in their minds. On top of that, they hadn¡¯t gotten to the most important agenda.


    ¡°And¡­stly, let¡¯s get to choosing the heir to the throne.¡±


    The air in the council chamber turned frighteningly cold. Once the die was cast, the nobles all looked nervously in the same direction.


    ¡°The throne has been empty for over three years already. To stabilize the country, we can¡¯t postpone choosing the next emperor. In fact, it isn¡¯t an exaggeration to say this meeting was convened for this agenda,¡± Zegar said. He also turned his head in the same direction.


    Zegar and the nobles were looking at the top seats in the chamber: the two thrones.


    ¡°Actually, the princes have alreadye to a certain agreement regarding this matter¡­¡± Zegar trailed off.


    The nobles blinked in surprise.


    ¡°I¡¯ll exin from now on.¡± Kiser stood up from his seat. ¡°You may not know about this, but Kaizen and I talked for quite a long time about what we should do to revive our devastated country¡­¡±


    ¡°Th-then¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get right to the point.¡± His shed. ¡°For the next ten years only, I¡¯ll act as the emperor and stabilize the country, then let Kaizen take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve promised¡­ to make His Highness Kaizen the second next emperor?¡± a noble nkly asked.


    Kiser nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    In other words, Kiser was going to make Kaizen his crown prince. There were precedents where an emperor¡¯s brother inherited the throne, but it only happened if there was no other option: the emperor didn¡¯t have a child, the child was too young to be the emperor, or¡­ the brother dethroned the emperor himself so he could take the throne.


    The chamber descended into chaos until someone interrupted.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ this is hrious. It¡¯s not like being an emperor is the same as being an academy president or something¡­ Do you really think that¡¯s a good solution?¡±


    The sarcastic remark made Kiser¡¯s face flush red. ¡°Who was that?! How dare you¡ª!¡±


    Marquess Crombell, who was the closest to the entrance door, gasped because he saw a man whom he was so terrified of that he would run away even if he met the man in his dreams.


    ¡°Jo-Jo-Jo¡ª!¡±


    The head butler btedly announced the man¡¯s entrance:


    ¡°Th-the f-former count, Joshua Sanders, has entered the council chamber!¡±

 Chapter 364

    Chapter 364


    The atmosphere inside the sealed room was utterly bizarre. The 330-square-meter room was divided neatly in two: half of its upants stood on the east side of the central pir dressed in snow-white, and the other half stood on the west side wearing pitch-ck clothes.


    These people were Heimdall¡¯s forty-nine ¡°apostles.¡± The fiftieth apostle had been killed by Joshua.


    ¡°Heimdall is furious,¡± a man said. He wore a mask marked with an impressivelyrge number one. ¡°I¡¯m sure you all know why even if I don¡¯t tell you. Therefore, I¡¯ll give you all an order.¡±


    Another man snorted. ¡°First Irregr, why should we follow your order?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a problem with that?¡± The First Irregr asked.


    ¡°And if I do?¡± The man with the mask marked with the number two slowly stepped forward.


    The First Irregr curled up one end of his mouth. ¡°Then fight me. Our apostle ranks are decided by one rule: the strongest taking everything. If you don¡¯t like my method, then you can just beat me.¡±


    The First Irregr instantly turned belligerent, releasing an energy that was strong enough to shake the entire sealed room.


    ¡°I¡¯m actually d to hear¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, hey,e on! Don¡¯t do this again.¡± A new man quickly interrupted the conversation between the two.


    ¡°Stay out of this, Marco.¡±


    ¡°Jabel, I know you two have a love-hate rtionship, but now is not the time,¡± the third apostle, Marco, amicably advised them.


    ¡°A love-hate rtionship?¡± The second apostle growled. ¡°Bullshit¡­¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say the two of you fight in this room. Will Heimdall let it happen when he¡¯s already pissed off?¡± Marco reminded them.


    The second apostle trembled for a moment and shut his mouth.


    ¡°By the way, Arietta, didn¡¯t you say you met <em>him</em> in the pce?¡± Marco asked.


    Porth Arietta, the fourth apostle, nodded. ¡°Yes, I did, but most of the people in this room have also met him.¡±


    ¡°How was he?¡± Marco asked.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Porth stroked his chin and grinned as he reviewed the memory. ¡°He¡¯s truly the son of Heimdall.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yourpliment is going too far,¡± Marco mumbled.


    The first apostle frowned. ¡°Watch your mouth, Arietta. You¡¯re talking about a god¡ªit¡¯s meaningless to talk about the son he had before he became a god.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying.¡± Arietta shrugged. ¡°In the end, he did make a remarkable aplishment. Joshua Sanders is now the great hero that ended the war and saved his country. At this rate, it looks like our n of controlling this country as we like is going to gopletely awry.¡±


    ¡°We certainly can¡¯t consider this matter lightly,¡± Marco agreed. ¡°Who knew one person would change the destiny of the entire continent?¡±


    Arietta¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Right? This is why I can¡¯t help but mention that he¡¯s Heimdall¡¯s son.¡±


    The more they continued, the heavier the air in the room became¡­ In the end, the first apostle burst into anger.


    ¡°Enough!¡± he roared, and released his tempestuous energy.


    ¡°Heimdall will return soon, so we need to restore everything to its original state,¡± the first apostle said determinedly.


    ¡°How? You must have heard already, but he¡¯s a force to be reckoned with. He even defeated the Crimson Sky and Martial Emperor¡­¡± Marco felt the first apostle scowling at him, and added, ¡°No one in this room has figured out the full extent of Joshua Sander¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is why the four of us should work together on this,¡± the first apostle suggested.


    All the apostles¡¯ eyes widened¡ªthey had definitely not expected that.


    The First Irregr was known to be as prideful as he was skillful. But he now suggested cooperating¡­


    ¡°Oh, wow, will the sun rise from the west tomorrow?¡± Marco pped loudly despite the first apostle giving him a death re again. ¡°Of course, if the first apostle said so, we should definitely follow.¡±


    ¡°¡­Silly.¡± The second apostle snorted and turned his head away.


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you that Joshua Sanders is currently our biggest obstacle,¡± Arietta insisted.


    ¡°So do you have a n in mind?¡± Marco asked her. ¡°It seems you would need Heimdall¡¯s permission first.¡±


    The first apostle shook his head. ¡°We don¡¯t need to bother Heimdall with this matter.¡±


    ¡°You must have forgotten that Joshua Sanders is his son, regardless of all else,¡± Marco reminded them.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter because I will take full responsibility,¡± the first apostle quietly said.


    Marco¡¯s back straightened in surprise. ¡°In that case¡­¡±


    ¡°Get to the pce of those vermin who don¡¯t know their ce right away. They must be having a festival right now.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye, sir,¡± Marco slyly answered, and immediately disappeared from the room.


    ¡°Things are taking an interesting turn. It looks like I¡¯ll meet him again.¡± Arietta said before he left. He sounded genuinely pleased.


    The remaining forty five apostles gradually followed them, but not everyone left¡­


    ¡°Are you not going?¡± the first apostle asked.


    ¡°¡­Promise me,¡± the second apostle said.


    ¡°Promise you what?¡± The first apostle tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Once I take down Joshua Sander, you¡¯ll never y boss like this again. It¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    The first apostle¡¯s eyes turned sharp; he knew how to read the room. If he said that the strongest took everything, things were going to be moreplicated. Each apostle had a distinct characteristic, so they were as proud as they were skilled. However, they shared the same goal.


    ¡°I promise.¡± The first apostle nodded.


    ¡°¡­<em>Tsk.</em>¡± The second apostle lightly clicked his tongue in discontentment, then he left.


    The first apostle finally stood alone in the silent, sealed room. His eyes shone coldly, determined to eliminate Heimdall¡¯s son.


    Now was the time to rise into the light.


    * * *


    The sound of footsteps was the only noise disturbing the silence in the chamber.


    Who would think that the twenty-year-old man passing by them had brought the two great Stars low and put an end to the long Continental War? He had even regained the lost glory of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­¡± One noble unintentionally mumbled. Since the chamber was so quiet, his voice sounded thunderously loud.


    ¡°It seems he¡¯s changed¡­ Am I mistaken?¡±


    ¡°Right? He¡¯s more¡­ dignified.¡±


    ¡°By the way, shouldn¡¯t we at least act happy? He¡¯s still the hero of our country, but our wee is¡­¡±


    ¡°His Highnesses will take care of it.¡±


    All the nobles turned in the same direction.


    Kiser managed to smile despite their gazes and stand up from his seat. Just like he had said, he couldn¡¯t let his personal feelings affect his actions as a prince.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been through a lot,¡± he gently said to Joshua. ¡°It must have been a long journey, so why didn¡¯t you use the warp gate¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was better to make my presence felt in the Empire.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Kiser was about to praise Joshua again, but flinched. ¡°¡­Everyone in this country would know of your hard work even if you didn¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°The people know, but you don¡¯t.¡± Joshua looked around the chamber.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Kiser frowned slightly.


    ¡°Needless to say, you all must have been thinking about gaining more profits, so I just wanted to make my presence felt a little more to stop you from getting any ideas,¡± Joshua casually informed them.


    Kiser squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Despite everything, Kiser couldn¡¯t say anything in reply, because¡­


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve proven your loyalty to the country with your deeds. Since you¡¯ve saved the country from a great crisis, it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re thest person who would considermitting treason. I admit that there have been misunderstandings, so, on behalf of my father and all the members of the imperial family of Avalon, I give you my sincerest apology,¡± Kiser said.


    Joshua smiled coldly. ¡°That¡¯s it? That¡¯s your apology?¡±


    The nobles¡¯ had been standing perfectly still while Joshua conversed with Kiser, but Joshua¡¯s remark made them flinch.


    Kiser immediately shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll make a public statement regarding the imperial family¡¯s mistake and restore your tarnished honor, along with your title and rank. In addition to that¡­ I¡¯ll grant you the peerage of duke. You¡¯ll be Duke Sanders, not Duke Agnus. You¡¯ll hold the same title as your deceased father¡­ I hope this will be enough.¡±


    Joshua nced around. Judging from how the nobles were calmly standing still, it seemed they had talked it all out.


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Joshua quietly chuckled. ¡°One sows, and another reaps¡­ I guess that saying was made for this kind of moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kiser asked.


    Joshua looked straight into Kiser¡¯s eyes and growled, ¡°Don¡¯t mistake yourself, Prince Kiser. You aren¡¯t the emperor of this country or anything else. You¡¯re just an ipetent prince who almost destroyed this country because of your own greed.¡±


    The two princes and all the nobles became petrified by Joshua¡¯s openly revealed hostility.


    ¡°Just like I told you, I only want one thing,¡± Joshua intoned, his monotone voice echoing in the quiet chamber.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Joshua to be certain of his decision. No matter how strong he was, he had a goal he couldn¡¯t achieve¡ªthe dream of never losing his people again. He didn¡¯t need to look far to know that his subordinates had suffered the moment that Joshua had gone away. Therefore, he now needed the power that no one would so much as think to mess with, notbat power.


    What Joshua said next was the perfect method for him to achieve that dream.


    ¡°The throne,¡± Joshua bluntly stated.


    A storm of shock hit the princes and nobles, yet someone quietly stood beside Joshua in support of him.


    Kiser shook like an aspen leaf after btedly realizing who that person was. ¡°Du-duke Tremblin¡­?¡±


    ¡°I, Geschard kon Tremblin, strongly support His Highness the Fifth Prince, Joshua; I wee his long-awaited return to the pce after his long journey,¡± Tremblin said.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°If anyone has a problem with this, speak now.¡±


    Joshua had cast his bid for supremacy of the pce of the Avalon Empire as soon as he¡¯d returned.

 Chapter 365

    Chapter 365


    How many people had spilled blood for the seat of an emperor? This recent feud between the princes wasn¡¯t the only time. Over the Avalon Empire¡¯s many centuries, countless battles had been fought to im the throne. Of course, the members of the Britten Family always rose victorious in those battles¡­ but Avalon¡¯s long history wasing to a turning point.


    A forest of swords was unsheathed.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­ Why¡­?¡±


    Despite the dozens of swords pointed at him, Tremblin was nonchnt. He asked, ¡°Shall I deal with this?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted the throne?¡± Tremblin reminded him.


    ¡°¡­If anyone heard you, they might get the wrong idea,¡± Joshua remarked. ¡°They¡¯ll think that you became my subordinate.¡±


    Tremblin smiled faintly. ¡°I have no reason to not be one.¡±


    Even the Imperial Knights surrounding Tremblin and Joshua were petrified now. The Duke ¡®Sword Emperor¡¯ Tremblin was a living legend and considered to be one of the strongest men in the Avalon Empire, alongside the Dark God. One of the great Nine Stars was voluntarily saying that he would be someone¡¯s subordinate.


    ¡°For a long time, I wondered if my decision was truly right. Although I didn¡¯t tell you this, I collected some information on my way back to the empire regarding His Majesty¡¯s disappearance, which I¡¯d devoted myself to solving for the past three years, as well as your life story, and the Agnus family tree.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re very confident for a man who did a background check on me.¡±


    ¡°It was necessary,¡± Tremblin said with a shrug.


    ¡°I¡¯m young, so I believe it¡¯s a bit of an exaggeration to call it my life story¡­ Anyhow, did you get what you were looking for?¡±


    ¡°A few hours of a hero¡¯s life is enough to write a book about them. To answer your question, this is the conclusion I reached.¡± Tremblin slowly drew his sword from his waist with an ominous rasp of metal.


    Aside from the imperial family members and knights, all nobles were supposed to hand in their weapons when they entered the pce, but Duke Agnus and the Sword Emperor were exceptions. Although it was out of trust and respect for the two pirs of the empire, there was also no point in applying the rules to them in the first ce because they didn¡¯t need a weapon to start something bad in the pce.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin! Are you really going tomit treason?!¡± the Second Prince Kaizen roared, red-faced.


    Duke Tremblin didn''t even flinch.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m baffled,¡± Joshua admitted. ¡°I thought you would always stay as Emperor Marcus¡¯s man¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m loyal to Avalon, not His Majesty. Stagnant water is bound to rot¡ªafter going through the civil war, I finally realized that the country I¡¯d dedicated my life to could crumble instantly if it is led by the wrong leader.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the typical logic of a rebel! Imperial Knights! What are you all doing?!¡± Kaizen furiously shouted again, but the Imperial Knights couldn¡¯t do anything.


    The other nobles were in the same state. They¡¯d heard about Joshua¡¯s performance again and again. After passing from mouth to mouth, Joshua¡¯s story had basically turned into a myth. Who would dare try going up against him? Besides, they didn¡¯t really have a justifiable cause to fight him since they now all knew that Joshua had imperial blood.


    ¡°Arghhhh!!!¡±


    At that moment, a scream abruptly came bouncing down the hallway. Kiser unfroze and turned to look at Joshua, his hands trembling.


    ¡°Did you have to go that far?!¡± Kiser shouted.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Pay more attention,¡± Joshua instructed. Kiser readily obeyed.


    Shortly after, Kiser could hear both a scream and a loud shout from the outside of the pce.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!! Ipetent Prince Kiser and Prince Kaizen should stay away from the throne!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make people¡¯s lives any harder!¡±


    ¡°Bring the Empire¡¯s lost glory back! Put Prince Joshua on the throne!¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes slowly widened. It was a riot started by none other than the people of Avalon¡ªnot treason. The people swarmed the pce after they heard the news of Joshua¡¯s return. Although Kiser considered it a riot, it may be recorded as a revolution in history; this was the moment of Joshua¡¯s every efforting to fruition.


    ¡°Stop them using any means necessary,¡± an Imperial Knightmanded.


    In contrast to the noise outside, the inside of the chamber was deafeningly silent. Even the Imperial Knights were ncing distractedly at the entrance, gripping their swords nervously.


    ¡°The time of judgment hase,¡± Joshua solemnly uttered. ¡°Of course, the citizens outside will do the judging, not me.¡±


    ¡°You son of a bitch¡­¡± Kaizen growled. ¡°Was your long detour through all those viges all for this moment?¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re still full of it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kaizen¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°No younger brother is better than their older brother, but I thought you would at least know how to read the room¡­¡±


    ¡°How long are you going to keep mocking me?!¡± Kaizen roared.


    The air around Joshua clenched, and Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Do you want to die? No, actually, I want to ask you: how long are you going to delude yourself?¡±


    ¡°Yo-you¡­!¡± Kaizen stuttered, at a loss for words.


    Joshua ignored Kaizen and looked around the chamber. ¡°The same goes for all of you.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    ¡°New liquor should be put in a new barrel. If a leader of a country changes, it¡¯s only right to rebuild the country from the ground up.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± The Imperial Knights were forced to kneel as Joshua released more and more energy, overwhelming them.


    Joshua looked at the knights and then at the nobles standing behind them. ¡°Choose now: go down with the setting sun or devote yourselves to this country once again.¡±


    When things came to this, the nobles were visibly torn. Once the riot intensified, the nobles themselves were going to be the citizens¡¯ main target, so they had to choose wisely if they didn¡¯t want to get beaten to death.


    ¡°Enough with your nonsense!¡± a noble with a mouse-like head and eyes finally shouted. It was Marquess Crombell. He turned to the other nobles. ¡°Why are you even listening to him? We came this far, so what choice do we have?!¡±


    ¡°H-he¡¯s right! He didn¡¯t say anything about what he was going to do with us! In the worst case, he might execute all of us after things quiet down!¡±


    After finallying to a realization, some nobles revealed their hostility. The more they had, the more they could lose. Most of the nobles in the chamber were the heads of the Twelve Family, the nobles holding the highest social sses.


    ¡°The knights from each family must have noticed something is wrong, so they¡¯lle soon! Let¡¯s suppress the riot right away and protect the Empire with our own powers!¡±


    ¡°Right!¡±


    ¡°Kill the rebels!¡±


    Kaizen smiled contentedly as he saw things begin to turn his way.


    ¡°Even you can¡¯t ughter every single one of them,¡± he chided Joshua. ¡°You say you¡¯re doing this for the country¡¯s sake, so you can¡¯t wipe out the nobles. They¡¯re the pirs of the Empire.¡±


    The noble families were scattered all over the continent, so if Joshua killed the heads here, the nobles would start another riot¡ªmaybe causing a second civil war. However, Crombell didn¡¯t seem to be on the same page as Kaizen.


    ¡°I want you to promise that our lives and assets will be protected,¡± the Marquess demanded. ¡°I would prefer you make a pledge with your blood¡ªthen you¡¯ll have our full cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Crombell!¡± Kaizen shouted, shocked. He couldn¡¯t understand why Crombell was suddenly saying such a thing. It was tantamount to stating that the nobles were going to abandon the princes.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡± Crombell asked, undeterred by Kaizen¡¯s angry voice. ¡°If you aren¡¯t nning to rebuild this country on your own, I¡¯m sure that taking my offer is for the best.¡±


    Joshua eyed Crombell quietly for a moment, then chuckled amusedly.


    ¡°Then die.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Crombell stuttered. He did not, however, have time to respond further.


    Tremblin vanished, soon followed by the horrific sound of a de cleaving through human flesh.


    The nobles stared, petrified, as Cromwell¡¯s headless corpse btedly fountained blood onto their faces, driving the shock home with every drop.


    ¡°You all must be forgetting something¡­¡± Joshua nonchntly continued; he seemed to have expected this. ¡°....but the citizens of Arcadia aren¡¯t the only people who started an uprising. Just like you said, Prince Kaizen, why would I have bothered to <em>walk</em> all the way here?¡±


    At some point, the outside of the pce had be as quiet as the inside.


    ¡°It¡¯s quiet outside,¡± Tremblin mumbled as he shook the blood from his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯ve taken measures,¡± Joshua said.


    Tremblin examined him. ¡°I don¡¯t know what measures you took to calm the citizens¡¯ fury, so¡­ I¡¯m quite curious.¡±


    Joshua shrugged and then turned back around. ¡°A week from today, in the grand za of Arcadia, I will make a public statement dering that the citizens will choose their own leader. Your answer is?¡±


    Kaizen trembled with humiliation, but he couldn¡¯t even think about fighting back because he had already seen what had happened to Crombell with his own eyes.


    <em>¡®Do I have no other choice¡­?¡¯</em> Kaizen wondered.


    In the end, even Kiser, who was standing beside Kaizen, lowered his head. His skills, the ability to control the nobles¡­ Joshua was truly a remarkable man, regardless of whether or not he was Kaizen¡¯s enemy. Now, Kaizen was starting to regret that he hadn¡¯t made Joshua his subordinate using any means necessary¡­


    All the nobles looked in the same direction as, after a long silence, Kiser ben Britten, Emperor Marcus¡¯ first son and the first in line for the throne, voluntarily stood up from his throne and walked down the stairs.


    ¡°¡­Indeed, no younger brother is better than their older brother.¡± Joshua watched Kiser for a moment without saying anything, then roared, ¡°Everyone, kneel! If you surrender now, I¡¯ll at least spare your pathetic lives.¡±

 Chapter 366

    Chapter 366


    After causing a storm of shock, Joshua exited the council chamber, but a woman called out to him gently.


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    Joshua came to a halt.


    ¡°Did you not see me or are you pretending you didn¡¯t see me? I¡¯m telling you now that I¡¯ll be pretty hurt if it¡¯s thetter,¡± the woman said.


    Joshua chuckled and turned, setting eyes on a beautiful woman with cat-like eyes and impressively red hair.


    ¡°Charles.¡± Joshua grinned.


    ¡°And?¡± Charles narrowed her eyes at him.


    ¡°It¡¯s the former. I didn¡¯t know you would be there.¡±


    Charles shrugged lightly. ¡°I¡¯m leading one of the Five Ducal Families, more or less, you know?¡±


    ¡°¡­His Grace is¡ª?¡±


    Charles cut him off. ¡°Did you know I ended up on a wild goose chase because of you? I put all that effort into making my merchant group stronger, but you ended the war on your own. Who could have expected the war would finish like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°No one else on the continent would end a war like you.¡± Charles shook her head.


    Joshua was the one who shrugged this time.


    ¡°But are you serious?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Serious about what?¡±


    ¡°Bing the emperor.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s silence was enough of an answer for Charles.


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± She covered her mouth with her hands in shock. ¡°You¡¯re serious. Wow, my friend is an emperor¡­¡±


    Joshua raised his hand to stop her. ¡°Nothing has been decided yet.¡±


    ¡°But the Joshua I¡¯ve seen until now always made it happen if he put his mind to it,¡± Charles giggled.


    Joshua tilted his head. ¡°Is that apliment?¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not badmouthing you.¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly and changed the topic, avoiding that line of conversation for the moment.


    ¡°How about you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°The rumors spread all over the continent. Kiser ben Britten openly asked you to marry him, but he only ended up embarrassing himself. You didn¡¯t know Kiser would end up like this at the time, right?¡± Joshua asked.


    Charles¡¯s face darkened. ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°From both a personal and objective perspective, I thought that you and he would be a good match. Although he¡¯s in bad shape right now, Kiser is the first in line for the throne.¡±


    Charles looked away. ¡°¡­He¡¯s not my type.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re young, but you¡¯re in a position where you lead numerous people. So you can¡¯t really think about your preferences.¡±


    Charles¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You¡¯re going to spare him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange.¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°You talk like I should kill him¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a given since you¡¯re going to be the emperor?¡± she asked, disbelievingly. ¡°You know what happens to the princes who lost in a war of session, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t believe in destiny, at least.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re romantic.¡± Charles frowned slightly. ¡°Of course, unlike Kaizen, Kiser isn¡¯t the type of person to backstab, but people change. If you don¡¯t eliminate the possibility of trouble beforehand, it¡¯ll turn into a problem and be your problem forever. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°No matter whoes for the throne, I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ll be able to keep it.¡±


    Charles instantly shut her mouth.


    ¡°Besides, stagnant water is bound to rot, and power left unchecked bes corrupted. I don¡¯t think my people will be the exception,¡± Joshua calmly continued.


    ¡°¡­Your confidence is really¡­¡± Charles shook her head in disbelief. ¡°Well, good. I guess that way is more interesting.¡±


    Joshua wasn¡¯t sure what Charles meant.


    Charles grinned. ¡°I told you. Do you know how disappointed I was? I made a fine sword that wouldst for history, but the war ended before I got to swing it. It¡¯s really unfair, so I¡¯m going to swing this sword anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be a good sword to stabilize our war-torn country and beat up some bad guys?


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Are you okay with that? It¡¯ll be better to use it for your family instead of this country.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t someone say it before? There can¡¯t be a noble family without a country. Anyhow¡­¡± Charles put her hands on her hips. ¡°...keep talking. Is that what you really think?¡±


    She got a confused look from Joshua.


    ¡°You know, the part about¡­ being a good match,¡± Charles continued with a slightly reddened face.


    ¡°Ah, you mean Kiser¡¯s marriage proposal?¡±


    ¡°Why are you asking me again when you already know what I mean?¡± Her voice was already high but it rose even higher. ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well¡­¡± Joshua slowly said. Charles hung onto every word. ¡°I think I meant it?¡±


    At that moment, Charles¡¯s heart sank.


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think it was going to happen, but how can you be that dense¡­?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Forget it. Come to think of it¡­¡± Charles beamed, grumpy but mischievous. ¡°Technically, aren¡¯t you better husband material? You¡¯re going to be <em>the </em>emperor. An-and¡­ an empress¡¯s family would be much stronger, naturally¡­¡±


    Charles trailed off as her embarrassment caught up to her. Joshua grinned back mischievously.


    ¡°Wh-why are you looking at me like that?¡±


    ¡°No reason.¡± Joshua turned away.


    ¡°It¡¯s just that older women aren¡¯t my type,¡± he teased.


    * * *


    Joshua didn¡¯t leave the imperial pce right away because he had to drop by somewhere.


    The sunny outskirts of the pce were nketed with flowers in full bloom, even making the thick walls smell like flowers.


    ¡°¡­The magnificent Flower Pce,¡± Joshua mumbled quietly, ncing behind him.


    Ever since he had left the main pce, where the emperor lived, over a hundred of the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s knights had been shadowing Joshua. They quietly returned his gaze.


    ¡°You know you¡¯re being overprotective, right?¡± Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°You can¡¯t stop us,¡± Cazes firmly asserted.


    ¡°Am I so weak that I need over a hundred guards?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty Marcus was a Master and one of the five strongest people in the empire.¡±


    ¡°But he still got attacked, so I should stay still?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not only for your safety but also for your prestige. Even a baron is apanied by at least three guards¡­¡±


    ¡°Alright, stop it, Cazes¡± Joshua raised his hand, signaling him to stop. ¡°You became quite a nagger while I was away.¡±


    That finally silenced Cazes.


    ¡°Captain,¡± he said as he took a step back. He gestured for the other knights to do the same.


    Joshua tilted his head at him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard this¡­¡± Cazes pondered for a moment, but he shook his head.¡°¡­No, you¡¯ll find out soon.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t know why Cazes was acting like that¡ªyet.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? I admit that I was too careless until now. As soon as I returned, you never left me alone. Seems to me that you¡¯ve been waiting for this moment,¡± Joshua said.


    Ranger jumped in: ¡°It¡¯s nothing new, Captain. Everyone in the battalion knows that Cazes nags more than our wives.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Cazes is sometimes scarier than my wife watching me when I change my underpants at home!¡±


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    The knights immediately burst intoughter, but Cazes was still serious. ¡°Even if you dere that you¡¯ll usurp the throne, we would have followed you¡ªeven if it cost us our lives.¡±


    The air turned serious. The knights stoppedughing as if they¡¯d neverughed in the first ce.


    Joshua smiled faintly and nudged Cazes¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wee¡­¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry. I never said this, but I¡¯m genuinely and always grateful to everyone here.¡±


    Ranger scowled like he¡¯d spotted a cockroach. ¡°Gosh, what is going on?¡±


    ¡°I got goosebumps.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­. I can¡¯t take this.¡±


    Nevertheless, the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s knights kept smiling.


    * * *


    As soon as Joshua finally stepped into the Magnificent Flower Pce, he froze.


    ¡°Wee.¡±


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    Despite the wee, Joshua¡¯s expression remained grim.


    ¡°Is that why¡­ Cazes said such a thing?¡±


    In front of Joshua was a woman lying down on her bed. It seemed that the sickly princess didn¡¯t even have the strength to sit up on her own because herdies-in-waiting had to help her up.


    She was the noblest woman in the Empire. Her name was¡­


    ¡°¡­Sersiarin, weren¡¯t you cured?¡± Joshua asked.


    Sersiarin smiled bitterly. ¡°I guess this is my destiny.¡±


    ¡°That damned destiny¡­¡± Joshua quietly gritted his teeth.


    He didn¡¯t even have to examine Sersiarin¡¯s state closely because he could clearly sense the state of her vital force.


    He knew, without a doubt, that she was dying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s not your fault. Besides, you put in more effort than anyone else to save me. No¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I shouldn¡¯t talk like this. My tongue slipped because I¡¯m not used to it yet either¡­¡±


    Sersiarin slowly opened her golden eyes.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Go. You¡¯re in a hurry, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sersiarin¡¯s Eyes of Truth were shining.


    Joshua gazed deeply into her eyes for a moment before he turned away. His anger with himself threatened to overflow. He was a fool to think that he had enough power and for thinking that he knew everything.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be back soon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, but it¡¯ll take at least several days to travel to the Agnus Duchy and return, even if you ride a horse¡­¡±


    ¡°One day is enough,¡± Joshua firmly stated.


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold as he looked at her. He had a week before the ruler of the empire was decided, and he had no time to take a break.


    ¡°I need to retrieve something, so¡­ wait for a moment,¡± he told her.


    Sersiarin beamed. Her smile was so bright that it was hard to think that she was dying.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll wait,¡± she said, delighted. ¡°Bring the red spear you¡¯re so famous for. And¡­¡±


    Her golden eyes met Joshua¡¯s.


    ¡°...I, Sersiarin ben Britten, support you, Your Majesty, the great emperor of Avalon.¡±

 Chapter 367

    Chapter 367


    The Hubalt Empire didn¡¯t have a long history, but its capital had many attractions. The twenty-meter-tall marble sculpture of Hermes, the beautiful Ceten River flowing across the city, the imperial pce built less than five years ago¡­ But if people had to choose the single best attraction, they would pick the Great Temple of Hermes.


    Less than three years ago, the temple had radiated divinity, but now it was cold and hauntingly empty. Only the pile of shattered marble indicated that the Great Temple had existed there at all.


    ¡°Has it already been three years? When I was one of the Seven Mages, I visited here as the representative of the Magic Tower during the cultural exchange¡­¡± Theta quietly mumbled. He shook his head. ¡°I can still vividly remember His Holiness weing me¡­ I really didn¡¯t expect the Great Temple to be in such a state. People say to the vilest criminals that heaven will punish them and that they should fear the wrath of god. Although we mages don¡¯t believe in god, to be honest¡­¡± Theta gazed ahead. ¡°...At this moment, I want to believe that there is a god because if there was, god would punish these evildoers right away.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°Even if god exists and doesn¡¯t punish them, it doesn¡¯t matter since I¡¯ll make them pay myself.¡±


    Theta smiled bitterly. ¡°Then are you requesting that we aid you?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Lilith shook her head.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°We need to rebuild the Great Temple first.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Theta asked, baffled.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking rationally. What is the point of the Great Temple now anyway?¡± the mage asked her, utterly baffled. ¡°The Martial Emperor is gone now, but his followers are still in the Empire. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That is why we need to do it,¡± Lilith insisted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Since you mages only pursue truth, you may not know this, but the power of religion is greater than you think. Faith can be used to unite the people of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Using religion for politics, huh?¡± Theta shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s hard to believe that I¡¯m hearing this from a citizen of the famously devout Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be better than getting humiliated again.¡±


    ¡°¡­I can understand your reasons though. The war ended quickly, but the power struggle is still ongoing. Even the citizens of the Empire don¡¯t know what to do, so if we restore the Great Temple to how it was right before everything started¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lilith nodded. ¡°The Martial Emperor¡¯s remaining subordinates will be forced to make a move¡ªany move.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll definitely not just sit by and watch the Great Temple getting rebuilt. I never thought I¡¯d be bait.¡±


    ¡°Please understand,¡± Lilith begged, genuinely apologetic. ¡°We¡¯ve finally found an opportunity, and those small fries are almost in our grasp. We can¡¯t let them go, can we?¡±


    ¡°No, I think the Silver-Haired Grim Reaper wants to punish the sinners herself,¡± Theta said with a grin. Lilith shut her mouth, and Theta shrugged. ¡°The best method would be to take care of everyone on the Emperor¡¯s side at the same time. Even if they don¡¯t make a move, the people on the pope¡¯s side will gain more power.¡±


    ¡°¡­We did threaten to dethrone the Emperor, but everyone knows that it¡¯s impossible. We can¡¯t gain the citizens¡¯ trust that way, so my final goal is to make the Emperor a puppet.¡± Lilith smiled faintly.


    ¡°I understand. Well, since we¡¯re just side characters in this incident, not the main characters, we¡¯ll follow your instructions.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s face instantly brightened. ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take the request.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Lilith delightedly shouted.


    Iceline chose that moment to join their conversation.


    ¡°In that case, I don¡¯t have to stay here, right?¡± she asked with her clear, elegant voice. ¡°Since the Martial Emperor¡¯s mana hall has been closed, you won¡¯t need a ss 8 mage and a ss 6 mage at the same time.¡±


    ¡°Do you have urgent business to take care of?¡±


    ¡°A little,¡± Iceline replied without an ounce of hesitation.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± Theta smiled slyly at Iceline. ¡°Like¡­ Avalon?¡±


    ¡°You already know.¡± Iceline nodded, unexpectedly and quickly.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta looked at Iceline, surprised. He did not get the reaction he was expecting. ¡°To help your beloved, of course?¡±


    ¡°Think whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really worried. I can¡¯t stand it anymore.¡±


    Even Lilith¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Yo-you¡¯re really going to Avalon?¡± Theta asked, astonished.


    ¡°All this time, he¡¯s helped me for nothing in return¡ªso rather than feeling worried in a faraway ce, I¡¯m going to help him myself. Thus¡­¡± Iceline¡¯s ice-white cheek turned slightly rosy. ¡°...please allow me.¡±


    * * *


    It didn¡¯t even take a day for Joshua to arrive at his destination¡ªonly took half a day.


    There were only five dukes in the Avalon Empire, and the great Duke of Agnus had been the most influential out of the five.


    Joshua had spent most of his previous and current life in this ce. When he had first miraculously regressed, he had woken up in the Agnus¡¯ barn and reunited with Lugia, the Demonic Spirit¡¯s spear. This ce was the start of everything.


    <em>¡®The man responsible for turning all of it into a giant mess. The Dark God¡ªno, the man secretly known as Heimdall¡ªmust be here too,¡¯ </em>Joshua thought.


    He now knew that his regression wasn¡¯t a miracle and that Kaiser hadn¡¯t been his true enemy in his previous life. It was Aden von Agnus. Joshua¡¯s biological father had manipted Kaiser, a mere fourth prince, onto the throne. Aden was Joshua¡¯s true enemy and the man Joshua needed to kill.


    ¡°¡­Just wait a little longer.¡± Joshua clenched his fists.


    Just as he was about to enter the castle, he detected numerous iing presences. No one should have been in front of Joshua, yet a group of people were approaching him nheless. The presences quickly resolved into dozens of shadowy figures.


    ¡°You were¡­?¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders?¡± Porth Arietta, Heimdall¡¯s fourth apostle, was the first of the figures to respond, having met Joshua before.


    ¡°What? This boy is Joshua Sanders?¡± Marco, the third apostle, asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°I heard a lot about him, but he¡¯s much younger than I thought. Wait,¡± Jabel, the second apostle mumbled, frowning, ¡°did he know we were here and waited for us?¡±


    While the apostle murmured confusedly among themselves, only one person, the first apostle known as ¡°First Irregr,¡± quietly examined Joshua.


    ¡°Everyone, wait,¡± Arietta abruptly said.


    ¡°What, Arietta?¡±


    ¡°There is an order for everything. Let me fight him first¡ªI¡¯ve been waiting for this moment ever since that day.¡±


    Jabel¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What nonsense¡ª¡±


    ¡°Jabel! You aren¡¯t seriously considering all of us attacking him together, right? Besides, at first, you had no intention of listening to the First Irregr¡¯s suggestion at first.¡± Arietta narrowed his eyes at Jabel. The other man flinched, eliciting a grin from Arietta. ¡°I¡¯m on the same page as you, you know. My pride won¡¯t allow it. On top of that, no senior officer fights first. It¡¯s usually a junior officer that fights first so that the senior officers can figure out the opponent¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Jabel groaned.


    ¡°Is it okay?¡± Arietta turned to look at the other apostles.


    ¡°You¡¯re volunteering to take care of a cumbersome task, so I¡¯m fine.¡± Marco shrugged.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Arietta asked, an unusual departure from his typical manner of address.


    ¡°¡­Do as you wish,¡± the First Irregr muttered.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Arietta shouted excitedly and stepped forward. ¡°Anyone whose number is below mine, shut up and stand back! That¡¯s my prey!¡±


    The remaining apostles backed away. Arietta licked his lips, his eyes glued on Joshua.


    ¡°We¡¯ve met before, right? Let me introduce myself again. I¡¯m Porth Arietta, Heimdall¡¯s fourth apostle.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t even budge, but Arietta slowly drew up his power. ¡°Keep in mind that ger is the fiftieth apostle, and I¡¯m the fourth apostle. It¡¯s impossible, therefore, topare our powers¡­¡±


    The entire sky shook with Arietta¡¯s energy. A lion always tried its best even if it was going after a rabbit¡ªno, Joshua anything but a rabbit since he brought down two Skies.


    The desire to win grew and adrenaline rushed through Arietta¡¯s veins. He intended to give his best from the very beginning. All his power was going into a single strike by using Aura Ovey.


    The air around them twisted, and the ground shook from the menacing energy radiating off of Arietta.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ an honor to finally meet the renowned Martial God, you greenhorn!¡±


    The moment ¡°horn¡± left Arietta¡¯s lips, he sprang forward as fast as his body would propel him, audibly driving the air in front of him. Up until now, Arietta had pierced every opponent with a single charge. That was how he gained his nickname, ¡°Piercing Arietta.¡±


    Seeing how Joshua hadn¡¯t moved at all, Arietta became certain that <em>the </em>Joshua Sanders wasn¡¯t really that different from anyone else!


    <em>sh!</em>


    <em>¡®¡­sh?¡¯</em> Arietta wondered. Just as he had expected, he heard the sound of human flesh parting¡ªbut he should have heard a stabbing sound, not a shing sound, because his sword technique was mainly about stabbing the opponent.


    <em>¡®What¡­?¡¯</em>


    A momentter, he began to wobble. When he pulled himself together, he was already on the ground. That was hisst thought as his consciousness faded.


    Silence fell as Arietta¡¯s head rolled across the ground.


    ¡°Pathetic guys always talk big¡­ If the mere fourth apostle was enough to waste my time, the people of the continent wouldugh at me. They¡¯d say, ¡®How can such a man be called the Hero King or the Martial God?¡¯¡± Joshua calmly said.


    Arietta¡¯s headless corpse began to spew blood into the air. Meanwhile, Joshua had already created an aura spear and beckoned at the apostles.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have much time. Come at me all at once.¡±

 Chapter 368

    Chapter 368


    A storm of shock hit Arcadia and the entire Avalon Empire. Unprecedented events were taking ce. It all started with the imperial announcement posters hung everywhere in the castle.


    ¡°Wh-what is this?¡±


    In the grand za was a big bulletin board used by the Imperial Family to make announcements about national events. Right now, it was swarmed by the citizens of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°O-oh, my god. Emperor¡­?¡±


    ¡°What is the poster about? Why are you that surprised? Tell us too! We don''t know how to read!¡±


    ¡°I-it says¡­ we have to choose our own emperor.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?!¡±


    The people''s reaction was understandable¡ªthe contents of the announcement were just that shocking. Asking the people of the country themselves to choose who would lead the Empire? Who would have dared to think about it? Even thinking about it was grounds for treason and would only invite cursing. Besides, until just a while ago, it had been the age of the tyrant Marcus ben Britten, and the Emperor¡¯s order wasw¡­


    ¡°This day of Year 728 of the continental calendar¡­¡±


    ¡°Shhh! Be quiet.¡±


    When someone started to read the announcement poster, the crowd quickly quieted.


    ¡°Just as peace came to the continent, we, the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire, dere that we have put an end to our senseless infighting and that the civil war is officially over. To restore the power of our nation and to provide our fullest aid to the citizenry in recovering from the ravages of the civil war, we have decided to crown a new emperor¡­ The citizens are encouraged to speak freely¡ª¡±


    ¡°Woahhhhh!¡±


    The reader, a merchant, was cut off by a wave of roaring excitement sweeping over the grand za.


    ¡°Quiet! Wh-what does it say at the end?¡±


    ¡°<em>Cough</em>¡­¡± After clearing his throat, the merchant reluctantly continued. ¡°A week from today, an event will be held to choose the next emperor. The three princes will be present then.¡±


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°Wait! Wait!¡± A middle-aged man quelled the crowd¡¯s excited shouting. ¡°<em>Three</em> princes?¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why does it say three princes?¡±


    ¡°The first prince would be His Highness Kiser ben Britten, first in line to the throne, and the second is His Highness Kaizen¡­¡±


    ¡°His Highness the Fourth Prince Kaiser passed away¡­ so isn¡¯t it two, not three?¡±


    ¡°Does the poster say anything about that?¡±


    All the people turned to the merchant.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s Joshua Sanders,¡± he muttered. ¡°Thest prince is <em>him</em>, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Someone gasped, unable to hold back their shock. There was one person that the citizens of the empire currently talked about the most, and that was Joshua Sanders, the war hero. Since his poprity already reached a zenith, the people felt no need to ask why he was included.


    ¡°Woooww!¡±


    Of course, the people shouted even louder in joy.


    ¡°Oh my god! Joshua Sanders is our emperor!¡±


    ¡°The pride of the Empire!¡±


    ¡°Hurrah for the Hero King! No, hurray for the Martial God!¡±


    Some were so thrilled that they hugged one another.


    Meanwhile, a group of people were watching the citizens from a faraway corner of the za.


    ¡°Sir, it doesn¡¯t look like we need to keep watching them.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Cazes grunted from beneath the hood of his robe.


    The group of people wasposed of knights from the Auxiliary Battalion who¡¯de out to the street in order to find out the public¡¯s opinion.


    ¡°There is no need to promote national glory, after all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not surprised by their reaction.¡±


    ¡°Even if I put aside the fact that he¡¯s our captain, I would also be damn proud as a citizen of this country.¡±


    ¡°How dare you call him captain! He¡¯s the great emperor of this Empire!¡±


    ¡°My bad. Wait, then are we His Majesty¡¯s guards?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. Even if he bes the emperor, he¡¯ll be guarding us at this rate.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, yeah, His Majesty is freakishly strong.¡±


    ¡°So keep improving yourself.¡±


    ¡°But did they not say anything?¡± Viper suddenly interjected.


    ¡°¡®They¡¯?¡± Ranger repeated, tilting his head in confusion.


    ¡°The people from the Five Dukes and Twelve Families,¡± Viper rified. ¡°The ones of high social status.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Captain¡ªno, His Highness Joshua didn¡¯t say anything,¡± Ranger replied.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­.¡±


    ¡°I''m guessing they couldn¡¯t say anything. If they have a brain, they¡¯ll have learned from Marquess Crombell¡­¡±


    Viper shook his head. ¡°Just like you said, the Twelve Families will be busy tiptoeing around His Highness, but what about the Five Dukes?¡±


    ¡°Why would they react any differently?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°They have a reason to react a <em>lot</em> differently,¡± Cazes interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°The Five Dukes have yed a major role in keeping the Imperial Family in check, so if they act too servile, then the other noble families would belittle them.¡±


    ¡°The retired old people¡¯s pride would be hurt?¡± Ranger assumed.


    Cazes nodded. ¡°On the other hand, if His Highness can make them his allies¡­ he can rule like the iron-blooded Emperor Marcus.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s eyes widened as he understood.


    ¡°They must have started to make a move in secret, good or bad,¡± Cazes assumed.


    ¡°Bu-but the Five Ducal Families can¡¯t afford to do so,¡± Ranger protested, baffled. ¡°First of all, the Duke of Prius from the West has always been neutral. They never showed up during the three years of civil war, so it¡¯s highly unlikely for them to make an appearance and interfere with His Highness achieving his goal now of all times.¡±


    ¡°In contrast, there is a high possibility of the Duchy of Reye from the North trying to pull off something. Since the old fox, the Military Advisor Zegar, leads that family and it¡¯s safe to assume that the next emperor has already been decided, they¡¯ll try to weaken the power of the emperor as much as possible,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to worry about the East, right?¡± Viper asked. ¡°The area is under the Tremblins¡¯ control.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯ll be safe to assume that the Tremblin family is our ally since the Sword Emperor has decided to support His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Then it''s the remaining dukes in the South and central areas that we have to think about?¡± Ranger mumbled quietly and then heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Thank god.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cazes asked.


    ¡°Why are you pretending like you don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about? The Pontier Duchy in the South is currently led by Lady Charles; she¡¯s basically the head of the family at this point.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Viper asked back in an uncharacteristically innocent voice.


    Ranger was dumbfounded. ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I know Lady Charles and His Highness are childhood friends, but we have to consider that separately from politics.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that.¡± Ranger pounded his chest in frustration. ¡°<em>Love</em>.¡±


    ¡°Love¡­¡± Viper trailed off, unable to grasp Ranger¡¯s meaning.


    ¡°Lady Charles is in love with His Highness Joshua!¡±


    Viper blinked in surprise, and he wasn¡¯t the only one.


    ¡°Whaaatttt?¡±


    ¡°What is up with everyone? Wait, did no one know?¡± Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°Vi-Vice Commander Ranger, are you serious?¡±


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t know. I even heard a rumor that she confessed her love to His Highness in the pce.¡±


    ¡°A lo-love confession?¡±


    Now the entire group was in a furor.


    ¡°<em>The </em>Iron Empress?¡±


    ¡°S-so what happened? Did His Highness say yes?¡±


    ¡°His Highness finally has a life partner¡­!¡±


    ¡°She herself is a good person, and she¡¯s also from a good family. So she¡¯s really perfect to be His Highness¡¯ life partner. Perfect.¡±


    As if they were the main characters in this romance story, the Auxiliary Battalion knights were thrilled, but most of them were actually bachelors. Still, the knights paid zero attention to their bitter reality.


    ¡°Yeah, she couldn¡¯t afford to get married until now, but she¡¯s twenty-one. So it¡¯s about time for her to think about marriage.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t she twenty-two?¡±


    ¡°Same difference. Anyhow, the average age of people getting married is around twenty in the Empire.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s actually unusual for a woman of that age to be still unmarried. A person from a prestigious noble family tends to have a partner as soon as they¡¯re born.¡±


    The murmuring among the knights got louder over time.


    ¡°Enough!¡± Cazes shouted, unable to bear listening to them anymore. ¡°Now is not the time to talk about such a matter!¡±


    ¡°This is the most important matter¡­¡± Ranger pouted.


    ¡°Ranger!¡± Cazes growled.


    ¡°Ah, alright, alright.¡± Ranger raised his arms in defeat and took a step backward.


    ¡°¡­All else aside, you mean that there is a low possibility of the Pontier Family bing His Highness¡¯s enemy,¡± Viper summarized.


    Ranger grinned. ¡°That¡¯s right, Viper.¡±


    ¡°Then how about thest one?¡± Viper asked.


    All the knights came to a halt.


    ¡°...The Duke of Agnus in the central region,¡± Viper concluded.


    ¡°¡­Is His Grace Babel von Agnus still recovering?¡± Ranger wondered.


    ¡°We have a bigger problem.¡± Cazes¡¯s face darkened. ¡°A rumor recently started to spread among some noble families.¡±


    ¡°What rumor?¡±


    Ranger nced at Cazes, who nodded. Ranger stepped closer to the other knight. ¡°Why is your expression so grim? Is it juicier gossip than the one I had?¡±


    ¡°¡­Probably.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°There are witness ounts of¡­¡± Cazes paused and looked around warily. ¡°¡­a person resembling His Grace Aden von Agnus here in Arcadia.¡±


    Ranger and the knights stared at Cazes silently for a moment, unable to understand what he meant.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Ranger eventually asked.


    In the other corner of the za, there was another person watching the knights. This mysterious person was beyond the castle gate, to the outskirts of Arcadia.


    * * *


    In the meantime, another ce turned quiet¡ªbut the difference was that the people were rendered speechless because of their opponent¡¯s overwhelming strength, not an unexpected story.


    ¡°Oh my god. <em>The </em>Arietta died even before he could attack¡­?¡± Marco, Heimdall¡¯s third apostle, mumbled.


    Jabel, the second apostle, stared speechlessly at Joshua, but the young man hadn¡¯t even turned his head.


    ¡°¡­<em>Tsk</em>, this is why I said we should attack together,¡± the First Irregr quietlyined.


    ¡°I-Irregr?¡± The apostles gave him wide-eyed looks.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned darker than the abyss. He eyed the First Irregr over the heads of the other apostles, and asked, ¡°Were you in on this from the start?¡±


    Joshua took a step forward, his energy bursting out of his body. The First Irregr? No, that wasn¡¯t his name. The moniker might make sense because of his ability, which was strong enough to be called a Celestial, but Joshua knew that man¡¯s real identity.


    ¡°Darkness Emperor.¡±

 Chapter 369

    Chapter 369


    As soon as Joshua challenged the apostles, a raging ocean of murderous energy poured out of thest living Celestial. He was also one of the three Absolutes, and although he wasn¡¯t part of any country, he was known as the Emperor of Murder and Night.


    Thest Celestial held two palm-sized daggers in each hand and moved like a shadow. Joshua quickly scanned the area. Illusion was like reality, and reality was like illusion. It was the same for the shadow. However, it wasn¡¯t difficult for the current Joshua to see through its nature.


    Joshua thrust his spear.


    The First Irregr¡ªor rather, the Darkness Emperor¡ªblinked in shock as killing intent prickled over his entire body during his collision with Joshua.


    Joshua pushed through the attack, releasing demonic power the entire time. He used his demonic power against an enemy that also used demonic power, and he did the same with opponents that utilized closebat techniques or killing intent. There was no better method to drive his enemies to despair than by defeating them in the area where they were most confident.


    ¡°¡­Arrogant.¡± The Darkness Emperor swung his set of daggers like a bolt of lightning before anyone realized he was in motion. He moved so fast that he created dozens of illusionary afterimages, fully intending to ughter Joshua with his second attack.


    Nevertheless, Joshua was calm. As the Darkness Emperor was above the level where his opponent could follow his movement by eye, Joshua had to use his other senses. The Darkness Emperor¡¯s attack was intended to fool people¡¯s eyes¡ªJoshua only needed to take one step to nullify it.


    It looked like there were dozens of daggers, but the Darkness Emperor ended up cutting through the air fruitlessly. Although even the Darkness Emperor¡¯s second attack failed, he wasn¡¯t dispirited¡ªin fact, he burst into manicughter as if he was genuinely having fun.


    ¡°Hahahahahahahaha!¡±


    Although the Crimson Sky and Martial Emperor had clear ambitions of conquering the continent, the Darkness Emperor was just looking to have fun for thest time in his life. In fact, that was why the Darkness Emperor wasn¡¯t part of any country: life became boring at his age. He was over seventy years old, but he moved just as well as he did in his twenties, which was his prime.


    ¡°You¡¯re good, Hero King¡ªno, Martial God!¡±


    The Darkness Emperor hid in the darkness again. For dozens of years, he had created these murder techniques; they were his life¡¯s masterpiece, and it seemed he would be able to use hisst technique in this fight against Joshua. With his first strike, the Darkness Emperor cut his enemy¡¯s flesh while his second strike slew his enemy¡¯s shadow. The Darkness Emperor could destroy his enemy¡¯s very soul. Once his enemies became captivated by what they were seeing, the illusion became the reality, and when they focused on what they were hearing, the lies became the truth.


    The Darkness Emperor reappeared. Even though he was just holding two palm-sized daggers, he had the power to pulverize a boulder with each dagger.


    ¡°Stop this, then!¡± the Darkness Emperor shouted.


    Nevertheless, Joshua didn¡¯t budge. He reached out with his other senses and determined the Darkness Emperor¡¯s location, repeating the mechanism of the Darkness Emperor¡¯s technique in his mind.


    ¡°The Darkness Emperor Jarcal, the king of shadows,¡± he whispered.


    The Darkness Emperor¡¯s eyes lost focus for a moment when he heard ¡°Jarcal,¡± his old name. He never talked about his old nickname in public, so the only reason why Joshua knew it was his previous life. In the far future, the next Darkness Emperor was none other than Aisha Sestropi, Joshua¡¯s friend, a dark elf, and the Assassin King.


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    Joshua ignored the Darkness Emperor¡¯s mumbling; he was focused on picking out the one real shadow from among countless shadows.


    He slowly raised his spear. At the same time, dozens of daggers flew at Joshua, but he only had to thrust his spear once to deflect the assault.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡± The Darkness Emperor grunted upon meeting an unexpected rebound. Joshua¡¯s singr movement was enough to parry all of the dozens of daggers, but he wasn¡¯t done.


    The Darkness Emperor¡¯s eyes popped wide open. Although he had been staying hidden in the shadow, Joshua found out which shadow the Darkness Emperor was hiding in and pointed his spear right at the Darkness Emperor¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your stealth skill is worse than my friend¡¯s, the Martial Emperor was a better closebat fighter than you, and your sword technique is iparably worse than the Crimson Sky¡¯s,¡± Joshua calmly assessed.


    The Darkness Emperor¡¯s face reddened in humiliation.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be more odd for me to lose?¡±


    ¡°You!¡±


    ¡°Darkness Emperor, why is a man like you acting as an underling?¡± Joshua asked, but the Darkness Emperor didn¡¯t answer.


    Instead, he smiled crookedly and asked Joshua a question back: ¡°Do you want to know why I¡¯m at the Agnus¡¯s residence? Then spare me.¡±


    Unbelievably, the Darkness Emperor begged for his life.


    ¡°What will you do if I spare you?¡± Joshua coldly asked.


    ¡°I will personally answer¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware that you¡¯re relieving your boredom of life with murder, Darkness Emperor.¡± Joshua interrupted.


    The Darkness Emperor immediately shut his mouth.


    ¡°You wanted to settle down somewhere and hide behind someone with power so you can kill as much as you want until the end of your life because you¡¯re sick and tired of getting hunted.¡±


    ¡°¡­You bastard¡­¡±


    Joshua¡¯s aura spear was just an inch away from the Darkness Emperor¡¯s throat. It was covered in ayer of lightning, so the moment Joshua speared the Darkness Emperor, he would be instantly reduced to charcoal.


    ¡°Wa-wait! Don¡¯t you want to know? You want to know the leader of these men!¡± the Darkness Emperor shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t disgrace yourself any further. Igrant calls you a Celestial.¡±


    The Darkness Emperor¡¯s dozens of years of experience were telling him in no uncertain terms that Joshua already knew everything.


    ¡°In fact, this is for the better,¡± Joshua muttered. ¡°You¡¯re soon going to be my friend¡¯s enemy, and I get to get rid of you myself.¡±


    In Joshua¡¯s previous life, the Assassin King and Darkness Emperor had once been colleagues, but the Assassin King had ended up bing a wanted criminal and was chased down by everyone on the continent. After the attempted assassination against the First Prince, the Imperial Family of Avalon had hunted her¡ªand the Darkness Emperor himself had sold her information to the Imperial Family.


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it if you kill me now¡ª!¡±


    The Darkness Emperor couldn¡¯t finish his threat. The spear through his neck reduced him to a lifeless mannequin, and an intense bolt of lightning engulfed the corpse a littleter.


    ¡°¡­End¡­ in¡­ vain¡­!¡± the Darkness Emperor mumbled, though no one could understand what he meant.


    The smoldering body copsed on the ground. Silence fell as the shocking scene set in.


    ¡°E-everyone attack together, now! He¡¯s a monster!¡±


    The storm of shock wiped away any hesitation from the remaining. They had seen the necessity of attacking together with their own eyes.


    ¡°¡­Urgh.¡±


    However, they couldn¡¯t move anymore because of the killing intent surrounding them.


    ¡°I¡­ will y anyone who makes another move,¡± Joshua dered.


    The apostles boggled at him. Joshua had only said that he was going to y them, but why could they feel killing intent all over their bodies? It was like they had been thrown into the forest of sharp des naked¡ªno, they felt like they were before a disaster that they couldn¡¯t even imagine fighting against. Joshua was at a level at which he could use killing intent whenever he wanted.


    Despite all that, Dake, the forty-ninth apostle, made a move; he knew perfectly well that he¡¯d lost the fight as soon as he let fear get the better of him, but¡­


    The apostles were petrified.


    Joshua Sanders had still not moved at all, so what was this horrifying sound of human flesh being torn aparting from? Why was their colleague copsing on his own?


    ¡°D-Dake¡­?¡± The forty-eighth apostle, who was standing right next to the forty-ninth apostle, called his name.


    Although they were considered the weakest among Heimdall¡¯s apostles, they were still enough to be called Superhumans, but Dake had died even before he couldunch an attack.


    ¡°Wh-when¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you want me to kill all of them?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!!¡± The forty-eighth apostle flew at Joshua, unable to hold back his fear.


    His longsword was quite sharp. However, the result was the same. His heart was pierced by Joshua¡¯s aura spear like a fish caught on a harpoon. The forty-eight apostle wasn¡¯t even sure when Joshua had thrust his spear.


    Another apostle died just like that. The remaining apostles trembled weakly as they witnessed the surreal sight, and realized that they had no chance against Joshua. The apostles¡¯ will to fight was decreasing to almost zero, but that was when they found a surprising silver lining.


    ¡°Enough!¡±


    The killing intent around the apostles disappeared with the swish of a finger.


    ¡°Everyone, step back,¡± someone ordered. ¡°I never asked you to do this.¡±


    ¡°Th-that voice is¡­!¡±


    The apostles¡¯ heads whipped around, wide-eyed. A mysterious person, hidden behind ck clothes and a white mask, stood behind them.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Marco, the third apostle, reacted first and immediately prostrated himself.


    ¡°Jabel and Marco, didn¡¯t I tell you to stand by in the secret chamber?¡± the mysterious person asked them.


    Marco and Jabel mmed their heads on the ground without hesitation, and the other apostles did the same.


    ¡°W-we apologize, sir.¡±


    That was when Joshua turned his head to look at the neer. This man was the cause of everything and the secret mastermind in Joshua¡¯s previous and current life.


    His name was¡­


    ¡°¡­Heimdall.¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes became cold like ice.


    ¡°Joshua, isn¡¯t your business with me?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡± Joshua smiled enigmatically. He already knew everything.


    Joshua felt like he could understand why the Martial Emperor Zactor had so readily betrayed his father a little now.


    ¡°So I only need to kill you now?¡± Joshua said.

 Chapter 370

    Chapter 370


    ¡°Stand back,¡± Heimdall ordered.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The apostles retreated stealthily, just like how they¡¯d first appeared.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apologize for my subordinate¡¯s rudeness on their behalf,¡± Heimdall said.


    Maybe he had used an artifact; it was difficult to tell he was a man based on his voice.


    Heimdall raised his hands. ¡°In my defense, this wasn¡¯t what I¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter since I would have searched for them myself if this hadn¡¯t happened.¡±


    Heimdall didn¡¯t mind that Joshua interrupted him; he just asked, ¡°Why so?¡±


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Joshua was silent for a moment.


    ¡°To be emperor of this country,¡± he casually answered. ¡°For decades, even the Imperial Family didn¡¯t know about the existence of this mysterious group nor of Heimdall, so I think it¡¯s worth my effort to chase them down.¡±


    ¡°¡­If that¡¯s the reason, it¡¯s surely¡­ Ha, I know no secretsts forever in this world, but I didn¡¯t know I would get caught because of one small stone,¡± Heimdall muttered. He was talking about Gaia, the primordial stone. He had already heard what happened in the pce; he had eyes and ears even there.


    ¡°Anyhow, you¡¯re serious about bing the emperor¡­ I thought you had an ultimate goal.¡±


    ¡°An ultimate goal?¡±


    ¡°You even turned down the inheritance of the Duchy of Agnus, so I thought you were pretending that you wanted to be the emperor in order to end this civil war. If you hadn¡¯t directly intervened in the war, then war would still be ongoing.¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°The civil war could have ended earlier if it hadn¡¯t been for you.¡±


    Heimdall¡¯s eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Then¡­ Do you know who I am?¡±


    Although Heimdall was wearing a mask, Joshua could see Heimdall¡¯s eyes gleaming with mysterious excitement.


    ¡°I know. That¡¯s why I can¡¯t let you walk away.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t let me walk away?¡± Heimdall repeated, amused.


    At that moment, sparks flew off of Joshua¡¯s aura spear, leaving a long line on the ground.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to step a foot over this line,¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°Arrogant¡­¡± Jabel, the hot-headed second apostle, snorted furiously.


    Marco stopped Jabel. ¡°Stay out of it, Jabel.¡±


    ¡°Marco, how can you say that when you saw him acting like that?¡± Jabel growled.


    ¡°It¡¯s Heimdall¡¯s order.¡±


    ¡°Ah, fuck!¡± Jabel loudly cursed, scowling at Joshua.


    ¡°You know who I am, yet you¡¯ll stand in my way until the end?¡± Heimdall asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking the wrong question. I have to stop you because I know who you are.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a fool. If you really wanted the throne, I would have made your dreame true.¡±


    All of the apostles were stunned.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± Joshua refuted. ¡°You just need your own little obedient puppet,¡±


    Heimdall responded with a little shrug. ¡°So you don¡¯t want to be a puppet?¡±


    ¡°I was born different from this country¡¯s princes¡ªincluding Kaiser, your loyal puppet.¡±


    ¡°Just like you said, you¡¯re different from that child. No matter what anyone says, you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop.¡± Joshua interrupted Heimdall again and released his energy. ¡°My decision will never change.¡±


    Heimdall responded by unleashing his energy in kind. ¡°¡­If you know everything, then you must also be well aware ¡­ that you can¡¯t stop me.¡±


    Joshua silently picked up his spear and pointed it at Heimdall as the other man lowered his arms.


    Would Joshua¡¯s previous life have been a little different if it hadn¡¯t been for Heimdall¡¯s twisted desire?


    <em>¡®No one knows that,¡¯</em> Joshua thought as he tightened his grip on the spear.


    It was meaningless to form a hypothesis about how his past could have turned out differently, so Joshua was going to focus on his present. That was how he had lived until now, and he would continue to do so in the future. If anyone stopped him from doing so¡­


    <em>¡®...I¡¯ll kill them.¡¯</em>


    The energy from Joshua was reaching its peak, so the fight could break out at any second. Even the apostles were about to draw their weapons, unable to tame their nerves.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s stop.¡± Heimdall abruptly let his energy dissipate. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know the Emperor¡¯s whereabouts?¡±


    Joshua wasn¡¯t able to stayposed this time.


    ¡°You already killed Emperor Marcus,¡± he insisted.


    ¡°I can¡¯t let my personal feelings blind me and spoil everything.¡±


    ¡°Personal feelings¡­¡± Joshua flinched.


    Yes, Heimdall was a man who would sum up the horror of his own mother bing the emperor¡¯s toy as his ¡°personal feelings.¡± The Heimdall that Joshua knew had even used his own family to achieve his goal.


    ¡°You would be in trouble if the real emperor showed up after you became the emperor, so I promise you,¡± Heimdall said. Joshua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°You already dered that the new leader of this empire will be decided a weekter.¡±


    A bizarre fervor ignited in Heimdall¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll wait, and nothing will happen until then. So let¡¯s put an end to everything on that day, in the grand za of Arcadia, where the new leader of this country will be chosen.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in the mansion on the outskirts of Arcadia where Lucia had stayed until now, Joshua¡¯s mother was witnessing something incredible.


    Joshua, the person Lucia had been desperate to see even if just in her dreams, had finallye to her, but¡­


    ¡°You¡­ aren¡¯t Joshua.¡± Lucia quickly realized this after carefully observing the man, even though he was still far away. The man may look like her son, but he was someone else entirely.


    The knights hiding nearby instantly jumped out: half of the Auxiliary Battalion, who had volunteered to be Lucia¡¯s guards, and one other knight¡ªthe death knight, who had been called the Wild King before his death. Lucia was getting scared, but she rxed after the knights showed up. She had noticed the knights acting as her guards a long time ago.


    ¡°Your Grace, something is wrong.¡±


    ¡°Yes, something is not right about him. There is a high possibility that he isn¡¯t His Highness, just like you said, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Is he using an artifact? Regardless, he¡¯s hiding his identity and pretending to be His Highness, so I assume his intentions aren''t good.¡±


    While the knights discussed among themselves, one of the knights shouted, ¡°You! Identify yourself!¡±


    Despite the knight¡¯s shouting, the person wearing Joshua¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t budge, just stayed silent as if he didn¡¯t know how to speak. His face was expressionless like he had no emotion at all, and his deep blue hair just fluttered in the air.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to answer¡­¡± The knight slowly grabbed his sword¡¯s handle, but a sudden humming in the air made his eyes widen. It wasing from behind the person pretending to be Joshua. The knight¡¯s mind slowly ground to a halt, stupefied.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Why did it take this long for him to notice the blood-red spear? It had disappeared at some point, but the knight could never forget the unique spear with its two spearheads.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ His Highness¡¯s spear!¡± the knight shouted.


    The spear on the person¡¯s back floated in the air.


    -It¡¯s meaningless. He can¡¯t speak.


    The knights boggled at the spear.


    ¡°A spear¡­ is talking?¡±


    -Anyhow, shouldn¡¯t you be wondering about something else other than Duke Aden von Agnus¡¯s whereabouts?


    The knights gaped. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    -It¡¯s just that I would be more concerned about where Joshua, your master, had been during the past three years and why he showed up now.


    The spear was speaking directly into the people¡¯s heads, but what it was saying was more shocking than how it was saying it. Still, that wasn¡¯t what had them speechless.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The knight that had shouted trembled like a frog before a viper, his skin stinging. He let out a choked groan. He was reacting like he had met a strong opponent, even though he was only up against a spear.


    ¡°I heard that a weapon with an ego is totally different from ordinary weapons,¡± the knight muttered in disbelief, ¡°but¡­¡±


    He couldn¡¯t even move an inch. When he managed to drag his eyes to the side, he could see his colleagues were in the same situation. Manifestation of will¡ªonly someone on the same level as the Nine Stars would be able to do something like this.


    ¡°Ho-how¡­!¡± Lucia let her surprise slip out of her lips, but when she realized that she was the only one who could still move, she froze out of shock. Nervousness crept in. ¡°Wh-what did Joshua do?¡±


    Although she hadn¡¯t met Joshua, she had heard from the Auxiliary Battalion that her son was safe, but in a situation like this, she couldn¡¯t help but worry again.


    -Wait, are you worried about him? Wow, seriously¡­


    ¡°P-please,¡± Lucia pleaded.


    -¡­I believe your worst scenario would nevere true. It¡¯s embarrassing to say this out loud, but your son is so strong that even the gods up in the sky are afraid of him.


    ¡°How do yo-you know that?¡±


    Why did Lucia feel like the spear was smiling? It was just a weapon, after all.


    -Come to think of it, is it our first time talking in person?


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    -We¡¯ve met before. You know, our names are simr too.


    The spear hummed again.


    -I¡¯m Lugia, the Demon Spirit¡¯s weapon.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit¡¯s weapon¡­?¡±


    -Yes, I belonged to the owner of the Demon Realm, and¡­


    Lugia emitted a gloomy light.


    -I have been Joshua¡¯s friend for a very, very long time.


    Before Lugia could continue, someone else proved that they were still able to move by leaping into action.


    -¡­Oh, yeah. I forgot you were here.


    Lugia was sucked into the hand of Joshua¡¯s doppelganger.


    -Was your name¡­ Duke Altsma?


    The Wild King and Lugia collided midair.

 Chapter 371

    Chapter 371


    Joshua didn¡¯t stop for a second when he returned to the capital. He had to verify the story he had heard several hours ago ande up with a countermeasure if it was true.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness?¡±


    Joshua met someone unexpected on the road to Lady Lucia¡¯s house. It was thest ce Joshua had expected to find him because it was the farthest ce away from the imperial pce.


    ¡°Cazes? What are you doing here?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Cazes trailed off, unable to continue. For some reason, he was at a loss for words.


    ¡°So?¡±


    Cazes hesitated for a moment and then gave up. ¡°After the incident at the Agnus estate, I and the rest of the Auxiliary Battalion have been protecting the house.¡±


    Joshua had to stop his jaw from dropping. He¡¯d never ordered these knights to do that because he had already asked the Wild King to protect his mother. Joshua had assumed that Duke Altsma would be enough since he had be a Master a long time ago.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m pathetic,¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cazes asked.


    ¡°I still have a long way to go as amanding officer and a son¡­¡± Joshua mumbled under his breath, and he sighed. ¡°I¡¯ve made you worry.¡±


    ¡°No, n-not at all. You¡¯re only one person.¡±


    These men were trying this hard for Joshua, but he had only thought about how to protect his dear people, not their feelings. However, he had to change that since he had dered he would be an emperor of a country.


    <em>¡®¡­For now¡­¡¯ </em>For now, he had to take care of this situation first.


    At that moment, Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°The Wil-Wild King?¡± Cazes stuttered.


    Joshua didn¡¯t hesitate. He darted away like a loosed arrow.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­?¡± Cazes blinked confusedly for a moment, but he quickly turned his head in the direction Joshua had disappeared. ¡°No way¡­¡±


    Joshua was definitely headed to Lady Lucia, but the look on his face was¡­


    Cazes felt an unsettling premonition and immediately followed Joshua. It didn¡¯t take long for Cazes to find his knights lying on the ground and groaning in pain.


    ¡°Ca-Captain Cazes¡­!¡± a knight shouted.


    ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t what I¡¯m thinking right now, is it? ¡­Why is no one answering? Where is Lady Lucia¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry,¡± a different knight choked out, unable to contain himself. ¡°The enemy was too strong¡­ We had no other choice¡­¡±


    The clear ring of metal made the knight freeze.


    ¡°That¡¯s the wrong answer, Arun. Instead of making excuses, you should have protected Lady Lucia with your life.¡±


    ¡°Ca-Captain¡­¡± the knight stuttered.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that a disloyal knight will pay with their soul, and that a knight who failed their mission pays with their life.¡± Cazes¡¯s sword gleamed sharply before the execution. ¡°So I assume you expected this.¡±


    ¡°Enough.¡± Joshua put his hand over Cazes¡¯ sword.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°It¡¯s my mistake, so why are you ming him?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Joshua shook his head again and then locked eyes with Arun. ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Arun¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    Silence fell upon the area.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s embarrassing. I went on and on about trust, but I wasn¡¯t able to give my people an ounce of trust¡­ Despite everything else, I suppose I¡¯m better than the Martial Emperor because I have colleagues who stay loyal to me even when it costs them their lives. Someone who receives trust he doesn¡¯t deserve ought to take another chance to earn it.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­!¡±


    ¡°Paying back for failing a mission with their life¡­ Is actually really irresponsible. It¡¯s better for them to invest the rest of their livespleting the mission.¡±


    Cazes clenched his fists. The master of the Reserve Battalion knights was a person who could offer genuinefort to another, instead of giving them sugar coated encouragement. This was the kind of person who should lead the Empire.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ bring Lady Lucia home using any means necessary.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I already know where Mother is.¡±


    The knights¡¯ eyes widened.


    ¡°I-Is that true?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Anyhow, please gather everyone up because I have something I really have to say.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness, but¡­¡± Cazes paused, drawing a bemused look from Joshua. ¡°You have guests in the pce right now.¡±


    Joshua became more confused. ¡°Guests?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was why I was on my way to find you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Guests in a time like this¡­¡± Joshua looked in the direction of the pce for a moment and quickly discerned the identity of his guests.


    * * *


    It took about a week to get from the Agnus estate to the Agnus¡¯ residence in the capital. Although the mansion had already be ruins, there was a sealed pitch-ck room underground. Only the asional nk of metal indicated that something was inside the sealed room.


    After some time, the old hinges turned with an unpleasant squeal.


    It was immediately followed by the sound of footsteps. The sounds stopped when the person reached the dampest and deepest corner of the sealed room.


    -You were here? That¡¯s why it took really long to find you. You¡¯re a mess.


    The voice spoke with clear confidence, as if the darkness in the sealed room wasn¡¯t a problem.


    -Who could have imagined this? An emperor who ruled a country for dozens of years now looks like a beggar¡­ Oh,e to think of it, I¡¯ve been very rude, haven¡¯t I?


    A pool of red light appeared in the pitch-ck room, revealing its interior.


    It was horrible. The dungeon was hundreds of square meters at least, but rotten skulls and bones fouled the floor. The ce was empty except for a single upied room. Inside was a beggar whose head hung powerlessly, his limbs bound by metal shackles that were thicker than an adult¡¯s forearm.


    The wicked red light was bright enough to light up the entire dungeon, but there was something almost bizarre about the light.


    More importantly, the beggar was still not moving one bit¡­


    -It doesn¡¯t look like you¡¯re dead nor like you gave up on your life¡­ Then¡­ are you just stubborn? Well, you might think differently once you see this face. Keep in mind that I¡¯m someone who can make your wishe true, so why don¡¯t you just try raising your head a little?


    The beggar didn¡¯t even answer. Meanwhile, the wicked light lighting up the dungeon thickened.


    -Well, yeah, since when did I bother persuading a human¡­? If I want something done, I can just do it myself.


    Right after the voice spoke, the metal shackles tying the beggar down shook fiercely. That wasn¡¯t the crux of it¡ªthe shackles made from ebonstone, a mineral sturdier than iron, exploded. the ebonstone fragment dropping on the ground. The beggar slowly yet finally raised his head as the ebonstone fragments dropped to the ground.


    Although it was difficult to see due to his ragged hair, the beggar¡¯s eyes gradually widened.


    ¡°Joshua¡­Sanders¡­?¡± he muttered in a voice that resembled the grinding of rusted metal.


    A man with Joshua¡¯s trademark deep blue hair and red spear stood before the beggar. After looking at them for a long time, the beggar shook his head. ¡°No¡­ No, you¡­ aren¡¯t him.¡±


    -Woah?


    Lugia eximed.


    -A lion is still a lion even if it loses its teeth, huh? You have quite an eye.


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±


    -Wrong question. It doesn¡¯t matter who I am to you right now.


    The beggar flinched, the first time he¡¯d offered any reaction. ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    -Right? The important part is whether or not I have the power to make your dreame true.


    The beggar smiled crookedly. ¡°You sound like you know what my dream is.¡±


    -Isn¡¯t it obvious?


    The beggar crossed his scrawny arms. ¡°Try me.¡±


    -Unifying the continent.


    The beggar went still as a statue. ¡°Unifying the continent¡­¡±


    -I like the look on your face.


    Just like Lugia said, the beggar would have snorted in disbelief if Lugia had said revenge, but it became a totally different story when the spear mentioned the unification of the continent. It was the beggar¡¯s one and only life-long dream. Bing a Master or an emperor was just a means to achieve that goal. Even when his mana hall had been pierced with that damned ck greatsword, his heart was filled with that sublime desire.


    ¡°Kek¡­ kekekeke.¡± The beggarughed.


    At that moment, a change took ce. Although the beggar¡¯s body was dying, his soul was reacting fervently, and the wicked light was also gradually bing more brilliant.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ it¡¯s different with revenge, but I can¡¯t give up unifying the continent. Hehehe¡­¡±


    -You certainly aren¡¯t disappointing.


    The doppelganger that looked like Joshua smiled slyly as if he and Lugia, which was in his hands, shared the same emotions.


    -Do you regret the fact that you couldn¡¯t achieve your dream?


    ¡°A dream is just a fantasy for weaklings. This continent was mine from the start.¡±


    -Then are you angry with those ignorant people? Like Aden von Agnus, who put you in this state?


    ¡°No, I¡¯m angry with myself for letting those idiots bring me to this state.¡±


    -Then take my hand. Your revenge, the goal you haven¡¯t achieved¡­ I¡¯ll give you the power to do it all.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­¡± The beggar slowly looked up at the ceiling with half-opened eyes. ck demonic power seeped out from the ceiling, and the doppelganger beamed.


    -I wee you, Marcus ben Britten, the most sublime soul in the Human Realm.

 Chapter 372

    Chapter 372


    Three years ago, Joshua had reached the highest floor of the Tower of Trials after he was chased to the Great in of Aiyas by the Swallow and Hubalt Empires¡¯ one million soldiers. He thought that he¡¯d bought enough time. Not only would he be able to throw the enemy soldiers off his trail, but he would also get to know the truth.


    Joshua had also heard about the legendary Full Moon Mirror, which was said to show one¡¯s past, present, and future, but when he had reached the floor, he had only found Gaia, the primordial stone that had simr powers.


    However, the trial on the highest floor was totally different from the trials downstairs. In contrast to before, Joshua had received the reward first and gone through the trialter. The price for obtaining the primordial stone was for him to take the trial in the Demon Realm¡ªthat was how Joshua had ended up in the Demon Realm.


    In that realm, Joshua was able to use Gaia and take a peek at a memory from eons ago. The memory was about the Demon Spirit, a being which the demons worshiped as a god, as well a certain special being that was the strongest in both Angel and Demon Realms. The Demon Spirit feared that being, so he had betrayed the being in spite of the fact that the being trusted the Demon Spirit more than anyone else.


    However, the Demon Spirit¡¯s treachery almost resulted in his own annihtion¡ªthe curse that the Demon Spirit had left directly on his victim¡¯s soul proved too much, even for a godlike being such as the Demon Spirit.


    Through this curse, the Demon Spirit had to make the being¡¯s wheel of destiny repeat until the victim found the Demon Spirit; by regressing several times, the cursed soul itself would be annihted.


    When Joshua had found out the whole truth, he wandered around the entire Demon Realm. For an eternity, Joshua had gone through millions of battles and killed the Demon Spirit¡¯s minions one after another.


    Joshua had finally realized after taking a peek at the memory through Gaia that the spear wasn¡¯t the Demon Spirit¡¯s weapon, and Magic Spear Art, which Joshua had thought he was born gifted at, wasn¡¯t the Demon Spirit¡¯s secret technique. They both had belonged to someone else, but the Demon Spirit had taken them away from the original owner.


    * * *


    The biggest space within the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s headquarters was a hall that was over one thousand square metersrge. In the center was a long table. The numerous people seated around it were gathered for one purpose, and not a single one of these people was ordinary.


    ¡°Long time no see, Sir Ranger,¡± Kingaitu, themander of Reinhardt¡¯s Willhelm Knight, opened.


    ¡°It has been a while, but I didn¡¯t know the Wilhelm Knights woulde all the way over here.¡±


    ¡°We were actually staying nearby. We were concerned, but we were more worried about His Majesty,¡± Kingaitu exined.


    Ranger nodded understandingly. ¡°Yes, no matter how small the group is, there is a big difference between crossing the border and getting into the Empire¡¯s capital. Technically, the Wilhelm Knights aren¡¯t knights of Avalon¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s all thanks to His Majesty.¡± Kingaitu smiled faintly. ¡°We¡¯re really in his debt.¡±


    ¡°Well, His <em>Highness</em> is quite talented.¡± Ranger grinned.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s why I want to help His <em>Majesty</em>.¡±


    ¡°Oh? But are you sure you¡¯ve brought enough knights?¡±


    ¡°I know there are few of us, but I¡¯m certain that I and my knights are as skilled as the Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire,¡± Kingaitu confidently stated.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to let thatment slide. Shall I see how skilled you are?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    An intense staredown between Ranger and Kingaitu started, but the rest of the Auxiliary Battalion wasn¡¯t even listening.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Vice-Captain Viper?¡± Atoba, a Willhelm Knight, leaned toward Viper.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Viper, a knight of the Auxiliary Battalion, stopped eating.


    ¡°The two women over there¡­ are they who I think they are?¡± Atoba looked intently at the women.


    Viper followed his gaze. However, all of the Auxiliary Battalion and Wilhelm Knights were looking in the same direction and Viper couldn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    ¡°The beauty of the century with zing red hair and impressive, cat-like eyes¡­ just like the rumors, right?¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles is certainly the most beautiful woman in the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s too soon to say that. If I remember correctly, that woman who looks like a flower in the snow is surely¡­¡±


    The Wilhelm Knights murmured amongst themselves. In contrast, the Auxiliary Battalion had gotten used to Charles¡¯s beauty, so they were busy shouting about something else.


    ¡°The Seven Mages!¡±


    ¡°The daughter of Count Rebra? Oh my god. That youngdy grew up so much!¡±


    ¡°I know it¡¯s said that anyone¡¯s appearance can change after sixteen[1], but she¡¯s still just as beautiful. She and Lady Charles are indeed the most beautiful women on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Shit, I shouldn¡¯t do this, but I¡¯m envying His Highness for the first time. I couldn¡¯t imagine reaching his level, so I was fine with that. But¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you saying you envy His Highness?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t know? Both women over there are head over heels with His Highness.¡±


    ¡°Re-really?¡±


    After listening to the conversation, Viper shook his head in disbelief. When men gathered, they always talked like that, but¡­


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. Men do that.¡± Atoba quietly chuckled.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m just worried that His Highness might hear it.¡±


    ¡°From what I know, His Majesty wouldn¡¯t mind one bit. ¡±


    Atoba stole a nce at the two women and smiled faintly. ¡°¡­Anyhow, they¡¯re really reliable.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Viper nodded. ¡°A mage of the Magic Tower like Miss Iceline and a leader of a big merchant guild like Lady Charles will surely be a big help to His Highness.¡±


    The two knights turned to look at the heart-fluttering maidens.


    ¡°It has been a while, Miss Iceline,¡± Charles began, smiling. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news of you bing the youngest of the Seven Mages even after you went through all those hardships. I genuinely respect you. I know that it¡¯ste, but congrattions.¡±


    Charles spoke with deep sincerity. Iceline looked cold like a flower on a snowfield, but her face lit up with an uncharacteristic smile, making the knights all around them exim.


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Charles,¡± Iceline gratefully replied.


    ¡°Oh, my god. Look at your snow-white skin. You¡¯ve be more pretty. Even I¡¯d fall in love with you. Wow, your hair¡­¡± Charles reached out and fiddled with Iceline¡¯s hair.


    ¡°W-wait¡ª¡± Iceline began to protest.


    ¡°Are you here to help him, Miss Iceline?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± the mage replied. ¡°Sir Cain and Mr. Akshuller are busy in the Swallow Empire, so I, at least, should be here to help.¡±


    ¡°Well, Icarus is also there, so it¡¯ll be very good for Joshua to receive help from the Magic Tower.¡±


    Iceline shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not the Magic Tower that is going to help him.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here for personal reasons, not representing the MagicTower.¡±


    At that moment, Charle¡¯s ruby eyes widened.


    ¡°To help my friend, Joshua,¡± Iceline added.


    ¡°Woaaahh!¡±


    The knights that had been watching the two women¡¯s conversation erupted into shouts, unable to contain their excitement any longer. Some even whistled.


    Maybe they were affected by the knights eximing, because the two women started an intense staredown.


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Charles smiled mischievously. ¡°It looks like I¡¯m not the only one who changed, but if it¡¯s not too much, can I ask how are you going to help my Joshua on your own, Miss Iceline?¡±


    ¡°<em>Your</em>¡­?¡± Iceline¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°I¡¯m already a ss 6 mage, so of course¡ª¡±


    ¡°Of course, you wouldn¡¯t say you¡¯re going to help him with your magic.¡±


    Iceline flinched in surprise and shut her mouth.


    ¡°I think Joshua has enoughbat power. Besides, the war is already over.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°So I think it¡¯ll be important to assist him in the areas that hecks, like politics or money.¡±


    ¡°O-okay, I get money, but politics?¡± Iceline asked, her eyes widening like a rabbit''s.


    Charles nodded. ¡°As the substitute head of the Pontier family, from now on my efforts will be directed toward winning the other nobles over to his side. The truth is, he¡¯s not detailed enough to do it himself.¡±


    A vein bulged faintly on Iceline¡¯s forehead. ¡°That¡¯s true. Icarus was doing everything you brought up, but can you fill her shoes, Lady Charles?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    The staredown between the two women became more intense.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we¡­ stop them?¡± Kingaitu mumbled quietly as he nkly watched the staredown.


    Ranger awkwardly straightened his back. ¡°How? As you can see, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s going to end unless he shows up.¡±


    ¡°Wel-well, that¡¯s true, but ¡­¡±


    Speak of the devil, and he shall arrive. A loud voice washed over the dining hall.


    ¡°His Highness Joshua has arrived!¡±


    * * *


    The pitch-ck dungeon was now covered with a red light tinged with madness. A spear shook continuously, making the sky tremble and the ground writhe.


    -Hehehehehe. Hahaha!


    Of course, a god¡¯s weapon couldn''t be ordinary because most materials weren¡¯t able to withstand god¡¯s transcendental power. Therefore, most gods always put one material in particr inside their weapon¡ªno, could it be called a material? Gods put a part of their souls into their weapons so that the weapons could absorb the gods¡¯ energies, allowing them to use their transcendental powers to the full extent.


    -The preparation isplete.


    The voice made the entire dungeon shake.


    -Your physical power belongs to Lucifer, the strongest in the Angel Realm. The one inside you is me, a mighty part of the Demon Spirit. Now, I offer up the finest sacrifice, a soul that has killed tens of thousands of people with his own hands, in order to integratepletely.


    The dungeon was wracked by a thunderous rumbling, but that was just the start. The entire dungeon threatened to crumble from the vibrations at any moment, which was surprising¡ªthe dungeon was made from the sturdiest materials. And yet, there was still something more shocking.


    ¡°You¡¯ll suffer a devastating defeat once again, Lucifer. Hehehehe.¡±


    The doppelganger¡¯s voice was¡­ surprisingly, a human¡¯s, unlike before.


    1. This is ng in Korea. It¡¯s mostly used for child actors who changed a lot after growing up. ?

 Chapter 373

    Chapter 373


    Like a protagonist, Joshua appeared in the dining hall just as the gathered crowd was thinking about him. Everyone shut their mouths as if they had nned it in advance.


    ¡°Joshua¡­?¡± Iceline and Charles wondered.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­?¡± Ranger nkly murmured. Then he noticed who had followed Joshua in and flinched. ¡°Cazes, I was wondering where you went¡­¡±


    ¡°Quiet,¡± Cazes interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re all here. His Highness would like to say something.¡±


    Ranger¡ªand everyone else¡ªimmediately stopped speaking. Everyone turned to look at Joshua, expectantly.


    ¡°I¡¯m sincerely sorry.¡± Joshua bowed to the people. They were stunned.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness, I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, why are you suddenly¡­?¡±


    Despite their reactions, Joshua remained bowing. ¡°I escaped from everything for three years already. During those long years, so many people suffered because of what I started. People also got caught in the crossfire due to my false charges.¡±


    Anyone would understand what Joshua meant, so a silence quickly fell upon the hall.


    ¡°I did say I¡¯m grateful that you¡¯ve all been waiting for me, but that was it. In the end, I just talked big like the pigs in the pce. I tried to do everything on my own because I believed that was the only way to repay you for the sacrifices you¡¯ve made.¡±


    Even in his previous life, Joshua had always been alone. He never cared about power, so he hadn¡¯t formed a group since he had the power to live on his own. However, that wasn''t the right answer anymore.


    ¡°Today, I finally realized how wrong I was, so¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    Just like he had said, Joshua now knew that a leader¡ªno, a ruler¡ªshouldn¡¯t have behaved like that. Since he was no longer alone, he ought to know that his subordinates would worry about him and how his decisions were going to impact the citizens of Avalon.


    ¡°Joshua¡­¡± Charles said bitterly.


    She knew everything that Joshua was going through right now. With one word, she could impact numerous people¡¯s lives. No one would understand how heavy the responsibility was.


    Ranger broke the heavy silence.


    ¡°You know¡­ maybe I¡¯m just stupid, but I¡¯m not sure why you¡¯re apologizing to us, Your Highness. Well, I get what you¡¯re saying¡­¡±


    Ranger scratched the back of his head before continuing.


    ¡°But I still wonder why you would be <em>this </em>sorry. I know I¡¯m being rude, but I must ask you, Your Highness.¡± Ranger locked eyes with Joshua. ¡°Did you make us do it? No, rather, did you give us a special order as our superior officer to follow you? You¡¯d already lost your rank and title at the time.¡±


    ¡°R-Ranger!¡± Cazes nervously shouted.


    Ranger didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°No one forced us¡ªwe made this choice. Anyone who wanted to leave already left. Well, Cazes says nonsense like ¡®they did it for their families¡¯ or something¡­¡± Ranger licked his dry lip and muttered, ¡°I was happy.¡±


    ¡°Ranger¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m still happy. I think I used all the luck in my life bing Joshua Sanders¡¯s knight. In fact, I want to express gratitude to my ancestors for the first time.[1] So¡­¡± Ranger continued, his voice getting louder, ¡°...please don¡¯t say that you¡¯re sorry. On a simr note, don¡¯t bow to anyone else. I decided to serve one person and one person only, so I never want to see my master bowing at someone else, even us.


    Ranger was beating around the bush, but it was clear that he was swearing his loyalty as a knight. Their rtionship was no longer merely that of an ordinary superior officer and his subordinates; Ranger was offering himself up as the subject of Joshua, the monarch.


    The knights of the Auxiliary Battalion clenched their fists. They weren¡¯t the only ones feeling it.


    ¡°We Willhelm Knights feel the same, Your Majesty.¡±


    Joshua turned his head to look at Kingaitu.


    ¡°The neutral city of Reinhardt¡­ Until recently, I thought protecting that title was the same as preserving the peace of the continent, but when I think about what has happened, I realize that I was totally wrong. Once a war breaks out, every country in the continent strikes Reinhardt first. A good strategic location, the center of the continent¡­ there are so many reasons for strong countries to desire Reinhardt, so it¡¯s no surprise why Reinhardt is attacked first¡­¡± Kingaitu smiled bitterly. ¡°Everything happened because of our stubbornness. Calling us the neutral city-state was all glitter and no substance. I want to start making the right decisions from now on. I don¡¯t want the citizens of Reinhardt to suffer anymore.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Cazes asked.


    Kingaitu quietly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m going to persuade the citizens about uniting Reinhardt with the new Avalon Empire¡ªno, about His Majesty bing our one and only king.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°They¡¯ll understand since we¡¯re talking about <em>the </em>Joshua Sanders.¡± Kingaitu chuckled.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Kingaitu¡¯s remark was truly shocking¡ªReinhardt¡¯s title of neutral city-state held great weight. Even if Kingaitu sessfully persuaded the citizens, many problems still remained; the biggest problem was the other countries objecting to the idea. It hadn¡¯t been long since the Continental War hade to an end, so it might look like the Avalon Empire was starting to get greedy and aiming to instigate another war. The people gathered in the hall were worried because they were well aware of that possibility.


    ¡°If things worked out so easily, then I won¡¯t be able to feel zero sense of aplishment. ¡± Although he noticed the tension in the hall, Kingaitu slightly shrugged as he continued, ¡°We can¡¯t walk on eggshells forever, and I¡¯m sure that it won¡¯t be impossible if we¡¯re with His Majesty.¡±


    When Kingaitu finished speaking, silence fell upon the hall for a long time.


    ¡°Why is there always something happening around this man whenever I visit him?¡± a beautiful voice asked.


    Joshua turned to look at the two women.


    ¡°But I always envy that about you,¡± Charles said.


    Joshua looked into Charles¡¯s fiery-red eyes for a moment and then looked at Iceline, whose wise eyes gently smiled back. Although she wasn¡¯t saying anything, it was clear what she wanted to say.


    <em>¡®Don¡¯t me yourself. Everyone here believes in you.¡¯</em>


    ¡°I¡­¡± Joshua paused. He now knew how his people truly felt, but still, he couldn¡¯t help but feel worried. Joshua¡¯sst enemy was <em>him</em>, so if Joshua¡¯sst scenario came true, something irreversible would take ce.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll help them as much as I can.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s heads turned to the entrance, where the new voice came from. An old man stood tall by the gate with crossed arms, smiling.


    ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡± Cazes said with a trembling voice. ¡°Hi-His Grace Tremblin?¡±


    ¡°The Sword Emperor!¡±


    ¡°The great Star of the Avalon Empire!¡±


    The wrinkled duke paid the shocked WIlhelm Knights no mind and winked. ¡°Why are you all shocked? I¡¯m the biggest fan of ¡®His Highness¡¯ Joshua.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in the Agnus¡¯ main residence, Heimdall was standing with his back against the sun. The apostles stood silently waiting for him.


    ¡°Heimdall¡­¡±


    ¡°Jabel and Marco, it¡¯s not like you to do something like what you did today,¡± Heimdall scolded. The two apostles bit their lips. ¡°I won¡¯t punish you any further. Head back to Acardia and wait until I give you new orders.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The apostles quickly disappeared except one.


    ¡°¡­Do you want to say something, Jabel?¡± Heimdall asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dly ept punishment,¡± Jabel firmly answered.


    ¡°¡­I told you I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then please answer me one thing.¡± Jabel quietly raised his head. ¡°Do you, by any chance, still feel attached to your son?¡±


    Heimdall¡¯s eyes turned sharp as he hadn¡¯t expected to hear that question. Jabel wouldn¡¯t normally ask such a question.


    ¡°He ruined the n that we¡¯ve been working on for dozens of years, so why would you leave him be? I really¡ª¡±


    ¡°The wheel of destiny has already started to turn,¡± Heimdall said.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    Jabel immediately stopped running his mouth.


    ¡°This god-knows-how-long ill-fated rtionship was personally influenced by the Demon Spirit.¡±


    Jabel¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°The Demo-Demon Spirit? What are you suddenly talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was decided a long time ago,¡± Heimdall nonchntly continued.


    ¡°Heimdall, I don¡¯t want to interrupt you, but I really don¡¯t understand¡­ Why would the Demon Spirit hold a grudge against Joshua Sanders?¡± Jabel cautiously asked.


    ¡°Have you forgotten? Berber, my follower, signed a contract with Asmodeus, the thirty-second strongest demon. He told me.¡±


    Jabel had indeed forgotten about Berber, who had died while building an army of undead three years ago.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be able to test his destiny with this. On top of that, the Emperor made a contract with the Demon Spirit in the end.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Jabel shouted, his surprise bursting out. ¡°D-do you mean the Demon Spirit has incarnated into the world?!¡±


    Heimdall nodded. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s going to begin in earnest.¡±


    ¡°Th-then is that why you spared the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Asmodeus told me that it takes a human who killed at least tens of thousands of people to make the Demon Spirit descend.¡±


    Jabel had goosebumps all over his arms. When he looked at Heimdall, it felt like this was how real revenge should be.


    Heimdall faintly smiled. ¡°Who else could be a better sacrificial offering than Marcus ben Britten, the tyrant?¡±


    1. This belief is quite popr in Asian cultures. Ancestors look over their descendants and shower them with luck. ?

 Chapter 374

    Chapter 374


    Lugia was a being who dared to share a god¡¯s memory¡ªno, he was actually part of the Demon Spirit himself, so Lugia could remember the first, thrilling meeting between the Demon Spirit and Lucifer, the tragic angel that had descended to the bottom of the Demon Realm¡¯s abyss after being betrayed by a fellow angel.


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous. An angel¡ªno, a fallen angel who lost his wings caused the shockwave that shook the entire Demon Realm¡­ I thought all angels were weaklings, but was there an angel as strong as you?¡± the Demon Spirit eximed.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± the fallen angel bluntly replied.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I told you to get lost,¡± the fallen angel repeated.


    The Demon Spirit was rendered speechless. The fallen angel indeed had great potential, but he already lost most of his power. So what was with his attitude?


    ¡°Do you know who I am?¡± the Demon Spirit asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I don¡¯t care.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t care¡­¡± the Demon Spirit gaped at him.


    In all of the eternity the Demon Spirit had lived, he had never been treated like this. Once he showed up, gods from both Demon and Angel Realm busily avoided making eye contact with him, but¡­ but strangely, the Demon Spirit didn¡¯t dislike how the fallen angel was treating him.


    ¡°¡­Hahaha.¡± The Demon Spirit chuckled as if he had gone mad and then reached out his hand. ¡°Yeah, it doesn¡¯t matter who I am.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I actually want to ask you the same. Look at you. How long are you going to stay in that pit?¡± The Demon Spirit looked at the fallen angel up and down.


    The fallen angel¡¯s wings were ragged; most of the feathers were ripped out along with the skin of his back. They were at the deepest part of the Demon Realm. The contaminated demonic power from the pit was slowly affecting the fallen angel, turning his skin ck.


    ¡°Take my hand. Don¡¯t you want to get revenge on the people who put you in that state?¡± the Demon Spirit asked, but he was already half certain. It was clear how heartbroken the fallen angel was after his betrayal. That made the Demon Spirit anticipate that the fallen angel was going to take his hand, but he was dead wrong.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you, so get lost. I want to rest.¡± Lucifer closed his eyes, tly rejecting any further conversation.


    The Demon Spirit didn¡¯t want to give up now, however. ¡°Then what do you need? You don¡¯t want to die in this nameless pit, do you?¡±


    Lucifer still remained silent, so the Demon Spirit hurriedly added, ¡°I¡¯m telling you that I have the power to make your every wishe true.¡±


    ¡°My¡­ every wish?¡± Lucifer finally responded, even though he hadn¡¯t even budged when the Demon Spirit mentioned revenge.


    ¡°Yes! Anything!¡± the Demon Spirit excitedly shouted.


    Lucifer raised his head and quietly looked up at the gray sky of the Demon Realm. The sky was so gloomy andcked even a single source of light, but Lucifer watched it for a long time.


    ¡°¡­I do want to meet again,¡± Lucifer quietly said.


    The Demon Spirit¡¯s eyes widened as he felt Lucifer take his hand. He beamed, revealing his white teeth.


    ¡°Wee, shining darkness! The first being that does not belong anywhere!¡±


    That was how Lucifer was reborn, and the new Lucifer was surely great. Under the principle of the strongest takes all, the twelve demon kings had been struggling for power for over a thousand years, but four of them were killed by Lucifer. Now he even had followers.


    ¡°Although he might not want it, it¡¯s understandable here, in the Demon Realm,¡± the Demon Spiritmented.


    Lucifer might have been alone in the hypocritical Angel Realm, but it was the opposite in the Demon Realm, where might made right. Of course, the citizens of the Demon Realm gathered to be Lucifer¡¯s people, so Lucifer eventually led a faction that even the Demon Spirit couldn¡¯t take lightly.


    However, the Demon Spirit was feeling greedy, rather than nervous, and thought that he might be able to aplish his long-cherished ambition using Lucifer. In the end, the Demon Spirit expressed his desire out loud.


    ¡°I¡¯ll open up the path to the Angel Realm, Lucifer,¡± the Demon Spirit offered.


    Lucifer didn¡¯t answer.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you want this to happen?¡±


    A long time ago, the Angel Spirit and Demon Spirit had made a promise, sealing off the pathway that connected their two realms. However, the Demon Spirit was offering to remove the blockage.


    ¡°When will you open it?¡±


    ¡°I thought you¡¯ll be happier than that¡­ but you¡¯re pretty nonchnt.¡± The Demon Spirit tilted his head at Lucifer, who was silently pressing him to answer. With a slight shrug, the Demon Spirit said, ¡°Anytime you want. In fact, I can open it right now if you want.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it that simple?¡±


    ¡°Opening the pathway isn¡¯t difficult, but I¡¯m taking quite a risk. You know how serious a promise between gods is, right? This is just my way of thanking you for all the hard work you did until now.¡± Raising his hands dramatically, the Demon Spirit continued, ¡°Come back after you¡¯ve done everything you want to do. I want you to help me again afterward. I genuinely like you, so if you want revenge, I¡¯m willing to help you even if a war breaks out between the Angel and Demon Realms.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it. Just like I told you before, I¡¯m not trying to go there to have revenge,¡± Lucifer said.


    The Demon Spirit¡¯s expression subtly changed. ¡°Are you really going to let them be?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, if you say so.¡± The Demon Spirit drew up his power. ¡°Then I¡¯ll open it right now.¡±


    The sky shook as a ck hole was created from empty space. Lucifer examined the hole for a long time. There was something bizarre with that hole.


    ¡°The pathway that connects the Angel and Demon Realms is called Gray Zone, and it doesn¡¯t belong to any realm. Nothing exists there except chaos. There are only two exits: one to the Angel Realm and another to the Demon Realm,¡± the Demon Spirit exined.


    The Demon Spirit looked at Lucifer and smiled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Wait, are you having second thoughts?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Lucifer shook his head slightly and then stepped into the hole. ¡°I just had to think about something for a moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    Lucifer disappeared into the ck hole.


    The Demon Spirit was finally left alone. He stared expressionlessly at the spot where Lucifer had been for a moment.


    ¡°Now then¡­¡± the Demon Spirit mumbled, ¡°shall I get moving?¡±


    If Lucifer¡¯s goal wasn¡¯t revenge, that was a problem because it had been the Demon Spirit¡¯s sublime dream for eternity. So he was going to create a situation where Lucifer had to take his revenge. It would be a piece of cake.


    There was actually only one reason why Lucifer was abandoned by the angels: he had demon blood. So if the Demon Spirit sent the army of darkness to the Angel Realm after Lucifer¡­


    ¡°The angels will strike first even if Lucifer himself doesn¡¯t want to fight, hehehe,¡± the Demon Spirit chuckled.


    The Demon Spirit came to a decision. To unify the Angel Realm and the Demon Realm, he was going to tear down the Angel Realm and get everything that stopped him from achieving his grand n.


    ¡°I hope you die with the angels, Lucifer. Hehehe.¡±


    * * *


    Joshua still had work to do. Although there was a change in his n due to the unexpected appearance of Heimdall, he reminded himself why he was heading to the Agnus estate in the first ce. If Heimdall and his apostles were still there, Joshua was going to sneak in, but it turned out he didn¡¯t need to worry about it. The manor was as eerily empty as it had been.


    <em>¡®I know there is no head of the family right now, but¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua thought bitterly.


    Just like Joshua¡¯s previous life, the Agnus Family was weakened. The Dark God had disappeared, although people believed he was dead. Due to the War God¡¯s attack, Babel was bedridden for a long time. Nevertheless, Joshua never thought the glorious Agnus Duchy would beid so low.


    <em>¡®Heimdall must have nned to use it as a headquarters since no one should be in here.¡¯</em>


    Joshua strode confidently toward his destination.


    Joshua came to a halt, and his eyes turned cold. He didn¡¯t even need to look closer because his extremely heightened senses were telling him that there were no signs of life around the area except one. But that energy was familiar, and it seemed to be leading Joshua, calling out to him.


    ¡°¡­Lugia,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    He resumed walking.


    Joshua walked across the wide garden, passed by the mansion that was bigger than most kingdoms¡¯ pces. This ce was where his new life began and his life as the human Joshua Sanders totally changed.


    Joshua finally came to a halt. He looked up ahead at the five-meter-tall boulder which had been believed to be the Agnus¡¯ ¡°guardian stone¡± for generations.


    Without hesitation, Joshua drew up his mana. He didn¡¯t have to go through the trouble of spilling his blood since he was no longer the young Joshua von Agnus.


    With a light swing of his hand, the guardian stone exploded, revealing a dark hole. Joshua jumped in right away. Everything had started from the ancient ruins where Lugia had been asleep.


    ¡°You became quite aggressive while I was away,¡± a voice chided as soon as Joshuanded.


    From the darkness in front of Joshua, someone walked out. He had been waiting for this moment. The person held the two-pronged red spear, and also carried an unconscious woman over his shoulder. The person looked like an exact replica of Joshua.


    ¡°I''ve been waiting for you, Lucifer¡ªno.¡± The person beamed, baring his teeth. ¡°My old friend, Joshua Sanders.¡±

 Chapter 375

    Chapter 375


    In the hidden ce under the Agnus manor, Joshua was facing down his mirror image. Who could have imagined it? Appearance, weapons, strength¡­ Everything was the same. Maybe they were the ones who knew each other the best in the whole wide world.


    It was obvious that the doppelganger had tried to kill Joshua¡ªits spear was pointed right at Joshua. One of them was holding an aura spear that emitted white sparks, and a dark-red spear that exuded dreary light was in the hands of the other.


    Their footsteps quickened, and their eyes were fixed on each other. Then the two spears finally shed. The ends of their spears collided precisely in the middle because their speed and strength were exactly the same.


    Both of them took one step backward.


    ¡°Indeed¡­¡± The doppelganger with the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul smiled in satisfaction. ¡°I obtained a new body, but I had no one to test this body with. In that regard, I can say for certain that you¡¯re my best partner, Joshua.¡±


    After the doppelganger¡ªno, Lugia¡ªfinished speaking, he swung his spear. ¡°It feels good.¡±


    Joshua silently regarded him.


    ¡°¡­Hehehe. It looks like you have zero intention of talking with me. I never thought you would also obtain Gaia, the primordial stone. You could have died without knowing anything forever¡­ It¡¯s truly disappointing.¡±


    Lugia seemed to be trying to provoke Joshua, but Joshua¡¯s silence was not disturbed.


    ¡°As you know, a high-dimensional being has to be killed at least three times to annihte their soul. For your information, you already died once due to Kaiser ben Britten¡¯s betrayal¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can stop talking,¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to get all the answers I want after I defeat you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lugia eximed mischievously. ¡°That is totally my style.¡±


    Joshua ignored Lugia and lifted his spear horizontally, firing off a raging sharp wind. At the same time, Joshua disappeared as quickly as the wind that he had just fired. He moved secretly and swiftly, hiding behind the wind. His arms never stopped moving, and neither did his legs. Joshua struck Lugia like a storm, giving him no chance to counterattack.


    Lugia deflected Joshua¡¯s attacks with ease. When Joshua aimed for Lugia¡¯s neck, he nullified the attack by counterattacking in the same fashion as Joshua¡¯s attack and avoided Joshua¡¯s lightning fast strikes to the top of his head with a slight, casual turn. He also used the momentum to hit the back of Joshua¡¯s head.


    An earsplitting explosion buffeted them, as if someone had used a high-ss explosion spell. Lugia¡¯s spear was just three centimeters away from Joshua¡¯s temple, but it was blocked, making the spear shake incessantly.


    ¡°You can¡¯t beat me,¡± Lugia whispered quietly, pressing his spear against Joshua¡¯s vertical one. ¡°This body has yourbat skills, and it also has my power. On top of that, a god¡¯s soul is in this body¡ªbut that is not all. This spear originally belonged to you, but it has bepletely mine.¡±


    Joshua frowned slightly as he felt the pressure on his spear grow.


    ¡°The biggest difference that will decide the victor of this fight is¡­ demonic power,¡± Lugia said.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    Thick demonic power seeped out from the area where their spearheads met each other. It was purer than the demonic power of all the demons Joshua had met until now, yet it was stronger than any power in the world. It was the great Demon Spirit¡¯s demonic power.


    To prepare for what he knew was going to happen soon, Joshua tightened the grip on his spear.


    It turned out he made the right decision.


    A gigantic explosion erupted between Joshua and Lugia. While being thrown back, Joshua fixed his eyes on Lugia. His opponent was definitely not weaker than him. On top of that, Joshua was fighting against someone who knew everything about him, so he shouldn¡¯t be affected by Lugia¡¯s remarks. Aside from Lugia¡¯s movements, Joshua needed to forget about everything, so he quietly calmed his breath. Joshua also released his demonic power; he had no intention of losing.


    Lugia¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Using the same strategy as your enemy¡­ I don¡¯t think it¡¯s a good choice when ites to fighting me¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you letting your guard down too much?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Even before he finished saying ¡°Sanders,¡± Joshua sprang forward.


    ¡°Fool¡­¡± Lugia smirked.


    If Lugia and Joshua fought head-on, then the result was obvious.


    As the thunder rumbled, Lugia sprinted forward, his spear covered with ayer of demonic power. Several collisions took ce, some violent and some gentle, but no one rose victorious.


    ¡°You talk big, but your attacks are too ordinary, even though you already know that you won¡¯t be able to aplish anything with ordinary methods¡­¡±


    Joshua held up his spear high and then mmed it at the top of Lugia¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Lugia snorted quietly and took half a step backward, but that wasn¡¯t the end of Joshua¡¯s attack.


    Lugia blinked. He wasn¡¯t sure what had happened¡ªhe¡¯d definitely dodged Joshua¡¯s attack, so what was with this stabbing sound?


    It didn¡¯t take long for Lugia to find out where the sound wasing from. When Lugia lowered his head, he saw the ground that he was standing on cracking; instead of withdrawing his spear, Joshua had used it to pierce the ground.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡± Lugia frowned, noticing the pebbles that were flying toward his eyes. Joshua was known as a proud man, so Lugia hadn¡¯t expected him to resort to cheap tricks.


    By lightly swinging his spear, Lugia deflected the pebbles, resulting in a stato rattle of metal against stone.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Lucifer!¡± Lugia shouted. ¡°You were the best battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms. Have you given up on all your pride?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s quite the opposite.¡±


    Lugia¡¯s head whipped around. The voice hade from behind him.


    Lugia wasn¡¯t able to avoid Joshua¡¯s attackpletely. He felt a stinging pain¡­ Something sticky rolled down Lugia¡¯s cheeks, but it was transparent liquid, not dark-red blood. That finally made Lugia¡¯s expression darken.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Lugia mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°There is one thing you¡¯re really wrong about.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Gods arrogantly believe that they are immune to change, that they will never be surpassed¡ªand they are truly foolish. There is nothing in this world that is evesting.¡± Joshua lightly mmed his spear against the ground. ¡°But humans are different.¡±


    ¡°Humans are different¡­?¡± Lugia nkly repeated.


    ¡°They know where they¡¯recking, so they try again and again to improve themselves. Despite the fact that they know they don¡¯t have the talent, they continue to train and don¡¯t stop practicing even if they¡¯re called the best at what they do.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering what nonsense you were saying, but you¡¯re praising humans right now?¡±


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help it since all the humans I met until now were like that,¡± Joshua said.


    Several thoughts shed across Lugia¡¯s mind. His eyes widened. He had a rough idea of what Joshua was saying since he had most of Joshua¡¯s memory.


    ¡°In gods¡¯ eyes, humans are just one of their countless creations, but do they know that the existence that has potential as great as¡ªno, greater than gods are the humans?¡±


    After nkly listening to Joshua for a moment, Lugia gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you done with your bullshit?¡±


    He began to swing his spear again and again.


    ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous to see how you¡¯ve gotten cocky after one lucky break, Lucifer,¡± Lugia roared. ¡°Besides, do you really think praising humans is an excuse for your change?¡±


    ¡°That is why I told you.¡± Joshua grinned. ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders the human, not Lucifer from the Angel and Demon Realms.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I can¡¯t believe it. You¡¯ve really gone mad and given up on your pride as the strongest being in the Angel and Demon Realms. Otherwise, how would you be able to degrade yourself as a human¡ª¡±


    ¡°But that is not the only thing you¡¯re wrong about,¡± Joshua continued.


    Sparks flew up¡ªJoshua¡¯s spear was changing.


    ¡°I can never defeat you because that body has mybat ability and also has your power?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Just because it looks identical, doesn¡¯t mean the contents are the same. Right now, I''m going to surpass my limits,¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°I won¡¯t listen to you any further.¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯ve already done it before?¡± Joshua asked.


    Lugia flinched.


    Joshua grabbed his spear. He had lived for such a long time, but he had never done what he was trying to do right now. Even the Demon Spirit wouldn¡¯t be able to imagine what kind of madness Joshua was trying to start.


    ¡°Wait, you¡­?¡± Lugia muttered in disbelief.


    The spear made from demonic power shook¡ªno, the spear was a blue mana spear now.


    Demonic and divine powers were the pr opposites of one another, like ck and white, but Joshua merged the two. Instead of putting oneyer of power over another, Joshua was uniting these powers. Only Joshua, who had the powers of both angel and demon, could do this.


    The Magic Spear Arts Level 9: Harmony Spear.


    Darkness existed because there was light, and people were able to know that there was goodness in the world due to the presence of evil.


    The being that held the two opposite elements inside him picked up a spear and then poured all of his ipatible power into the spear.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense¡­¡±


    The spear was now tinged with both ck and white. Grabbing the spear of good and evil, Joshua moved and yed his opponent.


    Joshua turned into a lightning bolt and struck Lugia, who was still frozen stiff.

 Chapter 376

    Chapter 376


    The word ¡°defeat¡± was really foreign to Lugia. Could he admit his defeat? No, he couldn¡¯t. He had been living for eternity, but he had never lost. Then would he be able to ept his defeat? It was bullshit that he didn¡¯t need to think about any further. He couldn¡¯t admit the fact in his head, so how would he be able to ept it in his heart? Even if it was possible, his pride as a god wouldn¡¯t allow him to do so. Then couldn¡¯t he at least try to understand? No matter how hard he thought, the answer was the same.


    ¡°Arghhhh!¡± Lugia looked down at the spot where his arm had been and went berserk. The highest-ss demonic power spread out from him, shaking the underground space. The power of a god destroyed the chamber.


    The furious god¡¯s gaze shifted.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re the one and only Irregr¡­ Hehehe. I never expected you to pull off a crazy stunt like uniting divine and demonic powers.¡± Lugia nced downward. Bubbles were forming where his left arm had been; a god¡¯s self-recovery ability was far and away better than even a troll¡¯s, but even that ability was useless now. ¡°Don¡¯t get cocky. This is just the beginning.¡±


    ¡°No, this is the end,¡± Joshua said.


    Lugia¡¯s eyes popped open in surprise. Bizarre sounds wereing from down below. When Lugia lowered his head, he saw thin cracks spreading from his wound. It didn¡¯t take long for the cracks to cover Lugia entirely.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Lugia mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask now. Why did you do that to me?¡±


    Many questions were actually summed up in Joshua¡¯s one question because he really couldn¡¯t understand. He got the part where he had to regress even though Lugia was just going to kill him since he had to die three times for his soul to be annihted. However, it didn¡¯t exin why Lugia betrayed Joshua, which was the whole reason why Lugia wished to kill Joshua.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that a god can interfere in a human¡¯s destiny,¡± Joshua continued.


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden?¡± Lugia snapped back uprehendingly.


    ¡°A hound that outlived its usefulness is abandoned, and that was Joshua Sanders the human¡¯s life. But it was really weird when I thought about it. The true mastermind and puppeteer of the Fourth Prince Kaiser was Heimdall, but would he have been satisfied with just taking over the Avalon Empire? No, I don¡¯t think so. Under the pretext of revenge, Heimdall tried to manipte an Imperial Family and had numerous Masters as his subordinates. He even had the Darkness Emperor, one of the three Celestials, as his colleague, so there is no way he would not want the entire continent. In fact, Heimdall must have nned the incident that took ce three years ago in the Great in of Kraden to instigate the Continental War.¡±


    He now knew why Heimdall had gone through all that trouble to vanish three years ago: making his enemies let their guards down. It was also rted to the reason for instigating a civil war within the Avalon Empire. Once the civil war started, the other countries would fight with one another on their own.


    Breaking the power dynamic between the three empires would have been the only method to make the two empires start a full-scale war. Joshua dared to assume that the Second Continental War had been started by Kaiser and Heimdall on the day Joshua had died in his previous life because that was the day they had finally taken over the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°So it¡¯s strange because I would have served a better purpose in the Continental War. It¡¯s embarrassing to say this myself, but the invincible spearman is very useful. Besides, I was a really obedient hound in my past life, so it doesn¡¯t make any sense for Kaiser and Heimdall to abandon me just because they suddenly became afraid of my power. So I think the actual reason was¡­¡± Joshua looked straight into Lugia¡¯s eyes. ¡°...that you interfered in their destinies, Lugia¡ªor rather, the Demon Spirit Lubechern.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hehehehehe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again: why did you betray me? Were you that scared of me after everything I¡¯ve gone through?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s question was more about his destiny as Lucifer since everything had started from the Demon Spirit¡¯s evil scheme.


    ¡°Let me set one thing straight,¡± Lugia said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes, a hound that¡¯s outlived its usefulness is abandoned, but you weren¡¯t a useful hound to me in the first ce.¡± Lugia emitted a gloomy light for a moment. ¡°You should have ughtered those angels, but you freaking forgave them. When those angles bowed and apologized, you should have chopped their heads off and drank their blood. Then you ought to have cut their limbs off and fed them to the wild dogs in the Demon Realm.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold as he listened to Lugia since Joshua had seen those memories from Gaia, the primordial stone. Watching the first angel falling to the Demon Realm had been shocking, but it had been done by a few angels and they weren¡¯t acting on all angels¡¯ behalf. That was why a bted investigation had beenunched to find out the truth. When Lucifer had returned, the Angel Spirit herself apologized¡ªthe supreme god had kneeled before a fallen angel.


    ¡°I led an army to the Angel Realm to help you, but I ended up being the weird one. Since I pulled out a sword, I felt like I should chop something,[1] but I might have gotten killed... If it hadn¡¯t been the four angels that cast you out, I couldn¡¯t have walked out of there unscathed, hehehe.¡±


    Lucifer had tried to tell the Angel Spirit, who hade forward on all angels¡¯ behalf, that he forgave them. However, at that moment, the four angels who had cast him down out of jealousy of his power, showed up behind the Angel Spirit and stabbed her through the stomach with a sword.


    The Demon Spirit had smiled contentedly when he saw Lucifer wobbling from the severity of his wounds; he finally had a justifiable cause to start a war between the Angel and Demon Realms.


    ¡°Hehehehe, I remember that day.¡± Lugia swept his hair up with his remaining arm and bared his teeth with alien mirth. ¡°I had no reason to keep my hound as he was not listening to me. Well, it was easy to fight in the war because you wreaked havoc.¡±


    ¡°¡­You were nning to use me for a war in the first ce, just like Kaiser,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°Yes, that is your destiny as the best battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms.¡±


    ¡°Did you also make me get betrayed in the Human Realm?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°How could humans have found Amon¡¯s Marble otherwise?¡±


    ¡°Was that also the reason why¡­ you offered to pull me out of the pit when I first fell into the Demon Realm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve heard about the butterfly effect, right? A small change can cause a cataclysm like how the pping of a butterfly¡¯s wings can lead to a giant storm. At the time, your power was surely feeble, but I concluded that a being who has both angel and demon blood would be a big help to me in the future. Of course, I was right,¡± Lugia said, smiling slyly. ¡°Shall I tell you one more interesting fact? I, the one standing here, am not the fragment.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already expect that? Using the Tower of Trials, you headed to the Demon Realm and scoured the ce, killing so many of my subordinates, but you couldn¡¯t find ¡®me¡¯. Isn¡¯t that why you came to the Human Realm again?¡±


    ¡°That means¡­¡±


    Lugia¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°The Angel Spirit has died. That wretched woman got herself killed after using too much of her power at once. When you were dying, she made you reincarnate as a human and trapped my soul in none other than your fucking spear.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not¡­ the fragment?¡±Joshua muttered. ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. I¡¯m the real Demon Spirit.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°Do you get it now? I lost most of my power and fell into this Human Realm. I¡¯m finally recovering my power, so I won¡¯t go through that same shitty trouble because of you. That is the main reason why I¡¯m trying to kill your soul¡ªbut sadly, I don¡¯t have time to exin any further.¡± Lugia smiled. His body was crumbling more quickly, so he tightened his grip on the red spear.¡°You know that our fight isn¡¯t over even if I lose this vessel. It takes three deaths to kill a high-dimensional being¡¯s soulpletely, so wouldn¡¯t it be odd if a god was killed right away?¡±


    As Lugia was preparing tounch his final attack, Joshua drew up his power and gripped his spear that was tinged with a harmonious mix of both ck and white.


    ¡°Hmph, you and your cheap tricks again. I¡¯ll show you that my great demonic power can overwhelm any other powers in the world!¡±


    Joshua finally broke his silence: ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get my weapon back.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Lugia smirked. ¡°Do you think you can do it? I already killed you once.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t happen again,¡± Joshua bluntly answered. His spear snapped to the ready position. Lugia was going to die anyway even if Joshua left him be, but it didn¡¯t matter now because he felt like he was going to lose it if he didn¡¯t y Lugia right now.


    ¡°Come!¡± Lugia roared, his energy bursting out. Anything it touched turned to dust. There was only a trace of the ancient ruins now, and it didn¡¯t take long for the ruin to disappear entirely. Even the sturdy ground of the underground space was sinking little by little. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to call the power great, but Joshua didn¡¯t care.


    Joshua started walking forward.


    In his first step, he fixed his eyes on his opponent.


    In his second step, he squeezed space.


    When he finally took his third step, his footsteps reflected the world.


    Lugia froze. The unbothered footsteps made his heart sink. Lugia was very familiar with those footsteps: Lucifer, the most notorious battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms, walked as lightly as if he was dancing on clouds, but his every footstep had the power to inspire awe in every living creature.


    ¡°How can you do that with a human body¡­?¡± Lugia muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡± Lugia grunted. The pressure he felting off of Joshua was greater than anything he¡¯d ever felt before.


    However, Joshua was using the power that belonged to him, not a new kind of power like the one he had created by mixing divine and demonic powers, and even that was enough to put Lugia into this state¡­


    ¡°I definitely copied all your powers¡ªno, I¡¯m above your level, so how¡­!¡±


    ¡°An imitation can¡¯t beat the real thing. Besides, aren¡¯t you an imitation of an imitation?¡± Joshua said, crushing thest bit of Lugia¡¯s pride.


    ¡°You¡­son of a bitch¡­!¡± Lugia cursed, his blood boiling.


    An imitation of an imitation¡ªJoshua was mocking Lugia for being sealed and using the body of a doppelganger, but Lugia couldn¡¯t do anything except get angry even though he knew what Joshua meant.


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Lugia growled.


    Joshua was now right before Lugia.


    ¡°Disappear now.¡± He slowly raised his spear. ¡°You¡¯re just a trashy god who chanced upon an imitation and got ahead of himself.¡±


    Lugia stared, wide-eyed, as Joshua¡¯s spear slowly dropped toward his head.


    The spear cut through him with the sound of ss shattering instead of the sound of human flesh parting. The fragments of his body turned into ck light particles and scattered beautifully into the air.


    Joshua watched every particle, one by one, and thought to himself that even a god could not stop him from changing his future.


    1. This phrase is a Korean idiom about how someone shouldn¡¯t give up until theyplete what they started, but nowadays, it¡¯s often used to describe the feeling that they feel like they should at least do something since they decided to start it. ?

 Chapter 377

    Chapter 377


    There was an angel who came from the outskirts of the Angel Realm, but he was stronger than the renowned Four Great Angels. The angel utilized a red spear. He moved it in a beautiful trajectory across the sky and the ground, so naturally it caught Joshua¡¯s attention and made him observe the movement carefully.


    <em>¡®The primordial stone is showing me another memory,¡¯ </em>Joshua realized.


    The angel¡¯s spear had only two heads, so he was certain. On top of that, the longer he watched, the clearer he could remember the angel¡¯s spear techniques.


    Among all the martial arts and weapon techniques in the Angel Realm, the Magic Spear Arts were the strongest. It was known that someone could even kill a god once they mastered all eight techniques, so all the protectors in the Angel Realm were afraid of the technique. The angel had demon blood, so the protectors believed that the angel would point his spear at them one day.


    In the end, there was only one reason why the angel was betrayed by both angels and demons: the angel was too strong¡ª strong enough to make god feel threatened, just like humans worried about losing their power.


    * * *


    Joshua quietly looked around the secret chamber where Lugia had been hidden. He could instinctively tell that there was someone else in this ce aside from his unconscious mother. Of course, it didn¡¯t matter who the person was¡ªJoshua had surpassed level 8 and created level 9 of the Magic Spear Art.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s okay.¡± Joshua sighed after checking that Lucia was breathing regrly, although she was still unconscious.


    His other poor decision almost made him regret it. Since the Wild King, the death knight, had be a Master long ago, Joshua had thought he would be enough to protect his mother.


    He heard a loud yet heavy footstep from outside the underground ruins. His eyes turned to the ck hole.


    ¡°¡­This energy is¡­?¡± His eyes widened.


    It was familiar, but it belonged to someone that Joshua had briefly lost his connection to. However, that person releasing their energy again had allowed Joshua to find this ce.


    ¡°¡­Wild King?¡±


    The ground shook once again, and a knight wearing ck armor appeared, his eyes gleaming gloomily.


    ¡°The seal was broken because of the Demon Spirit¡¯s demonic power.¡±


    As soon as Joshua saw who the person was, he could tell that what he was saying was true. The only method to break the contract¡¯s seal was for a stronger demon to use their demonic power. It was also the one and only way to enve an undead by force, but Joshua¡¯s demonic power was just as strong as the Demon Spirit.


    ¡°Are you going to stop me?¡± Joshua challenged, releasing his energy threateningly.


    The Wild King didn¡¯t say anything. It was unclear whether he couldn¡¯t tell a friend from a foe, had be the Demon Spirit¡¯s subordinatepletely, or was feeling angry and disappointed with his previous master.


    The Wild King finally came to a halt when he was ten meters away from Joshua. His mother was positioned precariously between the two, putting her in danger if it came to blows.


    On top of that, the Wild King had even picked up the red spear from the ground. With a Master quickly closing the distance and freshly armed, Joshua quietly began to circte his mana in his legs.


    At that moment¡­ the Wild King finally broke his silence.


    -As you can see, the seal that makes you my master is broken. At this rate, I won¡¯t be able to stay in this world anymore.


    ¡°You¡­?¡±


    -You promised that you¡¯d make my dreamse true.


    The Wild King¡¯s question came from deep in his mind, a knight¡¯s upright resolve and a man¡¯s yearning.


    -And you did make most of theme true. You gave me my revenge and reimed my country.


    The Wild King was talking about the fight between Joshua and Grand Duke Lucifer.


    -But isn¡¯t there a dream you haven¡¯t madee true?


    ¡°bis, the Knight of Red me¡­¡± Joshua muttered.


    Before he had died, Duke ¡°Wild King¡± Altsma was the renowned Master of the Swallow Empire. He had onest wish in this world; thus, Joshua had promised that he was going to let Duke Altsma meet and fight against bis again, but Joshua couldn¡¯t keep his promise because bis had gone missing after the Continental War had broken out.


    -It¡¯s said that a defeated general shouldn¡¯t talk¡­ but I want to cross swords with him.


    Who would call the knight before Joshua a defeated general? Who could say that the man in front of Joshua was throwing a tantrum like a child?


    -That is why I didn¡¯t ept the Demon Spirit¡¯s offer.


    The Wild King could have been annihted at any moment, but he stayed faithful to Joshua until the end. Still, it would have been very painful for the Wild King because he had basically been fighting his instincts; demonic power was the same as instinct for the undead.


    The Wild King kneeled and politely offered up the red spear.


    -From the start, I decided to serve only one master.


    ¡°Wild King¡­¡±


    It was now Joshua¡¯s turn to repay the Wild King¡¯s trust.


    * * *


    No one currently lived in the Agnus mansion in Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire. However, Heimdall was standing in the basement of the mansion, wearing his odd ck and white mask even though he was indoors. When he took a look around, a little over forty apostles looked back at him. Of course, Heimdall¡¯s apostles couldn¡¯t be underestimated just because there were few of them since every single one of them could be called a Master.


    ¡°Everyone, get ready,¡± Heimdall said.


    ¡°Yes, Heimdall.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not make any mistakes.¡± Heimdall warned, his voice still monotonous. ¡°We¡¯re going to move up the schedule. The new emperor will be decided three days from today, so we will finish everything before then.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get it done, Heimdall.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll start our grand n at midnight. As soon as you enter the pce, secure <em>her</em> first.¡± Heimdall¡¯s eyes turned cold behind the mask. ¡°If anyone stands in your way¡­ you can kill them all.¡±


    ¡°Heimdall, may I ask a question?¡±


    ¡°What is it, Marco?¡±


    ¡°Does anyone¡­ include other princes?¡±


    The apostles flinched. Marco was cutting right to the heart of the subject.


    The only reason why Heimdall had been sparing the princes until now was to distract the other countries and decrease the Avalon Empire¡¯s power. In other words, Marco was asking, ¡°Is this country¡­ ours now?¡±


    Unable to hold back their excitement, some apostles released their energies. They had been waiting for dozens of years; since they had been taken under Heimdall¡¯s wings so long ago that they couldn¡¯t remember when, they had devoted themselves to improving their sword skills. They even forgot about their families to do so.


    Heimdall actually had influence around the entire continent. Heimdall had kidnapped anyone with talent, from orphans to children from prestigious noble families. It could have resulted in international disputes, but he did it without hesitation.


    The reason why Heimdal could do so was that he had Oblivion Flowers, which erased people¡¯s memory. Marco and Jabel were the only ones who knew about this because their memories were still intact.


    Marco and Jabel aside, the other apostles were full of swirling emotions right now. They were killing machines who had been trained for only one purpose, and they were finally about to taste the fruits of their suffering. Thus no one in this ce was going to participate in the n halfheartedly.


    ¡°¡­Spare the princes for now,¡± Heimdall instructed.


    The apostles looked faintly disappointed.


    ¡°I promised him that we¡¯ll put an end to everything in the great za of Arcadia, where the new emperor will be decided. You wouldn¡¯t want your leader to be a liar.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Marco nodded and didn¡¯t ask any more questions.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Heimdall said. ¡°Nothing will change.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°¡­I promise,¡± Joshua quietly muttered.


    A majestic thrum filled the air. Joshua drew up his ck demonic power in his hand and held it out toward the kneeling Wild King¡¯s chest without hesitation.


    ck electric sparks flew up from the Wild King, engraving a new seal of contract in him. The Wild King shook for a moment as he felt the power pour inside him.


    -I will believe in you, my one and only master.


    ¡°Thank you for protecting my mother at the risk of losing your life. I hope I can continue to count on you.¡±


    -That is also my promise to you, master. I will protect her until the end even if it does result in my annihtion.


    The Wild King was still holding up the red spear. Joshua looked at him and clenched his fists without realizing. It was clear what Joshua should do and where he was supposed to head next. In order to do so¡­ Joshua held out his hand toward the spear.


    ¡°It has been a long time,¡± Joshua said.


    The red spear howled as if it was responding to Joshua. Although Joshua and the spear had been apart for a long time, the spear hadn¡¯t forgotten about its master¡ªthey had spent an eternity together, after all.


    ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Joshua asked.


    The spear hummed loudly. The Demon Spirit called the spear Lugia, but because Joshua had recovered his memorypletely, he now knew that it wasn¡¯t the spear¡¯s real name.


    ¡°I won¡¯t leave you alone anymore.¡±


    The spear buzzed.


    ¡°Nor will I hand you over to somebody else.¡±


    It thrummed in response.


    ¡°Can you lend me your power once again?¡±


    The spear lit up with radiant light.


    Joshua took a step forward. For the first time in eons, Joshua gazed upon the spear and uttered its true name.


    ¡°¡­Longin.¡±

 Chapter 378

    Chapter 378


    In the imperial pce of the Avalon Empire, the Second Prince Kaizen was pacing back and forth, cursing, ¡°In three days¡­ In only three days, this Empire¡¯s fate is going to be decided¡­? Ah, fuck!¡±


    ¡°Calm down,¡± the First Prince Kiser said.


    There were only the two of them inside the room.


    ¡°Ha! You¡¯re always too calm, brother. How can you still say that?¡±


    ¡°What am I supposed to do? Do you have any other solution?¡± Kiser asked back.


    Kaizen gritted his teeth. ¡°We have no other way. Our opponent is too strong! The tide has already turned! Stop talking like a loser and let¡¯s start talking about something new and constructive! Are you not angry? For three years, you and I have been fighting like dogs. Many of our subordinates were sacrificed and we used up a lot of money during the fight! Even a mere kingdom and those vermin citizens insulted us, and we still put up with it. But we¡¯re letting someone else benefit from all our efforts now?!¡±


    Still unable to calm down, Kaizen huffed and puffed in anger for a long time. ¡°In addition to that, the person taking everything from us is the descendant of King Kunir and a part of the Ducal Family of Agnus¡­ Shit, I¡¯ll have to avoid meeting Father even in the afterworld.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s our fate, then we should ept it,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Besides, it¡¯s not over yet. Joshua said he¡¯dply with the citizens¡¯ decision, not take the throne by force.¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s face was so red now that it looked like he was going to burst any minute. ¡°There is no way those vermin would choose us! You may not know this because you¡¯ve cooped yourself up in the pce, but Joshua Sanders is already a celebrity around the entire continent! A hero of the century that ended the Continental War on his own!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of it.¡±


    ¡°You know it and¡­ Urgh!¡± Kaizen covered his face with his hands, too furious and frustrated to continue.


    ¡°Let it go. There is nothing we can do now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to sit still and hand over the Empire on a silver tter?¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°If that¡¯s what the citizens want.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard what the nobles said? There is no precedent for this in the entire continent. Bing an emperor is definitely not the same as bing the president of the academy!¡± Kaizen shouted.


    ¡°We should consider ourselves lucky that he¡¯s not taking the throne by force.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Lady Charles?¡± Kaizen asked. Kiser instantly turned silent, drawing a crooked smile from Kaizen. ¡°You can give up a country, but you can¡¯t let him have one girl?¡±


    ¡°¡­Watch it, Kaizen.¡±


    ¡°If I could do as I please, I¡¯d make her mine and force her to sleep with me in front of you to fix your entire mindset¡­¡±


    Kiser red at Kaizen, openly baring his murderous intent.


    ¡°I won¡¯t since it won¡¯t do me any good to make more enemies,¡± Kaizen continued.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Just like you said, it won¡¯t do you any good to get on the wrong side of Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, are you worried about him killing me? Well, it¡¯ll be better than living with those vermin and losing the throne.¡±


    ¡°Kaizen, you¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going,¡± Kaizen said. He turned away as if his business there was done.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°Unlike someone, I at least won¡¯t hide like a coward.¡±


    After saying that, Kaizen mmed the door shut with a loud thud.


    The Imperial Knights that had been assigned to Kiser¡¯s pce were standing outside the door as guards.


    ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Kaizen growled.


    ¡°¡­We apologize, Your Highness.¡± The knights bowed politely.


    Kaizen scowled at them angrily for a moment, but then walked away.


    * * *


    ¡°Fuck, a solution¡­ I have to find a way,¡± Kaizen mumbled.


    Kaizen¡¯s footsteps echoed down the long, otherwise silent hallway of the pce. Although the pce was very vast, no one was nearby except Kaizen, not even the servants that usually roamed around the pce; they were worried that the Second Prince would blindly take out his anger on them.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious how the rest of my life is going to be if I get kicked out of the pce like this, but there is no realistic way to fight against Joshua.¡±


    At that moment, Kaizen recalled Joshua¡¯s surrealbat skills and goosebumps ran down his arms.


    ¡°Hold his family hostage¡­? No, it wouldn¡¯t work. After everything that happened, he¡¯ll definitely be keeping his people safe and secure, so I should think of a good n that no one would expect.¡±


    Kaizen thought for a very long time, but he ended up pulling out his hair in frustration.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ I can¡¯t think of anything no matter how hard I think. How should I¡­!¡±


    Kaizen was furious about how helpless he was and the fact that he was going to lose everything because of one person. Although he had talked big, there was no other way, just like Kiser had said.


    ¡°Fuck! If at least Evergrant was alive¡­!¡±


    ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind.¡± A man appeared in front of Kaizen without making any sound.


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes popped wide open in surprise. ¡°Wh-who are you?¡±


    ¡°<em>Shhh</em>,¡± the man hissed. ¡°Don¡¯t yell.¡±


    ¡°Yo-you aren¡¯t from around here. How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a piece of cake for me when I use my ability.¡±


    ¡°W-what?¡± Kaizen couldn¡¯t believe his ears. The ce he was standing in right now was the imperial pce of the great Avalon Empire. The Empire might not be as great as it had been before, but the pce was still a formidable fortress that was protected by hundreds of Imperial Knights and all sorts of magic circles.


    ¡°Err¡­¡± Kaizen grunted quietly for a moment and then quickly took a look around, preparing himself to shout for help if anything happened.


    However¡­ the man said, ¡°I¡¯m here to make a proposal, Your Highness.¡±


    Kaizen had to reconsider his choice. ¡°A p-proposal?¡±


    ¡°Shall we move to somece else? Just a heads-up, it won¡¯t be difficult for you since you¡¯ve already done this.¡±


    ¡°Then identify yourself first!¡± Kaizen yelled.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the prince of this country! How am I supposed to trust and follow a stranger?!¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed¡­¡± The man pondered for a moment and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m Marco, Heimdall¡¯s third apostle.¡±


    ¡°Heimdall¡­?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to know more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    Marco shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s stop wasting time. I think you already know that I would have harmed you already if I wanted to; the important part is that I have the power to make your goale true.¡±


    ¡°You know¡­ what I want?¡±


    ¡°You wish to eliminate Joshua Sanders and take the throne, don¡¯t you? Come, I¡¯ll tell you the n,¡± Marco nonchntly replied and put his hand on the pce wall. Something surprising happened: on the ordinary wall, a ck hole was suddenly created. Marco walked through the hole without hesitation.


    ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡± Kaizen mumbled nkly when he was left alone in the hallway. He lived in this pce, but he had never seen that secret passage. If Marco wanted, he could have assassinated anyone in the pce. It was giving Kaizen goosebumps.


    However, that was it.


    <em>¡®Besides¡­ it can¡¯t get any worse.¡¯</em>


    Kaizen came to a decision and took a step forward.


    The ck hole swallowed Kaizen and closed with a small mechanical sound, and then the hallway was silent.


    * * *


    Numerous people were gathered in a small mansion located far away from the center of Arcadia. It was also where Lucia had been kidnapped before. The key personnel of the Auxiliary Battalion, Charles, Iceline¡­ everyone was looking in the same direction.


    ¡°Lady Charles, I think everyone has arrived now¡­ Can you tell us what happened in the pce and how many nobles support His Highness Joshua?¡±


    Charles nodded. ¡°First of all, and actually the most important part: Duke Tremblin promised to support Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhh!¡±


    ¡°Oh my god, <em>the </em>Sword Emperor!¡±


    The knights of the Auxiliary Battalion that hadn¡¯t known about it rejoiced, but Charles¡¯ face was still grim.


    Iceline noticed it quickly.


    ¡°But there is a problem,¡± the mage noted.


    ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°What kind of a problem¡­?¡± Iceline cautiously asked.


    ¡°Half,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°Half¡­?¡±


    ¡°Aside from Duke Tremblin, exactly half of the remaining nobles support Joshua.¡±


    The knights¡¯ faces brightened up even more; they couldn¡¯t see how things could get any better. In contrast, Iceline¡¯s expression crumpled.


    ¡°That¡¯s really good!¡± Ranger raised his hands high in the air. ¡°Basically, the majority of the nobles are supporting His Highness, right?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not good at all,¡± Cazes bitterly replied.


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean, Cazes?¡± Ranger tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter now since His Highness said that he¡¯ll follow the citizens¡¯ decision, not the nobles¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Bu-but the fact that half of those stubborn nobles are on our side is¡­¡±


    ¡°No, at least eighty percent of the nobles should have supported His Highness since he has the public¡¯s favor. It¡¯s already safe to assume that His Highness is going to be the next emperor.¡±


    Ranger shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m an idiot, so I don¡¯t get what in the world the problem is.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell that even if His Highness ascends the throne, the other half of those nobles are going to oppose him right away?¡±


    ¡°Aha, well, can¡¯t we just kill them all if they resist until the end?¡± Ranger said, offering a very ignorant opinion.


    Cazes scowled. ¡°The citizens haven¡¯t recovered from the civil war that just took ce yet, but you want to start another one?¡±


    Ranger''s eyes widened as he finally came to a realization.


    ¡°It¡¯s not good for His Highness either. The citizens might think that he¡¯s a tyrant like Emperor Marcus.¡±


    ¡°St-still! How can theypare His Highness to that lunatic emperor?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying that things can get really bad,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    A silence fell upon the gathering.


    Charles sighed quietly. ¡°That isn¡¯t the only problem. I did say half, but none of the high-ranking nobles like the Twelve Families support Joshua.¡±


    ¡°If they oppose and resist at the cost of their lives¡­ it¡¯s going to be horrible.¡± Cazes shook his head. He didn¡¯t even want to imagine what was going to happen.


    ¡°So I brought someone,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I really couldn¡¯t think of a way.¡±


    ¡°So you mean that someone else is going toe too?¡± Cazes asked.


    Charles nodded. ¡°You won¡¯t be disappointed. She¡¯s the most genius strategist I know.¡±


    ¡°Genius strategist¡­? Wait¡­¡±


    Right on cue, the entrance creaked open.


    They turned to look at the door and their eyes immediately became as wide as moons.


    ¡°Huh, everyone is here already? Are we toote?¡±


    ¡°We ran nonstop, but we¡¯re still¡­ I¡¯m sorry. We had so much work to do¡­¡±


    Two people entered the room. One was a woman who was as beautiful as Charles and Iceline, and another one was an ordinary-looking man¡ªit would be very easy to find someone who resembled him in the streets.


    When Charles looked at the two people, she beamed. ¡°All of the most elite people on the continent that will make Joshua the emperor have finally arrived now.¡±

 Chapter 379

    Chapter 379


    ¡°Miss Icarus!¡± Cazes shouted, delighted.


    The two people that had just entered the room were the ¡°Heaven''s Mind¡± Icarus and Cain de Harry, the first knight of the Sanders Family.


    ¡°When did you two arrive in Arcadia?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask. We would have arrived sooner if she hadn¡¯t dawdled¡­¡± Cain grumbled.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Icarus gave Cain a death re. ¡°Where is your conscience?¡±


    ¡°I sold it off, so I only have one heart now.¡±


    ¡°Do you really want to talk nonsense now?¡± Icarus growled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, you know. We could have used a warp gate, but you insisted on getting to Arcadia by foot. That¡¯s why we¡¯rete.¡±


    ¡°I told you that suspicious movements have been detected in every warp gate. The state of affairs around the continent is unusual, and a lot of people are after us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re with me, so why are you worried about getting ambushed?¡±


    ¡°Getting ambushed is the least of our problems. If the fact that we¡¯re away right now bes known, what would happen to Sir bis? He¡¯s already working hard on his own! Our enemies would have so much fun!¡± Icarus said sarcastically.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite sarcastic to a person who is older than you.¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Icarus turned around.


    Charles smiled. ¡°You two still get along well.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Icarus and Cain shouted in perfect synch, as if they had nned it in advance.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Charlesughed out loud.


    Icarus realized her mistake and immediately apologized. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be. Anyhow, we also arrived just now.¡±


    Icarus quietly heaved a sigh of relief and took a look around.¡°I¡¯m sorry to everyone else too.¡±


    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t you have a drink with the Reserve Battalion knights someday?¡± Ranger smiled mischievously.


    ¡°Pardon? Drink?¡± Icarus opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°It¡¯s always good to have a drink with a beautiful woman. Much of the Auxiliary Battalion are actually bachelors.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Cain shouted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°No way in hell. Over my dead body.¡±


    Ranger stared at him in disbelief.


    Icarus¡¯ reaction wasn¡¯t different. ¡°Why do you get to decide that, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I don¡¯t know. You just can¡¯t.¡± Cain looked away.


    Icarus tilted her head in confusion. ¡°You really are a weirdo.¡±


    Charles realized that their conversation was never going to end at this rate.


    ¡°Icarus,¡± she interrupted.


    ¡°Yes, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°What can we do to help smoothen Joshua¡¯s path to bing the emperor?¡±


    Once Charles mentioned Joshua, Cain and Icarus instantly turned serious; they thought the world of Joshua.


    ¡°As you already know,¡± Charles said, ¡°the biggest problem is the Twelve Families.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, my master has already shown enough of his power, but the nobles from the Twelve Families likely think that they¡¯ll be executed if my master ascends the throne,¡± Icarus said.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Charles agreed. ¡°Besides, the princes might have made an agreement between themselves, but thew is clear: the only one who can choose the next emperor is the current emperor. Since there is no crown prince in Avalon right now, the nobles have a justifiable cause to oppose him.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s more than possible for them to throw a tantrum¡­¡± Ranger added. ¡°That was why you were worried about them fighting until the end.¡±


    ¡°That is right.¡± Charles nodded.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Ranger grunted. He couldn¡¯t see a way through the situation.


    ¡°You have a solution, right?¡± Charles asked Icarus.


    Everyone inside the room turned to look at her hopefully.


    ¡°We really don¡¯t have many options if we can¡¯t persuade them,¡± Icarus bluntly replied.


    ¡°Do-don¡¯t have many options¡­? Do you mean we have more than one option?¡± Ranger asked.


    Without saying yes or no, Icarus turned elsewhere. ¡°In order to do so¡­ we need your help, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Me?¡± Charles pointed at herself.


    Icarus beamed. ¡°Yes, you, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, you need my help¡­?¡±


    ¡°If someone doesn¡¯t listen, then take it up with their superior.¡±


    Charles was even more confused.


    ¡°Our operation is named ¡®Honeytrap¡¯,¡± Icarus dered.


    * * *


    ¡°Wild King,¡± Joshua called.


    The death knight gave him a questioning look.


    ¡°What would you do if I became the emperor of Avalon? You weren¡¯t just an ordinary noble of the Swallow Empire, you were the head of a respected noble family. A knight can¡¯t serve two masters, so can you really be a part of an enemy country?¡± Joshua asked. Having resolved to consider other people¡¯s feelings, he had been worrying about this.


    However, his worry about tainting the Wild King¡¯s honor or dignity was useless.


    -From the day I decided to be reborn, I abandoned my country and my name. Right now, I¡¯m not a duke of the Swallow Empire nor ¡°Wild King¡± Altsma. I¡¯m just Joshua Sander¡¯s knight. All else aside, I genuinely admire you, my one and only master.


    The Wild King¡¯s answer made thest trace of hesitation in Joshua¡¯s heart disappear.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll be a master who lives up to your expectations so I can repay your trust.¡±


    -I trust you.


    Joshua marched forward to the faraway pce of the Avalon Empire.


    * * *


    After Kaizen walked into the ck hole, a pool of light surrounded him.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Kaizen frowned. ¡°Wait, there is a ce like this behind the pce¡­?¡±


    The only thing he could see was a cave in a very dense forest.


    ¡°Wee, Second Prince Kaizen.¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened. There were other people standing with the man that had introduced himself as Marco.


    Kaizen stayed on his guard. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡±


    There were three people in total. One was a beautiful man with impressively long blonde hair wearing snow-white clothes.


    ¡°Thank you for epting our invitation,¡± the blonde man said.


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Kaizen asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m Jabel, the second apostle.¡±


    ¡°What in the world are these apostles? Why don¡¯t you exin anything¡ªwhy do you keep getting on my nerves?¡± Kaizen growled, using bravado to shake off his own fear.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be on alert,¡± Jabel replied. ¡°You just need to deliver this to your sister¡­¡±


    Kaizen froze as something floated in the air on its own and slowly flew toward Kaizen.


    <em>¡®A mage¡­? No, he looks more like a knight,¡¯ </em>Kaizen thought.


    Kaizen wasn¡¯t a talented swordsman, but by using an endless supply of mana elixirs in the imperial pce and the most advanced mana training techniques, he had be a ss C knight long ago. Which was probably why Kaizen finally realized why something felt really off.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s at a level I can¡¯t even imagine reaching¡­! Where did such monsterse from?¡¯</em>


    A drop of sweat rolled down Kaizen¡¯s back.


    ¡°Take it,¡± Jabel urged.


    ¡°What¡­ is this?¡±


    ¡°We need this to execute our n, so you need to deliver this to Princess Serciarin,¡± Jabel told him.


    Kaizen stared, mesmerized, at the finger-sized ck crystal that was floating right before his eyes. Even in Kaizen¡¯s eyes, the crystal buzzed with extraordinary power.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s dangerous!¡¯ </em>


    Kaizen knew it instinctively, so he slowly took a few steps backward.


    ¡°I¡¯m not good at lying, so I¡¯ll be honest: If you take this to your sister, she¡¯ll die without a doubt,¡± Jabel said.


    Kaizen¡¯s face flushed red. ¡°Ho-how dare you¡ª!¡±


    He now wondered if he was dealing with a mad man right now¡ªor else how could Jabel say he was going to kill a member of the Imperial Family right in front of Kaizen?!


    ¡°Why are you shocked? Haven¡¯t you already done something simr to the same person?¡±


    Jabel was talking about how Kaizen took Sersiarin to his pce on the day she was dying.


    ¡°Ho-how do you¡­?¡±


    ¡°We have eyes and ears around the entire pce,¡± Jable nonchntly revealed.


    ¡°Are you¡­ demons?¡± Kaizen asked.


    ¡°Demons?¡± Jabel repeated disbelievingly.


    ¡°I know that there is an evil group within the imperial pce that is capable of controlling the undead. Are you part of that group?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, we did try to use the undead, but don¡¯t you already know that he took them all away?¡±


    ¡°He¡­?¡± Kaizen nkly repeated.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, that son of a bitch.¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Do you know why we¡¯re going through all this trouble when we could just kidnap the princess?¡± Jabel asked.


    ¡°¡­Why?¡±


    ¡°We wanted to give you a chance.¡±


    ¡°A chance¡­?¡±


    ¡°The man I served ordered me to not harm the princes, which means only one thing: even if we take the throne, the nobles won¡¯t ept us since they don¡¯t even know who we are. In other words¡­ ¡± Jabel looked straight into Kaizen¡¯s eyes. ¡°...he decided that this country will always belong to the Britten Family.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes! I don¡¯t know who you serve, but he¡¯s smart.¡±


    ¡°Prove yourself by doing this. Take our hands and we¡¯ll make you the next emperor.¡±


    Kaizen thought hard about the offer. It wasn¡¯t bad for him at all. Besides, he could use all the help he could get right now, but¡­


    ¡°How would I know you won¡¯t betray me?¡± Kaizen asked.


    ¡°Betray you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who you all are or what your goal is, so how am I supposed to trust you enough to work together?¡± Kaizen eyed the man that was standing silently behind Jabel and Marco. ¡°Reveal your face.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no other choice.¡± The man wearing a robe sighed quietly and grabbed his hood, very slowly revealing his face.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s doubts had been piling up, but the man¡¯s face blew it away like a punch in the face. He really couldn¡¯t believe his eyes right now.


    ¡°Ho-ho-how¡­?¡± Kaizen¡¯s voice trembled, but his body shook even harder.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, Kaizen. Has it been around three years?¡±


    ¡°Hup!¡± Kaizen¡¯s knees gave out and he copsed to the ground.


    The man¡¯s voice seemed familiar to Kaizen, but that was all he¡¯d thought about it because the possibility of it being the same person was too ridiculous to be true.


    The man standing in front of Kaizen should never have been there. He was the worst tyrant in the history of the Avalon Empire.


    Kaizen finally muttered, ¡°Fa-father¡­?¡±

 Chapter 169

    Chapter 169


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The audience members seated in the front row were startled by the storm that suddenly manifested right in front of their noses. The host was even sent flying like a rag, but no one really paid any attention to him.


    Theta used all of his mana to create miniature twin cyclones. It seemed like a downgraded version of the base spell, but it was actually stronger than the base spell.


    Theta smiled as he looked at the twin cyclones in his palm.


    ¡°Have you ever heard of a battle of the attributes?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua remained silent as his navy blue hair fluttered amidst the fierce winds.


    Theta ignored Joshua¡¯s silence and continued. ¡°You know, mages are simpler creatures than you might think, and they all like frivolous confrontations. However, mages have something inmon with knights, and it is the fact that they always want to be stronger, or in other words¡ªraise our ss.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m of the same mind as the other mages. My heart would always be filled with joy whenever my number of Circles increases.¡±


    Theta''s smile deepened as if the mere thought of it brought him bliss.


    ¡°The most efficient method of gaining a Circle is to focus on a single attribute that is based on one¡¯s talent. A fire mage, for example, will only need to learn one elemental spell for them to be considered a mage of that certain attribute¡­¡±


    ¡°As an example, let¡¯s take Rune re, a 4th Circle fire magic spell. It doesn¡¯t matter even if a fire mage can only use Rune re, as long as they have a decent enough grasp of Rune re, they would then be considered a ss 4 Fire Mage.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Theta¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly as his robes fluttered amidst the intensifying wind before continuing. ¡°The form forparing sses isplex and difficult, but once you get down to it, you will notice that every attribute adheres to certain fundamental concepts¡­¡±


    ¡°Honestly, I think that¡¯s the reason why mages are so proud of their own chosen specialties, and that¡¯s probably the reason why I love wind magic very¡ªvery much as well. And it¡¯s the same reason why I enjoy battles.¡±


    Theta started pushing his hands together, eliciting a repulsive force. However, Theta eventually managed tobine the twin cyclones into one massive storm.


    ¡°...!¡±


    <em>Whizz!</em>


    The storm generated a sound that could easily destroy anyone¡¯s eardrums, yet Theta was smiling in a depiction of a childlike joy while trapping a natural phenomenon only the gods should have been able to manipte between his hands.


    The concept ofbining two independent storms into one typhoon seemed absurd, but Theta managed to aplish it. Of course, he had to fully unleash his mana, which meant that the feat required the entirety of a ss 6 Mage¡¯s mana to generate power equivalent to a bonafide ss 7 Mage.


    If this weren¡¯t absurd, then most mages would have been able to muster strength a degree higher than their rated strength.


    ¡°Every attribute has a synergy with each other. So which do you think is the strongest when certain attributes have an inherent advantage over the other?¡± Theta momentarily looked at the miniature and smiled. ¡°Wind is the strongest, and I¡¯ll show you why.¡±


    At that, Joshua chuckled.


    Theta''s forehead creased as he frowned and asked, ¡°What¡¯s funny?¡±


    ¡°You sounded like a child cracking a joke.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Theta¡¯s eyes quivered.


    Joshua exined, ¡°If what you said is true, then even if it takes time, I believe that it¡¯s only appropriate for a mage to use every attribute equally rather than specializing in one. Shouldn¡¯t it be better for a mage to learn spells from every attribute and adjust which spell to use ording to their circumstances?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re a bigger idiot than I thought¡­¡± Theta grumbled. ¡°The synergy exists, yes, but spells can never ovee the barrier between sses. 3rd Circle spells can¡¯t defeat 4th Circle spells, even if the 3rd Circle spell is water and the 4th Circle spell is fire. It has always been the case, you dumbass, and that is the reason why every mage chose to specialize.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°A jack of all trades can¡¯t defeat a master of one.¡±


    Theta''s voice was brimming with confidence. After all, Joshua¡¯s Bronto was of the lightning attribute, while he had never really used water magic spells. As such, Joshua¡¯s lightning would never be anything more than a trivial trick in front of him.


    ¡°You actually believe that?¡± asked Joshua.


    ¡°What?¡± said Theta, seemingly confused.


    ¡°Someone has already done it, and you know him. He is skilled enough in all attributes that he is capable of challenging the Tower Master.¡±


    At that, Theta closed his eyes. A few momentster, he opened his eyes once more and said, ¡°I have been neglectful, so I¡¯m just going to tell you this for the first time. His name is forbidden in the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°And that traitor will never be able to surpass me.¡± Theta stared directly at Joshua and continued, ¡°No more gossip. Show me Bronto¡¯s strength.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± muttered Josuha.


    He then mustered one of the four energies twisting within him. Joshua could finally manipte each of the four energies individually, and that was what he did as an immacte white current of electricity poured out of him and onto the stage.


    Joshua¡¯s encounter with Duke Altsma in Rev helped Joshua manipte the demonic power within him, while his divine power was elevated at the castle of the Rebras, but this was the first time Joshua could manipte Bronto¡¯s energy.


    <em>¡®When I saw bis¡¯ annihtion mes, I really think that Bronto has more abilities than even I had no idea about.¡¯</em>


    Today, Joshua intended to use this chance to enhance the limits of Bronto¡¯s strength. After all, growth was not just about letting time pass by.


    ¡°...!¡±


    An impossible scene was made impossible as an immense bolt of lightning crackled through the cloudless sky, terrorizing the audience with its thunderous roar.


    ¡°That¡¯s definitely not something you can see every day¡­¡± Theta¡¯s uneasy expression disturbed the audience members as well.


    ¡°Hey, are you sure we¡¯re going to be okay? The mage made a literal typhoon while the other summoned lightning with thunder!¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought you wanted to watch this fight so bad? What happened to that? As for me, I¡¯m going to watch this fight even if it kills me!¡±


    ¡°Well, <em>uh¡­</em> I guess I¡¯m a bit scared. I don¡¯t want to miss this, so I¡¯m going to keep on watching. I¡¯m sure the mages will protect us!¡±


    The audience members started muttering to themselves as the audience stands became filled with excitement and turmoil.


    ¡°Everyone! This is a fight between a ss 6 Wind Mage and the monster of Avalon! We can¡¯t afford to hold back! We have to unleash the entirety of our mana to protect the audience!¡± eximed one of the senior mages hired by the organizers of the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle.


    In response, the mages around him started contributing most of their mana without holding back.


    ¡°I thought that lunatic is surrendering? What the hell is he doing?¡±


    ¡°<em>Shhh! </em>He might be able to hear you. And have you really seen a mage who isn¡¯t whimsical at all?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s a mage, but he¡¯s too much!¡±


    ¡°If you have time to speak, then you best spend it by contributing more mana!¡±


    The mages broke breaking into a cold sweat despite their collective might as they fended off the buffeting winds. The barrier isting the stage from the audience stands took on a darker, more distinct form as more and more mana was used to coalesce it.


    Meanwhile, Joshua didn¡¯t pay any attention to the ruckus as he immersed himself in his own thoughts.


    <em>¡®What is growth?¡¯</em>


    Honestly, Joshua didn¡¯t have to be concerned about his growth. From Lugia¡¯s exnations, the root of it was the boundaries separating the level of growth.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s not just about the physical growth my body had undergone over the years, but rather my power and enlightenment. This is a great chance for me to experience new growth.¡¯</em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed as lightning surged around him.


    <em>¡®Years ago, I identally gained enlightenment of Level 6 of the Magic Spear Arts. Now, with Bronto¡¯s power, I will be able to break through this wall, though it might not be perfect.¡¯</em>


    Even in his previous life, Joshua had not reached Level 6 of the Magic Spear Arts. Now, both heaven and earth started trembling as Joshua took his first steps into exploring the unknown realm.


    <em>Crackle!</em>


    All of a sudden, a bolt of lightning descended and struck Joshua¡¯s head.


    ¡°...!¡± Theta stepped back in shock. He could hear the sizzling crackles of the lightning bolt, and he couldn¡¯t help but ask nkly, ¡°A-Are you okay?¡±


    However, Theta¡¯s eyes soon widened as his question was soon answered. Bathed in a torrent of immacte white lightning, Joshua lifted one of his hands as if the lightning bolt that struck his head was just an illusion.


    The six Masters stared wide-eyed at the stage. They were awed by the power Joshua was disying to them.


    ¡°Hey, this power¡­¡±


    ¡°What is this?!¡±


    ¡°A human being can actually disy this much power?¡±


    The three Masters from the non-imperial powers was shocked beyondprehension.


    ¡°Crazy bastard¡­!¡± Theta cursed as rm bells rang in his mind.


    Theta muttered a curse as the rm continued to ring in his thoughts.


    The idea of having a casual match had gone down the drain. He knew that if he didn¡¯t give everything he had in this match, he could lose his life. As such, he took a deep breath and started spinning the circles in his heart as fast as he could. Every iota of mana slumbering in his body cascaded out of his hands and into his mighty typhoon.


    However, it seemed as if Joshua still had the upper hand.


    ¡°If the me of bis is an annihtion that reduces all things to ashes, then my thunderbolt is a power that does not permit life.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s right hand was not upied by Lugia¡ªrather, a blinding spear of brilliant lightning sat in its ce. The spear was a manifestation of Bronto¡¯s power, and it looked like the amalgamation of every lightning in this world.


    ¡°<em>Aaaahhhh!</em>¡± Theta squeezed as much of his mana as he could into his typhoon before franticallyunching it toward Joshua.


    Joshua became the target of the upressed fury of a raging typhoon, and it tore through the Gold River Stones, which was the material used to create the huge coliseum of Reinhardt. As such, it was a no-brainer that the typhoon¡¯s wind could easily tear through human flesh.


    Joshua took on a stance as he stared at the approaching typhoon.


    <em>¡®Now, this is fun,¡¯ </em>Joshua muttered to himself.


    When his words fell, he hurled the spear in his hand toward the typhoon.


    <em>¡®Sugahak¡¯s Vengeance.¡¯</em>


    The spear tore through the air, and it prated the eye of the typhoon in one go.


    <em>Boom!</em>


    A dazzling explosion inundated the skies.

 Chapter 170

    Chapter 170


    Theta was born in the Kingdom of Draia, the coldest country in the entire world. He was an orphan with no knowledge about his biological parents. Consequently, Theta was not familiar with the word ¡®home¡¯.


    He fought starvation and the freezing cold the only way an orphan could¡ªby begging.


    However, Theta was satisfied with his life.


    For him, it was better to live a life of freedom¡ªeven if he would eventually starve to death¡ªthan to live his entire life as a servant. This was the mindset of every child in the same situation as him.


    However, Theta¡¯s life ended in that ident.


    ¡°<em>Ugh!</em>¡± Theta copsed to the ground. He looked to be about six to seven years old, and he writhed in agony on the floor, with his back twisted at a weird angle.


    ¡°How dare an ignorant like you turn down my offer? And so rudely too?¡±


    There was a group of robed individuals standing in front of Theta.


    It was easy to surmise that they were mages based on their robes, and they were mages under the royal family of Draia.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a bother to be roaming around like this trying to pick someone, and there¡¯s also this beggar¡ª¡±


    ¡°Watch your words,¡± a middle-aged mage snapped at hispanion. ¡°What we are doing is His Majesty¡¯s will.¡±


    ¡°I-I apologize, sir¡­ I didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The middle-aged mage sighed and said, ¡°The royal mages of Terra do this at least twenty times a year. We barely manage half of that, so you better quit whining.¡±


    ¡°Yes... I''m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Child.¡± The middle-aged mage turned to look at Theta. ¡°This relic is far greater than you think. And it¡¯s giving off a response because of you.¡± He waved a transparent ss rod at Theta¡¯s injured figure, and it started emitting a soft blue glow. The closer the ss rod got to Theta, the higher the intensity of the blue glow. ¡°Do you know what this means? It means you don¡¯t have to scavenge and beg like the children over there. It means that you¡¯ll be above them.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Thousands¡ªno, tens of thousands¡ªof people your age have been tested for mana sensitivity over thest decade, but none of them had a response as deep as yours.¡±


    The middle-aged mage¡¯s words revealed the identity of the odd activity, and it turned out to be a mana sensitivity test. Mana sensitivity wasn¡¯t biased. It didn¡¯t care about economic status or upbringing. A knight could be created by teaching someone swordsmanship, but mages were born rather than made.


    Unfortunately, extraordinary mages could only be made if one had extraordinary resources to nurture one. Of course, a nation would be able to easily nurture mages of their own, and it was the reason most nations often dispatched mages to search for talented children to nurture.


    ¡°Come with us. We still need to do more tests to confirm things, but if you¡¯re as talented as I think, then you will live an enviable life from now on,¡± said the middle-aged mage. It seemed that he had long be an expert when it came to the carrot and the stick.


    ¡°I¡ª¡± Theta coughed and bit his bruised lip. He knew that if he followed the middle-aged mage, then there was no way he would ever be hungry again. However, it also meant abandoning his freedom. Moreover¡­


    ¡°Hm?¡± The middle-aged mage noticed Theta surreptitiously ncing somewhere else. It was only for a split second, but there was no way a mage of his caliber would miss it.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± the middle-aged mage smiled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re worried about them?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Theta didn¡¯t say anything in response.


    However, Theta¡¯s silence was enough for the middle-aged mage.


    ¡°Berkeley.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± responded the young man who stomped on Theta earlier.


    ¡°Has the tester responded to any of these children? Even slightly?¡± asked the middle-aged man while gesturing toward the crowd of orphaned children wearing clothes that couldn¡¯t even be described as clothes anymore with how tattered they looked.


    ¡°They¡¯re trash,¡± replied the young man with a scowl.


    ¡°Take out the trash, then,¡± said the middle-aged mage.


    ¡°...!¡± Theta quivered.


    The young man made a sidelong nce at the trembling Theta.


    ¡°Right away!¡±


    ¡°N-no!¡± Theta thrashed violently.


    ¡°Emotions are of no use for mages,¡± said the middle-aged mage with a cold look. ¡°Mages are prepared to sell their souls to demons if that is the price they will have to pay to be an Archmage.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll go with you! Don¡¯t hurt them, please¡­!¡±


    The children huddled together could hear their conversation, and they started trembling as the young man approached them. The young man made a sidelong nce at Theta and revealed a wide grin.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for you to say anything now. Anyway, we just need to use a memory-erase spell on youter,¡± said the young man as a brilliant orb of me manifested over his palm. ¡°Since ancient times, fire is the most destructive attribute, so understandably, fire magic spells are the best spells if you want to cause mass destruction.¡±


    ¡°No, please¡ªno¡­!¡±


    ¡°Gravity.¡±


    Theta was about to stand up, but the middle-aged man mage cast a spell, making Theta feel as if there was a boulder on his shoulders. It was obvious that the middle-aged man wanted Theta to see what the young man was about to do to the children. Meanwhile, the young man seemed to be taking his sweet time to savor Theta¡¯s shrill screams.


    ¡°No¡­!¡±


    Time seemed to have slowed down as the fireball finally left the young man¡¯s hand and made its way over to the orphaned children. The fireball seemed to be homing in on the children as it never slowed down even as the children started running away.


    Amidst the screams of the children and the slowed-down time, Theta med himself.


    <em>¡®If I¡¯d just gone with them, this wouldn¡¯t have happened.¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®Please¡­ let me rewind time, and I¡¯ll set it right.¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®I have never asked for anything from you until now, so, please¡­ Please, just give me a miracle this once!¡¯</em>


    For some reason, someone seemed to have listened to Theta¡¯s cries.


    With a bang, the clouds parted, and the sky seemed to have been split in two.


    Theta saw it¡ªa beam of light burned itself into the retina of his eyes.


    It was a thunderbolt that was so strong that the adjective ¡®overwhelming¡¯ wouldn¡¯t be enough to describe it.


    ¡°Thunder Canon.¡±


    Theta¡¯s prayers were answered in an overwhelming fashion.


    ***


    <em>¡®Why am I remembering those times?¡¯</em>


    Weren¡¯t memories about one¡¯s life supposed to only sh right in front of their eyes when they were on the brink of death?


    Yes, that was supposed to be the case, but in the face of Joshua¡¯s lightning, Theta¡¯s brain seemed to have thought that Theta was about to die.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t die, so he eventually managed to open his eyes and saw what it meant to be ¡®overwhelmed¡¯.


    Joshua¡¯s lightning was more dazzling than the thunderbolt of that day, and his lightning vanquished the typhoon that Theta had created, making it seem as if the typhoon didn¡¯t even exist in the first ce.


    However, the typhoon¡¯s fleeting existence was proven by the fact that the stage they had been standing on had disappeared¡ªreced by a huge chasm where a shining spear of lightning could be seen.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Theta sighed before sardonically, seemingly at himself. ¡°It can¡¯t be Bronto.¡±


    The Primordial Stones were divine artifacts in their own right, but there was no way they could generate this kind of power on their own. This meant that this was only made possible because Joshua Sanders was just <em>that </em>strong.


    <em>¡®Maybe¡­¡¯</em> Theta stared meaningfully at Joshua before saying via voice transmission.


    - I¡¯ve changed my mind. Your probability of sess. It¡¯s not 0.1%, but rather about five percent, from what I saw just now.


    Joshua smiled. It was a massive fifty times increase.


    - What an honor.


    - Really? You¡­


    Theta stared oddly at Joshua before recalling their conversation back then.


    - Why did you abandon your position as a battalionmander and vying for the position of Reinhardt¡¯s King? I don¡¯t get it. It¡¯s such a troublesome position.


    At that, Joshua replied without hesitation.


    - It¡¯s a matter of principles. And there¡¯s no better way to protect the people I care about.


    ¡°...!¡± Theta''s eyes widened.


    - To protect?


    - You may not be able to understand what I¡¯m saying <em>yet.</em>


    With that, Joshua turned around.


    ¡°I may not understand? What are you talking about?¡± Theta muttered to himself, ¡°No, I understand it better than anyone else.¡±


    While Theta was mumbling to himself, the host finally appeared in the limelight. He lifted his head and carefully said, ¡°<em>Um, </em>this match¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m not¡ª¡± Joshua started.


    However, Theta interrupted him. ¡°It¡¯s over. I admit defeat to Joshua Sanders, the representative of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    The huge coliseum immediately went silent at his deration.


    ¡°Then¡­¡± the host cleared his throat and swept his gaze across the audience stands before announcing. ¡°Joshua Sanders has emerged victorious in thest match of Group A!¡±


    The host''s voice loud voice signaled the end of the match between the two youngest Masters¡ªa Mage and a Knight.

 Chapter 171

    Chapter 171


    In a calm woond not far from Reinhardt stood a man who had just been defeated for the first time. He was Theta, and he wore a wide smile as he thought about the previous day¡¯s events.


    ¡°They say that there is another sky above the sky. If the saying is urate, then there is an infinite number of interesting people out there.¡±


    The match ended yesterday, so the Magic Tower should have learned of his defeat yesterday as well because Reinhardt was usingmunication crystal balls to inform


    the entire continent about the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle in real-time.


    As such, word of his defeat had to have spread throughout the entire continent by now, but for some reason, Theta didn¡¯t feel horrible about his loss.


    Honestly, he was thrilled. He was happy after discovering yet another goal.


    ¡°That magic was like nothing I have ever seen¡ªperhaps it wasn¡¯t inferior to Master¡¯s magic at all.¡± Theta thought about it for a moment before shaking his head. It was meaningless topare the two.


    The white beam of light was the most amazing sight he had ever seen¡ªas a child. It was an impressive feat of sorcery, but if he saw it today, Theta had no doubt that he wouldn¡¯t be as impressed.


    Theta chuckled. ¡°To defend and to be the emperor¡­ what a weird and funny person. He reminds me of myself in a lot of ways. Maybe¡­¡±


    Theta stared into the sky. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s going to be an excellent partnership...¡±


    A buzzing in Theta¡¯s pocket awakened him from his stupor. He grinned and produced a glowing crystal ball.


    ¡°Can you be more worried about your disciple? Stop calling me, please.¡±


    ¡°I thought you would be saddened by your defeat, but I guess I was mistaken.¡±


    ¡°God, that hurts. Why would Grandpa Tower Master think that I would get hurt by a mere defeat.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a <em>mere </em>defeat. You got defeated by someone younger¡ªno, half your age.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Theta frowned. Tower Master Ian¡¯s words felt like they were salt rubbing on his wounds.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯ll say that if you were in my shoes,¡± muttered Theta with a pout. He looked like he wanted to throw a tantrum.


    ¡°Was he that good?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Theta remained silent for quite a while after hearing that.


    Theta eventually awakened from his stupor, but the smile could no longer be seen on his face as he said, ¡°He¡¯s better than anyone else I have ever met so far.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Tower Master Ian fell silent at Theta¡¯s words. He had decades of experience when it came to magic, so such an evaluation was a bit hard for him to ept.


    ¡°Hey, even I didn¡¯t believe it until I saw it,¡± muttered Theta, breaking the ice.


    Tower Master Ian decided to change the topic. ¡°I have something to say.¡±


    ¡°<em>Hmph! </em>If you¡¯re just going to scold me again, then I¡¯m going to hang up the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m looking for a Vice Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Theta''s eyes widened. He didn¡¯t see thating at all.


    ¡°The Thunder seat is still empty, but you¡¯re already trying to look for a Vice Tower Master? It¡¯s a seat that has been empty for over twenty years, so what made you change your mind?¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you that I¡¯m getting old? You¡¯re not interested in the Magic Tower at all, so I have to look for someone else who will eventually rece me to be the Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Upon hearing that, Joshua¡¯s ominous words suddenly popped up in Theta¡¯s mind.


    Theta shook his head to shake off the thoughts before asking, ¡°So, who do you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Tower Master Ian remained silent for a while, and as time went on, Theta became increasingly anxious. Unfortunately for Theta, Joshua¡¯s prophecy came true.


    ¡°Evergrant con Aswald. I¡¯m nning on giving him a chance.¡±


    ***


    ¡°Congrattions!¡±


    On the evening right after the semifinal match of the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle, Joshua returned to his lodgings for the first time in a while. However, unlike the usual silence, Joshua was greeted warmly upon entering.


    Joshua stared alternatingly between the two people who weed him upon entering before saying, ¡°Did you two just barge into my room?¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh, um¡­</em> the door was unlocked, so¡­ <em>um,</em> I wasn¡¯t nning on doing anything.¡± Iceline was astonished upon hearing Joshua¡¯s indifferent voice. Iceline arrived here first before Akshuller, so it was evident that she rushed here as soon as the match ended.


    She wanted to get to Joshua¡¯s room before Joshua could do so because she wanted to surprise and congratte him. But now that Joshua had asked if she just barged into his room, Iceline finally realized that what she had done was out of the line.


    After all, who would want their privacy to be invaded? Iceline realized that even she would be mad if she were in Joshua¡¯s shoes. Still, she didn¡¯t expect him to answer in such a cold voice, and it made her sad as sheced her fingers together in dismay.


    Akshuller saw that, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He tried to hold hisughter in, but anyone could see that he was having a hard time because his shoulders were bouncing up and down.


    Of course, he still addressed the elephant in the room by saying, ¡°Tonight is a fine night, and we didn¡¯t reallye here with bad intentions. Plus, aren¡¯t we close friends? Anyway, there is a saying about how fame could change a person overnight¡­¡±


    ¡±I believed that you wouldn¡¯t be affected by your fame, but if I was mistaken, then I apologize. Sorry, Joshua.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re making me sound like a viin here when everyone deserves their privacy.¡±


    ¡°Oh,e on, don¡¯t be such a stranger!¡± Akshuller waved his hands exaggeratedly. ¡°Be a little kind, will you? She came here bearing a gift, and who knows? What if it¡¯s a gift you really need?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua remained stoic, but Akshuller was undeterred.


    ¡°If the rumors are to be believed, you desperately need this information.¡±


    ¡°Information?¡± Joshua looked a bit interested.


    ¡°Before that¡­¡± Akshuller lowered his voice as if what he was about to say involved top-secret information. ¡°I need to verify something¡ªit¡¯s rted to the rumors I just mentioned. I thought it¡¯d be best to ask the man himself.¡±


    ¡°...?¡± Joshua revealed a perplexed look.


    Fortunately, Akshuller quickly spoke up, ¡°Apparently, there are rumors going on with His Grace Agnus and the Pontier Family, and there are some about how your troops are aiding the Pontier Family.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± Joshua''s eyes widened slightly. He didn¡¯t expect to hear that while in Reinhardt.


    Of course, Joshua knew exactly what Akshuller was talking about. Marquis Crombell¡¯s sessor, Gehog, had bad blood with Joshua as well.


    ¡°Of course, everyone decided that this was a clever ploy by Duke Agnus to save his face amongst the nobles¡ªbecause even the Imperial family has no motivation to assist a doomed family. However, that changed a little while ago.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua remained silent.


    At the sight of that, Akshuller shrugged and said, ¡°No matter how talented you are, you¡¯re only fifteen years old, and you were widely known as nothing but a B-ss Knight until recently. However, against all odds, you joined the ranks of the Imperial Knights Order and attracted the attention of His Majesty that he even provided you the title of Reserve Battalion Commander¡­¡±


    Akshuller sighed and said, ¡°A mere brat with milk on his lips showed incredible power in the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle, where all of the continent''s finest congregate. The same brat also ended up bing one of the most promising Masters of the continent¡­¡±


    Akshuller seemed startled as well as he added, ¡°In Avalon, the name ¡®Joshua Sanders¡¯ has be hotter than the name of even the princes of Avalon. Right now, we can say that you have be, more or less, a hero in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Joshua¡¯s journey so far could be considered to be an epic tale of a hero that even Iceline looked excited upon hearing his feats.


    ¡°A lot of people are already wondering about what kind of magnificent present His Majesty the Emperor will bestow on you. He¡¯s a tyrant¡ªyes, but he¡¯s a master of the carrot and the stick as well.¡±


    ¡°So¡­¡± Joshua finally spoke up. He seemed annoyed because he noticed that Akshuller looked like he was about to get to the point, but he hadn¡¯t done so just yet. ¡°What exactly do you want to ask from me?¡±


    At that, Akshuller said, ¡°Are you sure you still have no idea despite what I said just now? I mean, it¡¯s pretty obvious, right?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua merely stared at Akshuller, confused. Upon seeing that, Akshuller shrugged and finally addressed the elephant in the room by saying, ¡°Are you assisting the Pontier Family out of your own will, or is it by His Grace Agnus¡¯ will?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua remained silent.


    Akshuller added, ¡°If you aren¡¯t sure, then I¡¯ll make it clear. My congrattory gift to you will change depending on your answer.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± Joshua was a bit dumbfounded to hear that. Eventually, he continued with bright eyes. ¡°Your will cannot be bound to a choice. Taking action depending on someone else¡¯s demand or order cannot be considered your will.¡±


    ¡°And it means that¡­¡± Joshua swept his gaze across Akshuller and Iceline before saying, ¡°I am assisting the Pontier Family with my own will, and I will also voluntarily assist Iceline in uncovering the truth behind Count Rebra¡¯s passing.¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡­¡± Iceline muttered. Her eyes sparkled in a subtle, tangled mix ofplicated emotions, but Joshua¡¯s words had evidently moved her heart.


    ¡°<em>Hehe.</em>¡± Akshuller chuckled and said, ¡°I knew you would say that.¡±


    ¡°Now that I¡¯ve answered you, it¡¯s your turn to answer me. What¡¯s going on?¡± Joshua seemed agitated.


    Akshuller didn¡¯t dare to dy any longer as he answered, ¡°The Pontier Family is in danger, and your people there¡ªwait, you had no idea about it?¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua stiffened.


    Akshuller groaned and said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if they didn¡¯t tell you because they didn¡¯t want to distract you from the Masters¡¯ Battle, but¡­ he¡¯s already on the move.¡±


    ¡°No¡­¡± Joshua gasped.


    Akshuller shook his head without saying anything, but his silence was an answer.


    The Mercenary King Barbarian stood at the summit of a million mercenaries.


    ¡°Apparently, he reappeared after his long absence in the Crombell Marquisate.¡±

 Chapter 172

    Chapter 172


    After his conversation with Akshuller, Joshua left the room to think. The skies were already enveloped in darkness without Joshua realizing it. Joshua already knew where he would go next. There was no way he would get lost because he had his route memorized.


    <em>¡®I need to know exactly what¡¯s going on. The Mercenary King is moving much faster than I expected.¡¯</em>


    Joshua seemed frustrated when he realized it, but honestly, he wasn¡¯t that surprised. If he didn¡¯t have even an iota of expectations that things could take this turn, then he wouldn¡¯t have sent the Death Knight Duke Altsma there in advance.


    <em>¡®The Crombell Family has an overwhelming advantage over the Pontier Family in terms of military might, wealth, as well as the quality and number of their knights. In that case, dropping the Wild King Duke Altsma into the fray would be akin to a rainstorm in the middle of a drought.¡¯</em>


    However, Joshua clenched his fists.


    <em>¡®I know how strong Cain, Icarus, and Duke Altsma are. It won¡¯t be free, but the Pontier Family should be able to somehow survive through the siege with Cain, Icarus, and Duke Altsma on their side¡­¡¯</em>


    <em>¡¯I¡¯m supposed to be there by the time the Mercenary King made his move, and based on the previous timeline, my n should have been wless¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua frowned. The reason he was so confident about his n was because of Akshuller¡¯s presence.


    Back then, the Mercenary King remained in Reinhardt during the entirety of the Reinhardt Masters¡¯ Battle. Akshuller won and challenged the Mercenary King, which plunged the Mercenary Guild into chaos.


    <em>¡®I was too naive¡­¡¯</em> Joshua criticized himself. He should have known that the Mercenary King would immediately make a move after Akshuller was forced out of thepetition by bis.


    For the time being, Joshua had decided to observe. After all, the news of Akshuller being acknowledged as a Master would surely send ripples that would interrupt the timeline. But the spiral of events was out of his expectations.


    <em>¡®It seems like I have been too confident of myself.¡¯</em> Joshua shook his head as he picked up speed.


    <em>¡®On my way back. I must find Ash before anything else, and finally, I just have to heal Princess Serciarin because she¡¯s the only one who knows its location.¡¯ </em>


    Joshua¡¯s eyes shimmered as he confirmed his goals once more, and he started moving even faster to his destination.


    He stopped in front of a massive building in the middle of Reinhardt. It was the headquarters of Moon Gate, the best intelligence agency on the continent.


    <em>¡®I need enough information to make ns. From now on, there will be no more half-measures,¡¯</em> Joshua muttered to himself before entering the building.


    ***


    There was a beautiful castle towering over every other building in Reinhardt like it was a crown jewel. At the summit of the castle sat a middle-aged man with a lion¡¯s mane of hair and bright eyes. He was the Lion King, Ryan Geiger, the current lord of Reinhardt and one of the Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°Only the finals remain. How much longer do you have to serve me as my subordinate?¡±


    ¡°...¡± The man standing in front of the Lion King responded with a smile before muttering, ¡°The lord of this castle represents the whole of Reinhardt. I¡¯d prefer that its future owner be stronger than the current owner, if at all possible.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already a toothless tiger, then? It¡¯s a good thing I¡¯m still the ruler.¡± Ryan shook his head.


    The man¡¯s smile widened as he said, ¡°Nagasin¡¯s will is an inheritance for the ages, and it is my honor to continue the heritage of Reinhardt.¡±


    ¡°Nagasin¡¯s hammer¡­¡± The Lion King nodded. ¡°Might is right here, and as long as one is talented enough, one can be the ruler of Reinhardt. This is definitely a unique ce, considering its neutrality, and I¡¯m sure we both can feel its allure.¡±


    ¡°It is indeed unique. No nation is insane enough to try implementing something like this.¡±


    In Reinhardt, the champion was the ruler. It was unlike the other nations on Igrant, where one¡¯s path in life was decided on their bloodline. Those born without noble blood were seen as livestock.


    ¡°Well, a free knight like myself can¡¯t think of a better idea than this.¡± Ryanughed.


    The nations of Igrant had always been hierarchical. Free knights were considered free, but there was no way for them to bypass the hierarchy within society that even the strongest nobles couldn¡¯t bypass to be a ruler.


    If it hadn¡¯t been the case until now, then wars would have been endless between nations. In addition, it was incredibly dangerous for a noble to try and topple their monarch and take control without arousing the ire of every other power in the nation.


    Eventually, Ryan asked, ¡°As the host of the finals, who do you believe will be the Champion?¡±


    The man thought about it. However, it didn¡¯t take him long to answer.


    ¡°He has shown us a wonderful job so far, particrly when he defended himself against that storm in the semifinals, so I think Joshua Sanders from Avalon can be the Champion. After all, he has exceeded all expectations, but¡­¡± The man hesitated.


    He seemed doubtful about Joshua¡¯s chances of winning as he continued. ¡°His Highness bis is different from Joshua¡¯s opponents so far. If Akshuller were in Group A, the final match would have been a rematch¡­¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying that Joshua Sanders is a tier lower than the Mighty Akshuller?¡±


    The man nodded without hesitation. ¡°Knight of Steel Babelon, and even one of the Seven Mages of the Magic Tower. Joshua¡¯s opponents so far didn¡¯t manage to live up to their monikers.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Upon hearing that, the Lion King fell into deep thought.


    ¡°What do you think about His Highness bis?¡± asked the man.


    The Lion King responded, ¡°He¡¯s amazing. In an honest, one-on-one fight, I will have to give up an arm to win.¡±


    ¡°...!¡± The man''s eyes widened upon hearing that.


    <em>¡®Am I really talking to one of the Twelve?¡¯</em>


    The Lion King, Ryan Geiger, was one of the continent¡¯s Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°He only just became a Master. Is he really that¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. His unquenchable me worries me. If my eyes hadn¡¯t deceived me, then I¡¯m sure that he still has more power in store.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± The man¡¯s eyes widened once more. He couldn¡¯t help but start doubting whether he was truly talking to that mighty Lion King or not.


    <em>¡®Is he really the Lion King?!¡¯ </em>The man let out a deep breath. The Lion King, his liege, had never been the type to lie. On top of that, he was immensely talented¡ªevenpared to the Nine Stars. As such, the man had no choice but to believe him.


    ¡°<em>Whew,</em> I suppose I¡¯ll have to renegotiate things. Anyway, repairing our coliseum is definitely going to cost us a fortune.¡±


    <em>¡°Oh?</em>¡± The Lion King chuckled and asked, ¡°You¡¯re worried about that?¡±


    ¡°Well, first of all, I am in charge of the funds for the entirety of the Masters¡¯ Battle¡­¡± the man started. However, he trailed off and fell into contemtion, looking a bit hesitant before saying with a resolute voice, ¡°I hope Joshua Sanders bes the Champion.¡±


    ¡°<em>Oh?</em>¡± The Lion King was intrigued. The man had just expressed his own objective opinion, but he was actually being biased toward a contestant whose chances of bing the champion weren¡¯t that high ording to the man himself?


    ¡°This has to be the first time you made your wishes known,¡± the Lion King remarked.


    ¡°This is just my personal opinion, and I know that it will not have any effect on the oue of the finals.¡±


    ¡°Well, don¡¯t take it so seriously, I was just curious about what you¡¯re thinking.¡± The Lion King shrugged before saying, ¡°It seems that Joshua Sanders is adept at capturing many hearts.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The man remained silent at that.


    The Lion King''s eyes brightened as he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to express my opinion as well. To be honest, I don¡¯t think His Highness bis will win, I just didn¡¯t say anything until now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± said the man. He seemed unfazed, as if he expected this turn of events.


    ¡°<em>Hohoho.</em>¡±


    Seeing his reaction, the Lion King boisterouslyughed.


    ***


    ¡°Joshua! How long has it been?¡±


    As soon as Joshua walked through the door, a voice greeted him.


    ¡°You¡¯re always around whenever I visit Moon Gate. I think it¡¯s safe for me to assume that you are the one that has been tasked to deal with me?¡± asked Joshua.


    ¡°Can¡¯t it be because I adore you a lot?¡± Zero acted coy.


    Joshua conveniently ignored Zero¡¯s actions. ¡°You seem to have a reasonable amount of authority here. Looks like you¡¯ve attained a rather prominent position.¡±


    Zero froze. He revealed a fox-like smile and asked, ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°There are two reasons,¡± Joshua said without any hesitation. ¡°First is that you¡¯re currently in the Headquarters of Moon Gate rather than in Moon Gate¡¯s branch in Arcadia.¡±


    Zero seemed disappointed as he remarked. ¡°If that¡¯s what you really think, then I am a bit disappointed. Internal reassignments are moremon than you think. It¡¯s the same even at the headquarters.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that could be the case. However, there is another reason why it can''t be an internal reassignment.¡±


    At that, Zero grinned. ¡°Well, you¡¯ve alreadye this far, so why don¡¯t you tell me?¡±


    Joshua returned Zero¡¯s smile in kind before finally speaking up, ¡°There is no way an ordinary branch manager would be responsible for greeting someone like me.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Zero¡¯s grin froze on his face.


    However, Joshua¡¯s next remarks rendered him speechless.


    ¡°Moon Gate is arge organization, so there is no way that their customer service would be terrible, am I right?¡±


    ¡°It has been a long time since west met, and after so many years, it seems that you have learned how to coat your words with honey. You were so smooth just now that you made my heart flutter,¡± said Zero.


    Zero leaned closer to Joshua before adding, ¡°Master is here.¡±


    <em>Stop.</em>


    ¡°Master? Are you talking about the owner of Moon Gate?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my master is the owner of Moon Gate.¡±


    Joshua was astonished as he asked, ¡°They¡¯re here?¡±


    He had done business and many deals with Moon Gate during his previous life, but the identity of Moon Gate¡¯s owner had always been shrouded in mystery. It wasn¡¯t really strange because Moon Gate was created that way.


    ¡°Follow me. I¡¯ll lead the way.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Joshua directed an odd gaze at Zero, but he still quickly followed after thetter.


    Their destination was a ce that greeted not a single outsider in recent years¡ªthe fifth floor of Moon Gate¡¯s Headquarters.

 Chapter 380

    Chapter 380


    Jabel had been quite surprised at first. Following Heimdall¡¯s order, he had gone to the pce to kidnap Princess Serciarin¡ªbut upon entering, he witnessed something shocking. Jabel had been passing by the council chamber using the secret passage. It should have been empty¡­


    ¡°Emperor Marcus¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, hey.¡±


    Emperor Marcus had been sitting on the throne, which was another thing that should have been empty. Jabel had heard that Marcus ben Britten had be the sacrificial offering to the Demon Spirit, so why was he here?


    Emperor Marcus had actually been the one who first proposed to use the ck crystal, changing the npletely. Heimdall had also ordered all the apostles to support Marcus, who had been reborn.


    * * *


    ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡± Kaizen slowly backed away.


    It had already been three years since his father had gone missing. During those three years, the Empire had experienced a series of unprecedented events The two princes¡¯ power struggle exploded into a civil war, and the Continental War had wracked the entire continent, causing the worst casualties in history.


    The Empire¡¯s citizens were the ones who had suffered directly from the civil war and Continental War, and they didn¡¯t forget the tyrant who had basically started everything: Marcus ben Britten, a Master and their emperor.


    ¡°Am I¡­ dreaming?¡± Kaizen mumbled.


    Kaizen was frozen with disbelief, but his body kept trembling. It was impossible for him to believe what was happening right now.


    ¡°I went through all that trouble to make my country flourish, but you¡¯ve messed it up real bad. A child should be helping their father, not making problems, Kaizen.¡±


    ¡°Is it really you, Father¡ªno, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve forgotten my voice now?¡± Marcus tilted his head.


    ¡°Bu-but¡­!¡±


    Marcus quietly shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±


    Kaizen opened his mouth to try to say something, but immediately shut it again. It had really been a while since he felt this frightened, which only made him more terrified.


    ¡°Before you wonder if I¡¯m real or not, you should have lowered that arrogant head of yours and bowed.¡± Marcus smiled faintly.


    ¡°N-no.¡±


    Marcus disappeared and immediately reappeared right in front of Kaizen, who froze up in fear.


    ¡°¡­Keugh!¡± Kaizen coughed.


    Marcus kicked Kaizen¡¯s stomach without hesitation, sending him crashing into a wall. Marcus followed right on his heels and pinned Kaizen¡¯s head underneath his boot, as if he was going to crush Kaizen¡¯s head.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Yo-Your Majesty. Please have mercy¡­¡± Kaizen begged.


    ¡°What have you done wrong?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡­!¡±


    Marcus grinned. ¡°You haven¡¯t changed. You always looked for a way out first when you got into trouble.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! Never!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s start talking after I beat you first.¡± Marcus raised his foot.


    ¡°Everything!¡± Kaizen hastily shouted. ¡°Everything is my fault! I shouldn¡¯t have fought with Brother Kiser nor ruined your country, Father! I dared to covet something that I don¡¯t deserve even though I knew it wasn¡¯t mine! Nothing can excuse my actions!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± Marcus asked.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you if you think those are the only things you have done wrong.¡±


    Kaizen quickly thought hard; his instincts were telling him that he should answer well if he wanted to leave here alive.


    ¡°I should definitely beat you if you think so.¡±


    ¡°Jo-Joshua Sanders!¡± Kaizen yelled.


    Marcus came to a halt.


    ¡°I a-also¡­ let that rebel dare to roam around the pce of the great Avalon Empire as if it was his home. I was too pathetic¡­ and couldn¡¯t stop Joshua Sanders. In the end, I even gave him a justifiable cause to challenge the throne. Due to my ipetence¡­ he¡¯s about to take away the entire Empire,¡± Kaizen confessed.


    Marcus chuckled. ¡°Well, there is nothing you could have done about it since it would have been difficult for even me to do it. So how would you be able to stop him?¡±


    Kaizen¡¯s eyes widened in shock.


    The man in front of him was one of the most prideful people in the entire continent and was also the emperor of the Avalon. Hispetence was beyond doubt. For him to admit that he was incapable¡­


    ¡°Wh-why would you say¡­?¡± Kaizen asked, so surprised that he forgot how scared he had been.


    Marcus quietly put down his foot. ¡°The first step in improving yourself is to acknowledge your shorings. There is nothing uglier than an ipetent person acting self-righteous and stubborn. In that regard¡­ you¡¯ve changed a little, although it¡¯s due to your fear.¡±


    Marcus looked at his stiff son and smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll give you a chance. Go back to the pce and summon all the nobles.¡±


    He then turned around to leave.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty! I-I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not sure if the nobles will listen to me right¡ª¡±


    ¡°When have I told you to give an order in your name?¡± Marcus interrupted in a low voice. ¡°Tell them: Marcus ben Britten, the emperor of the great Avalon Empire, has returned.¡±


    A shiver ran down Kaizen¡¯s spine.


    * * *


    At the same time, one man and two women were standing in front of the Avalon pce¡¯s main gate, talking.


    ¡°Do you really think it¡¯ll work with just the three of us?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll raise suspicion if we bring more people, and there is a possibility of our request being turned down.¡±


    ¡°But will I really be able to do it on my own¡­?¡± Charles fretted.


    Icarus looked at her and smiled. ¡°You should be more confident, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°Icarus¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re none other than Miss Avalon, the most beautiful woman in the Empire.¡± Icarus¡¯ smile deepened.


    Charles waved her hands, flustered. ¡°Haven¡¯t you met Miss Iceline before? I¡¯m definitely not Miss Avalon¡­¡±


    ¡°No matter what anyone says, I think you¡¯re the most beautiful woman in the Empire.¡±


    Thepliment made Charles¡¯s face brighten up a bit. ¡°Seems like you¡¯ve gotten pretty good at ttery while you were away?¡±


    ¡°How could you think of mypliment as ttery?! Do you really think I¡¯m someone who would use ttery? That makes me so sad,¡± Icarusined.


    ¡°You dide to help a crumbling ducal family even though you were more than capable of bing a high-ranking official¡­¡±


    ¡°I made that decision because of the Pontier Family¡¯s potential.¡± Icarus nodded. ¡°I thought a ducal family would surely be a big help to my master.¡±


    Charles narrowed her eyes. ¡°¡­To summarize, you came to my family for Joshua, not me?¡±


    ¡°Oh, can it be interpreted that way? Well, everything turned out well, right?¡± Icarus furtively linked arms with Charles.


    ¡°If anyone saw you two right now, they would think you two are dating,¡± Cain mumbled.


    ¡°Be quiet, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to get scolded again?¡±


    Cain froze under the two women¡¯s death res. ¡°¡­Why do you all hate me?¡±


    ¡°By the way, look there.¡± Icarus pointed at the main gate of the pce.


    The Imperial Knights standing guard were scowling at the trio. They approached and one of the Imperial Knights asked, ¡°What business do you have in the Imperial Pce?¡±


    Charles pulled out the crest of the Pontier Family. ¡°I¡¯m Charles di Pontier, the acting head of the Pontier Family.¡±


    Perhaps the Imperial Knight had already known on some level, because his eyes gleamed for a moment, but that was it.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to meet His Highness the First Prince¡­ Can I?¡±


    ¡°Have you made an appointment?¡± the Imperial Knight asked.


    ¡°No, so if it¡¯s okay, I¡¯d like you to deliver my request.¡±


    The two Imperial Knights quickly exchanged nces.


    ¡°Can you wait for a moment?¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± Charles nodded elegantly.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    One of the Imperial Knights ran into the pce.


    ¡°She¡¯s indeed the most beautiful woman in the Empire,¡± Cain eximed.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°No one else in the Empire could make an appointment with a prince like this.¡±


    ¡°He must have instructed the knights beforehand: ¡®If Lady Charles visits me, send her in regardless of her reason!¡¯¡± Icarus said, mimicking Kiser.


    ¡°So it¡¯s the power of love.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the power of one-sided love, to be exact.¡±


    Charles¡¯s face reddened. ¡°Stop it, you two.¡±


    ¡°But even this beauty of the century was rejected by our master¡­ Indeed, anything can happen in this world,¡± Cain said.


    Icarus¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°What are you talking about? Our master turned Lady Charles down?¡±


    ¡°Huh? You didn¡¯t know? Everyone in Arcadia knows that.¡±


    ¡°Re-really?¡± Icarus immediately turned to look at Charles.


    However, Charles just looked away.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­ It¡¯s true,¡± Icarus nkly muttered.


    ¡°Why do you never believe me? I¡¯m hurt,¡± Cain grumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯re not exactly a trustworthy person.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it just that you¡¯re bad at judging people, Icarus?¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡±


    At that point, Charles was red to the tip of her ears. It was only the timely return of the Imperial Knight that saved her. He came out from the main gate, quickly approached his colleague and whispered something to him. The other knight¡¯s expression changed subtly.


    Cain realized that something went wrong.


    ¡°¡­We received an order just now,¡± the Imperial Knight told them.


    ¡°By an order, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Charles di Pontier, acting head of the Pontier Family, Cain de Harry and Icarus from the Sanders Family. You¡¯re under arrest on charges of treason.¡±


    The moment the knight finished speaking, dozens of Imperial Knights poured out from the pce.


    ¡°These crazy bastards still haven¡¯te to their senses¡­!¡± Cain, ever hot-headed, reached for the sword on his waist.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re the Imperial Knights. We might cause a problem for Joshua before the important event takes ce!¡± Charles warned.


    Cain bit his lower lip. ¡°Then are you suggesting we let them do anything they want with us?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Charles¡¯s eyes turned cold, and she stepped forward. ¡°You said that you received an order just now, am I right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°His Highness still can¡¯t arrest us without any reason. On top of that, he¡¯s charging us with treason?¡±


    The knight shook his head. ¡°His Highness isn¡¯t the one who gave the order.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an Imperial Order.¡±


    The trio¡¯s eyes bulged.


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean an Imperial¡ª?¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t get to finish her question.


    An earsplitting boom washed over them, and then Charles could feel a presence behind her back.


    ¡°Did you say it was an Imperial Order?¡±


    Charles, Icarus, and Cain quickly turned and immediately broke out in a shocked chorus.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    Joshua had returned to the pce, and based on the amount of energy he was emitting, he didn¡¯t intend to be subtle about it.


    ¡°Notify your superior that Joshua Sanders, the prince of the Empire, has entered the Pce.¡±

 Chapter 381

    Chapter 381


    An unexpected reunion was always so much better than a normal one.


    ¡°Master!¡± Cain shouted. ¡°It¡¯s been so long!¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    The two women¡¯s beautiful voices halted Cain dead in his tracks as he was about to race over to Joshua.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again,¡± Joshua said. ¡°You said it wasn¡¯t the prince that gave the order, it was an Imperial Order¡­¡± Joshua trailed off, exuding an energy that was sharp as a sword. ¡°...Do you mean Marcus ben Britten, the missing emperor, has returned?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    Roaring, the two Imperial Knights pulled out their swords without hesitation, and the knights that had poured out from the main gate did the same.


    ¡°I know you are a prince, but how dare you speak of His Majesty¡¯s name as if he¡¯s someone¡¯s dog!¡±


    ¡°No one is more supreme than His Majesty! You¡¯ve clearlymitted lese majeste. I advised you to disarm yourself and follow our instructions!¡±


    Joshua silently eyed the Imperial Knights for a moment and the chuckled.


    ¡°How dare I?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes! We are the Imperial Knights and we obey Imperial Orders¡ªprinces are not exempt!¡± the Imperial Knights shouted.


    ¡°How ridiculous,¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The Imperial Knights¡¯ eyes widened as an energy that was iparably stronger than before overwhelmed them.


    ¡°Arggh¡­¡± the Imperial Knights grunted, gritting their teeth.


    ¡°A tiger just came back, but foxes are already borrowing the tiger¡¯s authority?¡±


    Even Cain, Charles, and Icarus were stunned. Joshua was normally tranquil like calm waters, but he was acting like a raging ocean wave right now. What made him this angry?


    ¡°Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­ do you really think¡­ there¡¯ll be no consequences for this?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you if you don''t get out of my way.¡±


    The knight in front of Joshua froze. Joshua had only said he was going to kill him, so why did he feel like he was already getting butchered?


    <em>¡®How can a human¡¯s energy¡­ be this overpowering?¡¯ </em>the knight wondered.


    Whenever Joshua took a step forward, the knights took a step backward. And Joshua had no intention of stopping, whether the knights fought him or not.


    The senior knight gritted his teeth; the Imperial Knights were getting close to the big front gate. They should do something¡ªotherwise, they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to meet their newly returned emperor.


    ¡°Draw your swords!¡± the senior knight ordered.


    The remaining Imperial Knights drew their swords and assumed their stances, holding their swords at the ready. They were prepared to kill.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders! From now on, you¡¯ll be treated as a traitor to the crown!¡±


    Charles had been watching the confrontation anxiously, but when she heard the Imperial Knight¡¯s statement, she shouted, ¡°Jo-Joshua!¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Lady Charles?¡± Cain asked. ¡°He¡¯s doing fine.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Look at them. They call themselves Imperial Knights¡­?¡±


    Charles shook her head. ¡°They¡¯re doing their duty right now! Have you forgotten the Imperial Knights¡¯ job, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Job¡­?¡±


    ¡°To protect the Emperor and the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire!¡±


    Cain immediately went silent.


    ¡°I told you before that Joshua needs to be more careful right now than ever.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ isn¡¯t it meaningless since the Emperor came back?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s¡­!¡±


    Even while Cain and Charles were talking, the situation had worsened past the point of no return.


    ¡°This is myst warning. Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°If so¡­ do as you wish.¡± Joshua smiled coldly as he slowly held out his hands.


    The knights frowned at him.


    A cloud of sparks were suddenly flying through the air. At the same time, a ck hole, which the mages named ¡°subspace,¡± was created in the empty air. Through the subspace, something revealed itself. Cain knew what it was.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ my master¡¯s spear!¡± Cain shouted in shock; his voice sounded even louder in the silence. It was his first time seeing the spear since his master had gone missing three years ago.


    The spear was a more reliable ally to his master than having a million soldiers at his back. With that weapon, his master always brought victory to his allies and death to his enemies. He became the grim reaper, striking terror in the hearts of the enemy. His master had also stopped a million soldiers using that one spear. And so, the people in the continent called him¡­


    ¡°The Hero King¡­ Joshua Sanders¡­!¡±


    Merely the act of taking up the spear was beyond anything the Imperial Knights had been prepared for.


    Once again, Joshua moved without hesitation.


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± The senior knight¡¯s breath caught in his throat. The tip of the red spear was right in front of his eyes right now. Although he was able to follow Joshua¡¯s movement, he couldn¡¯t stop the attack nor move, as if he was stuck in a spider web. The senior knight instinctively closed his eyes, but someone stood between Joshua and the knight, deflecting the strike with an almighty ng.


    Joshua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ are you really trying tomit treason or something?¡±


    ¡°Why¡­ are you here¡­?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I think you already know.¡±


    Jabel, Heimdall¡¯s second apostle, the one with wless skin and waist-length blonde hair, blocked Joshua¡¯s attack by crossing his two swords.


    Jabel gave Joshua a troubled smile. ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t intend to kill the man, but your strike is still this strong¡­ Ha, you really are a monster.¡±


    ¡°¡­You still haven¡¯t answered my question,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Come. <em>He</em> is waiting.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s in the pce, too?¡±


    Jabel nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°He broke the promise,¡± Joshua growled, seething with palpable murderous intent.


    ¡°No, he kept the promise.¡± Jabel shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s just that an unexpected variable urred.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t expect the Emperor to show up either, did you? Besides, haven¡¯t youe running to the pce because you were worried about the princess?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s murderous intent intensified, but Jabel turned around without hesitation. He felt certain that Joshua still wouldn¡¯t attack him from behind.


    ¡°You have no time to waste since all of your ns will go awry once the Emperor makes an appearance in front of the citizens,¡± Jabel said, and then walked away.


    The strange part was that the Imperial Knights were still not budging.


    ¡°Everyone is in on this together¡­¡± Icarus noted, her eyes sparkling. ¡°What in the world happened in this country over thest few days?¡±


    Joshua watched Jabel¡¯s back with cold eyes for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Cain,¡± he quietly said.


    ¡°¡­Yes, master! I¡¯m here,¡± Cain answered.


    ¡°Take Charles and Icarus and get back to the mansion immediately.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean go back?!¡± Cain jumped out of his skin, and Charles and Icarus reacted the same.


    ¡°I¡¯ming with you!¡± Charles shouted.


    ¡°No, you aren¡¯t,¡± Joshua firmly replied.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with you! I¡¯m just here to persuade Prince Kiser¡ª¡±


    Someone suddenly grabbed her arm.


    ¡°Icarus¡­? Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°It looks like we¡¯re out of options right now, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°You know that we have to change our entire n since an unexpected variable¡ªnamely the Emperor of Avalon¡ªshowed up,¡± Icarus said. She¡¯d already adapted to the current situation.


    Half of Avalon¡¯s nobles supported Joshua, but there was a high chance that they would change sides now. Everything that had taken ce within the Empire was to determine the next owner of the throne, so it was meaningless once the original owner returned.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave it to my master now,¡± Icarus told Charles.


    ¡°But I can¡¯t put all the burdens on him again and sit on my hands¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles, we have no other choice; this is beyond our limits. At this rate, we¡¯ll only slow him down.¡±


    Charles bit her lower lip. ¡°Then¡­ why did we try so hard up until now? We¡¯ve made the merchant guild strong and prepared¡­ for what?¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles¡­¡±


    Charles coldly turned around. ¡°For now, I¡¯ll do as you say and go back.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°But! Don¡¯t die. Come back alive. I¡¯ll take care of everything else somehow. At the very least, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re never used of high treason.¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re took the words out of my mouth.¡±


    ¡°Please, I¡¯m serious¡­!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Emperor won¡¯t be able to leave a scratch on me,¡± Joshua said with certainty.


    Charles was about to cry.


    ¡°I¡¯lle back soon,¡± Joshua reassured Charles, Icarus, and Cain.


    Unlike before, the Imperial Knights split neatly in half, politely opening a path for Joshua. Joshua walked into the pce without hesitation.


    The heavy front gate creaked open. Icarus watched Joshua disappear into the pce, and she turned away when she couldn¡¯t see him anymore.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going too,¡± she said.


    ¡°¡­Go back without me. I¡¯m going to sneak into the pce on my own,¡± Cain said determinedly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to do anything stupid. There is something you have to do, Sir Cain.¡±


    Cain flinched. ¡°Icarus, you¡­ have another n, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll tell you on the way,¡± Icarus said. She took off in the opposite direction from Joshua.


    There was not a trace of hesitation in her footsteps.

 Chapter 382

    Chapter 382


    ¡°Hurry! We don¡¯t have much time!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Why are there still two thrones in here?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll mo-move it right away!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle! Can¡¯t you see some honored guests have already arrived? It¡¯s disgraceful!¡±


    The Imperial Pce¡¯s servants were busily working, following the Lord Steward¡¯s orders. Unlike before, they moved in perfect order. What made them be totally different people?


    Other people must have thought the same because one of the nobles quietly groaned. ¡°Hmmm¡­ things havepletely changed.¡±


    ¡°By the way, do you think the rumor is true?¡±


    ¡°By rumor, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act like a politician even now. All of you are here today because of the rumor, aren¡¯t you? I can¡¯t believe His Majesty is alive.¡±


    The area went as quiet as the grave.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this for the better?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon? What do you mean, ¡®this is for the better,¡¯ Marquess Broly?¡±


    A middle-aged man with hair that resembled broli came forward.


    ¡°The current situation must not be good for all of you here right now. The rope we¡¯ve been desperately clinging to is fraying,¡± Broly said, a metaphor for the power struggle between the princes and Joshua. ¡°We know the rope is rotten, but we still have to hold onto it, am I wrong?


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest since you said we should not act like politicians right now. I know I¡¯m saying this toote, but what does it matter if we¡¯re on His Highness the First Prince¡¯s side or Second Prince''s side? It¡¯s safe to assume that Joshua Sanders will ascend the throne, but after that, we¡¯re all going to lose our heads.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°You all really don¡¯t think he¡¯ll forgive you just because you joined his side at thest minute, do you? You will be demoted by at least one rank.¡±


    When Broy stated the naked truth, the nobles revealed how ufortable they felt. If the nobles ced themselves in Joshua¡¯s shoes, they could understand Joshua. He would look absolutely ridiculous if he left the nobles loyal to the Britten Family alone. Of course, the nobles had no choice but to be on Joshua¡¯s side. That was how influential Joshua Sanders was in the continent right now.


    ¡°Well, no matter what I say, most of you will kiss Johusa Sanders¡¯s ass,¡± Broly said with a shrug.


    ¡°Watch it. You¡¯re talking about His Highness, so how can you say ass?!¡± Marquess Aibo, the head of one of the Twelve Families, turned purple-faced with rage.


    ¡°I¡¯m not wrong, am I?¡± Broly snapped back.


    ¡°So what is your point? You wouldn¡¯t be saying such nonsense just to criticize us.¡±


    Broly smirked at Aibo. ¡°You call truth nonsense and reality criticism.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Broly!¡±


    Even before things turned out this way, Broly and Aibo were enemies and on pr opposite sides. When the two began to quarrel, the nobles in the council chamber naturally split into two as well.


    ¡°That is why I¡¯m suggesting we work together if His Majesty is really back,¡± Broly said.


    ¡°Exin further.¡±


    ¡°The country got into this mess because we were fighting to obtain more power. Considering His Majesty¡¯s personality¡­ I don¡¯t think I have to exin how he¡¯ll react.¡±


    Shivers ran down the nobles¡¯ spines. Some of their faces immediately darkened.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it unfair? We¡¯ve done nothing but stay loyal to the Britten Family.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting¡­ we me everything on Their Highnesses?¡± Aibo asked.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t exactly ming Their Highnesses since none of this would have happened if they hadn¡¯t gone after His Majesty¡¯s throne.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you think, Marquess Broly?¡± Aibo closed his eyes.


    ¡°No, it should be what all the nobles in the Avalon Empire think.¡±


    Aibo frowned. ¡°You have got to be kidding me¡­!¡±


    ¡°Think about it,¡± Broly said. ¡°If all the nobles in the Empire are on the same side, then will His Majesty be able to punish everyone? An empire needs subjects to work, and His Majesty is the wisest man I know.¡±


    After a long silence, Aibo asked, ¡°Do you think¡­ putting the me on the two princes will be enough to calm His Majesty down?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. That is why we need to use the other prince named Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Use Joshua Sanders?¡± Aibo repeated.


    ¡°Everyone in the continent knows how exceptional he is, and the fact that he¡¯s the descendant of that traitor Kunir is widely known now¡­ So we can just say that¡­ we were just trying to protect the Britten Family from a traitor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± Aibo nodded.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders himself already dered that he¡¯ll be the emperor, so there is no room for any other interpretation.¡±


    The nobles began to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°The enemy of my enemy is my friend, isn¡¯t it?¡± Broly quietly continued. ¡°Two weaker forces banding together to defeat a stronger one like the Hubalt and Swallow Empires did is basic tactics.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, things are just going back where they belong. His Majesty will continue to sit on the throne, and Joshua Sanders the rebel will be in the otherworld. This is actually the best oue.¡±


    Broly¡¯s charismatic voice set the nobles in the council chamber busy talking among themselves.


    ¡°Umm¡­ I have one question.¡±


    The nobles all turned to look.. It was Count Diges, the noble who had first mentioned the rumor. He was once Kiser¡¯s most loyal man.


    ¡°I think you all aren¡¯t realizing this¡­¡± he ventured. ¡°All the hypotheses that Marquess Broly just said are possible only if His Majesty is truly alive.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°So I want to get this clear. Marquess Broly seems to be certain that His Majesty has returned¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Broly nodded.


    ¡°That means¡­?¡±


    ¡°I have personally seen and met His Majesty. Even if you don¡¯t believe me now, you will soon,¡± Broly said with certainty.


    ¡°His Majesty is entering the chamber!¡±


    Speak of the devil; the Lord Steward¡¯s voice loudly echoed throughout the council chamber. The nobles¡¯ eyes widened. Some nobles trembled in fear.


    Could they have known what was going to happen to them? An unprecedented massacre that would go down in history was about to take ce. When otherster visited the chamber to find out what happened, not one of them would be able to look at the aftermath without retching.


    ¡°How have you all been?¡±


    Marcus ben Britten, the Emperor of the Avalon, finally stood tall before the throne. He looked just like his usual self as he stared down at the nobles. His sly smile made the nobles¡¯ skin pebble with goosebumps.


    * * *


    The wide council chamber of the Imperial Pce was at the end of a long hallway. It hadn¡¯t been long since Joshua hadst walked down that hallway, but it felt different now since the owner of the throne had been missing then.


    ¡°Emperor¡­¡± Joshua mumbled.


    The two Imperial Knights nking him trembled faintly, but they didn¡¯t act. Right now, they didn¡¯t have the power nor the will to go up against Joshua, so Joshua was free to focus on analyzing the situation.


    <em>¡®If what I know is right, Heimdall and the Emperor can¡¯t live under the same sky since they¡¯re mortal enemies, but¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua clenched his fists unwittingly.


    It was weird. Although he wasn¡¯t trusting Jabel¡¯s remarkpletely, Jabel had no reason to lie right now.


    <em>¡®Heimdall is closely involved in the Emperor¡¯s disappearance. It was unclear if Marcus ben Britten was alive, but he suddenly shows up and acts like he¡¯s on Heimdall¡¯s side¡­¡¯</em>


    The more Joshua thought about it, the more questions he had. Joshua broke away from his thoughts and shook his aching head


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll find out once I arrive,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Did you say something?¡± one of the Imperial Knights asked.


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Joshua curtly answered.


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Joshua froze in the middle of the hallway. ¡°This smell¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The Imperial Knights turned back to look at Joshua, but he ignored them.


    Joshua frowned. The closer they got to the council chamber, the more clearly he could smell the reek.


    ¡°Blood?¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    Joshua disappeared immediately, leaving the Imperial Knights behind. In a sh, he stood in front of the entrance to the council chamber. He paused for a moment to calm his breathing and then kicked the door right open.


    The doors flew open to reveal a horrendous sight. Corpses were piled everywhere, and ake of blood had pooled in the center of the chamber. Joshua could instinctively tell that there was no survivor. Not only the servants had been killed but hundreds of nobles had been ughtered.


    ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± The man presumably responsible for this massacre was standing at the center of the corpse piles. The Emperor wickedly chuckled. ¡°Wee, Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Marcus ben Britten¡­!¡±


    ¡°I think we can say hello with these, right?¡±


    As soon as Marcus finished speaking, the sword in his hand created a majestic hum, truly living up to his title as a Master.


    ¡°It has been a long time since we saw each other, so let¡¯s see your skills again, shall we?¡±


    Joshua had no time to straighten his posture because Marcus closed in on him in seconds.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    Joshua and Marcus met head-to-head with a deafening boom.

 Chapter 383

    Chapter 383


    The unpleasant feeling of brain bits underneath his feet, the numbing reek of blood, the distractingly redke¡­ Joshua forgot about them and focused on his opponent.


    Marcus swung, swinging his sword wildly as if trying to destroy everything in the chamber.


    ¡°Haha! Hahahahahaha!¡± Emperor Marcusughed maniacally. Theughter was unbelievably delighted for a person responsible for a horrible massacre. ¡°It¡¯s good! Indeed, Joshua Sanders! You never disappoint me!¡±


    The thin, two-meter-long sword came flying toward Joshua; it was clear that Marcus was aiming for Joshua¡¯s right kneecap, stymying the younger man¡¯s retreat.


    Marcus¡¯s eyes widened because his target had suddenly disappeared. Joshua was still retreating, but Marcus¡¯s target was out of sight.


    It quickly became apparent to Marcus where it had gone.


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Marcus grunted.


    An enormous bang echoed throughout the chamber. Using the spear that had suddenly appeared in his hands as a support, Joshua threw a kick aimed at Marcus¡¯s temple. Marcus raised his arm and managed to block Joshua¡¯s kick with difficulty.


    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Longin. It did break away from its shell, but still, the energy it exudes¡­ It¡¯s a truly tempting weapon.¡±


    The mention of Longin dragged a reaction out of Joshua.


    ¡°Emperor, how do you know about Longin?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­ did you make a contract with a demon?¡±


    After a long silence, Marcus grinned. ¡°¡­So he never told you even until the end. Hehehe.¡±


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Marcus shrugged lightly and abruptly sprang forward. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you entertain me a little more.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes widened in shock, but he quickly regained hisposure. After a scant moment of thought, he quickly moved.


    Just like he had before, Joshua could get his answers after he defeated his opponent, so he didn¡¯t hesitate. That was how he had lived until now, and it wasn¡¯t really going to change even if Joshua went through the same thing again.


    Marcus thrust his sword straight forward. In front of him, Joshua swirled his spear elegantly and countered with a basic spear technique. The spear and sword shed in the air. There was no way Marcus hadn¡¯t felt the impact of the collision.


    Marcus¡¯s unexpected response made Joshua flinch.


    Marcus had been pushed back by the collision but immediately threw his sword away¡ªeven though it was said that it was more humiliating for a knight to lose their grip on their sword than it was to die.


    However¡­ Marcus was called a martial genius for a reason. The sword soared in the air, but it returned to Marcus¡¯ hands as if they were tied together. Then Marcus swung his sword again without missing a beat.


    The sound of metal on metal again brought a genuinely surprised expression to Marcus¡¯s face.


    ¡°You blocked that?¡±


    Marcus¡¯s sword had been neatly blocked by the center of the spear¡¯s shaft, but Joshua even carried the action into a clockwise rotation, pushing back Marcus. In contrast to Marcus, who was using all sorts of advanced techniques, Joshua was using only the basic spear techniques to block Marcus¡¯ attacks.


    ¡°You arrogant¡­¡± Marcus mumbled, furious. He fixed his grip on his sword, and an immense amount of mana gathered up inside him.


    He utilized the Imperial Family of Britten¡¯s first secret technique, the Monarch¡¯s Sword Strike. Who could hold their head up high before his sword? Just like there were social sses in the Human Realm, there was a difference in levels among the warriors.


    Kneel, bow, and despair.


    He would dly forgive your pathetic talent.


    Marcus mmed his sword into Joshua¡¯s spear using the most advanced technique he knew, the one that had made Marcus ben Britten a Master. The attack certainly held the power to cut an entire mountain in half¡ªhowever, Joshua didn¡¯t budge one bit this time. Instead, he rotated his spear counterclockwise to redirect Marcus¡¯ sword attack into the ground.


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Marcus was genuinely dumbfounded. ¡°So I¡¯m not even worthy of being a sparring partner, huh?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m trying my best,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°Your best¡­ Who will believe that when even your opponent can¡¯t?¡± Marcus chuckled.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter what you think.¡± Joshua¡¯s muscles swelled as he began to push Marus away. ¡°My method is always the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡± Marcus felt sweat begin to run down his back and grinned. ¡°Then I should be the one who tries my best from now on.¡±


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I recently¡­ came to a big realization. Look.¡±


    Joshua froze in surprise. An immense amount of the power¡ªoverwhelmingly more powerful than any other existing powers in the world¡ªsuddenly poured out from Marcus. Joshua knew what this power was better than anyone else.


    ¡°¡­Demonic power?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Emperor of Avalon, Marcus ben Britten. Hahahahaha!¡± Marcus burst into manicughter. A wave of Marcus¡¯ ck demonic power surged against Joshua.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Joshua¡¯s palms ached; they felt like they were going to tear. Marcus¡¯s demonic power was as pure as a god¡¯s.


    ¡°Emperor¡­ you definitely sold your soul,¡± Joshua said with utter certainty.


    ¡°Hehehehe¡­¡± Marcusughed wickedly. ¡°So what?¡±


    ¡°You have everything, so why would¡ª!¡±


    ¡°It has been three years.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°For such a long time, I had to spend every day in humiliation, unable to die. Every tendon was severed, and my mana hall waspletely shattered. Then I was shoved into a deep dungeon.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Do you think I had any other choice?¡± Marcus asked in a low voice.


    ¡°A knight¡¯s soul is noble on its own! Your willpower can¡¯t possibly be that weak!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a ruler of a great empire, not a knight,¡± Marcus firmly said.


    ¡°You know I¡¯m not talking about your title. Marcus ben Britten, you¡¯re a Superhuman who became a Master after trying excruciatingly hard!¡±


    Joshua really couldn¡¯t understand Marcus since making a contract with a demon could not be taken lightly. Once he finished signing the contract, his soul becamepletely bound to the demon, the other contracting party. On top of that, he must follow the demon¡¯s order forever, and was even denied the escape of death. Only after the annihtion of his soul could he gain eternal peace.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never understand me. You¡¯re just a bastard, so how could you understand how I felt after I, an emperor, was dragged down from the throne and shoved into a deep dungeon?¡±


    Joshua finally realized that Marcus didn¡¯t know¡ªno, forgot about¡ªone important fact. Even without an Oblivion Flower, it would be possible to cut out a certain memory using a submission seal.


    ¡°So! That was why you sold your soul to somebody who is rted to your enemy?¡± Joshua shouted.


    At that moment, Marcus visibly flinched. ¡°¡­What? What do you mean my enemy¡ªUrgh!¡±


    Marcus couldn¡¯t finish asking his question because he was suddenly struck by an intense headache. It felt like thousands of bugs were eating away his brain at once.


    Marcus screamed in unbridled pain. ¡°Argghhhhhh!¡±


    He really forgot all the memories rted to Heimdall.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ The damned forbidden seal again¡­¡±


    Joshua''s eyes widened. ¡°Forbidden seal?¡±


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff</em>¡­ It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll kill you, the son of that fucking Aden von Agnus, and rule thisnd again, no matter what!¡± Marcus roared.


    Marcus¡¯s thick storm of demonic power became bigger and stronger, enough to make Joshua¡¯s skin sting. Joshua automatically tightened the grip on his spear. Yes, the one whom Marcus had signed a contract with wasn¡¯t an ordinary demon or a demon king¡ª<em>he</em> was the only one in the vast Demon Realm who had god-like demonic power.


    ¡°¡­The Demonic Spirit Lubechern,¡± Joshua mumbled in disbelief.


    In other words¡­ the Demonic Spirit was behind Marcus.


    * * *


    Heimdall flinched; he felt an enormous amount of energy reaching all the way to the inner pce, located beyond the council chamber.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯ve begun,¡± Heimdall muttered.


    ¡°I finished reporting, so I¡¯ll go there myself,¡± Jabel said, prostrated before Heimdall.


    Heimdall didn''t answer. The other apostles felt the extraordinary collision of energies and began to gather one by one.


    ¡°I know you think of Joshua Sanders in a special way¡­ but the Emperor won¡¯t be able to win on his own,¡± Jabel said. ¡°Heimdall, I think me and the other apostles have a chance against him without you if we all fight together¡­¡±


    Heimdall shook his head. ¡°No, you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Jabel asked.


    ¡°You and the other apostles don¡¯t have a chance against him. Zero. Jabel, you have seen the fight with your own eyes, so surely you would know.¡±


    Jabel was speechless. Although he had been ignoring it, he was instinctively able to tell as soon as he had seen Joshua¡¯s fight that with his capability, he wouldn¡¯t be able toy a finger on Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°But at this rate¡­¡± Jabel cautiously continued.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go there myself,¡± Heimdall dered.


    Jabel and the other apostles boggled at him.


    ¡°Yo-yourself, sir?¡±


    ¡°So get ready.¡± Heimdall immediately turned away, indicating he had zero intention of going back on his word.


    ¡°¡­Soon,¡± he mumbled under his breath.


    His back looked lonely for some reason.

 Chapter 384

    Chapter 384


    The crew had basically turned the ratherrge mansion on the outskirts of Arcadia into their den.


    The air in the mansion was silent as many people were lost in their own thoughts.


    ¡°Now, tell me about your n.¡± Cain was the first one to break the silence with a serious look. ¡°I¡¯m telling you in advance, but I¡¯m going to move solo if I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, calm down first. I know better than anyone else how dangerous it is to infiltrate the Pce. It¡¯s guarded by hundreds of the Imperial Knights at least, and even I don¡¯t know how many more of them there are. So how can you think about heading there on your own?¡± Cazes shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. I strongly oppose the idea.¡±


    ¡°But my master is taking that risk,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°You and His Highness are different.¡±


    ¡°Are you looking down on me?¡± Cain asked in a belligerent voice.


    ¡°You know very well that I didn¡¯t mean it that way.¡±


    ¡°It sounded like it.¡±


    ¡°Are you taking out your frustration on me?¡± Cazes narrowed his eyes.


    An intense staredown started between two people that had surpassed the level of ss A knights long ago.


    ¡°Stop it, you two,¡± Icarus interrupted.


    Even Charles frowned. ¡°I can¡¯t believe these men. Do you really want to start a fight at a time like this?¡±


    Still, the staredown between Cazes and Cain continued.


    ¡°I¡¯m not exactly taking out my frustration, I¡¯m just stating my opinion.¡± Cain put his arm on the table.


    ¡°An opinion shouldn¡¯t cause damage to others,¡± Cazes calmly retorted.


    ¡°What? Damage?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say you infiltrate the Pce. What is going to happen if you fail? The security will be enhanced, and we have to rescue two people now. If that¡¯s not the worst-case scenario, what is?¡±


    ¡°Hah!¡± Cain frowned slightly. ¡°Sir Cazes, you''re a mouse worrying about a cat[1] right now.¡±


    ¡°His Highness may be a cat, but you aren¡¯t, Sir Cain. Maybe a rat¡­¡± Cazes trailed off.


    Cain gritted his teeth. ¡°Are you done?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t even started,¡± Cazes said with a shrug.


    ¡°Oh, so this is how you¡¯re dealing with your inferiorityplex?¡±


    ¡°If someone heard our conversation. they would think you¡¯re stronger than me, Sir Cain,¡± Cazes snapped.


    ¡°That is what the people in the world think. Well, if you don¡¯t like it, shall we find out right here, right now?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Cazes was about to stand up, and both of them were already exuding intense energies.


    ¡°This is really pathetic,¡± someone suddenly interrupted.


    The cold, sonorous voice made Cain and Cazes instantly shut their mouths.


    ¡°Miss Iceline¡­?¡±


    ¡°If that is what we¡¯re going to talk about today, then I¡¯ll get going.¡± Iceline sprang up from her seat right away, showing that she meant it.


    Cain and Cazes gaped at her.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Cain shouted.


    ¡°Without help from a mage from the Magic Tower, it¡¯s impossible to nullify the countless magic traps in the Pce! Please reconsider!¡±


    Iceline gave Cain and Cazes a cold look. ¡°If so, I¡¯ll just tell you one thing.¡±


    ¡°G-go on.¡± Cazes nodded quickly.


    ¡°I think you two are misunderstanding something¡ªit¡¯s Joshua that went to the Imperial Pce right now. Do you know what that means? It means if Joshua himself can¡¯t defeat the enemies, there is nothing we can do about them, even if we all attack together. He''s on a whole other level. He put an end to the Continental War on his own.¡±


    Cazes and Cain¡¯s jaws dropped, shocked. Iceline trusted Joshua more than a god.


    ¡°And this person right here, right now, is Miss Icarus, Joshua¡¯s most trusted strategist. What you two are saying now is basically an insult to Joshua. Why don¡¯t you know that? What could be more humiliating than bing a master who can¡¯t be trusted by his own subordinate?¡±


    ¡°Th-that¡¯s¡­¡± Cazes and Cain stuttered simultaneously.


    After looking at the two for a moment, Iceline turned away from them. ¡°Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Charles straightened in surprise.


    ¡°Am I wrong?¡± Iceline bluntly asked.


    Charles awkwardly smiled back. ¡°No-no, I agree, Iceline. ¡±


    In the past, their families had held gatherings to bond with each other, so Charles and Iceline had often met privately. However, several years passed already, enough time to make the two drift apart. Although the two women had both gone through the same hardship of their families crumbling, they had also found out that they were in love with the same man. They had more reasons now¡­


    Charles smiled bitterly for a moment and then changed the topic.


    ¡°Icarus, why don¡¯t you tell us the n now?¡± Charles proposed. ¡°At this rate, there will be more chaos, so talk to me. We¡¯re in, no matter what your n is.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no other choice.¡± Icarus sighed quietly and took a step forward. ¡°Some of you must have anticipated it already¡­ but the n I¡¯m about to tell you now is based on the premise that my master has defeated all the enemies.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what do you mean defeated all the enemies?¡±


    ¡°I also believe that there is nothing we can do if the enemies are capable of putting my master in danger,¡± Icarus continued.


    Cain¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°That is irresponsible¡­!¡±


    ¡°I knew you would react this way. This was why I hesitated to talk about my n.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°After I tell you all that my n is sorting everything out after my master is done with his work, not rescuing my master¡­ I knew that at least you would react this way, Sir Cain. I believe in our master just as¡ªno, more than Miss Iceline, and that is why I can make an abnormal n like this.¡±


    For a long time, silence fell upon the room. What was Cain thinking right now? His mouth stayed open for a long time and then slowly closed.


    ¡°I¡­ was the one who was insulting my master?¡± Cain mumbled in disbelief.


    Everyone was believing in his master, but Cain himself was the only one who was acting antsy. What kind of irony was this?


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s¡­ hear it.¡±


    Cain¡¯s response brightened the mood in the room.


    ¡°If the Emperor truly came back alive, it presents a great problem to our master ascending to the throne. You know this, right?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I know it¡¯ll be a problem.¡±


    ¡°Considering the Emperor¡¯s personality, he would just make a public announcement about the fact that our master is the descendant of the Royal Family of Kunir and summarily execute him for high treason,¡± Icarus continued.


    The people in the room automatically nodded. History was written by the victors, so the Britten Family, the victors, must have written the history about how the Avalon Empire had been built. Aside from some nobles, every citizen of the Avalon Empire quivered with rage when they heard the name ¡°Kunir.¡±


    ¡°So what would happen if our master became the emperor when the Emperor himself is alive and well? The citizens won¡¯t be able to understand nor ept a coup without a justifiable cause, so if the worstes to the worst, riots might start all over the Empire.¡±


    Icarus was seeing the bigger picture. Everyone knew to pay more attention.


    ¡°The n is the same as before. We¡¯ll get a justifiable cause first since that is the most important part. There is no better tactic than winning without fighting.¡± Icarus beamed.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Our operation is named ¡®Honeytrap.¡¯ Just like we nned, we have to persuade First Prince Kiser.¡±


    Charles''s expression had subtly changed when Icarus mentioned that the n was the same, but she slightly flinched when Icarus finished speaking.


    ¡°A good beginning is half the battle, so once First Prince Kiser joins our side¡­¡±


    ¡°I get it now. You¡¯re suggesting we get our justifiable cause using a prince that has the legitimate right to inherit the throne, so our master can take the throne immediately after he finishes defeating the enemies and returns,¡± Cain summarized.


    Icarus nodded firmly. ¡°That is correct.¡±


    * * *


    After some time, Jabel, who had been following Heimdall, came to a halt when he was just a few dozen steps away from the council chamber. Another apostle was whispering his report into Jabel¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­Heimdall,¡± Jabel said, ¡°the Second Prince handed the ck crystal to Princess Serciarin just now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Heimdall nodded.


    ¡°Yes, but can we really trust the Demon Spirit, sir?¡± Jabel asked.


    ¡°He already kept his end of the bargain since he wiped the memories of me from the Emperor¡¯s head, so it¡¯s our turn now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, but I feel uneasy about the Demon Spirit¡­¡±


    ¡°We already used undead and ck magic for our great n, and so did Joshua.¡±


    That shut Jabel¡¯s mouth. Joshua Sanders had cunningly used the army of undead which he had imed for himself to the fullest extent and then med everything on Grand Duke ¡°Crimson Sky¡± Lucifer. The people of the continent now praised Joshua as a sage king. No matter what anyone said, ck mages, especially necromancers, were the enemies of everyone on the continent.


    ¡°If it helps our great n, we can use anything, just like Joshua,¡± Heimdall firmly asserted.


    ¡°¡­I understand, Heimdall.¡± Jabel nodded.


    ¡°Jabel, do you know why I tried to secure the princess first?¡± Heimdall suddenly asked.


    Jabel was baffled.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t¡­ it because of the princess¡¯s Eyes of Truth? I heard it¡¯s the power of a god that was never meant to exist in the Human Realm. Her eyes would surely be helpful to our great n¡­¡±


    Heimdall quietly shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re half wrong and half right.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that her Eyes of Truth would be a big help to us, but she¡¯s dying¡ªshe has a year at maximum. It¡¯s called the power of a god for a reason. A human can¡¯t handle such an ability, and there is no cure for such a curse in this world.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­?¡± Jabel cautiously asked.


    ¡°You asked me if I still feel attached to my son.¡±


    Jabel flinched.


    ¡°I certainly did, given that I thought it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to make my own son sit on the throne, instead of a Britten like Kaiser. The world forgot about me, so I can¡¯t take the throne.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Jabel wasn¡¯t sure what to say.


    ¡°Joshua thinks dearly of her, so I tried to control him using her,¡± Heimdall said. Jabel stayedpletely silent. ¡°But the moment I saw the Emperor, I started to have a desire that I thought I didn¡¯t have.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Crimson Sky and the Martial Emperor are dead, and the Emperor even sold his spirit to the Demon Spirit. If people find out about that¡­¡±


    Jabel¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°Won¡¯t the Dark God be a hero when he reappears in a time like this? Of course, the best scenario would be the Demon Spirit sustaining a critical injury after fighting against Joshua.¡±


    Jabel prostrated himself. He felt incredibly pathetic for doubting Heimdall.


    ¡°You will be the true ruler of this country, Heimdall¡­!¡±


    1. It¡¯s a Korean idiom about someone worrying about someone else without thinking about their own situation. ?

 Chapter 385

    Chapter 385


    Demonic power was the power to destroy everything in this world.


    The power was thicker and darker than anything else, but the peerless demonic power was going berserk right now. It belonged to none other than Marcus ben Britten, the emperor of the Avalon Empire and Joshua¡¯s current opponent.


    ¡°Arggh¡­.¡± A white cloud came out from Emperor Marcus¡¯ mouth. Even his appearance hadpletely changed: his shining blonde hair turned pitch-ck, and two distinctly demonic horns sprouted from his forehead. Furthermore, his canines poked out of his lips¡ªthey looked even more ferocious than most beasts¡¯ fangs.


    ¡°Emperor¡­ the Demon Spirit wasn¡¯t the only one you made a submission contract with,¡± Joshua mumbled. His expression grew grim the longer he observed the Emperor. Signing a contract with a demon only made one powerful, not change one¡¯s appearance like Marcus, even if the demon whom the person made a contract with was the Demon Spirit.


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ you noticed?¡± Marcus asked.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m quite familiar with the power,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°Just as you expected, the power belongs to one of the Eight Demon Kings.¡±


    Despite Marcus¡¯s shocking remark, Joshua¡¯s expression remained the same.


    ¡°Well, I guess it¡¯s no surprise that you know about it. I did hear that your real identity is Lucifer, the strongest battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms¡­ Hehehe, now I can finally understand why you¡¯re so ridiculously talented.¡±


    ¡°So you embraced the demonic power using the Demon King of Envy¡¯s ability,¡± Joshua concluded.


    Even demon kings had trouble embracing the Demon Spirit¡¯s demonic power¡ªit was impossible for a mere human¡¯s soul to ept the power. It was only possible because Marcus had signed a contract with the Demon Spirit himself.


    ¡°...Ha! I can feel the power rushing through my veins.¡± Marcus examined his state and then lightly swung his sword.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes popped wide open.


    The sound that the sword made was so quiet that Joshua wouldn¡¯t have heard it if he hadn¡¯t been paying attention¡ªbut in contrast, it was very hard to miss what happened before Joshua¡¯s eyes just now. The wall behind the throne, where Marcus had swung his sword, was gone, reduced to dust.


    ¡°Humans have eight primal instincts, but the gods that created this world believed those instincts to be evil, so they call them sins,¡± Marcus remarked with a contented smile. ¡°At the beginning of the world, the Demon Spirit realized that these instincts could be converted into special powers. Among those powers, I have the power of envy¡­ It¡¯s the ability to copy a specific ability from my target, even if the target is a god. I envy again and again, and then steal their talent.¡±


    ck demonic power rose from Marcus and covered his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m iparably stronger than the doppelganger you went up against. A doppelganger isn¡¯t able to improve any further, but I can surpass the level of my target with this power of envy, depending on my talent or my effort¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re insane,¡± Joshua said disbelievingly. ¡°You¡¯ve brought down one of the Evil Sins to none other than the Human Realm.¡±


    ¡°Does it mean anything now?¡± Marcus casually replied. ¡°The owners of the Angel and Demon Realms have been killed due to the war between their realms.¡±


    ¡°What in the world are the dragons doing when things have turned into this mess?¡±


    That was Joshua¡¯s biggest question. Unlike the Angel and Demon Realms, there were special beings in the Human Realm that protected it: dragons.


    ¡°Those lizards always did whatever they pleased.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joshua shook his head firmly. ¡°It¡¯s different when ites to the Demon Spirit.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡­ Even an Evil Dragon showed up and went on a rampage in this world, so who knows? They might have gotten sick of humans.¡±


    ¡°¡­Come to think of it, the sin of envy does suit you well.¡±


    Marcus tilted his head. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an emperor, and yet you¡¯re more blinded by jealousy than anyone else.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ jealous?¡± Marcus mumbled nkly, but it quickly turned into a chuckle. ¡°Are you trying to provoke me into attacking you blindly?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying the truth.¡±


    ¡°Why would I?¡±


    ¡°I think you know why very well,¡± Joshua concisely answered.


    ¡°Just like you said, I¡¯m the ruler of a great empire, so everyone looks up to me. I¡¯m also one of the strongest people on the continent¡ªbut you¡¯re telling me I¡¯m jealous?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°In the end, you lost to him, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Aden von Agnus.¡±


    That got a visible reaction out of Marcus¡ªmaybe the forbidden seal had activated again.


    ¡°Aden... von Agnus¡­¡± Marcus muttered.


    ¡°I assume he¡¯s the one responsible for cutting all your tendons and destroying your mana hall. His talent, his ability to lead his subordinates, being the power behind the scene¡­ You always felt jealous of the Dark God for everything for as long as you can remember.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes lost focus.


    ¡°And in the end,¡± Joshua provoked, ¡°he killed you.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    Joshua was now certain that Marcus ben Britten wasn¡¯t a human anymore. Marcus was a ghost¡ªbut on top of that, he¡¯d already lost his soul to the Demonic Spirit. He just didn¡¯t know it yet.


    ¡°You¡¯re just a shell who threw away your pride and lost your soul to somebody else. Is there a better word to describe such a state aside from the word ¡®dead¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What nonsense do you keep talking about?!¡± Marcus roared. He began focusing his strength in his legs and pointed his sword straight ahead. The space around his sword visibly twisted.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s dangerous,¡±</em> Joshua¡¯s instincts warned him. He immediately raised his spear.


    The attack, which was the same kind of attack that had pulverized the wall, struck the handle of Joshua¡¯s spear. Joshua realized that he would be reduced to ashes if he himself got struck by Marcus¡¯s attack.


    <em>¡®The only way to fight against the Demon Spirit¡¯s demonic power is to use demonic power or the divine power of an Angel Spirit, which is its pr opposite,¡¯ </em>Joshua thought.


    All of Joshua¡¯s muscles bulged as he gripped his spear. There were two choices, and Joshua chose the former without hesitation.


    Joshua¡¯s demonic power poured out from his body in a thick wave. Marcus¡¯s swordshed out at every vital point on Joshua¡¯s body, but Joshua nullified all of Marcus¡¯s attacks with even more overwhelming power.


    The air shrieked as it was cut.


    Marcus¡¯s eyes widened. His attack had been split in half, destroying part of the chamber floor.


    ¡°You¡­ blocked that?¡±


    ¡°I told your owner before, but an imitation can¡¯t beat the original.¡±


    ¡°¡­Owner? How dare you¡­ You arrogant bastard¡­!¡± Marcus furiously tried to swing his sword again.


    However¡­ Joshua was quicker. His spear, its original red color stained totally ck, stopped right in front of Marcus¡¯s eyes, forcing the Emperor to freeze.


    ¡°I am <em>the</em> Marcus ben Britten!¡± Marcus roared, and swung his sword even more fiercely than before.


    It wasn¡¯t just a collision between a sword and spear now. It was a head-to-head battle between two demonic powers. The powers of the two people that had far surpassed the level of humans shed with a ground-shaking boom.


    * * *


    Heimdall and his apostles were in front of the council chamber. Jabel put his hand on the door.


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll open it now,¡± he said.


    <em>¡®¡­But what will happen to us if Heimdall bes the emperor?¡¯ </em>Jabel suddenly wondered. He could say for certain that the appearance of the Dark God was going to turn the world upside down. The First Prince and some other people knew that the Dark God was behind the disappearance of Emperor Marcus, so unless Heimdall was going to silence everyone for good¡­ Wouldn¡¯t he need a scapegoat to take the me?

 Chapter 386

    Chapter 386


    A special unit had been created to persuade the First Prince,posed of only four members. Following Icarus¡¯s suggestion, three good men and one good woman were chosen for this mission.


    ¡°With me, Cazes, and Sir Cain over here, we¡¯re going to have no problem until we get to the outskirts of the pce¡­¡± Ranger nced over his shoulder. ¡°¡­Lady Charles, are you sure you are going to be alright¡­?¡±


    ¡°Sir Ranger, what are the goals of our current n?¡± Charles suddenly asked.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t they infiltrating the Kiser Pce and persuading His Highness the First Prince?¡± Charles continued, raising one of her brows as if she thought Ranger was underestimating her ability.


    ¡°Ranger,¡± Cazes quickly interrupted, ¡°I know you¡¯re worried, but this n doesn¡¯t work at all without Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to kidnap His Highness?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cazes gaped at him. He had definitely not expected Ranger to make such a suggestion.


    ¡°Think about it. Do you really think that you and I will be able to do something when at least three of the superior battalion captains show up? Well, I can take four of the lower-ranking ones at maximum¡­¡±


    ¡°Fighting isn¡¯t the answer right now. Considering the final goal of this mission, we have to avoid fighting, especially against the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just talking about the worst-case scenario,¡± Ranger grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that your scenario is wrong. If we¡¯re talking about the captains, it would take five of them to fight us equally, and six to defeat us for sure,¡± Cazes said.


    Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°You said you can deal with up to two of them, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can also deal with up to three captains.¡±


    Ranger was beginning to wonder if his colleague had gone mad since he and Cazes were very familiar with Imperial Knights¡¯ abilities. Nevertheless, Cazes was saying such things¡­


    ¡°Cazes, I get that you became a ss A knight, but you really don¡¯t think you¡¯re at the level of our captain¡ªno, His Highness Joshua?¡± Ranger asked.


    Cazes shook his head. ¡°Of course not.¡±


    ¡°Then how can you say that you can take on three captains?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I reached that conclusion after considering everything.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy¡­!¡± slipped unwittingly from Ranger¡¯s mouth. After a moment, Ranger forced himself to say, ¡°Then what are you going to do about him?¡±


    ¡°Him?¡± Cazes repeated.


    ¡°The leader of one thousand Imperial Knights. The shield of the Avalon Empire, Knight-Commander Rod!¡± Ranger shouted.


    Cazes was on the same page as Ranger this time, so he instantly became quiet.


    ¡°See? This is why I worry¡ª¡±


    ¡°This is why we have a reliable backup.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    ¡°One of the great Twelve Superhumans of this continent. The first knight of the great Hero King. The ck Lion Cain is with us, and I think he can take on the Knight-Commander¡­¡±


    The sudden praise made Cain gradually hold his head higher. The squabbling they had been doing until a moment ago, made Cain even more proud.


    ¡°<em>Ahem, </em>it¡¯s a bit embarrassing to keep listening to you. I had no idea that you think that highly of me, Sir Cazes,¡± Cain said, forcing himself to not smile.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth,¡± Cazes easily replied. ¡°If you weren¡¯t good, I wouldn¡¯t have felt any sense ofpetition against you in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Competition¡­ Yup, I understand. An expert recognizes another expert, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who is embarrassed now.¡± Cazes waved his hands. ¡° I did talk all tough in front of the other people, but I can¡¯t call myself a master in front of you, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! I¡¯m serious. You¡¯re my master¡¯s first Imperial Knight, Sir Cazes.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we talk casually now?¡± Cazes offered. ¡°I heard that our ages are simr.¡±


    ¡°Shall we? Go ahead. I heard you¡¯re a few years older than me, Sir Cazes.¡±


    ¡°No, how can I? Once I get fired from the Imperial Knights, I¡¯ll join the great Golden Spirit Knights.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll have to be the comander once you join us.¡± Cain chuckled.


    ¡°Then shall we start talking casually at the same time?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    The two men¡¯s smiles deepened as they looked at each other.


    Charles shook her head in disbelief. ¡°I really can¡¯t understand men. Just a moment ago, they were at each other¡¯s throat¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°And Sir Ranger?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lady Charles?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry any further. Even if your worst-case scenarioes true, he won¡¯t kill the woman he loves, will he?¡± Charles lightly remarked.


    After pondering for a moment, Ranger nodded. ¡°Mmm¡­ you¡¯re right, but you¡¯ve gotten quite used to using the word ¡®love¡¯, Lady Charles.¡±


    Charles¡¯s face reddened.¡°I-I-It¡¯s the truth. B-b-besides, I haven¡¯t been staying idle.¡±


    Charles pulled out an adorable, cane-like little branch from her inner pocket.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡°The origin of all existence, one of the four elements of nature, entrusted with the power of heat,¡± Charles muttered quietly.


    Ranger¡¯s eyes widened. A fist-sized fireball had appeared.


    ¡°Ma-magic?¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles, how can you use magic¡­?¡±


    Cain and Cazes stared at Charles in surprise.


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m a ss 2 mage,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m not as good as Iceline, but aren¡¯t I quite reliable now?¡± Charles asked. She extinguished the fireball with a smile. ¡°Once we pass the outskirts, at least half of our n has seeded. As you already know, most of the guards in the pce have been dispatched to the outskirts and the main pce, so I¡¯m hoping you can get us past there. When we get to Kiser¡¯s pce, I¡¯ll take care of everything else,¡± Charles said.


    She took off, leaving the three men to gape nkly at her back like horses behind the cart.


    ¡°The head of a duchy, the owner of a famous merchant group, and a mage¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m certain that my master was a hero that saved the continent in his past life.¡± Cain shook his head and followed Charles.


    The operation hadmenced.


    * * *


    Within the Avalon Empire, no one was more supreme than the Emperor, even if they were from another country. Unless an emperor of another empire visited the Avalon Empire, no one dared to meet the Emperor¡¯s eyes.


    Before he had died, the man had been at his peak, and he still wanted to stay that way even after his death. Marcus ben Britten, the emperor of Avalon, was perishing at the hands of none other than Joshua Sanders, the hero of the very same empire.


    ¡°¡­Hehehe.¡± Marcusughed self-deprecatingly as he stopped writhing. ¡°A tiger¡¯s cub is still a tiger, huh? Joshua Sanders¡­ Indeed, I too was not capable enough to fight you.¡±


    ¡°Why did you do that? Your forbidden seal must have been undone already.¡±


    Just like Joshua had said, Marcus¡¯s soul was free from all restrictions¡ªthey had been obliterated by a stronger force. The problem was, that had made Marcus be a mortal again.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain that you aren¡¯t the type of man who would sell your soul without realizing,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°I¡¯m truly touched to know that you thought so highly of me.¡±


    Joshua only turned his head to look at Marcus.


    Marcus noticed and chuckled. ¡°¡­I think I told you that my reason was to get revenge.¡±


    ¡°Was that why you did it?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I could feel your hesitation in yourst attack, so if I may dare assume, you must have concluded that I¡¯d be enough to defeat your enemy,¡± Joshua said, looking at Marcus with sparkling eyes. Marcus didn¡¯t reply, but Joshua continued, ¡°In addition, you thought that it wouldn¡¯t be bad to borrow power from a demon if you can shape the defeat of a father by his own son¡ªam I wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hehehehe.¡± Marcus finally broke his silence by chuckling again.¡°Well, Joshua, will you be able to understand me?¡±


    ¡°Understand you?¡±


    ¡°Even when my father was the emperor¡ªno, my entire life¡ªI¡¯ve devoted myself to surpassing one man in the area where he was the most confident. My father may have manipted Aden¡¯s mother into his hands, but I wanted to surpass Aden with my own talent. I was ashamed when I found out the truth. He was nothing¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Emperor.¡±


    ¡°But I barely reached his level in the end. I even sold my soul, but I got defeated by his son, not him.¡±


    Marcus¡¯s voice was the only noise in the chamber as the storm of demonic power circled around Joshua and Marcus.


    ¡°Perhaps¡­ you¡¯ll never be able to understand me. Since you were born the best¡­ Joshua.¡± His voice gradually faded. ¡°Without a goal¡­ life is really boring, and that is where the loneliness of the powerfules¡­ from.¡±


    Marcus copsed into dust and disappeared. After making a contract with a demon, the only end that he could reach was annihtion.


    The council chamber suddenly fell silent. Maybe that was the signal because even before Joshua could sort out his feelings, Jabel yelled, ¡°Kill him!¡±


    All of Heimdall¡¯s apostles followed Jabel except Marco.


    ¡°You monster!¡±


    ¡°Go to hell, Joshua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s die together!¡±


    The apostles flew at Joshua wielding a menagerie of weapons, risking their lives to take his. Nevertheless, Joshua didn¡¯t budge.


    After his battle with Marcus, the chamber¡¯s thick ceiling was gone, and the demonic power that destroyed all creation had turned everything inside the chamber into nothing. The only thing that existed in this ce was the moonlight shining down through the opened ceiling and Joshua, standing in its center.


    ¡°¡­Emperor, you led a truly tragic life, but¡­¡±


    Joshua quietly picked up his spear, his eyes never leaving Marcus¡¯s resting ce.


    Over forty apostles came pouring in to attack Joshua. At the center of the onught, Joshua¡¯s spear began its dance, leaving red afterimages one after another; it resembled the red moonlight that could only be seen in the Demon Realm.


    Magic Spear Arts Level 6, Meteor Spear. The shooting stars crushed every living being. Joshua¡¯s marvelous dance came to an end after about ten seconds. When his artistic dance finally stopped¡­


    ¡°What¡­? That doesn¡¯t¡­ make¡­ sense¡­!¡±


    No other living beings existed inside the council chamber anymore. All of the apostles went still after their foreheads were pierced. One by one, the corpses copsed to the floor.


    Joshua turned his back to them. ¡°¡­I understand how you feel,¡± he quietly said.


    The Emperor¡¯s rival was talented.


    <em>¡®It is understandable since the Emperor himself was also already a Master at the time¡­¡¯ </em>Joshua thought.


    ¡°Jabel,¡± someone new said.


    ¡°¡­Ah! I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± Jabel trailed off.


    ¡°What is holding you back?¡±


    Jabel flinched and then slowly turned around. The first thing he saw was a snow-white mask that didn¡¯t reveal any part of the wearer¡¯s face.


    ¡°You seem to have a lot on your mind.¡±


    ¡°N-no, sir.¡± Jabel shook his head.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget that I was the one who pulled you out of the pit.¡±


    Jabel¡¯s eyes widened in surprise but he quickly regained hisposure. No matter what he thought might happen in the future, it didn¡¯t change the fact that the person in front of him was his savior.


    After being framed for raping thedy of the house where he had been working, Jabel had be a fugitive. It was Heimdall who had taken Jabel under his wing. Therefore, so much as thinking about betraying Heimdall¡­


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Jabel''s thoughts were cut off when two extraordinary energies numbed all his senses.


    Heimdal stepped forward first. ¡°Open it.¡±


    ¡°Ye-yes, sir!¡± Jabel immediately opened the gate.


    ¡°Oh, shit¡­!¡± he swore. The door he opened was like a gate to hell¡ªthe shockwave of power struck Jabel and sent him rolling quite far across the floor until he finally crashed into the wall at the other end of the long hallway.


    ¡°¡­<em>Ack!</em>¡±


    Jabel managed to pry his eyes open. He peered through the rising clouds of dust, past the scattered apostles¡¯ bodies, beyond Heimdall, the only figure still standing, and looked inside the wide spaces of the Imperial council chamber.


    ¡°Imposs¡­ ible¡­!¡±


    Through his eyes, ears, and other body parts, he could see reality.


    A person dropped down on the floor just now. The one looking absently in Jabel¡¯s direction¡­


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡± Jabel muttered.


    ¡­was the first human to defeat someone who had made a contract with the Demon Spirit.<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    Is Heimdall the one who framed Jabel?</blockquote>

 Chapter 387

    Chapter 387


    A full moon hung up high in the night sky, but a cloud passed across the moon, hiding the brilliant moonlight.


    ¡°Now!¡±


    The moment the entire pce was nketed in thick darkness, three men began to move. The security of the outskirts of the pce was very high; it was filled with all sorts of magic traps and countless guards, and there was only one gate.


    ¡°Wh-who¡ª!¡±


    The two of the Imperial Knights that were guarding the main gate were knocked unconscious with two audible smacks, their eyes filled with disbelief.


    ¡°Great work. You¡¯re good.¡±


    ¡°Of course, we¡¯re some of the best knights within our battalion.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really confident too.¡±


    ¡°By the way, are you really going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    Four Imperial Knights usually guarded the main gate during nighttime, and two of them were from the Auxiliary Battalion. On top of that, the Auxiliary Battalion was usually in charge of guarding the outskirts of the pce, so the oue of their infiltration was pretty obvious.


    ¡°It¡¯s a good thing I contacted you in advance. People make fun of us for being in the Auxiliary Battalion, but our titlese in handy in times like this. Those high and mighty knights from the superior battalions always turn down the task of guarding the outskirts because they¡¯re toorge or working as gate guards since it¡¯s tiring,¡± Ranger sneered.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. We¡¯re just getting started,¡± Cazes whispered in a worried voice.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah,¡± Ranger flippantly answered. He gestured at the person standing behind them. ¡°Let¡¯s go in, Lady Charles.¡±


    Charles emerged from the darkness. ¡°¡­There is really nothing better than having inside help.¡±


    Even during the night, her beauty was eye-catching. The two knights guarding the gate gaped dumbly at her.


    ¡°I can never get used to how beautiful Lady Charles is.¡±


    ¡°I envy His Highness. Fuck¡­¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Ranger asked with a mischievous voice.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles will personally treat the person who makes the biggest contribution in this operation to a meal.¡±


    The gate guards¡¯ expressions changedpletely.


    ¡°I-is that true?¡±


    ¡°Sir Ranger¡­!¡± Charles gave Ranger a death re.


    Ranger quickly sidled up to her and whispered, ¡°It¡¯s to increase morale. The knights¡¯ morale.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t lie¡­¡±


    ¡°Come on. To be honest, you can treat my boys to one meal after everything is over, right?¡±


    Charles sighed.


    ¡°Anyhow¡­¡± she mumbled anxiously, ¡°isn¡¯t something strange?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Ranger tilted his head in confusion. ¡°By strange, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too quiet around here.¡±


    ¡°Well, the Imperial Family lives in this pce, so no sane person would dare cause a mor¡­¡±


    Charles shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. If the knight that was guarding this ce this afternoon was speaking the truth, then Emperor Marcus is in there.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Emperor returned after disappearing for three years. Considering that, it¡¯s too quiet around here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Indeed¡­¡± Cazes, who was always careful, frowned slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a way to find out?¡± Charles asked him.


    ¡°If I use the emergency contact tomunicate with my colleagues in the inner pce¡­¡± Cazes immediately pulled out amunication crystal ball from his inner pocket.


    Charles waved her hands. ¡°No, someone might tap into your conversation.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it too risky to just enter the pce like this?¡±


    ¡°We have no other choice since we¡¯ve already started infiltrating¡­¡± Charles quietly trailed off and nced down at the unconscious knights. ¡°I can only hope that I was worried for nothing. Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    Ranger and Cazes looked at each other for a moment and then nodded.


    ¡°Open the gate.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, sir.¡±


    The other knights tensed up and grabbed the handle of the castle gate¡¯s winch.


    The gates creaked loudly as they opened. They were so old and worn out that it was hard to believe that the knights were opening the gates of the pce of a great empire. Perhaps it was just poor maintenance due to the civil war or¡ªor perhaps it a premonition of an uing bloodbath.


    As the gates slowly opened, more of the inside of the pce was revealed. The trio became confused. Through the gap they were able to see many legs.


    ¡°¡­Fuck.¡± Ranger cursed, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°Ho-how¡­?¡±


    ¡°We were too optimistic. If we have inside help, then it¡¯s more than possible for a traitor to exist among us.¡±


    ¡°No way¡­!¡±


    Cazes looked ahead distrustfully and saw the barricade of humans blocking their way. From the first main gate to the second main gate, which led into the inner pce, the Imperial Knights were standing in a formation.


    ¡°Hello, you motherfucking traitors?¡±


    The leaders of those Imperial Knights were¡­ the remaining ten Battalion Captains.


    * * *


    ¡°Jabel!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Heimdall roared, freezing Marco just as he was going to spring forward.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Marco, go back and carry out myst order.¡±


    Marco¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.. ¡°Heimdall! But at this rate¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you going to defy my order?¡±


    Marco shook his head hard. ¡°No, but¡­!¡±


    ¡°Then do you think I¡¯ll lose?¡±


    Marco bit his lip. ¡°No¡­ sir,¡± he said after a long moment of inner conflict. ¡°I¡¯ll proceed with your order.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll let you go?¡± Joshua interrupted. Marco immediately froze.


    Heimdall stepped forward. ¡°You and I still have things to talk about,¡± he said to Joshua.


    ¡°No one will be able to escape from this ce,¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°¡­Jabel, assist me.¡±


    Heimdall stood in Joshua¡¯s way, his snow-white clothes swishing. Jabel, Heimdall¡¯s second apostle, was the only one who hadn¡¯t been caught up in Joshua¡¯s storm of aura¡ªthe rest were piled around him.


    ¡°Do you want to meet the same end as them?¡± Joshua asked Jabel.


    ¡°You monster¡­!¡± Jabel mumbled, gritting his teeth as he put a hummingyer of the highest-ss aura over his sword.


    However, Joshua¡¯s response was very simple.


    Jabel¡¯s eyes widened. Joshua¡¯s mana overwhelmed the area and then corroded through the aura Jabel had projected around himself little by little yet quickly. The difference in their levels was clear. The moment Jabel came into contact with Joshua¡¯s mana, his aura, an ability which only a Master could use, dematerialized and dissipated.


    Jabel looked nkly at his sword. ¡°Ho-ho-how in the world¡­?¡±


    He had seen his fair share of things in life, but he had never witnessed someone¡¯s aura being wiped out of existence without evening into contact with it.


    That was when Heimdall stopped observing the situation and intervened. Something tall rushed toward Joshua bearing an enormous amount of mana, shaking him faintly.


    For a moment, Joshua pondered if he should stop the runner or block the weapon that was flying toward him.


    -You¡¯re cocky. I¡¯m right in front of you¡ªcan you afford to think?


    Heimdall delivered his message through telepathy a fraction of a second after he¡¯d already acted, so Joshua reacted by instinct first.


    Metals shed violently against metal. Marco had already disappeared from the council chamber by then; however, it didn¡¯t matter to Joshua anymore because Heimdall was swinging his ck greatsword against Joshua from every direction.


    Joshua gripped his spear as tightly as he could. Maybe Heimdall was buying time because he was giving his best from the start. Since Heimdall was the greatest Absolute in this generation, Joshua forgot about everything else and concentrated solely on his opponent.


    Theyer of Heimdall¡¯s mana over his greatsword left a scratch on Joshua¡¯s cheek¡ªbut of course, Joshua wasn¡¯t one to take a hit without replying. Joshua immediately swung his red spear and shed Heimdall¡¯s face. It met resistance and cut through with an audible swish.


    Heimdall¡¯s ck and white mask was neatly cut in half and the pieces ttered onto the floor, revealing Heimdall¡¯s face. Joshua was able to see a middle-aged man with whom he was more familiar with than anyone else. His deep blue, almost ck, hair fluttered in the air¡ªthe man was Aden von Agnus, the Dark God that was thought to have died three years ago, and Joshua¡¯s biological father.


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Joshua ground his teeth together. There was no twist¡ªthe cause and mastermind of everything was exactly who he expected.


    ¡°I know you have a lot of questions for me¡­ but you know my ways, don¡¯t you?¡± Aden asked.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t restrain his murderous intent any longer.


    ¡°Now you feel like fighting for real.¡± Aden smiled faintly.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t regret it.¡±


    ¡°Regret?¡± Aden immediately chuckled, his eyes fixed on the spot where Emperor Marcus had been. ¡°I¡¯ve never known that kind of emotion in my entire life.¡±


    Aden released an enormous amount of mana through his ck greatsword, shaking the ground beneath his power.


    ¡°Come, my son. I¡¯ll wee you with all my heart.¡±

 Chapter 388

    Chapter 388


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold. Aden von Agnus was the power behind the scenes in the Avalon Empire; in contrast to Emperor Marcus, he truly was above everyone else¡ªnot only that, he was one of the five strongest fighters in the entire continent.


    ¡°Why are you hesitating? Are you not going to attack me first?¡± Aden asked because Joshua hadn¡¯t moved an inch. The father took the first step forward. ¡°Then I¡¯ll start.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    Aden¡¯s greatsword was over three meters long¡ªas long as a spear. The bigger and longer a weapon was, the less freely it could move. However, Joshua¡¯s opponent defiedmon sense. Aden appeared next to Joshua and swung his ck greatsword at Joshua¡¯s waist without creating a single sound.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Joshua groaned as his spear and Aden¡¯s greatsword shed fiercely in the air. Aden had swung his sword so hard that the impact made Joshua¡¯s palms numb.


    Of course, Aden didn¡¯t miss Joshua¡¯s state. The initial attack had been aimed at the upper right part of Joshua¡¯s waist, but using the recoil from the collision, Aden turned halfway and swung his greatsword toward the opposite side of Joshua¡¯s waist.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Joshua inhaled sharply. When he was fighting with a master fighter, he should move unnoticeably and neatly. Joshua held his spear up and swung it against the greatsword flying toward him. Joshua used one of the strongest martial arts techniques in the continent: the Magic Spear Art Level 4, Scarlet Dragon Ascension.


    Like a transcending dragon, Joshua¡¯s extraordinary mana split the ground, his red spear soaring up into the sky. It was literally the ascension of a scarlet dragon. The ¡°dragon¡± collided with the greatsword.


    A barrage of explosions rattled the air. Water would boil slower than they moved. Within mere moments, Joshua and Aden exchanged at least two hundred attacks. Strong against strong. Power against power. Instead of trying to avoid or deflect the iing attacks, the twobatants attempted to nullify each other¡¯s attack with a stronger attack to lose a battle but win the war with the strike.


    An explosion that was iparably bigger than before shook the ground. In contrast to Joshua, who remained still as a sculpture, Aden was pushed far back. The impact of their collision left visible scars on the marble floor.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten quite strong.¡± Aden¡¯s stolid expression finally gave way to a pleased smile during their intensebat.


    ¡°You¡¯re weaker than I expected.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Aden chuckled. ¡°That is how you address your father? You¡¯re still cocky as hell.¡±


    ¡°I never thought of you as my father.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t. By the way, this reminds me of that day three years ago. I never expected you to show up at the Great in of Kraden.¡±


    ¡°I also didn¡¯t know you would team up with the other two empires and resort to such a cheap trick.¡±


    Aden smiled enigmatically. ¡°¡­If a dragon hadn¡¯t appeared from the Tower of Trials, where you ran off to, then I wouldn¡¯t have joined forces with the Demon Spirit.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. Although he had already expected it, it felt different when he heard it with his own ears.


    ¡°You and the Emperor are the same. At least his goal was clear¡ªhe wanted revenge¡­¡±


    ¡°I do have a goal, but wouldn¡¯t it be better to make the great Demon Spirit do my bidding instead of Berber, the ck mage who signed a contract with Asmodeus?¡± Aden lightly remarked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure your goal isn¡¯t to drown the continent in blood,¡± Joshua snapped back.


    ¡°He and I shared the same interests. Even if he¡¯s the Demon Spirit, I can just use him.¡±


    ¡°That is very irresponsible. If anything goes wrong, all the people in the continent will suffer.¡±


    ¡°Do I have to care about that?¡± Aden tilted his head.


    Yes, Aden von Agnus was the man who could do anything for his goal. Under the pretext of revenge, he had bedded a woman he didn¡¯t love by force and treated his son like a disposable tool.


    ¡°Besides, there is another reason.¡± He rested his greatsword on his shoulder. ¡°Do you know how this Empire was founded?¡±


    Was Aden talking about Rigveda¡¯s Withdrawal? That was the incident where the Royal Family of Kunir, the ancestors of Aden and Joshua, were betrayed by the Britten Family and lost the country to them.


    ¡°Do you think I could have known that those wretched Brittens have dragon blood?¡±


    ¡°Dragons¡­?¡± Joshua nkly repeated.


    ¡°The Britten ancestors that overthrew our ancestors so long ago are the descendants of a dragon.¡±


    ¡°¡­Am I supposed to believe that?¡± Joshua skeptically asked.


    ¡°Why do you think the Evil Dragon Crevasse went especially amok in this country?¡±


    Once Aden mentioned Crevasse, whom Joshua was also familiar with, Joshua became quiet.


    ¡°For his entertainment, Crevasse polymorphed and pretended to be a human, and in the end fathered a human child. But it has been so long that it¡¯s safe to assume that the Brittens arepletely human¡­ Still, I believe the dragon blood didn¡¯t disappear into thin air.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the first emperor of the Avalon Empire, the very person who slew thest king of the Kunir Kingdom, was a half-dragon?¡± Joshua summarized.


    ¡°To be exact, his father was a half-dragon, so he was technically a quarter-dragon.¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t even know if a dragon would be a variable in your n, but you¡¯re working together with the Demon Spirit to eliminate the possibility¡­? You¡¯re absolutely mad¡­¡±


    ¡°No, dragons aren¡¯t the variable. It¡¯s you, Joshua. You brought that evil dragon into the pce yourself, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Aden was talking about how Joshua appeared in the skies above the pce with Crevasse.


    ¡°As you already know, dragons are bystanders, so they rarely show up among humans. Can¡¯t you tell that if you think about how they still remained silent when you controlled the undead? Dragons believe necromancy is a sort of magic. However, a dragon can still interfere in human affairs, so I¡¯m just preparing for the possibility¡­ Can you understand my reasons now?¡± Aden asked.


    He was truly thorough.


    ¡°I found out thister, but thanks to Crevasse¡¯s rampage, the current Dragon Lord banned dragons from interfering in human affairs, no matter what happens. You didn¡¯t get to meet the evil dragon, did you? Of course, he was ced under probation for a thousand years as the punishment for that incident.¡±


    ¡°Did¡­ the Demon Spirit tell you that too?¡±


    ¡°You two seem pretty close. Dragons don¡¯t care that the Demon Spirit ended up in the Human Realm after he was sealed. They care more about the promises they made than they do about justifiable causes.¡± Aden raised his sword and pointed up ahead. ¡°Over the past centuries, the Brittens have continued to ughter each other again and again, but the surname of the Avalon emperors has remained ¡®Britten,¡¯ even today. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a coincidence.¡±


    An enormous mana de was gradually created on top of Aden¡¯s ck greatsword.


    ¡°Keep in mind that I have the princess right now,¡± Aden added.


    Joshua stopped raising his spear and flinched.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit told me another interesting piece of information. My son is actually Lucifer, the strongest battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms¡­ So how would I be able to defeat such a supernatural being? Therefore, I also made a deal with the Demon Spirit. Of course, I didn¡¯t give him my soul. The Eyes of Truth was the Angel Spirit¡¯s power, so I just gave him the child who has her power.¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­!¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes turned beyond the council chamber.


    ¡°That is my deal with the Demon Spirit. I didn¡¯t need to give up my soul, which is the most useful one, but I gained power in return for that filthy purebred Britten. I¡¯m benefiting a lot from this deal, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You¡­ really are crazy. Why are you going that far? You have enough power already!¡± Joshua shouted.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that it¡¯s because of you? I want this country, so I¡¯ll get rid of anyone who gets in my way¡ªeven if it¡¯s my son.¡±


    The air around them changed.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible to use both demonic and divine power, but there is always an exception like you.¡±


    They didn¡¯t need to talk any further. Joshau infused an enormous amount of his mana into his spear.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit came to a realization because of you.¡±


    The situation took an immediate and surprising turn. Aden released two pr opposite powers at once; one was pitch-ck demonic power, and the other was divine power, the most sacred power in the world.


    ¡°He told me that it might not work for gods, but humans can easily embrace any kind of power,¡± Marcus exined. ¡°So I¡¯m also able to use those powers to some level.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°I now have the power of the Eyes of Truth and the Sin¡­ I¡¯ve truly be the Dark God, but at the same time, I¡¯m also the White God, Heimdall.¡±


    Exactly half of his pitch-ck hair turned white like frost. It would usually look pathetic, like wizened gray hair, but Aden was an exception. Even in Joshua¡¯s eyes, the contrast of Aden¡¯s ck and white hair gave off a mystical vibe.


    The two men began to walk toward each other. In both of Joshua¡¯s current and previous lives, he had never imagined going up against such an opponent as Aden von Agnus, who had embraced both the Demon and Angel Spirits¡¯ powers at once.


    Joshua tightened the grip on his spear. No, it wasn¡¯t out of nervousness at all! Joshua had not been using his full power either.


    At that moment, Joshua released a colossal amount of two different powers. These two men would go down in history, and no one would ever be able to reach their level again.


    ¡°¡­But do you know what?¡± Joshua asked.


    Aden gave him a bemused look.


    ¡°Out of courtesy for my biological father, I¡¯ve been not moving more than two steps at a time.¡±


    His father flinched. Joshua was telling the truth: he was standing near the throne, where Marcus had perished, when they began, and he was still standing there.


    ¡°No matter what kind of scheme you use, you won¡¯t be able to take the seat behind me with your current ability¡ªI won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Arrogant.¡±


    Father and son hurtled toward each other.

 Chapter 389

    Chapter 389


    A drop of sweat rolled down Cazes¡¯s back as he eyed the Imperial Knights that were standing in front of him. He knew these Imperial Knights¡¯ abilities better than anyone else.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to go any further.¡±


    The young man standing beside the First Battalion Commander, scowling at Cazes and the others, was especially talented. He was on another level¡­


    ¡°Sir Valmont¡­!¡± Cazes muttered, clenching his teeth.


    Valmont dun Brown was the treasure of the Avalon Empire. He was considered as the next Knight-Commander in spite of the fact that the First Battalion¡¯s captain was far more experienced than him. Although Cazes had been certain that he would be able to take on three captains, Valmont was the only person that Cazes couldn¡¯t guarantee victory against.


    ¡°Wh-why is Sir Valmont here? He definitely went on a journey to train himself and ovee his limit¡­!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°The owner of the pce has returned, so it would be only right for his knight to return as well.¡±


    Cazes bit his lower lip. The one silver lining was the fact that Knight-Commander Rod hadn¡¯t appeared yet¡ªbut, of course, the situation wasn¡¯t good even with that in consideration.


    ¡°¡­Cain,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain turned to him.


    ¡°Five Imperial Knight captains or one Superhuman. Which opponent do you prefer?¡± Cazes asked.


    ¡°Woah,¡± Cain quietly eximed. ¡°So that young man is a Superhuman like me?¡±


    ¡°You must have heard about Valmont dun Brown. There are many geniuses among the Imperial Knights, but he¡¯s the best. The genius of the geniuses,¡± Cazes exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time meeting him in person. He looks the same age as me,¡± Cain observed.


    ¡°There is an unofficial hierarchy of power. In my opinion, Valmont dun Brown is stronger than at least half of the other Twelve Superhumans.¡±


    Cain drew his greatsword with a grin. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t mean to boast, but we¡¯ll only be able to find out after this fight.¡±


    ¡°Cain de Harry¡­¡± Valmont muttered. The strong recognized the strong. He stepped forward and released his energy. Valmont had no reason to hesitate, nor could he afford to stayposed like he usually did; in fact, Valmont had to hurry because His Majesty was in the pce right now.


    He shook off those thoughts and sprang forward.


    Cain also darted toward Valmont like a lightning bolt. Two geniuses of the Avalon Empire were going all-out.


    The auras of the two ss A knights shed with an ear-splitting boom.


    * * *


    Ranger¡¯s breath caught in his throat; he couldn¡¯t bear to watch the battle between Cain and Valmont any further.


    ¡°So we now have to take care of them¡­¡±


    Standing in front of Ranger were nine captains exuding clear murderous intent. All of them were at least ss B knights, and Ranger had to get through all of them.


    ¡°¡­Fuck, I should have used up all the money I have saved up behind my wife¡¯s back¡­¡± Ranger muttered.


    ¡°Hindsight is always perfect,¡± Cazes said, his sword ringing clearly as it left its sheathe. ¡°I¡¯ll leave exactly four captains to you.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! I thought I said I can deal with two¡ªwhy are you doubling the number, you damned magician!¡± Ranger groused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the remaining five,¡± Cazes casually replied.


    Joker, the captain of the First Battalion, was dumbstruck by their conversation. ¡°You Auxiliary Battalion knights don¡¯t know your ce¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that the entire Imperial Knights knelt before the previous captain of the Auxiliary Battalion?¡± Ranger shot back.


    ¡°¡­Hah. You and your mouth.¡± Joker chuckled. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re Joshua Sanders, Ranger?¡±


    ¡°Why would you need a cow-butchering knife to snap a chicken¡¯s neck[1]?¡±


    Joker¡¯s expression crumpled, but within a few seconds he broke into a crooked smile and shrugged. ¡°¡­Well, fine, but I think you¡¯re gravely mistaken about one thing.¡±


    Cazes gave him a look.


    ¡°Who said you¡¯re going up against me and the other eight captains?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait¡­¡± Ranger gave him a nk look. ¡°Mmm¡­ Captain Joker? I highly doubt it, but you¡¯re not seriously mobilizing all the Imperial Knights against two Auxiliary Battalion knights, are you?¡±


    Joker shook his head. ¡°No way.¡±


    ¡°Right? It¡¯ll hurt the great Imperial Knights¡¯ pride,¡± Ranger dramatically dered.


    ¡°Of course, one person will be enough to defeat you two vermin.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Ranger was very d to hear that, but he acted as pitifully as possible in the hopes that Joker wouldn¡¯t go back on his words. ¡°Why, of course! All the Imperial Knights against two lowly knights! The other knights will call it a disgrace, and the other countries will look down upon¡ª!¡±


    He froze.


    ¡­A man walked through the Imperial Knights and stood in front of them.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­.¡± slipped out of Ranger¡¯s lips. The worst-case scenario hade true.


    ¡°Knight-Commander Rod¡­¡± Cazes mumbled. His face also darkened.


    ¡°Cazes and Ranger¡­ I didn¡¯t know the day woulde when I would have to y two of my most promising subordinates.¡± Knight-Commander Rod smiled bitterly.


    Cazes gritted his teeth. ¡°¡­Ugh.¡±


    This was never going to work. Infiltrating the pce had already failed, and if Cazes was going up against this many Imperial Knights, then there was less than a ten percent chance of winning. On top of that, Knight-Commander Rod, the shield of the Avalon Empire and one of the strongest Superhumans, made an appearance¡­


    <em>¡®Is it the end¡­?¡¯</em> Cazes despaired.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s only fair for them to have backup too, right?¡±


    However, there was always hope. The situation took another unexpected turn. Cazes and Ranger¡¯s nearly popped out of their heads. They couldn¡¯t have asked for a better backup.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck¡­¡±


    In contrast to Cazes and Ranger¡¯s exmations, Rod¡¯s face darkened. However, it wasn¡¯t because of the Sword Emperor.


    ¡°¡­Duke Tremblin, why are youing out of the pce?¡± Rod asked.


    ¡°The Sword Emperor is my guest.¡±


    Rod flinched when he saw who had just spoken.


    ¡°Everyone, stop now,¡± the person ordered.


    ¡°This voice is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯vee to my own decision¡­ so I hope you all will stop this meaningless fight.¡±


    Everyone turned silent for a long moment, including Rod. Cain and Valmont had already stopped fighting. Charles had been hiding in the back until now, but even she also stood up.


    ¡°Your Highness Ki-Kiser?¡± she shouted.


    The one who appeared from behind the Sword Emperor was surely the First Prince, Kiser.


    * * *


    The council chamber was rattled by a torrent of explosions emanating from the collisions between a greatsword and a spear. Joshua had always defeated his opponent with overwhelming power, and he would have done the same in this fight if it hadn¡¯t been for Aden von Agnus¡¯s remark.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit that you hate so much has been annihted.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Joshua frowned, deflecting the greatsword that was flying quickly toward him.


    ¡°No, his soul is with me, so I guess it¡¯s technically wrong to say he was annihted.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He and I became one. That was another part of the deal.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    Despite Joshua¡¯s reaction, Aden looked intive as if he shared the same emotion as the annihted Demon Spirit.


    ¡°He asked me to take him in,¡± Aden continued. ¡°In return, he gave me all his power. That is why I can be this powerful.¡±


    ¡°Take him¡­ in?¡±


    ¡°The Demon Spirit tried really hard to build a body, but you destroyed it. On top of that, he has nowhere to return to.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying¡­!¡±


    ¡°He was truly foolish. It¡¯s said that light can exist in darkness, but the opposite is also true¡­¡±


    Something shed through Joshua¡¯s mind. ¡°¡­Wait, that means¡­¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re thinking right now is correct. Light and darkness are symbiotic. The Angel Spirit was annihted, and the Angel Realm also crumbled. So wouldn¡¯t it be only right for the other side to end up the same way?¡±


    Joshua shuddered. ¡°You mean¡­ the Demon Realm has perished?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s perishing, to be exact. The Demon Spirit has fallen to the Human Realm with all the powers of the Eight Deadly Sins, which are the key to maintaining the Demon Realm.


    While there are five primordial stones in the Human Realm, there are Seven Deadly Sins in the Demon Realm¡­ so I guess it¡¯s inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Impossible¡­!¡±


    Aden suddenly pped loudly. ¡°Congrattions, you and I will face no more obstacles after this fight.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think¡­ I¡¯d believe that?¡± Joshua frowned slightly.


    ¡°Just like usual, I don¡¯t care if you believe me or not. In fact, I¡¯m happy right now since the situation has turned out as I wanted it to in the end.¡± Aden¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I had my revenge, and I also have the insurance that I made just in case¡­ So I can¡¯t ask for a better oue. All I have to do right now is to take over the continent.¡±


    ¡°Sersiarin¡­! Joshua muttered.


    Aden smiled slyly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t reward a son who dares to harm his own father.¡±


    ¡°You piece of trash¡­!¡± Joshua growled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this fight.¡±


    Aden¡¯s greatsword flew like a lightning bolt again.


    * * *


    Meanwhile in the Magnificent Flower Pce beside the main pce¡­


    ¡°W-wait! Wh-what are you trying to do to me!¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t hate me too much. I don¡¯t feel good about this either, but it¡¯s necessary for our great n¡­¡± Marco ominously mumbled as he slowly approached Kaizen.


    Thanks to Kaizen, Marco could arrive at the Magnificent Flower Pce with ease because Kaizen had dispatched the Imperial Knights elsewhere in advance, so there were only three people in this pce right now.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Kaizen to figure out what Marco was trying to do as Marco¡¯s sharply-edged sword gleamed in the darkness. Kaizen leaped backward as if he had been struck with a lightning bolt.


    ¡°Why¡­ why are you trying to harm me? This is not what we promised!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll pay for this in hell.¡±


    ¡°Wa-wait! Wait! I¡¯ll give you anything you want! Money? Honor? Power? I can make anythinge true, so please spare me¡­!¡± Kaizen begged.


    Marco quietly shook his head. ¡°I said that it¡¯s necessary for our great n.¡±


    ¡°Please¡­¡±


    ¡°Farewell,¡± Marco calmly answered.


    Marco drew an elegant arc with his sword. Something round flew high into the sky and ended up rolling on the floor.


    After wiping off the blood that got smeared on his sword, Marco looked at the sickly princess lying down like a corpse and sighed. He pulled a ck crystal from his inner pocket and brought it toward the princess. There was no way in hell for Heimdall to lose, but this was insurance for the worst-case scenario.


    ¡°I trust you, Heimdall¡­¡±


    1. It¡¯s a Korean idiom about using too much force for a trivial matter ?

 Chapter 390

    Chapter 390


    Infused with the alien energies of the great gods of the Angel and Demon Realms, Aden von Agnus¡¯s greatsword streaked toward Joshua. Everything that stood in the way of Aden¡¯s strike turned into nothing¡ªeven space was distorted. Only the gods were at the level of distorting the space itself, as they had the ability to alter the realms.


    Aden¡¯s sword darted in and savaged Joshua¡¯s chest. Astonishingly, his single, ordinary, and rather slow swing left dozens of wounds¡ªat least¡ªon Joshua.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that at the maximum level in martial arts, secret techniques or forms don¡¯t matter anymore. Ny surpasses that level, then one can harm another at will¡­ I was going to teach¡ª¡±


    Agnus couldn¡¯t finish speaking because of the sudden stinging pain on his right cheek. Blood dripped from the deep wound. Aden¡¯s eyes turned colder than ever.


    ¡°Are you teaching me as my father?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph. Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m just teaching my arrogant son some manners,¡± Aden answered.


    ¡°Neither of us can afford to waste time.¡± Joshua held up his spear in the air once again and straightened his posture. ¡°It¡¯ll soon be daybreak, so the story about the massacre that took ce in the Imperial Pce will be quickly spread throughout the entire Empire by the servants thate in to work.¡±


    ¡°It''ll be quite a sight to see my son tried for high treason for assassinating the Emperor.¡± Aden chuckled.


    ¡°But you won¡¯t get to take the throne once the story bes known.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Aden¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°You talked about teaching your son some manners, but have you already forgotten? The punishment for high treason is the execution of father and son¡ªespecially for assassinating the Emperor.¡±


    Aden¡¯s eyes widened as he btedly realized the reality.


    ¡°I unintentionally interfered with your n, but I¡¯m not sorry at all.¡± Joshua smirked at him.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still arrogant.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll start first.¡±


    White sparks flew up from Joshua and spread in every direction. Hot mes zed up the air, shaking the ground and making the wind howl. An enormous amount of mana circted inside him, and his demonic power was concentrated on his spearhead. Every cell in his body was infused with his divine power¡ªhe would put an end to this fight with this one strike. Joshua was going to dere the end of the war and all the other conflicts.


    Even the sky shook, unable to handle Joshua¡¯s power. Meanwhile, Joshua forgot about the techniques and his surroundings, eventually even abandoning the desire to kill his opponent.


    Right now, Joshua only thought about putting Aden out of existence.


    Even the Dark God seemed nervous; he felt a bone-chilling premonition. He didn¡¯t disregard Joshua¡¯s current state and pounced at Joshua right away.


    Joshua¡¯s spear moved¡ª the moment Joshua thought he was going to move the spear, he was already thrusting the spear, using the power to wipe anything out of existence if he so desired. He no longer tried to thrust or strike with the spear, nor formte a certain course of attack. Instead of techniques, Joshua only thought about making his opponent extinct as heunched his attack with the spear.


    Magic Spear Art Level 9, Final Origin: Extinction.


    ¡°This is¡­!¡± Aden came to a halt, wide-eyed; he was only ten meters away and could feel what wasing.


    In contrast to Aden¡¯s previous attack, the power flying toward him was indefinite and touched nothing in between him and Joshua.


    * * *


    A man and woman were having a private meeting within Kiser¡¯s pce. Of course, the man was Prince Kiser, the owner of the pce, and the other was the woman he was deeply in love with.


    ¡°Are you¡­ really going to be okay?¡± Charles cautiously asked.


    Kiser smiled; the intive look stirred something inside Charles for some reason. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to dy straightening everything out.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­ once everything is over, all the citizens willy the me on the Britten Family,¡± Charles insisted with a worried voice.


    ¡°We Brittens are the cause of everything, so it¡¯s only right for us to take responsibility.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°By the way,¡± Kiser interrupted, ¡°I really loved you very much.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I wasn¡¯t confessing my love,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°Uh,¡± Charles dumbly replied. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You must love him a lot.¡±


    Charles hesitated to answer Kiser, but it was only for a second; she knew how much one-sided love hurt better than anyone else, so she wanted to make it clear to Kiser, who was in a simr state as her.


    ¡°Yes, I love Joshua very much,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Kiser looked rather refreshed and then stood up from his seat. ¡°Then let¡¯s finish everything.¡±


    ¡°That means¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness!¡±


    The moment Kiser was about to reply to Charles, the head butler barged in without knocking.


    Kiser frowned. ¡°How discourteous¡ª¡±


    ¡°A-A-An incident took ce in the council chamber just now,¡± the head butler interrupted.


    ¡°An incident¡­?¡± Kiser repeated, baffled.


    The head butler¡¯s next remark was truly shocking.


    ¡°All the nobles that were gathered in the council chamber have been sl-ughtered! The safety of Hi-His Majesty is also unclear¡ª¡±


    Kiser¡¯s eyes bulged. ¡°What? What in the world are you talking about?¡± he shouted before the head butler could finish speaking.


    ¡°I-I just received the news from the main pce, a-and¡­ the people who are presumed to be the previous Duke Agnus and His Highness Joshua are fighting¡ª!¡±


    Charles sprang up from her seat. ¡°Whaaaat?¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin and the Imperial Knights are already headed there!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡± Charles was ready to go straight to the main pce.


    Kiser stopped her. ¡°Wait here, Lady Charles. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°No, I have to go!¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯ll just be a burden to him,¡± Kiser firmly replied.


    ¡°But¡­!¡±


    With a dark expression, Kiser shook his head once again. ¡°I¡¯ll go instead.¡±


    ¡°Y-you¡¯re going, Your Highness?¡± Charles froze.


    Kiser forced himself to smile. ¡°Didn¡¯t I promise you? Please give me a chance to act cool in front of the woman I was deeply in love with.¡±


    * * *


    Time passed, and the day eventually broke in Arcadia; many people pulled an all-nighter. At the same time, an unprecedented event urred, surprising every citizen in Arcadia.


    ¡°Wh-what is this?¡±


    It was the break of dawn, but a great crowd of people were gathered in the great za of Arcadia. No one was sure when the big announcement poster was posted, but the poster contained such shocking facts that it was hard for them to even read them out aloud.


    ¡°I did see the leaflets telling us to gather in the za all over the streets, but what is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°Due to the assassination attemptst night¡­ His Majesty who had returned has passed away? And the culprit is the former Duke of Agnus¡­¡±


    ¡°What is this bullshit? I can¡¯t even believe that the people that disappeared three years ago suddenly appeared out of nowhere!¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that is what the poster says.¡±


    On everyone¡¯s behalf, a middle-aged man was reading down the poster but he couldn¡¯t hide how bewildered he was. The return of the two missing popr figures alone was astounding enough, but an assassination? What in the world did this mean?


    ¡°So¡­ it basically means that the previous Duke of Agnus assassinated His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Son of a bitch!¡± A young man cursed, making the people nearby flinch from the sheer vitriol. ¡°To be honest, things have been really weird. Rumors of the previous Duke Agnus, who went to the war, actually being alive have spread recently, and His Majesty conveniently went missing right after the news of his death was delivered to the Empire. I think Duke Agnus had already killed His Majesty by then.¡±


    ¡°Hey! The nobles might hear you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. I don¡¯t know how to read, but considering that red seal, it certainly looks like an announcement poster from the Imperial Family.¡± The young man pointed at the big seal at the lower part of the poster. ¡°I¡¯m saying this because His Majesty was mentioned, but many people liked Emperor Marcus, right? Well, those higher-ups pointed fingers at him and called him a tyrant.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ he did reduce a lot of the taxes we had to pay, in contrast to the other countries¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, what was our Empire like before the disappearance of His Majesty? The Empire was powerful enough to be called one of the three most powerful empires in the continent, envied by foreigners!¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­ it¡¯s really¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen to me, people! The man deserved respect, but he was assassinated!¡± the young man shouted.


    The people in the za were unsettled, but they soon began condemning the Agnus family as a whole.


    ¡°Gosh! Dark God or not¡­¡±


    ¡°Dark God, my ass. It¡¯s the Hero King now¡ªno, the Martial God, Joshua Sanders. If this is true, then the previous Duke Agnus that hauled ass from the battlefield is just the murderer of His Majesty!¡±


    Everything was going ording to Kiser¡¯s n so far.


    ¡°Wait! Then what about the Martial God?¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°There was an incident in the past, right? You know, someone got in the way of the Second Prince, and his son and father also got executed¡­¡±


    ¡°Ah, that story is famous.¡±


    ¡°Then what is the punishment for assassinating His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Well, wouldn¡¯t his entire family get executed?¡±


    ¡°So what would happen to Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and son of the previous Duke Agnus?!¡± the man that first raised the question asked.

 Chapter 391

    Chapter 391


    Aden von Agnus chuckled under the radiant sunlight. His lower body waspletely gone.


    ¡°...I know I¡¯m near my end, but it somehow feels quite empty.¡±


    Jabel had lost it and threw himself at Joshua in a berserk rage and was lying beside Aden now.


    ¡°¡­I really can¡¯t understand,¡± Joshua muttered.


    ¡°Understand?¡±


    ¡°You were in a different situation than the Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you meant that¡­.¡± Aden nkly looked up at the ray of sunlight that was shining down through the roof, but a smile crept onto his lips. ¡°What was different?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡±


    ¡°Over the past three years, Marcus ben Britten was tortured over and over again. In the end, he sold his soul to the Demonic Spirit just to get revenge. What part about me makes me different from him?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°We¡¯re all just humans. Depending on what environment humans are in, they¡¯re more than capable of changing. From the moment I was born to now, my only drive in life was toppling the Britten Family. That is what my father and my grandfather told me to do even before I could think for myself, and that was the inevitable result when the human named Aden von Agnus started to despise the Britten Family, even though he didn¡¯t even know what those people looked like,¡± Aden said.


    Joshua turnedpletely silent. Revenge felt very empty even if it seeded, yet sometimespleting it was the only way to prove oneself.


    ¡°By taking the throne away from the Brittens, I was going toplete my revenge¡ªand I would have if you, the variable, hadn¡¯t appeared. But I don¡¯t feel bad even at this moment. Of course, that must be because you¡¯re my son.¡± Even though he was disappearing, Aden beamed. ¡°What are you going to do now?¡±


    His eyes were pointing at the group of people who were watching him and Joshua from the corner of the council chamber. Cain and Cazes stood at the front looking at him with worried eyes, with Duke Tremblin and hundreds of Imperial Knights behind the two.


    ¡°Do you trust them?¡± Aden asked.


    ¡°¡­I believe they took the necessary measures.¡±


    ¡°Assassinating the Emperor entails the death of the assassin and their entire family, so¡­ myst regret would be dying before I see how you ovee this obstacle.¡± Aden smiled.


    ¡°Do you not have other regrets?¡±


    ¡°Regrets?¡± Aden quietly repeated. He fixed his eyes on the sun that hung high above them. ¡°Not really. I pulled down the sun with my own hands, so I would say I was actually quite satisfied with my life. My deceased father will wee me in the otherworld.¡±


    Only Aden¡¯s head remained now, wearing an enigmatic smile. ¡°You don¡¯t have time to ask me questions right now. You not only have to clear your name but also save the princess. I¡¯ll watch how you weather this storm from hell, my son. Ah¡­¡±


    With Aden¡¯sst gasp, his entire body crumbled away.


    Joshua stared into the air for a long moment.


    ¡°¡­Sadly, that won¡¯t be possible since someone who made a deal with the Demon Spirit can¡¯t even go to hell.¡±


    Joshua stood up, ignoring all the watchful eyes he could still feel¡ªhe had business with only one person.


    ¡°Just like I promised¡­ I¡¯ve taken all the necessary measures.¡± The First Prince stepped forward after noticing that Joshua was looking at him.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t. I just agreed with Duke Tremblin, that is all.¡± Kiser shook his head.


    The field investigation had already beenpleted. Numerous nobles in the council chamber had been ughtered by none other than Emperor Marcus. The corpses bore clear traces of being attacked by the Sun Sword, the sword technique that only the Brittens could use. However, Marcus, the culprit of the massacre, had disappeared without a trace. If it hadn¡¯t been for the confession of the Emperor¡¯s assassin, Kiser wouldn¡¯t still be able to ept the fact that the Emperor had passed away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask one more time since we¡¯re already talking¡­ Did His Majesty really sell his soul to the demon?¡± Kiser asked.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if you don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯m sure I wouldn¡¯t have believed it.¡±


    Kiser clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh. Considering the evidence, it had to be true. Otherwise, there was no reason for the Emperor to suddenly show up and kill hundreds of the nobles. As the Emperor had been a Master himself, he would be more than capable ofmitting such a massacre, much less with the addition of the evil demon¡¯s power.


    ¡°¡­You would already know this, but once this truth gets out, another civil war will break out within the Avalon Empire. It¡¯ll be among the nobles this time after they split into the imperial and aristocratic factions.¡±


    ¡°Is that why you made out the previous Duke Agnus as the assassin?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s the real culprit that assassinated His Majesty. If His Majesty is truly responsible for this massacre¡­¡± Kiser¡¯s face darkened. ¡°¡­then he died on that day three years ago in his bedroom, just as the primordial stone showed me. That is what I choose to believe.¡±


    In fact, that was also the reason why the Imperial Knights were hesitant to take action. If the previous Duke Agnus was the real culprit in Emperor Marcus¡¯s assassination and Joshua Sanders had killed the very Duke Agnus, then Joshua was publicly a hero of the Empire¡ªalthough the knights were unsure how he should be treated in private.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s actually surprising,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°What is surprising?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more than capable of framing me for high treason.¡±


    Kiser nced back and saw how the imperial knights from the superior battalions were ring at Joshua belligerently; it was clear they were ready for that very thing to happen at any time. However, they couldn¡¯t do anything further due to the presence of Knight-Commander Rod and the Sword Emperor.


    ¡°¡­I made a promise with the woman I loved,¡± Kiser said.


    ¡°Loved?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t anymore,¡± Kiser added with a shrug.


    ¡°You¡¯re quite a romantic.¡±


    Kiser smiled bitterly and then turned away. ¡°But the problem still remains, Joshua Sanders. From now on, you will have to face the storm that started from this incident. I¡¯ll try to sort things out as much as possible on my end. I¡¯m saying this just in case, but the part about His Majesty and the Demon Spirit¡­¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I won¡¯t talk about it.¡±


    Kiser chuckled. ¡°¡­In that case, I¡¯ll surely repay that favor.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Duke Agnus, begone!¡±


    ¡°Hero King, my ass! His son should go with him!¡±


    ¡°How dare you assassinate His Majesty!¡±


    The main gate of the Imperial Pce swarmed with people. The citizens of the Avalon Empire had suffered for the past three years due to the civil war, and now the assassination of their great Emperor Marcus had driven them to the breaking point. The popce erupted into riots.


    ¡°I-Is there still no news from the inside?¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t we get beaten to d-death before then at this rate?¡±


    The Auxiliary Battalion Knights that were guarding the main gate were flustered. At least tens of thousands of citizens were gathered in front of the gate, so it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that everyone in Arcadia were here now.


    -Please hear me out for a moment!


    Suddenly, a man came out onto the terrace of the Imperial Pce and used his mana to project his shout across the sky. It was so loud that the people instinctively covered their ears, silencing the area in a sh. The speaker didn¡¯t miss the chance.


    -I am Kiser ben Britten, the First Prince of the Avalon Empire!


    Kiser¡¯s introduction made the people murmur among themselves.


    ¡°Hi-His Highness?¡±


    -You have no reason to do this right now. Everything returned to its original state. Joshua Sanders is practically the hero of this Empire!


    ¡°Wh-what does that mean¡­?¡±


    The people had definitely not expected Kiser¡¯s remark. They were thrown into chaos. Right now, the prince of the Avalon Empire should be more furious than anyone else. How could he say such a thing?


    -I¡¯ll get to the point right away.


    Kiser quickly added, eager to quell any misunderstandings.


    -The previous Duke Agnus did assassinate His Majesty.


    ¡°I-I knew it¡­!¡±


    When the first in line to the throne himself stated it in public, the people felt deeply vindicated.


    -That isn¡¯t it! You would all remember Evergrant, the previous royal chief mage, but he conducted an experiment regarding undead using the citizens of the Empire.


    ¡°He¡¯s cr-crazy!¡±


    -Duke Aden von Agnus, who is also known as Heimdall, was behind Evergrant.


    The confusion was sted away by a storm of shock rolling over the people. Of course, Kiser was still getting into the important part.


    -Evidence will soon be revealed and prove this, but above all¡­


    Kiser cleared his throat.


    -The one who took out the previous Duke Agnus was Joshua Sanders, the hero of our Empire.


    The people began to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°Wh-what did he just say?¡±


    ¡°The previous Duke Agnus is the traitor¡­ but the Martial God killed him.¡±


    ¡°What in the world is going on?¡±


    Under usual circumstances, Joshua was surely the hero that deserved to be praised, but he was also the son of the criminal. Although assassinating an emperor was a very serious crime, a son killing his own father was a crime against humanity.


    ¡°To sum up, the previous Duke Agnus assassinated His Majesty, and since the Martial God is the previous Duke Agnus¡¯s son, the right thing to do is to execute him too¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait, but the Martial God is the one who punished the criminal.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s still wrong for a son to kill his own father¡­¡±


    -It¡¯s my fault!


    Now that it hade to this, Kiser, the man with the noblest blood within this empire, willingly bowed to the people.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness?¡±


    -The one who gave the Imperial Order that led him to break the moralw¡­ was me.


    ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    -If Joshua Sanders should be used of any crime¡­ then it would only be staying loyal to my order as a citizen of the Avalon Empire.


    Silence fell upon the area. It turned so quiet that it was hard to believe that tens of thousands of people were gathered there.

 Chapter 392

    Chapter 392


    As soon as Joshua was finished dealing with Aden von Agnus, the first ce he went running to was the Magnificent Flower Pce. He postponed everything else. Clearing his name? He didn¡¯t care if he was condemned for high treason for assassinating the Emperor, as long as he could protect his own people.


    Joshua flinched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Joshua looked up ahead and saw Marco, Heimdall¡¯s third apostle. Judging from the big bags under his eyes, it seemed Marco had stayed up all night.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here¡­ then it must mean Heimdall lost.¡±


    ¡°Sersiarin¡­¡± Joshua muttered.


    The princess was no longer in her sickbed nor did she look ill. She was just trapped inside the five-meter-tall ck crystal.


    ¡°At first, it was the size of my fist. I didn¡¯t know the crystal had such power. I already tested its hardness, but I wasn¡¯t able to leave a scratch on me even though I hit it with all of my aura. Above all¡­¡± The moment Marco touched the surface of the ck crystal, ck sparks flew everywhere. ¡°Did you see that? They¡¯re sparks of demonic power. The Demon Spirit said that this is part of his heart.¡±


    ¡°His heart¡­?¡± Joshua nkly repeated.


    There was no way gods had a simr organ system to a human, so the crystal must be just a symbol.


    ¡°His heart has one ability, and that is turning anyone inside the crystal into a demon within one hundred days,¡± Marco said.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Princess must be in a lot of pain right now, but, well, it¡¯ll be better than spending the rest of her life in a sickbed. She¡¯ll obtain a stronger body and live in this world with her eyes wide open.¡±


    Marcos covered his sword with his aura and swung it against the crystal to show Joshua. Just as expected, there wasn¡¯t a single scratch left on the ck crystal.


    ¡°It¡¯s unbreakable. Even if you manage to break it somehow, the Princess will die the moment the external shock affects the Demon Spirit¡¯s heart since that is the only thing that is keeping her alive.¡±


    Joshua frowned. ¡°¡­This is what Heimdall wanted? This is the insurance you¡¯ve all been talking about?¡±


    Marco nodded. ¡°Because of the Fourth Prince Kaiser ben Britten, all members of the Imperial Family are suspected of being involved with the undead. So yes, if the story of the Brtittens being connected with demons would seriously affect them. It¡¯ll be the end of their line.¡±


    Joshua quietly examined the inside of the ck crystal. Just like Marco had said, it was hard to think of Sersiarin as a human now. Her wless white skin had turned ck like a demon, her veins were bulging, and above all, something ck was glued to Sersiarin¡¯s chest, beating powerfully like a real heart. It looked disgusting, and its tentacles stretched all over her.


    <em>¡®¡­The moment that thing takes control of her body, she¡¯ll bepletely turned into a demon,¡¯</em> Joshua instinctively realized.


    ¡°There is no way for you to save the Princess now. You lost, Joshua Sanders. Hehehehe.¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Joshua shook his head. ¡°Not exactly.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Before I do that¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    Marco¡¯s eyes widened as Joshua released an enormous amount of power in front of him. The shockwave made the sky and the ground tremble.


    ¡°Get out my way now,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°W-wait!¡±


    Marco didn¡¯t even get to scream before his headless corpse copsed on the ground. Joshua hade this far and had no time to waste on the third apostle or whatever he was.


    Joshua looked past the decapitated body. ¡°¡­Sersiarin,¡± he mumbled.


    She had been the first person to wee him in his previous life when he had been feeling alienated, but this tragic princess was used throughout her entire life. How could Joshua just abandon her?


    -Joshua¡­


    Joshua¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You can¡­ talk?¡±


    -Leave me and go.


    ¡°¡­No, I can¡¯t do that,¡± Joshua firmly replied.


    -Please, Joshua. Can¡¯t you tell that the Demon Spirit wants your body?


    Joshua had a rough idea. Although the Angel Spirit had been annihted, the Demon Spirit wasn¡¯t someone who would die easily. He would rather find another body like he was doing right now, and his temporary choice was Sersiarin.


    ¡°¡­Do you think I¡¯ll let that happen?¡± Joshua swung his spear fiercely.


    Although Joshua could hear Sersiarin repeatedly telling him to stop, he had to do this. The crystal was made of adamantium, the sturdiest material in the Demon Realm, so there was only one way to break such a material. Joshua had to use Magic Spear Art, Final Origin: Extinction.


    -You¡¯ll lose your body! Do you really want that?


    ¡°Even if I will¡­ I have to do this.¡±


    He twirled the spear and thrust it straight in.


    The ck crystal, the Demon Spirit¡¯s unbreakable heart, shattered with a deafening mor. So far, things were going ording to Joshua¡¯s n.


    Joshua could feel the heartbeats more clearly now. The fist-sized monstrosity glued to the center of Sersiarin¡¯s chest was the source of her continued life, but it was also the source of evil that was turning her into a demon. The Demon Spirit had taken the Eyes of Truth, her curse, so if Joshua could get rid of that monstrosity¡­


    ¡°¡­You can live, Sersiarin.¡±


    A teardrop rolled down Sersiarin¡¯s cheek. Her mind was connected to the Demon Spirit, so Joshua could feel that she wanted to live and had the will to survive, but she readily gave up on her life out of fear that she might harm Joshua. Nevertheless, a faint desire for life lingered in the corner of her mind.


    ¡°Do you love me?¡± Joshua asked.


    Sersiarin started.


    ¡°Then live. Survive using any means necessary and confess your love to me.¡±


    -But¡­


    Joshua watched her fall silent and came to a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hear you out after this.¡±


    Her eyes remained closed, but the Demon Spirit¡¯s ck heart was racing. There was only one way to save Sersiarin and get rid of that heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll dly take it.¡±


    Joshua was going to devour the Demon Spirit¡¯s heart. Once he took the heart, he would turn into a demon in a hundred days at thetest. Although Joshua wasn¡¯t sure about his soul, his body was currently human, so he would turn into a demon with the Demon Spirit¡¯s heart without a doubt. However, he still had to do it.


    ¡°With my ability¡­ I¡¯ll be able to increase the limit from a hundred days to ten years,¡± Joshua mumbled. He would find a way to fix it within ten years. It was nothingpared to what Sersiarin had done for him.


    ¡°Come,¡± Joshua said.


    The moment the Demon Spirit¡¯s heart beat, Joshua touched the heart and absorbed it without leaving a trace.


    ¡°Urghhh¡­¡±


    It felt like Joshua¡¯s brain was burning, but he endured the pain with everything he had.


    * * *


    After some time, Joshua found himself in a pitch-ck space.


    -You are truly an idiot.


    Joshua slowly opened his eyes. He knew who that tinny, familiar voice was¡ªhe had experienced it from Lugia, the Demon Spirit¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Demon Spirit,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    -I can¡¯t believe that you, the best battle ghost in both Angel and Demon Realms, would give me your body to save one human girl.


    Joshua stood up¡ªor tried. The moment he thought he stood up, the world spun around.


    ¡°Do you think you can take it?¡± Joshua asked.


    -Are you talking big even in a situation like this? Hehehe, your destiny was already decided when you absorbed my heart into you.


    ¡°Well, no matter how hard I think, I feel like you won¡¯t be able to take anything from me.¡±


    -You¡¯re arrogant until the end, Joshua. You won¡¯t be able to regain consciousness for the next one hundred days and then your ego will disappear and you will be my new body. Hahahaha¡ª


    -What¡­!


    The Demon Spirit¡¯s voice trembled noticeably right after Joshua released his power.


    ¡°So who the hell decided that?¡± Joshua asked.


    -Impossible! You took a god¡¯s heart, so how can you still¡ª!


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± Joshua held out his hand. He could feel something.


    -What?! How can you see me¡ªno, grab me?!


    ¡°You look like this, huh?¡± Joshua was holding a small demon with red skin and two tiny horns. The Demon Spirit, who was now the size of a hand, swayed from side to side in Joshua¡¯s hands.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to wipe you out of existence within ten years.¡±

 Chapter 393

    Chapter 393


    ¡°Your Highness, why did you go that far?¡±


    Kiser was in hot water as soon as he returned to the council chamber. The nobles on his side immediately started criticizing Kiser¡¯s announcement.


    The only reason they had survived was that they had happened to be away from the capital at the time of the massacre.


    ¡°The public¡¯s opinion of the Britten family has dropped severely.¡±


    ¡°You gave an Imperial Order to Joshua Sanders to kill his own father? Everyone is pointing fingers at the Imperial Family for your cruelty.¡±


    The Imperial Family¡¯s public image was already bad because the devastation of the citizens¡¯ lives was primarily caused by the two princes. However, the citizens weren¡¯t trying to distinguish who was right or wrong¡ªthey just needed someone to take out their anger on.


    ¡°The prestige of the Imperial Family has been dragged through the mud. There are over a thousand Imperial Knights, but they needed the Martial God¡¯s help in dealing with a single man, the former Duke of Agnus¡­¡±


    ¡°That is not the only problem. The nobles want to send their own investigators to investigate the massacre further.¡±


    Kiser finally sighed. ¡°Someone has to take the responsibility in the end.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, you need to be strong. It¡¯s obvious how the other nobles are going to react after they¡¯ve lost the heads of their families. If they direct their anger at us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kaizen is dead,¡± Kaiser interrupted.


    ¡°¡­Yes, that¡¯s right. You are the only legitimate heir to the throne, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°No, there is one more.¡±


    The noble¡¯s eyes widened. However, Kiser wasn¡¯t even looking in his direction anymore.


    ¡°¡­Here is what we¡¯re going to do,¡± the Prince stated. ¡°His Majesty, Kaizen, and over a hundred nobles officially were ughtered by the previous Duke of Agnus and a group of unidentified assassins named ¡®Heimdall¡¯. Burn all the bodies before the nobles dispatch their investigators.¡±


    A storm of shock hit the nobles in the council chamber.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness, but¡­¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t believe us, but they won¡¯t be able to pry any further since His Majesty and Kaizen are dead. Of course, the nobles will also lose all faith in the Imperial Family¡­¡± Kiser trailed off with a faint smile. ¡°...but that¡¯s only going to happen if a Britten takes the throne.¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness, wait¡ª¡±


    Kiser nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll take responsibility. The next heir to the throne can be Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and my aunt¡¯s son. Besides, he¡¯s the hero who took down the leader of the assassins.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°I now know the truth, and everything has to be straightened out. However, I don¡¯t have the right to do so when I turned the Empire into this mess.¡± Kiser rxed, as if a great burden had been lifted off of his shoulders. ¡°The citizens are in need of a capable leader now more than ever. If both candidates have the right to inherit the throne, it¡¯s only right that the more skilled one rule over this Empire.¡±


    Footsteps suddenly echoed off the walls of the chamber.


    ¡°¡­Herees the protagonist,¡± Kiser mumbled. ¡±The man that will take the throne.¡±


    ¡°The Martial God!¡±


    Even the nobles that had remained silent turned to look. Serciarin was beside Joshua too, although she didn¡¯t look good.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°Joshua!¡±


    Kiser¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You two look great together. Besides, the citizens will ept you as the next emperor after you relieve their anxiety, but too many people witnessed what actually happened for us to be able to hide the truth from the other nobles too. Of course, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll take care of that, won¡¯t you? He got rid of all the trash that needed to be taken care of anyway, so don¡¯t think of it as trouble.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, take the throne. Everyone will ept a member of the Imperial Family with the title of Martial God as the next emperor.¡±


    Cain repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists; it seemed like he had a lot to say. On the other hand, Charles was looking back and forth between Cain and Joshua with her hands clutched against her chest. Meanwhile, the Auxiliary Battalion¡¯s knights were looking at Joshua with worried eyes.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened as Cain suddenly knelt down in front of him in addition to pressing his fist against his chest as he normally did¡ªan honor reserved only for the emperor of Avalon.


    ¡°I genuinely didn¡¯t expect the day I would salute to you like this woulde, master,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Cain, I haven¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for the people. Besides, haven¡¯t you already publicly dered that you¡¯ll be the next emperor? Or do you really want another civil war to break out? A duke¡¯s bastard became an emperor,¡± Cain mumbled with a mischievous grin. ¡°Isn¡¯t my investment a total sess? Let me live gloriously now, master.¡±


    Of course, neither the surviving nobles nor the Imperial Knights could say anything else. Since the Crown Prince had epted Joshua as the next emperor, the nobles and knights¡¯ lips were sealed. Merely questioning would be treated as treason.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    Cazes and Ranger approached and stood on each side of Joshua, then knelt with their backs to the throne.


    ¡°Take the throne.¡±


    * * *


    Everything was sorted out quickly¡ªit needed to be for the greater good. Avalon¡¯s citizens were tired because of the long civil war. Surprisingly, the nobles didn¡¯t resist much since most of the noble family heads that opposed Joshua had been ughtered by Emperor Marcus. It also kept Icarus, the new military advisor, busy.


    ¡°You! Have you dispatched a delegation to the Hubalt Empire?¡± Icarus shouted.


    The other strategists that had been busily walking around the room answered one by one.


    ¡°Yes, I have!¡±


    ¡°A delegation has been dispatched to the Swallow Empire too!¡±


    ¡°To the other kingdoms too!¡±


    ¡°When you make up a delegation, you need to assign the nobles that are higher-ranking than a count, so that the other countries won¡¯t feel like they¡¯re being looked down upon!¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am!¡±


    Following Icarus¡¯s order, all the strategists moved in perfect order; they knew that Icarus, the next emperor¡¯s long-time strategist, was going to be the new power here. Of course, there was one person who looked at the sight with discontent. It was Zegar, the ex-military advisor and the Duke of Reye.


    ¡°Military Advisor Icarus¡­¡± Zegar quietly said.


    ¡°Ah, Your Grace,¡± Icarus replied. ¡°You were still here?¡±


    A vein bulged on Zegar¡¯s forehead. ¡°Do you really have to send a delegation in time like this?¡±


    ¡°My, I exined already. Just let me deal with it. You aren¡¯t technically a military advisor anymore¡­¡±


    Although Icarus said thest sentence in a barely audible whisper, there was no way Zegar would miss it.


    ¡°Ugh¡­! I¡¯m asking if we really need to bother sending a delegation!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our future emperor¡¯s glorious coronation day. Of course we need to dispatch them,¡± Icarus said as if it was given.


    ¡°Other countries are already busy as hell since they haven¡¯t finished taking care of the Continental War¡¯s aftermath,¡± Zegar refuted.


    ¡°Do you really not get it?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The leaders of the countries that we sent the delegations have legitimacy¡ªlike Emperor Cerona of the Swallow Empire and the pope of the Hubalt Empire¡ªand they¡¯re all against the Continental War. We need to ept their legitimacy and quickly dere theplete cessation of the Continental War, don¡¯t we?¡±


    Icarus¡¯s wise words instantly shut Zegar down.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve already nned that far?¡±


    Icarus smiled. ¡°Of course; I¡¯m Icarus, the first strategist of the Sanders Family.¡±


    * * *


    A monthter, a loud fanfare echoed through the air. Brilliant magic fireworks joined it, beautifully decorating the sunny sky. Today was a day that would go down in the history of the Avalon Empire. Delegations had arrived from the other countries to celebrate the coronation, despite the chaotic state of affairs in their homnds. bis and Lilith, the two most powerful people in the Swallow and Hubalt Empires, even came personally to the coronation ceremony.


    Before the eyes of the world, Joshua, the star of this coronation, walked down the long red carpet that extended beyond the wide-open pce gates to the tform in the great za of Arcadia.


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡±


    ¡°When was he not?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t think he would be the great emperor. Shall I try seducing him since I¡¯m here?¡±


    ¡°Wake up. He¡¯s be a man beyond our reach.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m quite popr in the Hubalt Empire, so wouldn''t I still have a chance?¡±


    While Lilith and bis bantered, Joshua had reached the tform.


    ¡°Woahhhh!!!!¡±


    The citizens of Avalon shouted thunderously as Joshua slowly reached his hand out to the gold crown that shone with a brilliant gravitas.


    <em>¡®Emperor¡­¡¯</em>


    Many memories shed through Joshua¡¯s mind. There was still a lot on his mind, and he didn¡¯t think this was the end. In fact, he was just getting started now. He was going to protect his people and build his own empire. He wouldn¡¯t let anyone take anything from him¡ªnot again.


    <em>¡®No matter what.¡¯</em>


    Joshua set his jaw and grabbed the crown.


    ¡°Woo!¡±


    The crowd¡¯s earsplitting cheers rolled over him.


    * * *


    On thest day of Year 728 of the Continental calendar, Joshua Sanders became the 52nd emperor of the Avalon Empire.


    * * *


    The end of ¡¶The Legendary Spearman¡¯s Return¡·

 Chapter 394

    Chapter 394


    The Side Story of Iceline.


    Six months after the coronation ceremony¡­


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Iceline, the newest member of the Seven Mages, the Ice seat, was heading to a certain ce with one goal: she had to revive the old Rebra Family in the new Avalon Empire. However, she couldn¡¯t leave right away due to the Magic Tower¡¯s old rule. The only way to be no longer part of the Magic Tower was to relinquish everything that the mage had received from the Magic Tower, including knowledge¡ªbut that was really unfair for Iceline as she had joined the Magic Tower when she was already a ss 6 mage.


    Of course, she had a way to avoid the relinquishment, which was to make an achievement of undeniable importance. Right now, Iceline was about to aplish such an achievement.


    It was truly a bizarre sight. Aqua, the only primordial stone that was yet unknown to the world, was in the center of a frozen ocean.


    ¡°This is Aqua, the primordial stone¡­?¡± Iceline nkly murmured, captivated.


    The primordial stone wasn¡¯t even underwater. It was just floating in the air above the boundless ocean.


    Iceline had heard about Aqua¡¯s whereabouts by coincidence. A fisherman living by the vast ocean located on the southern outskirts of the Truke Kingdom witnessed the bizarre sight after going fishing further in than he usually did. When the report hade to the Magic Tower, Iceline had happened to be the only member of the Seven Mages that was always present in the Magic Tower, so she hade here immediately. However, even if the other Seven Mages had been present, they wouldn¡¯t havee this far; dozens of reports like this came into the Magic Tower every day, after all.


    Iceline stroked Aqua and beamed beautifully. ¡°I got it!¡±


    She was so happy that her arms shot up into the air.


    * * *


    Nevertheless, life wasn¡¯t easy. She had returned to the Magic Tower after a month, but she was feeling very unpleasant.


    ¡°Where is the Tower Master?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°He went off on a journey again. As you already know, he really is like the wind.¡±


    ¡°His damned wind-like personality!¡± Iceline huffed.


    No matter how great an achievement she made, she needed permission from the Tower Master since she was about to leave¡ªbut that very Master of the Magic Tower was gone now.


    ¡°On a side note, I¡¯m his substitute. You know that, right?¡±


    ¡°Urghhh¡­¡± Iceline groaned.


    On top of that, Marcus, the Earth, was substituting for the Tower Master¡ªand he was famously inflexible. She needed to ask for an exception, but he was thest one who would make an exception. Things couldn¡¯t get any worse.


    ¡°By the way, Miss Iceline.¡± A man appeared and interrupted the conversation. ¡°If my information is correct, you found thest primordial stone?¡±


    His name was Parma trun Ganjaebi, the new Lightning. He had been the royal chief mage of the Terra Kingdom, but he had joined the Magic Tower as soon as the kingdom had fallen.


    ¡°If it¡¯s okay, why don¡¯t you show us it?¡± Parma asked.


    ¡°Am I misunderstanding something here? I thought a mage is allowed to own an item they acquired in private.¡±


    ¡°Huh, how can that be the item you found in private? You located it based on a report that the Magic Tower received.¡±


    ¡°Anotherw of the Magic Tower states that an item that a mage found belongs to that mage if they pay the right fees for the information they received.¡±


    The new Lightning flinched when Iceline mentioned another of the Magic Tower¡¯sws since he had joined the Magic Tower recently.


    ¡°¡­Hmph. It won¡¯t do you any good to act that cold,¡± Parma grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your goal to leave the Magic Tower to revive your family?¡± Parma asked.


    ¡°Why are you mentioning that right now?¡± Iceline frowned slightly.


    ¡°I looked into the Magic Tower¡¯sws, which you mentioned, in detail. You would already know that even with the Master of the Magic Tower¡¯s permission, you need the consent of at least three of the Seven Mages to leave the Magic Tower without relinquishing everything, right? But¡­ would they do that for you right now, Miss Iceline? They already do not look at you in a good light because you¡¯re trying to leave the Magic Tower out of greed,¡± Parma sneered.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Iceline¡¯s frown deepened.


    Although she had been determined to make an achievement, she became greedy after she saw Aqua, the primordial stone, because Joshua currently possessed the other four primordial stones. If he also got Aqua¡­


    ¡°¡­He¡¯ll like it, right?¡± Iceline muttered to herself.


    Parma wasn¡¯t sure what she was imagining, but she was now lost in her own little world. Parma misunderstood why her face turned red.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be angry,¡± Parma said, the corner of his mouth rising. ¡°You¡¯ll need to give that up in order to leave the Magic Tower, right? My terms are simple: lend me the stone just for a week, then you have my vote for you leaving the Tower.¡±


    Iceline frowned. <em>¡®He¡¯s gotta be kidding me. There is no telling what he¡¯ll do with the primordial stone for a week.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Don¡¯t cut in line, Parma. I won¡¯t allow it.¡±


    Someone she hadn¡¯t expected showed up and saved her. Two men opened the door to the highest floor of the Magic Tower and entered. One man was the owner of this room, but the other man shouldn¡¯t have been there.


    ¡°Jo-Joshua?¡± Iceline¡¯s eyes widened like a rabbit¡¯s.


    The reactions of Earth and Lightning were not that different from hers.


    ¡°Wh-why is the Emperor of Avalon here¡­?¡± Parma muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°He¡¯s my guest.¡±


    Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, was the leader of all mages and the only human ss 8 mage. His words finally silenced Parma. By now, everyone in the continent knew that the current Master of the Magic Tower and the Emperor of Avalon were close friends.


    ¡°The primordial stones began howling, so I came right away,¡± Joshua stated.


    Theta raised his hand. ¡°I happened to be with him at the time.¡±


    The veins on Marcus¡¯s forehead bulged slightly. ¡°When in the world did you get to Avalon?¡±


    ¡°Hehe, go easy on me, Uncle Earth. I really can¡¯t be the type who quietly sits beside a desk.¡± Theta giggled mischievously.


    ¡°Are you aware of your position?¡± Marcus bemoaned, massaging his aching temples.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re substituting for my role perfectly, Uncle Earth. Won¡¯t the other mages now think that the real Master of the Magic Tower is Marcus, the Earth¡­?¡±


    Theta trailed off when he noticed Marcus huffing and puffing in fury.


    Marcus gave up on talking any further and turned to Theta¡¯s guest with a sigh. ¡°¡­Phew. By the way¡­ is everything okay for you, Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°You and the Tower Master are the same. You must be the only emperor who travels freely around the continent. What are you going to do if someone ns¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Joshua bluntly replied. ¡°Who in this continent would dare to challenge me?¡±


    * * *


    The Master of the Magic Tower summoned an emergency meeting of the Seven Mages, gathering its members in one room for the first time in a long time.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s begin the discussion of Iceline zin Rebra, the Ice, leaving the Magic Tower, shall we?¡± Theta immediately began.


    Parma had been preparing for this moment and immediately sprang up from his seat. ¡°She can¡¯t leave the Magic Tower without going through the relinquishment! Once we make an exception, it¡¯s not even an exception anymore. Are you just going to say goodbye if a simr case urs again?¡±


    Parma¡¯s face reddened in fury.


    ¡°It¡¯s wrong!¡± he shouted. ¡°What would the other mages think of the Magic Tower? Won¡¯t the other mages think of the Magic Tower as a pushover? They¡¯ll think they can suck the Tower dry and then just leave!¡±


    ¡°Come on, we¡¯re talking about <em>the </em>Iceline zin Rebra¡­¡± Theta protested.


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the rules here!¡±


    Theta quietly smacked his lips and took a look around. All the members of the Seven Mages had changed, so it was his first time meeting all of them like this. Of course, all of them had started as ordinary members of the Magic Tower and had been working for the Tower for a very long time.


    Theta quickly got to the point. ¡°Who else consents to Iceline leaving the Tower? I¡¯m in since I don¡¯t really see a reason to make this a big problem.¡±


    Despite the fact Theta raised his hand first, no one responded. But after a moment of silence¡­


    ¡°¡­I also consent.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Marcus.¡±


    Two members of the Seven Mages now consented, but it wasn¡¯t enough yet. However, no one else gave their consent.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ so everyone is on the same page?¡± Theta tilted his head.


    ¡°Well, who knows? If she donates the primordial stone to the Magic Tower¡­ she might have more consent for her contribution.¡±


    Parma¡¯s remark brought an undisguised look of greed to the eyes of some of the Seven Mages; the primordial stone was indeed tremendous.


    ¡°Gosh, your greed¡­¡± Theta clicked his tongue discontentedly for a very long time. He turned to look at Iceline. ¡°What shall we do? I have no other methods in this case.¡±


    Without answering, Iceline turned her head to Joshua, who was watching the meeting with the permission of the Master of the Magic Tower.


    <em>¡®¡­I really wanted to give this to him as a present¡­¡¯</em> Iceline sighed quietly and gave up.


    Her priority right now was reviving her family, not gaining Joshua¡¯s affection.


    ¡°Then the primordial stone¡­¡± Iceline began.


    ¡°There is a way, actually,¡± Joshua¡¯s low, sonorous voice interrupted.


    Iceline quickly stopped talking as Joshua walked toward the round table and grinned.


    ¡°A way to leave the Magic Tower without giving up the primordial stone.¡±


    ¡°¡­What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember that a precedent already exists?¡± Joshua said. All of the Seven Mages gave him a wide-eyed look.

 Chapter 395

    Chapter 395


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­¡± Theta trailed off and frowned. ¡°¡­there was Evergrant, right? The Master of the Magic Tower at the time made him an exception, and then he became the royal chief wizard of the Avalon Empire. When Evergrant returned to the Magic Tower, he even became the Tower Master¡­¡±


    Most of the mages in the room froze up. Some of them had actively supported Evergrant con Aswald when he had returned, but even after his death, he was considered a public enemy of the entire continent. He would go down in history for his evil deeds. Out of his own greed, he had conducted experiments on countless people on the continent and actually used the wicked undead.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we do the same? I¡¯ll recruit Iceline zin Rebra as the new royal chief wizard of the Avalon Empire,¡± Joshua dered. A faint smile danced on his lips. ¡°Lightning himself said that an exception is no longer an exception once it¡¯s made, so there is no problem, right? We¡¯re just following precedent right now.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Parma the Lightning scowled. ¡°Emperor of the Avalon! This is the Magic Tower¡¯s business! An outsider shouldn¡¯t interfere!¡±


    Joshua immediately put his hand on Iceline¡¯s shoulder. ¡°She¡¯s one of my people now. She is a citizen of my empire too.¡±


    Parma was rendered speechless. On the other hand, Iceline¡¯s face was as red as a beetroot. She fidgeted as Joshua¡¯s remark echoed around in her head.


    ¡°Besides, I think it would affect our future business badly if you tried something funny with a citizen of the Avalon Empire,¡± Joshua said, his voice hiding a sharp edge.


    ¡°Ou-our future business?¡± Parma nkly repeated.


    ¡°Let me exin the rest,¡± Theta interrupted. ¡°As you all already know, the Magic Tower isn¡¯t financially well off right now. During the war, the mages who followed that crazy Evergrant stole all our money and artifacts.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Those mages wouldn¡¯t have been ordinary supporters, so they must have been Evergrant¡¯s aplices¡ªin making the undead, for instance¡­¡±


    Once Theta mentioned the undead, everyone¡¯s face darkened. The previous Master of the Magic Tower had studied the most taboo of knowledge, ck magic.


    ¡°To cut to the point, we promised to supply the Avalon Empire with wizards since the Empire is in desperate need of them due to the fact that most of its citizens are knights. In return, Avalon is going to give its business exclusively to the Magic Tower¡¯s mages,¡± Theta exined.


    The other mages were shocked. While the Magic Tower had been dwindling, imitations like the Ivory Tower and the Knowledge Tower sprang up everywhere. Meanwhile, the Avalon Empire was going through the process of restoration after the civil war, meaning there were a ton of job opportunities. If the Avalon Empire gave all them exclusively to the Magic Tower¡­


    ¡°Do you get who is on the upper side now? Keep in mind that it¡¯s a piece of cake for me to call off the deal,¡± Joshua remarked with a little smile.


    Theta quickly caught on.


    ¡°My, my. Your Majesty, emperor of the mighty Avalon Empire, please reconsider that for the sake of your old friend!¡± he chimed in.


    ¡°Then shall I change the exclusive use to nonexclusive? I think the Magic Tower is in a better state than I expected.¡±


    ¡°Come on¡ªyou came all the way over here, but you still haven''t seen it? The ceiling of my room is leaking, and I don¡¯t even have the money to fix it!¡± Theta cried.


    ¡°Do you need to, though? You don¡¯t really hang around in that room.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Master of the Magic Tower,¡± Theta dramatically dered. ¡°Please let me live up to that title.¡±


    ¡°Was my payment to the Magic Tower¡­ three million gold?¡± Joshua muttered.


    The other Seven Mages turned away from Lightning with wide eyes. ¡°Th-Three million?¡±


    That money was enough to fund the Magic Tower for at least a year, and the Tower Master and Seven Mages might be able to bring the mages back home¡ªno, they would definitely be able to do it. The mages had joined other organizations because they couldn¡¯t make ends meet in the Magic Tower, but the Tower would quickly regain its glory with a ss 8 mage as their leader.


    ¡°Eeek..!¡± Parma squeaked.


    ¡°Then are we done with this meeting?¡± Theta grinned and stood up. ¡°If any of you have objections, speak now. I¡¯m nning to reduce your research funding and sry first.¡±


    Just as expected, no one raised their hand. The Magic Tower¡¯s mages were already in financial trouble, so if their sries got reduced any further, they would have to stop their ongoing experiments too.


    * * *


    Iceline was quietly walking under the full moon, but she kept ncing to the side.


    A handsome¡ªas if made by god himself¡ªman was walking right beside her. Iceline had been dreaming about this moment, but she couldn¡¯t say a word.


    <em>¡®Why, why in the world am I feeling so nervous?¡¯ </em>Iceline thought, frustrated.


    Even during her debut she hadn¡¯t been this nervous. Her heartbeat thundered so loudly in her chest that she worried that Joshua might hear her. Iceline clutched her skirt.


    ¡°¡­Come to think of it, I haven¡¯t even asked you about this.¡±


    ¡°Whaaat?¡± Iceline jumped in surprise.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡±


    <em>¡®</em><em>Argghhhh</em><em>!¡¯ </em>Iceline was embarrassed to death by herself right now. It shouldn¡¯t have been her first response in their conversation, so Iceline decided to be a little more brave.


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m fine,¡± she said. ¡°But wh-hat do you mean?¡±


    ¡°About the royal chief wizard position,¡± Joshua rified.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°I was wondering if I was actually causing you more trouble.¡±


    Iceline quickly shook her head. ¡°Not at all, Joshua¡ªno, Your Majesty! I¡­ was really grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just go with ¡®Joshua¡¯ like usual,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Bu-but¡­¡±


    ¡°Have you seen me worrying about formality?¡± Joshua asked.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, and she smiled faintly. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°So you want to revive House Rebra within the Avalon Empire, am I correct?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Iceline nodded determinedly. ¡°While I was watching you, I became certain that I could do it.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Me?¡±


    <em>¡®Oh, no!¡¯</em>


    After identally confessing that she had been watching him, her face reddened.


    ¡°Yo-yo-you know¡­ you¡¯re an emperor! And bing one was definitely not easy¡ªno, I think it¡¯ll go down in history. Definitely!¡±


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Joshua chuckled quietly.


    ¡°Huh? Why are youughing? I¡¯m serious right now.¡± Iceline pouted slightly.


    ¡°You¡¯re cute. That¡¯s all.¡± Joshua shook his head.


    Iceline¡¯s face couldn¡¯t get any redder. After turning into a tomato, Iceline came to a halt. She realized that this was the perfect opportunity to give Joshua her gift.


    ¡°Hey, Joshua, I¡¯ll give you this.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened immediately.


    The blue object that was shining brilliantly on top of Iceline¡¯s hands was Aqua, thest primordial stone.


    As soon as Joshuaid eyes on the stone, the other primordial stones inside him reacted fiercely. Since Aqua¡¯s main ability was recovery, Joshua could assume that the stone would stabilize his power.


    ¡°Why are you giving this to me¡­?¡± Joshua cautiously asked.


    ¡°No specific reason. I just wanted to the moment I found out this was a primordial stone.¡±


    ¡°¡­You might regret itter. This primordial stone¡¯s value¡­¡±


    Iceline firmly shook her head. ¡°No, I won¡¯t. You¡¯re more valuable to me, Joshua.¡±


    Joshua silently examined Iceline for a moment, then nodded. ¡°Do you want anything else?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t receive such a treasure for free,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t have to¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t. If other people find out about this, they¡¯ll point fingers at me and call me a cheap emperor,¡± Joshua said mischievously.


    ¡°Then I¡¯m fine with taking the position of royal chief mage¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to be called an emperor that takes bribes, do you?¡± Joshua quickly interrupted.


    Iceline closed and opened her mouth several times. Something she wanted? Even though Joshua made the offer, she honestly didn¡¯t have anything in mind¡ªno, not nothing¡­


    <em>¡®But I c-can¡¯t ask for that¡­¡¯ </em>Iceline thought; she even started to fidget around with her fingers.


    She¡¯d resolved to be more brave, so couldn¡¯t she try it first and regret itter? Besides, she didn¡¯t really want to be the royal chief wizard anyway. The position she wanted more than anything else in the world was¡­


    ¡°I¡­ am actually not interested in the position of a royal chief wizard,¡± Iceline cautiously began.


    ¡°Hmm? Is that true?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not saying I don¡¯t like the position, but¡­¡±


    Joshua wasn¡¯t sure what she meant. That makes Iceline more anxious. She had to tell him here and now that there was a position she really wanted. After turning down the position of a royal chief wizard by saying that she didn¡¯t deserve it, she was going to confess her feelings in a vague manner, so he wouldn¡¯t notice it immediately. However, she had to make sure he would eventually realize what she meant in the future.


    The more she pondered, the more determined she became. Yes, she had already decided what she was going to say.


    ¡°Bing a ro-royal chief wizard is too much¡­ so ca-can I be a queen consort?¡±


    Joshua gaped nkly at her.


    Iceline didn¡¯t realize what she had done for a moment, but she soon went still as a statue.


    ¡°Oh, noooooo!¡±


    The embarrassment rushed in a secondter and she ran away on her own.

 Chapter 396

    Chapter 396


    Side Story of Charles.


    While Joshua finally became the Emperor of Avalon, Charles was also getting ready to be the head of the Pontier Family. She couldn¡¯t stay as the substitute head forever.


    But¡­


    ¡°Lady Charles!¡±


    ¡°Aere..?¡±


    ¡°A re-rebellion started!¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes widened. Her worst nightmare came true. The only reason Charles hadn¡¯t inherited the position of Duke Pontier yet was the resistance of the nobles in the south. The Ducal Family of Pontier was the symbol of the southern nobles because the Pontiers had been leading them for generations. Charles hadn¡¯t expected these southern nobles to take action as soon as she began her preparation to officially be the Duchess of Pontier.


    ¡°¡­Who started it?¡± Charles asked with her eyes closed.


    ¡°Count Valder was the first one to mobilize his troops!¡± Aere reported.


    ¡°Hmm? Count Valder was the one? Not Dargo rane Suspen?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, it¡¯s Count Valder.¡±


    Charles frowned upon hearing their names. Those two people had been consistently criticizing everything Charles did. Count Valder and Count Suspen both were highly renowned figures in the south and very influential within the area. Count Valder managed the grain warehouses in the southwest; Count Suspen was in charge of protecting the south border of the Avalon Empire, meaning he was the key figure in the military.


    However, these two counts hadn¡¯t been aware of the Pontier Family¡¯s situation when Count Crombell attacked the entire Pontier family. Count Valder had been on a business trip to the Fulldran Kingdom, which was at the edge of the continent, while Count Suspen couldn¡¯t leave the area due to his position as a government official.


    They had eventually found out what had happened to Charles¡¯s father, but when they had, they had made public derations to terminate their rtionships with the Pontier Family. They must have seen the chance to be the new leader in the southern region of the Avalon Empire and gotten greedy.


    ¡°¡­That is unexpected. Count Suspen was the one that looked more like the greedy type,¡± Charles muttered to herself.


    ¡°Ma-Maybe he¡¯s trying to see how the situation will turn out?¡±


    ¡°What are the other nobles¡¯ responses?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Most of them have joined in on their rebellion, especially the ones who took Marquess Crombell¡¯s side in the past.¡±


    ¡°This is why I shouldn¡¯t give people second chances.¡±


    Charles let out a long-suffering sigh. She believed she had proven her ability a long time ago; it was, after all, Charles who had dragged the Pontier Merchant Group out of its decline so that it could rise and be one of the top five merchant groups in the continent.


    <em>¡®¡­Well, I received a lot of help from Joshua,¡¯ </em>Charles thought.


    Joshua had told her that a Continental War was going to break out soon, so she had bought up horses and all sorts of materiel, including weapons, helping her and her merchant group greatly in the future. Of course, her decision to invest all the assets and the funds she¡¯d gathered to restore hernd into buying up war material based on Joshua¡¯s prediction alone was also great.


    ¡°If they know what I¡¯ve done for them, they really shouldn¡¯t do this. Those ungrateful people must be getting greedy now that their bellies are full.¡± Charles smiled coldly.


    The young, immature Charles was gone now. Ever since Charles had decided that she wasn¡¯t going to repeat the past, she had been making preparations.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, Aere.¡±


    ¡°La-Lady Charles!¡±


    Charles shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Your Grace¡¯.¡±


    Aere¡¯s eyes went wide like a bunny¡¯s as she chased after Charles.


    ¡°Why are you surprised? They¡¯re basically saying that they would rather die than let a girl who is younger than them be the head of the Pontier Family, so I should shove it into their face.¡± Charles grinned coldly.


    ¡°Yo-you¡¯re scary, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that the way to deal with a crazy dog is with a bat[1]. Watch and learn, Aere. You¡¯re also about to inherit your father¡¯s position and be a viscount yourself, right? Get ready and assemble all the troops,¡± Charles said with confidence. She decided to show her ability for sure this time. ¡°I, Charles di Pontier, am going to go to the battlefield myself.¡±


    * * *


    Three dayster at Count Valder¡¯snd, located in the south of the Avalon Empire¡­


    ¡°Lady Charles is on the move.¡±


    The middle-aged man known as the Great Lord Valder smiled coldly. ¡°That wretched woman moved already?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. The news of the Steel Empress leading the troops herself has already spread throughout the entire southern region.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. That little bitch must have done it on purpose. She doesn¡¯t know her ce. Does she think we¡¯ll be frightened by the news?¡± Valder snorted.


    ¡°A total of fifty thousand soldiers have assembled, including the soldiers from the nearby noble families.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Valder¡¯s smile deepened.


    An army of fifty thousand soldiers was certainly big for one noble lord. Even the Pontier family would have less than thirty thousand soldiers, but¡­


    ¡°¡­Is there any chance of other lords interfering in our fight?¡± Valder asked.


    ¡°It seems they won¡¯t take anyone¡¯s side nor interfere in the fight.¡±


    ¡°Cowards.¡± Valder clicked his tongue.


    The nobles in the southern region had beenying low recently after Marquess Crombell had been made an example of¡ªthey were terrified of Joshua Sanders. However, there was no way that Joshua would visit the site of a single feudal conflict when he had be <em>the </em>emperor.


    ¡°¡­His Majesty won¡¯t interfere in our fight, right? I heard he¡¯s close with Lady Charles¡­¡± Valder¡¯s aide mumbled in a worried voice. He had the same thought as Valder.


    ¡°That gives him more reason to stay out of this fight,¡± Valder said with certainty.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It might have been different before he became the Emperor, but what do you think would happen if rumors spread that the Emperor favored one noble in particr? The nobles of the Avalon Empire already look at him in a bad light, so it¡¯s obvious how they¡¯d react.¡±


    ¡°¡­Umm¡­¡± The aide hesitated. Valder gave him a questioning look. ¡°Do you think His Majesty is the type of person to care about that kind of stuff?¡±


    Valder was silent for a moment, then he frowned. ¡°Why do you keep killing the mood?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I was just worried¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless. There is no way the Emperor and that bitch are close. If it was true, he would have already taken her hand and gotten married,¡± Valder sneered.


    ¡°D-do you think so?¡±


    ¡°A man and a woman can never be true friends. Besides, the rumor of Lady Charles getting dumped by the Emperor has spread across all of Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± The aide grunted quietly.


    The end of Valder¡¯s mouth curled up. ¡°On top of that, Lady Charles won¡¯t be able to start a war.¡±


    ¡°Huh? But she already mobilized her troops.¡±


    ¡°That is because we did it first¡ªbut we aren¡¯t trying to start a war, right? The other heads of the noble families are on the same page too.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± The aide trailed off cautiously.


    ¡°We¡¯re asking for only one thing in this fight. Once she hands over the Pontier Merchant Group, one of the top five merchant groups in the continent, I don¡¯t care whether or not she bes the next head of the Pontiers.¡± Valder scoffed.


    The aide¡¯s eyes popped wide open as he finally understood what Valder¡¯s ultimate goal was. ¡°The real goal is the merchant group!¡±


    ¡°Of course; the Pontiers didn¡¯t make the merchant group flourish on their own. We southern nobles paved roads and supplied the group with good merchandise. It was a group effort.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Lady Charles will take the deal?¡± the aide asked.


    ¡°That bitch better take it if she doesn¡¯t want to see a war break out in the south again,¡± Valder said.


    ¡°It¡¯s indeed a great n, my lord!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, the merchant group will be the Southern Avalon Merchant Group, not the Pontier Merchant Group. Of course, I¡¯ll be perfect for the position of the first Southern Avalon Merchant Group¡¯s leader.¡± Valder grinned.


    While they were exchanging conversation, a loud shout came from outside the castle walls.


    ¡°Woaaahhhh!!!¡±


    Valder and his aide locked eyes.


    ¡°Do you think she¡¯s here?¡±


    The aide nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll only take a day and a half to get here from the Pontier Duchy¡­ so it¡¯s about time.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Valder strolled toward the castle wall with confidence.


    * * *


    Charles stood in the Golden in of Valder, looking sternly at Valder¡¯s castle.


    She wore, unusually, a suit of silver full-te armor, and numerous soldiers stood at her back.


    ¡°Count Valder!¡± Charles shouted, using an artifact.


    She received a response right away.


    ¡°Long time no see, Lady Charles!¡± Valder shouted back.


    ¡°Did you really have to go this far?¡± Charles asked, scowling.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about. Have I done something?¡±


    ¡°You mobilized fifty thousand soldiers right in my front yard, but you have the guts to act like that?¡± Charles shook her head. ¡°You really have thick skin.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you have managed your house better, then? If you had, your father wouldn¡¯t have ended up in such a state. Poor Duke Pontier.¡± Valder shook his head back mockingly.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop the silly talk and save our voices. Why don¡¯t we start talking business?¡±


    ¡°Business¡­?¡± Charles nkly repeated.


    ¡°We southern nobles want to be the ¡®co-owners¡¯ of the Pontier Merchant Group.¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡± Charles asked, baffled.


    Just then, four more people appeared on either side of Valder. They were all influential noble lords from the southern region.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want to start a war, do you, Lady Charles?¡± Valder smirked at Charles.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll do my job if ites to it. There is no telling when you all wille up with another scheme,¡± Charles replied.


    ¡°Gosh, this is why you aren¡¯t capable of bing the next duke.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow this to go any further.¡± Charles raised her hand to order her troops to advance.


    ¡°Think carefully about this, Lady Charles. Everyone in Avalon is finally recovering after the end of the civil war, so if another big feudal conflict breaks out in the southern region¡­ won¡¯t the people in the pce feel ufortable about it? From what I heard, you and His Majesty are close¡­ so His Majesty would be in quite a pickle. People are already doubting his ability to govern the Empire, but if his nobles are fighting¡­¡±


    Charles¡¯s raised hand trembled. Although she was doing this for the Pontier family, she didn¡¯t want to bring Joshua into this mess.


    ¡°Hehehe,¡± Valder chuckled. ¡°Now we¡¯re talking.¡±


    ¡°Count Valder¡­!¡± Charles clenched her fists so tight that her fingernails dug into her flesh.


    That was when two people fell from the sky andnded with an audible <em>thump</em>.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t you say you were certain you could do this, Iceline?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s my first time teleporting several people at once. I set the coordinates correctly, but the distance was shortened due to myck of mana.¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes slowly widened as she recognized the man and woman who had dropped out of the sky.


    ¡°Ic-Iceline? And Joshua¡­?¡± Charles stuttered.


    Joshua and Iceline turned to look back at Charles with sparkling eyes.


    1. It¡¯s a Korean idiom about dealing with madness. It¡¯s a bit simr to the English saying ¡®knocking some sense into someone.¡¯ ?

 Chapter 397

    Chapter 397


    ¡°Ho-how did you¡­?¡± Charles mumbled in a trembling voice.


    A prince charming couldn¡¯t have shown up at a better time than Joshua had.


    Charles¡¯s knights were the first ones to respond.


    They hastily got off their horses and shouted, ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡±


    Their loud voices echoed throughout the area.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°Oh, fuck! He really is the Emperor!¡±


    ¡°What are you all doing?! Kneel!¡±


    Even if Joshua hadn¡¯t been the Emperor of Avalon, his name alone was legendary within the Empire¡ªin fact, the entire continent. Everyone would put their thumbs up to praise him.


    There was only one Sky and six Stars on the continent right now. Joshua Sanders was one of them; he was called the Martial God Sky.


    ¡°Everyone draw your swords! Loyalty!¡±


    ¡°Loyalty!¡±


    ¡°Loyalty!¡±


    ¡°Loyalty!¡±


    The knights saluted first, but even the soldiers who weren¡¯t familiar with salutations eventually saluted as well because the overwhelming pressure radiating from Joshua dragged an indescribably sense of respect out of them.


    The soldiers and knights in the faraway Castle Valder were unsettled.


    ¡°What the hell are you trying to do, Lady Charles?!¡± Count Valder roared.


    Charles, a close friend of Joshua Sanders, was also confused.


    ¡°¡­If this world was fiction, the author would be damned,¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    Charles gaped at him. ¡°How can you appear at the perfect moment every time? You¡¯re acting too much like a protagonist.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to be in crisis at all¡­¡± Joshua looked away from Iceline and turned to Charles. ¡°Do you need my help right now?¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua examined his surroundings. ¡°Things don¡¯t really look good right now. This ce is clearly about to be a battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, I can¡¯t receive your¡ªno, Your Majesty¡¯s help anymore.¡± Charles shook her head determinedly.


    ¡°If you¡¯re doing this because you don¡¯t want to burden me¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. If I can¡¯t ovee this kind of crisis on my own, this vicious cycle will never end.¡±


    ¡°Then are you certain of your victory?¡±


    Charles put her hands on her waist and smiled, her full silver armor sparkling under the sunlight. ¡°Come on, I¡¯m the Steel Empress of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Haha.¡± Joshua chuckled quietly.


    Even Iceline, who approached Charles, smiled faintly.


    ¡°Still, it feels bad to just walk away like this,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    Before Charles could question what he was doing, Joshua marvelously floated into the sky even though he wasn¡¯t a mage.


    ¡°Everyone, listen!¡± he shouted using mana. ¡°I am Joshua Sanders, the Emperor of Avalon!¡±


    ¡°Wh-what?¡±


    ¡°This feudal conflict shall be concluded between two legitimate leaders. If this feudal conflict causes the entire southern region to turn into a battlefield¡­ I will execute the people responsible myself.¡±


    ¡°Eeeeeeekkk!¡±


    Everyone in Castle Valder was thrown into chaos. His surreal appearance, the ability to freely float in the sky¡­ anyone would recognize Joshua.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a year since the civil war ended, so I forbid any form of armed conflict taking ce. The leaders from the two sides shall resolve this matter on their own.¡±


    After Joshua finished speaking, he began tond on the ground, but he came to a halt with an uncharacteristic, mischievous smile.


    ¡°Keep in mind that Lady Charles is my fianc¨¦e.¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for the people¡¯s confusion to turn into shock that rolled over them like a typhoon. Charles was no exception.


    ¡°Fi-fi-fianc¨¦e?!¡± she shouted.


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°This¡¯ll keep them in check.¡±


    ¡°W-Wa-Wait a moment!¡± Charles stuttered helplessly for a long moment, her neck reddening in embarrassment.


    Everyone near her was staring at her right now.


    Charles rounded on Joshua as hended. ¡°I-It¡¯s not good to lie like that. What would the people think of their Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think I¡¯m the type of person who would care about that?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°Besides, there is something called a ¡®white lie''. I did it for the people, so who can me me?¡±


    Charle¡¯s eyes immediately narrowed. ¡°What? Then everything was a lie?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Phew, forget it. I expected too much from you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey, you must have forgotten then I¡¯m the emperor,¡± Joshuained.


    Charles pouted. ¡°You said to treat you like a friend earlier.¡±


    Joshua instantly shut his mouth.


    ¡°Since you¡¯ve helped me, can I ask for your help one more time?¡± Charles asked with a little smile.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Lend me Icarus. Thanks to you, I think this long battle of nerves will be even longer.¡±


    ¡°You weren¡¯t even making a request,¡± he replied, but grinned immediately. ¡°Borrow her as long as you need.¡±


    * * *


    Right after Joshua and Iceline left for the pce, a table was set to talk about how to resolve the conflict since no one in the south would dare to defy the Emperor¡¯s orders.


    ¡°Long time no see, Count Valder.¡±


    ¡°Lady Charles¡­!¡± Valder gritted his teeth.


    The situation couldn¡¯t have taken a worse turn. The appearance of the Emperor alone was enough to wreck all his ns, making Valder as frustrated as hell.


    <em>¡®Shall I flip this table over and start fighting?¡¯ </em>Valder wondered. However, that thought onlysted for a few seconds; he couldn¡¯t even think about defying that monstrous emperor.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t look too good, hahaha!¡± Charles covered her mouth and gloated.


    Of course, Valder scowled. ¡°How¡­ in the world did you make His Majesty take your side?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Everyone¡¯s heard the rumor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯ve heard the rumor of you confessing your love to His Majesty and getting turned down for good.¡± Valder grinned.


    Charles raised one of her long eyebrows. ¡°¡­It¡¯s hard to let thatment slide.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re saying I¡¯m wrong?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Charles nodded.


    ¡°Then the rumor must be false.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a false rumor. Haven¡¯t you heard what His Majesty said earlier? I¡¯m his fi-an-c¨¦e,¡± Charles said, emphasizing each syble. ¡°What are you going to do, Count Valder?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You really aren¡¯t going to fight His Majesty¡¯s fianc¨¦e until the end, are you?¡±


    Valder trembled. ¡°I never heard anything about His Majesty having a fianc¨¦e! Besides, do you think¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that His Majesty is a liar?¡± Charles interrupted.


    ¡°N-no, I¡¯m not¡­¡±


    Charles¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°It looks like that¡¯s what you¡¯re saying. Shall I head to the Imperial Pce and report this?¡±


    Since things turned out this way and she had learned that the greatest victory attainable was to win a war without spilling blood, she decided to act shameless. Besides, the southern people had been suffering for too long. When thest feudal conflict was about to end, a civil war had broken out across the whole Empire. Taxes had increased drastically, and all young men had been dragged into the battlefield, causing a serious imbnce in the gender ratio of the southern region. Even in the Pontier Duchy alone, the gender ratio was one to nine, the one being men and the nine being women.


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t make them suffer more,¡¯</em> Charles resolved.


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this with a knight¡¯s tournament,¡± she proposed.


    ¡°A kn-knight¡¯s tournament?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not bad for you either,¡± Charles said with a sly smile. ¡°I heard your knight¡¯s order is one of the top ten knight¡¯s orders in the continent.¡±


    If a knight¡¯s order was considered the top ten in Avalon, the Empire of Knights, then it was safe to assume that it was one of the best on the continent. It was possible because of Count Valder¡¯s tremendous funds; his family produced half of the grains consumed in the entire Avalon Empire.


    In contrast, the Pontiers¡¯ knights were in a pathetic state. Charles might have been able to rebuild her family and merchant group with money, but training knights required time and nothing could get around that. In addition, it wasn¡¯t easy to find a talented and loyal knight with the right mindset.


    ¡°Hehehe. Are you serious, Lady Charles?¡± Valder asked.


    ¡°I look like the one at a disadvantage, right? In return, I would like to add a condition.¡±


    ¡°A condition?¡± Valder repeated.


    ¡°A maximum of one hundred knights will be allowed to participate in the tournament, but my family doesn¡¯t exactly have a knight order right now. Therefore, I want both of us to be able to receive outside help.¡±


    ¡°Outside help¡­? Are you saying you¡¯re going to hire mercenaries?¡±


    ¡°I might recruit free knights.¡± Charles shrugged.


    Valder eyed Charles suspiciously for a moment. ¡°You aren¡¯t going to ask for His Majesty¡¯s help this time too¡­ right?¡± he reluctantly asked.


    ¡°His Majesty and the Imperial Knights aren¡¯t going to take part in this tournament at all. Of course, those Imperial Knights won¡¯t even join in on this one feudal fight in the first ce. Will you take this offer now?¡±


    Despite everything, Valder couldn¡¯t answer easily, so Charles added a term that he would definitely not be able to refuse.


    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll give you full ownership of the Pontier Merchant Group, not just co-ownership.¡±


    There were only two of them in this room, but Valder couldn¡¯t help looking around for a moment.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± he murmured.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to share the merchant group with the other five lords that oppose me bing the Duchess of Pontier. You can take the entire merchant group for yourself,¡± Charles exined. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re the most powerful one among the five, right? Make a public announcement that I, Lady Charles, proposed a knight¡¯s tournament for the seat of the next Pontier Merchant Group¡¯s leader and chose you as my opponent. I¡¯ll write a contract here if you can¡¯t trust me.¡±


    Charles was certain that Valder was going to take the deal since he was the man who had tried to start the feudal conflict. She knew he could not be satisfied with what he had right now.


    Just as Charles expected, Valder answered, ¡°¡­Then write one.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Since we¡¯re going to write a whole contract about this, let¡¯s write in the details of the tournament and seal the document as the heads of our families. The loser will relinquish everything they have.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Relinquish everything?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re trying to take your opponent¡¯s assets, but you weren¡¯t going to risk losing yours?¡± Charles asked sarcastically.


    ¡°¡­Hmm. What do you want from me, Lady Charles?¡±


    ¡°Well, not much. About 90% of the grain produced in yournd¡­¡± Charles trailed off with a cheerful voice.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°¡­I want the Pontier Merchant Group to have the exclusive sale rights over that grain.¡±


    Valder finally settled down. The offer was reasonable enough. Besides, he already thought of the Pontier Merchant Group as his own.


    ¡°¡­Good,¡± he agreed. ¡°The tournament will take ce one week from today in the Golden in of Valder.¡±


    Charles beamed. ¡°I like the sound of that, Count Valder.¡±

 Chapter 398

    Chapter 398


    Side Story of Icarus


    In the meantime, somewhere in the Imperial Pce of Avalon, Icarus was having a hard time believing her eyes.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± she shouted. ¡°I told you to clear your room more often!¡±


    ¡°Oh, hi.¡± Cain waved his hand, and rolled over in his bed.


    ¡°Now is not exactly the time to say hi! This is a pigsty, not a human room! This is why you can¡¯t get married, Sir Cain. No one likes a man who is filthy.¡±


    That finally got Cain up from the bed. ¡°Why are you nagging me as soon as you get here?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re living under the same roof, so you need to havemon courtesy. Common!¡±


    ¡°Gosh, someone might have a wrong idea if they heard you right now. We¡¯re living together in this enormous pce¡ªthere are at least a hundred roofs in this ce, not one. Besides, you¡¯re not the one responsible for cleaning!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult for servants to work.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite a saint,¡± Cain grumbled.


    ¡°That is why I call you sheltered. You¡¯ve never cleaned up a room yourself.¡± Icarus set an example herself by picking up the trash in front of her one piece at a time.


    ¡°Leave them be.¡± Cain waved his hand around.


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll do it myself instead of waiting and getting frustrated.¡±


    ¡°My family is greatly honored that Miss Icarus, the new power in the Imperial Pce, is personally cleaning up my room,¡± Cain said dramatically.


    Icarus snorted. ¡°I was born a peasant.¡±


    While the two bickered, a teenage girl stuck out her head through the gap in the opened door.


    ¡°Amel?¡± Icarus said.


    ¡°Miss Icarus, I was ordered to escort you to the council chamber right away,¡± Amel reported.


    ¡°Huh? By whom?¡±


    ¡°The Lord Steward. He said His Majesty returned¡­¡± Amel cautiously informed her.


    Cain and Icarus¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°His Majesty has returned?¡±


    ¡°Just a moment ago. From what I¡¯ve heard, he¡¯s going to send you, Miss Icarus, to support the feudal conflict of the Pontier Family,¡± Amel said.


    ¡°What? A feudal conflict?¡±


    ¡°I ran into Miss Iceline the Ice Archmage, and she told me about it.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­!¡± Cain gasped. A sparkle came to his eyes. ¡°He said he was going to travel alone for several days and yet he returned with Miss Iceline.¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°His Majesty must have brought a fianc¨¦e. Miss Iceline is more than good enough to be his wife. Oh, our master getting married. It shouldn¡¯t happen¡­¡±


    Icarus immediately gave Cain a death re. ¡°What do you mean it shouldn¡¯t? Whose life are you trying to ruin right now? I won¡¯t let our master meet the same future as you, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I¡¯m going to get married as soon as I meet someone!¡± Cain confidently imed.


    ¡°The problem is that there is no someone,¡± Icarus shot back..


    The two were not worried in the slightest about this feudal conflict because they were certain that nothing bad could happen after their master had gotten involved.


    ¡°So why is Lady Charles always looking for you when a problem rises?¡± Cain asked Icarus.


    ¡°I¡¯m talented.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, you¡¯re only book-smart.¡± Cain looked away.


    Icarus scowled at him. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Everyone calls you a heaven-sent mind, but I¡¯ve never seen you make a brilliant exploit.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have a chance to make one in the first ce! Our master takes care of everything on his own, so what more can I do?¡±


    ¡°Wow, that is a great excuse. Hmm~ Shall I use our master as an excuse as well? ¡®I¡¯m talented, but I never had a chance to use my talent.¡¯ Something along those lines?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you always receive help from our master? You weren¡¯t really his guard.¡± Icarus smirked.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Cain puffed up his chest. ¡°¡®Cain de Harry, the ck Lion¡¯ means something in the continent.¡±


    Icarus frowned. ¡°Forget it. Get ready to leave.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®huh?¡¯ You¡¯reing with me.¡±


    Cain gaped nkly at her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Amel mentioned a feudal conflict.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty already knows what is going on in that ce, but he¡¯s only sending me. Can¡¯t you see what he wants me to do? There is only one way to stop the feudal conflict from turning into an armed conflict and save Lady Charles¡¯s face, and it¡¯s a knight¡¯s tournament.¡±


    Icarus had analyzed the situation perfectly.


    ¡°A k-knight¡¯s tournament?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Does the Pontier family have a knight¡¯s order? I thought their order was annihted by the war against Marquess Crombell.¡±


    Icarus shrugged. ¡°Well, there is. She said she recently created several knight¡¯s orders.¡±


    ¡°She must have made them at thest minute by recruiting a few free knights.¡± Cain snorted.


    ¡°As you already know, a knight¡¯sbat power isn¡¯t the deciding factor in winning a tournament. Tactics, mobilizing and leading their fellow knights¡­ A knight¡¯s order in bad shape can often turn the tables due to many other factors.¡±


    ¡°So you mean the leader of a knight order is the most important one, but the Pontier family doesn¡¯t have such a knight.¡±


    Icarus stared at Cain without saying anything.


    ¡°What? Me?¡±


    ¡°Then who else is there?¡± Icarus said with a thin smile.


    ¡°Why me¡­?¡± Cain muttered in confusion.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®why?¡¯ Cain and Icarus are always a set.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re ridiculous,¡± Cain said¡ªbut he was already heading to the council chamber.


    Amel, who was watching them from behind, giggled and mumbled, ¡°They¡¯re always like that.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you one more question,¡± Cain said. ¡°You ask me to do stuff, but why do you always treat me so roughly?¡±


    ¡°Think about it positively. That is howfortable I feel around you.¡± Icarus¡¯ smile deepened.


    ¡°So is it me or our master?¡± Cain asked.


    Icarus frowned slightly. ¡°¡­What part of the conversation led you to ask this question?¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re worried about our master not getting married but not me? You can ¡®save¡¯ me, you know.¡±


    Icarus smiled. ¡°Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°Do you have a conscience?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a year older than His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°How much older are you than His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ When our master was nine, I was in my mid-twenties¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re at least twelve years older than me, right?¡±


    ¡°Come on, there is no age nor nationality in love.¡±


    ¡°I told you that you aren¡¯t my type, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°So what? Are you trying to be a queen consort?¡±


    After some time, Cain and Icarus arrived at the council chamber. Although the chamber should have been empty, someone was already here, leaning casually against the throne. That person was Cain and Icarus¡¯s one and only master.


    ¡°Sir Cain! Icarus!¡± Iceline delightedly waved her hand at them from afar.


    Cain beamed and waved his hand back at her. ¡°Miss Iceline! You¡¯ve be more beautiful.¡±


    However, Icarus¡¯ eyes were glued elsewhere, so Cain nudged Icarus¡¯s waist. ¡°We¡¯re meeting our friend for the first time in a while, so the least you can do is to say hello too.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, you were here too, Miss Iceline,¡± Icarus quietly said.


    ¡°What the¡­¡± Cain muttered.


    Icarus smiled faintly and turned to look at the throne without saying anything else. She noted that their master was nodding off on the throne, so she figured that his journey must have been tiring. After a moment, Icarus turned away.


    ¡°I saw him, so I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°¡­What? You¡¯re leaving like that?¡± Cain asked in disbelief.


    ¡°A strategist¡¯s virtue is to know what their master wants even without receiving orders.¡±


    ¡°But this is the first time we¡¯ve seen him in ages, so why don¡¯t we say hello before we go?¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Icarus shook her head. ¡°We¡¯re talking out loud, but he hasn¡¯t shown the slightest sign of waking up.¡±


    Cain raised an eyebrow. ¡°Huh, so you¡¯re really going to die working?¡±


    ¡°That is the mark of a true strategist.¡±


    Cain pouted like an absolute child. He didn¡¯t definitely didn¡¯t want to leave like this, so Cain turned and shouted at the top of his lungs:


    ¡°Maaaaassssstttteeeerrrr! Your fangirl is going to go on a business tripppppppp!¡±


    * * *


    Using a warp gate, Cain and Icarus arrived at the Pontier Dukedom in less than a day.


    ¡°Wee!¡± Charles, who had been waiting by the warp gate to wee the two, hugged Icarus, beaming.


    ¡°Lady Charles!¡± Icarus happily shouted.


    ¡°My.¡± Charles gasped dramatically. ¡°You¡¯re also here, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve gotten good at pretending, Lady Charles. You look like you knew I was going toe,¡± Cain grumbled.


    ¡°Hehe, you got me.¡± Charles winked. ¡°It was the only way because I added the condition that I wouldn¡¯t involve the Imperial Knights regarding the tournament.¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°Well, I¡¯m technically not an Imperial Knight.¡±


    It was known across the continent that Cain de Harry was only loyal to Joshua Sanders and was his first knight.


    ¡°On top of that, you¡¯re the one leading free knights right now, right?¡± Charles asked Cain.


    Cain had officially be a free knight after the end of the war because he wanted to help his master outside of the framework of the empire that Joshua ruled. Since anyone talented enough could be a free knight, the job was perfect for Cain.


    ¡°¡­Do you really need to bother with other people¡¯s help? I¡¯ll smash everything on my own if anything goes wrong.¡±


    ¡°I knew I could count on you,¡± Charles said. ¡°I know it¡¯s shameless of me, but is it okay if I entrust you with this matter? I¡¯ll repay this favor handsomelyter.¡±


    ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll have to do it.¡± Cain shrugged and took a step forward. ¡°Then I would like to be rewarded with an opportunity to have a date with you, Lady Charles.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? I¡¯m helping you at the risk of my life, so you aren¡¯t seriously going to say no, are you?¡± Cain asked dramatically.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not¡­¡± An idea shed through Charles¡¯s mind, bringing a mischievous smile to her lips. ¡°Are you sure you would be okay with that? I¡¯m your master¡¯s fianc¨¦e now.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Cain gaped nkly at her. ¡°By my master¡­ you mean His Majesty?¡±


    Even Icarus¡¯s breath caught. ¡°W-wait, Lady Charles, what do you mean ¡®fianc¨¦e¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I-It wasn¡¯t Miss Iceline?¡± Cain mumbled.


    ¡°Sir Cain! Stop talking nonsense! By the way, is it true, Lady Charles?¡± Icarus stared intently at Charles, but the noblewoman only smiled enigmatically.


    ¡°Oh my god, I feel betrayed,¡± Icarus moaned as she copsed to the ground. ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to go back.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°I want to date my master and get engaged to him! Sir Cain, you said you¡¯d smash everything on your own, right? Then please take charge of this tournament matter. I changed my mind. It¡¯s really unfair for me to only work until I die.¡±


    Charles and Cain stared vacantly as Icarus revealed a new side.

 Chapter 399

    Chapter 399


    Side Story of Sersiarin


    Sersiarin, the former princess of the Avalon Empire, had recovered fully. She was currently sitting in the center of a garden, enjoying the sunlight while surrounded by the blooming flowers.


    ¡°Lady Sersiarin.¡±


    Sersiarin¡¯s head turned and her eyes immediately widened.


    In the past, she had been blind, so her eyes had been nk. However, now, her golden eyes were intently focused on the man approaching her¡ªthey even sparkled now.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin!¡± Sersiarin shouted.


    ¡°It has been a long time since Ist met you.¡± The Sword Emperor bowed to her.


    Sersiarin quickly walked toward him. ¡°When in the world did youe back?


    The Sword Emperor looked her over for a moment and then smiled gently. ¡°You look well.¡±


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t be better.¡± Sersiarin raised her skinny arm and flexed her biceps, but of course, they were still almost t. ¡°Did Brother Kisere with you?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s still traveling all around the Empire. He¡¯s staying in the nearby inn for the moment.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± Sersiarin nodded.


    Right after Joshua had be the emperor, Kiser had left the Imperial Pce for good; he said that he wanted to see the Empire that he had almost ruined with his own eyes.


    In fact, it was outrageous for a prince to inspect an empire, but Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor, had been the first one to join Kiser on his trip. At the time, the Sword Emperor had been impressed by Kiser¡¯s decisiveness in choosing to give up the throne.


    ¡°Recently, he¡¯s be very happy when he sees the citizens¡¯ faces brighten up,¡± Tremblin mentioned.


    ¡°Good for him. I hope he¡¯s closer to finding his peace¡­¡± Sersiarin murmured.


    Tremblin nodded. ¡°Yes, everything has been returned to its original state. It won¡¯t take long for this Empire to be the Avalon Empire that I knew in the past.¡±


    ¡°Then how are things around the continent?¡±


    Tremblin exined the current state of affairs of the continent like a gentle teacher. In the Hubalt Empire, the Pope and the Knight of God came to the front and stabilized the Empire much quicker than anyone expected. The Swallow Empire recently made an announcement recognizing the Thran Kingdom¡¯s autonomy. Meanwhile, the other kingdoms were increasing their power.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m a bit worried. In the end, empires weakened and kingdoms became stronger. Can¡¯t this state lead to the start of the second Continental War?¡± Sersiarin asked.


    ¡°I highly doubt it.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why you think that way?¡±


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite of Hubalt and the me Emperor bis, who is now the ally of Swallow, came up with a brilliant solution.¡±


    ¡°A brilliant solution¡­?¡±


    Tremblin exined that right after the end of the Continental War, the two empires had made a promise topensate the kingdoms for the damages that they had suffered, but they had added a term: instead ofpensating each kingdom individually, the two empires were going to pay thepensation in totality to the Kingdom Alliance. That meant the kingdoms had to decide who took how much on their own, pitting the kingdoms against each other.


    ¡°That is really clever.¡±


    ¡°Since the war ended, it would be a problem for the two empires if the Kingdom Alliance is too solid and tries to do something funny¡­ Well, that¡¯s highly unlikely, though. Hahaha.¡± Tremblin chuckled.


    No matter how much the two empires had weakened, they were still empires, so if the Kingdom Alliance attacked them, they might work together again. Besides, there was also the Avalon Empire, where the civil war hadpletely ended.


    ¡°I heard the news,¡± Tremblin said.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re abandoning your Britten name and changing it to Sanders.¡±


    Changing her name to Sanders meant only one thing; it was why Sercarin was referred to as ¡°Lady¡± Sersiarin, not ¡°Princess¡± Serciairn.


    ¡°Will you not regret it?¡± Tremblin asked.


    ¡°¡­Of course not.¡±


    ¡°There are precedents where members of the Imperial Family with different surnames get married. On top of that, weddings for distant members of the Imperial Family with the same surname also take ce from time to time. Besides, isn¡¯t Her Imperial Majesty Lucia very fond of you?¡±


    ¡°That is why¡­ I shouldn¡¯t be more greedy,¡± Sersiarin answered. Her voice carried a steady determination.


    Tremblin¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he quicklyposed himself when he saw Sersiaring¡¯s sorrowful expression.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to burden those two. The Brittens are already being condemned, right? Among all imperial families, the Britten family tree is the most messed up,¡± Sersiarin said self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°Lady Sersiarin¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to involve His Majesty nor Her Imperial Majesty in this at all, so¡­¡± Sersiarin smiled. ¡°I¡¯m good with bing his sister. I¡¯m actually his sister, right? Her Imperial Majesty is my biological aunt.¡±


    After a moment, the Sword Emperor said, ¡°His Majesty returned yesterday.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Sersiarin nodded. ¡°I heard the news.¡±


    ¡°Do you want toe with me and meet him?¡±


    Sersiarin pondered for a moment and then shook her head. ¡°He must have a ton of work to deal with, so I¡¯ll goter.¡±


    For a moment, Tremblin looked at Sersiarin. Then he turned away. ¡°Why don¡¯t we have a meal togetherter? I know a very good cook.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always d to dine with you!¡± Sersiarin beamed.


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯ll get going; I need to report something.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I enjoyed meeting you again, Duke Tremblin!¡± Sersiarin waved her hand energetically.


    A smile gradually spread across Tremblin¡¯s face. ¡°As did I, Lady Sersiarin.¡±


    * * *


    Tremblin immediately headed to the council chamber straight away. He bowed to the throne, where Joshua sat, as soon as he entered.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re back too,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Yes; I, Tremblin, have returned to the pce just now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the news of you and Prince Kiser traveling around the Empire¡ªno, you¡¯re traveling the entire continent now, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°You two must have gone through a lot during the trip. Is there anything I can do to help?¡± Joshua offered.


    Smiling, Tremblin shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need your help unless we¡¯re getting attacked by three Stars.¡±


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha.¡±


    Joshua and Tremblin burst intoughter at the same time, as if they¡¯d timed it.


    ¡°However,¡± Tremblin began, ¡°I regret to report that I haven¡¯t been able to finish the task you gave me yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­The woman won¡¯t be found easily given that she was capable of summoning a high-ss wind elemental spirit before she was even twenty.¡±


    ¡°But if her name is Grace, then¡­¡±


    Joshua shook his head, cutting Tremblin off. ¡°No, her foster father may have hailed from the imperial family of the Swallow Empire, but she has nothing to do with them.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Tremblin nodded. ¡°I understand. You said that her name is Anna bel Grace, right? I¡¯ll report back to you as soon as I find her.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll trust you with this matter. I¡­ have to pay my debt to her.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Tremblin hesitated for a moment before he continued. ¡°Young Lord Babel has fully recovered and will officially be Duke Agnus.¡±


    Joshua flinched. ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, someone has to lead the family.¡±


    ¡°He made a hard decision,¡± Joshua said.


    Thanks to Joshua, the new emperor, the members of the Agnus family had avoided execution because he decided that only the criminal himself would be punished for his sins. Of course, numerous nobles had been opposed to the idea, but Joshua had subdued them by force.


    ¡°He could have abandoned his surname.¡± Joshua blurted.


    ¡°He said that it would be meaningless.¡±


    ¡°Meaningless?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°He said that abandoning his surname won¡¯t make his father¡¯s sins disappear. Everyone is pointing fingers at his family and calling Young Lord Babel a traitor, but he dered that he¡¯ll endure everything. To be honest, Babel von Agnus is a strong man, even from the perspective of an old man like me.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°He has always been quick on the draw. Shall I help him out a little, then?¡±


    ¡°With your help, Young Lord Babel would surely never want for assistance.¡±


    ¡°Of course, he¡¯s too prideful to take my help, so I¡¯ll have to help him in secret.¡± Joshua leaned back against the throne. ¡°I hope I can stabilize the Empire as quickly as possible as well.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already doing it. Haven¡¯t you involved the Magic Tower and other organizations in order to keep the nobles in check and stop them from scheming?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m far from done. I¡¯m just taking precautions. Besides¡­¡± Joshua trailed off, his face darkening. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­? What did you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. Duke Tremblin, can I ask you one more favor?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°What are you talking about? You don¡¯t have to ask me a favor. If you give me an order, then I will obey without dy.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s voice dropped, filling the council chamber with a hush. ¡°Please live for a very long time. I feel like my knights won¡¯t be enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­My. I know what I said, but this is too much, Your Majesty. I¡¯m already old; how much longer do you n to work me to the bone?¡±


    Joshua grinned. ¡°My n is to make you work until the day you die.¡±


    Tremblin smiled back. ¡°Then I¡¯ll uphold your order and live so long that I won¡¯t be able to remember your name, Your Majesty.¡±

 Chapter 400

    Chapter 400


    Epilogue


    Ten years passed; it was now the winter of Year 738 of the Continental Calendar. Joshua was climbing a snowy mountain, fighting against a strong blizzard for every step.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m near my limit,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    His heart throbbed. A closer look at his state revealed ck veins bulging out of his skin.


    -You¡¯ve actually been enduring everything quite well. Other people would have be a demon within a hundred days, but you¡¯ve dyed the transformation process for ten years, you stubborn bastard. However, it¡¯ll be meaningless after today because I have already regained most of my power. Thank you for training every day to prevent my demonic power from encroaching on you, since your body will soon be mine. Hehehehe.


    Joshua did not respond to the voice prattling inside his head.


    -You can¡¯t even afford to speak now, huh? It¡¯s okay. You and I are already one, so you¡¯re able tomunicate with me by just thinking.


    ¡°¡­Just like you said, you feed off my power.¡±


    -Oh? Now you feel like talking? Well, your ego will be erasedpletely anyway, so why don¡¯t we talk a little before it happens? We were actually great partners before, right?


    ¡°You mean two people with a very unpleasant history,¡± Joshua snapped back.


    -Don¡¯t be too harsh, hehehe. Humans have a saying: hate is another form of love.


    Joshua stopped climbing when he reached the edge of the cliff. He stood upon the coldest ce in the world. No one lived around this northernmost region where there was nothing but blizzards.


    ¡°This ce looks good,¡± Joshua said.


    -Are you going to kill yourself? It¡¯s meaningless, and you know it, don¡¯t you? You can now longer die even if you want to.


    That was the scary part of this demonic transformation process. The moment Joshua gave up on his life, the Demon Spirit would instantly take hold of his body.


    ¡°I have been thinking about this for quite a long time. You parasite off of my power and you¡¯ve beenpletely absorbed into my body, so it would be impossible to remove you from me.¡±


    -You know it very well.


    ¡°Then will you, a parasite, be able to survive if I starve you by stopping the flow of my powerpletely?¡± Joshua asked.


    -Hmph, I was wondering where you were getting at¡­ Stopping the flow of your powerpletely? I told you that your death is the most perfect way for me¡ª


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not talking about dying.¡±


    -¡­What?


    ¡°It would be more urate to say I¡¯m putting myself in a long-terma.¡±


    The Demon Spirit was palpably startled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll only kill my body. Of course, I haven¡¯t abandoned my will to live¡ªI actually came this far in order to survive.¡±


    -W-wait. What are you talking about¡ª


    ¡°I¡¯m going to freeze my body and stop the flow of my vital force until the day you diepletely. Even if it takes a year, ten years, or a hundred years, I¡¯m going to survive and get rid of you, Demon Spirit. Then I¡¯m going to return to the people who are waiting for me.¡±


    His will to live was based on his survival instinct and desire to live, and he held to those feelings more desperately than any other human in the world.


    ¡°Aqua, the primordial stone,¡± Joshua called.


    The power within him responded, by creating a giant pool of water. The primordial stone was the treasure of the Human Realm; with its remarkable abilities, creating a pool of water was a trivial matter.


    Joshua walked toward the pool without hesitation.


    -You crazy bastard! I¡¯ve never heard about freezing a living being. You might really die this time!


    ¡°It¡¯s better to die than losing my body to you,¡± Joshua firmly replied.


    -Wait. Stop! Stoooop!


    Joshua grinned as he was fully submerged in the water.


    ¡°Demon Spirit, you¡¯ll never be able to beat me,¡± he dered.


    The pool of water froze solid.


    * * *


    Winter of Year 750 of the Continental Calendar.


    The two men were walking down a road in the northernmost region of the Avalon Empire, where snow fell every day.


    ¡°It¡¯s cold enough to freeze my balls off. Shit, maybe I really have to head down south.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just saying stuff. You know how serious things are down there.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know, and I don¡¯t want to get dragged into the battlefield either. There¡¯s no such thing as a peaceful day in this country.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time that the war came to an end? It has already been two years since the rebels began their uprising across the entire country.¡±


    The other man stopped in his tracks. ¡°What? Have you heard the news about the war?¡±


    ¡°You know about the mercenaries who asionally visit our vige? I heard it from them.¡±


    ¡°Why would mercenaries visit this barren vige when even the higher-ups aren¡¯t interested in this ce?¡±


    ¡°That is how bad things are in the national army, and mercenaries are mostly with the national army. They lost and lost, and then they ended up here.¡± The man sighed. The weather was so cold that his breath created a white cloud so thick itpletely blocked his vision. ¡°I know it has nothing to do with us¡­ but it might be better for the rebels to win before the war stretches on any longer.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You might get punished if someone hears you! Besides, a new emperor will ascend the throne, right? Then the situation will be better for the national army!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s meaningless now¡­ Whoever the next emperor is, they won¡¯t be able to reach the level of the missing emperor. He was the famous Martial God¡ªeveryone in the continent knew about him! Gosh, that was a good time.¡±


    ¡°Then which prince do you think will be the Martial God¡¯s heir? Selim Sanders or Kireua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Why are you leaving out one of his children? You never know; Princess Iruca, his only daughter, might be the next emperor.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you¡¯re talking nonsense.¡±


    Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and the current emperor, had three children: two sons and one daughter. They were the aforementioned princes and princess.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s nonsense. It¡¯s more nonsense to keep dying and get nagged by our wives.¡±


    ¡°What? You¡¯re heading home right now? Why don¡¯t we grab a beer? It¡¯s been a really long time.¡±


    ¡°No thanks. While we were out there to get food, I walked around the snowfield with my eyes wide open for too long, and I now feel like they¡¯re spinning.¡±


    ¡°We still have something to show for it, right?¡± The man held up the dead rabbit in his grip and grinned. The two men were hunters, born and raised in the northernmost region of Avalon.


    * * *


    A person was watching those two hunters from afar, his face hidden beneath the folds of a hood. He hade to a halt to keep his distance from the hunters, but he abruptly started walking again.


    ¡°¡­Those children bing the emperor?¡±


    A snowy wind blew his hood off, revealing the face of a beautiful man with deep blue hair falling to his waist. He looked to be in his thirties at the oldest.


    ¡°Hah, I¡¯ll be able to leave this burden to somebody else then.¡±


    Considering the man¡¯s identity, it was truly an irresponsible remark. Of course, he had no intention of sitting on his hands. He was going to help the national army from the background.


    ¡°¡­It has been a long time since I left home.¡±


    The man¡¯s destination was finally decided. He was headed south, in the direction of Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°The looks on their faces¡­ are going to be a sight.¡±


    He walked in a slow, unhurried pace, an unusual smile dancing faintly on his lips.


    The end of ¡¶The Legendary Spearman¡¯s Return¡·.

 Side Story Chapter 1

    Side Story Chapter 1


    In Year 748 of the Continental Calendar, the throne of the Avalon Empire sat empty¡ªor should have been, for its owner was missing. Instead, a blonde woman in her thirties at most was sitting on the throne.


    ¡°I¡¯ve received a report of the rebels conquering the southern region just now,¡± an Imperial Knight reported.


    The news came as a shock¡ªit had only been five days since the rebellion had broken out in the southern region. Nevertheless, the woman on the throne remained silent. The Imperial Knight in front of her waited for her instructions without saying anything either.


    ¡°How big is the rebel army?¡± the woman finally asked.


    ¡°The estimated number is one hundred thousand, currently led by Marquess Suspen, who is calling himself the Southern King.¡±


    It was truly an arrogant title. Would they have still been able to act like this if he was still here?


    ¡°¡­Any news on His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. Sir Cain is looking everywhere¡­¡± The Imperial Knight trailed off.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to scour this vast continent on his own. Besides, he has gotten old.¡±


    ¡°He always says that he¡¯s still hale and hearty. Commander¡ªno, Cain, the exmander, will find His Majesty for sure.¡± The Imperial Knight nodded.


    ¡°¡­There is something that His Majesty also used to say to Sir Cain,¡± the woman muttered.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°¡®Use that energy to get married.¡¯¡±


    ¡°<em>Cough¡­</em>¡± The Imperial Knight tried desperately to notugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to look like Sir Cain didn¡¯t get to marry because of His Majesty.¡± The woman quietly heaved a sigh. ¡°Where is Sir Cain right now?¡±


    ¡°He¡­ is training the knights.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a scolding?¡± the woman flippantly remarked.


    The Imperial Knight didn¡¯t answer, but his silence was answer enough.


    Ten years passed since the disappearance of the Emperor of Avalon, and it had been two years since civil war had broken out within the great Avalon Empire, dividing the vast territory into five parts: the central region, where the woman and the Imperial Knights were right now, the east, the west, the south, and the north.


    The current emperor¡¯s reign had a rocky start. Although the Emperor had the right to take the throne, the process with which he had done so was closer to a coup than an inheritance. However, the Emperor had suppressed all forms of resistance with his overwhelming power. And yes, that was the very emperor who was missing now¡­


    ¡°How are the situations in the other regions?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t good.¡±


    Of course they weren¡¯t. The rebel army¡¯s key forces had spread to all five regions in an attempt to overthrow the government by starting simultaneous uprisings all over the Empire.


    ¡°The other countries won¡¯t stay still if the civil war stretches any further.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll never let it happen,¡± the Imperial Knight said with determination.


    The Avalon Empire was no longer the overwhelmingly strongest empire like it was before. It wasn¡¯t that the Empire had weakened, but that the other countries had made remarkable progress. In the past, there were three strong countries, seven mediocre countries, and two weak countries. However, it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that there was now one superpower country and eleven other countries; the entire continent was in chaos right now.


    ¡°¡­The Hubalt Empire.¡±


    The three empires were the main cause of this chaos. The Swallow Empire, which had been one of the three strong countries, self-destructed. Although the Swallow Empire and Thran Kingdom had equal status now, it was just all show and no substance because of the discriminating elitist citizens of the Swallow Empire.


    Those citizens didn¡¯t try to ept the people of the Thran Kingdom as their equals. The problem was nominal autonomy. It might have been different if the two countries¡¯ governments were united, but the idea of one country, two systems was ridiculous to them. Their culture, policy, heritage, race, rulers¡­ The citizens of these two countries shared no simrities, but the governments put them together by force¡­


    After a long moment, the woman heaved a sigh. ¡°It really is a shame. It would have been great if they could help us.¡±


    Cerona bel Grace was the female emperor of the Swallow Empire, and bis was the king of the Thran Kingdom. Both were allies of the Avalon Empire. The two of them hade up with the one country, two systems n, but that n had turned out to be an utter failure. Afterward, civil war also broke out within the Swallow Empire. The conflict continued to go on. While the other two empires were busy fighting within themselves, the Hubalt Empire had increased its power drastically.


    The Avalon Empire¡¯s foreign affairs alone was a great source of trouble, but the state of affairs within the Avalon Empire had be even more serious over time.


    ¡°Who is the leader of these rebels? Who is their symbol right now?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°Their nominal head is Carmen von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°¡­I knew it¡­¡± the woman bitterly muttered.


    The Ducal Family of Agnus had been the most prestigious noble family within the empire, but after the death of Aden von Agnus, the family became irreparably maligned. The family existed for the Dark God and for him only, so with their god gone, their demise was only a matter of time. Of course, while sympathetic, the woman had no intention of going easy on them.


    She came to a decision.


    ¡°I, Sersiarin Sanders, order you.¡±


    The Imperial Knight straightened. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m listening.¡±


    The woman¡¯s name was Sersiarin Sanders. The current members of the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire had no middle name¡ªwhich was surprising since the whole concept of a middle name was to show how special one was. However, the Imperial Family, the people with the noblest blood in the Empire, gave up their middle names.


    Of course, it was done by the current emperor, who always hated anything authoritative. He said that the highest ranking person should lead by example, and kept his name as it had been before he ascended to the throne.


    ¡°The southern region is important. Her Majesty¡¯s family is there, and that ce is the breadbasket of the Empire. Therefore, I¡¯ll dispatch the First Battalion knights and one hundred thousand soldiers.¡±


    ¡°B-by the First Battalion, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Sersiarin nodded determinedly. ¡°Tell Sir Cain to put a pause on his search for His Majesty and head to the south immediately.¡±


    ***


    At the southern region of the Avalon Empire, Marquess Suspen looked at the scorched castle wall and recalled his old memories.


    ¡°We finally reimed the south,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Things are going easier than I expected. I definitely did not expect them to willingly abandon the castle.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re trying to join forces since they know that we need to go through Fortress Raymond to get to Arcadia from here,¡± Suspen exined.


    ¡°They were also certain that we wouldn¡¯t harm the citizens. They¡¯re really arrogant.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re also citizens of the Avalon Empire. I¡¯m saying this just in case, but don¡¯t do anything rash,¡± Suspen warned him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep in mind that our priority is winning the people¡¯s hearts.¡±


    Suspen nodded in reply. The other man was really quick on the uptake, and Suspen didn¡¯t think that way just because the man was his son. In addition, his sword skills were also exceptional, so Suspen had no reason to not keep the man by his side on the battlefield.


    ¡°It has been ten years since Joshua Sanders went missing,¡± Suspen murmured.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°No one knows why he went missing yet. What could have happened to him?¡± Suspen wondered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already conquered eighty percent of the empire, so even if the Emperor shows up again, what can he do?¡±


    Suspen frowned. ¡°You only say that because you didn¡¯t get to meet him.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Argo, remember that Joshua Sanders is a man with an immeasurable amount of power. He¡¯s the only man in the continent who has yed a god.¡±


    ¡°Rumors are always exaggerated. I¡¯m confident about my chances and also don¡¯t think the Emperor will be able to defeat you, my lord,¡± Argo replied.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. You¡¯re more talented than I am, and you became an expert when you were twenty, right?¡± Suspen asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, my lord,¡± Argo proudly replied.


    Bing an expert at the age of twenty was something one could brag about for their entire life. There were less than ten people in the continent who had made such an achievement, after all. But¡­


    ¡°Joshua Sanders was a ss A at your age,¡± Suspen said.


    ¡°Pardon? By ss A, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°If I remember correctly, all of them are now called Masters.¡±


    Argo¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. ¡°I-is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible! The me Emperor, who is currently considered the strongest Star among the Nine, isn¡¯t at that level¡­¡± Argo trailed off.


    ¡°That very me Emperor lost to Joshua Sanders too.¡±


    Argo, startled, shut his mouth.


    Come to think of it, Argo had read about that in a biography entitled ¡¶Joshua Sanders, the Reigning Emperor¡¯s Life¡·, but he didn¡¯t really want to read or hear stories about the current emperor. History was written by the winners, so he thought it was definitely exaggerated. Argo had struggled to keep his morale up, so he didn¡¯t wish to kill it with an absurd rumor.


    Suspen firmly shook his head. ¡°You need to hear this. In order to win a war, you need to know your enemy.¡±


    ¡°B-but¡­ I have confidence in myself!¡±


    ¡°¡­In that case, do you want to test it?¡± Suspen asked.


    ¡°What? What are you¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Over there.¡± Suspen pointed north.


    Of course, Argo knew exactly whaty in that direction.


    ¡°Fortress Raymond¡­?¡±


    ¡°All the loyalist remnants from the south must be in there, along with the child of the Emperor you were wondering about.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you talking about Kireua Sanders?¡± Argo quietly asked.


    ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s the same age as you, right?¡±


    Argo¡¯s face darkened. Kireua Sanders was one of a few people in the entire Empire that Argo considered his rival. Kireua had been taught by the Knight of Red me, the Star who still shone brilliantly.


    ¡°¡­Someone told me that the current emperor intentionally led the situation to turn out like this,¡± Suspen mumbled.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s trying to sort out bad seeds. It has already been twenty years since the current emperor took the throne. The children born at the time have be adults, so it¡¯s the perfect opportunity for the rebels toe back out of hiding.¡±


    ¡°Th-the are you saying that Joshua Sanders saw everythinging and started this to arrest all the rebels?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but we¡¯ll find out soon.¡± Suspen¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    The Emperor was surely a monster, but he was still a human like them. If he had the slightest amount of affection for his children and something bad hadn¡¯t happened to him, Joshua Sanders was going to show up soon.


    ¡°After the death of the Dark God, many nobles weren¡¯t happy about the current emperor taking the throne, but no one dared to say it out aloud. That was how overwhelmingly strong the Emperor was¡ªbut no longer,¡± Suspen dered. ¡°Over the past twenty years, we¡¯ve gotten remarkably stronger than before, and that monstrous Emperor is still out in the wild. Even if he shows up like you say¡­ we¡¯ll be able to take the Avalon Empire because we, the four Kings of the rebel army, have be as strong as a Star.¡±


    His eyes gleamed as he drew his sword.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he said. ¡°We won¡¯t be able to achieve anything without taking risks. We¡¯ll march over our deadrades and drink our enemies¡¯ blood after slitting their throats. That is how we will build our own little world.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll follow you to the end of hell!¡± Argo shouted.


    Suspen released his radiant aura and d his upheld sword in it.


    ¡°Let the main story begin.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 2

    Side Story Chapter 2


    Joshua Sanders had emerged victorious in every one of the countless battles he had engaged in. He was the hero of the Avalon Empire¡ªand of the entire continent. In fact, he was more than a hero; the world knew him as the Hero King. Kireua Sanders looked up to the Martial God. Although Kireua hadn¡¯t spent much time with Joshua, he heard the stories about Joshua again and again until he could recite them in his sleep.


    ¡°Can you really afford to daydream right now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hup!¡± Kireua¡¯s breath caught in his throat as their swords shed.<em></em>It was time for Kireua to stop daydreaming and focus on this battle.


    His opponent moved swiftly and unleashed a barrage of attacks against Kierua with his sword; each one of those attacks were so sharp that they looked like they could cut through his bones.


    Kireua bent his waist backward. Although he looked like he was going to drop the ground, he stopped midway¡ªjust in time to see a silver line passing him by.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve gotten quite good at improvising.¡± His opponent grinned, his sword still extended.


    Kireua smiled back at his opponent. ¡°I¡¯m just getting started, actually.¡±


    ¡°The waist is a crucial part for men. If you use it like that, it¡¯ll break down quickly.¡±


    ¡°That is why I always do core exercises as much as I practice my sword skill, and I¡¯m certain that I do that more than most people.¡± Kireua puffed up his chest.


    ¡°Is that so? Then you won¡¯t need to spar with me any longer.¡± His opponent sheathed his sword without hesitation. The man looked about six years older than Kierua, who was neen years old this year.


    ¡°Ah,e on!¡± Kireua dramatically shouted. ¡°Yeah, I daydreamed a little bit, but the great Imperial Knight doesn¡¯t have to act this cheap.¡±


    ¡°Talking me up won¡¯t do you any good.¡±


    Kireua smiled. ¡°You said that you want to test my ability.¡±


    ¡°¡­Was there something you haven¡¯t shown me yet?¡± Kireua¡¯s opponent drew his sword again, drawing a sigh of relief from Kireua. It wasn¡¯t easy to find a sparring partner in this ce, especially a knight who was on the level of Kierua¡¯s current opponent.


    Kireua straightened his posture. ¡°Then let¡¯s continue.¡±


    The sudden re of a trumpet made Kireua and Hamel, his sparring partner, freeze.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think this is the time for us to be ying around here.¡±


    ¡°Are they finally here?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I think so¡­ I¡¯ll prepare the men to defend the fortress.¡±


    At that moment, a messenger approached them. ¡°Your Highness!¡± he shouted. ¡°Ie with an urgent message!¡±


    ¡°Give it to me.¡± Kireua received a piece of white paper and found that it only bore one sentence. ¡°Advising me to surrender¡­? Who do they think I am?¡±


    Kierua ripped the paper in two without a second thought.


    ¡°Our best choice is to abandon the fortress and exit through the rear gate,¡± Hamel advised.


    The Fortress Raymond was located between two sharp cliffs and only had two gates: the main gate to the southern region and the rear gate to the capital. That was why it was called a heaven-sent, imprable fortress. If the people in the fortress focused on defending one gate, then they could stop an army that outnumbered them many times over.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What are you talking about? I never run away from a fight.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not running away. It¡¯s a strategic withdrawal. The enemy army is ten times bigger than ours, so we have to consider the option.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Hero King won a battle against an enemy army that was a hundred times bigger than his,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­Your Highness,¡± the messenger, who hadn¡¯t left yet, cautiously said.


    Kireua looked askance at him.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but they also sent this¡­¡±


    ¡°That is¡­?¡± Hamel¡¯s eyes widened.


    The piece of paper that the messenger handed to Kireua this time was red, not white, and only two names were written on it. That kind of red paper meant one thing in the continent of Igrant.


    ¡°This is a challenge to a duel,¡± Hamel murmured. ¡°Who could have¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­It has my name on top,¡± Kireua said.


    Hamel firmly shook his head. ¡°You can ignore it. Your title might be temporary, but it¡¯s ridiculous to challenge amander-in-chief to a duel.¡±


    However, Kireua looked rather intrigued. ¡°Who is Argo rane Suspen?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know him? He¡¯s one of the most prominent knights in the Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about him. Is he that talented?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°If I had to put a number on him, he would be at least ninth strongest among the knights around his age. He¡¯s actually the same age as you.¡±


    They were talking about the knights within an empire, not a kingdom. Being the ninth strongest knight in this vastnd was certainly impressive, but¡­ it was nothing from Kireua¡¯s perspective.


    ¡°I won¡¯t have to worry much about him,¡± Kireua remarked with a shrug.


    ¡°You can¡¯t think lightly of him. His father is <em>the </em>Marquess Suspen,¡± Hamel stressed.


    ¡°Ah, is he the Ghost yer who became a Master ten years ago?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Argo rane Suspen, his son, is already almost at the level of an intermediate expert.¡±


    ¡°If he¡¯s neen and an intermediate expert, then he¡¯s truly something else. Do you know him very well, Sir Hamel?¡±


    ¡°¡­In the past, he took the test to be an Imperial Knight,¡± Hamel answered after a moment of hesitation.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°What was the result?¡±


    ¡°ording to the old rule that Cain implemented while he was inmand, a knight has to beat an Imperial Knight to be one of the Imperial Knights,¡± Hamel exined. ¡°To cut straight to the chase, Argo rane Suspen won the fight.¡±


    ¡°That is amazing. Our Imperial Knights are a force to be reckoned with.¡±


    ¡°We increased the number of the Imperial Knights from one thousand to two thousand that year,¡± Hamel added.


    ¡°Aha, so he beat a prospective Imperial Knight, not an official Imperial Knight.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that he didn¡¯t be an Imperial Knight even after he won the fight. In fact, it only happened a year ago¡ªhe must have known what was going to happen,¡± Hamel bitterly concluded.


    Kireua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I just made a decision.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Hamel firmly shook his head.


    ¡°Huh? I haven¡¯t even said anything yet.¡±


    Hamel¡®s eyes narrowed. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re going to ept this duel.¡±


    ¡°You and I haven¡¯t known each other for long, but you certainly catch on quickly.¡±


    ¡°Please remember what your position is. You¡¯re themander-in-chief of this fortress. There is no precedent anywhere on the continent of amander-in-chief going into a duel against an enemy general!¡± Hamel shouted.


    ¡°What do you mean there is no precedent? Yes, there is: the Hero King.¡±


    ¡°You keep mentioning him, but His Majesty is an exception!¡± Hamel frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m his son.¡±


    ¡°Phew.¡± Hamel gave up in the end and threw his hands into the air. ¡°So you¡¯re going to ept the challenge.¡±


    Kireua grinned. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s sword shone radiantly and ayer of his me-like aura slowly spread over his sword.


    ¡°A tiger cub can¡¯t possibly lose to a baby fox, right?¡± Kireua¡¯s smile deepened.


    * * *


    A beautiful woman with cat-like eyes and snow-white skin sighed. Her hair resembled zing fire, and her ruby eyes were as brilliant as her hair. Although she was over forty right now, she looked to be in her thirties.


    Her name was Charles¡ªCharles Sanders. It was evident by her surname, but she was the queen consort of this Empire. Before she became a queen consort, her name was Charles di Pontier, the head of the Ducal Family of Pontier in the south.


    ¡°Did this war really have to break out during my vacation ¡­?¡± Charles sighed once again.


    Ten years had passed since the disappearance of the Emperor of Avalon. During those long years, she had to substitute for that irresponsible man. It was always better for the most experienced person to take charge, and she happened to be the most experienced in leading peoplepared to the other members of the Imperial Family.


    ¡°¡­This was the first vacation I¡¯ve had with my son in ten years.¡±


    The war had broken out silently. Simultaneous uprisings had started all over the Empire, and the southern region, where she was right now, wasn¡¯t an exception.


    ¡°Mom, it¡¯s me!¡± a man shouted from outside the door, making Charles frown immediately. ¡°I¡¯m going in.¡±


    The door opened, admitting a young man with red hair that looked exactly like Charles¡¯s. However, his eyes were quite distinctly ck. Charles¡¯s heart-throb guest was actually her son.


    ¡°Kireua, haven¡¯t I told you?¡± Charles massaged her temples.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Refrain from calling me mom in this ce,¡± Charles said.


    Kireua awkwardly scratched the back of his head. ¡°Well, why not? No one is around.¡±


    ¡°They say the walls have ears for a reason. You always need to behave yourself.¡±


    ¡°Aye, aye. Yes, Your Majesty. You¡¯re so strict that your dear son won¡¯t be able to act like your little boy again,¡± Kireua pouted.


    Charles gave him a bitter look. ¡°Please understand, Kireua. You can go to the other moms and y like you did when you were young. As you already know, I¡¯m the busiest one.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why my dream is to be like His Majesty,¡± Kireua solemnly replied.


    ¡°¡­That was very random.¡±


    ¡°Why not? He lets his wives take care of the state affairs and has beautiful women like you as his wives, but people still praise him and say that a hero indeed likes women[1].¡±


    ¡°You and your mouth again.¡± Charles was about to scold him, but she covered her face with her hand. ¡°¡­Phew, forget it. I have enough work already. How did a sly fox like youe out of my womb?¡±


    ¡°I guess I take after Dad.¡±


    ¡°Your Dad is far from sly. He¡¯s actually a very honest man.¡± Charles recalled old memories.


    ¡°Then do I take after you, Mom?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a sly son like you~!¡± Charles said with a sing-song voice.


    ¡°Come on~!¡± Kireua quickly approached her and crawled into her arms.


    ¡°My, aren¡¯t you a little too old to be doing this?¡±


    ¡°Your dear son just wishes for Her Majesty to let down her burden a little bit,¡± Kireua quietly answered.


    Charles stopped trying to break away from Kireua¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m just saying you don¡¯t have to burden yourself too much. You have me by your side, right?¡± Kireua smiled.


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡± Charles smiled faintly. ¡°...you really are a grown-up now. You know how to touch people¡¯s hearts.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe.¡±


    However, Kireua¡¯s giggling quickly came to a halt because Charles turned serious. She took her son¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Kireua.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom?¡±


    ¡°Never let your guard down. I was serious about behaving yourself. It¡¯s not that our national army is weak, but the rebel army is a force to be reckoned with,¡± Charles advised him with a worried voice.


    The rebels had been hiding for dozens of years. With that kind of wicked determination, they were capable of anything.


    ¡°You can tell what I mean from how the southern region was taken right away, can¡¯t you?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t ept their victory.¡± Kireua shook his head. ¡°They raided an empty nest like cowards.¡±


    ¡°Raiding an empty nest is a valid military tactic. Refusing to ept the enemy¡¯s victory is just making excuses. At the end of a war, there are only winners and losers.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you think so, then you have all the more reason to not worry,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Mmm¡­?¡±


    Kireua squeezed Charles¡¯s hand back. ¡°I am Kireua Sanders, the son of Joshua Sanders¡ªand he never lost a fight.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Charles was rendered speechless.


    Kireua smiled widely. ¡°I¡¯ll get going now.¡±


    1. It¡¯s an old four-character idiom. ?

 Side Story Chapter 3

    Side Story Chapter 3


    After conquering the southern region, the Suspen Rebel Army founded a country to differentiate itself entirely from the central government. The new country¡¯s name was the Southern Avalon Empire, and the founding king was Dargo rane Suspen.


    The rebel army in the south had a bad reputationpared to the armies in the other regions. Although the army¡¯sbat power was also questionable, the real problem was the history of the southern rebel army¡¯s leaders. Marquess Suspen, the head of the southern rebels, had been working for the Ducal Family of Pontier for generations, and that was why Dargo hurried in establishing a kingdom. As long as Dargo and his family were called rebels, they were just traitors.


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead the army, Your Majesty,¡± Argo said.


    ¡°Are you sure you will be okay?¡±


    ¡°I was the one who sent the red paper to the enemymander-in-chief, so please don¡¯t worry.¡± Argo smiled.


    Argo was genuinely confident. He intended to change people¡¯s perceptions of them in this battle. The weak south rebel army? He was going to show them his and the army''s real abilities. Traitor? If a woman hadn¡¯t be Duke Pontier, then Suspens might have stayed loyal to the Pontiers. The start of their frustration was a duchess seeding the honorable Pontier Family after its fall.


    Dargo shook his head. ¡°The Prince will never ept the challenge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still good for us. Our soldiers¡¯ morale will rise if the prince hides with his tail tucked between his legs.¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but it won¡¯t work,¡± Dargo argued. ¡°Everyone knows that your challenge was far-fetched from the start.¡±


    ¡°Under usual circumstances, it would have been far-fetched,¡± Argo countered.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten that themander-in-chief of that fortress is Joshua Sanders¡¯s son?¡±


    Dargo¡¯s eyes widened.


    Joshua Sanders¡¯s name still bore indescribably weight in Igrant. The army that fought alongside him was never defeated. No one was able to block Joshua¡¯s spear even once. He was the hero of the Empire and of the entire continent. He was a legend.


    ¡°I think there is a fifty-fifty chance.¡±


    ¡°A fifty-fifty chance?¡± Dargo repeated.


    ¡°A fifty-fifty chance of him epting the challenge.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then let me rephrase my question. Are you sure you can win if he takes the challenge?¡±


    Argo grinned. ¡°I¡¯m hoping he does.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m worrying for no good reason because I¡¯m getting older, but he won¡¯t be any ordinary opponent. Just like you said, Kireua Sanders is the Emperor¡¯s son.¡±


    Argo shrugged. ¡°The only thing he has going for himself is his blood, which is now just symbolic. It¡¯s not like the Emperor himself taught Kierua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°The Emperor resided in the Pce until ten years ago, so who knows?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Kierua Sanders went to the Thran Kingdom to study when he was very young, unlike the rest of the Imperial Family.¡±


    Dargo nodded. ¡°I heard.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I found out about it while I was taking the Imperial Knights¡¯ testst year. But above all, he uses a sword, not a spear.¡±


    Joshua Sanders, the missing emperor, had, as Argo pointed out, conquered the Empire with his spear.


    ¡°You seem awfully interested in Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s my age. Besides, he¡¯s the son of a living legend.¡±


    ¡°Can I trust you with this?¡± Dargo asked.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll never lose in a sword fight. Our Suspen Ghost ying Art is the strongest sword art in the continent,¡± Argo said with a confident smile and saluted. ¡°Please leave this to me. I¡¯ll return with Kireua Sanders¡¯ head.¡±


    * * *


    A single re of the trumpet signaled that the enemy army was on the move.


    The second st from the trumpet signaled that the enemy army had just passed the valley, which was ten kilometers away from the fortress. Kireua couldn¡¯t help but clench his fists as he stood on top of the fortress ramparts and looked down. Numerous soldiers and knights stood by his side.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Hamel.¡±


    ¡°Are you nervous?¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t really say no.¡± Kireua wiped the sweat off of his forehead.


    For the past several months, the battles had been small, so this was his firstrge-scale battle since he had returned to the Avalon Empire. On top of that, he was themander-in-chief in today¡¯s battle on behalf of his mother, who was feeling under the weather.


    ¡°You made the right call to not answer the red paper. Amander-in-chief should be able to see the bigger picture. I¡¯m not saying you should stay behind and just yell ¡®March!¡¯ but you should be really careful about telling the soldiers to follow you. Everyone¡¯s life depends on you, Your Highness.¡±


    Hamel¡¯s advice was sincere, but¡­


    ¡°¡­Sir Hamel, how well do you know me?¡±


    Hamel flinched. ¡°Pardon? Well¡­.¡±


    He¡¯d heard the rumors about Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire. The Prince had two older brothers and one older sister, so¡­


    ¡°People think I ran away,¡± Kireua said. ¡°I wasn¡¯t a prince of a kingdom going to an empire to study. It was the opposite, even though my dad, the best knight in the continent, was in the Empire.¡±


    Kireua nced down at his belt, where a sword one hundred and fifty centimeters in length rested. When Kireua had been a child, he always wished how great it would be if it was a spear.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t cut out to be a spearman. Me and the spear weren''t a good match.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the same for everyone else,¡± Hamel quietly said.


    In fact, knights using spears were rare even in this generation. Of course, that was only the case for the knights above the level of an expert because the soldiers preferred using a spear rather than a sword. However, it became a problem for those knights past a certain level. It becamemon knowledge in the continent that if a knight could be an expert with a spear, then he was more than capable of bing a Master by using a sword.


    The trumpet red for thest time, just as Kireua caught a glimpse of the enemy army marching out of the far end of the valley.


    ¡°I was alwayspared to him and called a coward. When I began to focus on training with a sword, people mocked me, saying talent wasn¡¯t hereditary.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­¡± Hamel trailed off.


    ¡°But I don¡¯t want to take it anymore.¡±


    Hamel couldn¡¯t say anything; he had no right toment about something he hadn¡¯t experienced.


    ¡°Listen, Kireua Sanders!¡± someone¡¯s mana-powered voice shouted. ¡°I am Argo rane Suspen, the prince of the Southern Avalon Empire!¡±


    The rebel army stopped right outside the range of arrows, and a young man riding a white horse came to the front of the army.


    ¡°I came here myself because you haven¡¯t answered my red paper! Are you not going to ept my challenge to a duel, Kireua Sanders, son of the Emperor?!¡±


    ¡°Bwhahahahaha!¡±


    On cue, the rebel army burst intoughter.


    ¡°That coward! He must have chickened out.¡±


    ¡°And he calls himself the Hero King¡¯s son. <em>Tsk, tsk</em>, that must be why he hauled his ass to the Thran Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I guess I should have seen iting since he¡¯s been hiding behind his mother¡¯s skirts until now. Hahahaha!¡±


    Kireua raised an eyebrow.


    Hamel quickly approached Kireua. ¡°Don¡¯t let them get into your head!¡±


    The soldiers and knights were watching Kireua with worried eyes. Everyone must have been thinking the same as Hamel. If the rebel army soldiers sessfully provoked theirmander-in-chief, the morale of the soldiers and knights would totally copse.


    ¡°¡­I told you before, right? I don¡¯t want to take it anymore.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Hamel shouted.


    Before Hamel could stop Kireua, the Prince had jumped down from the ramparts.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Hamel couldn¡¯t believe how easily the rebel army soldiers had gotten into Kireua¡¯s head! The die was already cast and he had failed to stop Kireua. They were out of options. In other words, Hamel had to prepare for the worst scenario.


    ¡°Ready the knights to intervene in the duel at any time!¡± Hamel instructed.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    * * *


    Argo¡¯s eyes sharpened because he just saw someone dropping down from the fortress¡¯s ramparts. The idea that shed through his mind was absolutely mad, but it soon turned out to be true.


    ¡°I am Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire! I will ept your challenge, Argo rane Suspen!¡±


    ¡°Th-that idiot¡­¡± Thrill overwhelmed Argo. ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡±


    He flicked his hand at his soldiers and they slowly stepped backward. Argo was in his best state and could feel the adrenaline rushing through every vein.


    Argo eagerly drew his sword. Kireua approached a quietly neighing ck horse, which he had presumably prepared in advance, mounted it, and immediately spurred it toward Argo.


    Argo smiled crookedly. He could think about Kireua¡¯s motivester. All that mattered right now was that the prince had epted the challenge. The stronger the impression Argo left on the audience with this duel, the better. If possible, Argo had to end this duel with one strike to prevent anyone from interfering.


    Kireua judged that Argo¡¯s soldiers had retreated far enough and sped his horse up. Argo tightened his grip on the reins as well. At this kind of distance, the soldiers in the fortress wouldn¡¯t be able to fire their arrows since they might hit their ownmander-in-chief.


    Kireua was now a hundred meters away from Argo.


    Argo infused his bizarrely purple aura, which was called Ghost yer, into his sword. The reason why it gained such a frightening title was that it zed with fire that could burn away a ghost.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!!!!¡± Argo roared. His muscles contracted, and his blood pumped powerfully through his veins as mana poured out from his mana hall. Right now, Argo felt like he wouldn''t lose to anyone on the continent.


    He hadn¡¯t been just putting ayer of mana over his sword, either. He made his aura take a definite form, which indicated that Argo was at the level of a great expert.


    Kireua was now ten meters away from Argo. If Kireua was this close¡­


    Argo kicked his white horse forward, drawing a quiet neigh in response. He had no intention of dragging out this duel, so he had only one chance of cutting off Kireua¡¯s head and increasing his army¡¯s morale!


    Argo¡¯s eyes widened.


    Fire suddenly rose up from Kireua¡¯s sword, but it was different from Argo¡¯s because Kireua¡¯s fire was scarlet. On top of that, Kireua¡¯s fire burned brightly in the clear form of a sword. Kireua¡¯s sword was basically oveid with another sword, meaning one thing.


    ¡°¡­A Master?¡± Argo¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground.


    Those were Argo¡¯sst words in this world.

 Side Story Chapter 4

    Side Story Chapter 4


    Fire zed up from Kireua Sanders¡¯s sword. Although he had just in his enemy, his aura wasn¡¯t extinguished for a long time. Kireua¡¯s scarlet me was strong enough to even swallow another me. Although the level of Kireua¡¯s me was higher than the other mes, it wasn¡¯t enough to satisfy Kireua because he had known very well for a long time that he was unmatched among his rivals.


    Argo rane Suspen¡¯s headless corpse btedly copsed to the ground. Argo¡¯s horse wailed intively at the loss of its owner; it seemed to know what its fate would be.


    Kireua finally flicked his sword through the air, sttering Argo¡¯s blood on the ground.


    ¡°Killll Kireua Sanderssss!¡±


    ¡°Protect His Highnesss!¡±


    Two groups of people simultaneously broke into shouts. Kireua watched nonchntly as an endless wave of infantry soldiers poured out from between the valleys, with knights wearing gleaming full-te armor pushing through the wave.


    Kireua¡¯s enemies were spurring their horses forward in front of him, and his allies were also running toward him from his back. At this rate, Kireua would be marooned in the center, but he had zero intention of fighting head-on in open ground when he had the best fortifications in the world at his disposal.


    ¡°Go back! We¡¯re going to fight them from inside the fortress!¡± Kireua shouted using his mana as he turned toward the fortress.


    The knights on Kireua¡¯s side slowly came to a halt.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders! Are you running away like a chicken?!¡± someone shouted from behind him.


    However, Kireua just held up his middle finger to them. ¡°What, did you really think I would get captured like this, you idiots?¡±


    * * *


    Marquess Dargo rane Suspen had been a loyal vassal of the Pontier family for a long time, so it was natural for the Suspen Family to crumble at the fall of his master¡¯s family. Changed by that incident, Dargo refused to allow his only son to live like him; he intended to be to be thest Marquess Suspen that sacrificed himself for another.


    Dargo had seen his hope in, surprisingly, none other than the current emperor. Joshua Sanders was a bastard and hadn¡¯t known he was a prince until he became an adult, but even that kind of man had be an emperor with his talent alone.


    Ever since then, Dargo dreamed that he might be his own ruler, not somebody else¡¯s vassal. Even though he may not aplish that goal in his generation, his descendants might be able to do it. Dargo couldn¡¯t be sure of anything, but he was certain that he didn¡¯t want his son to serve a girl for his entire life.


    That had been his n¡­


    Dargo looked nkly at the corpse that had just been delivered to him. Then one of his knights brought something round, carefully wrapped in a cloth. Dargo didn¡¯t need to ask the knight what he was holding.


    ¡°¡­Argo,¡± Dargo mumbled.


    Was he too hasty? Or did this tragedy arise from his old greed? Dargo made every possible preparation during the past twenty years. On top of that, the Emperor, Dargo¡¯s biggest obstacle, was gone now.


    ¡°¡­Was I acting hastily ever since that day?¡±


    On that day, Lady Charles had announced her marriage to the Emperor. It was as if she had noticed the change in the southern region and was trying to unite her people in anticipation of what was happening today. Although the Emperor already had two wives at that point, Lady Charles readily became his third wife.


    ¡°Gamaere,¡± Dargo said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°We should get our revenge, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, of course, we should, Your Majesty.¡±


    Gamaere was the subordinate that Dargo trusted the most in his entire life. He was currently themander of the first knight order and the only Master in the Suspen Family aside from Dargo.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°We are the Tiger Knights of His Majesty Dargo rane Suspen, the White Tiger of the South!¡± Gamaere answered with pride.


    ¡°My son might have lost his battle, but it¡¯s going to be different on the battlefield this time because my knight order will never lose, am I right?¡±


    ¡°You are right, Your Majesty!¡± Gamaere shouted again.


    Dargo infused his mana into his sword. There were concepts called attribute and authority within the field of auras. An attribute literally referred to the characteristics of one¡¯s aura. It was simr to the types of elemental mana, such as earth, fire, wind, and water. Dargo¡¯s attribute was the fire that yed ghosts, earning it the name ¡°Ghost yer¡±.


    And an authority was a supernatural ability like the abilities that the Angel Spirit, the Demon Spirit, and the Four Guardians[1] used, but it was a little different from aura. In the current generation, whether or not one had an authority was the factor in determining if one had the potential to be one of the Nine Stars.


    ¡°Let the vendetta begin,¡± Dargo dered.


    ¡°I shall fight alongside you until I die!¡±


    Ayer of purple aura surged over Dargo¡¯s sword, iparably thicker and more vivid than the greenhorn prince¡¯s. The shape of a roaring tiger also floated overhead.


    ¡°I, Dargo rane Suspen, will take the lead. The White Tiger of the Southern Avalon Empire will lead his army!¡±


    * * *


    Kireua flinched as soon as he entered the fortress. Hamel was running toward him with a pale face.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m home.¡± Kireua waved his hand.


    ¡°W-Were you a Master?¡±


    Kireua came to a halt and smiled faintly. ¡°Are you surprised?¡±


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Hamel tried to say something, but his face darkened. ¡°Why did you act so recklessly?¡±


    ¡°I was just testing my ability.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? A test?¡± Hamel frowned, unable to understand what was going on inside Kireua¡¯s head. ¡°Haven¡¯t I told you that you are themander-in-chief of this ce and that you need to remember what kind of weight the title holds!?¡±


    ¡°I won, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°If you were a little slower, you would have been surrounded by the enemies and very well could have been killed!¡±


    ¡°But in the end, I escaped, and now I¡¯m here.¡±


    Hamel let out a long sigh. ¡°Our real problems start now. Although you called the enemy a fox¡­ he¡¯s a tiger. Did you think about what the tiger that lost his cub would do?¡±


    ¡°A tiger?¡±


    ¡°Marquess Suspen¡¯s other title is The White Tiger.¡±


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°A rebel leader doesn¡¯t really deserve that kind of title.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t think lightly of him. He¡¯s a powerful warrior that is respected even by the Imperial Knights.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s expression changed subtly. ¡°¡­Oh, yeah. He and his family were the Pontiers¡¯ highest-ranking vassals before the rebellion, right?¡±


    ¡°Just as you said. By the way, why have you hidden your talent until now? If you had revealed it sooner, it would have helped increase our people¡¯s morale.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry about that, Sir Hamel,¡± Kireua apologized. ¡°I didn¡¯t n on deceiving you specifically.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°It was necessary. I¡¯ve been away from the Empire for ten years, so I don¡¯t know how things work within the Empire.¡±


    Hamel¡¯s eyes widened as he realized what Kireua was thinking right now.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that to deceive my enemies, I should first deceive my friends.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you learn that in the Thran Kingdom? Come to think of it, your aura¡­ Was your teacher¡­?¡± Hamel trailed off.


    ¡°Yes, my teacher is the me Emperor. I learned his sword techniques and the mindset of a swordsman from him.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­!¡± Hamel grunted as his assumption turned out to be true.


    He couldn¡¯t disregard Kireua raising bis¡¯s name since it meant that the Prince was taught by one of the continent¡¯s Absolutes.


    ¡°¡®Hide thirty percent of your ability, but if you enter a battle, try your best. Don¡¯t trust anyone on the battlefield,¡¯¡± Kireua recited, as bis had taught him.


    ¡°¡­Indeed.¡±


    ¡°But it was different today,¡± Kireua suddenly added.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If I had acted in ordance with my teacher¡¯s lessons, I would have never epted that challenge.¡±


    Hamel frowned slightly. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°My teacher always used to say that not every knight on the continent can be Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°That is also right,¡± Hamel agreed. ¡°Not everyone can be a one man army. Going out onto the battlefield alone without enough skills is merely reckless bravado.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I myself might get ughtered while trying to save another person, so if there is anyone else who likes to y hero like I did today, I should abandon that person without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is the reasonable approach that everyone should take. We, the Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire, teach that too.¡±


    Kireua grinned. ¡°But you sent our strongest knights to save me even though you knew that very well, Hamel.¡±


    Hamel quailed for a moment. ¡°I-It¡¯s different here. You¡¯re themander-in-chief of this army and His Majesty¡¯s son, so how can we give up on you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you might have made such a move because you were worried about our soldiers¡¯ morale, but¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°...how did those rebels find out I was here when I¡¯d returned to the Empire only recently? How did they know the extent of my abilities and chose to challenge me to a duel? Dargo rane Suspen, the head of the Southern Rebel Army, is a very careful man, right? I left for the Thran Kingdom very discreetly ten years ago, so he shouldn¡¯t really have any information about me. It¡¯s really strange. He doesn¡¯t seem like the type of a man who would send his own son without being certain that his son would win.¡±


    ¡°W-well, that¡¯s because they wouldn¡¯t have known that you¡¯re a Master¡ª¡±


    ¡°They know who my father is. A careful man like him doesn¡¯t gamble his son without concluding that a victory is guaranteed, but there aren¡¯t many ways to find out about my abilities when I¡¯m far away¡­¡±


    ¡°Are yo-you saying there is a mole in the fortress?¡±


    Kireua readily nodded. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s the only way to make sense of the situation. The mole must hold a pretty high rank and can easily ess information about me.¡±


    Hamel couldn¡¯t say anything because he realized who Kireua was suspecting.


    ¡°Your first question as soon as I returned was really weird. It wasn¡¯t, ¡®Are you hurt?¡¯ or, ¡®Why did you do this without thinking it through?¡¯. It was ¡®Were you a Master?¡¯¡±


    Hamel¡¯s expression darkened. His palms were starting to sweat now.


    ¡°You¡¯ve told me before that our best option right now is a strategic withdrawal, so I actually sent a scout party to the rear gate at dawn. But as it turns out, they found traces of preparations for an ambush. If we really exited through the rear gate, the rebel soldiers who were waiting for us would have torn us apart.¡±


    The crowd of people around Kireua and Hamel froze.


    Metal rasped ominously against leather..


    ¡°Sir Hamel.¡± Kireua pointed his sword at Hamel¡¯s neck. ¡°Why did you betray us?¡±


    1. The four divine creatures associated with the cardinal directions. Azure Dragon, Vermillion Bird, White Tiger, and ck Tortoise. ?<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    Why would you do that Hamel when your name is Hamel?!?!</blockquote>

 Side Story Chapter 5

    Side Story Chapter 5


    ¡°¡­What are you talking about, Your Highness?¡± Hamel replied, nonchnt in spite of the sword against his neck.


    ¡°Are you denying it when all evidence points to you?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Of course¡ªwhat you¡¯re saying right now is all based on assumptions, Your Highness. I understand what you¡¯re going through and am not dismissing the possibility of a mole within the fortress. However, the method you took to reach the conclusion is wrong because I¡¯m not the mole. You¡¯re just creating more confusion right now.¡±


    Kirueaughed bitterly in his thoughts. Things weren¡¯t turning out very well since, just like Hamel said, Kireua didn¡¯t have any concrete evidence. The part about Kireua sending out a search party was actually a lie¡ªthe mole would have noticed right away if he started anything inside the fortress.


    ¡°Your Highness, I want to make it clear that I¡¯m not the traitor,¡± Hamel firmly stated. ¡°I would never.¡±


    The nearby people began to murmur among themselves. Many soldiers and knights were watching Kireua and Hamel right now. Since Kireuaid out his usations against Hamel, he had to do something.


    ¡°My thoughts remain the same. The circumstantial evidence adds up,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Your Highness, you can¡¯t harass me, an Imperial Knight of the great Avalon Empire, with circumstantial evidence even if you¡¯re the second prince.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re really innocent, follow military procedures and put yourself behind bars. If it bes certain that you¡¯re not the mole, I¡¯ll release you right away.¡±


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Hamel sighed dramatically. ¡°Procedure? What kind of country has a procedure like this?¡±


    ¡°¡­''Like this¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Yes. While you¡¯re the temporarymander-in-chief of this fortress, and it¡¯s true that Her Majesty Charles entrusted you with leading the army, your power is limited to leading the army.¡±


    Kireua frowned slightly. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t seem to know about this because you just returned, so I¡¯ll exin: As you already know, the Avalon Empire has a long history of civil wars. There was even a civil war rtively recently, so in order to not repeat history, a minimal safety measure exists.¡± Hamel paused for a moment and then smiled. ¡°Imperialw supersedes all nationalws.¡±


    The absolute supremacy of imperialw was the ultimate measure against the citizens of Avalon biting each other¡¯s necks off, regardless of whether or not they were in the imperial faction or the aristocratic faction.


    The Avalon Empire¡¯s power was focused on the central government and the emperor, so the nobles hadn¡¯t resisted much even though the current emperor had taken the throne quite abruptly. Since the Emperor made it all possible, his disappearance had created problems¡ªthat was how the Avalon Empire ended up in this kind of state today.


    ¡°Imperialw Article 13, Paragraph 1 states that the Imperial Knights shall not be punished by anyone other than His Majesty or the Knight-Commander.¡±


    Kireua stayed silent.


    ¡°You should think carefully, Your Highness. The enemy could march in here any minute now, so do you really want to create conflicts within our people?¡±


    Kireua was bing more and more frustrated. He had all kinds of circumstantial evidence, but he didn¡¯t have probable cause to arrest Hamel. He¡¯d been backed into a corner.


    ¡°Yeah, why would Sir Hamel be a mole¡­?¡±


    ¡°His Highness must have been mistaken. Shouldn¡¯t he apologize or something? He might be a prince, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What in the world are we doing right now? The rebel army might barge in here any moment now.¡±


    Kireua bit his lip. He was considering backing down¡­


    A man wearing a long robe pushed his way through the crowd of knights and stood beside Kireua.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll punish you myself,¡± the man said.


    The gathering eyed him, confused.


    ¡°Imperialw Article 13, Paragraph 2 states that the Crown prince and the former Knight-Commander are able to punish the Imperial Knights on behalf of His Majesty and the Knight-Commander if they aren¡¯t present.¡±


    Hamel jolted.


    ¡°Was your name Hamel? Sir Hamel, why do you think the imperialw grants the formermander this kind of authority, rather than the vicemander?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Y-You think you can just show up out of the blue and ask questions like that¡­?¡± Hamel stuttered.


    ¡°Only His Majesty can appoint the Knight-Commander. The vicemander, however, can be promoted from the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°Who¡­ are you?¡± Kireua asked.


    The man took off his robe and threw it away. The crowd¡¯s eyes widened in shock, even Kireua. Beneath the robe was a middle-aged man with short hair and a very impressive beard.


    ¡°Si-Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain kicked Hamel in the stomach.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Hamel groaned.


    ¡°A little fucker like you oughtta follow an order when you¡¯re given one. How dare you talk that way to His Highness? Will ripping your mouth open help you follow orders?¡± Cain growled.


    ¡°Knights, what are you doing? Arrest this man,¡± Cain coldly ordered. ¡°I¡¯m going to interrogate him myself!¡±


    The knights hastily saluted. ¡°Ye-Yes, sir!¡±


    * * *


    Dargo led his one hundred thousand strong rebel army, spurring his horse on faster with no hesitation.


    ¡°Your Majesty, we¡¯ll be within range of the enemy¡¯s bows. They¡¯re going to fire their arrows soon.¡±


    Dargo¡¯s eyes didn¡¯t waver from the fortress. ¡°Get into formation and hold up your shields. We¡¯ll break right through.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Dargo could see the distant fortress walls from in between the high valleys. He clenched his fists. He was going to break down the castle gate in ten minutes.


    ¡°Get into wedge formation! The first and second knight orders will stand in the front. The third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth knight orders will support the two knight orders from the back. The other two battalions will focus on protecting the mages.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    A loud howl shook the ground and the sky. It was, of course, the sound of Dargo¡¯s white tiger, his authority, roaring. Drago¡¯s exceptional authority sent adrenaline rushing through his and his allies¡¯ veins, sweeping away their fears and igniting their fighting spirits. In this state, they were nigh-undefeatable.


    ¡°Woaahhhh!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty Dargo is with us! Let¡¯s revive this country!¡±


    Dargo¡¯s smile deepened. The thought of how he and his army would soon gain the title of the undefeatable army made his heart race. He was confident that they were not going to lose¡­until a single man appeared on the ramparts.


    ¡°W-Wait!¡±


    A wave of golden light pulsed on the top of the fortress. The unique color of one¡¯s aura depended on personality, but the brilliant gold they saw in the sky could belong to only one person.


    ¡°The C-Combat Emperor¡­?¡± Dargo choked out.


    It belonged to him and him only¡ªbut that was impossible. That man shouldn¡¯t be there.


    However, Dargo¡¯s hypothesis was quickly proven.


    ¡°Rebels, heed me!¡±


    A wall of mana overwhelmed Dargo and his army, easily as strong as the roar of Dargo¡¯s white tiger. The voice belonged to one of the great Nine Stars and the first knight of the Hero King, Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°My name is Cain de Harry.¡±


    Cain fired his golden aura at the ground. It exploded right in front of Dargo and his army, forcing Dargo to grab his reins as his horse reared in shock.


    ¡°This is your warning. I¡¯ll cut off the heads of anyone who crosses that line,¡± Cain dered.


    Some of Dargo¡¯s knights gulped without realizing. A horizontal line dozens of meters long was drawn before them, blocking their advance.


    ¡°What the hell¡­!¡±


    * * *


    After putting out the biggest fire, Cain immediately went to visit someone in the fortress.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± he said.


    ¡°This voice is¡­ Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Cain asked.


    Charles pried her heavy eyes open. The doctor that had been checking up on her quickly took a step back. She gave him a confused look.


    ¡°When did youe here¡­?¡±


    ¡°I should havee sooner. I¡¯m sorry, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry too. I shouldn¡¯t be greeting you like this.¡±


    ¡°No, not at all. Don¡¯t be.¡± Cain shook his head. He gazed at Charles, who was clearly ill, for a long moment. Cain approached Charles and asked, ¡°May I check your state?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Charles nodded.


    Cain quietly felt Charles¡¯s pulse while Kireua, who had followed Cain into the room, watched anxiously.


    Cain frowned slightly. ¡°¡­Your mana source has been damaged.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been poisoned. I never imagined a rebellion would break out during my vacation.¡±


    ¡°Your destiny¡­ is truly tragic, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What choice do I have? Such is my destiny.¡± Charles sagged against the bedhead with a bitter smile.


    ¡°Your doctor must have told you this already, but you should recuperate in bed for months at least. If you overwork yourself any further¡­ you might bedridden for the rest of your life,¡± Cain warned.


    ¡°I was nning to do so even if you didn¡¯t scare me.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Considering that I¡¯m talking to you, it¡¯s very hard to believe that, Your Majesty,¡± Cain joked.


    ¡°My, you know that is very rude, right? I have such a reliable son by my side, so what could possibly worry me?¡± Charles looked at Kireua.


    Cain nced backward. Kireua smiled awkwardly.


    ¡°¡­Anyhow, I wanted to apologize to both of you again.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, why are you keep apologizing? Someone else is actually at fault right now,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°No, I could have arrived a little sooner. I stumbled upon soldiers waiting in ambush at the entrance to the valley¡­¡±


    Kireua was shocked. ¡°Huh? It¡¯s true?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Cain said, confused.


    ¡°N-Nothing. Then about those ambushers¡­?¡±


    ¡°I took care of them, of course, but there weren''t as many of them as I expected. Maybe that was pretty much all the rebels left in the capital since the central region hasn¡¯t really been affected by the rebels.¡±


    ¡°How is the situation in the other regions?¡± Charles interrupted.


    ¡°The rebels in the other regions are also fighting hard¡­ Their Majesties and Her Highness are doing a good job. His Highness the First Prince is doing especially excellent.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I¡¯m always sorry to that child and Iceline¡­ for always troubling them¡­¡± Charles smiled intively.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think like that. Focus on recuperating for now,¡± Cain firmly responded. Charles nodded. Cain turned to Kireua. ¡°By the way, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Sir Cain?¡± Kireua answered.


    ¡°I heard the news on my way over here.¡± Cain grinned. ¡°You became a Master?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ I got lucky and recently came to an epiphany, so I was able to return to the Empire just in time.¡±


    ¡°Bing a Master when you¡¯re twenty¡­ You are indeed your father¡¯s son. Congrattions.¡±


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re too generous with yourpliments.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, have you ¡®awakened¡¯?¡± Cain asked.


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Not yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so? In that case, I¡¯ll make it my priority¡ªaside from the war.¡±


    ¡°Really? I really appreciate your help, Sir Cain!¡± Kireua joyfully shouted.


    ¡°And I¡¯m not sure if this will help you, but¡­ keep in mind that His Highness the First Prince has awakened,¡± Cain said.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I should congratte him,¡± Charles said while Kireua was still processing.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about, Sir Cain, but just like I told you before, I don¡¯t want to see these children fighting over the throne. I know better than anyone else how meaningless power is.¡± Charles firmly answered, silencing Cain. Charles looked to Kireua. ¡°So, Kireua, live your life doing what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mother¡­¡± Kireua muttered.


    ¡°Your happiness is my happiness. You know what I mean, right? You¡¯re already my proud son, and I couldn¡¯t be more proud of you.¡±


    Tears welled up in Kireua¡¯s eyes.


    Charles turned back to Cain again. ¡°Sir Cain, I¡¯m asking this just in case, but have you found the whereabouts of His Majesty?¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t really expect to hear an answer to her question since Joshua would have already returned to the imperial pce if he hadn¡¯t run into a problem, but Cain''s reply was quite shocking.


    ¡°¡­I did find his traces,¡± Cain quietly said.


    ¡°I-Is that true?¡± Charles asked in disbelief.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cain trailed off, his face turning grim. ¡°Don¡¯t get too shocked by what I¡¯m about to say.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s unclear if His Majesty is alive.¡±


    Charles and Kireua¡¯s eyes lost focus.

 Side Story Chapter 6

    Side Story Chapter 6


    ¡°Wh-What do you mean that it¡¯s unclear if he¡¯s alive?!¡± Kireua yelled, shocked.


    ¡°Thest ce I found traces of His Majesty was in the ruins of Amon. I think you two would know what that indicates better than me.¡±


    The ruins of Amon was the ce where Lugia, Joshua Sanders¡¯s invincible divine spear, had been found, and where the great Demon Spirit¡¯s soul was now sealed.


    ¡°Di-Did His Majesty¡¯s power go berserk again?¡± Kireua asked with a trembling voice.


    Right now, there was no god in this world because the Angel Realm and the Demon Realm had copsed. Only their abilities were left in Igrant; they were known as authorities now.


    In the past, only the people like a ss 6 mage or a Master could be a king or an emperor, but anymore. Only the ¡°real ones,¡± those that had gone through awakening, could attain positions of power. Authorities were actually the main cause of the power creep, and the current biggest problem in the continent.


    The mostmon example was the Nine Stars, which was the title given to the strongest people on the continent. After authorities started to manifest in people, the existing power bnce was broken. New, strong fighters appeared day after day, so only two people had kept the title of Nine Stars for over ten years. They were Cain, the First Knight, and bis, the Knight of Red me.


    ¡°Answer me, Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°This is purely spection, but¡­¡± Cain trailed off and then reluctantly continued, ¡°As you already know, His Majesty sealed the soulof the Demon Spirit inside himself because the Demon Spirit tried to take Lady Sersiarin¡¯s body after the Dark God¡¯s death.¡±


    ¡°Of course I know that. That is why he continued to train himself in spite of the fact that he was unmatched. I¡¯ve never seen him skipping his training ever since he became the Emperor,¡± Charles said.


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, it was to avoid the chance of getting overwhelmed by a god¡¯s power. His Majesty isn¡¯t really different from us. He''s also a human with limbs and a body made of flesh and blood.¡±


    A vein bulged on Kireua¡¯s head. What in the world this man was talking about? If Cain wasn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s knight, Kireua would have punched him already.


    ¡°¡­What are you trying to say right now? His Majesty has passed away¡­ Is that what you want to say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just discussing the possibility,¡± Cain said calmly.


    ¡°So what is that fucking possibility?!¡± Kireua shouted, his voice unconsciously rising. Kireua himself couldn¡¯t understand why he was reacting like this. Cain hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, and the time Kireua had spent with His Majesty was a faint memory.


    <em>¡®Have I been missing you this much?¡¯ </em>Kireua wondered.


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Cain quietly chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re indeed your father¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what you look like right now?¡± Cain asked.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m being rude, but you look like a child who lost his dear toy.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face reddened in humiliation. ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Oops¡ªdon¡¯t get me wrong.¡± Cain waved his hands apologetically. ¡°Anyone would have reacted the same if their life-long goal disappeared suddenly.¡±


    Was His Majesty Kireua¡¯s goal? Kireua actually couldn¡¯t say no right now, because His Majesty¡ªno, his father¡ªwas the person Kireua wanted to take after. His idol. Kireua took a deep breath and slowly let it out. He needed to calm down; he shouldn¡¯t continue to act pathetic. All else aside, his mother was in the room too.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I let my anger get the best of me,¡± Kireua apologized.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I understand. Anyhow, I mentioned the race earlier, right?¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. When Cain mentioned the ruin of Amon, a memory crossed Kireua¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Cain nodded. ¡°It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s spear, Lugia¡ªno, Longin.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­!¡±


    ¡°Firstly, I owe you an apology, Your HIghness.¡± Cain bowed to Kireua.


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°On my way over here, I myself delivered Longin to His Highness the First Prince,¡± Cain calmly informed him.


    Kireua flinched. He understood Cain¡¯s reasons, but hearing it made him feel mixed emotions.


    ¡°He was dealing with the rebel army in the north all on his own, and I had to head to the southern region. So I wanted to help him at least that much,¡± Cain exined.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s okay. I can¡¯t use that spear anyway. He¡­ is also the only member of the Imperial Family who can use a spear.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t really make up for it, but I¡¯ll give you this, Your Highness.¡±


    Charles stuck her head out from the bed, intrigued.


    ¡°Huh?¡± she muttered. ¡°That ring is¡­¡±


    ¡°I knew you would recognize it. It¡¯s His Majesty¡¯s Deon Ring.¡± Cain smiled.


    A Deon Ring was an invaluable artifact which upon the infusion of the user¡¯s mana transformed into magic armor that could defend one even from an aura attack. The Emperor¡¯s Deon Ring was another trademark of the Hero King and the most powerful Deon Ring in the world right now.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Cain clenched his fist, hiding the Deon Ring. ¡°...I¡¯ll give you this only after you meet my expectations, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°E-Expectations?¡±


    ¡°Keep in mind that His Highness the First Prince also went through this process, so please don¡¯t be offended,¡± Cain said with a grin.


    Even after ten years, Cain knew Kireua too well. While His Majesty was Kireua¡¯s idol and life¡¯s goal¡ªthe one thing he wanted to achieve, whatever it took¡ªthe First Prince was Kireua¡¯s archenemy. Kireua despised the very idea of losing to him.


    ¡°Shall we go out first? Her Majesty is feeling unwell; I think we interrupted her rest for too long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­¡± Charles mumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Cain firmly shook his head. ¡°Besides, I need to talk to His Highness in private.¡±


    * * *


    The tall walls of Fortress Raymond spanned the gap between two steep cliffs, protecting the sturdy stone buildings inside the fortress from the front and back.


    After some time, the two men came to a halt in a vacant lot behind the main building.


    ¡°This ce will do.¡±


    Kireua eyed Cain doubtfully.


    Cain turned and looked at Kireua. ¡°Your Highness, why don¡¯t you and I have a spar?¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Cain de Harry was the first knight of the Hero King, Joshua Sanders, and currently the strongest of the Nine Stars.


    ¡°A sp-spar?¡±


    ¡°Knights say hello with their swords, don¡¯t they? Let¡¯s bring back our old memories.¡± Cain smiled.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still too sudden¡­¡±


    ¡°Well, there is another reason. As you already know, no one is wiser than Lady Sersiarin.¡±


    ¡°Of course! She¡¯s Lady Sersiarin!¡± Kireua proudly eximed.


    Kireua¡¯s aunt had been born with a disability, so she had lived as a blind for almost twenty years. Perhaps it had given her a lot of time to contemte, because her insight surpassed the level of an ordinary person.


    ¡°That very Lady Sersiarin sent me to the south in spite of the fact that the southern rebel army is considered the weakest,¡± Cain said.


    There was no way Kireua wouldn¡¯t understand what Cain meant. Despite everything, Sersiarin believed the southern region was in the most danger so she had sent Cain here.


    ¡°¡­It seems I wasn¡¯t really reliable. Well, it¡¯s understandable since I just returned to the Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°Only the citizens of the Avalon Empire manifested the authorities of the Four Guardians, but it only happened rtively recently. Do you know why?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°Right before the fall of the Angel and Demon Realms, the gods disappeared. They left their bodies in the realm and descended to the Human Realm as souls,¡± Cain exined.


    Kireua was already quite familiar with the story. It happened a year before Kireua had been born, meaning it was twenty years ago.


    ¡°And although the divine creatures were just the god¡¯s pets, the creatures filled in for the gods¡¯ duties.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing about this,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°In the end, the divine creatures ate up the gods¡¯ bodies in the Angel and Demon Realms and got stronger. Some of them also acquired authorities that were as strong as the gods¡¯¡±


    ¡°And the Four Guardians are among them?¡±


    ¡°Yes; among all of the divine creatures they devoured the most flesh of gods.¡±


    However, the divine creatures couldn¡¯t really do anything about the copsing realms even after they had taken the gods¡¯ roles, so only their authorities were left in the Human Realm. The power intion on the continent was inevitable. There were two groups of people now: the people who cultivated themselves, and the people who could use god-like abilities. Awakening wasn¡¯t the first step to bing one of the Nine Stars, it was the bare-minimum requirement.


    ¡°Your Highness, it shouldn¡¯t ever happen¡­ but if something did actually happen to His Majesty, I have to think about the future,¡± Cain said, his face turning grim.


    Kireua raised an eyebrow. When Cain kept saying such stuff, Kireua couldn¡¯t help feeling furious.


    ¡°Stop saying that something could have happened to His Majesty!¡± Kireua shouted. ¡°Sir Cain, you¡¯ve said yourself that it¡¯s just a possibility and the chance is very low!¡±


    ¡°I know that merely having such thoughts is lese-majeste, but the Avalon Empire has suffered from too many civil wars for too long. It¡¯s really not an exaggeration to say that this country was built through a civil war,¡± Cain calmly replied.


    Kireua looked straight into Cain¡¯s eyes. ¡°Then I¡¯ll end this civil war, no matter what it takes! Even if His Majesty can¡¯t return in time, I can fill in his shoes, so stop saying that something could have happened to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time, but I love this country. Therefore, I can¡¯t sit by any further and watch this civil war or the meaningless power struggles continue for such a sickeningly long time.¡±


    Overwhelming murderous intent rolled off of Cain, making Kireua freeze.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Imperial family members aren¡¯t exceptions since most power struggles started from them,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m different,¡± Kireua stuttered. ¡°Just like my mother said, I have no intention¡ª¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll see that for myself,¡± Cain interrupted. His sword rang ominously, cutting off Kireua before he had the chance to answer. Cain¡¯s sword was an ordinary sword, simr to Kireua¡¯s, but Cain demonstrated that a weapon was just a tool.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t feel up to it, tell me in advance. Well¡­ His Highness the First Prince does take after His Majesty more in many ways. Above all, he uses a spear just like His Majesty.¡± Cain grinned.


    ¡°Eeekk¡­!¡± Kireua¡¯s face reddened, and he drew his sword without hesitation.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s good. This is what I would expect from Joshua Sanders¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°¡­It won¡¯t be easy, Sir Cain.¡± Kireua frowned.


    Cain¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to seeing what you have learned from the Knight of Red me in the Thran Kingdom.¡±


    The air around Cain shivered like a calm ocean wave colliding with a raging typhoon as he let loose his energy.


    ¡°I am Cain de Harry, former Knight-Commander of the Imperial Knights and Duke of the Avalon Empire. Though I may be overstepping my bounds, I shall now assess which one of you two princes is more suited to inherit the throne.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 7

    Side Story Chapter 7


    The people of the continent of Igrant no longer thought of the sword as the best weapon ever since the appearance of one man. In the past, spears had been disdained for being the weapon of mere infantry soldiers, but that man had shown his power with a spear and became an emperor. Joshua Sanders, the Unrivaled Spear Knight, was the spark, and authorities were the oil.


    Using the gods¡¯ supernatural abilities most efficiently required finding the right weapon for oneself. Spears gained poprity at the same time as the realms had fallen twenty years ago. Halberds, hammers, rapiers, whips¡­ knights using all sorts of weapons cropped up. One of the knights even used a shortbow, which was just as unconventional a choice as using a spear had been twenty years ago.


    Of course, the prestigious noble families stuck to swords since they couldn¡¯t give up on their families¡¯ old techniques just because the trends had changed in the continent.


    Most of the people that joined in on the trend were the knights without good families or someone to support them. The younger the knights were, the more likely they were to use different weapons. The Hero King was a living legend and an idol to them, such that some knights even thought that swordcraft was boring.


    ¡°Your Highness, let me tell you one thing before we begin our spar: the sword is the best weapon in the world.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s brain ground to a halt.


    ¡°Other weapons are just cheap imitations of swords. I¡¯m telling you, people are gravely mistaken,¡± Cain firmly asserted.


    ¡°...Mistaken?¡±


    ¡°The attack range of a spear is long, but that makes it heavy. Even though it might be powerful, your attacks will be slower if you use a spear.¡±


    ¡°¡­Despite everything, His Majesty became the strongest man on the continent with his spear.¡±


    ¡°And that is why I told you earlier that not everyone can be Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t retort.


    ¡°The saying about how a talented person needs ten years to be skilled in swordcraft while learning the spear requires dozens of years at least isn¡¯t wrong. However, someone would say that one can be unmatched by mastering those invincible spear techniques even if it takes twenty or thirty years. In that case, spears are the best!


    ¡°But, no.¡± Cain quietly shook his head. ¡°For example, the weight of an ordinary longsword is around 1.3 to 1.7 kilograms while a spear weighs twenty to thirty kilograms, meaning a spear is at least ten times heavier than a sword. It¡¯s heavy even for the expert knights, but what would happen if you made the spear lighter? Then the spear literally bes useless since it¡¯s lost all its advantage. It gets less sturdy and less destructive or the attack range bes shorter. That is why a spear is good for a strong person with long arms and fingers. Besides, the history of spear techniques in the continent of Igrant is iparably shorter than that of swordcraft.¡±


    Cain¡¯s criticism was scathingly urate.


    ¡°His Majesty dered that he¡¯d show the world what one can do with the spear they all looked down upon, and he aplished his goal in the end, but¡­¡± Cain trailed off but his eyes shone. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t share his opinion. A maid¡¯s son, a bastard, a son worse than his father¡­ the people at the time belittled Joshua Sanders himself, not his spear. On the same note, let me ask you: would people be able to belittle me or the me Emperor if we said that we were going to use a spear from now on?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not¡­ really¡­¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Yes, knights like me and him can use a branch like it¡¯s the finest sword in the world.¡± Cain straightened. ¡°So don¡¯t doubt your talent. It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t have talent; the spear just happens to be a bad match with you, just like how there are clothes that don¡¯t look good on you.¡±


    Kireua shut his eyes. ¡°¡­I¡¯m Joshua Sanders¡¯s son. People willugh at me if they hear that me and a spear aren¡¯t a good match.¡±


    ¡°Everything in the world is about results. If you¡¯re really worried about what people think, you can reach the peak with the sword, Your Highness.¡±


    Kireua bit his lower lip so hard that it bled a little. His dream had been to reach the peak with a spear, creating his own spear techniques using his me aura. The day that he had found out that achieving his dream was impossible, the despair that he felt was indescribable. If it hadn¡¯t been for that day, Kireua would still not have given up on mastering spears, but it was the Emperor himself who had advised against it.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Kireua cursed. The mere memory of that day made his mana boil over. At the time, he wanted to run away from reality, so he had voluntarily gone to study in the faraway Thran Kingdom. Kireua had wanted to defeat the me Emperor, who was known as the best swordsman in the current generation, no matter how long it took, to prove that the Emperor was wrong.


    ¡°Come.¡± Cain grinned. His golden aura spread like an ocean wave, but his sword was still lowered and his stance was as casual as ever. He looked like he was full of openings.


    Cain had the majestic title of ¡°Combat Emperor Star¡± of the Nine Stars, but some people said he was technically the Nihil Emperor Star[1] because he had nothing. Yes¡ªCain de Harry, the First Knight, didn¡¯t have an authority, but he was still the strongest Star.


    ¡°My terms for me giving you the Deon Ring are simple: show me one attack that is good enough to satisfy me. I don¡¯t care what method you use, and I won¡¯t move a centimeter from here,¡± Cain said.


    Kireua felt insulted. Regardless of all else, he was a Master, but Cain didn¡¯t care about that at all.


    ¡°Eeek!¡± Kireua clenched his teeth. A red me rose up from his sword, a demonstration of his unique aura.


    Kireua darted forward like an arrow.


    However, his attack was blocked so easily that he was dumbstruck. Their two swords shed, and Kireua was instead the one open to attack.


    Cain¡¯s foot mmed into Kireua¡¯s abdomen with an audible <em>thud</em>.


    ¡°It shouldn¡¯t sound like that. Again.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Kireua had to take ten steps backward due to the shock but sprang forward again.


    ¡°It¡¯s not supposed to make a <em>¡®</em><em>ng</em><em>¡¯</em> noise. Again!¡± Cain shouted.


    Kireua pretended to aim at the upper left part of Cain¡¯s body, but he abruptly rotated and swung his sword toward the right side of Cain¡¯s waist. Launching an attack while rotating at the halfway point and using momentum wasplex and difficult, but it was meaningless against Cain.


    ¡°Again.¡±


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Kireua grunted.


    <em>ng, ng, ng!</em>


    ¡°I told you to show me your skills, but you¡¯re just using your sword to scribble on the ground.¡± Cain shook his head. There is no way you canunch a valid attack today at this rate.¡±


    Kireua staggered away from the impact and fell on his behind, his face reddened in humiliation. However, Cain made it worse.


    ¡°Phew, this is not going to work. Let me show you a demonstration. Pick up your sword.¡±


    The waves of Cain¡¯s golden aura disappearedpletely. Kireua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Wh-why aren¡¯t you using your aura?!¡±


    ¡°Considering your current level, I think I can spar against you without using my aura.¡±


    Kireua bit his lower lip so hard that it bled again. Even if he was a Star, how could Cain think of using his bare sword to deal with Kireua¡¯s aura? With aura, one could cut iron in half with a single strike. On top of that, Kireua was a Master, who was capable of sharpening his aura to its limit.


    However, Cain started his demonstration before Kireua could get even angry.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Kiruea¡¯s eyes lost focus for a moment. Cain was already in front of him; the only sound he made hade from Kireua¡¯s sword.


    ¡°M-my aura was cut?¡± Kireua stuttered.


    ¡°First of all, everything in this world has its own flow. You need to know how to read it. You shouldn¡¯t be satisfied with yourself just because you became a Master.¡±


    ¡°Flow¡­?¡± Kireua nkly repeated.


    ¡°Only Masters, who have surpassed their physical and mana limits, can see these flows,¡± Cain said. ¡°Do you now understand why the strongest knights describe bing a Master as only a starting point?¡± Cain asked him.


    Kireua heard Cain¡¯s sword cut again. With his own eyes this time, he saw a part of his me aura around his sword getting chopped away.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Kireua muttered.


    ¡°But seeing flows isn¡¯t something that can be taught; you need to experience it and learn it yourself. That must be why the me Emperor allowed you to return to the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°M-My teacher can do it too?¡± Kireua shouted in surprise.


    ¡°Of course; he¡¯s one of the Nine Stars, the Red me Star of the Thran Kingdom, just like me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, authorities have these flows too. One way of learning how to see these flows is surviving a life-or-death crisis.¡±


    Even while they were having a conversation, Kireua¡¯s aura kept getting cut away.


    ¡°Who cares that you¡¯re a Master? You¡¯re at the same level as a person whose authority just manifested, and experts don¡¯t even stand a chance against them. That is your reality.


    ¡°Of course, the manifestation of an authority is very rare, but¡­ statistically speaking, there will be over a hundred people with authorities in one country.¡±


    A hundred people was a very big number. In other words, the twelve countries had at least a hundred Masters.


    ¡°Authorities manifest with no warning, like destiny. There is no age limit, so numerous people with strong authorities may be born even at this moment. Nevertheless, an authority is not a talent. It¡¯s just the luck you¡¯re born with since you need to be chosen by a god¡ªbut of course, the gods wouldn¡¯t choose just anyone. In that regard, I praise your resolve. You didn¡¯t pay heed to the gods¡¯ games and reached your current level with your own ability¡ªbut that ends today.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s sword fell to the ground in two pieces.


    Kireua panted. Blood dripped from all over his body because after getting rid of all his aura, Cain¡¯s sword turned against him. The world looked red in Kireua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°How do you feel after experiencing it directly? Did you understand what the flows are? You only have to do it once. If you manage to even leave a scratch on my sleeve, then you win and I¡¯ll give you the Deon Ring. Wait, is it still too difficult?¡± Cain smirked.


    ¡°¡­op.¡±


    ¡°But you still wish to take after Joshua Sanders. That¡¯s ironic. People are going tough at you, you stubborn baby,¡± Cain mocked.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Kireua yelled at the top of his lungs. Something inside him snapped. He could let the other things slide but he could not stand idly by while Cain disregarded everything he had worked for until now. He was certain of one thing: if putting in effort was a talent, Kireua was the most talented person on the whole continent. Although he might not be able to use spear techniques, he had spent twenty years cultivating his aura using the method taught by the Emperor himself. Humiliating Kireua any further was practically the same as mocking the Emperor.


    Kireua sprang up from the ground with renewed resolve and distanced himself from Cain. His mana quickly circted inside him.


    <em>¡®I must trust my own ability. Everything in this world has its own flow, and a Master will be able to see the flow with his own eyes,¡¯ </em>Kireua recited. Although it was very vague, Kireua could somehow understand it.


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>Read the flow of mana.</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua focused his mana around his eyes. Instantly, the muscles around his eyes were wracked by immense pain. Anyone who saw him right now would shake their heads and say that he was acting crazy. Mana itself was destructive in nature, so putting his mana around their skin was insane enough¡ªhowever, Kireua was doing it on his eyes, the softest part of the human body.


    Nevertheless, Kireua didn¡¯t stop. He only needed to deliver one attack. One.


    His heart raced drum, his blood rushing through his veins, and his eyes turned bloodshot.


    <em>¡®Focus. I must focus.¡¯ </em>


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Kireua streaked across the gap between him and Cain, closing in on Cain in the barest fraction of a second.


    The Combat Emperor Star shook faintly. What he heard was something new¡ªand he hadn¡¯t caused it.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Cain quietly eximed.


    Cain¡¯s voice was thest thing Kireua heard before hepletely lost consciousness.


    1. This is Korean wordy. ?(Îä) meansbat in English, and ?(Ÿo) means nothing in English. Both letters sound the same in Korean. ?

 Side Story Chapter 8

    Side Story Chapter 8


    Kireua felt sluggish. His soul seemed to have left his body and was floating in water now. He remembered having a simr experience one day.


    <em>¡®I</em><em>s this¡­ a dream?</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua wondered.


    Then did that mean that he¡¯d fainted? In that case, he couldn¡¯t have embarrassed himself more than he already had. He had definitely been sparring¡ªno, was Cain just using the sparring as an excuse to beat him up?


    <em>¡®Ha</em><em>¡­</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua chuckled bitterly.


    In his dream, Kireua could see everything from outside of his body¡ªit had been the same when the young Kireua was going through the same experience.


    It sounded like someone was getting beaten with a bat. In actuality, a red-haired man was using his bare fists toy into a young Kireua, who clutched a spear that was taller than him. No matter how much time passed or the background changed, it was the same. The young Kireua became bigger¡ªan adult¡ªand yet he was still beaten down. Kireua actually had gone through all of that in the past.


    <em>¡®¡­I was really cocky.¡¯</em>


    The red-haired man was none other than the Knight of Red me. Everything happened when he was young, so the memories had faded. However, he still could feel how much pain he had been through.


    On the day Kireua had arrived at the Thran Kingdom with only a spear, he was able to meet the Knight of Red me in, surprisingly, less than a day. bis met Kireua right after he heard that Kireua was Joshua Sanders¡¯s son. The problem had urred a littleter.


    * * *


    <em>¡°What? You want to fight me?¡± bis dumbfoundedly repeated. </em>


    <em>¡°Yes, I need to defeat you with this spear, sir.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Hold on. Back up a little. So you¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll beat me using that spear?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Are you scared?¡± Kireua asked provokingly.</em>


    <em>¡°What? Scared? Hehehe, you little shrew.¡±</em>


    * * *


    If Kireua thought about it now, he really had been out of his mind. bis, the me Emperor, Kireua¡¯s teacher, was already one of the great Nine Absolutes on the continent at the time. Although Kireua only found outter, bis had already gained the authority of the me Dragon Spirit by the time Kireua first met him. Kairan the red dragon was the strongest creature in history, and the great dragon had be a god after his death. Later, he made a contract with Kireua¡¯s teacher, who was a great match with him. As a result, the me Emperor was known as one of the three strongest Stars, along with the Combat Emperor.


    Anyhow, Kireua had been beaten within an inch of his life every day for a whole month.


    * * *


    <em>bis frowned. ¡°Are you really Joshua¡¯s son?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Ugh.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Even if I consider your age, you¡¯re weaker than I expected.¡± bis tilted his head. ¡°By the way, do you realize that you and the spear are a bad match?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m¡­ still growing up, so nothing is decided for certain until I be an adult.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m not just talking about physical problems. Hmm, I¡¯m not sure how to exin this. Judging from your state, I think Joshua would have already exined enough.¡± bis scratched the back of his head for a long moment ¡°Forget it. By the look of it, you seem to be talented in swords. Why don¡¯t you be my student?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±</em>


    <em>bis raised an eyebrow. ¡°Can you at least pretend to think about it for a moment? I know I¡¯m not your father, but I¡¯m also quite a celebrity on the continent.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I only want the best to be my teacher. You lost to him before, Knight of Red me.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­You little bastard.¡± bis smiled crookedly.</em>


    * * *


    On that day, Kireua was beaten half to death again and again. After a year, Kireua had finally given up; he realized deep in his bones what the others meant when they said that he and spears weren¡¯t a good match. Of course, he hadn¡¯t gotten lost in despair given that he had already wasted a year.


    In fact, he had tried excruciatingly hard. Just like bis had said, Kireua was fortunate enough to be talented in swordcraft and had be a Masterter. He¡¯d even been told that bing a Master at his age was an amazing achievement that only the Emperor of Avalon could do. Even bis hadn¡¯t been able to be a Master at twenty, but¡­


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>I wasn¡¯t even able to cut Sir Cain¡¯s sleeve,</em><em>¡¯</em><em></em>Kireua thought bitterly. His heart became heavy. He felt like his every effort was meaningless, but then he btedly remembered what Cain had told him earlier: flows and surviving life-or-death crises. Although Kireua wasn¡¯t sure what those two had to do with each other, he instinctively grasped it little by little as he continued to contemte.


    His eyes ached so hard that it felt like someone burned them or that they were going to pop out of his skull right now. However, Kireua didn¡¯t stop; he had already gone through a simr process before, after all.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    At some point, the world around him looked different. The young Kireua and bis were gone. After everything disappeared, Kireua could only see the white horizon, except¡­


    ¡°...What is that?¡±


    A ck dot marred the white space. It appeared right before Kireua in a sh.


    -You can see me?


    ¡°It ca-can talk?¡± Kireua mumbled in disbelief.


    -Huh? You really can see me.


    ¡°Wh-Who are you?¡±


    -No, you¡¯re the pr opposite of me. Why would the child with the me aura be able to see me?


    The <em>thing</em> just said what it wanted to say, then it shook in the air. How in the world was Kireua supposed to describe this moment?


    Kireua¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°You aren¡¯t¡­ a coal lump.¡±


    It had too much fur to be called a coal lump. It was as big as Kireua¡¯s fist and looked like a ck cotton ball, but he instinctively knew that something special would happen to him if he touched it.


    -Do you want to touch me?


    ¡°Touch¡­?¡± Kireua nkly repeated.


    -You want to know who I am right? So do I, to be honest.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    -Some people entered my domain before, but none of them recognized me right away like you did.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­ I can find out what is going on if I touch you?¡± Kireua asked.


    -Yup. As you can see, I don¡¯t have eyes, so I just sense energies.


    Kireua¡¯s answer had been decided from the start since holding back his curiosity wasn¡¯t his strongest suit, but¡­


    -Don¡¯t worry. Nothing bad will happen to you.


    ¡°Yo-You can read my mind?¡±


    -No way. It¡¯s just obvious what humans think since they¡¯re uselessly skeptical. Well, they do kill fellow humans to get what they want¡­.


    It wasn¡¯t wrong. Although Kireua had no way of finding out if this coal lump was speaking the truth, he could tell for certain that the lump wasn¡¯t lying.


    <em>¡®In that case¡­¡¯</em>


    Kireua came to a decision and slowly reached his hand out to the ck cotton ball. The identity of this creature had actually been driving him insane too.


    ***


    After the end of their spar, Cain moved the unconscious Kireua to his room and then immediately went to visit Charle¡¯s room.


    He tapped on the door.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s me,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Yes~! Come in.¡±


    When Cain opened the thick wooden door, he could see a familiar sight once again.


    ¡°Have you finished talking with Kireua?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have, but I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your rest again when you need every rest you can take.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it.¡± Charles shook her head, chuckling.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll cut to the point. Lady Sersiarin asked me to deliver you a message, so if you¡¯re okay, I would like to deliver it to you now.¡±


    Charles¡¯s eyes widened, but she nodded. ¡°What did¡­ Sersiarin say?¡±


    ¡°She suggested asking the three queen consorts for their opinions on the heir to the throne.¡±


    Charles had definitely not expected that.


    ¡°Pardon? Th-that means¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we need a new emperor.¡±


    Charles¡¯s jaw dropped slightly.


    ¡°The longer the throne is empty, the more active the rebels will be. We need to put a stop to it.¡±


    ¡°...What did the other queen consorts say?¡±


    ¡°They all agreed due to the severity of the situation.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Charles murmured.


    Sersiarin¡¯s proposal had a point. It had already been ten years since the Emperor had gone missing¡ªlong enough for mountains and rivers to change. Anything could happen in ten years. Since the civil war had gone on for two years already, they had toe to a decision.


    ¡°I agree, but I feel like we made the right decision a littlete. Anyhow, who do you think should be the next heir, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking for my opinion¡­ I would say His Highness the First Prince for sure.¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess so,¡± Charles quietly mumbled. She nodded. ¡°Even in my eyes, that boy is an exact replica of His Majesty, so it would be for the best.¡±


    ¡°The other two queen consorts actually said that it doesn¡¯t matter who inherits the throne since either of the princes are bothpetent enough to be His Majesty¡¯s heir.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Charles tilted her head. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I beg to differ. Of course, I and the others would support the crown prince with everything we have, but we need to be careful in choosing the heir. Their ability, level of influence, background¡­ unless we consider everything before making the choice, history will repeat itself.¡±


    ¡°¡­We do need to avoid that.¡± Charles nodded.


    ¡°The chance of it happening is already increasing. Over the past ten years when His Majesty was around, they never dared to even think about starting a rebellion.¡± Cain slowly went down to one knee. ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m certain that Avalon will be able to be peaceful again like it did before. We¡¯ll need to do a better job than the Brittens for the citizens, won¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Charles smiled.


    ¡°The next part is the problem.¡±


    Charles tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Festering wounds will start to ooze, so we need to excise the wound for the sake of the next emperor in order to make his reign easier¡ªalthough I¡¯m not sure who it will be.¡±


    ¡°¡­We need a ruler with charisma and absolute power like His Majesty or Emperor Marcus. This war is the chance for the heir to prove themself and stop the rebels from scheming again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°In that case, I definitely think Selim Sanders, the First Prince, is the right man for the job.¡±


    Charles was a woman who kept her private and public lives separate, and that was why Cain could be honest with her. But¡­


    ¡°¡­Until this morning, I thought so too¡­¡± Cain trailed off.


    Contrary to Charles¡¯s expectations, Cain pondered for a moment before he raised his right hand. For some reason, his sleeve was cut and the end of it was dangling in the air.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait and see how things turn out? We sessfully subdued the rebels for now, and this isn¡¯t a decision we can make in a hurry.¡±


    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you give me your arm? I¡¯ll stitch it up in no time.¡± Charles offered.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t bother you with such a trivial task, Your Majesty. Besides¡­¡± Cain trailed off for a moment and then smiled. ¡°Thanks to this, I feel quite good today.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Charles had no idea what Cain was talking about.


    ¡°His Highness Kireua must have tried really hard over the past ten years.¡±


    ¡°Kireua? Why are you suddenly mentioning him¡­?¡±


    Cain quietly shook his head. ¡°Nothing. Anyhow, why don¡¯t we put a pause on choosing the heir for a little while? Things seem to be taking an interesting turn.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 9

    Side Story Chapter 9


    ¡°Now¡­¡± Cain stood up to leave Charles¡¯s room.


    Charles stopped him.


    ¡°Sir Cain. Do you know why there is no empress, only the queen consorts in this country?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? That¡¯s¡­¡± Cain hesitated because Joshua never exined it to him. An empress was an emperor¡¯swful wife, so although Joshua¡¯s current three wives may be addressed as queen consorts with respect, two of them were basically concubines. From what Cain remembered, Joshua had severely punished anyone who mentioned it. The news had spread among the Avalon noblester, so they refrained from talking about it.


    Cain assumed that it was because of the Queen Mother Lucia, who had since passed away. Despite her noblest blood, she had lived for over a dozen years and led a tragic life, so¡­


    ¡°¡­His Majesty spent his childhood as a bastard, so I guess he didn¡¯t want his children to go through the same thing,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Of course, that''s one of the reasons, but we queen consorts wanted to do it.¡±


    ¡°You and Her Majesties¡­wanted it?¡± Cain repeated in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, the moment he trapped the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul in him, His Majesty stopped trying to form new rtionships with anyone else. It was the same for his marriage since there was no telling when he would lose control over his power like Aden von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°I know that, but didn¡¯t His Majesty wish to marry you and the other queen consorts?¡± Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Do you really think so? We¡¯re talking about the same stony Joshua Sanders, right?¡± Charles chuckled.


    Cain was speechless. Come to think of it, Joshua was worse than Cain in regard to anything rted to romance.


    ¡°Each of the queen consorts has their own reasons. It¡¯s not my ce to speak of the other two queen consorts¡¯ stories, so let¡¯s skip over that part. For me, the problem was my family. You know about this, don¡¯t you, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cain awkwardly scratched the back of his head.


    When civil war had broken out in the Avalon Empire before, one of the families that had fallen first was the Pontier Family¡ªCharles¡¯s family. The head of the family had passed away, and the family had literally fallen. With no other options, Charles, the daughter of Duke Pontier, had be the next head of the Pontier family when she was in her early twenties¡­


    ¡°Everything started then, including what is happening in the southern region. If I weren¡¯t the queen consort, I would have been poisoned to death already or sold away to another noble family as there is no precedent of a woman inheriting the family in the Avalon Empire,¡± Charles bitterly said.


    Even after the current emperor had finally taken the throne, every day of Charle¡¯s life was painful because everyone looked down upon her for being a woman. Just like Cox, whom Charles had trusted, those hyenas didn¡¯t stop going after the tasty meat.


    ¡°His Majesty is my husband but did you know that he¡¯s also my savior? He saved my life several times, so¡­¡± Charles sounded teary now. ¡°...don¡¯t give up on him. Please find His Majesty.¡±


    Charles got up from her bed and bowed.


    However, a member of the Imperial Family should never bow to the people under them.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. Please raise your head, Your Majesty.¡± Cain quickly approached Charles and helped her get back into bed.


    The energetic and elegant Charles was gone. She was in such a critical state that she could faint any minute. It saddened Cain.


    <em>¡®She was </em><em>really</em><em> brig</em><em>ht and cheerful when she was a little girl¡­</em><em>¡¯ </em>Cain thought.


    Afterying Charles in bed, Cain dramatically pounded his chest a couple of times.


    ¡°Just as my master is your savior, he¡¯s the first one who recognized my value and helped me reach a whole new level. He¡¯s my one and only master.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡± Charles trailed off.


    ¡°Yes, there is no way I would give up. Gosh, that man has no idea that so many people are worried to death over him. This is why I haven¡¯t been able to get married. Ah, please ignore thatst part¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha, I don¡¯t think His Majesty is the reason.¡± Charles¡¯sughter burst through her grief. ¡°You know, there is even a rumor spreading in Arcadia that you¡¯re gay; it¡¯s also said that His Majesty¡¯s looks raised your standard so much that you can¡¯t find a person to marry.¡±


    ¡°What? Who dares to say such nonsense?!¡± Cain dramatically shouted. Charles kept on giggling.


    ¡°So please date some women after the end of this civil war.¡±


    ¡°If I can¡¯t get married in the future too, then I¡¯m going to try seducing His Majesty so I¡¯ll feel less cheated,¡± Cain mischievously replied.


    Charles smiled. ¡°In that case, I won¡¯t care that you¡¯re his first knight. I¡¯m going to kick your ass.¡±


    * * *


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened, confused. Judging from the familiar ceiling, he was in his room in the fortress.


    <em>¡®¡­Was it just a dream?¡¯ </em>he wondered.


    It was a truly strange experience. Although Kireua had definitely been dreaming, he could remember it as vividly as if he had experienced it in the real world.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    At that moment, he could vaguely see something on his chest.


    It bounced up and down, up and down, up and up, and down. Now it even bounced in a certain rhythm.


    ¡°¡­Wait, hold on.¡± Kireua sprang up from his bed.


    -He¡­


    He was definitely not dreaming about the ck cotton ball bouncing around on his bed.


    -Gimme food!


    ¡°¡­Food?¡± Kireua frowned slightly.


    -Food! Food! Food! Food!


    ¡°You¡­ are the coal lump I met in my dream, aren¡¯t you?¡± Kireua cautiously asked.


    -Coal lummmmmp? I don¡¯t know. Food. Gimme food.


    ¡°Who in the world are you? You said I¡¯ll be able to know if I touch you.¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    -I dunno.


    Kireua was genuinely dumbstruck. Something was off about the coal lump. The coal lump in his dream definitely had intelligence.


    ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Kireua asked.


    -What is a name?


    ¡°¡­How old are you?¡±


    -Is it food?


    ¡°Phew.¡± Kireua sighed. It felt like he was dealing with a four-year-old, but¡­¡°¡­Something changed. I¡¯m sure.¡±


    Kireua realized that instinctively. The world around him looked different. It was indescribable, but his perspective seemed to have broadened.


    ¡°I heard about this¡­ It¡¯s what happened to people before their authorities manifested.¡±


    In that case, it was a very strange coincidence, but he still couldn¡¯t figure out the identity of the ck cotton ball he had met in his dream.


    ¡°It was a coal lump, so¡­ could it be a god rted to fire?¡±


    There were various kinds of fire. Depending on the temperature of the fire, the color of the mes differed. bis, Kireua¡¯s teacher, used red mes which were far beyond ordinary mes. On the other hand, a knight using azure mes called ¡°cold me¡± recently made an appearance; the knight¡¯s mes gained its title because the fire was so hot that it felt cold instead.


    There was a myth that there was another kind of me aside from red mes and azure mes; the storied me could annihte everything in this world. That fire was called the ebon mes.


    <em>¡®</em><em>In the generation of authorities, the owner of the azure me said that the king of all mes is the owner of the ebon me,</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua recalled.


    If Kireua had been a protagonist of a novel, this coal lump¡­ would be the owner of the ebon mes.


    ¡°No way. I¡¯m a half-wit that doesn¡¯t even know how to properly use a spear even though I¡¯m the Hero King¡¯s son. I don¡¯t really deserve that kind of coincidence.¡±


    Above all, he could still recall every single part of the conversation he had in his dream. The coal lump itself had said that they were pr opposites and wasn¡¯t sure why a person with me aura recognized it.


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°¡­I have no idea what¡¯s going on.¡±


    -Gimme fooooddd!


    ¡°Ah, for god¡¯s sake!¡± Kireua shouted. He had no choice but to head to the kitchen.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness?¡± The cooks that happened to be in the kitchen all bowed to Kireua.


    It waste afternoon. Since Kireua had lost consciousness at dawn, it meant he slept away half a day.


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>Sir Cain could have gone easier on me.</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua sighed.


    ¡°Is there any food left?¡± Kireua asked the cooks.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. You missed your meals. Please wait for a moment; I¡¯ll cook up something quickly.¡± One of the cooks grabbed a pan.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s okay.¡± Kireua waved his hands. ¡°Some snacks will be good enough.¡±


    ¡°Then I have some jerky¡­ Would that be okay?¡±


    They were in a war, so it was no time to be picky.


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Kireua nodded.


    After receiving several pieces of jerky, he quickly put his hand behind his back.


    -<em>Blegh! </em>It tastes bad. Gimme something else!


    Kireua scowled. After he regained hisposure, Kireua turned to the cooks and asked, ¡°I-Is there anything else?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Umm¡­ Ummm¡­. We do have some leftover barley bread from lunch¡­¡±


    ¡°Give it to me.¡± Kireua told the cook.


    But the coal lump¡¯s response was the same.


    -<em>Blegh</em><em>!</em> Urghh!


    ¡°¡­What in the world do you want?¡± Kireua mumbled, baffled.


    -Something good! Something good!


    The cook looked apologetic¡ªand confused. ¡°Mmm¡­ Your Highness, who are you talking to right now¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m just talking to myself. Myself. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Kireua shook his head.


    On the way over to the kitchen, Kireua had already conducted several experiments. Other people couldn¡¯t see the coal lump on his shoulder, so he didn¡¯t have to worry about someone finding out about its existence.


    ¡°There is nothing else, right?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°We prepare food in ordance with the number of people in the fortress, so¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Kireua smiled. ¡°No, don¡¯t be. We shouldn¡¯t waste food in a time of war.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your understanding, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°But can I borrow the kitchen for a moment?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    Kireua was going to try cooking up some food himself since he was a pretty good cook¡ªin fact, he was certain that he was the best among his peers. Anyone who had to survive a year on a deserted ind would be a great cook, but it turned out there was another problem.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Kireua turned his head to look at the other cook.


    ¡°The kitchen isn¡¯t avable right now because the mages took the mana stones that needed to be recharged.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Kireua realized that mealtime had ended long ago.


    The kitchens in nobles¡¯ mansions used the lowest-grade mana stones because even a mana stone engraved with one ss 1 fire magic spell could be handy in the kitchen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the fire.¡± Kireua nodded.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a problem that Kireua couldn¡¯t solve since the attribute of his aura was fire.


    ¡°Let¡¯s do some cooking! Wow, it has been awhile.¡± Kireua rolled up his sleeves and lit the stove.


    -Food!


    At that moment, something unexpected took ce: the coal lump on his shoulder jumped into the fire.


    ¡°Huh? Wa-Wait, it¡¯s dangerous¡­!¡±


    Kireua didn¡¯t have the time to warn the coal lump before it devoured the me that Kireua created in a single gulp.


    Kireua wasn¡¯t sure what happened just now.


    -<em>Blegh</em><em>!</em> Not good.


    However, the response was the same.


    ¡°Umm, Your Highness, is it okay if I help¡­?¡± A cook that had been watching what Kireua was doing approached him. From other people¡¯s perspectives, Kireua looked like a person who failed to create fire.


    But just then¡­


    ¡°Argggghhh!¡±


    The coal lump spat out a ball of fire so big that it scorched the ceiling, however, that wasn¡¯t the end of the surprises. After his aura had gone through the coal lump, it changed into somethingpletely different. The red me turned ck like the coal lump. Wait, was this¡­


    ¡°E-Ebon fire¡­?¡± Kireua mumbled in disbelief. ¡°¡­What? It really worked?¡±


    Kireua scratched the back of his head.

 Side Story Chapter 10

    Side Story Chapter 10


    After seeing the ability of Coal, as Kireua had decided he was going to call the coal lump from now on, Kireua began to follow around Cain like a puppy.


    ¡°Let¡¯s spar again,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Ah, let¡¯s just do it one more time please,¡± Kireua insisted.


    ¡°You already passed my test, so you don¡¯t have to do this.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡± Kireua grabbed Cain¡¯s arm.


    ¡°I said that I don¡¯t want to do it. It¡¯s already been three hours since you started doing this. What¡¯s wrong with you? Have you forgotten we¡¯re at war right now?¡±


    ¡°I just want to test out something.¡±


    Cain realized he couldn¡¯t disregard thest part and came to a halt. ¡°Have youe to a realization after our spar, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua pondered how he should answer Cain¡¯s question for a moment. He had been wondering what excuse he should use, but learning a lesson seemed to be a perfect excuse.


    Kireua nodded. ¡°It seems that way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it ¡®seems¡¯?¡± Cain frowned.


    ¡°I now have an idea why you¡¯ve failed to get married until now, Sir Cain,¡± Kireua said with a mischievous sparkle to his eyes.


    Cain tilted his head. ¡°¡­That¡¯s very random.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head back. ¡°Men shouldn¡¯t nitpick on every word like that.¡±


    A vein bulged out of Cain¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°¡­Wow,¡± Cain remarked with a cold smile. ¡°Now I realize who you take after.¡±


    ¡°You mean His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m talking about your mother, not your father. You¡¯re good at provoking people, just like Her Majesty Charles did when she was young.¡± Cain shook his head.


    ¡°Hmm¡­? No person could be more elegant than my mother.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t seen your mother when she was a little girl. Alright, fine. I, Cain de Harry, the finest Imperial Knight in the entire Empire, will give you a lesson.¡± Cain gestured at Kireua with his finger.


    That was what Kireua wanted. Besides, a proper stage was set already.


    ¡°Come,¡± Cain said.


    Kireua realized that they were at the vacant lot where he had passed out that morning.


    ¡°You changed your route after expecting how things would turn out, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Do I look that kind to you?¡± Cain asked sarcastically.


    ¡°Yes, he said that you always grumble andin but you have the warmest heart in the world.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Grumble andin? What man said such nonsens¡ª¡±


    ¡°His Majesty.¡± Kireua chuckled.


    Cain closed his mouth and scowled.


    ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how my master thinks of me,¡± he grumbled to himself.


    The air around Cain changed and his golden aura spread over the area.


    <em>¡®</em><em>Coal,</em><em>¡¯</em> Kireua quickly called out in his mind.


    -I¡¯m not coal!


    The ck cotton ball popped up on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulder.


    <em>¡®What? You know what coal is now?¡¯</em>


    -I read what coal is in your head, Kireua!


    <em>¡®Huh¡­ so you can read my mind.¡¯</em>


    -Yup! Shouldn¡¯t I?


    <em>¡®</em><em>This lump is really dangerous.</em><em>¡¯</em> Kireua thought. He had enough worries already and also had no intention of leading a simr life to Cain¡¯s. After the war, he wanted to date and get married someday. Then he would have at least two children, but to think that Coal was going to watch the whole process¡­


    <em>¡®Hell no. No way.¡¯</em>


    -Mating?


    <em>¡®¡­You little bastard.¡¯</em>


    -Kireua, haven¡¯t you thought of mating?


    <em>¡®Stop. I¡¯m really going to beat you if you continue.¡¯</em>


    -Haha~!


    Coal bounced up and down on Kireua¡¯s shoulder provocatively. Kireua¡¯s veins bulged on his forehead, but he knew he had to hold back his anger since he needed to ask for Coal¡¯s help.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll let this slide, so can you do that thing again?¡¯</em>


    -What?


    <em>¡®You know, you eat something and you spit it out. You already read my mind, so why would you pretend to not know about it?¡¯</em>


    -Nope. Your aura doesn¡¯t taste good.


    <em>¡®You said you¡¯re hungry. If you do this for me, I promise you I¡¯ll find something tasty enough for you to eat.¡¯</em>


    -Really?


    <em>¡®Yeah, for real.¡¯</em>


    -Then okay!


    ¡°When in the world are you going to start?¡± Cain asked just as Kireua finished his preparations.


    ¡°Actually, right now.¡± Kireua smiled and drew his sword. He infused all his aura into his sword, immediately sending fire rising up from it. However, Kireua wasn¡¯t done.


    <em>¡®Eat it now!¡¯</em>


    -Thank you for the meal~!


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    Cain tilted his head in confusion when Kireua¡¯s fire was extinguished.


    ¡°Your Highness, what are you doing¡ª?¡±


    Cain cut off his question with a startled shout.


    ¡°What¡­?!


    Kireua¡¯s me quickly returned, but pitch-ck instead of red.


    ¡°E-Ebon me¡­?¡± Cain stuttered in shock. The sudden change of attribute could only be caused by one thing. ¡°Yo-Your Highness! Have you manifested an authority?!¡±


    Of course, Kireua didn¡¯t answer Cain¡¯s question since he himself didn¡¯t even know what this was. Besides, the Emperor had always told him when he was a boy to hide at least thirty percent of his ability.


    Although Kireua was still so curious about Coal¡¯s identity that it was driving him insane¡­ Cain couldn¡¯t see Coal anyway, and there was no guarantee that he knew anything about it. In that case, it was better to hide Coal¡¯s existence until the end. Above all, Kireua had already been betrayed once even though it hadn¡¯t been long since he had returned to the Empire.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Kireua groaned. The wave of ck fire undted; controlling the wave was quite hard.


    With difficulty, Kireua managed to swing the sword in an elegant arc,unching an aura attack forward. His strike shed with the ground, leaving a vivid ck line right in front of Cain.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ did I miss?¡± Kireua smacked his lip in disappointment, but his eyes slowly widened. Judging from the visible steam rising from Cain¡¯s sword, Kireua didn¡¯t miss.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t even see you drawing your sword¡­ I guess I should have expected it from you, Sir Cain.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness,¡± Cain stiffly asked, ¡°what power did you just use?¡±


    * * *


    Numerous tents were set up near the south entrance to Raymond Valley; they were the self-proimed Southern Avalon Empire¡¯s temporary base.


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you really going to sit by and watch this happen?¡±


    In the centralmand tent, ten executives¡ªall famous nobles within the southern region¡ªhad gathered. Although each one of them had remained quiet out of respect for their leader losing his son, they couldn¡¯t sit on their hands anymore.


    ¡°Your Majesty, if we continue to do nothing, the chance of letting this opportunity slip out of our hands increases. Though I hate to admit it, the southern region became a pretty good ce to live after Queen Consort Charles became Duchess Pontier.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know.¡± Dargo rane Suspen nodded.


    ¡°Our people are already starting to talk amongst themselves. The Combat Emperor can have such an effect on his enemies¡­¡±


    ¡°I said that I know¡ªbut we don¡¯t have any other options, do we? If this battle was between two armies, it might have turned out differently, but¡­ I¡¯m not skilled enough to deal with Cain de Harry.¡± Dargo shook his head.


    One of Dargo¡¯s strengths was his ability to quickly admit his ws; it was also the first step to bing a better person.


    ¡°ording to our intel, he¡¯s on his own.¡±


    ¡°¡­No way.¡± Dargo frowned. ¡°If he came from Arcadia, then he would have brought the national army.¡±


    ¡°No, the national army is still in the vicinity of Demerre¡¯snd.¡±


    ¡°Demerre¡¯snd¡­?¡± Dargo nkly mumbled.


    It would take two days to get from the southern gates of Arcadia to Demerre¡¯snd. In order to get here from Demerre¡¯snd, it would take fifteen days at least.


    ¡°He must have ridden his horse here on his own. With his ability, it would be more than possible to shorten the time required to get here.¡±


    Dargo shook his head. ¡°He really is a monster. That basically means he got here from Arcadia within a matter of days.¡±


    ¡°That is why he¡¯s the Combat Emperor Star, but Cain de Harry is a human, just like us,¡± one of the executives eximed. ¡°He will be exhausted eventually and he¡¯s on his own right now. This is our chance.¡±


    Dargo mmed his fist into the table, silencing the tent.


    ¡°That one man made our enemies¡¯ morale soar through the roof,¡± Dargo slowly said. ¡°On top of that, we¡¯re at Fortress Raymond, the perfect ce for them to fend off an attack.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not finished. There is an old story. The only route an army could take to get across a river was a single wooden bridge, but a lone enemy general stood on top of the bridge and stopped the army long enough to buy his master¡¯s pregnant wife time to flee.¡±


    The executives fellpletely silent. The story of the Swallow Empire knight was famous. The story went that there had been a thousand pursuers, but they had all gone back empty-handed because they could not get past that general.


    That had all happened in the time when authorities hadn¡¯t existed. Mana and physical strength had been the only things that mattered in that era.


    ¡°Cain de Harry is the man who reached the peak just with his physical skills and control over his aura. In addition, he can fight equally against people with authorities,¡± Dargo tly stated.


    ¡°Still¡­ we can¡¯t go back like this, can we? We¡¯ve been holding ourselves back for too long. Are you telling me we have to go into hiding like that hellish time?!¡± one of the executives fumed.


    The past twenty years had been truly difficult. They had to feign their loyalty and stay quiet as mice because they were scared of the Emperor¡ªa truly dreadful state for the prideful nobles.


    Dargo shook his head. ¡°Of course not. If we encounter a variable, then we can just respond ordingly. All I¡¯m saying is we shouldn¡¯t overwork ourselves when it¡¯s clear we¡¯re at a disadvantage.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°We have to ask for reinforcements,¡± Dargo dered. In spite of the executives¡¯ wide-eyed stares, Dargo remained nonchnt. ¡°Isn¡¯t there a perfect person for the job? I actually thought of them right away. Is that not the case for you?¡±


    ¡°Who are you considering right now? Who can defeat Cain de Harry in a one-on-one battle¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just like I said, we can¡¯t do one-on-one battles,¡± Dargo refuted. ¡°Knocking down the entire fortress would be easier than defeating him.¡±


    ¡°Then are you saying you know someone who can do that?¡±


    Dargo nodded. ¡°You all should know this person very well.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the people in the north are at a stalemate because of the Heaven¡¯s Mind and the First Prince,¡± Dargo mentioned.


    Jaws dropped.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll request reinforcements from the army in the north. They have to arrive sooner than the national army, so we¡¯ll ask for a small enough group to warp here.


    ¡°The Three North Stars! Yes, one of them would definitely be enough to¡ª!¡±


    ¡°We need a specific person from the Three North Stars,¡± Dargo interrupted. ¡°There is someone I have in mind. Do you want to hear about it?¡±


    The executives¡¯ eyes were sparkling with excitement. The Three North Stars were the most famous celebrities in the Avalon Empire, along with the leaders of the Four Guardians.


    ¡°If we¡¯re breaking through the castle gate, not fighting a one-on-one battle, she¡¯s the perfect person for the job¡­¡±


    There was only one woman among the Three North Stars.


    ¡°All of you, immediately contact Anna bel Grace, the Wind Elemental Spirit Monarch.¡± Dargomanded.

 Side Story Chapter 11

    Side Story Chapter 11


    A gust of strong wind blew in the entrance to Raymond Valley,


    ¡°Wee to the south, Miss Anna bel Grace, the Wind Monarch!¡±


    ¡°We wee you with all our hearts!¡±


    A woman slowly walked out of the sharp gust of wind. Despite the fact she was over forty, the woman appeared to be in herte twenties at most.


    Several executives of the Southern Avalon Empire held their breath as the monster¡ªthe elemental spirit in wolf form¡ªstanding by the woman¡¯s side growled. It was the famous White Wolf, Anna bel Grace¡¯s trademark.


    ¡°¡­Huh? My, you didn¡¯t have to bother weing me like this.¡± Anna chuckled.


    ¡°Thank you for epting our request, Wind Monarch. I am Dargo rane Suspen, the Emperor of the Southern Avalon Empire,¡± Dargo proudly said.


    Anna silently looked at Dargo. Despite the fact that Dargo was already a Master, the invisible pressure he felt around Anna was indescribable.


    <em>¡®Is th</em><em>is the power of the Three North Stars¡­?!</em><em>¡¯ </em>Dargo wondered.


    Anna bel Grace was not only strong in the northern region but also considered powerful on the entire continent, strong enough to bepared to the Nine Stars. Knights, mages, elemental spirit mages, the rare magic swordsmen¡­ In every ss and each attribute of power, the highest-ranking predators were known as monarchs.


    On the same note, no one could utilize the mana of wind better than Anna bel Grace. Only the current Magic Tower Master, one of the Nine Stars, was close to her level.


    ¡°¡­Emperor, my ass.¡± Anna quietly mumbled, pouting. The executives¡¯ eyes widened. ¡°You must be misunderstanding something here. No matter which of the rebel armies seeds in the coup, there is only one throne. You know this, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m well aware of that.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. Good for you then,¡± Anna said in a sing-song voice.


    ¡°But I might be the one who ims the throne,¡± Dargo continued in a serious voice.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    Dargo nodded. ¡°Of course, I admit how great the ruler of the northern region is, but only time will tell who the final victor will be.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s always someone who needs to see gold and trash side by side to tell them apart from each other,¡± Anna muttered to herself. It was obvious who she was talking about.


    A vein bulged on Dargo¡¯s forehead. ¡°¡­Wind Monarch, I do appreciate your help, but humiliating me any further¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, cut it out. I¡¯m here to help so let¡¯s forget about this and start talking business.¡±


    Dargo was dumbstruck. Although he had heard rumors about the Wind Monarch¡¯s entricity, he hadn¡¯t expected her to be this bad!


    ¡°You know how valuable a warp stone is in times of war, right? I want to be paid for my help, along with the additional charge I had to spend in order to get here,¡± Anna demanded.


    ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Dargo raised his hand. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too much? We¡¯re allies working together to reach the same goal.¡±


    ¡°Huh, didn¡¯t you just say you¡¯ll beat the head of the northern rebel army and be the emperor of the Avalon Empire?¡±


    That shut Dargo¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°So let¡¯s keep the books clear. It¡¯s better that way for both of us, right?¡±


    Dargo frowned slightly. ¡°¡­Fine. What do you want?¡±


    ¡°My terms are simple: in all the battles going forward, the southern rebel army will follow my order above anyone else¡¯s. And¡­¡± Anna trailed off.


    Her next term was shocking even for Dargo.


    ¡°All spoils of war from the battles will belong to me, Anna bel Grace.¡±


    * * *


    Right after the spar between Kireua and Cain came to an end, Cain headed to Charles¡¯s.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°¡­I did say I¡¯m fine with it, but aren¡¯t youing a little too often?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s a little urgent¡­¡± Cain trailed off with an apologetic look.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡± Charles smiled. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ did anything seem wrong with His Highness Kireua recently?¡± Cain asked.


    Charles¡¯s face quickly darkened at the mention of her son¡¯s name. ¡°Why? Did anything happen to my Kireua?¡±


    ¡°Ah, don¡¯t get me wrong. It¡¯s really not a problem, but something is bugging me.¡±


    ¡°That just makes me more anxious,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, it¡¯ll be good for him, so you really don¡¯t have to worry,¡± Cain reassured her. She finally loosened up.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure,¡± she mused. ¡°I don¡¯t really remember feeling anything off or wrong with Kireua¡­ Exactly what is bugging you?¡±


    ¡°¡­From what I heard, you and His Highness Kireua have been together since the rebellion first started in the southern region. Is that correct?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± Charles nodded.


    ¡°Over the past several years, did he show any abnormal signs during battles, especially regarding his aura?¡±


    She had seen Kireua battle countless times, so she started to think after hearing Cain¡¯s question. When her son had first returned to the Empire, he had bragged about how he had be a Master, which had been really surprising for her. At the time, he had dered that he was going to protect his mother from now on¡ªand he actually did so in countless assassination attempts against her.


    Charles shook her head. ¡°¡­No; although I¡¯m aware that Kireua has a talent for fire aura, I didn¡¯t notice anything odd.¡±


    ¡°Was there a time when his me turned ck before¡­?¡±


    ¡°No, never,¡± Charles answered.


    Cain quietly sighed. ¡°¡­Your Majesty, I¡¯ll ask you onest question.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to be okay if His Highness Kireua doesn¡¯t take the throne? As you already know, you and His Highness Kireua may have to leave the pce once the First Prince takes the throne.¡±


    Cain was right. Even if the other queen consorts were fine with it, the other nobles would not ept it. Since a civil war had already broken out, everyone would feel uneasy about doing nothing about a potential source of trouble.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll make Kireua the next Duke Pontier,¡± Charles dered without hesitation. ¡°The southern region is¡ªno, was¡ªa pretty good ce to live.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m making a rational judgment, not a sacrifice. The person who actually sacrificed was Sersiarin.¡± Charles smiled intively.


    Sersiarin loved Joshua more than anyone else, but she had to give up on her love because they were once siblings. Even if they didn¡¯t share the same blood, people weren¡¯t going to look at them in a good light if they got married, so Sersiarin decided to stay as Joshua¡¯s sister forever.


    At the time, some people had derided Joshua as a cruel tyrant that yed his own father, so Sersiarin didn¡¯t wish to be an additional obstacle for Joshua.


    ¡°Sersiarin loves His Majesty as much as¡ª-no, more than we three queen consorts do. Since she even made such a request to you, she surely would never want the princes to fight, so how can I dare wish for my son to be the emperor?¡± Charles brushed her hair back. ¡°So I¡¯ll leave the matter to you. It doesn¡¯t matter if you choose Kireua or Selim. I¡¯ll respect your decision.¡±


    * * *


    Cain stood on top of the ramparts at night, lit only by the dim moonlight and a handful of torches.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± he grunted. He had a lot on his mind.


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>It was definitely an ebon me,</em><em>¡¯ </em>Cain thought. Ebon me was said to be able to destroy everything in the world.


    Cain slowly and silently drew his sword, revealing a surprising sight. Cain¡¯s entire sword had been scorched in the sh against Kireua¡¯s ebon me, and the fire on the sword didn¡¯t go out even afterward. Using his aura to put it out was meaningless because the ebon me even tried to devour his aura.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to throw this away.¡±


    Cain threw his sword off the rampart without hesitation. If Kireua had really used the legendary ebon me¡­


    ¡°¡­He might really have a chance against His Highness Selim.¡±


    Cain smiled. Having many talented members of the Imperial Family was actually good news, not bad. Cain could mediate a possible power struggle between them, but of course, the chances of it happening in the first ce was rather low.


    At that moment, a gust of wind blew over him. It felt odd to Cain. Something about the wind just now seemed very artificial.


    ¡°¡­Wait, I¡¯ve smelled this scent before.¡± Cain sniffed the air.


    The residual scent in the wind was familiar. It was¡­


    -Hey! Combat Emperor!


    Cain¡¯s eyes popped wide open in surprise.


    ¡°Anna bel Grace¡­?¡±


    -I would like to make you an offerrrr! Would you like to listennn?


    The guards instantly sounded the rm. The soldiers woke up and jumped up onto the rampart, but Cain couldn¡¯t rx.


    ¡°That witch should have been in the north, so why is she here?¡± Cain frowned.


    -You kno what can happen once wind starts to blow in a confined valley like thisssss?


    ¡°¡­What the hell!¡± Cain shouted.


    The inside of the valley was blocked by natural cliffs, so it wasn¡¯t really windy. However, if the wind somehow blew through the entrance to the valley, it became very strong. If someone as talented as Anna used her elemental spirit here¡­


    ¡°Do as you wish! I¡¯ll y you before you can do that, you witch!¡±


    Cain¡¯s thoughts about what he had seen during the spar were sted out of his head.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness?¡± he stuttered.


    The person that had just shouted was Kireua. He¡¯de to stand right by Cain¡¯s side.


    ¡°I am Kireua Sanders! The second prince of the great Avalon Empire! Wind? I¡¯ll cut through it along with your head!¡±


    -My, Sanders¡­? Yes, you¡¯re the Hero King¡¯s sonnnn!


    The echoing voice was tinged with interest.


    -I heard the rumorrrrr. I¡¯m actually very interested in youuuuuuu.


    ¡°What?¡±


    -You know, make do with what you haveeeeee.


    ¡°What bullshit is¡ª¡±


    -You really are your father¡¯s son. You¡¯re totally my typeeeeee!


    Kireua quickly scanned his surroundings, but no matter how hard he looked, no one was around nor could he even find a trace of someone¡¯s vital force.


    ¡°It¡¯s useless, Your Highness. She¡¯s probably watching us through her elemental spirit.¡± Cain shook his head.


    ¡°Then is there no way for us to find her?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I have a rough idea of her location, but there is a high chance of it being a trap,¡±


    Kireua frowned.


    -I¡¯ll propose a deal to you tooooooo.


    ¡°A deal¡­?¡± Kireua nkly repeated.


    Anna suggested a deal Kireua couldn¡¯t refuse.


    -Let¡¯s have a duel until one of us dies, like you did with Argooooooo. If you win, I won¡¯ty a finger on the fortress.

 Side Story Chapter 12

    Side Story Chapter 12


    ¡°Your Highness, no.¡± Cain grabbed Kireua by the shoulder and shook his head. ¡°You can¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. I know I¡¯m not you, but I am what they call a Master.¡±


    ¡°Do you even know who that witch is?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s Anna bel Grace, the Wind Elemental Spirit Monarch and the Witch of the North.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°She¡¯s¡­.¡±


    ¡°So stand back for now. I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, she wants me right now.¡± Kireua shook his head.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°I have to go. You said it yourself: she¡¯s the Wind Monarch. If I turn her offer down, a lot of people in the fortress will get hurt,¡± Kireua firmly answered.


    The biggest difference between normal magic and elemental spirit magic was whether or not other people could see the magic spells being used. Elemental spirits were basically ghosts for themon soldiers because, without mana of their own, they couldn¡¯t see the elemental spirit magic attacks pouring down on them. Elemental spirit magic was fear itself and disastrous whenever it appeared on the battlefield.


    ¡°Yes, Fortress Raymond is very good for keeping people out of its walls,¡± Kireua continued, ¡°but it¡¯s meaningless if she ws her way into the fortress from every direction with her winds.¡±


    ¡°We can evacuate into the fortress. Her wind might be strong enough in the valley to lift a human being away, but she won¡¯t be able to do much to buildings.¡±


    ¡°What if our enemies use that moment to attack us? From what I know, an elemental spirit mage is capable of making the wind blow only within a certain area. Besides, Anna bel Grace is famous for controlling the highest-ranking wind elemental spirit, so she is the worst possible enemy the people in Fortress Raymond could face.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. No one will be able to set a single foot into this fortress,¡± Cain determinedly said. He drew a sword from a nearby soldier¡¯s sheath and released his energy. It raged as if to rip apart any gusts of wind blowing in his direction.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s still only a temporary measure,¡± Kireua muttered. ¡°Sir Cain, please just trust me on this. Have you forgotten who taught me when I was in the Pce?¡±


    Kireua smiled.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°People called her Heaven¡¯s Mind. She said it herself: she doesn¡¯t know much about sword techniques, but I¡¯m more quickwitted when ites to tactics than Selim.¡±


    Cain finally closed his mouth. Although he wanted to say a million things, he knew that there was no way to stop Kireua once he¡¯d dug his heels in. It was understandable because¡­


    ¡°You really are your father¡¯s son. You¡¯re an exact replica of His Majesty when ites to worrying other people to death.¡± Cain clicked his tongue.


    ¡°Hehe, that¡¯s a yes, right?¡±


    Cain turned serious. ¡°¡­Your Highness, if you¡¯re really going to go, promise me that you won¡¯t use that power for now.¡±


    ¡°By ¡®that power'', you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the ebon me.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Sir Cain, do you know anything about this power?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know much, but the legendary ebon me was also called hellfire, meaning it belonged to the Demon Realm, not the Human Realm.¡±


    ¡°The De-Demon Realm?¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, there are already bad precedents and something about the powers from that ce is always suspicious. Therefore, it¡¯d be for the best that you refrain from using this power as much as possible until we can be certain it¡¯s safe.¡±


    ¡°¡­I know what you¡¯re worried about, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything, considering whom I¡¯m going up against.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°Just run if anything goes south. I¡¯ll follow you quietly from a distance.¡±


    -Heeeeyyy! Aren¡¯t you going to take my offerrrrr?! I¡¯m really disappointteeedd. You¡¯re the Hero Kinggg¡¯s sonnn! If you insist on having our troops fight each otherrrr, I¡¯m fine with that tooooo. My White Wolf has recently been making a biggg fussss about how hungry it isssss! The soldiers over there will be good to fill up its bellyyyy!


    The witch was truly wicked. She instantly made a big stir among the nearby soldiers. The name of Anna bel Grace held serious weight for the people of Igrant.


    ¡°How do I know it¡¯s not a trap?¡± Kireua shouted back.


    -Who do you think I am?! Don¡¯t worryyy! I, Anna bel Grace, swear on my title of ¡°Elemental Spirit King¡± that no one will meddle in our duelllll!


    The air around undted, and Kireua knew what had just happened. Breaking a promise made on one¡¯s mana or their elemental spirit meant losing one¡¯s power.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get going,¡± Kireua said.


    Cain nodded quietly. Kireua spared him onest nce before he jumped off the ramparts.


    * * *


    Kireua walked across the quiet valley alone in the darkness, following the path dimly lit by the moonlight. After he reached the end of the moonlight, he was at least one kilometer away from the entrance to the valley. He saw a woman standing alone. Kireua wasn¡¯t able to detect anyone else in the area.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± The woman grinned.


    ¡°¡­Are you Anna bel Grace, the Wind Monarch?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Ahahaha, that title is a bit embarrassing. Anyhow, I am Anna bel Grace.¡±


    ¡°What do you want? You should have been in the northern region, so why are you here?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re asking the wrong question?¡± Anna blurted out. ¡°The south and north rebel armies both have one goal, which is to take over this Empire.


    ¡°But you know, you¡¯re more handsome in person.¡± Anna grinned. ¡°You said your name is Kireua Sanders, right? Kireua, do you want to be mine?¡±


    ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make you the Emperor of this country,¡± Anna offered.


    Kireua blinked. It was a proposal that he had definitely not expected.


    ¡°In other words¡­ you¡¯re going to be my ally?¡± he surmised.


    ¡°If you date me.¡± Anna smiled coquettishly.


    ¡°Excuse me, but how old are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph.¡± Anna¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°It seems I have a lot of things to teach you. You don¡¯t ask ady how old she is.¡±


    ¡°A woman around my mother¡¯s age isn¡¯t really my type.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°¡­Focus now. Your preference doesn¡¯t matter since this is business. With my help, you¡¯ll be able to put an end to this civil war quicker, so it¡¯s not a bad deal for you.¡±


    ¡°There is one thing you didn¡¯t mention.¡± Kireua raised his finger with a smile on his face.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°After you make me the emperor, you will, of course, be the empress, won¡¯t you?¡±


    Once again, Anna grinned. ¡°Just call me Sister Anna; you sound too formal.¡±


    ¡°So you want this country too?¡±


    ¡°Of course~ I like power, but if you want, I can settle for the position of your concubine. The seat of an empress doesn¡¯t really matter to me.¡±


    ¡°In return, I¡¯ll have to let your people live in the pce, won¡¯t I?¡± Kireua asked.


    Anna just looked at Kireua without saying anything. After a moment, she shrugged.


    ¡°Well, if you don¡¯t want¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. You want me to be your puppet on the throne and control this country behind the scenes¡ªbut it won¡¯t happen.¡±


    Kireua immediately fired a mana-infused attack, eviscerating the air with his sword without any warning.


    The air heated up due to the collision between their mana, making the sky tremble. Kireua¡¯s attack was so sudden that Anna had to cover her face with her robe.


    ¡°No!¡± she grunted.


    However, Kireua¡¯s attack failed to strike Anna. A faint white blur appeared before Anna and ripped Kireua¡¯s attack apart with a loud howl¡ªbut it wasn¡¯t able to extinguish Kireua¡¯s mepletely.


    ¡°White Wolf, it¡¯s fine.¡± Anna stroked the air, and the growling quieted.


    The end of Anna¡¯s robe was caught in the sparks from the fire that the wolf had failed to extinguish and burned until it went from ankle-length to right around her thighs.


    ¡°My, my, I¡¯m in trouble if it burns any further.¡± After extinguishing the sparks with difficulty, Anna smiled awkwardly. ¡°This sister isn¡¯t wearing anything underneath this robe, so can you be careful?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?!¡± Kireua stepped backward in surprise even though it was him who attacked her just now.


    Anna looked at him and giggled. ¡°I don¡¯t have a hobby of walking around naked, but this is a great way to feel the wind. Stop being a baby and embrace it. This sister will treat you well.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. The air around Kireua changed suddenly as highly concentrated gusts of wind ripped through it. When he focused his mana in his eyes, he could see a glimpse of an enormous wolf around him. From the attack he hadunched, he realized that the best he could do in his current state was to leave a scratch on her sleeves.


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>Coal, are you there?</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua said in his mind.


    -Yup!


    A ck cotton ball instantly popped up. Although Cain had warned him against it, Kireua couldn¡¯t afford the luxury of being careful right now.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m asking this just in case, but you aren¡¯t an elemental spirit, are you?¡¯</em>


    -Elemental spirit? What¡¯s that?


    <em>¡®</em><em>Something like that wolf over there.</em><em>¡¯</em>


    -Urgh, it doesn¡¯t look tasty.


    <em>¡®¡­Is everything food for you? Anyhow, can you help me?¡¯</em>


    -Help you?


    <em>¡®Yes, I¡¯ll get you something good enough for you to eat after this battle.¡¯</em>


    Although Kireua didn¡¯t quite understand Coal, he could be sure of one thing: no matter how much havoc Coal wreaked, Kireua wasn¡¯t negatively affected at all. In fact, he could feel Coal more clearly.


    <em>¡®What can you do?¡¯ </em>Kireua asked Coal.


    -Umm¡­ Dunno!


    The conversation between Kireua and Coal ended quickly.


    ¡°Why are you standing there like a fool? Anyway, quid pro quo right? This sister always gets her paybacks.¡± Anna smiled crookedly and a very powerful gust of wind blew against Kireua.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Kireua immediately raised his sword. Just as expected from the Wind Monarch, the wind was so strong that he couldn¡¯t even open his eyes. He needed to focus intently to get a glimpse of the elemental spirit, but the wind blowing from every direction made it impossible now. Kireua was in danger.


    <em>¡®</em><em>Coal</em><em>! Tell me your ability. I need </em><em>your help right now!</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua yelled.


    -I¡¯m good at eating!


    <em>¡®No, for god¡¯s sake! Stop talking about food. Or you can use that ebon me¡ª!¡¯</em>


    <em>Gulp!</em>


    Kireua didn¡¯t finish that thought.


    -Like this!


    The gale surrounding him in all directions disappeared¡ªin fact, all the wind in the area seemed to have disappeared, turning the valley wind-free.


    ¡°Wh-What was that?¡± Anna nkly mumbled as her mini-skirt length robe settled. Her jaw hit the ground.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes lost focus. ¡°¡­Oh my god. You can swallow everyone else¡¯s mana, too?¡±<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    Coal! I¡¯m good at eating too!</blockquote>

 Side Story Chapter 13

    Side Story Chapter 13


    Kireua tried to understand what happened just now. Coal could swallow fire and spit it out again, and the me that Coal spat out turned into ebon me. If so¡­


    ¡°What happens if Coal swallows wind?¡± Kireua muttered.


    -<em>Gackk</em><em>!</em>


    Coal swelled from the size of Kireua¡¯s fist up to the size of the balloon, its cheeks puffed up with air like it was about to burst.


    -Paaaaaah!


    Kireua¡¯s eyes popped wide open in surprise¡ªthe wind that just blew out of Coal was ck. It was the ebon wind, a rare and always disastrous phenomenon for anyone unfortunate enough to cross paths with it while crossing the desert. Its whirlwinds churned the desert sands high enough to blot out the sky. Coal had amplified the power of the wind, and it didn¡¯t even react badly with Kireua¡¯s mana. If he could do this with all the attributes of mana¡­


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t this cheating?¡± Kireua murmured in disbelief.


    The storm of ebon wind gradually gathered around Kireua¡¯s sword and then mixed with his innate fire mana, blending scarlet mes and ebon wind in a natural harmony before shrouding Kireua in a symphony of red and ck.


    ¡°What kind of an authority is that?!¡± Anna shrieked. She stared at the whole thing with her jaw wide open. She believed without a doubt that Kireua had used an authority, the gods¡¯ power. ¡°I¡¯m going to go nuts! Some random gods made the entire continent a mess!¡±


    The White Wolf growled belligerently because it knew, as the highest-ranking wind elemental spirit, that the gale it was facing was just as strong as its own.


    Another gale started to disturb the valley¡¯s staid air.


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. He knew who was behind this abnormal phenomenon. He was, after all, going up against the witch Anna bel Grace, one of the Three North Stars and the Wind Elemental Spirit Monarch. Kireua knew he couldn¡¯t hold anything back in this battle.


    Kireua drew all his mana from his mana hall and prepared to charge. He felt much lighter than before, which must have been because of the ebon wind made by Coal. Wind mana had always improved speed¡ªthat was the reason why most of the swordsmen that emphasized speed had wind mana.


    Kireua shoved those thoughts aside.


    He disappeared. He darted forward, adrenaline and power rushing through his veins, riding the ck gale and exuding zing fire.


    ¡°White Wolf!¡± Anna shouted.


    The White Wolf threw itself into the fray and opened its mouth, wind gathering between its jaws. Then the wolf turned it into a ray of wind and fired it at Kireua.


    Kireua felt like time stopped for a split second, but his mind worked as fast as always.


    Kireua might not be the most talented person on the continent, but he was versatile with what he had learned. He knew a flow existed even in the White Wolf¡¯s ray of wind. Kireua focused his mana into his eyes to read the flows of mana, his veins bulged around his eyes with strain. He could see the flow of highly concentrated mana in the center of the ray of wind.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Kireua to decide his next move and act on it. He swung his sword without hesitation.


    ¡°Th-Th-That crazy¡­!¡± Kireua¡¯s response to the White Wolf¡¯s attack nearly made Anna¡¯s eyes pop out of their sockets. The White Wolf¡¯s wind could pulverize a boulder; it was as powerful as Air Cannon, a ss 5 magic spell. Anna was certain that the greenhorn was going to go bouncing away and be crushed by the pressure of the wind.


    ¡°What?!¡± Anna shouted in disbelief. It turned out that she was wrong. Outrageous as it was, Kiruea cut through Anna¡¯s elemental spirit magic attack with one strike. His sword had gone neatly through the core of her magic as if he couldn¡¯t even feel the wind bending the very sky.


    ¡°White Wolf!¡± Anna yelled. ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The White Wolf immediately leaped high into the air. Highest-ranking elemental spirits had physical bodies. The wolf¡¯s sharp teeth were as deadly as a Master¡¯s aura, and the wolf could crush a troll¡¯s head with a single swing of its giant front paw. A literal living weapon shed against Kireua in the air.


    ¡°Kyahhhhh!¡± The shockwave their collision created knocked Anna onto her bottom. Her eyes widened. ¡°Wh-White Wolf?¡±


    She found the White Wolf writhing inside a storm of ebon wind and fire. The wolf¡¯s white fur and skin was scorched and blistered and a long wound left in the wolf¡¯s waist also caught her eye.


    ¡°How¡­? Anna gasped.


    The sheer overwhelming impact of what she had seen pushed her past her limits, leaving her dumbstruck¡ªshe was in shock.


    The people of the continent hailed her as the Wind Elemental Spirit Monarch, master of all winds. Although the only reason why she had gained the nickname was that Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, became a Star¡­


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s just a boy. It doesn¡¯t make any sense.¡± Anna stared at Kireua as he stood there, panting, her lips trembling. ¡°So a tiger¡¯s cub¡­is a tiger indeed¡­¡±


    ¡°Witch, what do you want with this country?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°¡­Nothing.¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°No, you must have returned to the Avalon Empire fir a good reason.¡±


    Anna was silent for a moment. ¡°I have the surname of the Imperial Family of the Swallow Empire, but I have no ties to them. Did you know that?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a well-known fact.¡±


    ¡°I was just the foster daughter of thete War God, and I spent all my childhood in the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that you returned because you felt homesick all of a sudden?¡± Kireua asked with a slight frown.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I always wanted to return to Avalon. If it hadn¡¯t been for your freakishly strong father, I would have returned sooner.¡± Anna shot Kireua a wan re.


    Kireua closed his mouth. He had already heard the story about the Emperor of Avalon and Anna bel Grace. Draxia bel Grace, the War God, had been the Emperor¡¯s enemy, and his foster daughter, Anna bel Grace, invaded the Agnus estate twenty years ago on secret orders to wipe out everything rted to the Duke¡¯s family, including the Emperor¡¯s mother, who had been in the residence at the time. That was when the father and daughter bel Grace ran into the future emperor of Avalon. In the end, the War God was killed, and Anna bel Grace had been a fugitive ever since.


    ¡°I still can''t believe that Joshua Sanders is dead,¡± Anna muttered.


    ¡°So you gave up on fighting and turned to badmouthing my father?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being realistic here¡ªit¡¯s already been over ten years.¡± Anna shrugged. ¡°When I first joined the rebels, I was pretty nervous because I was worried about your father showing up and butchering me.¡±


    It became obvious that Anna genuinely wished to return to the Avalon Empire, but she couldn¡¯t use normal methods. As long as the Emperor¡¯s people held power, Anna would remain a fugitive. That must have been why Anna had joined rebels when the civil war happened to break out, but if that was her reason then Kireua couldn¡¯t let it stand.


    Anna flinched, feeling something cold on her neck. Kireua¡¯s sword had cut her neck, drawing blood.


    ¡°You¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do I have a reason to spare you?¡± Kireua bluntly asked.


    ¡°W-Wait!¡±


    ¡°Keep in mind that I am not merciful. I am¡­ the son of Joshua Sanders, the Emperor of the Avalon Empire, the most vengeful man in history,¡± Kireua said, slowly moving his sword closer to Anna¡¯s neck again.


    From the murderous intent in Kireua¡¯s eyes, Anna instinctively knew that he was serious.


    <em>¡®What</em><em>¡­? He¡¯s just a twenty-year-old boy¡­!</em><em>¡¯</em>


    A name popped into her panicked mind.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor!¡± she shouted. ¡°Do you want to know where the man who used to chase me is?!¡±


    Kireua¡¯s sword immediately stopped. Duke Tremblin the Sword Emperor had been one of the Nine Stars; it had been a long time since Kireua heard his name. In fact, Kireua had seen the Sword Emperor¡¯s sword techniques before those of his teacher, the me Emperor. If the Sword Emperor had stayed at the Pce, Kireua might have had a different teacher. However, after the Emperor¡¯s disappearance, the Sword Emperor had also vanished.


    ¡°I think I can track him down,¡± Anna quickly continued. ¡°He¡¯d be the best reinforcements the national army could ask for! And on the other hand, I¡¯m nothingpared to all the rebel armies!¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re lying to avoid getting killed¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°He tracked me for over ten years, like a cat and a mouse! Who else can track him down?¡±


    Kireua pondered what to do. Realizing that she made a very tempting offer, Anna grinned.


    ¡°How does that sound? Do you feel like negotiating again?¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t let a witch go on an uncertain piece of information. If I let you go free, you¡¯d be the most dangerous enemy for my army.¡±


    ¡°So yo-you are going to kill me no matter what? Think rationally. Look at the bigger picture! You¡¯re the prince who may lead an empire one day!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s change the terms. You¡¯ll locate Duke Tremblin and be mydy-in-waiting for the next ten years,¡± Kireua offered.


    ¡°W-What¡­?¡± Anna¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°That is too much! How can you make me ady-in-waiting when I could have been an empress!?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like your fantasy is actually real. Besides, your goal is to stay in this country, right?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you that I can make your dreame true in a legitimate way,¡± Kireua proudly dered.


    In Anna¡¯s eyes, the boy in front of her didn¡¯t even look like a human. A demon would cry and run away in fear if they saw this boy while he was trying to enve the best elemental spirit mage with only a couple of words.


    <em>¡®¡­Let</em><em>¡¯s take the deal first and run away when I see a chance,</em><em>¡¯</em> Anna resigned herself.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. If you¡¯re epting the deal, you¡¯ll have to write a pledge in your blood and make another pledge through your elemental spirit,¡± Kireua quickly added.


    Anna trembled in irritation.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust promises without proper documentation,¡± he told her with a smile.

 Side Story Chapter 14

    Side Story Chapter 14


    An elemental spirit mage making a promise on their elemental spirit was the same as a mage¡¯s mana pledge; they were both making an oath that they could not, under any circumstances, break. If elemental spirit mages broke the oath without a good reason, they would meet severe consequences¡ªnamely, losing their abilities forever.


    ¡°Ten years. You only have to work as mydy-in-waiting for ten years. After that, I¡¯ll set you free and condone all your actions as long as you don¡¯t cause harm to Avalon,¡± Kireua Sanders offered to Anna.


    Anna didn¡¯t respond; she was still feeling weak after making an oath and was sitting on the ground, staring nkly at the sky. Kireua spared her onest nce before turning to more important matters.


    ¡°What are you?¡± Kireua hissed after he checked that he was far away enough from Anna.


    -What?


    ¡°What is your identity?¡± Kireua asked again.


    -I¡¯m Coal.


    ¡°That¡¯s the name I gave you.¡±


    -I want a camembert.


    ¡°¡­Camembert?¡± Kireua repeated.


    -I saw it in a book. It¡¯s cheese!


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Are you doing this on purpose?¡±


    -Huh?


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the Demon Spirit¡¯s pet, are you?¡± Kireua asked.


    -Demon Spirit? Alcohol? I like drinking too!


    A ck cotton ball bounced up and down on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulder, but the Prince¡¯s expression didn¡¯t rx. As a member of the Imperial Family, he was born wary.


    <em>¡®I </em><em>did hear that gods like the Demon Spirit and Angel Spirit were annihted¡­ but I can¡¯t let my guard down after I saw what His Majesty went through,</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua thought.


    In addition, Kireua and Coal¡¯s case was totally different from anything else in history. Kireua had never heard of someone bing awakened like this and authorities were the powers that didn¡¯t have certain forms. Coal, on his shoulder, had a physical body.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness,¡± Anna mumbled.


    Kireua had to stop thinking because Anna slowly stood up and approached him.


    ¡°¡­Just call me Kireua,¡± he replied. ¡°You¡¯re at least twenty years older than me.¡±


    ¡°Th-Then shall I?¡± Anna replied without an ounce of hesitation.


    Kireua cocked his head. ¡°Can you at least pretend to think about it before you say yes?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I look forward to working with you, Kireua.¡±


    ¡°You look and are sociable.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s apliment, right? Thank you! By the way, can I ask you a favor?¡±


    ¡°¡­If this is about reducing the number of years¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come on, it¡¯s not,¡± Anna interrupted, shaking her head. ¡°I already made a promise. Besides, I thought about it and it actually isn¡¯t a bad deal for me. You definitely said you¡¯ll set me free in ten years and I don¡¯t have to leave Avalon as long as I don¡¯t cause harm.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Then if your father reallyes back¡­¡± Anna trailed off.


    ¡°Ahhh.¡± Kireua immediately understood what Anna was saying. She was worried about the Emperor punishing her. A long time had passed, but it didn¡¯t mean the bad history between Anna bel Grace and the Emperor was gone.


    Just then, Anna¡¯s White Wolf showed up right beside Kireua and whimpered, rubbing its face on his leg.


    ¡°¡­Where did that scary wolf go?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°You¡¯ll put in a good word with him since I work for you now, right?¡± she eagerly asked. ¡°Your father may be called the Martial God, but he took good care of his people, you know.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll see how you behave, and if you¡¯re good, I¡¯ll try persuading him.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Anna snatched Kireua into a hug.


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing? Get off of me!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Are you shy? Gosh, you¡¯re adorable.¡± Anna hugged Kireua even tighter, pulling his head closer to her chest.


    ¡°Arggh!¡± Kireua escaped from Anna¡¯s arms first and tidied himself.


    ¡°Oh, my.¡± Anna grinned. ¡°So what¡¯s your goal?¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean by ¡®goal¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I need to know what the man I serve wants, don¡¯t I? Regardless of all else, we have to stick together for at least ten years,¡± Anna said.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I haven¡¯t thought far into that future. For now, I want to suppress the rebellion and stabilize the Empire.¡±


    ¡°Come on! Of course you¡¯ll suppress the rebellion, but you have to take the throne and the continent too!¡± Anna shouted.


    ¡°Why do I have to take the continent¡­?¡± Kireua looked away.


    ¡°It¡¯s eat or be eaten in this world.You know that strange things are happening in the Hubalt Empire, right?¡±


    Kireua closed his mouth. One empire remained the strongest among the continent¡¯s many countries: the Holy Empire of Hubalt¡ªor rather, the Martial Empire of Hubalt, as it had basically be. Hubalt was a country of people who served the gods, but the gods were missing now.


    Despite how strong they were, the Hubalt Empire hadn¡¯t started to conquer the entire continent for one reason: the pope, the person with the most power in the Empire, had made it clear that they wouldn¡¯t start a war.


    The first reason behind the pope¡¯s deration was Zactor. He had been a former Sky and the Martial Emperor, but he had lost to Joshua Sanders, the Hero King and the Martial God of Avalon. Although the Martial Emperor had vanished, his dream of conquering the continent continued to stir the passion in the hearts of Hubalt¡¯s knights. Since gods had disappeared and the Hubalt Empire was now the strongest country on the whole continent, its knights¡¯ desire to achieve their dream burned like oil meeting fire.


    ¡°Speaking of which, the kings and emperors at the time were left very disappointed twenty years ago. Usually, after a war, anyone at the peak usually could be a winner, but the Continental War came to an end before anything happened. It¡¯s all because of your father, Joshua Sanders. He was the true victor, so if he wanted to take the continent, a lot of things could have turned out differently¡­ Well, I understand his reasons since there were many problems with Avalon at the time, but not anymore. You should suppress the rebellion in Avalon, ascend to the throne, increase the emperor¡¯s power, and take the continent! The principle of this world is that the winner takes all, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Anna¡¯s voice was strangely charismatic, but¡­


    ¡°¡­I think you¡¯re getting ahead of yourself.¡± Kireua tilted his head. ¡°I received no reports of any suspicious movements in Hubalt, and I¡¯m just getting started in suppressing the rebellion in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Men should be able to see the bigger picture.¡±


    ¡°Even if I want the throne, it¡¯d be difficult since I happen to have one freakishly strong brother.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°What?¡± she eximed. ¡°You¡¯re a freak already, but the other prince is even worse than you?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°¡­it might be different now.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, there was someone who had watched the fight between Kireua and Anna from the start to the end.


    ¡°He¡­ made the Witch of the North his ally?¡± Cain nkly wondered. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes. Anna bel Grace may not be a very famous celebrity, but anyone who knew her would surely recognize her power. The witch had already been a high-ss elemental spirit mage twenty years ago, so Cain had never imagined her working for someone.


    ¡°¡­Wait a minute. Maybe it¡¯s only natural for her to make such a choice since she isn¡¯t a knight,¡± Cain mumbled.


    There was an unspoken rule on the continent that whoever lost in a duel where the contenders bet their lives became the winner¡¯s subordinate. Of course, knights would choose death since they valued their honor over their lives, but still, they were people. Many knights valued their lives more. Besides, elemental spirit mages weren¡¯t bound to the ts of chivalry since they weren¡¯t knights.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cain was intrigued by how the situation was turning out.


    Selim Sanders was the son of Cain¡¯s master and monstrously strong, certified by Cain himself. However, if Kiruea made full use of his talent and had a good supporter by his side¡­


    ¡°¡­He might really have a chance!¡± Cain dered, beaming. ¡°¡­Then, since His Highness worked hard¡­ I¡¯ll get to work now.¡±


    One of the Three North Stars had be Kireua¡¯s ally. Cain himself was called the Combat Emperor Star, and Anna bel Grace was the highest-ss elemental spirit mage, a woman known as a human weapon. Cain was really certain about the fate of this rebellion in the southern region.


    ¡°Certain¡­ about winning this war!¡±


    Cain sprang toward the opposite side of the valley.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, on the opposite side of Raymond Valley¡­


    ¡°Any news yet?¡±


    ¡°No, Your Majesty. It has already been an hour, but¡­¡±


    ¡°What in the world is that witch doing!¡± Dargo, the leader of the southern rebel army, frowned. His eyes were glued to the windless valley because he had a feeling that something was off. As he had already surpassed the level of a master long ago, he could tell that the situation had taken an unexpected turn through his sharpened senses.


    ¡°Ten minutes. If the witch doesn¡¯t contact us after ten minutes, send two knight battalions,¡± Dargo instructed.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    Considering Dargo had lost his son, he was disying superhuman patience right now. If it hadn¡¯t been for Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star, Dargo would already have led his army to the fortress.


    At that moment, a gust of wind stirred the stagnant air in the valley. The ground shook as if a herd of horses was running toward them.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­!¡± Dargo¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    The gale was as quick as the finest horses, but it turned out that it had been created by a human being running toward them. Dargo¡¯s jaw dropped when he saw who that person was.


    ¡°Ca-Cain de Harry?¡±


    Even the nearby executives started to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°¡­Wait, if the Combat Emperor is here alone¡­?¡± A possibility came to Dargo¡¯s mind that brought a deep smile to his lips. ¡°He¡¯s here to surrender.¡±


    Anna bel Grace was a wind elemental spirit mage of the highest ss, meaning she could turn ordinary wind so sharp that it could wreck the fortress in the valley. Therefore, Cain¡¯s sword technique must have been useless before Anna¡¯s wind. Besides, Anna was great at hiding, so locating her wouldn¡¯t have been easy.


    Cain was now just twenty meters away from the rebels.


    ¡°¡­Heh, hehehehehe.¡± The end of Dargo¡¯s mouth curled up.


    ¡°Stop!¡± the rebel marquis shouted. Cain stopped as soon as the mana-infused voice reached him, affirming Dargo¡¯s theory. ¡°Cain de Harry! Kneel this instant and I¡¯ll tell my colleague, Anna bel Grace, to spare the soldiers.¡±


    The moment the knights had heard the name Cain de Harry, they had drawn their swords, but they now knew what was going on.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty, does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? He¡¯s basically our enemies¡¯mander, but he¡¯se into enemy territory alone. Obviously, he¡¯s trying to surrender,¡± Dargo said intentionally infusing mana into his voice so everyone could hear.


    The knights immediately brightened up.


    ¡°Woaaaahhh!¡±


    The knights¡¯ shouts were thunderously loud. The soldiers stomped their heels against the ground like the drums at a victory parade.


    Cain watched them silently for a moment, and then chuckled.


    ¡°Pathetic,¡± he sneered under his breath. ¡°Hahahaha.¡±


    Dargo was the only one who heard Cain, thanks to his finely honed senses.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Dargo said.


    Cainced his voice with mana just like Dargo had done as he opened his mouth.


    ¡°You all lost, you idiots!¡± he yelled.

 Side Story Chapter 15

    Side Story Chapter 15


    The thunderous voice of Cain de Harry, one of the great Stars of Igrant, rolled over the rebel army, silencing them instantly. His voice was as clear as day to the knights.


    Dargo was the first toe to his senses.


    ¡°We¡­ lost?¡± he dumbly repeated.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Cain de Harry¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already see iting, rebel leader? Anna bel Grace is in my custody,¡± Cain said.


    Dargo''s eyes widened¡ªthe worst-case scenario hade true.


    ¡°And she agreed to be one of us.¡± Cain smiled.


    ¡°Bullshit! You mean she betrayed me and my army?¡±


    Dargo really couldn¡¯t let Cain¡¯s remark slide this time. Anna was one of the Three North Stars, so why in the world would she betray him and the other rebels? It was truly nonsense and wasn¡¯t even funny.


    ¡°If I was lying, you¡¯d be able to find out soon enough, so why would I bothering all the way over here to lie?¡±


    Dargo¡¯s face quickly darkened. Cain was right: if something hadn¡¯t happened to Anna, she should have contacted the rebels somehow before any of this took ce.


    ¡°Then, she really¡­¡± Dargo¡¯s fists trembled faintly as reality set in.


    ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal,¡± Cain suddenly proposed.


    ¡°A deal¡­?¡±


    ¡°Fortress Raymond has a reputation for being tricky to take down. No matter who emerges victorious, my presence in the fortress will certainly prolong this war.¡±


    That was an undeniable fact. Dargo had requested reinforcements from the north rebel army for a reason.


    ¡°In addition, the Wind Witch is with me now, so you really can¡¯t guarantee your victory now.¡±


    ¡°¡­What are you trying to say?¡± Dargo asked with a thin frown.


    ¡°Dargo rane Suspen, I propose a knight¡¯s tournament against the southern rebel army.¡±


    Dargo¡¯s eyes widened. A knight¡¯s tournament was literally a battle between two armies¡¯ best warriors. The participants fought against one another, risking their lives on their skills alone. Under usual circumstances, Dargo would consider himself lucky and take the offer right away.


    <em>¡®¡­But </em><em>it¡¯s Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star,</em><em>¡¯</em> Dargo thought.


    Dargo clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh as his troops began to murmur among themselves. The Combat Emperor was quite clever; if Dargo said no right now, his knights and soldiers would be disappointed and morale would decrease drastically. Nevertheless, Dargo couldn¡¯t readily say yes because he still remembered the shock of the knight¡¯s tournament that had taken ce in this same location over twenty years ago.


    In the past, Count Valder had been thete Duke Pontier¡¯s vassal. When Duke Pontier had failed to recover from his illness, all hell had broken loose and Lady Charles di Pontier became the next head of the Pontier family even though she had been just twenty years old at the time. Some noble lords thought that that was their chance for them to be the new rulers of the southern region and rose up against the Pontiers. Among those noble lords was Count Valder, who had been the most powerful and also openly greedy for the Pontier Merchant group.


    A territorial conflict in the southern region had soon broken out, but the Emperor of Avalon had made a dramatic appearance and stopped the conflict from turning into a full-scale war. After that, the two families hade to an agreement that they would resolve their conflict through a knight¡¯s tournament and the winner would take hegemony of the southern region.


    As a result¡­


    ¡°¡­Each family picked out one hundred of their best knights, but Count Valder suffered a devastating loss,¡± Dargo recalled.


    It had been truly jaw-dropping. The Pontiers hadn¡¯t really had a proper knight¡¯s order because they had just gone through a long, violent territorial conflict. Therefore, the new Duke Pontier had to urgently recruit at least fifty free¡ªand rtively less skilled¡ªknights to participate in the tournament.


    However, the leader of those knights had been the deciding factor in the Pontier Family¡¯s victory. The Combat Emperor, the man currently standing right before Dargo, had personally led the Pontier knights, used all the right tactics, and single handedly beat up over twenty knights. In the end, the Ducal Family of Pontier had won by a mile. That kind of feat couldn¡¯t be found anywhere else in the history of the Empire. That legendary figure was offering Dargo a knight¡¯s tournament.


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Dargo grunted quietly.


    ¡°Dargo rane Suspen, I heard you¡¯re quite skilled at tournaments,¡± Cain said.


    Dargo¡¯s authority was from the White Tiger, one of the Four Guardians. Using his authority, Dargo could surely thrive in a knight tournament since his ability to increase morale strengthened when he used it in a more narrow area. In fact, Dargo was confident that he could build an order of one hundred knights that would be invincible so long as he was using his authority of the White Tiger to raise their level.


    But he still couldn¡¯t take Cain¡¯s offer.


    ¡°¡­Combat Emperor, why should I take such a deal?¡± Dargo asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re scared.¡± Cain smirked at Dargo. Dargo bit his lip so hard that it bled.


    ¡°Well, fine. I¡¯ll give you a handicap,¡± Cain said with a shrug.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t take part in this tournament.¡±


    For a moment, Dargo didn¡¯t understand what Cain said, but his eyes quickly widened into full moons. The Combat Emperor was the one who proposed a knight tournament, but he wasn¡¯t going to participate? Dargo knew that the knights residing in Fortress Raymond weren¡¯t talented¡ªhe was actually being generous with that assessment. Those knights were less skilled than a Count¡¯s ordinary knights, just like the Pontier Family¡¯s knights had been in the past.


    ¡°Have you really gone nuts¡­?¡± Dargo murmured. He couldn¡¯t help himself from letting his thoughts slip out¡ªunder those conditions, it was a fight he couldn¡¯t lose.


    * * *


    After thirty minutes, Cain finished negotiating and returned to the fortress, but when he noticed two people talking near the fortress¡¯s entrance, he halted.


    ¡°Ca-Can I just wait around here?¡± Anna nervously asked.


    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±


    ¡°B-But your knights won¡¯t leave me be¡­ E-Especially the Combat Emperor¡­¡± Anna trailed off timidly.


    Cain intentionally made a sound. Kiruea and Anna¡¯s heads swiveled toward him.


    ¡°Si-Sir Cain?¡± Kireua stuttered.


    Cain wordlessly drew his sword. Anna instantly turned pale.


    ¡°Wa-Wait, Sir Cain! Let me exin!¡± Kireua shouted. ¡°Put down your sword first¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Anna bel Grace,¡± Cain muttered, instantly silencing Kireua. ¡°Anyst words?¡±


    Anna trembled like a puppy in the rain. ¡°D-Do something, Prince! No, master!¡±


    ¡°Ma-Master?¡± Kireua flinched in surprise.


    ¡°You said I should be your loyal servant for the next ten years! You went through all that to recruit such a high-skill worker, so are you really going to let him kill me like this?¡± Anna shrieked.


    Kireua had no choice but to stand between Anna and Cain. ¡°Sir Cain, calm down.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Your Highness,¡± Cain answered.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I saw everything already.¡± Cain smiled and sheathed his sword.


    ¡°You mean you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I shadowed you, Your Highness,¡± Cain said.


    Kireua knew that Cain was going to follow him regardless of everything else that was going on right now, but he felt touched nheless. Cain must have been worried about Kiruea, so he had shadowed Kireua to interfere instantly if Kireua fell into danger.


    ¡°Anna bel Grace.¡± Cain turned his head to look at Anna, who had been nervously watching the whole conversation.


    She trembled faintly as she answered, ¡°Yup¡­?¡±


    ¡°You know that my master¡ªHis Majesty¡ªis looking for you.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m well aware of that, but the Emperor of Avalon is¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s away right now, but it doesn¡¯t absolve you from your crimes,¡± Cain firmly asserted. ¡°He may still look for you after he returns to the Pce.¡±


    ¡°I¡­guess so.¡±


    ¡°But I believe he isn¡¯t looking for you in order to punish you,¡± Cain continued.


    Anna¡¯s eyes became as round as a rabbit''s. ¡°Wh-what¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been decades since the incident. Besides, you were so young that you couldn¡¯t think for yourself, so there¡¯s no way His Majesty would still hold a grudge against you.¡± Cain shrugged.


    ¡°He¡­ really doesn¡¯t resent me?¡± Anna trembled for a different reason now. ¡°But I¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, you tried to harm thete Queen Mother Lucia, His Majesty¡¯s mother, which is indeed an unpardonable crime. You and the War God could have stuck to your superior¡¯s orders and focused on knocking down the Agnus Family, but you two were too loyal and went too far.¡±


    ¡°W-We didn¡¯t have a choice back then! If the Dark God didn¡¯t take over Avalon ording to the n, our years of effort were going to go down the drain¡ª!¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, His Majesty is well aware of that.¡±


    Silence fell upon the area. Anna was frozen up like a statue, but her hands kept shaking.


    ¡°Still¡­ if I was him, I would want to rip the person who tried to harm my mother to shreds,¡± she said. ¡°But he doesn¡¯t hate me¡­ Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty had his revenge. Although I don¡¯t know what initially set him on the path of revenge¡­ he did say one thing.¡±


    ¡°One thing¡­?¡± Anna repeated nkly.


    ¡°The end of revenge is very empty.¡±


    Anna had a rough idea of what Joshua meant. Revenge resulted in another revenge; Anna had also actually dreamed of a vendetta without reflecting on what she had done. Of course, she had given up on it at the time because she couldn¡¯t bring herself to go up against the Martial God.


    If Anna thought about it now, she wouldn¡¯t think about taking revenge if she regressed back to that time. Her father had been a member of the Imperial Family of the Swallow Empire, but he had lost his throne and ended up harboring a grudge. Duke Agnus, the Dark God, had wanted to avenge the rape of his mother by a Britten, but how the Dark God and War God met their end?


    They had used everything to aplish their goals without regard for right or wrong and created enemies of their own. In the end, they died lonely.


    ¡°Then¡­ Why does the Emperor keep looking for me?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°It seemed he wanted to ask several questions about your father since you¡¯re the only one in this world that has the answers to his questions.¡±


    ¡°¡­Cain de Harry, do you forgive me?¡± Anna cautiously asked.


    Cain tilted his head. ¡°You must be misunderstanding something right now. I never held a grudge against you since I never had any reason to. I just followed my master¡¯s wishes.¡±


    Anna closed her mouth. She felt the remnants of her hesitation buried deep in her heart disappearing.


    ¡°So remain loyal to His Highness Kireua and I won¡¯t say anything else about this,¡± Cain said.


    Anna brightened up, and Kireua smiled faintly.


    ¡°I hope we get along,¡± Cain said as he passed by Anna.


    Looking at Cain¡¯s back, Anna shouted, ¡°Me too!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 16

    Side Story Chapter 16


    Cain gathered all the knights in the national army inside Fortress Raymond and delivered shocking news: ¡°We¡¯re going to have a tournament against the rebels.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Sir C-Cain, what do you mean by a tournament?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you heard, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Did Dargo rane Suspen suggest it?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who suggested it.¡±


    Kireua stopped speaking. A tournament waspletely different from the duels Kireua had fought in before. At the time, he was confident in himself, but this¡­


    <em>¡®¡­</em><em>Wait, it¡¯s actually not bad,</em><em>¡¯ </em>Kireua thought. An idea had popped into his head. Themander of an army yed a very crucial role in war; naturally, it was the same for a tournament even though themander only had to lead one hundred knights. And Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star, was here right now, so the odds of the national army winning the tournament were quite good.


    ¡°Hah, Marquess Suspen must not have heard the story about you, Sir Cain.¡± Kireua clenched his fists. ¡°They¡¯re all dead me¡ª¡±


    ¡°Keep in mind that I won¡¯t participate in the tournament this time,¡± Cain interrupted.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°That was his terms.¡±


    The other knights who had been watching the conversation were also taken aback.


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace, what do you mean you¡¯ll sit out the tournament?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense. There are less than one hundred knights in this fortress that can truly call themselves knights.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Suspen is not only great at tournaments but also small-scale battles. In fact, he¡¯s the third-strongest¡­¡±


    ¡°Wh-Why would you make such a deal?¡± Kireua eximed through the panicking knights.


    ¡°Are you not confident about winning this tournament?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°If it had been my master¡ªHis Majesty¡ªhe would have crushed a hundred knights on his own.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened because the other knights were in the room.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­ Are you trying to test me?¡±


    ¡°Did it sound like that?¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°Are you not trying to test me?¡±


    ¡°I am trying to test you.¡± Cain nodded. ¡°Are you not confident about this tournament?¡± Cain repeated; his expression was totally calm.


    Kireua had no idea what was going on inside Cain¡¯s head, but¡­


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t care if there are a hundred knights or a thousand because I¡¯m the son of the Hero King and the Martial God,¡± Kireua answered, stoically meeting Cain¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Haha, I knew you would say that.¡± Cain smiled contentedly.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°You do have a n for this tournament!¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m themander of the great Golden Spirit Knights. To that end, I just requested reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? But even if we ask for reinforcements right now¡­¡±


    Cain pulled out something from his inner pocket before Kireua could finish speaking.


    ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a warp stone.¡± Anna spoke. She had been watching everything from a few steps away. She was currently wearing a robe that covered her entirely. She had been introduced as a mage who was here to assist the national army; since it was the Combat Emperor and Second Prince who had introduced her, no one questioned Anna¡¯s identity.


    ¡°A warp stone¡­?¡± Kireua nkly repeated; he hadn¡¯t heard of the item before.


    Of course, he had a rough idea of what it was since the name was quite literal, but that only made it more difficult to believe that the ordinary-looking blue stone was a simplified version of a warp gate,


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Iceline zin Rebra, who was formerly one of the Seven Mages in the Magic Tower and currently queen consort of the Avalon Empire, is a genius and that she could have developed it¡­¡± Anna muttered.


    Kireua turned straight to Cain for affirmation.


    ¡°The reinforcements are supposed toe tomorrow at noon, but they¡¯ll probably arrive before then. The enemy would never have imagined that I have such a valuable treasure in my hands.¡± Cain looked at the warp stone in his hand.


    ¡°Oh my god¡­¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, the stone is disposable and only able to teleport ten people at maximum¡­ but those ten people can travel up to three hundred kilometers. Even the Magic Tower mages can¡¯t create an artifact like this.¡±


    ¡°Th-Three hundred kilometers¡­?¡± Kireua muttered.


    With a smile, Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s more than enough to reach Arcadia.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­ do you think they¡¯re serious about the tournament?¡± Dargo¡¯s aide asked.


    Dargo frowned because he had been wondering about the same thing, but no matter how hard he thought about it, he reached the same conclusion:


    ¡°They¡¯re serious.¡±


    ¡°May I ask why you think so?¡±


    ¡°The Combat Emperor has a reputation to protect, so he has no reason to lie in front of that many people,¡± Dargo exined.


    ¡°¡­Indeed.¡± His aide nodded.


    Tens of thousands of people had heard Cain¡¯s proposal. If Cain had lied about it, the Combat Emperor and the national army were going to be humiliated even if they won the war. On the other hand, the other rebel armies¡¯ morale would soar, and that was not the result Cain and the national army would want.


    ¡°Unless he¡¯s nning to ughter everyst man in our army, there is no way the Combat Emperor was lying. He also will not participate in the tournament, just like he said.¡± Dargo concluded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand why the Combat Emperor made such an offer when it would give us the upper hand.¡±


    ¡°Have we identified the number of the knights in the fortress?¡± Dargo asked.


    ¡°Less than a hundred men that can be considered knights are in the fortress. ording to the report, there are five B-ss knights at maximum,¡± his aide reported.


    Everything was within Dargo¡¯s expectations. It had already been two years since they began their uprising in the southern region. Most of the knights in the national army had died, been taken prisoner, or scattered around the continent. The people who were currently residing in the fortress were all that was left of the national army in the southern region. So¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll put an end to the war in the southern region through this tournament,¡± Dargo dered.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    * * *


    The visor of Kireua¡¯s polished helm clicked into ce.


    ¡°Do I really have to put this on? It¡¯s a bit stuffy,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s essential in a tournament. Some say that amander should always be the vanguard to boost their army¡¯s morale, but that¡¯s bullshit,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua nodded. He vaguely understood what Cain meant.


    If themander went into the vanguard and died first, the army was going to lose no matter what.


    ¡°But I¡¯m not saying you shouldy low in the back. You just have to wear the same uniform as your knights, just like you¡¯re doing right now, and lead the knights as the situation demands,¡± Cain exined.


    ¡°I understood.¡±


    ¡°In that regard, I forbid you from using the Deon Ring I gave you,¡± Cain added, handing over the heavy set of armor to Kireua.


    Kireua sighed, but Cain was right. Magic armor stood out too much, especially the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s. Kireua quietly smacked his lips and looked up. All the eighty-nine knights on Kireua¡¯s side had already arrived. It was noon, so the tournament was going to start soon. However, Kireuacked eleven knights.


    ¡°The reinforcements you were talking about will arrive in time, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    Kireua scowled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you being too irresponsible, even if your goal is to put me through hell to train me?¡±


    ¡°How would I dare to put you through hell? You¡¯re mistaken, Your Highness,¡± Cain replied.


    Kireua suddenly brightened up.


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± he enthusiastically replied. ¡°If anything goes wrong, you¡¯ll probably cover your face and participate in the tournament.¡±


    ¡°Only a fool wouldn¡¯t know it was me¡ªmy sword techniques are very famous.¡±


    The moment Cain finished speaking, the ground rumbled with hoofbeats.


    ¡°Combat Emperor! Prince Kireua! I, Dargo rane Suspen, am here as the emperor of the Southern Avalon Empire!¡±


    Dargo¡¯s voice was immediately followed by a beast¡¯s roar. Dargo was using his authority. The less-skilled knights on Kireua¡¯s side froze up in fear.


    ¡°Woahhhhh!¡±


    On the other hand, the enemy knights forgot about their fear and shouted at the top of their lungs, buoyed by the authority of the White Tiger, one of the Four Guardians.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted.


    Dargo rane Suspen had be a Master over a dozen years ago and was titled the suprememander of the south for a reason. Going up against Dargo was hard enough even without his knights.


    ¡°¡­Sir Cain,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it about time you tell me who these reinforcements are?¡±


    As the tournament inched closer, Kireua began to worry because his life wasn¡¯t the only thing that was at stake here; if they lost this tournament, the entire southern region was going to end up in Dargo¡¯s hands.


    ¡°The reinforcements are ten knights at most¡­ Even if they¡¯re all Imperial Knights, this tournament isn¡¯t going to be easy,¡± Kireua analyzed.


    At that moment, Cain¡¯s pocket buzzed. When he pulled out the warp stone, they found that it was shining with blue light.


    ¡°They¡¯re here.¡± Cain grinned. ¡°Your Highness, I think you¡¯ll be able to focus solely on the tournament when you meet your reinforcements.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ you might be able to surpass your limit. I think you¡¯ll want to win no matter what,¡± Cain enigmatically continued before throwing the warp stone against the ground.


    Cracks spread all over the brilliantly shining stone until it finally shattered in a blinding sh of light.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡± Kireua grunted quietly because the stone released a st of light that was much brighter than he had anticipated.


    Exactly ten people walked out from the light.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Th-They¡¯re¡­?¡±


    Although Kireua wasn¡¯t sure if he should consider himself lucky or not, he was almost right about the identity of his reinforcements. The ten people that had just appeared were wearing armor engraved with the symbol of the Avalon Empire, marking them as Imperial Knights. However, the surprising part was¡­


    ¡°Long time no see.¡±


    ¡°Yo-You¡­!¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes lost focus. ¡°Se-Selim Sanders¡­?¡±


    Before him stood an undeniably attractive man with deep blue hair and sharp facial features; he cut a majestic figure with his spear in hand. He also happened to be Kireua¡¯s only brother.


    ¡°Has it been about ten years, Kireua Sanders?¡± Selim asked.


    Kireua¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°How did you¡­?¡±


    Seriously. Selim was supposed to be in the northern region, so why was he here?


    It turned out that there was even more shocking news.


    ¡°The civil war in the northern region is over,¡± Selim answered.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The national army won, obviously,¡± Selim said. He walked past his frozen brother. ¡°It¡¯s time to end the war in the south now.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 17

    Side Story Chapter 17


    ¡°W-Wait a minute. The war in the north is over?¡± Kireua asked Selim, surprised.


    ¡°Can we afford to talk right now? I thought the tournament was going to begin at noon,¡± Selim answered.


    Just then, Dargo shouted at the top of his lungs outside the fortress wall.


    -Prince! Combat Emperor! Are you scared?! Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Only a hundred of our knights are here right now, just like we promised!


    ¡°¡­Shit,¡± Kireua quietly cursed.


    The soldiers in the fortress were getting nervous. The more Kireua dragged his heels, the more the morale of the people inside the fortress was going to decrease.


    ¡°Open the gate,¡± Selim said.


    The two soldiers guarding the pulleys to the fortress gate were baffled. Since they were born and raised in the southern region, they didn¡¯t know who they were talking to right now.


    ¡°I am Selim Sanders, the First Prince of Avalon.¡±


    The two soldiers¡¯ eyes widened and they hastily saluted.


    ¡°Is that okay?¡± Selim asked, ncing back at Kireua. He was being considerate of Kireua because the Second Prince was indeed themander of the fortress.


    Kireua nodded. ¡°¡­Open it up, please.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    The old pulleys creaked loudly as they turned. Meanwhile, Selim got on the horse that had been prepared for him in advance and looked up ahead. The nine knights wearing ck armor also got on the horses one after another.


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± Kireua shouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Selim raised his hand, indicating he already knew what Kireua was going to say.


    It was a truly odd sight. While all the soldiers were looking down from the top of the ramparts, ny-nine knights were standing before the gate. Eighty-nine of those were wearing silver full-te armor while the other ten knights were wearing simple matte ck armor.


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­ They aren¡¯t the Imperial Knights,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The symbols on their chests are definitely that of the Avalon Empire, but there are some people in the Imperial Family who are allowed to have an organization of their own, aren¡¯t there?¡± Cain reminded Kireua.


    Kireua''s eyes widened; he understood right away. The Emperor of Avalon and the queen consorts each had one, and Kireua also had such an organization of his own in the past. Each member of the Imperial Family was allowed to maintain a group of guards in the pce to protect themselves.


    ¡°Among those organizations, the ck Knights only follow His Highness Selim¡¯s orders,¡± Cain added.


    At the same time, Selim said, ¡°Everyone, get into wedge formation.¡±


    The knights saluted sharply.


    ¡°Just like we did in the Great in of Ollen, Rodney and Agagette will be the ends of the wings. The valley gives us an advantage. The enemies have to climb up, but we only have to go downhill. We¡¯ll use the momentum to break right through the enemy¡¯s formation,¡± Selim exined.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    The fortress gate opened uppletely. A group of people were already running toward the gate from afar. At the very front of their wedge, Selim swung his spear valiantly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°Follow His Highness!¡±


    The horses neighed as they broke into a ground-shaking gallop.


    ¡°Hey! Wait for me!¡± Kireua btedly pulled himself together and tightened his grip on his reins.


    Cain bowed slightly. ¡°Return,¡± was all he said to the younger prince.


    Kireua was dumbstruck. ¡°Aren¡¯t you even a bit worried about me?¡±


    Cain grinned like he knew exactly what was going to happen, and shook his head.


    ¡°Not in the slightest.¡±


    * * *


    Dargo became confused right after the fortress gates opened. The enemy vanguard was a group of people wearing ck armor. They ferociously spurred their horses forward without the slightest sign of fear on their faces.


    ¡°¡­What? That is their n?¡± Dargo blurted, more bewildered the longer he looked.


    The whole team wearing the same uniform to hide theirmander was basic tactics for a tournament. On top of that, the participants needed to be able to distinguish friend from foe in the heat of battle.


    ¡°So there are approximately ten in the vanguard?¡±


    ¡°Logically, one of them is Kireua Sanders, theirmander¡­ but I guess not, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Prince might be among the remaining eighty-nine knights.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give him an A for effort,¡± Dargo¡¯s aide sarcastically remarked.


    Dargo chuckled in agreement. Kireua used a cheap tactic. His useless trick was no doubt an expression of his ipetence.


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Dargo came to a halt.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. The people wearing ck armor aren¡¯t wearing helmets,¡± Dargo noticed.


    If Kireua was trying to confuse his enemies, he should have ordered everyone to cover their faces.


    Dargo''s eyes widened. His sharp vision instantly picked out the knight in the very front. The knight¡¯s hair was deep blue, but his skin was snow-white¡ªand there was only one spear like that in this country.


    ¡°S-Selim Sanders?¡± Dargo murmured, shocked. The nearby knights¡¯ eyes widened as well.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty, what do you mean, ¡®Selim Sanders¡¯? Are you sure about that?¡± his confused aide asked.


    His bewilderment was understandable since Selim Sanders¡¯s name was one deserving of such regard. He was the genius of geniuses who had be a Master when he was fifteen. With his crazy talent and a single spear, at the age of eighteen he had been able to defeat Artmil, the wandering knight better known as the Wandering King of the Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°Ge-Get into a formation!¡± Dargo hastily. His knights drew their swords.


    The vanguard was way quicker than Dargo had originally anticipated. Dargo and his army were over five hundred meters away from the fortress, two hundred meters out of range of arrows. However, Selim and the ck Knights closed the distance in mere moments.


    ¡°What the hell¡­!¡± Dargo gritted his teeth.


    Selim and the ck Knights were already a hundred meters ahead of the knights from the fortress. One hundred knights versus ten knights? It was suicide.


    Dargo shoved those thoughts aside and began to circte his mana. His aura shook the air. Once he also activated his authority, a white tiger roared vigorously.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! The First Prince is still just a twenty-year-old boy! I, Dargo rane Suspen, am with you all!¡±


    ¡°Woaaahhhhh!¡±


    Dargo and his knights also spurred their horses. Fifty meters were left until they collided.


    ¡°You cocky greenhorn!¡± Dargo shouted.


    He stopped analyzing the situation. He didn¡¯t care why Selim was here when he should have been in the northern region. The thought of what kind of glory he was going to enjoy filled his head. If he won this battle, he was going to capture the first and second in line to the throne of the Avalon Empire, an indescribably great achievement. Since the person who made the biggest contribution in a war was the one with the most trophies, Dargo might really be the emperor of the Avalon if he seeded.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± Dargo burst intoughter. Just imagining the possibility of iting true made his heart swell.


    Dargo and his knights were just ten meters away from Selim and the ck Knights. At this kind of distance, a Superhuman could pick out individual pores.


    Sparks rose into the air as ayer of Dargo¡¯s aura covered his sword, itself taking the form of a sword. Dargo created an Aura de, which only Masters could manifest.


    Dargo smirked at Selim. ¡°I¡¯ll chop his head off with one strike.¡±


    Selim seemed to notice that Dargo¡¯s eyes were on him.


    Selim¡¯s spear was twice his size and he was riding a horse, yet, Selim had no problem swinging the spear like a windmill.


    Dargo had gone up against all the famous knights older than thirty. Therefore, although it was Dargo¡¯s first time going up against Selim, he was certain that Selim¡¯s behavior was caused by his youth.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be the vanguard, Your Majesty!¡±


    Ten of his knights riding their horses alongside Dargo sped up their horses. A tournament hinged upon the level of experience of its participants. Even if a knight was very strong individually, it may bepletely different in a group battle.


    ¡°Everyone, divide into a group of three! Ignore everyone else and go for the First Prince! The fight is over once we have theirmander!¡± Dargo¡¯s aide shouted. Dargo didn¡¯t even have to bother instructing his knights since his aide¡¯s orders were textbook.


    The end of Dargo¡¯s mouth curled into a smile as the two groups of knights shed.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± Dargo¡¯s smirk copsed into ck-jawed confusion.


    Although Selim swung only once, the three knights on Dargo¡¯s left were instantly blown away. He then immediately swung his spear at the knights on Dargo¡¯s right.


    ¡°Arghhhh!¡± The six knights fell from their horses, screaming as if an explosion spell had hit them. All the knights that were getting blown away were Dargo¡¯s.


    ¡°Wha-What the fuck¡­! ¡± Dargo couldn¡¯t help but curse.


    The citizens of the Avalon Empire always said that the ck Knights under the First Prince¡¯smand were the best knights in Avalon. Although Dargo had never believed the news before, now he had seen it with his own eyes.


    ¡°Spare no one,¡± Selim ordered.


    An ear-splitting boom cracked over the valley as Dargo¡¯s knights and the best knights in Avalon met once again.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Anna had been watching the battle from the top of the ramparts. What she saw was difficult to process.


    ¡°¡­Cain de Harry,¡± she nkly called. ¡°I have a question. Whose side are you on? The First Prince or the Second Prince?¡±


    ¡°¡­Why do you want to know?¡±


    Anna shrugged. ¡°Well, regardless of everything else, I need to serve Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince, from now on.¡±


    Cain didn¡¯t answer her even after a long time, so Anna turned to face him. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? You should say you¡¯re on Kireua¡¯s side, obviously!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the prince of this Empire, so treat him with respect.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, Kireua himself said to call him by his name. Anyhow, you aren¡¯t really on the side of that freakishly strong First Prince, are you? That¡¯d be too unfair!¡± Anna looked down at the battlefield with trembling hands.


    Whenever Selim swung his long spear, at least three or four of Dargo¡¯s knights dropped from their horses, screaming. It was like leaves falling in autumn.


    ¡°I¡¯m still thinking about it,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°What? Thinking?¡±


    ¡°But in my personal opinion¡­¡± Cain trailed off for a moment and his eyes turned to the rear part of the battlefield. ¡°¡­I¡¯m on His Highness Kireua¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Anna brightened up. Kireua should at least have the Combat Emperor Star on his side to have a chance in this battle for the throne, in her opinion.


    ¡°Are you sure we can count on you?¡± she asked, narrowing her eyes at Cain. ¡°It¡¯s really hard to trust a sly old knight¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true; you can trust me on that. As you can see, my life will stay the same if I serve His Highness Selim.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not interesting. Of course, my interest doesn¡¯t mean anything when ites to deciding who is worthy of the throne. Look, do you think he really needs my help right now?¡±


    The battle was quicklying to a close. After single-handedly dismounting over a dozen knights, Selim was going wild at the center of the enemies like a wolf jumping into a herd of sheep.


    ¡°I no longer want to live life in that boring way,¡± Cain¡¯s voice quietly dered.


    Selim Sanders, the First Prince, was as monstrously strong as Cain¡¯s master.

 Side Story Chapter 18

    Side Story Chapter 18


    Selim moved silently across the battlefield with his great spear in hand, leaving long ck streaks behind him.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    His first blow threw the enemy knights into the air, but the rebels knew that swinging a long weapon left a brief moment where oney open to attack. The enemy thus took the opportunity to attack Selim. Knights as skilled as those from Avalon wouldn¡¯t miss their chance, so the nearby enemies simultaneously thrust their swords at the Prince.


    ¡°What¡­!¡±


    Selim somersaulted off of his horse and high into the air to avoid the swords pouring toward him from all directions. Then he sprang toward an enemy knight.


    ¡°Arrgghh!¡±


    Selim¡¯s second attack was a kick that knocked the knight right off of his horse. Selim imed that horse for his own; he held up his hand and his spear suddenly reappeared. That spear was Longin, the divine weapon that could be summoned anytime the owner desired it¡ªthe spear of the Emperor of Avalon.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid! He¡¯s just one man! Attack him at the same time!¡± Dargo shouted.


    ¡°Woaaaahhhh!¡±


    Dargo¡¯s knights forgot about their fear and held up their swords, lighting the valley with the radiant shine of their auras.


    Among Dargo¡¯s selected one hundred knights were thirty ss B experts, who had been on standby until now. It was time for them to step forward. The vanguard of each group had locked swords with each other. When Dargo¡¯s expert knights circumvented them to attack Selim, the ck Knights flew into a rage.


    ¡°How dare they!¡±


    ¡°No one will get to His Highness!¡±


    ¡°Rodney! Agaggette! We¡¯ll take the rest. Protect His Highness!¡±


    The two men who had been holding the wings of the ck Knights¡¯ formation threw theirrades a salute and then spurred their horses forward.


    ¡°Those arrogant¡ª!¡± Dargo scowled; the situation couldn¡¯t be any worse. If things had gone ording to his n, he and his knights should have defeated the enemy vanguard ages ago, but the actual result was the pr opposite. There were less than ten enemies, but they had held down their position and fended off Dargo¡¯s knights with ease even with less than one-seventh of Dargo¡¯s knights.


    The horses of Dargo and his yet-umitted knights began to neigh frantically. The area was narrow and steep, so Dargo and his knights were at a disadvantage. On top of that, the way up to the fortress was blocked, so Dargo and his remaining knights had no choice but to watch the fight. When they tried to skirt around the nks, two of the ck Knights suddenly showed up and stopped them.


    Dargo took off his helmet and threw it away irately. The feeling of the helmet getting in his view annoyed him too much.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of them myself.¡± Dargo held up his sword. His aura, the most brilliant on the battlefield, soared from his sword. It didn¡¯t matter if it was the left path or the right path¡ªif he managed to clear one path, he and his knights would be able to head straight into the fortress.


    With that decided, he turned and prepared to advance, when an ominous feeling grabbed his attention.


    <em>¡®Murderous intent!¡¯</em> Dargo¡¯s eyes snapped upward.


    Someone was falling from the sky like a bolt of lightning.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Dargo grunted. The impact rendered Dargo¡¯s hand so numb that he nearly lost his grip on his sword¡ªbut he had be a Master ages ago and was the ruler of the Southern Avalon Empire, the wielder of the authority of the Four Guardians!


    ¡°There you are, Dargo rane Suspen, head of the southern rebel army.¡±


    ¡°Selim Sanders!¡± Dargo yelled.


    Just as expected, the person who intercepted Dargo was the First Prince, but more shocking was that even the knights blocking the nks were quite skilled. The knights fended off three or four of Dargo¡¯s knights each with ease. It was safe to assume that they were at least B-ss knights.


    ¡°Can you afford to pay attention to anyone else right now?¡± Selim sneered.


    ¡°¡­Hehehe. You¡¯re truly arrogant to creep into the center of the enemies like this, Prince Selim.¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, I don¡¯t really enjoy hiding like a rat,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a prince, yet I still fight in the front line. What are your knights going to think?¡±


    Dargo felt his anger rising inside him.


    ¡°I gotta hand it to you and your mouth,¡± he mumbled. ¡°You are indeed the son of the Emperor of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°No, my eloquence isn¡¯t the only thing I take after,¡± Selim said. ¡°Magic Spear Art, Level 1,¡± Selim quietly uttered. He pointed his long, pitch-ck spear toward Dargo.


    Dargo heard him, and he was well aware of what the Magic Spear Arts were. Even the knights that were approaching Selim flinched.


    Dargo opened his mouth to roar orders, but Selim beat him to the punch.


    ¡°Stabbing is like a lightning bolt.¡±


    Dargo wasn¡¯t sure whether Selim had thrust his spear before or after he had finished speaking.


    ¡°Lightning sh.¡±


    The one thing that he could know for certain was that he had no way of determining that right now. The ray of light¡ªhundreds of rays of light¡ªdenied him the opportunity.


    Dargo fell off his horse, covered in holes.


    ¡°Multiple Strikes.¡±


    It was thest voice Dargo heard in this world.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua Sander was staring nkly at the battle. There wasn''t a single moment for Kireua to jump onto the battlefield. Dargo¡¯s one hundred knights couldn¡¯t break through the blockade created by the ten ck Knights.


    A tournament usually ended in one of two ways: either by dismounting the other team using theirnces or by fighting until one team obliterated the other. This tournament was clearly thetter case.


    On top of that, knights usually took turns while fighting in a narrow area like Raymond Valley because their stamina wasn¡¯t infinite. They were bound to get fatigued at some point, so the knights on standby substituted for the wounded and tired knights, but all ten ck Knights held their positions through the entire battle, forming an imprable line that stopped the enemy from entering the valley.


    ¡°¡­I have no way of helping him even if I want to,¡± Kireua murmured.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    Kireua¡¯s head snapped around to face the speaker. Although Kireua wasn¡¯t sure when he had gotten there, a man who should have been on top of the ramparts was standing right beside him.


    ¡°Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of the fact that you have topete with a monstrously strong person like him?¡± Cain repeated.


    Kireua clenched his fists. Was he scared? He honestly wasn¡¯t sure. Maybe he didn¡¯t want to fight his ally, monstrous or not, or he didn¡¯t really want the throne yet.


    ¡°¡­No, I¡¯m not,¡± Kireua honestly answered.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Yes, now that he had to answer that question, Kireua found that he indeed wasn¡¯t scared. In fact¡­


    ¡°Regardless of who takes the throne, Selim is someone I want to defeat no matter what it takes,¡± Kireua said. His words were backed by an iron resolve.


    ¡°¡­You are indeed His Majesty¡¯s son.¡± Cain smiled faintly. Kireua gave him a questioning look. ¡°His Majesty also hated the idea of losing to anyone.¡±


    Kireua ''s eyes widened as he understood. Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, never lost; that was what made him the emperor of this empire.


    ¡°Dargo rane Suspen is deaaaad!¡± one of the ck Knights shouted, his mana carrying his voice throughout the entire area. Kireua and Cain turned to look.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Their jaws dropped as they saw whaty at the center of the valley. Selim held up the rebel leader¡¯s head, with only fifty of Dargo¡¯s knights surviving to witness their defeat.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Selim tossed the head aside as casually as if he was handling a bit of unwanted offal. ¡°Take care of the rest,¡± he said.


    The ck Knights saluted and drew up their energies, readying themselves for another fight.


    ¡°All of them stand guilty of high treason. They have abandoned their country,¡± Selim coldly dered. ¡°You can kill them all.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    Selim¡¯s knights were as extraordinary as their leader. Regardless of the fact that the enemy knights had lost their will to fight, they were still part of the ten greatest knightly orders¡ªand yet one ck Knight had gone up against four of them with ease. The more surprising part was that Selim turned his back on the battlefield while the battle was still ongoing.


    ¡°¡­His Highness Selim must trust his knights deeply,¡± Cain said.


    After finishing his job, Selim walked back to the fortress gate. Kireua unwittingly held his breath as the elder prince approached.


    Cain greeted Selim first: ¡°Good work, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Since we¡¯ve put out the biggest fire for now, I want to ask you a question that¡¯s been bothering me for a while,¡± Selim said.


    Cain stopped bowing and tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What is the question?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about this spear.¡± Selim held up the spear he was holding.


    Naturally, Cain was well aware of what that weapon was. He had seen the weapon for dozens of years and had handed it to Selim himself.


    ¡°You mean Longin?¡±


    ¡°Yes; you said that Longin was originally found in the ruin of Amon, which lies under the Agnus manor,¡± Selim recalled.


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, that is indeed what I told you.¡±


    ¡°Five years ago, I formed a search party of my own and have been tracking down His Majesty,¡± Selim said.


    Cain raised one of his eyebrows slightly.


    ¡°I should have done it a long time ago rather than relying on you so much, so it¡¯s my fault.¡± Selim shrugged.


    ¡°¡­I see I unintentionally caused you trouble, Your Highness,¡± Cain said apologetically. ¡°I should have tracked down His Majesty er¡ª¡±


    ¡°When you returned to the pce, my knights headed to the ruin of Amon right away, thinking they might be able to find something that you missed,¡± Selim continued.


    Cain¡¯s face darkened. ¡°So did you find something?¡±


    ¡°No, my knights failed to locate anything that would tell us His Majesty¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But they were able to find the traces of an intense battle,¡± Selim said, his voice bing colder.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Se-Selim!¡± he shouted. ¡°What are you doing!¡±


    Selim pointed his ck spear at none other than Cain de Harry, Joshua Sanders¡¯s first knight and the Combat Emperor.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll ask you: do you have anything to do with his disappearance?¡±


    ¡°The hell? What are you doing right now?¡± Kireua protested.


    ¡°Kireua, stay out of this, ¡± Selim solemnly ordered. Kireua was unable to stop him. ¡°Sir Cain, you had better answer me right here, right now.¡±


    Selim drew up his energy, creating a storm of mana in the air around him.


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡± Cain smiled faintly. ¡°Your Highness, that battle wasn¡¯t enough for you, was it?¡±


    He received a confused look.


    ¡°You know the rules. Even if you¡¯re a member of the Imperial Family, you must earn everything using your own power, the position you are born with,¡± Cain said.


    While Selim stared at him, wide-eyed, Cain also drew up his energy.


    ¡°That is what I¡¯ve been teaching you ever since you were a boy.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 19

    Side Story Chapter 19


    Cain remembered finding a spear, a Deon Ring, and the traces of an intense battle in the ruins of Amon. As soon as he hadid eyes on the scene, he realized that a fight between two god-like people that far surpassed the level of humans had taken ce. The rocks in the underground space were crumbling into dust, and only the copsed pirs of the holy temple, evidence of the structure¡¯s tremendous age, still stood.


    Of course, Cain had a theory of what had happened.


    <em>¡®His Majesty and the Doppelganger¡ªthe Demon Spirit¡ªfought to the death in those ruins.¡¯</em>


    The only reason why Cain hadn¡¯t told Selim the truth was that Cain was a knight. Whenever he watched Selim fighting, the desire to fight Selim rose from within him.


    ¡°I¡¯m less skilled, so I¡¯ll start,¡± Selim said and then disappeared.


    The ck spear shed with Cain¡¯s sword with such strength that Cain was forced to take a couple of steps backward. However, that was it. Cain stopped there and deflected Selim¡¯s barrage of spear attacks without moving a centimeter. A long-range weapon was very destructive, but Cain chose to deal with Selim¡¯s attack head-on. Meanwhile, Cain kept talking casually.


    ¡°We can¡¯t afford to waste time during a war, right? Start with your best technique,¡± Cain provocatively ordered.


    In response, Selim swung his spear to distance himself from Cain and straightened his posture.


    ¡°I won¡¯t say no to that.¡±


    The ck spear danced in the air, and Selim¡¯s mana shook the sky. He moved like a butterfly but his spear stung like a bee. Although he was moving for only a few seconds, he used a multitude of techniques¡ªit was the Modified Magic Spear Art Level 4, Water Wind Spear.


    Cain''s eyes widened. Selim moved his ck spear beautifully, leaving ck afterimages in the air that fluttered like the wings of a butterfly, utterly captivating Kireua.


    A barrage of attacks poured onto Cain. Without hesitation, Cain infused his mana into his sword, lighting it up with a golden shine.


    An ear-splitting bang shook the sky and ground.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    The ck Knights had finally returned to the fortress gates. There wasn¡¯t a single enemy left on the battlefield apart from the wounded knights moaning on the ground; all the rest had retreated.


    ¡°Speed, uracy, damage, aura control¡­ You¡¯ve improved in every possible area. On top of that, Modified Magic Spear Art? You created your own unique technique?¡±


    Selim shook his head. ¡°I still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, I really enjoy watching my former student improve. I know I¡¯m saying this toote, but I¡¯m not the person behind His Majesty¡¯s disappearance, Your Highness.¡±


    Selim nodded. ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I knew you would react like that, Sir Cain,¡± Selim said, jamming his spear into the ground with a faint smile. ¡°I actually found His Majesty¡¯s traces.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?! Are you serious?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Yes, he¡¯s in the north.¡±


    ¡°No-North?¡± Cain stuttered. Even he hadn¡¯t expected to hear that answer. It was not the central region where the former Agnus Duchy had been nor was it a foreign country like Reinhardt. On top of that, the northern region of the Avalon Empire was¡­


    ¡°When I was a boy, His Majesty mentioned that he should head to the coldest region in the world someday,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°But the north of the Avalon Empire is¡­¡±


    ¡°In the northern region¡¯sst vige, several hunters remember seeing an outsider wearing a robe ten years ago.¡±


    No one really visited the north of the Avalon Empire. No one was there, apart from the people who were born and raised there; there wasn¡¯t even a single tourist in the region.


    ¡°His Majesty went even further north.¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡ª!¡± Cain stuttered.


    ¡°Yes, he headed to Lemegeton, thend of demons where no humans can live.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Selim withdrew his spear. ¡°It¡¯s a shame. If there wasn¡¯t a war on, I wanted to have a proper spar with you, Sir Cain.¡±


    Cain nced down at his hands, which were still shaking after deflecting Selim¡¯s barrage of attacks. Selim was just twenty years old, but Cain had been forced to take him seriously, if only for a moment.


    ¡°¡­I actually think it¡¯s a shame, too. Why did you use me of the crime when you know everything, then?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°As a student, I wanted to show my teacher how much progress I¡¯ve made.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? Hahahahahahaha!¡± Cain burst intoughter. ¡°If you want to know my answer, I give you a passing grade, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Selim smiled lightly.


    Cain examined the ck Knights. Since it had been ten years since Cain left the pce to locate Joshua, some knights looked familiar while some were strangers.


    ¡°Since it was you who asked for reinforcements, Sir Cain, I brought my most elite knights,¡± Selim exined.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve seen them fight. Every one of them was exceptionally skilled,¡± Cainplimented with honesty. A knight who was as skilled as Cain was, could assess someone¡¯s level only with his eyes.


    ¡°I think you already know it, but they¡¯re very skilled and almost at the level of ss A knights.¡±


    If these ten knights were as strong as Masters, then it was safe to assume that Selim¡¯s order was the strongest in the continent.


    ¡°Did you train them yourselves?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Yes, the journey to find His Majesty was also a valuable way for me and myrades to gain actual experience.¡±


    Cain gave him a nk look. ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    Selim readily nodded. ¡°Yes, I was also on the journey.¡±


    * * *


    When Selim entered Fortress Raymond, he immediately visited Charles¡¯s room.


    Selim bowed. ¡°Greetings to Her Majesty Charles.¡±


    ¡°Selim!¡± Charles beamed and hugged him. ¡°How have you been?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too well,¡± Selim answered amicably.


    ¡°It looks like you became more handsome. My, I think you¡¯re old enough to get married now. How is your mother?¡±


    ¡°She actually asked me to say hello on her behalf,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bummer. If it hadn¡¯t been for the rebellion, I would have had a tea party with her.¡± Charles smiled bitterly.


    Kireua watched the conversation uneasily for a moment before clearing his throat. ¡°Mother, Dargo rane Suspen was decapitated just now thanks to Selim.¡±


    ¡°I-Is that true?¡± Charles¡¯s eyes instantly became as big as a rabbit¡¯s.


    ¡°Yes, but I¡¯m still worried,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Worried¡­?¡± Charles trailed off.


    ¡°Since the head of the southern rebel army is dead, everyone would think the rebellion in the southern region has been suppressed, but I think it¡¯s the opposite.¡±


    Among Dargo and his one hundred elite knights, Dargo and thirty of his knights had died, and twenty of them had been taken prisoner. Half of the knights had survived and returned to their camp. It was certainly a good result given that it had only taken ten knights to achieve, drastically increasing the national army¡¯s morale, but¡­


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the rebel leaders must have heard the news by now and were also shocked by Dargo rane Suspen¡¯s death,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°¡­Are you worried that those rebels will decide to fight until the end?¡± Charles guessed.


    A little stone in the road could overturn arge wagon, and a rat could bite a cat when cornered. It needn¡¯t be said what a grand army of a hundred thousand soldiers could do under duress.


    ¡°The north, east, and west¡­ If any of the remnants in the south decide to join any of the rebel armies, they¡¯ll be a big problem in the future. Ah, of course, Selim said he suppressed the rebellion in the north¡­¡± Kireua trailed off dramatically.


    ¡°He su-suppressed the rebellion in the north?¡± Charles''s eyes widened once again.


    Kireua intentionally mentioned it because he knew Selim wasn¡¯t going to answer the question if he asked it. On the other hand, his mother held a higher status and was older than Selim, so he couldn¡¯t evade answering her.


    ¡°To be precise, they voluntarily withdrew their troops,¡± Selim immediately replied, just as expected.


    ¡°...They voluntarily withdrew?¡±


    ¡°Up until two weeks ago, the national army and the northern rebel army were at a stalemate,¡± the elder prince informed her.


    Charles¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°Well, I did hear that themander of the northern rebel army is Carmen von Agnus, so I really can¡¯t imagine them withdrawing voluntarily¡­¡±


    Among the coteral members of the Agnus line, Carmen von Agnus was known to be the noblest and most skilled Superhuman. For a long time, the Agnus family was famous for their exceptional swordcraft. Although Aden von Agnus had overshadowed her in the past, Carmen had been the second strongest person in the entire family even before the Dark God¡¯s death.


    ¡°What? Then that basically means the war in the northern region isn¡¯t over yet. I thought you won by a mile or something,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    Charles frowned. ¡°Kireua! Don¡¯t speak sarcastically to your brother.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean it. Hey, Selim, go back to the north. I¡¯ll do the clean up in the south.¡±


    Selim tilted his head. ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay? Just like you said, the war here isn¡¯t over yet. The rebel army¡¯s leader died, but at least a hundred thousand rebel soldiers remain. In the worst case scenario, the east and west rebel armies may unite and attack the southern region.¡±


    ¡°In that case, it won¡¯t really be different even if you stay.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°I¡ªno, we¡ªwill strand them.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua had definitely not expected him to propose something like that.


    ¡°The first prince of the Avalon Empire is good bait, isn¡¯t he?¡± Selim smiled thinly.


    Kireua ''s eyes widened as he understood what Selim was saying.


    ¡°So a hundred of you will be bait?¡± he surmised.


    Selim nodded. ¡°Yeah, my knights and I will strike them from behind.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s not even ten people versus one hundred people anymore. It¡¯s one hundred people versus ten thousand people, and you¡¯re desperate to do it. Gosh.¡± Kireua shook his head sardonically.


    ¡°A hundred of my knights are enough if we use gueri tactics rather than fighting them head-on,¡± Selim replied with confidence.


    Kireua, unable to find anything else to object to, just pouted. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re His Majesty or something?¡±


    ¡°Kireua, I¡¯m seri¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, don¡¯t try to do everything on your own. Let¡¯s use our heads and fight this war properly,¡± Kireua interrupted.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°<em>The Heaven¡¯s Mind Military Tactics</em>, Chapter 1: Winning Without Fighting,¡± Kireua said dramatically.


    Selim was still confused.


    Kireua looked at him and grinned. ¡°Starting now, I¡¯ll show you what I¡¯ve learned.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 20

    Side Story Chapter 20


    Kireua knew that he had made quite the bold im, so he made sure to prepare thoroughly.


    ¡°Hey, Coal,¡± Kireua said.


    -Yup?


    ¡°Can you eat weapons by any chance?¡± Kireua asked.


    -Weapons? Swords? Serpent[1]? Oh, that¡¯ll be tasty.


    ¡°¡­You crazy coal lump, you¡¯re trying to eat a dragon now?¡±


    The most important ingredient for this operation was a spear that resembled Selim¡¯s. Since spears weremon enough, given that they were favored by the infantry, and Joshua Sanders was practically the god of victory, there were many replicas of Selim¡¯s pitch-ck spear. However, that was impossible to imitate the spear¡¯s color because the spear was a divine weapon made from adamantium, which could only be found in the Demon Realm.


    ¡°Try this.¡± Kireua handed Coal a metal lump, which superficially resembled Longin but barely even qualified as a spear. It would really serve better as a gpole¡ªin fact, the national army¡¯s banner-bearers actually carried this kind of spear around like a talisman.


    -Bweh. That looks bad. I¡¯m not going to eat that.


    ¡°Ah, please. Just this once,¡± Kireua begged.


    Coal¡¯s help was essential in this operation, so Kireua was prepared to ask Coal one more time.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡±


    Kireua spun around, surprised and found that Anna was standing next to him with a smile, having crept up on him without making a sound.


    ¡°Anna¡­?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°That was quite impressive. ¡®<em>The Heaven¡¯s Mind Military Tactics, Chapter 1: Winning Without Fighting!¡¯</em>¡± Anna quoted in a low tone.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°Are you mocking me?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just curious if you actually have a n or you were just talking big.¡±


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll see,¡± Kireua quietly replied.


    ¡°This Heaven¡¯s Mind you mentioned is Icarus, right?¡± Anna asked. ¡°The greatest genius in the Avalon Empire.¡±


    Anna vividly remembered the time when Icarus had begun to be mainly referred to as the Heaven¡¯s Mind. Ironically, that was after the current Emperor of Avalon had gone missing; royal subjects normally gained poprity alongside their master taking the throne.


    For the past decade, Icarus had acted as regent for the missing Emperor of Avalon. At the time, the situation in the Pce was like the calm before the storm. There had been no one who could inherit the throne¡ªthe Emperor¡¯s children had been too young. Until the two princes became adults, Icarus had fooled the world for a decade using a very remarkable method.


    ¡°Who could have imagined that she has been pretending to be the Emperor of Avalon? She did use Reipon, the artifact developed by Iceline zin Rebra, but Icarus doesn¡¯t know anything about martial arts, magic, or swordcraft. Dozens of assassination attempts were made against the Emperor of Avalon every day¡­ Gosh, I can¡¯t even think about doing that.¡±


    Just like Anna said, Icarus hadn¡¯t used a body double; she¡¯d pretended to be the Emperor herself and imitated Joshua Sanders perfectly. She had served only one man for over a decade, so she was the only person for the job. In the end, Icarus had fooled the world perfectly. When the deceptionter came to light, she had started to be called Heaven¡¯s Mind for her guts and intelligence.


    ¡°The military tactics taught by the Heaven¡¯s Mind¡­ I¡¯m looking forward to seeing this operation in action,¡± Anna said excitedly.


    ¡°You know¡­¡± Kireua blurted.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°The First Prince should have been in the north, but he showed up here. If you were leading the southern rebel army, what would you think?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Anna pondered for a moment. ¡°I would think that there is a problem in the northern region.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Anna tilted her head.


    ¡°There is a problem in the northern region, and the southern army¡¯s leaders would know that by now. Judging from their reaction when Selim first showed up, they didn¡¯t know about that until now.¡±


    ¡°Well, if they knew the First Prince was here, they would never have agreed to the tournament. Selim Sanders is notorious for being freakishly strong.¡±


    ¡°In that regard, do you think the situations in the east and west rebel armies are okay? The north rebel army is the strongest, but they have a problem.¡±


    Anna stiffened.


    ¡°If I was theirmander, I would be worried about this.¡±


    Anna''s eyes widened.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking this just in case, but how did they contact you when they asked for your help?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°¡­I once handed out special crystal balls that can be used to call me. Since my goal was to live peacefully in Avalon, I needed to make some allies.¡± Anna shrugged.


    ¡°Yeah, that part has been bugging me. It¡¯s strange¡ªthey may all be called ¡®rebels¡¯, but they¡¯re technically independent armies.¡±


    Kireua became certain that the four Superhumans with the Four Guardians¡¯ authorities had simultaneously started their uprising, driven by their own ambitions. That was why Dargo had founded the Southern Avalon Empire.


    Their goals were obvious: the Emperor of Avalon was missing, and the winner would take everything. Whoever conquered the pce first was going to be the emperor. There was one throne, but four hyenas fighting for it. From the very beginning, they had no reason or motivation to work as one group. Besides, they were too greedy to yield to any of each other.


    ¡°Even from the start of the uprising, the rebel armies from the four regions didn¡¯t start their rebellions by agreement. When the hyena in the west made a move, the other hyenas realized that their chance hade and revealed their fangs.¡±


    ¡°In other words, they¡¯re going to fight each other if we leave them be?¡± Anna guessed.


    ¡°Of course, we, the national army, have to disappear first since we¡¯re themon enemy. Since the leading hyena in the south is gone, his baby hyenas must be doing some calctions of their own.¡±


    ¡°They must have a lot on their minds. Our biggest problem is the possibility of those remnants joining the eastern rebel army or the western rebel army, but they won¡¯t be able to because of their greed.¡± Anna chuckled.


    ¡°Even if the remaining rebels in the south decide to join the other two rebel armies, they don¡¯t even have a means ofmunication, so they¡¯ll have to send a messenger¡ªmeaning it¡¯ll take time.¡±


    ¡°In the worst-case scenario, won¡¯t they send messengers to both rebel armies?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°Not an option.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Anna tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. If I¡¯m the head of the western rebel army and find out they also sent a messenger to the eastern rebel army, then I would take it as an act of betrayal.¡±


    Anna¡¯s jaw dropped. She had thought Kireua was only talented in swordcraft, but he was also exceptionally skilled in seeing the bigger picture. While Selim Sanders had the talent to conquer the continent with his martial arts, Kireua Sanders¡¯s schrly knowledge and sword skills gave him the potential to be a true monarch.


    ¡°The best scenario is they destroy themselves out of their greed. Dargo rane Suspen was a greatmander, so without him, the southern rebels are just a mob,¡± Kireua concluded.


    ¡°¡­What if they choose to unite with the other rebel armies?¡±


    ¡°That''s highly unlikely since the end result is obvious. The rebels in the southern region are only going to be used and then tossed aside. The pie named Avalon is already too small to be divided among the other remaining rebel armies.¡±


    Anna had lived for quite a long time, so she was sure of one thing: in a time like this, one had to always consider the worst-case scenario. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to imagine a happy future after everything was over.


    ¡°There is a chance of them embracing all the risks and joining the other two rebel armies since the Combat Emperor and Selim Sanders are here,¡± Anna said.


    ¡°In that case, we have two methods at our disposal. If those rebels choose one of the two remaining rebel armies and send a messenger, we can disguise one of our people as a rebel of the southern rebel army and send the messenger to the other rebel army.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make the western rebel army and eastern rebel army fight each other?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°Of course, they aren¡¯t going to fight right away if they have brains since the rebels in the south are useful right now. The eastern and western rebels are going to instruct the southern rebel soldiers to carry out high-risk operations and use them as human shields. It¡¯ll be easier to winter if they eliminate the people on the other side when they have the chance.¡±


    Anna was now unsure of how far Kireua was looking ahead.


    ¡°There is a chance that they send messengers to both sides and hide the fact, but only an idiot would do that. There is no way such a guy can fill in for Dargo rane Suspen. Anyhow, if they make such an unwise decision, that¡¯ll make things much easier for us because we only need to leak the information to the other rebel armies.


    ¡°I said we have two methods, right? The second method is for us to make a move before them.¡±


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°One of the reasons for those rebels in the southern region to send a messenger is to check the truth. If something did actually happen in the northern region, they need to see the state of the eastern and western regions.¡±


    Now that Anna thought about it, Kireua was right. Even if the southern rebels weren¡¯t going to join the other rebel armies, the chance of them making a move was quite high.


    ¡°So we¡¯ll make up something that makes it look like something bad happened in the north, east, and west, before our rebels in the south can see for themselves.¡± Kireua smiled slyly. ¡°On a side note, I favor this method. It¡¯ll be quicker, and we don¡¯t have to risk sending our people to the east or the west.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Anna, I need your help.¡±


    Anna waspletely speechless. SHe didn¡¯t have to ask what bad event Kireua was going to fabricate as she had seen enough of his skills to trust him. Whatever he was nning, he would make ite true.


    Anna grinned. ¡°I like smart people.¡±


    ¡°Stop with the silly talk. You¡¯re going to help me, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s in that for me?¡± she asked.


    ¡°¡­Have you forgotten about our oath? For the next decade¡­¡±


    Anna shook her head, cutting him off. ¡°Ah, I can¡¯t hear you. I can¡¯t hear you! I won¡¯t do that. Even if I¡¯m working for you, you have to throw me a bone. I need praise to work harder and feel fulfilled.¡±


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me¡­!¡±


    ¡°On a side note, a virtue of a good ruler is to be able to draw out his subordinate¡¯s full potential. You know that, don¡¯t you?¡± Anna smiled.


    Kireua closed his mouth. He didn¡¯t think that Anna would listen no matter what he said. On top of that, he really needed Anna to maintain the act for this operation. Unless she yed her part seriously, the chance of the enemies finding out that that was all a ruse was high.


    Kireua gave up. ¡°¡­What do you want?¡±


    Anna beamed and pointed at her cheek. ¡°Here. Give me a peck here if I do a good job.¡±


    1. The raw is ???(Imoogi). In Korean mythology, snakes are able to be dragons if they cultivate themselves long enough. Serpents that are on the verge of bing dragons are called imoogi. ?

 Side Story Chapter 21

    Side Story Chapter 21


    The leaders of the southern rebels had a lot going on in their minds.


    ¡°What are we going to do?¡±


    ¡°Marquess Suspen was killed in a battle against a twenty-year-old boy.¡±


    ¡°Gosh! Watch your mouth. That¡¯s His Majesty you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting caught up on meaningless stuff. Stop insisting on calling him His Majesty¡ª¡±


    ¡°Count Manto!¡±


    ¡°Since things have turned out this way, let me just say this.¡± Count Manto stepped forward, his impressive mustache twitching. ¡°I believe I¡¯m not the only one who thinks this is for the better.¡±


    ¡°Mind your tongue!¡± Viscount Mendes drew his sword; he had worked for thete Marquess Suspen as his aide for decades.


    ¡°How dare you point your sword at me, Viscount Mendes?¡± Manto scowled at Mendes.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you insult His Majesty any further.¡±


    ¡°That is your answer?¡±


    Mendes met Manto¡¯s eyes unflinchingly. ¡°I¡¯m speaking for the other executives.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Manto chuckled. ¡°Is this true, everyone?¡±


    He looked each of the remaining three of the five rebel leaders in the eye. Every one of them was a renowned noble, although Count Manto was the most influential after Marquess Suspen.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡±


    Just as expected, the other rebels were reluctant to answer.


    Manto smirked. ¡°I think it¡¯s just you.¡±


    ¡°¡­How can you do this?! After all His Majesty Suspen did for every one of you?¡± Mendes shouted in despair.


    ¡°It¡¯s because we¡¯re human.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Humans stay truer to their desires than any animal. You want to talk about loyalty now? Then why did you and the Marquess betray the Duke of Pontier when you two served them for so long?¡±


    Mendes was speechless.


    Manto¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°It¡¯s the same here. Someone has to fill in for Marquess Suspen, and everyone here has risked everything on this uprising.¡±


    ¡°¡­We can¡¯t defeat the national army on our own anyway. The Combat Emperor and the monstrously strong Selim Sanders are with the national army,¡± Mendes said, trembling faintly.


    With his own eyes, Mendes saw Selim y four rebel knights with every swing of his ck spear. His movement was the definition of perfection. Mendes shivered; he had never felt this way even when he had seen the missing Emperor of Avalon in action.


    ¡°How about this: don¡¯t we have some spies within Fortress Raymond?¡± Manto blurted.


    ¡°¡­Why would you suddenly bring them up¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s use them to take Charles di Pontier hostage.¡±


    Mendes''s eyes widened.


    ¡°She¡¯s poisoned. Although she only took a tiny amount of poison, ordinary people would be so sick in nine days that they would be bedridden for the rest of their life. Holding a wounded, sick woman hostage should be a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°But if we expose our spies in the fortress, we¡¯ll no longer be able to receive intel from the national army¡­¡± Mendes trailed off.


    ¡°Does that matter? We¡¯re finished anyway if we lose one more time.¡±


    Manto was right. Since their leader had died, their rebellion was going to fail if they lost Raymond Valleypletely. They were powerless if the Combat Emperor used gueri tactics against them in the vast ins of the south.


    ¡°Even if we seed in capturing Queen Consort Charles hostage, they might give up on her.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡± Manto shook his head. ¡°Queen Consort Charles is Kireua Sander¡¯s biological mother. He would be crazy if he gave up on her.¡±


    ¡°Kireua Sanders might sacrifice the few for the greater good if he¡¯s truly the son of a monarch.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. We won¡¯t ask for anything big after we have the Queen Consort in our hands. We¡¯ll only demand for the fortress. It¡¯s reasonable enough, right?¡± Manto shrugged.


    Mendes understood Manto¡¯s n. Once they took over the fortress, the entrance to the southern region, they would have a chance to survive. Besides, the southern rebel army couldn¡¯t advance to the capital on their own right now anyway¡ªthey didn¡¯t have anyone to lead them.


    ¡°If we can¡¯t take over the Pce, we¡¯ll have toy low and wait for the right moment.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting we hold out in the fortress?¡± Mendes asked.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll stay in the fortress until the other rebel armies finish their fights. Unless we make a move first, the national army won¡¯t be able to march into the south easily since the war has only just begun.¡±


    ¡°¡­There is one more thing that bothers me,¡± Mendes said, his expression darkening.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Selim Sanders should have been in the north, so why is he here?¡±


    Manto frowned. ¡°That part bugs me too. There is no way that the army in the north was defeated¡­¡±


    ¡°How about we unite with therades in the east or the west?¡±


    Manto shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s not an option. It¡¯s obvious that they¡¯ll work us to the bone and then discard us.¡±


    ¡°That might be the case if we choose the west, but uniting with therades in the east could be a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Why do you think so?¡± Manto asked.


    ¡°Have you forgotten about Marquess Drenius¡¯s reputation?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Manto became lost in his thoughts for a moment, stroking his chin.


    Marquess Drenius had the authority of the Azure Dragon, one of the Four Guardians, and was famous for taking good care of his people. In contrast, Marquess Turtler, the head of the west rebel army, was known to be very cruel.


    There was a famous anecdote regarding Turtler¡¯s cruelty: the current civil war had started in the west, but it had gotten off to a rocky start. Turtler¡¯s vassal had sincerely advised him that the moment was not yet ripe, but Turtler had torn his vassal limb from limb and fed him to the dogs. He had only kept the vassal¡¯s jaw to disy it in the center of his meeting room, warning anyone who saw it that if they dared to run their mouth they were going to meet the same end.


    ¡°We can¡¯t choose both of them anyway. Let¡¯s send a messenger to the east and they can also check what is going on while they are there. Besides, the path to the east is already open.¡±


    ¡°Then are you saying you¡¯re with me in this, Viscount Mendes?¡± Manto asked.


    ¡°¡­Isn¡¯t the answer already decided?¡±


    All the rebel leaders were in agreement with Manto. Mendes wasn¡¯t the kind of fool who couldn¡¯t notice that; he became a viscount and Suspen¡¯s aide thanks to his ability to read the room.


    ¡°Hehehe, I knew you would understand me. Good. Let¡¯s send a messenger to the east¡ªbut, of course, the official message that they will deliver is a proposal for an alliance.¡±


    Mendes nodded. ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll hide the fact that His Majesty¡ªno, Dargo rane Suspen is dead. The news is going to spread eventually, but we don¡¯t need to act submissive from the start.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s great to have you on our side, Viscount Mendes.¡± Manto tapped Mendes¡¯s shoulder, satisfied.


    Mendes had already sheathed his sword. So far, things were progressing exactly as Kireua had predicted.


    -Heeeyyyy!


    The rebel leaders flinched in surprise. They hadn¡¯t received any reports of suspicious movements from the enemy, but a voice came echoing from beyond the dark valley.


    ¡°Emergency! Emeergencyyyy!¡±


    The rebels¡¯ night watches lit up one torch after another and the soldiers on alert poured out from hundreds of tents.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    The rebel leaders had also remained vignt, so they immediately stopped talking in the central military tent and looked around warilly.


    -You know who I am, riiiight?! It¡¯s me, Anna bel Grace, the one you called from far awayyyyy!


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Manto gasped in surprise.


    The other rebel leaders were doing the same.


    ¡°That witch is alive?¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t she contact us until now?¡±


    While the rebel leaders murmured among themselves in confusion, the voice came bouncing down the valley again.


    -I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re all nning to send a messenger to the easttttttt!


    ¡°Ho-How¡­.!¡±


    -But uh-ohhhhhhhhh. I don¡¯t think that¡¯s an option for you anymooooore.


    ¡°Everyone, don¡¯t let her get inside your head! It¡¯s nonsense!¡± Manto shouted to the rebel soldiers and knights just in case.


    -Isn¡¯t it weeeeeird?! The north army just withdrew all of a suddeeeeen. You know, I can tell after I tried fighting with them. The Emperor is missing, but the national army is still a force to be reckoned with. The guys up north must have thought that whoever fights first is going to take the most damaaaage!


    Manto¡¯s eyes slowly widened since that was exactly what he had been thinking. ¡°Wait¡­ then the north army withdrew to preserve their power like we did?¡±


    -Do you see now? This is why I changed sideeeees! I went away for a moment and they bailed on meeeeee. How can I trust themmmm?!


    ¡°Mmm¡­ So that witch noticed that something was up in the north the whole time?¡±


    -People here are much more reasonable than I thoooought! And this is the most important part: there is one more reason you should give uuuup!


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    At that moment, a gust of wind blew over them.


    The rebel leaders¡¯ eyes widened. The full moon illuminated two people standing on opposite sides of the cliffs, looking down on the rebels. The rebel leaders recognized one of the two people right away.


    ¡°Selim Sanders!¡±


    In spite of how dark it was, the rebel knights had long since surpassed the level of ordinary humans, so they could recognize the Prince¡¯s deep blue hair and the damned ck spear he held from just a nce.


    Manto frowned slightly. ¡°Then what about the person on the left¡­?¡±


    Due to the distance, it wasn¡¯t easy to exactly identify their faces.


    ¡°W-wait,¡± Mendes abruptly stuttered.


    ¡°Viscount Mendes?¡± Manto tilted his head in confusion when he noticed Mendes was trembling like an aspen leaf.


    ¡°I-isn¡¯t¡­ that the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s spear?¡± Mendes pointed at the man on the left cliff.


    Manto''s eyes widened. Mendes was right. There should be only one Login, but the two people on the cliffs were both holding Longin. That wasn¡¯t even all.


    ¡°Th-Th-That armor!¡± Mendes was about to faint.


    A wind blew, making the robe of the person on the left flutter in the air, revealing something that no one could forget no matter how long it had been since they saw it.


    The person on the left was wearing snow-white armor with red lining. It repeatedly disappeared and reappeared as if to yfully inform the rebels that what they were thinking was correct.


    It had been a decade since that set of magic armor had made an appearance.


    ¡°The Mar-Martial God¡­?¡± the rebel leaders murmured in dismay through gritted teeth when theyid eyes on the symbol of the Hero King. Only the Deon Ring of the current Emperor of Avalon would create magic armor like that. In other words, the person on the right cliff was Selim Sanders, and the one on the left was¡­


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 22

    Side Story Chapter 22


    <em>¡®They won¡¯t notice it, right?¡¯</em>


    Of course, the person on the left was Kireua Sanders, holding the imitation of Longin made using Coal¡¯s ability.


    -Bweh. It tastes bitter.


    Kireua frowned slightly. <em>¡®You don¡¯t have a mouth.¡¯</em>


    -Nope! I have one! Ah~!


    Coal opened its small mouth wide. It really did have one hidden underneath the fur, Kireua could see. It even had teeth.


    <em>¡®¡­The more I get to know this guy, the more I¡¯m confused.¡¯</em> Kireua smacked his lips quietly and looked at the spear in his hand. When he focused his mana in his eyes, he could see through the inside of the spear and observe its mana flow. The second thing that Kireua had found out about Coal¡¯s ability was that it could swallow both energy and objects. On top of that, Coal was not only able to release anything that it swallowed but also sustain the power in the form of an object. In other words¡­


    ¡°¡­The ability to turn even an ordinary longsword into an exceptional one,¡± Kireua murmured.


    It really was cheating. The authority Kireua received didn¡¯t just turn stuff ck; the authority could be used to enhance the attributes of mana, which turned it ck in the process.


    <em>¡®Seriously, who is Coal? I¡¯ve never seen nor heard of anything like this,¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    ¡°What is your n?¡± Selim asked, interrupting his thoughts.


    Selim and Kireua were on opposite sides of the ravine, so they were far from each other. However, Selim¡¯s voice was clear as if he was whispering to Kireua from right beside him.


    <em>¡®...He¡¯s more of a monster than I thought!¡¯</em> Kireua eximed.


    -Kireua can do that too!


    <em>¡®Huh?¡¯</em>


    -Gimme more yummy food! Then you can do it!


    <em>¡®¡­You and your gluttony¡­ Wait.¡¯</em>


    Something shed across Kireua¡¯s mind. The Angel Spirit and the Demon Spirit were dead, and their realms had been annihted along with the demon kings and archangels. The sources of their powers had ended up in the Human Realm and turned into the abilities named authorities. It was the same for the power of sin, which was essential in bing a demon king.


    <em>¡®¡­It¡¯s not you, right?¡¯</em> Kireua asked.


    -I dunno anything!


    <em>¡®Mmm¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°We came all the way out here and went through all that, so don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t have any n,¡± Selim said, demanding Kireua¡¯s attention again.


    ¡°I have one, so stop rushing me.¡±


    ¡°By the way, that spear¡­ I hope you¡¯ll exin itter.¡± Selim looked at the spear in Kireua¡¯s hand pointedly.


    ¡°It¡¯s a trade secret, so don¡¯t try to shamelessly steal that information for free. You¡¯re mypetitor, you know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t even want the throne,¡± Selim said.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What makes you think that?¡±


    ¡°If you had the slightest interest in the throne, you would have returned to the Pce first,¡± Selim answered.


    Although Kireua didn¡¯t want to admit it, Selim was right. In order to be heir to the throne, a prince had to receive support from the imperial faction¡¯s nobles no matter what. In fact, princes needed it more now since a civil war was ongoing.


    ¡°They already support me.¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± Kireua snorted.


    ¡°But the nobles can change their minds if you show something worthwhile through this war.¡±


    Kireua flinched and frowned again. ¡°¡­Is there a reason you¡¯re telling me this now?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Selim smiled faintly under the moonlight. ¡°...It¡¯s no fun to take the throne without a fight.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± Kireua cursed through his gritted teeth.


    -He¡¯s full of himself.


    <em>¡®What? Coal, I didn¡¯t know you and I could agree on something,¡¯</em> Kireua said dramatically in his mind. The momentary annoyance he felt at his half-brother¡¯s antics gave way to a chuckle.


    ¡°Exin your n,¡± Selim told him. ¡°You have my full cooperation.¡±


    ¡°Not now. You need to be patient in order to cook a good steak.¡± Kireua grinned.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Their leader died, and then first in line to the throne and what appears to be the Emperor showed up. What do you think their reaction is going to be?¡± Kireua gestured at the enemies with his chin.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Selim looked at the rebels. Their chaotic response made it clear that they were utterly baffled.


    ¡°More people are going to be shaken. If we consider what His Majesty symbolizes, it¡¯s inevitable that their confusion willpound on itself,¡± Kireua exined.


    Joshua Sanders, the Unrivaled Spear Knight, had gone up against a million soldiers on his own, earning him a legendary status across the entire continent.


    ¡°¡­But we can¡¯t sit around forever. They aren¡¯t fools, so they¡¯ll notice that something is odd.¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll start the second act before they do.¡±


    ¡°Second act¡­?¡±


    Kireua took a step forward. A pleasant breeze blew toward Kireua as he stood on the cliff, setting his hair fluttering. Everyone in the Empire knew that Kireua wasn¡¯t talented with spears, but there was one thing that the people didn¡¯t know. Although he had fallen into despair due to hisck of talent, Kireua hadn¡¯t given up on spears when he had gone to the Thran Kingdom to study. Mastering the spear wasn¡¯t a dream he could give up on so easily.


    For an entire year, Kireua had been beaten up by his teacher, but he had also dedicated himself to spearmanship in the meantime. Once Kireua no longer had lingering feelings left for the spear, he had finally given up on using the weapon. After everything that had happened, Kireua could break away from it...


    Kireua¡¯s back muscles flexed in the manner they would when using a long weapon like a spear.


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level Two¡­¡±


    Selim''s eyes widened.


    ¡°...Second Form: Raging Gale Swing.¡± Kireua tightened the grip on his spear and swung it around as if he was a windmill.


    A rough and powerful wind whipped the ground into a cloud of dust. The Second Form was about sweeping away everything in one¡¯s way with a single swing from left to right.


    When Kireua swung his spear, the wind pressure built into a gale that rocketed toward the enemy camp with an almost murderous glee of its own. Since Coal used its ability on the gale, it manifested as a pitch-ck wave.


    ¡°R-Runnnnn!¡±


    ¡°Arggghhhh!¡±


    Screams echoed through the sky.


    Shaking his head, Kireua sighed. ¡°It¡¯s definitely not easy to do this after so long.¡±


    ¡°...Haven¡¯t you given up on spears?¡± Selim asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°I can still use Magic Spear Art up to level three. Just like you, I¡¯m the son of Joshua Sanders.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    Selim gaped nkly at him. Was that even possible? The Magic Spear Arts¡¯ Level 3 techniques were strong enough to defeat all the knights in every kingdom. Kireua had reached that level, but he had still given up on using the spear. Selim felt like he could never have done that if he had been in Kireua¡¯s shoes.


    There were two possible reasons Kireua had done this: he had been unable to ovee the wall of the fourth level of the Magic Spear Arts, or¡­


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s much more talented in swordcraft,¡± Selim murmured.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop chit chatting. Their camp is absolute mayhem, just like you wished.¡± Kireua pointed at the enemies.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you want to do it? Or shall I do it? I rmend the former. I¡¯m good at pretending to be His Majesty, but they might discover the truth if they hear my voice,¡± Kireua said.


    Selim instantly understood what Kireua meant.


    <em>¡°Kneel! You will be spared if you surrender!¡± </em>Selim shouted, his mana projecting it to the entire camp.


    <em>¡°I, Selim Sanders, swear on my mana! Anyone whoys down their weapon and surrenders will live!¡±</em>


    Kireua gasped. Radiant blue light spread from Selim, meaning he had actually made an oath on his mana.


    ¡°Hey! Are you crazy?! Why would you suddenly pledge on your mana?!¡± Kireua shouted.


    ¡°I have to do at least this much to make it believable. Besides, it¡¯ll shake their resolve even more.¡±


    ¡°If you break your oath, you¡¯ll lose your mana forever. They¡¯re traitors, so they should be punished!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll punish them, but not execute them,¡± Selim shortly replied, resting his spear against his shoulder. ¡°There is no country without its citizens.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a romantic. They tried to overthrow this country, but you still call them citizens?¡±


    ¡°Most of them had no choice; they only met the wrong leaders. Holding them ountable isn¡¯t right,¡± Selim insisted.


    ¡°Then what about the leaders you were talking about? Are you also going to let the rebelmanders live?¡±


    Selim smiled coldly. ¡°I said I¡¯ll spare them, not give them immunity.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make sure they spend the rest of their lives wishing that they died.¡±


    Just as Kireua had expected, the rebels began to stir, especially themon soldiers.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled! There is no way they would spare us!¡±


    ¡°Pick up your swords, you idiots! Do you want me to cut you down right now?!¡±


    One of the rebels leaders actually cut off a soldier¡¯s head for considering surrender.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to end up like him, fight till the end! Fight to death!¡± he ordered.


    ¡°Knights! y all the cowards that wish to surrender!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The rebels responded quicker than Kireua had anticipated.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± he muttered, adjusting his grip on the spear. ¡°They just don¡¯t listen.¡±


    Kireua swung his ck spear once again, firing another ebon wind of highly concentrated aura.


    ¡°Eeeeeek!¡±


    Even from afar, the rebels could hear Kireua starting his next attack. One of the soldiers in the front couldn¡¯t help but take a step back. Then he lost hold of his sword, and that was the beginning of the end. Fear quickly spread throughout their ranks, sparing no one. While Joshua Sanders was an idol and legend to knights, he was also a god to the foot soldiers.


    <em>¡°Dargo rane Suspen is dead, and your leaders force you to waste your lives! Whoever wishes to surrender, abandon your weapon and flee to the rear; I, Selim Sanders, will take that as epting my proposal.¡±</em>


    ¡°Arggggghhhhh!¡±


    As if they had been waiting for Selim to say that, the soldiers in the front turned and started to run away.


    ¡°You bastards! Come here right now!¡±


    ¡°Kill all those vermin!¡±


    It was mayhem. The rebel soldiers tried to run, but the few rebel knights were running them down.


    The murderous intent in Selim¡¯s eyes deepened and then he disappeared.


    ¡°Hey! I told you to not move without my signal!¡± Kireua yelled.


    Selim darted toward the rebel camp like a loosed arrow, leaving a long ck streak through the moonlit sky.


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you have them.¡± Kireua shook his head, his leg muscles tensing.


    The battle was over. Even at this moment, the rebel soldiers were busy running away, and more of them were going to join in on the exodus over time.


    Kireua jumped down the cliff. The war in the south was going to end today.

 Side Story Chapter 23

    Side Story Chapter 23


    Selim swung his ck spear toward the enemies in the front.


    ¡°Arrgghh!¡±


    He ignored the fleeing soldiers and only went after the knights ying their ownrades. Both his spear techniques and his movement were exceptional. Diving into a hundred thousand enemies took incredible courage, and not just anyone could move like Selim was doing right now.


    ¡°That crazy bastard. What if the soldiers backstab him!?¡± Kireua shouted.


    -Ganging up on Selim?


    ¡°¡­Ganging up?¡± Kireua frowned. ¡°Where did you learn that word?¡±


    -Books.


    ¡°Language, Coal. You should use words like ¡®assault¡¯ or ¡®attack¡¯ for a time like this.¡±


    -You¡¯re boring, Kireua.


    ¡°Forget it. Get ready.¡± Kireuanded on the ground and sprang forward.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s Joshua Sandersssss!¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth, you fucking bastard! It¡¯s ¡®His Majesty¡¯! You¡¯re going to get us all killed!¡± One of the soldiers that hadn¡¯t managed to escape yet grabbed hisrade by the cor and then knelt before Kireua. ¡°Y-Your Majesty, we surrender¡­!¡±


    Of course Kireua just passed by the rebel soldiers because Selim was going up against all five hundred rebel knights on his own even at that very moment.


    ¡°So the five leaders brought one knight order from each of their families? Why did Selim jump right in the center of those knights? No doubt those are the best knights they had!¡±


    All of the five hundred rebel knights were going after Selim, which allowed the rebel soldiers to escape through the rear exit much easier.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Hurray for His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Like the old story about an ocean miraculously splitting in half, no one stood in Kireua¡¯s way.


    ¡°Ah, I think I¡¯m working too hard¡­¡± Kireua grumbled.


    He was now ten meters away from his destination. The rebel knights in the back of the fight turned to look at Kireua in surprise. Kireua immediately raised his spear above his head, spinning it over his head. The sky trembled. The techniques Kireua had learned ten years ago would be enough to fight against those rebel knights.


    Magic Spear Arts Level 3, Transformation Spear.


    The air in the rebel camp hummed quietly. While infusing his aura into the spear, Kireua focused his mana all over his wrist and arm muscles. The mana training method that the Emperor of Avalon had taught Kireua enabled his muscles to be as flexible as if he had no bones.


    Of course, that was all Kireua could do. He was smart enough to understand the exquisite principle of Magic Spear Arts and be flexible, which was essential in using spears. However, Kireua didn¡¯t have the most important trait of a good spearman. Kireua was born with short and slender fingers, which was a critical disadvantage. A spearman had to be able to freely change his grip at the right moment, but that wasn¡¯t easy for Kireua; he often lost his grip on the spear and his bnce during spars.


    One smashed an opponent with the shaft of the spear, and the tip of a spear to stab another. To strike the killing blow, one used a spear¡¯s de. Spears required different grips depending on the situation; there was a reason why long weapons were difficult to maneuver. The more improvements Kireua had made in the Magic Spear Arts, the more unbnced Kireua became when using the spear. However, Kireua¡¯s disadvantage became advantage in swordcraft because his small hands gave him a very strong grip.


    Kireua¡¯s fierce swings came to a halt with the spear pointed to the front.


    ¡°Asura¡¯s Path,¡± he quietly murmured.


    Hundreds of magnificent ck lines decorated the sky in a beautiful demonstration of the ultimate spear technique. The rebels¡¯ horses neighed frantically in surprise; the hundreds of ck spears spawned from Kireua¡¯s one spear were real, not illusions.


    The battlefield erupted with the mor of metal.


    ¡°Arrggghhh!¡±


    The rebel knights hit by Kireua¡¯s attacks were knocked off their horses, joining the knights who had been struck by Selim¡¯s spear.


    The knights attacked by Selim were actually in a worse state. A single explosion catapulted ten of the rebel knights away. It was quickly followed by a chain of another three explosions in rapid session. From Kireua¡¯s perspective, Selim was at least above the level of a Master and able to use Magic Spear Arts¡¯ Level 5 techniques.


    ¡°¡­I was worried about nothing.¡± Kireua chuckled to himself as he came to stand beside Selim.


    In only a matter of seconds, over fifty of the rebel knights were groaning in pain on the ground.


    Selim casually slung his spear over his shoulder. ¡°Are you going to continue?¡± he asked the rebels.


    ¡°I-Is he really Joshua Sanders?¡± a rebel knight asked. The rebels were too busy looking at Kireua to pay attention to Selim''s skills.


    ¡°¡­How dare you call His Majesty by his name? Do you want to die?¡± Selim asked coldly.


    The knight was unable to take the pressure and sank to the ground.


    ¡°Count Manto, stop sacrificing your people ande forward before I make you,¡± Selim ordered.


    Manto stepped forward, trembling faintly. ¡°T-take off your robe,¡± he stuttered.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Manto shut his eyes. ¡°I need to see with my own eyes if His Majesty has truly returned.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is very rude of you. I swore on my mana.¡±


    ¡°Bu-But¡­!¡± Manto started to tremble again.


    Kireua said nothing. The ploy to make the soldiers retreat had proceeded smoothly, but the situation was taking an odd turn. It seemed that Manto and the other rebel leaders weren¡¯t going to back down no matter what. What would have the Emperor of Avalon done in a situation like this?


    <em>¡®Hey, Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua called.


    -Yup?


    <em>¡®Can you eat my hair?¡¯ </em>Kireua asked.<em> ¡®I want to dye it ck.¡¯</em>


    -I don¡¯t eat trash.


    Kireua frowned. <em>¡®¡­You little shit.¡¯</em>


    -But I can still change the color.


    <em>¡®What? Seriously?¡¯</em>


    -Yup, I can go inside you, then your eye and hair colors will all change like me.


    <em>¡®Good. Let¡¯s try it.¡¯</em> Kireua mumbled in his mind and pulled the robe to cover his face up to his nose. Since his robe was made for winter, he could cover his entire face except for his eyes. The leading rebels became more suspicious.


    ¡°¡­Why are you covering your face? I knew it.¡± Marto¡¯s mouth curled into a smirk. ¡°You¡¯re¡ª¡±


    Kireua heard a hum in his ear that no one else noticed; he instinctively realized that Coal had entered his body.


    <em>¡®¡­But what is with this power?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered. Something felt strange; for some reason, he felt like he could do anything right now.


    -Stay still. I¡¯ll take care of this.


    Selim sent Kireua a telepathic message, but Kireua quietly shook his head and took off his hood.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Someone gasped after seeing the pitch-ck hair and obsidian eyes¡ªthey were darker than Selim¡¯s and stood out even at night. Very few people in the continent had those kinds of eyes and hair. In fact, it was very rare to find people with ck hair and eyes. Since Kireua was Joshua¡¯s son, it was only natural that he looked very simr.


    ¡°I-It really is His Majesty¡­!¡±


    Even Selim''s eyes widened.


    Kireua walked wordlessly toward Manto, the rebel knights parting before his path. He vividly remembered the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s voice, so what he needed right now was the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s guts.


    ¡°¡­Count Manto,¡± Kireua said in a low tone.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­!¡± Manto was already half out of his mind, so he kneeled immediately.


    That was the beginning; the rebel knights subconsciously took several steps backward and prostrated to Joshua Sanders, the Emperor of Avalon, the great hero of Igrant, and the Martial God.


    ¡°You test me until the end,¡± Kireua stated.


    Manto flinched.


    If Manto kept hearing Kireua¡¯s voice, he would notice something was odd, so Kireua had to finish this quickly.


    ¡°If you have any excuses, now is the time to say it.¡±


    ¡°I-I just did it for Avalon!¡± Manto hurriedly shouted.


    ¡°For Avalon?¡± Kiruea repeated.


    ¡°After y-you disappeared, Avalon went through all the signs of a country on the road to destruction. The country has been torn into four pieces, and the two princes are busy fighting between themselves for power just like twenty years ago!¡±


    ¡°Why did the country divide into four pieces in the first ce? Isn¡¯t that because of traitors like you?¡± Kireua used.


    ¡°At least we in the south have a good reason! Queen Consort Charles! She¡¯s the problem!¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold. He hadn¡¯t expected Manto to mention his mother right now.


    ¡°After bing the new Duchess of Pontier and gaining absolute power as a queen consort, Charles di Pontier has been wrongfully pressuring the noble lords in the southern region! But you must have not been aware of this, Your Majesty,¡± Manto quickly added.


    ¡°¡­Exactly what wrongful pressure are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°In the rich ins of the south, we grow crops, but we deliver all our harvested crops to the Pontier Merchant Group, enabling it to be one of the five top merchant groups on the continent. It may be called the Pontier Merchant Group, but all the noble lords in the south contributed to its sess,¡± Manto exined.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°At least the previous Duke Pontier appreciated our hard work and did not recklessly intervene in the private matters of ournds!¡± Manto eximed.


    At that moment, Kireua smiled coldly. He already knew the whole story.


    ¡°That is because the noble lords in the south like you imposed an eighty percent tax on your tenants out of your greed, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kireua tilted his head. ¡°There is no means for your tenants to make ends meet under those conditions. How are they supposed to survive?¡±


    Manto visibly trembled. The people in the central government only checked whether or not the citizens were paying their taxes on time, so there was no way for them to know such details. Unless they were directly involved in the matter or there was a mole in the south, no one would know the details.


    Stunned by disbelief, Manto slowly stood up. ¡°How¡ª¡±


    Manto¡¯s head soared into the air, severed by an elegant ck line.


    The nearby rebels were appalled. Viscount Mendes was the first one to pull himself together.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡± he shouted, startled. ¡°You promised us¡ª!¡±


    However, Kireua calmly pointed at Selim. ¡°He¡¯s the one who made the promise. I never said anything about sparing you all.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 24

    Side Story Chapter 24


    Silence fell upon the area.


    Kireua Sanders truly embodied Joshua Sanders right now. He spoke without hesitation, got the job done using any means necessary, and yed everyone in his way.


    ¡°Everyone, draw up your aura! The Emperor has no intention of sparing us!¡± Viscount Mendes yelled at the top of his lungs.


    There were still over four hundred of the rebel knights left, and theirbined auras made the air rumble. Luckily, no of them seemed to possess an authority. Marquess Suspen, with the authority of the White Tiger, was the only one who had gone through the awakening process in the southern rebel army. Of course, these knights were stillpetent enough to use mana and aura.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move. Whoever makes the first move will have to deal with my spear,¡± Selim quietly warned them.


    The rebel knights froze stiff.


    ¡°What are you all doing?!¡± Mendes berated them. ¡°Do you all have a death wish or something?!¡±


    Selim tilted his head. ¡°I swore on my mana that I¡¯ll spare anyone who surrenders.¡±


    ¡°What the hell! First Prince, can¡¯t you see what your father is doing?! He says he¡¯s going to kill us all!¡±


    ¡°If that is His Majesty¡¯s decision, then you should all die,¡± Selim coldly replied.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°But the Emperor I know is much more merciful than you think.¡± Selim nced at Kireua reproachfully.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s giving me the eye,¡¯</em> Kireua scoffed.


    -Hehehe, Kireua is getting scolded~!


    <em>¡®What do you mean I¡¯m getting scolded? He¡¯s no one,¡¯</em> Kireua grumbled.


    -Nope. He¡¯s strong.


    <em>¡®What do you know about humans?¡¯ </em>Kireua asked sarcastically.


    -I¡¯m talking about the one hiding inside his shell, not Selim.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Kireua gasped aloud, forgetting the fact that he was talking to Coal. Hiding inside Selim¡¯s shell? Did that mean that Selim had an authority? The thought gave Kireua goosebumps. Selim was already monstrously strong, so if he had the power of a god¡­


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you! Besides, his voice sounds quite young¡­ Is he really His Majesty?¡± Mendes asked distrustingly.


    That was when Kireua broke away from his thoughts.


    ¡°You still want to test me,¡± he coldly used.


    ¡°This is a reasonable doubt, not a test!¡±


    ¡°Then verify it yourself, Viscount Mendes.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Kireua immediately took a step forward.


    ¡°Stop sacrificing your innocent men ande forward. They might be your men, but they¡¯re also my citizens.¡± Kireua¡¯s voice grew louder. ¡°I finally returned. Is this your n to make me a bad emperor? You¡¯re trying to make me a mad tyrant who murders his own citizens as soon as he returns.¡±


    ¡°You d-did that voluntarily just now.¡±


    ¡°You know that once an incident takes ce, someone needs to take responsibility,¡± Kireua firmly answered.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Mendes grunted.


    ¡°What would happen if I forgave everyone here and held no one ountable? What would the other rebels think?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Imperialw should be applied to all people since everyone is equal before thew. If a ruler pardons people just because they¡¯re high-ranking nobles, then he¡¯s disgracing himself and betraying the trust of his people.¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Will you take the responsibility for this uprising, Viscount Mendes? After Marquess Suspen¡¯s death, I forgave everyone here, regardless of what¡¯s happened, because they are all my people.¡±


    A young knight in his early twenties trembled, overwhelmed by his emotions. Ever since they had been born, Avalon¡¯s knights heard stories about Joshua Sanders, the man renowned throughout the continent as the Martial God. They could recite the glorious tales of Joshua¡¯s path even in their sleep, so they instinctively knew that they wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him even if they all attacked him at the same time.


    No, if the man standing in front of them was really the ruler of the Avalon Empire, all the knights wanted to kneel and shout celebrations of his return. They had genuinely missed him and had been waiting for him toe back.


    ¡°I do not n on ming people for their leaders¡¯ faults, so don¡¯t test my patience any further. I worry about the peace of the Empire as much as I think about my people. Too many innocent people have lost their lives.¡±


    After he finished speaking, Kireua smacked his lip inaudibly. It was torture to pretend to be an old man when Kireua was in the prime of his youth.


    Selim came forward again. ¡°You heard His Majesty. The Emperor has given you an order. Drop your weapons and bow.¡±


    One knight threw his sword onto the ground, and then another, and another.


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing¡­?!¡±


    ¡°Viscount Mendes, stop,¡± the first rebel knight to fling his sword on the ground said.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­?¡±


    The rebel knight covered his face with both hands. ¡°My father was a tenant farmer in the south.¡±


    ¡°What are you suddenly talking about¡ª?!¡±


    ¡°Shortly after His Majesty disappeared about twenty years ago[1], the amount of the taxes the people in the south had to pay increased drastically. My father tried to endure it, but he lost all hisnd and was dragged away to the lord¡¯s castle and tortured.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Mendes murmured.


    ¡°That was how my father passed away.¡±


    Mendes fell silent.


    ¡°My family fell apart after his death. The other tenant families went through simr things. That¡¯s how many of the soldiers here came to work for Marquess Suspen.¡±


    Mendes¡¯s eyes gradually widened.


    ¡°Marquess Suspen has always said that the one he looked up to the most was thete Duke Aden von Agnus, the Dark God.¡±


    Kireua was the one who flinched this time; he didn¡¯t expect the knight to mention Duke Agnus.


    ¡°At least on the surface, Marquess Suspen tried really hard to take after the Duke; he said that he¡¯d value anyone with talent regardless of their background¡­¡±


    ¡°You bastard! Are you trying to insult Marquess Suspen?¡± Mendes roared.


    ¡°¡­But there was one critical difference between the two.¡±


    Mendes¡¯s ears perked up; he couldn¡¯t help feeling curious.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if he was aware of the right or wrong in what he was doing, but Marquess Suspen took the soldiers¡¯ families hostage to make sure they stayed loyal to him.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Mendes grunted again. It was an open secret that, of course, Mendes knew too.


    ¡°Duke Agnus died before I was born, but from what I¡¯ve heard, he wasn¡¯t as despicable as Marquess Suspen.¡±


    ¡°How rude of you! What are you doing?! Wait, you aren¡¯t all thinking the same thing, are you? Pick up your swords! We can¡¯t even be sure if that man is really His Majesty!¡± Mendes furiously shouted.


    Kireua gathered his mana. ¡°You are a lost cause.¡±


    Mendes stared at him.


    ¡°Just die.¡±


    Mendes trembled as if he was having a seizure as ck spear sprouted out of his chest.


    ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡± Mendes stuttered.


    ¡°If a knight like you could notice my ambush, I wouldn¡¯t have had my reputation, would I?¡±


    ¡°Urgghh¡­¡±


    Kireua met Mendes¡¯s rapidly dimming eyes and winked. ¡°Bye-bye, Viscount Mendes, you cowardly bystander.¡±


    * * *


    The war in the south came to an end once the remaining rebel leaders surrendered. All of the soldiers who fled returned and also surrendered while the rebel knights were disarmed and transferred to the fortress. They would be punished in ordance with their crimes. Kireua had been watching everything from the top of the ramparts.


    He took off his hood. ¡°Phew, I can finally breathe.¡±


    ¡°Kireua, you were too rash earlier,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have killed Count Manto and Viscount Mendes that easily. The rebels could have be too agitated and attempted to fight until the end. ¡±


    ¡°But did they do it?¡± Kireua sarcastically asked.


    ¡°You¡ª¡±


    Kireua frowned. ¡°Cut that out. You¡¯re supposed to be more cold-blooded than me, so why are you being a big softie about such weird things?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not being a softie¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you really think those traitors will never betray the Empire again? They already did it once. Besides, didn¡¯t you hear me earlier? What would have happened if I spared their leaders?¡±


    Selim was silent.


    ¡°The other rebel armies will think we¡¯re suckers. That¡¯s why everything happened in the first ce, you musclehead,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    ¡°¡­I can deal with them.¡±


    ¡°Ah~ right! You sure as hell are one of His Majesty¡¯s sons,¡± Kireua said in a sing-songy voice.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic. Killing isn¡¯t always the answer. If the Heaven¡¯s Mind had been here, she would have used them to stabilize the south quicker.¡±


    ¡°How?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°You could have shattered their mana halls and shown them mercy as a member of the Imperial Family. The other rebels will never surrender now.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you can deal with them?¡±


    ¡°You said that the greatest victory is winning without fighting,¡± Selim reminded him.


    ¡°¡­Tsk.¡±


    Of course, there might have been a solution other than executing them, but Kireua didn¡¯t regret it. Even if he had gone back in time, he would have done the same. The rebels he had killed had been tormenting his mother for over a decade.


    Selim shook his head. ¡°¡­They¡¯re wrapping up now. Anyhow, I¡¯ll head to the east now.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be okay? Going up against the Azure Dragon won¡¯t be easy.¡±


    ¡°The Four Guardians were originally the gods¡¯ pets,¡± Selim remarked.


    ¡°That¡¯s very random.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a god¡¯s son¡ªthe Martial God¡¯s son.¡± Selim smiled faintly.


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°Oh, yeah. Come to think of it¡­¡±


    Selim tilted his head curiously.


    Kireua looked at him and considered asking him if he had really manifested an authority, but in the end he couldn¡¯t bring himself to raise the question.


    <em>¡®Forget it. It hurts my pride as a man.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Nothing,¡± Kireua finally said, opting against it. ¡°I¡¯ll head to the west.¡±


    Selim¡¯s expression changed subtly.


    ¡°Kireua.¡±


    ¡°What.¡±


    ¡°No matter what the nobles in the capital say, they believe they don¡¯t have to rush to decide the crown prince because everyone is already doing a good job.¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t n on getting swayed by their opinions in the first ce,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    ¡°So let¡¯s decide who is going to be the crown prince based on the aplishments we make in the east and west.¡±


    Kireua turned his head to look at Selim. ¡°¡­Are you sure about this?¡±


    Selim smiled, baring. ¡°I¡¯m Selim Sanders, Joshua Sanders¡¯s first son.¡±


    1. The raw was twenty years ago, but Joshua disappeared about a decade ago. ?

 Side Story Chapter 25

    Side Story Chapter 25


    Selim Sanders quickly made preparations for his departure. Hundreds of horses were prepared, and Selim¡¯s ck Knights assembled at the rear gates of Fortress Raymond.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going, Your Majesty.¡± Selim bowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that I made you go through all this trouble in the south and then sent you away empty-handed, Selim. I should have prepared warp stones in advance¡­¡± Charles trailed off sadly.


    Selim shook his head. ¡°No, don¡¯t be. Warp stones aren¡¯tmon. In fact, there aren¡¯t many left in the Imperial Pce either.¡±


    ¡°Just tell me anytime you need my help.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Selim replied with a small smile.


    Although Charles might not be Selim¡¯s biological mother, she was a good person. Ever since he had been a boy, Charles had adored Selim as if he was her own son, so he thought of her as his second mother. Even right now, she hade out all the way over here when she should be resting in bed.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Cain came up to Selim.


    ¡°Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for not going with you,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t be sorry. I¡¯m going to go to the east right away.¡±


    ¡°¡­Marquess Drenius is certainly a remarkable man, but I heard Cazes, the vicemander of the Imperial Knights, is doing a very good job over there on behalf of Valmont since he can¡¯t be away from the Imperial Pce.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cazes worked for His Majesty directly.¡± Selim nodded. ¡°I¡¯m fine, really. So I take it you trust me, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, that is correct¡ªbut the other prince that recently returned to the Empire caught my attention.¡±


    ¡°Kireua made remarkable progress. Maybe more than me,¡± Selim noted.


    Cain closed his mouth and nced back and forth between the two princes with a subtly changed expression. There was actually no one else there besides the princes and the people who were going to leave with them.


    ¡°Suppressing the rebellion in the south was a good moment for you brothers to bond. I¡¯m really quite relieved.¡± Cain smiled.


    ¡°Hmph, he always pretends to be cool,¡± Kireua scoffed.


    ¡°You can learn from him, Your Highness,¡± Cain told Kireua.


    ¡°Come on, Sir Cain!¡± Kireua shouted.


    ¡°Hahahaha! I just feel good. The princes I¡¯ve met before now were busy biting each other¡¯s necks off, such that it was hard to believe that they shared the same blood.¡±


    Charles grinned. ¡°Of course; that isn¡¯t how I raised my lovely sons.¡±


    Faint smiles also began to spread on Selim¡¯s and Kireua¡¯s faces.


    ¡°Come here.¡± Charles gestured at Selim and Kireua. ¡°Give me a big hug before you leave.¡±


    Kireua immediately took a step away from Charles. ¡°Come on, too many people are watching us right now. It¡¯s embarrassing¡­¡±


    Selim actually strode toward Charles. Since Selim was over a hundred and eighty centimeters, Charles had to raise her head to look at him.


    ¡°I love you,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°Selim is definitely more my type than Kireua.¡± Charles giggled.


    ¡°Ah, Mom!¡± Kireua yelled.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Charles raised one of her eyebrows. ¡°I thought you were embarrassed to hug me in front of the knights, but now you call me mom?¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Cain burst intoughter.


    Although the Avalon Empire was a mess right now, Cain felt like he could hold up his head high when Joshua returned and tell him with pride that his sons had grown up to be fine men.


    ¡°Your Highness, don¡¯t regret itter¡ªjust go hug her. You won¡¯t be able to see her for a long time.¡± Cain gestured at Kireua.


    ¡°Forget it!¡±


    ¡°Just like Marquess Drenius in the east, Marquess Turtler is a man to be reckoned with. His swordcraft is called ¡®ck Turtle¡¯ and is famous for the weight of its blows,¡± Cain told him.


    ¡°¡­Themander of the national forces in the west was Sir Ranger, right?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Yes; Viper is helping him, but it¡¯ll be difficult for them to do it alone.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Kireua,¡± Charles quietly said. ¡°No matter what you do, I believe in you.¡±


    ¡°Mother¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°Of course, the same goes for Selim.¡± Charles stood on her tiptoes and stroked Selim¡¯s head, then she also pulled Kireua toward her.


    ¡°Uh¡­!¡±


    ¡°You two are doing a great job. I¡¯m sorry your mother is no help to you.¡± Charles hugged Selim and Kireua tighter.


    Kireua clenched his fists. It wasn¡¯t something his mother should feel sorry about¡ªthose hyenas who revealed their greed as soon as the Emperor had gone missing were the problem.


    And Kireua was not going to leave them be.


    * * *


    Annay on the edge of the valley¡¯s cliff on her own and looked up at the night sky.


    Someone popped up in front of her.


    ¡°Hey.¡± Anna waved her hand.


    ¡°Thank you for doing me a favor,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°I thought that was an order. You gave me all that talk about the terms of our oath.¡±


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m still thankful.¡±


    ¡°My, my, Your Highness. You may grumble a lot, but you¡¯re a very warm-hearted person.¡± Anna smiled coquettishly. ¡°Gosh, if I could just take you to my¡­¡±


    ¡°I told you that was a crime.¡±


    ¡°Age difference isn¡¯t really a problem nowadays. Besides, don¡¯t we look the same age at least?¡±


    Kireua had no intention of denying the fact that they did look like peers, but he was utterly dumbfounded. He truly respected her bold-facedness. Kireua was the son of the man who had gone after her life, so how could she stay so calm and nonchnt around him?


    And still, Anna took another step forward. ¡°If you''re grateful, why don¡¯t you keep your end of the bargain?¡±


    ¡°What end of the bargain?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you promise to give me a peck here?¡± Anna grinned, pointing at her cheek.


    ¡°¡­I shouldn¡¯t be talking to a seniledy in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you¡¯re going to leave? How harsh of you to stomp all over an innocent woman¡¯s heart.¡± Anna feigned pain.


    ¡°What part about me can you possibly like so much? Shouldn¡¯t you be boiling over with a desire to take revenge when you see me? I¡¯m the son of your father¡¯s killer.¡±


    Anna flinched and smiled bitterly. ¡°Well, can he really be called my father?¡±


    She spoke so quietly that only she could hear it.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    Anna shook her head and beamed. ¡°No, I can actually feel my affection for you increasing!¡±


    * * *


    From inside Fortress Raymond, Kireua could see the sun rising, meaning that he had pulled an all-nighter. Regardless, Kireua still had a lot of work to do since he couldn¡¯t pretend to be the Emperor of Avalon forever.


    The people in the fortress were already starting to doubt the fact that the Emperor of Avalon had returned, but that was inevitable. Even Kireua¡¯s allies didn¡¯t believe his sudden return to the Empire, and Kireua would have reacted the same.


    Therefore, Kireua was headed to address the five hundred knights that were currently prisoners.


    The guards quickly saluted as he approached. Kireua offered them a perfunctory nod beforeing to a halt in front of the rebel knights. Although they were tied up right now, most of the knights didn¡¯t hesitate to reveal their hostility toward Kireua. Was it out of vengeance for losing their master or had they finally realized that they had been fooled?


    ¡°¡­As you all expect, I¡¯m not His Majesty.¡± Kireua took off his robe without hesitation. His pitch-ck hair had returned its original scarlet color ages ago.


    Some of the knights gritted their teeth.


    ¡°You coward¡­!¡±


    ¡°Do you have no pride as the Martial God¡¯s son? How do you sleep at night after making us surrender using dirty tricks?¡±


    ¡°If that had really been His Majesty, he wouldn¡¯t have resorted to a dirty trick like this. He might kill everyone in his way, but not resort to tricks.¡±


    It turned out that it was both. They were furious about their ipetence, having been fooled by such a cheap trick, and also ashamed that they couldn''t even protect their master. They were disgraced as knights¡ªhowever, not every knight was in the same state.


    ¡°¡­I already knew.¡±


    Kireua knew who that knight was. He was the one from a family of tenants that had been the first to stop fighting and resist Viscount Mendes.


    ¡°You knew?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°My name is Hans. I detected the same incongruity that the deceased Viscount¡ªno, Mendes the rebel sensed about you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You knew everything but still surrendered?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°For the sake of revenge?¡± Kireua asked.


    Hans shut his mouth; he had not expected Kireua to be this frank.


    ¡°I¡¯m not trying to me you or anything. It¡¯s human nature.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°A knight¡¯s duty, honor¡­ Why do those formalities matter? It was humans who created them in the first ce, and humans are also capable of changing as asion demands. Therefore, I won¡¯t make any excuses. Although I did it to win, the fact that I deceived you all doesn¡¯t change.¡±


    A suffocating silence fell upon the area. The national army¡¯s knights and soldiers were actually more tense than the rebels. Those five hundred rebel knights might have been tied up, but they were all capable of using mana. As a contingency, the soldiers on the ramparts had already nocked arrows on their bows.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it the same for all of you here? Once an unbeatable opponent showed up, you all immediately tucked your tails behind your legs. You and I are all humans. I might have pretended to be His Majesty, but every word I said was true.¡±


    The kneeling rebel knights were confused.


    ¡°I already forgave you all and won¡¯t hold you responsible any further. I won¡¯t kill you nor shatter your mana halls. Depending on your future contributions, your knighthoods may also be preserved.¡±


    Some of the rebel knights heaved a sigh of relief as they had already seen what Kireua could do. If Kireua started an execution right now, the rebel knights would have no choice but to die. They had avoided the worst-case scenario for the moment.


    However, that wasn¡¯t the end of the surprises.


    ¡°But forgiving me would be a different matter,¡± Kireua said.


    A horrifying metallic screech made the rebel knights¡¯ eyes widen in shock. The sound wasing from Kireua¡¯s sheath.


    ¡°Y-You were going to kill us after all¡­!¡±


    However, they were worried over nothing.


    ¡°Anyone who wants to test my qualifications, anyone who wants to see the abilities of the Second Prince that just returned to the Empire, anyone who is still furious about being deceived¡­ You¡¯re all wee to rise ande at me now. Untie them.¡±


    Only a fool wouldn¡¯t have noticed who Kireua had given the order to.


    ¡°B-But, Your Highness¡­!¡±


    ¡°You heard His Highness,¡± Cain mumbled. He¡¯d quietly appeared behind Kireua.


    After hesitating for a moment, the national army soldiers reluctantly untied the rebel knights. All the rebel knights stood up disbelievingly.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The rebel knights grunted as they felt a storm of Kireua¡¯s energy blow against them.


    ¡°Give them swords.¡± Kireua pointed at the knights with his chin.


    ¡°Your Highness! Please¡ª!¡±


    Kireua infused his aura into his sword, cutting off the soldiers.


    ¡°I¡¯ll answer them with my sword,¡± Kireua asserted.


    Now it was time for the rebel knights to answer.

 Side Story Chapter 26

    Side Story Chapter 26


    Aside from the fifty rebel knights who had died or were too wounded to fight, four hundred and fifty rebel knights were able to fight.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t this what you wanted?¡± Kireua taunted.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± One of the knights took a sword, too annoyed to hold himself back.


    About two hundred of the rebel knights stepped forward; the other knights, including Hans, didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Is this everyone?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes shone.


    These people must have surrendered due to one of two reasons: they either gave up or hated the deceased Marquess Suspen more than dishonor.


    ¡°Two hundred knights¡­¡± Kireua slowly smiled. Every one of them could use mana, so the odds weren¡¯t in his favor. Nevertheless, Kireua didn¡¯t feel nervous at all. ¡°Who wants to start first?¡±


    The rebel knights flinched.


    One of the rebel knights chuckled coldly. ¡°If it had been His Majesty, he would have told us to attack him all at once.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°Name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Gerno, the third strongest knight of the White Tiger Knight Order, Marquess Suspen¡¯s first knight order.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Your provocation is meaningless.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth, not provocation, Your Highness. That was how strong His Majesty was. If he had still been in the Imperial Pce, all these rebellions wouldn¡¯t have happened in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± Kireua cocked his head.


    ¡°I mean that you aren¡¯t His Majesty, Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. You were just lucky to be born into the Imperial Family as His Majesty¡¯s son.¡±


    Gerno infused his mana into the sword.


    ¡°Then let me ask you this,¡± Kireua said. ¡°If I told you to all attack me together, would you have felt better?¡±


    Gerno¡¯s eyebrow rose.


    ¡°No.¡± Kireua shook his head. ¡°You would think I was looking down on all of you. You¡¯re all already furious about getting deceived, but that would wound your pride greatly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t cloud the issue like that. You just aren¡¯t confident about your sk¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I wasn¡¯t confident in my skills, I wouldn¡¯t have asked you to attack me,¡± KIreua interrupted with a shrug.


    Gerno closed his mouth. The other knights stiffened awkwardly because Kireua was right. All the rebel knights were already prisoners, so Kireua had no reason to take such a risk¡ªhe had no benefits to gain from it.


    ¡°Do I need to say anything else? Come, I¡¯ll demonstrate the skills you were so concerned with using my sword.¡± Kireua waved his sword slightly.


    Pretending to be an old man must have left a permanent mark on him, because Kireua¡¯s way of speaking was changing into an old man¡¯s, although he wasn¡¯t aware of it.


    -Kireua, you act like a grandpa.


    Coal noticed it first and bounced up and down.


    <em>¡®Stay out of this, Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua said in his mind.


    -Are you going to give me something yummy?


    <em>¡®You thug. I said I¡¯d let you rest, so why would you ask for something tasty?¡¯</em> Kireua asked, dumbfounded.


    -I heard that when you make a request, you need to pay a price.


    Kireua had to suppress the urge to massage his aching temples. <em>¡®From who? Did you read a book again?¡¯</em>


    -Yup!


    <em>¡®¡­What is the title of this book you read?¡¯</em>


    -It¡¯s <em>How to Not Hear Criticism From Other People: Make Sure to Keep the Tab Clear!</em>


    Kireua had definitely not expected to hear such an answer.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s the title?¡¯</em> he asked.


    -It was published in the Year 730 of the continental calendar and was written by Charles di Pontier!


    <em>¡®¡­Wait, </em>who<em> wrote it?¡¯</em> Kireua couldn¡¯t hear the answer to his question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t regret this,¡± Gerno muttered under his breath.


    Ayer of vivid blue aura, capable of cutting iron like tofu, was cast over the sharp edge of Gerno¡¯s sword that thrummed as it swelled with power. Judging from how radiantly Gerno¡¯s aura was shining, he seemed to be at least a ss B knight.


    Gerno streaked forward with the sound of a fired arrow. He and his sword became one and together moved like a lightning bolt. Kireua also fixed his grip on his sword.


    Their swords shed head-on. The fragments of Gerno¡¯s aura scattered into the air with an ear splitting crack. The dust settled to reveal a shocking result after a single exchange of attacks.


    In the audience, the rebel knights¡¯ eyes nearly popped out of their skulls.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Gerno was flung away, his feet digging two deep furrows across the ground until his back mmed into the fortress walls and he coughed up a fountain of blood. He could not withstand the impact of their collision.


    ¡°Next,¡± Kireua quietly said in the ensuing silence.


    ¡°¡­Oh, my god. Gerno was about to rise above ss B, but he got that messed up after one strike?¡±


    ¡°I really didn¡¯t expect His Highness to be that strong¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you already see that on the battlefield? If His Highness Kireua was pretending to be His Majesty¡­ the person that used the Magic Spear Art techniques is also His Highness Kireua.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, that¡¯s strange. From what I heard, His Highness Kireua isn¡¯t talented with spears, unlike His Highness Selim. Besides, he¡¯s holding a sword right now.¡±


    ¡°That means there¡¯s something very wrong with the rumors.¡±


    The rebel knights had seen Kireua¡¯s skills for the first time in Fortress Raymond as it had been less than two years since Kireua had returned from the Thran Kingdom.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down, everyone. Young Master Argo was Marquess Suspen¡¯s son, but he lost his head after Prince Kireua¡¯s first strike.¡±


    The rebel knights nervously swallowed their saliva. If Gerno, a ss B knight, had been defeated by a single strike, then it would take the vicemander or themander of the White Tiger Knights to have a proper fight.


    ¡°If you aren¡¯t nning on attacking me all at once, why doesn''t yourmandere out now?¡± Kireua asked. ¡°...Or do you ept your defeat?¡±


    ¡°¡­As you suggested, I¡¯ll fight you now.¡±


    ¡°There you go.¡± Kireua smiled faintly.


    ¡°If you also defeat me, Your Highness, we rebel knights will concede our defeat.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s smile deepened as his opponent voluntarilybeled himself as a rebel. This was the reaction he was looking for. He still had countless enemies to fight, so he couldn¡¯t let the enemies that he had already defeated ambush him. Nevertheless, Kireua couldn¡¯t just kill everyone because that would end in the worst way possible, just like Selim had said.


    ¡°I did prepare myself for the possibility of fighting two hundred of you at once¡­ Are you really going to be okay on your own?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°There is one thing you don¡¯t know, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°One thing I don¡¯t know?¡± Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It might have been different in wars, but no one in the south can beat me in one on one battle.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kireua frowned slightly.


    ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡±


    The air thrummed with power that made Gerno¡¯s look like a candle me.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted.


    He was about to go up against themander of the White Tiger Knights, Marquess Suspen¡¯s strongest knightly order.


    ¡°I, Sparc Murtan, will defeat you using my full power, Your Highness.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened as Sparc¡¯s aura began to spark and take on a certain form, which meant only one thing.


    ¡°An authority?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    Sparc¡¯s mana also swiftly transformed.


    The buzzing of bugs¡¯ wings filled the air¡ªand it wasn¡¯t just the sound. A swarm of golden aura flies were flying around the area.


    ¡°They¡¯re thebination of my family¡¯s secret technique and a god¡¯s power,¡± Sparc informed Kireua.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold. Even without fighting the aura flies directly, Kireua could tell how strong Sparc¡¯s technique was. The aura flies sounded more like someone was swinging a sword as they flew by than a normal bug, and they were fluttering their wings at least hundreds of times in a second, indicating how fast they were.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get ughtered if they surround me,¡± Kireua concluded.


    ¡°So you¡¯d better cut off my head before that happens.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°That is very kind of you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that would be impossible.¡± Sparc straightened his posture. The golden aura flies reached their maximum speed and Sparc hurled himself toward Kireua at maximum speed.


    The golden aura flies made by his authority shot in all directions and then lunged for Kireua¡¯s vital points.


    Kireua finally drew up his aura. The mana rushed from his mana hall through every vein in his body. However, he really didn¡¯t feel like he needed Coal¡¯s help in this fight.


    <em>¡®Sir Cain told me that relying on a god¡¯s power is the quickest way for my skills to deteriorate.¡¯</em>


    Kireua focused his mana into his eyes.


    No matter how fast those aura flies were or how hard they tried to confuse Kireua with their movements, Kireua could clearly see their essence and where they were going to head next.


    A silver line was drawn in the air. Sparc was confused because he hadn¡¯t even hit his target yet, but confusion quickly changed to surprise when a raging storm of scarlet me surrounded Kireua.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Sparc grunted. He could feel the heat in his skin as the firestorm soared into the sky. A ten-meter radius was instantly scorched and the golden aura flies dropped to the ground, wingless.


    ¡°Ho-How¡­?¡± Sparc mumbled.


    ¡°Scarlet me Sword Level 4, Heat Sword: me Emperor¡¯s Land.¡±


    Sparc''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Level, sword¡­ What are you talking about? That¡¯s the system used in His Majesty¡¯s Magic Spear Art¡­¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°What you¡¯re thinking is right. The moment I realized that I¡¯m more talented with swords, Ibined the swordcraft that I learned from my teacher with His Majesty¡¯s Magic Spear Arts, creating my own unique Magic Sword Arts.¡±


    Sparc¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground because was experienced enough to know how impossible a task that was in spite of Kireua¡¯s straightforward exnation.


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do you want to continue?¡± Kireua asked, holding his heated sword against Sparc¡¯s neck.


    Sparc finally realized that people were gravely mistaken about Kireua Sanders, the tragic Second Prince. Although they believed that the Second Prince had left the Empire after failing to ovee his limits, Selim Sanders wasn¡¯t the only talented prince in the Empire, and Kireua Sanders was indeed also the son of the Martial God.

 Side Story Chapter 27

    Side Story Chapter 27


    ¡°¡­You really shouldn¡¯t believe rumors, huh,¡± Sparc Murtan, themander of the White Tiger Knight Order, murmured after he finally pulled himself together.


    ¡°Are you talking about the rumor that I voluntarily left the pce because I wasn¡¯t talented?¡±


    Sparc flinched. It was bing very obvious that Kireua spoke very straightforwardly even if he was degrading himself.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen me fight with your own eyes. What do you think?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I think you are indeed His Majesty¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°And we made the wrong choice.¡±


    Kireua was holding his sword against Sparc¡¯s neck, so his neck must have been stinging. However, Sparc didn¡¯t so much as frown; he was actually called ¡°stone¡± for never revealing his emotions.


    ¡°I believed I was doing this for Avalon.¡±


    Kireua frowned slightly. ¡°Did you think Avalon would fall just because His Majesty is away? Avalon isn¡¯t that weak.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten? His Majesty Joshua Sanders took the throne all on his own.¡±


    ¡°You could just say you started a riot because it seemed to be your chance, but you had to make it soundplicated, huh?¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Why do you think the nobles thought so in the first ce? His Majesty had no legitimacy but became the emperor through his strength and for vengeance. It was inevitable for an uprising to start.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold. Just like him, Sparc was straightforward.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be frank with you: on that day twenty years ago, the prestigious nobles held grudges against His Majesty, but thousands of the Imperial Knights supported Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the day that the Dark God died?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Yes, but on the other hand, I should have expected it. His Majesty¡¯s achievements inspired me and the other knights. Of course, you may not understand me because that happened before you were born.¡±


    ¡°You talk like you were there,¡± Kireua noted as he watched Sparc reminiscing.


    ¡°I was there.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Before I became Marquess Suspen¡¯s knight, I was an Imperial Knight,¡± Sparc revealed, to Kireua¡¯s surprise.


    Even Cain was dumbfounded.


    ¡°I don¡¯t remember seeing you,¡± Cain protested.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know me, Combat Emperor, because I voluntarily left the pce on the day Emperor Marcus died.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Cain grunted. He remembered what happened. After the death of Marcus ben Britten and Joshua¡¯s ascension to the throne, many of the Imperial Knights had left the pce. Their reason was, of course, obvious.


    ¡°An Imperial Knight¡¯s job is to protect the emperor of the Avalon Empire and the Pce, but all of us failed to do our job.¡±


    ¡°Well, you were fighting against my master.¡± Cain shrugged. ¡°Besides, Emperor Marcus¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, he sold his soul to the Demon Spirit, but we already swore our loyalty to him. We should have protected our master even if it cost us our souls.¡±


    Cain looked at the incorrigible man and clicked his tongue. How could a man be so honest?


    ¡°I can tell what kind of path you walked down,¡± he said.


    ¡°Another reason was out of respect for the new emperor.¡±


    ¡°Respect?¡± Cain repeated.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you: I was in awe of his skills, so I firmly believed that Joshua Sanders would stabilize this country and make Avalon one of the three strongest countries on the continent once again.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°But that was it. I had protected the Pce for a long time and entrusted His Majesty with it. However, he suddenly disappeared, and Avalon became this mess.¡± Sparc¡¯s expression turned grim.


    Cain and Kireua could feel all his hard work and regret from the knight who was already over fifty.


    ¡°He always left without saying anything. I heard about that from the Auxiliary Battalion knights, but he shouldn¡¯t have done that after he became an emperor.¡± Sparc clenched his fists.


    ¡°Do you resent His Majesty?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Yes, I resent him for neglecting Avalon until everything turned into a mess.¡± Sparc pointed at the knights standing in the corner. ¡°If His Majesty hadn¡¯t gone missing, do you think Hans over there would have lost his father? The nobles in the south wouldn¡¯t have dared to harass the knights¡¯ families. Numerous tenant farmers have starved to death when they failed to pay their taxes. His Majesty is selfish. All his talk about doing this and that for his people and building a stronger rule are just excuses for the people like us. He isn¡¯t fit to be an emperor. It would have been better if he remained a knight like us.¡±


    As the son of the Emperor of Avalon, Kireua had gone silent long ago, but Cain wasn¡¯t content to stand there and take it.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Cain roared, his golden aura rolling over them like rough ocean waves.


    ¡°Yes, you all must be talking about all sorts of things on your own[1], but how dare you insult His Majesty in front of me?¡±


    ¡°Commander Cain, shouldn¡¯t you be the most angry?¡± Sparc asked.


    ¡°Just like you said, His Majesty always had good reasons for disappearing.¡±


    ¡°Here we go again.¡±


    ¡°Let me give you an example: Avalon would have disappeared long ago if His Majesty hadn¡¯t lured the empire alliance army on his own twenty years ago.¡±


    The story was now recorded in history books, and Sparc had heard the story thousands of times before. However, Sparc couldn¡¯t help wondering¡­


    ¡°...For three years?¡± Sparc asked.


    Cain flinched.


    ¡°I always thought that it was odd. The alliance army returned to Reinhardt in a matter of weeks, but His Majesty disappeared for three whole years¡­¡± Sparc trailed off.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°...and didn¡¯t show his face anywhere on the continent.¡±


    Although Cain knew the truth, he couldn¡¯t say anything because he couldn¡¯t tell Sparc that Joshua had gone to the Demon Realm at the time.


    ¡°Everyone believed that he was recovering for three years from critical wounds gained from luring the army away. However, he didn¡¯t have a single scar on his face.¡± Sparc shrugged. ¡°If he had been so direly wounded that he needed three whole years to recover, he should have had a scar somewhere.¡±


    ¡°Get back to the point,¡± Kireua interrupted. ¡°What does that have to do with you starting a rebellion?¡±


    ¡°¡­I did it to save my family, Your Highness. You said that the leaders are at fault here, so I¡¯ll dly take any punishment you give me.¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°No, I already forgave you and said that I¡¯ll give you all a second chance.¡±


    Sparc went silent.


    ¡°So I¡¯ll ask you all for a second chance, too. At least I won¡¯t disappear like His Majesty. No matter what happens, I will never vanish without saying anything.¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s son,¡± Sparc slowly said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll prove it.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easy to make a promise.¡±


    ¡°Just trust me. You don¡¯t have any other choice, do you?¡± Kireua said.


    Sparc looked straight into Kireua¡¯s eyes. ¡°Knights value their honor over their lives. They might not swear their loyalty to you even if they have to give their swords for the rest of their lives.¡±


    ¡°Even if I use their families to threaten them like Marquess Suspen, will they still disobey me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think a member of the Imperial Family would do such a thing; if they did, I pity myself for devoting my entire life to a country like this,¡± Sparc said self-deprecatingly.


    ¡°Then trust me.¡±


    Sparc frowned. The conversation was back to square one.


    ¡°Whether I believe you or not¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you can¡¯t believe me no matter what I say¡­¡± Kireua interrupted. He grinned. ¡°...then what are you going to do? Losers have no choice but to obey the winner. If you have a problem with that, pick up your sword and defeat me.¡±


    Silence fell upon the area.


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡±


    After a moment, someone chuckled quietly. More people soon joined him.


    ¡°Gosh, Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this better? There¡¯s nothing more pathetic than someone who talks big when he has nothing except his grand title.¡±


    The rtively young knights responded to Kireua well, but the middle-aged knights waited for Sparc¡¯s next words to make their decision.


    ¡°¡­Hah. I lost.¡± Sparc¡¯s shoulders drooped and he lowered his sword. ¡°We of the southern rebel army acknowledge our defeat by the national army,¡± he intoned in his usual monotonous voice.


    It was the formal deration of surrender. Kireua also lowered his sword and smiled.


    ¡°I ept your surrender.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Anna, who had been watching everything on the ramparts, grinned.


    ¡°I definitely have a good eye for character!¡±


    An opaque birdnded on her shoulder.


    ¡°You¡¯re back already? Good work.¡± Anna stroked the bird¡¯s head.


    <em>Chirp!</em>


    ¡°How are things in the north? From what I heard, Carmen von Agnus withdrew her army. Wait, did she find the traces she was desperately looking for?¡±


    <em>Chirp! Chirp, chirp!</em>


    Anna paid attention to the bird for a while, her eyes gradually widening.


    ¡°...Are you serious?¡±


    <em>Chirp, chirp, chirp!</em>


    ¡°Unbelievable. I couldn¡¯t find anything for over a decade, so how¡­ No, no, that¡¯s the only logical reason for Carmen to withdraw her army now.¡±


    <em>Chirp!</em>


    The bird elemental spirit, whom Anna called Lingling, flew vigorously into the air and circled overhead a long time, asionally chirping loudly at the north.


    Anna¡¯s face turned grim. ¡°¡­What do I need to do? If the northern rebel army withdrew to follow the tracks of Joshua Sanders¡­ then is that okay for me to just trust Kireua on this?¡±


    1. The raw is ???? ?? ???? ???? ?????. It¡¯s a Korean idiom about how it¡¯s human nature to gossip. ?

 Side Story Chapter 28

    Side Story Chapter 28


    While the southern region of the Avalon Empire was the national breadbasket because of its fertilends, the western part was full of steep mountains. Very little of it was t.


    The castle of Marquess ¡°ck Turtle¡± Turtler, the head of the western rebel army, was on one of those precipitous mountains. The mountain was over four hundred meters tall, rendering the castle practically impregnable.


    ¡°Try that again. What did you say?¡± Turtler asked.


    ¡°The First Prince cut off Dargo rane Suspen¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°¡­Have I stayed in the mountain for too long? It hasn¡¯t been that long since the First Prince became an adult,¡± Turtler mused.


    ¡°The report came from our spy in the south, and I double-checked the information through the Moon¡¯s Gate before I reported you.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s true. With enough money, those guys are capable of finding out the color of the Queen Consort¡¯s undergarments.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Idiot. If he was going to be killed by a boy just like that, then why did he try that hard¡­?¡± Turtler quietly clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, everyone on the continent knows how talented Selim Sanders is.¡±


    With his tanned skin and muscr physique, Turtler looked like the typical big-hearted warrior, but his appearance was deceptive. He was actually crueler than a snake.


    There was a very famous story about him from when the rebellion had first started in the west. Turtler decided he needed to set an example and had ripped apart one hundred knights he had captured as prisoners with his bare hands. He had the strength and temper to do it. On that day, one hundred corpses had been butchered between two piles to his left and right with, and crows feasted for days. The rebels with weak stomachs had vomited; it had been worse for the troops of the national army who had to face Turtler in battle.


    ¡°They might have lost their leader, but they wouldn¡¯t have given up right away. I actually met Mendes, Dargo rane Suspen¡¯s aide, so I know. He must have pretended to surrender and now he¡¯s waiting for a chance to backstab the national army.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ my lord. If you¡¯re talking about Viscount Mendes, he¡¯s already been killed by the Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Turtler''s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°The Second Prince? Wait, are you talking about the one who recently returned to Avalon?¡±


    ¡°That is correct, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I thought he had zero talent in martial arts.¡± Turtler tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°That turned out to be a false rumor. It turns out that Kireua Sanders is a true son of the Martial God.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hehehe, that¡¯s funny.¡± Turtler chuckled.


    The knight who delivered the report was confused; nevertheless, Turtler continued tough quietly to himself.


    ¡°A tiger¡¯s cub is still a tiger, huh?¡± he eventually continued. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it, of course. Isn¡¯t this the first time in the history of Avalon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my lord. I¡¯m too ipetent to understand¡­¡±


    ¡°When did the princes Avalon with the same father ever work together like them?¡± Turtler smiled.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it.¡± Turtler licked his lip with his scarlet tongue.


    At that moment, a faint screaming came from underground.


    ¡°Arggghhh! Kill me! Kill me pleaaaase!¡±


    ¡°To think that the Martial God¡¯s son will be screaming like that¡­ It¡¯s really exciting,¡± Turtler said.


    ¡°I¡¯ll slit his throat right now.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Leave him be. If he¡¯s in pain, he should scream. When one is sad, one should cry. Laugh if you¡¯re happy. Smash everything around you if you¡¯re angry. That is human nature. Is there anything else you need to report?¡± Turtler asked.


    ¡°¡­Ah,e to think of it, I received information from the Moon¡¯s Gate that Kireua Sanders¡¯s next destination is here, the west.¡±


    Turtler¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°He¡¯s voluntarilying to his grave. Does he seriously think that we¡¯re the same as those trash in the south?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll lead our soldiers and knights and cut off the arrogant Second Prince¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°How dare you covet your master¡¯s prey?¡± Turtler sharply replied.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to do that¡­¡± The knight sweated profusely. Many people had been ripped in half when Turtler made that expression.


    ¡°Hehehe, I¡¯m joking.¡± Turtler chuckled. ¡°But does that mean the southern rebel army is finished?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll look into it.¡±


    ¡°Was the southern rebel army weak or is the Second Prince strong? Just in case, send a ¡®weingmittee¡¯ to the border. Considering everything, sending two of my knightly orders will be enough.¡±


    The knight quietly heaved a sigh of relief and bowed at a ny-degree angle.


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua was bidding his farewells after taking care of all his business in the south.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going too,¡± he said.


    Charles¡¯s big eyes instantly turned teary. ¡°Run away immediately if things get too dangerous, sweetie.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°If bad guys say that they¡¯ll surrender, don¡¯t believe and follow them right away, okay?¡± Charles stroked Kireua¡¯s hair.


    ¡°¡­What am I, a baby?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ªyou¡¯ll still be my baby even after you be a wrinkled old grandpa,¡± Charles teased.


    Kireua frowned, but still, he felt touched. He knew better than anyone that Charles was saying all this because she cared and was worried about him.


    ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t have to bring some of our soldiers and knights?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°Well, the national army is in the west too, and Sir Ranger is also there. Besides, the southern region hasn¡¯t been stabilized, so you need all the manpower you can get.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. If your father had been here, I would have at least sent our knights with you.¡± Charles gave Kireua an apologetic look.


    The knights and soldiers weren¡¯t with them right now, so Charles didn¡¯t hesitate to me Joshua.


    ¡°You seemed to miss him to death yesterday,¡± Kireua joked.


    ¡°I do miss him. He¡¯s my loving husband.¡±


    ¡°rgh.¡± Kireua lightly shook his head. ¡°That¡¯s too much information for your son.¡±


    ¡°Come on~ Get a girlfriend and see if you don¡¯t turn into me.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, what part about His Majesty do you love that much? If I were you, I would hate him to death,¡± Kireua pouted.


    ¡°He¡¯s handsome.¡±


    ¡°¡­Gosh.¡± Kireua gaped nkly at her.


    Charles giggled. ¡°He¡¯s also my one and only prince charming who always saves me from danger.¡±


    ¡°Mom, I might throw up now.¡±


    Charles smiled gently. ¡°So he must have a good reason.¡±


    Kireua shut his mouth because he did resent the Emperor of Avalon on some level. Without any exnation, even to his family members, the Emperor of Avalon had vanished from the Pce.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Kireua was jerked away from his thoughts. From afar, a group of people were riding their horses toward Kireua and Charles. Kireua recognized them right away.


    ¡°They¡¯re the knights of the south,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    There were five hundred of them. They had once been his enemies and fought against him. Up until a few days ago, Kireua had been worried about them backstabbing him, but they were now his allies, leading the way in stabilizing the southern region.


    ¡°I need to deliver you a report!¡± Sparc Murtan, the exmander of the White Tiger Knight Order, jumped off his horse.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you know why the rebels in the north suddenly withdrew their army?¡± Sparc asked.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about the northern rebel army?¡±


    ¡°I just heard this.¡± Sparc didn¡¯t even pause to catch his breath before he began rattling off his report. ¡°It¡¯s not been confirmed, but the rebels in the north have found His Majesty''s tracks.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened. <em>¡®What the hell,¡¯ </em>he thought.


    Charles beat him to the punch.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡± She strode forward. ¡°Where did this informatione from?¡±


    ¡°The thing is¡­ it¡¯s not clear. Some heard it from their colleagues while there are other people who say that they heard birds talking¡­¡±


    ¡°Birds? Birds talking in a humannguage?¡± Charles tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the rumor that¡¯s spreading among the troops right now.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. Although they had no way to authenticate the rumor, it made everything make sense. It would be a disaster for the rebels if the Emperor of Avalon revealed himself now.


    ¡°Where were the signs of His Majesty found?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°He¡¯s in the north.¡±


    ¡°The north?¡± Kireua repeated.


    ¡°Yes, in the northernmost regions. In fact, it¡¯s above Lemegeton, thend of demons.¡±


    Kireua needed to check this out, but in order to get to the north from the south he had to go through thends of Turtler.


    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯ll go with you,¡± Sparc dered.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°We were just rebels, but you gave us a chance, Your Highness. Therefore, we wish to atone for our crimes and repay your kindness by assisting you.¡±


    Just then, the ck Knights that had tried to protect Selim at the cost of their lives shed across Kireua¡¯s mind. He actually hadn¡¯t seen thising.


    ¡°You could die,¡± Kireua said quietly.


    ¡°You already killed us once, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone through all that trouble to save your lives, but you¡¯re voluntarily throwing them away.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for our own good.¡± Sparc shrugged.


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°For your own good?¡±


    ¡°We had no choice but to leave the Pce because of the new emperor, we had to pick up our swords because of our families¡­ We¡¯re sick of it. We don¡¯t want to live that way anymore. We wish to lead a life where we can hold our heads high.¡±


    ¡°¡­And I¡¯m your solution?¡±


    Sparc nodded. ¡°Yes. You¡¯re the choice we won¡¯t regret, Your Highness.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s smile deepened, but he didn¡¯t realize it.


    Cain hade to keep an eye on the knights because he was worried that they would try to attack Kireua and Charles. However, Cain ended up chuckling.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve started down your path as a hero,¡± he dered.


    ¡°What are you suddenly talking about, Sir Cain?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t try to charm people, but theye to you anyway. That is the start of bing a hero.¡±


    ¡°¡­Her Majesty Charles and you have a way of saying cringy things without flinching,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    ¡°It was the same for His Majesty.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened after hearing that Joshua Sanders had walked down the same path, but he quickly regained hisposure.


    Although Kireua was Joshua Sanders¡¯s son, he couldn¡¯t and didn¡¯t want to understand his father. He might be the hero of the century for the people of Igrant, but he was just a heartless father to his children. Therefore, Kireua wanted to find out why his father had made such a choice and see if it was the right decision.


    With his next goal decided, there was no reason for Kireua to hesitate.


    ¡°We¡¯ll subdue the rebellion in the west at once and head to Lemegeton right after,¡± Kireua dered.


    The knights saluted with bright faces.

 Side Story Chapter 29

    Side Story Chapter 29


    As a forest of ck monstersy at the center of the continent, there was the barrennd of demons in the north of the Avalon Empire¡ªLemegeton, and of nothing but snow in both thend and sky.


    A grand army of tens of thousands of soldiers marched through the snow.


    ¡°This is really where the Emperor of Avalon is?¡±


    ¡°The hunters at thest vige of the north said that a crazy outsider went there about a decade ago¡­ They remembered the moment vividly because it had never happened before.¡±


    The army in question was the northern rebel army. The ck-haired woman standing in the front was Carmen von Agnus, the Dark Sword Emperor andmander-in-chief of the northern rebels.


    ¡°I believe the information is worth checking.¡±


    ¡°That is why we postponed everything else and came here.¡± Carmen shrugged.


    ¡°But we have to take some risks.¡±


    ¡°¡­North Stars, what do you think?¡± Carmen¡¯s cold gaze turned.


    Two men walked out from the crowd. One man was the former Master of the Magic Tower, and the other had been the vicemander of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights. Those great men were following Carmen for the sake of their own goals.


    ¡°As you already know, Lemegeton is too dangerous. It was also dangerous in the past, but the one hundred strongest demons are living there now.¡±


    The Demon Realm had been annihted, and the surviving demons had escaped to the Human Realm; every one of them were among the highest-ranking of their kind. The currently known number of demons in the Human Realm was seventy two.


    ¡°It would have been good if Anna bel Grace had been here right now. With her elemental spirit magic, she can check out what is going on over there.¡± Carmen frowned.


    ¡°Commander-in-chief, I told you that Anna bel Grace betraying us isn¡¯t our fault. In the first ce, we only temporarily joined hands for amon goal. Besides, even if she was here, it would be hard for her to reconnoiter Lemegeton.¡±


    ¡°That is a really long answer.¡± Carmen shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to me you.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what your face says,¡± the former Master of the Magic Tower remarked.


    One of the knights grabbed their sword in response.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting rude, Armand of the Seven Mages,¡± the knight coldly warned him.


    ¡°Rude? How dare you¡ª!¡±


    Carmen quietly raised her hand. ¡°Enough.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± The knight took a step back.


    Armand tossed the knight a nce, teeth gritted. ¡°Is this how you¡¯re going to treat us from now on,mander-in-chief?¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t mean it that way. Anyhow, I hope you two will actively participate in our advance north,¡± Carmen said.


    The two men''s eyes widened.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously going to go there?¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you this: what do you think would happen if Joshua Sanders showed up in Avalon right now?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± The two men finally shut their mouths.


    Carmen pointed her sword at the men. ¡°Armand, your goal is to regain your status in the Magic Tower and be the Royal Chief Wizard again. And Joker, you wish to retrain the current ssless Imperial Knights from scratch. However, all your goals and dreams will be futile if Joshua Sanders shows up.¡±


    She looked north. When she and her army had first gotten here, they were able to see up ahead at least somewhat, but after they marched several kilometers in, they couldn¡¯t see anything due to a raging blizzard.


    ¡°Do you have any n to take out the Emperor if he¡¯s really there? Let me say this in advance: Joker and I aren¡¯t going to be enough.¡± Armand shrugged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± Carmen answered without a second of hesitation. She seethed with a stinging, murderous indent. ¡°I and my knights will deal with him.¡±


    Carmen was certain of herself. For two decades, she had trained her knights herself, and they were with her now. In addition, there was this power she had acquired. With her knights and that power, she was sure that she could even y a god.


    One thousand knights held up their swords in affirmation of Carmen¡¯s words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Carmen instructed her knights.


    All one thousand knights saluted as one and spurred their horses into motion.


    * * *


    On his way to the western region of Avalon, Kireua decided to ask the question that had been on his mind for a long time


    ¡°Sparc,¡± he said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I get what kind of man Marquess Turtler is, but what about Carmen von Agnus? What is she like?¡±


    Cain and Anna were currently away from the group now doing reconnaissance, so Kireua took advantage of the moment to hear Sparc¡¯s more objective analysis of Carmen.


    ¡°Do you really not know about her?¡± Sparc asked back in surprise.


    ¡°Should I?¡±


    ¡°Well, His Majesty was the illegitimate son of the Ducal Family of Agnus, and you¡¯re his son.¡±


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°We don¡¯t really talk about our other rtives.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, you went to the Thran Kingdom to study when you were a boy, so you might not know about this.¡± Sparc nodded.


    It was a sensitive topic, so Kireua was rather d he could ask Sparc the question. The nobles in the capital tiptoed around him; they would have beaten around the bush if he asked them. Even if the Emperor of Avalon had renounced the Agnus surname, he was still rted to the Duke of Agnus by blood. However, the southern knights had already given up on their lives before and had no ties to the Agnus family.


    ¡°After Aden von Agnus, Carmen von Agnus was the second-best genius in the history of the Agnus line,¡± Sparc said.


    ¡°Was?¡±


    ¡°She is the best now.¡± Sparc shrugged.


    ¡°It looks like there is a special story behind this.¡±


    ¡°I already told you about how me and the other Imperial Knights scattered all across the Empire, right?¡± Sparc frowned slightly, trying to recall the details.


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Most of us headed to the north,¡± Sparc continued. ¡°There were about five hundred of them. Since they were the Imperial Knights, they were the strongest knights in the Empire¡ªbut the important part is that Carmen von Agnus took every one of them under her wing using the same old tradition of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    Kireua vaguely remembered someone telling him this story in the past, but he had never heard these details.


    ¡°By the tradition of the Imperial Knights, you mean¡­¡±


    Sparc nodded. ¡°All the five hundred knights were single handedly defeated by Carmen von Agnus.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened. Just like Sparc had said, those knights were none other than the Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire. Could Kireua do it? He wasn¡¯t sure, but that woman had done such a remarkable thing over a decade ago.


    ¡°On top of that, there is a rumor that she¡¯s recently acquired an authority, so she might have be stronger than the deceased Dark God,¡± Sparc said.


    ¡°Ending this civil war is going to depend on whether or not I can defeat Carmen von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so I think it¡¯s better to hurry if we¡¯re going to track down His Majesty.¡±


    Kireua quietly shook his head, however.


    Cain and Anna wereing back from their reconnaissance.


    ¡°¡­No, it would be best if the rebels found His Majesty on our behalf,¡± Kireua muttered.


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten? His Majesty is an Absolute that knocked down a Sky. No matter what they do, they won¡¯t be able to do anything against His Majesty even if the Dark God rises from his grave,¡± Kireua said, his voice filled with conviction.


    * * *


    A cold, snowy wind blew. Despite the freezing temperature, the rebel troops kept on marching because they had changed their magic armor and iron armor into thick coats long ago; these garments were made from the skins of yetis, which could only be found in the north.


    ¡°It¡¯s strange. I haven¡¯t seen a single monster¡­¡± Armand tilted his head in confusion, the snowy wind blowing against his face.


    The northern region of the Avalon Empire was famous for teeming with monsters, earning it a reputation as thend of demons. However, they found snow, snow, and nothing but snow in the northern region now¡ªalthough the snow was bing less intense as they advanced.


    ¡°Did someone spread the rumor on purpose?¡± Armand wondered, his head swaying side to side in confusion. The northern region had gained notoriety for its coldness hundreds of years ago, so the hypothesis that the terrain deep in the region had changed for unknown reasons was sounding more and more usible.


    ¡°Commander-in-chief.¡± Armand turned at Carmen.


    ¡°Everyone, halt.¡± Carmen signaled her knights in the front, making them stop marching.


    The knights and soldiers in the back naturally came to a stop one after another. Everyone in Carmen¡¯s army truly moved in perfect order. It was said that one part of an organization could tell a lot about the rest of the organization, so. Armand could tell what kind of training her troops had gone through.


    ¡°There is something up ahead.¡± Carmen narrowed her eyes.


    Armand''s eyes widened.


    Just like Carmen had said, something was standing in the snow-white field.


    ¡°A human¡­?¡±


    As soon as the words left Arman¡¯s lips, that something was right in front of the army.


    ¡°Wh-What the hell¡­!¡± Armand shouted, shocked.


    A human couldn¡¯t move like that¡ªnot even a Master, whose physical abilities surpassed the level of a human. Were they a mage? No, if they¡¯d used teleportation, Armand should have detected the change in the flow of mana. In that case, there was only one type of being left who could do this.


    ¡°A demon!¡± Armand shouted, his surprised voice echoing across the snow.


    The knights drew their swords without hesitation, starting an odd staredown. However, Carmen and the man that had shown up just now were only looking at each other.


    ¡°That¡¯s funny. I didn¡¯t expect to see that from you, humandy.¡± The man chuckled.


    ¡°Are you a demon?¡± Carmen asked.


    Even in the north, it was rare to find anyone who looked like this man. He was only wearing a thin suit, but it seemed that he didn¡¯t feel cold at all. On top of that, his skin was dark while the people in the north usually had white skin. Most importantly, he exuded unimaginably strong energy that pressured Carmen and the others.


    ¡°This is new. How can a human be unharmed with the power of sin?¡±


    Carmen''s eyes widened for a moment, but she quickly regained herposure.


    ¡°Get out of my way,¡± she demanded. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re a demon¡ªI¡¯ll kill you if you keep standing in my way.¡±


    The man looked into Carmen¡¯s eyes for a long time and then grinned. ¡°I think I can help you out a little.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you looking for a god-yer?¡±


    A god-yer¡ªthere was only one person who that could refer to.


    Carmen¡¯s expression changed instantly.


    ¡°You know where he is?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Of course, but I can only take you to the vicinity of his location. My people and I can¡¯t approach him due to our differences.¡± The man shrugged.


    ¡°So you¡¯re definitely a demon.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it¡¯ll be different for you all since you¡¯re humans, just like him.¡± The man smiled faintly.


    ¡°Where is Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Come. I¡¯ll take you.¡± The man easily turned his back to them as if he was confident that he could defend himself against any kind of ambush, a statement of how strong he was.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s follow him,¡± Carmen quietly murmured, and her army began to march again.

 Side Story Chapter 30

    Side Story Chapter 30


    About a weekter, a group of five hundred people crossed the border of the southern region of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Halt!¡± Kireua abruptly raised his hand.


    The knights pulled their reins, surprised, drawing loud neighs from their horses. They were currently near a giant reed forest located on the road to the western region.


    ¡°Your Highness, we¡¯re going to arrive in the west soon. If you¡¯re trying to take a break, wouldn¡¯t it be better to do that after we pass through this forest?¡± Sparc Murtan asked.


    ¡°Are you worried about getting ambushed?¡± Anna tilted her head.


    Sparc flinched.


    Anna closed her eyes for a moment.


    ¡°I can¡¯t feel anything from the wind,¡± she said as she opened her eyes.


    Cain came forward as well. ¡°That is what I believe too.¡±


    The reeds in the forest were tall enough to hide people, but Cain wasn¡¯t able to detect any presence even with his superhuman senses. He could say for certain that there was no one waiting to ambush them, at least within a thirty meter radius.


    ¡°It¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°Being careful is an essential virtue of a leader,¡± Cain said with a smile of contentment. ¡°But you can trust me on this, Your Highness. Even if the rebels in the west dispatched their forces as soon as they heard the news, they couldn¡¯t be here yet. Besides, Ranger won¡¯t sit by and let them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I wanted to finish the ¡®sorting process¡¯ before we run into our enemies,¡± Kireua said.


    Cain became more confused.


    Kireua nced behind him. ¡°For the people in the southern rebel army, their biggest eyesores must be me and Selim. Selim chopped their leader¡¯s head off, and I made them surrender for good.¡±


    ¡°Do you think there are still traitors among us?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°There is no harm in being careful. The one thing I know for certain is that all the remaining skilled knights in the south must have gone after Selim or are here.¡± Kireua slowly took around his surroundings with cold eyes.


    Some of the knights that met Kireua¡¯s eyes furtively lowered their heads.


    ¡°This is a golden opportunity. Besides, look. That reed forest is perfect for an ambush.¡±


    ¡°¡­You expected all that, but you still decided to leave on your own?¡± Cain quietly asked.


    ¡°If I had been with the national army, those people might not have followed me.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Cain exuded vivid murderous intent. ¡°I thought we hunted down all the traitors thanks to your hard work.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Sparc eximed, appalled. ¡°What do you mean?! We already swore our loyalty to you!¡±


    ¡°Sir Sparc, I always say this, but I don¡¯t trust promises made only with words.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone through all that to earn our loyalty, but now you¡¯re throwing that away? The knights will be thrown into confusion!¡± Sparc desperately protested.


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m trying to prevent.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Sparc bit his lower lip.


    ¡°Enough,¡± Cain quietly said. Sparc hadn¡¯t heard a single sound, but Cain¡¯s sword was held against Sparc¡¯s neck. ¡°His Highness made a decision. Why aren¡¯t you obeying it?¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­!¡± Sparc closed his eyes. ¡°They¡¯re myrades. If you can¡¯t believe them, I¡¯ll vouch for them with my life!¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re understanding this all wrong. Why are you leaving yourself out of this?¡± Cain tilted his head.


    Sparc¡¯s eyes widened. He quickly turned to Kireua. ¡°Your Highness! Is this really what you want?!


    ¡°I misjudged you. The rtionship between a ruler and his subject is based on trust. Yet trust means nothing to you. You don¡¯t have what that takes to be the emperor of this country!¡± Sparc raged with bloodshot eyes.


    Cain¡¯s cold sword dug into Sparc¡¯s skin, dripping more of his hot blood onto the ground.


    ¡°You¡¯re practically begging me to kill you,¡± Cain seethed, his voice dripping with murderous intent.


    ¡°Do it! I¡¯m ashamed of myself for trying to serve such a gutless person as my master!¡±


    Anna broke the tense atmosphere with a giggle. ¡°Knights are really funny.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Sparc nkly murmured.


    ¡°If someone saw you right now, they would think you swore your loyalty the moment you met His Highness. You were defeated and didn¡¯t want to die¡ªthat was why you kissed the ground. ¡®Ashamed¡¯, my ass. Can you even still feel that kind of emotion?¡± Anna scoffed.


    ¡°Anna bel Grace!¡±


    ¡°Gosh, my ears. Combat Emperor, if you¡¯re going to kill him, just kill him already. He¡¯s really noisy.¡± Anna picked her ear.


    Cain looked at Kireua again, waiting for his order.


    ¡°I hate variables,¡± Kireua finally said, catching everyone¡¯s attention. ¡°So I checked your backgrounds on my way over here.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your hometown, families, past, reputation¡­¡± Kireua pulled out a thick roll of parchment. ¡°Everything is in here.¡±


    ¡°Wh-When¡­?


    Giggling, Anna raised her hand. ¡°I helped him! With my wind elemental spirits and the analysts of the Moon Gate, it was a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°The M-Moon Gate?¡±


    ¡°They can find out anything with the right amount of money. Well? Are you still going to say you¡¯re getting groundlessly used?¡± Anna asked.


    Silence fell upon the area in a sh.


    ¡°Everyone, get off your horses. After you put your swords in a pile, close your eyes and kneel,¡± Kireua ordered the knights. When they didn¡¯t move, he gave them a sharp look. ¡°What are you waiting for? If you¡¯re innocent, you should have no problem doing this.


    ¡°I promise you that even if you are traitors, I¡¯ll cut your heads off painlessly. I can show you that much mercy at least.¡±


    After some time, the knights got off their horses one after another, the silence broken only by the horses¡¯ quiet neighs. Most of them were young knights like Hans, who had lost his father because of Marquess Suspen.


    However, some of the knights stayed on their horses until the end, busily exchanging nces with each other. There were about two hundred of them at minimum.


    ¡°¡­Hah.¡± Kireua smiled coldly.


    It was exactly half of them. One silver lining was that Sparc, who was right beside Kireua, was closing his eyes with a grim expression.


    ¡°Sir Cain.¡± Kireua turned his head.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Can you hold on to this for a moment?¡± Kireua handed the parchment roll to Cain.


    Unable to contain his curiosity, Sparc furtively opened his eyes but flinched at what he saw.


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s safe to assume that those of you who refuse to get off your horses are traitors, right?¡± Kireua smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Everyone, draw your swords!¡± one of the knights shouted, as if Kireua¡¯s remark was the signal.


    The still-mounted knights, over two hundred of them, drew their des.


    ¡°There are only three of them! Let¡¯s take revenge for the death of His Majesty and regain ournd here and now!¡±


    ¡°Woaaaaahhhh!¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not three.¡±


    His voice was quiet, but he was speaking using mana. The knights on their horses stopped shouting, confused.


    ¡°For those of you who got off your horses, pick up your swords,¡± Kireuamanded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give a chance to the people who have been loyal to me from the start and the people who had a change of heart just now.¡± Kireua¡¯s voice quietly intoned. ¡°Kill the traitors using all you have.¡±


    * * *


    The incredible natural scenery unfolded in front of the northern rebels. On a usual day, it was hard to see the mountain due to the fog, but they were on it right now.


    When the rebels went beyond a certain range, the blizzard blew once again. Since Armand was physically weakerpared to the others, he was shivering.


    ¡°¡­The blizzard is getting stronger,¡± he said, concerned. ¡°Are you sure you can count on him?¡±


    ¡°What are you going to do if we can¡¯t? Are you suggesting we scour this vast northern region on our own?¡± Carmen answered.


    ¡°I heard that all demons are sly, so if that demon ns on attacking us¡­¡±


    Carmen shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s just one demon.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even know who that one demon is. I know it¡¯s highly unlikely, but if he¡¯s one of the top ten demons¡­ Commander-in-Chief, you won¡¯t be able to defeat him if he turns on us.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re worrying over nothing. Look, we¡¯ve reached the peak.¡± Carmen pointed up ahead.


    Armand¡¯s eyes widened. How? It hadn¡¯t been long since they set foot on the mountain, but they were already about to reach its top.


    ¡°How in the world is this possible?¡± Armand murmured.


    ¡°It must be that demon¡¯s ability.¡± Carmen gestured at the man with her chin.


    A memory shed across Armand¡¯s head. The ability to manipte space. With that ability, one would be able to lock their target in a certain space and crush them to death by shrinking the space. On top of that, it could be used to increase or decrease a distance.


    ¡°Wait¡­?¡± Armand muttered to himself. The Dimension Demon was the only demon who could do that. Come to think of it, the demon guiding them looked like a hunter, just like the description in the books!


    ¡°Ba-Barbatos¡­!¡± Armand gasped under his breath.


    ¡°Humans, we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    Whatever Armand was going to say was lost when the blizzard suddenly hit them once again, revealing a scene that left them wordless.


    Armand¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. ¡°...Is this ce real?¡±


    The mountain was so high that it felt like one could touch the sky from the top. Underneath the mountain, there was an endless wave of white. The most majestic part of the scenery was the frozenke in the center.


    However, Armand had to look away because one woman was walking as if none of it impressed her.


    ¡°Commander-in-Chief?¡± Armand said, bewildered.


    Carmen kept on walking and passed the frozenke to get to the edge of the cliff.


    Armand¡¯s eyes slowly widened. There sat a giant boulder of ice. The opaque chunk of ice was as big as a house, but inside was trapped someone whom Armand feared to see even in his dreams.


    ¡°Jo-Jo-Jo¡­!¡±


    Did the muscles around Armand¡¯s mouth freeze up? Or was he too shocked to finish his sentence?


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    Carmen drew her ck greatsword and rushed forward without hesitation.


    ¡°Die!¡± she shouted, firing a powerful aura attack clearly intended to blow up the ice boulder.


    Something shocking happened.


    Armand inhaled sharply. Joshua Sanders, whom Armand had thought was already dead, suddenly opened his eyes.


    -Get lost.


    Carmen¡¯s aura attack disappeared instantly.


    The pressure that Joshua emitted overwhelmed the knights, forcing them to the ground.


    ¡°Mmm¡­. This isn¡¯t enough, huh?¡± Barbatos, one of the highest-ranking demons, grunted quietly.


    The cold blizzard swept through the area, silent once again.

 Side Story Chapter 31

    Side Story Chapter 31


    ¡°So humans can¡¯t do it either.¡± Barbatos, the Dimension Demon, shook his head. ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Barbatos was the eighth-strongest demon in all of the vast Demon Realm, but he couldn¡¯t approach the human holding the fragment of the Demon Spirit trapped inside the ice boulder. He encountered intense sparks whenever he tried to trespass within a five-meter radius of the ice boulder, as if a power diametrically opposed to Barbatos¡¯s was being used to stop him.


    However, it was different for the woman that had arrived just now. Surprisingly, she had the power of sin in spite of the fact that she was a human, but she could approach the vicinity of the ice boulder¡ªbut no more.


    The woman unleashed a barrage of attacks with her greatsword against the ice boulder. Once, twice, thrice¡­ Her attacks were so strong that the space around her was distorted. The woman with the power of sin seemed to surpass the supreme level which humans called Master. Nevertheless¡­


    ¡°Huff, huff, huff¡­¡±


    The woman panted.


    Numerous knights were with her right now. After so long in the blizzard, some of the knights ended up trembling due to the extreme coldness despite their highly trained bodies. The northern region of Avalon was known as the coldest on the continent, and they were currently on top of a frozen mountain deep inside the region.


    ¡°Co-Commander-in-Chief¡­¡± Armand mumbled as his face turned blue.


    However, Carmen didn¡¯t stop. She was the only one who was sweating buckets and not affected by the extreme coldness.


    -Haven¡¯t you done enough?


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­!¡± Armand muttered.


    -I know you.


    ¡°What¡­ are you doing in a ce like that? Of all the ces you could hide, you hide in a remote area where no onees?¡±


    -I have my reasons. But, of course, I¡¯m going to break out of here.


    Carmen went stiff.


    Joshua was actually speaking the truth. The Demon Spirit inside him was about to die after all these years, so Joshua was sure that he would be able to get out of the ice boulder in two years at the longest.


    -Why? Are you scared now that I¡¯m about to get out?


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Carmen shouted.


    -I saw you several times in the main residence of the Agnus estate. From what I recall, you¡¯re like my aunt.


    Carmen held her ck greatsword in reverse grip and rammed it into the ground. ¡°Why did you kill Duke Aden von Agnus? Did you want power that desperately?¡±


    -I must have killed him because I had a good reason.


    ¡°You fucking bastard, are you kidding me right now¡ª!¡±


    -Do you think it¡¯s my fault that the Agnus family fell?


    Carmen¡¯s eyes red. ¡°Do you really need an answer to that when it¡¯s so obvious?! Without you, the Agnus family could have been the greatest family in the Avalon Empire. The Imperial Family¡¯s surname would have been Agnus, not Sanders. You killed your father to satisfy your own greed. You¡¯re the worst trash in the whole world.¡±


    -No, your dream wouldn¡¯t havee true in the first ce if the Agnus family fell just because it didn¡¯t have a leader. The Imperial Family of Agnus? Outrageous.


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Carmen yelled at the top of her lungs.


    -Then look at the current Avalon.


    That shut her mouth.


    -From what I understand, it has been over a decade since I disappeared. I don¡¯t really know because I haven¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, but I be more certain as I watch you. People call a family that survives without their leader a ¡°prestigious family¡±. The Ducal Family of Agnus was never prestigious in the first ce.


    Joshua was thoroughly thrashing Carmen¡¯s pride from top to bottom, and then he brought up the one topic that should never be mentioned in front of Carmen.


    -Carmen von Agnus, you call me trash obsessed with power, but aren¡¯t you actually the same? Babel von Agnus was my brother and the son of thete Duke Aden von Agnus. He was going to inherit the Duchy, but you dragged him down and took his ce instead. So how can you possibly¡ª


    ¡°Shut the hell uuuuup!¡± Carmen roared. A wave of aura that was iparably stronger than before ravaged the nearby area, followed by a ck wave of demonic power. She was activating her authority of sin, the strongest of the evil authorities.


    -¡­Is this the power of Leviathan?


    An enormous aura attack struck the ice boulder, highly concentrated with Carmen¡¯s aura and several times bigger than the ones she had fired before. Carmen swung her greatsword again and again until she was too tired to continue, sending a rain of those attacks against the ice boulder as if dozens of people were simultaneously attacking at once.


    One of the knights watching swallowed nervously. He had never seen anyone move like that.


    Her neat ponytail hade undone long ago, allowing her ck hair to fly wildly around her head. She looked like a demon. As her murderous intent spread everywhere, everyone cowered.


    Barbatos, however, the only demon in this ce right now, quietly eximed.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    Up until now, no one had been able to leave a single scratch on the ice, but Barbatos could see a minuscule mark on the surface of the boulder. Of course, the mark was smaller than a fingernail and Carmen had fainted from exhaustion, so she wouldn¡¯t be able to do more.


    ¡°It looks like it hasn¡¯t been long since she received that power¡­ but she¡¯s already at that level?¡± Barbatos murmured. Carmen intrigued him. Besides, she had been chosen by a Demon King, so if she became more proficient and also acquired the other powers of sin¡­


    ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯ll be possible.¡± Barbatos licked his lip with his scarlet tongue.


    If Carmen could destroy the ice boulder and take the Demon Spirit¡¯s power before he was killedpletely¡­


    <em>¡®A new Demon Spirit will be born in this realm.¡¯</em>


    * * *


    ¡°Scatter!¡±


    Over two hundred still-defiant knights dispersed to hide in the reed forest before them. Those who had obligingly dismounted inhaled sharply as the horses charged towards them and unconsciously retreated in the confusion of the moment.


    ¡°Hup!¡± Cain quickly noticed the traitors¡¯ n and dropped them from their horses using the blunt of his sword. Still, there were too many of them. On the other hand, Anna wore a delighted grin.


    ¡°Your Highness, do you need my help?¡± she asked.


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°Not right now, since I¡¯ve finished finding out who my allies are.¡±


    The remaining knights looked at each other, bewildered.


    ¡°Two hundred sixty¡­ No, is that two hundred and seventy knights?¡± Kireua murmured.


    Cain nodded. ¡°Over half of them were traitors.¡±


    ¡°This is a problem,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°I thought there would be a hundred of them at most,¡± Kireua said.


    Cain smiled gently. ¡°This is actually great work, you know. These knights were born and raised in the southern region and served one master for decades at least. On the other hand, itt hasn¡¯t been long since you returned to Avalon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because their master didn¡¯t do his job as their master. He was stupid and despicable to hold his people¡¯s families hostage.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t do that to every one of his knights. Most of them are loyal to the bone to Marquess Suspen.¡± Cain shrugged.


    Sparc Murtan stepped into the conversation. ¡°Your Highness, I¡¯m not sure if I have the right to say this kind of thing right now, but¡­ you were different.¡±


    ¡°Different?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was sick of this country because a civil war broke out whenever our leader was about to change. Look, the country has be this mess after the Martial God¡¯s disappearance.¡±


    Sparc¡¯s remark could be treated as lese-majeste, but he calmly continued, ¡°You promised us that you¡¯d never vanish without saying anything.¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°The knights here right now swore their loyalty because they trust your promise and your ability.¡± Sparc bowed. ¡°Give me your order. I¡¯ll return with the rebels¡¯ heads.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. There was no way that this would be easy for these knights since those traitors had once been theirrades. Just a few hours ago, they had been eating a meal together as they had chatted andughed. In fact, some of the knights were visibly ufortable about the situation.


    <em>¡®But everyone has to do what they have to do.¡¯</em>


    Kireua broke away from his thoughts and turned to Cain.


    ¡°Their goal is obvious, right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yes. We aren¡¯t far away from the western rebel army¡¯s camp. If they try their best to stay hidden in the reed forest, they¡¯ll be able to buy all the time they need.¡±


    The forest was thick with reeds that were tall as Kireua¡¯s chest, so if he went in there without a n, he would immediately be skewered by numerous swords.


    ¡°Oh, no. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be much of a help because it¡¯ll be difficult to blow away those reeds with my wind,¡± Anna said.


    Despite her concerned tone, she didn¡¯t look worried at all because she was genuinely having fun. In fact, she was looking forward to seeing how Kireua would ovee this trial, tribtion, betrayal, and pain.


    <em>¡®Will he use the knights as human shields? No, judging from his personality, that¡¯s highly unlikely. Then will he break through the forest head-on? In that case, he¡¯ll look like an idiot who doesn¡¯t care about casualties, losing his knights¡¯ trust,¡¯</em> Anna thought.


    However, Kireua was way beyond Anna¡¯s expectations once again.


    ¡°Let¡¯s set it on fire.¡±


    Anna''s eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t just her¡ªCain and the other knights were ck-jawed.


    ¡°Fi-Fire¡­?¡±


    ¡°But, Your Highness, there are viges beyond the forest. If we can¡¯t extinguish the fire after subduing the knights, the casualties will be catastrophic.¡±


    ¡°This seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater, as they say.¡±


    Despite the knights¡¯ concerns, Kireua quietly shook his head. ¡°We¡¯ll split into two groups. One group will get water from nearby and prepare to extinguish the fire. You¡¯d better hurry.¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness! Are you saying you¡¯re going to deal with those knights hidden in the reed forest only with just over a hundred knights?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely taking too many knights with me, aren¡¯t I?¡± Kireua said.


    Sparc¡¯s jaw hit the ground.


    ¡°Twenty of you will go with me, and the rest will follow Sir Sparc.¡±


    Silence instantly fell upon the area. The knights were dumbstruck while Cain was smiling enigmatically.


    ¡°Hahaha! Hahahahaha!¡± Anna¡¯sughter echoed clearly throughout the area.

 Side Story Chapter 32

    Side Story Chapter 32


    Sparc gaped at the ze rising into the air in the distance.


    <em>¡®So His Highness really did it.¡¯</em> Sparc closed his eyes.


    ¡°What in the world is his n?¡± Hans asked Sparc, his voice tight with worry. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy to contain the entire fire on our own.¡±


    Sparc had eyes, so he also knew that. The fire lit up in the entrance to the reed forest and quickly spread to the entire forest. Since it was past the rainy season, the weather was arid today, so the fire burned so fiercely that it looked like the fire would quickly spread to where the knights were standing.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m more worried about His Highness,¡± Sparc bitterly said.


    ¡°What? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Those traitors have nowhere to run now, so what do you think they¡¯ll do? They¡¯ll attack His Highness using their full power.¡± Sparc gestured at the reed forest with his chin.


    Hans grunted. ¡°The traitors, us, His Highness¡­ Everyone is in a fix.¡±


    He looked around and saw his colleagues busily pouring water on the ground, in an attempt to prevent the fire from spreading to where they were right now.


    ¡°His Highness will probably be fine. Five hundred of us attacked him but couldn¡¯t do anything to him.¡± Hans shrugged.


    ¡°It¡¯s different now because they¡¯ll be fighting for their lives. Even if all twenty of us remaining protect His Highness, the traitors have ten times our numbers,¡± Sparc said, frowning. ¡°We¡¯ll have to trust Sir Cain and the North Witch for now. Anyhow, let¡¯s move. We absolutely cannot let this fire spread over this line.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir.¡± Hans came to his senses and then quickly ran to the river.


    Sparc¡¯s eyes lingered on the forest for a moment before he followed Hans.


    ¡°Your Highness, please let me prove to them that I made the right choice¡­¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua actually had a n.


    <em>¡®Hey, Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua called.


    -Yup?


    <em>¡®Can you eat all the fire in this reed forest?¡¯</em> Kireua asked. He was cautiously optimistic, but Coal wasn¡¯t enthusiastic.


    -Nope.


    <em>¡®What? You can¡¯t eat it?¡¯</em> Kireua said, confused.


    -I won¡¯t eat that even if I could. You¡¯re a liar, Kireua.


    <em>¡®Ah, please. Just this once. I¡¯ll keep our promise no matter what!¡¯</em> Kireua shouted in his mind.


    -I won¡¯t believe you even if you say you can make metal out of swords.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s ¡®make swords out of metal¡¯,¡± Kireua said out loud without realizing.


    Cain tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What did you say, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m just talking to myself.¡± Kireua shook his head.


    The traitors were slowlying out from the reed forest one after another, so Kireua was pressed for time even if he started preparing right now. That made his ns even more urgent.


    <em>¡®Just tell me,¡¯</em> Kireua whispered.<em> ¡®What is this food you want to eat?¡¯</em>


    -Adamantium!


    Kireua almost couldn¡¯t believe his ears. <em>¡®Adamantium? Wait, are you talking about that mineral that can only be found in the Demon Realm?¡¯</em>


    -Yup!


    At that moment, Kireua had to try very hard to hold back his urge to curse. Adamantium was one of the rarest minerals in the world; a fist-sized piece of adamantium cost the same as the yearly expenses of a small city. No one would invest that much money to get their hands on one lump of mineral, but that was how rare the adamantium was; acquiring any of it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Kireua raised an eyebrow. Cain had been subduing the traitors that were jumping out from the reed forest while Anna had been containing the fire by creating walls of wind. One of the traitors used the confusion of the moment to ambush Kireua.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The heavily scorched traitor swung his sword at Kireua¡¯s side.


    Kireua coldly smiled. ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s sword pierced the traitor¡¯s abdomen with a grisly squelch.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± the ambusher coughed up blood.


    However, Kireua wasn¡¯t done. He swung his sword upward, tearing the traitor in half and sttering blood and brain matter everywhere. Kireua was unbothered despite getting covered in the traitor¡¯s gore.


    Once Kireua made a decision, he never hesitated. That was what he had learned from his teacher, and he had realized through his experiences that his teacher was right. Naturally, he wasn¡¯t going to change this way of life. Mercy from a member of the Imperial Family? Ridiculous. Mercy was exactly what had led to the current state of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°I¡¯ve given you all enough time, so all the traitors will die by my sword,¡± Kireua said. His mana ensured that everyone in the nearby area would have heard him.


    Cain turned and looked at Kireua, beaming.


    ¡°¡­This must have been the right answer,¡± Kireua muttered to himself.


    The blood smeared on Kireua¡¯s sword sttered on the ground. The traitors¡¯ formation waspletely broken, and they were now busy running away from the fire. It was time for Kireua to start delivering a stern punishment.


    -Kireua, do you want to be recognized?


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I want to be the ruler of this Empire,¡± Kireua answered Coal.


    -Why do you want to be the emperor?


    Kireua actually hadn¡¯t wanted the throne at the beginning, but after meeting with Selim, he could feel the desire beginning to emerge from deep within his heart. Maybe it was a martial artist¡¯s desire to win or maybe it was a boy¡¯s childish wish. However, one thing was certain.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t want to lose to him,¡± Kireua answered.


    * * *


    A very conspicuous group of people were walking down the road in the eastern region of Avalon. There were exactly a hundred of them, and all of them were wearing pitch-ck full-te armor.


    ¡°Your Highness, you¡¯ve met His Highness Kiruea. What was he like?¡± ckbear, the captain of the ck Knights, quietly asked Selim as he rode his horse alongside him.


    ¡°He became stronger.¡±


    ¡°Has itt been a decade since youst saw him?¡± ckbear recalled.


    Selim turned and looked at his two meter tall captain. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°How could I dare to assess His Majesty¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°Do it as a favor to me.¡± Selim chuckled.


    ckbear closed his mouth. His master, whom ckbear looked up to, always asked for favors instead of ordering him. His master called his knights hisrades, not his subordinates. How could ckbear say no to him?


    ¡°¡­Would my personal opinion suffice?¡±


    Selim smiled. ¡°That is enough.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ I¡¯m just saying this based on what I saw, but I think he¡¯s as strong as Agagette but weaker than Shiron.¡±


    Among the one hundred ck Knights here, Agagette was the twentieth strongest knight while Shiron was at least the tenth. In other words, ckbear viewed Kireua to be as skilled enough to be one of the top twenty ck Knights but not the top ten.


    ¡°Hahaha, Kireua is going to be furious when he hears that. But, from my perspective, he seemed to be hiding something.¡±


    ¡°It was the same for us. You didn¡¯t use your full power either, did you?¡± ckbear said. Selim didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Of course, I did find one thing surprising.¡±


    ¡°¡­What one thing?¡±


    ¡°Up until now, I thought you were the only one who was qualified enough to be the next emperor.¡± ckbear tilted his head.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m not anymore?¡± Selim joked.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m still set on that, but I don¡¯t think the chance of that happening is hundred percent anymore.¡±


    ¡°The one thing that came as a surprise to you must have been Kireua¡¯s skills,¡± Selim surmised.


    ¡°Yes, I believed the rumors.¡±


    Selim¡¯s smile deepened because he knew right away what rumors ckbear was talking about. ¡°Are you talking about the rumor that he ran away from the Pce due to ack of talent?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ckbear nodded.


    Selim quietly shook his head. It wasn¡¯t true. Kireua¡¯s desire to learn martial arts was greater than anyone else¡¯s, so he had voluntarily left the pce to be stronger.


    ¡°Then what do you think the chance of me bing the next emperor is now?¡± Selim asked.


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re okay with my personal opinion this time too¡­¡± ckbear trailed off for a moment before he answered, ¡°It¡¯s below one hundred percent.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think it¡¯s above ny-nine percent.¡±


    Selim nced to the side. ¡°ckbear.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t ever tell your personal opinion to Kireua.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    * * *


    The fire intensified over time, but that didn¡¯t spread any further because Anna was busy working up a sweat containing it with her walls of wind. While Cain and Kiruea focused on subduing the traitors, the twenty loyal knights tried their best to stop the traitors from fleeing. In other words, Cain and Kireua were defeating over two hundred knights on their own.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Prince.¡±


    The traitor leader was brought in front of Kireua and was forced to kneel, but Kireua didn¡¯t remember seeing him before. He assumed that the traitor had beenying low for this day.


    ¡°Your name¡­ To be honest, I don¡¯t really care.¡± Kireua scoffed.


    ¡°How in the world are you going to extinguish the fire?¡± the leader demanded.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business,¡± Kireua said. He lifted his sword off of his shoulder and pointed it at the traitor. ¡°Anyst words?¡±


    ¡°Yo-You¡¯re going to kill me?¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°Is there a reason why I should spare the life of a traitor?¡±


    ¡°Yo-You¡¯ll regret it. The people in the south don¡¯t know we betrayed you yet, so if something happens to us after the merciful prince forgave us¡ª¡±


    ¡°The trust that I tried really hard to build will instantly crumble. Is that what you want to say?¡±


    ¡°Exactly!¡±


    Kireua chuckled. Who would believe that? Hundreds of people had seen what these traitors had tried to do. Besides, the dead couldn¡¯t speak.


    ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± Kireua asked. The traitor flinched.


    Kireua looked straight into his eyes. ¡°Let me say one more thing before you die: work on your skills in your next life, not cheap tricks.¡±


    The leading traitor leaped off the ground and rushed toward Kireua, but Cain didn¡¯t stop him because Cain saw the determination in Kireua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders!¡± the traitor shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you¡ªif that hadn¡¯t been for you, the south¡ª!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy.¡±


    Kireua swung his sword. Metal parted human flesh.


    The leading traitor''s eyes widened. His head was flying through the air.


    That was the beginning.


    ¡°Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡±


    Kireua fixed his eyes on the traitors. ¡°Execute every single one of the traitors. I¡¯m going to use them as examples.¡±


    After watching Kireua for a moment, Cain bowed. ¡°I shall obey, Your Highness.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 33

    Side Story Chapter 33


    Matters on the battlefield were quickly wrapped up thanks to Cain. Whenever he swung his greatsword, at least two of those traitors¡¯ lives came to an end.


    ¡°Your Highness! I don¡¯t know what your n is, but you better do it quickly! I¡¯m almost at my limit!¡± Anna shouted.


    ¡°I know.¡± Kireua got to the next phase of his n after ying dozens of his enemies on his own, that being to extinguish the fire that Anna was desperately trying to contain.


    ¡°Magic Sword Arts Level 2, Absorption Sword,¡± Kireua muttered.


    After learning the principles of the Magic Spear Art from the Emperor of Avalon, Kireua had reinterpreted them and made them into his own unique sword technique. That was what Kireua was using now.


    -Ahhhhhhhh!


    Just in time, Coal opened its mouth wide to elerate the speed that the sword absorbed everything nearby. The results were surprising. The fire trapped by Anna¡¯s wall of wind was immediately absorbed into Kireua¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Even Cain stopped what he was doing when he saw what had happened. The knights that had been scattering in all directions to escape from the fire responded the same.


    ¡°Wh-What kind of phenomenon is that?¡±


    However, something more surprising happened immediately afterward.


    ¡°Hup! The Pri-Prince¡¯s sword is¡­?!¡±


    The sword that absorbed the fire burned fiercely. It became so red that it almost seemed that it was going to burn up the sky. A scarlet line of fire soared into the air and grew as more fire was consumed.


    Anna''s eyes widened. ¡°That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­!¡±


    She had lived for quite a long time, but she hadn¡¯t seen anything like this. This was not something that could ever be done with just aura.


    ¡°Does he¡­ have an authority?¡± Anna murmured.


    She had no reason to maintain her walls of wind now because the fire had beenpletely extinguished. The knights far away forgot all about their job of bringing water and stared nkly at Kireua direction with their jaws dangling on the ground. No one there had ever seen an authority that could absorb fire.


    Kireua, on the other hand, was actually going through hell right now.


    -Urrrghh! Urrgggh!


    <em>¡®No, don¡¯t do it. If you vomit now, it¡¯ll be a literal catastrophe,¡¯</em> Kireua snapped..


    -Urgggghh! Ughhhhhh¡­.!


    Kireua quickly put his hand on his shoulder to block Coal¡¯s mouth. Coal jumped up and down as if that was stomping, although only Kireua could see him.


    <em>¡®Just a little more! One more minute!¡¯</em> Kireua desperately told Coal.


    Kireua took off.


    ¡°Sir Cain! I¡¯ll leave you in charge!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°You-Your Highness!¡± Cain stammered after finallying to his senses. Kireua was already far past the reed forest by the time Cain had gathered himself enough to stop the Prince.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Cain nkly murmured.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, the scouting party that had departed from the western rebel army¡¯s headquarters arrived at the proximity of the reed forest.


    ¡°We¡¯re near our destination. Stay on alert from now on.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    All fifty members of their party were wearing robes that were long enough to conceal their entire body. Although the leader wanted more men, the people in the national army wouldn¡¯t sit by; the leader knew that because he had fought against them for several years.


    Even though the leader hated to admit it, Ranger, one of the vicemanders of the Imperial Knights, was a force to be reckoned with. In other words, the scouting party had to minimize its numbers to avoid detection by the enemy. Of course, every one of the party members was so skilled that the entire group knew how to use their mana. On top of that, their main mission today was strictly reconnaissance.


    ¡°We can¡¯t just rely on external information, so we¡¯ll quickly determine who is here and return to the headquarters,¡± the leader said.


    ¡°But can we really trust the words of those guys in the south?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether or not they betrayed them. We¡¯ll just get our jobs done¡ªbut if they¡¯re really nning to betray the Prince, then there is no ce better than the reed forest in the west.¡± The leader nodded.


    Just a day ago, the people in the south had secretly contacted the rebels in the west and told them that most of the knights with the Second Prince were going to betray him. However, the rebels in the west thought that it would be great if those knights could just reduce the number of people in the Second Prince¡¯s party¡ªalthough the best scenario would be for the Second Prince to sustain a critical injury.


    ¡°What would you do if we get a chance?¡±


    ¡°A chance?¡± the leader asked.


    ¡°We might have a chance to cut off the head of the Prince while he¡¯s in danger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s highly unlikely,¡± Baron Yobson, the leader, firmly said. From what he had heard, the Combat Emperor Star was with the Second Prince, and Yobson had seen the Combat Emperor Star in the Pce. Yobson knew that Cain de Harry shouldn¡¯t be taken lightly. In order to cut the Second Prince¡¯s head off, Yobson and the others would have to defeat the Combat Emperor Star first.


    ¡°If you¡¯re capable of thinking, you know that the key member of the national army¡¯s reinforcements is the Second Prince. That is why he¡¯sing here with only a small number of people.¡± Yobson raised one of his eyebrows.


    ¡°Are you saying that his main goal is to boost the national army¡¯s morale?¡±


    ¡°The Second Prince might not be as influential as the First Prince, but he¡¯s still the Emperor¡¯s son. The name ¡®Joshua Sanders¡¯ still holds a special significance in this country,¡± Yobson exined.


    ¡°I see. I understand.¡±


    Yobson was certain that they would never have the chance to capture the Prince alive. He¡¯d never been that lucky in his entire life. Due to his humble background, he had always failed to get promoted, although he was talented enough to be an Imperial Knight. That was what he believed.


    That was why Yobson hadn¡¯t hesitated when the civil war had broken out. Battlefields were where heroes were born, so the current Avalon was and of opportunity where people could rise through the ranks without the support of a good family.


    <em>¡®I¡¯lly low and wait for my opportunity. This is a war, so mistakes cannot be tolerated,¡¯</em> Yobson thought. He repeatedly told himself to calm down.


    ¡°Si-Sir Yobson.¡± His aide pointed ahead, pulling Yobson away from his thoughts. ¡°Lo-look over there.¡±


    Yobson¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait¡­ That¡¯s¡­?¡±


    In the distance, someone was running toward them on his own. Yobson and the others were hiding in the vast in beyond the reed forest that led into the western region.


    ¡°...Doesn¡¯t that person look familiar?¡± Yobson asked.


    ¡°His fiery-red hair, arrogant face¡­ I think the same. He looks just like Kireua Sanders from the rumors.¡±


    ¡°And that magic armor is the same as the Emperor¡¯s,¡± Yobson murmured.


    Yobson and the others hadn¡¯t been sure, but the runner¡¯s magic armor settled it beyond doubt. That snow-white magic armor he wore could onlye from a Deon Ring, and no one else in the world would have such a treasure.


    Yobson trembled with so much excitement that his head turned nk. He forgot about the fact that he and the others were supposed to be hiding and shouted, ¡°Get the Prince!¡±


    This was his opportunity to make an aplishment in this civil war, so he was no longer worried about the things he had been concerned about before. There was no way he could stay calm in a time like this.


    ¡°Jackpot!¡±


    ¡°That idiot prince. He isn¡¯t aware of what kind of value he has and broke away from his group.¡±


    ¡°This is our chance to make an aplishment! The Prince is on his own! We¡¯ll capture him right now!¡±


    ¡°Woaaaaahhhh!¡±


    Yobson¡¯s peoplepletely lost their rationality and started toward Kireua. Naturally, Yobson, the most power-hungry of them all, was leading the way.


    * * *


    -Urgggh! Ughhhh!


    <em>¡®Ah, alright. Little more. Hang on a little more!¡¯</em> Kireua told Coal.


    It had been over a minute since Kireua had started to pacify Coal. Even at nce, Kireua could tell that Coal was at its limit. Coal¡¯s cheeks bulged like overinted balloons; his original, fist-sized form had swelled to berger than Kireua¡¯s torso. Sparks flew out from Coal¡¯s mouth when it asionally slipped open.


    ¡°Ah, it¡¯s hot! Hot! Not here! We¡¯re still near the forest, so just hold on until we get to the wastnd over there!¡± Kireua shouted.


    -Urrghghhhhhh!


    Kireua pushed his horse as fast as it would go.


    ¡°Get the Prince!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get an aplishment! This is our chance to earn a higher title!¡±


    ¡°Woaaaahhhh!¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. All of a sudden, there was a group of people riding their horses toward him. There were about fifty of them and were all wearing robes. Considering where they were right now, it wasn¡¯t difficult for Kireua to guess their identities.


    ¡°¡­Are those misters my weingmittee from the west?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders!¡± their leader shouted. ¡°If you voluntarily surrender, I¡¯ll talk to Lord Turtler and spare your life!¡±


    They seemed to believe that they could never lose him since they were on horses.


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Kireua chuckled as he came to a halt. He took hold of his glowing red sword and smiled. ¡°Coal, are you ready?¡±


    -Ugh!


    Coal was already at its limit. It became so big that Kireua was shocked to find out that Coal could be this big, and the red light exuded from the sword was too bright¡ªso bright that it was difficult to look directly at it.


    ¡°Then here I go,¡± Kireua said.


    His back muscles slowly contracted. Kireua was actually looking forward to seeing what this zing fire would turn into.


    Of course, he shouldn¡¯t rely on Coal¡¯s ability because there was a chance of this mysterious power taking control over him. He should mainly focus on using his own mana and aura. A tool should remain the tool, not the wielder.


    ¡°Magic Sword Art Level 4, Extermination Sword,¡± Kireua murmured, swinging his sword from left to right.


    A thin line was drawn in the air.


    ¡°Aplishment! oooomplishmennnnnt!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the Prince! Hahahahaha! I never knew I would hit such a jackpot in my life!¡±


    ¡°Firste first serve!¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just take one limb each? Let¡¯s share him equally!¡±


    The enemies weren¡¯t even aware of their situation.


    Fire rose up from the line, and Kireua let his aura run rampant; that was Aura Ovey, which only Masters could use. No one would be able to resist the power to distort space and destroy the enemies.


    -Ahhhhhh!


    With perfect timing, Coal¡¯s mouth opened wide, unable to hold the fire back. Ebon me coated Kireua¡¯s scarlet me, turning his attack into a crescent of ck fire, embracing a fire that was as big as a castle wall.


    One of the enemies came to his senses and gasped, but it was toote.


    ¡°Ru-Runnnn!¡± someone screamed at the top of his lungs.


    Just as Kireua¡¯s attack mmed into their front ranks.

 Side Story Chapter 34

    Side Story Chapter 34


    Kireua¡¯s ck aura attacks wed the ground, immediately followed by a ck fire¡ªlike the hellfire that could only be found in the Demon Realm¡ªsoaring into the sky. The men in the front of the group were vaporized without a trace by to the powerful fire. Worse, even the sturdy ground was split open, revealing roilingva.


    Adol, a member of the third reconnaissance team of the western rebel army, swallowed nervously. Baron Yobson, his superior, didn¡¯t even get to leave his corpse behind¡ªhe was literally erased from the world. Adol would have met the same fate if he hadn¡¯t fallen off his horse in his haste.


    ¡°What is that ck me¡­?¡± Adol murmured.


    Only about ten of them had survived the attack, meaning that ny percent of them had been killed in mere moments. The western rebel army¡¯s reconnaissance teampletely lost the will to fight.


    ¡°Si-Sir Adol, please give yo-your order.¡±


    Adol came to his senses. The chain ofmand of the western rebel army was clear: once a leader was killed during battle, the next highest ranking person hadmand. That was established by Marquess Turtler, themander-in-chief of the western rebel army and a former member of the national army.


    <em>¡°Don¡¯t be flustered just because your leader was killed. You¡¯re all proud knights of western Avalon,¡± Turtler sternly said.</em>


    Adol recited Turtler¡¯s words inside his head as he peered ahead. Beyond the ebon me that was spreading all over the in, a twenty-year-old man was looking in Adol¡¯s direction.


    The man¡¯s name was Kireua Sanders, the son of Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. Kireua was also the second in line to the throne, but people believed that he would always be second. ording to the rumors, the Second Prince was a pathetic man that had left the Pce due to ack of talent. On top of that, the First Prince was monstrously strong, a true son of the Martial God¡ªbut the reality that Adol was facing did not match the rumors.


    ¡°¡­Retreat,¡± Adol finally ordered.


    The rebel knights flinched in surprise.


    ¡°Bu-But Sir Adol¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hurry. You saw his attack just now. If the Second Prince is able to break through the fire, we¡¯re as good as dead.¡±


    ¡°I-Is it really okay for us to retreat?¡± one of the knights asked, still worried. The traditions of the west held that they were never allowed to question their superiors¡¯ orders. However, there was no telling what kind of punishments were waiting for them if they retreated right now because they would just be treated as cowards for running away from the battlefield after losing their leader and most of theirrades. On top of that, their opponent was a twenty-year-old boy and the prince of the Avalon Empire¡ªa man the rebels had to capture no matter what it took.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take full responsibility,¡± Adol firmly answered.


    ¡°Sir Adol¡­¡±


    ¡°You all have seen it with your own eyes. Those ck fires can¡¯t be created with mana or aura, meaning that the Prince is using an authority.¡±


    The knights murmured among themselves for a moment, then looked at each other and nodded.


    ¡°I had a feeling¡­ but I¡¯ve never seen such an authority in my entire life. Seriously, what authority is that?¡± a knight mumbled.


    Adol paused as he was turning his horse around. That knight was right. Ebon mes had never appeared in the realm even once, but the same didn¡¯t hold true in ancient records or legends.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s said that ebon mes could only be used by one person in the entirety of the Demon Realm,¡± Adol murmured.


    ¡°By one person, you mean¡­?¡±


    Adol nced behind them. Kireua Sanders only stood and looked at them; it seemed he had no intention of pursuing them. He was indeed the Martial God¡¯s son.


    Although it was very hard to believe, the evidence was irrefutable.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit,¡± he finally said.


    The rebels flinched.


    ¡°ording to the legends, ebon mes symbolized the Demon Spirit.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, in the northern region of Avalon, Armand cautiously said, ¡°¡­Commander-in-chief.¡±


    Nevertheless, the ck-haired woman in the front stayed silent. They had spent three days at the peak of the snow mountain. The rations they had brought ran out quickly, and the rebel army quickly lost their stamina.


    On the other hand, Carmen von Agnus had shed and shed the ice boulder the Emperor of Avalon was trapped in, but, of course, the results were abysmal. She had gone through hell, and yet she had only managed to leave some scratches on the surface.


    ¡°Are you frustrated?¡± the demon who had led the rebels asked.


    Armand held his breath because he now knew the demon¡¯s true identity: Barbatos the Dimension Demon and also the eighth-strongest demon. Barbato¡¯s other title was the ¡°Silent Assassin¡±.


    ¡°Human,¡± Barbatos continued.


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk to me. I don¡¯t feel like answering.¡±


    ¡°You must be very frustrated by your own weakness.¡±


    Carmen raised her head along with one of her eyebrows. She looked very haggard, but her murderous intent was still vivid and stinging, and it was entirely focused on Barbatos.


    ¡°Do you want to die?¡± Carmen asked, frowning.


    ¡°You, kill me? Judging from my observations of you for the past several days, that¡¯s impossible, unfortunately.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then let¡¯s test that right now.¡± Carmen brought her hand toward her greatsword where it hung on her horse¡¯s belt, her murderous intent deepening.


    ¡°Let me give you an interesting piece of information: there is a way to crack open the ice boulder on the top of the snow mountain.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s murderous intent disappeared without a trace. Her icy cold expression changed drastically.


    ¡°There is a way to open it?¡±


    ¡°Of course, human.¡±


    ¡°¡­Come to think of it, I forgot something very important.¡± Carmen gripped her ck greatsword and pointed it at Barbatos¡¯s head.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Barbatos asked.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t told me your goal, demon.¡±


    ¡°My goal?¡± Barbatos tilted his head.


    ¡°I know very well that you demons aren¡¯t altruistic creatures. You don¡¯t have a reason to volunteer to guide us nor do you have the temperament to tell me the solution out of kindness.¡±


    A bizarre silence hung in the air for a long moment. The nearby knights that had been watching the conversation were more tense than the two people conversing. Carmen could draw her greatsword any moment, so it wouldn''t be odd if a fight broke out right now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware of this, but the human inside the ice boulder is holding the fragment of my god,¡± Barbatos exined.


    ¡°Are you saying you want to revive the Demon Spirit in this realm?¡±


    Barbatos shook his head. ¡°No way. The main principle of the Demon Realm is the survival of the fittest. It¡¯s only right for the weak to get eaten.¡±


    ¡°Which means?¡±


    ¡°I just want to get stronger by eating his soul.¡± Barbatos shrugged.


    In her surprise, Carmen let someone respond before her.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°¡­Armand?¡± Carmen murmured.


    ¡°Commander-in-chief, no matter how much we crave our ambitions, we¡¯re still humans. A demon with the power of the Demon Spirit? If such a being appeared in this realm, the entire continent would be in dan¡ª!¡±


    Armand stopped, confused, as he struggled to understand what had cut him off.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Armand mumbled as his head slid from his body. A fountain of blood btedly squirted out from his neck.


    ¡°I warned you to not question my decision,¡± Carmen coldly said.


    ¡°That¡¯s a very straightforward solution,¡± Barbatosmented.


    ¡°After the fall of the Agnus family, my family members died or were sold off as ves because we shared the same blood as the rebel. By that time, my world had already crumbled around me, so why should I care about the continent?¡± Carmen bitterly reminisced. She remembered that no one had tried to help nor even hear an exnation from her and her family. They were the family members of the rebel that had murdered the Emperor, so the people of the Empire didn¡¯t so much as try to understand them for a second.


    ¡°I like you, human.¡± Barbatos nodded in satisfaction.


    ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Carmen von Agnus¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Barbatos tilted his head.


    ¡°My name isn¡¯t ¡®human¡¯. It¡¯s Carmen von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll call you Carmen,¡± Barbatos suggested.


    ¡°Do as you wish. So what¡¯s your solution?¡± Carmen asked.


    Barbatos smiled subtly. ¡°Your power of envy is the hint.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s eyes slowly widened. The powers of the seven deadly sins were the most wicked authorities known.


    ¡°Find three more powers of sins, and it¡¯ll be more than enough to break the ice boulder.¡±


    * * *


    When Kireua returned to the reed forest, a magnificent sight unfolded before him.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Cain approached Kireua quickly.


    Kireua took a look around the surroundings. Eighty percent of the reed forest that had oncee up to Kireua¡¯s neck had been burned away in the fire. On top of the ashes, over two hundred traitors knelt, tied up.


    ¡°Wow, Sir Cain. Did you subdue everyone on your own?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°The North Witch was a big help. You took away the fire, so she had her hands free.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°May I ask you to exin?¡±


    Kireua turned to look at Cain and saw his unwavering gaze. Cain intended to get an answer one way or another.


    ¡°Does that have anything to do with your ck fire from before?¡±


    ¡°What makes you think that?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I could clearly see the ebon me soaring sky-high from afar.¡±


    Kireua closed his mouth. His initial n was toe up with an excuse, but that didn¡¯t seem like that was going to work.


    ¡°Your Highness, every power in the world requires a price,¡± Cain told Kireua in a concerned tone. ¡°Think about the previous emperor and the Dark God.¡±


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°Sir Cain, let¡¯s talk about thatter.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you saw, but I ran into a reconnaissance party who seemed to be part of the western rebel army,¡± Kireua said, silencing Cain. ¡°If what I¡¯m thinking is right, things are going to be interesting from now on.¡±


    ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡±


    Kireua had intentionally spared some of those people in the reconnaissance party so that they would spread rumors until the story grew out of control.


    ¡°I also know that ebon me was the symbol of the Demon Spirit for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°¡­You knew about that?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Yes, but you didn¡¯t really try to stop me. So I was sure that this power isn¡¯t dangerous.¡±


    Kireua was right. If anything had felt off about Kireua, then Cain would have stopped him right away.


    ¡°There are survivors among the reconnaissance party,¡± Kireua mentioned.


    ¡°What¡­?! Then does that mean they saw your ebon me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is right.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°I¡¯ll track them down. If rumors about you having anything to do with the Demon Spirit spreads, things will be quite troublesome.¡±


    ¡°That is my n.¡± Kireua smiled crookedly.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Cain really couldn¡¯t understand what was going on. Did Kireua not know the magnitude of the situation? Why would he want a false rumor to spread?


    ¡°Spread false rumors,e up with other ns¡­ No matter what they choose to do, the western rebel army will have to scatter their force to check the facts. Theirmander wouldn¡¯t have considered the Demon Spirit in his calctions,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Wait, your goal is¡­¡±


    ¡°The rebels ced eighty percent of their forces at the border where they¡¯re facing the national army; they won¡¯t be able to use their men near the border because Sir Ranger can¡¯t be taken lightly. In the end, they will have to create an investigation team using the men in their headquarters, where the remaining twenty percent of their force is¡­¡± Kireua trailed off for a moment, then he grinned. ¡°Things in their headquarters are going to be chaotic, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness¡­!¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯ll sneak into the enemy headquarters and assassinate Marquess Turtler,¡± Kireua dered.

 Side Story Chapter 35

    Side Story Chapter 35


    ¡°Now, thest problem is the people here¡­¡± Kireua nced down.


    All the traitors were looking at Kireua with open hostility; they seemed to have already given up on their lives.


    ¡°What are you doing? They already betrayed us once, so we should kill them,¡± Anna said, approaching Kireua.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s a bad solution.¡±


    ¡°Then are you going to spare their lives?¡± Anna asked, obviously discontent.


    ¡°I¡¯m thinking.¡±


    ¡°Just leave it to me. I¡¯ll wipe them out without leaving a trace,¡± Anna offered. A vicious wind blew around them, but Kireua shook his head again.


    ¡°I¡¯m with the witch on this matter,¡± Cain interjected. ¡°They have eyes, but they¡¯re to stupid to use them properly. They¡¯d just be a waste of our rations.¡±


    The traitors started to shout their anger at Kireua.


    ¡°Kill me! It¡¯s truly disgusting to see you pretending to be merciful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll curse you in hell, Kireua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Do you think you two boys can rule this country? It¡¯s obvious that you two will be busy hiding in your mothers¡¯ skirts and another civil war will break out.¡±


    ¡°Combat Emperor! You¡¯d bettere to your senses too. The state of affairs on the continent is serious, so if you keep taking the side of those girls¡¯ puppets, the other countries will take over Avalon!¡±


    Cain¡¯s face darkened, but surprisingly, Kireua was nonchnt.


    Anna stepped back.


    <em>¡®Things are taking an interesting turn.¡¯</em> She smiled slyly. Although she hadn¡¯t said anything to Kireua, the general opinion among the rebels was the same in the north too. It was the rebels¡¯ biggestint and a justifiable cause for this rebellion, so Anna was sure that telling Kireua this would greatly influence his decision.


    ¡°Your Highness, I don¡¯t know if you know this, but some rebels are talking,¡± Anna said.


    Kireua looked askance at her.


    ¡°They say the Emperor actually didn¡¯t go missing. He was poisoned by one of his power-obsessed queen consorts.¡±


    The prince jerked.


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to pull the wool over her son¡¯s eyes and then rule the country behind, like a stereotypical puppet master. What do you think about that?¡± Anna asked.


    Cain was the first to respond.


    ¡°Who said such nonsense?!¡± he shouted. A vivid murderous intent spread out from him. He knew better than anyone else that the three queen consorts weren¡¯t that kind of person.


    ¡°Truth doesn¡¯t matter because that is what they believe.¡± Anna pointed at the traitors, who sneered in Kireua¡¯s face.


    ¡°You said it, North Witch.¡±


    ¡°Exin that yourself, prince. We¡¯ll do that much.¡±


    ¡°Or you can just kill us. You¡¯re a mama¡¯s boy who runs to his mother even after bing an adult. We¡¯llugh at you from hell.¡±


    ¡°Waaah, Kireua is a baby. Do that for me.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±


    Kireua took a step forward with a faint smile on his face. Nevertheless, the traitors¡¯ughter still echoed everywhere.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­?¡±


    ¡°I have an idea, Sir Cain,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take them to the north.¡± Kireua smiled crookedly.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    Theughter gradually died out.


    ¡°No-North¡­?¡±


    ¡°Does he mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Lemegeton? Is he talking about the cursednd where the demons settled?¡±


    ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, the weather there is uninhabitable for humans, in contrast to the south¡­¡±


    The northern region of Avalon was already notorious to the people of Avalon, but the cold, unlivablend had recently be more notorious. ording to the rumors, the demons that had fled from the Demon Realm had gathered in the region after the generation of authorities began.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that signs of His Majesty were found in the north,¡± Kireua said, loudly enough that everyone could hear it. ¡°This is good. We can authenticate the truth of the rumors and answer their question about whether or not His Majesty has been poisoned.¡±


    Cain¡¯s lips stretched into a wide smile as he realized what Kireua was trying to do. ¡°That¡¯s a great idea. I will personally take charge of them until we¡¯re done with our business in the west. They¡¯ll need their stamina to endure the weather in the northern region.¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°That would be great, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    The traitors had stoppedughing long ago and had gone so silent that Kireua¡¯s party could hear them asionally swallow nervously.


    ¡°What did he say earlier¡­?¡± A mocking smile danced on Kireua¡¯s lips. He mimicked Coal¡¯s manner of speech: ¡°¡®Waaah, Kireua is a baby.¡¯ Misters, let¡¯s go to the north together.¡±


    Cain quietly shook his head. ¡°¡­I¡¯ve served my master for decades, but His Highness Kireua seems to be even more talented as a viin.¡±


    * * *


    A giant ice boulder sat at the edge of a cliff on a frozen, snowy mountain in the far north of Avalon.


    Joshua, who was trapped inside the ice boulder, smacked his lips. <em>¡®They left.¡¯</em>


    Crazy demons asionally roamed nearby, but this was his first time seeing humans here.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s my first time seeing humans in a decade¡­ Kids these days don¡¯t have the guts.¡¯</em>


    Joshua nced outside the ice boulder. Carmen was only able to leave a handful of two- to three-centimeter scratches.


    <em>¡®The Agnus family must have weakened a lot.¡¯</em>


    -No, it¡¯s just that you¡¯re strong, you monster.


    <em>¡®Are you awake?¡¯</em> Joshua smiled at the feeble voice in his head. They had been trapped here for over a decade, and the Demon Spirit would diepletely after one more year. Maybe due to the time they¡¯d spent together, Joshua now felt friendly to the Demon Spirit.


    <em>¡®What does it feel like to be near your end, the Demon Spirit?¡¯</em> Joshua asked.


    -You awful bastard. No one in the Human Realm would be more malicious than you. I¡¯ll still want to kill you again even after I stab your corpse.


    <em>¡®From what I¡¯ve heard, everything you just said is apliment in the Demon Realm,¡¯</em> Joshua replied.


    -Son of a bitch!


    This level of cursing was nothing now. No, if that hadn¡¯t been for the Demon Spirit¡¯s cursing, Joshua would have gone crazy out of boredom. Joshua¡¯s body was literally half dead right now because all his organs had stopped working long ago.


    There was only one reason why he could stay awake: the mana umtion technique Joshua had learned was based on drawing power from outside his body. Since mana was the pr opposite of demonic power, the Demon Spirit couldn¡¯t use it as his power source. In other words, Joshua¡¯s mana was only used to keep Joshua alive.


    -Is that funny when you look down on the world as if you¡¯re a god?


    <em>¡®Not really?¡¯</em> Joshua casually answered.


    -Die alone, you ass!


    <em>¡®But the past few days were really interesting.¡¯</em>


    Joshua recalled what had happened in the past three days. A group of humans hade to the top of the snow mountain with numerous troops in tow. Under usual circumstances, humans would never be able to reach this ce, but they hade with the help of a high-ranking demon.


    <em>¡®The demons in the north must want your power very much. They came as soon as they noticed you were dying,,¡¯</em> Joshua said.


    -Hmph.Them eating me? I¡¯ll eat them instead.


    Joshua quietly chuckled. <em>¡®You sure can talk big.¡¯</em>


    -Worry about yourself. Demons can¡¯t approach you due to your immense divine power, but not humans. You¡¯ve seen her eyes. She¡¯ll never give up.


    ¡°She¡± had said that her name was Carmen von Agnus. During Joshua¡¯s childhood, everyone had hated him and treated him with contempt, and Carmen had been one of them. At the time, his mother had been a mere maid, not a member of the Imperial Family, so Joshua was just a lowly bastard. Carmen had constantly brought up the topic under the assumption that Joshua had a severe inferiorityplex.


    <em>¡°Although you have the power, you neglected your mother out of your greed. You¡¯re trash. You can sugarcoat it all you want, but you¡¯re just an illegitimate child the forgotten princess gave birth to after she got raped. You¡¯re just a fucking bastard who became emperor after killing your own father.¡±</em>


    That was what Carmen had said to Joshua. She had swung her sword against the ice boulder until she was too tired to continue, but she had failed. She had spent the next half day cursing at Joshua.


    Although Joshua wasn¡¯t really affected by it, the Demon Spirit seemed to be having so much fun. In fact, the Demon Spirit rooted for Carmen.


    -You idiot. What is the point of your power? After all those insults, you can¡¯t do anything. If I were you, I would break out of this ice boulder and go after those vermin. Oh, yeah¡ªthey¡¯re right there.


    The ice boulder was located at the edge of the cliff on the top of the snow mountain. When Joshua looked down from the cliff, he could see the entire northern region. ck dots¡ªCarmen. and the others¡ªwere spread all over the snowfield.


    -You¡¯re going to leave her alone? She insulted your mother! That¡¯s now how you normally treat the people who insulted her.


    <em>¡®Cut that out. I¡¯m not going to break this ice boulder because of your provocation,¡¯</em> Joshua scoffed.


    -¡­You gutless idiot.


    <em>¡®Well, I¡¯m not nning on letting them leave unscathed.¡¯</em> Joshua smiled. He could feel the Demon Spirit inside him jerk in surprise.


    -Wait, you¡ª?


    A great resonance shook the snow. The Demon Spirit was gravely mistaken if he believed Joshua couldn¡¯t do anything just because he was trapped inside the ice. The one inside this boulder was none other than the Martial God, after all.


    Thunder cracked through the frigid air¡ªit was literally a bolt out of the blue. Joshua could see the ck dotsing to a halt one after another.


    A great rumbling heralded the rapid arrival of a catastrophe unlike anything the Human Realm had ever seen. No one knew for how long the snow had been piling up in the north, but all of the snow slid downward in a terrible wave. Even from afar, the Demon Spirit could tell that an avnche of apocalyptic proportions had started.


    -Yo-You demon¡­


    The Demon Spirit was struck dumb. The ck dots resumed moving again, but they were now running at a pace that made their earlier movement look like a crawl.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s tiring to use my power after so long.¡¯</em>


    Joshua closed his eyes, content. If Cain had seen the sight, he would have clicked his tongue and said that Joshua had pulled a Joshua again.

 Side Story Chapter 36

    Side Story Chapter 36


    Carmen flinched when she heard the rumbling and stopped climbing down the mountain. She had the most developed senses in her group. Some knights also tensed up a littleter.


    ¡°Did you feel that? It felt like the ground was shaking.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not an earthquake, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t. That¡¯s not even funny. We¡¯re on a snowy mountain, so if an earthquake happens¡­ Gosh, don¡¯t make me imagine how awful that would be.¡±


    As the knights were talking amongst themselves, their ¡°if¡± came true. They looked behind them and discovered a white wave pouring down toward them filling the air with a deafening roar.


    ¡°An a-avnche?¡±


    ¡°Oh, shit!¡±


    The entire rebel army panicked. There was no way an avnche would ur out of nowhere like this.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡± Carmen gritted her teeth. Although she hated to admit it, Joshua was as monstrously strong as his reputation. He couldn¡¯t move a muscle, so how did he do this?


    ¡°Things are getting interesting.¡±


    ¡°Demon! Stop that avnche right now,¡± Carmen demanded.


    ¡°Why should I?¡± Barbatos said with feigned innocence. ¡°Carmen, you¡¯re misunderstanding something. I don¡¯t take orders from you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want something from me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why this is the perfect opportunity to test your qualifications.¡± Barbatos offered her a little smile.


    ¡°Qualifications¡­?¡± Carmen¡¯s face crumpled up. What in the world was Barbatos talking about?


    ¡°Survive, then I¡¯ll treat you as an equal partner, not just a lowly human,¡± Barbatos said.


    A ck hole was created in the air and the demon stepped into it..


    ¡°That damned demon¡­!¡± Carmen clenched her teeth.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am, we should get out of here now!¡±


    The sound of the avnche got louder and closer. It was mayhem. The chain ofmand she had established was useless¡ªeveryone was busy screaming and running down the mountain, overwhelmed by their fear of the natural disaster.


    Carmen¡¯s face darkened. ¡°¡­Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll buy time,¡± Carmen said.


    The knights who had stayed beside her until the end stared at her, wide-eyed. However, Carmen didn¡¯t give them any more time to question her order.


    The sky thrummed as her wicked power spread everywhere, corroding the area. Carmen fixed her grip on her greatsword and then created ayer of her aura over her greatsword that grew with every passing second.


    ¡°He-Her mana is¡­?¡±


    The first ability of the power of envy was ergement and enhancement, but it wasn¡¯t just about making things bigger. It allowed her to condense her aura over her sword while maintaining its volume. Ultimately, she could even split a mountain using this power, so she was definitely not going to lose against a mere disaster.


    When theyer of her aura grew to the size of a house, Carmen swung it at the white tsunami as it arrived right before her.


    The knights'' eyes widened. It was a truly marvelous sight. The seemingly unstoppable avnche was split exactly in half just like the old legend about crossing the sea.


    ¡°Now¡¯s your moment! Go down!¡± she shouted.


    Carmen was already drenched with sweat, but she raised her greatsword once more, readying herself for the next stage.


    However, no one descended the mountain. In fact, they gained courage from what they had just seen. All of them drew their swords.


    ¡°Let us help!¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡± Barbatos stuck his head out from the ck hole he had disappeared into and then grinned. ¡°She definitely has the talent.¡±


    * * *


    When Kireua and the others reached the western border, he suggested splitting the group in half.


    ¡°Are you really going to be okay, Your Highness?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember? I left the Pce on my own when I was a boy, and I came back from the Thran Kingdom on my own.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Highness¡­¡±


    ¡°No, stop. I actually prefer working alone now. Sir Cain, you¡¯re the forever-alone knight, so you should understand me,¡± Kireua joked.


    Although Kireua¡¯s remark could be interpreted as very cruel for the forever-alone knight, Cain¡¯s expression was still grim.


    ¡°You¡¯re not nning to do anything dangerous, are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just reconnaissance, reconnaissance.¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯ll go.¡± Cain took a step forward. ¡°If something happens to you, I won¡¯t be able to bring myself to face Her Majesty Charles again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Besides, you have work to do, Sir Cain. You need to keep an eye on those traitor knights so they don¡¯t plot anything.¡±


    Many of the traitors had died in transit, so one hundred and fifty of them remained now. Nevertheless, even tied up as they were, there were still too many of the traitors for the other knights to handle.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go with him.¡±


    Kireua and Cain turned toward the voice; it came from Anna, who was watching them with a grin on her face.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same for you, Anna.¡± Kireua shook his head.


    ¡°What? Are you really asking me to follow them?¡±


    ¡°You know that weck manpower.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. You haven¡¯t forgotten our deal, have you?¡± Anna strode toward Kireua. ¡°I promised I¡¯ll stay loyal to the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire for ten years, not the country itself, so I have no obligation to follow them.¡±


    ¡°¡­What if this is an order, not a request?¡±


    ¡°I dare you. You won¡¯t have my full cooperation anymore.¡± Anna grinned menacingly.


    Kireua sighed quietly because Anna had a point. Most of Avalon¡¯s nobles knew that the Emperor of Avalon had been looking for the North Witch for a long time, so there was no telling what the loyal nobles would do to Anna without Kireua; his guarantee of her life was her life insurance.


    <em>¡®Thisplicates things. My original n was to research Coal while traveling alone,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    -You want to know about me?


    <em>¡®So freaking much,¡¯</em> Kireua answered.


    -I want to know about me too, hehehehe!


    Kireua could feel his annoyance rising with every word from Coal.


    ¡°I also believe that bringing the North Witch with you is a good idea,¡± Cain interrupted. ¡°She won¡¯t be able to harm you anyway because of the oath she made on her elemental spirit.¡±


    ¡°I knew it, Combat Emperor. You¡¯re experienced enough to know the right answer!¡± Anna smiled, pleased.


    In the end, there was only one answer Kireua could give.


    ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± Kireua said. ¡°I can always ditch youter if you be a nuisance..¡±


    * * *


    A weekter, a group of people were roaming around Hohent Castle, which was the western rebel army¡¯s headquarters, on top of the highest mountain in the Avalon Empire. Obviously, they belonged to the western rebels, and one of their main jobs was to stand guard around the castle.


    Right now, that was 3 A.M., the time when people were the most tired. However, Jack was assigned to stand guard at this hour.


    He yawned noisily. With his shaggy beard and bulging muscles, he looked like a bandit.


    ¡°This guard duty seems to get harder as days go by,¡± Jack grumbled.


    ¡°You really don¡¯t know? It¡¯s all because of that disturbing rumor.¡±


    ¡°What rumor? That ridiculous rumor about the Second Prince making a contract with the Demon Spirit?¡± Jackughed.


    ¡°You can¡¯t treat that like it¡¯s just a false rumor. It was witnessed by one of the members of our reconnaissance party. There¡¯s a good reason why the executives have been in an emergency meeting for days.¡±


    Nevertheless, Jack shook his head. The idea of the Second Prince making a deal with the Demon Spirit was outrageous.


    ¡°Conrad, you must have forgotten that Joshua Sanders himself killed the previous emperor and his own father for signing a contract with the Demon Spirit. So why in the world would Joshua Sanders¡¯s own son join hands with the Demon Spirit, no matter how urgently he needs the power?¡± Jack shrugged.


    ¡°The Emperor is away right now.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that would be an issue? What would the people of the Avalon Empire think? The Martial God drove out the previous emperor for making a contract with the leader of those evil demons. His son would lose his justification to inherit the throne, so why would he do it?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing more dangerous than a cornered beast, even a rabbit.¡±


    ¡°A rabbit¡­ hehehe. Come to think of it, I do want to see that famous bunny-like Second Prince.¡± Jack licked his lip with his scarlet tongue.


    Conrad quietly sighed. ¡°Come on, are you rpsing again?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a preference, not an illness, you bastard.¡±


    ¡°How can doing that stuff to a man¡¯s asshole be a preference? I¡¯m asking because I genuinely don¡¯t understand.¡±


    There had always been many gays in the western region of Avalon. Although one of the reasons was due to the imbnced gender ratio, which was inclined towards men, the other main reason was that many mercenaries had settled down in the region.


    ¡°Besides, he¡¯s the son of Joshua Sanders, the most handsome man on the continent, so I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t disappoint me.¡± Jack smiled.


    ¡°Well, the First Prince was very handsome too. I prefer women, but I wouldn¡¯t mind having a good time with him.¡±


    ¡°Wow, are you finally opening your eyes to this awesome world?¡± Jack asked, delighted.


    ¡°Just the First Prince. I think the other guys would also go nuts over him.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I really want to meet them,¡± Jack blissfully murmured. Hisher region had gotten hard for some reason.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t help it,¡± he decided. ¡°I don¡¯t care if I run into the First Prince or the Second Prince, I¡¯m going to fuck them when I them.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t. You just became a ss-B Knight, so it¡¯s impossible. There¡¯s a good reason why there''s a rumor that the Second Prince made a deal with the Demon Spirit. Besides, the First Prince is already notorious for being monstrously strong. He¡¯s killed dozens of people on his own.¡±


    ¡°So Marquess Turtler himself wille forward next time. There¡¯s no way he would lose.¡±


    Marquess ¡°ck Turtle¡± Turtler was famous across the continent. Even before his authority manifested, he was considered strong enough to be a Superhuman. For fifty years of his life, his defense had rarely been broken. Although he might not always win, he fought battles where he wouldn¡¯t lose. After he had acquired the power of the ck Tortoise, one of the Four Guardians, he had quickly remedied his shorings.


    ¡°Marquess Turtler won¡¯t kill the Second Prince right away since he¡¯s the Emperor¡¯s son, so Marquess Turtler will lock him in the dungeon first and use him to negotiateter. If I use that moment¡­¡±


    Jack¡¯s breathing became ragged. Conrad chuckled, dumbfoundedly.


    There were other people who had been listening to the whole conversation. After Anna and Kireua arrived at the destination, they had taken cover on top of a dense tree located at the entrance of the mountain.


    ¡°Did you hear that? He says that he¡¯ll fuck you, Your Highness.¡± Anna quietly giggled. ¡°Ah, holding back myughter is killing me. Your Highness, will those misters take your virginity?¡±


    ¡°¡­Those baldies¡­¡± Kireua seethed, his voice dripping with murderous intent. A vein bulged on his forehead. ¡°What would be the best possible way to kill them?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 37

    Side Story Chapter 37


    ¡°Do you want me to do it?¡±


    Kireua flinched and turned his head to the side with a serious look. Anna was staring at him, but it seemed that her eyes were filled with an inexplicable heat, although he could be mistaken.


    ¡°D-Do what?¡± Kireua stammered.


    ¡°Hahahah! Look at you. What were you thinking?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Do you want me to kill them?¡±


    ¡°A-ha.¡± Kireua awkwardly scratched the back of his head. He had spent his entire life swinging a sword, so he was a fool in this kind of area.


    ¡°Huh? Were you looking forward to it?¡± Anna asked mischievously.


    ¡°Looking forward to it, my ass!¡±


    ¡°You might be fine boyfriend material¡­¡± Anna narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Shut it! Remember our age gap.¡±


    ¡°I told you before, age and affiliation don¡¯t matter in love. Love supersedes all limits.¡± Anna raised her fingers in amusement.


    ¡°I told you to cut that out, you shameless olddy.¡±


    ¡°A, you¡¯re shy. Hahahahaha!¡± Anna burst intoughter, forgetting the fact that they were taking cover.


    Since she¡¯d surrounded them with walls of wind, no one heard herughter.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking, just joking. Anyhow, you know that reinforcements wille instantly if we don¡¯t take those two out at the same time.


    Kireua nodded. The rebel soldiers were patrolling the area in groups, maintaining a certain distance from one another, but that wasn¡¯t the only problem.


    ¡°Can you feel those buried magic traps and rm spells? There are hundreds of them¡ªat least¡ªaround us,¡± Anna observed with a small, troubled frown.


    ¡°Those trash¡­¡±


    ¡°They set magic traps all over the mountain. Wow, they must have burned a whole bunch of money!¡± Anna eximed.


    Kireua¡¯s face crumpled. He had seen simr things in the south, so he didn¡¯t need to look into how the rebels had gotten the necessary money. They must have wrung the people of the west dry using the civil war as an excuse, just like what had happened to the people in the south.


    ¡°I need to get information out of them first.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°Do you need help?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own,¡± he said with certainty.


    Although he wasn¡¯t talented with spears, he had swords and a variety of other areas that he was gifted in. His stealth skills were especially good; even <em>she</em> had praised it.


    After the Imperial Family¡¯s surname had be ¡°Sanders¡±, the entirety of Avalon had been thrown into chaos for a while. That was understandable; although there was no innate requirement to bing an emperor, the Britten family had been the Imperial Family for hundreds of years, so it was inevitable that the people would be unsettled. However, the state of affairs in Avalon had stabilized quickly with the help of the Heaven¡¯s Mind and the five friends of the new Emperor of Avalon who had always stayed by his side.


    One of the five friends had taught Kireua stealth skills. Since she wasn¡¯t a human, perhaps she was living somewhere, still looking just as she had when Kireua had her as a boy.


    ¡°¡­Teacher Aisha.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What? I¡¯m right over here, but you said another woman¡¯s name?¡± Anna asked dramatically.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going.¡±


    Ignoring Anna, Kireua disappeared into darkness in a way as remarkable as it was subtle. Even Anna, who was right beside Kireua, neither felt nor heard a single thing.


    Her jaw dropped. ¡°His stealth skills are¡­?¡±


    Meanwhile, Kireua was on the move. After sliding down from the tree, he slid into the shadows again. Using the technique of Aisha Sestropi, the current Darkness Emperor, Kireua moved from shadow to shadow.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡±


    A series of loud smacks followed by two groans so close together they sounded like one noise came from the rebel guards. Everything happened in a sh. Kireua subdued the muchrger men, then cracked his knuckles.


    ¡°Now, next is¡­¡± Kiruea mumbled.


    He darted forward, creeping close to the ground.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª!¡±


    There were at least ten guards in a thirty-meter radius, each at a certain distance from one another. However, the torches that the guards were holding disappeared. And then there was only pitch-ck darkness and the creaking of bugs.


    Anna slowly climbed down the tree.


    ¡°That was incredible,¡± Anna eximed, genuinely amazed.


    ¡°This is basic,¡± Kireua shrugged as he walked back to her.


    ¡°Hmph. I guess arrogance is hereditary.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Your father was just like you.¡±


    Kireua stared at her, speechless, for a moment, and then turned his attention to the two baldies that were discussing unmentionably filthy things. Kireua had made up his mind right at the beginning that he was going to get information from them.


    His hand danced across acupressure points, waking them up. It didn¡¯t take long for one of the men to start squirming and blinking.


    ¡°Hey, was your name Jack?¡± Kireua asked. Jack flinched. ¡°I¡¯m right here now, so what do you think? You said that you wanted to rape me or something. Do you really think so right now?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°Urgh! Arghhh!¡±


    Jack¡¯s mind reeled. He hadn¡¯t been gagged, but he couldn¡¯t speak. That was, of course, Kireua¡¯s work. Mana was very versatile.


    Kireua¡¯s menacing smile deepened. ¡°I¡¯ll let you talk, but don¡¯t even think about raising your voice. Well, no one would be able to hear you anyway.¡±


    Right on time, the air around them buzzed. Jack was bewildered when he noticed the opaque barrier that Anna had erected around them.


    Kireua untied the thread of mana around Jack¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Jack panted.


    ¡°My name is Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°The Se-Second Prince¡­?¡±


    Kireua coated his body in mana and dropped onto one knee without hesitation, instantly crushing the top of Jack¡¯s foot.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°I warned you to not scream,¡± Kireua coldly admonished. He ruthlessly drove his knee into Jack¡¯s upper shin, drawing a long, grisly crack. Even Anna grimaced.


    ¡°Urgh¡­ Ahhhh¡­.¡± Jack tried really hard to not scream despite the overwhelming pain and all-consuming fear filling up in his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you three questions. Think hard before you answer, ¡± Kireua instructed.


    ¡°Ye-Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°My first question is, how many soldiers and knights are in the headquarters?¡±


    ¡°A-As far as I know, fifty thousand.¡±


    Kireua and Anna met each other¡¯s eyes and nodded. The number of western rebels near the border had been estimated to be a hundred thousand, and Kireua had assumed that about twenty thousand soldiers and knights in the headquarters.. Jack¡¯s numbers were within the expected range.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to your headquarters now, so here is my second question: isn¡¯t there a certain route you have to use? If you go off track, the traps will activate right away,¡± Kireua assumed.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Go on,¡± Kireua prompted.


    Jack hesitated, despite having to bite back a scream. If he really told Kireua, he would be treated as a traitor and the rebels would have his head.


    But once again, Kireua didn¡¯t hesitate.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh¡­.!¡± Jack rolled around on the ground after the top of his remaining foot was crushed.


    He realized that the Second Prince was really serious about killing him.


    ¡°I forgot to mention this, but patience isn¡¯t my strongest suit,¡± Kireua coldly informed the soldier.


    ¡°Yo-You can look at the trees!¡±


    ¡°The trees?¡±


    ¡°If you look at the trees closely, there¡¯s a string tied around c-certain trees. You can follow¡­ the string.¡±


    ¡°Can you swear that on your mana?¡±


    ¡°O-of course.¡± Jack nodded eagerly.


    Jack was telling the truth, so Kireua stopped threatening him and stood up.


    ¡°This is myst question: where is the original owner of this castle now?¡±


    Jack panicked.


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± Kireua bitterly said. He didn¡¯t need to ask Jack any more questions because Jack¡¯s face said everything. Kireua stepped in front of the other unconscious man and moved his hand again.


    ¡°Urgh!¡± Conrad woke up before long.


    ¡°Do you want to live?¡±


    ¡°Yes, please d-don¡¯t kill me,¡± Conrad quickly answered. He was born good at reading the air in the room, so he instantly understood what was going on.


    ¡°It looks like you know me.¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°A-Are you really His Highness Kireua?¡±


    ¡°How did you know?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re just like the rumor¡­¡±


    ¡°Okay, so I¡¯m here now. What do you think? Do you really want to have a good time with me?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes became cold.


    Conrad turned pale, realizing that his worst nightmare hade true.


    ¡°You two were having a pretty interesting conversation earlier.¡± Kireua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°W-We were joking! Please forgive us, Your Highness! When men are together, they talk about that kind of stuff!¡± Conrad pleaded.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to feel scared; I asked because I¡¯m intrigued.¡±


    Jack and Conrad didn¡¯t understand what they had just heard. Was the Second Prince voluntarily saying that he was into men?


    However, Kireua went way beyond the two¡¯s expectations once again.


    ¡°Do what you talked about. I¡¯ll allow it.¡± Kireua gestured at them.


    ¡°Are you s-serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course; I want to see it, so try it, you two,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Jack and Conrad¡¯s faces paled as they finally realized what Kireua meant.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness, m-mercy, please¡ª!¡±


    Kireua pointed at them. ¡°Both of you, take off your pants. Now.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait!¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you want to live?¡±


    The rebels shivered.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then die right now.¡± Kireua slowly drew his sword.


    Jack panicked since he already knew that Kireua never hesitated. If Kireua Sanders said that he was going to do it, he would absolutely do it. Jack immediately dropped his pants. Although his legs were in horrific pain, that didn¡¯t matter to him right now.


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing, Jack?!¡± Conrad shouted.


    ¡°Take it off, Conrad. Do you really want to die?¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard! You¡¯re seriously going to do that with me? Are you out of your mind?¡± Conrad couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s better than getting butchered.¡±


    Conrad¡¯s eyes swam because he could see from the look on Jack¡¯s face that there was no way out of this.


    ¡°Enjoy it if you can¡¯t run away from it,¡± Jack said


    ¡°Errrr¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you want to start or shall I?¡±


    Conrad cringed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡± Jack nodded.


    Conrad couldn¡¯t bring himself to answer the question, so Jack began to approach him, his hairy legs bare to see.


    An arc was drawn in the air and two heads thumped onto the ground, one after the other.


    Kireua flicked the blood off of his sword with a disgusted expression. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore. It¡¯s too sick.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 38

    Side Story Chapter 38


    In the headquarters of the western rebel army, which was also known as the ¡°Castle on the Hill,¡¯¡± a heated discussion had been taking ce all night.


    ¡°The national army has been showing suspicious movement for the past several days. ording to the report, reconnaissance parties have been dispatched to the western border continuously.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean that they abandoned the castle and walked out of it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still a few of them. Since Vice-Commander Ranger¡¯s goal is to hold out, there¡¯s no way he would attack first with his main force since eighty percent of our forces are there.¡±


    ¡°Then couldn¡¯t they really be scouting?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve been scouting more often over time. Their usual routine was to scout once a day, and they just took a peek around our headquarters from afar. However, they¡¯re observing at a much closer distance, and their numbers have increased drastically.¡±


    Seated at the head of the table, Marquess Turtler just listened to his subordinate executives talk. Exining and discussing were subordinates¡¯ jobs while a leader¡¯s job was making a decision. That was Turtler¡¯s principle, but if the discussion wasn¡¯t going anywhere, he set them on the right path.


    ¡°Could it be rted to the Second Prince?¡± Turtle asked.


    All the executives turned silent. They had actually been talking about Kireua Sanders the Second Prince all day; the discussion topic had finally started to change, but they were back to square one.


    ¡°That is a possibility.¡±


    ¡°Am I misunderstanding something? I thought one of you said that the national army would never dispatch troops to the southwest border to greet the Second Prince.¡± Turtle tilted his head.


    ¡°Yes, we would reach the southwest border quicker, so if the national army sent one, the scouting party would just get ughtered by our troops.¡±


    Turtler frowned slightly. ¡°You do realize that those two sentences don¡¯t add up, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we¡¯re talking about a prince.¡±


    Turtler chuckled, dumbfounded. ¡°You mean he¡¯s someone they have to protect even if they get ughtered?¡±


    ¡°That is what I think.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re overdoing themselves,¡± Turtler said.


    ¡°If something happens to the Second Prince, their morale would immediately drop.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so.¡± Turtler shook his head.


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°If the Second Prince died here, the national army¡¯s morale would temporarily decrease, but they¡¯ll unite more than ever, bing iparably stronger than before.¡± Turtler rested his chin on his hand. The executives weren¡¯t sure what Turtler was saying, but his voice filled with confidence. ¡°There are only two people with the right to inherit, so if one of them died, everyone would unite with the First Prince as their leader.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­!


    The executives started to exim one after another.


    ¡°Th-That is true.¡±


    ¡°Then we must capture him alive if we find him.¡±


    ¡°After we capture him, maybe we can win the hearts of the people if we use him properly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s possible if the Second Prince has the slightest interest in the throne, but¡­ I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    The executives resumed their discussion, but they were unable to reach a definite conclusion. Therefore, wrapping up the discussion fell to Turtler once again.


    ¡°Does anyone else other than us know that Kireua Sanders might be involved with the Demon Spirit?¡± Turtler asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so. ording to the people who returned, the Second Prince was away from his group and was on his own when he used ebon me. That must mean that he wants to hide his power from his allies.¡±


    Turtler tilted his head. ¡°Aside from those people, did anyone else mention the rumor?¡±


    ¡°No, sir.¡±


    Turtler¡¯s smile deepened. He was certain that the rumor was false.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit was already killed by the Emperor, so I don¡¯t believe it. Even if such a being still exists, the Prince is his son, so there is no way Prince Kireua would make a contract with such a being unless he took a warhammer to his head.


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll dispatch Lacoon and my three immediate knight orders to the southwest,¡± Turtler dered.


    The executives'' eyes widened at the name Turtler brought up.


    ¡°Lacoon is the strongest knight in the west, second only to me, so he¡¯ll be more than enough to bring in the boy.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Your Highness, you seem to get crueler over time,¡± Annamented.


    ¡°They¡¯ll just cause trouble in the future if I spare them.¡±


    She smiled. ¡°I was actuallyplimenting you.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a goodpliment.¡±


    ¡°What was with thest question?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°What question?¡±


    ¡°Why did you ask about what had happened to the castle¡¯s original owner? Isn¡¯t that obvious?¡± Anna tilted her head.


    ¡°...That¡¯s because I know them.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm? What¡¯s with the look on your face? Wait a minute. Is the owner a woman?¡± Anna¡¯s eyes narrowed like a predator homing in on its prey.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your business.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­. Well, yeah, it really isn¡¯t,¡± Anna readily replied, but her face darkened nheless.


    Regardless, Kireua had a lot on his mind as he eyed the mountain ahead.


    <em>¡®Could he be dead?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered. Prisoners were very useful in wars, and the people that had started rebellions in all four regions were invaders. Killing every noble lord in the ces they imed would do more harm than good.


    It was quite obvious. In wars, defeat was equivalent to death, so the lord¡¯s knights and soldiers would fight to the death. Therefore, Kireua could only hope that the castle¡¯s original owner would still be alive.


    <em>¡®Come to think of it, I feel like she¡¯s ring daggers at me¡­¡¯</em>


    Kireua was currently walking up the mountain. It was just as the gay baldie had said¡ªwhen Kireua examined the upper part of the trees, he found a thin thread was hung around them, making it easy to find the path. Anna was walking behind Kireua.


    -Jealousy! She must like Kireua!


    <em>¡®The hell.¡¯</em> Kireua frowned at Coal¡¯s remark. He was actually considering the possibility. At this rate, he really might end up waking up in the bed of ady that was as old as his aunt.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll start dating someone as soon as this civil war finishes.¡¯</em>


    Kireua had made that resolution time and time again since he had zero intention of leading a simr life to Cain.


    Coal suddenly appeared and jumped up and down on Kireua¡¯s shoulder. He shook his head, confused by the thing¡¯s behavior.


    <em>¡®You¡¯re distracting me, so why don¡¯t you go back inside?¡¯</em>


    -I smell something yummy.


    <em>¡®...What? What smell?¡¯</em> Kireua drooled.


    -Slurp.


    Coal started drooling on top of Kireua¡¯s head, to his irritation. However, he had never seen such a side of Coal. Although it whined everyday for food, it hadn¡¯t told Kireua what it wanted[1].


    <em>¡®...Wait, if I figure out what Coal likes, then maybe I can get a hint of its identity,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    -I dunno! I wanna eat it! It¡¯s up there!


    <em>¡®I wasn¡¯t talking to you,¡¯</em> Kireua grumbled.


    He continued climbing up the mountain, lost in his thoughts. If Coal was rted to the Angel Spirit, then it would be something rted to divine power; otherwise, Coal would try to eat something with demonic power or human flesh.


    ¡°What about your stealth skill?¡± Anna asked, drawing Kireua¡¯s focus to the present. ¡°I¡¯ve met all sorts of assassins, but it¡¯s my first time seeing a stealth skill that can use the shadows so well.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to get another person¡¯s business secret for free, you olddy?¡±


    ¡°I just had an idea.¡± Anna shrugged.


    ¡°...An idea?¡±


    ¡°I heard that Joshua Sanders has five old friends and one of them is the best assassin in the current generation.¡±


    She was right, although Kireua hadn¡¯t met all of the aforementioned five friends either. Three of the friends were humans, and the other two were from other races. Every one of them was remarkable: Lilith Aphrodite was the leader of the Moon Gate, the continent¡¯s biggest information guild, while the Mighty Akshuller was respected by a million mercenaries. Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, was the first human to be a ss 8 mage, and Ashu was thest remaining High Elf. Aisha Sestropi, the Darkness Emperor, was also called the Night Emperor.


    ¡°Judging from the look on your face, it seems that I¡¯m right.¡± Anna smiled. ¡°There aren¡¯t many people as mysterious as the Darkness Emperor. Some say the Darkness Emperor is a monster who is over one hundred years old. There is actually a rumor that the Darkness Emperor is a young man who was born as gifted as the current Emperor of Avalon¡­ While some people believe that the Darkness Emperor is a very beautiful woman.¡±


    ¡°Those rumors aren¡¯t amusing at all.¡±


    ¡°So which is the right one? Since you were personally taught your stealth skill by the Darkness Emperor, you must know, right?¡± Anna asked with sparkling eyes.


    Of course, Kireua had no intention of giving her the answer she wanted.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we climb in silence?¡± he bluntly replied.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Anna made a bizarre sound through her nose, then she shrugged. ¡°So it¡¯s a business secret again?¡±


    Kireua raised an eyebrow at her. ¡°If you want something from someone else, then you should pay the right price. This world is based on the principle of equivalent exchange.¡±


    ¡°Of all the things you could''ve learned from your father, you only learned the bad stuff.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s lese-majeste, you know,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°But you can¡¯t use your stealth skill forever, right?¡± Anna prodded. ¡°You might have fooled the other people, but you can¡¯t fool me. When you hid in the darkness, I saw a lot of your manaing out of you.¡±


    No, she didn¡¯t see it. There was a reason why Aisha¡¯s stealth technique was called the best on the continent. It hid the user in shadows without leaving behind the slightest trace, so no one could notice a person using Aisha¡¯s stealth technique.


    ¡°Well, you aren¡¯t <em>the</em> Joshua Sanders. If you could use that kind of stealth technique all the time, then you would have no problem using spears,¡± Anna dramatically dered.


    It was obvious what she was aiming for, so Kireua held back his rising anger. Besides, something was about to happen that shut the North Witch¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°What? Why is it dark?¡±


    ¡°I bet they all put the lights out and went to sleep.¡±


    ¡°Marquess Turtler repeatedly warned us about it, so unless they¡¯re crazy¡­ there¡¯s probably a problem, so let¡¯s go¡ªquickly.¡±


    Guards were walking down from the top of the mountain to change shifts.


    Kireua¡¯s lips stretched into a wide smile. ¡°This is good.¡±


    He disappeared into the darkness. Anna opened her eyes and watched Kireua closely this time, but it was a bust again.


    ¡°How in the world does that work?¡± Anna tilted her head back and forth.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Wh-What?!¡±


    A series of smacks disturbed the darkness, followed by a chain of thuds. Judging from the number of the voices Anna had heard, there were at least ten guards, but the area was totally silent in less than fifteen seconds.


    After a while, Anna became more confused. She couldn¡¯t detect a single presence.


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± she stammered. ¡°Stop ying around ande out.¡±


    No one answered her, so Anna was about to summon her elemental spirits.


    Suddenly, something touched her back. Anna nearly jumped out of her skin.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? You were so confident earlier when you said that you could see the flow of mana.¡±


    Anna¡¯s head creaked around like an unoiled pulley, and found Kireua grinning at her.


    ¡°You jerk!¡± she shouted, her face crumpling up. ¡°You and your father are real assholes, you know that?!¡±


    1. This is contradicted in Ch. 32 when Coal states that it wants to eat adamantium, but this is what the raws say. ?

 Side Story Chapter 439

    Side Story Chapter 439


    After the western rebel leaders left the conference room, Marquess Turtler greeted a sapphire-haired man.


    ¡°Hello, Lacoon.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± Lacoon bowed.


    He looked to be in his thirties at most; he was actually one of the younger knights within the western rebel army. However, his looks were deceiving¡ªhe was the strongest in the army, next to Turtler.


    ¡°I have a job for you,¡± Turtler began.


    ¡°I heard about the news, so I¡¯m already aware of it.¡±


    ¡°Are you confident about this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my job to follow any order you give me,¡± Lacoon firmly replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re going after a boy, so I understand if you aren¡¯t happy about it,¡± Turtler gently said.


    ¡°Not at all, sir.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m doing this because I¡¯m ufortable with this. I might rip my subordinates¡¯ limbs apart when I don¡¯t like them, but I want to give you an exnation so that you can understand.¡±


    Lacoon raised his head. ¡°¡­I heard my target is the Second Prince.¡±


    ¡°Yes; ording to the rumor, he¡¯s a ss A Knight and has recently manifested an authority. He¡¯s just like you.¡± Turtler rested his chin on his hand.


    ¡°I think the fact that he¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s son is more than enough reason for me to go on this mission.¡±


    ¡°Take three of my personal knight orders. Considering your abilities, it¡¯s a bit of an overkill, but I hope to eliminate the possibility of something bad happening to you.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord,¡± Lacoon answered.


    Turtler¡¯s expression turned a bit serious. ¡°That is a very brusque response.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t repeat it in the future.¡±


    ¡°Do you still resent me for that incident?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not at all, sir.¡± Lacoon vigorously shook his head.


    Turtler shook his head back. ¡°Didn¡¯t you hesitate for a moment just now?¡±


    ¡°You misunder¡ª¡±


    A finger-sized magic bullet ripped through Lacoon¡¯s shoulder. Lacoon stopped speaking, his face contorted in pain.


    ¡°Does it sting a little?¡± Turtler asked.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ no, it doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget who your master is.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Lacoon nodded.


    ¡°Get going¡ªnow.¡±


    The mountain was dangerous at night, and there was a good reason why the rebel army only took a set route in and out of the castle. Right now, it was in the middle of the night¡ªlong before daybreak.


    However, of course, Lacoon replied, ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. You¡¯re boring.¡± Turtler leaned against his seat, his interest lost.


    Lacoon saluted and quietly exited the room.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t he know that nothing good wille for both him and his previous master if he keeps on acting that way? Tsk.¡± Turtler quietly clicked his tongue. Lacoon tried his best to ignore him.


    * * *


    Thirty minutester, Lacoon stopped the bleeding from his shoulder, so he headed to the meeting point in front of the castle.


    Lacoon became confused when he arrived.


    Three hundred knights in full armor were supposed to be waiting for him here, but only one person answered his summons.


    ¡°¡­What is going on, Sir Guiltine?¡± Lacoon asked.


    Guiltine slouchedzily and picked at his ear. ¡°Wow, look at all that earwax. I haven¡¯t cleaned the inside of my ears for a while, and now look at the state of it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sir Guiltine.¡±


    ¡°What? Knights? I¡¯ve already sent them down the mountain.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Lacoon took a step forward. ¡°Marquess Turtler put me in charge of this mission.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the ck Turtle Knights and I have to follow your order?¡±


    ¡°That is Marquess Turtler¡¯s order.¡±


    ¡°For fuck¡¯s sake,¡± Guiltine quietly cursed as he strode forward. ¡°Hey, Lacoon, you do know that the main reason why Marquess Turtler entrusted you with this matter is that he¡¯s testing you, right? Or, wait¡­ You didn¡¯t know? Then you better thank me.¡±


    ¡°Sir Guiltine!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Lacoon, don¡¯t be too serious. It¡¯s just one boy,¡± Guiltine said, grinning.


    Of course, Lacoon¡¯s face didn¡¯t brighten up one bit. ¡°That boy is the Emperor¡¯s son and he might be rted to the Demon Spirit.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all the more reason to not let you take the lead.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Prince. If he¡¯s actually rted to the Demon Spirit like the rumor says, then even less reason to cower. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity¡ªcapturing an member of the Imperial Family who joined forces with the evil Demon Spirit is a tremendous aplishment,¡± Guiltine exined.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you cut it out with your fantasies?¡±


    ¡°Think about it. You were the knight of this region¡¯s original lord, and we, the ck Turtler Knights, have been part of the western rebel army from the start. So wouldn¡¯t it look better for us to capture the Prince?¡±


    ¡°Are you going to take responsibility if you get defeated?¡± Lacoon asked, frowning slightly.


    ¡°What? Us, lose? Ha! You bastard, you¡¯re really funny. We¡¯re the best knights in the west; we¡¯re going to lose to a little boy?¡± Guiltine burst into raucousughter. ¡°Hahaha! If that really happens, I¡¯ll lick your feet and bark like a dog, just like you¡¯re doing for Marquess Turtler.¡±


    Lacoon replied with silence.


    ¡°We¡¯ve wasted too much time, so why don¡¯t we get going? The other knights must have arrived at the bottom of the mountain by now.¡± Guiltine turned away without a second thought. ¡°The other ck Turtle Knights and I actually made a bet on who¡¯ll capture the greenhorn Second Prince. It¡¯s a great chance for every knight to make an aplishment, don¡¯t you think?¡± Guiltine chuckled.


    ¡°In that case, congrattions. You get the first opportunity.¡±


    Upon hearing a voice other than Lacoon¡¯s, Guiltine''s eyes widened. ¡°Who¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, who am I? Weren¡¯t you looking for me?¡±


    Even Lacoon, who was watching Guiltine, was caught totally unaware. A very handsome red-haired man emerged out of the darkness from far behind the castle.


    ¡°Wait¡­?¡± Lacoon nkly murmured.


    * * *


    ¡°Are you crazy, Your Highness?¡± Anna shrieked at Kireua.


    He kept walking forward.


    ¡°We went through all that trouble to get to the top of the mountain, so what are you doing? You said that we¡¯ll go back once we slit Marquess Turtler¡¯s throat!¡± she cried in disbelief.


    ¡°That is what I¡¯m doing.¡±


    ¡°You call this an assassination? You aren¡¯t exactly moving stealthily!¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t even have an urate map of the castle¡¯s interior, so we can¡¯t look for their leader blindly. Besides, we don¡¯t even have the time. Once the other guardse in for their shifts, they¡¯ll instantly know that something is wrong down there.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    His actions were actually based on a perfectly rational judgment and he was confident that he wouldn¡¯t get caught since he was using none other than the stealth technique of this generation¡¯s best assassin. However, his mana wasn¡¯t limitless. He could hold out for a while, but he would be stranded if he failed to find his target within the time limit.


    Above all, Kireua wanted to meet the man he was standing in front of now because the man¡¯s face was quite familiar.


    ¡°I¡¯m Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see. You are indeed the Second Prince.¡± The man stepped forward when he noticed that Kireua was looking at him.


    ¡°Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°My name is Lacoon den Adsarak.¡±


    ¡°You have a middle name,¡± Kireua noted softly.


    In Avalon, middle names were only given to the members of a family of a rank equal to or higher than a count.


    ¡°Count Wiesel den Adsarak is my father.¡±


    ¡°Wiesel den Adsarak¡­ Ah!¡±


    A memory shed across Kireua¡¯s mind. ss A knights were called Masters, and everything about them, from their family and sword technique to their appearance and affiliation, was recorded and stored in the Imperial Archive. If they were the citizens of the Avalon Empire, they were especially obligated to divulge that information. Although some people said that it was a precautionary measure for an incident like a rebellion, it wasn¡¯t only bad news for the Masters in question.


    If one¡¯s record was stored in the imperial archive, that meant that the person was a knight that was strong enough to be recognized by the emperor. After the start of the authority era, the significance of the title of ss A knight had diminished, but it was the most certain standard to measure one¡¯s strength.


    In fact, the ¡°Frozen Swords¡± Adsaraks were famous throughout the entire continent.


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet the son of His most respected Majesty Joshua Sanders.¡± Lacoon saluted.


    Kireua¡¯s gaze turned sharp. Although Lacoon¡¯s tone was very polite, he was actually very rude if Kireua examined his remark in depth.


    Kireua smiled coldly. <em>¡®He also just sees me as His Majesty¡¯s son, not myself.¡¯</em>


    ¡°I won¡¯t ask how you got here, so please surrender now.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to kill the son of the person whom I respect so much,¡± Lacoon calmly answered.


    Kireua¡¯s smile deepened, but his jaw clenched.


    ¡°I¡¯ll put in a good word to Marquess Turtler about you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s funny,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    Lacoon¡¯s gaze also turned sharp. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about your victories, but with your abilities, you won¡¯t be able to best me with Sir Guiltine on my side.¡±


    ¡°Is there a reason why you¡¯re so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Experience makes the difference among ss A knights,¡± Lacoon asserted.


    Kireua quietly observed the rebel knights¡¯ mana and became certain that the two of them were both Masters.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to exin further if you¡¯re one of the people who manifested authority,¡± Lacoon added.


    ¡°Hey, Lacoon! Why do you keep chatting with him?¡± The other man, who had been silent until now, came forward. ¡°Good to meet you, Tragic Prince! I¡¯m Guiltine Aoult, and as you may have already noticed, I don¡¯t have such a thing as a middle name.¡±


    ¡°Again, I¡¯ve never heard your name.¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°Yeah, but my name will be engraved on your mind. Oh, I¡¯d actually have a middle name by that time.¡±


    Kireua was confused.


    Guiltine grinned. ¡°My master will praise me if I bring him the Second Prince¡¯s head before daybreak!¡±


    Guiltine took off as soon as he finished speaking; Lacoon didn¡¯t even have time to stop him.


    ¡°Sir Guiltine!¡± Lacoon shouted at his back.


    Guiltine tore through the air like a ballista bolt as fast as his legs would propel him. He held a very unique, gigantic sickle, which looked like an iron rod with a crescent moon welded onto the top. Guiltine was the only person in the world who had manifested the authority of a grim reaper.


    Since the start of the authority era, even the strongest knights used unorthodox weapons; it was safe to say that the era of the sword waspletely over.


    ¡°Arggghhhh!¡± Guiltine roared as he swung his sickle. His mana shook the dark sky. His aura attacks multiplied into dozens of miniature crescent moons, and they were all headed toward Kireua.


    It was Gutiline¡¯s first signature technique: Crescent Moon on Hell''s Night Sky.


    ¡°Sir Guiltine! You shouldn¡¯t kill the Prince!¡±


    Lacoon¡¯s shouting was muffled by Guiltine¡¯sughter.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    Blinded by his lust for glory, Guiltine was using more power than he had originally nned¡ªLacoon was already toote. Even Lacoon had trouble escaping a storm of aura that big.


    But an enormous explosion made Lacoon and Guiltine¡¯s heads jerk around and look at Kireua. Kireua managed to escape the storm of Guiltine¡¯s attacks and flew up in the air, bing one with the full moon hanging high in the sky.


    ¡°Magic Sword Art Level 4, Moon Sword¡­¡± Kireua murmured.


    The sight of Kireua slowly descending to the ground with his sword held high was so majestically beautiful that Lacoon was captivated.


    ¡°...Moonlight Shower.¡±


    A rain of yellow aura attacks fell upon them.

 Side Story Chapter 40

    Side Story Chapter 40


    Guiltine¡¯s jaw dropped when he saw the dim moonlight pouring down. Of course, it was an only illusion. The moonlight-like yellow aura attacks instantly arrived right in front of Guiltine.


    ¡°¡ªOh, no!¡± Guiltine raised his sickle, startled.


    Although Kireua and Guiltine were both ss A knights, Guiltine was much older than Kireua, so Guiltine was certain that he was more experienced than Kiruea by leaps and bounds.


    The vigorous hum of a Master¡¯s mana in motion shook the air. Aura shed in the air again and again, but disappeared upon impact. Their attacks were like two crescent moons¡ªa battle between Guiltine¡¯s sickle and the lunar halo from Kireua¡¯s sword.


    The situation quietly began to change.


    Guiltine flinched while he was firing yet another of his aura attacks. The air around the area suddenly changed. More concerningly,tThe rain of yellow aura attacks had turned ck at some point; ck as the peculiar night where the moon was covered by shadows. It was, of course, a technique Kireua recreated using Coal¡¯s power.


    Magic Sword Art Level 4, Moonset Sword: Lunar Eclipse Night.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡±


    The density of Kireua¡¯s rain of aura changed, bing sturdier, quicker, and stealthier. Guiltine, unable to fend off the assault, coughed up blood.


    His two-meter-long sickle audibly <em>cracked</em>. A weapon without aura was just a lump of metal, so as soon as the amount of Guiltine¡¯s aura decreased, his weapon was the first thing to suffer.


    ¡°...They¡¯re aura attacks¡­ but I¡¯m losing¡­?¡± Guiltine mumbled in disbelief.


    His sickle brokepletely in half, allowing Kireua¡¯s rain of body-crushing aura attacks to plow through the broken weapon.


    Guiltine didn¡¯t even get to leave behind hisst word because he was immediately pulverized by the aura rain.


    -Kyaaaahhhh!


    Not long after, a figure came out of Guiltine and screamed.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted quietly afternding on the ground.


    Would the Grim Reapers from the myths look like the figure that came from Guiltine? No, Kireua had read about this in a book before. The Demon Spirit had five vassals, and they each ruled over a Demon Sub-Realm. Judging from the figure¡¯s appearance, it must be the ck-Headed Grim Reaper.


    -Yummy food!


    Kireua stiffened.


    -Ahhhhhh!


    Coal popped up and opened its mouth cavernously wide and flew forward.


    -Yummy!


    The ck-Headed Grim Reaper disappeared into Coal¡¯s gaping maw. Coal trembled violently. Kireua gave it a sharp look. It didn¡¯t even cough out what it ate. A Grim Reaper was rted to the Demon Realm, so if Coal fed on those kinds of creatures¡­


    <em>¡®Is Coal really rted to the Demon Spirit?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    ¡°...Murderous intent?¡±


    He swung his sword to the left where he sensed a very vivid murderous intenting from. It collided with another sword with a deafening ng.


    Kireua frowned at the numbness in his hand. ¡°The Adsaraks were the knights of this castle¡¯s original owner, so how did you end up bing the rebels¡¯ dog?¡±


    ¡°¡­Everyone has their own story.¡±


    ¡°I wonder what your story is.¡±


    Lacoon changed the topic: ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would beat Sir Guiltine, so I guess the rumor was true.¡±


    ¡°The rumor?¡±


    ¡°ck moonlight¡­ It¡¯s just like a power only a demon would use.¡± Lacoon expression looked grim.


    Kireua couldn¡¯t understand Lacoon¡¯s reaction. If a member of the Imperial Family was rted to a demon like thete Fourth Prince Kaiser, the Dark God, or Emperor Marcus, then the rebels would be over the moon with joy. The current Emperor of Avalon had gone up against them because they were involved with demons¡ªthat was how he had be the emperor, so the rebels would also have justification to overthrow the government.


    ¡°Did you know that it isn¡¯t my father whom I respect most? It was His Majesty, ¡± Lacoon said.


    Most of the citizens in the Avalon Empire respected the Emperor of Avalon. In fact, the name of Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was known to all the people of the continent; if someone had to choose the most famous person in the continent, Joshua would alwayse in first ce.


    ¡°With him as our emperor, I thought the dream of unifying the continent woulde true,¡± Lacoon reminisced.


    ¡°Unifying the continent? You dreamed of something foolish.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to say that if you knew the end of all people with the same dream.¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t know about other people, but it¡¯s different for the Martial God. He had more than enough power to conquer the continent if he wanted. I never understood his decision,¡± Lacoon bitterly said.


    Kireua shook his head because he at least understood why the Emperor of Avalon chose not to attempt to unify the continent.


    ¡°Everyone lives in a different environment, is from a different race, and has a different set of values in life. Therefore, putting them in one ce by force would only result in destruction¡ªjust as it did in the Thran Kingdom and Swallow Empire.¡±


    ¡°Well, history is bound to repeat itself. People with the ambition to conquer the continent will eventually rise to power again. Their wars would result in astronomical casualties, and the weak and small countries would disappear from the map,¡± Lacoon said with such confidence that it almost seemed as if he¡¯d seen it happen himself. He tightened his grip on his sword. ¡°If His Majesty had unified the continent with his power, then this civil war wouldn¡¯t have started in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°How in the world did you reach that conclusion?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of what they think, everyone will bow before absolute power. Let¡¯s say a hundred, five hundred, and a thousand years passed like that. Then the difference in their living environment and races won¡¯t be meaningful anymore.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that nothing in the world is more futile than specting on what-ifs.¡±


    ¡°Yes, no one has ever unified the continent. Just like you said, only cowards would make such spections without trying.¡±


    ¡°If you really think so, test it yourself.¡±


    Lacoon gave him a confused look in reply.


    Kireua applied more force against Lacoon¡¯s sword, but Lacoon held his position in the air.


    ¡°Your dream is to see the continent unified, so there¡¯s no way you wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat a single prince, right? Or did you want His Majesty to take care of everything like a parent taking care of a baby? Waaah, waah,¡± Kireua mocked.


    Lacoon¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°¡­I see the rumor about your mouth is also true.¡±


    Kireua grinned, but he couldn¡¯t waste any more time. Although Anna was stopping the noise from leaking out, there was no telling when the rebels woulde pouring out of the castle.


    ¡°Do you want to make a wager?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°A wager¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you lose, be my knight. You¡¯ll bring me the information about the rebels and serve me as my loyal knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­What if I win?¡± Lacoon raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°For you, it would be strategically advantageous to capture me alive, but as you can see, that won¡¯t be easy. Capturing someone alive is much more difficult than killing them.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll surrender if you lose?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°Why should I believe that?¡±


    ¡°We can swear on our mana if you want.¡±


    Lacoon stared at Kireua. ¡°Swearing on our mana is unnecessary.¡±


    ¡°What, then?¡±


    ¡°Please swear on your father¡¯s name instead.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyebrow rose. Lacoon had definitely said that he looked up to the Emperor of Avalon more than anyone else, and judging by how he was willing to trust an oath made in the Emperor¡¯s name, it seemed that he wasn¡¯t lying.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know if I have any right to say this, but I won¡¯t disgrace his honor as his son. I won¡¯t make a fake promise.¡±


    ¡°That answer is good enough.¡± Lacoon straightened.


    -Your Highness, be careful! I heard about Wiesel den Adsarak. The Adsaraks are famous across the continent, right?


    Anna delivered a message through her wind elemental spirit using ¡°Elemental Spirit Whisper¡±, a technique that only a high-ranking elemental spirit mage could use. Kireua sent a reply using telepathy with his mana.


    -That is why he¡¯s perfect to test my ability.


    Kireua recalled what had happened in the south as he infused his mana in his sword. When he had gotten the chancest time, Selim had stepped in, so Kireua couldn¡¯t do anything. Besides, he hadn¡¯t known that Dargo rane Suspen, a continent-ss knight, would be killed that easily.


    -Tell me if you need help. I¡¯ll step in if things turn too dangerous.


    Kireua understood why she was concerned. That was Kireua¡¯s first time fighting against a continent-ss knight.


    The top ten knights of the Avalon Empire were ssified as continent-ss. Their ranks included the people with the Four Guardians¡¯ powers as well as Lacoon den Adsarak, the man in front of Kireua right now. Lacoon was officially the ninth strongest knight in the entirety of the Avalon Empire, so if Kireua won this fight, the whole empire would be flipped upside down.


    Kireua''s eyes widened because he suddenly felt his hands growing cold around his sword.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    Kireua wasn¡¯t mistaken¡ªhis hands were actually freezing.


    ¡°This fight was already over when you made contact with my sword,¡± Lacoon said. ¡°My mana has a tendency to permeate into whoever Ie in contact with, and it became stronger after I manifested the snow god¡¯s authority. My mana is the pr opposite of your mana of fire, Your Highness, so surrender. At this rate, your entire body will freeze.¡±


    Kireua btedly drew up his fire mana. cial ice and scarlet me¡ªit was a fight between two manas with totally different attributes, and Kireua was already half frozen before he could light his fire.


    ¡°I have to spare your life, so I¡¯ll be gentle.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit,¡± Kireua rudely cursed. If his enemy used extremely low-temperature ice as his power, then all Kireua had to do was melt the ice with even hotter fire. He so happened to have the ebon me, the hottest energy of all types of energy in the world.


    Lacoon flinched when the ck mes suddenly rose in front of him. More worryingly , the ice on Kireua quickly melted, and he blew away his hair stuck to his forehead. Lacoon¡¯s eyes spun with bewilderment.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you go gentle on your lover instead?[1]¡± Kireua replied with a smirk. Lacoon stiffened.


    ¡°His Majesty this, His Majesty that¡­ Do you know that you never called me by my name?¡± Kireua swung his sword as hard as he could toward Lacoon. ¡°Do I still look like just His Majesty¡¯s son right now?¡±


    1. Lacoon¡¯s previous line was ??? ??? ?????, and Kireua¡¯s reply was ??? ?? ????? ???. While ??? ?? can mean going easy on someone else, ?? can also mean to ejacte or plead. ?

 Side Story Chapter 41: (Teaser)

Side Story Chapter 41: (Teaser)


    We are fixing the error. Sorry to interrupt. Thank youn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Side Story Chapter 42

    Side Story Chapter 42


    The castle atop the mountain was more magnificent than any other ce Kireua had ever visited. The size of the mountain peak was thousands of square meters, making it practically the best fortress on the continent. The mountaintop provided a view of the entire western region of the Avalon Empire. Firing arrows from there would be enough to fend off any invader.


    Lacoon touched at the castle wall and a ck hole opened up.


    ¡°It¡¯s a secret passage known only to a very small number of people,¡± Lacoon exined.


    After eyeing the passage for a moment without saying anything, Kireua stepped forward.


    -Your Highness. You don''t seriously believe this ckhearted guy, do you?


    Anna''s message, delivered once again using Elemental Spirit Whisper, made Kireua smile faintly. Lacoon''s oath was based solely on words, and making an oath on one¡¯s mana was technically different from swearing on one¡¯s pride as a knight. This castle was already dangerous as there was no telling what kind of enemies would be waiting for Kireua, but he brought arade that could stab him in the back at any moment. However¡­


    -No matter what Lacoon den Adsarak does, he¡¯s no match for me.


    Upon hearing Kireua¡¯s confident response, Anna''s eyes widened and she quickly sent another message.


    -You must be the most confident man on the continent.


    * * *


    ¡°Emergency! Emmergeyyy!¡±


    Whistles blew and the rm bell sounds rang urgently less than ten minutes after Kireua and the others entered the castle.


    ¡°They finally noticed,¡± Kireua murmured.


    Lacoon quickened his steps. ¡°It¡¯s this way.¡±


    They hadn¡¯t run into anybody so far, meaning Lacoon had been guiding them in good faith.


    ¡°The castle consists of four floors, from the underground floor to the top. In case of emergencies, the protocol is for Marquess Turtler and the other executives to gather in the central chamber on the first floor,¡± Lacoon said.


    ¡°If that is true, most of their forces would be on the first floor.¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªthat is why right now is a golden opportunity to rescue Count Madrick.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship to Madrick?¡± Kireua asked as he walked.


    Lacoon hesitated for a moment before answering. ¡°¡­There are not many counts in the west; my father, Wiesel den Adsarak, and Count Madrick were both among their ranks. They were good friends.¡±


    ¡°That was why you heard Count Madrick badmouthing me.¡±


    ¡°I actually heard that from my father. He wasughing and telling the story as a joke.¡±


    ¡°Well, everyone knows I¡¯m not talented with spears.¡±


    Lacoon nced back at him. ¡°Maybe that¡¯s a good thing today."


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Marquess Turtler¡¯s sword is a splendid weapon¡ªdeserving to be called one of the Seven Fine Swords on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Kireua eximed.


    ¡°After my journey around the continent, I realized that although an expert doesn¡¯t me their tools, it¡¯s a different story when ites to the Seven Fine Swords. If you can fight like that with an ordinary sword, you¡¯ll be able to fight against someone who is one level stronger than you with one of the Swords.¡±


    Kireua was actually getting greedy. As long as he was a knight, he was bound to take interest in weapons.


    -Can I eat it?


    <em>¡®Eat what?¡¯</em> Kireua asked Coal.


    -This thing Kireua wants. I wanna eat that too!


    <em>¡®I seriously want to smack you in the head.¡¯ </em>Kireua grumbled from the bottom of his heart.


    Of course Coal couldn''t¡ªit was impossible.


    Kireua had determined three characteristics of Coal so far. One was that regardless of its attribute, the mana that Coal swallowed was recreated as a stronger aura. That was what happened to the ebon me and ebon wind. The second characteristic was that Kireua was the only one who could see Kireua. In that regard, Coal had no physical form. The third was rted to the aspect of good and evil. If Kireua assessed Coal based on what he had seen until now using ck-and-white logic, Coal belonged to thetter. It wasn¡¯t like Coal itself was an evil creature, but that was the conclusion Kireua reached based on Coal¡¯s food and habits.


    ¡°This is the entrance to the underground floor,¡± Lacoon quietly said.


    Their vicinity was as silent as a grave partially because the entrance they¡¯d used was located at a rtively secluded corner on the first floor, but it was mainly due to the fact that most of the enemy had headed to the central chamber ording to their emergency ns.


    ¡°Then shall we part ways here?¡± Anna asked.


    Lacoon frowned slightly. ¡°¡­Are you sure you¡¯ll be okay on your own?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®alone¡¯? Obviously, you should be my guide.¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you,¡± Anna answered as if that was a given.


    Lacoon¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°I need to be His Highness¡¯s guide.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about? It¡¯s you who asked us to save Count Madrick.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, wouldn¡¯t it be better to move together and save Count Madrick first?¡±


    Kireua shook his head without even pausing to consider it. ¡°Since my goal is to assassinate Marquess Turtler, my best chance is while everyone is still unsettled. Besides, I can¡¯t assassinate anyone if I¡¯m carrying a wounded person.¡±


    ¡°¡­You were serious about slitting Marquess Turtler¡¯s throat,¡± Lacoon nkly murmured.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a good liar.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go alone,¡± Anna interrupted, frustrated by the dy. ¡°You said that there¡¯s only one prisoner in the dungeon, right? Then there¡¯ll be fewer guards.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re right¡­¡± Lacoon trailed off.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s fine.¡± Anna waved her hand dismissively.


    Kireua immediately sent her a telepathic message.


    -Don¡¯t enter the dungeon right away. Find a hiding spot and wait for me.


    -Huh? Are you looking out for me right now?


    -You said that no one is trustworthy.


    Since Anna was an elemental spirit mage, fighting underground wasn¡¯t exactly her specialty. The space was narrow, so a knight would have the advantage. On top of that, she was going into a dark space she was not familiar with, and all sorts of traps could be in there. Kireua was aware of that, which made examine Lacoon with sharp eyes.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s split up here. If she¡¯s a high-ranking elemental mage, then you shouldn¡¯t have to worry about her that much. There are usually four guards on the underground floor, on rotating shifts,¡± Lacoon told Kireua.


    ¡°Come on; go ande back. I¡¯ll be waiting with Count Maverick by my side,¡± Anna pompously dered.


    Kireua nodded. Shortly after, Lacoon and Kireua walked away from the entrance, and Anna was already headed to the underground floor.


    ¡°¡­Lacoon,¡± Kireua called.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°How long has that been since you joined the western rebel army?¡±


    ¡°It was right after I returned from the Hubalt Empire¡­ so it¡¯s been over a year,¡± Lacoon replied.


    Lacoon moved quickly around the corner, staying close to the wall. They passed a long hallway and reached therge lobby on the first floor.


    ¡°¡­There are soldiers up ahead. It looks like we can¡¯t avoid them if we want to get to our destination.¡±


    Lacoon was right; there were hundreds of rebel soldiers¡ªat least¡ªin neat lines. Kireua could hear their conversations if he paid attention.


    ¡°What is all this ruckus about?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, a corpse assumed to be Sir Guiltine¡¯s was found at the entrance to the mountaintop.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°He isn¡¯t the only one. The headless corpses of Jack, Conrad, and the other guards on the night shift were also found at the foot of the mountain¡­¡±


    ¡°What kind of a maniac did such a thing?!¡±


    Naturally, none of them thought it was arge-scale raid by the enemy since the guard on the top of the castle would have noticed something like that.


    ¡°Let¡¯s catch our breath,¡± Kireua suggested.


    ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t we give up? No matter how hard I think about it, this is too reckless.¡±


    ¡°By the way, shall we resume our conversation from earlier?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lacoon tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Why did the head of the prestigious Adsarak Family surrender to the rebels?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡±


    ¡°Do the rebels have something on you?¡± Kireua asked.


    One of Lacoon¡¯s eyebrows twitched, and Kireua¡¯s sharp eyes didn¡¯t miss the subtle response.


    ¡°It also happened in the south. The rebels held the soldier and knights¡¯ families hostage, so they had no choice but to follow the rebels¡¯ orders. If the knights and soldiers defied them, their families might have been killed.¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly talking about that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Most of the knights who said that betrayed me on my way over here.¡±


    Lacoon''s eyes widened.


    Kireua, who was standing behind Lacoon, quickly struck the back of Lacoon¡¯s neck with a knife-hand strike. With a short yet heavy <em>smack!</em> Lacoon¡¯s eyes lost focus.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go alone from here on, so why don¡¯t you sleep for a moment? Even if they find you, they wouldn¡¯t know you betrayed them, so it doesn¡¯t matter, right?¡±


    ¡°Ho¡­ w¡­?¡±


    Lacoon¡¯s response was ¡°How?¡± not ¡°Why?¡±


    A bitter smile spread across Kireua¡¯s face. ¡°There¡¯s one thing my mother always said ever since I was a boy: I have to be even more doubtful and keep my eyes open if I¡¯m close to someone and they¡¯re smiling.¡±


    One of the reasons why the Pontier Family had suffered such a devastating fall was the betrayal of someone Kireua¡¯s mother trusted. She trusted and loved her people very much, and the person she had particrly trusted was Count Cox ron Bagen, who had been a father figure to her during her childhood. However, Cox and the others had turned their backs on her and her father, Duke Pontier, had been driven to the verge of death, goading the nearby hyenas to attack the Pontier Family.


    ¡°I¡¯m different from His Majesty and my mother. You joined my side too easily,¡± Kireua murmured.


    Lacoon lost consciousness and copsed on the floor.


    ¡°Your request to save the original lord of this region and find His Majesty must have been an attempt to earn my trust.¡±


    However, Kireua wasn¡¯t going to criticize Lacoon for that because he could tell what Lacoon¡¯s reasons were, considering a simr incident had taken ce in the south. Nothing was clearly known about what had happened to the Adsaraks after the civil war broke out. Even Kireua had only found out that Lacoon den Adsarak was with the rebels after arriving in the west, but for the other Adsaraks¡­


    ¡°If I had been Marquess Turtler, the first thing I would do when nning a rebellion is to eliminate potential trouble. Using Wiesel den Adsarak, the vanished, previous Count of Adsarak, and your other family members, Marquess Turtler would have forced you to swear loyalty to him,¡± Kireua surmised.


    At least the hatred in Lacoon¡¯s eyes was genuine when Marquess Turtler had been mentioned.


    ¡°Maybe he made you swear on your mana.¡±


    If Kireua¡¯s assumption was true, he might really get a fine subordinate this time. A mana oath was a pledge one made to the god in their mana. Viting such an oath would result in the loss of all the mana they had umted until then, but if the recipient of the oath was gone¡­


    ¡°¡­Obviously, the oath is nullified.¡± Kireua smiled mischievously. ¡°Wait here and see¡ªI¡¯ll make you own up to me for trying to deceive me. I¡¯ll enve you until the day you die.¡±


    He slowly seeped into the shadows on the ceiling. Quiet and secret, unnoticed by anyone.

 Side Story Chapter 43

    Side Story Chapter 43


    The Darkness Emperor, Aisha Sestropi, was one of the brilliant Nine Stars of this generation, and she was exactly who Kireua had learned his stealth technique from. The mechanism of her technique was simple: in order to use a stealth technique, assassins had to know how to utilize the nearby terrain features like trees, rocks, and pirs. The key point of stealth was blending into the environment without being detected.


    But what if the area didn¡¯t have any of those features? The typical example would be a bedroom, where most of the assassinations in history had taken ce. Except for nobles that liked to decorate their rooms, it wasmon for a bedroom to have only a lone bed in the center.


    The more power they had, the more cautionary measures like this they took to prepare for assassination attempts. In times like this, assassins used the exterior features of the building, like roofs and windows, since the security on the outside of a building was more vulnerable than the inside of the building.


    On top of that, people with power preferred higher floors as they felt satisfaction from looking down at the world from their windows, but they couldn¡¯t put guards outside a fourth-floor wall. Of course, such difficulties affected assassins, too. After avoiding numerous guards, an assassin would have to climb up a high wall. One would have to have the body of an intermediate expert-level knight and a more advanced mastery of stealth techniques to give that a try.


    That was why¡­


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯m a born natural assassin. Teacher Aisha told me to be an assassin for a good reason,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Aisha¡¯s shadow mobilization technique was quite unfair because it allowed him to hide anywhere with the slightest trace of a shadow, regardless of the nearby terrain. Aisha had told Kireua to not obsess over spears anymore because she was willing to teach him every technique she knew.


    However, Kireua had instantly turned down the offer at the time, and he still didn¡¯t regret his decision. A prince of an empire bing an assassin was outrageous, although it might be a different story if that was the prince¡¯s secretive hobby.


    <em>¡®Although I¡¯m very certain I can make my ends meet if I be an assassin right now.¡¯</em>


    He already surpassed the physical level of a ss A Knight, and his stealth techniques were good¡ªcertified by Aisha herself. Even in the past, she had said that Kireua would be able to reach the level where she had been when her title was ¡°Assassin King¡± if he trained for about ten more years.


    After over a decade, Kireua had given up on using spearspletely and focused on training his swordcraft and stealth techniques. Therefore, he was sure that he could slit a king¡¯s throat without alerting anyone, much less the head of a rebel army. It was needless to say how ordinary soldiers would respond.


    <em>¡®¡­I knew it. I can¡¯t see theirmanders,¡¯</em> Kireua observed.


    The hundreds of knights in the lobby still didn¡¯t notice anything even when Kireua snuck into the central chamber¡¯s open doors using the ceiling. The problem was that Kireua couldn¡¯t see the rebelmanders in the chamber either.


    <em>¡®So I was right. The pledge Lacoon den Adsarak made to me was fake.¡¯</em>


    The air around the people in the chamber alone was enough to know that they were the most elite knights in the west. Their conversation made Kireua feel yet more certain.


    ¡°Everyone, listen! We, the Red Turtle Knights, have received the opportunity to distinguish ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Captain! Is that true that the crazy Second Prince snuck into the castle?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the idiot Adsarak himself left a mark, so we will capture him by any means necessary before the ck Turtler Knights return from the bottom of the mountain.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bastard. Where does he think he is right now? Hehehe, Captain! From what I heard, the Second Prince is fabulous-looking, thanks to his mother. Can I get a taste of him after we capture him?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care as long as you don¡¯t kill him. Bring him before Lord Turtler with his head still attached to his neck.¡±


    ¡°A bona-fide sex toy for all of us then! Hahahaha!¡±


    The unbearably degenerate conversation made Kireua¡¯s blood boil with murderlust. However, something else was bugging him¡ªfor some reason, the knights¡¯ eyes were hazy. In fact, the whites of their eyes were slightly reddened.


    <em>¡®¡­Why does it feel like something is off?¡¯</em>


    Kireua had discerned several pieces of information from their conversation: the best knights in the western rebel army were the ck Turtle Knights, who were currently at the bottom of the mountain, so those knights in the chamber seemed to be some sort of an auxiliary knight order assembled for a certain purpose. The second piece of information he had found out was that the knights in the chamber moved too coarsely and disorderly to call them knights. It was as if they were high on drugs¡­


    ¡°¡­Drugs?¡± Kireua''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Everyone, scatter and find him! There might be more than one intruder, so you¡¯re allowed to move in a group. But you won¡¯t be able to take the prey all to yourself. Think wisely before you move.¡±


    ¡°Wooooaaahhh! Captain, how can you say such a thing?! We already came to an agreement, you know.¡±


    ¡°Are you an idiot? The Captain is acting like that because he knows us too well. Man, he¡¯s an expert in controlling beasts!¡±


    One of the knights repeatedly smashed his fist into a wall in uncontained excitement, but whenever he did, a deep dent was left in the stone.


    <em>¡®A human can¡¯t do that.¡¯ </em>Kireua¡¯s face darkened.


    There were myriad kinds of drugs on the continent. Among them were aphrodisiacs for pleasure and drugs used during wars. In terms of effects, the drugs of thetter case were simr to Marquess Dargo¡¯s authority of the White Tiger, which temporarily allowed a human to forget their instinctive fear by amplifying the endorphins in their body. But that was an authority¡ªbeing under the influence of an authority didn¡¯t waste the body, unlike the war drugs.


    ¡°Ah, fuck! Watch where you¡¯re going!¡±


    ¡°What? You stepped on your own foot! I know there are people who get angry at their own mistakes, but why are you mad at me?¡±


    ¡°Did anyone point a sword at you to make you stand in my way or something, you moron?¡±


    ¡°Alright, I don¡¯t care about the prince anymore. Let me kill you first.¡±


    It was mayhem. Were those people really worthy of their title as knights? The sole drive of the men in the chamber was madness, but their so-called captain didn¡¯t even try to stop them. In fact, he seemed used to it.


    The two knights¡¯ quarrel wasing to a head. One of them got punched in the face with a mighty <em>thwack!</em> like a great drumbeat, and was blown away into the corner of the chamber.


    ¡°Tsk, you¡¯re nothing.¡±


    The knight that threw the punch was powerful enough to create dents in the stone walls, so Kireua was a little concerned. However, it turned out he was worrying about nothing.


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± The attacked knight sprang up from the corner.


    He was in horrible shape. The area below his right eye was noticeably dented¡ªit almost looked as if his eye was going to pop out.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes slowly widened in astonishment.


    New flesh quickly rose up in the knight¡¯s dented right cheek, and his other wounds were recovering.


    Kiruea gaped nkly. <em>¡®Self-regeneration¡­?¡¯</em>


    Their iprehensible madness, superhuman strength, and ability to recover critical injuries in mere moments¡­ In all the vastnds of the continent, only two kinds of creatures possessed such abilities: one was a troll, a high-ranking monster, and the other was a demon who looked exactly like a human.


    <em>¡®No way. Are they using demonic power?¡¯</em>


    Kireua was certain they were. Since the previous emperor of the Avalon Empire had signed a contract with the Demon Spirit, there were rtively many detailed records about demons and demonic power in the Imperial Pce. The conclusion was obvious.


    <em>¡®Marquess Turtler¡­!¡¯</em> Kireua gritted his teeth.


    The knights forgot about their orders and were cheering rowdily over the violence unfolding nearby.


    Turtler had been the first one to start a rebellion and was very sure about his victory. Kireua could now understand the reason behind his confidence.


    Although Kireua had heard very often that Turtler was a very cruel man, how could he do such a thing to his knights?! Demonic power ate a human up and ultimately would make them lose their mind. No human should do this to a fellow human being.


    ¡°Fight! Hahaha! I¡¯m on the side of whoever wins!¡±


    ¡°Huh? I think they¡¯re getting tired. Why doesn¡¯t the loser be a bottom? It¡¯ll be a great motivator.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, you sick bastards. Do you think everyone is gay like you? Many of us like women!¡±


    ¡°Then the loser brings a girl for the winner.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re at the top of a mountain. Where are we supposed to find a woman?¡±


    ¡°So what. If the loser can¡¯t find anyone, he¡¯ll hand over his wife!¡±


    Kireua was genuinely torn. If such lunatics were released into the outside world, it wouldn¡¯t be just the national army who got hurt. There was a high possibility that these madmen would ignore the unwrittenw to not cause harm to civilians.


    In fact, Kireua had thought that there was something weird about the whole situation. Why would Turtler bother to coop twenty percent of his army up in this mountain? After seeing those twenty percent, Kireua realized that Turtler didn¡¯t want the rest of the world to find out about these madmen. Maybe Turtler had a special n for them¡ªto turn the tide of a battle by making them appear in the most dramatic moment. Kireua had to stop that from happening.


    The problem was that Kireua¡¯s assassination attempt would fail if he revealed himself here. The knights were obviously going to surround him, and more of them woulde over time. It was a very risky move, but Kireua had to do it.


    Kireua prepared to loosen his grip on the ceiling¡­


    -Kireua! Can I eat them?!


    <em>¡®¡­.What?¡¯</em> Kireua asked dumbfounded.


    -Kireua is good! You¡¯re a good boy who keeps his promise!


    <em>¡®Wait a minute. What do you mean, ¡®eat them¡¯? There¡¯s no food for you around here.¡¯</em> Kireua frowned.


    -Why not? Everything I can see right now is food.


    Coal appeared on Kireua¡¯s shoulder, slurping up his drool. Kireua followed Coal¡¯s gaze and his eyes widened.


    <em>¡®Wait¡­?¡¯</em>


    -Ahhhhhhh! I can¡¯t wait anymore!


    Coal¡¯s eyes turned red and the ck cotton ball became five times bigger than usual. Then Coal dropped on the floor on its own, creating an audible thud.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Of course there was no way the knights could see Coal. Nevertheless, the knight who was standing the closest to Coal felt something strange and tilted his head in confusion.


    -I¡¯m. Going. To. Eat. Everything. Inside. These. Humans.


    Kireua tensed. It was the first time he heard Coal speaking like that.


    -Thank you for the meal!

 Side Story Chapter 44

    Side Story Chapter 44


    Just as there were Four Guardians, there were gods in the Angel and Demon Realms too. Their powers had ended up in the Human Realm and were dubbed ¡°authorities¡±. However, no one with the powers of Seven Deadly Sins, which originally belonged to the Seven Demon Kings, had ever made an appearance in the world yet. Those authorities had been veiled in mystery¡­


    -Ahhhhhhh!


    Coal¡¯s mouth yawned cavernously creating a ck hole in the air. The Red Turtler Knights froze.


    ¡°Wh-What is this?¡±


    ¡°I just felt goosebumps¡­¡±


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    The first knight that responded was the one whose face had been dented earlier, perhaps because he had used a lot of his power to recover. He opened his mouth and let out a horrible scream.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­. Arggghhhh!¡± A cloud of ck smoke rose up from the knight¡¯s head¡ªbut that was just the beginning.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°I fe-feel like my head is going to explod¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What¡­ is this¡­?!¡±


    Just as Kireua expected, the ck smoke was demonic power. Given the sheer size of the continent, there must have been someone who had acquired an authority rted to the Demon Realm. Many of the knights in the Hubalt Empire had manifested authorities from the Angel Realm.


    However, no one with an authority rted to the Demon Realm had shown themselves to the world because of one reason: in every era, anything or anyone that was rted to demons or demonic power was treated as a fugitive by the entire continent. With the recent history of Avalon, the tendency only got stronger in the current generation.


    The most and second-most powerful people of the Empire had lost their souls and were almost robbed of their minds. If that hadn¡¯t been for the hero named Joshua Sanders, the current Avalon Empire may have been called the Empire of Demons now.


    The very idea made Kireua clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh.


    No, that was because of the scene unfolding in front of him. Coal kept on swallowing the ck demonic powering from the Red Turtler Knights.


    <em>¡®Coveting the Demon Spirit and feeding on demonic power¡­ Coal must be rted to the Demon Realm.¡¯</em>


    Judging from Coal¡¯s abilities, there was a high possibility that Coal was one of the highest-ranking beings of the Demon Realm. Like the Seven Demon Kings, who were known for theirbat power¡­


    -I¡¯m full!


    Coal¡¯s feast finally came to an end. The ck bundle, now as big as a house, bounced up and down, licking its lip.


    ¡°What are you all doing? You guys suddenly stopped moving.¡±


    However, there was one person whose mind was sound¡ªthat was the captain of the Red Turtler Knights. Aside from him, every knight was nkly staring into the middle distance as if their souls had exited their bodies.


    <em>¡®Demonic power and mana are pr opposites of each other. Since their mana halls are contaminated, these people need demonic power to survive, but Coal ate all their sources of life¡­¡¯</em>


    Kireua broke away from his thoughts and dropped from the ceiling.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the captain demanded.


    Kireua came to a decision. These people weren¡¯t humans anymore, so he needed to exterminate them before they went out to the world and run amok.


    ¡°Identify yourself!¡± the captain insisted.


    ¡°The person you guys were looking for.¡±


    TThe captain''s eyes widened. ¡°The Se-Second Prince¡­?¡±


    ¡°I answered your question, so I hope you can answer mine.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°Did the western rebel army ally with a demon?¡± Kireua asked.


    It was said that silence was as good as yes; in this situation, that was good enough for Kireua.


    ¡°You crazy bastards,¡± he muttered. ¡°You sold your subordinates¡¯ souls for power?¡±


    ¡°¡­Keep your fantasy to yourself, Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Judging from your state alone, I can tell that none of the higher-ups have escaped the effects of demonic power.¡±


    ¡°Stop your nonsense!¡± the captain shouted. He threw himself at Kireua.


    Kireua regarded him coldly. This was a problem¡ªif the rest of the continent found out about this incident, they would point fingers. Avalon would really be known as the Empire of Demons.


    The captain¡¯s sword shed against Kireua¡¯s, scattering fragments of aura everywhere. Living up to his title as the Red Turtler Knights¡¯ captain, he was as physically strong as a ss A knight¡ªbut he was definitely weaker than Lacoon had been when he fought Kireua earlier.


    ¡°Hup!¡± the captain gasped in surprise when Kireua deflected his attack away with a powerful parry. He staggered backward, numbness radiating off of his fingertips.


    ¡°Up until now, I gave most of my enemies a second chance because they¡¯re all citizens of the Avalon Empire,¡± Kireua quietly said. ¡°But there is a line you shouldn¡¯t cross, and you and the other rebels in the west are well past it.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face darkened. His aura intensified. Right now, he didn¡¯t need to seek help from Coal, who was burping in the corner.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just a cat born from a tiger by mistake, not a tiger. Do you really think you¡¯re the same as your father? Don¡¯t be cocky!¡± the captain howled.


    The captain¡¯s sword hummed with a strength that eclipsed anything he had shown before. He was pouring all his mana into the sword right now. He instinctively knew that the current situation was rted to Kireua.


    The knight catapulted forward, the ground exploding under his feet and leaving the floor in ruins behind him. He moved like one with his sword¡ªin fact, he was so fast that it looked like there were two of him now.


    Kireua¡¯s countermeasure was truly simple. He used the fuller of his sword to deflect the captain¡¯s attack away from him with a little <em>ding</em>. Timing, distance, uracy¡­ if Kireua had made a mistake in any of those areas, he would have been immediately eviscerated, but he pulled it off with ease.


    He didn¡¯t stop there; using the momentum after the collision in his sword¡¯s fuller, Kireua rotated into a sh.


    ¡°Urgghhh¡­!¡± Blood bubbled out of the captain¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°An ordinary ss A knight is no match for me now,¡± Kireua quietly noted.


    The captain¡¯s headless corpse fell to the floor a beatter.


    Kireua took a look around and saw that the Red Turtler Knights were in the same state as before. Their eyes were nk, and their mouths were wide open and drooling; they were definitely not in a normal condition.


    The creature that had done such fearsome work was stroking its belly with its newly created hands.


    -Yummy! Yummy! Yummy!


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡± Kireua mumbled.


    -Kireua, I think I got stronger!


    The more powerful Coal became, the stronger Kireua became. However, he didn¡¯t feel great about it at all. Even one of the highest-ranking demons couldn¡¯t indiscriminately absorb another demon¡¯s demonic power like that, which meant that, based on the information Kireua had been gathering, there was a high possibility that Coal¡¯s ability was rted to the Seven Deadly Sins¡ª particrly gluttony or greed.


    <em>¡®If Coal¡¯s ability is really from one of the Seven Deadly Sins, then I should cut ties with Coal right now,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    He had heard about the stories of the previous emperor and the Dark God¡¯s deaths a thousand times. Their greed and their lust for revenge had ended in the annihtion of their souls. Of course, the demon they had signed a contract with was the Demon Spirit, but it didn¡¯t look like a power of sin¡ªthe demon kings¡¯ power¡ªwas going to bring about a different result.


    ¡°Argh¡­ Ahhhhhhh!¡±


    Just then, one of the knights suddenly screamed, his bloodshot eyes bulging.


    Kireua''s eyes widened.


    The nearby knights also went berserk, one after another, as if his scream was a trigger.


    ¡°Urrrghhhhh!¡±


    ¡°M-My head¡­! My head is going to explo¡ª Arggghhhh!¡±


    Kireua had no time to hesitate anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to take care of this area first.¡±


    The outside was too quiet even though the lobby was full of soldiers. If they had scattered to search the nearby area, then they would find out what happened here. Kireua had toe to a decision, soon.


    ¡°¡­I have no other choice,¡± Kireua mumbled, his eyes filled with murderous intent.


    * * *


    ¡°Inside the castle! Go, quickly!


    One thousand ck Turtle Knights had just returned from the foot of the mountain to the castle. The bell at the top of the castle was still ringing loudly. The knights were furious at the idea that they might have been fooled.


    ¡°Hup! Why are the knights here¡­?¡±


    However, the ck Turtle Knights were forced to a halt because they ran into the soldiersing out from the castle¡¯s main gate. The soldiers had extended their search to the outside when they hadn¡¯t been able to find anything suspicious on the inside.


    ¡°Si-Sir Lacoon is over here, but he¡¯s unconscious!¡±


    The air abruptly changed. Although the soldiers hadn¡¯t intended it, the path was blocked. The ck Turtler Knights gritted their teeth.


    ¡°Those idiots! We don¡¯t have time! Get out of our way!¡±


    ¡°T-To where¡­?¡±


    ¡°Gahhh! Listen, ck Turtle Knights! Kill everyone in your way!¡±


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Despite how shocking the order was, the knights followed it dutifully.


    ¡°Arggghh!¡±


    ¡°Do-Don¡¯t kill¡ª!¡±


    ¡°G-Go back! The enemy is still in the castle!¡±


    The terrified soldiers turned around in panic.


    It was pandemonium. The knights forced their way in while the soldiers hurriedly retraced their steps. When the ck Turtle Knights entered the castlepletely, they quickly got into formation.


    ¡°Wait, where are the Red Turtler Knights?¡± the vice-captain of the ck Turtle Knights asked.


    ¡°Come to think of it, we haven¡¯t seen any of them!¡±


    ¡°¡­The central chamber,¡± the vice-captain murmured.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Split into two groups! One will go to the central chamber and the rest of you will head to the inner keep where Lord Turtler is! Quick!¡± the vice-captainmanded. He headed to the central chamber, which was closer.


    But when he got there, he went still as a statue. ¡°Wh-what is this¡­?¡±


    A shocking sight awaited him inside the chamber.


    ¡°A-All their hearts have been pierced.¡±


    Despite the fact that there had been two hundred Red Turtler Knights in here, there was not a single survivor inside the chamber. The vice-captain¡¯s lip trembled while he examined their corpses because only their hearts had been pierced¡ªthere were no other wounds on them. Yet, that wasn¡¯t even the most shocking thing.


    The vice-captain gaped at them. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ impossible.¡±


    Judging from the traces on the corpses, it seemed that there was only one invader, but he had single handedly killed the western rebel army¡¯s hidden ace. If something also happened to theirmanders¡­


    ¡°¡­One person will be the end of us all,¡± the vice-captain murmured. He had to stop that from happening no matter what.

 Side Story Chapter 45

    Side Story Chapter 45


    Meanwhile, Anna was headed to the dungeon alone. She also didn¡¯t trust Lacoon from the very beginning, but she still went anyway for a single, simple reason.


    ¡°I really can¡¯t contain my curiosity,¡± Anna muttered.


    She had be the foster daughter of a member of the Imperial Family of the Swallow Empire, but she had returned to Avalon for a simr reason. She had been born and raised in the Avalon Empire, so she wanted to know the wellbeing of the people she used to know there and if anything had changed in the Empire.


    Above all, if there were traps in the underground floor, Anna would be able to prove a good point to Kireua¡ªthat she was the only one who was trustworthy.


    ¡°Hahaha, you¡¯ve been blessed, Your Highness. Try scouring the world and see if there¡¯s a woman who can assist you better than I can.¡± Anna hummed as she descended the stairs.


    She arrived at a long hallway with a single entrance at the end. Since Anna could use her wind to detect presences, she could be sure that no one was there. After several attempts, she was certain that there was no one alive anywhere in the underground¡ª


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Anna¡¯s eyes widened. Beyond the door, she suddenly discovered a single presence that was both faint and vivid at the same time. The contradictory sensation stopped her dead in her tracks.


    ¡°He¡¯s really here?¡± she nkly murmured.


    Lacoon den Adsarak had said that the castle¡¯s original lord was alive and locked up in the dungeon. Judging from what happened upstairs, Anna could understand why there wasn¡¯t a single guard around here. The noble lord was dying, so there was a slim chance of him escaping, and he had no value as a hostage.


    ¡°Should I save him or not¡­?¡±


    Despite what she said, Anna strode forward and opened up the door without hesitation. The hinges squealed unpleasantly as it swung.


    The first thing Anna noticed was the moldy smell of the dark dungeon, but Anna¡¯s eyes were glued to the person locked up behind the thick iron bars.


    ¡°This is not exactly the best neighborhood to move around with luggage,¡± Anna said, tilting her head thoughtfully.


    Anna currently had one goal: make Kireua the emperor. Although the Second Prince had promised that her life would be spared, there was no telling how the situation would change once the Emperor of the Avalon returned.


    In that regard, anyone could be the next emperor right now. The two princes had worked together to reim the southern region, so both of the princes could take half of the credit. Therefore, it came down to who reached the north first after reiming their assigned region, the east or the west, respectively.


    However, winning a war wasn¡¯t the only requirement for bing the emperor. The next emperor needed to bepassionate enough to not turn his back on his nobles in times of trouble.


    ¡°Gosh, this is why I¡¯m the only one for him. Joshua Sanders, I¡¯m sorry, but you won¡¯t have a seat in the Pce even if you return because I¡¯m nning to have your son wrapped around my finger.¡±


    Anna was grinning as she arrived in front of the cell and created a flurry of wind des. The iron bars were destroyed as if they were made of tofu. Nevertheless, the person inside didn¡¯t budge.


    ¡°Hey, mister. Are you alive?¡± Anna asked.


    The person didn¡¯t answer.


    Anna tilted her head. ¡°I went through a lot of trouble to get here, so I hope you¡¯re not going to waste my efforts¡­¡±


    The withered prisoner slowly raised his head.


    ¡°Grrrrrrr.¡±


    Anna ''s eyes widened. It sounded like an animal¡¯s growl. The man¡¯s eyes shone in red light, and when he opened his mouth, Anna wsa struck by the reek of a rotten corpse. Her questions were answered.


    ¡°¡­The old saying is right. I should have listened to my hubby.[1] ¡±


    * * *


    Committing a massacre didn¡¯t stop Kireua for a moment. People with power usually liked high ces, so the rebel leaders must be upstairs too¡­


    ¡°It seems there is an invader inside the castle.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s the Second Prince?¡±


    ¡°If so, then it¡¯s perfect. I don¡¯t know what his goal is, but he¡¯s walked into his grave.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be so dismissive. Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor, is by the Second Prince¡¯s side.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s with the Prince right now. I just received intel that the Combat Emperor showed up at the border where our main force is.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s a big problem too!¡±


    When Kireua reached the end of the third floor, he could hear the rebel leaders¡¯ entire conversation. He quickly approached them while blending into the darkness to avoid detection.


    <em>¡®¡­There are seven of them, but they¡¯re strong. They all know how to use their mana,¡¯</em> Kireua mumbled in his mind.


    He focused his mana into his eyes. This technique he had recently learned was very versatile. All living beings had their own mana flows, and Kireua could see them¡ªand kill them. He could vividly feel the energies of the people behind the door.


    <em>¡®The person in the deepest part of the room has so much mana that I can¡¯t guarantee my victory against him, so that would probably be Marquess Turtler, the head of the western rebel army.¡¯</em> Kireua analyzed.


    Meanwhile, the conversation continued.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know who the invader is, but if they escape the castle, we have a problem. They must have found out about the force we¡¯ve been raising in secret.¡±


    ¡°Lord Turtler, I believe it¡¯s time for you to make a decision.¡±


    ¡°I agree. The fight in the south has concluded, and the north army has mobilized all of their forces further north. The armies that are still functional are us and the east.¡±


    ¡°The most efficient technique in arge-scale war with many parties involved is to turn one enemy against another. That¡¯s the method that we had been using until now, but since things havee to this, I believe it¡¯s time to change the whole n.¡±


    The conversation was mainly among the six rebel leaders; Turtler, who was in the top seat, hadn¡¯t said a word until he suddenly asked, ¡°What do you think the chances are of the east army winning against the national army?¡±


    ¡°Dargo rane Suspen died much more easily than we''d expected, and it was Selim Sanders the First Prince that pulled it off.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point,¡± Turtler said brusquely.


    ¡°The eyewitnesses say that Selim Sanders is as powerful as Joshua Sander was when he was the First Prince¡¯s age. Considering that, I dare say it¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance.¡±


    They were basically saying that one hero would determine the oue of the war¡ªbut their conversation wasn¡¯t over yet.


    ¡°Then how about us?¡± Turtler asked


    ¡°Are you asking about our forces at the border?¡±


    ¡°Including the one in the castle.¡±


    ¡°¡­Since the Combat Emperor is there now, the best they can do is hold out, but that alone is only possible when you participate in the battle yourself. However, if we reveal our hidden elite force to the world¡­ our chances of winning are over ny percent.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold because he now knew that the rebels weren¡¯t bluffing, as shocking as it sounded. In fact, he had seen what they had done with his own eyes. Once humans were possessed by demonic power, they were no longer humans. Even if two knights were in the same ss, the one possessed by demonic power would be several times stronger than the other, just like a knight benefitting from the effects of Suspen¡¯s authority of the White Tiger.


    On top of that, their overall physical abilities increased drastically. In contrast to mana, which was about coexisting, the sole purpose of demonic power was destruction, making it iparably more lethal than mana.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a little too early to reveal them?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s right. The initial reason why we made demonkin wasn¡¯t just to conquer Avalon. After conquering this Empire, we have to branch out to the rest of the continent in the future.¡±


    ¡°Such is the history of rebellion. Once the ruler of a country changes, chaos inevitably befalls it; in order to quell the people¡¯s discontentment, we need to direct the citizens¡¯ attention outside of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°But we have to take over this Empire before doing any of that. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to even dream about conquering the country.¡±


    Kireua swallowed nervously. It was clear that Kireua himself would have had difficulties winning the fights without Coal. How many hidden troops were there?


    However, he had another question. For ordinary people to be possessed by that much demonic power, then their demon host should be nearby¡­


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    The atmosphere inside the room suddenly tensed.


    Kireua''s eyes widened when he heard the new voice. The number of the radiant mana flows he could see beyond the door was still seven. Nothing had changed.


    <em>¡®Are there eight of them¡­?¡¯</em> Kireua was bewildered¡ªbut he didn¡¯t have long to worry about it.


    ¡°We have a rat,¡± the voice mumbled.


    The exploded outward, its fragments scattering everywhere. Kireua held his breath, but the person the eight voice belonged to was looking right in his direction.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Kireua mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°Surprising. I didn¡¯t expect a human¡¯s stealth technique to be this good. I thought Belial¡¯s a good assassin, but you¡¯re as good as him.¡±


    Kireua dropped down from the ceiling. ¡°Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Marbas.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing your name.¡±


    ¡°In my realm, I was also called Demon King of Gluttony.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened. ¡°Yo-You¡¯re the Demon King of Gluttony?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    It didn¡¯t seem that Marbas was lying, but his next remark erased every single trace of doubt in Kireua¡¯s mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the one asking the questions this time: what is that thing on top of your shoulder? It looks like the demonic power I detected belongs to it.¡±


    Coal had returned to its original size and was stroking its belly on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulder. If Marbas could see Coal, then he must be a demon.


    ¡°His appearance¡­ Is he really the Second Prince?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s nuts. I didn¡¯t really expect him toe here on his own.¡±


    Kireua didn¡¯t pay attention to the other people. His entire focus was on Marbas, the man covered in ck clothes who had introduced himself as the Demon King of Gluttony.


    Kireua actually felt relieved. After finding out that he had zero talent in the spear, he had put his blood, sweat, and tears into training his stealth techniques and swordcraft. If the presence Marbas had detected was Coal¡¯s, not Kireua¡¯s¡­


    <em>¡®...I have a chance in this fight.¡¯</em>


    Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent. He had one target, so there was one secret technique that his teacher, Aisha Sestropi, the Darkness Emperor, had taught him that would be perfect. With this most advanced technique, reality temporarily became an illusion while illusion became reality. By traveling from shadow to shadow, his enemies wouldn¡¯t be able to see him, use their other senses to track him down, or detect his presence.


    Darkness Emperor Secret Technique Number Three¡ªShadow Exchange.


    Kireuay vanished like smoke and reappeared right behind the top seat of the room. No one responded, not even the Demon King. For now, Kireua would take care of the head of the enemies first.


    Kireua swung his sword like lightning toward Turtler¡¯s neck.


    1. There is a term called ·ò³ª‹DëS, which means it¡¯s the right move for the married couple for a husband to make a decision and a wife follows the decision. The term originated from the Chinese poem named Thousand Character ssic. Since the literal term is a bit patriarchal, the term is now used to refer to a happily married couple who are good partners to each other. ?

 Side Story Chapter 46

    Side Story Chapter 46


    Kireua stopped his sword an inch away from Marquess Turtler¡¯s carotid artery and said, ¡°Everyone, freeze.¡±


    The rebels and the demon that had introduced himself as the Demon King of Gluttony btedly turned around.


    ¡°The more I look at him, the more surprising he is,¡± Marbas mused.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you one question, so answer it.¡±


    The murmuring died down, and Marbas nodded on behalf of all of them. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to do in this country?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking the obvious. Wasn¡¯t the goal of every rebellion ever to overthrow the existing government and be the new rulers?¡±


    ¡°I saw the knights possessed by demonic power,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°That¡¯s also a means to our goal.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent, his sword ready to slit Turtler¡¯s neck any moment. ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer that yourself, Marquess Turtler? No matter how much you want power, How could you take a demon¡¯s hand?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gravely mistaken about one thing,¡± Marbas interrupted.


    ¡°I asked Marquess Turtler.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who made the offer. It was them, the citizens of your empire.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°They want to build an empire of demons and rule over the entire continent.¡±


    ¡°You lunatics.¡±


    ¡°They have a specific n after winning the civil war. After decades, the Masters¡¯ Battle is going to resume. So that is where they¡¯ll start.¡±


    ¡°The Masters¡¯ Battle? Wait, you¡¯re going after Reinhardt¡­?¡± Kireua¡¯s face darkened.


    Continental War had taken ce about two decades ago, before Kireua had been born. The current Emperor of Avalon had knocked down two of the Skies of that generation.


    Reinhardt was a strategically important city, so the other two empires had formed an alliance to take it but had repeatedly betrayed each other. That was how important the free city was.


    However, the prominent hero named Joshua Sanders had put an end to the Continental War, and Reinhardt had be hisnd and his only. After about two decades, the city had naturally be part of Avalon¡ªbut not anymore. The one and only king of Reinhardt had disappeared over a decade ago, so it was actually a bitte to talk about resuming the Masters¡¯ Battle.


    In the Hubalt Empire, which had be far stronger than it was at the time of the Continental War, the emperor imed that since Reinhardt¡¯s one and only king was gone, a new ruler of Reinhardt should be selected in ordance with historical tradition: a Masters¡¯ Battle.


    Aside from the Martial God, no one should be recognized as the king of Reinhardt without winning a Masters¡¯ Battle. The same applied to Joshua Sanders¡¯ children, who couldn¡¯t keep their country in one piece, the leaders of the Hubalt Empire and other countries imed. Since it was for the sake of their countries, they would never back down unless the Emperor of Avalon himself appeared to refute them.


    ¡°That is why you¡¯re going to loose demonkin on the other countries? Have you truly lost your minds?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Who decided that demonic power is evil in the first ce?¡± Marbas demanded.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°It was none other than you humans. You call that divine power holy and praise the people who wield it, but if you take a closer look, these two powers aren¡¯t that different from one another.¡±


    ¡°What are you gibbering about?¡±


    Since Kireua had no prior experience with demonic and divine powers, he really couldn¡¯t understand what Marbas was talking about.


    ¡°Some people believe that demonic power consumes its wielders, but that¡¯s just superstition. Well, it might be due to how demonic power responds badly with one¡¯s mana.¡± Marbas shrugged.


    ¡°Mana is a form of vital force, so isn¡¯t that obvious?¡±


    ¡°Yes, mana boosts vitality.¡±


    Kireua frowned. ¡°It isn¡¯t just about making one stronger¡ªit¡¯s literally essential to survive. Think about true mana.¡±


    ¡°What if you could rece mana with demonic power?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kireua nkly gaped at the demon. He had never thought about it.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what the priests do, the ones you praise for being holy? They utilize their divine power, not mana, to use their abilities and sustain their lives.¡±


    ¡°But demonic power is¡ª¡±


    ¡°An evil power? Or there is a possibility that you could be a puppet of the demon supplying the power?¡± Marbas raised an eyebrow.


    Marbas was right. Demonic power was considered evil and consumed those who possessed it, which was why any creature with such power was condemned. That was what Kireua had learned and had been engraved in his mind.


    ¡°But isn¡¯t there a human who broke that stereotype?¡± Marbas tilted his head inquisitively. ¡°Joshua Sanders.¡±


    Kireua jolted.


    Marbas nodded. ¡°He¡¯s a human, but he can''t be defined by existing standards. So he¡¯s special to us demons, too.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s lips trembled when he realized how close to him the exception was. That person surpassed the limits and could freely use his demonic power. Instead of hosting a demon, the man himself had be the source.


    ¡°The rtionship between light and darkness is symbiotic; it¡¯s too ck and white to call one side good and the other bad. There¡¯s actually a good precedent for this: after the death of the Demon Spirit, the Demon Realm disappeared, and the Angel Realm also came to an end when the bnce was upset. That was how the powers you guys call authorities appeared, wasn¡¯t it? There are already people who manifested the archangels¡¯ authorities, so I believe that there is no need for you to view a person with an authority rted to the Demon Realm differently.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then what are you demons trying to achieving in this ce?¡± Kireua finally said.


    ¡°It¡¯s more of a desperate attempt to survive rather than trying to achieve something.¡±


    ¡°To¡­ survive?¡±


    ¡°We demons no longer have a home to return to, so regardless of whether we like that or not, we have to make a choice. We can either turn the Human Realm into the Demon Realm or coexist with humans,¡± Marbas exined. ¡°It¡¯s the same for the angels, of course.¡±


    ¡°Turning the Human Realm into the Demon Realm? I knew demons can¡¯t be¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe it or not, but I¡¯m more inclined toward thetter case. I wish to live together with humans.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kireua asked, unable to believe his ears.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you that light and darkness are in a symbiotic rtionship? Even if I force the darkness to spread in the Human Realm, the world is already off bnce. Any such effort will eventually crumble.¡±


    If what Kireua heard just now was true, the magnitude of the problem was very grave. Not all of the demons and angels would be on the same page.


    ¡°¡­Heh. Hehehehehe¡­¡± Turtler chuckled, despite the fact that Kireua¡¯s sword was still hovering above his neck.


    ¡°¡­What is so funny, Marquess Turtler?¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Power without justice is violence, but justice without power is ipetence, Second Prince. If it hadn¡¯t been for the disappearance of the Emperor, we wouldn¡¯t have had to worry about this in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°That monster would have killed all the angels, demons, and anyone else who didn¡¯t listen to him. He¡¯s the human who annihted the Demon Spirit, isn¡¯t he?¡± Turtle reached out his hand to push away Kireua¡¯s sword.


    Of course, Kireua reacted instantly¡ªbut the reaction he got was violent and unyielding. He inhaled sharply. It felt like he¡¯d struck a lump of metal. He¡¯d been trying to cut off Turtler¡¯s head with one clean cut, but his sword had bounced off too easily.


    Which meant only one thing.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Kireua nkly murmured.


    ¡°My men aren¡¯t the only ones who use demonic power.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­!¡± Kireua leaped backward, putting his back against the wall.


    Turtler stroked his neck for a moment and grinned. ¡°Demonic power is truly an evil power. Being able to forget your fears is great, but losing your rationality is definitely a downside. Nevertheless, you can ovee that once you surpass a certain level.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think there won¡¯t be any side effects? You¡¯ve already manifested the power of Four Guardians.¡±


    ¡°Idiot. The ck Tortoise, my Four Guardian, was the guardian of the Demon Realm in the first ce.¡±


    Kireua gritted his teeth. This was the first he¡¯d heard of this.


    ¡°Second Prince, if you¡¯re really a member of the Imperial Family of this Empire, you don¡¯t have to worry too much¡ªthis is for Avalon, after all.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense!¡±


    ¡°You heard what he just said. Once we take over the capitol, our next goal is the continent. I¡¯ll win first ce in the Masters¡¯ Battle as representative of Avalon, the first step of my journey to bing the first emperor of the continent!¡± Turtler shouted ecstatically.


    The air, thick with murderous intent, shuddered as seven mighty knights simultaneously released their powerful mana¡ªwhich quickly turned into ck demonic power.


    ¡°It¡¯s your first time seeing this, isn¡¯t it? When I use my authority of the ck Tortoise, I can convert my and others¡¯ mana into demonic power. The saying that mana and demonic power are the pr opposites of one another is an old, ignorant story.¡±


    The mysterious authority of the ck Tortoise was unveiled. Up until now, Kireua thought that the demon¡¯s abilities was what made it all possible, but it turned out he waspletely wrong.


    The two men standing closest to Turtler immediately tossed their swords to him. The Marquess swung his swords, cutting across the air.


    ¡°Die!¡± Turtler shouted.


    Kireua deflected both swords with one swing, and whipped his de into two swings so fast that they sounded like one. The rebel knights leaped backward, appalled, but they were toote¡ªKireua¡¯s sword bit into their abdomens.


    The two men dropped to their knees. While one of the men¡¯s wound was shallow, the other man¡¯s was critical.


    ¡°He cut through demonic skin with one strike¡­?¡± Turtler murmured, surprised.


    Their wounds were burning up due to Kireua¡¯s fire mana, smoke rising from their skin.


    ¡°You have a real way ofying out your bullshit in detail,¡± Kireua quietly said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°In the end, you¡¯re all just hyenas that have been cowering before real power. If His Majesty showed up right now, you¡¯d all probably tuck your tails behind your legs and kiss the ground. Are you seriously talking about bing the first emperor of the continent? It¡¯s not even funny.¡±


    ¡°You fool!¡± Turtler yelled at the top of his lungs. His men were watching him, so the Kireua¡¯s humiliating remark made Turtler shake so hard that his cheeks vibrated.


    <em>¡®I should get out of here first,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Kireua had provoked Turtler for a reason, of course: to find his weakness. Although Kireua felt like he had a chance of winning if he used Coal¡¯s abilities, he felt uneasy about Coal and the demon, who was quietly watching the situation.


    He quickly took a look around. <em>¡®Since there are this many people watching me with their eyes wide open, my stealth techniques won¡¯t work, but the demon blocking the entrance bugs me. So I¡¯m not sure I can make a way out.¡¯</em>


    Yes, the one demon was the problem. In that case, there was no way other than breaking through them head-on¡ª


    Kireua flinched as a cool gust of wind blew through the room. They were inside a closed building.


    The situation changed very rapidly.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    The soft wind instantly turned into a harsh gale that whipped the room into a howling frenzy. While the upants tried their best to keep their bnce, Anna¡ªthe apparent culprit of this sudden chaos¡ªurgently reached out to Kireua by way of spirit.


    ¡°The Emperor appeared in Avalon!¡±


    Everyone stiffened. Kireua wasn¡¯t the only one who heard Anna. Turtler and the demon that hadn¡¯t blinked an eye once were also wide-eyed with surprise. The atmosphere in the room changed drastically.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders is back!¡± Anna repeated.

 Side Story Chapter 47

    Side Story Chapter 47


    While Kireua was infiltrating the rebel headquarters in the west, things were happening in the far northern reaches of Avalon.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s done now.¡±


    -What are you doing?!


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? I¡¯m mimicking you,¡± Joshua nonchntly replied to the Demon Spirit¡¯s question.


    Since Joshua had woken up earlier than he had nned, he decided to separate his soul just like the Demon Spirit had done in the past.


    ¡°I had a good reason, but I¡¯ve been too inattentive to other people. After meeting the woman from the Agnus family, which I¡¯d forgotten about, I have a strong feeling that I should help them.¡±


    -You¡¯re nuts. Only gods can separate their souls, so how could a human like you do it?


    ¡°Do you still don¡¯t get it?¡± Joshua asked.


    -What?


    ¡°I didn¡¯t spend the past two decades just trying to annihte you. I¡¯ve been absorbing all your power,¡± Joshua said.


    -¡­You¡¯re more wicked than a demon. I should burn you to death in hellfire and feed your remains to a monster!


    The Demon Spirit was already aware of what was happening, but Joshua confirmed it. The Demon Spirit cursed him again and again, but Joshua slowly closed his eyes, grinning. His body was still trapped in this giant ice boulder, and he couldn¡¯t take a step out of this ce until the Demon Spirit waspletely exterminated. However, that didn¡¯t apply to Joshua¡¯s soul.


    The sky shook fiercely as Joshua¡¯s mana made its presence known.


    Once Joshua split his consciousness into two, the consciousness in the ice boulder was left dormant.


    ¡°¡­That body looks good,¡± Joshua murmured.


    Not long after he closed his eyes, Joshua found a corpse buried in the snow. It belonged to one of the rebels who had been swept away in the avnche Joshua had created. Although creating a new body was difficult even for Joshua, he could certainly give recreating a body a try.


    ¡°Carmen von Agnus, you gave me a great present.¡± After sessfully pulling a part of his soul outside the ice boulder, Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Now, where shall I send my new body first?¡±


    * * *


    Kireua sprinted across the hallway. Every step he took moved him a great distance. Thanks to some unexpected help, he could escape easily. The aforementioned help was dangling by his waist.


    ¡°L-Let go of me now! My hair is all messed up!¡± Anna shouted.


    ¡°No, they¡¯ll catch up very quickly if we slow down.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious right now¡­?! I''m as old as your aunt! My skirt is going to turn upside down!¡±


    ¡°You said that we¡¯re in a rtionship where we can ovee the limits of age and nationalities,¡± Kireua casually riposted.


    ¡°That only applies when you and I start a family!¡± Anna shrieked.


    However, Kireua had no intention of letting go of Anna. Even at that moment, the number of soldiers and knights blocking Kireua and Anna¡¯s path was increasing.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Second Prince! Stop him! Stop him with your life!¡±


    ¡°C-Ceiling! He¡¯s running on the ceiling!¡±


    ¡°What in the world¡­!¡±


    The way Kireua bypassed them was very clever. He didn¡¯t risk going into a fight where he was outnumbered. Instead, he moved like an assassin and traveled across the ceiling as naturally as if he was running on the ground.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Stop screaming; you won¡¯t fall down! By the way, what was that earlier?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Wh-What earlier?¡± Anna stammered, unable to pull herself together.


    ¡°The thing about His Majesty¡¯s return!¡±


    ¡°You really believed that? I was lying, obviously!¡±


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What? You were lying?¡±


    ¡°What better method is there to scare the rebels than mentioning Joshua Sanders? We have to get out of here first! By the way, do you know what I saw on the underground floor?¡± Anna asked.


    Kireua¡¯s frown deepened as he ran, but he didn¡¯t stop looking for an escape route. The stair wasn¡¯t an option since the first and second floors were filled with soldiers and knights.


    ¡°¡­Is the window the only way out of here?¡± Kireua murmured.


    ¡°What?! Wa-Wait! We¡¯re on the third floor¡ªare you seriously going to jump out of the window with me in your arms?¡±


    Kireua clicked his tongue. ¡°What other choice do I have?¡±


    He had to join the national army in the west, where Cain was, and deliver all the information he had seen and heard here. Although he could try to assassinate Turtler in spite of the risks, there was no way of alerting the national army about the existence of demonkin if something bad happened to Kireua.


    <em>¡®Above all, he said that he was the Demon King of Gluttony.¡¯</em> Kireua¡¯s arms unconsciously tensed, heedless of Anna¡¯s shrieking.


    Although Kireua had initially thought that ending this civil war was going to be easy, too many variables were cropping up. In this case, it was better to ask <em>her</em> for help rather than agonizing on his own. She happened to be Kireua¡¯s other teacher¡ªthe woman also called the Heaven¡¯s Mind.


    ¡°Hold on tight. We¡¯re going to jump,¡± Kireua warned Anna.


    ¡°Waiiiiiiit! Aaaaaaaah!¡± Anna broke into tears.


    Kireua pulled Anna close and jumped through the third-floor window.


    * * *


    The winds of change were also blowing in the Imperial Pce of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°We¡¯ve received a report that the princes worked together and exterminated the southern rebel army. On top of that, we received an additional report that Dargo rane Suspen, the head of the southern rebel army, was executed on the spot.¡±


    ¡°Wooow!¡±


    Numerous nobles were inside the council chamber; they were all the nobles that supported Joshua Sanders as the emperor.


    ¡°They are His Majesty¡¯s sons indeed! I¡¯m really proud of them. At this rate, the civil war will be over in no time!¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since the Second Prince returned to Avalon, so I didn¡¯t know he would y such a brilliant role in this civil war.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we dy choosing the next heir to the throne, then?¡±


    ¡°No, we should strike while the iron is hot. We need to unify the chain ofmand and consolidate power¡ªthen we need to quell this rebellion at once!¡±


    ¡°Then which of the princes should be His Majesty¡¯s heir?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    No one could answer that question because all of the nobles in this room genuinely cared about Avalon. Up until now, they had believed that the First Prince would be perfect for the next emperor, but the situation had changed. The Second Prince, whom people had thought left the country due to his inability, proved himself.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s not a matter we can argue about,¡± one of the nobles said, drawing a thick silence upon the council chamber.


    It was the Imperial Family¡¯s right to decide the heir to the throne, so everyone¡¯s heads turned in the same direction. Right below the empty throne sitting on the highest tform, four chairs were lined up. Although two of them were empty like the throne, the remaining two seats were upied.


    ¡°What do you think, Your Majesty?¡±


    One of them was the only Queen Consort in the Pce. The beautiful woman with dark blue hair was a ss 7 mage, formerly one of the Seven Mages and the Royal Chief Wizard of Avalon before her marriage. Anyone who met her for the fist time would have thought that she was in her thirties.


    ¡°Queen Consort Iceline?¡±


    Iceline zin Rebra¡ªor rather, Iceline Sanders quietly looked around the council chamber. Everyone thought that she would support the First Prince, her biological son, but her answer upset everyone''s expectations.


    ¡°I want to vote for the Second Prince,¡± Iceline said.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    Just as expected, the nobles reacted sharply. Regardless, Iceline didn¡¯t pay much heed to them.


    ¡°Selim takes after his father¡­ Hmm, excuse me. Selim takes after His Majesty the most, so he has a childish side. I¡¯m saying this as his mother, so I hope it doesn¡¯t cause any misunderstandings.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Most of the nobles nodded in agreement, unexpectedly.


    Joshua Sanders was undoubtedly the legend of Avalon and a monarch beyond reproach. Nevertheless, Iceline had more than enough right to say such things about the Emperor.


    ¡°Compared to Selim, Kireua is a replica of his mother. I believe that the perfectbination of His Majesty¡¯s martial prowess, Queen Consort Charles¡¯s political expertise, and the other Queen Consort¡¯s exceptional intelligence is found in the Second Prince,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°I-If Her Majesty Iceline says so¡­¡±


    ¡°On top of that, all of you and I might go through the same suffering once Selim ascends the throne.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Leaving home without saying anything, making trouble first and thinkingter¡­ Ah, of course, all of you would have to clean up the aftermath, wouldn¡¯t you? And that isn¡¯t all.¡± Iceline began to tick her fingers off with a violence that belied the pent-up anger hidden beneath her habitually frosty, expressionless face. ¡°...He never says ¡®I love you¡¯ to his wife. His knight served him all his life, but he let him remain a bachelor even when that very knight is already over sixty. Our children probably don¡¯t even remember what their father looks like. He¡¯s utterly heartless, and¡­¡±


    The nobles broke into cold sweats. They didn''t know what to do.


    Sersiarin couldn¡¯t stand the air and awkwardly attempted to calm down her sister-inw.


    ¡°I-I think we heard enough, Your Majesty.¡±


    However, Iceline was snorting in anger now. ¡°Gosh¡­ the more I think about it, the angrier I get. Sersiarin, am I the bad guy here?¡±


    ¡°N-No, not at all¡­¡±


    A long time had passed. The quiet, shyly smiling woman was gone.


    Sersiarin looked away from Iceline, who kept on grumbling, and smiled stiffly at the nobles. ¡°So¡­ let¡¯s get back to the main topic. I myself recently received a letter from Her Majesty Charles that she¡¯s in support of the First Prince.¡±


    The nobles began to stir. Two out of three votes had been cast, so only the Second Queen Consort still had to make a vote. However, some of the nobles looked faintly afraid for some reason.


    ¡°We¡­ should go ask her in person, right?¡±


    ¡°Who will go? She must be busy as a bee, so we might be interrupting her¡­¡±


    None of the nobles volunteered. Even Iceline and Serciarin quietly nodded in understanding. Everyone in the room was hesitating on what to do next.


    ¡°Then can I cast that vote?¡±


    All heads turned at once.


    The door to the council chamber was wide open, and a person wearing a robe was standing therein. The odd thing was that the nearby knights were also staring at the robed person in disbelief.


    ¡°Who are you? How dare you walk into this sacred chamber with a hood over your head?!¡±


    ¡°This is not a ce for such discourtesy¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What are the Imperial Knights doing? If an outsider is in the Pce, they should have reported it to Her Majesty immediately!¡±


    The person¡¯s shoulders rose and fell underneath the robe. ¡°I told them to. Am I not allowed?¡±


    ¡°What a nutjob¡­¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait.¡± Iceline sprang up from her seat, her lip trembling with uncontroble emotion.


    She wasn¡¯t the only one. Serciarin was covering her mouth and struggling to hold back choked tears. Even if everyone in the world had forgotten that voice, these two women would never be able to forget the man to whom it belonged.


    ¡°...It can¡¯t be, right? Say something, please,¡± Iceline begged, her eyes wet with welling tears.

 Side Story Chapter 48

    Side Story Chapter 48


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted as hended in a pile of ss on the ground.


    The situation outside the castle wasn¡¯t looking great either. The rebel knights had returned from the bottom of the mountain and had established and airtight cordone around the castle.


    ¡°Le-Let me down¡­¡± Anna begged, dangling by Kireua¡¯s side.


    Kireua loosened his grip around her waist, allowing her to fall to the ground.


    ¡°Ouch! Urgh, that hurts¡­ Do you have a death wish?¡± Anna grumbled.


    ¡°You asked me to put you down.¡±


    ¡°I really want to smack you on the back of your head.¡± Anna¡¯s small fists tremble, but she let out a long sigh. ¡°What are you going to do now? Things really don¡¯t look good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I think the odds are not that bad. If I¡¯m right, I can break through the siege.¡±


    Anna''s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°A siege made up from this many people?¡±


    ¡°It might have been different if they were from the other regions, but I have the upper hand against the rebels in the west.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident. Are you sure I can count on you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I tested it inside. The one problem would be the demon I saw there¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°What? There¡¯s a demon inside?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about thatter. We don¡¯t have enough time.¡± Kireua slowly walked forward.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­?¡±


    ¡°W-wait, the Second Prince?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Kireua Sanders! Hold your formation¡ªdo not approach him on your own! Our goal is to capture him alive!¡±


    The rebel knights moved in perfect order. In fact, their movements were much better than the Red Turtler Knights that Kireua had met earlier. They must be the ck Turtler Knights, the best knights in the western rebel army.


    <em>¡®Coal, why are you so quiet?¡¯</em> Kireua asked.


    -Zzzzzzzz.


    <em>¡®¡­Are you seriously sleeping right now? Hey,e on,¡¯ </em>Kireua yelled in his mind.<em> ¡®Wake up!¡¯</em>


    Coal popped up on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulder, rubbing its eyes with its adorable new hands.


    -I¡¯m sleepy.


    <em>¡®Eyes in the front. You used to throw a fit for food, right? Can¡¯t you see those guys?¡¯</em> Kireua gestured at the rebel knights with his chin.


    -My tummy is full right now¡­


    <em>¡®If you don¡¯t eat right now, you won¡¯t be able to eat anything for a while because I¡¯m not nning oning back here,¡¯</em> Kireua said.


    -That¡¯s not good.


    Coal¡¯s eyes popped wide open, to Kireua¡¯s quiet tion. All Coal had to do was what it had done earlier. Kireua had already seen how groggy demonkin became after they lost their demonic power.


    The air shuddered in the air as hundreds of the rebel knights infused their auras into their swords.


    In contrast to the Red Turtle Knights, the ck Turtle Knights held nothing back from the start. In fact, Kireua had heard that they were the reason why the national army was having trouble quelling the rebellion in the west. This singr knight order was as skilled as the Imperial Knights. On top of that, they were so loyal to Marquess Turtler that they were willing to give up their lives without hesitation¡ªbut they met the wrong person today.


    <em>¡®Coal!¡¯</em>


    -Ahhhhhhh!


    Coal opened its mouth wide at the perfect timing, just when the rebels were pouring out from the castle.


    Kireua nced backward and grinned when he noticed that the demon who introduced himself as the Demon King of Gluttony was looking at Coal with trembling lips.


    ¡°That phony bastard,¡± Kireuained. The demon¡¯s reaction solidified Kireua¡¯s hypothesis.


    -Thank you for the meal!


    The knights¡¯ demonic power began to be sucked into Coal¡¯s cavernous maw.


    * * *


    Keeping the hood over his head, Joshua strode forward. The nobles lined up on both sides of the chamber were still confused, but at the end of Jousha¡¯s path, Iceline was trembling


    ¡°...This can¡¯t be real,¡± she murmured.


    ¡°The world has been full of lies from the start.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°I felt like I should brighten up the mood.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really you. You¡¯re a horrible person.¡±


    The distance between the two closed little by little until they were a stone¡¯s throw from each other. It would be a catastrophe if one of them swung a weapon, but Iceline¡¯s reaction left the nobles unsure as to what to do due. The Imperial Knights, who had been warily following Joshua, were more prepared for an untoward situation.


    ¡°Do you resent me?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­Do you really have to ask the obvious? If Charles had been here, she would have pped you right now.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I had a reason.¡±


    ¡°The problem is that you told no one your reason.¡± Iceline scowled at Joshua.


    ¡°You¡¯ve be quite good with your words.¡±


    ¡°Thanks to someone, I needed to be stronger to not look weak.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gone through a lot,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    Against her will, Iceline could feel the resentment in her heart melting with every word.


    <em>¡®¡­Gosh, I can¡¯t let him off the hook this easily. I need to talk some sense into him right now so he won¡¯t do that ever again.¡¯</em>


    Iceline hardened her heart again and again, but¡­


    ¡°I love you,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°¡­Excuse me? What did you say¡ª¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s face became as red as a tomato. ¡°Th-Th-There are so many people around us right now, so wh-why would you say such stuff so suddenly¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Youined about me not saying ¡®I love you¡¯ while I was gone.¡±


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t say it because I wasn¡¯t good at expressing myself, but I love you more than anyone else in this world.¡±


    The audience felt like they could see smoke rising from Iceline¡¯s head now.


    ¡°I-If you¡¯re just saying this to wiggle your way out of this, stop it.¡±


    Joshua tilted his head. ¡°Do I look like a person who would do such a thing?¡±


    No, he definitely wasn¡¯t, but Iceline held back from saying that out loud.


    ¡°Or do you want me to say that one more time?¡± Joshua asked, his smile deepening.


    ¡°St-Stop¡­¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Iceline sank into her seat, covering her face with her hands.


    The nobles¡¯ murmuring became louder. After chuckling for a moment, Joshua walked up to the throne and took off his hood.


    ¡°Then shall we start a new royal conference?¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡±


    A storm of shock struck the people inside the chamber. That moment, their doubts turned into certainty.


    The man was so handsome that they wondered if a god had been personally involved in his creation. His hair was a deep blue that approached to ck, and he looked to be in his thirties¡ªalthough he was actually over forty.


    Joshua Sanders, the Martial God¡ªthe owner of the throne had finally returned home.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­¡± Sersiarin finally unfroze just enough to stiffly turn her head to look at Joshua.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done a good job, Sersiarin.¡± Joshua put his big hand over Serisiarin¡¯s head.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Sersiarin shuddered, her head turning nk. ¡°I-It¡¯s real¡­¡±


    Joshua gently stroked Sericiarin¡¯s head. ¡°Let¡¯s say our helloster since we¡¯re in an emergency.¡±


    He turned. ¡°Carmen von Agnus recently visited me.¡±


    The chamber rippled with surprise once again. Some of the nobles even gasped.


    ¡°Di-Did you say Carmen von Agnus?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, shemands the northern rebel army,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Th-That is correct.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°She hates Avalon a lot¡ªbut that would also be my fault, of course.¡±


    ¡°...Did you let her walk away even after you met her?¡±


    ¡°I was in a situation where I had to let her,¡± Joshua tly replied.


    The nobles didn¡¯t notice it, but the Imperial Knights seemed to realize something. Joshua several of the Imperial Knights conversing with each other.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t His Majesty¡¯s energy too weak?¡±


    ¡°You idiot, we weren¡¯t even able to detect anything from him in the past.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Someone of greater skill can instantly recognize the level of a less-skilled person, but, in contrast, the less-skilled person can¡¯t even begin to fathom the level of a more-skilled person. It¡¯s like looking at an endless ocean. And if they¡¯re dramatically stronger, other people can¡¯t even detect a trace of vital force from them¡ªit¡¯d be as if they don¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡­ I understand.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is exuding faint energy to sort out the rebels. It¡¯s like ¡®if any of you here are a rebel,e at me!¡¯ or something along those lines.¡±


    ¡°Wow, his psychological tactics are great too! The only thing left for Avalon is to rise as one of the strongest empires on the continent again!¡±


    The Imperial Knights clenched their fists in excitement. The eyes of the young Imperial Knights, those that had recently joined the order, even sparkled.


    Joshua grew embarrassed as he listened to the conversation because the amount of his energy they detected was all he had right now. Since he was using a reconstructed body, not his real body, he had a limit on the power he could use.


    ¡°<em>Ahem.</em> We¡¯re getting sidetracked. Let¡¯se back to the main point. Can I cast the vote I was talking about earlier?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°O-Of course, you can, Your Majesty. You have the final say on who will be the crown prince of this country.¡±


    ¡°No, all of you have gone through a lot and I only came back now, so I don¡¯t want to change anything. I respect the Queen Consorts¡¯ decision, but I just want to offer a little advice if your opinions diverge on the matter.¡±


    ¡°When you say advice, you mean¡­¡±


    Some of the nobles gulped nervously. This might finally be the moment when the crown prince was decided. The Emperor was here now, and the long-dyed decision would be decided in mere moments. But¡­


    ¡°My thoughts on this matter remain the same. The stronger one will be my heir,¡± Joshua replied, smiling.


    No one expected his response, as their sharp breaths belied, but most of the nobles weren¡¯t fazed. The owner of the throne returned, so why would talking about the crown prince matter? It was only going to be relevant in the far future. The only thing left for Avalon to do was rise higher than the Hubalt Empire.


    Some of the nobles trembled, unable to hold back their excitement, but Joshua shattered their anticipation once again.


    ¡°As soon as the crown prince is decided, I¡¯m going to retire.¡±


    Every remark Joshua made was shocking and terrifying. Iceline was visibly surprised as well.


    However, the nobles were deeply vocally opposed this time.


    ¡°Wh-Why would you say such a thing?¡±


    ¡°It has been a decade! <em>Ahem-hmm.</em> I wasn¡¯t swearing, so I hope I didn¡¯t cause any misunderstandings.[1] Your Majesty, you finally returned to the Pce after such a long time, so you should be the one in charge of national affairs!¡±


    ¡°We beg you to reconsider this matter, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°We beg you to reconsider!¡±


    However, Joshua firmly shook his head. ¡°No, that won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?!¡±


    ¡°I admit that I¡¯ve not only been inattentive to the Queen Consorts but also to all of you.¡±


    ¡°Why would you say such a thing¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have the right to remain emperor, and I want to lead a quiet life looking after my family. Besides, I¡¯m already a has-been from the past generation,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not a ha-has-been!¡±


    ¡°A new era has started, so it¡¯s only right for me to hand over the baton to the young people who will lead this new generation.¡± Joshua looked back and forth between Iceline and Sersiarin with a small smile. ¡°The missing rebels will appear near the northern border.¡±


    The council blinked.


    ¡°Who is in charge of defending the north border?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty the Se-Second Queen Consort herself is there right now.¡±


    Joshua adopted an apologetic expression. ¡°Selim is in the east, and Kireua is in the west. Whoever goes to the north first and assists the Queen Consort in capturing Carmen von Agnus will be the crown prince.¡±


    1. The raw was ? ?, which can also sound like ¡®bitch¡¯ in Korean if mispronounced it. ?

 Side Story Chapter 49

    Side Story Chapter 49


    When only Joshua, Iceline, and Sersiarin were left in the council chamber, Sersiarin immediately asked, ¡°What happened?


    ¡°How are your eyes?¡± Joshua asked, peering at her orbs.


    ¡°They became fine long ago, so don¡¯t change the topic. And don¡¯t think about running away again¡ªI¡¯m going to keep my eyes on you!¡± Sersiarin deliberately opened her big eyes wide, her radiant golden irises sparkling.


    Joshua burst into heartyughter. ¡°Haha! I¡¯m really happy to see my family after so long.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not happy,¡± Iceline pouted.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really.¡±


    ¡°No way.¡±


    Iceline scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re full of yourself.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with that. Can you imagine me acting humble?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re great.¡±


    ¡°Uh-oh¡ªif you admit it that easily, it¡¯s embarrassing.¡± Joshua chuckled quietly.


    Iceline fixed her posture and looked straight into Joshua¡¯s eyes. ¡°So tell me now where you were for the past decade.¡±


    ¡°The Demon Spirit is alive.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?!¡±


    The two women were taken aback. That was thest thing they¡¯d expected to hear.


    ¡°The De-Demon Spirit?¡± Sersiarin spat. ¡°But he was destroyed after going through Father and Aden von Agnus¡¯s bodies¡­¡±


    ¡°If he could die that easily, he wouldn¡¯t have been a god.¡±


    ¡°Th-Then is everything okay now?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.¡± Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°Oh, no¡­!¡± Sersiarin covered her mouth.


    The air around Iceline became colder and colder. ¡°I want to crush that demon¡­ Where is he?¡± she growled. ¡°I¡¯m going to freeze him right now.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s already frozen.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s almost over, it¡¯s just a matter of time. But the problem is that my power isn¡¯t intact right now¡­¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Your power¡­ isn¡¯t intact?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, my body is sealed together with the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul, so I can¡¯t lift a finger in my real body for at least a year. In other words, I can only advise Avalon right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Iceline was at a loss for words.


    Even Sersiarin¡¯s face darkened. ¡°That is a serious problem. I thought that was all over now. I feel like it¡¯ll be for the best if we keep this under wraps.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that is why I made all the nobles exit the chamber. We have to let the kids take care of the civil war anyway.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Your Majesty. Your children have grown up to be fine adults,¡± Sersiarin said with certainty.


    Although Iceline didn¡¯t say anything, a faint smile danced on her lips too.


    ¡°Then I should trust my kids and do what I can do right now.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Just stay by my side and don¡¯t do anything else. You don¡¯t even have your power.¡±


    ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t treat me like an old man. Should I keep you awake all night again? That has been a long time.¡±


    ¡°All night?¡± Iceline leaned backward.


    ¡°Hehehe.¡± Joshua chuckled slyly.


    Iceline was so confident with her offer, but her face reddened so easily.


    ¡°Please stop harassing Her Majesty. Keep talking¡ªwhat do you mean by ¡®doing what you can do¡¯?¡± Sericiarin asked.


    ¡°On my way over here, I heard that the civil war isn¡¯t the only problem in Avalon right now,¡± Joshua began.


    ¡°For example?¡±


    ¡°Like the condition of the continent. The rumors from the Hubalt Empire are especially bad.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Sersiarin raised her hand in objection. ¡°You aren¡¯t thinking of going abroad in your current state, are you?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more to me than just my fighting ability, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    Joshua grinned. ¡°I¡¯d forgotten about them for a while, so first, I¡¯m nning to meet my friends again.¡±


    * * *


    Kireua and Anna were now at the bottom of the mountain. When Kireua nced backward, there were no pursuers, so he and Anna finally let out a long sigh of relief.


    ¡°Should I consider myself lucky?¡± Kireua murmured.


    -Burrrrrrp.


    Kireua was sure that the real Demon King of Gluttony was Coal. Otherwise, how could someone with a fist-sized stomach swallow that amount of demonic power?


    <em>¡®Hey, you¡¯re the Demon King of Gluttony, aren¡¯t you?¡¯</em>


    -What¡¯s gluttony?


    <em>¡®¡­So you n to keep feigning innocence, huh? Once I return to the Pce, it¡¯s over for you. Many of my family members are experts on beings like demons.¡¯</em>


    -Yawn. My tummy is full. I¡¯m sleepy.


    <em>¡®Should I just throw it in a pot and boil it¡­¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    ¡°Your Highness, what are you going to do?¡± Anna asked after catching her breath, interrupting Kireua¡¯s musings. ¡°We shook off the trackers, but we still have a long way to go.¡±


    ¡°The top priority is regrouping with Sir Cain; then we should wipe out the rebels on the west border.¡±


    ¡°Do you think you can do it?¡±


    ¡°There is only one reason why the national army in the west was on the defensive: they didn¡¯t know when the elite forces on the top of the mountain were going toe down and strike¡ªbut those elites won¡¯t be able to move easily now,¡± Kireua exined.


    ¡°Because of your ability, right?


    Kireua nodded. Although the rebels weren¡¯t sure who Coal was, they had found out about Coal¡¯s ability, so the rebel demonkin couldn¡¯t act rashly. Demonic power was essential for demonkin to sustain their lives, but Coal could take it all away. Even more dangerously, the demonkin that lost their powers would beatose for a certain amount of time.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what is that ability?¡± Anna asked.


    Since Anna had been watching everything by Kireua¡¯s side, he realized that he couldn¡¯t hide it from her any longer, so he delivered the response he had prepared in advance.


    ¡°It¡¯s my authority,¡± he casually answered.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Anna¡¯s eyes were sparkling. She seemed to have expected that answer. ¡°You¡¯re a ss A knight and manifested authority, huh?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡±


    ¡°Wow, you¡¯re great in everything, aren¡¯t you?¡± Anna patted Kireua¡¯s buttocks proudly.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m just proud of you. If you keep growing like this, you¡¯ll be able to reach the level of the Nine Stars, not just a Superhuman.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened.


    The Nine Stars were the current strongest people on the continent. Compared to them, the people in Avalon who had manifested the Four Guardians¡¯ authorities were nothing. In fact, none of those people were at the level of a Star.


    Apart from the Emperor of Avalon, whose level was unmeasurable, there was one Star in Avalon, four in Hubalt, and two in Swallow. The other two Stars were part of extranational organizations.


    Kireua could feel his long-forgotten dream spark back to life When he remembered his childhood, his dream of surpassing the Martial God, he realized that his dream was never going to change. On the day Kireua had left the Pce¡ªpractically kicked out¡ªhe had sworn again and again that he was going to prove himself to the world and protect his beloved people.


    ¡°Ascending the peak without any talent for spears¡­ I¡¯m going to prove that it¡¯s possible by ending this civil war for good.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Cough!¡± A rebel knight was catapulted away by Marquess Turtler¡¯s mana-infused kick.


    Nevertheless, none of the rebel knights moved¡ªor rather, <em>couldn¡¯t</em> move. Due to the tremendous external shock they had received, all the ck Turtle Knights were stunned.


    Turtle didn¡¯t stop. He punched and kicked, wiping out everyone nearby. The rebel officers, who had been watching everything from behind, nervously held their breath. After some time, over fifty of the rebel knights were strewn out across the floor.


    ¡°Arggghhhhh!¡± Turtler shouted as he came to a halt. ¡°Should I kill these useless sons of bitches right now?¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Lord Turt-Turtler, why don¡¯t you calm¡ª¡±


    ¡°Calm down? Do you really think I can calm down right now? Iid low and spent all the effort gathering these knights, but look at them right now! The side effects are terrible!¡±


    ¡°Th-The knights couldn¡¯t have predicted this situation, so our current priority should be preserving their power. Otherwise, we would be doing the national army a favor.¡±


    Turtler huffed and puffed for a long time until he finally took a deep breath and whirled around.


    ¡°Say something,¡± the Marquess demanded.


    ¡°This incident was beyond my expectations.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you call an excuse?¡± Turtler growled, ring at the demon that stood casually to the side like a bystander. ¡°You were so certain that creating demonkin would enable me to knock down the Empire in no time, but this is the result!¡±


    ¡°My answer remains the same. Excluding the involvement of the prince we met earlier, of course.¡±


    ¡°Excluding the prince? For fuck¡¯s sake! The reality is that that very prince personally joined this war¡ªso what are you going to do about it?¡±


    The demon shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ll have toe up with a solution for the future.¡±


    ¡°If I hadn¡¯t made any demonkin in the first ce, I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about this! I spent all that time and effort cooped up in the mountain, but it was a waste of my time!¡±


    The demon¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡°Do you really think so? Your final goal wasn¡¯t Avalon to begin with.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In order to deal with the pdins in Hubalt, you have to partner up with me. Don¡¯t you already know that?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­ Shit!¡± Turtler cursed.


    ¡°I have an idea of what the Prince¡¯s ability is.¡±


    Turtle''s eyes widened. ¡°Are you saying that you have a solution for this side effect? It seems to be an authority of some sort.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simr. I was wondering where it went, but I never imagined the prince of Avalon would possess it.¡±


    ¡°Break it down so I can understand that more easily. What is that power?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a spection right now, but if I¡¯m right¡­¡± The demon trailed off for a moment. ¡°It¡¯s the authority of Gluttony, one of the Seven Evil Sins.¡±


    ¡°What? Wait, you said you have the authority of Gluttony.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s aplicated story¡­ In short, the Demon Kings of the Seven Evil Sins have changed several times in the long history of the Demon Realm. The main principle of the Demon Realm is the strongest take all, so the owners of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers changed several times.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Turtler tilted his head.


    ¡°To cut to the chase, I¡¯m not the proper Demon King of Gluttony. My father, the previous Demon King of Gluttony, left behind only one heir¡ªand that is me.¡±


    ¡°In other words, you lost your authority and only have the title of the Demon King of Gluttony. So you¡¯re all bark and no bite. Hah! Things are getting worse and worse by the minute!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too angry. This matter involves you humans too.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°The person who killed the previous Demon King of Gluttony was a human. In fact, you know him very well.¡±


    Turtler¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Wait, are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that human is Joshua Sanders, the man you¡¯re always gnashing your teeth over.¡±


    Turtler and all the other rebel leaders froze like sculptures.


    ¡°I recently heard from another highest-ranking demon in the north, and he asked me to send him a message once I discover a trace of the missing Evil Sins¡¯ authorities.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought demons don¡¯t form groups.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right, but it¡¯s different if we¡¯re talking about the enemy that knocked down us demons¡¯ home,¡± the demon said.


    ¡°And that is the Emperor? Why did you wait this long to tell me something this important?!¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure, and there was a chance that other demons were scheming to steal the Evil Sins¡¯ authorities.¡±


    Turtler trembled in fear. The chances were one in a million, but the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s return would spell disaster. If Joshua Sanders showed up at this point, ten years of Turtler¡¯s effort would be rendered utterly meaningless.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound too convenient? Right after we hear news of Joshua Sanders¡¯s return, a person with one of the Evil Sins¡¯ authorities showed up,¡± Marbas mused. The rebels flinched. ¡°That means that you never had a choice, so trust me on this like you have until now.¡±


    The demon turned and walked away.

 Side Story Chapter 50

    Side Story Chapter 50


    A temporary watchtower had been newly built on the western border. Cain climbed up the tower, as he usually did, and took a look around at his surroundings. Today, however, he tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Everything to the front side of the watchtower remained the same. Numerous tents were pitched on the open ins, housing eighty percent of the western rebel army. On the south of the camp there was one big, dense forest, which led to the castle on the mountain that was the rebels¡¯ headquarters.


    The forest wasn¡¯t far from the border, so the remaining, elite twenty percent of the western rebel army could attack the national army any time. Since the trees provided cover for the rebels to move without fear of being spotted, the rebels had set up a camp in the strategically best location. But¡­ the forest was changing.


    ¡°¡­What is that?¡± Cain frowned. Two people basically bounced out of the forest.


    Although Cain was dozens of kilometers away at least, it wasn¡¯t a problem for a knight like Cain to observe if he focused his mana into his eyes.


    ¡°Wa-Wait, His Highness?¡± Cain jumped down from the watchtower as soon as he realized who those people were.


    A swarm of pursuers was pouring a rain of arrows onto Kireua and Anna, from within the safety forest. The national army called those chasers ¡®rangers¡¯; they could move like elves, the people of forests. Inside the forest, the rangers were the strongest people on the continent.


    The moment Cainnded on the ground, he turned to a middle-aged man with a mane of white hair and yelled, ¡°Ranger!¡±


    The knight looked up and blinked.


    ¡°His Highness is in danger!¡±


    The atmosphere immediately took on a palpable tension. Ranger was a veteran of countless battles, so he instantly understood the situation without needing to make an observation of his own.


    ¡°Captains of the Seventh and Eighth Squads! Get on your horses right now. Gather your men and follow me!¡±


    * * *


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, Your Highness!¡± Anna yelled, scowling.


    She was already covered in wounds that seeped blood. Naturally, things weren¡¯t all that different for Kireua, either. While protecting Anna, he had been hit by an arrow in his shoulder.


    ¡°It was obvious that our enemies were hiding in the forest, so did you have to choose the forest as a part of our escape route?¡± Annained.


    ¡°You¡¯ve seen how many tents there are. We couldn¡¯t break through those enemies directly.¡±


    ¡°We could retrace the path we used before¡ªtake a detour to the south and regroup with our allies!¡±


    ¡°That would be too slow. Since their demonkin have been discovered, there¡¯s no telling what those rebels would do,¡± Kireua answered calmly.


    ¡°You said we don¡¯t have to worry about them! With your great ability, you¡¯re like their natural predator!¡± Anna snapped.


    Kireua had thought so up until a few hours ago, but the situation changed because at some point, Coal had stopped answering him.


    <em>¡®Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua tried again.


    He still received no response. Did Coal absorb too much demonic power? Or was Coal suffering from a side effect from everything they had gone through?


    <em>¡®Stop pretending to be asleep and answer me right now. I told you that I won¡¯t interrogate you about your identity anymore!¡¯</em> Kireua plied.


    <em>¡®Are you going to keep doing this? I¡¯m serious. I¡¯m going to get angry.¡¯</em> Kireua threatened Coal.


    Nothing worked. The one silver lining was that they were out of the forest. However, Kireua could still detect hundreds of rebels, possibly even more, on his tail. On top of that, he had to travel dozens of kilometers more while holding a wounded woman in his arms, so things weren¡¯t looking good.


    ¡°Give up now, prince.¡±


    The voice came from not so far behind Kireua; it belonged to one of the rebel rangers, dressed in green from top to bottom as all of them were.


    ¡°You know that the chances of you rejoining your allies in your current state are very slim,¡± one of the rangers, who seemed to be the leader, continued.


    ¡°Did the idea that you guys were being lured out here cross none of your people¡¯s minds? Where are you going to hide now?¡± Kireua responded.


    ¡°Heh¡ªare you still going to act tough even at this moment?¡± The leader smiled crookedly. His men even tantly sneered at Kireua.


    ¡°Hehe, captain, putting the Prince aside, can we have fun with the girl? It¡¯s hard to find a beauty like her even in the west.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m itching after spending all that time cooped up in the forest. Please, captain!¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t be like those gay guys in the castle, can we? We have to get a sniff of a girl whenever we have a chance or we¡¯re going to lose our marbles!¡±


    The rangers behaved the same as those animals possessed by demonic power. The problem was, unlike in the castle, that Coal, their natural enemy, wasn¡¯t responding. Nevertheless, they were out of the forest, so the chances of Kireua and Anna emerging victorious weren¡¯t zero.


    ¡°Anna, I need a favor,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°If it¡¯s about leaving yourst words, don¡¯t even try. I¡¯m going to survive no matter what.¡±


    ¡°If I create fire, can you direct the fire toward the forest using your wind? You¡¯ll have to be careful not to extinguish the fire.¡±


    Anna nced at Kireua. ¡°What¡¯s your n?¡±


    ¡°Surviving is our priority, right? This was myst resort, but I have no other choice.¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to create an inferno or something?¡± Anna asked, her voice dripping with disbelief.


    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no risk of us getting caught in the fire now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure about this? That forest is part of the Empire.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure the people in the Pce will understand if I exin our circumstances,¡± Kireua quietly muttered.


    Kireua stopped worrying about his next move. He brandished his sword, and with a majestic roar, a giant me rose into the sky.


    ¡°White Wolf!¡± Anna summoned her highest-ranking wind element spirit, just in time.


    The rangers panicked. Kireua¡¯s aura of me was very noticeable even from far away, and they could clearly see a huge white wolf howling at them, despite being transparent.


    ¡°Argggh!¡±


    Kireua swung his sword, and his me charged forward. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of his attack. The fire also spread to the forest¡ªand they were in the middle of the dry season. The rangers were in trouble if their escape route was blocked.


    ¡°That crazy prince!¡±


    ¡°The fire! Put out the fire first! Or else we might end up being the ones stranded here!¡±


    ¡°Half of you focus on extinguishing the fire, and the other half will go after the prince!¡±


    ¡°Ca-Captain! We can¡¯t pursue him if we don¡¯t go through this wall of fire¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Ah, fuck! That fire is nothing! His mana isn¡¯t infinite, so we¡¯ll get after him as soon as it goes out!¡±


    However, the fire didn¡¯t go out even after a long time. In fact, even Kireua and Anna hadn¡¯t expected such a dramatic result. Wind and fire were known to synergize with each other, but they felt a deeper connection in their mana that couldn¡¯t be exined by that alone.


    ¡°¡­Anyhow, I¡¯m not sure how long I can hold out with how much mana I have,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    me Emperor Secret Technique Number Eight: Inferno. It was bis¡¯s technique to use the minimum amount of mana to the maximum extent.


    Of course, the technique was rarely used in one-on-one battles because it had been devised to take on multiple opponents at once. It was originally believed that mages were more useful than knights during wars, so bis had continuously studied to upgrade his sword techniques to change that belief. The result of bis''s efforts was the main cause of the sight unfolding before Kireua.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted quietly. He was at his limit. Although the technique was invented to achieve maximum efficiency, it was all rtive; it wasn¡¯t like the technique consumed less manapared to bis¡¯s other secret techniques. Kireua was soaked in sweat in less than ten minutes.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯re going to be in trouble at this rate.¡± Kireua gritted his teeth.


    ¡°Your Highness, just go first.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The fire has already spread everywhere. I¡¯ll use that to hold out, so get out of here first, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about right now?¡±


    ¡°I promised to be your loyal subordinate for the next ten years. Who in the world would think that a subordinate that runs away without her master is loyal?¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened, then he bit his lip. It had been a while since he¡¯d felt this powerless¡ªnot since the day he had voluntarily left the Pce.


    ¡°¡­Be quiet,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere without you.¡±


    Anna¡¯s eyes widened in surprise this time. She grinned. ¡°Is this a love confession?¡±


    ¡°Are you making jokes right now? Seriously?¡±


    ¡°Yup, I definitely am!¡± Anna continued to grin as she moved the wind around her to gradually push Kireua backward.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll leave unless I do this.¡±


    ¡°Urggh¡­!¡± Kireua nted his legs firmly on the ground, creating two deep furrows in the soil as he was pushed away.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to say goodbye, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Anna, cut it out!¡±


    Anna smiled faintly. ¡°Cut it out yourself, Your Highness. At least one of us should survive.¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit¡­!¡± Kireua clenched his teeth tightly.


    He wasn¡¯t good enough. Despite his determination to protect his people no matter what happened, he was abysmally helpless right now.


    ¡°Your Highnessssss!¡±


    Kireua froze.


    Anna also heard the voice quite clearly, but she could hardly believe it. ¡°Am I he-hearing things¡­?¡±


    A momentter, Kireua and Anna heard the tter of horses¡¯ hooves against the ground and realized that it was real.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    After hearing the voice more clearly, Kireua¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    The next thing Kireua saw was a group of people he hadn¡¯t met for a long time. Naturally, Kireua knew them very well.


    ¡°Oh my god. The Imperial Knights!¡± Kireua gasped.


    * * *


    In a dark alley of Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire, a man was movingfortably in the middle of the night.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± He groaned painfully.


    Someone had grabbed his head and mmed him against the wall as if they had been waiting for him.


    ¡°Wh-Who is it?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°Your routine is the same as ever, Zero. Are you sure you¡¯re an agent?¡±


    Zero''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Or have you been gettingx because you¡¯re part of the ¡®strongest¡¯ country on the continent?¡±


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡±


    He was an agent of an information guild, but he was also an intermediate-expert knight that could use his mana proficiently. However, Zero quickly abandoned his will to fight back when he felt the air around his nape getting cold.


    ¡°Have you already forgotten my voice? That would make me a little sad.¡±


    ¡°Wai-Wait, I definitely heard this voice from¡­¡± Zero¡¯s jaw slowly dropped to the ground as realization dawned.


    It was impossible.


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± Zero shouted.


    As an agent, Zero was peerless. He perfectly remembered the faces of everyone that he¡¯d ever met as well as their voices, even if he¡¯d only passed by them on the streets. That was why, after remembering whose voice that was, Zero couldn¡¯t have been more surprised if his father had returned from the grave.


    ¡°If you¡¯re still in Arcadia, then it¡¯s safe to assume that you haven¡¯t retired, right? It¡¯s been a while, but I want to make a request.¡±


    ¡°Yo-You¡­¡±


    ¡°The people in the Hubalt Empire seem to be up to some cute schemes, so I think I¡¯ll be more grateful if you let me meet your leader in person.¡±


    The grip on Zero¡¯s head loosened, allowing him to slowly turn his head. The first thing he could see was a beautiful woman pointing an icepick at his neck, and the surreally handsome man with ck hair was standing next to her.


    The man¡¯s name was Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°The Ma-Mar-Martial God¡­!¡±


    He was the missing emperor of the Avalon Empire.

 Side Story Chapter 51

    Side Story Chapter 51


    The Arcadia branch of the Moon Gate was in an ordinary house within the capital. It was a noticeable downgrade from the small yet fine pub the organization¡¯s agents had used as their office in the past.


    ¡°The Moon Gate must have greatly weakened,¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    ¡°The organization got stronger, but they¡¯re no longer interested in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Since Avalon no longer has the Martial God, there are fewer things for the Moon Gate to care about. In fact, it''s strategically advantageous to focus on the Swallow Empire and the Thran Kingdom as they could join forces at any time. The me Emperor is also over there too.¡±


    ¡°This country is strong without me,¡± Joshua replied.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡± Zero shrugged. ¡°As a matter of fact, I¡¯m the only member of the Moon Gate in the Arcadia branch.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten quite old, but you still haven¡¯t retired. Remarkable. Haven¡¯t you been an agent for over twenty years?¡±


    ¡°Almost thirty years, to be exact,¡± Zero said, his skin wrinkled around his eyes. He may be the best agent in the Moon Gate, but he was helpless before time.


    ¡°When did youe back?¡± Zero asked.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long.¡±


    ¡°Once the public finds out about your return, the entire continent will be turned upside down¡­¡±


    ¡°So let¡¯s keep it between us.¡± Joshua smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m a merchant that deals in information.¡±


    Zero stiffened as a shroud of cold air surrounded him. When he cautiously turned his head, he saw a beautiful woman with waterfall-like blue hair ring at him.


    ¡°The dead don¡¯t speak,¡± the woman quietly intoned.


    ¡°That sounds like you¡¯ll kill me.¡±


    ¡°If necessary.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Her Majesty Iceline, aren¡¯t you? Everyone on the continent knows that the Moon Gate is under the Hubalt Empire¡¯s protection. If you do such a thing, it¡¯ll be a diplomatic problem.¡± Zero smiled nervously.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that for the better since you the citizens of the Hubalt Empire are hellbent on starting a war of conquest? You¡¯re going to get the justification that you wanted.¡±


    ¡°Please don¡¯t sound me out.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m doing that?¡± Iceline asked menacingly.


    Zero nervously swallowed. The air around him was bone-achingly cold now.


    ¡°Iceline, stop,¡± Joshua interrupted.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m quite well acquainted with him. He¡¯s my friend¡¯s subordinate.¡±


    Iceline quietly let her mana dissipate. There was only one person in the world for whom Iceline always did as she was asked, and that was Joshua. She didn¡¯t even do that for Selim, her biological son.


    ¡°Thank you for saving me, Your Majesty.¡± Zero bowed slightly.


    ¡°Let¡¯s just act as normal. How much do I need to pay to meet your leader?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but as you can see, the Arcadia Branch is in no state to receive a request,¡± Zero awkwardly answered.


    ¡°I get it now.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Something happened to Lilith.¡±


    Zero¡¯s hands shook subtly, but not so subtly that Joshua would miss it.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡ª¡±


    ¡°I made a reasonable assumption based on three points of evidence.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Joshua was charmed by her cute response and quietly stroked her head, much to Zero¡¯s consternation.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Iceline¡¯s face reddened slightly.


    Although Joshua had had a good reason for it, he had made the Queen Consorts live like widows for over a decade, so he made amitment to express his feelings and touch them with affection whenever he had a chance¡ªwhich exined stroking right now.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty, this ce isn¡¯t¡­¡±


    ¡°The first reason is that you¡¯re here in the Arcadia Branch of the Moon Gate after everyone else has withdrawn,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Why would me staying here be significant¡­?¡± Zero mumbled.


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°You were already a branch manager about two decades ago, so most organizations would treat you with the respect of an elder. From anyone¡¯s perspective, it¡¯s strange for the Moon Gate to leave you alone like this. On top of that, the Moon Gate leader I know isn¡¯t such a person.¡±


    ¡°¡­A long career doesn¡¯t necessarily entail promotion in an organization. Getting promoted means someone gets demoted. I¡¯m grateful for your high opinion of me, but I¡¯m a tiger¡ªno, wolf without teeth.¡±


    ¡°The second reason,¡± Joshua continued without breaking stride, surprising Zero, ¡°is that if this branch was where executives of the Moon Gate end up after being demoted and there isn¡¯t a problem with your leader, you would have offered a meeting with her before I did instead of standing around awkwardly as if you¡¯re in trouble.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even try to say that those two left the Moon Gate. If that was really the case, you would have reacted otherwise when I first mentioned your superiors. You don¡¯t seriously think that I¡¯m too foolish to notice, do you?¡± Joshua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°She¡± was one of the people who had wished for Joshua¡¯s return more dearly than all the rest of the continent. Besides, she was the head of an information guild, so why wouldn¡¯t she wee back Joshua, who was probably going to turn the continent upside down? Joshua was bound to suspect that there were internal issues within the Moon Gate.


    ¡°The third reason is that things in the Hubalt Empire are unusual. After the death of Zactor, the Martial Emperor, in the old Continental War, the nobles who sided with the emperor of Hubalt fell out of power. The pope, cardinals, and God¡¯s Knight took the reigns, but they emphasized peace more than anyone else. So if the Hubalt Empire¡¯s government openly revealed their desire to conquer the continent¡­¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Your Majesty. Let me exin that part,¡± Iceline interrupted Joshua, her first addition to the conversation.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    Something was odd because Zero, who had been quietly listening to Joshua, was also smiling bitterly.


    ¡°Chrysler jean Sebastian, God¡¯s Knight, died, and his student, Christian the White Lion, is a cripple.¡±


    Joshua gaped nkly at her.


    Those two men were part of the Nine Stars and Twelve Superhumans. <em>What</em> had happened to them?


    ¡°What did you say¡­?¡± Joshua nkly murmured.


    * * *


    Right after the Imperial Knights arrived, the rebel rangers retreated in spite of the fire that was blocking their escape route. They knew that they were at a disadvantage outside the forest better than anyone else.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    Cain, Ranger, and the Imperial Knights didn¡¯t bother chasing after them¡ªtheir priority right now was checking the Second Prince¡¯s condition. The arrow in Kireua¡¯s shoulder looked serious even from a cursory nce.


    ¡°Bear with me for a moment.¡± Cain approached Kireua and pulled the arrow out.


    Kireua groaned in pain for a moment but calmly endured the process. After he was done with first aid, Cain took a step backward. ¡°Didn¡¯t I repeatedly tell you to not take any unnecessary risks?¡±


    ¡°It was inevitable¡ªbut I brought back great intel.¡±


    ¡°Great intel or not, your safety is the priority,¡± Cain answered, his serious expression unmoved.


    Nevertheless, Kireua held up his head high because he was certain that he¡¯d found out the western rebels¡¯ weakness.


    ¡°If you¡¯re done, can I speak with His Highness Kireua?¡±


    ¡°Sir Ranger! Long time no see!¡± Kireua delightedly shouted, forgetting about his pain.


    However, Ranger looked uncharacteristically menacing.


    ¡°Pardon my rudeness, Your Highness,¡± he said, to Kireua¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    Ranger¡¯s next move was truly surprising. He suddenly pulled out a set of white gloves from his pocket and threw them at Kireua¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Vi-Vice Commander R-Ranger! Are you out of your mind?!¡±


    ¡°I told you not to act like a knight since it doesn¡¯t suit you, but even a mercenary doesn¡¯t do this, Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°Stop him!¡±


    His subordinates came in on both sides in an attempt to hold him back, but Ranger strode toward Kireua.


    ¡°Your Highness, you have no idea how I feel right now.¡±


    They were none other than Imperial Knights. They <em>should</em> be loyal to the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire, but one of them had just disrespected a prince. The other Imperial Knights knew the true meaning of what Ranger had just done and their jaws were mming against the ground.


    ¡°His Majesty gave me an order. When His Majesty himself or his children act unreasonably stubborn, stop them even if I have to beat sense into them,¡± Ranger said.


    It was said that personality was hereditary. In that regard, the Emperor of Avalon knew how stubborn he could be and that his children would be the same.


    ¡°Of course, His Majesty still did everything he wanted to do since he had the right and the power. Besides, I¡¯m in no position to say he was wrong or right¡ªbut it¡¯s different for you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Kireua nkly murmured.


    ¡°Justice without power is childish stubbornness and reckless bravado. If a child refuses to listen, an adult has to reproach them in order to stop them from doing that ever again.¡±


    An ominous ring of metal cast a grim silence over the area.


    Ranger didn¡¯t even care about Kierua¡¯s wounds anymore. ¡°When I go to the otherworld, I wonder how I¡¯m supposed to look His Majesty in the eyes.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡­ is alive.¡±


    ¡°¡­I believe that, of course. Anyhow, I challenge you to Berche¡¯s Bloody battle.¡±


    Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle allowed anyone with talent to challenge a superior Imperial Knight. After the winner and loser were decided, the winner could take the loser¡¯s rank, and the loser had to grant the winner''s request. Thetter part had been established by the Emperor of Avalon, who said that it would be too boring if the rules remained the same forever.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ept the challenge, Sir Ranger.¡± Kireua sprang up from his seat with the tter of metal.


    The knights began to stir. Although Ranger¡¯s remark was crude, he wasn¡¯t wrong, so they had believed that Kireua would admit his fault and apologize. However, things took a turn in the opposite direction.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to ept the challenge in your current state?¡± Ranger dumbly asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡± Kireua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°¡­You¡­ big, stubborn baby!¡±


    Ranger didn¡¯t hold back any longer; his mana shook the air powerfully.


    The wave of Ranger¡¯s aura suddenly developed into a mighty roar that stimted knights¡¯ bodies and minds. Kireua and Cain¡¯s eyes widened¡ªhad seen this ability before.


    ¡°W-Wait, is that one of the Four Guardians¡¯ authorities?¡±


    The authority of the White Tiger used to belong to Dargo rane Suspen, the now-dead leader of the southern rebel army, but that authority was manifesting in Ranger right now.


    Kireua stared, ck-jawed. ¡°This kind of thing is possible¡­?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 52

    Side Story Chapter 52


    Ranger roared as if he was a ferocious beast¡ªand indeed, he literally looked like a White Tiger.


    The Imperial Knights were secretly exultant, but they tilted their heads in confusion. Nevertheless, they were still not sure what to do about the sudden turn of events.


    ¡°What are you doing to a patient?¡± Anna yelled at the top of her lungs, in spite of the fact she was practically an outsider. ¡°The Imperial Knights are pathetic. I get that he¡¯s your direct superior, but a maniac is pointing his sword at the prince of your empire. So how can none of you try to stop him? Do you not know why the Imperial Knights exist in the first ce?¡±


    The Knights flinched as the truth of her words sank in. Imperial Knights existed to protect the Pce as well as the Imperial Family.


    Some of the knights hastily stepped forward.


    ¡°V-Vice Commander! I believe that is enough.¡±


    ¡°No matter how I frame it, this is wrong.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re angry, just kill me with your sword instead!¡± Anna stood between Kireua and Ranger, even though she looked more wounded than the prince.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so step aside.¡± Kireua gestured at her.


    ¡°What the hell are you saying? Look at yourself! You¡¯re not fine! Besides, have all of you forgotten where we are right now?!¡±


    They were right in front of the enemy camp¡ªthe enemy could detect and attack them at any time. Anna was well aware of this fact and chastised them with a louder voice: ¡°All of you, go back to your base and talk there. Mister Cain! Don¡¯t just stand over there, do something!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my n.¡± Cain stepped between Ranger and Kireua as well. ¡°Ranger, cut it out.¡±


    ¡°Stay out of this, Sir Cain. His Majesty personally asked me to do this.¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten about Imperialw? Regardless of your reasons, you can¡¯t harm a member of the Imperial Family.¡±


    Ranger gritted his teeth. ¡°For me, His Majesty¡¯s orders supersede Imperialw.¡±


    He was insistent that the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s orders were equivalent tow. Depending on the interpretation, he wasn¡¯t wrong, but Cain didn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°You¡¯re inflexible as a rock. Do you think His Majesty expected this kind of situation to happen? Besides, he gave that order over a decade ago.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s orders still hold no matter how long ago they were issued.¡±


    ¡°You really insist on fighting against a wounded person? I didn¡¯t know the vicemander of the Imperial Knights was a chicken.¡±


    ¡°Call me a coward all you want, but if I don¡¯t do this right now, that immature prince will pull off another stunt like this.¡± Ranger¡¯s eyes zed with anger as he looked at Kireua. ¡°Promise me that you won¡¯t ever do such a thing on your own. Then I¡¯ll stand down.¡±


    At this rate, Kireua didn¡¯t want to back down either.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± he stubbornly replied.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why in the world I have to get scolded like this, Sir Ranger. You aren¡¯t even trying to listen to the full story, and you have no idea what kind of intel I brought!¡±


    ¡°What if something bad happens to you after you do this kind of thing again? We¡¯re currently standing face to face with our enemies. Did you think about how you would impact the national army¡¯s morale?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°A strategist always assumes the worst, and a knight pictures the best in their minds during battles. You know what this means, Sir Ranger, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure what the intent behind your question is, but that¡¯s because a strategist has to consider all the variables to minimize casualties. If a knight did the same, they would be too anxious to fight.¡±


    ¡°Yes, a knight needs to be confident that they can win. That was what I felt and thought,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°As I already said, you need to prove yourself to persuade someone else.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll prove it.¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    The air around them shifted. The more time passed, the stronger energies the two men exuded. Seeing no other options, Cain prepared to release his energy.


    ¡°We received an urgent message!¡±


    Everyone¡¯s heads turned at once.


    One of the Imperial Knights was pointing far in the direction of the base they hade from. The people could see thick, yellow smoke climbing into the sky.


    ¡°A yellow mana re¡­?¡±


    A mana re was a means ofmunication developed in the Magic Tower. A re fired into the air could be seen for several kilometers. Thus, mana res were often used in times of war like this civil war. Mana res¡¯ meanings differed by color, and a yellow mana re hadn''t been used in thest two years of this civil war. Because¡­


    ¡°A yellow mana re is only fired when we receive an order from His Majesty, so how¡­?¡±


    * * *


    The death of Chrysler jean Sebastian, God¡¯s Knight, wasn¡¯t totally unexpected. The Hubalt emperor¡¯s faction and pope¡¯s faction had fought a civil war in the past. During the civil war, Chrysler had fought as a spearhead and gone up against the Martial Emperor, but he had lost and was critically injured.


    When he had first reappeared in the world, he hadn¡¯t really been in good shape, so he had only nominally been a Star. If someone challenged him, he would have lost the title for sure, but Joshua had never expected Christian, Chrysler¡¯s student, to be crippled as well.


    ¡°The new strong have appeared,¡± Iceline began to exin.


    ¡°The new strong?¡±


    ¡°In the Hubalt Empire, the weakest of the new strong is considered stronger than Zactor, the dead Martial Empire.¡±


    ording to Iceline¡¯s exnation, there were multiple of them.


    Joshua frowned. ¡°Are they from the Hubalt emperor¡¯s faction again?¡±


    ¡°No, they¡¯re from the pope¡¯s faction. They¡¯re called the Four Pdins, and they¡¯re worshiped by Hubalt¡¯s citizens like gods.¡±


    ¡°Then they¡¯re¡­?¡±


    Iceline nodded. ¡°Yes, they¡¯re the ones that want to start a war.¡±


    Things were getting worse by the minute. The pope¡¯s faction¡¯s members used to cry for peace, but they were now trying to raise a conquering army. This must be why it was said that there was no way to know the future and that history repeated itself.


    However, Joshua had some ideas of what was going on.


    ¡°It must be rted to the gods from the destroyed Angel Realm,¡± Joshua surmised.


    ¡°I agree. We now even have the powers we call ¡®authorities¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Everybody begins to be greedy once they acquire power, just like in Avalon right now.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because they haven¡¯t gotten beaten up by you, Your Majesty. The emperor of the Avalon Empire is a god-yer¡­¡± Iceline bit her lower lip in frustration.


    A faint smile spread across Joshua¡¯s face. ¡°Let me ask you a question, Zero.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°Is she alive?¡±


    Zero stiffened. Joshua didn¡¯t mention any names, but everyone in this ce knew who he was talking about.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Zero shook his head.


    ¡°You were once a branch manager of the continent¡¯s best information guild, but your information is verycking. Or are you pretending that you don¡¯t know?¡±


    Zero still didn¡¯t answer, but the implication was that Lilith Aphrodite was alive. Joshua raised an eyebrow. The Silver-eyed Ghost Sword, once the most influential figure in the Hubalt Empire, was alive.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Joshua reached a conclusion and smiled deeply. ¡°I get her state and understand why you¡¯re acting like this. Come out now.¡±


    Zero and Iceline''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Did you really think you wouldn¡¯t be made?¡±


    No one responded, and the ordinary street of the slum located on the outskirts of Arcadia was quiet.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°One on the left roof. Two behind the entrance door of the deserted house on the right. One lying face down behind me. Three more buried in the pile of trash. So there are seven of you in total?¡±


    As soon as the words slipped from his lips, many people appeared out of the darkness and stepped into the moonlight. Just like Joshua had said, there were exactly seven of them.


    ¡°I did think the mana flow of the area was weird¡­¡± Iceline tensed and drew up her mana.


    Zero was an intermediate expert-level knight in his own right, but his eyes widened in surprise. That was how great these mysterious people¡¯s stealth techniques were.


    ¡°H-How¡­?¡± Zero mumbled in disbelief.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be surprised. It seems they¡¯re the expert assassins specialized in stealth techniques.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Joshua¡¯s ck hair fluttered underneath his hood as he slowly stepped forward. ¡°Even if I ask for your identities, you wouldn¡¯t answer me, would you?¡±


    They were wearing matching ck clothes; even their masks were identical. However, since Joshua was also covering his face, one of the mysterious people asked, ¡°¡­I¡¯m the one who wants to ask who you are.¡±


    His voice was unpleasant, resembling the screech of metal.


    ¡°If I tell you who I am, will you reveal your identities too?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to die anyway, so why do you want to know that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re nning on silencing in the middle of the Avalon Empire¡¯s capital.¡±


    ¡°Your fate was sealed the moment you met us. Besides, this Empire is falling into ruin, so it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± The man who seemed to be the leader of the masked men giggled creeply.


    ¡°Let me do it.¡± Iceline came forward since things came to this. ¡°You are in no shape for this.¡±


    ¡°If I get scared of a hyena pack just because my power is limited for now, I wouldn¡¯t have been famous in the first ce, would I?¡± Joshua said, ncing backward.


    Zero also heard Joshua¡¯s remark, making his eyes widen in surprise. ¡°Your power is limited¡­?¡±


    ¡°Zero, let¡¯s make a bet.¡±


    ¡°A¡­ bet?¡±


    ¡°If I defeat them without using my mana, you¡¯ll answer my questions to the best of your knowledge.¡±


    Zero was struck dumb. It was nonsense¡ªeven with the most cursory nce, he could see that those mysterious masked men were extraordinary, so how was Joshua going to win without using his mana? That was the same as a slightly strong, ordinary soldier dering he would defeat an expert-level knight. The ability to use mana was considered important for a reason. The moment an ordinary sword shed against an aurayered sword, the ordinary sword would shatter instantly, and its wielder would suffer the entire rebound.


    The only sound in the quiet alley was the sound of footsteps. For some reason, Zero started to look forward to seeing what was going to happen instead of getting worried.


    ¡°Iceline, can you make me a spear?¡± Joshua asked.


    It was probably because the man in question was the Martial God, glorified by all peoples of Igrant.


    Iceline wordlessly created a long, snow-white spear of ice.


    ¡°I tried to make it simr to the one you used before, but I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯s good enough,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s a little cold.¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t do much about the temperature¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Joshua smiled faintly and pointed his spear forward. ¡°It won¡¯t be an issue if I finish them before my hands freeze up.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 53

    Side Story Chapter 53


    ¡°He¡¯s nuts,¡± the masked men¡¯s leader mocked, spurring hispatriots to sneer along.


    ¡°It looks a little unique, but isn¡¯t that a spear made out of Ice Spear, the ss 3 magic spell?¡±


    ¡°Wait, it looks simr to the spear that the Martial God used during his prime. You can actually find the image of that from books, right?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing special considering we¡¯re in Avalon, the Martial God¡¯s country.¡±


    ¡°In other words, he thinks he¡¯s Joshua Sanders? He¡¯s holding a lump of ice that¡¯s slightly sturdier than ss. Ha. Hehehe.¡±


    ¡°Gosh, I thought he had a reason for his confidence, but it turns out he¡¯s just a lunatic.¡±


    They became rxed, forgot why they were here, and let their mouths p.


    <em>¡®They¡¯re definitely not from Avalon,¡¯</em> Joshua concluded, his eyes sparkling.


    He carefully listened to every single insult the assassins threw out because there was information to be deduced from them. He was going to listen to them without saying anything else for a little while more, but his ns went to naught because their leader seemed to still have his wits about him.


    ¡°Stop,¡± the leader growled. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with that crazy one. Six and Seven, you¡¯ll capture the target as we nned. The other four of you, take care of the girl. Stay alert¡ªshe¡¯s a mage of at least ss 3.¡±


    The masked men didn¡¯t answer aloud but they immediately leaped into action. Following their leader¡¯smand, they encircled Joshua and hispanions. They were in the remote outskirts of the city, so Joshua wouldn¡¯t be able to expect any reinforcements.


    He didn¡¯t really need any, of course.


    Joshua elegantly spun his transparent spear, wafting the cold air it exuded, his hands flushing slightly red from contact with the icy weapon.


    Looking at Joshua, the leader¡¯s confidence grew. ¡°He¡¯s an amateur who can¡¯t use his mana. He¡¯s basically trash that can¡¯t stop his own spear from freezing his hands.¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe.¡± Sneers broke out on the masked men¡¯s faces. They moved agilely and with confidence.


    ¡°I¡¯m only going up against a gang of assassins, so my mana isn¡¯t really necessary right now.¡± Joshua curled up one end of his mouth.


    Obviously, Joshua was as capable as they were. The rebound from the impact with a mana attack? Joshua could just not get hit by the mana attack. The incredible speed of a mana user? He could just see them and dodge. The kic vision to follow the movements of had broken the limits of the human body? He already had such eyesight, so he didn¡¯t need to use his mana to enhance it.


    The man that stood before them was Joshua Sander, known to all of Igrant as the Martial God.


    ¡°Kill him!¡±


    The assants simultaneously converged on their targets.


    Things took an immediate and surprising turn. Giant pirs of ice, each at least ten meters tall, rose up from below Iceline and Zero. Iceline, from her perch much closer to the moon, looked down at the masked men aloofly.


    ¡°The m-mage is at least ss 5!¡± the leader shrieked.


    The size of the cast magic spell was proportional to the mage¡¯s mana, so even if a mage was ss 5¡ªor even ss 6¡ªthe mage couldn¡¯t create two such ice pirs without being born with an abundant amount of mana.


    ¡°A female mage in Avalon more powerful than ss 6, and a young man that uses a spear. Wait¡­?¡± The leader came to a realization and trembled as if he had been hit with a lightning bolt. ¡°Iceline Sanders, the First Queen Consort of Avalon! And her son, Selim Sanders!¡±


    The leader was close to getting the right answer, but even he waspletely unable to deduce that the man using spears was Joshua Sanders, who had been missing for over a decade.


    ¡°S-Stop! Selim Sanders inherited the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s talent with spears, so he¡¯s a genius¡ª!¡±


    The leader immediately tried to stop his men, but he was toote.


    Although they were baffled by the sudden emergency, they went with their n B, just like they had trained.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    The six masked men raised their daggers and charged forward like lightning bolts, solely intent on Joshua.


    Joshua suddenly disappeared, so the masked men ended up vainly cutting through the air.


    ¡°Wh-Where¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s above us!¡±


    The masked men looked up at the sky, just in time to see Joshua¡¯s hood blown off by the wind in the middle of his miraculous somersault.


    One of the masked men gasped. The first thing that caught his eyes was Joshua¡¯s pitch-ck hair. Although Joshua seemed to be in his thirties at most, his face had a certain maturity that belied his age.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s not Selim Sanders,¡± the masked man nkly whispered.


    The jaw-droppingly handsome man falling out of the sky looked simr to Selim and wielded the frozen spear like him, but he wasn¡¯t him. The moment the masked man reached that conclusion, the spear <em>crashed</em> loudly; thin cracks spread all over the length of Joshua¡¯s white weapon until it exploded into a shower of fragments that rained down from the heavens like sleet.


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­ really Joshua Sanders¡­?¡±


    That was the masked man¡¯sst remark before he and the others were swept away by the torrent of ice.


    * * *


    ¡°Wee back, sir.¡±


    Once Kireua and the others returned to the national army¡¯s base, the Imperial Knights on standby quickly approached them.


    ¡°Who fired that re?¡± Ranger pointed at the sky, his face crumpled menacingly.


    A knight from the Auxiliary Battalion flinched and scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what exactly happened, sir.¡±


    ¡°Which bastard made a mistake like this in a time like this?¡±


    ¡°Umm, it¡¯s not really a mistake.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not a mistake?¡± Ranger asked, still frowning.


    ¡°An imperial mage just arrived here from the Pce and delivered a message: An imperial order has been issued, and we¡¯re to pause all ongoing operations and focus on maintaining our defense.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡±


    ¡°There he is.¡± The knight pointed. From afar, a mage was hurriedly running toward them, having just arrived in the west using a warp spell. Ranger strode toward the mage, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Cain said, to Ranger¡¯s confusion. ¡°Cool your head. Let me talk to him.¡±


    Cain walked past Ranger.


    ¡°I-I have an urgent message to deliver!¡±


    ¡°Catch your breath first.¡±


    ¡°Wh-Who are you?¡± the mage stammered.


    ¡°I¡¯m Cain de Harry.¡±


    The imperial mage gave him a wide-eyed look.


    Cain had been away from the Pce for a long time looking for Joshua, so it was no wonder that someone who had recently started to work in the Pce didn¡¯t know what Cain looked like. After all, Cain looked very in.


    ¡°A-Are you really Sir Cain, the C-Combat Emperor Star?¡± the imperial mage asked, astonished.


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my goodness. The First Knight! I heard the news of your return, but it¡¯s a genuine honor to meet you in person.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Cain held his head slightly higher. It felt good to be recognized by someone else once in a while. But of course, Cain should keep his dignity since he was an aged man. On top of that, he was one of the Nine Stars, the idols of the people of the continent, so what would other people think of him if he kept grinning?


    ¡°Have you gotten your breath back?¡± Cain gently asked.


    ¡°Phew. Yes, I¡¯m fine now.¡±


    ¡°Then can you tell me what is going on? The mana re was yellow¡ªwhy?¡±


    Cain was willing to forgive the people responsible even if the re had been misfired, because thanks to it, a catastrophe¡ªa battle between a prince and an Imperial Knight¡ªcould be stopped. Besides, an Absolute should have both skills and grace in order to be a true member of the Nine Stars.


    ¡°If it was misfired, I¡¯ll let it slide this time.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me! ¡®Let it slide¡¯ on whose authority?¡± Ranger instantly snapped.


    ¡°Ranger, please control your temper. You¡¯ve gotten pretty old, but you¡¯ve never changed.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was a mercenary. Why? Do you have a problem with that? If you do, then let¡¯s go at it!¡±


    Cain clicked his tongue. ¡°I don¡¯t know where your confidence ising from.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m always serious when it involves His Majesty. And didn¡¯t I always tell you that I¡¯ll take your title of First Knight one day?¡±


    Although Cain didn¡¯t answer Ranger¡¯s provocation, he could feel something boiling up from inside him. He knew he had to hold it in. Many people were watching him, so all his efforts would be meaningless if he let his anger get the better of him.


    Kireua stepped forward, frustrated by their distraction. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t giving the mage from the Pce the time to speak! Go on, tell us what¡¯s happening.¡±


    The imperial mage licked his lips nervously. ¡°Uh-umm¡­ The yellow mana re wasn¡¯t misfired as you thought.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain and Ranger¡¯s heads turned simultaneously.


    ¡°The entire Imperial Pce is in chaos. I couldn¡¯t believe it at first either¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get sidetracked. Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°¡­His Majesty has returned,¡± the imperial mage bluntly replied.


    ¡°Why would everyone make such a fuss for a trivial¡ª Wa-Wait. What?¡±


    The mood in the base changed instantly. Cain totally abandoned his dignity and rounded on the imperial mage.


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Cain demanded.


    Cain btedly came to his senses and gritted his teeth. <em>¡®L-Let¡¯s stay calm.¡¯ </em>He had sworn to never be surprised, but he was about to break his oath. He couldn¡¯t get impatient, especially in times like this where nothing was confirmed yet. On top of that, Cain had spent over a decade searching for the Emperor of Avalon but hadn¡¯t found a single trace of him. It didn¡¯t make any sense for the Emperor of Avalon to just show up, so he should calm¡­


    ¡°¡­down, my ass. What the fuck are you talking about?¡± Cain grabbed the young imperial mage by the cor.


    The dramatic turn of events left even Ranger nkly gaping just like everyone else.


    ¡°Eeeeek!¡± The imperial mage shrieked.


    ¡°Say that again. What did His Majesty do?¡±


    ¡°I-I just reported what I saw and heard!¡±


    ¡°Are you married?¡± Cain asked seriously.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m a bachelor¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re lying, I¡¯m going to make you stay a bachelor for the rest of your life, just like me.¡±


    ¡°Wait!¡±


    ¡°No, forget about marriage. You won¡¯t even be able toy an eye on a woman because I¡¯m going to spend the rest of my life making sure you never get a date.¡± Cain growled. He let go of the imperial mage¡¯s cor. ¡°You should try harder if you want to make it believable, you dipshit.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 54

    Side Story Chapter 54


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡±


    Meanwhile, the ck Knights finished cutting off thest remaining enemy¡¯s head.


    ¡°It looks like that was thest scout.¡±


    ¡°How is Marquess Drenius responding?¡± Selim asked, looking up ahead.


    Shaking off blood from his sword, a cold-looking man responded, ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to notice that we¡¯ve formed a detachment yet.¡±


    There were piles of corpses and pools of blood around Selim and the ck Knights. They were currently on the border of eastern Avalon. Selim had formed a detachment of one hundred of his ck Knights and infiltrated the heart of the eastern rebel army.


    ¡°Hahahaha! What are they going to do even if they found out? Their end is already decided,¡± another ck Knight responded. The two-meter-tall knight had an eye-catching scar from a de, but it was his next move that really drew attention..


    ¡°¡­Downbeck, I warned you to not reveal your filthy habit in front of our master.¡± Agagette frowned.


    Downbeck crunched on something and then noisily swallowed. ¡°Do you walk on eggshells even when you¡¯re having your protein? Leave me alone.¡±


    ¡°Who says nonsense about a human eye being a source of protein?¡±


    ¡°You idiot, you should nag after you read some books. You don¡¯t even know how nutritious animal eyes are,¡± Downbeck said sarcastically. He had a unique habit, that being to eat one eye from the people that he killed. Since Agagette was the rational one, he always found Downbeck¡¯s habit unpleasant.


    ¡°Animal,¡± Agagette mumbled.


    ¡°What? Did you insult me just now?¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say with your own mouth that humans are animals?¡±


    ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re going to keep picking a fight with me? Shall we go at it? It¡¯s been a while.¡± Downbeck smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Certainly.¡±


    A staredown between Downbeck and Agagette started.


    Selim suddenly flinched. ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    His knights looked up.


    ¡°Be quiet,¡± Selim instructed. ¡°I¡¯m receiving a notification from themunication crystal ball.¡±


    The two men finally shut up.


    Communication crystal balls usually malfunctioned in wartime because enemy mages would create arge-scale mana-jamming barrier around the battlefield. However, Selim and the others were in the center of eastern Avalon, far past the border.


    -¡­Your Highness!


    The crystal ball shined, and the image of the imperial mage in charge ofmunication appeared.


    Selim tilted his head in confusion, wondering why he was receivingmunication from the Pce of all ces. ¡°What is it? I¡¯m on the battlefield right now and someone could eavesdrop on our conversation, so I¡¯d prefer you keep it short.¡±


    -Hi-His Majesty is back!


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Selim nkly asked. Downbeck and Agagette stopped bickering as well and stared at the mage.


    -Additionally, he stated that he¡¯s nning to hand over the crown depending on the number of aplishments you and His Highness Kireua make, Your Highness¡­


    Selim¡¯s characteristic calm shattered. He struggled to wrap his head around the situation. The Emperor of Avalon had been missing for over a decade, so the news of his return alone was surprising. But what? Handing over the crown?


    ¡°What in the world does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­We, the ck Knights, are going to be the emperor¡¯s personal knightly order?¡± Downbeck mumbled.


    Agagette elbowed him, chastising Downbeck for failing to read the air. However, neither of them could hide the looks on their faces.


    ¡°Our master is going to be the emperor¡­¡±


    The two knights were talking as if it had already been decided that Selim was going to be the new emperor¡ªthe Emperor of Avalon¡¯s return was already long forgotten.


    Most of the ck Knights were young men in their twenties. In other words, many of them hadn¡¯t met the Emperor of Avalon; he had be practically a legend to them.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go! I¡¯ll chop off Marquess Drenius¡¯s head and put our master on a flower carriage for his coronation[1]! Hahahaha!¡±


    While Selim was still having trouble pulling himself together, Downbeck guffawed as if he was having the time of his life, hisughter reverberating around the area.


    * * *


    The people in western Avalon were having problems of their own since the news of the Emperor of Avalon had been authenticated. Cain had personally contacted the Pce for that.


    The ensuing silence continued for a long time, testament to the sheer weight of the news.


    ¡°We need to go back to the Pce immediately,¡± Ranger stated as soon as he regained control of himself. ¡°It¡¯s not like everyone else here fully trusts the news, right? So I¡¯ll go there myself and check with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you going to do about the rebels here?¡± Kireua asked. ¡°There is no guarantee that Marquess Turtler won¡¯t ambush us.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Ranger bit his lip, no answer at hand. ¡°¡­How about only a few of us go to the Pce and thene back? Only a maximum of three people can travel using a warp spell, correct?¡±


    ¡°The mage that delivered the message has to return, so technically, only two of us can go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so I believe it¡¯ll be for the best for His Highness and me to go to Arcadia ande back,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t!¡± Ranger immediately yelled.


    ¡°Ranger, the national army will have real trouble keeping the rebellion in the west under control without you.¡±


    ¡°Then you should stay, Sir Cain. Did you forget what the Imperial Knights¡¯ job is? Guarding the Imperial Family!¡±


    ¡°In that case, I¡¯m His Majesty¡¯s First Knight. I know His Majesty is back in the Pce, so do you really think it makes sense for me to be here?¡± Cain red at Ranger.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, but no matter what you say, I can¡¯t let you have your way on this one.¡±


    ¡°Then we shall resort to the old tradition of Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Ranger tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Cain and Ranger were ready to pull out their swords, drawing a contemptuous look from Anna.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m an outsider, so it¡¯s not really my ce to say this,¡± she said, ¡°but isn¡¯t it better for both of you to stay?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what¡¯s best for the national army. <em>You</em> led the army in sessfully fending off the rebels in western Avalon, and <em>you</em> over there are the Combat Emperor Star, one of the Nine Stars. There are only nine of you on this continent.¡± Anna said, pointing at Ranger and then at Cain. ¡°Even if only one of you leaves the camp, the army¡¯s morale will suffer greatly.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go with His Highness,¡± Anna suggested. ¡°How does that sound?¡±


    Although she said it confidently, she was the most anxious one in the room. If the Emperor of Avalon had actually returned, she had to worry about her survival. Kireua had guaranteed her life, but there was no telling what that lunatic emperor would do!


    <em>¡®It¡¯s said that if you can¡¯t avoid a problem, you should take it head-on.¡¯</em>


    Anna had resolved herself.


    The imperial mage, who had been anxiously watching the conversation, interrupted. ¡°Umm¡­ I¡¯m not sure if he saw thising, but His Majesty dered that whichever prince retakes the region they¡¯re responsible for and gets to the north first will ascend to the throne.¡±


    ¡°What?! The throne?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, he said that it¡¯s time for him to retire¡­¡±


    Before the imperial mage could finish speaking, the rasp of Ranger and Cain¡¯s swords emerging from their sheathes cut him off.


    ¡°Eeeek!¡±


    The razor-sharp des scraped against both sides of the mage¡¯s neck.


    ¡°No, he¡¯s not!¡±


    ¡°In other words, he¡¯s going to enjoy his rxing retirement life after putting us through hell?¡±


    ¡°He can¡¯t do that. He hasn¡¯t contacted us for over a decade. Retirement, my ass!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist His Majesty until the day I¡¯m buried. Avalon is a mess, so why would he retire already!?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this, but we¡¯re on the same page in this matter.¡±


    Ranger and Cain quietly bumped fists. At this point, it was safe to say everyone was crazy about the Emperor of Avalon.


    Kireua and Anna nkly gaped at the scene. The same thought dominated both their minds:


    ¡°How in the world has he been treating his subordinates¡­?¡±


    * * *


    A rain of ice swept through the nearby area¡­


    ¡°Augh!¡±


    ¡°Mon¡­ ster¡­!¡±


    Of a total of seven masked men, not a single one was standing anymore. Every one of them was covered in holes and groaning in pain; each and every single one of them was in a critical state and was unlikely to survive.


    ¡°They¡¯ll die on their own anyway.¡±


    Zero pulled himself together when he heard Iceline¡¯s voice.


    Before long, all the seven masked men¡¯s masks were taken off.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Iceline quietly frowned when she saw whaty beneath. All their faces were hideously disfigured as if they had been deliberately scorched. It would be impossible to find out their identities this way.


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± In contrast to Iceline, Zero nodded his head with certainty. He was indeed the branch manager of the Moon Gate, the best information guild on the continent.


    ¡°Can you recognize them?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°There are not many groups on the entire continent that would treat their members this cruelly.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°There are three assassin guilds; among those guilds, the guild that is most likely to be behind this is the Hashashin Guild. They¡¯re famous for cutting their assassins¡¯ limbs off if they fail their missions.¡±


    Iceline raised an eyebrow. The Hashashin Guild specialized in kidnapping, assassination, and interrogation. On top of that, their leader was the Poison King, one of the current Twelve Superhumans.


    ¡°We¡¯re done here.¡± Zero shook his head.


    ¡°Excuse me? Shouldn¡¯t we get some information out of them before they die?¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t reveal any information, but it¡¯s easy to trace back to the person who put out the hit if they¡¯re really from the Hashashin Guild.¡±


    ¡°Please exin in a way I can understand,¡± Iceline requested.


    ¡°The Hashashin Guild¡¯s members are all over the continent, but not many people know how to contact them. On top of that, the Poison King, the guild leader, has a long history of taking ¡®reverse hit¡¯ requests, so he had zero credibility.¡±


    A reverse hit request was a contract to kill the person who originally put out a contract¡ªif the target of the original request offered a higher price. Although an assassin might profit greatly in the moment, it was the worst possible course of action for an assassin in the long term. If an assassin did it, who would trust them enough to hire them for a job?


    ¡°That¡¯s why there are only a few people who can hire the Hashashin Guild¡¯s assassins. Only two types of people would do that: people rich enough to always offer higher prices than their targets, or people strong enough to subdue the guild assassins if the guild turns on them,¡± Zero exined.


    Iceline tilted her head. ¡°People aren¡¯t idiots, so it¡¯s unlikely they would hire these assassins unless they¡¯re sure they won¡¯t be killed. Is that the gist of it?¡±


    ¡°That is correct,¡± Zero said. He then turned to Joshua. ¡°By the way, how did you do that just now? I didn¡¯t feel a single trace of mana from you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Martial God,¡± Joshua casually answered.


    However, Zero was well aware of how impossible it was to do what Joshua had done just now. Once a fragile weapon was infused with more mana than it could handle, it was impossible to stop it from shattering¡ªbut it was nothing so gentle as the breaking of ss. The aura-infused fragments of the weapon were hurled in every direction at lethal velocity. Unsurprisingly, the effect was just as dangerous to the weapon¡¯s wielder.


    The core of the so-called weapon destruction technique was controlling the radius in which the fragments were ejected. The problem was that Joshua had justunched a very destructive attack using the weapon destruction technique without using his mana, which was the basis of the technique.


    <em>¡®</em>He<em> would be able to do it¡­¡¯</em>


    Zero came to a decision and prostrated himself to Joshua.¡°Your Majesty, Emperor of the Avalon Empire, please help us.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Hubalt, I can¡¯t. I¡¯m not powerful enough to do so right now,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m actually at my limit right now.¡± Joshua raised his hand, which was faintly trembling.


    ¡°Do you want me to help you walk?¡± Iceline offered.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°No need. This isn¡¯t my body, so it¡¯s not responding well. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Nevertheless, Iceline pulled one of Joshua¡¯s arms to her and massaged his palm with her slender fingers.


    Zero thought he¡¯d been refused and was about to lose his mind.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your request, Your Majesty!¡± Zero shouted.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take your request to determine Lilith¡¯s whereabouts, but themission fee will be your assistance.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s hear the details first.¡±


    ¡°Are you epting my proposal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll think about that after you exin. I saved your life, so I can ask for this much, can¡¯t I?¡± Joshua said, pointing at the nearby corpses.


    Zero hesitated for a moment and nodded. He didn¡¯t have any other choice in the first ce.


    ¡°My superior, Lilith Aphrodite, is currently in Avalon.¡±


    Joshua blinked in surprise.


    ¡°If you help us, I¡¯ll take you to her myself.¡±


    1. This is a modern type of Korean blessing about how one will only walk on flower roads in the future. It¡¯s simr to the English saying ¡®Everything wille up roses¡¯. ?

 Side Story Chapter 55

    Side Story Chapter 55


    A pool of light spread over a remote path in a forest, the sign of Mass Teleportation, the ss 7 magic spell.


    Three people were left behind when the light disappeared. Zero, one of the three people, flopped powerlessly down to the ground.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Zero retched.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little nauseous. Mass Teleportation is one of the most advanced magic spells in the world, so I never thought I would experience it.¡± Zero slowly stood up. ¡°Her Majesty Iceline must be the most versatile queen consort on the continent. From what I heard, most of the artifacts that the Magic Tower¡¯s mages distribute were invented by Her Majesty Iceline.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°My Iceline is quite remarkable.¡±


    Although Iceline¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, Joshua saw that her chin rose subtly.


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Joshua chuckled quietly and turned his attention back to his surroundings. ¡°Anyhow, Lilith is in a ce like this?¡±


    ¡°Yes, this is the perfect ce to avoid people¡¯s attention.¡±


    ¡°You do have a point¡­¡± Joshua took a look around them. He was quite familiar with the ce. The monsters that lived in this ce were several times stronger than their kin elsewhere.


    ¡°So she chose the ck Monster Forest, huh? It¡¯s close to the border of the Hubalt Empire¡ªshe really did pick the ideal location,¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    However, there was no guarantee that anyone could survive here. These monsters, whose skins were as ck as the forest, were notorious across the entire continent. Even if the Silver-eyed Ghost Sword had surpassed the level of a ss A knight long ago¡­


    ¡°¡­Wait, did she manifest an authority?¡± Joshua mumbled.


    Zero flinched, immediately settling Joshua¡¯s question.


    Power incited greed, but even without one of the Four Angels¡¯ authorities, Lilith Aphrodite could not be taken lightly. In fact, there was a high chance Lilith had made preparations in advance for a rebellion, given the precedent of the Martial Emperor.


    Regardless, she was helpless and a fugitive and had ended up in Avalon, a faraway foreign country. Throughout everything, the Moon Gate had remained loyal to Lilith during the power struggle in the Hubalt Empire over two decades ago. But what about now?


    ¡°They now have concrete justification to be as influential as the pro-pope faction and persuade the people from that faction and the Moon Gate¡¯s members to join their side,¡± Joshua asked. ¡°This is just a hunch, but that justification seems to be closely rted to Lilith. Am I wrong?¡±


    A war without justification was a coup, not a revolution. Without acquiring legitimacy afterward, it was highly likely that someone else would start a rebellion again and take away the throne. On top of that, it was difficult to be acknowledged as a legitimate government by other countries.


    ¡°There is one type of person that Hubalt ostracizes more than any other country on the continent does¡ªand that is the people who are rted to demonic power,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re correct.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Lilith has manifested an authority rted to the Demon Spirit,¡± Zero bitterly answered.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Joshua grunted. He couldn¡¯t hide his reaction.


    The Hubalt Empire¡¯s other name was the Holy Empire, so it was obvious what was going to happen if someone manifested the authority of a god linked to the Demon Realm.


    ¡°It was a matter we couldn¡¯t hide. Cardinal Erman, Lilith¡¯s father, was the most promising candidate to be the next pope, so he tried to exin the situation. But it was inadequate to calm the people down,¡± Zero exined.


    ¡°Of course that was.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re only at her hideout, so how did you deduce that much?¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s surpassed the level of a ss A knight, the ck Monster Forest isn¡¯t really a ce for a woman to live alone. In fact, look around us right now.¡± Joshua gestured with his chin.


    They had been busy conversing, so Zero hadn¡¯t realized that they were in the center of ck Monster Forest. Animal growls emerged from all directions, followed quickly by the monsters that produced them. There were about a hundred monsters of various kinds; from the rtivelymon low-ranking monsters like goblins and kobolds to intermediate-ranking monsters like trolls, whose every body part was essential in making potions.


    Iceline stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll do it this time.¡±


    She was one of the three ss 7 mages on the continent. Both Zero and Joshua readily stepped back.


    Out of nowhere, a sonorous voice objected:


    ¡°No, let me take care of them, Your Majesty.¡±


    Long silver hair fluttered in the air. Although her entrance was like a gentle breeze, she struck with the fury of a storm.


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Zero shouted, shocked.


    A beautiful woman, no older than her thirties, stood in front of the trio with her sword straight. She was Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword and the First Little Star, one of the most likely to be a Star, just like Joshua.


    Her aura undted. The monsters reacted to the wave of murderous intent by mobbing her.


    Lilith¡¯s sword started to dance beautifully in the sky like cherry blossoms flying through the air. Her silvery aura attacks rained down on the horde of monsters. Astonishingly, her sword seemed to produce a woman¡¯s scream as it cleaved through the air.


    Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, Fourth Secret Technique: Shredding Ghost Wail.


    As the monsters were ughtered, the air was filled with the grisly sound of their flesh being obliterated. In a matter of minutes, all of the hundred monsters had been reduced to pulp.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s one hell of a reliable ally,¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°When did youe back?¡± Lilith slowly approached Joshua and the others, tying her hair into a ponytail as she walked.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long.¡±


    ¡°For some reason, you surprise me every time we meet. Has it been about fifteen years?¡±


    ¡°Has that been that long?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°Yeah, it has. Thest time we met was when you came to ask me where the coldest region of the continent is.¡±


    Joshua smiled. The process of destroying the Demon Spirit was smooth sailing thanks to her.


    ¡°I heard what happened,¡± he said. ¡°Zero asked for my help.¡±


    ¡°¡­He shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    Just as expected, someone as strong as Lilith instantly noticed Joshua¡¯s condition.


    ¡°Have you lost your power?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I didn¡¯t n on asking for your help in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°That hurts,¡± Joshua jokingly replied.


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand me. I just think it¡¯s meaningless to retake the country by asking for the help of the ruler of a foreign country.¡±


    Lilith was a wise woman, something Joshua knew quite well.


    ¡°How about we help each other instead of a one-sided deal?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I n to hand over the throne to my children.¡±


    Lilith''s eyes widened. ¡°A-Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s time for me to enjoy my retirement. Although it¡¯s a littlete, I should take care of the people who went through a lot for me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, then who is going to inherit the throne? From what I remember, Avalon has no crown prince.¡±


    ¡°You know, that¡¯s a diplomatic discourtesy,¡± Joshua abruptly said.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a diplomatic discourtesy to ask about another country¡¯s confidential information.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know that was confidential¡­¡± Lilith trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m joking.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s distress copsed into a crumpled expression of annoyance.


    ¡°There¡¯s the Lilith I know. Why don¡¯t you act as usual?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­Hmph, ¡®act as usual¡¯, huh?¡± Lilith put her hand on her waist. ¡°But I can¡¯t seduce a married man, can¡¯t I? Your wife is standing right there with her eyes on us,¡± she said in a coquettish voice.


    ¡°Ah, that isn¡¯t why I said it.¡±


    ¡°I was also joking.¡± Lilith chuckled quietly. She ignored Iceline¡¯s re. ¡°So what¡¯s your answer to my question?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t made up my mind.¡±


    ¡°You still haven¡¯te to your senses. Don¡¯t you think sticking to your indefinite position is what caused another civil war in Avalon?¡±


    ¡°This civil war was inevitable. It¡¯s the side effect of me hastily overthrowing the previous government¡ªeven though I had a good reason. On top of that, themander of the northern rebel army, which is currently the strongest of the rebels, is from the Agnus family.¡±


    ¡°I heard about her. You¡¯re talking about Carmen von Agnus, right?¡± Lilith asked.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°After the death of the Dark God, Babel von Agnus, my older brother, was going to be the next Duke Agnus, but someone else imed that seat.¡±


    ¡°At the time, Babel von Agnus was seriously injured by a mysterious ambush.¡±


    ¡°He hasn¡¯t shown his face to the world for decades, but I¡¯m sure that he¡¯s alive. There¡¯s a high chance that he¡¯s locked up somewhere in the north.¡±


    ¡°I agree. It would have been too risky for Carmen von Agnus to kill her nephew and be the new Duke Agnus,¡± Lilith said. Just as expected from the leader of an information guild, her analytical skills were great. ¡°Avalon is heavily patriarchal, so she justified herself by iming that she was heading the family on behalf of the unwell, legitimate family head.¡±


    ¡°Yes, so my n is to make whoever arrives in the north and saves Babel first the next emperor.¡±


    ¡°...You want me to help the two princes finish the civil war?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Joshua smiled.


    ¡°Exchanging help with an Avalon where Joshua Sanders isn¡¯t the emperor¡­ I think I¡¯m suffering too much loss.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only for a year.¡±


    ¡°A year?¡± Lilith repeated.


    ¡°Yeah, I can regain my full power afterward.¡±


    Lilith flinched. ¡°Can you really say stuff like that so casually? I might attack you right now.¡±


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    Lilith raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡­Your seducing skills are as great as usual. Your wives should be on high alert.¡±


    Despite what Joshua said, he didn¡¯t tell her that his real body was somewhere else. How would Lilith respond if she found that out?


    ¡°I have two goals,¡± Joshua dered. ¡°The first one is to finish the civil war within a year, and the second one is to personally bring peace back to the continent.¡±


    Zero felt his heart begin to race.


    <em>¡®Wh-What is going on with me? I¡¯m a citizen of the Hubalt Empire, so this should be bad news for me. If he aplishes his goals, the new strongest country of the continent will be Avalon, not Hubalt¡­¡¯</em> he thought. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t calm down. He was looking forward to seeing the new continent that Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was going to create. There weren¡¯t many people he would take such words seriously from, but Joshua was one of them.


    However, Zero needed insurance if things were going to escte like this.


    ¡°Your Majesty, Emperor of Avalon,¡± Zero solemnly began.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°Just call me by my name. Other people might discover our identities if you keep calling me ¡®Your Majesty¡¯.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll call you Ash.¡±


    Joshua chuckled quietly. That was the name he had used in his first meeting with Zero. Ash pen Frederick was also Joshua¡¯s alias when he had first arrived in Arcadia to get into the Academy.


    ¡°That sounds like a good idea,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Since you have a new name and identity, isn¡¯t that better for you to form a new rtionship?¡± Zero asked.


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°How about bing Lilith¡¯s lover?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes popped wide open.


    Zero could feel the air turning cold. When he nced back, he saw Iceline giving him a death re.


    ¡°¡­If you had a death wish, you could have just said it,¡± Iceline said.


    ¡°¡­Ooops.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of the forest, so no one will know if I freeze you here. Is that what you want?¡± Iceline menacingly asked.


    Zero was too frightened to reply.

 Side Story Chapter 56

    Side Story Chapter 56


    ¡°Where are you headed first?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I should follow through with my original n. I visited the Moon Gate to get information, and I have to meet my friends who can help me. I have four more to go,¡± Joshua replied.


    Lilith nodded, but she couldn¡¯t help him with that since the Moon Gate was no longer under hermand.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It looks like I can¡¯t be much of a help.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    ¡°Speaking of which, what authority did you manifest?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s¡­¡± Lilith hesitated for a moment and then let out a sigh. ¡°...It¡¯s the power of a demon king.¡±


    ¡°A demon king¡­?¡±


    Both Joshua and Iceline''s eyes widened. Zero smiled bitterly because he already knew.


    ¡°The daughter of the most likely candidate for the next pope manifesting the authority of a demon king¡­ This is problematic,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°I left Hubalt immediately, but I¡¯m actually d I did if I can help the two princes.¡±


    ¡°I suppose so. The princess of the Hubalt Empire helping the princes of an enemy country could be an issue in the future. On that note, have you revealed your demon king¡¯s power in public?¡±


    Lilith shook her head. ¡°No, I also hated the power at first. I felt like I was cursed by a god.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the perfect person to pull off a job without revealing your identity,¡± Joshua said.


    Joshua took a look around them and raised an eyebrow. The forest had gone quiet at some point, and the only thing he could see was crushed remains. Nevertheless, the other monsters would catch wind of the blood and coulde to attack them at any moment.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move first,¡± he suggested. ¡°This isn¡¯t a good ce to talk.¡±


    ¡°You said that you have four more people to look for, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes; I think I can figure out where one person is, but I have no idea where the other three are. Well, Iceline used to work for him, but even she doesn¡¯t know¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    Lilith instantly realized who Joshua was talking about. Her eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Thetapirion Whitesox, the first ss 8 human mage and Master of the Magic Tower, aren¡¯t you? You say that your goal is to stabilize Avalon, but it sounds like you¡¯re nning on starting a war with him by your side or something.¡±


    ¡°My goal is deterring war, not starting one, but I¡¯m willing to if necessary.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    The pool of blue light around Joshua and the others became brighter and bigger, indicating an imminent Mass Teleportation.


    ¡°I realize I¡¯m putting you through a lot today,¡± Joshua said to Iceline.


    Iceline shook her head. ¡°Not at all. Where shall we go?¡±


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m not the one who can answer that question.¡± Joshua turned to look at Lilith. ¡°Let¡¯s deal with the matter that will benefit both of us first.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Lilith tilted her head.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be able to get the information we need and get rid of some bothersome flies.¡±


    Lilith looked askance at him.


    ¡°Assassins are after you.¡±


    Lilith flinched.


    ¡°Zero was in danger because of their pursuit. Shouldn¡¯t we get payback?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course, but isn¡¯t it too dangerous?¡±


    Joshua began to list the facts that he knew: ¡°They were from one of the three assassin guilds that specialize in assassinations and interrogation. The Poison King, one of the Twelve Superhumans, is their leader, and the guild¡¯s assassins are willing to take any reverse hit requests for the right price.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Did I get that wrong?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s exactly right, but if the person that put out a contract on me is a high-ranking official in Hubalt, we have to consider the possibility of them putting out a double reverse hit request on us.¡±


    The pool of light around them became impossibly bright..


    ¡°Someone from Hubalt putting out a double reverse hit request?¡± Joshua smirked. ¡°Against me?¡±


    * * *


    Like a bolt out of the blue¡ªliterally¡ªblue lightning bolts struck the ground one after another, shaking the ground with each impact.


    The rebel leader swallowed nervously as they watched theirmander. He hade to the battlefield, overwhelming everyone with his energy. He had been like that ever since he received the emergency message a while ago.


    ¡°L-Lord Drenius.¡±


    Marquess ¡°Azure Dragon¡± Drenius, the ruler of eastern Avalon, had an authority which allowed him to freelymand lightning bolts, one of the most destructive attributes of mana, from the sky.


    ¡°A man presumed to be the emperor was reported in Arcadia, and it only took the First Prince and one hundred knights to breach our border¡­¡± Drenius trailed off. ¡°Is the information I heard correct?¡± Drenius coldly asked.


    There were hundreds of rebel knights and theirmanders in there, but not one said a thing. Drenius was popr for always maintaining hisposure. It was their first time seeing him this furious.


    ¡°The news from the capital hasn¡¯t been verified, so let¡¯s forget about it.¡± Drenius slicked back his hair. ¡°What exactly happened at the border?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ we received a report that Selim Sanders himself appeared on the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the knights dyed their report because they were blinded by their desire for glory, but then they were devastated. Am I correct?¡±


    ¡°I-I apologize.¡± Drenius¡¯s aide bowed.


    A blue lightning bolt struck on the top of the rampart not far from the group.


    The aide froze, his breath catching in his throat, and nervously stared at the ck smoke rising from the ground.


    ¡°It was a fight between one hundred and one thousand. Since our forces outnumbered the enemy ten times over, I understand why they felt that way, but our men were exterminated. On top of that, none of the enemies were harmed. What should I make of this situation?¡± Drenius raised an eyebrow.


    From their position on the ramparts of Drenius¡¯s castle in the center of eastern Avalon, they could easily see exactly one hundred ck dots scattered across the wide-open horizon.


    ¡°Hahahaha! Does the east have nothing but cowards? Why is no oneing out?¡± A two-meter-tall man loudly jeered at the rebels from atop his ck horse. ¡°You guys stayed cooped up in your castle, so I, Downbeck, came here myself! Is there really no one brave enough to fight me?!¡±


    ¡°We can hit him with arrows at this range. Please give the order and we¡¯ll turn that man into a porcupine,¡± the aide said.


    He wasn¡¯t good at reading the air.


    Drenius frowned. The Blue Dragon Knights¡¯mander grabbed the aide by his nape and threw him off the ten-meter tall walls.


    ¡°Arrghhhhh!¡±


    The aidended head-first, his neck bending at a bizarre angle. He was obviously dead on impact.


    ¡°Those bureaucratic ink heads¡­ My lord, I will fight him myself if you allow me.¡± The Blue Dragons¡¯mander saluted.


    ¡°¡­Yulnius,¡± Drenius murmured.


    Yulnius Alzen was themander of the Blue Dragon Knights, the best knightly order in eastern Avalon. In fact, he was the second strongest man in the east after Drenius. Yulnius had already surpassed the level of a ss A knight and had manifested an authority, although it belonged to a low-ranking god.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Drenius asked.


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll show the Emperor¡¯s son that even his grandfather wouldn¡¯t be able to mess with the east.¡±


    ¡°¡­I give you my permission.¡±


    Yulnius snapped a salute and ran downstairs.


    The castle gate creaked open, and Yulnius rode his horse into the horizon, lit by the cold winter sun.


    Yulnius and Downbeck didn¡¯t need to say anything else since this battle itself was a sort of greeting before they went to war.


    ¡°Good!¡± Downbeck kicked his horse into motion.


    The two knights quickly closed in on each other. The rebels watched with bated breath¡ªthe First Prince¡¯s ck Knight Order and the Blue Dragon Knight Order of eastern Avalon were among the most powerful knightly orders in Avalon.


    It was a fight between an ordinary knight and a knightmander, so all of the rebels believed that it would take one strike from Yulnius to send the giant man tumbling down to the ground.


    The air thrummed. Yulnius¡¯s authority belonged to Oracle, the low-ranking god of strength, so every muscle in his body bulged as if they were dancing. With that spirit, Yulnius raised his sword high above him.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll finish this with one strike,¡¯</em> Yulnius thought.


    They were almost in position to strike. Yulnius was going to use the momentum of his charge to cut off Downbeck¡¯s head in the first pa¡ª


    A violent <em>ng</em> of metal against metal made Yulnius''s eyes widen.


    A ray of ck light abruptly shed through the air and Yulnius was struck with such a strong force that he almost fell off his horse.


    ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡± Yulnius mumbled. A greatsword whipped right past his eyes. Downbeck spun and thrust with a greatsword that was as tall as he.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡±


    Every one of Downbeck¡¯s attacks hit Yulnius like a ton of bricks, and Yulnius could feel his muscles suffering. Yulnius gritted his teeth. Unbelievably, he was losing in a battle of strength.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll never be able to bring myself to stand in front of Lord Drenius again at this rate,¡¯</em> Yulnius thought.


    ¡°I am Yulnius Alzen,mander of the Blue Dragon Knights!¡±


    Yulnius spurred his horse into a gallop. He leaped gracefully into the air, his arm muscles bulged so big that it looked like they were going to burst out of his skin. He left his horse behind on the ground and drew up his mana to use the technique he had learned from Drenius himself. After that lesson, Yulnius had been developing the technique to make it as destructive as possible, befitting a member of a prestigious family of swordsmen.


    The Alzen Family Secret Technique Number One: Simple Lightning Strike.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Yulnius turned into a lightning bolt.


    Downbeck, who was still on the ground, grinned, but he was in a disadvantageous position. The right thing to do was run even if he had to roll off of his horse¡ªhowever, he had no intention of avoiding it.


    Their swords shed, the ground-shaking concussion muffling every other sound in the nearby area.


    Downbeck, to Yulnius¡¯s bewilderment, wasn¡¯t pushed backward in spite of his disadvantage. Albeit only slightly, it was actually Yulnius that was pushed backward.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Yulnius gritted his teeth.


    Downbeck¡¯s smile grew. ¡°I am Downbeck, the Giant of the ck Knights and Prince Selim¡¯s right-hand man!¡±


    As soon as Downbeck finished shouting, Yulnius was catapulted away.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­!¡± Yulnius muttered to himself.


    Downbeck wasn¡¯t done. He whipped his horse into a gallop and went hurtling after Yulnius as he flew through the air.


    ¡°Hup!¡±


    Yulnius swung his sword, but it was easily deflected away by Downbeck¡¯s greatsword. Downbeck opened his mouth creepily and leaned close to Yulnius.


    The giant man¡¯s jaws closed with a sickening <em>crunch</em>.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Yulnius screamed.


    Red blood dripped from the gaping wound where his ear used to be.


    Downbeck crunched on his grisly prize and then spit it out with a noise of disgust. ¡°It doesn¡¯t taste good,¡± heined.


    ¡°Urggh¡­!¡± Yulnius rolled around the ground for a long time and then sprang up from the ground, his eyes filled with fear.


    ¡°Go back and tell everyone that the next thing I¡¯ll eat is your leader¡¯s eyeball.¡±


    ¡°Fuck, you¡¯re a fucking crazy bastard! I heard that the First Prince¡¯s ck Knights are all nuts, but¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? By the way, it¡¯s ¡®His Highness¡¯ to you. Do you want me to take out your teeth too and eat them like popcorn?


    Yulnius shut his mouth, speechless.


    ¡°I would usually have cut your head off on the spot¡­ but I want to see my master bing emperor. So I¡¯ll wait for the right time. Tell your yellow-bellied worm of a marquess that he won¡¯t end up like you if he surrenders willingly.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 57

    Side Story Chapter 57


    The meeting in the western Avalon continued for a long time, caught on their one main agenda: who was going to go to the capital and meet His Majesty?


    ¡°Your Highness, I believe that it¡¯s better for me to go to Arcadia on my own,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°¡­Tsk.¡±


    Ranger may have clicked his tongue, but he didn¡¯t say anything this time since the idea of themander of the army leaving was preposterous in the first ce. On top of that, he¡¯d lost his justification. Regarding the army¡¯s morale, Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star, had asserted that any harm befalling the Martial God would have a greater impact on the morale of the soldiers and knights than the absence of the Combat Emperor himself.


    And the information that Kireua had brought presented a bigger problem.


    ¡°Your Highness, were there really demonkin in the western rebel army?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°Yes, there were for sure.¡±


    ¡°Humans possessed by demonic power¡­ Once the news of Avalon¡¯s nobles being responsible for such a horrible act gets out, the people in Hubalt would make Avalon their first target. They¡¯ve been desperately waiting for the right opportunity,¡± Ranger mumbled worriedly.


    Cain took a step forward. ¡°I¡¯ll deliver all this news to His Majesty.¡±


    Ranger tilted his head. ¡°For some reason, I¡¯m getting worried.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll get the job done.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not you who I¡¯m worried about. His Majesty will probably suffer because of you, you hysterical old bachelor.¡± Ranger chuckled.


    After nkly gaping at him for a moment, Cain also burst intoughter. ¡°I¡¯lle back, so please stay safe and recover, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­If it had been His Majesty, he would have wiped out the demonkin and every rebel here, wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Kireua said quietly.


    ¡°Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m kidding. I won¡¯t overwork myself until youe back, so take care.¡±


    Cain let out a sigh. ¡°His Majesty is my troublemaker, and I think I already have my fair share of troublemakers. So please help me out here, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Kireua nodded.


    However, he was feeling totally the opposite. Although he had previously believed that he didn¡¯t want the throne, mixed emotions surged up from deep in his heart after he heard the Emperor¡¯s conditions for the throne. The desire to have power, the craving for influence, the greed to protect everything that was his¡­ For some reason, those kinds of emotions grew after meeting that demon in Marquess Turtler¡¯s castle.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll have to meet that demon once again Sir Cain leaves for Arcadia,¡¯</em> Kireua thought. That might also be the only way to find out Coal¡¯s identity in secret.


    Anna¡¯s eyes sparkled as she watched him.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll get going,¡± Cain said.


    Anna¡¯s eyes were glued to Kireua even after Cain left with the imperial mage.


    * * *


    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Zero said.


    They were in arge pub located at the center of Arcadia.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s really here?¡±


    ¡°If my information is correct, yes,¡± Zero responded.


    Joshua scratched the back of his head, and Iceline¡¯s jaw hung open dumbly.


    ¡°I think a bug will fly into your mouth at this rate, Your Majesty Iceline,¡± Lilith said.


    Iceline mmed her mouth shut, pursing her adorable petal-like lips.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t, for the life of me, know that the assassins¡¯ branch office is right in front of my yard,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°To be urate, it¡¯s one of the Hashashin Guild¡¯s numerous branches, just like our Moon Gate.¡±


    ¡°So you weren¡¯t kidding about them dealing with information too.¡±


    ¡°Yes, an information guild has to gather,pile, and analyze various kinds of information from all over the continent. Thus, it is essential we have many employees,¡± Zero exined.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Joshua grunted quietly.


    Zero was right. There was a lot of foot traffic, so no one paid attention to four people enshrouded from head to toe in robes. Even right now, several groups were moving in and out of the pub in front of Joshua and the others.


    ¡°The Arcadia branch of the Moon Gate still has an information guild-like side, but this is just a pub,¡± Joshua observed.


    ¡°That is how confident they are.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true. Reverse-hit requests are taboo, but they don¡¯t hesitate to take them.¡±


    ¡°The Assassin King always works alone, so aside from him, the Poison King is considered the best assassin on the continent after the death of the Darkness Emperor over two decades ago. If anyone attacks his guild, they¡¯ll never sleep soundly again,¡± Zero exined. He stepped in front of Joshua, shaking his head. ¡°I really don¡¯t think this is a good idea.¡±


    ¡°Are you that terrified of the Hashashin Guild?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about you, Your¡­ Excuse me, Ash. You said you¡¯re unwell, so why don¡¯t you bring some knights from the castle to guard you?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°It¡¯d be a waste of manpower. I already have the best guards on the continent by my side.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re also¡­¡± Zero trailed off. He couldn¡¯t say that Lilith and Iceline were people who, considering their titles, should receive protection as well.


    ¡°I¡¯ll turn whoever tries to harm His Majesty to a block of ice.¡±


    ¡°This is also my job since I made a promise.¡±


    Unfortunately for Zero, Iceline and Lilith wholeheartedly backed Joshua.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided,¡± Joshua dered with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡­!¡± Zero didn¡¯t even have time to stop Joshua before he strode straight into the pub. Zero hastened after him, muttering, ¡°Oh, no¡­!¡±.


    The interior of the pub was as ordinary as the exterior, but its business was going well. The first floor was packed, naturally, and it was also hard to find an empty table on the second floor.


    Joshua went straight to the long bar ahead of them straight away because it was the only ce with enough seats for them.


    ¡°Is this the pub run by the Hashashin Guild?¡± Joshua asked.


    Zero coughed¡ªhe was so surprised that he felt like his eyes were going to pop out like in theic he had seen when he had been a boy. Who could ask if someone was a part of an assassin guild as confidently as Joshua? Even the Moon Gate had specific code words to distinguish their clients from ordinary visitors.


    ¡°As-Ash!¡± Zero quickly scuttled over.


    However, Joshua wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°From what I know, the Hashashin Guild recently failed an important mission. I¡¯d like to talk about that.¡±


    The bartender had been quietly wiping a ss cup with a cloth like nothing could faze him, but he stopped for the first time and his serpent-like eyes turned sharp.


    ¡°¡­Get everyone out,¡± the bartender said, so low that even people standing next to him had to pay close attention to hear him. Nevertheless, over ten people jumped out of the kitchen.


    ¡°Dear customers! We¡¯re sorry, but it looks like we¡¯re done for today!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re so sorry! We won¡¯t charge a single coin for any unpaid drinks and food! We beg you for your understanding!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s limited to the guests in the hall right now, but if youe back here tomorrow, all the drinks and food you order are on the house!¡±


    The guests that had beenining about suddenly getting kicked out of the pub quieted down. That was how effective the offer of free unlimited food and drinks was. Before long, the first- and second-floor dining areas were vacated.


    ¡°Close the door,¡± the bartender instructed.


    And with that, the building was sealed. Over fifty masked men appeared out of nowhere, letting their murderous energy hang in the air. They held deadly daggers in each hand.


    ¡°It looks like this man in the target we¡¯ve been looking for,¡± the bartender muttered to himself. He recognized Zero right away despite the robe covering his face. It wasn¡¯t enough to fool the bartender¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Two men and two women. One of them is our enemy, assumed responsible for ourrades¡ªno, judging from how you¡¯ve alle here together, I guess all four of you are responsible.¡± The bartender stroked his chin.


    ¡°If you¡¯re talking about your seven friends, you¡¯re wrong.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I killed all of them, not him.¡±


    The bartender flinched. At the same time, the assassins¡¯ murderous energy thickened.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Upon the bartender¡¯smand, the murderous energy dissipated without a trace.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°You must hold quite a high position.¡±


    ¡°¡­There aren¡¯t many people on the continent who would act this gutsy even after finding out we¡¯re the Hashashin Guild. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the leader of an information guild, so you shouldn¡¯t be asking me that.¡±


    The bartender''s eyes widened.


    Joshua quietly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re the Poison King, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I can¡¯t let you live,¡± the Poison King mumbled.


    The Poison King¡¯s cover was blown now, so let his murderous energy loose¡ªit was iparably thicker than any of his assassins.


    Numerous icicles instantly appeared out of thin air.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die the moment youy a finger on him,¡± Iceline quietly said, taking off her hood.


    The Poison King¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°Ice magic and your appearance¡­ W-Wait, the First Queen Consort of Avalon?¡±


    ¡°He has a target in mind, so why would he take out his anger on somebody else?¡± Lilith also doffed her hood.


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite!¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re the Poison King, you wouldn¡¯t be able to take on a ss A swordswoman and a ss 7 mage at once, so you¡¯d consider your next move carefully.¡± Lilith smiled chillingly and drew her sword.


    Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t take long for the Poison King to regain hisposure.


    ¡°¡­The assassins here are elites. I trained them myself.¡±


    ¡°I would advise against bluffing. Or are you going to turn an entire Empire into your enemy? It¡¯s just you and one assassin guild, you know.¡±


    ¡°In a generation like this, isn¡¯t it only natural to choose the rising star Hubalt rather than the falling Avalon?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lilith frowned.


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite, you¡¯re Cardinal Erman¡¯s daughter, so how would the people of Hubalt respond if the fact that you¡¯re protecting the First Queen Consort of Avalon bes known?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hngh.¡± Lilith quietly bit her lower lip.


    The Poison King hadpletely regained his stride.


    ¡°The dead don¡¯t speak, so I can just kill all of you and run away,¡± he said to Joshua. ¡°Once I cross the border, the Hubalt¡¯s people will take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, the Hashashin Guild will take reverse-hit requests for the right price. Am I wrong?¡± Zero asked.


    ¡°No matter how much we like our coin, we won¡¯t dig our own graves. The people who put out this hit are big shots in the Hubalt Empire, so I would never take a reverse-hit request even if the Queen Consort of Avalon over there asks¡ª¡±


    Joshua gestured for Zero to stop. ¡°I know it¡¯s been a long time, but I didn¡¯t realize how badly my country is looked down upon,¡± he said.


    ¡°¡®My country¡¯¡­? What¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not the Queen Consort of Avalon who¡¯s proposing a reverse-hit,¡± Joshua continued.


    His long robe fluttered. What the assassins saw beneath dramatically changed the atmosphere in the pub. Shock rolled over them like a storm. The Poison King¡¯s eyes bulged and the assassins watching from the sides were struck dumb. All of them had gone through severe training to erase their emotions, but most of them were visibly shaking.


    The dark blue hair that contrasted with his white skin was revealed, traits he shared with Selim Sanders, the famous First Prince of Avalon. Although civilians might not realize that, these assassins were part of a professional information guild, so they knew that a twenty-year-old boy like Selim couldn¡¯t overwhelm the assassins like an experienced swordsman.


    ¡°Am¡­ I dreaming?¡± the Poison King nkly murmured.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re wide awake.¡±


    The Poison King nervously swallowed.


    Joshua grinned. ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 58

    Side Story Chapter 58


    A suffocating silence fell upon the pub. Dozens of eyes were glued on Joshua, and no one said a thing.


    ¡°¡­Ha.¡±


    The person that broke the silence was the Poison King, the fake bartender.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± The Poison King burst intoughter. ¡°Now this is the most ridiculous thing I¡¯ve ever seen. Coming to Arcadia was definitely a good choice. I even ended up meeting my original target.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll bet my two balls on you not being Joshua Sanders,¡± the Poison King asked after he collected himself. ¡°What¡¯ll you bet?¡±


    Joshua was rather intrigued by this turn of events. ¡°Let¡¯s hear your reasoning.¡±


    ¡°I can think of two things right on the spot.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°The first reason is that Joshua Sanders is an exceptionally strong man that earned the title of the Martial God. They say that he¡¯s strong enough to make the world tremble, but I cannot detect literally a single trace of mana. ¡±


    ¡°I suppose not. If a less-skilled person could figure out the level of a higher-skilled person with their eyes alone, wouldn¡¯t that be more strange?¡±


    ¡°You nutjob, you¡¯re talking about normal cases. I¡¯m one of the Twelve Superhumans that has been bestowed with the title of a King, so do you really think I wouldn¡¯t be able to distinguish between no mana and too much mana?¡± the Poison King asked back, sneering. The Poison King scanned Joshua like a snake, his eyes peeling him open like scalpels. ¡°The second reason why I chose to not believe you was that you¡¯re with Iceline Sanders, the First Queen Consort of Avalon. When I stopped to think about it, her being here erased every single doubt in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°When Queen Consort Iceline was in the Magic Tower, she was called the genius of artifact development. Reipon, the external transformation magic artifact she created, is still praised by numerous mages. A spell asplicated as a dragon¡¯s polymorph is achievable by a mere human with Reipon.¡±


    ¡°In other words, I¡¯m a phony and only Joshua Sanders in appearance.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± The Poison King set down the ss in his hand with an air of finality.


    That seemed to be a cue.


    ¡°Kill them!¡±


    The assassins¡¯ murderous energy thickened. They took up carefully selected positions and readied their daggers to strike at any moment.


    Zero¡¯s palms got sweaty as he watched. <em>¡®What is he trying to do¡­!¡¯</em> He knew exactly what kind of state Joshua was in. For unavoidable reasons, Joshua was currently unable to use his mana, so defeating one of the Twelve Superhumans and dozens of elite Hashashin Guild assassins was impossible.


    <em>¡®I made a mistake to not consider the possibility of the Poison King being here. In this case, I¡¯ll at least have to get Lilith and Her Majesty Iceline whatever it takes¡­¡¯</em>


    Zero prepared to risk his life, his eyes filling with determination.


    ¡°Nice try,¡± the Poison King said, his words falling from his lips like a death sentence, ¡°but thanks to you, we¡¯ll not onlyplete the mission we failed, we¡¯ll also know one of Avalon¡¯s weaknesses. I¡¯m grateful to you for that.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ Why don¡¯t we test that first?¡± Joshua asked, much to the assassins¡¯ confusion.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± The Poison King tilted his head, puzzled.


    ¡°If I want, all the assassins here will die. It would break your heart to you lose your dear assassins, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still bluffin¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m bluffing?¡± Joshua smiled faintly.


    The Poison King looked into Joshua¡¯s abyssal ck eyes and clenched his jaw. There wasn¡¯t a single emotion in those ck eyes.


    <em>¡®Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange. It¡¯s about time for him to show some reaction¡­¡¯</em> the Poison King thought.


    There was a reason why he was called the ¡°Poison¡± King, and it wasn¡¯t because he worked alone[1]. He was great at handling lethal poisons. That was why even the strong never picked a fight with the Hashashin Guild. It was simr to walking around poop because it was filthy, not because it was scary[2].


    Thebination of poison and an assassin was lethal. The moment someone became the target of an assassin that used poison, that person had to not only be careful during sleep but also check every meal they ate. They even had to be careful while using the bathroom. No one wanted to go through such troubles.


    Since it was his specialty, the Poison King had been secretly spraying poison on ¡°Joshua¡± as soon as the imposter and hispanions hade up to the bar.


    <em>¡®The poison I developed is colorless and odorless. I only sprayed a very small amount so he wouldn¡¯t notice, but he should at least have trouble breathing by now,¡¯</em> the Poison King thought.


    In fact, the Poison King was the weakest of the Twelve Superhumans, but he earned his reputation by developing Mamushi, the odorless and colorless lethal poison.


    However, the imposter was fine in spite of the fact that he had inhaled this deadly poison. Every intestine in his body should have melted by now.


    <em>¡®If he¡¯s really a civilian who can¡¯t use his mana, he would have lost consciousness as soon as I sprayed the poison on him. That means¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°I can hear the gears in your head turning, you know,¡± Joshua said.


    The Poison King¡¯s thoughts ground to a halt when Joshua took a big step forward. He unwittingly stepped backward and then stopped, frowning.


    ¡°Mmm¡­.!¡± he grunted. His assassins were watching him, so he shouldn¡¯t do this. They seemed to notice their leader¡¯s state and bared their murderous energy.


    But something brought them pause. The Poison King was confused¡ªin fact, all the assassins were tilting their heads in confusion. The sound was so faint that they wouldn¡¯t have heard it if they weren¡¯t paying close attention. Nevertheless, the murderous energy dissipated the moment the sound tickled the air.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is the true murderous energy,¡± Joshua proimed.


    The Poison King''s eyes widened.


    A murderous energy iparably thicker and more vicious than the assassins¡¯ spread through the entire building. The assassins trembled, their teeth chattering.


    Across the whole continent, only a few people were able to use this special energy¡ªkilling intent.


    The Poison King reached a shocking conclusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­ impossible¡­!¡±


    Killing intent was also called the murderous energy of murderous energy¡ªthose who could use it were on a whole different level. Even the previous Darkness Emperor, the ruler of the night, hadn¡¯t been able to use it even until he died.


    In the current generation, only two people could use killing intent. One was the mysterious Assassin King, and it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to call the other person the most famous person on the continent.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ really Joshua Sanders¡­? the Poison King nkly murmured.


    ¡°Let me ask you again.¡± Joshua stepped onto the bar and arrogantly looked down at the Poison King. ¡°Will you take my reverse-hit request or die?¡±


    * * *


    The distinctive sound of a warp spell red out, announcing that the imperial mage that had left for western Avalon had returned with the famous Combat Emperor by his side.


    ¡°Wee, Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long, but I somehow feel like I¡¯ve been away for ages,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°We heard you would be returning to the Pce, so we cleaned a room for you in advance. Please rest and call on us at any time if anything inconveniences you.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I can¡¯t afford to rest since His Majesty has returned.¡± Cain gently shook his head.


    The imperial mages on standby all flinched. There was no way Cain would miss the odd reaction, considering how sharp his eyes were.


    ¡°¡­Where is His Majesty?¡± Cain asked, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡±


    Cain gently nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t bite, so take your time. I get it. He must be busy.¡±


    The story of a bachelor knight looking for the Emperor of Avalon was very famous within the Empire.


    It wasn¡¯t that he had no one good to marry.


    <em>¡°I can¡¯t even tell whether or not my only master is alive, so how can I make a family and enjoy peace as his knight?¡±</em> he would always say, despite the fact that he was well past marriageable age.


    With this remark, Cain became a role model for young knights. There was even a rumor that one had to stay a bachelor in order to be a true knight.


    ¡°If he¡¯s tending to the backlog of state affairs, I¡¯m happy to wait. I¡¯ve been waiting for over a decade, so what¡¯s ten days?¡±


    After exchanging nces for a stiff, one of the imperial mages reluctantly came forward. ¡°Umm¡­ Sir Cain. I¡¯m s-sorry, but His Majesty isn¡¯t in the Pce.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmm? What do you mean he isn¡¯t in the Pce?¡±


    ¡°Right after he showed up at the Pce, he made several shocking remarks and then disappeared with Her Majesty Iceline.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes gradually widened. ¡°W-W-What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°No, no, this is not the time for you to apologize to me. Where is His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re searching everywhere, but we haven¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, he dered he would pass down the throne. Did he leave to have a quiet retirement life with Her Majesty right away or something?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re unsure¡­¡±


    ¡°Did anyone see him leaving? His Majesty has returned after over a decade, so of course you put a tail on him, right?¡±


    ¡°Who in this country would have thought about tailing His Majesty other than you?¡±


    Cain¡¯s face immediately crumpled into a hideous grimace. ¡°Yeah, being considerate and merciful is just not my thing. Let¡¯s die today.¡±


    ¡°P-Pardon?¡±


    ¡°From the imperial mages to knights, tell everyone with the duty to protect His Majesty toe to the training area.¡±


    The imperial mages opened and closed their mouths stupidly.


    Regardless, Cain was done speaking, so he strode away.


    The one silver lining was that Iceline was with Joshua, so there was still hope that Cain could locate him. Unlike <em>someone</em>, Iceline would surely leave a mark somewhere.


    However, Cain had one thing to take care of before he started his search.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯ll raise hell in the Pce today. I¡¯ll make all of you beg me to kill you instead.¡± Cain smiled crookedly.


    1. Poison and alone sound the same in Korean. ?


    2. It¡¯s a Korean idiom. ?

 Side Story Chapter 59

    Side Story Chapter 59


    The Poison King carefully examined the man that looked like Joshua Sanders and was capable of using killing intent, but he didn¡¯t have to think for a long time. The man in front of the Poison King wasn¡¯t a phony. It made everything sense, and the Poison King, one of the Twelve Superhumans, could instinctively realize that through his sharpened senses.


    Of course, the Poison King still had his doubts because he still couldn¡¯t detect a single trace of mana from the man. However, if this was also due to the severe difference between their levels¡­


    ¡°¡­Stand down,¡± the Poison King decided.


    The murderous energy in the pub dissipated.


    ¡°Let me officially introduce myself. I¡¯m Reisen Uraha. It¡¯s a real honor to meet the famous Martial God.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly, drawing a sigh of relief from Reisen.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it,¡± Joshua said. Reisen gave him a nk look. ¡°You know who I am now, but you¡¯re still holding up your head pretty high.¡±


    Reisen''s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m one of the Twelve Superhumans.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯re honored to meet me?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different. Besides, I¡¯m not from Avalon. I¡¯m the leader of the Hashashin Guild, which isn¡¯t part of any country.¡±


    ¡°Even a dog barks louder in front of its own house, so you should understand how an emperor would feel.¡± The corner of Joshua¡¯s mouth curled upward.


    ¡°The other empires have respected the information guilds¡¯ independence for generations, so it¡¯s difficult to ept yourmand to treat you differently.¡±


    There was a good reason why Reisen was so desperate to take the lead in this negotiation. An information guild was a profitable organization that literally dealt with information. In that regard, taking the initiative was basic. Politeness? That was useless for making profits.


    ¡°I let you do business in my country, so you could at least be polite.¡± Joshua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m paying my taxes.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be absurd. Your taxes are from the profits you made from this pub, not from your business in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°No country puts a tax on intangible information,¡± Reisen said firmly.


    He had another reason for his confidence. Getting on the wrong side of an information guild opened up a host of problems¡ªlike all of a country¡¯s sensitive information getting delivered to their enemy. What could be more troubling than that?


    However, Reisen forgot that he was dealing with Joshua.


    ¡°So what?¡± Joshua tilted his head. Reisen stiffened. ¡°You¡¯re in Avalon, so you have to follow thew of Avalon. If you don¡¯t like it, get out of my house.¡±


    ¡°Do-Don¡¯t let your emotions get the better of you. You¡¯ll regret itter.¡± The Poison King clenched his fists, suppressing his nervousness.


    ¡°Regret?¡± Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Do I look like a person who would feel such emotions?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°The fact that an assassin guild¡¯s office is in the center of an empire¡¯s capital alone is ironic. If you don¡¯t like it, this ce will be taken over by a real information guild¡ªthe Moon Gate. Effective today.¡±


    With that, Joshua turned around and raised his hood.


    Reisen¡¯s hands trembled faintly. Joshua showed his back to an assassin without hesitation. That made Reisen certain about what exactly he was dealing with¡ªonly an Absolute could afford to be rxed and behave so boldly as Joshua.


    Reisen didn¡¯t have the time to ponder any longer. If the man that was walking away from Reisen was really the Martial God, Reisen had to avoid making the worst choice even if he was going to end up choosing the second-worst option. As a leader of the guild, Reisen had to be proficient in risk management.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll take your reverse-hit request,¡± Reisen stammered.


    Joshua came to a halt, smiling widely. Zero, Lilith, and Iceline were the only ones close enough to see it. The three chuckled, dumbfounded. It had been a while since they¡¯d seen Joshua¡¯s penchant for ckmail.


    ¡°My Hashashin Guild will abandon all requests that involve the members of the Moon Gate and never take any simr quests in the future,¡± Reisen pledged.


    ¡°Of course you should.¡± Joshua turned toward Reisen again. ¡°But that is not exactly taking a reverse-hit request.¡±


    ¡°Give me a break. As you already know, this hit was put out by the big shots in the Hubalt Empire. If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I wouldn¡¯t have epted this reverse-hit request. I¡¯m risking a financial penalty to terminate the hit itself¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why do I have to worry about that?¡± Joshua asked back, shamelessly revealing his true temper to the world.


    ¡°I see his thuggish nature hasn¡¯t gone anywhere,¡± Zero murmured.


    ¡°Watch your mouth. You¡¯re talking about the emperor of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. He really doesn¡¯t look like one right now¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree, actually.¡± Lilith nodded.


    While Zero and Lilith whispered among themselves, Iceline was smiling very contentedly as if she was proud of her husband.


    ¡°You also love this side of him, don¡¯t you, Your Majesty?¡± Lilith asked Iceline after noticing her mood.


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s beneficial to the family finances,¡± Iceline answered.


    ¡°What emperor ever managed the family finances¡­?¡± Lilith trailed off.


    ¡°Of course, I understand why you don¡¯t share my happiness since you haven¡¯t gotten married, Miss Lilith.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    A vein bulged on Lilith¡¯s forehead as she thought, <em>¡®Maybe I¡¯ll just seduce him in front of her.¡¯</em>


    Meanwhile, the negotiation was still ongoing.


    ¡°I can¡¯t assassinate the higher-ups in Hubalt,¡± Reisen said.


    ¡°No ¡®Your Majesty¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a conscience, so I have no intention of making you risk your life for me.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°Th-Thank you.¡± Reisen finally let out a sigh of relief.


    ¡°Just give me the intel on the internal affairs of Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Everything about Hubalt. Who wants Lilith Aphrodite to die? Which organization or faction is trying to knock down the Moon Gate? Is there a mastermind behind all this? Oh, I want you to give me a list of the countries that secretly support Hubalt too. Wait, I almost forgot¡ªyou know about the pdins that have manifested the Four Angels¡¯ Authorities, right? Find out their appearances and who they are,¡± Joshua rattled off.


    ¡°What the f¡ª!¡± Reisen had to bite his tongue.


    ¡°I misheard you, didn¡¯t I? I think I heard f¡ª¡±


    ¡°Y-You did.¡±


    ¡°I did?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°¡­You misheard me, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now we¡¯re talking.¡± Joshua smiled contentedly. ¡°I¡¯ll let your discourtesy slide today. I hope we can be great partners. R¡­ Sorry, what is your name again?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s Reisen, Reisen Uraha, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Reisomething. Don¡¯t try anything funny in the future. If anything happens, I¡¯m going to annihte your guild myself.¡± Joshua strode to the door and waved his hand. ¡°I had fun. Thanks.¡±


    ¡°Urgghhh¡­!¡± Reisen couldn¡¯t help pulling out his hair in anger.


    * * *


    After checking that they were far away from the Hashashin Guild¡¯s office, Zero let out a long sigh.


    ¡°Phew! I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever die a natural death if I apany you one more time, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it thrilling in some ways?¡± Joshua chuckled.


    ¡°Yes, it was so thrilling that I think I can still feel my heart pounding. How in the world did you do it?¡±


    ¡°Do what?¡±


    ¡°You said you can¡¯t use your full power,¡± Zero rified. He had clearly seen Joshua¡¯s immense killing intent energy dissipate the thick murderous energy released by the Poison King¡¯s mob of assassins. It was said that a river could no longer be a river in an ocean, but it was still an unbelievable sight.


    ¡°Mana and murderous energy are two different kinds of energies. Mana originated from the question of how to use one¡¯s body more efficiently; on the other hand, murderous energy is a primordial instinct and the resolve to kill another person., Joshua exined.


    ¡°But I still can¡¯t understand it. How can you do such a thing only with your resolve?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the same as herbivores instinctively cowering in front of predators. Well, it¡¯s said that once a swordsman reaches a certain level, he can kill another person with his willpower alone.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s just a legend,¡± Zero said, even more confused.


    ¡°Do you really think so?¡±


    Zero became quiet.


    ¡°Where are you going to go?¡± Lilith interrupted. ¡°We didn¡¯t get the information we wanted in the end.¡±


    Lilith had to ask this question because this journey was about finding Joshua¡¯s other four friends.


    ¡°We put out the biggest fire for now, so let¡¯s head back to the Pce first,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°You could have asked Reisen back in the pub. The Poison King would¡¯ve been able to give us something.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s full of spite right now, so would he have done nothing if I asked him about my friends?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°You thought that far and in such detail?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always like this.¡± Iceline furtively linked her arm with Joshua¡¯s and walked on ahead.


    Lilith stared vacantly at the couple for a moment beforeing to her senses. ¡°¡­Yeah, he is. It looks like he acts recklessly, but he always had a n in his mind.¡±


    ¡°What should we do?¡± Zero asked.


    ¡°We should follow them,¡± Lilith decided. ¡°That is the promise I made with Joshua.¡±


    ¡°Follow them even to the Pce? Once the nobles in the Pce find out who you are, it might cause a serious diplomatic issue.¡±


    Zero¡¯s concern was understandable. Ever since she had manifested the authority of a demon king, she had been a fugitive, so what would happen if she showed up in the pce of the Avalon Empire?


    It was obvious. ck mages and demons were to be killed on sight, so a demon king¡ªa higher-ranking demon¡ªwas despised even more. There was a precedent in the Avalon Empire, the country that had almost been taken over by a demon.


    The Hubalt Empire would probably demand that the witch, Lilith Aphrodite, be turned over. If the Avalon Empire rejected their demand, that was fine for the Hubalt Empire too because that would justify starting another Continental War like they had been desperately wishing for.


    Lilith shook her head. ¡°Since the Hashashin Guild found out about it, it¡¯s just a matter of time for other people to find out I¡¯m in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m still very worried. The Avalon Empire has nothing to do with our problem, so we might be inconveniencing him and the Empire. Besides, the First Pdin has manifested the Archangel of Battle¡¯s authority and already surpasses the level of the current Nine Stars. Avalon has been devastated due to the civil war, so¡ª¡±


    Lilith smiled reassuringly. ¡°It¡¯s okay. What are the Nine Stars or Four Pdins?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re currently with the man considered the strongest man on the continent. He himself said that he¡¯ll regain his original power after a year, so if we sessfully protect him until then¡­¡± Lilith trailed off for a moment. ¡°We aren¡¯t going to lose to anyone,¡± she said with conviction. ¡°Ever.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 60

    Side Story Chapter 60


    Civilians would never notice that this pub was the Arcadia branch of the Hashashin Guild. The pub was reopened because it would look odder to close down the pub entirely.


    ¡°Are you really going to turn your back on the Hubalt Empire?¡± one of the assassins asked.


    Despite his subordinate¡¯s question, Reisen Uraha, the Poison King, silently wiped a ss with his cloth.


    Joshua Sanders, the emperor of the Avalon Empire, wanted only one thing¡ªthe intel about the officially strongest country in the continent. If Reisen really handed Joshua that information, he would inevitably end up on the bad side of the big shots in Hubalt. Maybe¡ªno, he was certainly going to be a public enemy like Lilith Aphrodite.


    ¡°If we terminate the contract we worked so hard to get, they¡¯ll be suspicious of us,¡± Reisen¡¯s assassin continued.


    ¡°I know.¡±


    ¡°Then why¡­?¡±


    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t like we could fight back. We were going up against Joshua Sanders, of all people.¡± Reisen frowned slightly. His subordinate held his tongue.


    Reisen would have instantly turned down the deal even if Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor, one of the famous Nine Stars, had made the offer. However, the Martial God, Cain¡¯s master, was a different story.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it, but I guess our reputation for being rogue assassins that freely take reverse-hit requests is helpful in times like this,¡± Reisen murmured.


    ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Once Hubalt finds out that the emperor of the Avalon Empire is really back, they¡¯ll agree that it¡¯s impossible to continue with the contract.¡±


    ¡°Th-That is true,¡± the assassin said, his face finally brightening up.


    Everyone in the continent knew that Joshua Sanders was the monster that surpassed the level of a Celestial.


    ¡°Compile the information we already have and give that to him. On the other hand, secretly spread the news that Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, has returned,¡± Reisen instructed.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    * * *


    Kireua had recently received a series of surprising news. The first news was the return of the Emperor of Avalon, but the report that had been delivered just now was also shocking.


    ¡°The First Prince and his one hundred ck Knights attacked Marquess Drenius¡¯s castle,¡± the messenger reported.


    Kireua''s eyes widened.


    Ranger was equally surprised. ¡°W-What happened?¡± he stammered.


    ¡°In their first battle, Sir Downbeck, the third strongest ck Knight, chopped off the enemy knightmander¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°The enemy knightmander¡­ are you talking about Marquess Drenius¡¯s Blue Dragon Knights?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡± The messenger nodded.


    ¡°A-And?¡±


    ¡°Two hundred enemy knights were dispatched as reinforcements, but they were annihted by His Highness Selim and his ck Knights. Then His Highness Selim and the others casually rode their horses off of the battlefield.¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡± Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground.


    The ck Knight Order wasposed of one hundred knights under the First Prince¡¯s directmand. It was an independent¡ªmeaning that they weren¡¯t part of any department in the Pce¡ªorganization that followed Selim Sanders and him only. The knights prioritized Selim¡¯s orders even before the emperor¡¯s, and they were popr for their deep loyalty. On top of that, each of the knights was chosen and trained by Selim himself, so they were more skilled than most of the Imperial Knights.


    ¡°Even so, how could they think of attacking the enemy castle with only a hundred of them¡­?¡± Ranger trailed off.


    ¡°He¡¯s acting like the true son of the Martial God.¡±


    Ranger turned to Kireua and found a fire burning in the younger prince¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°Although you called it reckless, Sir Ranger, these kinds of things are how we prove ourselves.¡±


    ¡°Prove yourselves?¡±


    ¡°It started so long ago that I don¡¯t even remember exactly when. ¡®Your Highness, you¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s son, so your talent will also be legendary.¡¯ ¡®When you go to a battlefield in the future, you¡¯ll bring a series of victories to Avalon without any defeats, just like your father did¡¯. I heard those kinds of remarks over and over.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that I haven¡¯t lived for very long, but to sum it up in one phrase, it¡¯s a series ofparisons. Likely no one would be able to understand the pressure I was under aside from Selim, who is in a simr position as me,¡± Kireua calmly said.


    Ranger couldn¡¯t say anything because he hadn¡¯t experienced anything simr enough to offer anything more than empty words. However, he had a rough idea of what the princes had been through.


    What would happen to a child that happened to be fathered from the Martial God? Some people would love it, but they would quicklye to feel the pressure, just like Kireua. Even Ranger had thought that Kireua would be good at anything since he was the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s son.


    ¡°There is no need to fulfill everyone¡¯s expectations. His Majesty is His Majesty, and you¡¯re your own man, Your Highness,¡± Ranger carefully offered.


    ¡°Just as you said, I¡¯m my own man, so I need to prove myself as ¡®Kireua Sanders¡¯ lest we repeat the history of civil war in thisnd.¡±


    Ranger eyes slowly widened.


    It was said that the disappearance of the Emperor of Avalon was the reason why another civil war had broken out in Avalon, but that was just an excuse. The real reason was that the Imperial Family was looked down on by its enemies.


    Human society was at heart an animal pack. In order to be the leader of a pack, males fought bloody battles and risked their lives to take females. The weak got eaten and the strong took everything. For a long time, the guiding principle of this world was survival of the fittest.


    ¡°Sir Ranger, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll think I have to visit Marquess Turtler¡¯s castle once more,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡± Ranger shook his head without giving it a second thought. ¡°I don¡¯t know why in the world Cazes or Viper let Prince Selim go on such a dangerous battlefield, but I¡¯m in charge here in the west. It¡¯s out of the question.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll have to prove myself again.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°This is for the better.¡± Kireua took a look around them and smiled faintly.


    Therge study was almost entirely empty¡ªthere was only a table in the center of the study. Aside from the messenger that brought Selim¡¯s news, there were only two people. This was the perfect opportunity to put Kireua¡¯s n into action.


    ¡°If you want to do as you wish, you have to defeat the opposition with your skills,¡± Kireua recited.


    Ranger tensed.


    ¡°That is the foundation of the training for new Imperial Knights, am I correct?¡±


    Kireua was holding his sword.


    The messenger, startled, rapidly retreated.


    ¡°¡­Are you sure about this? I¡¯m confident that I¡¯m His Majesty¡¯s fifth-best knight.¡± Ranger narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep your secret.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re getting old, Sir Ranger, so I should let you save face,¡± Kireua said, tantly provoking the knight.


    ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Ranger smiled from ear to ear. ¡°If that¡¯s how it is, I won¡¯t go easy on you if.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want.¡±


    Ranger kicked the table into the corner and drew his sword. ¡°Beat me, and I¡¯ll let you go without saying anything else.¡±


    * * *


    A chorus of booms, cracks, and ms echoed through the wide training area located in front of the Pce.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t kill¡ª!¡±


    ¡°S-S-Sir Cain, please calm down!¡±


    Aside from the ones on the battlefield, about three hundred Imperial Knights and mages were gathered in that one ce.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    One of the Nine Absolutes, the strongest people on the continent, was releasing his energy, so everyone in the area held their breath. Some of them were already rolling on the ground after Cain¡¯s first sampler of hell.


    ¡°Is everything I heard true?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I heard, His Majesty returned.¡±


    The five hundred people flinched simultaneously.


    Cain frowned. ¡°Why is no one answering me?¡±


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Is there anyone who at least knows His Majesty¡¯s whereabouts? You call yourselves Imperial Knights, so what were you doing when His Majesty went missing again?¡± Cain growled.


    One of the knights quickly raised his head; he was a young knight that had recently be an Imperial Knight.


    ¡°Th-This is unfair!¡± the knight shouted.


    ¡°Unfair?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty isn¡¯t someone who would listen just because we tried to dissuade him. You might be standing here in front of us, but you couldn¡¯t do anything either, Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Cain smiled faintly. ¡°Young ones are definitely better. They have fighting spirit.¡±


    The other knights anxiously watching the conversation brightened up instantly; their death res transformed into war smiles. But the happier they seemed, the more Cain¡¯s smile deepened.


    ¡°Of course, you¡¯re raising your voice because you¡¯re sure about your skill, aren¡¯t you?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°¡­Eh?¡±


    ¡°Such is the old tradition of the Imperial Knights of Avalon. Change what you don¡¯t like using your skills, or else shut up and listen if you don¡¯t have the ability.¡±


    The young knight gasped as he became the sole target of Cain¡¯s murderous intent.. It didn¡¯t take long for the young knight to lose consciousness, foaming at the mouth. The other knights looked at theiratose junior and nervously swallowed.


    ¡°Now this is my style. Dignity, my ass.¡± Cain narrowed his eyes. ¡°You guys are dead meat.¡±


    He was going to turn the Pce upside down. Although some might say he was just taking out his anger on them, he didn¡¯t care. He had to do this much to make His Majesty feel at least a little bit apologetic when he heard about it.


    ¡°Damn! Draw your swords, everyone!¡± one of the senior knights yelled, startling the other knights from their stupor. ¡°Sir Cain is already over sixty! Besides, our junior knight raised his voice at the risk of his life, so as his seniors, we should be better!¡±


    Hundreds of swords were drawn at once. The mages didn¡¯t stand idle either¡ª variety of magic circles were created in the air.


    ¡°¡­Ha. Hahahaha. I must have been away for a long time. This is hrious,¡± Cain muttered.


    The sight stirred up something in Cain. His original n was to let the knights and mages walk away with only some bruises, but now he felt like he should break some bones to release all his pent-up anger.


    Having decided, Cain began to step forward.


    ¡°Why are you taking out your anger on my people? I¡¯m the one that is going to get bad mouthed again.¡±


    The atmosphere changed, the Imperial Knights'' eyes widening. Cain was familiar with this voice more than anyone else¡¯s. Most of the Imperial Knights had only heard rumors about the Emperor of Avalon, so a storm of shock slowly rolled over the training area.


    Cain slowly turned his head.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­¡±


    The person that Cain had desperately been waiting for appeared alongside three people wearing robes.


    ¡°Long time no see, Cain.¡±


    Cain and Joshua were finally reunited.

 Side Story Chapter 61

    Side Story Chapter 61


    ¡®What can I do?¡¯


    The question had lingered on Kireua¡¯s mind forever. Combat power? Kireua¡¯s was definitely not better than Selim¡¯s, who was known to have inherited all the talent of the Emperor. Forces under hismand? Kireua had zero knights that were loyal to him.


    Avalon, the Empire of Knights, had a popr tradition. A knight swore their loyalty to one master and one master only until the day that knight died. There was a reason why the tradition was especially meaningful: the master¡¯s order overrode even an Imperial order.


    <em>¡®Selim has one hundred of them and made a knight order from them,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Obviously it wasn¡¯t something that had always been possible. While Emperor Marcus had reigned, imperial orders had supersededw, but everything changed after the current emperor took the throne. Kireua knew why the current emperor quelled all objections and persisted in implementing this rule. It was for Cain de Harry, the Martial God¡¯s first knight. For the man he had chosen to serve, he had raised his sword against the head of the family that had taken him under its wings. Cain had also confronted an emperor, so the Emperor must have wanted to protect Cain¡¯s honor.


    <em>¡®So I need loyal colleagues who I can always trust to have my back.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Sir Ranger,¡± he said, raising his head as he reached a conclusion.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°I think the terms are a little unfair.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Ranger tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Please swear your loyalty to me as a knight if I win.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Ranger''s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m the vicemander of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°There is now prohibiting an Imperial Knight from serving a master. From what I know, you haven¡¯t sworn your loyalty to His Majesty as a knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you serious? If I choose you as my master, I ought to resign from my post as vicemander,¡± Ranger reminded Kireua.


    Such was the dilemma of the tradition. The Imperial Knights were expected to uphold Imperial orders more strictly than anyone else, so what would happen if they prioritized their masters¡¯ orders? What if those very masters plotted treason? The Imperial Knights were in charge of guarding the members of the Imperial Family from their side, the Knights would be the world¡¯s deadliest assassins.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have to worry about that part.¡± Kireua shrugged, but Ranger was anything but reassured. ¡°Once I ascend the throne, it won¡¯t be an issue.¡±


    Ranger''s eyes widened.


    Kireua thrust his sword without hesitation.


    Their des shed in the air. Coal was currently asleep, so this was the perfect opportunity to test Kireua¡¯s original power. He had an excellent opponent.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Ranger grunted. He discovered that the impact was stronger than he had expected. It had been over a decade since their first spar when the Second Prince had been a little kid.


    ¡°That little kid is now using aura¡­ You¡¯vee a long way,¡± Ranger quietly said.


    Kireua didn¡¯t answer because Ranger was clearly underestimating him. He intended to exploit that advantage by going all-out from the start.


    The muscles around Kiruea¡¯s eyes bulged, signifying that he was using mana for optical enhancement, revealing the mana flows that only Kireua could see. On top of that, he used the exquisite principles of the Magic Spear Art reshaped into swordcraft.


    Ranger''s eyes slowly widened as he realized what he was seeing.


    Their des had been locked against each other, but Kireua¡¯s sword was slowly sliding down Ranger¡¯s. Kireua wasn¡¯t pushing Ranger¡¯s sword away with superior force¡ªit was literally sliding down Ranger¡¯s sword, producing a headache-inducing squeal as it traveled. It didn¡¯t make any sense. How could it happen unless Ranger oiled his sword?


    Ranger put more weight on his sword and stopped Kireua¡¯s sword from sliding down any further.


    But that was what Kireua had been aiming for.


    Ranger lost his bnce when the resistance against his sword suddenly disappeared. Ranger had blocked Kireua¡¯s sword from the left, pushing to the right, anchoring down Kireua¡¯s sword. However, Kireua abruptly let go of his sword and whipped his body around in a full circle.


    Ranger raised the arm that wasn¡¯t holding the sword to defend himself against the heavy back kick.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Ranger groaned. It felt like his guts were being rattled.


    Kireua was covered with ayer of his mana as he delivered his kick, something that only a Master could do, given the fragility of human flesh.


    The biggest issue was that trying to apply a half-baked understanding of this skill during battle could result in losing body parts. No matter how well one was covered in mana, they were still using human flesh as weapons against swords that were also enveloped in mana. Even the mighty Akshuller, the legendary figure recorded in the annals of history for his closebat skills, always used knuckle dusters and gaiters as recements for his weapons.


    However, there was one single exception in this world. That person had favored spears, which had once been looked down upon as the stuff of themon infantryman, but closebat skills were necessary to make up for the spear¡¯s disadvantages. Despite the weapon¡¯s long reach, a spear user became vulnerable if their enemy sessfully closed the distance. The Emperor of Avalon¡¯s closebat skills were very advanced, and he didn¡¯t have to resort to any other equipment.


    Ranger couldn¡¯t help ask another question at this point.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you give up on spears?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°I did give up on spears.¡±


    ¡°Then how¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is there aw prohibiting swordsmen from cultivating their closebat skills?¡± Kireua smiled.


    Ranger blinked. It wasn¡¯t impossible, but it was very inefficient, even when it was topensate for the disadvantages of long weapons. On top of that, it wasn¡¯t like closebat techniques were more effective than using a sword.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t understand me, then experience it for yourself,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I have one more leg, you know,¡± Kireua said, and jumped.


    Using the leg that Ranger had blocked as his fulcrum, Kireua delivered another fierce kick with his other leg.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡± Ranger almost stumbled. This series of events he couldn¡¯t understand. The second kick was the same as the kick from before, but the impact was greater.


    Ranger finally noticed the veins were bulging out around Kireua¡¯s eyes and realized that it wasn¡¯t just because of Kireua¡¯s mana utilization technique¡ªthat was the mana optical enhancement technique devised by Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star.


    ¡°This is it.¡± Kireua gritted his teeth, focusing all his mana into his legs. He leaped in the air and delivered an unending flurry of scissor kicks.


    Ranger lost his grip on his sword early into the barrage and covered his head with his crossed arms. Kireua keptnding kicks on top of them for a long time.


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Kireua shouted. Ever since he had decided to build his forces, he was struggling with all his might for the first time.


    The petty word ¡°talent¡± was a pale imitation of the word ¡°effort¡±¡ªand that word was the only way to describe Kireua¡¯s life.


    * * *


    Joshua, the man who seemed furthest from the word effort, smiled.


    ¡°Are you going to continue?¡± he prompted.


    Cain paused.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten quite old, so it won¡¯t be easy to train five hundred people at once. Why don¡¯t we stop here?¡± Joshua suggested.


    Cain had even drawn his sword, so Joshua tried to save the Imperial Knights and mages while saving Cain¡¯s face at the same time. That was why Joshua used the word ¡°train¡±. If Joshua were to describe this situation with ¡°reproach¡± or ¡°reprimand¡±, it wouldn¡¯t really seem right for Cain to withdraw his sword.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re the same as usual, Your Majesty,¡± Cain said quietly.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any idea how long I¡¯ve been looking for you?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. I have my reasons. I¡¯ll exin that right now, so why don¡¯t you put down your sword first¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    Joshua gave him a confused look.


    ¡°Do your job, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll do mine.¡± Cain tightened his grip on his sword.


    ¡°Sir Cain! Are you going to defy His Majesty¡¯s order?¡± one of the Imperial Knights yelled.


    ¡°The priority of an oath-sworn knight is to ensure his master¡¯s safety.¡±


    ¡°That very master has given you his order!¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask you this: if you had been given the order to abandon your master on the battlefield and flee on your own, could you obey it?¡± Cain snapped back.


    ¡°Your example doesn¡¯t even make sense¡ª!¡±


    ¡°That is how I feel.¡±


    The Imperial Knights closed their mouths.


    ¡°He ordered me to wait, so I obeyed. I stayed cooped up in the Pce and waited. Over a decade has passed like that. My whole life was about my master, so even while the whole country turned into a mess, I looked for one man. And most of my hair turned white and I reached an age where calling me grandpa isn¡¯t strange. This is the result of my faith and my waiting,¡± Cain bitterly said. ¡°A scumbag that doesn¡¯t listen to his master¡¯s order? I¡¯m sure not many people in the world would be able to say that to me.¡±


    Right after Cain finished speaking, he drew up his energy, releasing a radiant yet fierce storm that wed at the nearby area.


    ¡°Aaagh¡­!¡± the Imperial Knights groaned.


    ¡°You guys failed the duty that you should have upheld, so you need to be punished. Of course, the same goes for me.¡±


    At this point, that was unclear to whom Cain was speaking to.


    As time passed, the storm got stronger. There was only one person who could stop Cain right now.


    ¡°¡­Cain.¡± Joshua stepped forward.


    ¡°If your order still remains the same, I¡¯ll withdraw my sword.¡±


    Joshua was about to say something, but he flinched.


    ¡°In return, it will be yourst order for me because I will annul my first andst oath as a knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?!¡± Joshua gasped. He wasn¡¯t the only one. Eyes were nearly popping out of skulls all around the training hall.


    A knight made their oath only once in their lifetime, so it could never be taken lightly. Even if a knight annulled their oath, they were never allowed to wield their swords for other people again. In other words, the knights had to snap their swords in half once they decided to revoke their oath¡ªthey had to destroy their mana halls.


    ¡°S-Sir Cain¡­¡± Iceline stammered.


    WIth things having gone this far, even Iceline had trouble keeping herposure¡ªbut on the other hand, she could understand Cain. Cain had been waiting with an empty heart for over a decade. It felt like eons; Iceline knew how empty he must have felt. In fact, she understood him in her bones. Remembering still made Iceline feel suffocated.


    Icelien quietly grabbed Joshua¡¯s hand, worried that he would disappear again, and squeezed it tightly. Joshua looked at her and his face darkened.


    ¡°¡­Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Joshua said, turning to look at Cain. ¡°I admit I¡¯m selfish. There is no master or husband that is as irresponsible as me.¡±


    ¡°¡­So you actually knew?¡± Cain asked disbelievingly.


    ¡°Of course¡ªso, as the continent¡¯s most selfish man, I want to be stubborn again.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I know I did a stupid thing, but I don¡¯t want to lose mypetent subordinate. I know there is no precedent for this in all of history, but as your master, I¡¯ll challenge my knight in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle.¡±


    The Imperial Knights gasped, unable to contain their surprise.


    Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle was a simple and straightforward tradition of the Avalon Empire where the winner had total control over the loser.


    ¡°Will you ept my challenge?¡± Joshua asked.


    This tradition was about to take ce between the two strongest men in the history of the Avalon Empire.

 Side Story Chapter 62

    Side Story Chapter 62


    Zero tensed up. The situation had be extremely dangerous.


    The Martial God had said himself that he was currently unable to use his mana. Although he had no problem dealing with small fries, he had mentioned that he would be in trouble if he ran into someone genuinely strong.


    Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor Star, was one of the Nine Stars, the strongest people on the continent. If he wasn¡¯t genuinely strong, who else could be?


    ¡°Are you serious?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re in your usual condition.¡±


    ¡°I knew it.¡± Joshua smiled bitterly. ¡°You noticed it right away.¡±


    Zero became extremely anxious when he realized his worries hade to pass.


    <em>¡®I need to stop this,¡¯</em> Zero decided. He prepared to step between the two men.


    ¡°Since it¡¯s Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle, we should do this on equal terms,¡± Cain said.


    Joshua looked askance at him.


    ¡°In order to make this fair, I¡¯ll also seal my mana and make this into a battle of pure strength. This¡¯ll be a fight between two men.¡±


    Zero brightened up, but his positivity didn¡¯tst long.


    ¡°That¡¯ll make Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle less meaningful. If you go easy on me just because I¡¯m the emperor, who will try to reach a higher rank? Social status, title, rank¡­ These external factors don¡¯t matter in Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle. This tradition is a test of skill and skill alone.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what in the world are you doing?¡± Zero stormed up to Joshua, looking as if he was going to grab Joshua by his cor. ¡°He <em>offered</em> to go easy on you!¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m the Martial God.¡±


    ¡°You said that you¡¯re under restrictions!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use an excuse during a duel.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?¡± Zero frowned slightly.


    ¡°It¡¯s genuine advice. If you lose, then you lose. What matters is how you react after your defeat. Use it to improve yourself or drown in a pool of despair.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± Zero stared at him, ck-jawed.


    Of course, Joshua was also worried. It had been a while since he had been tense like this¡ªhis palms were actually sweaty. On top of that, this body wasn¡¯t his in the first ce; his real body was still trapped in the ice boulder. He had trained himself physically and umted his mana for decades. He even used to have a weapon that he was familiar with.


    However, he had nothing right now. Technically, he was a phony who had infused his soul into another person¡¯s body.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± Cain interrupted, eyeing Zero.


    Zero realized that he and Lilith were still wearing their robes and bit his lip, mortified by his mistake.


    ¡°Can you give me the chance instead?¡± Lilith took off her hood and stepped forward.


    All of the Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire were male, so when a beautiful woman showed up, they inhaled sharply. Their jaws dropped to the ground.


    ¡°W-Wait. The Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword¡­?¡±


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite!¡±


    ¡°The next pope¡¯s daughter!¡±


    The murmuring among the knights became louder. Although they were going through a civil war, they still had eyes and ears.


    After Lilith had manifested the authority of a demon king, the Hubalt Empire had publicly dered Lilith Aphrodite a public enemy. Then the Empire had sent numerous pdins to hunt her down¡ªthat very fugitive had shown up in the Avalon Empire right now.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to try fighting against the Combat Emperor for a long time.¡± Lilith smiled.


    She chose to take the bull by the horn. The news was going to spread anyway, so she decided that she would choose when she would reveal herself. It was intended to prove her value to Avalon, but her eagerness actually caused a misunderstanding.


    ¡°Why is she with His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Are we thinking the same thing? The word starts with ¡®in¡¯ and ends with ¡®-ty¡¯.¡±


    ¡°But Her Majesty Iceline is right there, so unless she¡¯s crazy¡­¡±


    As a matter of fact, the story of Lilith trying to seduce Joshua whenever she had a chance was well-known across the entire continent.


    ¡°There are already three queen consorts, so why not four?¡±


    ¡°But all of the queen consorts had to get married at the time. Even considering His Majesty''s personality, he would never get married for a fourth time.¡±


    Iceline, the First Queen Consort of Avalon, had had a crush on Joshua for almost a decade. For Joshua, she had gone on a journey on her own to find a primordial stone and fought against the other Seven Mages to prevent them from taking the stone away.


    In the end, she had to leave the Magic Tower, but that had not been easy either. ording to tradition, a mage of the Magic Tower had to give up all of the knowledge they learned from the Tower and shut down their circle to leave. The tradition was strictly enforced due to the Evergrant con Aswald, the previous Royal Chief Mage and the Magic Tower¡¯s eternal traitor.


    Joshua was the one who had saved Iceline from that trouble. By offering Iceline the extraordinary solution of marrying an emperor, Joshua had helped Iceline leave the Magic Tower.


    The Master of the Magic Tower¡¯s reaction was more preposterous.


    <em>¡°I don¡¯t know about bing the Royal Chief Mage, but bing the Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire? We have no other choice. We can¡¯t turn the Martial God and the entire Avalon Empire into our enemies, can we?¡±</em>


    So said Thetapirion Whitesox, the current Master of the Magic Tower.


    Cain looked at Lilith and shook his head. ¡°¡­Once again, you¡¯re causing big trouble as soon as you¡¯re back.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t turn my back on my friend in their time of need.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°I understand. That¡¯s why people help you when you¡¯re in need.¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something right now. I have no intention of making her fight on my behalf,¡± Joshua said.


    Cain''s eyes widened. So did Lilith¡¯s.


    ¡°Come.¡± Joshua gestured at Cain.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty¡ªno, Master.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me. Do you really think I¡¯ll get beaten up by my subordinate?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not who I used to be,¡± Cain said firmly.


    ¡°I¡¯m also not who I used to be.¡±


    ¡°I think we¡¯re talking about two totally different things¡­¡±


    Joshua smirked. ¡°You¡¯ve be quite a big talker while I was away.¡±


    A vein bulged faintly out of Cain¡¯s forehead.


    Cain dropped his sword on the ground and raised his fists. ¡°Fine, then. It seems you don¡¯t have your weapon with you, so I¡¯ll also fight barehanded. I¡¯m trying to fight fair, not with a handicap, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°A fistfight? That¡¯s good.¡±


    Closebat skills were Joshua¡¯s specialty, and Cain was well aware of it. However, the deciding factor of this fight was going to be whether or not they could use their mana.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that even a dog can recite a poem if he spends three years in the Academy. For thest decade, I¡¯ve learned your closebat techniques, but I never thought I would show you what I learned like this.¡±


    Cain released his golden mana.


    Obviously, he was going to hold himself back to some degree. No matter how much Cain hated Joshua right now, he couldn¡¯t beat his one and only master to death.


    It was a fight between a fist covered in mana and a bare fist. In their first exchange, Joshua¡¯s insides would probably be turned upside down and he was going to cough up blood.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ hear your resentment after I release all my pent-up anger. I¡¯ll dly be punished for my wrongdoings,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°You¡¯ve definitely be a big talker,¡± Joshua casually interrupted, his teeth bared in a rxed grin. ¡°When are you going to start?¡±


    Cain gritted his teeth.


    Everyone tensed up, certain that Cain would be victorious. Joshua was going up against none other than the Combat Emperor. How could Jousha defeat one of the Nine Stars without using his mana?


    ¡°¡­Since many spectators are present, I¡¯ll hurt your pride a little bit.¡± The end of Cain¡¯s mouth curled upward.


    Cain¡¯s fists were immediately enveloped inyers of his golden mana.


    ¡°If you manage to hit me even once, I¡¯ll admit defeat,¡± Cain dered.


    ¡°I told you that you don¡¯t need to go easy on me.¡±


    ¡°I should do at least much to hurt the Martial God¡¯s mighty pride.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it,¡± Joshua lightly responded.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll start.¡±


    Cain disappeared, reappearing in front of Joshua in the blink of an eye.


    <em>¡®I knew it¡­¡¯</em> Cain thought as he saw how slowly Joshua reacted.. Without his mana, Joshua was only a little stronger than an ordinary knight. Although he was still remarkable, that meant nothing to Cain right now.


    Cain¡¯s fist rocketed ruthlessly toward his heartless master¡¯s face. It was time to let go of all his lingering anger. He couldn¡¯t leave this man anyway, and Cain had felt this way for his entire life. Joshua was his first master and Cain respected him with all his heart, so he would probably remain loyal to Joshua until the day Cain went to his grave.


    So Cain was going to punch Joshua just this once to let go of his resentment and his remaining negative emotions.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s going to hurt a little, master,¡¯</em> Cain thought.


    Cain threw a straight jab that <em>boomed</em> through the air and leisurely observed its travel. He was sure that he was going to see Joshua¡¯s face m into his sturdy fist.


    Cain was quickly rewarded by the sound he had been waiting for¡ªa meaty smack, like a drum bursting. He immediately noticed the Imperial Knights boggling at them and shut his eyes. <em>¡®Was that too hard?¡¯</em> he thought.


    Although it was secretly refreshing, he also felt sorry like a parent holding back their tears as they whipped their children¡¯s calves.


    <em>¡®¡­Wait.¡¯</em>


    Cain enhanced his eyes. Strange. He should have seen Joshua getting punched, not the other Imperial Knights. He heard the sound, but why couldn¡¯t he feel the impact on his knuckle? More importantly, why did the left side of his face hurt?


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Cain groaned.


    Cainy on the ground, staring dumbly at the roof. Blood dripped out of his split lip.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Cain mumbled.


    ¡°Cain, have you forgotten because it¡¯s been so long?¡±


    ¡°What are you¡­?¡±


    ¡°The characteristic of my mana utilization technique,¡± Joshua rified.


    Cain¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground.


    ¡°I may not have a single trace of mana in me, but I can still use mana for a short time. You know why, don¡¯t you? I use the mana in nature, not from my mana hall in my abdomen.¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡­!¡± Cain sprang up from the ground, propelled by a sudden feeling of being cheated.


    However, their fight was long over.


    ¡°What did you say before? That If I manage to hit you even once, you¡¯d admit defeat¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is cheating!¡± Cain yelled.


    Joshua smiled mischievously. ¡°Cheating? It¡¯s you who didn¡¯t remember it, so why are you ming me? You shouldn¡¯t have added a weird condition in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°This fight is invalid! If you don¡¯t let me restart the fight, you¡¯re the true viin and a fraud, Master!¡±


    ¡°How dare you talk that way to the supreme emperor?¡± Joshua joked.


    Cain unconsciously clenched his fists. He already lost the fight and knew that Joshua wouldn¡¯t let him, but he still had to say it:


    ¡°I¡¯m begging you. Let me just punch you one time. Please.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 63

    Side Story Chapter 63


    <em>¡°¡­Ack!¡±</em> Kireua stumbled back, reeling from trying to block Ranger¡¯s kick.


    Kireua had taken the initiative; he had been nning to overwhelm Ranger to quickly end the fight, but just as expected, Ranger wasn¡¯t an easy opponent.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think a mighty Imperial Knight would willingly roll on the ground¡­¡± Kireua muttered to himself.


    Kireua had clearly misjudged. When he had delivered his barrage of scissor kicks from the air, Ranger had rolled on the floor to escape from Kireua¡¯s attack. The technique was outright despised in the eastern continent because it resembled azy donkey avoiding trouble by rolling on the ground.


    ¡°Dignity? It¡¯s not an important virtue for an Imperial Knight. Besides, I used to be a lowly mercenary,¡± Ranger quietly said as he stood up. ¡°We, the Imperial Knights, exist for the sake of our mission, and our first mission is to protect members of the Imperial Family like you.¡±


    ¡°¡­If your definition of protection is coddling me in your arms, then with all due respect, I decline such protection, Sir Range.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Did you learn closebat techniques from His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Most of what I know is self-taught, but I did learn the basics from His Majesty.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s eyes shone brighter. He knew better than anyone else how ridiculous this was. A decade ago, Kireua had been just a boy, yet he hadn¡¯t forgotten the closebat techniques he had learned back then and instead had developed the techniques on his own to such an advanced level.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m surprised. I didn¡¯t expect you to be able to wrap yourself in your mana,¡± Ranger said.


    ¡°Is that because I¡¯m not talented with spears?¡±


    Ranger¡¯s silence answered Kireua¡¯s question quite inly. As a matter of fact, Ranger hadn¡¯t believed the news of the Second Prince bing a ss A knight when Kireua had returned home.


    Ranger had watched Kireua growing up from up close, much closer than anyone else. Maybe that was why Ranger had thought until a moment ago that Kireua was still a boy who had only gotten physically bigger, even though Kireua was an adult now.


    ¡°Great job, Your Highness,¡± Ranger said.


    Kireua flinched.


    ¡°Do you still have anything else to show me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± Ranger sheathed his sword with a faint smile on his face.


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be honest with you. Prince Selim is the onlypetent heir to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­Obviously.¡± Kireua nodded. ¡°Unlike me, Selim inherited all His Majesty¡¯s talents.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I became certain when Sir Cain chose to follow you to the west, not Prince Selim. I believed that Sir Cain was thinking the same.¡±


    The more Ranger said, the more Kireua¡¯s face darkened. Although Kireua was well aware of the truth, who would be happy to hear such things right to their face?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but for me, you were an immature child that took after His Majesty¡¯s personality but not his talent.¡± Ranger shrugged.


    ¡°I told you this already, but I haven¡¯t shown you my full power.¡±


    ¡°No, this is enough.¡± Ranger smiled from ear to ear. ¡°I may not look like it right now, but I¡¯m very excited right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°A person that is born a genius or ate bloomer that finally taps into his great potential in order to be such a genius. Who will be thest emperor I¡¯ll serve before I die¡­?¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened.


    Ranger looked sincerely intrigued. ¡°To be honest, His Majesty doesn''t really have a rival since he¡¯s so ridiculously strong. I didn¡¯t have many opportunities to assist or serve him, so my life was really boring.¡±


    ¡°Sir Ranger¡­?¡±


    ¡°If this civil war hadn¡¯t broken out, I would probably have submitted my resignation and be a farmer in a rural area somewhere. Well, it¡¯s better nowadays; fighting life or death battles makes me feel alive.¡± Ranger turned away. ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to seeing your aplishments in the future. Please be careful and go show everyone in the Avalon Empire that the First Prince isn¡¯t the only prince in this country.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s lips trembled as he realized what Ranger was saying.


    Ranger grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you and wait for your return here.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, a royal conference was taking ce in the Avalon Pce, the first conference in over a decade that the Emperor of Avalon himself attended. It was being held because the nobles heard the news of Lilith being in Avalon.


    Since the Imperial Knights¡¯ main job was to guard the Imperial Family, and the nobles were expert politicians, it was difficult to let the news slide. However, the conference had been silent so far due to Joshua¡¯s immense presence.


    Of course there was always an exception, and some subjects never hesitated to be forthright to their king even at the risk of their lives. As the Imperial Family of Sanders had always rewarded those loyal subjects instead of punishing them, it didn¡¯t take long for the stiff atmosphere to change.


    ¡°I came here because I heard a royal conference had finally been called, but everyone is awfully quiet.¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°Didn¡¯t you directly ask me to hold this royal conference?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, please allow me to ask you a question.¡± One of the nobles came forward as if he had been waiting for this moment; it was Count Ziplier, an expert diplomat.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help but smile upon seeing a familiar face. When Joshua had been crowned, Ziplier had been only a baron, so it was obvious that Sersiarin and the three Queen Consorts thought highly of him.


    ¡°I want to confirm one thing first: is it true that you took the witch from Hubalt under your protection?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Lilith, then yes. To be precise, it¡¯s an alliance of mutual benefit.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­!¡±


    The nobles buzzed.


    Ziplier bit his lip and then raised his voice. ¡°I¡¯m well aware that she is a close friend of yours, Your Majesty! But you need to banish the witch from the Empire!¡±


    ¡°Count Ziplier, just like you said, Lilith is one of my few friends from another country.¡±


    ¡°This is to protect the peace.¡±


    ¡°The peace? I think you¡¯re forgetting that she yed a major role in maintaining peace on the continent for a long time. The Continental War could have erupted decades ago, but thanks to Lilithing to the front, everyone was able to avoid the worst,¡± Joshua said.


    The murmuring died down because Joshua was right. Despite the warhawks in the Hubalt Empire like Zactor, the Martial Emperor, this age of peace had held for so long thanks to many figures in the papal faction like Lilith; Chrysler, the God''s Knight; and Christian, the White Lion. After the disappearance of Joshua, the continent¡¯s overlord, the Hubalt Empire was called the only major power in the continent.


    But there was no way the nobles hadn¡¯t been aware of that.


    ¡°But, Your Majesty, if Lilith Aphrodite has truly manifested the authority of a demon king, the Hubalt Empire won¡¯t be our only problem. Supposing Avalon continues to support her, the other countries won¡¯t leave Avalon be,¡± Ziplier asserted.


    ¡°What are you so afraid of?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m back,¡± Joshua calmly stated.


    Ziplier¡¯s jaw clicked shut.


    ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders, you know.¡±


    If anyone else had said it, Ziplier would have called them a lunatic, but it was a different story when it came to the Martial God. He was the one and only.


    ¡°...Are you going to turn the entire continent into Avalon''s enemy?¡± Ziplier asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s look at this in another way.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Avalon has aplished something that makes it distinct from all other countries,¡±Joshua reminded them.


    The nobles were totally confused.


    ¡°Avalon is the only country on the continent whose emperor exterminated the Demon Spirit. If Hubalt says something, tell them that the Martial God himself will exterminate Lilith Aphrodite, his friend, if her power drives her berserk.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s powerful voice echoed throughout the council chamber, silencing any opposition.


    <em>¡®Huh¡­¡¯</em> Cain shook his head in disbelief.


    The pain in his face had faded long ago, and his master was the same as ever. When it came to wordy, Joshua was peerless on the continent and moved with confidence.


    Cain nced at the back of Joshua¡¯s head and chuckled dumbfoundedly. ¡°¡­This is why I can¡¯t leave him.¡±


    Joshua wasn¡¯t in his usual condition, so Cain wasn¡¯t sure where he got the confidence to potentially turn the entire continent against them.


    ¡°Your Majesty, there is no easy way to say this and I don¡¯t know about the other countries¡­ But the Hubalt Empire is currently hellbent on finding justification to start a war. Even if you personally make a public deration, there is a high chance that Hubalt will start a war and invade us,¡± Ziplier cautiously said.


    ¡°Let them.¡±


    ¡°L-Let them invade us?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Joshua shrugged. ¡°You¡¯re basically saying that they won¡¯t listen even if we try to reason with them, right? When someone runs wild and can¡¯t be brought to their senses, someone should knock some sense into them.¡±


    Silence nketed the area, sheer shock rendering the conference mute. The nobles perfectly understood what Joshua was nning.


    ¡°It¡¯s the same with the Martial Emperor,¡± Joshua continued. ¡°Letting them off the hook once is enough.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, you mean¡­?¡±


    Whatever questions they had left were wiped away by Joshua¡¯s next words:


    ¡°If another countryes after Avalon again, we¡¯ll have to wipe them out for good this time.¡±


    Their jaws dropped to the ground. Some of the knights trembled, unable to hold back their excitement.


    That day, three words were engraved into the minds of the people there.


    ¡°Unify the continent,¡± the Martial God finally said. ¡°If diplomacy isn¡¯t an option, let¡¯s just take over the Hubalt Empire.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 64

    Side Story Chapter 64


    The royal conference came to an end, but someone wasn¡¯t done with his business.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Cain said once he and Joshua were the only ones left in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s kind of embarrassing, so let¡¯s stick to the old way when we¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Okay, master, but are you really going to fight the entire continent?¡±


    ¡°It depends on Hubalt¡¯s response,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. You weren¡¯t exactly the type of person whose ambition is to conquer morend. You usually taught them a lesson so they won¡¯t do it again.¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°Tell me about Hubalt in detail first. From what I heard, the God¡¯s Knight has already died, and Christian is severely injured.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s exactly what you heard.¡±


    ¡°The God¡¯s Knight was irreversibly injured after the Martial Emperor had captured him decades ago, so I can understand his death. But what about Christian? He¡¯s the White Lion, like how you¡¯re the ck Lion.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s all because of her.¡± Cain¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°Her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about your friend, Lilith Aphrodite.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly gained hisposure. ¡°I think I have a rough idea of what happened, but summarize it for me.¡±


    ¡°The cardinal¡¯s daughter manifested the authority of a demon king, so the Hubalt Empire immediately branded her as a witch to be killed. Thus, she became a fugitive. While aiding her escape, Christian lost one of his legs to the Four Pdins.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see he¡¯s done as a swordsman.¡±


    ¡°Right.¡± Cain took a deep breath, trying to suppress a surge of emotions. ¡°And I lost a friend and arade of many battles.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to hear that. I also enjoyed talking to him.¡±


    ¡°There was nothing I could do to help him. Finding you was my priority, but I couldn¡¯t wage a war against an entire empire for one friend anyway.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s face darkened, realizing what Cain was trying to say.


    ¡°Even if I could return to that moment, my choice would remain the same,¡± Cain stated.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t help him because of my people. You would not have wanted your master¡¯s family to be in danger for the sake of your friend.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. Since you understand what I was going through, I¡¯ll be straightforward with you: my thoughts remain the same.¡±


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Nothing you say will make me change my thoughts. Lilith Aphrodite is technically a stranger, so are you seriously willing to wage a war against the entire continent just for her?¡±


    ¡°There is something you can¡¯t buy with a million coins,¡± Joshua abruptly said.


    Cain had spent half of his life serving Joshua, so he knew Joshua as well as Joshua knew him.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re talking about people. I agree with you on some level, but not entirely. People matter, of course, but in this world, a million coins can buy those people. Think of mercenaries and free knights.¡±


    Joshua quietly shook his head. ¡°You may be able to buy people with money, but no amount of treasures will be enough to buy their trust.¡±


    ¡°¡­Master.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what happened to me on my way back to the Pce?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Cain tilted his head.


    ¡°I ran into the assassins of the Hashashin Guild, one of the three assassin guilds.¡±


    ¡°¡°Wait¡­¡± Cain oozed with murderous energy. ¡°Did those scumbags harm you?¡±


    ¡°Stop that. Even if they did try, do you think they¡¯d be able to hurt me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, their loyalty belongs to whoever offers the most money. They take reverse-hit requests without hesitation.¡±


    ¡°The Hashashin Guild¡¯s assassins are famous all over the continent for not giving a shit about loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. That¡¯s all a rtionship based on money is. Waging a war against the continent for one friend? What is wrong with that?¡± Joshua stood up from his throne with a confident look. ¡°It might be reckless bravado for people who don¡¯t have a squeak of power, but didn¡¯t we train ourselves for this kind of moment?


    ¡°¡­The master I know isn¡¯t this sentimental.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m going to use my power just to help my friend. The reason why it¡¯s difficult to earn someone¡¯s trust is that you can¡¯t get it without opportunity no matter how hard you want it.¡±


    ¡°Is Lilith Aphrodite that valuable to you?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Joshua answered without hesitating for a second, cutting out any retort from Cain. ¡°It¡¯s not just her. Actually, I only decided after I came back to the Pce.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°The man in front of me is the same. His only master neglected him for over a decade, but the poor, foolish knight was never able to leave his master.¡±


    Cain stared at him, speechless..


    ¡°That is what you receive from gaining someone¡¯s trust.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Your Majesty, is it really okay for you to not attend this royal conference?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. It must be over by now,¡± Iceline answered. She¡¯d remained in one of the annexes during the conference.


    ¡°...Pardon?¡± Zero asked, obviously confused. ¡°But it has been less than an hour since the conference began¡­¡±


    A royal conference in the Hubalt Empire would take at least three hours, although it was inevitable given the prized state of Hubalt¡¯s politics. Supposing the emperor¡¯s faction and the pope¡¯s faction only presented one opinion each for a given agenda, it took them half a day to reach an agreement. The other countries might not have a papal faction, but many factions existed which opposed their emperors and kings, like aristocratic and archduke factions.


    ¡°It might have taken longer before, but His Majesty is back,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Zero finally nodded. Indeed, a clear difference from other countries. It was no exaggeration to say that the Martial God had absolute influence over the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Your Majesty,¡± Lilith interrupted, breaking her silence.


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°It seems it¡¯s better for us to leave the Pce.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you find your stay in the Pce ufortable?¡± Iceline cautiously asked.


    ¡°No way. We decided to help each other out, and the news will probably spread. But I don¡¯t think there is any need to get on the nerves of Avalon¡¯s nobles by staying in the Pce.¡±


    Iceline turned her pale blue eyes to Lilith. ¡°It¡¯s okay, so stay.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious. His Majesty¡¯s threat must have left the nobles speechless.¡±


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t you think Avalon is suffering too much loss?¡± Lilith asked.


    A faint smile spread on Iceline¡¯s face. ¡°If this is His Majesty¡¯s decision, we should follow.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll repay this favor no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, it¡¯s safe to assume that another Continental War will start once the news bes known, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lilith nodded. ¡°Definitely.¡±


    ¡°Then how long do you think it¡¯ll take for the Hubalt Empire to start invading Avalon?¡±


    ¡°Two months at maximum. The Hubalt Empire will definitely raise an army within that time.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s much faster than I originally expected,¡± Iceline murmured, surprised.


    ¡°The warhawks have gainedplete power in the Hubalt Empire,¡± Lilith said with a bitter smile.


    After pondering for a moment, Iceline let out a sigh. ¡°There is no other choice but to contact them in the north. No matter how hard I think about it, I can¡¯te up with a way to stabilize the country and prepare to fight Hubalt within two months.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I have no excuse. I¡¯m a nuisance to everyone¡ª¡±


    ¡°I told you it¡¯s fine. His Majesty is with us now, and if I can contact those in the north, I¡¯m honestly not scared, even if everyone in the Hubalt Empire attacks us.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, it¡¯s really awkward for me to say this, but the current Hubalt Empire is undeniably the strongest empire on the continent. With the Four Pdins, the Empire is way stronger than it was when the Martial Emperor, a man they called a Celestial, was around.¡±


    ¡°My answer remains the same.¡± Iceline¡¯s eyes sparkled. ¡°Hubalt is not the only country who has be stronger than before. Besides, Avalon¡¯s smartest brains are in the north too.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua returned to Marquess Turtler¡¯s headquarters, the castle on the mountain, in the western Avalon. The ce looked haunted now. It hadn¡¯t been hard to spot guards roaming around the mountain, but not a single creature could be seen.


    ¡°I seriously didn¡¯t think we wouldn¡¯t run into anybody until we got to the top. Things are too quiet¡­¡± Kireua frowned.


    He wasn¡¯t even covering his face.


    Anna had closed her eyes for a moment, but she opened them now. ¡°I can¡¯t detect a single presence within a one-kilometer radius.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so? Then it¡¯ll definitely be better to go into the castle on my own.¡±


    ¡°What? What the heck are you saying right now! Hell no!¡±


    ¡°You saw those demonkin, Anna. I was fine because of my authority, but it isn¡¯t the same for you. You¡¯d be putting your life at risk.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve manifested a demonic authority, haven''t you.¡± Anna narrowed her eyes.


    Ever since Kireua had met the so-called demon king, Coal had been silent, but Kireua didn¡¯t think he could hide his authority forever. He was already half certain that Coal was rted to a demon king.


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°Since you figured that out, go back¡ªunless you want to get eaten by an evil demon king.¡±


    ¡°You, eat me?¡± Anna chuckled and then opened her arms. ¡°Do it.¡±


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t you scared of me?¡±


    ¡°Scared, my ass. Besides, you¡¯re a baby. Why are you worried about me?¡±


    Kireua grunted quietly. Although they had formed a pact, Kireua had said that Anna could go, so she wouldn¡¯t be in vition of her oath even if she actually left. So why was Anna voluntarily risking her life?


    ¡°¡­I know His Majesty returned, so if you¡¯re doing this because you¡¯re worried about the Emperor, don¡¯t worry. I already made the necessary arrangements so that you won¡¯t be adversely affected even if something happens to me.¡±


    Kireua was telling the truth. He had actually asked Cain about that just in case.


    Nevertheless, Anna didn¡¯t change her mind.


    ¡°I told you I won¡¯t,¡± she insisted. ¡°I don¡¯t want to see my people die in front of me anymore.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your people¡­?¡± Kireua nkly repeated.


    Anna¡¯s face reddened slightly. ¡°A-Anyhow! I decided just now! I¡¯m going to chop off Marquess Turtler¡¯s face¡ªthe treasonous bastard¡ª an aplishment the Emperor of Avalon will have to acknowledge! So don¡¯t fall in love while you watch me work, you little baby. Think about it from the Emperor¡¯s perspective. His immature child throws a tantrum abouting marrying a woman who¡¯s as old as his aunt after I went through so much to earn the Emperor¡¯s recognition. Phew, I¡¯m already getting a headache.¡±


    Anna shook her head disparagingly, drawing a quiet burst ofughter from Kireua.


    ¡°Stop trying to provoke me. It¡¯s not going to work.¡±


    After a moment of silence, Anna shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it didn¡¯t work.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 65

    Side Story Chapter 65


    Kireua and Anna lost all words as soon as they entered the castle. Unlike the outside, there was a human inside¡ªno, a demon that looked like a human.


    ¡°Is that¡­ There¡¯s no way, right?¡± Anna nervously asked.


    The demon was standing alone in the wide lobby, holding something round that was dripping with blood, to say nothing about the corpses scattered around the lobby.


    ¡°I hyped myself up to chop off the enemy leader¡¯s head myself, but it was all for nothing,¡± Anna mumbled, disappointed.


    The demon was holding the head of Marquess Turtler, the leader of the western rebels and the one who had manifested the authority of the ck Tortoise.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally back.¡±


    ¡°¡­You knew that we''d return?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± the demon instantly replied. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a single doubt that you¡¯d return.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You must want to know about the power inside you.¡±


    Kireua was slightly shocked because it was obvious who the demon was referring to.


    <em>¡®Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua called out, just in case.


    Coal still didn¡¯t answer Kireua.


    Only the demon in front of Kireua and a handful of other people could give Kireua the answer to this phenomenon.


    ¡°It¡¯s in an awakening state after absorbing a significant amount of demonic power,¡± the demon exined.


    ¡°An awakening state¡­?¡±


    ¡°A demon king is sealed in each of the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ authorities. You may have expected this, but your power is one of those authorities.¡±


    Anna spun to look at Kireua. Although she had assumed that his authority was demonic, she hadn¡¯t expected it to be the power of a demon king, one of the highest-ranking demons.


    ¡°I-Is that true?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know,¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Answer me, Prince. Don¡¯t you know what happened to the cardinal¡¯s daughter in Hubalt after she manifested one of the Evil Sins¡¯ authorities?!¡± Anna shouted.


    Most people already knew the story of Lilith Aphrodite bing a fugitive in spite of her position as the Moons Gate¡¯s leader and the daughter of Cardinal Erman, the most likely candidate for the next pope.


    After she had been branded as public enemy, the pope¡¯s faction was torn to pieces. Lilith Aphrodite had once been praised as a saint, but she now was a witch. Where Erman had been praised as a sage ruler, he was now imprisoned in a dungeon along with the numerous priests and pdins that followed him.


    Of course, most of those priests and pdins had changed their minds and joined different sides because even the God¡¯s Knight and the White Lion had been defeated by the Four Pdins. The fall of the old guard and the rise of the new resulted in the creation of a new faction named the ¡°neo-pope¡± faction.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders. The son of the god yer that killed us demons¡¯ god. Taught by bis the me Emperor, one of the Nine Stars. Born from Charle di Pontier, the Third Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua tilted his head. ¡°You must have done your homework on me¡ªand in such a short time, demon.¡±


    ¡°¡­Anna bel Grace. One of the Three North Stars. The adopted daughter of the blood of the Imperial Family of Hubalt. And the witch that returned to Avalon and joined the rebels to kill the Second Queen Consort,¡± the demon continued.


    Anna¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°¡­Anna?¡± Kireua looked at her.


    Anna quickly shook her head. ¡°I-It¡¯s a misunderstanding. It¡¯s not my goal anymore!¡±


    ¡°¡®Anymore¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It happened before I met you, Your Highness. While the Emperor was away, the Second Queen Consort was the leader of the Avalon Empire in all but name, and I wanted to return to my homnd. Carmen von Agnus, the leader of the northern rebels, thought that their priority should be to eliminate the Second Queen Consort. Carmen von Agnus and I temporarily allied to achieve our own goals. That¡¯s all,¡± Anna exined.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes probed her for a long moment before he looked away. It was in the past, so they could always talk about itter. The more important thing was that a demon was aware of facts that only the involved parties should have known.


    ¡°It¡¯s my ability,¡± the demon said as if he knew what Kireua was thinking about.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I can absorb the memories and abilities of the people I eat,¡± the demon rified.


    The demon tossed Turtler¡¯s head onto the ground. It slowly rolled, stopping right in front of Kireua.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Anna covered her mouth. The head¡¯s motion had revealed details that proved too much for the witch to bear. The back of Turtler¡¯s head had been neatly cut open, but where his brain should have been was a gaping void.


    ¡°And my other ability is to resurrect anyone who I ate and make them my subordinates,¡± the demon added.


    The corpses that had been scattered all around them rose with a horrific mor of cracking bones, exuding the thick energy of death.


    ¡°All those abilities are part of the authority of gluttony that I have.¡±


    A name suddenly shed across Kireua¡¯s mind.


    ¡°¡­Beelzebub, the king of undead,¡± Kireua murmured.


    When the demon heard his true name, he smiled from ear to ear. ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re the person I¡¯ve been looking for. Join me, Kireua Sanders. I¡¯ll not only tell you the secrets of that power of yours but also put you to good use. Don¡¯t be afraid. Kneel and worship me. I always keep my promise.¡±


    Kireua smiled back. ¡°Afraid, my ass. I¡¯m actually grateful.¡±


    Beelzebub stiffened.


    Kireua fixed his grip on his sword. ¡°I never thought that I¡¯d be able to quell the rebellion in the west this easily.¡±


    ¡°¡­You fool.¡± The demon scowled. You don¡¯t understand the situation you¡¯re in.¡±


    A storm of the demon¡¯s murderous energy and demonic power overwhelmed the area. Nevertheless, Kireua continued to smile with confidence.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯ll find out enough, won¡¯t we?¡± the prince quipped.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    A vividyer of Kireua¡¯s aura appeared on top of his sword, humming with power.


    ¡°We¡¯ll see who¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on.¡±


    * * *


    Joshua headed to the outskirts of Arcadia with only a handful of hisrades right after he had seen his mother in her sickbed. Although it was unclear whether she was weakened due to her old age or the fact she hadn¡¯t been able to meet her only child for a long time, it was confirmed that she hadn¡¯t been inflicted with a disease. However, Joshua heard that she was barely able to wake up once a day at this point, so he didn¡¯t get to say hello to her even after he had returned to the Pce.


    Nevertheless, whenever she woke up, she always visited this basically deserted mansion, apanied by her guards. Said mansion was the Agnus family¡¯s residence where she and her son had stayed for a long time when he had been just a little boy.


    ¡°¡­Mother.¡± Joshua looked up ahead, smiling bitterly.


    The building had gotten quite old, but aside from that, it was the same as before. Foot traffic was almost zero, and the area hadn¡¯t gone through any development.


    The area was massive, despite being located in the capital of the Avalon Empire, but the mansion was located in the outermost area of Avalon. Thus, not many people took an interest in this barrennd. On top of that, new conflicts broke out every day in Avalon, so the Empire¡¯s rich had their tes full protecting thend they already had.


    ¡°Is it okay for you to travel in such a small group? You don¡¯t even have guards with you,¡± Lilith said as she approached Joshua, interrupting his musings.


    Cain and Iceline that hade with Joshua were busy looking around the mansion.


    ¡°It was cumbersome to say it every time, so I made an announcement,¡± Joshua remarked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense for a guard to be weaker than the person they¡¯re protecting. If you¡¯re still worried about me, fight me and beat me. Then you cane with me,¡¯¡± Joshua recited.


    ¡°¡­Can anyone in the Pce do that?¡± Lilith nkly asked. ¡°The person they¡¯re supposed to be guarding is the Martial God, the most powerful person on the continent.¡±


    ¡°Who knows? They might have a chance now.¡±


    ¡°I already knew this, but you really are too mischievous. The Imperial Knights don¡¯t know about your state, so who would dare to challenge you?¡±


    Joshua shrugged nonchntly. ¡°But you look like you have something else to say to me.¡±


    Lilith flinched and then let out a sigh. ¡°As the head of an information guild, I thought I was quite proficient in hiding my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°It might have worked on other people, but not me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, yeah, you¡¯re great. Anyway, like you said, there¡¯s something I want to ask.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only human who ever annihted the Demon Spirit, the god of demons.¡±


    Joshua turned to look at her. ¡°This sounds quite important.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s very important for me.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    Lilith hesitated for a bit before gathering her resolve. ¡°¡­The Evil Sins¡¯ authorities are the demon kings¡¯ powers, but can they be artificially induced to manifest in specific people?¡±


    Joshua gave her a sharp look. ¡°¡­Well, I haven¡¯t thought about that until now.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°You think that it wasn¡¯t a coincidence that you manifested the authority of a demon king.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain,¡± Lilith answered.


    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re considering the possibility of someone in Hubalt being behind the manifestation of your authority?¡±


    Lilith nodded. If it was true, the matter couldn¡¯t be taken lightly.


    ¡°Can you tell me which demon king¡¯s power you''ve manifested?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    The moment Lilith was about to answer, Joshua held up his hand.


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    Lilith gave him a puzzled look.


    ¡°¡­It looks like the people with answers to our question havee all the way over here.¡±


    Lilith''s eyes widened. As she was a skilled swordswoman well past ss A, she also detected the presence that Joshua had just sensed.


    ¡°Be honest with me. You still have all your power, don¡¯t you?¡± Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Detecting presences is a matter of physical senses, not power. So sensing those people¡¯s energies is a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have to give credit for your annoying perfectness,¡± Lilith said, shaking her head.


    Numerous people wearing white revealed themselves around the mansion.


    Temples existed everywhere on the continent, including Avalon¡­ but not here.


    Cain was the first one to recognize the people¡¯s identities. ¡°What business could the priests and pdins of Hubalt possibly have in the outskirts of Arcadia?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 66

    Side Story Chapter 66


    ¡°May Hermes bless thisnd¡­ Hello.¡±


    The first person that appeared was a wrinkled old man that seemed to be well over sixty. If he was a priest, he would probably be an archbishop.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is time for us to exchange greetings,¡± Cain said; only the other man¡¯s age kept him from abandoning courtesy altogether.


    ¡°I sense you are hostile towards us.¡±


    ¡°You and dozens of other people trespassed on another person¡¯s private property and surrounded the owner to ¡®say hello¡¯. Who wouldn¡¯t be hostile?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. That was never our intention¡­ We didn¡¯t think this ce was private property, given that it has been deserted for a long time.¡± The old man looked around the area.


    ¡°You know now, so please leave.¡±


    ¡°First of all, I apologize for the discourtesy, but please forgive us as we can¡¯t leave yet.¡± The old man bowed slightly.


    Cain¡¯s face darkened. Since he and the others were wearing robes, the priests and pdins didn¡¯t seem to know their identities, but that wouldn¡¯tst long.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll have toe on a little strong,¡¯</em> Cain thought. He was practically guarding Joshua on behalf of the one thousand Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire, so he could not tolerate any variables.


    He let his energy loose. At least twenty of the white-d pdins trembled and grimly drew their swords.


    ¡°Archbishop Grimman, he isn¡¯t an ordinary one. He¡¯s at least A-ss¡­¡± one of the priests whispered into the old man¡¯s ear.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Grimman, the old man, nodded with certainty. ¡°As you heard just now, I¡¯m Grimman, a priest from the Hubalt Empire that serves Hermes.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think someone like an archbishop would be in Avalon.¡± Cain raised an eyebrow.


    High-ranking priests were mainly divided into four sses. There was one pope, and the pope had three cardinals directly under theirmand. The highest-ranking priests after cardinals were archbishops.


    Even in all of the wide Hubalt Empire, there were only ten archbishops, one of them being Grimman, the old man that had introduced himself just now. When such figures visited another country, it was a diplomatic courtesy to inform the leadership of that country.


    ¡°We¡¯re currently handling a matter that demands the utmost discretion. Besides, there is nothing remarkable about a priest serving a god, so why would I announce my arrival to other people?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what you think. Don¡¯t you think you should follow the rules of the country you visit?¡± Cain snapped.


    ¡°Judging from your way of speaking, you must be from the Pce of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    As Grimman pointed out, only people involved in the highest levels of the state could know if an archbishop had entered their country. Cain, however, was counting on Grimman to say that. The moment Cain concluded that these uninvited guests wouldn¡¯t leave willingly, he decided to reveal his identity.


    Cain took off his hood. At a nce, he looked like an ordinary man in his forties, but the pdins remembered the appearance of every single key figure on the continent. They recognized Cain¡¯s face right away.


    ¡°No way¡­ The Combat Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Cain de Harry!¡±


    ¡°A Star!¡±


    Judging from their startled reaction, Cain became certain that their target wasn¡¯t him or Joshua.


    ¡°¡­I did think you must be an extraordinary man, but I never expected to meet such a renowned man such as yourself,¡± Grimman said.


    ¡°So what is your business here? A foreign priest operating with his knights without notifying the country he visits is more than enough to be a diplomatic issue.¡±


    ¡°Is it safe to assume that the rumor is true?¡±


    ¡°Rumor?¡± Cain repeated.


    ¡°Most people know that the Combat Emperor Star has been wandering around the continent for a long time in search of a particr man. If you¡¯re here¡­¡±


    The energy that Cain released intensified. ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Answer my question. And what rumor are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know the exact details, but it¡¯s said that the Emperor of Avalon has finally returned to hisnd.¡±


    Cain raised an eyebrow.


    There was only one reason the news would spread so quickly.


    <em>¡®Someone who knows that His Majesty returned has leaked the news on purpose!¡¯</em> Cain clenched his fists. There were too many suspects.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to cause any misunderstandings, so I¡¯ll answer your question,¡± Grimman easily replied.


    ¡°¡­Go on.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking for someone. Of course,¡± Grimman added, ¡°that person is one of ours and has nothing to do with Avalon.¡±


    Cain tried hard to not be conscious of the people behind him because he instantly knew who Grimman was talking about. There were a total of four people in Cain¡¯s group¡ªJoshua, Iceline, and <em>her</em>.


    ¡°Why would you look for one of your citizens in Avalon?¡± Cain asked, feigning ignorance.


    ¡°I received a revtion.¡±


    ¡°A revtion? Is there still such a thing as a god now?¡± Cain asked.


    The question could be regarded as sphemy, but it was said that even a dog barked louder in its home. Cain wasn¡¯t subdued in the slightest, causing the pdins to tighten their grips on their swords.


    ¡°Indeed, gods no longer exist in the heavens,¡± Grimman unexpectedly replied. An archbishop openly stating that there was no god was basically denying the existence of the temples.


    ¡°¡­Are you serious?¡± Cain narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Yes¡ªthey coexist with us in thisnd.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about authorities?¡±


    ¡°Authorities? Ah, we call those powers ¡®blessings¡¯ or ¡®descents¡¯. People were chosen by gods when they reached the peak of their faith,¡± Grimman preached.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to argue about our differing views. So what is this revtion you received?¡±


    ¡°Just like there were demon kings wielding the powers of the Seven Evil Sins, ruled by the Demon Spirit rules over them, Hermes reigned over the Four Archangels.¡±


    Only the Hubalt Empire citizens called the Angel Spirit ¡®Hermes¡¯. What Grimman was saying was that the revtion he had received was from the Angel Spirit.


    ¡°So?¡± Cain tilted his head.


    ¡°Our pdins recently received the Four Archangels¡¯ blessings, but they weren¡¯t the only ones. Hermes herself descended in the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡±


    ¡°Yes; the situation is the opposite of what happened in Avalon, the country that was once dishonored with the title of ¡®Empire of Demons¡¯.¡±


    Like a sly fox, Grimmanid provocations at Cain¡¯s feet, such that if Cain lost his temper and attacked Grimman, Cain would just be proving Grimman right.


    ¡°Watch your mouth. <em>Our</em> emperor annihted the Demon Spirit,¡± Cain warned Grimman.


    ¡°Oh my, you misunderstand me. That is why I said ¡®once¡¯. Who in this world wouldn¡¯t know the story of His Majesty Joshua Sanders, the Martial God? To be honest, I also respect him even though I¡¯m a foreigner.¡±


    ¡°¡­Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Earlier, I told you that I was looking for someone, didn¡¯t I? I received intel that she¡¯s hiding in this country, and Hermes herself sent a revtion instructing me toe here,¡± Grimman replied with a small smile.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a good enough reason¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quite the contrary.¡± Grimman shook his head, interrupting Cain.


    Cain flinched because radiant light suddenly shone from behind Grimman¡¯s back.


    ¡°Is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°I also have been given the honor of receiving a blessing.¡±


    Grimman looked like an angel¡ªthe light took the form of two wings. As Grimman gradually released an overwhelming amount of energy, Cain also drew up more of his mana in response.


    ¡°As you may have already expected, the woman we¡¯re looking for is Lilith Aphrodite, the witch with a germinated seed of a demon king,¡± Grimman exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous. You¡¯re poking around a foreign country to solve your own country¡¯s issues. Do you think I¡¯ll let that slide?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Cain frowned.


    ¡°You have a duty to cooperate with us, Combat Emperor. Anyone harboring demonic power is the enemy of the entire continent.¡±


    The other priests also released their divine power, pressuring Cain. He was certain that he could kill them all, but the Hubalt Empire would inevitably make an issue of it and start a war.


    ¡°Where¡¯s your evidence? Don¡¯t tell me that your n is to poke around the entire continent for such an absurd reason such as ¡®divine revtion¡¯. No one will put up with it, much less Avalon!¡± Cain roared.


    ¡°Of course not.¡± Grimman smiled and pulled a crystal ball out of his inner pocket. ¡°This item was recently developed in the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°An item¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an artifact modeled after an old relic that responded to the demonic power in its vicinity.¡±


    Cain''s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°It has already been certified by many priests and mages of the Magic Tower. If this artifact turns ck¡­ it means a person who possesses demonic power is nearby,¡± Grimman said, his eyes fixed behind Cain.


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shall we try it?¡± Grimman slyly suggested..


    All the priests infused their divine power into the crystal ball, the air humming with power.


    Things were getting bad. Cain desperately searched for a solution. However, Cain didn¡¯t even have time to respond. With a great rumble, the crystal ball turned so ck that it couldn¡¯t be mistaken even from afar.


    ¡°The demonic power in the air is very thick¡­¡± Grimman narrowed his eyes. ¡°Just as expected, one of those three people must be the person we¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Cain tensed.


    ¡°Please hand her over. This matter is very serious; depending on your response, it ould turn into an international dispute.¡± Grimman tilted his head.


    Cain realized that he couldn¡¯t hide Lillith any longer. The only method he could think of right now was silencing all the priests and pdins for good. If they were all dead, the situation in the Avalon Empire wouldn¡¯t be leaked outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but don¡¯t do it. We already reported to the Empire that we¡¯re in Avalon, just in case the worst happens,¡± Grimman warned.


    Cain bit his lips, caught in a web of indecision. It turned out silencing them wasn¡¯t an option either. Grimman saw right through Cain.


    One of the robed people under scrutiny came forward, stopping the other two, and strode toward Cain and Grimman. Cain instantly recognized who it was; he only needed to see the man¡¯s physique to know that it was Joshua.


    <em>¡®Master¡­?¡¯</em> Cain wondered.


    Joshua¡¯s next move was truly a sight to behold.


    ¡°There is one person in this world who has both demonic and divine powers,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­?¡±


    Without answering Grimman, Joshua took off his hood.


    His divinely crafted visage was revealed to the world. Grimman and his group stared at his pitch-ck hair and eyes, their eyes nearly popping out of their skulls. Not one had expected to meet the Emperor of Avalon here.


    ¡°<em>That¡ª¡±</em> Joshua pointed at the crystal ball. ¡°¡ªis my demonic power.¡±


    ¡°Ma-Martial God?¡±


    ¡°Keep talking,¡± Joshua snapped, the end of his mouth curling into a vicious smirk. ¡°What are you going to do?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 67

    Side Story Chapter 67


    ¡°A-Are you really the Martial God?¡± Archbishop Grimman asked, much more politely than before. The fact that he was older than Joshua didn¡¯t matter right now. Joshua was the emperor and a hero famed across the continent. In fact, Joshua was called Hero King, meaning he was the hero of heroes.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell?¡±


    ¡°B-But it¡¯s said that His Majesty Joshua Sanders has already die¡­¡± Grimman closed his mouth and stopped talking.


    Joshua narrowed his eyes. ¡°Other countries think I¡¯m dead, huh?¡±


    ¡°<em>Cough, cough.</em> Excuse me. You were away from your throne for too long. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Well, yeah. How else could Hermons have thought to y gangster in my country if they knew I was here?¡±


    Grimman frowned; ¡®Hermon¡¯ was the derogatory term for Hermes¡¯s priests. The ¡®-mon¡¯ in Hermon came from ¡®monster¡¯, which meant that they were Hermes¡¯s pet monsters.


    ¡°¡­Of course, that doesn¡¯tpletely answer my question.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°Among the evil demons, some of them are capable of copying a person¡¯s appearance. So could it be¡­?¡±


    Before Grimman could finish speaking, sharp icicles were created in the air, surrounding the pdins. It was at least a ss 5 magic spell, but even more threateningly. none of them heard the mage chanting.


    ¡°Th-This is a very high magic spell¡­!¡±


    ¡°An ice mage in Avalon that is at least of the sixth circle¡­¡±


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Iceline took off her hood. As her robe fluttered down, her beautiful appearance and ice-blue eyes were revealed. The pdins and priests gasped.


    ¡°I-I knew it¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already annoyed because you people are interrupting my pic with my wives. It¡¯s been a long time since I did this, but you want to treat me as the Demon Spirit¡¯s minion?¡± Joshua asked, frowning.


    Grimman¡¯s hands trembled faintly. Things were turning bad. The mage was obviously Iceline Sanders, the First Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire.


    Obviously, Grimman wasn¡¯t concerned about this incident turning into an international issue because that was exactly what the Hubalt Empire wanted. Avalon was a tiger without fangs¡ªbut it became a different story if those fangs grew back.


    ¡°I see the Hermons got pretty big-headed while I was away,¡± Joshua remarked, cracking his knuckles.


    ¡°Wa-Wait!¡± Grimman hastily shouted, having run out of options.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Th-There is no way humans can use demonic power unless they¡¯re demons! I¡¯m an archbishop of the Hermes Temple¡ªmy concern is for the sake of the continent, so I beg you for your understanding, Your Majesty!¡±


    Joshua raised an eyebrow. ¡°You haven¡¯t heard that I can use demonic power?¡±


    ¡°I-I have, but I heard that very long ago¡­ And although I¡¯ve lived for a long time, I never met someone who could use demonic power in person.¡±


    A grin spread on Joshua¡¯s face. It was pretty annoying to see Grimman trying to nitpick everything Joshua said, but he decided to y along this time.


    ¡°Then watch and see for yourself.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    A ck mass floated above Joshua¡¯s head and then moved to his right hand.


    ¡°My demonic power in one hand,¡± he began.


    And before Grimman could respond, a fist-sized white mass popped up on top of Joshua¡¯s left palm.


    ¡°D-Divine power!¡± the archbishop shouted. Given his position, he recognized it immediately.


    ¡°My divine power in my other hand,¡± Joshua finished.


    ¡°H-How is this possible¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a priest, but I can use divine power. So I think the fact that I can use demonic power isn¡¯t very surprising.¡± Joshua shrugged and then grabbed one of the icicles from the air and pointed the tip at Grimman¡¯s neck. The archbishop¡¯s breath caught.


    ¡°You used and continually disrespected an emperor¡­ You don¡¯t really have an excuse to stop me from killing you, do you?¡±


    Grimman shivered helplessly and threw himself to the ground. ¡°P-Please forgive my discourtesy!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t look up. It¡¯s ufortable to look into the eyes of an old man who¡¯s going to die any minute now.¡±


    ¡°O-Okay.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Joshua turned to look at the pdins and priests.


    The pdins and priests had been exchanging anxious nces, but they quickly made a decision after Joshua spoke to them.


    ¡°Please forgive us!¡±


    ¡°Please grant us mercy!¡±


    Joshua gave their prostrate forms a pleased look.


    ¡°I¡¯ll forgive you.¡±


    ¡°Th-Thank you!¡±


    Some of the pdins tilted their heads, confused; they hadn¡¯t thought they would be forgiven this easily. Joshua was as infamous as he was popr.


    ¡°But what will you people give me?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? You aren¡¯t going to walk away after just saying you¡¯re sorry, are you? You¡¯re the believers of merciful Hermes.¡±


    The zealots flinched.


    ¡°Woah¡ªyou people would probably just say sorry after killing an innocent person,¡± Joshua said sarcastically.


    ¡°H-How can you make such aparison¡ª¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You people were trying to do something worse just now. Well over tens of thousands of people would perish in war, but you tried to start one. I was terrified, you know? A gang of pdins pointing fingers at a small number of people, threatening to start a war. Gosh, it was so scary that I couldn¡¯t speak properly.¡±


    Grimman was on the verge of swearing, but he just barely held it back. Although he wanted to ask Joshua what he had been doing until now, he would never say it out loud.


    A silence fell upon the area.


    ¡°So how will youpensate for my mental damage?¡± Joshua said with a little smile.


    * * *


    Beelzebub was the king of infinite undead that possessed the power of Gluttony, one of the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers.


    ¡°Grrrr.¡±


    On top of that mountain, inside Marquess Turtler¡¯s castle, were many corpses. It was obvious who was behind this massacre, given that various kinds of undead were newly born from those corpses.


    The corpses wearing infantryman¡¯s gear became skeletons.


    The headless knights turned into duhans. The corpse exuding an especially strong energy of death was Turtler.


    -Huff¡­ huff¡­


    The newly resurrected death knight breathed loudly through his ck helmet, but Turtler¡¯s return wasn¡¯t the only problem.


    A loud thrumming shook the air. The clear form of a ck tortoise was formed behind the death knight, but the tortoise was also an undead; half of its shell had already decayed away.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s possible¡­?¡± Anna mumbled, her voice trembling.


    If it was possible to make an authority into an undead, the continent would be a paradise for ck mages when they reappeared. ck mages would not only be able to turn the enemies they killed into their allies but also preserve their full power.


    ¡°Stay back.¡± Kireua gestured to Anna.


    ¡°A-Are you really going to fight them?¡±


    ¡°I should try.¡±


    ¡°Ask for help around the continent! The undead are everyone¡¯s enemies. I don¡¯t know about other countries, but the Hubalt Empire would surely step in since they call themselves the holy empire!¡± Anna shrieked.


    Kireua didn¡¯t even give it a second of thought and shook his head. Since he had studied in the Thran Kingdom, he knew better than anyone what kind of tyrants strong countries were and the tragedies that befell weaker countries. Although Avalon wasn¡¯t as weak as Thran, there was no denying that Avalon had be significantly weaker. There was no telling what demands the Hubalt Empire would make in return for their help.


    ¡°If I retreat now, the whole western region will turn into the Demon Realm,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°What? Turn into the Demon Realm?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers have the ability to turn a certain region into an environment simr to the Demon Realm.¡±


    Kireua released his energy.


    ¡°It would have been better if you had yielded,¡± Beelzebub muttered with a crooked grin. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to endure a single attack from my knight here.¡±


    Beelzebub¡¯s ability was outstanding on the battlefield, but he wasn¡¯t invincible. The moment he used up all of his demonic power, he wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain his undead anymore.


    <em>¡®¡­Wait, how do I know these facts?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    -Grrrrr!


    The death knight¡ªformerly Turtler before his death¡ªheld up his sword and roared like a generalmanding his army to march. All the undead inside the castle advanced on Kireua simultaneously.


    The prince¡¯s muscles tensed. The priority of a battle was clear.


    <em>¡®Eliminate the leader first.¡¯</em>


    He had only one chance before he gotpletely surrounded.


    An enormous, raging storm suddenly sprang up around Kireua and Anna.


    ¡°Your Highness! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do, but do it quickly!¡± Anna shouted.


    The storm had been created by Anna¡¯s elemental spirit magic. It created a curtain of wind that separated the undead from Kireua, but ten of the undead had already slipped in and were approaching him.


    -Krrrr!


    A duhan, one of those ten undead, was about to strike Kireua¡¯s head with his sword.


    Just then, Kireua leaped high in the air. A Kireua¡¯s aura rose up from his sword like tongues of me, and he thrust it outward.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Kireua shouted.


    The death knight was visibly confused. When their swords shed, a loud and unpleasant assailed their ears. It was a battle of aura now, not strength.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted. The rebound he could feel through his hand was very strong.


    He failed to aplish his goal. Hundreds of undead were about to trap him..


    <em>¡®If His Majesty were here¡­ how would he have fought?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    One of Turtler¡¯s titles was ¡°Imprable Shield¡±, so would it be too arrogant to hope to end this fight with one strike?


    <em>¡®¡­No, not at all. I¡¯m Joshua Sanders¡¯s son.¡¯</em> Kireua¡¯s grip unconsciously tightened around his sword.


    Annihte the demons and recover the west as well as the north¡­ Joshua Sanders¡¯s son should be able to do that, although Kireua was still not particrly interested in the throne.


    <em>¡®The children¡¯s reputation is also the parents¡¯. I¡¯ll never allow my mother to be insulted for giving birth to a half-wit son with no ambition.¡¯</em>


    -Are you a half-wit, Kireua?


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened upon hearing the voice inside his mind. <em>¡®Coal¡­?¡¯</em>


    -I¡¯m back!


    <em>¡®Y-Youe back </em>now<em>?¡¯</em>


    -Did you miss me, Kireua?


    Kireua froze for a moment, his sword still locked against the duhan¡¯s, but he quickly broke into a grin.


    <em>¡®Yeah, I¡¯ve missed you so freaking much.¡¯</em>

 Side Story Chapter 68

    Side Story Chapter 68


    A fire rose up from Kireua¡¯s sword once again, but this time the fire turned ck instead of scarlet.


    -...Ebon me?


    The death knight that was fighting Kireua was visibly confused.


    However, Kireua was even more shocked. ¡°You can talk?¡±


    The death knight became silent again. An undead didn¡¯t have a personality of their own, but what would happen if they had all their abilities and rationality?


    <em>¡®This is why Beelzebub was called the demon king of war in the Demon Realm,¡¯</em> Kireua thought. He quickly set that aside, tightening his grip on his weapon; he needed to focus on the battle as he finally had someone who could answer his questions.


    <em>¡®Magic Sword Art Level 4, Compression Sword.¡¯</em>


    He recalled the principle, utilized his mana, and moved his sword, focusing solely on the tip.


    The death knight swung his sword to keep Kireua at a distance.


    The ebon me was the hottest me in the world. In fact, a lot of the death knight¡¯s ck armor was already melted and scorched.


    <em>¡®There is no such thing as an imprable shield. I¡¯ll focus all my mana on the tip of my sword and pierce his center.¡¯</em>


    The technique was called Lightning sh, but Kireua had reinterpreted Lightning sh in his own way. During the process, the technique becameplicated and became a Level 4 technique, but he was confident in its destructiveness.


    -Do you want my help?


    Kireua was too focused on the fight to answer Coal, but the creature activated its new power without waiting for his response.


    The air around the sword undted as if the space itself was being twisted.


    Kireua could instinctively tell what it was.


    <em>¡®¡­Dimensions! It¡¯s the ability to distort dimensions by creating a rift in space!¡¯</em>


    Another space could exist inside a space like a subspace, but mages ordinarily only used this space magic like a moving warehouse. It was inevitable. Spatial magic was very abstruse, so no one could attempt to use such spells as a method of attack. However, Coal was doing it quite easily.


    Even in the vast Demon Realm, only the ¡°Separations Demon¡± was able to use this ability. That begged the question¡­


    <em>¡®The Separations Demon was certainly one of the greatest demons, but not a demon king with one of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers.¡¯</em>


    The rising hum in the air interrupted Kireua¡¯s analysis. Space was stretched to its breaking point, and Kireua¡¯s mana on the tip of his sword was about to explode.


    <em>¡®...I¡¯ll kill him before he can act!¡¯ </em>Kireua decided, and disappeared the instant he finished the thought.


    A long horizontal line was drawn in the air, splitting the world in half.


    -Wh-Where¡­?


    ¡°Behind you.¡±


    The death knight''s eyes widened. The space around the former Marquess Turtler was literally torn in half, dumping the once-again lifeless corpse onto the ground.


    Kireua looked away from him, his eyes suddenly tinged with madness.


    Anna noticed the state he was in before Beelzebub and flinched. ¡°Your Highness, what is going on with you¡­?¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Whatpensation do you wish for?¡± Archbishop Grimman was eventually forced to say.


    As a matter of fact, the priests in the Hubalt Empire used the same method very often. Whenever foreigners made a mistake, the priests requested a certain amount of donations, like,


    <em>¡°Hermes has already forgiven your sin.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Thank you! Thank you, priest!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°As a fellow believer that spreads Hermes¡¯s will, I¡¯m also quite happy. Shouldn¡¯t there be more of this in the future?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Of course!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°But the reality is that weck the means to spread her will. We don¡¯t have enough priests, and even if we want to transcend from secr affairs, eating and sleeping cost money¡­¡±</em>


    <em>¡°H-hHw may I assist you?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°If possible, please leave a ¡®token of appreciation¡¯ at the nearest temple of Hermes. Of course Hermes must be watching over you benevolently.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I-I see. I understand.¡±</em>


    Joshua was going to give these priests and pdins a taste of their own medicine.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we have this conversation in private as the people in charge? It¡¯s not good to have many people listening in.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Archbishop Grimman made his priests and pdins stand down.


    ¡°Take the other two and stand back,¡± Joshuamanded Cain.


    ¡°What are you going to do?¡±


    ¡°I indebted them to us, so I have to make sure they pay it back.¡±


    ¡°In my opinion, I think it¡¯s better to let it slide at this point¡­ Did you forget who we¡¯re with right now?¡± Cain asked, frowning slightly.


    ¡°That is why I¡¯m telling you to keep them safe and maintain a distance,¡± Joshua instructed. He couldn¡¯t let things go south by letting them find out about Lilith¡¯s presence here.


    Of course, Joshua could give such an order because he was certain that both sides wouldn¡¯t be able to harm each other. Joshua was confident of his skills, and Grimman would not think that Joshua would hurt him at the risk of war no matter how ill-tempered Joshua was.


    Joshua gestured at Grimman. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    It was all going ording to Joshua¡¯s n.


    After bringing Grimman into the enormous and practically deserted mansion, Joshua grinned. ¡°Shall we start negotiating?¡±


    ¡°A negotiation¡­?¡±


    ¡°How much will you give me?¡±


    ¡°A-Are you asking for money?¡± Grimman asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Come on, you priests are the best at extorting money from the weak.¡±


    ¡°W-We receive holy offerings to serve them to Hermes. How can you talk about them with such disrespect¡ª¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say there is no more god in heaven? Who are you offering them to?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°W-We¡ª¡±


    ¡°Or, since you and the god coexist, in thisnd, do I need to call priests ¡®sire¡¯, too? Oh, my, I¡¯m sorry, o great archbishop, he who walks with god.¡± Joshua lowered his body as if he was going to prostrate himself.


    Grimman grabbed Joshua¡¯s arm, bewildered. ¡°W-Why are you doing this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean ¡®why¡¯? It looked like you wanted me to do this, so I¡¯m doing it.¡±


    ¡°T-Ten gold! I¡¯ll give you ten gold!¡± Grimman stammered, yielding.


    However, that didn¡¯t work on Joshua at all. He picked his ear with his pinky and blew on it. ¡°It must be mosquito season right now.¡±


    ¡°With ten gold, you can buy a potion to fully recover your fatigued mind and body.¡±


    ¡°Your calctions are a bit weird.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°This isn¡¯t just about one person¡¯s trauma. You held my citizens hostage, and there are tens of millions of them.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, that¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why? Are you going to say that¡¯s not what you did? You treated me as a phony and a demon. You must have desperately wished for that to be true since it would¡¯ve been excellent justification. Tell me. You already imagined having Avalon at your feet, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You misunderstand!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? You must have been thrilled.[1] If you think I¡¯m wrong, shall we tell other countries what happened today and get their opinions?¡±


    Grimman¡¯s hands trembled weakly. If he were talking to any other person, he might have yelled ¡°Do what you want!¡± because most people would be less credible than a priest from the Hubalt Empire. The other party would end up treated like lunatics, but Joshua Sanders, the great Martial God, was an entirely different story.


    ¡°¡­One hundred gold,¡± Grimman said through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I won¡¯t even be able to buy my children candies with that.¡±


    ¡°Three hundred gold. This is all that is within my power to offer you.¡±


    ¡°There are only ten archbishops in the Empire, and you¡¯re one of them. But you don¡¯t have the power to at least buy 31 bottles of low-ss potions?¡± Joshua shook his head. ¡°You gotta be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°One thousand! I¡¯ll give you one thousand gold!¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t even answer anymore.


    ¡°How much do you want?!¡± Grimman shouted, almost shrieking.


    ¡°Well, if it¡¯s hard to get money, I can take something else. Let¡¯s be honest¡ªI¡¯m notfortable with emptying a priest¡¯s pocket.¡±


    <em>¡®What in the world is this guy trying to say¡­?¡¯</em> Grimman thought, obviously suspicious of Joshua.


    Joshua smiled mischievously at him. ¡°Come to think of it, isn¡¯t it basic courtesy to apologize before makingpensation?¡±


    ¡°I apologized earlier.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªalthough it¡¯s awkward for me to say this, you disrespected an emperor. The apology shoulde from someone at a simr rank as me to make it proper.¡±


    Grimman''s eyes widened. Joshua meant¡­


    ¡°You want the emperor of Hubalt himself toe and apologize?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°No way. Everyone knows that he¡¯s just a symbolic figure nowadays.¡±


    ¡°Hi-His Holiness is currently away.¡±


    Obviously, Joshua was already aware of that. The pope had retired due to old age, and his sessor was supposed to be decided soon. Lilith¡¯s authority had manifested in the internecine period.


    In other words, Cardinal Erman, Lilith¡¯s father, should have been the new pope, but the position of pope in the Hubalt Empire was vacant right now. And another faction had taken power in Hubalt. Joshua knew very well who the newbloods were.


    ¡°Come on.¡± Joshua raised an eyebrow. ¡°Unlike someone, I¡¯m not rude enough to make the elderly popee and go.¡±


    ¡°Th-Thank you for your understanding.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Instead of him, I want the working-level guys toe and apologize. As a matter of fact, priests serve a god, so they shouldn¡¯t interfere in political affairs or diplomatic affairs, should they?¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Grimman nkly asked back, unable to understand Joshua.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡° I¡¯m talking about those children they call the ¡®Four Pdins¡¯ or something. They¡¯re pretty popr around the continent nowadays.¡±


    1. The raw was ??? ??. ?????. It¡¯s a Korean wordy. ??(misunderstanding) sounds the same as oh yeah(??). ?

 Side Story Chapter 69

    Side Story Chapter 69


    The Seven Evil Sins came from the Demon Realm, but demons weren¡¯t born with them. Demons were sometimes chosen by the powers and sometimes demons took the powers from the chosen demons.


    That was because the powers could be taken by killing the owners, which was why the Evil Sins¡¯ powers were in the possession of the strongest demons in the Demon Realm. They were the Seven Demon Kings¨Cpride, greed, envy, lust, sloth, wrath, and gluttony.


    -¡­Come to me.


    It was only a mumble, but it sounded like a war horn was ring out of Kireua¡¯s mouth.


    Anna gasped. An overwhelming amount of demonic power spread through the area, then coalesced into the scattered pieces of the bifurcated death knight¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± Anna murmured.


    What happened next was astonishing: after absorbing the demonic power, the death knight was recovering. His body pieces were reattached to each other. The former Marquess Turtler was restored, but his next move was a true surprise.


    -¡­I see my new master.


    The death knight, Turtler, bowed to none other than Kireua, and spoke just like a human.


    -My sincere gratitude for liberating me.


    ¡°The fight isn¡¯t over yet,¡± Kireua replied.


    -Yes, master.


    That was the end of their conversation. The death knight then pointed his sword at Beelzebub, not Kireua. Anna really couldn¡¯t understand what was going on.


    ¡°Indeed. It¡¯s Mammon¡¯s power. Do you know the origin of your power?¡± Beelzebub asked.


    Kireua didn¡¯t¡ªno, couldn¡¯t answer.


    <em>¡®Coal, are you controlling me right now?¡¯</em> Kireua quickly asked.


    -Yup. I¡¯ll defeat your enemy, Kireua.


    <em>¡®I never asked you to do that, so go back in. I can take care of him.¡¯</em>


    -But I¡¯m bored¡­


    <em>¡®If you don¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t look for your food anymore.¡¯</em>


    -I think I can get my own food, you know!


    With the mor going on inside Kireua¡¯s mind, he couldn¡¯t help frowning. When he first met Coal, it was like a toddler, but maybe its mind also grew up over time? He felt like he was dealing with an eight-year-old child now, the age that was known to be the most disobedient.


    That was why Kireua became more concerned. If Kireua¡¯s case followed the typical ending of simr cases, he was going to lose his body to Coal when it matured.


    ¡°I changed my mind,¡± Beelzebub said. ¡°Take my hand.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll treat you as my equal partner, not my subordinate. If you and I join forces, it won¡¯t be impossible to turn the Human Realm into the Demon Realm, just as all demons hope. No one can beat the demons with the power of Gluttony and Greed in arge-scale battle, not even in the Demon Realm, where the strongest take all,¡± Beelzebub exined, delight evident in his voice.


    Rather than answering Beelzebub, Kireua picked up his sword. Since he had a reliable wall in the form of a death knight, he intended to wipe out the undead that were surrounding him even if he had to take some risks.


    Magic Sword Art Level 5, Moon Sword.


    He gripped his sword with two hands and pointed the tip at the floor. His left foot came one inch forward, then he turned his body in the same direction to maximize the torque.


    -Anna, fly into the sky as high as you can on my signal. You¡¯re a top-tier elemental spirit mage, so you can do that much, can¡¯t you?


    Anna''s eyes widened at Kireua¡¯s telepathic message. Although Kireua didn¡¯t hear an answer, her reaction was enough to know that she understood what she had to do.


    Kireua was very flexible, but when he turned his torso as it would go, his muscles and joints ached.


    Beelzebub noticed the obvious movement.


    ¡°¡­Attack him,¡± the demonmanded.


    Toote.


    Kireua¡¯s aura gathered at the tip of his sword. A ck moon descended; slowly at first, but the descent quickened and the moon mmed against the floor, sending moonlight bursting in every direction.


    ¡°Revealing Lunar Eclipse Night,¡± Kireua quietly said.


    Once, twice, thrice¡­ Every time Kireua thrust his sword, ck circles were drawn in the air. As the number of circles increased, thick darkness encapsted everything nearby. It happened very quickly, like the world turning dark on the night of a lunar eclipse.


    ¡°¡­Oh my goodness,¡± Anna gasped, her jaw hanging open.


    When Kireua finally came to a halt, she was able to clearly see the multitude of ck sword strikes scattered in all directions from her refuge high in the sky.


    From low-ss undead like skeletons to high-ss undead like duhans, hundreds of undead copsed on the ground simultaneously.


    However, Anna saw something that she almost took for a trick of the light. For some reason, the red gleam in Kireua¡¯s eyes shone brighter.


    ¡°Idiot.¡± Beelzebub clicked his tongue. Despite the fact that he had lost most of his army, he was very calm, which made Anna even more nervous. ¡°I¡¯ll take it myself if you reject me until the end.¡±


    Beelzebub took matters into his own hands.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­How about this?¡± Archbishop Grimman ventured.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t intentional, but our actions were certainly discourteous against you, Your Majesty. Therefore, as you requested, I¡¯ll contact the people in the Pce of the Hubalt Empire to send a delegation including at least one of the Four Great Stars.¡±


    Considering that the people of Igrant had already named the nine absolute strongest people the Nine Stars, the ¡°Four Great Stars¡± was an outright crazy and arrogant name¡ªa direct challenge to the Nine Stars.


    ¡°In return, I hope you will be understanding of our position here,¡± Grimman continued.


    Joshua tilted his head. ¡°Position?¡±


    ¡°I wish for the official reason for the delegation to be to celebrate your return, not to make an apology.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°I beg you to let us do this. The discourtesy wemitted wasn¡¯t intentional, and we can¡¯t be branded as a group of thugs who persecuted an emperor, can we?¡± Grimman pleaded.


    Grimman begged for the delegation to be celebratory, but Joshua saw through what Grimman was trying to do. Joshua had, after all, nearly fifty years of life under his belt.


    <em>¡®Old fox.¡¯ </em>That was who Grimman was in Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    Grimman was trying to focus the other countries¡¯ attention on Avalon by announcing the Martial God¡¯s return to the entire continent. Since the Hubalt Empire was currently under the spotlight for bing the strongest country on the continent, Grimman would be able to divert the attention if Joshua epted his proposal. The difference between Avalon with and without Joshua was very clear.


    ¡°Is that all you want?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s just my personal opinion¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, so go on.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. As you¡¯re going to meet our knights, I think hosting an event to promote friendly rtions between our two countries would be a great idea,¡± Grimman said.


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®an event¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s return. Many of our knights in Hubalt would want to get their sword techniques assessed by you.¡±


    No, Grimman must want to find out how significant a variable Joshua Sanders would be in the imminent war.


    ¡°And, of course, Avalon¡¯s knights are also going to get good sparring partners, so it¡¯ll be an excellent opportunity for the knights from both countries to gain experience, won¡¯t it?¡±


    Although he put it nicely, his goal was obvious: drop the enemy knights¡¯ morale to zero. However, a prerequisite must be met to achieve such a thing. Without confidence that the Hubalt knights would win no matter what, Grimman would never have been able to make a proposal like that.


    Joshua tilted his head. ¡°So I¡¯m not even a man if I refuse.¡±


    ¡°No way¡ªit hasn¡¯t been long since you returned to your country, has it? I know that the internal affairs in Avalon are grim¡­ Well, they¡¯re going to be taken care of now that you have returned, Your Majesty.¡±


    <em>¡°Look at the state of your country before demanding an apology, and take care of your own country first instead of standing on your pride. If you don¡¯t like it, taste our swords,¡±</em> is what Grimman was basically saying, but Joshua was just as sly.


    ¡°In that case, why don¡¯t we make the announcement to the entire continent?¡± Joshua suggested.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If only the Hubalt Empire sends a delegation, the other countries would find it odd. They would think that Hubalt and Avalon are trying to form an alliance like Swallow and Hubalt did decades ago.¡±


    Grimman raised an eyebrow. The topic Joshua had just brought up was taboo for Hubalt¡¯s citizens. Two empires had joined hands but only achieved pathetic results because they couldn¡¯t defeat one man¡ªthe very same man who was standing in front of Grimman.


    <em>¡®¡­This damned bastard.¡¯</em>


    Despite what he was feeling right now, Grimman tried hard to smile. ¡°Are you suggesting an international tournament?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a good idea? It¡¯ll be the symbol of peace in our age of peace, just like the Reinhardt Masters'' Battle.¡±


    Grimman was the first one to suggest a knight tournament, so if he turned Joshua¡¯s proposal down, it would look like Hubalt was actually preparing to start a war. Hiding one¡¯s strength from the enemy was elementary strategic nning; Grimman was reaping what he sowed.


    <em>¡®Fine.¡¯ </em>Grimman¡¯s eyes turned sharp. ¡®<em>Let¡¯s do this.¡¯</em>


    Regardless of everything that had happened, he was confident because he had witnessed the Four Great Stars¡¯ power with his own eyes. The Hubalt Empire was going to start an invasion right after sorting out a few problems anyway, so if Grimman could confirm that Joshua was not all his reputation made him out to be, the Hubalt Empire had no reason to hesitate to start the second Continental War


    ¡°Are you really going to be okay?¡° Grimman jabbed.


    Joshua silently nced to the side. When Cain met Joshua¡¯s eyes, he smiled faintly and nodded. Although Joshua didn¡¯t get to see their responses, the two women that were in the back anxiously waiting for the negotiation to end would agree. In that case¡­


    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Joshua leaned into his chair, crossing his legs. ¡°I¡¯m Joshua Sanders. If you¡¯re concerned about the civil war in Avalon, I¡¯m going to end that within a month.¡±


    ¡°A-A month?¡± Grimman stammered.


    ¡°The Fulldran Kingdom is the furthest away from Avalon, and it¡¯ll take at least two months for their delegation to arrive in Avalon. So waiting a month isn¡¯t a problem, is it?¡±


    A grin spread on Grimman¡¯s face. No matter how great the Martial God was, one person couldn¡¯t win a war alone. If Joshua had the skill, he would have unified the continent on his own in the Continental War decades ago.


    Joshua bluffed too hard.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to that day.¡±


    Grimman imagined wiping off the smirk on Joshua¡¯s face and recing it with a frown. Goosebumps ran down his arms and he trembled in excitement.

 Side Story Chapter 70

    Side Story Chapter 70


    ¡°Your Majesty, are you serious about this tournament?¡± Cain worriedly asked as soon as Grimman and his group left.


    Iceline and Lilith quickly approached Joshua as well.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything because I was worried about hurting your reputation, but this isn¡¯t right,¡± Cain continued. ¡°We don¡¯t know when the rebels wille barging into the capital.¡±


    ¡°I agree with Sir Cain. Your power isn¡¯t even restored yet,¡± Lilith chimed in.


    Iceline was holding her hands close to her chest, looking at Joshua without saying anything.


    ¡°I was suffering more losses than I¡¯d expected,¡± Joshua said. Vague as he was, Lilith instantly realized to whom Joshua was speaking. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them, trust me. I¡¯ll take care of them.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll make sure to repay this favor,¡± Lilith blurted out, in spite of what she felt. She was surprised when she realized how much she trusted him.


    ¡°Then how are you going to proceed with this tournament? Since we¡¯re inviting them, we¡¯ll have to go over the rules in detail,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame. This is Icarus¡¯s specialty.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you happen to run into her, please don¡¯t say such things. I say this from my heart as your loyal knight.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s not for this matter, she¡¯ll start by tearing out all your hair before she starts talking to you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Joshua closed his mouth. Iceline nodded in agreement. On the other hand, Lilith tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°¡­Although I expected it on some level, she must have gone through a lot,¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°Outrageously a lot.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°In your current state, you might really be killed¡ªand on a side note, I won¡¯t be able to stop her,¡± Cain firmly emphasized.


    Joshua scratched the back of his head. ¡°I¡¯ll call her back to the Pce and have a serious conversation with her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s already busy as a bee because of the north, so how would she get to the Pce?¡±


    ¡°The north is going to be quiet for a while.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± Cain wasn¡¯t sure what Joshua was talking about.


    ¡°I took some measures in the north on my way back to the Pce.¡± Joshua smiled meaningfully, remembering the avnche in the north. Although he''d had to overwork himself a bit, Carmen von Agnus wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything for a while. It would take weeks to reorganize her army, which Joshua would use topletely quell the rebellion in the north.


    ¡°I¡¯ll issue an imperial order, so order all our people to return aside from the regions where the fighting is still ongoing. I can also use this opportunity to increase morale and say hello.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°And¡­¡± Joshua trailed off and then turned to look at Lilith. ¡°Since we¡¯ve started something, we should gather information in advance, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about the Four Pdins in the Hubalt Empire.¡± Lilith nodded.


    ¡°Yeah, but don¡¯t think about charging me for this. It¡¯s for our mutual benefit.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡±


    ¡°The best information merchant on the continent,¡± Joshua bluntly replied.


    Lilith closed her mouth and narrowed her eyes at Joshua for treating her like a mere merchant, but she actually didn¡¯t feel bad. It was like she had been acknowledged by the best man on the continent.


    ¡°¡­How familiar are you with fables?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°I know a bit of the ones about the Angel Realm.¡±


    Considering Joshua¡¯s past, it would be hard for him to not know.


    ¡°Just like there were Seven Demon Kings with the Evil Sins¡¯ powers, that isn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the Four Archangels were the rulers of their realm.¡±


    Joshua waved his hand. ¡°Let¡¯s skip over the part everyone knows.¡±


    ¡°¡­Michael is the archangel of fire and swordcraft, Gabriel is the archangel of water and healing, Raphael is the archangel of wind and magic, and Uriel is the archangel of earth and omnipotence,¡± Lilith listed. ¡°They ruled the four regions of the Angel Realm, and the Four Pdins have manifested those Four Archangels¡¯ authorities.¡±


    ¡°And those Four Pdins are the ones who reced the vacancy left by the pope, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°¡­There is one more person.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Just as the Demon Spirit descended through the bodies of the Imperial Family of Avalon, this man has a fragment of the Angel Spirit, so he possesses more divine power than all the other priests. And that man was also recently acknowledged as the most physically talented in the history of the Hubalt Empire,¡± Lilith exined.


    Cain''s eyes widened. ¡°It¡¯s my first time hearing about this.¡±


    ¡°Of course. My father, the other cardinals, and a few high-ranking officials trained this genius in utmost secrecy.¡±


    ¡°How strong is he, objectively?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps the Four Pdins wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him even if they attacked him all at once,¡± Lilith guessed.


    ¡°H-He¡¯s that strong?¡±


    ¡°Even ten years ago there were rumors that he was the Joshua Sanders of the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    Silence fell upon the area. Since Lilith, who had long since surpassed the level of a ss A knight, had said it, it was hard to disregard what she just said.


    ¡°On top of that, his teacher is Zactor, the Martial Emperor, one of the three Celestials that was killed by you.¡± Lilith pointed at Joshua.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°I see that they aren¡¯t exaggerating about him being the greatest genius in the history of Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°That is who you¡¯re going to go up against in your current¡ªunwell¡ªstate.¡±


    Cain came forward. ¡°You said that you¡¯ll be fully recovered in a year, didn¡¯t you? Don¡¯t worry, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really sorry, but you won¡¯t be enough to fight him, Combat Emperor,¡± Lilith bitterly refuted.


    Cain flinched. Although that was embarrassing to say it about himself, he was one of the Nine Stars, the strongest people on the continent. As a matter of fact, Cain was considered one of the strongest among them.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve been listening to you without saying much, but I think you¡¯re exaggerating too much,¡± Cain said to her with a faint frown.


    ¡°Do you know what an information merchant¡¯s most important virtues are? The ability to make an urate analysis, form an objective assessment, and maintain rational judgment. I¡¯m a person who sells information for money, so I can¡¯t put my clients in danger with incorrect information.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s firm stance left Cain with nothing to say; he would have to demonstrate his ability.


    Lilith turned to look at Joshua. ¡°Your Majesty, please recover your full power as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll try.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯ll have to unless you want to see the fires of war engulfing this country again,¡± Lilith said with a grim look.


    * * *


    Once Joshua and the others returned to the Pce, they proceeded with their work. They made a request to the Magic Tower, the organization with the quickest means tomunicate with other countries.


    The Magic Tower regrly issued newspapers featuring hot topics in various countries and possessed a super-sizedmunication crystal ball with a range of thousands of kilometers.


    The news was delivered to kings first.


    [Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, has returned!]


    It was the headline of the Magic Tower¡¯s newspaper the next morning. Needless to say, the response was sensational, and all nobles proposed that they should send delegations to offer their congrattions. The Avalon Empire with the Martial God was the only country that had a chance against the Hubalt Empire, which was officially the strongest country on the continent right now. On the other hand, most of them wanted to verify the news, and that was when the news of the Martial God''s positive view of the delegations spread¡­ Everyone on the continent was excited.


    However, there were some people who weren¡¯t pleased with the turn of events. The Poison King, the leader of the Hashashin Guild, one of the three assassin guilds, was one of them.


    ¡°Crazy bastard! I thought he would never reveal himself¡­ What in the world is he up to?¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be better to pause our preparations for now?¡± the Poison King¡¯s subordinate asked. The Poison King frowned.


    The original n was to quietly spread the news that Lilith Aphrodite was in Avalon so that Hubalt would take action. No matter what anyone said, the witch was the enemy of the entire continent, but the n went awry.


    What would happen if the Poison King and his subordinates spread the news that the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire was connected to Lilith? People would think that someone was scheming to frame the Martial God. That was how great Joshua Sanders¡¯s presence was on the continent. If someone retraced the rumors to their source, there was a high chance of the entire Hashashin Guild falling into danger.


    ¡°¡­Damn it.¡± The Poison King had to give up on the n for good. No matter how hard he thought, he was always going to suffer more losses rather than benefits by executing the n.


    ¡°How are the other countries responding?¡± the Poison King asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re establishing delegations consisting of their highest-ranking officials along with at least two knight orders.¡±


    ¡°I can understand why they¡¯re sending their officials, but why two knight orders?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ ording to a trustworthy source, the Emperor of Avalon is taking charge of nning a friendly international tournament, as if he¡¯s trying to prove that he¡¯s still strong,¡± his subordinate reported.


    ¡°What? A tournament?¡±


    ¡°Yes, there was an announcement from the Pce of the Avalon Empire that the strongest from each country will be selected topete in the tournament and gain experience. The Pce announced that they hope that the delegations¡¯ visit to Avalon will be an opportunity to ensure peace on the continent.¡±


    ¡°To hell with peace!¡± The Poison King mmed the table. The true goal of this tournament was so obvious that it was annoying. The Poison King himself had witnessed what Joshua Sanders could do; just like the Poison King¡¯s subordinate had said, the goal was to keep the other kings in check by disying Joshua¡¯s power.


    ¡°¡­No, wait.¡± A memory shed across the Poison King¡¯s mind, bringing him to a halt. ¡°Come to think of it, Lilith Aphrodite is staying in the Pce of the Avalon Empire, isn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s highly likely, considering the reports from spies around Arcadia. If she used a warp gate, we would have already found out about it.¡±


    ¡°The First Queen Consort of Avalon is a ss 7 mage, so isn¡¯t there a possibility she used a magic spell like teleportation?¡±


    ¡°I checked with our most skilled mages¡­ when a teleportation spell is used, it creates a distinctive mana flow. But aside from traces of a teleportation spell assumed to have been used by Joshua and his group, the mages weren¡¯t able to detect such flows at all.¡±


    After stroking his chin for a moment, the Poison King raised his head. ¡°Assuming that Lilith Aphrodite is still in the Pce¡­ wouldn¡¯t things be interesting if she reveals herself in front of all the foreign delegations?¡±


    His subordinate''s eyes widened. ¡°I see¡­ I think it''d be perfect if we can make it work.¡±


    ¡°Go tell everyone that our priority is now locating Lilith Aphrodite.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 71

    Side Story Chapter 71


    Joshua and Cain were watching the Imperial Knights training in the Pce¡¯s vast training grounds. There were only about three hundred Imperial Knights in the Pce because the other seven hundred of them were scattered to all parts of the country to stop the civil war.


    ¡°It has been well over a decade since I disappeared, but it looks like they got worse than when I was around,¡± Joshua assessed.


    Cain bitterly smiled. ¡°There are two reasons for that.¡±


    ¡°What are they?¡±


    ¡°The moment you ascended the throne, the Imperial Knights stagnated. The previous Knight-Commander, Rod, and Valmont dun Brown, his heir, resigned. Some of the captains did the same because they disagreed with the new leadership. And the junior knights had to fill in for them.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°I think I have a rough idea of what happened.¡±


    ¡°Although you tried to train the knights¡­ that didn¡¯t amount to much because a spear is a very tricky weapon to master.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s Magic Spear Art was the best in the continent¡ªthere was no denying it. However, teaching someone else was a different matter. His spear art techniques could not be easily taught without a degree of innate talent; case in point: Kireua, Joshua¡¯s son who was hopeless with spears.


    ¡°What is the second reason? Joshua asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re their idol, but you disappeared.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I disappeared?¡±


    ¡°Many of our Imperial Knights became Imperial Knights because you, Joshua Sanders, were in the Pce, Your Majesty. You¡¯re called the strongest person on the continent, so they must have thought they would be able to learn something. Besides, it¡¯s rtively easy to be an Imperial Knight of the Avalon Empirepared to other countries since an applicant only has to beat one of our own,¡± Cain exined.


    ¡°But it feels like their loyalty is very shallow. From what I remember, I regrly gave proper lessons¡­¡±


    ¡°The problem is that the knights couldn¡¯t keep up with your lessons. Over a decade has passed, and I was also wandering around the entire continent to find you. So it¡¯s understandable for the knights to be tempted by offers from outside the Pce.¡±


    That was exactly what happened. The first thing that the rebel armies had done after starting their rebellions was to recruit government personnel, which included the Imperial Knights. Many of them had left at the time, so the Imperial Family had to quickly recruit fresh manpower.


    ¡°Then how strong are our Imperial Knights, objectively speaking?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Aside from a number of captains, the overall level¡­ is lower than the two other empires and simr to a small or medium kingdom.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is problematic. I talked all big.¡±


    ¡°I had no idea why you were so confident,¡± Cain said.


    Joshua scratched the back of his head. Many people dwelled in the past, and Joshua wasn¡¯t an exception.


    ¡°You said that since we¡¯re hosting the tournament, we¡¯re going to choose how the tournament is going to proceed, yes?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°How about we put a limit on the number of participants and create a team of strong, reliable knights to participate in the tournament?¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not going to work. The official reason for starting the tournament is to help as many knights as possible gain experience.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    ¡°For the same reason, the other countries won¡¯t view me participating in the tournament in a positive light since my prowess has already been proven.¡±


    An emperor directly fighting against the knights from another country was preposterous and disgraceful. On top of that, Joshua didn¡¯t have the power to fight them right now, so if even Cain couldn¡¯t be the leader of this tournament team¡­


    ¡°We lose,¡± Joshua concluded.


    ¡°Yes, we lose,¡±


    ¡°Shall we cancel it?¡±


    ¡°Do you really think the Hubalt Empire would let you? ording to our intel, all of the Four Pdins are eager to participate in the tournament,¡± Cain reported.


    ¡°Where did you get that intel from?¡±


    ¡°Some of Lilith Aphrodite¡¯s people are still in Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯s reliable intel.¡± Joshua nodded.


    ¡°That is why we need toe up with a countermeasure as soon as possible.¡±


    While Joshua and Cain were talking, one of the Imperial Knights approached them.


    ¡°Umm¡­ Your Majesty.¡±


    His name was Decker, the captain of the Ninth Battalion, and he was in charge of the Imperial Knights¡¯ morning training.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°I know I¡¯m overstepping my bounds¡­ but would that be okay if I ask a favor?¡±


    ¡°A favor?¡±


    Decker nodded. When Cain nced behind Decker, he saw hundreds of sparkling eyes looking back.


    <em>¡®¡­So that¡¯s it.¡¯</em>


    ¡°I¡¯ll do a short lesson,¡± Cain said, slightly embarrassed.


    ¡°Well, umm¡­¡±


    Cain paused mid-stride.


    ¡°We were hoping for a lesson from His Majesty, not you, Sir Cain¡­¡±


    The Imperial Knights¡¯ main job was guarding the Imperial Family, but they were asking for a lesson from their emperor, whom they were supposed to be protecting. The continent was a big ce, but such a sight could be only witnessed in the Avalon Empire.


    However, knowing Joshua¡¯s condition, Cain tensed up.


    -It¡¯s okay.


    Joshua was using telepathy to speak to Cain, a technique used by the strong based on the exquisite principle of space.


    -Are you sure about this?


    -I told you that there¡¯s no problem unless I¡¯m going up against the real deal.


    -But if you get hurt¡­


    -Judging from our Imperial Knights¡¯ current level, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll happen.


    Joshua took a look around and headed to the armory, which was located in the corner of the training area. He picked up a long wooden staff and returned to the knights.


    ¡°This¡¯ll be enough,¡± he said. The knights¡¯ eyes sparkled like stars, their murmurings slowly swelling in volume.


    ¡°I-Is this real?¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness. We¡¯re going to learn swordsmanship from His Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not dreaming, right?¡±


    Decker swiftly returned to the knights as well. The only reason why he was in charge of the Imperial Knights¡¯ morning training was that he was the newest captain. The other captains¡ªwho had skipped the training to practice alone¡ªwould probably cry in disappointment after they heard the news.


    <em>¡®Hehehe, it¡¯s karma! They put me in charge of the morning training just because they were toozy to do it themselves,¡¯</em> Decker gloated.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not use our mana since we¡¯re just sparring, not actually fighting,¡± Joshua said, hiding the real reason. However, the knights were totally convinced.


    ¡°Woaaaahhh!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s being considerate because he¡¯s worried about hurting us, right?¡±


    ¡°That is His Majesty! Well, yeah. We, the Imperial Knights, are His Majesty¡¯s property.¡±


    ¡°I feel like I¡¯m getting rewarded today for the ten years I endured here!¡±


    ¡°I want to try sparring with you too, Your Majesty! Please!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t the rookies take the hint and sit out of this?¡±


    Everyone was causing amotion¡ªit was a dreame true. All of them were volunteering to fight Joshua first.


    <em>¡®It¡¯ll be a good experience for me too since I¡¯ve never encountered a situation where I have to beat many people using a minimal amount of power and while moving as little as possible,¡¯</em> Joshua thought.


    Of course, he didn¡¯t think he was going to lose to them as none of them were going to use their mana, but there was one thing Joshua hadn¡¯t noticed at all¡­


    Cain blinked in confusion. He suddenly detected peopleing from behind him. Based on their light footsteps alone, Cain was able to figure out that they were¡­


    <em>¡®Two women.¡¯</em>


    This was the training area of the Imperial Pce, which only the Imperial Knights used to train. It didn¡¯t seem like either of the women had learned to use swords or martial arts.


    They quickly arrived right behind Cain and poked him in the back. Since he knew they wereing, he turned his head right away.


    He couldn¡¯t help but let out a gasp. ¡°Princess Ir-Iruca?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s really you, Sir Cain!¡±


    An elegant woman, only recently twenty years old, beamed at him, but Cain¡¯s expression turned grim.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness, how did you get here¡­?¡± Cain stammered. ¡°W-Wait, if you¡¯re here, then¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Long time no see.¡± An astonishingly beautiful woman with shoulder-length pale blue hair offered him a smile.


    ¡°W-When d-did you¡­?¡±


    ¡°There are too many things going on in the Pce, so it¡¯s hard to not hear about it.¡±


    ¡°I-I see.¡± Cain slowly nodded.


    ¡°But what¡¯s wrong? You look like you¡¯ve seen a ghost.¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re mistaken,¡± Cain sternly replied, desperately trying to not be conscious of the knights and <em>him</em>. Cain had prayed that she wouldn¡¯t be here because she knew everything.


    ¡°¡­Hmph, there¡¯s the man who vanished for over a decade and now is causing all kinds of trouble¡ªlike starting an international tournament.¡± The woman with pale blue hair narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°<em>Ahem</em>¡­¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you try to stop him?¡±


    ¡°I definitely did,¡± Cain firmly answered.


    ¡°So why did things turn out this way?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like he listens when somebody tries to stop him.¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true,¡± the woman agreed with an easy nod. That only made Cain more distressed.


    <em>¡®S-She¡¯s not the kind of person who¡¯d let this kind of mistake slide this easily.¡¯</em>


    ¡°What is he doing now?¡± the woman asked.


    ¡°The knights asked His Majesty for a lesson.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh, so in other words, someone has been working all night on the battlefield and didn¡¯t even have time to wash herself, but he has been casually training the knights without even sparing a thought toward helping her?¡±


    Cain took a step backward. <em>¡®I¡¯m sorry, master.¡¯</em>


    It might have been different with other people, but Cain couldn¡¯t stop the woman in front of him. He didn¡¯t even have a way to do so. She became unpredictable once her lid was flipped and she was also the smartest person in the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°Let¡¯s see how much stronger His Majesty has gotten,¡± the woman said.


    ¡°A-And after that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that obvious? I should make him work for the same amount of time he''s been ying.¡±


    Cain squeezed his eyes shut. How would she respond after she heard that Joshua was unable to use most of his power, never mind that he hadn¡¯t be stronger? Right at this moment, Cain was genuinely concerned about his master. Just like how Cain had joked before, this woman might really tear out all of Joshua¡¯s hair.


    <em>¡®¡­I need to stop this,¡¯</em> Cain resolved. On the other hand, Cain also wanted to see Joshua getting nagged by his wife, but Cain knew why Joshua had had to disappear.


    Cain shook his head. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think you have to watch¡ª¡±


    ¡°We finished deciding the order!¡± Decker shouted at exactly the worst possible moment.


    Cain''s eyes widened.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the first one to spar against you, Your Majesty,¡± Decker continued.


    Cain raised his fingers. ¡°H-h-he¡­!¡±


    The woman¡¯s sky-blue eyes turned sharp, cutting Cain off.


    Ignorant of the deeply emotional experience Cain was going through, Joshua responded to Decker rather unusually.


    ¡°Why bother taking turns?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Joshua spun his staff and grinned. ¡°Juste at me all at once. I¡¯m a busy man.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 72

    Side Story Chapter 72


    Joshua was fighting alone against a group of people. Although he couldn¡¯t use his mana nor did he have his favorite weapon, there was no reason he would lose.


    Once, twice, thrice¡­ The more Joshua spun his spear, the stronger wind he created, setting his dark blue hair fluttering.


    ¡°Come. Don¡¯t even think about mentioning your knights¡¯ honor,¡± Joshuamanded.


    There were hundreds of Imperial Knights in this ce, but not one said a thing. They were going to go up against the Martial God, the emperor of the Avalon Empire.


    One of the Imperial Knights turned and began to reach for the other practice weapons. ¡°Then we¡¯ll also get wooden swords¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. As long as you don¡¯t use your mana, you¡¯re free to use your swords.¡±


    ¡°H-How could we¡­!¡±


    ¡°I said that it¡¯s fine¡ªand besides, you won¡¯t be able to leave a scratch on my sleeve at your level.¡±


    The Imperial Knights'' pride was great, as great as anyone¡¯s, so they couldn¡¯t let Joshua¡¯sment slide. If they felt nothing when they were insulted like that, they weren¡¯t even men.


    The Imperial Knights drew their swords, all traces of hesitation burned away..


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Decker nodded. ¡°Everyone, brace yourselves. The man in front of you has fought millions of soldiers alone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°We will now attempt to defeat His Majesty. Think of this as actualbat, not a spar.¡± Decker¡¯s muscles tensed as he prepared to initiate his attack. He exploded forward like a bolt of lightning.


    The other Imperial Knights leaped into action as well. In a perfect order, hundreds of knights surrounded their target, Joshua.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Joshua eximed. He had been preparing to block Decker¡¯s attack, but Decker, who had looked like he was going to attack Joshua right away, took several steps backward; Decker¡¯s initial charge was a feint.


    ¡°Get into an attack formation!¡± Decker shouted.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The scattered knights came together in groups of three to five people and stood in triangr formations.


    In chaotic battles like real war, there was a high chance of allies ending up fighting against each other, which was why formations were created. By determining their positions in advance, tragedy could be prevented, and people could fight more efficiently.


    ¡°They weren¡¯tplete idiots.¡± Cain observed from below with a slight grin. Supposing they¡¯d attacked Joshua one by one, they would¡¯ve been defeated in no time.


    ¡°This is not good,¡± Joshua admitted. Now that the Imperial Knights were in formation, Joshua would be subjected to a barrage of attacks from all directions. When Joshua deflected one attack, two to four more would pour in. Those trapped in the center of their formation had to deflect the onught of attacks again and again. That was why the formation was named¡­


    ¡°Waterfall Formation,¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°Attack!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes gleamed. Five of the Imperial Knights instantly closed in on him, with an extra ten Imperial Knights behind those five. Only a fool would stand in a waterfall, just as it was said that sometimes that was better to avoid getting caught in a shower of rain.


    The ck of his staff striking the ground drew the Imperial Knights¡¯ attention. Joshua used the staff to leap high into the air high above the Knights, from where he unleashed a real waterfall.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Ahhh!¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t push me! Arggh!¡±


    Decker was bewildered. Although Joshua¡¯s method of breaking through their siege was extraordinary, Decker was really confused by what he was looking at.


    ¡°H-How is he still floating in the air¡­?¡± Decker wondered. He was sure that Joshua wasn¡¯t using his mana as there was no way Decker would miss a mana flow like that, but Joshua was continuously swinging his wooden staff down even at this moment as if he was suspended in the air by invisible threads.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    Shortly after, thest knight of the group was hit and copsed. In a matter of seconds, over ten people were groaning on the ground.


    Only then did Joshua slowlynd on the ground.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t giving up already, are you?¡± Joshua asked with a faint smile on his face.


    ¡°¡­Group two! Take group one¡¯s ce!¡± Decker roared.


    The knights standing in the second row moved forward while the ones in the third row took the copsed knights and retreated. Although Joshua could interfere with their formation change, he idly watched them instead.


    ¡°Monster¡­!¡± Decker eximed, his anxiety slipping out. Although he had expected it, Joshua was unimaginably powerful. What was the use of a formation against an enemy who could fly in the air without using mana?


    Decker¡¯s mind raced to formte a n.


    <em>¡®Retreat momentarily while he¡¯s in the air and use the moment hees down to the ground¡ª¡¯</em>


    ¡°...You aren¡¯t nning to use the moment Ind, are you?¡±


    Decker turned pale. It was as if Joshua was seeing right through him.


    ¡°Try it,¡± Joshua suggested, and then jumped back into the air.


    ¡°E-Everyone get back!¡±


    Instead of flying straight up, Joshua flew diagonally, continuing to swing his wooden staff.


    ¡°No you aren¡¯t! Head! Head! Head!¡±


    ¡°Argghhhhhh!¡±


    A chorus of one painful scream after another rose into the air as Joshua used the impact of his staff smacking their heads to bounce himself up again. He looked like a wolf jumping into the middle of a flock of sheep.


    ¡°H-How embarrassing¡­!¡± Decker dumbly mumbled. He felt like he was fighting against an expert mage¡¯s volley of magic attacks, but he couldn¡¯t do anything about it¡ªDecker and the others couldn¡¯t reach Joshua with their swords.


    Decker bit his lower lip. <em>¡®Th-There¡¯s no other way.¡¯</em>


    After defeating ten more knights, Joshuanded on the ground again.


    ¡°I can tell what you¡¯re thinking just from the look on your face.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°You must be thinking something pathetic, like, ¡®There¡¯s no other way¡¯ or something.¡±


    Joshua was spot on once again.


    ¡°Cain!¡± Joshua shouted.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What would you have done in this situation?¡±


    ¡°I would have ced the strongest knights in the first row and tried to slow you down and keep you on the ground at least once,¡± Cain immediately replied.


    ¡°How?¡±


    ¡°By any means necessary. At the very least, I wouldn¡¯t have chickened out like those cowards that are sparring with you,¡± Cain sneered, his narrowed eyes sweeping over the Knights.


    The Imperial Knights¡¯ faces reddened in humiliation. It was true; they cowered before the Martial God¡¯s skills.


    ¡°I see.¡± Joshua finally smiled, content. His head turned, but immediately stopped, his jaw gaping.


    His daughter was excitedly waving her arm at Joshua so hard that it looked like her arm would fall off.


    ¡°Daad¡ªNope. Your Majestyyyyyyy!¡±


    ¡°Iruca¡­?¡± Joshua was about to wave back to her, but a spiteful set of eyes caught his attention. Joshua furtively lowered his arm. ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    He might be facing his biggest crisis since he had returned to the Pce.


    ¡°Let¡¯s conclude today¡¯s spar,¡± Joshua quickly said.


    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Decker agreed because he didn¡¯t want to see the Imperial Knights dishonored any further. He would have normally dered that he and his knights were going to fight until the end, but Princess Iruca, the Imperial Knights¡¯ idol, had shown up. The Imperial Knights couldn¡¯t afford any more humiliation and had already lost their will to fight. On top of that the most feared woman in the Pce had made an appearance.


    The woman in question approached Joshua and the Imperial Knights


    ¡°Your Majesty, if you¡¯re done with your work, may I have a word with you?¡± the woman elegantly asked. It looked like she was carefully maintaining herposure. ¡°Anyhow, judging from how he¡¯s harassing the knights as soon as he returns, that seems His Majesty was greatly stressed while he was away.¡±


    ¡°...Did that look that way? Yeah, I think I got a little stressed because I¡¯ve had a lot on my mindtely¡­¡±


    Joshua trailed off. Unsurprisingly. Joshua¡¯s appeal for her sympathy didn¡¯t work at all.


    Icarus, the Heaven¡¯s Mind, officially the Second Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire, beamed. ¡°What a coincidence! So do I. Let¡¯s hear the detailster.¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes gleamed as she examined the Imperial Knights. ¡°For some reason, it looks like the Imperial Knights have been neglecting their training.¡±


    ¡°N-No! We drenched ourselves in sweat in our morning training today too¡ª!


    ¡°Is that why you got beaten up by His Majesty in spite of the fact that you¡¯re holding real swords?¡± Icarus asked, her voice dripping with sarcasm.


    Decker shut his mouth.


    When encountering Icarus, it was best to only present actual aplishments and never make excuses.


    ¡°We¡¯ll do better!¡± Decker shouted.


    ¡°Of course you will¡ªelse, I¡¯m going to help you out myself.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°The knights on the battlefield happen to be exhausted, so it¡¯s about time you fill in for them, isn¡¯t it?¡± Icarus tilted her head.


    Decker and the other Imperial Knights turned pale.


    The Imperial Knights currently had two main jobs: one was to guard the Pce in case of emergency, and the other was to fend off and execute the rebels that were endangering the Empire¡¯s peace. For the sake of their wellbeing, the Imperial Knights had been taking turns guarding the Pce and deploying to the battlefield at three-month intervals. The Imperial Knights in the Pce right now had returned from the battlefield less than three weeks ago.


    ¡°W-We¡¯ll grind ourselves!¡±


    ¡°And Your Majesty?¡± Icarus turned.


    At this point, Joshua¡¯s instincts were warning him of terrible danger.


    ¡°I think talking here is a good idea¡­¡± he began.


    ¡°W-We have a problem!¡± Just then, a soldier came flying towards them, confusing the gathering.


    ¡°He¡¯s wearing the uniform of the front gate guards.¡±


    Upon realizing that Joshua was there, the soldier''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty.¡± He bowed.


    ¡°Skip the formality. What is going on?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°There is someone who wishes to enter the Pce. I tried to send them back, but the news that they brought sounded serious¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Go on,¡± Icarus said with a gentle smile.


    ¡°...I know it¡¯s bizarre, but this person¡­ is saying that His Highness the Second Prince is in danger in western Avalon.¡±


    None of them understood what was going on still, but one person¡¯s eyes widened¡ªCain¡¯s.


    ¡°Is the person who delivered the news a woman?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Ah, yes, that¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Brte. Mid-thirties?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she d-definitely looked like that.¡±


    Cain vanished from the practice area before the soldier¡¯s words had fully left his lips. Considering that Joshua was with them right now, it was a tremendously rude thing to do.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get going too.¡±


    Fortunately, no one in this ce was that inflexible.

 Side Story Chapter 73

    Side Story Chapter 73


    Cain returned twenty minutester. Meanwhile, the Imperial Knights left, so only four¡ªno, five people were in the practice area, including the half-dead woman Cain carried in.


    Joshua tilted his head, confused. The woman seemed familiar, for some reason.


    ¡°Is she¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Anna bel Grace.¡±


    Joshua just calmly nodded, to Cain¡¯s surprise. ¡°I see¡­¡±


    Icarus was more surprised than Joshua.


    ¡°B-Bel Grace?¡± she stammered, her eyes wide. ¡°That means she¡¯s a member of the Imperial Family of the Swallow Empire.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s Draxia bel Grace¡¯s adopted daughter.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you talking about the War God?


    Cain nodded. ¡°It¡¯s all faded glory, though.¡±


    ¡°¡­So I¡¯m looking at the main reason behind the Agnus family¡¯s fall and an enemy of Her Imperial Majesty Lucia.¡± Icarus frowned. Draxia bel Grace, once called the War God, and Anna bel Grace, the woman in front of them now, they had led a team of assassins and attacked the Agnus Duchy for one goal: to kidnap Lucia, Duke Aden von Agnus¡¯s dirty linen and Joshua¡¯s only weakness. She was currently the highest elder of the Avalon Imperial Family, but she was once known as Asiru ben Britten, the tragic princess.


    Due to that attack, Babel von Agnus, the only heir to the duchy, had been critically injured. Since Anna bel Grace had harmed not just a noble of Avalon but also a member of the Imperial Family, she was a criminal in the eyes of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Family.


    ¡°Leave her to me.¡± Icarus gestured at Cain. ¡°It seems she¡¯s using the Second Prince as a hostage and scheming¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, she¡¯s not.¡±


    Cain interrupting a queen consort was problematic, to say the least, but Icarus only gave him a curious look, perhaps out of respect for their long friendship.


    ¡°I believe I have to report what happened so far first,¡± Cain said with a nod.


    Cain went on to exin how the rebellion in the south had been quelled and Anna had be their ally as well as why Anna had gone to the west with Kireua.


    ¡°¡­In other words, she¡¯s been feeling guilty for what she did to His Majesty and voluntarily trying to atone for her crimes. And she even made an oath on her elemental spirit to Kireua,¡± Icarus summarized.


    ¡°That is right.¡±


    In fact, Anna had lost the fight, so she had no choice but to swear her loyalty to Kireua. However, Cain didn''t bother to mention that. Although it hadn¡¯t been long, Cain was bing attached to Anna.


    Nevertheless, there was no fooling Icarus.


    ¡°¡­Hmmm.¡± She noticed that Cain was hiding something right away. ¡°I don¡¯t think that is the only reason¡­¡±


    ¡°I think I know what you¡¯re thinking, but it¡¯s nothing like that, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. I didn¡¯t say anything.¡±


    Cain grinned. ¡°I thought you and I didn¡¯t need words to understand each other.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think if someone heard you right now, they would misunderstand our rtionship?¡±


    ¡°If they knew you and me well, Your Majesty, they''d never think that.¡±


    ¡°Come on. I¡¯m just saying this because I¡¯m worried about you, Sir Cain: you should get married already.¡±


    ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem to be the right moment for this conversation,¡± Cain firmly answered, and then turned to Joshua. ¡°Your Majesty, I believe I must head to the west right away.¡±


    ¡°Do you believe her?¡±


    ¡°The Anna bel Grace that I¡¯ve seen until now isn¡¯t the type who would lie about a matter like this.¡±


    A subtle smile found its way onto Joshua¡¯s lips. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve gotten quite attached to her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s close to sympathy for now,¡± Cain honestly admitted; he didn¡¯t want Joshua to worry over a matter like this. Ever since Anna had matured, she had been a fugitive¡ªit had been decades, so Cain would be lying if he said that he didn¡¯t pity her. However, Cain was worried that Joshua held lingering resentment against her.


    ¡°I trust you.¡±


    Joshua only said one sentence, but Cain could feel his worries evaporate into nothing.


    <em>¡®¡­This is why I can never leave him.¡¯</em>


    Cain bowed. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, this is problematic. My original n was to throw a tantrum to make Cain participate in the tournament, but I lost my best Imperial Knight just like that.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, Your Majesty,¡± Icarus quietly interrupted. ¡°This is just my personal opinion, but why don¡¯t we let the ck Knights handle the tournament?¡±


    ¡°The ck Knights¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, you must not know about this. Selim made his own knight order.¡±


    ¡°Selim did?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°Yes. On a side note, our Imperial Knights also admit that the ck Knight Order is one of the three strongest¡­ So I think it¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t His Highness Selim in the east frontlines?¡± Cain questioned.


    ¡°Hmm? You don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Cain nkly asked back.


    Icarus¡¯s lips slowly curled downward. ¡°Look at this. You and him go and cause all sorts of new problems without thinking about solving the problems we already have. My children are better than their father!¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°A report was delivered to the Pce an hour ago. Selim and his one hundred knights have sessfully conquered Marquess Drenius¡¯s castle.¡±


    Cain''s eyes widened, and even Joshua was startled.


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°The entire Pce is talking about it, but the fact that Marquess Drenius managed to run away bugs me.¡±


    ¡°Selim conquered the castle, but the rebels¡¯ leader ran away? What in the world happened¡­?¡± Joshua mused.


    ¡°Anyhow, don¡¯t worry about the east. If the report is correct, the rebellion in the east is as good as finished, and I¡¯m going to send Iruca there too.¡±


    Iruaca thrust her hand into the air. ¡°Leave it to me!¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure about it? She¡¯s still a child¡­¡± Joshua gave her a look.


    Icarus shrugged. ¡°She might be a child in your eyes, but I¡¯m telling you that she¡¯s better than me. She¡¯s currently the best strategist in the empire.¡±


    ¡°Iruca is that good?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Since I¡¯m meeting my father for the first time in over a decade, I¡¯m disappointed to put our dramatic reunion to an end like this, but duty calls. We¡¯ll have another chance, won¡¯t we?¡± Iruca stuck out her tongue, but she wasn¡¯t able to hide her sadness. ¡°Don¡¯t leave before Ie back.¡±


    Joshua patted his daughter¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m more worried about you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, you really don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯lle back!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s head back to the council chamber and wrap up this conversation,¡± Joshua said.


    * * *


    After putting Anna in medical care, Cain left for western Avalon right away, and Iruca headed to the knights¡¯ quarters to check on the knights. When Joshua finished sending them off, he came back to the council chamber, followed by Iceline and Icarus. Now it was time for him to have an honest conversation with his family members.


    Sadly, Joshua wasn¡¯t able to.


    The head butler had been waiting for him.


    ¡°Your Majesty, the guest from the Pce annex is requesting an audience with you,¡± the butler informed him with a bow.


    Joshua could think of only one guest staying in the annex.


    ¡°Tell the guest toe in,¡± Joshua answered.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    The door opened to admit a person wearing a robe¡ªLilith Aphrodite, the only guest who was allowed, by imperial order, to wear her robe around the Pce.


    ¡°Greetings to His Majesty of the Avalon Empire.¡± Lilith bowed.


    ¡°Let¡¯s omit the formalities. What happened?¡±


    ¡°I felt it necessary to tell you the information I received.¡±


    Lilith nced at both sides of Joshua. The two queen consorts were staying close to the throne; they seemed worried that Joshua would run off.


    ¡°Information?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°The personnel in the Hubalt Empire are preparing to send a reply that they¡¯ll ept the Martial God¡¯s proposal for an international tournament to promote peace.¡±


    ¡°So one of the Four Pdins is also going toe?¡±


    Lilith nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard that all four of them are going toe to the Avalon Empire.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes narrowed. He hadn¡¯t expected such a result. Although he had been the one who asked for at least one of the Four Pdins toe, he never thought all four of them woulde.


    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± Lilith asked.


    ¡°¡­Of course. We now have an ace in the hole.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, how are you getting all this information?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± After hesitating for a moment, Lilith let out a sigh. ¡°I might have be a fugitive, but many of the Moon Gate members still trust me enough to follow me.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re dear to you.¡±


    Lilith flinched. Just thinking about them made her heart ache.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I want to repay them for their sacrifice, no matter what it takes,¡± she answered.


    ¡°It¡¯ll happen. I¡¯ll do my best to help you,¡± Joshua said.


    Icarus furtively poked Joshua¡¯s waist with her eyes narrowed into slits, but nevertheless, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll aid you as much as I can too.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty.¡± Lilith bowed to Icarus with a faint smile on her face.


    ¡°Hubalt is currently the strongest country on the continent and epted my proposal, so most of the other countries will participate in the tournament,¡± Joshua assumed.


    ¡°They have too much to lose by not participating in the tournament, so definitely.¡± Icarus nodded.


    ¡°Then when will the first delegation arrive, Icarus?¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Icarus pondered for a moment. ¡°The Swallow Empire and Terra Kingdom are geographically the closest countries to the Avalon Empire; even if they start preparing now, it¡¯ll take at least two weeks, including the time they need to select their delegations.¡±


    ¡°Two weeks will be enough,¡± Joshua said, rising from his seat.


    ¡°Wait a minute. What are you trying to do now?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t act pathetic in front of foreign delegates, much less stay in the Pce and rx when my children are doing all the hard work.¡±


    The three women stared at him, bewildered.


    ¡°A-Are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°Something¡¯s bugging me, so I¡¯m going to use this time to head to western Avalon.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 74

    Side Story Chapter 74


    From atop the walls of Marquess Drenius¡¯s castle in the east, Selim silently looked downward. With only his one hundred knights, he had conquered the eastern rebellion¡¯s headquarters, despite being outnumbered hundreds of times over.


    The initial n was effective. Selim and his ck Knights had been fighting a gueri war on their own for two days, but Drenius had been very cautious and had never so much as stepped a foot out of his castle in spite of how many times Selim and his knights had tempted him.


    At least in the beginning, Drenius had been cautious, but after a week, he¡¯d confirmed that Selim hadn¡¯t brought anyone else other than his ck Knights. Drenius had then personally led thousands of troops to fight Selim and his knights. However, Selim had instructed fifty of his knights to take cover near the castle gates before Drenius made his move.


    So began a game of cat and mouse. Selim and his fifty ck Knights had chased and been chased by Drenius¡¯s army for three days until the other fifty ck Knights had infiltrated the castle. Just like they had nned, the ck Knights had upied the empty castle, to the horror of Drenius and his army. The rebels had ?reconned the area several times, so the fact that they had missed a group of knights and that there were only fifty of them shocked the rebels.


    At that point, the rebels had panicked. Although they made best speed back to the castle, the ck Knights had already finished taking control of it. The rebels had tried to retake their castle using their superior numbers, but they had failed due to the ck Knights¡¯ meticulous preparations. As the rebels had approached, all sorts of high-ranking magic attacks had been fired toward them; the ck Knights had ripped apart the magic scrolls they had gotten from the Magic Tower for tens of thousands of gold.


    Fifty people indiscriminately firing spell after spell had created remarkable results. Drenius had failed to regain control of the castle, while Selim quietly entered the castle from the opposite gate.


    All that in thest two weeks and with only a hundred knights.


    Selim, who had been lost deep in thought, tilted his head in confusion because themunication crystal ball inside his pocket was vibrating. Shortly, an image of a familiar person appeared in front of Selim.


    -How are you, Selim?


    ¡°Iruca?¡± Selim''s eyes widened. ¡°I heard that you wereing back from the north, but you¡¯ve already arrived at the Pce?¡±


    -RIght. You look good. And I also heard about all your sess in the east. You¡¯ve done a fine job.


    Selim raised an eyebrow. ¡°¡­If you know the situation over here now, send me some reinforcements. I have to hunt down Marquess Drenius and his men quickly.¡±


    -What are you talking about? Are you seriously going to pursue him and the rebel remnants with just your ck Knights?


    ¡°It might have been different if the rebels decided to lock themselves in their castle, but the odds are good when I¡¯m fighting a gueri war in the ins.¡±


    -No, don¡¯t do it. At least not until I arrive there.


    ¡°What? You¡¯reing to the east, Iruca?


    -Yup, how can I say no to the order?


    ¡°Did Her Majesty Icarus¡­?¡±


    -I¡¯m talking about an order from someone a lot greater in many ways, not Mom.


    An image of a certain someone shed across Selim¡¯s mind. Someone who was greater than Icarus, the Heaven¡¯s Mind, and the unbelievable news that Selim had recently heard¡­


    ¡°Did you meet His Majesty?¡± Selim demanded.


    -Yup.


    Selim¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°H-How was he?¡±


    Joshua Sanders was publicly the emperor of the Avalon Empire and privately Selim¡¯s father, but Selim had looked up to Joshua as a fellow martial artist for such a long time that he didn¡¯t even remember how long.


    -He was very good and handsome as ever.


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Selim asked.


    -What more do you want, then? Ah, I was dying to hug him but I couldn¡¯t because too many people were watching, so I¡¯m a little sad.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. Is he still as great as ever or has gotten stronger, since it¡¯s been over a decade¡ª¡±


    -Why should I care about that kind of stuff, you spear nerd?


    Selim bit his tongue.


    -Anyhow, don¡¯t get any funny ideas. Sit tight until I arrive. If you go after them in spite of what I told you just because you got stronger, I¡¯m going to kill you.


    ¡°¡­Does His Majesty know this side of you?¡± Selim raised an eyebrow.


    -What? Are you crazy? Dad thinks I¡¯m the world¡¯s most elegant youngdy.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to reveal your true identity as soon as I have an audience with him.¡±


    -Don¡¯t you dare do it. I don¡¯t care if we¡¯re siblings, I will torment you until the day you die. Well, Dad probably won¡¯t believe you anyway.


    Selim realized that he ultimately had no choice but to wait in the castle. He knew better than anyone that once Iruca put her mind to bullying someone, they were in for a world of pain. However, Selim wasn¡¯t ready to yield just yet.


    ¡°¡­Iruca, I¡¯m telling you this just in case, but I am older than you,¡± Selim quietly said.


    -Hmph. You were born a couple of days earlier than me. ¡°Older¡±, my ass.


    ¡°We¡¯re born in different years, so I¡¯m a year older.¡±


    Selim had been born in December, and Iruca had been born the next January[1].


    -So what? Do you want me to call you older brother?


    ¡°Not really, but I would like to be treated as one.¡±


    -Get lost, spear-brain. Don¡¯t be ridiculous. Blehhh.


    Iruca winked and stuck out her tongue, then cut the call.


    Selim stared at the nk crystal ball for a moment and then let out a long sigh. ¡°Who would possibly marry her?¡±


    Selim decided once again that he was going to be good to his future brother-inw.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Cain, having traveled to the west through a warp gate, arrived at the vicinity of the western rebel headquarters on top of the mountain.


    ¡°¡­Something is weird,¡± Cain murmured. He felt it as soon as he arrived. There wasn¡¯t a single presence on the mountain, let alone rebel guards. He couldn¡¯t even hear birds chirping on this dark, damp mountain; it was as if there were not a single living creature there.


    ¡°Maybe I should have met with Ranger first,¡± Cain said regretfully. Although he hadn¡¯t seen the battlefield, he could be certain that the national and rebel armies were still continuing their confrontation, just like they had been before Cain left.


    Whenever a battle took ce, several things inevitably followed: ck smoke filling the sky, a thick burning scent lingering in the air, corpses and weapons scattered on the battlefield yet to be collected... Cain hadn''t been able to find any of those on his way here.


    ¡°It¡¯s so quiet that it¡¯s unsettling¡­¡±


    The incongruous feeling had persisted even during the climb up the mountain. Considering Kireua¡¯s ambush, the security around the rebels¡¯ headquarters should have been heightened unless the entire rebel army had descended the mountain for an all-out battle.


    When he reached the mountain¡¯s peak, he immediately tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    Although he was still unable to detect any presences, he was able to detect a new energy.


    ¡°¡­Demonic power!¡± Cain drew his sword. He felt a high-level demonic power that even he couldn¡¯t take lightly.


    A man walked right out of the castle gates as if he had been waiting for Cain. The man was holding a longsword shrouded in ck fire, his fiery red hair fluttering. Cain knew him very well.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­?¡± Cain cautiously asked.


    It was Kireua Sanders, Joshua Sanders¡¯s son and the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°You finally came,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°H-Have you been here on your own until now, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I had a business that I had to take care of, like I told you before.¡±


    ¡°Then where are the demonkin and Marquess Turtler, the head of the western rebel army¡­?¡± Cain looked around their surroundings.


    ¡°I killed all of them.¡±


    Cain flinched. His instincts were insistently warning him to get out of here, but he couldn¡¯t. Despite the bizarre feeling of disharmony overwhelming his senses, he was sure that the man in front of him was still the Kireua that he knew.


    ¡°All¡­ on your own, Your Highness?¡± Cain asked.


    Suddenly, something rolled out of a bush. Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Cain quietly grunted. Although maggot-ridden, it was clearly a human head.


    ¡°That¡¯s Marquess Turtler¡¯s head.¡±


    This was quite a surprise. In other words, Kireua had single-handedly chopped off the rebel leader¡¯s head and exterminated the demonkin.


    Cain couldn¡¯t help but doubt, as thest remark Anna had made before losing consciousness was bugging him so much.


    <em>¡°His Highness¡­ is in¡­ danger¡­¡±</em>


    Her voice had been so faint that ordinary people wouldn¡¯t have been able to hear her, but Cain had. It led him to a decision.


    Cain¡¯s sword rasped out of its sheath.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing, Sir Cain?¡± Kireua narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Stop there, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Are you out of your mind? How dare you point a sword at a member of the Imperial Family¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please forgive my rudeness, but I¡¯ll dly ept punishment for high treason as soon as I can confirm one thing,¡± Cain said.


    Kireua replied with action. Explosions suddenly erupted out of the ground in all directions, pirs of ebon me wing for the sky.


    Cain¡¯s expression turned grim. He not only still felt the disharmony but he was also detecting an overwhelming level of power from Kireua. If worse came to worst, Cain would have to fight Kireua¡ªbut would Cain be able to capture Kireua alive without inflicting any critical injuries?


    <em>¡®¡­This is problematic. I have to know the reason behind this feeling to even try something. If His Majesty were here¡­¡¯</em> Cain agonized, biting his lower lip.


    ¡°Phew¡ªit¡¯s not easy catching up with this body.¡±


    Cain gasped, his head whipping around.


    Astonishingly, Joshua was standing right next to Cain, sweating.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty? W-When did you¡­?¡± Cain hadn¡¯t detected any presences following him until the moment Joshua was standing right beside him. Considering that he was called Combat Emperor and was one of the Nine Stars, that was a jaw-dropping feat.


    <em>¡®D-Did I not notice his energy because he¡¯s be too weak? Yes, his stealth techniques are exceptional, but¡­¡¯</em>


    Joshua pointed at Kireua with his chin, interrupting Cain¡¯s train of thought. ¡°Let¡¯s talkter. We should take care of that first, shouldn¡¯t we?¡±


    Cain¡¯s head snapped back to Kireua.


    Kireua¡¯s face was crumpled up. ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡± he growled like a ferocious animal.


    Cain became certain that that wasn¡¯t Kireua.


    1. In the Korean age system, a person gets a year older every January 1st, but this system was abolished in June 2023 ?

 Side Story Chapter 75

    Side Story Chapter 75


    ¡°Although I¡¯m a pathetic father, I¡¯m still your father¡ªso isn¡¯t calling me ¡®Joshua Sanders'' a bit too much? Or have you given up on pretending to be my son? You were really bad at it, by the way.¡±


    Despite Joshua¡¯s sarcastic remark, he received no answer; the temperature rose instead.


    ¡°Your Majesty, why in the world did you follow me to such a dangerous ce?¡± Cain asked in a hushed voice.


    ¡°My son is in danger, so what parent wouldn¡¯te?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Does that mean¡ª?¡±


    ¡°Kiruea is being tested by two different Evil Sins¡¯ powers, just like Emperor Marcus and my father were by the Demon Spirit in the past,¡± Joshua said.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened. The Demon Spirit, Evil Sins¡¯ powers, tests¡­ not a single word could be taken lightly.


    ¡°A-Are you serious?¡± Cain stammered.


    ¡°I don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°But why are you soposed? You know how the people who lost their bodies to the Demon Spirit ended up¡ª!¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°That isn¡¯t the Demon Spirit.¡±


    ¡°But the Evil Sins¡¯ powers are the Demon Kings, and they¡¯re the strongest demons after the Demon Spirit!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Unlike before, I¡¯m here from the start,¡± Joshua said.


    Cain closed his mouth. It definitely was different than before since Joshua couldn¡¯t withstand one all-out attack from Cain in his current state.


    ¡°¡­Alright, but stand back. Don¡¯t even think about getting caught up on your pride.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Joshua stepped away so readily that Cain gaped at him for a moment.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s so unpredictable,¡¯</em> Cain thought as he fixed his grip on his sword.


    Cain¡¯s golden aura undted around him. He was known as the Combat Emperor Star by the people of Igrant, so his enemy wasn¡¯t the only one who was the second strongest after a god.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to exterminate this evil, but if His Highness gets injured in the process, I¡¯ll leave that matter in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Joshua gestured at Cain. ¡°Just do your best like you said.¡±


    ¡°¡­I will.¡±


    Cain didn¡¯t hesitate any longer. The greatsword he held upright turned ck. Although many people had forgotten it, Cain had once been taught by the greatest swordsman of the Avalon Empire: the Dark God. Despite the turmoil the Dark God had caused in the past, he had been an undeniably great martial artist. His name was Aden von Agnus, Joshua¡¯s biological father.


    -How dare you¡­


    ¡°That voice¡­ you¡¯re definitely not His Highness.¡±


    -Die in my demonic mes.


    Cain''s eyes widened.


    The demon stirred up fire quite literally straight out of the Demon Realm itself. Pirs of ck me shot out of the ground in an arc around Cain and charged toward him.


    On his part, Cain ignored the five pirs of fire flying toward him and sprang toward Kireua as fast as lighting.


    Cain inhaled sharply andunched a ck aura attack in the same moment, forcing Kireua to brandish his burning ck de to counter it.


    The two attacks mmed into each other.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Cain groaned, the rebound numbing his fingertips. A human couldn¡¯t attack with a force like this. Cain felt like he was pushing against a gigantic boulder.


    Sparks flew menacingly from the nearby ck mes, threatening Cain and soaking him in sweat in seconds. Cain¡¯s skin stung due to the extreme temperature. Kireua was also in the vicinity of the fire; he should also have been affected by the ebon me, but he just grinned as if that was nothing.


    -No human can endure this me.


    ¡°What happened to His Highness?¡± Cain asked.


    -Can you afford to worry about another person like this?


    ¡°What?¡±


    -It looks like you¡¯ll die any minute, human.


    Kireua¡¯s cruel smile deepened.


    A sudden flurry of activity grabbed Cain¡¯s attention. The five pirs of fire that wereing after Cain were rising to the sky. The ends of the fire pirs met at the top, trapping Cain like a cage.


    -It¡¯s called the Demon King¡¯s Cage.


    ¡°You put a pretty fancy name on your technique, demon,¡± Cain said sarcastically.


    -Don¡¯t you humans do that often?


    ¡°¡­Well, I can¡¯t deny that.¡± Cain shrugged.


    -Keep in mind that this cage will be narrower over time.


    ¡°Then let this old man show you some simr stuff.¡±


    The situation wasn¡¯t looking too good for Cain, but he was still rxed.


    -Why would a boy like you pretend to be an old man? Tsk.


    Kireua slowly raised his sword. To Cain¡¯s astonishment, ebon mes dripped off of the five fire pirs and gathered at the tip of Kireua¡¯s sword.


    -Die.


    When Kireua swung his sword, his fire flew through the air. Cain was already prepared and swung his sword in reply, sending a powerful aura attack of his own.


    The two auras attack collided, showering their surroundings with sparks and fragments of aura. Nevertheless, Cain didn¡¯t pause to consider the results and dove straight into the storm of fire. Although he wrapped himself in his aura, his skin stung, and every instinct screamed at him to not approach. Nevertheless, Cain went deeper into the storm.


    At that moment, Cain became one with his sword, the level that only advanced A-ss swordsmen could even begin to try. Was he a sword or a human? It was impossible to distinguish with the naked eye.


    The only sound in the world then was a mighty hum that shook the sky. The sword became the man, and the man became the sword, finally reaching perfect unity between Cain and his sword. The embodied sword was with a ck fang now.


    <em>¡®Embodied Sword Dark Moon sh,¡¯</em> Cain mumbled.


    As the sword itself, Cain leaped high into the air and flew down to Kireua as a crescent-shaped aura attack to sh the enemy.


    -¡­How remarkable.


    The person in Kireua was genuinely surprised. He had lived for eons, but he had never run into a swordsman like Cain. Throughout the vast Demon Realm, many demons used the sword as their primary weapon, but their mastery was iparable to a mere human¡¯s. Humans lived for one hundred years at maximum; in contrast to them, demons lived for eternity, as long as they weren¡¯t annihted. However, the human in front of him demonstrated sword skills that were just as good as any demon¡¯s.


    An explosion wracked the area that made everything that came before look like firecrackers. The nearby pirs of fire visibly dimmed because most of the fire gathered around Kireua¡¯s sword. The ground heaved from an earthquake, and thunder cracked through the sky when their two darknesses collided, followed by a mighty boom that shook the earth itself. The attacks that thebatants threw out shed as if they were trying to devour each other.


    Surprisingly, Kireua gave first. A spiderweb of cracks began to spread across his de until it finally exploded in his hands.


    -No¡­!


    ¡°Give us back His Highness!¡±


    A look of panic appeared on Kireua¡¯s face for the first time as his medium for his ebon me was gone. With that barrier eliminated, Cain swung his sword like a tsunami as if he was trying to y the space itself, not merely Kireua.


    -¡­I have no other choice.


    Cain flinched just as he was about to put an end to the fight.


    -I¡¯m not used to this body yet, so although it¡¯s a shame, I have no other choice but to discard it.


    <em>¡®D-Discard?¡¯</em>


    -Are you sure about this? Once I pull myself out of this body, it¡¯ll be as fragile as fine china. Considering this body is in the center of such a strong aura attack, it would be smashed into pieces.


    Cain became visibly anxious. He wasn¡¯t sure who was inside Kireua right now, but the body definitely belonged to Kireua. Cain couldn¡¯t just kill Kireua right now¡­


    <em>¡®Wh-What should I do?¡¯</em>


    His moment of hesitation was a mistake. Although it was a blink of an eye for ordinary people, it was like half a day for someone like Kireua.


    -You weakling, hehehehe.


    ¡°¡­Oh, no.¡±


    When Cain lost hisposure, he wasn¡¯t able to maintain his Embodied Sword form anymore, and his energy became turbulent, which Kireua used to his advantage.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡±


    Although Cain turned his torso at thest moment, his shoulder was left undefended, allowing Kireua to pierce the area beside Cain¡¯s corbones. The injury was clearly critical¡ªworse, disgusting demonic power rushed into the wound.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I made this kind of mistake¡­!¡± Cain quietly groaned.


    -Hehe¡­ This is your end, human.


    Cain could feel his face reddening in embarrassment. Despite his big talk, a momentarypse of judgment caused him to make a critical mistake.


    <em>¡®I still have a long way to go.¡¯ </em>Cain quietly closed his eyes. His hands were already full just stopping the demonic power from entering his body.


    The situation took an unexpected turn.


    ¡°Good job, Cain.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty?¡±


    When Cain opened his eyes, he could see Joshua grinning at him.


    ¡°Hold onto him so he won¡¯t be able to run away,¡± Joshua said. ¡°If we miss this attack, it¡¯ll be the end of you and me.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Despite the wave of pain rushing through his body, Cain faithfully carried out Joshua¡¯s order. He squeezed his muscles, making sure that Kireua couldn¡¯t pull his hand out of Cain¡¯s shoulder.


    -What are you trying to do? How did you enter the cage?


    Joshua had approached Kireua¡¯s back from outside the cage of fire.


    ¡°Do you want to know how?¡± Joshua asked, hefting his white spear with a grin. ¡°Then give me back my son first, you jerk.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 76

    Side Story Chapter 76


    <em>¡®I might have to abandon this body to solve this.¡¯</em> Joshua smiled bitterly. Although he didn¡¯t show it, he was in bad shape because he was using another person¡¯s body rather than his own.


    -I won¡¯t let you have your way.


    Joshua¡¯s eyebrow rose. Beelzebub raised his sword and then tried to cut off the arm piercing Cain¡¯s shoulder. Joshua, however, wouldn¡¯t let that happen because Beelzebub was not using his own body either.


    ¡°Cain!¡± Joshua shouted.


    Cain grabbed Beelzebub¡¯s arms and bared his teeth in a bloody grin that let blood drip out of his mouth.


    -Are you trying to die or something?!


    ¡°I won¡¯t.¡±


    -What?!


    Cain chuckled. ¡°My master won¡¯t let that happen.¡±


    Cain¡¯s fanatical faith made Beelzebub recoil in surprise. Since Beelzebub was directly infusing his demonic power into Cain, he knew precisely what was happening to Cain. By now, Cain must be in so much pain that it felt like all his organs were being gnawed by bugs.


    -Arggh!


    Beelzebub trembled. A white spear pierced straight into his heart¡ªworse, the spear was constantly releasing thick divine power.


    -You¡¯re¡­ craz¡­ y¡­! Are you going to¡­ kill your¡­ own son¡­?


    ¡°He won¡¯t die. Do I look that stupid?¡± Joshua asked with an annoyed frown.


    -What¡­?


    ¡°This spear is made purely of divine power, so it won¡¯t inflict any physical damage to humans,¡± Joshua exined.


    -Urgh¡­!


    It was a jaw-dropping feat. Even ck mages couldn¡¯t use demonic power without making a contract with demons, nor could priests wield divine power withoutmuning with a god. Those narrow-minded angels never lended their powers to someone without deep faith.


    Nevertheless, here was someone who was capable of using both powers without meeting those requirements. In the entire history of the continent¡ªno, all the realms¡ªthere had not been a single man who had both divine and demonic powers. Despite the fact that this man was a lowly human, he had be the first god-yer.


    -Joshua Sanders¡­!


    Beelzebub growled in a spiteful, strangled voice.


    ¡°How long are you going to hide in my son¡¯s body?¡± Joshua calmly retorted.


    -Arghhhh¡­.!


    ¡°Come out now.¡±


    -Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!


    With a creepy scream, a bizarre, demonic head emerged.


    ¡°There you are.¡±


    -Fu¡­ ck¡­!


    Joshua caught Kireua¡¯s unconscious body in his arms. Beelzebub, in his ck, shadowy demon form, leaped far backward. Although he released a suffocatingly thick cloud of demonic power, he had a ring white hole in the left side of his chest.


    ¡°Torso, legs, arms, head¡­ take your pick. I¡¯ll cut off at least one of them right now,¡± Joshua said.


    Beelzebub gritted his teeth. He was one of the Seven Demon Kings, the strongest demons in the Demon Realm, and hadn¡¯t lost his Evil Sin power, unlike the other Demon Kings, yet he could feel fear emerging from deep within his heart.


    -You monster¡­!


    <em>¡®I hope he retreats,¡¯</em> Joshua thought.


    Joshua was also secretly feeling anxious. Maybe because he had recently been overworking himself, his power was already turning violent, so his whole body ached as if that was going to break down any minute.


    Cain stood in front of Joshua. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡±


    -I¡¯ll kill you all!


    Beelzebub¡¯s demonic power erupted, stinging Joshua¡¯s skin. Beelzebub was clearly furious and wanted Joshua, the person who had killed demons¡¯ god and had annihted their realm, dead.


    A horde of fanged mouths¡ªhundreds of them, at least¡ªappeared in the air and moved in ordance with Beelzebub¡¯s guidance. Those mouths devoured everything in their path. Walls, decorations, stone pirs¡­ everything was reduced to dust the moment those mouths got to it. They literally turned into ashes.


    Joshua¡¯s eyes turned cold; he already knew what that power was: the Demon King of Gluttony¡¯s Third Authority, Nicaragua, the Rotting Demon¡¯s Mouth.


    ¡°It looks like he has no intention of standing down,¡± Joshua observed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect you with my life,¡± Cain said. Despite the situation, he wore a deep smile. In fact, he was downright beaming.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Cain, am I mistaken? I thought I saw you smiling.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re spot on.¡±


    ¡°Why are you smiling?¡±


    ¡°After decades, I finally get to be your guard, master,¡± Cain proudly answered.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re ridiculous.¡± Joshua chuckled quietly.


    Judging from the fact that Cain called Joshua ¡°master¡±, not ¡±Your Majesty¡± as usual, Cain must have been having the time of his life.


    ¡°I always asked you to have my back, but please guard my front this time,¡± Joshua requested.


    ¡°As my emperor wills.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to take the me if your health worsenster because of this.¡±


    ¡°I never thought about ming you in the first ce. As a matter of fact, I¡¯m the happiest I¡¯ve ever been since I became your knight because I feel like I can finally do my job, master,¡± Cain said, his smile undiminished.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be dramatic.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious. I know it¡¯s wrong, but I hope you stay weak.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression shifted subtly. ¡°You might really die, then. You know that all my enemies are monsters like him.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be d to die if I break as your sword.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be lucky to just break. Why if you¡¯re bent so badly that you can never be a sword again?¡±


    ¡°Then it would have happened while trying to protect you, right?¡± Cain chuckled. ¡°I think that is the most honorable injury for a knight.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean honorable? That means nothing if you die or be disabled¡­¡±


    ¡°Animals leave their skins behind after their death, but humans leave their names. The name ¡®Cain de Harry¡¯ will forever be remembered as the star that fell while trying to protect the Martial God.¡±


    ¡°My pride hurts a bit,¡± Joshua joked.


    ¡°Hehehe, then please do your best from now on. I don¡¯t want to die in vain even before I get married.¡±


    Joshua smiled once again and created a snow-white spear in each hand; they were the same as the spear of divine power that Joshua had driven into Beelzebub¡¯s heart earlier.


    In Joshua¡¯s current state, it was difficult to create even one, but he made two. On top of that, he then merged the two spears into a single, two-meter-tall spear.


    ¡°It looks like your old favorite weapon,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°Are you talking about Lugia?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªwhere is it by the way?¡±


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°I can¡¯t use it now anyway. Lugia must be going crazy out of boredom in the depths of the north.¡±


    ¡°That Demon Spirit? Ah, I feel so much better.¡±


    ¡°Cain.¡±


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    ¡°Focus on the battle. Trust me and forget about everything else. You see the mark I made, right? Aim for his heart.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes shone. Sparks were still flying from the wound Joshua had created. ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    -Nicaraguaaaaa!


    The ck mouths surrounded Cain and Joshua in all directions.


    ¡°Now!¡± Joshua shouted.


    Cain sprang forward like a lightning bolt, ignoring the threats behind him. Whether or not those mouths rotted everything that they touched, Cain¡¯s back was guarded by none other than Joshua, the great Martial God.


    ¡°Duck!¡±


    -Kieeeeeeeeeh!


    One of the mouths clipped the top of Cain¡¯s hair. Was all his hair going to corrode when only a part came into contact with the mouth?


    Instantly, a tunnel through the air was created above Cain¡¯s slicked-back hair. Cain didn¡¯t see it, but he could tell from the sound that Joshua¡¯s spear was dancing, shooting down all the mouths.


    Cain was ten meters away from his target, close enough that he could try leaping to it. He made a snap call and leaped high in the air, cratering the ground underneath his feet. He could see the demon¡¯s shadow swaying from side to side right in front of him.


    ¡°This is it,¡± Cain murmured. Cain¡¯s sword thrust forward like a bolt of lightning.


    But suddenly, another gigantic mouth appeared superimposed over Beelzebub¡¯s mouth, baring a forest of fangs ready to bite off Cain¡¯s head. It seemed Cain was in a crisis.


    -Kieeeeh!


    No, it didn¡¯t even qualify as a threat. Right on time, a white spear streaked out of the sky and struck the mouth like the fury of a god. The demon writhed around the spear impaling it dead-center.


    And right after that, Cain split the demon¡¯s heart.


    -Arggghhhhh!


    The demon¡¯s scream split the air, just like a human¡¯s would.


    -You¡­ human¡­ bastards¡­!


    ¡°Mmm¡­ Master, are you sure that this demon can be annihted?¡± Cain stopped when he was halfway through Beelzebub¡¯s heart.


    Joshua looked down at Beelzebub, visibly tired, but every one of the mouths that had surrounded them was gone like smoke.


    ¡°Put in more power,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°I want to, but I can¡¯t¡­¡±


    Just like Cain said, his sword was firmly stuck halfway into the white hold. Cain pushed harder and poured his aura into it, but it didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°That¡¯s because you¡¯re new to this,¡± Joshua exined.


    ¡°New¡­?¡±


    ¡°When annihting demons, especially high-ranking demons like Demon Kings, you have to use your mana a little differently. Divine power, the pr opposite of demonic power, could have saved you the trouble, though.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®differently¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­¡± Joshuanded in front of the unsteady demon and held out his hand toward the spear skewering him through the mouth. Cracks spread through the entire length of the weapon. ¡°...like this.¡±


    When the spear was infused with aura, the spear exploded.

 Side Story Chapter 77

    Side Story Chapter 77


    Kireua dreamed of his barely-remembered childhood.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Kireua fell down.


    A child with deep blue hair and of simr age to Kireua, stood proudly, pointing the long wooden staff he held with both hands at Kireua.


    ¡°¡­I lost.¡± Kireua bit his lower lip in frustration.


    The other child received a round of apuse from everyone.


    ¡°His Highness Selim is indeed great.¡±


    ¡°He takes after His Majesty¡¯s talent.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll be able to use his mana in no time at this rate.¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t help but notice theplimentsvished on Selim.


    ¡°Compared to him, His Highness Kireua is¡­¡±


    ¡°He moved well, but he keeps having problems when ites to spears. It¡¯s like he¡¯s wearing clothes that don¡¯t fit.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he¡¯s not His Majesty¡¯s son?¡±


    ¡°Watch it! Someone might hear you!¡±


    Maybe Kireua¡¯s only gift was his hearing ability¡ªeveryone talked in a hushed voice, but Kireua could hear them as clear as day.


    However, the voices abruptly ceased, and the knights hurriedly bowed. Charles entered and sent everyone away.


    ¡°Kireua,¡± she quietly said.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty,¡± Kireua stammered.


    ¡°Raise your head.¡± Charles turned to look at Selim. ¡°Selim, you got better, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Selim was as taciturn as he was quick witted. He bowed politely and saw himself out.


    Charles immediately leaned toward Kireua. ¡°Your brother is leaving, so why don¡¯t you say goodbye?¡±


    Kireua just bit his lip angrily.


    ¡°Are you angry about losing the spar?¡± Charles gently asked. ¡°I¡¯m a little worried. Having a good rival will help you grow, but I don¡¯t want you to hate your only brother.¡±


    Kireua still didn¡¯t answer because he was so angry about his defeat that he couldn¡¯t stand it.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just saying this to console you. His Majesty also always regrets it.¡±


    ¡°¡­His Majesty does?¡± Kireua finally responded.


    The Emperor of Avalon was Kireua¡¯s idol, so he always listened carefully to stories about the Emperor of Avalon with sparkling eyes.


    Charles nodded. ¡°Yes, he has a brother too.¡±


    ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard this¡­¡±


    ¡°It must be. Everyone tries not to mention it, and His Majesty himself doesn¡¯t try to meet his brother.¡±


    ¡°Who is his brother?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s the current Duke Agnus.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°What? Are you talking about <em>the</em> Agnus family? The one that¡¯s copsing?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Babel von Agnus is His Majesty¡¯s only brother, but that isn¡¯t the important part¡­ His Majesty still regrets how he left things with Duke Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Well, they had plenty of chances to repair their rtionship, but they didn¡¯t. Although the rest of the family did mean things to His Majesty, Duke Agnus wasn¡¯t exactly at fault. In fact, he turned over a new leaf and helped His Majesty in secret,¡± Charles exined.


    ¡°Huh? Then why did they drift apart?¡± Kireua asked.


    Charles smiled. ¡°That is how life is. Brothers drift apart as they get older. They¡¯re close yet distant from each other.¡±


    ¡°¡­I think I understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Kireua looked at Selim¡¯s retreating back and clenched his fists. Kireua thought that he could never be close to Selim. Getting constantlypared to him by other people was one of the reasons, but Kireua and Selim were as different as fire and ice.


    ¡°¡­But it¡¯ll definitely be hard to be close with him,¡± Kireua murmured.


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°Selim and I have different mothers. Why in the world did His Majesty have to get married several times¡­¡±


    Charles¡¯s expression darkened for the first time. ¡°Kireua, you shouldn¡¯t say such things.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you angry?¡± Kireua asked, startled by his mother¡¯s serious tone.


    Before long, the smile returned to Charles¡¯s face, dissipating the tension as quickly as it appeared.


    ¡°He¡¯s notscivious. That is not why His Majesty has three queen consorts,¡± Charles said.


    ¡°Then why?¡±


    ¡°I had a problem in my family, and Selim¡¯s mom had a problem with the organization she was in.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Her Majesty Icarus?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°For her case, it¡¯s the results of her sheer effort. She followed His Majesty around like a fanatic, and a whileter, she shouted at the top of her lungs in the Pce, ¡®Because of you, I was too busy tending to the state¡¯s affairs and became an old bachelorette. It¡¯s all your fault!¡¯¡± The memory made Charles burst intoughter.


    ¡°People say that they thought Her Majesty Icarus and Sir Cain were going to get married.¡±


    ¡°No, no, their age difference is too big. If they did, Sir Cain would have been treated as a thief.[1]¡±


    Kireua scratched the back of his head. ¡°Why has Sir Cain still not gotten married?¡±


    ¡°He lost someone whom he was deeply in love with when he was young.¡±


    ¡°R-Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± Charles said, nodding. ¡°He still hasn¡¯t gotten over her. You may find this hard to believe, but there are still a number of women who have a crush on Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Losing the woman he loved¡­? How could that have happened?¡±


    ¡°Well, I think the right thing to do is ask Sir Cain himself,¡± Charles said.


    Her eyes suddenly widened just as a shadow loomed over Kireua.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± Charles bowed elegantly.


    It was Joshua; thus, Kireua quickly stood up from the ground and shouted, ¡°G-Greetings, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Have you lost again, Kireua?¡± Joshua asked.


    Kireua¡¯s expression rapidly soured.


    ¡°Your Majesty?¡± Charles poked Joshua¡¯s waist with a smile stered on her face.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m asking out of genuine curiosity.¡±


    ¡°What are you saying?¡±


    ¡°This must be why it¡¯s said that parents can learn from their children too.¡± Joshua nodded.


    Charles tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Kireua.¡± Joshua looked down at his child.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What does that feel like to lose?¡±


    Kireua nkly gaped at him.


    Charles jammed her finger into Joshua¡¯s waist.


    ¡°¡­Urgh! This is to motivate the kid!¡± Joshua grumbled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be in charge of his education, so why don¡¯t you tend to state affairs, Your Majesty? You must be busy as a bee right now.¡±


    ¡°<em>Cough, cough</em>¡­¡± Joshua quietly cleared his throat and turned back to Kireua. ¡°You must be frustrated. You lost, so you must be. Obviously, I don¡¯t know what that feels like. That might sound cocky, but I never had any rivals even when I was a boy like you.


    ¡°That is why I stopped getting better at some point,¡± he quickly continued before Charles¡¯s scowl could return. ¡°If I hadn¡¯t tried to ovee my curse, my skills would have been the same as they were decades ago.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re strong even if you don¡¯t try.¡±


    ¡°No matter how strong someone is, they may as well be dead if they don¡¯t improve. That is the biggest difference between you and me.¡±


    ¡°Difference?¡± Kireua repeated.


    ¡°Yes, your drive to be better. You have the will to more than surpass Selim, whatever it takes. I once had someone who made me feel that way.¡±


    The conversation impacted Kireua greatly, especially the part where Joshua told him he had a Selim of his own.


    ¡°Watch Selim and continue to cultivate yourself. You¡¯ll catch up with him in no time.¡± Joshua patted Kireua¡¯s head and then stood up.


    Ever since that conversation, Kireua had shed blood, sweat, and tears to improve himself.


    * * *


    Kireua''s eyes widened. The world around him suddenly changed, depositing him in an empty white space except for something ck, like a ink blot on a piece of paper, wriggling around on the ground.


    ¡°¡­Coal.¡±


    Kireua got no answer back.


    ¡°Coal!¡±


    Coal finally stood up, only half conscious.


    -Hmm¡­?


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Kireua asked.


    - What? Is it mealtime?


    Kireua let out a long sigh. Although he knew that he was in his subconscious realm, he couldn¡¯t help his feelings of shame. He should have woken up, but he didn¡¯t¨Cor rather, couldn¡¯t. He had confidently challenged his enemy, but he had suffered a devastating loss and remained unconscious even now.


    Kireua recalled hisst memory. After returning to the rebel castle on top of the mountain, he had seen Marquess Turtler¡¯s corpse and many others. The demon that had introduced himself as Beelzebub was responsible. Faster than Kireua could react, the demon¡¯s dark energy had blown against Kireua¡¯s face and he had lost consciousness before he could fight back. He didn¡¯t want to use hisck of experience with mental attacks as an excuse.


    After all his boasting, Kireua hadn¡¯t even had a chance to swing his sword, much less to demonstrate his decades of effort.


    ¡°...Should I just die?¡± Kireua murmured. Although he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes yet, he instinctively knew that he and Coal had been eaten by the demon with the Evil Sin¡¯s power, stealing control of his body. Maybe it was better to die than to see himself hurting the people dear to him.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®die¡¯?¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened as the world around him suddenly brightened. Cracks spread all over the white bounds of his subconscious realm until it shattered into a million pieces.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡± Kireua nkly asked. Beyond his subconscious realm he found himself inside of a half-destroyed castle, with the man who Kireua had missed so much standing in front of him.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Just call me ¡®dad¡¯. There¡¯s no one else here other than Cain.¡±


    Kireua trembled like he was having a seizure. Joshua¡¯s voice alone assured Kireua that he wasn¡¯t dreaming. He was back in the real world.


    ¡°You¡¯re doing a good job.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s shortpliment brought tears to Kireua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°You be a better man than I expected. Keep up the good work.¡± Joshua stroked Kireua¡¯s head, just like that day when Kireua was still a boy. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re already neck to neck with Selim, so at this rate, you¡¯ll be as good as me someday.¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Kireua choked up.


    Joshua smiled.


    ¡°Although surpassing me is a different story,¡± he confidently proimed.


    1. It¡¯s an expression in Korea. The origin is unclear, but it¡¯s often used for someone whose significant other is much younger than them. ?

 Side Story Chapter 78

    Side Story Chapter 78


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Cain approached Joshua.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll need to take a long vacationter, but I¡¯m fine right now,¡± Cain answered.


    Joshua looked over his bloodied knight and nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear,¡± he said.


    As a matter of fact, Joshua wasn¡¯t in good shape either as he had overworked himself by detonating thest spear.


    ¡°But we basically lost. The demon got away.¡±


    ¡°That demon is Kiruea¡¯s prey anyway. As his father, I should give him better prey, not take it away.¡±


    Cain closed his mouth. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder when Joshua had be considerate of others.


    ¡°Are you sure about this, Kireua?¡± Joshua asked.


    Kireua quickly stood up from the ground. ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s one of the Seven Demon Kings, the strongest demons in the Demon Realm.¡±


    ¡°I think this is for the better.¡±


    ¡°For the better?¡± Joshua repeated.


    ¡°I got motivated and recovered west Avalon with ease.¡±


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Cain quietly chuckled. ¡°He doesn¡¯t get dispirited even if he loses, is confident, and resilient. His Highness is definitely your son, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve never lost a fight in my life.¡±


    ¡°Why do you always have to ruin the mood?¡±


    ¡°I have to get the facts straight.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°It didn¡¯t matter if your enemy was the emperor, your biological father, or an army a million strong, you smiled in situations where you were most likely to lose. That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡±


    ¡°You should have led with that.¡±


    ¡°I put it that way to console His Highness,¡± Cain grumbled. ¡°Well, if I nitpick, we basically lost today. Ah¡ªdon¡¯t say that it was for His Highness¡¯s sake.¡± Cain raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You saw Beelzebub dissipating like fog in the end, right? Gasification is the Demon King of Gluttony¡¯s other ability. He synchronizes with people¡¯s emotions and makes them lose their reason, allowing him to possess their body.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened when he realized what he had gone through. If that was true, it was truly horrifying.


    ¡°I can¡¯t go after someone like him in my current state.¡± Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°Well, he must be a Demon King for a reason¡­ Okay, I¡¯ll let that go for now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so old that it wouldn¡¯t be weird if someone called you a grandpa, but for some reason, you seem to have be more narrow-minded over time.¡±


    ¡°I also don¡¯t usually nitpick unless I¡¯m dealing with you.¡±


    Joshua raised an eyebrow. ¡°What did I do?¡±


    ¡°I have no reason for it, but I just want to get grouchy when I look at you. It¡¯s all because of your karma.¡±


    Joshua shook his head for a moment before turning his attention back to Kireua. ¡°Anyhow, I think we haven¡¯t finished talking.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about that thing on your shoulder, Kireua.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s confusion was wiped away by shock. ¡°Y-You can see this?¡±


    ¡°Of course I can. Judging from your reaction, other people can¡¯t see it, huh?¡± Joshua peered at Coal, who was crouching on Kireua¡¯s shoulder, snoring.


    ¡°What in the world is on His Highness¡¯s shoulder?¡± Cain asked. He was one of the strongest people on the entire continent, but even he couldn¡¯t see it.


    ¡°Use mana to enhance your vision if you want to know. Focus only on the area on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulders,¡± Joshua instructed.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll give it a shot. Cain¡¯s eyes sparkled and shortly after, he could discern the faint form of a cotton ball. ¡°That¡¯s¡­? What in the world is that?¡±


    ¡°You should ask Kireua himself. Do you know what that is, Kireua?¡±


    Kireua hesitated for a moment.


    ¡°...I don¡¯t know its exact identity, but the demon called Coal the Evil Sin of Greed.¡±


    ¡°Coal? Is that this alien creature¡¯s name?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s face reddened slightly in embarrassment.


    ¡°D-Did you say the Evil Sin of Greed?¡± Cain spat.


    ¡°That is what I heard.¡±


    ¡°That demon earlier was the Demon King of Gluttony?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about Beelzebub, I¡¯m certain he was.¡±


    Cain drew his sword. ¡°In other words, that alien creature is another demon that will harm His Highness someday. I¡¯ll kill it myself.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait, Sir Cain.¡± Kireua stumbled backward.


    ¡°Your Highness, the reason why you¡¯re suddenly able to use ebon me is that demon, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°It was strange. Although I didn¡¯t notice anything suspicious, the ebon me is called the fire of the Demon Realm. Unsettling,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°C-Coal has never harmed me until now!¡±


    ¡°There is no guarantee that the demon will stay that way.¡±


    Kireua took one more step backward, biting his lower lip.


    Coal was still dozing on top of Kireua¡¯s shoulder, unaware of the situation that it was in.


    In truth, Kireua was also confused and had been momentarily suspicious of Coal because he¡¯d lost control over his body too easily.


    <em>¡®But it¡¯s still wrong. I don¡¯t have anything to back up my belief, but¡­ I need Coal¡¯s power to get revenge on a Demon King,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Cain stomped right up to Kireua and held out his hand to Kireua. ¡°Give it to me, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­No, I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, this is not something you can be stubborn about. That creature might not only endanger you but also everyone in the Empire, including the Queen Consorts.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯ll never happen. Besides, His Majesty is here now.¡± Kireua pointed at Joshua.


    Cain halted.


    ¡°Even if this is really the power of a Demon King, the Martial God is right here in Avalon. Who can possibly even try to bring harm to the Empire?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty is currently¡ª¡±


    Joshua raised his hand, cutting Cain off. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®fine¡¯? Your Majesty, no matter how I frame it, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m saying that Coal will not be a danger.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Cain gaped nkly at him.


    Joshua turned to look at Coal. ¡°The Evil Sin power of Gluttony is still together with its owner, Beelzebub, but I can¡¯t detect any traces of Mammon, the original owner of Gluttony, from Coal.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± Cain trailed off.


    ¡°Coal is the power of Greed itself.¡±


    ¡°Master, I don¡¯t understand. I thought that the Evil Sins¡¯ powers are powers like the authorities of thisnd.¡±


    ¡°That is right, but unlike the other six, the power of Greed has one key difference.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the only Evil Sin power with a personality of its own.¡±.


    This came as a shock to Cain. An Evil Sins¡¯ power with a personality of its own was equivalent to one¡¯s mana having a personality of its own and being able to think for itself.


    ¡°The highest ranking demons fought for eternity to obtain these powers, but the power of Greed has been choosing its owner for a long time, like the gods that people now call authorities,¡± Joshua exined.


    ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡±


    ¡°So, Kireua¡­¡± Joshua gave his son a long look, making Kireua squirm until he finally gave up on protecting Coal. ¡°...I trust you.¡±


    Just like before, Joshua made only one remark, but Kireua¡¯s face instantly brightened up. Kireua was an adult prince who had reached the peak of knighthood long ago, but he acted the same as a boy who received a toy from his father.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡± Kireua yelled.


    Cain shook his head. Since Joshua had made his decision, there was no way of changing his mind. Regardless, Joshua demonstrated an ability to persuade and influence people so greatly that they were incited to their maximum potential.


    <em>¡®This country still needs him,¡¯</em> Cain thought. He decided that he would never let Joshua retire until the day he was buried.


    ¡°Kireua, go back to the Pce,¡± Joshua instructed.


    ¡°Pardon? B-But what about the rebel remnants of the west¡ª¡±


    ¡°Cain and I¡¯ll take care of them. I¡¯ll also be able to meet Ranger. It¡¯s about time.¡±


    A faint smile spread on Cain¡¯s face. ¡°He might get too happy and faint.¡±


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll get punched in the face. If that happens, please stop him.¡±


    ¡°I''m also not feeling very well¡­ so I can¡¯t guarantee anything.¡±


    ¡°And you call yourself my guard?¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes at Cain.


    Cain grinned. ¡°You¡¯ve been doing fine without any guards, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    Joshua gave Cain the side-eye and then let out a sigh. ¡°So this is how you¡¯ll get your revenge on me, huh? Where did I go wrong? And don¡¯t tell your mothers that I got hurt, Kireua.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m your dad.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, I was worrying about nothing. I¡¯ll help too, then.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Joshua shook his head. ¡°There is something you guys need to do back in Avalon.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion because Joshua said ¡®you guys¡¯, not ¡®you¡¯.


    ¡°I started a very big event as soon as I returned¡ªcontinent-wide big.¡±


    ¡°An event¡­?¡± Kireua was still confused.


    ¡°You¡¯ll know once you arrive in Avalon. I want my sons to show the entire continent that Avalon is still doing well, okay? I¡¯ll also be there, so don¡¯t let the Four Pdins or whatnot from Hubalt walk away unscathed. I¡¯m giving you my permission to beat their souls out of them. Take one each and break one limb at least. Do you understand?¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t give Kireua a detailed exnation, but Kireua managed pieced it together more or less.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering me? Are you not confident?¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m being honest when I say that you¡¯re strong enough to deal with them. Their ¡®Four Pdins¡¯ titles is full of bubbles, you know.¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not that.¡±


    There was one thing Joshua had forgotten about.


    ¡°I was just thinking about breaking all the Four Pdins¡¯ limbs.¡±.


    Kireua¡¯s temper took after his father¡¯s.

 Side Story Chapter 79

    Side Story Chapter 79


    The national army¡¯s camp in western Avalon was quiet because the enemies hadn¡¯t shown any movements for several days.


    ¡°What in the world are they up to?¡± Ranger grumbled. It was bugging him very much.


    ¡°No suspicious movement has been detected in the castle on the mountain either.¡±


    ¡°Eighty percent of the rebel army is at the border, but the rest of them are real elite soldiers trained by Marquess Turtler himself¡­ Are they trying to fight a war or not?¡± Ranger¡¯s frown gradually deepened.


    * * *


    That was the conversation Ranger had with his subordinate that morning. The situation changed in thete afternoon.


    Ranger¡¯s aide barged into Ranger¡¯s tent. ¡°The enemy is moving!¡±


    ¡°What? Report in detail.¡±


    ¡°Some of the rebels are withdrawing. Only a few of them are retreating, but judging from how all of them are wearing expensive magic armor, they seem to be knights.¡±


    ¡°Do they have a problem in their headquarters or something?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°We haven¡¯t been able to figure that out yet¡­¡±


    ¡°Assemble a squad. I¡¯ll go there myself.¡±


    ¡°T-To the castle on the mountain, sir?¡±


    Ranger nodded. Despite his aide¡¯s surprise, he was acting rationally. The rebels had been acting like they were ready to start a full-scale war any minute, but then they stayed quiet for several days. After waiting for such a long time, the first thing that the rebels did was retreat, so it was natural to assume that they had a problem.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need a lot. We need to climb up the mountain, so select around one hundred people,¡± Ranger instructed.


    ¡°Yes, s¡ª¡±


    The aide was interrupted by new arrivals.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. We just came from there.¡±


    Ranger turned and stiffened. Cain was approaching, guarded by knights; a man wearing a robe was standing next to him.


    ¡°Did you say youe from the castle on the mountain, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°On your own?¡±


    ¡°He was with me.¡± Cain pointed at his robedpanion.


    Ranger frowned. He was no longer curious about the mysterious robed man because he was too preupied with the possibility of the peace they had enjoyed for thest few days. On a normal day, Ranger would have noticed how politely Cain treated the man; Cain was one of the most powerful people on the continent and he used both hands to gesture to the other man.


    ¡°Then you must know the reason behind their abnormal behavior, Sir Cain.¡± Ranger gave Cain a pointed look.


    ¡°Roughly.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to talk your way out of this.¡±


    ¡°Since when did I do that?¡± Cain raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°You alwayse up with an excuse to operate on your own. You had a clear goal of finding His Majesty before, but you¡¯re here in the west now. So I would appreciate it if you follow mymand,¡± Ranger insisted. Regardless of all else, Ranger was in overallmand of the western forces, although it was hard to determine whose rank was higher. Cain was the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s First Knight while Ranger was the vicemander of the Imperial Knights. That was why they had once talked casually, but now they tried to be civil and respectful to each other.


    ¡°Do you have any other excuses?¡± Ranger asked with a faint frown.


    ¡°Marquess Turtler is dead.¡±


    ¡°Okay, Marquess Turtler is¡ª¡± Ranger stopped speaking, his eyes bulging. ¡°What did you say?¡±


    ¡°I said that Marquess Turtler is dead.¡±


    ¡°What the fu¡ª Did you assassinate him or something, Sir Cain?¡±


    Ranger could wrap his head around that; Cain de Harry was capable enough to do it.


    ¡°Unfortunately, that wasn¡¯t me,¡± Cain answered.


    ¡°Then who in the world did it?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is important right now.¡± Cain held up his sword and pointed at the enemy camp. ¡°Supposing it¡¯s true, isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to wipe out the rebels?¡±


    Ranger straightened.


    ¡°Their leader is dead, and they only just realized that. The rebels scrambled their elite knights to go back to their headquarters to verify it.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°That camp over there is an ownerless mountain.[1] Oh, their tents are on the in, so maybe it¡¯s an ownerless in.¡±


    Ranger opened and closed his mouth several times in confusion.


    ¡°Just like Cain said, this is a god-given opportunity,¡± his aide quickly whispered.


    ¡°But if this is a trap¡­¡±


    The aide shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s not someone who would joke about something like this.¡±


    The aide was right. Unless Cain had gone senile, he was not someone who would make inappropriate jokes in a situation like this. Yet, the idea that several years of brutal warfare woulde to an end so abruptly because of an unidentified assassin sat uneasily with Ranger.


    ¡°¡­Sir Cain, is there a possibility that this is a trap?¡± Ranger asked.


    ¡°I saw Marquess Turtler¡¯s corpse with my own two eyes.¡±


    ¡°It could have been a fake¡­¡±


    ¡°It was real for sure. Do you really think I would fall for that kind of trick?¡± Cain raised an eyebrow.


    And still, Ranger¡¯s uneasiness was not quelled. It was inevitable because amander¡¯s orders carried a tremendous weight. Tens of thousands of soldiers and knights¡¯ lives depended on Ranger, so one wrong judgment could result in the deaths of countless people representing Avalon¡¯s future. No one would understand that crushing pressure unless they experienced it for themselves.


    The mysterious man¡¯s robe fluttered as he stepped forward.


    ¡°If you¡¯re unsure about this, I¡¯ll vouch for Cain too.¡±


    Ranger gave him a bemused look.


    ¡°Two people are more reliable than one, right? Just rx; you can go ahead and start your operation.¡±


    Ranger and the nearby knights looked at the man in disbelief.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ve heard this voice from somewhere¡­¡¯</em> he tilted his head.


    ¡°Who are you, sir?¡± Ranger demanded.


    ¡°Me?¡± The man¡¯s mouth, which was the only part that was not covered by his robe, curved into a grin. ¡°If I had to put a name on myself¡­ The person who loves this country more than anyone else.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s frown deepened.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, guests were arriving at the Pce of the Avalon Empire one after another. The first to arrive was from the Thran Kingdom, which was close to Avalon. Although all the countries were aware of Avalon¡¯s lengthy civil war, every one of them had replied that they would send a congrattory delegation.


    One of their goals was to verify the Martial God¡¯s return; if the news was correct, Avalon would be the only rival of the Hubalt Empire, which was officially the most powerful country on the continent. Therefore, there was a need to gain Avalon¡¯s favor.


    Besides, they had a firm belief that the rebels in Avalon would never attack their delegations. As the rebels were trying to overthrow the government, no good woulde out of attacking foreign delegates since that would give the rebels one more enemy to deal with.


    Really, they couldn¡¯t even think about that possibility because of the measures taken by the Heaven¡¯s Mind. The Emperor of Avalon put the Second Queen Consort in charge of this event. Surprisingly, she had announced that there would be no limit to the number of people in their delegations. Even though it was done because of the civil war in Avalon, it still came as a shock. It didn¡¯t matter whether ten thousand, a hundred thousand, or a million people were in a delegation¡ªso long as they wereing to celebrate the Martial God¡¯s return, they would be weed. The Four Pdins of the Hubalt Empire coulde to Avalon with an army of a million soldiers if they were part of their delegation; it was more than possible for them to start a war in the center of Arcadia.


    In return, the Imperial Family of the Avalon Empire had made it clear that they were not going to take responsibility for rebel ambushes.


    ¡°It¡¯s Operation ¡®We¡¯re not scared but don¡¯te if you¡¯re scared.¡¯ Hehehe.¡± Icarus giggled.


    ¡°You¡¯re the same as ever, Your Majesty. I have a feeling I don¡¯t have to worry about you.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same for you, Grand Duke bis. But is it okay for you toe all the way out here like this?¡±


    Icarus was worried for a good reason. bis, the me Emperor, was one of the great Nine Stars of the continent and was also the husband of the empress of the Swallow Empire. However, he was also dealing with the civil war in the Swallow Empire.


    Given the marriage between the Empress of Swallow and King of Thran, it had been expected that the two countries were going to be on good terms. Nevertheless, the result was exactly the opposite. Their cultures were the pr opposite of each other; the people of the Thran Kingdom had been taught that the people of the Swallow Empire were absolutely evil. Although the curric had changed, the stigma didn¡¯t disappear so easily.


    bis shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like the war stops because I¡¯m there.¡±


    ¡°You should still try to persuade them since you¡¯re the only hope for the people of the Thran Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re too busy with your own civil war to be interested in foreign affairs, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I¡¯m not really their hope anymore. They call me a traitor now.¡±


    ¡°A traitor? Not a hero that saved his country?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m far from a hero that saved his country.¡± bis shook his head.


    ¡°But still, I don¡¯t understand this drastic turn of events¡­¡± Icarus quietly trailed off.


    bis quickly took a look around the meeting room. Only he and Icarus were present, although, of course, he could feel many other presences given their two statuses. Those people were in the room to guard a member of the Imperial Family, so it was safe to say that their lips were permanently sealed. Nevertheless, bis had to be careful since what he was about to tell her could never be known to the public.


    -First of all, I must beg you for your understanding. Due to my circumstances, I have no choice but to use telepathy to talk to you.


    Icarus flinched, but she nodded with a smile.


    -I¡¯ll cut to the chase. The conflict between the people of the Swallow Empire and Thran Kingdom is getting worse day by day, but I doubt¡ªno, am certain that the Hubalt Empire is behind this.


    Icarus just listened without responding. She picked up her teacup and took a sip, but she couldn¡¯t hide her trembling fingers.


    -That is why I visited Avalon in spite of all the risks. The Four Pdins hold the power in the Hubalt Empire, so I¡¯m going to find evidence from them.


    The trembling in Icarus¡¯s fingers worsened. If anything went wrong, the Second Continental War was going to break out here in Avalon. She had epted the possibility, but it wasn¡¯t easy to maintain herposure when she heard someone affirm it.


    <em>¡®I can trust His Majesty, right?</em>


    No matter how good a strategist Icarus was, one Absolute could render every n she made moot. As a matter of fact, she had already experienced it herself. What would happen if Joshua wasn¡¯t around once the Hubalt Empire finally revealed their greed? Icarus agonized and agonized, but the odds weren¡¯t good.


    -I felt like you should be aware of this¡­


    bis stood up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll head back, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Feel free to tell me if you need anything, Grand Duke.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± bis bowed.


    A storm was blowing across the entire continent.


    1. The raw is ????. It¡¯s a four-character idiom that is simr to the English phrase ¡®left for the taking¡¯. ?

 Side Story Chapter 80

    Side Story Chapter 80


    Ranger was sitting on his horse alongside Cain¡¯s, situated on the high ground where he had full view of the enemy camp.


    ¡°Please tell me now. Who is that guy?¡± Ranger asked with a frown, gesturing to the man standing on the ledge without a horse of his own.


    ¡°Do you want to know?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m dying to know, so tell me,e on.¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t tell you right now.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me right now?¡±


    ¡°My answer remains the same.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s frown deepened. ¡°¡­I¡¯m sensing a story behind this, so I¡¯ll find out for myself.¡±


    ¡°You?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to stop me from doing this, too. Sir Cain, I¡¯ve left him alone because he seems to be your guest, but the battle is about to begin so I can¡¯t do that anymore.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you think he¡¯s a spy?¡± Cain raised an eyebrow. ¡°I can vouch for him, you know.¡±


    ¡°Nomander likes uncertainty or unpredictable variables.¡±


    Cain gave Ranger a long, meaningful look, but Ranger didn¡¯t back down.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m the only one who thinks that way?¡± Ranger sighed.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Ranger gestured. ¡°Look around.¡±


    Cain looked and found out that Ranger was right. All of the knights and soldiers were watching the mysterious guest with hostility, something Cain hadn¡¯t expected at all.


    ¡°They¡¯re this hostile to an outsider¡­?¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°Do you really not know why we¡¯re on such high alert around outsiders?¡±


    ¡°Nothinges to mind right now.¡±


    ¡°The buddies who they drank with yesterday point their swords at our necks today. Their colleagues who became the Imperial Knights in the same year turned into their archenemies. These people have no choice but to kill their friends andrades,¡± Ranger said.


    ¡°Why are you suddenly mentioning that?¡±


    ¡°That is today¡¯s Avalon.¡±


    Cain finally understood. The rebels had once been theirrades, but these people had to take up arms against them nheless. What would happen if a mysterious outsider became theirmanding officer?


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°You know that now, so don¡¯t stop me.¡± Ranger urged his horse forward.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really intend to hide it¡­ Well, he¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Ranger heard what Cain said and tilted his head in confusion for a moment, but approached the robed man undeterred.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Ranger said.


    The man turned.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bitte, but let me introduce myself. I¡¯m Ranger, themander of the western forces of the national army of the great Avalon Empire and the vicemander of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    Ranger didn¡¯t get off his horse. It was quite rude, but, asmander, he was actuallypromising by introducing himself first.


    ¡°I see.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s jaw dropped at the man¡¯s audacious reply.


    ¡°¡­¡¯I see¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see?¡± A vein bulged on Ranger¡¯s forehead. ¡°I see? I seeee?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re noisy. I¡¯m thinking, so be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Huh? B-Be quiet? Are you crazy?¡± Ranger leaped off of his horse.


    The man was still arrogantly looking down at the enemy¡¯s camp as if he ruled it.


    Ranger reached out and grabbed the man¡¯s shoulder. Old habits die hard¡ªRanger¡¯s coarse behavior from his time as a mercenary was leaking out..


    ¡°Are you nuts?¡± Ranger demanded. ¡°No, not even lunatics act like this. Did you get stabbed in the head or something?¡±


    ¡°Look over there first.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s movement in the enemy camp.¡±


    Ranger''s eyes widened. ¡°What?!¡±


    He quickly stepped beside the man and realized that he was right. For some reason, the once quiet camp was a hive of activity; all of the rebel soldiers and knights were in motion.


    ¡°No way¡­ Is Marquess Turtler really dead?¡± Ranger mumbled.


    ¡°I told you.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s head whipped around. The man¡¯s face was cloaked in a thick shadow, as if the man used some kind of magic to conceal it, such that Ranger couldn¡¯t get a proper look at his face even from right next to him. Nevertheless, it was impossible to hide the man¡¯s sharp nose. For some reason, it reminded Ranger of someone¡­


    ¡°¡­Someone?¡± Ranger froze. No, his entire brain ground to a screeching halt as if he had been struck with a lightning bolt. He trembled, goosebumps rising all over his body as he realized what was happening.


    ¡°N-No way¡­¡±


    Why hadn¡¯t Ranger thought of him? He thought he¡¯d heard the man¡¯s voice before¡ªwhy wasn¡¯t that enough? Although they hadn¡¯t met for over a decade, it shouldn¡¯t have been a problem considering how much Ranger had been waiting for the man.


    ¡°Captain¡­ N-No, is that really you, Your Majesty? Please answer me. Is that really you, Your Majesty?¡±


    Ranger wanted to stay calm and show the man that he was fine. Despite the man¡¯s absence, Ranger had done a fine job in leading the army, but he couldn¡¯t tell the man any of it. Ranger was embarrassed as hell, but his eyes were already welling up with tears.


    ¡°I told you to keep your voice down. I was thinking of ways to handle them without taking any casualties, but you ruined it.¡± The man lifted his hood a little, revealing the exact face that Ranger had been expected to see. White skin, dark blue hair, obsidian-like eyes, a sharp nose¡­ the man¡¯s look was divinely perfect.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Ranger choked up. He was a robust man, easily two meters tall, but he threw himself at Joshua like a little boy.


    ¡°You¡¯re a grandpa now. What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°¡­<em>Hic</em>. Hnnnngh. I really, really missed you,¡± Ranger sniffled.


    Joshua patted Ranger¡¯s back, chuckling quietly. Despite his appearance, Ranger was one of the most tenderhearted people Joshua knew, so he let Ranger hug him for a long time.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s like a child,¡± Cain remarked with a small smile.


    However, the other knights weren¡¯t as enthused. The Imperial Knights were particrly appalled.


    ¡°Wh-What is wrong with him?¡±


    ¡°Has he gone m-mad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that that guest is a man. Did he open up to a brand new world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t say such horrible things. Then the whole order is his buffet!¡±


    ¡°Damon, I think you¡¯re thest person who should worry about that¡­¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean? I¡¯m starting to get annoyed.¡±


    The sight of a rtively small and slender man hugging a bear-like man was enough to cause amotion.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop now? A lot of people are watching us,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°<em>Snifff</em>. O-Okay.¡±


    ¡°I should throw away this robe. It¡¯s covered in snot now.¡±


    When Ranger stepped away from Joshua, a white line of snot stretched between them.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Ranger fidgeted with his fingers.


    ¡°Only an apology?¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ranger, you acquired the White Tiger authority after Marquess Dargo¡¯s death, didn¡¯t you?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s right.¡±


    Joshua nodded knowingly, but such a thing was supposed to be impossible. Gods had left traces in this realm in the form of authorities so they would not be annihted and forgotten. However, an authority couldn¡¯t be freely handed over to another person. An authority¡¯s owner was its medium, so the owner¡¯s death was equivalent to the god¡¯s annihtion. Therefore, the White Tiger authority should have disappeared after Dargo¡¯s death. For this phenomenon to take ce¡­


    <em>¡®The gods¡¯ influence over the Human Realm is getting stronger,¡¯</em> Joshua thought.


    That wasn¡¯t good for humans. Supposing it was true, the gods, who were only authorities right now, might try to take over humans¡¯ bodies.


    ¡°Your Majesty, is something on your mind¡­?¡± Ranger asked cautiously.


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Joshua stopped his train of thought; he had to deal with the situation at hand. ¡°By the way, are you just going to keep watching them? The enemies are in confusion after losing their leader, and they¡¯re right in front of you. From amander¡¯s perspective, isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity?¡±


    Ranger¡¯s racing heart quickly calmed down. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll officially pay my respectster, so you must tell me your story then.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Since you made a decision, let¡¯s maximize the potential of that new White Tiger authority of yours.¡± Joshua smiled.


    ¡°Maximize¡­?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget about my ability?¡±


    Ranger¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°Aura Application!¡±


    Joshua nodded, his smile growing. That wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the White Tiger authority was made for war. Its wielder could boost the listeners¡¯ adrenaline and increase their morale, just like an aura application ability.


    ¡°A hero¡¯s epic¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ahem, ahem. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve done this, so I¡¯m not sure how well it¡¯ll work.¡±


    A soundwaveced with aura spread through the air. The knights responded immediately, and the soldiers could feel their hearts pounding.


    Ranger activated the White Tiger authority without hesitation, amplifying the troops¡¯ morale and spirit.


    What followed next triggered a storm of shock.


    ¡°W-W-Wait, is he¡­?¡±


    The knights¡¯ jaws dropped to the ground. They had only heard of this, so it was their first time witnessing it themselves. However, there were some senior knights who had experienced it over a decade ago, so they sank to the ground on their knees.


    ¡°I set the stage, so wipe them out.¡±


    Only one person in this world could use this ability.


    ¡°All hail His Majestyyy!¡±


    It was Joshua Sanders, the great emperor of the Avalon Empire.

 Side Story Chapter 81

    Side Story Chapter 81


    The western rebels really couldn¡¯t pull themselves together, especially Count Andes, the actingmander in lieu of Marquess Turtler.


    ¡°We just received a report from the first scouting party at the headquarters. They scoured the mountain, but the guards were nowhere to be found.¡±


    ¡°The report from the second scouting party is the same. They haven¡¯t arrived at their destination, but they can¡¯t find a single trace of life in the mountain!¡±


    ¡°W-We received an urgent report! One of the scouting parties located what seems to be Lord Turtler¡¯s head¡­¡±


    Andes interrupted the reports by mming his desk angrily. ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure¡­ That¡¯s what the report says.¡±


    ¡°Shut your damn mouth! You call that a report? Nothing has been confirmed, so keep that under wraps! Other people might hear you.¡±


    ¡°I-I apologize.¡±


    Andes huffed and puffed. The other five officers in the tent were left wordless in the face of the iprehensible reports.


    ¡°Fuck. Don¡¯t all of you think the same? We¡¯re talking about <em>the</em> Lord Turtler, so what in the world are those scouting parties looking at¡­?¡± Andes shook his head.


    ¡°Lord Andes, shouldn¡¯t we at least make some preparations?¡±


    ¡°Viscount Hoothe, don¡¯t tell me you believe that nonsense.¡±


    ¡°But the scouting parties wouldn¡¯t say such nonsense in a situation like this unless they were crazy.¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Andes¡¯s scowl returned. ¡°If you all are trying to mess with me right now, cut it out.¡±


    ¡°Lord Andes¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not even funny. I think it would be funnier if you said that the Emperor hase back after over a decade,¡± Andes said.


    He was joking, but it came true.


    A fierce tiger¡¯s roar made the rebels instinctively cower, their eyes wide.


    ¡°I-Is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°W-We¡¯re under attack!¡± a guard shouted.


    ¡°An attack¡­?¡±


    ¡°Enemy forces are estimated at thirty thousand, and they¡¯re led by Ranger, the Imperial Knights¡¯ vicemander, and the Combat Emperor!¡±


    ¡°They only brought half of our numbers? Cain de Harry must be out of his mind! He should know his ce¡­!¡±


    ¡°A-And there¡¯s one more person. It¡¯s unbelievable, but one of the scouts reported¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°...Umm¡­ The man¡­ His Majesty¡­ I¡¯m s-sorry. I received a report that the scouts witnessed a man who appears to be the Martial God.¡±


    In a fit of rage, Andes cut off the head of the messenger.


    ¡°Urghh¡­¡± The soldier coughed up blood for a moment and then copsed to the ground with a thud like a rotten tree.


    ¡°L-Lord Andes¡­¡±


    ¡°The world must be going crazy, hahaha¡ªor did I go crazy? Why is everyone saying bullshit?¡± Andes mumbled.


    ¡°W-Why don¡¯t we make some preparations though?¡± Hoothe suggested, mustering his courage. ¡°No matter how hard I think about it, something¡¯s wrong¡­¡±


    Andes did not listen.


    ¡°Prepare? Prepare for what? Prepare for the fantastic nonsense about how Lord Turtler is dead and the Emperor showed up?¡± Andes shouted, his voice growing with every word.


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s always a possibil¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then let me ask you. Supposing the news is true, are there any preparations we can make?¡±


    He was answered with total silence


    ¡°This is <em>the Emperor</em>. I¡¯m talking about <em>the</em> Joshua Sanders. The Martial God stopped an army of a million soldiers on his own, so how are we supposed to stop him? Isn¡¯t that the real bullshit? So I¡¯m telling you: all of this is a scheme by those damned loyalists.¡±


    ¡°Scheme¡­?¡±


    ¡°The undeniable reality is that the mere mention of Joshua Sanders makes us tremble. It¡¯s an instinctive response.¡± Andes clenched his fist and used his other hand to lift up the tent door. He could already hear the ground shaking under the galloping of horses.


    This war had gone on for two years. Several major battles had taken ce during that time, but so far they had been neck to neck with the enemy. However, a false rumor suddenly spread and their enemies wereunching arge-scale attack. The timing was too perfect to be a coincidence.


    ¡°Get ready. There¡¯s a high chance that the ¡®emperor¡¯ that the scouts saw is fake, but even if it¡¯s the real emperor, I will deal with him myself.¡±


    The rebel officers eagerly nodded along to their actingmander¡¯s decision.


    ¡°Oooooh!¡±


    The fact was, he was the most powerful swordsman in the western rebel army,parable to Turtler. As if to prove his reputation, a vividyer of aura appeared on top of Andes¡¯s sword.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± he ordered. ¡°Lord Turtler may be away right now, but this war in the west will finallye to an end today.¡±


    Aside from the fake emperor, the Combat Emperor, the strongest man on the continent, was present, but Andes was confident that the Combat Emperor was nothing if Andes used his recently acquired authority.


    ¡°The old has-been monster will die by my sword,¡± Andes muttered to himself.


    * * *


    Ranger could feel his heart pounding. Even though he was riding his horse right next to his idol, he still couldn¡¯t believe that it was real. If Ranger was feeling like this, it was obvious how the enemies would respond.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to do anything, yes?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Of course. You can sit back and rx. Just stay by my side,¡± Ranger confidently answered, pounding his chest.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really feel like doing that.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for the battle, I¡¯d want to spend all day hugging you, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to be punished for lese-majeste?¡± Joshua joked.


    ¡°Come on, calling that lese-majeste is too harsh. We survived a lot of life-or-death situations together.¡±


    ¡°Even if I don¡¯t do anything, the Queen Consorts won''t sit by.¡±


    Ranger¡¯s expression turned grim. ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about the others, but I¡¯m actually terrified of Her Majesty Icarus.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one.¡±


    ¡°Have you already met her?¡±


    ¡°I met her on my way over here. She gave me a death re,¡± Joshua recalled.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. You didn¡¯t even tell them before you disappeared over a decade ago.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, so I held my tongue.¡±


    ¡°At times like this, I think you¡¯re a real devoted husband in your own ways, Your Majesty.¡± Ranger chuckled.


    ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Most of my acquaintances would yell at their wives in that kind of situation. ¡®Men are trying to work here¡­!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Mercenaries¡­ If they continue to disrespect their wives like that, they¡¯ll starve to death when they¡¯re too old and weak to pick up a spoon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the only emperor in the world who worries about that kind of stuff.¡±


    It was hard to think that this conversation was taking ce between men who were going to war. Nevertheless, Ranger was calm. The enemy leader was dead, and Joshua was here with him; Ranger was so happy that he felt like he could take on the entire continent.


    ¡°I see they¡¯ve already sent their weingmittee.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    They caught sight of the enemy. There were about thirty thousand soldiers in the national army while there were about fifty thousand rebels, almost double that of the national army. Despite the clear disadvantage in numbers, the national army didn¡¯t choose to hunker down their camp, and Ranger intended to show the rebels exactly why that was.


    He began by unleashing the White Tiger¡¯s authority, letting a tiger¡¯s roar rip over the ins.


    ¡°Ohhhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°His Majesty is with us!¡±


    ¡°Those sons of bitches are all dead meat now!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s die here today!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s die here today!¡± Ranger shouted, the corners of his mouth rising. ¡°I can die here right now without any regrets!¡±


    Joshua couldn¡¯t help chuckling. This was his firstrge-scale battle since his return, and yet, it didn¡¯t feel awkward. In fact, he finally felt like he was alive.


    When Ranger and his army got closer, they could hear the rebels encouraging each other.


    ¡°Kill them! Kill them all and take back our country!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop those arrogant princes¡¯ power struggles with our own hands! There will be no more civil war in Avalon!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled by that phony! Lord Andes himself will deal with the Combat Emperor!¡±


    Rangerughed. ¡°To my ears, it sounds like they¡¯re so terrified of the Martial God that they¡¯ve gone delusional. They think they can take on the Combat Emperor. What do you think, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Those rascals,¡± Cain muttered. His golden aura rolled over his surroundings like a tidal wave. ¡°Then I¡¯ll show them how deluded they are.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. Those damned rebels woke up the sleeping giant.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stand down, Your Majesty? I¡¯ll take the lead in this battle.¡±


    Joshua quietly shook his head. ¡°Let me give you a hand.¡±


    Cain and Ranger¡¯s heads swiveled around.


    ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t have to go through the trouble¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing it for the knights and soldiers behind you, not for you guys,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°We have to minimize our casualties if we can. It looks like they believe that I¡¯m a phony, so won¡¯t their morale decrease drastically once that belief is shattered?¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s true¡­¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided.¡± Joshua nodded. He pped his ck horse¡¯s bottom without waiting for an answer, sending the horse charging forward in surprise, neighing in protest.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty? Oh, no!¡± Ranger, taken aback, hastily followed Joshua.


    However, Ranger¡¯s shock couldn¡¯t bepared to Cain''s.


    ¡°W-Why is he acting so reckless!¡± Cain stammered. He was the only one there who was aware of Joshua¡¯s state. Joshua was as delicate as fine china at the moment. Every ability he used was a one-time thing, and even if he used mana from the environment, he basically became an ordinary person afterward.


    ¡°Hiya!¡± Cain also spurred his horse forward, preparing himself for anything.


    Cain could see at least one thousand rebels, and half of them were knights, but Joshua was riding his horse right toward them on his own.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Cain¡¯s loud shout shook the rebels. His superhuman senses allowed pick out the enemy¡¯s voices from a distance.


    ¡°¡®Yo-Your Majesty¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I can see that now. It¡¯s really His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t w-we withdraw, then?¡±


    ¡°Nonsense! We never received any orders to retreat, so keep on running. You all know how vital the vanguard¡¯s role is, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a phony, he only looks like His Majesty. Or maybe he used an artifact! With Queen Consort Iceline¡¯s ability, that¡¯s a piece of cake!¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make any sense for the Emperor to suddenly return after over a decade.¡±


    Cain''s eyes widened as Joshua suddenly leaped up high in the air.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Magic Spear Art Level 4,¡± Joshua said, adding mana for everyone to hear.


    Mana turned into a bundle of rays of aura, and then those rays harnessed energy. A cloud of lightning floated into the air to pour down on the ground.


    ¡°Lightning Rain.¡±


    Laying Cain¡¯s concerns to rest in spectacr fashion, Joshua elegantly whirled his spear and cast a rain of lightning bolts upon the rebels.

 Side Story Chapter 82

    Side Story Chapter 82


    Yellow bolts of aura poured down from the sky and struck the enemies¡¯ heads. Although it was hellish for the victims, it looked beautiful in Ranger¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°That¡¯s our emperor¡­¡±


    No one gave any orders, but the entire national army stopped marching and stared vacantly up at the sky. There was a danger of them getting caught up in the lightning storm if they approached any closer.


    Joshua kept spinning his white spear, increasing the number of lightning aura bolts shrieking through the air over time.


    ¡°Arggghhhh!¡±


    ¡°S-Save me¡­!¡±


    ¡°Urggh¡­!¡±


    The rebel knights wearing full metal armor took especially severe damage. As lightning and metal didn¡¯t mix, the rebel knights were more affected by Joshua¡¯s lightning bolts even if they used their mana to protect themselves. On top of that, these lightning bolts originated from Bronto, the primordial stone of lightning that was once called a divine relic.


    When the area was silent, Joshua slowlynded on the ground like a god descending to earth.


    Cain¡¯s horse instinctively refused to move out of fear, forcing him to drag his horse so he could get to Joshua.


    ¡°Please be honest with me,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®honest¡¯?¡±


    ¡°You were lying about your condition, weren¡¯t you.¡±


    A man like Cain had gotten punched in the face, and it was hard to imagine that a person whose power was sealed could use the technique Joshua had just disyed.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I only used a level 4 technique.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°This is my limit right now.¡±


    As Cain had been serving Joshua for a very long time, he immediately understood what Joshua meant. The Magic Spear Art¡¯s Level 4 techniques were technically the level of A-ss knights, so even if Joshua was currently weak and arge part of his power was sealed, he was only weakpared to his past self. In other words, Joshua could use A-ss techniques without difficulty.


    ¡°I-Impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ really His Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°U-Unbelievable¡­¡±


    The fact that the enemies who hadn¡¯t been swept away by the lightning storm could stumble away corroborated Joshau¡¯s remark. Had Joshua used a Magic Spear Art technique with his full power, that would never have happened, and those one thousand soldiers and knights would have been barbecued.


    In any case, Cain what he should do in times like this.


    ¡°Kneel! The great emperor of the Avalon has returned!¡± Cain shouted, his voice pumped with so much mana that his words could be heard for miles.


    ¡°Woaaaahhhhhhhh!¡±


    The national army let out enthusiastic cheers as if they had been waiting for this moment.


    Ranger¡¯s lips stretched into a wide smile. He could see that the army¡¯s morale was easily at the highest it had been since the civil war had broken out.


    ¡°Hahahahaha!¡±


    What was the use of an authority from a god right now? A god stood in their midst right now.


    Joshua, Cain at his side, marched past the half of the rebel army that had been knocked out by his lightning. The roughly five hundred remaining rebels backed away.


    ¡°What are you all doing? Didn¡¯t you hear what the man said?¡± Joshua tilted his head. ¡°Then let me tell you again.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s mana lifted him into the air, allowing him to gaze down at the rebels imperiously.


    ¡°Kneel.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Teacher¡­?¡±


    bis, who had been looking around the garden in the imperial Pce of the Avalon Empire, came to a halt.


    ¡°Kireua¡­?¡± bis murmured nkly, stunned by the familiar voice.


    ¡°I knew it was you!¡± Kireua hustled over to him, beaming.


    bis turned the ends of his mouth curling into a smile. ¡°So you¡¯re still alive, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ªI learned from the best.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re the Martial God¡¯s son and the me Emperor¡¯s student, so there¡¯s no way you¡¯d die in vain. I heard a lot about what you did.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the rumor on the streets is that the sidekick Second Prince finally became as good as the dirt under the First Prince¡¯s toenails.¡±


    Veins bulged out of Kireua¡¯s forehead. ¡°Which son of a bitch could have said such a beautiful story?¡±


    ¡°Who knows?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you believe that too.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll find out enough. I never met your older brother, Selim Sanders, in person.¡± bis shrugged.


    ¡°He¡¯s not my older brother.¡±


    ¡°Your mother is the Third Queen Consort, and his mother is the First Queen Consort. So this is the correct hierarchy even if you two are the same age.¡±


    ¡°I see you¡¯re still great at irritating your student,¡± Kireua pouted.


    ¡°Do you want me to continue?¡± bis asked, his smile growing.


    ¡°Oh, my. Isn¡¯t this His Highness, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire?¡± a voice came, interrupting their reunion.


    bis and Kireua¡¯s heads turned.


    ¡°Oohhh! And that¡¯s Grand Duke ¡®me Emperor¡¯ bis standing next to him. My, my, today must be my lucky day to meet such highly renowned figures in one ce.¡±


    The man speaking looked very sly, like a baby snake.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you would ept Avalon¡¯s invitation too. From what I know, things are bad in your country right now; is it okay for you to be away right now?¡±


    ¡°Who are you?¡± bis asked.


    ¡°My! I can¡¯t believe I made such a mistake! I know it¡¯ste, but allow me to introduce myself. I am Duke Uraxen from the Tetra Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°Tetra Kingdom¡­?¡± bis frowned.


    The Tetra Kingdom was a kingdom that had been recently founded on the ruins of the Terra Kingdom; after the kingdom of magic had fallen, a new kingdom had been established with a new name.


    The Tetra Kingdom had recently announced that they supported the Hubalt Empire. Since bis was considering the possibility that the Hubalt Empire was behind the civil war in his country, he was, unsurprisingly, ufortable with Uraxen.


    ¡°Thank you, but I believe it¡¯s not a matter you should be concerned with,¡± bis answered.


    ¡°Oh, my mistake. I apologize if I offended you in any way. There is a person I¡¯ve been trying to meet for several days, but I couldn¡¯t. I guess it put me on edge without me realizing.¡±


    ¡°The person you¡¯re trying to meet is¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about His Majesty Joshua Sanders, the Martial God.¡±


    bis¡¯s eyes turned colder. Uraxen was talking about an emperor; to say that he was on-edge in front of a foreigner was out of line.


    The reason behind Uraxen¡¯s arrogance was obvious to bis, but it couldn¡¯t be just because of the Hubalt Empire¡¯s backing. The Terra Kingdom had once been called a country of mages and had neglected knights, in contrast to the Avalon Empire, but the Tetra Kingdom was a little different. Mage-knights were being trained in the Tetra Kingdom at a national level. A mage-knight, also known as a magic swordsman, was once deemed impossible. A mage¡¯s mana circle and a knight¡¯s mana hall were used in two totally different ways, so embracing both of them at once was basically suicide.


    The impossible became possible with the dawn of the authority manifestation era. The current king of the Tetra Kingdom had the authority of harmony, so he could help other people use their mana circle and hall at the same time without any consequences. With the king¡¯s remarkable authority, the Tetra Kingdom quickly grew into a powerful nation.


    ¡°I was going to pay my respects to His Majesty as soon as I arrived, but for some reason, he has been away for several days. I was hoping His Highness could give me an exnation regarding this situation¡­¡± Uraxen trailed off, giving Kireua a pointed look.


    Once again, Uraxen¡¯s arrogance was on full disy.


    ¡°So what?¡± Kireua bluntly answered.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Uraxen nkly asked, totally thrown off by Kireua¡¯s unexpected reply.


    ¡°Do you want me to look for His Majesty on your behalf or something?¡±


    ¡°No, that isn¡¯t what I¡¯m saying. If you know his whereabouts, you could tell¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either. I don¡¯t know, so just leave. A duke should know etiquette, so why are you ruining my happy reunion?¡±


    Uraxen¡¯s expression hardened. ¡°Your Highness, are you sure about your answer?¡±


    ¡°Are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I heard you say with my own ears that your host is arrogant for not showing up when his guest has arrived.¡± Kireua raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t necessarily put that that way¡­¡±


    ¡°It depends on how the listener interprets it. What did it sound like to you, Grand Duke?¡± Kireua asked bis.


    ¡°That is what I heard, Your Highness,¡± bis replied with a slight smile.


    ¡°See? Here¡¯s my witness, so are you going to continue to y innocent?¡± Kireua asked, abandoning thest traces of formality.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ll regret this,¡± Uraxen growled, scowling at Kireua. ¡°Avalon is the one that needs help right now.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what help you¡¯re talking about, but what did you say before that? ¡®Regret¡¯?¡± Kireua snapped, the end of his mouth curling into a vicious smirk. ¡°There is one thing that the great emperor of the Avalon Empire, who also happens to be my father, told me.¡±


    When Joshua was mentioned, Uraxen had to close his mouth. He said what he said without thinking about it too much, but if his remarks were considered insults to Joshua, he would have to face the Martial God¡¯s wrath. There was nothing scary about the decaying Avalon Empire, but the name of Joshua Sanders was still scary.


    ¡°¡®The only time you should regret something is after your death.¡¯¡± Kireua turned to look at bis. ¡°Grand Duke, I would like to personally show my important guest to the meeting room, so can I have the moment of your time?¡±


    bis nodded, his smile widening. ¡°Certainly.¡±


    ¡°Right this way, Grand Duke.¡±


    Uraxen watched Kireua and bis leave, his face crumpling up due to the deep humiliation.


    ¡°¡­Kireua Sanders is a worse rascal than what I heard from the rumors. I¡¯ll see how long you can stay that arrogant.¡±


    The tournament would start soon. Uraxen resolved to have his revenge for today in that tournament.

 Side Story Chapter 83

    Side Story Chapter 83


    ¡°Hahahahahaha!¡± A guffaw burst out in the meeting room; it came from bis, the me Emperor. ¡°Did you see his face?¡±


    ¡°That guy named Uraxen or something? Well, I should have crushed him harder. I heard about a new kingdom popping up where Terra was, but I didn¡¯t know it was that bad.¡±


    ¡°What is that bad?¡±


    ¡°His arrogance is worse than the guys from the empires,¡± Kireua answered.


    bis¡¯s smile grew. ¡°They¡¯re bound to be.¡±


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°Have you heard about the mage-knights personally trained by their king?¡±


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°I heard the rumors. I spent my childhood in this Pce, my teenage years swinging swords in front of you, and only finally returned to Avalon now. So I didn¡¯t really have time to meet them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a shame. I let you go so you can go out into the world and gain experience.¡±


    ¡°But how great are those mage-knights?¡±


    ¡°Pretty remarkable. As you already know, the concept of magic swordsmen was considered impossible for a long time,¡± bis reminded Kireua.


    ¡°They just sound like a bunch of nobodies to my ears.¡±


    ¡°Not really. ording to the rumors, they¡¯re just as strong as the pdins from the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    Kireua gaped in disbelief. ¡°Come on. Although I hate to admit it, the Hubalt Empire <em>is</em> currently the strongest empire on the continent.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the knight orders¡¯ level. Of course, the orders in the Hubalt Empire win out when you also consider the size¡ªthat¡¯s the difference between an empire and a kingdom.¡±


    ¡°That alone is pretty remarkable,¡± Kireua marveled. Possessing knights that could stand shoulder to shoulder with those of the continent¡¯s strongest empire meant that the Tetra Kingdom had the potential to fight equally against the Hubalt Empire with enough time.


    ¡°If you truly think so, be careful. It looks like that Duke Uraxen or whatever his name is is going to hold a grudge against you,¡± bis warned him.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯ve only heard rumors about them, so it¡¯ll be a good chance to see what these magic swordsmen are all about.¡±


    ¡°You definitely take after your father¡¯s confidence.¡±


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°As you already know, I never trust anything before I see it with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°Kiruea,¡± bis said, his expression suddenly serious.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is he really back?¡±


    Obviously, Kireua knew who bis was talking about, but it was a tricky question to answer as Kireua didn¡¯t know Joshua¡¯s intentions for this tournament. Was Joshua holding this tournament to promote peace or to unite the continent against the greedy Hubalt Empire? Kireua would have given an evasive answer if someone else had asked, but this was Kireua¡¯s only teacher.


    After pondering for a moment, Kireua nodded. ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve met him in person.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± bis''s eyes widened for a moment but he showed no other reaction, much to Kireua¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty calm.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s always like that. He vanishes one day and shows up again when no one expects him. It¡¯s like he¡¯s a ghost, not a human.¡±


    ¡°As his friend, it must have been quite frustrating.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re his son, so you must have had it worse.¡±


    ¡°It was worse for the Queen Consorts.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡± bis trailed off, drawing a curious look from Kireua. bis smiled once again. ¡°I owe your father more than my life. He helped me make the Thran Kingdom independent and revived my forgotten dream.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, and that was why I could still cheer for him when he decided to overthrow his emperor and take the throne. Unlike many other people of influence, I didn¡¯t worry about him even for a second.¡±


    People were very sly, so their goodwill changed easily with power. There was no such thing as eternal peace, just the current state of Igrant showed.


    ¡°Kireua, the other news I heard about was his n to select his heir.¡±


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been long since I received the news, but you know about that already?¡±


    ¡°To be honest, I hope you will be his heir,¡± bis said.


    Kireua couldn¡¯t reply. Although he understood bis, bing Joshua¡¯s heir wasn¡¯t something he could just do just because he wanted to.


    ¡°Call me a snob, but I¡¯ve known you for a long time. If you were to be the next emperor of Avalon, I believe I would be able to focus on tending to my country even after Avalon drives out Hubalt and bes the new most powerful nation on the continent.¡± bis chuckled quietly.


    ¡°¡­Even if Selim bes the next heir, you won¡¯t have to worry about that. Selim isn¡¯t the type of person who is interested in unifying the continent either.¡±


    ¡°No one knows that. Even a parent can¡¯t tell what their child is thinking, so how can a brother who drifts apart as they grow up?¡± bis said. He rose from his seat. ¡°It¡¯s just my personal opinion, but this tournament will be a very important moment for you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°Although these delegations are here to celebrate the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s return, they¡¯re all thinking the same thing: Hubalt is theirmon enemy, so they need someone to unite them.¡± bis turned his head. ¡°The Martial God would, of course, have to be that someone now, but those foreigners will also be evaluating his potential heirs, you two princes.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying that the whole continent is going to keep an eye on Avalon to see if Avalon is nning any schemes for after it ousts Hubalt?¡±


    ¡°Something like that. In battles or politics, you always have to look three moves ahead. Although the Martial God has already proven himself, there is no guarantee that his sons would share the same ideas.¡±


    ¡°Then you brought this up because you also considered the future after the Hubalt Empire¡¯s downfall¡­?¡± Kireua asked.


    bis nodded. ¡°Supposing that a united force is formed, which country would like it if a new lunatic called Avalon shows up after defeating Hubalt?¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°So refrain from behaving like that next time. No matter how annoying he was, he¡¯s still older than you. You have to prove that you not only have an upright personality but also the skills.¡±


    Kireua bowed with an awkward smile. ¡°Thank you for still making the time to teach your inadequate student.¡±


    ¡°You should neither allow yourself to be belittled by them nor act recklessly like a mad dog. Everyone on the continent is watching you.¡± bis waved his hand and then exited the meeting room. ¡°I bet this tournament is going to be one of the biggest events in your life.¡±


    * * *


    All one thousand soldiers and knights of the rebel vanguard kneeled¡ªat least, everyone who wasn¡¯t among the five hundred dead or unconscious.


    Even the rebels¡¯ main unit stood vacantly staring at the unbelievable reality of the vanguard.


    ¡°L-Lord Andes, that really looks like His Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m looking at him too.¡± Count Andes bit his lower lip.


    ¡°What are you going to do? You said that you had things under control, didn¡¯t you?!¡± Viscount Hoothe snapped, so violently that it was almost mutiny, but Andes couldn¡¯t refute him. How could Andes have expected this?


    The vast in was smothered in a stiff silence, the two armies with tens of thousands troops facing off against each other at three hundred meters. A single order, and the battle would erupt once again.


    Andes had given up on this fight long ago¡ªhis soldiers¡¯ morale was already at rock bottom. If Andes forced them to fight, he would lose for certain.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­!¡± Andes trembled as if he was having a seizure.


    The Martial God slowly descended to the ground, approaching Andes. No one could speak. The only thing that the rebels could do was nkly look up into the sky.


    ¡°Do you want to live?¡± Joshua asked, his voice reverberating like thunder. A spark of hope lit up in Andes¡¯s eyes. Since Joshua asked if Andes wanted to live, maybe it was safe to assume that he had a chance of surviving this. On top of that, he felt like all his questions had been answered now. If the rumors were true, Joshua was the mysterious assassin. The Martial God himself had slit Marquess Turtler¡ªno, that ck turtle rebel son of a bitch¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Count Andes, w-what shall w-we do¡­?¡±


    Andes kneeled before Hoothe could finish speaking. He could not afford to hesitate.


    ¡°W-We swear our utmost loyalty! Please spare my men! They¡¯re also citizens of the Avalon Empire. They¡¯re innocent¡ªeverything started because their pathetic leaders had the wrong ideas¡­¡± Andes sniffled and sobbed.


    ¡°L-Lord Andes?¡±


    No matter how hard Andes thought, this was the right decision. When his opponent was the Martial God, his defeat was absolute. Rather than being branded an ipetentmander, Andes would prefer to be known as amander who tried to protect his people at the risk of his life.


    Unsurprisingly, Andes¡¯s every move was calcted. If Turtler was really dead, Andes might officially bemander-in-chief of the military in the western region. Andes busily formted a n in his head.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll pretend I was forced to do it and swear my loyalty. It¡¯ll be hard to earn a position in the army in the capital, but someone will have to control the army in the west since people here have already betrayed him once. Even from his perspective, it¡¯s a good move. Once he shows his mercy here, he¡¯ll be able to quickly stabilize the country¡­¡¯</em>


    The dead didn¡¯t speak, so Turtler was going to be the viin now. And since Turtler was dead, the western rebels no longer had a reason to continue fighting. Andes and the others would get reprimanded for sure, naturally, but it was a win-win if Andes could gain his subordinates¡¯ trust.


    Just look at them. They were already welling up with tears.


    But there was one thing that Andes hadn¡¯t expected.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s obvious what he¡¯s thinking.¡¯</em> Joshua grinned in the air. He had been an emperor for decades, so he, an expert in politics, easily recognized Andes¡¯s petty ploy. <em>¡®It looks like he wants to save his face, so I¡¯ll start with crushing it.¡¯</em>


    Joshua gentlynded on the ground and strode confidently toward Andes.


    ¡°Am I just supposed to believe your words?¡± he demanded.


    Andes raised his head.


    ¡°Bark.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Andes gaped nkly, unable to understand.


    Joshua held out his foot and sneered. ¡°Or do you want to lick it?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 84

    Side Story Chapter 84


    The war was over. The rebel army had lost their leader, and their officers had given up. Given that the rebel knights¡¯ morale had also hit rock bottom, it would be odd if the war persisted.


    ¡°You were unfair to him,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°How was I unfair?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s a count, so he¡¯s a high-ranking noble, more or less. But you treated him worse than a neighbor¡¯s dog.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡± Joshua shrugged. ¡°Should I have shown him mercy or something?¡±


    ¡°Well, no.¡±


    Joshua and Cain could see every single rebel in the west getting tied up. It didn¡¯t matter whether or not those rebels had surrendered¡ªall traitors should receive a fitting punishment. Only after they were punished as a warning to others would they never again dare to even think of treason.


    Despite everything else, Cain was dying to see the looks on people¡¯s faces the day Cain and the others returned to the capital with fifty thousand captive¡ªand mostly unscathed¡ªsoldiers and knights in tow.


    ¡°Hehehehehe¡­.¡± Cainughed like a viin.


    ¡°¡­What? Why are you suddenlyughing like a creep?¡±


    ¡°By now, the delegations must be trickling into Arcadia, yes?¡±


    ¡°So?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    ¡°The sight of you alone will make their jaws drop, but when they find out that you made such a remarkable achievement as soon as you returned¡­ I¡¯m so excited that I can¡¯t stay calm.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to you, but who in the world could have captured an army of fifty thousand with only thirty thousand and without taking a single casualty? You didn¡¯t have to give a single order to the troops. Only the Martial God can do that,¡± Cain dered, as pompous as if he¡¯d been the one to do it. Joshua¡¯s small smile showed that he didn¡¯t hate it.


    ¡°But the real deal, like the Four Pdins, will notice my state.¡±


    ¡°Well, even I can¡¯t approximate your exact state, so how could they?¡±


    ¡°Their authorities are from none other than the Angel Realm. The Four Great Angels are as strong as Demon Kings.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, it suddenly feels weird.¡± Cain quietly chuckled.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°His Highness Kireua dered that he¡¯ll break every one of their limbs.¡±


    Joshua closed his mouth. While he trusted Kireua, he was still worried about him in some ways¡ªperhaps it was just paternal instinct.


    ¡°We might have to hurry a little¡­¡± Joshua trailed off.


    ¡°Your Majesty! The preparations to transfer the prisoners areplete!¡± Ranger came running over.


    ¡°Great work.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing. You¡¯re too kind.¡± Ranger pounded on his chest with a grin.


    ¡°Your Majesty, what are you going to do with that Count what¡¯s-his-name and the rebel leaders?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ ¡° Joshua stroked his chin for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m not sure yet.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any ns in mind?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, the western and eastern rebels aren¡¯t on good terms,¡± Joshua recalled.


    Ranger jumped in like a puppy waiting for his master to call him.


    ¡°Their leaders are pr opposites of each other,¡± Ranger eagerly supplied. ¡°Marquess Turtler is cruel and has a fiery temper, but Marquess Drenius is cold and rational. On top of that, the former thinks of his subordinates like tools, but thetter is deeply trusted by his.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they didn¡¯t join forces in spite of the fact they share themon goal of overthrowing the government, so it¡¯s understandable.¡±


    ¡°Yes, this civil war started in the west. In other words, Marquess Turtler raised his army first, and then the other hyenas from the other regions chimed in.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°In the end, the rebels know that they¡¯ll fight each other someday, so it¡¯s definitely not easy for them to work together. Human greed is insatiable.¡±


    That was why the power of Greed was scary. Humans¡¯ instinctive desires showed their most cruel sides in times like war because there was now to corral them. Plundering goods from conquerednds, assaulting people, raping women¡­ Everything happened because of the dark desires hidden deep in humans¡¯ hearts.


    <em>¡®If Kireua is able to utilize his power well, he would be matchless,¡¯ </em>Joshua thought.<em> ¡®but otherwise¡­¡¯</em>


    The Evil Sins¡¯ powers fed off the desires around them, so the stronger the desires were, the stronger the powers became. Joshua agonized over it.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what you promised!¡± someone shouted, interrupting Joshua¡¯s train of thought. The voice came from where the rebel officers were being held.


    ¡°The doggy must have gotten very angry.¡± Cain raised an eyebrow.


    The culprit was Count Andes.


    ¡°Shall I go and break his legs off?¡± Ranger asked, half in motion already.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders! You call yourself the emperor of this country?! We surrendered, so how can you treat us like this? Did you not consider the possibility that the more ruthlessly you treat people like us, the worse this civil war will be?¡± Andes yelled at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°How dare that son of a bitch call His Majesty by his name¡­¡± Ranger gave Andes a death re.


    ¡°This is why Avalon is in this mess! If I were you, I would have embraced the western revolutionaries and provided them with a second chance at life! You can punish them all you want after the citizens'' lives and the country stabilize!¡±


    Andes actually had a point, forcing Ranger to swallow his words.


    ¡°You¡¯re definitely not worthy to be an emperor. You should have just stayed as the Martial God. You¡¯re such a scaredy cat, what countries would fear Avalon? Hahahaha!¡± Andes burst into manicughter.


    Cain angrily drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°Leave him be.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about our soldiers and knights, but the rebels would surely be shaken if I leave him be, Your Majesty.¡±


    Cain was right. Those rebels had given up on fighting even before the battle had started. That was how terrifying Joshua Sanders was to ordinary soldiers; Andes was using that fear by telling everyone that Joshua was no emperor at all. And if Joshua was so merciless, it might be better for the rebels to keep on fighting.


    ¡°Untie me! Untie me right now!¡±


    ¡°Emperor, you¡¯re a man of poor caliber. Can you really not see the sincerity of us, the citizens of Avalon?¡±


    ¡°We started this revolution for our country. If you had stayed on your throne, none of this would have happened! Emperor, you are ultimately responsible for this!¡±


    One after another, the rebels raised their voices.


    ¡°They think they can say anything they want just because they have mouths,¡± Ranger growled.


    Unlike what those rebels were saying, the civil war wasn¡¯t all the government¡¯s fault. Imperialw strictly limited the size of the noble families¡¯ armies: two thousand soldiers and knights for barons, five thousand for viscounts, ten thousand for counts, fifteen thousand for marquesses, and thirty thousand for dukes. Their armies could only be used to protect and maintain order in theirnds.


    Forming an alliance with the other noble families was high treason. In other words, deploying arge army would be viewed as treason regardless of their actual reasons. Maybe they could have been ckmailed into it, but it was obvious what was going to happen once one exception was made. It was clear that the rebels were criminals, but they would scream at the top of their lungs that they should be exceptions as well because they also had good reasons. In many ways, Joshua would lose his authority as emperor, so it was important that he set a good precedent.


    ¡°I think executing them here right now isn¡¯t a bad idea,¡± Cain murmured.


    Ranger''s eyes widened for a moment, but he nodded. ¡°I agree. Even if the rebels from the other regions will fight to the end of their lives after we execute them, it would be better than embracing all of them and having to worry about them backstabbing us every day.¡±


    ¡°By the way, his name is Count Andes, right? He¡¯s one shrewd guy. I don¡¯t know about the others, but I¡¯d execute him and hang his head on the castle wall. No one would dare act rashly again.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    ¡°How about this?¡± Joshua abruptly asked while Cain and Ranger were arguing over who would be the executioner. They turned to look at him. ¡°Let¡¯s let them go for now.¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    ¡°Hear me out: I¡¯m not saying we should free them for good. My n is to make them join the eastern rebels,¡± Joshua exined.


    ¡°Pardon? D-Did you say east?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, Selim is sessfully driving Marquess Drenius, the head of the eastern rebels, into a corner, so I¡¯ll make those rebels hunt down Marquess Drenius.¡±


    Cain and Ranger''s eyes widened.


    ¡°Capturing an enemy with another enemy?¡±


    ¡°I see. The situation may have taken a turn, but west and east Avalon have been on bad terms for generations¡­¡±


    Joshua grinned. ¡°Nevertheless, there is still a risk that they¡¯ll partner up, so I¡¯ll have to give them some tempting bait.¡±


    ¡°What bait do you have in mind?¡±


    Joshua stroked his chin. ¡°For example, if they sessfully contribute to exterminating the eastern rebel army, I¡¯ll pardon them¡­ Something along those lines.¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to pardon them?¡±


    ¡°Of course¡ªevery one of them has a story and will make different levels of contributions. I¡¯ll have to think about how I¡¯ll use them after I pardon them.¡±


    ¡°...That is a very clever n.¡± Even the cautious Cain nodded in agreement.


    The civil warsted for years, so the governmentcked manpower. Using those rebels to take care of the remnants and restore the country was killing two birds with one stone.


    ¡°Since I have made a decision, I¡¯ll be extra merciful. To whoever captures the enemy leader, I¡¯ll personally write them a letter of rmendation to join the Imperial Knights, whether they¡¯re a soldier or a knight,¡± Joshua said.


    A rmendation from the emperor of the Avalon Empire was one of the few ways to join the Imperial Knights without going through Berche¡¯s Bloody Battle. The tradition had practically died out after Joshua had taken the throne. The guiding principle of the current Imperial Knights waspetence, and even Joshua, their idol, had refused a letter of rmendation when he was a young man. Therefore, someone who became an Imperial Knight through such means would only be hated and derided by the senior Knights.


    ¡°Whoever joins the Imperial Knights like that will be sent to the old Auxiliary Battalion, where the knights are from various backgrounds,¡± Joshua added.


    ¡°You¡¯re a true demon, Your Majesty.¡± Cain shook his head in disbelief.


    Ranger gave Joshua a look like he¡¯d sprouted horns and a tail. ¡°How d-does ¡®Demonic God¡® sound instead of Martial God?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 85

    Side Story Chapter 85


    Joshua approached the source of themotion.


    ¡°You¡¯re Count Andes, correct?¡±


    Silence immediately fell upon the area.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you answering me? Count Andes? Are you currently in charge of the western rebel army?¡±


    ¡°Th-That is correct.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡± An enigmatic smile danced on Joshua¡¯s lips that Andes found highly unsettling. ¡°If I could do as I please, I would shred you and the other people in charge to death and feed the pieces to the dogs.¡±


    Andes paled.


    ¡°But then the other rebels would be annoyingly persistent and scream that they¡¯ll fight to the end, just like you said.¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right. We have to put out the biggest fire first, right?¡±


    ¡°Still,¡± Joshua said, tilting his head thoughtfully. ¡°I¡¯ll lose face if I spare you.¡±


    Andes desperately put his brain to work trying to survive Joshua¡¯s horrifying mind game.


    ¡°Supposing that I also forgive everyone in charge, the Imperial Family¡¯s dignity would end up in the gutter. People would call us idiots who can¡¯t even properly punish rebels even though they came after my throne,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°No one would ever think so! Never!¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°When the rebellion took ce in Avalon, you were away, Your Majesty, but you¡¯re back now! I believe it¡¯s a good chance to increase your reputation not only within Avalon but also in other countries!¡± Andes fervently shouted.


    Joshua¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Well, the continent did change a lot while I was gone. Avalon is being treated like dirt, and the Hubalt Empire is the new king even though they weren¡¯t able to look me in the eyes when I was around.¡±


    ¡°If you show mercy here, the citizens of Avalon will be united and work themselves to the bone to make this country flourish!¡±


    ¡°Do you have anything to back up your im?¡±


    ¡°Ever since the powers called authorities have started to manifest in people, even the nobles didn¡¯t have any choice but to join the rebels. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve met them in person, but that is how remarkably powerful the people with the Four Guardians¡¯ authorities are. Who could have said no to them when our lives were at risk? No, we at least have to save our families, don¡¯t we? Please show mercy!¡±


    The rebel leaders went down on their knees.


    ¡°Please reconsider this matter, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! We¡¯ll devote the rest of our lives to the Avalon Empire!¡±


    ¡°Please give us a chance, Your Majesty!¡±


    The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. From the emperor¡¯s perspective, he would want his people to prioritize the good of the state over their families, but no one could force them to make sacrifices¡ªit was human instinct to survive.


    All the troops waited for Joshua''s next words. What he said next would decide the fate of everyone there.


    The rebels, already tied up and with no other recourse, screamed at the top of their lungs.


    ¡°Honorable Martial God! Your Majesty Joshua Sanders! Please have mercy!¡±


    ¡°Please spare us! I have children!¡±


    ¡°My widowed mother is waiting for me! If I¡¯m gone, there will be no one to¡­ Hic, hngh!¡±


    The sound of weeping came from all sides.


    Ranger peered at them and quickly sidled up to Cain.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t he already decide to spare them?¡± Ranger whispered.


    ¡°If he forgives them too easily, the same thing will happen again.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like he¡¯s letting them off the hook unconditionally, is he? He¡¯s going to immediately send them to the east.¡±


    ¡°How can I know the depth of His Majesty¡¯s wisdom? Just trust him and watch,¡± Cain said, taking his own advice..


    ¡°Is there a guarantee that history won¡¯t be repeated when I spare you?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Absolutely not! You¡¯re back, Your Majesty, so how can we¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What if I disappear again?¡±


    Andes flinched but quickly answered, ¡°Since you have executed the rebel, Turtler, I don¡¯t think you have to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°Do I matter to you people that much?¡±


    ¡°O-Of course¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask so I could hear you tter me. I genuinely want to know if Avalon means nothing to you.¡±


    All the rebel officers¡¯ expressions darkened.


    ¡°Life? Family? Don¡¯t be ridiculous. When your leader was acting like a tyrant, none of you were able to stand up to him, you got dragged around. So how can I be sure that you¡¯ll never do this again?¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡ª¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say someone shows up again and threatens all of you after I¡¯m gone. Are you sure you¡¯ll fight back, knowing it may cost you your lives?¡± Joshua asked.


    The rebels choked on their words, instantly nketing the area in silence.


    ¡°Count Andes,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Y-Y-Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°¡­If you give me one more chance, I will repay you with my loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll let you go.¡±


    For a moment, Andes couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Joshua was going to let them go? That easily?


    ¡°A-Are you sure?¡± Andes asked.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?


    Andes¡¯s face instantly brightened when he realized that he¡¯d heard correctly. The other rebels were practically glowing as well.


    ¡°Thank you! Once word spreads throughout the Empire, the other rebels will also be impressed with your decision and surrender!¡± Andes yelled, delighted.


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve felt this way for a long time, but I¡¯m really lucky.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡± Andes tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Because I was away, I¡¯m now able to have a man of talent like you by my side.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What¡­?¡±


    ¡°You have the courage to speak up for your subordinates even if it means putting your life on the line. Not just anyone can show that kind of bravery, so I¡¯ll forgive you all.¡±


    Andes trembled in uncontroble excitement and goosebumps rose all over his body. The fact that he was recognized by the great Martial God and the rosy future he foresaw made him choke up.


    <em>¡®I-I can¡¯t believe he¡¯s this magnanimous¡­¡¯</em> Andes thought.


    In fact, this was practically Andes¡¯s first time meeting Joshua in person. Even though Andes was a count, he was born and raised in the west, leaving him far from central politics. On top of that, he was Marquess Turtler¡¯s vassal, so he rarely left hisnd as he had to fill in for Marquess Turtler if he headed to the capital to take care of business.


    Even without that, Andes had secretly looked down on Joshua with contempt. Andes had been the head of his family for a long time, but the emperor in front of him was the lowly bastard of a duke.


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯ll be unfailingly loyal to this man and devote the rest of my life to him.¡¯</em>


    Andes bowed. ¡°Thank you for the undeservedpliments¡­ You have my sincerest gratitude, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°There is something I want you to do,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Can you do me a favor?¡±


    He gestured behind him. Cain quickly caught on and untied Andes.


    ¡°Untie all of them,¡± Joshua added.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Years of the rebels¡¯ efforts were slipping away, leaving them with a mire of mixed emotions.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­!¡±


    ¡°Th-thank¡­ <em>Sob</em>.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.¡±


    No one told them to, but every single one of the rebels dropped to their knees.


    ¡°What do you mean, a favor? Preposterous¡ªI swear on my life¡ªno, my soul¡ªthat I will carry out your order!¡±


    ¡°Thank you. Have you heard any news from the east by any chance?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± A memory shed across Andes¡¯s mind. Not long ago, he had received news from the opposite side of the Empire that was just as unbelievable as Marquess Turtler¡¯s death. Marquess Drenius, of all people, had lost to a young man who was just over twenty years old. When Andes had first heard the news, he¡¯d sneered. Even if that young man was the Martial God¡¯s son, he was still just a greenhorn.


    ¡°Yes, I heard it. As expected from His Highness! He defeated Drenius, the owner of the Azure Dragon authority, one of the Four Guardians¡¯ authorities!¡±


    ¡°But the First Prince failed to capture Drenius, so isn¡¯t his victory just half-good?¡± Joshua mused.


    ¡°Not at all! You weren¡¯t even in the battle¡ªHis Highness did everything with only his ck Knights! The eastern rebels¡¯ morale must have been crushed!¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Then can I put you in charge of tracking him down?¡± Joshua finally asked.


    ¡°Pardon¡­? Are you talking about Marquess Drenius?¡± Andes asked.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy, will it?¡±


    ¡°No, not really, but won¡¯t His Highness feel ufortable with it? He already finished the war; it might look like we¡¯re taking all the credit¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I already sent Selim back to the Pce because I have another job for him.¡±


    ¡°Then the east is¡­¡± Andes trailed off.


    ¡°Iruca is in charge right now, but shecks manpower. And I think the western army is going to be perfect for the job¡­¡±


    Even before Joshua finished speaking, Andes¡¯s eyes sparkled as he realized that that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    ¡°If you leave that to me, I¡¯ll bring Drenius in front of you whatever it takes!¡± Andes shouted.


    ¡°Once you capture him, no one will be able to object when I pardon you. No, that isn¡¯t it¡ªif any of the soldiers or knights who contribute in capturing Drenius wish, I¡¯ll personally write them a letter of rmendation to join the Imperial Knights.¡±


    The rebels gasped.


    ¡°Ah, the same goes for the officers. I¡¯ll not only preserve your noble titles but also bring you to the capital, providing you with a chance to join central politics,¡± Joshua added. Although what Joshua was really saying was that he was going to keep them close where he could keep an eye on them, there was no way for Andes to know about that, so he was amazed once again.


    ¡°Thank you! Thank you! Every citizen of Avalon will praise your mercy!¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±


    Joshua turned away from them, but Andes¡ªno, all the rebel officers raised a round of cheers for him.


    ¡°Hurray for His Majesty! Hurray for the Martial God!¡±


    The cheers spread to the entire rebel army.

 Side Story Chapter 86

    Side Story Chapter 86


    Around the time when winter passed and warm spring came, brilliant fireworks filled the sky in Avalon¡ªmagic firecrackers made by Iceline, the First Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire and ss 7 archmage. When the celebrations officially started, nobles from around the continent made their way into the Pce.


    ¡°Thank you foring here today. The journey couldn¡¯t have been easy,¡± Iceline said to a guest.


    ¡°Not at all! His Majesty has returned, so of course I shoulde. By the way, you¡¯re still beautiful, Your Majesty. It looks like you haven¡¯t aged at all.¡±


    ¡°Not at all¡­ If anything you¡¯re the one who¡¯s be more handsome, Alliance Leader Zirfel.¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha! The vegetables from the Allied Powers of Palentine are known for their freshness! They seem to be the reason why I look healthy and handsome, so I brought a carriage full of them here. Ah, it¡¯s a specially made, refrigerated carriage to keep the vegetables fresh, so you don¡¯t have to worry about them spoiling.¡±


    Iceline continued to smile despite Zirfel¡¯s overwhelming chattiness. ¡°Then I should pick out some of my artifacts for the Allied Powers.¡±


    ¡°What? The artifacts you made, Your Majesty? Oh, my. I think you¡¯re overpricing the vegetables I brought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You must have been busy, but you still came all the way out here. This is the least I can do.¡±


    ¡°Haha, to be honest¡­¡± Zirfel trailed off. Iceline tilted her head curiously. ¡°...I never envied the Martial God before since he¡¯s on a totally different level than me, but I envy him so much for marrying a woman as beautiful as you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Iceline elegantly shook her head. ¡°No, not at all. In fact, I¡¯m grateful to His Majesty for taking me in as his wife despite my many inadequacies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re also humble¡­ My, my. Anyhow, I¡¯d like to express my sincerest congrattions on His Majesty¡¯s return. Oh, right¡ªwill we be able to meet him today?¡± Zirfel asked.


    Iceline just smiled, but she was secretly feeling quite anxious. The season had changed already, but Joshua hadn¡¯t sent any messages about when he would return from the west.


    <em>¡®Where is he? What is he doing¡­?¡¯ </em>Iceline wondered. Thanks to Joshua, Iceline and Icarus, the Queen Consorts who were present in the Pce, were busy as hell trying to cover for Joshua.


    ¡°Your Majesty Icarus! We finally met again!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my! Duke Edgar from the Fordran Kingdom!¡± Icarus approached Edgar. ¡°I¡¯m so grateful to you foring all the way from the south.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m here too, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Duke Triman! It¡¯s been so long! Thest time I saw you was during the summit¡ªhas it been five years?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s close to six, Your Majesty. Our Draia Kingdom is really cold, so we¡¯re d toe here. It¡¯s like having a vacation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been really busy. I couldn¡¯t evene out to greet you when I received word that you two had arrived,¡± Icarus said with an apologetic look.


    ¡°Don¡¯t mention it. We¡¯re busy prepping our team; the other delegations must be as well.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Prepping their teams?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tournament hosted by the Martial God himself! Who could have imagined he would start such a grand event right after he returned? Hahahaha!¡±


    The corners of Icarus¡¯s mouth trembled, threatening her perfect smile.


    <em>¡®Oh, for goodness¡¯s sake! I¡¯m going to give him the scolding of his lifetime! He started all this, so why did he disappear again?!¡¯</em>


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua and Selim were weing the knights who hade to participate in the tournament. All sorts were gathering in the arena.


    ¡°Selim,¡± Kireua asked, ¡°did you really defeat Marquess Drenius and his army with only one hundred ck Knights?¡±


    The arena was already full of knights, so it was very noisy. Nevertheless, Selim could hear Kiruea¡¯s voice as clear as day.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°¡­Remarkable. You defeated a great army that was entrenched in a castle with only a hundred people.¡±


    ¡°It was only possible because Marquess Drenius let his guard down and came out voluntarily. I basically raided an empty castle.¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°That is still amazing. No ordinary man would be able to think about taking on tens of thousands of troops with only a hundred knights.¡±


    ¡°You say I¡¯m great, but I find your aplishments rather remarkable.¡±


    ¡°What aplishments?¡±


    ¡°I heard about how you went up to the enemy headquarters on your own and took the enemy leader¡¯s head.¡±


    ¡°About that¡­¡± Kireua maintained hisposure, but he still couldn¡¯t help clenching his fists. The mainstream story was that the western rebel army had lost, and Turtler, their leader, had been executed by none other than Kireua. Kireua felt a pang in his conscience and immediately tried to straighten out the facts.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that the princes of Avalon?¡±


    A man pushed his way through a crowd of knights wearing expensive blue magic armor and walked to Kireua and Selim¡ªa man Kireua was familiar with.


    ¡°Duke Uraxen¡­¡± Kireua murmured.


    All the knights had been upied with assessing each other¡¯s strength, but now everyone¡¯s eyes were on Kireua, Selim, and Uraxen.


    ¡°Who is it?¡± Selim quietly asked Kireua.


    ¡°He¡¯s from the new Tetra Kingdom. You heard about their mage knights, right? He¡¯s their leader,¡± Kireua exined.


    ¡°¡­I did.¡± Selim nodded.


    ¡°No one seems to be saying hello to each other, so I thought I would start,¡± Uraxen proimed when he¡¯d made his way to the princes.


    ¡°If you¡¯d stayed where you were, I would have gone to say hello,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°How could I? Even a dog barks the loudest in its home, so it¡¯s only right for a guest to say hello first.¡±


    All of the knights watching them flinched from the brazen insult. Kireua was a prince, and Uraxen was a duke. They were technically ranks with equal powers, but that only applied when the two were from the two equally strong countries. On top of that, the Tetra Kingdom was a newly founded country. Obviously, Uraxen had a n in mind.


    <em>¡®I need toe on strong here. The Four Pdins aren¡¯t here right now, but many of their pdins are,¡¯</em> Uraxen thought. He was certain that joining a side was all about the timing. For weeks, Uraxen had scoured not only the Pce but also the entirety of Arcadia. Although it was a diplomatic faux pas, Uraxen didn¡¯t care about that at all¡ªin his opinion, that arrogant prince had invited it upon this country.


    Besides, Uraxen had be certain during his search that the Emperor of Avalon wasn¡¯t in Arcadia right now. Although Uraxen wasn¡¯t sure about why Avalon had brought together the entire continent, he had an idea. Hubalt was getting too strong, so Avalon must want to form an alliance by using the name of Martial God.


    Who wasn¡¯t even there right now?


    However, it wasn¡¯t going to work. Once the people found out that Avalon was powerless, they would scatter right away, so what Uraxen had to do from now on was very simple.


    <em>¡®Degrade Avalon as much as I can. If I can solidify my rtionship with Hubalt and sessfully form an official alliance, this journey would mean something.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Your words seemed barbed,¡± Kireua angrily replied, unaware of Uraxen¡¯s n. ¡°Am I supposed to be the dog?¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡­ Is that what it sounded like to you?¡±


    ¡°If this is about what happened earlier, it¡¯s a pretty childish move, Duke Uraxen.¡±


    ¡°What happened earlier? I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re talking about, Your Highness.¡±


    Kireua scowled. Even if he brought up what had happened, no good woulde of it. Besides, bis had told Kireua that he needed to keep his temper in check in front of foreigners.


    ¡°First of all, I apologize. I would like to state once again that that wasn¡¯t my intention. In any case, I see that His Majesty still hasn¡¯t made his appearance. It¡¯s my personal opinion that it would be discourteous to not show up until the end when he invited all these guests¡­ Ah, don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t want to make an issue of it as long as the other distinguished guests don¡¯t mind,¡± Uraxen said.


    At this point, even the knights from the other countries became certain that Uraxen was intentionally provoking Avalon¡¯s princes, certain that the Emperor of Avalon wouldn¡¯t show up.


    ¡°Even if we don¡¯t get to meet His Majesty, I hope we still go through with this tournament. It¡¯d be a shame not only for me but also for all the other guests if their journeys were meaningless, wouldn¡¯t it? They¡¯re all awfully busy to go back empty-handed.¡±


    Kiruea clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails dug into his flesh. Although Selim didn¡¯t know the full context, he also red at Uraxen, who was smiling slyly.


    And there were other people who had seen everything. Joshua and Cain were looking down at the arena from atop the high rooftops of the Pce.


    ¡°It looks like things are taking an interesting turn,¡± Cain remarked. ¡°Are you going to sit out until the end?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Yeah, I should let the next generations take charge, so my children will have to handle this matter.¡±


    ¡°But the delegations will raiseints if you don¡¯t make an appearance until the end. We now have amon enemy¡ªthe Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°I will, but not right now. I can¡¯t solve all their problems forever.¡± Joshua shrugged. After Joshua¡¯s disappearance, another civil war had broken out in Avalon. The cycle was likely to repeat.


    ¡°Maybe we should have brought Ranger. He¡¯s officially the vicemander of the Imperial Knights, so this might not have happened if he was around¡­¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, those guys bug me more.¡± Joshua looked elsewhere.


    Cain frowned. In the remote corners of the Pce, glimpses of shadow could be seen. Of course, no one other than Absolutes like Cain or Joshua would ever have noticed them.


    ¡°Rats are sneaking into the Pce,¡± Cain observed.


    ¡°They¡¯re moving very subtly¡­ I have an idea where they¡¯re from, but I had no idea they¡¯d be so brazen in the center of my Pce.¡±


    ¡°Well, they must have had no idea that you would notice them since everyone is focused on what is going on in the Pce.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why life is funny.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°No one can see the future.¡±


    Cain smiled faintly. ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°Get some rest here. You must be tired after so many days taking care of the business in the west, so let me take care of them.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to be okay?¡± Cain asked.


    Joshua broke into a wide smile. ¡°I¡¯ll bring all of them to their knees in five minutes.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 87

    Side Story Chapter 87


    The Poison King secretly positioned his assassins everywhere in the pce of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°There is no sign of the Martial God in the Pce nor in Arcadia. We weren¡¯t able to locate anyone who saw him.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± the Poison King said.


    ¡°Yes, master.¡± The subordinate assassin bowed.


    The Poison King nodded and looked around, taking in the view of the vast garden in the Pce. He had never envisioned the Imperial Family opening up the Pce to outsiders. It was crazy, even for the Martial God.


    ¡°Was there anything peculiar during your search?¡± the Poison King asked.


    ¡°It looked like Avalon¡¯s knights couldn''t afford to pay attention to us. The official number of foreign knights that entered the castle is around one thousand, which is roughly equal to the number of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°At least one of Avalon¡¯s knights will have to be in charge of monitoring one foreign knight.¡±


    ¡°Thirty percent of them are protecting key locations in the inner wards or a member of the Imperial Family, so technically, theyck manpower, master. That said, I haven¡¯t taken the number ofmon soldiers into ount¡­¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t have to worry about mere soldiers,¡± the Poison King said, his expression finally rxing into a contented smile. All the assassins that were there today with the Poison King he had handpicked; they were elites of the Hashashin Guild. There was no way that some random foot soldiers would be able to detect the Poison King and his assassins¡¯ presence.


    ¡°Tell everyone that I strictly forbid them from making any unnned movements. We¡¯ve met the very Martial God in person,¡± the Poison King instructed.


    ¡°Yes, master.¡±


    ¡°Even if the Martial God is back, the current Avalon is a sinking ship, so his n is probably to unite the other countries against Hubalt using his name.¡±


    The Poison King had considered what the first thing he should do before forming an alliance was if he were the Martial God. The answer was: stabilize the country. He could start something only after his family and country were at peace.


    As a matter of fact, the Poison King had received intel a week ago that someone who was presumed to be the Martial God was witnessed in western Avalon. The Martial God must be still busy as a bee quelling the rebellion¡ªof course, the Poison King didn¡¯t have the slightest idea that Joshua had intentionally leaked that information.


    ¡°Once we verify that the Martial God isn¡¯t in the Pce and everyone is upied with the tournament, we¡¯ll enter the Pce,¡± the Poison King said.


    ¡°Do we only have to focus on the request after we enter the Pce, master?¡±


    ¡°Yes, prioritize securing the target.¡±


    ¡°Understood!¡±


    Kidnapping was more difficult than assassination, but the Poison King was still confident. Thanks to the Martial God¡¯s crazy stunt, the Pce was basically open for the taking, and the targets¡¯ martial prowess was simr to civilians¡¯.


    ¡°You dare make a reverse-hit request to us¡­ Hehe, I¡¯ll make you pay for it, Martial God,¡± the Poison King murmured.


    ¡°How are you going to do it?¡±


    ¡°Well, once we get our hands on either the Second Queen Consort or Princess¡­¡±


    The Poison King¡¯s eyes slowly widened. The voice came from behind, so the Poison King naturally assumed that was his subordinate, but it hit him a secondter that something was off. His subordinate addressing him casually? They wouldn¡¯t dare to do that unless they¡¯d gone crazy. Besides, none of his people had such a low, sonorous voice as this.


    ¡°Wh-Who is it?¡± the Poison King stammered.


    ¡°The person you were just thinking about.¡±


    The Poison King¡¯s eyes bulged. He hadn¡¯t even been able to detect this man¡¯s presence even though he was one of the Twelve Superhumans. The Poison King was an A-ss swordsman on top of his proficiency with poison¡­


    <em>¡®¡­It still doesn¡¯t make any sense,¡¯</em> the Poison King thought.


    He slowly turned his head.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die if you turn around now.¡±


    The Poison King froze.


    ¡°I told you that¡¯s not how you should use stealth techniques.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you the Emperor?¡±


    ¡°If you know that, then you should know to watch your mouth.¡±


    The Poison King¡¯s lip trembled as he realized that the assassin who had been reporting to him was unconscious on the ground. The rest of his assassins were concealed in the Pce, meaning that he had to ovee the situation on his own¡ªbut no matter how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯te up with any way to win.


    ¡°W-What do you want?¡± the Poison King stuttered, a frown tugging at his lips.


    ¡°I should be the one asking you that.¡±


    Befitting the leader of a guild, the Poison King quickly regained hisposure.


    ¡°This is all a misunderstanding,¡± he smoothly answered. ¡°I¡¯m doing this because of your request. I received intel that the people from the Hubalt Empire are going to start something in the Pce.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say something about the Second Queen Consort and Princess?¡±


    ¡°The people from the Hubalt Empire want them, but they¡¯re practically as weak as civilians. That was why we tried to get a drop on them.¡±


    ¡°What about the part about making me pay?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m fighting against the most powerful nation on the continent, so I think I¡¯m entitled to some pay.¡±


    Joshua kept his silence for a long time, long enough that a cold sweat began to build on the Poison King¡¯s back. Each second felt like an hour.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with all that, but I don¡¯t like your attitude.¡± Joshua raised an eyebrow.


    The Poison King was startled but quickly changed his tone. ¡°Please p-pardon my rudeness, Your Majesty. I was just so surprised¡­¡±


    His subordinates weren¡¯t here anyway, so if all the Poison King had to do to get out of this situation was change his tone, then he would certainly do that!


    Joshua jerked his chin at him. ¡°Tell me more about Hubalt¡¯s n.¡±


    ¡°Th-There is an extraordinary new Star in the Hubalt Empire that not only surpasses the Four Pdins but also you. You must have heard about them, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the Martial Emperor¡¯s student?¡±


    The Poison King nodded. ¡°He¡¯s here right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­In other words, all the Four Pdins and the most skilled person from the Hubalt Empire are in my Avalon right now.¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s quite a surprise. Then what¡¯s their real goal?¡±


    ¡°Like I told you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not asking about how they¡¯re going to achieve their goal. I want to know what the Hubalt Empire is trying to do with the Queen Consort and Princess after kidnapping them.¡±


    The Poison King, in spite of all his talents, had to hesitate for a moment. This time he was choosing a side. There was a high possibility that this celebration in Avalon was going to be the starting point of the war to seize the hegemony of the continent. Should the Poison King choose the Hubalt Empire or the Avalon Empire? The former may currently be the most powerful nation and thetter may have practically fallen, but the Martial God was back in Avalon.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± The Poison King¡¯s analysis was cut short by a mixture of menacing, murderous energy and overpowering pressure. He could now understand why it was said that an imminent threat was scarier than thew.[1]


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you this under one co-condition,¡± the Poison King choked out.


    ¡°A condition in a situation like this¡­? Arrogant.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to get an answer from me unless you ept it. Just kill me instead.¡±


    The murderous energy in the air thickened, but the Poison King didn¡¯t back down. He¡¯d already thought this through. He knew he had to analyze the situation from the other party¡¯s perspective, and even the Poison King wouldn¡¯t trust himself if he yielded easily.


    <em>¡®Bu-But what should I do if he just decides to kill me?¡¯</em>


    In the end, the Poison King¡¯s gamble worked. Shortly, the murderous energy dissipated without a trace.


    ¡°Interesting. I¡¯ll give you one more chance, then,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Th-Thank you?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your condition?¡±


    ¡°As you may be aware, the tournament you''re hosting is currently thergest event in recent history, and that has captured the attention of people all across the continent,¡± the Poison King exined.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know about anyone else, but I want you to make the Four Pdins suffer a devastating defeat. They have to be crushed so hard that even if the fact that we epted a reverse-hit request from you bes known, everyone will understand.¡±


    ¡°The Four Pdins?¡±


    ¡°Yes¡ªand this is actually for the good of Avalon too. If the Hubalt Empire wants war, it¡¯s better to have more allies. They¡¯ll know whose side they have to join after you show your power.¡±


    Silence fell upon the area once again. The Poison King wouldn¡¯t suffer any losses if Joshua took the deal because the Poison King could simply act in ordance with the tournament¡¯s result. If the Martial God decided to keep his end of the bargain, the Poison King would be able to witness the Martial God¡¯s absolute power once again, which meant that he was right to choose Avalon. If the Four Pdins won, the Poison King could just carry out the request from the Hubalt Empire.


    <em>¡®Since his pride depends on it, he has to take the deal even if he knows I¡¯m using him.¡¯</em>


    The Poison King couldn¡¯t help but admire his own brilliance, so much so that he trembled in excitement.


    ¡°¡­Okay, I¡¯ll ept your condition.¡±


    <em>¡®Idiot!¡¯</em> The Poison King¡¯s fists clenched. The Martial God would be eating out the Poison King¡¯s hands.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± The Poison King beamed, although he was secretlyughing at Joshua on the inside. ¡°If you can do that for us, we, the Hashashin Guild, will support you with all our resources, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°In any case, if you set a condition, it¡¯s only right for me to set a condition as well, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± The Poison King tilted his head in confusion. A condition? Everything was going smoothly, so what in the world Joshua was suddenly talking about? He had to hide his rising nervousness. ¡°By condition, you mean¡­?¡±


    Joshua raised his little finger with a devilish smile. ¡°It¡¯s hard to trust you after you betrayed me once.¡±


    ¡°Y-You can count on me this time. Once you take care of the Four Pdins¡ª¡±


    ¡°Come on, anyone can say that.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­?¡± The Poison King trailed off.


    ¡°Swear on your mana,¡± Joshua said. The Poison King gasped, drawing Joshua¡¯s smile into a ghoulish leer. ¡°That is what I want.¡±


    * * *


    Cain grunted. ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    Cain had been keeping an eye on Joshua from atop the Pce roof up until a moment ago, but then he suddenly vanished like smoke, just like before. Joshua¡¯s movements were, as always, remarkable.


    ¡°Have you waited long?¡± Joshua asked, reappearing beside Cain.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, I know I asked you this before, but be honest with me this time. You still have all your power, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°A Superhuman like you would know that instinctively. I really lost my power. I can still feel my fingertips trembling.¡±


    ¡°Then how did you do what you did just now?¡±


    ¡°If I focus all the mana I can use into my stealth techniques, I can do that much. The ck Dragon personally taught me that stealth technique.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes popped wide open. ¡°You focused all your mana onto your stealth techniques? Th-Then that means¡ª¡±


    ¡°If he decided to use his poison, I would have melted into a puddle.¡±


    Cain was left speechless at Joshua¡¯s sheer audacity.


    ¡°Men are all about guts. Shall we see how faithfully they carry out my order now?¡±


    ¡°¡­And you gave him an order?¡± Cain shook his head in disbelief.


    1. It¡¯s a saying in Korea about how thew can¡¯t protect you from imminent danger. ?

 Side Story Chapter 88

    Side Story Chapter 88


    After the Imperial Family and their distinguished guests finished exchanging greetings, a festival began in Arcadia.


    ¡°Woww!¡±


    The Pce garden was opened to the ordinary citizens of Avalon today. Of course, they were only permitted into the outer wards; they were strictly prohibited from entering the inner ward, where the Imperial Family lived. Nevertheless, the citizens were all quite happy. The arena, which the Imperial Knights used, was in the outer ward, which the international tournament was going to take ce in.


    ¡°I never thought I would live to see the inside of the Pce.¡±


    ¡°I get you¡ªit was unthinkable while the previous emperor was in power.¡±


    ¡°The old Imperial Family had the courage of a rat¡­ Well, I understand since their daily lives were filled with threats, but¡­ I can¡¯t help butpare them to His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°People call him the Martial God for a reason.¡±


    The citizens¡¯ eyes were filled with pride. Although it was often said that even a king became the subject of gossip when he wasn¡¯t present, no such thing could be seen in Avalon¡ªJoshua Sanders, the Martial God, had cemented himself as a legend on the continent. Avalon¡¯s citizens were certain that Avalon would rise once again after today.


    The sudden <em>pop!</em> of fireworks lighting up the sky drew a fresh round of excitement.


    ¡°Woaaaahhhh!¡±


    Shortly after, a woman revealed herself¡ªthe First Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire, appearing on behalf of the Emperor of Avalon in his absence.


    -I am Iceline Sanders.


    Iceline¡¯s mana carried her sonorous voice to the farthest corners of the pce, and the audience responded fervently.


    ¡°Your Majestttyyyy!¡±


    ¡°God! I love you!¡±


    ¡°A Seventh Circle archmage!¡±


    ¡°Oh my goodness. It¡¯s my first time seeing her in person¡ªis she really a human? It¡¯s unbelievable!¡±


    The arena was filled with people, all cheering at the top of their lungs. Even the knights were giving her their full attention, as the tournament was going to finally start. Kireua¡¯s eyes were especially zing with fervor.


    ¡°Maintain yourposure. They¡¯ll think less of you,¡± Selim warned Kireua.


    ¡°When His Majesty first participated in the Reinhardt Masters'' Battle, he must have felt the same as me right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Kireua.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what everyone else is doing, but I¡¯ll deal with Duke Uraxen,¡± Kireua said firmly. Selim¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    -This tournament has been hosted to express our gratitude to our distinguished guests who havee here to congratte His Majesty, the Emperor of Avalon, on his return. In addition, it is also a prayer for the peace on the continent to continue. Needless to say, murder is absolutely forbidden as it would run entirely counter to what His Majesty hoped for when he hosted this tournament.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°The Allied Powers of Palentine understand His Majesty¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°The Draia Kingdom also understood.¡±


    ¡°The Fordran Kingdom as well!¡±


    -The rest, I leave to the participating knights. You may choose to proceed with singlebat or group matches, but I hope all of you can relieve your stress today and work together to maintain the continent¡¯s peace.


    A man came forward and shouted, ¡°I am Duke Uraxen from the new Tetra Kingdom! Since Her Majesty Iceline has entrusted us with arranging the tournament, I would like to propose that everything that happens in this tournament will stay in this tournament.¡±


    It was clear what Uraxen was trying to say: even if they broke each other¡¯s limbs or crippled each other such that they could never act as knights again, no one should make an issue of it after the tournament.


    ¡°Wh-Where is his confidenceing from?¡±


    ¡°I know the Tetra Kingdom is on the rise, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Where did you hear that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? The Tetra Kingdom¡¯s mage knights knocked down the Terra Kingdom within less than a month, so even the Hubalt Empire officially acknowledges those mage knights¡¯ powers.¡±


    ¡°Woah¡­ The Hubalt Empire?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it pathetic for a being born with balls to ambush other people to seek revenge just because he got hit once?¡± Uraxen continued with a wide grin, heedless of the other knights¡¯ conversations. ¡°Don¡¯t you all agree?¡±


    Whoever spoke up would bebeled a gutless man, no better than a eunuch. And just as expected, no one said a thing.


    Uraxen¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°While I¡¯m at it, we, the Tetra Kingdom, would like to challenge the Thran Kingdom¡¯s proud Scarlet me Knights.¡±


    An audible gasp arose from the crowd. Every single person in the arena was surprised. As that could be deduced from the name, the Scarlet Knights were personally trained by bis the me Emperor himself, cementing them as the strongest knights in the Thran Kingdom. The great Nine Stars were considered greater than the Twelve Superhumans, and among those Nine Stars, the me Emperor was assessed to be one of the strongest.


    To celebrate his friend''s return, bis had brought this order all the way over to Avalon directly under hismand.


    ¡°Woaaaaaahhhhh!¡±


    A shout that made thest seem like a whisper burst out of the audience area. In contrast, all the knights shook their heads in disbelief; they thought Uraxen was crazy, not bold. Even if he and his mage knights were called the new rising power, the me Emperor¡¯s might was well established. How could Uraxen and his knights think about winning against the me Emperor and his Scarlet me Order?


    Obviously, Uraxen had a n.


    <em>¡®Hubalt asked me to draw as much attention as possible. Since they¡¯re probably starting something in secret using the Hashashin Guild¡¯s assassins, Hubalt will be pleased if I start the tournament like this.¡¯</em>


    The arena was as big as a ballroom, amodating over one thousand people at once. A circle was formed around Uraxen and his mage knights, who watched their surroundings intently.


    ¡°Fl-me Emperor¡­!¡±


    bis stepped forward, his red hair fluttering.


    ¡°I never thought you¡¯d get your payback like this,¡± he mused.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®payback¡¯? That''s preposterous. If I were nning to get payback, I would have chosen Avalon, not Thran.¡± Uraxen nced at Kireua. ¡°There''s no better way to attract people¡¯s attention than by starting the first fight with the hosting country.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you see for yourself?¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll follow your rules.¡± bis nodded.


    ¡°Each country will fight in a team of three knights. If a knight wins, he¡¯ll continue fighting, but he¡¯ll stand down when he loses. Whichever team has a knight still standing at the end will win. Naturally, no one will be held ountable for any injuries that may ur.¡±


    Uraxen¡¯s current proposal was meticulously calcted. If hundreds of knights from both sides fought all at once, the spectators¡¯ attention would be divided. It was always more fun to watch a select number of the strongest fighting each other, just like how a battle between leaders was most eye-catching.


    <em>¡®And it¡¯ll be better to do that with you guys.¡¯</em> Uraxen nced at Kireua and Avalon¡¯s knights once again.


    ¡°How does that sound?¡± Uraxen asked bis with a smile.


    ¡°I like it¡ªespecially the part about not asking forpensation for possible injuries. I don¡¯t object.¡±


    ¡°You are open-minded indeed.¡±


    All of the mage knights except for Uraxen and the two others took a step backward, and the Scarlet me Knights did the same.


    When both teams stood face to face with each other, Uraxen cracked his knuckles. ¡°The audience is fired up enough¡­ Shall we begin right away?¡±


    ¡°Sure,¡± bis responded.


    ¡°Camisen,¡± Uraxen said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡± one of the knights shouted as he stepped into the limelight. He was huge¡ªtwo and a half meters tall, like a human ogre. Even his voice sounded like an animal¡¯s growl.


    ¡°Go and show them our Tetra Kingdom¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°I will obey.¡± The miniature ogre grinned as he advanced, shaking the ground with every step.


    ¡°¡­That guy named Camisen,¡± Selim muttered to Kireua.


    Kireua turned. ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    ¡°I recognize his appearance. If I remember correctly, he¡¯s the Hundred Butcher.¡±


    ¡°¡®Hundred Butcher¡¯? What? Does he count to one hundred before killing someone?¡±


    ¡°I mean one hundred people. He got his reputation for ripping apart the royal family of Terra and their guards.¡±


    ¡°What¡­? He ripped apart a hundred knights and the royal family with his bare hands?¡±


    ¡°Yes; he might have a big body, but he¡¯s actually an expert mage, surprisingly. I know sses don¡¯t really matter in the era of authorities, but he¡¯s at least A-ss.¡±


    ¡°¡­So Uraxen definitely had an ace in the hole, huh?¡±


    Although the Terra Kingdom had fallen long ago, it wasn¡¯t a country that anyone could take lightly. It was even said that if the empire of knights was Avalon, then the country of mages was Terra. There was no knowing why such a country had fallen overnight, but one thing was sure: the newly-founded Tetra Kingdom, the one responsible for the Terra Kingdom¡¯s downfall, could never be underestimated.


    ¡°Who will fight me?!¡± the man-ogre named Camisen shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Scarlet me Knights? Their name might be fancy, but they¡¯re all from Thran, the small kingdom, insignificant kingdom.¡±


    bis raised an eyebrow but didn¡¯t respond otherwise in ordance with the agreement they¡¯d made earlier, despite Camisen tantly insulting him quite literally right in front of his face. What happened today was going to end today, including the grudges they acquired during the tournament.


    Instead, Kireua was the one with a vein bulging out of his forehead.


    ¡°That bastard¡­ Is this why he gave a big speech in the beginning?¡±


    ¡°Why is no oneing forward? Come, I¡¯ll fight any one of you, you Thran weaklings! Hahahaha!¡±


    The other knights¡¯ eyes were also bright with interest. It must have been infuriating as hell for the insulted, but there was nothing more interesting for the spectators.


    But when someone finally quietly stepped forward, everyone was rather confused.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡± Camisen asked.


    ¡°The first participant is me.¡±


    The arena tensed.


    ¡°From what I recall, there¡¯s no rule prohibiting the team leader from ying in the tournament¡­¡± bis slowly drew his sword. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 89

    Side Story Chapter 89


    A chill went down Camisen¡¯s spine. Camisen the Hundred Butcherer was built like an ogre and was one of the rare knights who could also use magic, which was deemed impossible until recently. The continent praised Camisen and the other knights of Tetra as magic swordsmen. And yet¡­


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Camisen grunted.


    bis¡¯s wicked mes blocked Camisen¡¯s view. The fire was so hot that it instantly made Camisen¡¯s entire body sting. Although Camisen utilized his aura to protect himself, his back was already soaked with sweat due to the extreme heat.


    ¡°¡­Do you have no pride, me Emperor?¡± Camisen asked.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°In a tournament like this, giving your inexperienced, junior knights an opportunity to fight would paint a better picture.¡±


    bis tilted his head. ¡°Is that why you, one of the best knights in the Tetra Kingdom, is your team¡¯s first contestant?¡±


    Camisen bit his tongue.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Thran¡¯s intelligence capabilities. Besides, this is more of a battle of pride, not a friendly tournament,¡± bis continued.


    ¡°Hmph! This won¡¯t be easy, even for you. Actually, the rules put you at a disadvantage since your stamina isn''t infinite¡­ Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re going to give upter when you run out of energy after you¡¯ve volunteered yourself to fight first.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think you can exhaust my stamina? Speaking of which, let¡¯s make this into a proper tournament. Whichever team gets best two out of three matches will win, and the winner will select the next country to fight.¡± bis looked to the side of the arena with a grin dancing on his lips. ¡°How does that proposal sound, Duke Uraxen?¡±


    Uraxen¡¯s fists shook. If he took the proposal, Thran and Tetra would inevitably be at the greatest disadvantage since they started fighting first. The full extent of their power would be revealed, and their stamina would be depleted. Nevertheless, they would have to continue to take on challenger after challenger. But bis was going to be at just as much of a disadvantage as Uraxen, so why would he make such a proposal?


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Are you scared?¡±


    Uraxen gritted his teeth. He had to ept the proposal. He¡¯d beenughing to himself because the Thran Kingdom was absolutely weak¡ªthe only noteworthy thing about it was the me Emperor.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like being victor means much in this tournament¡­ Fine, I¡¯ll ept your proposal,¡± Uraxen answered.


    ¡°That was quick.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll change our priority. We¡¯ll have the highest number of victories in this tournament and show everyone how great the Tetra Kingdom is,¡± Uraxen muttered to the other knights under his breath. He then quickly added mana to his voice and shouted, ¡°Go, Camisen! Show the me Emperor our power!¡±


    ¡°Wooooaaaah!


    ¡°Camisen! He¡¯s already an old man close to seventy! Don¡¯t you lose to that old bag!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re the rising sun¡ªdon¡¯t let the falling star intimidate you!¡±


    ¡°Goooo!¡±


    Tetra¡¯s knights stomped on the ground with their metal boots. The mood in the arena was heating up.


    Camisen fixed his grip on his three-meter-long greatsword and confidently strode forward. Blue sparks of lightning flew off of his de.


    ¡°The old man who¡¯s gonna die of old age and a has-been from the old generation. That¡¯s what people call you, me Emperor. I¡¯ll cut you in two with a single strike and earn my reputation.¡±


    Numerous ice blocks were created around Camisen, but they were instantly turned into clouds of white steam, which spread everywhere, blinding the audience to the duel.


    bis took a step forward and held up his sword while Camisen had his guard up. Due to the thick clouds, Camisen could only see bis¡¯s silhouette, but the same applied to bis. It was all going ording to Camisen¡¯s n. The steam in the arena would amplify the damage of the lightning in the sword. In addition, he was wearing lightning resistant magic armor.


    <em>¡®I only have to stop him once. If I can just grab onto him, I¡¯ll break his back with just my hands¡­¡¯</em>


    bis swayed from side to side beyond the wall of steam.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Camisen drew up his lightning energy to its maximum output without hesitation. <em>¡®Come on. Once you enter my attack range¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± bis asked out of the blue. ¡°Your concentration is quite remarkable.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Do you still not know what happened to your shoulders?¡± bis raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± A burning sensation on Camisen¡¯s shoulders made him lose his grip on his sword¡ªno, his shoulders were literally on fire. ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡±


    ¡°I cut your tendons, so it¡¯ll be difficult for you to pick up anything for a while, let alone a sword.¡±


    Camisen flinched.


    ¡°Are you going to continue?¡± bis asked, still safely behind the wall of steam.


    Camisen gritted his teeth, his face burning with humiliation.


    Rather than surrender, Camisen mped his sword between his jaws and enveloped himself in a lightning spell.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    He charged with loud, heavy footsteps, but he was unexpectedly swift for a person of his size.


    Nevertheless, his efforts were in vain.


    One strike. Camisen went rolling across the ground from a single strike.


    Fire danced around bis¡¯s sword. He was already looking at the knights of the Tetra Kingdom again.


    ¡°Next,¡± bis said.


    A stunned silence fell upon the area as everyone processed the fact that the fight was really going to end just like that. No matter how renowned the me Emperor was, the difference in their levels exceeded all expectations.


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace¡­¡±


    Uraxen narrowed his eyes. ¡°¡­Don¡¯t get scared. He¡¯s all Thran has. If he can¡¯t do that much, that country would have already fallen.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°I will deal with him myself,¡± Uraxen said, the silence allowing his quiet voice to carry to the entire arena.


    The spectators'' eyes widened.


    ¡°The most skilled knights from their countries are going to fight?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still the me Emperor, so will Duke Uraxen really be his match?¡±


    ¡°From what I heard, Duke Uraxen made the most contributions in the Terra Kigndom¡¯s downfall¡­¡±


    ¡°Then do you think he has a chance against the me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? But we have nothing to lose, do we? Thanks to their fight, we¡¯ll be able to see how powerful those famous knights are.¡±


    Uraxen walked toward bis, ignoring the conversations flying around him, until they stood face to face.


    ¡°Your next opponent is me,¡± he confidently dered.


    ¡°So we¡¯re getting to the leader right away?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted, me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t particrly wish for anything¡­¡± Urabis trailed off.


    Uraxen had an ace in the hole, his authority. It was the ability that enabled Tetra¡¯s knights to achieve the impossible¡ªto be magic swordsmen. The king of Tetra and Uraxen were the only ones who possessed this ability.


    ¡°Let¡¯s begin.¡± Uraxen¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    ¡°We, the knights of the Thran Kingdom, will surrender.¡±


    Uraxen couldn¡¯t believe his ears. ¡°What did you say¡­?¡±


    ¡°I said, ¡®we will surrender¡¯.¡±


    Uraxen wasn¡¯t the only one who was surprised. The audience¡¯s murmuring gradually swelled into a dull roar.


    bis shrugged. ¡°The tournament has been organized thanks to the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s hard work and is meant to promote peace.¡±


    ¡°But st-still. It¡¯s so sudden.¡±


    ¡°This old man wasn¡¯t feelingfortable with defeating a new, young knight. I know we set our rules, but we¡¯re only human.¡± bis let out a dramatic sigh. ¡°Someone is bound to hold a grudge if the same thing repeats.¡±


    Uraxen clenched his teeth. Out of all the ways to mess with people, bis chose the nastiest.


    ¡°We, the knights of the Tetra Kingdom, aren¡¯t so narrow-minded, so you don¡¯t have to worry about that, me Emperor!¡± Uraxen shouted.


    ¡°No, I admit my wrongdoing. I didn¡¯t act my age and let my excitement get the better of me.¡±


    ¡°Eeeeek¡­.!¡± Uraxen¡¯s face reddened.


    But even if he got angry here, nothing good woulde of it. Just like bis had said, this tournament was for the sake of promoting peace, so what would happen if he insisted on trying to fight someone who¡¯d already surrendered?


    ¡°Besides, don¡¯t you have someone else who you want to spar with?¡± bis asked.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness Kireua.¡± bis turned to look at Kireua.


    ¡°M-Me?¡± Kireua jumped, startled by the sudden mention.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯ve been wanting to learn about the advanced swordsmanship of the Tetra Kingdom for a long time?¡±


    Kireua understood what bis was doing right away; bis was giving him a chance to get payback. It would look good to other people since everyone there knew that Kireua was bis¡¯s student.


    ¡°¡­First of all, I would like to express my gratitude for your consideration in giving me this opportunity, me Emperor,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°You''re wee¡­¡± bis moved backward, a smile creeping onto his face.


    <em>¡®Th-Those sons of bitches¡­!¡¯</em> Uraxen¡¯s face was as red as a perfectly ripe tomato.


    Regardless, Kireua politely bowed as if he had genuinely wanted to spar with Uraxen ¡°May we, Avalon, be your next opponent, Duke Uraxen?¡±


    Kireua¡¯s obnoxious provocation made Uraxen tear out his hair.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Cain saw everything from the Pce¡¯s rooftop.


    ¡°Things are taking an interesting turn.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°I do want to see how much better Kireua has gotten¡­ Do we really not have to keep the Poison King in check?¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Yeah, he must be busy monitoring Hubalt¡¯s guys.¡±


    ¡°Monitoring Hubalt¡¯s guys?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t find the most important one from anywhere in the Pce.¡±


    ¡°Who in the world are you talking about?¡± Cain asked, obviously confused.


    ¡°Zactor¡¯s student.¡±


    Cain''s eyes widened. ¡°By Zactor¡­ Are you talking about Zactor, the Martial Emperor?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, his student is in Avalon too.¡±


    ¡°But you can¡¯t find him anywhere in the Pce?¡±


    Again, Joshua nodded. ¡°He¡¯s definitely up to something.¡±


    ¡°Th-Then wouldn¡¯t it be better for me to look for him? It¡¯s convenient to use the Poison King, of course, but whether he¡¯s trustworthy or not is¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I made him swear on his mana just in case. Unless he wants to spend the rest of his life as an ordinary swordsman, he¡¯ll have to obey me regardless of his will.¡±


    Cain ended up shaking his, as usual. ¡°You are a demon, master.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 90

    Side Story Chapter 90


    <em>¡®Alright, I guess both the teacher and student are trying to fuck me. I¡¯ll crush you while everyone is watching, then,¡¯</em> Duke Uraxen decided, his eyes filling with murderous intent.


    Anything short of murder was eptable; critical injuries were allowed if they were unavoidable, so Uraxen was going to take at least one of his opponent¡¯s limbs even if that opponent was the prince of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°¡­That was an unnecessary move. Not good,¡± Selim said.


    Kireua gave him a sideways look.


    ¡°Why is the me Emperor suddenly doing this? Were you rude to him earlier?¡± Selim asked.


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    ¡°Then the me Emperor crossed a line and hurt a knight¡¯s pride¡ª¡±


    ¡°Pride? You wouldn¡¯t be able to say such a thing if you knew what happened between Uraxen and us,¡± Kireua snapped.


    ¡°¡­So something did happen.¡± Selim let out a quiet sigh and stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    ¡°What the heck are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Although Duke Uraxen of the Tetra Kingdom isn¡¯t popr, Uraxen the Explosive Annihtion Magic Swordsman of the Terra Kingdom is quite a celebrity.¡±


    ¡°The Explosive Annihtion Magic Swordsman¡­?¡± Kireua murmured.


    ¡°He¡¯s the heir of Enslot, the first magic swordsman on the continent.¡±


    Kireua flinched. Enslot was a magic swordsman that even the Magic Tower¡¯s mages had been desperate to find before authorities, the gods¡¯ powers, had existed. He had done the impossible of mastering both swordsmanship and magic to a proficient level. The mana circle in his heart and the mana hall in his abdomen didn¡¯t collide; it was thought that Enslot had been both a high-level B-ss swordsman and ss 5 mage. That was why the mages had been eager to dissect Enslot for a long time.


    Mages¡¯ fatal weakness was closebat and one-on-one battles. Once these ws were remedied, the mages would have been able to overturn the long dominance of knights. The mages¡¯ lifelong ambition was to be the new overlords of the continent.


    ¡°Wait, Enslot is from an older generation than His Majesty. From what I heard, Enslot was already famous across the continent during His Majesty¡¯s childhood¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°Uraxen may not look like it, but he¡¯s almost sixty.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What¡­?¡± Kireua gaped nkly. Uraxen looked to be in his forties at most. ¡°Is that because of his mana¡­?¡±


    ¡°The Explosive Annihtion Magic Swordsman is believed to have surpassed the level of Enslot in his prime. As a knight, he became A-ss more than a decade ago, and he¡¯s also a ss 6 mage. He will be a difficult opponent for you right now,¡± Selim exined.


    Kireua¡¯s fists clenched. ¡°¡­You know what?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something His Majesty told me.¡±


    Selim flinched. Since he¡¯d already heard about Kireua¡¯s encounter in the west, he immediately responded, ¡°What did he say?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing a good job.¡± Kireua took a step forward. ¡°I¡¯ve be a much greater man than he expected.¡±


    He took another step.


    ¡°¡®Keep up the great work.¡¯¡±


    With one more step, Kireua stood face to face with Uraxen at ten meters and tightened his grip on his sword.


    ¡°I¡¯m alreadyparable to you and I will reach His Majesty¡¯s level someday.¡±


    Selim reeled. As a spearman, Selim respected Joshua Sanders more than anyone else in the world, but Kireua had received such a tremendouspliment from that very man. A rush of emotions Selim had never felt before washed over him, leaving him feeling put off.


    <em>¡®¡­I envy Kireua, and I hate him,¡¯</em> Selim thought. Envy was one of the basic human instincts that had been dered evil by the gods themselves. If Kireua were to lose and Selim took revenge for Kireua, would Selim be able to hear suchpliments from Joshua?


    ¡°Duke Uraxen, let¡¯s let go of our old grudges with this fight,¡± Kireua said, so quietly that only Uraxen could hear it.


    Uraxen''s eyes widened for a moment and he chuckled. ¡°Let¡¯s have a fight man-to-man and let go of our anger, is that it?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?¡±


    ¡°Good¡ªbut just like we promised, we won¡¯t bring uppensation no matter what kind of injuries we inflict.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Kireua nodded.


    Secretlyughing at Kireua, Uraxen released his aura and created a phantom sword on top of the sword he was holding. That wasn¡¯t it¡ªscarlet mes that were as formidable as the me Emperor¡¯s danced around Uraxen. The fire turned into fireballs and created enormous explosions when they met the air.


    Kireua examined those fireballs intently.


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m not good at controlling my attacks due to the characteristics of my ability,¡± Uraxen said.


    Nevertheless, Kireua merely fixed his grip on his sword.


    Uraxen sprang forward without saying anything or making any prior movements, closing over ten meters in a sh.


    The five fireballs took the form of a dragon.


    ¡°Igni, the Fire Dragon King!¡±


    When Uraxen called out the god¡¯s true name, his authority was activated. The spectators'' eyes universally widened as they witnessed a dragon appear with a mighty roar and fly toward the prince of this country.


    Despite the incredible sight, Kireua just quietly held up his sword. It was impossible to avoid the dragon in the limited confines of the arena with limited space¡ªthere was nowhere to run.


    <em>¡®Then I should fight back.¡¯</em>


    In a fraction of a second, Kireua formed a n. Fire was the attribute that Kireua was most familiar with, so even if his opponent was someone who could use the power of the Fire Dragon King, one of the highest-ranking fire gods¡­


    <em>¡®Coal.¡¯</em>


    A ck cotton ball popped up.


    -I¡¯m here!


    <em>¡®Eat it.¡¯</em>


    -Okay!


    Coal immediately diffused into Kireua¡¯s sword. Kireua would let Coal eat the god¡¯s fire and he was going to fight this battle purely with his sword skills, showing everyone there that he may have given up on the spear, but no matter what anyone said, he was still the son of Joshua Sanders, the Martial God.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Kireua shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Kireua cut off the fire dragon that was charging toward him.


    * * *


    Meanwhile at the northern gates of Arcadia¡­


    ¡°Master, what in the world happened in the Pce?¡± one of the Poison King¡¯s assassins asked.


    The Poison King couldn¡¯t say anything. Although he was as frustrated as hell, he had sworn on his mana that he would never reveal that he had met Joshua Sanders and would im that he was acting on his own volition.


    ¡°Fuck... Do what you¡¯re told. Why are you talking so much?!¡± the Poison King angrily yelled.


    ¡°B-But master, we¡¯re confused. Up until this morning, you told us to fully cooperate with Hubalt, but you suddenly want us to keep an eye on them?¡±


    ¡°If you want to be bloody pulp, keep on talking,¡± the Poison King growled. He took a look around.


    This was where they were supposed to meet their contacts from Hubalt after the Poison King and his assassins discovered the Emperor of Avalon in the Pce or sessfully kidnapped either the Second Queen Consort or the princesses. However, the initial n had gone awry when the Poison King had run into the aforementioned emperor, so he had no choice but to betray Hubalt now.


    ¡°Where are the boys?¡± the Poison King asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re dispatched around the area, just like you ordered.¡±


    ¡°Good job. I sent them the message, so our contacts will show up.¡±


    ¡°What shall we do afterward?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll capture them.¡±


    His subordinate¡¯s mind ground to a halt again. Capturing their contacts meant that the Hashashin Guild was going to be on Avalon¡¯s side and burn their bridge with the Hubalt Empire, the strongest empire on the continent.


    ¡°M-Master, why don¡¯t you reconsi¡ª¡±


    ¡°This decision is final. If you can¡¯t capture them alive, silence them for good.¡±


    The assassin gasped, but the Poison King¡¯s mind was already set. He wasn¡¯t about to live as a mundane civilian for the rest of his life.


    ¡°I¡¯m curious why you suddenly changed your mind.¡±


    The Poison King scowled. ¡°Why do you keep talking back to me? Do what you¡¯re told¡ª¡±


    He flinched, btedly noticing that something was odd. There was no way any of his people would speak that arrogantly unless they¡¯d gone mad.


    ¡°M-Master¡­¡±


    The Poison King discovered his subordinate in the clutches of a man dressed in all ck, who snapped the assassin¡¯s neck without hesitation.


    The Poison King stumbled backward. ¡°Wh-What¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m telling you just in case, but don¡¯t even think about screaming. Your assassins are already dead anyway.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What did you say¡­?¡±


    The forest they were in might be close to the north gate, but it was quite remote. Even considering that, the forest was too quiet.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± the Poison King asked.


    ¡°I thought you were never going to ask.¡±


    ¡°Answer my question first. Are you from Hubalt?¡±


    ¡°Why do you have to ask that if you already know?¡± The man sarcastically asked.


    ¡°D-Do you know who I am?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the Poison King, the leader of the Hashashin Guild who betrayed us.¡±


    It was clear that he had been listening to the conversation between the Poison King and his subordinate from the very beginning. On top of that, the man had managed to avoid being detected by numerous assassins, all experts in stealth techniques.


    ¡°Why? Did you get scared when you met the Emperor of Avalon?¡± The man let out a quiet chuckle.


    ¡°Th-This is all a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Well, I do want to know if he¡¯s really good enough to kill my teacher, a Celestial.¡±


    The Poison King¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°My teacher, a Celestial.¡± There was only one man in the Hubalt Empire who carried that title¡ªZactor, the Martial Emperor. If the man in front of the Poison King was Zactor¡¯s student¡­


    ¡°B-Battle God Bel¡­!¡± the Poison King stammered.


    ¡°I almost embarrassed myself because of you. I¡¯m supposed to wee an important guest from the Agnus family. If I were pathetically betrayed right before our first meeting, what would my guest think of me?¡±


    A storm of shock struck the Poison King. The Hubalt Empire was partnering up with the Agnuses? But the leader of the biggest rebel army was from that very same family.


    ¡°How do you feel right now? Are you happy being the Martial God¡¯s dog after betraying me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ not¡­ I¡­¡± The Poison King desperately tried to make excuses, but for reasons he couldn¡¯t understand, he wasn¡¯t able to bring himself to speak.


    ¡°Well, you people are assassins. You always betray people, so I didn¡¯t trust you in the first ce. Now die.¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait¡­!¡±


    The Poison King couldn¡¯t finish speaking¡ªhis head exploded like a watermelon.


    Fragments of his brain drenched the ground. The Poison King had never even seen the man move¡ªa shocking fact, considering the Poison King was one of the Twelve Superhumans.


    The man quietly turned away from the massacre as short as it was brutal.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking forward to meeting you, Joshua Sanders.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 91

    Side Story Chapter 91


    After the avnche in northern Avalon and the Emperor of Avalon officially dering his return, Carmen secretly returned to Arcadia with a few select people. Carmen knew that Joshua wasn¡¯t in his real body as she had seen the real one herself. She had heard from the demon that destroying Joshua¡¯s fake body could significantly damage his real one. In addition, she had another reason toe to Arcadia in spite of the risk.


    ¡°Wee, true head of the Ducal Family of Agnus.¡°


    Carmen looked ahead and saw a man shrouded in a ck robe simrly to herself. Another thing she immediately noticed was the reek of blood.


    ¡°¡­Did you murder someone?¡± Carmen asked.


    ¡°I had traitors to take care of.¡±


    Carmen clenched her jaw shut. At least twenty corpses were scattered around the area, and judging from how fresh the smell of blood was, it hadn¡¯t been long since they died.


    ¡°Are you the type who takes action before thinking it through, Battle God?¡± Carmen narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re right in front of the Pce. I know that the people in the Pce are busy tending to their guests, but youmitted multiple murders right in the center of Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I found a good item, so I¡¯m not going to leave any traces behind,¡± the man answered.


    ¡°A good item¡­?


    Before Carmen could finish asking again, the man searched a corpse and pulled out a ss bottle filled with transparent liquid.


    ¡°What is that?¡± Carmen inquired.


    The man shrugged. ¡°The only thing I know is that this is the colorless, odorless poison made by the Poison King himself. The slightest contact will make you melt without leaving so much as a drop of blood behind.¡±


    ¡°The P-Poison King?¡± Carmen''s eyes widened. That corpse was the Poison King? Unbelievable! ¡°You killed the Poison King¡­? Then are they¡­?¡±


    ¡°From what I remember, they¡¯re assassins from a quite famous guild named Hashashin.¡±


    The Hashashin Guild wasn¡¯t just ¡°quite¡± famous¡ªit was one of the Three Assassin Guilds for a reason.


    ¡°Why did you kill them?¡± Carmen asked.


    ¡°They dared to betray me. When the Emperor of Avalon showed a little bit of his power, they joined his side without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Carmen grunted.


    ¡°I do hope you won¡¯t betray me as well.¡±


    ¡°¡­It won¡¯t happen unless our circumstances change.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we promised that you¡¯ll retake this country and I¡¯ll devour this continent. Of course, you¡¯ll have to be my concubine.¡± The man grinned.


    Carmen¡¯s eyebrow rose slightly, but it was nned. She wasn¡¯t an idiot who couldn¡¯t control her emotions in times like this.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll keep my promise, so you should keep your promise too,¡± Carmen quietly answered.


    ¡°Good. If you help me, I¡¯ll try my best to kill the Martial God, but¡­¡±


    Their first meeting was about to conclude without issue, right until the man released a faint murderous energy.


    ¡°Why is your tone authoritative?¡± the man demanded. ¡°If you want to receive the slightest bit of your dear husband¡¯s affection, I think it would be wise to change your tone¡­¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Despite the fury boiling up from deep within her, Carmen had to nod. ¡°...I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Hmmm¡­?¡± Joshua frowned.


    Cain¡¯s attention turned from the arena to Joshua and he tilted his head. ¡°Is there a problem?¡±


    ¡°...The mana link of the oath has been broken.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°The Poison King is dead,¡± Joshua said.


    Cain flinched, but his eyes were still glued to the arena; the battle taking ce in the arena was very intriguing. It was very interesting to watch Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire and the son of Cain¡¯s master, improving himself, but it was hard to disregard the Poison King¡¯s death.


    ¡°He¡¯s the weakest among the Twelve Superhumans, but¡­ he really died?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°If such a man got into a battle near the Pce, we would have noticed it.¡±


    ¡°Then there¡¯s only one answer.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°He died before he could do anything¡ªhe went up against someone overwhelmingly more powerful.¡±


    Cain closed his mouth.


    Meanwhile, a colossal fire dragon was charging toward Kireua, but the ebon me that Cain had seen before engulfed the fire dragon.


    ¡°He¡¯s gotten better than thest time I met him. I guess he was affected by you, Your Majesty.¡± Cainmented.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t really do anything. It¡¯s all his own efforts.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then what would have happened if His Highness Kireua went up against the Poison King?¡±


    Joshua nced at the neck to neck battle. Kireua¡¯s opponent was named Duke Uraxen of the Tetra Kingdom? The opponent was a ss A Knight and ss 6 mage, and yet, Kireua never retreated¡ªin fact, he was actually driving his opponent into a corner. His opponent was thrown off and made a lot of mistakes when the authority of Greed swallowed the fire dragon.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°Supposing that Kireua could control that power of Greed well, he would have been able to fight the Poison King on equal ground.¡±


    ¡°Remarkable. His Highness is just over twenty, but it¡¯ll only take three years for him to catch up with one of the Superhumans, the strongest people on the continent after the Nine Stars.¡±


    ¡°Of course he can. He¡¯s my son. I did that, too.¡±


    ¡°Then how is hepared to the mysterious man who killed the Poison King?¡± Cain asked.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t answer so easily this time. Although he did have an idea of who was responsible since he had asked the Poison King to keep an eye on Hubalt¡¯s delegation, it wasn¡¯t the Four Pdins. Joshua hadn¡¯t met any of them, but the men in white who smelled thickly of the Four Great Angels were watching the battle from the corner of the arena.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably the Martial Emperor¡¯s heir, right?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°That is what I think, too.¡±


    ¡°A student who is better than their teacher¡­ I know it¡¯s said that the pigment from dyer¡¯s knotweed is bluer than the actual nt[ref] It¡¯s a Japanese idiom that is simr to the English saying, ¡°The student bes the master.¡±/ref], but the princes¡¯ potential enemies are all monsters.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just the Martial Emperor¡¯s student. Carmen von Agnus was the Dark God¡¯s heir; the Four Pdins still hadn¡¯t revealed the extent of their power; and the demons with the Evil Sins¡¯ powers were presumed to be hunting the Demon Spirit¡¯sst spirit fragment. On top of that, there were too many things to be done. The civil war had to be ended, the continent needed to be stabilized, and the Demon Spirit must be exterminated for good.


    ¡°You¡¯ll really recover fully within one year, yes?¡± Cain turned to look at Joshua.


    ¡°Why? Are my children not reliable?¡±


    ¡°Well, the enemies are too formidable¡­¡±


    ¡°Look over there.¡± Joshua pointed downward.


    Kireua had nullified all Duke Uraxen¡¯s magic spells using his ebon me and was now charging toward his opponent. Despite the fact that Uraxen basically lost one of his weapons, he had regained hisposure.


    The fight was now going to be based purely on swordsmanship, and yet, Uraxen was certain that he was never going to lose. Uraxen was several times older than Kireua, allowing him to umte far more experience and reach a much greater level of sword mastery.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness!¡± Cain could see Kireua¡¯s every move. Kireua was already a mess. Judging from the scorch marks all over his clothes, it looked like he hadn¡¯t managed to dodge or nullify all of the fire magic. In addition, his left shoulder was frozen up to his corbone, although fortunately that was not the side he was using to hold his sword.


    Duke Uraxen wielded the Fire Dragon King¡¯s authority and was also a ss 6 magic swordsman who could use advanced ice magic spells, but¡­ Kireua came at him again and again. He might have stumbled from time to time, but he kept on advancing.


    ¡°I am Kireua Sanders, the son of the Martial God!¡±


    ¡°Woaaahhhhhh!¡±


    The spectators cheered at Kireua¡¯s fighting spirit, and the young knights¡¯ fists clenched.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s son!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the pride of Avalon! Win this fight!¡±


    ¡°Who in the world called His Highness Kireua a halfwit? Come out¡ªI¡¯ll break your jaws so you can¡¯t say something like that again.¡±


    Cain quietly grinned. The battle looked like it was evenly matched right now, but the bnce would shift. Although it was a tiny difference, Kireua was definitely overpowering his opponent.


    ¡°It looks like it¡¯s about to end, so shall we go?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Go where?¡± Cian asked, surprised.


    ¡°A potential problem is roaming around the Pce, so I should meet him, shouldn¡¯t I? My n to sound them out using the Poison King failed, too.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you talking about the Martial Emperor¡¯s student?¡±


    Joshua nodded. Cain ced himself in Joshua¡¯s way, shaking his head.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you do that. I¡¯ll meet him alone.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t in good condition.¡±


    ¡°I told you this isn¡¯t my body.¡±


    ¡°Nevertheless, enough damage will harm your soul. Just¡­ Don¡¯t do anything dangerous for a year.¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, what a bother.¡± Joshua let out a quiet sigh. ¡°Did I tell you too much?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to do that. I came to you myself.¡±


    Joshua and Cain froze, processing the manaced voice.


    Cain¡¯s head whipped around. ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡±


    His voice automatically trembled.


    Joshua and Cain were standing on the rooftop of the main Pce, which had the best view of the arena. On the other hand, the mystery man was standing on the outer Pce¡¯s rooftop, which was on the opposite side of the Pce, and yet he was looking exactly at Joshua and Cain. They were at least hundreds of meters away from each other, but that didn¡¯t seem to be a problem for the man. On top of that, the two didn¡¯t notice his presence until the man spoke to them first.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°He¡¯s better than I thought.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, I don¡¯t think this is the time for you to marvel at the man,¡± Cain cautioned, his hand automatically grabbing his sword.


    The man was a monster. Cain had lived for a long time, but this man gave off a feeling that Cain had felt only three times in his lifetime¡ªfour, including this time. The first was when Cain had first met Duke Agnus, the Dark God; the second was during Cain¡¯s first encounter with Joshua; and the third time was decadester. That was during his lessons for Selim Sanders, the First Prince and Joshua¡¯s son.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, it looks like the fight against Hubalt might be more difficult than we originally anticipated,¡± Cain muttered.


    ¡°Well, wait here for a moment since it looks like his business is with me,¡± Joshua said, jumping down the roof before Cain could stop him.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡±


    The mysterious man on the roof also disappeared as if he had been waiting for Joshua to do that.

 Side Story Chapter 92

    Side Story Chapter 92


    Shortly after Joshuanded on the ground, he encountered a man in a shadowy spot behind the annex Pce¡ªit was the mysterious man from the rooftop.


    ¡°Are you the Martial Emperor¡¯s heir?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Your Majesty! You shouldn¡¯t go on your own like that!¡± Cain quickly approached Joshua.


    ¡°Hmmm? I told you to wait.¡±


    ¡°You gotta be kidding me¡­¡± Cain grumbled.


    The two Absolutes of Avalon were standing right in front of the man, but he was veryposed. It got on Joshua¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°It¡¯s considered polite for a guest to take off their mask in someone else¡¯s home,¡± Joshua said, his eyes narrowing.


    ¡°Sure.¡± The man nodded. Surprisingly, the man took off his mask quite readily. A handsome man with masculine features emerged. The man smiled, baring his sturdy white teeth. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for a long time to meet you, Martial God.¡±


    ¡°You look younger than I thought¡­ How old are you?¡±


    ¡°From what I remember, I¡¯m no older than forty.¡±


    ¡°You focused on cultivating yourself so hard that you forgot your own age? Even considering that, you¡¯ve reached quite a remarkable level in your thirties¡­¡± Joshua trailed off for a moment, but quickly grinned. ¡°This is interesting. What should I call you?¡±


    ¡°The people of the Hubalt Empire call me the Battle God, but you can just call me Bel, Martial God.¡±


    ¡°A god of battle? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s excessive? Even your teacher was just an emperor.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already surpassed my teacher long ago. Also, I have been raised to fight the Martial God, so shouldn¡¯t my rank be at least the same as yours?¡±


    Cain stepped forward angrily. ¡°This arrogant greenhorn¡­ I¡¯ll teach him some manners first.¡±


    ¡°No, stand down.¡± Joshua shook his head.


    ¡°But¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I should ask him why he tried to kidnap the Second Queen Consort and the Princess.¡±


    Cain closed his mouth.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you already heard; I would like an answer to my question first,¡± Joshua pressed.


    ¡°You may find this hard to believe, but that wasn¡¯t my doing. That pathetic man was babbling about something, so I just told him to do whatever he wanted.¡±


    ¡°You worked together, but you make other people take the responsibility, huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth.¡± The man shrugged.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have pride or loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Are you loyal to a dog you raised, Martial God?¡±


    ¡°¡­In other words, even a Superhuman is no better than a household dog? ¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Of course. On the same note, we, the Hubalt Empire, have no reason to waste time on matters like that. You lost most of your power, and the Avalon Empire is ruined due to a domestic quarrel. What is there to fear about Avalon? We have no reason to take the hard route.¡±


    Joshua showed no response, but Cain¡¯s lip trembled. The man had seen right through Joshua¡¯s current state, which meant one thing:


    <em>¡®He¡¯s at least at the same level as me. No, he may be even stronger,¡¯</em> Cain thought.


    When was thest time Cain had felt like this? His palms were damp with sweat, and a strong desire to challenge his skills and emerge victorious swelled from deep in his heart.


    ¡°I knew it,¡± Joshua murmured. ¡°I can tell just from the look on your face. You¡¯re dying to fight him, aren¡¯t you? You must be itching to take your master¡¯s prey.¡±


    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m not.¡± Cain looked away.


    ¡°Yes you are. The reason why you¡¯re still a bachelor is because you¡¯re obsessed with fighting.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re thest person in the world who should be saying that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll get married because I introduce you to a woman,¡± Joshua flippantly answered.


    ¡°It depends on who I meet.¡±


    ¡°I highly doubt it. Even if jaw-dropping women or princesses were right in front of you, you¡¯d say no.¡±


    ¡°I want to make it clear that I¡¯ll spend the rest of my life with you if I can¡¯t get married within the next three years,¡± Cain solemnly stated.


    ¡°Stop creeping me out. Do you really think the Queen Consorts would sit by and let that happen?¡±


    ¡°No matter what they say, I¡¯m going to stay by your side.¡±


    Joshua and Cain exchanged a conversation that didn¡¯t suit the current situation at all,pletely ignoring their guest. Bel stared nkly at them for a moment¡ªhe actually found it pretty impressive, so after watching them nkly for a moment,


    ¡°You two are quite close,¡± the Martial Emperor¡¯s student remarked with a chuckle.


    ¡°Do we look close to you?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Bel nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t have someone who I can pour my heart out to like that.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s expression subtly changed as he looked at Bel. ¡°No one?¡±


    ¡°Yes, no one. From the beginning, there was only one person I could think about.¡±


    ¡°Who is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s you, Martial God.¡± Bel¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You can¡¯t begin to fathom how much I¡¯ve been waiting for this day. I spent two decades trapped in pitch-ck darkness ever since the Martial Emperor, my teacher, lost to you.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to be feeling guilty now?¡±


    Bel shook his head. ¡°It was a rewarding experience in some ways.¡±


    ¡°Rewarding?¡±


    ¡°Fighting, killing, escaping my limits¡­ I had to fight for my life at least three times a day. I endured what felt like an eternity by focusing on oveing you and you alone.¡±


    Bel took a step forward, releasing an overwhelmingly strong fighting spirit.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, stand back.¡± Cain quickly stepped in front of Joshua.


    ¡°But I recently heard shocking news about your disappearance,¡± Bel mused.


    ¡°The Hubalt Empire must have intentionally blocked out the news from you. I went missing long before that.¡±


    Bel nodded. ¡°Yes, I heard it by coincidence from one of the fighting dogs I killed.¡±


    ¡°A ¡®fighting dog¡¯?¡±


    ¡°We call the people who are put in the cage to fight me ¡®fighting dogs¡¯.¡±


    Cain frowned. Now he realized why Bel reeked of blood. The people must have been treated like animals and ughtered by that monster again and again. Cain couldn¡¯t begin to fathom how many victims there would have been. Since Bel had been doing that for at least two decades, there must have been thousands of victims at least.


    ¡°Twenty-seven thousand, five hundred and thirty-six people,¡± Bel blurted out.


    Cain jumped.


    ¡°That¡¯s the number of people who¡¯ve died by my hands. Aside from them, there are numerous other people who have been inflicted with injuries both big and small¡­¡±


    ¡°Fuck,¡± Cain spat.


    ¡°That fighting dog said that he pitied me. I was raised as a weapon to defeat one man, but that very man was gone, making my life meaningless. He died in front of my eyes, sneering.¡±


    ¡°¡­It seems that not all of the people you fought were lunatics.¡±


    The man nodded once again. ¡°Yes, many of them held deep grudges against me after being forced into the cage.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a limit to how many fighting dogs they could supply internally. When ites to raising someone who can go up against the Martial God, we can¡¯t only sacrifice the people of the Hubalt Empire, can we? Besides, it¡¯s essential to experience fighting various opponents.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes slowly widened into full moons. ¡°You mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°We sometimes bought our fighting dogs or made someone into a fighting dog by force. Hubalt¡¯s pdins put a lot of effort into this matter; they traveled the continent for two decades¡­ Ah, of course, they all thanked me for allowing them to be stronger.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Cain let his murderous energy burst out. He was furious¡ªthe things he was hearing right now could not be allowed to stand. Some of those victims were from Avalon. From the knights who had been dispatched to other countries, to the Imperial Knights who had participated in the search for Joshua, one out of three people had never returned from their expeditions.


    In the end, the issue hade to the attention of the Imperial Family of Avalon, which had organized an investigation. During the process, the civil war had broken out.


    ¡°Your Majesty, please don¡¯t stop me this time. There¡¯s one thing I want to make sure of,¡± Cain said with a serious look.


    Joshua¡¯s smile had been reced with a grim expression.


    Without waiting for Joshua¡¯s answer, Cain drew his sword. ¡°¡­Let me ask you one question: were the knights of Avalon part of those fighting dogs?¡±


    Bel smiled wickedly. ¡°You already know the answer, so why do you have to ask?¡±


    * * *


    Kireua panted hard.


    The arena had fallen dead silent long ago. Uraxen was a highly advanced magic swordsman with the Fire Dragon King¡¯s power, but he had been brought down to his knee in front of Kireua.


    ¡°Woaaaahhhh!¡±


    A thunderous cheer burst out, but it mostly came from the citizens of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°He¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s son indeed!¡±


    ¡°I knew you could do it, Your Highness Kireua!¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. How dare he challenge His Highness Kireua when he¡¯s from the Tetra Kingdom? I¡¯d never even heard about that country until today. Serves you right!¡±


    The spectators cheered and sneered at the same time. Kireua, however, didn¡¯t have any strength left to respond.


    <em>¡®His Majesty said I should control the power of Greed, not develop it¡­ But Coal became so strong that I might get eaten if I make a mistake,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    -I¡¯m not going to eat you, Kireua!


    <em>¡®¡­Who knows? You might suddenly go batshit crazy and eat anyone, even your owner.¡¯</em>


    -I probably still won¡¯t eat Kireua.


    <em>¡®Why?¡¯</em>


    -You¡¯re such a weakling, so I think I¡¯d get a tummy ache. Hehehehe.


    Kireua scowled and straightened up. He wasn¡¯t a man who stayed down after an insult like that.


    ¡°Urggh¡­¡± Uraxen was still unable to stand up.


    ¡°Do you admit your defeat?¡±


    ¡°Yo-You greenhorn¡­¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like the oue will change even if we continue fighting. Please keep your promise now.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Uraxen gritted his teeth, but hisughter slipped out. ¡±Hehehehe.¡±


    Kireua stared nkly at him.


    ¡°I had fun thanks to you, but you Avalonians are too arrogant.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s not sudden¡ªit¡¯s about time.¡± Uraxen nced up at the sky. Kireua tilted his head, confused. It was noon, but the sky was otherwise unremarkable.


    But suddenly, the ground rumbled¡ªit wasing from behind the Pce annex.


    ¡°That¡¯s the signal. Begin!¡± Uraxen shouted.


    A group of people in the corner of the arena suddenly drew their swords. They all wore the same white clothes¡ªthey were none other than the pdins of Hubalt.


    ¡°What in the world is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°I told you that you were too arrogant.¡±


    Kireua looked downward to see Uraxen stand up with a wide grin on his face.


    ¡°This is the beginning of the conquest of Avalon.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 93

    Side Story Chapter 93


    Kireua felt like Uraxen and the pdins were out of their minds. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    ¡°What are you all doing?!¡± Lunsworth shouted. On behalf of his absent captain, Lunsworth was acting as the Second Battalion¡¯s captain.


    With the white-d pdins drawing their swords, the arena was divided into exactly two groups: the pdins of Hubalt and the other knights.


    ¡°Arrogant Avalon, you brought this upon yourselves,¡± one of the pdins solemnly stated.


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°You insulted the Hubalt Empire using the name of Martial God.¡±


    ¡°Insulted?¡± Kireua repeated.


    ¡°Are you going to say you didn¡¯t? I can see through your wicked scheme. This tournament is so preposterous that it isn¡¯t even funny. I¡¯m rather disgusted.¡±


    ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about. Are you seriously pulling this kind of stunt in another country¡¯s capital based on mere conjecture? ¡±


    ¡°We are pdins in the service god. We never condone evil regardless of time or who is involved.¡±


    Kireua thought that the blonde pdin surely knew how to gold-te shit. By his logic, anyone who was against him was evil. How could a pdin who served god say such a thing?


    <em>¡®The Hubalt Empire will be isted if they continue to use logic like this.¡¯</em>


    Kireua¡¯s assumption was right. The knights from the other countries, who had been exchanging nces due to the sudden turn of events, turned serious. They knew that with that kind of reasoning, they could end up bing Hubalt¡¯s target at any time.


    ¡°I am Uriel, the fourth pdin of the Hubalt Empire. Avalon has crossed a line andmitted two inexcusable crimes.¡± Uriel raised his voice, noticing the tension in the air.


    Kireua''s eyes widened. ¡®<em>Uriel? Isn¡¯t that one of the Four Great Angels?¡¯</em>


    The Holy Empire of Hubalt held the names of gods and angels sacred, so it was forbidden to name a baby after them. Nevertheless, the pdin introduced himself as Uriel, which could only mean one thing: he was one of Hubalt''s famous Four Pdins.


    ¡°The first crime of Avalon, the Demon Empire, is attempting to disrupt the long peace by using the name of the Martial God. They exploited the fact that the mere mention of him makes some people gnash their teeth in anger,¡± Uriel went on.


    ¡°We tried to disrupt the pace? What the¡­!¡±


    ¡°Then where is your emperor now?¡±


    Lunsworth closed his mouth. The Emperor of Avalon¡¯s whereabouts were the most confidential information in the country. Even if Lunsworth knew it, he wouldn¡¯t dare to say it, as someone who guarded the Imperial Family.


    ¡°Why are you not answering?¡± Uriel asked.


    ¡°You¡¯re a knight too, so you know very well why I can¡¯t answer that question.¡±


    ¡°I knew it. You¡¯re trying to talk your way out of it.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty didn¡¯t insult any of our distinguished guests. He hasn¡¯t made an appearance due to personal reasons, but he¡¯ll be here.¡±


    ¡°That is why I¡¯m saying it¡¯s wrong. There are so many guests who havee a long way from home, but the host has been absent for days. What else can this be other than an insult? No matter how I try to frame it in a positive light, this just looks like an attempt to wrap everyone on the continent around your finger.¡±


    The atmosphere changed. As a matter of fact, everyone had been feeling rather put-off by the Martial God¡¯s absence.


    When the murmuring became louder, Uriel coldly smiled. ¡°Or is this what Avalon calls etiquette? Then you are truly barbaric.¡±


    ¡°B-Barbaric?¡± Lunsworth stammered. He finally released his murderous energy. ¡°How dare you! That can¡¯t possibly be the reason why you demand justice right now. You make up a story of your own just because you haven¡¯t met His Majesty and draw your swords in another country¡¯s Pce. Is <em>that</em> what Hubalt calls etiquette?¡±


    ¡°Of course not. That is why I told you Avalonmitted <em>two</em> inexcusable crimes.¡±


    Lunsworth flinched. At the same time, the murmuring grew louder just as it was starting to quiet down.


    ¡°It¡¯s not just Avalon. Everyone here must have heard about a witch who was born in the Hubalt Empire but has manifested the authority of a Demon King,¡± Uriel said, deliberately using mana so everyone there could hear him.


    The spectators reacted immediately.


    ¡°A witch who has manifested the authority of a Demon King¡­ That¡¯s Cardinal Erman¡¯s daughter, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword. She does have a surreal beauty, but who could have known that she¡¯s a real witch?¡±


    ¡°Maybe she¡¯s a subus.¡±


    ¡°But why is he suddenly mentioning that witch?¡±


    The louder the people murmured, the more Uriel¡¯s smile grew.


    ¡°I have received intel that Avalon is protecting Lilith Aphrodite, the enemy of the entire continent and a witch!¡±


    A collective gasp rose from the crowd.


    ¡°And the person who made that happen was none other than Joshua Sanders, the Martial God!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡±


    ¡°That is why we¡¯re certain that Avalon hasmitted unpardonable crimes! So we, the Hubalt Empire, request a formal exnation from the Martial God.¡±


    Shock rippled through the arena. The sheer gravity of what Uriel had said forced them into silence.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s not true, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it¡¯s notpletely imusible. The Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword and Martial God¡¯s long history together is famous.¡±


    ¡°Well, they were thought to be lovers, so¡­¡±


    The situation took a strange turn. Lunsworth had to admit this wouldn¡¯t be resolved without the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s direct intervention. In fact, what Uriel said wasn¡¯t aplete lie, given that many people had witnessed Lilith Aphrodite¡¯s presence in the Pce.


    <em>¡®I did think it was a potential problem, but¡­ fuck,¡¯</em> Lunsworth thought.


    Nevertheless, no one could say anything because it was the Emperor of Avalon who had made the decision¡ªbut that very same Emperor was still absent.


    At that moment, another faint explosion roared from behind the annex.


    ¡°What in the world is that sound¡­?¡±


    One person¡¯s reaction was as fast as lightning.


    ¡°P-Prince Kireua¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hey, you, Uriel or whatever! I¡¯ll bring His Majesty right now, so stay put and don¡¯t start any more bullshit!¡± Kireua yelled at the top of his lungs.


    Uriel froze, his confident expression turning stiff.


    A shadow followed Kireua a littleter.


    ¡°Prince Selim¡­?¡± Lunsworth mumbled.


    During their bizarre confrontation, Uriel had stopped paying attention to the two princes. From the beginning, Uriel had only two missions: to tear apart the rtionship between Avalon and the other countries and recruit more allies. The other Four Pdins and the Battle God would take care of the second mission.


    ¡°Well! He says that he¡¯ll bring the Martial God for us, so all we have to do is wait.¡±


    Lunsworth narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°After hearing his exnation, we, the Hubalt Empire, will make a decision.¡±


    A vein bulged out of Lunsworth¡¯s forehead. Uriel was treating Avalon like a weaker and smaller nation.


    ¡°¡­Damn it.¡±


    Nevertheless, Lunsworth let it go so as to not aggravate the situation any further. He could only hope that the princes would bring back the Emperor of Avalon and sort everything out.


    * * *


    The first thing Kireua could see behind the annex Pce was Cain, whose head was dripping with blood.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡± Kireua stammered.


    Worse, Cain was already a mess, and most of his sword was chipped away.


    ¡°Who could have possibly wounded someone like Sir Cain¡­?¡± Kireua quickly turned his gaze past Cain.


    A handsome man with masculine features stood arrogantly. He had a few scratches here and there, but they were nothingpared to Cain¡¯s wounds. That shocked Kireua once again.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s strong.¡± Selim caught up to Kireua and eyed the man grimly.


    ¡°Hehehe, I must have gotten old. Ah, I¡¯m so ashamed that I can¡¯t even lift my head,¡± Cain murmured.


    ¡°Combat Emperor, you¡¯re stronger than any of the men whom I¡¯ve gone up against. Not one could leave a single cut on my clothes, let alone on my body.¡± Bel shrugged.


    ¡°Shut your mouth. I¡¯m already too embarrassed to look my master in the eyes.¡±


    ¡°Haha, you two are definitely close.¡± Bel turned back with a grin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t lose to him, Cain,¡± Joshua said. He¡¯d only observed the fight so far.


    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­ but I¡¯m not really confident in my victory now.¡± Cain shrugged.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to see me for a while if you lose.¡±


    ¡°¡­Umm, I know you¡¯re trying to raise my spirit, but that''s a terrible joke.¡±


    ¡°Do I sound like I¡¯m joking?¡± Joshua quietly asked.


    Cain realized what Joshua meant and slowly pushed himself to his feet.


    ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake¡­¡± Cain mumbled, his golden aura fluctuating around him. ¡°I can¡¯t catch a break.¡±


    ¡°Come.¡± Bel beckoned Cain with his finger.


    Cain disappeared at the speed of sound, so fast that Kireua couldn¡¯t even follow his movement.


    ¡°¡­Ack!¡± Cain was catapulted with multiple times more velocity than he came in with.


    ¡°My hand is numb,¡± Bel remarked, examining his clenched fist.


    Kireua and Selim were left speechless. They instinctively knew that they couldn¡¯t guarantee victory even if they attacked Bel together.


    ¡°Martial God, are you not going to fight? Your dear subordinate will die at this rate.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have no other choice.¡± Joshua finally came forward, a ck spear in hand.


    -I¡¯ll leave the rest to you two.


    Kireua and Selim¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°W-Wait, Your Majesty!¡±


    They didn¡¯t even have time to say anything to him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll discard my vessel,¡± Joshua quietly mumbled.


    The area was overwhelmed with energy that was more immense than anything they had ever felt.

 Side Story Chapter 94

    Side Story Chapter 94


    Joshua was about to unlock the restriction on his body. It was nothing difficult¡ªall he had to do was give up his current body.


    Or he would surely have done so if Selim hadn¡¯t stepped in front of him.


    ¡°Give us a chance,¡± Selim said with his broad back turned to Joshua.


    ¡°Selim?¡±


    ¡°I missed you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°¡­Yes, you¡¯ve gotten quite big while I was away.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll formally pay my respectster, but¡­ I want to thank you for returning.¡± Selim quietly grabbed Joshua¡¯s hand.


    Joshua flinched, but a faint smile spread on his face as a memory shed across his mind. A boy who was shorter than his waist had followed Joshua everywhere, calling him ¡°Daddy Majesty, Daddy Majesty¡±.


    ¡°We¡¯ll take him,¡± Selim continued.


    ¡°We can do it!¡± Kireua confidently chimed in as he stepped up to join Selim.


    However, Joshua shook his head. ¡°You two aren¡¯t enough to take him on yet.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain is here too.¡±


    Cain shot Bel a re and stepped past Joshua as well. ¡°Go ahead. You know I won¡¯t let anything happen to your sons.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Joshua grunted. He actually thought the three of them would still not be enough. Bel belonged to a totally different level than any of the enemies he had encountered.


    <em>¡®How in the world did Hubalt create such a monster?¡¯</em> Joshua wondered.


    ¡°There is something you once told me, Your Majesty,¡± Selim suddenly said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Trials make you stronger. Be someone who can improve himself by using his defeats as a foundation.¡± Selim pointed his spear forward. ¡°I wish to practice your lessons from my childhood right now.¡±


    Joshua looked around without answering Selim. Although the other two didn¡¯t say anything, they all seemed to be on the same page. The courage to not fear their enemy, the iron will to defeat their enemy¡­ Joshua could feel all of those emotions from them.


    ¡°¡­Ha. I should thank your motherster when I get back. You may have a pathetic father, but your mothers certainly raised you two to be fine men,¡± Joshua murmured.


    ¡°Does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Cain, I entrust you with my sons.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face brightened up and Selim tightened his grip on his spear with renewed resolve.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Go ahead,¡± Selim told Joshua.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Joshua nodded.


    Joshua didn¡¯t hesitate any longer and disappeared.


    ¡°Hahaha!¡± Bel burst intoughter. ¡°That was such a touching reunion between father and sons. I don¡¯t have parents, so I¡¯m quite jealous.¡±


    Selim ignored Bel.


    ¡°¡­Are you ready, Kireua?¡±


    Kireua nodded and created ayer of his aura on top of his sword. While Cain was drawing up his energy on Selim¡¯s right, Kireua positioned himself on Selim¡¯s left. The air around them undted from Kireua and Cain¡¯s powerful energies.


    With a sharp breath, Selim infused his mana into Longin. Kireua immediately shivered; he could feel the immense power on his skin. Cain didn¡¯t say anything either, but he was visibly surprised. The sheer radiance of Selim¡¯s aura made the head of his spear shine with brilliant, vivid light.


    ¡°Have you ovee your limits again?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°¡­Probably.¡±


    ¡°Monster. The moment I think I¡¯ve almost caught up with you, you¡¯re way ahead of me. I can¡¯t even begin to fathom your level now,¡± Kireua said, baffled.


    ¡°I guarantee that His Highness Selim is as good as His Majesty was when he was in his twenties,¡± Cain interrupted, ¡°but¡­¡±


    Cain tensed as Bel approached them.


    ¡°...The enemy we have to deal with now is just as formidable¡ªno, stronger than His Majesty was in his twenties.¡±


    * * *


    <em>¡®It¡¯s all going ording to n,¡¯</em> Uriel thought, a grin creeping onto his lips.


    The arena was still filled with the people¡¯s confused murmuring. If Avalon was truly harboring Lilith Aphrodite, the person who possessed a Demon King authority, they had to change their side.


    <em>¡®The best scenario would be for the Emperor of Avalon to not show up at all, but dying like this is also good.¡¯</em>


    The most elite spies, directly trained by the Hubalt Empire, had infiltrated the entire Pce. Uriel couldn¡¯t helpughing at Avalon¡¯s stupidity for arrogantly opening their heart to their enemies.


    Most importantly, there was a high chance that the Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire were focused on protecting the Imperial Family; Bel and Uriel¡¯s actions were nned to make that happen.


    <em>¡®I sent the Hashashin Guild to kidnap the Queen Consort or the Princess and purposely leaked the ns. They¡¯re bound to focus their security on those two.¡¯</em>


    However, their true goal was to reveal Lilith Aphrodite to the people right here in Avalon.


    Meanwhile, Lilith couldn¡¯t sit still when things had turned out this way. She was on the third floor of the Pce annex, hiding behind the curtains, but her ears were wide open. Naturally, she had heard everything that Uriel had said.


    ¡°¡­That annoying son of a bitch is so obvious¡­¡± Lilith murmured.


    Uriel was just using her as an excuse, so even if she came forward, there was a high chance that the situation wouldn¡¯t be resolved. Hubalt¡¯s current goal was to divide the other countries and acquire justification to start the Second Continental War. However, she couldn¡¯t stay here forever¡ªthat would put Avalon in more trouble.


    ¡°I should meet Bel myself. At least he would prefer to fight head to head instead of resorting to a cheap trick like this¡­¡±


    The Hubalt Empire had trained Bel as a counter for the great Martial God, and even Lilith had to admit that he was incredibly strong. However, Bel also had a certain w: he respected the strong and hated scheming. When someone weaker than him gave himmands, he never listened and tried to solve everything by fighting. He was a great knight, but he was a constant source of trouble for his superiors.


    Lilith was about to lift the curtain, but someone suddenly grabbed her wrist.


    She jolted, shocked. She was so lost in her thoughts that she hadn¡¯t even noticed that someone was approaching her.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty Iceline?¡± Lilith stammered.


    ¡°No.¡± Iceline shook her head. ¡°You can¡¯t.¡±


    Iceline didn¡¯t borate, but Lilith had no trouble understanding her.


    LIlith¡¯s face darkened. ¡°But Avalon¡¯s problems will only grow over time.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll take care of it.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s lip trembled.


    ¡°That was the promise.¡± Iceline looked straight into Lilith¡¯s silver eyes and nodded reassuringly.


    Even now, Uriel continued to spew provocation.


    ¡°How long are we supposed to wait for him? The Emperor of Avalon is truly rude¡ªor is he not confident enough toe forward because he¡¯s feeling guilty?¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Lunsworth roared.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just repeat ¡®how dare you¡¯. Bring your emperor here or open up the inner Pce to us.¡±


    ¡°...What do you mean, ¡®open up the inner Pce¡¯?¡±


    Uriel shrugged. ¡°Unless you¡¯re hiding Lilith Aphrodite, the demoness, I¡¯m sure you have no reason not to.¡±


    Lunsworth¡¯s clenched fists shook with humiliation. This was the Pce, not someone else¡¯s house, but an outsider was forcing them to throw its gates wide open.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you cut that out,¡± bis interrupted, drawing confused looks. ¡°Even from a third party¡¯s perspective, your words just now were clearly disrespectful, Uriel the pdin.¡±


    ¡°¡­me Emperor?¡± Uriel murmured in surprise.


    ¡°Wait a little longer. As the Martial God¡¯s friend, I won¡¯t tolerate any more discourtesy.¡±


    bis¡¯s burning mana arose in a circle around him.


    The Hubalt pdins immediately gathered their divine powers in response.


    ¡°¡­Are you suggesting we start a war right here?¡± Uriel asked in a sullen voice.


    ¡°It looks like that¡¯s what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get the facts straight. It wasn¡¯t that big of a deal at the beginning, but Avalon is making this into a serious problem.¡±


    bis tilted his head. ¡°From what I understand, the princes went to bring back His Majesty to exin this ¡®not that big of a deal¡¯ matter.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like these distinguished guests have all the time in the world. We can¡¯t wait here forever without doing anything.¡±


    ¡°It has been less than ten minutes. You¡¯re quite impatient for a man of the cloth.¡±


    bis¡¯s nitpicking drew an irritated frown from Uriel, but for some reason it gave way to a sudden smile.


    ¡°Marital God!¡± Uriel shouted. ¡°If you¡¯re back, the least you could do is show yourself! I know you¡¯re the host, but you¡¯re taking things too far. Look at what¡¯s happening!¡±


    His voice thundered over the Pce, carried by his mana. He stood in the pce of a foreign empire¡ªhe was tantly rude, but no one was able to stop him. After all, in this world, might made right.


    But suddenly, someonended in the center of the arena with a mighty <em>boom</em>.


    One of the pdins gasped as he recognized who it was.


    ¡°H-How¡­?¡± Uriel¡¯s eyes widened, his words catching in his throat from surprise.


    <em>¡®This is too fast!¡±</em> Uriel thought. Did Bel lose in less than an hour? Impossible.


    And that wasn¡¯t even the end of it.


    The divine power that hung over the area vanished into the palm of the party crasher.


    ¡°I highly advise you to not use demonic or divine powers in front of me,¡± Joshua said, mming a white spear made from the nearby pdins¡¯ divine power into the ground. He gave Uriel a pointed look. ¡°It sounds like you have a lot to say to me.¡±


    ¡°Mar-Martial God¡­!¡± Uriel stammered.


    ¡°Go on. I¡¯m taking things too far¡ªand?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 95

    Side Story Chapter 95


    The pdins were the first to break the stunned silence.


    ¡°Th-This is impossible¡­¡±


    ¡°Did he take the divine power we just used?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t use my divine power anymore! What is going on?¡±


    Everyone was bewildered. No one there had experienced anything like this. The only one who looked remotely calm was Joshua.


    ¡°All hail His Majesty!¡± Lunsworth btedly raised his sword in salute.


    Since they were surrounded by potential enemies, Lunsworth didn¡¯t go down on his knee, but the other Avalonian knights quickly joined in and raised their swords as well.


    ¡°All hail His Majesty!¡±


    ¡°All hail His Majesty!¡±


    Goosebumps rose on the Imperial Knights¡¯ skin as they held their swords up against their chests. It didn¡¯t matter that their current enemy was one of the Four Pdins nor that they were potentially going up against the Hubalt Empire, the strongest country on the continent. They had the Martial God, a living legend, by their sides.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Although Uriel couldn¡¯t help but be thrown off by the sudden turn of events, he quickly regained hisposure. He was still the one in the right. ¡°You finally appeared.¡±


    ¡°Your name is Uriel, correct? It seems you¡¯ve been desperate to find me.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting rose petals on the roads, but it¡¯s basic courtesy for the host to greet his guests, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°But treating an emperor as a thug without manners is courtesy?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    Just like the rumors said, Joshua was quite eloquent, but Uriel couldn¡¯t afford to allow himself to be swayed by Joshua now that the other countries were already stirred up.


    Uriel decided to use his ace in the hole.


    ¡°I received a report that you¡¯re harboring the witch, Lilith Aphrodite.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Wh-What do you mean, ¡®so¡¯¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a report¡ªunless you have any evidence?¡±


    Uriel¡¯s gaze turned sharp. ¡°I don¡¯t have any, but I have many witnesses.¡±


    ¡°Witnesses?¡±


    ¡°One of these witnesses is a noble of Avalon, so you can¡¯t keep denying it, Your Majesty.¡±


    The spectators instantly broke into shocked murmuring.


    ¡°O-One of Avalon¡¯s nobles is a witness¡­?¡±


    ¡°Then does that mean that one of Avalon¡¯s own people leaked Avalon¡¯s secrets to Hubalt?¡±


    ¡°Huh, that would put the Martial God in a tricky spot¡­¡±


    From Uriel¡¯s perspective, this was the killing blow, the moment that Hubalt''s long preparations came to fruition. From the day Hubalt had be the most powerful nation, they had been recruiting and persuading nobles from around the continent; unsurprisingly, some of them were from Avalon.


    ¡°That¡¯s an awfully confident way of saying that you nted a spy in my country,¡± Joshuamented.


    ¡°It¡¯s Avalon¡¯sst conscience, not a spy. A seed of evil is about to sprout, so who could sit by and watch? Nationality isn¡¯t important in a matter like this.¡±


    ¡°So who¡¯s the informant?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you, and I think you already know why,¡± Uriel answered.


    Joshua mmed the end of his spear against the ground. ¡°Your scheme is obvious.¡±


    ¡°¡­If you¡¯re truly innocent, all you have to do is prove it.¡±


    ¡°How am I supposed to do that?¡±


    ¡°Well, you can open up your Pce and let us, the pdins of Hubalt, handle the investigation¡ª¡±


    ¡°You nutcase.¡± A cold sneer formed on Joshua¡¯s lips. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just ask me to strip down to my bare skin?¡±


    ¡°Judging from your fit of rage, you¡¯re hiding something.¡±


    Uriel¡¯s face brightened up after he saw Joshua¡¯s reaction, but his positivity didn¡¯tst for long.


    ¡°Even if Lilith Aphrodite is somewhere in this Pce, what¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m letting my friend stay in my home; I¡¯m not sure why Hubalt is making a fuss about it.¡±


    ¡°I already told you that she¡¯s a witch with a Demon King¡¯s authority,¡± Uriel said, frustrated.


    ¡°I once had the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul inside me.¡±


    Uriel flinched, appalled. ¡°Wh-What in the world are you talking about¡­?¡±


    A storm of dismay swept through the arena. The Dark God and the previous Emperor of Avalon had lost their bodies to the Demon Spirit, so Joshua Sanders the Martial God had defeated them on his own and be emperor. That was the story that the public knew, and after the incident alone, Joshua had earned the title of Martial God.


    However, a hidden history was about to be revealed.


    ¡°It looks like people think we earned the peace we have right now for free¡­ but could that have been possible if I didn¡¯t take action?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject. Tell me what you mean when you said you had the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul inside you!¡±


    ¡°A god¡¯s soul can¡¯t be easily destroyed. If they could be killed overnight, they wouldn¡¯t have been a god in the first ce.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°Killing the Demon Spirit takes time, so I needed a vessel to contain the Demon Spirit during the process.¡±


    Uriel¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°When a human tries to contain a god¡¯s soul, their ego might crumble and they could lose their body right away. Since I couldn¡¯t force anyone to sacrifice themselves, I became the vessel myself.¡±


    The arena fell into total silence.


    ¡°Let me ask you this, now: what did Hubalt, the Holy Empire, do when the Demon Spirit was running wild in this world?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°W-Well, that¡¯s because the Demon Spirit mainly operated in Avalon and didn¡¯t cross the border¡­ If we had received a request from another country, we would have certainly stepped in.¡±


    ¡°In other words, the Hubalt Empire couldn¡¯t do anything since it was a foreign affair?¡±


    ¡°Although eradicating evil is important, we can¡¯t cross foreign borders without permission since that could cause unnecessary conflict,¡± Uriel rushed to answer.


    Joshua bared his teeth. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s different now?¡±


    ¡°W-Well¡­!¡±


    ¡°It looks the same to me.¡±


    ¡°Wai-Wait!¡± Uriel stammered. ¡°We crossed the border on Avalon¡¯s request, so the circumstances are certainly different from before!¡±


    ¡°Then will you leave Avalon right away if the host tells you to get out? If not, Hubalt should shut their mouths and stand down. Should your concernse true, I¡¯ll take care of it, just like I did before.¡±


    Uriel ground his teeth together so hard that his gums bled, but he wasn¡¯t going to give up yet¡ªthis was a matter of national pride.


    ¡°You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± he persisted. ¡°It might have been different if we didn¡¯t know, but we know that the seed of evil has taken root in this country. We, Hubalt, can¡¯t go back!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re contradicting yourself. You said earlier that Hubalt didn¡¯t cross the border out of respect for our sovereignty.¡±


    ¡°I admit we¡¯ve been blinded by our zealous desire to eradicate evil, so I apologize for any discourtesy we¡¯vemitted in the process, but please let us check on the witch under your attendance so everyone here can rest easy.¡±


    Joshua arched an eyebrow at him. ¡°Why should I do that?¡±


    ¡°I believe that this is the least you can do!¡±


    ¡°But why do you keep crossing the lines, you dipshit? Just a moment ago, you were screaming about turning my own house upside down, but you¡¯re now going on and on about courtesy and duties. Maybe I should knock some sense into you.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s tant threat instantly silenced Uriel.


    ¡°Since when has Hubalt been this arrogant in front of me? Should I have knocked you down, Hubalt, when I defeated the Martial Emperor?¡± Joshua narrowed his eyes at them. He gathered so much murderous energy that it visibly distorted the space around him. Dozens of Hubalt¡¯s pdins stepped forward, and the Imperial Knights of Avalon prepared themselves to match them.


    But Joshua was quicker.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    Joshua swung his white spear in a single, gracefully curved line and swept away every enemy in the vicinity. Every single pdin struck by Joshua¡¯s spear was flung away. Their armor was crushed, and they were thrown to the ground, coughing. The remaining pdins clenched their hands around their swords, beginning a tense staredown between Avalon¡¯s knights and Hubalt¡¯s pdins.


    Joshua grinned, sending chills down Uriel¡¯s spine.


    <em>¡®What is that devilish emperor thinking now¡­?¡¯ </em>Uriel wondered.


    He was right to be worried.


    ¡°Distinguished guests, don¡¯t just watch and think about it. Does this right here look normal? He dares to demand that I open up my pce, the residence of my imperial family. When their unreasonable demands don''t work, they draw their swords and release their murderous energy. What else can that be other than violencemitted by Hubalt, the most powerful nation on Igrant? We, Avalon, won¡¯t be thest victim¡ªthe next target could be any one of you.¡±


    The guests exchanged nces with each other. They had to choose between Hubalt and Avalon. The former was officially the strongest and biggest empire on the continent, but thetter, although considerably weakened¡­ the Martial God was back.


    ¡°The Tetra Kingdom supports the Hubalt Empire!¡± Duke Uraxen eximed, bold despite his defeat to Kireua. ¡°Isn¡¯t it true that everyone is concerned? Supposing the Martial God fails to y the witch, what would happen?¡±


    However, a burning sword against his neck cut his spiteful words short.


    ¡°Wh-What¡­?!¡± Uraxen stammered.


    ¡°Then we¡¯re enemies now.¡±


    ¡°Fl-me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°We, Thran, support the Emperor of Avalon,¡± bis dered.


    He was only the first.


    ¡°We, the Draia Kingdom, support Avalon!¡±


    ¡°The Fulldran Kingdom will join them!¡±


    ¡°No matter how hard I think, Hubalt is the one being unreasonable. We, the Allied Powers of Palentine, offer our fullest support to the Martial God, hahaha!¡±


    In the end, all countries except for the Tetra Kingdom dered themselves for Avalon.


    ¡°Do you want to continue?¡± Joshua asked.


    Uriel bit his lower lip.


    <em>¡®Bel, what in the world are you doing right now?¡¯</em>

 Side Story Chapter 96

    Side Story Chapter 96


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    A single strike catapulted Kireua away. At his current level, Kireua couldn¡¯t trade blows once.


    ¡°What kind of a monster is he¡­?¡±


    The bnce was restored on some level when Cain and Selim attacked the enemy together. Selim¡¯s attacks were especially outstanding; when he thrust his spear, the air screamed, and the ground shook if he swung his spear. His movements resembled those of Joshua¡¯s which Kireua had witnessed some time ago.


    ¡°¡­He got stronger,¡± Kireua mused.


    However, Bel was actually the most remarkable. Even his punches weren''t ordinary punches. When he jabbed, a ck dragon charged forward, baring its sharp fangs.


    ¡°Something is odd. Duke Uraxen has the authority of Igni, the Fire Dragon King, but he isn¡¯t like that guy. Even if his authorityes from someone called the ck Dragon King, how can two dragons be this different in power?¡± Kireua mumbled, confused.


    Three ck dragons closed in on Cain, threatening to swallow him whole.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± Kireua shouted.


    To dodge the dragons¡¯ attacks, Cain threw himself into the air, higher and higher, swinging his sword at the dragons as they ascended. The longer the fight continued, the further Cain got away from the ground.


    Cain wasn¡¯t just striking out. Although it was unclear how in the world he could fly for such a long time, the ck dragons disappeared by the time Cain was just a ck dot in the sky.


    Cain plummeted to the ground like a meteor, enveloped in his golden aura.


    Kireua watched, wide-eyed, as Cain mmed into the ground. The resultant cloud of dust quickly disappeared, revealing Cain down on one knee, panting and injured. Even then, the battle didn¡¯t pause.


    Selim demonstrated the Magic Spear Art¡¯s techniques, which Kireua was also familiar with. Lightning sh was the fastest technique in the world, Thundering Strike resembled actual thunder from the heavens, and Thunderstorm could be used to shred enemies apart with wind alone. However, none of them worked on this man named Bel.


    ¡°What in the world is that ck dragon!?¡± Kireua shouted in frustration.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting it the wrong way around. I¡¯m the one who¡¯s strong, not my dragons,¡± Bel casually replied even as he blocked Selim¡¯s barrage of attacks.


    Kireua flinched.


    ¡°On a side note, I¡¯m not using a Dragon King¡¯s authority. These are just some of the numerous dragons that I swallowed.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°When I could no longer find my match among my fellow humans, I headed to the southernmost part of the continent to get to Dragonia, thend of dragons.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground. Dragonia didn¡¯t allow any human to enter, but if this man had actually visited the ce as he imed and was standing in front of Kireua, that meant only one thing.


    ¡°You¡­earned dragons¡¯ recognition as a human?¡± Kireua gasped.


    ¡°No, I brought them to their knees, to be urate.¡±


    ¡°B-Brought them to their knees?¡±


    Bel smiled crookedly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you think it was weird? Authorities are called the gods¡¯ power, and demons run wild in this world. Yet dragons haven¡¯t shown up anywhere despite being known as protectors of the Human Realm.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°The reason is simple. I ate their hearts and the rest of their bodies, and gulped down their blood.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable!¡± Kireua cried.


    ¡°If you can¡¯t believe me¡ª¡± Bel suddenly flinched, unable to finish what he was saying. For the first time, he sensed an iing attack that he could not take lightly. Bel crossed his arms in front of his face to protect himself. ¡°¡­This one is a bit dangerous.


    Something crashed into Bel with tremendous force.


    Selim panted. That was the ultimate and most destructive spear-throwing technique in the Magic Spear Arts: Scathach¡¯s Fury.


    ¡°They are indeed the Martial God¡¯s spear techniques,¡± Bel remarked. The flesh on his arms was tattered, but he remainedposed. In fact, he was smiling as if he was genuinely having fun. ¡°I definitely made the right choice toe to Avalon. I didn¡¯t think the Martial God¡¯s knight and family could satiate me like this when they aren¡¯t the Martial God. ¡±


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Kireua couldn¡¯t just observe the battle anymore. He knew that he would be a hindrance to Cain and Selim if he joined in on the fight; they had never fought together, and Kireua was clearly weaker than the two of them. Nevertheless, the oue of this fight was obvious¡ªbut after all the grand ims he¡¯d made to his father, Kireua couldn¡¯t let that happen.


    <em>¡®Coal,¡¯</em> Kireua called.


    -¡­


    <em>¡®I know you¡¯re listening. Answer me.¡¯</em>


    -Coal is sleeping.


    Kireua frowned. The moment he had learned that Coal was one of the Evil Sins¡¯ authorities, he became leery of using Coal¡¯s power and had so far refrained. However, if Coal was really an Evil Sins¡¯ power, something was odd.


    <em>¡®There are a number of pdins nearby, but you¡¯re fine with it? I thought demons and angels were archenemies.¡¯</em>


    -Coal doesn¡¯t know that kind of stuff.


    <em>¡®Are you going to keep doing this?¡¯</em> Kireua asked, frustrated.


    -Kireua is the one who tried to stay far away from Coal.


    It seemed Coal could not only read Kireua¡¯s thoughts but also detect his emotions, because Coal knew exactly how Kireua was feeling about Coal.


    <em>¡®You¡­¡¯</em>


    -I don¡¯t need yummy things, but if you say my true name, I¡¯ll forgive you, Kireua.


    <em>¡®...True name?¡¯</em>


    -Yup!


    Kireua didn¡¯t recall Coal telling him its name, but he instinctively knew¡ªa foreign word shed through his mind.


    -If you consider me your friend and are certain that you won¡¯t distance yourself from me anymore, say my true name.


    * * *


    An ear splitting explosion wracked the Pce. People¡¯s eyes widened, especially the Imperial Knights¡¯¡ªit came from the inside of the Pce this time, not from the back of the annex.


    ¡°I-Intruder! There¡¯s an intruder in the Pce!¡±


    An rm spell went off.


    Joshua¡¯s gaze turned frigid. ¡°¡­You had to do it, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hehehehe, you brought upon this yourself, Martial God.¡± Uriel finally regained hisposure now that things were proceeding as nned. He just hadn¡¯t expected Bel to let the Martial God go that easily.


    ¡°Why? Are you going to try a kidnapping again?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°If you¡¯re nervous, why don¡¯t you head there and check it out yourself?¡±


    ¡°You people are knights from a god-serving country; aren¡¯t you embarrassed by yourselves?¡±


    ¡°Regardless of whether or not you showed up, the war was going to start anyway,¡± Uriel said, chuckling.


    ¡°Hubalt was always nning to wage war against the entire continent?¡±


    ¡°Not the entire continent. This war will only be between Avalon and Hubaltt.¡±


    ¡°From what I recall, the other countries have already dered their support for Avalon. For goodness sake, you people are no better than thugs on the streets.¡± Joshua shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°Even if it hadn¡¯t been for the witch, there¡¯s another reason why we have to start a war against Avalon.¡± Uriel pointed upward. ¡°Look over there.¡±


    Joshua turned his head to the ceiling of the Pce, where the explosion hade from.


    Beside a fluttering g of the Avalon Empire, someone with umon ck hair stood.


    ¡°Th-That¡¯s¡­


    The Imperial Knights were the first to recognize this person. Their jaws dropped.


    ¡°Ca-Carmen von Agnus!¡±


    The foreigners were taken aback. Carmen von Agnus¡¯s name was already well known across the continent.


    ¡°Agnus is¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she the Dark God¡¯s¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the cause of the civil war in Avalon!¡±


    ¡°She personally requested Hubalt¡¯s help to depose the illegitimate junta in Avalon,¡± Uriel imed.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡±


    ¡°We agreed to help her, and here we are. Anyone who interrupts this war will be considered an enemy of Hubalt¡¯s enemy,¡± Uriel threatened.


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°If that¡¯s your justification, then Avalon can do the same.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°The current Hubalt Empire was made by thugs with swords dethroning the perfectly capable pope and taking over the country. Am I wrong?¡±


    Uriel¡¯s face creased in irritation. Joshua¡¯s remark struck the Hubalt Empire¡¯s greatest weakness.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty,¡± Lunsworth stammered.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine; get to the site.¡±


    ¡°But they¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine on my own.¡± Joshua nodded.


    Lunsworth was surprised to see the Emperor of Avalon stand unwavering against hundreds of pdins, but he trusted his liege. At worst, the other guests would step in.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t have to worry about what¡¯s going on over there that much.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Lunsworth nkly asked.


    A smile danced on Joshua¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you heard about the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s direct secret order.¡±


    ¡°Secret¡­ order¡­?¡±


    ¡°You can hear about the details over there. From now on, Hubalt is Avalon¡¯s enemy, so kill anyone who stands in your way.¡±


    Lunsworth snapped to attention.


    ¡°All knights of the Avalon Empire, draw your swords,¡± he thunderously ordered. ¡°We shall suppress themotion inside the inner Pce as quickly as possible!¡±


    The knights¡¯ swords left their sheaths as fast as lightning bolts.


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Uriel jumped into the Imperial Knights¡¯ path, the air reverberating with the power of his authority. While the pdins may have lost their divine power to Joshua, Uriel¡¯s authority was derived directly from the Great Angel who oversaw the northern area of the Angel Realm.


    The pdins broke into cheers as a gigantic set of wings sprouted from Uriel¡¯s back. Uriel flew up high into the air, unting his presence by blocking the sunlight shining down on the arena.


    ¡°No one shall set a single foot outside of this ce!¡±


    Joshua¡¯s countermeasure for Uriel was quite simple. He drew his arm back as much as possible¡­ and hurled his spear at Uriel.


    A long, white streak split the sky in half, sparks flying angrily from the tail. The spear was thrown so fast that even Uriel didn¡¯t realize what had happened. The Pdin plummeted to the ground far faster than he had flown there and copsed with a thunderous <em>boom,</em> his divine wings lying in a heap around him.


    No one dared to speak a word in the ensuing silence.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t strong enough to withstand a single attack, Uriel,¡± Joshua arrogantly said, now standing where Uriel had once floated.

 Side Story Chapter 97

    Side Story Chapter 97


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Cain coughed up blood.


    Selim stood beside Cain with his spear leveled, but he was also a mess.


    ¡°This is a surprise,¡± he murmured. ¡°I thought I wouldn¡¯t have many rivals on the continent anymore¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­I also realized once again that the world is enormous. Have you heard about the dragonblooded folk, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Dragonblood?¡±


    ¡°It looks like that Bel is one of them.¡±


    Selim''s eyes widened, though he quickly regained hisposure. A human with dragon¡¯s blood...


    ¡°He says that he devoured every single dragon living in the southern part of the continent,¡± Cainmented.


    ¡°¡­So I heard.¡±


    ¡°Obviously, it¡¯s nonsense; mages wouldn¡¯t even find that funny.¡± Cain shook his head. ¡°Dragon blood is so toxic that a drop of it would melt a human¡¯s entire feeble body.¡±


    A drop of dragon blood was worth several million gold. The blood itself possessed abundant mana, making it useful for engraving magic circles in several artifacts.


    ¡°Even a Magic Tower mage has to spend days neutralizing the blood before they can use it, so I¡¯ve never even heard of someone consuming dragon flesh, much less eating their hearts.¡± Cain eyed Bel as the self-proimed dragon eater brushed the dust off of his clothes and cracked his knuckles. ¡°If what that man said is true, calling him Dragon Battle God would hardly be an exaggeration.¡±


    A majestic resonance put their conversation to a halt.


    Bel stood tall with a silver dragon on his left and his right arm covered with his ck dragon¡¯s aura. He grinned.


    ¡°Shall we begin round two?¡±


    Selim quickly gathered his mana, and Cain nervously fixed his grip on his sword. For a moment, the world seemed to dance on a knife¡¯s edge.


    But suddenly, a mighty mor grabbed all three men¡¯s attention. The noise came from someone they¡¯d all forgotten about for a moment.


    ¡°Kireua¡­?¡± Selim turned and witnessed a bizarre sight. The ground was cracked and buckled, giving way to ck fire jetting out from below. A ck wind whipped the air into a frenzy while ck lightning bolts mmed into the ground.


    ¡°...Mammon,¡± Kireua finally said. ¡°Yes, I can finally tell why you¡¯re the only Evil Sins¡¯ power with a personality.¡±


    ¡°Why is he talking to himself?¡±


    From other people¡¯s perspective, Kireua looked like a maniac, but he didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°You are the power of Greed itself. Your greed is as big as heaven and devours your own owner. That is why you don¡¯t really have a name. You are Coal, the power of Greed, and Mammon the Demon King, yourst owner. Everyone is still living inside you.¡±


    Kireua held out the sword in his right hand. Ferocious energy rose up from it that made Selim and Cain''s eyes widen in rm. That energy was demonic power, the most wicked in the world.


    ¡°In the end, you¡¯ll try to devour me too¡ªbut you know what? You may have be Mammon, but you¡¯ll never be Kireua. Never.¡±


    Kireua began to release more demonic power, so much that even Bel was intrigued.


    ¡°The Demon Spirit is stronger than you, but Joshua Sanders took his soul inside himself and won in the end. And I am his son. I won¡¯t lose. I¡¯ll endure until the end, just as you should conquer your instincts too, Mammon¡ªno, Coal. Don¡¯t be a monster enved by your instincts.¡±


    Kireua marched toward Bel, one step at a time, the very thing that made Coal feel so threatened that it let loose its full power.


    Calling Coal¡¯s name meant that the two people who shared the same memory and soul would be aplete whole, but one of them would be tragically erased.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go to take down the enemy who threatens you and me,¡± Kireua said.


    * * *


    ¡°Huh¡­¡± The Fordran knights stared nkly. The knights of the Allied Powers of Palentine tried to wrap their heads around the situation, and the other foreigners were equally confused.


    ¡°One of the Four Pdins¡­ was unable to take a single attack.¡±


    ¡°I-I heard about how great the Martial God is over and over again¡­¡±


    ¡°But now it feels like the rumors are underestimating him.¡±


    The younger knights were especially shocked. They had only heard stories about the Martial God, so this was their first time witnessing his power.


    However, Joshua, the man in question, was quite bitter.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m not sure how long this vessel will hold.¡¯ </em>He was going to discard this body anyway, but he had to sort out the situation as quickly as possible and return to that man named Bel. With that said, there was someone else in the arena that he had to take care of first.


    ¡°Joshua Sandersss!¡±


    Joshua turned to regard the woman who dared to scream an emperor¡¯s name with a voice filled with grudge and fury. The woman was the deceased Dark God¡¯s heir and the cause of the civil war still bleeding out the Avalon Empire, so her anger came as no surprise.


    Carmen leaped down from the roof and charged toward Joshua like a lightning bolt.


    His divine power spear had disappeared long ago, but that wasn¡¯t a problem now that Joshua had removed his restrictions and was prepared to abandon his current vessel.


    Although no des met, the <em>ng</em> of metal assaulted their ears when Carmen¡¯s ck greatsword and Joshua¡¯s fingers shed.


    Carmen boggled at his hand. ¡°H-How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this basic?¡±


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°In a battle of aura, the less-skilled knight can never defeat the more skilled knight by brute force.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t patronize me, Joshua Sanders!¡± Carmen bit her lip so hard that it bled. She immediately fed more aura from her mana hall into her de. The more aura she infused, the thicker the aura around Joshua¡¯s fingers was.


    ¡°I see your pride is the same as ever,¡± Joshua noted.


    ¡°Your damned mouth is the same as ever too, you son of a bitch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an emperor; I think calling me son of a bitch is too much.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m your aunt, you fucker,¡± Carmen growled.


    ¡°¡­Aunt, huh?¡± Joshua chuckled. He had settled all the debts he had with the Agnus family long ago. Of course, the people involved might still hold grudges against him, but Carmen was thest.


    ¡°When I was young, the previous Duke Agnus always asked me something,¡± Joshua abruptly said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Whether or not I resent him.¡±


    Carmen flinched. ¡°So is that why you killed your father with your own two hands, you damned murderer?¡±


    ¡°You already know the circumstances, don¡¯t you? I don¡¯t think I need to exin it.¡±


    ¡°No, the fact that you slew my brother won¡¯t change, regardless of your reasons.¡±


    ¡°Resentment, grudge, favor, spite¡­ They are part of a never-ending cycle, but I only realized that at this age.¡±


    ¡°Why are you acting like an old man in front of me?¡±


    ¡°I just hope another person like me won¡¯t show up again. Even if you cut off my head with your sword, my children will take revenge because it¡¯s easy for history to repeat. We thought we were done with civil wars when thest one came to an end, but we¡¯re going through one right now.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. I¡¯ll cut your children¡¯s heads off with my sword too when the timees. Regret and suffer in hell, Joshua Sanders,¡± Carmen cursed.


    However, Joshua just shook his head. ¡°No, the result won¡¯t change even if this toxic cycle continues.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡±


    ¡°My and my people¡¯s history always ended with our victory.¡±


    ¡°Your arrogant bastard¡­!¡±


    Someone suddenly shot off of the ground.


    ¡°Martial God!¡±


    With a sword in one hand and a shield in another, Uriel rose up into the sky with his wings spread wide. His white divine power instantly took the shape of a cross. His sword of me slew all injustice, and his sword of earth crushed the karma of sins. Who could not kneel before the punishment of the cross?


    ¡°Punishment of the Cross!¡± Uriel shouted at the top of his lungs, drawing out his full power. With her eyes shining, Carmen gathered all her strength as well and poured out her aura.


    From everyone¡¯s perspective, Joshua was clearly in a crisis. What happened next, however, was nothing like what they were expecting.


    Carmen¡¯s greatsword snapped like a twig, and the cross ascending to the heavens copsed into specks of dust. And all that took was a single cook from Joshua.


    Uriel mmed into the ground, and Carmen looked at Joshua with trembling lips.


    ¡°Umm¡­ If anyone saw me, I¡¯d look like a viin.¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    The foreigners staring up at the sky were certain that they¡¯d made the right choice¡ªor maybe they¡¯d just been lucky to not make the wrong decision.


    ¡°¡­Send a message back to Palentine.¡±


    ¡°P-Oardon? What did you say?¡± one of the Palentine knights stammered.


    ¡°Why are you goofing around? Use a crystal ball, contact the Magic Tower, whatever it takes to tell the people that we should never get on the bad side of Avalon¡ªeven if we have to go to war with Hubalt!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes sir!¡± The knight snapped off a salute and then sprinted out of the arena.


    ¡°L-let¡¯s get going too.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tiptoe around the Hubalt guys, just get moving! We don¡¯t have a lot of time.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s guests finally began to make their move.

 Side Story Chapter 98

    Side Story Chapter 98


    Kireua instantaneously vanished and then reappeared right in front of Bel and fiercely swung his sword.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Bel quietly groaned after his fist shed with Kireua¡¯s sword. He frowned. ¡°¡­What is with this power?¡±


    The lightning dragon, the power Bel had acquired from an adult gold dragon, was writhing above his fist.


    ¡°If the demonic power is as strong as a dragon, then¡­¡±


    Bel couldn¡¯t continue. The ck power rising from Kireua was suddenly about to devour the lightning dragon as if it were a curse.


    Shortly after, Bel threw a punch with his other hand, creating an explosion on impact. Even the air screamed as Kireua¡¯s sword and Bel¡¯s fists collided.


    That wasn¡¯t all Bel had to contend with. A deadly sharp spear was flying at Bel¡¯s left side that he couldn¡¯t ignore, and a heavy greatsword wasunched to Bel¡¯s right side that shone with radiant light.


    Bel leaped as high as his legs would take him; the only ce that offered refuge from the three-way attack was the sky.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Cain¡¯s eyes sparkled. In a fight between knights, only an idiot would run to the sky. There was nowhere to hide nor any way to maneuver.


    Bel, however, defiedmon sense once again.


    A blue-colored dragon and a green-colored dragon twined themselves around each of Bel¡¯s legs. Like dragons ascending to the heavens, they led their owner higher in the sky, in contrast to Cain¡¯s forced ascent. Bel even moved in the sky as easily if he were walking on the ground.


    ¡°I can see it from up here. That power is the pr opposite of the Four Great Angels¡¯ authorities that the Four Pdins use. Is that one of the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers from the Demon Realm?¡±


    Selim and Cain couldn¡¯t help but flinch.


    ¡°Hahahahaha! Interesting. Joshua Sanders almost lost everything to the Demon Spirit, but his son is using an Evil Sin¡¯s power. Will he lose his son to demons after his father?¡±


    ¡°Shut your damn mouth!¡± Cain shouted and fired a golden aura attack into the air. However, it dissipated powerlessly before it even reached Bel.


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite manifested another of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers, the power of Lust, but you people hide her and Joshua Sanders¡¯s son. I really can¡¯t help but doubt his true intentions.¡± Bel chuckled quietly.


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a rumor going around about how Joshua Sanders was eaten by the Demon Spirit and the man that came back isn¡¯t the real one. Is that true?¡± Bel asked mockingly.


    From Bel¡¯smanding view high up in the air, he could see all three men giving him death res, and his Hubaltrades losing spectacrly not so far away.


    ¡°How funny. Really, how funny. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing what the Martial God has prepared next,¡± Bel muttered to himself.


    ¡°Get down here right now!¡±


    ¡°This is not the right way. Using such a cowardly and shallow trick wouldn¡¯t satiate me. My teacher, the Martial Emperor, wouldn¡¯t want that either.¡± Bel watched the arena for a moment and then turned in the opposite direction. ¡°All you have to do is crush everything in your path with stronger power¡­¡±


    ¡°You bastard! Do you have no pride?! Are you going to run away like this?!¡±


    Bel halted, chuckling. ¡°Someone said that the victor takes all. They can postpone their fights or choose to end their opponents¡¯ lives. If the Four Pdins¡¯ entire n fails¡­ Yes, we¡¯ll be able to meet again. No one other than Josuha Sanders intrigues me right now.¡±


    Bel felt like he was truly alive. He had been fighting again and again for decades with the sole goal of defeating Joshua Sanders, who may have already died, so he couldn¡¯t put an end to his long wait without a satisfying conclusion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you people again¡ªespecially you, Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Bel vanished.


    ¡°Yo-Your Highness!¡± Cain shouted.


    Selim was about to go after Bel, but he had to stop as Kireua slowly copsed to the ground.


    * * *


    Carmen von Agnus dangled in the air, held up by her neck. On the other hand, Uriely pathetically on the ground. The murmurings in the arena slowly grew louder as the crowd¡¯s minds began to catch up with what they¡¯d seen.


    ¡°Leave.¡±


    Carmen¡¯s eyes widened, despite the hand mped painfully around her neck


    ¡°Are you¡­ going to let me go?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the only one who can put an end to this toxic cycle.¡±


    ¡°How long are you going to continue with your hypocrisy?¡±


    ¡°Such is also the victor¡¯s right,¡± Joshua lightly remarked.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°If you think it¡¯s unfair, you should have won, Aunt.¡±


    ¡°Arrgghhhhhhhh!¡± Carmen howled.


    Joshua knocked her unconscious with a blow to the back of her head and then descended to the ground. ¡°Find an okay inn outside the Pce and toss her in.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? But¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡±


    An Imperial Knight dared to question the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s order. The foolish Knight immediately stood to attention. Even if he were ordered to p his parents, the Imperial Knights should never question an order from their emperor.


    ¡°P-Pardon me. It will be done!¡±


    ¡°Good. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I-I am Adorance from the Seventh Battalion!¡±


    ¡°Adorance, there¡¯s a lot riding on this. It¡¯s not an exaggeration to say that the fate of this country depends on you,¡± Joshua said, his expression serious.


    ¡°Excuse me? Wh-What do you mean¡­?


    Joshua gestured at the unconscious woman slung over his shoulder.


    ¡°Although she doesn¡¯t look like much now, she¡¯s the main culprit of the civil war in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Shall I transfer her to the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°No; I told you before, it has to be an inn. If the inn is well known enough that many foreigners are staying there, then all the better. Make sure she¡¯s seen by as many people as possible.¡±


    Adorance''s eyes widened when he finally understood Joshua¡¯s intentions.


    ¡°You don¡¯t even have to find a room to put her in. Toss her in the middle of the hall; she¡¯ll regain consciousness in about three hours.¡±


    ¡°I see!¡± Adorance energetically saluted.


    Carmen von Agnus had suffered a devastating defeat before all of the distinguished guests from other countries, and yet the Emperor of Avalon had let her go unscathed. The news would spread swiftly throughout the entire continent, and Joshua¡¯s instructions would only quicken it. Once the entire continent knew of his act of mercy¡­


    <em>¡®The remnants of the rebel army have already lost the will to fight, so they might give uppletely and just surrender.¡¯</em>


    Adorance marveled at Joshua¡¯s foresight.


    Joshua lightly tapped Adorance¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with this. As you can see, I have a lot of work to do.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    With that done, Joshua looked up and saw the pdins of Hubalt standing between him and Uriel as the Pdin slowly heaved himself to his feet in the center of the arena.


    At that moment, an elegant voice washed over them from far away.


    -We have an announcement for all of our distinguished guests.


    ¡°Iceline¡­?¡± Joshua raised his head.


    High up in the sky, Iceline was looking downward with cold eyes.


    -I¡¯m sure all of you have already witnessed it in person, but it seems that we have no choice but to stop the tournament we prepared due to the thugs who have disguised themselves as guests.


    ¡°¡®Th-Thugs¡¯?¡±


    The pdins of Hubalt were basically pped in the face, sending them flying into a temper.


    -From now on, Avalon will treat Hubalt and any country that supports Hubalt as an enemy of Avalon. We, Avalon, don¡¯t wish for uninvolved guests to be caught in the crossfire, so we respectfully request that you exit the Pce immediately.


    Her tone was very polite, but it was clear that she was kicking the guests out. Nevertheless, no one dared toin. Perhaps it would have been different if they didn¡¯t know what was going on, but Iceline¡¯s announcement was a good excuse for them to remain neutral observers; most of the guests tried to leave the Pce.


    ¡°We, the Draia Kingdom, will leave the Pce toply with Her Majesty Iceline¡¯s wishes.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­ the Allied Powers of Palentine also wish to maintain our friendly rtionship with Avalon for a long time, so we shall make our way out.¡±


    ¡°The Fordran Kingdom willply as well.¡±


    Some people may criticize them for being sly and acting like rats who were always on the lookout for a sinking ship. However, this was diplomacy. Their priority was seeking the maximum benefit for their countries and minimizing the risks, as it should be. On top of that, there was no one who wanted to be struck by a stray shot from the two giant empires¡¯ fight.


    However¡­


    ¡°We, Thran, will help Avalon.¡±


    The foreigners froze. bis, the famed me Emperor, slowly approached Joshua.


    ¡°The First Queen Consort gave you a chance to get out of here; are you sure you won¡¯t regret this?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that Your Majesty will probably say that it¡¯s unnecessary, but don¡¯t we at least have to match their numbers?¡± bis smiled lightly and gave the knights of the Tetra Kingdom a pointed look. Duke Uraxen and his knights were forming a defensive circle.


    ¡°The score is now two to two. We may be going up against the most powerful nation on the continent, but we¡¯re with the Martial God. So aren¡¯t our chances good?¡± bis shrugged.


    ¡°¡­I feel like Avalon is getting the short end of the stick here.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t make any nerve-wracking requests like supporting the independence of the Thran Kingdom.¡±


    Joshua burst into quietughter. ¡°I knew it. That¡¯s what you¡¯re after.¡±


    ¡°I told you that I won¡¯t make such a request.¡±


    ¡°Once I knock down the Hubalt Empire, your problem will be automatically solved, so I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have to bother asking.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I see the Martial God is good at strategy too.¡± bis chuckled.


    ¡°I get why people call you the Scarlet Wolf of Thran.¡±


    The other foreign knights were left feeling embarrassed from trying to leave the Pce.


    However, the quick-witted representative of the Allied Powers of Palentine found a clever way to adapt to the situation.


    ¡°Hahaha! I envy you two¡¯s friendship. We, Palentine, will fulfill our moral obligation and assist you from the city to make sure the innocent citizens in Arcadia won¡¯t be affected.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 99

    Side Story Chapter 99


    ¡°What in the world happened to him?¡± Selim nkly murmured as he examined his unconscious brother. ¡°¡­That man said earlier that Kireua has manifested an Evil Sin¡¯s power.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overthink it. Prince Kireua is Prince Kireua.¡±


    Despite Cain¡¯s assurance, Selim¡¯s expression remained grim. ¡°But¡­ other people won¡¯t think that way¡ªa prince with the power of a Demon King?¡±


    ¡°We already have a precedent.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is the same as the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword since she¡¯s from the Hubalt Empire. They¡¯re most sensitive to evil, so they have to take care of her themselves. Because we¡¯re outsiders, it¡¯s none of our business.¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, no one knows if the power of a Demon King will be beneficial or harmful,¡± Cain said reassuringly.


    ¡°Sir Cain, I¡¯m not just talking about Kireua. What is the biggest reason why we, Avalon, are in trouble? Why is it that Hubalt¡¯s delegation dared to draw their swords in our front yard?¡±


    Selim was colder and more rational than ever. As a man who was aiming to im the throne, Selim had to consider the bigger picture, meaning his priority had to be the good of the nation and safety of its citizens.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but this is a problem that Prince Kireua should take care of himself,¡± Cain insisted.


    ¡°If people outside Avalon get the wind of this¡­¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Cain said, a small smile creeping onto his lips. ¡±His Majesty also defeated the Demon Spirit in the end and imed his demonic power for his own.¡±


    Selim immediately wanted to object that that was only possible because it was Joshua Sanders he was talking about.


    Cain lifted Kireua onto his back.


    ¡°Let¡¯s leave first. Looks like we can¡¯t afford to stand around and talk right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Selim¡¯s eyes followed Cain¡¯s finger and he immediately staggered.


    ck smoke was rising above the Pce.


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t thating from the Main Pce?¡± Selim asked, in disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, it looks like something¡¯s happened inside the Pce.¡±


    ¡°N-No! We have to go right now. Lady Sersiarin is in there!¡±


    ¡°My answer remains the same. Although I agree that we should get there as quickly as possible, you don¡¯t have to worry about what happened too much,¡± Cain reassured him.


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t know any martial arts, so how can I not worry?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Cain trailed off with a faint smile ¡°Some rather talented individuals have been hidden inside the Pce for decades.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°They vowed to only move when the Pce is in crisis, and their mission is to protect the Pce and the Imperial Family.¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Selim¡¯s eyebrows rose. ¡°I¡¯m a prince, but I¡¯ve never heard about them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable. They¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s secret guards.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°There were people like them in the past too. Marcus ben Britten, the previous emperor, directlymanded the ck Wind.¡±


    Selim''s eyes widened.


    ¡°They reside in the Pce, but their missions are basically the same as the ck Wind¡¯s were. Only His Majesty and I know about this; even the Queen Consorts don¡¯t know about them.¡±


    ¡°¡­Can I really trust them? How big is this organization¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s made up of two people.¡±


    ¡°T-Two?¡± Selim stammered in an uncharacteristic loss ofposure.


    ¡°But those two are so talented that even I can¡¯t take them lightly.¡±


    * * *


    <em>¡°The Hubalt Empire drew their swords inside the pce of the Avalon Empire. A war will break out between the two countries!¡±</em>


    The news quickly spread to the entire continent. Lilith Aphrodite¡¯s presence in Avalon was kept under wraps; Joshua¡¯s guests tried to deliver only the facts they had seen with their own eyes to their countries. Thest thing they wanted was to get on the Martial God¡¯s bad side. As a matter of fact, they preferred that Avalon be strong enough to fight Hubalt on equal terms.


    The Hubalt Empire wound up treated like a pack of hungry hyenas, a stark contrast to the peace-loving Holy Empire they styled themselves as. Regardless of what their reasons were, it was out of line for their knights to draw their swords in the heart of a foreign country¡ªthat they had been invited into, no less.


    War was brewing on Igrant.


    * * *


    Two groups stood face to face in Avalon¡¯s pce; the furor built and built outside, but the Pce was like the eye of the storm.


    Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights and Thran¡¯s knights were standing on the left side of the arena while the pdins of Hubalt and Tetra¡¯s Mage Knights were on the right side.


    ¡°¡­Martial God.¡± Uriel¡¯s face contorted. ¡°Does Avalon truly want to begin the Second Continental War?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who wants another war. Besides, ckmail doesn¡¯t work at all when you look like that.¡±


    As Joshua pointed out, Uriel was tattered. The bulk of his wide wings were ripped away, and the edges of his shield were rippled like poorly made ss. However, Uriel was for some reason undeterred.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why the other Four Pdins are away right now?¡±


    ¡°Not particrly.¡±


    ¡°An investigation from the Hubalt Empire has already been sent to the Inner Pce, so the witch you¡¯re hiding will be revealed to the entire world. Judging from how desperately you¡¯re trying to hide her, I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll find her.¡±


    ¡°You say that you trespassed on another person¡¯s house quite confidently.¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t have happened in the first ce if you¡¯d cooperated, Martial God.¡±


    ¡°Is this the method of a god¡¯s servants?¡± Joshua nodded to himself. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind.¡±


    Uriel''s face fell. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°If we have to find someone in the future, we¡¯ll go through the Pce and the Great Temple in the Hubalt Empire first.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Then are <em>you</em> serious?¡±


    ¡°This is for the peace of the continent¡ªwe¡¯re searching for the witch who has manifested a Demon King¡¯s authority.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m saying. We¡¯re free to turn your people¡¯s home upside down to look for someone who¡¯s manifested a Demon King¡¯s authority. Am I wrong?¡±


    Uriel¡¯s eyes burned with anger. Even a thug off of the streets wouldn¡¯t be treated like that.


    ¡°How dare you insult the Hubalt Empire!¡± Uriel shouted.


    ¡°That¡¯s what you people are doing right now. And what did you say? An investigation? I highly advise you to extract them from the Pce as quickly as possible.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s some people in there who¡¯ll instantly turn your baby pdins into pulp.¡±


    Uriel¡¯s lip trembled in barely suppressed irritation. He had no doubt that Josua was spouting absolute nonsense. In terms of martial prowess, Uriel was the weakest among the Four Pdins¡ªall three sent to the Inner Pce were stronger than him. Turn them into pulp?


    ¡°It looks like you lost your mind while you were away from the Pce,¡± Uriel growled.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you worry about yourself first? I have no intention of letting you walk away now. You dared to draw your sword in my house, so I assume you¡¯re prepared for the consequences, yes?¡±


    Uriel''s eyes widened as Joshua suddenly disappeared.


    Joshua showed up again right behind Uriel and ripped away his wings like wet paper.


    ¡°Argghhh!¡±


    Joshua smirked as Uriel¡¯s tormented howl echoed off the arena¡¯s walls.


    ¡°Materialized masses of divine power¡­¡± Joshua examined the still-pping wings he held. ¡°I see why people are calling it a god¡¯s authority. Flight is one of humanity¡¯s oldest dreams, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Y-You bastard¡­!¡±


    ¡°Nobody move¡­¡±


    The pdins trying to sneak up on Joshua froze, pinned in ce by the irresistible pressure Joshua exuded.


    ¡°...unless you want to see your captain¡¯s neck getting snapped.¡±


    ¡°H-How dare you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Your name is Uriel, right? I¡¯m actually grateful for you since it looks like I¡¯ll be able toplete my n faster now.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ are you talking about?¡± Uriel painfully spat.


    ¡°It won¡¯t be as effective as the Angel Spirit¡¯s¡­ but it might be possible to erase the traces with a soul of one of the Great Four Angels, like a detoxification.¡±


    Joshua intended annihting the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul using the diametrically opposed power of angels and demons. However, that wasn¡¯t the end of Joshua¡¯s ns for Uriel.


    ¡°¡­You look like you¡¯ll make a fine new vessel,¡± Joshua murmured.


    The body that Joshua was using right now had outlived its lifespan long ago; Joshua had overworked himself to the point that he couldn¡¯t be sure he¡¯d be okay. With that said, the transfer of a soul wasn¡¯t a simple job. When Joshua had done it the first time, he used all the mana he had umted over decades. Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t impossible to do it again if he had a perfect vessel at hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only being who can use both demonic and divine powers, so I think your body will be able to withstand my soul, Uriel,¡± Joshua whispered.


    Uriel trembled leaf in the wind. Joshua¡¯s smile was more evil than anything Uriel had ever seen.


    ¡°Dem-Demonic God! You are the Demonic God, not the Martial God,¡± Uriel screeched. ¡°Joshua Sanders died on the same day the previous Emperor of Avalon did!¡±


    Joshua came to a halt, but chuckled. ¡°Yes, I can see why you¡¯d think that.¡±


    Before Uriel had a chance to respond, Joshua stabbed his hand into Uriel¡¯s heart, the best ce for a god¡¯s soul to sneak into.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡± Uriel writhed for a long moment before he dropped powerlessly.


    It was a rather vain death for a man strong enough to be known as one of the Four Pdins.

 Side Story Chapter 100

    Side Story Chapter 100


    The arena was gripped by a suffocating silence. The death of Uriel, one of the Four Pdins, was such an extraordinary event that many who saw it were stunned.


    ¡°Sir Uriel¡­ was killed without even putting up a fight?¡±


    The pdins from the Hubalt Empire were the most shaken.


    <em>¡®¡­This is dangerous,¡¯</em> Joshua thought. In contrast to how calm he looked, Joshua wasn¡¯t in good shape; he was currently like a tall levee with a small hole. At first, the leakage would be so miniscule that no one had to worry about it, but the hole was only going to get bigger. Eventually, the levee would bepletely submerged. That was the state of the vessel that Joshua was using to store his soul in.


    <em>¡®There are too many people here. If I take his body, then I¡¯ll be treated like a Demon King.¡¯</em>


    Perhaps because Joshua had embraced the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul for many years, he couldn¡¯t help himself from thinking of himself as the Demon Spirit in regards to how he continued to change his vessel, as silly as it was. However, he couldn¡¯t waste any further time on such idle thoughts¡ªhe only had a moment to take the body after Uriel¡¯s soul hadpletely exited it. If Joshua missed the opportunity, he was going to have to give up finding a new body forever.


    Joshua pulled out his hand of Uriel, allowing the corpse to copse limply to the ground. Even then, Joshua¡¯s brain was hard at work. What was the quickest way to stop these people from watching him?


    ¡°What are you doing?! Your superior was killed in action, so how long are you going to do nothing?¡± a pdin, presumably one of the higher-ranked ones, roared.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t suppress his sigh. Despite demonstrating overwhelming power to prevent the fight from dragging on any longer than necessary, it looked like the enemy had no intention of backing down.


    A man with fiery red hair quietly stepped in front of Joshua. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go ahead to the Inner Pce now, Martial God?¡±


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°me Emperor?¡±


    ¡°We, Thran, and the other half of the Avalon Imperial Knights will take care of the rest. Ah, I¡¯m sure Her Majesty Iceline will help us from up there.¡±


    Joshua nced up. Iceline locked eyes with Joshua and smiled. Although she may be very cold to outsiders, she treated her family much differently. A smile bloomed on Joshua¡¯s face in return.


    ¡°Is there anything else you want from me?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Please continue to be yourself forever. That is enough.¡±


    Joshua quietly nodded. He didn¡¯t know bis¡¯s exact intentions, but he was certain that bis wasn¡¯t the kind of calcting person who was always chasing the most profitable oue. Doubting bis any further would be disrespectful.


    ¡°Knights of the Tetra Kingdom, gather your auras! Since the pdins can¡¯t use their divine power right now, we will take the vanguard!¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhhhhh!¡±


    bis jerked his thumb at the Pce as the mage knights¡¯ battle cry washed over them.


    ¡°Go ahead. Leave the small fries to us now.¡±


    Joshua bowed slightly to bis and then darted away. Of course, Joshua didn¡¯t forget to take Uriel¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be taking him. He dared to draw a sword in the heart of my Avalon, so I¡¯ll behead the criminal myself and hang his head from the castle walls.¡±


    The pdins were appalled.


    ¡°Th-The Martial God is trying to defile Sir Uriel! Get him!¡±


    * * *


    ¡°His Majesty has given his order! Stop them! Stop them with your lives!¡±


    ¡°Break through their defense! Don¡¯t let the demon worshipers of Avalon slow you down!¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling demon worshipers?!¡±


    The sound of weapons shing bounced up and down the long hallway leading to the council chamber in the Pce. An intense, bloody battle clogged the hallway. Piles of corpses were scattered here and there, their blood turning the passageway into a river.


    Selim arrived at the opposite end of the hallway.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m joining the battle¡ªnow,¡± Selim said, tightening his grip on his spear.


    The battle was still distant, but that was no problem for people with superhuman eyes.


    ¡°Please wait here, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Will you be alright on your own?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re gravely wounded. Besides,¡± Selim pointed at Kireua, who was still unconscious. ¡°you can¡¯t fight with Kireua on your back, and it¡¯s not like we can just toss him somewhere right now.¡±


    Even as they spoke, the battle was intensifying.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Selim and Cain'' eyes widened, as they noticed the overwhelming rush of energy. It wasing from the end of the hallway. They were blinded by a sh of white light, and then they heard an ear splitting <em>bang!</em>


    ¡°No¡­!¡± Selim shouted.


    The bulky doors to the council chamber were ripped open and thrown away.


    The throne should have been empty, but a woman sat regally upon it nevertheless.


    ¡°Lady Sersiarin¡­!¡± Selim murmured.


    She was Sersiarin Sanders, who was Joshua¡¯s cousin, but as close as a sister. The vast council chamber was empty except for her; she upied the throne without a single guard as if she refused to let anyone take the throne during a time of crisis.


    ¡°Why would she¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­The throne is the pride of the nation. We would be looked down on if we allowed the throne to be disrespected,¡± Cain exined.


    Selim didn¡¯t listen to another word and shot down the hallway.


    ¡°¡­Aren¡¯t all of you the pdins from the Hubalt Empire? Why are you trespassing on someone else¡¯s home?¡± Sersiarin tilted her head.


    ¡°You must be Lady Sersiarin. Let me ask you: where have you hidden the witch, Lilith Aphrodite?¡±


    ¡°Even if you¡¯re here to search for someone, the Hubalt Empire should have asked for the Avalon Empire¡¯s corporations through the proper channels.¡±


    ¡°You wretch, you insist on taking the demon¡¯s side?¡± Despite the fact that he was talking to the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s cousin, the pdin in the lead showed no hesitation. ¡°She¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s cousin, so you must capture her alive.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Before Selim could reach Sersiarin, ten of the pdins moved to apprehend her. In an act of desperation, Selim prepared to throw his spear.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    However, every one of those pdins was catapulted away quicker than they had sprung forward.


    ¡°How¡­?¡± Selim ground to a halt.


    Two men appeared like ghosts between the pdins and the throne.


    Selim¡¯s eyes widened a little bit more. ¡°¡­Are they the secret guards that Sir Cain was talking about?¡±


    One of them was a middle-aged man no older than fifty, but the other man was unfathomably old. Selim had never met them before, but it was clear that he couldn¡¯t take either of them lightly.


    ¡°By the looks of it, you two in the front must be part of the famous Four Pdins.¡± The middle-aged man pointed at the two in question.


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Aside from you two, no one really catches my eye. Are the other two outside?¡±


    Raphael, the pdin who had threatened Sersiarin, flinched. The middle-aged man was right. Uriel¡¯s mission was outside of the Pce, and Michael was probably surrounding Arcadia with the army. The surprising part was that the middle-aged man had estimated the levels of Raphael and Michael with a single nce.


    ¡°¡­You know who we are; are you still going to stop us?¡± Raphael asked.


    ¡°Then let me ask you this: do you know who <em>we</em> are?¡±


    Raphael frowned. The old man who¡¯d kept his silence bugged Raphael more than the middle-aged man who was talking. One of the old man¡¯s hands held a sabre, but he kept his other hand behind his back, just like¡­


    ¡°W-Wait, the Sword Emperor?¡±


    The other Pdin¡¯s eyes popped wide open.


    Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor, was a great and renowned figure from thest generation and one of the previous Nine Stars. He was known to have vanished not long after the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s disappearance.


    ¡°I¡¯m sad. You¡¯re talking to me, so why are you paying more attention to him?¡±


    ¡°What the hell¡ªeveryone, gather all of your divine power!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m so sad.¡± The middle-aged man quietly smacked his lips. ¡°I know you don¡¯t really care, but let me finish introducing myself. My name is Valmont dun Brown.¡±


    ¡°Valmont dun Brown¡­?¡± Raphael didn¡¯t seem to recognize the name. No, he didn¡¯t hear any of Valmont¡¯s introduction; he was too shocked by the discovery that the Sword Emperor was there. The man was already over one hundred years old. Even though mana slowed the aging process, how was this possible? Besides, his energy was as powerful as any Absolute.


    ¡°Oh my goodness¡­¡± Down the hallway, Selim was staring dumbly as well.


    Cain approached, Kireua on his back. ¡°That is why I told you that the Pce is guarded by people that even I can¡¯t take lightly.¡±


    ¡°¡­I have a question.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Forget about how Duke Tremblin was missing until now, but Sir Valmont was the most promising candidate for the next Knight-Commander of the Imperial Knights while the Britten Family was in power. Am I wrong?¡± Selim asked.


    Cain grinned. ¡°You know your history quite well.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve studied both the recorded and secret history of the Pce; I thought it might be rted to His Majesty¡¯s disappearance.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Since when did Sir Valmont swear loyalty to His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Cain paused, his smile growing. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that he always did?¡±


    ¡°...Always?¡±


    ¡°Valmont dun Brown was the genius of the previous generation, but he was bornzy. While he was idling his life away, he met a more outstanding genius than me in the same generation as him.¡±


    ¡°...Are you talking about His Majesty?¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, and he lost to His Majesty. Despite his defeat, he cultivated himself and challenged His Majesty again monthster. Even when Valmont lost, he still continued to cultivate his sword techniques. His Majesty never turned down Valmont¡¯s challenges, and their spars continued for several years.¡±


    Selim didn¡¯t have to hear the rest of the story. Valmont dun Brown had marveled at the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s skills and became his sword in the shadows. As he was practically a remnant of the previous monarchy, it would seem that that was the only way for him to help the new government.


    ¡°His Majesty¡­ truly has many people of talent under his wings,¡± Selim murmured.


    ¡°So do you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°You have your ck Knights, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Selim smiled. By now, the ck Knights must be faithfully carrying out his orders. The thought of them was quite reassuring¡ªlike the Emperor of Avalon must feel about the two remarkable men he kept as his knights.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to try harder.¡± Selim slowly strode forward, his spear in hand. He wasn¡¯t going to lose to either the Emperor of Avalon or those thugs who¡¯d trespassed in the Pce.


    Selim sprang forward, ripping through the air.

 Side Story Chapter 101

    Side Story Chapter 101


    ¡°What¡­?!¡±


    A rush of formidable energy struck Raphael, but it didn¡¯te from the front, where the Sword Emperor was.


    ¡°Behind me?¡±


    Raphael instinctively raised his weapons, two swords with distinct abilities; his specialty was dual-wielding.


    ¡°Fuck¡­!¡±


    His opponent was too fast and had extraordinary energy. Raphael couldn¡¯t even think about striking back; his opponent¡¯s spear made it impossible to close any of the distance between him and his opponent.


    ¡°Argh!¡± Raphael groaned in pain when the spear finally managed to stab his shoulder.


    The pdins finally managed to close on their mysterious assant.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    ¡°Selim Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Selim? Selim Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s my name,¡± Selim answered, casually deflecting the swords flying toward him from all directions.


    Raphael frowned and raised one of his swords up to his wounded shoulder.


    Selim had been confident, but it didn¡¯t take long for his face to tighten. Raphael¡¯s wound was healing. That was impossible¡ªaura destroyed the very cells themselves, making such wounds incredibly difficult to recover from. Even a high priest couldn¡¯t heal a wound that serious.


    ¡°I¡­ am Raphael, the Saint of Recovery.¡± Aurel wreath of light graced Raphael¡¯s brow. He pped an enormous set of wings¡ªlong enough to epass the entire chamber.


    Nevertheless, that didn¡¯t take long for Raphael¡¯s confidence to copse.


    ¡°I-I¡ª?¡± Raphael saw a barrage of sabers unleashed upon him, eager to ughter him. Although Raphael wasn¡¯t actually hurt, his back dripped with sweat. He didn¡¯t have to ask where the attacks wereing from.


    ¡°Sword Emperor¡­ Duke Tremblin¡­!¡±


    At some point, the pdins had be helplessly trapped in the center of the council chambers. There were only four¡ªno, five opponents the pdins had to defeat in order to get to their target, Lady Sersiarin; the problem was that every one of those five opponents was remarkably strong.


    ¡°Lady Sersiarin!¡± The Avalon Imperial Knights btedly arrived at the council chamber.


    Raphael bit his lower lip in frustration. ¡°Gabriel, is there a solution for this?¡±


    ¡°¡­The two people in front are highly renowned figures from the previous generation, but even if we set them aside, the person standing beside the First Prince is Cain de Harry, the Combat Emperor, assuming that my memory serves me correctly.¡±


    ¡°All you had to say was that we don¡¯t have a chance. Shit, where the hell is Bel? If he and Michael were here right now¡­¡±


    ¡°No, the Combat Emperor is gravely injured, by the looks of it. Since he also seems to be carrying someone on his back, it¡¯s safe to assume that he¡¯s out of the picture,¡± Gabriel determined.


    ¡°¡­In other words, we do have a chance against them?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Gabriel trailed off, his eyes shining in golden light.


    His other title was the ¡°Truth-Piercing Eyes¡±. He could roughly estimate his opponents¡¯ level without directly fighting them. Raphael held his ground to allow his colleague to work.


    ¡°The whole n is getting messier by the second, shit.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask the pdins from the Hubalt Empire something,¡± Sersiarin¡¯s elegant voice suddenly interrupted. ¡°Does the Hubalt Empire truly want the entire continent to be drawn into a war?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hmph, that is exactly what we¡¯re trying to stop here. Why don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about Lady Aphrodite again.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s the cause of everything. If she really is innocent, then she shoulde out in the open and exined herself, but Avalon is stopping that from happening.¡± Raphael scoffed.


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    The pdins blinked, confused.


    Sersiarin turned to look at Valmont. ¡°Sir Valmont, I¡¯m sorry, but can you bring Lady Aphrodite here?¡±


    Raphael and Gabriel''s eyes widened. They¡¯d thought that considering how prideful Joshua Sanders was, he would never willingly hand over his friend. It wasn¡¯t just about betraying trust between friends. The continent held the Marital God in near fanatical regard, so what would happen if the Martial God yielded and handed Lilith Aphrodite over to the Hubalt Empire?


    They would think that the Great Holy Empire of Hubalt was truly the most powerful nation on the continent now. The Pdins¡¯ n was perfect; all paths lead to victory. When Avalon turned down Hubalt¡¯s demands, they would not only be able to strike Avalon¡¯s heart but also have the justification to start the war. Even if Avalon epted Hubalt¡¯s request, Hubalt''s reputation would rise to untold heights.


    ¡°Are we good now?¡± Sersiarin asked.


    ¡°¡­It would have been so much better if you had cooperated much earlier. We wouldn¡¯t have had to make things ugly.¡±


    ¡°Sheathe your swords and order your men to stand down.¡±


    ¡°No, my men will stand down only after we see the witch.¡± Raphael grinned and sheathed his sword.


    The n could have gone very awry, but things were working, thanks to her. Raphael was hardly going to let this opportunity go to waste.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll buy time. Once we sessfully surround Arcadia, it won¡¯t matter if they give up the witch¡­¡¯</em>


    The Four Pdins¡¯ great dream was to raise Hubalt¡¯s g over the entire continent with Avalon as the starting point.


    ¡°¡­Sir Valmont,¡± Sersiarin said again.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re going to be okay?¡±


    ¡°Bring her. I¡¯m sure she doesn¡¯t want other people to be harmed because of her; she would find death to be a better option.¡±


    ¡°S-Still, isn¡¯t death¡ª?¡±


    ¡°I know because that is how I felt.¡±


    Valmont¡¯s mouth mmed shut. Lady Sersiarin¡¯s previous name was Sersiarin ben Britten¡ªthe Tragic Princess. Although she was fine now, she had been born blind yet had the Eyes of Truth, which could be used to read people¡¯s minds. She had been politically exploited by the previous Emperor of Avalon, and many of Avalon¡¯s nobles had continuously tried to take her hostage.


    ¡°¡­Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± Valmont nodded.


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Sersiarin smiled gently.


    After looking at her with sympathetic eyes for a moment, Valmont turned his head to the side. ¡°I¡¯ll leave Lady Sersiarin in your hands.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be fine on my own here.¡± Tremblin chuckled quietly.


    Sersiarin giggled. ¡°Yes, he is. He¡¯s the Sword Emperor for a reason!¡±


    Valmont vanished like he¡¯d never been there.


    ¡°Since it looks like things have been sorted out for the most part, I¡¯ll ask that the rest of the pdins lower their swords. This old man cannot tolerate your discourtesy in the Pce any longer.¡±


    The pdins froze like sculptures as instant, overwhelming pressure struck them. Despite already being over a hundred years old, Tremblin had only be a monster stronger than before.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Raphael and Gabriel were certain that they couldn¡¯t guarantee their victory even fighting him together.


    ¡°¡­Put down your swords, everyone.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± the pdins thundered. They ced their swords on the floor and the tension in the air rxed quite a bit.


    Cain let out a long sigh. ¡°Phew¡­ I¡¯ll definitely die of a heart attack someday. It was boring, but I think the time I spent searching for His Majesty is better than <em>this</em>.¡±


    Cain nced back at Kireua, who was still deep asleep.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m worried about His Highness. I¡¯m not seeing any obvious wounds on him, so why won¡¯t he regain consciousness¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait, what are you carrying, Combat Emperor?¡± Gabriel asked.


    ¡°Gabriel? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I sense demonic power as Lilith Aphrodite¡ªit¡¯s at least a Demon King.¡±


    Raphael''s eyes widened. The pdins froze in the middle of cing down their swords, appalled.


    ¡°Wh-What are you talking about? I can¡¯t feel any demonic power right now.¡±


    ¡°It seems that it specializes in hiding its presence, but it can¡¯t fool my eyes. I¡¯m sure that the person that the Combat Emperor is carrying has manifested an Evil Sin¡¯s authority,¡± Gabriel said with certainty.


    ¡°E-Evil Sin!¡±


    The atmosphere took an abrupt turn. The pdins picked their swords up again and released an immense amount of divine power.


    ¡°¡­I definitely told you to put down your swords,¡± Tremblin said in a low voice, releasing his murderous energy in response.


    The pdins felt like they had entered a forest of swords and were standing on the tips of des. Nevertheless, neither side backed down.


    ¡°Combat Emperor! Exin yourself!¡± Gabriel shouted. ¡°Lady Sersiarin put a lot of effort into defusing the situation, so I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t want to make it worse!¡±


    Cain was stumped. Although it would have been one thing if it weren¡¯t true¡­ it was.


    <em>¡®What should I do?¡¯</em>


    The longer Cain agonized, the more thick the divine power in the council chamber became.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes suddenly flew open and a howl emerged from his lips.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!¡±


    Cain looked into Kireua¡¯s eyes and found them grotesquely ck without a single trace of white.


    ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    Kireua exploded with demonic power that was just as dense as the divine power of the hundreds of pdins there.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°He has definitely manifested an Evil Sin¡¯s authority. Lady Sersiarin, say something!¡± Gabriel demanded. ¡°The man on the Combat Emperor¡¯s back is the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire. Am I wrong?¡±


    Sersiarin didn¡¯t respond. She just stood up from the throne and watched Kireua with worried eyes.


    ¡°Gahhh¡­! What are you all doing?! Eradicate this evil right now!¡± Raphael roared.


    Cain was carrying the Second Prince on his back, and Selim was confronting the pdins; neither could make any moves, right when the fight could resume at any moment.


    ¡°Yes, s¡ª!¡±


    A new person walked through the wide-open door of the council chamber.


    ¡°Stop. Nobody move.¡±


    ¡°Martial God¡­!¡±


    ¡°This is my home, and I didn¡¯t allow any of my guests to draw their swords.¡± Joshua looked around the council chamber as if he was sentencing them, and then mmed his spear against the floor.

 Side Story Chapter 102

    Side Story Chapter 102


    When Joshua mmed the end of his spear against the ground, all the divine power in the council chamber dissipated.


    ¡°Wh-What is this¡­?¡±


    When Joshua did it again, the air itself mped down on the pdins of the Hubalt Empire. The immense pressure forced their swords out of their hands; only Raphael and Gabriel could even still stand, but not without their legs shaking.


    <em>¡®What the shit. The Sword Emperor is a kidpared to him.¡¯ </em>Raphael¡¯s face crumpled.


    <em>¡®If this is what the Martial God is like, then no one else in the Hubalt Empire other than Bel can challenge him. Maybe Michael has a chance¡­¡¯</em>


    However, he couldn¡¯t let his enemies know what was thinking, so he raised his voice even higher.


    ¡°You havee at the right time, Your Majesty. It would be best if you exin the situation yourself, as the emperor of Avalon!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite, once revered as a saint, has manifested a Demon King¡¯s authority. Just like her, it seems that Kireua Sanders also has a Demon King¡¯s authority. I¡¯m very sorry to say this, but evil must be eradicated regardless of the reason.¡±


    Joshua smiled. ¡°People from Hubalt always make me repeat myself.¡±


    ¡°Repeat yourself¡­?¡±


    ¡°Uriel said the exact same thing when he raised his sword against me, but he has already died to my spear.¡±


    Raphael, Gabriel, and the other pdins boggled at him.


    ¡°Uriel¡­ is dead?¡±


    ¡°When you wreak havoc in another person¡¯s house, it¡¯s only right to be punished in kind.¡±


    ¡°Martial God! Do you mock me?!¡± Raphael growled.


    ¡°I warned him in no uncertain terms that Avalon will take care of any incidents within our borders ourselves, just as we did with the Demon Spirit incident in the past. I won¡¯t tolerate any interference from outsiders.¡±


    ¡°Demons are threats to everyone on the continent, not just one country. They are the enemy of all mankind¡ªcan you really not tell how irresponsible it is of you to ask us to stay out of this?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± Joshua shamelessly answered.


    Raphael screeched with wordless anger and his face flushed crimson.


    ¡°It¡¯s all about results in this world. The Demon Spirit descended in the flesh in Avalon, but the other countries suffered zero damage. It was Avalon that took all the damage and shouldered the me.¡±


    ¡°Then are we supposed to ignore the seed of a Demon King sprouting right in front of our eyes? Nonsense!¡±


    ¡°Then is it okay to run berserk in another person¡¯s home like monsters on the pretext of eradicating that seed?¡±


    Raphael¡¯s mouth clicked shut.


    Joshua¡¯s smile grew. ¡°The world functions on the logic of power, so if you still have a problem with that,e at me. If the pdins of Hubalt are skilled enough to bring me to my knees, Avalon will beg you for your help.¡±


    Even Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights didn¡¯t dare to speak, much less the pdins of Hubalt. Everyone knew that the situation was over as soon as Joshua had appeared.


    With circumstances beginning to escape his control, Raphael revealed his ace in the hole.


    ¡°¡­Do you know what this is?¡± Raphael asked. He held a recording crystal ball, invented from the Magic Tower, which he¡¯d used to store every single detail of what was happening.


    ¡°This ball has recorded everything that has happened so far! Do you think the rest of the continent will sit on their hands once they see this? This is good¡ªthanks to your tournament, all of the most renowned figures from all over thend havee to Arcadia!¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that is a problem,¡± Joshua remarked.


    ¡°Of course it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Give it.¡± Joshua took a single step forward. ¡°I don¡¯t want to even bother quarreling with you people anymore. Give it to me now and I¡¯ll spare your lives.¡±


    ¡°Y-You demon¡­!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this what Hubalt wanted to see in Avalon? The Avalon Empire, the den of demons.¡±


    ¡°Do you intend to wage war against the entire continent!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing that you people from Hubalt wanted to happen. This is for the better. Thanks to you people pulling your little stunt first, I¡®ll be able to put down you bloodthirsty maniacs with my own hands.¡± Joshua jerked his head at Cain. ¡°Cain, take Kireua out of here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin, my subordinate is gravely injured, so can I entrust you with him?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡± Tremblin nodded with a gentle smile. His eyes were filled with warmth as he looked at Joshua. Although two of Avalon¡¯s greatest warriors were exiting the battle, Tremblin didn¡¯t worry one bit.


    Joshua turned to Selim.


    ¡°Selim, we¡¯ll have to fight against the enemy on our own now, but you¡¯re up for it, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Selim trembled in excitement. How long had he waited for a chance to dominate the battlefield alongside the person he respected most?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to not get in your way, Your Majesty!¡± Seilm shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Good.¡± Joshua began to advance with a grin on his face.


    ¡°Stop, Martial God!¡± Raphael screamed.


    ¡°Shut your trap. You¡¯re in my house; who do you think you are to tell me to stop?¡± Joshua growled.


    And with that, he vanished from sight.


    The pdins scrambled to prepare.


    ¡°B-Brace yourselves!¡±


    A long, drawn out screech of metal against the marble flooring forced Raphael to p his hands over his ears.


    When it stopped, Joshua had drawn a giant circle around the pdins, and then mmed his spear against the ground again.


    ¡°Whoever leaves this circle will die,¡± Joshua dered.


    ¡°Tch¡­!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have any problems with this, do you? I heard that¡¯s what the promise was.¡±


    ¡°What promise¡­?¡± Raphael nkly murmured.


    ¡°Lady Sersiarin, my official representative, made a promise, didn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°...You¡¯ll bring Lilith Aphrodite?¡±


    ¡°Avalon always keeps its word,¡± Joshua said, his gaze directed at the throne.


    Sersiarin beamed back at Joshua with her eyes full of unconditional trust.


    ¡°¡­As the official representative of His Majesty, I dere that from now on, the Imperial Knights of Avalon shall not act without permission.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, My Lady!¡±


    ¡°The same holds for you, pdins of the Hubalt Empire.¡± Sersiarin¡¯s eyes turned sharp.


    Raphael quickly nced to his side, and Gabriel quietly shook his head. Raphael grit his teeth.


    ¡°¡­After we¡¯re finished taking care of the witch, the Second Prince is next, and I expect you to clear up all the doubts about him too.¡±


    ¡°You bastard won¡¯t stop barking, will you?¡±


    ¡°What? Bark? ¡ªAh!¡± A sharp pain from behind drew a gasp from Raphael.


    ¡°His Majesty told you to shut your trap.¡±


    Raphael scowled. ¡°Y-You arrogant brat¡­!¡±


    Selim happened to be close enough that he could smack the back of Raphael¡¯s head using his spear.


    The pdins almost struck back, but a ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± from Gabriel stopped them just in time.


    And then the person everyone was waiting for stepped into the council chamber.


    ¡°She¡¯s here.¡± Valmont slowly entered the chamber with Lilith by his side. However, Icarus was also with them for some reason.


    ¡°You wretch, you really have been hiding here!¡± Raphael roared.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll go back to the Hubalt Empire, so long as you don¡¯t cause any damage in Avalon. They have nothing to do with this,¡± Lilith calmly said.


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Raphael¡¯s anger was unabated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter even if you say you¡¯ll go back now. Look, Lady Sersiarin and Emperor of Avalon! The evidence that you¡¯ve been harboring the witch in this country is revealed, so what are you going to do now?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®what am I going to do now¡¯? She says she¡¯ll go, so we¡¯ll let her go.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Martial God, are you seriously ying words with me right now?! The rumors of Avalon siding with demons turned out to be true! How are you going to exin this?!¡± Raphael shouted.


    Lilith put her foot down. ¡°Avalon is innocent. I¡¯ve been hiding here without revealing the fact that I have an authority.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy, woman. The entire country knows that you¡¯re a witch, but you¡¯re telling me that these people didn¡¯t know? Do you think that makes sense?¡±


    ¡°So have I harmed anybody?¡± Lilith tilted her head with her eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Who knows? You might have already sacrificed countless innocent lives. Even if you haven¡¯t, the whole continent could be drowned in blood because of you. No matter what anyone says, you¡¯re a witch with the power of a demon!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s mere conjecture. All of you are making illogical ims to justify what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    Raphael raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯m here for an exnation, not to waste my time on your excuses.¡±


    Sersiarin slowly stood up from her seat. Icarus and Sersiarin¡¯s eyes met, and Icarus nodded.


    ¡°¡­An exnation, you said?¡± Sersiarin asked with a faint smile.


    Raphael flinched and his head slowly turned toward the throne. ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°I think it¡¯s the Hubalt Empire that needs to exin itself, not Avalon.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about right now?¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, if you may.¡± Sersiarin gestured at Icarus.


    Before had a chance to interject, Icarus stepped forward.


    ¡°¡®Her Majesty¡¯¡­ and that face¡­ Wait, she¡¯s the Heaven¡¯s Mind?¡± Raphael murmured.


    ¡°We just received a report that an army who seem to be affiliated with the Hubalt Empire has surrounded Arcadia,¡± Icarus said. ¡°The army numbers an estimated fifty-thousand men, which is almost equivalent to the forces of the Avalon Empire stationed in Arcadia. Isn¡¯t that strange? We¡¯ve been extra vignt with the security around our borders because of the distinguished guests we¡¯ve invited here, but I never heard about such arge army crossing our border. What does this mean? I think the pdins of the Hubalt Empire over here should be able to answer my questions¡­¡±


    Icarus trailed off and gave Joshua a pointed look, cueing him tond the final blow.


    Joshua jammed his spear into the floor. ¡°I saw thising ever since you brashly revealed that you¡¯d partnered up with Carmen von Agnus, the head of the rebels. Hubalt is trying to cross a line where there is no turning back.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll do what you want,¡± Joshua dered, his voice thundering off of the chamber walls. ¡°From now on, Avalon is officially at war with Hubalt.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 103

    Side Story Chapter 103


    It was a deration of war¡ªalthough objectively, the Hubalt Empire was the one who¡¯d started the war bringing their army to Avalon. However, Joshua¡¯s deration carried vastly greater weight than the Hubalt Empire¡¯s actions. This was the Emperor of Avalon himself who had formalized the war between the two countries.


    ¡°What did you say ¡­? You¡¯re going to go to war with us?¡± Raphael asked.


    ¡°Imperial Knights of Avalon, take up your swords.¡±


    The irresistible pressure in Joshua¡¯s voice made the breath catch in Raphael¡¯s throat.


    ¡°Yes, your Majesty!¡±


    Hundreds of the Imperial Knights began to gather their aura at once. Lunsworth, the first of the Knights to leave the arena, trembled in excitement; Selim leveled his spear, his face split by an uncharacteristic smile. Duke Tremblin held one hand behind his back as usual, but he held his head a little higher.


    ¡°Bring our enemies to their knees. You¡¯re cleared to execute anyone who fights until the end.¡± Joshuamanded.


    ¡°It will be done!¡±


    The Imperial Knights advanced, forcing the pdins out of the stupor the loss of their divine power had left them in. They raised their swords in kind, gritting their teeth.


    ¡°Gabriel!¡± Raphael roared.


    Gabriel immediately held out his hands. ¡°Already on it.¡±


    Long, powerful bursts of energy streamed out from his palms.


    ¡°¡­The Second Authority of Hebrai: Holy Field,¡± Gabriel quietly intoned.


    Gabriel¡¯s light dyed the entire world white.


    ¡°Our divine power is back!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, draw up your power! Sir Gabriel and Sir Raphael are with us.¡±


    ¡°Eliminate the evil demon¡¯s minions!¡±


    Holy Field was the ability to convert all the mana within a certain area into divine power; it was the authority of the Great Angel which only Gabriel could wield.


    ¡°We¡¯re simr in numbers! Don¡¯t let the name of the Martial God faze¡ª!¡±


    An abrupt burning sensation in his left hand forced Raphael to stop speaking mid-sentence. He looked down to see his hand rolling on the ground and his thoughts ground to a halt.


    ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡±


    An old man appeared in front of Raphael like a ghost¡ªDuke Tremblin, the Absolute once known as the Sword Emperor.


    ¡°Next is your neck,¡± Tremblin informed him. ¡°You let your mouth run wild without knowing your ce¡­ so it¡¯s only right that I cut off your head since that¡¯s where your mouth is glued to.¡±


    Raphael gritted his teeth but didn¡¯t forget to pick up his hand from the floor.


    ¡°The Fourth Authority of Labbiel: Resurrection!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­? You can do that with a Great Angel¡¯s authority?¡± Tremblin eximed.


    Raphael¡¯s hand was neatly reattached as if it had never been cut off at all. It seemed that even his nerves had been instantly reconnected, demonstrated by the way Raphael was able to extend and curl his fingers one by one.


    ¡°Hmm, I want a super healing ability too,¡± Tremblin calmlymented.


    ¡°You fucking relic!¡± Furious, Raphael snatched up every scrap of divine power he could get. ¡°Gabriel! Assist me!¡±


    ¡°¡­You want me to use the authority of descent on you?¡± Gabriel asked.


    ¡°Look around you. Everyone is in danger at this rate!¡±


    The tter of metal on metal rattled the area as the pdins and the Imperial Knights crossed swords with each other. Although Gabriel¡¯s Holy Field had restored the pdins¡¯ divine power, they weren¡¯t able to gain the upper hand. Despite hailing from the powerful nation on the continent, they were actually losing.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s because of the Martial God. His presence alone sends Avalon¡¯s Knights¡¯ morale sky high,¡¯</em> Raphael instinctively realized. He grew anxious. The Martial God hadn¡¯t participated in the battle yet; if he stepped in¡­


    ¡°We don¡¯t have much time! Hurry!¡±


    ¡°Raphael, you know what descent will do to you, don¡¯t you?¡± Gabriel said, attempting to dissuade Raphael. ¡°You might lose control of your body, and then¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better than getting ughtered here, soe on!¡±


    After hesitating for a bit, Gabriel came to a decision


    ¡°¡­The Seventh Authority of Hebrai¡­¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s words were simple, but all the divine power in the area amassed in Gabriel¡¯s hands.


    With a giant set of wings sprouting from his back, Gabriel slowly approached Raphael. Even during this moment, the pdins of Hubalt were quickly defeated one by one, thanks to Selim¡¯s and Tremblin¡¯s brilliant performance.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡± The odd sight drew Joshua¡¯s attention for the first time.


    ¡°¡­Great Angel¡¯s Descent.¡± Gabriel slowly held his hands over Raphael¡¯s head.


    Raphael shivered, only the whites of his eyes visible.


    And then he stopped.


    ¡°Descen¡ª?¡±


    Before Joshua could finish asking his question, Raphael transformed. He became two times¡ªno, three times bigger than before, and his sword and shield grew to match.


    -¡­This is good.


    It was hard to believe that the monotonous voice wasing out of a human¡¯s mouth. At this point, all the knights and pdins had stopped fighting to look at Raphael.


    Tremblin tilted his head. ¡°I know youngsters are quite liberal about their clothes, but isn¡¯t that too revealing?¡±


    -Sword Emperor, you aren¡¯t a match for me anymore.


    Instead of answering, Tremblinunched a strike quicker than the speed of sound.


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Tremlin eximed.


    The results were the total opposite of hisst attack. His saber was blocked by Raphael¡¯s shield and not a single scratch was left on it. Tremblin smiled and changed his posture; things were bing more interesting.


    ¡°Then how about this?¡± He pulled out the hand he had been holding behind his back and raised his sword higher to demonstrate the Tremblin family¡¯s Secret Technique Number 5.


    The tip of the sword deceived the eyes, and the sword¡¯s cry deafened the ears. The sword¡¯s movements were very simple, and yet as heavy as a mountain. No one under the sky would be able to stop this strike.


    ¡°Be careful.¡± Tremblin moved his sword slowly, smiling. ¡°It''s based on an epiphany I recently had, so even I can¡¯t fathom the magnitude of its power.¡±


    Despite what Raphael had said earlier, the Pdin was quick to raise his shield.


    -You arrogant old man¡­


    <em>¡®When will he attack?¡¯</em>


    Tremblin¡¯s sword reached a certain point and then stopped for a long, tense moment. It wasn¡¯t an illusion¡ªRaphael verified that the Sword Emperor hadn¡¯t moved an inch, but the moment he realized that, the tip of Tremblin¡¯s sword moved almost imperceptibly.


    <em>¡®¡­It¡¯sing!¡¯</em>


    With every one of Raphael¡¯s senses transcending the level of a human, he could tell that the imminent sword strike was the real one.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Tremblin asked. ¡°Look down.¡±


    Frowning, Raphael ignored Tremblin. He knew as well as anyone what would happen if he got distracted in a fight against such an incredibly powerful individual.


    ¡°¡­This is a little saddening. I may have lived my life as I pleased, but I never resorted to cowardly tricks,¡± Trembling muttered.


    -What the hell are you talking about¡ª?


    A loud <em>crack! </em>instantly shut Raphael¡¯s mouth.


    -A-Aegis cracked¡­?


    Thin cracks were spreading across Aegis, the divine relic known as the shield of a god.


    -This doesn¡¯t make sense!


    It was hailed as the best shield of the Angel Realm for a reason. Even the demons, a race known for their exceptional martial prowess, had never been able to leave a single scratch on it.


    ¡°It¡¯s very sturdy. I was trying to cut off your hand again, but the best I could do was leave thin cracks¡­¡± Tremblin shook his head.


    Raphael¡¯s teeth were clenched in fury. As time passed, Raphael¡¯s ego was merging with the Great Angel¡¯s.


    -How dare you ridicule a Great Angel!


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡±


    ¡°What k-kind of voice is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°M-My ears! Arghhh!¡±


    The less-skilled knights covered their ears, but that wasn¡¯t because they were Raphael¡¯s enemies¡ªeven the pdins of Hubalt were clutching their heads in pain.


    Tremblin frowned slightly. ¡°Is he disrupting people¡¯s mana using his voice?¡±


    The former duke prepared to attack once again. He was actually at quite a loss. It had been over one hundred years since he had begun practicing swordsmanship, and the attack he¡¯d just delivered contained the essence of everything he¡¯d learned so far. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t even able to pierce the shield. It was, frankly, humiliating.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going all-out now.¡±


    As Tremblin hefted his saber, someone stepped in front of him.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Let me do it,¡± Joshua said. He held out his hand to Selim, who gave them a nk look. ¡°Selim, let me borrow that spear.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­! H-Here it is.¡±


    As Longin had originally belonged to Joshua, holding it in his hand brought a smile to his face.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    -No one will be able to pierce through Aegis!


    Raphael roared like a lion. The shield in his hand waspletely restored, erasing the thin cracks on its surface.


    ¡°There¡¯s this old story about a spear that can pierce through anything and a shield that can block everything. It¡¯s said that Aegis is the best shield in the Angel Realm; will it be able to block my spear? Hmm¡­¡± Joshua smiled. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s test that out, shall we?¡±


    -Do you think you¡¯re the Demon Spirit just because you had his soul inside you?!


    ¡°To be exact, I¡¯m the god killer that annihted that Demon Spirit,¡± Joshua corrected Raphael.


    -Ridiculous! Truly ridiculous! Come, then¡ªI¡¯ll personally show how powerless you are before me!


    Joshua¡¯s back muscles bulged as he raised Longin straight. ¡°¡­I enjoyed watching the pure essence of your sword techniques, Duke Tremblin.¡±


    Tremblin''s eyes widened for a moment, but his surprise was quickly reced by a small smile. ¡°I knew you would see it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m about to try something simr, so could I have your evaluation on this?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? That¡¯s prepos¡ª¡±


    Before Tremblin could finish speaking, the tip of Joshua¡¯s spear moved ever so slightly.


    -You lowly¡ª!


    Raphael didn¡¯t get to finish speaking either. His lips trembled. Aegis made a sound he¡¯d never heard¡­ and then the entire shield fell to the ground in pieces, along with his severed hand.

 Side Story Chapter 104

    Side Story Chapter 104


    ¡°Whoa¡­¡± Duke Tremblin¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor.


    The strike he had delivered contained the essence of decades worth of effort, but Joshua had duplicated it perfectly by watching it once, and the results were astonishing.


    ¡°Have you just cut the flow of vital force?¡± Tremblin asked.


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    ¡°I focused my mana in my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t see any vital flow, perhaps because it¡¯s a divine relic¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about the shield. You should look at the flow of divine power around the shield.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? You¡¯re saying¡­?¡±


    ¡°It may have substance, but it¡¯s not the real Aegis. That¡¯s just an imitation produced by his authority,¡± Joshua exined.


    Tremblin examined the fragments of Aegis scattered on the ground and marveled as they copsed into dust and disappeared.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that you never stop learning, but I never knew I would learn something at this age. Hahaha.¡± Tremblin guffawed.


    They were formally an emperor and his subject, but Tremblin watched Joshua with warm, gentle eyes as if he were Tremblin¡¯s actual grandson.


    Unsurprisingly, the sight of it made Raphael blow his top.


    ¡°You bastards¡­!¡±


    ¡°Before you get angry, why don¡¯t you pick up your hand first?¡± Joshua suggested. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I know you went through a lot of trouble reattaching it. Since I have trouble controlling this new power, please be understanding.¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡± Raphael yelled hysterically.


    Icarus analyzed the situation so far and concluded that this was the appropriate time toe forward, protected by the trustworthy guards named Valmont and Lilith.


    ¡°As Second Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire, I advise the pdins of Hubalt to surrender¡ª


    Raphael angrily rounded on her.


    ¡°Watch your mouth, you lowly wretch!¡± he growled. The fact that the Second Avalon Queen Consort was amoner was well known to the entire continent. As Raphael had been born noble, he found the existence of Icarus abhorrent.


    ¡°...your lives will be spared,¡± Icarus continued.


    ¡°You¡¯re one crazy woman. You still don¡¯t know what is happening to your country¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your name is Raphael, am I correct?¡± Icarus asked. She brushed her hair back and strode confidently right into the center of the battle, never flinching away from her bizarre staredown with the Pdin.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty, it¡¯s too dangerous toe any closer,¡± Valmont warned her.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Despite Valmont¡¯s concern, Icarus took three more steps before she stopped.


    ¡°Do you want to make a bet with me?¡± she asked Raphael.


    ¡°What?¡± Raphael frowned.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to give you three reasons why all of you should surrender¡ªand I assure you that you and the other pdins of Hubalt will lose the will to fight after I¡¯m finished,¡± Icarus dered with such confidence that Raphael flinched.


    Gabriel narrowed his eyes dangerously. ¡°Raphael, cover your ears. She¡¯s trying to manipte you.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean she¡¯s manipting me?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s trying to provoke you into doing what she wants. You¡¯re not interested in foreign affairs, so you may not know her reputation very well, but she¡¯s the Heaven¡¯s Mind, and it¡¯s her specialty.¡±


    ¡°¡­Gabriel, you¡¯ve sparked my curiosity.¡± Raphael curled up one end of his mouth as he picked up his hand.


    ¡°¡­Mgh!¡± Raphael groaned in pain. Unlike before, he had trouble reattaching his hand; even the super healing ability of a Great Angel didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°What is¡­ What have you done, Joshua Sanders?!¡± Raphael screamed.


    ¡°First: the undefeated Joshua Sanders is in Avalon, so Hubalt has no chance of winning,¡± Icarus stated. ¡°Second: your only hope is already a lost cause. Your operation to conquer Arcadia has failed.¡±


    ¡°What? What the hell are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why it took so long for me to show up here?¡±


    Raphael smirked. ¡°It¡¯s obvious¡­ You don¡¯t know a thing about martial arts, wretch, so you must have been busy hiding in your rathole.¡±


    The pdins of Hubalt immediately burst intoughter; Raphael¡¯s attempt to change the mood was sessful.


    Nevertheless, Icarus was still smiling. ¡°Isn¡¯t that strange?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s strange? Why a rat like you changed your mind and crawled out of your hole?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªthere are so many intruders inside the Pce, but there¡¯s no one else here other than our Imperial Knights.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s eyebrow rose; however, Raphael didn¡¯t think that it was a big deal.


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious,¡± Raphael scoffed. ¡°Avalon is still in the middle of the civil war, but your emperor is an idiot and hosted this festival anyway. Obviously, there¡¯s no way you have more soldiers to mobilize.¡±


    ¡°You may find this hard to believe, but the civil war in Avalon is almost at an end. After failing their coup, the rebel remnants have be fugitives, and two out of four rebel leaders are already dead.¡±


    ¡°Are you bluffing now?¡± Raphael smiled crookedly.


    Gabriel tapped Raphael¡¯s shoulder and shook his head. ¡°¡­No, itt makes sense.¡±


    ¡°Why are you joining in on this nonsense, Gabriel?¡±


    ¡°This is the residence of the Imperial Family, but the number of Imperial Knights here right now is less than their known numbers. On top of that, I can¡¯t see a single soldier around here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why I said that Avalon can¡¯t afford to protect their Pce right now,¡± Raphael grumbled.


    ¡°At least fifty thousand soldiers are stationed in Arcadia; it¡¯s very strange for none of them to show up here.¡± Gabriel turned to look at Icarus since she was the one who could answer his question. ¡°You said your second reason is that the army stationed in Arcadia set up a defense in advance?¡±


    Icarus shook her head. ¡°No, that¡¯s not the reason. Well, even if I said yes, you two wouldugh at me because you¡¯re too prideful.¡±


    ¡°Then what?¡±


    ¡°Hubalt will have no choice but to withdraw their army.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡± Gabriel muttered.


    ¡°Third: all of our avable troops are headed to the border of Hubalt.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes grew wider with every word.


    ¡°...What?¡± Raphael was so dumbfounded that he forgot the pain in his wrist.


    ¡°As you already know, the entire continent¡¯s focus is on us, Avalon, and Hubalt ambushed us right in our capital. Yet, if the hearnd of Hubalt is invaded and put under threat¡­ what would the other leaders think?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    ¡°They won¡¯t have to bother tiptoeing around Hubalt anymore, so they¡¯re going to join us. You were feared as the most powerful nation on the continent, but today we prove that you¡¯re nothing.¡± The pdins¡¯ faces were despondent, in contrast to the bright smile on Icarus¡¯ face. She chuckled. ¡°Do you get it now? You, Hubalt, are the ones who¡¯ve fallen into a trap. You tried to conquer Arcadia in one fell swoop by sending in the Four Pdins and the best and brightest of your country, but you¡¯re reaping what you sow.¡±


    ¡°Ohhhhh!¡±


    The cheers came from, naturally, the Imperial Knights.


    ¡°¡­She¡¯s definitely gotten way better,¡± Joshua said with a proud grin.


    ¡°¡­How arrogant of you. What are you going to do if we don¡¯t withdraw our army?¡± Raphael asked.


    Icarus tilted her head. ¡°So you want to die together?¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I would call bluffing. Hubalt already has the upper hand, so you have no reason to do that. Besides, didn¡¯t I already tell you?¡± Icarus nced to the side, her smile deepening. Everyone was leaning toward her, eagerly awaiting her next words. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t withdraw your army, you won¡¯t be able to win because the undefeated Martial God stands with our knights right now.¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    A fresh round of ecstatic cheers echoed throughout the entire Pce.


    * * *


    Explosions rattled Arcadia; Hubalt¡¯s surprise invasion of Arcadia finally began.


    ¡°Y-Your Grace!¡±


    All hell broke loose in the inns where the foreign dignitaries were staying.


    ¡°Those lunatics¡­ I really can¡¯t believe Hubalt actually started a war.¡±


    ¡°What do you think happened to the Pce?¡±


    ¡°This is not the time to worry about others. Hubalt split their army in two, but I can¡¯t see any of Avalon¡¯s troops except for a skeleton crew, even on the castle walls.¡±


    ¡°Th-Then¡­?¡±


    ¡°There is a high chance that Hubalt¡¯s crazy stunt will end in sess.¡±


    All countries except for the Thran and Tetra Kingdoms still remained as observers. Some people may me them for being opportunists, but this was diplomacy. Nobles had to prioritize the safety and benefit of their countries because numerous citizens¡¯ lives depended on them.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Carmen was frowning.


    ¡°¡­Something about this is very strange. Despite delegations being sent from all around the continent, there are only around one thousand soldiers guarding Arcadia. What is he up to?¡±


    Her n was to reorganize her army. The southern rebel army had already joined the government, and the western rebel army had been eradicated. There were remnants of the eastern rebel army, but they were just fugitives now. In contrast to them, the northern rebel army was still intact, but she couldn¡¯t bring them into Arcadia without being detected.


    ¡°I told them to find a spot nearby toy low, so it¡¯ll take them two days at most to get here,¡± Carmen quietly mumbled.


    She gritted her teeth. She had lost, indisputably. Her cherished greatsword was split asunder, and she had been forced to her knees in front of people from all across the continent. However, she was hardly about to give up now.


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if you acted out of sympathy. You¡¯ll regret this, Joshua Sanders¡­!¡±


    ¡°Doesining on your own like that make you feel better?¡±


    ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    ¡°Is it like shouting into a wishing well?¡± her mysterious guest asked mockingly.


    Carmen spun around with her teeth clenched and saw a muscr, two-meter-tall man standing there.


    ¡°Who ar¡ª!¡± Carmen choked on her shout when she recognized the man. ¡°Bel! How are you here¡­!¡±


    ¡°I was going to sit back and wait, but I really wanted to know more about Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Carmen von Agnus, you¡¯re rted to him by blood, aren¡¯t you?¡± Bel asked, despite knowing that the topic would anger Carmen more than anything else.


    Instantly, Carmen began to radiate murderous energy. ¡°How dare you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, I need you to be one with me now.¡±


    ¡°What nonsense are you talking about?!?


    Ignoring the thick murderous energy spreading toward him, Bel strode forward.


    ¡°I¡¯m the only human who can use the power of dragons without having manifested an authority.¡±


    ¡°Power¡­ of dragons¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know why?¡± Bel stood right in front of Carmen and smiled wickedly down at her. ¡°Let me tell you how.¡±<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    Hmmm¡­ Bye-bye, Carmen?</blockquote>

 Side Story Chapter 105

    Side Story Chapter 105


    Carmen coughed up blood. Her legs would not lift her off of her knees, but her eyes were fixed forward disbelievingly.


    ¡°...I can¡¯t believe¡­ a human who has dragons at his beck and call¡­ actually exists¡­¡±


    ¡°What did I tell you?¡± Bel picked at his ear with his little finger and then blew it off. ¡°My physical skills transcend the Martial Emperor¡¯s, and no one in the world has morebat experience than me. ording to Hubalt¡¯s priests and pdins, I¡¯m the best human weapon ever created, who can use the powers I ¡®ate¡¯ as if they¡¯d belonged to me from the beginning.¡±


    Carmen gritted her teeth. To her dismay, she wasn¡¯t able to withstand a single hit¡ªno, she didn¡¯t even see his punching. The best human weapon? Carmen had to admit that, because the pressure Bel exuded was more intense than even the damned Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°What do you mean by eating? Do you eat humans?¡± Carmen asked.


    ¡°Come on, what do you take me for? I was born with a strange gift. Like¡­¡± Bel reaching out his hand toward her upper body.


    Carmen flinched.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to be so tense. Once I touch someone¡¯s abdomen, where their mana hall is, their energy flows into me.¡±


    ¡°Th-That doesn¡¯t make any sense¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ah, of course, it¡¯s more effective to eat them. I actually ate dragons¡¯ hearts and flesh. Even my teeth are sturdy.¡± Bel curled up both ends of his mouth and pointed at his teeth.


    Carmen gasped. She suddenly felt sluggish and powerless as if she were trapped in a soaked nket and she was suffering from a serious cold.


    ¡°M-My¡­ mana really is flowing out of me,¡± Carmen stammered.


    ¡°That¡¯s how it works.¡±


    Mana was a source of life. Carmen¡¯s face rapidly became more wrinkled as her aging elerated.


    Carmen quickly crawled away from Bel, her hands and knees leaving trails of blood on the rough ground as she retreated.


    ¡°Are you a demon?¡± Carmen bit her lower lip.


    ¡°A demon?¡±


    ¡°I heard that one of the demons has this kind of ability. Isn¡¯t this the authority of Absorption?¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯d like to answer your question if possible, but I can¡¯t because I don¡¯t know either.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about your birth!¡± Carmen was certain that an individual with such abilities was a human.


    ¡°My¡­ birth?¡± Belt tilted his head, obviously more confused than she was. ¡°I¡¯ve never thought about that until now¡­¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re a human, you must have a mother and a father. You must remember something about them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I grew up as an orphan.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me the oldest memory you have!¡± Carmen screamed.


    Bel thought back for a long minute, but he suddenly frowned and grabbed his head as if he was in pain.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I don¡¯t want to think about that because it gives me a headache.¡±


    ¡°It must be a forbidden seal.¡±


    ¡°A forbidden seal¡­?¡±


    ¡°Someone cast a forbidden seal on your mind. In other words, you¡¯re a demon who is as strong as a Demon King,¡± Carmen said with confidence.


    ¡°¡­Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re about to die, but you sure know how to spin shit,¡± Bel snapped, his voice taking on a belligerent edge.


    Well, what human could stay calm after being called a demon?


    ¡°I recently met a demon of the highest rank who exuded suffocatingly chilling energy. It was definitely not the kind of power that a human would harbor, just like yours.¡±


    Bel¡¯s lips trembled because he felt numerous energies from every direction. The vicinity of the Pce was definitely not an appropriate ce for a conversation since it was the pdins¡¯ final destination.


    ¡°¡­You should stay with me a little longer,¡± Bel said.


    ¡°What¡ª¡±


    Bel jumped at Carmen and struck the back of her head, knocking her out before she could finish her question.


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll leave the rest to Michael, and¡­ shall I continue with my entertainment a little longer?¡± Bel took around and then disappeared.


    * * *


    Foreign knights were riding their horses through the center of another country¡¯s capital. If civilians had been nearby, they would have instantly trampled into a pulp, but not a single person could be found within Arcadia.


    To the invaders, the pdins of Hubalt, it stuck out like a sore thumb.


    ¡°Sir Michael, isn¡¯t this strange?


    Michael, the blonde pdin leading the troops, frowned. Three thousand elite pdins of Hubalt were participating in this expedition. Although Michael wanted to mobilize the infantry too, they would have been too obvious. In the end, Michael¡¯s n worked¡ªin fact, it seemed like a total sess. Michael and his troops had sessfully infiltrated the heart of the enemy as nned, and the Avalon Pce must have been turned upside down by now.


    Nevertheless, Michael felt leery because he couldn¡¯t find a single one of Avalon¡¯s soldiers stationed in Arcadia when they should be stopping this army of three thousand pdins. Even the citizens couldn¡¯t be seen on the streets, so it was only natural for the pdins to assume that Avalon had been aware of the troop¡¯s ambush ahead of time and ordered their citizens to evacuate.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we stop for a moment and investigate¡­¡± one of the pdins suggested to Michael, in spite of the strong wind blowing against them.


    ¡°Who are we? We are the pdins of the Hubalt Empire, the most powerful nation on the continent. Even if this is a trap, are you afraid?¡±


    ¡°N-No, sir!¡± the pdin hastily answered.


    ¡°Then are we so weak that we have to turn a blind eye to ourrades who must have been ensnared by this trap?¡±


    ¡°No, sir!¡±


    ¡°Who are we?¡± Michael asked.


    ¡°We are the White Wolf Order, the First Pdin Order of the great Holy Empire!¡±


    ¡°Yes, wolves live in packs and never turn their backs on their family in times of crisis.¡±


    ¡°For Hubalt!¡± the pdins shouted.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go now. We¡¯re going to arrive soon. ording to the report, there must be battles taking ce all over the Pce¡¯s garden¡ª¡±


    Michael frowned. Themunication crystal ball in his pocket was buzzing. He couldn¡¯t just ignore it because the crystal ball was for receiving emergency reports during battles. He infused his mana into it, and the image of a pdin appeared on the crystal ball.


    ¡°¡­What is it?¡± Michael asked. He recalled that this pdin was from the Second Pdin Order, which Gabriel had led to infiltrate the Pce of Avalon.


    -W-We have a big problem, Sir Michael!


    ¡°¡­A problem?¡±


    -We need to go back home right now! The Heaven¡¯s Mind devised¡ªAugh!


    Michael immediately stopped his horse.


    ¡°¡­Stop.¡±


    ¡°Everyone, halt!¡± Michael¡¯s aide immediately shouted.


    ¡°All of you will remain on standby here for a moment,¡± Michael thundered. ¡°Rockefell, contact our border guards right now.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? The border guards¡­ are you talking about the ones stationed near our border with Avalon?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡ªI have no time to exin.¡± Michael vaulted off of his horse. He took off toward the Pce, leaving a bright streak trailing behind him. It was hard to believe that a human could move that quickly.


    Rockefell watched his superior disappear and then pulled out a crystal ball of his own. ¡°Border guards! Answer, border guards! This is the White Wolf Order, Sir Michael¡¯s First Pdin Order!¡±


    The crystal ball flickered for a moment but showed no other reaction. Rockefell quickly realized that something was up. The Hubalt Border Guards should have always answeredmunications immediately because they were on the front lines with their enemies.


    ¡°What¡­ in the world is happening right now?¡± Rockefell murmured.


    Since he had no means to investigate the matter any further, Rockefell just nkly stared at where his superior had disappeared.


    * * *


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Michael grunted quietly as he ran.


    Despite his concerns, battles were still taking ce all around the arena¡ªbut it was obvious that the pdins of Hubalt were losing. The battle was mainly the Avalon Empire versus the Hubalt Empire and the Thran Kingdom versus the Tetra Kingdom. The levels of the knights were simr overall, but one man was turning the tide of the battle: bis, the me Emperor, one of the great Stars of Igrant.


    bis created a giant pir of fire which immediately soared into the sky.


    ¡°¡­Taking care of matters inside is the priority now,¡± Michael muttered.


    He redoubled his speed, shooting toward the Pce like greased lightning. Although he could feel someone watching him, he wasn¡¯t worried. Even in the vast Hubalt Empire, Michael was peerless in terms of speed.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s the council chamber of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    The inside was quieter than he had thought. Battles were still ongoing in the garden, but the inside of the building was too quiet. It made Michael uneasy.


    Michael came to a halt in front of the council chamber¡¯s giant doors. Even this far in, he couldn¡¯t hear a single sound. Only faint groansing through the door indicated that people were inside the chamber.


    He pushed the door open without hesitation and immediately froze, his eyes wide like moons.


    ¡°What is this¡­?¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re here.¡±


    Just as Michael expected, many people were inside the chamber. The man sitting on the throne was particrly eye-catching with his many vassals and knights lined up on either side of him. They stood with their bodies squared but their heads turned to Michael as if they were greeting guests of the Pce.


    ¡°Wee to my home,st of the Four Pdins.¡± The man on the throne grinned.


    There was no doubt that he was Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, emperor of Avalon.

 Side Story Chapter 106

    Side Story Chapter 106


    It was Joshua¡¯s and Michael¡¯s first time meeting each other, but they instinctively knew that they would get along as well as a cat and a dog.


    ¡°¡­Have we met before?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua smiled enigmatically.


    Michael the human only had the authority of Michael the angel, not the angel¡¯s memory. It was only natural for Michael to not be able to figure out who exactly Joshua was.


    ¡°The ce you¡¯re sitting at, your appearance¡­ You must be Joshua Sanders.¡± Michael nodded.


    ¡°Watch your mouth unless you want to lose your head right now,¡± Valmont growled, baring his murderous energy. Duke Tremblin was able to stay still since he had years of experience and had not been given an order, but it was clear that the rest were only holding themselves back with difficulty.


    ¡°¡­Where are my subordinates?¡± Michael asked.


    ¡°How dare you¡­¡± Valmont¡¯s hand dropped to his sword, ready to draw blood as soon as Joshua gave him permission.


    ¡°Valmont, calm down.¡± Tremblin shook his head.


    ¡°¡­But¡­¡±


    ¡°You stillck practice; perhaps you¡¯ve been acting as a shadow for too long.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry?¡± Valmont tilted his head in confusion.


    Tremblin gestured behind the throne with his eyes, where Valmont could see Icarus ring at the doorway with eyes that nearly glowed with fury.


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I understand.¡± Valmont lifted his hand off of his sword.


    Icarus¡¯s expression rified everything. Considering her personality, she must be devising a way to make Michael¡¯s life into a living hell right now, so that would be disloyal of Valmont to stand in her way.


    ¡°Your name is Michael, yes?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I asked my question first, Emperor of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll give you the answer to your question. Look over there.¡± Joshua pointed.


    Some of the Imperial Knights who had been standing by bowed and then drew aside the red curtain which hung on the side of the chamber.


    ¡°Urggh¡­¡±


    Michael visibly recoiled. His worries hade true, and he now knew where the groans wereing from. All of the pdins who had been sent to infiltrate the Pce were on their knees, gagged and tied up.


    ¡°¡­Gabriel, Raphael,¡± Michael whispered.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders is a monster, Sir Michael!¡± Gabriel, the only one who wasn¡¯t gagged, shouted. While Raphael had the temper of fire, Gabriel was always calm as still water. That was exactly why Michael had put Gabriel in charge of this mission, yet Gabriel was yelling at the top of his lungs, unable to maintain hisposure.


    ¡°Uriel is dead! He couldn¡¯t even stand up to a single attack from that monster! We¡­ may have provoked someone we should never have touched. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m too ashamed to face you.¡± Gabriel lowered his head intively.


    Michael couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°¡­Where is Bel?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Considering how we haven''t seen him yet, maybe he¡¯s already been defeated¡­¡±


    No way. Bel¡¯s power and abilities were unprecedented. Besides, Michael was certain after meeting Joshua Sanders in person that he was weaker than Bel.


    ¡°¡­I would like to propose a deal,¡± Michael said.


    ¡°A deal?¡±


    ¡°Let them go.¡±


    Joshua quietly looked down at Michael, who met his gaze without blinking.


    The staredown was finally broken by Icarus, who sprang out from her seat. ¡°Your Majesty, can you let me handle that guy?¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°If I let you do as you please, you¡¯ll break his mind, as usual. Obviously.¡±


    ¡°¡­He deserves it. Look at what he¡¯s doing.¡±


    Joshua patted his thigh with his palm a couple of times without saying anything, drawing a confused tilt of the head from Icarus.


    ¡°Sit.¡± Joshua gestured at Icarus.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Calm down and sit here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Here? On your thighs?¡± Icarus nkly repeated.


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°Wa-Wait, I think I heard you wrong. Do you want me¡­ to sit on your thighs right now?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself. You know I don¡¯t like that,¡± Joshua casually replied.


    Icarus¡¯s face reddened like a ripe tomato.


    Sersiarin gave them a dumbfounded look. Valmont, Cain, Selim, and the Imperial Knights gaped nkly at them, unable to believe their ears.


    However, for Michael, it was utterly humiliating to watch. He, the leader of their enemies, was standing right in front of them, so how could they go lovey-dovey in front of him all of a sudden?


    ¡°¡­I see that you mock me.¡± Michael gritted his teeth.


    The Avalonian¡¯s eyes widened.


    <em>¡®Indeed¡­¡¯</em> they said to themselves, one by one, because from Hubalt¡¯s perspective it was as bad as the return of a demon.


    ¡°No way. The fact that I didn¡¯t really express my affection has been weighing on my mind, so I¡¯m trying to make a habit of it.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°Forget it. What is your answer?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hear your proposal first.¡±


    ¡°For one year from now, we, Hubalt, will not harm Avalon in any way; in exchant, let them go,¡± Michael demanded. His voice took on an imperious tone; if Avalon didn¡¯t treat him with respect, he didn¡¯t feel the necessity to stay polite either.


    ¡°That¡¯s weird.¡± Joshua cocked his head. ¡°Pdin, you¡¯ve already lost the war.¡±


    ¡°Hubalt is the most powerful nation on the continent. You don¡¯t seriously think that this is it, do you?¡±


    ¡°Are you bluffing now?¡±


    ¡°I''m not bluffing. Three thousand knights who were personally trained by the Battle God are on stand-by in the Hubalt Empire; they are the true power of Hubalt. Since they aren¡¯t even pdins, you won¡¯t have any advantage anymore.¡±


    Hubalt, the Holy Empire, traditionally had two factions: the imperial faction, led by the nobility; and the pope¡¯s faction,posed primarily of the high priests. In parallel fashion, the knights in the Hubalt Empire were mainly trained in two ways: the pdins were trained in the temple, so they received the god¡¯s blessings and holy water, enabling them to make remarkable progress; on the other hand, the nobles used their own money to train their knights who used the orthodox method of mana umtion.


    ¡°From what I know, the pope has always been dominant in Hubalt except for the time of the Martial Emperor, so that¡¯s ironic. The pdins are the lynchpin of the papacy, but you trust the knights from the imperial faction¡­¡±


    Michael shook his head. ¡°I trust their teachers, the deceased Martial Emperor and the BattIe God, not the imperial faction.¡±


    ¡°¡­As I recall, even the Martial Emperor was no match for me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is why Bel has been trained to be a human weapon with the sole purpose of killing you, the Martial God, but¡­ it¡¯s strange. I thought you would have met him by now.¡± Michael¡¯s eyes narrowed as Joshua¡¯s expression subtly shifted. Michael nodded. ¡°¡­I see. You already met him.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it.¡±


    Joshua had already heard the full story from Cain. Three tremendously powerful individuals had attacked Bel at once, but they couldn¡¯t defeat the monster. Bel had suddenly made some iprehensible remarks and disappeared in the middle of the battle. Joshua already had experience of dealing with an entric person named Arie bron Sten, which gave Joshua a rough idea as to why Bel had disappeared. It was the confidence and apathy that only a truly transcendent warrior could have.


    ¡°Hahaha, yes, yes. A man like you wouldn¡¯t have just let him go. Did you lose, then?¡± Michael asked.


    Joshua¡¯s eyebrow rose. ¡°Isn¡¯t it more natural to assume that Bel ran because I won?¡±


    ¡°No, I highly doubt that because the Bel I know isn¡¯t the kind of man who would run away from someone strong. He would ratherugh and ask you to kill him since he¡¯s always hungry for a good fight. ¡± Michael visibly rxed. ¡°I believe it¡¯s best for you to ept my proposal. Avalon is already in ruins because of your civil war, so you need all the time you can get.¡±


    ¡°Are we back to your proposed ceasefire? Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange that you want one year.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m confident that Hubalt will be able to dominate all the other countries on the continent except for Avalon in a year,¡± Michael dered with confidence.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cain couldn¡¯t stop himself from shaking his head in disbelief. ¡°I really don¡¯t know where his confidence ising from. Hey! You, almighty pdin. I¡¯m not sure if you know, but your border must have been breached now. You¡¯ll kick the bucket in no time if you keep up your attitude. No matter how great those knights are, no doubt they¡¯re helpless to an unexpected ambush.¡±


    Cain scoffed. Everyone turned to the one person they knew could exin.


    ¡°Forty-five thousand soldiers of the Arcadia garrison and fifty thousand soldiers from the private armies nearby¡ªa grand army of a total of around one hundred thousand soldiers¡ªis currently marching to the capital of the Hubalt Empire as we speak,¡± Icarus said.


    Michael jerked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know where your confidence ising from, either, but you people can¡¯t win this war. You hear me?¡± Icarus sneered, her lips twisting into a grin that mirrored Cain¡¯s.


    A crooked smile spread on Michael¡¯s face. ¡°Funny. The Martial God, the Sword Emperor, the Combat Emperor, two princes, most of the Imperial Knights¡­ All of you are here or away to suppress the rebels. Is there even a general who¡¯s capable of leading those hundred thousand nobodies?¡±


    Joshua turned, equally curious.


    Icarus met Joshua¡¯s eyes with a confident smile. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Someone very, very reliable is on this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more curious now.¡±


    ¡°I asked a man of unquestionable skill, although you and he share a love-and-hate rtionship.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what she says,¡± Joshua said, turning to Michael. The Pdin frowned. ¡°I trust my queen consort, so I¡¯ll turn down your offer.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you sure that you¡¯re not going to regret it?¡± Michael narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Considering my personality, I¡¯ll have trouble sleeping at night if I make the wrong decision because of such a mediocre attempt at ckmail.¡± Joshua turned to look at the captured pdins. ¡°This is an order: execute the men in charge first for the crime of besmirching ournds.¡±


    Michael¡¯s eyes widened. Raphael and Gabriel, the aforementioned men in charge, shivered uncontrobly.


    At that moment, immense murderous energy filled the chamber.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± The Imperial Knights brandished their sword in salute.


    ¡°S-Stop! Before you do something you¡¯ll regret¡ª!¡±


    Before Michael could stop the Knights, the horrifying sound of human flesh parting around razor sharp steel filled the air.

 Side Story Chapter 107

    Side Story Chapter 107


    ¡°Arghhhhhhh!!!¡±


    Raphael¡¯s painful scream filled the council chamber. Ever since his right arm had been neatly cut off, he had been screaming at the top of his lungs.


    Sersiarin didn¡¯t have a strong stomach, so she quietly looked away.


    Michael angrily drew his sword. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± he demanded.


    ¡°Negotiations are over, so do I have any reason to spare my prisoners? They¡¯re potential enemies.¡±


    ¡°As an emperor, how can you say such a thing?! War prisoners are protected by internationalw!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Joshua sarcastically remarked. ¡°As I recall, it was one particr nation who made those internationalws and recently changed it as they pleased.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­!¡± Michael gnashed his teeth.


    The aforementioned internationalws had actually been made and distributed by the Great Temple of Hubalt, as self-proimed protectors of peace. Of course, it was onlymonw because the Pope had preached about it without going through the required legitive processes, so thew had no substance. Nevertheless, it was universally practiced because the leaders of other countries were the fervent champions of thew.


    Yet, that was a problem for the pdins¡¯ dreams of ruling the continent, so the highest ranking pdins had gathered and publicly announced that thosews were null. It had happened on the same day that Lilith Aphrodite had manifested the authority of a Demon King a few years ago.


    She served as excellent justification. ording to internationalw, no one was allowed to infiltrate or harm another nation, no matter what the circumstances were. In other words, internationalw prohibited people from causing even minor damage even if it were for the great cause of punishing evil. <em>Preposterous,</em> the pdins thought. That was why the pdins nowadays loudly proimed that internationalw was all but nonexistent; they said that there was no such thing as internationalw without any written records of it.


    ¡°Internationalw is whatever a powerful nation would like it to be¡­ No, it¡¯s actually embarrassing to call thatw. I have no reason to give your circus acts the time of day,¡± Joshua scoffed.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Toss his arm somewhere far away. With the authority of a Great Angel, he¡¯ll probably try to reattach it again.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± one of the Imperial Knights said with a bow.


    ¡°Your arm isn¡¯t going to grow back like a troll¡¯s, is it? You wouldn¡¯t even be a human any more; that¡¯s more like a monster. Isn¡¯t that ability too horrible for a noble pdin with the authority of a Great Angel?¡± Joshua tilted his head.


    Raphael, the ¡°noble pdin¡±, shook like he was about to explode and his face was already scarlet red. Nevertheless, he remained silent¡ªthe sword resting against his neck reminded him that the threat of execution was far too close.


    ¡°Wait a minute. There¡¯s no need to go through the trouble since I can just kill them all right here,¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty.¡± Sersiarin grabbed Joshua¡¯s sleeve.


    Her actions actually made Michael more anxious.


    ¡°Wait!¡± Michael shouted. ¡°Let¡ª¡± He paused and corrected his tone. ¡°No, I would like to propose a new deal.¡±


    Joshua smiled subtly, tapping Sersiarin¡¯s shoulder reassuringly.


    ¡°What deal? Isn¡¯t it toote for that now?¡±


    ¡°Martial God, I understand how great you are, but you must have met Bel, the Hubalt Empire¡¯s strongest man.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s silence sufficed as an answer to Michael.


    ¡°I guarantee you that I don¡¯t know how skilled the troops that crossed our borders are, but they would inevitably be annihted by the Martial Knights trained by Bel himself.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re overconfident.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m certain. Bel and his Martial Knights are considered our counter to the Martial God for a reason. Hey, you, the middle-aged knight right below the throne. If I remember correctly, you¡¯re the Combat Emperor, yes?¡± Michael abruptly turned to Cain.


    Cain blinked in surprise, but responded, ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you: are you the one who directly fought against Bel?¡±


    ¡°Why do you think that?¡±


    ¡°There are draconic scars all over you, so how could I not?¡± Michael shrugged.


    Cain''s eyes widened. He couldn¡¯t even see them. He had draconic scars?


    ¡°It seems you didn¡¯t notice them due to your wounds, even as an Absolute. Those hideous draconic scars never disappear¡ªthey¡¯re called the dragon¡¯s curse for a good reason.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°As time passes, it¡¯ll corrode your vital force, slowly killing you. This ability is the biggest reason why Bel is feared,¡± Michael exined.


    He had everyone¡¯s attention now.


    ¡°Bel hasn¡¯t been sighted anywhere on my way over here, so he must have had a change of heart or something. There is a high possibility that he¡¯s returning to the Hubalt Empire without permission.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I see that pdins don¡¯t hesitate to badmouth theirrade for being uncontroble,¡± Cain sneered.


    ¡°Combat Emperor, you don¡¯t have enough time to be snarky right now, so decide quickly.¡± Michael¡¯s gaze turned to the throne. ¡°Keep in mind that Bel thinks dearly of his subordinates. Maybe because he¡¯s an orphan, he doesn¡¯t hesitate to risk his life to protect his people. I really don¡¯t think it¡¯ll happen, but it doesn¡¯t matter even if Hubalt has actually been breached as you people so confidently im. Once Bel arrives and finds out that his subordinates have been harmed¡­¡±


    Michael didn¡¯t even finish speaking, allowing his audience to reach the obvious conclusion.


    ¡°In this deal, the Hubalt Empire won¡¯t attack Avalon for one year and will provide the cure for the Combat Emperor¡¯s draconic scars.¡±


    ¡°Hmph, this is nothing¡­¡± Cain tried to draw up his mana, but flinched. He was attempting to cover the draconic scars with his vigorous mana, but the energy from the scars and his mana shed with each other, causing pain that was severe enough to make Cain¡¯s lips twist in difort.


    ¡°I can see you¡¯re baffled. That¡¯s the scary thing about draconic scars,¡± Michael calmly said.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Martial God, I hold my subordinates as dear as you do yours, and Hubalt has been researching draconic scars for a very long time.¡±


    They had to because they had been sending in countless knights to create refine Bel into a living weapon. Anyone who fought against Bel died no matter what, so who would be willing to challenge him? That was why while Hubalt was gathering Bel¡¯s sparring partners from outside the Empire, they had been carrying out their research on draconic scars. If there were any ws in that ability, they could be corrected, but Hubalt needed to find a way to save the individuals who could be treated.


    ¡°¡­Queen Consort,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°What do you think?¡±


    Icarus paused for a moment, but her eyes were cold. ¡°Since it¡¯s impossible to treat Sir Cain in Avalon¡­ Yes, that would be better to exchange the prisoners.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Cain raised his head in disbelief. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± he shouted at Icarus. ¡°There is no need to let those trespassing thugs walk out of the Pce just because of a guy like me¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Icarus shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re more valuable than all the prisonersbined.¡±


    Michael finally let out a long sigh and sheathed his sword. ¡°It looks like we have a deal.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty! Are you really going to let those thugs go?!¡± Cain yelled, his eyes wild and menacing with anger.


    Joshua shrugged. ¡°Icarus said yes. Besides, you must not be feeling well, so don¡¯t overwork yourself, Cain.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°In any case¡­¡± Joshua locked eyes with Michael. ¡°...you aren¡¯t going to say that the troops that have already crossed the border are in breach of the agreement, are you?¡±


    ¡°I have never acted so cowardly in my entire life.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled. The prisoners shall be released after our troops return.¡±


    ¡°I have a request this time,¡± Michael abruptly said.


    ¡°¡­Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the ones who crossed the border first, so don¡¯t me us if they return to Avalon as corpses.¡±


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s going to happen. I heard from the Queen Consort that there¡¯s apparently someone quite reliable in charge of the army.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile on¡ªor rather, <em>in</em> the border of Hubalt, Avalon¡¯s army was on the move.


    ¡°That ce leads into thends of the Hubalt Empire,¡± a knight said, pointing at the far horizon. A red cross was engraved on the surface of his armor.


    ¡°How many of Hubalt¡¯s border guards have we killed on our way over here?¡±


    ¡°The number is estimated to be around three thousand.¡±


    ¡°What about our casualties?¡± the other man asked.


    ¡°Including the lightly wounded, it¡¯s three hundred people, but over fifty percent of them are now ready for battle.¡±


    The man frowned slightly. They had fought their way through three thousand people, but only took three hundred casualties. It was no exaggeration to call it a great victory, but the man didn¡¯t seem pleased with these results.


    ¡°In other words, at least one hundred and five people were killed or gravely injured, even though the guards we fought weren¡¯t even knights. That¡¯s too many casualties,¡± the man said.


    ¡°But only our infantry sustained damage¡ª¡±


    ¡°Belutin.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°Who are we?¡±


    Belutin flinched and snapped to attention.


    ¡°We are the First Order of the Great Ducal Family of Agnus!¡± he thundered.


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re from the Ducal Family of Agnus.¡±


    ¡°May the light be with you, Your Grace!¡±


    Only one person in the Ducal Family of Agnus could be called ¡°Your Grace¡±: Babel von Agnus, the only brother of Joshua Sanders, the Emperor of Avalon. In spite of the fact that the family was merely one of many noble families, the Agnus family had once had hundreds of knights under its banner.


    No longer. The Agnuses¡¯ influence and power were a shadow of their former selves, so only five hundred knights from the Red Cross Order were present right now. Nevertheless, all of them were certain that they were the most elite knights on the continent. They were, after all, marching alongside Duke Agnus.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. I turned my back on them during the civil war, but since he¡¯s back I¡¯ll have to repay the favor.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    With a sharp st of the horn, the Arcadian garrison and the army sent from the Agnus family marched deeper into thends of the Hubalt Empire spread before their eyes.

 Side Story Chapter 108

    Side Story Chapter 108


    ¡°Shit¡­ Shit¡­!¡± Raphael kept spitting curses, his eyes locked on the damned throne, as the pdins of Hubalt helped him walk away.


    ¡°¡­Raphael, don¡¯t provoke him any further. We¡¯ve already lost this fight.¡±


    ¡°Fuck!¡± The one-armed Pdin jerked his head in the other direction.


    Gabriel smiled bitterly. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we at least get Raphael¡¯s arm back before we go, Michael?¡±


    The Four Pdins were renowned all over the continent, but there had never been a day more humiliating than today. Their pdins¡¯ weapons had been taken away, and they had only half a day to exit Arcadia. Those were the conditions for their release.


    ¡°Martial God!¡± Raphael suddenly yelled. ¡°Don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won just yet. The real war has only just begun.¡±


    Joshua chuckled. ¡°Pdins are really full of themselves.¡±


    ¡°...Do you think the result would have been the same if we fought with our swords?¡± Raphael narrowed his eyes.


    Before Joshua could say something, someone quietly strode into the center of the council chamber.


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly talkative for a loser. Don¡¯t make any excuses for your defeat. Hypotheticals mean nothing in the history books.¡±


    It was Selim. He leveled the prongs of Longin¡¯s des at Raphael threateningly. ¡°You¡¯re wee to draw your sword right now. I, Selim Sanders, First Prince of the Avalon Empire, will ept your challenge.¡±


    ¡°Ha! Hahahahaha!¡± Joshua burst intoughter.


    Although they didn¡¯t say anything, the other people of the Avalon Empire in the chamber were smiling.


    ¡°¡­Selim really is a chip off the old block.¡± Icarus shook her head in disbelief. She couldn¡¯t understand how someone as unexpressive as Iceline gave birth to Joshua Sanders Jr.


    ¡°Quit your useless quarrel. Leave¡ªah, don¡¯t forget to hand over the cure before you go,¡± Icarus reminded the pdins.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll give you the cure to the draconic scars after we exit Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. You¡¯re talking nonsense again. If you run without handing us over the cure, our whole endeavor will end up as a wild goose chase.¡±


    ¡°I have no other choice. You¡¯re doing this to save one person, but thousands of people¡¯s lives depend on us,¡± Michael bitterly exined.


    ¡°If you knew how valuable lives are, then you shouldn¡¯t have pulled a stunt like this in the first ce.¡±


    Raphael clenched his fists so hard that his fingernails dug into his flesh. Although there were so many things he wanted to say, he had to remain silent. Since his weapons had been confiscated like the others, he and hisrades would just get ughtered if he started a battle right now.


    ¡°Well, fine. You pdins serve god, so I don''t think you would lie.¡± Icarus shrugged.


    ¡°¡­If you can¡¯t believe us, I¡¯ll stay since I have the cure.¡±


    ¡°Is that true?¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes twinkled.


    Icarus didn¡¯t need to give much thought to the matter anymore if the First Pdin of the Hubalt Empire was staying,


    ¡°Please send back the other pdins in return, just like we agreed.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    No one had expected the situation to turn out like this. Even Raphael and Gabriel, who were also part of the Four Pdins, gasped.


    ¡°¡­This is interesting,¡± Joshua murmured, his enigmatic smile unshaken unlike the others.


    ¡°I should be the perfect coteral to guarantee the Combat Emperor¡¯s life. Do you agree with this arrangement, Martial God?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any objections if the Queen Consort finds no issue with it.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡± Michael nodded and then pointed at the door, signaling his pdins to leave. ¡°Leave, everyone.¡±


    ¡°But Michael¡­¡± Gabriel said reluctantly.


    ¡°That¡¯s an order.¡±


    Gabriel''s eyes widened for a moment, but he controlled himself despite the utter, overwhelming humiliation he was experiencing for the first time in his life. The emotion overwhelmed him, but there was nothing he could do.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m heading out.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Michael nodded stoically.


    ¡°Wait! Hand them the item we prepared before they leave,¡± Icarus instructed.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    One of the Imperial Knights suddenly approached Michael and ced a stick with white cloth attached to it in front of him.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± Michael asked, his face tightening.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? It¡¯s a white g.¡±


    ¡°So why are you giving this to us?¡±


    ¡°Everyone on the continent is paying attention to Arcadia right now, so we need to show them who won, shouldn¡¯t we?¡± Icarus grinned.


    Raphael finally snapped. He whipped around, his teeth gritted, and shouted, ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough, you sons of bitches?!¡±


    ¡°Stop!¡± Michael snapped.


    ¡°But, Michael, look at what those damned bastards are doing. How long are we supposed to put up with this?¡±


    ¡°If you continue to speak without permission, I¡¯m going to punish you myself, Raphael,¡± Michael warned him.


    Rapahel bit his lower lip so hard that that bled. Nevertheless, Michael¡¯s eyes were cold.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is an unfair request. You people make us look like we¡¯re the bad guys, but Hubalt is the one who infiltrated another country¡¯s pce, swords drawn.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fine, we¡¯ll exit Arcadia through the north gate, holding up the white g so that everyone can see it. Is that enough?¡±


    The Imperial Knights gasped; they¡¯d never thought that the pdins would actually take the preposterous deal. Some of the Knights were so dumbfounded that they reached up and pinched their cheeks.


    ¡°I like your spirit. Selim and Duke Tremblin, can I ask you two to keep an eye on them?¡±


    ¡°Of course, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    Tremblin and Selim bowed.


    Shortly after, the pdins of Hubalt exited the council chamber like an ocean wave.


    Joshua slowly stood up from his throne. ¡°Let me ask all of you a favor.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? A favor?¡±


    ¡°Can everyone except for me and our guest from Hubalt exit from the chamber as well?¡±


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t,¡± Valmont immediately objected, taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Dangerous? For who?¡±


    ¡°W-Well¡­¡± Valmont awkwardly scratched the back of his head, realizing how ridiculous his im was. Who was worrying about whom? Valmont smacked his lip. ¡°¡­You make me speechless.¡±


    ¡°If you know, go back and cultivate yourself harder.¡±


    ¡°Brace yourself, Your Majesty. I¡¯m going to defeat you someday, no matter what.¡±


    ¡°Defeating me was the requirement for your retirement, right?¡± Joshua recalled.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m not sure if it¡¯ll be possible anymore. I thought I got stronger, but when I look at you right now, I start to hate myself and wonder what I¡¯ve been doing until now..¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Joshua quietly eximed.


    When the difference in levels was too high, it was unfathomable as pitch-ck darkness. If Valmont was beginning to see something¡­


    ¡°Did you have an epiphany?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°I might be able to leave a scratch on your sleeve after five years.¡±


    ¡°Hahahahahahahaha!¡± Joshua guffawed.


    Valmont saluted and then exited the council chamber. Joshua turned to look behind him.


    ¡°U-Us, too?¡± Sersiarin and Icarus pointed at themselves.


    Joshua nodded as if that were a given. ¡°I did say everyone¡ªor do you have something more to talk about with our guest?¡±


    ¡°No, not really¡­¡±


    ¡°Then please exit the chamber. Besides, you still have work to do, Icarus.¡± Joshua nced pointedly at Lilith Aphrodite.


    Icarus followed his gaze and let out a sigh. ¡°Don¡¯t start anything new. You know how I hate¡ªno, <em>loathe</em> an unexpected variable.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll get going too.¡± Icarus took Sersiarin¡¯s hand and headed to the door. The two gave Joshua a concerned look as they left, so Joshua waved his hand at them reassuringly.


    Only Joshua and Michael were left in the council chamber now.


    ¡°¡­This is surprising and bold,¡± Michael said, now that he had Joshua¡¯s undivided attention. ¡°I might have a change of heart and try to assassinate you, you know.¡±


    ¡°Why? Because there are only two of us here?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the emperor of my enemy and the Martial God, so it¡¯s worth a try.¡±


    Joshua nodded. ¡°I understand. I would have done the same.¡±


    Michael exuded sharp energy, as if to insist that he wasn¡¯t bluffing.


    A smile grew on Joshua¡¯s face. ¡°There was no cure at all, was there?¡±


    Michael flinched.


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming your n was to let yourrades flee first and wait for the golden opportunity to make an escape¡­ What do you think? I feel like you owe me a reward or something at this point.¡±


    ¡°¡­How¡­¡± Michael fumbled for words. There was no such thing as a cure for Bel¡¯s draconic scars; its wlessness was the scariest part about Bel¡¯s ability. His overwhelming power made it impossible for his opponents to survive.


    ¡°¡­You knew everything, but you still let myrades go?¡± Michael asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be mistaken. I don¡¯t know about other people, but I have no intention of letting you Four Pdins walk out of Avalon alive.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°My problems walked into Avalon on their own two feet, so this is my chance to get rid of them all at once.¡± Joshua slowly walked down the steps. ¡°I¡¯m actually a bit tired now. My life is filled with battle and war¡ªisn¡¯t it actually sad? Other people around my age are enjoying their retirement, cooing about how adorable their grandchildren are.¡±


    ¡°¡­You saw thising from the start?¡±


    ¡°Thanks to you, my n worked out easier than I thought. Once the news of Hubalt carrying a white g spreads to the rest of the continent, what sane person would want to take your side? Ah, the Tetra Kingdom is already insane, so let¡¯s forget about them.¡±


    Michael gritted his teeth, his eyes baleful. ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡±


    ¡°My final n is to y you Four Pdins, capture the guy named Bel, and end this war in no time.¡± Joshua drew a spear from thin air and grinned. ¡°How does it sound? Isn¡¯t it simple?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 109

    Side Story Chapter 109


    Icarus quietly looked down from the ramparts. The pdins in their white armor had just exited the Pce, followed by the mage knights of the Tetra Kingdom. It was safe to consider the two countries as one at this point.


    ¡°The entirety of Arcadia is quiet,¡± Icarus murmured.


    ¡°That is because you put out an evacuation order in advance, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a little sore¡­ but I¡¯m fine,¡± Cain answered.


    Icarus nced at him. Unlike what Cain had said, it was obvious that he wasn¡¯t feeling well; he was pale as a ghost.


    ¡°¡­How strong is this Bel¡­?¡± Icarus bit her lower lip. She hated unexpected variables and didn¡¯t want to even imagine a scenario where Joshua Sanders was her enemy. All the strategies that she had nned would be meaningless, and it wouldn¡¯t take long for the ns she made on the spot to be rendered futile. That was how influential the presence of an Absolute was in a war.


    ¡°I was going to execute the operation I had prepared¡­ but your state¡­¡± Icarus trailed off.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, so do as you wish, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Then you won¡¯t be able to get your cure. You¡¯ll die.¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°The cure doesn¡¯t exist anyway.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Icarus whipped around to face Cain.


    Cain smiled bitterly. ¡°His Majesty sent me a telepathic message. He¡¯ll help me with my condition after this, but I shouldn¡¯t think about getting the cure from Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°How dare theymit fraud against us?¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    Hubalt¡¯s pdins were everywhere in Arcadia, but they quickly surrendered when they saw theirrades holding up the white g, forced out of the Pce under the watchful gaze of Duke Tremblin and the Imperial Knights. The foreign delegations from around the continent would see them as well.


    ¡°Hahaha,¡± Cain chuckled quietly. ¡°It¡¯s still refreshing to see those invaders beating a hasty retreat from our country waving their little gs. They¡¯ll all know which country is truly the most powerful on the continent.¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t let them off the hook that easily.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    Icarus looked up at the sky and shouted, ¡°Iceline!¡±


    A short <em>thrum</em> heralded the arrival of around one hundred people in the sky. They were Avalon¡¯s Imperial Mages, who had been hiding in a spatial rift. Everyst one of them was an elite mage with four circles at minimum and was capable of casting a levitation spell and an invisibility spell at the same time, having been selected and trained by Iceline herself.


    ¡°¡­It definitely looks like I¡¯m not my usual self right now. I can¡¯t believe I missed such arge number of people¡­¡± Cain muttered to himself.


    ¡°Iceline has outdone herself here. She confidently told me a few days ago that she was certain no one would notice them, so I think she¡¯s created another outstanding stealth artifact or something,¡± Icarus exined.


    When it came to artifact development, Iceline was a genius¡ªnot many mages on the continent were as skilled as her. Only Thetapirion Whitesox, the current Master of the Magic Tower, the ¡°genius of geniuses¡±, could possiblypare to her.


    ¡°Then did you and Her Majesty see thising?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°Of course. I don¡¯t believe in gods in the first ce and I¡¯m quite familiar with how wicked priests and pdins are. Lilith Aphrodite¡¯s situation alone indicates the level of their wickedness, doesn¡¯t it? She was once revered as a saint in the Hubalt Empire, but she became a witch overnight.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s incredible,¡± Cain eximed with genuine wonder.


    Icarus smiled coldly.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± she shouted.


    ¡°We¡¯re ready whenever you are.¡±


    ¡°Good. Get to the outer north gate. The moment they step out of the castle gates, pour out all the magic spells you have ready.¡±


    Their n wasing to a climax.


    ¡°A-Are you sure it¡¯s going to be okay?¡± Cain stammered, shocked by their cunning. ¡°They already surrendered, so if we attack them¡­¡±


    Icarus produced a transparent crystal ball from her inner pocket with a flourish. ¡°They¡¯re the ones who broke the promise first. Besides, ¡®surrender¡¯?¡±


    The crystal ball showed the state of the Pce¡¯s council chamber in real-time. Cain¡¯s eyes widened as Michael, one of the Four Pdins, slowly approached the throne with his sword unsheathed.


    ¡°Which prisoner points his sword at an emperor as soon as he sees the opportunity?¡± Icarus asked.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s begging to be killed.¡±


    Obviously, Cain wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest; this was his master they were talking about.


    Icarus snapped her fan open and lightly fanned herself. ¡°His Majesty, Iceline, and I don¡¯t show mercy to those who abandon their honor.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°What did he say earlier? He was sure he¡¯d win if we fought with our weapons alone?¡± Joshua slowly walked down the steps, his spear held tightly in his hand.


    Michael moved toward Joshua from the other side. The Pdin¡¯s aura undted around his sword, and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.


    ¡°Once I cut off your head here, hegemony of the continent will surelynd in the hands of the Hubalt Empire,¡± Michael said, his voice back with an iron determination.


    ¡°Right back at you.¡±


    Who could have fathomed that Joshua and Michael had also been mortal enemies up in heaven? Although it was technically Michael¡¯s unteral jealousy toward Joshua¡¯s previous self, Michael wouldn¡¯t even remember since his soul as an angel had been annihted and he had been reborn as a human.


    ¡°Come.¡± Joshua gestured at Michael.


    Michael disappeared from sight, but Joshua didn¡¯t need to follow him because he could feel Michael¡¯s sharp aura from any direction.


    Joshua parried all Michael¡¯s attacks with one swing.


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°This is the real one!¡±


    To Joshua¡¯s surprise, Michael suddenly disintegrated into a cloud of light, and then those grains of light amassed right behind Joshua. This was Illumination Source, which allowed Michael, the First Great Angel, to freely transform into light and move like light; it was what cemented him as the strongest in the Angel Realm.


    The collision between their auras palpably shook the air. The divine power was boiling up like a volcano, so who could call this a god¡¯s blessing anymore?


    ¡°Use your demonic power, Martial God! No, Demonic God!¡±


    Joshua blinked in the middle of deflecting Michael¡¯s attacks. He smiled bitterly as he figured out what Michael was aiming for. In the past, the Demon Spirit had ughtered the Imperial Family of Avalon using the Brittens and Dark God as his medium. It was obvious that the Hubalt Empire intended to use that fact to brand Avalon as the Demonic Empire, just as they ndered Lilith Aphrodite as a witch.


    ¡°¡­No matter how long it has been or how you change your shell, you never change, Michael,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s end this here.¡±


    Lucifer, the most powerful being in both the Demon and Angel Realms, was gone, and so was the angel who had fallen after being betrayed by both realms. Joshua Sanders, the human, was the one who was present here.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Michael¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Joshua had vanished into a cloud of ck smoke, just like Michael¡¯s Illumination Source ability.


    -Isn¡¯t that what you wanted?


    ¡°Yo-You hide yourself using demonic power? How?!¡± Michael yelled.


    -It¡¯s the same mechanism as your ability.


    Michael¡¯s hands squeezed his sword. It was like Joshua was speaking directly into his head.


    An excessively bright light would force people to close their eyes and even cause them pain. Michael¡¯s Illumination Source was an optimization of that, and so was the ability that made him look like he was moving at the speed of light. Light tended to distort through human eyes, so when Michael adjusted the brightness at the right moment, it looked like Michael had suddenly disappeared from his opponent¡¯s perspective. It was one of Michael¡¯s biggest advantages in battles. However, it was proving useless at this moment.


    ¡°Where there is light, there is darkness,¡± Joshua said. ¡°Aren¡¯t you familiar with this saying, Michael?¡±


    ¡°You¡­!¡± Michael growled. For some reason, Michael was overwhelmed by emotions. Fear, jealousy, excitement¡­ All of those emotions entangled with one another and surged from deep within his heart.


    <em>¡®The soul is getting angry?¡¯ </em>Mikhael thought. It didn¡¯t make any sense! A soul was an intangible form of mind, so it wasn¡¯t capable of feeling emotions. If it could, most humans in the current generation wouldn¡¯t want to manifest an authority; no one would want to deal with the possibility that they could turn into somebody else at any time. Although everyone wanted to seed in life, they didn¡¯t wish to make sacrifices or pay the price. That was the irony of all life, and humans were at the peak of that irony.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Ahhhhhh¡­.¡± Michael loosened his grip on his sword, allowing it to tter to the ground. He clutched his head, groaning in pain. Was he Michael the human or the renowned First Great Angel of the Angel Realm?


    But suddenly, his focus snapped back to the real world.


    Joshua had reappeared and mmed the end of his demonic spear against the ground, snapping Michael out of his struggle.


    ¡°Pull yourself together unless you wish to be consumed by the Great Angel¡¯s soul.¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­!¡±


    ¡°My father and Emperor Marcus lost their bodies like that.¡±


    Michael gritted his teeth. He fixed his grip on his sword and gathered his divine power to put an end to this fight with one leap, one collision, and one attack.


    Every muscle was stretched to its absolute limits, and he awakened every single cell in his body. Michael was going to blend his masterpiece technique that contained his life¡¯s effort into Illumination Source, the authority of the First Great Angel of the Angel Realm.


    ¡°¡­ Michael, the Sword of Hubalt, Final Origin¡­¡±


    The light around Michael gradually became brighter and thicker. Michael continued to spur his authority until he became impossible to see; looking at him alone would blind a person. The light grew and grew until even his sword turned blinding white¡­


    ¡°...World Upheaval.¡±


    ¡­He cleaved the air in two.


    The entire roof of the Pce was ripped away.


    The marble floor split as if it had been struck by an earthquake. Michael was sure that even the Martial God¡¯s grandfather wouldn¡¯t be able to stop¡ª


    ¡°¡­Unbelievable.¡± Michael gaped nkly.


    The overwhelming attack he¡¯d obliterated the Pce with was redirected by Joshua simply and quite crudely swinging his spear, instead of turning the world upside down.


    ¡°It¡¯s slow and weak,¡± Joshua arrogantly mumbled as he mmed the end of his spear against the ground once again.

 Side Story Chapter 110

    Side Story Chapter 110


    ¡°Sir Raphael, are we really leaving Avalon like this?¡± one of the pdin¡¯s who¡¯d joined the retreatter asked.


    ¡°¡­We''ve got to get out of this ce first,¡± Raphael answered through gritted teeth.


    ¡°I understand, but our men are pretty shaken.¡±


    Raphael nced at the back. Just like the pdin said, all of the troops¡¯ faces were downcast due to the insults that they had been constantlymbasted with on their way to the north gate.


    ¡°What? They¡¯re holding white gs?¡±


    ¡°The Hubalt Empire is the most powerful nation on the continent, but they lost to Avalon, the country that¡¯s already a mess from their civil war?¡±


    ¡°Message! Hurry up and send a message home that we should ally with Avalon as quickly as possible!¡±


    ¡°But isn¡¯t it strange? ¡­It looks like they haven¡¯t taken any casualties. They could fight the moment they have a change of heart.¡±


    ¡°Why does that matter to us? Look at the results right in front of you. Hubalt is too proud to wave the g of surrender unless they¡¯ve suddenly gone mad.¡±


    It was utterly humiliating. The pdins who had regroupedter were trembling with fury after they heard what had happened in the Pce.


    ¡°Can¡¯t we just fight them? The Martial Knights will mock us if we return to the Empire like this,¡± a pdin objected.


    The Martial Knights were one thousand elite knights who had been trained by Bel himself. Although the current Hubalt Empire was mainly run by the pdins, that was only possible because Bel wasn¡¯t interested in politics, nor were his one thousand knights.


    Regardless, the pdins loathed being defeated in battle. Once Bel and the Martial Knights found out that Raphael and the pdins had returned after they had been defeated by Avalon, they wouldn¡¯t even treat the pdins as human beings.


    ¡°Gabriel.¡± Raphael came to a decision and spurred his horse forward. ¡°No matter how I frame it, this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I feel the same, but¡­ endure it a little longer.¡± Gabriel narrowed his eyes.


    Raphael ''s eyes widened as he finally noticed that Gabriel was clenching his fists so tightly that his fingernails were digging into his flesh.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Michael will send us a signal eventually; right now, time is what we need most.¡±


    Raphael couldn¡¯t understand. Strictly speaking, they were the invaders and had already infiltrated Avalon¡¯s capital, so it was only logical to im the city as quickly as possible.


    ¡°What do you mean? We already embarrassed ourselves by surrendering, but now we need to buy time?¡± Raphael frowned.


    ¡°The Heaven¡¯s Mind said that tens of thousands of Avalon¡¯s soldiers have passed the border to the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°Why are you mentioning that right now? If that¡¯s true, that¡¯s all the more reason to conquer this ce quickly rather than waving these ridiculous gs.¡±


    Gabriel quietly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not about that.¡±


    Raphael knew that Gabriel always maintained hisposure, even in the worst of times; that was why he was willing to wait patiently for Gabriel¡¯s next words.


    The answer Raphael got was even better than he had expected.


    ¡°The war isn¡¯t over¡ªit¡¯s just beginning.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You saw them on the way over here, right? Aside from essential personnel, there are only a few hundred of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights in Arcadia, so that means that all of Avalon¡¯s avable troops, including Arcadia¡¯s garrison, have been sent to the border.¡±


    ¡°Skip the part we both already know.¡±


    ¡°What would happen if we upy one of the four gates, one of the most difficult points in a castle to capture?¡±


    Finally, Raphael¡¯s eyes widened. He may hate to think too much during battle, but even he was able to understand what Gabriel was saying.


    ¡°We take over the north gate, which the enemy opened for us to exit, and wait for reinforcements?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯re going up against the Martial God, who fought against an army of a million soldiers and knights on his own. We¡¯ll be able to increase the odds of our victory by upying a gate and fortifying it for a siege.¡±


    ¡°Woooooh¡­¡± Raphael shivered ¡°You brilliant bastard! You¡¯re a genius, Gabriel!¡±


    ¡°¡­I assume this is what Michael had in mind since there¡¯s no such a cure for Bel¡¯s draconic scars.¡±


    ¡°You two are national treasures! Hahahahahaha! Heaven¡¯s Mind, my ass! That wretch is nothing in front of you two!¡±


    The ttering sounds of horse hooves against the ground quickly brought them within eyeshot of the gigantic north gate.


    ¡°Get ready, Raphael.¡±


    ¡°Good, good. Let those fuckers say whatever they want for now.¡±


    There were some delegations near the north gate too. The Imperial Knights who had been following the pdins of Hubalt from a distance gradually slowed as if bringing the pdins of Hubalt to the north gate was the end of their job.


    Every single one of those damned knights got on Raphael¡¯s nerve until the end. Nevertheless, the end of his mouth curled upward in unsuppressed excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯ll chop the heads off of everyone who ran their mouths.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°What¡­ in the world happened?¡±


    Michael couldn¡¯t wrap his head around what he¡¯d just seen. His World Upheaval technique produced an immense and overwhelming agglomeration of aura. It had been blocked too easily. It didn¡¯t make any sense, considering the memories Michael glimpsed using his holy power.


    ¡°Martial God¡­ Haven¡¯t you be weaker?¡± Michael asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Joshua quietly eximed. ¡°It looks like you know something about me. Have you used your holy power?¡±


    ¡°You even know of the existence of holy power?¡± Michael¡¯s lips trembled. Holy power was a type of irvoyant power simr to the high priests or the archbishops when they received a prophecy and spread the divine message of god. Michael¡¯s ability was more advanced than theirs¡ªhe could see into a scene at a certain moment, which could be in the past or the far future, like a dream. What he had seen only left him more confused.


    ¡°Until yesterday, you were crumbling like sand¡­ so how can you be this stronger overnight?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes sparkled. Holy power was indeed a nuisance, but this was for the better; this way, Joshua would be able to upset Michael even more.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. This body belonged to yourrade.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    With a loud buzz, Joshua¡¯s face quickly transformed from his original handsome appearance to the original body¡¯s owner¡¯s.


    ¡°U-Uriel¡­!¡± Michael stammered, his eyes wide as dinner tes.


    Uriel was one of the Four Pdins, just like Michael.


    ¡°You¡­ are out of your mind!¡± Michael screamed at the top of his lungs.


    Although it wasn¡¯t befitting of a pdin, Michael let his murderous energy burst into the air. ¡°You are the Demonic God, not the Martial God! How can you even think about taking a fellow human¡¯s body!¡±


    ¡°A corpse is just a shell. It¡¯s the same as insects molting.¡±


    ¡°You sure are confident for a person who talks like a ck mage¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Let me ask you this, then,¡± Joshua interrupted. ¡°You people im to worship your god and love peace, but you don¡¯t hesitate to y fellow humans to achieve your ambitions of conquering the entire continent. Is that something a human would do?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to justify what you did, Demonic God! You¡¯re a demon!¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah, it was like this in our past lives too. I was always the bad guy.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Michael nkly murmured.


    ¡°There¡¯s this expression in thisnd about ¡®rolling with the punches¡¯.¡± Joshua hefted his spear and grinned. ¡°Since it¡¯se to this, I might as well be a real Demonic God, just like you said.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me¡­?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. If you die here, there¡¯s no witnesses or evidence left, are there?¡±


    Michael gasped, and then quickly braced himself. ¡°You won¡¯t be able to have your way. I will fight evil until the end!¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not for us to decide who the real evil is, but there''s onest thing I should tell you¡­¡± Joshua¡¯s legs flexed,unching into the fight. ¡°I¡¯m hardly a viin considering what you did in your past life.¡±


    * * *


    It only took Bel less than half a day to arrive at the border between Avalon and Hubalt.


    Bel stretched. ¡°Oh! I feel sluggish from just overworking myself a little.¡±


    He was carrying Carmen von Agnus on his shoulder like she was a corpse.


    ¡°¡­Hehe, if someone saw me right now, they would think I¡¯m returning home with a woman I kidnapped to make her into my wife. What would the boys think if they saw me?¡± Bel chuckled, but it abruptly cut off as an ill feeling hit him.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± He tilted his head, confused. ¡°What is going on?¡±


    It was too quiet. On top of that, he could detect the reek of blood.


    As soon as he realized the oddity, Bel took off like a bolt of lightning. It was hard to believe a human could move like that.


    Bel quickly found the corpse piles and an ocean of blood. The bodies of thousands of soldiers were scattered all along the border, and all were wearing the crest of the Hubalt Empire.


    ¡°Urghhh¡­¡±


    Bel¡¯s head snapped around; he¡¯d heard a nearly inaudible groan that he would have missed if he hadn¡¯t been paying attention. He located a dying soldier quite quickly.


    ¡°Hey, what happened?¡± Bel asked.


    ¡°Wa¡­ ter¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­You won¡¯t make it anyway. Tell me who did this to you and I¡¯ll avenge you.¡±


    The soldier went still, as if he had given up on surviving already.


    ¡°Av¡­ alon¡­¡±


    ¡°What? Avalon? Are you serious? They crossed the border while their capital is being invaded?¡±


    Bel didn¡¯t receive any answer; the soldier was already at his limits.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let you rest.¡± Bel raised his foot high and then mmed it against the ground.


    The soldier¡¯s head exploded like a watermelon, but Bel didn¡¯t look like a person who justmitted a murder.


    ¡°Someone quite intriguing must be up ahead¡­ Shall I have some fun with them for a moment? Bel murmured.


    He simply¡­ trembled in excitement at the appearance of a worthy new opponent.

 Side Story Chapter 111

    Side Story Chapter 111


    ¡°The north gate! We seized the north gate! It¡¯s like conquering an empty mountain! Hahahaha!¡± Raphael burst into thunderousughter as if he wanted the


    Imperial Knights who were following them to hear him.


    ¡°Pull out your divine bows, everyone!¡± Gabrielmanded.


    In contrast to Raphael, Gabriel didn¡¯t let his guard down. Just as they¡¯d decided earlier, the pdins had upied the gatehouse and the surrounding area. Strangely, though, not a single soldier had been standing guard at the gates. If Avalon had decided the north gate was going to be the pdins¡¯ exit, it was only right for Avalon to deploy their soldiers around the gate.


    Gabriel frowned. ¡°¡­Are they nning something?¡±


    He produced a silver stick with curved ends; this was an artifact that Hubalt had put tremendous effort into inventing. They had invested an enormous amount of money over decades to create this artifact they called the divine bow. Once divine power was infused, the stick transformed into a silver bow.


    ¡°Nock arrows!¡±


    The pdins pulled on their bowstrings, but the bowstrings couldn¡¯t be seen. They aimed arrows of mana downward, pulled tight against the invisible threads of mana they held their bows taut.


    The Imperial Knights flinched, but they were watching them from an entire kilometer away. The maximum range for existing bows was about three hundred meters, but divine bows could strike at triple the range of that of existing bows¡ªand thrice as hard. If the Imperial Knights approached a little further, the pdins would be able to instantly turn them into porcupines with their divine bows.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! Idiots.¡± Raphael burst intoughter. He didn¡¯t hold up his divine bow because his wrist wound still ached. ¡°Damn you, Martial God. I¡¯ll burn down your house and skewer your knights with arrows. Everyone, loose!¡±


    ¡°¡­Raphael, I told you I¡¯ll be the one whomands them.¡±


    ¡°What are you hesitating about now? Loose! Kill them all!¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t be able to reach them even if we do, so please calm down,¡± Gabriel insisted, his eyes narrowing.


    While Raphael and Gabriel were arguing, two men approached in the distance and stopped right at the edge of the pdins¡¯ attack range.


    ¡°¡­Do they know about our bows¡¯ range?¡± Gabriel wondered, his expression suddenly very serious. He had a rough idea as to why the two men would know it. Iceline Sanders, the First Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire, was the previous seat of Ice of the Magic Tower.


    ¡°It¡¯s the prince and the Sword Emperor. Idiots. Do they want to negotiate with us after an entire gate on a tter?¡± Raphael sneered with a crooked smile.


    Gabriel peered in the same direction. Even if the prince and the Sword Emperor knew about divine bows, nothing changed; either way, Hubalt waspletely in control of the north gate. The Imperial Knights wouldn¡¯t be able to break through their defense.


    ¡°Is this Hubalt¡¯s answer?!¡± the Sword Emperor¡¯s thunderous voice demanded.


    Gabriel stopped Raphael from jumping on top of the ramparts and came forward himself.


    ¡°You let your guard down, knights of Avalon!¡±


    ¡°All thends of Igrant are watching you. Shame on you for breaking your promise!¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This war was inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Distinguished guests of Avalon! Did you hear what the renowned Pdin said?¡±


    Tremblin¡¯s powerful voice triggered a wave of disturbed murmurs from the foreigners. Many were already inclined to join Avalon¡¯s cause anyway, but the pdins¡¯ actions here cemented the decision.


    ¡°Any country who interrupts the fight between Hubalt and Avalon will be the first to meet their doom!¡± Gabriel dered.


    ¡°You already said that you¡¯re going to drag the entire continent into war, so what¡¯s up with this mediocre ckmailing¡­¡±


    ¡°The entire continent? I clearly said that this is between Avalon and Hubalt. On a side note, we received a report that the Avalon troops have breached the border to the Hubalt Empire just now!¡±


    Tremblin closed his mouth.


    ¡°Avalon¡­ invaded the Hubalt Empire?¡±


    ¡°Maybe he has it all wrong. Hubalt is the one who drew their swords in the center of Avalon¡¯s capital¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s true, Hubalt gave Avalon justification, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Be quiet for now. Stay neutral and watch how the situation turns out.¡±


    The louder the dignitaries¡¯ murmurings became, the wider Gabriel¡¯s smile grew.


    ¡°It¡¯s truly ridiculous to im you serve a god when you tell such a lie without even blinking.¡±


    ¡°Then are you going to say? Avalon didn¡¯t cross the border? I expected more from you, Sword Emperor!¡±


    ¡°Sword Emperor?¡± shocked voices cried.


    ¡°Did he say ¡®Sword Emperor¡¯?¡±


    Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor, was the renowned leader of the previous generation, but he had vanished from the world. Yet that very same Sword Emperor had revealed himself to the world right there.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange, everyone? This is the capital of the Avalon Empire, but we barely see any soldiers guarding its streets. Their troops crossed the border to the Hubalt Empire right after you arrived here! Therefore we, Hubalt, came to the conclusion that everything has been staged from the beginning by Avalon in order to start a Continental War. Be careful, everyone! Who knows? Avalon might have really developed the ambition to conquer the continent after the Martial God returned.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    The foreign dignitaries collectively grunted. The Martial God alone wasparable to the entire Hubalt Empire, the most powerful nation on the continent right now. That was how legendary every single one of his achievements was.


    ¡°Look, right now! The Sword Emperor can¡¯t say that Avalon didn¡¯t invade Hubalt, can he?! If I¡¯m wrong, why don¡¯t you swear on your mana here right now, Sword Emperor? The world is watching you!¡± Gabriel challenged Tremblin.


    Selim stomped forward, unable to stand the wickedness behind Gabriel¡¯s every word. They were here right now because of Icarus¡¯s foresight, and none of it would have happened if it weren¡¯t for Hubalt¡¯s stunt.


    ¡°In other words, you people raised the g of surrender while your country is being invaded?¡± Selim asked.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°How shameful.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    ¡°If Avalon is really invading Hubalt, you people should have fought us to the death or else returned to your country to stop our army, not pretend to surrender and then break your promise like cowards.¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s face reddened. ¡°That brat¡­¡±


    Although Gabriel was baffled by how young Selim was, the prince quite urately pointed out the irony in what Gabriel said.


    ¡°You people are hyenas¡ªno, dogs who cower before the strong until their backs are turned.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re desperately trying to justify what you¡¯ve done because you can¡¯t be sure of your victory without doing so. Gosh, even I¡¯m embarrassed to watch what you people are doing. To think you people are the pdins of the most powerful nation on the continent¡­¡± Selim trailed off.


    ¡°Hey, Gabriel!¡± Raphael hysterically yelled. ¡°Are you seriously going to let him talk like that?!¡±


    Instead of answering, Gabriel immediately drew his bow and pointed an arrow of mana at Selim.


    ¡°That¡¯s more like it!¡± Raphael eximed, literally jumping in delight.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to pierce his heart.¡±


    Gabriel took a deep breath. He had one chance, so he put all his focus into piercing Selim¡¯s heart. His fingertips trembled and small sweat drops beaded on his forehead¡­


    ¡­He let the string slip from his fingers, sending the arrow streaking towards Selim Sander¡¯s heart.


    A ray of light cracked through the air like thunder on a clear day. Selim may have been able to follow the arrow¡¯s movement, but it was so fast that he wouldn¡¯t be able to dodge it. Even if he¡¯d somehow managed to block the arrow, it would most certainly break through Selim¡¯s defense.


    An enormous wall of ice abruptly rose between the arrow and Selim. It wasn¡¯tposed of any ordinary ice¡ªif it were, the arrow would have instantly pierced through it because its pration power had been enhanced. Judging from the thickness and size of the wall, it had been created by at least a Sixth-Circle mage¡ªand more likely a Seventh-Circle mage.


    Gabriel¡¯s eyes widened. It wasn¡¯t just Gabriel; all of the pdins stared nkly at the wall. They had been so certain that they would see Selim impaled on Gabriel¡¯s arrow.


    Gabriel was the first toe to his senses.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    He looked up in the sky, and spotted a woman with sapphire blue hair arrogantly hovering above them. Numerous mages stood behind her using levitation magic.


    And everyst one was casting high-leveled magic spells in both hands, pointed in the pdins'' direction and ready to fire at any moment.


    ¡°Iceline Sanders¡­!¡± Gabriel muttered. He bit his lower lip. Yes, it had been too easy because everything was a trap. The real surprise, though, was that a high-level pdin like him hadn¡¯t even noticed that many mages hiding in the sky.


    ¡°¡­Gabriel, we¡¯re fucked, right?¡± Even Raphael¡¯s lip trembled. Due to the whirlwind of the mages¡¯ mana bearing down on them, Raphael couldn¡¯t even hold his head up. The pdins¡¯ morale hit rock bottom in no time.


    ¡°¡­This must be Her Majesty¡¯s decision.¡± Tremblin smiled. ¡°Your Highness, would you like to try working together on this battle?¡±


    ¡°¡­It would be my honor.¡± Selim smiled back.


    With the foreigners as their witnesses, they showed that Avalon had the justification to take action as well as neutralized the pdins¡¯ divine bows. They had nothing to fear now.


    ¡°Please give us your orders, Your Highness. Since His Majesty isn¡¯t present, you¡¯re themander now.¡±


    Selim looked back and noticed that the Imperial Knights were watching him.


    He raised his humble spear high into the air and shouted, ¡°Everyone, advance!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 112

    Side Story Chapter 112


    ¡°Gabriel!¡± Raphael shouted.


    ¡°Loose!¡± Gabriel immediately ordered, hismanding voice quashing the pdins¡¯ panic. ¡°Prioritize taking out the flying mages! Disregard all of the knights approaching the walls!¡±.


    The pdins raised their divine bows to the sky, andunched hundreds of arrows simultaneously. The rain of light arcing through the air was majestic, but Iceline and the other mages didn¡¯t stop to watch.


    Iceline acted first by firing her Blizzard, a sixth-circle spell, cueing all sorts of lightning bolts and a hail of fire to smash against the incandescent mana arrowsunched by the pdins.


    Despite how powerful the attacks were, both sides held their lines. Considering that the mages all had at least four circles, those bow artifacts were remarkably strong.


    At that moment, someone leaped on top of the ramparts.


    ¡°A-Already¡­?¡± Gabriel¡¯s divine bow jerked, his eyes widening.


    An elderly man stood in front of Gabriel; his name was Duke Tremblin, famously known as the Sword Emperor¡ªand he was swinging his saber toward Gabriel¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Gah¡­!¡± Gabriel grunted.


    ¡°Get down, Gabriel!¡± Raphael shouted.


    Gabriel threw himself to the ground without a second thought, allowing Raphael to swing his sword right over Gabriel¡¯s head.


    However, the oue of their sh came as a shock. Was Raphael not fully healed yet? Or was his stance wrong because he had to respond so abruptly? He wasn¡¯t even able to deflect the Sword Emperor¡¯s one attack. In the split second it took for Raphael¡¯s sword to fall to the ground, Tremblin¡¯s saber bifurcated Raphael, its specialty.


    ¡°Raphael!¡± Gabriel watched hisrade fall in two pieces.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you worry about yourself?¡±


    Gabriel flinched. Selim Sanders had joined them on the ramparts and had his spear leveled at the Pdin.


    ¡°You¡­!¡±


    Gabriel¡¯s divine bow transformed from a bow into a sword of light. The key ability of this weapon was creating as much aura as possible using the minimum amount of the user¡¯s mana.


    ¡°¡­For just an artifact, it¡¯s full of surprises,¡± Selim murmured.


    ¡°Sir Gabriel!¡± the pdins screamed, appalled by their leader¡¯s precarious position.


    ¡°Don¡¯t care about me. Focus on the sky!¡± Gabriel shouted back.


    ¡°Bu-but¡­!¡±


    ¡°Once we give up fighting back, all of those spells are going tond on our heads. Do you think you¡¯ll be able to deal with those?¡±


    The pdins of Hubalt bit their lower lips and continuedunching arrows into the sky, filling it with an unceasing rumble.


    ¡°You¡¯ve lost, so give up, you invaders disguised as pdins,¡± Selim quietly said.


    Gabriel clutched his sword, but his expression was dark.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡±


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Halt.¡± Babel raised his hand.


    The nearby knights rushed to deliver Babel¡¯smand to the rest of the army marching through the Hubalt Empire.


    ¡°Everyone, halt!¡±


    ¡°The general¡¯s orders. Stop!¡±


    It looked like Babel had perfect control over Avalon¡¯s troops, but he didn¡¯t. There were tens of thousands of soldiers deployed out of Arcadia on top of the knights and soldiers from the Agnus family. Those soldiers revered Joshua like a god, and the story between Joshua and his estranged family was known to everyone in the Empire. It came as no surprise, therefore, that the soldiers disapproved of theirmander.


    ¡°Do we have time to stop and rest? Conquering the Hubalt Empire as quickly as possible is the priority right now¡­¡±


    ¡°Arcadia must be under attack as we speak. What in the world is he thinking¡­?¡±


    ¡°Is he trying to put His Majesty in a tight spot or something?¡±


    Babel could hear every word, but he didn¡¯t respond. Such was his karma. In fact, it was actually his subordinate who couldn¡¯t stand it and grabbed for his sword.


    ¡°How dare they¡­!¡± The knight huffed and puffed in anger.


    ¡°Stop. I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°But, Your Grace¡­!¡±


    ¡°I said, <em>I¡¯m fine</em>.¡±


    Babel stared ahead without saying anything else.


    An endless in that was known as the Great in of Urdis stretched before him and the troops. Once they passed through this ce, they would reach the capital of the Hubalt Empire within a week.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to get angry at everything they say. I am a sinner.¡± Babel shook his head.


    ¡°Wh-What do you mean? What could you have possibly done wrong, Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see the hostility in their eyes?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand their reaction. What in the world did we do wrong¡­?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten? The person who started a civil war that disrupted the entire country is Carmen von Agnus, and she¡¯s from our family.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Many of them must have lost family, friends, andrades, so ept their hostility. Don¡¯t think that is unfair. I¡¯m sorry for being a pathetic master, so if you really feel the need to vent out your anger, me me instead. I¡¯m the one to me for these sins. ¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace, that¡¯s preposterous¡± the knight stammered.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m always grateful to all of you for apanying me in my path of atonement in spite of my pathetic leadership.¡±


    Babel¡¯s voice was quiet yet clear, such that all the knights around him heard him. His knights trembled with uncontroble emotion. Everyone in the world might be pointing their finger at Duke Agnus right now, but the knights knew how bad a shape he was in right now. Nevertheless, he had broken his silence and raised his sword at the Imperial Family¡¯s request for the sake of atonement and atonement alone.


    ¡°Once we conquer the Hubalt Empire, the most powerful nation on the continent¡­ we¡¯ll at least be able to say that we did our duty,¡± Babel murmured.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be with you until the end, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go. Judging from the clouds, there¡¯s going to be a downpour soon; tell the rest of the Red Cross Knights to prepare tents for the army, too.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Rain?¡±


    Speak of the devil¡ªthunder echoed in the clear sky.


    The knights¡¯ eyes widened in surprise, but Babel ignored it and calmly got off his horse.


    ¡°It¡¯s happening sooner than I thought. We¡¯ll stay here tonight.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡±


    The soldiers of the Arcadia Defense Army had stopped talking among themselves when they noticed the rain thickening. They eximed to each other about Babel¡¯s foresight.


    It seemed as if someone had opened a hole in the sky and emptied a bucket full of water through it.


    While the army was busy setting up their tents, someone came walking toward the troops from the direction of the border they had marched through, catching Babel¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Who¡­ is that?¡± Babel narrowed his eyes.


    One person? No, the man seemed to be carrying a corpse. Despite the extra weight, the man arrived right in front of Babel in no time. The knights were in the middle of driving stakes into the ground, so they didn¡¯t care nor did they think that one man carrying a corpse could possibly be an enemy.


    ¡°¡­Who are you?¡± Babel asked.


    The man came to a halt and then grinned. ¡°Me? My name is Bel.¡±


    ¡°Bel¡­?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s save the introductions forter.¡± Bel waved his index finger at Babel. ¡°You look like the most skillful person here, soe at me. I¡¯ll fight you one handed as a special bonus.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Joshua quietly grunted.


    His soul had pushed his new vessel to its limit. The more power Joshua used, the stronger the soul established itself in the vessel. Someone else¡¯s body couldn¡¯t embrace his soul. However, Michael was in a more serious condition.


    ¡°¡­Gnh!¡± Michael trembled. Hey helplessly on the ground; his white armor that once protected him from head to toe had shattered long ago. ¡°I even used the descent, but¡­ I can¡¯tst a second?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too disappointed. All of the Magic Spear Arts¡¯ techniques are intended to finish my enemies with one strike, and I was able to use it in my normal condition. ¡­The result is understandable,¡± Joshua said.


    Michael smiled nkly. He may be one of the Four Pdins, but he was just a big fish in a small pondpared to Joshua. He could say without a doubt that he¡¯d felt this way only once in his life: the day he had first met Bel decades ago. He¡¯d never imagined he would experience the same thing again.


    ¡°Anyst words?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­What is your rtionship to the original owner of my authority?¡±


    Joshua stood silent for a moment before crouching down next to Michael.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boring story. ¡±


    ¡°I still want to hear it. I have no way of knowing if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing special. For example¡­¡± Joshua thought for a moment and then smiled meaningfully. ¡°...you know, about that man named Bel¡­¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly mentioning him¡­?¡±


    ¡°If the Hubalt Empire were to seed in conquering the continent, do you think you, pdins of Hubalt, would have left him be?¡±


    Michael¡¯s eyes slowly widened. He knew how terrifyingly strong Bel was better than anyone else. Unifying the continent? Bel had the power to divide the continent that the Hubalt Empire had conquered into dozens of pieces.


    ¡°¡­I see. I understand what you mean now.¡± Michael slowly stood up, revealing the true severity of his state.


    A big hole gaped in the center of his abdomen; his intestines were also gone. Michael wouldn¡¯t be able to recover this power even if the Angel Spirit descended into him.


    ¡°You¡¯re a tragic man who wasn¡¯t weed anywhere and was abandoned because you were too strong. I¡¯m better than you.¡±


    ¡°If you can find sce in that way, it won¡¯t be too bad.¡± Joshua stood up, slowly pointing Longin at Michael. ¡°I¡¯ll put your body out of its misery.¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s¡­ quite disappointing¡­ to leave¡­ before seeing¡­ the same two men¡¯s fight.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Joshua lightly swung his spear.


    Michael¡¯s head rolled on the council chamber¡¯s floor.


    ¡°¡­Judging from my condition, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll be fighting though,¡± Joshua mumbled.


    On top of that, his children were the ones who had the debts to settle with Bel, so the future was in the hands of the people Joshua was going to leave behind.


    ¡°I also need to¡­ rest now.¡±


    Joshua slowly copsed to the ground.

 Side Story Chapter 113

    Side Story Chapter 113


    After around ten minutes, more Avalon Imperial Knights arrived as reinforcements. By the time they were climbing up the castle walls, the mages in the sky had reached their limits.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡±


    ¡°Jake! Get a hold of yourself!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ exhausted¡­ I¡¯m sor¡ª¡± Jake plummeted to the ground before he could finish speaking.


    It wasn¡¯t just him. One by one, the other mages¡¯ levitation spells failed as the demands of casting high-level spells while constantly maintaining levitation to stay in the air quickly exhausted their mana.


    ¡°Another person is falling!¡±


    ¡°Spread out! Catch them!¡±


    The knights standing by on the ground scrambled to spreads out and caught the falling mages. Jakended safely onto the big¡ªa carpet, actually¡ªwhich the knights held by the corners.


    Iceline, still in the air, let out a quiet sigh of relief. Every mage there had been personally trained by Iceline, so she cared for each and every one of them deeply. If it hadn''t been for Icarus¡¯s preparations, all of them would have been a bloody smear on the ground.


    ¡°¡­I was toocent to think that we would be able to subdue them easily.¡± Iceline bit her soft lip. She knew better than anyone else how destructive the pdins¡¯ divine bows were. She had been involved in the development process. The scariest part about the artifact was that its users could use it until their divine power was depleted.


    In the end, there was a high possibility that this fight between mana and divine power was going toe down to quantity, not quality. Every one of those light arrowsunched from the divine bows was as strong as a third-circle spell; in other words, all the pdins had to do was pull their bowstrings to cast upper-level magic. It really was cheating.


    ¡°Why did I make such a thing¡­¡± Iceline bemoaned, regret hitting her like a sack of bricks. At the time, she had believed that Hubalt was going to be the new protector of the continent; there had been trustworthy people like the Pope and Lilith Aphrodite holding the reins.


    ¡°I have to end this fight even if it means overworking myself,¡± Iceline decided.


    Her mana rapidly began to circte around her like a storm. The air near her instantly turned freezing cold, ready to devour her enemies.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡±


    Of course, the pdins about to be subjected to her wrath weren¡¯t in good shape to begin with. Most of the archers had drawn the bows so many times that their fingers bled, so all they could do was watch Iceline while their hands trembled.


    While Iceline was incanting the highest-level ice magic spell, the battle between Gabriel and Selim was intensifying. Selim¡¯s spear and Gabriel¡¯s sword shed, scattering fragments of their aura everywhere.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­.¡± Gabriel quietly grunted. He hadn¡¯t even dreamed that he would be losing to the Martial God¡¯s son, not the Martial God himself.


    ¡°I did hear that the First Prince of Avalon was born with an unprecedented level of talent¡­¡± Gabriel groaned.


    ¡°Can you afford to talk right now?¡±


    Selim thrust his spear. Gabriel gasped and immediately tilted his head. Selim¡¯s sharp spear only left a scratch on Gabriel¡¯s cheek.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s fast and urate. A spear is a long-range weapon, so utilizing it like he does right now, especially at his age, is difficult. He must die here,¡¯</em> Gabriel thought, his eyes gleaming with murderous intent.


    Gabriel and Selim both flinched at the sound of calm footsteps. After ying all the pdins that had stood in his way, the Sword Emperor was slowly approaching Selim and Gabriel.


    ¡°I¡¯ll assist you, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin said.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­¡± Selim¡¯s face brightened up, but then his eyes widened. At the same time, Gabriel smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin! Behind you!¡± Selim yelled.


    Tremblin gave him a puzzled look.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Tremblin to find out what was going on. A sword shining with white light punched straight through Tremblin¡¯s right corbone. Tremblin frowned and grabbed the sword when Raphael tried to pull it back out.


    ¡°Oh? So you¡¯re going to avoid bleeding out first, huh? Hehehe.¡± Raphael chuckled.


    ¡°¡­This is a surprise. I definitely cut you in half from your head to your crotch.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe¡ªdid you really think I would die that easily? I, Raphael, have the authority of a Great Angel.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite difficult to think of you as a human anymore.¡± Tremblin clicked his tongue in annoyance as he turned to look behind him.


    Raphael had been divided in half, but he was now one again. Since Tremblin had already seen Raphael¡¯s ability in the council chamber, he had a rough idea as to what happened.


    ¡°Is this your super-recovery ability?¡±


    ¡°A Great Angel¡¯s authority can revive a man from the dead, you damned old bastard.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then I¡¯ll make sure you won¡¯t even be able to use your recovery ability.¡± Tremblin¡¯s hand mped down on the sword that was piercing him even more tightly. Blood dripped from his hands and wound, but it brought him no pause.


    ¡°You¡¯re acting very tough for a man who¡¯s ready to die of old age¡ª¡±


    Raphael froze mid-sentence due to intense murderous energy abruptly overwhelming him. It was like he¡¯d been tossed into a forest of swords naked.


    ¡°¡­What is this¡­?¡± Raphael murmured.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that the peak of swordsmanship is to kill your opponent without using your sword.¡±


    ¡°¡­Mind Sword?¡±


    Raphael¡¯s eyes widened. His cheek hadn¡¯t even been touched, but that was torn now. Starting from his face, the cuts only spread all across his body.


    The Mind Sword technique didn¡¯t mean one could y anything they could see¡ªcertain requirements had to be met. The most important requirement was that the user needed to be in a position where they could feel the presence of their opponent near perfectly.


    ¡°By piercing me, I¡¯m able to feel you even better¡­ You dug your own grave, Pdin.¡±


    ¡°What the hell!¡±


    Raphael tried to let go of the sword, but he wasn¡¯t even able to do that. Raphael went still as a statue, thick streams of blood pouring out of the cuts and sshing in all directions.


    Then azure mes started to burn in Raphael¡¯s cuts.


    ¡°Blue¡­ mes?¡± Raphael murmured.


    Fire didn¡¯t usually harbor a specific color, but there were several instances where they did. The me Emperor¡¯s me was scarlet red, and the legendary me of the Demon Realm was ebon. However, there was also azure me¡ªthe chilling fire. The chances of being born with the talent for mana was one in one hundred thousand people, and among those people, one in a million was born with the talent of azure me.


    ¡°You have the sword skills¡­ and you were born with the azure mes?¡± Raphael mumbled in disbelief.


    Tremblin pulled Raphael¡¯s sword from his body and flicked the blood off of it, sttering the ground with a fresh misting of blood.


    ¡°y war with your god and angels in the otherworld,¡± Tremblin coldly said.


    ¡°You¡¯re a monster¡­ old man¡­¡±


    Raphael¡¯s consciousness faded away.


    * * *


    After leaving Iceline in charge of the battlefield, Icarus barged into the council chamber with a contingent of the Imperial Knights.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Iceline raced up to the throne.


    Joshua kneeled powerlessly on the ground, his face covered in cracks like dry mud.


    He slowly lifted his head. ¡°¡­Icarus.¡±


    ¡°A-Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I think this is the limit with this body.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What are you talking about¡­?¡± Icarus shed fat tears, unaware of the exact details of Joshua¡¯s state. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be the Martial God, not an idiot?! Why would you die together with that worthless pdin?!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not dyin¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut up! You¡¯re so annoying. You act all tough and strong, and then you finally came back after over a decade¡ªwhy are you in this mess¡­ Waaaaah!¡±


    Icarus burst into tears, leaving Joshua to awkwardly scratch the back of his head. If he told her that this wasn¡¯t his real body, she might really kill him.


    Joshua decided to prioritize.


    ¡°¡­Icarus, listen to me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to listen to yourst words! Aaaaaaah!¡±


    ¡°¡­After the copse of the Angel and Demon Realms, the powers known as authorities appeared, and now those so-called gods are after thisnd. Since the Demon Spirit also disappeared, his Demon Kings and the highest-ranking demons are tantly taking action.¡±


    Icarus looked at him with teary eyes.


    ¡°They¡¯ll probably want my body very badly since the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul is dormant inside it,¡± Joshua added.


    ¡°Why does that matter when you¡¯re dying right now¡­?! I don¡¯t know anymore. You made me live like a widow for over a decade, but now you¡¯re really going to make me into a widow. You¡¯re awful¡­!¡±


    Although Joshua wished he could exin, he really was out of time.


    ¡°The worst scenario is that guy named Bel acquiring even one of the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers¡ªthe Demon Kings¡¯ powers,¡± Joshua quickly continued.


    ¡°...The Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers?¡±


    ¡°Bel was born strong, but the origin of his power is too different from divine power. The Great Angels wouldn¡¯t have had a chance against him in the first ce since his wicked and destructive power isn¡¯t something that belongs in the Angel Realm. However, an Evil Sin¡¯s power would be a perfect match with him¡­¡± At this point, the cracks began to reach across Joshua¡¯s entire body. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll cut to the chase. I¡¯ve already located three of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers. Lust, greed, and gluttony. Lilith has manifested the power of Lust, and Kireua¡¯s are greed and gluttony.¡±


    The power of Gluttony that had shown itself in west Avalon must be lying dormant inside of Kireua. Even Joshua had no way of knowing how the two powers would transform after they merged, but Joshua didn¡¯t see that Kireua was in any danger for the moment.


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way for Avalon to conquer the continent and protect the peace as the most powerful nation on the continent,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°What¡­ is that?¡±


    ¡°These gods didn¡¯t belong here in the first ce, so eradicate these beings, knock Hubalt from their pedestal, and take back the position of the most powerful nation on the continent.¡±


    Icarus clutched Joshua¡¯s sleeve.


    ¡°So please hold on for the next ten months.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 114

    Side Story Chapter 114


    How long had it been? A day? Two days? A week? Or¡­ a month?


    <em>¡®Mmm¡­¡¯</em> Kireua was floating in his subconscious realm. There was nothing in this white space. Yes, nothing, just like the world he had seen when he first met Coal.


    <em>¡®¡­Coal?¡¯</em>


    The moment Kireua remembered Coal¡¯s existence, a ck cotton ball popped up in front of him. But Coal was with someone who looked like a mouth now. It was a ridiculous sight, with its two eyes dangling over the disembodied maw. The mouth kept opening and closing its mouth, noisily ttering its teeth together.


    ¡°Huh? When did you make a friend, Coal?¡± Kireua asked.


    -You brought this guy to our home, Kireua!


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    -Don¡¯t you remember?


    Kireua¡¯s eyes slowly widened as he remembered what had happened in western Avalon.


    ¡°Wait a minute. Is that¡­?¡±


    The mouth continued to chomp loudly. Kireua instinctively knew its identity.


    ¡°The power of Gluttony?¡±


    The mouth stopped as if to tell him, ¡°Yes¡±. Its eyes curved into crescent moons like it was smiling.


    ¡°¡­In other words, I now have two of the Demon Kings¡¯ powers?¡± Kireua murmured, awash with disbelief.


    -Congrattions!


    -Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!!


    ¡°Oh my god.¡± Kireua¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor. Lilith Aphrodite had manifested one single Evil Sin power, but she was now treated as a pariah by her own country¡ªno, she was still being hunted by the entire continent. If it became known that Kireua, the Second Prince of Avalon, harbored two of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers¡­


    Kireua¡¯s eyes popped open, rmed.


    ¡°¡­No! I can¡¯t let Avalon¡­?¡±


    He trailed off, tilting his head in confusion at the chandelier hanging from the ceiling.


    ¡°Are you awake?¡±


    ¡°This voice is¡­¡± Kireua turned his head.


    Cain immediately pushed himself off the wall and bowed. ¡°I¡¯ve been worrying about you, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sir Cain.¡± Kireua¡¯s forgotten memories slowly resurfaced, drawing a sharp gasp from him. ¡°Wh-What happened to the battle?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still ongoing.¡±


    ¡°That means¡ª¡± Kireua tried to rise but immediately stopped, groaning. ¡°Urgh¡­¡±


    ¡°You haven¡¯t recovered fully yet, so why don¡¯t you lie down?¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if we go to the battle, we¡¯ll only get in the way. You already had a simr experience with that man named Bel,¡± Cain advised Kireua.


    Kireua froze. Although Bel wasn¡¯t in the room, Kireua remembered him as clear as day. Bel, the Battle God, was the Absolute of the Hubalt Empire, and he was so unbelievably strong that it was hard to view him as a fellow human.


    ¡°Are you afraid?¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t reply to that either. Was he afraid? He immediately wanted to yell ¡°no¡±, but his reflex was honest¡ªhis fingertips instantly started to tremble.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry. For some reason, he already left the Pce,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°He l-left?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, His Majesty can¡¯t carry all the burden forever.¡±


    ¡°I¡­ know and I don¡¯t want him to do that either,¡± Kireua bitterly answered.


    ¡°Yes, which means it¡¯s up to you from now on.¡± Cain slowly approached Kireua¡¯s bed. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯re aware of this, but I was personally taught by the Dark God, thete Duke Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Th-the former Duke of Agnus?!¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Yes. From that day forward, I abandoned the longsword I originally used and changed to that greatsword.¡± Cain gestured behind him at the enormous sword leaning propped up in the corner. A greatsword like Cain¡¯s had rangeparable to a spear; at over two meters in length, most people had trouble swinging it even with both hands.


    ¡°Just like the day I was taught by the Dark God, I¡¯ll teach you, Your Highness,¡± Cain offered.


    ¡°Pardon? Are you¡­ asking me to use a greatsword?¡±


    ¡°As soon as I saw your techniques, I could tell that you¡¯re a swordsman like me.¡±


    ¡°Bu-But my teacher never said¡­¡±


    ¡°Of course he wouldn¡¯t say it. Since the me Emperor hasn¡¯t used a greatsword himself, it would be hard for him to notice it, and his cherished weapon isn¡¯t a conventional sword either.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Did you know that the me Emperor originally used a weapon called a snake sword?¡± Cain asked.


    A snake sword was also called an urumi[1] in the eastern continent. The sword had flexible material added between the metal, allowing the wielder tosh out at their opponents like a snake, hence the name.


    However, Kireua had never seen bis using such a weapon.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ve never heard this before.¡±


    ¡°After reaching a certain level, the me Emperor never encountered an opponent who was capable of withstanding his me, so he never really had his chance to use his ultimate technique.¡±


    ¡°Then how do you know about this, Sir Cain?¡±


    Cain shrugged. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes. For your information, the opponent in question was His Majesty.¡±


    ¡°His Majesty?¡±


    Come to think of it, bis had said that he had met Joshua in a Masters¡¯ Battle which had taken ce in Reinhardt, the neutral city.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go outside,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°Right now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll show you why you need to use a greatsword.¡±


    ¡°But the battle¡­¡± Kireua reluctantly replied.


    ¡°We¡¯ll only be a hindrance even if we join the battle, and¡­ the battle must being to an end by now.¡± Cain made for the door. ¡°However, don¡¯t let your guard down¡ªyour time with me will be much more painful than fighting your enemies.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to teach you everything I learned as a swordsman,¡± Cain dered.


    * * *


    ¡°Raphael!¡± Gabriel screamed.


    Raphael was scattered on the ground in hundreds of tiny pieces; it was clear that he wouldn¡¯t be able to recover even with his super-healing ability. How could someone be so deadly without swinging their sword?


    ¡°Sword Emperor¡­ Damn it!¡± Gabriel growled.


    Selim interrupted the moment by thrusting his spear right toward Gabriel¡¯s head, forcing the Pdin to parry away Selim¡¯s spear.


    ¡°Argh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Can you afford to be distracted now?¡± Selim asked, arching an eyebrow.


    As time passed, the pdins¡¯ odds were rapidly deteriorating. Those with divine bows were copsing one by one due to exhaustion, although naturally the mages bombarding them from above weren¡¯t any better off.


    Nevertheless, the pdins¡¯ outlook was abysmal. Avalon¡¯s reinforcements outnumbered the pdins by at least three to one and had entirely surrounded the north gate, leaving no room for Hubalt¡¯s pdins to flee.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Gabriel cussed.


    ¡°Your name is Gabriel, yes? Why don¡¯t we end this battle with a duel?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s not sacrifice our subordinates anymore. We shall decide this fight between you and me.¡±


    Gabriel had a feeling this baby prince got shot in the head with an arrow or something for him to make such an insane offer when it was obvious that Avalon was on the verge of winning this fight.


    ¡°If you win, I¡¯ll withdraw our knights.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the prince of thisnd. I don¡¯t go back on my word.¡± Selim pointed his spear¡ªan ordinary, metal implement no different than that used by the infantry, at Gabriel.


    The difference in terms of experience alone between Selim and Gabriel was so enormous it wasn¡¯t even funny.


    ¡°You arrogant boy¡­ don¡¯t regret thister,¡± Gabriel growled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±


    Gabriel and Selim rounded on each other.


    An enormous set of wings sprouted from Gabriel¡¯s back, and his divine bow-turned-sword grew to gigantic proportions. Then he flew high into the sky.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s pretending to be an angel,¡± Selim mumbled, and then leaped after him. It wouldn¡¯t be bad to send that arrogant pdin plummeting from his sanctimonious perch in the sky.


    Selim reached the mages¡¯ altitude in no time.


    ¡°Selim!¡± Iceline worriedly shouted.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Selim said with a reassuring smile.


    Selim focused his mana at his feet and walked through the sky on steps of pure materialized mana. Although it was going to consume his mana and stamina on an outrageous level, it didn¡¯t matter because the fight would be over shortly.


    ¡°You cocky bastard¡­!¡± Gabriel gritted his teeth.


    A horde of white swords manifested in the air, produced by Gabriel¡¯s Falling Light de technique. The swords usually fell downward like a rain of light, but Gabriel had to fire them horizontally, not vertically, when Selim stood in front of him in the sky.


    ¡°Die!¡± Gabriel screamed.


    Swords that were several times bigger than the divine bows¡¯ arrows flew toward Selim.


    Selim swung his spear, parrying away the swords. With the force behind the swords, he didn¡¯t have to bother creating mana steps anymore; he let the swords push him away without risking closing the distance.


    ¡°Are you running away?¡± Gabriel sneered at Selim. He spread his wings and took off after Selim.


    Selim smirked.


    ¡°Idiot.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Selim somersaulted midair and drew his spear back as, his back bending like a bow.


    And then his entire body flexed, sending his spear <em>streaking</em> toward Gabriel. While Gabriel was able to follow the spear¡¯s trajectory, it was far too fast for Gabriel to avoid it.


    Gabriel gasped.


    The Pdin wobbled on his pierced wing, and before long, Gabriel could no longer stay in the air. He plummeted to the ground, Selim hot on his heels.


    It was obvious that Gabriel was losing.


    ¡°The Four Pdins are much weaker than I expected.¡±


    Iceline flinched, her anxious attention dragged away from the fight by a voice. When she turned her head, Duke Tremblin was standing next to her in the air.


    ¡°What do you mean, Duke Tremblin?¡±


    ¡°The real mastermind behind them is still in Hubalt, considering there is no easier creature to manipte than a man who is high on glory.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you talking about the man Sir Cain and Selim fought?¡± Iceline assumed.


    Tremblin quietly nodded. ¡°Yes¡ªit¡¯s Bel, the Battle God.¡±


    1. It¡¯s actually a whip sword that originated from southern India. ?

 Side Story Chapter 115

    Side Story Chapter 115


    <em>Boom!</em>


    Gabriel coughed up blood, his body unable to endure the immense impact that struck him from behind.


    After losing a wing, he couldn¡¯t even think about standing back up.


    Selimnded right in front of Gabriel, retrieved his spear from the ground, and leveled it at Gabriel again.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak.¡±


    ¡°You bastard¡­!¡± Gabriel¡¯s face reddened with humiliation.


    In spite of Gabriel¡¯s frustration, Selim continued to muse as if he was genuinely curious.


    ¡°You¡¯re too weak, so why in the world did people call you the Four Pdins?¡±


    ¡°¡­Kill me.¡±


    ¡°Or did Hubalt intentionally spread the rumor for a certain purpose?¡± Selim muttered.


    Gabriel trembled. Raphael had been a simple-minded person, so he had always gone on and on about how the Four Pdins were the pirs of the Hubalt Empire. However, he had also always doubted it on some level. The day that Lilith Aphrodite, the daughter of a cardinal, had manifested a Demon King¡¯s authority and was branded a witch, the priests¡¯ prestige went into the gutter. The pdins and priests had been the core of the pope¡¯s faction; now that faction had split entirely into two. Yet, while that was happening, Hubalt¡¯s knights and nobles, the imperial faction, had been quiet. In fact, they had fullyplied with the Pdins¡¯ orders after the Pdins hade into power.


    <em>¡®¡­No, no.¡¯ </em>Gabriel shook his head.<em> ¡®Why would he bother with that? Had he been interested in political power, Bel could have taken over whenever he wished.¡¯</em>


    Although no one said it out aloud, everyone knew that the imperial faction centered around Bel, and there was no denying it.. Numerous nobles and knights moved with Bel as their center. Even if the Four Pdins attacked Bel together, he was undefeatable. Since Bel had been raised with the sole purpose of defeating the Martial God, Bel was battle incarnate.


    ¡°You people¡­ can never defeat Bel,¡± Gabriel said.


    ¡°Are those yourst words?¡±


    ¡°Pdins of Hubalt, listen! Fight until the end! Fire your arrows even if your fingers will fall off! We might die in this battle, but we won¡¯t surr¡ª!¡±


    Gabriel couldn¡¯t finish speaking. When he lowered his head with trembling lips, he could see the sharp metal head of Selim¡¯s spear piercing his heart.


    ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ die like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Listen, pdins of Hubalt!¡± Selim yelled, his mana amplifying his voice. The mages in the sky, the Imperial Knights surrounding the north gate, and the pdins of Hubalt who had been firing their arrows¡­ In that moment, everyone stopped to look at Selim.


    ¡°Avalon has won!¡± Selim continued. He pulled his spear out of Gabriel¡¯s corpse and flicked it to remove the blood staining the head. ¡°The war is over!¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Close your eyes and sit up straight.¡±


    Kireua obediently followed Cain¡¯s instruction. He sat himself on his bed and closed his eyes, blinding himself to the world.


    -I¡¯ll speak using telepathy from now on.


    Kireua nodded, so Cain continued.


    -Before I start my lesson on swords, you need to reflect on yourself, Your Highness.


    ¡°By reflecting on myself, you mean¡­?¡±


    -You don¡¯t need to talk. Please just listen for now.


    Kireua nodded again.


    -You¡¯re able to utilize ebon mes; judging from what I heard from His Majesty, that must be the power of Greed, one of the Seven Evil Sin powers.


    Kireua flinched.


    -To cut to the chase, you need to hide your power for the time being. As you already know, ebon mes do not have a reputable origin¡ªthey¡¯re known as the fires of the Demon Realm. Now that Avalon going to war against Hubalt is no longer just a hypothetical, your power may give Hubalt justification for this war. That is why you need to be strong enough to overpower your enemies purely with your sword skills¡ªat least the same level as His Highness Selim. After that, I¡¯ll be able to rest easier.


    Kireua almost cussed out aloud. Selim was one of the strongest people on the continent, Kireua knew better than anyone else how hard it was to defeat Selim with only his sword skills.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t mean Kireua wasn¡¯t confident. He considered his ebon mes to be part of his skills, so he was sure that no one, not even Selim, would be able to overpower him once he could control them perfectly.


    -I¡¯ll give you a part of my true mana.


    Kireua felt his heart sink so deep that it felt like it was never going toe back up. True mana was the source of life. Ordinary mana could be replenished by using a mana umtion technique, but true mana could never be regained. Cain was basically saying that he was going to give a part of his life to Kireua.


    <em>¡®Why is he doing this¡­?¡¯ </em>Kireua wondered.


    -Every type of sword has a uniquely suited mana umtion technique. You learned your mana umtion technique from His Majesty, so it¡¯s no exaggeration to say that it¡¯s the best one on the continent.


    <em>¡®Then why is he teaching me a different one?¡¯</em>


    Cain answered Kireua¡¯s question before the young prince could voice it out loud.


    -My true mana will be your guide, Your Highness. His Majesty¡¯s mana umtion technique is made for practicing the spear, so even if you try to adjust it for using swords, there will be a time when it feels unnatural, as if you¡¯re wearing clothes that don¡¯t fit.


    Cain was right. Whenever Kireua wielded his sword using Joshua¡¯s mana umtion technique, he felt a sense of disharmony in some movements, like he was shoving his mana somewhere it didn¡¯t belong. This was also the reason why Kireua didn¡¯t make any progress in his swordsmanship anymore.


    -Focus on my mana from now on and make sure you keep following it. This is the power I¡¯ve readjusted to fit you as closely as possible based on what I¡¯ve heard about His Majesty¡¯s mana umtion technique.


    Cain cautiously held his hands against Kireua¡¯s back, but the mana Cain infused was very faint, to Kireua¡¯s surprise.


    -As you can see, I¡¯m not my usual self¡­ so we won¡¯t have a second chance at this.


    * * *


    At the border between Avalon and Hubalt, Bel and Babel were locked in battle.


    A light punch from Bel created a not-so-light result.


    ¡°Arrgghh!¡±


    ¡°A mo-monster!¡±


    The resulting shockwave turned the ground upside down, flinging the knights away with the raw wind pressure of the punch. Babel, naturally, received the brunt of the damage.


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace¡­¡±


    Scarlet blood flowed freely from Babel¡¯s wounds, and Babel was wounded everywhere. He was literally covered in his own blood.


    ¡°Where¡­ did a monster like youe from?¡± Babel murmured in disbelief.


    ¡°It was quite fun in some ways.¡± Bel licked the fist he¡¯d used to deliver his punch. There was a scratch that was smaller than a fingernail on the back of his hand. Bel shrugged. ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re at least strong as a flea. Come to think of it, your name is Babel von Agnus, yes? What¡¯s your rtionship to this woman?¡±


    Bel pulled the woman off of his shoulder into his arms.


    Babel¡¯s eyes widened when he saw the woman¡¯s face. ¡°Wait¡­ Carmen von Agnus?¡±


    ¡°I thought you may know each other since you guys have the same surname, and you really do.¡±


    ¡°How¡­ What in the world is your goal?¡±


    ¡°You know, there¡¯s this thing I always say.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Babel nkly asked back.


    Bel grinned. ¡°The weak have no right to ask questions. They just get beaten up. A flea dared to invade mynd, so it¡¯s time for you to pay the price.¡±


    Bel cranked his arm backward with his fist clenched. The form of a golden dragon gradually faded into being around Bel¡¯s arm. This was Dragon Punch, a destructive technique that could bring any enemies to their knees.


    ¡°Hehe, I¡¯ll crush you like a flea you are.¡±


    ¡°¡­Perhaps I won¡¯t be able to repay my debt.¡± Babel raised his trembling hands with difficulty.


    He instinctively realized that it was impossible to stop Bel¡¯s punch.


    The wind pressure catapulted him away before Bel¡¯s fist evennded, leaving pools of his blood in his wake.


    * * *


    On the other hand, Joshua quietly opened his eyes on the snowy mountain in northern Avalon. When his new body disintegrated, his consciousness returned right back to his original body.


    -You damned bastard, you move from body to body just like me.


    ¡°If you envy me, just say it straight,¡± Joshua answered.


    -You nutjob¡­


    Despite the Demon Spirit¡¯s venom, his voice was very weak. After over a decade, the Demon Spirit was finally on the verge of oblivion.


    ¡°I boldly imed I¡¯d be able to take care of it within ten months, but¡­ it might happen faster considering your state.¡±


    -¡­I don¡¯t think you can afford to be that rxed right now.


    ¡°Why? Are you going to curse me or something?¡±


    -Look around you.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion. When he looked down the snowy white mountain, he saw lines of ck dots.


    ¡°What is¡­?¡±


    -They¡¯re monsters.


    ¡°Monsters?¡±


    -The demons that settled here have begun to take action. Since their goal is me, they have no reason to move elsewhere.


    Joshua remained silent.


    -You look like you have a lot of questions in mind, but the answer is obvious. The Evil Sins¡¯ powers have a tendency to be attracted to beings with great demonic power. Since I¡¯m here, the people here are going to manifest the Evil Sins¡¯ powers one way or another, so why would they need to go elsewhere?


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°¡­So that¡¯s why there are so many people who¡¯ve manifested the Evil Sins¡¯ powers in thisnd.¡±


    -Heh. You must have seen them. I¡¯m looking forward to seeing the day your country bes a den of demons and monsters.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t bother. The day you¡¯re looking forward to will nevere.¡±


    -What¡­?


    Joshua smiled, ever so slightly. ¡°Just like you said, I¡¯ve seen how strong my children are. They¡¯ll never lose to demons or monsters.¡±


    -They don¡¯t even have you. You¡¯re just bluffing, you cocky bastard¡­


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if I¡¯m bluffing or not.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 116

    Side Story Chapter 116


    Swords crashed onto the ground in a noisy torrent of steel as the pdins of Hubalty down their swords and dered their surrender. All of the Four Pdins, their idols, had been killed, stripping the pdins of the will to continue the fight.


    The Avalon Imperial Knights let out an enthusiastic cheer, eliciting a shiver from the foreigners who had seen the battle.


    ¡°A-Avalon really won?¡±


    ¡°The power dynamic of the continent willpletely change after today. Oh my. Hubalt lost even after their ambush¡­¡±


    ¡°Avalon will invade the border immediately, right? Since the war has already started, they¡¯ll want to see it to the end.¡±


    ¡°The chances of someone new bing strongest on the continent have increased.¡±


    The entire Avalon Empire was swept by a festive mood, but there was someone who couldn¡¯t just be happy.


    ¡°¡­They lost.¡±


    That was Lilith Aphrodite, a citizen of the Hubalt Empire and the daughter of a former cardinal.


    ¡°¡ªUrgh!¡± Lilith wrapped her arms around herself. Although she had badly wanted to take part in the battle, she couldn¡¯t because of the pain that had started a while ago. Her immense desire overwhelmed her, such that it threatened to steal her rationality. The Evil Sin¡¯s power whispered to her.


    -Oh, my. Your country really lost.


    <em>¡®¡­Be quiet,¡¯</em> Lilith snapped.


    -What should you do? Your country started the war first, and the angry soldiers of the Avalon Empire will trample over it. Why don¡¯t you ask for his forgiveness?


    <em>¡®I told you to shut up.¡¯</em>


    -You know who I¡¯m talking about. Ask the emperor of thisnd for his forgiveness. Even as a fellow woman, I think you¡¯re beautiful, so he¡¯ll definitely take you under his wing and forgive you. Of course, you¡¯ll have to ¡°express your gratitude¡±.


    <em>¡®Nonsense¡­!¡¯</em>


    -Be honest. You want him too, don¡¯t you? Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. Ahhhh¡­ My, my. You can try scouring the entire continent, but you won¡¯t find a more attractive man than him.


    The voice was tempting. The power of Lust exploited humans¡¯ primordial desires.


    -Make him yours. That¡¯s why you haven¡¯t gotten married yet, isn¡¯t it. Why don¡¯t you just give your body to him? It¡¯s nothing, and this is an opportunity to be forgiven and have the man you want so desperately.


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Lilith screamed, copsing on the ground due to her uncontroble desires.


    ¡°Lilith¡­?¡± Iceline leaned over her, worried.


    Lilith flinched. ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°You can just call me Iceline when it¡¯s just the two of us.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I consider you my friend, Lilith.¡± Iceline held her hand out with aforting smile. ¡°Why are you on the ground? Get up¡ªbut tell me if you need any help.¡±


    ¡°N-No, I was just feeling dizzy¡ª¡± Lilith flinched again as the whispering in her head picked that moment to redouble its efforts.


    -That wicked wretch. You should slit that bitch¡¯s neck. It¡¯s that damned wretch who took your man. If that hadn¡¯t been for this bitch, Joshua would have been yours!


    <em>¡®Stop! Please stop!¡¯</em> Lilith pleaded.


    -Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her. Kill her! Kill all the Queen Consorts and take him all to yourself. Take the Martial God! Take Joshua!


    A pir of pink demonic power erupted out of Lilith.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± Lilith¡¯s scream shook the sky.


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Iceline took a startled step toward her. ¡°Get a hold of yourself! Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°G-Get away.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Get away from me!¡±


    Iceline crouched down in front of Lilith and looked her in the eyes instead of retreating. The desire she saw in those eyes was nearly palpable.


    ¡°Lilith, you¡­?¡±


    Horns sprouted from Lilith¡¯s head.


    ¡°...Demon horns?¡± Iceline murmured. She was a genius in artifact development, so she had dealt with all sorts of magical ingredients from all over the world. Among those ingredients were demon horns, which contained the essence of demons¡¯ mana. The bigger they were, the stronger the demonic power.


    ¡°¡­Oh god.¡±


    The horns emerging from Lilith¡¯s silver hair were at least a meter long. The longest horn Iceline had seen was merely twenty centimeters long, and that belonged to an intermediate-ranking demon.


    ¡°Lilith¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    Lilith''s horns becameplete, and she seemed to lose control over her power. The room was awash with intense murderous energy.


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Phew.¡± Kireua inhaled deeply. He felt very light and could smell an unholy reek, so he instinctively knew that he had been reborn.


    ¡°Sir Cain, thank you¡­!¡±


    Kireua turned to Cain and froze. Cain was lying at the head of Kireua¡¯s bed with his face down and wasn¡¯t moving.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­?¡± Kireua nervously said.


    No way. If something happened to Cain, Kireua would be too ashamed to meet Joshua again¡ªCain was Joshua¡¯s first knight.


    ¡°Sir Cain! Open your eyes, Sir Cain! No, don¡¯t die. This can¡¯t possibly be the end of your lessons! Marriage! You have to get married. You¡¯re over sixty, but you haven¡¯t dated anyone. Isn¡¯t it unfair to die before then?! Sir Cain, please¡­!¡±


    ¡°Zzzzz¡­.¡±


    Kireua closed his mouth so quickly his teeth clicked together.


    ¡°Zzz¡­ Sngngngh! Zzzzzzz¡­¡±


    From time to time, it sounded like someone was choking him, but Cain¡¯s snoring rumbled on like distant thunder.


    Kireua let out a long sigh. ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? You¡¯re awake, Your Highness?¡± Cain opened his eyes and slowly sat up. He was paler than usual, but he didn¡¯t look to be in any danger.


    ¡°What happened?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Congrattions.¡±


    ¡°¡­For what?¡±


    ¡°You can already feel it, can¡¯t you? You¡¯ve been reborn today.¡± Cain shed a small smile at him.


    Kireua quietly looked down at himself. It felt like his body changed into somebody else¡¯s. His calloused hands had be soft as down, and his skin was whiter for some reason. But¡­


    ¡°¡­Ugh.¡± Kireua finally realized that the reek wasing from himself.


    ¡°It¡¯s said that upon reaching a certain level, your mana reconstitutes your body into its optimal form.¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait a minute, I overcame a limit?¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°Yes, I forced you to. It¡¯s the minimum requirement to utilize the greatsword.¡±


    ¡°Such a thing¡­ is possible?¡±


    ¡°Of course, but I won¡¯t be able to be a swordsman anymore.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. ¡°Wh-what? What do you mean, you can¡¯t be a swordsman anymore?!¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about it. Due to the severity of my injury, my life as a swordsman was already as good as over.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain, are you kidding me¡­!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Cain cheerfully replied. ¡°I¡¯m an old man who¡¯s just been waiting for myst day in this world. If I¡¯m able to be of help to the next generation before I go to my grave, what could be more fulfilling?¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would you say such a thing¡­?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time. While I have some time left, I¡¯ll teach you every aspect of the sword skills I¡¯ve learned so far. Since you¡¯re unquestionably a genius in terms of swordsmanship, you¡¯ll be able to learn it like a sponge soaking up water.¡±


    Kireua was speechless, remorseful, and apologetic. He gritted his teeth¡ªhad he been more powerful, this tragedy wouldn¡¯t have happened.


    Everything was because of this man named Bel. If that hadn¡¯t been for him, Cain wouldn¡¯t have ended up like this.


    ¡°¡­Calm your desire to kill, Your Highness,¡± Cain quietly said. ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left, but the mountains we have to ovee are great. It¡¯s quite significant considering it¡¯s myst mission before my death¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop. Stop saying that you¡¯re going to die.¡±


    Cain smiled gently, touched by Kireua¡¯s sincerity, and nodded. ¡°Of course¡ªI can¡¯t die now, that would be unfair. I won¡¯t be able to pass on if I die now because of all my lingering feelings.¡±


    ¡°¡­Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°I have to get married. I can¡¯t clean up after His Majesty forever, otherwise my life will be too pathetic,¡± Cain joked, a poor attempt to lighten the mood.


    Kireua¡¯s heart ached again.


    ¡°In any case, let¡¯s stop getting sidetracked. After what I saw earlier, I¡¯m certain.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°¡­About what?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about the desire to kill you had earlier. Uncontroble murderous energy must have overwhelmed you, yes?¡±


    Cain was right. The mysterious desire to kill suddenly sparked in Kireua¡¯s mind and engulfed him.


    ¡°After taking a look inside you, I found two gigantic powers dormant inside you,¡± Cain continued.


    ¡°Two¡­?¡±


    Kireua had an idea where that number came from.


    ¡°They¡¯re the Evil Sins¡¯ powers, aren¡¯t they?¡±


    It seemed Cain thought the same.


    ¡°¡­Your Highness, let me tell you right now: once you lose control over those powers, you¡¯ll lose everyone you care about.¡±


    Cain¡¯s shocking warning left Kireua speechless.

 Side Story Chapter 117

    Side Story Chapter 117


    The motionless man was dragged away by his neck, leaving a long trail of blood behind him. The man¡¯s name was Babel von Agnus, the current Duke of Agnus.


    ¡°His Grace¡­ was defeated?¡±


    ¡°All of his knights lost to the same man¡­¡±


    ¡°A monster¡­ He¡¯s a monster¡­¡±


    The army from Avalon that had crossed the border into the Hubalt Empirepletely lost their will to fight when confronted with Bel, the Battle God. They merely watched him walk away carrying Carmen on one shoulder and dragging Babel away with his other hand.


    ¡°How boring,¡± Bel grumbled.


    He was surrounded by enemies. Although he had already defeated two hundred enemy knights, as well as their leader, fifty thousand of them were left. Nevertheless, he was unperturbed as he walked through their ranks because he had the confidence to conquer the continent with nothing but his two fists.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we stop him? If he kidnaps Duke Agnus like this¡­¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see the knights who can use mana getting thrown about with every punch? Who¡¯s supposed to stop him?¡±


    On top of that, Bel exuded an energy that chilled them to the bone, like a true overlord.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in weaklings,¡± Bel tly stated. ¡°Step aside. I don¡¯t want to bother killing all of you, but I¡¯m going to beat anyone who stands in my way.¡±


    The troops trembled. Despite the fact that it was one man versus fifty thousand, the one man had the initiative.


    ¡°What are you doing, all of you?¡± a superior knight of the Red Cross demanded, his teeth gritted. ¡°Pick up your swords. Are you going to just watch your master be taken away?¡± he growled.


    All three hundred surviving knights of house Agnus drew their swords and surrounded Bel.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Bel quietly eximed. He dropped Carmen and Babel¡¯satose bodies and grinned. ¡°Are you going to fight me?¡±


    ¡°We are the Knights of the Order of the Red Cross, First Knight Order of the prestigious Duke of Agnus!¡±


    ¡°What? A cross? You sound like pdins¡ªdo you believe in a god, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°How dare you mock us!¡± the knight roared.


    Bel¡¯s smile grew. ¡°I think it¡¯s really pathetic when a weakling yells at the top of their lungs.¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhh!¡± The senior knight gathered up his aura and threw himself at Bel. Judging from the thickness of his aura, he was at least a high-level B-ss knight, which meant that he was one of the five strongest knights in Agnus¡¯s forces.


    The result of his attack wasn¡¯t any different from any of the other knights¡¯ attempts. Bel lightly jabbed the air,pressing it into a deadly shockwave that shot toward the knight.


    ¡°¡­Agh!¡± The knight mmed back into the ground, groaning in pain. His armor folded like paper.


    ¡°I told you to know your ce.¡± Bel shrugged.


    ¡°Everyone, attack him together!¡±


    All three hundred Red Cross Knights charged Bel at once.


    Once again, Bel casually threw a series of light jabs into the air around him toward his opponents.


    Not one of them was able to block Bel¡¯s attacks, nor did they get back up afterward. The battle ended in less than ten seconds.


    One of the soldiers swallowed nervously. Although he had heard a lot about the legends of the Emperor of Avalon, who had been missing for over a decade, he was certain that the man named Bel wasparable to him. Who in the world would be able to fight against an army with tens of thousands of soldiers and knights single-handedly?


    ¡°This''ll suffice as a present for Avalon,¡± Bel casually remarked. Having wiped out the Red Cross Knights, Bel reached down and picked the two Agnuses again. ¡°See you around.¡±


    Before the remaining troops could respond, Bel vanished.


    The army stood frozen for a long time, utterly, suffocatingly silent.


    * * *


    -Iceline¡­ zin¡­ Rebra¡­!


    The animalistic growl in Lilith¡¯s voice made Iceline stiffen.


    ¡°Li-Lilith¡­?¡±


    -I can¡¯t recognize¡­ you as a Sanders¡­


    Lilith jerked mid sentence, interrupting her manic mutterings, and suddenly reached up and tore at her hair.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Lilith!¡± Iceline shouted.


    ¡°Don¡¯te near me!¡±


    Lilith threw out her hand and a wave of ck demonic power burst out of it, flinging Iceline away.


    ¡°Mother!¡± Selim shouted. He stormed toward Lilith. ¡°How dare you!¡±


    -¡­Hmm. Is he Joshua¡¯s son?


    Selim thrust his spear at Lilith, but immediately froze solid. Some invisible, external force prevented him from so much as lifting a finger, as if he was stuck in a web.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    -This is my ability.


    ¡°This is¡­ an ability?¡±


    If that was true, then it was definitely a scary ability. The ability to stop a person with just a thought!


    Selim gasped. Lilith seemed to teleport right in front of him, close enough for him to feel her hot breath on his skin. Lilith scanned him up and down appraisingly.


    -He¡¯s definitely handsome.


    ¡°¡­Gah!¡± Selim immediately tried to attack again, but a surge of desire muddled his mind¡ªthe desire to bed, im, and take this woman as his own. She was so beautiful that the age difference didn¡¯t seem to matter.


    <em>¡®Why am I having such thoughts¡­?¡¯</em> Selim wondered.


    -You¡¯re dying to sleep with me, aren¡¯t you?


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    -You can sleep with me. I think it¡¯ll be okay with you.


    Lilith spread her arms out wide.


    The one who was controlling Lilth¡¯s body now was actually the power of Lust. For the past several years, Lust had been battling Lilith to take over her body because it was beautiful and strong. Even if Lust scoured the entire continent, it would be difficult to locate someone with a body that suited Lust like Lilith¡¯s did.


    -Come. Come with me.


    Veins bulged on Selim¡¯s forehead. Although he was desperately fighting against his desires, it wasn¡¯t easy. Selim had no way of knowing it right now, but the Demon King of Lust was one of the most proficient beings in all of the realms in the field of mind maniption.


    -¡­Hmm?


    As Lust was licking her lipssciviously, a stinging sensation on her back made her tilt her head in confusion. Lust instinctively abandoned Selim and threw herself into the air.


    Just in time¡ªan explosion ripped through the air right where Lust had been. An attack by Duke Tremblin; had Tremblin justunched his strike normally, Selim could have been caught in the crossfire, so Tremblin had detonated his aura at thest moment. His title of Sword Emperor was truly not an exaggeration.


    Lust could feel sharp attacksing from all directions, forcing her back to the ground with a frown on her face. However, Tremblin was now right in front of her.


    ¡°You annoying old man!¡± Lust shrieked.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ve seen it with my own eyes, but I still can¡¯t believe it. Is that the side effect of the Evil Sin¡¯s power?¡±


    Lilith was no longer growling like an animal; she spoke in her original voice, which indicated that she was merging with Lust more and more over time.


    ¡°Hmph, a dying old man isn¡¯t my type, so would you get lost, please?¡± Lust snapped.


    ¡°You¡¯re truly wicked to bewitch people¡¯s minds like this with just your voice.¡±


    ¡°Huh, you noticed?¡±


    ¡°Do you think that¡¯s all? I can clearly see your true self, too.¡± Tremblin¡¯s eyes shone brilliantly. He was using a Level-2 mana optical enhancement technique, which gave him the power to see through people and objects¡¯ true nature. ¡°Your real form is a subus? I can see why you would want the Sword Ghost¡¯s body.¡±


    ¡°¡­It looks like I can¡¯t spare you, old man.¡± Lust let her hostility show. Those who had transcended all their desires were most annoying to deal with. ¡°Well, it won¡¯t be long until you die from natural causes, so I highly doubt you could even get it on properly.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! Judging from your real face, I don¡¯t think I would have been tempted by you even if I was young.¡±


    ¡°Do you have a death wish, old man?!¡± Lust screamed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you with one strike.¡± Tremblin quietly raised his sword, one hand behind his back.


    Even during that moment, Selim was struggling to escape from the invisible force binding his body.


    ¡°¡­Bummer. If the Martial God isn¡¯t around right now, I was okay with his child.¡± Lust pondered for a moment, and then raised her arms and retreated.


    Of course, there was a good reason why Lust tried to seduce Selim. Her other ability was to enve the people whom she had slept with. No matter who it was, all she had to do was drag them into her bed. In the Demon Realm, she had used this to build the Lust Legion, which included some of the highest-ranking demons.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?!¡± Tremblin shouted.


    ¡°Old man, don¡¯t even think about following me. You can see that, can¡¯t you?¡±


    Tremblin looked where Lust was pointing. There stood Selim, who was soaked in sweat.


    ¡°Your Highness¡­!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s much easier to deal with virgins. He probably needs your help unless you want to see the First Prince of Avalon turning into a sex-obsessed mania¡ª¡±


    Lilith felt a bone-deep cold entrap her feet.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Lust lowered her head and found her feet encased in ice.


    It was obvious who had done it.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin, please help out Selim,¡± Iceline said.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with this witch,¡± Iceline coldly stated, her eyes narrowed dangerously. Vivid traces of blood could still be seen around her mouth, but her mana was ferocious and focused. Iceline Sanders, the former seat of Ice of the Magic Tower, burned with the desire to kill.

 Side Story Chapter 118

    Side Story Chapter 118


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Lust scratched the back of her head, seemingly stumped. It didn¡¯t take long for her entire lower body to freeze over, chilling her down to her bones. Iceline was indeed one of the best human mages alive.


    ¡°Do you not care even if something happens to your son?¡± Lust asked.


    ¡°¡­Selim isn¡¯t weak.¡±


    ¡°Huh?


    ¡°And my friend matters as much as my child,¡± Iceline firmly said.


    Lust suddenly stiffened when the real Lilith Aphrodite woke up and started to fight back.


    ¡°Lilith, you aren¡¯t weak either, so you can hear me, can¡¯t you?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°¡­Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Open your eyes. Don¡¯t get eaten by a fake.¡±


    ¡°Shut your damn hole!¡± Lust screamed. An immense amount of her demonic power filled the air, breaking cracks in the block of ice that was holding her down. Iceline focused her mana again.


    ¡°¡­Shit!¡± As Lilith¡¯s struggles intensified, Lust was forced to turn to herst resort. After using this power, Lust would have to rest for at least several months, but now wasn¡¯t the time to worry about that because she was going to lose the body she had struggled so much to acquire.


    ¡°Aura of Lust!¡± Lust shouted.


    The demonic power agglomerated around Lust¡¯s chest and then washed over the room.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Some sort of light struck me just now.¡±


    ¡°You too? I also¡ª¡±


    The Imperial Knights fell silent, and the pdins they¡¯d taken prisoner clutched their chests, their faces contorted in pain.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s demonic power! Demonic power is entering our body!¡±


    ¡°This concentration¡­ is at least a Demon King¡¯s¡ªGah!¡±


    ¡°It hurts! H-Help meeeeee!¡±


    Demonic and divine powers were diametrically opposed to one another. While the pdins were writhing due to the violent reaction between their powers and the demonic power, the ordinary knights responded differently.


    ¡°Huff, huff¡­¡±


    ¡°I feel hot. It¡¯s like my brain is burning.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening to us?¡±


    The young knights huffed and puffed, their youthful vigor working against them. Their heads whipped around like beasts searching for their prey.


    ¡°Pull yourselves together!¡± Tremblin shouted using mana.


    ¡°Aaagh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°I feel like my brain¡¯s going to explode.¡±


    Tremblin jammed his sword into the ground and roared, ¡°Do not get consumed by your desires! All of you are proud Imperial Knights of the Avalon Empire!¡±


    The Imperial Knights bit lower lips and slowly managed to regain their senses.


    Iceline let out a long sigh of relief. However, Lust had already distanced herself far away during the confusion.


    ¡°...Phew.¡± Lust panted. ¡°I haven¡¯t used this ability in a while, so it¡¯s definitely not easy. That must mean that I haven¡¯t adjusted to this bodypletely yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think you can run away?¡±


    Lust smirked. ¡°I¡¯ve already finished my preparations, you know.¡±


    A ck hole opened behind Lust.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve heard, but this is called a dimensional portal, which is a more advanced ability than the warp gates you humans love.¡±


    ¡°Spatial magic? Then you must be quite familiar with this, too.¡±


    A violent cracking from behind Lust made her eyes widen. The dimensional portal¡¯s serene liquid surface began to shiver, betraying an external influence.


    ¡°You¡­?¡± Lust muttered in disbelief.


    ¡°The mechanisms are basically the same, so it¡¯s perfectly possible for me to change the coordinates if I infuse my mana into it.¡±


    Lust grunted in frustration because she had already used too much of her power for Aura of Lust, and she couldn¡¯t run far in her state.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re quite good,¡± Lust said with a crooked smile. ¡°I can see why you¡¯ve been chosen by him, Iceline zin Rebra.¡±


    ¡°My name is Iceline Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Ah, is that so? Anyhow, I feel like you must be secretly delighted with your victory¡­¡± Lust trailed off and then grinned. ¡°...but uh-oh. What should we do? It¡¯d be absolutely frustrating to lose to a wretch like you, so I can¡¯t let you capture me.¡±


    Iceline blinked, obviously confused. All Lust¡¯s escape routes were blocked, so why was she so confident?


    ¡°What makes you think I can¡¯t use my dimensional portal?¡± Lust asked with a tilt of her head.


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡±


    ¡°I trust the luck I was born with.¡± Lust took a step back toward the portal with a wide smile.


    Iceline¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°Are you crazy? The coordinates have already been changed, so you might be teleported into the ground and explode before you can do anything about it, or be trapped in a dimensional rift for eternity. But you¡¯re still going to use your warp gate?¡±


    ¡°What? Are you worried that something bad will happen to your friend?¡±


    Iceline flinched.


    ¡°Hahahahaha¡ªthe look on your face! You shouldn¡¯t have gotten on my nerves in the first ce,¡± Lust said, taking one more step backward.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t act tough,¡± Iceline quickly warned her. ¡°Just like you said, you went through a lot of trouble to get that body.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be taken either way. In any case, why don¡¯t you take care of your son now?¡± Lust pointed at Selim, who was writhing on the ground


    ¡°Selim¡­?¡±.


    ¡°Poor you. The son you trusted can¡¯t even control his boiling lust, and your trustworthy knights are no better. You don¡¯t even have that many friends, but one of them could die any minute¡­¡±


    Iceline¡¯s unleashed anger, dyed the sky dark and covered the ground with freezing cold mana. The colossal currents of mana made even Tremblin¡¯s hand tremble slightly around the hilt of his sword.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty,¡± Tremblin quietly said.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Iceline¡¯s neat ponytail fluttered. Before Lust could respond, her entire body started to freeze over in spite of the fact that she hadn¡¯t made any contact with Iceline¡¯s mana.


    ¡°Hmph¡­ Your ability is a real nuisance. I must get rid of you the next time we meet,¡± Lust remarked.


    ¡°There is no next time. You¡¯ll never be able to get out of here.¡±


    Lust grinned. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that this is already over?¡±


    Seventy percent of her body was already frozen, so she resorted to an extraordinary method to escape the danger¡ªshe fell backward. Iceline¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°It¡­ wouldn¡¯t¡­ be¡­ so¡­ bad to¡­ shatter¡­¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Iceline was forced to withdraw her mana that body belonged to someone else.


    Lust felt the air was quickly warm and the end of her mouth curled upward.


    ¡°Soft-hearted wretch,¡± she spat, just before the dimensional gate swallowed her.


    Iceline copsed to the ground.


    ¡°What¡­ have I done?¡±


    Guilt and self-me overwhelmed Iceline. A Demon King. No matter what the evil creature started in the future, Iceline was ultimately responsible for allowing it to happen. She might end up regretting the day over and over.


    ¡°Urghhhhhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty, p-please help¡­¡±


    The people around her were in pain, so Iceline pulled herself together, biting her lip. She may regret it in the future, but now wasn¡¯t the time to sit still.


    ¡°Everyone who can move, bring mana stones from the warehouse! And Duke Tremblin, please send an official request for help to the Magic Tower right now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Tremblin nodded.


    There was no better power than divine power to subdue demonic power, but mana, the power of nature, was very effective in its own way. On top of that, the experts in this field were in the Magic Tower.


    ¡°¡­I should stay alert,¡± Iceline told herself again and again as she approached Selim.


    * * *


    In the snowy mountains, the monsters, who looked like dots from where Joshua was standing, began to roar at the sky all of a sudden.


    -Hah! The monsters are responding to the Evil Sins¡¯ powers. Hehehe.


    Some of the highest-ranking demons were summoned by the demons who had settled in thisnd. On the other hand, many of the monsters here were attracted by the weakening Demon Spirit¡¯s energy. Above all, there were powers in thisnd that would attract their attention aside from the Demon Spirit.


    -I can tell that five out of the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers have manifested in the people of this country. The remaining two powers must have manifested in people somewhere else on the continent, but they¡¯lle to this ce. The Evil Sins¡¯ powers have the tendency to attract each other.


    The Demon Spirit burst intoughter inside Joshua. The Seven Evil Sins were, as the Demon Spirit had pointed out, one in the beginning,


    -Hahahahaha! I assure you that this is the true beginning. When those monsters realize that I¡¯m merely a pie in the sky, they¡¯ll descend the mountain to find the Evil Sins¡¯ powers and turn yournd upside down. It won¡¯t take long.


    From within his icy prison, Joshua quietly looked down the mountain. Just like the Demon Spirit said, all sorts of monsters littered its slopes. There were foul, rotting ghouls; trolls, the incredibly resilient intermediate-ranking monsters; the big creatures flying in packs were wyverns; the more powerful monsters were duhans, the true undead; and death knights could asionally be seen in the crowd.


    ¡°Death knights¡­¡± Joshua trailed off. He already knew who had summoned those monsters since the demon that had visited Joshua with Carmen von Agnus was of simr rank.


    -Hehehe, are you starting to feel nervous? You said some arrogant crap about your children not being weak, but you can¡¯t say that anymore after seeing those monsters with your own eyes, can you?


    ¡°Not at all.¡±


    -¡­What?


    Joshua grinned. ¡°Have you forgotten that I have a legion of monsters of my own?¡±


    Joshua could sense that the Demon Spirit was caught off guard.


    Joshua had made secret preparations for certain contingencies. Once certain requirements were met, his monsters would fight for this country.

 Side Story Chapter 119

    Side Story Chapter 119


    Among the seven sky-high towers, the First Magic Tower was the tallest, and on the highest floor of that tower¡­


    ¡°Tower Master!¡±


    Thetapirion Whitesox flinched, but he had no intention of waking up from his nap, even though it was broad daylight.


    ¡°Tower Master! I know you¡¯re in there¡ªthis is an emergency!¡±


    ¡°¡­No Tower Master here. Even if I¡¯m here, pretend like I¡¯m not. There are other Archmages in the tower, so why are you looking for me?¡±


    ¡°This is an urgent matter. The Archmages are here too, so pleasee out to the conference room.¡±


    ¡°For crying out loud! Why does this organization give more work to people the higher their rank gets?! Business trips, state guest receptions¡­ I did everything you people asked me to up until yesterday, like some kind of mascot for the Magic Tower!¡±


    ¡°War has broken out in Avalon, and we received a request for help from them just now.¡±


    ¡°People start wars all the time to get morend, so that has nothing to do with us any¡ª¡± Theta stopped speaking. ¡°¡­Where did you say the war is?¡±


    ¡°The Avalon Empire. The request was sent by Archmage¡­ Ah, let me rephrase: Her Majesty Iceline Sanders, the First Queen Consort of Avalon herself, asked for the Magic Tower¡¯s help.¡±


    Theta bolted out of bed, strode to the door, and flung it wide open.


    ¡°¡­Huh, they really are all here,¡± Theta mumbled.


    The highest floor of the First Magic Tower had two doors. Behind the first door was a vast room with exactly seven chairs standing, and the second door led to the private office of Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower.


    Outside of Theta¡¯s private room, he could see numerous people, from his secretary mage to every single one of the other Seven Mages.


    ¡°I really should redesign this tower someday. Why in the world does the Master¡¯s office have to be right next to the conference room?¡± Theta shook his head disapprovingly.


    ¡°I assume that Wooma already gave you a general exnation, so I would like to suggest that we get to business right away,¡± an aged man said.


    Aside from one person, all of the Seven Mages had recently been changed. Even the elderly mages who had been with the Magic Tower for decades had retired due to their old age. However, this aging man remained one of the Seven Mages even after so long a time because that was Theta¡¯s demand when he had first be the Master of the Magic Tower: Marcus Lindbloom, Earth, should stay by Theta¡¯s side and assist him until the day he retired.


    ¡°What is there to think about? An old colleague of ours is asking for our help, so we should help,¡± Theta casually said.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t a matter that we can solve so easily,¡± the new seat of Ice, Iceline¡¯s sessor, said. Her name was Amy, and she was an average-looking woman in her forties. She had admired Iceline for a long time, but she knew how to separate her personal feelings from her work.


    ¡°Avalon is at war with Hubalt,¡± Amy continued. ¡°If we help one of them, the Magic Tower might also be involved in the war.¡±


    ¡°Are you suggesting that we might get caught in the crossfire?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is exactly what I¡¯m saying. The Magic Tower is just an organization, and this is a dispute between two nations. Once we get involved, it¡¯s obvious what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    The other Seven Mages nodded in agreement. An organization¡¯s leader should always take their subordinates into consideration since all of them would feel the effects of the leader¡¯s decisions as well.


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, what needs to be done should be done,¡± Theta calmly replied.


    ¡°Tower Master!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m going to go alone as Thetapirion Whitesox, not the Master of the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already a symbol of the Magic Tower, so no one in the Hubalt Empire will interpret it as an independent act,¡± Amy reminded Theta.


    Everyone looked at Theta, but he remained resolute.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll quit as the Master of the Magic Tower,¡± he proimed, in a firm voice that rebuffed all attempts at persuasion.


    ¡°A-Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Of course. I didn¡¯t want to be the Tower Master in the first ce, so why would I want to continue if I can¡¯t even help my friend in her time of need?¡± Theta stood up from his seat. ¡°We¡¯re done talking now, yes? I¡¯ll head to Avalon now¡ªdon¡¯t even think about following me.¡±


    As Theta slowly walked away, no one so much as thought about standing up. Although they didn¡¯t say it aloud, they understood how Theta felt.


    In fact, Iceline had helped the Magic Tower tremendously. With her exceptional talent in artifact development, the Magic Tower had umted a significant amount of assets, allowing them to enjoy a new golden age.


    ¡°¡­Phew. I ought to follow him.¡±


    ¡°Sir M-Marcus?¡±


    ¡°I should have done this earlier. I¡¯ve been in this seat for too long, so it¡¯s about time for some young blood to take the seat of Earth.¡±


    Their Master of the Magic Tower and an Archmage left in no time. Even then, the other Seven Mages remained frozen stiff¡ªthey finally realized that the Second Continental War had truly begun.


    * * *


    Following Iceline¡¯s instruction, mana stones were gathered in no time.


    ¡°Mages, prepare to cast an anti-magic field. We¡¯ll use it to drive out all the demonic power nearby,¡± Iceline ordered.


    ¡°Pardon? Did you say an anti-magic field?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡± Iceline nodded calmly.


    An anti-magic field would dispel all spells within a certain area. Iceline was suggesting they drive out the demonic power in the area with it; it might have been different if they were nullifying mana, but even the high-leveled mages were left baffled.


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to exin in detail. I¡¯m going to change the property of our anti-magic field into an anti¨Cdemonic-power field.¡±


    The mages¡¯ eyes bulged. The same question came to the mind of every single one: was that possible? No, it was too dangerous even if it was possible. There was no precedent for it in all of history, and since no trial runs had been made, the mages would be risking their lives.


    ¡°Your Majesty, it¡¯s too dangerous!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to be the core of the field. All you need to do is send me mana using the mana stones,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°Then your mana circle might explode¡ª!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s for our people,¡± Iceline said firmly. Her tone clearly indicated that she wouldn¡¯t brook any objections.


    No one dared to speak a word upon witnessing Iceline¡¯s noble spirit of self-sacrifice. On top of that, the Prince of Avalon was one of those whose lives hung by a thread, his body being corroded away by demonic power. A parent was risking their life to save her child, so what could the mages say?


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t just wait for the Magic Tower¡¯s help forever. I have to try everything I can.¡¯</em>


    Iceline immediately started up her magic circle. ¡°¡­Here we go.¡±


    The air hummed with incredible power. There was nothing they could do excepty their hopes on this anti¨Cdemonic-power field. If miracles really did exist, maybe this gambit would seed, no matter how slim the chances were.


    ¡°Wait, Your Majesty!¡±


    Iceline flinched as she was in the middle of altering the anti-magic field. She turned to look and discovered a familiar illuminated by the magic circle¡¯s brilliant light.


    ¡°I think I can take care of the demonic power!¡±


    Iceline gaped nkly at him. Although the remark itself was surprising, the identity of the speaker was equally surprising:


    Her other son.


    She may not have given birth to him herself, but no one could deny that he was her child.


    ¡°¡­Kireua?¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Lust fell out of the dimensional portal and immediately vomited.


    Fortunately for her, she hadn¡¯t been stuck in a dimensional rift nornded in the middle of nowhere and crushed. In the end, that was a victory for her.


    ¡°Hahaha! Stupid, weak-hearted bitch,¡± Lust sneered as she recalled how Iceline had withdrawn her mana at thest moment. Humans, Lust had always thought, were truly foolish. To let the source of all evil go just because of their affection? Could Iceline fathom what kind of destruction her pathetic sympathy was going to cause?


    ¡°¡­But where am I?¡± Lust took a look around her surroundings. She found herself in the middle of a snowy mountain. The snow was piled high over the trees and grass, and not a single animal could be seen, as if they were all hibernating. But most intriguing¡­


    ¡°¡­This power that I¡¯m breathing in is very familiar. Wait¡­¡± Lust felt a tingle run down her spine. The foul, wicked power she felt all around her could not be anything but demonic power.


    ¡°The air is filled with demonic power¡­ There¡¯s a ce like this in the Human Realm?¡±


    If it hadn''t been for the faintest trace of mana in the air, Lust would have mistaken this ce for the Demon Realm. She trembled in overwhelming excitement.


    ¡°I¡¯m definitely lucky. Hahahahahaha!¡±


    In a ce that was abundant in demonic power like this, it wouldn¡¯t take long for her to recover. Above all, she would be able to eradicate the damned wretch who was dormant inside her.


    ¡°I can feel that someone who¡¯ll be able to exin this abnormal phenomenon is on this mountain peak.¡±


    She wasn¡¯t in good shape, but she was absolutely certain that someone with demonic power was on the mountain¡¯s peak¡ªand their demonic power was on an entirely different level than hers. Although it wasn¡¯t clear if the power belonged to a living being or an ownerless object, she was quite fortunate either way. In her state, her body was going to freeze solid, and thest thing Lust wanted now was to be cold.


    ¡°If it¡¯s alive, then without a doubt it must be a demon, so all I have to do is partner up with them. If it¡¯s not, I can just take it. Hahaha¡ªwait just a moment, Iceline. I¡¯m going to return to Arcadia as soon as possible and eat you whole.¡±


    Lust slowly climbed up the mountain, her heart full of hope and anticipation. She was looking forward to seeing whaty at the top of the mountain so much that it felt like her heart was going to explode.

 Side Story Chapter 120

    Side Story Chapter 120


    Thetapirion Whitesox and Marcus Lindbloom walked out of a blue spatial rift.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I came here.¡±


    Theta was the one and only Eighth Circle mage on the continent, so they didn¡¯t even need a warp gate. A teleportation spell could take them anywhere they needed to go; it hardly mattered that the Magic Tower and Arcadia were thousands of kilometers away from each other.


    ¡°It¡¯d be better to head to the Pce first, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Theta closed his eyes for a moment and frowned ¡°¡­No, I think we should head north, not the Pce.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? North¡­?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you try it, Earth? Can¡¯t you feel it?¡± Theta suggested.


    Marcus closed his eyes and put his entire focus on energy detection. Before long, his eyes flew open again. ¡°I see that I still have a long way to go in magic. You are indeed an Eighth Circle mage.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    They headed north without dy.


    ¡°Tower Master,¡± Marcus said.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°When you said you¡¯ll help Avalon for your friend, you were talking about Her Majesty Iceline, right?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Theta trailed off. His thoughts turned to a particr man¡ªa man so powerful that he hardly needed anyone¡¯s help. His mind and his pride were strong. Although he was quite arrogant too, the man was the most powerful individual Theta knew. Not someone he wanted to make an enemy of, to be sure.


    ¡°Do you think he¡¯s really back?¡± Theta asked out of the blue.


    ¡°¡­I guess that you were thinking about the Emperor of Avalon.¡± Marcus smiled faintly.


    Marcus hadn¡¯t seen the Master of the Magic Tower and Martial God meet. As a matter of fact, Theta and Joshua were both close and distant; Joshua had been Theta¡¯s opponent in the Reinhardt Masters'' Battle, but he had saved the Magic Tower and all of its mages from Evergrant con Aswald¡¯s evil scheme.


    ¡°He¡¯s such an arrogant guy. All the male mages of the Magic Tower secretly had a crush on Iceline, but he snatched her away. And despite that, he put her through all kinds of trouble,¡± Theta grumbled.


    ¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s said that heroes always put beautiful women through trouble. Since he¡¯s called the Hero King, I wouldn¡¯t expect any less.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, it¡¯s strange. If he¡¯s back, I don¡¯t think she would need help from anyone else.¡± Theta tilted his head.


    That didn¡¯t change even if the opponent was the Hubalt Empire, the powerful nation on the continent right now, because Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was capable of single handedly stopping an entire country¡¯s attack. Since he had fought against Joshua, Theta knew that better than anyone.


    ¡°He¡¯s a man who defeated numerous Superhumans¡­ Was there an exceptional Absolute hiding in the Hubalt Empire or something?¡±


    Theta didn¡¯t stop walking in spite of his confusion. The closer he got to the north gate, the thicker the mana in the air became. At that point, it was safe to assume that hundreds of high-level mages were simultaneously utilizing their mana circles at once.


    ¡°Why would they need such arge amount of mana¡­?¡±


    Theta suddenly stopped talking.


    ¡°Tower Master, this is¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I felt it too.¡±


    Marcus grunted. ¡°Hubalt is also called the Holy Empire, so why would they get involved with demonic power? What in the world¡­¡±


    ¡°Who knows? A third party may have joined in. Let¡¯s hurry.¡±


    Theta immediately casted a short-range teleportation spell. In contrast, Marcus moved a little differently. Cracks spread underneath Marcus¡¯s feet, and the ground rose up. It then rolled along with Marcus on top, living up to its name, ¡°Earth Wave¡±. Thanks to their abilities, they reached the north gate in no time.


    ¡°Huh¡­¡±


    The first thing they could see was a magic circle shining with blue light. In that circle, numerous people were writhing as ck demonic power ran rampant inside it. In its center were a woman and a man.


    ¡°Iceline¡­?¡± Theta¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    ¡°¡­Based on his appearance, the red-haired man beside her seems to be the Second Prince of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    Theta instantly realized what was going on.


    ¡°Does she have a death wish? How could she try something that crazy?¡±


    The magic circle before them was an antimagic field, and Iceline was trying to change its fundamental nature. This experimental procedure was as difficult as creating something out of nothing. In other words, it was a perfect way to lose control of her mana die from the slightest mistake.


    ¡°Earth.¡± Theta stepped forward with a frown. ¡°Please prepare for the worst. I¡¯m going in there.¡±


    ¡°What? But it¡¯s too dangerous, Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll all die if I leave them be. You know that this could go wrong at any moment.¡±


    Marcus did not refute him, so Theta strode into the antimagic field.


    ¡°You could have spent the rest of your life surrounded in luxury¡­ but you certainly know how to find trouble, Iceline.¡±


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Kireua was soaked in sweat.


    ¡®¡­Shit, I talked all big, but this is embarrassing.¡¯


    Since he had experience dealing with demonic power, Kireua had been confident that he would be able to solve the problem again, but things did not go ording to expectation. However, there was something going on.


    -Wowsie! Food! Food! It¡¯s all mine!


    -Hehehehe!


    -Why are you getting in my way? I said it¡¯s mine!


    -Hehe! Hehe! Hehehehe!


    -You came in after me, so what nonsense are you saying! Do you want a piece of me?!


    The two Evil Sins¡¯ powers continued to bicker with each other inside Kireua, something he had definitely not expected in the slightest. He couldn¡¯t stop his face from creasing.


    <em>¡®Cut it out, you two! We need to save people first, so it doesn¡¯t matter who eats it!¡¯</em>


    -No! No! Why do people matter? I¡¯m hungry! I want it all to myself!


    Up until a while ago, Coal had the mind of a three- or four-year-old child, but now it was around seven to eight years old. Thanks to Coal¡¯s growth, it was as stubborn as a mule now.


    <em>¡®There¡¯s always next time! Seriously, you really are the power of Greed¡­¡¯</em>


    -Hehehehehehehe!


    <em>¡®It¡¯s the same for you, you damn Gluttony,¡¯</em> Kireua snapped.


    -Ah, I don¡¯t care! I don¡¯t care! Tell that guy to get out! I told you that it¡¯s all mine!


    <em>¡®Shit¡­!¡¯</em>


    Kireua cracked his eyes open.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡± Kireua bit his lower lip.


    His beautiful second mother was obviously struggling.


    ¡°¡­Kireua, I¡¯m fine, so take Selim out of here.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to trap the demonic power inside the field, so once Selim gets out of here, he¡¯ll easily be able to pull himself back together,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty, but then you¡¯ll be¡ª¡±


    ¡°Kireua.¡± Iceline opened her eyes with a faint smile. ¡°Please look after Selim.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not your birth mother, and your father had disappeared irresponsibly, but you still treat me the same as your birth mother¡ªso thank you for that. I¡¯m very proud of the fine man you¡¯ve be. Remember that I love you two more than anyone else in the world.¡±


    Kireua could feel himself choking up as all his memories shed across his head. Of course, there had been a time when Kireua had hated Selim. No, Kireua had actually hated himself for having no talent with spears and constantlyparing himself to his brother, although he knew it was wrong.


    ¡°Please continue to get along well with each other. No matter what anyone says, you two are your only brothers.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty, why would you tell me this now¡­?¡±


    ¡°¡­I think I was too reckless. I can feel my eyes closing.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Kireua screamed.


    Abruptly, a man wearing a robe appeared in the sky.


    ¡°Hey, baby prince!¡± he shouted. ¡°Would you step back a little? You¡¯re getting in my way.¡±


    Kireua wasn¡¯t sure what was going on, but Iceline brightened despite her perilous position.


    ¡°Theta!¡±


    ¡°¡­Theta?¡± Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    Since Iceline called the man by his nickname, Kireua didn¡¯t realize who he was right away, but it didn¡¯t take long for Kireua to remember the man¡¯s identity.


    Iceline had been losing her battle against the encroaching demonic power, but a fresh infusion of concentrated mana gave her the power to continue the fight.


    ¡°S-So much mana¡­¡± Kireua swallowed nervously. He was sure that this man was a mage at least as skilled as Iceline. A young, handsome mage named Theta and with more than seven circles¡­


    Kireua felt a jolt of electricity run down his spine.


    ¡°The most genius mage in history. Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower!¡±


    * * *


    Lust huffed and puffed her way up to the top of the snowy mountain, fighting her fatigue the whole way.


    The first things she saw were the vast sky and an endless ocean of clouds as white as snow nketing the entire peak. The view was, without exaggeration, heavenly.


    ¡°¡­Phew. Where in the world is it? What a pain.¡±


    Lust wasn¡¯t impressed by the scenery at all right now because she needed to find where the demonic power wasing from first.


    ¡°Iceline zin Rebra¡­ I¡¯m going to rip that bitch to shreds with my bare hands,¡± Lust told herself again as she strode forward.


    She could feel the demonic power even from the edge of the mountain peak. The closer she got, the more lively she became for some reason.


    ¡°Hahahahaha, I¡¯m here!¡± When Lust saw a giant chunk of ice in the distance, she took off running. The snow piled on the ground made it hard to walk, but she was full of energy at the moment. She believed without a doubt that once she acquired the source of this demonic power, she would not only be able to get her revenge but also recover most of her power.


    -¡­This is something that I didn¡¯t have in mind.


    The familiar voice froze Lust as surely as Iceline¡¯s magic.


    -It doesn¡¯t look like you came here in search of your own grave.


    ¡°W-Wait, this can¡¯t be right. No way.¡± Lust trembled like a leaf in the win, her eyes glued on the man inside the ice boulder. ¡°Why¡­ are you here?¡±


    -That¡¯s the question I wanted to ask.


    A divinely handsome man with dark blue hair and two obsidian-like eyes stared at Lust.


    Lust¡¯s voice quivered.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 121

    Side Story Chapter 121


    ¡°Theta¡­!¡± Iceline shouted.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mess right now. If you didn¡¯t want to live the easy life, then you should have just stayed in the Tower.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡­!¡±


    ¡°Focus,¡± Theta instructed. ¡°I¡¯m going to help you.¡±


    Iceline shed a rare, radiant smile.


    ¡°What¡¯s with the goofy smile?¡± Theta grumbled. ¡°¡­Where is that arrogant, pathetic husband of yours?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®pathetic¡¯? He¡¯s better than anyone else in the world.¡±


    ¡°¡­Gosh, you stand up for your husband even in a time like this?¡± Theta shook his head in disbelief before starting up his circle. The Master of the Magic Tower¡¯s tremendous mana instantaneously dominated the field. ¡°Change its property¡­ I never thought I would take part in this kind of madness. Marcus, you¡¯re there, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here.¡±


    The voice wasing from ground level. Iceline turned to look and was startled to find a muscr old man standing on top of a outcrop of earth higher than the castle walls.


    ¡°Marcus, you¡¯re here too¡­!¡±


    ¡°Long time no see, Iceline.¡± Marcus smiled gently.


    ¡°Marcus, you focus too! Say hiter! Iceline, exin the situation to him.¡± Theta gestured at Iceline.


    ¡°¡­A witch with an Evil Sin¡¯s authority showed up in this country. She was quite proficient in manipting people¡¯s minds and caused this situation using her demonic power.¡±


    ¡°Mind maniption¡­ That¡¯s why even the knights are lying unconscious¡ªso the wicked power reached their brains?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I seeded in trapping the demonic power inside the field, but that doesn¡¯t solve the root of the problem.¡± Iceline shook her head.


    ¡°I understand. So we have to eradicate this demonic power¡­¡± Theta trailed off, eyeing the demonic power skeptically. It wasn¡¯t difficult to eliminate the demonic power within the field¡ªthe problem was that the power was already inside these people, tormenting them. Demonic power was poisonous to humans, so once they were poisoned, treating them was impossible without a special cure.


    ¡°Hey, baby prince.¡± Theta looked at Kireua.


    Kireua jumped in surprise. ¡°Me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡ªwait, are you offended because I talk too arrogantly to the great prince of the Avalon Empire?¡±


    ¡°N-No, you¡¯re Her Majesty¡¯s friend, so feel free to speak casually.¡±


    ¡°I like your straightforwardness. In any case, I feel like you have a solution for this. Am I right?¡±


    Kireua found himself surprised once again.


    ¡°Why do you think that¡­?¡± he cautiously asked.


    ¡°Well, I can feel at least two powers inside you that are as strong as the wicked demonic power in the field.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted.


    Iceline¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°Excuse me? Kireua has demonic power?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Was it a secret?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the first I¡¯ve heard about this.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­ You¡¯ve got one messed up family. Well, I guess nothing good can happen if the fact that the Second Prince of Avalon possesses demonic power bes known. Avalon has a history, after all. Anyhow, let¡¯s finish talking about thister.¡± Theta raised his finger and pointed. ¡°To conclude, it¡¯s impossible to eradicate all the demonic power in the field because some of that is inside these people already.¡±


    ¡°We still have to try. We can¡¯t give up on all these people.¡±


    ¡°Let me finish¡ªit may be possible to transfer all of this power into one ce through the right medium.¡±


    ¡°What medium?¡± Iceline asked.


    ¡°I think the prince next to you will be able to exin this better than I can.¡±


    Iceline gave Kireua a wide-eyed look. The prince gave her an awkward smile for a moment before stepping forward.


    If you two can gather the demonic power into one ce, I can take care of it,¡± Kireua confidently said. He¡¯d already done it in western Avalon. Coal had eaten all the demonic power inside the people too¡ªbut of course, the situation was a little different from back then since Kireua now had another Evil Sin¡¯s power named ¡°Gluttony¡±. Judging from how Coal and the power of Gluttony continued to fight inside Kireua, it was easy to deduce that the two powers could go out of control if they were let loose.


    <em>¡®Stop fighting and just open your mouths,¡¯</em> Kireua chastised.<em> ¡®Looks like you¡¯ll get your food.¡¯</em>


    The two powers stopped fighting right away.


    -Really? We¡¯re really going to be fed, Kireua?


    -Hehe! Hehehehehe!


    <em>¡®The three best mages in the Human Realm are here, so trust me and stay still. If you guys keep fighting, you won¡¯t get anything,¡¯</em> Kireua warned them.


    -¡­Okay.


    -¡­He.


    After sorting out the situation, Kireua opened his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Alright, here we go. Iceline, focus on changing the field¡¯s property to anti-demonic power. I¡¯ll stop it from escaping and gather it into one spot,¡± Theta instructed.


    Iceline bit her lip and nodded. ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°Marcus! Please make preparations to stop any possible side-effects from spreading because even I don¡¯t have the slightest idea what kind of shenanigans this wicked power will cause.¡±


    Marcus got to work without answering. The ground around them rose into towering walls that shrouded them in a thick shadow except for a gap at the top of the dome.


    ¡°Perfect.¡± Theta grinned. Since Iceline was quite fatigued, he thrust his arm out without dy, his palm opened. ¡°Now,e.¡±


    The air audibly vibrated with tension, the pitch-ck demonic power filling the field undting.


    -Kieeeeeeeeeeeh!


    A high-pitched scream ripped out of nowhere. Before long, ck clouds of smoke floated overhead, and before their astonished eyes, suddenly coalesced into a definite form.


    ¡°¡­I guess it¡¯s no ordinary demonic power,¡± Theta mumbled.


    Kireua was even more surprised. The moment this all happened, the two Evil Sins¡¯ powers inside Kireua began to frantically run wild.


    -One of us!


    -Hehehehehe!


    <em>¡®What? One of you two?¡¯</em> Kireua frowned.


    -That¡¯s the same as us! It¡¯s not ordinary food!


    -Keeeeeeee!


    <em>¡®It¡¯s like you? Are you telling me that </em>that<em> is the power of Lust?¡¯</em> Kireua eyed the mass of demonic power, appalled. He thought that the power of Lust had run away¡ªhe saw Lust squeezing through the dimensional portal at thest possible moment. But if the power trapped in the field with them was the power of Lust¡­


    <em>¡®¡­What in the world was that?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    However, now wasn¡¯t the time to get sidetracked, so Kireua gathered himself as the wave of demonic power surged.


    ¡°Get ready!¡± Theta twirled his hand, sending the enormous mass of demonic power flying toward Kireua.


    ¡°Okay!¡± Kireua spread his arms wide and then embraced it.


    He heard a loud <em>Gulp!</em>, and then lost consciousness.


    <em></em> *


    At the edge of the cliff on the snowy mountain peak¡­


    ¡°What¡­ in the world¡­? Lust copsed onto her knees in front of the ice boulder, trembling.


    Meeting Joshua wasn¡¯t the end of the surprises. Despite the fact that she wasn¡¯t using her abilities, she felt sluggish and powerless. Worse, she was losing control over her body.


    ¡°¡­Agh! Get back inside, you damned wretch. This is mine. She¡¯s already mine!¡± Lust screamed.


    -I guess Lilith is fighting back hard. I guess I can give her a little hand, then.


    Joshua quietly closed his eyes inside the ice boulder. It wasn¡¯t impossible to help Lillith if her body was this close. In fact, this was why the demon that had visited this ce with Carmen couldn¡¯t get any closer to Joshua. If someone that wasn¡¯t a human but possessed demonic power came close to the ice boulder Joshua was in¡­


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Lust stammered.


    -Thank you for voluntarilying all the way out here. It¡¯s actually been bothering me.


    -You stupid bitch! Who do you think you are toe here? Get lost right now!


    ¡°This energy¡­ Wait, the Demon Spirit?¡± Lust mumbled in disbelief.


    -I repeatedly told the demons to nevere near this boulder unless they¡¯d acquired more than three Evil Sin powers at the very least!


    ¡°I didn¡¯te here by choi¡ªAhhhhhhhhhhh!¡± Lust suddenly screamed and tore out fistfuls of her hair.


    The change had already started. Joshua was the one and only person on the continent who had both demonic and divine powers, so he was capable of freely converting demonic power into divine power and vice versa¡ªlight and darkness were basically one.


    -This is for the better. She¡¯s the daughter of a cardinal and a woman they call a saint, so an Evil Sin¡¯s power really didn¡¯t suit her.


    ¡°What¡­ are you doing to me¡­!¡± Lust screamed.


    -I¡¯m going to convert all the demonic power in your body into divine power. Then you, the demonic ego, won¡¯t be able to survive.


    ¡°What¡­ the hell. There¡¯s no way that¡¯s possible¡­¡±


    -There¡¯s something that my fellow humans often say when they look at me.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    -The Martial God is someone who makes the impossible possible.


    Joshua grinned. For some reason, he couldn¡¯t feel a single trace of her Root of All Evil, which was the core of an Evil Sin¡¯s power. With the biggest obstacle out of the way, converting the demonic power wasn¡¯t a big problem.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t I use my power of All Evil? Wait, did you¡­!¡± Lust''s eyes widened as she realized what had happened to her. It must have been when Lust had passed through the dimensional portal. If Iceline had not only tweaked the gate¡¯s coordinates but also stopped a certain kind of power from passing through the gate¡­


    ¡°Iceline zin Rebraaaaaaaaaa!¡± Lust howled, her voice dripping with loathing for the woman who seemed to cause every single one of her problems.


    -Haha, Iceline did that? I knew I didn¡¯t have to worry about her.


    Joshua¡¯s smile grew and he sped up his conversion of Lust¡¯s demonic power.


    ¡°N¡­ o¡­ Not like this¡­¡±


    Before Lust could finish speaking, she copsed into the snowy ground.

 Side Story Chapter 122

    Side Story Chapter 122


    -¡­Idiot.


    The Demon Spirit quietly clicked his tongue. In contrast, Joshua was smiling like a fool.


    -Our saint is back now.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Lilith began to stir.


    -Why don¡¯t you wake up now? This is a great ce to die from hypothermia if you keep sleeping here.


    ¡°¡­Joshua?¡± Lilith slowly opened her eyes, revealing her silver eyes, and turned to look at the ice boulder.


    -How are you feeling?


    Lilith sprang to her feet. ¡°I-I see that I¡¯ve disgraced myself.¡±


    Her skin was white to begin with, and the coldness made her look even paler. However, for some reason her cheeks were rosy.


    ¡°You¡­ helped me again,¡± Lilith quietly said.


    -Do you remember what happened when you lost control over your body?


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lilith responded.


    -You saw your body crushing his family andrades with your own eyes, huh?


    Lilith flinched under the Demon Spirit¡¯s scathing deduction.


    -And yet, your expression hasn¡¯t changed one bit. I didn¡¯t know that you were a more shameless wretch than a demon.


    Lilith grew pale. ¡°Jo-Joshua, I¡¯m sorry¡ªthat was never my intentio¡ª!¡±


    -Great work.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    -You¡¯ve been fighting alone against the power of a Demon King. Not just anyone could have done what you did, you know.


    Lilith¡¯s tears welled up. Memories shing across her mind¡ªnot just the incident in the Avalon Empire; ever since she had manifested the power of Lust and been dered a witch, she had been constantly fighting alone for such a long time. She couldn¡¯t talk about it with anyone because her power was shunned by everyone. No one so much as tried to hear her out. Humans were not benevolent enough to listen to other people¡¯s reasons. Everyone pointed their fingers at her as if her misfortune was their entertainment.


    Lilith quietly wept for a long time. She could finally feel that she was free from her demonic shackles and was back to herself.


    The person who made that possible was right in front of her.


    ¡°How¡­ can I¡­ ever repay this¡­?¡± Lilith asked, still shedding tears


    -I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here, because this isn¡¯t my doing. If your Root of All Evil hadn¡¯t been left behind, I wouldn¡¯t have even thought about converting your demonic power into divine power.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡±


    -I told you that you have nothing to be sorry for.


    Lilith¡¯s heart felt tight like it was being squeezed by guilt. Despite the countless times she had received his help, she had dared to cause him pain. She had attempted to harm his wife and tried to take away his child, so she needed to repay the favor she had received. It was her only way to atone.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to help you and spend the rest of my life protecting your beloved, no matter what it costs me,¡± Lilith decided, the quiver erased from her voice by her conviction.


    -For crying out loud!


    The Demon Spirit found the current sight quite annoying, but once again, he was stopped by Joshua.


    -Lilith, there is only one thing you should do.


    ¡°Yes. For Avalon, I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    -Yeah, for Avalon, you need to go back to Hubalt right now.


    ¡°Excuse me? Hubalt?¡± Lilith tilted her head in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    -Bel, the Battle God. He left the Four Pdins behind and went back to Hubalt. I know I¡¯m not a citizen of the Hubalt Empire, but I think it¡¯s pretty obvious what¡¯s going to happen. Don¡¯t you think so too?


    Lilith grew visibly anxious, a frown creasing her beautiful face.


    -There you go. Go back to Hubalt, Lilith. And do what only Lilith Aphrodite can do.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Lilith trailed off, hesitant to leave.


    -Don¡¯t worry about my Avalon. There are powerful people in my country that can¡¯t be bested so easily.


    Joshua grinned.


    -And you know that I¡¯m the famous Martial God, right?


    <em></em> *


    ¡°Oh! It¡¯s been a while since I ran this long. Quite tiring,¡± Bel muttered to himself.


    After covering a distance that would take one week on a horse in half a day, Bel stopped to examine his surroundings. He was currently in Verium, the closest city to the border, so it would take him about two weeks at most to get to the capital of the Hubalt Empire. Of course, that¡¯s two weeks if Bel used a horse like an ordinary person.


    He would reach his destination in no more than three days.


    When Bel encountered a mountain, he leaped over it. If a river flowed before him, he ran on its surface with two pieces of baggage on his shoulders.


    ¡°Anyhow, how should I use them?¡±


    Carmen von Agnus and Babel von Agnus, lying unconscious at Bel¡¯s feet, were members of a prestigious duke¡¯s family. Since their surprise attack on Arcadia had failed, Bel needed a n B¡ªand his prisoners were going to be the sacrifices to make that happen.


    ¡°From what I heard, the Agnus family was the true, legitimate royal bloodline before the Britten family¡­¡±


    Bel already knew the hidden history of the Imperial Family of Avalon, and it was obvious that Carmen von Agnus held incredible enmity against Joshua Sanders. It didn¡¯t seem like Babel von Agnus would feel any different from Carmen.


    ¡°In many ways, you two are lucky to meet me. Hahaha.¡±


    After returning to the capital of the Hubalt Empire, Bel was going to start a purge. Up until now, he had gone along with what the Four Pdins had suggested he should do because he had zero interest in political power or its struggles. Besides, the Four Pdins had provided him with an infinite supply of interesting opponents to fight.


    However, that was going to change now. No one could satiate Bel¡¯s hunger for a good fight anymore, so he was left with only one purpose in life: kill Joshua Sanders, just as he had been raised to do in the first ce.


    ¡°Martial God, I¡¯m going to take everything from you to draw out everything you have.¡±


    Bel grinned and picked up his baggage again.


    As soon as he arrived in the capital, he and his knights would lead the world into the Continental War.


    <em></em> *


    -Get lost! What in the world are you two doing?


    -Hehehehe!


    -Look at Gluttony. Gluttony also agrees that now is our chance. Three Evil Sins¡¯ powers are in one ce right now, so there¡¯s no better chance to rule the Human Realm!


    -Don¡¯t even dream of it! Kireua is my friend! No one eats their friend!


    -I¡¯m going to go nuts. Do you think you¡¯re a human? Gah! After spending time away from the Demon Kings, you¡¯re starting to act like a mortal!


    Kireua was supposed to be unconscious, but he could hear the voices more clearly than ever, for some reason.


    <em>¡®What is happening inside my body?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    -Why are you trying to drive out someone who was already here when you just got here, you witch?!


    -Oh my, you¡¯re quite hurtful with your words. I¡¯m suggesting this so we can lead better lives. Let¡¯s be realistic: I¡¯m not the only one who benefits if we rule the Human Realm.


    -Hehehe!


    -See? Gluttony likes the idea too. Seriously, you¡¯ve always been oddly inflexible for someone whose name is Greed¡­


    -No matter what you say, I¡¯m never giving Kireua to you guys!


    Kireua slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he could see was a ck cotton ball quarreling against a bizarre mouth-shaped creature and a subus.


    -He seems to be awake.


    -Hehehe!


    Coal, the ck cotton ball, nced back.


    -Are you okay, Kireua?


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m fine,¡± Kireua replied. Despite his confusion, he instinctively realized that he had been here before. This was his subconscious realm, the space between his consciousness and the real world.


    ¡°Coal.¡±


    -Yup?


    ¡°Will I be a Demon Spirit if I collect all seven of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers?¡± Kireua asked.


    Someone else responded to Kireua¡¯s question.


    -My, my, the person in question is wayyyyy more greedy! Hahahaha!


    -Hehehehehe!


    -Greed, there¡¯s nothing left for you to say since your Kireua has made his choice.


    The power of Lust strode toward Kireua.


    -Let me answer on Greed¡¯s behalf: of course it¡¯s possible. ck mages in the past tried to summon Demon Kings to thisnd because they would be able to rule a region with a single Evil Sin¡¯s power, a country with two Evil Sins¡¯ powers, and a continent with three Evil Sins¡¯ powers.


    -Hehehehe!


    -Nevertheless, they lost their souls to the Demon Kings they had sacrificed so much to summon¡ªbut that isn¡¯t the case for you. You acquired the Evil Sins¡¯ powers themselves, rather than summoning the Demon Kings that wielded the Evil Sins¡¯ powers.


    -Hehehe!


    -Join us. You don¡¯t need to bother collecting all seven. Three of us are enough for you to devour this whole continent.


    Lust¡¯s captivating voice had an irresistible charisma.


    -Kireua¡­


    Coal said with a worried voice. In the end, what mattered the most was the decision of the body¡¯s original owner.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m a little happy,¡± Kireua abruptly said.


    -¡­Huh?


    ¡°I¡¯m the Martial God¡¯s son, but I share nothing inmon with him. I look nothing like him and have zero talent in the spear, and I¡¯m not even as strong as him.


    Coal drooped; in contrast, Lust and Gluttony were literally bouncing with joy.


    -Good choice! Yeah, there¡¯s nothing more pathetic than a puppy born from a tiger. If you join us, you can be like your father!


    -Hehehehehe!


    -Joshua Sanders is already a legend in the Demon Realm too!


    Despite what she said, Lust had a different n in mind. The Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers, whichposed the Primordial All Evil, bing one once again was a tremendous event. From that point onward, one would not only be able to rule his realm but also all the other realms. The Demon Realm was where the only respected quality was strength. Demons had fought to the death to obtain the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers for a good reason.


    <em>¡®To be honest, three of us are already enough. If I can be the dominant Evil Sin power, then I¡¯ll take Joshua Sanders¡¯s body and¡­ Hahahaha!¡¯</em>


    Just thinking about it was enough to make Lust tremble in excitement.


    However, things took an unexpected turn.


    ¡°I want to walk down the same path as my father,¡± Kireua said. ¡°Coal, can you help me?¡±


    Coal finally brightened up, and, in turn, Lust and Gluttony¡¯s faces darkened. Walking down the same path as Joshua Sanders meant only one thing.


    ¡°Eat them all, Coal¡ªno, Greed, the most greedy of all Evil Sins¡¯ powers.¡±


    -Okay!


    Greed swelled to monstrous size.


    -N-No! You idiots¡­.!


    -Hehehehehehe!


    ¡­And devoured the other two Evil Sins¡¯ powers in one gulp.

 Side Story Chapter 123

    Side Story Chapter 123


    After absorbing all the raging demonic power in the barrier, Kireua opened his eyes and took a deep breath. Such was the result of embracing Coal¡ªthe power of Greed¡ªwholly, and consuming the powers of Lust and Gluttony.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve changed,¡± Theta said, allowing his mana toe to rest.


    Iceline already copsed on the ground from exhaustion, and Marcus, the Earth, was drenched in sweat. However, all of the knights and pdins had stabilized thanks to their efforts.


    ¡°The Prince of Avalon¡­ absorbed all the demonic power?¡±


    The pdins of Hubalt were the most surprised. After the death of the Four pdins, their superiors, they hadpletely lost the will to fight, but what had just happened crushed thest trace of defiance.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer that yourselves? Does His Highness over here look like a Demon King?¡± Theta pointed at Kireua. ¡°Not only did he trap the demonic power that was tormenting you in himself, but he also retained his sanity. Who could possibly call someone like thatevil?¡± Theta asked.


    The quiet allowed his mana-enhanced voice to quietly hang in the air.


    Not one pdin dared to say a word to the Second Prince of Avalon as he stood high in the sky. Kireua Sanders may have been from an enemy country, but he had, without a doubt, saved all the pdins there.


    ¡°No matter what anyone says, he¡¯s the son of Joshua Sanders, the great spear knight who annihted the Demon Spirit and saved the continent!¡± Theta continued.


    The pdins went down on their knees one after another¡ªthe invaders fully admitted their defeat.


    ¡°You¡¯re our savior!¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saving us from the evil corrupting us!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry! We¡¯re truly sorry! We apologize a thousandfold for causing harm to the innocent by invading this country.¡±


    Duke Tremblin nodded in satisfaction, and Iceline smiled faintly as well when she finally managed to open her eyes.


    The war was over¡ªno, the real war may have just begun, but they could forget about that and enjoy the peace, at least for today.


    ¡°Wow!¡±


    ¡°We wonnnnnnn!¡±


    ¡°Hurray for Her Majesty! Hurray for His Grace! Hurray for His Highness!¡±


    Kireua slowly descended to the ground, paying no mind to the thunderous apuse erupting around him. To his surprise, he was totally tranquil. His head was clearer than ever, and the voices inside of him had stoppedpletely.


    ¡°¡­Kireua.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s attention was drawn outward.


    It was unclear when Selim had pulled himself together or approached Kireua, but he was standing right in front of Kireua now.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been avoiding the matter, but I don¡¯t think we can dy it any further,¡± Selim said.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°Look over there.¡± Selim pointed to the ins outside the north gate.


    All of the foreigners, in their dazzling variety of clothing, had their crystal balls in hand and were busily speaking into them.


    ¡°They¡¯re probably sending the messages to their homes, so that won¡¯t take long for what happened today to be known to the entire continent. You know what that means, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Kireua nodded quietly. He had his Evil Sin¡¯s powers under perfect control, and Hubalt had lost the justification for their invasion. In other words, the Hubalt Empire had undeniablymitted war crimes. Those facts would serve as an excellent card to persuade the rest of the continent to unite and pressure the Hubalt Empire, along with the Tetra Kingdom, Hubalt¡¯s supporter.


    ¡°The other countries will be quick to send emissaries to the Pce bearing messages from their rulers, suggesting we band together,¡± Selim surmised.


    ¡°¡­Those sly dogs.¡±


    ¡°That is diplomacy.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s silence was an obvious agreement. Yes, that was diplomacy¡ªprioritizing their own country¡¯s benefits and never doing things which would bring loss to their country; bis¡¯s Thran Kingdom was the only country that tried to help Avalon at the risk of his own country¡¯s safety. It didn¡¯t matter¡ªall those who had been feeling out Avalon and Hubalt, Avalon would treat in kind. It was Avalon who had seized victory, after all; it was unlikely that anyone but Avalon would lead this alliance, if it was even formed.


    ¡°This matter we can¡¯t dy any further¡ªyou mean the session, right?¡± Kireua asked.


    Selim readily nodded. ¡°Yes, indeed.¡±


    Kireua, of course, agreed that it was necessary. No matter how big of an aplishment Avalon made, the Emperor of Avalon was away now. Perhaps it would have been different if the Emperor of Avalon was present, but without him, what country wouldn¡¯t want to sit in the seat of the leading nation? Since the other countries were sending their troops, they would want to be inmand. That was the most beneficial position for their country, and therefore their obvious goal.


    ¡°The Queen Consorts said that they don¡¯t mind which of us inherits the throne,¡± Selim mentioned.


    ¡°¡­That is because they¡¯re worried that we¡¯ll fight until one of us dies. I¡¯m not surprised¡ªthat¡¯s the history of the Avalon Empire.¡±


    ¡°Agreed. So let¡¯s put an end to this matter using a method that no one can dispute.¡±


    ¡°What are you suggesting?¡± Kireua asked.


    Before the eyes of all the people gathered around them, Selim pointed his spear at Kireua.


    ¡°Let us fight in three days,¡± Selim quietly intoned, ¡°and whoever wins will be the crown prince of this country.¡±


    * * *


    Bel arrived at Kraise, the capital of the Hubalt Empire, three dayster, and headed straight to the Great Temple of Hermes, where all the people of power in this country would be.


    ¡°Sir Bel¡­?¡± The two pdins guarding the entrance were surprised to see him.


    ¡°I feel so light.¡± Bel grinned. He had tossed all of his baggage onto the floor of his inn. ¡°All I have to do now is focus on what I have to do, don¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    The two pdins didn¡¯t get to find out what Bel meant¡ªtheir heads exploded like watermelons in the blink of an eye.


    ¡°I knew it. They really can¡¯t even respond to my punches. All those who serve god are too weak.¡± Bel clicked his tongue and strode right into the temple.


    ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t received anymunications from the entrance. Wait¡­ Sir Bel?¡±


    Thirty pdins poured into the wide lobby of the Great Temple. They hesitated for a moment, but their eyes widened when they noticed the two headless corpses behind Bel.


    ¡°Adel? Trois?¡±


    They figured out the situation quickly and immediately sprang into action. The moment they noticed the slightest off feeling, the pdins drew their swords in spite of the fact that their opponent was Bel, the strongest person in the Hubalt Empire.


    ¡°Everyone, draw your swords!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Bel¡¯s eyes gleamed. Even considering the fact that he had sent two of the pdins¡¯rades to the afterlife, their response was hard for him to understand. On a usual day, the pdins would have thought that those weaklings lying on the floor had done something wrong. It was only natural, given the countless knights, as well as pdins, who had been reduced to corpses by Bel¡¯s punches over the years.


    ¡°¡­Hehehehehe. I see, I see. The Great Temple must have been preparing for this day for a very long time.¡±


    ¡°Gather your divine power!¡±


    White light spread throughout every inch of the lobby. Every one of the pdins that were permanently stationed in the Great Temple were highly skilled¡ªat least B-ss¡ªbecause this ce was as important as Hubalt¡¯s pce. Hubalt had an emperor, of course, but the Pope was the one who wielded true power in Hubalt now.


    ¡°Hahahahahahaha!¡± Belughed for a moment, and then took a look around. ¡°Where are my knights? You people wouldn¡¯t have been strong enough to even pick a fight with them. Wait¡­ it may have been possible if you people ambushed them.¡±


    ¡°Surround him!¡±


    The pdins rapidly encircled Bel. Bel didn¡¯t even blink despite the fact that he was going up against an entire horde of pdins.


    ¡°Heh. I see what the Great Temple¡¯s decision is. It¡¯s my turn to answer, then,¡± Bel casually said.


    The Temple shook like thunder had struck within its halls. The forms of a fire dragon and a silver dragon flickered around each of Bel¡¯s fists.


    Bel mmed the fire dragon on his right fist against the marble floor, instantly cracking it.


    ¡°Wh-What the hell¡­?¡±


    Bel sneered at the pdins. ¡°Do you think you¡¯d win if you ganged up on me?¡±


    A wave of explosions began around Bel and gradually spread in all directions.


    ¡°R-Runnnnn!¡± a senior Pdin shouted at the top of his lungs.


    But he was toote. Over ten pdins had already been swallowed by the cataclysm.


    ¡°Arrgggghhhhhh!¡±


    Gouts of fire shot out of the ground, indiscriminately devouring the pdins. They screamed at the top of their lungs from the pain of their entire bodies melting, but it didn''t take long for everyst bone to be burned to ash in the powerful mes.


    ¡°Temir! Decker! Aisen! Utmir!¡±


    ¡°I still have one fist left, you know,¡± Bel said.


    The senior pdin¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. ¡°Scatter!¡± he shrieked. ¡°Everyone, scatter! Distance yourselves as much¡ª!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re already toote.¡±


    It was bolts of lightning this time.


    ¡°Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yah! Hi-yaaaaaah!¡± Bel shouted. Whenever he threw a punch, heunched white lightning bolts from his fists that struck the pdins like the fury of a god. His victims were wracked by intense seizures while simultaneously being reduced to lumps of charcoal by the mad power of Bel¡¯s lightning.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! How long are you going to keep sending nothing but pdins?! They¡¯re so weak. Come out, cardinals. Come out, high priests! I, Bel, am here!¡±


    When Bel finally stopped, none of the thirty pdins was left standing.


    ¡°Stop!¡±


    Only then did the people Bel had been waiting for appear. Bel¡¯s smile deepened when he saw them. They should have hidden. Since they showed up in front of Bel, only one end was left for them: annihtion.


    ¡°Your destinies were decided just now. Hehehehe.¡± Bel strode across the distance between them.

 Side Story Chapter 124

    Side Story Chapter 124


    ¡°How dare youuuuuuu!


    Bel turned, surrounded by piles of corpses and rivers of blood, to look at the group of people that had just showed up. It had only been ten minutes, but over two hundred pdinsy lifeless on the ground. Despite the massacre he had started, Bel was very calm.


    ¡°Look who¡¯s finally graced me with his presence. Hah, I have to destroy an entire pdin¡¯s order to meet you, huh?¡± Bel licked the blood on his fist.


    Unsurprisingly, the blood belonged to other people, not him. ughtering hundreds of pdins hadn¡¯t left a single cut on Bel; once again, he lived up to his title of Battle God.


    ¡°Bel, what in the world are you doing?!¡± Cardinal Kurz roared.


    On behalf of the previous Pope, who had been forcefully ousted from his position, Cardinal Kurz led the priests. In addition, he had been contending with Cardinal Erman, the father of the ¡°saint¡± Lilith Aphrodite, to be the next pope. Kurz had won that fight by default after his contender¡¯s daughter had manifested a Demon King¡¯s authority. However, Bel knew that Lilith Aphrodite¡¯s circumstances had been orchestrated by this wicked man.


    Bel chuckled. ¡°I had a change of heart.¡± He shrugged.


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®a change of heart¡¯?¡± Kurz demanded.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching what you weaklings were doing because it was funny, but I¡¯m tired of it now.¡±


    ¡°What in the world¡ª! Wait, I lost contact with Michael several days ago. Are you behind that too?¡± Kurz asked, his eyes narrowed.


    Bel quietly shook his head. Kurz and the others were blinded by their arrogance ever since Hubalt had be known as the most powerful nation on the continent, so they didn¡¯t even think about looking elsewhere.


    ¡°That¡¯s all caused by your mistakes,¡± Bel pointed out.


    ¡°Mistakes¡­?¡±


    ¡°The operation failed. Every single one of the oh-so-proud Pdins of the Great Temple has been taken prisoner, and all of the Four Pdins you so confident couldn¡¯t be beat were killed.¡±


    ¡°The Four Pdins were killed? What kind of nonsense is that?!¡± Kurz yelled.


    ¡°Cardinal Kurz, didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯ve lost contact with Michael?¡±


    Kurz and his posse of high priests following him flinched. He knew that something was wrong. During a war, there were countless asions where one had to take action first and reportter¡ªbut even with that considered, Michael hadn¡¯t reported in for too long.


    ¡°Hahahaha! I figured. The Martial God really is something.¡±


    ¡°The Martial God¡­?¡± Kurz¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Then did he¡ª Wait, is he that strong? Then is the story about how he¡¯s been recuperating from a mortal wound for all these years wrong too?¡±


    ¡°Well, it may not be entirely wrong.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about now?¡±


    ¡°I tried fighting him, but he was way weaker than I expected.¡± Bel tilted his head as he recalled the memory from several days ago. Even thinking about it now, he couldn¡¯t understand how that was possible. Joshua Sanders Bel¡¯s sole goal in life, so he¡¯d been shadow-fighting against Joshua based on what he knew of the Martial God¡¯s martial prowess for decades. Although the fight several days ago was Bel¡¯s first actual fight against Joshua, he had fought the Martial God tens of thousands of times in his head.


    ¡°To be honest, I still don¡¯t get how the Martial Emperor, my teacher, was killed by him before the Martial Emperor could do something about it.¡± Bel raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°If you were that confident, why did you run away on your own?!¡±


    ¡°Escape?¡± Bel grinned. There couldn¡¯t be a more unfitting word for the Battle God than ¡°escape¡±. ¡°Don¡¯t you understand that you have to let fruit ripen before you eat it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s the point of beating up someone who isn¡¯t in good enough shape to fight back?¡±


    Kurz gritted his teeth. ¡°Do you think war is a game? Just because of your pride¡ª¡±


    <em>¡°Silence!¡±</em> Bel shouted. Hundreds of the priests copsed to the ground, screaming, as the mana-empowered shockwave mmed into them, blood dripping out of their ears.


    ¡°¡®Just because¡¯? Did you say ¡®just because¡¯?¡± Bel growled.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ How dare you¡­!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve invested my entire life into defeating the man named Joshua Sanders. I don¡¯t even remember when you started raising me like an animal, and I never got to taste freedom¡ªand you call that <em>just because</em>?¡±


    Bel strode angrily toward Kurz and the others.


    ¡°Stop him!


    The pdins anxiously watching the situation jumped into Bel¡¯s path. Although over two hundred of them were already dead, there were over two thousand white-d pdins protecting the Great Temple. This was the ce where the highest-ranking priests resided; it wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that the Empire¡¯s best and brightest were all there.


    ¡°Good. Hahahahahahahaha!¡± Bel guffawed.


    It was one versus tens of thousands, but Bel moved without hesitation.


    ¡°There will be no more Hubalt, the Holy Empire, after today. From tomorrow on, a new country will be born: it will be named Huzact, the Martial Empire, after my teacher. I¡¯ll kill every one of you here and take the throne myself!¡±


    Bel charged into battle.


    * * *


    -How are you feeling?


    Lilith smiled despite the freezing cold temperatures at the top of the mountain. She was wearing a robe with a hood to cover her face, but it was hardly enough to hide her beauty.


    ¡°I feel good,¡± she answered with a giggle.


    -Huh?


    ¡°The Martial God is concerned about me. Where else will I be able to enjoy such luxury?¡± Lilith joked, earning her a quiet chuckle from Joshua.


    -Stop joking. Get married as soon as possible after you¡¯ve stabilized your country. If you miss your timing, you end up an old spinster forever.


    ¡°If you¡¯re that worried about me, you can marry me.¡±


    -¡­You¡¯re joking, right?


    ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m joking?¡± Lilith asked, her eyebrows furrowing.


    Joshua froze for a moment, and then shook his head.


    -I¡¯m sorry, but I already have three beautiful wives.


    ¡°Is there aw that¡¯s stopping you from getting one more?¡±


    -I''ve been criticized enough for having three wives, and I don¡¯t want to walk on eggshells around my children when I get older, so I¡¯ll have to say no.


    ¡°What a bummer.¡±


    Joshua finally realized Lilith had, in fact, been joking.


    -You¡¯re quite mischievous. I¡¯m relieved to see you¡¯re the same as ever.


    ¡°Hah! Take care of your knight first instead of worrying about me. You know, there¡¯s a rumor in my country that the famous Combat Emperor is impotent,¡± Lilith mentioned with a shrug.


    -I-Impotent?


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lilith nodded. ¡°A lot of people used to wonder if they could get the Combat Emperor¡¯s martial prowess in exchange for bing impotent, too.¡±


    Joshua smiled awkwardly. Whenever he thought about Cain, he felt bad because it felt like he was the reason why Cain had remained a bachelor to this day.


    -¡­Stop it. I¡¯m already feeling guilty enough.


    ¡°I should hope so. After spending his entire life searching for his master, he¡¯s now be a sixty-year-old bachelor¡­¡±


    -Are you going to keep doing this? Ugh¡­


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going,¡± Lilith said mischievously and then swiftly turned around.


    ¡°Joshua.¡±


    Joshua looked askance at her.


    ¡°We¡¯re still friends, right?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s voice quivered.


    When it came to her guilt, Lilith¡¯s feelings had not changed. No matter what excuse she used, what she had done could never be undone.


    -Of course. Even if you don¡¯t feel the same, I¡¯ll always think of you as my friend.


    ¡°¡­Seriously, you¡­¡±


    -You know my past.


    ¡°Your past¡­?¡± Lilith¡¯s eyes slowly widened as she recalled his history.


    Joshua Sanders was respected enough to be known as the Martial God around the entire continent, but his life was littered with betrayal. His master had stabbed him in the back, and he had been abandoned by his father. Experiencing all of those tribtions was what had made Joshua Sanders the man he was now.


    -My life¡¯s motto is that there is no future for someone who has betrayed the trust people put in them.


    ¡°¡­Your life¡¯s motto feels like a punch in the gut,¡± Lilith replied with a bitter smile.


    -Don¡¯t overwork yourself, and use the thing I gave you wisely. Then, saving your father won¡¯t be too difficult.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    -But don¡¯t forget about our promise. Once you run into that guy named Bel, run away immediately and don¡¯t look back.


    Lilith felt as light as a feather both mentally and physically. Thinking about the thought this handsome man put into her gave her the confidence to march through her thorny road without pause.


    ¡°I could say the same thing to you. If you need my helpter, contact me without hesitation.¡± Lilith winked.


    Joshua chuckled.


    -I¡¯ll be sure to.


    * * *


    Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire, was stabilized quickly. It had only been three days, but not a trace of war could be found, all thanks to the mages who had been dispatched from the Magic Tower. Following their Tower Master¡¯s order, the mages invested their full power into the restoration of the city.


    ¡°Tower Master, is this really okay?¡±


    Theta waved his hand, dismissing the mages¡¯ concerns. ¡°Stop worrying. It might have been different if we were getting directly involved in the war, but we¡¯re just helping out a country with reconstruction. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°But Hubalt will make a fuss once they find out about this¡­¡±


    ¡°Is our Magic Tower that weak?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Is our Magic Tower so weak that we have to worry about how other countries will respond every time we do something?¡± Theta asked with a frown.


    The Seven Mages, except for Marcus, the Earth, fell silent.


    ¡°If that''s the case, I don¡¯t want to lead it. If you don¡¯t like my decision, what you guys need to do is very simple.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Beat me and take my position as Tower Master¡ªthen I¡¯ll obediently follow your orders.¡±


    This remark was made by Thetapirion Whitesox, the one and only Eighth-Circle mage of this generation, so, of course, no one dared to challenge him.


    ¡°So cut that shit out and look over there.¡± Theta pointed at the arena where the two princes of Avalons were stretching.


    The crown prince of the Avalon Empire was going to be decided today. It was an internal affair, so the event was closed to the public. However, the Magic Tower¡¯s mages were able to take a seat in the audience as a gesture of respect by the Imperial Family.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know who¡¯s going to be the Martial God¡¯s heir?¡± Theta shrugged.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    The Seven Mages turned their full attention to the arena.


    ¡°How about we make a bet?¡± Theta suggested with a grin.


    ¡°A b-bet?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s bet on who wins this fight. The losers will grant one wish for each winner.¡±


    Theta already had a demand in mind for when he won this bet: allow the Magic Tower to support Avalon, and for no one to say anything else about it.


    Theta¡¯s smile grew wider and wider as he thought about it. He was perfectly confident that he was going to win this bet. All of the Seven Mages were going to bet on the same prince, after all¡ªand on the other hand, Theta was going to bet on the other prince, makign him the sole winner.


    ¡°How does that sound? Deal?¡±


    Theta beamed.

 Side Story Chapter 125

    Side Story Chapter 125


    ¡°Protect the high priests! Stop him with your lives!¡±


    ¡°Not a chance.¡± Bel leaped into the air with a wild grin on his face.


    He hung above the pdins¡¯ head for way longer than was natural.


    He looked downward, picking out Cardinal Kurz and eleven other cardinals and high priests. They were his targets.


    ¡°Toocent.¡±


    The vast interior of the Great Temple was packed with pdins, but Bel didn¡¯t care one bit. If someone blocked his way, he could just jump over them.


    Bel kicked off of a ledge near the ceiling, rocketing him toward his target.


    The pdins'' eyes widened as they watched Bel bypass the six-deep wall of men they had established around Kurz and the High Priests in a single bound.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, get lost!¡± Bel yelled.


    Bel put his momentum into a straight punch. The pdins scrambled to pull their divine power to create a Holy Shield¡ªthe shield of god, as they called it.


    ¡°Arrrgggghhh!¡±


    Their gigantic, over ten-meters-tall, shield of light shattered pathetically, scattering into so much dust.


    ¡°One,¡± Bel murmured.


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t kill¡­!¡±


    Maison, the Fourth High Priest, didn¡¯t even get to leave behind hisst words¡ªhe wasn pulverized by Bel¡¯s punch.


    Bel wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Two! Three!¡±


    The Fifth and Seventh High Priests, who had been standing next to Maison, were hit in the nape.


    With a sickening <em>crunch</em>, both their necks were snapped in less than three seconds.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Dozens of pdins btedly swung their swords at Bel.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you just take these?¡± Bel sneered, chucking the two high priests'' corpses at them.


    ¡°Ah!¡±


    The pdins, startled, tried to stop their divine power before they hit the priests.


    ¡°Attack! Those are just dead bodies!¡±


    The pdins stopped and began to draw up more of their divine power. Dozens of swords resonated with the air.


    The two corpses were cut to ribbons.


    ¡°You heartless bastards,¡± Belmented. ¡°You fanatics are worse than me, you know.¡±


    Despite their heartlessness, the pdins¡¯ swords couldn¡¯t reach Bel before he jumped up to the ceiling once again.


    ¡°Do you think the same trick will work twice?¡±


    Bel stopped in midair as if time had frozen.


    ¡°Is this¡­?¡±


    Bel was stuck tight like an insect trapped in a spider¡¯s web. It was like an invisible force had locked itself around his limbs. When he focused his mana into his eyes, he could figure out what happened¡ªa rope of golden light was tying him up.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! Yeah, it¡¯d be boring if it was too easy. Entertain me a little!¡±


    Bel¡¯s muscles swelled like balloons.


    ¡°You crazy bastard, there is no way you would be able to sever a Holy Web with brute stre¡ª¡±


    The pdin didn¡¯t get to finish speaking. The rope of light exploded into a fine cloud of down.


    Bel ignored the pdins as they stared at him in shock and raised his leg high above his head, ready to drop it in a devastating kick.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he shouted, ¡°three more!¡±


    Bel¡¯s ax-kick fired a mass of aura that hurtled straight toward three of the high priests like a ballista bolt.


    The kick mmed into them like a bolt of lightning, bowling them over. The priests writhed on the floor, but their spasms were short-lived.


    Bel had taken out half of his targets, leaving only three cardinals, and three high priests left.


    ¡°Mo-Monster¡­!¡±


    ¡°Cardinal Kurz! Take the others and go! We¡¯ll all die at this rate.¡±


    Even until that moment, Kurz had been staring dumbly at the ughter, shivering. He hadn¡¯t expected Bel to be so powerful. Bel was a human? That was too unfair!


    ¡°Can you see reality now?¡± Bel tilted his head.


    ¡°Ho-How dare you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Enough with the ¡®how dare you¡¯. I hate¡ªno, I <em>loathe</em> such pretentious weaklings.¡±


    Kurz trembled harder, his face reddening in humiliation.


    ¡°Now, shall we make a deal?¡± Bel smiled crookedly.


    ¡°A deal¡­?¡±


    Bel stood imperiously above them, dragons that shone with a terrifying radiance snapping and snarling as they wound themselves around Bel¡¯s legs.


    ¡°Admit your weakness and kiss the floor,¡± Bel ordered with a smug grin. ¡°Then I¡¯ll spare you.¡±


    The priest and pdins stared at him, stunned, as the reality of what Bel was slowly sank in.


    One man. The Hubalt Empire didn¡¯t have the power to go up against one man in spite of being known as the most powerful nation on the continent.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Mighty Hermes¡­¡±


    Finally, Kurz slowly sank to his knees with his eyes tightly shut.


    He couldn¡¯t even think about running away. If that kind of monster was going toe after him, Kurz would never get another night of rest.


    * * *


    ¡°Have you gotten in contact with Queen Consort Charles?¡±


    ¡°Yes, she said that she¡¯ll go with your decisions regardless of the result, Your Majesties.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡± Iceline smiled bitterly.


    Icarus tilted her head at Iceline in confusion. ¡°You don¡¯t look too good for some reason.¡±


    ¡°Our children have turned their weapons on each other; what parent could possibly be at peace?¡±


    ¡°Underneath your icy looks, you¡¯re too soft-hearted for your own good, Iceline.¡±


    ¡°Are you really okay with this, Icarus?¡±


    ¡°This is the children¡¯s decision; as their parent, I should respect it.¡±


    Icarus turned to look at the arena.


    The two princes would contend for the throne before the Avalon Empire¡¯s numerous nobles and the Pce¡¯s personnel. The winner of this duel would be the sole and undisputed crown prince of the Avalon Empire.


    ¡°To be honest, I¡¯m so proud of them right now,¡± Icarus blurted.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    ¡°This is the best possible timing now to conclude the issue of session,¡± Icarus exined.


    It had only been three days, but Icarus had received messages from various countries¡¯ rulers; they were all offers to form an alliance with Avalon to fight against Hubalt. Since they had witnessed the battle with their own eyes¡ªand the war crimes Hubaltmitted in the process¡ªthey must have finished weighing their choices. Deciding which nation would lead the alliance, however, was a different matter.


    ¡°Once it bes known that His Majesty is away right now, those hyenas will bare their fangs,¡± Icarus added.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit of a stretch¡­?¡±


    Icarus shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not. Judging from how they remained bystanders the entire time, I assure you what they wanted the most would have probably been the mutual destruction of Avalon and Hubalt.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s face darkened. In that case, Avalon should use any means necessary to take the initiative in the formation of the alliance to make sure those people wouldn¡¯t harbor any second thoughts.


    ¡°It¡¯s starting.¡± Icarus pointed at the arena. ¡°We shall also support whoever wins this fight; this country can afford nothing less.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I understand.¡± Iceline turned her attention to the arena too.


    Her sons were pointing their sword and spear at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ve gotten any better,¡± Selim quietly said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly if you let your guard down.¡±


    ¡°One thousand, four hundred, and twenty-seven battles and one thousand, four hundred, and twenty six victories.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s the score for our spars.¡±


    Kireua gave him a nk look. He and Sleim had never sparred since Kireua had left Avalon, so that record dated to before they turned ten years old.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotta be kidding me. You still remember all that?¡± Kireua asked with his eyebrow raised.


    ¡°You were my best rival and the catalyst for my growth at the time.¡±


    ¡°Urgh. I¡¯m cringing,¡± Kireua scoffed. ¡°Are you trying to provoke me? You said the score yourself, so why else would you call me a rival?¡±


    Selim wordlessly pointed his spear at Kireua. Did Kireua remember how shocked Selim had been on the only day he hadn¡¯t won?


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re still my best rival. No matter what anyone says, you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m getting goosebumps. Cut it out,¡± Kireua interrupted. He gathered his mana, wrapping his sword in a scarlet ze. Kireua wasn¡¯t sure he would emerge victorious, but he also didn¡¯t think he was going to lose easily either. The best rival of his life? That was what Kireua wanted to say.


    <em>¡®Teacher, let me show you how much better your student has be,¡¯</em> Kireua thought. He was sure bis must be in the audience.


    Kireua¡¯s legs tensed. He was going to attack first and he was going to win. He had no intention of handing over the throne without putting up a fight.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to use my full power from the start,¡± Kireua warned Selim.


    Cracks began to radiate from Kireua¡¯s feet like an earthquake, and then pirs of fire shot from the cracks.


    ¡°Whoooaaa! Isn¡¯t that the me Emperor¡¯s technique?¡±


    ¡°I see the student lives up to his teacher¡¯s reputation. It would take at least an A-ss knight to imitate that technique¡­ His Highness must be a lot stronger than before.¡±


    Despite their hushed exmations, the nobles didn¡¯t think that Kireua had the slightest chance of winning. They knew the difference between princes¡¯ levels was too great. Everyone in the continent admitted that Selim Sanders was a genius of geniuses and had inherited the Martial God¡¯s monstrous talent.


    However¡­ when the pirs of fire stitching the arena suddenly turned ck, the nobles began to fall silent.


    ¡°B-ck fire¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ebon mes are the fires of the Demon Realm!¡±


    ¡°Wait, did Prince Kireua acquire the same power as His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? The same power as the emperor?¡±


    ¡°All of you already know that His Majesty is the one and only person who can utilize demonic power naturally.¡±


    The murmurings became louder and louder. This was Kireua¡¯s first time officially revealing his ebon mes to Avalon¡¯s nobles.


    All of the ebon me in the arena gathered at the tip of Kireua¡¯s sword, turning the weapon pitch ck.


    ¡°I only got the hang of this a couple days ago, so keep in mind that I can¡¯t control it very well,¡± Kireua remarked as he held up the burning de.


    ¡°You¡­?¡±


    ¡°I told you that I¡¯m going all-in right from the start, didn¡¯t I?¡± Kireua¡¯s sword vibrated with power. Kireua gave it an enthusiastic swing. ¡°Try blocking it. I¡¯ll see for myself if you¡¯re qualified to be His Majesty¡¯s heir.¡±


    An enormous attack shot toward Selim.

 Side Story Chapter 126

    Side Story Chapter 126


    ¡°Whose idea was it tounch a surprise attack on Avalon?¡± Bel asked.


    All of the surviving clergymen looked in the same direction at once, tacitly answering Bel¡¯s question.


    ¡°Cardinal Kurz again, huh?¡±


    Kurz seemed to have resigned himself to his fate and had quietly ceased his struggles.


    ¡°Among the stories I heard from the Great Temple, this one was the funniest,¡± Bel abruptly said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kurz quickly looked up. The others looked back and forth between Kurz and Bel as well, wondering what was going on.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask so I would have someone to hold ountable. Besides, I found new entertainment.¡± Bel shrugged.


    ¡°Is¡­ war just a form of entertainment to you?¡±


    ¡°Gah¡ªI can still change my mind and kill all of you, so enough with the nagging. You know, it¡¯s you people who made me like this.¡±


    Kurz flinched.


    During the First Continental War, Zactor, the Martial Emperor, had been forced onto his knees, dealing a devastating blow to the Hubalt Empire. Ever since then, some people in the Empire had set their hearts on raising a warrior that could go up against the Martial God.


    Of course, the idea had been met with opposition from within Hubalt. The previous Pope; Chrysler, God¡¯s Knights; Christian, the White Lion; Cardinal Erman; and Lilith Aphrodite¡­ Those so-called pirs of the Empire had shamelessly screamed that the Empire should befriend Avalon; they imed that the only way to maintain the continent¡¯s peace was to support Joshua Sanders.


    That was why the nobility of Hubalt and high-ranking members of the Great Temple had assembled their forces in secret, creating the Four Pdins and the Battle God.


    ¡°I thought about this a lot, but I feel like you and I will get along the best, Cardinal Kurz,¡± Bel said, much to the confusion of the priests.


    ¡°What in the world are you babbling about?¡±


    ¡°For a person who calls yourself a priest, you¡¯re quite sly, and you have a strong desire to rule over people. Above all, I found every one of your ns interesting. ¡®Save the continent in god''s name!¡¯ Hahaha, that basically means you can¡¯t be satisfied with one empire, so you want the entire continent at your feet!¡±


    ¡°¡­How long are you going to mock me?¡± Kurz shook his head. ¡°Just kill me.¡±


    ¡°Kill you? No, I¡¯m going to do the opposite, actually.¡±


    Kurz blinked, confused, but the narrative Bel spun out wiped away his confusion with a st of shock.


    ¡°Starting today, there is no more Great Temple in the Hubalt Empire, and the same goes for the entire damned caste of priests.¡±


    The three cardinals and high priests still alive to hear Bel boggled at him.


    ¡°H-How dare you speak such sphemy¡­?!¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of god¡¯s wrath?¡±


    ¡°You will suffer the wrath of heaven!¡±


    They were cursing Bel, but he just grinned. ¡°So what is your god doing right now? Her loyal followers can die any minute right now, but your god isn¡¯t seen anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡±


    ¡°No, is there even a god in this world anymore? Ah, I guess there are.¡± Bel confidently pointed at himself and chuckled. ¡°The Battle God is here, and the Martial God is in the country next to us.¡±


    ¡°Ho-How dare you¡­!¡±


    ¡°Anyone who has a problem with me should speak now. I¡¯ll snap your neck,¡± Bel threatened with an annoyed frown.


    Just as expected, no one answered.


    ¡°You¡¯re all just a bunch of pretentious fools; all bark and no bite¡­ In any case, I¡¯ll take that as a yes.¡±


    Bel nodded. The cardinals and high priests trembled in fury, but Bel was just getting started.


    ¡°Cardinal Kurz,¡± Bel said.


    ¡°¡­Speak.¡±


    ¡°Since there is no more Great Temple, there is no more Pope, either, which means you¡¯re the sole ruler¡ªthe emperor¡ªof this country from now on.¡±


    This was the most shocking thing Bel had said so far. The gathered faithful swooned in dismay, almost as if his words held physical weight.


    ¡°Wh-What¡­?¡± Kurz stammered.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear me? You¡¯re now the emperor of Huzact, the Martial Empire.¡±


    ¡°Wh-Why don¡¯t you do it¡­?¡±


    ¡°Me? Why would I take such a cumbersome seat?¡±


    Kurz had been gravely mistaken in believing that Bel was the same as him. The warrior was anything but¡ªin fact, Bel transcended the desire to have political power, but he was obsessed with fighting. He lived up to his title of ¡°Battle God¡±.


    <em>¡®¡­This isn¡¯t so bad.¡¯</em>


    Kurz flinched at the sudden, unbidden thought. Bel easily noticed Kurz¡¯s reaction, drawing a chuckle from him.


    ¡°Wh-Why are youughing?¡± Kurz demanded, bristling.


    ¡°No reason. I just thought I picked the right man.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you insulting me again?¡±


    ¡°Insulting you? I don¡¯t think so.¡±


    ¡°What in the world¡­¡±


    ¡°If you talk about getting insulted with a grin on your face, no one in the world would think I¡¯m insulting you.¡±


    ¡°Ahem.¡± Kurz pped his hand over his mouth.


    ¡°Heh.¡± Bel turned around with a quiet chuckle. ¡°Now, we should get ready, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Get ready for what?¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t we take revenge?¡± Bel smiled crookedly. ¡°Our neighbors dared to invade our borders; what would they think if our emperor did nothing?¡±


    Kurz grew even more confused. What invasion? Weren¡¯t they the ones doing the invading, not Avalon?


    ¡°Huh? You haven¡¯t heard the news?¡± Bel tilted his head inquisitively. ¡°On my way back to the capital, I captured the wicked enemies that murdered our Border Guards.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°I secured the evidence we need, so get ready for a war¡ªnow.¡±


    ¡°W-Wait!¡± the cardinals and high priests shouted, but Bel ignored them and strode away.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    Those left in his wake stared nkly at each other. The other two cardinals beside Kurz looked indescribably grim.


    ¡°Gosh, he keeps on saying nonsense, so I can¡¯t stay level-headed¡­¡±


    ¡°No more Great Temple? What kind of ludicrous statement is that? We need to regroup our people before that monster starts something again!¡±


    ¡°Do you think we can win?¡±


    ¡°We have to try even if we lose¡ªor are you going to obey that shameless monster?¡±


    The two cardinals looked at Kurz.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think so too, Cardinal Kurz?¡±


    Even after the Pope was ousted, the position stayed vacant. That came down to a single reason: no one was willing to cede the papacy of the Hubalt Empire. Despite proiming to, as priests, have transcended the desire for political power, they were the ones who were most greedy to rise above all others.


    However, that time was over.


    ¡°¡­Ahh, that¡¯s right. We can¡¯t get rid of the Great Temple just like that,¡± Kurz answered.


    Hispatriots¡¯ faces brightened up.


    ¡°Yes! I knew that Carinal Kurz would share our opinion.¡±


    ¡°Of course we should preserve the Great Temple. There are still people who fail to realize that the tide of the battle has already turned against their favor and continue. to babble. The Great Temple which they love so much is necessary to incarcerate those people,¡± Kurz continued.


    The priests stared at him, stupefied.


    ¡°Incarcerate? Wh-What are you talking about¡­?¡±


    Kurz turned to them, wearing an ear-to-ear smile. ¡°Obey him if you don¡¯t have the power to defy him. That is the way of this world.¡±


    * * *


    Seilm tightened his grip around his spear. Despite the strike flying toward him, Selim didn¡¯t want to dodge because he wanted to feel the progress that his brother had made.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. One¡ªjust one¡ªthrust of Selim¡¯s spear split Kireua¡¯s attack in two, just like that. The bifurcated masses of aura struck the ground harmlessly.


    What Selim had done would have been impossible unless he had cut the flow aura in Kireua¡¯s attack in exactly the right ce. There was only one way that could be possible.


    ¡°You used the mana optical enhancement technique¡­?¡± Kireua nkly murmured.


    ¡°¡­I see. You¡¯ve learned it too, Kireua.¡±


    Selim¡¯s eyes were shining with blue light, the tell-tale sign of mana being used to enhance his vision.


    ¡°¡­Well, I expected that,¡± Kireua admitted. ¡°There¡¯s no way you can¡¯t do what I can.¡±


    Selim shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s only been five years since I learned how to use this technique.¡±


    Five years. That was a remarkable aplishment to say ¡°only¡±¡ªSelim was merely a teenager five years ago. That also meant that there was a five-year discrepancy in experience between Kireua and Selim.


    ¡°Ugh, Mr. Perfect,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    That was the end of their conversation. Right after that, Selim disappeared. From left to right and from bottom to top, Selim moved so fast that it seemed as if there were dozens of him. Every thrust of his spear was apanied by a sonic boom.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes immediately turned red, and then he could follow the movement of Selim¡¯s spear, allowing him to perform something he hadn¡¯t even been able to try in the past.


    ¡°Ohaaaa!¡±


    The knights who had been watching the fight quietly eximed to each other. It was hard to keep track of Selim¡¯s assault, but Kireua dodged all of his brother¡¯s attacks with carefully calcted movements of his head. He didn¡¯t take a single step from his position.


    The flurry of blows finally ended with Kireua parrying away Selim¡¯s spear.


    ¡°This feels like crap. Do it right¡ªor do you think I¡¯m still the same loser whom you always defeated?¡±


    Selim flinched. ¡°¡­That was never my intention.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not what your attacks are saying.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the day His Majesty first started watching our spars, Kireua?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua scowled. He¡¯d much rather forget his childhood in the Pce.


    Selim straightened, leveling his spear at Kireua. ¡°That one day. If I think about the one day that I failed to win, it¡¯s only right that I hold nothing back.¡±


    ¡°What in the world are you talking a¡ª¡±


    The air around Selim changed. Kireua stumbled backward without thinking because it felt like a giant wall was blocking his way¡ªno, a ferocious beast wasing at him.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s serious now.¡¯</em>


    Kireua fixed his grip on his sword. His attention was fully on this moment, the battle, and his opponent, such that he could not even hear the crowd cheering.


    -Kireua.


    Coal spoke for the first time since Kireua had exited his subconscious realm.


    <em>¡®¡­Stay put, Coal. I want to finish this fight on my own.¡¯</em>


    Despite Kireua¡¯s firm voice, Coal distracted him once again.


    -This isn¡¯t the time.


    ¡®I can do it. I can win without your hel¡ª¡¯


    -That¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about. I can feel another power of Evil Sin nearby.


    Kireua stopped dead in his tracks, his jaw dropping.


    ¡°What?¡±


    He was toote¡ªa brilliant ray of light cut through the air, headed directly for him.

 Side Story Chapter 127

    Side Story Chapter 127


    ¡°Wait¡ª!¡± Kireua couldn¡¯t finish speaking before Selim thrust his spear again. The attacks were fast, urate, and as fleeting as a shadow.


    Selim delivered numerous strikes, each exquisitely embodying all of the foundations of battle¡ªspeed, strength, and focus. Kireua reflexively responded, leaving him no time to talk.


    Kireua¡¯s sword rose to match Selim¡¯s spear; the sh of metal sent aura fragments flying everywhere, creating small craters in the ground where theynded.


    ¡°Whoooooaaaaa!¡±


    The audience¡¯s excitement was reaching its peak. Although they had been ambushed by a hostile nation three days ago, the marvelous battle between two highly skilled knights captured their hearts and minds.


    ¡°Wait, hear me out¡­!¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. A rain of powerful lightning bolts blocked his view¡ªbut Selim¡¯s mana didn¡¯t have any attribute, which was a rare case in Igrant. Therefore, unlike Joshua, who had the power of Bronto, a primordial stone, normally no lightning bolts would appear even if Selim perfectly executed the Magic Spear Arts¡¯ techniques.


    <em>¡®How¡­.?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    A memory shed across his mind. He recalled that there was a simr precedent: Marquess Dargo from southern Avalon had the authority of the White Tiger, but after his death, the authority had manifested in somebody else.


    <em>¡®Is this the same case as Sir Ranger¡­?!¡¯</em>


    In other words, that meant that Marquess Drenius had been defeated and was now stone cold dead.


    <em>¡®Iruca seeded!¡¯</em>


    Even while Kireua was rejoicing over the news, Selim continued his attacks. Kireua responded more quickly¡ªno, Selim attacked <em>even faster</em>.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± Kireua groaned. His entire body ached as the lightning flowed through him.


    Then things took a surprising turn.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Selim shouted, shocked for the first time.


    The lightning bolts that were harassing Kireua were suddenly engulfed in ck fire; Kireua¡¯s was even devouring Selim¡¯s lightning attacks. Thanks to his ebon me, Kireua had bought himself some room to breathe.


    ¡°Let¡¯s stop here!¡± Kireua quickly yelled.


    ¡°What are you talking about¡ª¡±


    ¡°There is an enemy nearby with the same level of demonic power that corroded the knights¡¯ minds three days ago!¡± Kireua shouted.


    Selim came to a halt as Kireua¡¯s voice echoed across the spectators¡¯ seats. Unsurprisingly, the audience fell silent as if someone had thrown a wet nket over them.


    ¡°Wh-What did Prince Kireua just say¡­?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s someone with the same level of demonic power as the one that tortured us?¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to take action. The knights who were watching from below the arena drew their swords first.


    ¡°Where is it?¡±


    ¡°Who is it?¡±


    Kireua let out a sigh and closed his eyes. <em>¡®Coal.¡¯</em>


    -Yup.


    <em>¡®Where is this person with an Evil Sin¡¯s power right now?¡¯</em> Kireua asked.


    -There.


    The voice came from the inside of Kiruea¡¯s head; Coal didn¡¯t even reveal itself in its usual coal-lump form. However, Kireua didn¡¯t have to look around¡ªhis head turned to exactly where the spectators who weren¡¯t citizens of Avalon were, as if he and Coal shared senses.


    ¡°That person is¡­¡± Kireua trailed off. There were three people wearing robes that covered their faces. They were quietly leaving the arena through the rear exit. Since they were in the Pce, it wouldn¡¯t take long to find out their identities, but Kireua had no intention of letting them walk away right before his eyes.


    ¡°Get those three people who¡¯re leaving the arena right now!¡± Kireua shouted.


    The trio quickly disappeared.


    Kireua jumped off of the stage. ¡°It¡¯s a shame, but we¡¯ll finish this battleter.¡±


    Selim gave him an expressionless look. ¡°¡­You¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re out of time¡ªare you going to get them or not? If we lose track of these trespassers in our own front yard, Avalon¡¯s reputation will end up in the gutters.¡±


    Selim opened and closed his mouth, like there was a lot he wanted to say, but after a moment, he just let out a long sigh. ¡°¡­Yeah, I¡¯ll have to tell youter.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Tell me what?¡±


    Before Kireua could get an answer, Selim vanished.


    Kireua stared nkly at his back for a moment. ¡°¡­What is he talking about?¡±


    Then the younger prince darted away.


    * * *


    ¡°Argghhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Stop! Stop them! We have been ordered to guard the gate with our lives!


    The three mysterious people were incredibly skilled. Anyone who stood in their way was before they could dy the mysterious trespassers for even a second.


    ¡°You¡¯re better than I expected,¡± Genos, the man in the middle, said to the man on the right.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± he replied, right after stabbing a knight through the chest.


    However, the man in the middle suddenly frowned. ¡°Demon, what did you say your name was?¡±


    ¡°Just call me Edin.¡±


    ¡°What about him?¡± Genos pointed at the man on his left.


    After chopping off a knight¡¯s head with a knife-hand strike, the man answered, ¡°Forbison.¡±


    ¡°Come to think of it, you¡¯re speaking awfully arrogantly,¡± Genos said with a frown.


    Edin and Forbison flinched.


    ¡°You two clearly said that you¡¯d make me the ruler of the realm. I don¡¯t think the issue is that you two are demons and have no idea what it means to be ruler of the entire realm. You aren¡¯t going to tell me some nonsense about how you two are exceptions, are you?¡±


    Edin and Forbison were among the highest-ranking demons. They were two of the one hundred strongest in the Demon Realm, so needless to say, their pride was as great as their strength of arms. Surprisingly, though, they yielded.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Do you not know what respect means?¡± Genos demanded, his frown stretching.


    ¡°My apologies, sir.¡±


    Genos¡¯s brow finally unfurrowed. ¡°You¡¯ve seen him with your own eyes now, so how is he? Are you sure the Second Prince of Avalon has three Evil Sins¡¯ powers?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain of it.¡±


    ¡°Your answer is both encouraging and frightening. Even with one Evil Sin¡¯s power, I could have be much stronger, but he has three¡­¡±


    Edin quietly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s the opposite, actually.¡±


    ¡°The opposite?¡±


    ¡°The history of the Demon Realm is so long that almost no one remembers when it started, but even through all those millenia, only a few acquired more than one Evil Sins¡¯ powers. If I limit the timeframe to one thousand years, only one person has done it.¡±


    ¡°I heard that all of the Demon Kings who possessed more than one Evil Sin¡¯s power were at the apex of the Demon Realm.¡± Genos recalled.


    ¡°But all of them met a tragic end.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The two Evil Sins¡¯ powers constantly fought for dominance inside the Demon Kings,¡± Edin exined.


    Genos¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Does that mean that the Demon Kings who possessed more than one power self-destructed? Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°In contrast to what you know, each Evil Sin¡¯s power has an ego, so the Prince of Avalon over there would no doubt meet the same end.¡±


    ¡°What? Then that means he¡¯s going to self-destruct anyway even if I don¡¯t do something about it, so all this is a waste of my time.¡±


    Edin shook his head. ¡°But there are variables that we didn¡¯t expect.¡±


    ¡°What ¡®variables¡¯?¡±


    ¡°One is that thetest person to possess multiple Evil Sins¡¯ powers is a human, not a demon.¡±


    Genos nodded along, because he knew that a different subject could cause major change in an experiment.


    ¡°And it¡¯s Joshua Sanders we¡¯re talking about. On top of that, he¡¯s the emperor of this country and the godyer of both the Angel and Demon Realms, so he might have a way to solve the problem.¡±


    Genos frowned. Were there any humans who didn¡¯t know Joshua Sanders¡¯s name? Genos¡¯s country was basically on the edge of the continent, and yet, even the humblest of his people knew the Martial God¡¯s legends.


    ¡°He¡¯s a truly remarkable man in many ways. I¡¯ve heard many rumors, but¡­¡± Genos trailed off.


    ¡°We definitely learned something new from this trip. Kireua Sanders¡¯s dominant power is probably Greed.¡±


    ¡°Can you tell that kind of stuff just by looking at him?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a feeling. Among the Seven Evil Sin powers, the power of Greed is the most special one because its ego and power grow,¡± Edin said.


    ¡°In other words, you can strengthen the power of Greed, huh?¡± Genos grinned. ¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡±


    During their conversation, they had removed all of the obstacles in their path.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tempting power. I will have it, no matter what,¡± Genos muttered to himself. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me like that. I¡¯ll keep my end of the bargain and give you two one Evil Sin¡¯s power each. Besides, you two can¡¯t have two Evil Sins¡¯ powers at once, right?¡±


    Despite fearing the burden of possessing two Evil Sins¡¯ powers at once, the demons were trying to gather at least three of the Evil Sins¡¯ powers so that they could obtain the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul. Once they had it, they would not only be able to wield multiple Sins at once, but they could also turn the Human Realm into a new Demon Realm. However, destroying the magic barrier where the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul was sealed was impossible without using multiple Evil Sins¡¯ powers.


    <em>¡®Hahaha. Yes, I¡¯ll keep my promise and cooperate with you as much as possible. At thest moment, I¡¯ll take the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul and be the true ruler of thisnd!¡¯</em>


    * * *


    At the white snowy mountain, Joshua¡¯s eyes were tightly shut while he was lost in thought.. Meanwhile, the Demon Spirit continued tombast him.


    -Can you feel it? Hehehehe, the monsters have finished descending this damned mountain and will arrive at the human viges in no time. Despite all your big talk, your people are going to get ughtered now. How long will your children be able to hold out?


    Joshua opened his eyes. His fingers twitched slightly¡­ And he raised his hand and tapped the inner surface of the ice boulder.


    The Demon Spirit was stupefied.


    -Wa-Wait, how can you move already?


    <em>¡®You think this is ¡°already¡±? Really?¡¯</em>


    -What¡­?


    <em>¡®The seasons have changed several times, so it¡¯s about time,¡¯</em> Joshua said, calcting today¡¯s date. Winter was already here. In other words, it was the end of Year 749 of the Continental Calendar. Judging from his condition¡­


    <em>¡®¡­One year from now. The moment I destroy this ice boulder and return to the Pce, there will be no traces of demons on thisnd.¡¯</em>

 Side Story Chapter 128

    Side Story Chapter 128


    Lilith ran down the mountain, swift as a bird.


    Then she stopped, tilting her head in confusion.


    ¡°Huh?¡± The first things she noticed at the mountain¡¯s base were a reek and familiar presence¡­


    Lilith''s eyes widened.


    ¡°¡­Monsters!¡±


    The vast ins below the mountain were packed with all sorts of monsters. There were ck ogres, trolls, and kobolds, of course, as they could be easily found nesting in the ck Forest near the mountain. However, even she had never seen those ghost-type monsters, and those bizarre undead looked like something straight out of fiction.


    ¡°They¡­ need to be stopped.¡± Lilith bit her lower lip. The monsters were moving south¡ªclearly, they were heading to Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire. Equally obvious, countless civilians were going to get caught in the monsters¡¯ march.


    ¡°But how am I supposed to stop them on my own¡­?¡±


    Should she alert the Imperial Family of Avalon and ask for reinforcements? No, they would be too busy with their restoration efforts. Then should she go back to Hubalt and bring troops herself? No, again; she would waste too much time, and there was no guarantee that the people in Hubalt were going to follow her orders. It was more likely that they would arrest her for being a witch.


    ¡°What in the world should I do¡­¡±


    -LIlith.


    Lilith flinched and her lips trembled as she realized that the voice in her head was rather familiar.


    ¡°Jo-Joshua?¡± she stammered.


    -Did I surprise you?


    ¡°What is going on¡­?¡±


    -I was a little worried, so I made some preparations. I¡¯m sorry for doing this without your permission.


    ¡°You were worried about me?¡± Lilith asked, surprised. She felt grateful, but it was almost immediately overwhelmed by embarrassment. Joshua must have made those preparations because he was worried about Lilith heading to Hubalt on her own.


    However¡­


    <em>¡®...Joshua¡­ is inside me?¡¯</em> Lilith swallowed.


    The problem was that she didn¡¯t know exactly what preparations Joshua made. If he could see her and read her thoughts¡­


    ¡°Noooo!¡± Lilith screamed.


    -¡­I think I know what you¡¯re thinking about, but don¡¯t worry. I can¡¯t do anything if you refuse me, Lilith.


    ¡°I-Is that what you meant by the preparations?¡±


    -I¡¯m only your guide right now. Supposing I overwork myself a little, I could give you a hand.


    A ¡°hand¡±. Of course, the Martial God was using his own standards, so a little help from him was nothing to sneer at.


    -I know you¡¯re busy, but can you do me a favor?


    ¡°Of course,¡± Lilith answered without a second thought. She intended to repay her debt no matter what it took, but she never thought she would have the opportunity this soon.


    -Please buy time for half a day. With the residual power of Lust in you, those monsters will love you¡ªthe Evil Sins¡¯ powers attract them like pheromones.


    ¡°Half a day¡­ Do you think I can do it?¡±


    -Of course. I promise you that you¡¯ll be able to return to your home without a scratch.


    ¡°The great Martial God promised, so I¡¯ll give it a shot. As you already know, I won¡¯t be able to get married if I end up with a scar¡ªbut you¡¯ll take care of it, won¡¯t you?


    -If that happens, I¡¯ll take responsibility and set you up with a fine man.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Lilith chuckled and drew her sword. ¡°Now, what shall I do? Or are you going to take this matter into your own hands?¡±


    -I told you before, but I can¡¯t possess you or descend into your body. Even if it¡¯s possible, I don¡¯t want to do something that could negatively affect the body of my friend.


    ¡°¡­You know, you¡¯ve always had a way with words.¡±


    -Although the sword isn¡¯t my specialty¡­ I¡¯ve dealt with them so many times that I¡¯ve be quite an expert.


    Lilith¡¯s heart began to pound. Vitality rushed through her veins, and her mind was filled with the confidence that she wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone.


    -Let¡¯s begin.


    ¡°¡­Okay!¡± Lilith answered.


    She strode toward the roaring mass of monsters.


    * * *


    Genos stopped mid-stride and frowned, irately. ¡°¡­Shit. How much longer am I supposed to keep running?¡±


    ¡°The north gates are the closest to the Pce, but I can detect multiple human presences in there.¡±


    ¡°I guess so, since a big battle took ce several days ago. The restoration alone would take weeks at least.¡±


    ¡°So we¡¯ll go to the east gates where our legions are assembled,¡± Forbison said.


    ¡°Legions?¡±


    ¡°The reason why demons of our rank could be influential in the Demon Realm wasn¡¯t just because of their individual strength¡ªit was because they had numerous subordinates,¡± Forbison exined.


    Genos tilted his head in confusion. ¡°But this ce is the Human Realm.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been decades since the borders between the realms crumbled, so countless monsters and other creatures havee into this realm from the Demonic Realm. Of course, many of them died in the process¡­¡±


    ¡°In other words, only the truly strong made it into the Human Realm.¡±


    ¡°Correct, sir.¡± Forbison nodded.


    ¡°I see. So there¡¯s a good reason for your big talk.¡± Genos turned back to his course, smiling happily. All of the obstacles in his path were dead, so the road to the east gate was clear¡ªin fact, entirely empty.


    ¡°Unlike you, that guy named Edin seems obsessed with murder,¡± Genosmented.


    At the center of the massacre was Edin, another one of the highest-ranking demons; the sh Demon, as he was known in the Demon Realm.


    ¡°It¡¯d be best to start my journey to bing ruler of the realm in Avalon, right?¡± Genos asked.


    ¡°Yes; the country is ripe for the taking. It¡¯s already taken significant damage, and many of their troops are away from the country. On top of that, Joshua Sanders, our biggest obstacle, has disappeared.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that Avalon is our best choice for using the monsters in the north, even if that weren¡¯t for that?¡±


    Forbison nodded. ¡°Exactly so.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Genos grinned. ¡°We¡¯ll start with Arcadia and devour the entire continent. Culverin, the Demonic Empire, shall be our country¡¯s name.¡±


    * * *


    Kireua stepped out of the Pce and his eyes immediately widened. Selim, just behind him, groaned quietly, and even bis and Duke Tremblin frowned.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s gruesome.¡±


    The corpses of Avalon¡¯s knights were strewn across the street.


    Kireua and the others had no idea that enemies had infiltrated the Pce. Had they let their guards down because they¡¯d just won a battle, or because only a few foreign guests had been present? No matter what the reason was, there was no room for excuses.


    ¡°¡­I will pay for my failure as soon as we get back, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin said, his voice bitter.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t. No one expected this, so you can¡¯t be med for it.¡±


    ¡°The only job that His Majesty entrusted me with is protecting the Pce, so I bear full responsibility for all problems that take ce within its walls.¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s talk about thister. We need to sort out this situation first.¡±


    Kireua took a big step forward. The mysterious enemies were presumably heading to the east gates, given the grisly fragments were scattered along their path.


    ¡°¡­Imperial Knights, stay inside the Pce with the Queen Consorts and brace for another possible attack,¡± Kireuamanded.


    ¡°Pardon? Bu-But, Your Highness!¡±


    Hundreds of Imperial Knights stared at him, wide-eyed, unable to believe their ears. However, Kireua shook his head, unshaken.


    ¡°Although we¡¯re only dealing with three people, they¡¯re unfathomably strong. If they resort to gueri tactics, our casualties will only increase.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­.¡±


    ¡°The First Prince, me, Duke Tremblin, Sir Valmont, and¡­¡± Kireua looked behind him and trailed off.


    The people whom Kireua had listed so far were citizens of Avalon, so giving them orders wasn¡¯t an issue. However, he couldn¡¯t do the same with a foreigner.


    Before Kireua could say anything else, bis stepped forward with a smile on his face.


    ¡°What are you hesitating for? Teachers exist to be relied on in times like this.¡±


    ¡°I should charge Iceline a lot for this.¡± Theta and Marcus, the Master of the Magic Tower and the Mage of Earth, also came forward.


    ¡°¡­Thank you,¡± Kireua quietly said.


    ¡°No need. I¡¯m going to extort more money from Iceline than you can even imagine.¡±


    ¡°Please cut us some ck. The costs for the reconstruction are already astronomical¡­¡±


    ¡°Haha, you really don¡¯t know much about the world, do you?¡± Theta asked, chuckling. ¡°Your mom is realllllyyyy rich.¡±


    Theta was referring to Iceline when he said ¡°mom¡±. She had developed numerous artifacts during her decades in this world, so she had umted so much wealth that even Theta couldn¡¯t fathom the exact amount.


    ¡°Iceline was born with incredible luck with money; you¡¯d be surprised to know just how wealthy she is.¡± Theta chuckled.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to assume that means you¡¯re going to help us. The people who I called, please get to the east gate immediately¡ª¡±


    ¡°No need to hurry. You said the east gate, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°This is exactly what high-ss mages are for, you know.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. Yes, as Theta was pointing out, they could just teleport there.


    ¡°Can you start right away?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Yeah, yeah, I was getting to it anyway.¡± Theta slowly started up his mana circle.


    Kireua¡¯s expression brightened.


    Then came something unexpected.


    -Kireua.


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion. This voice in his head was unfamiliar¡ªin other words, it wasn¡¯t Coal¡¯s.


    -Since we¡¯re in a hurry, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. The preparations I made are waiting in the Pce¡¯s basement.


    Kireua gasped, drawing concerned looks from the people around him.


    But that didn¡¯t matter now.


    <em>¡®Yo-Your Majesty?¡¯</em> Kireua asked, baffled.


    -If you find it, you¡¯ll be able to ovee the current crisis without a problem¡ªbut you¡¯ll have to deal with the consequences on your own.


    <em>¡®Consequence.s.?¡¯</em>


    -Can you do it? I warn you, everyone in the world might condemn you like they did the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword.


    -The preparations I made can only be discovered by you, since you possess three Evil Sins¡¯ powers. Even Selim can¡¯t do this.


    Kireua wasn¡¯t sure what these preparations were, but he couldn¡¯t stop from trembling with excitement. The Emperor of Avalon said that Kireua was the only one who could do it!


    <em>¡®Thank you. I can do it, so leave it to me! I¡¯ll live up to your expectations no matter what!¡¯</em>

 Side Story Chapter 129

    Side Story Chapter 129


    <em>¡®Kiruea.¡¯</em> Joshua¡¯s soul smiled faintly.


    His son now possessed three Evil Sins¡¯ powers. When Joshua had be aware of that fact, he had been worried, because even a Demon King had trouble controlling more than one. However, his son had proved himself the Martial God¡¯s son and sessfully managed to control all three.


    <em>¡®Thanks to the Demon Spirit¡¯s soul inside me, I can send telepathic messages to whoever ever possesses an Evil Sin power. What luck.¡¯</em>


    ¡°What are you thinking about?¡±


    Joshua opened his eyes at Lilith¡¯s voice. There she stood, surrounded by a thick nket of snow along with an equally thick horde of monsters.


    <em>Grrrrrr.</em>


    -So many of them came rushing over.


    ¡°Do you think I can do it?¡± Lilith asked.


    -Luckily, I can¡¯t see any demons, so since monsters don¡¯t have intelligence, it¡¯s not impossible.


    ¡°You know, the monsters I can see number in at least the thousands, so I feel like I have to warn you that I¡¯m not you.¡±


    -Don¡¯t worry, just start by drawing up your mana.


    Lilith puffed up her cheeks sulkily, but she did as Joshua asked.


    <em>Grrrrrr!</em>


    When the monsters detected the sudden surge of mana, they began to run rampant. One of the first to respond was a ck ogre who raised its arm with its fist powerfully clenched.


    -Now!


    ¡°I know!¡±


    Lilith leaped into the air, just in time to dodge the ck ogre¡¯s fist. The punch was so powerful that the ground cracked, scattering clods of snow everywhere.


    Lilith flew higher and higher into the air, the crowd of vering monsters turning to watch her as she did.


    -The are rtively fewer monsters to your west, so let¡¯s use that to our advantage.


    ¡°How?¡±


    -Isn¡¯t aura the best way to y monsters with thick skin?


    ¡°¡­Killing all those monsters with my aura? My mana isn¡¯t infinite. Besides¡­¡±


    White wraiths, ghostly undead, surrounded Lilith.


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t think these guys will leave me be.¡±


    -I¡¯ll take care of them.


    ¡°Huh? How¡ª¡±


    Mysterious white currents of lightning currents burst out of Lilith, engulfing the wraiths. They were instantly vaporized, leaving behind only an unearthly scream.


    ¡°¡­You have a way of leaving people speechless.


    -With those obstacles gone, you can go as wild as you want. I don¡¯t know about the rest, but I can¡¯t help you distribute your mana mana.


    Lilith cast away any remaining traces of doubt in her heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    Ayer of silver energy formed on top of Lilith¡¯s sword as she prepared to initiate her first attack. She whirled around, flinging razor-sharp aura toward the monsters.


    The damage of the attack waspletely different than before¡ªdozens of monsters were struck by Lilith¡¯s aura attack and tossed away like ragdolls.


    That wasn¡¯t even the full extent of it. The effects of Lilith¡¯s attack caught her by surprise, despite being the one who had done it.


    The area she¡¯d struck was frozen over, along with the monsters that her aura had so much as brushed.


    Her aura had an attribute. On top of that, despite the amount of mana she¡¯d put into that attack, her mana hall was fine.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Lilith eximed in wonder.


    Two, three, four¡­ She began to attack again and again with mounting confidence. All of the monsters caught in her assault froze solid and shattered into loose piles of ice. After she¡¯dunched over twenty attacks, the area to her west was almost empty; they were either turned into hundreds of ice fragments or had fled.


    When Lilith finallynded on the ground, she wasn¡¯t even out of her breath.


    ¡°...You know, if this goes well, they might start calling me a Martial God, too,¡± she mumbled.


    -No, we¡¯re just getting started.


    ¡°¡­Pardon?¡±


    A horrible, earth-shaking roar came over the horizon.


    Lilith looked up in surprise, her eyes turning round like a shocked rabbit¡¯s.


    ¡°O-Oh, no. That¡¯s an undead dragon.¡±


    -The protagonist usually makes an appearance at that veryst moment.


    ¡°Wait, you speak too easily just because this isn¡¯t your problem.¡±


    -You¡¯re mistaken. We have an escape route, so let¡¯s make a run for it. We already aplished our goal, didn¡¯t we?


    All the monsters in the area were looking at Lilith now, growling. However, for some reason, a smile spread across her face.


    ¡°¡­Alright. I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    -Decided what?


    ¡°If we continue to go west, we¡¯ll find the border.¡±


    -Wait, are you suggesting¡­?


    Lilith smiled. Obviously, she was having a lot of fun.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see the look on the Great Temple people¡¯s faces when I arrive at Hubalt with all these monsters?¡±


    * * *


    ¡°Hold on. I¡¯m sorry, but can I sit out on this one?¡± Kireua asked.


    Theta flinched in the middle of casting a teleportation spell. The rest were equally confused.


    ¡°There is a ce that I must go,¡± Kireua rified.


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about?¡± Selim asked, frowning.


    Although Selim knew better than anyone else that Kireua wasn¡¯t the type of person who would run from a dangerous situation for the sake of his own safety, there were other eyes on them now. It would be problematic if Kireua acquired that kind of reputation; the princes¡¯ words and actions could reflect on the Imperial Family¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°Even without you, this party is, objectively speaking,parable to an entire troop¡­ but can I ask your reasons, Your Highness?¡± Duke Tremblin asked.


    ¡°I received an order from His Majesty,¡± Kireua bluntly answered.


    The group¡¯s eyes widened immediately.


    ¡°H-His Majesty?¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°Yes, he just sent me a telepathic message that the preparations he madey underneath the Pce.¡±


    Although it was unclear what exactly these preparations were, given that they were made by the Martial God himself, it was obvious that they would be vital to solving the current crisis.


    ¡°Where is His Majesty right now?¡± Selim asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, because I didn¡¯t meet him in person.¡±


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about¡­?¡±


    ¡°I literally heard his voice in my head.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    Selim was speechless. Was such a thing possible?


    ¡°The teleportation spell is ready, so why don¡¯t the people are going to leave, leave, and the rest of youe inside the circle? I heard it¡¯s urgent.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Aside from Kireua, there were six people¡ªSelim, Theta, Marcus, Valmont, bis, and Tremblin. Every one of them was one of the strongest people in their country or organization.


    ¡°¡­Kireua,¡± Selim quietly said.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m His Majesty¡¯s favorite just because I was asked to do this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°Find what His Majesty told you and protect the Queen Consorts.¡±


    ¡°¡­I was going to even if you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± Kireua casually replied. He then bowed to the group. ¡°Come back safely, everyone. I¡¯ll head to the Pce¡¯s basement now.¡±


    ¡°Please take care of yourself, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You too, Duke Tremblin,¡± Kireua said, and turned to leave.


    Shortly after, the group inside the magic circle disappeared.


    ¡°¡­Now, shall I get going, too?¡±


    * * *


    Finding the way wasn¡¯t difficult because Kireua just had to follow his instincts, like a bumblebee tracking down honey.


    Kireua went straight into the Pce. The Imperial Knights sorting out the aftermath hurriedly bowed to him; on a usual day, he would have at least said hello, but today he only walked faster.


    -Wow¡­.


    <em>¡®What is it?¡¯</em> Kireua asked Coal.


    -I can feel an incredible amount of demonic power. Can I eat all of it, Kireua?


    <em>¡®No, that must be part of His Majesty¡¯s preparations.¡¯</em>


    -That¡¯s unfair.


    <em>¡®You already ate two of your kind, so why are you so greedy?¡¯</em> Kireua said, but he immediately paused. Come to think of it, how was Coal right now?


    <em>¡®Coal.¡¯</em>


    -Yup?


    <em>¡®Where are the powers of Lust and Gluttony that you swallowed?¡¯</em>


    -¡­I dunno!


    <em>¡®Something¡¯s strange. I did hear that the Seven Evil Sins¡¯ powers were originally one, but they lost too easily, considering the level of power they showed before.¡¯</em>


    Theck of answers left Kireua even more confused, but he had more important things to worry about.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s down here,¡± he murmured.


    He;d arrived at the dampest, innermost part of the Pce¡¯s dungeon. Although the center of the dungeon was used to lock up felons, no one had been incarcerated here for thest decade. Thest criminals who had ever been held here were the followers of the Britten family and the Dark God.


    Kireua enveloped his hands with his ck demonic power, allowing him to easily rip away the tiles on the dungeon¡¯s floor.


    The first thing he saw was a symbol of a moon pierced with a spear.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    -Lucifer! It¡¯s Lucifer¡¯s symbol! Wow!


    ¡°Lucifer¡­?¡± Kireua instinctively realized that today might be the day he found out the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s secret. The thought made him shiver.


    <em>¡®Only I¡­¡¯</em>


    -Kireua! Quick! Do it quick! I can feel incredible power underneath here! Quick!


    <em>¡®¡­Don¡¯t rush me. I was getting to it anyway.¡¯</em>


    He instinctively knew what he needed to do. It required two ingredients: thick demonic power and a drop of blood. Kireua bit his finger and let a drop of blood roll off his finger and drop to the ground.


    An enormous amount of demonic power poured from below the surface, creating a powerful gale that made his hair flutter. The gale was so ferocious that it felt like his clothes were going to be torn away. A hole slowly opened up on the floor, revealing something that left him agape.


    ¡°This is¡­ no joke.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 130

    Side Story Chapter 130


    Who could have imagined that such a vast spacey below the Pce?


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor. ¡°Oh, wow. If I find treasure, too, I think it might really be a dragon¡¯sir¡­¡±


    -It¡¯s right over there, Kireua!


    Kireua instantly closed his mouth when Coal popped up in front of him. Coal looked a lot different than before. In the past, Coal had resembled a small cotton ball, but it was now running around adorably with its longer arms and new legs


    ¡°You look¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    -I became bigger, right? Hehe.


    Coal struck a pompous pose and then jumped into the ocean of gold coins in front of it and went swimming.


    Indeed, it was a cornucopia of gold.


    ¡°¡­I guess His Majesty is just like any head of the household, huh?¡± Kireua muttered to himself.


    -Huh? What are you talking about?


    ¡°I heard that every head needs a secret fund that their significant other isn¡¯t aware of. Dignityes from money, and all that,¡± Kireua exined.


    When he thought about his memories of the Emperor of Avalon, Kireua honestly couldn¡¯t imagine that side of him, but why else would the Emperor of Avalon need to stash away this much treasure? Besides, the Queen Consorts would have just told him to do what he wanted to do. Ah, Queen Consort Icarus was an exception.


    ¡°Aside from those piles of gold, every single one of those antiques looks expensive. And those weapons in the corner must be artifacts¡­ Oh¡­ Isn¡¯t that one of Hertonia¡¯s Five Fine Swords?¡±


    One of the items caught Kireua¡¯s attention; a beautiful, sleek longsword with a white hilt. Kireua instantly recognized the small hammer symbol at the end of the hilt as that of Hertonia, the finest cksmith of the continent.


    ¡°Can I¡­ keep this?¡± Kireua swallowed. Before he was a prince, he was a martial artist and a knight, meaning he also adored quality weapons, just like any other. However, he couldn¡¯t take things without permission, much less from the Emperor of Avalon¡­


    ¡°¡­But why isn¡¯t His Majesty saying anything?¡± Kireua considered sitting down and waiting for his father¡¯s next message, but with the clock ticking, he didn¡¯t stop for long.


    -Kireua! Here! Here!


    Coal finished swimming(?) and jumped up and down, pointing at a long path leading into the depths of the cavernous space.


    The ce was structured just like the dragonirs that Kireua had read about in the books. In human terms, there was a small empty area that was like a reception room, and a bigir where the dragon actually lived further inside.


    Kireua tilted his head. ¡°If this is just the entrance, what in the world is in there?¡±


    Kireua followed Coal down the path. Before long, the light orbs embedded in the walls were reced by pitch-ck darkness, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for a man who was as skilled as Kireua. Ever since he had learned the mana optical enhancement technique, he could feel everything around him.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Kireua flinched right after he focused his mana into his eyes. He stopped, his skin suddenly breaking into a cold sweat, and his eyes stung so bad that it felt like they were going to pop out. Every instinct he had was screaming that he had to run away.


    -Wo!


    -¡­Who are you?


    -Who? I¡¯m Coal!


    -Coal?


    The danger Kireua sensed came from something enormous deep inside the cavern. The mysterious entity could even recognize Coal, which was surprising because the only person who had ever recognized Coal was the Emperor of Avalon.


    -An unfathomable amount of pure demonic power and the energy of dominance¡­


    -Kireua! Come here quickly! There¡¯s someone great over here!


    -I see. You¡¯re from the Seven Evil Sins'' powers, the core of the Demon Kings¡¯ powers and Roots of All Evil that all demons have coveted for time immemorial, but you aren¡¯t <em>just</em> one of the powers.


    Kireua wanted to shout at Coal to <em>please,</em><em>shut up</em> as loud as he could.


    -¡­Is the human behind you the owner of these three Evil Sins¡¯ powers?


    Kireua gasped, and he was dragged deeper in.


    ¡°What in the world¡­!¡± Kireua gritted his teeth. He was sure that he wasn¡¯t being controlled by magic, because he hadn¡¯t detected the slightest quiver of mana. However, he sucked in as surely as if hundreds of people were pulling him. As far as Kireua knew, there was only one entity that could achieve what they wanted by will alone.


    Suddenly, the darkness was erased by blindingly bright light.


    ¡°Urgh¡­!¡± Kireua frowned.


    When he managed to open his eyes again, he couldn¡¯t believe what they saw.


    ¡°W-Woah.¡±


    He was even more stunned than when he had entered. Thrill and excitement overwhelmed him.


    ¡°An¡­ undead legion?¡±


    The twelve ck knights lined up in the front of him were the legendary death knights. Behind them, hundreds of headless duhans, high-ranking undead, quietly knelt. Further still, the space was packed with endless ranks of stalwart skeletons.


    More concerningly, however, was that all twelve death knights¡¯ eyes shone with red light, advertising their hostility to the uninvited guests.


    The duhans stood up one after another, and the skeletons picked up their neatly organized weapons.


    The continent had once condemned Avalon as the Demonic Empire because thete Duke Agnus, a leading member of the country¡¯s aristocratic faction, and previous emperor, Marcus, had both lost their bodies to the Demon Spirit.


    Of course, Kireua cursed at those people whenever he met one. Avalon was also a victim. If the current Emperor of Avalon hadn¡¯t annihted the Demon Spirit, their countries would have been the next victims, but after seeing the undead legion, Kireua had to ept their criticism.


    ¡°This is¡­ what His Majesty prepared?¡± he nkly murmured.


    Everything added up. The Emperor had said that Kireua and the others would be able to ovee the current crisis without major issues once Kireua located what the Emperor had prepared; however, everyone in the world would criticize Kireua for it. Now he understood exactly what his father had meant by that: if he brought an undead legion to battle, it would hardly be a surprise if rumors spread that the Second Prince of Avalon was a demon.


    -You somewhat resemble someone I know.


    -Not just anyone can enter this area of the underground¡­


    Kireua still hadn¡¯t met the owner of the voice probing him. Nevertheless, he was quite calm; the Emperor of Avalon wouldn¡¯t have sent his own son here to die.


    ¡°M-My name is Kireua Sanders.¡±


    -A Sanders?


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, His Majesty, the Emperor of Avalon, is my father.¡±


    -¡­I see¡­ Although I somewhat expected that.


    ¡°Pardon me, but may I ask who you are?¡±


    A long, pregnant silence fell.


    Unaware of the current situation, Coal was running around and examining the undead. Although Kireua wanted to scold it, now wasn¡¯t the time. No good woulde out of getting on this mysterious entity¡¯s nerves.


    <em>¡®Please stay still!¡¯</em> Kireua silently screamed.


    In the innermost part of the space, a colossal mass of darkness undted like a moving castle. Kireua had never witnessed darkness stretching inside darkness.


    When he realized what he was looking at, he stumbled backward.


    ¡°A d-dragon¡­!¡±


    Dragons were the greatest creatures in the Human Realm¡ªthe race of magic. But the dragon before Kireua was a ck dragon, the rarest of its species. The dragon scanned Kireua with its yellow eyes.


    <em>¡®But I hear that dragons went extinct¡­ Did that Bel man lie?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered.


    Bel, the Battle God of the Hubalt Empire, had said that all of the dragons in the world had died to his hands. Although Kireua hadn¡¯t believed Bel at first, he had to admit that there was quite a bit of credibility to the statementter. Otherwise, dragons would have already taken action against the demons running wild in the Demon Realm.


    -I am Crevasse, thest surviving dragon on the continent.


    ¡°Crevasse¡­!¡±


    Naturally, Kireua knew of Crevasse, the Evil Dragon, and had heard about his history with the Emperor of Avalon. Krevas had been hiding in such a ce? However, the shocking revtion hadn¡¯t even begun yet.


    -It seems your father wants to also turn his own child into a dragon knight.


    ¡°Pardon? A d-dragon knight?¡±


    -It¡¯s a promise¡ªno, an Eternal Vow.


    An Eternal Vow was a promise made by great beings¡ªmust be upheld lest their lives be forfeit. The moment they failed to fulfill the vow, the dragons¡¯ hearts would shatter and they would be wiped from existence.


    ¡°What in the world did His Majesty do for you¡­?¡±


    -¡­That is none of your business. The only thing you have to know is that if you are willing, I will try my best to assist you.


    ¡°A dragon helping me¡­¡±


    -All the undead you see before you are yours tomand as well.


    Kireua took a look at the legion of undead and the dragon, and shivered.


    ¡°They¡¯re¡­ all mine?¡± he whispered.


    -Yes.


    ¡°Even you, Sir Crevasse.¡±


    -¡­Such is my vow.


    Kireua¡¯s fists clenched.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they¡¯re demons or archangels,¡± he shouted, suddenly quite fearless. ¡°Come at us!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 131

    Side Story Chapter 131


    Theta, the Sword Emperor, and the others arrived near the east gates of Arcadia using a teleportation spell.


    None of them said a word. The three mysterious intruders running down the empty street didnt even register anymore.


    Theta broke the silence.


    What in the world is all this?


    Living up to his title of the only Eighth Circle human mage, Theta had already cast a levitation spell on everyone else, allowing them to look beyond the gates.


    Arent they undead? Marcus grunted.


    An army was assembling near the east gate, dense as a swarm of ants. The party could see monsters drawn from the ck Monster Forest and skeletons by the hundreds. They were a minor issuethe real problem was the duhans, the headless knights, they could see here and there.


    Duhans were known as the second most powerful undead for a reason. They were sturdy, skilled swordsmen, and had an almost infinite amount of stamina. Thus, only A-ss knights could easily eliminate a duhan, and it took at least an advanced B-ss knight, an expert, just to kill them.


    I can see at least one hundred duhans, the Sword Emperor murmured. His usual rxedid-back expression was flinty and grim. The ever rxed Valmont looked no happier than him.


    We have to stop them, Selim quietly said. I made a promise to protect this ce no matter what it takes.


    Theta chuckled. Since the client is my superior and he gave me instructions, I guess theres no other choice. Shit, I now have to fight guys who dont even die. Wait, are they technically already dead? In any case, Ill charge Iceline doubleno, <em>quadruple</em> the original fee.


    Mana-charged thunder rumbled in the sky, summoned by Thetas magic.


    Now, lets begin, the archmage dered. There was a man mad enough to fight an insane one against a million battle, so we can at least take on a few ten thousands, considering whos here right now, cant we?


    Selim met the others eyes one by one, and then nodded.


    We will strike first.


    * * *


    -If you have made your decision, let us begin the ritual.


    A pool of light spread out from Crevasses gigantic bodyhe was using polymorph, a transformation spell unique to dragons, the supreme creatures.


    Mmm. Kireua couldnt help grunting at the very handsome ck-haired man that emerged. Although the mans looks were one thing, his ability to appear right in front of Kireua using a single spell was marvelous.


    I forgot to tell you one thing, Crevasse said.


    What is it?


    These undead belong to your father, so youre free to take as many of them as you wish. The maximum number of undead you can control, however, depends solely on your proficiency.


    What do you mean? Kireua asked.


    I have to be a teacher now too, hmm?  Crevasse let out a quiet sigh. He gathered his mana, creating several balls of fire. You know of the fireball spell.


    Yes, I know that much.


    Its a rudimentary magic spell that any Third Circle mages can utilize. However


    Kireuas eyes widened as the fireballs grew to ten, twenty, thirty, until a swarm of fireballs filled danced before Kireuas eyes. His jaw dropped. There were hundreds of them, at least. The radiant heat made Kireua sweat.


    Not all Third Circle mages can do this. Not only do they need to have arge amount of mana avable, but they must also be able to calcte multiple magic forms at once in their heads.


    I understand what you mean. Kireua said, nodding.


    ck mages were condemned by the entire continent, and it went without saying that necromancers, who possessed the same abilities as ck mages, were treated the same. However, necromancers were rare and werent able to control more than a certain number of undead due to their limits in terms of demonic power and abilities.


    The total number of undead gathered here is nearly three hundred thousand, including the ones who slumber in the ground, Crevasse exined. You should note that I can control at most ten percent of them without the lichs help.


    Even ten percent of three hundred thousand was still thirty thousand. ck dragons were the only dragons who could control demonic power; Crevasse truly lived up to his title.


    I heard a human saying that ims that a tiger does not father a son of a bitch. Crevasse smiled thinly. I look forward to seeing your results.


    Umm, isnt it supposed to be a dog, not a son of a bitch?


    Are you talking back to me? Crevasse scowled.


    Kireuas mouth snapped shut. He had heard about how ill-tempered dragons werelike always, rumors exist for a reason.


    Indeed, I have to admit that your temper and the arrogance in your eyes are just like your fathers.


    Kireua had enough and put his foot down.


    I cant let you insult His Majesty, even if youre a great dragon.


    What?


    Crevasses murderous energy overwhelmed Kireua, but the prince had no intention of backing down. He respected the Emperor of Avalon far too much to bear this insult.


    Of course, there was something else that he was counting on.


    The Eternal Vow.


    What?


    Helping me is part of your Vow, so beating me or harming me in any way is a vition of that Vow, Kireua reminded Crevasse.


    An intense staredown began between the two men.


    I really dont like you. Youre a perfect replica of him, Crevasse grumbled.


    Thank you for thepliment.


    Lets see if youre as skilled as you are sly, Crevasse said, allowing his murderous energy to dissipate.


    Kireua was surprised to realize that the pressure he had been under was weaker than he had expected. From what he heard, Dragon Fear dredged up terror from deep within the most primordial instincts of its victims. Kireua had a rough idea as to why Crevasses Dragon Fear was bearable; there was one big difference between Kireuas past and current self. The three enormous powers dormant inside him: the Evil Sins'' powers.


    Lets do a test, Crevasse said.


    A test?


    I shall test you to see if you are worthy of my help.


    Kireua frowned. Wait a minute.


    Even at this moment, Arcadia was under attack by the mysterious intruders. Kireua had no time to waste here!


    Isnt that also a vition of your Eternal Vow? Kireua asked.


    It doesnt matter since I dont have any lingering feelings about my life anyway.


    Kireua gaped at him. Was he serious?


    On a side note, your father can dominate and control all the undead gathered here without a lichs help.


    Are you seriously telling me to do the same?


    Seriously, no, Crevasse sarcastically answered.


    Although Kireua was irritated by Crevasses obviously low opinion of him, he had to consider that Crevasse wasparing him to the Emperor of Avalon.


    At least thirty percent. Crevasse shrugged. Ill admit you are worth my help if you can do that much.


    Kireua wanted to shout, <em>What the hell!</em> Even Crevasse himself had said that controlling ten percent of the undead legion was his limit, but he was asking Kireua to control the triple what he could do.


    On top of that, Crevasse made it clear that the number was not negotiable:


    If you fail to control even one hundred undead less than ny thousand, you fail the test. I told you before that dying isnt a bad option for me.


    Dont you think youre making an unreasonable demand?


    Crevasse raised an eyebrow. Considering the fact that youre a maniac who possesses three Evil Sins'' powers at once, its not totally unreasonable.


    But Kireua had never used those powers! Aside from the ebon me that Coal created, Kireua knew nothing about his Evil Sins'' powers.


    There is another reason you have to take this test.


    What is it now? Kireua grumbled.


    The lynchpin of this undead legion is twelve death knights and five arch-lichs.


    Even if you say that, I dont really understand


    Theyre people who reached the peak of their art before their deaths, but they abandoned their honor and souls and became undead. Do you think they would be willing to have two masters?


    Kireua recalled that death knights were undead made with the bodies and souls of Masters, and mages above the Sixth Circle had to be sacrificed to make arch-lichs. Even more troubling, making such undead required more than ingredientsit was necessary to get the consent of the bodies and souls original owners.


    Joshua Sanders is our original master, and youre his son. However, all of them will make the same choice as I unless they have apelling reason, Crevasse exined.


    Kireua bit his lower lip. He couldnt let them simply disappear from existence because they werent willing to obey him. The Emperor of Avalon had trusted Kireua with his legion; thus, Kireua refused to waste even one of them.


    Earn their recognition first. Controlling thirty percent of the legion is the next step.


    How do I earn their recognition? Kireua asked.


    There is a good reason why they are called the highest ss of undead. Each one has their own personality. In other words, you will need a different approach for each one. Bring them to their knees through battle, persuade them, or win them over with something they desire. Finding the right approach is part of the test.


    Kireua thought for a moment and then took a big step forward.


    Ill do it.


    I knew it. Someone else will exin the site of the test.


    Kireua tilted his head.


    Someone else? What?


    But Crevasse had already turned to leave by the time Kireua opened his mouth.


    Kireua understood the part about the testing site, since there were seventeen doors interspersed along the walls of the cavern; he assumed that those doors led to the souls of the twelve death knights and the five arch-lichs. But then, who was left to perform this exnation?


    As if on cue, Kireua felt something fall on his shoulder. He nearly jumped out of his skin. How could he have not detected someoneing this close to him?


    W-Who is it? Kireua asked.


    He turned around and immediately froze stiff. Someone very familiar was standing right behind him. It had been years, and yet nothing had changed.


    Long time no see, Kireua.


    Te-Te-Te!


    A woman of surreal beauty smiled back at Kireua. Her healthy brown skin looked like it was molded from dark chocte, and her ears were long. Her name was Aisha Sestropi, and she had taught Kireua her stealth technique.


    Teacher! Kireua shouted.


    She was one of the great Nine Stars, the infamous Assassin King.

 Side Story Chapter 132

    Side Story Chapter 132


    At first nce, Aisha and Crevasse seemed like an odd match; the former was a dark elf and thetter was a dragon, the strongest race in the Human Realm. Elvesno, most creatures on the continentinstinctively feared the mighty dragons. It was inevitable because dragons were the most arrogant and selfish creatures in the world.


    The rtionship between dark elves and ck dragons, who both controlled the demonic attribute, was better left unsaid.


    Despite all that, there they stood, side by side. Which meant


    Teacher. Kireua lowered his hand toward his sword. Have you been taken hostage?


    Hostage?


    Dont worry. Ill rescue you. That ck dragon over there cant harm me because of his Eternal Vow anyway.


    Huh? Aisha tilted her head.


    Crevasse shook his head in disgust. Although he wanted to wipe away everything in front of him, he was going to let it slide this time. Hed be a lot more mellow after bing thest surviving dragon on the continent.


    Aisha Sestropi, Crevasse sighed, it looks like your student needs an exnation.


    Aisha smiled bitterly, but she didnt seem to fear Crevasse at all. Kireuas curiosity was piqued; hed been told about how his teacher had been terrified of the Emperor of Avalon because she had thought he was a dragon.


    Kireua, this isnt what you think. Its part of my promise, Aisha assured him.


    What promise?


    A promise made between me and your father, Joshua.


    What do you mean, you made a promise with His Majesty? Kireua asked, confused.


    As you already know, I killed countless people all across the continent.


    Kireua nodded. Aisha was called the Assassin King for a good reason. She had assassinated over a thousand people, many of whom were powerful in their own right, but as far as Kireua knew, all of those people deserved to die.


    If I think about what you and your n went through, you had every right to do so, Kireua interrupted.


    Aisha Sestropi was one of the few remaining dark elves on the continent, as well as one of the victims sacrificed to humans dark desires. The story was rather cliche, really; the beauty of the elves had been popr for a very long time.


    No, murder cant be justified for any reason. Aisha shook her head.


    No, evil people deserve to die since even one of them can drive many people to destruction.


    Revenge only begets revenge. That is what Joshua told me.


    Kireua flinched.


    Although Kireua said what he had said to console his teacher, he couldnt shake his head because that would mean denying what the Emperors words.


    Just like you said, Im a victim of humans desires. I lost my family, and my home disappeared in a fire. My entire n was enved or killed, Aisha went on.


    Teacher


    After losing everything, I was dragged here, the Pce of Avalon, and foolishly swore my loyalty to the person who I thought to be my friend. A bitter smile spread on Aishas face.


    Before she became known as the Assassin King, she had been trained to be the Imperial Familys assassin, a human weapon to maintain the Britten Familys power.


    Ah, that reminds me of old times. The person I firmly believed to be my friend just thought of me as a tool. It was your father who saved me.


    By pretending to be a dragon? Kireua cautiously asked.


    To be exact, I misunderstood him, and that wasnt his intention. He was really young, but his skills were surreal. It was really hard to think of him as a humannot that that has changed, though.


    The rest of Aishas story was equally cliche. After being freed, Aisha had started tracking down the hidden history surrounding her n, and before long, she had discovered the whole story. Everyone involved was turned into lifeless corpses. It didnt matter if they were renowned knights, highly influential officials in their countries, or tycoons.


    Joshua was also the one who undid the forbidden seal on me, so I owe your father a lot of debts, Aisha noted, nodding.


    Is that why youve been hiding in the shadows like this?


    Look around you.


    What?


    What would happen if the continent found out about the existence of these undead?


    Aisha''s point was perfectly clear to Kireua. The saint of the Hubalt Empire had been branded an enemy of the entire world overnight for acquiring a Demon Kings authority; it was obvious what was going to happen if this undead legion came to light.


    Are you saying that His Majesty asked you to do this? Kireua asked.


    No, I volunteered.


    Why would you do that? I think Sir Crevasse would be enough to protect this ce.


    I told you that revenge begets revenge, Aisha reminded Kireua.


    Mmm Kireua grunted. Living up to her title of Assassin King, Aisha had made many enemies all over the continent. There were still a lot of people who would happily burn a million gold to find out her real identity, much less drive a knife into her heart.


    The children of the people who had been killed by the Assassin King decades ago were now all grown up and had acquired power of their own. Indeed, revenge begets revenge; the tower of grudges only grew higher and higher with each murder.


    I needed to disappear from the world naturally. Since everyone firmly believes that Im a human, most of my enemies would be sorted out if Iy low for about a century. Aisha shrugged.


    A century. Elves had a lifespan of one thousand years, so a hundred years wasnt long for Aisha.


    Kireua nodded. I see.


    I think thats enough talk about the past, so why dont we have a constructive conversation about the future? Aisha smiled.


    She worked her way through the dense ranks of the undead and stopped in front of the twelve death knights, no doubt the strongest of this undead legion.


    To be honest, most of them will help you if you say youre Joshuas son. Aisha chuckled.


    R-Really?


    Yeah, but there is one person who might not She gently stroked a death knights ck armor and awkwardly smiled. No, maybe its two people?


    So I only have to earn two out of twelve peoples recognition, right? Thank you, Teacher! Thats a relief.


    Well, is it?


    Im sorry?


    You are listening to us, arent you? Can you take it from here


    The death knights eyes shed with bright red light, just like the first time Kireua stepped into this ce. One of them slowly lifted his gigantic, saw-toothed greatsword from the floor.


    ...Duke Altsma, the Wild King?


    * * *


    Lilith streaked through the air like a loosed arrow. She traveled dozens of meters in a single bound. The real shock was that she still felt as light as a bird in spite of the fact she had been running like this for half a day.


    I cant believe you can use the distribution of mana like this. Youre a genius! Lilith shouted in delight.


    -Youre too generous with yourpliments.


    No, no, Im serious. How did you think of a way to use mana from nature rather than your own mana?


    As a fellow martial artist, Lilith had always had a deep respect for Joshua, but after today her respect was going to turn into worship. She didnt even need a special mana umtion technique; once she utilized her mana hall like Joshua told her, the natural mana around her helped her move.


    I feel like I can save my father all on my own, Lilith said.


    -No, you cant. I assure you that the chance is lower than one percent.


    Im a little upset that you think so little of me.


    -Youre from Hubalt, so you would know about the guy who swallowed the dragons better than me.


    Youre talking about Bel. Lilith heaved a sigh. Well, she still felt frustrated when she thought about him. Would she be able to beat him on her own?


    A loud growl interrupted her thoughts.


    An unexpected change was happening behind her. The monsters who had been chasing her were changing their route for some reason.


    W-Wait! Where are they going? Here! Over here! Lilith gathered more of her mana. Since Joshua had said that the residue of the demonic power still lingered in her mana, she firmly believed that it would make those monsters turn back toward her. But she was gravely mistaken.


    What in the world? Lilith murmured.


    -Theyre heading to Arcadia. Is it because of the new Evil Sins power?


    What? The n-new Evil Sins power?


    -Four of the Evil Sins'' powers havent revealed themselves yet, but I can feel one of them in Arcadias direction.


    Lilith came to a screeching halt. Why are you talking about such a serious matter so casually?!


    -You dont have to worry about it. The people already there will take care of those monsters on their own.


    You cant be serious! Lilith turned around without a second thought.


    -What are you doing?


    What do you mean, what am I doing? Theyre your family, and theyre also my friends and my saviors! Obviously, Im going to go help them!


    -Youre on the clock. Theres no knowing what that Bel character is going to do.


    Its toote anywayand besides, my ns already gone sideways, Lilith grumbled.


    Her initial n was to cross the border to Hubalt with those monsters in two. She would let them raise hell in the capital while infiltrating the Great Temple. However, her n failed even before she even started.


    Just like you said, Im no match for Bel on my own, even if I get there. Lilith shrugged.


    -Defeating him isnt easy, but youll be able to save Cardinal Erman with my help.


    Forget it. Im a fugitive either way, and Im sick of being hunted. Lilith straightened her back and raised her sword. Id rather help Avalon first and ask for backup from them.


    -Are you sure you wont regret it?


    Lilith smiled faintly. Regret it? I dont think theres anything I would regret more than turning my back on my friends.

 Side Story Chapter 133

    Side Story Chapter 133


    -Kireua Sanders.


    The voice echoed as if Kireua were in a cave. It surprised him because it was Kireuas first time hearing the death knights voice.


    The best knight in the Swallow Empire, once called the king of the ins decades ago Are you really Duke Altsma? Kireua asked.


    -The best knight? You must be mistaken.


    Pardon?


    -The best is someone who stands at the peak of the country; many other knights in my empire were better than me.


    Kireua smiled awkwardly. He didnt know much about other countries history, but the death knight he stood in front of was a great man who had left his mark in the annals of the history of Igrant, not just a knight from the Swallow Empire.


    Duke Altsma, the Wild King, had started the golden age of the Swallow Empire with the power of his saw-toothed sword alone. When it came to battles on the open ins, Altsma had always led the Swallow Empire to war. If he hadnt been ambushed by Grand Duke Lucifer, one of the three Celestials, Altsma would have surely reached the peak himself.


    -Im going to test you from now, but dont think for a moment that Im going to go easy on you just because youre his son.


    I wouldnt want you to do that either, Kireua muttered bitterly.


    -The other knights are on the same page as me, so you only need to earn recognition from the two of us. Then all twelve death knights will march under your banner


    Altsma slowly raised his sword and released his ferocious energy.


    -...but if you fail, we will seek our eternal peace without a second thought. We dont have any lingering feelings for this world anymore.


    Wait, no lingering feelings? Kireua quickly interrupted. Thats a lot different from what I heard.


    -What do you mean?


    From what I know, a death knight cannot be born without a specific goal because the will of the bodys original owner is the most critical element of the process. The goal usually involves aplishing an unfulfilled dream, achieving mastery in the sword, or getting revenge


    -Theyre true, but you fail to realize one thing.


    Whats that? Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    -Our dreams have already been fulfilled with the help of Joshua Sanders, your father and our savior.


    Indeed. The Emperor of Avalon had granted all the twelve death knights'' wishes. Altsma had been a noble knight, renowned throughout the entire continent, but he had sacrificed his soul and honor to be an undead in order to fulfill his dream. It could not have been an easy thing to aplish. Kireua was sure that granting every single one of the death knights wishes had been just as difficult as conquering the continent would have been.


    -Nevertheless, we chose to remain on thisnd because


    Kireua swallowed.


    -...were grateful.


    Gratitude I see. Kireua nodded.


    -Your fatherno, our master has favored us in a way that we shall never be able to repay even with our lives. But that doesnt necessarily serve as a reason to help you.


    Kireua found it difficult to understand Altsma. If he was so grateful to the Emperor, then wouldnt he be more than willing to help Kireuaor rather, the country in a time like this?


    -Half.


    What?


    -Half of the death knights here died due to betrayal. Once we swear a covenant to you as our Overlord, we can only derive our supply of demonic power from you to sustain our lives. We have no choice but to blindly obey you, even if youmand us to exterminate the human race. We must obey.


    That was the death knights pledge of loyalty. When they chose to serve a master, they were bound to assist their master with every fiber of their being until the day they were reduced to nothingness.


    -Actions speak louder than words. Take up your weapons. Your sword will tell me a lot more about yourself than you think.


    Kireua nodded. I understand what you mean, Duke Altsma.


    -I abandoned that name long ago. I am the Wild King, and I will test you to the best of my abilities.


    Kireuas energy shed violently against the Wild Kings.


    They slowly walked toward each other, and then, but at a certain distance they both leaped at each other.


    Their swords collided, but it feltpletely different to Kireua than any other time hed crossed swords. Kireuas sword was stuck in between the shark-like teeth of the Wild Kings sword. Worse, Kireuas sword was being chipped away like prey caught in the sharks mouth.


    Ugh! The impact left his palms numb. After their first collision, Kireua was certain that fighting the Wild King head-on was madness.


    Kireuas arm muscles bulged as he tried to break away from the Wild Kings sword and distance himself, but Kireuas sword still didnt budge in the slightest.


    -It wasmendable of you toe straight at me But brave as it was, the moment you chose to fight me directly instead of running away, you trapped yourself, Kireua Sanders.


    The Wild King had more surprises for Kireua. The tips of the swords saw teeth were enveloped in the Wild Kings ck demonic power, but in a different way from how a sword oveid with aura shone. The Wild King covered only the saw tooth region of the sword when heunched his attack.


    -Rain on the ins.


    The demonic saw teeth suddenly flew off of the Wild Kings sword and swarmed Kireua from every direction. Kireua couldnt even dodgehis sword was still embedded in the serrations of the Wild Kings sword, forcing Kireua to abandon his sword and jump for safety.


    However, the saw teeth were hot on his tail. For a split second, Kireua struggled to find a way to counterattack.


    -Kireua, use the power of Gluttony.


    Inexplicably, everyone except for Kireua froze for a moment. His eyes were drawn to the side., whereupon he realized that that Coal was nearby, its adorable hands jammed into the ground. It was only then that Kireua realized what was causing this strange phenomenon.


    <em>...You can stop time, too?</em> Kireua asked.


    -Nope. Only gods can do that, so no, I cant.


    <em>Then what in the world is going on?</em>


    -All I can do is temporarily stop the flow of demonic power and the creatures who use demonic power.


    <em>What?</em> Kireuas eyes darted back and forth. Coal was righttime still passed; only the Wild King and the flying saw teeth had stopped. Kireua could quite obviously see how his teachers expression continued to change in real time.


    <em>Its still cheating,</em> Kireua dumbly protested.


    -Gluttonys teeth are sturdier than any other objects in the Demon Realm. For example, its tens of thousands of times harder than adamantium.


    <em>So I make a sword out of it?</em>


    -Yup. Picture the sword that you would be able to use the best, Kireua.


    It didnt take long for Kireua to take action. The instant he thought of it, he was holding a new sword, a longsword of ordinary length that seemed to have swallowed darkness itself.


    When Kireua swung the sword, the saw teeth that once threatened him burst powerlessly against the de from the slightest brush.


    -A sword of demonic power? Wait, is that


    Its my turn now. Kireua sheathed his sword, bracing himself to snap it out of its sheathe[1].


    Rain on the ins was a technique that aimed to minimize mana usage by focusing aura into a tightly controlled area and then scattering it. Kireua had figured out the mechanism. If he could learn the distribution of power as well as mechanism, he could deliver a counterattack in the same way.


    A thickyer of Kireuas aura formed around the edge of his sword and nowhere else.


    The Wild King stared, visibly stupefied despite the inhuman red light of his eyes. Replicating a technique and making that into his own based on sight alone had only ever been done by Joshua, the Martial God himself.


    -I see. A tigers son is a tiger as well.


    A death knight couldnt do such a thing as make a facial expression, but the Wild Kings voice sounded somehow pleased. In fact, he was absolutely delighted.


    -But I would be humiliated if I gave up now.


    Ayer of demonic power developed over the Wild Kings sword once again.


    -Kireua Sanders, I dont know if youre aware of this, but I can feel impatience from your sword for some reason.


    Kireua flinched as he was about to draw his sword.


    -At first, I thought it was because you urgently wished to return to yourrades but the moment your sword and mine met, I realized that your impatience is an old habit.


    Wild King, what are you talking about?


    -You know a genius who is simrno, better than you, dont you? Come to think of it, I heard that my master has two sons.


    Kireuas face darkened. The intuition and insight of a knight who had lived out his life and more was certainly something to behold. However, the Wild King went on:


    -I know the sorrow of being the second best. Once, I also fell to my knees in despair in front of a wall I couldnt ovee.


    Kireua bit his lip. It was obvious that the Wild King was ying a mind game, and Kireua had no intention of ying along.


    Here I go. Kireua quietly took a deep breath and tensed his legs.


    The air distorted and rippled from the sheer density of demonic power infused into Kirueas. The edge of his sword seethed with murderous energy, and his aura was thick with his Evil Sins'' powers.


    His powerful attack rocketed toward its target. While the Wild Kings demonic power attack was like a rain of saw teeth falling upon a in, Kireuas aura resembled a crescent moon.


    -Mmmm


    The Wild King gripped his sword with two hands. Had Kireuas attack beenposed of ordinary aura, the Wild King would have met it head on and dissipated it with little difficulty. However, he could not approach this attack so casually.


    Kireuas attack was so sharp that it cleaved through the very space it passed through, to say nothing of anything else in its path. There was no way that the Wild King could use any conventional methods.


    -Hahahahahaha! Good. Great, master!


    The pressure mping down on him made the Wild King burst intoughter. Considering that he was usually very serious, his jovial guffaws were quite incongruous.


    1. Iaijutsu

 Side Story Chapter 134

    Side Story Chapter 134


    The collision of their auras churned the air into a storm that swept away the skeletons. Their bones were shattered, sending fragments flying everywhere, but that didnt take long for them to return to their original form. The damage caused by the battle between Kireua and the Wild King was instantly restored by Crevassed using his draconic magic. It didnt matter if the damage was to objects or the undead surrounding them.


    Another death knight, one that seemed to embody the lethal edge of a sword stepped into their fight. This death knight was smaller than the Wild King, but he exuded quite a powerful energy as well.


    -Why dont you stop there, Wild King? Youre still so childish. You were going to help him anyway.


    The new death knight turned.


    -Did you say your name is Kireua Sanders?


    Who are you? Kireua asked betweenbored breaths.


    -My name is Kasselon. Kasselon ben Britten.


    Kireua instantly stopped panting. B-ben Britten?


    -Oh, no. Judging from your reaction, my master must have not informed you of our identities.


    Death knights didnt have a facial expression, but from the way Kasselon shook his head, it was obvious that his masters choices had left him baffled.


    -Ha! Thats why you cant help but respect him even more. It means he leaves the final choice to use, even when ites to his own children.


    -I would have lent my help even if an idiot came to us since well never be able to repay our debt to our master even with our lives.


    -Were already dead, so we dont have lives to offer.


    -Its a figure of speech. Do you really have to nitpick over every word?


    -Huh? Nitpick? Is there no hierarchy in Avalon?


    -If youre talking about the social hierarchy we lived in before our death, you were a duke and I was a prince, so Im definitely not the lower-ranked person here.


    -My son is older than you! Come to think of it, I dont know what he does nowadays.


    Kireua stared nkly at the silly quarrel that suddenly started between Kasselon and the Wild King.


    Seriously, knights Aisha quietly heaved a sigh and stepped over to Kireua. They seem to like you, fortunately.


    Teacher?


    These death knights look like theyre going to help you.


    The Wild King interrupted as if he had been waiting for her to say that.


    -Aiding the baby prince is equivalent to helping our master, so there was nothing for me to think about.


    Th-Then why did you fight me? Kireua asked.


    -For fun.


    Kireua stood there like a fool; the sheer audacity left him grasping for words.


    -Please allow me to apologize on his behalf.


    If your name is Kasselon ben Britten, then youre from the deposed Imperial Family of Avalon, arent you? Emperor Marcus ben Brittens Kireua trailed off.


    -Yes, Marcus ben Britten was my father before I died.


    It was just as Kireua expected. He felt a reflexive repulsion. Although he tried very hard not to reveal it, the people around him were, unsurprisingly, perfectly capable of noticing.


    The Wild King tilted his head, bemused.


    -He really knows nothing. This is a little unfair.


    -Im okay. Considering what the Brittens did to our master, anyone would understand if the prince drew his sword and attacked me right now


    -This is not a matter you can brush off like that. Youre a victim too. If even that baby prince doesnt know, that probably means that everyone in the world


    -Our master must have a good reason for it.


    Kasselon dismissed the Wild Kingsment and stepped toward Kireua.


    -Im not sure if youre aware of this, but I was the Third Prince of the Britten family.


    The Third Prince? Kireua mumbled. He tilted his head in confusion. He knew about the Britten familys First and Second Princes fighting over the throne until the end because he had been told the story so many times. Kaiser ben Britten, the Emperor of Avalons biggest enemy, so of course, came up equally often, so Kireua knew about him too. However, not much was known about the Third Prince aside from the fact that he was called Tragic Prince because he had been forgotten by people


    The Wild King eyed Kireua for a moment and then nodded knowingly.


    -I see. I get it now.


    Kasselon gave him a questioning look.


    -Our master was worried about your honor, Kasselon. Since youre now a death knight, someone will recognize your sword style someday, and the entire continent will know that the prince of an empire has been raised from the dead.


    -I did consider the possibility.


    -Its better for ordinary people to think that the Third Prince, having lost the power struggle, went off to happily living out the rest of his life in seclusionduring which, our master took the throne, a suitable reason you would be unable to appear in the Pce.


    -I owe our master once again. Thanks to him, the Britten name wont be tainted any further.


    -Hmph. Your family should be fed to the dogs for what they did. Do they even have any honor left to be tainted?


    Distinctly angry red light shone from the Wild Kings eye.


    The more the Wild King and Kasselon talked, the more confused Kireua became.


    Umm, Your Highness Kasselonno, Sir Kasselon Kireua cautiously said.


    -You can call me however you would like.


    Then Ill go with Sir Kasselon. Can I ask you why you died, Sir Kasselon?


    Kireuas question cut into the heart of the problem. He was certain that he would be able to understand this situation once he knew the cause of Kasselons death.


    He was quite right.


    -Its rather cliche.


    I would still like to hear it, if thats eptable to you.


    -My trusted brother betrayed me, and I was buried in a shallow grave.


    A brothers betrayal. In other words, one of the other princes of Avalon had stabbed Kasselon in the back. The scattered puzzle pieces in Kireuas head were slowly piecing themselves together.


    -My master gave me a chance to obtain revenge.


    I see. Kireua nodded.


    -I heard you have a brother. I sincerely hope you and your brother stay on good terms, unlike me and mine. I may sound like an old man, but both political power and revenge will seem meaningless with time.


    Kireua asked himself if he desired political power. He could immediately guarantee that he didnt and never would. However, he <em>did</em> desire to be recognized by the Emperor of Avalon and the world atrge. Ever since he was a child, Kireua had been constantlypared to Selim; many questioned if Kireua really was the Martial Gods son. Because of all the harsh criticism and constantly being looked down on


    I dont want to lose, Kireua said.


    I have no intention of fighting against my only brother for political power, but I dont want to lose to Selim either.


    Kasselon examined Kireua without saying anything. On the other hand, the red light in the Wild Kings eyes bobbed slightly.


    -Does that mean you are willing to hand the throne over to your brother even if you win this fight, Your Highness?


    Of course.


    Silencey nketed the area until Kasselon finally spoke up.


    -Thats selfishness, not selflessness, Your Highness.


    Am I being too greedy? Kireua mumbled.


    -Yes, you are.


    Kasselon was so firm that he sounded cold.


    -There are two candidates to be the Emperor of Avalon. Lets say one of them is vastly better than the other one. Hes not only good inbat but also has the wisdom to rule. Nevertheless, that exceptional candidate says hell hand over the throne to the other candidate. What would the citizens think? The nobles? And how would your brother feel?


    That is


    -If youre truly a selfless person, you would have handed over the throne by losing the battle on purposebut you dont want to do that, do you?


    Kireua nodded slightly. Every fiber of his body hated the idea of losing to Selim.


    -Then abandon your wishy-washy attitude. Beat him and im the throne. I was concerned there would be a nasty power struggle between two brothers who wouldn''t hesitate to stab each other in the back, not a legitimatepetition in good faith. The people would vastly prefer thetter.


    -Hohoho! This conversation makes me even more convinced.


    -What do you mean?


    -Is there anyone else who is as greedy as our master? He reached the peak of martial prowess, took the throne, and has three beautiful wives all to himself


    Kasselon gave the Wild King a disapproving look.


    -How can you say that when you know the full story?


    -The world only cares for results. Who wouldnt envy our master?


    The Wild King took a step forward.


    -So thats why I like him even more. From what Ive seen so far, hes the spitting image of our master. I guess that''s why they say blood is thicker than water.


    Me? Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    -Yeah, you. In that regard, you passed my test.


    Kireuas eyes widened. R-Really?


    -Dont be too happy yet. I told you that you have to earn the recognition of two out of the twelve of us, didnt I?


    Havent I?


    Hadnt he already earned Kasselons recognition?


    -Heheis it finally my turn? ck lizard, you heard them; why dont you untie me now?


    Tsk. Crevasse frowned. For some reason he looked resigned. I really should do something about his mouth someday. Keeping a lunatic in chains is no joke. Its several times harder than restoring the damage youve done to this ce.


    -Now, now, now Ladies and gentlemen, this is the moment youve been waiting for.


    A slender death knight flitted toward Kireua, holding a long rapier that echoed his physique


    -I, Arie bron Sten, will test my new masters skills. Please enjoy.


    A-Arie bron Sten? Kireuas jaw dropped to the floor, but Arie rushing Kireua.


    -Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Entertain me again, Joshuaahem, Kireua Sanders.

 Side Story Chapter 135

    Side Story Chapter 135


    W-Wait!


    -Heeheeheehee!


    The maniacallyughing death knight stymied all attempts at conversation.


    Arie bron Sten was a great knight who had once been the strongest wielder of the rapier, a sword that was usually used by women, in the Avalon Empire. However, it was well known that he had been killed by the Emperor of Avalon a long time ago.


    Why in the world? Kireua mumbled.


    -Why did I be a death knight?


    He was thrusting his rapier astonishingly fast, like pouring rain. Kireua struggled to track the rapier. He couldnt even think about dodging, so he chose to block Aries attacks from the start.


    Why? The rapier was a weapon specialized in quick stabs, but it couldnt deal significant damage due to its light weight. That was the reason why none of Avalons knights used the rapier after the Sten family.


    -Im just like them.


    Unlike Arie, Kireua couldnt afford to talk.


    -I have an unfulfilled dream. As long as it remains that way, I cant find eternal peace. But after my death, it only seemed further away. I thought the gap was minuscule, but I can see the gap clearly after bing an undead.


    One of Aries attacks slipped through. Kireua thought he blocked it, but instead he could feel stinging pain in his thigh. Before long, blood seeped out of Kireuas leg. Arie paused and brought the tip of his rapier up to his helmet.


    -Oh, yeah. I dont have a tongue anymore.


    Ugh!


    -The reason why I became an undead is simple: I wanted to stay with Joshua forever.


    Goosebumps pebbled the skin on Kireuas arms. He had never seen anything like Aries mad obsession.


    -I told you earlier, right? I embraced this all for Joshua, but Im in such despair. Ive practically given up!


    What are you talking about? Kireua asked.


    -My goal is a man of monstrous strength. Before I got stuck in this cave decades ago, he was already a monster I couldnt imagine fighting equally, so I have no idea how ridiculously strong he is now.


    Arie straightened.


    -So Im thinking about changing my goal a little. They say you should go back to the basics when youre stuck, right? Once Im able to crush Sanderss boys, I might have a chance when I challenge him again. Ah, just thinking about it alone is really!


    Arie moaned unsettlinglyeven more so because he was a death knight. Kireua couldnt take it anymore.


    <em>Mr of Gluttony.</em>


    The ck sword reappeared in Kireuas hands once again. Gluttonys power was sturdier than any other mineral in the Demon Realm.


    <em>Fire of Greed.</em>


    ck me enveloped Kireuas sword. The only ebon mes on the continent, capable of burning any other fires into ash.


    <em>Lastly Aura of Lust.</em>


    Kireua raised his sword, shrouded in a thick pink haze. Crevasse was slightly shocked, but Aisha continued to watch the battle with a serious look.


    -Oh?


    Kireua suddenly blended into the darkness and literally vanished, drawing a small gasp from Arie. The high-level stealth technique made Aisha open her mouth in surprise.


    When did he be that good?


    The student bes the master, huh?


    Hes not that good yet.


    Hmm. Are you talking back to me, Aisha Sestropi? Crevasse smiled crookedly.


    Your threats don''t work on me anymore. You arent that scary anymore.


    Hahaha. Crevasse quietly chuckled, to Aishas surprise. Shed thought that he was going to be furious. Considering what their rtionship had been like in the past, that reaction should have been impossible. Aisha had feared dragons above all other things, and in contrast, Crevasse had treated elves and humans like bugs.


    The change was all because of Joshua. After their encounters with Joshua, Crevasse no longer looked down on humans, and Aishas fear of dragons had disappeared.


    -Now, where is this rat hiding?


    Arie took a look around, flicking the tip of his rapier. There were many hiding spots in a space of this size. The ceiling was so high that Crevasse could be in his dragon form, and all sorts of undead filled its confines. It was the perfect ce to hide; it wouldnt be easy finding his target in this kind of ce.


    Arie suddenly thrust his rapier behind him without looking back.


    -Hehehe, no matter how much you hide your presence, theres no way I wouldnt recognize that unique demonic power of yours


    Arie hesitated when he realized that sensation at the tip of his sword was odd. He slowly turned around, confused.


    -Huh?


    -Ouch! It hurts! It hurts! Im going to die!


    A wailing ck cotton ball was skewered on the end of the rapier bottom-first.


    -What <em>is</em> this?


    Arie suddenly felt something near his waist, so he instinctively swung his rapier around. Coal went flying off the tip of Aries de with a little <em>pop!</em> and went rolling across the floor. However, the weird creature rubbing its bottom was no longer Aries concern.


    The biggest advantage of the rapier was the speed of its thrust, but Kireua managed to block Aries attack with the t of his de.


    It worked!


    -Do you really think so?


    Kireua frowned. Aries rapier should have shattered like ss, but he blocked Kireuas aura sh issue.


    Worse, Arie slowly pushed Kireuas sword back, their weapons squealing as they ground against each other.


    -What a bummer. Hehehe.


    No, <em>this</em> is the real one.


    -What?


    Arie reeled as he was enveloped in the ebon mes rising from Kireuas sword so quickly that he had no time to respond.


    This is the ebon mes that even the creatures of the Demon Realm fear, Kireua kindly informed Arie. Care to find out why?


    * * *


    The ins beyond Arcadias eastern walls were packed with an army of countless undead. The three invaders who had been running away from the Pce now stood at the front of the army, arrogantly staring back at the citys defenders. There were tens of thousands of undead, so the invaders must have thought they had a chance of winning now.


    This is not good, Duke Tremblin tly stated.


    In contrast to the enormous undead army, Tremblin and the others only had three thousand soldiers on their side. It was said taking a castle needed a three to one advantage, but it was clear that the undead army outnumbered the forces of Avalon by a factor of ten or more.


    Where in the world did theye from? Selim mumbled in disbelief.


    As I understand it, the Evil Sins'' powers are the powers of Demon Kings, so who can say? Demons who thought that they could be Demon Kings came all the way over here and brought their armies with them, Tremblin exined.


    Mmmm Selim quietly grunted.


    Hey, hey, dont freak out, Theta interrupted, grinning. The Martial God wouldnt have so much as batted an eye at an army that big.


    I didnt freak out.


    Anyhow, can you take a step back? Theta waved at Selim. Ive finished my preparations.


    Arge storm descended upon thend, rumbling as it absorbed lightning bolts from above.


    Arrrggggghhh!


    The tempest was so powerful that it threatened to throw them off the ramparts at any moment, so Valmont quickly grabbed Selim.


    Wh-What are you doing? Selim protested.


    Hah, hahaha. We cant fall down in front of our soldiers, can we, Your Highness. That would be pathetic.


    But why would you


    It is technically part of my job to protect your dignity, Your Highness, Valmont interrupted.


    Selim closed his mouth. Meanwhile, the storm grew bigger as it continued to swallow lightning.


    All the undead who were caught in the storm were sucked into the sky, but the three invadersdemons, the group presumedhad vanished long ago. The moment they saw a Eighth Circle spell, they had withdrawn to the rear.


    Its remarkable.


    Yes, this must be why archmages are called living weapons.


    Selim and Valmont gazed up at Theta. He hovered in the sky, his eyes shining and his hair fluttering in the wind.


    But this is only a temporary measure, Valmont noted. The fact that hes the Master of the Magic Tower doesnt necessarily mean that his mana is infinite.


    Im hoping this will take out at least ten percent of the enemy.


    Even ten percent of the undead army was several thousand undead. If one magic attack was able to impact the undead army on that scale, it more than lived up to the reputation of Eighth Circle magic.


    Wait, Selim said.


    What is it?


    What are those monsters? Selim pointed. The others immediately turned to look and saw, as Selim noted, that a group of monsters was emerging from the forest. In fact, their numbers were just as great as the army of undead already nketing the ins.


    Theyreing from the north. Why?


    Their faces darkened. They were already at a disadvantage; with these fresh monsters added to the mix, it was, realistically speaking, impossible for the party to deal with them all.


    However, that was just the beginning of the surprise.


    Huh? Valmont noticed something and blinked. S-Somethings strange.


    The others peered closer and their jaws slowly dropped.


    Wh-Why are those monsters attacking the undead?

 Side Story Chapter 136

    Side Story Chapter 136


    What do we do now? Lilith shouted while running as fast as she could. A swarm of countless monsters was chasing after her.


    -Youre the one who came up with this, so even if you ask me


    Why are you so uncooperative? This is to protect your dear home and family, Lilith grumbled.


    -I told you to go back to Hubalt.


    Whats done is done. Are you sure theres no way?


    Joshua was silent until Lilith managed to get close enough to see the east gates of Arcadia.


    Oh, no. There are so many undead! There must be over fifty thousand at least!


    -Twono, around five demons of the highest rank are in there. With them, it wouldnt be too farfetched to mobilize tens of thousands of undead.


    What does it mean to be the highest rank? Lilith asked.


    -They are those demons who stand among the top hundred strongest in the Demon Realm. Every single one of them is strong enough to be a Demon King.


    You sound awfully rxed for such a heavy topic. Is there any chance theyll take control of these monsters?


    -They would have already taken them when they climbed down the mountain if that were possible. Undead and monsters are different. Corpses are dead and have no mind of their own, but monsters have souls. Well, the key here is instigating a fight between the two


    Do you think I can do it? Help me out here! Lilith yelled.


    -Run.


    What?


    -Just run; thats all you have to do to make them fight. As long as those monsters are attracted to the residue of Lust, theyll follow you to their deaths, destroying everything in their path.


    S-So I have to break through those undead?


    -I told you this before. You voluntarily chose to tread down this rocky path.


    Lilith bit her lip. You jerk.


    -I heard that so many times that I dont really feel anything anymore.


    Youll be punished even after death! Im sure of it!


    -Lets try it first. That said, Im not sure my feeble power will be of much help.


    Even while they bandied words, Lilith kept running and had made her way right in front of undead. Most of them were utterly repulsivejust looking at them made Lilith want to retch. And no doubt demons, the race of battle, were amidst those undead.


    Its all or nothing!


    Lilith shoved off the ground with such force that her mana-infused legs left cracks on the ground. The undeads heads jerked up, but she was already out of their reach.


    Lilith marched forward using the skeletons heads as stepping stones. Each undead unfortunate enough to be stepped on by Lilith had no head left after the experience, but none of them screamed because they were undead who had already died.


    The monsters arrived a littleter and mmed into the undead in a flurry of ws and teeth. A ck ogre swung its bat, tossing dozens of skeletons away, and a trolls kicks pulverized the brittle bones.


    Lilith nced back and cheered. It worked! It worked!


    -Were just getting started. Keep in mind that the problem isnt the skeletons.


    Right on cue, three headless knights stood in Liliths wayduhans, high-ss undead. Lilith bit her lip but drew her sword for the first time and immediately attacked.


    Urgh! Liliths eyes grew wide like a surprised rabbit. Shed even used mana, hoping to y the duhans with one strike, but they were so sturdy that their armor was merely scratched a bit.


    I-I know theyre physically strong, but this is


    -Its the demons.


    What about them?


    -Undead be stronger depending on who they serve. Death knights and duhans were knights before their deaths, and pure, thick demonic power helps them use their full power.


    In other words, the demons were making these duhans sturdier.


    Shit, I dont have time to waste here, Lilith cussed, her vulgarity at odds with her beauty.


    As Lilith drew on her mana, she heard a quiet sigh in her head.


    -Theres no other choice. Kireua hasnt finished his business, so I was going to save up some power. But it looks like Im going to lose one of my few friends first.


    Lilith instantly halted. Despite the ongoing battle, she couldnt help but feel pleased to be called Joshuas friend.


    Wh-What are you doing?


    -Im going to help out a friend who acts as she pleases too much. Seriously, you really remind me of someone.


    Who are you talking about?


    -Arie bron Sten. From your exceptional sword skills to your uncontroble personality, you two may be different genders, but youre very simr to one another.


    Lilith stood frozen for a moment, unable to understand what Joshua meant. Arie bron Sten was from the same generation as her, so she knew who he was.


    Then her beautiful face creased with irritation.


    How dare youpare me to him?!


    * * *


    -Oh?


    Aries observed the ebon mes on his body, fascinated. It left Kireua baffled.


    Why arent my ebon mes working?


    -Hahaha, youre cute. Youre asking me?


    Im just talking to myself!


    -I think I know the answer though.


    What? Kireua tilted his head.


    -From what I heard, there are two kinds of ebon mes in the Demon Realm, in contrast to what is known.


    Two kinds? Kireuas back straightened.


    -Ordinary ebon mes arent just hot fire. It <em>is</em> so hot that no one in the Human Realm can endure it, of course, but thats a separate issue.


    Kireua almost shouted <em>Then what makes a fire greater than that?!</em> out loud.


    -The other kind of ebon mes are the artificial ones made by someones power.


    Artificial ebon mes?


    -ck fire, ck wind, ck ice, ck sand those kinds of things are created by an external influence.


    <em>Wait? </em>Kireuas eyes gradually widened as a memory crossed his mind.


    -Hahaha! Judging from your expression, you seem to understand what Im talking about.


    Mmm Kireua grunted.


    -On a side note, its said that the other ebon me isnt just an unusually hot fire. It makes the people caught within believe that the heat is unbearable, breaking down the victims mind.


    Arie brought the tip of his rapier to the lower part of his helmet once again as if he were licking it.


    -Do you know what that means? Believe it or not, an intangible power has its own ego. As far as I know, gods powers like your Evil Sins power are the only ones with egos.


    Kireua nced to the side where Coal continued to roll around on the floor, rubbing its round bottom, unaware that it was currently the topic of the conversation.


    -You want to know something else?


    What is it?


    -The previous owner of the powers of Pride, Greed, and Wrath.


    Kireuas jaw dropped before Arie finished. Is it?


    -Yes, the only other person to possess multiple Evil Sins'' powers is your father, Joshua Sanders. Hah. I received a lot of Joshuas love, hence the thick scent of him on me. Maybe it recognizes its original owner, so the fire is refusing to hurt me.


    The Emperor of Avalon had single-handedly annihted the Demon Spirit when no one in the Demon Realm could have done it. Just like the Emperor of Avalon, Kireua had three Evil Sins'' powers, but he didnt think for a second that he was at the same level as his father. No, Kireua was no better than the dirt under the Emperors toenails. Anyone who thought otherwise was mad.


    -How funny. You have both Joshuas blood and his power Gosh, I can feel my blood boiling.


    Arie moaned once again.


    Do you have blood? Kireua gingerly asked.


    -Oh, yeah. I dont even have a tongue anymore.


    Youre an irredeemable pervert.


    Kireua adjusted his grip on his sword. Perhaps this was the time to test his sword skills alone.


    Arie seemed to notice what Kireua was thinking.


    -Mmm It would be a pity to stab you and end the fight like this.


    What?


    -The older you get, the wiser you be, and the broader your view gets. You clearly look like your sword skills arent anything exceptional.


    Ariesment struck a nerve. Kireua gritted his teeth.


    Its not over until its over.


    -No, my desire to fights already fizzled out.


    Arie actually turned his back on Kireua.


    -Ill wait around a decade. I cant die anyway, so whats ten years?


    Are you insulting me? Kireua asked with a frown.


    -Hahaha! Keep in mind that I also gave your father time to get stronger.


    E-Even His Majesty?


    -Of course it was less than half the time I gave you, but that madman skewered me through the heart with that red spear of his after less than five years from our first encounter. Hehehe.


    Kireuas face crumpled up. He was not ready to back down just because Arie refused to fight him.


    -You should thank me, really. Your next andst opponent wont be as easy as me.


    Kireua tilted his head curiously.


    Aisha let out a quiet sigh and stepped forward. Kireua, ept his proposal. Its an act of goodwill.


    Teacher? Kireua questioned. He didnt understand her reasoning.


    Now you need to fight a lich king. Hes the de-facto leader of the other five liches.


    A lich king was an immortal undead as well as a weapon of mass destruction who wielded the supreme power of Eighth Circle magic. With nearly an infinite amount of mana and stamina, a lich king was practically a one-man army.


    Most of the people whom youve met have a favorable opinion of you, but its going to be different from now on, Aisha warned Kireua.


    How so?


    Crevasse unlocked the lich kings shackles. Immediately, the entire chamber shook, and a white lich wearing a crown approached with five other liches trailing behind.


    Kireua reflexively swallowed. Even from a distance, Kireua could feel that the lich king was a formidable individual.


    The lichs identity, however, was even more weighty.


    That lich kings name is Evergrant con Aswald, Aisha exined.


    Evergrant con Aswald!


    Aisha nodded. Youve already heard of him, havent you? Yes, he was the Imperial Chief Mage of the Avalon Empire and one of Joshuas worst enemies.

 Side Story Chapter 137

    Side Story Chapter 137


    How could Kireua not know of Evergrant con Aswald? He had plotted a conspiracy against the Emperor of Avalon and had been the most loyal subordinate of Kaiser ben Britten.


    Wait, hes the mortal enemy of the Magic Tower! Kireua shouted.


    The Magic Tower? Are you talking about that ridiculous ivory tower the humans built?


    It may be ridiculous to you, Sir Crevasse, but the Magic Tower is quite significant to humans. The Magic Tower is the most influential non-national organization on the continent and holds a long history.


    So what? You dont have any reason to worry about that Magic Tower or whatever its called.


    Of course I do. The leader of the Magic Tower is on Avalons soil right now! Kireua shouted.


    Yes, Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, was in Avalon right now to help the Emperor, his dear friend. If Kireua brought Evergrant in front of him instead of repaying the favor


    Pfft. Yeah, its just like you humans to worry about something that hasn''te true yet. Crevasse chuckled quietly to himself.


    This isnt a matter that you can dismiss so easily. Its important to me.


    Your priority should be whats going to happen to you right now, not some nebulous possibility that only might happen.


    The lich king arrived, thick demonic power coiling around him. Kireua shrank back, immediately reinforcing Crevasses point. Remarkably, the other liches stood politely behind the lich king like loyal retainers.


    -Are you Joshua Sanders son?


    What? Kireua blurted, surprised once again.


    From what he heard, an undeads contract was absolute. The undead were devoted to their masters in both body and soul for a good reason. It was obvious given the way all the death knights politely referred to the Emperor of Avalon as their master. Arie bron Sten was a maniac, so he was an exception. Nevertheless, there wasnt a trace of respect in the lich kings voice.


    -You are arrogant, arent you.


    A-Arrogant?


    -Whether or not I choose to go aboveground to help the Empire or wipe it from existence depends solely on your abilities.


    Wipe it from existence? Did Kireua hear that correctly?


    -Ive been watching you for a while, but you never seem to ask why.


    What do you mean?


    -Youre thinking that were your fathers legacy, so well help you no matter what, arent you.


    Kireua felt a pang of guilt. After finding out that the preparations that the Emperor of Avalon had madey dormant underground and that they were an entire legion of undead, Kireua had been certain that he was the only one in the world who could control it. He was the one with three Evil Sins'' powers. The main issue was how many of the undead soldiers Kireua would be able to control.


    -There is only one reason why Joshua Sanders can lead them. What do you think that is, little princeling?


    Kireua had to think for a while. It couldnt be his fathers raw powerif so, Evergrant wouldnt have asked the question in the first ce. Since he had earlier asked Kireua whether or not he wondered why the Emperor had sent him here


    Theres something about His Majesty that made you have a change of heart. Like he granted you your hearts desire.


    The ck light in Evergrants eyes bobbed slightly.


    -Ha, so there is something in that skull of yours.


    Kireua internally heaved a long sigh of relief; evidently, he had said the right answer.


    -Yes, Joshua Sanders knew what our desires were and actually made theme true.


    I assume that the desire of yours is revenge? Kireua cautiously said.


    -Not everyone wanted revenge. The Wild King was killed by Grand Duke Lucifer, and the poor prince was stabbed in the heart by his own brother. So they, of all people, would have wished for a bloody revenge more than anyone elsebut cant you tell the truth from Arie bron Sten alone?


    From Kireuas perspective, Arie bron Sten literally thought of nothing but battle. Just so he could fight the Emperor of Avalon for eternity, Arie had refused to stay dead and voluntarily submitted to resurrect. However, Kireua hadnt heard what Evergrants wish was.


    The young prince thought about it and slowly nodded.


    Just like Arie bron Sten, you didnt be an undead for revenge.


    -And what makes you think that?


    If so, you wouldnt have sworn loyalty to the enemy that killed you.


    -Hahahaha.


    The lich king burst into quietughter.


    -Then why do you think I voluntarily became this cursed creature?


    That is


    The answer didnte to Kireua so easily this time. Evergrant was the first human mage to attain the Eighth Circle, so why would he turn into a lich? From what Kireua had heard, Evergrant had been purely driven by his lust for political power; in fact, his thirst for power had been so obsessive that he nned to turn the Magic Tower into a sovereign country and build an eternal Magic Empire.


    <em>But it seems highly unlikely that thats the reason.</em>


    Kireuas eyes twinkled as he began to piece together the clues. Had Evergrants unfulfilled dream been to build his own country, he wouldnt have stayed buried deep underground for decades. Kireua was certain that Evergrant would have found death a better alternative than following the orders of the enemy who didnt keep up his end of the bargain. Above all, Evergrant had said with his own mouth that the Emperor of Avalon knew the undeads desires better than anyone else and had made theme true. Evergrant wouldnt be an exception. In other words


    Why dont we make a bet? Kireua blurted.


    -A bet?


    Evergrant tilted his head in confusion.


    If I get the answer right, you, Evergrant con Aswald will swear to be my loyal and faithful servant.


    The cavernous space fell silent as Evergrants eyes flickered for a long, tense moment, revealing nothing of his inner thoughts.


    Getting pushed around isnt really my thing, and its only right to get a reward if I answer correctly, isnt it?


    Kireuas tone was very polite now that there was something he wanted.


    -You take after your fathers thuggish nature. Dont you think this bet is rather one-sided?


    In return, Ill give up taking everyone aboveground. If I fail to answer your question, I will leave alone.


    Everyone stared at him, horrified.


    Ki-Kireua, Avalon is


    Its okay, Teacher, Kireua reassured Aisha. He then turned and looked Evergrant straight in the eyes. How does that sound?


    -Heh. Heheheh. How amusing. Are you sure you wont regret this?


    Kireua nodded. Of course.


    -You dont seem to realize why Joshua Sanders told you, his own son, about this ce that is packed with ursed undead. Its because you cant solve your crisis without their help.


    Youre quite talkative for one of the greatest mages in history. Are <em>you</em> sure about this? Kireua shot back.


    Evergrant stared at him, his demonic power growing thicker and more ominous.


    -Alright. You get <em>one</em> chance. If you dont get this right, I assure you that you wont be able to take anyone in here above ground because I, Evergrant con Aswald, will stop at nothing to prevent it.


    Good; but in return, youll help me with your full power if I get it right.


    -I quite clearly told you that you only have one chance.


    Evergrant was a stingy maundead. Of course, that didnt matter; Kireuas deduction was almost certainly correct.


    I put myself in your shoes when I was thinking about your question. You are someone who reached the peak of political power and also climbed to the Eighth Circle of magic, so what could a person such as you possibly dream of?


    -You take an awfully long time to get to the point.


    Its not founding the Magic Empire or bing a monarch. Since youre an undead now, no humans would ever acknowledge you as their emperor, and His Majesty isnt the kind of person who would ept that as the terms of your contracts.


    -So?


    My biggest question is why Sir Crevasse, a dragon, is here. A dragon is the greatest creature in the Human Realm. Its ridiculous to even think that a dragon is guarding a humans vault.


    -Youre behind on the news. The entire race of dragons has been exterminated except for him, so avoiding meeting the same fate is a good enough reason.


    Were talking about the dragons, right? The most prideful race in all the realms? I highly doubt that. Kireua shook his head. There must be another reason, and the moment I saw you, Evergrant con Aswald, I knew exactly what it was.


    -Oh?


    You may have ruled before your death, but you enjoyed the power of an emperor thanks to a member of the Imperial Familys support. Nevertheless, you werent able to reach the peak as a mage. The reason why Sir Crevasse is here is to help you fulfill your iplete dreama dragon would be the only one on the continent who could help you attain the apex of magic.


    Dragons were known as the race of magic for a reason. Still, thinking about it left Kireua feeling a little lightheaded. The Emperor of Avalon had promised Evergrant he would fulfill his dream, and Evergrant had said that he had achieved his dream.


    Evergrant con Aswald, youve be the first Ninth Circle mage who isnt a dragon, an unprecedented feat. To be honest, I doubted it was true, even though I thought that the Ninth Circle was the most likely possibility. For a long time, its been thought that such heights were forbidden to all but the dragons, the most beloved of the gods.


    When Kireua finished speaking, he shivered. A Eighth Circle mage already had the power to bring down a country, but a Ninth Circle mage!


    Kireua grinned.


    Thank you for epting my bet. Now have an ally who will make everyones jaw drop.

 Side Story Chapter 138

    Side Story Chapter 138


    -And you were so confident.


    Evergrant quietly chuckled, making Kireua nervous.


    <em>Am I wrong?</em>


    -You answered wrong.


    Kireuas face fell. Evergrant was the first Eighth Circle human mage, so what could such a person wish for other than reaching the next level? No way! If Kireua didnt be a Master before his death, he would never be able to rest in peace.


    Hey, hey. No matter how important it is to win, you cant lie, Crevasse interrupted. He got it right. Otherwise, whats all the knowledge that I taught you?


    -He did give me a dragon for a teacher, but it wasnt about teaching me Ninth Circle magic.


    Are you seriously going to do this? As I recall, I not only taught you Ninth Circle magic, I also taught you dragon-tongue.


    Kireua frowned. Word-wielding was a power derived fromnguage; the most well-known form was dragon-tongue. It didnt need forms, nor did it need to be cast. A spell capable of killing thousands of people could simply be wished into existence.


    -Joshua Sanderss son specifically said that my dream was to be a Ninth Circle mage, so if I had to put a grade on it, his answer only gets fifty out of one hundred points.


    Crevasse shook his head. I know about how narrow-minded you are, but youre just throwing a tantrum.


    -Hah. I got what I wanted, so did you really think I would cooperate?


    Once a viin, always a viin, as the saying went. It described Evergrant perfectly right now.


    -Even if Joshua Sanders activates his Overlord Symbol, I can just defy his order and choose to be annihted. As I said, Ive already achieved my dream.


    Alright. Kireua clenched his fists. How does this sound then? Evergrant con Aswald, you and I will fight here right now, and the loser will follow all orders from the winner. Lets make a mana pledge or an Overlords covenant this time so that this deal must be upheld.


    The lights in Evergrants eyes flickered. Kireua was sure that Evergrant was shockedmuch less the others.


    Kireua, are you out of your mind?! Aisha snapped. Youre challenging a Ninth Circle mage! On top of that, hes an undead who has an almost infinite amount of stamina!


    -Thats exactly why I think I have a chance, Teacher.


    Kireuas telepathic message made Aisha scowl.


    -What nonsense is that? Hes totally different from anything youve gone up against before.


    -Please wait and see. If my hypothesis is right, its impossible for me to lose.


    Kireuas attention turned back to Evergrant. Although it was unclear what the lich was thinking, he was releasing thick demonic power.


    -Hohohohoho, how interesting. Exactly what I would expect from Joshua Sanders son.


    So you ept my proposal? Kireua tilted his head.


    -Let me ask you: dont you need anything else?


    What else?


    -Say whatever you want, because Im willing to ept any terms.


    Kireua couldnt stop the corners of his mouth from creeping upward. Evergrant seemed sure of his victory but pretended to be considerate, which Kireua found truly disgusting.


    Kireua clenched his fists. Then Ill ept your considerate gesture and ask you for one more thing.


    -Go on.


    Since we both consented to this, lets not ask for anypensation when we inevitably end up hurting each other.


    -What?


    Im saying that the loser shouldnt tattle when he gets beaten up, or act cowardly and try to im that the terms werent valid. A lot of people are watching uswouldnt that be pathetic for people of our renown? Kireua smiled.


    The tense silence made each second seem to stretch for hours.


    -Hahahahahahahaha!


    Evergrant burst into manicughter; he practically leaked amusement.


    * * *


    In the sky above Arcadias east gate, Theta wed for breath. A pile of once-more-dead were scattered below him. However, the undead numbered over ten thousand and the undead regenerated endlessly; inevitably, Thetas endurance gave out first.


    He was currently the only living Eighth Circle human mage and the Master of the Magic Tower, but the more advanced spells he used, the more mana, stamina, and willpower he consumed. The magic forms for highly advanced spells were asplicated as the spells were powerful, and Theta had to calcte them all in his head. Although he had the strength to cast Eighth Circle spells several times more, it would ultimately achieve little. The undead still filled the ins, their numbers unabated.


    The one silver lining was that a group of monsters was fighting the undead at the rear. Apparently they werent on the same side as the undead.


    Selim watched Theta drop back onto the ramparts and brandished his spear. Why dont you take a rest now? Its time we step up.


    Valmont swallowed nervously. Theyre like a swarm of insects.


    I think we need a group of people to distract the undead, Selim said.


    What? A distraction?


    Were basically isting ourselves by waiting for the undead to reach our walls.


    I-In other words, you want to go down there and lure away the undead, Valmont surmised. Selims unhesitating nod in reply made Valmont gape at him, dismayed. Y-Your Highness, why dont you rethink this. Theres a reason why sallying out is considered an extreme measure.


    Sir Valmont, look over there, Selim ordered, pointing at the distant rear lines of the undead horde.


    Valmont turned to look quizzically. Right at that moment, a skeleton was crushed by a ck ogres punch, scattering its fragments across the ground. The surprise came a momentter.


    Oh no! Valmonts lips trembled.


    The skeleton began to regenerate, reconstituting itself from the dust. And then it threw itself at the ck ogre again, this time with even more demonic power than before.


    Thats the scariest part about a ck mage, although the demons are the ck mages this time. As you can see, the battlefield is the undeads natural environment. Every one of our casualties only adds to the ranks of their army, Selim said.


    In the end, the ck ogre was surrounded by hundreds of skeletons and copsed to the ground with a thud. The skeletons swung their weapons, smashing the ck ogres skull. Before long, the ck ogre rose again, but it was covered in blood and many of its bones were exposed to the air. Nevertheless, the ck ogre swung its bat at the monsters it had once been fighting alongside with just as much vigor.


    This is getting worse by the minute. Duke Tremblin let out a sigh and took a step toward the battle. Ill go, Your Highness.


    Ill go too. You wont be able to effectively lure them away on your own.


    But


    Im His Majestys son. Selim dismissed Tremblins concerns and then leaped down the rampart.


    Shit. Then I have to go too, Valmont grumbled.


    Tremblin heaved another sigh. Go after him right now. His Highness safety is your priority.


    I was going to do that even if you didnt tell me. Dont die, old man.


    Cant you do something about your vulgar way of talking? Whenever you and His Highness talk, I can feel my old heart racing out of nervousness.


    You might have a heart attack if you saw how I acted around His Majesty. Valmont shrugged and jumped off the walls.


    Selim sprinted across the ins, spear resting on his shoulder, and was followed by Tremblin, who had one arm behind his back like always. Valmont was at the rear of the group since it was his job to create an escape route if they got surrounded.


    The undead are starting to notice us! Lets scatter to the left and right! Selim yelled.


    Yes, Your Highness.


    The moment they set foot on the battlefield, there could be no such thing as defying an order. Nevertheless, Tremblin gestured at Valmont and jerked his head in Selims direction.


    Crap. Alright, Valmont mumbled.


    Selim headed left, mulching the undead in his way, and Valmont went after him. The undead split neatly down the middle as if the army had been cut in half with a knife.


    Your Highness! How many of them are you going to lure away?! Valmont yelled.


    At least half of them!


    H-Half? Valmonts face darkened.


    There were now over one hundred thousand undead and counting. Half of them would be fifty thousand. And Selim was saying that the three of them were going to spread therge army on their own? It wasnt like they were the Emperor of Avalon, who had stalled an army of a million soldiers on his own.


    <em>This is all wrong,</em> Valmont thought, biting his lip. He was about to shout to Selim to stop him, but


    Selim suddenly came to a halt.


    Your Highness? Valmont cautiously asked.


    -I cant believe my own eyes.


    Valmont staggered. The voice triggered a primordial fear from deep within the human psyche. When he looked up, he found an impressively handsome man with ck hair standing in front of him. Valmont instantly realized whoor rather, whathe was looking at.


    A demon!


    -I see that humans are as reckless as ever. You two willingly charged into the center of such arge enemy army.


    Your Highness! Ill cover you! Valmont quickly stepped up to Selim.


    However, Selim leveled his spear at the demon, his eyes burning with resolve.


    Ill fight, the prince dered.


    I cant let you do that! If something happens to you, our army will throw down their weapons and flee!


    The demon watched Valmont and Selim argue and chuckled snidely.


    -Pah. Humans are just as stupid as ever, too.


    What?


    -Dont you think youve gotten the whole order wrong? You have to take the pawns before you can take the king.


    Selim and Valmont flinched. They could feel many presences lying beneath their feet.


    Ground cracked and ten headless ck knights erupted out of the ground, surrounding Selim and Valmont.


    Duhans!


    -If you bring them to their knees, then yes, Im willing to at least talk with you.


    However, that wasnt the end of the surprises: a beautiful woman with silver hair suddenly dropped from the sky in front of Selim and Valmont.


    Right back at you, the silver-haired woman told the demon.


    The demon''s eyes widened.


    Valmont immediately recognized the woman.


    Si-Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword? he stammered.


    But something was off. Something quite big.


    But what is the Ghost Sword doing with a spear?

 Side Story Chapter 139

    Side Story Chapter 139


    Squalo the Pain Demon tilted his head in confusion. There were ten duhans, high-ss undead who were each as strong as a Master. Although their sword skills may be cruder than a Masters, duhans had an infinite amount of stamina, and most attacks wouldnt even be able to leave a scratch on them. However, a lone human woman had ced herself squarely in the center of those creatures.


    Step back, Sir Valmont, Selim quietly ordered.


    What?


    Have you forgotten? Shes been consumed by the power of Lust, so that person isnt the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword that we know anymore.


    Valmonts hands clenched around his sword, as he recalled what had happened a few days ago. Indeed, Lilith Aphrodite had attacked Avalons soldiers until she suddenly disappeared from Arcadia. She even neutralized the defenses of knights capable of wielding mana using a mental attack that was like nothing any of them had ever seen before. They avoided a catastrophe thanks to Iceline, but here Lilith was in Arcadia again.


    Do you think the two of us can do it? Valmont asked, his voice tense.


    Selim was always confident, but he didnt answer this time. They were up against a witch whom hundreds of knights and no small number of highly skilled individuals couldnt capture. The right amount of confidence could boost ones spirit, but too much of it was reckless bravado.


    Selim, Lilith said. You and Valmont get the demon. Although I want to take care of it myself, it isnt easy to find a sparring partner as good as he is.


    Selims eyes narrowed suspiciously. When he figured out what was going on, his jaw dropped to the ground. The voice certainly belonged to a woman, but the tone and manner of speech were someone elses. Naturally, someone like Selim immediately noticed the difference.


    Y-Your Majesty?


    Were out of time. Maintaining this state for more than one minute would affect Lilith badly.


    Lilith tossed a red spear at Selim. When he grabbed the spear, Selims doubt turned into certainty.


    W-Wait! Selim shouted.


    This was Lugia, the Demon Spirits spearno, it was Longin, Selims favorite weapon which he had inherited and recently lent to the Emperor of Avalon


    -Youre an odd wretch. Human girl, who in the world are you?


    Selim wasnt the only one who noticed that the womans mind didnt match her body.


    -How strange. For some reason, you feel familiar, as if youre one of us


    I told you that I dont have much time, demon.


    Lilith straightened, twirling an ordinary spear. Squalo smiled coldly.


    -Hah. I guess it doesnt matter.


    Although he hadnt gotten an answer to his question, Squalo didnt think for a second that he was going to lose. Along with Squalo, there were ten more demons there, all with titles, marking them as one of the one hundred strongest in the Demon Realm.


    Humans tacked fanciful titles on one another to pretend that they were heroes, but a demons title was different. It held an invisible and intangible power; in other words, a divine essence was created upon receiving a title.


    Ten of the strongest demons of the Demon Realm, each possessing divine essences, were assembled in this small in.


    -Lets see what youve got.


    Squalo casually crossed his arms, firmly believing that one human woman wouldnt be able to handle the ten duhans.


    Sir Valmont, Lilith said.


    Eh?


    Watch closely. This will probably be a good experience for you, too.


    I dont really understand what youre talking about. What in the world is going on?


    Before Valmont could finish speaking, Lilith made her move.


    The ten duhans raised their massive des and ran forward, threatening to crush her under their armored feet.


    Valmont realized that one of the duhans woulde right in front of him and gathered his considerable mana into his sword.


    He swung the humming de into the duhans chest, rewarding him with a mighty crash and a numb buzz in his palm.


    I hit it? Valmonts face fell. I didnt kill it?


    He also put his aura into the attack, but all it did was leave a single scratch on the duhans breastte. Of course, Valmont hadnt used his full power, but as one of the best swordsmen in the Avalon Empire, it still hurt his pride.


    Lets see if you can stop this, too. Valmont got into his signature pose, one which had earned him the nickname Rapid Star, ready to demonstrate the essence of his speed sword technique.


    Step back, Valmont.


    Valmont blinked and found Lilith had appeared right in front of him, her long silver hair swaying from side to side.


    Ghost Sword, you look like youre back to your original self, but you wont be able to take care of them on your own. Youre only as good as me


    You still have a long way to go.


    What? Valmonts expression scrunched up from yet another insult. A long way to go? Valmont actually meant what he had just said. Since he and Lilith were from the same generation, he could make an objective assessment of Liliths level. While there was a new Star named Lilith Aphrodite in the Hubalt Empire, there was Valmont dun Brown, the Invisible Sword, in Avalon. Hed be known as the Invisible Sword as his attacks were so fast that his enemies couldnt see his sword.


    Phew, forget it. Valmont shook his head. Ill help you. If you and I work together, well be able to take care of these monsters, easy.


    Do you really think so?


    Of coursebut why are you using a spear, not a sword? Were you so impressed with His Majesty the Emperor that you changed your weapon? Valmont smiled crookedly.


    Even at a moment like that, Valmont didnt forget to get his small jabs in where he could. Lilith Aphrodite was a sword expert with thirty years of experience, so there was no way she would have changed her weapon now. In other words, Valmont was telling Lilith to stop joking around and grab a sword.


    Lilith smiled back. I dont think Ill lose to you even with a spear.


    What?


    Do you want to make a bet on who defeats more of the duhans?


    What?! Valmonts smile turned upside down.


    The loser grants a wish to the winner, no exceptions, of course, unless the wish is ridiculous, like stabbing yourself to death.


    Hahahahahaha Valmont chuckled dryly, too dumbstruck to formte a proper reply.


    He wouldnt even be a man if he said no to Liliths offer. That said, Lilith Aphrodite was agilely dodging the duhans attacks as they spoke, and judging from how nimble she was, she wasnt bluffing


    A wish from the rival of my youth Im curious as to what you want from me, actually, Valmont said.


    Well, knowing it in advance would certainly motivate you.


    If you ask me to marry you, Ill be in quite the sticky situation.


    Oh, thats not the answer, but its simr. Lilith shrugged.


    W-What?


    Valmont was just jokingbut the answer he got was shocking. He stared, jaw agape. The old bachelorette wanted to marry Valmont? Well, he thought of himself as quite handsome, and Lilith was a very attractive woman.


    I said we dont have much time, so can I take that as a yes?


    U-Umm, o-okay. Valmont finally came to his senses and fixed his grip on his sword.


    A bet was a bet, so he couldnt let Liliths beauty captivate him. This was a matter of a mans pride.


    Good, I didnt like the name of the Golden Spirit Knights very much, so maybe I can make a new one this time, Lilith said.


    Valmont gave her another, uprehending look.


    W-Wait. The Golden Spirit Knights?


    On a side note, youre the first member of that new knight order, Valmont dun Brown. The name of the new knight order is Yes, the Grain Spirit Order sounds good.


    One of Lilithsno, <em>Joshuas</em> grand ns was finally revealed.


    Wait, wait, wait! Are you N-No Not you Valmont stammered.


    No take backs.


    Joshua jumped into the air, dodging all ten duhans greatswords by a hairs breadth. The attacks struck with such force that the ground cracked where the swordsnded.


    It cant be. No, it cant be. Valmont hesitated, overwhelmed by nervousness.


    In the air, Joshuah swirled his spear like a windmill, creating a whirlwind that grew and grew, carving a rut into the ground. The earthbound duhans stared up at him powerlessly.


    I pay my respect to Valmont dun Bron, Rapid Star and once the best new Star of Avalon. Joshua directed his dancing spear downward. Magic Spear Arts, unleveled: Creation Spear.


    The words Magic Spear Arts blew away thest traces of Valmonts doubts.


    Meteor Shower.


    Not anyone could create a new technique on the spot just by seeing the enemys technique once. Valmont was called a genius, but not even he could do it. It might be possible for Joshua Sanders the Martial Godwhich immediately made Valmont remember Selim calling Lilith Your Majesty.


    Boom! Boom! Booooom!


    One mass of aura after the other plummeted to the ground like an actual meteorvery simr to a mages Meteor Strike spell. The gigantic chunks of solidified aura shook the earth and sky, plowing through the ground and the undead with equal ease. Whenever the duhans were struck, they were pulverized and were shoved underground as the meteor carved a rut in the ins.


    After a moment, Joshuanded in front of Valmont. Valmont stared at the man in a womans body, his lip trembling.


    Im wrong, right?


    What?


    Im wrong.


    What are you wrong about? Joshua tilted his head.


    You arent His Majesty, are you?


    Instead of answering, Joshua looked back at Valmont with an ear-to-ear grin.


    This is cheating! This whole bet doesnt count! Valmont howled, his despairing voice drifting into the air for all to hear.

 Side Story Chapter 140

    Side Story Chapter 140


    The Grain Spirit Order. Grain, as in the texture of a tree, and spirit, as in the soul. When they werebined, they meant the Marriage[1] Knight Order.


    Although its a shame that Cain isnt the first knight, Im going to make everyone I meet to join the order. Lilithor rather, Joshua in Liliths bodysmiled contentedly as he took in his surroundings through her eyes.


    The fragments of duhans were scattered everywhere, and Valmont was stupefied. Joshua loved thetter part. Among Joshuas subordinates, there were too many bachelors, but most of them were perfectly capable of finding their significant other of their own. At this rate, his subordinates and his citizens were going to point fingers at Joshua even after his death.


    <em>What are you doing with my body?</em> the actual Lilith asked.


    -Didnt you say you needed my help?


    <em>I said nothing about making a bet with me on the line.</em>


    -Its all for the best.


    <em>I thought I was going to end up marrying Sir Valmont!</em>


    Considering the words came out of her own mouth, it was easy to see why she misunderstood what Joshua said. On the other hand, there couldnt be a better misunderstanding for Joshua.


    -Will you save him from the life of an old bachelor?


    Why would I?! Lilith shrieked, her voice soured by annoyance.


    Valmont jerked back to reality. S-Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword?


    Excuse me. Lilith turned away, cold as an icy wind.


    She regained control of her body, so although Joshua hadnt said anything else, that must mean this was the end of his help.


    Sir Valmont, this isnt the time to space out.


    Huh?


    The Pain Demon is among the top fifty demons of the Demon Realm, not the top one hundred.


    Valmonts face darkened. Demons were infamous as the race of battle, so it wasnt an exaggeration to say that the Pain Demon was one of the fifty strongest creatures in all of creation.


    -Hahahaha.


    Squalo, the Pain Demon, burst intoughter.


    -Human woman, youre strong. I actually want to dissect you so I can take a close look.


    Dissect me? Liliths lips twitched.


    -Youre only a human, yet you possess demonic power But why do I find your power familiar?


    Squalo slowly walked forward, small knives held in each hand as if he meant to make good on his threat.


    -Its you, wretch. I heard that Evil Sins'' powers were scattered across the world and have manifested in humans. You got one of them is that the power of Lust?


    Squalos insight earned him a cold look from Lilith.


    -But its strange. Im only sensing the residue of the power, not the core of the power, as if the entire power has been carved out of you


    Liliths hand snapped to her weaponnot the spear that she used earlier, thoughand drew it in a sh. She pointed it at Squalo.


    Have you finished analyzing me?


    -Hmm I really cant understand how this is possible. Whenever someone loses an Evil Sin, they are destroyed without exception.


    Lilith flinched, shocked. What? Destroyed?


    -The cores of the Evil Sins'' powers are called the Roots of All Evil for a good reason. There is no such thing as power without a price, and the Evil Sins'' powers are truly terrible. If their owners are foolish enough to lose them in spite of the might they are afforded, the Evil Sin ims a dreadful price for their failuretheir life. Hehehe.


    <em>Then how did I?</em> Lilith wondered, but her head quickly jerked up. <em>Was it you?</em>


    Her question received no answer, but Lilith took Joshuas silence for a yes.


    I owe him again.


    -Lets begin. I really cant wait any longer.


    Selim chose that moment to step in. Ill deal with him.


    Prince Selim Sanders, you cant handle him on your own, Lilith advised him.


    No, His Majesty said that he left that demon for me to practice. Selim straightened his back and hefted Longin.


    Are you sure youre going to be okay?


    Yes, Im sure, Selim concisely replied.


    Obviously, Lilith knew what Joshua had said because the words hade out of her own lips, so she took a step back for Selim. There was no need for her to hurt the Prince of Avalons pride right now. If anything happened, she could easily step in at a moments notice.


    You should stand down too, Sir Valmont, Lilith said.


    But


    The Prince of Avalon has issued an order. Dont tell me the citizens of Avalon would turn a deaf ear to the Princes order.


    Valmont retreated, biting his lip anxiously. I trust you, Your Highness.


    Instead of answering out loud, Selim immediately enveloped his spear in his radiant aura. Squalo spread his arms invitingly.


    -Im ready.


    Ready? Selim murmured.


    -Hehehe. Let me teach you why Im called the Pain Demon.


    Thick streams of ck smoke rose from the ground.


    Shit, were the duhans just there to stall for time? Valmont cussed.


    Get back! Lilith yelled at Selim.


    She and Valmont quickly distanced themselves from the demon; in contrast, Selim took another step forward.


    You dont even know what that is! Its crazy to


    I can just stab the demon before it can try anything, Selim interrupted.


    And then he disappeared.


    Like lightning from the blue, Selim reappeared five meters away from Squalo, cing the demon squarely within Selims attack range.


    Once again, Selim stayed true to his word. Before Squalo could react, Selim thrust Longin forward, the tip of his red spear seeking Squalos heart.


    A frown tugged at Selims lips. The ck smoke spewing out of the ground finally took on a concrete form and blocked Selims attack.


    <em>I can just stop both of them,</em> Selim quickly decided. He hefted his spear. Maybe the smoke was one of the undead or some other creature that Squalo had created, but it didnt matter. All Selim had to do was stab it. With Longin and the Magic Spear Arts techniques at his disposal, there was nothing in the world that Selim couldn''t pierce.


    The actual ease with which he did it left Selim a little confused. He hadnt mistaken ithe felt his spear punch through, but hed failed to achieve his original goal, which was to prate both targets at once. His spear had pierced into the smoke, but at a certain point, Selim wasnt able to push his spear any deeper.


    -Hahahahahahahaha!


    Squalo, safe behind the smoke, burst into manicughter that had him bent over, clutching his stomach.


    -You idiot! You humans may act all sly, but all of you are fools.


    What


    -Take a closer look and see what you just stabbed.


    Selim looked up, frowning. The smoke was a little less than two meters tall, as tall as Selim, an average male adults height. Aside from the fact that it was pitch-ck, the smoke looked eeriy simr to a human.


    Selims eyes slowly widened as he watched the undting smoke slowly resolve into its final shape.


    Th-This is?


    Arggghhhhhh!


    A painful scream came from behind Selim. He whipped his head around and saw Valmont copsed on the ground with his arms wrapped around his abdomen, screaming at the top of his lungs.


    S-Sir Valmont? Selim stammered.


    -Allow me to introduce myself again: My name is Squalo the Pain Demon, but my other title is the Duplication Demon.


    ...Duplication Demon?


    -Hehehe. Isnt it such a self-exnatory name? I can create a doll that shares all its senses with my target, like the one you see in front of you.


    Longin was stuck right through the dolls abdomen which, when it hadpleted its transformation, looked exactly like Valmont. It was so unsettling that it made goosebumps rise all over Selims arms.


    -And keep in mind that I can control the level of pain that this doll receives, so I can multiply the pain of getting stabbed with your metal stick dozensno, hundreds of times. Hehehe. Your minion probably wants to die right now.


    Sir Valmont! Selim was forced to abort his attack.


    If Valmont shared his senses with this crazy doll, as Squalo said, Valmont would also experience the pain of being eviscerated when Selim pulled Longin out of the smoke doll. Selim couldnt bring himself to take the risk, knowing the terrible consequences.


    -Hahahahahaha! You should really see the look on your face. Yes, youre finally acting like the vermin you are, human. Kneel before me right now or else


    Urrrrrggghhhhhh!


    Valmonts ear splitting howl of pain cut off Squalo, but that only served to illustrate the demons point.


    Selim fell into despair. Hed never encountered a situation like this.


    <em>Are you just going to watch? Do something!</em> Lilith raged in frustration.


    -He needs to have this kind of experience so that he doesn''t repeat the same mistake.


    <em>Are you seriously worrying about educating your child right now? Your knight is going to die!</em> Lilith looked right at Valmont, knowing that Joshua would be able to see him through her eyes. Fortunately, the reply she was desperate to hear came quickly.


    -I guess theres no other choice.


    <em>Yes! Do something for him, please!</em>


    -Approach Valmont and get ready to send a telepathic message to Selim.


    Although Lilith really wanted to tell Joshua to do it himself like he had done before, she just barely managed to hold herself back. They could ill afford to waste time right now.


    <em>Alright. Is there anything else?</em> Lilith asked.


    -No.


    Lilith frowned. <em>Thats all?</em>


    Joshua sounded as confident as ever.


    -Of course it is. Ill tell everyone how to deal with this kind of demon, so keep your ears open.


    1. This is Korean wordy. Texture is gyeol() in Korean while a spirit is hon(). Gyeolhon is marriage in Korean.

 Side Story Chapter 141

    Side Story Chapter 141


    Evergrant was the first and only person to achieve the vaunted Ninth Circle of magic without being a dragon.


    -Are you ready?


    Of course, Kireua replied.


    -Ill ask you onest time: tell me anything that you want. I dont want to be called a great mage who has petty paybacks to my enemys son.


    Kireua had to hold himself back from asking, Isnt that true, though? Despite his achievements, Evergrant was a narrow-minded person that Kireua couldnt dredge up so much as a speck of respect for.


    Kireua shrugged. Just keep your end of the bargain, please.


    -Hahaha, good. I wont use my word-wielding, but dont think of it as a handicap. This is for my own amusement; Id be so disappointed if the fight ends too easily.


    Evergrant flicked his bony white finger at Kireua.


    -Come.


    Even before Evergrant had finished speaking, Kireua was already sprinting forward.


    His body thrummed with such vigor that he felt like he couldnt lose to anyone. He would certainly not lose to an undead, no matter how powerful. Kireua thought he would go easy with his first attack.


    <em>Magic Sword Art, Level 3.</em>


    His back muscles flexed powerfully. The principles of Magic Spear Art could be demonstrated with a sword, too. Although the attacks wouldnt be as destructive as if hed used a spear, the sword was called the king of all weapons for a good reason: it was faster and more urate than any other.


    Kireua stabbed twice into the air and then swung his sword to connect the dots. It really was the simplest technique in the world, but it would allow Kireua to reach his target faster than any other.


    He concentrated his aura on the tip of his sword and thrust it forward.


    <em>True Lightning sh!</em>


    Kireuas sword thundered through the airin fact, ck sparks flew off of the de as it traveledat blinding speeds, so fast that Evergrant couldnt even react.


    Did I get him? Kireua tilted his head. He could feel something through his sword, but it didnt feel quite right. Evergrant was engulfed in ck lightning, but all he said was,


    -Its fast. Is that all?


    Kireuas sword had struck dead center between Evergrants brows and gone right through , which would kill a normal person instantly. However, Evergrant was smiling.


    -You never had a chance.


    What? Kireua frowned.


    -You dont even know the basics about liches. It doesnt matter if you carve out my brain or cut off my limbs, undead do not die. Their injuries will recover without limit; the only way to exterminate a lich is to destroy their phctery, the core of their life.


    Kireuas eyes turned cold. It was evident how much Evergrant was looking down on Kireua.


    Do you seriously think I dont know that? Kireua snapped, allowing his irritation to disy.


    -What?


    Ill say the same thing back to you: the moment you let your guard down, you had no chance of winning, Kireua scoffed.


    The light in Evergrants eyes swayed from side to side.


    -Youre certainly arrogant for a vermin who doesnt know his ce.


    Youre about to be bossed around by that very same vermin, so you might be being too harsh to yourself, Kireua riposted with a sly grin.


    Three blue fireballs appeared around Kireua without warning. Their color was distinctive, and their potency was obvious; even the bones of distant skeletons were melting.


    What a nuisance, Crevasseined as he covered himself and the others with a magic shield. Behind the translucent barrier, Aisha watched Kireua with concern. Beside the azure mes, there was only one other kind of blue fire in the world.


    Hellfire Kiruea muttered.


    It was a Eighth Circle spell, but Evergrant had activated it without any preparation. It was, in a word, superhuman.


    -If you still cant understand, Ill have to teach you myself. The old saying is rightfools need to have their lessons beaten into them. Ill embrace that fire with you. Dont you want to know how itll turn out? Hehehe.


    Although he didnt say it out loud, Evergrant was having more fun than hed had in years. He was already looking forward to seeing Kireuas flesh and bones melting in this hellfire. Kireuas blood would be vaporized without a trace. Even better, Kireua was the son of Joshua Sanders. Although Joshua may have helped Evergrants dreame true, Evergrant was never content to let his revenge slip away.


    -Hahahahahahahaha!


    Evergrant burst into manicughter. However, Kireua was more serene than ever.


    <em>Coal, eat all the fire using the power of Gluttony.</em>


    -Huh? Really? Can I eat all of it?


    <em>Not those undead. Theyre going to be my army of death.</em>


    -What? Thats no fun


    <em>Its too early to be disappointed,</em> Kireua added.<em> Were going to infiltrate the mind of this lich using the power of Lust.</em>


    -Oh!


    Coals eyes twinkled.


    -That sounds fun.


    The Magic Tower was called the treasury of knowledgeand that entire treasury was basically inside Evergrants mind. In addition, Evergrant had been taught by a dragon.


    <em>The powers of Gluttony and Lust were basically your kin, but you devoured them. Eat every part of that lichs subconscious realm just like that too.</em>


    -Yay!


    <em>With the size of your greed, its not impossible.</em>


    Kireua was certain that it was possible, in theory.


    * * *


    -Selim.


    Selim froze, mid-panic. His spear was still skewering the smoke doll that was imitating Valmont.


    Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword? Selim murmured.


    -As you already know, the Magic Spear Arts isnt just a destructive martial art. When you reach and exceed the ultimate level, you can even kill a god.


    Is this Is that you, Your Majesty? Selim nced back, surprised. He was receiving the message from Lilith Aphrodite, but he was certain nheless.


    <em>Its His Majesty!</em>


    The message was like rain during a drought, soothing the desperation of a totally unfamiliar situation. Selim had only ever focused on sharpening his Magic Spear Arts skills, so he hadnt even imagined preparing for a situation like this. Who could have imagined that there was someone in the world who had the ability to create a doll that link its senses with someone?


    -Close your eyes.


    <em>C-Close them?</em>


    It was madness to close his eyes in front of the enemy, but the Emperor of Avalon was telling Selim to be mad.


    -You dont actually have to close your eyesthe important part is to <em>feel</em> the doll with your senses, not your eyes.


    <em>Feel it with my other senses?</em>


    -Youll be able to do it since youre my son.


    Selim looked past the doll. Although it was unclear what was funny, Squalo the demon wasughing hard enough to set his shoulders bouncing up and down. The longer Valmont screamed, the louder Squalosughter became.


    -Hahahahahaha! Hes really going to die. Well, thats no surprise seeing as his prince put a hole in right through his abdomen.


    You son of a bitch!


    -Whaaaat? Son of a bitch? Son of a biiiiiitch? Alright, I have no choice.


    Squalo flicked his finger. Living up to his title of Pain Demon, Squalos ability was extending and enhancing pain.


    Arrrrgghhhhhh!


    Valmont let out a blood-curdling cry of pain. Squalo copsed to the ground and rolled aroundughing.


    Selim closed his eyes without further hesitation.


    <em>Feel it with my other senses,</em> he repeated to himself.


    Was the Emperor of Avalon talking about the mana optical enhancement technique? When Selim focused his mana into his eyes, he could pick out a series of lines, but there was nothing peculiar about them.


    <em>No, this isnt it.</em> Selim frowned. If his father was talking about the mana optical enhancement technique, he wouldnt have bothered telling Selim to close his eyes. Then what was it?


    <em>-The important part is to </em>feel <em>the doll with your senses, not your eyes.</em>


    The key was extracting the true meaning behind the Emperors instructions.


    -Selim, I know you will understand what I mean.


    The telepathic message ignited an unwavering confidence deep in Selims heart. The person whom he respected more than anyone else in the world had ced his trust in Selim.


    Selims grip around his spear tightened as he closed his eyes and reached out for the energies around him. One with thick demonic power, two people with strong mana, numerous undeads demonic power, the vitality of nature Selim could picture his surroundings in vivid detail even without using his eyes, but he was only looking for one thing right now.


    After a moment, Selim opened his eyes. Hed found the line that he was looking for.


    Hold on a little longer, Sir Valmont, Selim whispered.


    He heaved his spear out of the smoke doll. ck fluid poured out the construct like the lifeblood of a real human, and Valmonts screams grew louder and more tortured.


    -Hahahahaha! You crazy bastard, did you decide to give up on your subordinate?


    No. Selim shook his head. Its the opposite, actually.


    -What?


    Instead of answering, Selim took action. Every second mattered right now. The link between the doll and Valmont was long, thin, and faint, something that Selim would have never sensed unless he was looking for it.


    Selim severed the link with his mana without hesitation. The screaming immediately died out.


    -What?


    Selim panted after he dropped out of his hyper focused state. Even Lilith could see that the link connecting the senses of the doll and Valmont was gone.


    <em>You were all dramatic like you were going to exin a way to beat up a demon, but that was only possible because your son is a genius!</em> Lilith grumbled.


    Joshua chuckled quietly.


    -Id never imagined that he would be able to do it with such ease either.


    <em>You gotta be kidding me. How can he do that only with a brief exnation? People like to tell me that I was a genius when I was young, too, but</em>


    -Have a kid yourself if you envy me.

 Side Story Chapter 142

    Side Story Chapter 142


    <em>I cant get married on my own, you know. It takes two to get married,</em> Lilith scoffed.


    -I can give you a list of bachelors if you want. Theyll be lining up to propose to you.


    <em>Forget it. Anyhow, what does the Martial God think the odds of his sons victory are?</em> Lilith asked. The battle between Selim and Squalo the Pain Demon had started in earnest after Valmont stopped screaming.


    Aura and demonic power fragments showered the battlefield. Although he was going up against one of the most powerful demons alive, Selim fought Squalo on equal terms, proving he was every bit as much of a genius as people said.


    -Ugh Damned human!


    So this is all a demon of your rank amounts to, huh, Selim mumbled.


    Paah!


    Selims attack brushed past Squalos cheek. The demon gritted his teeth. He had used more power than he had originally intended in making the doll. His ability required drastically more power the stronger his target was. The human who was lying unconscious over there was stronger than Squalo had expected.


    -Theres nothing more to see now. Lets go.


    A-Already? Lilith asked out loud.


    <em>The fight has just begun; shouldnt you watch him a little longer before we leave? Hes your son.</em>


    -I have other, more urgent fires to put out first, which I can do <em>because</em> hes my son. Selim is much stronger than you think.


    <em>But</em>


    -And you seem to be forgetting that theres one more person here.


    Lilith sensed an intense gaze prickling her skin and flinched. She turned to look.


    An elderly man was quietly looking down the battlefield from on top of a small mountain of undead. Lilith had met him before, of course.


    The Sword Emperor Lilith muttered.


    Duke Tremblins reputation was known across the entire continent.


    Lilith blinked and Tremblin was right in front of her.


    Is that you, Your Majesty?


    -Can you deliver exactly what I say, please?


    Lilith nodded in reply to Joshua, but Tremblins expression subtly changed.


    What in the world happened? Tremblin asked.


    Theres no time to exin. Please take care of Selim.


    Although Lilith was the one saying the words, Tremblin knew beyond doubt that the message indubitably came from Joshua.


    Where are you going next? the duke begrudgingly asked.


    The demons have only one goal: im the dying Demon Spirits power and use it to rule the Human Realm. Avalon is only the first stage of their n.


    The D-Demon Spirit?


    Dont worry. Without the help of the Evil Sins'' powers, its impossible to even approach the Demon Spirit.


    Tremblin heaved a slow sigh of relief. Then have you been away to stop demons from approaching?


    As I told you earlier, were out of time. Can I leave you in charge?


    Tremblin felt bad for Joshua. Everyone in the world praised and respected him, but there couldnt be a more pitiful and tragic life than Joshuas. To protect his other family, he had fought a battle to the death with his own father, and then hed had to turn his sword on his own emperor. For the sake of the continent, he had fought against the Demon Spirit on his own for over a decade, and the fight was still ongoing.


    Is there anything else I can do to help? Tremblin asked.


    Liliths expression was grim like Tremblins, but she shook her head. He says that there isnt.


    I understand. Please take care of His Majesty.


    Really, I should be the one asking him to take care of me, since hes the strongest person on the continent, Lilith mused.


    Tremblin smiled brightly. As one of his citizens, Im always proud of His Majesty for that.


    * * *


    Liliths feet produced a loud <em>bang</em> with each step as she bounded across the ins. Each leap sent her soaring dozens of meters into the air, making the army of undead near the castle gates look like ants.


    <em>Where are we going now?</em> Lilith asked.


    -To the Pce.


    <em>Why would Ah, is that because of your other son?</em>


    -Yes, youre right. I have a bad feeling about this.


    The connection to Kireua had been severed at some point, hence the hurry. However, the world was, as always, not so amodating.


    -Where are you off to in such a hurry?


    Lilith''s eyes widened. She was still high up, but the voice seemed to be echoing around her ears in the same way as Squalo had spoken. When she looked forward, she could see another demon with his arms crossed and wings spread wide. Although the demon had the body of a human, his head was that of a crow.


    <em>What do I do?</em> Lilith asked Joshua.


    She couldntnd on the ground again because thousands of crows swept across the sky. They were red crows, monsters of the Demonic Realm with scarlet eyes, so it was clear that the moment she tried to make for the ground, the enormous murder of crows would strike.


    -Focus on staying in the sky and concentrating mana in your feet. Ill do the rest.


    <em>What are you going to do? Fighting in the sky isnt my specialty. In fact, I havent even done it before.</em>


    -Animals tend to scatter once their leader is dead.


    Lilith calmly started her mana hall, allowing her to remain suspended in the air for a longer time as if gravity no longer existed in defiance of all reason.


    She shook her head in resignation. <em>Its not even surprising anymore.</em>


    The demon in front of her pped his wings once again.


    -I knew it. You are no ordinary human. A bipedal creature who can stay in the sky


    Who are you? Lilith asked.


    -Youre going to die , so why do you want to know?


    Its actually the opposite. I just happen to be polite enough that I remember the names of the opponents I y.


    The demon uncrossed his arms.


    -I see that youre an interesting bitch. Im Crowes, the Lightning Speed Demon, and also the forty-eighth strongest demon.


    Do demons always have such grandiose names?


    The murder of crows squawked loudly as if answering for the demon.


    -I dont get it. Where does your confidencee from?


    Its not that weird. Im so confident right now that I feel like I can bring anyone in the world to their knees. Lilith shrugged.


    The strongest man in the world was helping her, so Lilith was certain that she could beat the Demon Spirit itself.


    -Its faint, but I can feel traces of the power of Lust. Seems Ill have to crush you first and get answerster.


    Thats a neat conclusion. I like you the most among the demons Ive met until now. Yeah, you should talk only after you win.


    Crowes ck wings pped once again. While Lilith was distracted by the flurry of motion, the demon disappeared from view.


    What? Lilith nkly mumbled. She tilted her head, confused.


    -Behind you.


    Lilith jerked her head around, but gasped when she found her jaw caught by Crowes, who turned it this way and that like she was a curious specimen.


    Eeek! Lilith immediately swung her sword, but only managed to cut air. Crowes lived up to his titlehe really was a demon as fast as lightning. Lilith could barely even see him when he was in motion.


    -You lost all chances of winning when you chose the sky as our battlefield.


    Lilith could understand where Crowess confidence wasing from. His ability would shine in the vast open expanses of the sky, naturally granting him a tremendous advantage in an aerial battle.


    <em>What should we do? I already have enough trouble following his movements,</em> Lilith asked.


    -We have no other choice. Well, its my first time using a sword like this, though.


    Lilith''s eyes widened when she realized what Joshua meant.


    <em>Are you going to fight him yourself?</em>


    -You dont have much of a choice in the sky.


    <em>You said that you already overworked yourself.</em>


    -I have enough strength left to deal with a guy like him.


    <em>A g-guy like him?</em>


    Crowes was too formidable an opponent to be treated that casually.


    -Fight fire with fire, right? So I should use speed against a fast opponent.


    <em>Speed?</em>


    -You dont need to move.


    <em>What in the world are you nning?</em>


    Instead of answering, Joshua took action. Liliths body suddenly moved against her will.


    -Did you give up?


    Crowes stared, baffled, as Lilith sheathed her sword in the middle of their intense battle.


    <em>Wh-Wh-What are you doing?</em> Lilith, asked, equally bewildered.


    -Trust me with this like you did before.


    <em>B-But!</em>


    -This is one of the few sword techniques that I learned by observation. Its simple, but quite fast and strong. I guarantee you that this fight will be over in less than a second.


    While Lilith was still busy being surprised, Crowes pped his wings again and curled his fingers, readying his lethally sharp nails.


    -If you have a death wish, Ill be happy to start by tearing out your heart. I can still get answers from your corpse.


    The world around Lilith turned dark. For a moment, she thought that Crowes had struck so fast that she hadnt even noticed that she had died.


    <em>D-Did you close my eyes?</em>


    -Use this opportunity to learn that you dont have to try catching up with a faster opponent. You can use their speed to your advantage.


    <em>Are you seriously giving me a lesson right now?</em>


    -Hesing.


    Joshuas words immediately shut Lilith up. She heard Crowess wings p, and then not a sound, as if the sounds themselves had disappeared.


    <em>My hand is moving,</em> she realized, feeling her muscles flex and bend.


    Then came the visceral sound of metal cutting through flesh.


    <em>Wait. Cutting? Not stabbing?</em> Lilith warily cracked her eyelids open, and her jaw dumbly fell open.


    Her sword was drawn, and the half-animal demon was plummeting to the ground, headless.


    Wh-What in the world happened?

 Side Story Chapter 143

    Side Story Chapter 143


    Crowes the Lightning Speed Demon hit the ground to the intive cries of his crows as they mourned the loss of their master.


    Liliths mind finally caught up to what had just happened; she realized that it had literally happened in the blink of an eye.


    A shiver of excitement ran down her back. Her sword had moved very simplya clean, straight line traced between two points. It was an unremarkable, horizontal swing, but the reason why Crowes couldnt respond was simple: it was too fast.


    -Dont forget this feeling.


    <em>Do you seriously think this is something I can imitate whether I remember the feeling or not?</em> Lilith asked in disbelief.


    -We were lucky. Things worked out easier than I thought because he let his guard down.


    <em>I guarantee you that youll be able to conquer the continent as a swordsman with that speed alone.</em>


    -No, that might work on Masters from kingdoms, but not Masters of empires.


    <em>Its unusual for you to be that humble.</em>


    -Its the truth. It worked for me because that demon chose to fight us using raw speed, but any knight with half a brain would have known itd be better to fight me head-on, as crazy as it seems.


    Lilith was speechless. Was Joshua humble or was he boasting about himself?


    <em>So where are we going to go now?</em>


    Time began to flow once again, and Lilith was quickly falling to the ground. She didnt have to worry about Crowes chasing her since Joshua had cut off the demons head.


    <em>Wait, that demons head isnt going to suddenly attach itself back onto its body just because hes a demon, is it?</em> Lilith wondered.


    -Some demons do have supernatural healing abilities that are better than even a trolls.


    <em>W-Why do you say such scary things like youre talking about lunch?</em>


    -Its fine. Even if that demon has that ability, itll take days for him to recover.


    Fortunately, no more demons stood in Liliths way because they were all busy charging across the ins toward Arcadias east gate. The undead were alsoing within range of archers on the ramparts; once they got a little closer to the gates, a rain of arrows woulde down on their heads.


    -Run and dont stop.


    <em>I was already nning on it.</em>


    Lilith took off as quickly as her legs would carry her.


    * * *


    After Duke Tremblin joined the fight, it didnt take long for Squalo to be defeatedhe had already used most of his power in creating the doll.


    Before long, metal slid through flesh. Squalo looked down at the spear piercing his own heart, disbelievingly, but his neck quickly lost strength, allowing his head to droop.


    Excellent work, Your Highness, Tremblin said.


    Instead of answering, Selim turned to look where he hade from.


    His Majesty will be okay, right? he abruptly asked.


    Its His Majesty, Tremblin responded.


    That sufficed.


    Why do you think Lilith Aphrodite came back to Avalon? Selim tilted his head. She seemedpletely free of the Evil Sins influence, so it would have been better for her to return to her own country first.


    His Majesty is with her.


    What?


    Every answer to Selims questions was the Emperor. Calling Tremblin a fanatic for the Emperor of Avalon might be an understatement, if anything. However, it did seem to make sense in this context.


    Lilith Aphrodite, as I know her, would never let a debt go unpaid. She actually prioritized helping us over free her father from incarceration or helping her own country, Tremblin said.


    Well, I cant say that shes totally free from responsibility, Selim bitterly muttered. He still remembered Avalons knights suffering from the Aura of Lust. Still, his eyes sparkled. Then we must return the favor too. As soon as were done sorting out this matter, Ill propose to everyone that we mobilize our remaining troops to march on Hubalt.


    Ill support your proposal, Your Highness.


    Selim nodded in acknowledgement. Thank you, Duke Tremblin.


    * * *


    A torrent of cold water sshed onto the mans face.


    He blinked blearily, trying to figure out what situation he was in. He was in a dark and humid dungeon.


    Wake up, Babel von Agnus.


    Babel von Agnus, the aforementioned man, was the lord of one of Avalons five duchies. He looked up. A middle-aged priest was looking down at him with pdins in white armor at his back.


    Who are you? Babel asked.


    My name is Kurz. Im a Cardinal of this country.


    A Cardinal? Babel finally realized what happened. After being kidnapped by that monster of a man, he had been dragged to Hubalt and was now a prisoner.


    No, should I call myself the Pope of the Hubalt Empire?


    What?


    All the other cardinals are dead, so its not too oundish an idea, Kurz chuckled.


    Babel quietly observed the pdins. Judging from theirck of reaction, it seemed that Kurz was speaking the truth.


    It really is the end of Hubalt, huh, Babel mumbled.


    Huh?


    Priesthood obviously doesnt suit you, but youre the next pope? I can tell you where this is going.


    Babel was on the border of being outright insulting, but Kurz looked a little intrigued. The clergyman took a step forward, his foot gently clinking against the metal chain that was connected to the shackles that were locked around Babels limbs. Babel didnt have the strength to lift a finger in response.


    Im curious as to why you think I dont look fit for a priest, Kurz said.


    Im sure that Im not the first one to tell you that.


    I want to hear an outsiders opinion.


    Babel silently eyed him for a moment and then smirked. Im thirsty. I can feel my throat rasping. Looks like I cant give you the answer youre looking for.


    Kurz finally realized what Babel meant and chuckled. Give him buckets.


    Yes, sir. A hefty pdin stepped forward. There were five more buckets of water left after using one to wake up Babel, and the pdin poured three of them in a row on Babels head.


    Hahahahahahaha!


    The almighty duke looks like a rat caught in the rain!


    Wasnt his father the famous Dark God? Hahaha, hes fallen just as bad as his father did.


    What are you talking about? His father is the previous emperor of Avalon, and the Dark God just used him for his own revenge.


    Then that means hes a member of the previous Imperial Family, so how did he keep his title of duke? Hasnt it always been the way of the world to exterminate the rest of the Imperial Family when a new emperor ascends?


    Who knows? Maybe he has no pride and kissed the floor before the new emperor. Hes the current emperors half-brother and grew up with him, so it would have been easy to appeal to the emperors emotions.


    He did that despite the fact that the emperor killed his father?


    Babel bit his lip in frustration as the mockery continued. Their insults touched the Agnus familys taboos.


    Is that enough? Kurz waved off the pdins, smirking. Why dont you answer my question now? Why am I unfit to be the Pope?


    The reason is simple: you look awfully greedy for a priest.


    What?


    After all Ive seen in my life, Ive gained enough experience to tell what kind of a person someone is in our first encounter. Babel chuckled quietly.


    So?


    Your name is Cardinal Kurz, right? Youre the kind of person who would drive not only your colleagues but also your subordinates to death without batting an eye for the sake of your ambition.


    The nearby pdins immediately stiffened. They knew that the first thing that Kurz had done after being put into power by Bel was purging the other cardinals.


    Hehehehe. Kurz seemed to notice the change in the air andughed wickedly for a long time. Youre certainly a smooth talker. It seems the Agnus family focuses on training their mouths, not their swords.


    Hahahahaha! The pdins unfroze and awkwardlyughed along.


    Joshua Sanders is exactly the same. The stories about his skills are so exaggerated because he overcame most of his crises through talking, not his so-called legendary spear skills.


    You talk as if you know him very well, Babelmented.


    Kurz nodded. Yes, I know him very well. In fact, I met him a long time ago.


    Although he didnt let it show, Babel was actually curious. From what he knew, Joshua had never visited Hubalt after bing emperor. Hubalt had sent a delegation for Joshuas coronation, but he never sent one in return, even though it was customary to reciprocate. The two empires had officially been enemies at the time since Joshua was the one who had in the Martial Emperor, the strongest warrior of Hubalt.


    Let me make you a proposal, Kurz said.


    A proposal?


    Ill make you the next emperor of the Avalon Empire.


    Babel jolted. That meant only one thing.


    Are you telling me to be Hubalts dog?


    Its not a bad offer. Dont you want to get revenge against Joshua Sanders?


    Revenge Babels face darkened. When was thest time he had such a desire?


    Ill give you plenty of time to think about it. If you had been morepliant, you wouldnt have been treated like you were today.


    Kurz was clearly taking a carrot-and-stick approach. He nced at one of the pdins, prompting him to kindly feed Babel more water. Even while getting hydrated, Babel continued to think.


    This is just my advice, but it would be wise not to turn down the offer, Kurz added.


    So its a notice, not a proposal.


    No, the best-case scenario is you taking our offer, but we have a n B if that doesnt work. We have to eliminate our troubles at their source.


    It seemed the Hubalt Empire wasmitted to their path.


    Of course, I wont kill you, but Kurz trailed off and nced at the other side of the chamber.


    Babel turned to look and immediately froze, his eyes slowly widening. The presence had been so faint that Babel hadnt sensed it, but there was someone else being kept in the cell with him. The silhouette gave away that it was a woman stripped bare. Judging from the state she was in, it was obvious what the woman had gone through. But more importantly, Babel knew the woman very well.


    I assume youve met each other before since you two are from the same family, Kurz continued.


    Carmen von Agnus

 Side Story Chapter 144

    Side Story Chapter 144


    After Cardinal Kurz and the pdins left the dungeon, Babel called out to Carmen.


    Carmen von Agnus. Carmen, wake up, he repeated, but Carmen showed no response. Babel gritted his teeth. Shit.


    He had been toocent thinking that the Holy Empire wouldnt cross the lines of human decency.


    I cant believe that Im meeting you here like this Babel mumbled, bitter and regretful.


    Carmen von Agnus was the sister of Aden von Agnus, Babels foster fatherin other words, she was Babels aunt. However, Carmen and Babel had drifted apart after they had discovered that Babel was a member of the Britten Family, so when Babel had inherited the title of Duke Agnus, Carmen von Agnus had voluntarily left the family. However, Babel had just been a tool for Aden von Agnuss revenge.


    You always weighed on my mind but Im toote.


    When Babel had been young, Carmen had taken very good care of him because she had thought he was her actual nephew. From Carmens perspective, Babel had been the only legitimate son, and Joshua had been a lowly bastard who was an Agnus in name only. Babel still couldnt forget the look on Carmens face on the day it became known that Babel von Agnus was actually Babel ben Britten.


    I guess that Bel, the Battle God, really is a human weapon who only knows battle, Babel remarked. He spoke from experience, having directly shed with Bel, lending his words a certain weight.


    After going through all that trouble to bring Babel and Carmen as hostages, Bel hadnt made the slightest attempt to interrogate them nor use them as hostages against Avalon. He had simply tossed the two of them to his subordinates and instructed them to do what they would, which eventually led to the current situation.


    Im not sure if Joshua knows about that monster.


    Babel never imagined that Bel had already devastated the Pce of Avalon and then returned to the Hubalt Empire before standing in Babels way. Bel was the first person after Joshua that made Babel think that an individual could threaten an entire country.


    Babel had witnessed Hubalts ambitions to conquer the continent. Just like they had with the Martial Emperor, they wished to rise above the title of the Holy Empire and rule all of Igrant.


    Kurz had given Babel a week to think about his offer. After Hubalt subjugated Avalon and Babel chose to be the Emperor of Avalon, Hubalt would not only give him all sorts of powers but also the chance to get revenge on Joshua. Of course, Kurz wouldnt really trust Babel even if he said he agreed to the offer, so Kurz would obviously employ some form of safety measure on Babel, like a mana pledge.


    Hah, how did I get into this mess? Babel slowly closed his eyes and let it all sink in.


    There was only one thing he could do right now. Although his mana had been sealed, Babel had regained a little bit of his vitality after getting all that water poured on his face. He now had the strength to at least clench his fists.


    I only have one chance.


    Babel was going to catch Kurz and the pdins off guard during their next visit.


    * * *


    I met Babel von Agnus just now, Kurz reported to the man who was sitting on the throne with a dull look on his face.


    What did he say?


    He wants a little time to think about it.


    Bel, the man on the throne, chuckled. Cardinal Kurzno, should I call Your Holiness now?


    You can call me whatever you would like to call me.


    You dont have to be that submissive.


    What do you mean?


    Im not interested in political power. I simply wish not to receive any orders because Im sick of it.


    Kurzs expression subtly changed. Although Bel said that he had been receiving orders, no one had actually dared to boss around Bel as he was the only one on the continent who had a chance of winning against Joshua Sanders.


    For the sake of the day they would execute their grand n, Hubalt had continued to gather sparring partners for Bel in secret, and Bel had kept on fighting against and again. Of course, Bel had only beenpliant because fighting was exactly what he wanted to do. The only reason he had be dissatisfied with his life was that he had be peerless.


    However, Kurz wasnt foolish enough to say that out aloud.


    If so, wouldnt it be better to im the throne yourself?


    Its too bothersome.


    Someone has to im the throne, since the seat is vacant now.


    The moment Bel had returned to the Hubalt Empire, he had thrown the Emperor of Hubalt in the dungeon, discarding him like the unwanted puppet he was.


    You do it, Bel abruptly said.


    Pardon?


    Having two masters will just create confusion. Besides, Id have to think about politics and stuff, so you can be pope and emperor.


    Kurz trembled uncontrobly with excitement. How desperately he had been wanting this?


    Do you mean it? the ambitious priest asked.


    Yeah, so quit that with your weird, serious tone. It doesnt suit you anyway.


    But, Bel.


    See? Its way better to just call me by my name. Bel shrugged.


    Kurz stared at him, wordless. He was realizing that he had been greatly mistaken in measuring this man by ordinary peoples standards. He actually felt guilty that hed doubted such a remarkable man for a moment.


    Thank you. Kurz nodded.


    Its only right. The positions of pope and emperor have finally merged, so were in the perfect autocracy. But imagine the monarch bowing and talking in a formal tone to a man like me. What would the citizens think of you?


    It doesnt matter, Bel. Youre now going to be a supreme god, so no human standards could be applied to you, much less restrict you.


    What are you talking about? Bel asked.


    Im going to make a public deration that there is the Battle God in Hubalt, just like the Martial God in Avalon.


    Kurzs proposal intrigued Bel.


    Isnt that sphemy? Bel asked, grinning. Hubalts been treating other gods except for Hermes as nothing but phantoms.


    Our country has changed and a new era hase, so we should have new ways of thinking.


    Hahahahahaha! Bel burst intoughter and mmed his fist into his armrest. Thats hrious. Well, yeah, it would be weird for a god to tiptoe around humans. Thats exactly the life I wanted. I can enjoy all the privileges without any of the responsibilities.


    Everyone on the continent happens to be watching Avalon right now, so Im going to use this opportunity to move our army across the border.


    Good. Then I guess that its finally time for me to step in. Bel stood up from the throne and grinned. My subordinates who were scattered all over the Empire must havee together by now, so lets get ready.


    Kurzs mouth split into a wide smile. Im looking forward to seeing the Battle Gods light shining over the battlefield.


    * * *


    Lilith didnt even slow down when she got to the Pce of Avalon. Given the army of undead near the east gate, the Pce was quite empty aside from essential personnel.


    <em>Ive been wondering how I should get there Thisll make things easier,</em> Lilith mused.


    -If we run into someone, Ill exin.


    <em>Why? Are you going to use my body and yell Im Joshua Sanders?</em>


    -Why not?


    <em>Forget it. Im never letting that happen,</em> Lilith refuted.


    The fact that the First Prince of Avalon and the Sword Emperor had found out about Joshuas presence in Liliths head was embarrassing enough. Although she had never done anything that would cause a misunderstanding, she was together(?) with a man right now. She would feel guilty if the Queen Consorts heard about it.


    -You worry too much.


    <em>Would you please not read someone elses thoughts without permission? Its very rude,</em> Lilith grumbled.


    -If you didnt want me to read your thoughts, I wouldnt have been able to read them in the first ce.


    <em>Stop talking,</em> Lilith snapped. She turned her attention back to her path. Her destination, the dungeon, was located on the outskirts of the Pce.


    <em>Wait.</em> Liliths feet stopped. <em>Im detecting a presence inside.</em>


    -Thats strange. From what I know, there are no prisoners in the dungeon right now.


    Liliths face darkened.


    <em>So its not a guard, right?</em>


    Shed run into a problem even before shed entered the vault. Even more troubling, the presence that she was detecting was extraordinary.


    <em>Can that be the Second Princes?</em> Lilith guessed.


    -Impossible. I already checked that he entered the vault.


    <em>What in the world is this vault? Why did you hide that in the dungeon? Im going to find out anyway, so why dont you just tell me now?</em>


    Joshua was silent for a long time before he answered.


    -Its an undead army.


    <em>U-Undead?</em>


    -There are around a hundred thousand of them.


    Wh-What the hell! Lilith swore, unwittingly saying it out loud.


    An army of a hundred thousand undead could topple an entire kingdom. Lilith had personally experienced the horrors of those terrible creatures.


    <em>Is your n to conquer the continent after you get out of that ice boulder? Why is such a thing underneath the Pce?</em> Lilith demanded.


    -I just hid it because I knew everyone would react like you if they found out about it. Theres no other reason.


    <em>The rumors about how the Avalon Imperial Family is involved with ck magic are true. Once the existence of this army bes known, the whole world will condemn Avalon.</em>


    -Technically, I took most of them from other people.


    <em>It doesnt matter! Keep your ears open, because Im speaking from experience: you cannot, under any circumstances, allow the rest of the world to discover this army,</em> Lilith warned Joshua.


    The presence Lilith felt began to climb up the stairs, forcing Lilith to cut her lecture short.


    -It looks like were made.


    <em>This person seems stronger than we expected. Does anyonee to mind?</em> Lilith asked, tight with urgency.


    -Not at all.


    <em>Theyre probably rted to the Imperial Family, so hopefully I can talk this out.</em>


    -Itd be simple if I did it, so why would you do it the hard way?


    <em>I told you that Im never letting that happen, didnt I?</em> Lilith snarled before turning back to the door just in time for the unidentified person to emerge from the darkness, revealing their identity.


    -I definitely did not expect this.

 Side Story Chapter 145

    Side Story Chapter 145


    <em>Who is it?</em> Lilith peered forward with sparkling eyes.


    She had lived for quite a long time, but she had rarely met a man with such looks as the one slowly climbing the stairs. The man was objectively speaking as handsome as Joshua, but in Liliths personal opinion, the man was only the second most handsome person shed ever seen.


    Long time no see.


    Lilith cocked her head, confused. It was definitely her first time meeting this man, but he was talking to her as if it werent.


    Have we met before?


    Im not talking to you.


    Excuse me?


    Joshua Sanders, youre listening, arent you?


    Liliths eyes widened. The man knew her state exactly. She could say without a doubt that no one had ever done that until now.


    <em>Would you care to exin?</em> she quickly asked.


    -Hes not human.


    <em>What? What do you mean hes not human?</em>


    -Hes a dragon.


    A d-dragon? Lilith stammered, so surprised she didnt even realize shed spoken aloud.


    Come to think of it, she had heard that Joshua Sanders had be the first dragon knight on the continent, but not all dragons were good news. If the dragon shed heard of in the story was the man in front of her, that was problematic in its own way.


    Crevasse the Mad Dragon? Lilith murmured in disbelief.


    Its been a while since I heard that name.


    Oh, no Liliths eyes widened.


    <em>Be honest with me,</em> Lilith snapped at Joshua.


    -He already knows everything, so why dont you just talk out loud? Youre being rude.


    Lilith cleared her throat before continuing, Be honest with me. Your n after getting out of the ice boulder is to unify the continent, right?


    -Why do you think that?


    You hid both hundreds of thousands of undead and a dragon underneath the Pce underground like you would with some kind of secret weapon!


    -Its too much trouble to exin all of it Think what you want, since the real story isn''t really important.


    What in the world qualifies as important to you if that doesnt?! Lilith shrieked, forgetting the fact that a dragon was standing in front of her.


    -For example Yes, you getting married to one of my men and having children, or my children bringing their lovers to meet me


    That is very important, isnt it?! Lilith sarcastically replied. Her teeth ground against each other and a vein bulged on her forehead.


    Are you done chit-chatting? Crevasse quietly asked.


    Oh, yeah. E-Excuse me. Lilith awkwardly bowed.


    Crevasse gave her a look and then turned around. Lets get going. We dont have a lot of time.


    -Can you deliver exactly what I say from now on?


    Lilith trembled for a moment and then nodded. I never dreamed you woulde all the way out here to wee me, Crevasse.


    Crevasse turned his head but kept walking. Why are you still in that mess?


    The Demon Spirit isntpletely gone yet.


    Im not surprised, but he has the persistent of a cockroach.


    Thanks to him, the demons that escaped from the Demon Realm are running wild, Lilith added.


    I would imagine so. If they can acquire the Demon Spirits residue, itll be possible for them to turn this Human Realm into the second Demon Realm.


    That will never happen.


    You know very well that that isnt a matter which you can dismiss that easily. Youre basically humanitys only hope, but youre gone. If a powerful enough demon acquires three of the Evil Sins'' powers, crushing the ice boulder wont be a problem.


    Liliths jaw dropped to the floor as she realized what Crevasse and Joshua were discussing.


    Wa-wait, what does this all mean?


    Human woman, were talking, so Id ask you not to interrupt, Crevasse chided her, his expression more serious than ever. Crevasse was naturally expressionless, but when he got serious, the air around him seemed to tense.


    Ah


    There is one more problem, Crevasse continued as they arrived at the bottom of the stairs.


    Lilith unconsciously swallowed. A dragon said they had a problem, and the previous topic was the Demon Spirit. In other words, this problem was as worrying as the Demon Spirit.


    Did you know that all dragons except me have been exterminated? Even the dragon lord has been killed.


    Lilith gasped.


    However, Crevasse wasnt done:


    Every adult dragon was at the level of a demigod, but they all have been defeated by a single human. Over a hundred of my kind have been killed.


    Th-Thats insane!


    On top of that, the human gobbled up the dragons hearts and made their power into his own. I met both you and that human, so I assure you that your victory isnt guaranteed if you fight him yourself, Crevasse bluntly stated.


    Lilith was renderedpletely speechless. Nothing shed just heard made the slightest bit of sense. Her head was nk until Joshuas voice dragged her back to her senses.


    I already met him, Lilith quickly said.


    Is that so? Then you must already have realized it yourself.


    I admit that hes strong, but my children can handle him.


    Your children? Not you? Crevasse sneered, his first real change of expression. Im sorry, but I have to disagree with that, even if its you whos saying it.


    What do you mean?


    See for yourself. Crevasse started walking toward the corner of the dungeon, where the entrance to the vaulty. Im telling you this just in casedont be too shocked, and keep in mind that I tried my best.


    What do you mean? Lilith asked, this time speaking her own words rather than Joshuas.


    Crevasses sneer deepened. I dont fully understand humans parental love, but I do know one thing.


    Whats that?


    What parent would be able to maintain theirposure if their child went insane?


    * * *


    A man confidently walked down the long red carpet running the length of the council chamber of the Hubalt Empire. The nobles were lined up on both sides of the carpet with their heads bowed as if they were guilty. A closer look made the reason quite obvious: standing behind the nobles were the pdins, who watched the nobles with their weapons drawn.


    This is good, the manmented when he arrived in front of the throne.


    The Emperor of Hubalt trembled with anger.


    Kurz, he roared, you little!


    Isnt it strange? Your house arrest has finally ended after so long, but after you came to the council chamber like you were asked, you find yourself in this state.


    You were behind that? How How dare you!


    Do you think I could have done it on my own? Kurz asked.


    The Emperor went silent. Indeed, there were two more cardinals aside from Cardinal Kurz, and there was no way Kurz could have staged such arge coup on his own. In addition, Kurz was not good enough to earn the pdins loyalty.


    Wait Was it Bel? the Emperor mumbled. It sounded like he didnt believe what he was saying.


    So the puppet knows how to read the room.


    The Emperor shook with anger once more.


    He and I share the same opinion on this. I believe that the reason why Hubalt failed to conquer the continent thest time is because of this damned diarchy. Kurz nodded.


    ...Are you guys seriously trying to start another Continental War?


    Yourete. The war has already begun; the only thing left to do is assemble as many troops as possible. Kurz flicked a finger at the pdins. The pdins bowed and ran out of the chamber, executing tasks nned well in advance.


    What? The Emperors eyes gradually widened.


    Before long, prisoners tied up by ropes were led into the chamber. Every single one of them had once been the noblest people in Hubalt.


    Pope, Cardinal Erman!


    They had been the most respected people in the Great Temple right until Lilith Aphrodite had acquired a Demon Kings authority.


    Hehehe, I see that the spectators have arrived. All of you, watch closely.


    Kurz! What are you doing, you bastard?


    I told you to just watch. Kurz received a sword from a pdin and drew it from its sheath.


    The Emperors lips trembled. Are you?


    Ive been thinking. If your n is to unify the political system by getting rid of one half, which one should I get rid of? The emperor or the pope?


    Ho-How dare you!


    Our country is called the Holy Empire, and I started my life in the temple So I reached the conclusion that its better to leave the pope. Kurz grinned at his reflection on the sword. Anyst words? You can beg for your life.


    P-Please spare me.


    Kurz swung the sword, sttering his face with a shower of blood.


    I didnt really mean it. Anyhow, I can tell that swords really aren''t my thing, Kurz murmured, examining the de stuck in the Emperors neck critically. The n was to chop off the Emperors head in a single stroke; unfortunately Kurz was not a swordsman.


    The Pope, so he closed his eyes, unable to stand the sight of a murder in broad daylight.


    However, Erman red at Kurz with eyes that burned with fury. You will suffer the wrath of Hermes.


    Kurz seemed to sense his gaze and turned to regard him. Cardinal Ermanno, should I call you Teacher?


    Kurz


    Im going to be the most influential person in thisnd, and then no one will be superior to me, not even my parents and teacher.


    What are you trying to say?


    I would like to fulfill my duties as your student and finally repay the favor I received.


    Kurz threw the sword on the ground and then slowly approached Erman.


    Your daughter, Lilith Aphrodite, is alive.


    Ermans breath caught in his throat.


    Hehehe, Im looking forward to this. Ive wanted her so much ever since I was little, but if I take her right before your eyes Would that be a sin that condemns me to eternal damnation, or an act of supreme grace?


    Kurz lightly tapped Ermans shoulders and walked away.


    You bastaaaaaaaaaard!

 Side Story Chapter 146

    Side Story Chapter 146


    Wow Lilith eximed over and over again as she moved deeper into the vault. She had never imagined such a ce could be hidden underneath the Pce of Avalon. It was so big that it seemed like it could fit the entire Pce, plus an entire dragon in their real form.


    How many people would it take to dig a space this big? No, even with thousands of people working on it for over a decade itd be impossible to make something like this Lilith trailed off.


    -Dragons are called the race of magic for a reason.


    Does that mean Mr. Crevasse did this?! Lilith gaped.


    Crevasse frowned. Its <em>Sir</em> Crevasse to you, human woman. I dont necessarily want to be worshiped, but Ive lived a hundred times longer than you.


    If youre a hundred times older than me, then youre at least four thousand years old, Lilith mumbled in amazement. She was aware that dragons were immortal, but hearing it from a dragon certainly hit different.


    This is not the time for chit-chat..


    Pardon?


    Look in front of you.


    Lilith up, confused, but it was quickly reced with shock.


    Wh-What in the world?


    The vault got bigger as one went deeper inside it, but the construction, however impressive, was not nearly as eye-catching as what it housed. Thousandsat least tens of thousands of undead were scattered across the floor in pieces.


    This undead legion you said youd hidden underground Were you talking about fragments of them? Lilith asked. She received no answer, but she could sense that Joshua was equally bewildered by this turn of events.


    Im sure youve already realized, but this is all your sons doing, Crevasse quietly informed them.


    Then Prince Kireua is? Lilith trailed off, loath to finish her words.


    Joshua Sanders, unfortunately, you may have to give up on your morals today, Crevasse warned Joshua.


    Wait a second, Lilith interrupted. She knew what Crevasse was implying. I get that hes gone mad, but there might be another way aside from killing him.


    Youre misunderstanding something here.


    Excuse me?


    Hes not the one whos at risk of dying. You two are, since youll have to fight him.


    Lilith gasped.


    It''s too soon to be surprised. Theres more. Crevasse pointed into the darkness.


    Lilith peered intently into the murk for a moment before jerking back, her eyes as wide as full moons. There was something enormous in there, dozens of meters tall at least. The real shock, however, came when she realized what it was.


    ...A bone dragon?


    A creature was created by turning a dragon, the strongest creature in the Human Realm, into an undead. Dragon Breath was notorious for its destructiveness, but bone dragons used them with ease. Such a creature was half destroyed, its pieces tossed across the ground.


    This is a shame. We were going to use the dragon for war, but now its a mess. Even the Demon Spirit himself wouldnt be able to restore it with the corepletely destroyed. But that isnt our biggest problem. Crevasse shrugged.


    Where is Prince Kireua right now?


    Crevasse didnt answer her.


    Answer me, Crevasse! Lilith stopped trembling and gathered herposure. She red at the dragon with cold fury in her eyes. You shouldnt have stepped away from him.


    Are you ming me for this?


    Your promise with Joshua isnt just about protecting this ce, is it? Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    The promise between Joshua and Crevasse was to protect this vault and deliver everything inside the vault to the person who would visit in the future.


    At that moment, faint explosions echoed out of the depths of the vault.


    Im going. If anything bad happens to Prince Kireua, I wont let it go, even if Joshua doesnt say anything.


    How amusing. Youre a feeble human; what can you do?


    Your great race has been exterminated by a feeble human.


    Crevasses eyes turned cold. Your courage is remarkable, Ill give you that. No, should I say its reckless bravado?


    Lilith stopped listening to Crevasses mockery and sprinted deeper into the vault. It didnt take long for Lilith to encounter something new.


    Oh my


    A fierce battle unlike anything else in human history was taking ce. On one side there were two death knights who seemed to be at the level of a Master and six high-ss liches that looked like to be at least Sixth Circle mageson top of that, one of the liches was casting Eighth Circle spells with ease. A total of eight undead of unprecedented power were fighting together against a single red-haired man, who was barely over twenty years old.


    Prince Kireua Lilith muttered.


    -Hahahahahahaha!


    Urgh! LIliths expression immediately twisted.


    The demonic, manicughter gave her a headache. It didnt take long for Lilith to understand why Crevasse had described Kireua as insane. Kireuas red hair whipped around him, his eyes werepletely ck, and demonic power poured off of him in waves. His swordsmanship was unlike anything Lilith had ever seen, even though she was known as the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword.


    However, that was just the beginning of the surprises. Kireua swung his sword andunched an incredibly dense arc of aura at a death knight. The death knight raised its sword to block it, but it wasnt enoughthe death knight went sliding far backward. His sawtoothed greatsword was chipped away, showering him with sparks, despite the protective sheath of demonic power he ced over it. Their battle of strength didnt evenst that long.


    Kireuas strike hit the death knight square in the chest, ripping a piece off of the death knights ck armor and sending it tumbling to the ground.


    W-Woah. Death knights armor is supposed to be hard to destroy even with aura, but with a single strike Lilith trailed off.


    It wasmonly understood that an attack made with a sword covered in mana was more destructive thanunching the aura from a distance. However, even that wouldnt make destroying a death knights armor easyand yet, Kireua had chosen thetter and managed to destroy the death knights armor when he was only twenty years old.


    However, that wasnt the most important fact right now. The first issue was that both the death knight and his weapon looked familiar, although it had been decades. Secondly, Lilith had seen the sword technique that Kireua used just now before. The memory made her tremble.


    <em>Joshua, Im wrong, right?</em> Lilith immediately asked Joshua. <em>The death knight with the sawtoothed greatsword is surely Duke Altsma, the Wild King, but the technique that Prince Kireua used just now</em>


    -Dark Moon sh.


    Joshuas answer hit Lilith like a bell directly in her ear. The Dark Moon sh was the trademark technique of Duke Aden von Agnus, the Dark God, who had once been called the greatest swordsman on the continent.


    -It looks like Evergrant is behind this.


    <em>Evergrant? Are you talking about Evergrant con Aswald? The first human Eighth Circle mage?</em>


    -Hes now the first non dragon Ninth Circle mage.


    N-Ninth Circle? Lilith shouted, so shocked that she forgot to use telepathy.


    -I heard that its possible to resurrect someone who died long ago and ce someones soul in a different body using a Ninth Circle ck magic spell.


    <em>Excuse me?!</em> Lilith shrieked.


    The battle raged on. The Wild Kings armor was shattered, and he had been thrown to the corner. A new death knight stepped in to carry on the fight.


    -Hed be better off giving up right now if he cant ovee this low-level trial.


    <em>Enough with your nonsense. That death knight wont hold out for long either!</em>


    -Although Evergrant is the one who started all this, he seems just as unprepared for this as the rest. It looks like he wanted to cause some problems for Kireua, but he ended up eating his own poison


    Who are you?


    Lilith flinched. She arrived here alone, and Crevasse, her guide, was long gone. Joshua was in her mind, so he couldnt be seen.


    Ah, um Although she hadnt expected to hear another persons voice, she was eager to introduce herself to prevent any misunderstanding. So Huh?


    It turned out that the person who spoke wasnt a human. The woman in front of Lilith had chocte-colored skin and long ears, a surefire sign of a dark elf, a race known to have gone extinct long ago.


    -Her name is Aisha Sestropi.


    Aisha Sestropi? Lilith whispered.


    -Shes called the Assassin King by humans. You should know her too, since shes pretty famous.


    Lilith could guarantee that she had had her lifetimes share of surprises today. To meet the mysterious Assassin King in a ce like this!


    Not many people know me by that name Aisha warily said.


    W-Wait, my name is Lilith Aphrodite.


    Aisha tilted her head in confusion for a moment, but her eyes widened. The Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword?


    I-Its an honor. I didnt think the Assassin King would know me.


    Wait, if youre the Lilith Aphrodite, did Joshua send you?


    Joshua? Ah, yeah. S-Something like that


    Aishas face immediately brightened. I knew it. Thats greatwe need help, now.


    Help? Wait, do you mean


    As you can see, I was waiting for the right time to join the battle. Ive been thinking that I wont be enough, so I would like to ask you for your help, Miss Lilith.


    Liliths face moved through a series of strange expressions. Was Aisha asking her to fight the monster with only the two of them? A Ninth Circle lich and Master-level death knights were having trouble defeating the fearsome prince. Despite the mor of the intense battle, the sound of Lilith swallowing was quite audible.

 Side Story Chapter 147

    Side Story Chapter 147


    <em>Youll help me, wont you?</em> Lilith desperately asked Joshua, but she got no answer. A frown crept onto her beautiful face. <em>Why arent you saying anything?</em>


    -Aisha didnt ask me.


    <em>This is for the sake of your son.</em>


    -If I release my energy, the situation may get worse, not better.


    <em>What in the world do you mean?</em> Lilith asked, her lips still twisted into a frown.


    -Youll find out soon enough. For the time being, do what she asks you to do.


    Although she wanted to postpone giving an answer, she couldnt because Aisha was right in front of her.


    How should I help you?


    I knew that you would lend me a hand. A smile spread across Aishas face. The n is simple. Please distract Kireua, and Ill catch him off guard from the shadows.


    You want me to do what?


    Aisha was asking her to fight against that monster, who exuded demonic power thick as mud, head-on. Lilith knew that Aishas stealth was peerless, but


    You only have to distract him for a very short moment. Ill use that small gap to subdue him. I know itll be difficult, but please endure for a moment, Aisha added with a bitter smile.


    O-Okay.


    A deafening <em>bang</em> grabbed their attention. Lilith and Aisha turned and found that another death knight had been struck by Kireuas strike and was getting pushed far back.


    Lets go.


    Shit, I dont know anymore. Lilith infused her mana into her sword, enveloped it in pale silver aura.


    -Ill help.


    Joshua pulled the nearby mana into Liliths body using a highly advanced mana umtion technique of such sophistication that Lilith couldnt even begin to fathom. Whatever it was, it filled her body with vigor in an instant.


    I feel like I can take on a Demon King right now.


    Lilith charged into battle with new confidence, crossing dozens of meters in a second. Oddly, Kireua had turned to look at her even before she had started running.


    This energy is? Kireua murmured. Lilith heard his voice, even though that was quieter than an ants footsteps.


    -Thats not the actual Kireua. Ignore him.


    Lilith tightened her grip on her sword. She had already closed the distance, so she couldnt retreat now. She gathered her resolve and acted.


    <em>Im sorry, Prince Kireua. I hope this brings you back to your senses.</em>


    Their swords shed. Liliths palms went numb like she had smashed her sword against a giant boulder, but she had already started attacking Kireua. She didnt stop.


    All of Liliths three attacks ended up hitting Kireuas sword, which greatly hurt Liliths pride. It wasnt like she had used her full power, but Kireua had managed to block all of her swings.


    Try blocking this too! Lilith spun nimbly. A series of attacks like a shower of rain wasnt what she needed right now. She needed one strong attack to bring Kireua back to his senses. She used the momentum of her spin


    LIilths eyes nearly popped out of her skull. She had put every ounce of her power into this sh, but her powerful aura had dissipated as soon as her sword collided Kireuas in spite of the fact that he wasnt even using his mana.


    Kireua want done. Kireua swung his sword backward without looking. Red sparks flew from the darkness, and Aisha went rolling across the floor, groaning. Judging from the blood dripping down her arms, her wounds were quite serious.


    How how can he detect presences as well as me and control his power so proficiently? Lilith gasped.


    -My father was called a god, so this is not unexpected.


    Kireua was now staring at Lilith without moving.


    Is that you, Joshua? Kireua asked. However, Kireua wouldnt address his father by nameit was clear that that wasnt actually Kireua.


    It was Duke Aden von Agnus, the infamous Dark God.


    How is this possible? Lilith frowned.


    She got her answer from someone else. A lich appeared a few steps away from her without making a sound andughed ominously.


    -Ninth Circle is a level where you can create something from nothing, so this kind of thing is a piece of cake. Hehehe.


    I see all the heroes are here, Joshua said through Lilith. Evergrant con Aswald, dont you think this is too petty of you?


    -Petty? Why?


    I paid the price.


    -Yes, you did. Thanks to you, I reached the ultimate level, for which I am grateful. Thats why Im faithfully keeping our promise.


    Taking out your anger on my son is what you call faithfully keeping a promise?


    -Test the qualifications of the people who visit this ce. If they''re notpetent enough to maintain control of the undead legion after taking them outside, dont give the legion to them in the first ce. Destroy the entire army if necessary. Those were your instructions.


    Evergrants glowing red eyes swayed in his hollow sockets.


    -Just like I said, Im doing my very best to keep our promise, Joshua Sanders.


    Lilith turned at Joshuas behest toward the burning gaze he could feel boring into him.


    It was indeed you, my son. Kireuano, Aden von Agnus said.


    Youre no longer my father. Youre just a pitiful ghost who wanders this world, unable to let go of your lingering regrets.


    I see that your mouth is the same as ever. You seem to misunderstand something here. I dont really resent you. Aden repeatedly sped and unsped his sword.


    It was a bizarre, tragic encounter between father and a son. After decades, Aden had been reunited with his son in someone elses body.


    I really cant get used to this thin sword. Its like a toy Aden muttered.


    -Let me fix that for you.


    Evergrant immediately spun his demonic power as if he had been waiting for Aden to say that. A two-meter-long ck greatsword was created out of thin air and flew into Adens hands on its own as though it knew its owner.


    I assume that you have many questions for me, Aden said.


    As do you.


    Hahaha! Yes, I also have many questions for you. So, as usual


    An enormous amount of energy poured out of Aden, making the air tremble and tense. Even without doing anything specific, this man could pressure his opponent. This was why humans dared to call him a god.


    Duke Aden von Agnus, the Dark God Lilith grunted.


    Adens footsteps echoed off the walls of the massive vault. How strong was Aden? The battle he had fought in the Pce was the stuff of legends, but its events were only recorded in history books now. However, Lilith may witness the same thing with her own eyes today. It set her heart racing with excitement that made her forget about the situation she was in.


    Come. Aden gestured at Joshua.


    -Since hes the opponent, Ill have to use more power. I ask you to excuse me in advance.


    Lilith almost shouted, Certainly! Her trust in Joshua was already at the level of a fanatic. Even if the great Dark God wouldnt be able to defeat the Martial God. Never.


    <em>Should I consider it an honor? </em>Lilith chuckled silently.<em> I get to experience a battle between two legends first hand.</em>


    Liliths body took a single step forward.


    Without warning, a barrage of ck aura was fired. From left to right, from the sky to the ground The aura strikes also flew from behind Lilith to ambush her. They were so fast that they seemed to disappear from the eye. Whenever Lilith moved, dozens of ck streaks honed in on her in every direction, as if Aden were showing her what a real flurry of attacks looked like. Lilith instinctively realized that the Dark God intended to hold nothing back.


    The attacks left deep scars in the vault. The floor was cracked and a tempest raged in the vault, and yet


    <em>Why cant he hit me even once?</em> Lilith wondered.


    She no longer had control of her body; Joshua had dodged all the sword strikes without looking and it didnt even seem that Joshua needed to expend a great deal of effort to do it. Aden stopped, apparently as taken aback as Lilith.


    How? His sharp eyes peered at Joshua.


    I thought the victor would get the answers they wanted.


    Ha. Hahahaha! Im so dumbstruck that I cant helpughing. Am I unable to use my full power because this isnt my body?


    From the two half-shattered death knights to the wounded dark elf, there were many people in the vault watching Joshua and Aden. Evergrants eyes, unnatural as they were, seemed especially intent.


    Do you want to know the answer?


    No, Ill test it myself. Aden drew up his power again.


    Joshua quietly shook his head. Theres no need for that. This fight is already over.


    What?


    It means that its my turn now.


    Lilith was lending Joshua her body, but she was just as desperate to know what Joshua meant. In fact, she wished he would tell Aden the answer before he moved on to their next exchange, because she didnt think for a second that the Martial God was going to lose.


    Maybe he noticed her wish.


    Its not that you got weak, Dark God. Its just


    Just? Aden quietly prompted.


    Joshua straightened.


    Time stopped for you decades ago, but time still flows for me. Thats all.

 Side Story Chapter 148

    Side Story Chapter 148


    An aura shot toward Lilith.


    How arrogant of you. Adens eyes narrowed.


    Two, three Deadly crescents of ck aura silently cut at Lilith, but none of them hit her. Watching it, Lilith felt like she was the Martial God.


    -Let me apologize in advance.


    <em>Huh?</em> Lilith didnt understand what Joshua meant.


    -After today, youll be bedridden for days again.


    Lilith''s eyes widened, but before she could react her body went flying forward against her will.


    Aden swung his greatsword fiercely, threatening to cut her in half with one strike. Lilithno, Joshua chose to meet the greatsword with his own longsword instead of dodging it. Aden staggered. Liliths longsword was less than half the size and weight of his greatsword, but he couldnt push it away.


    I guess that matching you is the best I can do while Im using the sword, Joshua concluded.


    What?


    Joshua kicked Aden in the abdomen, opening some space between them, and then threw his longsword aside without hesitation. Before it even hit the ground, Crevasse waved his hand.


    Ill return this to you.


    The space near Joshuas hand distorted, and spat out a long object. Joshua snatched the white spear from the air and quietly hefted it.


    <em>Hertonias divine spear!</em> If Lilith had been in control of her body, her jaw would have hit the ground. Hertonia was the greatest cksmith in the history of the continent, and this spear was his masterpiece. But there was only one reason why this spear had earned the grand name of the divine spear, and that was because the spear belonged to none other than Joshua, the Martial God.


    Its definitely much better to use the weapon Im familiar with. Joshua nodded.


    Lets see how much better you got. Aden loosely gripped his greatsword and curled his finger at Joshua. Come.


    Joshua was moving even before Aden finished speaking. Immediately, his spear had already left a scratch on Adens cheek, to the Dark Gods astonishment. It may be a simple scratch, but the fact that Aden hadnt even noticed was enough to hurt his pride.


    You little Adens powerful mana surged out of him, making the fight earlier look like he was ying around. His power fully unleashed made the air randomly explode, the floor churn, and exuded a pressure that was as godlike as his title suggested.


    Come to think of it, I never showed you the essence of the Agnus familys sword technique, Aden abruptly mentioned.


    What do you mean?


    Its like just any other prestigious knights family. There is a technique that only the Agnus familys head gets to inherit.


    The explosive wave of mana subsided like the calm before the storm as Aden absorbed all the nearby mana.


    Had you be the next Duke Agnus or had I bequeathed the seat to someone else before I died, this technique wouldnt have died out, Aden said.


    Babel is going to be quite disappointed.


    Aden burst intoughter. Babel? Youre funny. Do you really think I would teach all of my sword techniques to him?


    Well, you have a point. You raped a princess and tried to put the entire continent in danger just for your revenge


    What do you know? Youre just a boy. You dont know that theres no future for a family who forgets their roots.


    You know what? Joshua pointed his spear right at Adens neck and grinned. I already told you that time still flows for me, unlike you.


    What does that have to do with this?


    Im older than you now.


    Adens face crumpled up when he realized what Joshua meant. Youre my son forever, regardless of our physical ages.


    Youve gotten quite talkative.


    Youre cocky.


    Anyhow, I realized that this revenge thing is pretty meaningless after I got it. Now someone else wants revenge against me Joshua trailed off bitterly.


    The head of his spear began to hum.


    Aden slowly advanced. Enough with the silly talk. Ill teach you the technique. Dark Moon sh is about ying the moon, so its only right to have a sword technique that can cut the sky.


    How very grandiose.


    Youll understand once you see it. The technique is worthy of its name. Aden straightened and held his sword above his head with its tip pointed down at his back. Although it was just an ordinary motion that any person would make preceding a vertical strike, Adens movements seemed to carry the weight to crush an entire mountain.


    Single Sky Strike, Aden muttered.


    Shattering the sky with one strike, huh? I was right. Its too grandiose, Joshuamented.


    Aden didnt say a word in reply, but the pressure that he exuded was enough to show that he was using his full power to demonstrate this sword technique. In that case, Joshua needed a fitting countermeasure.


    Aden''s eyes widened. Joshua should have trouble breathing due to the pressure by now, yet he took a single step forward. And then he took another.


    When Joshua took his second step, the very air cracked around the Aden. Aden could not afford to dy any longer.


    Aden simply swung his sword downward, but that simple strike created an extraordinary oue.


    The world trembled like the sky was falling. The entire vault was wracked by an earthquake so powerful that it looked like it would crumble around them. The whole floor was undting the skeletons caught in the shockwave were reduced to dust.


    You shouldnt even be able to talk right now. You think you can still walk another step? Aden sneered.


    A normal man would have turned into pulp. No living being could exist under the shattered sky.


    And yet, Joshua took one more step forward.


    How? Aden stared at him, wide-eyed.


    Its certainly a remarkable attack.


    Aden was so shocked that he couldnt find the words to retort. Joshua could not only afford to walk but also speak. Impossible!


    I must have executed the technique perfectly, though? Aden quickly took a look around. As he expected, no one around them could even hold up their heads. Even the prideful dragon had distanced himself with a frown on his face, making power of the attack easy to infer.


    Hah, hahahahaha! Aden burst intoughter. He had to admit ithe hadnt be weak, this unlikely oue was simply the result of his opponents supremacy. And his opponent was his own son, no less.


    How fascinating, my son.


    Is that so?


    Ive never used this technique against a single target because no one could endure it if I so much as used that in the vicinity, Aden exined, although no one asked. He lifted his sword again. You can be the first.


    His sword dropped, and the sky heaved once again. A second Single Sky Strike had been delivered.


    Im sorry, but Im not just going to sit by and let you do that again.


    Aden flinchedthe voice came from behind him!


    Utter ruination wouldnt even begin to describe what happened in the front of Aden. The floor shattered like cheap pottery, copsing into the lightless abyss of a bottomless pit. Hundreds of skeletons fell into the pit and disappeared as thin cracks crawled up the walls of the vault as if the pit hungered to swallow the entire Pce. It was only Crevasses best efforts that prevented that from happening. Despite all of that, Joshua had managed to slip behind Aden without him noticing.


    This is a surprise. Youve gotten far stronger than I expected, Aden said.


    There is one thing Id really like to ask.


    What is it? Aden asked without even turning his head.


    Do you regret it?


    Regret?


    Your life was filled with anger and resentment and you dedicated your entire life to revenge. Do you want to restart your life? Joshua calmly asked.


    Aden chuckled quietly. What is this drivel you? I lost my mother to the emperor right in front of my eyesI think you, of all people, would know how that feels better than anyone else.


    Would you still choose to live the same even if you could return to the past and lead a new life?


    I would only try harder to perfect my revenge.


    Joshua shook his head. Not me.


    What?


    I realized toote that the Joshua Sanders from the first life and the me right now are two different people.


    What in the world are you talking about? Aden tried to turn around but the intense murderous energy searing his back forced him to stop. You


    The people around you are all the same, but the experiences, rtionships, and memories I share with them are different. Are they still subjects of my revenge, then?


    Youre getting soft-hearted. I never raised such trash, Aden snapped.


    But I would know what their true natures are better than anyone else Joshua trailed off, tightening his grip on his spear. Ill try to more actively avoid getting involved with that trashincluding you, Father.


    What? A vein bulged on Aden''s forehead.


    But before he could respond Joshua stabbed Adenno, Kireua with his spear.


    Agh!

 Side Story Chapter 149

    Side Story Chapter 149


    Kieua was swimming in the white sea of his subconscious realm.


    This ce feels like home now.


    -You keeping here because youre weak, Kireua.


    Dont get cheeky.


    Coal giggled, much to Kireuas annoyance. Despite all his bold ims and enthusiasm he threw himself at Evergrant con Aswald with, his results were abysmal. Living up to his title of the first human Ninth Circle mage, Evergrant had revealed a remarkable ability, a spell that Kireua had never even heard of. It had instantly knocked Kireua unconscious and sent him into his subconscious realm.


    Evergrant con Aswald is certainly capable of standing in His Majestys way until the end. Kireua nodded to himself. Everyone could make mistakes or be defeated, so the important part was to not repeat those mistakes. The Emperor of Avalon always said to use those defeats as a foundation to get better instead of getting lost in despair. Kireua sat with his legs crossed and continued to contemte his mistakes, eager to ensure he didnt repeat them.


    With all that said, Kireua had been counting on something else, too.


    Why cant I use the three Evil Sins'' powers the way I want to?


    These powers were said to belong to the Demon Kings, so Kireua had believed that he would have the upper hand against the undead. The being most likely to have the answers he wanted was right in front of him, but he couldnt expect to get anything out of it.


    -Kireua is weak! Kireua is stupid! Hee hee hee hee.


    You little As a man, Kireua had pride, so he had no intention of begging Coal for anything.


    But suddenly, something <em>rrrriiiiiiipped</em> through the fabric of his subconscious realm and kept going.


    A spear? Kireuas eyes widened after realizing what it was.


    The pain came rushing in a littleter.


    Ah, argggghhhhhh!


    Kireua didnt know when or where the spear came from, but he knew it had stabbed him.


    What is this!


    The spear had pierced right through the right side of Kireuas waist. His blood dripped out of the wound.


    -Can you hear me, Kireua?


    Kireuas eyes widened, quickly forgetting the overwhelming pain.


    Yo-Your Majesty?


    - I see that the shock therapy worked.


    Wh ugh. What do you mean? Kireua managed to say.


    -Listen to me carefully.


    Kireua kept his ears open as he began spreading mana to his entire body.


    -You have no more than.


    One hour? Kireua nkly repeated.


    -This is yourst chance to recover control of your body. After an hour, youll die from excessive bleeding or forever lose your body to a ghost who couldnt let go of his worldly grudges.


    Kireuas jaw dropped to the ground, but his father pressed on.


    -You can do it, cant you? Youre my son.


    What should I do?


    -Its simple. Find the ghost who snuck into your subconscious realm and kill it, whoever it may be.


    Kireuas lip trembled. His father had said that Kireua only had one hour, but the realm was enormous. Nothing but a horizon could be seen. Nevertheless, Kireua had to find this one specific ghost and get rid of it. Would he be able to do it?


    -I guarantee you that youll be able to get several times stronger than before if you seed.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, a raging storm was about to engulf the entire Hubalt Empire. The clouds of war hung over the Pce of Hubalt, the heart of the Empire, for a simple reason: the Empires leaders hade to a decision.


    Are you ready to crush our enemies? Kurz loudly asked. Below the tform he was standing on, thousands of heavily armed knights stood in neat ranks.


    After getting rid of the papacy, Kurz was now the new and only ruler of the Hubalt Empire.


    Yes, Your Majesty!


    Forget about our old namesthere are no more pdins or temples. Peace isnt something you can get for free, because no one hears the cries of the weak!


    Some men were standing far away, wearing unique golden suits of te armor. There were only two hundred of them, but they exuded energies that were stronger than any of the other knights there.They were the Martial Knights, the continents greatest weapons, personally trained by Bel, the Battle God, himself.


    How does it feel? Kurz turned to the side, smiling contentedly.


    A man and woman tied up with ropes stared at the ground. No doubt they were among the most noble people in thend that Kurzs country was about to invade, but they were just war prisoners to Kurz.


    Kurz noticed that Carmen von Agnus was ck-jawed and drooling. Tsk. That bitch haspletely lost it.


    The man beside Carmen was in a better state.


    Have you given some thought to my offer in the past few days, Babel von Agnus? I have the power to make you the new Emperor of Avalon. Youll not only be able to get revenge but also be the second most powerful person on the continent, after me. You shouldnt have anything to think about.


    Babel slowly looked up. Where is your confidenceing from?


    What?


    Hubalt already failed. All of the Four Pdins you were so proud of got killed. Isnt that enough to tell you how ridiculously strong Joshua Sanders and his people are? Babel asked skeptically.


    Kurz shrugged. Let me ask you the same question, Babel von Agnus: havent you seen how terrifying the Battle God is?


    Well


    Youve fought against him, so you already know that the Battle God wont lose even if hes going up against Joshua Sanders.


    After a moment of silence, Babel met Kurzs eyes and said, Untie me.


    Are you epting my offer? Kurz asked, obviously delighted.


    If the Battle God doesnt lose to the Emperor of Avalon, Ill cooperate with you.


    Ha. Gosh, youre one shameless prisoner. You arent going to take a single risk?


    My family is still in Avalon, so if you cantpromise even this much, just kill me.


    Babels will was resolute.


    Kurz eyed Babel for a long few seconds and then grinned. Alright. Bel wont lose anyway. Untie him.


    Yes, Your Majesty!


    The ropes around Babel were gradually untied.


    Stay down.


    The knights standing on both sides of Babel pressed down on his shoulders when he was about to stand up.


    Havent we finished talking? Babel asked, his eyebrows raised.


    Humans are the most sly creatures in the world, so I dont trust themespecially their empty promises.


    What do you want me to do then?


    Make me a mana pledge right now, Babel von Agnus.


    Babel stiffened at the mention of a mana pledge.


    Do you really have to go that far? he quietly asked.


    Its only right.


    When ites to trust, I think we share the same dilemma. How can I be certain that the Hubalt Empire wont discard me after I outlive my usefulness?


    I think that youre gravely misunderstanding something here. From my perspective, sparing your life is a gesture of good faith. Kurz smiled crookedly.


    Babel could not retort because Kurz had a point. A mana pledge was a bare minimum safe measure. Babel would be spared right now, but his life would be taken away if he broke his promise and had second thoughts.


    If you make a pledge, Ill untie your poor family member too, Kurz offered.


    Babel nced at Carmen, whose long, disheveled hair hung over her face. Considering her past reputation, she was in a very pathetic state. Who could have imagined that the leader of the biggest rebel army in Avalon would end up in this mess?


    Ill do what you want. Babel nodded.


    Do you mean it?


    But you should untie her first. Her mind is already damaged after the unspeakable humiliation she was subjected to. I dont think this is too much to ask for.


    Hmm Kurz was a very careful person, so he had to mull it over for a while before he nodded. Untie her.


    Yes, Your Majesty.


    Give me a sword. Babel raised his hand, so a knight handed him one. It was practically a metal lump without any edges.


    Since its only necessary for the ritual, Im sure that that will suffice, Kurz noted.


    Its enough. Babel slowly held the sword in front of his abdomen. I, Babel von Agnus, vow upon my mana.


    Low yet loud hums began to build, signaling that a mana pledge was being made. Meanwhile, Carmens ropes were undone.


    From now on, I swear to fully cooperate with the Hubalt Empire Babel began.


    Wait, thats too vague. Lets change that to I will fully cooperate with the Hubalt Empire to conquer Avalon, as the Hubalt Empire wishes, and prioritize Emperor Kurzs orders above all.


    I will fully cooperate with the Hubalt Empire to conquer Avalon, as the Hubalt Empire wishes Babel repeated.


    Kurzs grin stretched wider and wider as the humming grew.


    And I vow that Cardinal Kurz of the Hubalt Empire


    Wait, its Emperor Kurz, not Cardinal Kurz. Fix it.


    shall be beaten to death before anyone else.


    Yeah, just like that What? Kurzs eyes widened.


    Babel infused his aura into the sword in his hand, but someone was quicker.


    Carmen stood up and threw herself at Kurz like a lightning bolt.

 Side Story Chapter 150

    Side Story Chapter 150


    -Are you going to kill your own son, Joshua Sanders?


    Evergrant pointed out that Kireua had been bleeding out of the hole Joshuas spear had made in him. The bleeding had stopped for some reason, but Kireua waspletely unconscious and his head hung limply.


    I already knew this, but it has to be said: you really have no dignity, Joshua retorted through Liliths mouth.


    Evergrant chuckled quietly.


    -Are you angry?


    Do I look angry?


    -Good, thats what I was hoping for.


    I really cant congratte you for fulfilling your dream of bing a Ninth Circle mage, Joshua said.


    -Thats a shame. I wanted to receive congrattions from the man whos considered the best in the current generation, even if its just for politenesss sake. Hehehe.


    In contrast to Joshua, who was serene as ake, Lilith was so infuriated that she nearly burst a vein.


    <em>Can I please punch that lich?</em> she asked. However, a beautiful dark elf with chocte skin walked out of the shadows before Lilith could start swinging.


    Evergrant con Aswald, dont cross the line, Aisha warned the lich.


    -...Who do you think you are to interrupt our conversation?


    One of the basic terms in an undeads contract is that the undead can never inflict harm on the master, isnt it? Aisha snapped.


    The master in this contract was, of course, Joshua because he was the undead''s source of demonic power, the only thing enabling their continued existence. If Joshua so wished, he could instantly turn Evergrant into a handful of dust. However, this man was too soft-hearted and didnt seem to have the slightest thought of doing sothat was why Aisha stepped in. She was going to tie up Evergrants limbs using the terms of his contract and she would kill him herself if he continued to run amok.


    Aisha Joshua trailed off.


    Dont delude yourself. Youre an atrociously indecisive man, but Im not doing this for you, Aisha coldly replied.


    In truth, the sense of betrayal that Aisha had felt after finding out that Joshua wasnt a dragon was beyond anyones imagination. Was it because she had been deceived and used? No, that wasnt the reason, since Aisha was the one who had jumped to conclusions. As a matter of fact, she had received a lot of help and had not really suffered a loss at all.


    That aside, Aisha had believed that Joshua was her friend, but Joshua hadnt reciprocated. Elves valued promises and truth by nature, so although their first encounter might not have been genuine, Joshua could have at least given Aisha a heads-up. However, he hadnt told Aisha the truth even now. Shed found out Joshuas son, not Joshua himself. While teaching Kireua her stealth and other techniques, Aisha had noticed that Kireua was a pure human, not a half-dragon.


    Im just doing this for Kireua, my student, Aisha tly stated, her eyes cold.


    Thank you.


    There is no need to thank me!


    Hes your student, but hes also my son. As his father, how can I not feel grateful to you? Joshua smiled faintly.


    Forget it. A sigh slipped out of Aishas frowning lips. Evergrant con Aswald, put Kireua back in his original state. If not, Im going to use my full power to annihte you.


    Aisha released murderous energy vastly more powerful than anything that had been used so far. It was Killing Intent, the murderous energy of murderous energy.


    -Youre quite arrogant. Do you think you can hurt me?


    If your master activates your forbidden seal for failing to uphold the contract, why not?


    Evergrant visibly recoiled, but Aisha looked at Joshua.


    Enough of your indecisiveness. Evergrant con Aswald will continue to stand in your way now that he has what he wanted. It would be best to take care of him here right now.


    Joshua was silent for some reason, much to Liliths frustration.


    <em>What are you doing?!</em> she shouted.<em> Shes asking you!</em>


    -Would Evergrant even bat an eye if I annihted him right now?


    <em>What are you talking about?</em>


    -I dont think he will.


    After saying that, Joshua took a step forward. That isnt his real revenge.


    What?


    Evergrant is already triumphant. He has what he wanted, just like you said, so will anything change even if I threaten to erase him?


    Aisha''s eyes widened. Evergrant burst intoughter as if he had been waiting to hear that.


    -Youre smart indeed. I see that the best martial artist on the continent is also a strategist.


    Enough of the sarcasm. That doesnt mean that you won, Evergrant, Joshua snapped.


    -Is it time for you to console yourself now? Hehehe.


    Evergrant chuckled ominously.


    However, the corner of Joshuas mouth rose. No, its reality, not constion. Youre just the first stepping stone for my son to get stronger.


    -What?


    What are you going to do if Kireua opens his eyes right now? Joshua asked.


    -...Hahahahahahahahahahaa!


    Evergrantsughter was so lively that it seemed as if hed forgotten he was undead.


    -Are you out of your mind? The famous Dark God is in your sons body. <em>Aden von Agnus</em>.


    Joshua nodded. Im well aware of that.


    -Youre well aware of that? Hah! Then youll also know that hes so tenacious that he fooled the Britten Family for decades to get revenge. It needn''t be said how physically powerful he is.


    Evergrant didnt need to remind Joshua. If anyone would know, it was Joshua.


    -That person finally found a body after years of wandering the world. Do you really think a twenty-year-old boy can beat him and regain control of his body?


    Well see, Joshua casually responded.


    -You nutjob. Ahahaha!


    Once again, Lilith flew into a rage.


    <em>Why in the world do you let him spew his shit?! Destroy him. Youre his master!</em>


    -Do you remember what I said?


    <em>What you said? What do you mean?</em>


    -Revenge is meaningless.


    <em>Are you kidding me right now? With everything that is going on, youre saying </em>what<em>? </em>A vein bulged out of Liliths forehead again.<em> Revenge is meaningless?</em>


    -Im not saying I wont take revenge at all.


    <em>Then what?</em>


    -Its best to avoid it if I can, but if I decide to do it, I should do it right. I will crush him so hell never be able to think about raising his head in front of me again.


    Lilith was taken aback.


    -The best revenge right now is for Kireua to ovee the trial on his own.


    <em>Y-You have a point, but why do you think Evergrant is that confident? Its because oveing that is difficult</em>


    -Look over there.


    Joshua turned her head for her, forcing her to see what he saw. Her lip trembled.


    Ki-Kireua? Lilith said aloud. She pped her hand over her mouth. Her voice was quiet but clear, so everyone around her looked in the same direction.


    -What?


    Evergrant realized that white smoke was rising from Kireuas body like he was a chunk of ice dropped into a fire.


    Kireua was sweating buckets, but the sweat vaporized instantly, meaning that something was happening inside him.


    -This cant be possible.


    Evergrant quickly drew up his demonic power.


    -Aden von Agnus! Why cant you take care of one boy


    You shouldnt interrupt him, Joshua said.


    -Ugh!


    Joshua finally took action and made Evergrant strangle himself. Although he was currently in Liliths body, the contract between Joshua and Evergrant was made on their souls. In other words, Joshua had no problem in exerting his influence.


    -Joshua Sanders You bastard!


    Its master to you, not bastard, Joshua sneered.


    -Y-You dont care if something bad happens to your son?


    I already told you that Kireua isnt weak enough to sumb to this tribtion. I look forward to seeing you fall deeper into despair.


    -Gakh! He, hehehehe. You dream big.


    Evergrant didnt stopughing in spite of his splitting headache. It seemed Kireua was putting up some sort of fight, but his fate was already sealed. Thebined efforts of the infamous Dark God and Evergrant himself had put Kireua into that state, so how could Evergrant lose?


    -You will beg me to save your son. Youll cry for forgiveness underneath my feet.


    Right back at you.


    -What?


    You said it just now: youll beg to be saved and cry for forgiveness under my feet.


    Evergrant loosed his demonic power, but it quickly subsided.


    -Ahh! Arggghhhhhhh!


    The forbidden seal was automatically activated by Evergrants attempt to hurt his master, so Joshua didnt need to do anything.


    -Joshua Sanders! I curse you! I hate you! I loathe and despise you!


    Its interesting that were on the same page with this one. I feel the same when I look at you. Joshua shrugged.


    -We will see how long you will be able to stay rxed!


    Evergrant abruptly stopped speaking and moving.


    Ki-Kireua? Aisha noticed that something was changing with Kireua. The smoke around him had vanished, and the air had stilled like the calm before the storm.


    And then Kireua opened his eyes.


    His eyes glowed with a lurid red light.

 Side Story Chapter 151

    Side Story Chapter 151


    Kireua quietly closed his eyes that was too inefficient to wander aimlessly in this vast, empty white world. The pain in his waist overwhelmed his focus, however, making his eyebrows furrow.


    -Do you want my help?


    Kiruea opened his eyes again. Coal was bouncing up and down right in front of him.


    Forget it, Kireua impulsively answered. He had already received Coals help countless times, like the incident involving the two Evil Sins'' powers, but he didnt want to do that anymore. It wasnt because he felt uneasy about Coal; he had figured out Coals nature on some level, but relying on Coals help in every crisis wouldnt help him get better at all. Kireua was certain that he would end up bing the Evil Sins power of Greed rather than Kireua Sanders.


    -Do you know why youre going through all this trouble, Kiruea?


    Why? Kireua asked.


    -Because youre more stubborn than a demon, hehe.


    Kiruea stopped listening to Coal. He had a bigger fire to put out.


    <em>Ill find Aden von Agnus with my own power,</em> Kireua decided.


    Aden von Agnus was technically Kireuas grandfather, but Kireua had zero respect for the Dark God because he knew exactly what the Dark God had done to the Emperor of Avalon and his mother.


    Things took an unexpected turn before Kireua even finished his search.


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion and looked around. He heard footsteps. He was alone in this ce, so what were these footsteps?


    Youre Joshuas son.


    Kireua gasped and spun around. A middle-aged man had suddenly showed up out of nowhere, his presence almost palpably weighing down on Kireua. Kireua knew the mans identity as soon as heid eyes on the man. The mans deep blue hair was neatly slicked back, his eyes were ck, and his body was robust. Above all, the ck greatsword resting on his shoulder made Kireua certain that the man was Duke Aden von Agnus, one of the most influential swordsmen of the previous generation.


    I never imagined you would appear here like this, Kireua murmured.


    What a strange thing to say. Was I supposed to hide, then?


    Isnt taking over my body your goal?


    Well, even if my goal is to take over your body, I think this is the right approach. Aden jammed his greatsword into the ground and smirked. I can get what I want if I kill you where you stand.


    You think you can? Kireua asked provokingly.


    Can I do it? Ahahahahaha. Aden let out a long, low chuckle. I see. Your arrogant tone and eyes you take after your father.


    So?


    Then you know that Im your grandfather.


    I have no grandfather, Kireua refuted, nting the tip of his sword in the ground as well. He smirked. Your family, subordinates,rades You treated everyone like weeds and stopped at nothing for revenge. I dont remember having such trash as my grandfather.


    Cocky. Murderous energy burst out of Aden. If you knew what kind of a person I was before my death, you wouldnt bber about me. How dare


    Youre an old monster who covets your grandsons body, so I really have no respect for you. I think that weve exchanged enough greetings, unless theres anything else youd like to say?


    For a moment, Aden was too dumbstruck to speak.


    Yeah, he eventually mumbled. it was impossible to talk it out with Joshua too.


    Thank you for thepliment. Taking after His Majesty is the greatestpliment you can give me.


    Like father, like son, huh? A grin crept onto Adens lips. But Joshua was skilled enough to live up to his arrogance. How about you?


    Aden dragged his greatsword against the ground, creating an unpleasant screech.


    In response, Kireua slowly drew his sword and straightened. A tigers cub is a tiger.


    A tiger sometimes births a dog.[1].


    The opposite is also true. A dog sometimes births a tiger.[2]


    Adens eyebrows furrowed, the duke irritated by the way Kireua was looking right at him.


    Let my greatsword test to see if you took after both his mouth and skills.


    Kireuas back broke into a cold sweat. <em>Hesing!</em>


    Despite the belittlingments Kireua had thrown out against Aden, hed never actually taken him lightly for even a moment. Aden was known as the Dark God across the entire continent for a good reason, so Kireua knew he could not afford to hold anything back. He drew deeply from his mana ha


    <em>Hm? </em>He heard something that made him confused. What?


    Your skills are patheticpared to your eloquence.


    The overwhelming pain hit Kireua a momentter, but the psychological shock was greater than his physical painhe hadnt even been able to see Adens greatsword moving.


    <em>When in the world?</em>


    Kireua copsed like a rotten tree. The wound in his chest was so clean that it only began to bleed after hed hit the ground.


    <em></em> *


    I-I think something went wrong, Lilith mumbled, flustered.


    Everyone had been waiting for Kireua to open his eyes, and he did. The problem was that his eyes glowed red like a death knights.


    -Hehehehehe.


    Evergrants quietughter didnt help Liliths anxiety in the slightest, but she was more concerned that Kireua slowly turned in Liliths direction, releasing bone-chilling murderous energy.


    Jo-Joshua, Lilith stammered.


    Joshua watched Kireua with mixed emotions. Since they were sharing their senses, Lilith could feel what Joshua was going through in her bones.


    <em>A-Are you just going to watch him?! Well all die at this rate. The Dark Gods practically been resurrected in your sons fresh new body!</em> Lilith anxiously pressed Joshua.


    -No one knows if that is the Dark God or Kireua.


    <em>What in the world are you talking about?!</em> Lilith snapped.


    If that were the real Kireua, why would it feel like hed be apletely different person? On top of that, what was with the overwhelming murderous energy?!


    Kiruea abruptly pointed his sword at Lilith, erasing any doubts that might have lingered.


    -Bwahahahahahaha!


    Evergrant burst into vindictiveughter.


    -What did I tell you, Joshua Sanders? You should have kissed the floor and begged me instead of threatening me. Then you wouldnt have lost your son!


    Evergrant slowly approached Kireua from behind. Despite his skeletal appearance, he seemed to be smiling from ear to ear.


    -Congrattions on your resurrection, Dark God. Lets get rid of those buffoons right away and we can rule this continent. With you and I working together, it wont be difficult. Im bound to my contract, so I wont be able to hurt him. However, its different for you, Dark God. Hehehe.


    Evergrant may have summoned the Dark Gods soul using Ninth Circle ck magic, but he hadnt formed a contract that would force the Dark God to swear loyalty to him for a simple reason: although it would have been wonderful for Evergrant to have the Dark God as his servant, Evergrant himself was Joshuas servant, so if Evergrant formed a contract, the Dark God would be considered Joshuas servant too, which would defeat the purpose.


    Hence, Evergrant had gambled, and his gamble had paid off. The Dark God acquired a new body without a hitchone that belonged to the son of Evergrants enemy no less.


    -Hahahahaha! This is checkmate, Joshua Sanders. No matter how strong you are, you wont be able to hurt your son. Oh, yeah. Dont misunderstandthe Dark God acts of his own volition, not by my will. Hehehehehe.


    Evergrants shoulders shook with uncontrobleughter. Liliths anxiety grew and grew, just as Kireuas murderous energy continued to thicken with no signs of slowing down.


    <em>Do some</em>


    Evergrant con Aswald.


    -Ha, hahahaha. Yes, did you call me?


    You breached our contract and youve already crossed the line once, Joshua intoned. You know what this means, dont you?


    -Hehehehehe. So what? Are you going to annihte me or something?


    Im considering it, Joshua calmly responded.


    -Why dont you deal with the crisis at hand before you think about that crap?


    Evergrant turned to Kireuas again.


    -Run wild, Dark God. I, Evergrant con Aswald, will use my full power as a Ninth Circle mage to support you!


    Joshua Sanders, Kireua finally said, to Evergrants utter delight.


    -Hahahahaha!


    Evergrants manicughter got louder, and Liliths face got darker.


    However, she tilted her head, confused. Kireuas next move was as abrupt as it was strange. The sword he pointed at Lilith was pressed against his chest as if he were saluting.


    Your Majesty.


    Kireuas voice was quieter than an ants footsteps, yet it seemed to Lilith that it was louder than anything shed ever heard.


    Im back.


    W-What?


    I apologize for any distress I may have caused, Kireua quietly continued. Before Evergrant realized that something had changed, Kireua whipped around as fast as lightning, his sword biting into the lich.


    1. The raw is (). Its an old four-letter idiom about how a son isnt so greatpared to his father.


    2. The raw is (), meaning the opposite from the previous idiom.

 Side Story Chapter 152

    Side Story Chapter 152


    Evergrant was every bit as capable as would be expected of the first human Ninth Circle mage, and blocked Kireuas ambush without much difficultyor rather, Evergrants demonic power reflexively responded to the imminent danger. Evergrant himself, on the other hand, was still in shock. He only gaped at Kireua through the translucent ck magic barrier around him.


    -How? The Dark God lost to a boy?


    Can you afford to talk right now? Kireua scoffed.


    -What?


    Evergrant''s eyes widened as ebon mes, even darker than his barrier, engulfed him.


    -The fire of the Demon Realm!


    It might have been different if you reached the level of Ninth Circle when you were a human, but I wont lose to an undead.


    -You arrogant bastard!


    Evergrant gritted his teeth. In all the years he had walked this realm, he had never been humiliated like this, much less by a person who was young enough to be his grandsonno, Kireua was just a baby to Evergrant!


    -Ill crush your cocky face first!


    Evergrant nced at Joshua while he quickly gathered his demonic power, but for some reason, Joshua didnt respond at all. If Joshua was going to intervene, he could have done so already. Even a Ninth Circle mage had to obey a forbidden seal.


    It may seem unfair, but that was the contract. An undead was not only forbidden from harming the person to whom they had sworn their loyalty to but also anyone who was associated with their master. Needless to say, that included their masters child.


    -Darkness shining deep in the abyss.


    There was only one reason why a Ninth Circle mage would need to chant a spell.


    Are you trying to use Ninth Circle magic? Kiruea raised an eyebrow.


    <em>Rascal!</em> At some point, Kireua had begun addressing Evergrant as if he were dealing with a servant. Evergrant was in the middle of his incantation, so he had no choice but to let Kireua talk.


    -Reveal and coil yourself in front of me! Release your breath of death which eradicates all life!


    Death Breath was the most advanced mass-destruction spell in a ck mages repertoire. It was based on Dragon Breath. Evergrants goal was to unintentionally exterminate everyone nearby. Now that things hade to this, it was do or die for Evergrant.


    -Die!


    The ck tsunami that came rushing in and flooded the cavernous vault was an incredible sight to see. Everything swept up in the tsunami met the same end. The skeletons with their sturdy bones disappeared without leaving so much as a speck of dust behind. The duhans, high-ss undead, fared no better for all their power; the moment they came into contact with the ck tide, their armor melted like a snowball in a wildfire. Evergrants single spell made fully ten percent of the undead legion disappear. However, the ck tsunami hadnt subsidedand Kireua was next in its path.


    Kireua nted his feet firmly on the floor and gripped his sword with both hands, raising its tip above his headthe textbook posture from which to deliver a vertical strike.


    Liliths jaw dropped to the floor when she noticed Kireuas form.


    H-Hes crazy!


    Was Kiruea seriously going to attack that unbelievable tsunami? He was practically trying to stop a force of nature with a stick!


    <em>Joshua</em>


    -Lets watch for now.


    Lilith pursed her lips. Although she wanted to call Kireua and Joshua crazy, the tsunami rolled over Kireua before the words could leave her lips.


    N-No! Lilith screamed.


    Kireua disappeared without a trace, never mind doing anything to the tsunami.


    Are you satisfied now? Lilith asked, her voice ck with bitterness. I dont know what your parenting is like, but the Second Prince is!


    Once again, Lilith was cut off, almost as if someone had been waiting for Lilith to speak, this time by an innocuous but clearly audible <em>swish</em>.


    After a moment, a huge aura attack struck the tsunami. Lilith could guarantee that the ck crescent of aura was the biggest and most vivid manifestation of aura she had ever seen.


    Oh my god


    Lilith wasnt the only one who was surprised.


    -Unbelievable!


    Evergrant was appalled. The damage of his spell might be lower than other Ninth Circle spells due to its wide area of impact, but it was still a Ninth Circle spell. In addition, it was ck magic, which was just as destructive as any other attribute of magic.


    -Arrrgggggghhh!


    A splitting headache brought Evergrant down to his knees, but it wasnt because he was hit with an attack.


    Lets stop there.


    Joshua had finally stepped in.


    -You Joshua Sanders!


    Havent you done enough, Evergrant con Aswald? Youre just a has-been who has to worry about losing to my son, Joshua casually remarked.


    -A h-has-been? You How dare you!


    Despite his resentful roar, Evergrant was shriveling up.


    Thats a breach of the contract, Evergrant, Joshua said.


    -I curse you I will continue to hate you even in the afterlife!


    I hate to break it to you, but you know that I have your soul and the only end for an undead whos sold their soul is annihtion?


    -But I


    Evergrants voice became so quiet that it was nearly inaudible, even to someone who was listening for it. Even his body had been reduced to a fist-sized ball.


    Joshua turned to look at his son. An odd tension filled the air as the father and son silently locked eyes. The tension was so strange that Lilith, a third party, could feel it.


    Your Majesty. Were out of time.


    Despite the crisis threatening the Pce, Joshua continued to look into Kireuas eyes. Since Lilith was sharing her senses with Joshua, she was looking into his eyes as well. What she saw shocked her: darkness deeper than the abyss lurked within Kireuas orbs.


    <em>What in the world?</em>


    Before Lilith could ask, Joshua came to a decision.


    Lets go back up there, Joshua said. Youre right, the situation is urgent.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, a man and a woman charged Hubalts warriors, their murderous energy unchecked. The pdins were taken aback by the sudden ambush.


    Your Majesty!


    Kurz, previously a Cardinal but now the new emperor of Hubalt, staggered back, eyes wide. It didnt take long for the pdins to stop the man with the multipleyers of pdins Kurz had surrounded himself with for a situation like this. However, the problem was the woman.


    Gah!


    The woman was unarmed and both her body and mind were tattered, which caused the pdins to let their guard down. Nevertheless, the woman sent the pdins bouncing away with just a few punches.


    What are you doing?! Its just one woman!


    Uh, uh, umm Ah! One of the pdins watched, wide-eyed, as Carmen soared over his head and struck Kurz like a lightning bolt.


    Kurz! Carmens hand shot for Kurzs neck like a hawks w, eager to rip out his entire throat.


    S-Stop her! Stop her!


    Die!


    Ahhh! Kurz squeezed his eyes shut as his life shed across his mind. Everything felt too empty. Hed finally be the emperor, he who ruled over everyone, but he was going to be murdered before he could live out his dream!


    Ugh!


    This kind of thing always happens when I go away for a moment.


    Kurz cautiously opened his eyes and immediately rejoiced.


    Bel!


    Yeah, tigers are tigers even without their fangs. Judging from your backbone, you people are definitely the best knights of the Agnus family.


    Although Bel was holding her by the throat, Carmen continued to struggle, her eyes burning with spite.


    Im sure that all of you have seen it already, but the nobles of Avalonno, the kin of the Duke of Avalon himself, dared to try harming our emperor! Bel yelled, his mana-enhanced voice thundering over the audience.


    The pdinsand Kurzflinched.


    Wa-wait, did you expect all this? Kurz murmured in disbelief.


    Bel grinned. If we let this humiliation stand, the rest of the continent would think lightly of us. So


    He developed his fist and mana and threw a powerful punch into the air.


    A vendetta has been made. The time for war hase.


    Ohaaaaaaa!


    Babel, now bound once again, trembled at the implications of Bels ns. This man was!


    This bad blood between us and Avalon has continued for a very long time. We lost to them on that day about twenty years ago.


    Silence instantly descended. Some peoples clenched fists trembled with frustration.


    Hubalts proud Martial Emperor was brought to his knees. We were eventer forced to sign a humiliating agreement that prohibits us even from engaging in trivial local wars. The man who is responsible for all the humiliation that we went through still sits on the throne of the Avalon Empire.


    Joshua Sanders was a legend, so some of the pdins were horrified.


    Dont be afraid, because I am with you. Bel released a dragon from his fist and it ascended into the sky with a mighty rumble.


    Woww!


    The majestic sight made all the pdins cheer.


    Bels smile deepened. Now, let us go settle this vendetta and show the continent who are the true rulers of Igrant!

 Side Story Chapter 153

    Side Story Chapter 153


    Joshua wasnt the only one who noticed the oddity. Crevasse approached him with a dark expression.


    Joshua Sanders.


    Its okay.


    But


    Can you help us? Joshua asked, abruptly changing the topic.


    As you already know, our contract only binds me to protect this vault, Crevasse reminded him.


    Bel showed up at the Pce, Joshua informed the dragon.


    Crevasses eyes almost popped out of his head. The dragon had no need to remember human namesexcept Joshua Sanders and this one man named Bel.


    That crazy butcher is up there? Crevasse shivered in fear. It was highly unusual to see a dragon, the strongest creature in the Human Realm, getting scared, but it was understandable. There had been only around one hundred dragons, from young hatchlings and adults to ancients who had lived for tens of thousands of years. This incredibly powerful human had beaten every one of them to death using only his fists.


    Dragons were very rational beings, so Crevasses judgment was far more urate than that of any ordinary creature.


    Wait, I know youre strong, Joshua Sanders, but youre acting too reckless this time, this mightiest of beings cautioned.


    Joshua was the anomaly who had annihted the Demon Spirit in the Human Realm. Even if it hadnt been done in the Demon Realm, the Demon Spirits home ground, Joshua was strong and Crevasse had no intention of denying that. The problem was that Crevasse didn''t feel the same way when it came to picking the strongest human. Crevasse assessed Joshua to be at the level of a dragon lord; although an unprecedented evaluation, whatever god was out there had decided to create two monsters in one generation.


    Are you that scared?


    Crevasse frowned. He knew Joshua was provoking his pride, but his thoughts remained the same.


    Im being realistic, not afraid. To be honest, I dont mind dying right now, but its different for you.


    I have a lot of family members to look after.


    That is why you need to be careful. Its better to avoid fighting that monster if you can.


    I cant do that, unfortunately, because Bel fellow ising after my family and home, Joshua bitterly answered.


    What a disaster. Crevasse let out a long sigh. Hed known it was a possibilitya person who was as strong as Bel would naturally dream of ruling over the entire continent.


    Let me give you some advice, Crevasse said.


    Advice?


    Think of it as a suggestion, if you feel offended.


    Joshua shook his head and smiled. No, Im grateful for any helpful advice.


    I assume that your real body is still stuck in that ridiculous ice boulder.


    Joshua nodded.


    Dont let other people deal with this man unless you wish to lose your dear family andrades. Since you said that you already met him in person, I think you know what that means, dont you?


    Somewhat.


    Once youvepletely eliminated the Demon Spirit and cast away the ice boulder, make it your priority to acquire the Seven Evil Sins'' powers. If you can get the Four Great Angels souls, then so much the better. That wouldnt be impossible considering your past.


    Would merging the primordial stones into one not be enough? Joshua asked.


    It wouldnt, Crevasse said, so firmly that he sounded cold. Had you seen the dragon lord and that monster fight, you would have known that.


    Im already on high alert right now. I really couldnt think of him as a human in our first encounter.


    The lordsted half a day against that human, Crevasse added bitterly.


    Lilith and Aisha'' eyes widened. The dragon lord was close to a demigod, but she had failed tost more than half a day.


    I see, Crevasse suddenly said, much to the womens confusion. You already know everything, so youre just watching even though your son is in that state. Crevasse nodded.


    Kireua was quietly observing the death knights standing in the corner.


    My son isnt weak, Joshua quietly said.


    I get what youre thinking, but itll never happen. I think your second choice is my first choice. I rmend you correct that.


    With that, Crevasse turned away.


    Lilith, Joshuas mouthpiece, felt ice water run through her veins. She could not believe how the conversation ended.


    Wa-wait!


    Human, protect Joshua Sanders soul well. Without him, there is no future for this continent.


    From what I heard, there is a year left before Joshua exits the ice boulder. Do you think that we can realistically hold out until then?


    Lilith couldnt ask the question to Joshua but wished to hear the dragons honest opinion.


    Half a year, Crevasse answered.


    Half a year? Lilith heaved a sigh of relief. Crevasses estimate was more optimistic than she had expected. Really, with the dragons exterminated, it would be a miracle if they held for half a year.


    Thats the longest that humans and all the races on the continent would be able tost before they all kneel before this human named Bel.


    * * *


    Agh!


    Does it hurt? Does it? You motherfucker! Kurz continued to beat Babel. Nowhere about him could be seen the dignity of the emperor of Hubalt, despite his many citizens sticking their heads out to see what was happening. There were foreigners who came to study or for travel watching as well.


    Babel was already covered in wounds. He had lost most of his teeth and his eyes were swollen beyond recognition. Worse, he was getting dragged around the streets with a cor around his neck like a dog. For the head of the Agnus family, this was utter humiliation. Carmen von Agnus was beside Babel, not being treated any better than him.


    Kurz spat on Babels wide back and then took a look around him.


    His anger hadnt subsided even after all the beatings, and yet he had to put on appearances as the emperor! If Kurz could do as he pleased, he would have executed the wretched people. In fact, he would have done it already if Bel hadnt told him that Babel and Carmen would serve some useful purpose. Kurz was actually benefiting from what the two had done, forcing him to acquiesce to Bel.


    The head of the Agnus family, proud knights of the Avalon Empire, dared to harm His Majesty! It is only right to execute the perpetrator and disy his head in the za, but His Great Majesty has expressed his will to bring the perpetrator to the Emperor of Avalon and hold him ountable! All citizens are advised to witness the perpetrators faces!


    The za instantly erupted into chaos. Justification mattered in any war, and an assassination attempt against an emperor was just that.


    Th-The head of the Agnus family?


    A-Anyhow, its true that Cardinal Kurz has taken the throne. How will the country change?


    Then are we going to war against Avalon? But the Emperor of Avalon is the Martial God!


    Joshua was literally a god to ordinary citizens, and they had been living in peace. The sudden deration of war was appalling enough, but their opponent was the Avalon Empire, where the god of war resided!


    But maybe we have a chance.


    For goodness sake! What are you talking about?


    To be honest, His Majesty almost got assassinated, so what would the rest of the world think if we dont hold the Emperor of Avalon ountable for his crime?


    You have a point


    They would call us weaklings because the country is ruled by priests.


    Mmm But we can always figure out the whole story and then make them pay.


    Who knows? Maybe the higher-ups think that this is for the better.


    What is that supposed to mean?


    Havent you heard that all the Four Pdins were ughtered?


    I-Is that true?!


    The murmurings continue to get louder and louder. Although they spoke in hushed voices, some of Hubalts knights were able to hear them with their heightened senses, and reported it to Kurz.


    Hah. The tide has turned. Other countries will have to tiptoe around us now, Kurz murmured.


    His intention was to use this situation to overturn the rest of the continents thuggish impression of tybalt. The pdins had entered Avalons capital as a delegation sent to congratte the Emperor of Avalon on his return, but they had attempted to take over the Avalon Pce! The news had spread like wildfire, and Hubalt was branded as a public enemy of the entire continent.


    However, thanks to Bels astonishingly quick return, an assassination attempt against the great Hubalt Emperor had been made only dayster, giving Kurz a way out of the situation. All Kurz had to do now was simply paint a picture wherein Hubalt had made a preemptive strike on Avalon after noticing Avalons n to assassinate an influential man of the Hubalt Empire.


    Of course, a detailed investigation would reveal that the narrative was full of holes, but the details were meaningless once it had escted into all-out war between the two empires. The winners took all, the weak got eaten, and the strong survived In the end, the winners words would be the truth and the history.


    Anyhow, thank you. You two idiots made things way easier, Kurz murmured. Bel acts like hes thoughtless, but hes surprisingly insightful in times like this.


    Babel slowly looked up. Shall I make a prophecy?


    A prophecy?


    Babels mouth was smeared with blood, and only a few teeth remained attached to his gums. Nevertheless, he smiled from ear to ear, utterly confident.


    I guarantee you that the moment you cross the border to the Avalon Empire, you will die before His Majesty, the Emperor of Avalon,nds a single blow from his spear.


    Although no one noticed it, that was Babels first time calling Joshua His Majesty.

 Side Story Chapter 154

    Side Story Chapter 154


    Valmont cut down another skeleton and groaned. When in the world is heing back?!


    These undead were nothing, but their perpetual persistence was a problem. They would recover every time Valmont destroyed them. The undead were unable to feel pain, so when they lost their legs, they would drag themselves toward Valmont with their arms so they could gnaw at him. Worse, the duhans, the high-ss undead, were so sturdy that Valmont couldnt chop them up, and they got back up just like the ordinary skeletons.


    We have to deal with those demons over there first since their demonic power is what is causing these undead to rise without end, Duke Tremblin, standing back to back with Valmont, said.


    Do you think Im going through all this trouble because I dont know that? Valmont snapped.


    Those demons were the source of all their damned problems. The fiends had even set up chairs in the center of their undead army to observe the battle from. There were exactly ten of them, and considering that every one of them was as strong as Valmont, they were a formidable force.


    They could have created a kingdom of demons in no time if theyd dropped by another country first, Valmont grumbled.


    We have to stop them before that happens.


    Is Avalon a charity organization or something?! Other countries must have heard what is happening by now, so why are they just watching?!


    That is what war is. When you act first, you will be recognized for your efforts, but that is all. Whoever striked the first blow ultimately suffers the most damage.


    Selfish bastards, Valmont angrily grumbled as he swung his sword again. His fierce attack wiped out dozens of the skeletons, but it was just as futile as all his other strikes. Although his attack had been sessfully delivered, the other undead filled in the holes within moments.


    Those cockroaches. I wouldnt have been this tired if they were humans instead


    Valmont was starting to get exhausted. He didnt want to even imagine what would have happened if the Magic Towers archmages hovering in the air werent there to help them in this battle. Their presence was sparing Avalon from the humiliation of those undead breaching Arcadias east gate, but they were at their limits. Being archmages didnt mean that they had an infinite amount of mana.


    Shit Valmont cussed.


    <em>Grrrrrrrrrrr!</em>


    Valmont and Tremblin''s eyes widened.


    Is th-that Am I seeing things? Valmont stammered.


    I can see it too.


    When it rained, it poured.


    What the fuck! Valmont spat.


    A group of five gigantic creatures emerged out of nowhere and flew across the sky. Their shadows alone were so big that it looked like castles were moving.


    Bone dragons!


    They were the notorious war machines made by turning dragons, the strongest creatures in the Human Realm, into undead. They may not be able to use their dragon magic, but they were just as skilled as living dragons. They gargantuan forms wielded immense power and their dragon breath was just as strong as it had been before their deaths.


    Bone dragons had only appeared in Igrants history a few times because it took at least a Ninth Circle ck mage to even try making a bone dragon. However, there were five bone dragons flying overhead, not one, and three of them looked like they were fully grown before their death. Such a thing was unlikely to happen ever again.


    Have you ever fought dragons, Duke Tremblin? Valmont asked.


    I havent.


    How about creatures that are simr to dragons? Bone dragons, for example


    Tremblin shook his head. I only met the ones with which His Majesty is acquainted with. Dragons arent creatures you can meet easily.


    Alright, Ill just ask you: are you confident we can win?


    Tremblin silently looked up at the sky. The five bone dragons were just pping their wings in the air without doing anything else, arrogantly looking down at the creatures on the ground. Maybe they were enjoying unting their presence.


    Tremblin eventually shrugged. Ill have to fight them to find out.


    What? W-Wait, what are you trying to do, old man?!


    Since they knew each other very well, Tremblin didnt take much issue to Valmonts remarks. Tremblin simply infused his mana into his legs and braced himself for the leap.


    Are you seriously going to jump up there? Valmont chuckled dryly. I think youre forgetting that were humanbipedal creatures who live on the ground.


    I know, but theyll help if theyre aware of whats going on.


    They? Valmont turned to see what Tremblin was looking at and realized that the duke was referring to the archmages of the Magic Tower and their master.


    Tremblin kicked off the ground and went soaring into the sky.


    Oh Valmont eximed. Sword Emperors flight was a sight both majestic and overpowering.


    Levitation! The quick-witted Theta quickly used his mana, just as expected. A translucentyer was created around Tremblin. The wind was on Tremblins and the others side because no one here understood wind better than Theta.


    Haste! Tornado! Airburst! Theta added in quick session. He made Tremblin lighter using the haste spell and created a tornado under Tremblin to help him stay in the air. Lastly, Thetas airburst spell was to give Tremblin an extra push.


    Tremblin ripped through the air with a thunder <em>boom</em> that rattled the earth and the sky. He went higher and higher, passing the bone dragons and touching the clouds.


    Its definitely hard to breathe up here. Trembling held his breath and examined the colossal bone dragons beneath him. In this situation, the best way to increase the odds of delivering a sessful attack was striking downward, not upward.


    <em>Ill kill it with one strike.</em> Tremblinyered his aura on his saber, his eyes gleaming; the incredible density of his blue aura made it flicker and wave like tongues of fire. Tremblin swung his saber fiercely, dropping downward several times faster than he had flown up there. The fire-like aura trailed behind him like the tail of a shooting star.


    When he was just above a bone dragons head, Tremblin swung his saber without hesitation.


    The bone dragon he was attacking was the smallest one. Tremblin cleaved the bone dragons head in half and kept going, but the other bone dragons only watched him. After cutting about ten meters into the bone dragon, Tremblin ground to a halt. His saber got stuck in the bone dragons chest, making his brows furrow; his initial n was to cut the bone dragon in half in one strike.


    <em>Its much sturdier than I thought,</em> Tremblin eximed. He abandoned his saber without regret, mere moments before one of the adult bone dragons swung its tail where Tremblin had been. The smallest bone dragon got by itsrger counterpart, damaging its chest bones even more and sending it on an unstable path to the ground.


    <em>Well, I somehow achieved my goal,</em> Tremblin thought with a sardonic smile. Had he been able to y the bone dragon with one strike like he originally nned, his allies morale would have risen dramatically. It was quite a shame.


    Great job, old man! Valmon shouted. Given that hed used mana, it seemed hed realized what Tremblin was thinking.


    Wh-Whoaaaaaaa!


    His Grace took care of the bone dragon!


    The Sword Emperor is with us!


    The soldiers on the ramparts cheered energetically, but Tremblin couldnt get rid of the bitterness in his smile. Perhaps it was just Tremblins imagination, but it looked like Avalons soldiers were trying not to lose to their fear.


    The gigantic bone dragon finally crashed on the ground, with Tremblinnding on top of it.


    Its a shame.


    You go, old man. You still have your edge!


    The remaining dragons are the problem. The same method wont work on them; they arent fools.


    Would His Majesty have seeded at once? Valmonts face darkened, realizing the magnitude of the situation after seeing the demonsughing in the distance. I really need to see those pricks eat shit Shall I try too?


    Dont. I told you earlier that the same method wont work on them twice. You might fall into danger instead.


    Ah, my pride


    Valmont was racking his brains for a solution when an earthquake made him stumble out of nowhere.


    Wh-what?! He quickly steadied himself. What are you going to do now


    Wait.


    Huh?


    I dont think its the demons. Tremblin shook his head.


    What are you talking about?


    Tremblin focused on sensing the nearby energies for a moment. His eyes flew open.


    Its His Majesty.


    What?


    Im certain. Only he would exude such an overwhelming


    When a red streak suddenly flew toward the bone dragons, Valmont understood Tremblin. Unless they were hallucinating, that blood-red spear was clearly


    Longin! Valmont was enraptured. They had all been desperately waiting for him. The emperor of the Avalon Empire had finally returned.

 Side Story Chapter 155

    Side Story Chapter 155


    The red spear flew higher and higher, and it didnt even need Thetas help. Longin traveled much faster than Duke Tremblin had with the help of various spells, and reached one of the bone dragons in no time.


    Longins razor sharp tip pierced the targets chest where its heart had been before the dragons death. Although the skill it took to hit a target at such a distance was remarkable, that wasnt the most impressive part of this feat.


    -Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!


    The undead were supposed to be unable to feel pain, but the bone dragon writhed like a fish stuck a harpoon. The bone dragon had evidently been made from an adult dragon, no less.


    Woah Valmonts jaw dropped to the ground.


    Tremblin''s eyes widened in wordless agreement. He had dropped to the ground after delivering a sessful attack, this time the roles had been reversed. The bone dragon mmed into the ground like a meteor right where the demons were, kicking up an enormous cloud of dust.


    His Majestys power is supposed to be limited, right? Valmont dumbly mumbled.


    That is what I heard.


    He threw a spear like that when his power was restricted?


    He must be referring to his standards. Tremblin shrugged.


    Hes not even in his own body.


    Dont try to understand. Applyingmon sense His Majesty will only torment you, Tremblin cheerfully replied.


    Valmont tugged at his hair. I feel like absolute crap. Have I lived my life wrong? If I knew that was going to happen, I would have tried harder instead of cking off


    There are walls that you cant ovee no matter how hard you try. They call those walls geniuses.


    I was called a genius too, you know?!


    A genius like His Majesty?


    Valmont shut his mouth. Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, had reached the level of a Master when he was a teenager, so how could Valmontpare him to himself?


    You know that youre pretty annoying, old man, right? Valmont grumbled.


    Im a duke, you know.


    You officially bequeathed your title to your child and retired. What do you mean youre a duke? People dont even know youre alive.


    Right back at you. Tremblin chuckled.


    The patter of footsteps made Valmont and Tremblin turn; to their delight, they saw the people they had desperately been waiting for walking toward them.


    Your Highness! Silver-Eyedno, Your Majesty! Valmont yelled.


    No, its Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword.


    Huh?


    The Emperor of Avalon has used up all his remaining power after throwing that spear just now, Lilith exined.


    W-Wait, what are you talking about?


    The news came like a bolt out of the blue. The highest-ranking demons and tens of thousands strong undead army was impossible to stop without the Emperor of Avalon.


    Selim noticed Kireua had arrived and had heard their conversation as he moved toward them.


    Is His Majesty really unable to join the battle? Selim asked, frowning.


    He says that that would be possible if he overworked himself, but that it would take longer to annihte the Demon Spirit.


    Everyone here knew what the Emperor of Avalon was going through right now. He had sealed himself away for over a decade to eradicate thest vestiges of the Demon Spirit, so no one could force him to sacrifice himself any further.


    <em>Its safe to say that the war against the Hubalt Empire is going to happen, but no one can stop this man named Bel when the worst happens,</em> Selim thought.


    The prince then turned his attention to his brother and his eyebrows immediately twitched. The air around Kireua was much different than it was beforein fact, it looked like Kireua was apletely different person and only his appearance was the same.


    You? Selim murmured.


    I dont think you have time to chit-chat right now, Kireua said.


    Selim and the others turned in the same directionwhere the clouds of dust were slowly settling.


    Huh? Valmont stared. The bone dragon that had been brought down was entirely gone. What What is going on?


    When the dragon had hit the ground, it created clouds of dust, tremors, and a skull-rattling <em>boom</em>. They all indicated that the bone dragon had in no uncertain terms <em>hit the ground</em>and yet that very same bone dragon was gone now.


    <em>Burp</em>.


    It didnt take long for them to figure out the reason whythere was a demon who looked like an ogre patting his abdomen and picking his teeth.


    -<em>Blegh.</em> Doesnt taste good.


    The ogre-like creature bared his yellow teeth and spat out a white bone, which obviously belonged to a bone dragon.


    Valmonts jaw dropped to the ground once again. Is it really possible to swallow a bone thats dozens of times bigger than him?


    Once again, the biggest problem is those demons.


    Shit. The undead army makes me sweat already! Hey, Ghost Sword! Valmont gestured at Lilith.


    Lilith blinked, startled by the sudden callout. Who? Me?


    Yeah, you. Can you at least deliver a message to His Majesty?


    H-Hold on. Lilith closed her eyes and focused for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, she said, You can talk now.


    Your Majesty, youre watching this, arent you? If you cant help us right now, tell us a solution! Everyone in Arcadia is going to die at this rate!


    Valmont paused.


    ...Huh? Why isnt he answering? Are you sure that you delivered the message correctly?


    Lilith frowned. Hold on. Hes listening, even if I dont repeat it.


    You could have told me that earlier, you know. Valmont rxed slightly from the state of high tension hed been in for thest hours, but it didntst for long.


    He says that were on our own.


    What?!


    By the way, he says that he has a message for you, First Prince. Lilith looked at Selim.


    Wait, wait! His Majesty said that for real? Seriously? Valmont asked.


    Of course, things werent too bad,pared to earlier. The way Avalons soldiers on the ramparts erupted into cheers when they witnessed the Emperor of Avalons spear plow into the dragon made it obvious that their morale had risen dramatically. However, that was it. Even Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor himself, said that the real problems were yet toe into y.


    -Selim.


    Selim flinched. He was receiving a telepathic message from Lilith, but he was only confused for a momenthe instinctively knew where the message was actuallying from.


    -Your Majesty?


    -Kireua can take care of the undead army, so dont worry about them too much.


    -Are you sure about that?


    -Yes, dealing with those demons wont be much of a problem with all of you and what I prepared. But the bigger problem is


    Selims eyes slowly widened as Joshua detailed his arrangements. When Joshua and Selim finished conversing, Selim kept throwing nces at Kireua.


    What? What is so secretive about the conversation that you have to talk with telepathy? Valmont grumbled.


    Valmont, I dont mind it when youre talking to me, but think about whom youre speaking to. Its His Highness and His Majesty, Tremblin quietly warned Valmont.


    Its because Im frustrated. Frustrated!


    A rumbling beneath their feet demanded their attention once again. Valmont looked up and found the ogre demon who had swallowed the bone dragon was approaching him and the others.


    -My body is so itchy that I cant stop myself. Youmbs did quite good earlier.


    Demon! Valmont gritted his teeth.


    -I, Terbion the Gormandize Demon, will fight you. Consider it an honor, hehehe.


    Before the humans astonished eyes, the nearby undead withdrew from the demons path like a receding tide. In fact, they went down on their knees and bowed politely.


    What the literal fuck? Valmont cussed as he stepped forward. Ill deal with that arrogant demon.


    Are you going to be okay on your own?


    Old man, you have a tendency to underestimate me, but I was once known as the greatest genius of Avalon, you know. I was the most promising candidate to be the next Knight-Commander when I was in my twenties for a reason. Valmont confidently dered as he strode forward.


    The undead on each side radiated deathly energy toward him, but Valmont didnt even spare them a nce.


    -Oh, I see that quite a high-spirited guy came out as the first contestant.


    Ill start by crushing your cocky mouth! Valmont yelled.


    Before his words had even left his lips, Valmont disappeared, just as fast as one would expect of the Rapid Star. In a sh, Valmonts sword was swinging toward Terbion.


    One! Valmont muttered under his breath.


    However, his eyes widened. Despite the ferocity with which he had swung his sword, he wasnt feeling anything.


    Terbion appeared right behind Valmont and threw a casual punch. He moved very nimbly considering his huge figure.


    Agh! Valmont was hit squarely in his back and mmed face-first into the ground.


    -But youre weak. Im the seventeenth strongest demon, and youre too feeble to be my opponent.


    Seventeenth? Valmonts lips trembled. He had met demons several times before, but he had never met a demon whose rank was as high as Terbion.


    -Just die. You arent worthy enough for me to eat you.


    Terbion slowly raised his leg. However, Valmont couldnt budgejust breathing was already a struggle.


    Valmont shut his eyes. <em>Im going to die just like this?</em>


    Hed been cocky and underestimated his opponent. How could he possibly get knocked down with one strike


    The moment seemed to stretch and stretch. Valmont was confused because no matter how long he waited, he couldnt feel the pain that he had been expecting. He cautiously opened his eyes to see a familiar red-haired man holding the ogre demons enormous feet in the air.


    Prince Kireua?


    I wont be as good as His Majesty, but I can at least act like him.


    What now?


    Kireua turned and provided Valmont a demonstration of what he meant.


    Reveal yourself, hemanded.


    Demonic power, ck and violent, clouded the air so densely that even Terbion, a demon of the highest ranks, flinched in surprise.


    -This power is?


    The ground split asunder, and hordes of dark creatures emerged into the light of day, one after the other.


    Death knights! Valmont shouted.


    Joshuas preparations had finally been revealed.

 Side Story Chapter 156

    Side Story Chapter 156


    -Death knights?


    Terbion the Gormandize Demon was just as confused as Valmont, as evinced by his furrowed brow.


    -Wait, I smell something familiar.


    Terbion sniffed several times and realized that the smell wasing from a red-haired human. The demon smiled from ear to ear, baring his yellow teeth.


    -The Evil Sins'' powers? You have three at least. How can a human possess the abilities of the Demon Kings?


    You talk a lot. Kireua raised his sword. The death knights and the rest of Joshuas undead legion rose up, so the enemy undead who had been bowing also released their energies in response.


    -A human who can lead tens of thousands of undead Yes, I guess that that isnt really impossible with three Evil Sins'' powers. On top of that, one of your three Evil Sins'' powers is Gluttony, so that is no wonder youre skilled in necromancy. Hehehe. Jackpot!


    Terbion nced back at where the other nine demons were. They hadnt seemed to have noticed Kireuas Evil Sins'' powers and werent even looking in his direction. Besides, something else had already caught their attention.


    -Its the real Lugia.


    -The divine spear which can pierce the moon. He calls this Longin, yes?


    -I heard that the Demon Spirit wanted this really badly


    -Well also be able to use it, wont we?


    They were busy bickering over a spear. Since Terbion fought with his hands, a stick didnt intrigue him, but that was different for the other demons.


    -Idiots. They missed the real deal over a mere tool. Hehehe.


    Terbion cracked his knuckles.


    -Ill get rid of you quickly, human boy, as that seems further dys will disrupt my n.


    Do you seriously think you can? Kireua scoffed.


    -Do I think I can? Hahahahaha!


    Terbion burst into manicughter for a moment and then raised his fist.


    -Lets see if you have the strength to back up your arrogance.


    Everything happened literally in a blink of an eye. Terbion mmed his fist into the ground, seemingly crushing the very fabric of space, but even before it impacted the earth was caving in. The ground buckled and heaved with such torment that birds several kilometers took to the air in surprise. The troops on the ramparts desperately struggled to keep their bnce in this sudden earthquake.


    It wasnt an exaggeration to say that Terbion was a walking catastrophe.


    Wh-What in the world!


    Its an earthquake! Everyone, grab onto something and hang on! Youll die if you fall!


    The earthquake caught them all off guard. The area around Terbion was quiet, but the area below the rampart was crawling with demons. An intense and bloody battle was taking ce between people trying to protect their home and those trying to find a new home.


    -This is great! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!


    Urgh! Terbions manicughter made Valmont cover his ears again. The demonic power in Terbions voice was beyond Valmonts expectations. It was safe to say that was a demonic voice itself. If the seventeenth strongest demon was this powerful, how much stronger were the demons ranked above him?


    S hi t! Valmont clenched his fists in anger. He had cooped himself up in the Pce for decades and cultivated his sword skills, but he only got this far. It frustrated him to no end.


    Objectively speaking, of course, Valmont was being too greedy. Among the top twenty demons, only one had lived for less than one thousand years. While Valmont had spent decades training his sword skills, the demons had fought for their continued existence every day for hundreds of years at the very least. It was kill or be killed in the Demon Realmonly the strongest survived in thends of the demons.


    Your Highness! Valmont clung to consciousness with every scrap of will he had, but it was already fading away.


    Terbion was raising his horrifying fist once again, and Valmont didnt even want to imagine what would happen if itnded directly on a human. No doubt every bone in their body would be crushed into a fine powder.


    Ru-Run! Valmont yelled.


    Nothing moved in a ten-meter radius except for Valmont, Kireua, and Terbion, because the demons first punch had ended up shattering the nearby undead too. All Terbion had done was hit the ground, but the aftermath was extraordinary. However, Terbion was aiming for Kireuas head this time.


    -Die.


    There was no signal this time eitherTerbions attacks were always near-instantaneous.


    Your Highness! Valmont desperately screamed, his eyes bloodshot.


    And then he blinked, bewildered. It sounded like something had been sliced through, rather than a wet, meaty st.


    -Hehehehe. You dare meet my punch head-on, huh?


    Terbionsughter answered Valmonts question. Terbions fist and Kireuas sword met in the air. The ck mes rising up from Kireuas aura were so vivid that he looked like nothing else so much as a ck fireball from a distance.


    But that was all. Thin cracks spread all through the de of Kireuas sword in less than three seconds, meaning the level of the demonic power enveloping Terbions fist was extraordinary, and ending the standoff.


    -Disappear into dust.


    Terbion threw a straight punch at Kireuas head, eager to see it explode. He was rewarded with a mighty <em>bang!</em>


    -Hahahahahahahahahaha!


    Are you having fun?


    Terbion flinched. His opponent should have died. He should have been reduced to a fine mist, but Terbion could hear his supposedly deceased opponents voice from behind him.


    -What in the world have you done?


    Terbion was expressionless for the first time.


    Dont turn around unless you want to lose your head, Kireua warned Terbion.


    -I never imagined a human would threaten me.


    Ill ask you two questions. Your life will be spared if you answer them.


    Terbion scoffed.


    -Can you even kill me?


    Blood dripped out of the exceedingly thick skin of Terbions neck, sinctly answering for Kireua. The blood burned in Kireuas ebon me.


    You said earlier that you were going to turn me into dust, yes? Kireua asked sarcastically. If you want, Ill go a step further and destroy the dust too..


    Terbion stopped talking back to Kireua and shrugged.


    -Yes, Ive heard about it. The power of Gluttony is specialized in controlling hordes of undead, but the power of Greed has the most amazing abilities among the Seven Evil Sins'' powers, although many aspects of it remain a mystery.


    Terbion had managed to discern two of Kireuas Evil Sins'' powers. Like Terbion said, it was only the power of Greed that enabled him to control suchrge numbers of undead. In addition, he had already heard about the power of Lust showing up in Avalon, however, he never imagined the remaining Evil Sin power to be the Greed.


    -How surprising. No one owned the power of Greed for a long time even in the Demon Realm But its newest owner is a human boy.


    Is that my turn to ask questions? Kireua coldly pressed his de against Terbions neck. Have you heard of a person named Bel?


    -Bel?


    Hes a human, just like me. Well, he looks like one at least.


    -A human? Why would I know a human


    Terbion stopped talking halfway.


    -Yes, you dont consider this Bel person to be a human.


    Answer the question, Kireua demanded.


    -Even if you say that, how should I know?


    Terbion held up his hands with a grin.


    -I dont have any information


    He possesses an ability simr to yours, Kireua interrupted.


    -Huh? Simr to me?


    Yes, he said that he ate living dragons, just like you, and used the dragons power as his own.


    Terbions eyes widened as he listened.


    -He ate dragons? And he made the dragons powers his own?


    Do you have any idea who he actually is?


    -No way. Even in the entire history of the Demon Realm, only Abel could have done that


    Abel? Kireua tilted his head in confusion. Terbion smiled and nced back at him.


    -If Abel has really returned, then you should run now, boy. However hard you people try, youll never be able to win.


    I told you not to be arrogant, Kireua said, his brows furrowed.


    Fresh blood dripped from the wound on Terbions neck.


    Who is this Abel? Kireua asked.


    -Is that the second question?


    What?


    -You told me earlier that youll only ask me two questions.


    Kireuas face twisted in irritation. Hey, I think youre misunderstanding something here. We arent negotiatingthis is an interrogation.


    -Ahahaha! This is going to be interesting. So Abel showed up in the Human Realm, huh? I do so wonder how those guys over there will respond when they hear the news.


    Answer


    -My answer is this.


    Terbion delivered a backward kick like a horse. Unsurprisingly, his kicks were multiple times stronger than his punches. The shockwave alone wiped away the undead in a long line behind him.


    Youre begging to be killed.


    Terbion flinched. Hed missed again. Kireua emerged out of the shadows in front of Terbion and looked the demon in the eyes. They were only a stones throw from each other, but Terbion couldnt even lift a finger.


    -What kind of a human has eyes like yours?


    Are you done talking?


    -What?


    Then die now, Kireua tly dered.


    The next thing Terbion saw was a headless corpse. It took him a moment, but he realized who it belonged to.


    -Is that mine?


    Terbions head tumbled chaotically through the air, and that was thest thing that Terbion saw in this world.

 Side Story Chapter 157

    Side Story Chapter 157


    -Terbion was killed by a human?


    The humans werent the only ones who were surprised by Terbions death. Even the demons obsessing over Longin turned to look.


    -Hes an embarrassment to us all.


    -Would someone go and take care of those humans already? They might cause a bigger problem.


    -Aere, drop the act. I can see what youre doing.


    -Hehe. Was I that obvious?


    -Youve been unable to take your eyes off the spear, so its impossible not to see


    Even though the ten demons had be nine now, they were only mildly curious. Despite the loss of theirrade, the demons remained nonchnt.


    Your Highness? Valmont cautiously approached Kireua but flinched in surprise. There was nothing but darkness in Kireuas eyes. His dark eyesno, it was safe to say that they were demonic eyestriggered humans primordial fears.


    <em>Am I looking at Prince Kireua?</em>


    Valmont blinked and Kireuas eyes were back to their original state.


    Sir Valmont, Kireua said.


    Huh? Uh, yes, Your Highness.


    Our soldiers morale is very high right now, so lets use this opportunity to open the gates.


    Ah, of course, thanks to you Excuse me? Open the gates?


    Valmont couldnt believe his ears. Everyone knew that their fortifications were giving them an advantage. In addition, the entirety of Arcadia would turn into a battlefield if they opened the gates, putting ordinary citizens at risk.


    Your Highness, Im sorry to tell you this, but no matter how good things are going right now, I dont believe theres any need to take that risk. Valmont shook his head.


    He was always honest and didnt hesitate to give his forthright opinion to whomever he was talking to. When it was wrong, Valmont had to say no. Besides, most of the people on the street were children and people who didnt know how to fight.


    This is the only way to make other kings take action, Kireua said.


    Other kings?


    Every person on the continent should know about this battle since its between such arge group of undead and humans, but whoever steps in first is going to shed the most blood. If other countries continue to remain spectators, Avalon will be the one who receives the most damage.


    A-Although I understand what youre talking about, I think that we wont even need to consider that choice if we take care of all the undead right now. Itll increase our nations prestige to new heights, Valmont refuted, trying to calm Kireua down.


    The undead here arent the end.


    Pardon?


    Since Evil Sins'' powers have appeared in ournds, all of the undead on the continent wille swarming to Avalon, and we wont be enough to deal with all of them.


    Valmont understood what Kireua meant but was still hesitant to carry out Kireuas order. The possibility of a massacre taking ce in the center of Arcadia was too much for him.


    Your Highness, they will have to take action now unless theyre crazy. The next target could be them, so how could they afford to remain idle? Valmont asked, attempting to persuade Kireua again.


    You still dont understand, do you, Sir Valmont? Humans arent altruistic creatures. As a matter of fact, theyre the most selfish creatures in the world.


    Depends on people


    You must have seen it during the Hubalt Empires recent invasion.


    Valmont went silent. He had to admit it. After bing the strongest country on the continent, Hubalt had invaded Avalon without any justification, and Avalons foreign guests had insisted on remaining spectators that day. The invasion hadnt been much of a threat to their own countries at the time, and they must have concluded that helping Avalon wasnt beneficial. The same situation was ying out now.


    Some of the delegations havent returned to their countries yet and remain in Arcadia. If they dont feel the danger, then we should make them. Kireua nced at Arcadia.


    Goosebumps ran down Valmonts arms. Although everything that Kireua said held merit, it was still a horrifyingly cold conclusion. Valmont understood the necessity, but his heart didnt agree. While Kireua sounded rational, it was somewhat unreasonable.


    Open the gates, Sir Valmont, Kireua continued.


    Your Highness


    This is an order, not a request.


    Valmont bit his lip, wracked by indecision. He was unexpectedly saved by Selim, the other prince of Avalon.


    Stop. Thats enough, Selim interrupted with a frown.


    Stay out of this.


    Why did you change all of a sudden? Are you really the Kireua that I know?


    You should also remember that a ruler must look at the forest, not a tree. Nothinges for free in politics, Kireua snapped.


    It looks like I was wrong about you. Selim stabbed his bloody spear into the ground. I really was going to hand over the throne to you because I thought you would make a better ruler than me. He heaved a sigh. He meant what he said; Selim was hardwired to be a martial artist and didnt likein fact, hatedthe mind games in politics. Swinging his spear and striving to reach the next level was far more fulfilling and enjoyable for Selim.


    How funny. The Kireua Sanders that youve seen until now was a coward who fled to another country due to his ipetence, wasnt he? Kireua scoffed.


    Why would you say such a thing?


    Im telling you not to act condescending in front of me, Selim Sanders.


    Selims lips trembled.


    Sir Valmont, what are you doing? Are you going to defy orders?


    I said, enough. You talk as if you were His Majesty.


    His Majesty is currently away right now, so isnt it only right for the Prince to stand in his ce?


    By that logic, I believe that I have the same rights. Sir Valmont, dont open the gate. Thats an order.


    An intense staredown started between Kireua and Selim.


    U-Umm Valmont turned to look at Tremblin pleadingly, but Tremblin quietly shook his head. The duke was making it clear at the outset that there was nothing he could do right now. The Emperor of Avalon had dered that he was going to bequeath the throne to one of the two princes, so a third party couldnt rashly intervene lest they weaken the power of the Imperial Family.


    I have no intention of letting Avalon suffer the damages of this alone. If no one is willing to do it, Ill open the gates myself. Kireua strode toward the castle gate in spite of the undead crawling around the castle gate like an army of ants.


    However, Kireua was stopped shortly after because he could feel murderous energy from behind him.


    Dont do anything youll regret, Selim. You wont be able to deal with the consequences.


    Right back at you.


    Kireua slowly turned, his sword already drawn, and he released a tempest of his aura.


    This is for the better, really. We can use this opportunity to finish our fight. The winner is going to be the next emperor, yes?


    Thats exactly what I was thinking.


    The two princes energies ferociously shed in the center of the battlefield.


    W-We should stop this! Valmont urged Tremblin.


    Mmm. Tremblin grunted.


    <em>p! p!</em>


    Kireua and Selims heads snapped to the side. They froze, their eyes wide.


    What are you two doing?


    Yo-Your Majesty Iceline! Valmont heaved a sigh of relief. He felt a thick trace of mana nearby that must have been created by Icelines teleportation.


    What a disgrace. If anyone saw you two right now, they would think the war is over, Iceline scolded the two Princes, her eyes cold.


    Selim lowered his head guiltily, but Kireua was still expressionless.


    Both of you shall follow Duke Tremblins orders during this war since experience is something that can always be relied upon, Iceline firmly stated. Duke Tremblin, can I ask you to take care of them?


    All you need to do is order me, Your Majesty. Tremblin smiled gently.


    Although Iceline nodded confidently, her lips were trembling faintly. What shed caught of the princes conversation left her in shock.


    <em>I cant believe Kireua had such a side</em> Iceline thought. This kind of news should be shared with the other Queen Consorts. Since Icarus was proficient in politics and management, she could assess the situation more objectively than the others. Of course, Iceline could never tolerate risking Avalons citizens in order to involve other countries in the war, so the whole n sounded preposterous to her.


    <em>Im sure that His Majesty wouldnt make such a decision either.</em>


    Iceline let out a sigh and looked back and forth between the two Princes. Why are you two not answering me? Does a Queen Consorts order mean nothing to you?


    N-No, Your Majesty. Selim took his spear and quickly went over to Tremblin.


    Why havent I heard your answer, Prince Kireua?


    Yes, Your Majesty, Kireua quietly responded, and then turned away from the gates and toward the demons. Thanks to His Majestys undead legion, the tide of the battle has turned in our favor again, so Im trying to use this opportunity to exterminate the rest of the demons. Can I ask for your permission on this?


    Well Iceline trailed off. She had witnessed Kirueas skill from the sky, but she was still concerned. She had witnessed the entire fight, she now knew how terrifying these demons were, but she didnt want Kireua to lose face by instantly turning him down.


    Kireua, I hope you wont worry too much about Iceline suddenly stopped talking, her lips quivering with new anxiety.


    Your Majesty? Tremblin noticed her behavior first and tilted his head in confusion.


    Iceline nkly opened her mouth.


    Open.


    What? The group looked at her, shocked.


    Tell the soldiers to open the gates right now, Sir Valmont. This is an order.

 Side Story Chapter 158

    Side Story Chapter 158


    D-Did you say to open the gates? Duke Tremblin stammered.


    Even Valmont, the one who the order had been directed to, was staring at Iceline, jaw agape. Your Majesty, why would you suddenly ask us to do that?


    Tremblin turned to see what Iceline was looking at and immediately froze. A beautiful silver-haired woman stood thereLilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword. However, most people here knew who was in her mind right now.


    <em>Did His Majesty ask her to do it?</em> The quick-witted Tremblin instantly figured out what was going on, but why? He had to hold his questions in; it wasnt right to question his superiors orders during battle. That was punishable by execution. Militaryw was absolute, and Tremblin knew what to do in times like this.


    Her Majesty has given you an order, Valmont, Trembin said.


    O-Okay. Valmont came to his senses and ran to the castle gate, cutting down the undead in his way.


    Open the gates! he shouted.


    The people manning the ramparts, which included Cain, despite his injuries, immediately reacted.


    O-Open the gates? Cain boggled at Valmont.


    The Queen Consort orders you!


    Y-Your Grace. The staff officers anxiously clustered around Cain; the order was too shocking to simply obey.


    Its definitely Valmont, not some demon ying tricks. If Valmont was being controlled, I would have been able to feel the wicked energy in him, but theres no trace of it, Cain said.


    Then?


    Open the gates, Cainmanded.


    The imperial order was delivered. The soldiers standing by the castle gates started to work the pulleys.


    Turn them!


    The tightly-shut gates slowly opened. The monsters from the north noticed first, the thick smell of human flesh stimting their instincts. Some ogres stopped and red their nostrils even as they fended off the undeads attacks.


    The monsters in the rear went on a rampage, ignoring the undead despite their endless recovery. The monsters were already starving, so they ran toward the gate in a thunderous avnche of flesh. The bigger problem was that the undead reacted the same way.


    -Are the humans crazy? Why would they open up a path for us to kill them?


    -I dont know what theyre thinking, but we should stop focusing on the Demon Spirits spear right now. Our original goal should be our priority. Dont tell me that you believe that a weapon matters more than a home?


    -But we cant just leave Lugia like this. What are we supposed to do if someone snatches it while were in the middle of the battle? Just watch him run away?


    -How can you have such little trust in your colleagues, Aere? You can store Lugia in your subspace, then.


    -What? Can I really?


    -Yeah, you wouldnt think about stealing it unless you want to get ughtered by the other seven of us. Besides, you dont use weapons to fight anyway, so I dont think you would be all that scary with the spear. You just need a fine addition to your collection, dont you?


    -Oh. It hurts my pride to hear that Im not scary. Are you underestimating me because I specialize in using mana? Im Aeremang, the ninth strongest demon!


    -Alright. Lets divide up the tasks first.


    The demon responsible for negotiating between the other demons was Altheon. He had mystical white eyes that matched his white hair, and wore sharp, elegant silver sses.


    -Urus and I will take the castle gate. Credos, Perchilin, Tshchary, you guys will handle the death knights and the other undead. Judging from their outstanding level of demonic power, I think theyre part of the legacy left by the man who annihted the Demon Spirit.


    -Then what about us?


    Aeremang pointed at himself and the remaining two demons.


    -Those people.


    -Those people?


    -Handle those humans who killed Terbion.


    Aeremang and the two other demons grinned.


    -This is why we should leave all the nning to Altheon. He knows what each of us wants the best.


    -If youre going to do it, go. Dont let your guard downyouve all seen what happened to Terbion.


    -Wait.


    -Aere, do you have something else to say?


    Aeremang grinned from ear to ear, his pping wings keeping his form aloft.


    -Dont sayter that Im being too greedy or something. Lets make things clear before we start anything. We can take trophies if weve earned them, right?


    -Yeah, you dont need to bother checking that with me again.


    -All of you heard that, yes? So everyone agrees?


    Aeremang looked around at the eclectic gathering of demons and then took off into the sky and shot towards the humans.


    -Hey, hey! y with me too! Ive been watching you guys for a while and you two look the tastiest!


    Selim and Kireua found themselves in the demons sights.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Lilith had a lot ofints for Joshua.


    <em>Did you really have to do this? You could have intervened at the start.</em>


    -No, there is something I have to check first.


    Lilith frowned. <em>How much power do you have left? You said that overusing your ability would drastically increase the time needed to melt the ice boulder.</em>


    -I went through all that trouble to annihte the Demon Spirit, so I wont allow the him to be revive. Dont worry. What youre concerned about wonte true.


    Due to ack of power, Joshua had troublemunicating with Lilith but had miraculously recovered some of his power thanks to Evergrants destruction. Evergrant had been the first Ninth Circle lich on the continent, so Joshua had had to pay a high price for forming and maintaining such a contract.


    When that lich had gone to his eternal death, Joshua was able to retrieve most of the demonic power he had used to make their contract. If Evergrant had been destroyed due to an foreign influences, Joshua, as the other party of the contract, would also have suffered, but because Evergrant had been destroyed for breaching the contract, many things became possible.


    Lilith sighed. <em>Just tell me about what you want to verify.</em>


    -I have two theories.


    <em>You have my undivided attention. I assume that this is about Prince Kireua, since people cant just change like that all of a sudden.</em>


    Joshua didnt refute her.


    -One is that Kireua ended up getting eaten by the three Evil Sins'' powers.


    <em>I was thinking the same thing, but you sound awfully nonchnt about such a horrible theory.</em> Lilith narrowed her eyes.


    -The second theory is more problematic. The three Evil Sins'' powers could have formed an alliance with a new soul inside Kireua, rather than Kireua himself.


    <em>Huh?</em> Liliths head went nk for a moment while she struggled toprehend what Joshua meant. Then her lips began to tremble and her silver eyes gradually widened. <em>W-W-Waita new soul in Prince Kireua? Are you saying</em>


    -Aden von Agnus, my father and the Dark God. Had he driven out Kireuas soul and taken over his body, it would exin why Kireua is acting that way.


    Oh, god, Lilith eximed in shock, forgetting that that was the conversation just between her and Joshua in her head.


    <em>Then he opened the gates because?</em> Lilith trailed off.


    -Whichever theory it may be, he or they would want to see whether or not Ive actually used up my power, just like you said.


    If Joshua could join the fight at any time, he wouldnt stand by and watch Avalon fall into a crisis.


    <em>Th-Thats why you voluntarily put your people at risk? What That makes you no different from Prince Kireua!</em> Lilith said.


    -There is one definitive difference.


    <em>Definitive difference?</em>


    -Even if the worstes to pass, I have the power to protect my citizens and I have reliable colleagues who can help me to do so.


    <em>Where do you get this preposterous confi!</em>


    Lilith stopped halfway through when a memory came to mind. It was just like the Pdins recent invasion. When the Pdins had taken over the gates and infiltrated the Pce, not a single person could be seen in the streets of Arcadia because Icarus, the Heavens Mind, had seen iting and evacuated everyone.


    <em>Has she also doing the same now?</em> Lilith wondered. Come to think of it, Icarus, Avalons brains, was nowhere to be seen despite the urgency of the battle.


    Liliths thoughts began to settle.


    <em>At first nce, you seem to be reckless, but you always have a n. Its incredible.</em>


    The man deserved respect. No one else like Joshua could ever be found in the entire history of the continent. Would a man like Joshua Sanders be born in the future? Lilith couldnt help but shake her head. She couldnt even imagine it.


    -It seems that hes about to make a move.


    Lilith quickly turned, barely fast enough to see a demon over a meter tall charging the princes.


    Selim responded first. He swung his spear fiercely; his mana was so powerful that it distorted the space it passed through, exploding the demons in its path.


    -I have great eyes!


    Aeremang burst into cheerfulughter, but Kireua''s response caught him by surprise. The prince suddenly released demonic power that surprised even the demons.


    -W-Wait. Is this the Evil Sins power?


    Lilith and Joshua watched intently.


    -Lets go.


    Lilith quickly stood up. <em>Alright. We need to take care of that demon first, right?</em>


    -No.


    <em>What?</em>


    -You have to attack Kireua first, not the demon.

 Side Story Chapter 160

    Side Story Chapter 160


    The stream of ck aura strikes was very familiar to Joshua because the technique was the trademark of Aden von Agnus, his father, the Dark God, and once the best swordsman in Igrant.


    How long have you been pretending to be Kireua? Joshua asked.


    What do you think?


    I dont think you were immediately sessful.


    Youre definitely sharp. Aden in Kireuas body rested his sword on his shoulder. I needed time.


    Time? For what?


    This guy named Gluttony made me an offer to partner up with it and take over this body.


    Joshuas eyes narrowed. Fortunately, that wasnt the worst possible scenario. Things would have been much more serious if all the three Evil Sins'' powers were on the same page.


    <em>Yeah, Greed wouldnt allow such a thing. It wouldnt even look at someone who isnt perfect</em> Joshua thought.


    Joshua examined the condition of Liliths body. A big lump of demonic power that hadnt been dissolved was in her stomach. Joshua had to use this power up as soon as possible anyway because he was in Liliths body, not his; it was impossible for an ordinary person to embrace the highly concentrated demonic power left by Evergrant. Since she had recently been freed from the power of Lust, Joshua had to be extra careful not to give anyone a reason to call her a witch again.


    <em>Im fine,</em> Lilith said, noticing what Joshua was thinking. <em>Compared to what youve done for me, enduring that is nothing.</em>


    -No, Im going to ask you to sort out the aftermath.


    Joshua took a look around him. The power had been left behind by none other than a Ninth Circle lich kingJoshua wasnt going to be satisfied with just bringing down one person. He intended to take down at least half of the demons there; as a father and a husband, that was the best thing he could do for his family.


    What are you thinking about? Aden slowly drew up his power, prompting Joshua to get into position.


    -You damn humans!


    Aeremang, chest deeply wounded by Adens sword, flew into a berserk rage, his demonic power whipping the air around him into a miniature hurricane. His whips shredded the ground, delivering attacks that were more destructive than biss snake swords.


    -When Im done tearing your limbs off and turning them into mincemeat, Ill pull out your hearts and then take the Evil Sins'' powers with my own hands!


    -Evil Sins?


    -Did he say Evil Sins?


    Aeremangs voice was so loud that the other two demons whode to fight the humans could hear him over the sound of battle.


    -Paetri! Maetri! This guy over here has three Evil Sins'' powers, so why dont you twins and I each take one?


    The identical red-haired demon and blue-haired demon were standing next to Aeremang in no time. One of them even shoved past Selim on his way therethat was how important the Evil Sins'' powers were.


    -A human possesses three Evil Sins'' powers at once? Are you serious?


    -Focus. Youll be able to detect them very quickly.


    -Hold on.


    The red-haired demon closed his eyes for a moment and gasped.


    -Oh This is no joke.


    -I shared a valuable piece of information with you two, so can you let me choose first?


    -Hmm


    While the twin demons were thinking, Aeremang added a term that was impossible to resist.


    -In return, Ill hand over the Demon Spirits spear to you.


    -Lugia?


    -Really?


    Aeremang readily nodded.


    -The spear is just going to end up in my collection, but its different for you two, isnt it? Paetri, your weapon of choice is the spear, so the Demon Spirits spear would be more useful to you.


    -Alright, deal. But will our other colleagues be okay with it?


    -Think, idiots. Im the ninth strongest demon, and you two are the tenth and eleventh strongest. But no one stronger than us has an Evil Sins power. Do you really not understand what that means?


    -In other words well instantly be in the top five once we have the Demon Kings powers?


    Maetri, the rtively smarter blue-haired demon, summarized. Aeremang nodded.


    -We can be more than that, not just the top five demons. When we finish absorbing the powers, who would dare challenge us?


    -So time is of the essence now.


    The twin demons unleashed their murderous energy. Aeremang let a pleased smile creep onto his lips.


    -Ill deal with this damn red-haired guy, so you two should fend off that silver-haired bitch and the other small fries.


    -Wait. In that case, well need a deposit.


    -What?


    Maetri raised an eyebrow back at Aere.


    -Who knows? You might take all three Evil Sins'' powers for yourself while were busy.


    -How little do you trust me?


    -Youre no different, arent you? Wouldnt it be stranger for demons to trust someone?


    Aeremang frowned at Maetri, but eventually shrugged.


    -Alright, Ill give it to you.


    Aeremang opened up his subspace and produced a red spear that everyone there could recognize.


    -The deal has been made.


    Paetri, the red-haired demon, snatched Longin. He had been waiting for this moment.


    -So this is the Demon Spirits spear


    The moment he touched the spear, Paetri instinctively felt that he would be several times stronger with this relic, an instrument of the Demon Spirits end.


    -Hahahahahahahahaha!


    Paetri burst into manicughter. When he nimbly swung the spear, he was able to fire white icean odd contrast with his hair color.


    The monsters struck by the ice were instantly frozen upon contact with the extreme cold. The north of the Demon Realm was the coldest region of the realm, but Paetris demonic power was colder than evesting snow in that region.


    -Oh! Paetri! You look like youve gotten way stronger even though all you did was change your weapon!


    -I dont just look like it. This spear is the real deal.


    -Congrattions. Then can I choose my Evil Sins power after Aeremang?


    -Yeah, certainly, if its for you, Maetri.


    -Hahahahahahaha! This is why having a brother is great.


    Paetri and Maetri stood before Joshua and Selim respectively. Meanwhile, Aeremang was already attacking at blinding speed and overpowering Kireua like a tidal wave using his two whips. From Maetris perspective, Kireua was busy fending off Aeremangs attacks and could not afford to do anything more.


    -I was expecting to see more from a human who has three Evil Sins'' powers it looks like the fight will end soon enough.


    -Lets get this done fast.


    Paetri stepped forward, gently stroking Lugia, and pointed at Joshua.


    -Woman, I think you mustve already heard, but were out of time. Ill finish you quickly. It wont be bad for you since you probably won''t feel any pain.


    Paetris ck demonic power raged, turning the area colder than the continents northernmost region.


    -Remember my name. I am Paetri, the Demon of Cold, the tenth strongest demon.


    Lugia hummed powerfully, as if recognizing its true owner, bringing a smile to Paetris face.


    -Hehehe, are you happy to be with me, Lugia?


    I was just going to watch, but I feel like I need to straighten out a few things, Joshua sighed.


    -What did you say, human woman?


    Paetri tilted his head at Joshua. The human should have had trouble breathing by now. The intense cold would torture human lungs with every breath, but Joshua took another step forward, unbothered by the extreme environment.


    Do you think the spear is cheering because that met you?


    -It? Are you talking about Lugia?


    Its Longin, not Lugia. Longin is the spears true name.


    Paetris lips twisted into a sneer.


    -Human woman, why are you spouting nonsense? Who do you think you are?


    Because Im that spears owner.


    -Youre this spears owner? Youre a crazy bitchone hell of a crazy bitch.


    Paetri let his demonic power out at full st, turning the area so cold that even Selim had to gather every scrap of his mana to protect himself.


    However, Joshua was still nonchnt.


    You told me to remember your name, yes?


    -Dont you want to know the name of the person whos going to take your life?


    Its Joshua.


    -Huh?


    Thats the person whos going to take your life. You said you wanted to know.


    Paetri stood there for a second while Joshuas audacious statement sank in.


    -...Just die, vermin.


    He swung the red spearand yet even during that moment, the crazy human woman continued to speak.


    Remember my name. I am Joshua Sanders, the one called the Shining Darkness in my previous life.


    What happened next was unbelievable.


    Paetris eyes widened. His palm suddenly went numb except for sharp pin pricks of pain, and the spear that he had been using to release his viciously cold demonic power flew toward the insane woman.


    -What?


    Your entirebat technique is wrong from its very roots. If youre going to rely on your innate mana even when you have the spear in your hand, what do you need a weapon for?


    -Y-You bitch!


    Longin shouldnt be used like this Joshua raised his spear high into the air. ...this is how you use it.


    Joshua simply swung the spear downward, but the earth rumbled like it was being torn in half.


    Paetri could only stare vacantly, even as he was split in two.

 Side Story Chapter 161

    Side Story Chapter 161


    Maetri, the Burning Demon, covered his face with his arms to protect himself from sharp gusts of wind that wed at his flesh. Theyd begun right after the silver-haired human woman had snatched away the Demon Spirits spear.


    The real problem was what happened next.


    -What in the world?


    Maetri stared in nk amazement. The ground literally split in half, as if an earthquake had struck, creating a crevice dozens of meters deep. At the starting point of the crevice stood Paetri, Maetris twin brother.


    -Ugh!


    Paetri looked up and coughed up a fountain of blood. Maetri''s eyes widened upon realizing that the silver-haired woman split his brother in half using the spear.


    -Pa-Paetri?


    All demons of their rank had supernatural healing abilities, but that meant nothing here. Demonic power continued to seep out of the edges of the wound, persistently preventing Paetri from recovering.


    -More demonic power than Paetris? Wh-Who are you, woman?


    Maetris eyes were glued on Lilith.


    Longin is as greedy as me or Greed, Joshua said through Lilith.


    -What?


    You might be one of the top twenty demons, but it hurts Longins pride to let a demon who isnt even a Demon King handle it.


    Although Maetri would have lost his temper right away if the human woman said that ten minutes ago, what she had said before cutting Paetri in two suddenly shed across Maetris mind.


    -You bitch you said some bullshit about being the Shining Darkness.


    Why is it bullshit? Joshua shrugged.


    -Of course it''s bullshit! Are you telling me that he has manifested in a human as an authority?


    Humans acquired the Evil Sins'' powers and the abilities of the Four Great Angels, so why not the Shining Darkness?


    Maetri shook his head vehemently. The Shining Darkness wasnt someone who could be casually mentioned like this. Besides, the Shining Darkness had vanished long before the Demon Realms destruction, so why would he


    -Wait, Joshua Sanders?


    Maetris lips trembled.


    -Unbelievable!


    See for yourself if its believable or not. Joshua pointed Longin at Maetri and loosed a barrage of mighty bursts of red demonic power.


    -Dont be ridiculous! Yo-youre dying with the Demon Spirit, so how!? In the body of a human woman no less!


    Lava began to seep out of the crevice. The fact that his brother hadntsted a second shocked Maetri, but when he saw what Joshua had in store for him, dismay would be an understatement for what he felt.


    -I get it now. You vermin. How dare you mock a demon of my position with your wicked tongue?


    Maetri sent a torrent of mes at Joshua.


    And then a sudden burning sensation in his right arm made him flinch.


    -Argghhhh!


    Maetri screamed in pain and grabbed his right shoulderhis right arm had been neatly cut off. It was clear who did the deed.


    Joshua twirled his spear before leveling it at Maetri again.


    Surrender. Ive recovered some of my power, so even one of the twenty strongest demons wont be able to hold me down very long.


    -Y-Youre really the Shining Darkness?


    Maetri had to believe Joshua now. He had cleaved Maetris brother in half with a single strike, and his demonic power was incredible; in addition, he seemed to radiate an air of authority that waspelling Maetri to bow.


    -If youre truly him how can you do this to us?


    What do you mean? Joshua asked.


    -Youre a hero for us demons from the lower part of the Demon Realm. The demons from the upper part of the Demon Realm were born noblethe remaining ny percent of demons adore you.


    So youre from the lower part of the Demon Realm, huh? Joshua leaned his spear against his shoulder.


    -I also looked up to you. I believed without a doubt that you would crush the Angel Realm and lead us to a new world.


    Why should I do that?


    -Youve been betrayed. Isnt it only right for you to get revenge?


    Revenge Joshua smiled bitterly. What word could describe his life better than revenge? He had been betrayed, so he got payback. However, he had been stabbed in the back by the one he used to trust once again, starting another vendetta. That simpleminded cycle had repeated again and again.


    -Youre a traitor! You cant do this to us demons from the lower realm! We were cheering for you


    You gotta be kidding me.


    -What?


    You demons kissed the ground and begged someone else to grant your wishes because you werent strong enough. No one calls that cheering, Joshua snapped. Humans call people like that parasites.


    -Parasites? Are you calling me a parasite?


    Are you saying youre not? Joshua sarcastically asked.


    Maetri seethed with murderous energy.


    -In all of the long history of the Demon Realm, only five demons from the lower part of the Demon Realm rose to the top, including you! But what? A <em>parasite</em>?


    Lets get one thing straight: Im not exactly from the lower parts of the Demon Realm. Perhaps the Angel Realm? Joshua shrugged.


    -Shut the hell up!


    Maetris demonic power and murderous energy mixed and then shot toward Joshua in a primal expression of rage.


    -Ill get revenge for my brother and make you suffer for mocking our dream.


    Do you think you can do it?


    -Dont be too arrogant. Ive already begun.


    Joshua tilted his head, confused. rification quickly arrived. The ground started to sizzle, and abruptly became bright scarlet in a radius a dozen meters wide.


    -Heatfire Wave.


    The area cracked open and spat red hotva, which turned into a wave and rushed toward Joshua.


    This reminds me of someone, Joshua remarked with a little smile as he adjusted his grip on his spear.


    bis, the Knight of Red me, used a simr kind of ability in the Masters'' Battle in Reinhardt decades ago.


    <em>Is this really the time to reminisce?</em> Lilith snapped.


    -Are you still anxious?


    <em>Im not anxious, but were on the clock. How long are you going to let a mere demon hold you down?</em> Lilith scoffed.


    Calling Maetri a mere demon finally got a reaction out of Joshua.


    -You know, hes one of the most powerful demons out there


    <em>Strength is always a rtive quality. Just finish this, quickly. Otherwise, your father will start something.</em>


    Joshua nced to the side at KireuaAdenwho was driving a demon just as powerful as Maetri into a corner using the ill-gotten body of Joshuas son. However, Adens opponent was the ninth strongest demon, one of the strongest demons one could find short of a Demon King.


    -Why are you unscathed by my Heatfire Wave? Why?!


    Maetris wave ofva had surrounded Joshua while he was talking to Lilith, but he wasnt affected by the heat at all.


    Im sorry, Joshua apologized.


    -What?


    I cant deny that I unintentionally hurt the low-ranking demons.


    -Are you pitying us?


    I mean it.


    Joshua slowly walked forward.


    His presence had instilled false hope in those whocked ambitions. The Demon Realm was like a jungle in the Human Realm. The weak got eaten, and only the strong survived. Demons wicked nature had never changed; they stayed true to their primal instincts, so they fought, extorted, and ate each other. It was difficult for such people to change their nature.


    They were very different from humans. Although many humans were wicked, quite a lot of them were good. Some philosophers asserted that humans werent born good or evil, all they had were their base desires, just like animals. Joshua had to admit that their theory held some credence.


    I should stop you all from dreaming in the first ce, Joshua said.


    -What nonsense are you talking about?


    You demons are different from humans. All you know is stealing, destroying, and fighting. You dont exactly have principles.


    -So what? Isnt it only right for the strong to take everything?


    Its that kind of belief that makes you demons irredeemable.


    Joshua stepped through the fire and unleashed his power.


    Out of all of creation, only demons deserved to be eradicated. Were Joshua to let these demons settle in the Human Realm, the other races in the realm would suffer. Joshua felt responsible for the current situation because everything started because of him.


    Join your brother. When youre reborn as a new kind of being, think about what I saidbecause I know its impossible for you demons to understand what Im saying. Joshua smiled bitterly.


    -I wont go down easily!


    Maetris demonic power exploded outward, sending the monsters nearby staggering away from him in a panicked attempt to escape. All eyes were on their battle as Maetri squeezed out every drop of the demonic power that sustained his life so he could hurl it at Joshua.


    Joshuas response, in contrast, was a very simple thing.


    Maetri tilted his head, confused, because Maetri had blinked and then Joshua was gone.


    He felt a burning sensation in his nape.


    No, its easy.


    Whatever Maetri was thinking was cut short as Joshuas sharp red spear sliced through the demons neck, leaving behind a leaving a bright crescent trail behind it.

 Side Story Chapter 162

    Side Story Chapter 162


    Maetri got decapitated. He couldnt withstand a single strike.


    <em>See? A mere demon,</em> Lilith said, as if it were only natural.


    Joshua was the one who had done the deed, but even he had never imagined he would be able to use his true power this well. Evergrant kon Aswald was definitely a giving tree even after his death.


    Thatll do. Joshua spun his spear several times and then stroked it with a contented smile.


    Longin buzzed as if pleased to be in the hands of its true owner again, so Joshua continued to stroke the spear for a little longer.


    Meanwhile, the battle between Aeremang, the ninth strongest demon, and Aden was still ongoing, but Aeremang was losing. The ninth strongest demon was not as impressive as his title suggested.


    -Arrrgggh!


    Aeremang hysterically threw his whips to the ground. They had been cut to ribbons by Aden.


    -How dare you, human


    Aden nced in Joshuas direction. They seem to be done, so lets wrap things up now.


    A vein bulged out of Aeremangs forehead.


    -Dont underestimate me!


    ck sparks of electricity flew off of Aeremangs empty hands, making the air around them rumble like thunder.


    Aeremangs demonic power was astonishingly thick. Anything that the sparks touched were not scorched, they literally vanished from the world.


    -ck Lightning Bolt Strike!


    Good. Adenunched himself at the demon without a care for what technique Aeremang was using.


    -Crazy human!


    Aeremang smiled from ear to ear as he watched Aden voluntarily entering Aeremangs attack range. The countermeasure for his ck Lightning Bolt Strike was actually quite simpleall one had to do was maintain a distance such that one never entered Aeremangs attack range. Of course, Aeremangs opponents would never be able to kill him if they did that.


    -Ill rip you to pieces, down to thest strand of your hair!


    Two bolts of ck lightning flew at Aden. They traveled so quickly that they were hard to see with the naked eye; it seemed almost assured that they were going to strike Aden dead-center. However, Aden elegantly turned and kept on sprinting while also avoiding the attack. He leaned closer to the ground and swung his sword as he ran,unching an aura strike at Aeremang.


    Aeremang knew from experience that even a demon as powerful as he was couldnt underestimate Adens sword skills. The demonunched his ck Lightning Bolt Strikes.


    <em>Gulp.</em>


    -Huh?


    Aeremang blinked and realized that the two ck lightning bolts hed just thrown had vanished.


    His confusion was put to rest when the demonic power from Adens sword began to take on a certain form.


    -Gluttony!


    Aeremang gritted his teeth. Adens demonic power resembled a voracious mouth, making it obvious that Aden was using the power of Gluttony, one of the Seven Evil Sins. Aeremang was well aware of what abilities Gluttony had because Gluttonys previous owner came from the lower part of the Demon Realm.


    -Youre a mere human A mere human, so how!


    Aeremang smiled hollowly. Gluttony was trying to devour his demonic power too.


    It would be pathetic to im that Aeremang couldnt use his full power because he was in the Human Realm, since his opponent wasnt even a demon like he was. It was a human, one of those who Aeremang used to treat like vermin. Yet he couldnt help but feel disappointed.


    -I wouldnt be humiliated like this if I were in the Demon Realm.


    Demons seem to be incapable of learning, Aden casuallymented.


    -What?


    The Demon Spirit is supposed to be your god, but he was defeated by a human in the Human Realm and hes about to be erased from existence.


    Aeremangs widened in ourage.


    But you minions are weaker than him. You call yourselves the tenth strongest, ninth strongest What does it matter, even if youre the strongest demon? Youre all weaker than your god.


    -You son of a bitch!


    Lets end this. Aden smiled and leaped high into the sky.


    -You absolute fool!


    Aeremang was certain of his victory this time. There was nowhere to run or even stand in the sky.


    -Your arrogance will be your downfall!


    Arcs of lightning snapped between Aeremangs horns.


    -Akritsa!


    The lightning instantly merged into a ray of light that could be seen from miles away. Adens response was simple; he raised his sword upright.


    -Disappear into dust, you vermin!


    Aeremang heard a tiny <em>thump</em>, barely audible unless one was paying attention, but he didnt give it much heed. The cause of the sound, however, he could not afford to ignore.


    -What?


    Aeremang gasped as his death ray turned right around and headed straight back for him. Adens sword was enveloped in ayer of pink energy.


    -Is that Lust?


    Being killed by your own attack isnt such a bad end for a demon, Aden mused.


    -Arrrrrrrghhhh!


    The ray of light engulfed Aeremang like the judgment of the gods. He writhed and screamed, his twisted voice curdling the ears of everyone on the battlefield.


    Aden nimbly dropped onto Aeremang and cut Aeremang precisely from head to toe as if he were mimicking what Joshua had done to Paetri.


    How was it? Good? Aden slowly turned around, knowing that Aeremangs end was decided. These Evil Sin things are really convenient.


    Since when did you be a has-been who relies on other abilities? Joshua asked.


    A has-been? Hahaha! Lets just say Im realistic. Being able to evaluate your rtive level of skill is essential; what else could be more stupid than starting a fight youre guaranteed to lose every time?


    The two halves of Aeremangs body btedly fell to the ground.


    I really dont feel like Im going to lose with these outstanding powers. I can finally understand why demons so desperately covet them. Aden clenched and unclenched his fists experimentally.


    Youve passed the point of no return.


    I dont care what you say. Once I possess all seven of the Evil Sins, I feel like Ill be a god. Hahahaha!


    Joshua watched Aden coldly. Well, if Aden was someone Joshua could talk things out with, Aden wouldnt have let the Demon Spirit have his body on that day. Despite his fame, Aden von Agnus was hideous on the inside, just like Emperor Marcus had been; their titles did not befit their nature.


    From past to present, all those who let a power which wasnt theirs have met the same end, Joshua warned Aden.


    I already told you that I dont care what you say. Im a father whos lost to his son twice now, so I dont have any pride left to lose.


    Yeah, youre a grandfather whos going after his grandsons body. I can feel thest traces of affection for my father evaporating.


    Shall I tell you a secret? Aden took a step forward, a tremendous amount of energy saturing the air around him. The remaining demons over therethey were called the Seven Demons, the most likely to acquire the Evil Sins and be Demon Kings, I believe


    How is that supposed to be a secret?


    Theyre hiding it, but at least two of them possess an Evil Sin.


    Joshua flinched in surprise. There are demons here who have Evil Sins?


    Yeah, the Evil Sins inside me told me that. When I take those Evil Sins too, Ill have five Evil Sins Hehehe. Will you be able to stop me then?


    Joshuas sharp eyes peered at the demons, but a question still remained: if Adens Evil Sins were able to notice the Evil Sins on the demons side, there was a high chance that the demons had noticed the presence of Adens Evil Sins tooso why hadnt the demons tried to act on that information?


    <em>Maybe theyre trying to test your father, simr to how we try to estimate our opponents skill before we begin spar,</em> Lilith said.


    She had a point, but Joshua shook his head. Demons were the most prideful beings in all creation, so probing their opponents was a preposterous idea for them.


    It looks like the two of them are trying to enter Arcadia. Can you leave them alone? Aden asked with a crooked smile.


    Joshuas eyes widened.


    <em>No way!</em>


    Lilith felt Joshuas distress through their shared emotions.


    <em>Whats wrong?</em>


    Unfortunately for her, they didnt have time for conversation.


    Since it seems I dont have much time, Ill finish this quickly.


    Finish this quickly? Are you talking about your own son? Hah! Aden scoffed. Joshuas statement was ridiculous. Joshua, you must be forgetting something here. This is your sons body, and I have three Evil Sins. How are you going to end this quickly?


    That also means that the key is the Evil Sins.


    So you finally got it now?


    Then every problem will be solved once I take the Evil Sins youre so proud of. Joshua nodded thoughtfully.


    What? Aden stared nkly at Joshua as his sons words echoed in his head.


    Thanks to you, it might take less time to melt the ice boulder.


    What are you talking about?


    Since youve given me a valuable piece of information, Ill do the same. With a grin, Joshua pointed his spear at Aden. Among the Seven Evil Sins, only Greed has a perfect ego of its own; in other words, it has the power to choose its owner.


    What does that have to do with anything?


    Greed hasnt changed.


    Aden gave Joshua a confused look.


    Greed never forgets the owner it chose. Since its very greedy, its very particr about the master it choosesmeaning small fry cant be its host.


    Aden could feel piercing pain inside his body.


    What? Aden looked at his body disbelievingly.


    Joshuas mouth curled into a wide smile.


    You cant use the power of Greed even if you want to, can you? That is what Im talking about.

 Side Story Chapter 163

    Side Story Chapter 163


    The growing pain inside Adens body made him grimace. He thought he was used to pain, but this was unbearable. It felt like someone had ripped open his body was rummaging around in his guts.


    It turned out that it wasnt just a feeling.


    Aden''s eyes bulged as a clump of ck energy burst out of the pit of his stomach and emerged out of his mouth along with a ssh of blood. He instinctively knew that this cluster of power was the power of Greed.


    What in the world? Aden mumbled.


    Great work, Joshua said to Greed.


    Greed immediately flew toward Joshua, just like Longin had before; both would always return to their true master.


    Greed flickered several times.


    <em>What is that saying?</em> Lilith asked curiously.


    -It wants to correct what I said earlier.


    <em>...Correct?</em>


    -It says Im not its current owner so I shouldnt get ahead of myself.


    <em>Huh?</em> Lilith couldnt understand the answer.<em> Isnt Greed supposed to be yours?</em>


    -It used to be.


    Greed buzzed loudly onest time before its light vanished.


    -It also says that Im the one who abandoned it, so I shouldnt feel sad about it.


    <em>Haha!</em> Lilith burst into helplessughter. <em>Youre a heartbreaker in both realms, huh?</em>


    -Its fortunate that Greed chose Kireua as its next owner because this power is innocentpared to the other Evil Sins. All it wants is to gain more strength.


    <em>Isnt that just as dangerous depending on how you interpret it? If the power seeks strength by any means necessary, its no different from Evergrant.</em>


    -Greed just wants a fitting ownerthe real deal, who got stronger without taking any shortcuts.


    Greed lit up in Joshuas hand again, affirming his statement.


    <em>Its happy because youplimented it, right?</em> Lilith asked.


    -It seems like it.


    <em>In any case, youre great too. Joshua Sanders is the owner Greed found after wandering for its entire life,</em> Lilith giggled.


    -Thats the conclusion you reached?


    <em>Yeah, you can be proud of that since youre the only person whos earned both mine and Greeds recognition. So do something about your father.</em>


    Joshua looked forward.


    Evergrants power was inside him, and Greed emitted its power beside him. However, Joshua couldnt expect too much from Greed because it had said that Joshua wasnt its owner anymore; that meant that Greed was only cooperating with Joshua for the sake of its true master. In other words, Joshua, as a temporary wielder of Greed, couldnt use it to its maximum output. The only way he would be able to do that was to be its new owner.


    Regardless, I feel like I can take down anyone with this much power, Joshua muttered to himself.


    The main source of power was Evergrant; Greed was secondary. The demonic power of a Ninth Circle lich and a Demon Kings ability wielded by Joshua


    ...Its worth a try. Joshua smiled.


    Aden was beginning to change. His body produced a series of unsettling cracks and a powerful burst of his energy made the ground split as if there had been a drought, and the air randomly exploded.


    Hahahahahahahaha!


    Aden was not groaning in pain anymore. He went through a bizarre transformation, apanied by peals of manicughter. His arms were twice as long as before, but his left arm had turned into a hideous beasts moutha manifestation of Gluttony. In contrast, ayer of pink energy enveloped Adens right arm, channeling an immense amount of demonic power through his sword.


    I lost one of the Evil Sins but feel like Ive gotten several times stronger. Gosh, maybe I should have let it go earlier, Aden murmured.


    <em>What is he talking about?</em> Lilith immediately asked.


    -It looks like Greed was preventing the two other Evil Sins from running wild.


    <em>Greed kept them under control?</em>


    -Greed went through all that trouble to find its owner, so it would be problematic for Greed if its owner gets ruined.


    <em>You say that like its none of your businessyou must be forgetting that that body belongs to your son.</em>


    -I know.


    Despite his calm voice, Joshuas expression was dark. The two Evil Sins were running wild, and the Dark God was using their powers. On top of that, the faraway demons were beginning to detect the energy of the rampaging Sins.


    -What?


    -Is this Evil Sins?


    -Wait, wait, wait. No one mentioned anything about that. What are they up to after assigning us to deal with death knights and small fries?


    Joshua was sharing the death knights senses, so he could tell that three of the demons had immediately attempted to go to Joshuas location. Although the death knights had managed to hold the demons back, it was only a matter of time before the demons managed to break through.


    Ill have to finish this quickly, Joshua murmured.


    Finish? Are you talking about your own son? Aden asked with a grin after he stoppedughing.


    <em>What are you going to do?</em> Lilith asked, obviously concerned.


    -Watch and learn. Ill show you what you should do in a time like this.


    <em>You do actually have a solution, right?</em>


    -The mechanism is simple. Instead of shing your opponents body, you attack the opponents soul. This is called the Mind Sword.


    Of course Lilith had also heard of this supreme level.


    <em>Mind Sword!</em>


    There were different levels in the Mind Sword technique. Lilith could just about create invisible swords with her will to attack a target directly in front of her, but shing an intangible soul with immaterial swords? She had never heard or seen that in her lifethat would mean that it was possible to kill a soul without harming the body, putting the person into a vegetative state.


    <em>Thats really possible?</em> Lilith asked.


    -Youll find out enough.


    Joshua stabbed Longin into the ground without hesitation, drawing a confused look from Aden.


    What? Are you giving up?


    Does it look that way?


    Hehehe, youre still acting tough, huh? Well, you must be frustrated since you cant kill me despite all your power. Yeah, its awfully immoral of you to kill both your son and father at the same time, right?


    Ignoring Aden and everything else around him, Joshua closed his eyes. He needed a spear of mind with which to y Adens soul. Joshua only had one chance, and he intended to make the best of it.


    What are you up to! Aden shouted.


    Aden moved Gluttonys vering maw so fast that it looked like he hadnt moved it at all. Almost instantly, blood spurted out from Joshuas right shoulder. The wound quickly corroded and turned ck.


    <em>Argh, my shoulder!</em> Lilith screamed. She could instinctively tell from the pain that it was going to leave a scar. Although she wanted to scream at Joshua and ask how much longer he was going to keep his eyes closed, she couldnt. She knew better than anyone how hard Joshua was concentrating.


    What? You really gave up? Aden tilted his head again as he walked forward.


    The closer Aden got, the more anxious Lilith got. Aden was now five meters away from Joshua, but Joshua wasnt responding.


    This is getting boring. Aden raised his sword. You can entertain me better, cant you?


    His sword bit into Joshua.


    Just like that day in the past.


    Aden swung his sword again.


    Wouldnt you feel empty if you die like this? Aden smiled crookedly.


    More wounds covered JoshuasLiliths body. They were scratches at first, but the longer it went on, the deeper they began. Aden added another one, just above Liliths left breast.


    <em>Hey! Joshua Sanders!</em> Lilith shrieked, unable to stand the stress.


    It was at that moment that Joshua opened his eyes again.


    Standing right in front of Joshua, Aden smiled. Yes, thats more like it. You matter more to yourself than your son, dont you? You already killed your own father, so all your effort right now just seems like hypocrisy.


    You think were cut from the same cloth.


    Hahaha! The apple doesnt fall far from the tree.


    Im different. Unlike you, Im not trash that would sacrifice my family without trying to find another way, Joshua said, his voice dripping with contempt.


    I see that you still have some energy left for your smart talk. Aden slowly held up his sword. If you had decided to kill your own son, I was going to let you hit me once just because it would be interesting in its own way.


    Over my dead body. I will never harm Kireua.


    Yeah, and thats why youre going to be ughtered like this.


    Aden infused his demonic power into the sword until the metal screamed. As a gesture of respect, Ill still use my full power to deliver myst strike.


    Let me ask you a question.


    What is it?


    Did you ever consider me and my mother family?


    Aden flinched, but then he smiled from ear to ear. Of course not. You two were just tools for my revenge from the beginning to the end. I even raped the woman. Are you seriously asking me if I considered you two my family? Even if I did, do you think your mother would have wanted it?


    Mother forgave you long ago because she pitied your tragic life.


    Adens face twisted into an expression of rage. Are those yourst words?


    Goodbye.


    What?


    Lets say goodbye for real this time. Dont ever show up in front of my family again, and I hope you, you revenge-obsessed madman, disappear into history, Joshua said.


    What are you


    Aden writhed like a fish on the end of a harpoon. His body was pierced by an invisible spear from behind. He clutched his chest in spite of the fact that there wasnt a single wound on him.


    Agh! You?


    I dont think Ill ever pray for you. Just like you, I won''t think of you as family anymore.

 Side Story Chapter 164

    Side Story Chapter 164


    Aden slowly copsed to the ground, still in utter disbelief.


    You materialized a sword with your will and also fooled my senses?


    It was a spear, not a sword. Besides, it had no form; thats why it was able to fool your senses.


    Impossible Aden murmured.


    Aden went down on his knees. It was an odd thing to see a man without a single wound on him grabbing his chest tightly as if he were about to die. However, what was inside was actually far from unscathed.


    Adens soul bore an unerasable wound; this really was the end of him now. Since his very soul had sustained a critical injury, he could no longer recover nor resurrect even if he used his Evil Sins. If that were possible, the Seven Evil Sins wouldnt have had many Demon Kings as their owners. The long, torturous feud between father and son finally came to a true end.


    Youre the worst father that Ive ever met, Joshua said.


    Heh. The loser cant make excuses, right?


    What kind of son was I?


    What? Aden couldnt believe his ears.


    Im suddenly curious.


    Aden slowly looked up. Although he was in Kireuas body, Joshua could clearly see his fathers face.


    What kind of son were you? Aden repeated.


    Im the son who killed you in the end, so I dont think I was a son you were proud of.


    Are you capable of thinking like that?


    Am I not? Joshua tilted his head.


    We might have pursued different goals, but that doesnt mean that the happiness you brought me meant nothing. Aden chuckled. Joshua just looked at the man without saying anything. For some reason, Aden looked freed. I havent forgotten anything. You became a Master when you were just a teenager. Many others coveted Reinhardts throne, but you were the winner of the Master''s Battle and took the throne. And even on the day you killed Emperor Marcus on my behalf, I was proud of you. Heh. From what I heard, the continent calls you the Martial God, yes? Youve already surpassed me.


    Do you still feel the same even though your son put an end to you?


    Youve had children, so you must know how I feel. Wouldnt it be so great if a child grew up like their parents wanted them to? But how many of them would really grow up like that? Aden pushed himself to his feet. Of course, some children do grow up like that, but regardless, most children dont be the person their parents wished them to be. However no parents would hate their child for that.


    Maternal and paternal love are unconditional. Aden slowly reached his hand out toward Joshua.


    And Lilith pped it away.


    This is my face, not your sons. Its awfully rude of you to touch it like that.


    Youre?


    I was so disgusted that I couldnt put up with your drivel any longer. Hey, are you suffering from amnesia? Did you forget what you did to the family you say you love because youre about to die now? Lilith red at Aden, murderous energy on full st, as he slowly lowered his arm. No one calls that a parents love. You used your son and wife as nothing but tools for your revenge, and you call that <em>what</em>?


    I believed that that was the way to repay my parents lovemy duty as their son.


    What?


    Im just like Joshua. In the end, its his powerless mother for whom hes been trying so hard and eventually took revenge.


    How can you possibly think its the same! Unlike you, Joshua never took shortcuts to achieve his goals. Every one of his aplishments is a product of sheer effort!


    Why dont you answer for yourself? Aden asked Josuha. He was looking forward to hearing his response, knowing that he was approaching his eternal death. Are we different? Do you think youre clean while your father is a hideous and filthy monster?


    No, Im the same. Joshua shook his head.


    Aden was delighted.


    <em>What in the world are you talking about? What part of that revenge-obsessed murderer is the same as you?</em>


    -Youre as angry as if you were the one who got insulted. Im always grateful to you for that.


    <em>If youre that grateful, then straighten out the facts, quickly. Ill never let your father die in peace! </em>Lilith snapped.


    Aden took it even further and spread his arms wide. Yeah, I knew that you and I would share the same mind. Come here. Let me hug you onest time.


    <em>You cant possibly think that Ill agree to this bullshit, </em>Lilith spat before Joshua could say anything.


    But Joshua slowly approached Aden regardless.


    <em>Joshua!</em>


    Why dont youe out now? Joshua abruptly asked.


    Lilith jolted in surprise.


    What? Even Aden stared nkly at him.


    An invisible dagger appeared in Joshuas hand before and before anyone realized, he stabbed Adens soul dead center.


    Arrrrrgggggghhhhh! Adens desperate howl rose into the air.


    Naturally there was a considerable difference in the damage done between throwing an invisible spear from a distance and shoving an invisible dagger into a soul from close enough to hug.


    Y-You bastard! Your father is dying! Was it really hard for you to hug me onest time?


    You still think Im your nice son, dont you?


    What?


    I already told you that I no longer think of you as my family, Joshua reminded Aden.


    You!


    What do you think of yourself as a husband, not a parent? Joshua threw out.


    Aden froze stiff.


    I thought so. Joshua shook his head. This should have been my first question. If you really had a conscience, you wouldnt be able to shamelessly talk about affection and stuff.


    Shut up!


    I can still remember your despicable eyes when you were with Mother. That was guilt, not affection or love.


    I told you to shut your damn mouth! Aden screamed.


    Aden von Agnus, that is who you really are.


    Joshua could now actually see Adens soul rising out of Kireuas body, shaking with its desperate attempts to prevent itself from disappearing. Arge hole yawned in the center of his soul.


    -How dare you How dare you!


    Its so refreshing. Joshua beamed and slowly pulled Longin out from the ground.


    Then Joshua slew the translucent soul into the air, and with a flick of his spear and a final, painful scream, Adens soulpletely disappeared from the world.


    <em>Its done.</em> Lilith couldnt bring herself to tell Joshua Good job.


    Although Joshua was absolutely justified, Lilith couldntpliment Joshua for killing his own father. Besides, Joshuas eyes were closed as if he were praying for his father to find peace, despite what he had said.


    Kireua, Joshua murmured.


    It turned out that Lilith was mistakenJoshau was trying tomunicate with Kireua, who hadpletely lost control of his body.


    Wake up, Joshuamanded.


    Kireua did not respond.


    This is problematic, Joshua bitterly muttered.


    What was problematic? Since the evil spirit who tried to take over Kireuas body was gone, wasnt the problem solved?


    -The two Evil Sins inside Kireua are rampaging.


    <em>Wh-What?</em> Lilith gasped.


    -Greed seems to be nning to immediately return to Kireua and recover his soul but that wont work. Lust and Gluttony arent letting their guard down in the slightest.


    Three new, powerful presences appeared in the vicinity, adding to Joshua and Liliths pile of problems.


    -Its them.


    -Im sure of it.


    -What? That isnt one person who has three Evil Sins.


    A muscr, one-eyed demon and a demon who resembled a witch from the fairy tales stood in front of Joshua, and a demon stood behind Joshua holding a long, ominous scythe. It was obvious from their energies alone that these demons were far stronger than the enemies Joshua had fought just now. Although Lilith trusted Joshua, Kireua could be endangered if Joshua chose to fight them. They found themselves in a conundrum.


    <em>Ah, shit!</em> Lilith cussed.


    -I guess theres no other choice then.


    However, it seemed that Joshua had a solution once again.


    -Ill need to open up a path for him.


    <em>A path?</em> Lilith repeated.


    -Ill have to ask you for your understanding in advance.


    Joshua opened her mana hall wide open.


    <em>What are you doing?</em> Lilith asked, startled.


    -The two Evil Sins will choose the tastier prey, and Lust already considers you the perfect vessel


    <em>Wa-wait. Are you saying youre going to trap three Evil Sins inside me?</em>


    -Technically, Im going to destroy them before I trap them, along with the demons around us.


    Joshua slowly got into position. The one-eyed demon, the witch, and the reaper studied him.


    -What? It looks like the human is going to fight us.


    -Seriously. Humans are so arrogant. They dont know their ce


    -Once the human finds out were part of the top five demons, hell regret being that reckless.


    Right back at you. Joshua smiled crookedly.


    -Huh?


    Had you known who I am, you wouldnt have been this reckless.


    The three demons'' eyes all widened at once.


    Joshua pointed his crimson spear at the three demons.


    This is perfect to test my new power.

 Side Story Chapter 165

    Side Story Chapter 165


    As Joshua expected, the powers of Gluttony and Lust were fighting endlessly over Kireuas body.


    -Hehehe. Why dont you give up now?


    -Hmph. What are you saying, you stupid pig? This is why I always said that Greed is better than you. Look at Greed. It already made the right decision to look for a new owner.


    -You big-titted subus.


    -You pig who only knows how to eat.


    -You witch.


    -You no-good mouth.


    -Slut.


    -What?


    They were inside Kireuas subconscious realm, but the actual owner of the body was nowhere to be seen.


    -Ah, seriously! Were out of time. We need to bring the red-haired guy from the dimensional rift and persuade himare we going to continue doing this?


    -Hehehe, thats precisely why you need to give up.


    -Seriously?!


    Lusts voice was tinged with anxiety, and for good reason. Greed had suggested locking up Kireuas soul in a dimensional rift because a fight between three Evil Sins could irreversibly damage Kireuas body. If that happened, they were all doomed because the Seven Evil Sins were literally power and nothing morein other words, they could not live on without hosts, so the Evil Sins had aGreed upon Greeds suggestion. Of course, Greed had been the one to do the deed because it was the most reliable among the three. But then they had run into an unexpected variable.


    -We went through all that trouble to get this body, but its going to be ruined if we miss this moment. You know that, dont you?


    A body without a soul was merely a shell, so the Evil Sins couldn''t survive in this body if the original owner remained in the dimensional rift. Theyd had no problem until now because a new human soul had entered and temporarily sustained the body without knowing Greeds scheme. It had actually been quite fun to watch the human idiot acting pompous as if he were the bodys original owner, but then the human had been destroyed.


    Gluttony still had not answered, prompting a fresh round of screaming from Lust.


    -Hey! I told you that we dont have much time left!


    -Hehe, three more fine-looking vessels seem to have shown up just now, so you can leave if youre in a hurry.


    -You dont even mean it, so knock it off! Do you really think you''ll be satisfied with them?


    Lust had already experienced having a human as her vessel, so she had no intention of choosing a mere demon as her host. She had personally witnessed this humans tremendous potential to withstand three Evil Sins.


    On top of that, Kireua wasnt affected by divine power, whilst demons had to utilize their demonic power to merely not die from it. A person like Kireua was very, very special. Not many humans could withstand the powers of the Demon Kings; it took at least one of the humans heroes for Evil Sins to even try settling in.


    Lust ended up sighing.


    -Yeah, I dont know. Lets just die together.


    -Hehe Youre bluffing


    -Do I look like Im bluffing?


    Lust let her energy fade away and the space fell into silence. Only the sound of Gluttonys teeth quietly ttering disturbed the quiet. Neither of them spoke for a long moment until Gluttony quietly broke the silence.


    -Seriously?


    -You said it yourself.


    -Then should we just get married?


    -Are you crazy? Why would I marry a pig like you?


    Gluttony was smacking its lips when an extraordinary level of demonic power suddenly lit up outside.


    -This is?


    -A pathway of demonic power? Is that supposed to lure us?


    The two Evil Sins conjured an image of the outside to see what was going on. What they saw made them tremble with excitement.


    -Huh? Is that?


    -Thats that human girl Greed moved to, and was originally your body.


    -Shes a little different? Wait, this power is


    Lusts eyes slowly widened.


    -Th-This power


    -Its the Shining Darkness!


    Gluttonys eyes gleamed. Despite living for eternity, there was only one time where it had felt demonic power of this level, and Gluttony would never be able to forget the shock and bliss that it had felt on that day.


    -This is impossible. I wasnt sure before, but he actually reincarnated as someone else?


    -No wonder Greed wants it.


    Although the Shining Darkness was possessing the human womans body right now, the Evil Sins could feel that his real body was somewhere else. If the Evil Sins could merge with the Shining Darknesss soul, it wouldnt be impossible to get into the Shining Darknesss body.


    -You can have this body.


    Gluttony flinched and immediately stopped her.


    -Wait.


    -What? You told me to go earlier.


    -I changed my mind. Ill leave.


    -You gotta be kidding me. I cant believe how fast you changed your mind.


    The two Evil Sins were now fighting to leave.


    -Wait, the pathway is getting smaller.


    -So long, you pig. Im out of here.


    -Where do you think youre going?!


    The two Evil Sins threw themselves into the inviting pathway, leaving Kireuas body empty.


    * * *


    The one-eyed demon, the witch, and the reaperCredos, Perchilin, and Tshkeryfroze. These demons were considered to be as strong as Demon Kingsthey were the third, fifth, and fourth strongest demons, respectively. However, the surge of energy surprised even these powerful beings.


    -What is this?


    -Someone possesses such demonic power in the Human Realm?


    -Its the Evil Sins.


    Credos and Perchilin looked at Tshkery, who leaned his giant scythe against his shoulder and continued.


    -Cant you feel it too? The human woman is trying to take the two remaining Evil Sins still inside that red-haired human.


    -I-Is such a thing possible? I thought two Evil Sins was the limit even for a Demon King.


    -Have you forgotten already? There was one personand only one personwho possessed more Evil Sins throughout the entire history of the Demon Realm.


    The three demons stared at the silver-haired human woman, shocked.


    -Wait a minute. Isnt that girl holding the Demon Spirits spear?


    -Youre right.


    -A bloody-red spear, three Evil Sins Its just like


    -Stop, Perchlin. What are you trying to say right now?


    <em>His</em> name was taboo in the Demon Realm.


    -This is not the time to fight amongst ourselves.


    Tshkery, the reaper, was the most rational of the three demons.


    -Its time to join forces. We can leave the Evil Sins to choose their owners themselves.


    -You too, Tshkery? You want the three of us against one human girl?


    -Credos, open up your one and only eye. What part of that human makes you think she is just a human girl?


    -What?


    The reapers of the Demon Realm could see peoples natures, and Tshkery was their king; hence, he could see that Lilith had two souls inside of her. On top of that, one of them was


    Credoss eye widened and he trembled like an aspen leaf in a storm.


    -Is this real? Answer me, Tshkery! Is that really the Shining Darkness?


    Perchilin gasped in shock.


    -I-its true, right? Its really the Shining Darkness! Oh! I cant believe hes in the Human Realm!


    -All of us demons are now in the Human Realm, so there is nothing odd about him being here


    -Its absurd! How long has he been alive?


    It was the Shining Darkness wielding his cherished weapon. The three demons silently agreed that they couldnt fight against him alone. However, Credos was practically rumbling.


    -I refuse to ept it.


    -Credos?


    -Shit. After all this time, the Shining Darkness shows up out of nowhere? What kind of shit is this?!


    Credos mmed his bat against the ground with all his power and red at the other two demons.


    -Lets make it clear here: were going to keep this a secret from Urus and Altheon and well share the three Evil Sins among ourselves.


    -O-Of course.


    -Greed is mine. Im not going to let either one of you take it.


    Perchilin was the fifth strongest demon, meaning she was the weakest among them, so she simply shrugged in the face of Credoss threat.


    -Im fine with that. It was the power of Lust that I was interested in from the start because that suits my abilities the best.


    -Why arent you answering, Tshkery?


    Tshkery was the third strongest demon, while Credos was the fourth strongest, so the argument came down to them. Although Perchlin acquiesced easily, it was different for the other two demons. All sorts of monsters and other beings had roamed the Demon Realm, but the most belligerent race of them all was the cyclops. The reapers, on the other hand, were impossible to read.


    -Have you forgotten already, Credos? No matter what we decide among ourselves, its meaningless if Greed doesnt choose you.


    -Im confident, so I at least want to have the chance.


    The intense staredown between Tshkery and Credossted for a long time. All of the demons there were dreadful predators who had battled their way to the peak of their kind, so any of them could be chosen as the new owner of Greed. That was why Credos couldnt stand down.


    -Okay. Go ahead.


    Perchilins eyes shone. Credos flinched, surprised by Tshkerys answer, but guffawed.


    -Hahahaha. Good! I dont usually like reapers because I can never tell whats going on in your heads, but youll be my first exception, Tshkery. Dont forget your words.


    When Credos finished speaking, he stamped his feet against the ground, eager to rush into battle.


    -Ill crush the human in no time.


    -Wait, we should be cautious and work attack togeth


    -No, no. I have a conscience. You guys gave me a great opportunity, so I cant do that. Ill work harder for it.


    Tshkery looked at Perchilin, who nodded.


    Credos leaped as high as legs would carry him, bat held high over his head to deliver his Moon Crush technique. This technique was known for its destructiveness, even in the vicious Demon Realm. The moment Credoss bat struck the ground, the entire area heaved and bucked as an enormous shockwave tore through the earth.


    -Get crushed.


    Joshua slowly lifted his head to the sky.


    Cyclops always rely on their natural power too much. They never think things through.


    -What?


    This is why youll never get stronger than that, Joshua said quietly. He tightened his grip on the spear, which already had two clusters of power on its points. He gave it a light swing,unching an attack of demonic power that crackled with ck flickers of lightning. The attack was far, far more destructive than his simple movements suggested, and its other effects were even more incongruous.


    -Th-The sky!


    Perchlin peered beyond Credos, horrified. The clouds hanging over them had literally been split in half.


    Credos plummeted to the ground, shedding a veritable waterfall of blood.


    Next, Joshua said.

 Side Story Chapter 166

    Side Story Chapter 166


    Credos, the fourth strongest demon, was known as the Red-Eyed Demonand there was a good reason for that title. Cyclopes, the one-eyed creatures, could use their true power when their eye turned red; cyclops called that the awakening state.


    At this moment, Credos one and only eye turned dark red, but it wasnt because hed activated his powerhis own blood stained his eye scarlet.


    -The spear that slew the Demon Spirit!


    Credos raised his head as he fumbled his way onto his feet. His consciousness was fading, and he couldnt even see clearly anymore; however, he could see a woman standing elegantly with a red spear in her hand. Credos knew the spears name very well.


    -Lugia


    Its Longin.


    Credos eye widened. The Demon Spirit had definitely called the spear Lugia, but the spears original owner had given his cherished weapon a very different name long ago: Longin, the spear that pierced a god.


    -Dont be ridiculous! Hes dead. There is no way he could survive, even with the Demon Spirit gone!


    Credoss energy burst out as his eye turned redder; he activated his power by using every ounce of his vital force. He didnt care if he died in this battle since he had nowhere else to run anymore. He had pathetically escaped to the Human Realm from the faraway Demon Realm, and he wasnt going to go through that humiliation again.


    -Arrggghhhhhhh!


    Credos went berserk, his demonic power overflowing. His eye enhanced his physical abilities by at least three times, but


    A monster without intelligence is the easiest opponent to deal with, Joshua whispered.


    A thin line was drawn on Credos''sshoulder.


    And its even easier if the demon doesnt even have an Evil Sin, Joshua added.


    More lines were engraved on Credoss body. He ended up bleeding so much that it was impossible to see his original skin color.


    -I will kill you!


    Despite his grievous wounds, Credos continued to march forward, even as Joshuas spear continued to rain attacks on him. He believed without a doubt that he would be able to crush a human womans body if he could justnd a hit.


    It turned out that Credo was just deluding himself.


    The demons body was littered with wounds; they alone would have been enough, but Joshua wasnt done. When Credos was three steps away, he was subjected to an attack that took him so off guard that his jaw dropped even through the haze of bloodlust.


    Joshuas spear swept neatly through Credoss neck, leaving behind a brilliant crescent arc that hung in the air as Joshua turned to Perchlin and Tshchary.


    The remaining two demons flinched as Credos''s headless corpse fell to the ground a beatter.


    I think I said next Are you two not going to fight me? Joshua tilted his head.


    Perchlin took a step backward. Credos was stronger than Perchlin, and even he was no match for Joshua. Perchlin wasnt foolish enough to throw herself into a battle where she had no chance of winning.


    -A-Are you really the Shining Darkness?


    Joshua nodded. I was once called that.


    -I offer you my loyalty!


    Perchlin quickly went down on her knees and prostrated. Although Joshuas words alone were not enough to convince her, she had to believe him after seeing what Joshua could do.


    Joshua looked at Tshchary.


    Seeing Tshchary move his huge scythe, Joshuas eyes narrowed. It looked to him that Tshchary intended to keep on fighting.


    -I will also swear loyalty.


    After hearing Tshcharys answer, Joshua finally lowered his spear. The top five demons, it seemed, were people he could reason with.


    Now then, shall we have a proper conversation? Joshua asked.


    * * *


    The fight in the ins came to an end. The undead that had been wildlyshing out against one another, regardless of friend or foe,now bowed to the same person. The monsters continued to run wild all around them, but the legion of death quickly quelled the monsters. Joshua stood in the center of everything.


    It feels like it was all for nothing, Selim murmured.


    What do you mean?


    After all the trouble weve gone through, everything is miraculously sorted out as soon as His Majesty shows up, Selim exined, drawing a bitter smile from Duke Tremblin.


    They were all intimately familiar with the greatness of the Emperor of Avalon, but the skill he had disyed today far surpassed what they were familiar with. The Emperor of Avalon had lured an army of a million soldiers to him, but he looked like he could defeat them on his own.


    Youll be able to do it, Your Highness, Tremblin gently told Selim.


    You cant be serious.


    Nothing is impossible in this world.


    Selim shook his head. Thats what I thought, but I now realize that theres always an exception.


    Are you disappointed? Tremblin asked.


    Selim shook his head without hesitation. No, I actually feel encouraged to work harder. Im truly proud of the fact that hes my father.


    Tremblin broke into a smile.


    The monsters, having returned to their senses, were running north. After the demons who had sworn their loyalty to the Avalon Empire began their work, the tide of the battle quickly turned in Avalons favor.


    Your Highness, Tremblin quietly said. By any chance, do you want to be His Majestys heir?


    Selim looked with wide eyes and saw that Tremblin was serious.


    Duke Tremblin, does that mean


    People tend to favor those who are close to them, so the Combat Emperor and me Emperor will support His Highness Kireua, although the me Emperor is an outsider.


    That was an undeniable fact. bis, the me Emperor, represented the Thran Kingdom, but he was also Kireuas teacher. Therefore, he would try to support Kireua in both public and private, and the rumors that Cain favored Kireua after all the time they had spent together were spreading.


    Of course, Selim hadnt paid much heed because he had been willing to hand over the throne to Kireuabut not anymore. This battle had changed his thoughtspletely.


    If you want, Ill give you my support, Your Highness, Tremblin offered.


    Y-Your support?


    Although Im retired, Im sure that not many people in the empire can fight neck to neck with me. Tremblin chuckled gently. Tremblins support meant more than that. He was the famous Sword Emperor, so his support drastically increased Selims chances of inheriting the throne.


    Most of the nobles want you to be the heir anyway, so my support wont mean much.


    No, your support means more than all those other noblesbut can I ask why you chose me?


    Tremblin looked in a certain direction without saying anything. Selim turned in the same direction and flinchedthe Emperor of Avalon was looking after Kireua.


    I think that Avalon will get stronger that way, Tremblin answered.


    What do you mean?


    There was a time when I believed that you were the only true heirthe only person to inherit His Majestys talentbut I realized that its possible to ovee innate talent, however insurmountable it seems, by sheer effort.


    Youre talking about Kireua, Selim said.


    Indeed.


    Then I really dont understand. Selim frowned slightly.


    Tremblin sounded like he was cheering for Kireua, so why was he saying that he was going to support Selim?


    The scale should be bnced if both candidates have simr qualifications, shouldnt it? Tremblin smiled. It would have been different before, but most nobles will change sides to His Highness Kireua since people tend to love dramatic stories.


    Between the story of a person who was born to be a hero and the story of a person with zero talent bing a heroter in his life, it was obvious which story ordinary people would prefer.


    It seems that hes about to move again, so Ill go help His Majesty, Tremblin said, noting the Emperor of Avalon heading to the castle gates after checking up on Kireua.


    Things on the battlefield were sorted out, but the enemy still remained; two of the demons, their biggest problems, had infiltrated Arcadia. Even though the Emperor looked like he had a n, Tremblin couldnt just sit back and watch.


    Duke Tremblin, Selim said quietly.


    Tremblin paused just as he was about to take off after Joshua. Did you call me, Your Highness?


    Even if I go after the throne now wouldnt I just be causing problems for the queen consorts, especially Her Majesty Charles?


    Tremblin smiled without turning around. This was why he liked the current Imperial Family. It was verymon to see royalty killing each other, but Avalons Imperial Family thought of each other first, never mind fighting against each other for power.


    Some time ago, the queen consorts said that they would support the new emperor, regardless of which of the two of you inherits the throne, Tremblin reminded Selim.


    They must have said that for the sake of the Imperial Familys future.


    No, they meant every word they said. All of them that I know truly consider both of you their own children. Tremblin turned to look Selim in the eyes. Do not doubt their sincerity.


    But


    With all due respect, I think that youre dishonoring their sincerity by saying that.


    Selim clenched his fists. Yes, he shouldnt doubt their sincerityas their son, that would be the worst thing that he could do. If he decided to do it, then all he had to do was try his best and take the throne.


    Thank you for your support, Duke Tremblin, Selim mumbled.


    My pleasure. On that note, shall we use this opportunity to get some bonus points?


    Bonus points?


    It looks like His Highness Kireua hasnt recovered yet, but the two biggest enemies still remain.


    Selim picked up a spear from the ground. Thats a good idea. Ill take care of one of them on my own this time, so that His Majesty wont have to go through the trouble.


    Then I guess the other one is mine.


    Do you want to make a bet on who will defeat their demon first?


    Tremblin nodded readily. That is also a good idea.


    As Selim followed Joshua, shoulder to shoulder with Tremblin, a smile slowly lifted bloomed on his face.

 Side Story Chapter 167

    Side Story Chapter 167


    The area around the castle gates was bizarrely silent. Joshua had unequivocally ended the battle, but no one let out a cheer. However, their reaction was understandable.


    <em>Itspletely devastated,</em> Lilith said.


    The castle gates were rubble, and body parts belonging to the people of Avalon were scattered all around it. Although Icarus had made every preparation possible, casualties were inevitable.


    The demons souls possess the potential to be Demon Kings, and they also have Evil Sins Joshua said quietly. The two demonsthe reaper and witchlooked up, surprised.


    -Evil Sin?


    -Did you just say Evil Sin?


    Lilith took control of her body back so she could frown.


    Say what now? Lilith tilted her head.


    -Sir?


    You people are irredeemable.


    <em>How long are you going to drag around these deadweights?</em> she quickly whispered to Joshua, still frowning.


    -Theres no need to waste our strength on a fight that we can avoid.


    <em>Itll be awesome when we get backstabbed, wont it?</em> Lilith sarcastically snapped. She nced backward and saw Perchilin look away, biting her lip guiltily. On the other hand, it was impossible to read Tshchary.


    <em>I dont think its a good choice, and its time for you to make a decision. If you continue to be indecisive, itll only increase the damage,</em> Lilith warned Joshua.


    Joshua held his tongue for a moment while he sorted his thoughts out.


    Im going to put Overlord Seals on you two, he eventually said.


    Perchilin and Tshchary flinched. An Overlord Symbol was a contract that bound ones soul in simr fashion to high-ss undead like liches and death knights; such contracts were often made in the Demon Realm. Nevertheless, demons of their stature wouldnt even dream of yielding to such humiliation. They would prefer death before submission, but there were some entricsdemons who had a strong desire to survive or who were genuinely amazed by their opponents strength. Those entrics willingly bowed to those who defeated them.


    Tshchary and Perchilin quietly exchanged nces. They were typical demons, not such entrics. They had been waiting for a chance, but they were left with only one choice if they were forced to be marked with an Overlord Symbol.


    However, Joshua was just getting started.


    In return Joshua let words hang in the air, teasing the demons. ...Ill give you the powers that you two so desperately wantif you devote your souls to me and swear yourselves to my service.


    -Powers?


    Joshua smiled slyly. Didnt you want Evil Sins?


    * * *


    Two demons passed through the streets of Arcadia and made their way into the depths of the Pce of Avalon in short order. They stared at the gate until Altheon, the demon with mystical white hair and eyes, spoke up.


    -You know our goal, Urus, yes?


    -Im not like those idiots, so you dont need to remind me. Isnt that why you chose me to work with you on this mission?


    -Its a very important mission.


    Altheon adjusted his silver-rimmed sses, Urus, a red devil, stood by his side. Devils were already rare even in the Demon Realm, but Urus was a red dev race that had gone extinct except for him.


    -It seems to be beyond this gate. Ill blow it open with one punch.


    ck lightning flew off of Uruss horns, spreading to his face, neck, and arms. Urus was about to use the same technique he used to destroy the castle gates on the door to the Pces council chamber. He audibly rumbled as he gathered all the power he could muster.


    Urus raised his fist to strike and the tightly shut doors opened on their own, revealing a human woman with fluttering sky-blue hair.


    The throne belonged to Joshua, so the room should have been empty. However, the woman stood beside the throne nheless.


    Wee.


    -That woman is


    I thought you were never going toe, so its good youre here. You two are demons, yes?


    -Who are you?


    Im Icarus, the Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire.


    -The Queen Consort?


    Urus looked genuinely surprised. Altheon maintained his poker face as usual, but he adjusted his sses in surprise. They werent ustomed to human society, but they were well aware that a Queen Consort was someone whose time was precious and jealously guarded. But more concerningly


    -You expected us toe here?


    If I didnt, I would have met you on the ins outside the gates, not this chamber. Icarus shrugged.


    -How?


    I acquired some insight after experiencing an outsider invading the Pce.


    -Unbelievable.


    Urus shook his head, and Altheon joined in on the conversation.


    -In some ways, humans are slyer than us demons. You weaklings are always great ating up with schemes.


    -Well, I have no intention of letting that woman y me, so Ill just blow up this ce.


    Giving Icarus no time to respond, Urus fired the lightning gathered on his fist toward the throne without an iota of hesitation.


    No, you wont!


    As the lightning <em>cracked!</em> toward the throne, two new people appeared between Icarus and the two demons. One person was Cain, who was up and about again, and bis, the me Emperor, burned the air around him. The two Absolutes that had beenying low in the Pce.


    -Hehehehehehehe.


    The nking of metal made Urus and Altheon turn around. They saw a death knight with a very thin, delicate sword slowly approaching them from where they hade from.


    -I see that they had a reason behind their confidence.


    Urus crossed his arms, rxed despite the fact that his attack was blocked just now.


    I know what your goal is, Icarus said.


    -What goal?


    Are you going to pretend you dont know anything?


    -What nonsense are you on about, human woman?


    I made some deductions on my own. Do you want to hear them out? I even have three. Icarus raised three fingers.


    Even Altheon, the cautious one, started paying attention at this point.


    Firstly, your goal lies somewhere in this pce, based on the fact that you dropped everything and came straight here.


    -I thought you had some kind of grand revtion, but thats so obvious. Yeah, yeah, we personally came all the way over here to take the entire Imperial Family hostage. Are you happy now?


    Icarus quietly shook her head. I dont think demons have fallen so low as to hold humans hostage.


    -Oh?


    So the Imperial Family isnt the goal. Icarus folded one finger down. Secondly, despite the fact that our true forces are at the battlefield, you two, the strongest demons, came heremeaning there is something way more important than I think is in the Pce.


    Altheon interrupted.


    -How did you know that were the strongest among our colleagues?


    The death knight behind you gave me a heads-up. Icarus pointed toward the door with a smile.


    Arie, the death knight standing before the demons, chuckled quietly as he said.


    -Those two are obviously the strongest ones. I saw them going this way, so I followed them.


    -It sounds like you walked to your grave.


    Urus sneered and gestured at Icarus to continue.


    Icarus folded all her fingers. Lastly, Ive known what youre looking for from the very beginning.


    -What?


    Isnt that why you came to find me? You must have thought that a Queen Consort would know the location, Icarus guessed.


    Altheon and Urus exchanged terse nces. Well, Avalon was in the middle of a battle, so there was no other reason to keep such strong individuals on standby in the Pce. On top of that, even the Shining Darkness had appeared


    -How remarkable. Its just like you said, Altheon; I have to hand it to the humans and their slyness.


    -Wait, Urus.


    -So where is it?


    Icarus just quietly smiled at Urus, despite his obvious rage.


    Do you think Ill tell you?


    -It doesnt matter whether you tell me or not. We can find it on our own.


    How are you going to do that? Icarus smiled crookedly.


    -You idiot, were demons, so we can detect the Demon Spirits energy better than anyone else even if we cant hear it.


    Icaruss eyes gleamed. Youre looking for something left by the Demon Spirit!


    -Huh?


    Now I get why you demons came running all the way over here.


    -You bitch, did you?


    Uruss eyes widened upon the realization that he had been fooled. Altheon could only shake his head and sigh.


    -Youre too impetuous. It was so obvious.


    -Then you shouldve dealt with her first, Altheon!


    -You didnt even give me the chance.


    Urus scowled but didnt retort. Instead, he cracked his knuckles, his menacing red devil muscles bulging.


    -Well, forget it. It doesnt change anything, does it?


    -What are you going to do now?


    -Im going to clean up my mess.


    Urus looked into Icarus starry eyes and growled.


    -I heard stories about how demons were constantly deceived by humans trickery; I guess thats why I should pay attention to the ancestors stories. Ill rip you to shreds, bitch.


    Wait! Icarus held up her hand as if she had been waiting for this moment. Im not done yet.


    -What are you up to now!


    Dont you want to know? Icarus smiled.


    -Ill just start by tearing your tongue out.


    Urus strode forward, obviously done with conversation. Cain and bis tensed and brought their des to the ready.


    In contrast to them, Icarus was still confident.


    Im sure that youll be curious because Im about to tell you three reasons why you shouldnt kill me.

 Side Story Chapter 168

    Side Story Chapter 168


    -Youll give me an Evil Sin?


    -Do you really mean it?


    Perchilin and Tshchary were outright polite.


    Why not? Joshua summoned two clusters of ck demonic power, each of which took on a specific form. One was a pink sphere, and the other was an animals mouth with jagged fangs. As you can see, theyre Lust and Gluttony.


    Perchilin swallowed in nervous anticipation; shed only wanted Lust in the first ce.


    <em>Are you really going to give the powers to those demons?</em> Lilith immediately asked, concerned.


    -Like I said, why not?


    <em>Im fine with your n to use the powers to make the demons serve forever, rather than taking the power for yourself, but dont you feel like its a waste?</em>


    -Theres no reason to feel that way since possessing several Evil Sins at once is practically impossible.


    <em>Impossible? Is that true?</em>


    -This incident proved that beyond a doubt. Look at Kireua. Cant you tell?


    Joshua pointed his eyes at Kireua. Lilith fell silent. Just like Joshua said, the Second Prince of Avalon was still unconscious after possessing three Evil Sins at once. Of course, the Dark God was the main reason for that, but there was no guarantee that a simr incident wouldnt happen again. Multiple Evil Sins would continue to fight against each other inside of Kireua, so there was no telling when a powerful soul would go after Kireuas body again.


    -Besides, those demons keep swarming to Avalon after they caught the scent of these Evil Sins, so its better to find owners for these powers and get rid of those demons.


    <em>Then why does that story exist?</em> Lilith asked.


    -What story?


    <em>I heard that at some point in the Demon Realms history, there was someone who had three Evil Sins at once,</em> Lilith exined.


    Joshua fell silent.


    <em>Isnt that you?</em> Lilith guessed.


    -It is


    <em>Are you doing this because youre worried about me?</em>


    Joshua didnt say yes or no, but his reaction had Lilith convinced. Given that Lilith had failed to control one powerLustit was obvious what was going to happen after Joshua left Liliths body.


    <em>Im sorry that Im not evenpetent enough to hold onto those powers</em> Lilith trailed off bitterly.


    -Youre being too hard on yourself, and Im already strong without Evil Sins.


    <em>There is a good reason why they say, The more, the better. Just hold on. I have a n, so hear me out.</em>


    -What kind of n?


    <em>A n to use those two demons as your warehouse so you can retrieve the Evil Sins any time you want.</em>


    Joshua flinched. Because he had already been silent for a long time, Perchilins anxiety got the better of her.


    -Why arent you answering me!


    Dont make me repeat myself, Joshua sighed. Ill hand over the power if you ept my Overlord Symbol.


    -You mean it? Im in! Im in!


    Perchilin approached Joshua, waving her long tail.


    How about you? Joshua asked Tshchary, who had yet to say anything.


    Tshchary simply looked at Joshua with his abyss-like eyes.


    -Before I answer, I want to ask what youre nning to do with us after giving us Overlord Symbols.


    Joshua tilted his head. Do you think you can afford to be picky? I can kill you anytime I want.


    -That''s sometimes a better option than living.


    Joshua shrugged. Well, I dont have anything in particr yet. Since you two will make useful subordinates, Ill give it some thoughtster.


    -If you enve us until we outlive our use and order us tomit suicide


    Even before Tshchary finished speaking, Perchilin and Lilith tensed.


    Then lets set one term each, Joshua suggested.


    -Term?


    Ill give you two the right to refuse any orders thatmand you to die.


    Perchilin brightened immediately.


    -Its a promise! Lets add that use to the Overlord Symbol


    -What will you ask from us? After receiving the Overlord Symbols, well be your ves, bound to follow yourmands absolutely, so there is no reason for you to ask something of us.


    You ought to think of it as a safety measure against the right I gave you.


    -Why dont you just tell us first?


    Joshua smiled. Its simple. Follow any order except for those.


    Tshchary pondered for a moment. Since he got to continue living, he was still benefitting even if he was Joshuas subordinate. In addition, the Demon Realm was the world where the strong took everything, and Tshchary was talking to the Shining Darkness, who had once been at the realms zenith. Tshcharys one concern was the Shining Darkness retrieving the Evil Sins he gave to Tshchary and Perchilin


    <em>I dont think the Shining Darkness would y dirty like that. Besides, its not easy to retrieve an Evil Sin after it chooses an owner,</em> Tshchary thought.


    There was almost only one method of taking an Evil Sin from another person, and that was killing them. However, Joshua couldnt make Tshchary and Perchilin kill themselves because of the term he had set. Even if Joshua tried to take things into his own hands, that would also affect him greatly once the Overlord Symbols had linked their souls. In other words, it was a deal that Tshchary could not refuse.


    -Good. Ill take the offer.


    Joshua offered his hand to Tschary with a wide smile.


    I look forward to working with you.


    * * *


    Uruss face twisted in anger.


    -I shouldnt let you keep talking.


    Urus strode across the council chamber.


    The first reason you cant kill me is the Shining Darkness, the person that you fear so much, Icarus interrupted.


    Urus immediately came to a halt.


    -What?


    Im not bragging, but Im his wife and the Queen Consort of this country. Doesnt that make me a priceless hostage?


    -Hmph, it might have been different if we werent already in the middle of a battle, but thats long past. So even if


    Altheon unexpectedly raised his hand


    -Wait, Urus.


    -What is it, Altheon?


    -We cant deny the fact that this is an easy solutionpared to the difficult fight we would have to go through otherwise. Just as said, shes a valuable hostage.


    Urus grumbled for a minute, irritated that hed been denied, before he grinned from ear to ear.


    -Does that mean I can kill everyone other than the woman?


    -Good idea.


    Altheon nodded in agreement, so Urus began advancing again.


    Secondly! I guarantee you that youll never be able to find what youre looking for without my peoples help. Never! Icarus confidently shouted.


    -Havent you heard that we can detect our target?


    What if youre still unable to get it even after youve find it?


    Urus scowled.


    -What nonsense is that?


    This is a pce built by humans, so all sorts of devices and magic traps are installed all over the ce. Youre gravely mistaken if you think that all you have to do is follow your senses.


    -Those human-made rat traps are nothing. Ill just smash them


    One of those magic traps is designed to knock down the entire ce when an unauthorized intruder approaches.


    Urus stopped walking again, and Icarus delivered her final blow.


    Arent you on the clock here? You even deceived your colleagues toe here, so dont tell me youre going to mess everything up.


    -We deceived our colleagues?


    Dont even think about denying it. Had they known that something rted to the Demon Spirit was in the Pce, all ten of those ten demons would have been hot on your heels.


    After a long silence, Uruss voice took on a menacing growl.


    -I shouldnt let you live.


    You have to let me live. If you kill me, my people wont cooperate with you, and youll end up wasting more time. Meanwhile, the other demons might notice whats going on here. Wouldnt that be quite a problem?


    Urus''s face darkened and he finally stepped back. His answer was decided from the start, but he had been acting stubborn because he didnt like being manipted.


    At this point, Altheon wanted to hear Icarus out to the end.


    -What is the third reason?


    Havent you heard enough?


    -I would still like to hear it.


    Icarus beamed. My third reason is that you listened to the other two reasons.


    -You gotta be kidding me!


    -Hah. Hehehehehe.


    Urus gave Icarus a death re, while Altheon threw his head back and burst intoughter.


    -Youre truly wicked, human woman. I have to respect your tongue.


    Thank you for thepliment. Icarus giggled.


    -Did that sound like apliment?


    The people humans call strategists consider their enemies curses the greatestpliment.


    -Is that so? Then I guess that really is apliment since wed never be able to find a bigger bitch than you.


    Cain and bis frowned at Altheons disrespectful treatment of the Queen Consort. Cain even let his murderous energy loose in an unrestrained disy of anger.


    -Oh? Theyre begging to be killed.


    Urus cracked his knuckles when he felt Cains aggression, but Altheon stopped him before he could do anything again.


    -Altheon?


    -Let me do it.


    Altheon stepped in front of Cain and bis and released a thick wave of demonic power.


    Stop! Dont let your impulses get the best of you and do something youll regret. You know that epting my proposal is for the best, dont you?


    -Youre right. I considered it from various angles, and its genuinely beneficial to us.


    Then


    -But that doesnt necessarily mean I should spare everyone here. One human and one guide are all we need.


    Icaruss eyes widened.


    The demonic power flooding out of Altheon filled the council chamber in no time and his voice took on an ominous tinge of murderous energy.


    -Aside from the Queen Consort and one guide, Ill eradicate every living being inside the Pce.

 Side Story Chapter 169

    Side Story Chapter 169


    Altheon Deos was known as the strongest demon in all of the Demon Realm thanks to his overwhelming power. He was also known as the ferocious demonic general who excelled in both strategy and martial arts.


    Blood spurted out from Cains right shoulder literally in the blink of an eye.


    Ugh! Cain groaned in pain.


    The humans inside the council chamber were taken aback.


    Wh-When?


    -Hes this fast?


    bis, the me Emperor, and Arie the death knight nearly bit their tongues in surprise after witnessing how impossibly fast Altheon moved. In fact, they hadnt even seen Altheon draw his weapon. The demon who had done the deed simply adjusted his sses.


    -Its too early to be surprised.


    At the same time, three more holes were created in Cain, one in his left shoulder and each thigh. It was obvious what Altheon was aiming for.


    Cains legs gave out from under him and he went down on his knee.


    Cain, you biss brows furrowed.


    Cain was a man who would choose to die rather than bend the knee, yet that prideful knight was groaning in pain. From a nce, bis could tell that the Combat Emperor wasnt in his normal state and was severely unwell.


    Be honest with me. How long can you hold out? bis whispered without turning to look at Cain. The moment bis took his eyes off Altheon, the demon would no doubt also stab bis using his unbelievable speed.


    Im sorry.


    Just answer.


    One minute at the most if I use my aura to the fullest extent, Cain replied.


    biss face fell, although Cains answer was entirely expected.


    In other words, bis had to deal with those terrifyingly strong demons on his own. Of course, there was a death knight, but he was an ally that bis couldnt understand in the slightest. He had already learned the identity of the death knight: Marquess Arie bron Sten. The death knight was a maniac who had been the maniptor of the battlefield and was still obsessed with the Martial God.


    Thats problematic. Are all demons of their rank so ridiculously strong?


    -Let me introduce myself again. My name is Altheon Deos, the Killer Star Demon.


    The word star in his title in all likelihood didnt differ in meaning in the Demon Realmpared to the Human Realm. In other words, Altheon was one of the most powerful demons in his Realm; a being known as a Star by other demons.


    -Red-haired human, are you not going toe at me? If not, I wille to you.


    Right after Altheon finished speaking, bis''s tightly focused eyes widened. He saw the tiniest sh and immediately swung his sword.


    -Oh?


    Altheons eyes lit up with interest for the first time, but bis seemed more surprised. The identity of the weapon that pierced Cain was revealed:


    Fingers?


    Altheons ten fingers. bis now understood how the demon had stabbed several ces on Cains body at once.


    -It happened within less than a second, but you still managed to block it I see that youre no ordinary human.


    bis nodded in return. I would actually believe it if your title was the Second Demon.


    -Dontpare me to such a vermin. He might be faster than me in terms of movement, but Im peerless in the Demon Realm when ites to killing.


    When ites to killing, huh? bis fixed his grip on his sword, cold sweat dripping down his back. Altheon was the worst kind of opponent that bis could meet. In terms of strength, bis was sure that he could fight neck-to-neck with anyone, but it was a different story if his opponent specialized in speed. No matter how powerful an attack biss sword could deliver, it was meaningless if he was bled to death first.


    -Yawn. How long are you going to y around, Altheon?


    Urus grumbled in boredom. At this point, he was lying on the floor, head propped up on one hand and the other picking his nose. He didnt give a damn about the enemies around them.


    -Hehehehe. I dont like your attitude.


    Arie chuckled creepily as he flicked the end of his rapier.


    -So what if you do, you baby death knight? What are you going to do about it?


    -What do you mean what am I going to do? Im going to kill you.


    -You, kill me?


    Urus sneered.


    Arie made his move. When it came to speed, Arie was an expert, so he gave into his desire to win and thrust his sharp-edged rapier forward like a lightning bolt.


    Urus lightly flicked his finger but Arie felt an immense impact against his hands that threw his arms helplessly into the air and his red eyes wobbling in their sockets. Now that Arie wasid open, Urus had a golden opportunity to attack, but he simply went back to picking his nose again and didnt make another move.


    -A booger?


    Aries eyes burned with anger when he saw what had collided with his rapier. The booger that Urus had flicked was stuck on the end of Aries de.


    Urus scoffed.


    -Little death knight, you arent even close to being able to fight me, so just be quiet and watch their fight.


    -This hurts my pride a littleno, a lot.


    -Pride? Hahahaha, if your pride matters to you so much, why did you be a monster?


    Arie released a fresh surge of murderous energy, incensed by Uruss provocation, to say nothing of the taboo hed touched. Why had Arie chosen to be a death knight? It was because of his desire to fight one man. Even after his death, Arie wanted to test himself against Joshua, so he bowed and swore his loyalty to Joshua, with one condition: Arie would challenge Joshua once every month and Joshua could never turn the request down. That was how serious Arie was about martial arts.


    But what did Urus call him just now? A monster?


    -You damned devil!


    Before the enraged death knight could make a move, three projectiles came flying at him. They were boogers too.


    Arie responded very shrewdly. Instead of making the mistake of fighting Urus head-on, Arie calmly twisted his body to avoid the boogers and then immediately darted toward Urus, growling.


    -Die.


    -Huh?


    Urusy on his side, resting his head on one hand, as he watched Arie. In other words, Urus made no movements nor released any energy, so even after seeing what he had seen, Arie had a feeling that he would be able to end Urus.


    Right after Arie had that feeling, the two huge horns on Uruss forehead shone brilliantly for a moment, and ck lightning appeared in between the horns. It made Arie flinch even as he was sprinting toward the demon. The same moment that Arie thought that he should avoid the attack, the lightning struck him. Urus burst intoughter, pounding the ground in excitement.


    -Hahahahahaha! I told you that you cant even make me stand up! You were already busy blocking my attacks when all I did was lie down and flick my fingers.


    Urus heard a dull <em>thump</em>.


    -Hey, hey. What? Did you faint? Thats weird. Death knights don''t have consciousness.


    Urus was confused. ck smoke wasing out of Arie, but he was still standing upso what was up with that sound? It sounded like something fell on the ground.


    -Aha.


    Urus quicklynded on the answer to his question: he realized that Altheons battle had alsoe to an end. The human, thoroughly perforated by Altheons fingers, copsed to his side, coughing up blood.


    Sir bis! Icarus screamed from atop the throne.


    Urus tilted his head in confusion.


    -Hey, Altheon. Didnt we say that were going to spare one human?


    -I had no other choice because one human was already dying before I even did anything.


    Altheon gestured.


    -Ah, is that so?


    Urus looked where Altheon indicated and saw a man covered with blood. Cain de Harry, mighty first knight of Avalon and the legendary Combat Emperor Star, was reaching the end of his life.


    No Icarus covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming.


    bis rose unsteadily to his feet without a word, despite the grievous wounds littering his body. Altheon looked down at him, eyes gleaming once again.


    -I told you that Id spare one of you.


    Thank you for the gesture, but Ill have to turn it down, bis curtly replied.


    -Why are you fighting so hard? From what I hear, youre not even a citizen of this country.


    Im doing it for a friend of mine, bis answered. Altheon chuckled.


    -I really cant understand humans.


    -They form packs because theyre weak. Had they been strong like us, they would live on their own. If youve picked which one youre going to spare, finish this up quick. Were out of time.


    Despite Uruss mockery, bis was burning with fighting spirit.


    -I was nning on that anyway, so you should finish your break and get ready too, Urus.


    -I was nning on that even if you dont tell me.


    Urus let out a long, exaggerated yawn before he slowly stood up.


    Just then, the dying death knight who had been weeping smoke suddenly exploded with an extraordinary amount of demonic power, even making Urus stiffen.


    -What is this?


    Arie was resurrecting. From what Urus knew, there was only one instance where an undead like a death knight could recover like this: its master was close by.


    -No way


    In mockery of Uruss disbelieving mumbles, three sets of footsteps echoed down the hallway and through the council chambers doors.


    -Hey, Altheon. Am I hallucinating?


    -No, I see it too.


    The footsteps belonged to two familiar demons and one human woman. The problem was, they were acting like they were partners. As if to prove to Urus and Altheon that they werent mistaken, the two demons politely stood behind the woman.


    -You two


    Icarus sprang to her feet and joyfully shouted, Your Majesty!

 Side Story Chapter 170

    Side Story Chapter 170


    <em>This is not good,</em> Cain thought. His objective assessment of his state was not optimistic. The recent incident had left him with an irrecoverable injury, and then he had overworked himself even before hed had a chance to recover at all. Even a high-ss priest from the Hubalt Empire wouldnt be able to cure his injury.


    <em>I havent thought about my death yet though.</em> Cain smiled bitterly.


    Although his death might be unexpected, he wished to be remembered as a subordinate who was helpful to his master, the Emperor of Avalon, until the end. However, Cain could never do that in his current state, so he was left with only one choice.


    <em>I have to use my true mana.</em>


    Cain decided to use his true manahis vital forceto deliver his ultimate attack. The difference from ordinary mana was that true mana once used couldnt be recovered, and once someone had exhausted their true mana, that was the end of them. Despite all that, Cain didnt give himself time for second thoughts. The Queen Consort,dy of the Imperial Family, was in danger.


    A wave of powerful golden aura <em>thrummed</em> into being around Cain with a vigor that belied his mortal condition. His appearance also changed: the capiries in his eyes burst, turning his eyes bloodshot; from the weakest part of the human body, the changes continued to spread. The veins heated up to extreme temperatures that burned Cain from the inside out. Some of them actually burst just like those in his eyes, resulting in a torrent of blood from every orifice that rapidly drenched his body.


    <em>I wish I could have met him onest time before I died,</em> Cain thought.


    The knights life shed before his eyes. Cainsst wish at that moment wasnt about dating, marriage, or bing a better knight; in fact, he didnt regret any of the choices he had made in his life because he knew he had always given his best. However, Cain felt like he would regret leaving this world before he could pay his respects to his master, even after he was dead.


    Ill pay my respect in the otherworld, Cain murmured.


    No!


    The muffled scream made Cain raise his head. Icarus stood beside the throne watching Cain, her hands pped over her mouth. Cain had had no idea how his life would change when theyd first met; the woman with whom he had always bickered was now the Emperor of Avalons wife.


    You still achieved your dream, Your Majesty. That makes your life way better than mine. Cain turned away from the throne and straightened his back.


    The me Emperor was an outsider, so Cain couldnt let him do all the heavy lifting. Although Cain could feel people watching him with concern, he ignored them. He was the best knight in the Avalon Empire, the Martial Gods first knight, and the famed Combat Emperor of Igrant.


    I am Cain de Harry.


    His eyes turned golden and Cain took a big step forward, ready to die today.


    * * *


    -Tshchary. Perchilin. I would like an exnation about what in the world is going on.


    Altheon, the silver-haired demon, red coldly at the two demons who had entered the council chamber alongside a human woman.


    Tshchary, the death reaper demon, came forward.


    -Its exactly how you see it. We swore our loyalty to this man.


    -Man? Is there something wrong with my eyes?


    -Altheon, Im sure you must have noticed already. See the humans true nature. Hes the Shining Darkness.


    Altheon flinched in surprise.


    -What nonsense is that? That human woman is the Shining Darkness?


    Urus nearly fell over while he was standing up.


    Just then, an surge of aura of unprecedented power drew all of the demons attention to the center of the chamber.


    -Oh?


    -Hey, hey. Did you suddenly go through a metamorphosis or something? What are you, a butterfly?


    Urus mocked the human man who now stood under the gaze of the four strongest demons alive. The humans golden aura filled the entire chamber from floor to ceiling and eventually took the form of fire that burned up thest drops of his vital force. bis, a fellow knight, was the first one to realize what Cain was doing.


    Cain, you What are you doing!? Dont be foolish. Thats your true mana!


    Its toote.


    bis was taken aback.


    Cain marched forward without hesitation. Its going to be different from now on. Brace yourselves. Im going to take at least one of you demons down with me.


    -<em>Youre</em> taking one of us down?


    Ill leave the rest to you, Cain whispered to bis right before he threw himself at the red devil who was just sneering at him.


    -What a nuisance.


    Urus mmed his fists together.


    Currents of ck lightning arced between his fists and permeated to the floor, which then carried them toward Cain.


    Cain inhaled sharply. From his perspective, ck bolts of lightning were descending from the sky to attack him in every direction, leaving him no room to escape.


    However, Cain wasposed and, just as he had dered, it was different this time. His greatsword danced as Cain blockedno, cut the surrounding attacks away.


    -He cut the demonic power of lightning with his sword.


    Altheon marveled at how Cain had executed his defense. Every single one of his shes was smooth and strong and contained such abundant mana that even a demon like Altheon couldnt underestimate the human.


    After cutting through hundreds of lightning currents, Cain darted toward Urus like a lightning bolt himself.


    -Idiot!


    Urus extended his arm forward and opened his hand, summoning a storm of darkness from the lightning that used to fall from the Demon Realms five skies. When they mixed together, a raging storm was born that promised to rip his enemies to shreds and devour them without leaving a trace.


    -Five Stranded Deathfire.


    The demonic power lunged toward Cain like the razor sharp tip of a dragons w.


    Blood spurted from all over Cains body, but that wasnt enough to stop him. He walked and walked until he stood right in front of Urus.


    -You?


    Uruss eyebrows twitched. Cain left a thin scratch on his chest with his sword. Urus thought that Cain would surely not have the strength to even lift his finger, yet the knight raised his sword again.


    Stop, Lilith said.


    It had looked like Cain was never going to stop, yet at Lilithsmand he did. Although he had already used up all of his power with the attack he had just delivered, he still desperately tried to keep on moving.


    Are you trying to die right now? Lilith asked, her voice tinged with anger.


    Of course, Cain knew better than anyone who was really speaking through Liliths mouth.


    Your Majesty, its toote for me now.


    I think I definitely told you when you swore your loyalty to me.


    Told me what?


    Your life belongs to me, Joshua firmly stated.


    After a moment of silence, Cain lifted his sword again.


    <em>What the?</em> Urus suddenly discovered that, maddeningly, he couldnt budge, as if someone had bound him in magical chains.


    Heedless of Uruss distress, which frustrated him to no end, the two humans continued their conversation.


    I told you to stop, Joshua insisted.


    As you said, my life belongs to you, and that is why Im willingly using it to protect your loved one, Your Majesty.


    There are ways to protect her without giving up on your life.


    No, my life as a knight has alreadye to an end. Cain shook his head.


    I see what is going on now. Joshua nodded in understanding. Cain, youre afraid that youll have to live as an ordinary person from now on. Is that way youre willing to throw away your life like this?


    Cains expression immediately changed. Youre mistaken, Your Majesty.


    Cain de Harry, I already told you that I havent permitted you to die yet.


    Then what in the world am I supposed to do? Cain roared.


    Joshua was right. Cain was afraid that he would be helpless until he died of old age, unable to be of any help to his master or anyone else.


    Since I own your life, you cannot die without my permission, Joshua repeated.


    Youre truly selfish.


    You know that already, so why bother saying it?


    Cain slowly lowered his sword. Please dont even think about making me into a death knight. I have no intention of bing a horrible undead like him.


    The light in Aries eyes flickered when he suddenly became the center of attention.


    -Hehehe. Do you want me to stab you through the heart, smart-mouth?


    Cain nodded thoughtfully. That would be good. The Maniptor of the Battlefield is qualified enough to take my life.


    -You need your masters permission first.


    It was impossible to tell what was going on inside Joshuas head at this point.


    -Ah, shit. What fuckery is this? You tie me up using a bizarre power, and then enact some kind of a cliche drama in front of me?! And say what now? The Shining Darkness? What kind of bullshit is that? Just be honest and say that you wanted the Demon Spirits power. I know its here somewhere.


    Uruss veins bulged as he tried to snap his invisible chains.


    -The Demon Spirit?


    Perchilin and Tshchary were surprised.


    -Urus.


    Altheon tried to stop Urus, to no avail.


    -The Shining Darkness is just a human now!


    An immense amount of demonic power gathered between Uruss meter-long horns. The horns were the source of power for devils and got longer and thicker over time. Considering that it took at least a thousand years for a devils horns to grow ten centimeters, Uruss horns spoke volumes about his strength.


    However, his horns were snapped in half. It wasnt done by the human standing right in front of Urus. The invisible chain turned into a razor sharp weapon and chopped them off.


    -Impossible!


    The invisible weapons cut off Uruss arm.


    -Wh-When?


    A silver-haired woman appeared in front of Urus like a ghost and examined him with frigid eyes. However, Urus could see the storm of hatred that zed in her eyes like the sun in the cold of winter.


    You wont be able to die in peace, Joshua warned Urus.


    Before Urus could respond, Joshua skewered his heart with Longin and forced an extraordinary amount of demonic power into the demons heart.


    -Arrggghhhhhhhhhh!

 Side Story Chapter 171

    Side Story Chapter 171


    -Urgh Aghhhh


    Uruss face contorted in pain. His red skin was scorched ck by the lightning bolts infused into his heart spreading across his body.


    -I am Urus Jackston, the second-strongest demon in the Demon Realm!


    This ce was the Human Realm, not the Demon Realm. Although his power was vastly weaker than it was in the Demon Realm, there was only one person who was stronger than him under that realms blood-red skyand Urus was certain that the ranking would change if he wished it to.


    Urus audibly cracked under his skin as he went through Martialization, the devils racial traitbut only a red devil like him could transform like this. The distinction was immediately obvious.


    -Its definitely different from ordinary devils transformation


    Perchilin watched the transformation curiously. Devils grew a lot bigger through Martialization. Their muscle mass increased by at least three times, and their bones also grew thicker. Their demonic power was solely focused on reconstituting their bodies, however, so they werent able to use their demonic power once the transformation wasplete.


    It was hard to understand why devils would voluntarily give up the use of their demonic power, which was a demons greatest weapon, but no one in the Demon Realm disregarded the danger of a Martialized devil. Those who had encountered such devils knew what it meant when all of their demonic power was focused on their bodies.


    -What? I wont be able to die in peace?


    When the transformation ended, Urus grinned, revealing a set of pointed teeth. Where he had been three meters tall, he had shrunk to less than two meters. Urus looked about as tall as Cain, who was one hundred and ny centimeters tall; at another look, the devil might even be shorter.


    However, Urus seemed exceedingly robust. He didnt have the slightest ounce of extra fat and his muscles were hard and sharply defined like a sculpture. His cold eyes made the people around him flinch in surprise despite the fact that they held no malice.


    -...Right back at you.


    Urus pulled the spear out of his heart without hesitation. Despite the mortal wound to a vital organ, he was abnormally well, and it wasnt because the hole in his heart quickly filled up.


    Altheon looked him up and down.


    -You seem bigger than thest time we fought.


    -I know. I would have been way smaller if my horns hadnt been cut off. Damn it.


    Urus tossed a cold re at Joshua.


    -Ill crush you so badly that youll beg me to just kill you.


    No, you wont, Joshua flippantly replied.


    -What?


    Your opponent is someone else.


    Urus was even more confused. What in the world was this human woman talking about?


    Dont you think your opponent is weakened enough, Cain? Joshua turned.


    Urus crumpled up his face, finally understanding what Joshua meant.


    In contrast, Cain wore a bitter smile. Thank you, but I dont think Ill be able to fight him.


    Why is that?


    I know my state the best. Although I havent said it because it felt like I was making excuses for my defeat, Im already beyond recovery. Cain saluted Joshua with his sword. Im d I could meet you in thest moments of my life and I was genuinely happy to be your knight, so I would like you to be my only master even in my next life. Would you allow me to do that?


    Such was thest, ardent wish of the generations best and most loyal knight. While filled with sorrow for his own ipetence, he wished to be chosen even in his next life.


    Joshua quietly pressed his spear against his chest.


    Goodbye, Cain de Harry


    Cains eyes widened.


    He wasnt the only one who was surprised. biss face tightened, and Icarus was ready to jump down the tform to yell at Joshua because his reply sounded like he was saying no to Cains wish.


    I understand your choice. Cain nodded.


    -Ha. Hahahaha! Understand it, my ass. Youve been abandoned because youre weak. Well, I wouldnt want a weakling like you either. You look like you''d just be a hindrance to everything I do.


    Every word felt like a knife through the heart to Cain. Urus was right. Cain may be known as the famous Combat Emperor, but his fancy title was just a joke and he was a knight who had been abandoned by his master. The entire continent would forget about him soon enough.


    But I would still like to be remembered as a decent servant at the end. Cain slowly fixed his grip on his sword.


    Conviction rushed through him. The despair that weighed him down like shackles was gone, surprising even himself. Without the worries of life on his shoulders, Cain felt like he was seeing the world in a whole new light.


    Cain was already abandoned, and the moment he felt his imminent death, he forgot about his meaningless fame. There was nothing holding him back anymore, so all he had to do was give his best so he wouldnt have any regrets.


    Yes, thats it. Thats the Cain de Harry that I know. Joshua smiled.


    Cain tightened his grip on his sword, a surge of emotions rising inside him. Was he happy that Joshuas cold response wasnt true? No, Cain was ashamed of his old, pathetic self who had given up on fighting and was obsessed with meaningless things like fame and glory. However, he had no intention to die a pathetic death, overwhelmed by those wrongful emotions.


    Cains mana filled the council chamber, his golden aura saturating the air with power. The change surprised even Cain himself.


    <em>I still had this much energy left in me?</em> Cain couldnt wrap his head around it. <em>Did His Majesty?</em>


    I see that youve ovee your limit, so I guess I really can say goodbye to the old Cain de Harry.


    Cain swallowed. Did he ovee his limit right before his death?


    <em>I overcame my limit on my own,</em> Cain thought, delighted.


    Cains aura surged with fresh power, enough to startle Urus even after finishing his Martialization.


    Joshua had one more bit of help for Cainsecretly.


    -Gluttony, lets make a deal.


    The power inside Joshua instantly responded. He had already handed the power of Lust to Perchilin, but the power of Gluttony was still dormant inside Joshua because Tshchary had stated that he wished to choose his own Evil Sin if he was only allowed one. Joshua had easily granted permission.


    -I already know that it was you who snatched the Four Great Angels authority from the Four Pdins who invaded the Pce.


    Gluttony ttered its teeth.


    -Dont feign innocence with me. You know that I have the power to just seal you away forever like the Demon Spirit.


    Gluttonys teeth immediately cked shut. Joshua smiled.


    -I need the authority of Gabriel, the Great Angel of Recovery. I dont care if the power shatters and disappears from the world afterward, so restore my knight to his original self.


    The Sin angrily gnashed its teeth.


    -Who am I to make such a demand? Would you prefer to be destroyed instead?


    Gluttonys teeth clicked weakly.


    -I think youre mistaken here. You dont have a say in this, but I can make sure that you have a decent owner.


    Gluttony tapped its teeth together inquisitively.


    -Yeah, I promise.


    A pool of faint light spread out from Joshua and permeated into Cain. It happened so quietly that no one else other than Joshua noticed; even Cain didnt notice the change in himself. He was busy taking on the devil.


    -Thatll do it.


    <em>I really cant figure you out,</em> Lilith grumbled.


    -Ill take that as apliment.


    <em>Its apliment.</em>


    Joshua didnt listen to Lilliths answer because Cain and Urus were making their first attacks.


    -What!?


    Urus was shocked. He rubbed the fist he had struck Cains sword with. It burned like hed stuck it into a fire. Urus was three timespossibly even five times stronger than before at least, but Cain had blocked Uruss attack with ease even though he had had trouble stopping a single one of Uruss attacks before his Martialization.


    -No way!


    Urus threw hundreds more punches in the span of a breath. Not only were his attacks fast, but the damage was astounding. The marble pirs exploded into clouds of dust without even being hit, a testament to the sheer destructive power of Uruss fists, and yet


    -Try stopping this too! Hurt and kill: Darkness Guillotine!


    Urus gnashed his teeth and raised his foot high into the air because Cain had left himself vulnerable to attack after thest collision between Cains sword and Uruss fist.


    An outrageously powerful shockwave battered the chamber.


    A mere human had easily stopped the attack that Urus once used to shatter the earth for hundreds of meters in the Demon Realm. The devils lips trembled.


    -Did I get weaker?


    No.


    The answer came from behind Urus, not from his opponent. He found the silver-haired woman standing there, looking at him.


    You havent noticed? The opponent you looked down on got stronger.


    -A mere human


    Why dont you look back now? It looks like that mere human is about to kill you, Joshua casually replied.


    Urus flinched and jerked back around. Cain had already nullified the shockwave from Urussst attack and was already close enough to strike the demon.


    -No!


    Urus couldnt believe that Cain was that fast.


    That was thest thought that Urus had before Cains greatsword cut through Urus from head to toe in one strike.

 Side Story Chapter 172

    Side Story Chapter 172


    Energy surged within Cain. Despite the fact that he had just fought one of the strongest demons, Cain was better than ever.


    <em>I feel like I wouldnt lose to anyone,</em> Cain thought.


    Hed never felt anything like it; it looked like even his old wounds were healing. Cain could guess who was behind the change. He turned to regard the Emperor of Avalon in the Silver-Eyed Ghost Swords body and caught his hand glowing brightly. The warm energy from his hand was permeating into Cains abdomen, healing his mana hall.


    <em>Thank you. I wont let you down.</em> Cain clenched his fists.


    Above all, Cain was apologetic to the Emperor for giving up on his life so pathetically.


    Just then Cain was surprised to find that he wasnt the only one who was recovering. The two halves of Uruss body were merging back together.


    Oh no you dont! Cain swung his sword once again.


    However, Urus was quicker and retreated backward with his body still partially split, a level of resilience that even super-healing couldnt ount for.


    -Shit I cant believe I let a human humiliate me like this.


    -Step back, Urus.


    -What the fuck are you talking about? Im going to rip that damned geezer apart with my own hands.


    -You still dont stand a chance even if you attack him again.


    Urus loosed his immense murderous energy toward his colleague in a fit of rage.


    -Why dont you just beg me to kill you instead, Altheon?


    -I know it hurts your pride, but this is the Human Realm. You havent forgotten that already, have you?


    -So what? Am I supposed to bow down before a human and give up?


    -Im telling you to restart everything, not give up on fighting.


    -What shit are you on about?


    -Its time to use our other powers.


    Urus''s eyes widened and then he smiled wickedly.


    -Do you mean it? Seriously? You told me before to hide it until we reach the Demon Spirits legacy.


    -If you understand me, cover me first Keep an eye on <em>him</em> in particr.


    Altheon eyed Joshua warily.


    -Go on, get started. Dont worry, Im itching to use mine!


    Altheon slowly closed his eyes and extended his arms, his palms opened toward the ground.


    Cain leaped at them, as fast as a bolt of lightning.


    What scheme are you up to, demons?


    Let me help too, bis said, hot on Cains heels.


    The raucous din of battle echoed off the walls of the chamber. Where the demon had once been able to lie on the floor and deal with the humans with only his fingers, Urus was now struggling to fend off the two humans fierce attacks even though he was officially the second-strongest demon.


    -Shit! If only I were in the Demon Realm do it, quick, Altheon!


    Urus could only barely afford to talk.


    Joshua turned to look at Tshchary and Perchilin, who bowed politely to him. The two demons looked totally loyal to Joshua now.


    -Theyre trying to turn this ce into the Demon Realm.


    I knew it. Joshua nodded. It was possible with the power of Evil Sins, not because of the demons inherent abilities.


    -Im sure youve realized already, but theyre using the powers of Pride and Sloth.


    Joshuas eyes sharpened at the word Pride, because the first Evil Sin he had acquired in his previous life had finally shown up. However, for some reason, Urus and Altheon had been hiding their Evil Sins until now, and Joshua couldnt help but think that the demons had been forced to seal their powers rather than voluntarily choosing not to use their powers.


    -Greed, I know youre watching, and I have a feeling you can exin to me whats going on right now.


    In response, Joshuas eyes turned pitch-ck and the light in his eyes turned into a ribbon of smoke that pointed into the ground.


    The floor? Joshua tilted his head in confusion.


    The smoke went into the floor.


    Joshuas eyes widened. Theres something underground. So its been right under my nose all along, huh?


    An Evil Sin could detect special energy that ordinary humans and demons couldnt, particrly those rted to


    The Demon Spirit.


    The so-called god of the Demon Realm. It made sense because the Seven Evil Sins had been created by the first Demon Spirit, back when they were still one. The first Demon Spirit was the real deal, not like the phonies who proimed themselves to be gods after unifying the Demon Realm with theiradmittedly exceptionalpowers.


    The Britten Family had ruled Avalon for hundreds of years. Even Kaiser ben Britten and Evergrant had hidden countless undead underneath the Pce. After ascending to the throne, Joshua had left the ce be and used it in the same waybut he hadnt noticed anything peculiar about the Pces depths.


    That must mean that the energy can only be detected by Evil Sins, Joshua surmised.


    A new question arose: the Demon Spirits legacy responded to the Evil Sins, so wouldnt it better to unseal their Sins from the start?


    Tshchary answered Joshuas question.


    -Its because of us. We never knew that they had the powers of Pride and Sloth.


    Demons being demons They hid their powers from their colleagues the whole time?


    -Each of us has different characteristics and all of us have a very strong sense of pride, but we united for onemon goal.


    Your alliance isnt based on trust; its temporary for the sake of your objective.


    -That is right, but if ites to light that a demon has one of the Evil Sins that everyone wants


    Joshua nodded. I see.


    The demons would drop everything to fight for that Evil Sin. Well, theirmon goal was no doubt to turn the Human Realm into the Demon Realm, so they would have to think about their future after they aplished their goal.


    The key point must be who will rule the world once its be the demons.


    -If wed achieved our goal, Altheon over there would have been the most likely candidate, but that changes when other demonse into possession of Evil Sins.


    Bummer. Joshua cocked an eyebrow. I have no intention of turning the Human Realm into the demons world.


    Tshchary and Perchilin flinched but did not object.


    -Everything shall be done as you wish, master


    -Weve already devoted our souls to you, master.


    Joshua chuckled at them. It didnt matter how they actually felt because they were obligated to follow his orders now that they bore his Overlord Symbols. However, if there was a way to sever the links


    <em>Shouldnt we get a head start on them?</em> Lilith suggested.


    -You think so too?


    <em>Yes. Whatever it is, it was left behind by the Demon Spirit himself, so Im sure its like nothing we can even imagine. The demons who are bowing to you must have been thrilled when they heard the news since it might be the way to free themselves from your control.</em>


    A gods power would certainly be capable of upsetting what they knew as fact.


    -Well go first.


    Joshua decided that they should get to the underground floor before the demons. Crevasse, having lived there for a very long time, may have noticed something strange already.


    <em>Im fine with going, but do you think we can just leave them be?</em> Lilith asked.


    Joshua looked over his shoulder.


    Urus, the red devil, kept stumbling backward under Cains and biss barrage of attacks. It sounded like the demon was being hit by an avnche. It wouldnt be easy for the devil to defeat those two even if Altheon sessfully turned the chamber into the Demon Realm. No, as a matter of fact, the two knights would win the fight. And the moment they overcame this trial, the already renowned me Emperor and Combat Emperor would advance one step further.


    -That Battle God guy must have raised his army by now, so the army of Hubalt could invade yournds again any day now.


    <em>In other words, you want to train your colleagues in preparation for that day because you have to deal with demons and the Demon Spirits remaining legacy,</em> Lilith deduced.


    -Youre a quick learner. It looks to me like you can go on your own journey now.[1]


    Joshuaspliment made Lilith feel proud, but she grumbled, <em>Are you going to let me even if I say I will?</em>


    -Im sorry. Ill have to leech off of you until we finish taking care of this.


    <em>Use it as long as you need but dont call it leeching Its nothingpared to what youve done for me.</em>


    Joshua held back a smile.


    <em>A-Anyhow, I get what youre thinking! But you know that you might have to deal with Bel yourself even if your n seeds.</em>


    -I know.


    Joshuas face darkened. Up until recently, he had believed that his two sons would be able to fend off Hubalt, but that man named Bel changed everything. He was worthy of his title; astonishingly, he was as good as Joshua had been when he was Bels age.


    -I hope that Kireua and Selim will be able to take care of him, but Ill have to step in if it isnt possible.


    <em>Thats all I needed to hear. Although its odd for me to say this, Bel is the real monster,</em> Lilith warned Joshua.


    -Lets go.


    Joshua immediately turned away from the battle. The other people were already caught up in the action, so they didnt even look in Joshuas direction.


    Ill leave the rest to you two.


    -Yes, master.


    Joshua nodded at Perchilin and Tshchary and then walked away. The two demons eyes were sharper than ever as they watched Joshua depart.


    1. The raw is   , which literally means climbing down a mountain. It often means that the teacher has nothing left to teach the student.

 Side Story Chapter 173

    Side Story Chapter 173


    Joshua made his way toward the Pces depths.


    <em>No one is around, so be honest with me,</em> Lilith said.


    -What do you mean?


    <em>Do you really trust those two demons?</em>


    Joshua was sharing a body with Lilith, so he knew that she didnt believe them in the slightest. It hardly surprised him.


    <em>I dont think that an Overlord Symbol is perfect. Although it took a long time, the Magic Towers mages figured out the loophole of Mana Pledges.</em>


    A Mana Pledge was as absolute as an Overlord Symbol. When a mage broke one, the mana circle around their heart shattered and disappeared. As mages and knights valued their ability to use mana more than their lives, Mana Pledges were vows that should be upheld at all costsbut the mages had recently found a loophole.


    <em>Dont let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,</em> Lilith reminded Joshua.


    -Its the crux of a False Pledge.


    <em>Yes, its about not letting your soul know what your body is knowing. Mages made a Mana Pledge that they dont have to uphold even if they swear it out loud.</em>


    Considering it had been done by humans whose life spans were less than one hundred years, it was far too early to conclude that demons, who lived at least ten times longer than humans, wouldnt find a way. Above all, the emotions that Lilith asionally showed in Perchilin and Tshcharys eyes made Lilith very ufortable.


    <em>Your dear people could fall into danger,</em> Lilith advised Joshua.


    -Even if thats true, theyll be fine while Im away.


    <em>What makes you so sure?</em>


    -Demons greed surpasses human imagination by leaps and bounds.


    <em>What?</em>


    -Lets say that there are four big empires and a neutral city at the heart of the continent.


    <em>Its like Reinhardt was in the past,</em> Lilith immediately.


    Reinhardt, the neutral city, was now called the Martial Godsnd out of respect for Joshua, but it used to be the most hotly contested territory on the continent for its strategically advantageous position.


    -All the emperors wanted to take the continents heart, but none could afford to make a move.


    <em>The moment one country takes action, the other three would simultaneously attack them,</em> Lilithmented.


    -Whats the best choice in a situation like that?


    <em>Hmmm The obvious tactic would be to form a temporary alliance with a rtively distant country, but in this case, theres four countries. It wont be easy to gain the advantage unless an anomaly like you shows up!</em> Liliths voice quivered as she came to a realization. <em>I see! I had a feeling when you mentioned four empires, but its an analogy for the demons.</em>


    -Youre a quick learner indeed.


    <em>Theyve established a degree of trust with you, so theyre going to let you hold onto the merchandise for now and fight youter?</em>


    -If they have a way of undoing their Overlord Symbols by force, then that would be the best choice.


    Joshua would immediately notice any external influences on the demons Overlord Symbols, so there was a high chance that the demons were going to hide their ulterior motives until the very end.


    <em>You have a n for everything, dont you? Its admirable, although I shouldnt be surprised at this point,</em> Lilith said.


    -I stillck in many areas. Although Im good at painting the bigger picture, I need Icarus for the details.


    As Joshua and Lilith conversed, they eventually arrived at the entrance to the Pces underground level.


    -Lets go in.


    <em>Wait! It just urred to me: what would be the four empires best choice if there isnt someone like you?</em>


    Lilith clearly had the Hubalt Empire in mind as one of the four. There had been a simr situation in the past. The Avalon, Swallow, and Hubalt Empires had gone up against each other for Reinhardt, but they had been at an intense stalemate until Joshua showed up.


    -Do they have to fight?


    <em>What?</em>


    -You should prioritize the continents peace. Unless an empire wishes to unify the continent like Marcus the tyrant and Grand Duke Lucifer, I believe that there is no need for the empire to take action first.


    <em>I need power to protect peace. Powerless justice is merely ipetencejust like me right now,</em> Lilith said self-deprecatingly.


    -Do you really think so?


    <em>Definitely. I believe that to upy a strategically important position first by any means necessary.</em>


    -Even if that means the other three empires would all attack you at once?


    <em>Once youve taken the hill, however you choose to do it, the rest is straightforward. The four empires can rule the ce together so long as they promise not to attack the empire which made the first move. Then no one will be able to consider treachery since that is the same as handing the other empires a perfectly justifiable reason to invade you,</em> Lilith exined.


    There had been a time when the Hubalt and Swallow Empires had ruled over Reinhardt together, but one of them had betrayed the other, ending their co-rule. That was how the two empires had be mortal enemies, but this hypothetical situation was different. If one of the empires conquered the heart of a continent, that empire would have to risk being attacked by the three other empires.


    -What youre saying is only possible under the premise of your empire sessfully upying the continents heart. Its a very risky move.


    <em>That is why Im asking for your opinion,</em> Lilith said.


    -I told you earlier that I wont fight if the goal is to maintain peace.


    <em>Would you still think that even if there were maniacs who insist on unifying the continent in the three other empires, like Emperor Marcus and Grand Duke Lucifer?</em>


    -Thats all the more reason for me to stick to my decision. One other way would be withdrawing from the ce and eliminating my annoying political enemies within my country.


    <em>Pardon? Youre going to voluntarily start a civil war with a war already on the horizon?</em> Lilith asked, aghast.


    -Its toocent to think that the three other empires would fight themselves bloody after I withdrew. In fact, they might agree to attack me together because they think Im actually up to something.


    <em>But still a civil war?</em>


    -Theyll only believe me if I do something that dramatic. Well, Im actually purging people so its odd to call it dramatic. When a country is obviously preupied with their internal issues, they have no time to care about foreign affairs, so the three other empires would be delighted.


    <em>No matter how hard I try, I cant understand your n this time.</em>


    -Dont try to understand. Remember the past instead. I think youll find that something immediatelyes to mind.


    Lilith hesitated just as she was about to speak again and her eyes widened.


    <em>Avalon!</em>


    -Now you remember.


    The stalemate between the three empires hade to an end with the civil war between Avalons princes and the Dark Gods betrayal.


    <em>But No, regardless of everything else, you</em> Lilith trailed off.


    It wasnt an idea that an ordinary person would think of. War was amon method to divert the popces attention when the power struggles within a country became too intense. A bloodbath was inevitable if the nobility held power but their ruler insisted on peace. History was filled with such incidents, and the same thing was happening in Hubalt right now.


    -An invasion always ends in self-destruction. No ruler has fulfilled their dream of unifying the continent. The failure weakened the original people in power, and then they were overthrown by other people who had been waiting for the opportunity.


    <em>They did,</em> Lilith agreed.


    -Would things have changed if they seeded in unifying the continent?


    <em>Pardon?</em>


    -Naturally, theyd be busy tiptoeing around each other right after the war ends. But one unified empire has finally been builtwouldnt everyone dream about bing the one and only emperor, especially if they have the power?


    Joshua was saying that he would prioritize stabilizing his own country to prevent that from happening. In the end, trying to unify the continent was a temporary distraction at best.


    <em>Then what are you going to do after youve put your peoples families in control of the country?</em> Lilith wondered.


    -That is when the war really begins. I assure you that it isnt a simple matter that can be solved in a matter of days. By that time, the three other empires would have been greatly weakened after their bloody warin fact, one of them might have already fallen.


    Lilith waspletely dumbstruck. This kind of n could only be created by a person with great self-confidence, a bold spirit, and a broad perspective.


    -Its the same right now.


    <em>Wait</em>


    -While the four demons are fighting to the death, were going to find the Demon Spirits legacy. Theyll need a hostage to take something from me, so its going to be difficult for them to harm my people. Itd also be a problem for the demons if they push me too far and I start something.


    Were the Demons Spirits legacy an object, Joshua could destroy it, but if it were an ability, he would be able to use that as a tool for his revenge. In many ways, getting on Joshuas bad side wasnt a good choice. It only shocked Lilith more.


    <em>Lets never be enemies.</em>


    -Are you done asking your questions? It seems we still have more time


    The energy in the air alone indicated that the four demons hadnt begun their fight yet. Maybe because they were trying to determine each others level beforehand.


    <em>All my questions have been answered, so just promise me something,</em> Lilith murmured.


    -Are you talking about never bing enemies?


    <em>Right.</em>


    -I dont intend to ever be your enemy either, but your country, Hubalt, is a different question.


    Liliths lips trembled. Although she wished that Joshua wouldnt attack Hubalt either if possible, she couldnt be shameless enough to make such a request.


    <em>I understand.</em>


    -Thank you for understanding.


    Joshua nodded and released his energy, instantly lighting up the cavernous chamber.

 Side Story Chapter 174

    Side Story Chapter 174


    Joshua was right. Perchilin and Tschary had found a way to undo their Overlord Symbolsor more urately, they knew from the very beginning.


    -Im sorry for calling you a creep, Tshchary. I never imagined your research would be so useful.


    -Are you going to reward me then?


    -Hmph, you perv. Since you death reapers dont even have genitals, you wouldnt want my body. How am I supposed to satisfy my death reaper?


    -Im not really interested in your wiggling lumps of fat.


    -Youre boring.


    While Perchilin and Tshchary whispered to each other, they were getting stronger because Altheon was at the final stage of turning the chamber into the Demon Realm. The two demons were returning to their natural environment.


    -Ugh!


    Urus went flying across the room, making Perchilin burst intoughter.


    -Hahahaha! That pompous idiot is getting humiliated by mere humans. If things keep going this way, we might not even have to bother with them.


    -The name of the human driving Urus into a corner is Cain, and hes quite strong. The red-haired man next to the human cant be taken lightly either.


    -Theyre still humans.


    Perchilin scoffed and activated the power of Lust, shrouding her in pink energy. The more charming the owner was, the stronger the power of Lust was. As Perchilin believed her to be the most beautiful one in the world, the power was perfect for her; it made her almost invincible when she had to fight against many opponents at once.


    -Im looking forward to the day all men in the world prostrate themselves before me.


    Tshchary could only sigh at Perchilins daydreaming.


    -Live your fantasyter and focus on the job at hand now. If he finds out that our Overlord Symbols are useless, our ns will be ruined.


    -His instructions were to protect his people, so we wont have a problem as long as we dont let them die. In any case, lets stop with this boring talk and tell me what Evil Sin you want. You could have had the power of Gluttony, but you didnt take it.


    Perchilins eyes sparkled. Tshchary quietly looked over at the silver-haired demon who was using his demonic power to turn the floor into cknd.


    -Why are you suddenly looking at Altheon Ah!


    -Youre right. Ive only ever wanted Pride.


    -Youre so greedy! Do you want to be a new king of the Demon Realm or something?


    Compared to the other Evil Sins, the power of Pride was special to demons because it was the first Evil Sin of the Shining Darkness, who overshadowed even the Demon Realms god in a world where the strongest took everything.


    The Shining Darkness had united the entire vast Demon Realm with only Pride. Although he hadter acquired the power of Greed and one other Evil Sin, they were merely trophies because the Shining Darkness had pierced the almighty Demon Spirits before the other two Evil Sins hade into his possession.


    -It wont be easy since Altheon seems to be hiding the Pride inside him


    -So I would like your help on this one. If he tries to use his power of Evil Sin, stop him with your power of Lust.


    -Do you think thats possible? The power of Lust is certainly a great ability, but its only the best for me. I dont think its greater than Pride.


    Despite the concerns Perchilin raised, her eyes were sparkling. Tshchary instantly knew what she wanted.


    -Once we sessfully eliminate Urus, Ill hand Sloth over to you.


    -My! Do you mean it? I was fine with you undoing my Overlord Symbol!


    -Enough. Dont say things you dont mean. Is that enough reason to help me?


    -Hahahaha! Its only natural I should help the wisest general of the Demon Realm. Lets stick together until the end, Tshchary!


    Altheon suddenly emitted an immense amount of demonic power,pleting the chambers transformation into the Demon Realm.


    -Hahahaha!


    Urus distanced himself and burst into manicughter. He looked hideous. His arms and horns were severed and he was covered with weeping cuts. He had been constantly on the retreat from Cain and biss joint attacks, but he wasughing now.


    -Ill rip all of you to pieces!


    The shocking sight unfolded right afterward.


    Agh!


    Uruss forehead lit up with a blinding light, making Cain and bis reel. His horns started to grow back from their freshly cut stumps. A demon''s horns stored their power, much like a humans mana hall or mana circleit was supposed to be impossible for them to grow back after they were cut off. Nevertheless, Uruss horns were growing back bigger and sturdier than before, almost as if they hadnt been ruined at all.


    -Grrrrr.


    Urus growled like an animal.


    His horns werent the only parts of his body that recovered; his amputated arms also grew back. Uruss resilience exceeded that of a trolls.


    -Its the power of Sloth.


    The desire to have the Sloth emerged from deep inside Perchilin. The power of Sloth had a straightforward ability.


    -The Evil Sin grants their owners wish even if they didnt do anything.


    It didnt matter if the owner waszy. In fact, thezier the owner was, the more the power of Sloth liked it. The power allowed the owner to manifest their will only with their fingers, surpassing the level of Dragon Tongue.


    -Rise! Stronger! Sturdier! Hahahahahahaha!


    The storm of demonic power intensified, and Altheon was getting ready to join in on the fight. With Urus and Altheon distracted, Tshchary and Perchilin looked at each other and nodded. This was their only opportunity.


    -Tshchary! Perchilin! I wont ask why you betr!


    Uruss lips trembled. When he looked down, he saw slim fingers protruding out of his chest. The fingernails were sharper than any beasts ws.


    -Per chilin. You bitch!


    -You let your guard down.


    Perchilin licked the back of Uruss ear with her scarlet tongue, with a grin. The vulnerable moment right after the activation of his Evil Sin, the cumbersome flies before him, the confidence sprouting from his new power, not expecting his colleagues to ambush him in a time like this Everything had conspired to take Urus off guard. Above all


    -When did you get Lust?


    After activating the Evil Sin that he had sealed inside of him, Urus could feel that Perchilin had acquired the same kind of power.


    -Are you surprised?


    Perchilin giggled. Among the Seven Evil Sins, the power of Lust was the most subtle; even the energy that it exuded was invisible to the naked eye.


    -Gah. This is nothing!


    Uruss chest muscles flexed. It looked like he was going to use his super-healing ability with Perchilins hand still inside his heart, but she and Tshchary werent going to let that happen.


    -So long.


    A shadow loomed over Urus as Tshchary decapitated Urus with his scythe. The red devils head flew into the air, his eyes filled with disbelief.


    -Hahahahaha!


    Perchilin burst intoughter with her hand still left in his chest. The best part was still toe.


    -Now,e to me, Sloth.


    A ferocious storm of demonic power erupted once againthis time it came from the hole in Uruss chest.


    * * *


    Joshua stopped when he arrived in front of the vault hidden underneath the Pce.


    Youre back.


    Crevasse. Joshua nodded.


    A man stood there, looking at Joshua as if he had been waiting for him. The man was Crevasse, the ck dragon.


    The undead that used to pack the vault were gone, but Crevasse remained.


    Youre still here, Joshua said.


    Aisha Sestropi has someone to protect, but not me. I have no reason to leave this ce.


    Is that so?


    Of course, if the houses owner asks me to leave, I will.


    Joshua looked straight into Crevasses eyes and smirked. Why would I, if you pay your rent on time?


    Are all humans thugs like you? I dont think rent would be necessary after all Ive done for you.


    It looks like you have something I want, Sir Crevasse.


    Crevasse flinched and then nodded.


    I think I have an idea what that is. Im sorry. I wont be able to pay the rent myndlord demands; that would be daylight robbery.


    Can I ask why you hid the Demon Spirits legacy, even from me?


    Crevasse was silent for a long time before he was enveloped by a ck light that gave way to reveal a colossal ck dragon.


    -Although I used to call knights pea-brains, I think that Im starting to understand why theyre like that. Did you say that you want the Demon Spirits legacy I have?


    Joshua nodded.


    Yes, he quietly replied. I must have it.


    -Then bring me to my knees. Then youll be able to get your answer and the legacy.


    Joshuas eyes narrowed.

 Side Story Chapter 175

    Side Story Chapter 175


    Revenge, grudges, enemies, anger Crevasse believed that those words were just for humans and he still thought the same, so his challenge wasnt made for such lowly reasons. It didnt matter what the human in front of him thought about this challenge.


    <em>The only reason why Im doing this is that my pride hurts a lot.</em>


    Dragons could not avoid their extinction. Crevasse was the only surviving dragon. A human, the race which Crevasse had treated like vermin, had single-handedly ended them. Had that human been Joshua Sanders Yes, Crevasse would have epted his races downfall even if it would have irked him a little; considering his experience with Joshua Sanders, he knew the human was capable enough. But the name of the human that had exterminated the dragons was Bel, a human whom Crevasse had never heard of.


    <em>Almost a hundred of my kind were killed by a human who wont even live for more than a hundred years.</em>


    Did Crevasse resent the human? Absolutely not. Dragons had zero sense of kinship, and Crevasse was the most entric dragon of them all. It just hurt Crevasses pride because he felt like he was cowering in the Pces underground in fear of a puny human. The possibility that other, even more pathetic humans might think the same was unbearable to Crevasse.


    Right before her death, the dragon lord used all of her remaining power to deliver a message: Crevasse was the only proof that the race of dragons had ever existed, so he should never battle the man named Bel.


    <em>Stupid woman. Whos worrying about who?</em> Crevasse smiled bitterly as he recalled thest moments of the dragon lord. However, the smile slipped away quickly.


    -Regardless of how this fight ends, Im going to go out into the world.


    Thats rather sudden, Joshua said.


    -Its time. ck dragons are the only dragons who use demonic power, not mana. That is also the reason why were called evil dragons.


    Im aware.


    -That means that we and demons pursue a simr kind of power in some ways.


    Joshuas eyes widened. Wait Did you use the Demon Spirits legacy for yourself?


    -Get the answer to the question after you bring me to my knees. Keep in mind that one thing is clear.


    What is it?


    -The moment I get out of this underground vault, Im going to eat up not only your power of Greed but also the other Evil Sins that I can detect aboveground.


    Crevasses goal was clear.


    Youre going to destroy the Human Realm, Joshua somberly stated.


    -Not a single human shall be spared. Yours is a filthy and detrimental race that only causes harm to others.


    Im also a human.


    -You have the shell of a human, to be precise. Dont worry. Ill spare you and your family for old times sake.


    A wave of Crevasses demonic power silenced any retort from Joshua.


    Well have to live like livestock for the rest of our lives in return? Joshua guessed.


    -You can defeat me here and now if you dont want that. Are you ready?


    Joshua straightened his back. I understand that this is a fight that I must win.


    -I like that you catch on quickly.


    Joshua Sanders was the zenith of the Human Realm. In fact, Crevasse didnt think that Joshua could possibly be any weaker than Bel, so Crevasse intended to use him to prove that dragons were still the greatest creatures in the Human Realm by defeating him.


    Crevasse lightly breathed in, turning the entire chamber into a vacuum. He was preparing to use dragon breath, one of the dragons strongest weapons.


    <em>Th-This is crazy! Hes using dragon breath right at the start?</em> Lilith gasped.


    -Its a very abrupt start to the fight that will decide the fate of humanity.


    <em>Can you really afford to joke right now? Youre going up against a dragon!</em>


    -A man named Bel beat up one hundred of those dragons with his bare fists.


    Lilith couldnt reply.


    Crevasse exhaled a ck fog that nketed the area in moments. Everythingliving and otherwisemelted away into nothingness. The ck dragons acidic breath was so poisonous that most knights lungs would melt just by breathing it in.


    <em>Run!</em> Lilith yelled.


    -Im not going to.


    With that, Joshua gave his spear a mighty swing. By using the Second Form of the Magic Spear Art, which created gales with every swing, Joshuas red spear became a windmill. Crevasses dragon breath tried and failed to break through the gale Joshua with Longin, although it sounded like a veritable hail of artillery.


    <em>Thunderstorms!</em> Lilith eximed. She recognized the technique. It was a Level 2 Magic Spear Art technique, which originally didnt work on dragons at all, but Joshua had used it without hesitation. Forms and levels were meaningless to him now, so he simply used the techniques that would be most effective in each situation.


    -Ill show you another way of using Thunderstorm, so watch and learn.


    <em>A-Are you going to give me a lesson in a time like this?</em> Lilith stammered in disbelief.


    -Theres no better training than actualbat.


    Joshua extended his spear and the ck fog followed along as if the dragon breath was a toy. Joshua turned in a full circle.


    <em>Hermes!</em> Lilith gasped, awestruck by the extraordinary feat Joshua was performing.


    The ck cloud continued to follow Joshua, amassed at the end of his long spear as if it were covered in glue.


    -Its only right to return a gift.


    Joshua hurled the ck cloud, forcing Crevasse to hastily lean back or else fall victim to his own breath.


    The dragon breath hit the ceiling with an ear splitting <em>boom</em>, sending massive cracks running through it.


    Crevasses brows furrowed.


    -I knew it. Its not nearly enough.


    I was lucky, Joshua lightly replied.


    -You just look full of yourself when youre too humble.


    Do I look full of myself?


    Crevasse grinned, baring his fangs.


    -You can save the smugness. My dragon breath wasnt the real attack in the first ce.


    Joshua felt the mana flows shift dramatically and raised an eyebrow. When did it?


    The terrain had changed into a wet swamp. Just like Crevasse said, the dragon breath was just a diversion so he could change the terrain.


    -Ragnheur, the god of thunder.


    Joshua felt a rising sense of urgency since the only kind of magic that a supreme dragon would need to incant was Ninth Circle magic.


    Water and lightning You stuck to the basics, huh? Joshua murmured.


    -Ive repeated it a thousand times. Human mages dont seem to understand that mastering the basics is the most important aspect of practicing magic. They only chant about the mighty upper Circle magic. You have nowhere to run, so surrender. Youre the one person I dont wish to harm.


    Crevasse was rxed and obviously feeling certain of his victory.


    Do you think youve won? Joshua asked.


    -Dont try to escape from reality.


    There was a reason why Crevasse was so sure of his sess. The deciding factor in a fight between strong individuals like them was who gained control of the battlefield first. Escaping the battlefield using teleportation spells like Blink was insane because Crevasse was a dragon. The moment that his opponent teleported, Crevasse could twist the coordinates and the opponent would explode.


    Of course, Joshua wasnt a mage. Could he avoid the crisis with his superhuman speed, then? Crevasse could fill the air with lightning bolts of apocalyptic power with a flick of a finger. Lightning versus a human. Which one would be faster?


    Are all dragons like you, Sir Crevasse? Joshua suddenly threw out.


    -What? What are you talking about now?


    No reason. I never thought about it, but Im starting to sense why the other hundred dragons were defeated by Bel.


    -Are you mocking me?


    Crevasses brows furrowed.


    Imying out reality, not mocking you. Your entire race cant progress any further because you fail to ept the truth.


    -Youre begging me to kill you, arent you?


    The lightning currents around Crevasse intensified as if they were going to explode at any moment.


    Dragons are too prideful, including you. They loathe learning from someone else and they never want to make any effort. Despite the fact that they live for eternity, they sleep most of their lives away or they polymorph into other creatures and y around.


    -You talk as if you humans are different.


    Crevasse sneered. Humans constantly went to war against each other and were overwhelmed by their sexual desires. Most of them died before they even lived out their life span, which was already less than one hundred years.


    -There are no other races as pathetic as humans.


    Those pathetic humans have exterminated the great dragons. Not all humans are as pathetic as you think, Sir Crevasse. Each human has a unique personality and different thoughts. That is the biggest difference between humans and other races, unlike the prideful dragons.


    -You!


    Analyzing the cause of our defeat is humanitys specialty. We admit and ept our defeats, allowing us to find new opportunities and improve themselves. As a dragon, do you understand what that means? Joshua slowly raised his spear. Unless you admit it and ept your races defeat, youll never emerge victorious over Bel.


    -How dare you!


    The numerous, powerful lightning currents exploded in every direction, but most of them were directed at Joshua.


    -Ah!


    Crevasse gasped, realizing hed lost control of his emotions for a moment. The spells that he had used were Ninth Circle, so not even Joshua Sanders would be unscathed after being struck by them.


    -I cant believe that I made such a mistake


    Unfortunately, Im fine.


    Crevasse was astounded to hear Joshuas voice. He whipped around and saw a familiar woman slowly emerging from the floor.


    -Sh-Shadow?


    Joshua rose from the shadow and then leveled his spear at Crevasse.


    This is what I was talking about.

 Side Story Chapter 176

    Side Story Chapter 176


    Crevasse reeled. He realized that he had to ept it this time.


    <em>Ive lost.</em>


    The red spear gleamed wickedly, its razor edge threatening to cut through Crevasses neck if he so much as twitched.


    Aisha Sestropi, the dark elf known to the Human Realm as the Assassin King, could also use a shadow movement technique simr to what Joshua had used. Since Crevasse had spent several years in herpany, he was familiar with the technique, but Joshua Sanderss was on a different level.


    Would you like to continue? Joshua asked.


    -I cant believe it. Are dragons supposed to be this weak?


    If your opponent had been someone else, Im sure the oue would have been different.


    Dragons lived for a thousand years, normally; hundreds of times longer than humans. Yet, Crevasse had lost before he couldnd a single blow on Joshua. Crevasses pride wasnt just hurt, he was also so humiliated that he couldnt even raise his head.


    The flow of mana in the area changed drastically and ck light filled Crevasses eyes. Although those were signs that would normally put people on alert, Joshua just quietlynded on the ground. The fight was over, as indicated by the ck-haired man who appeared and gently pushed the tip of Joshuas spear away. The light came from Crevasses polymorphing.


    Well, losing to you isnt that surprising, considering that youre a god-yer


    From what Ive experienced, I have no doubt you would also have lost to Bel.


    Crevasse pressed his lips together. Joshua didnt stop to consider Crevasses feelings because he had to wake Crevasse up to reality.


    Im sure that you never felt the need to make an effort since dragons are born mighty.


    What is it you want to say?


    If you dont change your mindset, you will be the end of the dragons, Joshua bluntly stated.


    The dragon lordsst message came to Crevasses mind. In her message, she had asked Crevasse for a number of favors. One was to never fight a human named Bel, and the other one was to stop dragon kind from disappearing from this world entirely. It seemed contradictory to Crevasse. At the same time as she was asking Crevasse not to fight Bel, she also wished for the race of dragons to be saved from extinction. However, the dragon lords message was worded out of consideration for Crevasses pride. It was a roundabout way to ask Crevasse to quietly live in the shadow.


    Ha, so I have to bet everything on you, huh? Crevasse chuckled.


    Joshua''s eyes widened in surprise. Crevasses remark just now would have hurt his pride more than Joshuas advice to contemte his mistakes and make an effort to improve himself. The dragon was basically putting his fate in the hands of a human out of fear for another human.


    Im a little baffled, Joshua mused, tilting his head in confusion.


    I recently carried an egg.


    Joshua gasped in uncontroble shock. However, that was just the start of a series of surprises, each even more incredible than the other.


    And I gave birth to it.


    S-So you have a baby now?


    It was that stupid dragon lords request to stop theplete extinction of dragons. Crevasse shrugged. He had long owed a debt to the departed dragon lord, so he couldnt turn down herst request. He knew that he couldnt keep a promise not to do battle with Bel, so in the spur of the moment, Crevasse hade up with a different way to continue the survival of the dragons. After pondering for a moment, the dragon lord had nodded since she believed that Crevasse would have to avoid meeting Bel to avoid theplete extinction of dragons. However, she had been mistaken because she didnt know how prideful Crevasse was.


    Wh-Where is the babys mother then? Lilith asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.


    You arent Joshua Sanders.


    Im Lilith Aphrodite, this bodys original owner.


    I remember seeing you. Crevasse nodded. But there is no mother.


    Th-There is no mother?


    Dont treat supreme beings such as I the same as you lowly humans. Dragons are beings who can create new life without something as vulgar and animalistic as sexual intercourse, Crevasse sneered. He was still just as proud of his race as he had always been even though he was hiding from a human.


    I cant believe thats possible Then you needed a nest to protect your baby. Mostno, all the pesky invaders would be taken care of by the Pces defenses before they got to the underground floor, Lilith said, carefully picking her words to suit the dragons pride.


    Crevasse nodded. Youre right.


    You still havent answered my question. Where is the Demon Spirits legacy?


    Noticing that Joshua was the one who asked the question this time, Crevasse instantly stopped talking. Joshua waited patiently for Crevasse to answer.


    Suddenly, their heads both turned toward the deepest, darkest recesses of the vault.


    I sincerely hope Im wrong about this one, Joshua said, biting his lip.


    Youre definitely quick.


    Joshuas lips trembled because Crevasses answer was as good as a yes.


    Sir Crevasse, did you?


    I didnt use the Demon Spirits legacy for myself. If I get killed by that human named Bel, the future for my hatchling bes uncertain, so I had to give the baby the power to survive on his own. Crevasse quietly closed his eyes; there was no hiding the truth now. Yes, I fed my baby the Demon Spirits legacy, just like you guessed.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, a storm of demonic power wracked the Pce of Avalons council chamber.


    -Hahahahahaha!


    The power belonged to Perchilin, the witch demon who now embraced the powers of both Lust and Sloth. On the other hand, Urus, the red devil who was only left with his head, stared at Perchilin in disbelief.


    -Perchilin You bitch!


    -Devils are certainly persistent.


    -Tshchary! What is the meaning of this?!


    In reply to Urus, Tshchary silently raised his scythe and ground its butt into Uruss cheek.


    -Urgh How dare you!


    -Im the one who should be asking you two a question. What were you nning to do in this ce by hiding the fact that you two had the Evil Sins?


    Tshchary was looking at Urus, but his question was for Altheon, the silver-haired demon.


    -The only thing that weaklings have to do is listen to the stronger ones Dont talk back


    -Right back at you.


    Tshchary pressed down on Uruss cheek harder, silencing himand then the devils head burst like a balloon under the pressure. It was a vain end for the second-strongest demon of the Demon Realm.


    -Youre next if you dont answer me, Altheon.


    -You asked me why I hid my power, yes?


    Altheon grinned.


    -Not exactly, but lets move on since it means the same thing.


    -Then what about you, Tshchary? Youve been hiding power that even I cant fathom; however, you lived for hundreds of years without trying to increase your rank.


    Tshchary didnt answer him.


    -Dont try to deny it. From what Ive seen, youre at leastparable to me.


    -Then you know that when I and Perchilin join forces, you wont stand a chance, especially since she possesses two Evil Sins.


    -I would have if I were the old me.


    Altheons silver hair fluttered as his ominous, blood red demonic power burst out of him. Altheons power was so overwhelming that it even made the air in the chamber tremble.


    Tshchary flinched in surprise. Cain and bis, who had been vigntly watching the demons staredown, also stumbled several steps backward. Icarus shook like an aspen leaf in a hurricane because she was an ordinary person as far as martial arts were concerned.


    Excuse me, Your Majesty, Cain said, positioning himself in front of Icarus.


    Icarus slowly calmed down after Cain shielded her with his robust physique and released an enormous amount of mana along with bis to stabilize the air in the room. However, the chambers stones were crumbling, unable to withstand Altheons demonic power.


    -Pride


    Tshcharys eyes were filled with greed after witnessing the overwhelming power that could be used to crush all of creation. Tshchary had wanted that power longer than he could even remember.


    -Lets make a deal, Tshchary.


    -A deal?


    -Perchilin has already obtained two Evil Sins. Dont tell me that you actually think she would willingly hand over Pride to you after bringing me down?


    -Wh-What is this? You will not drive a wedge between us! Tshchary already let me have two Evil Sins, so its only natural I should hand him Pride!


    Tshcharys sharp eyes didnt miss Perchilins moment of hesitation, however brief.


    -How about this? I believe that you want my Pride. Its always been well known that youve been looking for this power, even when we were in the Demon Realm.


    -What is it you want to say?


    -Ill give you Pride.


    Tshchary was taken aback again.


    -Tshchary! Dont tell me youre falling for his lies!


    Despite Perchilins protests, Tscharys eyes were glued on Altheon..


    -Im sure that theres a conditionisnt there?


    -I wont ask you for Perchilins two Evil Sins.


    Altheons offer continued to subvert Tshcharys expectation. He had thought that Altheon would ask for the other two Evil Sins in return for the power of Pride.


    -What do you want then?


    -Im sure that youve already detected the Demon Spirits legacy underground. I want it, so let me have it.


    -The Demon Spirits legacy


    Tshchary didnt know what exactly the Demon Spirits legacy was, but he didnt feel like it was going to be greater than an Evil Sin.


    -Ill let the two Evil Sins choose their own masters.


    When Altheon finished listing his demands, Tshchary was silent for a long time. Perchilin grew anxious. She knew that this long silence was not a good sign for her. Altheon gradually regained hisposure and smiled.


    Perchilin!


    -Wh-what?


    You look like youre going to get a real stab in the back, so why dont you team up with us!


    The three demons eyes widened at the human voice.


    Behind Cain and bis, Icarus shouted, Wouldnt it be better to fight against them with two more people than on your own?!


    -You?


    Icarus delivered the final blow:


    We dont even need your Evil Sins!

 Side Story Chapter 177

    Side Story Chapter 177


    Perchilin was intrigued. It was true that Evil Sins were meaningless to humans, so it was likely that they werent lying when they said they didnt want her Evil Sins. Humans would be overpowered by an Evil Sin instead of controlling the power, just as Lust had already done once.


    -Dont get any funny ideas, Perchilin. You wont be able to undo your Overlord Symbol without me.


    -Hmm I see that youre getting anxious, Tshchary.


    -Think about the bigger picture. I gave you Sloth as I promised.


    -Well, I think there is a good reason why its said that you feel different before and after you use the toilet.[1]


    -Perchilin!


    -Why do you keep yelling?! Youre the one who made me nervous by staying silent.


    -I!


    Tshchary was so frustrated that he felt like he was going to go crazy. Yes, it was true that he had been tempted for a moment. Perchilin had two Evil Sins while Altheon possessed the power of Pride. Therefore, Tshchary had to calcte his chance of victory against either of the two of them. However, it was merely a fleeting thought. He had already handed Perchilin Sloth, so it would be counterproductive to betray her. With that in mind, all he had to do now was to manipte the situation to his advantage, but this nobody human woman suddenly interfered with his work!


    -Perchilin, you misunderstood me. You know that partnering up with Altheon right now isnt beneficial to me anyway


    -Well, Im not sure.


    Tshchary caught Perchilins subtle grin.


    -Wait, you? I see. Your mind was already set from the start, you damned witch!


    -I have no idea what youre talk Pfft Hahaha..!


    Perchilin burst intoughter. It was no surprise, really, because even though she currently had two Evil Sins, she was experiencing no bad reactions. Although it was believed in the Demon Realm that one demon having two Evil Sins was impossible, Perchilin was full of energy. The taboo seemed like an old wives tale.


    <em>I cant help myself from feeling greedy.</em> Perchilin looked at the throne with a contented smile. The humans that lessened her guilt looked as adorable as if they were her children.


    <em>Alright, Im feeling merciful. Im going to spare them.</em>


    Her Overlord Symbol was even less problematic since she was faithfully obeying the Shining Darknesss instruction by helping those humans. She could find a way to undo her Overlord Symbol after she finished absorbing all of the Evil Sins there.


    -The power of Pride overwhelms everything; it never yields to anyone, not even one of its fellow Evil Sins. Cant you tell its impossible for Pride to coexist with other Evil Sins? You cant have three Evil Sins at once, Perchilin!


    -If it doesnt work, Ill just find a way to take care of it.


    -You!


    -Come here, my children.


    Perchilin beckoned to the humans with a grin.


    Children?


    Cain and bis eyed Perchilin for a moment and then exchanged nces with each other. Both of them had lived for quite a long time to be called children. But, of course, demons lived a lot longer than humans, so


    -Arent you going toe? You have to protect your dear Queen Consort, dont you?


    Cain and bis''s eyes widened. They quickly exchanged a flurry of telepathic messages.


    <em>Is there no other way than following hermands?</em> bis asked.


    <em>Dont tell me you trust her. If she holds Her Majesty hostage while we fight, were in trouble.</em>


    <em>Then you stay behind and protect her. Ill deal with one of them,</em> bis told Cain, casting a critical eye at Altheon and Tshchary.


    <em>Absolutely not! Youre our guest, so I cant ask you to take care of our matters. Ill go instead.</em>


    <em>And you think a guest from a foreign country guarding the Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire makes sense?</em>


    <em>W-Well</em>


    <em>Demons have always been the enemy of all mankind, so its better youre by her side.</em> bis noticed that one of Perchilins eyebrows was raised. <em>We might ruin the stage that she put so much work into. Dont talk anymore.</em>


    bis slowly walked toward Perchilin.


    -Hmm? Why are youing alone?


    bis shrugged. Im sure you understand that we have our reasons.


    -Ahah. Youre worried about that cunning girl.


    Perchilin nodded. She didnt look displeased at all since they were talking about that very person who had orchestrated this beautiful arrangement.


    -I dont wish the girl to die either because Im nning on rewarding herter.


    Im sure that the Queen Consort would be very happy to hear that, bis replied with a sour expression.


    -But can you handle those monsters on your own? Your best choice is the death reaper demon over there while I take that silver-haired one. He may not look that intimidating, but hes officially the strongest demon and has the power of Pride, the Shining Darknesss first Evil Sin.


    Perchilin pointed back and forth between Altheon and Tshchary.


    What is this Shining Darkness that you keep talking about? bis asked.


    -Huh? You dont know? In other words, he hid his real identity from his people too?


    Perchilin gave bis a wide-eyed look.


    What are you talking about?


    -No, no, nothing. Lets get started. I wont tell you to win, just to hang on. Ill take care of everything.


    Perchilins eyes zeroed in on Tshchary furtively approaching Altheon.


    Is that going to be okay? bis inquired.


    -Its fine, its fine. Come to think of it, he wont be able to seriously harm you because of his Overlord Symbol.


    Overlord Symbol? Is that rted to the Shining Darkness that you mentioned earlier?


    -Just keep in mind that its there.


    Alright, but we have to straighten out one thing.


    -Hmm?


    I wasnt talking about myself when I asked if it was going to be okay, bis said.


    -Hmmm


    Perchilin frowned slightly, but it wasnt because bis had hurt her pride. As a matter of fact, Perchilin herself couldnt guarantee her victory either. Considering the typical difference in theirbat abilities, she was guaranteed to lose to Altheonbut it was different now that Perchilin had the powers of Lust and Sloth.


    -I wont be able to predict the chance of my victory by sheer numbers Hmm, should I have partnered up with Tshchary?


    Perchilin shrugged off her doubts after a moment because nothing would change by crying over spilled milk.


    However, the devious human girl spun her magic again.


    Hey you, over there! The reaper! Icarus shouted. You look like youre under themand of His Majesty. Since he isnt someone who trusts demons, Im sure that you made something like a Mana Pledge with him. Can you betray us like this?


    -Shes very smart. I really want her.


    Perchilin grinned at Tshchary who stared at Icarus speechlessly.


    I assure you that you wont be able to escape His Majestys wrath if you harm the red-haired human over there. Sir bis is his long-time friend! Icarus warned Tshchary.


    That made bis smile wryly. Its always good to hear that Im the dear friend of the greatest man on the continent.


    -Phew.


    Tshchary let out a long sigh and mmed the end of his scythes handle on the ground. Icaruss expression brightened.


    -Humans are indeed more clever with words than demons.


    There was certainly a way to forcibly undo an Overlord Symbol, but there were a few problems with that. The method involved breaking away from ones body and soul, followed by resurrection. That would free one from all existing restrictions on them and was also where the first problem came in: right after the resurrection, one was defenseless. The second problem was that the Shining Darkness woulde back immediately after sensing a problem with the Overlord Symbol, which meant throwing the worst possible enemy into the worst possible situation. Third, and most important of all, the nearby demons werent going to sit on their hands as Tshchary freed himself from his Overlord Symbol.


    -I made a poor decision. I should have spared Urus and made this fight more chaotic.


    Tshchary grumbled over his obvious mistake. He resented the human woman next to the throne for ruining all his ns.


    Help us right now and deal with the silver-haired demon over there. Keep in mind that I am Icarus Sanders, the Second Queen Consort of the Avalon Empire and the wife of the man whom you serve, Icarus proimed, her dignified voice hanging in the air.


    Even Cain nodded along with a bright smile. Whenever I see you, Im amazed at how much things have changed, he whispered to Icarus.


    Are you being sarcastic? she hissed back.


    No way. How could I dare?


    It reminded me of old times for some reason. You used to make me think that this is what it felt like to get attacked with truth,[2] Icarus scoffed.


    I must have gotten pretty old not to remember that On a side note, I now respect you more than anyone else in the Pce.


    Cains social skills had reached their peak as he grew older.


    You would be less annoying if you werent a smooth talker.


    Everything seemed to be smooth sailing.


    -I see now. Is that why you are torn about your decision, Tshchary?


    Cain and Icarus turned toward Altheon.


    -Yes, Im sure that you heard, but my hands are tied here.


    -Why are you worried about that?


    -What?


    -You dont have to wound those buffoons. Ill take care of them, so dont get in my way.


    -Do you seriously think


    -Of course it does. Shall I make your decision easier?


    Before thest words had even left Altheons lips, he quickly and quietly vanished into a cloud.


    Sir bis! Icaruss scream echoed throughout the chamber.


    Gah! bis shivered.


    When Altheon reappeared, his fingers were protruding from biss chest.


    1. The raw is ,              . Its simr to the English saying of danger past, god forgotten. After taking care of a bathroom emergency, one is more rxed so they forget about the gratitude they felt for finding a bathroom before soiling oneself.


    2. The raw is      . This is from a Korean meme about being brutally honest to the point that that feels like verbal abuse.

 Side Story Chapter 178

    Side Story Chapter 178


    In this world where swords and magic coexisted, humans never stopped improving themselves. The art of swords started from simple skills like horizontal and vertical swings and hade to incorporate all sorts of advanced techniques, to say nothing of the multitude of other weapons avable. What about magic? There had initially been only four to five spells in each Circle, but humans had used their creativity and had invented hundreds, if not thousands, of spells. And even if those spells were the same type of magic, each faction of mages spells turned out to be entirely different from one another.


    What about dragons? They had made no progress at all because they never tried despite the fact they lived for eternity. People perceived dragons to be creatures who could rule the world without effort; Joshua, naturally, didnt think any differently until a moment ago.


    Joshua reached the end of the underground vault and gasped.


    A dragon hatchling?


    A creature not quite as tall a human adult was cowering in the corner, which didnt make any sense. ording to everything Joshua knew, even a newborn dragon was as big as most trolls and ogres, but the hatchling in front of Joshua was one meter tall at most.


    That hatchling is my child, Crevasse mumbled in his handsome ck-haired human form.


    Thats strange.


    What do you mean?


    Its a lot different from what I know about dragons. You said that its possible even without sexual intercourse, but Joshua trailed off.


    Yes, we dragons can create life without such vulgar acts.


    Joshua immediately shook his head. Life is conceived, not created. Only a god can create something out of nothing.


    Look at what is in front of you. As you can see, I did it.


    Im sure that you didnt use a conventional method, but if that was actually possible, dragons would have dominated the Human Realm long ago since theyd be able to freely create new dragons and instruct them to settle the entire continent. Besides, its not like dragons are hermaphrodites like earthworms.


    Youre the one who is sorely mistaken here. We value harmony with other races above all else. Had we nned on ruling the Human Realm, we would have done it already. Although I dont like the nickname, we dragons are called the guardians of the Human Realm reason, Crevasse reminded Joshua.


    Lets be more honest here. Joshua looked deadly serious. You <em>couldnt</em> do it, not wouldnt do it.


    Lilith agreed with every word Joshua said.


    What?


    Of course, its cumbersome work, and you wouldnt have felt the necessity But its not what most dragons would have wanted. There are some entric dragons like you, but some gentle dragons like the gold dragons truly love peace. Joshua tilted his head.


    Crevasse quietly considered Joshuas words, if only because Joshua hadid out the facts in a way that wouldnt hurt Crevasses pride. History indicated that the biggest enemies of the evil and manic dragons, infamous for tormenting and trying to rule the humans, were their fellow dragons.


    Judging from the fact that youve shown me your hatchling, I assume that you have a favor to ask of me, yes?


    Crevasses mouth remained shut.


    If you continue to hide the truth, I cant help you, Sir Crevasse. Joshua turned around without any hesitation.


    Lilith was surprised.


    <em>Youre just going to leave?</em> she quickly asked.


    -I should.


    <em>Dragons may disappear from this world without your help.</em>


    -This is what they call reaping the harvest you sowed.


    <em>Youre cold,</em> Lilith grumbled.


    However, Lilith was concerned for nothing.


    Youre clever. Fooling a ghost might be easier, Crevasse said. Joshua stopped but only turned his head. I wont hide it any longer. As you can already see, my child isnt an ordinary dragon hatchling.


    What is it then?


    The more apt description would be my avatara clone of me.


    Crevasse exercised his mana, projecting an image in front of him.


    Is that?


    Its my heart.


    Joshua jolted. Crevasses heart was a powerful thing, but it was just as odd as his clone. Considering that Crevasse was as big as a castle, his heart was too small.


    Wait


    I give two-thirds of my heart to my hatchling.


    I knew it! Joshua hissed. It was no wonder why the dragon hatchling was a lot smaller than an ordinary hatchling and why Crevasse hadnt been himself in their battle.


    Nevertheless, that wasnt enough to make a hatchling. Like you said, creating something from nothing is the work of a godso I borrowed a gods power.


    Joshua had an idea of what happened.


    You used the Demon Spirits legacy, he said, a frown tugging at his lips.


    Thats correct. Its the shell of a god without a soul, so that was perfect to rebuild my heart. Besides, as I told you earlier, ck dragons use demonic power.


    Do you know what you have done?


    Not at all. This has never been done in history, but I had no other choice. Crevasse smiled bitterly.


    The reason why Joshuas expression was so grim was that the dragon hatchling was unlike anything that had ever existed. Being born from the Demon Spirits body, there was no knowing what kind of creature the hatchling would grow up to be.


    That is why I would like to ask you a favor: if you believe that hes going to grow up to be someone who will bring evil to the world y him yourself. Please.


    Joshua ''s eyes widened.


    Lilith was quite surprised too. Even though they were talking about the worst-case scenario, Crevasse himself was asking Joshua to kill the child whom he had created using two-thirds of his life.


    Just because I split my heart into three parts, doesnt mean that Im left with a third of my vitality. Since I butchered my heart with my own hands, Im going to die.


    Crevasse, you


    Maybe the day I die will be tomorrow. Of course, I have no regrets. This is a noble sacrifice that I made to uphold the vow I made to the dragon lord, not suicide. Hahahaha. Crevasse wasughing, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. Little Creshua will be thest surviving dragon in this world.


    Creshua? Joshua vacantly echoed.


    Crevasse was actually embarrassed.


    You, Joshua Sanders, are the only one in this world who I approve of.


    An awkward silence descended on them. After a moment, Lilith whispered, <em>It sounds like youre the father.</em>


    -Thank you very much for not calling me the mother.


    <em>To be honest, youre handsome, but Crevasse is more beautiful. From a cursory nce, its hard to tell if hes a man or a woman,</em> Lilith yfully replied.


    In a stark contrast to their silly conversation, Crevasse, the ever prideful dragon, bowed to a mere human.


    Please do this for me.


    You said please, so its fine even if I say no, yes?


    If you do, the race of dragons ends here.


    Are you putting the fate of your people in the hands of a human? Joshua asked, reluctantly.


    Im telling you again. You are not an ordinary human. Crevasse looked Joshua in the eyes. The dragon lord wasnt concerned about her own life, but even she was worried about the end of our race. Considering your history with her, I think you would be opposed to such an end.


    Youve always been cruel and maniptive, havent you.


    There is nothing to hold me back now that I near my end.


    They felt a powerful rumble shake the chamber from above them.


    Crevasse looked up. Something serious seems to be happening above. You should go back.


    Joshua could both feel the earthquake and the unusual change in the two demons Overlord Symbols, but he had to ask, What about the hatchling?


    I can look after him for the time beingbut of course, it would be perfect if youe back here after youre done taking care of things up there.


    Joshua was silent for a moment before nodding. Its yourst wish so Ill do you this favor.


    Crevasses expressionless face twitched and then the ends of his mouth slowly curled upward. Thats good to hear.


    But I want to set a condition.


    Go on. I have no intention of asking you to do all the heavy lifting for free, Crevasse said, ready to ept anything.


    He was handing hisst mission, a tremendous burden on his heart, over to Joshua, so he was nning on rewarding Joshua handsomely even if he hadnt asked for anything. Crevassesir was full of treasure that he had spent his entire life gathering. He was prepared to give Joshua all of it. Another idea would be to tell Joshua about the dead dragonsirs; no doubt that would be far more interesting to the human.


    However, once again, this entric human subverted all expectations.


    Survive.


    What?


    Crevasse, thest adult dragon on the continent: survive, and look after the hatchling yourself.


    Thats


    Joshua quietly but firmly shook his head, cutting off the dragon. A savage human isnt what your hatchling needs. He needs the parent that gave birth to him. I dont think dragons and humans are different in that regard.


    I already told you that Im near death.


    Then try your utmost best to survive until your destined end.


    Crevasse ''s eyes widened.


    I wont allow any negotiations. This is my only condition.

 Side Story Chapter 179

    Side Story Chapter 179


    On their way back to the council chamber from the Pces underground floor, Lilith whispered, <em>Youre warm-hearted.</em> She meant it.


    -No need to talk me up. The Demon Spirits body getting loose would be a problem. All my efforts up to now would be for nothing


    <em>Yeah, yeah, sure. Are you embarrassed? Youre surprisingly cute.</em>


    -Im married.


    <em>What? I wasnt nning on hitting on a married man, you know. Im giving my honest opinion.</em>


    Joshua didnt reply, but Lilith was undeterred.


    <em>I have a question. What are you going to do when you regain your body? Youre really going to be Joshua Sander again, not a soul in Lilith Aphrodite.</em>


    -Well, I havent thought about the future that specifically


    Some time ago, Joshua had said that he wished to bequeath his throne and retire when the time came, and spend the rest of his life in peace with his people, but he couldnt be further from that dream right now.


    <em>By that time, the Demon Spirit and demons will be gone, and Igrant is also going to be at peace, right?</em> Lilith asked, echoing the sentiments of everyone.


    Both Joshua and Lilith knew that that was impossible. Human greed was endless. Neither the history nor the present state of the continent could be exined with the word war. Would that change in the future? No, it was never going to change. Even if Marcus ben Britten died again, someone like Grand Duke Lucifer, Zactor, or Bel would rear their ugly head again somewhere on the continent.


    History would repeat, endlessly. Even if there came a day when a country unified the continent, there would always be power struggles within or people fighting for independence like the Thran Kingdom.


    -One thing is clear.


    <em>Whats that?</em> Lilith asked.


    -Even if I do retire, Ill show up with my spear at the ready wherever and whenever someone threatens my people.


    <em>Hearing that makes me feel really safe. You truly are a kind man.</em>


    They were nowpletely out of the underground floor, but Joshuas steps only quickened as he trod down the long hallway that led to the council chamber.


    <em>Why are you suddenly running?</em> Lilith asked.


    -We have a problem.


    Joshua shared what he was detecting now, allowing Lilith to sense it too. The entire council chamber was ominously roiling with demonic power, and someones murderous energy was shaking it to its foundations.


    <em>What in the world?</em>


    Joshua kicked the doors without stopping, blowing them straight off their hinges. When the dust settled, Joshua saw Cain, his golden aura violently pulsing as he furiously drove a man into the corner.


    After oveing his limits, Cain was peerless among humans, but his opponent was blocking all of Cains attacks with one hand. His opponent was the strongest demon in the Demon Realm, second only to the Shining Darkness, and was the one and only Grand Duke of the Demon Realm.


    Altheon Deos, Joshua said.


    Altheon froze and rapidly retreated far backward.


    Damn you! Cain shouted, hot on the demons heels.


    Altheon was left with no choice and had to fight back using both hands this time.


    He joined his index fingers and thumbs together, forming a triangle. The moment his target entered the triangle, Altheon poured out his demonic power. As expected from the Demonic Light Demon, he could materialize his demonic power into an incredibly destructive ray of light.


    Ugh! Cain was thrown away and mmed into the wall by Altheons beam. He writhed in pain. He looked into the eyes of Joshua and said, YourMajesty bis


    Joshua stiffened. His eyes swept over the chamber andnded on a man lying in the corner.


    The pool of blood around bis made the severity of his state obvious. As a matter of fact, biss vital force was so weak that it was a miracle that he was still alive.


    <em>Oh, no</em> Lilith reflexively covered her mouth.


    It was no exaggeration to say that she was the closest to bis out of all the people in the chamber. After the First Continental War, they had made many exchanges as they worked to restore theirnd.


    <em>Hes not dead, is he?</em> Lilith asked.


    Joshua wordlessly turned his gaze. Tshchary and Perchilin had been carefully avoiding looking at him, but flinched nheless.


    Were you just standing around until it came to this? Joshua demanded, ring at the demons.


    -W-Well This is all a misunderstanding.


    While Perchilin instinctively stammered out excuses, Tshchary calmly came forward.


    -It was inevitable.


    Inevitable?


    -Altheon Deos is the strongest demona lot stronger than both of us.


    Do you think that suffices as an answer? Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    -On top of that, he has your Pride, and we used up all our power dealing with Urus, the second strongest demon.


    Tshchary pointed at the red devils headless corpse. Perchilintched on to Tscharys cool and quicklyposed herself.


    -H-Hes right! We faithfully carried out your orders and took out Urus. I mean, who knew the human would be that weak?! He got stabbed in the blink of an eye and now hes dying Gosh, after all that big talk about trusting them


    Perchilins voice gradually tapered off because the other human man was clearing his throat and the cunning girl had yet to say a thing.


    Icarus, Joshua said.


    Icarus didnt move an inch and continued to kneel over bis, despondently examining his wounds. Joshua and Lilith could feel how much shock Icarus was in.


    Your Majesty, Sir bis isnt breathing, Icarus said after a long, agonizing moment.


    Joshuas eyes slowly widened.


    Icarus looked up with her face covered in tears and wept, Our Avalon and me For an idiot like me


    Although Icarus wasnt speaking coherently, Joshua could understand what she was trying to say.


    Joshuas energy ripped through the chamber in a furious wave.


    As Altheon had turned the room into the Demon Realm, the entire floor was pitch ck. The gravity was ten times heavier than usual; ordinary people would have trouble merely breathing. In addition, the air was filled with demonic power, not mana, so even knights and mages werent able to use their full power in this kind of ce.


    However, one singr person in the world was an exception to these restrictions. His name was Joshua Sanders, the Martial God of the Igrant, and the strongest being in the entire history of the Demon Realm. Gravity couldnt weigh him down, and the air didnt react to him.


    Altheon Deos, Joshua repeated.


    -Long time no see, sir. I doubted my eyes for a moment. I cant believe its you Well, it changes nothing.


    Altheon raised his hands and quietly adjusted his sses.


    -The strongest demonunofficiallythe one and only Grand Duke of all demons, the owner of Pride, the god yer That was you, Shining Darkness, but Ill take those titles too.


    Altheon slowly grinned.


    -I am the strongest demon, as recognized by all demons. After your disappearance, Ive be Grand Duke of all demons and obtained the power of Pride, the strongest Evil Sin. All that remains now is the title of god yer. The Demon Spirit and all the other gods are no more, so it has sadly been impossible to fulfill that dream until you appeared.


    By that point, Altheon was smiling from ear to ear.


    -There are no gods, but a god yer that killed another god yer wouldnt be so bad either.


    Altheon let his demonic power rampage forth. Pride helped Altheon with its overwhelming power,pelling even the other demons to bow.


    -Pride


    -A mere human brings such a look to your face, I see Youve changed a lot. You didnt use to be like that.


    I dont think my fanboy gets to say that, Joshua said, finally breaking his silence.


    -You!


    The air around Altheon immediately changed.


    Altheon Deos, you wont die a peaceful death, Joshua muttered under his breath.


    Longin trembled in response to Joshuas emotions.


    The good memories Joshua had with bis shed across his mind. Revenge begets revenge; meaningless. That was what Joshua had said, but it was different now. Although harboring anger against Joshua himself was fine, it shouldnt affect the people around him. If someone crossed the line


    Ill crush you so hard that youll beg me to kill you instead. Your servants, your family  Everyone who trusts and relies on you shall be eradicated.


    The three demons staggered. They had already heard that dragons could kill a living being with their will alone, and the Demon Spirit and certain very powerful demons with special abilities were capable of it, but that was limited to ordinary life forms with weak resolve. However, the power in Joshuas voice sent a shiver down their spines.


    Ill show you why I reigned as the strongest being in the Demon Realm, Joshua warned the demons.

 Side Story Chapter 180

    Side Story Chapter 180


    <em>Hes not the same Shining Darkness. Just like that weakling human who went down after one attack, hes just a pathetic human,</em> Altheon thought, bolstering his confidence.


    Many of the surviving demons were from the lower part of the Demon Realm. In contrast to them, Altheon had been born as the noble head of the prestigious Heavenly Demon Family.


    There had been millions of demons in the Demon Realm. If the monsters without intelligence were included, the total number of life forms would be simr to the Human Realms. Regardless, only just over one thousand demons were considered to be chosen by a god, and there were less than one hundred demons of Altheons rank. The demons at the top of the social hierarchy were absolute rulers of theirnd and believed that only the weak formed packs. All other creatures were subjects to their reign, they believed.


    It was those same aristocratic demons who approved of the three prestigious families in the Demon Realm: the Earthly Demon, Heavenly Demon, and Evil Demon Families. The Earthly Demon Family was the kingdom of devils which had been led by Urus, the second strongest demon. On the other hand, Altheon, the strongest demon, had ruled over the Heavenly Demon Family, while the Evil Demon Family had been serving the Demon Spirit for generations.


    Naturally, the three families had disbanded upon the fall of the Demon Realm, but


    -Im still here.


    Altheon mmed his foot against the floor as Joshua approached him.


    At some point, the Heavenly Demon Family had started to worship a being much like the Evil Demon Family had. That being was called the Sky of the Demon Realm despite the Demon Spirits existence, and the Heavenly Demon Family devotedly worshiped him for his power. The demons had called the being the Grand Duke, an acknowledgement of his dominion over the entire Demon Realm. When that being had disappeared, Altheon had be head of the Heavenly Demon Family and Grand Duke himself in an effort to erase all traces of that being from the family.


    -Unwee in both realms and now just a human. That is who you are, Shining Darkness.


    Rays of ck light rose from the back of Altheons hands.


    Two kinds of demonic power shed with each other. Divine power was the pr opposite of the demonic power, but the chamber had already been converted into the Demon Realm. Joshua knew better than anyone else that the best choice, therefore, to deal with Altheon was demonic power, not divine power or aura. However, there was a problem that needed to be taken care of first.


    -I dont think you can afford to fight me right now. It looks like your dear human wife is about to die.


    Ordinary people couldnt survive in the Demon Realm, even a small fragment of it. As a matter of fact, Icarus had already been having trouble breathing after Cain and bis were incapacitated. She had umted quite a lot of mana with Icelines help and armed herself with all sorts of artifacts, but they were of no use right now.


    Tshchary and Perchilin. Turn this ce back to its original state, Joshua ordered.


    Perchilin stiffened awkwardly and looked at Tshchary in surprise. Since the two demons had Joshuas Overlord Symbols, they had no choice but to follow his orders.


    Are you thinking of betraying me? Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    -No, sir.


    Once again, Tshchary was the first to regain hisposure.


    <em>What are you going to do?</em> Perchilin quickly whispered to Tshchary through telepathy.


    <em>We have to y along for the time being.</em>


    <em>Are you an idiot? The only reason we stand a chance is because this ce is now the Demon Realm. Do you think we can even imagine winning against the Shining Darkness in the normal Human Realm?</em>


    <em>But we cant free ourselves from our Overlord Symbols right now. The moment we shed our souls again, well bepletely vulnerable for at least ten minutes,</em> Tshchary exined.


    <em>The Shining Darkness is preupied with Altheon, so now is our chance. When will we have a chance like this again?</em>


    <em>How can I trust you enough to undo your Overlord Symbol?</em>


    <em>What?</em>


    <em>You tried to betray me.</em>


    Perchilin gaped at him,pletely dumbstruck.


    <em>You cannot be serious. If anyone else saw us right now, they would think I was the one who tried to betray first. </em>You<em> were tempted by Altheons shit first.</em>


    <em>I cant believe that youre such an idiot. I was trying to find the right moment to stab him in the back.</em>


    <em>Am I really supposed to believe that?</em>


    <em>And you didnt seem to have any intention of letting me have Pride, either,</em> Tshchary scoffed.


    <em>What are you talking about!</em>


    <em>Dont even think about denying it. Do you think I''m that dumb? I saw the way you flinched.</em>


    <em>Its true that I considered it, but only for a moment, and I couldnt help it,</em> Perchilin awkwardly protested. <em>Think about it. The two demons whose ranks are higher than me areing at me, so I wanted all the help I could get!</em>


    <em>At this point, the human woman seems more and more remarkable. She has an extraordinary skill for driving wedges between people,</em> Tshchary mused. He nced at Icarus, who was on the floor. Shed started everything.


    <em>She must be killed Ugh.</em>


    <em>Whats wrong Aghh!</em>


    Perchilin and Tshchary clutched their heads. Their ill will toward Icarus and disobeying Joshuas orders triggered a splitting headache.


    -Arghhhhh!


    Perchilin screamed aloud, unable to endure the pain.


    <em>I-Im going to my mind! D-Decide quickly! Get rid of the Overlord Symbol or do something else!</em>


    <em>You should promise befo Urgh.</em>


    <em>Hey, you damned reaper! Im not going to get fooled twice. I dontno, cant trust demons!</em>


    <em>What in the world are you talking about?! Youre a demon too!</em> Tshchary snapped.


    Icarus stood up as the battle was ongoing.


    -You?


    Are you torn? The face covered in tears was gone; Icarus stared at Perchilin and Tshchary with pursed lips. Remember what happened earlier.


    -What?


    Cant you tell whats going to happen when one of them wins?


    Perchilin and Tshchary flinched.


    You dont even have to think about what will happen when His Majesty wins since it seems you two are obligated to follow his orders for some reason. If you disobey, even your lives are at risk, Icarus said, incisive as always. It doesnt matter even if the fight ends in a draw and both of them end up mortally wounded. You two have toe up with a way out before the battle ends You wont even be able to dream about it when your lives are at risk right now.


    -We can let Altheon have all our Evil Sins and stop that from happening.


    Perchilin gave Tshchary a surprised look. He was asking her to hand her Sloth and Lust over to Altheon.


    -Tshchary! What the hell are you talking about?


    -Is there any other way?


    -B-But Altheon is


    -Altheons ultimate goal is to make the entire Human Realm into the Demon Realm, which means its simr to our goal. Its a much better option than living as a humans ve for the rest of our lives.


    That silenced Perchilin, but it wasnt nearly enough to deter Icarus.


    Youre worried because you might be betrayed and end up dead after losing your Evil Sins. Im sure that you already know from your experience that demons arent trustworthy beings.


    Icarus was bad mouthing demons to demons, making Perchilin shake her head in disbelief.


    -For goodnesss sake.


    So stop pretending to be friends and make a deal, Icarus suggested. You two arent even good at acting like friends.


    -What deal?


    Tshchary tilted his head in confusion.


    From what I heard, Perchilin wants the powers of Sloth and Lust, while its the power of Pride for Tshchary, yes?


    The demons blinked in surprise once again, this time because Icarus remembered their names. Of course, that was nothing special for Icarus; she never forgot what she saw or heard.


    First of all, give up Pride, Perchilin. You already have two Evil Sins, dont you? Youre acting too greedy after Tshcharys made plenty ofpromises.


    -I-I only thought about it! If things hadnt turned out this way, I never would have dreamed about it!


    Yes, I believe you. And Tshchary. Icarus looked at the reaper. I wont ask you to trust Perchilin again. You should put the cards you have on the table. For example, you dont have to tell Perchilin how to undo whatever oath youre under until Pride is firmly in your hands


    Tshchary was visibly taken aback. He and Perchilin had talked using telepathy for a reason. How did this human woman know that they discussed the method to undo their Overlord Symbols?


    Icarus nced back at bis and then pressed her hands together with a desperate look. I beg of you. That greedy demon Altheon will try to take everything, but I can promise you that youll have all the Evil Sins you want if His Majesty wins.


    -How are we supposed to trust you? You told us to make a deal, but you seem to contradict yourself.


    No, I also offer this deal because I want to save my friend, no matter what it takes. I could never miss this golden opportunity, Icarus told them, her eyes burning with fervor.


    -That is why Im telling you that youre just daydream


    Ill persuade His Majesty to give the Evil Sins to you two by any means necessary.


    -I dont trust humans empty promises.


    Tshchary shook his head without a moments hesitation.


    Its not an empty promise, Icarus said with a firm voice. She ced her hand over her heart. Ill also make a Mana Pledge.


    -A Mana Pledge?


    Yes. Icarus nodded with a faint smile. This is a binding oath that is simr to yours. If I dont uphold my Mana Pledge, all the mana Ive umted until now will scatter. Of course, you two demons are formidable, so my mana wouldnt mean anything to you. In fact, it might seem ludicrous, but we human knights and mages believe that its better to lose our heads than to lose our precious mana.


    Perchilin and Tshchary looked at each other. The witch subtly inclined her head at Tshchary, meaning that Icarus was speaking the truth. As Perchilin had Lusts memory, she was well aware of humans traits.


    How does my proposal sound? Icarus asked.

 Side Story Chapter 181

    Side Story Chapter 181


    Icarus was currently at the Third Circle of magic, which was undoubtedly a historical aplishment. The Third Circle itself wasnt high, but Icarus had begun learning magic when she was over twenty years old. Talented mages got their first mana circle before they turned ten years old. Just like knights, mages also considered age to be the most important factor in learning. It was said that a solid start was half the process, especially to mages. A good beginning is everything, they sometimes joked.


    A mages final level could be estimated based on the age when they got their first circle. Orbis of the Terra Kingdom, who was known as the greatest battle mage in history, had be a First Circle mage at the age of six. The first human Ninth Circle mage, Evergrant con Aswald, had reached the same level when he was only five years old.


    It wasnt just them; every single high-ss magewhich referred to those mages above the Fifth Circlehad created their first mana circle before they became fourteen years old. No one who started to learn magic after they turned fourteen made it to the Sixth Circle. Since that limit was very clear, little need be said about those who were trying to enter the field of magic when they were over twenty years ago.


    On top of that, magic cost a lot of money. Even if there were entrics who willingly epted the limits, they usually worked as mercenary mages. They only had around one or two circles. However, Icarus used her outstanding brain and astronomical wealth to the verge of the Fourth Circle even though she had entered the field of magic when she was over twenty years old.


    Can you see it? Icarus asked, using her mana to reveal her circles. Three rings shone brilliantly near Icaruss chest, and there was even a faint fourth circle.


    Ill make my Mana Pledge.


    The circles hummed. Icarus grimaced in pain because the demonic power in the air became harder to bear the longer she was in it. I assume that you two are also in tremendous pain?


    -Urgh Ahhhhhh! This damnedOverlord Symbol! Tshchary! Decide quickly! Choose the Shining Darkness or do something else!


    Perchilin screamed at the top of her lungs even though she had two Evil Sins. Tshchary may hold a higher rank, but he did not possess an Evil Sin. Unsurprisingly, he was having a much harder time than Perchilin.


    -Do that Mana Pledge of yours!


    I, Icarus Sanders, swear on the name of supreme mana that I will work with the two people in front of me and help them obtain the Evil Sins they desire


    The mana circles above Icaruss heart shone radiantly, and she and the demons could feel that the Mana Pledge had been made.


    -Are we good now? Tshchary, forget about everything if you arent going to do it. Im going!


    Perchilin leaped high into the air like a nimble bird, eager to turn the ck ground back into its original state and undo the magic that had made this ce into the Demon Realm. Her splitting headache began to slowly subside as soon as she began to act.


    -Hahahahaha! Sorry, Altheon. It looks like I wont be able to work with you.


    -...Perchilin?


    Altheon hastily turned back after blocking a deceptive spear attack. Perchilin grinned at him.


    -Surely you dont think its unfair, do you? Youre the one who tried to partner up with Tschary and take me out.


    -You wretch youll regret this!


    -I dont think Im the only one who made this decision.


    Altheon stiffened. He realized that Tshchary was helping the human woman, Altheons hostage, by absorbing all of the suffocating demonic power in the air.


    -You, Tshchary! Didnt I tell you that Ill give you Pride?


    -Sure. Then will you take my Overlord Symbol?


    -What? Overlord Symbol?


    -An Overlord Symbol with conditions would suffice. If you dont give me Pride, then youll have to be my ve.


    -How dare you!


    -What? You cant do it because that hurts your pride too much? Keep in mind that the honorable Queen Consort of humans swore on her mana.


    Altheons face contorted. Tshchary scoffed; Altheons reaction was exactly what hed expected.


    -Trust and loyalty dont suit us anyway. This human woman is right. A deal is enough.


    -Are you going to be a humans ve after all the hardships youve gone through to get to the Human Realm?!


    -You already know that he isnt human. Hes the Shining Darkness, whose martial prowess ruled the Demon Realm.


    Altheon was getting exhausted by fending off Joshuas attacks. The power of Pride was supposed to overpower everything, but the demon struggled to fend off each attack Joshua threw at him. The attacks were elusive and ever-changing, and every one of them held the power to knock down a castle.


    -Ahhhhhhh!


    Altheon howled at the top of his lungs and let loose the power of Pride in an explosive burst, as if what he had shown until then was merely a preview.


    The Seven Evil Sins actually had a secret. Those powerful enough could use an Evil Sins true ability.


    -Forget it. I dont need any of you. Shining Darkness, you know the true power of Pride better than anyone else, yes? Let me show you what that power looks like.


    The ground shook as if a n earthquake had struck the Pce. Perchilin was knocked out of the air by the overwhelming, corrosive power as she was trying to clean up the demonic corruption.


    Altheon himself started to transform.


    -I-Incarnation?


    Perchilin ''s eyes widened in surprise when she realized what was going on. Both the Angel and Demon Realms had fallen several years ago, as everyone knew by now. All the monsters in the realm had also died along with the Demon Realm, and only a few powerful demons had managed to escape in their spiritual forms, leaving behind their physical bodies.


    Moving from one realm to another realm wasnt something that could be easily done. There was a good reason why Demon Kings went through the cumbersome progress of ritual and descent. Thousands of people had to be sacrificed for a Demon King to directly descend, so the demons who managed to get to the Human Realm had to use their own bodies as offerings.


    -Unbelievable! His body is still?


    Incarnation was a way of summoning ones body from the Demon Realm into the Human Realm. Tshchary and Perchilin couldnt do it because they had sacrificed their original bodies to get here; that was the same reason why the demons in the Human Realm had gotten significantly weaker.


    The air around Altheon became colder; his exhtions were apanied by puffs of white. His flesh, once riddled with wounds, was pristine. His appearance had changed a lot: two long horns sprouted from his forehead, much like a devils, and a set of ck wings stretched out behind him. With his silver hair slicked back, Altheon threatened Joshua with a long tail that resembled a snakes tongue.


    -Allow me to reintroduce myself.


    Altheon grinned. From the way he suddenly adopted an elegant, formal tone, it sounded like Altheons personality had also changed.


    -I am Altheon Deos. You have my respect, as a human, for making me reveal this form.


    You looked better before, Joshua tly responded.


    -Huh?


    Your original appearance looked better. Now you look like a devil. I mean, I cant even distinguish your pupils from the rest of your eyes. Joshua shrugged.


    Altheon eyed Joshua for a moment and then chuckled.


    -I have a lot of questions for you, but I will ask them after I cut your legs off so that you cant look down on me anymore.


    Thats a good idea, Joshua replied. He leaned Longin on his shoulder with a toothy grin.


    -Tshchary and Perchilin, dont interrupt our fight again. Ill spare you two for the sake of being fellow demons.


    -Its not up to us.


    Tshchary shook his head firmly. It looked like hed made up his mind. Perchilin, although she had been shocked for a moment, was once again focused on turning the ce back to its original state.


    Altheon let out a sigh.


    -You two dont listen to reason.


    -Ahhhhh!


    With a loud <em>crash!</em> Perchilin went flying into the corner, screaming. All Altheon did was wave his hand, but the witch who wielded both the powers of Lust and Sloth was thrown away without a chance to resist.


    -Wh-What in the world?!


    Its fine, Joshua interrupted. He stepped toward Altheon. Focus on protecting my people. Ill handle him.


    -B-But, Shining Darkness, Altheon wields his full power now. As the strongest demon in the Demon Realm


    I understand why youre worried, but arent you curious too?


    -...Curious?


    Joshuas smile grew as he mmed the end of Longins shaft on the ground. The former strongest versus the current first ce. Who is more powerful when both of us are able to use our full power? Of course, before doing any of that


    <em>Gluttony, use up Michaels soul and treat biss wounds.</em>


    Gluttony immediately refused, much to Joshuas irritation.


    <em>The Four Great Angels souls arent yours in the first ce. Dont be greedy over stuff that isnt yours, or Ill seal you away forever.</em>


    Joshuas threats quieted Gluttony down. After a moment, a pool of light, even brighter than the time Cain had been healed, spilled out of Joshuas hand.


    -I dont know what youre up to, but I wont let you have your way.


    Altheon extended his hand, ck energy gathering in his palm. A pitch-ck darkness instantly descended upon the area.


    -Suppressing Pride: Arrogancia Sofocante.


    -Urgh!


    -Ahhh!


    Perchilin and Tshcharys heads were mmed into the ground. The curtain of darkness dominated even gravity.


    A smile danced on Altheons lips. The activation of his Evil Sin had been executed perfectly. Everything was going perfect. It certainly was but Altheons expression only grew more sour. Even though he dominated the space, a human was still holding his head high.


    Its not that impressive, Joshua casuallymented.

 Side Story Chapter 182

    Side Story Chapter 182


    The reason why Pride was considered the most powerful Evil Sin was that the power literally overwhelmed everything. It neutralized any kind of ability, and the owner could control the severity of gravity and pressure that their targets felt. In other words, the owner could use their full power while their opponent had to withstand gravity that was hundreds of times stronger than normal.


    -How in the world are you still standing?


    Altheon was astounded. Prides efficacy could be deduced from Perchilins current condition. She had two Evil Sins, so she could make mind attacks with the power of Lust and slow time using the power of Sloth. However, neither of the powers worked on Pride in the slightest, leaving Perchilin no recourse but to gnash her teeth.


    -Shit I should have attacked you when I had the chance!


    -Do you think that would have made a difference?


    Altheon smirked at her before turning to regard Joshua again. For some reason, Joshua wasnt reacting to the power of Pride in the slightest.


    -I see. All you can do now is endure, isnt it?


    Does it look that way?


    -Youre acting tough again Hah! Fine. I suppose Ill just have to find out.


    Altheon spun out several strands of ck demonic energy, which rose and interlinked into a long chain.


    -Allow me introduce you to Cadenas, the chain of darkness that can even seal a god.


    You know, I didnt think much about it until now, but you demons certainly have grandiose names for everything.


    Without answering Joshua, Altheon lightly waved his hand, sending the chain of darkness to bind Joshua.


    -Tie him; suffocate him; crush him to death.


    The chain clenched tighter with every word, wrapping itself around and around Joshua. Joshuasck of reaction, emboldened Altheon.


    -Hahahahaha! Despite all your bravado, youre just a rat in a corner. What did you say earlier? You wanted to know who would win between the former strongest in the Demon Realm and the current strongest?


    Altheon leisurely crossed his arms as if he already won.


    -Let me answer that for you: youre trash. You have power but have no ambition, so you didnt have the guts to get revenge no matter how many times you were betrayed.


    It looks like you have a lot of pent-up anger for me, Joshua said.


    -Of course I do. You couldnt even begin to fathom how much hardship I went through after you disappeared from the Demon Realm like that.


    The chain continued to tighten. Altheons smile grew wider and wider as the sound of Joshuas bones cracking serenaded his ears.


    -My Heavenly Demon Family idolized the strong. Our god wasnt the greedy Demon Spirit, it was the Shining Darkness, he who terrified the mightiest in both the Angel and Demon Realms.


    Thank you for thepliment.


    -Does that sound like one? You were abandoned by the Angel Realm and dered a fallen angel, but even those idiots in the Demon Realm were terrified of you and ended up betraying you! I really cant understand why you would repeat the same mistake twice. Youre powerful enough to kill them before they could stab you in the back!


    Altheon frowned and tightened the chain some more.


    Is that what you think?


    -You bet I do! I actually did so myself. I got rid of the trash in the Heavenly Demon Family and then defeated any demons that got in my way. That is why I, Altheon Deos, stand at the zenith of the Demon Realm.


    Joshua smiled coldly. Thats an awfully fancy way of saying that you took over an empty house.


    Altheon flinched, but he was convinced that Joshua was just a weak loser running his mouth before he died.


    -Say what you want. The Demon Spirit is on the verge of annihtion in this backwater Human Realm, and you, the Shining Darkness of the Demon Realm, are a mere human. With Pride in my possession, there is no one left to stop me even after the Demon Spirit regains his power and returns!


    I pity you. Joshua narrowed his eyes.


    -What?


    It sounds to me like you dont have any truepanions. Im not sure if you even have a friend.


    -What? Companions? Friends? Hahahahaha. Hahahahaha! Youve be a weak human down to your bones. There are only two types of rtionships in the Demon Realm. You are either the dominator or the dominated.


    Thats why I pity you. How lonely are you, even if youve reached the zenith? Look at yourself right now.


    -Its a lot better than being ughtered after ying friends like humans, isnt it?


    Well, Ive never regretted anything in my life.


    -Enough with the nonsense. Im grateful to you, actually, because youre the reason why I can be the new ruler of this world.


    Two additional thick chains were created and flew through the air, threatening to shatter Joshuas head.


    Before I die, let me ask you something. The Altheon Deos I knew pursued power, so he wasnt a coward who shied away from a fight. When did you be an idiot whos always looking for the easy way out? Joshua frowned.


    -What?


    Why are you feigning ignorance? You seem to already know that the Demon Spirit hasnt beenpletely annihted, but youre worried about the Demon Spirit recovering his body anding back, arent you?


    Tshchary and Perchilin couldnt stop their eyes from widening.


    -Th-The Demon Spirits body?


    -Then the thing underground is!


    Altheon was frozen stiff.


    -...The Demon Spirits body is really underneath us?


    Youre feigning ignorance again, Joshua said with a disapproving frown.


    -Then you already imed his body for yourself?


    Well Joshua coyly trailed off.


    -No way.


    Altheon violently shook his head.


    -If you already had the Demon Spirits body, then theres no way I wouldnt have felt it!


    Altheon stopped because there was something else bugging him. He had heard that the Shining Darkness had reincarnated as a male human, but he looked like a woman now.


    -That woman''s body isnt your real body.


    It took you this long to figure that out? Joshua scoffed.


    -Ah, shit! I was wondering why you were buying time, but now I see that youre nning to use the Demon Spirits body as your new vessel!


    Veins bulged out of Altheons forehead.


    Youre deluded


    -Deluded? Dont be ridiculous! I can still feel the Demon Spirits energy below me. Your schemes dont work on me anymore. Im going to go down there right now!


    A flurry of demonic chains mmed into the floor, cratering the council chambers expansive tiling.


    Are you nning on destroying my house? Joshua chuckled.


    -Shut up!


    Altheon extended his arm and clenched his fist, tightening the chains impossibly tight. The chains wrapped themselves around Joshuas head too.


    -Perchilin! Tshchary! Assist me this once! Cant you tell that were all doomed if he obtains the Demon Spirits Body? Well be enved to the humans forever!


    Perchilin and Tshchary exchanged nces.


    -But


    -Im in my original body right now, so this is the time for you two to undo your Overlord Symbols. I must reach the Demon Spirits body immediately. If you cant seize an opportunity like this, youre a pathetic mess!


    Perchilin and Tshchary pursed their lips and nodded to each other.


    -He certainly has a point


    Perchilin! I promised you that Ill help you with your dreams! Icarus shouted.


    -Sorry. I thought Id find a way when I have my hands on the Evil Sins.


    A way?


    -A way to escape from these shackles, but Im not sure of my chances if the Shining Darkness has the Demon Spirits body.


    Perchilin scratched the back of her head with an apologetic look. Tshchary nodded in agreement.


    -Ill undo my Overlord Symbol first, Perchilin. Cover me just in casebut if you get any funny ideas


    -Come on, you dont have to worry about that. I wont let anything happen to you. Id have to live with the Overlord Symbol for my entire life without you.


    Tshchary nodded.


    The air around Tschary hummed loudly as he started undoing his Overlord Symbol. Perchilin red warily at Altheon, but her vignce proved unnecessary. Just like he had said, Altheon was busy digging a hole through the Pces foundation. His chains noisily pounded against the ground, throwing off thick clouds of dust.


    After a long time, the chains of darkness stopped moving.


    -Are you finished digging?


    Perchilin was startled. Tshchary was still in the process of undoing his Overlord Symbol, and Altheon had finished a lot quicker than she had expected. But Perchilin waspletely wrongAltheon hadnt stopped digging because hed managed to reach the vault below.


    -How?


    Altheon stared in disbelief. When Perchilin realized what had happened, she felt like her heart was going to explode in shock.


    -A-Ah!


    Joshua appeared behind Altheon, and grabbed him by the neck, despite the chains which had supposedly had himpletely bound.


    You let your guard down, Joshua quietly said.


    -You!


    Youd better not make any sudden moves unless you want me to snap your neck, Joshua warned Altheon as he was trying to turn around. He then turned his attention to the other two demons and grinned. Perchilin looked like she had seen a ghost. Tshchary was too busy undoing the Overlord Symbol and was still unaware of what was going on.


    What a bummer, huh?

 Side Story Chapter 183

    Side Story Chapter 183


    Even though the Demon Spirit had ruled over all demons, the Shining Darkness was Altheons god ever since he had been born. It wasnt just Altheoneveryone in the Heavenly Demon Family had worshiped the Shining Darkness. Power meant everything to them, so they had been fanatical about the Shining Darkness.


    -Phew


    Altheon let out a long sigh despite Joshuas hand mped around his neck. Altheons idol had been betrayed and killed like an idiot, <em>and then</em> he had reincarnated as a vermin human. How shocking would that have been for the demons of the Heavenly Demon Family? It was like someone was mocking them and calling the god they believed in a sham. Most of the demons in the family had continued to believe without a shadow of doubt that the Shining Darkness would return someday.


    -Idiots. Many of my people endured an eternity of persecution for you. Do you know the reason why they did that?


    It was a rhetorical question; Altheon quickly supplied the answer.


    -They had no other choice.


    No other choice? Joshua repeated.


    -My Heavenly Demon Family believed that you were betrayed, but mostno, all other demons thought that the Shining Darkness was punished for his treachery against the Demon Spirit. That was what the rumors said.


    Im not surprised. Joshua nodded. History is written by the victor, regardless of the realm.


    -You seem to be veryfortable with calling yourself a loser. In any case, what do you think happened to the Heavenly Demon Family?


    It wasnt a hard question. Anyone in the Human Realm who worshiped evil and wrongful gods was reviled, and the demons were no different. On top of that, the Heavenly Demon Family would have been an eyesore for the Demon Spirit, him being the one that had ssified the Shining Darkness as an enemy.


    -Because the Evil Demon Family worshiped the Demon Spirit for generations, the Demon Spirit used them and focused on erasing all traces of the Heavenly Demon Family.


    I thought you got rid of them yourself.


    -Indeed I did. Even as I was crushing their heads, they believed that you were going toe back.


    I see. Joshua nodded. He now understood the incongruity he felt from Altheons narrative. Yet the Heavenly Demon Family survived the Demon Spirit and you became the new leader of the family. Doesnt that mean that the head of the Heavenly Demon Family kissed the ground before his new god?


    The veins on Altheons forehead bulged.


    But even the Demon Spirit is now in danger of being annihted by me How ludicrous is that? I understand why your pride is hurt, Altheon Deos.


    -Shut your mouth.


    Treading the line between two sides every day isnt easy. You must have converted to the worship of the Demon Spirit and abandoned your familys useless old god so that you could be the head of your family


    -Shut your damn mouth!


    Altheon trembled with anger.


    -Ahhhhhhhhh!


    Perchilins pained scream interrupted them, the result of disobeying the Overlord Symbol and betraying Joshua. However, it seemed that Tshchary had seeded in undoing the symbol because he showed no reaction.


    Joshuas eyes gleamed. This should be enough.


    -...Enough of what?


    The Demon Realm and the gods are no more, so you demons have no reason to tiptoe around anyone else, do you?


    -You irresponsible trash Are you kidding me right now?!


    I dont think all demons are evil; demons should just think about how theyre going to harmonize with the people of the Human Realm and live in this new world.


    Joshua meant what he said. Not all demons were evil, and not all angels were good. Joshua was the only one who could say this, having been betrayed by both sides. Light and darkness. Day and night. Angels and demons. Water and fire The world existed because all of those qualities existed together. No one could define what was evil. That wasnt the way of the world that the primordial god had established.


    Isnt this for the better? You lost your home, but yourndlord also died, freeing you from your shackles, Joshua continued.


    Tshchary, having recovered from his escape from the Overlord Symbol, silently appeared behind Icarus and held his scythe over her threateningly.


    -Stop your nonsense. Let him go.


    Joshua gave Tshchary an appraising look. Did you undo your Overlord Symbol?


    -Im not affiliated with anyone, but your words enrage me too. What is the Heavenly Demon Family supposed to be by that logic? They worshiped the Shining Darkness.


    The corners of Joshuas mouth slowly rose. The Heavenly and Evil Demon Families were totally different from the noble families of the Human Realm because those demon families were just fishing for excuses to gather demons under their banners. In fact, no demon, including the Heavenly Demon Family, had helped Joshua when he had battled the Demon Spirits army in spite of the injuries.


    Did someone tell them to worship me? Joshua asked.


    Both Tshchary and Altheon''s eyes widened.


    They believed what they wanted to believe and they needed a justification to maintain their packs. Should I care about those pathetic fanatics? Joshua demanded, turning Altheons words against him. Even Perchilin stared at him in disbelief despite the pain wracking her body.


    -Seriously Youre a very persuasive man Demons are nothing in front of a viin like you


    -Hang on, Perchilin. Ill get rid of it soon.


    Tshchary opened his hand and released his demonic power in the form of a spider web, wrapping it around Icarus.


    -Make a choice. Lose your human wife or let Altheon go.


    Do you trust him? Joshua tilted his head.


    -Its not a matter of trust. Its about the possibility.


    The possibility of?


    -When Perchilin and I join forces, we have a chance against Altheon Deos but Im honestly not certain we can challenge the Shining Darkness in the Demon Spirits body.


    Youre very honest, Joshua said.


    Icarus grimaced. She had been hiding her pain so as not to worry Joshua, but it was bing hard for her to endure as the pain increased.


    -Keep in mind that she has no choice but to help us because she made something called a Mana Pledge.


    Its fine, Icarus squeezed out, looking straight into Joshuas eyes.


    -Youre fine with losing all your mana?


    It doesnt matter. My weapon is my mind, not my mana. Besides, no one in the world can harm me even if I wont be able to use magic for the rest of my life.


    -What the fuck are you talking about?


    Well I already have someone stronger than all mages and knights as my bodyguard, Icarus slowly mused.


    Everyone knew who Icarus was talking about. Joshua grinned at her.


    Ill stay by your side forever.


    I believe you.


    I love you.


    I love you too. Icarus smiled gently, much to Tshcharys bewilderment.


    -You humans are crazy. You people seem to think Im joking. Ill show you.


    Tshchary prepared to infuse his murderous energy into his web of dark energy, but it suddenly burned away. More concerningly, a sword was sweeping toward Tshcharys neck, forcing himself to retreat a considerable distance.


    -Ugh!


    It was bis, who had returned from the brink of death by consuming Michaels authoritypletely. He positioned himself in front of the throne.


    Ive kept you waiting too long.


    I see that the hostage situation is over. Joshua released an immense amount of divine power through his hand, ready to reduce Altheon into ash.


    -Do you think that Im going to go down that easily?!


    Altheons demonic power went berserk. A strand of wicked, dark red energy circled him like a snakea manifestation of the indomitable power of Pride.


    -Ill never go down as long as I have Pride!


    Joshua extended his hand.


    Come to me, Pride.


    The sinister power of Pride was suddenly sucked into Joshuas hand.


    -What?


    Pride has no interest in losers. It only stays with victors. The desire of all beings to stand above the rest of creation is the power of Pride.


    -Ahhhhhhh!


    Altheons eyes also shot out rays of demonic power that devastated everything they touched, but they couldnt hide the tears of blood he shed.


    -I wont die alone! Ill bring all of you down with me! Ill kill all of you! Ill! Ill!


    With an abrupt <em>crack</em>, Altheon folded. His rays of demonic power struck the floor instead, furtherpromising the structure that had already been smashed by Altheons chains of darkness. The council chamber shook as if it were ready to crumble any minute.


    Please take care of Icarus, Joshua requested.


    bis quickly took Icarus into his arms. You can leave her to me.


    At that moment, the entire council chamber began to copse.

 Side Story Chapter 184

    Side Story Chapter 184


    The moment the floor gave out, Joshua plummeted. Since he had already visited the secret vault several times, he knew that it was going to fall dozens of meters at least.


    The air was filled with the remnants of the council chamber, so there was a high chance that they would hit his people. Even as he fell, Joshua was busy deflecting the falling debris away from them.


    However, that wasnt the only problem. Tshchary darted toward Joshua like a lightning bolt. Tshchary was technically responsible for both the strongest and second strongest demons deaths, so he was confident about his chances against Altheon. However, the Shining Darkness was a different storybut since Tshchary could levitate, this fall was his golden opportunity to attack Joshua.


    Tshchary swung his giant scythe through the air, and Joshua thrust his spear forward in response. Their weapons shed, throwing sparks into the air to join the rubble.


    -Herees my real attack!


    Dozensno, hundreds of heads suddenly emerged from Tshchary one after another; all of those heads were shedding tears ofmentation. There were some familiar faces too.


    Altheon Deos Joshua murmured.


    Altheon Deos, the strongest demon alive up until a moment ago, emerged from Tshcharys left shoulder, and Urus the red devils head was on Tshcharys right shoulder.


    -Curse you, Shining Darkness!


    -Unwanted trash! You dont even know how pathetic you are by continuing to live as a mere human!


    They poured out curses at Joshua, their demonic voices spitting fire and vitriol. If ordinary people heard them, they would have gone crazy, but it was nothing to Joshua.


    I can see why they call the death reapers the vultures of the Demon Realm, Joshua scoffed.


    -Shut your damn mouth!


    Reapers were frequently denigrated for picking over the dead much like a carrion bird.


    -We death reapers are the rulers of death. Whoever loses their mortal coil must obey me!


    You people feed on souls, not bodies, but I dont see how youre any different from a vulture.


    -Do you think Ill fall for your crude provocations, Shining Darkness? Ive made a ce for you right in the center of me! Although I originally left that ce for the Demon Spirit youd make quite a nice recement.


    A dark hole yawned in the center of Tshcharys chest. The heads that covered the rest of his body swelled up like pimples and then burst off of his form and flew at Joshua with a will of their own.


    -Die!


    -Curse you!


    Each heads attack was unique. While Altheon unleashed a ray of demonic power from his mouth, Urus emitted powerful lightning currents through his horns on his forehead. This was the true ability of Tshchary, the king of the death reapers. The more Tshchary killed, the stronger he got.


    But that doesnt change the fact that all those souls belong to the people I defeated, Joshua stated matter-of-factly as he quietly leveled his spear. There was nowhere to stand and nowhere to run, so Joshua had to intercept every head. That was nothing; no worse than a few hundred arrows flying at him.


    Just then, the power of Pride inside Joshua reacted for the first time. The power of Pride asked Joshua to leave the counterattack to it, as if that wished to show how d that was to meet its original owner.


    Thats not a bad idea.


    An immense amount of power amassed at the tip of Joshuas spear, the overwhelming power of Pride.


    -What?


    Tshchary was surprised to see the heads suddenly explode one after another. Joshua didnt even move Longin, his unsettlingly red spear, nor use any techniques, so what was happening right now?


    I know you desperately wanted the power of Pride, but that hurts its ego, Joshua said.


    -What?


    Joshua pointed his spear at Tshchary. The Demon Realms fall forced Pride to choose a mediocre owner. It wants you to know that itll never repeat the same mistake.


    Tshchary stared at him, bewildered, as they neared the bottom of the hole. Tshchary was getting more anxious by the second.


    <em>This is the worst possible situation!</em> The fact that Tshchary had an advantage in the air didnt mean anything. If he let this go on until they touched the ground, he would lose without a doubt.


    <em>Perchilin! I know youre listening to everything! Give me Lust and Sloth right now!</em>


    <em>What the hell are you talking about?</em> Perchilin stared at him. The witch was safely hidden in the shadows and her wings made the fall a non-issue for her.


    <em>Theres no turning back now! Now that weve betrayed him, do you think the Shining Darkness is going to spare us? Were out of time, and you know that Im the only one who can undo your Overlord Symbol now!</em>


    Perchilin bit her lip. She had blindly hoped that she would be able to find a way to undo her Overlord Symbol with three Evil Sins. The Seven Evil Sins were the powers of the Demon Kings, so three of them would surely amount to something. However, she still hadnt found a way to be free from this damned Overlord Symbol even with two Evil Sins. Was one more Evil Sin going to make a difference?


    <em>Dont gamble on a dream. Make a deal! Isnt that what the human woman said earlier?</em> Tshchary snapped.


    <em>I, Tshchary, pledge to Perchilin the witch that I shall return the powers of Sloth and Lust to her once ourmon enemy has been eliminated!</em>


    Perchilin sensed an immense amount of demonic powering from Tshchary and a corner of her heart was heating up. Having already experienced it before, she knew that this was a sign that an Overlord Symbol was forming.


    <em>I saw that disobeying the terms of an Overlord Symbol is crippling. Then</em>


    It didnt take long for Perchilin to make a move because there was a good reason why Tshchary was in a rush. If the Shining Darkness interfered, the Overlord Symbol hed left on her would render Perchilin unable to act.


    -Gah! Sloth and Lust! Go to Tshchary! Hes much stronger than me, so you guys will like him too!


    A splitting headache struck her again as she was speaking.


    The debris of the erstwhile council chamber hit the floor of the secret vault, followed momentarily by Joshua. Although he had nullified the attacks of the strongest demon alive without lifting a finger, Joshua couldnt help but worry about his people.


    Icarus! Cain!


    I Im here, master!


    The Queen Consort is fine, too.


    Joshua heaved a sigh of relief when he heard Cains and biss voices waft through opaque clouds of dust, and then turned to regard his enemy.


    He immediately paused, confused. Earlier he had felt the presence of two powerful demons, but there was a big difference in the amount of energy he could sense from them now. One of them was vastly stronger than before while the other one had be very weak. It didnt take long for Joshua to understand what was going on because he and Perchilin were connected through their Overlord Symbols. Apparently Perchilin had handed both of her Evil Sins over to Tshchary; even Joshua hadnt expected something like that.


    A greedy demon voluntarily giving away her Evil Sins Now Ive seen everything, Joshua murmured.


    -Hehehe, we learned a lot from your human wife.


    Tshcharys manicughter echoed in the darkness. He felt energized. He had never imagined that these Evil Sins would bring him this much power even though they werent Pride. He was actually starting to wonder why he insisted on only taking Pride.


    -Keep your promise.


    Perchilin seemed to see what Tshchary was thinking. The death reaper grunted.


    -Hmm


    Tshchary was beginning to understand why the Human Realms people said that taking a shit gave you a new perspective. He felt like it would be a real waste to return the powers he had obtained.


    Tshchary had to stop that train of thought.


    <em>Ill think of a way after I get rid of this problem</em>


    He turned his lightless eyes elsewhere. Despite the clouds of dust that yet filled the air, disguising everything in a gray murk, Tshchary could sense two new kinds of energy.


    -Wait.


    Tshchary focused on the new energies and immediately shuddered in ecstasy.


    -I see. I see Hahaha Hahahahahahaha!


    Tshcharys manicughter rang out in the vault once again.


    The demon began to swing his scythe,unching deadly bolts of demonic power in the direction of Icarus and bis.


    Joshua stood in the way and deflected every attack, but they werent Tshcharys real target.


    Tshchary ran so fast that the air was mmed out of his way.


    -You havent used the Demon Spirits body even though its right there! Hahahahaha!


    Tshchary had the powers of Lust and Sloth now. With the addition of the Demon Spirits body, he may have a chance against the Shining Darkness.

 Side Story Chapter 185

    Side Story Chapter 185


    Is everyone okay? Joshua shouted.


    As soon as Tshchary disappeared, Joshua peered through the dust. He was worried about his peoplefortunately, bis seemed to have done a good job because everyone was safe.


    Your Majesty! Icarus managed to shout back.


    Good. Joshua let out a long sigh of relief and then turned to look at bis and Cain. You two look like you two saw someone rise from the dead.


    Im the one who returned from the gates of hell, actually. You might see my footsteps when you go there, Cain replied with a grin.


    Had he failed to ovee his limit at thest moment, Cain would have been dead. The same went for bis, whose chest had been pierced by a demon.


    You saved my life. I heard all the talk about authorities, but I never expected a Great Angels healing ability to be this good. bis shook his head.


    Im the one who is in debt. Ino, Avalon will never forget Thrans help, Joshua answered.


    I wont forget about that. Since I havent the slightest idea what will happen next nowadays, it feels very safe to hear that Thran will have the Martial Gods help.


    All the help you need.


    Joshua and bis smile amicably at each other.


    Wait a minute! Icarus pped, drawing everyones attention.


    Hmm?


    We have a problem. We wasted more time on the demons than I expected, so Hubalt might have crossed the border by now


    Why are you mentioning Hubalt all of a sudden?


    Bel, the Battle God, must have raised his countrys troops! Icarus yelled.


    Bels name instantly made the three warriors focus. All of them had experience fighting him.


    Your Majesty, Bel was in Avalon until very recently Cain murmured.


    Cain was right. Bel had visited Avalon as part of the congrattory delegation of Hubalt along with the Four Pdins and his subordinates. An intense battle had taken ce, resulting in all of the Four Pdins being killed and Bel vanishing. That was less than a month ago.


    Icarus thought differently.


    Think about what hes capable of. A month is more than enough time for him to return to his country. Besides, he hasnt shown up yet.


    Thats true


    What bothers me most is that I cant get in touch with Duke Agnus.


    Cain frowned slightly. Im very sorry to say this, but by any chance


    Hes not the kind of man who would betray us right now. I can vouch for that, Joshua said with conviction.


    My apology. Although I know it was very disrespectful of me, the circumstances were


    I understand. When was thest time you got in contact with him?


    Icarus thought back for a moment. Two weeks ago.


    Has he been taken prisoner?


    That is the most likely scenario. Besides, it bothers me a lot that Carmen von Agnus also disappeared.


    Both of them are hostages? Joshua let out a long sigh.


    In that case, he should mobilize all the troops in the country to rescue the subjects who had been captured in the process of carrying out a mission from their emperor. Babel was a dukeif Joshua ignored him just because he had been taken prisoner, who would be willing to put their lives on the line for the sake of this country?


    -Even if it werent for that, there are plenty of reasons to rescue Babel


    <em>I didnt think you would think that way. The fact that the half brothers of the Agnus Family are on bad terms has been well-known for a long time,</em> Lilith murmured.


    -Time changes a lot of things.


    Joshua chuckled. Even he hadnt expected that the rtionship between him and Babel would be like this. On the day Joshua had returned to the Pce, Icarus had told him all about what had happened so far. Out of everything, the Agnus Family had weighed on Joshuas heart the most when he had left for northern Avalon to destroy the Demon Spirit. With the Martial Gods disappearance, it was more than possible for the Agnus Family to plot treason. Babel had the blood of the Britten Family, the previous dynasty of the Avalon Empire.


    However, Babel hadnt done anything. It felt like Joshua had been worried about nothing. While trying to rebuild the Agnus Family, Babel had worked for the Imperial Family whenever possible. He had even sent Icarus a message to contact him whenever she needed his help.


    Even if Hubalt wasnt invading, we should go save him, Joshua said.


    I assure you that the war has already started, Icarus firmly stated. Maybe they used Duke Agnuss attack as an excuse to mobilize their army.


    Hubalt had technically invaded Avalon first, and Babel had crossed the border afterward. However, the events had taken ce within a matter of days, so the facts were easily manipted. That was the nature of war: the strong had the biggest say, and history was written by the victor.


    Joshua nodded. We should sort out the current situation as quickly as possible.


    Finally, the dust in the air settled.


    Where did the demons go? Icarus wondered.


    Perchilin and Tshchary had run away. Icarus and the others needed to take care of the demons before they worried about the war.


    I heard something about the Demon Spirits body. Is it okay to leave them alone?


    Yes, I should get going, Joshua replied. Wait here, everyone.


    Cain was surprised but stepped forward. Ill go with you.


    Ill go too, bis volunteered.


    Joshua quietly shook his head. I know its shameful of me, but I would like you two to protect my wife.


    Your Majesty, but


    Its fine. I have the advantage in numbers.


    Numbers? What do you mean?


    Its about time they respond Joshua said. He was obviously waiting for something. After all, the beings lurking in the vault werent going to go down easily. One of them had the Demon Spirits body, so Joshua needed to test the temperament and power of this unprecedented creature.


    <em>How cruel,</em> Lilith grumbled.


    -This is necessary. Considering his fiery temper, Crevasse would throw a fit if I told him that I wanted to test his child.


    <em>Well, I would be offended too if I were him. A </em>dragon<em> willingly guarded your vault for years, but you dont trust his child?</em> Lilith sympathized with Crevasse.


    -This isnt a matter of trust. Even parents dont know everything about their children.


    Just then, they felt a powerful shockwave pass through the vault. In normal times, they would have assumed it was an earthquake, but the rush of both mana and demonic power in the air made their eyes widen.


    I understand the demonic power, but why do I also feel mana?


    It has begun. Joshua slowly walked toward the shockwaves source.


    Your Majesty! Cain shouted.


    Its fine. I know them.


    That isnt the problem This mana doesnt belong to a human.


    Youre right, Joshua agreed with a nod, he isnt human.


    Then what?


    Hes a dragon.


    Cain and bis boggled at him.


    A dr-dragon?


    Joshua grinned. Have you forgotten what people used to call me?


    bis stiffened as he realized what Joshua was talking about.


    Joshua Sanders, the First Dragon Knight! Then that thing in there is?


    Hes a ck dragon named Crevasse. I assume youve heard his name.


    I knew it!


    As Joshua walked deeper into the vault, Cain clenched his fists, once again realizing that all he had to do was believing in his master and follow his will. Besides, Cain and the others had a more urgent issue to address.


    This is quite a surprise, but we need toe up with strategies for the imminent wano, the Second Continental War has already begun, Cain said.


    C-Can we really do that?


    Just wait. We can trust him. Cain looked away from Joshua and grinned. Hes the strongest master, husband, and friend on the continent, isnt he?


    * * *


    <em>Shouldnt you hurry up a little bit?</em> Lilith asked.


    It had been over a minute since theyd felt the immense shockwave. Lilith was getting more and more anxious even though she had no idea what had caused it.


    <em>The reaper might actually seed in getting the Demon Spirits body. Are you sure you can handle the consequences?</em>


    -A toothless tiger is still a tiger, as they sayand this test must be done.


    <em>What do you mean?</em>


    -Whatever catastrophe happens cant be worse than if thest dragon on the continent is evil.


    <em>The dragons were nearly eradicated by a human, so I dont think theyre so almighty anymore,</em> Lilith bitterly remarked.


    Joshua shook his head. There was a high chance that the newborn dragon was entirely different from Crevasse or any other dragon, so, although Joshua was sorry for Crevasse, he had to perform this test. Crevasse was the newborn dragons guardian. If something happened to Crevasse, there was no knowing what the newly sprouted seed of evil would do. The problem had been eating at Joshua, but fortunately, the demons were taking care of it for him.


    -I see them now.


    Lilith focused. Of course, that wasnt necessary since she was sharing her body with Joshua, but


    <em>Wait a minute,</em> Lilith spat, taken aback.


    The first thing that caught her attention was a man lying motionless on the floor, particrly because she knew who the man was.


    <em>Crevasse!</em>


    The ck dragon wasid out across the ground, his body covered in wounds.


    <em>Look at him! What did I tell you?!</em> Lilith shrieked in anger.


    But Joshua was unperturbed.


    <em>Why are you so calm?</em>


    -Look over there.


    <em>What?</em>


    Lilith peered into the dark. What she saw took a minute to sink inalthough her emotions did anything but. The storm of confusion made her almost physically recoil.


    <em>Uh, uh, uh?</em> Lilith dumbly stammered, disbelief tangling her tongue. <em>Wh-What in the world?</em>


    She had never seen the ck-haired kid, although he was quite handsome and resembled Joshua when he had been a boy. More importantly, the boy was holding Perchilin and Tshchary. They were the demons who had threatened the very existence of Avalon, but they were dangling helplessly in the boys grip now!

 Side Story Chapter 186

    Side Story Chapter 186


    -The Demon Spirits body is mine!


    Tshchary dashed through the vault as fast as lightning, followed closely by Perchilin.


    -Keep your promise, Tshchary! Im the one who lent you Sloth and Lust!


    -Ill give you the two Evil Sins back, but you dont have a problem with me having the Demon Spirits body, yes?


    -What?


    Perchilin frowned, but Tshchary went on as if that were only natural.


    -Two Evil Sins arent going to cut it. I need at least the Demon Spirits body to have a chance against the Shining Darkness. Dont you agree?


    -Your logic is weird. You should put those items back on the table after everything is over!


    -Not really. From my perspective, I can have everything after I get rid of the Shining Darknessmeaning I dont have to keep our promise when the timees.


    -...Are you seriously going to do this?


    -Perchilin, you must be forgetting that youll be enved by the Shining Darkness forever without me. Besides, youre the one who betrayed me first.


    That pricked Perchilins conscience.


    -Alright! Dont say anything else, just undo my Overlord Symbol first! This is stressing me out too much.


    -Okay, Ill do that right after I get rid of our new obstacle.


    Perchilin felt the enormous mass of mana in front of them that Tshchary was referring to and flinched.


    -A new obstacle? Is this a dragon?


    -Ill take care of the lizard, Perchilin. You stop any possible pursuers in the meantime.


    -What the hell!? Are you asking me to stop the Shining Darkness on my own without any Evil Sins?


    -A minute will suffice.


    Tshchary darted into the darkness, ignoring Perchilins protests.


    The witch felt like she was going insane. A minute? No, she wasnt sure if she wouldst ten seconds. If Joshua simply told her to obey him, then Perchilin had no choice but to kiss the floor. Tshchary seemed not to care what would happen to his colleague.


    -Shit! Its no use crying over spilled milk.


    Despite her misgivings, Perchilin came to a halt and desperately prayed that anyone except the Shining Darkness would be chasing after them.


    -I should block the pathway itself, although Im not sure itll work


    Perchilin held her hand out toward the floor. They were currently dozens of meters below the ground, so if she were to dig further, she might encounter water,va, or a bottomless pit. With any one of them, it wouldnt be too difficult to block the passage.


    -Lets do it. I cant die like this after everything Ive gone through to get here.


    Perchilin was confident that she had the most unfortunate life among all the demons capable of wielding an Evil Sin, but she was finally about to discover her silver lining and reign as a Demon King in the Human Realm!


    -Never!


    A sudden, ear splitting <em>bang!</em> made her jump. Curiously, the sound came from the direction Tshchary had gone, not from the way they hade.


    -What


    Perchilin turned and gasped. All that took was a single attack from Tshcharys scythe for the manpresumably actually a ck dragonto fall helplessly to the floor. The mans Ninth Circle spells were useless in front of Tshchary, which came as a shock to Perchilin considering that the reason why demons had always failed to invade the Human Realm was those lizards.


    -Thats the power of Sloth?


    A fountain of blood spurted from the dragons chest, one that only grewrger over time.


    Urgh Arghhhhhhh! The mighty dragon screamed, unable to withstand the pain.


    Perchilin had possessed Sloth before, so she could tell what was going on. The power of Sloth could be used to slow time in a certain area. When the flow of time around a wound was slowed down to an extreme degree, the victims tolerance for pain became meaningless. The strongest shock from being attacked came right after the blownded, but the power of Sloth could stretch that moment a hundredfold.


    What happened


    When Sloths owner increased the area of control, their entire target could be slowed down, from blinking and other movements to their reaction time.


    -This is so easy. In fact, its so easy that I might yawn.


    Tshchary stroked Crevasses chin with his bony fingers, but Crevasse couldnt do anything. A few secondster, Crevasse slowly looked up and said, Youdemon!


    -I was wondering where all the lizards were hiding, and here you are. Wait, then is that one over there also a dragon?


    Tshchary nced into the darkness, chuckling.


    -Judging from what I can sense, that lizard seems to be a baby Hehehe, you were too greedy with the power that you dont deserve. You two may be ck dragons, but thats not a power that a dragon hatchling can handle.


    Dont touch!


    -Quiet.


    Tshchary stood up and kicked Crevasse, sending him rolling across the floor until he hit the corner. Tshchary tilted his head in confusion.


    -Huh. Did I get stronger because of the Evil Sins or did dragons get weaker?


    There was no way for Tshchary to know that Crevasse had given his dragon hatchling two-thirds of his heart, leaving the demon to wonder.


    -Well, it doesnt matter. Now, lets get to the main dish.


    Tshchary could feel that the Demon Spirits body was within a hundred steps.


    -Ill swallow you whole.


    The reaper smiled wickedly as he approached the hatchling.


    Suddenly, a ray of ck light came shrieking out of the darkness.


    -What?


    Tshchary quickly held up his scythe to block the ray. He quickly created a ck Shield augmented by the Aura of Lust. In terms of durability, the shield was harder than adamantium, the sturdiest mineral in the Demon Realm.


    And yet, the entire shield was rapidly marred by cracks.


    -Demonic power?


    Tshchary was well aware that ck dragons were the only dragons who could simultaneously use mana and demonic power, but a ck dragons ability to use demonic power was nothingpared to a demons. Nevertheless, this mysterious ray of demonic light prated Tshcharys barrier quite handily.


    Glittering specks of obsidian dust were flung into the air as the shield broke, and the shockwave pushed Tshchary back so far that he ended up where Perchilin was busy digging a pit. Her head jerked up.


    -D-Donte over here!


    Unfortunately, Tshchary was already right in front of her.


    -Ahhhhhh!


    Tshchary and Perchilin got tangled up and went rolling head over heels.


    A ck-haired boy, no more than ten years old by appearance, slowly approached the demons. Tshchary immediately tried to stand up, but he couldnt budge as if he had been glued to the floor. Perchilin was no better off.


    -Ts-Tshchary. What is going on?


    Tshchary couldnt say anything in reply. Like prey in front of a predator, Tshchary was unable to use his power or even so much as lift his finger. He had an idea about what was happening right now.


    -Is this the Demon Spirits power?


    The young ck dragon, most likely Crevasses hatchling, arrived in front of the demons and grabbed Perchilin and Tshcharys necks without hesitation.


    -Ugh!


    -L-Let me go. Let me go!


    Tshchary and Perchilin struggled to escape from the boys grip.


    That was what happened before Joshua arrived at the secret vault.


    * * *


    Youre thest dragon hatchling left in the Human Realm, Joshua slowly said as he took in the sight in front of him.


    And youre Joshua Sanders, Creshua retorted.


    Joshuas eyebrows twitched, but not because Creshua fluently spoke Igrantsmon tongue. The dragon hatchling surely had no experience of dealing with a situation like this, yet he was nonchnt. Above all, Crevasse, his parent, was dying, but the boy didnt even nce in Crevasses direction.


    Ive heard a lot about dragons''ck of familial love, Joshua murmured.


    Family? Are you talking about that weak idiot who does nothing but nag?


    Joshua ''s eyes widened. The boys temper was, quite frankly, rotten as hell.


    <em>How can he be so rude to his own father?!</em> Lilith shrieked.


    -Calm down.


    Joshua let out a sigh. I didnt let Crevasse keep the vessel just to protect this kind of boy.


    I wanted to meet you so much, Joshua Sanders.


    You wanted to meet me?


    I heard a lot about you from Crevasse and saw what youve done through the Demon Spirits memories. Ive examined your battles over and over. I can understand why they call you a god-yer.


    Creshuas tone was still arrogant for a boy who was talking about his father, much to Liliths irritation. Joshua had to calm her down before turning his attention back to Creshua.


    I dont know what youre trying to say, but I would like to have those people youre holding by the neck.


    Are you talking about these demons?


    Joshua nodded. Yes, I need them right now.


    Perchilin, quick to read the air, immediately shook her head at Creshua. Although Tshchary still looked too shocked to speak, it seemed he didnt want Creshua to hand them over to Joshua either.


    I see. You''re more interested in these worthless demons than me.


    No, Im not


    Okay, then Ill do this.


    Still expressionless, Creshua opened his mouthand kept opening it until it stretched into a grotesque maw and the only thing that Joshua could see was Creshuas mouth.


    Wh-Wh-What is that? Lilith stammered aloud in surprise.


    Creshua then proceeded to surprise her again by swallowing the two demons whole before turning to re at Joshua. So, are you ready to pay attention to me now?

 Side Story Chapter 187

    Side Story Chapter 187


    Tshchary and Perchilin had disappeared into Creshuas mouth. In all his years in both lives, Joshua had never seen anything like it.


    <em>Did he just eat the demons?</em> Lilith asked.


    -Yeah, he definitely ate them. I cant feel the Overlord Symbol linking me and Perchilin.


    <em>Does that mean?</em>


    -Shes beenpletely absorbed.


    Lilith was shocked silent. The demons were obviously terribly powerful, yet they were helplessly swollen by a hatchling of a race on the verge of extinction.


    Do I have your attention now, Joshua Sanders? Creshua asked.


    Parenting has never been my forte I have to take care of someone elses child when I cant even take care of mine?


    Creshua tilted his head in confusion. What do you mean?


    I mean that you look like you have a lot of things to learn. Has your father not taught you that youll get a stomach ache if you eat random things?


    The hatchling gave him a nk look.


    Judging from the look on your face, he hasnt, Joshua mumbled.


    Creshuas cheeks swelled up.


    Uaaaaaaagh! rrrrghhhh!


    Bits of undigested matter sttered out of the hatchlings mouth.


    Look at that. Joshua tilted his head. You already have an upset stomach.


    -Fuck!


    Tshchary cursed as he crawled out of the pool of sticky sick. As expected, Perchilin was long gone.


    -I would have definitely died like Perchilin if it hadnt been for the Evil Sins. Who in the world is this boy?


    Tshchary fearfully distanced himself because he knew that he didnt have a chance against either the juvenile dragon or Joshua even though he had survived Creshua. The demons eyes darted around his surroundings and he concluded that the only escape route right now was opening in the ceiling which served as the entrance to this underground space. Tshchary had always been quick to analyze the situation ande up with a solution; his current analysis was that he was dead meat at the end of this staredown and that his two Evil Sins were useless in front of a god yer and this dragon hatchling.


    Paah!


    Tshchary used his inherent ability to levitate tounch himself into the air. Once he was above ground, he could go on the offensive again.


    -What?


    An invisible force quickly caught Tshchary and dragged him back down.


    You may have entered freely, but you arent leaving without my permission, Creshua announced.


    -Youre just a whelp!


    Tshchary spread his arms and gathered the Aura of Lust and the energy of Sloth in either hand. The two Evil Sins were a goodbination; the Aura of Lust could be used to attack an enemys mind and Sloth would slow down time around the target, making the enemy experience the trauma for hundreds of years.


    -Take this!


    Tshchary flung his hands at Creshua, engulfing him in the two energies.


    <em>It worked!</em> Tshchary shouted to himself.


    The foolish dragon hatchling simply looked at himself without realing what was going on.


    -Your inexperience has doomed you, little lizard!


    Well, I think thats precisely the reason why you will lose.


    Tshchary whirled around to face the new voice


    -What? What kind of nonsense is that?


    Joshua was watching Tshchary with his arms crossed as if the fight had nothing to do with him at all.


    Lust is all about breaking down your enemys mind. The power can be used to bewitch your target by making them feel sexual desire unlike anything theyve ever experienced before or put them through a traumatic experience that will scar them forever.


    -Exactly! Thats why!


    Thats why Lust doesnt work on Creshua.


    Tshchary was going to immediately tell off Joshua for trying to bullshit him when he realized that Creshua hadnt even reacted to his attack. The hatchling should at least been in pain by now, but all he did was continue to examine himself expressionlessly.


    -What in the world?


    A dragon hatchling refers to a dragon who is under the age of five hundred years. Compared to humans, who cant even live for a hundred years, dragon hatchlings need to be five times older to be considered adults, Joshua exined.


    -So what?


    As I understand, Creshua is less than a hundred years old, never mind five hundred. In fact, Im quite sure that hes younger than me, and Im only around fifty years old.


    -Wait


    Tshchary stilled as he finally realized what Joshua meant.


    Which means that Creshua has literally no experience to speak of. He doesnt understand sex appeal nor does he have any memories that are even bad enough to make him cry. Trauma? From his perspective, its as foreign as an ant digging a tunnel in a farawaynd. Joshua chuckled quietly.


    -Then!


    Im sure that Creshua is one of the few creatures in the world that Lust doesnt work on at all.


    Even as they spoke, the invisible force continued to drag Tshchary down. Forced to change course, he created a new scythe that was longer than himself.


    -Then Ill use the power of Sloth to chop his head off!


    Just when the invisible force amplified, Tshchary stopped flying upward and instead glided down, so fast that he turned into a ray of light. He arrived in front of Creshua in no time and swung his giant scythe at his neck.


    -Die!


    However, Joshua thrust his spear between the two, stopping Tshchary dead in his tracks. His scythe attack was blocked so easily that it made his attempt seem futile.


    I promised Greed that Id gather all the Evil Sins and give them to it, Joshua casually revealed.


    Before Tshchary could react, Pride angrily buzzed inside Joshua. Joshua slowly shook his head. Pride, theres no need to be angry. I have no intention of interfering after all seven Evil Sins are gathered. Which means I wont care if you ughter each other or only one of you survives and eats the rest.


    Joshua knew exactly how to handle Pride. It overwhelmed all creation so it was only natural that it looked down on everything else.


    Judging from how easily you backed down, I guess youre confident.


    Pride hummed. It seemed to be looking forward to the impending battle. Joshua chuckled. Tshcharys Lust and Sloth glowed with a faint, nervous light.


    -You!


    As youve seen, I cant let anyone else have you.


    -You lowly human!


    You called me the honorable Shining Darkness and acted like you would give all your organs to me if you had to. Youve changed awfully quickly, Joshua scoffed.


    That was thest thing Tshchary wanted to hear from Joshua. He directed his baleful energy at the human, enraged.


    -I am Tshchary, the king of the death reapers! Ill kill!


    An immense pressure threw the demon to the floor.


    -What the?


    The pressure only grew once Tshchary had hit the ground, so all Tshchary could manage to do was look. Joshua stood there, looking down at him.


    -Ugh!


    Tshcharys pride was hurt. He finally had two Evil Sins, and no demon was stronger than him now! However, nothing he could do could make this pressure weakenit only got stronger and stronger.


    -I wont be humiliated!


    Joshua''s lips stretched into a sneer. Pride wants you to know that its loving what youre going through right now. The fact that you dared to covet it hurt Prides ego quite a bit.


    -You! You bastard!


    Tshchary, lets put an end to this feud. Joshua held up Longin without ceremony and thrust it through the center of Tshcharys heart. Tshchary writhed like a stuck fish, just like bis had earlier.


    This is for my friend, Joshua said.


    -Unbelievable Not like this!


    Ill be taking those two Evil Sins back.


    Lust and Sloth quickly moved into Joshua. Not that they had another choice in the first ce. If they failed to find a new owner immediately after their old ones died, the Evil Sins would be equally dead.


    -Ahhhhhhhhhh!


    With an unholy wail, Tshchary shriveled up to the size of an ant.


    Its over, Joshua murmured.


    <em>Yes, its over now,</em> Lilith agreed.


    Is it safe to assume that demons have also gone extinct?


    <em>Youve gone through a lot,</em> Lilith said.


    Joshua let out a long sigh.


    However, Creshua was still staring at Joshua. He may have not evene up to Joshuas chest, but his gaze stung.


    Is there something else you would like to say? Joshua asked the hatchling.


    No, there isnt. Creshua turned to look at one of the soulless husks lying on the ground.


    Crevasse Joshua approached the ck dragon with a grim expression on his face.


    He didnt have to look closely to discern Crevasses state. The dragon had been dying even before the battle, so it was impossible to restore him now. Joshuas understanding of the situation did not lighten his heavy heart.


    I didnt get to say goodbye, Joshua whispered as he picked up Crevasses corpse.


    When a dragon died in their polymorphed form, they transformed back to their original form, but Crevasse had given the majority of his heart to his hatchling. Without the source of his power Crevasse remained in his human form after death.


    Where are you going to take him? Creshua asked.


    If youre asking where his grave will be I think taking him aboveground would be a lot better than leaving him in this damp cave. His grave will be made in the sunniest ce in the Pce.


    I see.


    Are you sad? Joshua asked.


    Creshua flinched. What is sad?


    The emotion youre feeling is called sadness.


    I feel sad?


    Joshua solemnly nodded. Youre crying.

 Side Story Chapter 188

    Side Story Chapter 188


    Creshua watched as Joshua picked up Crevasses corpse.


    There is one custommon among humans regardless of their nationalities. When someones family dies, their acquaintancese together to mourn the deceased alongside the bereaved. Of course, the exact form of the mourning and funeral differs in every country, but the underlying sentiment is the same, Joshua exined.


    What is it that you want to say?


    Do you want toe with me? Joshua offered.


    Creshua blinked at him in surprise.


    Our parents mean a lot to us humans, Joshua continued. Im not sure if dragons feel the same, but one thing is certain.


    What is it?


    You wouldnt be in this world without Crevasse.


    Should I be grateful for the fact that he brought me into this world? I dont find my life in this world to be such a blessing, Creshua answered in a dull voice.


    Lilith was dumbstruck. <em>What is his problem?</em>


    -Well, hes not that bad. Some dragons do consider their life to be a curse.


    <em>A curse? Why?</em>


    -Humans live less than one hundred years, but dragons have to endure ten thousand years.


    Yes, the word endure would be the most apt description for a dragons existence. Eventually, everything in their lives would bore them because they had already done them. They transformed into the lesser creatures they treated like dirt to squeeze some entertainment out of their lives. Nevertheless, their remaining time in this world was close to an eternity, so they slept away hundreds of years too. Joshua was certain that one of the most unfortunate races on the continent was the dragons.


    -Perhaps the reason why the dragons faced extinction from a single human is because they didnt fight back with their full strength. Theres no way that they would have failed to defeat Bel if all of the dragons fought against him together.


    <em>Then why did they keep living until now? They could have killed themselves,</em> Lilith muttered.


    -By nature, Dragons cantmit suicide. Those creatures believed that theyd transcend and be gods after enduring their divine curse of ten thousand years. Suicide is equivalent to a deration of surrender.


    <em>Which would be an unthinkable act for them, considering their pride. But then, they could have joined forces to be gods</em>


    -Every single dragon cooperating to defeat one human and be gods? Thats preposterous.


    No matter how hard Lilith thought about it, she couldnt understand dragons and their pride.


    But, Creshua began, breaking the silence.


    Joshua looked up expectantly.


    Im very curious about you because most of the stories I heard once I was born were about this man named Joshua Sanders.


    Crevasse talked about me that much?


    Among humansno, among all creation, youre the only one he approved of, Creshua replied.


    Joshua fell silent. He hadnt expected Crevasse to think that highly of him.


    On the same note, the only one whom he respected was the dragon lord Unfortunately, she couldnt escape from death, so the race that Im most curious about right now is humans, especially you and that man named Bel. Thats why Creshua looked at Crevasse and trailed off. Ill go with you.


    Im d to hear that. Im sure that Crevasse is happy up in the sky.


    I dont think this is a good thing for you. If you or this Bel fails to live up to my expectations, then Im going kill every one of you myself, Creshua said.


    Joshua quietly examined Creshua. Although the dragon hatchling still looked emotionless, Joshua could tell what Creshua was feeling right now. Once again, Creshuas warning was made out of pride. He wanted to bury the emotions he was feeling because his dragon heritage told him that such things were for lesser beings.


    However, humans werent the only ones who felt angry or sad. Even monsters wailed at the loss of their parents or babies. Creshua wished to retaliate against humankind for the deaths of his fellow dragons and his father.


    Creshua stepped on Tshcharys stony core, reducing it to dust, and then took to the air.


    Lets get going. I want to see this sun that supposedly hangs in the sky.


    * * *


    After who knew how long had passed, Kireua finally opened his eyes.


    Sersiarin, who had been personally tending to him, beamed. Kireua!


    Huh? How long have I been asleep?


    Youve slept through half a day. I was getting worried about you


    H-Half a day? Kireua leaped to his feet. He remembered little by little how he had lost control of his body to Aden von Agnus, the Dark God.


    What kind of failure is this Kireua was so ashamed that he felt like he was going to go crazy. After everything he had gone through to find the Emperor of Avalons secret vault!


    Its fine. Sersiarin calmly shook her head. I heard that things on the battlefield got a lot better thanks to you.


    Kireua may have lost his body, but he remembered everything vividly. With the Emperor of Avalons undead legion, Avalon could even the odds, but Kireua couldnt afford to be sitting around on his own.


    <em>Coal.</em>


    The Sin didnt answer him.


    <em>Answer me, now!</em>


    He didnt get any response back from Coal. That worried him tremendouslythe thing was supposed to be inside of him. But he had no time to linger on it.


    Ive got to get back to the battlefield.


    Kireua.


    Yes?


    Dont be dispirited. Youre doing a good job. Sersiarin patted Kireuas back.


    Kireuas eyes widened.


    Sersiarin had been born with a supernatural ability known as Eyes of Truth, but the cursed ability had taken away her eyesight. After she had recovered from the curse and regained her eyesight, she had lost the abilitypletely, but she saw exactly what Kireua was going through.


    Im proud of both of my nephews. No matter who bes the next Emperor of Avalon, all of Avalons people will cheer for you. I will always root for you, my prince. Sersiarin smiled gently and held her fists up encouragingly.


    Kireua nodded with fresh determination.


    Ill do my best to restore peace in Avalon.


    * * *


    A huge duhans upper body was severed from its lower half by a saber and copsed to the ground.


    I cant cut through with one strike if I dont use aura. And if I dont kill them with one strike, they get back up and hit back Indeed, dealing with monsters that dont get tired is quite a problem. Duke Tremblin, the Sword Emperor, wiped sweat off of his forehead with the back of his hand.


    Even he looked quite tired. It had already been over a day since the battle began. Tremblin might have surpassed the level of an ordinary human, but even he didnt have the stamina to endure nonstopbat. Selim, the greatest genius on the continent, was equally weary.


    Selim stabbed through a ck trolls neck and then stopped, panting. A hundred? No, he had killed several hundred monsters and undead, enough to build a small mountain with their corpses. Even his brave ck Knights were showing their fatigue. If it hadnt been for the undead that Kireua had brought, Selim and the others would have already been pushed back to the castle gates.


    <em>How long are you going to sleep, Kireua?</em> Selim wondered.


    The devastation on the battlefield had made the soldiers morale hit rock bottom long ago. They were going to pass out from exhaustion before the gates were breached. No, the soldiers were already exhausted. Something had to change.


    These annoying undead! When will we be rid of them?!


    More monsters areing! Maybe all the monsters living in the northern mountains came crawling over here.


    Shit! His Majesty would have wiped them all away with his spear!


    Selim bite his lip. The soldiersints made him realize that he still had a long way to go. He wasnt strong enough to rece the Emperor of Avalon withbat prowess, as the peoples anchor, or in any other aspect. It didnt matter that Selim was standing on the frontlines with them, cutting down their enemies.


    <em>Im no better than Kireua.</em>


    At least Kireua had brought hope to the battlefield by locating the Emperors undead legion.


    At this rate Selim trailed off.


    Your Highness! Go back and take a break. You cant continue fighting for days without food or sleep.


    I cant do that.


    But, Your Highness! one of the ck Knights yelled.


    Selim was determined.


    Theres a high chance that the soldiers morale will falter if I leave the battlefield.


    Then Ill fill in for you, Your Highness.


    This is a job that only I can do.


    Your Highness!


    Enough! Selim roared, mming the end of his spear on the ground. What are you worried about? Im Selim Sanders, the Martial Gods son!


    A solemn air settled over the battlefield. Everyone there knew that Selim remained on the frontlines by his willpower alone, so the ck Knight knew that any further protests would be an insult to the Prince.


    ck Knights, listen! His Highness has dered that he will fight to the death. Not one of us will yield while the prince still fights!


    For the Prince!


    The lives of our families and the citizens of Arcardia are in our hands!


    All of the ck Knights lifted their swords with a new resolve. The strongest knights in Avalon should never retreat, much less be defeated!


    As if the heavens were moved by their determination, the empty sky flickered crimson.


    Wait. Red light?


    The ck Knights gasped as a ray of red light streaked into the center of the undead.


    Is that? Th-Thats His Majestys spear!


    From out of nowhere, the battlefield had been graced with the presence of Longin, the spear of the god yer.

 Side Story Chapter 189

    Side Story Chapter 189


    The first emotion Selim felt upon seeing Longin was joy.


    Selim leaped for the spear without hesitation, snatching it out of the air as it began to float.


    Longin hummed quietly in his hands. Selim had be attached to the spear and earned its recognition long ago while practicing with it. Compared to the Emperor of Avalons spear skills, Selim was a drop in an ocean, but


    I feel like I can defeat anyone right now, Selim murmured.


    Instead of basking in the soldiers cheers, Selim looked down at his enemies from the sky.


    Most people would never encounter a single duhan in their entire life, yet hundreds of duhans, each a powerful undead, littered the battlefield. Every single one of them was impervious to any attack delivered without the assistance of aura.


    Selim pulled his arm far back. Magic Spear Arts, Level 4.


    Selim was going to test his skills on those duhans and show everyone on the battlefield how effective the Magic Spear Arts were with Longin.


    Magic Spear Arts, Level 4: Lightning Spear. A gods wrath was directed at the world, and waves of lightning struck the ground for eternity. Who would be able to survive?


    Scathachs Fury! Selim thrust the spear with every muscle in his body.


    Longin flew through the air with a subtle <em>swish</em>, but what happened afterward was a spectacle for the ages.


    Apanied by the rumbling of thunder, bright shes of lightning lit up the battlefield, forcing the cheering soldiers to stop and shut their eyes.


    Meanwhile, Selim thrust the spear hundreds of times, consuming a significant amount of mana each time, but he didnt stop until his mana hall waspletely emptied.


    The duhans were struck on their heads by the bolts and staggered. The monsters might have been durable enough to withstand one lightning bolt, but when they were struck in the same spot over and over their unholy endurance gave out and they copsed to the ground.


    Selimnded on the ground, panting. Had he been using an ordinary spear, it would have taken him threeno, at least ten attacks to kill each of the duhans, but Longin specialized in amplifying the damage of the mana that it absorbed.


    Did youe back with His Majesty? Selim asked.


    Longin hummed loudly. Selim didnt know what exactly Longin was saying, of course; he could only specte as to the specifics, but he was familiar enough that he could at least tell if Longin was saying yes or no.


    I see. So hes back. Selim smiled from ear to ear.


    Although the news about the Emperor of Avalons return was reason to rejoice, Selim was pretty pleased that he could make simple conversations with Longin.


    Wo!


    Hurray for His Highness Selim!


    The Martial God! Its the Martial Gods return!


    Hey, you! Watch your mouth. Only one person can be called Martial God in this countryno, this continent, even if youre talking about His Highness Selim!


    Th-Then how about the Lightning God? I genuinely felt like His Highness Selim was a god of lightning earlier.


    Lightning God The knight who had scolded the soldier trailed off. From atop the ramparts, they watched Selimnd on the ground. Eventually, the knight nodded.A god created a new god.


    Ohaaaaaaaa!


    The knights and soldiers let out a thunderous cheer again.


    Just then, a storm of fire lit up another corner of the battlefield. Avalons troops reeled away from the huge wall of fire.


    Arrrghhhh!


    S-Stand back unless you want to be burned to death!


    The firestorm was incredibly effective. The monsters crawling toward the breach in the gates that the demons had created were burned to a fine ash. The lesser demons left on the battlefield, even those strong enough to have distinct abilities, met the same end, surprisingly.


    Wait, if that fire can even burn demons


    The knight peered at the second pir of ck fire rising further away from the gates.


    Its His Highness Kireua!


    The Fire God! Its the Fire God!


    The armys morale skyrocketed, naturally. The First Prince had the Emperor of Avalons weapon, and the Second Prince had made a full recovery and rejoined the battle.


    Were going out there too! Everyone, to the princes!


    Whooaaaaaaa!


    The soldiers and knights poured down the ramparts as if they had been waiting for the order all along. Although they were voluntarily giving up the advantage of their fortifications, no one objected because it was clear that the tide of the battle had turned in their favor. The princes were standing on the frontlines, shedding sweat and blood, and the most problematic demons were gone. They had been hopelessly outnumbered earlier, but the difference was almost nonexistent now thanks to the mysterious undead helping themalthough everyone could guess where the legion of undead hade from.


    The legion must be sent by His Majesty.


    Many of the delegates hadnt left Arcadia yet, so they could point fingers at Avalon after the whole affair was over. There was a high chance that Avalon would be branded the Demonic Empire and be themon enemy of the rest of Igrant. However, the knights and soldiers of Avalon didnt want to worry about itnot right now, at least. Their country and families were behind them, so nine out of ten would willingly take a devils hand.


    Lets go!


    Yes, captain!


    The entire order of knights garrisoned in Arcadia sallied out. They encountered the foreign delegates who were watching them. The captain gave them a small nod and the delegates unwittingly nodded back.


    <em>There is no need to be disappointed in them. They have their reasons too, but I wish they wouldnt treat us like were less than Hubalt, the aggressorsand war criminals</em>


    The captain didnt want to think about it, but he couldnt help but worry. It must be because they could see a glimmer of hope in this battle.


    Is anyone hurt? the captain asked as he approached the delegates.


    Excuse me? Ah, no. We arent hurt.


    Good. Why dont you stand back, everyone? Avalon will try its best to ensure our guests safe return to their countries, the captain politely said.


    The delegates exchanged nces. They may have not said anything, but they felt apologetic. There had been an incident with Hubalt and now the undead, and both times they had only sat on their hands.


    Umm Its a well-known fact that the Britten Family, the previous ruling family of Avalon, studied ck magic. Has the current Imperial Family been continuing that research?


    The troops concerns turned out to be well-founded. Because of Evergrant con Aswald, the former Imperial Chief Mage, and Kaiser ben Britten, the previous Fourth Prince, Avalon had suffered through being associated with demons for a long time. If it hadnt been for the current Emperor of Avalon and his family, the continent would surely have condemned Avalon even now.


    Well The captain pondered how he should answer their question, but his knights flew into a rage before he could formte a reply.


    Thats preposterous! they shouted.


    How can you say that about His Majesty?!


    You should remember that there are lines you should not cross. Shame on you! Youve been using diplomacy as an excuse to ignore the injustice unfolding right in front of you!


    If our country falls, your dear countries are next! Those damned undead will trample your families and your home!


    The captain bit his tongue. Even though the knights were speaking the truth, the delegates were powerful individuals who had a great deal of influence in their countries, and a sense of pride to match.


    As expected, the delegates were enraged and stopped tiptoeing around the knights.


    How dare a knight say such a thing to us!


    Even if undead are attacking you, that doesnt justify using those undead to fight back! Youre the ones who should be ashamed for relying on the undeads help!


    Avalon should exin this after everything is over. Who knows? All of this may be the result of Avalons failed research on ck magic! Otherwise, why, across the entire continent, would such an incident take ce only in Avalon?


    The knights faces turned purple in rage. While they were able to endure insults about themselves, they absolutely could not let the insults about the Emperor of Avalon and Imperial Family slide.


    You want a piece of me?


    Youre revealing your true color, arent you? Is this how Avalon treats their guests?


    Stop! Everyone, calm down! the captain shouted, but his intervention was no use.


    The showdown was primed to break into a brawl at any moment. The delegates'' knights already had their hands on their swords.


    Ah, shit, the captain cussed. Things couldnt have gone more wrong. The war wasnt over yet, and the princes were hard at work, yet the captain and his knights were making an embarrassment of themselves


    In onest attempt to quell the situation, the captain gathered his mana into his throat.


    Cut it!


    Why dont you stop now?


    The captain flinched mid-sentence.


    The new voice was very quiet, but everyone there could somehow hear it clear as day.


    Th-This power is


    Ending the wares first, doesnt it?


    A beautiful silver-haired woman was slowly walking toward them from the Pce.


    The Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword?


    Lilith Aphrodite!


    Her beauty always stood out, allowing all of the knights and the delegates to quickly recognize her.


    <em>But why do I see His Majesty in the Ghost Sword?</em> The Captain tilted his head in confusion.


    Unlike before, Lilith sounded like an actual woman and wasnt angry this time.


    What inspires this foolishness. Arent all of you feeling too confident about your countries abilities?


    What do you mean, Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword?


    I think youre all forgetting that ending these undead isnt the only problem. Hubalt is the bigger problem.


    The delegates flinched.


    As a citizen of Hubalt, I assure you that Hubalt is currently the strongest country on the continent. All of you must have heard the rumors about the Battle God, yes?


    We


    Or perhaps youd like to try stopping Hubalt without Avalon or the Martial Gods help? Lilith smirked.


    The delegates mped their mouths shut.

 Side Story Chapter 190

    Side Story Chapter 190


    <em>Things are starting to calm down. Its your time to shine,</em> Lilith told Joshua.


    He nodded.


    -Thank you.


    Joshua saw a spear stuck in the ground nearby. He stretched his hand toward it and the long weapon trembled and then flew to his hand.


    <em>Wait! Are you sure about this? Im sure you already know Im a swordswoman, given that they call me the Ghost Sword, so think about whatll happen if I suddenly use a spear,</em> Lilith yelled.


    -I certainly didnt think this through. That would put you on the spot.


    <em>I mean, itd be more problematic for you, not me. I dont have any honor left to be tainted after being branded a witch, but youre a different story.</em>


    The fact that Joshua and Lilith had been close friends for a long time was already well known, but she was certain people would say there was something going on between her and Joshua. People always said that it was impossible for a man and a woman to be in a tonic rtionship. In fact, Avalon had recently tried to help Lilith at the risk of going to war against Hubalt, so it was obvious what was going to happen if Lilith used the Magic Spear Arts.


    -Its not true, so what does it matter?


    <em>Of course it matters! It may not matter to you, but your wives and children might be very concerned. I dont want the people I like to call me a bitch,</em> Lilith pouted.


    -But I already used the techniques of the Magic Spear Arts several times with your body.


    <em>Only some people witnessed it, so it wasnt a problem. People know that rumors are always exaggerated, so I can just tell them its not true when they ask me, just like you said. But its different now. The entire army of Avalon and the foreign delegates will see you right now.</em>


    Joshua stabbed the spear back into the ground and let out a long sigh. Politics are cumbersome.


    Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword? One of the delegates from the Allied Powers of Palentine gave Joshua a confused look.


    A brilliant idea crossed Joshuas mind.


    -Heres what were going to do.


    What?


    -The only reason theyre still hesitating is that they arent sure whos stronger. Its Hubalt versus Avalon, the Battle God versus the Martial God.


    <em>Well, I guess so,</em> Lilith muttered.


    The delegations had witnessed Hubalts invasion with their own eyes. Although Avalon held justification to start a war, history was ultimately written by the victor. Had Hubalt been merely strong, then yes, the other countries may have joined forces to fight Hubalt, but their chances as they saw them were very low. Hubalt was currently an enemy that the other countries couldnt guarantee victory against even if all of them worked together.


    -The only way to convince them is by showing them that Avalon is stronger than Hubalt. If the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword fights against Hubalt, Hubalt would benefit in the long run.


    <em>What in the world are you talking about?</em>


    -Many people in Hubalt must have no choice but to follow the Battle God because of his power. The Bel that I saw didnt exactly seem to havepassion for his people.


    It was true. Bel had spent his entire life locked up in a secret room fighting people because he had been raised as the human weapon to challenge the Martial God. There was no way his subordinates would be truly loyal to such a man.


    -In other words, Hubalts solidarity is a fragile thing. The only reason theyre united is because they have faith in their leaders power and the madness that a war instills in people.


    <em>You have a point. If the leader they believed in loses and a new leader who has the charisma, legitimacy, and ability shows up</em> Lilith murmured.


    -The war will end quicker than we expected.


    Joshua spoke with conviction. There was no way that a man like Bel thought about what he should do after he was defeatedhe never would have even considered the possibility.


    -I guess that Ive been given myst mission before retiring as the Emperor of Avalon.


    Joshua extended his hand and an ordinary longswordnded on his palm.


    <em>What are you going to do?</em> Lilith asked.


    -Youre the only one who can tell the story. From now on, repeat after me.


    Before Lilith could say anything, she lost control over her body and her head was turned toward the foreign delegates giving her confused looks.


    I used to beno, I am the woman Igrant calls the witch, Lilith said.


    Some of the delegates flinched in surprise. Although the misunderstanding had been resolved, they had been fooled by Hubalt and were guilty of badmouthing Lilith as well. Some of them had even tried to buy Hubalts favor by sending trackers after Lilith.


    Ghost Sword, about that


    I understand why people would point fingers at me, someone who was once called a saint, when I manifested a Demon Kings Authority. Liliths soothing tone made the delegates quiet. Just as it was to me, power is given to people against their will in this age. It doesnt matter if its the demonic power of a Demon King or the divine power of a Great Angel. What is important is that power is just a tool and that its the will of the powers wielder that matters.


    What in the world are you talking about?


    Today, I wish to make it known that there is no more god in this world, Lilith dered.


    The gathered audience staggered. She was the daughter of the cardinal who had been all but confirmed to be the next pope of the Holy Empireand yet from her own they heard her dere that no god existed in this world. It was a rejection of the very identity of her own country.


    Using the faith of their god, Hubalt had brought together believers and built a temple, eventually a country. Everything they had done was merely an act of forming a group and having power without their god, their whole country bing a contradiction.


    Ghost Sword, do you understand the magnitude of what youre saying?


    Had a god existed, would they have overlooked this living hell? Lilith asked.


    Thats what Im asking.


    See? A god may have existed before, but Im sure that they are far gone. I have heard tell that even the Angel and Demon Realms are gone. Besides Lilith trailed off with a bitter smile. Joshua had stopped giving her cues a while ago, so Lilith was speaking her own beliefs. Even if gods did exist, would they really reign supreme over man?


    What?


    Weve already witnessed a human seal and annihte a god with our own eyes, Lilith reminded everyone.


    All of them immediately understood who Lilith was talking aboutJoshua Sanders, the Martial God, and the Demon Spirit who had descended in the center of the Pce.


    Gods are merely imaginary beings humans made up because they wanted someone to depend on. If a god is needed, then I choose to believe in the Martial God instead.


    Wait, Ghost Sword. Are you speaking for yourself or the entirety of Hubalt?


    The question was of utmost importance because if the answer were the former, Lilith mightno, would be even more of a pariah than she had been when she was used of being a witch.


    Well If I lose in this war, this will all be nothing but a crazy womans mad ramblings, but if I win Im not sure if I have the right, but Ill make it clear now that I will spare no effort to reim the throne of Hubalt. Once I seed, there will be no more of the pope or the Great Temple in Hubalt.


    An edifice and its leader that existed to serve their god served no use without their god. By the time Lilith carried out her words, Hubalt would be apletely different country, a Holy Empire no longer. Good and evil. Light and darkness. Angels and Demons. The front and back of the coin The peoples views of the world were ck and white; Lilith knew that she had to push forward, epting the possibility of a new war, because she now knew how much damage this kind of thinking caused.


    Not all ck mages eat children and virgins hearts. Even the Angel and Demon Realms have fallen, so humans dont need to put abel of good or evil on a certain power and fight over it. All these abilities are simply power, and this world belongs to humans, not gods.


    When Lilith finished speaking, silence fell upon the area. Not a single person dared to speak a word in the face of Liliths shocking deration.


    <em>Are we good now? Its on you I get kicked out of my home,</em> Lilith grumbled.


    -I didnt say anything after the first part, you know.


    <em>But this </em>is<em> what you wanted,</em> Lilith refuted. She knew exactly what Joshua was concerned about.


    Joshua had to think about what would happen afterward even if Avalon sessfully defeated Hubalt. World right now ssified anything demonic as evil. If worse came to worst, the entire continent might brand Avalon as the Demonic Empire and turn on it, but Lilith, who had legitimacy in the Holy Empire, dropped a bombshell.


    -I guess that its only right to return the favor.


    <em>And how are you going to do that?</em>


    -As you already know, justice is the words of the powerful.


    <em>But do you know how to use the sword?</em> Lilith asked.


    Joshua walked up into the sky as if there were an invisible set of stairs beneath his feet, but Lilith wasnt even surprised after how many times shed witnessed such things. However, the delegates were not so jaded.


    The Gh-Ghost Sword is walking on air!


    She must be at least a Master! W-Was she that skilled?


    That was just the beginning of surprises. Lilith produced ck demonic power in one hand and white divine power, a majestic sight.


    ...Shes using divine and demonic powers at the same time?


    Only the Martial God can do such a thing!


    The release of two powers was so incredible that even the undead and demons who still frantically fought looked up at Joshua, who arrogantly gazed down at them.


    While the Prides first ability was to overwhelm all creation, its second ability forced lower beings into eternal submission. The unintelligent monsters instantly bowed when faced with that powerful ability.


    Its name was Dominance.


    The mix of two prizing powers spread far on the battlefield.


    The war is over. Anyone who is weaker than me shall swear their loyalty to me, Joshua announced.

 Side Story Chapter 191

    Side Story Chapter 191


    The group of duhans in front of Selim creaked from time to time. As these duhans were high-ss undead, they responded to the unprecedented mix of demonic and divine powers spreading across the sky.


    What in the world? Selim murmured.


    Its His Majesty.


    Selim''s eyes widened.


    Duke Tremblin approached Selim with a gentle smile. Other people would think that the woman over there is the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, but we know that its my master and your father, Your Highness.


    The first emotions that Selim felt were shock and ecstasy. These sickeningly annoying undead were the main cause of this battle that refused to end no matter how many times Selim swung his spear. However, the Emperor of Avalon had dominated these undead with his divine and demonic power aloneas could be seen from the duhans going down on their knees. The skeletons and ghouls, undead inferior to the duhans, had prostrated themselves on the ground long ago.


    The entire battlefield, excepting a few humans, kneeled or bowed to a single person who stood majestically above the chaos. Powerful demons, each one a lethal threat to Avalons forces, shouted futilely at the top of their lungs in their human forms.


    It seems the intermediate and lesser demons have been incapacitated by His Majestys power, so we only have to deal with the remaining demons and death knights, Tremblin noted.


    Selim slowly took a look around. There were around fifty demons still standing and three hundred death knights. Those undead knights were so rare in the Human Realm that they had been consigned to legend. A man could scour the entire continent his entire life and never catch the barest glimpse of one, yet hundreds of those beings were gathered at the gates of Avalon right now. Astonishingly, that number wasnt high, considering all of the monsters in the Demon Realm that had escaped to the Human Realm after their realms fall.


    Lets go. It pricks this old mans conscience to let His Majesty do all the work, Tremblin quietly said.


    Yes, Duke Tremblin.


    Selim and Tremblin made their way toward the center of the battlefield through the path that cleared up when the undead split into two sides, but they ran into another pair of men halfway there.


    Kireua


    Youre safe, Valmont.


    The moment Selim saw Kireuaing toward him from the opposite side, he regained some of hisposure. Kireua was stronger and his energy was vastly more stable than before. The changes in his brother were enough to affect Selim emotionally.


    Selim, Kireua said. Im going to be His Majestys heir no matter what it takes.


    Valmont and Tremblin''s eyes widened. Their eyes turned to Selim as they swallowed nervously, wondering how Selim, Kireuaspetitor.


    Ive also changed my mind. Im never going to let you have the throne without a fight, Selim responded.


    Valmont and Tremblin shivered. Until now, the princes had maintained that they didnt mind who became the next emperor of Avalon.


    This war must have changed the princes a lot, Valmont whispered.


    Tremblin nodded. Its great that they changed in a good way.


    Is this a good change?


    Competition drives growth.


    Perhaps youre rightwhen apetition is done in good faith. Otherwise, Avalon will have to repeat history, Valmont said with a frown.


    Did you look at them before you started worrying about that?


    Valmont flinched and looked back and forth between Kireua and Selim. There wasnt a single trace of malice to be seen in their eyes right now, only a healthy fighting spirit.


    The human heart is very fickle, so we should wait and see. They might have a change of heart after tasting the intoxicating sweetness of political power Valmont disparaged with a bitter twist in his voice.


    I trust the princes. Tremblin shook his head. Lets get going. Were going to be left alone right in the middle of these monsters.


    Selim and Kireua were already far ahead of Tremblin and Valmont, walking shoulder to shoulder. They looked like close brothers as they walked toward the sunset, but their conversation was menacing.


    What changed your mind? Kireua asked.


    I already told you that I dont think youll make a better ruler than me anymore.


    What?


    You used any means necessary to win and your ns even risked endangering civilians this time. I realized through this battle that you arent qualified to be His Majestys heir, Selim said firmly.


    Kireua pressed his lips together. Selim was talking about the period when Aden von Agnus had taken over Kireuas body and tried to open Arcadias gates to the enemy. However, Kireua couldnt tell his brother that his weak resolve had allowed someone else to hijack his body. It was a matter of his pride. Kireua would rather be called a heartless tyrant than be known as an idiot.


    An emperor needs to understand the necessity of sacrificing the few for the many and be able to make a rational decision even in an urgent situation, because a moments hesitation can lead to numerous casualties on the battlefield, Kireua exined.


    Well


    Is there a reason to give up on the path to save more people, even if it puts some people at risk? Its better than being wiped out because you hesitated.


    Selim nced at Kireua. One thing is sure.


    What?


    His Majesty would have won the war without such cheap tricks.


    Ch-Cheap trick?! Kireua scowled at Selim.


    They came to a halt and started an intense staredown.


    Come on! What are you doing? Valmont hurriedly ran between them. The war isnt over yet. This is not the time for you two to fight.


    Tremblin also came over and pointed at the sky. His Majesty ising down.


    All four people looked up at the sky. Just as she had walked up into the sky, Lilith Aphrodite descended to the ground as if she were walking down a set of stairs, looking down at everyone with a sword in her hand. However, everyone knew that that was their Emperor, the Martial God, in her body.


    Im not going to let you beat me here, Kireua muttered under his breath as he looked over the remaining demons and death knights.


    Due to their power, they werent under the Emperor of Avalons dominance. In fact, they held up their heads and bared their hostility toward the Emperor.


    There seem to be around four hundred of them Are we going to be okay on our own? Valmont asked. He was able to tell from experience that it wouldnt be easy. Each of the demons had distinct abilities, so the oue was unpredictable. On the other hand, Valmont, as a fellow knight, could determine the death knights levels with certainty. He could beat one death knight without a doubt. While he could fight two death knights on equal terms, he would certainly lose against three death knights.


    Of course, Valmonts analysis was based on the premise of fighting them head-on. He could take them down one by one using gueri tactics. However, Valmontin fact, four of themwasnt interested in doing that in the slightest with the Emperor of Avalon watching them.


    Why dont you take advantage of this moment, Your Highnesses? Tremblin asked.


    Selim looked askance at him.


    This is your chance to show your progress to His Majesty and a perfect opportunity topete as well.


    Selim was already stretching. It seemed Kireuas words had gotten to him.


    How about this, then? he proposed.


    Pardon?


    Whoever wins thispetition will have your support, Duke Tremblin. The recognition of the Sword Emperor. Selim smiled faintly.


    Tremblins eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly regained hisposure. Maybe he would have reacted differently if Kireua had been the one to suggest it. Tremblin was surprised that the suggestion hade from Selim after Tremblin had already dered his support for the elder prince.


    <em>He doesnt want loyalty for free His Highness Selim is quite the fighter,</em> Tremblin thought.


    Tremblin could feel the three piercing gazes on him, so he only gave himself a moment to sort out his thoughts.


    Although Im rooting for both of you The duke smiled. Indeed, there is only one throne, so Ill have to choose one of you in the end for the sake of Avalons future. Indecision would only make everyone nervous.


    Kireua and Selim nodded in agreement.


    Lets do that. Thispetition wont be enough for me to make a decision, but I promise you that its oue is going to y a major factor on the day I must choose one of you.


    Thank you.


    Thank you for your decision, Duke Trembiln.


    Selim and Kireua bowed at Tremblin.


    A long spear appeared in Selims hand, sparking angrily.


    Hey! Using Longin is cheating! Kireua protested.


    Cheating? I do believe you also received His Majestys power.


    Kireua flinched because he immediately realized that Selim was referring to Greed.


    <em>But Greed is</em>


    Youre awfully rxed when thepetition has already begun.


    Kireua couldnt keep worrying about it anymore.


    Already, the Emperor of Avalon had lightly swung his arm, sending explosions ripping through the air not so far away. Any concerns the four had about the Emperors atypical choice of weapon vanished because he had cut two of the death knights in half with a single motion.


    Oh Youve gotta be kidding me. I ran around all day and went through hell but only managed to take care of five of them, and he can kill two of them with one swing? He isnt even using a spear, Valmont grumbled, echoing the thoughts of the other three with him.


    Hahahaha! Tremblin burst intoughter. Thats why hes called Martial God.


    The two princes exchanged nces before sprinting toward their father.


    I wont lose to you!


    Itll be better with an extra little wager, yes? The loser will be the younger brother for a year and call the winner big brother every time they talk, Selim suggested.


    That is an excellent idea.

 Side Story Chapter 192

    Side Story Chapter 192


    Theyve grown up a lot, Joshua quietly mumbled with a faint smile on his lips. His hearing and other physical senses had transcended the level of ordinary people, so he could hear his childrens entire conversation.


    As their father, I should help them, not interfere, so Ill need all of you to cooperate with me.


    -What in the world are you talking about?!


    The bull-headed demon, Moloch[1] was the sixty-seventh strongest demon, making him the strongest demon among those gathered on the ins.


    Weaker monsters were slowed down due to Joshuas intangible yet overwhelming power; even the death knights moved half as fast, possibly even slower, asn usual.


    <em>This ispletely different from what Ive experienced from the power of Pride!</em> Moloch thought.


    Up until now, Moloch had believed that Lust was the most effective of the Seven Evil Sins in a battle against many opponents. It only made sense because the Aura of Lust allowed its user to captivate hundreds of targets at once and tear down the walls of their minds. However, the ability wasnt perfect; its effectiveness decreased drastically against those of the same gender as the wielder.


    <em>Gender doesnt matter with the power of Pride. This overwhelming power looks down on all of creation except for itself. The scary part is that Prides area of influence and the damage it can deal will match its owners.</em>


    Moloch unwittingly shivered. The reason why he was so familiar with Pride was that he had been on the receiving end of it not too long ago. Altheon, the strongest demon, used the power of Pride to crush the arrogant demons and bend them to his will. He had kept the fact that he had the power of Pride in his possession secret from other demons who could challenge him since Altheon didnt want to be attacked by them before hed conquered the Human Realm. Hed only used Pride on Moloch and some other demons that werent strong enough to wield an Evil Sin. Altheon had revealed Pride to them and demanded that they ept his Overlord Symbol. The demons had no choice but to swear loyalty to himthe only other option was to die.


    Yet, Pride hadnt been this overpowering in Altheons hands.


    <em>Is that human woman actually the Shining Darknesss reincarnation?</em> Moloch wondered. He had heard the rumor, as many demons had, that the Shining Darkness had returned as a human. If Molochs spections were true, he had no chance of winning. If Pride hade back to its original owner, who would dare to stand in the Shining Darknesss way? The Shining Darkness had been peerless among the countless warriors of the Demon Realm, and even the Demon Spirit had tiptoed around the Shining Darkness in that distant era.


    And so, Moloch came to a decision.


    -I-I submit!


    The first time was always the hardest. After that, swearing loyalty again was no big deal; the only difference was the person. Besides, it had been bothering Moloch that Altheons Overlord Symbol on him had vanishedpletely. It could only mean one thing.


    <em>Altheon has been killed,</em> Moloch thought.


    Moloch immediately went down on his knees except he was stopped against his will.


    -No, no. I told you that all of you need to cooperate with my n.


    <em>Sh-Shining Darkness?</em> Moloch hurriedly looked up and saw the silver-haired woman looking down at the demons with an enigmatic smile.


    -Help me out a little so my children can get better.


    <em>S-So the Shining Darkness is asking me to die?</em> Moloch stammered.


    -Ah, I wont kill you if you cooperate. You get what I mean, yes?


    It sounded like the Shining Darkness was reading Molochs thoughts. The demon was at a loss about what he should do. What in the world was he supposed to do?!


    -You see the children running toward you, yes? Fight back as hard as you can. Ah, killing them is forbidden.


    Moloch gritted his teeth. The Shining Darkness was asking the demons to be his childrens training dummies. These demons, all among the one hundred strongest, were infamous for their pride. They had never been treated like this. Yet, the demons had to obey.


    -Everyone, get ready.


    Molochs reluctant words drew the gaze of every demon aside from the death knights.


    -Get ready?


    -Then what? Are you nning on getting killed without doing anything? We dont have a home to go back to anyway.


    -But, Moloch! You felt that the human woman over there is


    -The human womans identity doesnt matter now! If we lose now, well die. Even if we swear our loyalty to the Shining Darkness, can you live alongside those pathetic humans, choking down your desire to kill for the rest of your lives?


    Not one could refute Moloch. Meanwhile, the two humans that the Shining Darkness had told the demons about were already closing in.


    -Lets fight. We dont have anything to lose anymore, so lets go!


    Moloch raised his colossal ax and let out a vigorous roar.


    Dozens of the death knights charged toward the two humans as if theyd been waiting for this moment. The demons had stopped mulling over their future and were also about to make a move.


    No, youre doing it wrong, Joshua said.


    While Selim and Kireua engaged the death knights, Joshuanded on the ground and took a look around at the demons.


    You demons should wait here for a while.


    -What in the world do you want from us?


    Once again, Moloch spoke for all of the demons. Considering the demons temper, any one of them could attack Joshua right now, but no one dared to make a move. They instinctively knew that they didnt stand a chance against Joshua.


    I felt like it would be easier to talk about this with you demons since its possible to have an actual conversation with you, Joshua said with a shrug.


    -So what are you going to talk to us about?


    All of you already know that the only possible result if you fight against me is your destruction. On a side note, all the demons stronger than you are dead, so the only surviving demons are the fifty of you here right now.


    -I knew it!


    Moloch wasnt very surprised; hed realized this a while ago. The other demons, on the other hand, especially the ones who didnt have Altheons Overlord Symbol, buzzed with confusion.


    -Stop! You all could feel that the human woman in front of us is the Shining Darkness.


    Moloch put a firm stop to the demons mor. The murmuring among the demons gradually died out. The demons would at least try to fight against most people, but they instantly lost their will to fight as soon as they heard the name Shining Darkness.


    -Are you expecting us to swear loyalty to you?


    Huh? Joshua tilted his head.


    -Im sorry, but youre a human now. We demons cant follow you since its impossible for humans and demons to live in peace. You already knew this didnt you?


    Joshua chuckled. I didnt count on it in the first ce.


    -Then?


    Even if both the Angel and Demon Realms have fallen, you cant lose to people who use divine power, yes? They try to carry on the Angel Realms spirit.


    The demons only became more confused as he spoke. Why was Joshua mentioning the Angel Realm and divine power all of a sudden?


    Ive been betrayed by both the Angel and Demon Realms, but Im more attached to the Demon Realm, if I had to choose one. I did spend a long time there and had many followers in the Demon Realm, unlike in the Angel Realm.


    -I understand.


    Moloch nodded in understanding. The Heavenly Demon Family, which worshiped the Shining Darkness, had been founded for a reason. Demons genuinely worshiped the strong; they werepletely different from the hypocritical angels who only acted benevolently in public and badmouthed others in secret.


    Im sure that all of you already know that, simrly to the Seven Evil Sins, the Four Great Angels abilities have manifested in humans.


    -Yes, were aware. As we understand, other angels abilities have been passed down to some humans too


    Why did any of that matter now? Angels and demons were in the same situation. They had no choice but to flee their home and were now in search of a new home to avoid extinction.


    You may not be able to do much about your extinction, but you cant lose to angels, right? Joshua asked.


    The demons just stared at him.


    Why are you feigning ignorance? Once humans finish taking out demons, itll be recorded in the Human Realms history that demons were the ones who went extinct first, not the angels.


    Moloch furrowed his brows. The other demons seemed equally cross.


    In the end, humans will consider angels stronger than demons, Joshua dramatically dered.


    -Were all in the same situation Why does any of that matter after we die? Besides, its just the history of humans


    Well, in that case I have nothing further to say.


    Joshua turned to leave.


    He was truly gifted at provoking people, as seen by the rising fighting spirit in the demons.


    Ah, dont even think about pouncing on me just because I turned around. Surprise attacks and cheap tricks from weaklings dont work on me in the slightest, Joshua scoffed.


    -Ah, fuck!


    One of the demons stomped hard on the ground, unable to hold back his anger.


    -Hey, Moloch! Dont tell me youre seriously thinking about this. Now that itse to this, lets wipe out the angels first. Without those hypocrites in the Human Realm, well have a second chance!


    -But


    If thats what you want to do, Ill help you, Joshua interrupted. I have bad blood to resolve with the angels, so Ill give everyone a chance to get your payback.


    Like a well-orchestrated y, a loud shout came down from the ramparts, carried far and wide by the power of mana.


    -Your Majestyyyyy! The army of Hubalt has just been sighted near our border!


    Joshuas smile grew. It seems that even the heavens are helping you.


    1. Hes actually an ancient god who is often associated with child sacrifice.

 Side Story Chapter 193

    Side Story Chapter 193


    Hu-Hubalt crossed the border? Valmont, who was following the two princes, was surprised. Up until now, he had been exchanging silly banter with Duke Tremblin. Hed suggested they bet on who would kill more of the death knights, Kireua or Selim.


    O-Old man, Valmont stammered, did you hear that?


    Its Your Grace to you when other people are around.


    What do you mean? No one is here except us


    Look up.


    Valmont raised his head and his eyes immediately widened.


    It wasnt just the Emperor of Avalon on the battlefield right now. Cain, the Combat Emperor; Icarus, the Heavens Mind; Iceline, the Cold-Blooded Murderer; bis, the me Emperor Every one of them, worried about the emperor, had dropped what they were doing and hastened to the battlefield.


    It wont be easy to buy an artifact of levitation even with ten years of my sry, but Valmont trailed off.


    Why are you worried about that? The greatest artifact crafter in the continent is right over there.


    That was what I was going to say. I was thinking that this is my chance to get on Her Majestys good side and ask her to make one for me.


    Hahaha! Youre one of the famouszybones in the Pce, so Im not sure if Her Majesty Iceline would give you a discount.


    Come on, Im part of the Pces secret knights. Of course she would give me a discount.


    You still dont know that Her Majesty Iceline is the most frugal person in the Pcemaybe even in the entirety of Avalon, do you.


    Huuuh? Why would she? Valmont questioned.


    She watched her family copse due to ack of power when she was very young. Ever since then, Her Majesty has saved up every coin. And when His Majesty had no nobles on his side, she was instrumental in recruiting them. That is who the Queen Consort is.


    No matter how much money she earned, she didnt use it wantonly. She always knew the right moment to use it, especially when it was for the sake of her beloved family.


    Ahhh. I should marry a woman like her too


    Isnt it a bit toote for you to get married?


    I want to make it clear that, unlike someone, I chose not to get married, I wasnt unable to get married. Look at my handsome face. If I go out into Arcadia, women will line up for a date with me.


    By someone, do you mean Sir Cain? Tremblin asked mischievously.


    Ahem. Valmont quietly cleared his throat, neither confirming nor denying.


    Im going to tattle on you.


    Your Grace, you should protect your dignity as the almighty duke. Thest thing you should do at your age is tattle, you know, Valmont grumbled.


    Valmont and Tremblin had definitely heard the messenger say that Hubalt was invading, but they had already regained theirposure and were cheerfully exchanging jokes. It was no surprise, really, knowing who stood in the sky above them.


    It would be perfect if His Majesty recovered his real body, Valmont murmured.


    Itll happen.


    Oh! Valmont jumped as the pieces of a death knight came hurtling toward him. Oh, sheesh. Hes already taken out four of them?


    The dismembered bits came from Selim. The First Princes spear had eliminated four of the death knights. Even Valmont, Avalonsziest genius, could only take out two death knights at once.


    I give up now. With that kind of talent Valmont shook his head.


    Tremblin nodded. Hes definitely got better than he was before the war. The duke could sense extraordinary power behind each thrust of the spear.


    Furthermore, Longin was throwing off brilliant white arcs of electricity that immediately brought to mind the Emperor of Avalon.


    Has His Highness Selim awakened a new attribute of mana? Ive never seen lightning like that.


    Well have to ask himter, Tremblin replied.


    It looks like you won the bet, old manahem, Your Grace. Your money was on the First Prince, yes?


    Tremblin slowly shook his head. Look over there.


    Before Valmont could turn his head to look, a charred lump came flying toward him.


    Urgh! Theyre awfully boisterous, arent they! What is this? Is that a head? Valmont examined the lump and realized it was a death knights head. He was surprised to find that several parts of the helmet had been meltedan impressive feat, given that a Master wouldnt even be able to scratch it no matter what attribute their mana carried.


    His Highness Kireua also took out three of them? Valmont whispered. He couldnt help but stare at the other two more death knights who had been reduced to a smattering of g scattered around Kireua.


    This doesnt make any sense


    The First Prince, Valmont could understand. Ever since he was young, Selim had been known as a perfect copy of the emperor for his physical resemnce, his personality, and his talent for the spear. The Second Prince was the exact opposite; he resembled Queen Consort Charles more and had no affinity for the spear to speak of. Disappointed in himself, Kireua had left for the faraway Thran Kingdom to study.


    ...He got better, Tremblin said.


    ...He uses ebon mes freely now.


    Its not just the fire. His mastery of the sword has also reached a stable point. He truly seems like a totally different person, Tremblin observed.


    Valmont nced at Joshua, who was unleashing his energy at the demons.


    His Majesty has fathered monsters. No one can deny they are the Martial Gods sons, Valmont murmured.


    Valmont and Tremblins sentiments were echoed by those watching over the princes in the sky. Cain was nodding to himself, but biss jaw dropped to the floor. He had technically been Kireuas teacher for the longest time and he barely recognized Kireua.


    What in the world have you done to Kireua? bis asked Cain, his voice dripping with disbelief.


    Hes your student, so why are you asking me?


    Im not joking. The sword techniques that Kireua are using right now weve seen those a lot before, bis said with a serious look.


    There was a reason why bis was so shocked. Kireua was currently holding an ordinary longsword, but had he been holding a greatsword


    Hes using the Agnus familyno, the Dark Gods sword techniques! bis yelled.


    I taught him.


    You taught him?


    You know that the previous Duke of Agnus personally taught me, right? Cain reminded bis.


    No, no His mastery with the techniques isnt something that can be taught


    Sir bis. Cain turned to bis with a serious look.


    Although they hadnt said anything, Icarus and Iceline were listening intently to the conversation between Cain and bis. The Dark God was taboo, and Joshua''s wives were always on guard when it came to him.


    There is one fact that never changes no matter what sword techniques he uses, Cain continued.


    What?


    The man down there is the child of my lord anddyand he is your student.


    bis bit his lip.


    Cain was one of the people most familiar with Kireuas current condition. As soon as Kireua had awakened, he had gone to find Cain. After seeing that Cain hadpletely recovered, Kireua had shed tears and confessed that he felt guilty for everything that had happened. Afterward, Kireua had immediately told Cain a story that would no doubt cause an uproar if it became known to the public.


    <em>The former duke tried to take over his body and use him to harm His Majesty That was what His Highness Kireua told me.</em>


    Of course, the Dark Gods soul had been erased, but Kireua had told Cain one more surprising and miraculous fact: the memories and knowledge of the Dark God were still left in Kireua.


    <em>The world may have dered him a monster, but Aden von Agnus was undeniably a genius swordsman whose prowess will be remembered. Once His Highness makes those memories his own</em> Cain stared at Kireua as he cut down yet another death knight, and a smile crept onto his lips. <em>...he could catch up to Prince Selim. Thepetition for the throne will be very interesting.</em>


    * * *


    Numerous horses hooves churned the ground.


    Weve just passed the border of Avalon, Your Excellency!


    This is so easy. Its so easy it makes me want to yawn. Bel then yawned.


    Not a single border guard could be seen because Bel had already beaten every one of them on the way over here.


    Maybe I should have spared some so this would feel like an actual war, Bel mumbled to himself.


    In addition, Cardinalno, <em>Emperor</em> Kurz has sent emissaries to every single country, the knight reported to Bel. The fact that the emperor of Hubalt was subordinate to Bel did not seem to give the knight pause.


    Bel nodded. How do you think theyre going to reply?


    Umm Ive received reports that bad rumors about us are spreading in other countries.


    Bad rumors?


    The pdins came to the Pce of Avalon as delegates and then used the invitation tounch a surprise attack


    Bel chuckled before the knight could finish speaking. Well, that isnt wrong.


    But wouldnt it be problematic for our n if people believed that rumor? Our reason for starting a war is Babel von Agnus and Carmen von Agnuss attempt on your life


    Forget it. Its just a nuisance at this point. Whatever the winner says will be history anyway, so why are you so worried about it? Bel grumbled.


    The knight knew he couldnt say out loud that he was nervous about entering Avalonsnd. They were, after all, going up against Joshua Sanders, the Martial God.


    Anyhow, I hope the Emperor of Avalon likes our gift. Hehehe.


    Ah! The knight nced back at the boxy metal cage. Its interior was so dark that not a trace of color could be seen within.


    Youve heard what the guy inside said, yes? They think well head straight to Arcadia, but were heading for northern Avalon, Bel reminded the knight.


    Yes, Your Excellency!


    Tell everyone that well exterminate every human and monster we encounter on our way. Leave no witnesses. No one can know about where were going. Got it?


    I understand, Your Excellency! The knight spurred his horse to deliver the order to everyone.


    Bel smiled wickedly at the knights back. The snowy mountain in north Avalon. Hehehehe. If its true, then this will be very interesting.

 Side Story Chapter 194

    Side Story Chapter 194


    Feeble voices drifted out of the heavy metal cage.


    Why did you mention the north? Does getting revenge matter so much that youre willing to give up your honor and pride as a member of the Agnus Family? Babel asked sarcastically.


    For the first time, Carmen responded.


    Shut your mouth.


    She was the sister to Aden von Agnus, which technically made her Babels aunt.


    Hey, you, demon, over there. Answer me.


    What do you want?


    Is Joshuas real body actually on the mountain? Babel asked.


    The demon, tied up just as tightly as the Agnuses, slowly emerged from his thoughts and grinned.


    ...All of them must be dead by now, the demon murmured.


    What?


    This demon was thest of those powerful enough to wield one of the Seven Evil Sins.


    Im just talking to myself. Dont worry about it too much. Even I dont have my hopes up.


    What in the world are you talking about? Whos they whove all died, and why dont you have your hopes up?


    Im saying that there is a high chance that the monster outside wont be able to do much about the ice boulder.


    The lonesome demons name was Meric. He was the fourteenth strongest demon and was titled the Absorption Demon.


    Several of the most powerful demons alive couldnt put a scratch on it, so even if hes locked up inside the boulder, its hard to imagine the Shining Darkness getting defeated by a human, Meric exined.


    Babel agreed with Meric somewhat; it wasnt easy to imagine Joshua losing to anyone, but that was only until Babel had seen the monster outside. Otherwise, Babels conviction would have remained steadfast.


    Come to think of it, you speak differently from other demons. Babel remarked, tilting his head thoughtfully. It had been on Babel''s mind for a while now because demons voices would usually echo around his ear, but Merics was simr to a humans.


    Meric smiled mysteriously. Youre sharp, human. But, well, does it matter now?


    What?


    I only mentioned the ice boulder; shes the one leading them to it. If you have something to say about it, I believe that its her you should be talking to.


    Babel fell silent. Meric was rightwas Carmen suddenly burning with desire to get revenge? Why was she trying to harm Joshua now?


    I finally realized that defying Bel is equivalent to helping that fucker, Joshua, Carmen finally said.


    Is that why youre willing to cooperate with the enemy? A man who kidnapped you to a faraway country and vited both your mind and body? Youre willing to overlook all those just for your petty revenge? Babel asked, his voice stained with disbelief.


    Carmens eyes were full of regret.


    Aden My brother was the familys only hope. He was thest person who could make the Brittens pay for what they did to us.


    Babel flinched. He was familiar with the full history between the Agnus family and thete Britten dynasty. The two families had existed in a tense state of equilibrium, biting at one another whenever the opportunity arose.


    Aden and Carmen were siblings, meaning that they shared the same enemythe man who had killed their mother. The Britten family had been Carmens mortal enemy, just as it had been Adens.


    If I was in my usual condition, I would have killed you first, Babel von Agnusno, Babel ben Britten. I cant believe you dared to inherit the duchy This is an utter humiliation, Carmen murmured.


    After that, Carmen didnt even look in Babels direction. Yes, Babels biological father wasnt Aden von Agnus, the Dark God, it was Marcus ben Britten, the previous emperor of Avalon. Babel was simply a tool for the two powerful mens revenge. Marcus had sent Vannesa, his already-pregnant sister, to be Adens wife. That was how Babel had been brought into this world. His foster father had raised Babel as his own even though he knew everything, all for the sake of his revenge and only for his revenge.


    I may be heading the Agnus family, but you Agnuses are truly poor people.


    What? Carmen quickly looked up and scowled at Babel. Poor? Did you just call me <em>poor</em>?


    Its been decades, but you people are still blinded by the desire for revenge. You waste your life Besides, there are no more Brittens in this world, so how can I not think of you people as poor?


    Shut your damn mouth! Carmen roared. Out of all the people in the world, youre thest person who can say that. You inherited the filthy Britten blood, so your very presence is a affront to the Agnus family


    Then you should have told everyone about the hidden history, Babel coldly replied.


    The inside of the cage fell silent once again. Carmen obviously knew what Babel was referring tothe humiliating past between the Agnus family and the Britten family.


    Well, I guess that wouldnt be easy since people would just think youre all the same. Emperor Marcus impregnated his own sister and sent her to hispetitor to keep him in check, and Aden von Agnus knew everything but took her in regardless to satisfy his revenge, Babel scoffed.


    I said shut your mouth


    There are no more Brittens in this world, but the Agnus family still remains. So what can other people do? Keep it secret no matter how filthy their hidden past is.


    You! Carmens murderous energy filled the cage. She was no longer able to use her mana, but her spirit was unbowed.


    Joshua protected thest of the Agnus familys honor, along with mine Babel trailed off with a bitter smile. Had Joshua exposed the history between the two families after hed ascended to the throne, there would have been quite serious changes. Perhaps there would be no more Agnus family. But Joshua didnt. Babel still didnt know why Joshua had made that decision, but one thing was clear.


    If Joshua chose to reveal the hidden history and strengthen his legitimacy I, a Britten, would have been abandoned by Agnuss vassals since I have no legitimacy.


    Youre gutless! Are you seriously telling me youre grateful to him? Wake up! Joshua Sanders killed both your biological and foster fathers! Carmen shrieked.


    And those very same biological and foster fathers tried to use their son for their own purposes, Babel bluntly replied.


    His gratitude was genuine. If he had been in Joshuas shoes would Babel have been able to leave a single Britten alive?


    <em>Never, but hes the biggest victim in this twisted story. His mother lost her memory and lived for over a decade as a lowly maid. In contrast to me, who was the first and legitimate son, he had to start from rock bottom because he was born a bastard,</em> Babel thought.


    And despite all that, Joshua had gotten to where he was by sheer ability. All else aside, Bable respected Joshua as a fellow human being.


    Im greatly indebted to him, so I want to repay that debt before I die. For the sake of my pride, if nothing else.


    Babel let the shackles binding his arms fall to the floor of the cage with a quiet <em>nk</em>.


    How did you?


    There is a saying among knights that you should hide thirty percent of their abilities when you go out into the world. Babel clenched and unclenched his fists a couple of times before he slowly stood up. Although he could move his arms freely now, the inside of the metal cage was still so dark that the only thing he could pick out was the silhouette of a person in front of him.


    Now, how should I escape and tell Joshua whats going on now? Babel muttered to himself as he stretched.


    Wait! Theres one thing that you dont know. Once you hear this, Im sure that youll have a change of heart! Carmen whispered, her voice urgent for some reason.


    What?


    There is a reason why Joshua Sanders didnt reveal the fued, and its not for you nor the Agnus family!


    What is that you want to say? Babel asked.


    Aden told me himself that Joshua von Agnus is the one who takes after him the most, although Joshua pretends that he doesnt!


    Babels eyes narrowed, although Carmens story wasnt enough to change his mind. Even if it were true, it was an undeniable fact that Joshua had helped Babel in many ways.


    Whatever the case may be, I dont want to waste the rest of my life like you. Babel shook his head.


    What?


    Carven von Agnus, youre so blinded by your lust for revenge that youve forsaken your honor and your life. Ending up like you is thest thing I want, Babel said, before turning to Meric. At least Im not so weak that I have to borrow a demons help.


    H-Ho-How dare you! Carmens chain rattled as she tried to rise to her feet.


    Just then, a series of loud explosions rattled the cage. Since the people inside the thick metal cage could hear them, it was easy to deduce how powerful the detonations were.


    Heaven must be helping me, for amotion to take ce right now


    Babel felt at the lining of his clothes for a moment and then ripped a piece out, producing a fingernail-sized stone.


    Is that?


    Its a miniature mana stone engraved with a magic form for teleportation.


    Th-That small stone has a spell engraved on it?!


    Its disposable, and the teleportation range is short, but its one of Queen Consort Icelines recent masterpieces, Babel exined. He stroked the mana stone, which released a faint light. The treasure was given to him by Icarus Sanders, the Second Queen consort. She told me to take it in case of an emergency, but I never expected it to be so useful HahI guess I have one more debt to repay, Babel murmured.


    W-Wait!


    Im sorry. This is only for one person, so stay here and think about what youve done. Keep in mind The stone began to hum as Babel was enveloped in the light. Joshua said that there is nothing more meaningless than revenge.

 Side Story Chapter 195

    Side Story Chapter 195


    The war torn ins outside Arcadia, the capital of the Avalon Empire, monsters voluntarily bowed and humans stared nkly, their breaths held, as two different battles raged.


    Huff, huff, huff.


    Phew


    Over fifty death knights had been incapacitated, but over two hundred death knights were still able to fight. Regardless, everyone was in shock because the men responsible for putting down those death knights were the two princes who were just over twenty years old.


    Wow, Prince Selim is exceptional indeed


    H-How much stronger did Prince Kireua get? Hasnt he killed a simr number of death knights?


    Prince Selims number is still higher right now, but Prince Kireua seems to have made more progresstely.


    I knew he was ate bloomer.


    Youve gotta be kidding me. I knew my ass. You badmouthed him at every possible opportunity. You were all, How in the world is he the emperors son


    Shh! Shhh! Are you trying to get me executed? Be quiet!


    A man should be consistent, my friend. Anyhow, His Highness Kireua must have put in an incredible effort. Id bet hes looked death in the eyes more than once in the process.


    The Second Prince had once been looked down on for having no talent and failing to live up to expectations as the Marital Gods son, but the knights and soldiers of Avalon now saw with their own eyes that that prince was gone now.


    However, those princes prides were actually rather hurt right now.


    Hey, Selim, Kireua said. Dont these death knights seem to have gotten weaker for some reason? They used to be twiceno, three times stronger than they are now.


    Well Selim trailed off and nced up at the emperor, who hung in the sky gazing imperiously down at the demons. It must be His Majestys doing.


    I guess so. Hes a remarkable man indeed.


    It seems His Majesty has made up his mind on retiring after this war.


    What in the world are you talking about? Kireua frowned.


    Otherwise, he has no reason to give us a chance to shine in front of Avalons forces.


    That just hurts my pride more, Kireua grumbled.


    He stopped using his mana, and the zing fire around him quickly died out. With the deterrence gone, three death knights immediately charged Kireua.


    What are you doing? Selim asked incredulously.


    What do you mean, what am I doing? Im doing this.


    Selim''s eyes widened as Kireua leaped over the death knights attacks.


    Hes nuts! Selim cursed.


    It was suicide. Kireua was already surrounded, so the moment hended, multiple death knights would skewer him regardless of where hended.


    As expected, the death knights were quick to determine Kireuasnding location, ready to turn it into a veritable spike traponly to be tossed about by a thunderous explosion.


    What? Selim eximed.


    A chain of fiery columns erupted out of the ground. Kireua walked forward, stepping on the pirs of fire.


    When did he umte that much mana? Selim nkly murmured.


    Although the amount of Kireuas mana was quite a shock, Selim had never seen mana used like that either.


    This is not the time for you to watch, you know.


    Selims eyes widened.


    Im not going to waste a chance to increase my poprity. Kireua looked toward the Emperor of Avalon and the demons meaningfully.


    Wait Selim knew exactly what Kireua was thinking, and yet


    Judging from the way youre still holding your head up over there, youre their leader, yes? Kireua pointed his gleaming sword at a demon who looked like a bull.


    -Ah, crap!


    Moloch was about to go crazy. The only reason he was still there was them! Moloch quickly turned to Joshua.


    -P-Please


    What? Joshua asked.


    -I-Im going to die if I dont move.


    Did I forbid you to move or something? Get going if you want to survive, Joshua scoffed.


    Moloch''s eyes widened as the invisible force and overwhelming power of Pride that had been binding him down miraculously disappeared. By that time, Kireua was already dangerously close to Moloch.


    -After all you humans put me through, even a boy like you is looking down on me now Ill make you regret it!


    Moloch unleashed his demonic power.


    Ugh! Kireua frowned at Molochs immense murderous energy. However, there was nowhere to runnor did he even want to. Instead, Kireuamited to the attack and swung his sword. Die!


    -You want to kill me? Come back in a million years, boy!


    Moloch swung his colossal ax.


    Kireuas sword and Molochs gigantic ax shed, throwing sparks into the air. Kireua was able to withstand Molochs power for a moment but was then helplessly thrown away.


    Shit! Kireua cursed.


    At this rate, he was going tond in the center of the death knights.


    Kireua! Selim shouted.


    A red spear came flying toward Kireua.


    Longin? Kireua murmured.


    The familiar spear flew toward him at a steady speed which was neither too fast nor slow. Not a single trace of murderous energy nor mana could be sensed from the spear.


    That absolute nutjob. Is he trying to kill himself or what? Why would he throw his weapon when his enemies are right in front of him? Kireua muttered to himself even as he used the spears shaft as a stepping stone midair.


    The flow of the battle astounded the audience. Abandoning ones weapon was equivalent to sticking out ones neck in front of an executioner, but Selim didnt hesitate in order to protect his brother, hispetitor, lighting a fire in the hearts of Avalons many knights and soldiers.


    Ohaaaaaaa!


    Prince Selim! Prince Kireua! Please win!


    That demon is nothing! Give him hell!


    The soldiers on the ramparts were the first ones to begin cheering. By that time, the Imperial Knights hastening toward the princes were getting close.


    My brother gave me thest act, so I cant waste it.


    Kireua picked a direction and shot through the air with a deafening <em>boom.</em>


    One more time! Kireua shouted. His eyes zeroed in on Moloch with menace, right when Moloch was thinking about ambushing the Shining Darkness.


    -How dare you!


    Why do you keep saying how dare you, bullhead? Kireua scoffed.


    The prince enveloped himself in a shroud of ck fire.


    All the soldiers in Arcadia were looking at him. So were the Imperial Knights who had looked at him with subtle contempt during his childhood.


    Kireua had disparaged himself as well.


    While other people started to view him as apletely different man, Kireua himself was also being reborn.


    I am Kireua Sanders, the son of the Martial God!


    A ck aura coated Kireuas sword. The people of Igrant had considered the color ck to be ominous for generations because ck was the color of demons demonic power and there were almost no examples of someone possessing ck mana.


    There was one. Only one person among all the swordsmen, mages, and Superhumans used mana of that color. The person was called the Dark God, once the greatest swordsman on the continent; a martial artist who would go down in history. The path he had walked down was heinous, but his talent was undeniably exceptional.


    D-Duke Agnus?


    The Dark Gods ck aura!


    Why is His Highness Kireuas mana also like that?


    There had been a time Cains mana had been ck too. He had been privately tutored by the previous Duke Agnus for years, causing his mana to turn ck. Cain had ovee his limitpletely and obtained his own color, a radiant gold.


    <em>I cant hide it forever, so Ill prove to everyone that Im using my sword techniques and mine only,</em> Kireua determinedly thought.


    Instead of letting rumors develop by only using this ck aura in the shadows, Kireua was going to use it out in the open. There might be evil swordsmen, but there was no such thing as an evil sword technique. In that regard, the Agnus familys techniques were the finest essence of martial arts.


    <em>Magic Sword Arts, Level 4.</em>


    Kireua tensed up. This was his first time attempting this. He was mixing the Agnus familys mana cirction technique, the me Emperors moves, and his own Magic Sword Arts, as he had dubbed it, which was his interpretation of his fathers Magic Spear Arts. People might call him a maniac and suicidal for attempting such things, but Kireua was confident in his ability to interpret a style of martial arts and make it into his own.


    <em>From nothing to something This is the sword technique that only I, in all of this vast continent, can use. Yes, this is Kireua Sanderss Magic Sword Arts.</em>


    The ebon mes that cloaked Kireua mixed with the ck aura on his sword and grew into an enormous ze. Even the pirs of fire that speared out of the ground reached into the sky like a pathway to heaven.


    <em>The Sky Trail of the Fires of Retribution.</em>


    The technique was made by Kireua, for Kireua, and only for Kireua.


    -What?


    Moloch quickly raised his ax to fend off Kireuas remarkable attack, but the giant weapon was engulfed in ck fire before he could even swing it toward Kireua. Worse, the ax rapidly melted in the heat.


    -Impossible!


    Kireua ck fire etched a deep line in Moloch.

 Side Story Chapter 196

    Side Story Chapter 196


    Ahhhhhhhhhhh!


    A bulls scream echoed over the ins. A deep gash ran down Molochs side. As if the pain from the wound wasnt enough of a problem, ebon mes suddenly emerged from the wound and made Moloch writhe in pain. It didnt take long for the fire to engulf the bull-demon.


    -...The fire of the Demon Realm?


    Molochs eyes gradually turned bloodshot from the hellish, iprehensible heat of the ebon mes. For all his power, Moloch could feel that his life was hanging by a thread. Was he really going to be killed by a mere human in front of so many demons? That was a preposterous end for him. It was never going to happen! He hadnt even used the abilities that had made him known as the Unleashing Demon!


    Even as the ebon mes burned through his flesh, Moloch mmed his ax into the ground with all the force his unholy muscture could muster.


    -Come! Rip the enemy to shreds. ck Shockwave!


    The ground heaved and cracked, reaching Kireua so fast that he had no time to counterattack but stopping just short.


    I definitely hit him though Kireua nkly murmured. He could still vividly recall how it felt to cut through Molochs thick skin.


    Kireua! Dodge! Selim yelled.


    Kireua tensed up. Clusters of energy were flying toward him. He should have expected this from one of the one hundred strongest demons. How in the world had his father fought against monsters stronger than Moloch on his own?


    Many thoughts went through Kireuas head in that split second, but when Kireua blinked again, he discovered someone''s broad back in front of him.


    <em>Your Majesty?</em>


    Although the person looked like Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, Kireua could see the Emperor of Avalon within her.


    Get a hold of yourself, Joshua said. He extended his hand and blocked the flying energy clusters.


    Y-Your Majesty!


    You shouldnt lose yourposure just because your opponent is stronger than you expected. There are a myriad of people in this world who are strong.


    Kireuas eyes widened. Even at this moment, the Emperor of Avalon was teaching Kireua. He was rightKireua had been bewildered because no one had ever been able to move after hed struck them with his ebon mes.


    Never forget how you were in the beginning. Its true that youve made remarkable progress, but your new-found confidence has nearly killed you several times already, Joshua cautioned Kireua.


    I-I have no excuse.


    From the time that Aden von Agnus took over his body to now, Kireua was so embarrassed that he wanted to crawl under a rock.


    Its okay. Youve done a good job.


    Kireua trembled faintly.


    Suddenly, the death knights threateningly radiating demonic power suddenly went down on their knees.


    What in the world? Kireua gasped.


    Their business here is done, so they should return to their ces.


    C-Can you control those death knights too? Kireua asked, startled.


    Joshua turned his head and smiled pompously. This is nothing for your father. Train harder, he added mischievously, and then slowly took a look around.


    -Its your turn, Lilith.


    <em>I-Its too sudden.</em> Lilith stammered.


    -Its not. Im using your body, so everyone who is watching this, especially the delegates, will think that Lilith Aphrodite is the one who made all this possible.


    <em>A-Are you saying?</em>


    -Isnt this your chance to vindicate yourself? The whole world is here to see it.


    Lilith was touched by Joshuas considerate gesture.


    <em>Thank you. I mean it.</em>


    -You can show me your gratitudeter.


    Lilith nodded in agreement. Yes, she hadnt even begun to do what she needed to do.


    I am Lilith Aphrodite of the Hubalt Empire! As you can see, the undead are simply controlled by their master, Lilith shouted using her mana.


    The murmurings died out little by little. Some people even nervously swallowed because they remembered how Lilith had twisted many knights and soldiers with lust after the power of Lust had taken control of her. That was why Lilith wanted to also tell the citizens of Avalon that they could be more confident in using their power.


    Lilith clenched her fists to pull herself together. <em>I have to do it.</em>


    After this battle, some call Lilith the most wicked witch of all time. Perhaps some other people would fear her for controlling ferocious death knights, but she still had to do it. Shed already made her decision.


    There was no more god in this world, and the likes of divine power and demonic power were only tools without the ability to think. What mattered was the powers users. Were their intentions good or bad? Were they a good person or a bad person? The powers wielder was of the utmost importance in this matter.


    <em>I need to be more confident. This path has already been pioneered,</em> Lilith thought.


    It wouldnt have been possible for Lilith to even think of such things without Joshua. She had been born as a citizen of the Hubalt Empire and had spent her whole life worshiping the Empires god. How could she change her faith overnight without a powerful influence like Joshua?


    Her conviction was immediately testedthere was always someone who wanted to nitpick, no matter what the reality was.


    Isnt that the scariest thing about undead? How can you be sure that an evil person wont get a hold of all these undead? a nearby foreign knight yelled with the help of a mages mana. No doubt he remembered what Lilith had said before, but he didnt want to remain a coward until the end.


    How is that different from whats happening now? Lilith asked.


    What?


    Although Im ashamed to bring it up, isnt the Hubalt Empire doing the same thing? An evil man has put swords in the hands of the entire Empire so that he can conquer the continent.


    The knight fell into silence.


    Using their faith and their gods name as justification, the Hubalt Empire is putting innocent people at risk to achieve their wrongful ambitions. They say that they use the power that their god granted to save the continents people, yet the Empire is using that very same divine power to instigate wars between other countries. In the end, the nature of power depends on who wields it. Swordsmen even have a saying: although there may be a bad swordsman, there are no bad sword techniques.


    Another knight raised his hand. But arent most people who use demonic power evil?


    The man who annihted the Demon Spirit and saved the continent controls demonic power. All of you here know this hero very well, I''m sure.


    Lilith had prepared that answer beforehand. The question had been nned in advance as wellthe knight was one of the Imperial Knights of Avalon. As a matter of fact, the citizens of Avalon were as desperate as Lilith to change the public image of demonic power and the undead. The link between the two had been proven through this war; Avalons people feared that their homnd would be known as the Demonic Empire at this rate. Of course, the possibility was very low right now since the other countries needed every bit of help that they could get for as long as the powerfulmon enemy named the Hubalt Empire remained.


    Still Its hard to change our opinions about them! We cant trust those monsters to fight alongside us! the foreign knight from earlier shouted, obviously eager to turn the crowds opinion. Unfortunately, it was workingmost of the crowd was siding with the knight.


    -Dont lose spirit. It was inevitable for them to react this way.


    I know.


    There was a high chance that the first country to embrace the change would have to fight on the front lines with Avalon. All of the foreigners were delegates who were representing their countries, so they had to be responsible for the decisions they made here. Who would want that?


    And then an unexpected helper arrived.


    Argh!


    Out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning struck the ground right in front of the knight.


    Wh-What in the world? The knight stammered.


    Listening to you, people will think that youre only willing to fight for your ally if there arent any undead, Selim said from the center of the battlefield.


    Wh-What?


    Or is Avalon not your ally? Selim sneered.


    Moloch stopped running wild and had gone still as a sculpture for some reason, despite Kireuas ebon mes still wrapped around his body, so Selim finally had enough leeway to turn his attention to Liliths efforts.


    Avalon doesnt need pathetic, cowardly opportunists. Go back and tell your kings to try stopping Hubalt on your own. But youd better brace yourselves if you decide to point your swords at Avalon. Avalon will stop at nothing to tear you apart if you threaten us.


    A heavy silence fell over the battlefield. While Lilith offered a carrot, Selim was the stick. No country would want to make enemies out of both Hubalt and Avalon.


    Lilith could feel a warm sense of contentment spreading inside her.


    -Selims all grown up now, so it looks like I can leave your body now.

 Side Story Chapter 197

    Side Story Chapter 197


    It looks like I can leave the rest to my children, so Ill focus on finishing my job, Joshua mumbled as he stroked Kireua, his grown-up son.


    Kireua stiffened for a moment but didnt resist. Are you leaving?


    I cant impose on my friend forever. Can I leave the rest to you?


    Yes, you can.


    Joshua smiled and stopped stroking Kiruea. They turned to look at Moloch, who was focused on putting out the ebon mes on his body.


    Joshua flicked his finger and fire miraculously vanished. Even Kireuas eyes widened at the remarkable sight.


    H-How?


    Dad can do anything. Joshua smiled mischievously.


    Kireua gaped nkly at him.


    Joshua was talking to Kireua as if he were a child. Many dads told their children that they were the strongest and greatest in the world, and the children innocently believed their dadsbut for the Sanders boys, that would always be true.


    <em>I should be a dad like him,</em> Kireua resolved.


    Joshua walked up to Moloch and examined him.


    -Wh-What is it?


    The other demons also seem to have given up on fighting I wont hold you ountable for trying to harm my children since I need you to do a job for me.


    -A-A job?


    I told you earlier that I want to give you a chance to make the world think that demons were at least better than those who use divine power, Joshua reminded Moloch.


    -Are you telling me to lead the demons and deal with them? Why dont you do that yourself


    I dont like your attitude, Joshua sharply interrupted.


    Moloch stopped talking and submissively ducked his head before he continued.


    -C-Can I go sir?


    If youre going to abandon your pride, do it the right way before I put you into a pot and boil you.


    -Umm We might betray you and nevere back


    Moloch was secretly d to hear that but didnt trust Joshua. If Joshua were going to put an Overlord Symbol on him, Moloch would have to spend the rest of his life as a ve. It was much better to put his life on the line and fight. However, Joshuas answer was beyond Molochs expectations once again.


    -Th-Thats!


    Molochs eyes widened. Two ck spheres floated above Joshuas palm, humming quietly. Moloch wasnt the only one. All of the demons could feel those mighty powers.


    -Evil Sins!


    Im sure that those of you whove heard about my past life already know what these are. I used to only have the powers of Pride, Greed, and Wrath, so the other Evil Sins are useless to me. Those three Evil Sins were enough to make me someone whom even gods feared.


    The demons were drooling from anticipation, their eyes sparkling with a glimmer of hope because everything that Joshua had just said was true. One Evil Sin made a demon into a Demon King, so the Shining Darkness wouldnt really need another two.


    As you can see, these are Sloth and Gluttony. Ill give one Evil Sin each to the two demons who defeat the most enemies on my behalf.


    -Whoooooa!


    The demons reacted as enthusiastically as expected. Joshua smiled from ear to ear. The method was just as effective as it had been before.


    <em>Youre a devil,</em> Lilith said.


    -What?


    <em>Think about what happened to Perchilin and Tshchary after you made the same offer to them.</em>


    -I meant what I said then, and this time isnt different. Its just that their greed was beyond imagination and they chose to turn down my gesture of goodwill.


    Joshua didnt lie. He was willing to give Evil Sins to the demons who helped him in this war wholeheartedly, but, as he told Lilith, he didnt have his hopes up. When it came to Evil Sins, demons were far greedier than any human.


    Joshua tilted his head in confusion because Moloch suddenly began to tremble.


    <em>Sh-shouldnt we step back?</em> Lilith asked.<em> I dont think well be able to dodge if he swings that colossal ax of his.</em>


    -I dont really feel the necessity right now.


    <em>What? Arent you being too carefree about this because its not your body?</em> Lilith yelled.


    -That is not why Im saying that. Look in front of you.


    Liliths question was answered as Moloch went down on his knee with a thud.


    -My loyalty to the Shining Darkness! I, Moloch, will devote myself to serving you from now on!


    Good choice.


    -If anyone dares to defy the supreme beings noble intentions


    Moloch stood up and fiercely swung his ax as he cast his gaze around him.


    -...I, the Unleash Demon, wont forgive them.


    <em>Isnt he turning into a fanatic right now?</em>


    Joshua paid no attention to Lilith and took a look around as well. No one tried to continue fighting, as expected.


    -Loyalty to the Shining Darkness!


    -Allow me to serve you, master!


    -Those fucking angels! I wont rest until theyre dead!


    The demons fighting spirit heated the air.


    <em>They change their attitudes awfully fast.</em>


    -There is no desire more pure than a demon''s thirst for power.


    <em>You and I seem to have a very different definition of the word pure,</em> Lilith grumbled, but she heaved a sigh after a while. It hadnt been easy, but the battle was now over. All that remained was to sort out the aftermath and then Avalon could take the lead in discussing how they would counter Hubalt.


    Nevertheless, the most important issue remained.


    <em>Youre going to go now, arent you?</em> Lilith asked.


    -Ive been away from my real body for too long.


    <em>What will happen to the dormant Evil Sins inside me after you leave?</em>


    -Dont worry about it. Evil Sins are spiritual powers that are engraved on ones soul, not their body.


    <em>Thats a shame. After all I said about how powers like demonic power and Evil Sins are tools, Im going to lose them before I get to use them properly</em>


    -Youre already strong even without those powers and youre only going to get stronger.


    A smile spread across Liliths face. <em>I feel like Ive already gotten stronger because of the great Martial Godspliments.</em>


    -Come to think of it, I have a question for you too.


    <em>What is it?</em>


    -I heard that the reason why you were branded a witch in Hubalt was because you obtained a Demon Kings authority What power did you acquire?


    As Joshua was pointing out, it couldnt have been possible to make Lilith, a woman many called a saint, into a witch overnight without any concrete evidence.


    <em>Do you really want to know?</em> Lilith inquired.


    -If you had actually acquired such a power, there would be no way I wouldnt be able to feel it given that Im inside you right now.


    That was why Joshua was confused. With Liliths permission, he examined her but couldnt feel a single trace of anything that could be called a Demon Kings authority.


    <em>Forget it. Im nice, so Im going to keep that a secret forever,</em> Lilith mischievously dered.


    -Huh?


    <em>I dont want to see the guy I used to have a crush on suffering from guilt.</em>


    -What in the world?


    Joshua and Lilith couldnt finish their conversation because things on the battlefield were being sorted out quickly. The two princes of Avalon, Cain, Duke Tremblin, Valmont, the two Queen Consorts Everyone was leading a troop of their own, and even the demons were busy subduing the death knights using their demonic power. One of the demons, Moloch, suddenly approached Joshua.


    -Shining Darkness, there is something I would like to talk to you about.


    You have something to tell me? Still? Joshua tilted his head.


    -Yes, I have a brother


    Moloch was the first among the demons to swear his loyalty, but it seemed he still had something more to say.


    -He keeps sending me signals, and it looks like hes with the angels minions that you mentioned before


    Wait, werent the demons here all thats left of your race?


    -Two demons were working on their own somewhere else.


    And one of them is your brother? Joshua asked.


    -Yes, his name is Meric Anyway, two of them stayed behind in the north.


    The north? Joshua whispered. His eyes widened. He exercised his power and discovered a grand army marching north through Avalonsnds.


    Even if I was busy with the war, I cant believe that I missed that, Joshua bemoaned with a frustrated sigh.


    Obviously, that army belonged to Hubalt, but for some reason the army was heading into the north after crossing the border instead of toward Arcadia.


    I should get back quicklybut why did your brother stay in the north?


    -I asked him about it, but he never told me why I-Its true! Oh, yeah. I can go ask him right now.


    Joshua raised his eyebrow. How in the world are you going to do that? I think Id be able to get to the north faster than you.


    He meant what he said. Since he was simply returning to his original body, he could even afford to wait and see if Hubalts army was really destined for the frozen mountain.


    -My brother and I have a unique innate ability


    Get to the point.


    -Ah, yes. We can teleport to wherever the other one is at any time.


    Joshua hadnt expected them to have a teleportation ability. Moloch noticed his surprise and mmed his ax on the ground again, confidently pounding his chest.


    -With your permission, Ill be the scout. Despite how I may look now, I believe I can take care of most humans.


    Judging from his fight with Kireua and Selim, Moloch had a good reason for his confidence. He would be correct except when it came to that one man.


    Joshua nodded. Then get going first. Ill be right behind you.


    Moloch smiled from ear to ear.


    -Yes, sir!

 Side Story Chapter 198

    Side Story Chapter 198


    Your Majesty!


    As soon as the battle was more or less sorted out, Cain, Iceline, and Icarus ran to Joshua.


    Oh, yeah! Icarus pped.


    Huh? Whats wrong?


    Icarus looked around warily. We should lower our voice since His Majesty is using Saint Liliths body.


    Cain and Iceline nodded in agreement.


    I dont think that many people would seriously believe that the beautiful woman over there is His Majesty, though Cain trailed off.


    Its better to be safe than sorry, Iceline replied. Theres no need to invite trouble. Its better for Lilith anyway.


    She was being considerate of Liliths situation as well as Joshuas. A mans soul in the body of a woman who he wasnt in a rtionship with wasn''t the kind of news that would put them in a favorable light. Besides, Joshua would want the other people to think that Lilith was the one who aplished the feats of that day.


    His Majesty is thinking about the future after the war, too. He must believe that Lilith is the only one who can piece together Hubalt after the Battle Gods fall.


    With that in mind, the three of them slowly distanced themselves from Joshua because, although they wanted to enjoy their reunion, too many people were watching them. They had no choice but to dy it.


    -Everyone, listen.


    All three of them received a telepathic message from Joshua and turned to face him.


    -Hubalts army seems to have changed their destination. I havent figured out the details yet but I believe that my body or the Demon Spirits soul is probably their goal.


    Cain gasped out loud. No matter what the armys exact n was, either one was a serious problem.


    How did they know about the mountain!


    -They dont know what exactly happened in the north because the original routes to the mountain were blocked by arge avnche. Its not the kind of ce you can get to with an army.


    Cain heaved a sigh of relief after hearing one silver lining.


    However, Icarus shook her head. It isnt time to rx yet.


    Huh?


    Since the avnche made it hard to navigate with an army, Hubalt will form a team of elitesand, of course, the Battle God is going to be among them.


    Cain turned pale once again.


    Joshuas original body was locked inside an ice boulder. Many strong individuals, both human and demon, had climbed the snowy mountain to break the ice boulder but all had failed. However, what would happen if the Battle God attempted it?


    I-Ill go to the north! Cain volunteered.


    -Its toote. Theyre already at the foot of the mountain.


    N-No, that cant be. With Her Majesty Icelines help!


    -No, we cant send away such a valuable asset right now even if it werent for my problem.


    Cain didnt understandtheyd already stopped the demons for good, hadnt they?


    Hubalt will send the bulk of their army to Arcadia. That must be what His Majesty is worried about, Icarus exined to Cain.


    Rightthere was no way that Hubalt would do something as idiotic as putting their grand army on standby in the cold reaches of northern Avalon. The army had already crossed the border, so they would continue their conquest while the elite team climbed up the frozen mountain to eliminate Joshua, who was Hubalts biggest obstacle in conquering the continent.


    -Ill handle Bel. I want the three of you to help Kireua and Selim prepare for the war. I told Lilith this, but make sure to tell the other countries too. I assume that the border to Avalon isnt the only border that Hubalts crossed.


    But, Your Majesty, to fight against that monster on your own in your current condition is Cain trailed, his voice tense with concern.


    -Im not alone.


    What? Cain nkly asked.


    -Im headed to the north with a reliable helper wholl be a good match against the Dragon yer.


    Cain tilted his head in confusion. He tried focusing his mana into his eyes and his gaze was quickly drawn to a handsome child standing near Joshua who had pearly white skin and pitch ck eyes.


    W-Wait


    Iceline and Icarus gave Cain a confused look.


    I-Is that His Majesty''s secret child?


    * * *


    Moloch was the one responsible for the explosions that those inside the metal cage had heard. Using his ability to teleport to the vicinity of his brother, Moloch had arrived at the destination quicker than any other demon.


    -Hahahahahaa! Ill kill you all!


    Arrrghhhh!


    Monster! Its a monster!


    Demonic power Its a demon, not a monster! Pdins, to the front line! Draw up your divine power! Quick!


    A mayhem unfolded before Moloch. Yes, these were humans. They were pathetic beings who couldnt kill a single monster and only knew how to scream in fear unless they were in a pack.


    -Excellent. Louder! Scream louder! Haha! Hahahahha!


    Moloch was enjoying his rampage. After all the ridiculously strong people hed had to fight recently, this felt like hed finally been liberated. Whenever he swung his ax, a shockwave swept away everything nearby. This was the ck Shockwave hed used before, at Arcadia, but contrary to that time, the humans here were helpless against Molochs attacks.


    Gah!


    D-Divine power doesnt work on him!


    The humans terrified voices made Moloch smile.


    -Those angels are a bunch of nobodies. Theres no way youd be able to take a single hit from me even if you use their power. AnywayMeric! Where are you?


    Moloch looked around his surroundings. Unlike him, his only brother was quite small, like the humans.


    -I sense him over there


    Molochs gazended on a metal cage in a six-horse carriage. That was where he could sense Merics energy the strongest.


    -What in the world is he doing over there?


    Moloch tilted his head in confusion when a human suddenly stood in his way.


    S-Sir Bel!


    The pdins unsessfully attempting to block Molochs attacks let out a cheer.


    Well handle it, sir.


    The knights apanying Bel stepped forward; they were part of the Martial Knight Order, the knights loyal only to Bel and currently the strongest knights in the Hubalt Empire. Even their uniforms, which proudly disyed a dragons head on their chest, were different from the other knights.


    Hes one of those demons thatre strong enough to be a Demon King, huh? Bel shook his head. Its fine. Ill deal with him since Ive been bored.


    Understood, sir. Themander of the Martial Order backed away without protest. Despite what themander just heard Moloch, he didnt seem to be worried in the slightest.


    Bel eyed the pdins scattered across the ground and clicked his tongue. Tsk, those weaklings are even worse than I expected. How am I supposed to fight a war with them? He shook his head and then raised his fists. Hey, bullhead.


    -Bull head? Are you talking about me?


    What, you have to ask? Bel scoffed. Theres no one else here other than you.


    -Ha! I was wondering why a bug got in my way, but I see its just crazy.


    Moloch snorted and smiled from ear to ear.


    I dont know how you appeared out of thin air But since youre here, let me ask you a question: do you know about the ice boulder on the snowy mountains peak too?


    -Ice boulder?


    Moloch gave him a nk look before turning to look at what the arrogant human was pointing ata snowy mountain, high enough to touch the sky. Moloch had an idea about this ice boulder Bel was talking about.


    -What are you going to do with it?


    What do you mean, what? Im going to destroy it, Bel bluntly answered.


    -Destroy it? You? Hah! Hahaha! Youre going to destroy the ice boulder where the Shining Darkness is sleeping? Wow, youre really something. Hahahaha!


    Molochs sides shook withughter.


    Shining Darkness Bel repeated, smiling back. So thats what it is.


    -Enough talk. A lot of the demons are quite fast, so theyll catch up soon. Youre the leader of these vermin, arent you?


    What if I am?


    -Heh. Im d you came to me on your own; itll save me some time. For that, Ill be merciful and end you with a single strike. Itll be a quick, painless death.


    Moloch pointed his ferocious ax at Bel. He nned to use this attack to instill fear in the other vermin so that they would scatter on their own.


    -Die.


    An immense amount of demonic power was amassed around Moloch and the


    nspressed into a sphere capable of crushing everything that it touched. Upon contact, Molochs target would bepressed so much that all of the moisture in their body would be squeezed out.


    -Aside from the Shining Darkness, humans are pfft. Ill show you why Im called the Unleashing Demon


    Moloch paused for a moment, his head tilted in confusion. The vermin would perish before he could even realize what was happening, but his shoulders moved slightly. At first, Moloch thought he was mistaken, or that it was a reflexive response due to fear.


    Tsk. Demon King my asstheres nothing special about this demon. What a disappointment, Bel grumbled. Look at you. You didnt even notice whats happened to you.


    Bel raised his eyebrow and Moloch abruptly lost consciousness.


    After a moment, Molochs head vanished with a small <em>bzzt</em>.


    The gigantic, headless corpse toppled over. Bel casually stretched his arms out as he slowly turned around. The knights were watching Bel as if they were in the presence of a god.


    It seems that theres only one person in this world who can satisfy me, Bel mumbled.

 Side Story Chapter 199

    Side Story Chapter 199


    After enjoying his reunion with his family and handing out instructions to them, Joshuastly went to say goodbye to Lilith.


    -Its time to say goodbye.


    <em>I enjoyed the experience,</em> Lilith answered.


    -Can I take that as permission to use your body if necessary?


    Lilith smiled. <em>Anytime.</em>


    -Its a little embarrassing if you say yes that easily. I was half joking


    Hahahahaha!


    Yes, she was certainly willing to do this again. There wouldnt be another chance for her to be alone with Joshua like this withoutpromising her moral integrity, but she had to let him go for the sake of herself, her friends who had helped her in difficult times, and Joshua.


    <em>You asked about the Demon Kings authority that I obtained, didnt you?</em> Lilith asked.


    -I did.


    <em>It actually never happened.</em>[1]


    -It was Hubalts doing, wasnt it.


    Joshua could picture what had happened.


    -But it wouldnt be possible to turn a saint into a witch without solid evidence


    <em>Im a close friend of yours.</em>


    -That isnt enough to


    <em>Have you ever taken a good look at my sword techniques?</em> Lilith interrupted, a wide smile on her lips.


    -No, I havent.


    <em>Could you do that for me now please?</em> Lilith took a cautious look around before drawing her sword. <em>Anyone could stumble onto us right now, so Im only going to do it for a very short moment. Keep your eyes open.</em>


    -I will.


    Lilith tightened his grip on her sword. Once her limits had restrained her for over ten years, but a miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime experience, had opened her way. She had seen Joshua, the genius of the century do battle, an opportunity that one couldnt buy with a million gold. His battles had made her heart pound even though he was using a spear, not a sword, and allowed her to gain new insights. Yes, Joshuas techniques were beyond the level of a martial arts style; they were truly a work of art.


    Lilith began to dance with the sword in her hand. Left to right, top to bottom, a sh she moved slowly at first but got faster over time. Her initial moves resembled a dancers, but they began to demonstrate overwhelming power. Each move seemed to be able to destroy everything in her path by sheer force.


    -The Magic Spear Arts?


    Joshua realized the foundation of Liliths techniques. It wasnt Joshuas first time seeing it attemptedKireua, Joshuas son, had also reinterpreted Joshuas Magic Spear Art techniques to create a new, personalized style of martial arts called the Magic Sword Arts. However, Liliths techniques were obviously more advanced.


    -How fascinating. Even my own son, Kireua, isnt as good as you.


    Deriving knowledge merely by watching another person use their martial arts could only be done by true geniuses, but even those geniuses needed to spend a long time researching and observing.


    -Youre a genius, too.


    <em>Its a little silly to hear that from you. Youre the Martial God, who can replicate every martial arts technique just by seeing it once.</em> Lilith giggled.


    -Im just mimicking what I saw. Anyone above a certain level can do itbut your sword techniques are very advanced and contain the essence of the Magic Spear Arts. You must have studied them for a long time. I feel naked.


    Joshua shook his head.


    <em>Its you I was watching, not your Magic Spear Arts,</em> Lilith abruptly revealed.


    -Huh?


    <em>Nothing. Anyhow, I can do stuff like this now.</em>


    She spun in the air and stretched her arm back. Instead of demonstrating her specialty, which was shing, she was going to thrust her sword using a move that was very familiar to Joshua. It was a basic move in the Magic Spear Art, but every martial art started from the basics.


    She made no unnecessary movements, and each movement was the essence of speed. Liliths sword stabbed two points in the air and then cut through them blindingly fast.


    -Lightning sh!


    Liliths sword ripped through the air like a bolt of lightning.


    A tree ten meters away from her was cut clean through. As the huge tree copsed, Lilith sheathed her sword and let out a sigh of relief.


    <em>Not bad, huh?</em>


    -Certainly.


    <em>Im pretty strong now too, so dont worry about your children. Of course, they take after their fathertheyre geniuses and people already call them monstersbut I''ll take care of them like their mother if necessary.</em> Lilith grinned and patted her chest.


    -Thats reassuring.


    <em>Now go, before Bel hurts your body.</em>


    -Thanks to you, I can leave in peace. Im genuinely grateful to you for that.


    Lilith wanted to retort that that was actually what she wanted to say, but she held herself back. Having this kind of moment was good enough for now because shed decided to put an end to her wicked crush for good.


    It was said that time all wounds, so she had thought her crush would fade out over timehowever, it didnt. Although she had tried to distance herself from him so she could forget about him, that didnt work either. She had believed that seeing him marry three beautiful women was what she needed to finally end her crush, but, once again, that didnt work. As a matter of fact, she kept thinking that four wives wouldnt be much different from three wives.


    Indeed, that was love. Time, distance, family All of those excuses did nothing to stop her from loving Joshua. It was impossible to stop loving someone just because they got married. The primordial god didnt make humans such simple creatures.


    The tree that Lilith had cut off just now was like to her heart. Her selfish, one-sided love made it difficult for her to consider the people around her and him, so she destroyed it once and for all as they were about to part ways again.


    -Is something wrong? You dont seem to be feeling too good.


    A surge of emotions rose in her heart, but Lilith quickly changed the topic.


    <em>N-Nothing. In a-any case, how are you going to return to the north?</em>


    -Oh, I thought I told you before. I have a trustworthy helper right there.


    Lilith looked up in the sky and saw Creshua, the ck dragon hatchling, pompously looking down at them. Ever since they had gotten out of the underground vault, Creshua had been that way. He didnt intervene in the Human Realms affairs in the slightest.


    <em>Do you think Creshua will fight?</em> Lilith asked.


    -He will this time. Bel is the enemy of his parents and his species.


    <em>You said that theres nothing more meaningless than revenge.</em>


    -Creshuas life will be threatened for as long as Bel is allowed to live. For whatever reason, Bel exterminated all of the dragons that he could find, and Im sure that Creshua isnt going to make him have a change of heart.


    <em>So its a matter of survival I see. I understand.</em> Lilith nodded.


    Joshua slowly circted his mana, levitating him.


    <em>Wait! I have one more question. Even if Creshua cooperates, are you going to be okay? Even if you go back to your body right now, youre still stuck inside the ice boulder. Do you think one hatchling is enough to deal with him?</em>


    Lilith treated Creshua as if he werent much help because Bel was a monster beyond anyones imagination.


    Creshua, Joshua called.


    What is it?


    I have a favor to ask of you. Joshua flew up to Creshua, who looked back at him with his abyss-like ck eyes. Dragons are called the race of magic, so I assume you can easily teleport even if youre a hatchling, yes?


    Im different from ordinary dragons, so not only can I teleport, I can also use Ninth Circle spells as I please, Creshua answered with a nonchnt shrug.


    Lilith was surprised because from what she remembered, dragon hatchlings were limited to using Eighth Circle spells.


    <em>Hes definitely unique, but that isnt enough</em> Lilith trailed off.


    Which is why I would like to ask you a favor, Joshua continued.


    A favor?


    Although I dont know if youve been listening from up here, my enemy is trying to get to my original body.


    So?


    I want your help to stop him. Keep in mind that hes also the enemy of Crevasse, your father.


    Creshua didnt answer him for a long moment.


    What do I get in return? Dont try to tell me its revenge. Dragons dont feel love and other emotions the way humans do.


    Joshua raised one finger. One wish.


    Creshua gave him a confused look.


    Im not sure if theres anything you want from me, but if you help me, Ill do everything in my power to make your wishe true, Joshua offered.


    The hatchling fell into a thoughtful silence.


    <em>Arent you overpaying here?</em> Lilith grumbled.


    However, Joshua ignored herhe was in desperate need of Creshuas help. And, after a moment, Creshua gave Joshua the answer that he wanted to hear.


    Ill take the deal.


    Joshuas face brightened.


    Ill tell you what I wantter but how am I supposed to help you?


    Since Joshua was stuck inside the ice boulder, he had been thinking about a way to fight Bel. But no matter how hard he thought, there was only one good answer.


    First of all, I would like to go inside you.


    Joshua beamed, while both Lilith and Creshua were stupefied by his proposal. A humans soul inside a dragon! They never heard of, much less seen anything like it.


    ck dragons are the only dragons who can use demonic power, so its worth a try. In fact, itll be a lot safer since dragons are physically stronger than humans, Joshua exined.


    You Creshua trailed off, unable to say anything,


    Regardless, Joshua had no intention of changing his mind. It was definitely worth a try.


    1. Youve probably noticed this contradicts earlier chapters, but, well

 Side Story Chapter 200

    Side Story Chapter 200


    Youreing inside me? Creshua nkly repeated.


    Its not a big deal, its just like what Im doing right now. As you can see, this isnt my real body, Joshua exined.


    Creshuas eyes shone as he focused his mana into them. Two souls inside one body Yes, thats certainly something Crevasse never told me about.


    Ever since he had been born, he had been hidden in the Pces underground vault. He had no experience and had learned everything he knew from Crevasse, his father. Reading the numerous books stored in Crevasses subspace helped fill the gaps in his knowledge.


    He had lived this way for only just over a decade, but dragons never forgot what they read or saw. Creshuas knowledge was simr toin fact, transcendedmost great sages.


    Joshua grinned. Dont you want to know what would happen if a god-yer was in a dragons body?


    Dragons were inherently inquisitive creatures and their thirst for knowledge rivaled most mages. However, they didnt have anything left to learn because they were born with an astronomical wealth of information inside their heads.


    Ive never heard of a humans soul inside a dragons body, but theres something else it reminds me of, Creshua murmured.


    Huh?


    You sounded like a demons sweet talk to lure a human into a trap. Crevasse told me to be especially careful around that kind of person


    Joshua flinched.


    Lilith burst intoughter. <em>He has a point.</em>


    -Do I look that evil?


    <em>Hes still a young dragon, so you might just look like a kidnapper trying to tempt a child by waving a lollipop at them. It shouldnt surprise you that a child was taught to never follow such wicked adults.</em>


    -That hurts my feelings a little.


    <em>Dont give up. You just need to exin it in easy words. Hes a pitiful child,</em> Lilith said bitterly.


    -Pitiful? You must be forgetting that hes a dragon.


    <em>Why does his race matter right now? Dragon or not, that doesnt change the fact that hes a little child who just lost his father. Besides, you have to fill in for his father now. Youll have to do a good job raising him so he wont be called an evil dragon like his father was.</em>


    Joshua let out a sigh. He knew Lilith was right. Hed even promised Crevasse that he would take care of Creshua.


    -Why was a woman like you called a witch?


    <em>I know, right? I wasted myst good years to get married and now I have to live alone for the rest of my life.</em>


    -You know, I know many unmarried old bachelors


    <em>Forget it. Focus on the young dragon that needs your care, okay?</em>


    Joshua turned back to the issue at hand. How could he coaxno, <em>persuade</em> this hatchling?


    Creshua, Joshua quietly said. Is there a goal or a dream youre desperate to fulfill?


    Why are you asking that all of a sudden? Creshua tilted his head in confusion.


    Even if you turn down my offer and give up on having Crevasses revenge, there must be something you want to do aboveground.


    Well Creshua trailed off.


    Creshua was truly unique. As Joshua understood, dragon hatchlings were the most inquisitive children in the worldbut Creshua was not. He didnt take interest in anything in particr; he acted like a sage who had transcended mortal matters. Joshua had met such people several times before.


    <em>He looks like hes given up on life,</em> Lilith whispered.


    -I guess Im not the only one who got that impression.


    <em>Hes still a young dragon Do you think hes actually shocked by his fathers death?</em>


    -Lets hear him out.


    If possible, I would like to find a dream of some kind. Im thest dragon in this world, or so Ive heard. I dont want to live for an eternity just so my race wont go extinctthat feels like its going to be very boring.


    After a moment of silence, Joshua smiled from ear to ear.


    Then its decided.


    What?


    Ill help you look for a reason to keep on living as I stay inside you.


    Creshua blinked.


    Ill show you what parents and families are and how fun it is to keep on living. Ill make sure that you have so much fun that you dont want to die. Joshua slowly extended his hand toward Creshua. How does that sound? Didnt I pique your interest?


    After watching Joshuas hand for a moment, Creshua grabbed his hand back. With his typical nonchnt look, Creshua replied, If I dont have fun like you promised, the deal is off and Im going to kick you out from me before you can have what you want.


    * * *


    After Babels escape, only Meric the demon and Carmen remained inside the mobile metal cage as the army of Hubalt traveled toward the mountain in northern Avalon. The ruckus outside had faded away at some point.


    Its quiet outside now. Hey, you said something quite interesting earlier, Meric said. You want revenge on the Shining Darknessno, Joshua Sanders, the human?


    Carmen remained silent, but Meric kept on talking to her because she was one of the reasons why he had entered the cage in the first ce. They were finally the only people inside the cage now, and even without her saying anything, Meric could see that Carmen von Agnus was in all sorts of negative emotions like spite and malice. Meric could try scouring the whole continent, but wouldnt find a soul that was as tainted as Carmens.


    I can help you. I assure you that with my abilities


    Meric stopped talking when Carmens baleful gazended on him.


    Why dont you shut your mouth? I heard a lot about demons bullshit. You demons trick humans out of their souls when theyre weak.


    Souls? Hehehe. Youve read too many childrens books. What am I supposed to do with a soul?


    What? Carmen gave him a confused look.


    Yeah, we used to take human souls from the Human Realm and offer them to the Demon Spirit in the past because that guy asked for it.


    That guy?


    Why? Are you surprised? Hes now a nobody. He got wiped from existence. Why else would we be interested in souls? Its the same for the other side; there are no more gods in this world.


    Carmen red at Meric for a long time. Even if thats true, even your god couldnt do anything to Joshua Sanders. How can you be sure that you can take him out?


    My title is the Permeation Demon.


    So?


    Dont you want to know why Im called that? Meric asked.


    Not really.


    Are you still not interested even though my ability is rted to how Ill eliminate Joshua Sanders?


    Carmen couldnt say anything; she would be lying if Meric hadnt piqued her interest.


    How?


    Meric smiled wickedly. That was exactly the answer hed been waiting for.


    I need your permission to exin it.


    Permission for what?


    Im only able to use my ability with the other partys permission.


    Thats a very tricky and cumbersome requirement, Carmen said, not bothering to hide her sneer. There couldnt be a more useless ability in a battle of life or death than an ability that required her opponents permission.


    Regardless of what it is, the trickier its requirements are, the stronger the ability is.


    Well, Im in no position tough at somebody else. As you can see, I lost the ability to use my mana, meaning Im practically just an ordinary human. Carmen snorted self-deprecatingly. Do you really think you can achieve your goals even if I give you my permission?


    Bel had pushed Carmen into a bottomless pit of despair by shattering the mana hall in her abdomen beyond recognition.


    It doesnt matter; what matters to me is the experiences and emotions engraved in a humans soul, not their feeble body.


    Then do what you want with it. Carmen slowly stood up and spread her arms, giving Meric her full permission. She had given up on everything a long time ago and had abandoned herself to despair. While trying to get revenge against her mortal enemy, she had been taken hostage by another enemy and suffered unspeakable humiliation. However, she had to hold her hopes for that very enemy who had vited her! Although she wished those fucking Joshua and Bel killed each other, she had gone up against both of them, so she knew better than anyone else how slim the chance is.


    Can I take that as permission to use my ability on you?


    Dont make me repeat myself.


    Merics demonic power filled up the metal cage. I need your verbal consent. Carmen von Agnus, do you agree that I, Meric the demon, may use my ability of permeation on you?


    Stop pestering me. I already gave you full permission. Ill fall for any one of your wicked schemes if it means I get to have revenge on Joshua Sanders!


    Then the contract has been made. Meric grinned.


    The thick demonic power in the air came together and entered Carmens open mouth.


    Carmen gasped. No, it wasnt just her mouth. Her nose, mouth the ck smoke was absorbed into every hole in her head. Carmens irises grew so much that the whites of her eyes couldnt be seen more. That was just the beginning of the surprise. Meric turned into a cloud of ck smoke, exiting his current body like a molting cicada, and went into Carmens mouth.


    Urgh! Carmen, who had been shaking like an aspen leaf, froze. She slowly looked down with eyes that had been dyed entirely ck.


    I finally have a new body.


    Meric lightly punched the cages thick metal wall.


    <em>Boom!</em>

 Side Story Chapter 201

    Side Story Chapter 201


    While Carmen and Meric were conspiring inside the cage, Bel had already left his army behind.


    Commander.


    Hawke was the Martial Knightsmander and was currently in charge of leading the army of Hubalt on Bels behalf. At the moment, Hawke was examining the cage with a dark expression.


    That is one neat hole.


    Im sorry. I should have paid more attention, but we were preupied with that bull-headed demon


    Hawke let out a sigh, knowing that he couldnt me his knights for this. The prisoners had made their escape at possibly the most opportune moment possible. The demons ambush wasnt the only problemall the monsters still near the mountain hade running in response to the demons demonic power.


    Who was in charge of guarding the cage? Hawke asked.


    It was the Great Temples pdins.


    Absolutely useless, Hawke hissed.


    That wasnt just something he said in the moment. The Martial Knights had taken on the most dangerous rolespearheading their advance into foreign, inhospitable territory, to say nothing of the fact that the Martial God had hidden his body away there. The army knew nothing about thesends; theck of intelligence multiplied the risk for the vanguard several times over.


    In contrast to the Martial Knights, the metal cage was kept in the middle of the army, so guarding it was rtively a safe assignment. While the vanguard were fighting, the cage guards would be able to confirm their enemys identity and would have time to get ready. In addition, they were to prioritize the cage, so they didnt need to be actively engaged in the fight until it came to them. That was why the pdins were in charge of the job. They may be weak, but their divine power gave them an advantage against enemies who used demonic power.


    Im too ashamed to meet our masterter. Hawke nced up at the sky.


    The conversation he had earlier haunted him.


    * * *


    <em>You guys should head south and strike Arcadia, Bel instructed.</em>


    <em>Then what about the mountain?</em>


    <em>I can go on my own.</em>


    <em>L-Let me and the other Martial Knights go with you, at least. I trust your ability, but climbing up the mountain alone is</em>


    <em>I taught you guys myself. Whats going to happen if you guys arent there for the attack on Arcadia either? Am I supposed to trust those weaklings? All of the Four Pdins were already killed in Arcadia.</em>


    <em>Mmm.</em>


    <em>Dont worry. The Martial God cant kill me that easily, and the Sword Emperor and Martial Emperor would put up quite a fight but they couldnt beat me either. Ive fought them myself, so trust me. Bel tapped Hawkes shoulder reassuringly.</em>


    <em>Well, theyre called the best swordsmen of this generation, so I guess that should be expected.</em>


    <em>And Avalons princes will reach their level in fifteenno, maybe ten years.</em>


    * * *


    Hawke still couldnt forget Bels shocking assertion.


    I heard a lot about the First Prince of Avalons genius, but I didnt expect the Second Prince to be equally talented


    Bel never said empty words and he was the most objective person when it came to martial arts.


    Thats it. Im too annoyed to let this slide. A bony, sharp-looking Martial Knight came forward. The cold-looking knight was Hawkes most reliable man.


    Skell. Hawke turned his attention to him.


    Ill teach them a lesson, Skell announced. Theyre just a bunch of baggagewe would be better off without them.


    Hawke took a look around without answering Skell. Although they might not be saying it out loud, it looked like the other Martial Knights were on the same page as Skell. There were a total of two hundred knights, but fifty of them were true talents whom Bel had personally picked and trained over the decades. Skell was one of those prestigious fifty knights.


    Are you sure about this? Hawke asked.


    Skell bowed to Hawk and then slowly approached the metal cage.


    The leader of the pdins then came forward wearing a deeply apologetic look. Im really sorry. Everything happened in a sh


    If youre going to do a crappy job, just quit and go back home. Go home and change your brats diapers. You people are getting in our way, Skell spat with a scowl.


    The pdins faces turned purple in rage. The Martial Knight Order might be under the directmand of the Battle God, but Skell was only a rank and file member. In contrast, Ardian, the pdin that Skell had just insulted, held the highest rank within the Great Temple, which was equivalent to a duke in other countries. Ardians rank was far higher than an ordinary knights. His pride demanded he retaliate.


    Arent you going too far? Ardian shot back, eyes cold.


    Now youre revealing your true colors. Yeah, this is for the better. Ive been waiting for an opportunity like this. As soon as our master disappears, you get on a high horse and all you want to do is protect your pride. Skell narrowed his eyes.


    Ardian flinched because Skell wasnt exactly wrong. Bel had left for the frozen mountain on his own, so Ardian had secretly thought that he was going to be inmand of this army.


    The Hubalt Empire had originally been ruled by both their pope and emperor, but the positions had now been merged. Kurz, a former Cardinal, was currently the emperor of Hubalt. Logically, he would support Ardian because the Kurz was originally part of the Great Temple and Ardian had sworn his loyalty to Kurz before he hade here.


    Waah, waah! All of you ipetent vermin only know how to cry for your god


    I admit that we had a fault in this, but I wont tolerate any more of your insults, Ardian coldly interjected.


    The pdins standing nearby drew their swords, but none of the Martial Knights came forward to help Skell, almost as if they had been trained not to. Hawke nodded at Skell. Only he, as the one whod started this confrontation, drew his sword.


    Great. Ill use this opportunity to personally teach all of you a lesson. Skell gestured at the pdins. Attack me all at once so youll at least have a tiny chance.


    The pdins, who had already been trembling in anger, burst into rage.


    Sir Ardian, please leave this to me!


    No, let me do it. Hes not the Battle God, just an ordinary knight. Who does he think he is!?


    Hes just basking in the Battle Gods glory. Leave him to me, sir. Ill make sure to teach him a lesson.


    Ardian slowly shook his head and drew his sword. No, Ill do it.


    C-Commander?


    ...We should show them that the pdins still got it, dont we? Ardian smiled crookedly. His pride had been hurt the most. He used to hold a higher rank and was more skilled than the now dead Four Pdins. The popr opinion was that he would have been the most influential pdin in the Great Temple if the Four Pdins hadnt manifested the Great Angels authorities.


    Ardians vigorous divine power churned the air around him.


    Ill let you attack first. Come at me.


    So youre still clinging to your pride, huh? Skell grumbled. He brandished his slender sword.


    Give him hell, Sir Ardian!


    No matter what anyone says, the pdins are the ones who made Hubalt the strong country it is today. Make him regret this!


    Do you think youre Sir Bel? Keep your eyes open and watch what happens.


    The pdins continued to yell, but the Martial Knights were quiet like the calm before the storm.


    Alright, I wont refuse. Skell strode forward.


    Whenever Skell took a step, Ardian released more divine power. It became so bright that the people watching couldnt even open their eyes.


    <em>Just one more step,</em> Ardian thought.


    Five steps remained between them. One more step would put Skell within Ardians attack range. Ardians grip around his sword tightened. Skell may be an ordinary knight, but Ardian didnt let his guard downrather, he was only more vignt against the imminent attack. Ardian was going to show the difference in ss between them.


    <em>Now!</em> Ardian fiercely swung his sword the moment Skells foot touched the ground.


    Ardian blinked, confused. He was sure that he had shed the space in front of him, but his opponent was nowhere to be found.


    What in the world? Ardian mumbled.


    Where do you think youre looking?


    Ardian was stunned. It felt like every hair on his body bristled from the voiceing from right behind him.


    Wh-when did you?


    Skell held his cold sword against Ardians neck. This is why you guys are useless.


    Ardian swallowed. Complete silence descended. Everyone saw that an ordinary Martial Knight could have cut off the head of the pdins'' leader before Ardian could respond.


    If you were an enemy, I would have killed you right then.


    Skell sheathed his sword. Only after Skell had walked past Ardian and returned to his original position could Ardian breathe again. He wed for breath. At that moment, shock and terror overwhelmed him.


    <em>Battle God When in the world did you create such monsters?</em> Ardian wondered.


    * * *


    A vicious blizzard raged on the mountains peak. A ck-haired boy looked at the ice boulderand at the unrealistically handsome man asleep inside.


    -Im handsome, arent I?


    Youre more narcissistic than you look. Creshua, the ck dragon hatchling, tilted his head.


    -Its true.


    Handsome is a human feeling, so I cant understand it even if you tell me you are. Im a dragon.


    -Youre boring.


    If anyone else saw Creshua right now, they would have pitied him. He looked like he was talking to himself like his mind had broken down. At such a young age But actually, Joshua was in Creshua right now. Yes, they had seeded in merging, just as Joshua had done with Lilith.


    What are we going to do now? Creshua asked.


    -We sessfully returned, so lets look at the ice boulder first. Who knows? We might find a way to eliminate the Demon Spirit quicker.


    The Demon Spirit Is the Demon Spirit really in there?


    -You must not sense him right now because hes weakened a lot, but youll be able to sense him if you get closer.


    Creshua immediately took a step forward, ignoring Joshua saying, Seriously, dragons are too impetuous.


    However, Creshua stopped after one step. He felt a faint rumbling; considering that they were at the peak of the mountain, that was rare.


    Was that an avnche?


    -No, its Bel.


    Joshuas voice was grim.

 Side Story Chapter 202

    Side Story Chapter 202


    Everyone in the Hubalt Empire knew that the Martial Knight Order, Bels personal order of knights, was the real strongest knight order within the empire. However, most of them would be surprised to discover how the Martial Knights joined the orderthe knights stories werent known to the public.


    Our master brought each of us to our knees at least once, Hawke, the Martial Knightsmander, mumbled.


    This was right after Ardian, the pdins leader, suffered a crushing defeat to Skell, an ordinary Martial Knight.


    Bels past had been solely focused on fighting, honing him into a weapon to kill the Martial God. Just like a beast should be fed, Hubalt needed a supply of strong warriors. At first, Hubalt had supplied Bels opponents from the people within the empire, but many of those partners had been killed during Bels battles. Inevitably, no more volunteers came forward, so Hubalt had to kidnap Bels opponents from other countries or from the streets.


    Most of the Martial Knights used to be Bels sparring partners. When Bel found one of his opponents useful, he would teach them instead of killing them. Of course, that was just a form of entertainment to him


    Anyone who went up against the Battle God is bound to swear loyalty to him if they survive, Hawke murmured.


    Knights experiencing Bels power reacted in either one of two ways: they felt utterly powerless in front of his overwhelming might, or were in awe of his inhumanely strength.


    Hawke had been both helpless and in awe of Bel. Although he was certain that no knights stood a chance against the Martial Knight Order, he never let his guard down. A second and third Battle God could show up at any time from anywhere.


    <em>Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and the Emperor of Avalon, must be at the same level as my master,</em> Hawke thought.


    He believed without a doubt that Bel was stronger, but other people on the continent didnt share his ideas. The Martial God was widely considered the strongest person on the continent, not the Battle God. Imagining a battle between a god of battle and a god of martial arts made Hawke tremble in excitement.


    If we take this road south, well arrive at Arcadia in three weeks, Ardian reported to Hawke, his scout having returned from a nearby vige.


    The pdins made sure to be respectful of the Martial Knights. Ardian, their leader, had set a firm example; there was no point in the pdins resisting. Hawke didnt destroy their remaining pride.


    Great work.


    Its nothing.


    The Martial Knights were alive because Bel showed mercy to them.


    Im sorry, but let me ask you one more favor, Hawke said.


    Go on.


    I would like you to find a shortcut so we can get to Arcadia in fifteenno, ten days.


    T-Ten days? Ardians eyes widened.


    You do understand the necessity of not giving the Avalon troops any more time to reorganize themselves?


    I do, but itll take at least fifteen days if we ride our horses ragged. Were farther away from Arcadia than we expected. Even if we arrive on time, Im not sure if we would have any strength left to fight, Ardian cautioned in a concerned voice.


    Its more than possible for us.


    Ardian flinched. The Martial Knights had drawn a line between them and the pdins as if they didnt want to be considered the same in the slightestuntil now. Hawke had referred to Ardian and the pdins as us for the first time.


    I understand that many divine spells can replenish stamina, Hawke said.


    It was true, and some of the pdins had authorities that would maximize the efficiency of those spells.


    But then well have to sit out during the battle because those spells consume an enormous amount of staminafar more than you would think. Ardian tilted his head. Weve already traveled a long distance, so some of us might faint from exhaustion.


    It doesnt matter. Leave the rest to the Martial Knights. Thats whatrades are for.


    Ill do my best.


    Thank you. Hawke bowed slightly.


    Ardian nodded and turned to go with a faint smile on his face, but Hawkes smile was brighter than Ardian''s.


    <em>I think I understand Sir Bel a little,</em> Hawke thought.


    * * *


    Exactly three days after the battle, numerous people arrived at the Avalon Pces council chamber. They were all nobles answering Icaruss emergency call for nobles of a rank higher than count to convene.


    I dont know how long it has been since we came together like this.


    The nobles filled the council chamber with their murmurings. This war changed many peoples perceptions of many things. The hottest topic was, of course, the Avalons two princes.


    I heard that the First Prince made a great contribution in this war.


    Even an A-ss knight cant fight a death knight one on one, but Prince Selim defeated over ten of them on his own


    The apple doesnt fall far from the tree. Hahaha.


    Most of them spokepliments about Selim.


    Im surprised by the Second Princes work. I heard that the number of the death knights he killed isnt so different from Prince Selim.


    Prince Kireua defeated exactly one less death knight than Prince Selim. If that werent for that demons interference, theres no knowing how theirpetition would have turned out.


    I guess thats why its said that life is unpredictable. I feel like it was just yesterday that His Highness Kireua left for the Thran Kingdom to study


    He must be ate bloomer.


    Everyone looked at the people who stood right in front of the tform that led to the throne. It was no exaggeration to say that those dukes from the Five Ducal Families would determine the next emperor.


    I cant see Duke Agnus.


    What difference would he make even if he were here? The Agnus family has fallen so much that theyre on the verge of demise. Sir Cains choice, as His Majestys First Knight, would be more influential.


    But isnt it too farfetched topare one man to an entire family?


    Thats just how it is.


    Duke Agnus aside, the dukes of Avalon were present. Charles stood as the representative of the Pontier Family.


    She felt deeply moved. She may be the Queen Consort but she was also serving as the Pontier Familys acting head. It was inevitablethe Pontier Family had suffered from a long internal conflict that had even caused the death of Charless father, the previous Duke of Pontier. It was safe to say that the family line was going to die with Charles, although Kireua could be the next Duke Pontier if he were not to im the throne, of course.


    <em>But that would hurt Kireuas pride a lot,</em> Charles thought.


    She could see that Kireua had started to desire the throne at some point. Despite that, she supported both of the princes. She wasnt going to favor Kireua just because she had given birth to him; if she did, she would disrespect the other Queen Consorts, who had been considerate of her during her marriage. In fact Charles wished for her two sons to grow through a good-heartedpetition.


    Your Majesty, Prince Kireua has grown up to be an outstanding man. Even I was surprised by his growth, Duke Tremblin told Charles from his position beside her.


    Charles smiled. Its all thanks to your help, Duke Tremblin.


    I have done nothing. Tremblin couldnt hide his shame.


    Despite what Charles wished, other people believed that the Queen Consorts each wished for their biological sons to take the throne. On that note, Tremblin had decided to support Selim, the First Prince.


    Announcing the arrival of Their Majesties the Queen Consorts!


    Everyone fell into a hush as Icarus and Iceline entered the chamber through the door behind the throne, guarded by Cain and Valmont.


    Oh, my! Icarus gasped, her hand rising to cover her mouth. Your Majesty Charles, why are you standing there?


    Well, it''s a nobles'' meeting, so I couldnt let the Pontier Family have no representative


    Why dont youe upstairs? We need you here. Icarus gestured to the upper tform.


    Iceline nodded in agreement. The Queen Consorts were responsible formanding the nobles on behalf of the Emperor of Avalon.


    In that case Charles walked up the tform.


    Icarus took a look around with a smile on her face. As all of you already know, the empire has sustained significant damage from a recent series of incidents. We have a gap of manpower in Arcadias garrison and we must draft soldiers from each family.


    Everyone nodded. This was just the beginning of their war. Their reactions might have been different if the war was between two families, but this war was with a foreign country. If the Imperial Family issued a draft, the nobles were mandated to obey.


    The Agnus Family has a situation, so I would like to organize an army with the four dukes soldiers as the core. Experienced heads of the families are strongly encouraged to share their expertise, Icarus continued.


    Yes, Your Majesty.


    Please keep in mind that the enemies of Hubalt are heading south as we speak. ording to the rumors, Avalon isnt the only country that Hubalt has invaded; their army has crossed the borders to all of Hubalts neighboring countries.


    This was without a doubt the beginning of a Continental War. Everyones expressions were grim.


    So this is how it begins.


    Those hyenas. It wouldnt havee to this if wed formed an alliance ages ago


    The nobles anger was directed at the other countries, not Hubalt, for letting the situation fester by wasting time tiptoeing around Hubalt.


    Speaking of which, I have a good idea, Icarus said.


    The nobles blinked at her, confused.


    You can leave Arcadia unguarded. I would like the four dukes to cross the border into Hubalt with the army.


    She received nothing but shocked stares.


    Icaruss goal was to put the remaining four dukes in charge of the mission that Babel, the Duke of Agnus, had failed. That mission must seed.


    Every country in the continent is busy fighting Hubalts invasion, so well use this opportunity to take over Hubalts capital. And Icarus trailed off with a faint smile and turned to the princes. The two princes shall join this mission as well.


    The princes, too? Your Majesty, thats too dangerous!


    Dangerous The emperor of the Avalon Empire is a seat where such threats are part of their daily life, so the princes arent worthy to im the throne if they cant ovee this much.


    A-Are you saying?


    The other two Queen Consorts lookedposed despite Icaruss statements; the three of them had obviously talked everything out.


    I would like all of you here to assess the princes aplishments to determine who is the most apt to be your next emperor.

 Side Story Chapter 203

    Side Story Chapter 203


    Hahaha


    Kurz, the former cardinal and the current Emperor of Hubalt,ughed until the council chamber of the former Great Templenow the second Imperial Pcefilled with the noise. Hubalt was now considered a war criminal responsible for starting the Second Continental War, but the rest of the continent would never have imagined what Hubalt had prepared before the war began.


    Your Majesty! We have sessfully leaked our armies invasions!


    Is that so?


    Yes, and we have confirmed that all other countries have increased the number of soldiers stationed near their borders.


    Are there any peculiarities? Kurz never let his guard down; he could not tolerate a single error. He was a meticulous man by nature and considered himself to be a brilliant strategist. He hadnt been able to use his full potential as a priest, but he could now.


    Everything is going ording to your n, Your Majesty!


    Hehehe, their strategists must be quite baffled. Kurz smiled contently.


    Just then, a messenger holding a blue g rushed into the chamber. He held information key to deciding the sess of Hubalts endeavors.


    Your Majesty! We have received a report that Sir Midass second battalion crossed the border of the Swallow Empire this noon!


    Kurzs eyes lit up. Yes, this was it. No king would have seen Hubalting. The armies mobilizing at the borders was just a ruse to make the other countries think that Hubalt was starting multiple wars at once. Hubalt only had two real targets: Avalon and Swallow, which the first and second battalions had invaded, respectively.


    The three empires had been maintaining the bnce of the continent for a long time. The bnce had shifted little by little over time, but Avalon, Swallow, and Hubalt had perfectly kept one another in check. Even if an ambitious tyrant were to show up, it wouldnt be easy for him to start a war because the moment he mobilized his army, the other two empires would join hands to put him down. Thus, the three empires had tiptoed around each other for over a century.


    <em>No empire dared to start a war in the end because no emperor would want to be simultaneously attacked by the other two empires.</em>


    Nevertheless, Hubalt attacked the two other empires first. Any strategist would call Hubalt crazy, but Kurz made the choice for a good reason. Avalons capital was currently devastated by a nearly unbroken chain of battles, and Swallow was upied with their discord with Thran, their colony.


    Hubalt didnt have to worry the other countries who were still tiptoeing around the empires because those rats were opportunists. They were busy with monitoring their borders and would only make a move after news reached them of the two empires fall.


    Hubalt would have a wealth of choices afterward. Those countries that btedly volunteered to be Hubalts ally, the empire could pretend to embrace and then subjugate themter. Some countries might feel the threat and try to establish an alliance, but Hubalt could ckmail them by dering that whoever joined the alliance would be attacked first.


    Your Majesty! The second battalion encountered Swallows army about three hours ago!


    Every head in the council chamber whipped around. It was the first battle of Hubalts invasion, so everyone was anxious to hear the results.


    And what happened? Kurz asked.


    They overpowered Swallows army! The enemy didnt have the slightest idea that we were going to attack them from behind, so they werepletely helpless!


    The nobles of Hubalt let out a cheer.


    Good. Kurz smiled from ear to ear. Tell Midas to head directly to Swallows capital. Well disregard the other cities and seize the capital before the enemy can pull themselves together!


    Yes, my lord! The messenger saluted and rushed out of the chamber.


    Kurz leaned against the throne, visibly more rxed.


    It turns out that theyre nothing.


    Hahahaha! We might actually get to see the day Hubalt rules the continent.


    We must see it before we die. To be honest, if we manage to tear down Swallow and Avalon, arent the other countries nobodies?


    The Martial God isnt in Avalon, and Swallow has failed to control their colony for decades. Perhaps weve been scared of nothing; maybe we could have unified the continent long ago


    The nobles talked as if they had already won the warbut there was something that they and Kurz hadnt expected.


    I-I have an urgent message!


    Isnt that a messenger from Avalon?


    The messenger with the blue g was in charge of delivering reports rted to Swallow. On the other hand, the messenger who entered the chamber just now was holding a red g, meaning that he carried news from Avalon.


    What is it? Kurz asked.


    We received reports from our informants scattered around Avalon that a grand army, which includes the troops of Avalonos noble houses, is heading northwest!


    N-Northwest?


    All of the nobles'' eyes widened.


    Isnt that where Hubalt is?


    * * *


    The three Queen Consorts of Avalon quietly summoned the two princes. Charles wasnt the only one who sensed the changes in their sons.


    Princess Iruca returned from the east just now.


    She did?


    It had been a while since they had a family reunion, so everyone was beaming, especially Icarus.


    A beautiful woman who took after Icarus entered the office.


    Greetings to Their Majesties. Iruca bowed politely even though this was a family reunion; her two other mothers were also present, after all.


    Wee home, Iruca.


    What happened to Marquess Drenius? Selim asked.


    Sorry. I lost him, Iruca replied.


    Selims face darkened.


    Iruca tapped his back. He abandoned his family too, so nothing could be done.


    He even abandoned his family?


    Yeah, so dont worry. Defeated generals can be forgiven, but cowards and traitors cannot.


    Their leader had even abandoned his family, so there was no guarantee that his subordinates wouldnt face the same fate. Drenius and the others would tear each other apart on their own.


    Anyhow, Ive heard all about it. Irucas eyes sparkled.


    Heard what?


    My adorable baby brothers are going after the throne all of a sudden, huh? Iruca grinned.


    Kireua and Selim simultaneously gave her an odd look.


    Baby brothers?


    Why are we your baby brothers?


    Iruca was technically one year older, but no one really believed that because their birthdays were at most only a few months away from one another.[1]


    Hmm? Iruca narrowed her eyes. My support must not mean a lot to you guys.


    What?


    I want to support my younger brothers, not older brothers. Who wants to be my younger brother? Iruca beamed at her boggling brothers. A strategist sister who maniptes her baby brother emperor from behind the scenes! Hahaha, just imagining it gets me so excited.


    Who does she get it from? Icarus looked at Iruca and let out a long sigh.


    What do you mean? Its all you, Mom.


    Wow, youre cheeky. I told you that you wont be able to get married if you continue to act wild like this.


    Hmph. I am not getting married unless theres another guy like Dad in this world, Iruca scoffed.


    Icarus gave the others an apologetic look. Im sorry. I got too excited despite gathering all of you here. It has been a while since we hadst seen each other, so I couldnt


    Its okay, dont mind us. Charles gestured at Icarus reassuringly. It was sweet, really.


    Iceline nodded in agreement with a smile on her lips.


    Theres no way theres a man whos handsome, strong, andpetent like His Majesty, so I dont think you have to worry about me getting married, Your Majesty, Iruca continued, as if her mothers concerns hadnt even registered in her mind.


    Well, that is true. His Majesty is a very exceptional man.


    Ahhh When will I be able to meet a man like him?


    Reincarnating as me in your next life would be faster, Icarus retorted.


    Like mother, like daughter, I guess, Charles mumbled.


    I agree, Iceline quietly replied.


    In any case, I, Iruca, shall determine who is more suited to be the next emperor of Avalon, the princess pompously dered with her chin held high.


    What?


    Iruca spread a long map over the office table. We have two methods to invade Hubalt. One is to cross the northwest border and strike Hubalts capitalthats the quickest way. Our enemies are also taking this route, so there is a high chance that well run into the enemys main forces.


    Selim and Kireuas faces darkened. The Battle God might be away, but they would have to contend with Hubalts strongest knight order, handpicked and trained by the Battle God himself.


    This way, well be attacking and defending at the same time. We can stop their march on Arcadia and push them right back to their capital, driving our des right into their heart, Iruca continued.


    Whats the other way, then?


    Here. Icruca pointed to a region in the south that was closer to Arcadia.


    Everyone''s eyes widened.


    The ck Monster Forest?


    Iruca nodded. Yeah, we can pass through that hellscape and ambush them.


    Neither of the choices were an easy pick. One of them meant facing the enemy head-on, and the other would take them through a ce that had resisted humanitys best efforts and was crawling with ferocious monsters.


    Keep in mind that well split our forces in two.


    What?!


    Were taking both routes.


    What the fu Kireua bit back his cuss out of respect for the Queen Consorts. Both routes have a low chance of sess even if wemit to only onebut youre going to split our army in two?


    Those who take the first route will have to attack and defend, so theyll inevitably be slower, giving the enemy time to prepare. But we need to take territory as quickly as possible.


    They were doomed if the Battle God changed his mind and returned, and since Iruca knew that, she was moving their ns forward as fast as humanly possible. The two princes understood Ircuas n, of course, but they had to decide who was going to take these dangerous paths.


    You know that both routes present a high chance of dying, right? After the dragons disappeared, the monsters in the ck Forest got even more wildand I dont need to say anything about Hubalts knights.


    Hubalts elite forces, or the untamed ck Monster Forest. Were anyone forced to choose between the two, they would certainly prefer the former.


    Now this is just my opinion, but if one of you two has to take the route through the Forest, the more dangerous one. Iruca looked back and forth between Selim and Kireua, who swallowed nervously.


    She grinned.


    I think it should be you, Kireua.


    1. The Korean age system has all Koreans get older every January 1st, but this system has been abolished.

 Side Story Chapter 204

    Side Story Chapter 204


    After a short reunion with his family, Kireua packed up his bags.


    The first person toe see Kireua was Cain.


    Your Highness!


    Kireua paused.


    I heard that youre going to the ck Monster Forest, Cain said.


    You know, maybe its Iruca who wants the throne most, not me or Selim.


    Huh?


    If both of us die, shes the only heir to the throne.


    Cain chuckled. It was obvious that Kireua was jokinganyone who knew anything about the lives of the emperors children would never even consider a civil war or a cutthroat struggle over the throne. The Queen Consorts had not taught them to be such people.


    I was actually a little worried, Cain blurted.


    What?


    As people grow up, they gain insight. Sometimes it changes them. They might get greedy after seeing new things or be intoxicated by the sweet allure of power.


    Wait, I was right? Iruca really? Kireua trailed off in disbelief.


    Cain shrugged. No one knows the future. Considering Princess Irucas personality she might say, If I cant find a guy worth marrying, Ill be the emperor myself!


    Kireua giggled. She sure would.


    It was clear that Cain brought the topic up to help Kireua loosen up before his mission.


    Sir Cain.


    Yes, Your Highness.


    How will Avalon change after this war?


    Cain thought for a moment. The Emperor of Avalon had already made it clear that he wasnt going to return to the throne. Avalon without Joshua Sanders


    <em>Will anything actually change?</em> Cain tilted his head.


    The Emperor of Avalon had been away from the Pce for a long time already with his body trapped in the far northern reaches of Avalon.


    <em>No matter how hard I think about it, I dont think anything will change.</em>


    Cain nodded to himself and concluded that the key was the results of the war, not the emperor.


    The results of this war will have great effects on this country, Cain stated.


    Well, the fate of a defeated country is obvious. They either submit or their people are enved for the rest of their lives.


    Yes, especially the Imperial Family. You and the Queen Consorts will never know another day of peace.


    Kireuas expression darkened. He could already picture that future in vivid detail. Cain, however, felt it important to reemphasize the weight of Kireuas task.


    Werent you here to help me loosen up? Kireua stiffly asked.


    I am.


    Youre just making me more nervous. Im already worried because Ive seen Bels power in person


    Were going to win this war no matter what, Cain interjected with a smile. His Majesty wont be able to retire until we win.


    Kireuas eyes widened.


    Yesno matter how strong the Battle God was, the Martial God was with Avalon, so even the Battle Gods grandfather wasnt that scary.


    So all I have to do is focus on my job, Kireua said. His face rxed; it was obvious that a weight had been lifted from his shoulders.


    Princess Iruca has a brilliant mind, so there must be a good reason why she put you in charge of breaking through the ck Monster Forest, Cain said.


    What do you mean?


    Youre a Sanders, and all Sanders know that the power you inherited used to be one of the Seven Evil Sins that His Majesty had.


    Kireuas expression hardened again.


    His Majesty told me some time ago that some of the Evil Sins can dominate the unintelligent monsters. He also said that the power of Greed harbors an especiallyrge number of secrets and that it would be fun to discover them one by one.


    But Greed is


    Its still not responding?


    Kireua nodded bitterly. He thought that Greed would have a way to repel the monsters, having seen the monsters that came all the way to Arcadia from their home in the frosty mountain in the north. At first, Kireua had thought that theyd been disced by the giant avnche, but the horde of monsters would have devastated the cities in the north if it were a natural phenomenon.


    Me and Princess Iruca heardter that His Majesty himself had lured those monsters using the power of Lust, Cain exined.


    To use all those monsters in a battle is quite a feat


    You can do it too, Your Highness.


    Kireua blinked at Cain and then his eyes widened as he understood what Cain was trying to say.


    Now youre seeing it.


    Wait


    Yes, Princess Iruca is hoping that you could do the same thing His Majesty did. Cain smiled. She believes that youre worthy to im the throne if you can recreate the Martial Gods aplishments.


    Kireua was wondering why he hadnt realized it earlier. His mission wasnt just about ambushing the enemy; should Kireua manage to control the monsters, it would go a long way towardpensating for Avalons disadvantage in numbers.


    Irucas definitely trying to get me killed, Kireuained, but his expression was bright. Knowing he had someones trust and that he had a guide by his side made Kireua feel light-hearted.


    Cain smiled and nodded. Shall we get going? Ill be with you, Your Highness.


    * * *


    Selim had left the Pce before Kireua and was passing through the gates.


    Your Highness.


    Selim turned and found that Duke Tremblin was watching him from the gates.


    Are you leaving on your own?


    No, Im going to notify the ck Knights and ask for their help.


    Tremblin didnt seem surprised.


    The ck Knights number just over a hundred, but youre going up against a grand army of tens of thousands of soldiers and knights at least. It seems like a flea biting an elephant, dont you think?


    The others are taking a difficult path too, Selim answered.


    Tremblin silently smiled because he knew better than anyone that Selim was the more warm-hearted of the two princes despite his icy appearance. Selim was trying to leave with only the minimum necessary number of people to avoid spreading Avalons forces too thin. The troops were already busy guarding Arcadia as well as preparing to traverse to the ck Monster Forest.


    Its said that there is a thin line between courage and reckless bravado. I cant send you on such a dangerous mission only with the ck Knights.


    Selim nodded. I dont want to worry you when youve ced your trust in me.


    Oh? Tremblin''s eyes widened at Selims unexpected remark.


    Iruca divided our forces into two and sent me and Kireua on separate routes on purpose.


    What purpose?


    And Queen Consort Icarus has issued an imperial order to the heads of the noble families. They will be informed that our forces will be divided soon.


    I assumed so. Why do you mention it?


    Iruca wont tell the nobles to join a specific mission. That will be left to their discretion. Shes sending them to a ce where they could die, so I suppose she thinks that is the least she can do as a strategist, Selim spected.


    Tremblin nodded. A strategist should never be responsible for such a decision under ordinary circumstances because there were all sorts of unexpected variables during war. The strategists job was to minimize the effects of those variables and n every detail from mealtime to bathroom time. However, it was obvious that her ns would be thrown into chaos if the family heads could choose which mission they were going to join.


    No matter what choice they make, all of them know that they could die during the mission, and not even the Imperial Family can force the nobles to give up their lives in the name of loyalty.


    But there are no nobles without a country, so maintaining the country should supersede everything, even their own family


    Were we to order a specific family to march into the ck Monster Forest with all their soldiers, most family heads would consider fleeing the country.


    Tremblin could not deny that statement. Despite what he said about the mindset that a noble should have, he hadnt considered that peoples morals wouldnt stay strong during wartime. With that in mind, Selim had analyzed the situation better than anyone else.


    Iruca wants two things: the first is to let the familys heads choose a mission that they have a higher chance of surviving.


    I understand.


    The second is that she wants to use this war as a means to evaluate us.


    Her Highness wants to evaluate you two? Tremblin repeated out of surprise.


    Yes. His Majesty has already announced that hes going to step down from the throne and retire; hell probably do so after the war against Hubalt.


    Wait Tremblins eyes widened.


    Selim nodded. This is the golden opportunity to get on the new emperors good side. By aiding the new emperor, the nobles will be able to establish themselves as central figures in Avalons politicsif the empire wins this war.


    Tremblin gulped.


    Iruca will observe the nobles to see who they want to be the next emperor. Leaving the choice to the nobles will not only increase their morale but also encourage them to consider their choice carefully. And she will use all of these things to choose the emperor she will serve as strategist.

 Side Story Chapter 205

    Side Story Chapter 205


    Youre awful. Icarus shook her head.


    Like mother, like daughter.


    Did you have to go that far?


    It was necessary. Iruca shrugged.


    You cant be serious. You just wanted to evaluate your new emperor.


    I wont deny that, but maybe bing the first woman to rule Avalon wouldnt be so bad either, Iruca joked.


    Irucas persistence worried Icarus. Iruca as a strategist was


    Youre too soft-hearted, Your Majesty, Iruca said.


    Youre too cold-hearted..


    I was taught that absolute level-headedness is a virtue for a strategist, not affection.


    Every one of Irucas remarks came off as cheeky to Iceline. She sighed.


    Your brothers might get hurt.


    Many emperors had to kill their brothers with their own hands and overcame death several times to im the throne. If an emperor is so fragile that he cant recover from a small scratch on his heart


    Their lives might be in danger, Icarus interrupted. Her expression made it clear that she was not ying around.


    Iruca didnt argue. Although they had divided their forces into two after much deliberation, both missions presented a high risk of death.


    And the family heads have their families to take care of, so theyll most likely ce their bet on whoever gives them the highest chances of survival, Icarus added.


    That was her biggest concern. When it came to organizing an army, the first thing that a strategist had to consider was efficiency. Infantry, archers, cavalry Each family focused on training different types of soldiers, and even their knights umted their mana in distinct ways.


    In addition, a strategist had to consider all kinds of elements, like the terrain and their enemys strengths, and dispatch their forces appropriately. Icarus wanted the Imperial Family to take the initiative and deploy Avalons troops as they saw fit even if the nobles might criticize them for it.


    I know what youre thinking, but the nobles would resist fiercely. They might obey the order right now, but the Imperial Familys reputation would be in the gutter. If that happens, even if Avalon wins the war, well be busy trying to pacify the nobles while taking care of ordinary citizens. Worst-case scenario, they flee to other countries instead of going to the battlefield, Iruca said.


    You think too poorly of the nobles in our country. Not everyone in Avalon is a coward.


    Im just considering basic human instinct.


    When someone was sad, they cried; when they were happy, theyughed. Fear made them want to run away, and terror would make them freeze. The madness of the battlefield ate away soldiers minds like a gue.


    Letting the nobles exercise their freedom of choice wont change their instincts, Icarus reminded Iruca.


    It will because ambition can transcend instinct.


    Icarus stiffened. She had to admit, albeit reluctantly, that Iruca had a point. Anyone who had tasted power would never be able to give it up. Iruca understood the nobles better than anyone else.


    Even if they were to defect to another country, their lives will be way worse than before because their hosts have no guarantee that they wouldnt be betrayed in kind. Unless the other kings are crazy, they wouldnt appoint such cowards to important positions. The nobles are well aware of that.


    I suppose thats true.


    No ambitious noble would give up the opportunity to bathe themselves in glory by the side of the next emperor, Iruca said with certainty.


    Icarus shook her head. I understand, but youve disregarded the most important part.


    Pardon?


    Our chances of victory. The chances of victory in each of our two missions, to be exact.


    Iruca did not reply; this question made her uneasy.


    How will the nobles be divided between them? Icarus prompted.


    If youre asking for my personal opinion


    Yes, Im asking for your opinion, Iruca.


    Nine to one, Iruca said, almost inaudibly. Ny percent of the nobles will choose Selim, and Kireua will have the remaining nobles support. Maybe the difference will berger


    Is that what you think?


    Yes. Although Kireua has recently started to make a name for himself, it isnt easy to change his reputation.


    The First Prince was born a genius and had proven himself a true son of the Martial God since his childhood. On the other hand, the Second Prince turned out to be ate bloomer. The difference between the two was obvious.


    You know all that, but you still want to send your brothers on missions that could get them killed?


    I Iruca trailed off. After a long silence, she let out a sigh. No matter what choice I make, Ill always be a bitch to someone.


    * * *


    After the private meeting with her mother, Iruca wandered through the Pce, letting her feet carry her where they willed.


    Hey, Iruca said, stumbling upon Kireua finishing his preparations to leave.


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion as he turned around.


    Iruca?


    Are you leaving now?


    Thanks to someone, Im in a hurry.


    Do you have any hard feelings against me? Iruca quietly asked.


    What do you mean? You simply did your job as a strategist. Thats all.


    Iruca instantly noticed that Kireua was aware of how immense a disadvantage he had. Well, there was no way he wouldnt notice given how obvious the nobles were acting.


    To be honest, I wantedno, I still want Selim to be Dads heir, Iruca blurted, baffling both herself and Kireua. However, she couldnt stop talking. If you want to resent someone


    I dont.


    What? Iruca jerked.


    Kireua didnt look surprised at all.


    You idolize Father more than the two of us.


    Why are you bringing this up now?


    I think its only natural for you to root for Selim. He takes after Father the most. Kireua shrugged. Talent, appearance Hes the Martial Gods replica in every possible way.


    As someone who had heard all about the Emperor of Avalons stories and looked up to him, Iruca knew that Kireuas personality was most simr to their fathers. She almost said it out loud.


    <em>None of this would have happened if you had Dads talent too</em> Iruca thought with a bitter smile.


    Kireuas fatal w was that he couldnt use the spear. Joshua Sanders, the Unrivaled Spear Knight, was the living symbol of Avalon. What would people think if his son used the sword instead of the spear like his father? Nine out of ten people wouldnt consider that son a proper heir.


    Youll probably have to travel across the ck Monster Forest with only a few of your closest allies, Iruca mumbled.


    Like an elite group, yes?


    You cannot take this lightly! Iruca snapped. Much like the emperor, Kireua tended to downy everything. Youre not the Martial God, so you can die. Shouldnt you take things more seriously now?


    Does the situation change if I do?


    That isnt what Im talking about


    Youve worried about me enough.


    Iruca''s eyes widened. She hadnt realized it when she came here, but she finally realized that she was, in fact, worried about her brother.


    My mission is clear: I lead a special unit through the Forest and ambush the enemy. If it works out, great. Otherwise, too bad, and thats that. You initially wanted to focus all of our forces on stopping the armying to Arcadia because you knew the chances of victory were already slim, didnt you?


    Iruca heaved a quiet sigh. Kireua was too sharphed already figured out everything.


    I can keep on listening if that lessens your guilt, but if youre doing this because youre sorry, Im fine. Besides, we dont have time to rx, do we?


    Yeah, its not like me to worry about someone else, Iruca said after a long silence. She forced herself to sound cheerful as she approached Kireua and patted him on the shoulders. I trust you, punk.


    Thats it?


    What? You want me to hug you?


    rgh.


    Hell, I feel disgusted too. Iruca distanced herself, goosebumps spreading down her arms.


    Their disgust was genuine, but both Iruca and Kireua were smiling. They were siblings, after all.


    Hey, Iruca said.


    What?


    Come back alive.


    Thats weird. Shouldnt you say, Come back victorious?


    I would have said that to Dad, but Im not counting on it right now.


    For goodness sake. Although I heard about fathers being a fool for their daughters, this is my first time seeing a daughter whos a fool for her father.


    Psshyou look up to Dad more than I do. Iruca chuckled dumbfoundedly. She meant itshe truly believed that Kireua held the most respect for the Emperor of Avalon among the three Sanders siblings. He had left Avalon to study abroad at such a young age because he wished to be a more fitting son for the Martial God so as to not damage the emperors reputation.


    Hate me if you want to hate somebody, Iruca told Kireua again.


    Didnt I tell you to stop acting like a strategist in front of me?


    Im a bitch, so this helps me feel better.


    My baby sister does have one hell of a temper, Kireua said with a thoughtful nod.


    What do you mean, your baby sister! Phew. Alright. I might never get to see you again, so what the hell. Im your baby sister.


    Seriously? No take backs. Im going to kill you if you bring up this older sister nonsense after Ie back. Kireua threw an air punch.


    Iruca chuckled. Aye, my older brother. Your baby sister has a gift for you. Would you ept it?


    A gift? Kireua stoppedughing, his head cocked.


    Go out to the gates. Theres someone there youll be quite pleased to, my older brother.


    Ill be pleased? Kireua was even more confused.

 Side Story Chapter 206

    Side Story Chapter 206


    Huh? Kireuas eyes popped wide open.


    Iruca had been telling him the truth; indeed, a pleasant surprise was waiting for him at the gates.


    Hey.


    Anna! Kireua shouted.


    It was Anna Grace, the Witch of the North. Her exquisite wind elemental magic had proven a valuable asset in battle. Although she used to be Kireuas enemy, she was now his most reliable ally.


    Where in the world have you been?


    I had some business to take care of, Anna answered.


    Anna had vanished after she had fully recovered from her injuries, which had left Kireua feeling disappointed. She hadn''t shown up until now and hadnt even told him. She had her reasons, of course.


    <em>It was inevitable,</em> Anna thought. She was in the center of Avalons Pce, where the all-important Imperial Family lived. That meant that there were people everywhere. She had been wanted for high treason until recently and was called a witch for a good reason. She was the emperors enemy and one of the people who had attacked the Agnus family. Anna had turned over a new leaf since then, but


    <em>It isnt easy to change my reputation. I cant let you get caught in the crossfire after we even made a pledge.</em>


    At some point, Anna had started to see Kiruea in a special way, though it wasnt like the timeless love that could be often seen in romance novels. It was closer to a love-hate rtionship. Kireuas father was Annas enemy, but it was offset by the camaraderie Kireua and Anna had built after oveing multiple crises together.


    <em>Maybe I just dont want to admit it.</em>


    After staring at her for a long time, Kireua approached her and grabbed her hands. Dont ever disappear like that again. Ive been worried about you.


    You were worried about me? Anna''s eyes widened.


    Of course I was. You just vanished. What if you died or were taken hostage?


    Kireua had also been preupied by the chaotic battle, but he had still been worried about Anna and had constantly been on the lookout for signs of her.


    Hmmm. Anna let out a pleased little hum. She was smiling from ear to ear. Do you have feelings for me?


    What kind of sudden nonsense is this? Kireua was baffled. That was thest question he had expected to hear.


    You arent saying no right away, so Ill take that as a yes.


    Why do you keep spouting nonsense!? Where did you lose your marbles?


    Its said that the stronger you deny something, the more true it is.


    I can feel my initial joy fading away, Kireua said in a serious voice.


    If only your father could have seen this, Anna continued to joke.


    I was a fool to worry about you. Kireua let go of Annas hands and strode away, but Anna quietly tugged the hem of his clothes, bringing him to a halt.


    Let mee with you.


    Kireua stiffened. You wouldnt say that if you knew where Im going.


    I know. I heard.


    Huh? You heard? From who? Kireua frowned.


    Someone immediately came to mindthe very same person who had told Kireua toe here.


    I visited her myself. I wanted to ask the Second Queen Consort for advice since shes the empires greatest genius and all, but even I was a little scared to meet my enemys wife alone, Anna exined, only half joking.


    But you were fine with meeting her daughter?


    Yeah, theres one big difference between the two. The Queen Consort witnessed what happened with her own eyes, but her daughter just heard what happened from somebody else. Theyre absolutely not the same.


    What advice did you ask for? Kireua asked.


    ...It was something along the lines of, how can I be less of a bitch?


    Kireuas face scrunched up. Iruca is really mean.


    Anna had secretly wanted Kireua to get angry on her behalf, so that made her feel better.


    Im going off to die, Kireua said.


    Since when has that stopped you from taking me with you?


    Dont joke around. I have to cross the ck Monster Forest, and its highly likely that Ill only be able to bring a small group of people. Didnt you hear that the forest changed after the dragons disappeared?


    Its not fine for me, but its okay for you? Anna pointed back and forth between them.


    Kireua gaped at her, speechless.


    Hmmm You dont have anything else to say, do you? The citizens and nobles of Avalon would probably want a bitch like me to be in danger rather than their honorable Prince.


    Are you kidding me right now!


    Anna cut him off with a kiss on his cheek as she brushed past him.


    Wh-What are you doing? Kireua stammered, frozen like a sculpture.


    Anna grinned. Nothing. Youre just cute.


    * * *


    There was a person who was watching everything from afar.


    After lowering her mana binocrs, Iruca bitterly smiled. Why dont people know that loving people who they arent meant to be with will only bring them torment? Now I have to worry about it since shes voluntarily torturing herself.


    A person wearing ck clothes appeared beside Iruca without making a sound and held out their hand. Iruca passed them the binocrs, one of the numerous artifacts developed by Iceline


    Keep an eye on Anna bel Grace. The chances of her pulling another trick on Kireua seems low, but you never know, Iruca instructed.


    Yes, Your Highness, the person said in a monotonous voice that gave away nothing of their gender.


    The ck Wind used to be an intelligence service under the Imperial Familys directmand, but a new organization had reced them, led by Iruca. This organization originally reported only to the Emperor of Avalon, but he believed that it was proper for a strategist to lead his intelligence service.


    Of course, that created the potential for catastrophe if the leader of said organization got traitorous ideas, but the possibility of that happening was zero. The first leader of the new ck Wind, which was now called the Martial Gods Wind, was Icarus; Iruca was their second leader.


    Did Dad see them together? Iruca wondered.


    I believe that he has. If the Queen Consorts are right and His Majesty was in Lilith Aphrodite


    He condoned it? Dad should know that that isnt the right way to love his child Hes a poor ruler in times like this, Iruca mumbled. She liked everything about her father, but she was <em>slightly</em> discontent with how soft-hearted he became when it came to the people close to him. In that sense, father and son were too simr to each other.


    Iruca shook her head. Theres no other choice but for the smart sister to assist the naive brother.


    How shall I deal with Anna bel Grace?


    Although he has an Evil Sin, Kireua is likely to fail his mission if our intel is right and that thing is in the center of the ck Monster Forest.


    In that case


    Sir Cain will be with Kireua, so deliver a message to him in secret: in an emergency, prioritize Kireuas safety.


    Yes, Your Highness.


    As for all of you you know what to do, yes? Iruca asked, her voice monotonous.


    Well secure His Highnesss escape route with our lives.


    Youd better. Help Kireua escape even if you have to feed your lives to it. If something bad happens to my brother but you peoplee back alive Im going to kill your entire family, Iruca said. Her bone-chilling statements were delivered without even blinking.


    Nevertheless, the agent wasnt fazed; instead, they bowed deeply as if it were a fitting punishment.


    You can do what you wish with Anna bel Grace. Its up to you to kill her or not. In fact, it would be perfect if you kill her After pondering for a moment, Iruca flicked her finger. No, if something happens, tell her that the way to atone for her sins is to save Kireua.


    Yes, Your Highness! Upon our lives, it will be done!


    * * *


    Using Icelines teleportation magic, Kireua and Cain arrived at the ck Monster Forest a weekter and waited for the others.


    They were deeply disappointed.


    I never expected no one to show up, Anna bitterly remarked.


    They were at the meeting point that Iruca had set for their mission, but no nobles could be seen even though the meeting time approached. At the very least, the nearby lords should have shown their faces


    Something must have gone wrong with the delivery of the Imperial Order. Ill go and check, Cain offered.


    No need. Anna shook her head. I already did that.


    Cain quickly turned to her. What do you mean?


    Have you forgotten that the wind is everywhere? I heard what they were saying through my elemental spirits.


    S-So? What did they say?


    I dont think you want to hear it, Anna tly stated. Her usual mischievousness was reced by a grim countenance.


    Most of what she had heard was about how the Second Prince was going off to die, the Imperial Family was unfair to him, and that no one would go to the ck Monster Forest. The people were also saying that it was better to die an honorable death by fighting the enemy than to be ughtered by monsters in the darkness.


    While collecting information, Anna also frequently heard that the First Prince was indeed better than the Second Prince. She knew better than anyone else that rying what she had heard to Kireua would only dampen his spirits.


    But youre still going to go, arent you.


    Of course. Kireua nodded. Ill wait half a day more and if no onees, Ill go.


    They still had half a day left until the designated time. If no one came, they had to cross the ck Monster Forest on their own.


    Anna suddenly jolted. Her eyes widened as her head swiveled toward the ck Monster Forests dark entrance.


    What the hell


    What is it?


    That thing is in there? No wonder they didnt show! Anna screeched.


    Cain and Kireua gave her a baffled look. What in the world are you talking about...?

 Side Story Chapter 207

    Side Story Chapter 207


    Anna could hear what others werent able to. The pleasant winds were everywhere, and wind elemental spirits delivered what they heard to Anna.


    There is a vicious lich in the center of the forest, Anna ryed.


    A lich?


    Kireua and Cain visibly rxed.


    Weve fought countless demons who can control liches, so I dont think one lich is a big problem. Kireua chuckled.


    I dont think you can take it lightly.


    Huh?


    If it was an ordinary lich, these spirits wouldnt have run away from it. Anna stroked the empty air with quite a serious look. She was stroking the wind spirits, but Kireua and Cain had no way of knowing that, so they were just left confused.


    Is that an arch-lich or something? Cain asked.


    Kireua inhaled. An arch-lich was an undead who was at least Eighth Circle before their death. There was only one such undead that they knew of, the Emperor of Avalons mortal enemy and the former Imperial Chief Mage of Avalon.


    Evergrant con Aswald Kireua muttered.


    But His Majesty destroyed him.


    Evergrant con Aswald wasnt the only mage of his power, Anna said with a shrug.


    Im the one whos confused here. I thought that the North Witch would know this.


    Know what? Anna asked.


    Its impossible for a weak human to be an arch-lich even after their death, Cain said. Aside from Evergrant con Aswald, Her Majesty Iceline and Thetapirion Whitesox, the Master of the Magic Tower, are the only Eighth Circle mages in our generation.


    Its not impossible.


    What are you talking about?


    Evergrant con Aswald grew as an undead, Anna reminded Cain.


    The knights face immediately darkened. Even though Anna was right, the chances of that happening again were exceedingly low. No amount of time could make someone an Eighth Circle unless they were born to be one. The Fifth Circle was the level where mages started to be considered upper-ss, but bing an arch-lich took a mage who was born with the talent to reach the Sixth Circle. Even those mages had to train for hundreds of years to be an arch-lich.


    Every mage of the Sixth Circle and above is noted by every country that learns of them. Why would a mage like that choose that path ? Cain wondered.


    Who knows? Anna shrugged. Maybe theyre like Evergrant con Aswald, so full of loathing that they want one more chance to get revenge or aplish something that they couldnt before their death.


    Hmm Cain grunted.


    Lets get going; it looks like were all thatsing, Kireua said. His voice sounded bright, but Cain and Anna knew that he was forcing himself to remain optimistic.


    I see that nobles havent be any less full of themselves. Anna shook her head as she brushed past the men.


    Cain gave Kireua a worried look for a moment and was about to follow Anna when the ground began to rumble with the sound of hoofbeats.


    Huh? Cain tilted his head, wondering if he was mistaken.


    Please hold for a moment! someone shouted using their mana


    Kireua peered into the distance. Who?


    Theyre the lords of the nearby territory. Cain beamed.


    He was the Emperor of Avalons First Knight, so it was essential that he was rtively familiar with the appearance, temperament, and daily conduct of Avalons nobles so that he could investigate possible treason.


    A middle-aged man arrived before them, panting, and quickly jumped off his horse. There were five nobles, leading a group made up of about one thousand people. The Imperial Family had ordered the lords to bring only their families elite forces to the mission because of its extreme danger, so these nobles had very literally gathered every knight and mage in their territories.


    G-Greetings to His Highness the Second Prince. The middle-aged man quickly went down on one knee. I am Count Froid; I am temporarily leading this group, despite my inadequacy.


    Nice to meet you, Count Froid.


    If we may be so bold, would it be possible for us to apany you on your journey?


    Although Kireua was happy, he didnt let it show.


    I cant guarantee your survival.


    That is all the more reason for us to stand by your side.


    Kireua silently examined Froid. Can I ask why you chose me? What the ck Monster Forest?


    That is Froid hesitated, to Kireuas surprise. M-My apologies, Your Highness.


    Kireua gave him a nk look. Why are you apologizing all of a sudden?


    Im afraid we arent here because of our loyalty to you, Froid answered.


    Annas head turned, her interest piqued.


    What is the reason, then?


    Its because the young people in ournds started to disappear a year ago.


    Kireuas eyes narrowed. Disappeared?


    Yes, thest traces that our investigators found were at the entrance of the ck Monster Forest These people had a bright future ahead of them, so theres no way that they would voluntarily walk into their death unless theyd somehow gone mad.


    Kireua finally understood why the lords were here now; the situation was now so serious that they couldnt afford to leave it alone.


    How many have disappeared? Kireua asked.


    Over a thousand young men and women.


    A-A thousand? Kireuas mind stumbled over that number. That was a thousand, not a dozen or a hundred. Why didnt you ask the crown for help until now?


    We did. We didbut the only reply we received for months was that you didnt have the resources avable to investigate the ck Monster Forest.


    Even if this is the ck Monster Forest, its still Avalonsnds, so how


    Froid shook his head. No, we understand their reasoning.


    You understand?


    Yes, its true that the empires recent state of affairs hasnt been good, Froid said, followed by a quiet sigh.


    He was right. For several years, Avalon had been struggling because of the rebel armies led by Carmen von Agnus in the north and Marquess Drenius in the east. Just when the empire had quelled the civil war, the Second Continental War began, so there was no reason to doubt the answer theyd been given. The empire was surrounded by enemies, so it couldnt afford to eradicate monsters who were not an issue unless they were attacked first.


    Get up. Kireua gestured at Froid.


    My apologies, Your Highness! You must have a lot on your mind already Ill pay for my sins with my life


    Its not a matter you should apologize for. You should be praised, if anything.


    Despite what Kireua said, Froid continued to prostrate himself.


    Please kill me!


    Kireua smiled bitterly, and then made a move that shocked everyone.


    Kireua kneeled in front of the nobles, drawing an uprehending look from Froid.


    Yo-Your Highness, why?


    The Imperial Family should have protected their people, even if there were enemies at our doorstep. All of you are praiseworthy, loyal subjects who took action for the people when the Imperial Family proved inadequate.


    Froid shook as a rush of emotion struck him. The other four lords went down on their knees with their emotions clear on their faces.


    Your Highness!


    Were honored, Your Highness!


    Kireua immediately helped Froid stand up. Why dont the rest of you stand up too? The enemy were about to face is too strong for us to exhaust ourselves here.


    Y-Yes, Your Highness.


    We will prioritize rescuing the missing people. All of you may disregard our mission, Kireua said.


    The lords, Anna, and Cain all stared dumbly at him.


    Are you nut Anna bit her words back. <em>Ahem</em>, are you in your right mind, Your Highness?


    Please reconsider your choice, Your Highness. Im not saying that the missing people dont matter, but were at war right now. We need to aplish this mission so that our army


    Kireua shook his head decisively. The peoplee first. There is no country without our people. Besides, the young are the countrys future.


    Youre right, but the circumstances are


    Lets say that we go to war and do nothing while our people get ughtered. Will they be willing to work for the country even if we win the war? Kireua asked.


    Cain fell silent. Perhaps ordinary people were needed most after wars, rather than during wars. With the amount of people with supernatural abilities and destructive magic present on the continent, ordinary soldiers werent particrly impactful in a battle.


    Hes quite good. Anna smiled and then started to walk again.


    The lords were deeply moved by Kireuas philosophy and looked ready to die for him at a word.


    Count Froid, Kireua said.


    Yes, Your Highness!


    Have you heard about the lich of the ck Monster Forest, by any chance?


    Froid froze up at the mention of the lich. I-Is the rumor true?


    What rumor? Kireua gave Froid an inquisitive look and found that he was looking at one of the other lords who was standing behind him.


    That lord quickly stepped forward. L-Let me exin.


    You are?


    Its an honor to meet you, Your Highness. My name is Viscount Mynor.


    Lets omit the formalities considering the circumstances.


    Mynor bowed gratefully and quickly continued, The rumors say that the lich is rted to His Majesty.


    What? His Majesty?


    Everyone was shocked by this revtion.


    Decades ago, when His Majesty was much younger, he tried to obtain Bronto, a primordial stone, in the ck Monster Forest. In the process, one of the Seven Mages was killed by him for trying to take away Bronto


    Cain suddenly stepped closer to Kireua.


    Sir Cain? Kireua prompted.


    I think I know who the lich is, Cain solemnly dered.


    What? How?


    I never imagined he would be a lich


    Wait a minute. Who is he?


    Cain pressed his lips into a thin line. There was a genius Sixth Circle mage who became the Lightning of the Seven Mages decades ago at a young age. His name was Jack Steropes.

 Side Story Chapter 208

    Side Story Chapter 208


    Jack Steropes had lived and died decades ago, so Kireua knew nothing of him.


    Is he strong? Kireua asked.


    Yes, he put up quite a fight against His Majesty.


    His Majesty had a hard time fighting him? Kireuas eyes widened in surprise.


    Yesbut, of course, His Majesty had only just be a teenager at the time.


    Kireuas face twisted into a bizarre expression that mixed fear and astonishment. It wasnt because of Jack. What Kireua was astonished by was the fact that the Emperor of Avalon had defeated one of the seven greatest mages as a teenager.


    Why are you surprised? Everyone in the world knows that your dad is a monster, Anna mumbled.


    Despite the fact that Anna had sidled right up to Kireua, the lords and their vassals heard her. They frowned. The people of Avalon greatly respected Joshua, far more than any other emperor in history had been.


    Kireua read the air and hastened to change the topic.


    Then who could have turned this mage, Jack Steropes, into a lich? It doesnt seem possible considering what the world was like at the time.


    It was only natural for Kireua to wonder. Although the continent was crawling with demons right now, ck mages were killed on sight. Besides, necromancers had to act before the soul left the world. Kireua had learned that the chances of sess dropped dramatically only a week after death. In other words, it was impossible to raise someone whod died decades ago into a lich or a death knight.


    Some peoplee to mind from that time period, Cain said, catching everyones attention. He was a living witness to history; luckily, his memories of the past remained rtively intact.


    On that day, His Majesty bore many injuries when he arrived at Arcadia.


    What?! He came to Arcadia?


    Yes, I remember it because His Majesty was a student in the Academy at the time, just like any other young noble.


    Kireua was utterly shocked. S-So a battle between such powerful individuals took ce right in front of the Pce where the Emperor of Avalon lives?


    His Majesty said that he had no other choice because the Lightning tracked him to the Academy in pursuit of Bronto.


    Kireua swallowed. Even if they were talking about a primordial stone, even with the endless curiosity and greed of mages, what Jack had done was madness!


    This Jack Steropes would have been captured by the Imperial Knights and been in quite a lot of trouble even if His Majesty didnt kill him.


    I thought the same, but it would haveplicated the rtionship between the Magic Tower and Avalon.


    Did the Imperial Family know it happened but covered the incident up? It seems preposterous that our Imperial Knights failed to detect the battles, considering their skill and the proximity.


    After giving it a thought for a moment, Cain nodded. Come to think of it, you may be right. Thetapirion Whitesox was the Storm at the time, and the Magic Tower sent him and the Earth to investigate. They eventually discovered that His Majesty was the one who killed Jack Steropes.


    Hold on. The current Master of the Magic Tower was the Storm at the time? Then the emperor of Avalon at the time was?


    Yes, Marcus ben Britten, the lunatic and the worst tyrant in Avalons history. Cain nodded.


    Marcus had been the Emperor of Avalon at the time, and Jack had died near Arcadia. The state of affairs within the Pce, the benefits that the Imperial Family would gain by covering up the incident


    Kaiser ben Britten and Evergrant con Aswald were studying undead in the Pce at the time! Kireua shouted as the puzzle pieces came together in his head.


    Those two men were definitely the culprits. Kireuas fathers enemies had studied ck magic for decades and created undead underneath the Pce. With Marcus ben Brittens approval, they had crafted many horrible monsters. Would such people leave an ingredient as rare as a Sixth Circle mage alone? It was safe to assume that the chances of Kaiser and Evergrant not using Jack because they hadnt been aware of his death were zero. The other Seven Mages had eventually discovered Jacks death and the perpetrator, and Evergrant had been a lot stronger than the Seven Mages at the time and had been the first human Eighth Circle mage for a good reason.


    I believe that it would be best if we kept this between us for now, Cain whispered with a grim look.


    Kireua agreed. If he and Cain were right and there had been a secret deal between the Magic Tower and Avalon, it was entirely possible that it would be problematic even at the present. Those parties involved were alive and well and now lead Avalon and the Magic Tower respectively.


    Please keep this between us. Kireua bowed at the nobles.


    The nobles hastily bowed back, bewildered.


    Y-Your Highness, all you have to do is order us.


    This part of history could not be leaked to the public while the war was ongoing. Avalon needed all the manpower it could get, so nothing good woulde of exposing this ufortable history between the Magic Tower and Avalon.


    <em>From what Ive seen, I dont think the Master of the Magic Tower will turn a blind eye to these crimes, though</em>


    It was better for Avalon that Theta and his people stayed in power in the Magic Tower, but many mages were after Thetas position. Avalon would suffer if Theta decided to take responsibility and step down from his position.


    Despite deciding his course of action, Kireuas anxiety didnt disappear. The more witnesses there were, the harder it was to keep a secret, and there were over a thousand sets of eyes and ears on them.


    <em>Theres no time to hesitate, so Ill have to tackle it head-on.</em>


    Kireua strode toward the forest. The only choice he was left with was to verify the truthbesides, he had to pass through this forest to reach Hubalt anyway.


    Lets get going. This is the ck Monster Forest, so instruct your people to stay on alert, Kireuamanded the lords.


    Yes, Your Highness!


    * * *


    After a considerable climb up the snowy mountain, Bel finallyid eyes on its peak.


    As he got higher, the number of monsters he encountered increased exponentially. A plethora of monsters surrounded Bel, fangs bared, drawing a chuckle from him.


    Its been a while since Ive had a rxing hike like this, but Im getting tired of you guys now.


    The monsters all charged him at once.


    Over a hundred monsterssmall, medium,rge, their size didnt matterlost their heads and copsed into the snow drifts. Bels fists moved so fast that it sounded like hed only struck once; each punch burst a monsters head like a watermelon.


    That certainly wasnt satisfying. Bel looked at his fist and then at the sky. It felt extremely lonely being so powerful. Because he had been raised to counter the Martial God, Bels life had nothing in it except beating his opponents to death. By now, almost no one could withstand even a single punch, leaving him feeling empty. He was born to fight and yet he had no one to fight.


    Oh? Bel eximed. At the peak of the mountain, he looked back and saw an endless, straight line of footsteps. Not even monsters had disturbed him for thest hour. If even monsters were running away in fear of him, then humans with intelligence werent going to be any different.


    Except for one person. Bel smiled from ear to ear upon finding the enormous ice boulder the demon named Meric had told him about.


    A divinely handsome man was sound asleep inside the boulder.


    Bel made noise on purpose as he approached the ice boulder, notifying the man of his arrival.


    Joshua Sanders, Bel cheerfully calledbut he got no answer back.


    Bel stood right in front of the ice boulder and tapped on it, but the almighty Martial God still didnt wake up. Unfortunately, it seemed Bels enthusiasm for their reunion was not reciprocated.


    Then Ill have to wake you up by force, Bel dered, his smile stretching.


    Hed heard how sturdy the ice boulder was, of course, and of its secrets. Many of the most powerful demons and hundreds of weaker demons had been trying to break the boulder for a long time, but to no avail. It seemed ridiculous to Bel for wicked demons to value loyalty or to seek revenge, so Bel had asked Meric why the demons were hellbent on breaking the ice boulder open. Meric had given him a very simple answer.


    So youre sleeping with the Demon Spirit, huh? Bel murmured.


    The Demon Spirit was the Demon Realms god and the root of all evil. Since Bel was human, one would expect that he would be uneasy about the Demon Spirits presence, but that was the farthest thing from what he was feeling right now.


    Thats none of my business, hehehe. No, actually, I can use it to threaten the Martial God into waking up.


    The air <em>thrummed</em> with power as Bel enveloped his fist in mana. He was preparing to use his full power for the first time since setting foot on the mountain. Bel had never put everything he had into a fight except for when he had battled the dragon lord. But if his opponent was the Martial God in his real body


    Hes more than qualified to take my punch.


    Bel pulled his arm backward.


    Thunder rattled the sky.

 Side Story Chapter 209

    Side Story Chapter 209


    Why dont you stop right there? The boulder would have been destroyed already if it was easy to break it.


    Bel immediately came to a halt. Although he had detected the approaching presence long ago, hed been ignoring it because he didnt want to interrupt his long-awaited reunion.


    A dragon? Bel whispered.


    It was a handsome boy with unusual ck hair and eyes. The boy looked ten years old at most, but Bel quickly realized the boys true identity.


    Youre a dragon hatchling. Are you here to get revenge for your fellow dragons? Bel chuckled and then turned away from the dragon hatchling. Bel had no grudge against dragons, but they were going to be problems for his n and his wish to find meaning in his life. That was why he had eradicated themdespite that they were called the strongest creatures in the Human Realmand lost interest in them long ago.


    Leave. Bel waved his hand at the dragon hatchling. You wont be able to withstand a single flick right now, soe back when youre older. Then Ill


    Your eyes arent as sharp as I thought.


    Bel squinted at him.


    Do I still look like an ordinary dragon hatchling?


    Bel scanned the hatchling again and then his eyes widened. Youre


    Bel was astounded. Why didnt he recognize the boys identity earlier? Was it because the ck dragon hatchling used demonic power just like demons? No, that wasnt it. Aside from <em>him</em>, there was no one else in the world who wielded power of such quantity and density.


    Haha Hahahahaha! Bel burst into manicughter.


    I thought it was me you wanted to meet.


    Martial God! It was you. You were in a human girls body thest time I met you, but its a dragon this time.


    One thing led to another, Joshua replied with a shrug.


    Honestly, I want to learn your ability. When Im near death, all I have to do is move to a younger and healthier body. Its true immortality, isnt it?


    Well, the requirements to use this ability are trickier than you think. I get kicked out immediately if the bodys owner refuses, and I cant even try if our energies dont match.


    That sounds problematic. Bel chuckled.


    Bels boredom had instantly vanished as soon as he realized he was speaking to Joshua and had been reced by infinite bliss. When was thest time he felt like this? Whenever he was with Joshua Sanders, Bel felt truly alive. The Martial God was the only one who could fill Bels void and empathize with him.


    Bel grinned. Lets fight.


    He couldnt hold it in much longer. The urge to fight and win boiled up inside him, driving him to madness. He had to let this heat out as quickly as possible before it consumed him.


    Although I want to say yes, this isnt my body, Joshua answered.


    I can wait for you if you need time to return to your body. For a fight against you, Ill dly


    It could take an entire year, Joshua interjected.


    Bel frowned.


    If you meant what you said, Joshua continued, Ill fight you with all Ive got.


    Thats too long.


    Nothing can be done about it. You must have heard that Im in the process of annihting the Demon Spirit.


    Bel nced at the ice boulder where Joshuas exquisitely sculpted body was still sound asleep. He could sense the evil within; it was very faint, yet possessed infinite depth.


    The demon was right, Bel mused; he didnt know Meric was no longer in his cage. He shrugged. Dont worry. No, maybe this is for the better since Hubalt will subjugate Avalon.


    How so?


    It seems to me that humans tend to prefer mutual destruction to dying alone.


    Thats rather harsh on yourself.


    Of course, I can just beat down the Demon Spirit even if he gets free. Bel grinned and slowly stroked the ice boulder. To be honest, Im curious about how strong the Demon Spirit is.


    If you want to die, why dont you just die on your own? Dont put innocent people in danger too.


    Well, losers doesnt really pique my interest either, Bel said, dismissive even though he was talking about the Demon Spirit.


    Joshua felt the Demon Spirit getting angry inside the boulder.


    Hah. Joshua chuckled. You really mean it. You must not be afraid of a gods wrath.


    There are no Angel and Demon Realms anymore, so hes no god. Joshua Sanders, youre the only one who sparks my interest. You live in the same generation as me but dont have a single record of defeat.


    Bels energy spread aggressively in every direction, twisting the world around him.


    Lets fight.


    If you insist.


    Joshua took a stance.


    Bel was in bliss. Yes! This is what Ive been waiting for!


    Keep in mind that your void will be more severe after this fight.


    What?


    The more youre looking forward to something, the more youll be disappointed by it.


    Bels fighting spirit was dampened a little bit. He frowned. It isnt like you to keep killing the mood like this.


    Thats because its true. If you wait one yearno, a few months, Ill be in my ideal condition and then we can determine whos stronger


    Patience isnt my strong suit.


    The entire continent will think the same things: the Battle God is just trash who can only defeat the Martial God by ambushing him while hes risking his life to annihte evil.


    Bels fighting spirit waspletely snuffed out, but not by Joshuas unsubtle provocation.


    You must be getting anxious.


    Joshua was confused by Bels reaction.


    Bel smiled from ear to ear. Youre afraid that Ill shatter this ice boulder and head south, destroying your home, country, and family. Im right, arent I? Hehehehe, yeah. Theres no way the man Id been raised to fight is an idiot whod whine because hes at a disadvantage.


    Bel seemed to decide something and his grin widened.


    I have a good idea. Hear me out.


    Creshua the ck dragon felt a rising sense of unease.


    The deeper your grudge is against someone, the harder youll fight If I destroy your everything, youll fight twice as hard as your full power, yes? Bel asked.


    You


    Fine, Ill wait a year, but Bel mmed his foot into the ground, blowing the snow away and revealing the frozen ground to the sun for the first time in ages. ...I cant go back to my subordinates empty-handed.


    Bel stomped on the ground even harder.


    Stop.


    I heard that this mountain used to be an active volcano.


    I told you to stop! Joshua shouted, unleashing his demonic power.


    However, Bel had no intention ofplying.


    Ill make it erupt. A volcanic eruption Hehehe, itll be quite a sight.


    Bel intentionally struck the mountain down to its roots to stir the volcano to life again. Joshua felt the crisis closing in. A volcanic eruption was going to devastate northern Avalon, then the ash would spread to Arcadia and the entirety of Avalon. Themon people were going to suffer unimaginably.


    Bels foot struck the ground for the third time


    The mountain gave in before Bels torment and magma erupted from the mountains peak.


    Joshua and Bels fists mmed into each other. It quickly became evident which of them had the upper hand. In contrast to Joshua, who stumbled several steps backward, Bel remained standing where he had been with a rxed smile.


    Its too weak. You stand no chance of winning in that condition.


    Bel!


    Entertain me a little better. Youre just convincing me that I made the right call.


    Your people are still in the north, so theyll also be affected by the eruption, Joshua reminded Bel.


    Bel raised his leg again. If theyre too weak to even run away from it, then they should burn in theva.


    Before Bel struck the ground again, Joshua kicked Bels leg away.


    As sparks flew, their expressions changed in very different ways.


    Weak! Its weak! Ive been waiting for the Martial God, not some pathetic piece of crap. Harder! Fight harder! Entertain me!


    Joshua wasnt able to withstand the impact and was pushed back far away, blood dripping from his mouth.


    Bel nced at Joshua where hey on the floor. Give up. You wont be able to take another attack right now.


    His leg rose again.


    Joshua instinctively knew that the eruption would be irreversible if Bel struck the ground one more time.


    I look forward to meeting Joshua Sanders, the killer mad for revenge, next time.


    I knew you woulde here, Joshua blurted.


    Bel paused right before he struck the ground.


    Do you really think I waited for you without making any preparations?


    Stop. Dont disappoint me any further. Its really ugly for the Martial God to bluff. Bel shook his head.


    Well Joshua smiled.


    At that moment, Bel realized that something was up.


    ...Well see if Im bluffing.


    A white light encircled the entire peak.


    Bels eyes widened. Is this a magic circle?


    It was nice meeting you, Bel.


    Some would think that Bel would be bewildered, but it was actually quite the opposite.


    Ha! Hahahahahahaha! Bel pped his hand over his forehead and burst intoughter. Yes, this is the Martial God. The hero of the century who takes down his enemy. Always has an ace up his sleeve, even in the face of disaster, not excuses!


    See you next time.


    Ill look forward to the day we next meet! Ill imprint everyst detail of this fight in my mind!


    Bel vanished in a pool of light.


    Phew When he was left alone, Joshua let out a quiet sigh. I need to speed up the defrosting.

 Side Story Chapter 211

    Side Story Chapter 211


    The voice belonged to a man wearing a ck hooded robe trailed by a horde of undead.


    Im really sick of the undead now Anna grumbled.


    Jack Steropes? Kireua said.


    The mans eyes gleamed.


    -Oh, I didnt know someone still remembered me.


    I knew it Kireua grunted.


    Cain positioned himself between Kireua and Jack. I see that an old monster has made his nest in the middle of Avalon.


    -You still talk to me like that even though you know who I am? Hehehe, thats interesting.


    ck sparks erupted out of Jack.


    -You seem to know a thing or two about fighting Whats your name?


    Cain de Harry.


    -Cain de Harry? Im sure Ive heard that name before


    Jack tilted his head in confusion.


    Im sure you have. My master is the one who killed you.


    Jacks deathly energy intensified.


    -Come to think of it


    Jack turned to look at Kireua.


    Im Kireua Sanders, his son.


    Kireua had expected Jack to fly at him in anger as soon as he finished introducing himself, but Jack calmed his energy instead.


    -You take after your father.


    Let me just ask you a question: are you responsible for these peoples deaths? Kireua asked.


    -Youre arrogant, boy. Do you get that from your father, too?


    Just answer the question. Are their deaths your doing?


    -What if they are?


    Jack chuckled.


    I should kill you right here.


    -Im already dead.


    Ill make sure you wish youd stayed dead.


    Kireuas harsh threats didnt seem to bother Jack.


    -Judging from the size of your forces, I dont think Im your original mission Where are you headed?


    I ask questions here, Kireua said firmly.


    -You seem to be in a hurry.


    Busy people have taken time out of their schedule to deal with a lich like you, Anna shot back. Consider it an honor.


    -Hehehehe. By busy schedule, do you mean the war?


    Jack knew everything that was going on in the outside world, it seemed.


    Anna frowned. Is that why youre so rxed? Youre making a big mistake, then. Now that theyve discovered youve sacrificed Avalons people, every single person here wants you gone.


    -Rxed? Quite the opposite.


    What?


    -I dont think theres anyone else on the continent as worried as I am right now.


    What the hell are you talking about? Anna spat.


    -Dont you want to know why they ended up like this?


    Jack extended his bony finger toward the pile of corpses that Kireua and the others were preparing to bury.


    Its obvious. You gave up your pride and became a lich, but you arent even sure you can get revenge. That is why youre taking out your anger on innocent people like a coward.


    -Well, I wont deny that I became a lich for the sake of revenge. Thats all I had when Evergrant came to me.


    As Kireua expected, Evergrant con Aswald was responsible for bringing Jack back from the dead.


    Hmph, Anna sneered. Even if you y cool and act like you dont want


    -This world is copsing.


    Anna immediately stopped talking. Even Kireua and Cain couldnt dismiss that.


    What the


    -Hear me out. Humans are simple, so they look at the world in ck and white. However, ck and white have to coexist, just like how the Demon Realm copsed after the Angel Realms fall.


    No one could object to that fact.


    -As a result, all gods in the universe have been annihtedno, maybe annihtion is better than what theyre going through because now they have to leech off of humans by lending them their power.


    What is it you want to say? Cain asked.


    -Are all of you sure that the Human Realm is safe?


    That was the nightmare scenario.


    -When light disappears, darkness vanishes too. These rtionships are everywhere in the world even though we may not be able to see them. Dozens, hundreds, thousands of them affect each other like the cogs of the world. With two of the central gears gone, theres no way that the Human Realm would be safe.


    Whats your point? Kireua interrupted.


    -Do you know why I stayed in the ck Monster Forest after bing a lich?


    Do we need to know?


    -It does no harm to hear me out.


    They were on the clock, but Kireua wanted to let Jack finish at this point. However, he couldnt make such a decision alone, so he turned to the rest of the group. Cain, the lords, and everyone else who met his eyes nodded, to Kireuas surprise.


    -The ck Monster Forest is the center of the continent.


    What does that have to do with whats going on?


    -You still dont get it? When a problem urs in the Human Realm, this ce is the first to be affected. My original n was to get stronger here so I could take revenge on Joshua Sanders, your father, but


    Jack bent over and scooped up dirt from the ground. The dirt in his hand had the same dark brown color as was usual in the ck Monster Forest but then it vanished into thin air.


    Everyone there was a formidable and skilled individual who was respected around the continent. Had there been any shifts in demonic power or mana, they would have noticed it, but they detected absolutely nothing.


    -The realms copse used to progress much more slowly; we had one hundred years at least. That was why I tried to ignore it since Joshua Sanders will die of old age after a hundred years.


    Well, yeah. Revenge wont mean anything when the continent is copsing.


    -Yes, but things changedthe copse began to elerate right after the Demon Spirit was sealed.


    Annas lips trembled. At that point, everyone understood what Jack was saying.


    -Idiot. He didnt even realize that annihting the Demon Spirit would elerate the copse of the Human Realm. Hehehe. I left him be because I didnt think it was such a bad idea to let him kill his family with his foolishness, but


    Jack suddenly flicked his finger, moving a significant amount of demonic power.


    Cain tensed.


    <em>Hes at least an Eighth Circle mage!</em>


    He positioned himself in front of the group protectively.


    -Rx. Im just trying to show you something.


    Jack waved his other hand, unleashing a torrent of lighting behind him. All of the nearby trees copsed, revealing a deeply unsettling ck portal. However, it seemed faint, as if it wasntplete.


    And exactly seventy people were scattered around the portal, writhing.


    Theyre the missing survivors! a knight realized.


    You bastard What have you been doing here?


    -I had no other choice. Human vital force is an essential, irreceable ingredient forpleting the portal.


    What in the world is that portal!


    Jack spread his arms with gleaming eyes.


    -Its a portal to another dimension.


    The humans jaws dropped.


    -I wont be ughtered like the gods after all the trouble Ive gone through to be a lich. Anyone who wishes to go to a new world, join me now!


    * * *


    -Youre insane!


    Creshua hastily gathered his mana, but Joshua seized control of his body and stopped him.


    -Eeeek!


    Although Creshua could eject Joshuas soul and then use his mana, he didnt have the time, so he tried to leap into the volcano.


    However, Creshua was toote. The ice boulder disappeared into the magma. Creshua flew into a rage.


    -What in the world have you done!


    Why are you angry? Joshua asked.


    -Thats your body! Yours! Are you going to squat in my body for my entire life?!


    If you dont like it, then you can kick me out right now.


    -What?


    You cant, can you? My body disappeared, so you have no hope of getting revenge once you kick me out.


    Creshua fell silent, but only because he was too dumbstruck to form words, not because his rage had vanished.


    You lovedno, <em>love</em> Crevasse. Thats why youre still angry.


    -Joshua Sanders, you must be out of your mind to pull a stunt like this just to make me face my emotions.


    Its not meaningless. You need to ept your emotions and learn to value yourself; its your purpose and reason in life.


    -Value myself? Youre thest person who should be telling me that.


    Joshua chuckled. You might not believe it, but I value myself more than anyone else.


    -Bullshit!


    Creshuas eyes widened as the ice boulder floated back to the surface of theva, unmelted.


    -H-How?


    Despite giving Creshua both the greatest surprise and rage of his life, Joshua grinned.


    Its seven, not one.


    -What?


    There were seven primordial stones born alongside the continent of Igrant.

 Side Story Chapter 212

    Side Story Chapter 212


    Dont let him get into your heads! Cain thundered, his mana carrying his voice through the forest. Ignore the monsters nonsense. A portal to another dimension is preposterous!


    -Other people seem to think differently.


    Cain flinched. He looked back and realized that Jack Steropes was right. The nobles knights and mages were visibly unsettled after witnessing the dirt vanishing right before their eyes.


    You weaklings! Cain growled.


    You know


    Cain stopped talking and looked at Kireua, who nodded, signaling to Cain to leave it to him.


    I want to ask you a question, Kireua said.


    -Oh, how merciful am I?


    Huh?


    -A lich who kindly answers his enemys son. This is why its said that monsters are better than humans. As you can see, Ive set aside my desire for revenge for the worlds sake.


    It was a very wicked way of framing his motives. Jack seemed to be denigrating himself, but the meaning behind his words was very different. This must be Jacks new way of getting revenge. The world was going to be doomed and his enemy was going to die with or without Jack, so his new focus was changing history. He wanted the survivors to remember Joshua Sanders as the evil who brought about the destruction of the world by annihting the Demon Spirit without good reason. Meanwhile, Jack Steropes would be the true hero who strove to save the survivors until the end.


    I dont think thats something an evil lich who sacrificed the innocent for his survival can say.


    -Sacrificing the few for the good of the many is only natural. Wouldnt you make the same choice if you could save millions of people by sacrificing thousands, Prince of Avalon?


    The longer Kireua talked to Jack, the more he could feel that Jack was taking the initiative in this conversation, indicated by the way the knights were exchanging nces.


    Kireua changed the topic.


    Are you sure that your portal leads to another dimension?


    -Ive researched this for decades, so trust me.


    Even the Human Realm is copsing right now; is there any guarantee that this new world will be fine?


    -You dont understand. Were going to apletely different dimension, not a different continent. Itll be free from all the bad things in this world.


    Are there any pioneers in this new world of yours? Kireua asked, cutting to the heart of the issue.


    All humans were capable of feeling guilt unless they were psychopaths, so they needed something more to forsake their conscience, their own lives over their peoples. Nothing would feel more unfair than if they were betrayed and butchered after betraying their people.


    -Unfortunately the portal is yet iplete.


    A chorus of sighs arose from the group, drawing a small smile from Kireua.


    I think its too big of a gamble to go through when all we have is a lichs words.


    -Well, I think its better to gamble than to be buried alive in this world.


    Dying honorabl


    -I do so hope that you wont say something as foolish as dying honorably is better. Thats just a member of the Imperial Familynguishing in his privilege.


    Kireua pursed his lips.


    -No one can force someone to die, not even a member of the Imperial Family. My n is to turn our new home into a world where no social sses exist.


    Thest part of Jacks remark set the crowd abuzz.


    Preposterous


    There is no way a world without social ss is possible.


    -There will be no kings or nobles, and everyone will be born equal. Isnt our current world too unfair? Our social status is determined at birth. Even though were all humans, one person is a prince, but another person is a servant just because their parents are servants.


    That lunatic wont stop with his nonsense!


    Cain was about ready to attack Jack. As someone who was born a knight, Cain could not possibly agree with any of what Jack just said. A world without social sses was outrageous! The world would descend into chaos, and these so-called equal people would fight to w their way above the rest. The only difference would be the method of their rise; human nature wasnt going to change because they moved to a different world.


    All humans wanted power. It was in their blood. Someone would eventually take power, creating a contradictory world that looked equal but was actually disastrously unfair. Cain believed that that was better for a professional leader who had been trained for their entire life to rule the world.


    -Some of you may believe that its better for the royalty and nobility to rule the world since they were educated for the role.


    Jacks remark gave Cain pause; that was exactly what he was thinking.


    -Yeah, you people were born privileged, so I didnt think you were going to understand. But what about other people? Would the ordinary citizens of yournd agree?


    Of course!


    -Keep in mind that I didnt kidnap any of the dead over there. They came to me voluntarily.


    The entire group stirred uneasily.


    -Just as I did for you, I showed them the evidence of the continents fall one by one and then exined the new world to them. They volunteered to be part of my research


    Bullshit! Cain yelled.


    Without answering Cain, Jack looked back at the ck portal. One of the seventy survivors staggered toward Cain and the others.


    Sir Jack is right, the survivor quietly said. Iwas born and raised in an ordinary tenant farmers family in Adnche.


    The lord of Adnche was there right now, but, of course, he was a lord so couldnt recognize a daughter of a mere tenant family.


    Until I was thirteen years old I lived just like any other girl from a farmers family. I helped my father with the farm during the day My mother taught me how to work as a maid during the night


    The survivor struggled to get out each word, desperately trying to tell her story even as her life slipped away.


    That was how everyone there could tell that the survivors came from her heart, not from any influence of evil magic. In fact, she may have been scrawny, but her eyes gleamed with a light unlike anything theyd ever seen. There was no way someone with eyes that clear was under a lichs control.


    My life changedpletely when I was fourteen years old. Just like any other day, I was helping out my father with the farm The lords representative suddenly visited our family and demanded an outrageous tax. It was originally seven tenths of our harvest, but it suddenly became nine tenths without any warning. Even though we had eight mouths to feed


    Cain closed his eyes. He couldnt bear to hear the rest. No matter how hard they worked, a family of eight could not possibly live off of a mere tenth their harvest. He had been away from Avalon for years in search of the emperor, but hed never imagined the reality to be this serious. Well, this must be why the rebels were able to run wild.


    And the lords representative tookno, sold me off on the next tax day. After nine tenths of our harvest, our family could not survive, so I became a knights squire.


    Wait! the lord of Adnche objected. Dear girl, something doesnt add up in your story. Knights usually take boys to be their squires.


    All the knights around him nodded in agreement. Squires were in charge of the knights misceneous tasks, like feeding their horses and delivering their damaged weapons to the cksmiths. Most of a squires work required quite a lot of physical strength, so knights preferred male squires to females since males were born stronger.


    Youre the lord, arent you? I remember seeing you from far away some time ago, the survivor nkly murmured.


    Yes, Im the lord of Adnche. A knight choosing a fragile girl like you to be their squire


    With all due respect, sir, the world you cant see is darker and colder than the part you can see.


    Watching a mere farmers daughter patronizing a lord made some of the knights clench their fists in anger. Were Cain and Kireua not present, the knights would have cut her head off already. The lord of Adnche also kept his sword sheathed, of course.


    I dont understand, the lord insisted. Choosing a girl to be a squire rather than a maid


    The knight I served is right here.


    What? Who is it? the lord looked around, bewildered.


    The people around her followed her gaze and found a knight with his head bowed, desperately trying not to draw attention. However, the knight couldnt avoid her eyes. No matter how hard she tried to forget, she could not forget his scent nor touch as he lusted after her like an animal every day.


    I was his squirea personal servant, really, the survivor said. I was barely a teenager, but he raped me over and over. I ended up getting pregnant, and he kicked my growing belly at every chance he got to make me lose the child. In the end


    The survivor trailed off. A knight was considered a noble, so there was no way he would want a bastard from his servant. The rest of the survivors story was obvious.


    You fucking bastard!


    N-No! You bitch! How dare you frame me like this! the knight screamed as he was driven into a corner.


    His lips might speak lies, but his body responded candidlybuckets of sweat poured down his skin.


    The knight drew his sword. Tainting my honor in front of His Highness, no less! Ill cut off!


    The knight couldnt finish his words; instead, his head was the one being cut off.


    Urgh! The knight coughed up blood and reached up to feel his neck in disbelief.


    Standing in front of the knight, Kireua shook the blood off his sword. Youre worse than trash.

 Side Story Chapter 213

    Side Story Chapter 213


    A heavy silence fell over the forest. The shock of what had just happened slowly sank in. No matter how good a reason he had, Kireua had killed a knight based on only one side of the story; that was entirely unreasonable, especially when he had to unite his force and infiltrate the enemy camp. Besides, the knight hed just killed, not the Imperial Knights. The knights lord could raise an officialint to the Imperial Family for this, not to mention the effect it would have on his forces morale.


    Cain immediately noticed the change in the air.


    Your Highness


    Dont say it, Sir Cain.


    Cain nced around at the unsettled crowd. No, I have to say that you acted too rashly this time.


    Kireua quickly turned to look at Cain with cold eyes. I was rash?


    Regardless of what happened, he was a knight and had the right to treat his squire however he wished. It doesnt matter if he asks her to clean his toilet or used her as a human shield on the battlefield.


    Squires are still citizens of Avalon, so the Imperial Family has a duty to protect them.


    Your Highness, servants arent citizens under Avalonsws. Theyre property of their owners; its their duty to feed their property and their right to demand that their property do their biddings.


    Kireua gritted his teeth. If I be the emperor, Ill change every part of thesews about ves and servants! No matter what!


    There was a good reason behind Kireuas anger, given what Lucia, Kireuas grandmother, had gone through. Aside from his mothers, his grandmother was the only one who had loved Kireua unconditionally, so what had happened to her made Kireuas blood boil. Such a warm-hearted and elegant woman had lived as a mere maid for decades so that the former Duke of Agnus could use her as a tool for his political schemes.


    -Hahahahaha! A prince executing a nobles knight for the sake of a servant. Youre quite something. I guess your arrogant fathers madness didnt go anywhere.


    Kireua fed his aura into his sword. I wont tolerate any more insults about His Majesty or me.


    The knights blood smeared on Kireuas sword instantly evaporated, making Kireuas already red aura look even more bloody.


    -Before any of that, I would like to hear what the person involved has to say first.


    What? Kireua tilted his head in confusion.


    -Child, the young prince over there has taken revenge on the knight on your behalf.


    Kireua realized that Jack was speaking to the survivor.


    -Are you grateful?


    The survivors lips trembled faintly as she looked at the knights corpse, but that was it.


    No, Im not. If he was going to help me, he should have helped me before my family was ughtered... She bit her lip for a moment. The world doesnt change just because he died.


    Wait, what is your name? Kireua quickly asked.


    The survivor slowly shook her head. I dont have a name. The day my entire family died after I was sold off as a squire, I abandoned my name.


    But still..


    The knight over there called me his toy before his death, the survivor bluntly stated.


    Kireuas words died on his lips.


    Youre the prince of this country, arent you? the survivor asked.


    Yes, I am.


    Im grateful for your gesture, but you shouldnt have.


    Kireua frowned slightly. No, its not something


    Look around you.


    Kireua could already feel the knights ring at him without looking around.


    The world isnt going to change just because some of us try. Thats why I want to build a new world from scratchso Ill never suffer like this again.


    The survivor was so resolute that Kireua couldnt bring himself to argue.


    -You heard her. From these seventy children and over one thousand deceased children, not one came here against their will.


    Jack quietly lifted his finger.


    What are you trying to do right now? Kireuas eyes narrowed.


    -Weve got to hear thest word of an honorable knight who died unfairly because of a mere servant, dont we?


    In some way, the survivors enemy wasing back to life, but it seemed the survivor had given up on everything after losing her family because she showed no reaction. Perhaps she wanted to at least hear the knights excuse, but there was no knowing what was actually going on in her mind.


    Stop!


    Cain bared his murderous energy, but Jacks next words made him stop:


    -Im a great mage who mastered the supreme level of the Eighth Circle. Im going to make a death knight, an undead of the highest order.


    Ill kill you! Cain yelled.


    -Hear me out first. A death knight cannot be made without the permission of the dead. The contract wont be established in the first ce.


    Cain already knew what Jack was telling him. Death knights were called vengeful knights of death because the greater the grudges they held, the higher the chances of making a contract were.


    -A member of the Imperial Family ought to give all of their people a fair voice.


    Jack grinned as evil energy billowed out of the dead knight and rose in a thick cloud.


    [Its not fair! Not fair! Not fair!]


    Creepy, ghostly wails filled the air with enough power to make some of the delicate mages freeze.


    Stop that right now! Cain shouted.


    Wait.


    Your Highness!


    It happened because of me, so let me deal with it.


    Kireua stepped closer. Cain bit his lip. He had no better options. The best move in such a situation was for the parties involved toe forward and handle it. At this rate, it was safe to assume that they already failed their original mission even before it had even begun. No one in the world was going to risk their lives in battle for amander who refused to listen to his people.


    Leave it to me, Kireua repeated.


    Cain met Kireuas determined gaze and took a step backward. In some ways, this was Kireuas first test as the potential future emperor of Avalon.


    -I! Am! Innocent!


    The dead knight burst back to unnatural life and roared.


    Gods!


    Paulman actually became a death knight.


    But Paulman was an advanced expert knight at most! From what I heard, it takes at least a Master to create a death knight.


    -Ive dedicated decades to researching dimensional gates and ck magicespecially necromancy.


    What is it that you want to say?


    -Should your level remain the same even after bing an undead, offering a soul wouldnt mean much. Besides, a mages level elevates after bing a lich like me, so it would be awfully unfair if the only benefits of bing a death knight were infinite stamina and a sturdier body.


    Since most aura attacks couldnt leave a scratch on death knights, these two changes were still incredible.


    -The death knights I made are at least two levels higher than before their death. If a knight used to be an advanced expert, then the death knight will be a Master.


    Everyones jaws dropped.


    Impossible!


    Before they could regain theirposure, the newly-created death knight took action.


    -I will! Kill you! Kireua Sanders!


    Paulman?


    The knights murmuring grew louder.


    Kireua was still calm. Do you think its unfair?


    -Why did you kill me? Was a servant more important than a knight?


    The fact that shes a servant doesnt matter. Both you and her are the same to me.


    -Bullshit! Its hypocritical for royalty to deny the hierarchy..!


    The death knight unleashed more energy of death over time.


    Im not denying it.


    -What?


    Im a prince of this country and imant to the throne. This is the mindset that an emperor should have.


    -What kind of drivel!


    There is no country without its people. A handful of knights on their own arent enough to build a country from. If you were an ordinary citizen, would you want to live in a country where a family of eight can be killed at the whims of a knight?


    -How can youpare those ves to honorable knights?


    Paulmans angry shout echoed the sentiments of the other knights. Neither the living nor the dead were able to understand Kireua.


    However, the woman, a poor tenant farmers daughter andter a servant, and the other sixty-nine survivors were staring at Kireua for a different reason. They were losing quite a lot of their vitality to the portal, but that couldnt ount for their daze.


    I wont allow such a country to exist in the first ce. Those damnedws will not stand in the world Ill build. Kireuas eyes were shining more brilliantly than ever as he drew his sword. I, Kireua Sanders, swear as the Second Prince that under my rule Avalon will bear no shame.

 Side Story Chapter 214

    Side Story Chapter 214


    -A prince who stands up for a ve! I cant believe it I risked my life for you!


    After bing a death knight, the haze of death surrounding Paulman only grew. Before long, a dark aura of demonic power coalesced on his sword..


    -Fine. I hear our baby prince thinks that eight fucking ves are better than a knight who can fight like a hundred men!


    That is not what I meant. How can you measure a persons value on a scale?


    -Shut your mouth! You cut my head off without even listening to me, so Im done listening to you!


    As expected from a Master, Paulmans power weighed heavily on his surroundings; not many gathered there were on the same level as him.


    -Everyone, listen! You people can try all you want to help Kireua Sanders im the throne but there will be no ce for us afterward!


    Before Kireua could protest, Paulman closed in on him and swung his sword.


    The sh between their two swords threw sparks of aura around the forest floor. Paulmans demonic power was undeniably powerful, but Kireua didnt yield an inch. Their neck-to-neck fight astounded the knights.


    What?


    Oh, I was wondering why Sir Cain wasnt stepping in, but His Highness Kireua is already a Master if he can fight like that!


    Was the news true then? I thought it was just a rumor.


    Not many people in this ce agreed to enter the forest and battlefield because of Kireua.


    Notoriety was a scary thing. Not long ago, the Second Prince was the ugly duckling of the Imperial Family. Despite being the Martial Gods son, the prince tragically couldnt use a spear properly and so had left for another country.


    The only reason these people had decided to follow Kiruea into the forest was because Cain was apanying the Second Prince for some reason. Had Kireua been there alone and there wasnt a mass disappearance to be investigated, all of them would have headed to the battlefield where the First Prince was.


    -So you have an ace up your sleeve, huh? Second Prince you should have realized on your own how betrayed the knights feel After all your grand words you treat us as less than ves Pay for your sins with your life!


    Yes, I would sacrifice my life if that is what it takes to change the world.


    -What? Are you saying that you would die for a ve?


    Its not like they wanted to be born as ves. Your caste is a matter of luck, not a crime, Kireua calmly answered.


    -Dont change the topic! If you truly feel that way, then why dont youplete that portal for them using your life!


    Kireua quietly shook his head, prompting Jack to sneer.


    -Heh Hehehe. Yeah, I knew it. It doesnt matter what you say. Everyone values their own life most in the end


    History repeats itself. Even if there is such a thing as another dimension, people with or without power will establish themselves, merely in a different way. Inequality will only deepen further in your contradictory world.


    -A world where a ve and a talented knight are equal I reject that world. You arent worthy to be an emperor!


    Paulman released more aura which shone brighter than ever.


    -Only after my death do I get to use my familys ultimate technique


    Cain felt an uneasy premonition strike him.


    Your Highness! he yelled. He wanted to step into the fight, but the fact that he could damage Kireuas reputation stopped him.


    -You should die too!


    Demonic power traveled up Paulmans sword and massed at the tip. Paulmans father had been one of Avalons few Masters and had created this supreme technique just before his death. Only after reaching A-ss could he use the familys first ultimate technique at full power.


    Kireua frowned. Paulman was pushing fiercely against his sword, and in a contest of physical strength, it was definitely hard to beat a death knight, so Kireua tried to distance himself. However, he couldnt move, as if his sword was glued to Paulmans.


    -Joshua Sanders, your father, earned his honored title by achieving many great feats across the continent. One of them was mastering the ability to draw his enemy close and hold them down.


    Just as Paulman described, Kireuas sword was locked in ce.


    -And then to pierce their heart with aura on the tip of your de.


    Paulmans sword slid down the length of Kireuas de, the tip drawn inexorably toward Kireuas chest. When Kireua desperately tried to twist his body aside, Paulmanunched the aura on the tip of his sword like an arrow.


    -Go forth and pierce my enemy!


    Your Highness!


    Kireua!


    Cain and Anna watched in horror as the gleaming, powerful mass of demonic power shot through Kireua and disappeared into the distance.


    Bothbatants dropped their swords and Paulmans arms crushed Kireua in the death knights grasp as the prince staggered.


    -Ill crush every bone in your body!


    With Paulmans arms ever tightening around Kireua, Anna was left with no choice.


    Fuck! What in the world is he doing after all that big talk?


    A storm raged around her as her elemental spirits gathered.


    Wait. Cain stopped Anna.


    What are you doing?


    Just wait a little longer.


    Are you out of your mind? Your prince is going to die at this rate! Anna shrieked.


    I trust His Highness.


    Trust, my ass! Anna realized that Cains worry was etched even deeper into his face than hers and almost bit her tongue.


    His words were forced through gritted teeth:


    I trust His Highness.


    Phew. Anna sagged. Of course, she still enveloped her hands in the power of potent elemental spirits so that she could break into the fight if necessary.


    But then, an almost inaudible whisper wafted through the forest.


    Im sorry that I failed to protect you.


    Despite the volume, it was clear where the voice wasing from.


    Kireua?


    I should have helped you but I didnt even try to change this broken world. I convinced myself that I didnt have enough power. As prince, I have no excuses, Kireua muttered.


    It didnt take long for everyone there to realize who Kireuas words were meant for. The survivors eyes widened with wonder, followed by the other survivors clustered around the portal.


    I hope you wont give up on your lives or hate this world. I know how shameless a request this is but I want you to give this world another chance.


    Why are you still fighting? the girl cried. Youre a prince, who grew up with all the luxury in the world! You can be happy all you want!


    Status is certainly a convenient way to lead an easy life Yet that doesnt guarantee happiness.


    Youreining about your blessings! The only reason you can say that is because you already have everything. Youre disgusting! I lost my entire family and was raped over and over just because of my birth!


    Kireua bit his lip. It was the same for my grandmother.


    The girl gaped at him in shock. Most of Avalon didnt know the details of the life of the empress mother, Lucia, because the Imperial Family had been keeping it under wraps.


    There was a good reason for thather story would grant the Imperial Family greater legitimacy, but it would deeply scar Lucias heart. Lucia had been raped and impregnated by the former Duke of Agnus for the sake of revenge, eventually giving birth to Joshua, the current Emperor of Avalon.


    ...Despite the noble blood she was born with, she lived as a maid for decades without her memory. While living as a maid, she was also vited in indescribable ways


    Youre lying!


    Im not so shameless as to lie in a situation like this, Kireua bitterly replied.


    The girl looked into Kireuas eyes and found them as clear as the sky. As someone who had been forced to walk on eggshells for most of her life, the girl could tell with certainty that there were no lies to be found in those eyes.


    No The girls legs gave out, and she copsed to her knees with her head bowed.


    If anyone in the continent could be subjected to such horrors, that meant that social ss wasnt the problem and that the same tragedy would ur in a new world, too.


    As you would already know the hierarchy isnt important, Kireua began, his voice quiet. What matters are the people, especially the people in power like me. Itll be hard and well face all kinds of opposition


    The princes voice swelled.


    Nevertheless, we should be courageous, resolved, and tenacious. We will never look away from the unfairness in the world nor ever stop endeavoring to change it. So give me a chance to change this world and build a country where powerless children like you wont experience tragedy like you did.


    The girl slowly looked up.


    Then do it, she said, her face covered in tears, but take care of that awful monster first. If you die right now, none of what you said will mean anything.


    Thank you. Kireua smiled faintly.


    Paulmans unholy fortitude abruptly vanished, dumping the reanimated knight onto the ground. The group could only stare in shock because not even Cain could understand what had just happened.


    What?


    Wh-When?

 Side Story Chapter 215

    Side Story Chapter 215


    How? the girl whispered.


    Everyone was shocked, especially the girl. The sight of Paulman bing a death knight had been even more unsettling to her than it was to everyone else. Bing an undead didnt change the fact that Paulman was her enemy; he was the reason why her family of eight had died and she had been subjected to very for her entire life. How could she maintain herposure when a man like that came back to life as a monster?


    -What have you done?


    Jack Steropes was not only shocked by his death knights sudden copse, he was suffering the side effects of their contract. When an undead was hurt, its master was also injured to the same degree.


    It didnt take long for Jack to sense the wicked energy that Kireua exuded.


    -Demonic power?


    Jacks lips trembled. He would expect to find this level of demonic power from a demon lord.


    -The Prince of Avalon has an Evil Sin?


    When Kireuas demonic power rushed over Jack, screams filled his head, wing at his mind with temptation.


    -Ah, fuck!


    Jack couldnt believe the depth of the greed in those screams, but he wasnt going down without a fight. Jack unleashed a shower of ck sparks that chewed through the ground.


    -Stop! Ill fry everyone here if you dont stop right now.


    That included the survivors, tooand as expected, the screams in his head died out immediately.


    He chuckled.


    -This This is a surprise. A prince with demonic power, at the level of a demon king no less. Why dont you exin yourself? I do believe most of your knights and mages are able to sense your Evil Sin right now.


    Kireua remained silent, which only served to embolden Jack based on his grin.


    -The world must have gotten a lot better. That wouldve been unimaginable back in my day.


    It was none other than one of the Seven Evil Sins, so it wasnt impossible that Kireua had used it to infiltrate an undeads mind and end their contract even if it was one as powerful as a death knight. However, the monster wasnt what mattered right now.


    -Or was it a reflexive response?


    Jacks voice gained strength as his confidence returned.


    -Everyone, look! A prince who uses demonic power! How am I any different from him? Just like he imed to be saving Avalon, Im trying to save the world!


    Jack had all the necessary justification now. After bing a lich, he had found a sign indicating the copse of the Human Realm, so he had focused on building a portal that would lead them to a new world and studied necromancy, the key to his visions in the new world, without harming humans until now.


    In fact, he had the moral high ground right now. While Kireua was going to battle for the sake of his own country, Jack sought to save the entire world. The casualties weighed in his favor as well: a war could result in hundreds of thousands of deaths, but Jack only sacrificed one thousand people at most. Above all, all those sacrificed people had volunteered themselves to Jacks goals.


    -What justification do you people have for hindering my grand n!? Ive put aside my desire for revenge to save the continent, but that Prince of Avalon!


    The more Jack continued, the more unsettled the nobles troops grew. The situation was getting worse by the minute. Their prince had cut off a knights head for a ve, and every word from the lich, supposedly evil incarnate, was right.


    To be honest, theres no reason to feel uneasy about demonic power


    Well, His Majesty has already proven that there is no good or bad power. Its the people who use them that are good or evil.


    Theres nothing odd about His Majestys son using demonic power, but His Highnesss disposition


    As a matter of fact, none of the blue-bloods were willing to ept Kireuas speech. Most of the people in power hated change, especially if those changes were going to deprive them of their privileges. That was why most knights, mages, and nobles were conservatives. There were only a few progressive nobles who wished to make big changes in the country, and most of them were from the countryside.


    Those children said that theyre here of their own will Is there a reason for us to risk our lives for them?


    The murmurings were quiet yet clear enough that everyone heardhe had a good point. It was very odd to take the survivors back to their homes against their will; besides, the chances of the warband dying once they crossed the border of Hubalt was high enough already.


    Besides, even if their operation seeded despite the million-to-one odds, Avalon was obviously changing in ways that ranpletely counter to their beliefs. That was why all of them were beginning to wonder why they should even bother.


    Cain could feel his hands sweating as he watched everything.


    <em>Your Highness</em>


    The survivors picked up on the subtle change in the air and all the progress that Kireua had made toward changing their minds was abruptly reversed. They knew that the chances of Kireua taking the throne were low and that the country wasnt going to change if he was the only one with that mindset. The survivors had no reason to go back if they would only be subjected to the same nightmare.


    -Go back, Prince of Avalon! You have no reason to be here any longer. If these people wish to go back home, Im more than happy to let them go. I cant make people sacrifice themselves against their will just to build a new world.


    Jack solemnly reproached Kireua, hiding his delight.


    Cain was dumbstruck by Jacks about-face. Only a moment ago, the lich was iming that sacrificing the few for the sake of the many was just and right.


    <em>This is why politics is hard, Your Highness,</em> Cain bitterly thought.


    Kireua was on the back foot, so Cains only hope at the moment was for Kireua to grow from this experience. No matter how hard he thought about it, Cain couldnt think of a solution where everyone would be happy. He could guarantee that there was no society where bothmoners and nobles were content; when one side was happy, the other side was unhappy. That was the world they had been living in for their entire history.


    Then what about this new world that youre going to build? Kireua suddenly asked.


    -What?


    Supposing that this different dimension is real and youre going to build a country with a new social system, are you confident that you can make both nobles andmoners happy?


    -Well


    Despite the survivors expectant gazes, Jack couldnt muster an answer. He found himself in a dilemma. Were he to dere that he was going to build an equal society as he had earlier, Jack would lose the support of the nobles after all the trouble he had gone through to stir up discord between them and the prince.


    In the end, there is no utopia or dystopia. This is a world where good and evil coexist, so we need to ept peoples differences and work toward change, little by little. I know that it will be hard, but I can guarantee you one thing.


    Kireua turned to face his people.


    Not everyone is going to be happy in the country Im going to build as soon as I take the throne, but the voices of both nobles and ordinary citizens will be heard. The fate of an entire country will not be left in the hands of a few people.


    -Youre trying awfully hard to sugarcoat your hypocrisy!


    Im not. As a member of the Imperial Family, invested with the greatest power in the empire, the real hypocrisy would be to tell the nobles to makepromises when I dont. If I be the emperor of Avalon


    Kireua paused for a moment. The ensuing pause was so silent that the sound of someone nervously swallowing carried to every ear.


    The hereditary ss system, for the Imperial Family and ves alike, will be first to be abolished.


    The gathered audience physically reeled from the sheer impact of what Kireua had said. His statement would mean that neither royalty nor very was guaranteed. The ss of the parents would not be passed on to their children.


    Of course, Im sure that not everyone is happy with my answer, but you can change it yourself. The people of Avalon deserve to live with that hope.


    -What? That doesnt make any sense!


    Kireua shook his head. It does. Its what His Majesty Joshua Sanders has done.


    Jacks tongue was tied.


    He was born and could have died as a bastard, but he rose to be the emperor of Avalon. Even in Reinhardts Masters'' Battle, he defeated many of Igrants greatest warriors and became king of Reinhardt as a mere baron.


    Both the troops and the survivors felt a thrill run through them. The story of the day that Joshua had be the king of Reinhardt was a legend that made their hearts soar, regardless of their ss.


    If you dont like the world, then change it! I cant promise that those changes are going to make the world more fair, but I wont spare any coin from the Imperial treasury to make the world better. Just like what Her Majesty Icarus, the Heavens Mind, once said, an academy for ordinary citizens will be builtand I promise that upon my name as Kireua Sanders the Second Prince of the Empire of Avalon!


    Kireuas unyielding spirit touched a chord deep in Cains heart. There was something beyond the mere meaning of Kireuas words that moved peoples hearts.


    Your Highness. Cain whispered, smiling from ear to ear.


    Anna poked Cains waist. Hes good.


    If the Emperor of Avalon and the Queen Consorts were going to scold Kireua for making an outrageous promise, Cain would stand up for him. Of course, they were more likely topliment Kireua for what he had done, considering their personalities.


    Dont let the lich tempt you! Take pride in your nation. For all of our differences, how can we let a monster like him roam around in our country! Kireua thrust his arm into the air.


    Wooaaaaah!


    Lord Adnche cheered at the top of his lungs, quickly followed by hundreds of others. Their cry shook the forest.

 Side Story Chapter 216

    Side Story Chapter 216


    Some of the survivors were beginning to edge away from the portal despite Jacks warnings. If they moved from their positions they would immediately cease to supply their vitality to the dimensional gate.


    -What in the world are you doing!? Dont tell me you believe his sugar coated words!


    The menace in Jacks voice made the survivors flinch.


    B-But the emperor and the empress mother also


    -There will be no social sses in our new world to begin with. The prince has chosen a temporary measure out of fear of the nobles because theyre the people in power, but we can start from perfection!


    Whats the use of a new world when youre dead? Anna scoffed. She pointed at the piles of corpses, stirring the survivors primal fear of death. Most of the survivors were teenagers who had long lives ahead of them.


    I-Im going to go back.


    One of them changed his mind, a boy who was around fifteen years old. He was already far away from the gate and escaped the range of the gates magic circlepletely in a few steps.


    The boy immediately took off running. I dont want to die! If the continent isnt going to fall, I-I want to be with my fa!


    He never got to finish. The moment he got ten meters away from the magic circle, the boy vanished in a column of lightninga magic trap.


    Ugh. The boy coughed out ck smoke.


    It turned out that Jack had kept the forests monsters on standby because Jack quickly brought in a ck ogre to smash the boys head.


    Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!


    The survivors screamed.


    How dare you! Cain roared, already bristling with murderous energy.


    -Stop! Keep in mind that I can fry the rest of these brats.


    Damn you! Cain gritted his teeth.


    The survivors went pale.


    -Do you get it now? Youll never be free from me! Never!


    D-Dont kill me.


    Uuuuungh. <em>Hic</em>. Mom


    I want to go home! Let me go home!


    All of the survivors broke out in tears. Although he was discarding his justification, Jack had no other choice; he was going to lose all of his sacrificial offerings hed gone through so much trouble to gather and now he had to worry about his life.


    But the rasp of metal against leather as someone unsheathed their sword made Jacks lips tremble.


    -Who is it! You dont care if all these kids die?


    Kireua was the one who drew his sword.


    You wont be able to kill them, Kireua said as he walked toward the lich.


    -You cocky shit! You think I wont do it?


    Even though fierce lightning cracked around Jacks hands, Kireuas feet kept moving.


    No, you wont be able to kill them, Kireua repeated, shaking his head.


    -I can see what youre thinking right now, but my answer is no. Although its true that gathering them was difficult, I can get all the sacrifices I want. Therell be plenty of children who will share my cause!


    Then do it, Kireua sharply replied.


    Cain stared at Kireua, astonished. The survivors and the nobles and their troops were equally unsettled by Kireuas apparent about-face. Kireua didnt seem to care what was going to happen to the survivorsit wasnt just contradictory, he seemed downright psychotic.


    I became certain after seeing how the child died just now. Kireua nced in the boys direction.


    -What?


    Jack Steropes, you could have killed the boy earlier if you wanted. Letting him run that far only perturbed the other children more, but you only took him out after hedpletely left the range of the magic circle.


    Anna pped in realization. I see whats happening right now!


    You do? Cain asked.


    The gate leads to an entirely different dimension. No one has tried to buildno, no one has even thought about trying it, so theres no way that the magic circle was easy to make.


    Cains eyes widened as he listened. In other words


    That damned lich cant move easily either. Any spell he uses in the magic circles range could disrupt the magic circle itself and ruin the gatepletely! Anna shouted.


    The demonic power around Jack fluctuated wildly, belying his uneaseAnnas analysis was very urate. It was only through a concerted effort that Jack remained outwardly calm.


    Kireua lit his sword with the ebon mes.


    The moment you harm any of those children, I will cut that portal in two. Thats thest thing you want, isnt it?


    Jack stayed silent for a long time before his manicughter echoed in the forest.


    -Ha. Hahahahahahaha! Hrious. Absolutely hrious! You know, Im the one who should be saying that, actually.


    Are you now?


    -Yeah. Go on. Do it. Im sure you wont believe me even if I exin. Protecting the portal isnt the reason why Im avoiding using magic.


    Kireua frowned. It didnt seem like Jack was bluffing, based on hisposure.


    Kireuas eyes narrowed. What are you on about?


    -Its the same with any portal. Can you physically destroy aplete portal?


    Kireua didnt believe him because he could see the magic circle. It was simr to the Magic Towers warp gates in major cities, not the portals that mages above Seventh Circle could create.


    These warp gates were the Magic Towers masterpieces, made from thousands of mana stones. A simple, low-level mage could transport people freely between citiesbut, of course, that wouldn''t be possible without a warp gate.


    -Youre an open book. This is the problem with knights. They arent capable of critical thinking.


    Kireua cocked an eyebrow at Jack. Of course Im skeptical. If it was finished, thered be no reason for the magic circle to still be visible and you wouldnt need to be so careful around it.


    -The magic circle isnt there to maintain orplete the dimensional gate. Its to absorb more vitality and improve the gate even further.


    What?


    Jack smiled slyly.


    -All else aside, Ive gone through a great deal of trouble to bring these people here. Theyll be dissatisfied too if they were to die before being of any use building the gate.


    An incredibly cold demonic power poured out of the magic circle.


    Arrrrghhhh!


    S-Save me! Help!


    I cant ugh! I c-cant breathe!


    The survivors clutched their necks or pounded on their chests and screamed. Some of them wed at the ground until their fingers were bloody but they didnt notice it through the suffocating feeling tormenting their bodies.


    Kireua sprang forward, unable to watch them suffer any longer. He swung his ming sword toward the magic circle, but his attack was quickly blocked by a magical barrier that appeared over the magic circle.


    His actions had terrible consequences. To his horror, Kireua was forced to watch a boywho was fifteen years old at mostcrumble into dust.


    -I warned you, didnt I? Tsk, youve made me waste one of my sacrifices.


    You bastard. Kireua gritted his teeth.


    -People with trust issues tend to do themselves in before believing what other people tell them. Just watch. The wheel of fate has already passed the point of no return.


    Kireua watched the magic circle surge with ever increasing demonic power. The survivors visibly aged with every breath as the portal became more and more vivid.


    -This is it!


    Jack couldnt contain his excitement any longer. After draining over a thousand peoples vitality, the end was so close!


    Kireua changed his n and attacked Jack instead.


    -Mmm.


    Jack grunted. Kireua had struck the barrier with his aura, cracking it, but the lich just sneered at him.


    -Killing me now wont stop the wheel of fate. The Human Realm will fall, and everyone on the continent wille here to escape. Ill be forever remembered as their savior! Besides you cant kill me anyway. My phctery is already beyond that gate.


    Kireua had to break his silence.


    You already sent your phctery through the gate?


    -Yes, that is why Im certain the other dimension exists! My phctery has passed through the gate, but Im still alive, as you can see!


    Kireua had no way of verifying Jacks words, nor was it even important right now. He still had to free the survivors, but he was at a loss as to how to do it.


    However, fate conspired to alter the circumstances.


    -That looks yummy.


    What?! Kireuas eyes flew open in shock. At first, he thought he was mistaken because it had been so long since he had heard Coals voice.


    -Can I eat it, Kireua?


    Kireua felt like crying. Hed never imagined that he would be so happy to hear Coals voice.


    <em>Yes, you can,</em> Kireua was quick to reply. <em>No, please eat it. Im begging you, Coal.</em>


    -Okay! But there is a problem.


    <em>What problem?</em>


    -If I eat it, my tummy will explode too.


    Coals words hit Kireua like a bolt of lightning to the face.

 Side Story Chapter 217

    Side Story Chapter 217


    Coal said that it was going to explode, meaning


    <em>Youre going to die?</em> Kireua asked.


    -Death. Annihtion. If they mean the same in human terms, then yes, Ill die right after I swallow it.


    Why?! Kireua shouted out loud, forgetting that he was talking in his head.


    -My vessel cant handle it. Other demons would only be tempted to go through the gate, but I can tell that there are many gods and thousands of vengeful human spirits.


    Kireua''s eyes widened. Gods? Then does that mean that the gate actually leads to another dimension? And that world has gods too?


    -No, its whats called the Gray Zone or Chaos, not another dimension. That ce doesnt belong to the Angel Realm or Demon Realm.


    What do you mean? Let me understand what is going on, please!


    -The Gray Zone is the Gray Zone, and Chaos is Chaos. To go into a little history There was someone who was abandoned by both the Angel and Demon Realms. After being hunted over and over, he confronted his numerous pursuers from both realms in a neutral zone called Chaos. A battle of unmatched proportions took ce.


    Kireuas eyes slowly widened as Coals story began to connect with one hed heard before.


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    Is that story?


    Ahhhhhhhh!


    Before Kireua could finish his question, thest survivor copsed. The portal had absorbed all of the survivors vitality.


    -The Angel and Demon Realms arepletely gone, and the gods in them were annihted. Some of the gods survived and scattered all over the Human Realm or threw themselves into Chaos. Its nothing but an empty void where one nightmarishly terrifying person fought off their pursuers, but they had no other choice.


    Coal, did you recover your memory as Greed? Kireua asked doubtfully. Is that why youve been quiet?


    -Yeah. A shame. I hoped I could meet my previous owner onest time.


    As Kireua expected, the terror from Coals story was the Emperor of Avalon in his past life.


    -Theres no time. I have to eat that before the gate ispleted. Otherwise, Chaos and the Human Realm will be connected.


    What do you mean?


    -A door opens both ways. A pathway will be created once the gate isplete, and all the gods in Chaos will be able to get here. Chaos wille to the Human Realm, literally. These gods will be a lot stronger than the ones already here since theyll have their real bodies.


    Kireua swallowed nervously. The demons and people with angels abilities that he had met so far were already problematic enough, but just when hed handled most of them, literal gods were going toe here!


    -Thats not what you want, is it?


    But after destroying the gate, you Kireua trailed off.


    -You dont have to rely on me anymore, Kireua. Most humans now think that youve gotten strong. Youvee far from the boy I met.


    Kireua choked up. Even now, he could tell that Coal was growing up. Coal used to talk like a four-year-old, but now it was trying to console him.


    From their first encounter to now, Kireua and Coal shared many treasured memories and faced danger time and time again. In fact, Kireua had escaped most of the danger thanks to Coals help, so he had grown attached to it. Kireua didnt want to say goodbye. Aside from the debt hed rued from Coal saving his life numerous times, Kireua considered Coal family.


    Im not a boy, Kireua muttered quietly.


    -Besides, only my ego will disappear. Youll still be able to use ebon mes and my power, so you dont have to worry


    Stop, Kireua tearfully interrupted. That isnt what I meant, you fool.


    -Huh?


    Time seemed to stretch as Kireua and Coal looked at each other. Kireua hated the thought of letting Coal go, but he couldnt afford to anguish over it any longer.


    Thank you for everything. Kireua clenched his fists, trying not to cry.


    -Me too. I enjoyed our time together.


    Coal looked up with a grin and bounced up and down.


    Can we never meet again? Kireua asked.


    -Mmm Im not sure.


    Youre my only younger brother. If you can return in your original ego, thene back. Ill wait for you forever.


    Although it still looked like a cotton ball, Kireua could tell that Coal instantly brightened up.


    Okay, brother, Coal said in an actual voice.


    Coal!


    Time resumed flowing at its original speed.


    Before Kireua could say goodbye, Coal turned and flew toward the portal.


    A loud, alien noise announced their collision.


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    -What?


    Jack stared uprehendingly.


    Coal! Kireua yelled as the gate was swallowed by a pool of ck.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, Selim and Duke Tremblin arrived at their meeting point.


    Theres a lot of them, Tremblin remarked, surveying the gathered army from atop the fortress.


    It felt like every noble in Avalon was at the meeting point. The fortress they were in could only amodate fifty thousand people, so temporary camps had to be made.


    Your Highness.


    Selim did not respond, despite standing right next to Tremblin.


    Your Highness? Tremblin prompted, his head tilted.


    Ah! Did you say something?


    May I ask why you were lost in thought?


    Well Selim trailed off hesitantly.


    Tremblin gently smiled. Dont worry too much. I know that it can feel burdensome to lead such a grand army, but youll do a good job.


    That isnt what I was worried about.


    Pardon?


    Im not sure if I should say this Selim hesitated for a moment and then let out a long sigh. Im more worried about Kireua than me.


    Oh. Tremblin smiled wryly. Still, I can only say the same thing. Sir Cain is with him, so you should focus on your mission. You already know that Prince Kireuas pride would be hurt if he knew that you were thinking like that.


    Despite the dukes assurance, Selims expression was grim. Even if Kireua and Cain managed to infiltrate Hubalt, how much damage could they really do to the empire on their own? They might get captured and suffer instead


    Duke Tremblin is right, Selim. Cut it out already. Who do you think youre worrying about right now?


    Selim and Tremblin slowly to the source of the voice behind them.


    Tremblin bowed. Princess Iruca.


    Iruca bowed back. It wasnt intentional, but I apologize for eavesdropping, Duke Tremblin.


    There is no need for an apology. Tremblin shook his head as he was aware that Iruca was approaching them the whole time.


    You should consider it lucky if Kireua fails, Iruca said to her brother.


    What in damnation are you saying?


    Arent you guyspetitors? I think youre misunderstanding something herethere is only one throne. Although the nobles are supporting you right now, that could change if Kireua seeds. Iruca stood in front of Selim and looked him in the eyes. No it <em>will</em> change.


    I hope so. That would be best for everyone in Avalon, Selim quietly replied.


    Kireua will be hell bent on seeding with or without your concern. Ah, youre so annoying. Iruca scratched the back of her head exasperatedly, disregarding how it would make her look. You may look like Dad, but youre always too soft-hearted, you know that?


    Selim frowned. What do you expect me to say right now?


    Stop trying to be considerate of yourpetitor in front of the people who trust you to lead the empire, Iruca snapped. Dont tell me you dont know how rude youre being to them right now. Their families future depends on their choices, so theyre already nervous enough.


    Before Iruca could continue her rant, Selim and Tremblin heard the faint sound of horses running toward the fortress. Iruca noticed their reactions and stopped.


    Your Highness!


    Yes, I noticed. Are they here?


    Yeah, they are.


    Those damned Hubalt guys are faster than I thought. Iruca turned to descend from the ramparts.


    Iruca.


    The princess gave Selim a questioning look.


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    You said that the nobles who chose to support me will be nervous if I continue to act like this.


    So? Iruca sourly asked.


    Theres nothing for them to worry about.


    Selim summoned Longin into his hand and leaped high into the air.


    Im going to prove myself with my abilities, just like His Majesty did.

 Side Story Chapter 218

    Side Story Chapter 218


    -What?


    Out of all the people around the portal, Jack was the most sensitive to demonic power and the Seven Evil Sins, so he was the first one to notice the ck <em>thing</em> flying out of Kireua. Anyone else wouldnt even be able to notice Coal, let alone see it.


    -Wh-What in the world?


    Jacks jaw dropped to the ground. Although it wasntplete yet, the dimensional gate was firmly established. It certainly shouldnt have been shaking like it was now. Yet, that wasnt the end of the problems.


    The gate undted like an ocean wave and vomited out the vitality that it had already absorbed.


    Urgghh The survivors groaned as their vitality was returned; losing and recovering so much at once was more than they could handle.


    -N-No. My gate! My gate!


    While Jack screamed, Kireua darted toward him. Coal had sacrificed itself to give Kireua this opportunity, so he was going to regret it his entire life if he let it go.


    <em>Magic Sword Arts Level 5: Destruction Sword.</em>


    Kireua decided he would kill Jack with this strike, knowing that he was pushing himself past his limits.


    Level 5 Magic Spear Arts techniques far exceeded the level of advanced Masters, so it was unclear if Kireua would seed even using his full power. However, Kireua saw the walls he had to surmount and was undeterred.


    <em>I can do it,</em> Kireua told himself. No, he had to do it. For the sake of the survivors, for a better Avalon, and Coal, whose ego was being ground away even at this moment!


    Kireuas sword burst into ck mes.


    As his mana rushed within him like an ocean wave, his aura enveloped him like a storm. Huge mountains, vast oceans, and dense forests would be ash before his sword. His enemies would be trampled and burned, and when he was done he would have no more enemies in this world.


    <em>A little more!</em> Kireua clenched his teeth, blood dripping out of his mouth.


    He was overtaxing himself. Even though he knew the Level 5 Magic Spear Arts techniques in theory, hed never actually tried to put such exquisite techniques into practice.


    Cains eyes slowly widened. Thats His Majestys


    It was almost like he was looking at Joshua. It was a perfect recreation of the Magic Spear Arts.


    <em>Apocalypse.</em> Kireua swung his sword down.


    The attack sliced through the air toward Jack, but despite its fancy name, it looked like an ordinary aura strikefar too slow in Jacks eyes.


    -This is nothing!


    Jack created two immense spheres of lightning in his hands that grew until the entire clearing was brightened by their crackling light.


    -Heavens Fury!


    Jack could use an Eighth Circle spell just by incanting the name because he had calcted the form beforehand. His two spheres of lightning flew into the sky.


    The rest happened in a sh.


    Living up to its name, Kireuas attack was apanied by the ominous rumbles of thunder, harbingers of doom. The thunder was far louder than anyone was prepared for.


    Arghhh! My ears!


    Knights, shield your ears with your mana and then protect the children! Cain shouted.


    Kireua and Jack met head-on.


    Urgh! Cain flinched.


    A rain of extremely powerful lightning boltsshed out at Kireua unerring uracy, shrouding him in a blinding halo of light.


    Everyone, close your eyes!


    Despite being infused with mana, Cains voice was still drowned out by thunder. Fortunately, Anna was ready.


    Leave it to me! Anna turned to the side. Sylphelion!


    Her mighty wind elemental spirit appeared and created a barrier of wind, just in time to deflect a torrent of stray sparks. Had Anna been a littleter, all of them would have been caught in the rain of lightning too.


    Your Highness! Cain clenched his teeth, frustrated that he was unable to join the fight in order to protect the survivors.


    After a long, violent minute passed, the deafening thunder, quaking ground, and blinding light began to subside.


    When he saw the battlefield again, Cains lips trembled in awe. The forest had turned into an inferno. Craters littered the ck Monster Forests firm ground, dotting the now barren soil with pools of moltenva.


    The collision between the ebon mesthe fires of the Demon Realmand an Eighth Circle lightning spell had evaporated everything in the vicinity, both monster and tree.


    And in the center of the devastation, a human and a lich were facing each other.


    Your Highness! Cain shouted as he struggled toward Kireua.


    Even at a nce, Cain could tell that Kireuas condition was serious. His scarlet hair was ckened by ash, and a lot of his hair had been melted to his scalp by the heat. Worse, he was covered with scars that ran across his skin like tree branches, proof that the lightning bolts had ovee his defenses.


    You! Cains rage boiled over and he threw himself at the lich, his sword lunging for Jacks neck.


    But then he heard a quiet sound, like sand slipping away. Cain stopped right in front of Jack because it was clear where the sound wasing from. Jack had been neatly bisected and then turned into dust. Cains lips trembled again. Kireua had done it. The Imperial Familys ugly duckling had in an Eighth Circle mage.


    Your Highness Cain clenched his fists in a vain attempt to control the rush of emotions.


    Kireua staggered. Cain reached out to him, but someone else was quicker.


    Good job. Anna gently embraced Kireua, patting him on the back.


    Although he was gravely injured, Kireuas mind was clearer than ever, so he couldnt smile despite his victory.


    Coal, Kireua murmured, almost inaudibly.


    Annas eyes snapped to the dimensional gate, the cause of everything. It was fading away too. It turned out that the forest, Kireua, and Jack werent the only ones to undergo a cataclysmic change.


    His Highness Kireua is this strong?


    The rumors were wrong. Hesparable to His Highness Selim!


    E-Even the sky was shaking. Maybe hes stronger than Prince Selim


    Anna let the troops whispers sink in as her eyes darted over the awe-inspiring aftermath. All of the trees nearby had been cleanly erased, unveiling the sky, but it was split into two right after the dimensional gate had disappeared.


    Kireua coughed and trembled weakly.


    Anna smiled bitterly. Get some rest. Its over now


    Though no one else had noticed yet, Anna could tell that Kireua was quietly crying. He mourned for Coal.


    -You fucking brat!


    Cain and Anna turned around and saw the scattered particles of Jacks body merging back together.


    Hes a lich, alright. Anna frowned, concerned. But hes recovering too quickly, considering the damage he took.


    It was well known that a lich was immortal unless their phctery was destroyed, but that didnt mean that a lich was always invincible. Enough damage would slow a lichs recovery considerably.


    Its okay. Its over, Kireua quietly told her.


    Hmm? Anna looked down. What did you say?


    Coal The power of Greed swallowed the gate and the world beyond it to stop the greedy gods from entering.


    Anna''s eyes widened in shock. How strong was the power of Greed to swallow the world beyond the gate? However, if that was true


    -What? N-no. Thats impossible impossible!


    As expected, Jack disintegrated again, a lot quicker than before.


    -Nooooo!


    Before long, everyone could instinctively tell that Jack was gone for good.


    Anna heaved a sigh of relief and stroked Kireuas head. Its name was Coal, right? You and Coal saved the world. Allow me to offer my gratitude on behalf of all of us.


    Although Kireua hadnt told her a lot, Anna was quick-witted and had pieced things together on her own. It might not be enough to stop Igrants destruction, but it was clear that the continent would be forever remembered as thend of humans, not a realm lost to the gods from beyond the gate.


    Thank you, and goodbye, Coal. Anna bowed deeply at where the portal used to be.

 Side Story Chapter 219

    Side Story Chapter 219


    Tens of thousands of cavalry rode across the ins of north Avalonthey were the invaders from Hubalt.


    Were going to arrive at the first of Avalons fortresses in the north soon! Well break through and then head to their capital!


    Yes, sir! the soldiers energetically answered.


    There were pdins among them too. After the death of the Four Pdins and the dissolution of the Great Temple, Pertian, the Fifth Pdin, led the pdins.


    Pertian wasnt appointed by the new emperor of Hubalt, but he was the anchor of the pdins. His teacher was none other than Chrysler jean Sebastian, the God''s Knight, and had studied with Christian the White Lion, the genius.


    <em>Its already been decades since my teacher passed away, and even Christian is missing now. I must be the pdins rock,</em> Pertian thought.


    The White Lion was presumed dead, but Pertian knew that his righteous friend wouldnt go down that easily. Of course, he couldnt be certain, considering the evidence for Christians death...


    <em>If youre alive,e back quickly, Christian. Hubalt is on a path to damnation right now. If the empire is left in the hands of Kurz and Bel Hubalt will be remembered for its crimes forever.</em>


    Pertian could guarantee it.


    Although Hubalt was considered a strong country right now, nothing was eternal. Throughout the continents long history, countless empires rose and fell. No country was forever strong or weak.


    Even if the continent was brought under one rule, it would only break apart again, just like Thran and Swallow. Once that came to pass, Hubalt would be known as the cause of all evil for what they had done. Pertian loved Hubalt, so he loathed the idea of his country being treated like that.


    <em>But we have no choice but to follow them</em> Pertian nced back at the Martial Knights riding behind him.


    Those knights were Hubalts strongest knights; each person was handpicked and trained by the Battle God himself. But right now, they were guard dogs. Anyone who didnt fight their hardest or even considered running would be executed without a second thought.


    <em>I see no way out.</em> Pertian bit his lip.


    We have enemies approaching from the front!


    Pertian''s eyes widened. It had begun. Running away or hiding was no longer an option; they had finally met Avalons army.


    Pertian tightened his grip on his weapon but after a moment, tilted his head in confusion. No matter how much he concentrated, Pertian couldnt sense any enemies approaching nor hear galloping or shouts. Not even the birds were disturbed.


    No, actually, there was something in the air.


    A bird?


    Pertian realized that it was a person and gasped. He also realized that something was flying toward them at tremendous speed.


    Aura strike!


    Arrrghh!


    B-Brace yourselves for the next attack!


    Pertian gulped. Although the aura strikes hade from hundreds of meters away <em>at least</em>, the soldiers at the front of their formation were moving too fast to stop their horses in time and were hit straight on. The front of their army was reced by a gash on the ground twenty meters long.


    Insolent invaders, heed me! Whoever crosses that line shall face my spear!


    A man of divine features with dark blue hair brandished a familiar red spear.


    ...Martial God?


    The army of Hubalts march stopped, its soldiers confused and distressed.


    Its not Joshua Sanders. A Martial Knight, a muscr man in his forties with a face littered with scars, rode up to Pertian.


    Sir Urector, Pertian said.


    Hes quite good, but he isnt the Martial God. Hes probably the First Prince of Avalon, the Martial Gods son. I think his name is Selim Sanders, Urector exined with a quiet yet clear voice that calmed the army.


    <em>The Martial Knights are truly</em>


    Each and every one of the Martial Knights was gifted in different ways. That was why Pertian had given up on fighting formand long ago, bitter as it left him.


    Among the one hundred Martial Knights, Urectors specialty was reading and controlling peoples energy waves. ording to him, each person emitted unique energy waves, simr to how knights and mages had a main attributefire, water, wind, lightning, or earth.


    I heard from Sir Bel that the Martial Gods energy waves are like an ocean. Even if a human is foolish enough to look upon it, they cant determine the depth. All they can feel is awe, Urector continued.


    What about the young man over there?


    Its ake, at the most. Let me show you.


    Urector strode toward the line, pushing past Hubalts forces.


    <em>The fortress is right there Maybe this is for the better?</em> Pertian thought. He would prefer this war not take ce at all.


    He could see the tall walls with soldiers on the rampart with bows at the ready. As soon as Hubalts forces stepped within their range, a rain of arrows would immediately pour down on their heads.


    However, everyone was focused on Urector and Selim right now.


    As if he knew what Pertian was thinknig, Urector came to a halt three steps away from the line Selim drew.


    My name is Urector of the Martial Knights!


    A Martial Knight?


    Are you Selim Sanders, the Martial Gods son?


    Selim quietly examined Urector for a moment before nodding. Yes, Im Selim Sanders, the First Prince of Avalon.


    Its just as I heard. Youre a worm born from a dragon.[1]


    A worm?


    A worm that squirms when I step on it.


    Selim narrowed his eyes at Urectors tant provocation.


    Urector gestured at Selim. Lets see what youve got.


    So youre a Martial Knight?


    Im sure youve heard of us. Were under the directmand of Sir Bel, whom you, Avalon, were helpless against. We obey his orders over even the emperors.


    Urector took another step toward the line.


    I get that the Martial Knight Order is the strongest in Hubalt, but how skilled are you? Selim asked.


    Hmm Urector stroked his chin thoughtfully for a moment. Well, I think Im somewhere in the middle


    Youre nothing.


    Selim provocation made Urector stiffen, but he chuckled and took another step.


    Youre still too young.


    Youre one step away now. If you cross the line


    Before Selim could finish speaking, Urector took one more step.


    I crossed it, so now wh


    Urector didnt get to finish speaking either. Selim thrust his spear dozens of times, each thrustunching aura strikes that were just as strong as the one that had stopped the army. They streaked toward Urector in a blinding red smear.


    Urector grinned.


    Youre awfully hot-tempered. He extended his open hands forward. Let me show you why we, Martial Knights, are called the strongest in Hubalt.


    Urectors words disappeared into a thunderous explosion.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, something was going on in the middle of the ocean, which Urector used for his analogy. Even highly intelligent whales ran away in surprise because there was a man standing on the surface of the water as casually as if it were the ground.


    I feel like Im quite far away from where I was Where am I? Bel mumbled. He idly scratched his nose. This wasnt part of my n, but it wont change destiny, Joshua Sanders.


    Bel walked forward without even disturbing the water. He made some calctions as he walked and broke into an ear-to-ear grin.


    My knights shouldve run into your army by now. Every one of my hundred Martial Knights is skilled enough to be called emperor or king. If they ughter your beloved family Hehehe.


    Belughed slyly. From what Bel had heard, it wasnt an exaggeration to say that Joshua Sanders had gotten to where he was though spite and a vengeful spirit. Since Joshua was probably going to be Bels final prey, he wanted Joshua to use two hundred percent of his full power.


    Ill give you a reason, Joshua Sanders. Youd better look forward to it.


    1. The raw is        . Its a way of saying the son is lesser than his father.

 Side Story Chapter 220

    Side Story Chapter 220


    Two people watched from afar as Selim rained down attacks using his spear.


    I should


    I would like you to trust Selim with this one, Duke Tremblin. Iruca stopped Tremblin from leaping off from the rampart with a shake of her head.


    But the only thing between Selim and an army of tens of thousands was a line, so there was no way Tremblin could just stand down.


    Unless he shows his ability here, right now, many obstacles will continue to obstruct Selims way, Iruca exined. Besides, his role model is the emperor.


    Youre too tough on Prince Selim.


    If his goal was merely to be an emperor, not the second Martial God, then I wouldnt do this, Iruca stated.


    In some way, this war was as important to Iruca as it was to her brothers; it was her first war against a foreign nation acting as Avalons main strategist on behalf of Icarus. Iruca couldnt leave the Second Queen Consort to be the main strategist forever since keeping the Queen Consort away from the dusty, grimy frontlines was a matter of national pride.


    Above all, Iruca didnt want her old parents to work themselves to the bone forever. No country was eternally strong, and generational change was only natural. A country that failed to ept that change would stop developing andg behind other countries. In other words, losing this war meant that the end of Avalon was near.


    There are many nobles and armies who are here just because of His Highness, Tremblin insisted. Instead of letting him take the risk of fighting alone, it''s better to take advantage of our fortifications


    That is exactly why Im doing this.


    Pardon?


    Even if we choose tomit to a siegeter, His Majesty would have overpowered the enemys vanguard at the opening of the battle to increase our forces morale.


    Tremblin grimaced. Your Highness, our forces cant live under the Martial Gods wings forever. The pressure it will ce on Prince Selim would be indescribable as well.


    If he cant endure that much, then he shouldnt pursue the throne in the first ce.


    Tremblin realized that Iruca meant every word of what she said. She had already sent Kireua, her other brother, on a suicidal mission. At this point, people would think that Irucas ultimate goal was to kill off all of her brothers and be the first female ruler of Avalon.


    I can see the battlefield again now.


    Mmmm Tremblin groaned.


    Just like Iruca said, the clouds of dust blotting out the battlefield were slowly subsiding.


    Oh, no!


    Wait, this isnt how it was supposed to be.


    I thought His Highness Selim was going to destroy the enemys front ranks and then we were going to start fighting.


    Selims spear was like a storm, but the Martial Knight, Urector, was standing in the same ce he had been the whole time, unscathed. However, the area around Urector was distorted like ripples on ake. Hed used his ability to read and manipte energy flows.


    Huh? What happened? Wait, what did you say earlier? Was it Whoever crosses that line shall face my spear!? Urector recited, adopting a mocking imitation of Selims voice.


    Hubalts army burst out intoughter.


    Hahahahaha! Urector, youre good at this!


    Hes a prince, so I wonder what hes going to do now. If I were him, I would be so embarrassed that Id drown myself in thetrine.


    Come on, he might be the next emperor. Thats too harsh.


    A prince poops too, doesnt he?


    I mean, even the Martial God is so crazy for women that he has three wives, so lets say that he takes after his fatherhe should shove his head between boobs and suffocate himself to death. How does that sound?


    Hehehe, you crazy fuck. The Martial God might hear you. You know, I think a hundred women would be happy to be the Martial Gods wives together.


    Its said that even a king gets bad mouthed when hes not around[1]. Fine, Im just jealous.


    Well, Avalons Queen Consorts are known for their beauty in other countries too.


    The Martial Knights foul words were easily heard by Avalons forces thanks to a deliberate application of mana.


    Th-Those sons of bitches!


    Your Highness! Your Grace! Please open the gates! I, Aleter, shall cut off the heads of those impudent scum!


    Ill go too! Please, let me go!


    However, Iruca continued to examine the battlefield, though there was no way she hadnt heard the Martial Knights mana-infused voices.


    Your Highness


    Look over there. Iruca pointed.


    Tremblin turned to look, his head tilted in confusion, and found Selim leisurely resting his spear against his shoulder.


    What? Giving up already? Urector grinned from ear to ear. He clenched his fists to center the energy flows at a single point.


    Selim looked right into Urectors eyes, unfazed. That''s what I wanted to ask you.


    What?


    Did you run away because you got scared?


    Urector realized something and his eyes snapped downward.


    Wh-When?


    Urector had boldly crossed the line drawn by Selim, but he was right back whereno, he was three steps further back from where he had been at the start of their confrontation. It stung Urectors pride that he hadnt even realized that he had been pushed backward.


    Oh-hoooooooooo!


    Idiot! Hes awfully full of himself for someone who didnt even realize that he was pushed back behind the line by His Highnesss attacks!


    Leave him be. Its probably just because the people of Hubalt only know how to talk.


    What? Hahahahaha! That makes sense!


    It was only natural for Avalons morale to surge. In contrast, those in Hubalts army, especially the Marital Knights, looked like theyd just stepped in a pile of shit.


    You fuck! Urector, increasingly red in the face, threw himself at Selim.


    Selim fended off the knights charge. He considered Urector and the numbness in his palms with mixed emotion.


    <em>My n was to cut off at least one of his limbs and then throw him into the middle of his forces</em>


    But Urector hadnt even dodged a single one of Selims many attackshed simply parried away every single one with his fists.


    <em>Indeed, the Martial Knights are the strongest in Hubaltno, the continent.</em>


    Selim could understand why they were confident. Those one hundred free-spirited knights were Hubalts secret weapon.


    Stand down, Urector.


    Urector stiffly turned around and saw another Martial Knighting forward.


    C-Commander, Urector stammered.


    It was a man in his forties with an eye-catching scar on the bridge of his nose.


    This is a war. I wont tolerate you acting on your own any further.


    B-But my pride


    Is your pride more important than Sir Bels orders?


    Urector bit his lip and stepped back.


    All Martial Knights, listen! That wasnt just for Urector! Sir Bels orders were to burn Arcadia to the ground. I prohibit any of you from acting on your own! the Martial Knightsmander shouted.


    Selims face darkened. A collection of strong people tended to develop factions or fight each other for power, but not the Martial Knights. All of the Martial Knights were united under one strong leader.


    Im sorry, but were out of time. All of us are going to attack you from now on. I wont hear anything about how its unfair for a group to attack one person since you brought upon this yourself. Themander looked straight at Selim, his voice getting louder. Besides I know hes our enemy, but I have to respect Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, the Great Emperor of Avalon, for standing up against an army of a million soldiers! Since were merely one hundred knights, Im sure he would be able to crush us without even losing his breath!


    Selim tightened his grip on his spear. The Martial Knightsmander was no ordinary man. Even though it was only their first encounter, themander was immediately able to make an urate evaluation of Avalons forces. Were Selim to run away from this fight after what themander said, the morale Selim had painstakingly raised would immediately hit rock bottom. Even disregarding all that, the act of running away from a fight was a disgrace as the Martial Gods son.


    Tremblin could feel his palms sweating.


    Thisll only repeat in the future, Iruca muttered.


    What do you mean, Your Highness?


    Selim will continue to be tested andpared to his father. He''s the Martial God, after all.


    Still, theres no reason to y along with them. Tremblin stepped onto the crions, ready to leap off the ramparts. Its not toote. Ill


    Even if he could run away from this fight, it would change nothing. What do you think our forces would think? Weve felt it in our bones for years already. His Majesty is unchallengeable, but as soon as it became known that he went missing, Avalon ended up in pieces. The rebels ran wild, and the entire Imperial Family was endangered.


    Mmm


    In the end, Selim has to prove himself on his own, and now is his chance.


    Tremblins lips trembled faintly. Even if Iruca was right, it was too reckless to let Selim battle them on his own. The Martial Knights were far stronger than anyone had expected. Even from afar, Tremblin could tell that every single one of the Martial Knights wasparable to a Superhuman.


    Besides, Selims authority as a prince would plummet if you were to step in. The Five Dukes are the leaders of Avalons aristocratic faction, Iruca reminded Tremblin.


    Although I fully understand what youre saying, Your Highness, I really cant leave His Highness alone here. Hell be in danger at this rate


    Before Tremblin could finish speaking, the fortresss tightly shut gates were opened wide.


    Who is it! Who dares Tremblins roar died in his throat when he saw an unexpected group of people streaming through the gates. Theyre here?


    1. The raw is      . Its a Korean idiom about how everyone can be badmouthed.

 Side Story Chapter 221

    Side Story Chapter 221


    Its the ck Knights!


    Wooooooo!


    The fortresss defenders cheered wildly as all one hundred ck Knights rode their horses through the gates and onto the vast ins that stretched out in front of the fortress. Those majestic, ck-armored figures were the best knights in Avalon and took orders only from the First Prince and the Emperor of Avalon.


    Who dares to threaten our master!?


    Those shameless scum! They call themselves the strongest in Hubalt and yet they have the audacity to use His Majestys name to justify ganging up on His Highness!


    Shame on you, you sons of bitches!


    Iruca stared nkly at the knights for a moment.


    It looks like Selims been walking down a path of his own; a different path than His Majestys, she mused.


    Tremblin turned to Iruca anxiously. Your Highness, its different from His Majestys, but


    Its not bad.


    Pardon? Tremblin tilted his head in confusion.


    Iruca gave him a subtle smile. A mighty warlord who can crush everything on his own is good, but a sage ruler who is trusted by his subordinates isnt so bad either. That kind of ruler is considerate of his people. Above all, it takes an extreme amount of courage for people to risk their lives fighting against an army thousands of times their size.


    Of course. A gentle smile came to Tremblins lips as he nodded.


    The nobles will no doubt wonder why the First Princes knights throw themselves into danger like eggs against a boulder. What do they see in the First Prince?


    Avalons eggs are known for their size and taste. Im sure the enemy is more confused than our nobles right now.


    Ircua nodded. His Majesty is certainly impressive, but he isnt good at teamwork. He did everything on his own


    Yesa war isnt something you do on your own, and not many young knights want to live like Sir Cain.


    Haha! Indeed, no master or head of a family worries the people around him as much as His Majesty does.


    Iruca quietly looked down the walls. The ck Knights were getting close to Selim, but the enemy forces watched the knights and did not take action.


    It suddenly turned into a battle of knights, Tremblinmented.


    This battle will turn the tides of this war.


    While Iruca and Tremblin spoke, the ck Knights were reunited with their master.


    My lord! We are here to serve!


    Why are you guys here? Selim grumbled. He didnt even turn to look at them, but all of the ck Knightsughed quietly nheless.


    Its not like the ck Knights to just watch from behind.


    Selim frowned. You guys know that you disobeyed my orders, dont you? Brace yourselves for punishment when this is over.


    Yes, Your Highness. Well dly ept any punishment.


    Im serious, Selim said, but his faint smile betrayed his true emotions.


    You heard what His Highness said! Hope youre ready for a paddling! When we get back, hes going to beat our asses ck and blue! the ck Knights captain shouted.


    But only once we get back, right? Ill just have to make sure Hubalt suffers just as bad before were done, just to be fair!


    Oh, you think you can do that? the captain asked with a grin.


    The ck Knights erupted into raucous jeers.


    You dont need to ask me twice!


    Lets sweep them off of this in. Well show them who the ck Knights are!


    Those fuckers picked the wrong house to mess with!


    Their enthusiasm made the captains grin widen.


    Yeah, dont leave behind any regrets. Who are we?


    The ck Knights!


    We are the ck Knights of the First Prince of Avalon! Prepare for battle!


    When all the one hundred ck Knights drew their swords, the Martial Knights stopped snickering. The ck Knights turned out to be stronger than they had expected.


    Draw up your aura!


    The ck Knights were enveloped in a pool of light, their swords shrouded with aura that audibly hummed with power. It was only natural for the forces of both countries to stare in awe.


    E-Every one of those knights are at least B-ss?


    Impossible! Arent theyparable to the Imperial Knights then?


    N-No, I think theyre even stronger than the Imperial Knights.


    The light grew so bright that people were forced to squint.


    Despite Joshua''s neglect of the Imperial Knights, the tradition of Berches Bloody Battle had been maintained for decades. Most of the current Imperial Knights were at least B-sshowever, even they werent as formidable as the ck Knights.


    The weakest ck Knight is an advanced B-ss knight? someone whispered.


    The nobles gasped. Those who had only gathered there because of Selim were even more shocked than most. The ck knights were geniuses among geniuses who most countries would consider themselves lucky to have, but no less than one hundred of them were gathered under the same banner.


    Of course, Selim didnt even nce at his knights. Anyone who knew the knights history would not be surprised by their skill in the slightest.


    Urector clicked his tongue. Still, aura is a thing of the past He stepped forward once more. Many new powers havee to Igrantaura is nothing now!


    An immense wave of Urectors energy made the air tremble and the ground crack.


    Let me show you why the Martial Knights are called the strongest in Hubalt!


    Urector darted toward Selim like an arrow, using his ability to absorb and release energy to rocket him toward Selims exposed position in front of the ck Knights.


    One of the ck Knights intercepted Urector with his sword. Unlike Selim, however, the ck Knight didnt force Urector backward; Urector stopped right at Selims line.


    How dare a no-name knight like you!


    Right back at you. Why are you trying to checkmate when theres a pawn right here? How arrogant.


    The ck Knights sword and Urectors fists shed again and again. Urector used his ability to add an unnatural force to his already hammer-like fists, but the ck Knight didnt give a single inch. In fact, the knight released more aura through his sword and matched Urector blow for blow.


    B-ss?


    I put up quite a fight, dont I?


    Urector eyed the knights glowing sword.


    Theres no way a B-ss knights aura is strong enough to be unaffected by my ability


    You know how forging works?


    What, like a cksmith?


    Yeah. You can do the same thing with aura. The more you hammer it, the stronger and sturdier it bes. I know knights outside of Avalon drool over supernatural abilities like authorities, but we, the ck Knights, focused on improving our aura and swordsmanship. As a result


    Urector jerked in surprise because the ck Knight suddenly crackled with blue lightning so bright that Urector almost looked away.


    ...we can apply an attribute to our mana. The ck Knight grinned.


    What is your name?


    My name is Kerook, the heart of the ck Knight Order.


    Heart, my ass! Youre just a troublemaker! one of his colleagues immediately shouted.


    Hey, Kerook! Stop pretending to be cool and wrap it up already! We have to warm up too!


    Cant you see His Highness is waiting!?


    Urector didnt pay attention to the other ck Knights at all. He was intent on his opponent.


    Kerook the ck Knight, how strong are you within your order?


    You said that youre somewhere in the middle in your order, didnt you?


    I did.


    I think Im about the same.


    Urector looked behind Kerook without answering. No matter how hard he searched, it looked like there were less than fifty people who were as skilled as him.


    Youre bluffing, Urector dered with a smirk. He took up a stance, veins bulging on his thick arms like snakes winding around his limbs.


    Ugh! A quiet groan slipped out of Kerooks lips. He staggered backward and ended up standing ten steps away from where he started.


    I y with you a little and you immediately forget your ce. Urector looked at Kerook disapprovingly. In contrast to Kerook, Urector still stood precisely on Selims line. Prince of Avalon, let me tell you an important fact.


    Oh?


    It looks like Avalon focused all of its forces in the north because were here That was a mistake, Urector leisurely exined. He felt that the time was ripeand hismander didnt stop him, so his confidence grew with every word. Hubalt will win this war if it drags on, not Avalon.


    What nonsense is that?


    Urector smiled crookedly. Have you forgotten that Hubalt crossed the borders to all of the countries around the empire, not just Avalon?


    Thats an awfully proud way of saying that youre an insolent invader! a ck Knight sarcastically shouted.


    Urector paid no attention to the ck Knight, however; his attention was firmly on Selim.


    It wont take long for all of those countries to raise the white g. What do you think will happen afterward?


    Urector noticed Selims face twitch and his smile grew.


    Do you get it now? All of them will be our thralls. They may have been indecisive about which side they should take, but now theyre all going to attack Avalon. Time is on Hubalts side, not Avalons.


    Silence descended over the fortress.


    But in contrast to Urectors confidence, Selim was expressionless.


    Well, I disagree, the prince bluntly announced.


    What?


    I believe in my brother.


    Urector turned to look at his fellow Martial Knights and shrugged. What the hell is he on about?


    Selim smiled thinly and leveled his spear at the Martial Knights. I guarantee you that before the other countries can attack us, my brothers sword will find Hubalts heart.

 Side Story Chapter 222

    Side Story Chapter 222


    Meanwhile, the situation in other countries was also bing urgent. Exactly as Urector had said, Hubalts forces had simultaneously crossed the borders of all of the countries around Hubalt; that was the strategy devised by Bel, the Battle God, and Kurz, the new emperor of Hubalt.


    That was why, at the onset of the Second Continental War, kings from around the continent joined forces for the first time via a remote conference.


    Sir, themunication crystal ball setup isplete, a mage of the Magic Tower reported.


    Theta, the Tower Master, nodded. Great work.


    Its nothing.


    With invaders already rampaging through theirnds, the kings couldnt afford to leave their countries. However, it was simple enough to have a long-distance conference usingmunication crystal balls like right now.


    Theta cleared his throat. Can everyone hear me?


    -Loud and clear.


    -The Tower Master must have gone through a lot of trouble.


    -Im sorry that I couldnt be there in person.


    -Its been quite some time, everyone.


    -King of the Allied Powers of Palentinewe havent seen each other in a while. Youve be more handsome since west met. Hahaha.


    -I would usually be delighted to receive yourpliment, but its embarrassing to hear at a time like this.


    The conference was off to such a good start that the participants couldnt help but think that all of them were ready to unite against theirmon enemy, Hubalt. Theta, however, knew how naive an idea that was; there were still three countries who still hadnt appeared at the meeting despite the fact that it had been already ten minutes past the scheduled start of the conference.


    <em>I expected that from the Hart Kingdom and Tetra Kingdom, but</em> Theta had to stop himself from groaning out aloud. <em>I cant believe even the Swallow Kingdom didnt attend.</em>


    The Swallow Empire had once been considered one of the major powers alongside Avalon and Hubalt, so all of the participants knew that Swallows participation was key at this meeting. Nevertheless, the emperor of Swallow never showed up.


    Of course, everyone knew the reason.


    Was it because of their pride?


    <em>Its because of the me Emperor.</em> Theta turned to look at a different crystal ball, one which showed a man with fiery scarlet hair. Everyone on the continent knew about the bad blood that ran between Swallow and Thran. There had been a time when Swallow recognized Thrans autonomy, but that didntst long. Right after the government had stabilized, Swallow renewed its ambitions to gain absolute dominance over Thran.


    In the end, bis was left with only one choiceto keep the imperial and aristocratic factions too busy fighting each other to attack Thran. bis had wielded diplomacy and subterfuge, but despite the astronomical amounts of manpower and assets hed expended in the process his work had been discovered around two decades ago.


    One of Thrans spies had been discovered and had failed tomit suicide. The spy ultimately could not withstand the torture he was subjected to and told Swallow who was behind him. Up until that point, things could have been talked out. Although it was true that it was hical to nt a spy in another country, it was tacitly understood that both countries were doing it.


    The problem was, bis hadnt acknowledged his wrongdoings, let alone made reparations. Instead, bis had arrested every single one of Swallows spies within Thran, executed them, and then put their heads on a spike for all to see. An eye for an eye, hed called it. Thrans citizens had, of course, cheered bis on for his bold rejection of Swallows all-too-familiar oppression.


    However, the incident had pushed both countries past the point of no returnespecially bis, the king of Thran


    <em>Just thinking about it makes me feel disgusted again.</em> Theta let out a long sigh. For a long time, he hadnt liked bisand for good reason.


    <em>The main reason why he epted Kireua as his student was to involve Avalon in their fight.</em>


    Regardless of how he actually felt now, bis had made Kireua his student for a very impure reason. It had been coldly calcted. As long as one of Avalons princes stayed in Thran as the kings student, it wouldnt be easy for Swallow to make a move lest they provoke the Martial Gods wrath.


    -Its already been over thirty minutes I think were all we have for this conference. Im not surprised, but I cant help but feel bitter. Things arent good in my country either; I thought that everyone would understand.


    The king of Palentine let out a worried sigh.


    -Youre right. Hubalt has dispatched armies ranging from fifty thousand men up to two hundred thousand to the borders. Where in the world did they draft that many people from?


    -But that also means that the Empire itself is empty. If someone can take advantage of that and catch them off guard, Hubalt will withdraw some of their forces to protect theirnds, which will buy us some room to breathe.


    The conversation continued for a while longer, but it didnt yield a solutiona testament to how thorough Hubalt had been before starting the war.


    -If the Magic Tower were to step in


    Impossible, Theta firmly answered.


    The king of Draia looked embarassed, but pressed on.


    -I know that the Magic Tower is absolutely neutral, but this is a crisis for the entire continent, not just specific countries. If Hubalt were to conquer the continent and exert their evil influence on extranational organizations


    That is not what I meant. The Magic Tower is upied with another matter.


    -<em>Ahem</em>. What matter could be more urgent than this?


    The Draia King quietly grumbled after being interrupted twice in a row.


    The Human Realm is copsing like the Angel and Demon Realms, Theta exined.


    All of the crystal balls showed the kings eyes widen in surprise.


    -W-Wait. The Human Realm is copsing? Thats too sudden.


    Im sure that all of you know that Yggdrasil, the World Tree, is rooted in the ins where the Magic Tower is.


    The kings nodded. It wasmon knowledge.


    Yggdrasil is dying, Theta bitterly revealed. In fact, its only getting faster.


    -Y-Yggdrasil is dying?


    It was supposed to be impossible. Yggdrasil, the First Tree, was the source of all life on the continent. The tree had been with humanity foreverno one even knew how long the tree had been with them. It had grown bigger alongside the development of human civilization; never had anyone imagined it withering.


    Theta bit his lip. I wasnt sure at first but I now have several eyewitness ounts of nature tearing itself apart.


    Jack, the lich, wasnt the only one who had noticed the Human Realms decay. Theta was the most sensitive to changes in the natural flow of mana, but due to the severity of the circumstances, he wanted to investigate the matter further before bringing it to the attention of the entire continent.


    If a prophet were to suddenly appear and im that the world was going to end in a few days, what would they do? At first, everyone would call the prophet a lunatic, but once evidence was found, the entire continent would descend into chaos. There was nothing as frightening as humans with nothing to lose.


    The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife, despite the distance between the participants of the conference. Theta let out a sigh. Even though he was the one who had brought up the news, Theta was at a loss too. Even an Eighth Circle mage was helpless to stop the destruction of the realm, even if there wasnt a war on.


    -Its one problem after another. The Human Realm is dying


    -This is not the time to fight amongst ourselves. What if we let Hubalt know about this and stop the war first?


    -Hubalt has already begun their invasion, so theres no way the news will stop them. Even if we stop the destruction of our realm, they know perfectly well that theyll be attacked right afterward.


    -Mmm


    The other kings groaned over the conundrum.


    Tower Master!


    Theta and all of the kings turned toward the source of the shout. Because Theta and the crystal balls were in Reinhardts great conference room, the voiceing through the door sounded a lot louder than normal.


    What is it? Didnt I tell you multiple times how important this conference is! Theta yelled in annoyance.


    I-Im sorry. We received a message from the people at Reinhardts south gate


    From Reinhardt? Theta loosened up a bit. Reinhardt was a symbolic city in many ways. Most citizens of the city always said that Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was their only king. As his dear friend, Theta couldnt ignore a message from Reinhardt. In fact, their friendship was the only reason why he was permitted to use the conference room in the first ce.


    Is the messenger already here? Theta asked.


    Umm


    Before the mage could answer, a familiar person pushed his way into the room. It was Kingaitu, the senior knight who was managing the city on behalf of the Martial God.


    It sounds like the conference is almost over, so would that be okay if I step in right now? the knight asked.


    By all means.


    Theta readily ceded the stage and all of the participants turned their attention to Kingaitu.


    Another messenger with a crystal ball arrived at the south gate just now.


    The kings'' eyes widened. A crystal ball sent to another nation, like those Theta had gathered in front of him, was a pipeline directly to the royal family of its country of origin;


    The king of Palentine couldnt hide his excitement.


    -Does that mean one of the three countries has joined?


    No, its not. Kingaitu shook his head.


    -No?


    The messenger is here on behalf of Hubalt, Kingaitu answered.


    The air in the conference room seemed to freeze.

 Side Story Chapter 223

    Side Story Chapter 223


    Everyone waited for the messenger; some of them were anxious, and others were hopeful.


    A woman walked into Reinhardts council chamber, one that the kings recognized immediately. They had to suppress a disappointed sigh.


    -Its Hubalts Ghost Sword.


    -Lilith Aphrodite


    -Well, she must be the one who feels most slighted by the Battle Gods ambitions.


    The kings pitied Lilith, but none of them offered her their help. Each was upied by their own emergency, meaning they couldnt afford to dispatch troops to help LIlith. Even bis was in the same situation, despite the goodwill between them.


    <em>Thran has to prepare for attacks from two empires, Hubalt and Swallow, so our situation is dire</em> bis thought.


    However, his eyes were sparkling brighter than ever because he knew who hade with Lilith. On top of that, bis had recently almost died while helping Avalon. Although hadnt offered his help expecting to receive a reward, certain suspicious activies in Swallow meant that bis would take any help he could get.


    <em>The lives of millions of Thrans citizens depend on me.</em>


    biss urgency was well-founded. After hundreds of attempts over nearly as many years, the people of Swallow and Thran had realized that it was impossible for them to coexist. There was only one possible conclusion for them, then:


    <em>Either wipe out the people of Thran and settle Swallows citizens there, or brainwash Thrans poption.</em>


    They were trying to rewrite the history of Thran. In fact, bis had already discovered Swallow attempting it several times.


    bis focused on the present as Lilith regarded the conference.


    Greetings to the mighty kings.


    Lilith made for Hubalt at maximum speed, but, halfway through her journey, stopped at Reinhardt. With Bel away from the empire, she had the perfect opportunity to turn the tide in her favor. She dyed her grand n for one very important reason.


    Im here to deliver a message from Joshua Sanders, Lord Emperor of Avalon, Lilith informed the conference.


    Everyones jaws dropped to the floor. They had been worrying about what they would say if Lilith actually asked for their help. No one had expected Lilith to be here to deliver the Martial Gods message. Of course, not everyone believed hershe might be so desperate that she was exploiting the Martial Gods name to extract assistance from them


    -Ghost Sword, I know that you and the Emperor of Avalon have been close friends for a long time, but do you expect us to just believe that you have a message from the Martial God?


    The impatient king of the Allied Powers of Palentine ended up asking the question out loud.


    Rather than answering him, Lilith strode toward the table in the center of the chamber andid a crystal ball down.


    -That is?


    The Martial God will speak for himself.


    Everyone focused on the crystal ball in the center.


    -Long time no see, everyone.


    Joshua stood proud in the snow, free from the ice boulder


    A gasp arose from the attendees.


    -Its re-really the Martial God?


    * * *


    Urector helplessly burst intoughter.


    Hahahahahaha!


    The other Martial Knights reactions weren''t any different.


    What? Your brother is going to stab Hubalt in the heart?


    Those insolent! Kerook, enraged by the Martial Knights mockery, was about to fling himself at the enemy.


    However, Selim stopped Kerook and shook his head.


    Its okay, Kerook, he quietly said.


    B-But, Your Highness!


    Ill handle it. You know I need to be the first one to fight.


    Selim jerked his thumb over his shoulder, eliciting a soft groan from Kerook. The nobles watching Selim and the others from atop the walls were there only because of Selim, so he needed to show them that they had made the right choice. Sometimes, putting on a show was necessary.


    Ill give you a chance to end this cleanly! Selim shouted to the Martial Knights.


    What?


    Lets end this with a duel between themanders!


    Urector boggled at him from across the line. A fight betweenmanders? Are you serious?


    Yeah. Im different from your chicken of a leader.


    Chicken? Urectors expression hardened. It didnt take much for the Martial Knights to realize who Selim was talking about, and none of them took kindly to Selims aspersions.


    Are you insulting Sir Bel? Urector asked through gritted teeth.


    Arent I just speaking the truth? Ive been looking for him for a while, but hes nowhere to be seen.


    Shut it! Urector roared. He stamped his foot at Selim hard enough to distort the air. Youre real uppity after he single-handedly devastated your entire capital!


    Am I not remembering something correctly?


    What?


    Didnt Bel high-tail it out of there too? He abandoned all his men and just<em>vanished</em>. Selim shrugged.


    It was technically the truth, and they could not deny it. Every one of the foreign delegates who had witnessed the incident said that Hubalts raid had failed and that the Battle God fled to avoid fighting the Martial God. Of course, Avalon had sustained significant damage from the incident, but it still pushed other countries toward joining the Martial Gods side. The fact that someone who had been missing for decades had reappeared was surprising enough, yet his martial prowess apparently had not diminished.


    Urgh! I have to give it to you: both you and your father are smart asses! Urector howled at the top of his lungs. His energy raged, tearing the space around him.


    Stop, Urector!


    Commander! Let me do it! Im begging you: <em>please</em> let me do it!


    Dont let the Prince get into your head! Theres too many eyes on us right now! the Martial Knightsmander firmly said.


    The main forces of both empires were watching them. Regardless of whether this battle was going to be between the knights or just theirmanders, they all knew that its oue would greatly impact the morale of both armies.


    Im telling you that I can win this! Urector stormed toward Selim, ignoring hismanders orders.


    Urector! the Martial Knightsmander yelled.


    Urector had absolute respect for Bel, the Battle Godmore respect even than his parents and the gods above. To hear that person insulted by a princeling brat...


    Even your father cant talk about Sir Bel like that! Ill rip your tongue out! Urector raged as he charged toward Selim.


    When Urector was around ten meters away, Selim darted forward to meet him. Kerook remained idle, though whether that was because of Selims instructions or because he was too surprised to keep up was unknown.


    Urector and Selim were only five meters away from each other, but since Selim had a spear, Urector was already past Selims attack range.


    <em>Idiot! How stupid is he to let me close in?</em>


    Urectors eyes sparkled. The Martial Knight Order had been founded on admiration of Bel, so every one of the Martial Knights was a closebat expert.


    <em>Hes still a whelp!</em>


    At that moment, Selim suddenly threw his spear high into the air.


    What? Urector mumbled as he watched the spear fly away.


    He didnt get any more time to think about it. His fists shed with Selims, immediately followed by an exchange of strong kicks.


    Ugh! Urector groaned. To his dismay, he was losing ground with every sh. It had to be said that Urectors closebat techniques were far from ordinary; he was using his energy-release ability with each attack, adding incredible power to his exquisite technique.


    <em>What in the world is going on?</em> Urector wondered.


    Do you know what my nickname was when I was a boy? Selim leisurely asked as their battle continued.


    Urector was out of breath, as was only natural during a battle, but he forced himself to answer. It was a matter of prideif a boy could do it, Urector could do it too!


    What?


    Doppelganger.


    Did you just want to brag about how you take after your father? Lucky you having such a cool daddy, Urector sneered.


    Selim shook his head. No, its not because I take after His Majesty. Its because, like right now


    Urector''s eyes widened as the space around Selims fists distorted.


    <em>W-Wait!</em>


    Goosebumps spread down Urectors arms when it became clear that Selim was using closebat techniques uncannily simr to his.


    I can understand the mechanisms behind any type of martial arts and imitate them in real time, Selim exined.


    That just means that you take after your father! Then you must know that Joshua Sanders himself said that an imitation cant beat the real thing!


    Selim smiled wryly. Despite all you said about how the Battle God is the best, you live by the Martial Gods words?


    Urector gritted his teeth. It felt like the longer he talked to Selim, the more Selim was getting into his head. In that case, he was better off staying focused on the battle.


    Youre finished! Urector shouted. He gathered all the mana in his body, reaching so deep that his veins bulged from the effort.


    Selim threw a punch at Urector that had the power to pulverize solid rock.


    In response, Urectors fist hurtled toward Selim.


    You cant win this fight!


    Its toote, Selim quietly said.


    What? Urector''s eyes widened.


    Right before their fists met, Selims spear dropped out of the sky and pierced Urector cleanly through his heart.


    As the light in Urectors eyes rapidly faded, he thought to himself,


    <em>How is this even possible?</em>

 Side Story Chapter 224

    Side Story Chapter 224


    The ice boulder on the snowy mountain in northern Avalon where Joshuas body was trapped was the same as always, but Joshua could still deliver his messagewith Creshuas permission to use his body.


    As the dragon hatchling came from the race of magic, it was a piece of cake for Creshua to deliver Joshuas message even without a special medium like a crystal ball. In addition, Creshua was able to project the images disyed in crystal balls gathered at Reinhardt.


    You dont look too good, Joshuamented.


    -A-Are you talking to us without a crystal ball?


    -No w-way. It looks like hes in the far north, so its impossible tomunicate with us from there without a medium. If that were possible, the Tower Master wouldnt have gone through the trouble of installing crystal balls.


    The basic principle ofmunication spells was that the amount of required mana multiplied as the distance spanned by the connection increased. The same applied when the connection had tost longerand that was why crystal balls were needed.


    It took no less than ten high-ss mages to establish and maintain the links among the kings scattered all over the continent. However, Theta, the only Eighth Circle mage on the continent, was carrying that entire burden on his own.


    Why are you all surprised? Joshua asked with a sly grin.


    -What?


    When is anything impossible for me?


    The conference chamber descended into silence as all of the attendees stared at Joshua, dumbstruck. Theta and bis, Joshuas close acquaintances, were ck-jawed.


    -<em>Ahem, ahem</em>


    -You must be the only one who can say that with a straight face, Your Majesty.


    -Hahahahaha! What? I think its nice. You know, they say that being too humble is condescending.


    -I feel like he could use a little of it right now, though...


    Joshuas attempt to lighten the mood worked quite well. Now that the air had cleared, it was time for him to get serious.


    Why dont you stop weighing your options and make a decision? Joshua asked. The kings went quiet, their attention fully on him. You brought this crisis upon yourselvesall of you. If only youd taken action after Hubalt let its ambitions show or after they started a war in the middle of Avalons capital, things would have gone much different.


    -Your Majesty, about that


    Im not finished.


    The King of Palentine earned a cold look from Joshua for his trouble. Although the king was known to be a sly fox, the sheer weight behind Joshuas gaze held his mouth firmly shut.


    Avalon defeated the Four Pdins on their own and had to deal with the demons and undead right afterward. Since Im sure that all of you have already received the reports, you must be aware of these incidentsbut dont get me wrong; I didnt bring them up to me you. I understand that all of you are rulers who are first and foremost responsible for your people and that you had many factors to consider.


    The kings heaved a collective sigh of relief, but Joshuas next remark immediately put them on alert again.


    And finally, wee to my main point: I would like to inform everyone that, as the other nations of Igrant have decided to survive on their own, my priority shall also be Avalon from now on.


    The ensuing pause was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. The kings had already received reports about how terrifying Bel, the Battle God, was. There were many strong people in their borders, but Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was still the only one in the continent who could stop Bel.


    I was going to share Bels location, but I have no way of knowing that right now; he disappeared from Arcadia long ago.


    Joshua hid the fact that Bel came to the snow mountain in north Avalonhe wasnt technically lying. After sending Bel off with the magic circle which had been prepared in advance, Joshua no longer knew Bels location.


    -D-Does that mean that Bel isnt in Avalon?


    I checked with my border guards weeks ago and confirmed that Bel has returned to Hubalt, so I can tell you with certainty that Bel isnt in Avalon. His current location is unknown.


    -O-Oh, no! Do you have any idea where Bel might be?


    Hmm Joshua stroked his chin and pretended to think with a grim look on his face. Who knows? Considering that Hubalts armies are invading on multiple fronts, Bel might be taking matters into his own hands and destroying weak countries one by one.


    The kings of weaker countries gasped loudly. Their reaction was understandable because they had only one reason to lie low: it wasmon sense that whoever led the war against Hubalt was going to take the most damage. This was also the reason why Bel was bold enough to start a war in the first ce.


    To change the kings current passive stance, extreme measures were neededand Joshua knew exactly how to cajole the kings.


    I did my duty, at least, so I wish the best for all of yournds. This is a world where the survivors are the strong, not where the strong survive. Do your best to endure until the time you rise as a strong nation Joshua let his words hang in the air.


    When it looked like Joshua was about to end themunication, the king of Palentine quickly waved his hands.


    -H-Hold on! Please wait for a moment, Your Majesty. Theres no need to hurry.


    We dont have the time to waste either. Dont you think so? Joshua shrugged.


    -Thats not what I meant You said that we should stop weighing our options and make a choice, didnt you?


    All of the kings eagerly nodded. bis, who had remained a spectator throughout, marveled at the change. With only a few words, Joshua had the continents illustrious rulers wrapped around his finger!


    -Why dont you calm down a bit and advise us on our course of action?


    -I-I agree. To be honest, I wanted to help Avalon all along! But I couldnt endanger my country like


    -I remember the talks weve had about forming an alliance. If we need a more systemic alliance, then theres no better country than Avalon to lead it.


    bis was certain that the alliance was going to be established today in apletely different way than what was originally envisioned. Swallows attendance was no longer an issue because Joshuas presence on the alliances side far outweighed the empires.


    T-Tower Master! A mage rushed into the chamber.


    Theta frowned. What is it now?


    Weve just received an urgent report from our mages in northern Avalon!


    An urgent report?


    Two hours ago, Hubalt and Avalons main armies met in battle! the mage shouted.


    The entire conference stirred in surprise. Theta and the kings gave the messenger their utmost attention.


    S-So? Theta stammered. What happened?


    Before the start of the battle, knights from both sides fought each other to raise their troops morale


    Get to the point.


    Selim Sanders, the First Prince of Avalon, stabbed the enemy in his heart after exchanging only ten attacks! the mage eximed.


    What?


    His opponents identity is yet to be confirmed, but ording to our mages, he was at least a Master


    As the mage continued his report, the kings clenched their fists and let out cheers.


    -Oh! Like father, like son!


    -Indeed! The First Prince is the true heir of the Martial God!


    Joshua heard the report too, naturally. He had to suppress a smile as he spun the situation to his advantage.


    May I ask a favor from all of you? he asked.


    -A favor? What do you mean? Theres no need to be distant among us! As leader of our alliance, you can just order us.


    -Well said! I dont suppose theres anyone who would object to that?


    -I highly doubt it. If there is, theyll have to deal with Hubalts vicious brutes on their own.


    Joshua paid no attention to the kings while he sorted out his thoughts. After giving Iruca a crystal ball that could contact him directly, Iruca had been using it every chance she got. While they had talked like an ordinary father and daughter from time to time, Iruca had also told Joshua about Avalons ns for the war as well as passed him useful information about the activity across the continent. Among the pieces of information she gave him, there was one piece of news that particrly bothered Joshua.


    <em>Kireua is heading to Hubalt only with Cain and Anna bel Grace</em>


    He wasnt sure how big of a force had joined Kireua afterward, but Joshua was worried. When he thought about his sons childhood, Joshua was more worried about Kireua than he was about Selim. Of course, Joshua still trusted Kireua, but...


    <em>To be honest, as his father, I want to help Kireua.</em>


    If youre willing, then I wont mince words: I would like all of you to buy time.


    -Time?


    Yesdraft all your nobles and their armies. Aside from the forces needed to protect your countries, please dispatch everyone to your borders with Hubalt.


    The kings tensed. Joshuas request could only mean only one thing.


    The saying about how the best offense is a good defense is nonsense. I guarantee you that no one in the world would fear a country that doesnt fight back after its attacked. In all the millenia, was there ever a good country who never invaded anothernd? I say: to hell with it. In a war, you have to repay every wound tenfold.

 Side Story Chapter 225

    Side Story Chapter 225


    The conference ended with Avalon selected as the leader of their new alliance. The kings didnt have a choice in the first ce because they were helpless if Bel were to personally attack theirnds.


    -Thank you. I owe you again.


    There is no need for that, Lilith replied to Joshua. I cant use the warp gates in Hubalt, so my best bet to get back to Hubalt is to go through Avalon. Reinhardt conveniently happens to be along the way.


    It was wartime, so, unsurprisingly, the warp gates all across the continent would be heavily guarded. Lilith had no other option than to make her way on foot, even if it took her a long time.


    Anyhow, did you be one with Creshua? Lilith asked. That''s the way it looks.


    -That is correct.


    He can hear us, cant he? Lilith asked.


    Joshua nodded. Even without checking, Joshua knew that Creshua was watchingno, monitoring his every move.


    -The terms of our deal requires me to find the meaning in life for thest dragon in the world.


    The meaning in life for the only survivor of his family How tragic.


    -Dont give me your cheap sympathy based on your puny values, human.


    Was that Creshua just now? Does that mean youre not sad, Creshua? Lilith tilted her head, undeterred by Creshuas snappiness.


    -Of course. Dont you already know that there are no creatures as independent as dragons?


    That was when your family was alive.


    -What?


    I was just like you. When my father was alive, he always told me to act more like a woman, visit home more often, and hold a bouquet instead of a sword. Ah, thatst one means to get married. Anyhow, I really hated hearing my father nagging. A bitter smile crept onto Liliths lips as she spoke; whether it was because she got older or could no longer meet her father no matter how much she wanted to, no one could know.


    Objectively speaking, Lilith was not a good daughter. Shed devoted her entire life to mastering the sword and roamed the continent rather than getting married or tending to her family. She knew that it was said that she should be good to her father while she could, but she hadnt really understood what that meant back then.


    Like most people, Lilith hadnt cared very much before because she could meet her family any time she wanted. She forgot how special they were because she had gotten too used to them being there for her. Unfortunately, time didnt wait for her and her past had left deep scars in her heart.


    Creshua, you and I both lost our father to the same enemy, Lilith said.


    Creshua kept his silence.


    Right after Lilith had been branded as a witch by Hubalt, her father had been locked up in a cold, damp dungeon for raising a witch. He had already been over seventy at that time. Since she hadnt heard any news about him, there was a high chance that he was already


    Ah, Im sorry. Lilith apologized, quickly the tears out of her eyes. I know that you spent a long time with Crevasse, so maybe youll understand what Im saying one day. Dont get me wrong: Im not trying to patronize you. I wouldnt dream of telling a mighty dragon to live like a mere human.


    Lilith forced herself to smile, drawing an irked sigh out of Creshua.


    -Just cry.


    What?


    -I heard that feeling happy, angry, and sad is natural for humans.


    Huh? Lilith gaped nkly at him.


    -I must have been mistaken for a moment. Just continue your conversation with him. Maybe Ive gotten too used to someone who isnt really quite human,


    Liliths face brightened. Youre trying to console me, arent you? Thank you, Creshua.


    -Youre mistaken.


    Despite Creshuas cold reply, Lilith continued to smile. She was surely the first human to beforted by a dragon. If there was such a thing as the afterlife, she had one more story to share with her family.


    -Thank you.


    Its you now, Joshua, right? Lilith asked, just to be sure.


    -Yes, its me. Thank you for doing my job.


    You''re wee. I just sympathized with Creshua for being in the same boat. Lilith chuckled bitterly.


    -Is there any chance that your father is still alive?


    Liliths expression was grim even before she gave it a proper thought. Her life as a fugitive had alreadysted for years. Would an old man in his seventies be able tost that long in a dungeon? No matter how optimistically she framed it, the chances were slimbut she didnt let go of a glimmer of hope.


    Lilith bit her lip. I should get to Hubalt first. Itll take a month at most to get to Hubalts capital from Reinhardt; then Ill know for certain


    -Let mee with you.


    Lilith''s eyes widened. What do you mean? She hadnt expected Joshuas offer at all. You should protect Avalon from here.


    -I think my job here is done. The alliance has been made, so our allies will be arriving here soon. Besides, Selim seems to be filling in for me very nicely.


    But


    -Thats not the only reason. I need to get to Hubalt right now.


    Why? Lilith nkly asked.


    -It looks like my other son is on a mission over there, risking his life. Im worried about him.


    P-Prince Kireua is in Hubalt? Lilith spluttered.


    -Hes going to raid the empires empty house.


    Thats so reckless!


    -Although Im embarrassed to admit it, my children take after me. This mission was devised by my daughter.


    Then theres no time to waste! Lilith immediately picked up the crystal ball and got ready to leave. Seriously, I respect the Queen Consorts more and more! How can their husband and children be such troublemakers!


    -Because good people like you help us out a lot.


    Lilith flinched and then furrowed her brows. Stop saying stuff like that before I tattle to your wives.


    -You misunderstood me.


    Joshua chuckled and raised his hands in surrender.


    * * *


    Were reaching the end of the forest!


    The weary army let out cheers.


    Woooww!


    Their brutal, two-day march had reasserted the ck Monster Forests reputation again and again. Even after killing Jack the Lich, monsters had assaulted them from all directions, forcing the army to kill the monsters over and over. They already had to stop to hold funerals for Jacks victims and to send the survivors back to their homes, so the army was only half the size it had started as.


    Didnt you spare too many people for the survivors? Anna asked with a worried nce at Kireua. I really dont think this is enough to attack Hubalt.


    But I cant let children fall into danger.


    Theyre going back on the path we came though.


    Theres no guarantee that monsters wont attack them on that route. The smaller the group is, the more vulnerable they would look. Arge group will keep the monsters from attacking them at all.


    What a sage ruler you are to think about your people without concern for your own safety, Anna grumbled. She still didnt like the current situation.


    <em>He could take care of himself a little better.</em>


    While Anna grousing to herself, the army was suddenly illuminated.


    Huh? Anna blinked.


    Were out of the forest now.


    The bright light made Anna squint, but her eyes widened in delight as they adjusted.


    Oh


    The trees and humid air in the awful, dreary forest were gone, reced by a grand, picturesquendscape. Anna could see blue sky stretching endlessly above them and the air felt impossibly light. She couldnt believe that she was this d to see an empty in! Anna breathed in and out for a long minute, enjoying the pleasant breeze blowing against her face.


    Were finally in Hubalt, Cain said as he came up to Kireua. Well be able to reach civilization within a day.


    If I could do as I please, Id sleep in afy bed and have proper food before we leave but that isnt an option for us, is it?


    Im afraid not, Your Highness, Cain answered. He was already looking ahead. Considering that the key in their mission was to catch the enemy off guard, the army needed to stay undetected as long as possible so as not to waste the effort it took to cross the forest of death.


    Despite that, the knights eavesdropping on the conversation between Cain and Kireua were quite disappointed.


    Kireua didnt even nce at them.


    <em>Nothing can be done about it,</em> he thought.


    Please secure the shortest route to Hubalts capital, avoiding any cities or viges, Kireua ordered Cain.


    Yes, Your Highness. But do we have a n for when we arrive at the capital? Princess Iruca must have


    We do not.


    We dont? Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    Iruca didnt expect me to get to Hubalts capital.


    Cain stared dumbly at him. Then why in the world did she?


    Dont worry. I have a n.


    If you dont mind me asking, what is the n?


    I remember hearing that His Majesty was in a situation simr to ours right now. I was young when it was told, but it was interesting enough that I still remember it vividly, Kireua exined.


    Cain leaned forward, intrigued.


    Ill call it Copy the Martial God. Kireua grinned.


    Copy the Martial God?


    Kireua nodded. Yes. Were going to use the exact same method that His Majesty used toplete his mission.

 Side Story Chapter 226

    Side Story Chapter 226


    An orgy was taking ce in the pce of Hubalt.


    Your Majesty, please say ahhh~


    As a maid ced a grape in his mouth, Kurz grabbed her breasts.


    Its nice. Hehehe. Kurz chuckled as the maid moaned.


    Over thirty women surrounded the throne, and Kurz was the only man. Kurz continued to lust after women even though he couldnt be sexually active due to his old age. It was hard to imagine that Kurz was once a highly respected cardinal, but he hadtely be very active in expressing his suppressed desires using his tongue and hands.


    <em>Ill have Lilith Aphrodite panting under me someday too.</em> Kurz licked his lip.


    When the time actually came, Kurz was willing to buy Mandragora, the worlds greatest aphrodisiac, even if it cost him millions of gold. No, he probably wouldnt even need to pay for anything because he already had piles of gifts sent by influential nobles around the empire after hed be the new emperor. Although he hadnt gone through all of the offerings, Kurz was certain that many of the gifts would be high-quality aphrodisiacs.


    Your Majesty! Ie bearing urgent news!


    Kurz scowled, irritated that his entertainment had been interrupted.


    <em>Urgent</em> news?


    Our main forces have begun their first battle against Avalon!


    The battle had taken ce a lotter than Kurz had expected, actually. In fact, many of Hubalts other armies had already won their first battles and were marching to the capitals of their assigned countries.


    What exactly about this is so important that I must be interrupted at thiste an hour?


    U-Um


    Kurzs frown deepened as the messenger stammered.


    Hubalt was going to win the war against Avalon regardless since Bel himself had gone to Avalon. However, what the messenger reported next upset all of his expectations.


    Before the main battle, the Martial Knights and the First Prince of Avalons ck Knights


    The Martial Knights themselves fought right from the start? Tsk. Avalons genius must still be crying. Unless the Prince is dead, by any chance?


    It ended in a draw.


    What? A draw? Kurz sprang to his feet. That meant that their forces were equally matched. borate!


    It started with a duel between the Avalon First Prince and Urector, a middling Martial Knight.


    I know Urectorhe lost?


    Yes, and that isnt it. The two orders of knights fought immediately afterward, but, although they learned each others level of skill, it ended with just a draw and the knights had to go back to their camps, the messenger exined.


    Kurz mmed his fist against the throne, unable to hold back his anger. The women, already wary of Kurzs mounting anger, backed away and kept their heads down.


    What about Bel!? Kurz screamed. Are you telling me that the baby prince is as skilled as the Battle God?!


    N-No, Im not. ording to the reports from our sources in Avalon, Sir Bel isnt in Avalon right now.


    Kurzs face contorted. It was just as he had feared. Bel always acted as he pleased without any regard to the hierarchy, even in front of tens of thousands of soldiers. His actions would make the emperor of Hubalt a puppet with no real authority.


    You know Kurz picked up a sheathed sword from beside him, his yellow eyes dripping with murder. This anger of his would be relieved one way or another.


    The women shivered in fear as the sword slid ominously out of its sheath.


    Is Bel my superior? Kurz tilted his head.


    Pardon?


    When you reported to me, you called Bel Sir Bs if hes superior to me.


    The messenger went pale.


    Do you not even know how to properly speak?[1]


    My apologies, Your Majesty! I havemitted an unforgivable sin! The messenger mmed his head against the floor.


    Even though Kurz refused to admit it, everyone in the empire knew that Hubalts true ruler was Bel, the Battle God. Kurz was just Bels puppet, who existed to handle the cumbersome tasks of running an empire. Even so, the messenger had to be careful in front of Kurz himself.


    Kurz slowly approached the messenger, his footsteps echoing through the deathly silent chamber.


    The messenger desperately continued to m his head against the floor. I! It was merely a slip of the tongue, Your Majesty!


    Then you should die for making such a mistake in front of an emperor.


    Y-Your Majesty, please have mercy the messenger stammered.


    When Kurz stood close enough to step on the messenger, he pointed his sword at the pathetically trembling man.


    Do you want to live? Kurz asked.


    The messengers face brightened as soon as he was offered a glimmer of hope.


    I-I may be just a lowly messenger, but I swear Ill live as your dog if you spare me!


    No, no, how can a human be a dog? Kurz shook his head. That is not the destiny that great Hermes granted you.


    The messenger was confused by the sudden mention of Hermes because Kurz frequently said that there were no more gods.


    Tell me about your family, Kurzmanded with a flick of his hand.


    My family?


    Are you going to make me say it twice?


    The poor mans dread grew.


    N-no! I h-have two sisters, the messenger hastily answered.


    The reason behind his desperate attempt to survive was his younger sisters. It had been years since he and his sisters had lost their parents; since then, hed been filling in for their parents. It wouldnt be long until his sisters were old enough to live on their own; until then, the messenger couldnt die on them.


    Is that so? Kurz said, suddenly delighted.


    Anxiety rushed over the messenger, but he kept his head pressed against the floor. He couldnt tell Kurz that he didnt have sisters because a small investigation was all that it would take for Kurz to discover that he had been lying. And then the messengers entire family would be executed for his lie.


    How old are they? Kurz asked.


    Th-Theyre children who dont know anything. Hardly worth your attention


    Is an emperor not supposed to pay attention to his people?


    Kurz looked behind him. The women quickly raised their heads and chimed in.


    Of course not, Your Majesty.


    Im honored to receive your attention despite my lowly status, Your Majesty!


    In contrast to what they said, the women couldnt help but feel sorry for the messenger because they knew better than anyone how much of a pervert Kurz was. Although he wasnt gay, Kurz was a pedophile who enjoyed women regardless of their age.


    Are you going to make me ask twice? Kurz turned back to the messenger and narrowed his eyes.


    The messenger could feel the cold sword against his neck but bit his lip indecisively. If he didnt answer Kurz immediately, he and his sisters would be executed, so the only thing he could do was pray to Hermes that his worries wouldnte true.


    ...One is sixteen years old, and the other is thirteen years old, the messenger finally answered.


    Theyre the perfect ages.


    <em>Ah!</em> The messenger gasped silently after having been proven right.


    Go and bring them here so I can teach them Hermess profound lessons before they get any older Kurz turned away, losing interest in the messengerpletely.


    <em>Maybenow is my chance.</em> The messengers eyes filled with murderous intent.


    It didnt take long for him toe to a decision and charge toward Kurz, screaming.


    Ahhhhhhh!


    Kurzs sword was right in front of himthe messenger was going to take that and then use it to chop off Kurzs head and then kill himself!


    It was over in a sh. The women shut their eyes, blocking out the sight of the messengers head flying through the air. Blood poured out from his neck like a fountain, drenching the luxurious carpet.


    A masked person dropped from the ceiling, protecting Kurz from the shower of blood with their own body.


    Are you okay, Your Majesty?


    The messengers headnded and rolled across the floor. He hadnt even realized what had happenedhis eyes were still burned with anger.


    Tsk, I knew it. He was possessed by a demon. Kurz shook his head and began to walk away, but he suddenly came to a halt, eyebrow raised.


    Out of the blue, he pped the masked person.


    Look at this. Kurz pointed at his chest where a blood drop marred his top like a stain on a nk canvas.


    My apologies.


    God, what a shitty day. Get lost.


    There is a report that I need to deliver, the masked person said.


    What is wrong with today? Kurz snapped. Are you trying to irritate me too?


    ...It sounded too important to ignore. I couldnt leave it to my own judgment.


    Youd better hope that that sounds important to me too.


    The masked person prostrated.


    We have reports of someone resembling Joshua Sanders being sighted in Hubalt.


    Kurz couldnt believe his ears.


    Jo who?


    Im talking about Joshua Sanders, the Martial God and Emperor of Avalon.


    Kurz went utterly still for a moment except for his eyes slowly widening.


    What the fuck are you talking about!?


    1. This is from the Korean honorific system. For example, if the age order is A>B>C and C is talking to A about B, C cant be referring to B in honorifics because that means that A is lesser than B.

 Side Story Chapter 227

    Side Story Chapter 227


    As Hubalt was one of the three empires on the continent, its territory wasrger than other countries by an order of magnitudemeaning that it was quite far from its border to its capital. Even though Kireua and the others had gone through the ck Monster Forest to get to Hubalt, rather than crossing the border, it was still going to take them at least two weeks at least to reach the capital. Every second mattered to Kireua, so he decided to split the group into several teams.


    I would like you to lead the lords and knights, Sir Cain.


    Half of his original army had returned to Avalon with the survivors, but Kireua still had hundreds of people left in his army.


    Do you have something in mind? Cain asked.


    Lets split up. Well disguise ourselves as merchant groups with the lords as the leaders, Kiruea answered.


    Due to the groups size, they were going to attract attention if they all traveled together. There were around five hundred people, so they could roughly divide themselves into ten groups.


    Five hundred or fifty, I dont think our numbers matter. The entire continent is at war right now, so well be under constant scrutiny. Wouldnt it be better to travel in one group instead of dividing our forces? Cain questioned.


    That is precisely why they wont doubt our identity.


    Pardon?


    Arms merchants are the busiest people during a war, Kireua reminded Cain.


    Ah! Cain gasped.


    Kireuas n was to disguise his army as arms merchants. A merchant fulfilling a wartime contract could employ anywhere from a hundred people to as many as a thousand. The problem was, such arge group would be subjected to an identity check eventually. However, there were many renowned public figures in the army right now. Maybe Hubalt would offer to put a protection detail on a merchant groupCain was getting ready for a possible battle.


    On the other hand, small groups of merchants who only aimed for modest gains from an ongoing war would not be subject to the same level of scrutiny.


    No one will care about some arms merchants who deal with a handful of weapons. Besides, were going to throw in some bait too.


    So thats why you disguised as His Majesty, Cain muttered.


    Kireua looked totally different from before. Since he was Joshuas son, all it took for Kireua to look like Joshua was dying his hair ck and mimicking Joshuas expressions. Kireua didnt even have to use a Reipon, the artifact developed by Iceline.


    I understand how you changed your hair color, but what about your eyes? Cain asked.


    Its because of my demonic power. Ever since I started using ebon mes, I can change my eye color at will.


    I see.


    Anyhow, Ill travel with Anna like this. With the Martial God himself wandering around in Hubalt, theyll have to pay attention. Theyll probably send all of their avable forces at me.


    Cain nodded in agreement. That was far different from how the empire would regard a few small groups of merchants. One person. The entire empire was going to be upied by one personit was none other than Joshua Sanders the Martial God, after all.


    Using yourself as bait Its a good idea <em>if</em> yourepetent enough, Anna murmured.


    Youre going to y an important role in this operation. Can I trust you with His Highness, Anna bel Grace? Cain asked.


    Im just an assistant for this. Kireuano, His Highness is the key here. Well, you can trust me. When Im with him, I can guarantee a speedy trip.


    With Annas wind spirit, she and Kireua could reach Hubalts capital long before the rest of the army. Knowing that, Cain nodded despite his other concerns.


    Although I dont like the idea of cing such a burden on your shoulders, I do think its the best possible n, Your Highness.


    Indeedbesides, I need to prove myself, Kireua said. He pointed at the group of people who were watching them with worried eyes. Ill use this as a chance to show them Im the Martial Gods son. I dont want to lose to Selim.


    You said that youre going to use the same n that His Majesty used to solve his crisis when he was young?


    Yes; the operation is named, Lure enemies to the east and attack in the west.


    Theres a saying for that in the eastern continent.[1]


    Kireua nodded. He was determined to recreate how the Emperor of Avalon had used his doppelganger to confuse his enemies in the past.


    Lets split up the group first, Kireua said.


    This was three days before Kurzs extravagantly indulgent party in the Hubalt Pce.


    <em></em> *


    Standing on a pleasantly windy hill in Hubalt, Anna asked, How do you feel about looking at the heart of the enemy?


    Kireua looked forward without answering her. It was still far away, but the hill gave him a full view of Hubalts capital.


    Of course, there was no way that this kind of ce would be unguarded.


    Itll take days before the rest of the army arrives. Arent you going overboard? Anna nced back at the heap of unconscious soldiers behind them. There were at least two hundred of them, but Kireua had dealt with most of them on his own.


    You seem to have gotten stronger after your buddy left.


    That buddy said that Im already strong without it, Kireua bitterly replied.


    The mention of Coal stirred anxiety in Kireua. Hubalt wasnt their only problem. Even if Kireua could put an end to their ambitions, the Human Realm was already falling. The Emperor of Avalon had sacrificed decades of his life to protect this world and yet it was dying. As his son and an inhabitant of Igrant, Kireua couldnt let that happen.


    Over there!


    A soldier came running up the hill, shouting. It seemed some more soldiers had realized that something was wrong.


    Its r-really the Martial God?


    A-Ah, fuck. Its Joshua Sanders. Its really Joshua Sanders!


    The new soldiers went through a simr emotional process as the unconscious guards as soon as they saw Kireua. First was shock, and second was anger. Soon enough, those soldiers would experience thest stage, despair..


    We should report to His Majesty!


    A mage pulled out a crystal ball, only to be immediately decapitated by an aura strike from dozens of meters away.


    Si-Sir Edin!


    How dare he!


    The remaining soldiers flew into a rage upon seeing their colleague die. However, none of them dared to make a move because fear overwhelmed their anger. Even if they were from a country that was far from Avalon, these soldiers had heard many tales about the Martial God.


    W-Wait. Does the Martial God use a sword? a quiet voice wondered.


    C-Come to think of it?


    Joshua Sanders favors a spear. Why is he using a sword?


    Is he fake?


    The soldiers got a trace of courage backbut, naturally, Kireua wasnt going to just stand around and watch them. He took a single step forward and the soldiers quailed.


    Do I have a reason to use a spear when Im just dealing with you people? Kireua tilted his head.


    The soldiers couldnt help but think that there were only two people on the continent who could be that arrogant in front of hundreds of soldiers.


    D-Dont be discouraged! Its just one person! One person! their leader shrieked.


    However, his efforts were in vain because the soldiers were overpowered by fearand Kireua wasnt stupid enough to miss that chance.


    Kireua disappeared and in the blink of an eye, was right in front of the leader.


    What?


    That was hisst word. Whatever else he was going to say went flying into the air along with the blood pouring out the stump of his neck.


    S-Stop him! Stop the Martial God!


    Perhaps the soldiers could have held onto theirst scraps of morale if the soldier had called Kireua an enemy'' instead of the Martial God. But that was just an idle thought as Kireua swung his sword once again. Most of these soldiers were justmon infantry and were so terrified that they couldnt even use their full power. They were helpless before Kireua.


    Hmm Anna hemmed and hawed as she watched Kireua tear through Hubalts troops like a wolf going through a herd of sheep for a long time. Did he change? He seems like hes gotten <em>too</em> merciless


    Of course, Anna wasnt worried; if anything, she thought that it was good news. A tyrant was better than a weak-hearted sage in troubled times. A gentle ruler would struggle with indecision at every difficult moment. That kind of ruler was unneeded in the current world. What the people of Avalon needed right now was a monarch who would rule with an iron fist, protecting them from experiencing the same tragedy.


    Now he looks like an emperor. Hes more than capable of defeating that ridiculous older brother of his, Anna muttered to herself.


    Kireua ambled back over to Anna, covered in blood.


    Anna opened her arms to him and smiled from ear to ear, thinking the current Kireua was her type.


    Well done, Your Highness. Anna chuckled.


    1. The raw is (), which means the same as the operation title.

 Side Story Chapter 228

    Side Story Chapter 228


    A suffocating silence fell upon the pce. Kurz sat on his throne looking more serious than ever, which dampened the mood in the chamber. His subjects couldnt say a word. All they could do was wait.


    Count Ericaz has arrived, Your Majesty!


    This announcement was whator rather, whoeveryone had been waiting for.


    Let him in, Kurz quietlymanded.


    A middle-aged man immediately entered the chamber and prostrated himself before Kurz. Greetings to Your Majesty!


    Wee, Count Ericaz.


    Due to the urgency of the situation, Ill get right into my report.


    Kurz nodded obligingly. In fact, he was having trouble enjoying his entertainment because of the issue at hand.


    I was nning to investigate the matter more thoroughly and deliver a better report


    Alright, get to the point.


    Yes, Your Majesty. A week ago, a man we presume to be Joshua Sanders was sighted in Hubalt. Adran mobilized all of their agents to track him down and located him this morning.


    Adran was Hubalts national intelligence agency, led by Ericaz.


    A team of fifty agents was sent in first, but they were eliminated. Ericaz pursed his lips.


    Some of Kurzs subjects couldnt hold back a frightened groan.


    Does that mean that Joshua Sanders is really in Hubalt? one of the subjects asked, unable to contain his anxiety.


    The man was next witnessed in Neort, Ericaz continued, ignoring the noble.


    N-Neort!


    The nobles gasped. Neort was one of the closest cities to Hubalts capitalit only took half a day at most to reach the capital from there.


    The second team of agents worked together with Neorts guards, who were already on alert, and attacked the man with a group of two hundred and fifty people But they were also wiped out, Ericaz bitterly informed Kurz.


    The nobles gasped again.


    Fortunately, we were able to get something out of this encounter. Ericaz crawled on his knees toward Kurz and politely held up a recording crystal ball that contained the footage of the second encounter.


    Turn it on. Kurz gestured at Ericaz.


    Yes, Your Majesty. With Kurzs permission, Ericzaz infused his mana into the crystal ball.


    The footage it disyed in the air was a shocking sight.


    A noble pped his hand over his mouth in shock. I-Its real! he whispered.


    A man and a woman stood in the center of the image, but the woman didnt move at all; the man dealt with Hubalts team alone. At the distance the footage had been recorded from, it was hard to discern the mans exact appearance, but he had ck hair and eyes, which were umon traits, and his good looks shone through. There was only one man who was that handsome and that skillful.


    Joshua Sanders! Kurz mmed his fist into the arm of his throne as he sprang to his feet.


    He trembled, but no one could maintain theirposure when they knew that the Martial God wasing after their life. Bel was the only one who stood a chance against the Martial God, but he wasnt even in Hubalt right now.


    After all that talk about leaving the Martial God to him! Kurz gritted his teeth.


    It was useless to me Bel right now, thoughKurz had toe up with a solution right now.


    Hear me! The pce will be ced under maximum security! Your private soldiers will assist! Send all your avable troops to the Pce. Were talking about Joshua Sanders! Kurz shouted.


    Yes, Your Majesty!


    He can assassinate anyone here if he wants to, so all of you should stay in the pce for the time being!


    Kurz was very clever when it came to manipting situations like this. The nobles were as scared as he was, so even if Kurz ordered them to send all of their troops to protect him, they would leave their elites with their families and send only the remainder to the pceunless the nobles were in the pce too.


    And Ericaz!


    Im listening, Your Majesty!


    You lead our spies, so tell me. Can we stop Joshua Sanders?


    Ericaz had to carefully consider his answer. There was no need to bluff right now since they were dealing with Joshua Sanders, the strongest man on the continent.


    Frankly I believe that no one can stop Joshua Sanders if he puts his mind to infiltrating the pce.


    Ah


    Some of the nobles let out sighs, while Kurzs his face crumpled. However he had already expected that answer since Bel and the Martial Knights, Hubalts best knights, were both away right now.


    But! Ericaz looked at the other nobles. If we can use the remaining pdins it might just be possible to stop Joshua even if its impossible to capture him or kill him.


    Everyone knew who he was referring to.


    Are you talking about those people who defied His Majesty? The ones in the dungeon? Will they listen to orders?


    Ericaz shook his head. Its not just them. No, I assure you that they arent enough to stop Joshua Sanders.


    What?


    We need all the pdins who were incarcerated when Lilith Aphrodite was proimed a witch, Ericaz dered.


    The nobles stared at him, stunned. The pdins that Ericaz was talking about had been locked up for several years. Most of the nobles didnt know whether those pdins were even still alive or not.


    They havent given up on their lives, and theyre the only ones who can stop Joshua Sanders, Ericaz maintained.


    But theyve been imprisoned for such a long time. Even if we can persuade them, would they have any strength left to fight?


    Ericaz shook his head again. When it came to fighting against Joshua Sanders, nobody in Hubalt could possibly stand up to the Martial God, so they had to take a different approach.


    As all of you know, the pdins kept in the second underground floor are the first-generation pdinsthose from the time before Bel. Theyre well acquainted with Joshua Sanders, especially Christian, the White Lion, Ericaz exined.


    Ch-Christian the White Lion? Is he still alive?


    Yes. Most of them died out of old age or illness, but Christian and some of the first-generation pdins are still alive. Ive seen them myself.


    Oh


    The nobles began to realize what Ericazs n was.


    Ericaz turned to Kurz. With your permission, Ill try persuading them.


    However, Kurz didnt like the n because he was ufortable with many of the people kept in the second underground floor. Although it had been a long time since they hadst seen the light of day, those people could cause real trouble if they were able to instigate the masses.


    Mmm


    It didnt take long for Kurz to


    Y-Your Majesty! The head butler burst through the doors, shouting at the top of his lungs.


    Some of the nobles tried to snap at the butler for his tant transgression, but the butlers next words sent them into just as much of a panic.


    O-Outside the capital! Weve received a report that the Martial God has shown up on the outskirts of the capital!


    <em></em> *


    While Kurz was agonizing about the threat outside the capital, another one was sneaking inside.


    Your identity checks out, Miss Rilka.


    Thank you.


    Rilka, a C-ss mercenary, received her identification badge from the guard stationed at the east gate, and then looked around. She looked nothing like her real selfLilith Aphroditebecause she had used the Reipon she had received from Iceline, her friend and the Queen Consort of Avalon. It had taken her a very long time, but Lilith had finally returned to Hubalts capital, where she had been born and raised.


    <em>Security is tighter than usual, and the guards seem unsettled for some reason Did something happen?</em>


    Lilith stopped looking around and walked past the guards. She would have to be on alert from now on and avoid attracting any attention. The check that Lilith had just gone through was supposed to be thest needed to enter the capital, but there were several more stages now. In fact, a group of knights in full silver armor was blocking the road.


    Halt! One of the knights stepped in front of Lilith.


    Lilith presented her identification badge again. Everything was going smoothly until she saw the man who seemed to be the leader. Lilith knew who the man was.


    <em>Count Ericaz? Why is he here?</em>


    A count was working as a mere guard. Among other less relevant titles, Ericaz was one of the most influential nobles in Hubalt and was responsible for leading the empires intelligence agency.


    Lilith carefully tried to maintain herposure as she walked past Ericaz.


    The knight didnt notice anything and was going to let her pass when Ericaz suddenly raised his hand.


    Wait.


    Lilith flinched and the knight immediately stopped her.


    Hmmm Ericaz peered Lilith.


    Is there a problem? Lilith asked nonchntly.


    Ericaz looked her up and down several times, tilting his head this way and that. Youre definitely her Why in the world did youe here?


    As if that was a signal, dozens of knights drew their swords and surrounded Lilith.


    Something had gone wrong for sure, but Lilith held herself back.


    <em>He might be feeling me out</em>


    Lilith held her head high. Whats going on right now? What did I do


    Unfortunately, Liliths act was futile.


    Must you insist on feigning innocence, Lilith Aphrodite?


    Ericaz smiled crookedly, putting an end to any hopes of sneaking into the city.


    <em>Ive been made!</em>

 Side Story Chapter 229

    Side Story Chapter 229


    Despite the report that the Martial God had appeared on the outskirts of Hubalts capital, Count Ericaz didnt bother to go out and search for him. It was obvious that the Martial Gods goal was the pce, and that it wasmon knowledge that maintaining defense was more advantageous than attacking first.


    That was why Ericaz had been waiting and preparing himself in every way he could think of. To enter the capital, the Martial God would have to pass through one of the four gates around the capital, so Ericaz put extra security on them. However, Ericazs measures yielded an unexpected jackpot.


    Im really not sure what youre talking about Lilith eyed the knights surrounding herand Ericaz, behind themwarily.


    Well, you were busy running away after being branded a witch, so I guess you wouldnt know how I, a mere baron, became a count and the leader of Adran. Ericazs eyes gleamed with golden light and a faint form flickered behind him.


    <em>He has an authority!</em> Lilith cautiously reached for her sword.


    After gods had been annihted, their abilities had manifested in people of the Human Realm. Truth-seeing eyes could certainly be among them.


    Lady Sersiarin of Avalon is known for her Eyes of Truth. No ttery or lies work on her, but those with the Eyes always die young. Such is why it became known as a gods curse, Ericaz said.


    Lilith already knew that. The only reason Sersiarin was able to ovee her tragic fate was Joshua, her cousin, who had brought her the cure for her curse.


    The original owner of the Eyes of Truth was Zephyon, the Light Godand he resides within me right now.


    Ericaz smiled crookedly.


    Lilith quickly drew her sword and released her radiant aura.


    Aura de! the knights eximed. Liliths Aura de was perfect. She used to be called Hubalts best genius and a swordswoman who had surmounted her limits. She even had the title of Ghost Sword thanks to her surreal proficiency with the sword.


    Were facing the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword! Dont let your guard down and dont hold anything back! Ericaz shouted.


    Yes sir!


    The knights quickly got into a formation obviously constructed to kill one person. All of the knights in Hubalt were used to fighting together against one person because all of them had sparred with Bel. When no one could be his match in a one-on-one battle, Bel had fought hundreds of knights at once, much like the Martial God, eventually earning him the title of Battle God.


    I can guarantee your life if you surrender right now, considering that His Majesty takes pity on you, Ericaz generously offered.


    Goosebumps ran down Liliths arms. Ever since she had been a little girl, her skin crawled whenever Kurz looked at her. Shed heard about Cardinal Kurz bing the new emperor of Hubalt, but Kurz was just an old sex maniac. He was thest man who should be sitting on the throne of the Holy Empire.


    Bring it onif you think you can win, Lilith snapped.


    Arrogant wretch. Ericaz didnt have much hope of Lilith surrendering in the first ce because if Lilith had been that weak-willed, she wouldnt have been able to avoid her pursuers for so long. Get her!


    More than a dozen knights unleashed their aura at once.


    Two of the knights delivered the first attacks from the left and the right. Lilith simply blocked the attacks with one horizontal swing, but the knights were only getting started.


    Next came attacks from four directions: from the front, a sword was aiming for Liliths head, while one knight went for her right shoulder and another for her left thigh; the fourth knight wasing at her from behind.


    Lilith knew how their attack formation worked. It started with two attacks and was followed by four attacks. Even if Lilith sessfully blocked the four attacks, they would be followed up by eight more knights eyeing her vital points. The key to this formation was confusing the target with an endless barrage of attacks. However, these knights overlooked one thing: because of the narrow space they were in, there was a limit to how many knights could attack Lilith at once.


    <em>Right now its thirteenno, fourteen knights at most, </em>Lilith analyzed.


    To the attacking knights surprise, Lilith parried all eight swords that were swinging at her in a jaw-droppingly quick flurry of movement.


    Dont let her get to you! Group four, attack! Ericaz screamed.


    As Lilith had expected, fourteen of the knights attacked her from all directions. Four of them leaped high into the air and thrust their swords downward. Eight of the knights moved to sh every part of Liliths body as two more knights leaned close to the ground as if they were crawling and went after her legs.


    <em>Absolute Zero: Falling Winter Wind.</em>


    Lilith used her ultimate technique for the first time. The fourteen knights'' eyes widened in astonishment because Lilith had suddenly driven her sword into the ground. It looked like a suicidal move. Only someone who had given up on fighting entirely would do such a thing.


    Oh, no! Ericazs jaw dropped to the ground. He had to capture Lilith unscathed! If she were to be injured, Ericaz would suffer Kurzs displeasure. Did she know? Was that why she was doing it?


    W-Wait!


    Ericaz was about to stop the knights, but it turned out that he was worried for nothing.


    An extremely cold gust of wind blew right against Ericazs face. It was so cold that his grimacing teeth chattered. Only by shielding himself with his aura could he feel a little warmer, but what he saw when he finally turned his attention back to the battle left him speechless. A pir of ice easily over ten meters tall encased Ericazs knights.


    An old tiger is still a tiger, huh? Ericaz muttered, teeth gritted, once hed managed to gather his wits.


    Liliths one attack had taken out all twenty of Ericazs knights who had been fighting her. Despite what she had done, Lilith looked like she could still continue fighting.


    I have no other choice Ericaz concluded. He whipped around. There was only one group of people who could go take on Lilith. Pdins with authorities! Come forward! The Battle Gods First Apostle Battalion!


    The Battle Gods apostle battalion? Lilith looked away from the knights, who were still staring at their frozen colleagues in shock, and tilted her head in confusion. It was her first time hearing the name.


    When she realized who it referred to, her eyes widened, dumbstruck.


    Y-Youre


    I never expected us to meet again like this.


    When Lilith heard that Ericaz was bringing in pdins with authorities, she hadnt really been worriedbut when she saw the familiar figures emerge, she couldnt maintain herposure.


    <em>Theyre the pdins who may have officially stayed neutral but supported Father until the end!</em>


    Liliths lip trembled. Although those pdins were technically traitors, she knew and understood the inevitability of their actions. Not many people could protect their principles when their lives and families were threatened.


    Im truly ashamed to stand in front of you, Ghost Sword But I believe you will understand our decision.


    Ericaz saw Lilith wracked by internal conflict and burst intoughter.


    Hahahaha! A reunion between former colleagues. Hubalt calls them second-generation pdins. Even though it took them a while, they came to their senses. Theyre the empires most loyal subjects now.


    Lilith bit her lip; she knew that those pdins were on a totally different level than the knights she had just rid herself of. Above all, she couldnt bring herself to attack those pdins.


    Coward! Fight me yourself! Ill fight you with one arm tied behind my back! Lilith yelled.


    Why should I? Ericaz sneered shamelessly. Why should a leader step in when he has such great subordinates?


    Trash!


    How about this? You can swear your loyalty to His Majesty, as deserved of the empires glorious ruler. Of course, youll have to hold something else instead of a sword. Ericaz snickered.


    It was obvious what Ericaz meant and the knights eagerly followed their leadernot something one would expect from Holy Empire. The second-generation pdins, however, kept their silence, much to Ericazs irritation.


    What are you doing?! he shouted at the pdins. Capture her right now!


    Im sorry.


    The second-generation pdins slowly advanced toward Lilith. Each step they took made Liliths face darken and Ericazs crooked smile grow.


    Then things took an unexpected turn.


    Are you having fun?


    What? Ericaz grunted.


    Which was hisst word in this life.


    Ericazs head was neatly cut off, followed shortly by a fountain of blood pouring out of his headless corpse. His eyes were still wide open as his head slowly rolled across the ground.


    For a moment, everyone was too shocked to react.


    H-How? Lilith''s incredulous eyes beheld the back of a familiar person who absolutely should not have been there right now.


    Joshua?

 Side Story Chapter 230

    Side Story Chapter 230


    <em>No, its not Joshua,</em> Lilith quickly realized as she regained herposure. She knew because of the time they had spent together as oneno, even if it werent for the time, there was no way she wouldnt recognize Joshua. The man in front of her may resemble Joshua, but wasnt actually him. If so


    <em>A doppelganger?</em> Lilith wondered.


    It was quite a usible spection. It wouldnt be the first time Joshuas doppelganger showed up, but Joshua had eliminated that monster when the doppelganger had be one with the Demon Spirit and thereby endanger the entire continent.


    -Its me, Kireua.


    Lilith''s eyes widened.<em> Oh my goodness. Its Prince Kireua?</em>


    She had once believed that Selim, the First Prince, was a perfect replica of Joshua, but now she saw that the same went for Kireua. Kireuas disguise fooled even her for a moment.


    -Get inside and leave the rest to me. You have a job to do, dont you?


    Although Lilith had a lot of questions, she didnt have time to ask them. Knights across the city had sensed that something was wrong and more of them were arriving on site by the minutebut could she really leave Kireua like this?


    Kireua unleashed an immense amount of mana, signaling Lilith to go.


    -Ill trust you with this. Lets talk more afterward. Its a promise, okay?


    -Okay.


    Kireua fixed his grip on his spear with a smile on his face. Even though he usually favored using a sword, today Kireua had turned to the weapon that Joshua had made famous.


    He then turned to Hubalts knights and narrowed his eyes.


    Ill give you a chance to surrender.


    Already reeling from the shock of Joshuas sudden appearance, Kireuas warning hit the knights like a punch in the gut. Even Lilith flinched as she was turning around.


    My goal is to slit the throats of Hubalts new tyrant and the Battle God, Kireua went on.


    The pdins exchanged nces. Ericaz, their leader, was dead, so they needed someone else to lead them.


    A man who seemed to be the most senior pdin stepped forward.


    Martial God, Ive heard a lot about you. How can you be so disrespectful as toe all the way to our country and speak of how youll slit the throat of our emperor?


    I think youre the disrespectful ones here. Kireua released stronger murderous energy.


    The pdins hands clenched around the hilts of their swords. Kireua was disappointed that hed only managed to put them on edgethe Emperor of Avalon would have begun by overpowering them with his energy and bringing them to their knees.


    Bel is just a war criminal who is responsible for starting the Second Continental War. I should not have to detail the crimes of Cardinal Kurz, who vited his priestly oaths and stole the imperial throne.


    Youre just an outsider, so its none of your concern. Dont you realize that youre interfering with the internal affairs of another country?


    Interfering with internal affairs Kireua chuckled. These people were truly shameless. How could they say such things without even blinking when they instigated a war against the entire continent? Even if they had only been protecting their homnd, they were no different from any other invaders.


    <em>If His Majesty were me right now, he would have begun by turning everything upside down, </em>Kireua thought.


    Based on a lifetime of idolization, Kiruea knew exactly what the Emperor of Avalon would have done, and he immediately put it into action.


    Kireua''s spear snapped down to point at the pdins. They let out a gasp of surprise and unwittingly staggered backward, overwhelmed by the presence of the Martial God.


    ...whats wrong with that? Kireua tilted his head.


    Wh-What?


    Im just doing what your oh-so-honorable Battle God would have done, Kireua scoffed.


    The Battle God always talked about how the strong should take everything. Since these pdins were from Hubalt, there was no way they didnt understand what Kireua was talking about.


    I heard enough of your whining. Your only two choices right now are to stand down or die by my spear.


    D-Do you think you can defeat all of us on your own?


    While Kireua had been talking, more soldiers and knights had arrived at the site; by now there were over a thousand of them.


    Have you forgotten who I am? Kireua smirked. If youve forgotten because its been too long let me tell you again.


    The man who had fought an army a million strong, the savior of the continent, the first god-yer, the Martial God


    At this moment, Kireua was his father.


    I am Joshua Sanders.


    Some of the knights felt a chill run down their spine, and the soldiers legs were visibly trembling.


    S-Sir Merang. Several pdins quickly came forward and whispered to their ad-hoc leader.


    I really dont think its a good idea to go up against the Martial God right now, one hissed.


    Hes right. Well be exterminated in no time.


    Its only been just over two decades since the Martial God brought down Hubalt. I cant begin to fathom how much stronger the Martial God has gotten by now, another pdin said. Joshuas triumph over Zactor, the Martial Emperor, and the rest of the Hubalt Empire, had not been forgotten.


    Merang scowled at the pdin. Are you suggesting that we give up without a fight?


    The term strategic retreat exists for a good reason. More importantly, Bel isnt here. If the Martial God can cut off the emperors head and take care of the Battle God so much the better for us.


    The one thing that Kireua hadnt expected was that although it was still insane to attack Hubalts capital with a small group of people, many people in Hubalt didnt agree with what the empire was doing right now. In the end, Kireuas deration was the trigger that set off the people.


    However, Merang shook his head without a second of hesitation. You should be ashamed of yourselves! We already swore our loyalty to the Imperial Family, even if we didnt mean it, and the Martial God is stronger than the Battle God.


    But just like you said, we didnt mean it.


    I suppose that makes everything okay for you, but not for me. Instead of pathetically surviving by changing sides, Ill just die when the timees, Merang boldly dered.


    His uprightness left the other pdins speechless. His voice was loud enough that Kireua could hear their entire conversation too; even Lilith, who couldnt bring herself to leave, smiled faintly.


    <em>Hubalts future is not so dark after all,</em> Kireua thoughtalthough this was not the result he had been hoping for.


    However, fortune saw fit to bless him this day. A horse-mounted messenger came galloping out of the city at full tilt.


    I-I have urgent neeeews!


    Kireuas eyes sparkled as he realized that the moment he had been waiting for hade. The truth was, his whole act had been to buy time for this moment.


    Five regions near the capital are under attack! the messenger continued.


    What? What in the world are you talking about?


    I-Its Avalon! Avalons army is here! Weve confirmed Cain de Harry is with them!


    The pdins jaws dropped to the ground so hard they nearly fell over.


    What the hell have our border guards been doing if Avalon is here!?


    Weve checked with the border guards, and they said its likely that Avalons forces didnt cross the border, the messenger quickly exined.


    What is that supposed to mean?


    U-Umm I know its hard to believe, but its believed that they traveled through the ck Monster Forest to infiltrate the empire.


    The ck Monster Forest? Impossible! Merang gasped.


    Kireua mmed the ground with the end of his spear, a measure of mana lending it additional gravity. The tremor immediately drew the pdins attention back to Kireua.


    So the rumors that Hubalts new emperor is a coward are true, huh? His first move after hearing the news was to bring all the troops he could get his hands on to protect the capital, wasnt it?


    Kireua had arrived at Hubalts capital a few days before Cain and the others, so he knew everything that was happening inside and outside of the capital. As expected, the pdins couldnt retort.


    Its decided then. Kireua turned away.


    Wh-What is decided? Merang quickly shouted, bewildered.  Where do you think youre going?


    Isnt it good for you if I leave right now?


    G-Good for us?


    Kireua nced back at them. Or do you really want to fight me? he quietly asked.


    Merang went silent. Standing where he wouldnt be able to see them, some of the pdins desperately shook their heads.


    I dont have a hobby of picking on the weak, Kireua remarked as he began to walk away.


    Merang bit his lip in frustration, but most of the pdins heaved a sigh of relief; they all knew how skilled the Martial God was.


    Most people here right now must have no choice but to follow orders anyway.


    Stop! Merang shouted. Even if youre right and even if I must die here, I cant let you go!


    If you valued your life so little, you could have stood up to Bel and your tyrant from the start.


    Every word struck Merang right where it hurt most. He didnt think that he would get anywhere with words, so he infused his mana into his sword.


    Fight me right now, Joshua Sanders!


    I told you that I dont like picking on the weak. If youre that eager to fight me Kireua trailed off into a wide smile. ...youre more than wee to follow me.


    ...Follow you?


    Im going to join my people and conquer the nearby regions one by one. Tell your emperor to stay at home like the coward he is. Meanwhile, Ill save the people of this empire on the behalf of your missing gods.


    Kireua leaped high into the air, brooking no more questions.

 Side Story Chapter 231

    Side Story Chapter 231


    <em>Hes a great talker, just like his dad,</em> Lilith eximed.


    Despite the danger, Lilith couldnt just leave her dear friends son alone, so she had been watching from nearby. However, things went impressively well for Kireua, especially when he acted as boldly as if he were Joshua himself.


    <em>I thought he wasnt good with the spear. People might realize who he really is!</em>


    Because Hubalt was her homnd, Lilith was intimately familiar with its military capabilities. Those second-generation pdins were some of the strongest people in the Great Temple, which was why Kurz had been trying hard to make them join his side after hed be the emperor.


    With her thoughts on the pdins, Lilith couldnt help but wonder, <em>Could the first-generation pdins still be alive?</em>


    In contrast to the second-generation pdins, who had caved once their families had been taken hostage, Christian the White Lion and the other first-generation pdins remained defiant until the end and had been locked up in the dungeon for over a decade.


    Father Lilith muttered, turning away.


    It looked like she didnt need to worry about Kireua too much. Even from her perspective, Kireuas n was great. Using the Martial God as bait, he would lure away the remaining forces in the capital so he could attack somewhere else!


    Kurz would be bewildered. Based on what he had heard about the Martial God, Kurz must have thought that the Martial God was going to crush everyone in his way and then take down the capital instead of resorting to tactics.


    <em>This is the difference between him and Joshua.</em>


    It wasnt a bad thing. In fact, Kireuas current strategy was more Liliths style than what Joshua would do. With the Martial God on their side, any kind of n was possible, but a n was necessary if no such individual was presentand most countries didnt have a Joshua Sanders of their own.


    But Lilith was gravely mistaken on one point.


    Stop right there, Joshua Sanders!


    Kireua ignored the shouts as he leaped across the rooftops. Although he was heading to the outskirts of the capital, Kireua couldnt stop from looking back at the pce.


    <em>Once this n isplete, the war will instantly turn in our favor.</em>


    Kireua broke through the encirclement with his eyes gleaming.


    The first stage of the n had beenpleted; now it was time to move on to the second stage.


    <em></em> *


    It had already been over a month since the battle began between Hubalt and Avalon in northern Avalon. Avalons forces were holding out quite well against the incredible quantity and quality of Hubalts army.


    The main reason behind this resistance was Selim and his ck Knights. Most of Avalons nobles were already deeply moved by Selim Sanders. His martial prowess, his ability to lead his people everything about him was perfect. What Selim did after the end of every battle was the most impressive. Humans couldnt fight around the clock, so a war was a series of battles that paused and resumed over and over again. During the short breaks between the grueling hours of battle, Selim would walk around the camp to cheer up the soldiers even though he was surely the most tired of them all.


    <em>Lets hold on a little longer.</em>


    <em>The ck Knights and I will fight with you on the front lines.</em>


    <em>Thank you for staying with me through this war. Avalon will never forget about your noble sacrifices.</em>


    <em>Now, lets go out and fight for our families. I know its hard, but pick up your weapons. Were the only ones standing between our dear families and those invaders.</em>


    If amander who only delivered orders from the safety of the rear were to say such words, the troops wouldnt have been nearly so moved by them. However, Selim had fought the enemies on the front lines; he was a man of his word.


    And for that the ck Knights had suffered the most damage among Avalons knights. Half. Half of them had lost their lives or been injured seriously enough that they were unable to fight anymore. That was because the Hubalt forces also sent the Martial Knights to the thick of the battle. The Martial Knights truly lived up to the reputation of the strongest knights in Igrant.


    Selim, Iruca said.


    They were on a break right now, so Selim had been tending to his knights. Selim looked up when he heard his sisters voice. His umted fatigue was in for her to see.


    I have good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first? Iruca asked.


    Selim nced behind him. Although they were pretending not to hear anything, the remaining ck Knights were paying close attention to their conversation.


    Lets start with the good one.


    Iruca also noticed the knights low spirits, so she nodded. The allied countries reserved forces will execute a synchronized attack on Hubalt in a week''s time.


    Which means


    Weve let Hubalt bully us long enough. Its time to retaliate..


    The ck Knights burst into cheers.


    Its all thanks to His Majesty taking matters into his own hands.


    Have you heard any news from him? Selim asked.


    No, I havent. Were on our own.


    Selim stood up. He wasnt nning on relying on the Emperor of Avalon at all in the first ce. It was just that Selim wanted to ask for the emperors advicehe had to know if there was a way to win and minimize his peoples casualties.


    Iruca noticed.


    Its meaningless, she told him. I know that if His Majesty were here, he would have won the war on his own without any tactics, and thats why people call Avalons strategists uselessbut this is how a war is supposed to be.


    Whats the bad news?


    Dont be rmed.


    Selim grew tense because Iruca was rarely this serious.


    The capital of Thran has fallen.


    What? Selims jaw dropped to the ground, which was highly unusual for him. The ck Knights turned to Selim and Iruca with their eyes wide open.


    Wh-what does that mean? Did the me Emperor lose?


    Yes, bis, the me Emperor, lost. The entire Thran Kingdom will be part of the Swallow Empire.


    The Swallow Empire still has such power? Selim whispered.


    Problems were piling up. Hubalt was already troubling enough, but now Swallow? They couldnt really Swallow an allyno, they knew that Swallow was going to reveal its ambition sooner orter now that the entire continent was at war.


    Who in the Swallow Empire could have done it?


    I dont know yet, but I heard that someone we know showed up at the battle between Thran and Swallow, Iruca said with a sigh.


    Someone we know? Selim felt an uneasy premonition.


    It was the Battle God.


    Bel! Selim shut his eyes. I was wondering why he never showed up. I guess it was because he was over there.


    Although Dad threw Bel into the middle of the ocean using magic, it was just a temporary measure. It was about time he came back.


    Then did the me Emperor lose to the Battle God?


    Selim could understand how the Thran Kingdom had fallen. From his experience fighting Bel, Selim was certain that Bel was capable of defeating the me Emperorand could fight the Emperor of Avalon on equal terms.


    I dont know either. Its unclear if the Battle God joined the battle himself or if theres someone from Swallow strong enough to defeat Sir bis Im collecting intel on my end, but I hope its the former. I dont want to imagine what I should do if its thetter. Iruca shook her head.


    Information yed a vital role in a war because theck of information created unexpected variables, which were a strategists worst nightmare.


    I wish Kireua would bring us good news at a time like this Iruca mumbled, almost inaudibly.


    Selim was right in front of her, so he heard Iruca, of course. However, he didnt say anything. The chances of sess for Kireuas mission were already low; asking for more information and receiving a negative analysis would only decrease morale further. Even if Kireua had sessfully infiltrated Hubalt, he wouldnt contact them through a crystal ball due to the risk of the enemy tapping into theirmunications.


    Your Highness! Hubalt ising again! a ck Knight shouted.


    It was time to go fight again.


    Selim slowly stood up. When you hear any more news about Thran or Kiruea, can you tell me too?


    I will, Iruca answered.


    Selim nodded and strode toward the battlefield. He hoped that there would be good news that would lift his spirits waiting for him when he got back.


    <em></em> *


    A sudden sound from the bushes made Anna tense, but she rxed when she saw who emerged from them. It was exactly who she had been waiting for: Kireua. He''d just escaped the capital.


    Did you give them a good kick in the butt? Anna asked.


    I did my best Do you think theyll fall for it?


    While Kiurea had been away, Anna was searching for secret routes in Hubalt.


    Did you find it?


    I found several likely spots.


    The rulers of all countries created emergency escape routes. Most of them took the form of underground tunnels because that was the best way to avoid attention of their people during normal times and their enemies during war.


    These kinds of secret routes usually lead from the pce to the outskirts of the capital. When the enemy breached the city and the pce fell, it was important to run away as far as possible without being detected by the invaders.


    Sylphy, have you found any other spots?


    -Grr. Grrr.


    Annas wind elemental spirit in the form of a white tiger red its nostrils wide and stopped, meaning that there were none.


    The airflow from these kinds of secret underground tunnels is supposed to be higher,pared to normal underground spaces, Anna exined.


    We must find it. Even if we sessfully stir them up, its meaningless if we cant find any of the routes.


    Well find them, Anna assured him. I, Anna bel Grace, would never miss the chance to to have a good time like this.


    Although she liked that she and Kireua were working on this mission together, she loved the idea of assassinating Hubalts emperor even more than the mission itself.


    Killing the continents worst tyrant Reminds me of the good old days. Hahaha!

 Side Story Chapter 232

    Side Story Chapter 232


    Annas childhood could be summarized with two words: escape and maniption. After being adopted by Draxia bel Grace, the Tragic Prince of the Swallow Empire, she had also been thrown out to Avalon to be the foster daughter of an obscure viscount named Vig in the countryside. She had also attended the Academy, where she had gotten involved with Joshua Sanders. He was monstrously strongthere were and would never be anyone else like him.


    Everything in her childhood had happened because of political power struggles. Compared to the scale of a country, she was merely a disposable tool, so she had no choice but toply. She wasnt given a choice in the first ceeverything had been put into ce before she could even think for herself.


    Now, she had a chance to throw a punch at the kind of people whod done that to herpayback for her past. As a matter of fact, one such person happened to be the emperor of Hubalt, so how could she not look forward topleting the mission?


    Stay on guard from now on, Anna whispered as a gust of wind blew against her and Kireua.


    A dark entrance yawned in front of them. Although the entrance was small and could fit only one person at a time, the tunnel looked unfathomably long.


    The Imperial Family of Hubalt isnt stupid, so they installed two safeguards, Anna informed Kireua, raising two fingers.


    Magic traps?


    Youre smart. Anna stroked Kireuas head with a smile.


    Startled, Kireua immediately stepped backward. What are you doing?


    Oh, my... I was so proud of you that I patted your head without thinking.


    I think youre forgetting that Im royalty.


    Of course you are. Im sorry. This must be how mothers feel. Hahaha. Anana giggled.


    He was disguised as the Emperor of Avalon right now, so Kireua quickly tidied his hair with a frown.


    But how long are you going to stay in your disguise? Anna abruptly asked.


    Why? Do you think youll fall for His Majesty too?


    No way. Its quite the contraryIm still scared of him. Annaughed disparagingly.


    Kireuas feet halted right before he entered the tunnel.


    Wait, you dont want to get revenge?


    Revenge? I dont know what I look like to you, but I gave up on that long ago. Thats why Im helping you, the son of my enemy.


    Then what do you mean by scared?


    Anna shrugged. Ive been on the run for around two decades. I heard that even your father was looking for me, so how could I not be scared? Hes the strongest man on the continent.


    Kireua remained silent. He couldnt begin to imagine what kind of emotional trauma Anna must have gone through.


    Every night, I had nightmares of getting butchered by a red spear. I can still remember it vividly.


    Does that mean you dont have that nightmare anymore?


    Anna smiled softly. Yes, thanks to someone.


    Kireua heaved a quiet sigh of relief. He was d to know that Anna and the Emperor of Avalon could clear up their misunderstandings. After all, the Emperor of Avalon hadnt been searching for Anna to settle an old score either.


    I hope youll be happy from now on. Dont have any nightmares. Leave your past behind and just think about your happiness for the rest of your life. Thats what I want, as your friend Kireuas voice gradually sank down to a whisper as his embarrassment caught up to him.


    Annas eyes widened and then she beamed at him. Are you consoling me right now? Wow, its an honor to hear that from a prince.


    J-Just bear with me a little longer. Its all for our mission. Kireua marched into the tunnel.


    Slow down! Anna shouted. You might step on a pile of poop, you know.


    <em></em> *


    Meanwhile, in the pces council chamberthe other end of the secret routeKurz sat dourly on his throne. The report he was receiving had soured his mood.


    Th-Theyve lost the target.


    Kurz mmed his fist against the armrest of the throne. They didnt lose him, they let him go!


    F-Fortunately, Joshua Sanders headed out of the city instead of going further into the capital.


    What do you think about this? Kurz asked the nobles lined up in the council chamber.


    When Kurzs ire was turned on them, the nobles broke into a cold sweatbut they were even more frustrated than Kurz right now. They had brought their armies, their vassals, and their families into the pce, so theirnds were practically empty.


    Which gave the enemy free reign to run rampant across Hubalt. If there were an army that was tens of thousands of men strong, the nobles would have just epted their fatesbut the enemy was estimated to be fifty at most. Of course, every one of them would be an elite, but that did nothing to change the fact that the nobles were going to lose their fortunes to a mere fifty people. How could they not feel slighted?


    One Count Urme finally worked up the courage to speak.


    Y-Your Majesty, why dont we just send out our knights and hunt Joshua Sanders down? Its obvious that hes going to go join his people.


    Urme was known to be the richest man living near the capital. Most of his assets had been umted by sucking the blood from the people in hisnd. Urme had used loyalty to the throne as a pretext to increase the taxes in his territory to ny percent. That meant that the people in hisnds lost all of their ie except for an amount barely sufficient to scrape by on.


    Urme had been doing such deeds at every chance he got, so it was no wonder that he was practically swimming in coin. The thought of losing all the money that he had hoarded had haunted Urmes sleep for days.


    Do all of you think the same? Kurz asked.


    The other nobles eagerly chimed in as if they had been waiting for him to ask.


    I agree with Count Urme, Your Majesty.


    All else aside, I believe that we cant let Joshua Sanders go like this. Considering how symbolically important the Martial God is, were almost certain to conquer the continent if we seed.


    Hes right. Killing Joshua Sanders can only benefit us since no one will be able to stop our grand army.


    After listening to the nobles chatter for a while, Kurz sneered. Do you even have a way to kill Joshua Sanders?


    Urme immediately took the bait.


    I dont think even Joshua Sanders will stand a chance if tens of thousands of knights and soldiers attack him at once. Hes still human.


    Then Ill give you that army right now. Why dont you go out and bring Joshua Sanders here, Count Urme? Kurz scoffed.


    Urme fumbled for a reply. It wasnt just Urme. No one would voluntarily walk to their grave.


    Ahhhhh! Kurzs rage grew as he watched the nobles. Are all of you fools?! Dont you understand thats exactly what he wants us to do!? Hes trying to draw us out of the capital, just like how a million people went all the way over to the Great in of Aiyas just to capture him!


    The council chamber was dead silent except for Kurzs thunderous voice.


    The entire army was wiped out in one go using elementary gueri tacticsand now? A lot of people still mock both Hubalt and Swallow for failing to take down one man together. Do you seriously want to repeat that?


    No, Your Majesty!


    It was the only answer that the nobles could give right now.


    Kurz looked behind him, where a masked person in ck clothes was prostrated.


    Number One, youre the temporary leader of Ardan from now on, Kurzmanded through gritted teeth.


    The masked persons eyes gleamed for a moment. The numbered agents were the most elite members of Ardan, Hubalts spies, but they were still considered disposable. However, Number One had received a chance to rise above that after the former leader had been unexpectedly killed by their target.


    Yes, Your Majesty, Number One answered.


    Mobilize all of Ardans avable assets to track down Joshua Sanders. Report his location to me as soon as hed found ande up with a way to stop him. If you seed, Ill officially appoint you as the leader.


    It will be done!


    However, Kurz didnt think Number One would achieve much. Despite what he had said, Kurz was worried sick by the possibility of Joshua changing course and attacking the pce.


    <em>Bel, where in the world are you?</em> Kurz wondered.


    Speak of the devilNumber Two appeared beside Number One and politely held up a crystal ball.


    Your Majesty.


    Perhaps the missing gods had granted Kurzs wish onest time?


    What is it? Kurz frowned.


    The call is from the Swallow Empires pce.


    Every set of eyes in the council chamber turned toward the crystal ball at the mention of Swallow.


    Wait Kurzs eyes narrowed.


    Yes, they sessfully subjugated Thran.


    That was quick, Kurz said, surprised. Although he didnt want to admit it, the me Emperor was a force to be reckoned with. That was why Kurz hadnt paid much attention to Swallow. He could let Thran and Swallow fight each other all they wanted and then Hubalt would step in to crush the now-weakened victor.


    Does that mean that the me Emperor lost? Kurz asked.


    Yes, Your Majesty.


    Kurz looked at the shining crystal ball. No doubt the answers to his questions lied on the other side of it, so Kurz gestured at Number Two to ept the call


    The crystal ball hummed and projected a familiar figure.


    Kurz gasped. Bel?


    -Hahaha. Its good to see you again. How have you been?


    You! What in the world have you been doing! Kurz quickly stopped himself. Too many people were around, so Kurz had to refrain from angering Bel. If Bel embarrassed Kurz in front of them, Kurzs authority would suffer.


    Come back to the pce right now! Youve been desperate to fight Joshua Sanders, havent you? Hes here right now!


    Bel tilted his head in confusion.


    -Joshua Sanders is in Hubalt? I highly doubt it.


    What? Kurz frowned.


    -Anyhow, I cant get to Hubalt right now. I found a new toy.


    What nonsense is that? A toy? Is this war just a game to you?


    Kurz immediately realized that he had allowed his anger to get the better of him. Despite his harsh tone, however, Bel still seemed to be in a pleasant mood.


    <em>What in the world?</em>


    -Why did I never think of it before?


    What do you mean?


    -As the Martial Emperors heir, I should have foreseen the possibility of the Crimson Sky having an heir.


    There was only one man in history who was called the Crimson Sky.


    Kurz''s eyes widened. Wait, are you talking about Grand Duke Lucifer?

 Side Story Chapter 233

    Side Story Chapter 233


    Anna and Kireua had been walking through the long, dark, and humid tunnel for who knew how long.


    Stop! Anna suddenly shouted to Kireua. He immediately came to a halt in front of her. The airflow up ahead is a little different.


    Okay. Kireua pulled out his ne and promptly infused it with his mana.


    After several buzzing noises, something shatteredmeaning a magic trap up ahead had been disabled.


    I know how valuable an elemental spirit mage is, but I never imagined you would make the mission this easy, Kireua muttered.


    I think that ne of yours is the real cheat. This is what people call being born with a silverno, a magic spoon.[1]. Anna shook her head.


    Kireuas ne was a gift from Iceline on his fifteenth birthday. Living up to her reputation of being a master craftswoman in artifact development, Iceline had created a masterpiece that could disable spells and traps that were weaker than the Fifth Circle dozens of times.


    Of course, it had cost Iceline an astronomical amount of money, but she hadnt spared any expense. She had built three such artifacts in different forms as gifts for her loved ones.


    I heard I could buy a small city with this ne Kireua murmured.


    Hey, <em>buddy</em>, Anna immediately simpered.


    Kireua was dumbstruck. Come on. Where did you sell your conscience?


    Dont you know that anyone rich is your buddy?


    Dont your elemental spirits say that they dont want a materialistic master?


    I dont think so. My babies wish for nothing more than my happiness. Anna stroked Sylphy, who purred. Sylphy didnt have a physical body, so it could shrink itself at will; the narrow space they were in didnt bother it in the slightest.


    Come to think of it, Queen Consort Iceline built three of those nes, didnt she? Anna asked.


    To be precise, a ne, a ring, and a bracelet. All of them have the same ability, of course.


    Three small cities could have been built, huh? I know shes a queen consort, but how rich is she?


    I think shes one of the five richest people on the continent. She paid for half of the Magic Tower, so the mages are extremely polite around her despite their reputation for being cocky.


    Once Iceline developed an artifact, the Magic Tower was in charge of the distribution and sales, but they took twenty percent of the profit asmission. Although that seemed like too much considering the Magic Towers limited role, Iceline didnt have a problem with that because the Magic Tower settled the ount without dy and sold her artifacts without suffering a loss.


    I envy you for having wealthy mothers. From what I heard, Queen Consort Charles is also so rich that shes one of the top five merchants in the continent.


    Kireua nodded. Theyre allpetent people.


    But wouldnt it be better for Queen Consort Charles to take charge of distribution? Avalon could keep all the profit that way.


    Obviously, Charlesspany was more than capable of distributing Icelines artifacts. In fact, the group was better suited than the Magic Tower, but the Queen Consorts didnt even try to use Charless merchant groupand for a good reason.


    The artifact sales are so profitable that theyre the Magic Towers main source of ie. Avalon would certainly grow much richer that way, Kireua agreed.


    So why would they miss such a good opportunity?


    The other kings arent fools. Its a bad diplomatic move since all the other countries would try to keep us in check.


    Oh. Anna''s eyes widened. She hadnt considered that aspect. I wasnt aware that you knew your way around diplomacy.


    This is the basics. And theres one more benefit to leaving the Magic Tower in charge.


    Im listening.


    The continent may think the Magic Tower is helping us right now because Tower Master Theta and His Majesty are acquainted


    Ah! Before Kireua could finish speaking, Anna pped. I get it now! Considering how much theyve profited, the Magic Tower is obligated to help Avalon! Not to mention the future profits theyd be giving up if they didnt.


    And thats politics. Kireua smiled.


    Seeing how well Kireua exined the diplomatic and political reasoning, Anna gave him a proud smile. Youre all grown up now. I think you can actually be an emperor.


    Wait. Kireua sensed ominous energy at the end of the dark tunnel and immediately stopped. Can you feel something up ahead?


    Hmmm it certainly feels like theres something Anna closed her eyes and probed her surroundings.


    Suddenly, she gasped and her eyes flew open.


    What? What is it? Kireua quickly turned to look at her.


    Anna was trembling as if she were having a seizure and her eyes were hazy and unfocused.


    What in the world is going on? Kireua murmured.


    Agh! Anna coughed up a handful of blood. Urggh!


    She started foaming at the mouth, the froth mixing with the blood. Kireua had seen elemental spirit mages in shock like this. When their elemental spirits were critically injured, the spirits were summoned back to where they came from, putting the elemental spirit mages into shock. Annas elemental spirit had been scouting the areait must have been attacked by someone. The problem was, Annas spirit could fight off a Master on its own.


    Kireua caught Anna in his arms before she hit the ground. He gazed down the tunnel with a grave expression.


    Who in the world is down there?


    <em></em> *


    A many in the center of a deep dungeon. He was a king and the hope of his people.


    The continent also called him the me Emperor out of respect for his martial prowess.


    Urgh bis groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Every part of his body hurt, and he was covered withcerations that were festering due to ack of proper treatment.


    bis had never imagined suffering a crushing defeat from someone who wasnt the Battle God or the Martial God. The man who was responsible for biss defeat happened to be seated right in front of him; he was quite younghe looked to be in his thirties at most.


    Are you up? The man grinned at him.


    How are you rted to Grand Duke Lucifer?


    bis had an idea or two about the mans identity. Since he had been studying Lucifers sword techniques for a long time, bis knew that the man was using a style simr to Lucifer, the Crimson Sky, who had been Thrans enemyand was long dead now. In fact, the man looked simr to Lucifer, especially his wicked blood-red eyes


    What do you think? the man asked back.


    bis frowned. The first idea that came to his mind was that the man was Lucifers son. Or perhaps the man was Lucifers student, like Bel and Zactorhowever, the chances of that seemed low, considering how much the man resembled Lucifer. It was far more likely that he was Lucifers blood kin and had inherited everything from him.


    But two things didnt add up if that was the case.


    <em>First of all, although its nothingpared to Joshua, Ive made significant progress of my own. Its hard to believe that theres another monster like Bel and Joshua in the same generation,</em> bis thought.


    Even if a hidden expert was bound to be powerful on some level, the man was beyond bisno, anyones expectations.


    <em>Lastly, Ive never heard of Grand Duke Lucifer having a son who is as skilled as him.</em>


    bis had devoted his entire life to theplete independence of Thran, so hed studied every possible obstacle that could stand in the way of aplishing his dream. The biggest obstacle in the past was, naturally, Lucifer, so bis had kept a close eye on Lucifers family after the Crimson Skys death. As improbable as it was, it would be highly problematic if a child of Lucifer inherited his demonic talent and turned his sword on Thran.


    Youre an open book. You must be thinking I never heard anything about the Crimson Sky having a son whos as skilled as me


    The man read biss mind.


    As the man who will take your dearest treasure Ill answer your question.


    What?


    The man stood and slowly walked toward bis. bis scowled at the man the whole way.


    Doesnt this seem familiar? The man smiled crookedly.


    What in the world are you saying?


    Duke Altsma, the Wild King.


    biss eyes nearly popped out of his skull. Wa-wait


    What youre thinking is correct.


    Impossible! bis eximed, dismayed. That wont!


    Before you deny reality, open your eyes and see the world. Do you really think anything about the world is normal right now? The entire race of dragons has been exterminated by a human, and gods are feeding on lowly humans.


    But but youre!


    ept reality. The man smiled slyly and positioned himself right in front of bis. Since I paid the price, its time to take your treasure.


    Before bis could say anything, the man threw a mana-empowered kick aimed at the mana hall in biss abdomen that he had spent his entire life building.


    With a thunderous <em>crack</em>, excruciating pain rushed over bis.


    Ahhhhhhhh!


    1. The raw is   ,     ? that is about how having a mage mom, Iceline, is as good as being born with a silver spoon in their mouth.

 Side Story Chapter 234

    Side Story Chapter 234


    The man pulverized biss mana hallhe brought his foot down dozens of times with no regard for biss existing injury. The mans eyes were filled with madness. Still unsatisfied, the man grabbed bis, whod long since lost consciousness, by the hair and dragged him toward the dungeons exit.


    Ill hang you in Thrans central za for all your people to see, the man muttered. All those vermin will be able to see


    Arent you being too harsh on the weak?


    The new voice managed to cut through the mans madness.


    Both of you are old men, so you oughta go easy on each other, Bel remarked. He leaned casually against the dungeon''s door with his arms crossed.


    That kind ofcency is what creates a nuisance like this, greenhorn.


    Bel chuckled. I see that I still have something to learn from you, Grand Duke.[1]


    Only one man in the history of the Swallow Empire was ever granted the title of grand duke.


    Youre thest course in my revenge. I should save the best for thest. Hahaha.


    Youre undead. Can you even taste food?


    The man released intense murderous energy. Watch your mouth before I rip you to shreds.


    Hehehe. Are you sure youre okay with this? Starting a fight without a good reason at this point makes the future unpredictable.


    The man frowned. He was a man of rationality, so he understood that Bel wasparable to him; he could not predict the oue of a fight between them. That came as a real shock to himhed never had known of anyone like Bel during his time, but the greenhorns was unarguably an Absolute. This was the second person the man had such an impression of after <em>him</em>.


    Of course, that didnt mean the man had any intention of backing down, so he released his stinging, red murderous energy.


    Shall we go for a round?


    The man didnt like Bel in the first ce since he wouldnt have had to go through this trouble if Bel had done his job right and killed bis for good in Avalon.


    Woah, woah. I thought Joshua Sanders was the one you want to get revenge on, not me.


    Joshuas name only made the man angrier.


    ...How dare you say his name in front of me?


    Bel frowned as he uncrossed his arms. This is what I get for being considerate. Im just giving you a heads-up, but I dont put up with shit either. His eyes burned fighting spirit. If youre that eager to fight, fine. Bring it on.


    The dungeon was gripped by a suffocating tension. A battle was primed to erupt at any moment.


    Surprisingly, Lucifer backed down first. Because Bel had a pointBel was a powerful opponent and the man couldnt guarantee a victory against him. Even if he did win, he could still be injured, which would mean he wouldnt be able to think about getting revenge. Although he didnt want to admit it, that was just how strong Joshua was.


    <em>Ill kill him over and over. And when Im done, youre next, greenhorn,</em> the man seethed.


    Both men allowed their energy to settle.


    Wise choice, Grand Duke.


    Why dont you stop getting on my nerves and go take care of your country?


    I wont lose my country. I left someone reliable in charge for times like this.


    That caught the mans attention. Even though he thought little of Bels intellect, someone Bel was willing to trust could be a monster too.


    Ah, dont worry. There isnt anyone else like me around.


    Youre crazy, the man muttered. As crazy as he was, perhaps.


    But the persons simr to you in some ways.


    What? What are you talking about?


    The person isnt exactly like you, Grand Duke Lucifer. Still, Im talking about the only child of Zactor, the Martial Emperor, my teacher and your rival, so hell at least get the job done.


    * * *


    After carefullyying Anna on the ground, Kireua proceeded down the tunnel. He could feel the opponent silently calling out to him, urging him toe and fight. He instinctively knew that it wasnt a trapthe chances of someone this strong resorting to a cheap trick were low.


    <em>There arent any more magic traps,</em> Kireua thought.


    There were around one hundred meters between him and the enemy. That was both short and long in some ways.


    The tunnel was pitch-ck. There wasnt even a single light orb on the wall, so Kireua couldnt see a thing. Nevertheless, he wasnt scared. If there was no light, Kireua could create it. Besides, there was no sense in being subtle anymore now that hed already been discovered.


    Instead of his usual ebon me, Kireua unleashed a great gout of scarlet fire, the fire hed mainly used before meeting Coal. His fire spread forward, covering the long tunnel in no time.


    The trail of fire brightly illuminated the tunnel, revealing his opponent standing tall at the other end.


    <em>Lets start with one attack.</em>


    With a bit of concentration, the fire turned ck. The Demon Realm''s ebon mes scorched the walls of the tunnel, inextinguishable. However, the ebon mes were cker than ck, plunging the tunnel into darkness again. Regardless, Kireua had already located the enemy, so he gathered the mes into a mass to strike


    Kireua reflexively ducked. The sound was so faint that no one would have heard it without paying attention, but Kireua could feel a sharp mana strike fly narrowly over his head.


    ...A long-distance mana strike? Kireua muttered.


    It took at least a Master to deliver a mana strike properlybut Kireua had seen that his opponent wasnt carrying a weapon when the tunnel was lit up.


    That meant only one thing.


    <em>Did they use their fist to throw a mana strike?</em> Kireua wondered.


    It was entirely possible, given that Kireua was in Hubalt. Like the Martial Emperor and Bel, many warriors in Hubalt fought with their fists instead of using a de.


    Of course, throwing a mana strike using a fist was a lot more difficult than it would be using a sword. There was a big difference between covering a weapon or a body part to sharpen its energy and throwing a mana strike.


    <em>Who in the world is that?</em> Kireua tensed. Hed never imagined someone this strong would still be in Hubalt after Bel had left.


    Nevertheless, Kireua kept advancing. He had to pass through this tunnel to kill the cruel tyrant responsible for the ongoing catastrophe.


    <em>Ill finish this war no matter what it takes!</em>


    Kireua leaped toward the enemy like a bird of prey only to hear a very faint hum of mana. He froze uphe knew exactly what that meant.


    <em>Oh, no!</em>


    There was a magic trap waiting for him at the end of the tunnel. Blue lightning arced toward Kireua from every direction, so he covered himself with mana.


    Then things took a truly shocking turn.


    What? Kireua gasped.


    His opponent jumped straight into the intense wave of lightning as if they had a death wish.


    Im the one who called you, so I wont be called a coward.


    A woman? Kireua murmured nkly.


    The voice he heard belonged to a woman, and they looked like one tooone his age.


    Those were thest things Kireua had time to notice before a second series of explosions struck them.


    1. The author continues to refer to Lucifer as the man rather than use his name.

 Side Story Chapter 235

    Side Story Chapter 235


    A series of loud explosions pulled Anna back to consciousness. She slowly opened her eyes, but quickly turned deathly pale.


    Nnngh Wh-What in the world?


    Every part of her body still hurt terriblybacsh from one of the strongest elemental spirits ever brought to Igrant being violently un-summoned. However, what Annas bleary eyes were showing her made her forget all of that.


    The Demon Realm?


    It was hell on earth. The entire tunnel was scorched ck; some ces still smoldered like embers here and there. However, not a single spark hadnded near Anna, as if she were surrounded by a wall.


    There was only one possible exnation for all of this.


    Kireua! Anna immediately began running. It didnt take long for her to reach the end of the tunnel.


    Anna slowly came to a halt when she saw Kireua lying on the ground, entangled with an exceedingly beautiful young woman.


    That little shit. Anna gave Kireua a death re. Shed coughed up blood, fallen unconscious, and still came running for Kireua, and yet, he looked like hed just had a good time with another woman.


    Alright, Anna dered as she rolled up her sleeves. Today is the day you die, Kireua.


    Just as she was about to lift her foot, a shiver ran down Annas spine. She froze.


    <em>Murderous energy!</em>


    Anna slowly turned, trembling like a mouse in front of a snake, and realized that the murderous energy wasing from the woman. She was telling Anna not to interrupt her.


    <em>For crying out loud! Its our first time meeting each other, so whats her deal!</em>


    Anna had to hold in a scream.


    The mysterious woman was strong. Well, not many people could kill one of Annas elemental spirits, after all. Despite Annas indignation, it was time to retreator it would be, in normal circumstances; if Kireua was in danger, Anna couldnt walk away even if it cost her her life.


    A storm erupted around Anna.


    That one over there is my man, Anna said, her teeth bared. Why dont you get away from him now?


    The woman stayed silent. Anna began summoning more of her elemental spirits.


    <em>If I go back right now, Joshua Sanders will kill me for sure,</em> she thought, denying the emotions surging within her.


    At that moment, Kireua pushed the woman away and stood up.


    Stand down, Anna.


    Hey! Are you okay?


    Kireua nodded. Of course.


    Anna heaved a sigh of relief. She hadnt been able to get a good look at Kireua; now she could tell he was covered in scorch marks.


    What do you want from me? Kireua demanded from the woman.


    The woman tilted her head.


    Why did you save me? Kireua asked.


    The woman took three steps away from him and raised her fists, drawing her mana into her arms. She shook her head, sending her ponytail bouncing from side to side.


    I dont want to be called a coward after I win.


    I didnt know there was still a martial artist in Hubalt with honor, Kireua murmured.


    From the level of the womans mana, Kireua was certain that the woman in front of him was stronger than any of Hubalts knights he had met so faralthough Bel was, of course, an exception. His martial prowess was unmeasurable.


    What is your name?


    Isaac, the woman answered.


    Her name was uniquerather masculinebut Kireua learned one more important fact from her introduction. The names of Hubalts pdins usually ended with -an, which meant that she wasnt from the Great Temple.


    And you arent Joshua Sanders, Isaac abruptly said.


    ...Huh?


    Dont feign innocence. The only reason Im answering your question is to verify your identity.


    Kireua was silent for a moment.


    If youre confident, then why dont you find out yourself? he teasingly asked.


    Isaac raised two fingers. I have two reasons why I believe you arent the real man.


    Kireua was curious enough to hear her out.


    The first reason is that the Martial God wouldn''t be anywhere near as weak as you.


    Oh.


    The second reason, Isaac continued, as if her hurtfulment meant nothing, is that I heard your lover there calling you Kireua.


    L-Lover? Anna stammered.


    Kireua simply shrugged. I cant deny that.


    Can I take that to mean my spections are correct?


    You arent going to believe me anyway, are you?


    The woman paused for a moment to sort out her thoughts.


    Are you Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of Avalon, and the Martial Gods Son?


    Yes, Im Kireua Sanders.


    Hey! Anna snapped, taken aback. You shouldnt say yes right away!


    You saw everything. Weve been made.


    You shouldve yed dumb until the end regardless. The Combat Emperor is working his ass off right now. Are you trying to waste the old mans efforts? Anna demanded, narrowing her eyes.


    The reason why Anna was angry right now was the effort theyd put into their diversionary operation. Kireua, wearing the Martial Gods face; the Combat Emperor; and the other knights were going to conquer thend around Hubalts capital one plot at a time. The army in the pce would eventually sally out to stop them, weakening the security in the pce.


    That was where Anna and Kiruea came in: they would infiltrate the pce to cut off the head of the Emperor of Hubaltbut they had beenpromised before even getting into the pce.


    Its fine. Kireua shook his head.


    What, exactly, is supposed to be fine?


    Ask your elemental spirits. This woman here is the only one here except for us.


    That means


    Once we kill her, no one will know were were.


    Youre going to kill me? Not happening.


    Kireua smiled crookedly in reply. I wonder where your confidence ising from, Isaac.


    You already know where.


    Kireua somehow knew that Isaacs arms had moved slightly. He furrowed his eyebrows and followed his instincts.


    The moment Kireua raised his sword, a mana strike fired from Isaacs fist mmed into the de.


    Oh. Isaacs eyes gleamed sharply. You know a thing or two about fighting, huh?


    Let me ask you a question before we begin fighting. How are you rted to Bel?


    Isaacs face twisted, the first expression shed made the entire time. Dont ever mention his name in front of me.


    Come on. Its weird. You use closebat techniques that are exactly the same as Bels, and you expect me to not


    Dozens of punches <em>howled</em> through the air so fast they sounded like one.


    Kireua swung his sword hard. Compared to the barrage of mana strikesing at him, Kireua used only one. But then, Kireuas attack was somehow divided into several strands.


    Their mana crashed into each other in the air.


    <em>He Hes stepped into the next level!</em> Anna trembled with excitement. It took at least an advanced Master to divide a mana strike after it had beenunched.


    Kireuas level came as a surprise to Isaac as well.


    Youre not a hopeless weakling after all.


    So Im a weakling who has a hope of getting better?


    Yeah, that sounds about right, Isaac agreed before readying her fists again.


    Hold on! Kireua quickly raised his hand.


    What is it now?


    You seem to have a grudge against Bel just like me


    When Kireua mentioned Bel again, Isaac unleashed a great wave of murderous energy.


    Wait, wait! I can give you three reasons to let me go! Kireua hastily shouted.


    What?


    What do you think? Are you interested?


    Isaac growled. What kind of bull


    Why are you in such a rush? Dont you have a lot of time right now? From the looks of it, you have to stay in this dank cave even after you kick me out, dont you?


    Kireuas incisive analysis quelled Isaacs anger.


    Kireua grinned. Just give me five minutes to persuade you.


    * * *


    In the pces council chamber, Kurzs fury kept the nobles from lifting their heads, though they exchanged nervous nces.


    What in the world are you all doing? Duke Jook shouted at them. All you have to do is locate Joshua Sanders, not capture him. What is so hard about that?


    Umm we found the location of the Combat Emperor and the rest of the invaders, but Joshua Sanderss whereabouts are unknown.


    We dont need the others! Finding the Martial God is our only objective right now! Do you really not get it?


    Your Grace, why dont we send more troops out to the streets? Since our elite forces must remain in the Pce, we only havemon soldiers to work with, one of the nobles whined. Theres a limit to what we can get done.


    Jook''s eyes lit up. He was waiting for someone to suggest that.


    Your Majesty, Jook cautiously began, although Im ashamed to say this, perhaps we should send more troops into the field? The fact that the Martial God is nowhere to be seen bothers


    No, I think this may have been his n all along. Kurz shook his head.


    My lord?


    Hes always been like this. After creating a diversion to empty out his targets home, that damned Martial God robbed them blind.


    The nobles'' eyes widened.


    Then is he? Jook trailed off.


    Hmph. Hes waiting for us to send more troops from the pce. The Martial God is just a coward. He wont even show up here otherwise.


    Indeed! The nobles nodded their heads fervently in agreement.


    Kurz rxed into his throne, confident that hed figured out the Martial Gods endgame.


    His n will be useless so long as we maintain our course. Once he sees his people being hunted one by one in the meantime Hehehe. Itll be quite a sight.


    Reinforcements wereing to the capital from nearby military camps. Thousands of elite soldiers and knights were going to arrive at the capital in three days.


    No matter how smart he tries to be, Im still one step ahead of him. Hehehe.


    A magnificent deduction, Your Majesty! I never expected the Martial Gods n to be this cowardly


    Weve been too scared of the Martial God. Well, its not like he really fought the army of a million people head-on, did he?


    All he did was run away from them. Gosh, why in the world have I been so worried about a guy like that


    The fact that the Martial wasnt going to show up boosted the nobles spirits and made Kurzs smile grow.


    Then a ck aperture suddenly opened in the empty wall behind the throne, admitting a handsome man with ck hair who absolutely under no circumstances ever should have been there.


    He walked boldly up to the throne and dered:


    Not necessarily.


    Kurzs jaw dropped to the floor. Jo-Joshua Sanders?

 Side Story Chapter 236

    Side Story Chapter 236


    ¡°Just give me five minutes to persuade you.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡±


    ¡°The first reason is that I can help you meet the real Joshua Sanders if you let me go.¡±


    Of Kireua¡¯s three reasons for Isaac, the first reason was the biggest one. Kireua had tried cing himself in Isaac¡¯s shoes and considered what he would want the most if he ran into his enemy¡¯s child. That was revenge, naturally, especially revenge extracted directly from his enemy. And it turned out that Kireua had guessed correctly.


    ¡°¡­I was nning on finding him anyway. I¡¯m going to crush you here and lock you up in the dungeon, then the Martial God will have toe save his son,¡± Isaac growled, her words faintlyced with murderous energy.


    Kireua had expected Isaac¡¯s response, so he continued undeterred.


    ¡°The second reason is that, unfortunately, His Majesty is in no situation to save me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fighting hard on his own to save the continent as we speak. He doesn¡¯t have any time for anything else.¡±


    ¡°You crazy bastard.¡± Isaac frowned, her disbelief clearly written on her face. ¡°Do you expect me to believe that? You knew that no one would being to save you and yet you march into my country¡¯s capital?¡±


    ¡°Believe me or don¡¯t. The fact that I¡¯m one of the few people who knows the exact location of my father doesn¡¯t change. If you defeat me right now, you¡¯ll never get what you want.¡±


    As he had Greed and the Emperor of Avalon had other Seven Evil Sins, Kiruea knew what condition the Emperor of Avalon was in.


    ¡°His Majesty locked himself up in an ice boulder so that he could erase everyst trace of the Demon Spirit. He¡¯s recently overstretched himself by intervening in recent events, so he has to focus on his work with the Demon Spirit even more. Not just anyone can go to him right now.¡±


    Kireua exaggerated the truth a little, but he could feel Isaac¡¯s doubt fade a bit. Little.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot; I¡¯m not going to tell a lie that flimsy.¡± Kireua shrugged. ¡°It looks like Bel went there himself to find out, so ask him if you don¡¯t believe me.¡±


    Kireua could feel the air around Isaac subtly changing again. That told him something.


    ¡°¡­I knew it. You aren¡¯t on good terms with Bel either, are you?¡±


    The murderous energy Isaac was exuding immediately thickened.


    ¡°Here¡¯s the deal,¡± Kireua quickly added. ¡°You let me go, and I¡¯ll give you the opportunity to fight not only His Majesty but also Bel. You have my word.¡±


    Isaac sneered. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to benefit from other people¡¯s fights.¡±


    ¡°Come on. One of them is my father! Can¡¯t you tell how I¡¯m trying topromise here?¡±


    ¡°Why should I believe you?¡±


    ¡°Shall I make a Mana Pledge or something if that helps?¡±


    Isaac silently considered it. Despite what Kireua had said, Isaac would have to fight Kireua first. If she couldn¡¯t defeat Kireua, she had no chance of beating the Emperor of Avalon.


    Regardless, now wasn¡¯t the time for that.


    ¡°You have nothing to lose from this deal. Your ultimate goal is revenge, so it¡¯s only right to fight His Majesty,¡± Kireua cajoled.


    ¡°What¡­ is your n?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Am I misunderstanding something here? I thought you¡¯re Joshua Sanders¡¯s son¡ªor are you a bastard child fathered by someone else?¡±


    Despite Isaac¡¯s insulting question, Kireua stayed calm. He knew that everything would be for naught if they came to blows here.


    ¡°My dream is to be the next emperor of Avalon, so I need my old man to step down if I even want to have a chance,¡± Kireua casually replied.


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯re more greedy than you look.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Kireua grinned. ¡°I¡¯m the greediest person in Avalon.¡±


    Isaac seemed to lose interest in Kireua. Her murderous energyrgely faded away.


    ¡°To satisfy your greed, you¡¯re using someone else to force your father to abdicate the throne. Hmph. You¡¯re trash,¡± she scoffed. ¡°Not even worth fighting. Fine. Get down on your knees, kiss the ground, and make a Mana Pledge like you offered.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°What? Is that too shameful for you now?¡± Isaac sneered.


    Kireua let out a long sigh. ¡°I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding what?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re making a deal, I¡¯m not swearing my loyalty to you.¡±


    ¡°So you can¡¯t go down on your knees because of your pride?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a man.¡±


    ¡°Then just die here. Kneeling before me on your dying breath doesn¡¯t sound so bad.¡±


    Kireua raised three fingers before Isaac could attack.


    ¡°The third reason why you should let me go is that I¡¯m the only one in the world who knows where your father, Zactor the Martial Emperor, left his legacy.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s eyes widened so much that they looked like they would pop out of her head.


    Kireua grinned. ¡°What do you think now? Killing me is easy, but you¡¯ll never get your father¡¯s legacy.¡±


    * * *


    The pce grew noisier and noisier, although it was, of course, Kireua rather than Joshua.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m lucky that Isaac was someone I could talk things out with,¡¯</em> Kireua thought. Both of them were the children of the strongest people in their countries. As they were from simr backgrounds and situations, Kireua understood Isaac like no one else could.


    ¡°D-Did he use an escape tunnel¡­?¡±


    ¡°What are the guards doing?! The enemy is in the council chamber!¡±


    The doors burst open and knights rushed inside. ck-d figures dropped down from the ceiling and the Imperial Knights of Hubalt rushed from their positions by the walls to surround the throne.


    ¡°Not so fast.¡± Kireua shook his head.


    It didn¡¯t take long for everyone to stop what they were doing. The entrance to the emergency escape tunnel was right behind the throne, providing Kiruea with a golden opportunity.


    Kurz swallowed nervously, feeling the sword held right against his neck.


    ¡°I-Is that really you, Joshua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I trust you won''t try anything funny. If anyone so much as takes a step, my sword will move as well. You know what I mean, yes?¡± Kireua quietly said.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Kurz bit his lip.


    The knights were at a loss. They didn¡¯t know how to handle this sudden hostage situation.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself, Martial God?¡± Duke Jook thundered. ¡°The entire continent praises your name, but you take my lord hostage? You¡¯re worse than amon thug! Do you not realize that you disgrace yourself?¡±


    Kireua sneered. ¡°You know honor? Then why would your pdins disguise themselves as a congrattory delegation to attack my capital? I thought those pdins were supposed to be faithful to the teachings of their god.¡±


    Jook struggled to refute Kiruea.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you answer me, emperor?¡± Kireua asked. ¡°What do you think about the current situation?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­ asking for my opinion?¡± Kurz squeezed out, ncing warily at Kireua.


    ¡°Yes, I am.¡±


    Kurz swallowed again before slowly replying, ¡°I believe¡­ it¡¯s cowardly.¡±


    ¡°Cowardly? Why?¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re¡­ different from those cowards. You¡¯re the god of martial arts, hero of the continent.¡±


    ¡°Aha. Since I¡¯m a hero, different moral standards apply to me than those pathetic ¡®pdins¡¯?¡±


    Kurz trembled as he realized that Kireua was leading him to voluntarily acknowledge the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s superiority¡ªand there was nothing Kurz could do about it with his life at stake. Besides, he wasn¡¯t someone who valued his honor over his life.


    ¡°Y-Yes, I¡¯m sure that a hostage situation isn¡¯t right for the Martial God. No one in Hubalt would admit defeat even if you slit my throat right now.¡± Kurz desperately said.


    ¡°I get what you¡¯re saying, so how about this?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m an emperor, but I walked right into the middle of my enemy at the risk of my life. You have to admire my courage.¡±


    Even if Kireua didn¡¯t say it out loud, all of them were dumbstruck by the sheer boldness of his ploy.


    ¡°Just like you all said, I¡¯m the Martial God, so I¡¯ll give you a chance for a fair fight.¡±


    Kurz¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    <em>¡®Idiot!¡¯</em> He had to hold back a grin. This was exactly what he wanted to hear.


    ¡°H-How magnanimous!¡± he said. ¡°As expected from the Martial God!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s fight one-on-one, as equals. Fair and square, right?¡±


    <em>¡®S-Son of a bitch¡­¡¯ </em>Kurz felt his back slicken with cold sweat. All the knights in the room couldn¡¯t guarantee victory even if they all attacked Joshua together, but Joshua was asking Kurz to fight him himself?


    ¡°Why? You don¡¯t want to?¡±


    ¡°I-I think you¡¯re being unreasonable here. I was an ordinary man of the cloth until not too long ago, so fighting you one-on-one is ¡­¡± Kurz trailed off weakly.


    ¡°Alright, here¡¯s another idea.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, please be considerate of my capabilities. I¡¯ll be as open-minded as I can.¡±


    Kiruea took a look around; he barely listened to Kurz. He basked in the gazes of Hubalt¡¯s nobility, allowing the tension to build.


    ¡°Anyone who is willing to fight me on behalf of your emperor,e forward,¡± he slowly intoned. ¡°If you defeat me, I will let your emperor go. No strings attached.¡±


    The chamber fell into a suffocating silence. Unsurprisingly, no one came forward, infuriating Kurz. Even if it was the Martial God, how could the nobles do this to him!


    ¡°What are you all doing? Anyone, step forward! I¡¯m going to die!¡± Kurz screamed.


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to get upset. No one in the world would give up their life for someone they don¡¯t respect.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Kireua looked down at the emperor with eyes tinged with wrath.


    ¡°That¡¯s who you are, Cardinal Kurz,¡± he hissed.


    His de slid through Kurz¡¯s flesh; in the silence, even that sound was deafening.


    ¡°I wasted too much time on you,¡± Kireua growled. ¡°Now die.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 237

    Side Story Chapter 237


    Meanwhile, Lilith was doing her work elsewhere within the pce. She had been forced to roam around the outskirts of the pce due to the tight security, but the guards had suddenly rushed inside, giving her a chance to break in. She could tell from the sudden turn of events that Kireua¡ªdisguised as Joshua¡ªobviously must have sessfully infiltrated the pce.


    <em>¡®There are two people at the front. I should take care of them as quickly as possible and go help Kireua out.¡¯</em> Lilith thought anxiously.


    Although she had a chance to achieve her objectives, her friend¡¯s son was in danger. Even if Kireua was strong, he was still young. She wouldn¡¯t have worried if he hadn¡¯t been discovered, but he had¡ªwhich meant that time was of the essence right now.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it noisy upstairs?¡±


    ¡°I heard the rumor that the Martial God is in Hubalt. Could that be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Come on, we would be stationed up there too if that was true. To be honest, our new emperor is easily scared.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡ªafter all, he summoned all the troops except for the bare minimum to keep things running. When the Martial God is your opponent, no one¡¯s safe.¡±


    Lilith paused to listen to the guards, her eyes gleaming in the shadows. She¡¯d learned some important facts from their conversation: one, themon soldiers¡¯ respect for Kurz was lower than Lilith had expected; and two, this ce was only guarded by a skeleton crew.


    <em>¡®¡­Yes, it¡¯s not their fault. They have no power.¡¯</em>Lilith changed her n. She would not be killing all of the guards.


    She was in the prison where the most renowned pdins and priests of the previous generation were locked up. Knights stood guard over these prisoners at first, but the prisoners had gotten older, so the regime had lowered its guard.


    Most of Hubalt had likely forgotten about the people incarcerated in the dungeon. Even Lilith, despite going out of her way to infiltrate it, was skeptical about their survival.


    <em>¡®I still have to see with my own eyes.¡¯</em>


    Lilith stretched her perception outward and discovered two more presence a little further inside the dungeon. In other words, there were only four guards for the entire dungeon. That was partially because of the current emergency, but it also indicated little Hubalt cared about this ce.


    She hid in the darkness and quietly approached the guards, carefully managing the sounds of her footfalls. Of course, she couldn¡¯t use the stealth technique perfectly since she wasn¡¯t an assassin, and because she was in a straight hallway. Nevertheless, Lilith had the skill to make up for those ws. She darted forward like a lightning bolt and quickly knocked out the two guards in front of her.


    ¡°Ugh¡ª!¡±


    ¡°What¡ª?¡±


    If anyone had been watching, all they would have seen was a sh of light and then the two guards copsing on their own.


    ¡°What was that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Intruder!¡±


    The guards further inside the dungeon responded quicker than the other two guards. One of them reached out for his sword while the other went for the magic rm device¡ªalthough Lilith wasn¡¯t going to let that happen.


    Lilith threw her sword. It danced in the air in response to her will. The remaining guards boggled at it, moon-eyed.


    ¡°M-Mind Sword?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s sword streaked through the air on an unnatural trajectory and smacked the back of the guard¡¯s head with the t of its de, preventing him from sounding the rm. The sword then spun in the air again and hit the other guard in the temple with its pommel. The pair copsed to the floor with a <em>thump</em>.


    Lilith looked down at the guards, buckets of sweat pouring down her skin. This short engagement was a culmination of a lifetime of training.


    ¡°It¡­ really is not easy to control a sword only with my willpower,¡± Lilith murmured.


    In Lilith¡¯s mind, Joshua seemed even more frightening now. The heavier and bigger a weapon was, the more willpower it took to use Mind Sword. A spear was much longer and heavier than a sword, but Joshua could manipte it without so much as blinking. Countless enemies had met their end to Joshua¡¯s Mind Spear.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have to respect him.¡± Lilith smiled faintly.


    The sword had returned to Lilith¡¯s hand. Behind the copsed guards stood a quite thick metal gate. It was made of solid metal and ted with urium, one of the strongest metals in the world.


    ¡°I guess this is why they felt safe with only a handful of guards standing watch.¡±


    It took a Master¡¯s aura to break through a solid sheet of metal, but when urium wasyered on top of it, most Masters wouldn¡¯t be able to destroy the gate even if they went at it all day.


    Needless to say, mages wouldn¡¯t fare any better. Even a mage with wind-attribute mana, the most effective element for cutting, would only have a chance at the Sixth Circle and above. Unfortunately, a mage like that had the potential to be one of the Seven Mages wasn¡¯t going to conveniently appear out of thin air.


    Lilith took a deep breath as she faced the huge metal gate. She had to use her full power and cut down the gate in a single strike. The louder the noise she made and the longer she stayed in the dungeon, the higher the chances were of people upstairs noticing that something was wrong.


    ¡°¡­Here I go.¡± She unleashed her radiant aura through her sword.


    * * *


    The tragic news of Thran¡¯s fall made its way to Avalon as well. Selim and the others were barely fending off Hubalt¡¯s forces at the fortress in north Avalon, so the news was especially devastating to them.


    ¡°Swallow¡¯s army has just crossed the border, Your Highness.¡±


    A heavy silence fell over the uneasy nobles gathered.


    ¡°Even if Swallow merged with Thran, I can¡¯t believe they¡¯re attacking Avalon first!¡±


    ¡°Avalon is already allied with other countries, which basically means that the two empires are fighting the entire rest of the continent. They must be crazy.¡±


    ¡°An alliance between the two empires isn¡¯t so far-fetched, considering they¡¯ve done it before¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about the time His Majesty fought the army of a million people?¡±


    The nobles had eventually epted the reality of that incident. In the past, Hubalt and Swallow were not able to defeat Avalon¡ªno, Joshua Sanders despite their alliance. Only a fool would repeat the same mistake, and the emperors of Hubalt and Swallow wouldn¡¯t be such fools.


    ¡°¡­The most important issue is that it is unclear whether Sir bis, the me Emperor and king of Thran, is alive or not,¡± Iruca said. The camp fell silent again. Iruca bit her lip. ¡°Our allies might be wavering as we speak.¡±


    ¡°Bu-But, Your Highness, they¡¯ve already sent all of their reserve forces to their borders with Hubalt. Even if they get cold feet right now¡­¡±


    ¡°No, the chances of them withdrawing their forces back into their countries are high.¡± Iruca shook her head. ¡°No king would want to get raided while trying to retaliate.¡±


    Iruca was right. Swallow¡¯s participation brought too many changes to the war¡ªenough to make Iruca¡¯s previous optimistic take on the war a tenuous thing.


    ¡°Is there nothing we can do about it? I¡¯ll do anything I can,¡± Selim asked, despite his obvious fatigue.


    After looking at Selim for a moment, Iruca sighed.¡± ¡°Nothing can be done about it except maintaining the status quo.¡±


    ¡°Which means¡­¡±


    ¡°We have to focus on fending off the enemy. Holding down the bulk of their forces here will greatly help our allies and us. Once they break through this fortress, nothing can stop them from getting to Arcadia.¡±


    It was only natural for those who heard her to groan out loud.


    ¡°But we may also be able to change things if Kireua and Sir Cain sessfully traverse the ck Monster Forest and¡­¡±


    Iruca¡¯s voice slowly sank down to a whisper. Even a child knew how impossible Kireua and Cain¡¯s mission was.


    Selim let out a quiet sigh and stood up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    Selim scratched the back of his head. ¡°Judging from experience, the enemies will resume their attack soon. I have to stop them.¡±


    This would already be their thirteenth battle in this siege. Selim hadn¡¯t gotten a single wink of proper sleep; he was so worn thin that it was beginning to overwhelm his natural good looks.


    Nevertheless, like usual, Iruca could only say, ¡°¡­I trust you.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    * * *


    The council chamber erupted into absolute chaos.


    ¡°Wh-What the hell¡­!¡±


    None of them had expected Joshua Sanders to slit Kurz¡¯s throat without hesitation.


    The knights drew their swords in fury. Kurz copsed onto the throne dead, still clutching his neck with a look of disbelief. The nobles continued to shout one at him, but Kireua, despite the blood he had shed slowly staining the throne, couldn¡¯t hear any of it.


    <em>¡®¡­I did it,¡¯</em> Kireua thought, a thrill running down his spin. He¡¯dpleted his outrageous mission! He¡¯d infiltrated the enemy¡¯s capital city and slit the emperor¡¯s throat!


    Of course, Kireua knew perfectly well that Kurz was only a puppet on the throne.


    <em>¡®It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯m just getting started.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Ahhhhh! What are all of you doing? Kill that lunatic!¡± Duke Jook shrieked.


    The air was thick with murderous energy, but none of the knights dared to attack Kireua. They were too overwhelmed by the Martial God¡¯s presence. They knew, deep in their bones, that whoever attacked the Martial God first was most likely to die.


    ¡°Wait! Why don¡¯t you hear me out first?¡± Kireua suddenly yelled.


    Jook lost his head. ¡°Don¡¯t try any bullshit! Knights, he dared to murder His Majesty! Kill him!¡± he raved.


    Jook couldn¡¯t fool Kireua¡¯s sharp eyes. The duke¡¯s anger was entirely faked; Jook was the happiest man in the chamber right now. Since Bel wasn¡¯t interested in political power, Jook was betting that the throne would fall right into hisp.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you have anything to lose by hearing me out.¡±


    Jook gave him a nk look. ¡°What?¡±


    Kireua held up four fingers. ¡°I have four reasons which will make everyone happy.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 238

    Side Story Chapter 238


    Lilith dumbly watched the heavy metal gate hit the floor. It took her a moment to realize that her full power attack had actually seeded.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lilith could feel her eyes getting teary. It wasn¡¯t out of happiness over much progress she had made; it was because the first thing she noticed with the obstacle out of her way was the sickly reek of a person who hadn¡¯t washed for a long time.


    Lilith quickly covered her mouth to stop herself from crying out loud because more enemies could be around. However, she couldn¡¯t help but peer into the prison cells lining both sides of the passage.


    Her footsteps were the only noise in the dungeon. Skeletons and half-rotten corpses, writhing withrvae, upied the cells. The further she went inside the dungeon, the less rotted the corpses were. From that, Lilith could tell that the low-ranking and less skilled pdins had been incarcerated close to the entrance.


    <em>¡®If Father is still alive¡­ it¡¯s likely that he¡¯s in the deepest cell.¡¯</em>


    Unfortunately, fifty meters down the hallway, she still couldn¡¯t find a single survivor. Nevertheless, she didn¡¯t lose hope. Perhaps¡ªno, she was going to¡­


    ¡°¡­Ah!¡± Lilith gasped. She¡¯d found her first survivor, a pdin missing a leg and an arm. His breathing was so shallow that she couldn¡¯t hear him unless she listened closely, but he was alive. That was how Lilith could be certain that there were no more guards in the dungeon. If she were in charge of them, Lilith wouldn¡¯t want to waste precious manpower on prisoners who were on the verge of bing corpses.


    Lilith cut through the cell bars with her sword, with a newfound urgency. She practically ran down the long, dark hallway. Hundreds of meterster, she arrived at the furthest cell.


    She found a skeleton sitting on an old wooden chair. The old locket on the skeleton¡¯s neck was something she could never forget¡ªshe instantly knew who the skeleton belonged to.¡°Ah¡­ Ah...¡± Lilith could only gasp.


    Moving on instinct, Lilith cut though the bars and staggered forward as if she had been bewitched.


    When Lilith arrived in front of the skeleton, she reached out and opened the locket. It held a picture of young Lilith and a middle-aged man smiling brightly together.


    Lilith could not hold back her tears anymore. Despite desperately holding on to a glimmer of hope, no miracle had taken ce here. She had been bracing herself for the possibility, of course, because the environment here was too harrowing for an old man to survive.


    Lilith¡¯s father, beloved and dearly missed, was once the most respected cardinal in the Great Temple and had been the leading candidate for the next pope of Hubalt.


    He was long dead.


    ¡°Is¡­ that you¡­ Lilith?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes widened. The voice was croaking and nearly inaudible; she hadn¡¯t even sensed the man because his hold on life was so weak. She quickly turned, searching for the source of the voice. She realized it wasing from the cell next to her father¡¯s. She could sense more presences, just as weak, within, but only one voice could be heard.


    ¡°¡­Oh, no. Sir Christian.¡± Lilith drew up her aura andunched several strikes forward. The aura strikes flew down the length of the hallway, cutting open every single cell. When she was done, Lilith immediately made her way to Christian.


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten a lot better,¡± Christian whispered.


    Lilith silently looked down at him. Christian the White Lion was one of the strongest people in Hubalt¡ªa Superhuman was dying on the cold floor, forgotten and abandoned. It seemed that one of his arms had been cut off long ago, and he was also so emaciated that he looked lighter than Lilith, who was at least twenty centimeters shorter than him.


    Fortunately, around twenty of the first-generation pdins were still alive, although their injuries were just as serious as Christian¡¯s.


    ¡°You must have¡­ gone through a lot,¡± Christian breathed.


    That was what Lilith wanted to say to Christian¡ªbut why was she the one struggling to hold back her tears instead?


    In the end, she sank to the floor and wept.


    * * *


    Kireua pressed forward, allowing no time for the nobles to stop and think.


    ¡°The first reason is that you need to hide the death of your emperor¡ªwhich means you¡¯re better off negotiating with me than you are trying to fight me.¡±


    ¡°What kind of nonsense is that?¡± Duke Jook raged.


    ¡°Then are you going to announce that I assassinated your emperor in the middle of your pce?¡±


    Jook''s eyes widened in horror. Although he had forgotten himself for a moment due to the shock of witnessing the abrupt execution of his emperor, Jook knew could not let that happen. The Second Continental War was already in motion, so it was essential that Hubalt maintain the morale of its troops. If they heard that the Martial God had taken their emperor¡¯s head, they would fold like wet tissue paper, while the allied forces opposing them would be over the moon.


    ¡°If you still want to announce it, I won¡¯t stop you.¡± Kireua shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t have any reason to interfere if you people are going to do my job.¡±


    ¡°You must be mad! That is no reason for us to let you go!¡±


    ¡°The first reason is also my second reason,¡± Kireua continued, urately mimicking the confidence of the man he was disguised as. ¡°We¡¯re talking about me, the Martial God. Don¡¯t tell me you actually think you can capture me just because you outnumber me. Even if that did work, do you think you can subdue me without anyone finding out? I can easily demolish this entire building¡ªor worse.¡±


    It was a very arrogant im, but it was exactly the kind of attitude they would expect from Joshua Sanders. This was the man who had bested an army a million strong, the hero of heroes, the god yer, the absolute, transcendental might¡­ That was who Joshua Sanders, the Martial God, was.


    ¡°Y-Your Grace.¡±


    The murmurings among the bewildered nobles got louder. Jook was no different, even though he stepped up to take charge of the situation.


    <em>¡®Did he predict how we were going to react¡­?¡¯</em> Jook marveled. It was his first time meeting Joshua Sanders, but he had a creeping feeling that this was why everyone was in awe of the Martial God. His martial prowess, the bold assassination of the enemy emperor, the guts to threaten all these people¡­


    <em>¡®¡­For goodness¡¯ sake,¡¯</em> Jook fumed.


    ¡°The third reason is that you people now have a legitimate excuse.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You already heard that the true owner of this ce, the woman you branded a witch, is finally back.¡±


    Jook nodded. Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-eyed Ghost Sword, had the motivation and ability to assassinate Kurz, so Bel and his followers would believe the story. However, there was one fact that bothered Jook¡­


    <em>¡®¡­Bel said that he was going to leave someone reliable to protect the Pce. Where in the world are they?¡¯</em>


    The aforementioned protector was Isaac, the Martial Emperor¡¯s daughter, but since Jook didn¡¯t know about the deal between Kireua and Isaac, he was left confused.


    ¡°Where is the Ghost Sword?¡± Jook asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Are you not working with her?¡±


    ¡°Believe it or not, I ran into her here by coincidence,¡± Kireua answered.


    Jook peered into Kireua¡¯s eyes for a moment but quickly shrugged it off. Kireua could be lying, but it wasn¡¯t important right now.


    ¡°She must be in the dungeon,¡± Jook murmured.


    ¡°I-I¡¯ll see right to it.¡±


    Some of the knights were about to rush out of the council chamber when Jook shook his head.


    ¡°No need. Just let them go.¡±


    ¡°Your Grace¡­?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s death will eventuallye to light; people will be suspicious if he doesn¡¯t appear for a long period. We¡¯ll need an excuse when the timees.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed. Jook was more adaptable than he had expected. A narrative where Kurz was killed in a coup staged by the pdins and others inside the pce would give Jook more justification than Lilith somehow singlehandedly assassinating the emperor.


    ¡°Can I go now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Jook raised his arm. ¡°You haven¡¯t told me your fourth reason.¡±


    Kireua tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Are the reasons I gave you so far not enough?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but now I want to hear them all.¡±


    Kireua took a look around the chamber. Although they were silent, the other nobles¡¯ eyes were twinkling with curiosity as well.


    An interesting idea came to Kireua¡¯s mind.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll only tell you the fourth reason.¡±


    Jook quietly waited for a telepathic message, but no matter how long he waited, it never arrived.


    ¡°What are you¡ª¡±


    Jook stopped mid-sentence, his eyes gradually widening.


    Kireua shot him a big grin, much to Jook¡¯s irritation, that silently told Jook that Kireua knew that the whole situation was exactly how Jook wanted things to turn out.


    Jook bit his lip.


    ¡°¡­Fuck. Let him go!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 239

    Side Story Chapter 239


    After Kireua left Hubalt¡¯s council chamber, no one made a sound for a long minute.


    The knights quickly approached the throne to tend to Kurz¡¯s corpse. An emperor had died in the center of his pce. Never before had Hubalt been so humiliated, so they were eager to keep it a secret.


    ¡°¡­Leave His Majesty¡¯s body be,¡± Duke Jookmanded.


    ¡°Your Grace?¡±


    ¡°Leave it be.¡±


    The knights exchanged nces.


    ¡°You bastards¡­¡± The veins on Jook¡¯s forehead bulged. ¡°You trash! After allowing His Majesty to be murdered right before your eyes, you can¡¯t even tell right from wrong anymore! Without His Majesty, who is the person with the highest authority in the pce now!?¡±


    The knights froze up. Kurz, the nowte emperor of Hubalt, didn¡¯t have a child because he had been a priest until not too long ago¡ªthose who served Hermes couldn¡¯t officially get married. Adopting an orphan was an option, like Lilith Aphrodite, who was a cardinal¡¯s foster daughter. But since Kurz had not done that, authority fell to Duke Jook.


    ¡°Imperial Knights, listen!¡± Jook turned around.¡°We hear and obey!¡±


    ¡°Seal the council chamber immediately. No one steps in or out of this room!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    The knights positioned themselves around the council chamber, blockading the bewildered nobles within.


    ¡°Wh-What are you doing, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°What in the world did we do¡­!¡±


    ¡°Get out of my way! There¡¯s no reason for me to be here anymore¡ªI¡¯m going back to mynds!¡± one of the nobles angrily shouted at the knights.


    ¡°I believe you will understand the necessity of this measure,¡± Jook calmly told them.


    ¡°Hey, Duke Jook!¡± Duke Nemert stomped forward.


    There were officially two dukes in Hubalt now, both appointed by Kurz himself. Despite being Kurz¡¯s left and right-hand men, they weren¡¯t on good terms; they constantly fought with each other to be the second-inmand of the empire. Their conflict had recently begun to wind down. Nemert had begun to lose little by little, and Jook had sessfully recruited most of the nobles on his side.


    ¡°This is too harsh for a security measure!¡± Nemert yelled.


    ¡°What part of it is supposed to be harsh, Duke Nemert?¡±


    ¡°These people are in shock. They need to be consoled, not bossed around by you!¡±


    ¡°I told you that this is necessary,¡± Jook calmly repeated.


    ¡°Does that mean that you don¡¯t trust these people?¡±


    Jook¡¯s eyes narrowed. He knew what Nemert was trying to do.


    <em>¡®You¡¯re going to use this chance to turn the tide in your favor, are you?¡¯</em> Jook didn¡¯t hide his sneer.


    ¡°Duke Jook! Are you mocking me?!¡±


    Instead of answering Nemert, Jook signaled an Imperial Knight, who immediately drew his sword.


    Nemert''s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-What is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange?¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    Jook pointed at the open entrance behind the throne that Kireua had used again to get out of the pce.


    ¡°Look there,¡± he said. ¡°That passageway is reserved for the Imperial Family only. It¡¯s supposed to be one of the most tightly kept secrets in the country, and Joshua Sanders is from an enemy country. How could he have known about it?¡±


    Nemert reflexively swallowed. ¡°A-Are you casting doubt on me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not, but I do think it¡¯s strange. All you have to do is cooperate, and yet you can¡¯t stop yelling. You know, it¡¯s said that you should doubt the one who protests the loudest.[1]¡±


    Nemert and the other nobles fell silent. Two-thirds of the nobles were already on Jook¡¯s side, but his subtle threat ced enough pressure on the remainder that they felt inclined to join his side as well.


    ¡°Imperial Knights, heed me.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°Everyone here is suspected of conspiring with our enemies. You know what to do, yes?¡± Jook asked.


    ¡°It will be done!¡±


    Aside from those who were blocking the doors, all of the knights quickly surrounded the nobles. Nemert wanted to protest Jook¡¯s inexplicable exclusion from the list of suspects at the top of his lungs, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak. The tide was already in Jook¡¯s favor; one slip of the tongue would see Nemert turned into a corpse like the one getting cold on the throne.


    ¡°And tell all the troops in the empire to stop Joshua Sanders and the others from escaping from Hubalt no matter how many people it takes,¡± Jookmanded the knights.


    ¡°Immediately, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°And all of you¡ª¡± Jook turned his gaze to the empty ceiling of the chamber. ¡°¡ªwill go after Joshua Sanders now.¡±


    Dozens of people wrapped from head to toe in ck clothes dropped to the floor like drops of rain; they were the members of Adran, Hubalt¡¯s national intelligence agency. Right at this moment, they epted their new master.


    ¡°Your will be done, my lord.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°You¡¯re just as insane as your father. You know that, right?¡± Anna shook her head in disbelief. She had been anxiously waiting inside the secret tunnel but almost screamed when Kireua showed up, covered in blood. Even though her elemental spirits had been telling her about the situation in the council chamber in real time, seeing Kireua in person made Anna¡¯s heart sink.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually slit his throat¡­¡± Anna nkly murmured.


    ¡°We¡¯re just getting started. I can only pray that their troops will fall into chaos when they find out what¡¯s happened here. If they retreat back to their empire, that would be perfect.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too optimistic. There¡¯s no chance of that happening.¡±


    Kireua looked behind him where the voice came from and saw a beautiful womaning up on them.


    Anna frowned. ¡°How long is she going to follow us?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll probably be with us until we get to Avalon.¡±


    ¡°What? Do we have to go with her?¡±


    ¡°Yes, unless you want to see someone¡¯s mana hall get permanently destroyed,¡± Kireua casually replied.


    In order to get through the tunnel quietly, Kireua had made a Mana Pledge with Isaac promising her two things: the first was that he would help her meet the real Martial God; the second was to guide her to where the Martial Emperor¡¯s legacy was.


    ¡°Technically, I just assassinated your emperor, but you¡¯re pretty calm.¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯d care about the death of trash like them?¡± Isaac shot back.


    Kireua simply shrugged. Although her attitude hardly surprised him, her response told him how poorly Kurz was regarded in Hubalt. Well, Hubalt always considered their emperor inferior to their pope. The papacy had been abolished, but such a long-standing reputation wouldn¡¯t change overnight.


    ¡°I still have some questions. How are you rted to Bel? You don¡¯t seem to be on good terms with him.¡±


    ¡°You certainly talk a lot. All you need to do is keep your end of the bargain. If you don¡¯t¡­¡± Isaac unleashed a strong murderous energy. ¡°I¡¯ll crush your head with my fist before your mana hall ends up the same way.¡±


    ¡°How can you say such awful stuff without even blinking?¡± Kiruea grumbled.


    ¡°Does it sound like I¡¯m kidding?¡±


    ¡°But you do know, right?¡±


    Kireua grinned at Isaac, who looked confused.


    ¡°Both of the promises I made to you can be fulfilled only after I safely return to Avalon, but¡ª<em>uh-oh</em>¡ªit looks like you have to escort your enemy¡¯s son back to his home to get what you want. How ironic is that?¡±


    Isaac¡¯s murderous energy intensified. Still, Kireua was good at reading people, so he knew where he needed to stop to not push Isaac over the edge. If Kireua were to provoke her any further, Isaac would throw one of her outrageously strong punches at his head with no regard for their pledge.


    ¡°Anyhow,¡± Kireua said, changing the topic, ¡°I would like to ask you a favor.¡±


    ¡°¡­A favor?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be cumbersome for both of us if we have trackers on our tail, so we should take care of them before we leave.¡±


    Isaac frowned and gave him a look of disbelief. ¡°I think you¡¯re seriously misunderstanding something here. I may not love this country, but I don¡¯t hate it either. Do you seriously think I¡¯ll help you?¡±


    ¡°Even if it means I won¡¯t be able to keep my promises?¡±


    ¡°¡­Your shit is really getting on my nerves¡­¡±


    Before she got angrier, Kireua waved his hands. ¡°Hear me out. I¡¯m not asking for your help eliminating the pursuers. If there¡¯s a way to lose them without fighting, that would be ideal for both of us, wouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to feel guilty, and I can escape without killing people unnecessarily. Aren¡¯t I right?¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about right now?¡± Isaac¡¯s frown deepened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you heard what I said in the council chamber, but the legitimate heir to Hubalt¡¯s throne is in the pce right now.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you talking about Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°Oh, you know her.¡± Kireua nodded cheerfully. ¡°I¡¯m not just saying this because I know her well, but she¡¯spetent, beautiful, and has the perfect background. There¡¯s no one better to lead Hubalt through this chaos. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?¡±


    ¡°¡­You think very lightly of my country.¡±


    Kireua neither agreed nor disagreed because it was true that he wouldn¡¯t Hubalt a thought without Bel. This mission had not changed that attitude; if anything, it had only strengthened it.


    ¡°I can guarantee you one thing,¡± Isaac spat.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Without my help, neither you nor Lilith Aphrodite will ever be able to get out of this country,¡± Isaac firmly stated.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯m very curious as to what you mean by that.¡±


    1. The raw is ¡°?? ? ?? ???.¡± Literally tranted, it means that the one who farted will yell. It¡¯s actually about ming others for your own mistake, but recently it¡¯s often used to describe how the culprit will use anger to cover up their crime. ?

 Side Story Chapter 240

    Side Story Chapter 240


    To Kiruea¡¯s surprise, Isaac answered quite readily.


    ¡°Hubalt¡¯s core of power and the biggest fear of other countries aren¡¯t the knights you saw back in the pce.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying the priests and pdins are?¡± Kireua asked, realizing that he hadn¡¯t encountered a single priest or a pdin in the empire.


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Before Kurz ascended to the throne, he had ved to recruit people from the Great Temple to his side. That was why he didn¡¯t hesitate to depose and incarcerate highly respected high priests and the Pope.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say that the people who opposed him were all purged. Then why haven¡¯t the people who¡¯re on his side shown up yet?¡±


    The pdins and priests numbered over ten thousand, at least officially, so, even if Kurz had sessfully recruited only half of them, that was at least five thousand more people under hismand¡ªyet Kireua hadn¡¯t seen hide nor hair of them in the pce, which was rather strange.


    ¡°Think of it like this: these people were made to swear loyalty to him, betraying theirpatriots, by force. Would you trust them?¡±


    ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing in the first ce, but I get what you¡¯re trying to say,¡± Kireua replied.


    Of course he wouldn¡¯t be able to trust them. Kurz was probably even more suspicious¡ªviins had a particrly strong tendency to believe that everyone else was a viin like them.¡°Kurz summoned all the nearby nobles¡¯ private soldiers to the pce because the pdins, who were originally in charge of guarding the capital, were dispatched to the surrounding areas,¡± Isaac told him.


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°When Kurz heard that Joshua Sanders was in Hubalt, the first thing Kurz did was send the pdins away from the capital.¡±


    Kiruea finally understood what Isaac meant.


    ¡°Kurz sent his least reliable troops to track down his most feared enemy.¡±


    Kurz was crafty indeed. He probably thought that it didn¡¯t matter if the pdins got wiped out in pursuit of Joshua; in a viin¡¯s mind, if he couldn¡¯tpletely control them, they were better off dead.


    ¡°If he couldn¡¯t trust them, he should¡¯ve killed them already¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°Even if Kurz has Bel¡¯s support, killing ten thousand pdins and priests is a very risky move for him.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened in realization.


    ¡°Huh? Hold on¡ªthen aren¡¯t the pdins in my debt right now? I killed their crazy tyrant for them.¡±


    The end of Isaac¡¯s mouth curled. ¡°You¡¯re simpler than I expected. This incident is a slight on their honor. Haven¡¯t you heard people say, ¡®I¡¯m the only one who can badmouth my sibling[1]¡¯?¡±


    Kireua quietly contemted how he would feel if someone badmouthed Selim.


    <em>¡®To be honest, I wouldn¡¯t really be all that upset¡­¡¯</em>


    Isaac noticed the look on Kireua¡¯s face and quickly revised it to, ¡°Or think about someone badmouthing your father.¡±


    ¡°¡­Now that is annoying.¡±


    ¡°The long and short of it is, you gave them a reason. Maybe this will be the trigger that unites the pdins. Bel is away, and Kurz, their warden, is dead.¡±


    Avalon would only benefit if a coup started in Hubalt, but no one could expect what effects it would have on the rest of the world. Since Hubalt had already started the Continental War, they might continue the war in the name of avenging their emperor.


    ¡°That¡¯s one more reason to find someone to lead people of the Great Temple,¡± Kireua murmured.


    Obviously, Kireua was thinking of Lilith; no other person would favor Avalon as much as her¡ªbut once again, Isaac didn¡¯t agree.


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re thinking of Lilith Aphrodite. Even if she¡¯s the daughter of a once-respected cardinal, she¡¯s a witch with a Demon King¡¯s authority. Do you think pdins will follow her lead?¡± Isaac scoffed.


    ¡°That¡¯s a misunderstanding.¡±


    ¡°Maybe people in Avalon would agree, but Kurz used his position to make everyone in this country think Lilith Aphrodite was a witch long ago.¡±


    Isaac was certain that Lilith wouldn¡¯t be able to control Hubalt; it would be too difficult to change her reputation.


    ¡°As long as the pdins are your enemies, I¡¯m sure that they¡¯ll be your biggest obstacle.¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect you to think that highly of pdins¡¯ skills,¡± Kireua muttered.


    ¡°Given the fundamental advantage their powers have over you, I believe that the pdins will be effective against you.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re just as helpless before divine power as the witch,¡± Isaac spected.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about feigning innocence. You didn¡¯t seriously think that I wouldn¡¯t notice you have that much demonic power inside you.¡±


    Kireua stayed silent for a moment before he shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t nning on saying anything, but it looks like there¡¯s one thing you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Divine power isn¡¯t my weakness.¡±


    Isaac sneered. ¡°So you¡¯re just gonna bluff now, huh?¡±


    ¡°My father.¡±


    Isaac stiffened.


    ¡°His Majesty, Emperor of Avalon, utilizes both divine and demonic power at once despite their ipatibility,¡± Kireua reminded Isaac.


    wless. That was what the Martial God was.


    ¡°And a tiger doesn¡¯t father a cat.¡± Kireua grinned.


    And Kiruea was the Martial God¡¯s son.


    * * *


    After corralling the nobles in front of the throne, Duke Jook quietly brought Duke Nemert to a small room in the corner of the council chamber.


    ¡°What in the world do you want with me now?¡± Nemert asked, his lip trembling.


    Jook himself was a Master, so he chose to meet Nemert one-on-one without any guards apanying him. In contrast, Nemert didn¡¯t know a single thing about swords; he had attained his current position with a little bit of cleverness and a significant amount of wealth. He was unmatched in the amount of donations he had made to the Great Temple. In fact, the main reason why Nemert managed to acquire the title of a duke was his long-time sponsorship of Kurz.


    ¡°Duke Nemert, why don¡¯t you be my sponsor from now on?¡±


    ¡°Wh-What is that supposed to mean?¡± Nemert stammered.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t asking because you genuinely don¡¯t understand what I¡¯m talking about, are you? I¡¯m giving you a chance right now.¡±


    Nemert went silent. Even though he was still confused, he could tell what Jook wanted from him, more or less.


    ¡°Bel is still in Swallow, and I¡¯m going to tell him that Joshua Sanders was here and of His Majesty¡¯s death.¡±


    Nemert¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor. ¡°Wh-What? Th-That is uneptable. We should hide our ipetence from that monster, not tell him ourselves! He¡¯ll kill us all!¡±


    ¡°I beg to differ.¡± Jook shook his head. ¡°Bel¡¯s only interest is Joshua Sanders¡ªif anything he would be amused to hear that Joshua Sanders assassinated our emperor.¡±


    ¡°I-I doubt¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know Bell well enough yet. The only thing he knows is how to fight because he was created to be a human weapon,¡± Jook confidently said. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t believe we''ll be able to capture Joshua Sanders even if all the knights and soldiers left in the empire go after him. Bel is the only one who stands a chance against him.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What are you going to do if Bel holds us ountable?¡±


    ¡°¡­Kurz was a puppet in the first ce, so Bel will happily rece him with another puppet¡­¡± Jook trailed off with a grin. ¡°But we¡¯ll still have to make preparations to spin the situation to our advantage.¡±


    ¡°By preparations, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°The best oue for us right now is for the Martial God and Battle God to die fighting each other.¡±


    Nemert eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°Mutual destruction!¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Let¡¯s outwit those monsters and¡­¡± Jook¡¯s grin deepened. ¡°...take this country¡ªno, continent for ourselves.¡±


    * * *


    As they walked down the long tunnel, Kireua, Isaac, and Anna were silent. Isaac had stopped talking, presumably because she wasn¡¯t talkative by nature, and Anna was too busy walking on eggshells around Isaac to speak.


    When they arrived at the end of the tunnel, Anna broke the silence with a warning.


    ¡°Stop. There¡¯s someone up ahead.¡±


    Anna closed her eyes and focused, observing the area ahead through her elemental spirits.


    ¡°¡­Thirty?¡± she mumbled. ¡°No, there¡¯s at least fifty people up ahead.¡±


    Kireua and Isaac¡¯s expressions tensed.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you hide now? You¡¯ll be considered a traitor at this rate.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a reason to hide. I didn¡¯t betray this country, it betrayed me,¡± Isaac scoffed.


    Kireua gave her a thoughtful look. ¡°This has been on my mind for a while now: why do you have such a deep grudge against this country?¡±


    Without answering him, Isaac pointed forward. ¡°It seems my concerns were correct.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Can you prove that you weren¡¯t just bluffing earlier?¡±


    Just then, Kireua felt a faint trace of divine power from up the tunnel.


    ¡°Take care of them on your own, then I¡¯ll tell you,¡± Isaac said with a crooked smile.


    ¡°...This is good.¡± Kireua drew his sword with a smile. ¡°Killing the emperor was too easy; I didn¡¯t even have a chance to warm up yet.¡±


    ¡°¡­I just hope you¡¯re as skilled as you say you are.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Kireua charged straight toward the enemy. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I hate more than a braggart.¡±


    1. It¡¯s a meme in Korea which is mainly about love and hate among a family. ?

 Side Story Chapter 241

    Side Story Chapter 241


    Priests and pdins, despite their devotion to their god, weren¡¯t any different from any other human. Factions existed within the Great Temple. The factions led by the three cardinals had been the most influential in the past; the priests and pdins had sworn their loyalty to the man they believed was most likely to be the next pope in the hopes of gaining more power when he became pope.


    Aside from those who had been sent outside the empire under imperial orders, all of the people in the Great Temple were in Kurz¡¯s faction and had been serving him for a long time.


    ¡°Do you think the news of the incident in the Pce is true?¡±


    A total of fifty-three pdins who were in Kurz¡¯s faction from the start made their way away from the capital. It didn''t take long for them to reach their destination because the Great Temple was rtively far from the pce but was close to the city¡¯s outer reaches.


    ¡°Duke Jook told me himself, so I have to assume that it¡¯s at least somewhat credible,¡± Weirman, their leader and the only ss 1 pdin at the site, replied.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it strange, though? The pce¡¯s security is the highest it¡¯s ever been right now with all the nearby nobles¡¯ private soldiers guarding it. How is he supposed to¡­?¡±


    Weirman¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°That¡¯s why we need to see for ourselves.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°The nobles having grievances against His Majesty is nothing new. An extraordinary genius, the Battle God, showed up out of nowhere and handed His Majesty the throne, so many of them would think His Majesty got his crown by pure luck.¡±¡°A-Are you thinking about a coup¡­?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m merely talking about a possibility,¡± Weirman answered.


    Before arriving at the site, Weirman had tried to put himself in Jook¡¯s shoes. If Jook didn¡¯t just have a grievance and had ambitions of overthrowing the reigning monarch, now was the perfect chance because he wouldn¡¯t raise any suspicion by bringing his army into the pce.


    ¡°Is that why you only brought a handful of people?¡±


    ¡°If a problem were to arise here, we¡¯d be helpless. I¡¯m trying not to get us all killed.¡±


    ¡°I see..¡±


    Weirman¡¯s pdins looked at him with respect. Their superior was known for his brilliant mind and martial prowess which wasparable to the White Lion.


    ¡°Have you sent the watchers to each of the gates?¡± Weirman asked.


    ¡°Yes, I have.¡±


    ¡°If this is a trap, troops will pour out from one of the four gates. Once we detect any wind, we¡¯ll retreat right away.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Weirman coldly stared down the seemingly endless tunnel. The entrance was usually covered, but it was wide open now. If Jook hadn¡¯t told Weirman and the pdins to go here, Weirman would never havee here himself, but¡­


    <em>¡®Only the Imperial Family knew about this escape route. Even if there are droves of enemiesing through it, only two to three people can attack us at a time, considering the width of the tunnel, so we¡¯ll have plenty of chances to escape,¡¯</em> Weirman thought.


    Some of the pdins were preparing for the potential battle near the exit of the tunnel.


    ¡°How far along are we?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re almost done!¡±


    The pdins finished burying traps from the Magic Tower in the ground and then stood up. If anyone that wasn¡¯t the emperor showed up, Weirman was going to detonate those traps before they could attack.


    ¡°In times of war like this, we always have to assume the worst. Does everyone understand?¡± Weirman shouted.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Get ready! They¡¯ll being soon!¡±


    Just then, Weirman detected several presences inside the tunnel. Although the others hadn¡¯t noticed them yet, Weirman was on another level. His eyes narrowed intently.


    <em>¡®There are at least two of them.¡¯</em>


    One was clear, and the other was incredibly faint, almost nonexistent, which meant that both of them were formidable opponents.


    <em>¡®¡­No, wait.¡¯</em> Weirman''s eyes slowly widened.<em> ¡®Is that a third? There are definitely two Masters and another one who¡¯s either equal to the other two or weaker. And one of the Masters is stronger than me.¡¯</em>


    Weirman immediately drew his sword. ¡°Ready the traps, now!¡±


    With practiced actions, the pdins quickly infused their mana into the magic traps, bringing all five humming to life.


    The three peopleing down the tunnel could be the emperor and his bodyguards, but the chances were very low. Weirman knew that Kurz would have left those kinds of people in the council chamber so they could fight the assassins and buy him more time to flee.


    Of course, it was more than possible that Kurz was lucky enough to escape with all his knights, but Weirman trusted his judgment and experience. They were the biggest reasons why he could reach his current position.


    ¡°Activate them!¡± Weirman roared when he sensed the intruders reach the exit.


    The pdins scattered away from the tunnel. Those expensive magic traps contained Fire Boom, a Fourth Circle spell. Anyone caught in the center of the explosive quintet would be gravely injured.


    An additional series of explosions then battered the air and sent pirs of fire soaring into the sky; Weirman was a very meticulous man and had instructed the pdins to bury ordinary explosives too.


    As a result, the entire wall where the tunnel emerged came crumbling down. The pdins stopped and stared for a moment, awed by the incredible power.


    When the explosions finally stopped, one of the pdins cautiously asked, ¡°Do you think it¡¯ll be okay?¡±


    The pdins couldn¡¯t help but worry that the emperor was actually inside the tunnel. The thought alone was so awful that it made them shiver with dread.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t worry.¡± Weirman shook his head. ¡°None of the presences I detected could have been His Majesty¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± The pdins heaved a collective sigh of relief. The dust hadn¡¯t settled yet, so they still couldn¡¯t see anything¡ªhowever, even a Master¡¯s Master grandfather wouldn¡¯t be unscathed after that explosion.


    Weirman peered into the swirling dust and saw something puzzling. The explosions had scattered embers all over the area, but Weirman discovered that they were suddenly massing at one point. It defied all logic andmon sense. There had to be something supernatural behind it.


    ¡°Draw your weapons!¡± Weirman hastily shouted.


    The pdins responded to Weirman¡¯smand immediately, falling back on the thousands of hours of training they were famous for.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡±


    The explosives that hadn¡¯t been detonated the first time went off, clearing the clouds of dust that were blocking the pdins¡¯ view.


    For all their training, pdins weren¡¯t prepared for this.


    ¡°A Fi-Fire God¡­?¡±


    It was the only way to describe the man standing above the ruins of the wall, engulfed in fire.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± the man asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re fine!¡±


    The pdins looked past the man to where the other voice came from¡ªin the sky.


    ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡±


    Two women were standing in the air. Weirman frowned. One of the women had to be either a mage or an elemental spirit mage.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s why her presence is weaker than the others. Which means that the other woman is¡­¡¯</em>


    Weirman raised his guard. He¡¯d expected that the explosions might not be enough to kill the enemies but he thought they would be able to at least inflict grave damage on them. Unfortunately, all of his meticulous preparations were for nothing because the enemies were a lot more skilled than he had predicted.


    .


    Weirman flinched as the man engulfed in fire slowly walked forward. His ck hair and eyes, his impossibly handsome looks, the suffocating energy he exuded¡­


    A gasp arose from the pdins.


    ¡°Th-The Martial God¡­?¡±


    ¡°J-Joshua Sanders! It¡¯s Joshua Sanders!¡±


    He was thest person Weirman and his men wanted to meet, not even in their dreams.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Despite the nightmare situation, Weirman visibly rxed.


    ¡°Calm down,¡± he said. ¡°He isn¡¯t Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? B-But he looks¡ª¡±


    ¡°The Second Queen Consort of Avalon is a master artifact craftswoman. Avalon¡¯s agents could easily disguise themselves as anyone¡ªbut it¡¯s impossible to mimic the Martial God¡¯s skill.¡± Weirman slowly pointed his sword at Kireua. ¡°You may be able to fool others, but not me. Who are you?¡±


    ¡°Not bad.¡± Kireua rested his sword against his shoulder and grinned. ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t change anything though.¡±


    Weirman smiled back with confidence. ¡°I realize why Duke Jook sent us here.¡±


    There was nothing more frightening than an enemy he knew nothing about, but there was no reason to be scared of an enemy who revealed their identity.


    ¡°I can feel demonic power from you, so although I don¡¯t know exactly which it is, I know you have the authority of a demon.¡±


    ¡°¡­So many people have said the same thing to me and I still have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Hah. You¡¯re just a boy who doesn¡¯t even understand yourself. I can¡¯t even take you seriously.¡± Weirman held up his sword and unleashed white mes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if your authority is a demon king¡¯s like the Ghost Sword. You¡¯ll be no match to me anyway.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re pretty confident about yourself,¡± Kireua remarked as he unleashed his ebon mes in response, striking a stark contrast with Weirman¡¯s.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯ve defeated the Ghost Sword.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua said, surprised.


    Weirman smirked. ¡°That isn¡¯t all. Christian the White Lion ended up as a mess after he lost to me. Do you think a boy like you can defeat me?¡±


    Kireua nkly examined Weirman for a moment and felt his fighting spirit surge within him.


    ¡°...You¡¯re more interesting than I thought.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 242

    Side Story Chapter 242


    Contrasting ck and white mes ran wild in an intense battle between Kireua and Weirman. Kiruea could tell that the white mesposed of Weirman¡¯s divine power were indeed great¡ªbut that didn¡¯t change his thoughts in the slightest.


    <em>¡®When I met the Saint she was stronger than him,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Lilith Aphrodite, the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, and Christian the White Lion were skilled swordsmen who had represented Hubalt for a long time. On top of that, they were both friendly to Avalon and its emperor, although Kireua¡¯s assessment didn¡¯t take any of that into ount.


    <em>¡®They wouldn¡¯t have lost to a nobody pdin I¡¯ve never even heard of.¡¯</em>


    Although with that said, it wasn¡¯t impossible. Supposing that Lilith and Christian were sufficiently weakened beforehand, an inferior warrior like Weirman could have defeated them. But setting aside Weirman¡¯s ims, this was an interesting situation and a chance for Kireua to gain the favor of the future legitimate leaders of Hubalt.


    Their first exchange of attacks came to an end with one final <em>crash!</em>


    ¡°¡­What!?¡± Weirman shouted, startled.


    Due to its destructive nature, demonic power was superior to aura of the same level; in a head-on battle, the one using aura was going to lose. However, divine power pitted against demonic power was an entirely different story. Some things in the world were just ipatible, like how the most voracious fire would eventually be extinguished if enough water was poured over it. There was a good reason that the long extinct ck mages had fled for their lives as soon as they had seen a priest or a pdin.


    <em>¡®But what is with this ck me?¡¯ </em>Weirman gnashed his teeth and drew up more divine power.The nearby pdins were dumbstruck by their battle.


    ¡°My skin stings because of that man¡¯s demonic power¡­ but he can withstand Captain¡¯s divine power.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s winning! What in the world is going on?¡±


    ¡°Wait¡ªI think it¡¯s different from the demonic power we know.¡±


    Although he couldn¡¯t pay attention to what others were saying, Weirman could feel the abnormality in his bones. He backed away, trembling with exhaustion.


    ¡°Who¡­ in the world are you?¡±


    Kireua smiled. ¡°Give up; you have no chance of defeating me. You¡¯re a pdin in name only¡ªrotten to your core.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There is this thing that His Majesty the Emperor always talks about. The most important thing is who wields power, not if the power is demonic or divine.¡±


    Only Joshua could make such a remark, being the sole person capable of using both divine and demonic power. Although the world wasn''t aware of it, Joshua in his past life had been betrayed by the kindest angels and received help from the evilest demons. Due to his formidable power, Joshua had been abandoned from both sides, so angels and demons were the same to him.


    ¡°The church was highly respected for a long time, but now all of you are corrupt or politicians chasing power,¡± Kireua disparaged with a frown


    ¡°You brat¡­ How dare a prince of the Demonic Empire try to patronize us!¡±


    ¡°¡®Demonic Empire¡¯¡­¡± Kireua repeated. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just a name you people tacked onto Avalon to further your plots?¡±


    Weirman scoffed. ¡°No matter what excuse you use, it doesn¡¯t change the fact that Avalon created undead in the middle of your pce! Yet you and your country boast about destroying them¡­ You only reaped what you¡¯d sown!¡±


    Kireua¡¯s gaze turned cold. He could let everything else slide except for insults against the emperor.


    Kireua gritted his teeth. ¡°The Saint ced the well-being of Hubalt and its people above all else, but you turned her into an evil witch overnight and hunted her down. I think it¡¯s safe to say that the undead are better than the pathetic excuse for pdins you¡¯ve be.¡±


    ¡°How dare you!¡± Weirman tightened the grip on his sword, his face red with humiliation. The wicked white mes around him grew bigger, threatening to swallow Kireua whole.


    <em>¡®I¡­ don¡¯t think those mes consist solely of divine power,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    He guessed correctly. Weirman had a secret to his power.


    ¡°Come, Sariel!¡± Weirman shouted.


    Kireua''s eyes widened. The name ¡°Sariel¡± was an odd one to hear. Michael, Gabriel, Raphael, and Uriel were only four Angeli, also known as the Four Great Angels; they granted the authorities of the Four Pdins who had invaded Avalon. However, Weirman¡¯s power was just as strong as theirs.


    ¡°Sariel, the Forgotten Angelus, is also called the god of death¡­ Try your best to survive.¡± Weirman smiled wickedly.


    His appearance had changed. They were faint, but a halo of light and wings of divine power had appeared behind Weirman. They were a lot different from the ones Kireua had seen before.


    ¡°Eyes¡­?¡± Kireua murmured.


    There were eyes all over Weirman¡¯s wings, close to a dozen. They were truly bizarre, but that wasn¡¯t the real problem. White lights flickered in those eerily human eyes. Each one rang loudly with power.


    <em>¡®They¡¯re dangerous!¡¯</em> Kireua followed his instincts and dove for the ground, dropping his sword in his haste.


    Not a moment toote, the eyes shot rays of white light, delivering a blow that was highly unexpected given the typical destructiveness of an ability rooted in divine power.


    After the collision, the entire wall that the escape tunnel emerged from totally copsed, shutting it for good. Most of the tunnel had already been destroyed from the explosions from the pdins¡¯ magic traps, but even the debris from that was pulverized by this st.


    ¡°This is the power of Sariel, the Death God,¡± Weirman pompously dered, his chin held high.


    In the wake of the explosion, the air was filled with an ineffable silence. All of the pdins were trembling in excitement after witnessing Sariel¡¯s power for the first time. Pdins had been subtly looked down on by the other powers that be because divine power didn¡¯t have any inherent advantages over aura. Many demons had recentlye to the Human Realm, so divine power gained poprity for its effectiveness against them, but it was hard to consider divine power stronger than any other kind.


    ¡°Drop your weapon and surrender, and I¡¯ll guarantee your life,¡± Weirman arrogantly said.


    He had plenty of reasons to capture his opponent. His opponent was rted to Avalon and used the very rare ebon mes, so Weirman was certain that his opponent was Kireua Sanders, the famous Second Prince of Avalon.


    <em>¡®Once I capture him, I¡¯ll be able to receive a noble title and quit being a pdin,¡¯</em> Weirman thought. He was already basking in the satisfaction of achieving his ultimate goal.


    There was no pope in Hubalt anymore, and the emperor was the one and only ruler of thend. Even Cardinal Kurz had taken off his priestly garbs and ascended to the throne, so the Great Temple would only lose more of its power as time passed. In the end, Hubalt would be just like any other country where nobles ruled the entire country under their king. Weirman was not at all opposed to this new hegemony. There had been too many times he felt suffocated because he had to hide his power.


    <em>¡®I hope His Majesty is okay.¡¯</em>


    At that moment, the soft sound of a footstep pulled Weirman¡¯s focus back to the present.


    ¡°You have the skills to back up your big mouth.¡±


    ¡°¡­You arrogant bastard. You think you¡¯re worthy to assess my skill?¡± Weirman boomed, baring his murderous energy to Kireua.


    ¡°But, well, you¡¯re no better than the Four Pdins,¡± Kireua nonchntly continued.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You seem to have forgotten about this, but your oh-so-mighty Four Pdins died in Avalon¡¯s capital. Do you remember that?¡±


    The area instantly went quiet as if someone threw a wet nket over it.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re just a whelp hiding behind your father¡¯s glory. As loath as I am to admit it, everyone here knows how great your father is¡ªbut you¡¯re not him. You¡¯re not a lion like him, you¡¯re just a cat. How dare you try to pretend you¡¯re even a fraction of the man your father is?


    Weirman didn¡¯t hide his sneer. The pdins burst intoughter.


    ¡°Hahahahahaa!¡±


    ¡°Everyone knows that the Second Prince of Avalon is just a shithead with no talent.¡±


    ¡°I heard he''s been real cheekytely. Must be because he thinks he¡¯s Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°Some people think they¡¯re gifted just because they have talented parents.¡±


    ¡°Big talk from a guy who can¡¯t even use a spear. Ridiculous¡ªcan¡¯t even reach his daddy¡¯s tailcoats.¡±


    Kireua didn¡¯t answer them because he knew from experience that he could easily prove himself with his skills.


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯ve been reborn, and Hubalt will be the first chapter of my story.¡¯</em>


    Since Weirman used the ability of a god first, Kireua was going to utilize the same kind of ability. It was an eye for an eye. Coal¡¯s ego waspletely gone, but not its power. While Weirman had the ability of the Forgotten Angelus¡­


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯m using an Evil Sin that even the Demon Kings coveted could never wrest from my father.¡¯</em>


    An outstanding amount of demonic power surged within Kireua. This was the first time he¡¯d used the power of Greed in full since Coal had left him. The pdins did not notice the change in Kireua, but Weirman widened immediately. The authority of the Angelus showed him the true identity of Kireua¡¯s ability.


    ¡°T-The power of Greed¡­?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 243

    Side Story Chapter 243


    Kireua didn¡¯t have much time. The longer he lingered here, the more soldiers and knights woulde from the Pce. Besides, he had no idea how the war would turn out if he didn¡¯t return to Avalon as soon as possible. Kireua trusted Selim, of course, but one man couldn¡¯t win a war on his own.


    <em>¡®Give me strength, Coal.¡¯</em> Kireua tightened his grip on his sword, summoning more demonic power from within him.


    It was time to use the power of Greed¡¯s other ability. Each of the Seven Evil Sins had different abilities. Greed¡¯s was the ability to im all energy in creation, including from objects.


    Weirman didn¡¯t take Kireua lightly. The moment he realized that Kireua had the power of Greed, he didn¡¯t hesitate to bring others into this fight.


    ¡°Everyone, draw up your divine power!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Following their captain¡¯smand, the pdins unleashed their divine power, covering the area in a pool of blindingly bright light.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed to attack a greenhorn all together?¡±


    ¡°Hmph. The Demon Kings have always been the enemy of all of Igrant. I thought you seemed awfully defensive of the Witch, but I didn¡¯t know you were on the same side!¡± Weirman shouted, hiding a sly smile. From his perspective, Kireua had made a grave mistake. He¡¯d practically handed Weirman the high ground; the involvement of a Demon King gave him the grounds for almost everything.¡°Demonic power and divine power are the pr opposites of each other! Even if he¡¯s using the power of a Demon King, we¡¯re the Great Temple¡¯s most elite pdins. He can¡¯t defeat us! Be confident and use your divine power in full!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ck and white power shed with each other in the air, vying to gain dominance.


    Suddenly, Kireua turned his ck demonic power into fire. Immediately, the ebon mes began to swallow the divine power.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Weirman gaped, startled by the sudden turn of events. ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°The power of Greed is avarice itself. The concept of opposites means nothing before this infinite desire.¡±


    The power of Greed neutralized its target through sheer avarice. It seemed simr to the power of Gluttony at first nce, but those two powers had one big difference: in contrast to the power of Gluttony, which incorporated what it swallowed into itself, the power of Greed simply took possession of it rather than merging with it.


    The difference was clear. Although some people regarded the power of Greed as lesser than Gluttony because of Greed¡¯s tendency to simply hold on to what it swallowed. Its victims had to be subdued to use the power of Gluttony¡¯s ability, like how a beast had to hunt its prey to consume it. However, that wasn¡¯t necessary for the power of Greed because it could neutralize its target upon activation, just as it did right now.


    The divine power that had once matched Kireua¡¯s demonic power vanished with a pathetic <em>wheeze,</em> like a balloon deting.


    ¡°That was¡­¡± Anna gaped, awed by the incredible disy of might.


    Even though Issac remained silent, she observed the battle intently. If what she had just seen was really what she thought it was, anyone who fought Kireua would be forced to do so without mana or aura.


    ¡°You were so confident earlier, but your divine power is gone now. How are you going to fight me now?¡± Kireua smirked as he lightly swished his sword, gathering his demonic power back into him and calming it.


    The air around Kireua was unearthly quiet. Weirman, standing right in front of him, could tell that it was merely the calm before the storm.


    ¡°The hell¡­¡± Weirman gnashed his teeth. ¡°You rely on unholy machinations topensate for yourck of ability¡­!¡±


    Weirman¡¯s appearance changed again. Thanks to the authority of Sariel the Angelus, Weirman hadn¡¯t lost all of his divine power like the other pdins¡ªbut still, most of his power was undeniably gone. His billowing wings had shrunk to half their original size, and the eyes which used to unleash rays of light had closed long ago.


    ¡°Are you talking about yourself?¡± Kireua taunted.


    Weirman raised his sword, unable to hold back his anger. ¡°Get into a formation! I¡¯ll take the lead. We¡¯ll subdue this demon worshipper!¡±


    ¡°S-Sir!¡±


    The pdins quickly moved to surround Kireua despite their bewilderment¡ªbut before they could surround him, Kireua disappeared.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    ¡°H-He¡¯s over here. The heretic is¡ª!¡±


    The pdins copsed to the ground, unconscious. Weirman couldn¡¯t do a thing. Knights without the ability to use their mana were merely healthy, ordinary people who happened to be good with a sword. Pdins without divine power were no different.


    ¡°I did hear that the power of Greed is the best in the Demon Realm, but¡­¡± Weirman clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white.


    Now wasn¡¯t the time for him to give up. Besides, Weirman hadn¡¯t reached his limit yet.


    ¡°Sariel!¡± Weirman roared. The closed eyes on the wings were opened wide. Their lethargy vanished. Before long, those eyes dropped from the wings and clung to every part of Weirman¡¯s body.


    ¡°I never wanted to take this form¡­but now that it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ll kill you no matter what it takes,¡° Weirman dered.


    He looked truly gruesome. Ten eyes blinked on his arms, thighs, and forehead. Anyone who saw him would have dered him a demon on the spot.


    Kireua only stopped after incapacitating half of the pdins on the site.


    ¡°I wish I had a mirror to give you or something. And you said I was consorting with demons¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll tear your tongue out.¡±


    Weirman leaped forth like a lightning bolt. Kireua flinched, startled by the pdin¡¯s sudden turn of speed, but quickly raised his sword.


    Their swords violently shed. However, Kireua knew that there was more toe, having already witnessed what Weirman¡¯s eyes could do.


    <em>¡®Don¡¯t tell me he¡¯s going to fire light rays again,¡¯</em> Kireua thought with an uneasy frown. Exactly as he had imagined, the eyes began to shine.


    Kireua instantly went into a roll¡ªbut somehow, although he was sure that he had seen the light raysing and dodged the attacks, he felt a pain in his shoulder. He looked down and saw a bloody wound.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± he mumbled, frowning.


    ¡°Hehehe. Sariel the Death Angelus has twelve eyes, brat.¡±


    Kireua ignored Weirman. His own eyes traced the rays of light to their sources¡ªbehind Weirman. As expected, two eyes floated in the air, ring at Kireua.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a monster.¡± Kireua shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°You¡¯re introducing yourself, you foul seed of a Demon King!¡±


    Kireua stood up and replied by immediately thrusting his sword into his enemy¡¯s heart.


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Kireua blinked, confused. It wasn¡¯t because his attack failed. That wouldn¡¯t have surprised him this much. Instead, the moment he¡¯d decided to attack, Weirman disappeared before his very eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you thought that all these eyes¡¯ only ability is shooting rays of light,¡± Weirman scoffed.


    Kireua was certain that Weirman could see Kireua¡¯s future moves. Even though he wasn¡¯t sure how exactly that was possible¡­


    ¡°¡­If those eyes are going to cause me problems, I can just close them,¡± Kireua casually replied.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Kireua released a great amount of ck smoke, blocking the eyes¡¯ view in no time.


    <em>¡®Fool!¡¯</em> Weirman sneered once again.<em> ¡®Does he think such a cheap trick will work?¡¯</em>


    Through Sariel¡¯s eyes, Weirman could see the true nature of the world, so this kind of smoke was no problem for him when he used his full power. However, the moment Weirman activated his power in full, Kireua disappeared.


    ¡°Where! Where are you?¡± Weirman quickly swept Sariel¡¯s twelve eyes over his surroundings.


    Nevertheless, Kireua was nowhere to be seen.


    ¡°Down here.¡±


    To Weirman¡¯s surprise, Kireua¡¯s voice came from under his feet. Weirman looked down just in time to see Kireua leaped out of the ground and cut Weirman in half.


    ¡°My teacher¡¯s technique is outstanding indeed,¡± Kireua eximed in admiration. What he used just now was Aisha Sestropi¡¯s shadow mobilization technique. By enhancing it with demonic power, the most secretive power in the world, Kireua could utilize the technique several levels higher than before. In fact, Weirman never sensed Kireua¡¯s location even as he died.


    Kireua dissipated the ck smoke shrouding the entire battlefield.


    ¡°Wh-Wha¡ª!¡±


    ¡°C-Captain?¡±


    When the battlefield was revealed, the pdins were struck by a storm of shock and dismay.


    Kireua turned to look at them. ¡°Now you have to choose between continuing to fight me or surrendering.¡±


    If he could do as he pleased, Kireua would have eliminated the remaining pdins as well, but he couldn¡¯t. Dealing with them was for someone else to handle.


    ¡°V-Bice captain, your orders please¡­¡±


    The vice-captain of the pdins, Weirman¡¯s second-inmand, bit his lip. If they were going by the rules, they had to fight until the very end. On top of that, there was no guarantee that they were going to be spared when they surrendered, even if the chances of victory were low.


    ¡°We¡¯ll fight until the e¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stoooop!¡±


    ¡°There they are.¡± Kireua broke into a wide smile. A group of people was approaching in the distance. He¡¯d been expecting them.


    The pdins, on the other hand, were in even more of a shock than ever. They outright dropped their swords because the one-armed man leading the new group was someone that the pdins of the Great Temple could never forget.


    ¡°N-No way¡­¡±


    The man looked like a haggard shadow of his former self, but he was undoubtedly Christian the White Lion. The man who was once hailed as the strongest person in Hubalt stepped into the light with his pdins.

 Side Story Chapter 244

    Side Story Chapter 244


    ¡°¡­Christian the White Lion,¡± Issac whispered. She watched the pdin approach intently.


    ¡°He¡¯s the White Lion¡­?¡±


    Lilith Aphrodite, the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s friend and the Ghost Sword, was with Christian. When she met Kireua¡¯s eyes, Lilith greeted him with a nod and sent him a telepathic message.


    -I would like to express my gratitude to the Prince of Avalon.


    -There¡¯s no need. Someone had to do it, and nothing will benefit the continent¡¯s peace more than returning Hubalt to its original state.


    In other words, it was a necessary act for Avalon.


    -Leave the rest to us and go. People from the pce are rushing over here already.


    Lilith smiled faintly. Joshua had done a great job raising his children.


    -Would that be okay?-Of course. Oh, yeah. You also have my sincerest gratitude for avenging my father.


    During her escape from the dungeon, Lilith was shocked to hear that Kurz had been assassinated. Duke Jook had even sealed the council chamber to stop the news from leaking, but he couldn¡¯t silence everyone in the pce; the Imperial Knights guarding the doors had kept on talking about it.


    -Be careful. I believe you¡¯ve already fought him, but Bel is no ordinary man¡ª W-Wait, why is she here¡­?


    Lilith stared past Kireua, eyes wide. Kireua turned to look in the same direction, his head cocked curiously. Behind the pdins, who were being arrested by the pdins that Lilith and Christian brought with them, stood Isaac.


    <em>¡®Come to think of it, they might be acquainted,¡¯ </em>Kireua thought.


    No, they were from the same country so of course they would know each other. Lilith¡¯s dark expression¡ªand the re Isaac gave her in return¡ªconfirmed that. Kireua quickly sent Lilith another telepathic message as she was marching toward Isaac.


    -Hold on!


    -¡­What?


    -I made a deal with Isaac, and she isn¡¯t our enemy right now. I escaped the underground tunnel thanks to her.


    Lilith came to a halt and gave Kireua a perplexed look.


    -¡­Do you know who she is?


    -I heard that she¡¯s the only child of Zactor, the Martial Emperor.


    -Then you should know that she thinks of Joshua¡ªno, His Majesty, the Emperor of Avalon, as an enemy.


    -I¡¯m well aware of that. In fact, helping her meet His Majesty is part of the deal I made with her.


    -You did what? Why in the world would you make such a promise¡­?!


    -Whether or not she meets His Majesty changes nothing.


    Lilith had to agree with him. It was difficult to imagine anyone defeating Joshua. Besides, Lilith knew as a longtime friend of Joshua¡¯s that he had changed physically and psychologically after having wives and children. In the past, the sole purpose of his life had been revenge, but he now always talked about how revenge begets revenge and that it was best to try to forgive everything. Of course, Joshua still obliterated his enemies if he concluded that they were beyond redemption.


    -¡­I get what you¡¯re saying, but she¡¯s still too dangerous.


    Lilith bit her lip anxiously.


    -It¡¯s a little embarrassing to say, but I¡¯m also strong. If you¡¯re worried about her taking me hostage, you don¡¯t have to worry about¡ª


    -I¡¯m not talking about that. You don¡¯t know Issac¡¯s true power.


    Lilith¡¯sst message was interrupted by thunderous shouts from a close by.


    ¡°Over there!¡±


    ¡°The wall has fallen! The escaped prisoners were headed over there too! Get them!¡±


    They were trackers sent by Jook. Kireua and the others were out of time.


    ¡°¡­I have no other choice,¡± Christian murmured.


    Christian¡¯s sword <em>hissed</em> out of its sheath, startling Lilith, who was standing right next to the pdin.


    ¡°S-Sir Christian?¡±


    ¡°After all the time I spent as a prisoner, I explored the furthest depths of despair. I eventually came to a realization,¡± Christian mused. Despite his grave condition, his eyes were as sharp as they were his prime.


    ¡°Kill them all,¡± Christian said, without any boration.


    However, the first-generation pdins moved like greased lightning.


    ¡°Agh!¡±


    ¡°Urrgggh!¡±


    ¡°D-Don¡¯t kill m¡ª!¡±


    The subdued second-generation pdins tied up and on their knees copsed one after another with their throats slit. Kireua had killed Weirman to prevent possible problems but had only knocked out the second-generation pdins for Lilith to use. However, Christian and the first-generation pdins ughtered them, rendering Kireua¡¯s efforts moot.


    ¡°S-Sir Christian¡­¡± Lilith slowly approached Christian.


    ¡°This is the right move. We¡¯ll never get anywhere with them as our prisoners.¡±


    ¡°¡­But¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re just traitors.¡± Christian shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t forget what happened to your father.¡±


    When her father was mentioned, Lilith bit her lip for a moment before turning back to Kireua. ¡°Go. The pdins and I will take care of the rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seeing a lot of people who aren¡¯t in good condition¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to help out?¡± Kireua cautiously asked.


    A wind elemental spirit mage of Anna¡¯s caliber and someone as strong as Kireua would be a great help, but Lilith couldn¡¯t ept them here.


    ¡°This is the business of my country. I need to solve this. You don¡¯t have to worry about me anymore,¡± Lilith answered.


    On top of that, Lilith had no intention of fighting right now. Since Kurz was dead and Bel was away, this was the perfect chance to return Hubalt to its original state. Persuading the people of Hubalt was her priority. Everyone else had already done the heavy lifting for her, so if she couldn¡¯t even do this much, she didn¡¯t have a dream of reforming the country.


    ¡°There they are!¡±


    The pursuers were closing in.


    ¡°Go, right now!¡± Lilith flicked her hand at Kireua.


    Kireua and Anna immediately turned and headed for the city limits. Isaac made to follow them.


    -If you¡¯re nning on revenge, don¡¯t involve any innocent people. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to deal with me.


    -Do you really think you¡¯re a threat to me?


    Issac didn¡¯t bother hiding her sneer from Lilith.


    * * *


    In the pce of the Swallow Empire, Bel put down a flickering crystal ball and smiled.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Lucifer, who had been leisurely leaning against the throne, tilted his head. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I received an interesting piece of information just now.¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Joshua Sanders showed up in my country.¡± Bel chuckled.


    Lucifer¡¯s lethargic look vanished as soon as he heard Joshua¡¯s name.


    ¡°Is he alone?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s with Cain de Harry and fifty other knights¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. I would expect nothing else from Joshua Sanders. No one would even think about trying something like that unless they have continent-sized balls.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why his opponents are always blindsided. It¡¯s impossible to predict his moves¡­¡± Lucifer leaned into the throne, amused.


    Since it didn¡¯t involve Swallow, Lucifer had no intention of getting involved in the affair. Besides, he knew from experience that offering his help first would only increase the chances of being betrayed, just like how Swallow and Hubalt had taken and lost Reinhardt to each other even while they were still nominally allies.


    ¡°Are you going to go back to your country, then?¡± Lucifer asked.


    ¡°If the real Joshua Sanders had shown up in my country, I would have gone back without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°What? What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Exactly what I said.¡±


    ¡°So¡­ the one who invaded Hubalt¡¯s capital with only around fifty people is a fake?¡±


    Bel nodded. ¡°Yes. I know where the real Joshua Sanders is and I¡¯ve already met him myself.¡±


    In the snowy mountain in north Avalon, Bel had met Joshua, who was locked up in the ice boulder. Because of Joshua¡¯s trap, Bel had been sent away to the faraway North Sea. Although he had considered going back to where Joshua was, Bel didn¡¯t think it would be particrly interesting since Joshua couldn¡¯t lift a finger in the ice boulder.


    <em>¡®Rage will motivate Joshua Sanders, so destroying Avalon, his home, and his family before hees out of the ice boulder will make things a lot more interesting,¡¯</em> Bel thought.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lucifer asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t stay here forever. I have to go back.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You acted like you didn¡¯t care, but you must be worried about your country after all,¡± Lucifer sneered.


    Bel simply shrugged. ¡°I think you got me wrong. I¡¯m going to Avalon right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, I¡¯m not interested in ying king.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Resting his chin on his hand for a moment, Lucifer grinned. ¡°Do you want my help?¡±


    Bel tilted his head. ¡°Help?¡±


    ¡°Even if you leave right now, you won¡¯t be able to get to Avalon from Swallow overnight.¡±


    Lucifer was right. With the entire continent at war right now, every country would have their mana jamming barriers up, meaning teleportation or warp gates couldn¡¯t be used.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Cain de Harry and the fake. That arrogant Combat Emperor has some debt to pay on his master¡¯s behalf.¡±


    Bel gave it a thought for a moment and concluded that Lucifer¡¯s offer wasn¡¯t bad. If Lucifer had offered to take care of the real Joshua Sanders, Bel would have refused because he had no intention of letting anyone else fight Joshua Sanders. However, Bel wasn¡¯t really interested in the rest.


    ¡°Can I trust you with this?¡± Bel asked.


    ¡°Of course¡ªbut I¡¯m going to handle it my way. Is that going to be a problem?¡±


    ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡± Lucifer pped the throne¡¯s armrest and stood up, grinning. ¡°Tell your people in Hubalt to bid wee when they see Swallow¡¯s g.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 245

    Side Story Chapter 245


    After talking with Bel, Lucifer headed belowground. He had unfinished business to take care of before heading out.


    ¡°My lord!¡± the knights saluted him.


    Lucifer waved his hand at them, signaling them to be at ease, and kept going.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± he asked when he reached his destination.


    A man¡ªwho was barely more than a corpse¡ªwas lying helplessly in the center of the prison. He used to be a renowned figure: a Superhuman, Thran¡¯s Hero. The me Emperor.


    ¡°Hey, bis.¡±


    bis still didn¡¯t respond. Lucifer chuckled. bis¡¯s mana hall had been destroyed by him, so bis was no longer able to use his mana. Lucifer could understand bis¡¯s despair¡ªhe had felt the same when he had lost to Joshua Sanders.


    ¡°But still, it¡¯s very rude to not answer my question,¡± Lucifer said with a disapproving frown. With his extremely heightened senses, Lucifer could tell that bis was conscious, and the fact got on his nerves. Lucifer lightly clenched his fists and bis floated into the air. After his death, Lucifer¡¯s martial prowess had increased by several levels; enough to lift an adult male with only his energy.


    ¡°How have you been?¡±¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I like seeing you acting like the loser you are¡­but you still have to say hello when someonees to see you.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°I know that the people of Thran are waiting for you, so if you ignore me one more time, I¡¯ll kill every one of them,¡± Lucifer coldly warned.


    bis¡¯s eyelids twitched several times and he opened his lifeless eyes.


    ¡°¡­What do you want?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. You¡¯re still the king of Thran, huh?¡±


    ¡°If your goal is to humiliate me, do that all you want, but the people of Thran are innocent. As an emperor, I hope you won¡¯t harm them.¡±


    bis deliberately called Lucifer an emperor, knowing that Lucifer was fond of the title.


    ¡°They aren¡¯t necessarily innocent. Serving the wrong lord is a great crime.¡±


    ¡°¡­Their only possible crime is being born in a powerless country led by an ipetent ruler,¡± bis bitterly replied.


    Lucifer grinned. ¡°You hate me and yet you¡¯re willing to kiss the floor for those people. Do you want to save those vermin that badly?¡±


    ¡°That is what a king is.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°For my people, I¡¯ll kiss the floor ten thousand times,¡± bis dered with a vigor that seemed to belie his condition. ¡°Please don¡¯t hurt them.¡±


    Lucifer dissipated his energy, and bis instantly hit the floor.


    ¡°You became a pretty boring halfwit while I was away,¡± Lucifer grumbled.


    ¡°I beg of you.¡±


    Lucifer suddenly had a very interesting idea. He smiled from ear to ear, eager to see bis¡¯s reaction to it.


    ¡°How about this?¡± Lucifer offered. ¡°You can look after the poor people of Thran yourself.¡±


    bis shuffled doubtfully.


    ¡°You must not understand what I meant. I¡¯m asking what you¡¯d do if you received a chance to be reborn.¡±


    bis still kept his head on the floor, but Lucifer could tell that he was taken aback.


    <em>¡®Yeah, this is what I wanted.¡¯</em> Lucifer smiled slyly. Even though bis was already his prisoner, Lucifer had gone through the trouble of destroying bis¡¯s mana hall to push him into the depths of despair for this moment. Lucifer was offering bis a glimmer of hope when he had hit the rock bottom and was ready to give up on everything.


    Lucifer¡¯s trademark crimson energy filled the dungeon, but it was different from before; mixed with it were smoky strands of demonic power.


    ¡°You must want to know how I resurrected several times stronger than before,¡± Lucifer said.


    bis looked up for the first time, obviously interested.


    Lucifer walked through the thick cloud of his demonic power and slowly held out his hand to bis.


    ¡°You can do it too with my power of Wrath. Take my hand and I will grant you the same blessing.¡±


    bis¡¯s lifeless eyes were glued to Lucifer¡¯s hand.


    * * *


    Cain was anxiously pacing back and forth at the rendezvous point when he suddenly stiffened. All the nobles and knights waiting with him looked at him expectantly, wondering if he had noticed something. Cain had the sharpest senses of all of them.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­?¡±


    Cain¡¯s face slowly brightened. ¡°¡­His Highness is here.¡±


    The others also brightened up.


    ¡°Ohaaaaa!¡±


    Some of the knights let out loud cheers.


    ¡°Stop that right now. You mightpromise our location.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already finished scouring the area. Hubalt¡¯s cowardly emperor must have gathered all of his avable troops around his pce even though we¡¯re conquering all of the territory nearby!¡± one of the aides confidently shouted.


    The nobles awkwardly exchanged nces. Fortunately, everyone¡¯s attention was drawn elsewhere.


    ¡°Wooooh!¡±


    ¡°His Highness is back!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve wooooonnn!¡±


    ¡°He must have taken the emperor¡¯s head! That man doesn¡¯te home until the job is done!¡±


    The nobles and knights had fought their way through thousands of troops, but Kireua¡¯s return was so exciting that they forgot all of their fatigue.


    One man and two women crested the horizon. It was Kireua, Anna, and Isaac, riding horses that Christian and Lilith had prepared for them.


    ¡°There he is!¡± one of the knights shouted.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Cain noticed the unfamiliar addition to Kireua¡¯s party and tilted his head in confusion. The closer Kireua and the others were, the darker Cain¡¯s face got. He could not get a read on this guest¡¯s level. Nevertheless, this wasn¡¯t the time for him to be lost in thought, so he jumped off of his horse and saluted.


    ¡°Greetings to Your Highness!¡±


    The knights also got off their horses one after another and energetically hailed their lord.


    ¡°Greetings to Your Highness!¡±


    ¡°All of you are okay!¡± Kireua approached them with a bright smile on his face and then jumped off his horse too.


    Cain immediately began his report, wary of retaliation from Hubalt.


    ¡°We¡¯ve confirmed that all the nearby main roads have closed down.¡±


    ¡°We expected that.¡±


    From Kireua¡¯s nonchnt reply, Cain was certain that the assassination of the emperor of Hubalt had been a sess.


    ¡°Our only remaining escape route is the same path we used toe here¡­


    ¡°Which means that we have to go through that damned ck Demon Forest. There¡¯s always another problem, isn¡¯t there.¡± Kireua frowned as he looked to the east, where a small hilly.


    Once Kireua¡¯s forces climbed over that hill, they would be no more than two days away from the ck Monster Forest.


    Kireua gestured at Cain. ¡°Let¡¯s hurry, Sir Cain. We have a lot of work to do.¡±


    ¡°Did something happen, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s obvious how Hubalt is going to react after losing their emperor, and¡­ we also have to deal with the Human Realm¡¯s impending copse.¡± Kireua stroked his chin.


    The knights beamed.


    ¡°Yes, my lord!¡±


    ¡°You heard His Highness! Get ready to leave immediately!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Cain enjoyed watching the troops getting to work in high spirits for a moment. He then nced at the mysterious woman Kireua had brought with him and sent a telepathic message to the prince.


    -Your Highness, your guest¡­


    -I¡¯ll exin it to youter, Sir Cain.


    -¡­Yes, Your Highness. I¡¯ll wait.


    Cain nodded. Kireua, on the other hand, was the most anxious person there. The Emperor of Avalon¡¯s two friends had bought Kireua time at the risk of their lives, so he had to get out of Hubalt as quickly as possible and join Avalon¡¯s main forces. He was worried about Avalon.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get over the hill right now!¡± he yelled.


    ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± Cain shouted using mana.


    Everyone turned their horses and headed to the hill. After some time, they arrived at the foot of the hill, but they gradually slowed down because they ran into a situation no one had expected.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Cain nkly mumbled.


    The region around the hill was an uninhabited wastnd because it was close to the ck Monster Forest¡ªso what was with this assembly of soldiers and knights?


    ¡°Hey!¡± a knight yelled from the opposite side.


    This totally unexpected obstacle was the reserve forces that Kurz had summoned back to the capital. Since these people had originally been intended to fight in the Continental War, they numbered in the tens of thousands.


    <em>¡®But why didn¡¯t they head to the capital¡­?¡¯</em>


    However, Cain had no time to contemte further.


    ¡°¡­My apologies, Your Highness,¡± Cain said. ¡°I should have been more careful in choosing our escape route.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You and the others must have been busy with the mission. Leave them to me.¡±


    ¡°Leave them¡ª What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that no matter how many infantry there are, they¡¯re helpless in front of a single Master,¡± Kireua confidently answered.


    ¡°¡­With all due respect, Your Highness, the saying only applies when a Master uses gueri tactics,¡± Cain cautioned, worried that Kireua might have gotten too excited after seeding in his seemingly impossible mission. ¡°Being a Master doesn¡¯t mean that you have infinite stamina; fighting them head-on is still dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I have something to test, so trust me, please. I will handle them.¡±


    Kireua sent another telepathic message to Cain while he hesitated.


    -I¡¯m getting used to using the power of Greed now.

 Side Story Chapter 246

    Side Story Chapter 246


    Kireua had already experienced what he could do with the power of Greed, so he knew the most efficient way to utilize his power when he was facing foes numbering in the tens of thousands.


    <em>Im starting to understand how the man who was betrayed by both the Angel and Demon Realm could have fought millions of demons and angels single handedly.</em>


    Kireua felt vigorous, unintimidated by the legion he was facing. He stepped forward, alone, and quickly drew upon his powerwhen suddenly, what looked like a ck cotton ball popped up and wiggled in front of him.


    C-Coal? Kireua sputtered, astonished.


    Coal had died, and Kireua had watched it happen with his own eyes. It didnt take long for Kireua to realize what the creature truly was.


    <em>Its not Coal.</em> Kireua thought. <em>If I had to put abel on it, itd be Coal Junior.</em>


    Still, Kireua smiled brightly. Although he didnt tell anyone, Kireua had been thinking that it may be possible for a new ego to be created, considering how special the Greed was; it turned out he was right.


    -Wowsie! It smells nice!


    Kireua gave the ck cotton ball a nostalgic look.Your name will be Coju.


    -Coju?


    CojuCoal Juniorspun around to look at Kireua. Coju was a lot smaller than Coal, but that was adorable in its own way.


    Lets go, Coju, Kireua said with a warm smile, gesturing to the enemy.


    -Can I eat all that?


    Coju looked up at him with twinkling eyes, drawing a chuckle from Kireua.


    Yes, you can.


    -Yay!


    Coju grew bigger as it bounced up and down, although nobody except Kireua could see Coju right now.


    However, those who were sensitive to energy flows could sense itCain and Issac noticed almost immediately.


    What in the world?


    Your Highness.


    The two looked at Kireua, surprised.


    Around one thousand enemy knights were charging toward Kireua, trying to intimidate the Avalon unit. These were fully armored knights on horses, so facing them alone without any armor was suicide. Human flesh was so weak that it would be crushed under a horses hooves. On top of that, those were knights capable of using mana, not ordinary cavalrymen.


    <em>But that only applies to ordinary people.</em>


    Kireua leaped into the enemys ranks.


    Coju was swept through the knights as well, but, just like none of them could see it, Coju wasnt able to physically attack them either. Nevertheless, Coju produced amazing results.


    Huh?


    W-Wait, why do I suddenly feel so weak?


    I cant use my m-mana!


    The knights shouted in bewilderment after Coju absorbed all their mana. Kireua could see Coju happily bouncing up and down with a plump belly. Even if the cavalry knights were in their full gear, they were just quick and sturdy puppets when they couldnt use their mana.


    Ugh!


    Hes t-too fast Agggh!


    W-We cant keep up with him without our mana! Fighting the Martial God like this is suicide!


    Kireua was still disguised as the Emperor of Avalon, so the knights were already discouraged. Now that they couldnt even use their mana on top of that, their morale was rock bottom.


    Intermediate Experts and lower, retreat! Change formation! Advanced Experts and above to the front! Marquess Veder, themander-in-chief of Hubalts reserved force, quickly came to his senses.


    At least fifty knights had fallen off their horses, unconscious, after Kireuas initial assault. However, there was still some distance between Kireua and the remaining knights because of their horses speed, they still had the chance to reorganize their formation.


    But despite his decisive orders, Veder was skeptical about their chances of victory.


    <em>Fuck! What kind of fuckery is this!</em>


    No matter how hard he worked his mana hall, he could use only half the amount of mana he was usually able to wield. He had been a Master for over ten years, but he was reduced to using his mana like an Expert.


    What manner of witchcraft did you use, Joshua Sanders! Veder gritted his teeth. He was one of the ten marquesses in Hubalt and had been full of confidence before the battle because he was certain the rumors were exaggerated. Even the Martial God wasnt exempt from the ravages of time, so he wouldnt be able to fight like he had during his prime. On top of that, during the Martial Gods famous battle against an army of a million, he used gueri tactics rather than fighting them head-on.


    With those delusions on his mind, Veder had already been imagining the rosy future the awaited him after his victory. Once he eliminated the Martial God, everyone in Hubaltno, in the entirety of Igrant would look up to him.


    However, Veder had quickly been brought back to reality as soon as the battle had started.


    <em>How the fuck does a human fight like that?</em> Veder seethed.


    If he had found out that he was dealing with a fake Joshua Sanders, Veder would have lost it.


    Front ranks, draw up your mana!


    Yes, sir!


    Around one hundred knights infused their mana into their swords. Considering their original level, itt was aughable disy, but their mana took the clear form of swords nheless. A testament to their training; each one of them was close to bing a Master.


    See! Even witchcraft cant defeat real talent! Have faith! Veder encouraged.


    Ohhhhhhhh!


    Kireua saw the enemy quickly rearranging their formation, cheering. He came to a halt with a bitter smile.


    It looks like Greed cant solve every problem, he mumbled.


    Mana was a knights tool of choice, so the ability to take away their mana provided Kireua with a great advantage. However, that wasnt going to make him invincible, and the chances of Greed not being much of a help when facing people like Bel, the Battle God, was also high.


    <em>Greed is only effective in dealing with numerous, mediocre enemies. In that case</em> Kireua leaned close to the ground with a smile. <em>...Ill have to make the best of it while I can.</em>


    Kireua charged once again. He sensed that only around one hundred people out of the one thousand could still use their mana at an effective level. The most skilled among them had lost most of his power to Coju and could only fight like a peak-level Expert. People like them had no chance against Kireua, who was an advanced Master.


    <em>Magic Sword Level 5: Levitation Sword.</em>


    Kireua couldnt use a technique which actively utilized his sword because he had to maintain his disguise.


    Get into a formation and hold your positions! Veder shouted as soon as he lost sight of Kireua. Dont let your guard down just because were dealing with one person! This is Joshua Sanders were facing!


    Yes, sir!


    Kireua shortened the distance between him and the enemies from fifty to ten meters in a sh. He leaped high above his enemies and spread his arms like a bird.


    What!?


    <em>...de Rain. Flycarry my murderous energy and y my enemies.</em>


    Ahh!


    Wh-What in the world?


    My sword!


    The knights were shocked to see their swords slipping out of their grip. Those who could still use their mana seeded in keeping their swordsbarelybut there were only one hundred of them. The other nine hundred swords flew into the sky and pointed themselves at the knights on the ground they had once belonged to. Veder could only boggle helplessly at the sight.


    Kireua lightly swung his sword. Go.


    All nine hundred swords simultaneously descended in a torrent of steel.


    Gah!


    Arggghhh!


    My arms! My arrrrrms!


    Without their mana, the knights were helpless against the rain of swords.


    Ah, shit!


    Things were rtively better for Veder and the one hundred knights who hadntpletely lost their mana. The falling swords werent infused with mana, so they could be parried if the knights used every bit of their strength. However, the swords traveled so swiftly that the knights couldnt weather the barrage uninjured.


    Despite the confusion, Veder didnt miss the fact that Kireua was about tond not so far away from him.


    Ill kill you! Veder deflected onest sword and then leaped off of his horse. Ahhhhhhhhhhh!


    The Martial God wouldnt always be invincibleand he was currently off his guard, so now was the only chance for Vedas to slit his throat. The veins on Veders neck bulged, a sign that he was using his precious, unrecoverable true mana.


    Immediately, Veder regained his original powerin fact, he got stronger thanks to his true mana.


    Die! Veder swung his razor sharp sword toward Kireuas neck just as hended with his back turned to Veder.


    <em>Wait, why is he smiling?</em>


    Kireua turned around, smiling from ear to earbut Veder didnt get any more time to think about Kireuas odd smile. Before Veder could realize what was going on, his decapitated head was rolling on the ground.

 Side Story Chapter 247

    Side Story Chapter 247


    Impossible


    Hubalts knights were left reeling after losing theirmander. Among the surviving knights, none were better than Marquess Verder, an advanced Master. A man of his caliber was decapitated by the monster they faced before he could deliver a proper attack.


    J-Joshua Sanders!


    Theres nothing exaggerated about the Martial Gods reputation


    The surviving knights were frozen stiff by fear. Less than half of their original forces could continue fighting after the rain of swords. The rest were incapacitated, and many of them had already died.


    Knights of Avalon, hear me! Kireua shouted.


    Avalons knights shivered in awe, goosebumps rising all over their bodies, but snapped to attention. Kireua was the Martial God at that moment, so the knights had to continue this y.


    March through the ck Monster Forest! It doesnt matter if its a monster or a humancrush anything that stands in our way!


    Yes, Your Majesty! the knights of Avalon shouted, their voices reverberating with mana.The overwhelming spirit in their voices made the surviving knights of Hubalt go pale, but none of them could bring themselves to move.


    If you insist on standing in our way, Ill help you join your leader. Kireua swung his sword, flicking Veders blood onto the ground.


    Hubalts knights turned to Count Micah, the second in the chain ofmand.


    Fuck


    My lord, doesnt it seem odd? Micahs aide quickly whispered into Micahs ear.


    What is strange? Micah frowned.


    Its a well-known fact that Joshua Sanders uses a spear, but hes been using a sword.


    The aide was right. The rain of swords was not out of character for the Martial God because he had mastered all kinds of weapons, but it was odd that he used a sword to take the enemy leaders head rather than his favored weapon.


    Are you telling me that were dealing with a fake Joshua Sanders? Micah asked, doubtful.


    Im merely presenting a possibility.


    Then just think of him as the real Martial God. Itll be better that way.


    The aide tilted his head. Pardon? What do you mean?


    If that man is a fake, that means that Avalon has another monster like the Martial God.


    The aide was speechless.


    We dont even have Bel with us. Unless youre nning to make our men throw down their swords, be careful with what you say.


    Yes, my lord. The aide bowed and took a step backward.


    Even as they spoke, Avalons knights were riding their horses toward the ck Monster Forest. Numerous archers stood at the ready with arrows nocked to bows, but no one took action. Theirmander was dead, and they couldnt risk injuring the elite knights.


    I cant believe we ended up bing hostages!


    Micahs face reddened with humiliation. All of it was because of that fucking Joshua Sanders. He stood tall, all on his own, as if mocking Hubalts knights.


    Cain had led Avalons troops almost to the entrance of the forest, which ced them within the archers range. Micahs anger spiked, his tightly suppressed murderous intent roiling within him.


    My n to increase our morale and distinguish myself in this war is going to cost me my life now, Micah mumbled.


    Hede to a decision. If he let them go without a fight when they were right in front of him, he would be court-martialed for his ipetence as soon as he returned. He was going to be demoted at the very least; worst-case scenario, he might be executed as an example to the rest, especially considering that the emperor despised him.


    ...Surviving knights of Hubalt, Imand you, Micah slowly intoned.


    The roughly four hundred survivors looked up.


    This ce will be our grave, Micah solemnly dered. Even if we were pathetic enough to cling to our lives here, our families will not be safe. So


    Micah raised his sword and unleashed his radiant aura.


    ...why not fight to the end? Let us die with honor!


    Ohaaaaa!


    <em>This is problematic. </em>Kireua watched the Hubalt knights cheering with a grim expression on his face. <em>I cant use Greed forever.</em>


    Using an Evil Sin consumed a great deal of demonic power; for a human, all of their mana had to be converted to demonic power. Only half of Kireuas mana was left in his mana hall after using a Level 5 Magic Sword Art technique.


    <em>The bigger problem is</em>


    Kireuas train of thought was cut short.


    Forces of Hubalt, heed me! I am Count Micah! Raise your swords and loose your arrows! Well fight til the end!


    Ohaaaaaaaaa!


    Hubalts army charged with a vigorous battlecry. A torrent of arrows flew over their heads toward Avalons knights, but Cain was ready.


    Raise your shields! he shouted, his mana conveying his urgency.


    His knights took the shields from their horses backs and held them over their heads, warding them from the thousands of arrows falling from above.


    Prepare another volley! Change from the curve line formation to the straight line formation!


    Straight line formation!


    The archers came forward and lined up. Arrows would lose energy as they traveled through their characteristic arc, but they could increase the damage they could deal by approaching their targetsincluding the chances of piercing their targets.


    On top of that, the archers were carrying longbows imported directly from Swallow. Longbows made in Swallow were twice as long as ordinary bows and of high quality. They were renowned for their power. The problem was,mon foot soldiers didnt have enough strength to fully draw the bowstrings of such weapons.


    Be patient. Release the moment theyre within range, Viscount Czmah, Micahs brother,manded.


    Yes, sir!


    Hubalt had trained its knights to use Swallow longbows, increasing theirbat effectiveness. Czmah and the three hundred archers were among them.


    Now!


    The arrows <em>swished</em> through the air, the sound distinctly deeper than that of a typical arrow.


    Right at that moment, a storm suddenly erupted into existence, its raging winds blowing the exact opposite direction of the arrows trajectory.


    What?


    Most of the arrows were blown off course and ended up hitting the ground. Those that managed to remain on target could bury their heads into the shields of Avalons knights.


    A woman was standing on thin air. Anna gazed imperiously down at Hubalts army, her robe and hair fluttering in the wind.


    Do you know who I am? she demanded.


    Sh-shes at least a high-ss elemental spirit mage.


    What the fu! Micah choked down his cuss. The Martial God was a headache on his own, but now he had to deal with a high-level wind elemental spirit mage!


    Kireua took a step forward. All of you have to take responsibility for what youve done.


    The Hubalt knights stumbled exactly one step backward.


    Especially Kireua disappeared. you.


    Most of the knights couldnt even see him; the only one who could was Micah, the most skilled of Hubalts knights. The moment he heard Kireuas voice behind him, Micah swung his sword.


    Ahhhhhh!


    However, Micah met the same fate as his superior. His head went rolling across the ground with a look of disbelief on its face.


    The remaining knightspletely lost their will to fight. Some of them threw down their swords in surrender.


    And yet, the distant archers took up their swords instead, resolving themselves to fight until the end. Czmah was shouting something at the top of his lungs after witnessing his brothers death.


    Cain sent Kireua a telepathic message.


    -What shall we do, Your Highness? At this rate, we wont be able to avoid fighting them head-on


    Kireua took a deep breath.


    Knights of Avalon, hear me!


    His knights nced back at him.


    I clearly remember ordering you to get rid of anything in our way, Kireua said.


    The knights spurred their horses back into a charge and brandished their swords, hesitation erased.


    We have no mercy to spare for our enemies, Kireua coldly continued. Kill them all.


    Yes, Your Majesty!

 Side Story Chapter 248

    Side Story Chapter 248


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Viscount Czmah cussed. He couldn¡¯t believe what was happening to him.


    Marquess Veder had been themander of this reserve force, leading tens of thousands of people, and also an experienced Master. However, he had died along with Count Micah, Veder¡¯s second inmand and Czmah¡¯s older brother. The morale of the remaining forces plummeted, naturally.


    Worse still, the massacre was still ongoing. A unit of over one thousand people was getting crushed despite their confident deration to obliterate their enemy. Only half of them remained now, and they were still helpless before the one man opposing.


    Of course, that wasn¡¯t surprising considering the man¡¯s identity.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders¡­!¡±


    The Celestial of Celestials, hero of heroes, the Martial God¡­ The man had numerous titles. He was actually Kireua, the Martial God¡¯s son, but Czmah had no way of knowing that right now. All he could do was rage.


    ¡°M-My lord, your orders!¡± one of Czmah¡¯s knights shouted, his tightly clenched hand shaking around his bow.


    The enemy knights were only one hundred meters away. Since they were on horseback, it was only a matter of time before they met. On top of that, the enemies were led by Cain de Harry the Combat Emperor, another formidable individual from Avalon.


    ¡°You have got to be kidding me! There are only five hundred of them¡ªwe outnumber them more than ten times over! Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourselves!¡± Czmah yelled. His mana ensured that all of his people could hear him, yet not one answered. Their reaction might have been different before the battle, but it was difficult to hold any confidence after seeing theirrades ughtered before their very eyes.


    ¡°Raise your swords! Stop him before he¡ª!¡±


    Czmah''s eyes widened as Cain de Harry jumped off of his horse and then flew toward Czmah like a bird, trailing his golden aura behind him.


    -From the looks of it, your people will give up once I kill you.


    ¡°Agh¡­!¡± Czmah bit his lip and drew as much mana from his mana hall as possible. ¡°You¡¯re just the Martial God¡¯s dog!¡±


    Fortunately for Czmah, the bulk of Hubalt¡¯s forces were out of range when Coju used its ability, so Czmah could fight at full power. His sword was d with aura.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes gleamed as their swords shed. ¡°I can tell that it hasn¡¯t been long, but you¡¯re also a Master.¡±


    Czmah clenched his teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate me!¡± he roared.


    His opponent was called the Combat Emperor by the entire continent, but Czmah was confident that he had a chance to win this fight if he could block Cain¡¯s first attack¡ªwhich he had.


    ¡°See? Even I can fend off the Combat Emperor¡¯s attack. Knights, gather your aura!¡± Czmah shouted to his knights.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The aura of three hundred knights resonated in the air.


    ¡°You¡¯re nothing without Joshua Sanders¡­ All of your famees from riding your master¡¯s coattails! How dare you, you half wit!¡± Czmah growled.


    ¡°¡­What''s your name again? Czmah? You just crossed the line.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. What, the truth hurts too much for you?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you bastard. Hurts me right in the bones.[1]¡±


    Cain hadn¡¯t had a chance to shine on a big battlefield such as this one because his master had always taken care of everything before he could do something.


    ¡°..Since my master is stranded, this is my chance to increase my fame.¡±


    ¡°What?


    While Czmah was still processing Cain¡¯s statement, his knights rushed in and thrust their swords at Cain while his sword was still locked with Czmah¡¯s.


    ¡°Die!¡±


    Czmah pressed closer to Cain, holding him in ce while the knights¡¯ swords sliced through the air. Czmah was certain that Cain wouldn¡¯t be able to move an inch as; his sword was as good as glued to Czmah¡¯s.


    ¡°Hah,¡± Cain scoffed.


    <em>¡®¡­He¡¯sughing?¡¯</em>


    Dozens of swords noisily crashed against each other. Cain¡¯s response caught Czmahpletely off-guard¡ªCain had already retreated.


    <em>¡®What the hell? He abandoned his sword?¡¯</em>


    Cain¡¯s sword was still stuck to theyer of aura of Czmah¡¯s sword. Regardless, Czmah was grinning because he was confident that he could defeat any unarmed opponent, even if they were several levels higher than him. That was what he <em>thought</em>.


    ¡°Wha¡ª!¡±


    ¡°M-My lord!¡±


    Czmah nkly looked up and saw a familiar arm holding onto a sword flying through the air. It was his arm.


    ¡°...An invisible sword?¡± Czmah munbled.


    Otherwise known as the Mind Sword, the invisible sword was a technique that only a very experienced Master could use. It took even longer to actually master the technique.


    Cain brandished his invisible sword. ¡°Your arrogance is your downfall.¡±


    Czmah was a novice Master, so he couldn¡¯t even follow Cain¡¯s movement. In fact, Czmah didn¡¯t realize he was dying even after he¡¯d lost his other arm and his head.


    ¡°My lorddddddd!¡±


    Cain started a massacre of his own by gathering his golden aura around his foot and mming it into the ground, staggering the nearby knights. Then he stomped once again, stronger this time. Some of the knights lost their bnce and fell pathetically down onto the ground.


    ¡°H-How much mana does he have? This is ridiculous¡­!¡±


    The few knights who had managed to maintain their bnce were too overwhelmed by the sheer amount of mana Cain was wielding to think about attacking him.


    ¡°Now! Cut off their heads!¡±


    ¡°Ohaaaaaaa!¡±


    Avalon knights arrived with perfect timing, scything through the ranks of Hubalt¡¯s knights while they were off bnce or still on the ground.


    ¡°Gah!¡±


    ¡°Arghhhh! My arm! My armmmmm!¡±


    It was mayhem. Avalon¡¯s knights smashed Hubalt¡¯s troops into a pulp under the hooves of their horses and their swords mercilessly cut down anyone left standing. It only took a moment for the five hundred knights under Cain¡¯smand to obliterate Czmah¡¯s three hundred.


    ¡°The soldiers¡­¡± Cain turned to look at the remains of Hubalt¡¯s army, but the soldiers were in a panic. Cain scoffed. ¡°I guess I don¡¯t need to worry about them. We¡¯re going into the forest!¡±


    ¡°S-Sir Cain!¡± one of the knights shouted as he hastened after Cain. ¡°His Highness isn¡¯t here yet¡­¡±


    Cain nced in Kireua¡¯s direction and smiled. What he saw made certain that he had made the right choice. It was essential to grant one¡¯s enemies no mercy lest they be troubleter down the line¡ªand Hubalt¡¯s vanguard had been very nearly wiped out to thest man.


    <em>¡®I thought His Highness Selim would be more cold and rational than His Highness Kireua¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°Look at that man over there,¡± Cain yelled. ¡°He is our emperor and master! Who dares to stand before the Martial God?¡±


    * * *


    ¡°We¡¯ve gone far enough. Slow down!¡± Cainmanded after riding for who knew how long.


    The knights around him ryed his order down the column.


    ¡°What are our casualties?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°We only have two, lightly wounded!¡± an aide immediately shouted back, knowing Cain would ask. It was an overwhelming victory; their flight from Hubalt had been aplete sess, and Cain was all smiles.


    ¡°But His Highness is yet to appear¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about him. I believe someone reliable stayed behind to back him up.¡± Cain immediately looked around and, as expected, Anna bel Grace was nowhere to be seen. ¡°¡­I hope she sees this through with him.¡±


    Kireua was left with one more important mission, and Anna was the perfect person to help him.


    ¡°Life is truly full of wonders,¡± Cain remarked with a quiet chuckle.


    Not so long ago, Cain hadn¡¯t trusted Anna. She had been Joshua¡¯s enemy for a long time and people rarely changed their mind overnight.


    ¡°Halt! We¡¯ll take a break to wait for His Highness!¡± Cain shouted, concluding that they¡¯d put enough distance between themselves and the enemies.


    ¡°¡­I agree.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain tilted his head.


    Not even Cain could have expected a dagger was going to pierce through his back without making a sound or someone exuding their murderous energy.


    ¡°What¡­ in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Si-Sir Cain!¡±


    Cain was even more surprised than the knights, who were ck-jawed in their own right. Even if he was caught off guard, it was odd that a person like him couldn¡¯t even sense a dagger flying toward him.


    ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Cain managed to turn his head and saw the ck-clothed woman that had apanied Kireua whom he had been worried about. She was holding another dagger already. ¡°I knew it¡­ You were plotting something when you approached His Highness, weren¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°I have no grudge against Kireua Sanders, you¡¯re a different story, Cain de Harry.¡±


    ¡°¡­What is your name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Isaac,¡± the woman quietly answered, her eyes radiating murder. ¡°Zactor, the Martial Emperor, who Joshua Sanders killed, was my father.¡±


    ¡°Zactor the Martial Emperor¡­¡±


    Blood dripped out from Cain¡¯s mouth. He had managed to turn his torso right before the dagger struck him, but it seemed that the dagger wasced with poison.


    Before the knights could act, Isaac climbed up a tree and arrogantly looked down on them. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to resort to such cowardly measures, but judging from your skill¡­ Although I would have no problem fighting you one-on-one, I¡¯d be quite troubled if you decide to attack me along with Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°¡­You overcame the same wall I did, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Isaac nodded with a cold smile. ¡°And Avalon¡¯s almighty Joshua Sanders can¡¯t defeat me. Never.¡±


    Cain spat out a dark clod of blood, but his eyes gleamed sharply.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really curious about where your confidence ising from. I guess I¡¯ll have to find out, daughter of the Martial Emperor.¡±


    1. The raw is ??? ?? ?? ?? ??? ?? ????. It¡¯s a Korean meme about how truth hurts. ?

 Side Story Chapter 249

    Side Story Chapter 249


    <em>¡®Shit.¡¯ </em>Cain frowned slightly. Despite his confident deration, his condition was far from good. Poison was tricky to deal with, even for a Master. Cain quickly examined himself while keeping a close eye on Isaac.


    <em>¡®Most toxins can be nullified using mana, but this is¡­¡¯</em>


    Whenever Cain tried to use his mana hall, the mysterious poison stopped his mana cirction. It was some kind of mana-scattering poison.


    <em>¡®Ordinary poison can be driven out by pushing it into one ce. If I can¡¯t expel it, cutting off the affected parts is an option, but I¡¯m able to do neither with this poison.¡¯</em>


    Cain smiled bitterly once he finished analyzing his condition. The one silver lining was that the dagger had missed his heart.


    ¡°Sh-She¡¯s strong!¡±


    ¡°Everyone, be careful! She¡¯s at least a Master.¡±


    ¡°Protect Sir Cain!¡±


    The moment that Cain¡¯s knights realized that Isaac was their enemy, all five hundred rushed in to attack her, but she hopped from tree to tree, neatly avoiding their encirclement.


    <em>¡®Does she believe that buying time will put her at an advantage?¡¯</em> Cain wondered.


    He felt pathetic. The fact that the knights had to worry about him, rather than Kireua, who had stayed behind¡­ In any case, Cain couldn¡¯t just stand around after what he¡¯d said¡ªnot that he was nning on that in the first ce.


    The knights flinched, blinded by the sudden radiance of Cain¡¯s blindingly bright aura.


    ¡°S-Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°Are you okay?¡±


    Cain pushed his mana hall as hard as it would go, filling the area with his majestic aura in a few breaths.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle her.¡±


    Cain vanished and almost instantly reappeared right in front of the branch Isaac had justnded on.


    Cain frowned at her. ¡°You fight dirtier than I expected.¡±


    Isaac hastily raised her arms to protect herself from the gold-d greatsword Cain was bringing down on her head.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Despite the loud explosion that resulted, Cain was puzzled.


    It was a collision between unyielding metal and delicate human flesh, but Cain¡¯s hands were¡ªto hisplete surprise¡ªnumb.


    <em>¡®What in the world¡­?¡¯</em> Cain''s eyes widened. Isaac had used the collision to distance herself and now stood on another branch.


    Isaac¡¯s sleeves were gone without a trace, but her arms gleamed red in the light.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°These are gauntlets made from red dragon scales,¡± Isaac answered.


    Knights usually used gauntlets to protect their hands, but it was difficult to find a knight above the level of an Expert who still used them. They simply weren¡¯t effective against an enemy who knew how to use their mana. On top of that, gauntlets were heavy and would only slow down the knights when they swung their swords.


    Nheless, any knight would wear gauntlets made from dragon scales. They were hundreds of times sturdier than iron, but light as a feather. To a cksmith, they were divine treasures that they could only dream of handling.


    ¡°Ah, yes. The Battle God eradicated the dragons¡­ I guess he had no reason to leave behind their byproducts after the trouble he went through,¡± Cain bitterly said.


    The dragons¡¯irs had all sorts of treasure and magic artifacts in them. In fact, it was said that the horde of an adult dragon could buy an entire country.


    Bel had killed dozens of dragons at minimum. The chances of Bel hiding the treasures he had acquired in Hubalt¡¯s pce was high. Cain thought that it was such a shame they hadn¡¯t taken any with them.


    However, that was just the beginning of the surprises.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain tilted his head in confusion.


    The dragon scales spread down Isaac¡¯s arms, eventually covering her entire body. Before long, every part of her except for her eyes was red, and a tail hung from her waist.


    ¡°You look¡­¡± Cain trailed off.


    ¡°It would be rude of me to fight the Combat Emperor without putting my cards on the table.¡±


    ¡°Wait, is that a magic artifact?¡±


    ¡°Avalon isn¡¯t the only country with craftspeople,¡± Isaac replied with a shrug.


    Cain¡¯s face darkened once again. Knowing that the Magic Tower was the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s ally, other countries couldn¡¯t count on being able to use the Magic Tower¡¯s artifacts and potions if they came into conflict with Avalon. That was why they had been training wizards and craftspeople of their own in preparation for such contingencies. Without that, Isaac wouldn¡¯t be in possession of such an artifact.


    ¡°Consider it an honor. Only a very small number of people in my country have seen me in this state.¡± Isaac clenched and unclenched her fists several times.


    ¡°You killed the rest.¡±


    Isaded nimbly on the ground. ¡°They call me the Red Empress. If you aren¡¯t in your best condition¡­ the chances of your victory are zero, Combat Emperor.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to see about that,¡± Cain casually answered as hended opposite of Isaac.


    Isaac was quiteposed; she seemed certain of her victory.


    ¡°She finallynded! Everyone, surround her!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    The knights immediately tried to trap Isaac again.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get in my way!¡± Isaac shouted.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Isaac spun around, catapulting all of the knights away. Their armor crumpled like dry leaves. The blood dripping out of their mouths was further evidence of the ineffectiveness of their armor.


    A momentter, the tree behind Isaac split in half and copsed.


    ¡°¡­You can actually use your tail? I thought it was just for the intimidation factor.¡± Cain shook his head.


    Isaac was indeed the daughter of the Martial Emperor. He had used his entire body as a weapon, so her tail couldn¡¯t be taken lightly¡ªespecially since it was made from dragon scales.


    ¡°You must be thinking that you¡¯ll be able to detoxify the poison eventually, but it¡¯ll eat away at you for your entire life unless you do it now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°The poison is made from dragon blood.¡±


    Cain''s eyes widened. Dragon blood was so acidic that ordinary people would melt into a puddle if they so much as touched it.


    ¡°I¡­ feel like I¡¯m fighting a dragon, not a human.¡±


    ¡°Impatience is something you must avoid. It leads you to make mistakes in battle,¡± Isaac said, revealing why she kindly exined the poison.


    ¡°¡­I really have to ask now. The Battle God isn¡¯t someone who would give away such treasures to other people after all the trouble he went through as he wandered the continent,¡± Cain said as he steadied his mind and body. ¡°How are you rted to the Battle God?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s¡­¡± Isaac hesitated for a moment but answered, ¡°¡­my fiance.¡±


    The revtion hit Cain like a punch in the gut. The puzzle pieces scattered in his mind came together. The reason why Bel could leave Hubalt to Kurz despite his greed was that Bel trusted Isaac.


    <em>¡®The Battle God¡­ inherited everything from the Martial Emperor, and it didn¡¯t take long for him to surpass the Martial Emperor,¡¯</em> Cain thought.


    Zactor, the Martial Emperor, would have recognized Bel¡¯s gifts first; he must have wanted to form a blood tie with Bel.


    ¡°Since when were you his fiancee?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°My fiance has always been him, even before I was born.¡±


    ¡°¡­Now that¡¯s another thing I didn¡¯t seeing.¡± Cain frowned.


    If Isaac was the practical ruler of Hubalt, the entire mission to assassinate Kurz was meaningless.


    <em>¡®¡­No.¡¯</em> Cain shook his head. <em>¡®It wasn¡¯t entirely meaningless. Hubalt¡¯s nobles are shaken up, and I saw signs of them turning against each other. Besides, the other countries will be more supportive of Avalon when they learn that the emperor of Hubalt is dead.¡¯</em>


    Still, it wasn¡¯t good. Cain could feel his condition quickly worsening, just like Isaac had said.


    <em>¡®...This poison really is nasty.¡¯</em>


    However, he couldn¡¯t let his people know how bad it was, so he infused more mana into his sword. He was going to show Isaac how scary a cornered beast was.


    Isaac raised an eyebrow. ¡°I¡¯d advise you to not push yourself.¡±


    ¡°Your mercy will only be a noose around your neck.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s going to die if you keep this up.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to let me do that anyway, so you can stop whatever you¡¯re trying to do,¡± Cain answered.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes shone wickedly. ¡°Hahaha. Was it too obvious?¡±


    ¡°¡­You sly wretch.¡±


    Isaac, seeing no need to continue the conversation, leaped for Cain with a mighty <em>boom</em>.


    ¡°Stop her!¡±


    ¡°Protect Sir Cain! We need to buy him time!¡±


    Cain could faintly hear the knights shouting at the top of their lungs, but Isaac¡¯s assault was as persistent as it was quiet.


    Just then, Cain lost track of her presencepletely.


    <em>¡®¡ªThis is bad!¡¯</em> He tensed.


    The knights around him were looking around, unaware of what was going on.


    In contrast to them, Cain could feel it viscerally.


    <em>¡®¡­She¡¯sing from above!¡¯</em>


    Cain quickly looked up. There was Isaac, who plummeted toward the ground like a veritable bolt of red lightning.


    ¡°Die!¡± Cain immediately swung his sword. However, at this critical moment, the dragon blood poison scattered his mana again. The poison had pushed him into a crisis.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m going to die at this rate!¡¯</em>


    rms were ringing Cain¡¯s head, when suddenly, a telepathic message graced his mind.


    -Leave the rest to me.


    Cain¡¯s eyes widened.

 Side Story Chapter 250

    Side Story Chapter 250


    Isaac whipped her tail down and Kireua parried it with an upward swing of his sword.


    The resultant collision was as explosive as it was shocking. Kireua suffered internal injuries due to the strong shockwave. He had been at a disadvantage from the very beginning because Isaac had added the momentum of dropping down from the branch to her attack.


    <em>¡®All else aside, she¡¯s a lot stronger than I expected.¡¯</em>


    Kireua remained poised but was tense. The source of her strength must be the magic artifact she was wearing. The body parts of a red dragon were priceless; Kireua couldn¡¯t believe someone had actually thought of turning them into a suit of transforming armor!


    Isaac uncovered her face and locked eyes with Kireua.


    ¡°Once we win the war, I¡¯ll have to bring every craftsperson in Hubalt to Avalon,¡± Kireua mused.


    ¡°Avalon defeating Hubalt, huh?¡± The end of Isaac¡¯s mouth curled upward.


    ¡°For a woman of confidence and skill, you fight rather dirty. Resorting to poison? Really?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not a knight and I don¡¯t want to meet the same end as my father. You know, a predator never holds anything back even when it¡¯s only hunting a single rabbit. That¡¯s all I¡¯m doing right now.¡±


    Isaac exuded murderous energy. If she was genuine, Kireua couldn¡¯t have met a worse opponent because he wouldn¡¯t be able to wait for her guard to slip.


    <em>¡®This isn¡¯t good.¡¯</em>


    Kireua nced at Cain. The veteran knight was sitting on the ground with his eyes closed. He looked pale, indicating that he was at his limit; his condition would be irreversible unless he quelled the poison inside him right now.


    Kireua didn¡¯t like¡ªno, loathed poison because the Emperor of Avalon had made sure Kireua would be always vignt of it, as if it was his father¡¯s mortal enemy. In fact, Kireua had experienced, as any royalty did, more than his fair share of assassination attempts. Poison was a constant part of his life.


    ¡°¡­I have to ask you something,¡± Kireua said, frowning.


    ¡°Ask me what?¡±


    ¡°You and I made a promise. Do you not want to meet my father?¡±


    After a moment, Isaac shrugged. ¡°The reason why Bel is away from Hubalt is obvious. He¡¯s obsessed with Joshua Sanders, so even if I met your father, I have to let Bel have him.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t care to meet my father because your fiance is going to deal with him anyway?¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if he defeats Joshua Sanders, Bel won¡¯t kill him right away, so I can ask my questions afterward.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡± Kireua was at a loss for words after seeing Isaac¡¯s arrogant confidence.


    The Emperor of Avalon was famed for his might throughout the entire continent and yet Isaac had the audacity to speak of capturing him alive, never mind merely killing him.


    ¡°Fine. What about the Martial Emperor¡¯s legacy? We¡¯re talking about your father¡¯s legacy here. Are you sure you don¡¯t need it?¡±


    Kireua had promised Isaac two things: one was to guide her to the Emperor of Avalon, and the other one was to deliver her the legacy of Zactor, the Martial Emperor.


    Isaac didn¡¯t answer Kireua, but her smirk grew. That told Kireua everything he needed to know.


    ¡°¡­I see,¡± he murmured. ¡°You weren¡¯t interested in the legacy in the first ce. ¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to receive the legacy of a general who died victorious, but the legacy of a failure is just trash.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s cruel. He¡¯s your father.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who I¡¯m talking about.¡± Isaac stepped forward, a clear statement that she felt no need to continue the conversation.


    ¡°Let me ask onest question: if none of what I promised you matters, why did you wait until now to attack us? There was no reason to.¡±


    ¡°My reason is the same as yours,¡± Isaac replied.


    Kireua''s eyes widened.


    ¡°What a shame,¡± she muttered. ¡°I could have infiltrated Avalon¡¯s pce so much easier.¡±


    ¡°¡­You wanted to assassinate His Majesty? Do you really think that would work?¡±


    ¡°Like I said, Joshua Sanders is Bel¡¯s. My job is to kill the people around him.¡±


    The closest people around the Emperor of Avalon were the three Queen Consorts. In other words, Isaac was going after Kireua¡¯s mothers.


    Kireua burst with murderous energy.


    ¡°You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±


    ¡°Easy now. Anger dulls your mind and your sword. Our fight will be too boring.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll shut that mouth of yours.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha, the Combat Emperor was a bigger problem than the Queen consorts, but I took care of him¡­ Is there anyone in Avalon who can stop me right now?¡± Isaac quietlyughed.


    The red dragon scales spread over Isaac¡¯s face again. ¡°You¡¯d better not hold anything back. If you can¡¯t defeat me here, you won¡¯t be able to stop me from crushing your loved ones¡¯ heads under my fists.¡±


    Isaac the first move. She hopped around from tree to tree, leaving red streaks in the air like arcs of lightning.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    Infuriatingly, she knocked down the nearby knights as she moved around. Whenever Isaac threw a punch, the knights ended up scattered on the ground, their sturdy armor covered in dents.


    One of the senior knight quickly approached Kireua. ¡°Yo-Your Highness!¡± He hastily saluted using his sword. ¡°Something¡¯s wrong.¡±


    Even if they were caught off guard, all of them were knights and were more than proficient with their mana; they weren¡¯t the kind of people who would be defeated after taking one punch.


    ¡°I think the gauntlets she¡¯s using are also covered in dragon blood poison.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed dangerously. The knight¡¯s spection was very usible, considering that her whole armor was made from dragon scales.


    ¡°Tell the knights to stand down.¡±


    ¡°Stand down? B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m giving you an order as your prince. The casualties will only increase if you don''t.¡±


    The knight flinched and had to pause to consider their situation. Isaac wasn¡¯t the only problem¡ª Hubalt¡¯s forces must have reorganized themselves by now, so if Kireua and the others wasted more time, the reserved forces might catch up with them after all the trouble they had gone through to throw the reserved forces off their tracks.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Your Highness¡­!¡± The knight quickly left and ryed Kireua¡¯s order to the nobles.


    The nobles nodded and instructed their knights to gather in one spot. After they got into a defensive formation that covered every direction, the incessant strikes of the red lightning bolt finally came to an end.


    -Wise decision, I¡¯ll give you that.


    Kireua closed his eyes without acknowledging Isaac¡¯s telepathic message. Although he hated to admit it, Isaac was right: anger was only going to dull his mind, making his attacks less sharp.


    -You won¡¯t be able to see meing if you close your eyes. As you can see from the Combat Emperor, the dragon curse will tear you apart if I so much as scratch you.


    The lightning bolt began to move again, even more quickly and fiercely this time. Her sheer speed caused some of the trees she kicked off of to copse. It was clear that she was putting everything she had into this attack.


    -Behind you.


    Isaac was already flying toward Kireua before she even finished sending her message. Despite wkindly informing her enemy where she wasing from, Kireua, whose eyes were still closed, had stopped listening to anything long ago.


    <em>¡®She¡¯sing from the front.¡¯</em>


    Kireua slowly opened his eyes.


    The collision between Kireua¡¯s sword and Isaac¡¯s fist created an intense shockwave.


    Using the impact, Isaac spun around and brought her elbow up, aiming the wicked spike attached to it at Kireua¡¯s temple.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s over.¡¯</em>


    Isaac¡¯s eyes gleamed as she threw her elbow homed in.


    Her entire body was a weapon. She could build a mountain from the enemies who had died trying to pit their swords against her arts. She firmly believed that the young prince in front of her was going to meet a simr end.


    Instead, Isaac was startled to see white arcs of electricity envelope Kireua. When they disappeared, he was wearing a full suit of white armor that Isaac had never seen before, with a matching set of gauntlets of his own.


    <em>¡®Magic armor?¡¯</em>


    Kireua quickly moved his free hand in front of his temple, his gauntlets d in mana.


    Isaac¡¯s attack collided harmlessly against his gauntlet with a dull <em>thud</em>. For the first time, Isaac''s expression slipped.


    ¡°¡­What is that?¡±


    ¡°Unlike you, I treasure what I receive from my parents.¡±


    ¡°What? So that¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the Deon Ring given to me by my father. You¡¯ve heard of it, right?¡±


    A Deon Ring was¡ªor used to be¡ªa magic ring of the highest ss, which changed into armor after infusing it with mana.


    ¡°Hah. Deon Rings are so outdated.¡± Isaac chuckled.


    Compared to her Draconic Armor, a cutting-edge treasure, a Deon Ring was practically an antique.


    ¡°Fine. Let¡¯s see how sturdy the Martial God¡¯s famous Deon Ring is. I wonder how long it¡¯ll withstand my attacks.¡± Isaac smirked as she infused her mana into her armor again.


    It would actually be fun to destroy the Deon Ring that Kireua had such high faith in.


    ¡°You do know that the greatest artifact craftswoman is my mother, don¡¯t you?¡±


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t deny that.¡¯</em>


    Iceline zin Rebra had created magic artifacts as a teenager that were still considered national treasures. She was the genius of geniuses whom all countries wished to recruit¡ªand that was why Isaac¡¯s first assassination target was also none other than the First Avalon Queen Consort.


    ¡°Don''t tell me that you actually thought she would make her son carry around an outdated, low-quality artifact.¡± Kireua smirked back.


    Isaac''s eyes widened as she watched Kireua¡¯s Deon Ring entering its second transformation.

 Side Story Chapter 251

    Side Story Chapter 251


    The former head of the Agnus Family had bequeathed the Deon Ring, the family heirloom, to his second, illegitimate son. As expected from a ducal family, their heirloom was so valuable that only a few of its kind could be found in Avalon. That second son was now a highly respected individual known to Igrant as the Martial God.


    <em>¡®His Majesty bestowed Longin to Selim. Maybe he felt bad about choosing Selim to receive his treasured weapon, so he gave me the Deon Ring like the Dark God gave it to him.¡¯</em>


    Iceline, the First Queen Consort and Selim¡¯s biological mother, was an upright person, so she also felt bad about it; she believed that it wasn¡¯t fair that Selim got to receive a much more valuable gift.


    Of course, Kireua didn¡¯t think that in the slightest. One son had zero talent in the spear, and another son was a genius spearmanparable to the Martial God. Kireua himself would have chosen thetter.


    <em>¡®Her Majesty spent months upgrading the Deon Ring that His Majesty had given me.¡¯</em>


    The magic artifact upgrade was done by a master craftswoman, so the Deon Ring could now be considered the Imperial Family of Sanders¡¯s treasure, not something inherited from the Agnus Family.


    ¡°You look¡­¡± Isaac blinked at Kireua.


    As that could be expected from her reaction, Kireua looked a lot different after the shroud of light around him disappeared. Mysterious runes were engraved all over the white armor, and his helmet, which seemed to be seamlessly joined to the rest of the armor,pleted his formidable ensemble. Kireua¡¯s cape, which used to be red, had turned translucent; it was unclear what the cape was made from.


    ¡°White Knight¡­?¡± one of the knights nkly murmured.


    The knight quickly went quiet after seeing ck fire suddenly rising from Kireua. The two contrasting colors slowly harmonized.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    The Avalon knights eximed without realizing it. Kireua looked as overpowering as Isaac, surely not less.


    ¡°It¡¯s still just an artifact.¡± Isaac muttered. She clenched her fists. Her Draconic Armor was a priceless treasure made from dragon scales, each one of which was worth thousands of gold¡ªand yet Isaac couldn¡¯t break through Kireua¡¯s defenses even despite the apparent qualitative difference.


    ¡°No matter how good the materials are, human-made gauntlets can¡¯tpare to a dwarven¡¯ masterwork.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that materials and tools don¡¯t matter to a true master of their craft.¡±


    Kireua grinned, revealing his canines. He could feel his confidence rising now that he was d in the love of a woman who cared for Kireua like her own blood.


    ¡°No one can defeat me now.¡±


    Kireua swung his sword.


    Isaac''s eyes widened.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll stop this one first!¡¯</em>


    She would counterattack right afterward. Their fight was as good as over once she sessfully delivered her counterattack¡ªthat was how lethal the dragon blood on her armor was to humans.


    The moment the sword and her armored fist met each other, Isaac gasped. The runes on the armor¡¯s surface sparkled and she felt an odd sensation in the leg she¡¯d set forward to throw the punch.


    <em>¡®Twine¡­?</em>¡¯


    Twine was a Third Circle spell that was notoriously tricky to deal with. It caused ensorcelled tree roots to seek out the target and restrict their movement. However, this particr Twine had more to it.


    <em>¡®What in the world¡­?¡¯</em>


    The dragon blood on Isaac¡¯s Draconic Armor was bubbling in response to the runes for some reason. Isaac stared, bewildered.


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯re going to fight with only our skills, not our fancy items.¡± Kireua smirked.


    ¡°¡­You cheeky shit!¡± Isaac threw a left kick up high and trapped Kireua¡¯s sword between her legs; then she spun around like a windmill on her hands. Naturally, given the strength difference between arms and legs, Kireua lost his grip on his sword.


    Isaac¡¯s smile died on her lips when she suddenly felt extreme pain in her thigh.


    ¡°¡­Ugh!¡± She staggered. What in the world had happened? She had clearly seen Kireua lose hold of his weapon, so she couldn¡¯t figure out where this pain wasing from


    Her eyes found their way back to Kireua.


    ¡°Mi-Mind Sword¡­?¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes gradually widened as it sank in. Kireua was holding something long and translucent. It wasn¡¯tplete, but it was definitely the Mind Sword.


    <em>¡®Impossible!¡¯</em>


    Isaac¡¯s shock was only natural. Cain de Harry, a man who had been focused on cultivating his sword skill for decades, was one thing, but Kireua wasn¡¯t him¡ªhe was just a boy in his twenties. Only an advanced Master could use the Mind Sword!


    <em>¡®Besides, wasn¡¯t the Second Prince of Avalon supposed to be a halfwit with no talent until not too long ago¡­?¡¯</em>


    The First Prince of Avalon was called a genius among geniuses, so Isaac wouldn¡¯t be as surprised as she was right now if she had been fighting him.


    ¡°P-Prince Kireua can use the Mind Sword¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a lot shorter and blurrier than Sir Cain¡¯s, but it¡¯s the Mind Sword without a doubt.¡±


    ¡°In-Incredible¡­¡±


    The nearby knights were even more surprised than Isaac. As they were walking on a simr path as Kireua, they knew how remarkable an aplishment this was.


    ¡°This means¡­ that we made the right choice, yes?¡±


    The five nobles that had chosen to join Kireua''s mission instead of Selim¡¯s were over the moon. While they hadn¡¯t made the choice purely to support Kireua¡ªthey had to go through the ck Monster Forest to find the missing youths¡ª


    <em>¡®¡­But this is turning out better than I originally expected. To be honest, I thought he was insane when he first proposed assassinating the emperor of Hubalt¡­¡¯</em>


    The only reason that they were able toe this far was that Cain, the Combat Emperor, was with them. If Kireua had told them about his n without Cain, they wouldn''t have even pretended to listen to him¡ªbut they had to admit it now. Even without the Combat Emperor by his side, the Second Prince of Avalon was strong; a true son of the mighty Martial God!


    ¡°Ohaaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    One of the knights clenched his fists and let out a cheer. The thrill spread to the other knights like wildfire. Even the noble lords couldn¡¯t help themselves from joining in.


    Cain took in the sight and smiled contently. <em>¡®¡­I''m proud of you, Kireua.¡¯</em>


    His face was still pale, but, to see that Kireua earned the nobles¡¯ sincere loyalty, he couldn''t be happier.


    <em>¡®This is just the beginning, Your Highness. Once we finish the mission and go home, you''ll be able topete with His Highness Selim in earnest.¡¯</em>


    Of course, before that happened, they would have to wade through piles of enemies.


    Isaac distanced herself twenty meters away from Kireua, wing for breath. Her right thigh was covered in blood. Surprisingly, the Mind Sword could pierce through dragon scales, which were supposed to be the sturdiest material in the world. It should have been impossible with Kireua''s insufficient mastery of the Mind Sword¡­


    ¡°¡­Shit,¡± Isaac swore.


    Kireua''s ebon me, the disgusting, unnatural mes of the Demon Realm, would burn anything they came into contact with. Isaac''s Draconic Armor was no exception.


    ¡°I don''t think you can keep fighting like that¡­ Do you really want to see this fight to the end?¡±


    ¡°¡­One leg will be enough to kill you,¡± Isaac hissed, her teeth bared.


    ¡°Will it, though?¡±


    Before the words had even left his lips, Kireua disappeared. Isaac was already jabbing her elbow at him when he reappeared behind her, but,


    <em>¡®I responded too slow!¡¯</em> Isaac bit her lip. As expected, her thigh injury was being a problem. Her arm moved much slower than she had expected it to.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Isaac groaned.


    In contrast to Kireua, who brought his full power to bear, Isaac¡¯s counter was weak and hastily executed. The winner of this exchange was obvious.


    Kireua still had more surprises for her, though. His translucent cape fluttered wildly, suddenly enveloping both him and Isaac.


    ¡°What¡­ is the meaning of this?¡±


    ¡°It looked like we needed to have a talk in private.¡±


    This was another ability that the First Queen Consort had installed in the Deon Ring during her upgrades. She told Kireua that she had been thinking of the Emperor of Avalon as she had created it.


    The cape perfectly separated the people within from the outside world. Its upants could see outside, but those outside couldn''t see or hear a thing. What exactly Queen Consort Iceline had been thinking of doing with the Emperor of Avalon when she¡¯de up with this¡­


    <em>¡®¡­is none of my business! Get a hold of yourself!¡¯</em> Kireua told himself. He pped his cheeks and cleared his throat to return his attention to the matter at hand. ¡°You¡¯re not happy about it, are you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t like the fact that Bel is your fiance,¡± Kireua rified.


    Isaac had said that her engagement had been decided before her birth, so Kireua was certain that Isaac¡¯s engagement was entirely the Martial Emperor¡¯s doing.


    Isaac frowned. ¡°You know nothing¡­!¡±


    ¡°I saw the look on your face when you were talking about Bel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°No one in the world can talk about their loved ones with as little emotion as you did,¡± Kireua pointed out.


    Isaac fell silent.


    ¡°How about we make a new deal?¡±


    ¡°What kind of deal?¡± Isaac asked.


    ¡°I can¡¯t trust someone who takes a promise so lightly, so let¡¯s put it in writing¡ªno, I guess the document will be left in our souls.¡±


    What Kireua was thinking of was, obviously, another Mana Pledge.


    Isaac smiled crookedly. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ve won? I think you¡¯re misunderstanding something here¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you will form a pledge with me.¡±


    Isaac knew that Kireua had had a silver tongue, so she wasn¡¯t interested in letting him talk.


    ¡°Oh, oh. Calm down and hear me out.¡±


    Just then, Anna arrived at the site.


    ¡°Hey! Kireua!¡± she immediately screamed.


    ¡°Thatdy over there used to be just like you.¡±


    A wide smile crept onto Kireua¡¯s lips. He had a n to make Isaac his second loyal servant¡ªno, reliable left-hand woman.

 Side Story Chapter 252

    Side Story Chapter 252


    Isaac didn¡¯t remember Zactor as a good father.


    She had a memory of when she was around seven and had started to take interest in martial arts.


    * * *


    <em>¡°Daddy, let¡¯s y.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Go socialize with other girls like a girl should. Stop bothering me.¡± Zactor flicked his hand at his young daughter dismissively.</em>


    <em>The servants anxiously watched Isaac from the side.</em>


    <em>¡°M-Mydy, why don''t youe with us? We''ll y with you.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°No! I want to y with Daddy!¡± Isaac pouted. She brandished the ball in her hand.</em>


    <em>Despite her protest, Zactor didn''t even nce at his daughter. ¡°Balls aren''t meant for girls. Do knitting in your room or something.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I''m going to be strong like you, so I need to exercise!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Ridiculous. Where did you get such an absurd idea? Women are born weak. They cannot surmount the limits they were born with.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°No, I can do it!¡± Isaac shrieked.</em>


    <em>¡°You just can''t understand what I''m saying, can you?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Huh?¡± Isaac''s eyes widened.</em>


    <em>Her father suddenly picked her up and strode outside the mansion with her dangling from one of his arms.</em>


    <em>¡°Hehehehe!¡± Isaac giggled excitedly, thinking that her father was finally going to y with her.</em>


    <em>It didn''t take long for her to realize that she was mistaken. She was left hanging from Zactor''s arm for at least three hours. Isaac was just a child, so she was exhausted quite quickly.</em>


    <em>¡°D-Daddy, I''m tired¡­¡±</em>


    <em>Zactor promptly threw Isaac to the ground, where she sat, stunned. Fortunately, she wasn''t injured because she hadnded on her bottom, although it still hurt. It would have been far worse if she¡¯dnded head-first</em>


    <em>¡°I''m going to leave you out here if you start crying,¡± Zactor said as Isaac¡¯s eyes started to water.</em>


    <em>Isaac huped. She couldn''t even shed a tear.</em>


    <em>It had been three years since she met her father, so was it really wrong of her to ask him to y with her?</em>


    <em>¡°To be honest, I never wanted to have you, girl. You¡¯re just a liability. You said you wanted to be strong like me? Prove it¡ªthen I¡¯ll admit that there is hope for you after all.¡±</em>


    <em>Zactor turned around and slowly walked away, leaving his young daughter in the middle of the pitch-ck forest.</em>


    <em>¡°Yo-You said you wouldn¡¯t leave me if I didn''t cry!¡± Isaac shouted with a quivering voice.</em>


    <em>She didn''t know where she got the courage from. Perhaps it was her survival instinct. She felt so cold that she could barely move, but she managed to bring up their promise.</em>


    <em>Zactor paused. ¡°¡­I''lle back in half a day. If you''re still alive by then, I''ll make sure you can at least protect yourself.¡±</em>


    <em>It was noon, which meant that Zactor wasing to pick her up at midnight. That was madness. She was seven¡ªit was preposterous for her to survive half a day on her own in a forest teeming with beasts.</em>


    <em>¡°Keep in mind that I had to survive a week in a much harsher environment when I was your age. And as you can see, I''m still alive,¡± Zactor said with a shrug.</em>


    <em>Isaac desperately held back her tears. It was difficult to argue with Zactor knowing that he¡¯d been through worse, but¡­</em>


    <em>¡°It''s not fair!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°What?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°You said that there¡¯s a big difference between men and women! You should at least teach me how to protect myself first!¡±</em>


    <em>After some pondering, Zactor actually nodded in agreement. ¡°¡­Well, I didn¡¯t go through survival training until one month after I started to learn from my teacher.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Then teach me for a month too! That¡¯s the only way this is fair!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Fine, but to make it fair, I have a condition too.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Huh¡­?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°One week. I''lle back after a week,¡± Zactor dered. It was clear that Isaac was not going to escape his test. ¡°At least there aren''t monsters around here. I survived a week in the notorious ck Monster Forest. A forest like this is basically a walk in the park; you should be able to handle this much at least.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Fine. Teach me anything first then. I''m going to survive no matter what!¡± Isaac yelled, determined.</em>


    <em>In the end, she survived. She fed on rotten tree roots and endured the bitter cold in the woefully inadequate shelter of a cave. On the fourth day, a pack of wolves picked up her scent and nearly killed her. Even after that, she had to suffer through many crises before the week¡¯s end.</em>


    <em>By the time Zactor returned to the forest, Isaac looked like a mess. He examined her for a long minute with gleaming eyes.</em>


    <em>¡°I guess there¡¯s more hope for you than I expected.¡±</em>


    <em>The moment Zactor picked Isaac up, she fainted.</em>


    <em>She thought her nightmarish week was finally over¡ªbut once again, she was mistaken.</em>


    <em>When Isaac opened her eyes again, she was astonished to see her mother p her father in the face. Everyone else in the mansion was covering their mouths in shock. They had never seen Isaac''s mother raise her voice at Zactor, much less outright defy him.</em>


    <em>Even though he had seen her hand flying toward his cheek, Zactor hadn''t dodged. He just narrowed his eyes.</em>


    <em>¡°¡­What is the meaning of this?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I could ask you the same question! Did you really try to kill your own daughter?!¡± Isaac''s mother shrieked.</em>


    <em>Zactor merely sneered. ¡°No one told you to have a daughter. Girls are useless.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°...What?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I don''t need a weakling for my child.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°You¡¯re her father! How can you say that in front of her!¡±</em>


    <em>ncing at Isaac, who nkly looked up at him,</em>


    <em>Zactor nced at Isaac, who nkly looked back at him, and smiled contently. ¡°But she isn''t totally hopeless. There is hope for her, as I would expect from my child.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Zactor!¡±</em>


    <em>¡°But that doesn''t mean you can be forgiven for pping my cheek as that isn''t a light sin.¡± Zactor''s eyes slowly filled up with murderous intent.</em>


    <em>¡°Agh!¡±</em>


    <em>Even though Isaac''s mother was his wife, Zactor mercilessly beat her over and over until she almost died. Isaac''s mother was already emotionally unstable, but the beating left her stranded in her bed until she died three yearster¡­</em>


    <em>After that day, Isaac erased her emotions because she thought that the tragedy stemmed from her immature actions. Was she angry? No! She was afraid. Nothing guaranteed that she wasn''t going to meet the same end as her mother, so she focused on her training to survive.</em>


    <em>¡°I thought you''d be bored, so I brought you a friend. Say hi. He''s much more useful than a girl like you.¡±</em>


    <em>That was how Isaac met Bel for the first time. Isaac wasn''t sure why Bel was grinning at the time, but she immediately wanted to stab him in the face with a knife.</em>


    <em>¡°Get married, you two,¡± Zactor suddenly said.</em>


    <em>¡°¡­What?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°What is up with the look on your face?¡± Zactor frowned, so Isaac quickly looked at the floor. ¡°A girl like you just has to say yes if her father tells her to do something. Make that face one more time and I''ll beat you so hard that you''ll wish you were dead.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Yes, Father.¡±</em>


    <em>That was how Bel was decided as Isaac''s first andst fiance,</em>


    * * *


    ¡°What¡¯s got you lost in your thoughts?¡±


    It was only after Kireua spoke up that Isaac returned to the present. They were still surrounded by the cape. The longer Isaac observed the cape, the more amazed she became. Judging from the reactions of the people outside, they couldn''t see or hear a thing and yet she could clearly see them¡­


    ¡°The Martial Emperor left behind his favorite gauntlets and a letter to his family,¡± Kireua continued.


    ¡°A letter?¡± Isaac''s lip trembled, the first slip of her stoic expression. She hadn''t expected this in the slightest. ¡°You¡¯re mocking me¡­¡±


    ¡°I can tell that you didn''t really have an affectionate rtionship with your father, but you can see it for yourself.¡±


    Isaac held her tongue.


    ¡°How does that sound? Do you feel like epting my proposal now?¡±


    ¡°¡­It''s toote,¡± Isaac mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Just then, Kireua heard the faint sound of horse hooves from a distance.


    ¡°Have the trackers already found us?¡± Kireua said, instantly serious. He focused on the sound for a moment and his eyes slowly widened as he realized that the sound wasn''ting from the Hubalt side of the ck Monster Forest.


    ¡°It''s the opposite...?¡±


    Kireua''s lip trembled. The impossible had happened. Somebody had traversed the nefarious ck Monster Forest and wasing toward Kireua. Although Kireua and the others had done the same, they had been quite lucky and also had the Combat Emperor to protect them.


    ¡°Who in the world are they?¡±


    ¡°Several days ago, Bel sent a message to the pce that reinforcements wereing and that we shouldn''t get in their way.¡±


    In other words, the reinforcements were from outside Hubalt¡ªwhich only made Kireua more confused.


    ¡°Reinforcements¡­?¡±


    ¡°There they are.¡±


    The sound of hoofbeats was now loud enough for the nearby knights to hear it. Before long, arge group of people appeared out of the trees.


    Kireua focused his mana into his eyes and his face immediately went pale when he saw what g they flew.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s S-Swallow''s g! Hubalt and Swallow formed an alliance again?¡±


    ¡°That isn''t the real problem,¡± Isaac said.


    Kireua quickly turned to look at her. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°ording to Bel, those knights are led by a former Absolute, the living monsterparable to my father.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 253

    Side Story Chapter 253


    Anna, being particrly sensitive to changes in the wind, was the first to notice that something wasing.


    ¡°Wh-What is that?¡± she eximed.


    ¡°¡­This is quite a problem.¡± Due to his injury, Cain was far from his normal condition, but he could also sense the many presences. There was no time to sit and recover, so he slowly stood himself up with a bitter smile.


    ¡°A hundred? No, there are at least two hundred of them¡­¡± Anna murmured, concerned.


    Viscount Triam, one of the five nobles who had decided to support Kireua, came forward.


    ¡°We¡¯ll deal with them,¡± he dered.


    Two hundred people were a fraction of the tens of thousands of enemies they had fought recently. However, Cain did not approve.


    ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate them just because we outnumber them.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±¡°Their group is smaller than us and yet they were able to pass through the ck Monster Forest. They must have chosen to travel with a few elites for mobility.¡±


    Cain was pointing out that it was better to travel in a group that was as small as possible in order to move at maximum speed, but Triam and his knights were still confident.


    ¡°My and Viscount Aksen''s knights will be enough to handle them. Please trust us with them.¡±


    The five nobles had joined Kireua''s group with hundred knights each, so it only took two of them to match the mysterious group in numbers.


    ¡°Yes, I will take them down,¡± Triam solemnly dered as the enemy came into view.


    ¡°Wa-Wait!¡± Cain shouted¡ªbut further words were cut off when the effort of speaking caused the wound in his abdomen to re up. The pain was extreme; indeed, there was a good reason why dragon blood was no different from a curse to a human.


    <em>¡®This is not good.¡¯</em>


    Cain''s sense of unease grew stronger as the enemies approached until the rm in his head rang incessantly. A Superhuman''s intuition couldn''t be taken lightly, especially during battle.


    Cain peered at the enemy¡¯s faces as they came into view. When he saw the grinning man at the front of the group, Cain was horrified.


    ¡°I-Is that¡­? N-no, that¡¯s impossible!¡±


    ¡°Let''s crush them! Show them Avalon''s power!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    Before Cain could warn them, the two hundred knights had spurred their horses into a charge.


    ¡°No!¡± Cain screamed at the top of his lungs, despite the extreme pain. His blood dripped out from his mouth as he desperately shook his head. ¡°No, not him¡­!¡±


    Avalon¡¯s knights fiercely charged toward their enemy who leisurely watched them close in, totally unthreatened.


    ¡°The Swallow Empire''s g? Did Swallow and Hubalt ally again, like they did in the past?¡± Triam sneered as he led the charge. ¡°Those that fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it. You''ve already seen that you¡¯re fully capable of stabbing each other in the back, even with your alliance. Your idiocy must be why our emperor crushed you!¡±


    That got a reaction out of the man leading the enemy. His grin vanished and was reced with a frown. His knights were equally displeased


    ¡°¡­Hahaha. You''re begging to be killed.¡±


    ¡°You''re the one who¡¯ll be killed!¡± Triam leaped off of his horse and drew as much of his aura onto his sword as he could muster.


    ¡°Oh?¡± The man smiled crookedly. ¡°You¡¯re almost a Master.¡±


    ¡°Die!¡± Triam brought his sword down with his full power.


    An army without its leader was just a group of nobodies, as proven by everything Triam and the others had gone through toe here.


    <em>¡®His Highness and Sir Cain already killed several nobles of Hubalt, so we need to aplish something too!¡¯</em>


    Triam and the four nobles saw Kireua''s abilities through this journey, proving that he was entirely different from the rumors. When they had first witnessed Kireua''s remarkable skills, they had been very relieved to know that they made the right choice.


    Since they were the first ones to support the Second Prince of Avalon, their chances of bing the most influential figures in Avalon''s politics was high. Of course, that was possible only after the Second Prince of Avalon ascended to the throne.


    <em>¡®I''ll do my best to assist His Highness Kireua in bing the next emperor of Avalon. Then, it¡¯s more than pos¡ª¡¯</em>


    Triam¡¯s train of thought was interrupted by a tiny¡ªalmost mosquito-bite like¡ªsensation on his neck.


    <em>¡®What¡­?¡¯</em>


    For some reason, his words couldn¡¯t leave his lips. Triam couldn¡¯t do anything, not even open his mouth.


    The following Triam watched on in horror. They didn¡¯t even get to see what exactly happened. Something shed, and then their leader''s head was rolling on the ground.


    The horse right behind Triam''s identally kicked away the head, crushing it. The knight riding the horse yanked on its rein, shocked.


    However, that was just the beginning of the surprise. The enemy leader suddenly released a billowing cloud of scarlet fog.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. The moment you entered my range, your lives became mine.¡±


    The red fog enveloped the Avalon knights in no time. They looked around, bewildered. The entire world around them was red, even the sky; the fog was so densely red that at one point the knights couldn''t see anything.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Th-The fog is closing in on us. It''s attacking us!¡±


    ¡°Sh-shit! Witchcraft! Witchcraaaaaaaft!¡±


    Isaac intively watched the one-sided massacre unfold before her. She was well aware of the man''s identity; he was Grand Duke Lucifer, an Absolute from the previous generation. They called him the Crimson Sky, one of the three strongest people of his time. The Martial Emperor, Hubalt''s Absolute, had been considered Lucifer''s only rival.


    Thinking of her father naturally reminded Isaac of her childhood.


    <em>¡®To be honest¡­ I was happy to hear the news,¡¯</em> Isaac thought.


    When she had first learned that Zactor had been killed by Joshua Sanders, Isaac felt her deeply suppressed emotions returning to her. One of those emotions was happiness, rather than sadness.


    Nevertheless, she couldn''t find a new way to lead her life even though she had no fucking reason to follow the future her father had set for her.


    <em>¡®¡­I was already unable to defy Bel by that time.¡¯</em>


    Isaac''s father always used to say that this was the era where the strong took everything. Money, women, countries¡­ Those who reached the top could have anything. If a girl could surmount the limits of her gender, Isaac could do the same.


    <em>¡°Would you give up everything you have if you meet someone stronger than you?¡± Isaac asked after listening to Zactor recite his beliefs again.</em>


    <em>¡°Me, lose? Hmmm¡­ I never thought about it, but if such a catastrophe were to take ce, they would take everything from me without giving me a chance to do anything about it.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°They might miss something.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Losers don¡¯t deserve to live anyway. I would rather shove my head in a river and drown than be a loser living on the scraps the victor deigns to leave me,¡± Zactor scoffed.</em>


    <em>Zactor was a man who could afford such mistakes. He was undefeated for his entire life.</em>


    <em>¡°Still, if¡ª¡±</em>


    <em>¡°If, if! What is up with your endless questions? You don''t need to be so obvious about the fact that you''re a girl by asking these silly questions. Practice your punch more if you have free time.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Just one more.¡± Isaac didn''t know where she got the courage. Despite her father''s scowl, Isaac managed to say, ¡°It doesn''t matter who that is, but leave me in the hands of whoever defeats you.¡±</em>


    And Isaac''s father had actually been defeated a few years after that conversation. However, his first defeat wasn''t from the infamous battle against Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. It was a hidden story that no one else on the continent knew yet, but the Martial Emperor, one of the three Celestials, had been defeated by a boy who wasn''t even in his twenties.


    ¡°¡­I do wonder what my father''sst words for me are,¡± Isaac murmured.


    Kireua couldn''t even think about putting his cape back on as he dumbly watched the new enemy steadily disassemble Avalon¡¯s knights.


    ¡°Why are you so surprised? He''s Grand Duke Lucifer. The Crimson Sky is from the same generation as your father.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s head whipped around to face Isaac. ¡°G-Grand Duke Lucifer? Impossible! He''s already dead!¡±


    ¡°Gods from the sky leech off of humans to survive, so what¡¯s so hard to believe about the dead rising from their graves?¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t refute her.


    ¡°You¡¯d better hurry now. Things in Avalon must not be good right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Swallow''s Absolute finally took action¡­ which must mean that Hubalt has decided what their next move is.¡±


    Isaac wasn''t a kind person; she wasn''t sure why she was giving Kireua a warning out of the blue. Perhaps Isaac was still hoping for something, even after all these decades.


    <em>¡®If you defeat Grand Duke Lucifer too¡­¡¯</em> Isaac clenched her fists. <em>¡®¡­I might have some hope after all.¡¯</em>

 Side Story Chapter 254

    Side Story Chapter 254


    Now wasn''t the time for idle talk. Even at this moment, Avalon¡¯s knights were getting butchered. Those people were Kireua''s first followers and had gone through trial and tribtion with him.


    Kireua unleashed his murderous energy. ¡°If you aren¡¯t going to ept, get out of my way.¡±


    Isaac didn''t move an inch.


    ¡°Get lost,¡± Kireua demanded, a little louder.


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Isaac retreated. Kireua tilted his head, confused by how easily she backed down.


    ¡°And I didn''t say no to your proposal,¡± Isaac added.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°In this world, might is right. On that note, Bel and Grand Duke Lucifer are universally recognized as Absolutes.¡±¡°¡­So?¡± Kireua asked, although he had a feeling he knew where Isaac was going.


    ¡°The same holds true right now.¡±


    ¡°In other words, you''ll ept my proposal once I win this fight.¡±


    ¡°I would have no choice but to ept since that would mean that you¡¯re a lot stronger than I expected.¡±


    Kireua narrowed his eyes, his gaze cold and piercing. ¡°Is everything you do an order from Bel, like the one you just told me about?¡±


    ¡°Bel¡¯s orders were to capture your forces and wee Swallow. He didn¡¯t tell me anything about fighting alongside Swallow.¡±


    The veins on Kireua¡¯s forehead throbbed. If Isaac had said that she nned to betray them from the start, Kireua wouldn¡¯t have been any angrier than he was right now.


    ¡°Are you incapable of thinking for yourself?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the one living your life, not someone else, but you''re just someone''s puppet now.¡±


    ¡°...Puppet?¡± Isaac unleashed her intense murderous energy, matching Kireua¡¯s. ¡°¡­I''m not a puppet.¡±


    ¡°¡®I have no choice because the other side is stronger. People are suffering because they¡¯re weaklings.¡¯ That¡¯s what you tell yourself to justify yourself and you don''t think about putting up a fight in the slightest. You just gave up on everything and blindly followed orders. That¡¯s what people call a puppet¡ªor a loser down to your bones.¡± Kireua turned his back on her as if he didn''t n on hearing Isaac¡¯s answer.


    Although Kireua was showing his back to his enemy, Isaac continued to exude her murderous energy but did not attack him. She hadn''t brought it up, but Bel had given her one more instruction: once the battle started, Isaac was to remain a bystander and evaluate Lucifer''s level of skill.


    ¡°Your job was to stop us until Swallow arrived, yes? Congrattions on your sess,¡± Kireua said sarcastically. ¡°But stay there and watch. See what happens after the weak defeat the strong.¡±


    Isaac realized that Kireua¡¯s cape no longer surrounded them as Kireua quickly walked away.


    For a long time, Isaac stood frozen like a sculpture until she clenched her fists tightly.


    ¡°¡­I¡­¡±


    The sun was going down like on that day. This world was a jungle in which only the strong could survive. The weak were crushed if they defied the strong. That was how the world had treated her ever since she had been born and was why her mother had breathed herst on a cold floor under the dying light.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not wrong.¡± Isaac slowly turned away from Kireua.


    The poor Prince of Avalon was going to have it etched into his bones that the world wasn''t a romantic ce where the weak could live by their principles.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, troops who were holding the fortress were bing exhausted. They had been doing this for over half a year, so their stamina was reaching its end. However, the Hubalt¡¯s attacks got fiercer with each passing day.


    ¡°¡­Are you alright?¡± Iruca asked, concerned.


    Selim didn''t have the strength to say a single word in reply, which Iruca understood fully. Selim had been out on the battlefield for a week straight and had onlye back yesterday. He hadn''t slept a wink.


    ¡°¡­I received news that our allies have taken Hubalt''s borders. Something must have happened within Hubalt because they said that the garrisons were so small and weak that they couldn''t believe that they were actually fighting an empire,¡± Iruca said. Her voice betrayed a hint of hope, although she also looked quite fatigued.


    Hubalt had sent their elite troops to invade its neighbors, starting the Second Continental War. However, they had left twenty percent of their forces in the empire to ward off a counterattack. Hubalt was estimated tomand an army of over one and a half million, so twenty percent of its forces was at least three hundred thousand troops. However, those numbers did not seem to be reflected in the ease with which their borders were conquered.


    ¡°Our allies didn''t send their elites because they had to protect themselves, yet Hubalt gave in pretty quickly. Which means¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Did Kireua seed?¡± Selim''s eyes shone with hope for the first time, just like Iruca''s, although his head drooped and his voice was faint due to fatigue.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s very likely.¡±


    ¡°Which means that their emperor is dead¡­ but why would Hubalt be this quiet if it''s true?¡±


    ¡°I would say that they''re capable of thinking,¡± Iruca said with a shrug. ¡°What would happen to their troops¡¯ morale if they heard that their emperor was assassinated in the middle of the war?¡±


    Selim finally stood up.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Iruca asked.


    ¡°¡­I should go back. The longer I rest, the more damage our troops will take.¡±


    Iruca sprang to her feet, shocked. ¡°Hey! It¡¯s been less than thirty minutes since you came back. You can rest longer than that¡ªthe battle has stopped for now anyway!¡±


    ¡°It''s always been their strategy to use this moment. It''s tacitly agreed not to attack each other after an intense battle, but Hubalt uses this moment to raid us instead.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Iruca bit her lip. Selim was right. Whenever their soldiers and knights tried to take a break, Hubalt¡¯s army immediately split their forces into three and continued attacking by rotating between the groups. They were taking full advantage of their massive advantage in numbers.


    ¡°Ohaaaaaa!¡±


    The faint shout Selim and Iruca heard from outside made their eyes widened.


    ¡°Let people get some sleep!¡± Iruca mmed her desk irately. ¡°Hold on. I''ll ask Sir Ranger or Duke Tremblin¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know that better than me that they''ve gone through more than me. I doubt they¡¯ve rested for even a second for weeks.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­ If we split our forces and take shifts¡­¡±


    ¡°Can we even afford to do that?¡± Selim murmured.


    Every word of what Selim said stung Iruca. It was frankly a miracle that they were still holding the fortress. Defensive advantage or not, Avalon¡¯s forces were outnumbered more than three-fold.


    Just then, a massive explosion put Selim on high alert.


    ¡°What? Did they bring mages or something?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, it''s not mages. This is¡­¡±


    A stream of explosions could be heard, each one closer than thest.


    ¡°Monster! He''s a monster!¡±


    ¡°Monster¡­?¡± Iruca nkly mumbled.


    ¡°¡­An unfathomable amount of mana. That must be¡­¡±


    The door to the rest area was flung open and a pale-faced knight came rushing in.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± he shouted as he dropped onto his knee. ¡°Please pardon my discourtesy.¡±


    ¡°It''s fine.¡± Selim waved his hand. ¡°Report. Did ¡®he¡¯ show up?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it''s the man we saw in Arcadia.¡±


    Selim¡¯s worst fear hade true. He immediately marched out of the rest area with a grim expression in his face


    ¡°Wait, Selim! What do you mean by ¡®him¡¯? Who in the world just showed up?!¡±


    ¡°¡­The strongest man in Hubalt,¡± was Selim¡¯s short reply.


    Iruca''s lip trembled when she realized that Bel, the Battle God, had finally arrived at the fortress.


    * * *


    Joshua frowned. He had been in meditation on the snowy mountain, but despite his closed eyes, he could sense the crisis wracking the continent better than anyone else.


    -He¡­ Hehe¡­ Hehehe¡­ How about¡­ you go and¡­ help them now¡­ It¡­isn''t¡­ toote¡­ Even if you¡­ kill me now¡­ Your family¡­ Your country¡­ Everything will be gone¡­ What is¡­ the point of everything¡­ if you¡¯re the only one who survives?


    The Demon Spirit snickered from within Joshua, as he did from time to time. Of course, over ny percent of the Demon Spirit had already been annihted, so his voice was a faint whisperpared to what it was before.


    <em>¡®Be quiet.¡¯</em> Joshua used his mana to silence the Demonic Spirit before examining his condition to calcte when he would be able to break out from this ice boulder.


    Two months. He would have to strain himself a little, but it was going to take around two months. In other words, his children had to hold out on their own for at least two months.


    <em>¡®Kireua. Selim.¡¯</em>


    Would the children be able to do that? ¡­No, as their father, Joshua would have to trust them. Besides, there was nothing Joshua could do for them right now.


    <em>¡®Just hang on for a little longer. Two months. I''ll be there to help you in two months. Nothing will change that.¡¯</em>


    In two months, Joshua would annihte the Demon Spirit and regain his full power; then, the Martial God would return to Igrant. On that day, the fate of this continent would be decided.

 Side Story Chapter 255

    Side Story Chapter 255


    ¡°Greetings, master.¡±


    When theirmander went down on his knees to pay his respects, the other knights immediately followed him.


    ¡°Greetings, master!¡±


    Hubalt¡¯s nobles stared nkly at the sight because this was their first time seeing any of the Martial Knights acting so respectfully. Judging from what they had seen of them so far, they were sure that the Martial Knights wouldn¡¯t be this polite even if the emperor was standing there right now.


    ¡°Get up,¡± Bel said with a frown. The Martial Knights stood up in unison. ¡°Did I expect too much from all of you?¡±


    ¡°Please kill me for my ipetence.¡± Hawke, the Martial Knightmander, mmed his head on the ground.


    ¡°Tsk. All I asked you to do was to open the way, but you¡¯re still stuck in northern Avalon¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡­ have no excuse for that.¡±


    Hawke knew that there was nothing Bel loathed more than losers making excuses. A defeat was a defeat and the only reason why someone was defeated was because they were weak.¡°Let¡¯s just hear your reasons first. Is the Martial God over there or something?¡± Bel asked.


    ¡°My ipetency is the sole reason why I could not deliver victory to you, master. I beg that you take my life in exchange for your forgiveness. I hope that will be enough¡­¡±


    ¡°No, no. I¡¯m just asking out of curiosity, really. Besides, you should be telling me what you know before you die to fulfill yourst duty as my subordinate.¡±


    ¡°I apologize for my short-sightedness!¡± Hawke mmed his head on the ground again. His forehead was bleeding, but he exined, ¡°Our three biggest problems are the Sword Emperor, Selim Sanders, and Ranger, who is one of the three best of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°Selim Sanders? Ah, yes.¡± Bel nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve seen the boy. He looks exactly like his father.¡±


    Selim was the least well-known among the three, but Bel didn¡¯t even mention the other two people.


    ¡°But it¡¯s strange. Judging from what I saw a few months ago, I don¡¯t think he¡¯s skilled enough to slow you guys down.¡±


    ¡°His ck Knights are also a force to be reckoned with, but yes¡ªSelim Sanders himself is exceptionally skilled. In fact, he has fired several translucent spears at our camp,¡± Hawke reported to Bel.


    ¡°¡­Mind Sword?¡±


    No, Mind Spear was the more urate term for what Selim was doing. With that technique, he could kill his opponent with nothing but sheer force of will. In other words, Selim was at the level of an advanced Master and possibly even stronger. On top of that, Selim had even created and used several Mind Spears as projectile weapons.


    ¡°He surmounted the wall of a Master entirely and is reaching for a new level.¡± Bel chuckled. It was interesting to hear how much progress Selim had made. Thest time Bel had seen him Selim had been merely a slightly gifted greenhorn. ¡°Hehehe. I¡¯m d I spared him.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Hawke murmured nkly.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Get up now. If you keep mming your head like a dog, I¡¯ll just step on it.¡±


    Hawke slowly stood up, furtively ncing at Bel to see if it was really okay to get up.


    ¡°I-It¡¯s the Sword Emperor!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t panic! It¡¯s about damn time for you to see how he attacks!¡±


    ¡°Our master is watching us! Don¡¯t disgrace yourselves!¡±


    The Martial Knights on the battlefield were currently divided into two groups. One group was making their report to Bel, and the other group focused on breaking through the hole that Bel had created in the fortress¡¯s wall. It was no exaggeration to say that the oue of this battle depended on whether or not they sessfully breached the walls.


    <em>¡®Master is truly remarkable. We¡¯ve been working on it for months, but we were nowhere close to the wall. It took him a matter of minutes to single handedly break the walls...¡¯</em>


    ¡°Rest of you, join them!¡± Hawke shouted. ¡°The Sword Emperor is as exhausted as you guys!¡±


    From now on, it was a battle of willpower. Just like Hawke said, Tremblin was obviously fatigued and pale as he swung his saber. Well, that was understandable. He was an old, tired man already over one hundred years old. It would be humiliating to say that the Martial Knights¡¯ stamina wasckingpared to Tremblin¡¯s.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take care of that old man,¡± Bel said.. He disappeared before Hawke could say anything.


    Hawke stiffened, startled. <em>¡®...He¡¯s gotten stronger.¡¯</em>


    Hawke himself had been a Master for many years, but he couldn¡¯t even follow Bel¡¯s movement. Hawke couldn¡¯t begin to fathom how much stronger Bel had gotten.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­?¡± Tremblin frowned after cutting off a Martial Knight¡¯s arm. He suddenly felt an immense fighting spirit bearing down on him from all directions before he faced a rain of punches.


    Tremblin¡¯s head, heart, temples, abdomen, groin¡­ The punches were aimed at every vital point on his body. If any one punchnded, Tremblin would be able to wield a sword for the rest of his life.


    A rapid, continuous din of metal shing against metal filled the air. It was hard to believe that it was being created by a human fist contending with the sharp edge of a sword. Tremblin and Bel disappeared behind a curtain of sparks and raging aura. No one even thought about trying to approach them.


    In an attempt to push away the opponent, Tremblin swung his sword as hard as he could. The massive explosion it created let Tremblin finally see that he was facing Bel.


    ¡°I see. I was wondering who it was¡­¡± Tremblin frowned from his signature pose with his hand behind his back.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve retired a long time ago, old man, and yet you still crawl back to the battlefield. Aren¡¯t you getting tired of this?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hahaha. I know I¡¯m an old man, but I can¡¯t retire because there are still young monsters like you surprising me at every turn.¡±


    ¡°Then may the young monster have permission to help you enjoy your retirement?¡± Bel grinned, waving his boulder-like fist.


    Tremblin grimly drew his mana from his mana hall. ¡°I don¡¯t believe either of us have any reason to drag out this conversation. Come.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Everyone held their breath, binding the air in a tense, suffocating silence. All eyes were focused on the fight between Bel and Tremblin. The morale of both sides hinged on the oue; the winner would be irrefutable proof of who held the upper hand.


    Selim arrived at the site of the fight.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Avalon¡¯s knights quickly approached Selim after noticing he had arrived. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept a wink in a week! Why are you already back?¡±


    ¡°¡­If I¡¯m not mistaken, Duke Tremblin is fighting Hubalt¡¯s Battle God. How am I supposed to rest right now?¡± Selim turned his attention to the battle. At least his eyes could keep up with the two Absolutes.


    In a fraction of a second, the Battle God and the Sword Emperor had exchanged hundreds of attacks. The incessant halo of sparks denied Selim a clear view of the fight, as if the way they tore open the sky and shook the ground wasn¡¯t bad enough.


    Before Selim¡¯s horrified eyes, Bel managed tond his first punch on Tremblin. Worse, it had hit Tremblin on the right shoulder, a critical part of the body for a swordsman.


    ¡°Duke¡ª!¡±


    Before Selim could finish his words, Tremblin was hit once again, this time in the left shoulder. Everything happened so quickly that Tremblin¡¯s saber hadn¡¯t even hit the ground.


    ¡°¡­Gah!¡± Tremblin was battered every which way until he finally went flying through the air.


    Only then did the saber tter against the ground.


    ¡°Duke Tremblinnnn!¡± Selim sprang forward before anyone could react¡­ except one.


    Bel had already caught up to Tremblin and his fist was cocked back.


    ¡°Goodbye, old man.¡±


    Bel¡¯s fist struck right over Tremblin¡¯s heart. The duke coughed up a fountain of blood.


    * * *


    Kireua jumped right into the imprable red fog.


    ¡°What is this reek of blood¡­?¡± Kireua murmured, covering his nose. It didn¡¯t take long for Kireua to realize the true identity of the fog. He had thought that it was a phenomenon entirely produced by Lucifer¡¯s tricks, but he was wrong.


    When he finally got through the fog, heid eyes on a gruesome sight. It had been less than one minute, but two hundred Avalon knights had been annihted; their corpses were the source of the rising fog. Their blood mixed with Lucifer¡¯s mana was creating this unnatural fog.


    ¡°I assume you¡¯re Kireua Sanders. Quite bold of you to voluntarily enter my domain. Hehehe.¡±


    Kireua slowly turned toward the voice. There stood a man with blood-red hair and eyes that glittered with a sadistic joy. Oddly¡ªfor an Absolute¡ªhe was armed to the teeth and wearing full armor.


    ¡°¡­Do you know me?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. You¡¯re that motherfucker Joshua¡¯s son. I¡¯ve already imprinted everyst detail of all of his family members into this body¡¯s mind.¡± Lucifer unleashed a suffocating energy. ¡°You¡¯re going to die here today.¡±


    ¡°¡­Grand Duke Lucifer, you aren¡¯t human.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got quite an eye,¡± Lucifer readily admitted. ¡°Well, I guess it would be stranger if you hadn¡¯t seen it when we have the same kind of power.¡±


    As the owners of Evil Sins, they could recognize each other instantly¡ªwhich was why Kireua was confident about his chances in this battle.


    ¡°Greed has been the king of the Seven Evil Sins for a long time, so¡­¡± Kireua drew his sword, eyes gleaming. ¡°...I can¡¯t imagine losing to someone pathetic enough to let his rage tempt him into selling his soul.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 256

    Side Story Chapter 256


    ¡°There was nothing special about him,¡± Bel grumbled as he shook the blood off of his fist.


    Tremblin hadn¡¯t moved an inch since he¡¯dnded. It wasn¡¯t really a surprise¡ªhe was over one hundred years old and the constant battle meant that he hadn¡¯t slept in days.


    Bel heard a faint sound that prompted him to immediately throw a kick upward. It mmed into a red spear, leaving his leg trembling.


    ¡°You¡¯re Selim Sanders.¡±


    Not many of Bel''s opponents had left asting impression on him. That made the twenty-year-old boy in front of him very special. Even if Selim was the Martial God¡¯s son, Bel would have forgotten about him long ago if it weren¡¯t for his prowess.


    ¡°The older brother is better than the younger brother,¡± Bel noted.


    It was well known that the Martial God had two sons; of course, Bel had already met both of them. However, he couldn¡¯t even remember the other one because he hadpletely lost interest right after he discovered that the second son used a sword as his main weapon despite being the Martial God¡¯s son.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡±


    Selim¡¯s cold voice heralded several spatial distortions appearing around Bel. He knew what the distortions meant¡ªthey were a sign of Selim¡¯s Mind Spears. Although he was already aware of Selim¡¯s progress, Bel couldn¡¯t help but feel impressed when he saw it with his own eyes.¡°Indeed¡­ it would have been an interesting fight if you had trained for just ten more years.¡±


    Bel¡¯s evaluation would havee as a surprise from anyone who knew him. When it came to martial arts, Bel was the pickiest person in the world. This was the second-highest evaluation he¡¯d ever given. Obviously, it needn''t be said who had received Bel¡¯s highest approval.


    ¡°The more I learn about you and your father, the more interesting you two are.¡± Bel smiled crookedly.


    ¡°Keep wagging your tongue and I¡¯ll tear it out,¡± Selim threatened.


    As if punctuating his words, one of his invisible spears shot toward Bel like a lightning bolt.


    Bel blocked the attack by simply holding up his finger.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Bel tilted his head in confusion. He could feel a stinging sensation near his ankle. When he looked down, he discovered a miniature Mind Spear. It was so small that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sense it at all unless he had been looking for it.


    ¡°¡­Your aura control ability is this precise?¡± he eximed. Compared to guiding a massive object, it was much more difficult to control something that required precision. On top of that, Selim had attacked Bel using the miniature Mind Spear without it being detected by an Absolute like Bel.


    ¡°You¡¯re a genius.¡± Bel grinned, baring his canines. ¡°Alright then.¡±


    Bel pulled the leg he had been using back in and then mmed his heel into the ground like it was an ax, destroying all the numerous Mind Spears around him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll blow up your head,¡±Bel dered, andunched a flurry of jabs. Masses of aura flew toward Selim.


    Selim eyes were sparkling. The fatigue had disappeared from his face.


    <em>¡®I can nullify those attacks,¡¯</em> he thought, readying his spear to match Bel¡¯s fists.


    But then, Selim was astonished to discover that he couldn¡¯t move his spear at all. It was as if it had been glued in ce. When he focused his mana into his eyes, he saw foreign energy clinging to his spear.


    -I know a thing or two about precise aura control, too.


    A split secondter, Selim had already mustered his aura to break apart the bindings, but the momentary dy gave him less time to counterattack. In a battle between warriors as strong as Selim and Bel, a moment¡¯s hesitation could cost them their lives. Selim was in trouble.


    As Selim was preparing his counterattack, he heard flesh being cleaved apart. His head tilted in confusion. Although Bel was using aura, such a sound wasn¡¯t normally heard when one was struck with a punch.


    ¡°¡­Please takemand of our forces, Your Highness. I¡¯ll deal with him.¡±


    Selim stared at the familiar back that had appeared before him.


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­?¡±


    Tremblin was standing in front of Selim, enveloped in a zing cloak of aura.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡± Selim¡¯s eyes slowly widened as he realized where the all-to-familiar fire wasing from.


    ¡°True mana¡­ You¡¯ve chosen this ce to be your grave, haven''t you, old man?¡± Bel asked, confirming Selim¡¯s doubt.


    ¡°D-Duke Tremblin. Why would you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to say this, but we aren¡¯t strong enough to defeat him right now, Your Highness,¡± Tremblin said without turning to look at Selim.


    Selim bit his lip because he also knew that it was a miracle that they had held out this long. Now that Bel had arrived at the battlefield, protecting the fortress was a lost cause.


    ¡°Give up the fortress and reorganize our forces in Arcadia. Avalon¡¯s Pce itself is also a grand fortress, and Arcadia has never once been lost once in Avalon''s entire history.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    -Yeahhhhhhh!


    Before Selim could retort, a thunderous shout echoed from outside the fortress¡¯s walls. It was getting closer; the bulk of Hubalt¡¯s forces were forcing their way through the breach. Bel and the Martial Knights had torn through their fortifications.


    ¡°¡­We don¡¯t have any more time, Your Highness. The casualties will only increase at this rate. Arcadia must be close to sorting out the aftermath, so you need to brace for the enemy¡¯s attack with the queen consorts.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Selim shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m going to fight with you. I¡¯m not leaving you here alone.¡±


    ¡°Please pardon my rudeness¡­¡±


    Tremblin stopped listening to Selim and walked forward, drawing deeply upon his aura. The closer he got to Bel, the more radiant and fierce his true mana arose from him, like a flower reaching the height of its bloom right before it withered.


    ¡°Are you done talking?¡± Bel asked.


    ¡°Thank you for waiting until I did.¡±


    ¡°Well, the Sword Emperor deserves that much respect, I think.¡±


    Smiling, Tremblin fixed his grip on his sword. Instead of holding his saber only with one hand like he usually did, Tremblin gripped it in both hands and pointed it at Bel in a textbook form.


    ¡°Knights of Tremblin, hear me!¡± Tremblin shouted using his mana. ¡°We will buy His Highness as much time as possible to get to safety. That means this ce will be our grave today. If anyone wishes to save their life, speak now!¡±


    The knights stopped fighting each other for a moment and had been nkly watching the fight between the two Absolutes. They trembled for a moment before snapping to attention.


    ¡°None, Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°This ce will also be my grave without a doubt!¡±


    ¡°Hurray for Avalon! Hurray for His Highness Selim!¡±


    ¡°Please protect our families back at home!¡±


    As he listened to their shouts and pleas, Selim bit his lip so hard that it bled.


    <em>¡®This is all because I¡¯m weak. I¡¯m weak¡­¡¯</em>


    Still, he couldn¡¯t abandon these people and run off on his own.


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Tremblin shouted. ¡°Wake up! Your life isn¡¯t yours alone! The lives of everyone in Avalon depend on your every action!¡±


    ¡°D-Duke Tremblin¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, go!¡±


    It didn¡¯t take long for Tremblin¡¯s voice to be muffled by his mighty aura.


    ¡°¡­Shit.¡± Selim reluctantly turned his back on the duke.


    Tremblin¡¯s knights had already thrown themselves back into battle against the Martial Knights with no regard for their lives.


    ¡°Stop him! Don¡¯t let the Prince of Avalon run away!¡±


    ¡°No! You¡¯ll have to go through us first!¡±


    The bloody battlefield erupted with renewed violence. The ck Knights couldn¡¯t take it anymore and were about to join in on the battle.


    ¡°Retreat!¡± Selim ordered. ¡°Don¡¯t let our people¡¯s sacrifices be in vain. The ck Knights and I¡­ will retreat to Arcadia.¡±


    In contrast to the storm of aura raging over the battle, it was suffocatingly silent around Selim and the ck Knights. The ck Knights bit their lips in frustration, but their lord¡¯smand was absolute in war. Even if they didn¡¯t like it, they had to obey his orders.


    ¡°Yes¡­ Your Highness.¡±


    Selim nced back at the battle. Maybe because Tremblin was using his true mana, the fight didn¡¯t seem to be one-sided anymore.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m going to wait for you, so pleasee back, no matter what¡­¡¯</em> Selim thought.


    It didn¡¯t matter if the fight cost Tremblin his mana hall. As long as Tremblin was alive, Selim would find a way to help him recover.


    * * *


    ¡°Before we get to it, let me tell you an important fact.¡± Grand Duke Lucifer licked his lip with his bloody red tongue, his eyes gleaming wickedly.


    ¡°An important fact?¡± Kireua was ready to initiate his attack but Lucifer¡¯s words made him pause.


    ¡°You know that each of the Seven Evil Sins possesses a different ability.¡±


    Kireua was aware. In fact, he already had a lot of experience with using Greed¡¯s abilities.


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Do you know what the Wrath¡¯s abilities are?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll have to find out.¡± Kireua gathered more mana, knowing that there was more harm than benefit in talking to a person like Lucifer.


    ¡°Well, let me exin. It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    Lucifer fell silent and nkly stared at the sword protruding from his chest. Kireua had left an image of himself to fool Lucifer and used the Shadow Mobilization Technique Shadow to get behind the Grand Duke, allowing him to run his sword straight through Lucifer¡¯s chest.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully talkative for a grand duke,¡± Kireua spat, annoyed.

 Side Story Chapter 257

    Side Story Chapter 257


    ¡°You little shit¡ª¡± Lucifer¡¯s words were interrupted by a bloody cough, testament to how vicious Kireua¡¯s attack was. ¡°You call yourself the Martial God¡¯s son and yet you resort to a surprise attack? Aren¡¯t you ashamed of yourself?¡±


    ¡°You know, I¡¯m proud to be the Martial God¡¯s son and I like it when people acknowledge me as his son, but¡­¡± With his sword still in Lucifer¡¯s guts, Kireua smiled from ear to ear. ¡°That¡¯s only because I respect him. I¡¯m my own man. I¡¯m Kireua Sanders, not Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to live like the Martial God just because I¡¯m his son.¡±


    Lucifer nkly gaped at Kireua for a moment and then broke into a longugh that bared his bloody teeth.


    ¡°¡­Ha. Hahahahaha!¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s so funny.¡±


    Kireua began to infuse his mana into his sword as he twisted it, worsening the wound before he withdrew his de. However, nothing went ording to n. The sword didn¡¯t budge and he couldn¡¯t infuse his mana past a certain point, as if his mana was blocked by an invisible barrier.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Kireua mumbled.¡°I¡¯mughing because I¡¯m happy! How can I not be happy?¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°I finally found my heir. Hehehe. You and I are cut from the same cloth,¡± Lucifer crowed. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re different from your father.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s scrunched up. ¡°That¡¯s a bit¡ªno, that¡¯s <em>very</em> offensive.¡±


    ¡°Nothing can be done about that since it¡¯s the truth.¡±


    It turned out that Lucifer''s sorcery was still going strong. The blood from his wound crawled up Kireua¡¯s sword, creeping towards Kireua¡¯s hands. A loud rm went off in Kireua¡¯s head.


    He yanked his hands off the sword just as it began to sizzle like meat on a hot grill; the blood was so acidic that it was melting the sword.


    ¡°You have excellent intuition too. I like you a lot.¡±


    ¡°¡­I liked that sword,¡± Kireua muttered with a dark expression.


    ¡°I can give all the swords in the world once you be my heir. There are piles of fine swords in my treasury.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. So you actually want me as your heir?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t like to joke around.¡± Lucifer¡¯s smile grew, telling Kireua that he was genuine. ¡°I don¡¯t have someone whom I can call my heir a child nor a disciple, which I regretted after my death. It made me realize that I¡¯m a human too. I used to think so little of them, so I never thought that I would regret it.¡±


    Lucifer¡¯s wound was recovering as he spoke, quicker than a troll. His flesh and bones reknit themselves from practically nothing and fresh blood pumped through his veins; it was like nothing had happened.


    ¡°¡­For goodness¡¯ sake. Like you said, you really aren¡¯t human.¡± Kireua shook his head in disbelief.


    ¡°What is your answer?¡±


    ¡°There is no way I would do it.¡± Kireua created an invisible sword in his hands.


    ¡°Oh?¡±


    ¡°I have no intention of bing the heir of someone who treats his own family like that.¡±


    ¡°You can have everything I have just by saying yes. Money, women¡­ You can have Swallow if you want. Though only after I die, of course¡­¡± Luciferughed quietly.


    ¡°I¡¯m more interested in finding out why you¡¯re so desperate to make me your heir. I¡¯m the son of a person who killed you.¡±


    ¡°That is precisely why I want you. Once you be my heir and put a sword through your father¡¯s heart¡­ I couldn¡¯t ask for a better revenge.¡± Lucifer smiled wickedly again. The mere thought of his delusions brought him bliss.


    ¡°You¡¯re crazy.¡± Kireua disappeared. ¡°There¡¯s no way I would do that!¡±


    Kireua reappeared above Lucifer and swung down his invisible sword, but an invisible barrier stopped him again and left his hands numb.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s called Blood Tear. I can create a perfect barrier by mixing my blood and mana, like the one you¡¯re seeing right now,¡± Lucifer exined, giggling.


    ¡°That sounds like a real nuisance.¡±


    Kireua didn¡¯t give up and struck the invisible barrier over and over. His hands were so numb that he felt like his bones were being pulverized, but the pain wasn¡¯t a problem.


    ¡°My Blood Tear barrier isn¡¯t something you can destroy like that.¡± Lucifer grinned.


    The knights Lucifer brought with him cheered at the top of their lungs.


    ¡°Whooaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s our Grand Duke!¡±


    ¡°Even if he¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s son, he¡¯s still just a boy!¡±


    ¡°From the looks of it, the fight will be over before the boy can put a scratch on the Grand Duke¡¯s sleeve. Well, I guess that¡¯s only natural.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You guys might¡¯ve doubted him, but I believed in him from the start!¡±


    Amidst the Swallow knights¡¯ sneering and mockery, Kireuanded distant from Lucifer, his head cocked thoughtfully.


    ¡°Odd.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s odd? Are you surprised at how weak you are? Or does my martial prowess far exceed your expectations?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s none of them. Do your knights not know that you already died once? Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t be loyal to an undead.¡±


    Lucifer chuckled. ¡°Your attempt to put your little brain to work is so obvious.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re thinking about telling my knights that I¡¯m an undead.¡± Lucifer held up his hands, showing Kireua that he wasn¡¯t going to interrupt. ¡°Do as you wish.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s frowned. ¡°You already brainwashed them?¡±


    ¡°Brainwashed? No, I haven¡¯t. Like you said, they don¡¯t know that I died.¡±


    ¡°No way!¡± Kireua eximed, taken aback. ¡°They don¡¯t know?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Can¡¯t you tell that something is strange from their reactions?¡±


    Lucifer was right. The great Grand Duke was close to one hundred years old, and Swallow¡¯s knights would know that better than anyone. However, these young Swallow knights, the current leaders, were acting like it was their first time seeing Lucifer fight.


    ¡°When I was called one of the three Celestials, I used to hold my head high, but I¡¯m just a loser in Swallow after your father defeated me.¡± Lucifer shrugged.


    ¡°¡­What¡¯s up with this sudden self-degradation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the truth. The moment I try to deny my defeat, I won¡¯t be able to progress any further. Anyhow, an Absolute is a very symbolic figure. They can never lose nor surrender since they are the face of their country.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point already,¡± Kireua demanded; he was only getting more confused as the conversation went on.


    ¡°Swallow no longer had a ce for me after my defeat, and the people in power didn¡¯t like my return at all. I used to be their tyrant, so they must have rejoiced when I died.¡±


    One question bothered Kireua greatly. Lucifer had died decades ago and would have be an undead not long after his death. Creating an undead as powerful as a death knight that could also think for itself required the corpse to be fresh. However, as shocking as the news of Lucifer¡¯s return was, it had only recentlye to light¡ªso what happened during the decades after his resurrection?


    ¡°I made a promise with those in power in Swallow.¡±


    ¡°A promise¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m still officially the Grand Duke of the Swallow Empire in return for upholding my promise.¡±


    Which meant that Lucifer hadn¡¯t kept his position with force. Well, nobles, knights, and the ordinary citizens of Swallow wouldn¡¯t have epted it if Lucifer had resorted to violence. Lucifer had been such a notorious tyrant that no one had supported his rule. Yet, even thought the Emperor of Avalon had defeated him, Lucifer sessfully kept the title of Grand Duke without Swallow taking up arms against him.


    ¡°It took quite a long time. I made a promise, but waiting for all those old farts to retire, knowing the things I did to them¡­¡±


    ¡°An undead has all the time in the world, so you waited for a new generation of people to lead Swallow?¡±


    ¡°Just so.¡±


    Something still didn¡¯t add up to Kireua. The answer felt like it was at the tip of his tongue.


    ¡°¡­I just don¡¯t get it. Why would you do that? From what I know, Grand Duke Lucifer is a tyrant who can just crush everything in his way. Instead of taking the harder path, you could have used your power to force another war,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°I saw hope.¡±


    ¡°Hope?¡±


    ¡°I epted my defeat, and I¡¯m not a fool. I loathe those blind fools who challenge their opponents again even though nothing has changed.¡± Lucifer furrowed his brows.


    ¡°¡­So?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve returned to the Swallow Pce a decade after my death. I know I''m undead now, but I still needed time to recover.¡±


    Kireua could understand that much; the problem was what happened afterward.


    ¡°It had only been a decade after they lost their Absolute. The country should have been constantly watching for Joshua Sanders or bis to barge through their gates at any moment¡ªbut instead, it was surprisingly stable.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure that Swallow just returned to its normal state after their crazy tyrant disappeared,¡± Kireua sneered.


    To Kireua¡¯s surprise, Lucifer just chuckled. ¡°You may be right, but everyone in Swallow agrees that the only reason that the country could stabilize so quickly was that kiddo.¡±


    ¡°...¡¯Kiddo¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. You wouldn¡¯t know them. A weakling¡ªit feels like a flick to the forehead would be enough to kill them¡ªand they know nothing of the sword, but the kid is smart, unlike me.¡± Lucifer tapped his head. ¡°Barelyes up to my waist. How does a little thing like that be that smart? ¡­To be honest, I was shocked to find out that a human could have such a brilliant mind like that.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s what you meant by hope, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. And that kiddo told me that I need you for my great n.¡± Lucifer strode toward Kireua. ¡°Now, let¡¯s settle this. If I win, I¡¯m going to put a cor around your neck and drag you to Swallow myself.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 258

    Side Story Chapter 258


    Despite the iing attack, Kireua couldn¡¯t help but mull over the conversation he had with Grand Duke Lucifer. Swallow¡¯s mysterious mastermind sounded a lot different from any of the numerous extraordinary people Kireua had dealt with before. It seemed this person had reached their position using their mind, just like the Heaven¡¯s Mind of Avalon.


    <em>¡®Iruca will love this,¡¯</em> Kireua thought as he observed Lucifer. He was being sarcastic. He knew without a doubt it would drive his sister mad. Iruca always said that strategists like her were useless in the current generations. No matter how brilliant their tactics, there were too many Absolutes who made those tactics futile. While Avalon had Joshua Sanders the Martial God, Hubalt had Bel, the Battle God, and Lucifer, Swallow¡¯s Absolute, was right in front of Kireua. All the empires and the stronger countries had Absolutes. On top of them, strategists had to consider a new variable: Authorities.


    The air suddenly shifted, putting Kireua on high alert even though Lucifer wasn¡¯t yet moving.


    <em>¡®The barrier is moving!¡¯</em>


    Lucifer¡¯s Blood Tear barrier was trying to surround Kireua. Kireua knew from experience that the barrier was so concentrated with aura that he wouldn¡¯t have been able to cut through it even with a sword.


    Kireua vanished.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Lucifer smiled crookedly.


    The barrier vaporized and went after Kireua, threatening to envelop him. It was the same fog that had massacred two hundred of Avalon¡¯s knights, so Kireua knew that the moment the Blood Tear fog got a hold of him, he would be turn into a bloody pulp.


    Kireua inhaled sharply and swung his invisible sword.Once, twice¡­ In less than a second, Kireua struck the fog over and over.


    ¡°You already know it¡¯s meaningless,¡± Lucifer drawled.


    Nevertheless, Kireua didn¡¯t stop his barrage of aura strikes, and even hit the barrier with his mind sword directly. The impact threw him back, but he didn¡¯t resist it.


    ¡°¡­Oh?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Kireua was using the impact from the collision of their mana to distance himself from the Blood Tear fog, which was getting closer with every strike.


    ¡°He¡¯s quite clever,¡± Lucifer remarked with a chuckle.


    Still, it was a temporary solution. Creating one mind sword consumed a great amount of mana, so Kireua wouldn¡¯t be able to keep it up for very long.


    All else aside, Lucifer was confident that he had more mana than anyone else because the absolute amount of mana one had was proportional to age. Kireua was a boy in his twenties, so his mana would be like a drop in the oceanpared to Lucifer¡¯s. In other words, Lucifer¡¯s advantage would grow over time.


    ¡°You can¡¯t run away forever.¡± Lucifer crossed his arms and leisurely watched Kireua fight.


    The moment the fog engulfed Kireua it was Lucifer¡¯s victory. The fog would serve as a mobile prison cell and Lucifer would carry Kireua all the way to Swallow.


    But then, Lucifer felt a chill run down his spine. ¡°This is¡­?¡±


    His chest was bulging where his heart was¡ªclose to where Kireua had stabbed him with his sword.


    <em>¡®I didn¡¯t even activate Wrath, so why is it¡­?¡¯</em>


    Lucifer had only been using his own power to fight. Despite his painstaking measures to suppress it, his Evil Sin was waking up.


    The source of his trouble came to light in short order.


    -Yay! Today¡¯s star has arrived!


    The skin of Lucifer¡¯s chest burst open grotesquely and something ck popped out.


    Lucifer could instinctively tell its identity.


    ¡°Greed¡­?¡±


    ¡°Swallow him up, Coju!¡±


    * * *


    It was quiet in the Swallow¡¯s council chamber. A very scrawny person wearing a fox mask was stroking the empty throne. Swallow used to be called the empire of ins, and the average height of its people was around 180 centimeters. However, this person was barely over 160 centimeters, nowhere close to the average height.


    Duke Voltaire, one of the most powerful men in Swallow, entered the council chamber.


    ¡°I heard that the Grand Duke went to Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes; is there a problem with that?¡± the masked person asked; their voice was bizarre, neither a man¡¯s nor a woman¡¯s. Unsurprisingly, they were using an artifact. That could be considered disrespectful to do in front of a duke, but Voltaire didn¡¯t seem to care about it one bit, as if it was only natural.


    ¡°I received a report that the Second Prince of Avalon and Cain de Harry are also there.¡±


    The fox nodded. ¡°Your report is correct.¡±


    ¡°Will the Grand Duke be fine on his own?¡±


    Considering Lucifer¡¯s reputation, the fact that Voltaire was concerned about Lucifer being defeated was surprising¡ªbut that was the result of the masked person¡¯s long work. The fox¡¯s biggest concern was one Absolute having the entire empire under his heel.


    ¡°I understand why you¡¯re concerned, but it¡¯s okay, Your Grace.¡± The fox shook their head. ¡°Even if Grand Duke Lucifer is defeated, our ns won¡¯t be interrupted.¡±


    ¡°¡­Although I¡¯m aware that you don¡¯t trust him, I don¡¯t understand why you say that. I thought you said that the Grand Duke still has some use.¡±


    The fox shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll believe me, but I do trust him. I actually think that he has a sixty percent chance of sessfully capturing Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Voltaire opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, the fox continued, ¡°But if the Grand Duke loses, Kireua Sanders should go back to their country. It would be very problematic if hees to Swallow to rescue his teacher.¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard that Bel finally conquered the fortress in north Avalon a few days ago. I¡¯m sure that blood kin is more important than his teacher.¡±


    ¡°We should always assume the worst if we want to achieve our goals¡­¡± the fox trailed off and slowly made their way over to a table in a corner.


    Arge map of the Igrant Continent was spread across the table. The fox examined the map for a moment and then moved a chess piece, which represented Swallow, to the fortress in north Avalon.


    ¡°Here. Once Bel heads south and Kireua returns to Arcadia, everyone on the continent will be focused on Arcadia. That is the moment we¡¯ll strike the fortress that Hubalt conquered.¡±


    The fox never failed to surprise Voltaire with their brilliant strategies. Voltaire¡¯s jaw had dropped to the ground when he had first heard the n to betray the monstrous Battle God. The gutsiest people he¡¯d ever met wouldn¡¯t have even dreamed of that n.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s say that the Grand Duke sessfully captures Kireua Sanders. What is your n then?¡± Voltaire asked. He believed that it was about time that the fox finally gave him an answer to this question. Fortunately for him, the fox agreed..


    ¡°Even though the King of Thran is incarcerated in our dungeon, the Thran Kingdom still remains our biggest problem. In fact, all of Thran¡¯s elite forces managed to escape thanks to bis buying them time at the risk of his life,¡± the fox said.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re defeated. We can take them.¡±


    ¡°No, we can¡¯t think lightly of them, defeated or not. Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯ve failed to break them for decades. If they start an uprising while we¡¯re gone, we¡¯ll have quite the headache.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Voltaire had to agree on that point. Thran¡¯s knights and soldiers were currently waging a gueri war against Swallow, making them a persistent nuisance to the empire.


    ¡°But it¡¯ll be different once we get a hold of Kireua Sanders. He would give us the perfect opportunity to eradicate those pests in one fell swoop.¡± The fox clenched their fist.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Kireua Sanders is the King of Thran¡¯s only student. Think about it. The student shows up in Swallow to save his teacher¡ªwhat will Thran¡¯s people do when they find out?¡±


    Voltaire¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°The student and teacher aren¡¯t even from the same country, but he still risks his life, family, and country to try to save his teacher. The story will light a fire in Thran¡¯s hearts, and they¡¯lle running to Swallow to help him.¡± The fox moved a chess piece carved like a roaring monster to Swallow¡¯s capital. ¡°We just have set a trap and wait for the moment.¡±


    Voltaire didn¡¯t say anything aloud, but the fox¡¯s n, fullyid out, left him in awe. His arms were covered in goosebumps.


    <em>¡®Not even the Heaven¡¯s Mind of Avalon could match this person.¡¯</em>


    Voltaire was looking forward to seeing how far the fox could take him.


    ¡°My personal feelings aside,¡± the fox said as they turned, ¡°I genuinely hope that the Grand Duke¡¯s mission is sessful.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 259

    Side Story Chapter 259


    It felt like the changes happening inside of Lucifer were never going to stop. In fact, they only became quicker and more intense over time.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot as he tried to fight off Greed¡¯s insatiable consumption. ¡°An Evil Sin stronger than the power of Gluttony¡­? What in the world are you¡­!¡±


    It was only natural for Lucifer to be shocked. An Evil Sin was as strong as its owner¡¯s desire was. As the owner of Wrath, Lucifer knew just how impactful that was. Among all of humans¡¯ base instincts, physiological desires¡ªsuch as eating and sleeping¡ªwere the most intense. However, Greed¡¯s influence within him far exceeded any of those desires.


    ¡°This is ridiculous. There¡¯s no way my fury is weaker than that boy¡¯s desire!¡± Lucifer¡¯s bloody red eyes shone brightly.


    The Blood Tear fog chasing Kireua had vanished.


    The power of Wrath was very straightforward, but it was just as strong as any of other the Seven Evil Sins. It embodied the expression, ¡°simple is best¡±. Once someone lost themself to their anger, they couldn¡¯t feel pain anymore and became two¡ªor even ten¡ªtimes stronger with Wrath, depending on how furious they were. Wrath not only enhanced physical abilities, it also enhanced everything else, like the quantity and quality of mana, yet the owner could still keep their rationality, as expected from the ability which got stronger as the owner made progress of their own.


    The one problem was that Wrath exhausted its wielder¡¯s stamina too quickly, but that wasn¡¯t an issue for Lucifer because he was no longer a human with finite stamina.


    ¡°My Wrath is the best! Not even Joshua Sanders can defeat me right now!¡± Lucifer screamed. He stomped and vanished.


    Kireua was ready and was already moving his sword into position to block Lucifer¡¯s fist.The collision had shocking results. Unable to withstand the impact, Kireua was catapulted dozens of meters away before he crashed into a tree and coughed up blood.


    Lucifer wasn¡¯t done. He created more of his bloody red fog around Kireua, surrounding him like a spider¡¯s web. It looked like Kireua had nowhere to run.


    ¡°Blood Web,¡± Lucifer said with his right hand open and directed at Kireua. ¡°I¡¯m done ying with you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Fuck. This sure isn¡¯t easy,¡± Kireua said, coughing over and over. One attack was all that it took to turn him into a mess. Judging from the pain, he had broken at least three to four ribs. He had to use his muscles to stop his broken bones from puncturing his lungs as he struggled to his feet. ¡°I thought Greed or Pride were the best among the Seven Evil Sins, but I can see that the Wrath is also unbelievably powerful.¡±


    ¡°The demons call Wrath the power of Madness or ¡®Berserker¡¯. Even the famous fallen angel who used to have the power of Greed, had quite a bit of trouble with the one who possessed Wrath.¡±


    Kireua clenched his fists. Although he knew that Lucifer was trying to break his fighting spirit, he was unbothered. His morale couldn¡¯t be higher right now.


    <em>¡®¡­So that¡¯s what happened in the past.¡¯</em>


    In truth, Lucifer¡¯s desire was just as strong as Kireua¡¯s. Lucifer had been an undead for decades just to get revenge. That resolve would have only grown over time, never weakening.


    ¡°...But my thirst for power is just as strong as your wish for revenge.¡± Kireua grinned.


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully cocky.¡±


    Lucifer clenched his hand, triggering the Blood Web around Kireua to rapidly contract.


    <em>¡®Will I be able to cut through this?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered in the short moment before the web had him bound. He hefted his invisible sword. Because of his experience with the Blood Tear barrier, he knew that the Blood Web was even stronger and sturdier than the barrier. Nevertheless, Kireua had to cut through it.


    <em>¡®...Otherwise I¡¯ll be shredded.¡¯</em>


    A loud hum filled in the air as Kireua gathered his power in preparation to use a skill he had learned from the me Emperor, rather than one from the Magic Sword Art. That wasn¡¯t for some idealistic reason like defeating his master¡¯s mortal enemy with one of the techniques bis had taught him. If Kireua were to use another aura strike, his instincts told him that he would not be long for this world; he knew that this was the right choice. The Blood Web was vulnerable to fire. Only with a hotter and more intense fire could he burn away this web of blood.


    Kireua unleashed fire through his invisible sword and before long, the fire burned darker than darkness. He stabbed the sword into the ground.


    <em>¡®The me Emperor¡¯s Origin.¡¯</em>


    The technique originated from the ce where Ulbais had found Magma, the primordial stone. It would summon Vulpus, the hottest region in the continent, right where Kireua was standing right now!


    When the Blood Web closed in on Kireua, the ground beneath his feet cracked as if an earthquake was taking ce.


    Geysers of magma¡ªno, of ebon me spewed from the cracks. The world was bathed in the unquenchable fires of hell


    Lucifer, who had been leisurely watching Kireua with his arms crossed, frowned when he recognized the technique. It belonged to a person who was from the same generation as him.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lucifer tilted his head for a moment. ¡°¡­I see. He¡¯s truly bis¡¯s only student.¡±


    Lucifer was not perturbed. He had already defeated Kireua¡¯s teacher, so Kireua was no match for him. However, it didn¡¯t take long for Lucifer to lose hisposure. Kireua was different from bis. The biggest difference was that Kireua used the fire of Greed, not ordinary fire.


    ¡°¡­The fire is swallowing up my mana,¡± Lucifer mumbled in disbelief.


    Greed, who continued to grow bigger, was eating away Wrath. Lucifer was forced to raise his arms to reinforce the Blood Web as much as possible.


    Yet Kireua had long since burned his way through the encroaching Blood Web and disappeared.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯sing from above!¡± Lucifer''s eyes widened as they found Kireua again.


    Kireua wasing for Lucifer from the air like a lightning bolt.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Lucifer smiled wickedly as he held up his arms. Taking to the air was a foolish decision! Even ignoring the fact that there was nowhere to stand and nowhere to run, Kireua wouldn¡¯t be able to create an eruption of ebon mes.


    Just when Lucifer was about to use the Blood Web to cut off Kireua¡¯s limbs, Greed started acting up again.


    -Wowsie! There¡¯s a lot of food here! I¡¯m going to eat it all!


    ¡°Y-You¡­!¡± Lucifer stammered, his bewilderment made obvious in the whites of his eyes.


    The moment of hesitation spelled his end.


    Kireua¡¯s sword sheared through Lucifer¡¯s neck, to the ck-jawed amazement of everyone watching. The decapitated head was engulfed in ebon mes.


    However, Kireua wasn¡¯t unscathed after doing such an incredible feat. He plummeted to the ground and tumbled lifelessly across the ground. The fall must have been very serious.


    Lucifer¡¯s headnded on the ground a momentter.


    ¡°Hi-His Highness!¡± Cain immediately shouted, pale-faced. ¡°Protect His Highness!¡±


    ¡°Protect His Highness!¡±


    The remaining three hundred knights of Avalon repeated themand and charged toward Kireua.


    ¡°Get the Second Prince of Avalon!¡± Swallow¡¯s knights shrieked in response. ¡°Kireua Sanders must be captured! If you have no other choice, kill him.¡±


    They were at a clear advantage in terms of distance because any of Avalon¡¯s forces who were closer had been killed by Lucifer.


    Swallow¡¯s knights simply walked over Lucifer¡¯s corpse, on their way to Kireua, with their sabatons grinding it into the ground like so much refuse.


    ¡°W-Wait¡­¡±


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡±


    Avalon knights were utterly shocked by their grant disregard for Lucifer. Lucifer was Swallow¡¯s Absolute and their Grand Duke. Now that he was dead, Swallow¡¯s knights should have been thrown into chaos. The wise choice would have been to retreat like Hubalt had done. However, Swallow¡¯s forces moved in an orderly manner as if they had been anticipating this moment. Avalon¡¯s knights couldn¡¯t help but feel perplexed as they ran toward Kireua.


    ¡°I repeat! Ignore the Grand Duke¡¯s body! Prioritize securing Kireua Sanders!¡± one of Swallow¡¯s senior knights shouted at the top of his lungs.


    Despite his already bad condition, Cain¡¯s face darkened even further. ¡°It seems¡­ a lot has changed in Swallow.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 260

    Side Story Chapter 260


    Even Cain was surprised by the turn of events. Grand Duke Lucifer used to be called the Crimson Sky, just like how the Emperor of Avalon was titled the Martial God Sky, being two of the continent¡¯s three Celestials. However, it was hard to connect that lofty personage with the corpse being mashed under the feet of Swallow¡¯s knights.


    Cain¡¯s superhuman senses could easily see Lucifer¡¯s head being thoughtlessly kicked this way and that whenever it happened to get in the way. In fact, the head was so damaged that Cain couldn¡¯t even recognize Lucifer¡¯s face anymore. It was such a miserable ending for a man who used to be more powerful than his own emperor.


    ¡°¡­This is no time to be sentimental,¡± Cain murmured.


    Despite the way every muscle in his body screamed and his critical injuries, Cain drew up his mana. Even as blood spurted from every orifice and wound, he persisted. He could not lose the next emperor of Avalon.


    Thud!


    Cain barreled forward like a raging bull. Despite histe start, Cain quickly pulled ahead of everyone else.


    Swallow¡¯s knights reached Kireua first. One of them was about to pick up Kireua when a ray of white light took them by surprise.


    ¡°What?¡±


    Cain took two of their heads in short order, and then positioned himself between the rest and Kireua.¡°The C-Combat Emperor!¡±


    ¡°¡­You won¡¯t be able toy a finger on him unless you kill me,¡± Cain dered.


    The sound of battle grew louder.


    ¡°Ohhhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Take them down! The Combat Emperor and Second Prince of Avalon are wounded. This is our chance!¡±


    ¡°Stop them! Stop them no matter what it takes! Protect His Highness with your life!¡±


    Avalon and Swallow¡¯s knights were locked in an intense battle. Avalon was at an obvious disadvantage; even disregarding the Absolutes present, Swallow¡¯s knights outnumbered Avalon¡¯s several times over. Avalon couldn¡¯t even im a qualitative advantage, considering that their enemy also hailed from an empire.


    ¡°¡­You over there!¡± Cain shouted at one of the knights just arriving at the battle; he appeared to be a rookie.


    ¡°Y-Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Carry His Highness on your back and run as far away as possible!¡±


    ¡°U-Understood, sir!¡±


    ¡°Prioritize His Highness¡¯s safety! Do you understand me?!¡± Cain yelled.


    There was no time to waste anymore¡ªanyone could see that Kireua was in critical condition. Cain had to buy time even if it cost him his life.


    Cain overwhelmed the area with his mana. Swallow¡¯s knights stumbled backward as the thrumming wall of power rolled over them, even those in the rear. Cain was attracting their attention on purpose.


    ¡°I am Cain de Harry, First Knight of the Martial God. Come at me.¡±


    ¡°Combat Emperor! I¡¯m sure that you don¡¯t have a spare life of your own. Loyalty is a virtue, but nothing is more important than your own life. Why don¡¯t you stand down?¡± a man, apparently the new leader of Swallow¡¯s forces, shouted.


    Cain smiled wryly. ¡°My life is of no importance. I will uphold my pride and save His Highness¡¯s life.¡±


    ¡°¡­You fool.¡±


    ¡°But I must say, Swallow¡¯s hit rock bottom. You people shamelessly bowed to an undead and yet you show no hesitation treating him like this as soon as he¡¯s dead,¡± Cain said disdainfully. Lucifer¡¯s corpse had been trodden over by so many feet that it was as good as mush.


    ¡°Undead? What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we would actually respect an old loser like that! We were just following orders!¡±


    Cain was so dumbfounded by their response that he just stared dumbly at them for a moment.


    <em>¡®Do they not know Lucifer already died once?¡¯</em>


    Cain quickly shook his head. Even though it had been many years, Lucifer¡¯s first death had caused a sensation across the entire continent. Beside which, the Martial God was a living legend right now, so whenever he was mentioned, his victory against the Crimson Sky always came up too. All of the troops who had participated in the battle were eyewitnesses.


    <em>¡®They have eyes and ears. There¡¯s no way they don¡¯t know.¡¯</em>


    In that case, only one possibility remained.


    <em>¡®Someone in Swallow has spent decades manipting history.¡¯</em>


    The long misinformation campaign had convinced the people of Swallow that although Lucifer¡¯s defeat was true, his death was just a rumor and Lucifer had retreated after receiving a critical injury. All of the stories on the streets were just rumors that Swallow¡¯s enemies had spread to lower Swallow¡¯s spirits.


    Of course, the public wouldn¡¯t have believed it at first because Lucifer had vanished into thin air for a while.


    Nevertheless, one question remained.


    <em>¡®Even if I ignore the soldiers, all the nobles and knights who had been there would have had to be silenced for this to be possible. Is that really possible?¡¯</em>


    Information maniption was extremely difficult short of casting mass hypnosis to keep everyone silent.


    <em>¡®I really don¡¯t understand.¡¯</em>


    If a single person was responsible for all of that¡­ Cain couldn¡¯t suppress a shudder at the thought.


    <em>¡®There¡¯s a new monster in Swallow, a strategist as brilliant as Her Majesty Icarus. They might be scarier than Bel¡­¡¯</em>


    * * *


    Meanwhile, the young knight Cain had entrusted with Kireua looked behind him after riding two hundred meters away from the battlefield. Behind him, the prince was still out cold


    ¡°¡­A melee is indeed the best asion to use the confusion to my advantage. The Fox Master¡¯s mind is truly a gift from the sky.¡±


    The knight was actually affiliated with Swallow. Avalon¡¯s people would be taken aback once they discovered this, but the knight knew that he would havepleted his mission by then.


    Ordinary people wouldn¡¯t be able to calcte the myriad possible oues of a given situation. However, the Fox Master had predicted everything and had given precise orders to each unit. That was who Fox Master was. Their abilities formted ns that ordinary people couldn¡¯t even imagine and left everyone shivering in awe.


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess even I would¡¯ve been the same. With that many enemy knightsing at them from the front, thest thing they would think about is a spy among their knights.¡±


    The knight concluded that he was far enough away and came to a halt. He was now further inside the ck Monster Forest. He examined the nearby trees for a moment and found the sign that he and his people had agreed upon, so he set Kireua down against the tree.


    The tree suddenly turned an disturbing blood-red, making the knight flinch.


    ¡°Well done.¡±


    The voiceing from the tree was, to the knight¡¯s surprise, the same as that of Lucifer.


    ¡°¡­It was nothing.¡± The knight bowed, but there was no hint of respect in his eyes, unlike when he had been talking about Fox Master.


    The bloody red tree slowly swallowed Kireua.


    ¡°It went just like you said.¡±


    The knight''s eyes widened.


    A crystal ball in the center of the tree hummed. The fact that it was capable of transmitting despite the jamming barrier covering the area didn¡¯t surprise the knight, but the white fox mask he saw within made him drop to his knee as soon as he saw it.


    ¡°Greetings to Fox Master!¡±


    In contrast to before, his eyes were filled with respect and awe.


    -You must have gone through a lot.


    ¡°I-It was noth¡ª¡±


    The bloody red tree shook its branches as if that didn¡¯t want him to interrupt the conversation.


    ¡°I have to give it to you. Brilliant. I can¡¯t believe I actually captured the Prince of Avalon. What do I do now?¡±


    -I need you to lie low until I give you further instructions.


    Parts of the tree bulged.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that, actually,¡± the tree said.


    -Pardon?


    ¡°I happened to have taken a serious injury, so I¡¯ll have to take it easy for the time being.¡±


    -¡­I see. Yes, this was indeed the best choice. Even in my previous calctions, the most unpredictable variable from Avalon was Kireua Sanders.


    The Fox Master reached the correct conclusion with astonishing ease. In this situation, most people would naturally assume that the Combat Emperor was responsible for Lucifer''s injury, but Fox Master was certain that it was Kireua even without being there.


    ¡°How fascinating. This is good; I¡¯m d to see that I made the right choice,¡± the bloody red tree¡ªno, Lucifer said.


    -You tter me.


    ¡°Speaking of which, how do you believe the war will go?¡±


    -¡­To be honest, I can¡¯t be certain of anything with the Battle God and Martial God involved. If we were talking about Joshua Sanders before he trapped himself in the ice boulder, the chances of his defeat would be ny percent¡­


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s how strong the boy named Bel is?¡± Lucifer asked, surprised. From his experience fighting Joshua long ago, Lucifer knew how incredibly strong Joshua was. He¡¯d been certain that Joshau was absolutely one of a kind.


    -¡­Yes. Indeed, there is no precedent for someone bing as strong as the Martial God as fast as he did. He was only a teenager when he battled his way through some of the strongest people of the time and became the king of Reinhardt¡­


    ¡°Forget that. I really can¡¯t imagine Joshua Sanders losing.¡±


    -¡­I certainly hope he doesn¡¯t.


    ¡°You hope he¡­?¡± Lucifer exuded a faint murderous energy. ¡°Why do you sound like you want that motherfucker to win?¡±


    -Because I do.


    ¡°What?¡±


    -I can¡¯t predict what will happen if the Battle God wins, but if it¡¯s the Martial God¡­


    The Fox Master trailed off for a moment but continued with conviction.


    -¡­he will never be able to harm me.

 Side Story Chapter 261

    Side Story Chapter 261


    In a moonlitke, the Fox Master let out a long sigh.


    After solving the biggest problem, they came straight to this coldke near the pce. It was the Fox Master¡¯s go-to ce in times of distress; dipping into the cold water always brought them tranquility.


    Of course, the Fox Master still had their guards with them even if theke was close to the pce. The Fox Master couldn¡¯t see them right now, but Fox Master could detect at least ten presences nearby. The guards were surely securing the ce from top to bottom.


    <em>¡®Why am I so nervous?¡¯</em> Fox Master wondered.


    They couldn¡¯t be certain that the mission in Hubalt was going to seed given how many variables were involved. Grand Duke Lucifer was always unpredictable, and the exact level of Kireua Sanders¡¯s martial prowess was yet to be determined after his new awakening.


    <em>¡®I wasn¡¯t this nervous when the me Emperor was captured.¡¯</em>


    In fact, the Fox Master had been absolutely confident that that mission was going to be sessful.


    <em>¡®But it¡¯s different now.¡¯</em>


    The Fox Master rubbed the goosebumps covering their arms before reaching up and taking off the fox mask, revealing their¡ªno, <em>her</em> divine, perfectly curved figure. Most men wouldn¡¯t be able to keep themselves together at the sight of her figure. Unfortunately for any such voyeurs, her face remained hidden by a white waterproof cloth under the mask.¡°I hope I¡¯m wrong this time¡­¡± she whispered.


    The moment she got into the chillyke, she felt her mind settle. Ever since she had been a child, she¡¯d had good intuition. No, that was an understatement considering that her intuition had only been wrong exactly once.


    Nevertheless, there were no measures she could take right now as she had no idea what this ominous feeling was. Was Lucifer going to betray her? Perhaps the Battle God or the Martial God was going to be the cause of another unexpected change. Or¡­ although she didn¡¯t want to imagine it, Kireuas Sanders might go through another awakening. The possibilities frustrated her a lot.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to go crazy.¡±


    The Fox Master dived into the water. Bubbles disturbed theke¡¯s surface like her troubled mind.


    <em>¡®Whatever it is, I¡¯ll trust my intuition. That¡¯s the only thing I can do right now¡­¡¯</em>


    * * *


    Meanwhile, the battle in the ck Monster Forest was nearing its end.


    ¡°Those of you in the second and third ranks, cease your attacks! And until they finish their retreat, those in the first rank will focus on fending off the enemy and then you guys withdraw too! We got what we hade for!¡± Swallow''s leader yelled, as if he wanted the Avalon knights to hear him.


    Cain flinched. ¡°They got what they hade for¡­?¡±


    A possibility crossed his mind and Cain swiftly turned his head to the forest where the knight had taken Kireua.


    ¡°Come to think of it, why did he take Kireua into the forest?¡± Cain mumbled.


    Avalon¡¯s knights were still in Hubalt, so Cain hadn¡¯t given much thought to it until now. Choosing to take shelter in the forest was odd since it was the ck Monster Forest. The ce was crawling with monsters and the knight would have to fight them alone. It was like taking shelter from a bear in a tiger¡¯s den.[1] Why would the knight go in there alone?


    ¡°Hey, you over there!¡± Cain gestured at one of the Avalon knights.


    ¡°Ah, yes, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Is one of our knights¡­ Ah, fuck!¡±


    Cain couldn¡¯t afford to have this conversation while Swallow¡¯s forces were retreating as they spoke. Care and caution were required to make an objective analysis of the situation, but the moment called for action, not deliberation.


    ¡°Go after them!¡± Cain yelled.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Stop the battle and go after them! Come on!¡±


    ¡°Si-Sir Cain, what are you talking about¡­?¡± the knight stammered.


    ¡°His Highness has been kidnapped. The knight is their spy¡­ <em>Cough!</em>¡±


    Cain¡¯s condition was still far from okay. Just getting worked up a bit made him cough up blood. His mana hall was in particrly serious condition¡ªin fact, a lot of his mana hall would be irreversibly damaged unless treatment was undertaken right now.


    ¡°A-are you okay?¡± The knight helped Cain stand up straight.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Go get His Highness¡­¡±


    The knights regained theirposure and organized themselves to pursue Swallow¡¯s knights.


    Someone watched everything from the shadows. Before long, they vanished into thin air.


    * * *


    That person was Isaac.


    <em>¡®Although it took an unexpected turn¡­ I think I should consider it Kireua Sanders¡¯s victory,¡¯</em> she thought as she zipped through the forest.


    Before the battle started, Isaac had decided that the course of her future would be determined by the battle¡¯s oue. She had been rather impressed by Kireua¡¯s unexpected sess during the battle.


    <em>¡®But¡­ Swallow got what they came for in the end. It looked like that knight took Kireua Sanders.¡¯</em>


    Nevertheless, Kireua had won the battle when he had cut off Lucifer¡¯s head, although the ongoing war between the empires was a different story.


    <em>¡®¡­Or maybe that¡¯s just what I want to believe.¡¯</em>


    The thought made Isaac freeze. She¡¯d always wanted to break free from her past and present, but she never could. After spending a lifetime as a ve, she was incapable of doing anything on her own.


    -Where do you think you are going?


    The sudden telepathic message made Isaac instinctively snap her cross her arms in front of her protectively, eyes wide.


    Not a moment toote, a powerful airburst struck Isaac. It was so strong that Isaac was thrown off of her feet and only stopped when her back smashed into arge tree.


    When she recognized her assant, Isaac knew that trouble had found her.


    ¡°¡­Anna bel Grace. How long have you been following me?¡±


    ¡°I never trusted you in the first ce, so I¡¯ve had my eye on you even during the battle.¡°


    Isaac could see something translucent dragon above Anna¡ªher elemental spirit. However, Anna seemed to be using more power than she could safely handle, based on the bulging veins in her eyes and tears of blood she shed.


    Isaac sighed. ¡°¡­Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re actually threatening me right now.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll regret it if you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Crazy bitch,¡± Anna scoffed. ¡°Give me back Kireua and I¡¯ll get out of your way even if you try to keep me here.¡±


    ¡°¡­I highly doubt that you¡¯ll believe me, but I¡¯m not the one who took Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Anna¡¯s elemental spirit let out a roar, voicing the emotions it shared with its master..


    ¡°You¡¯re right, I don¡¯t trust crazy bitches, so I¡¯m going to make you talk even if it means I¡¯ll have to torture you. I¡¯m going to start with your fingernails and toenails, and then, if you still won¡¯t talk, I¡¯ll tear your limbs off one after another. Then I¡¯ll dig out your eyes, cut off your tongue, and gouge your ears out before I feed you to the dogs. You won¡¯t be able to feel a thing until they start gnawing the flesh off your bones.


    ¡°Wait, maybe I¡¯ll just destroy your mana hall and toss you over to those rowdy soldiers. You have quite a pretty face; they¡¯ll love you,¡± Anna coldly threatened.


    The way her hair was fluttering was awfully beautiful for someone making such a frightening threat.


    Isaac let the end of her mouth curl upward. ¡°You¡¯re going to defeat me? Are you an idiot? You can¡¯t remember what happened a few days ago?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve gotten real cocky after you caught me off guard one time.¡± Anna extended her arm. ¡°... I¡¯ll show you why I¡¯m called the Witch of the North in Avalon.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s instincts screamed and she immediately sprang forward. A mighty gale ripped through the air right where she had been standing, leaving behind a wide, deep crevice and destroying everything in its path.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you nimble,¡± Anna scoffed.


    Isaac frowned. She instinctively knew that the flying wind elemental spirit dragon would immediately attack her if she approached within a certain distance of Anna.


    <em>¡®That elemental spirit is dangerous,¡¯ </em>Isaac thought.


    The best way to deal with a mage or an elemental spirit mage was to slit their throat before they could use a spell or summon their elemental spirit. However, Isaac had already missed her window of opportunity. Now she was in trouble¡­


    That was why Isaac decided to attack Anna from a distance. Closebat wasn¡¯t Isaac¡¯s only forte. Since she had already reached a considerable level as a martial artist, she could freely fire her aura and handily break a boulder in two with the aura strikes.


    However, it didn¡¯t work at all. The elemental spirit destroyed Isaac¡¯s aura strikes before they got anywhere near Anna.


    ¡°What a nuisance.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s the best I¡¯ve got.¡± Anna beamed through the bloody tears streaking her face. ¡°Why don¡¯t you die now?¡±


    Anna extended both of her arms this time, and the elemental spirit dragon let out a roar far louder than before. Isaac had to cover her ears. It was obvious that Anna was about to use her ace in the hole, but Isaac was confident of her victory. She wasn¡¯t dealing with the Martial God, and Anna was just an elemental spirit mage¡­


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯ll crush her head right after I block this one,¡¯</em> Isaac decided.


    At that moment, Isaac and Anna both froze. They sensed an eerie mana nearby.


    ¡°This is¡­¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this Kireua¡­?¡±


    Anna and Isaac immediately left the area. Something bad must have happened to Kireua. Otherwise, there was no way to exin the wave of mana so intense that it seemed to be capable of tearing down the entire forest.


    1. The raw is ??? ??? ??? ?? ???? ??? ?? ?? ?????. It¡¯s the Korean idiom about how one runs away from danger and faces more serious danger instead. ?

 Side Story Chapter 262

    Side Story Chapter 262


    Despite having been decapitated, Lucifer was back as his original self.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± he mumbled. He suddenly sensed a great amount of demonic power that even he couldn¡¯t take lightly in the direction of the knight who was carrying Kireua.


    ¡°¡­Come to think of it, I can¡¯t sense Greed anymore.¡±


    Which was odd. Greed had been doggedly tormenting Lucifer as if it had a will of its own, but, when Lucifer examined himself closely, he couldn¡¯t detect the slightest trace of Greed any longer.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s gone.¡± Lucifer¡¯s eyes flew open.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Wrath¡­ is gone.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± the knight who had brought Kireua to the forest cautiously asked. He¡¯d already been feeling rmed by the power he could senseing behind him; he was even more distressed than Lucifer.


    ¡°¡­Put him down.¡±The knight gave Lucifer a nk look.


    ¡°Put Kireua Sanders down this instant!¡± Lucifer demanded, his demonic power bursting out of his body.


    ¡°¡­Urgh!¡± The knight put Kireua Sanders down, but when he tried to retreat, but he discovered that he couldn¡¯t lift a finger. His entire body was stiff as stone. ¡°Wh-what in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just die.¡± Lucifer swung his arm.


    The world the knight saw tilted, but he still didn¡¯t realize what happened even after his head separated from his neck.


    The knight¡¯s body should have copsed on the ground by the time his head was kissing the dirt, but that didn¡¯t happen, in contrast to Lucifer¡¯s expectations.


    ¡°It¡¯s toote.¡± Lucifer narrowed his eyes.


    The knight was standing, but with his head missing¡ªas if he were a duhan. What was happening behind the corpse, however, was the real concern.


    ¡°Greed is willing to consume a fellow Evil Sin. I can¡¯t believe it.¡±


    Although other people couldn¡¯t see Greed, Lucifer could. The cotton ball was returning to its owner, bringing with it the red form of Wrath.


    ¡°I should kill him here and now,¡± Lucifer quickly concluded. Kireua was too dangerous, maybe even more so than the Martial God, his father. There was nothing more troubling than an opponent whose exact prowess was yet to be determined. Lucifer had fought the Martial God before, so he was able toe up with a countermeasure and expect that it would work within his expectations. However, it wasn¡¯t easy to deal with an opponent like Kireua, no matter how hard Lucifer tried.


    <em>¡®This is my best chance.¡¯</em>


    Lucifer closed the distance between himself and Kireua in the blink of an eye and brought his demonically enhanced knife-hand strike down on Kireua¡¯s head.


    The attack could have destroyed Kireua¡¯s skull, but Lucifer''s attempt was foiled. Not because Kireua had woken up just in time to block the attack, which wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as shocking to Lucifer as what had actually happened.


    ¡°What¡­in the world are you?¡± he whispered.


    Lucifer¡¯s question was rhetorical. The ck cotton ball he saw earlier had grown bigger to protect its owner¡¯s head.


    ¡°I never heard about Greed having such an ability!¡± Lucifer screamed.


    -Heh! Hehehehehehe!


    Greed bounced up and down,ughing unpleasantly.


    ¡°Speak! I scoured the Wrath¡¯s memory¡­!¡±


    -Heh. Hehehehe. Heeheeheeheeheeheeheehee!


    The cotton ball split in half like a human mouth, revealing something red within¡ªthe power of Wrath, being devoured before Lucifer¡¯s very eyes.


    <em>¡®Yes, Greed is the only Evil Sin which can get stronger independently of its owner. In that case¡­¡¯</em>


    A possibility that Lucifer didn¡¯t want to imagine loomed in his thoughts: Greed was capable of making its own progress, just like a human.


    ¡°The real monster¡­ is you, not Joshua Sanders,¡± Lucifer muttered.


    He¡¯d almost given up on his survival. He could instinctively tell that Greed¡¯s unfathomable power made it the natural predator of those who relied on demonic power. Lucifer could only see one conclusion.


    ¡°¡­Eat me.¡± Lucifer opened his arms. ¡°Although I think you were nning on that anyway.¡±


    -Heh. Hehehehe!


    Greed didn¡¯t turn Lucifer¡¯s offer down. It slowly crawled toward Lucifer,ughing heartily the whole way.


    <em>¡®Maybe¡­ I should try onest attack.¡¯</em>


    Lucifer dismissed the thought as quickly as it came. As an Absolute, he was able to foresee the oue of a fight without even actually engaging, and he knew that it would be meaningless.


    <em>¡®This isn¡¯t how I expected to meet my demise¡­ Ha!¡¯</em> Lucifer chuckled in disbelief as he watched Greed, who was already on his leg.


    ¡°¡­I have onest request.¡±


    -Heh?


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that if you eat me, I¡¯ll be a part of you, like Wrath. However, if I manage to maintain my identity within you¡­¡± Lucifer paused to sort out his thoughts before continuing, ¡°¡­let me have control of the body just once for ten minutes when I ask for it. I¡¯m sure that won¡¯t be an issue for you.¡±


    -Hehehehe. Hehe.


    ¡°Yeah, I don¡¯t care if that means my annihtion afterward.¡±


    -Hee¡­


    ¡°You must have felt the depths of my fury. All of that will be yours, so I believe I can ask this much at least,¡± Lucifer insisted.


    -Hehehehehe!


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s a deal, then.¡±


    Lucifer smiled, content. If someone saw him right now, they might call him a madman because it looked like he was talking to thin air. However, it wouldn¡¯t take long to shut their mouths.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Eat me.¡±


    Greed stretched its mouth open like an abyss and swallowed Lucifer whole.


    The man disappeared from the worldpletely.


    A gust of wind blew over the site, finding only the headless knight and Kireua. Anna and Isaac had arrived.


    ¡°Kireua!¡±


    * * *


    Anna and Isaac weren¡¯t the only ones who had been searching for Kireua.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°Did you find him?¡± Cain quickly asked.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡±


    The three surviving Avalon nobles hesitated, but that was enough for Cain to deduce what had happened.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time. If we waste any more time, His Highness will be¡­¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you calm down first?¡± one of the nobles advised.


    Cain fell silent. Their forces¡¯ morale was low because two hundred of the five hundred knights had been killed by a single attack from Lucifer. On top of that, two of the five nobles had died with them. The five nobles, as the lords of neighboringnd, had known each other for a long time. The three nobles left had lost their neighbors¡­


    <em>¡®¡­I do understand how they feel right now, but¡­¡¯</em>


    As Cain brainstormed how to speed up their search for Kireua, one of the nobles came forward.


    ¡°Sir Cain, I¡¯ll cut to the point since we don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, go on.¡±


    ¡°I received an urgent message from Avalon just now.¡±


    Cain''s eyes widened¡ªthey were still in Hubalt. Or actually, when he thought about it, they were in the untamednds of the ck Monster Forest; it was entirely likely that the forest wasn¡¯t affected by the jamming barrier.


    ¡°Is it from the Pce?¡± Cain asked.


    ¡°¡­Our neighboring lords are the ones who sent the message.¡±


    ¡°What did they say?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± The noble hesitated for a moment, his expression dark. ¡°Our fortress in the north has been conquered.¡±


    Cain¡¯s entire body froze but for his trembling lip. ¡°Does that mean¡­ His Highness Selim lost?¡±


    ¡°The Battle God himself joined the battle, so¡­¡±


    As the mention of the Battle God, Cain shut his eyes.


    ¡°Fortunately, His Highness Selim was able to retreat from the battle.¡±


    ¡°¡­That is one silver lining,¡± Cain muttered.


    ¡°Speaking of which, shouldn¡¯t we go back to Avalon as quickly as possible?¡± the noble asked.


    Since the Hubalt forces had conquered the north, they would probably head to the capital next. The nobles¡¯nds were in the way, which meant they would be in danger.


    <em>¡®...I can¡¯t force them to make more sacrifices,¡¯</em> Cain thought, agonized. However, returning to Avalon would mean that they had to stop searching for Kireua.


    In the nick of time, news that made Cain¡¯s hesitation vanish arrived.


    ¡°Th-The crystal ball is responding.¡±


    ¡°...Don¡¯t tell me that Hubalt¡¯s forces are already close to ournd!¡±


    ¡°A-Answer the call!¡±


    The noble holding the crystal ball nodded and infused his mana into the crystal ball.


    -M-My lord! I ha-have an urgent message to deliver!


    ¡°Stop stammering. Talk! What is the message!¡±


    -Umm¡­ Uh¡­


    The three nobles scowled at the flustered mage.


    ¡°For goodness¡¯ sake! Speak already!¡± a noble shouted.


    -Th-The Sword Emperor¡­


    ¡°The Sword Emperor? Are you talking about His Grace Tremblin?¡±


    -Yes, yes¡­ he¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re driving us insane!¡±


    The mage squeezed his eyes shut and braced himself.


    -His Grace Tremblin was killed in the battle!

 Side Story Chapter 263

    Side Story Chapter 263


    ¡°Kireua!¡± Anna dissipated the wind around her as shended on the ground.


    Isaac arrived a littleter and paused to take a look around. Aside from Kireua, who was lying on the ground unconscious, there was no one to be seen¡ªno one alive, at least.


    <em>¡®¡­There is the headless corpse of a knight,¡¯</em> Isaac noted. Had Kireua managed to cut his kidnapper¡¯s head off before he lost consciousness?


    <em>¡®But this wound is¡­¡¯</em> Isaac frowned as she got a closer look at the cut. Judging from the distinctive icky residue left on the surface, demonic power had been used like aura for the knight¡¯s decapitation. However, something didn¡¯t add up if the perpetrator had d their sword in demonic power.


    <em>¡®If his head was cut off by a sword, the surface would have been straight, but it¡¯s not. Did the perpetrator stab the knight in the neck first using the tip of their sword and then cut through? Or¡­ did they use a knife-hand strike?¡¯</em>


    Isaac was already at the level of a Superhuman as a martial artist, so she could notice the subtle differences that a swordsman would likely be ignorant of. The most usible weapon was simply a hand coated with demonic power. Based on that deduction, Isaac could roughly picture what had happened. The perpetrator had been on edge, as if he were being hunted.


    <em>¡®Did Kireua Sanders wake up on instinct and then cut off the knight¡¯s head?¡¯</em>


    Isaac pondered the idea, but after analyzing the wound from various angles shook her head. That wound couldn¡¯t be made from Kireua¡¯s position. The perpetrator had attacked the knight from the front.


    <em>¡®There was a third party at the site,¡¯</em> Isaac concluded¡ªhowever, that only deepened her confusion. Judging from the traces of power left in this ce, the battle had only taken ce a matter of minutes ago. Isaac couldn¡¯t sense the slightest trace of the perpetrator even though she was capable of locating an ant within a one kilometer radius¡­<em>¡®But most importantly, the power left in the wound is very simr to Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s.¡¯</em>


    That stood out to Isaac the most. Was Lucifer alive? She had witnessed the moment of his death with her own eyes¡­


    ¡°Kireua! Wake up! Kireua!¡±


    Isaac turned to look at Anna, who was checking on Kireua. If Lucifer was alive, Isaac had to change her opinion about Kireua¡¯s victory.


    <em>¡®Is it really impossible to change destiny?¡¯</em> Isaac thought with a bitter smile.


    Regardless, it was difficult for her toe to a conclusion right now.


    ¡°¡­Take Kireua Sanders and get out of here right now.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Anna flinched.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you haven¡¯t noticed therge group of peopleing in our direction.¡±


    Anna focused on observing the area, her wind elemental making her adept at sensing presences as well. It didn¡¯t take long for her to find the peopleing toward them¡ªhundreds of them.


    ¡°Are they from Swallow?¡± Anna asked anxiously.


    It would be perfect if those people were from Avalon; the chances were low, however, because Swallow had taken action first.


    ¡°Ssien! Carry Kireua for me!¡± Anna shouted.


    A breeze gently enveloped Kireua and lifted him into the air.


    ¡°Are you going to stop us?¡±


    Isaac scoffed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have given you a heads-up if I were nning on it.¡±


    ¡°¡­What in the world are you nning?¡± Anna asked, watching Isaac warily.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­ a little bit of greed. If nothing is certain, perhaps I can dream?¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°¡­I guess there¡¯s no point in making you understand. Go now.¡± Isaac waved Anna away.


    The group was now so close that people who couldn¡¯t use mana would be able to feel them.


    ¡°I¡¯ll stop them,¡± Isaac quietly said.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re living in your own little world. I really can¡¯t tell what¡¯s going on inside your head.¡± Anna grumbled, although she didn¡¯t turn down Isaac¡¯s offer.


    Anna immediately rode a gale away, but didn¡¯t forget to leave behind a warning.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but don¡¯t have any false hope. I know his type, and it¡¯s not you!¡± Anna shrieked through the wind.


    Isaac burst into quietughter. ¡°It¡¯s a littleforting to know that there¡¯s a woman who¡¯s more deluded than me¡­¡±


    * * *


    Bel stood atop the fortress he¡¯d seized from Avalon and took a deep breath. He¡¯d been dreaming of this scene.


    ¡°¡­Joshua Sanders, now you have no time to rx up there.¡±


    Bel grinned as he looked north.


    Not many ces on the continent would allow one to overlook the Martial God¡¯s entire country, but the snow mountain where Joshua was trapped was one of them. Joshua¡¯s goals were to annihte the Demon Spirit and save the world, but Bel didn¡¯t think that would remain the same after Joshua¡¯s country was trampled and his family was butchered.


    ¡°The corrupted Martial God. Hehehehe.¡± Bel chuckled in delight after picturing Joshua in such a state.


    ¡°¡­Hmm.¡± Bel raised an eyebrow.


    A part of the snow mountain suddenly vanished. If other people had seen it, they would think it had melted in the sunlight, but not Bel.


    ¡°The world¡¯s destruction is definitely progressing quicker than before. Haaaaa.¡± He let out a yawn. ¡°Just imagining it bores me to death. Destroying things is much more interesting than protecting them.¡±


    Absolute or not, Bel had no interest in saving the Human Realm. The idea that he would have the same goal as the Martial God irritated him too. Watching the world hurtle to its doom was going to be a lot more interesting than trying to save it. Joshua had dedicated his life to saving the world, but if the Human Realm was destined to be destroyed¡­


    ¡°...Then everything you¡¯re doing is ultimately meaningless, Joshua Sanders. I hope you realize that as soon as possible so that you¡¯ll break out of that ice boulder and go for a round with me,¡± Bel murmured before he turned back.


    One of his men climbed the walls, disrupting Bel¡¯s solitude. There was nothing Bel hated more than being interrupted, so the man had waited patiently for Bel¡¯s attention.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Bel asked.


    ¡°We just leaked the story of the Sword Emperor¡¯s death in the Avalon camp.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Yes, those in the camp were quite shaken.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they were. We¡¯re talking about the Sword Emperor¡­¡± Bel trailed off, a grin creeping onto his face. Bel preferred not to bother with strategy, but he knew better than anyone how to make a war interesting.


    ¡°Spread a story in the Avalon camp that the Sword Emperor is actually alive.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± The subordinate tilted his head in confusion.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if they stay cowering in their home since we can barge in and smash everything, but it¡¯ll be quite a nuisance if they get too scared and bolt. Tracking down people isn¡¯t exactly interesting.¡±


    ¡°You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°These two stories will put them in happy agony. It¡¯ll eventually make them abandon their defenses to save the Sword Emperor.¡±


    The subordinate let out a wordless exmation.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be all-out war from that point onward. We just have to wait for the moment,¡± Bel said firmly.


    ¡°I understand. It sounds like information maniption is the key¡­¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by ¡®it sounds like¡¯?¡± Bel demanded, displeased by the uncertainty he heard in his minion¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll believe our story¡ª¡±


    Bel exploded with a tremendous amount of murderous energy, shutting the man¡¯s mouth immediately.


    ¡°You can¡¯t even do that much?¡± Bel growled.


    ¡°S-Sir Bel¡ª¡±


    ¡°I conquered the fortress and killed the enemymander. How long do I need to spoon-feed everything to you?¡±


    ¡°M-My apologies.¡± The subordinate bowed quickly.


    ¡°Most of our enemy¡¯s main forces have retreated with Selim Sanders. All you have to do is to capture the people who stayed behind to buy time.¡±


    Ideally, every single one of them needed to be captured for this ploy. It wasn¡¯t going to be easy, but they¡¯d already been defeated once.


    ¡°In fact, you can kill all of them. It doesn¡¯t matter if you silence them for good. Is that still too difficult?¡± Bel sarcastically asked.


    ¡°N-No, sir. I¡¯ll get right to it.¡±


    Bel seemed to rx now that the man wasn¡¯t so doubtful. ¡°Do you want my help with this too?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll send out my men to see if any of them slipped away and whether or not their scouts are still present around the fortress.¡±


    ¡°No, no. I was too harsh on you. Even if you do this as discreetly as possible, someone from Avalon may be unexpectedly skilled and find out what¡¯s actually going on here¡­¡±


    Bel tossed something over to his man. The subordinate''s eyes widened¡ªit was a human head.


    ¡°Make a puppet out of this. It¡¯ll be enough to fool the people watching us from afar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to it right away, sir!¡±


    The man looked at the head again. It belonged to an old man with pure white hair. His eyes were still wide open despite his death.


    Anyone else on the continent would be shocked to see what was going on right now.


    The old man had been over one hundred years old, making him older than most people could ask for. On top of that, he had been the most respected swordsman in Avalon¡ªno, the most respected of the Nine Stars. In fact, he was still respected by so many knights; it would take centuries for another swordsman like him to be born.


    The Sword Emperor, Avalon¡¯s Duke¡­ his name was Geschhard kon Tremblin. The fall of the greatest and most brilliant of the Nine Stars was beyond doubt.

 Side Story Chapter 264

    Side Story Chapter 264


    Iruca paced back and forth in Avalon¡¯s headquarters, chewing on her fingernails as she always did when she felt nervous.


    ¡°Why am I so nervous? We threw the Hubalt forces off our tracks and we¡¯re only two days away from the Pce. We can count on the Arcadia garrison for reinforcements if anything happens¡­ So why am I nervous?¡±


    Iruca was unable to regain herposure, so she headed outside. Feeling the cold night breeze made her feel a little better.


    She looked up in the sky and let out a long sigh.


    Just then, Iruca''s eyes widened, her beautiful lip trembling.


    ¡°Was that¡­ a falling star?¡±


    A glittering star was plucked from the night sky and fell somewhere in the Human Realm, leaving a tail of light behind it.


    Goosebumps riddled Iruca¡¯s arms. ¡°Could it be true¡­?¡±


    ¡°Iruca.¡±Iruca jumped. She turned toward the voice and saw that Selim was walking toward her, followed by some of his ck Knights. They looked uneasy.


    ¡°...My answer is no.¡± Iruca frowned.


    ¡°You heard the story, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What story are you talking about? The story that Duke Tremblin is alive?¡± Iruca asked.


    Selim was silent.


    While swords shed in the open, another battle took ce in the shadows¡ªan information war. All manner of rumors were fabricated as ammunition for this silent war.


    ¡°It¡¯s been only an hour since we heard that Duke Tremblin passed away, but people are suddenly saying that he¡¯s alive. Can¡¯t you tell that something is odd?¡±


    ¡°¡­That is why I believe we should verify it.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to do it myself.¡± Selim turned away.


    The ck Knights quickly saluted Iruca before they followed their master as loyal knights should.


    ¡°Stop right there.¡± Iruca scowled at Selim. ¡°Don¡¯t make Duke Tremblin¡¯s sacrifice be in vain.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t use the word ¡®sacrifice¡¯ right now. Duke Tremblin isn¡¯t the kind of person who would be defeated like that.¡±


    ¡°Do you see yourself right now? If you really believe that, why are you going out there?¡±


    Selim couldn¡¯t give a good answer to Iruca¡¯s question but he didn¡¯t stop walking away.


    ¡°You¡¯ve already tried fighting Bel, so you should know that better than anyone else that Duke Tremblin has been defeated. If he¡¯s not dead, he¡¯s mortally injured!¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s all the more reason for me to go right now,¡± Selim answered.


    His voice was so quiet that Iruca was now too far away to hear it.


    ¡°Selim, I said stop right now!¡± Iruca yelled.


    ¡°My lord¡­¡± The ck Knights hesitated for a moment but decided that their master¡¯s safety was their priority. ¡°Why don¡¯t we wait and see what happens for the time being¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Selim waved his hand at them. ¡°I¡¯ll check out the battlefield on my own, so you guys wait here.¡±


    ¡°¡­My apologies. Let use with you.¡±


    The ck Knights had to abandon their attempt to dissuade Selim, but he came to a halt anywayfor an unexpected reason.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty,¡± he stammered.


    A group of people wereing from the opposite direction¡ªthey came from the Pce, led by Icarus.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°M-Mom?¡± Iruca sputtered when she caught up with Selim and the knights. ¡°What is everyone doing? Why did no one notify me¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I told them not to,¡± Icarus immediately answered. ¡°Long time no see, Prince Selim.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± Selim quickly regained hisposure and offered Icarus his respects.


    Since other people were around, Icarus addressed Selim in a formal tone and returned his greeting with the appropriate etiquette.


    Despite being perplexed, Iruca also bowed. ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­ Is it okay for you to leave the Pce?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The Queen Consorts who are more reliable than me are filling in for me.¡±


    Avalon had recently gone through a stream of attacks, from Hubalt¡¯s congrattory delegation to a band of high-ranking demons, so the three Queen Consorts of Avalon had taken charge of sorting out the aftermath. As one of the Five Great Merchants, the Third Queen Consort was handling the restoration of Arcadia and sourcing the necessary materials. On the other hand, the First Queen Consort led the search to track down any possible remnants of their attackers. It was the Second Queen Consort¡¯s job to reassure and unite people of Avalon, but she was here instead.


    ¡°We¡¯ll prepare for a siege.¡±


    ¡°¡­But, Your Majesty¡­¡± Selim bit his lip.


    ¡°While His Majesty is missing, my orders take priority over all others under imperialw. You are not exempt, Prince Selim.¡±


    Icarus knew how hurtful her words would be to Selim, but she volunteered herself as a viin because Selim needed to hear these words.


    In response, Selim bowed deeply. Icarus gave Selim an explicit and unambiguousmand; he would be defying imperialw if he insisted on rescuing Tremblin.


    Icarus¡¯s voice softened. ¡°Pull yourself together, Prince Selim. At this moment, we should operate under the assumption that Duke Tremblin has died.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I know.¡± Selim nodded. He also knew that if he were to be captured during his search, Tremblin¡¯s sacrifice would be as worthless as a dog¡¯s.


    ¡°We¡¯re at war. A lot more people will be sacrificed. You¡¯re putting everyone in a difficult spot if you act this way every time a something like this happens¡±


    ¡°¡­My apologies,¡± Selim quietly answered.


    ¡°Have a little more faith in your strategists. You should be more resolute in times like this.¡±


    Selim bit his lip so hard that that bled. ¡°¡­Thank you for your advice, Your Majesty.¡±


    Icarus turned to look at her daughter. ¡°Princess Iruca, please update me on the current situation.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    * * *


    Thetest report about the war in Avalon was also being delivered in Swallow¡¯s pce, although the empire wasn¡¯t rted to the war in any way.


    ¡°Avalon¡¯s Sword Emperor has been killed. I received this information from our informants in Avalon, so it must be true. The Battle God is truly something, alright. I hope he keeps it up and barges straight into Avalon¡¯s pce¡­¡± Duke Voltaire stopped his report and eyed the head of the table, his head tilted in confusion. ¡°Fox Master?¡±


    ¡°¡­Ah, I¡¯m sorry. Can you repeat that?¡±


    ¡°¡­Is something troubling you?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing big, but yes.¡± The Fox Master sighed as she adjusted her mask. ¡°We¡¯ll postpone our surprise attack on Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I guess that is our best move right now.¡±


    ¡°Right. Avalon had been holding out very well in the north, but they lost their fortress and the Sword Emperor right after Bel joined the war. It¡¯s best to see how this all shakes out for the time being.¡±


    Voltaire nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll ry your instructions.¡±


    Bel wasn¡¯t going to withdraw his army and go back to Hubalt just because Swallow betrayed the empire because his goal was Joshua Sanders, not the acquisition ofnd.


    ¡°The Battle God wishes to eliminate the Emperor of Avalon and be the strongest man on the continent. If Hubalt¡¯s forces were to move south quicker than expected, the Emperor of Avalon naturally would be anxious about how fast he¡¯s getting his work done with the Demon Spirit in the ice boulder.¡±


    That was the ideal scenario for Swallow because it would mean that Joshua would have to overstretch himself. However, a question arose: the Fox Master had never gone to the snowy mountain, so how did she know these details about Joshua¡¯s self-imposed imprisonment?


    ¡°For us, the best oue of this war is for the Martial God to engage the Battle God in sub-optimal condition and for both of them to die.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Fox Master, but there is one more thing to report,¡± Voltaire informed the Fox with a dark expression.


    ¡°What is it?¡± the Fox Master asked.


    ¡°We lost contact with the Grand Duke.¡±


    The Fox Master¡¯s breath caught in her throat, the first crack in her calm demeanor. The Grand Duke was exactly why she had been lost in thought.


    ¡°¡­So that¡¯s how it went after all.¡±


    ¡°Pardon? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°From now on, we¡¯ll operate under the assumption that Kireua Sanders defeated the Grand Duke.¡±


    Voltaire''s eyes widened. ¡°Fo-Fox Master, hold on. Aren¡¯t you overreacting? Nothing is certain right now. I know the Grand Duke is a relic of thest generation, but I highly doubt that a boy could have defeated him.¡±


    Just then, a messenger rushed through the meeting room¡¯s open door.


    ¡°Your Grace!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Th-The knights lost K-Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Voltaire yelled.


    ¡°They tried to go after him, but a woman who was skilled in martial arts stopped them¡­¡±


    Before Voltaire could explode in anger, Fox Master quickly interrupted. ¡°What about the woman? What did they do with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid they lost her too.¡± The messenger stared at the floor, unable to look the Fox Master in the eyes.


    Voltaire mmed his fists against the table. ¡°They¡¯re all useless!¡±


    ¡°Tell those knights to return to the pce immediately,¡± the Fox Master ordered, astonishing both the messenger and Voltaire.


    ¡°Fox Master, what do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Although we postponed our attack on Hubalt, that doesn¡¯t mean we have to sit on our hands. Instead, we¡¯ll resume our subjugation of Thran. And¡­¡± Fox Master¡¯s eyes turned cold. ¡°¡­that is why I need you to go to the dungeon right now and drag the me Emperor onto the chopping block, Duke Voltaire.¡±


    ¡°The chopping block¡­? An e-execution?¡± Voltaire stammered.


    The Fox Master nodded without a moment¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Announcement to the entire empire that we¡¯ll execute the me Emperor in three days. And I want you to take charge of the matter, Duke Voltaire.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 265

    Side Story Chapter 265


    ¡°Ho-hold on, Fox Master.¡± Duke Voltaire stammered. ¡°We went through all that trouble to capture the me Emperor, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be very useful to us. It¡¯s too early to talk about an execution!¡±


    Capturing someone was a lot more difficult than killing them, especially if the person in question was as powerful as the me Emperor. If it hadn''t been for Bel''s unmeasurable prowess, Swallow wouldn¡¯t have captured the me Emperor no matter who they sent¡ªso why would Fox Master suddenly tell them to execute the me Emperor!?


    ¡°Please reconsider your decision. I understand what you¡¯re trying to achieve, but it could be more harmful than beneficial. The me Emperor is a highly respected figure, so his death might unite the people of Thran.¡±


    The Fox Master smiled bitterly as she listened to Voltaire. He and many other nobles of Swallow hade to respect her after witnessing her brilliant abilities as a strategist. However, Voltaire was always the most vocal whenever they had a difference of opinions. In fact, from time to time the Fox Master couldn¡¯t tell if those nobles genuinely respected her or they had been faking it the whole time. That was enough to tell her what they really thought of her.


    <em>¡®They¡¯ll discard me as soon as they think I¡¯ve outlived my usefulness,¡¯</em> she bitterly thought.


    That was why she had to continuously prove herself, making them reliant on her in every matter.


    <em>¡®At least until I aplish my goal¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°¡­Do you remember the n I told you about before?¡± she slowly said.


    ¡°What n was this?¡±¡°I said we would spread a fake story after capturing the Second Prince of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Voltaire eximed. The n, as he recalled, was to lure Thran¡¯s forces out using the story of the me Emperor¡¯s student risking his life to save his teacher.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame that we don¡¯t have Kireua Sanders, but the me Emperor¡¯s execution will still be enough to goad Thran into taking action. He¡¯s their idol, so they wouldn¡¯t sit on their hands and watch him get executed.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Voltaire rested his chin on his hand contemtively. After a moment, he nodded in agreement. ¡°In that case, three days is too short. Let¡¯s make it a week.¡±


    ¡°We shouldn¡¯t give them too much time to think it through. The more time they have, the more thoroughly they¡¯ll prepare.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. That still doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re beaten. We can take them.¡±


    ¡°That arrogance is the reason why Swallow is struggling with Thran to this day,¡± the Fox Master coldly admonished.


    Voltaire¡¯s eyes smoldered with quiet anger. ¡°¡­Fox Master, although I know this will sound like an excuse, Swallow would have been the ruler of the continent if the Martial God wasn¡¯t there hat day.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it does sound like an excuse. Nothing is more meaningless than an ¡®if¡¯. If I were you, I would talk about your future. They¡¯re both imaginary, but dreaming about the future is a lot more constructive¡ªand has the possibility of actually being true.¡±


    The fire in Voltaire¡¯s eyes turned into an inferno, but the Fox Master paid it no mind.


    ¡°There is one more reason we should execute the me Emperor. For some reason¡­¡± Fox Master trailed off, her gaze distant and enigmatic. ¡°¡­I feel like this isn¡¯t thest we¡¯ll see of Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Kireua had sessfully managed to escape from Swallow¡¯s knights, and Avalon was in a crisis after losing the Sword Emperor. The Fox Master wondered what choice Kireua would make. Would he go back to save Avalon, or would hee to Swallow to save his teacher?


    <em>¡®Regardless of your choice, you¡¯ll lose someone. What is it going to be, Kireua Sanders?¡¯</em>


    * * *


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted quietly.


    Startled, Anna looked down at Kireua, whose head was on her delicate thighs.


    ¡°Can you hear me?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°¡­Where am I?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, ¡®where¡¯? We¡¯re in the ck Monster Forest.¡±


    Kireua blinked several times before he got up.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest a little longer? My elemental spirits will alert me right away if any monsterse close.¡±


    ¡°¡­What happened?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I want to know.¡± Anna frowned, dusting off her clothes as she stood up. ¡°Hey, I can¡¯t feel my legs.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how long I¡¯ve been unconscious?¡±


    ¡°¡­I couldn¡¯t have asked for a worse answer. You should be asking if I¡¯m okay in a time like this.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m serious, Anna. Tell me what you know,¡± Kireua requested, his face dark.


    Anna let out a long sigh. ¡°By the time I found you, you were alone and unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Alone? What about Grand Duke Lucifer?¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer? What are you talking about? You cut off that lunatic¡¯s head with your sword.¡±


    Kireua realized other people thought that he was the one who had killed Lucifer.


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Kireua shook his head. ¡°And?¡±


    ¡°And¡­ Swallow knights wereing in, so I had to haul ass carrying you¡ª Oh, yeah.¡± Anna pped in realization. However, she hesitated for a long time, reluctant to speak her mind.


    ¡°¡­Anna.¡± Kireua narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°A-Alright. Stop pressing me. I just needed to sort out my thoughts first.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°¡­That girl named Isaac or whatever bought us time.¡± Anna pouted. ¡°That¡¯s why we were able to get out safely.¡±


    ¡°Isaac did that for us?¡±


    ¡°Who knows what¡¯s going on in that girl¡¯s head? You¡¯d better stay away from her. People like her will betray you at the most important moment. Think about what happened not too long ago,¡± Anna grumbled.


    Just then, both Kireua and Anna''s eyes widened. Kireua¡¯s sharpened senses and Anna¡¯s elemental spirits warned them of a mass of peopleing toward them.


    ¡°¡­Someone¡¯sing. A hundred¡ªno, there¡¯s at least two hundred of them.¡± Kireua frowned.


    ¡°Yeah, I noticed too.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s take cover first.¡± Kireua focused on drawing up his mana, but he suddenly paused, eyes wide. ¡°Wait, this is¡ª¡±


    Before Kireua could finish, a group of people emerged from the bushes, led by a pale-faced man that Anna and Kireua knew quite well.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    ¡°Your Highness!¡± Cain came running toward Kireua as soon as he saw him.


    Hundreds of knights followed Cain. When Kireua saw them, he heaved a sigh of relief because they didn¡¯t seem to have taken a lot of damage besides the two hundred knights Lucifer had killed.


    ¡°You¡¯re safe! What a relief. What a relief!¡± Cain eximed.


    ¡°I¡¯m d to see you¡¯re okay too, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°My apologies for putting you in danger. I really didn¡¯t think a spy was among us¡­¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes gleamed dangerously. That spy was not going to keep his head for long if Cain every caught sight of him.


    ¡°It¡¯s all in the past. What are our casualties?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re very light, but¡­¡± Cain trailed off, his expression grim.


    ¡°Sir Cain? Did something happen?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, a lot of things happened while we were in Hubalt. The moment we got out of the jamming barrier¡¯s range, we were able to receive messages through our crystal ball¡­¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°Is it bad?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, we have two pieces of tragic news.¡± Cain hesitated for a long moment, unsure if it was the right to tell Kireua.


    ¡°Tell me, please.¡±


    Cain decided that it wasn¡¯t his decision to make, it was Kireua¡¯s, especially if Kireua intended to be the next emperor of Avalon. As his loyal subject Cain¡¯s duty was to ry urate information so that his lord could make the right choice.


    ¡°¡­The fortress in north Avalon has been conquered, and while trying to protect the fortress¡­ Duke Tremblin was killed.¡±


    The news not only shocked Kireua, Anna covered her mouth in dismay.


    ¡°Duke¡­Tremblin has passed away¡­?¡± she mumbled.


    ¡°The war will be a lot more difficult from now on. I personally believe we should go back to Arcadia as quickly as possible to help our people.¡±


    Kireua looked Cain in the eyes. ¡°You said that there were two things, yes? What is the other?¡±


    <em>¡®I hoped he wouldn¡¯t ask,¡¯</em> Cain thought bitterly. In the end, all he could do was let out a sigh.¡°In three days, bis, the me Emperor, will be executed in the central za of Swallow¡¯s capital.¡±


    Cain watched Kireua carefully, but he couldn¡¯t tell what Kireua was thinking. In fact, Kireua showed no reaction at all, to Cain¡¯s confusion.


    <em>¡®Is His Highness colder than I thought? Or¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°What is there to think about?¡± Anna interrupted, misinterpreting Kireua¡¯s silence. ¡°Your family and homee first, not your teacher. Besides, your moms and your siblings are in Arcadia.¡±


    ¡°¡­Contact the Magic Tower first, please.¡±


    ¡°Did you say the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°No matter where we choose to go, every second counts right now, so pay the Magic Tower whatever they ask for. Using teleportation at the closest spot to the ck Monster Forest is the fastest way to get to our destination,¡± Kireua exined.


    Kireua had a point, but it would cost them billions. Teleportation required a mage with at least six circles, which meant someone of high rank from the Magic Tower.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get to it immediately.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that mercenaries and the Magic Tower tend to profit the most in times of war, but I don¡¯t think the Magic Tower would turn down your request even if it weren¡¯t for that. The Emperor of Avalon and Master of the Magic Tower are very close, after all,¡± Anna said with a shrug.


    Then she posed the question that everyone wanted to ask:


    ¡°So what is our destination?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 266

    Side Story Chapter 266


    Three organizations had umted the bulk of Igrant¡¯s wealth. The first was the mercenary guilds, especially those who specialized in all-out war. In fact, all of them were swimming in coin right now because even those mercenaries whose usual fare were monster hunting and guard details were heading to the battlefield right now. Hubalt was attacking every country on the continent, so the demand for manpower had skyrocketed.


    For the same reason, business for the Free Knight Association was booming more than ever. Free knights weren¡¯t affiliated with any country, so they were picky about who they worked for. Their clients had to align with the principles and beliefs of the free knights as well as offer a contract with good terms. Although that frustrated their clients, the reality was that everyone was anxious to recruit as many of the free knights as possible.


    There was one organization that was even more sessful than the aforementioned organizations: the Magic Tower. The importance of mages in a major war need not be said, and magic artifacts that would protect someone at a critical moment were as valuable as national treasures. It wasn¡¯t hard to find magic artifacts whose price increased tenfold as soon as a war started.


    That was why the Seven Mages were invaluable right now. Numerous people tried to woo them, and even kings personally sent the mages messages in a hope of meeting them. That was why Cain was very skeptical about being able to get in touch with them¡­


    -I think I can take care of that for you.


    ¡°Truly?¡± Cain asked, surprised.


    -Of course.


    Cain beamed at Iceline through themunication crystal ball. In contrast, Iceline looked very grim.


    ¡°¡­My apologies.¡± Cain, knowing the reason for her dour expression, quickly bowed. ¡°This is no time to be behaving like this¡­¡±-No, don¡¯t be. This isn¡¯t something that you should be sorry for, Sir Cain. Anyway, I¡¯m very proud of Prince Kireua for aplishing such a difficult mission. I¡¯m sure that Duke Tremblin will be very happy from up in heaven.


    ¡°¡­Kurz is the cause of all the ongoing tragedies on the continent. He should be on his knees begging Duke Tremblin for mercy in the otherworld.¡±


    -I hope so. In any case, I¡¯ll trust you with Kireua until the end. Someone from the Magic Tower will contact you soon.


    ¡°Thank you, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Do you really think that pompous Magic Tower will contact us?¡± Anna asked as soon as the crystal ball went dark.


    ¡°They will when Queen Consort Iceline calls.¡±


    ¡°But even if she¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°You and your mouth¡­¡± Cain frowned.


    ¡°F-Fine. Fine! Even if it¡¯s Queen Consort Iceline, I bet the Magic Tower won¡¯t contact us within three days! For goodness¡¯s sake, I¡¯m technically not a citizen of Avalon anyway,¡± Anna muttered to herself.


    Cain¡¯s frown only deepened. Yes, he didn¡¯t like Anna¡¯s answer, but he was as worried as she was.


    <em>¡®I hope we get an update by today¡­¡¯</em>


    Cain nced to the side. Kireua was asleep. It seemed he hadn¡¯tpletely recovered yet.


    <em>¡®The me Emperor¡¯s execution is in three days, and Hubalt¡¯s forces will reach Arcadia around the same time. I need to hear something from the Magic Tower within the next twenty-four hours.¡¯</em>


    Cain¡¯s prayer was answered unexpectedly quickly.


    Less than three minutes since Cain had finished talking with Iceline, he sensed a subtle change in the flow of mana nearby. Given Cain¡¯s incredibly heightened senses, he immediately determined the reason.


    ¡°The Magic Tower!¡± Cain cheered.


    Iceline had contacted the Magic Tower practically as soon as she¡¯d finished her conversation with Cain, and they had responded right away.


    ¡°Oh¡­ So Queen Consort Iceline has that much influence¡­¡± Anna eximed.


    The identity of the mage who appeared shocked them even more.


    ¡°¡­Queen Consort Iceline must have told him our exact coordinates for him to find us immediately,¡± Anna murmured.


    Ordinary people would have been disappointed to see that there was only one mage, but someone with high status like Cain would think differently. Everyone in their group could recognize the man¡ªhe was the most famous mage on the continent.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet you here, Tower Master,¡± Cain chuckled.


    ¡°In the Magic Tower, I¡¯ve been in charge of Avalon-rted matters for a long time.¡± Thetapirion Whitesox, the Magic Tower¡¯s leader, waved his hands at everyone.


    Cain¡¯s smile grew.


    ¡°Huh? It¡¯s too early for you to smile like that. Just so we¡¯re clear, you know that the Magic Tower has given you a very special privilege with me being here, right? So don¡¯t expect any more privileges.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s really living up to his reputation. As full of himself as they say. Since he¡¯s already here anyway, he could be more lenient¡­¡± Anna grumbled under her breath.


    Cain¡¯s head snapped to her. ¡°Would you please watch your mouth!¡±


    ¡°Al-alright. Alright.¡± Anna stepped backward, raising her hands defensively.


    Theta also turned to look at her¡ªsurprisingly, he¡¯d heard her too. ¡°I believe I can say this much: Misceneous tasks like helping people with teleportation are usually given to the most junior of the Seven Mages.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t mind her. On all of our behalfs, I would like to express my gratitude for your generosity,¡± Cain interrupted.


    Cain knew how favorable Theta was to Avalon in contrast to the other Seven Mages. The reason behind their hostility was Iceline zin Rebra, the Queen Consort and former member of the Seven Mages.


    The Magic Tower was the most secretive organization on the continent. All of its members were expected to abandon all the knowledge they learned in the Magic Tower if they left, even if they were getting married to an emperor. In other words, the mages would have their Circles destroyed before leaving the Magic Tower. However, Theta, who had been the Tower Master at the time, had allowed Iceline to leave the Magic Tower without destroying her Circles using Evergrant as precedent.


    His choice turned out to be a stroke of genius. Iceline was now the generation¡¯s greatest craftswoman of magic artifacts. She could have made an unimaginable fortune if she¡¯d put the merchant guilds in charge of selling them. Charles, one of the Five Merchants, was also a Queen Consort of Avalon, but Iceline let the Magic Tower have the exclusive right to sell her artifacts for the sake of their history.


    ¡°I¡¯m aware that the other Seven Mages don¡¯t view Avalon in a good light,¡± Cain said.


    ¡°What? Why would they be like that?¡± Anna asked.


    Cain frowned.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple,¡± Theta answered on the behalf of Cain. ¡°Envy.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. Very concise. I can see why you¡¯re the Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°Should I consider it an honor to hear such apliment from the best wind-elemental mage out there?¡± Theta chuckled.


    Anna¡¯s expression changed subtly, but she just shrugged in the end.


    ¡°From the looks of it, the Prince seems to not be feeling very well,¡± Theta said with a nce at Kireua. ¡°I guess we have to count him out while we discuss business.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Cain nodded.


    ¡°Can you tell me your destination first? The fee differs depending on the distance and how risky your destination is. Well, I have a feeling I already know, but¡­¡± Theta looked back at Cain. ¡°¡­I¡¯ll ask just in case: you heard about Thran, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±


    ¡°Although I have nothing to say if Avalon has its own problems to take care of¡­ what are you going to do about it?¡± Theta looked at Kireua again because Kireua was the me Emperor¡¯s student.


    ¡°¡­That is why we would like you to teleport two groups to different locations.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Two groups?¡± Theta took a look around, his head tilted in confusion. ¡°I really don¡¯t think your group is big enough to afford that¡­ I¡¯d rmend focusing on one.¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°I know, but we can¡¯t give up on anyone.¡±


    ¡°That doesn''t exactly seem wise to me, but I assume that you¡¯ve talked it out with your Prince over there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we did.¡±


    Theta nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll have to install two smaller teleportation gates for that, so the price will double.¡±


    ¡°Of course. We should be thorough when ites to settling our bill.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re in safe hands, my new best customer. Installing two mini teleportation gates usually requires two of the Seven Mages, but I can pull it off on my own. I¡¯m starting to feel likeing here was the right choice,¡± Theta pompously dered.


    Anna gave him the side eye but stayed silent because of Cain¡¯s warning look.


    ¡°How long will it take for you to install them? As you already know, we¡¯re in a bit of a hurry, so I would like to be gone as soon as possible¡­¡±


    ¡°An hour.¡±


    ¡°A-An hour?¡±


    ¡°Yes, give me an hour at maximum for each of the gates. It wouldn¡¯t even take me a minute to teleport you guys myself, but there¡¯s jamming barriers all over the continent because of the war. I have to have a teleportation gate to break through the barriers.¡± Theta clicked his tongue.


    Cain gaped in amazement. The rest of Theta¡¯s exnation went right over his head. Theta truly was the greatest mage alive¡ªa worthy Tower Master.


    <em>¡®He just needs two hours to install two miniaturized teleportation gates¡­¡¯</em> Cain eximed.


    ¡°Exin how you¡¯re dividing your group while I install the gates. It¡¯d be best if you tell me which destination is your priority. We can settle the billter.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Cain bowed slightly and then quickly moved over to Kireua. Although he wanted to let Kireua rest a little longer, they couldn¡¯t waste any more time¡ªnor did they have to with Theta¡¯s help.


    ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s time for you to wake up.¡±


    Kireua was silent.


    ¡°Your Highness?¡±


    Cain realized that something was off. Kireua was too quiet. Left with no other choice, Cain put his hand on Kireua to shake him awake, but¡­


    ¡°Your¡­ Highness?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°What?¡± Anna came running after noticing Cain¡¯s reaction. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Cain¡¯s voice quivered.


    ¡°His Highness¡­ isn¡¯t breathing.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 267

    Side Story Chapter 267


    <em>Badump! Badump! Badump!</em>


    Kireua stood alone with only the sound of his heartbeat to keep himpany. With the number of times he¡¯d been here, this empty white space was bing familiar.


    ¡°¡­For goodness¡¯ sake.¡± Kireua scratched the back of his head in frustration. He couldn¡¯t help but think that he was a weakling given how often he was getting dragged here. Once after meeting the power of Greed for the first time, once when losing control of his body to the Dark God, and once when encountering the demons in Arcadia.


    ¡°¡­But why am I here again all of a sudden?¡± he wondered.


    No matter how hard he tried, Kireua couldn¡¯t think of an answer.


    ¡°No, maybe Grand Duke Lucifer did something to me before he died¡­?¡±


    -Kireua.


    Just when he¡¯d managed to answer his own question Kireua thought he was hearing things. The sound was simr to that of a telepathic message, not an actual voice, but it turned out that Kireua had gotten it backward.


    ¡°Kireua.¡±Kireua whipped around to face the voice and he almost fell on his bottom in surprise.


    He had already been worried about the possibility of going through another battle in his subconscious realm. Supposing that Kireua was right and the opponent in front of him had the same martial prowess as the actual person¡­


    <em>¡®...I can¡¯t win.¡¯</em> Kireua swallowed. He didn¡¯t need to give it a second thought because his opponent was close to a god.


    ¡°¡­Hey. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s the power of Wrath or someone else, but this is too much. Are you telling me to train in my subconscious realm because I¡¯m too weak? Gosh, if that¡¯s your n for me, then the least you can do is adjust the difficulty level. You can¡¯t start with this.¡±


    The figure stopped listening to Kireua and took a step forward. Kireua tensed.


    ¡°¡­I can tell that you¡¯re misunderstanding something here, but we don¡¯t have time. I¡¯ll get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Drop the act already. You can¡¯t fool me,¡± Kireua scoffed.


    ¡°You¡¯re like a dam on the point of breaking. You already have difficulty handling the power of Greed, but you also have Wrath now¡­ Perhaps your condition is more serious than I thought.¡± The image of Kireua¡¯s father narrowed his eyes.


    Only Kireua¡¯s father would know what Kireua was going through in such detail.


    ¡°Is that¡­ really you, Your Majesty?¡± Kireua asked, his lip quivering.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the capacity to handle two Evil Sins right now. Focus on keeping Greed and Wrath dormant and controlled so that they won¡¯t run wild, and then concentrate on one Evil Sin. No, my exnation is too abstract. Give up on bing stronger,¡± Joshua said in a serious voice.


    ¡°Give up? What¡­?¡± Kireua tilted his head skeptically. The identity of the man standing in front of him was in question again.


    The wish to be stronger was a very natural human desire, so why would Joshua tell him to abandon it?


    Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°All humans, especially martial artists, wish to be stronger. It isn¡¯t bad thing in and of itself.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    ¡°You should learn to be content with the strength you have. Even medicine is poisonous if you overuse it. Reaching higher is important, but you should reexamine the path you¡¯ve walked down too.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s words mesmerized Kireua.


    ¡°You¡¯re already strong. Too much desire will cause you to obsess over gaining more power and eventually it will make you arrogant. The nail that sticks up gets hammered down. Always be humble and control your desires. You¡¯re still growing up, so it¡¯s very important to remember this. Be like a rock to put the minds of your people and those of Avalon at peace.¡±


    Kireua realized then that the Joshua in front of him was the real Joshua. Otherwise, Kireua wouldn¡¯t be able to feel the paternal love in his every word.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m your father, so I should have been more attentive about stuff like this.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°I wish you the best, Kireua. I mean it.¡± Joshua gave Kireua a hug before he took several steps back again. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go back.¡±


    ¡°A-Already?¡±


    ¡°Your people are waiting for you.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    Kireua wished he could stay a little longer. He rarely had a chance to spend time with his father. He might never have another chance with the fate of the continent hanging by a thread.


    ¡°Remember what I said when you go back,¡± Joshua reminded.


    ¡°...I will,¡± Kireua answered.


    He bit his lip. Joshua was right¡ªKireua didn¡¯t have much time left, so clinging to this moment was a luxury he couldn¡¯t afford, even for just a little longer. More people were dying even at this very moment.


    Joshua beamed proudly.


    ¡°I love you, my son.¡±


    * * *


    Kireua inhaled sharply.


    The first thing he saw was Cain, who fell on his butt in surprise.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness?¡± Cain stammered.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°W-Well. You suddenly stopped breathing, so I was trying to resuscitate you¡­¡± Cain trailed off sheepishly. All of them knew that beating on Kireua chest wasn¡¯t going to him with what had gone through.


    ¡°I told you to wait numerous times, didn¡¯t I? His life wasn¡¯t in danger because his heart kept still beating even though he stopped breathing. Tsk, tsk.¡±


    Kireua turned to look at the new voice and chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re here, Tower Master. ¡±


    ¡°Well, I got a request from an important business partner of the Magic Tower,¡± Theta answered. He pointed behind him. ¡°You¡¯re right on time. I¡¯ve finished installing your teleportation gates just now.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I assume that you¡¯ve already finished your negotiations.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re on the clock, so let¡¯s exchange greetingster and start splitting your group.¡±


    ¡°I believe paymentes first,¡± Kireua refuted.


    ¡°Huh?¡± Theta blinked but just shrugged. ¡°I guess you¡¯re in less of a hurry than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been taught to settle the bill first no matter how much of a hurry I¡¯m in.¡±


    ¡°Your parents taught you well, didn¡¯t they.¡±


    In truth, Kireua was worried about something else. Even though Theta was a close friend of the Emperor of Avalon, business was still business. It would be quite troublesome if Theta asked for too much from Avalon after the chaos settled down.


    ¡°Since we¡¯re talking business¡­¡± Theta took a look around and cleared his throat seriously. ¡°I heard that you dream of bing the next emperor of Avalon, yes?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡± Kireua nodded.


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Everyone tensed as they waited for Theta¡¯s next words.


    ¡°...can you go on a blind date I set up some time?¡±


    No one could have expected his answer.


    ¡°A what? A blind date?¡± Kireua couldn¡¯t believe his ears.


    ¡°Do you already have a lover, by any chance?¡±


    ¡°N-Not really.¡±


    ¡°Well, it doesn¡¯t really matter.¡± Cain shrugged.


    Kireua gaped nkly, struck dumb by the unexpected turn of events, but someone else flew into a rage.


    ¡°Hey, hold on, Tower Master! You can¡¯t do that!¡± Anna jumped off of the tree branch she was sitting on. She¡¯d volunteered to stand guard after Theta had confirmed that Kireua¡¯s life was in danger¡ªshe¡¯d checked several times herself as well. It would be problematic if Swallow found and attacked them.


    <em>¡®After all I¡¯ve gone through to lose that girl, the Tower Master shows up out of nowhere and¡ª!¡¯</em>


    Isaac fresh on her mind, Anna quickly approached Theta and Kireuak, frowning and waving her hands.


    ¡°Wait a moment. Did I hear you right?¡± she asked. ¡°A blind date, as in a meeting with a prospective marriage partner?¡±


    ¡°You heard me right. After this war is over, I¡¯ll introduce a woman to you. Try talking to her, and we can consider the price for helping you with teleportation as good as paid.¡±


    Theta¡¯s tone changed back and forth between casual and formal.


    Anna''s face crumpled up. ¡°What is there to think about it? Wake up! You¡¯re the Second Prince of Avalon. The Tower Master is trying to take the entirety of Avalon for helping you one time!¡±


    ¡°¡­Well, I think it¡¯s a reasonable price¡­¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°What?¡± Anna held up her fist threateningly.


    ¡°Good choice,¡± Theta quickly interrupted. ¡°It never crossed my mind that a prince would be so cheap after all the work I¡¯ve done for you. Besides, I¡¯m just asking you to meet her, not marry her.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s still wrong!¡±


    ¡°Anna bel Grace, why do you keep interrupting our conversation? The Prince himself is fine with it.¡±


    ¡°What? W-Well, it¡¯s because I can see what you¡¯re trying to do here¡ª!¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Before Anna could finish making her excuse, Theta grinned.


    ¡°Wh-What?¡±


    ¡°No, that can¡¯t be it. He¡¯s young enough to be your son. There¡¯s no way you would have romantic feelings for him.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?! Y-Yeah! You¡¯re right! It¡¯s because he¡¯s like my son! My son! No mother would just watch someone trying to do something funny with their child!¡±


    Theta just shrugged and then turned back to Kireua. ¡°So do we have a deal, Prince Kireua?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Sure. All I have to do is meet her, right? But I¡¯m curious as to who she is. Why are you so insistent about setting up a blind date between me and her?¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. Just look forward to it. Ah, I feel like I¡¯m almost ready to die now. Your father¡­ Excuse me. I was very disappointed when the Emperor of Avalon got married.¡± Theta guffawed and then moved toward the teleportation gates. ¡°I guess I got too sidetracked. Let¡¯s get to work on the issue at hand.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I agree.¡±


    ¡°Divide your group into two, just like I told you earlier. The one on your left is to Arcadia, and the right one is to Swallow,¡± Theta exined.


    In truth, Theta wondered who Kireua was going to choose. Was it going to be Kireua¡¯s family or the teacher to whom he was indebted?


    <em>¡®His best move right now is to send the Combat Emperor to Swallow and return to his family, even if it¡¯ll make him the bad guy... But the Combat Emperor doesn¡¯t look so good,¡¯ </em>Theta thought.


    Even to a mage¡¯s untrained eye, Cain¡¯s injury looked serious, so asking him to go to Swallow was the same as pushing him off a cliff.


    <em>¡®Show me your insight, Kireua Sanders.¡¯</em> Theta¡¯s eyes gleamed.


    Kireua slowly opened his mouth.


    ¡°...I¡¯ll head to Swallow on my own.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 268

    Side Story Chapter 268


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?¡± Anna shouted, dismayed.


    The rest of the group was equally put off. Cain repeatedly opened and closed his mouth but couldn¡¯t say anything because Kireua was his prince. His other followers couldn¡¯t believe their ears either.


    ¡°¡­Can you repeat that, Prince?¡± Theta asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Swallow on my own.¡±


    Theta narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you¡­ out of your mind, by any chance?¡±


    While Kireua had been unconscious, Cain had told Theta about Kireua¡¯s assassination of the emperor Hubalt, so Theta was aware of Kireua¡¯s skill. It was a calcted move on Cain''s part because of the Magic Tower¡¯s continent-wide influence; they would spread the news much faster.


    But that didn¡¯t change the fact that what Kireua was trying to do was madness.


    ¡°I heard about what you pulled off in Hubalt, but this is entirely different. The security in Swallow¡¯s capital will be higher than ever, so there¡¯s no way you can infiltrate the ce on your own.¡±


    ¡°But I can¡¯t give up on my teacher,¡± Kireua said, undeterred. ¡°He¡¯s like another parent to me. Speaking of which, I would like Sir Cain and the other knights to return to Avalon and join our main army as soon as possible.¡±¡°There¡¯s just no talking to you.¡± Theta turned to look at Cain. ¡°Hey, aren¡¯t you going to say something?¡±


    Cain took a deep breath.


    -When I was unconscious, His Majesty visited me in my subconscious realm.


    Cain froze just as he was about to step forward. His eyes turned to Kireua, his lips trembling.


    -His Majesty told me that I¡¯m like a dam on the verge of bursting. I¡¯m only going to keep passing out.


    -Are you saying¡­


    -My body will break down even if I do nothing. It¡¯s like the water behind the dam just keeps getting higher and higher.


    Cain bit his lip.


    -Fortunately, His Majesty told me what to do.


    Cain¡¯s face brightened up.


    -He did?


    -Yes, he told me to control my desires. My choice right now is the first step in doing so.


    Cain tilted his head, confused; he couldn¡¯t see the corrtion between Kireua controlling his desires and heading into Swallow alone.


    -With a strong man like you by my side, I¡¯ll naturally seek more power.


    Cain forgot they were talking telepathically and cleared his throat. It was embarrassing to hear such a remark, but it still felt good. However, Cain¡¯s reaction told everyone around them that he and Kireua were talking in private.


    -Above all¡­ I have a feeling that I¡¯ll be able to control this desire if I go to Swallow.


    Kireua¡¯s assertion was iprehensible to Cain.


    -What in the world do you mean?


    -Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s fury got the better of him, such that he even became an undead. Yet he was able to suppress his anger for decades after he met someone in Swallow.


    Cain''s eyes widened in realization.


    -The Grand Duke called that person his hope. I¡¯m curious¡ªwho in the world is this person and how did they earn the Grand Duke¡¯s approval and help him suppress his anger?


    -Isn¡¯t that all the more reason for us to join you? If we conclude that this person is a threat to the continent, we¡¯ll have to eliminate them like Hubalt¡¯s emperor.


    -¡­No, the person will probably not be simr to Kurz.


    -How do you know?


    It was just a gut feeling. Kireua didn¡¯t have a way to exin to Cain, so he kept going instead of answering Cain.


    -Anyhow, my trip to Swallow is essential. I have to cultivate myself to avoid dying and I need to investigate this potential new enemy. I¡¯m sorry, Sir Cain, but¡­ I¡¯ll trust you with affairs in Avalon.


    In truth, Kireua was also very nervous. Duke Tremblin, the vaunted Sword Emperor, had passed away. Of course Kireua was worried about Avalon, but he had to go to Swallow. The way things were going, he would lose control of his desire for power and simply break down on his own before he even fought the Battle God. Besides, Kireua trusted his brother.


    <em>¡®Selim. If I can pull this off, don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t ovee this crisis.¡¯</em>


    Kireua nced beyond the ck Monster Forest.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry. It was rude of me to do that in front of you, Tower Master.¡±


    ¡°I understand your reasons. Are you guys finished discussing?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Kireua nodded. ¡°My answer remains the same.¡±


    Theta nced over at Cain, who reluctantly nodded.


    ¡°<em>Sigh.</em> I¡¯m starting to feel like I made a terrible mistakeing here,¡± Theta disparaged with a weak frown. ¡°I don¡¯t want to be med for sending someone''s precious son to his death.¡±


    ¡°No one will me you. Shall I write a letter in my blood absolving you of fault?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t what I¡¯m talking about. It¡¯s about my conscience.¡± Theta turned to look at the others. ¡°Any volunteers to be the young prince¡¯s guardian?¡±


    This was the only way Theta could assuage his guilt.


    Someone immediately raised their hand into the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll go!¡±


    Everyone turned to look.


    Theta¡¯s eyes were filled with distrust. ¡°I really can¡¯t put much faith in a person who¡¯s interested in a man young enough to be her son¡­¡±


    ¡°Stop joking around. I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re the Tower Master¡ªI¡¯ll just fly you away if you keep doing this.¡±


    ¡°Hmph. You¡¯ve got some guts to challenge me with wind.¡±


    ¡°You wanna go?¡± Anna cast her baleful gaze around. ¡°Even if there are other volunteers, I¡¯m following Kireua to Swallow. That¡¯s the end of the story. I have no reason to take orders from Avalon, so I¡¯m sure that none of you have a problem with it.¡±


    Silence fell upon the area. Even if Anna wasn¡¯t being threatening, no one else would have volunteered because the only thing that any of them could think about right now was their families¡¯ safety. The fortress in north Avalon had been breached, putting their homnd in danger.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s decided. Let¡¯s go.¡± Anna got on the warp gate to Swallow.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m really not sure if I¡¯m doing the right thing.¡±


    After a moment, the ck Monster Forest hummed.


    * * *


    Three dayster in Swallow¡¯s central za, a crowd of people was gathered to see the end of the man known as both the king of Thran and the me Emperor.


    ¡°Is bis really going to die?¡±


    ¡°I know we¡¯re here to see it, but I can¡¯t believe it either. I guess the pce is trying to crush Thran¡¯s spiritpletely.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if it means anything. The me Emperor is already a mess, so can¡¯t we consider Thran ournds?¡±


    ¡°No, the me Emperor is Thran¡¯s symbol. As long as he¡¯s alive, Thran¡¯s fighters will continue to run wild in Swallow.¡±


    The people of Swallow weren¡¯t the only ones who were watching the scaffold erected in the center of the za.


    -Don¡¯t listen to them. Wait for the right time. On my signal, units three and four will detonate the magic bombs we installed near the za. Using the confusion, units one and two will destroy the tform¡¯s supports and rescue His Majesty.


    A Thran knight, face concealed deep within a hood, whispered into an artifact they had prepared in advance.


    Just then, bis was dragged onto the tform in chains. The people of Thran watching amid the crowd clenched their fists tightly.


    -Don¡¯t lose yourposure or our mission is doomed.


    Most of them would probably die in this mission even if they didn¡¯t lose theirposure. There didn¡¯t seem to be a lot of guards in the za at first nce, but it only took a short inspection to see how high the security actually was. Every one of the guards in the area was at least an Expert. No one would be able to get by them.


    ¡°They¡¯reing out!¡± someone in the crowd shouted.


    The terrace of Swallow¡¯s pce provided a full view of the za where the scaffold was installed. A group of people walked out onto the terrace. In the center were Duke Voltaire and the Fox Master, the de facto rulers of Swallow.


    ¡°Shall we get started?¡± Voltaire asked.


    ¡°¡­Yes. If the preparation is done, let¡¯s begin.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s still an hour from the announced time for the execution¡­ Wouldn¡¯t it be better to let more of the dregs gather before we execute the me Emperor?¡±


    Fox Master shook her head. ¡°No, don¡¯t underestimate Thran. We¡¯re going to stick with our n¡ªexecute the me Emperor an hour before the announced time to catch them off guard¡­¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Voltaire answered. He jerked his chin.


    The two knights on the scaffold nodded in response. After a moment, a drumroll signaled that the execution was about to start. Thran¡¯s people were bewildered.


    ¡°Th-There should still be some time left.¡±


    The ordinary spectators were also perplexed by the sudden start.


    <em>¡®They¡¯re willing to go this far¡­?¡¯</em> The knightmanding Thran¡¯s rescue operation gritted his teeth in frustration. He felt certain that he was ying into the Fox Master¡¯s ns again. <em>¡®I really wanted to see what that fucker looks like under the mask before I die¡­¡¯</em>


    There was no time. When the drumming ended, the knights on the scaffold would skewer bis¡¯s heart with their swords.


    -My lord! Your signal!


    ¡°¡­Shit.¡± The man cussed aloud as he grabbed a stick of magic fireworks in his inner pocket.


    Once he detonated the fireworks, the knights waiting for his orders would set off a chain of explosions.


    <em>¡®They must have finished preparing, so I just hope they don¡¯t make any mistakes¡­!¡¯</em>


    The man bit his lip and began to squeeze the fireworks to set them off.


    And then the drumming suddenly died out.


    ¡°What?¡± The spectators looked to the base of the scaffold, baffled. The knights who had been beating the drums were dead¡ªdecapitated. The bewildered spectators quickly looked around the za in search of the perpetrator.


    ¡°O-Over there!¡±


    A masked person stood on the pce¡¯s roof, much higher than the terrace where the nobles of Swallow stood.


    ¡°That person¡­ managed to cut off our knights¡¯ heads from that distance?¡± Voltaire¡¯s lip trembled, but he quickly whispered, ¡°¡­Do you think it¡¯s Kireua Sanders, Fox Master?¡±


    It was a surprising question because Voltaire sounded like he had been expecting Kireua¡¯s arrival.


    However, Fox Master, the one who had predicted everything until now, was bewildered for the first time.


    ¡°¡­No, that isn¡¯t Kireua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not? Then¡­?¡±


    If the masked person was truly Kireua Sanders, there was no way that the Fox Master would fail to recognize him.


    ¡°Who¡­ in the world are you?¡± the Fox Master murmured.

 Side Story Chapter 269

    Side Story Chapter 269


    The masked person on the pce¡¯s roof was none other than Anna.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ve never tried impersonating someone else. This sucks,¡¯</em> Anna grumbled. As an elemental spirit mage of the highest caliber, attacking from a distance was a piece of cake for Anna. In fact, wind delivered the stealthiest and sharpest attacks, as evinced by the knights¡¯ neatly severed necks.


    <em>¡®Something is strange, though,¡¯</em> Anna thought as she looked down at the za, her head in confusion. Her lofty perch gave her a full view of the za, but there were curiously few guards in the area, which was why she¡¯d been able to climb onto the pce¡¯s roof at all. Apse like that didn¡¯t make sense considering that the man kneeling on the scaffold was bis, the famous me Emperor.


    ¡°We found him!¡±


    ¡°¡­Finally.¡± Anna turned to watch Swallow¡¯s imperial knights climbing up adder to reach her.


    ¡°Be careful!¡± one of the knights shouted to the others. ¡°Did everyone memorize the location of magic traps on the roof?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make mistakes unless you want to be butchered. Mages, don¡¯t let the trespasser escape!¡±


    Pces usually had magic traps installed all over their roofs to ward off assassination attempts against the imperial family.Anna quietly chuckled. Theta, the Master of the Magic Tower himself, had told her about them. ording to Theta, there were two kinds of magic traps. The first type was triggered by a trespasser physically stepping on a magic trap. On the other hand, the second type activated in response to a trespasser¡¯s mana. The second type was obviously way more expensive.


    That extra expense was wasted on Anna because she wasn¡¯t a knight or a mage who used mana. She was an elemental spirit mage.


    ¡°Given that you¡¯re born with the gift, you can¡¯t ask for a better profession than an elemental spirit mage. I might actually be able to be the best assassin on the continent if I put my mind to it,¡± Anna idly mused, although Aisha, the current Darkness Emperor, wouldugh if she heard Anna say that.


    The knights were now getting close to Anna. The mages created Mana Webs, the perfect spell to restrain someone.


    ¡°How arrogant of you guys to think that you can catch me!¡± Anna scoffed.


    She could break through their encirclement and escape right now, but she had to buy time at least until Kireua had aplished his first goal.


    ¡°Ohaaaaaaaa!¡±


    ¡°Save His Majesty! Show them Thran¡¯s power!¡±


    Fortunately, the freedom fighters weren¡¯t fools and didn¡¯t miss the golden opportunity that Anna had given them. They leaped into motion from amid the crowd, capitalizing on the confusion.


    ¡°Good. Let¡¯s work together for now. Show me that Thran won¡¯t perish without a fight.¡±


    Before long, a storm raged over the za.


    * * *


    ¡°Stop! Stop them!¡±


    The za was in utter chaos.


    The freedom fighters were wise. After they detonated the bombs they¡¯d installed near the za, they didn¡¯t recklessly approach the scaffold, leaving Swallow¡¯s knights floundering for direction. If the freedom fighters had barged straight onto the scaffold stand, the knights would have stopped them even if it meant turning the gathering into a bloodbath. However, the knights could do nothing right now.


    ¡°What are you all waiting for? Kill those fuckers from Thran. Just kill them! Don¡¯t hesitate!¡±


    ¡°U-Umm¡­ We can¡¯t tell the enemies apart from the spectators.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°All of Thran¡¯s guys are disguised as our people¡­! It¡¯s impossible to distinguish them!¡±


    The freedom fighters had blended into the crowd and had slowly made their way toward the scaffold, ready to draw their swords when their time came.


    The ordinary spectators btedly noticed how serious the situation was and tried to escape the za, screaming. However, that wasn¡¯t an option for them. Thran¡¯s freedom fighters had prepared so thoroughly that every alley connected to the za received a bomb. The spectators were trapped in the za, forcing them to suffer the worst of the attack.


    ¡°Eeek¡­! What do they expect us to do?¡± The man who was in charge of the execution looked up at the pce¡¯s terrace pleadingly.


    Those on the terrace quietly watched the za as if the mayhem below was none of their business, but the knights couldn¡¯t harm a single hair on the spectators because they were citizens of Swallow.


    The knights weren¡¯t the only ones who were frustrated, actually. Duke Voltaire watched the chaos in the za with barely restrained impatience; he wanted to draw his sword and go down to the za himself.


    ¡°¡­Fox Master, how long are you just going to watch this?¡± he hissed under his breath.


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait a little longer.¡±


    ¡°If we lose the me Emperor, Swallow¡¯s reputation will be in ruins.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that,¡± Fox Master confidently answered.


    Voltaire turned to look at her, his face distorted by frustration. ¡°How can you be so calm right now? This kind of negligence is what cost Hubalt¡¯s emperor his head! It¡¯s clear their target is the me Emperor. Do you really want to see us get embarrassed in front of the entire empire?¡±


    The Fox Master was used to Voltaire¡¯s rudeness at this point, but there were many other eyes on them. Many of the nobles watching seemed to think that it was only natural for Voltaire to treat her like this.


    <em>¡®¡­Nothing can be done about it, I guess.¡¯</em>


    The Fox Master quietly sighed behind the mask. ¡°I poisoned the water that the me Emperor drankst night.¡±


    ¡°What? Poisoned him?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called Ten-Hour Poison. After ten hours without the antidote, even the most skilled priests won¡¯t be able to detoxify him.¡± The Fox Master looked up at the sun. ¡°I think it¡¯s about time now¡­ The me Emperor will die in less than an hour even if we do nothing.¡±


    Voltaire turned to look at bis. As a Master himself, Voltaire could see how pale bis was; the man was far from okay.


    ¡°¡­Ahem.¡± Voltaire cleared his throat. ¡°Indeed. You had a n from the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    ¡°My apologies. But on a separate note, isn¡¯t that about time you exin your n? I don¡¯t think we have to worry about it getting leaked at this point.¡±


    In truth, the Fox Master was going to do that even if Voltaire hadn¡¯t asked her to. There was no knowing what Voltaire would do otherwise with his fiery temper.


    ¡°There are two main reasons why we should exercise a little more patience,¡± the Fox Master began.


    ¡°What are these reasons?¡±


    ¡°The first is so that we can eradicate every one of them in this operation.¡± The Fox Master held up one finger as she looked down at the za.


    At first, the freedom fighters had approached the scaffold cautiously, but they were enthusiastically fighting their way up it now, thinking that the tide of the battle was in their favor. Everything was working out as the Fox Master nned, although the knights of Swallow were also taking significant damage.


    ¡°¡­I think I understand what you mean.¡± Voltaire eyed the battle as well and nodded. He finally realized why the Fox Master had ordered the scaffold to not be guarded by the Imperial Knights.


    <em>¡®That¡¯s why she requested knights from the nobles,¡¯</em> he realized, his jaw dropping slightly. Goosebumps spread all over his body. The Fox Master had been nning to sacrifice those knights from the very beginning. She was so meticulous that it was actually scary.


    This was the execution of the famous me Emperor, and it was widely believed among Swallow¡¯s nobility that Thran¡¯s freedom fighters were going to use the execution to rescue bis. The low-ranking nobles, who were hellbent on making their names known, had readily epted Fox Master¡¯s request for their knights. And the oue was the ongoing mayhem in the za.


    <em>¡®This is how she¡¯s going to weaken the empire¡¯s nobility.¡¯</em>


    Of course Voltaire didn¡¯t have the slightest intention of criticizing the Fox Master¡¯s choice. She had simply made a request, and the low-ranking nobles were the ones who had made the decision. They were eager to join court politics by making as many aplishments as possible, so they couldn¡¯t me anyone for their greed. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like their families would decline just because their knights had been killed.


    ¡°Then what is the second reason?¡±


    The Fox Master couldn¡¯t supply an answer to Voltaire¡¯s question because she wasn¡¯t sure if the second reason still applied right now. Kireua Sanders should have shown up by now because she knew he wasn¡¯t wasn¡¯t the kind of person to give up his teacher like that. The Fox Master was certain that he hade because she had received a report that Theta had installed two warp gates that led to Avalon and Swallow respectively.


    <em>¡®¡­That report is from our spy in the Magic Tower, so there is no way that it¡¯s a false report.¡¯</em> The Fox Master shook her head and tried to suppress her anxiety. <em>¡®I¡¯vee this far, so let¡¯s not doubt my n. I would have thought differently if Kireua Sanders had requested only one teleportation gate, but he asked the Tower Master for a gate to Swallow too. Kireua Sanders wille here. He probably sent most of his group back to Avalon and only came here with a small number of people.¡¯</em>


    ¡°¡­Fox Master?¡±


    The Fox Master broke away from her thoughts and pointed upward. ¡°The masked person up there will tell you the answer.¡±


    ¡°How? What do you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°That person is probably¡­!¡± Fox Master flinched, her eyes turning downward. ¡°¡­Wait a minute.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    Rather than answering Voltaire, the Fox Master shut her eyes and focused on analyzing the presence she felt. A grin slowly grew on her lips. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The second reason is that the chances of our most valuable hostage showing up will increase the more chaotic the situation is.¡±


    ¡°By hostage, you mean¡­¡± Voltaire trailed off.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of Avalon,¡± Fox Master confidently answered.


    Voltaire''s eyes widened. ¡°Ki-Kireua Sanders is really going toe here?¡±


    The terrace the Fox Master and the others were on was attached to the fourth floor of the pce, which put quite a bit of distance between them and the first floor, but that posed no problems for the Fox Master to sense Kireua¡¯s presence.


    With her eyes glued downward, Fox Master nodded. ¡°I can say with certainty that Kireua Sanders has just entered the pce.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 270

    Side Story Chapter 270


    <em>¡°I¡¯ll draw attention, so you go into the Pce and find someone who looks important¡ªa duke, at least¡ªand take them hostage. And a member of the Imperial Family would be even better,¡± Anna advised Kireua.</em>


    <em>¡°Isn¡¯t that too dangerous?¡¯</em>


    <em>¡°What? Did you forget that you slit the emperor of Hubalt¡¯s throat? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re chickening out aftering all the way over here, my baby.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°I¡¯m not your baby. And I¡¯m talking about you, not me.¡± Kireua pointed at Anna.</em>


    <em>¡°¡­Me?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°All of Swallow¡¯s knights, mages, and soldiers will be focused on you. Of course I¡¯m worried more about you.¡±</em>


    <em>To Kireua¡¯s surprise, Anna smiled. ¡°My, you¡¯re worried about me?¡±</em>


    <em>¡°¡­You¡¯re too immature for your age, so I can¡¯t help myself.¡±</em>


    <em>¡°Hahaha, it¡¯s so adorable how you pretend not to care about me. Anyhow, don¡¯t worry about me. Just focus on the mission. If you fail, both of us will die.¡±</em><em>¡°I¡¯m not going to fail. Obviously.¡± Kireua grinned confidently.</em>


    <em>¡°Did you memorize the map of the pce I drew for you? You¡¯re the reason I came back to this fucking country, so I¡¯m trusting you to do a fantastic job.¡±</em>


    <em>Only then did Kireua recall that the surname of bel Grace belonged to the Imperial Family of Swallow, like Sanders and ben Britten of Avalon.</em>


    * * *


    Thanks to Anna, Kireua had safely infiltrated Swallow¡¯s pce.


    ¡°I¡¯m really lucky to have the generation¡¯s best assassin as one of my teachers¡­¡± Kireua muttered. If that weren¡¯t for Aisha, Kireua wouldn¡¯t have been able to move around in the Pce like he owned it. He had recently realized that conducting such a reckless mission was only possible because he wasn¡¯t a gifted spearman. If he was, he would have been obsessed with the spear like Selim was.


    ¡°I¡¯m good in many areas, so aren¡¯t I a better candidate for the next emperor?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    The thought immediately brought a bitter smile to his lips. Kireua himself knew that it was the opposite in reality. No symbol could be more significant to Avalon than the Martial God, and a spear was a keyponent of that symbol.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t Selim also look like a replica of His Majesty? That bothers me even if he doesn''t¡­ Anyhow, Anna is right. The inside of the pce hasn¡¯t changed much.¡±


    Kireua took a look around. All kinds of passages riddled buildings like pces or mansions¡ªthe residences of the privileged¡ªthere were emergency escape passages for royalty like the one in Hubalt.


    On top of that, there were passages for more mundane people, like cooks, servants, and cleaners, because of the nobles¡¯ pride. In fact, some nobles loathed breathing the same air as amoner.


    All passages, however, were kept under utmost secrecy.


    <em>¡®Well, creating new passages in an existing building isn¡¯t easy.¡¯</em>


    To prevent trespass, architects designed the buildings with numerous passages, and guards regrly changed the passages they used. However, that didn¡¯t eliminate all the risks. That was why unused passages had all sorts of magic traps installed, even though this practice caused many incidents where people identally used the old passages and died. To prevent such idents, guards were ced near blocked passages.


    <em>¡®...But I see no guards, and the artifact that Her Majesty Iceline gave me isn¡¯t responding¡­ I must have guessed correctly.¡¯</em>


    Anna had told Kireua about seven passages she knew of, and, given that nothing had happened as he walked down the one he¡¯d picked, he had picked the right one.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s incredible that she still remembers these passages. Anna has been a big help in the recent missions. Maybe I should ask the Queen Consorts to give her a big reward¡­¡¯</em>


    Kireua saw a metal gate at the end of the passage.


    <em>¡®There are two guards at the gate,¡¯</em> Kireua noted as he stretched his senses outward to get a picture of whaty beyond.


    ording to Anna, once Kireua exited the passage, he would be in a huge room located at the end of the first floor. The room served as a waiting room and a checkpoint. In other words, Kireua had to pass through the room in order to search the pce.


    <em>¡®I have to open the gate anyway, so I¡¯m going to tackle it head-on.¡¯</em>


    Kireua didn¡¯t hesitate. He shoved the gate open and immediately parried away the daggers that flew at him from both sides. The knights were very well-trained, judging from their unhesitating attack when Kireua entered without using the appropriate signal. However, they couldn¡¯t have met a worse opponent.


    ¡°¡ªUgh!¡±


    Kireua struck the knights on their temples with the pommel of his sword, rendering them unconscious before he exited the passagepletely. He had already caused amotion, so there was no point in continuing to use his stealth technique.


    <em>¡®Royalty and nobles like being somewhere high, so I¡¯ll head straight to the stairs in the lobby.¡¯</em>


    Kireua darted across the hallway and quickly reached the lobby, his first destination.


    ¡°¡­Seriously?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    The lobby was packed with hundreds¡ªno, thousands of knights. Although they had a wide garden out in front of the pce, they were all crammed into the lobby, their murderous energy nearly palpable.


    ¡°¡­Which means this has been their n all along.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed. When Swallow had announced bis¡¯s public execution, Kireua had thought it was an attempt to break Thran¡¯s spirit, but it seemed there was more to Swallow¡¯s n. In fact, it looked like Swallow had anticipated themotion going on outside.


    <em>¡®Who in the world could have predicted all this¡­? Is it the person Grand Duke Lucifer was talking about?¡¯</em>


    The conversation he had with Lucifer crossed his head. Lucifer had told him that a person in Swallow had given him hope.


    Just then, a group of people walked downstairs, moving past the knights. Every single person in this group seemed to be the perfect example of the kind of people Anna had told Kireua to take hostage. All had grand titles and prestigious bloodlines¡ªhowever, one person stood out from them all.


    ¡°You¡¯re finally here.¡±


    ¡°¡­A fox mask?¡± Kireua eyed the strange person.


    The masked figure knew Kireua.


    ¡°Wee to the Swallow Empire, Second Prince of Avalon. ¡±


    ¡°Are you Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s hope?¡±


    ¡°¡­Is that what the Grand Duke said about me?¡± the fox-mask asked, surprised.


    ¡°How remarkable. I didn¡¯t expect his hope to be such a young woman.¡±


    ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Is¡­ the Grand Duke dead?¡±


    Despite the question the person behind the mask sounded like she already knew the answer.


    However, it wasn¡¯t a question that Kireua could answer. He had indubitably cut off Lucifer¡¯s head, but Lucifer hade back to life after that and threatened Kireua¡¯s life. Kireua hadn¡¯t seen Lucifer since he¡¯d lost consciousness¡­ but the right answer in this situation was already decided.


    ¡°¡­Yes, I killed him,¡± Kireua answered.


    His confidence threw the nobles into a rage.


    ¡°That cocky brat!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s all pompous after defeating a dusty old Grand Duke. All of you, what are you waiting for! Bring that insolent trespasser to his knees!¡±


    Despite his goal, Kireua was left confused by their responses for a moment.


    <em>¡®I thought the person with the fox mask had the most power among them.¡¯</em>


    But if that was true, those low-level nobles wouldn¡¯t havee forward without the fox-mask¡¯s instructions.


    ¡°Hold on. Can you give me a little more time?¡± the fox-masked person requested.


    ¡°Fox Master!¡±


    ¡°Please.¡±


    The Fox Master used ¡°please¡± instead of ordering them. Kireua¡¯s confusion continued to grow.


    <em>¡®How does their rtionship work¡­?¡¯</em>


    -Do you want to know why I¡¯m treated like this?


    The source of the telepathic message was clear: the ring on the Fox Master¡¯s finger was gleaming.


    <em>¡®That ring is a magic artifact equipped withmunication magic,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    Kireua, of course, was capable ofmunicating in secret without such an artifact; all knights at the level of a Master could talk through telepathy.


    -It¡¯s simple. I may have been born with a high status, but I¡¯m in no better a situation than anyone else here.


    -What in the world are you talking about?


    The Fox Master gently began to exin.


    -It isn¡¯tplicated. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen countries where the nobles have more power than the monarch.


    -So you mean¡­


    -My name is Arash bel Grace.


    Kireua¡¯s face immediately hardened. The bel Grace surname marked her as a member of the imperial family of Swallow.


    -Does that make your father the emperor?


    -I wouldn¡¯t be humiliated like this if he was. My father was a prince who, tragically, didn¡¯t have much of a chance of ascending to the throne.


    -Tragic? ¡­A prince?


    -Come to think of it, he¡¯s a lot like you. My father has a history with Avalon too.


    For some reason, Kireua got the impression that Arash was sad, despite the mask.


    -My father¡¯s name is Draxia bel Grace¡ªthe War God.


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua eximed, so astonished he shouted out loud.


    ¡°Fox Master! What could possibly take so long to discuss with him?!¡± Voltaire interrupted; he did not like that the conversation was taking ce in secret.


    Arash quickly delivered one more message.


    -One more thing: even if that wasn¡¯t for my father, I have a very deep personal tie with Joshua Sanders, your father.

 Side Story Chapter 271

    Side Story Chapter 271


    Kireua was confused to hear that Arash bel Grace had personal ties with the Emperor of Avalon. It could be true because Draxia bel Grace had been the emperor¡¯s enemy for a very long time.


    <em>¡®But she said that it involves more than her father,¡¯</em> Kireua thought.


    It was strange. Judging from her voice, Arash was Kireua¡¯s age, but even Kireua didn¡¯t get to spend much time with his father as a child because the Emperor of Avalon had trapped himself in an ice boulder for over a decade.


    <em>¡®How could she know him? Or¡­ is this a ploy too?¡¯</em> Kireua¡¯s grip tightened around his sword.


    Whatever the truth was, he couldn¡¯t afford to waste any more time because it was clear that the situation outside was bing more urgent even at this moment.


    ¡°¡­At least one thing is clear,¡± Kireua murmured. ¡°I now know which one of you has the most power here.¡±


    Kireua vanished.


    ¡°It¡¯s just one person!¡± Duke Voltaire roared. ¡°Knights, draw up your mana!¡±


    The chamber hummed down to its foundations as hundreds of knights spurred their mana halls into action.However, Voltaire¡¯s frown only deepened. <em>¡®Unbelievable. I¡¯m a Master, but I still couldn¡¯t track him¡­¡¯</em>


    It wasn¡¯t about the difference between Voltaire and Kireua¡¯s physical abilities. Voltaire could instinctively tell that he was physically three levels higher than Kireua; however, Kireua¡¯s mysterious powers and stealth technique made this fight unpredictable.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s an assassin, not a knight.¡¯</em>


    Voltaire could feel cold sweat dripping down his back. If a man with such a potent stealth technique were toe after Voltaire¡¯s life at night¡­


    ¡°Get him no matter what it takes! He¡¯s on the ceiling! Focus on the ceiling to locate him!¡± Voltaire shouted, bringing back the knights to themselves.


    Before long, one of the knights shouted, ¡°Over there!¡±


    Kireua let go of the chandelier he had been dangling from upside down like a bat, which wouldnd him behind Arash and the nobles.


    ¡°Idiot!¡± Voltaire grinned. Since it was obvious where Kireua was going tond, it was a piece of cake for Voltaire to attack him. Voltaire unleashed Aura Fire, which only a few Masters could use. ¡°Your head is mine!¡±


    To Voltaire¡¯s surprise, Kireua remained calm. His current goal was to take a hostage, not win the battle.


    ¡°Protect the Fox Master!¡± Voltaire shouted.


    The nobles who knew how to wield a sword quickly gathered around Arash¡ªbut she wasn¡¯t Kireua¡¯s target.


    ¡°What?¡± Voltaire opened his eyes in shock when Kireua changed directions. Voltaire had beenpletely focused on the moment Kireua wouldnd, but Kireua was insteading from thest direction Voltaire expected.


    He dropped directly on top of Voltaire.


    <em>¡®You crazy little shit¡­!¡¯</em> Voltaire was not only flustered but also infuriated. How little did Kireua think of Voltaire to choose such an approach?


    Their swords shed, sending sparks of aura flying in all directions. Although the impact was much heavier than Voltaire expected, he could still hold out.


    ¡°You¡¯re too arrogant¡­!¡± he spat, his mouth curling into a sneer.


    However, Voltaire¡¯s celebratory mood was cut short because his Aura Fire suddenly grew weaker.


    ¡°What?¡±


    It was the mysterious power that Voltaire had noticed the first time he had met Kireua. Voltaire couldn¡¯t actually see it, but he was able to feel that the power was devouring his Aura Fire like a fine meal.


    <em>¡®Is that an Evil Sin like the Grand Duke mentioned?¡¯</em>


    The reason why Lucifer was able to return to Swallow was because he had acquired one of the Seven Evil Sins. Lucifer had told Voltaire that Kireua had the same kind of power as Lucifer.


    <em>¡®I don¡¯t have any other choice. I really didn¡¯t want to use this power though¡­¡¯</em>


    Voltaire and Kireua¡¯s swords were still locked together, but Voltaire¡¯s Aura Fire continued to grow weaker. At this rate, Kireua would kill Voltaire without a doubt.


    <em>¡®¡­I¡¯ll use my authority¡­¡¯</em> Voltaire decided.


    However, Kireua took the initiative once again. Despite the advantage he had in their stalemate, Kireua pushed away Voltaire¡¯s sword, which had lost most of the Aura Fire around it, and kicked Voltaire in the stomach, putting some distance between them. By the time Voltaire had recovered, the other nobles were charging at Kireua.


    ¡°No! Hold your positions! His target is the Fox Master!¡± Voltaire screamed.


    The knights gasped in surprise as they raced up the stairs, but Kireua was acting against his will. His original n was to subdue Voltaire and take him hostage. Voltaire was the man in power, so Kireua had no reason to go after the tragic princess. The only reason why Kireua had changed his target was because of Coju¡¯s whispering.


    -Over there! I¡¯m going to eat that!


    <em>¡®¡­What?¡¯</em>


    -It¡¯s going to be yummy! It¡¯s going to be the yummiest in the world! Gimme! I¡¯m gonna eat it! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! I want it! I want it! I want it!


    No, it was no longer a whispering. Coju was screaming its gluttonous desires so loudly that Kireua felt like his brain was going to explode. He couldn¡¯t even think straight.


    <em>¡®¡­Ugh. Alright, alright, just stop¡­!¡¯</em> Kireua groaned.


    -Mine! Gimme! Mine! Gimme!


    It turned out that Kireua had made the right judgment. The moment Kireua turned toward Arash, his migraine vanished. This was the first time Kireua had reason to be wary of Coju.


    ¡°...I knew it,¡± Arash murmured as she watched it happen.


    The knights arrived and stood between Arash and Kireua.


    ¡°Get out of my way!¡±


    Kireua swung his sword.


    ¡°Agh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡±


    Thebination of both Kireua¡¯s mana and the power of Greed was too much for even the experienced knights to withstand. However, Kireua¡¯s expression darkened.


    <em>¡®This is what His Majesty was worried about.¡¯</em>


    It was better not to have power at all if he couldn¡¯t control it. But that was a long-term problem; the priority right now was¡­


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened as he extended his arm forward.


    No one stood between Kireua and Arash any longer. Arash opened her arms as if she had given up all resistance.


    ¡°If this is my fate¡­¡± she whispered, enigmatic.


    Kireua narrowed his eyes. <em>¡®¡­I¡¯ll find out who you really are even if I have to torture you.¡¯</em>


    However, Kireua couldn¡¯t reach Arash. The gates of the Pce were obliterated by a thunderous explosion.


    ¡°Kireua!¡±


    ¡°¡­Anna?¡± Kireua gave her a nk look because she should have been outside causing chaos.


    ¡°I got bis, but something¡¯s wrong with him!¡±


    ¡°Wrong¡­?¡±


    ¡°The King of Thran ingested a lethal poison,¡± Arash exined. ¡°He¡¯s going to die soon.¡±


    Kireua turned to her with eyes that could kill.


    Arash pulled out a small bottle and shook it in front of him. ¡°This is the antidote.¡±


    Kireua scowled. ¡°¡­Are you trying to make a deal with me or something?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not.¡± Arash dropped the bottle.


    Kireua could only stare in horror, too startled by her action to intervene.


    The bottle crashed into the floor, scattering both the fragments and its contents across the ground.


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother. It¡¯s already toote.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes turned bloodshot.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let you go for now.¡±


    ¡°What? What the fuck are you talking about, Fox Master?¡± Voltaire demanded.


    However, Arash wasn¡¯t fazed.


    ¡°Go back and ask your father,¡± she said.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°How long is he going to watch humans y war? Does he truly think that he made the right choice?¡±


    Arash delivered the next part of the message in secret using her artifact.


    -Because of his petty desire for revenge against the Demon Spirit, the Human Realm is copsing.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    That was thest thing Kireua had expected to hear from Arash.


    -Why doesn¡¯t he know that there¡¯s only one way to stop the copse?


    ¡°What¡­ in the world¡­?¡±


    -Your father has to restore everything to the way they were by freeing the Demon Spirit if he truly wishes to save his family and home.


    ¡°No! Absolutely not!¡± Kireua screamed. ¡°The bnce is already ruined, so freeing him won¡¯t fix anything! Even if the coexistence of light and darkness is what it takes to sustain the Human Realm, the other side is already¡­!¡±


    Kireua¡¯s voice slowly died out. Arash was still calm, as if she knew everything, and Coju was suddenly acting in a way Kireua couldn¡¯t understand.


    The continent now had people with authorities¡­ All the pieces were falling into ce, one by one.


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Kireua whispered.

 Side Story Chapter 272

    Side Story Chapter 272


    Why hadn¡¯t Kireua considered the possibility? A part of the Demon Spirit remained in this world, so the opposite could be true.


    <em>¡®The Angel Spirit!¡¯</em>


    There were no more gods in this world. They existed as remnants which humans had named authorities, even the Angel Spirit and Demon Spirit, the supreme gods.


    Kireua could finally understand Coju¡¯s strange behavior.


    ¡°Go back, Prince Kireua,¡± Arash bel Grace repeated.


    Duke Voltaire flew into a rage. ¡°Nonsense! What are you all waiting for! Get him!¡±


    ¡°Are you going to defy an imperial order?¡±


    Arash¡¯s voice was frigid.


    Voltaire flinched in surprise but smiled crookedly. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on in your head, but don¡¯t tell me you forgot about our deal, Fox Master.¡±¡°The Human Realm is copsing.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Voltaire gave her a nk look.


    ¡°The Martial God is the only one who can stop it. In fact, I should be questioning you, Duke Voltaire. Do you want to die with everyone before you can achieve your ambitions?¡±


    ¡°What is this nonsense?!¡±


    ¡°Let me show you.¡± Arash opened her hands.


    A white sphere floated above her palms, disying within an unfamiliarnd.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    ¡°This is the southernmost region of the continent.¡±


    It was a vast, dense forest. Not a single trace of humans could be seen in this forest because this ce used to be the dragons¡¯ territory¡ªDragonia¡ªuntil not too long ago, but there was something wrong with it now.


    ¡°The trees¡­¡± Voltaire¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°...are vanishing.¡±


    Not only the trees, the ground where those trees were rooted was disappearing, leaving behind only darkness. The Human Realm was turning into a world of pitch-ck darkness.


    ¡°Eeeek! Witchcraft!¡± Voltaire shouted. He noticed that the knights were visibly shaken¡ªhowever, Voltaire¡¯s voice was quivering as well.


    ¡°Duke Voltaire, you know that I don¡¯t lie,¡± Arash calmly said.


    ¡°Ugh¡­! I¡¯ll believe nothing until I see it with my own eyes! Knights, what are you all waiting for?! Lock up Kireua Sanders! We¡¯ll get to the bottom of what the Fox Master is talking aboutter!¡±


    ¡°¡­If you do that, we won¡¯t be able to ask for the Martial God¡¯s help. Kireua Sanders is his son.¡±


    ¡°Stop! You talk as if the Martial God can stop the copse, but he¡¯s still only human! You have nothing to support your im!¡± Voltaire growled.


    ¡°¡­I see. If you can¡¯t believe me, then I guess that means that this country doesn¡¯t need me anymore.¡± Arash slowly picked up a sword from the floor and immediately lifted it to her neck.


    ¡°Fox Master!¡±


    ¡°I believe my job here is done.¡± Arash smiled wryly.


    ¡°A-Alright. Alright!¡±


    Voltaire yielded in the end. Arash was still useful in many ways, especially in prolonging the current war. In fact, Voltaire believed that she was speaking the truth, although he didn¡¯t show it. Just like she said, Arash wasn¡¯t the kind of woman who would lie just to get out of a crisis.


    ¡°I¡¯ll let Kireua Sanders go, so put down the sword right now!¡± Voltaire shouted desperately.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯ll let him go, didn¡¯t I!?¡±


    ¡°You believe that you¡¯ll be able to capture Kireua Sanders before he escapes Swallow. Aren¡¯t I right?¡± Arash spected. The way Voltaire flinched was telling. ¡°Let us be realistic: we haven¡¯t aplished our goal yet, have we?¡±


    Swallow¡¯s initial goal was to lure out the remnants of Thran¡¯s army using bis as bait.


    ¡°I guarantee you that you¡¯ll get nothing out of this n if you continue being greedy,¡± Arash said, her tone brooking no uncertainty.


    ¡°Ugh¡­ Knights, continue the mission! Join those outside and eradicate the rebels!¡± Voltaire grunted.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    The knights rushed outside, knowing they knew they would only suffer if they got involved in a political fight. However, hundreds of knights still remained in the lobby. Voltaire wasn¡¯t willing to give up this opportunity.


    ¡°I¡¯ll tell you one more time. The war between Avalon and Hubalt has already begun. We¡¯ll have a much better opportunity if we wait. We don¡¯t have to make Avalon an enemy by harming the Prince of Avalon.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re underestimating the Battle God. Without the Martial God, Avalon will crumble soon enough! You heard what happened to their fortress, Fox Master!¡± Voltaire yelled.


    ¡°Then we really don¡¯t have a reason to capture their prince.¡±


    Voltaire huffed and puffed but couldn¡¯t refute Arash¡¯s logic.


    ¡°And¡­¡± Arash used her artifact to deliver Voltaire the remainder of her message in secret.


    Voltaire¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°¡­Let him go,¡± Voltairemanded, to everyone¡¯s surprise.


    No one except Voltaire and Arash understood what was going on, but Anna wasn¡¯t about to miss this kind of opportunity.


    She grabbed Kireua¡¯s hand right away. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Voltaire watched Anna and Kireua with trembling lips. On the other hand, Kireua nced at Arash before walking away. The knights stood on both sides, but they didn¡¯t attack him and Anna. They had their orders.


    However¡­


    -You said you¡¯ll let me eat it! You said it! You said it!


    The inside of Kireua¡¯s head was not nearly as cooperative.


    ¡°¡­It looks like you need my help with this one,¡± Arash murmured, extending her hand toward Kireua.


    A stream of warm white light flew toward Kireua, enveloping him, and Coju¡¯s voice died out.


    ¡°¡­I knew it. You¡¯re¡­¡± Kireua bit his lip.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk about us at another time.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to get you back for what you¡¯ve done.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you mean you¡¯ll pay me back.¡± Arash smiled behind the mask, the first expression she¡¯d made, and bowed. ¡°I look forward to meeting you again, Prince Kireua.¡±


    * * *


    ¡°¡­Fox Master, finish what you told me earlier. Is it true?¡± Voltaire asked, his voice urgent.


    ¡°You¡¯re making me repeat myself. I told you I don¡¯t lie.¡±


    ¡°Then the woman who was with Kireua Sanders is actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s Anna bel Grace. She¡¯s a princess of the Swallow Empire like me.


    Voltaire looked at the gates, his lip trembling. ¡°Huh¡­ I heard that she fled to Avalon decades ago, but...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know this already, but her blood is more noble than mine even if we¡¯re both princesses.¡±


    ¡°Do you have to degrade yourself like that? Perhaps you forgot because it¡¯s been a long time and she¡¯s your half-sister, but Anna bel Grace is an adopted daughter.¡±


    ¡°But her mother¡¯s family is still the most influential in Swallow,¡± Arash answered with a shrug.


    ¡°Neither Anna bel Grace nor her mother¡¯s family think of each other as family¡ªthey both think they abandoned each other.¡±


    ¡°Things are different now. Besides, she¡¯s a much more legitimate princess than I; I¡¯m just an illegitimate child.¡±


    Voltaire was rendered speechless.


    ¡°On top of that, I can¡¯t face the public without my mask because of my father. He betrayed Swallow by allying with Avalon to overthrow the empire even though he himself was the prince of this empire. That is why you made me hide my exact identity using a mask, right?¡±


    Arash had been an excellent puppet for Voltaire and the other nobles.


    ¡°Let your clever puppet give you one more piece of advice: take Anna bel Grace as your next emperor.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Voltaire turned his head to look at Arash with dismay.


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave the throne empty forever¡ªunless you¡¯re going to take it yourself, Duke Voltaire.¡±


    Of course Voltaire wanted to take it. In fact, he would have already if it weren¡¯t for one certain family that remained silent.


    ¡°She¡¯s the only one with the bel Grace name except for me. Once you crown her, the Imperial Family will have more legitimacy, and her family will end their seclusion and offer their help.¡±


    Voltaire wanted to protest that her suggestion was like bringing in a tiger to kill a fox.


    ¡°Look at the bigger picture, Duke Voltaire. Even if we join the Continental War in earnest, neither us nor anyone else can handle the Martial god or the Battle God, regardless of which one of them survives.¡±


    ¡°¡­But if the Killian Family begins to take action¡­¡± Voltaire trailed off.


    ¡°Do you think you cannot handle them?¡±


    Voltaire flinched. Arash wasn¡¯t surprised. She was perfectly aware that if he wasn¡¯t scared, he wouldn¡¯t have gone through the trouble of using her as a puppet in the first ce. Otherwise, he would have just overthrown the empire and crowned himself emperor. Voltaire, of course, wouldn¡¯t admit it.


    ¡°¡­Hmph, I¡¯m saying that because we can¡¯t afford to be divided before our great mission,¡± Voltaire scoffed.


    ¡°I¡¯m relieved to hear that.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Voltaire cussed as he spun around. ¡°I¡¯ll get Anna bel Grace first. You could have told me sooner. We can¡¯t let someone like her go like this¡­!¡±


    ¡°The casualties would have been greater if it came to blows. Our priority right now is taking care of Thran.¡±


    Above all else, Voltaire couldn¡¯t afford to lose Arash, especially if he had to deal with the Killian Family in the future. In fact, Arash was never needed more than when chaos took over.


    ¡°Tell me the details. I¡¯ll take care of the rest,¡± Voltaire quietly said.

 Side Story Chapter 273

    Side Story Chapter 273


    ¡°What an absolute mess,¡± Anna said as soon as she got out of Swallow¡¯s pce.


    The situation outside had taken a turn for the worst. Thran¡¯s confident march had ended long ago, and they were perishing amid the debris of the scaffold.


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°Hold, even if that means we die here today! We need to save His Majesty no matter what it costs!¡±


    ¡°People of Thran, this will be our grave!¡±


    The freedom fighters¡¯ desperate screams filled the za, drifting over the blood and bodies that stained its stones.


    ¡°¡­So everything went ording to the fox-girl¡¯s n, huh?¡± Goosebumps spread all over Anna¡¯s arms. As she was sensitive to changes in the wind, Anna knew that the knights of Swallow had been lying in ambush, but their choice of ces to take cover was truly remarkable. The knights had been hiding in the basements of the buildings surrounding the wide za.


    That wasn¡¯t as easy as it sounded. Those buildings were residential, so, even if the owners were citizens of Swallow, it wasn¡¯t easy to ask everyone for their cooperation and make sure that they wouldn¡¯tpromise the knights¡¯ ambush.


    Regardless, something about the masked girl bothered Anna. She felt icky and familiar at the same time.¡°¡­Maybe I should¡¯ve killed her,¡± Anna mumbled.


    From experience, Anna knew that people who gave off contradicting impressions were dangerous.


    Breaking away from her thoughts, Anna turned to her side. ¡°What do you want to do? Shall we wreak havoc? It looks like all those Thran guys will be massacred at this rate.¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡± Kireua watched the ongoing battle in the za and shook his head. ¡°Let¡¯s not.¡±


    The freedom fighters were technically strangers to Kireua. Perhaps Selim would have stuck his head out to save them, but Kireua was very rational. Of course, that would partially be because of his Evil Sin, but he was certain that he was born this way.


    ¡°I can¡¯t save everyone on my own anyway.¡±


    Besides, Kireua was in Swallow for the same reason as the freedom fighters: to rescue bis. On top of that, Arash bel Grace had told Kireua that bis had ingested a lethal poison, so Kireua needed to find out if she had told him the truth as soon as possible.


    ¡°Excellent choice. That¡¯s why I like you.¡± Anna winked at Kireua.


    ¡°Can you find my teacher first, please?¡±


    ¡°Of course I can,¡± Anna answered with confidence.


    A strong gust of wind blew, and Anna¡¯s elemental spirit quickly lifted her up in the sky. She took a look around and found a group of people who were engaged in an intense battle near the west gate.


    ¡°In the west!¡± Anna shouted.


    Kireua nodded in response, only to find himself surrounded by hundreds of knights.


    ¡°Do those shits have a death wish?¡± Anna wondered, scowling. Still, Anna had been expecting on some level that Swallow¡¯s knights were going to attack her and Kireua, so she was already readying a great amount of wind in each hand.


    However, Anna neverunched her attack because Voltaire came out from the pce a momentter.


    ¡°Stand down,¡± Voltairemanded and then looked up at Anna. ¡°Pardon their rudeness. They still have a lot to learn.¡±


    Kireua remained silent.


    ¡°The elemental spirit mage in the air and the red-haired man are important guests of the Imperial Family!¡± Voltaire shouted, using his mana to ensure that all of the knights heard him. ¡°Be careful not to harm them, and focus on eradicating Thran!¡±


    The knights quickly withdrew from their encirclement of Kireua.


    -Can I have a moment of your time? There is something I urgently need to talk to you about.


    The telepathic message from Voltaire made Anna scrunch her face up in confusion.


    ¡°What fuckery are you trying to pull here?¡±


    -I promise you that I won¡¯t harm the two of you until you get out of Swallow.


    -Did you go crazy all of a sudden? Why are you acting kind?


    Anna snapped at Voltaire. Although she wasn¡¯t a knight, she could mimic knights¡¯ telepathy using a special skill named Elemental Spirit Whisper that only wind elemental spirit mages could use.


    -I¡¯m sure that it will be worth your while.


    Anna clicked her tongue.


    -You, a duke, are acting very polite even though you just tried to have us killed. Everything about you is fishy. How am I supposed to trust you?


    -I can make a Mana Pledge if you want.


    Anna couldn¡¯t question Voltaire¡¯s sincerity after that offer. She wasn¡¯t sure what was going on inside his head, but a Mana Pledge guaranteed that he was acting in good faith. No, she had to take his deal because bringing bis out of the country was a lot more difficult than getting him off of the chopping block.


    -¡­If you¡¯re going to do it, do it now. I¡¯ll follow you afterward.


    -Good.


    Voltaire smiled and put his hand on his abdomen, where his mana hall was.


    ¡°I, Agzahade lune Voltaire, solemnly swear on my mana that I will never harm Kireua Sanders and Anna bel Grace for a week. The pledge cannot be terminated unless the Second Prince of Avalon or the Princess of Swallow harm me or Swallow,¡± Voltaire solemnly swore.


    Loud resonating sounds echoed around Voltaire, but Anna¡¯s lip trembled as she watched him. One part of his pledge echoed around her ears.


    ¡°The Princess of Swallow¡­?¡± Anna quickly shook her head to pull herself together when she noticed Kireua silently asking her what was going on.


    -Don¡¯t worry about me. Go get Thran¡¯s king¡ªI¡¯ll take care of the rest.


    Kireua pondered for a moment and then nodded. He would be lying if he said he wasn¡¯t worried, but he didn¡¯t have much time left.


    -Call me right away if anything happens. You still have your crystal ball, right?


    -Go already. Stop worrying about me.


    When Anna waved her hand reassuringly with a smile, Kireua vanished. She slowly descended to the ground.


    -Now¡­ shall we get on with our talk?


    Despite her grin, Anna¡¯s lips were trembling.


    * * *


    After a short move west, Kireua arrived at the battlefield. Around ten freedom fighters were fighting fifty of Swallow¡¯s knights. The freedom fighters were outnumbered five times over, and one of them was carrying bis, who was unconscious, but they were holding out better than Kireua had expected.


    <em>¡®¡­It¡¯s meaningless though,¡¯</em> Kireua thought as he strode toward the melee.


    From her vantage point in the sky, Anna had seen hundreds of archers on the ramparts, ready to rain arrows down on the freedom fighters; Arash had prepared for every possible contingency. Thran¡¯s people had been drawn in like moths to the me, and their rescue mission was just as ill-fated.


    <em>¡®That woman, Arash bel Grace, is a lot more thorough and clever than I thought.¡¯</em>


    Arash reminded Kireua of the Second Queen Consort, Icarus. In fact, Kireua had a feeling that Arash was going to be Avalon¡¯s biggest enemy once they went to war against Swallow.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡± one of Swallow¡¯s knights, who had been standing in the rear, shouted when he noticed Kireua. Hisrades stopped driving Thran¡¯s knights into a corner and leisurely retreated backward. They knew that the freedom fighters were at their limit.


    The freedom fighters panted for breath, saved from the brink of death by Kireua¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°You are¡­¡± the knight trailed off.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you hear your duke telling you guys not to harm the red-haired man?¡± Kireua raised an eyebrow.


    The Swallow knights quietly looked at the middle-aged knight who seemed to be their captain.


    ¡°¡­We did,¡± the captain said, ¡°but even if you¡¯re an important guest, I can¡¯t let you hinder our wor¡ª¡±


    The captain stiffened as Kireua¡¯s formidable murderous energy mmed into him like a tidal wave; it contained killing intent, which he had learned from Aisha Sestropi.


    ¡°What are you going to do if I stop you?¡± Kireua tilted his head.


    When Kireua unleashed his full power, Swallow¡¯s knights could feel that their advantage in numbers didn¡¯t mean anything any longer. They could try fighting Kireua a hundred times, but they would lose every time.


    Kireua brushed past the stunned knights. Only when he arrived in front of his beleaguered teacher did Kireuae to a halt. The Thran independence fighters had been vigntly watching the conversation, but their legs gave out when they heard Kireua¡¯s whispered words.


    ¡°¡­Teacher.¡±


    ¡°T-Teacher?¡±


    ¡°Is that¡­ Prince Kireua?¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes remained glued to bis.


    ¡°Teacher.¡±


    bis was silent, and Kireua could feel how faint bis¡¯s energy was.


    Kireua gently grabbed bis¡¯s limp hand and slowly pushed his mana through bis for a moment.


    bis coughed up a mouthful of blood and slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°...Is that you, Kireua?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ sorry,¡± bis whispered. ¡°At first¡­ I was trying to use¡­ you because you were a great way¡­ to be acquainted with¡­ the strongest man on the continent.¡±


    Kireua smiled weakly. ¡°¡­Even if it weren¡¯t for me, His Majesty considers you his friend.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I guess Joshua would be like that¡­ It was¡­purely out of¡­ greed.¡±


    No one could me bis for harboring such thoughts. Millions of lives depended on bis. He had endured that responsibility for decades.


    ¡°That is why¡­ I taught you half-heartedly at first.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s cheap.¡±


    ¡°Ha¡­ Hahaha¡­ Don¡¯t¡­ worry¡­ I taught you everything¡­ I could¡­ To be honest¡­ you made me put my heart into itter¡­ ¡±


    bis¡¯s voice was slowly fading. Kireua instinctively knew that bis¡¯s time in this world was drawing to an end. However, Kireua continued to circte his mana within bis, more cautiously this time. It seemed to be working to some degree, for bis¡¯s pallid cheeks regained some color.


    ¡°You really didn¡¯t seem like the Martial God¡¯s son, but you worked hard to learn the sword at least. You were so desperate that I ended up pitying you¡­¡±


    ¡°You do know that I can still hear you, right?¡±


    ¡°¡­But you made me feel emotions that I¡¯d never experienced before. Perhaps that¡¯s how it feels to have a child. You got better day after day, so watching your progress¡­ made me as happy as if it were mine.¡±


    bis¡¯s face quickly darkened.


    ¡°...Teacher.¡± Kireua choked up.


    ¡°You¡­ may be Joshua Sanders¡¯ son, but¡­ you¡¯re also mine... I¡¯m¡­ so grateful¡­ to you¡­for giving me¡­ such a wonderful memory.¡±


    Even though he and Kireua weren¡¯t rted by blood, bis genuinely considered him his son. The same was felt by Kireua; bis was the man upon whom Kireua could rely upon like a father when he had been a boy.


    ¡°Thank you. Thank¡­ you,¡± bis repeated over and over as his voice died out.


    Mana didn¡¯t exist inside the deceased; bodies were simply empty shells. When noticed that the paths within bis¡¯s body were closed to his mana, a heavy silence fell upon the bloodied za.


    Kireua wordlessly looked up at the sky. His eyes kept tearing up, so he couldn¡¯t see clearly¡ªhowever, he could see well enough to tell that the weather was too fucking good for what had just happened. Teardrops crawled down Kireua¡¯s cheeks.


    Today, another Star fell in Swallow.

 Side Story Chapter 274

    Side Story Chapter 274


    After Kireua¡¯s teacher¡ªand other father¡ªhad passed on, Kireua quietly lowered the body to the ground as the freedom fighters watched with teary eyes.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this¡­ It¡¯s too early for you to leave this world like this! We¡¯re lost without you!¡±


    The freedom fighters wailed, but Kireua had no time to share their sorrow because the fight wasn¡¯t over.


    -Let¡¯s eat them. How does that sound? Let¡¯s eat every single human here!


    The more Kireua¡¯s murderous desire intensified, the more Coju gleefully chattered.


    <em>¡®¡­No.¡¯</em> Kireua shook his head. He now knew that this voice didn¡¯t belong to Coju, the power of Greed. <em>¡®Stop pretending already.¡¯</em>


    The voice in his head vanished. The death of a loved one, agony, the desire for revenge were the Wrath¡¯s favorites.


    -Hehehe. When did you realize?<em>¡®Let me ask you this first: how long have you been staying within me, Grand Duke Lucifer?¡¯</em>


    -Well¡­ Do you remember the day you passed out?


    The Dark God, Grand Duke Lucifer¡­ Kireua was like a haven for parasites at this point.


    <em>¡®Did you want my body so much that you gave up your own?¡¯</em>


    -A young man¡¯s body is definitely better than an undead¡¯s rotten body, but that isn¡¯t really why I¡¯m here.


    Swallow¡¯s knights had mustered their courage and were slowly approaching Kireua. Kireua could feel that his bloodlust was getting out of control.


    -I¡¯m telling you just in case, but what you¡¯re feeling right now has nothing to do with me. I don¡¯t have the ability to control other people¡¯s emotions.


    Lucifer didn¡¯t have to tell him that because Kireua already knew that the emotion he was feeling was solely his own. He genuinely wanted to kill those people for driving bis to his death.


    ¡°Stand down.¡±


    For better or for worse, someone stepped in and ended the fight.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    The Swallow knights saluted Arash bel Grace.


    Arash acknowledged them with a node. ¡°I told Duke Voltaire to make sure everyone treats the red-haired man as our guest.¡±


    ¡°A-Aside from the guest¡­¡± The captain of Swallow¡¯s knights nced at the freedom fighters.


    ¡°Our work here was finished the moment the king of Thran died. Besides, I¡¯m giving you an imperial order.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mydy.¡± The captain quickly bowed. As Swallow¡¯s throne was vacant and Arash was the only member of the Imperial Family, her orders trumped all others.


    ¡°The rest of you should go and announce the king of Thran¡¯s death to the entire continent, so the Thran remnants won¡¯t start another meaningless fight¡­ You will also tell our troops to refrain from using violence.¡±


    ¡°Then how shall we deal with those who persist until the end?¡± the captain asked.


    Arash quietly looked at the freedom fighters, who flinched under her gaze.


    ¡°¡­Then I suppose violence is inevitable.¡±


    Arash¡¯s words were clearly a warning; she knew when mercy was needed.


    The captain nodded enthusiastically. ¡°What are you all doing?! You¡¯ve received an imperial order. Get moving!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    As the Swallow knights scattered, the freedom fighters sank to the ground one by one. It was all over, they realized. For them, bis was their unyielding resolve and their fire. They lost everything today and the decades'' worth of effort toward reiming Thran were wasted. Before long, Thran would meet its end.


    ¡°¡­It isn¡¯t over. If all of you give up now, you¡¯re letting my teacher¡¯s sacrifice and your dedication be in vain,¡± Kireua quietly said to them.


    The freedom fighters'' eyes widened.


    ¡°I believe it¡¯s time for you to go back,¡± Arash interrupted, unwilling to let Kireua get in her way just as she was about to crush their spirits. ¡°You¡¯re a guest, after all.¡±


    Kireua turned to look at her.


    ¡°As I understand, Avalon is in a very difficult situation¡­¡± she politely continued.


    ¡°Do you remember what I told you before?¡±


    The Fox Master smiled behind the mask. ¡°Are you referring to when you said you would get payback for what I did?¡±


    ¡°Yes, exactly.¡±


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t really want to say this aloud, but don¡¯t you know that you can¡¯t harm me?¡±


    -I¡¯m the only hope for saving the Human Realm, you know.


    -No, there are other items that can be used to restore the bnce of the Human Realm¡¯s.


    Kireua was referring to the primordial stones. Once all of them were collected, the copse of the Human Realm could certainly be prevented.


    <em>¡®¡­So maybe I should just kill her here right now?¡¯</em>


    Kireua shook his head to suppress the bloodlust that was beginning to overwhelm him again.


    He had good reason not to, as well. Avalon was already having difficulty dealing with Hubalt, so Kireua should be helping Avalon, not making more enemies for the empire.


    Besides, if the primordial stones weren¡¯t enough to stop the Human Realm¡¯s copse, Kireua would have to ask for Arash¡¯s help.


    <em>¡®¡­I lost,¡¯</em> Kireua bitterly thought. His sess in Hubert had made him too confident. He had groundlessly believed that everything would work out again; however, he had instead been indisputably defeated.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s clear that I must kill her someday, but I should go back to Avalon with Anna for now¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve made a decision. I¡¯m d. I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe me, but Swallow is grateful to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°You brought Her Highness back to use.¡±


    To Kireua¡¯s astonishment, Arash even bowed.


    Her knights showed no reaction; presumably, they¡¯d been briefed beforehand.


    ¡°By ¡®Her Highness¡¯¡­ you mean Anna?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°Her full name is Anna bel Grace. You may not be aware of this, but the surname ¡®bel Grace¡¯ has belonged to the imperial family of Swallow for generations.¡±


    ¡°Are you expecting me to believe that you people are going to treat Anna as your princess when you kicked her out yourselves?¡±


    ¡°Her Highness Anna isn¡¯t just a princess. She will be the next ruler of this empire,¡± Arash responded.


    Kireua''s eyes widened. ¡°...What?¡±


    ¡°I would like to make it clear that this isn¡¯t a matter in which you can intervene, outsider. Besides,¡± Arash added before Kireua could speak, ¡°this is the destiny that Her Highness Anna herself has already epted.¡±


    * * *


    A woman quietly stood before an empty throne.


    ¡°You made a great choice.¡± Voltaire beamed.


    The throne had been empty for a long time, but it finally had a new owner. The chamber was already filled with nobles from the capital. They had already been close to the pce because of the me Emperor¡¯s execution, so they had received the news quickly.


    ¡°The throne belongs to you now. You shall be the supreme ruler of Swallow,¡± Voltaire exined.


    ¡°¡­Hey, let me ask you onest question.¡±


    ¡°Ask me anything.¡±


    ¡°...Is my birth mother really alive?¡± Anna quietly asked.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare to lie to you,¡± Voltaire said. He turned to the others in the chamber.


    The nobles nodded in agreement as Voltaire¡¯s gaze passed over them. As a matter of fact, all of these nobles were on Voltaire¡¯s side; he wielded sixty percent of influence over the empire. The problem was that one particr family had the rest.


    ¡°Your mother is currently held captive by the Killian Family.¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would they do that!¡± Anna shouted.


    ¡°Because they¡¯ve been desperately searching for you.¡±


    Anna had been on the run for her entire life from Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. That was why she had been especially thorough about erasing her tracks¡ªbut she never imagined that someone else would be on her tail.


    ¡°¡­I have to meet and ask them why they¡¯re doing that,¡± Anna muttered to herself, determined.


    ¡°I agree. If it hadn¡¯t been for the Killian Family, your father, Draxia bel Grace, might not have been branded as a traitor, but¡­ I¡¯m a bit worried.¡±


    ¡°Worried? Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m certain that the Killian Family will use your mother to make inappropriate demands.¡± Before Anna could respond, Voltaire quickly continued, ¡°There is a good reason why the Killian Family hasn¡¯t made a move despite the power they wield.¡±


    ¡°And what reason is that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of your half-sister.¡±


    ¡°My half-sister? Are you talking about the girl with the fox mask from earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is right. But she¡¯s a bastard, unlike you.¡±


    Although Draxia hadn¡¯t told her about any siblings, Anna thought it was usible, knowing the male instinct to produce offspring. Even Joshua Sanders had three wives.


    ¡°How does she stop them, then?¡±


    ¡°Even if she¡¯s a bastard, she¡¯s still a member of the imperial family, so the Killian Family doesn¡¯t have the justification to seize control of the empire even if they want to.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s why you used her as your face, isn¡¯t it¡±


    ¡°That is a misunderstanding. Anyhow, you, the legitimate heir, came back to us¡­ I could die happy now.¡±


    Anna would have been very pleased if Voltaire did just that.


    ¡°¡­Alright,¡± she said, her eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll y along with your dirty scheme. It isn¡¯t hard to be an executioner.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. We swear we will do our best to assist you, as proof of our loyalty.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I guess I should tell you this now.¡±


    Voltaire tilted his head. ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If I im the throne, the first order I¡¯ll give is¡­¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    As the nobles stirred anxiously, Anna beamed, eager to see how they would react to her bombshell.


    ¡°...to strike the capital city of the Hubalt Empire. The entire empire is in chaos after they lost their emperor. I will have my payback like I always do.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 275

    Side Story Chapter 275


    Anna couldn¡¯t have dropped a bigger bombshell.


    <em>¡®Go on. Start talking.¡¯</em> Anna grinned.


    The ongoing war between Avalon and Hubalt was beneficial for Swallow because Swallow was not involved. The standard strategy in a situation like this was to conquer nearby areas little by little so that they wouldn¡¯t be caught off guard when the war intensified. Joining the war between Avalon and Hubalt right now would result in Hubalt and Avalon joining forces when a sense of crisis overcame them.


    Anna expected Swallow¡¯s nobles to be vehemently against the idea.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness. As the empressmands,¡± Voltaire answered on the nobles¡¯ behalf.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°We will follow your orders,¡± Voltaire repeated.


    Anna gaped nkly.


    ¡°Of course, I assume this is happening after you take the throne.¡± Voltaire gestured at a servant standing behind him. ¡°So allow me to be sure: will you take the throne?¡±The servant politely held up a radiant gold crown, covering his hands with a red cloth to avoid touching it directly.


    ¡°¡­I never imagined the nobles would give up their pride and listen to a fugitive like me.¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t your fault. The world forced you,¡± Voltaire gently answered.


    Anna didn¡¯t trust Voltaire for obvious reasons.


    ¡°Hmph. I guess the Killian Family got a lot stronger while I was away.¡±


    Even in Swallow, a country of fierce warriors, the Killian family¡¯s men were regarded as strongest and fought like beasts. In fact, the current head of the Killian family was known to possess an ability that surpassed Grand Duke Lucifer. However, the family¡¯s influence hadn¡¯t been this strong at the time¡ªnot a single noble family in Swallow had been that influential, in fact.


    <em>¡®They must have gotten a lot stronger after Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s death,¡¯</em> Anna thought.


    She might have left Swallow, but that didn¡¯t mean she¡¯d stopped paying attention to the empire¡¯s affairs. The Killian Family had never used their full power, but Anna was certain that they would be able to defeat every one of the nobles here.


    ¡°Be honest with me, Duke Voltaire.¡± Anna scoffed.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°The head of the Killian Family terrifies you, doesn¡¯t he.¡±


    Anna deliberately insulted Voltaire in front of all the nobles, but Voltaire continued to smile.


    ¡°The Killian Family is also a part of the empire, so there is no reason to fear them, but I believe bringing them to their knees won''t be a problem once you and I join forces, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°You want to control Vaikals using me since they only follow the emperor¡¯s orders, don¡¯t you?¡±


    The nobles tilted their heads in confusion. No one there had heard about Vaikals except for one person.


    Voltaire¡¯s lip trembled, his first slip.


    -¡­How do you know about Vaikals? That information is only passed down among the emperors.


    Anna grinned.


    -It¡¯s probably because of the same reason as you. Unlike you, snake, someone was kind enough to tell me about them.


    Voltaire gritted his teeth. ¡°Fox Master¡­!¡±


    * * *


    A knight came running into the middle of Kireua and Arash¡¯s showdown.


    ¡°Fox Master!¡± he urgently shouted. When he reached Arash, he paused, eyeing Kireua warily.


    Arash gestured at the knight. ¡°It¡¯s fine, go on.¡±


    ¡°An imperial order has been issued summoning all nobles in the empire.¡±


    Arash twitched but calmly asked, ¡°Only the emperor can give out such an order. Did she choose to im the throne?¡±


    ¡°That is correct.¡±


    ¡°She made a wise choice.¡± Arash smiled behind the mask; it seemed that sending the message at thest moment had been the right call. She turned to look at Kireua, silently telling him she was right.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m curious. What is up with your name? ¡®Fox Master¡¯?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just my name. I may be known as the princess of the Swallow Empire, but I¡¯m from a humble background. Nothing good will happen if the public learns of that.¡±


    ¡°Is it really possible for you to hide your identity like that?¡± Kireua asked with his brow furrowed.


    ¡°As you can see, it¡¯s working. It¡¯ll continue to work for as long as those in control of the country can keep the story straight.¡± Arash took a step forward. ¡°We seem to have gotten a little sidetracked. Let me tell you one more time: go back to your country, Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Kireua shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    He hadn¡¯t heard a word from Anna herself. Even if Anna had actually agreed to take the throne, he should at least say goodbye before he left.


    ¡°You know that Her Majesty Anna bel Grace has be this empire¡¯s ruler since she epted the throne. Even if you¡¯re the Second Prince of Avalon, insisting on meeting Her Majesty without making an appointment beforehand is an obvious discourtesy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to hear it from Anna herself because I don¡¯t believe a word you say.¡±


    After looking at Kireua silently for a moment, Arash looked at the Swallow knights. ¡°Can everyone give us a moment, please?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? But Fox Master¡ª¡±


    ¡°The next emperor has already been decided, so I¡¯m useless now, aren¡¯t I? You don¡¯t have to worry about my safety.¡±


    The captain boggled at her for a moment but didn¡¯t yield. ¡°¡­Not at all. The Swallow Empire still needs your wisdom.¡±


    ¡°If you truly think so, then that¡¯s all the more reason to give us privacy; I am trying to use that wisdom.¡±


    The captain held back a grunt and gestured at his knights. ¡°¡­Stand down.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    The knights quickly scattered at the captain¡¯s instruction, despite not budging at Arash¡¯s order.


    ¡°Imperial power here must be a lot weaker than I thought.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been like that for decades, ever since a grand duke began to rule the empire instead of the emperor.¡±


    If the emperor had been strong, Kireua and Arash wouldn¡¯t have had any privacy because the knights wouldn¡¯t have allowed a member of the imperial family to be in such a risky situation.


    ¡°Before you leave, I would like to make a proposal.¡±


    ¡°What kind of proposal?¡± Kireua asked.


    Arash held out her hand. ¡°Take Swallow¡¯s hand.¡±


    ¡°What in the world are you talking about all of su¡ª¡±


    Before Kireua could finish speaking, Arash took off her mask. Kireua¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°Can you feel my sincerity?¡± Arash asked.


    ¡°¡­This is a surprise. I thought you were wearing your mask because you¡¯re ugly, but you¡¯re actually¡­¡±


    ¡°Quite the opposite?¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t know about that, but I can tell that you have thick skin,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    Despite what he had said, Kireua had to admit that Arash was very beautiful. Her blonde hair shone, her eyes resembled the ocean, and not a single blemish could be seen on her face. Among the women he had met until now, Kireua had believed that the most beautiful women were the First and Second Avalon Queen Consorts¡ªIceline and Icarus¡ªbut had changed today.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Arash chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment.¡±


    ¡°So what exactly are you suggesting?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the unweed Second Prince of Avalon, and I¡¯m a bastard like the emperor of Avalon. Aren¡¯t we a good match?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua frowned. ¡°What are you on about¡­?¡±


    ¡°Marry me.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull.


    ¡°To my knowledge, Her Majesty doesn¡¯t have a child, so the bloodline of bel Grace will end with her. It won¡¯t be easy for her to bear a child; she¡¯s of an age where her menopause could start at any day. Even if she gets married in the near future, there is no guarantee that she¡¯ll bear a child.¡±


    Arash slowly walked toward Kireua. She finished using her magic artifact, perhaps wary of the people nearby.


    -She has legitimacy, so once she unites the nobles and supports me¡­ At least my child will be able to inherit the throne. The chances will be higher if the child has a prince from another country as their father.


    Kireua¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°...This was your endgame all along, wasn''t it?¡±


    Although he was shocked at Arash¡¯s ability to stay ten steps ahead.


    ¡°¡­This is unpleasant. Do you always try to manipte people?¡± Kireua asked, frowning.


    ¡°Should I not? This is the world I¡¯ve been living in.¡±


    Kireua found that, yes, he couldn¡¯t criticize Arash for it. The world she had been living in was one where Arash would fall behind unless she manipted other people. Her brilliant mind couldn¡¯t achieve anything unless she put it to use.


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s a little embarrassing to admit, but¡­¡± Arash trailed off, shing Kireua a beautiful smile that would have made most men would have fallen head over heels for her ¡°¡­I think I proved my worth as a woman. Am I wrong?¡±


    Kireua pondered for a moment. To be honest, the proposal wasn¡¯t a bad deal for Kireua given that he was expected to get married someday. He wasn¡¯t against the concept of marriage and he was seeking to be the next emperor of Avalon. On top of that, Avalon was at war, so it would be good to make an ally using marriage. He wouldn¡¯t have to worry about being betrayed by Arash at least until the war against Hubalt came to an end.


    ¡°So what is it going to be?¡± Arash prompted, pulling Kireua back to reality.


    ¡°¡­My answer is¡­¡±

 Side Story Chapter 276

    Side Story Chapter 276


    Ever since she was a girl, Arash bel Grace had been considered beautiful and smart, so she was confident about her attractiveness. However, when it came to the Martial God¡¯s son¡­


    <em>¡®... He¡¯ll probably say no,¡¯</em> Arash thought.


    She had been studying Joshua Sanders more closely than anyone else. Since he was someone who couldn¡¯t be measured by existing standards, such an effort was essential.


    ¡°¡­My answer is no,¡± Kireua answered, as expected.


    ¡°Why?¡± Arash asked, struggling to suppress augh.


    Even though she had expected his answer, Arash was curious about his reasons. She sincerely hoped that wasn¡¯t because she had killed bis, Kireua¡¯s teacher. If so, she would be extremely disappointed to know that an owner of an Evil Sin, one of the roots of all evil, had turned her down for a humane reason.


    Light and darkness. Demonic power and divine power. Joshua had two opposing sides as well as two sons, so Arash hoped his sons would represent one of his values each, not both. It would be perfect if Kireua here embodied darkness.


    ¡°I would be lying if I didn¡¯t want Swallow as my ally, especially in a time like this,¡± Kireua said.


    ¡°¡­Avalon would certainly have trouble finding a better ally than us.¡±¡°But I don¡¯t want to be yed by the abandoned princess for just that.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arash asked.


    ¡°The imperial family of Swallow wields less power than beggars. The moment I take your hand, I¡¯ll have to help you build the imperial family¡¯s power. Am I wrong?¡±


    It was a more realistic reason than Arash had expected.


    Arash smiled gently. ¡°That is a reasonable conclusion. So you¡¯re refusing my proposal because it¡¯ll bring you more trouble than benefits¡­?¡±


    ¡°Besides, I have a much better and faster way to make Swallow my ally by marriage.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one more person in the Imperial Family of Swallow whose rank happens to be higher than yours and has more legitimacy,¡± Kireua reminded Arash.


    After pondering for a moment, Arash''s eyes widened. Kireua was talking about the new empress of Swallow.


    ¡°...I never imagined you to be lovers,¡± she muttered.


    ¡°I¡¯m speaking hypothetically. You¡¯re the one who brought up an alliance by marriage first.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware of the age gap between you and her?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s said that nationality and age are meaningless before love. Nothing more needs to be said about a marriage of convenience,¡± Kireua answered with a shrug.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    <em>¡®This is new,¡¯</em> Arash thought.


    Despite her cleverness, Arash hadn¡¯t seen thising. No matter how close Kireua and Anna were, she was from the previous generation; not many men would want to marry a woman who was as old as his mother.


    However, that just made it all the more interesting. Somehow she wants to tease and test Kireua even further.


    ¡°¡­Then why don¡¯t you take me as your second wife?¡± Arash suggested.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Why are you surprised? I¡¯m sure the idea isn¡¯t anything new to you since your parents also¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, that is not the issue here,¡± Kireua interrupted. ¡°Both you and Anna carry the bel Grace name. Doesn¡¯t that mean you two are rted by blood? But you¡¯re going to have the same husband and emperor?¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty is an adopted daughter, and I¡¯m illegitimate. We may be half-sisters, but we technically don¡¯t share blood.¡±


    ¡°Do you really think Swallow¡¯s nobles will think the same?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t going to be a problem. After Her Majesty officially takes the throne, I will renounce the bel Grace name when the right timees.¡±


    Anna was another reason why Arash wore a mask and didn¡¯t reveal her identity to the public. The existence of a person who could rece Anna would only hinder her efforts to restore the power of the throne. There was a good reason why the emperor¡¯s siblings left the pce once he took the throne.


    Nobles were people who would use an emperor¡¯s siblings to get more power if they didn¡¯t like their new emperor. It was better to voluntarily step down from the stage at the right time rather than walk on eggshells and be used by everyone for their entire lives.


    ¡°In other words, you¡¯re going to join the Imperial Family of Avalon? I thought your n was to make your future child the emperor of Swallow when the bel Grace bloodline is about to end,¡± Kireua asked, brow furrowed.


    ¡°I¡¯m a greedy woman, so if I have two options, I¡¯m going to make ns for both of them.¡±


    ¡°So I¡¯m your insurance in both options, huh?¡±


    ¡°But I also need to meet your father. I don¡¯t want to burn down a forest because I¡¯m upied with a single burning tree.[1]¡±


    That was also the reason why Kireua couldn¡¯t cut off Arash¡¯s head right now despite his rising anger. It might benefit Avalon right now, but it would ultimately doom the Human Realm.


    ¡°¡­You have a part of the Angel Spirit, don¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°It is as you say.¡±


    Kireua pondered the situation for a moment and then nodded. No matter how hard he thought about the matter, he didn¡¯t see anywhere where he could afford to be swayed by his emotions. It wouldn¡¯t be toote to get revenge after everything was over; right now, he had to be as rational as possible. If there was a method to have all primordial stones and the Angel Spirit¡¯s fragment, Kireua should do it.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re serious about this proposal. Are you really okay with this? All else aside, it doesn¡¯t seem right to ask a person you¡¯ve only just yet to marry you,¡± Kireua mused, scratching his head.


    ¡°Most royalty are married on their first encounter, without knowing how their spouse looks.¡±


    ¡°I know what I said, but I actually don¡¯t want to marry someone like that, especially if it¡¯s you. Don¡¯t tell me you already forgot that you¡¯re my enemy? I want to tear you to pieces right now. Grand Duke Lucifer might have started it, but it¡¯s your scheme and your poison that killed my teacher.¡±


    ¡°Are you going to kill me right now?¡± Arash inquired.


    ¡°No, I shouldn¡¯t.¡±


    Arash smiled again. ¡°See? In that case, I can assume that you ept my proposal, right?¡±


    ¡°Only if you agree to be my concubine.¡±


    Arash¡¯s smile vanished behind a nk look of surprise. ¡°¡­Concubine¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I said ¡®concubine¡¯.¡±


    The proposal was actually a gamble on Kireua¡¯s part. From what he had seen, Arash was a smart woman and could easilye after Kireua¡¯s life using her brilliant mind after everything was over. Nevertheless, Kireua had to keep her by his side¡ªhe didn¡¯t want to go home with his teacher¡¯s killer running free.


    ¡°¡­How interesting. I never imagined bing someone¡¯s concubine¡­¡±


    ¡°Since you aren¡¯t my wife, people won¡¯t criticize me for not loving you or abandoning you when I don¡¯t find you useful anymore.¡± Kireua shrugged.


    Arash went silent.


    ¡°What? Are you against bing a concubine even though you¡¯re illegitimate?¡±


    ¡°I like how realistic you are. I suppose that I will have to work on currying your favor from now on.¡± Arash turned with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll take that as a yes to my proposal for now¡ªbut we¡¯ll see if I be your wife or your concubine.¡±


    That was how their dangerous alliance began.


    <em></em> *


    The freedom fighters were quickly suppressed. Kireua had no choice but to watch it all happen. Not only were they strangers, attempting to save them would be diplomatic suicide for the rtions between Avalon and Swallow. Besides, Arash had stated that she had no n to execute all of them.


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to kill them, are you?¡± Kireua asked, just in case.


    ¡°Swallow already has their leaders, and the king of Thran is dead. If Swallow continues to use violence, even themon people of Thran will resort to rebellion, which is not what the empire wants.¡±


    ¡°Your goal all along has been to crush their spirit, not hunt them down.¡±


    ¡°But I also have other priorities.¡±


    Arash referred to the enthronement of the new empress of Swallow, naturally. This was the same reason why Kireua couldn¡¯t go back to Avalon yet. Although he desperately wished to return, he believed he should check on Anna first.


    ¡°The inside of the pce will probably be crowded because of the imperial order summoning all of Swallow¡¯s nobility. Do you still want to meet her?¡±


    ¡°I already told you that I don¡¯t believe a word you say. I¡¯m going to see how Anna is myself,¡± Kireua insisted with an annoyed frown.


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡±


    Because Arash was by Kireua¡¯s side, no one stopped him as he walked through the inner pce.


    ¡°This is the First Council Chamber. It was never used after the throne became empty, but it¡¯s different now. I¡¯m sure everyone is in he¡ª¡± Arash flinched. ¡°¡­What¡¯s going on?¡±


    From the thick crowd of people, a great amount of murderous energy could be felt.


    At his level, Kireua quickly noticed what was going on.


    ¡°¡­The real power of Swallow isn¡¯t Grand Duke Lucifer. They¡¯ve been here all along.¡±


    Kireua was certain that he had made a wise decision. If such a formidable force were tounch a surprise attack on Avalon, the empire would be in grave danger.


    <em>¡®On the other hand, Avalon would gain the upper hand if they became our allies.¡¯</em>


    Kireua clenched his fist.


    ¡°Is something going on inside?¡± Arash wondered.


    ¡°Fo-Fox Master, it¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯ll see what has happened with my own eyes.¡±


    ¡°V-Very good.¡± The head butler hastened to announce Arash¡¯s arrival.


    Arash¡¯s eyes widened as the knights opened the doors. Even Kireua, looking over her shoulders, was equally startled.


    The chamber was divided into two groups, each ring at each other as if they were ready to fight at any moment.


    Arash sighed, her eyes glued on one man in particr. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t think the lord of the Killian family himself was going toe.¡±


    The two groups continued to argue with each other, not even ncing at the people who had just entered the chamber. Kireua could recognize one of them, Duke Voltaire.


    ¡°Cut it out, you two!¡±


    ¡°I cannot agree to this nonsensical idea of striking Hubalt¡¯s capital.¡±


    Voltaire scowled at the man. ¡°Are you defying an imperial order, Duke Killian?¡±


    Anna had been watching their quarrel on her throne with a troubled look, but her eyes widened when she realized who had just entered the chamber.


    ¡°Hey, Kire¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I see what is going on now, but please stop,¡± Arash said before Anna could finish. ¡°I¡¯m here with a solution.¡±


    ¡°The Fox Master¡­? And Kireua Sanders¡­?¡±


    ¡°I trust this makes my intentions clear,¡± Arash said. Knowing that everyone¡¯s eyes were on her, she linked arms with Kireua.


    As all of the nobles connected Kireua¡¯s name with the name standing next to Arash, they forgot all about their argument and stared nkly.


    However, one person¡ªone <em>woman</em> was grinding her teeth down to nubs.


    ¡°Th-That bitch¡­¡±


    1. The raw is ??? ?? ?? ??? ??, ? ??? ??? ?? ??? ??? ????. It¡¯s the idiom about how one ends up creating a bigger problem because of a small problem. ?

 Side Story Chapter 277

    Side Story Chapter 277


    ¡°Fox Master, what in the world are you doing all of a sudden?¡± Duke Voltaire demanded.


    ¡°Do you even understand what is going on?¡± a middle-aged man with greenish blonde hair spat.


    ¡°Her Majesty wishes to strike Hubalt¡¯s capital as soon as possible, but Duke Killian wants to observe the turn of the war while focusing on stabilizing the empire,¡± Arash calmly answered. ¡°Am I correct in believing that the difference of opinions started the argument?¡±


    Voltaire could find nothing to dispute with her summary. Even he had to admit her brilliance and insight.


    Anna, however, did not appreciate the fact that Arash was garnering all the attention and stood up from the throne. ¡°Hey, all of you. Let¡¯s be frank before we get into any of this. I¡¯m sure many of you believe that I don¡¯t deserve the throne. You didn¡¯t even know whether I was alive or dead, and then I suddenly showed up out of nowhere, iming to be the sole heir to the throne.¡±


    Even though she was talking to everyone in the chamber, Anna¡¯s eyes were glued to one person. ¡°You can tell me too, Aaron.¡±


    ¡°¡­Anna.¡± Aaron groaned.


    Voltaire flew into a rage.


    ¡°No matter how prestigious the Killian Family is, you shouldn¡¯t call Her Majesty by her first name, Duke Killian!¡± he fumed.¡°¡­To my knowledge, she hasn¡¯t been coronated yet, and she still has to prove her qualifications.¡±


    ¡°Even if that¡¯s true, she¡¯s a princess and this is an official meeting. You should abide by etiquette!¡±


    Aaron was forced to admit that Voltaire wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Aaron was deeply troubled by the whole situation. Draxia bel Grace, a man the Swallow Empire knew as the Tragic Prince, was Anna¡¯s foster father and he had also been a son-inw of the Killian family. However, his wife had passed away not long after their marriage.


    It happened before they even had a child. Thete head of the Killian Family had pitied his son-inw for ending up alone at such a young age. That was why he had sent one of his granddaughters to be Draxia¡¯s adopted daughter¡ªthat was Anna bel Grace. In the end, Draxia ended up a traitor and fugitive¡­


    Regardless, Anna, who now sat on the throne, was Aaron¡¯s half-sister, her previous name being Anna del Killian.


    ¡°I¡¯m surprised. You¡¯re the third son, so I never imagined you would be Duke Killian,¡± Anna remarked, her head tilted.


    ¡°¡­And I didn¡¯t expect the ugly duckling of the Killian Family to be the empress.¡±


    ¡°That is, after I have your agreement¡­ Duke Killian.¡± With a smile, Anna looked straight into Aaron¡¯s eyes. ¡°Tell me, Duke Killian. Do you oppose the idea of striking Hubalt or is it me that you object to?¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re finally home, so shouldn¡¯t you meet your mother first?¡±


    Anna frowned slightly, but Voltaire raised his voice first.


    ¡°What are you trying to pull here?¡± the duke shouted. ¡°How dare you¡ª!¡±


    ¡°You want my opinion on attacking Hubalt? I couldn¡¯t disagree more. It¡¯s not worth the risk,¡± Killian bluntly stated. He turned his back on Anna. ¡°I¡¯ve seen that Her Highness is alive and well, so please excuse me. Let¡¯s discuss her ascension to the throne after we finish taking care of this issue with Thran.¡±


    ¡°Hold on,¡± Arash interrupted, pulling Kireua¡¯s arm closer. ¡°We¡¯re going to form an alliance with Avalon by marriage. I¡¯m sure you know what this means, Duke Killian.¡±


    Aaron nced at Kireua. ¡°Avalon doesn¡¯t even have their Martial God, so I highly doubt that they¡¯ll be of any help.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, without the Martial God, Hubalt will tear through Avalon like wet paper¡ªbut even a child could tell where Hubalt''s forces will head next.¡± Arash looked around the chamber and carefully enunciated her next words. ¡°Thran is now taken care of, so our best choiceis to catch Hubalt off guard.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    The groans and grunts Voltaire hearding from around the chamber made him clench his fists in excitement. He had almost pped when Anna had first proposed attacking Hubalt. A war against Hubalt was inevitable, but it was also an opportunity to have his new empress order the Killian family to lead the invasion, weakening them.


    ¡°Duke Killian! I see no better path forward than Fox Master¡¯s n. Why do you object to it? Is there a reason that you aren¡¯t telling us?¡± Voltaire narrowed his eyes, feigning skepticism.


    The nobles began to murmur among themselves. They could feel the tension filling the chamber; it could explode into a fresh argument at the slightest opportunity.


    ¡°War is not a game!¡± Aaron roared.


    The imperial knights guarding the chamber anxiously reached for their swords, vignt of the tremendous energy Aaron released.


    <em>¡®H-Has he been hiding his true power?¡¯</em> Voltaire sputtered.


    He had considered Aaron his life¡¯s rival, so he thought he knew how good Aaron was. However, the wave of mana Aaron had just released was beyond Voltaire¡¯s expectation. It was several times stronger than what Voltaire could unleash.


    ¡°You suddenly execute the king of Thran and now want to go and attack Hubalt¡­?¡± Aaron frowned. ¡°Where in the world is the Grand Duke? Why don¡¯t you tell me, Fox Master? I thought you said you would prevent the king of Thran from dying by any means necessary.¡±


    Kireua quickly turned to look at Arash, who remained stubbornly silent.


    ¡°Or was his death what the Grand Duke wanted?¡±


    ¡°¡­It was part of my n to dispirit the people of Thran¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough! I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve done this even though you know why the Killian Family hasn¡¯t been active until now.¡±


    Arash flinched.


    ¡°Allow me to remind you if you don¡¯t: Thran is already Swallow¡¯s! It¡¯s what the Killian Family has been focusing on for decades! If we can¡¯t subjugate the kingdom by force, the best approach is to build goodwill little by little. Most of Thran¡¯s nobles were on Swallow¡¯s side, but you turned decades of the Killian family¡¯s effort into wasted time!¡±


    Aaron was furious now. Truly subjugating a country meant changing its people¡¯s mindsets, but there was a limit to what force could achieve. Such means could at best create a vassal state. In order to truly unify Thran and Swallow, the empire needed the people of Thran to truly believe that they were part of Swallow.


    ¡°You killed their king. We¡¯ll find out soon enough how Thran will react. Let¡¯s see if their spirit will be crushed or if they¡¯re that much more hellbent on throwing us out! For fuck¡¯s sake! Everyone went on and on about your brilliance, but you¡¯re full of bullshit. If I knew, I would¡¯ve¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, Duke,¡± Kireua interrupted, finally fed up with Aaron¡¯s rant. ¡°Although I know the imperial family is treated worse than dogs around here, I think you¡¯re overstepping yourself.¡±


    ¡°¡­Stay out of this, prince of Avalon. It looks to me like you¡¯re using Fox Master¡¯s idiocy to Avalon¡¯s benefit¡ªbut remember that Swallow might make a different choice and attack Avalon instead.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. I¡¯m terrified,¡± Kireua responded in a monotone voice. ¡°I¡¯m not sure that you¡¯re capable of that, though.¡±


    Voltaire had been hoping for Kireua to keep arguing with Aaron, but he almost called Kireua a madman out loud. Judging from what Aaron had said so far, it was hard to expect him to respect royalty from another country, especially a prince from Avalon, a potential enemy.


    <em>¡®Is Kireua Sanders out of his mind? He must have sensed the amount of mana Duke Killian has¡­!¡¯</em>


    Voltaire could feel that Aaron was a Master of Masters. Just calling Aaron a ¡°Master¡± was a serious understatement.


    ¡°Hah¡­ You doubt me¡­?¡± Aaron scoffed.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like how you treat people with disrespect just because you¡¯re a little powerful. I find it especially unpleasant that you think the Emperor of Avalon is all the empire has. Speaking of which,¡± Kireua politely said, looking back and forth between Anna, on the throne, and Arash, ¡°I would like to prove Avalon¡¯s value as an ally, with the imperial family¡¯s permission.¡±


    ¡°What? W-Wait,¡± Anna stammered. She knew Kireua¡¯s temper, but it was toote to stop him.


    Kireua turned back to Aaron and smiled crookedly. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a round.¡±


    ¡°Go for¡­ a round¡­?¡± Aaron pointed at himself, unable to believe that Kireua was talking to him.


    Kireua casually nodded. ¡°To be honest, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any trouble crushing who couldn¡¯t say a single word when Grand Duke Lucifer was around.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­ keep provoking me.¡±


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°After you¡¯ve kissed the ground, you¡¯ll think twice before you talk.¡±


    That was the final straw for Aaron. The murderous energy he set loose made the disy earlier look like a childish fit.


    ¡°...I see that Joshua Sanders fathered an unbelievable son of a bitch.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Despite the undisguised insult, Kireua grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s a whining son of a bitch after they get a good pounding.¡±


    Minime¡¯s thoughts: The gay innuendos return. It¡¯s like we¡¯re back in chapter 100.

 Side Story Chapter 278

    Side Story Chapter 278


    ¡°No!¡± Anna shouted, unable to watch Kireua endanger himself. She knew how skilled Aaron del Killian, the current head of the Killian family, was, better than anyone else. Everyone in the Kilian family agreed that he was a leader who excelled in both martial prowess and intellect; in fact, Aaron was the one who had made the Killian Family what it was now, bringing them out of the oppressive shadow of Grand Duke Lucifer.


    The Killians now had an unshakeable position within Swallow, but that was only because they had made a different choice from the other ducal families that had chosen to seek shelter under Lucifer¡¯s wings.


    It had been obvious that Lucifer would be wary of the Killian family if they continued to grow stronger, so they had voluntarily chosen to sacrifice themselves to defend Swallow against Thran and the me Emperor. The effort would weaken even the strongest family, so no one in Swallow had objected.


    That was how a single ducal family had fought a country for decades¡ªbut that was the only way to gain Lucifer¡¯s trust, which left the Killian family no other choice. It turned out to be a stroke of genius. Compared to the knights of other families, who became idle pigs, the Killian family¡¯s knights made incredible progress thanks to theirbat experience. Of course, taking some degree of casualties in the process was inevitable.


    <em>¡®Judging from what Aaron is saying, he must have been focusing on winning over the people of Thran, not subjugating them.¡¯</em>


    Anna¡¯s spection was urate, but there was one woman who saw a bigger picture.


    ¡°I must say, you¡¯re rather good, Duke Killian,¡± Arashmented.


    Aaron flinched, his murderous energy fluctuating a bit. He turned and red at Arash. Since she was a member of the Imperial Family, Killian refrained from directing his murderous energy at her, but his re was intimidating enough.


    ¡°¡­What are you trying to imply?¡± Aaron asked, his lips pressed into a tight frown.¡°The Killian Family has been taking a different approach from the imperial family¡ªthat is the point you want to make here, isn¡¯t it? And this is your golden opportunity to make the people you won over part of the Killian family.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor.


    ¡°You caused quite amotion in the middle of the pce, so the rumors will spread in no time. Thran will be burning with anger against the imperial family. On the other hand, the Killians were against the me Emperor¡¯s execution and haven''t participated in quashing Thran¡¯s resistance, so¡­¡±


    Aaron remained silent, his energy unrestrained, lending weight to Arash¡¯s assertions.


    Kireua was impressed.


    <em>¡®These people are true leaders,¡¯</em> he thought. Kireua had learned a lot during this mission. Although he had read a lot about crushing his opponents with overwhelming might in his father¡¯s biography, it wasn¡¯t every day that he got to witness such high-level political mind games.


    ¡°¡­Hmph. I won¡¯t dignify that with an answer.¡± Aaron scoffed as he withdrew his energy. ¡°I¡¯m scared of what manner of strange spections your brilliant mind will conjure if I stay here any further, so excuse me.¡±


    ¡°I would appreciate an answer from you before you leave.¡±


    ¡°Let me just make it clear that the Killian family and I are absolutely against attacking Hubalt! My thoughts remain the same: it is more urgent to stabilize the empire!¡±


    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve started your n, you will need time to take total control of Thran, I take it?¡±


    ¡°Enough!¡± Aaron¡¯s energy burst out again.


    Arash was unfazed. In fact, she smiled as if she had been expecting Aaron¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°If you truly believe that stabilizing Swallow is more urgent, I think an apology is in order.¡±


    ¡°What? What apology?¡±


    ¡°Everyone here witnessed the discourtesy youmitted against the Prince of Avalon.¡± Arash raised an eyebrow.


    Aaron nced at Kireua warily.


    ¡°Oh, oh¡­! I¡¯m still shivering because I was so scared earlier¡­¡± Kireua groaned, cowering dramatically.


    ¡°That boy started it!¡± Aaron growled.


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about an important guest from Avalon, not a ¡®boy¡¯,¡± Arash reminded Aaron.


    ¡°¡­You saw how the Prince of Avalon disrespected me first, Fox Master.¡±


    ¡°Come on. You know that that¡¯s not how politics works. Who knows? Your discourteous attitude might have made Prince Kireua harbor ill feelings against Swallow and he might speak badly of Swallow after returning to Avalon.¡± Arash tilted her head. ¡°That would be quite a problem.¡±


    Due to the remarks he had made earlier, Aaron couldn¡¯t say a word. Kireua was fully convinced that Arash was more skilled with words than Aaron was.


    ¡°¡­Fine. If Avalon raises an officialint about this matter, I¡¯ll take responsibility and resolve the affair. Okay?¡± Aaron coldly answered before storming out of the chamber.


    ¡°H-How arrogant¡­!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s truly insolent, even if he¡¯s from the Killian family!¡±


    ¡°He acts as if the Killians are superior to the throne!¡±


    The nobles¡¯ outpour of grievances seemed preposterous from Arash¡¯s perspective.


    <em>¡®A noble family superior to the imperial family¡­¡¯</em>


    The thought brought a bitter smile to Arash¡¯s lips for a moment before she turned to Kireua. ¡°Are you a fighting dog or something?¡±


    ¡°Did I look like one?¡±


    ¡°You must be disappointed that you don¡¯t get to fight.¡±


    ¡°Nothing can be done about it. Besides, my time in Swallow taught me that violence can¡¯t solve everything.¡±


    ¡°My, you sound like you could have won if you and Duke Killian actually fought each other.¡±


    ¡°You understand me correctly.¡±


    Arash¡¯s expression darkened. Kireua was the Martial God¡¯s son and had two Evil Sins¡ªthe powers of Wrath and Greed¡ªand in addition, Arash could faintly smell Lucifer¡¯s scent on Kireua as she got closer to him.


    <em>¡®I can¡¯t predict what Kireua Sanders will do,¡¯</em> Arash thought. She¡ªno, all military strategists were extremely vignt of anything that was unpredictable. It was best to remove such elements before an actual war broke out, but if that wasn¡¯t possible¡­


    ¡°¡­Can I have a moment of your time, Your Majesty?¡± Arash quickly turned to Anna.


    ¡°Me?¡± Surprised to be suddenly called out, Anna pointed at herself. ¡°I¡¯m ¡®Your Majesty¡¯ now?¡±


    ¡°Duke Killian said just now that he opposed your imperial ordermanding an attack on Hubalt.¡±


    The nobles also remembered what Aaron had said earlier and began to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°An imperial order is the empress¡¯s order, so Duke Killian has in essence acknowledged your legitimacy, Your Majesty. Besides, he wouldn¡¯t havee all the way over here in the first ce if he didn¡¯t. He isn¡¯t really a man of action.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What? Are you serious? You saw how he snapped at everyone. Is he a softie or something?¡±


    ¡°¡­No, he¡¯s closer to a man with an extremely brilliant mind.¡±


    ¡°F-Fox Master, please exin for us, too,¡± Voltaire anxiously interjected.


    ¡°I believe that reporting to Her Majestyes first. Can I ask for your understanding, Duke Voltaire?¡±


    Voltaire went quiet as he looked at the throne. With the way things were going, Voltaire needed his people to unite under the new monarch to go up against the Killian Family. He could always pursue his personal ambitions after he acquired power by supporting the new empress while she was surrounded by strangers.


    ¡°Th-The meeting is over! Let¡¯s exit the chamber, everyone!¡± Voltaire yelled.


    * * *


    Arash and Anna walked down a long, humid underground passage in the pce.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know there was a ce like this underneath the pce¡­¡± Anna wondered aloud.


    As a wind elemental spirit mage, she had a remarkable ability to find hidden ces because wind could reach anywhere in the world. A ce like this one Anna should have sensed long ago, but she had only found out about its existence aftering here herself¡­


    ¡°This ce is kept an absolute secret. Ah, don¡¯t step on that one. It¡¯s rigged to trigger a trap; spears will spring out when you step on it.¡±


    Anna gasped in surprise and froze mid-step before shooting Arash a re.


    ¡°Only step where I step, please.¡±


    ¡°Hey! You should tell me that kind of stuff sooner!¡±


    ¡°You wish to help Prince Kireua, yes?¡± Arash suddenly asked.


    Anna¡¯s eyebrows twitched. ¡°What about it? Are you asking me this because you have a solution for me? Judging from what happened earlier, Aaron won¡¯t sit on his hands if I try to help Kireua out.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t really need the Killian family¡¯s help. In fact, your answer lies over there.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°The imperial family of Swallow has guardians called Vaikals. They only protect the imperial bloodline.¡±


    ¡°...Vaikals?¡± Anna nkly repeated. Although Arash had told her the name before, Anna knew nothing about them; even her father had never mentioned anything about them despite being a prince.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡±


    An enormous stone gate stood at the end of the passage. Arash promptly used a device and the old gate slowly opened up.


    ¡°Huh? The security seems toox, considering that the almighty guardians of the imperial family are here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. People who aren¡¯t from the imperial lineage can¡¯t do anything even if they manage to get here.¡±


    ¡°What in the world does that mean¡­?¡±


    The vault within was revealed, answering Anna¡¯s question.


    ¡°Va-Vaikals¡­¡± Anna swallowed as she gazed upon the majestic sight in front of her. ¡°¡­aren¡¯t human¡­?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 279

    Side Story Chapter 279


    ¡°Those¡­ are golems, right?¡± Anna asked.


    Golems were stone relics from ancient times, made to run on an intricately designed concentration of mana. They were over ten meters tall and were as destructive as they wererge. The higher their grade, the more smoothly the golems could move.


    Anna looked upon legends from the age of magic brought to life, but they were a lot smaller than Anna had learned they were. In fact, they were barely over two meters, a little taller than ordinary adult males.


    ¡°It¡¯s known that during the age of magic, the finest golems could fight like Masters. But those exceptional golems tended to be smaller,¡± Arash exined.


    ¡°Does that mean that all of these golems can fight like Masters?¡±


    Arash nodded. ¡°Yes. I admit that there are only five of them, but they live up to their reputation of being the Swallow Empire¡¯sst guardians.¡±


    Anna could imagine how destructive they would be in actual battle. She had been told that golems were so sturdy that even an aura attack couldn¡¯t leave a scratch on them, so if they were equally agile¡­


    ¡°¡­Wait a minute, this doesn¡¯t make any sense. How does Swallow have these golems?¡± Anna asked.


    Anna could understand if the Terra Kingdom had golems like these, given that it was called thend of magic long ago; however, Swallow was thest country anyone would associate with magic. Undeveloped ins took up eighty percent of the empire, so the empire had a lot more skilled hunters than academics.¡°Hahaha. Maybe you can use a little history lesson, Your Majesty.¡± Arash smiled gently.


    ¡°What?¡± Anna scowled at her.


    Arash stroked the golem in front of her, ignoring Anna¡¯s reaction. ¡°Swallow is known for being built by conquest. The empire indiscriminately invaded and plundered the countries nearby, including the Terra Kingdom.¡±


    ¡°In other words, all of these are stolen goods?¡±


    ¡°The empire also kidnapped people. In fact, Swallow¡¯s history can be summarized with one word: looting. It isn¡¯t a proud history, but without it, the empire would have fallen behind long ago.¡±


    There was a limit to what Swallow could do with only the ability to survive in the wilderness.


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is that Swallow stole these golems and kidnapped their creators and five of them became secret weapons that only follow the imperial family¡¯s orders. Did I get that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you understood me correctly.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Okay. But that looks like you forgot that I¡¯m an adopted daughter. Doesn¡¯t this kind of stuff react to blood?¡± Anna asked, scanning the golems.


    ¡°From what I know about your father, he would already have taken care of that.¡±


    ¡°Get to the point.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t your father do anything strange to you when you were young?¡±


    Anna flinched but tilted her head in confusion. ¡°Something strange¡­?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps he kept feeding you something?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Anna pped in realization. ¡°Come to think of it, he made me drink some red potion until I was ten years old because I was very fragile due to my innate gift as an elemental spirit mage. The potion tasted disgusting, so I still remember it.¡±


    People who were born with the talent of an elemental spirit mage or a mage were born rtively weak.


    ¡°But I guess the potion wasn¡¯t a normal stamina elixir.¡±


    Arash nodded. ¡°Yes, it was probably a special potion made from his diluted blood.¡±


    Anna¡¯s lip trembled at the revtion.


    ¡°That is illegal in Swallow though¡­¡± Arash trailed off.


    ¡°Illegal?¡±


    ¡°Sharing imperial blood with one who isn¡¯t born with the privilege isn¡¯t something the elitists would tolerate¡ªespecially the imperial family, since they know about the Vaikals and how strong they are.¡± Arash looked at the golems. ¡°To be honest, no one would want to share these incredible weapons with others.¡±


    ¡°Yet my father still gave his blood to me.¡±


    ¡°Yes; he must have known that these golems were going to be his biggest obstacles if he went after the throne.¡±


    Draxia had spent his whole life trying to be the emperor of Swallow, and his obsession had even led him to seek Avalon¡¯s help. Anna believed that it was reasonable to assume that Draxia had believed that these golems would at least not be hostile to the imperial family.


    However, Anna was left with one big question.


    ¡°Did Grand Duke Lucifer not know about these golems? If so, he could have used them in the war against Avalon.¡±


    ¡°No, he couldn¡¯t have done it even if he knew. All of the craftsmen that had been kidnapped from the Terra Kingdom were killed after they finished ensuring that the golems only obey the imperial family as they do now.¡±


    ¡°Then the imperial family should have fought Grand Duke Lucifer with them¡­¡±


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer showed no signs of treason before he purged the entire imperial family one day using poison, assassination, and hostages¡­ The imperial family simply couldn¡¯t fight back.¡±


    ¡°¡­My rtives were all idiots. What you¡¯re saying is that Grand Duke Lucifer only discovered these golems¡¯ existence <em>after</em> he eliminated all of the imperial family¡­ but that doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± Anna gave Arash a doubtful look.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°There is someone with imperial blood standing right in front of me.¡±


    Arash smiled bitterly. ¡°These golems don¡¯t respond to my blood because I have none of the bel Grace blood whatsoever.¡±


    ¡°What? You aren¡¯t part of the imperial family?¡±


    ¡°Although I admit that the confession is long overdue, yes, I¡¯m a fake member of the imperial family; my identity has been presented as an illegitimate daughter so as to not to raise any suspicion¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± Anna interrupted, utterly bewildered. ¡°S-So you¡¯re a fake?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes. The Crimson Sky is just as formidable as his reputation suggests.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t leave a single member of the imperial family alive? Ah¡­!¡± Anna gasped in realization.


    Lucifer used to hold absolute power in Swallow, so the empire must have been chaotic after his death. On top of that, the royal line had been killed off long ago, leaving the empire with no one to sit on the throne. In other words, anyone could be the new emperor of Swallow; no doubt the noble families with power would have coveted the throne greatly.


    ¡°In other words, someone created an imaginary member of the imperial family named Arash bel Grace to stop a civil war?¡±


    ¡°Indeed¡ªand I also have a rather useful backstory since there was a tragic prince who wandered the continent after his escape from Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s grasp long ago¡­¡±


    Arash was talking about Draxia bel Grace, Anna¡¯s father.


    ¡°¡­I never imagined that I would have such a cunning half-sister¡­ Then do those hyenas in the pce like Duke Voltaire know who you really are?¡±


    ¡°Of course. In fact, Duke Voltaire is the one who started everything.¡±


    ¡°Now I can understand why he was that arrogant.¡± Anna¡¯a face darkened. ¡°In that case, that means he tried to control the entire empire with a puppet¡­¡±


    Voltaire had been deceiving the entire empire for decades. On top of that, Anna also had Duke Killian to deal with. Just thinking about them was giving her a headache.


    ¡°¡­But I guess Duke Voltaire trusts you a lot,¡± Anna mused.


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°If I were him, I wouldn¡¯t have let you and I go to this secret chamber alone.¡±


    Arash smiled bitterly. ¡°Not exactly. I haven¡¯t told you this because I don¡¯t want to seem like I¡¯m bragging, but it was quite difficult to persuade him.¡±


    ¡°How did you persuade him?¡±


    ¡°If I may¡­¡± Arash suddenly started to take off her clothes one by one.


    Anna''s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-What the hell are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Please look over here.¡± Arash took off her undergarments and showed Anna her bare chest.


    After a moment, Anna¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s my Forbidden Seal.¡±


    Light shone around Arash¡¯s heart, and Anna could also smell the distinctive scent of a Forbidden Seal¡¯s mana.


    ¡°I¡¯ll probably die if I don¡¯t tell Duke Voltaire everything that happened here,¡± Arash added. ¡°Which is why I need your¡­¡±


    Anna raised her hand, signaling Arash to stop while Anna sorted out the thoughts jumbled up in her head. In truth, Anna hade here without much thought because Arash had told her that there was a way to help Kireua.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to set all that aside for now and ask you a question. I want you to answer me as honestly as possible. Do you understand me?¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± Arash nodded.


    ¡°You¡¯re a fake member of the imperial family who has nothing to do with the empire, so what are you trying to aplish here?¡±


    Before discovering Arash¡¯s true identity, Anna had thought that she was looking to get revenge. As brilliant as Anna was, it didn¡¯t seem like she had any reason to be someone else¡¯s puppet.


    <em>¡®It doesn¡¯t make sense that she''s forced to follow orders because of her Forbidden Seal either. I would have killed myself long ago if I had to live like that,¡¯</em> Anna thought skeptically.


    On top of that, from what Anna had seen so far, Arash and Voltaire looked like equals, not master and servant.


    ¡°¡­Do you really want me to tell you why I¡¯m here, despite everything?¡± Arash quietly asked.


    ¡°Go on. I¡¯m notying a finger on these golems until you tell me.¡±


    ¡°It might shock you¡­¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself,¡± Anna firmly answered.


    Arash was silent for a tense moment.

 Side Story Chapter 280

    Side Story Chapter 280


    ¡°I want this empire to crumble.¡±


    Anna was stunned by this revtion following so soon after the Vaikals.


    ¡°You¡­ want the empire to fall?¡± she repeated, her eyes wide.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Arash affirmed with a nod.


    ¡°Ho-Hold on, let me get this straight. If that¡¯s your goal, why would you work so hard to harass other countries?¡±


    Swallow would fall even if Arash did nothing. Grand Duke Lucifer used to hold absolute power in Swallow, but he was gone, along with the imperial line. All Arash had to do was let the nobles fight for power among themselves.


    ¡°Swallow was formed from a multitude of tribes who used to live on thisnd. Would the empire really fall just because one man, however powerful, was gone?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Anna trailed off.


    ¡°Probably not. The tribes would be d to have more power, and once one of the tribes wins the power struggle, they¡¯ll be able to make the empire bigger and stronger. Swallow¡¯s history proves that.¡±Only Swallow, whose history was filled with plundering, conquering, and colonizing, could boast of such things.


    ¡°What you¡¯re saying is¡­¡± Anna swallowed.


    ¡°I have two choices: either I have to travel back to the faraway past and break the tribes¡¯ solidarity before the empire is built, or¡­ I have to be the real Arash bel Grace.¡±


    ¡°...By bing a real member of the Imperial Family, you¡¯ll have the entire empire under your control.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡±


    ¡°Did the imperial family do something to you?¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not sure you¡¯ll believe me, but I just hope that no country on Igrant will harass other countries anymore,¡± Arash answered with a grin.


    ¡°If you don¡¯t want to tell me, just forget I said anything,¡± Anna told her, certain that there was more to Arash¡¯s story. ¡°I can see that your and my goals aren¡¯t really different.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m d to hear that my answer sufficed.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, based on what you said, my biggest enemy seems to be the Killian family. I don¡¯t know what Aaron¡¯s endgame is, but I can tell that he isn¡¯t supportive of this empire.¡±


    ¡°Although I¡¯m sure you have noticed already, Duke Killian is resentful of your father, Draxia bel Grace. There were already too many eyes on the Killian Family, but your father¡¯s deeds meant that the family had a son-inw who was judged for high treason.¡±


    The former Duke Killian had made Draxia his son-inw for one clear goal: to elevate the Killian family even further by bing one with the imperial family. However, the choice had dragged the Killians into the aftermath of Draxia¡¯s treason.


    ¡°Using Draxia as a justification, Grand Duke Lucifer took many women of the Killian family to the pce as hostages.¡±


    If that¡¯s all it took for the entire family to hate Father, they¡¯re awfully petty. The fate of a prince who fails to im the throne is obvious; they should have med themselves for their poor judgment,¡± Anna grumbled. She couldn¡¯t help but side with her father¡ªafter all, blood is thicker than water.


    ¡°Have you ever wondered why Duke Killian is trying so hard to win over Thran?¡± Arash suddenly asked.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°To put it simply, it¡¯s because he wants to achieve the most benefits with the minimum amount of casualties.¡±


    Anna frowned. ¡°You know, I¡¯m not as good at scheming as you, so can you exin this in a way I can understand?¡±


    ¡°The me Emperor used to be called the Knight of Red me when he was just a knight, but then he became the king of Thran.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps Duke Killian thinks that he has a chance in such an open-minded country even though he¡¯s a duke from a foreign country.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Anna¡¯s lip trembled. She knew Aaron del Killian was meticulous, but this was much more than Anna had expected.


    ¡°Swallow is the evil empire that executed Thran¡¯s beloved king, so once Duke Killian drives out the empire and helps Thran gain independence before building an entirely new government¡­¡±


    ¡°...Not only does he have a chance of seizing the throne, but he¡¯ll also be able to unite Thran and Swallow, just as the empire wanted for a long time.¡±


    ¡°Yes! An entirely new country will be built. If the one who sits on the throne avenged the me Emperor, the people of Thran will surely be¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you saw all thating, why did you poison the me Emperor!?¡±


    ¡°¡­I made a promise with the me Emperor before his death. The truth is, he was the one who asked me to poison him.¡±


    Anna''s eyes widened in shock. ¡°...Why would bis ask for that?¡±


    ¡°He sacrificed himself for Thran,¡± Arash responded.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°He sacrificed himself to be the me to guide the people of Thran. The me Emperor indeed.¡± Her voice took on a bitter tinge as she reminisced. ¡°¡­He may have been from a different country, but I have to admit that he was a remarkable man.¡±


    Anna got the impression that there was more to bis¡¯s death.


    <em>¡®If this is true, I don¡¯t need to take revenge on Kireua¡¯s behalf¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°We¡¯ve spent quite a long time here. Why don¡¯t you continue the work on the golems?¡± Arash suggested.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the worst possible scenario, but there is a chance that these golems may not respond to your blood.¡±


    Anna flinched and turned nervously toward the golems.


    <em></em> *


    Duke Voltaire and some other nobles were standing near the entrance of the pce¡¯s secret vault.


    ¡°How long do we have to wait here?!¡± the duke shouted when his nerves boiled over. If it wasn¡¯t for the damned rules, Voltaire would have marched into the vault long ago. He bit his lip. ¡°It¡¯s already been three hours. Did something happen? I¡¯ll just go in and check¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wh-Why don¡¯t you calm down, Your Grace? Only a bel Grace can enter the vault, and it¡¯s unwise to do something right now that Duke Killian could find fault in.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to kiss up and walk on eggshells around him?!¡± Voltaire roared.


    ¡°No¡­ We¡¯re just worried. All of us know how much you sacrifice for the empire, so we don¡¯t want to give anyone an excuse to interpret your sincerity in another way.¡±


    Vire¡¯s closest allies knew exactly how to handle him.


    ¡°Besides¡­ you know that it¡¯ll be difficult to take on the Killian Family without the Vaikals,¡± one of Voltaire¡¯s allies whispered to him.


    ¡°Fuck.¡± Voltaire gritted his teeth. ¡°I don¡¯t know how strong those Vaikals are, but if they can¡¯t meet my expectations¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if they can¡¯t, our only choice right now is to hope. We can think of a solution afterward.¡±


    Kireua chuckled. Despite the distance, he could hear their entire conversation thanks to his razor sharp senses.


    However, it got on Voltaire¡¯s nerves.


    ¡°¡­Hey, what¡¯s so funny?¡±


    ¡°Do people need permission tough in Swallow?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a prince from another country, so why are you here in the first ce!?¡±


    ¡°I have your empress¡¯s permission. Do you have a problem with that?¡± Kireua scoffed.


    Voltaire was ready to unleash his murderous energy when he abruptly stopped, the end of his mouth curling into a smirk for some reason.


    ¡°They say the Martial God has everything, but I can¡¯t help but pity him. Children turn out the way their parents least expect them to, but you¡­¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°His country could fall any day now, but his son is busy with women in another country¡­ He must be frustrated as hell right now.¡±


    ¡°...Busy with women?¡± he repeated. Kireua¡¯s eyes turned cold because Voltaire¡¯s insult was directed not only at him but also at his entire family.


    ¡°Why? Did I hit home?¡± Voltaire grinned.


    The nearby nobles covered their mouths so as not to burst intoughter. However, Kireua wasn¡¯t an easy opponent. He quickly regained hisposure and struck back.


    ¡°¡­Well¡­ I guess chasing women is better than being a dog with his tail between his legs; at least I¡¯m still human.¡±


    ¡°A dog?¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t handle your problems on your own, so you had to go find a new owner and show your belly to get her to clean up your messes.¡±


    ¡°You son of a¡ª!¡±


    The moment Voltaire was about to blow his top, two women slowly walked out of the vault.


    ¡°What?¡± Anna tilted her head. ¡°Are you guys fighting?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s heads swiveled toward them.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty! And Fox Master!¡± Voltaire stammered.


    ¡°¡­Anna,¡± Kireua quietly said.


    Anna walked toward Kireua without so much as a nce toward the other people. ¡°Were you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°¡­Not really.¡±


    ¡°Try to be more honest.¡± Anna smiled and jokingly pinched Kireua¡¯s cheek.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Stop fighting. Let¡¯s go; we don¡¯t have time to waste here.¡±


    ¡°...Where are we going?¡±


    Anna gave Kireua thest answer he expected.


    ¡°Avalon.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua gaped at her.


    ¡°You¡¯re worried about your country, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Kireua came to his senses.


    ¡°But you¡ªno, Your Majesty, but you are¡ª¡±


    ¡°You can talk like you used to.¡± Anna giggled. ¡°What you want to say is that I have to focus on sorting out my internal affairs and take care of Hubalt, yes?¡±


    When Kireua nodded, Anna grinned. She raised her voice as if she wanted everyone to hear her.


    ¡°No emperor in the world actually goes out to a battlefield. It¡¯s all done by their generals and subjects! Ah, your father is an exception¡ªhe¡¯s very unique.¡±


    Anna¡¯s remark was contradictory because the most active battlefield of the continent right now was at Avalon.


    ¡°S-So you¡¯re going to Avalon with me?¡±


    Anna nced at Voltaire, who was about to burst into anger, and cheerfully answered, ¡°Of course.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 281

    Side Story Chapter 281


    As expected, Duke Voltaire instantly protested.


    ¡°Wait! That¡¯s preposterous!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°Why? I¡¯m still your empress. Unless you need me on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°Avalon is the most dangerous ce on the continent right now¡ªthe Battle God himself is leading the invasion. I can¡¯t let you go there!¡±


    ¡°¡®It¡¯s dangerous if I¡¯m going there to join the war,¡± Anna answered with a shrug.


    Voltaire flinched. ¡°What did you just say?¡±


    ¡°I''m going to Avalon as a diplomatic representative of Swallow, not to fight in the war.¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would you do that¡­?¡±


    ¡°As empress, I should exploit the current situation to reap as many benefits for Swallow as possible.¡±The longer the conversation became, the louder the nobles¡¯ murmurings grew.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say that Swallow attacked Hubalt¡¯s capital and caught them off guard. Then Avalon would be grateful to Swallow, wouldn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Which is why I should ask Avalon for a reward. That¡¯s what diplomacy is about.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way that Avalon will agree to that, they won¡¯t trust us. They¡¯ll think we have a secret n of our own¡­¡±


    Voltaire¡¯s voice died out because he noticed that Anna¡¯s eyes were on Kireua.


    ¡°That¡¯s what he says,¡± Anna said. ¡°What do you think, the Second Prince of Avalon?¡±


    ¡°I trust you more than anyone else,¡± Kireua firmly answered.


    Voltaire almost cussed aloud.


    ¡°Even without that, we haven¡¯t yet decided tounch the attack on Hubalt, to my knowledge!¡±


    ¡°I believe we have, Duke Voltaire,¡± Arash interjected.


    Voltaire red at her.


    -What is the meaning of this?


    -I could ask you the same question. I thought you agreed on attacking Hubalt to keep the Killian family in check.


    Voltaire¡¯s eyes turned cold.


    -Don¡¯t forget about your Forbidden Seal.


    -Which is precisely why you should trust me. I can only tell you the truth.


    -Are you sure that it¡¯ll be enough to keep Duke Killian in check? And inside the vault¡­


    -Fortunately, she was able to activate the Vaikals.


    Voltaire¡¯s eyes immediately lit up with joy.


    -Is that true?


    -Yes¡ªso we should mobilize all avable troops in Swallow for the attack, including the Killian family¡¯s forces. They are still part of Swallow.


    -What are you going to do afterward?


    -We¡¯ll use the Vaikals to attack the Killian family.


    -Strike when their troops are away¡­ What are our odds?


    -It depends on how much you help me. Hitting the Killian family without an adequate justification will only end up harming us, so we need to have everything in ce before the mission. After fabricating evidence of the Killian family plotting treason, we need to get as many allies as possible.


    Arash¡¯s Forbidden Symbol showed no reaction, which meant that she was speaking the truth.


    ¡°<em>Ahem</em>.¡± Voltaire awkwardly cleared his throat and stepped forward. ¡°Excuse me. I let my emotions get the better of me.¡±


    Those around Voltaire and Arash had already noticed that they were talking telepathically.


    ¡°You must be tired after your return, coronation, and visit to the vault, so I would like to ask for your forgiveness for pressing you¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmph. Isn¡¯t it toote for you to say that?¡± Anna grumbled.


    Voltaire silently cursed her, but continued, ¡°¡­Why don¡¯t you rest for now? We can discuss this afterward.¡±


    As he politely bowed to Anna, Voltaire sent Arash one more telepathic message.


    -Let¡¯s talk about this in private.


    * * *


    When things were more or less sorted out, Kireua was assigned to a guest room in the pce.


    ¡°You can rest here.¡± Arash pointed at the door to the room.


    ¡°I suppose I should be honored to have a princess guide me?¡±


    ¡°Feel free to reach out to me whenever you need anything.¡± Arash turned to leave. ¡°Now excuse me. There is someone I have to meet¡ª¡±


    ¡°Wait.¡± Kireua grabbed Arash¡¯s arm.


    ¡°¡­Yes?¡±


    ¡°I would like to ask for two favors from you.¡±


    Arash turned to look at Kireua. ¡°I¡¯ll decide whether to grant you these favors after you tell me what they are.¡±


    ¡°My first favor¡­ is to open up a teleportation gate to Avalon.¡±


    Teleportation gates were usually managed by the Magic Tower, but they needed permission from the country where the exit gate was installed. Using a teleportation gate without permission from the destination country would trigger their mana jamming barrier, shredding the traveler.


    Arash nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that one. Her Majesty has dered she will go to Avalon, so I will make all possible preparations to ensure a safe journey.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°No problem. What¡¯s the other favor?¡±


    Kireua silently looked at Arash for a moment; a lot of the enmity was gone. ¡°I heard the story from Anna¡ªno, the empress. She told me about my teacher¡¯s death.¡±


    Arash quickly realized what Kireua was talking about.


    ¡°Can you tell me what happened and why he made that choice?¡± Kireua requested.


    For a long moment, Arash was silent. She finally sighed. ¡°It¡¯ll take quite a long time. Shall we go inside and continue?¡±


    Arash stepped inside the room before Kireua could answer.


    * * *


    One day before bis¡¯s execution, Arash came down to the dungeon to check on him. However, her jaw dropped in dismay after seeing bis¡¯s condition.


    ¡°¡­Oh, my¡­¡±


    bis was in a lot worse condition than Arash had expected.


    ¡°Why did you treat him like this? I told you that our goal is to eradicate the remnants of Thran¡¯s army. That is all.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ He was like that after the Grand Duke¡¯s visit, so we don¡¯t really know what happened¡­¡±


    Arash groaned quietly. She couldn¡¯t hold the guards ountable if it was Lucifer¡¯s deed.


    She faced bis and she pitied him. bis was famous across the continent, but here he was slowly dying on the cold floor. It seemed bis¡¯s mana hall had beenpletely destroyed because Arash couldn¡¯t sense any energy from him. Judging from the way he sprawled on the floor with his limbs twisted at bizarre angles, his muscles and tendons must have been ruined. Unless he received thorough treatment right away, he would never be able to move on his own again.


    <em>¡®Perhaps it¡¯s already toote¡­¡¯</em> Arash thought as she entered the prison cell.


    ¡°¡­Please kill me.¡±


    The voice was almost inaudible. In fact, she would have missed it if she hadn¡¯t been watching him.


    ¡°Please,¡± bis repeated.


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re going to be executed tomorrow even if you hadn¡¯t asked.¡±


    bis chuckled. ¡°No, you¡¯re the smartest person in the world, so I know you won¡¯t kill me.¡±


    Arash knew that bis was right. His execution was simply a show to lure out and eradicate the remaining opposition in Thran, but if Swallow proceeded with the me Emperor¡¯s execution even after aplishing the initial goal¡­ the remnants wouldn¡¯t be their only problem. The entire kingdom would rebel, which would be the worst possible situation for Swallow.


    Thran was already oppressed, so killing their king would be the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back.


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ ask again¡­ Please¡­ kill me...¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you really think I¡¯ll do that for you?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    The conviction Arash noticed in bis¡¯s answer made her frown. ¡°Why do you think so?¡±


    ¡°We have the same goal.¡±


    The hair on Arash¡¯s neck stood up as she sensed the insight in bis¡¯s response. She nced over at the guards, verifying that they were at a safe distance. bis was obviously crippled, so they must have thought that he was not a threat.


    ¡°¡­How much do you know?¡± Arash asked.


    ¡°The Killian family has been working in Thran¡¯s shadow for such a long time, so of course I did the same in Swallow.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If you knew about the Killians¡¯ scheme, why didn¡¯t you do anything about it? I¡¯m sure you could have stopped it long ago.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯ll be helpful to Thran in the long run.¡±


    Arash¡¯s lip trembled.


    ¡°I trust my country. The Killian family set the stage, and I¡¯m sure that my people will be able to take it. The y will reach its climax with my death.¡± bis looked up, revealing the sharp eyes of a king instead of the dull eyes of a broken prisoner. ¡°Kill me for my Thran.¡±


    Arash gave him a long, slow look before drawing something from her inner pocket.


    ¡°¡­Drink this at dawn.¡±


    ¡°What is that¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s poison.¡±


    bis''s eyes widened for a moment but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°Can you help me out? As you can see, it¡¯s a bit difficult for me to drink on my own.¡±


    Without a word, Arash put the bottle in bis¡¯s mouth.


    bis silently expressed his gratitude with his eyes.


    ¡°¡­There¡¯s no need to thank me. Just like you said, this is for my goal too.¡±


    bis grinned and gulped down the poison.


    ¡°Wh-what are you doing? I told you to drink it at dawn.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still only human,¡± bis calmly answered.


    All humans would falter before death, so bis left no room for him to reconsider his decision.


    ¡°¡­Don¡¯t me me if you die before the execution.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I believe I¡¯ve trained myself enough to hold out until the execution.¡± He smiled gently. ¡°It was a very goodst meal.¡±


    <em>* * *</em>


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s the end¡­¡±


    Arash stopped talking and handed Kireua her handkerchief.


    ¡°¡­Why are you giving me this?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crying right now.¡±


    Kireua held up his hand and felt his cheek, btedly realizing that it was wet.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sweating.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Arash looked outside the window. ¡°It is indeed hot. Maybe summer will arrive soon.¡±


    A bare tree stood outside, ravaged by the raging winter winds.

 Side Story Chapter 282

    Side Story Chapter 282


    In the Killian residence, Haron came running with a pale face. ¡°Your Grace!¡±


    Aaron del Killian, who had been lost in thoughts, looked up. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°We and all the other noble families received an order to send all avable troops to the pce.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes widened. Thest imperial order summond all of the heads of the noble families, but now it was a call for all of their troops.


    ¡°The capital guards have also been asked to gather at the pce. Everyone has been warned not to leave any men behind because the personnel in the pce are going to cross-check the troops against the reports that they¡¯ve received before.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re really going to start a war, huh? Who gave the order?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from Her Majesty.¡±


    ¡°¡­The Fox Master must have done a very good job getting Anna under her control,¡± Aaron grumbled. He still believed that the n to strike Hubalt had been suggested by Arash. ¡°It seems we need to speed up our n.¡±


    ¡°What shall we do about the imperial order? Nobles in the central region have beenmanded to send their troops to the pce within three days.¡±¡°In other words, we have three more days,¡± Aaron answered before resuming his contemtion. ¡°¡­It¡¯ll be better to kill him, after all.¡±


    ¡°Kill who?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m talking about Kireua Sanders.¡±


    Haron gasped. ¡°Y-You want to kill Kireua Sanders?¡±


    ¡°It looks like he¡¯s the reason why I keep hearing this nonsense about attacking Hubalt.¡±


    ¡°B-But he¡¯s the Martial God¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Aaron interrupted. ¡°Avalon will be too busy dealing with Hubalt anyway.¡±


    Haron still looked grim. ¡°Isn¡¯t that too risky? Kireua came all the way over here to rescue Thran¡¯s king on his own, which earned him the respect of much of Thran¡¯s popce. If we were to harm such a man, everyone we¡¯ve built up favor with will turn their backs on us¡­¡±


    ¡°So we need someone else to take the fall.¡±


    Aaron had already thought it through. He had been called a genius since he was a boy for a reason.


    ¡°One of the nobles on Voltaire¡¯s side would be good. They didn¡¯t hesitate to show how much they dislike him, so they¡¯ll be the perfect culprit.¡±


    Haron considered the way Voltaire¡¯s allies had reacted to Kireua and nodded in agreement.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ there is a rumor that Her Majesty and Kireua Sanders are lovers. Do you think it¡¯s true?¡± Haron asked.


    ¡°That would be a problem if it¡¯s true¡ªthat means that Avalon¡¯s prince could acquire the entirety of Swallow.¡±


    However, Aaron obviously wasn¡¯t going to hand over Swallow on a silver tter after all the hard work he¡¯d put into his bid to seize control.


    ¡°Anna used to be a Killian, so she needs to be our family¡¯s puppet. She shouldn¡¯t be able to think for herself nor be swayed by nobles other than us,¡± Aaron firmly said. ¡°She¡¯s just a bridge that we¡¯re going to use to get to the Pce, and we¡¯re going to burn that bridge behind us soon enough.¡±


    Aaron stood up from his chair. ¡°Summon the White Pirs.¡±


    ¡°D-Did you say the White Pirs?!¡± Haron sputtered.


    The Killian family was divided into five factions: the Blue, Red, Yellow, ck, and White Pirs. Of those five Pirs, the White and ck Pirs held the most power within the family¡ªbut considering that there were only ten people in the ck Pir due to the special nature of their tasks, the White Pir was considered the strongest in the family.


    There was another reason why the ck and White Pirs were called the Killian family¡¯s aces. Those two Pirs were made up from elites whom the Killian Family had been training in secret using every resource they had. In fact, people outside the Killian family didn¡¯t even know that the White and ck Pirs existed¡ªwhich also meant that they weren¡¯t recorded in the troop reports sent to the pce.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have to answer to the imperial order and are quite skilled, so there¡¯s no better people for the job. To be honest, I would like to send in the ck Pir too, but they¡¯re on a different mission...¡±


    ¡°Th-That would be overkill. There are one hundred people in the White Pir alone and every one of them has an authority, so sending all of them to kill one prince is too much¡­¡±


    ¡°This is my n: I will pretend to obey the imperial order, so I want you to lead the White Pir, Haron.¡± Aaron looked at Haron, who was both his aide and his brother, and grabbed his brother¡¯s hand. ¡°You must kill Kireua Sanders before he gets out of Swallow.¡±


    Haron looked around to see if there was anyone around them and then nodded resolutely.


    ¡°Okay, brother.¡±


    <em></em> ***


    ¡°Thank you for telling me the truth.¡±


    Kireua now looked at Arash with an amicable expression; he was deeply grateful that he was able to hear his teacher¡¯s story.


    Although she had finished telling the story some time ago, Arash remained seated in her chair.


    ¡°Why are you zoning out like that? Are you going to stay here with me all night?¡± Kireua joked.


    ¡°¡­There is one more thing you should know, Prince Kireua,¡± Arash said in a serious voice.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Kireua tilted his head curiously


    Arash nodded to herself as if she had decided something. ¡°All of Swallow¡¯s nobles and their troops will arrive in the capital in two weeks. It¡¯ll take around two days to install a teleportation gate, so you¡¯ll be long gone by then.¡±


    That was enough for Kireua to deduce what Arash was going to say.


    ¡°You think Duke Killian will start something before I leave?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m certain of it, since Swallow started a fire in the hearts of Thran¡¯s people.¡±


    ¡°I assume you already have a n in mind? I¡¯m sure you didn¡¯t put in all that effort just to hand over the empire to the Killians.¡±


    Arash shook her head. ¡°That¡¯s my problem to take care of, and it¡¯s not what I¡¯m talking about right now.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°If I¡¯m right, Duke Killian will probably¡­¡± Arash looked straight into Kireua¡¯s eyes. ¡°¡­try to kill you, Prince Kireua.¡±


    ¡°What? Kill me?¡± Kireua was perplexed. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the best way to make Swallow give up on attacking Hubalt.¡±


    Even though he wasn¡¯t a genius, Kireua was quite clever, so he quickly understood what was going on.


    ¡°Duke Killian wants to prevent Swallow from making another enemy by worsening its rtionship with Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Exactly so.¡±


    Kireua was silent for a moment.


    ¡°¡­Duke Killian doesn¡¯t consider Avalon a threat at all, huh?¡± he mused with a wry smile.


    ¡°The Martial God is away from Avalon, but Hubalt still has their Battle God. It is true that Hubalt is the much trickier opponent to deal with right now¡ªbut of course, all of this is just spection on my part¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, but it¡¯s also the spection made by Swallow¡¯s best strategist.¡±


    Arash¡¯s expression changed subtly because she hadn¡¯t thought that Kireua had such a high opinion of her.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d praise me like that. Does that mean my chances are getting higher?¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh? Chances of what?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you remember the proposal I made before?¡±


    ¡°Ah, your marriage proposal.¡± Kireua flicked his finger in realization. ¡°You must be pretty confident about winning this fight against Duke Killian if you¡¯re joking around.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m not joking.¡± Arash pouted, somewhat uncharacteristically.


    ¡°In any case,¡± Kireua said, ignoring her reaction, ¡°it¡¯d be quite a problem for you and Swallow if I die.¡±


    ¡°Her Majesty would be in most trouble.¡±


    ¡°Anna? Why?¡±


    ¡°Most people know that you and she have been friends for a long time, so if such an incident urs right after her ascension to the throne, she¡¯ll have to take all the responsibility. Poweres with great responsibility.¡±


    The Killian family would be killing two birds with one stone: Swallow would give up on the already risky invasion, and the empress¡¯s standing would plummet.


    ¡°But first they have to kill me,¡± Kireua said with a shrug.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. We¡¯ve predicted his next move, so I¡¯ll ask Her Majesty to increase your security detail.¡±


    ¡°I heard that the Killian Family¡¯s knights are the strongest in Swallow, so is that enough to stop them?¡±


    ¡°Like you said, it will be difficult, but we will seed no matter what it costs us. Once we capture the assants and make them confess who is behind them, it¡¯ll be a great chance for Her Majesty to gain more power¡ª¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which, I have a good idea,¡± Kireua interrupted.


    ¡°...What is it?¡±


    ¡°If we seed, we''ll eliminate both the Killian and Voltaire families from the picture. They lead the emerging aristocratic faction and the traditional aristocratic faction respectively, so it¡¯ll significantly weaken the nobles¡¯ power.¡±


    Arash''s eyes widened. For results like that, she was ready to kneel, never mind just listening.


    ¡°Wh-What¡¯s your n?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 283

    Side Story Chapter 283


    Duke Voltaire couldn¡¯t understand why Kireua had visited him alone.


    ¡°Let me get this straight. You want me to send you guards?¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    There was a high chance that he and Voltaire were going to work together, and Kireua was still a prince, so Voltaire tried to be polite. But¡­


    ¡°¡­Honestly, I¡¯m surprised. I never thought you would have such faith in me. I might use this chance to harm you, you know,¡± Voltaire murmured.


    ¡°You thought right. This isn¡¯t out of faith.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned about this country¡¯s political state,¡± Kireua calmly answered.


    Voltaire''s eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly regained hisposure. ¡°You mean¡­¡±¡°If I¡¯m certain that someone wants me gone, then it¡¯smon sense to ally with their enemy.¡±


    ¡°So, the enemy of your enemy is your friend, huh?¡±


    ¡°Precisely.¡±


    The end of Voltaire¡¯s mouth curled upward.


    ¡°But why are you asking for guards?¡± he asked. ¡°Are you worried about an ambush or something?¡±


    ¡°You saw how much Duke Killian disapproved of attacking Hubalt. Who knows? Maybe he¡¯ll try to stop it with an ¡®ambush or something¡¯.¡±


    <em>¡®No way¡­ Wait, it¡¯s possible.¡¯</em> Voltaire¡¯s expression turned serious. Considering the continent¡¯s current dynamic, it was much better to ally with Hubalt and crush Avalon, instead of making Hubalt an enemy. <em>¡®Duke Killian is confident in his abilities. No doubt he thinks that he can take on Hubalt once Avalon and the Battle God are out of the picture.¡¯</em>


    However, that put Voltaire and others in trouble. Their n was to eliminate the Killian family by framing them for plotting treason, so their priority was to put the Killian family in the vanguard of the invasion of Hubalt so that the Killians wouldn¡¯t have any avable troops to mobilize within the empire. After that, Voltaire and the others would attack the Killians while they were unguarded.


    <em>¡®I don¡¯t want to make an enemy out of Hubalt either, but Duke Killian not sending his troops outside Swallow would be a bigger problem.¡¯</em>


    If a prince from another country were to be assassinated in Swallow¡¯s capital, the empire would be forced to postpone its ns to go to war with Hubalt. However, Kireua was an official guest of the empress, so if Aaron del Killian harmed him, Voltaire would have all the justification he needed to have Aaron dered a traitor.


    ¡°¡­I see. That¡¯s why you need guards. You¡¯re an important guest of Swallow, so I¡¯m more than willing to assign you people from my family.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. I knew you were a wise man.¡±


    ¡°But you have to admit how dangerous a request you are making here. Although it¡¯s best that such an unfortunate incident doesn¡¯t ur, I¡¯m also nervous about dealing with Duke Killian, given how obsessed with power he is.¡±


    ¡°¡­A foreign prince might be assassinated in Swallow¡¯s capital and yet you still talk like it has nothing to do with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s be honest here: Her Majesty is the one who brought you here, not me, so shouldn¡¯t she be in charge of your safety?¡±


    ¡°Well, you have a point.¡±


    ¡°So how about we make a deal?¡± Voltaire asked with a subtle grin.


    Kireua had to hide a grin of his own. Voltaire had responded exactly the way Kireua had expected.


    ¡°A deal, huh?¡± Kireua nodded, feigning ignorance. ¡°Since I don¡¯t want to die in a foreignnd¡­ go ahead and tell me.¡±


    ¡°Persuade Her Majesty not to go on her diplomatic mission to Avalon. It''s nonsense, truly.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kireua pretended to consider it.


    Voltaire clenched his fists. ¡°As awkward as it is to bring it up right now, Avalon is in a precarious state, so I can¡¯t let Her Majesty go. I¡¯m sure you understand my reasons.¡±


    ¡°I do, but I¡¯m in no position to tell Her Majesty what to do.¡±


    ¡°Hmph.¡± Voltaire scoffed. ¡°I¡¯m sure she would listen to you since you guys are¡­ <em>Cough.</em> Excuse me. In any case, you two are very close, I believe?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re asking me to take advantage of a woman¡¯s affection like trash.¡±


    Voltaire almost told Kireua that he was exactly that but held himself back.


    ¡°¡­Quite the opposite. If you really treasure Her Majesty, you should stop her from going somewhere dangerous.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kireua answered.


    Voltaire clenched his fists tighter. ¡°Then we are agreed?¡±


    ¡°In return, I have a condition of my own.¡±


    Voltaire frowned. ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I leave this country in two days, so, although I know you¡¯re busy, I would like you to be in my escort,¡± Kireua said. He added a feigned quiver of fear.


    It was a better way than vaguely asking Voltaire to utilize every resource his family had. If Voltaire himself was guarding Kireua, he would assign more people as guards out of concern for his own life.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do that,¡± Voltaire easily agreed. In truth, he was certain that Aaron wouldn¡¯t dream of an ambush if Voltaire was guarding Kireua. Aaron was a smart person, so there was no way he would take such a risk.


    ¡°Let¡¯s forget about the past and focus on the next two days.¡± Voltaire extended his hand.


    With a smile, Kireua grabbed Vtire¡¯s hand. ¡°Likewise, Duke Voltaire.¡±


    This was how Voltaire and Kireua came to a deal.


    <em></em> ***


    With the empress of Swallow herself and Voltaire, the de-facto leader of Swallow, leaning on the mages, the teleportation gate was installed half a day early.


    ¡°Do you really not need me toe with you?¡±


    ¡°Yo¡­ur Majesty, you¡¯re monarch, so you shouldn¡¯t leave your throne empty right after your ascension,¡± Kireua answered.


    Anna pouted. ¡°I was trying to help you, you know.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about Swallow¡¯s diplomatic rtions with Avalon. I¡¯ll put in a good word when I get back.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you drop the formal tone and talk like you usually do?¡±


    Kireua nced at the people around them. ¡°I¡¯m worried that your loyal subjects will knife me at night if I do that.¡±


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about? They have no such thing as loyalty. The only reason they¡¯re on my side is that I have some use for them.¡±


    Anna¡¯s tant sarcasm made the nobles frown, but because Voltaire made noment, they remained silent.


    ¡°Hey, are you sure the coordinates are set properly?¡± Voltaire asked. He wasn¡¯t letting his guard down at all. His biggest concern was survivingst night¡ªand fortunately, nothing happened. However, an ambush always took ce at the least expected moment. If an assassin were to show up out of nowhere and put a dagger through Kireua¡¯s heart, all Voltaire¡¯s effort would have been for nothing.


    ¡°O-Of course. You can check the shing light over here.¡± The mage pointed to the upper region of the teleportation gate.


    ¡°shing light?¡± Voltaire tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Are you talking about this crystal ball?¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, it¡¯s a device invented by Thetapirion Whitesox, the Greatest Mage.¡±


    ¡°What is that device?¡±


    ¡°Th-This is a precaution to prevent idents while using a teleportation gate¡­ If something is blocking in the coordinates where the gate exits, it¡¯ll blink with red light. But as you can see, the crystal ball is quiet right now.¡±


    ¡°By the way, why are you so nervous?¡±


    The mage jolted. ¡°Th-This is my first time meeting this many people of such high status like you¡­¡±


    ¡°Ha, so it¡¯s true that all mages are faint of heart. Alright. Are we good to go?¡±


    ¡°You c-can use the gate right away, just stand in front of it. A mana jamming barrier is cast over the entirety of Avalon right now, so I set the coordinates at the border between Swallow and Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Voltaire looked back at Kireua. ¡°It¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s finally time to say goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha! The past two days have been so quiet that I was actually bored. I think you were scared for nothing.¡±


    Kireua nodded. ¡°I¡¯m more sensitive than I look.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? How unexpected. Anyhow, I guess this is really goodbye.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of which¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    Voltaire wondered what he was going to say. Kireua''sst request caught Voltaire off guard.


    ¡°I would like yourpany until I get to the set coordinates¡­¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Voltaire scowled at Kireua. ¡°What the hell are you saying?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it a reasonable demand, considering that I don¡¯t know the exact destination before I use the teleportation gate?¡±


    ¡°The more people use a teleportation gate, the higher the cost bes! Don¡¯t tell me you aren¡¯t aware of how astronomically expensive it is!¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine that it¡¯s that much of a burden for one of the three empires of Igrant.¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡±


    ¡°If that is, you can bill the cost to Avalonter,¡± Kireua generously offered.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Anna shouted. ¡°You¡¯re embarrassing me right now. The cost is nothing, so do as he asks.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±


    ¡°I already said I¡¯m not going, but if you really don¡¯t want to apany him, the least you can do is to let me go to Avalon myself!¡±


    Voltaire bit his lip and looked around.


    ¡°¡­All of us are going with him,¡± he mumbled.


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    All two hundred of Voltaire¡¯s knights gathered around the teleportation gate in an orderly manner.


    ¡°¡­You worry about everything. I don¡¯t know where the gutsy man I saw in the pce went,¡± Voltaire grumbled.


    ¡°I hear that a lot.¡±


    ¡°Be honest here. You hired a good assassin to kill Hubalt¡¯s emperor, didn¡¯t you? For the life of me, I can¡¯t imagine that daisy of a man like you would be capable of assassinating someone,¡± Voltaire snapped. He didn¡¯t hide how irritated he was.


    Kireua simply smiled. ¡°Shall we go now?¡±


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡± Voltaire gestured to the knights.


    The mage¡¯s lip quivered even harder. Kireua didn¡¯t miss that.


    ¡°Are you not going to start?¡± Kireua quietly asked.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m on it, but p-please keep in mind that the increase in the number of people using the teleportation gate will exhaust its ch-charged mana¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I heard you, so get on with it already! It¡¯s about damn time I finish this guard duty and get some rest,¡± Voltaire yelled.


    The mage quickly activated the teleportation gate.


    Before long, Voltaire, Kireua, and the two hundred knights disappeared into a pool of light.


    <em></em> ***


    Voltaire staggered from the typical dizziness that apanied teleportation.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡± he tilted his head. He was standing in the center of a dense forest, much to his confusion.


    ¡°Where is this ce¡­?¡± Voltaire mumbled.


    ¡°¡­Murderous energy?¡±


    The air in the forest was far from calm. The energy Voltaire and others could detect from trees and bushes around them churned the air.


    ¡°What did I tell you?¡± Kireua scoffed from next to Voltaire.


    The one thing they knew for certain right now was that they hadn¡¯t arrived at the border.


    Voltaire¡¯s crumpled up.


    ¡°Ah, fuck.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 284

    Side Story Chapter 284


    The mage in charge of the small teleportation gate scurried away to a remote spot, holding a crystal ball powerful enough to remain unaffected even within the jamming around the pce.


    ¡°W-we have a problem,¡± the mage whispered.


    -What is it?


    ¡°Kireua Sanders just went through the teleportation gate apanied by Duke Voltaire and two hundred knights.¡±


    -Duke Voltaire did¡­?


    The voice from themunication crystal ball was tinged with surprise, but that quickly faded.


    -¡­This is better.


    ¡°B-Better? How?¡±


    -Voltaire has always been an eyesore, so this is a chance to eliminate him too. My superiors will be delighted.The mage¡¯s eyes widened. Voltaire and his knights were some of the strongest people in Swallow, so the nonchnt remark was rather off putting to the mage. Still, it was none of his business.


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± he cautiously broached. ¡°What about the other half of the spellbook¡­?¡±


    -You must be very eager to get your hands on it. Well, it¡¯s useless to a knight like me, but I did hear that it¡¯s a spellbook from the age of magic that¡¯s been kept well hidden.


    The mage trembled with barely restrained excitement.


    Several days ago, the mage had made a deal. In return for changing the coordinates of the teleportation gate that he was going to install in the pce, he was going to receive a valuable spellbook from the age of magic. He hadn¡¯t believed the offer at first because all spellbooks from that age were thought to have disappeared; it seemed preposterous. However, he had received part of the spellbook as a down payment.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll be expelled from the Magic Tower if I¡¯m discovered.¡¯</em>


    The mage bit his lip. Despite the excitement, he was also afraid because expulsion meant his Circle would be destroyed. Yet he was still cooperating because the offer was too good to turn down.


    <em>¡®I have to admit that not all spellbooks from the age of magic are good, but all the spells written in the book I received were above Sixth Circle.¡¯</em>


    The mage was still at the Fifth Circle even after over ten years trying to reach the Sixth Circle, the level of the Seven Mages, due to hiscking skills. Even if he managed to reach the Sixth Circle, it wouldn¡¯t be easy for him to be one of the Seven Mages, judging from the current members. The lowest of the Seven Mage was a highly experienced Sixth Circle mage, so this mage¡¯s chance of bing one of the Seven was close to zero. However, a Sixth Circle mage who used ancient spells that no one else knew was a different story.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll learn all the ancient spells in the spellbook and then burn it. I can use some of the rtively worthless spells to negotiate with the Magic Tower for a position in the Seven Mage.¡¯</em>


    The mage¡¯s eyes filled with joy as he imagined his happy future. The difference in funding between an ordinary mage and the Seven Mages was astronomical. In addition, they could have quite a number of mages under theirmand.


    The mage¡¯s steps quickened.


    -Head to the number three shed in the north area of the pce. Find a ck horse in the fourth stall and search inside its toilet to find what you¡¯re looking for.


    In other words, the mage had to dig through horse dung, but he didn¡¯t hesitate to rummage through it as soon as he arrived. Before long, he located the other half of the spellbook and clenched his fists in delight.


    <em>¡®All I have to do now is get out of the Pce!¡¯</em>


    The mage didn¡¯t care if the assassination seeded or not. He did what he had been told and informed his contact about the change, so he¡¯d done his due diligence. His n now was to leave Swallow and seclude himself deep in the mountains to master the spellbook. Once the world forgot about him, he could return to fulfill his ambitions.


    However, the moment the mage stepped out of the shed, he had to abandon the happy future he had been imagining.


    ¡°You look awfully happy.¡±


    ¡°H-How¡­?¡±


    ¡°Just give me that thing you¡¯re holding. I want to know what the hell they paid you to make you do something that crazy.¡±


    The mage swallowed. He had been constantly using his mana to check for someone following him, but he hadn¡¯t thought about checking the sky. Well, no one would have expected to be tracked from the sky, much less by the empress of Swallow by all people.


    ¡°Wh-What are you talking about¡­?¡± the mage stammered, feigning innocence.


    ¡°I heard everything, so stop pretending you don¡¯t know anything. It¡¯s getting annoying at this point. Just give me that thing if you don¡¯t want to die right now.¡± Anna flicked her hand and knights came rushing toward the mage.


    The mage watched the knights surrounding him like a forest of swords and fell into despair. It was obvious now that he had fallen into a trap. Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t move in such an orderly manner.


    ¡°How¡­ did you find out?¡± the mage asked in an utterly hopeless voice. He wasn¡¯t looking at anyone, but it was clear to whom the question was directed.


    ¡°A handsome, clever guy gave me a heads-up,¡± Anna replied with a bright smile.


    * * *


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± Kireua tilted his head. ¡°Are you going to go down without a fight?¡±


    Duke Voltaire frowned. ¡°You act like this ambush doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you because it¡¯s my concern.¡±


    ¡°¡­Did you know that was going to happen?¡± Voltaire asked in a serious voice.


    Kireua shrugged. ¡°Well, I considered the possibility. That¡¯s why I asked for your protection when I used the teleportation gate.¡±


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Voltaire had nothing to say anymore. It wasn¡¯t as if Kireua was the one behind this ambush. Instead, Voltaire shouted, ¡°Who are you people!?¡±


    Masked people in white clothes surrounded Voltaire¡¯s group on the ground and in the trees and had Swallow-made longbows, which were considered the best in the continent, pointed at them. Since Swallow longbows were usually used by people who could utilize mana, it was clear that the group was going to sustain great damage if the archers loosed their arrows, especially given how close they were.


    Which was why Voltaire was vignt.


    ¡°What in the world are they doing?¡±


    However, not a single arrow left the string no matter how long he waited. The archers simply pointed their arrows to prevent Kireua and the others from making a move.


    The deadlock shifted when one of the masked ambushers ran toward their apparent leader and whispered something into his ear.


    ¡°¡­Is that so?¡± The captain took a step toward Kireua¡¯s group. ¡°Your fate has just been decided.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Voltaire¡¯s brows furrowed.


    ¡°All of you will die here today.¡±


    A bright light burst out of the ground where Kireua¡¯s group was standing.


    ¡°M-Magic circle!¡± Voltaire spat.


    It seemed their assants had already finished their preparations because the circle was activated in no time.


    When the light slowly faded away, the knights realized that they were sinking into the ground.


    ¡°It¡¯s a s-swamp!¡±


    The swamp slowly swallowed the knights.


    ¡°E-Everyone, get out of here!¡± Voltaire shouted.


    The archers finally let go of their nocked arrows.


    ¡°Ugh!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡±


    ¡°W-We can¡¯t dodge the arrows because of the swamp!¡±


    The knights who managed to get out of the swamp were the first to be hit by the arrows. The casualties multiplied very quickly, but the arrows weren¡¯t the only problem.


    As one of the knights tried to pull out his feet from the sucking swamp, he unwittingly nced to the side and gasped.


    His colleague looked green.


    ¡°Y-Your face¡­¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What about my face¡­ Augh!¡± The other knight coughed up a mouthful of blood.


    ¡°The sw-swamp is poisoned!¡± the knight shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Fuck, fuck!¡± Voltaire cussed.


    ¡°Take out the captain first to disrupt their chain ofmand,¡± Kireua calmly suggested.


    Voltaire red at Kireua, his teeth gritted. ¡°Do you think you¡¯ll be safe if the rest of us die here!?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s precisely what I¡¯m trying to avoid here. I didn¡¯t say anything about sitting out this fight, you know, but you¡¯re our leader right now. You should fight in the front so that I can try something.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡± Voltaire cussed again before giving outmands. ¡°Knights, get into a defensive formation!¡±


    They were in a swamp, so their movement was restricted. However, the knights maintained theirposure as they got into a formation.


    ¡°Oh!¡± Kireua eximed.


    As soon as the formation waspleted, Voltaire leaped out of the swamp, with an agility that made it clear that he was no ordinary knight.


    <em>¡®Let¡¯s use this chance to see how good one of the best knights in Swallow is,¡¯</em> Kireua leisurely thought.


    In contrast, Voltaire used his full power to rush toward the enemy captain.


    ¡°You!¡± Voltaire unleashed his radiant aura through his sword.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed. <em>¡®He isn¡¯t just an experienced Master. It wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration to say that he¡¯s reached the highest level a Master can reach.¡¯</em>


    Voltaire truly lived up to his reputation. However, Kireua couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much stronger Aaron del Killian was to put a man like Voltaire on edge.


    A sudden shift in the air made Kireua stiffen. Three of the masked assants had surrounded him. It didn¡¯t take long for Kireua to realize what their goal was because of the intense murderous energy they directed at him.


    ¡°¡­I still have many guards left,¡± he muttered. ¡°You can¡¯t take the king yet.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully rxed, Kireua Sanders, but I came here for your head today.¡±


    Kireua grinned. ¡°You know, I actually owe someone a favor.¡±


    The air subtly hummed. The source was perfectly clear.


    ¡°What are you trying to do¡­?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there. Kill him!¡±


    The three people pounced at Kireua, but he was quicker. He carved a pair of slits in the air, and two figures jumped out from them.


    The three ambushers cried out in dismay when they realized the two figures¡¯ identities


    ¡°What!?¡±


    ¡°A queen is the strongest piece in chess, and it¡¯s always next to a king,¡± Kireua informed them, his voice tinged with mirth.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    ¡°You can im checkmate after you beat my guardians here,¡± Kireua continued with a wide grin.


    The golems began to take action.

 Side Story Chapter 285

    Side Story Chapter 285


    ¡°Take some of the Vaikals with you,¡± Arash said to Kireua before he went through the teleportation gate.


    ¡°What are Vaikals?¡±


    ¡°You and I both believe that Duke Killian will start something, right? Then it¡¯ll most likely be right after you teleport because that will be your most vulnerable moment.¡±


    ¡°So these Vaikals will protect me in case the Killian family attacks me? What in the world are they?¡± Kireua asked.


    ¡°They¡¯re golems.¡±


    ¡°What? Golems?¡±


    ¡°Yes; Her Majesty will exin the details. In fact, she¡¯s testing them out right now, but even she and I can¡¯t fathom their exact strength.¡± Arash shrugged.


    ¡°In other words, they¡¯re going to be my guards on their trial run. Are these golems reliable? They¡¯re just monsters made by mages, aren¡¯t they¡­?¡±


    ¡°You have to trust them even if it bothers you. Should they fail to meet our expectations, I¡¯ll have to change my ns entirely.¡±¡°Alright,¡± Kireua agreed with a nod. ¡°Well, more guards will make things easier for me.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much. Duke Killian won¡¯t be able to mobilize too many of his troops if Duke Voltaire is personally guarding you. The attackers will retreat on their own after scaring your group a bit unless they want to die with you.¡±


    * * *


    And that was how golems ended up there to protect Kireua.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Kireua was witnessing the golems¡¯ power first-hand. They were only as big as adult males, but they moved so smoothly and nimbly that the masked people, who were all Experts at the least, couldn¡¯t even touch the golems with their swords. Even if the assants managed to hit the golems from time to time, they couldn¡¯t so much as leave a scratch on the golems¡¯ stone bodies.


    After a short melee, the golem crushed the ambushers¡¯ heads and then quietly looked back at Kireua. A shiver went down his spine. He swallowed nervously; at first, he had thought that maybe that the ambushers were weak, but they weren¡¯t.


    Voltaire was going up against another three of the ambushers on the other side, but he appeared to be struggling. The ambushers were facing down one of the strongest people in Swallow and yet they were handling Voltaire with perfect teamwork.


    In addition, Kireua could see vague figures behind the masked people.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re all low-level, but every one of them has an authority,¡± Kireua muttered to himself.


    He stiffened. Authorities themselves weren¡¯t special, but how was he able to instantly recognize that those figures belonged to low-level gods? He had never been up in the heavens nor met a god. Although he considered the possibility that it was because of the energy that the ambushers exuded, Kireua concluded that that couldn¡¯t be it. Coju and the power of Wrath had been worryingly quiet, so Kireua spected that he might have absorbed their memories.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Voltaire cussed at the top of his lungs.


    All the ambushers were more skilled than he had expected. Kireua¡¯s group outnumbered them two to one, but the ambushers were using the environment and poison very efficiently. On the other hand, Voltaire¡¯s knights had to hold their breath and fend off iing arrows while trapped in a swamp, so they were being helplessly picked off.


    ¡°Arghhhhhhhhh!¡±


    When he¡¯d lost half of his knights, Voltaire exploded in anger. Without any concern for aftereffects, he poured out his aura like a flood. Flesh was destroyed in three violent bursts of power.


    Voltaire panted after ying his three assants. That was enough for Kireua to know that he and the others were dealing with formidable enemies; he was lucky that he had the golems up his sleeve.


    Voltaire stomped on the crystal ball that was creating the swamp, venting his anger.


    After a short hum, the ground turned firm again and poison fouling the area quickly disappeared.


    ¡°Shit. Those vermin¡­¡± Voltaire grunted.


    The ambush wasn¡¯t done just yet. The moment the crystal ball was destroyed, all of the archers shot their arrows at Voltaire.


    Of course, Voltaire wasn¡¯t someone who would be hit by arrows. Even if the archers were using Swallow-made longbows, he was one of the two pirs that supported the Swallow Empire.


    But then, Voltaire trembled as if he was having a seizure. It was such a shock that even Kireua¡¯s jaw was on the ground. Voltaire had managed to parry and dodge hundreds of arrows, but he missed one sword.


    ¡°You¡­¡± Voltaire whispered.


    The sword belonged to the only person who was wearing ck clothes, in contrast to the white clothes of all the other ambushers. His sword had gone right through Voltaire¡¯s right shoulder. If Voltaire hadn¡¯t turned his torso at thest moment, it would have been a fatal blow through the heart. But the most surprising part was¡­


    ¡°Zeratus¡­? That¡¯s a high-level god¡­¡± Kireua mumbled.


    The figure of the god behind the person in ck clothes was Zeratus, a god known for his stealthiness. Although the clothes also stood out, this person was the only one who had a high-level god¡¯s authority. Their presence was outstanding.


    ¡°¡­This should be enough of a warning,¡± the person in ck clothes murmured.


    ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Consider it an honor, Duke Voltaire. Had our orders not changed at thest moment, none of you would have left this ce alive.¡± The person turned to look at Kireua.


    -This isn¡¯t the time for you to be here, Kireua Sanders.


    -¡­What¡¯s that supposed to mean?


    However, the conversation ended there.


    ¡°We¡¯re retreating,¡± the person instructed those in white clothes.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    The people in white clothes were already ready, so they were gone quickly. However, Voltaire wasn¡¯t willing to let them go just yet.


    ¡°Where do you¡­ Agh!¡± Voltaire coughed up blood before he could strike the fleeing ambushers. He stared at the blood, eyes widening. ¡°No way¡­ Poison?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll be in touch, Duke Voltaire,¡± the person in ck clothes said before vanishing into thin air.


    Voltaire stared nkly at the empty space for a moment and sank to the ground.


    ¡°Yo-Your Grace!¡±


    His knights quickly ran toward him.


    ¡°Move the wounded! Contact the pce to get priests here! Anyone who¡¯s poisoned, move to the right! ¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch the corpses! You might get poisoned too!¡±


    The knights sorted out the site in an orderly manner, but only ny out of two hundred knights could move around.


    <em>¡®It took one ambush to ughter half of the Voltaire family¡¯s elite knights.¡¯</em>


    Kireua¡¯s eyes examined the situation sharply. Now he realized why Swallow had been keeping wary of the Killian family, but there were more troubling matters on his mind.


    ¡°...¡¯Now isn¡¯t the time for me to be here¡¯¡­?¡±


    ¡°Your Highness.¡± Voltaire¡¯s aide approached Kireua. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this is as far as we can escort you.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ You¡¯re leaving me after what happened? You¡¯re basically asking me to go kill myself.¡±


    ¡°Would you prefer to return to Swallow¡¯s capital with us? Keep in mind that we won¡¯t be using the Magic Tower¡¯s teleportation gates again because we can¡¯t trust them.¡±


    Kireua could understand why they would feel that way.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± He watched the knights help Voltaire to his feet and nodded. ¡°Well, okay. You all have gone through a lot, so I¡¯ll go back to Avalon on my own.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your understanding.¡± The aide left, satisfied now that he¡¯d gotten the answer he wanted.


    Despite what he¡¯d said, Kireua wasn¡¯t sure how he was supposed to find his way back to Avalon.


    A buzzinging from Kireua¡¯s inner pocket made him flinch.


    -Is everything okay?


    Kireua held up the crystal ball and saw Arash in her fox mask within. He couldn¡¯t see her expression because of her mask, but her voice sounded urgent for some reason.


    ¡°Okay? It¡¯s far from okay,¡± Kireua scoffed.


    -There has been an attack, hasn¡¯t there?


    ¡°You can hear the full story from the survivors. The attackers did retreat like you spected. Oh, yeah. Those monsters you called Vaikals or whatnot were incredible. Even Duke Voltaire had trouble dealing with the ambushers, but those Vaikals crushed them in no time.¡±


    -That¡¯s one silver lining. Did Voltaire¡¯s knights see the Vaikals?


    ¡°The knights probably did, since the Vaikals didn¡¯t exactly try to hide that they were protecting me.¡±


    -Okay. I¡¯ll take care of the rest. In any case¡­ Umm¡­ Phew.


    Arash¡¯s voice grew grim.


    ¡°Huh? Why do you suddenly sound so serious? You¡¯re making me nervous.¡±


    It was a long moment before Arash continued.


    -...You need to go back to Avalon right now.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to go bac¡ª¡± Kireua froze up, overwhelmed by an ominous premonition. ¡°¡­What did you hear?¡±


    Ill omens always came true, and this time was not an exception.


    -There¡¯s a problem in Avalon. O-Of course, Swallow¡¯s intelligence agency only just reported this, so it hasn¡¯t been verified¡ª


    ¡°Get to the point already! What did they say!?¡± Kireua shouted.


    Arash bit her lip..


    -...Avalon¡¯s capital was conqueredst night.

 Side Story Chapter 286

    Side Story Chapter 286


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡± Kireua yelled.


    He couldn¡¯t believe that Arcadia had fallen, so he pulled out the crystal ball which was used exclusively to contact the Imperial Family of Avalon and infused his mana into it.


    ¡°Iruca! Answer me!¡±


    Kireua didn¡¯t get any response back. The ominous feeling grew stronger.


    -I¡¯m sorry.


    She felt guilty because Kireua would have returned to Avalon long ago if that hadn¡¯t been for bis¡¯s execution.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll find a way back to my country on my own,¡± Kireua said.


    -Take the golems with you!


    Anna¡¯s interruption caught Arash by surprise.-Your Majesty, although I¡¯m aware that it¡¯s an emergency, the Vaikals are Swallow¡¯s treasures, so he should return¡ª


    -They¡¯re mine, and I¡¯m saying that I won¡¯t ept them back! Hey, you stone blocks! You can hear me, can¡¯t you?! Protect him! If I see so much as a scratch on him, I¡¯ll dismantle you guys and build walls out of you!


    Kireua could hear humming sounds from his subspace as if the golems were responding to Anna.


    -Why are you doing this¡­? It will make our n very difficult, you know.


    Of course, Arash¡¯s attempt to dissuade Anna didn¡¯t work.


    -You don¡¯t have to be that stiff about it. People should help out each other in times of need¡ªand there are five Vaikals, so we can spare two of them. Besides, I¡¯m an elemental spirit mage¡ªone of the strongest around


    Arash ended up caving to Anna¡¯s stubborness.


    -<em>Phew</em>. Prince Kireua, I pray for your safe return. Ah, I contacted the Magic Tower to help you.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Kireua had no reason to linger any longer, so he tried to end the conversation there.


    -Don¡¯t get hurt! Don¡¯t overwork yourself! Don¡¯t cry because I¡¯m not there with you! You¡¯d bettere back no matter what! That¡¯s a promise, okay?!


    Anna¡¯s shouting brought a weak smile to Kireua¡¯s face. ¡°¡­Yeah, I promise.¡±


    Arash¡¯s reflection in the crystal ball disappeared.


    Right after that, a huge light shed near Kireua. Not only Kireua but also Voltaire and his knights, who had yet to leave the site, were startled by the fluctuations in the local flow of mana.


    ¡°Wh-What is with this mana¡­?¡± Voltaire mumbled, his painful injury momentarily forgotten.


    The man who walked out of the fading light made Voltaire¡¯s jaw drop.


    ¡°I received the call. I¡¯m sorry for mismanaging my mage¡­¡± the man with light green hair quietly said.


    It was obvious even in Voltaire¡¯s eyes that the man possessed an incredible amount of mana¡ªa truly one of a kind amount of mana.


    ¡°T-Tower Master¡­?¡± Voltaire stammered.


    This man must be Thetapirion Whitesox, the only Eighth Circle mage alive.


    ¡°I-Is the woman beside him his guard? I didn¡¯t know that Prince Kireua knew the Tower Master personally, though¡­¡±


    Even if it was a mage from the Magic Tower who had started this incident, Voltaire had never heard of the Tower Master himself personallying to make an apology and make amends.


    However, Kireua¡¯s attention was elsewhere.


    ¡°Isaac¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I met her when I arrived in Swallow. You know her, don¡¯t you? Anna¡­ <em>Ahem</em>. The new empress of Swallow told me to take her with me, so here we are.¡±


    ¡°Have you been following me?¡± Kireua asked Isaac.


    She nodded. Although Kireua was aware that Isaac had been following him, he hadn¡¯t expected her to show up right now.


    ¡°What in the world are you trying to pull?¡± Kireua unleashed his murderous energy.


    Isaac was the Martial Emperor¡¯s daughter, meaning that she held tremendous status both within Hubalt and without. It would be considered self-defense if Kireua crushed Isaac¡¯s head there and then.


    Isaac noted the bloodlust in Kireua¡¯s eyes and shrugged. ¡°The empress of Swallow is head over heels for you and yet she still allowed me to join you. I¡¯m sure that counts for something.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you again. What scheme are you trying to start this time?¡±


    ¡°I want to meet Bel.¡±


    Kireua scowled. ¡°Do you seriously think I¡¯d help you?¡±


    ¡°Did you forget that Bel is my fiance?¡±


    In contrast to Kireua, who already knew the fact, Theta¡¯s eyes widened into little moons.


    ¡°Bel? Are we talking about Bel, the Battle God?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s true that Arcadia has fallen, it would be a good idea to bring me in case you need to make a hostage exchange.¡±


    Kireua had a feeling that this was why Anna had given Iruca permission. Since he knew that he was taking out his anger on someone who didn¡¯t deserve it, Kireua quickly quelled his murderous energy.


    ¡°If you need something to trust me, I¡¯ll make a Mana Ple¡ª¡±


    ¡°Forget it.¡± Kireua turned to look at Theta. ¡°Will it take long to install a teleportation gate?¡±


    Isaac was perplexed by the sudden shift, but Kireua didn¡¯t even nce at her again.


    ¡°Who do you think I am?¡± Theta confidently answered¡ªbut a bitter smile spread across his face. This was not a good time for him to be pompous. ¡°One of my mages is responsible for this incident, so although the Magic Tower will officiallypensate you, this teleportation is on the Magic Tower. I¡¯m not sure this will be enough, but¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. It¡¯s not like you can personally manage all your mages.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate that.¡± Theta¡¯s face brightened slightly. ¡°It¡¯s quite a distance, but only two of you are going to teleport, which means I don¡¯t need to make a gate to teleport you guys. I can do it on my own¡ªbut the problem is the jamming barrier around Avalon..¡±


    Theta pulled out a finger-sized golden artifact. ¡°This is an ancient treasure that lessens a barrier¡¯s effect. I recently found it while exploring a ruin; I never thought I¡¯d use it like this.¡±


    ¡°It sounds valuable. Are you sure about using it right now?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more scared of getting on your father¡¯s bad side than using this thing. Just put in a good word for meter.¡±


    ¡°¡­Of course. Does this mean we can get to Avalon right away?¡± Kireua asked, clinging to the thread of hope that Theta had offered to him.


    Knowing how Kireua felt, Theta nodded with a smile. ¡°Come over here and hold on to me. We¡¯re heading to Avalon right away.¡±


    * * *


    In a corner of Avalon, a light red into being. Just as Theta had said, he and his two passengers had arrived at Avalon in no time. However, there were some side effects. Theta¡¯s legs gave out and Kireua had to jump to prop him up.


    ¡°A-Are you okay?¡±


    ¡°...Teleportation certainly consumes a lot of mana, even for me,¡± Theta said in a weak voice.


    Not only was group teleportation a Eighth Circle spell, one of the highest, but the trio had traveled a great distance, from the border all the way to the capital. On top of that, he had breached a jamming barrier too¡ªa feat of magical power even if Theta had an artifact to help him. However, all his hard work bore fruit.


    ¡°This is¡­¡± Kireua almost choked up. In fact, he might have wept if he was alone.


    They stood on a familiar mountain located behind Arcadia.


    ¡°Judging from the look on your face, I take it we¡¯re at the right spot¡­ I set the coordinates at the central za, but the jamming seems to have affected the teleportation a little more than I expected,¡± Thetamented.


    ¡°Uh, what? If the teleportation had been affected more than this¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°Well, it can¡¯t get worse than dying together,¡± Theta cheerfully answered.


    Kireua was grateful. Not many people would risk their lives just to take responsibility for someone else¡¯s transgressions.


    ¡°It looks like we aren¡¯t far from the peak. Shall we examine the situation in the pce from above? ¡±


    ¡°¡­Okay.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m sorry to tell you this¡­ but I won¡¯t be much of a help anymore,¡± Theta informed Kireua with genuine regret. ¡°This group teleportation exhausted my mana. Phew. It¡¯s embarrassing to say this as a Eighth Circle mage, but I¡¯m about to pass out here.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done more than I could ask for. I¡¯m truly grateful to you,¡± Kireua said before striding toward the peak, quickly followed by Theta and Isaac.


    Before long, they arrived at the peak. Even Isaac, who usually remained expressionless, gasped slightly when she saw the beauty of Arcadia arrayed before her.


    In contrast, Kireua¡¯s lip was quivering.


    ¡°<em>Huff, huff</em>. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Theta panted.


    Kireua pointed to the top of the pce without turning to look at Theta. ¡°Over there¡­¡±


    Ordinary people couldn¡¯t possibly see anything at such a distance, but that wasn¡¯t a problem for Kireua.


    ¡°¡­Hubalt¡¯s g is flying on the top of the Pce,¡± Kireua whispered.


    ¡°What?!¡± Theta yelled.


    ¡°You¡¯re right¡­¡± Isaac nodded in agreement.


    More worryingly, not a single person could be seen on the ramparts or near the gates. Avalon was at war, so guards should have been patrolling the area at all times. In addition, not a scratch could be seen on the buildings that had been rebuilt after the Four Pdins¡¯ attack.


    ¡°Whew¡­ Maybe you¡¯re mistaken because it¡¯s too far away,¡± Theta spected. ¡°If Arcadia has fallen like we heard, the whole city should be aze¡­¡±


    Kireua also thought that it was odd that they couldn¡¯t find any traces of battle in Arcadia.


    ¡°Bel wouldn¡¯t do that,¡± Isaac announced.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t care aboutnd or trophies. He¡¯s only interested in fighting.¡± Isaac could see Arcadia in detail, as she was also over the level of a Superhuman.


    ¡°Hey,dy. Not all people agree with their leader¡¯s principles. Think about why I¡¯m here right now,¡± Theta said.


    Isaac shook her head. ¡°Even if Bel didn¡¯t care, his Martial Knights would have given strict orders not to harm civilians under any circumstances since it would be more harm than benefit.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ You really don¡¯t hesitate to get the facts straight even if it¡¯s our first time meeting each other, huh?¡± Theta narrowed his eyes.


    Kireua had an idea of what Isaac was talking about. Hubalt was already considered a rogue state for starting the Second Continental War, so if their knights also engaged in typical war crimes like plunder, arson, and rape, the empire¡¯s reputation would end up in the gutter. Since Hubalt wished to unify the continent, it should avoid any damage to its reputation at all costs.


    ¡°But it¡¯s still strange. Casualties and damages are inevitable side effects of battle¡­ It¡¯s like everyone ran away even before the enemy got through the gates¡­¡± Isaac stroked her chin.


    ¡°Hey, hey. Even ignoring all of that, it¡¯s strange that Bel wouldn¡¯t think about plundering the pce. That Pce used to be an impregnable fortress and it¡¯s never been breached since the Martial God became the emperor of Avalon. Have you ever thought how much treasure there is in that pce?¡±


    Kireua turned to leave.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll find out when we get there.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 287

    Side Story Chapter 287


    ¡°Of the one hundred members of the White Pir, six are dead and two received critical injuries. Thirteen of them are lightly wounded,¡± a person in ck clothes reported. Behind him were a group of people in white clothes who were prostrating themselves.


    ¡°Six of the White Pir are dead?¡± Aaron del Killian asked. ¡°The casualties are bigger than I expected¡­ Is that how strong Duke Voltaire is?¡±


    ¡°No, there were golems protecting Prince Kireua, duke.¡±


    ¡°Golems¡­?¡± Aaron''s eyes widened. ¡°She sent the Vaikals to be Kireua Sanders¡¯s guards?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, it seems our identities haven¡¯t been discovered¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, remember that the Vaikals were there. Both the Fox Master and that idiot Duke Voltaire know that I¡¯m the one who sent you.¡± Aaron sighed quietly. ¡°In any case, we now know that the Vaikals are as powerful as the legends say, so that¡¯s good¡­ It was lucky that you returned from your mission in time, Ninth Dagger. You¡¯re the only reason why the casualties are as light as they are.¡±


    ¡°I am your dagger. Command me.¡±


    ¡°I already feel reassured, but you¡¯ve done all you can for now. This attack will suffice as a warning.¡± Aaron smiled faintly.


    The attack was enough to show Aaron¡¯s resolve and demonstrate that he didn¡¯t care about the new empress. He was fullymitted to seizing control.¡°My original n was to kill that arrogant prince just to be sure¡­¡±


    Even if it hadn¡¯t been for Aaron¡¯s personal reasons, Kireua had to die to stop the ridiculous talk about attacking Hubalt. It seemed that the world was on his side because he had received the reports of Arcadia¡¯s fall several hours ago. As soon as the news had arrived, Aaron changed his mind.


    ¡°Anger must have blinded Kireua Sanders after losing his home, family, and country. It would be rather good if he attacks the Battle God but ends up getting killed instead; Arcadia¡¯s fall will also serve as a good example to show those empty-headed nobles that they shouldn¡¯t make Hubalt their enemy¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your Grace!¡± Haron, Aaron¡¯s aide and brother, came running.


    ¡°Haron?¡±


    ¡°I just received a message from the pce.¡±


    The message was sent right after the Killian family¡¯s ambush. Arash was too clever to directly question Aaron, but¡­


    ¡°What is the message?¡± Aaron asked, his eyes boring into his brother.


    ¡°The message mentioned nothing about the attack on Kireua Sanders¡¯s party. Even Duke Voltaire didn¡¯t say a word when he returned home. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°...The message says that the new empress would like the Killian family to be the vanguard for the uing war against Hubalt,¡± Haron continued with difficulty.


    Aaron¡¯s eyes narrowed. Those who were born and raised in Swallow considered it an honor to be in the vanguard; it earned them the respect of the nobles and knights, and the emperor also rewarded the general of the vanguard general first after the war.


    The imperial order was actually a gesture of respect for the Killian Family, not an attempt to ostracize them¡ªor it would be, if it had been given under ordinary circumstances.


    ¡°¡­The Fox Master certainly used her head again. It seems our warning wasn¡¯t enough.¡±


    ¡°How shall we deal with it?¡±


    ¡°Is there any other news I should know about, beside Kireua Sanders¡¯s return to Avalon?¡±


    ¡°There is nothing in particr for now.¡±


    Aaron pondered for a moment before nodding. ¡°We should go stronger if our warning didn¡¯t work. Haron, go to the safe house and suggest to the people from Thran that tomorrow is the time for them to take revenge for the me Emperor.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow? You mean¡­¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll take over the pce a day before the mobilization order¡¯s deadline.¡±


    Haron''s eyes widened in surprise before he quickly lowered his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t weck justification?¡±


    ¡°Duke Voltaire dared to reign over the empire by using the new emperor, so we¡¯ll execute him for treason. That is our cause.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡±


    <em></em> *


    ¡°Duke Killian will probably attempt a coup,¡± Arash said.


    Anna jumped up from her throne. ¡°What?! ¡­Do you think he¡¯s feeling guilty?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s probably because he wants to sort out matters within the empire first, since things took an unexpected turn.¡±


    ¡°Are you talking about Avalon¡¯s capital?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He would have realized that the Battle God¡¯s martial prowess is beyond his expectations, so he¡¯s going to change his n. Since Hubalt is doing him a favor by conquering other countries, Duke Killian will attempt to take control of Swallow first and then prepare for a final battle against Hubalt.¡±


    Anna gaped at Arash for a moment before asking her something entirely unexpected.


    ¡°¡­What if Avalon wins the war?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Doesn''t it seem strange? It¡¯s been less than two days since we heard that Hubalt''s forces were nearing Avalon¡¯s capital. Yes, I know the Martial God isn¡¯t around and the Battle God is formidable, but I highly doubt that Hubalt would break Avalon¡¯s forces in less than two days. Avalon still has the Heaven¡¯s Mind and Selim Sanders, who¡¯s supposedly the greatest genius of his generation.¡±


    Arash peered at her thoughtfully. ¡°Do you think this is a ploy by Avalon, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Yes, because things don¡¯t add up to me.¡±


    ¡°¡­If it¡¯s true, I really want to know what is going on in the heads of Avalon¡¯s strategist¡ªas a fellow strategist.¡±


    ¡°We got sidetracked for a moment. Let¡¯s get back on topic. Does my strategist have a way of stopping the Killian family if they actually attempt a coup?¡± Anna asked, her head tilted.


    Arash nodded, a smile dancing on her lips. ¡°Although it bothers me that we sent away two of the Vaikals, you can leave it to me.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Before entering Arcadia, Theta scraped up every drop of mana he had left to cast all sorts of magic, from invisibility to silence spells, on Kireua and Isaac. But despite their precautions, they didn¡¯t see a single living thing even after they passed through the castle gates.


    ¡°Oh, well. I was going to show you how great an Eighth Circle mage¡¯s spells are, but I feel like I wasted my time.¡±


    Theta was noticeably pale.


    ¡°Not only can I not find the invaders, I can¡¯t detect any presences inside the buildings either.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s like we¡¯re in a ghost city.¡± Theta narrowed his eyes.


    However, Kireua¡¯s expression grew brighter as he went deeper into the city. The fact that he wasn¡¯t able to find any of Avalon¡¯s people on the streets was evidence that they had been safely evacuated.


    The problems urred when Kireua and the others neared the pce.


    A faint shing of metal made Kireua jump. Isaac noticed the sounds as well and came to a halt.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s fighting¡­¡± she murmured.


    Without a word, Kireua took the lead, quickly followed by Isaac and Theta.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡±


    Before long, they saw a host of Hubalt¡¯s knights and soldiers raising Hubalt¡¯s g all over the pce garden.


    ¡®They¡¯ve made themselves awfullyfortable in someone else¡¯s home,¡¯ Theta mouthed.


    However, the knights and soldiers were simply standing in their posts, and no signs of battle could be seen in the garden.


    <em>¡®Then where are the soundsing from¡­?¡¯</em>


    Kireua focused on his sense of hearing.


    The moment he hadid eyes on Arcadia, Kireua had sensed that something was off. He knew that Iruca and the Second Queen Consort weren¡¯t the kind of people who would simply flee the pce out of fear for their lives.


    <em>¡®¡­Wait a minute.¡¯</em> A memory shed across Kireua¡¯s mind.


    Theta had said earlier that even the Battle God would be tempted by the treasures safeguarded in the impregnable walls of the pce.


    <em>¡®The pce¡¯s secret vault!¡¯</em>


    That must be it. In the past, his father¡¯s undead legion had emerged from the vault to stop the demon army¡¯s attack. Simrly, Iruca and the Second Queen Consort would have¡­


    <em>¡®But His Majesty is away, so they can¡¯t bring the undead out of the vault. Then were they anticipating that I was going toe back¡­?¡¯</em>


    ¡°We have rats.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s thoughts were interrupted by a voice. He, Isaac, and Theta all turned their heads towards its source, and their eyesnded upon a group of dozens of knights whose skill was evident even at a nce.


    ¡°The Martial Knights¡­¡± Isaac whispered. She recognized the voice.


    Had Kireua infiltrated the pce alone, he wouldn¡¯t have been caught this easily.


    ¡°We ran into thest people we wanted to meet here.¡±


    ¡°¡­Is it because of me?¡± Theta looked embarrassed. ¡°I feel bad.¡±


    ¡°Tower Master, you¡¯re capable of protecting yourself, yes?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll get going first.¡± Kireua sprang forward without waiting for Theta¡¯s answer.


    Isaac hurriedly followed after him. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    ¡°¡­Those guys¡­ I know I screwed up here, but are you kidding me?¡± Theta deactivated the now-useless spells with a frown.


    ¡°Go after them.¡± The Martial Knight gestured at Isaac and Kireua with his chin.


    ¡°Sir!¡±


    Most of the Martial Knights chased Isaac and Kireua while the rest surrounded Theta.


    ¡°The Martial God¡¯s son is something, alright,¡± Theta mused. ¡°He already assassinated the emperor of Hubalt and challenged the powers that be in Swallow. Right after he returns home, he chooses to face the continent¡¯s strongest knights head-on...¡±


    ¡°What are you mumbling about?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing. I just have a feeling that he¡¯ll be the one to unify the continent after this, not you guys,¡± Theta answered as his Circle began to churn. ¡°But I don¡¯t know if you guys need to worry about that.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Theta felt the wind around him grow stronger and smiled from ear to ear. ¡°You¡¯re fighting against me, Thetapirion Whitesox.¡±


    Even if a tiger was tired, it was still a tiger, and a tiger wouldn¡¯t be defeated by puppies.

 Side Story Chapter 288

    Side Story Chapter 288


    ¡°Your Grace! A messenger from the pce has arrived!¡±


    Aaron del Killian¡¯s eyes popped open in surprise. He had been lost in his thoughts after sending away Haron; because Haron had reported to him that the Killian family was to be the vanguard of the uing war, Aaron knew that Arash and Voltaire were going to take action¡ªbut this was too fast. On top of that, the person now standing in front of Aaron was a Rank One messenger who only delivered imperial orders.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Grace.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Aaron groaned quietly and reluctantly rose from his seat.


    Regardless of the circumstances, such messengers were considered equal to the emperor when they were delivering an imperial order.


    Once Aaron quietly got down on one knee, the messenger began.


    ¡°Aaron del Killian. I would like to convene all dukes at the Supreme Council to discuss various matters, such as who shall be the vanguard and the details of our strategies for the uing war. I herebymand you to make your way to the Pce as soon as you receive this order¡­¡±


    Aaron cussed silently as the messenger spoke. He had nned to start his coup tomorrow, but the empress had decided that today out of all possible days was the one that she would summon him to the pce.


    <em>¡®Is that a trap?¡¯</em> Aaron wondered.The chances were high, but he had no other choice. If he didn¡¯t answer the empress¡¯s summons, he would be suspected of plotting something. He needed to buy at least half a day so that Haron could ry the ns to Thran and for their forces to arrive.


    <em>¡®This must be Fox Master¡¯s n too. She¡¯s clever, alright.¡¯</em> Aaron sat back in his seat, tapping his armrest after the messenger had left. He spent a moment trying toe up with a solution, but none came to mind. Even if he pretended he hadn¡¯t received the message and stayed cooped up at home, Arash would make a move first.


    ¡°I have no other choice.¡± Aaron let out a sigh and grabbed his jacket.


    In truth, he was confident that no one in the pce could harm him even if he was walking into a trap.


    ¡°Y-Your Grace, are you really going to go?¡±


    Aaeron¡¯s vassals were waiting for him in the garden after they¡¯d heard about the messenger¡¯s arrival.


    ¡°It¡¯s an imperial order, so I must obey,¡± Aaron answered with a shrug.


    ¡°It might be a trap.¡±


    ¡°Even better, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Pardon? Wh-What do you mean¡­?¡± one of the vassals stammered.


    ¡°It saves us the trouble ofing up with a cause.¡±


    The vassals'' eyes widened. If this summons was a trap to eliminate Aaron and the public found out, the popce and the other nobles would be extremely critical of the new empress for grabbing for power instead of attending to the nation¡¯s affairs. Given that all the discussions about her ascent to the throne had been done within the pce and there hadn¡¯t been an official coronation yet, such criticisms would be quite troublesome for both the new empress and Arash.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be quite a sight if the entire empire rebels right after she takes the throne?¡± Aaron murmured.


    ¡°We¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. They¡¯ll make me enter the meeting room alone anyway.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Mobilize the troops and wait for me near the pce instead; that way, all of you¡¯ll be able to respond right away if it is a trap.¡±


    ¡°¡­Understood.¡± The vassal nodded firmly. ¡°We¡¯ll rally all of the family¡¯s troops near the pce.¡±


    It didn¡¯t matter if the move would get on the empress¡¯s nerves because it was meant as a warning that no one in the pce would be safe if Aaron was attacked.


    ¡°Hahaha. You guys are aggressive. The Fox Master is going to make sarcastic remarks as soon as I arrive, using me of starting a coup.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll at least stop them from getting any funny ideas.¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Aaron nodded, chuckling.


    However, it seemed highly unlikely that the imperial summons was a trap. Objectively speaking, the Killian family¡¯s troops were a lot stronger than the empress¡¯s. Even if Aaron were to die in the pce, his subordinates would remain loyal to him. Unless Arash and Voltaire wanted to die with him, they wouldn¡¯t attempt to attack Voltaire no matter how much they wanted his head.


    <em>¡®¡­Yet why do I still feel like something is off?¡¯</em> Aaron chuckled; it was probably because of Arash. He couldn¡¯t discredit her brilliance.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you a signal in any way I can if something happens. Storm the pce if you see it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Your Grace!¡± the vassals answered at the top of their lungs.


    * * *


    ¡°Wh-Where did he go?¡±


    ¡°Find him! He must be in the pce! That was Kireua Sanders for sure!¡±


    Hubalt knights shouted back and forth at each other. Even if they had authorities, they wouldn¡¯t be able to find Kireua, who was using the stealth technique taught to him by Aisha Sestropi, the Assassin King. Most likely, Kireua had been discovered because of Theta, who had only been using magic to conceal himself.


    -Where are you going?


    Kireua was startled to find Isaac behind him, still undetected too.


    -I didn¡¯t know you could be that stealthy.


    -I¡¯m better than most people when ites to physical skills. That¡¯s how my father taught me.


    Kireua nodded in agreement, knowing that Isaac¡¯s father was Zactor, the Martial Emperor.


    -You haven¡¯t answered my question.


    Kireua answered with a shrug.


    -Did you not hear what the Tower Master said earlier? I¡¯m heading to the secret vault.


    -What vault?


    -Just because the Battle God isn¡¯t interested in trophies, doesn¡¯t mean his people will feel the same.


    Kireua¡¯s destination should have been heavily guarded, but when he got there no one was around. Of course, Kireua could still sense many presence inside. He quickly blended into the shadows to get inside.


    <em>¡®I knew it¡­¡¯</em> Kireua¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    As expected, Hubalt¡¯s soldiers were carrying piles of gold bars and other treasures out on carts. However, Kireua was the prince of this country, so he knew that all of that treasure was trashpared to what was hidden inside the real vault.


    Kireua could sense something else deeper inside the fake vault.


    <em>¡®Those people are the real strong onespared to everyone else here¡¯</em>


    These people were looking for something near bookcases where antique books like <em>Avalon¡¯s History</em> were stored. Their guess was right¡ªthey were indeed near the entrance to the real vault.


    <em>¡®But even if they manage to find the entrance, they won¡¯t be able to open it. A special condition needs to be met like the other entrance to the underground.¡¯</em>


    Kireua hopped onto the ceiling and he rapidly crept closer.


    ¡°Who is it?!¡±


    Perhaps one of them had an authority which specialized in searching. However, Kireua wasn¡¯t the one who had been discovered.


    Like lightning bolts, the knights on the floor sprang toward Isaac, not Kireua.


    ¡°¡­Tsk.¡± Isaac lightly clicked her tongue and quickly swung her arm.


    <em>¡®I don¡¯t really want to save her, but I guess there¡¯s no other choice.¡¯</em>


    Kireua moved quicker. He had an idea of what Iruca and the Second Queen Consort¡¯s n was.


    <em>¡®Still, I could have failed to sneak in here¡­¡¯</em>


    Despite his grumbling, a wry smile spread across his face. Kireua knew that they would have ounted for all of this. His stealth technique was good enough to allow him to slit the throat of the emperor of Hubalt in the heart of his seat of power, so they must have believed that it was more than possible for him to sneak into the vault without getting caught.


    The reason why Iruca and the Second Queen Consort invested so much to lead Kireua here was that the Martial God was gone but his legacies were still dormant in the vault. The Martial God was supposed to be the only one who could use them, but Kireua, as his son, was also able to utilize them¡ªKireua already had experience with them.


    Kireua let a drop of his blood fall at a certain point. Some of the knights immediately turned, noticing that something was off. When they found Kireua, every one of them drew their swords.


    However, the secret door responded to Kireua¡¯s blood quicker than the knights.


    ¡°G-Go tell Sir Bel¡ªno, report to the Martial Knights first. We found it¡ª!¡±


    ¡°I think a ¡®thank you'' is in order for showing you what you guys were looking for,¡± Kireua shouted at the top of his lungs. ¡°Avalon¡¯s true treasures are in here!¡±


    Kireua managed to catch the attention of all of the knights in the area. Meanwhile, the door began to glow brighter and brighter, giving Isaac time to seek shelter beside Kireua.


    ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Kireua grinned.


    Isaac peered the door, too curious to answer Kireua. Avalon had been the strongest country on the continent for decades, so what could their true treasure be?


    ¡°Don¡¯t get your hopes up too much. For me, they¡¯re priceless treasures, but to those knights, they¡¯re curses that will haunt them forever.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    Before Isaac got an answer to her question, the ce crumbled around them like sand and the floor gave in, revealing the vast underground vault Kireua was familiar with.


    -¡­Get lost. This isn¡¯t a ce where vermin like you can dare to enter.


    A voice echoed inside the heads of Kireua, Isaac, and hundreds of Hubalt¡¯s knights, simr to a telepathic message, surprising even Kireua.


    In the center of the ominously empty space was¡­


    ¡°¡­A boy?¡± Isaac tilted her head in confusion. There stood a boy with lovely ck hair and eyes.

 Side Story Chapter 289

    Side Story Chapter 289


    Aaron del Killian strode through the pce. The Imperial Knights saluted at him, visibly surprised, but he didn¡¯t even give them a nce.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡±


    However, Aaron¡¯s sharp senses felt something simr to a cold drop of water falling on his nape; two knights were quickly scanning him as they walked away from him.


    ¡°¡­Good.¡± Aaron smiled crookedly as he continued to walk forward. He luxuriated in the tension in the pce. Lucifer, the Crimson Sky, had been an eyesore, but he was gone. The me Emperor, Aaron¡¯s longtime rival, had also perished. Today, the future of Swallow would be determined, and it was going to be Aaron¡¯s world.


    When Aaron arrived before the council chamber¡¯s tightly shut doors, the head butler announced his arrival.


    ¡°Presenting Duke Killian!¡±


    With a creaking sound, the door opened, and Aaron strode into the chamber without missing a beat.


    The chamber fell silent after the doors closed behind Aaron, but Aaron could sense numerous hidden eyes on him.


    No one was sitting on the throne.¡°¡­Fox Master.¡±


    The soft tap of footsteps broke the suffocating silence. Arash, with her fox mask, emerged from behind the throne.


    ¡°I was told that this is a strategy meeting. Have the other dukes not arrived yet?¡± Aaron asked.


    ¡°Yes; you¡¯re the first one to arrive.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s smile widened. ¡°I would say I¡¯m the first andst one to arrive.¡±


    Arash chuckled. ¡°I expected you toe even if you knew everything.¡±


    The Imperial Knights poured into the chamber from hidden cubbyholes. There were hundreds of them, at least.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot of people to take down one person.¡±


    ¡°After all, you are Duke Aaron del Killian.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m disappointed, Fox Master. I thought you were smarter than this.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Arash asked.


    ¡°Instead of eliminating me, you¡¯re just going to give me all the justification I need.¡±


    ¡°Do you actually believe you can escape?¡±


    Instead of answering Arash, Aaron unleashed his energy.


    The Imperial Knights froze up for a moment but quickly surrounded Aaron. Nevertheless, the storm of Aaron¡¯s energy only got stronger.


    ¡°As you pointed out, I am Duke Aaron del Killian,¡± he said with a shrug.


    ¡°Attack him!¡±


    The Imperial Knights rushed him from all directions like a deluge of steel, letting out battle cries to shake off their fear. Despite the rain of attacks, Aaron remained perfectly calm as drew his sword.


    Aaron vanished in the blink of an eye, and no one managed to follow his speed. They finally found him near the throne, a few steps away from Arash.


    He grinned, his eyes gleaming with savage glee. ¡°This is why I walked into your trap.¡±


    He had entered the council chamber alone, confident that he could not fail. Taking out the brilliant girl in front of him was thest stage of his great n to seize Swallow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have time for yourst words, so die now.¡±


    ¡°S-Stop him!¡±


    The Imperial Knights quickly turned to attack, but Aaron was faster. The edge of his sword was already diving for Arash¡¯s throat.


    His hand went numb. He frowned; a golem showed up out of nowhere and blocked his sword with its arm. Despite the fact that the sword was covered with aura, Aaron only managed to leave a scratch on the golem.


    ¡°¡­I guess you had a good reason behind your confidence,¡± he muttered.


    ¡°Aaron del Killian has attempted treason! Kill himmm!¡±


    ¡°Hah.¡± Aaron nced at Arash before quickly turning back to the knights. ¡°It changes nothing though. Watch me from there.¡±


    Aaron leaped nimbly into the air, leaving the knights no choice but to watch him. However, the knights remainedposed this time; there weren''t a lot of ces to flee in the air, so it was rtively simple to drive Aaron into a corner as long as they managed to deduce where he wouldnd.


    ¡°Wait for the moment he touches the ground!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cute that you think that¡¯ll work,¡± Aaron sneered.


    The air around his sword got colder. No one alive in Swallow was capable of blocking the technique Aaron was going to use. In addition, it was most effective in a fight where Aaron contended with multiple enemies at once.


    Ice slowly covered Aaron¡¯s sword as the cold air spread in every direction. His sword was the first to be covered in a bone-chilling storm before the storm erupted across the chamber. The cold was beyond cold; it would make these people scream such that even those in the heavens would be able to hear them.


    The Killian Family¡¯s Secret Technique Number Three: cial Hell.


    The aura Aaron unleashed quickly turned into ice, its coldness sweeping the knights around him.


    One of the knights gasped and fell on his bottom, narrowly managing to escape from the range of Aaron¡¯s technique. Winter arrived in the blink of an eye, freezing the knights¡¯rades.


    Aaronnded on the floor and casually stretched his wrist as he slowly turned to look at Arash.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve shown you some of my skills. How was it?¡±


    It only took a single attack to wipe out over a hundred knights at once. Arash must be shocked, although Aaron couldn¡¯t see her expression due to her mask.


    ¡°Is this all you can do?¡± Aaron asked. ¡°How disappointing. I could have overthrown the empire on my own¡­¡±


    Aaron was living proof that one Superhuman could decide the oue of a war.


    ¡°¡­You got stronger,¡± Arash finally said.


    ¡°You know nothing about martial arts. Can you tell?¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re confident.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you have more cards up your sleeves. Unless you seriously believe that those stone heads will be enough to stop me?¡± Aaron taunted with a thin smile. He leveled his sword at the throne.


    ¡°Then how about this?¡±


    Aaron cocked his head. Then he heard footsteps.


    After a moment, Aaron¡¯s lip trembled, the first chink in his confidence he¡¯d shown.


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    Thest people he had expected walked into the room, one after the other.


    * * *


    <em>¡®Creshua!¡¯</em> Kireua cheered.


    The ck-eyed boy was a ck dragon hatchling, not a human. Even then, Kireua felt something strange about the boy that made him reluctant to approach Creshua.


    <em>¡®¡­Why do I only sense His Majesty¡¯s presence from Creshua?¡¯</em> Kireua wondered. He would have noticed immediately if his father was borrowing someone else¡¯s body, but this was like the emperor was dormant inside Creshua¡¯s body.


    Creshua turned to look at Kireua, scowling.


    -Are you the one who opened the door?


    -Did I upset you?


    -Upset me? Yes, I guess it¡¯s a simr emotion. You opened the door because you thought I¡¯d take care of those people for you, didn¡¯t you?


    -Not really, but I have a question¡ª


    -You¡¯re annoying me. Why do I have to answer all of your questions?


    Kireua stopped sending messages. He didn¡¯t understand why Creshua was so hostile; it was like he was talking to an entirely different person. Above all, the mysterious energy that he could sense from Creshua bothered him too much.


    -Take care of those vermin around you first if you want to talk to me. I was nning to teach them a lesson anyway for crawling around above my ce, getting on my nerves.


    Creshua¡¯sst remark came as a relief to Kireua. Although he didn¡¯t know why Creshua had returned to the vault, Kireua knew how special it was to Creshua. Creshua would never let trespassers taint his memories of his time with his parent.


    -I¡¯ll get one fact straight before I leave. I didn¡¯t know you were here. I just came here to get what¡¯s mine.


    While Kireua could detect tens of thousands of enemies around the pce, he could also sense numerous other presences.


    Creshua¡¯s expression subtly changed.


    -Yours, huh? How many of those undead do you seriously think you will be able to bring with you? Hundreds? Thousands?


    -We¡¯ll find out soon enough.


    Kireua let the stinging murderous energy that was pouring onto him roll off of his skin as he took a sharp breath before activating both of his two Evil Sins¡ªWrath and Greed¡ªat once.


    -You¡¯re crazy¡­!


    Creshua¡¯s dismay Kireua didn¡¯t stop him from luring out the undead using his Evil Sins as bait.


    The entire vault shook as if an earthquake was taking ce under their feet. As Hubalt¡¯s knights screamed in panic, Kireua quietly said, ¡°Heed my call.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 290

    Side Story Chapter 290


    Aaron del Killian stared dumbly at the door. He had initially thought that the summon was a trap for him, so no one else woulde to the pce. It turned out that he was wrong.


    ¡°¡­Hahaha.¡± Aaron chuckled and leaned his sword against his shoulder.


    The people who arrived beside Arash were all of the other dukes of Swallow.


    Behind her fox mask, Arash smiled. ¡°I see that all the dukes have answered the summons.¡±


    ¡°Of course. It¡¯s me who gave the order.¡± Anna entered the chamberst, her chin pompously held high.


    The dukes gave Anna a disapproving look for a moment, but that was it.


    Voltaire, still suffering from his injury, boldly shouted, ¡°Surrender, Duke Killian.¡±


    ¡°Ridiculous. You never get up from your chairs, but you hauled ass just because a girl called you,¡± Aaron sneered.


    Anna narrowed her eyes irately. ¡°What did you say? ¡®Just because a girl called¡¯?¡±¡°I¡¯m especially surprised by you two, Duke Armis and Duke Lutby. I expected this from an empty-headed dunce like Duke Voltaire, but I thought you two were different.¡±


    The Dukes Armis and Lutby had been neutral until now. Swallow hadn¡¯t been an empire where the emperor and nobles were in power. It had been Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s country. The empire had existed for him and for him only. Under his reign, the empire had been quiet for decades.


    During those decades, many of the highest noble families had fallen and risen despite their status. However, Voltaire had seen an opportunity after Lucifer¡¯s first death and had used Arash to be the new power behind the crown.


    ¡°A legitimate heir to the throne has been found. What choice do we have but to follow her orders?¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you stop already, Duke Killian?¡±


    Armis and Lutby, the dukes who were already past the prime of their lives, attempted to persuade Aaron. Their words were backed up by the knights from all of the ducal families pouring into the chamber, packing its wide walls with bodies. In fact, their numbers were several times greater than the ones who had just been frozen; the dukes¡¯ vassals were here too.


    ¡°Do you really think you can get me with your army of ants?¡± Aaron smiled coldly as his sword was slowly covered in ice.


    The knights tensed warily, but two Vaikals immediately sprang forward, reaching out for Aaron¡¯s sword.


    The shing of boulders and metal filled the chamber. Although destroying these two Vaikals wouldn¡¯t have been a problem for Aaron under normal circumstances, it wasn¡¯t easy right now.


    The problem was the wind des that came flying whenever he tried to cut through the golems. It was clear where the wind des wereing from.


    ¡°¡­Fuck. Anna¡­!¡± Aaron bit his lip as he was pushed back. He continued to swing his sword, sparing a moment to look at Anna, who pompously gazed back at him.


    ¡°So those are our national treasures.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re incredible!¡±


    Armis and Lutby crowed over their first time seeing the Vaikals fight. Voltaire, on the other hand, was quietly heaving a sigh of relief. He hadn¡¯t even recovered from his previous injuries yet¡ªnot that it would''ve been easy to defeat Aaron even if Voltaire had already recovered. In fact, Voltaire knew without a doubt would lose to Aaron every single time. That was how absurdly strong Aaron del Killian was.


    So Voltaire was utterly astonished when Aaron suddenly leaped into the air and turned to flee from the chamber.


    ¡°That prideful Duke Killian is running¡­!¡± Voltaire hissed, his body trembling with excitement.


    Arash remained a lot more rational than Voltaire and quickly began shouting orders.


    ¡°Get him! Do not let him out of your grasp!¡±


    ¡°Yes, Fox Master!¡±


    The knights quickly went running to block the exit.


    ¡°Get out of my way, you ants!¡± Aaron yelled.


    It only took a single swing for Aaron to freeze all of the knights in his way, leaving the doorspletely unguarded.


    ¡°Th-Th-Those idiots¡­!¡± Voltaire clicked his tongue in disapproval, despite the fact he hadn¡¯t even thought about taking action himself.


    Just when Aaron smashed the door to escape, a gale blew across the chamber. Anna was using her wind spirit to chase after him.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty!¡± Arash shouted in surprise, her eyes glued on Aaron and Anna.


    ¡°Sit tight and wait for me there! If he sees me, he won''t want to miss the opportunity. He is going to stop!¡± Anna shouted over her shoulder.


    ¡°F-Follow her right now!¡± Arash managed to tell the knights despite her bewilderment.


    The knights quickly followed Anna and Aaron. Although Anna had a point, Aaron taking her hostage would be absolutely disastrous.


    ¡°Vaikals! Protect the ruler of this empire!¡± Arash yelled.


    Fortunately, the two Vaikals sprung into action.


    * * *


    The ground was wracked by tremors.


    As Kireua had experience dealing with undead, he knew that they fed on demonic power. Even though Kireua¡¯s demonic power couldn¡¯tpare to that of the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s in terms of quantity, it would be enough to bring out sufficient undead to match the enemy¡¯s numbers.


    <em>¡®I tried not to use demonic power whenever possible, but¡­¡¯</em>


    The Emperor of Avalon had said before that Kireua was currently simr to a dam filled to bursting, and Kireua instinctively knew that his demonic power was harming him more than anything else he was doing.


    Kireua put aside his lingering concerns for now.


    <em>¡®¡­Come. You people are desperate to get the Evil Sins, right? I have two of them.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Wh-Where did this earthquakee from all of a sudden?¡±


    The quaking got stronger over time; it was getting to the point that even the knights from Hubalt, who had ended up in the underground vault together with Kireua, were disturbed.


    -Let¡¯s continue our conversationter.


    -You¡­


    Creshua¡¯s face scrunched up in annoyance, but Kireua was focused on drawing out the energy of his Evil Sins. He had to bring out as many of the stronger undead as possible to minimize his people¡¯s casualties in the uing battle.


    -Roarrrrr!


    A colossal monster, the strongest presence among the undead in the vault, shot out of the depths of the vault, letting out a roar that seemed to be answering Kireua¡¯s desperate call.


    Creshua¡¯s head whipped around. ¡°A bone dragon!¡±


    The bone dragon flew higher, wing for the sky.


    Kireua still didn¡¯t stop unleashing his demonic energy, even though the delicate blood vessels in his eyes had already popped and he was shedding tears of blood.


    <em>¡®A little more¡­¡¯</em>


    ¡°A mo-monster¡­¡± one of the Hubalt knights mumbled in horror as he looked at Kireua.


    Although it was partially because of the Vaikals, who had appeared to guard Kireua, Kireua¡¯s overwhelming energy dissuaded Hubalt¡¯s knights from even dreaming about attacking him.


    -Roarrrrrrrr!


    The bone dragon let out another roar from the skies above the pce.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, on a hill not far from Arcadia, some people were quietly trembling from excitement as they watched the bone dragon ascend. The bone dragon was so big that they could clearly see it even at a distance.


    -Roarrrrrrrr!


    ¡°Nice! Kireua must have done it! I knew he would figure out what our n is!¡± Iruca cheered as she threw a punch into the air.


    However, the three Queen Consorts remained calm.


    ¡°I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for your cooperation. Thanks to all of you, the first stage of the n is sessful.¡± Charles bowed elegantly.


    After giving her stunned looks for a moment, the representative of Arcadia¡¯s citizens frantically shook his head. ¡°Please don¡¯t do this. It was for our own good, so of course we cooperated.¡±


    Charles, who was also one of the Five Merchants, had always been helping out the people of Avalon even before they had to evacuate Arcadia. When the entire city had been devastated by the pdins¡¯ attack, Charles hadn¡¯t hesitated to use her own money to provide free, temporary shelters for the people.


    Iceline was the next one to express her gratitude.


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°W-We hardly deserve this, Your Majesty.¡±


    Some of the other citizens, bewildered, quickly bowed back. Iceline, the First Queen Consort, was an esteemed mage; she had used her magic all day to restore the people¡¯s homes as quickly as possible.


    That was why all of the citizens of Arcadia had immediately followed the Queen Consorts when they had been told that they needed to evacuate; their obedience was one of their ways of expressing their respect for their rulers.


    And there was another Queen Consort who was about to recover the citizens¡¯ dear temporarily lost homes.


    Icarus climbed onto the tform built at the top of the hill. Below the tform, Iruca and many knights stood with resolute looks on their faces.


    ¡°¡­Proud knights of Avalon,¡± Icarus quietly said.


    ¡°Avalon!¡± The knights snapped to attention.


    ¡°It¡¯s time to begin,¡± Icarus solemnly continued. ¡°I herebymence Operation Clear Sky. Let¡¯s go and drive Hubalt from our country. We shall take back a sky without those war criminals¡¯ gs.¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    Knowing that today might be theirst battle, their cheers shook the hill like thunder.

 Side Story Chapter 291

    Side Story Chapter 291


    ¡°It¡¯s bold of you to try running from me.¡± Anna smiled coldly as she watched Aaron del Killian run.


    Cutting down any Imperial Knights who got in his way, Aaron leaped upstairs rather than flee outside. Anna didn¡¯t need to bother using the stairs since she had her elemental spirit.


    ¡°Where is he running off to?¡± Her eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she leisurely flew up to the top floor.


    It dawned on her that Aaron hade here because he was nning something else.


    When Aaron reached the end of the hallway, he turned to look at Anna and smirked provocatively before¡ªto Anna¡¯s surprise¡ªdiving through the window.


    ¡°That shit¡­¡± Anna murmured. She ran up to the window and saw that Aaron hadnded on the roof, not the ground.


    The moment Anna flew after him, Aaron began to speak.


    ¡°Our grandfather had an ancient Fifth Circle magic scroll that he treasured. But one day when we were young, the scroll was ripped in half in the middle of our home, devastating the entire garden, despite its size.¡±


    Anna paused and gave him a nk look. ¡°What? Are you seriously walking down memoryne with me right now?¡±¡°Our grandfather was furious and searched high and low to find the culprit. The ident happened in the middle of the night, so, fortunately, no one was hurt. But our grandmother¡¯s favorite garden was literally reduced to ashes because the magic scroll contained a fire spell.¡±


    Anna remembered the day vividly. The servants had franticallye running out of the buildings, screaming about the fire.


    ¡°The ident could have been a catastrophe. It was too big to call it a prank that went wrong, so the family¡¯s knights took me away, along with my brothers. Killians are the only people who could have entered the family¡¯s vault where the scroll was stored, so all male members of the family were suspects.¡±


    ¡°I have a feeling this isn¡¯t you being sentimental¡­ What are you trying to get at?¡± Anna asked.


    ¡°My older brother was dubbed the culprit because a golden thread like those usually used to tie up a magic scroll was found in his room. Ultimately, he was disowned by the family,¡± Aaron went on, his eyes turning cold. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s when I started to hate you.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Anna trailed off, her lips curling into a faint smile. ¡°¡­You knew I was the culprit, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Aaron remained silent, which Anna took as a yes. As Anna suspected, Aaron had seen everything because he had been training his sword in the corner of the garden on the day of the ident.


    ¡°You¡¯re a wretch, Anna del Killian¡ªno, Anna bel Grace. I loathe you.¡± Aaron red at her.


    ¡°¡­That hurts a little. I still like you. We got along well.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aaron frowned, blindsided by her reply. ¡°Are you insulting me right now?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. I¡¯m simply speaking from my heart. Well, let me ask you a question now..¡±


    The knights were looking up at them, screaming something, but they were the least of Anna and Aaron¡¯s concerns right now.


    ¡°You saw everything that day, so why did you never speak up for your brother, even when he got kicked out of the family?¡± Anna inquired.


    Anna didn¡¯t miss how Aaron instantly stiffened.


    ¡°I¡¯m his brother. Without evidence, it¡¯s no use¡ª¡±


    ¡°I disagree,¡± Anna interrupted with a smile. ¡°Since your older brother was considered the best candidate to inherit the Killiant duchy when your father passed on, you must have thought that letting the family disown your brother would increase your odds of bing your father¡¯s heir. And you actually did be the Duke of Killian.¡±


    Anna raised her hand, cutting off Aaron''s protest before it could begin. ¡°I¡¯m not trying to get an answer out of you, and I know it¡¯s a fact, so don¡¯t try to deny it¡ªand you don¡¯t have to frown like that, because I understand you. Humans are selfish creatures. I framed your brother because I didn¡¯t want to get scolded, and you kept your silence to get power even though you knew that your brother would be exiled. You and I are the same.¡±


    Aaron was left speechless.


    ¡°Well, your father was the same,¡± Anna continued. ¡°My mother is his sister, but when a prince became her husband, he didn¡¯t even think about how vignt he was.¡±


    ¡°¡­Speaking of which, aren¡¯t you worried about your mother?¡±


    Anna had recently heard that her mother was alive and was in the Killian family¡¯s care, but¡­


    ¡°She¡¯s probably around her seventies by now, yes? She¡¯s lived long enough, so it¡¯s about time she leaves this world.¡±


    ¡°What? What the hell¡­!¡± Aaron choked down a string of curses. Although he called Anna a wretch, he had never imagined she would make such a crass remark about her own mother. His brow furrowed.


    ¡°¡­Well, she¡¯s already as good as dead. You have a tendency to underestimate me, Aaron.¡± Anna chuckled. ¡°Do you really think I would have done nothing after I heard you had her? It¡¯s been around ten years since my mother became a vegetable, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    Aaron had believed that Anna¡¯s mother would be a valuable hostage even if she was a vegetable, but, judging from Anna¡¯s reaction, he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong.


    Aaron frowned. ¡°¡­I forgot why you¡¯re called the vilest wretch in Swallow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I am~.¡±


    Aaron smiled coldly and changed his stategy.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how your mother got like that? After your father, Draxia bel Grace, was dered a traitor and you fled with him,¡± he continued without waiting for Anna¡¯s answer, ¡°your mother was dragged to the pce. Every fingernail, toenail, and strand of hair was pulled out, but she never told anyone about you and her husband¡¯s whereabouts.¡±


    Aaron chuckled. ¡°When I first heard the story¡­ I admired how loyal she was to her family, but it didn¡¯t take long to realize that I was mistaken. She actually didn¡¯t know where you were at all. Later, she cursed two of you. She called her husband a fucking bastard and her daughter a bitch; by that time, the pce had no choice but to believe that she really didn¡¯t know where you were.¡±


    Anna understood her mother, despite Aaron¡¯s spiteful retelling. Her mother was an ordinary person who hadn¡¯t been physically trained at all, so there was no way that she could have endured such horrible torture.


    ¡°She was no better than a walking corpse by the time she was sent back to our family. When she arrived, I spit on her face. It was my way of apologizing to my brother.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s low. You drove out your brother because you wanted power but you weren''t skilled enough to be Duke Killian on your own, and yet you had to get revenge to ease your guilty conscience.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. Someone¡¯s getting angry. Ever since her return, even the servants treated your mother with contempt. No one in the family considered her part of the family. Everyone spat at her whenever they saw her; her life as a nobledy of a duke¡¯s house could haven¡¯t been worse.¡± Aaron shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d call it fortunate, but she had extraordinary willpower and resilience. She didn¡¯t take her pathetic life.


    ¡°Hahahahaha! You¡¯ve been feigning nonchnce, but you¡¯re still human! Look at your face! If a witch from the fairy tales actually existed, she¡¯d like you, Anna!¡±


    As Aaron said, Anna¡¯s face was twisted into a vicious snarl.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. She¡¯s on her deathbed¡­ Yeah, take her if you still want to, but¡­¡±


    The lengthy conversation had given the knights time to climb up to the roof using windows and stairs. Of course, Aaron wasn¡¯t going to let them get in his way.


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°Arghhhh!¡±


    As soon as the knights set foot on the roof, Aaron struck them with his ice aura shes, freezing them or making them fall to the ground. Then he swung his sword once again, turning the rooftop into a frozen hell.


    ¡°¡­This is¡­¡± Anna could feel the cold air on her skin.


    She was surrounded by ice like a prison cell, trapping her inside with Aaron. There was a small opening above her head, but the cage was at least twenty meters tall, making it impossible for her to escape from Aaron.


    ¡°¡­You must have all the mana in the world to waste it like this,¡± Anna grumbled.


    ¡°Hahaha. I don¡¯t want any more interruptions. It¡¯s about time we stop running into each other.¡±


    Anna felt a surge of murderous energy surge toward her from Aaron. She quietly gathered her elemental spirit mana. In truth, there was a reason why she had been letting Aaron talk.


    <em>¡®Slowpokes. They¡¯re finally here.¡¯</em>


    Anna felt two vivid presences on the other side of the ice wall and smirked.


    Aaron could attack at any moment, but Anna was clever. She knew exactly how to create an opening in battle.


    ¡°¡­Do you want to know something important?¡±


    Aaron stopped, his eyebrows raised, as he was about to charge.


    ¡°The brother who got kicked out from the family because I framed him and you didn¡¯t help¡­¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°...is still alive.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s lip quivered, his energy fluctuating for the first time.


    At the same time, the Vaikals destroyed one side of Aaron¡¯s ice prison.


    Anna didn¡¯t let the opportunity slip out of her hands andunched apressed gust of wind at Aaron.

 Side Story Chapter 292

    Side Story Chapter 292


    Although Aaron was destroying sharp wind des with ease, his head was swirling with thoughts.


    <em>¡®My brother is alive?¡¯</em>


    It was something that had troubled his mind for a long time. In fact, he had searched for his brother in secret after bing duke because at that point he no longer had to worry about what his family would think of him. However, he couldn¡¯t find a single trace of his older brother.


    <em>¡®¡­I shouldn¡¯t let her sway me. Follow the n,¡¯</em> Aaron told himself as he reached into his inner pocket.


    There was a good reason why Aaron had created a hole in this ice prison.


    A magic firework stick. infused with Aaron¡¯s mana, flew up and exploded high in the sky.


    Anna looked at it and chuckled. ¡°You came out here to call reinforcements, huh?¡±


    ¡°Did you think I was running away because I was scared of those vermin?¡± Aaron sneered¡ªbut he was a little perplexed by how nonchnt Anna was.


    ¡°Speaking of running away, do you know why my father and I chose to flee to Avalon?¡± Anna casually asked.¡°What are you trying at now?¡±


    Despite his scorn, Aaron couldn¡¯t stop himself from listening. Although he was aware that he was letting Anna get to him, all of her questions were tickling his interest. Of course, he was also letting her tell her story to buy time for his reinforcements to arrive.


    ¡°It¡¯s because one of Avalon¡¯s princes¡ªa Kaiser ben Britten¡ªpromised to help us. But that wasn¡¯t the only reason. Your brother was also there.¡±


    Aaron''s eyes widened.


    ¡°My father always wanted to be the emperor of Swallow, and the biggest obstacles in his dream were Grand Duke Lucifer and the Killian family.¡±


    ¡°¡­So?¡± Aaron narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It might be possible to take care of Grand Duke Lucifer with Avalon¡¯s help, but Father needed a way to deal with the Killian family because thest thing he wanted was to hand over the throne to someone else on a silver tter.¡±


    Aaron could figure out the rest.


    ¡°Were you trying to make my brother join your side?¡±


    ¡°He would naturally join me and my father¡¯s cause once we helped him clear his name and be the duke of Killian.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous,¡± Aaron spat; he didn¡¯t even try to hide his contempt. ¡°I know how good-natured he is, but there¡¯s no way he would have helped you after he discovered the truth whether you made him duke or not.¡±


    ¡°The problem is solved if you keep the truth hidden. You might tell him the truth at the end, but by that time, he won¡¯t believe I¡¯m the culprit.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re scum, wretch. You¡¯re the reason why my brother¡¯s life was ruined and yet you still don¡¯t hesitate to mock him like that. Even I feel disgusted.¡±


    Anna grinned. ¡°To be honest, this whole conversation is meaningless because your brother already knows the truth.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°In fact, he thanked me. He needed a pretext to leave the family, and the incident just gave him a convenient excuse.¡±


    Aaron found it hard to believe that his brother wanted to leave the Killian Family voluntarily.


    <em>¡®¡­Bute to think of it, it was strange.¡¯</em>


    Even Aaron¡¯s grandfather had acknowledged his brother¡¯s talent, and Aaron¡¯s father, the heir apparent of the Killian duchy, had stood up for his brother, yet Aaron¡¯s brother had still been disowned from the family forever. Aaron had only been a boy, but his youth hadn¡¯t stopped him from realizing how cruel a punishment it was.


    ¡°All geniuses are like him.¡± Anna shrugged.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re awfully prideful and stubborn as a mule. Everyone in the family agreed that your brother was a genius, but there was a better genius than him in the family¡ªhis younger brother, no less.¡±


    ¡°¡­It was because of me?¡± Aaron nkly whispered.


    Anna nodded. ¡°Our grandfather and your father also knew about you and your brother, but your brother didn¡¯t want more people to find out¡­ With his pride, he couldn¡¯t tolerate being a worse martial artist than his own younger brother.¡±


    ¡°That¡­ was why he left the family?¡±


    ¡°Even though it would have hurt his pride, he might have stuck around if you didn¡¯t want to be the duke. In that case, he wouldn¡¯t have had to fight you and ultimately be defeated, which would prove to everyone that you¡¯re the real genius.¡± Anna let out a sigh. ¡°But you wanted the duchy.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous! I didn¡¯t even know how I felt back then, so how would my brother know that!?¡±


    ¡°You showed him by not telling everyone the truth.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes nearly popped out of his skull. <em>¡®He¡­ knew that I saw everything? How?¡¯</em>


    ¡°This is taking longer than I nned. Anyhow, there¡¯s a good reason why you couldn¡¯t find your brother,¡± Anna went on.


    ¡°...Why?¡±


    ¡°The day he was disowned, your brother abandoned his name and the sword. He didn¡¯t want anyone to recognize him, so he grew a beard and cut his hair short; he was slender before, but he trained himself to be a lot more muscr.¡±


    Which meant that Aaron¡¯s brother looked like an entirely different person now. Aaron could now understand why he couldn¡¯t find his brother. This kind of search was usually based on the missing person¡¯s swordsmanship and appearance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know his new name?¡± Anna asked.


    Her story had been building up to this very question. It seemed that she had done a good job, because she had Aaron¡¯s full attention.


    Anna smiled. ¡°Do you want to listen a little longer? It¡¯s going to get very interesting.¡±


    ¡°What¡­ are you trying to pull?¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. You say you doubt me and yet your eyes are sparkling with curiosity.¡±


    Aaron frowned, but Anna waved her hand.


    ¡°He¡¯s a mercenary now.¡±


    ¡°A mercenary¡­? My brother became a lowly mercenary to feed himself?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that was his only reason.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Social ss doesn¡¯t matter among mercenaries,¡± Anna inly stated. ¡°All anyone needs to reach the zenith and build a force of their own is their skill, so can we really look down on mercenaries?¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t change the fact that they¡¯re low-lives! They¡¯ll sell off their honor for the right amount of money!¡±


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good thing for me. It means that mercenaries are more than willing to take my side for enough gold.¡±


    ¡°Now you¡¯re¡ª¡±


    Before Aaron could finish his sentence, loud shouts were heard from all directions.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re finally here.¡± Aaron smiled contently. Letting Anna¡¯s tale drag on had proven worthwhile; now his army was entering the pce, prompted by his signal.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done talking.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I don¡¯t have a brother. I forgot his name long ago,¡± Aaron scoffed.


    ¡°His name? I can tell you that. Your brother¡¯s new name is Aiden.¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°He doesn¡¯t have a surname because he¡¯s currently a ¡®lowly mercenary¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­ You have to be kidding me.¡± Aaronughed dryly.


    Aaron, Anna, Aiden¡­ They were verymon names across the entire continent, indistinguishable unless it came attached to a special surname like ¡°del Killian¡±. However, the name ¡°Aiden¡± meant more to Aaron than most because it was none other than his father¡¯s name.


    ¡°It¡¯s his way of remembering his family and his father, who stood up for him until the end.¡±


    ¡°So where is my brother now?¡± Aaron demanded, his eyes narrowed.


    Once again, Anna¡¯s answer blindsided him.


    ¡°He¡¯s a lot closer than you think.¡±


    ¡°Ohaaaaaaaa!¡±


    As the shouts were getting closer, Aaron dissipated his aura, making the ice prison vanish like a shattering ss. Once he had a clear view, he looked down at the ground.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Aaron frowned. He had thought that it would be easy to take over the pce; he and his people had even figured out the size of the army in the pce before all of this. To his surprise, the pce was instead gripped by an intense battle¡ªand more people were fighting against the Killian family¡¯s forces than they had anticipated.


    Aaron couldn¡¯t help but wonder if there was a ce in the pce that could have hidden that many people until now. However, the clothes of the people who made up the majority of the pce¡¯s defenders caught Aaron¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Mercenaries¡­?¡±


    ¡°I told you that he¡¯s a lot closer than you think,¡± Anna reminded him.


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Aiden is actually also his old name because he abandoned it again after winning the Reinhardt Masters'' Battle. It¡¯s amon name, but he couldn¡¯t let anyone from the Killian family recognize him.¡± Anna smiled. ¡°Your brother is a genius too. Using his innate physical gifts, he became one of the best closebat fighters even though he only started learning after he was disowned.¡±


    At that moment, a thunderous explosion cracked through the air, originating from the pce¡¯s north gate.


    Aaron¡¯s head snapped around, his eyesnding on a huge man that stood atop the high gates.


    ¡°Protect our client!¡± the man roared.


    Aaron¡¯s face went pale. Only a fool wouldn¡¯t have realized that man¡¯s identity after all the conversation he¡¯d just had with Anna. Not many men in the world would be able to unleash overwhelming energy like that either.


    ¡°His new name is¡­ yes, it¡¯s Akshuller. Akshuller the Mighty.¡±


    Aaron clenched his teeth. ¡°The Mercenary King¡­!¡±


    Anna¡¯s lips curled scornfully. ¡°You know, the person who collected all the information and came up with this n is a smart little girl that you people call the Fox Master.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t she amazing? Even you couldn¡¯t find your brother, but she did.¡± Anna giggled.


    Aaron gritted his teeth and unleashed his murderous energy.

 Side Story Chapter 293

    Aaron couldn¡¯t pull himself together at all. He had broken through hordes of Imperial Knights to reach the roof where he could get a full view of Swallow. When he hadunched the fireworks, he had thought that it was all over and that victory was his¡ªbut now here was the Mercenary King!


    Aaron heard a whistling in the air and quickly took three steps backward, barely avoiding a man whonded right where Aaron had been standing.


    ¡°Has it been thirty years? No, it¡¯s at least forty years.¡±


    ¡°Ethan¡­!¡± Aaron muttered. He had buried that name deep in his head, but he recalled it the instant heid eyes on that man.


    Ethan del Killian was the Mercenary King¡¯s true name.


    ¡°I know how to read the room, so I¡¯ll let you guys enjoy your reunion in private¡­¡±


    Anna slowly stepped back. Aaron immediatelyunched an aura strike at her, but Ethan¡ªno, Akshuller¡ªused his fist tounch an aura strike of his own that nullified Aaron¡¯s attack. He stood between Aaron and Anna and gave his estranged brother a dark look.


    ¡°I¡¯m still here, you know.¡±


    ¡°¡­I heard that the girl went all the way over to Avalon to meet you, but you actually fell for your cousin¡¯s sweet talk? Why? Do you want the duchy after all these years?¡± Aaron sneered.Akshuller shook his head. ¡°That was an eternity ago. It¡¯s true that when I was a mercenary guild¡¯s branch manager, Anna and Draxia came to visit me and offered to take the Killian family away from you and give it to me. But I turned them down immediately.¡±


    ¡°You turned down their offer? Look at yourself. Do you really think I¡¯d believe that?¡±


    Akshuller let out a long sigh. ¡°On the day the family¡¯s garden burned down, I was on the mansion¡¯s roof like we are today.¡±


    Aaron''s eyes widened. He remembered that Akshuller had a habit of climbing up onto roofs whenever he had a chance. The family members and servants had tried everything to stop Akshuller, but he had insisted on indulging his habit because he liked the refreshing feeling of looking up at the sky from a high ce. As long ago as it had been, Aaron¡¯s memories were still vivid.


    ¡°Wait¡­¡±


    Akshuller nodded. ¡°Yes, I saw everything.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­!¡±


    However, Aaron still didn¡¯t understand, but Akshuller was ready to exin.


    ¡°I knew from the start that the culprit was Anna.¡±


    ¡°Yet you still took the fall?¡± Aaron asked, his voiceced with disbelief.


    ¡°Yes, I did. Anna was panicking and running around in the garden, so I put the golden thread in my room myself.¡±


    Aaron turned to look at Anna, who was smiling bitterly. That was proof that Akshuller was speaking the truth.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to do that. I don¡¯t care if people think I¡¯m even worse of a bitch than I already am¡­¡± Anna mumbled, twiddling her fingers.


    ¡°Hahaha. I was once a man of this country, so I can¡¯t let your honor be tainted by false usations, Your Majesty,¡± Akshuller answered with a mischievous guffaw.


    ¡°Why in the world would you do that¡­?¡± Aaron frowned.


    ¡°You wanted to be the duke.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°You wanted to be Duke Killian more than anything else, but I never wanted it at all, yet I was the heir apparent just because I¡¯m the oldest son¡ªand I hated it.¡± Akshuller shrugged.


    Aaron''s eyes widened.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I needed an excuse to leave the family. Coincidentally, I saw everything on the day of the ident, so I was able toe up with a fabulous n. That¡¯s how I became who I am today.¡±


    ¡°Am I supposed to believe that? Just be honest: you two have been conspiring for this day, haven¡¯t you.¡±


    ¡°Not at all.¡± Akshuller shook his head without a moment¡¯s hesitation.


    Aaron was perfectly aware that he was nitpicking. If Akshuller wanted to be duke, he had no reason to take the fall for Anna. Although people now said that Aaron was more gifted than his older brother, he knew Akshuller was the better of the two¡ªcertainly not Aaron¡¯s lesser.


    ¡°When I left the family, I felt like I could seize the whole world, not just a small duchy. I had to stop using the family¡¯s sword techniques after practicing them my whole life, but I was certain that I would be able to beat down mercenaries with my fists.¡± Akshuller guffawed. ¡°It turned out that I was just a big fish in a small pond.


    ¡°The world was big, and there were so many people who were stronger than me. Right from the beginning, I had to change my n; I couldn¡¯t make a name for my new self by dominating the field of mercenaries.¡± Akshuller¡¯s smile turned bitter. ¡°It¡¯s preposterous to go back to my small pond.¡±


    Aaron sneered. ¡°Why? Did your inferiorityplex get to you? You thought you couldn¡¯t even be a big fish in a small pond anymore? Well, if even a mercenary can beat you, there¡¯s no way you could have led the great Killian family.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sarcastic. Barbarian was a remarkable man. Once, it seemed impossible for me to reach his level.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s still just a mercenary! That¡¯s it! I won¡¯t put up with this pathetic loser¡¯s monologue any longer!¡±


    During their conversation, the shing swords continued to fill the air, indicating that the battles on the ground were only intensifying.


    However, Akshuller wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°Just like you said, I was a loser, but a boy who was less than twenty years old at the time gave me hope.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°That boy and I are the same. He left his family so that his brother could inherit. He would have been taught his family¡¯s sword techniques for his entire life; those techniques belonged to a family which was led by one of the Nine Stars, so they could have been greater than our family¡¯s¡­ but he chose to use a spear¡ªa conscript¡¯s weapon.¡±


    That told Aaron exactly who Akshuller was talking about.


    ¡°I lost to the me Emperor, and Barbarian was unchallengeable in my eyes. The boy defeated the me Emperor and won Reinhardt¡¯s Master Battle, beating Barbarian, one of the Twelve Superhumans at the time. Even though the boy was young enough to be my nephew, he still won every battle.¡±


    Anyone who knew a little bit about martial arts would know about the childhood of Joshua Sanders, the Martial God. His story was legendary.


    ¡°¡­Now I get it.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Akshuller tilted his head.


    Aaron smirked. ¡°It sounds like you¡¯re pretty tight with the Martial God. His help is the reason why you were able to be the Mercenary King in the first ce, so you¡¯re trying to be the duke the same way.¡±


    It was clear from the look on Aaron¡¯s face that he would never believe anything Akshuller said.


    Akshuller let out a sigh. ¡°I like my life more than you think. Thest thing I want right now is to be duke¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡±


    ¡°You dumbass. Do you know how old I am? Most of my peers have already retired and have grandchildren!¡± Akshuller snapped, despite his maturity.


    Aaron stiffened, shocked by this new side of his older brother.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll believe it, but this is to repay the favor.¡±


    ¡°A favor¡­?¡±


    ¡°The boy that let me dream became the almighty Martial God. I wanted to repay him for giving me a chance to be a new man¡ªbut that was me being delusional. He¡¯s too great to need my help,¡± Akshuller dered, looking genuinely happy. ¡°Eventually, I realized I¡¯d take that debt with me to my grave, but I now have a chance to repay the favor.¡±


    ¡°Vermin. You can sugarcoat it all you want, but that still sounds to me that you came back out of greed. What does the current situation have to do with the Martial God?¡±


    ¡°Everything. The woman who¡¯s going to be the Martial God¡¯s daughter-inw is in danger.¡±


    ¡°...The Martial God¡¯s daughter-inw?¡± Aaron¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Are you talking about¡ª¡±


    Akshuller looked pointedly at Anna, who was standing behind him.


    Her face went bright red. ¡°My, my, my. That¡¯s what Arash told you?¡±


    After telling Aaron a series of stories that messed his head up, Akshuller pounded his fists against one another with a grin.


    ¡°Hahaha. I¡¯m grateful to the heavens for allowing me this chance before I die. Aaron, my brother. Light a fire in my heart, like the garden that was reduced to ashes, so that I won¡¯t have the slightest regret when I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°You crazy shit.¡± Aaron¡¯s sword turned ice-cold. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever fucking call me your brother anymore. No matter what you say, it doesn¡¯t change the past. You¡¯re a loser who left the family after being defeated by your little brother, and now you¡¯re just a rat trying to steal my family.¡±


    Akshuller smiled faintly. ¡°Even the version of my past that people remember is part of my life. I don¡¯t regret the choices I¡¯ve made. I love every part of my life as Ethan, Aiden, and Akshuller.¡±


    ¡°Cut the crap and die already!¡± Aaron swung his sword, unleashing an ice dragon toward Akshuller.

 Side Story Chapter 294

    Side Story Chapter 294


    Akshuller was genuinely proud of the choices he had made in his life. After walking out from the small pond he grew up in, he had met a myriad of formidable individuals and experienced many things, which led him to establish his most treasured rtionships.


    Akshuller learned and felt various emotions that a million gold coins couldn¡¯t have bought him. There was a time he had fallen into a bottomless pit of despair when he had met a true Superhuman. He now knew that people didn¡¯t need to share blood to earn each other¡¯s loyalty and friendship. Mercenaries were always in the presence of death, so there was a camaraderie that they only felt between themselves.


    Akshuller loved every bit of his life. It was his childhood in the Killian house that had helped him discover his thirst for freedom. Only after stepping outside had he learned how big the world was. That was what made him conclude the vaunted title of the Duke of Killian was actually nothing.


    ¡°I also want to show you what I learned, my brother!¡± Akshuller joyfully shouted at the top of his lungs.


    ¡°Cut the bullshit!¡±


    Akshuller¡¯s fist and Aaron¡¯s sword continued to sh without end, sending sparks of aura flying everywhere. Akshuller the Mighty had been the king of ten million mercenaries for decades, and Aaron del Killian was the strongest Absolute of Swallow. However, other people would never know this increasingly intense battle was actually between brothers.


    They were steadily smashing holes in the pce¡¯s roof.


    ¡°Ohaaa! Take over the pce!¡±


    ¡°Fuck! Why are there mercenaries here?!¡±The Killian army was in chaos. In contrast, the faces of the imperial army grew brighter when the mercenaries poured out from the Pce.


    ¡°Let¡¯s drive out the Killian rebels!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    With the mercenaries joining the imperial army, the battle became a small war in its own right. The only possible endings were either to overthrow the government or to put a stop to the rebellion.


    ¡°Keep calm! Don¡¯t initiate! Hold your assigned positions so that they have toe through our defenses!¡±


    Arash bel Grace, the Fox Master, was leading the imperial army on the frontlines. She didn¡¯t flee at the first sigh of battle like any other member of the Imperial Family. Even though she wasn¡¯t a true member of the Imperial Family, in the people¡¯s eyes, she was the bravest princess who ever was. Inspired by Arash¡¯s example, the imperial army¡¯s morale skyrocketed.


    ¡°Crush those filthy rebels!¡±


    <em>¡®The longer the battle goes on, the more it favors us since the nearby nobles¡¯ private armies are going to arrive.¡¯</em>


    Despite knowing that, Arash remained uneasy. She turned to look at the pce roof where two men continued to battle. When she had first heard about the two brothers¡¯ story, her jaw had dropped to the ground.


    ¡°I would never have imagined those two men to be brothers¡­¡± Arash murmured.


    There was another reason why Arash was hopeful. For thest decade, Akshuller had taken part in only a handful of battles, but he and his mercenaries had won every single one.


    ¡°¡­Good. It¡¯s time to move on to the second stage of the n¡ª¡±


    The beating of drums interrupted her next move.


    ¡°That is¡­¡±


    ¡°Help the Killians! It¡¯s finally time to avenge our king!¡±


    An army carrying red gs poured through all four of the pce¡¯s gates and joined the Killian army, ending the precarious deadlock.


    ¡°That¡¯s Thran¡¯s g¡­!¡±


    Arash¡¯s anxiety spiked. All the effort she and everyone else had gone through to turn the tide of the battle in their favor would be meaningless if Thran¡¯s army were to join the fight.


    ¡°Hey! Arash! Is that okay to leave them be?¡± Anna shouted.


    She¡¯d arrived at the perfect time.


    ¡°Your Majesty! I need to make a request of you!¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I would like you to bring your Vaikals ande with me.¡±


    ¡°Where are we going all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to meet them.¡± Arash pointed at the Thran army who had just shown up.


    Even when she had chased after Aaron alone, Anna hadn¡¯t looked this tense, but now, here eyes were wide and her throat bobbed nervously as she swallowed.


    ¡°¡­Have you forgotten that people think that the Swallow Imperial Family is the one who killed the me Emperor? The moment we arrive in front of them, they¡¯ll try to rip us to pieces.¡± Anna asked, concerned.


    Arash¡¯s eyes were sharper than ever. ¡°I have a n. Please trust me on this.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t a matter of trust because Anna and Arash would have to risk their lives. In fact, it was about more than their lives because if something were to happen to them, their army would fold like a stack of cards.


    ¡°¡­Okay. I¡¯ll trust you.¡±


    Arash''s eyes widened. She had expected more resistance from Anna.


    Anna cleared her throat. ¡°Well, I couldn''t even think of a n to bring in mercenaries.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­¡±


    ¡°I know you¡¯re a skilled strategist.¡±


    A smile slowly spread across Arash¡¯s face.


    On the other hand, Anna was quietly denying a thought that was suddenly bothering her.


    ¡°Well, It¡¯s not about¡­ who¡¯s going to be the Martial God¡¯s daughter-inw...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry? What did you say¡­?


    ¡°Nothing.¡± Anna shook her head almost spasmodically. ¡°I was just talking to myself. Shall we get going?¡±


    Arash gave Anna a confused look.


    * * *


    Another bloody battle was taking ce in a different empire¡¯s pce, but the stench of death was thicker here.


    ¡°Ah, shit!¡± A knight cussed after cutting down an undead.


    Hubalt used to be called the Holy Empire and this knight was from Hubalt, so he had believed that killing an undead would be a piece of cake. However, his nationality was meaningless in front of the infinite army he faced. No matter how many times Hubalt¡¯s knights killed them, new undead rose from the ground without end as if there was a graveyard below their feet.


    The unending horde of undead dragged the pce into a messy brawl, resulting in the Hubalt knights killing each other. One of the knights who had been killed suddenly came back to life and bit into his colleague¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Argh! Robert!¡±


    It was all because of the five liches floating above the battlefield.


    ¡°¡­The only way to end this catastrophe is to kill Avalon¡¯s prince. He¡¯s the cause of all this,¡± one of Hubalt¡¯s more quick-witted knights concluded.


    The knight quietly approached Kireua one step at a time, bracing himself against the wicked demonic power Kireua emitted..


    However, as the knight got closer to his target, he could feel himself being overwhelmed by an emotion.


    <em>¡®What¡­ is wrong with me?¡¯</em>


    That emotion was fury, and it only grew worse when he looked at Halker, hisrade.


    <em>¡®Come to think of it, it was weird that he was drinking with my wife three years ago. I got off work early that day and he almost jumped out of his skin when he saw me.¡¯</em>


    The knight hadn¡¯t given it much thought at the time because it had been a nned family gathering and Halker had been off duty that day. There was nothing strange about Halker arriving a little early, but there was nothing natural about Halker¡¯s reaction. He¡¯d looked like a child who had been caught doing something naughty.


    The knight, eyes red with rage, thrust his sword.


    ¡°You fucker!¡±


    ¡°Argh!¡± Halker¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Pa-Parune! Why would you do this¡ª?¡±


    ¡°You slept with my wife, didn¡¯t you? Die, you trash.¡±


    It wasn¡¯t just Parune and Halker. The same madness was taking ce all over the vault, spurred by the unrestrained power of Wrath that Kireua had unleashed. As the humans gave in to their negative emotions and the undead unleashed their demonic power¡­


    -Hehehehehehe!


    Coju rubbed its full belly happily after absorbing all of them.


    Meanwhile, Isaac pulled her eyes away from the pandemonium.


    <em>¡®...I should look for Bel.¡¯</em>


    In the midst of the massacre, there was still an area where people were fighting with a modicum of rationality¡ªthey were the Martial Knights. They had been thest to arrive, emerging from a pool of light.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let the undead intimidate you! They¡¯re still just undead! We¡¯ll crush them!¡±


    They didn¡¯t let their dark desires get the better of them and efficiently obliterated the undead.


    <em>¡®The Martial Knights must be the best at using authorities to achieve such effectiveness.¡¯</em>


    Isaac scanned the Martial Knights, wondering if Bel was among them. If he wasn¡¯t there¡­


    <em>¡®¡­Then there¡¯s only one ce he could be.¡¯</em>


    Isaac confirmed that Bel wasn¡¯t in the vault and turned to leave.


    Bel was her fiance, so she had an idea or two about where he could be right now. The problem was, she didn¡¯t know how to get out of this vault.


    -You have a n of your own, human?


    Isaac quickly looked up and spotted the not-quite-human boy in the air.


    <em>¡®No, he¡¯s definitely not human,¡¯</em> Isaac realized. She quickly drew up her aura.


    -There is no need to be rmed. The human within me is the one who has business with you.


    ¡°The human within you? What in the world are you talking about¡­¡± Isaac trailed off with a frown.


    If her hunch was correct, the mysterious boy must be a dragon. Although she wasn¡¯t sure how a dragon was still alive, Isaac was certain that the boy was, in fact, a dragon because she had apanied Bel on his massacre of every dragon on the continent. The energy that the boy exuded was exactly the same as that of the dragons she had met before.


    However, she could hear a new voice in her head, one that threw herpletely off.


    -Like he said, I would like to talk to you. Oh, I believe an introduction is in order. I¡¯m Joshua Sanders.


    Isaac¡¯s eyes nearly fell out of her skull.


    ¡°...You¡¯re the Martial God?¡± she asked. She couldn¡¯t believe it, but she had to ask.

 Side Story Chapter 295

    Side Story Chapter 295


    ¡°The me Emperor is watching us from up above. Now, let¡¯s go, warriors of Thran!¡±


    ¡°Ohaaaa!¡±


    Over one thousand of Thran¡¯s knights hade together. There were so many of them that anyone would wonder how they had been hiding in Swallow¡¯s capital without being detected.


    <em>¡®¡­Duke Killian must have helped them.¡¯</em>


    Arash, watching them from the sky with Anna, let out a short sigh. There were more knights than she had expected; if the worst came to worst, she would have to kill them all. She wasn¡¯t enthusiastic about the prospect.


    The steady thump of Thran¡¯s boots grew closer to Arash.


    Using an artifact that made her voice louder, Arash yelled, ¡°Stop!¡±


    Anna immediately waved her hand, projecting a raging gale that flipped the ground upside down.


    ¡°What¡­?!¡± The knight leading the army from Thran quickly raised his hand, bringing the army to a halt. ¡°Who are you two?!¡±The knight was quite young and had ming red hair.


    Anna¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°...Doesn¡¯t that boy remind you of someone?¡±


    ¡°¡­His name is Arkeith the me Knight. He¡¯s the me Emperor¡¯s son.¡±


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Anna frowned slightly.


    Out of all the people they could run into, it had to be bis¡¯s son. It turned out the situation could get worse.


    ¡°Wait a minute. That fox mask is¡­¡± Arkeith had already heard all about Swallow from Aaron, so he instantly recognized Arash¡¯s identity. ¡°G-Get your bows.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean, Your Highness¡­?¡±


    ¡°The woman with a fox mask is the fake princess that Duke Voltaire is using as a puppet!¡±


    Arkeith¡¯s aide gave him a stunned look while the other knights hastily raised their bows.


    Even before Anna could say something, the knights loosed their arrows. Given that all of the knights could use mana, the arrows flew at a remarkable speed, ready to kill¡ªbut all of them were blocked quite easily when the two Vaikals showed up to protected Anna and Arash.


    ¡°Hear me out!¡± Arash yelled.


    ¡°Shut up. You killed my father!¡±


    Seeing the fury in Arkeith¡¯s eyes, Anna¡¯s expression tightened. ¡°I told you, we¡¯re lucky if they don¡¯t rip us in half!¡±


    ¡°¡­No.¡±


    It was true that the situation was the absolute worst it could get, but Arash was stillposed because she still had an ace in the hole. She took a round object out of her inner pocket.


    ¡°What? Why are you pulling out amunication crystal ball all of a sudden?¡±


    ¡°No. It looks simr, but this is a recording ball,¡± Arash said as she quickly activated the crystal ball.


    Since it was a high-end crystal ball, it was able to project a huge image in the air. Thran¡¯s knights stopped, even though their bows were nocked.


    ¡°Everyone! Please watch this!¡± Anna shouted


    ¡°Fuck! Don¡¯t let the empire fool you any longer! Those of you with levitation artifacts, step forward!¡±


    Over a dozen knights came forward, so Anna let out a sigh before she revealed herself from behind the Vaikals.


    ¡°I am Anna bel Grace, the empress of Swallow!¡±


    Anna¡¯s wind elemental spirit let out a loud roar, lending her im a weight that made Arkeith and his men pause.


    ¡°E-Empress¡­?¡±


    ¡°Are all of you chickens?! As you can see, no one is around and I, the empress of Swallow, came all the way over here to talk to you. Why are all of you acting like such cowards? All she is asking you to do is watch the footage! You can stab or rip us apart afterward!¡±


    The knights turned to look at Arkeith; as their leader, he had the final say.


    ¡°¡­What are the chances of this being a trap?¡± Arkeith asked his aide.


    ¡°She¡¯s telling the truth. I can¡¯t detect any presences around us.¡±


    Arkeith looked contemtively up at the sky where the footage was almost ready to be yed.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty?¡±


    Arkeith and the knights from Thran gasped out loud. The footage showed a dungeon¡ªone that imprisoned their king. Yes, the crystal ball contained the record of bis¡¯s death.


    ¡°Decide what you want to do after you see what happened yourself,¡± Arash insisted.


    This footage was solely prepared for Thran, and it seemed very effective based on how immersed the knights were. It showed Arash visiting bis with her fox mask and bis asking her to kill him even though he was about to be executed.


    In the ensuing silence, Anna rxed.


    ¡°This is what you¡¯ve been counting on?¡± she whispered.


    ¡°¡­Get ready, Your Majesty. This is just the beginning.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Anna tilted her head in confusion. She thought that the fight was already as good as over.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Anna to realize what Arash meant. The footage got to the part where bis exined the reasoning behind his request. Since bis and Arash pursued the same goal, he believed that Arash would help him and, as a matter of fact, Arash offered the me Emperor the poison.


    ¡°W-Wait. I understand that bis asked you to kill him to motivate Thran, but what do you mean you pursue the same goal?¡±


    ¡°¡­He meant that literally.¡± Arash avoided Anna¡¯s eyes and didn¡¯t borate any further.


    ¡°All of you get it now, don¡¯t you?¡± she shouted to Thran¡¯s army. ¡°I may be a fake princess and a mere puppet, but I share the same goal as you.¡±


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Anna gaped nkly.


    ¡°¡­Just as the people of Thran desire, I, too, want this country to fall.¡±


    Arash¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud, but her mana carried it to everyone nearby.


    * * *


    <em>¡®The Martial God had vanished and then he showed up to defeat the Four Pdins with ease. But he¡¯s inside a dragon now¡­?¡¯</em>


    While Isaac¡¯s head was muddled with thoughts, Joshua Sanders continued to exin himself.


    -There is a god I¡¯m looking for.


    ¡°...A god?¡±


    -With my current abilities, I only know that a knight from Hubalt has this god¡¯s authority.


    ¡°So?¡± Isaac asked with a furrowed brow.


    -You¡¯re from Hubalt, so you¡¯ll be able to find the knight much easier than I can.


    Isaac sneered. ¡°Can¡¯t you do it yourself? You¡¯re the famous Martial God and the first human to be one with a dragon.¡±


    -Do you seriously think I¡¯m going to do such a tedious task, human?


    Isaac instantly went silent. It was immediately obvious that the voice she heard was the dragon¡¯s, not the Martial God¡¯s.


    ¡°¡­I guess the Martial God still has problems of his own. Which god are you looking for?¡±


    -Purion. He was called the God of Harmony.


    ¡°The God of Harmony¡­¡± Isaac trailed off, her lips forming into a cold smile. ¡°But why should I do you any favors, Martial God? You¡¯re technically my enemy, so the least you can do is exin your reasons.¡±


    It took a long time for Joshua to break his silence.


    -Will a father¡¯s love for his son suffice as an answer?


    Isaac''s eyes widened. She wanted to demand a real answer, but she felt her heart ache for some reason.


    -You must have already noticed that my son¡¯s condition is precarious.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s your answer? I don¡¯t buy that for a second. Be honest here: you¡¯re looking for this Purion because you want to use his authority to win the war, aren¡¯t you? In that case, I¡¯ll have to let Hubalt know about this.¡±


    -You must have not received a lot of love from your father.


    Isaac scowled.


    -Perhaps your father regrets it like I do¡­


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Isaac shouted. Her eyes burned with anger, but she looked to the side regardless.


    As Joshua had said, Kireua Sanders looked far from good. In fact, the bloody-red aura around him felt increasingly ominous.


    ¡°Your son somehow reminds me of Grand Duke Lucifer when I ran into him some time ago.¡± Isaac¡¯s eyes were glued to Kireua. ¡°Although I don¡¯t know the full story or a father¡¯s love, I do get that your son is in danger. And it¡¯s a different story if we¡¯re making a deal.¡±


    -¡­A deal?


    ¡°You know that it¡¯s better for Hubalt for Kireua Sanders to lose control of his power. Hubalt wants this country, but he¡¯ll be quite the thorn in their side.¡±


    -Get to the point.


    Isaac inhaled and exhaled sharply and her eyes gleamed. ¡°I¡¯ll do you a favor if you do one for me, Martial God.¡±


    After a short silence, Joshua within Creshua shrugged.


    -Unless you¡¯re asking me to harm my people, I¡¯ll do it for the sake of my son.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not nning on asking for something that crass.¡±


    -So what do you want me to do?


    Isaac¡¯s request was something that even Joshua hadn¡¯t expected.


    ¡°Kill Bel.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 296

    Side Story Chapter 296


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?!¡±


    ¡°I mean exactly what I said. I want this empire to fall, just like the me Emperor wished.¡±


    Arash stepped out from behind the Vaikals. However, no arrows were shot at her like before. Even Anna just stared at her, dumbfounded.


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to change an entire country with just a few individuals, but after the me Emperor¡¯s sacrifice, everyone in Thran is ready to change history, together¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut your mouth! No matter what you say, we no longer trust any words from the empire!¡± Arkeith screamed at the top of his lungs, infuriated.


    Arash could understand their reaction quite well. Swallow had already dered once that Thran would be an independent country, but the kingdom was still treated as an inferior colony and Swallow continued to move toward absorbing Thran into the empire. Therefore, persuading them using Arash¡¯s past wouldn¡¯t work; they weren¡¯t going to believe it. Arash changed tack.


    ¡°¡­Despite the reality of my origins, I am still Arash bel Grace, a member of the Imperial Family of Swallow, so I will use my name to make you a proposal.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°After this war, the empire shall be dissolved.¡±Arkeith and his knights'' eyes widened.


    <em>¡®This is the right move,¡¯</em> Arash thought


    Her true goal was revealed. Yes, Swallow was savage from its very beginnings. A myriad of tribes from different origins had been forced to unite when the empire had been founded, so many of the tribes were still fighting for independence in the shadows. However, none aplished their goal because Swallow had stopped their efforts by force.


    ¡°Should any of the tribes want it, they shall be liberated from the rule of Swallow, even if that means that the empire must be dissolved.¡±


    ¡°¡­We don¡¯t trust¡ª¡±


    ¡°If you still can¡¯t trust me, let us have it recorded in writing,¡± Arash interrupted, her conviction unwavering. ¡°I¡¯ll write it in blood if you wish.¡±


    Thran¡¯s people fell silent.


    <em>¡®This is the karma that Swallow must reckon with for the many sins it hasmitted. Grand Duke Lucifer may have led the invasions, but the other people of authority in Swallow turned a blind eye to them. They aren¡¯t innocent.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Hmph. If you¡¯re really a fake princess, a document written in your blood means nothing.¡± Arkeith scoffed.


    He had a point, but instead of refuting, Arash turned to her side.


    ¡°I have someone who can validate it.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I may be a fake, but Her Majesty Anna bel Grace has already won the nobility¡¯s approval to be the empress.¡±


    Anna finally pulled herself together, her lip quivering. ¡°Wait, everything you¡¯ve done until now was for this moment¡­?¡±


    ¡°...Yes, Your Majesty.¡± Arash smiled bitterly. ¡°This was my goal from the start.¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know why your father fell so easily despite his skill?¡±


    This forced Anna to recall an old memory she had forgotten for a long time.


    At the time, Anna had thought that it was just an excuse to kick out the prince who had lost the struggle for session.


    ¡°¡­Because he¡¯s the descendant of the Craque Tribe,¡± she muttered.


    However, the powers behind her father¡¯s exile must have been speaking the truth on some level.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Arash nodded. ¡°The Craque Tribe used to be called the tribe of ves, so your father was a subject of contempt even from Swallow¡¯s nobles. The Imperial Family considered themselves more noble, so I¡¯m sure it needn¡¯t be said what they thought about your father. Since the purity of their blood is the most important thing to them, thest thing they would tolerate is having a brother born from a ve bloodline.¡±


    Arash looked up at the sky. ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer used your father¡¯s background to his advantage and his cunning was unmatched. By urging the powerful, Lucifer was easily able to frame your father for high treason and then throw him out of Swallow. Your father possessed enough skill to be called the War God, so Grand Duke Lucifer must have considered him an eyesore.¡±


    Both Arash and Anna knew what had happened next. Not long after Draxia bel Grace¡¯s banishment, Lucifer had managed to take over Swallow entirely.


    ¡°After forcing the tribes to unite, Swallow has been persecuting all those who opposed them¡ªrarely for legitimate reasons. I believe that allowing that to happen once is more than enough; an empire maintained by such methods has no meaning to its existence.


    ¡°The highest nobles of this empire implicitly agreed to frame Prince Draxia bel Grace. That is why I believe that after this war, they¡¯ll also try to drive out Her Majesty. Your best move is to take action before them.¡±


    After several minutes, which felt like an eternity to Arash, Anna broke her silence.


    ¡°¡­Hey, me Emperor¡¯s son. I¡¯m sure you heard my strategist. If you want, I¡¯ll put my seal on a document allowing the tribes to withdraw from the empire.¡±


    Arash¡¯s face brightened. Even Arkeith, whose eyes had been filled with skepticism, was visibly taken aback.


    ¡°You¡¯ll¡­ use your seal?¡± he frowned. ¡°Am I supposed to believe that?¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about free? This is an exchange.¡±


    Arkeith used his chin to gesture at Anna to continue. She smiled broadly.


    ¡°You may not know about this, but the continent is in danger. I¡¯m not talking about just Hubalt. The entire Human Realm is copsing.¡±


    ¡°...The entire Human Realm?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not making up things. I can show you the evidence right now.¡±


    Anna¡¯s voice was so firm that no one from Thran couldn¡¯t even begin to doubt her.


    ¡°I¡¯m not an idiot who would make up a lie that would fall apart so quickly. In any case, the world is copsing, so this isn¡¯t the time to try to fight overnd. That is why¡­¡± Anna nced at Arash. ¡°...I¡ªno, <em>we</em> would like to borrow your power. Show us the power of the me Emperor¡¯s Thran.¡±


    * * *


    It wasn¡¯t difficult to find the knight with Purion¡¯s authority because Isaac knew all about the Martial Knights. As soon as she heard Joshua¡¯s description, Isaac narrowed down the suspect to three people.


    ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t know the person he¡¯s been looking for was this close,¡± Creshua muttered to himself.


    ¡°Just tell him to keep his end of the bargain.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s better than that.¡± Creshua slowly approached the Martial Knights, who were fighting for their life against the undead. ¡°But¡­ human, why do you hate your father that much?¡±


    Isaac turned and found Creshua looking at her.


    ¡°I¡¯m saying this just in case, but it¡¯s my question, not Joshua Sanders¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a reason to tell a dragon about my personal history, do I?¡±


    ¡°You have a point.¡± Creshua simply walked away as if he didn¡¯t care in the first ce, to Isaac¡¯s surprise.


    ¡°¡­But since I¡¯m still somewhat responsible for the death of your fellow dragons¡­¡±


    Creshua halted.


    ¡°Not all parents are good. They¡¯re all humans, but they look different and have different personalities, ande from different backgrounds.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like your father was an ill-tempered person.¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t just an ill-tempered person. Would that suffice as an answer?¡±


    ¡°Then why are you trying to kill that guy named Bel? I heard, he¡¯s your fiance.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re one curious dragon, aren¡¯t you?¡± Isaac chuckled quietly. Once again, she readily answered, ¡°It¡¯s part of my father being a bad parent. And I loathe him.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My damn father set me up with a fiance I don¡¯t even love, all because in my father¡¯s eyes, Bel is a man who will never lose. So my father wanted to establish blood ties with him. Well, Bel can even kill supreme dragons, so my father had a point there.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm...¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Isaac grinned. ¡°...if the man whom my father hadplete faith in loses, that means that my father was wrong.¡±


    After a short silence, Creshua nodded. ¡°I understand. You¡¯re driven by your loathing for your father.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I loathe my father even if it¡¯s been decades since he died.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your detailed answers.¡± Creshua nodded and then walked toward the Martial Knights, who had cut down most of the nearby undead. ¡°In return, I¡¯ll take care of those guys since they¡¯re the vestiges of your hated father.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 297

    Side Story Chapter 297


    ¡°What are all of you doing? Is everyone from Thran an idiot? Wasn¡¯t letting Swallow deceive you once enough?!¡±


    As she was up in the air, Anna could recognize the shouting.


    ¡°Haron is here too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Haron del Killian.¡± Arash sighed. Haron del Killian was not only Aaron¡¯s most trusted aide, he was also his younger brother.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you would let those girls get into your heads with their honeyed words. Enough! I¡¯ll just narrow down your choices for you.¡± Haron came forward. His sword frosted over as he unleashed the Killian family¡¯s ultimate ice aura. ¡°I won¡¯t let you look down on me any longer, girl!¡±


    A pir of ice soared dozens of meters into the air, carrying Haron higher and higher until he could leap over Anna and Arash.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Arash tried to shield Anna with her body, but Anna immediately pushed her away.


    ¡°¡­What are you doing? You¡¯re too weak to protect anyone.¡±


    ¡°B-But¡­¡±Annamanded the Vaikals to take action instead of talking to Arash.


    ¡°They¡¯re just monsters!¡± Haron scoffed. His sword danced in the air, creating an enormous ice tiger.


    ¡°Yeah, I like tigers too!¡± Anna giggled and summoned two high-ss wind elemental spirits.


    The two wind tigers and one ice tiger bared their fangs at each other and roared. Anna then made the Vaikals mount the wind tigers. As soon as they got on the wind tigers, the Vaikals immediately darted toward Haron.


    Haron fiercely swung his sword at them. ¡°Freeze to death!


    Haron was confident about his victory. The ice tiger, which was as big as most castles, was the result of his ultimate technique and consumed seventy percent of his mana. This one attack would be enough to turn those monsters and the girls into frozen lumps of meat.


    However, one of the Vaikals suddenly leaped from its tiger¡¯s back, moving surprisingly nimbly for a stone golem. As soon as it had escaped from Haron¡¯s range of attack, it locked its fingers together and swung its hands down on Haron¡¯s head.


    ¡°What?!¡± Haron yelled in disbelief.


    With a loud <em>boom</em>, Haron went plummeting to the ground. Although he had managed to block the attack at thest moment using his sword, he couldn¡¯t nullify the force that had delivered the attack.


    It made the Thran knights¡¯ jaws drop to the ground.


    ¡°Ha-Haron del Killian is one of the ten strongest people in the Killian family, so how¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s s-still a monster, so how in the world is this possible¡­?¡±


    Anna looked down at them with a pompous smile. ¡°It¡¯s time for you to decide. Will you help me and my strategist? You will be able to dissolve the empire and save the continent. Or do you want to desert the me Emperor¡¯sst wish and disappear into history along with those traitors?¡±


    The area fell silent once again. Arash was amazed. Anna bel Grace was a natural-born leader and negotiator. She instinctively knew when she should use the whip even as she waved the carrot in front of their eyes.


    <em>¡®It might just work.¡¯</em>


    With that thought, Arash clenched her fists and shouted, ¡°I swear that I shall work until thest day of my life to dissolve the empire and bringplete independence to Thran!¡±


    * * *


    <em>¡®He¡¯ll need help¡­¡¯</em> Isaac thought as she watched Creshua walk toward the Martial Knights.


    Isaac couldn¡¯t really trust Creshua¡¯s ability. Maybe the Martial God could have dealt with the knights, but a dragon was a relic of the past. Despite their reputation of being supreme creatures, they had been culled to extinction by a single human¡ªBel.


    She had seen their corpses several times, so she knew that Creshua was not even five hundred years old¡ªand likely less than a hundred years old. By human standards, he was an infant, and the people he was approaching were the Martial Knights, personally trained by the very man who had almost eradicated the race of dragons.


    <em>¡®Besides, humans use gods¡¯ authorities now, so dragons¡¯ magic is nothing.¡¯</em>


    Despite her concerns, there was nothing Isaac could do about it. Numerous Martial Knights were already watching Creshua. All the other humans were having difficulty dealing with the undead, but the Martial Knights could crush them. The undead¡¯s remains were scattered around them like the shards of a broken vase.


    ¡°He¡¯s a dragon.¡±


    ¡°One of those lizards is still alive? I thought Sir Bel obliterated all of them.¡±


    ¡°Judging from his energy, he seems quite young¡­¡±


    ¡°He is young. In fact, he¡¯s a baby. That¡¯s what my god is telling me, but he¡¯s also telling me that he sensed something unpleasant within him. We¡¯d better be careful¡­¡±


    ¡°Hehehe. So dragons can love their family, after all. A dragon hatchling, thest of their race¡­ He seems to be the star of the show¡ªin some way. Who¡¯s up?¡±


    Their responses showed how humans perceived dragons now and were also an indication of how confident the Martial Knights were in their skills.


    ¡°Captain, let me do it.¡± One of the Martial Knights came forward. ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯ve been wanting to try out.¡±


    Isaac frowned. <em>¡®This is bad. Out of all the people, it had to be him¡­¡¯</em>


    Regardless of her thoughts, the Martial Knights were eagerly chattering among themselves.


    ¡°Hey, Liper. Is today¡¯s drink on you then?¡±


    ¡°Since we own this country, you guys are just going to barge into another pub and empty their liquor bottles anyway ¡­ Besides, I thought that it was my turn to have fun this time.¡±


    Having sessfully fended off his colleague¡¯s attempts to fleece him, the knight turned to the boy, smacking his lips.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m Liper.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Creshua.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a dragon, right? I happen to have an authority that I want to test out, so help me out.¡±


    ¡°An authority¡­¡± Creshua stared at Liper, sensing a dense energy of death around him. ¡°¡­I wonder what authority it is.¡±


    ¡°Among the Ninth Circle spells you dragons use, there¡¯s a spell that lets you kill your target with your willpower, isn¡¯t there?¡±


    Creshua nodded.


    ¡°It¡¯s simr to that spell,¡± Liper kindly exined. ¡°Humans are puny, so they can¡¯t endure my authority and go mad instantly. But I want to know if it¡¯ll also work on a supreme dragon.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s rather interesting.¡± Creshua grinned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll also try out a simr ability of mine.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re one arrogant dragon hatchling, aren¡¯t you?¡± Liper chuckled. He infused his aura into his sword, drawing an ominous darkness onto its tip. Liper smiled slyly. ¡°I¡¯ll let you try your skill if you manage to hold out for more than ten seconds, boy.¡±


    The moment Liper pointed his sword at him, Creshua¡¯s pupils turned vertical, indicating that Dragon Fear was active.


    ¡°Dragon Fear is so old.¡± Liper shook his head in disbelief but then stiffened. Although he was shielding himself with his aura, his hands trembled. ¡°What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Dragon Fear isn¡¯t normally an ability that can be used on a specific target. It¡¯s like a beast¡¯s roar; it instills fear in creatures around me, rendering them unconscious or forcing them to flee.¡±


    ¡°How¡­?¡±


    Liper was too preupied to listen to Creshua. For some reason, his authority was also not working at all. He should have infiltrated his target¡¯s mind and started breaking it down, but his energy only went around Creshua harmlessly.


    ¡°But I¡¯m certain that I¡¯ll be able to maximize its efficiency if I can direct my Dragon Fear onto one target.¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡± Liper groaned through tightly clenched teeth.


    Something had gone wrong. The god in him had warned that someone else was also in the dragon, someone so great that they could resist a god¡¯s authority.


    ¡°You people smell thickly of the person who murdered my kin,¡± Creshua said, his brow deeply furrowed.


    Liper¡¯s legs gave out, dropping him to his knees covered in sweat. He couldn¡¯t have met a worse opponent than Creshua. It looked like this fight was going to be Cresha¡¯s victory.


    The Martial Knights also realized that they couldn¡¯t underestimate Creshua, so they quickly surrounded him; their swords altered the situation dramatically


    ¡°¡­I guess this is expected from humans, since they live in groups,¡± Creshua muttered.


    ¡°This is how humans have been hunting dragons for ages until we had Sir Bel.¡±


    ¡°That is true.¡±


    ¡°Withdraw your ability, dragon hatchling. I¡¯ll deal with you myself,¡± the knights¡¯ captain dered.


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Creshua slicked back his hair.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find it quite favorable for you if you want revenge for your kind. You don¡¯t stand a chance against all of us.¡±


    Creshua smiled crookedly. ¡°Don¡¯t use your human standards for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°Revenge? My kind wasted time without making any progress, which is why they were weak enough to be killed by the humans they looked down on. Those pathetic creatures don¡¯t deserve any honoring from me.¡±


    Most of the Martial Knights gaped nkly, stunned by Creshua¡¯s response.


    ¡°You people are bing a nuisance, so I¡¯ll get rid of you as quickly as possible.¡±


    Creshua narrowed his eyes. He was certainly different from other dragons; he didn¡¯t really look down on humans and knew his limits, which was why he didn¡¯t hesitate.


    -You have my permission to use my body, Joshua Sanders.

 Side Story Chapter 298

    Side Story Chapter 298


    In the sky above Swallow¡¯s capital, the fight between two Superhumans was nearing its end.


    The pce roof was already as good as gone. There were holes all over it, exposing the inside of the pce to the sun, but no one could interrupt their fight. One Superhuman was the king of mercenaries, and the other Superhuman was the strongest in the empire.


    Aaron took a hit to the abdomen and coughed blood, but Akshuller didn¡¯t look too great despite his sesses.


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡± Akshuller looked at hispletely frozen left arm and groaned. Since his primary weapons were his fists, this was a critical injury for him.


    ¡°<em>Pah!</em> Even if it¡¯s been a long time, there¡¯s no way to make up for yourck of talent.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯ve gotten stronger.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I was the best in Swallow even when you were in the empire,¡± Aaron sneered.


    Akshuller examined himself with a troubled expression and noticed that his mana was acting roiling likeva. That meant that he had put himself through quite a lot. Although he was confident that he would be able to rip off one of Aaron¡¯s arms in this fight, he would have to pay for it with his own life.


    ¡°Did you know that our father summoned me to his room at night several days before the fire in the garden?¡±¡°What?¡± Aaron frowned at the sudden mention of the past, but his eyes widened when he stopped to consider the question.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you already realize that it was to ask me if I wanted to be the head of the family.¡±


    Akshuller was right, but Aaron¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. Aaron let out a sigh. ¡°Father¡¯s mind must have gone rotten at the time to make you his heir just because you¡¯re the oldest son. He didn¡¯t consider his children¡¯s abilities in the slightest¡ª¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t why he asked me.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He was trying to save you. Father didn¡¯t show it, but he favored you. It¡¯s said that all children are dear to their parents, but there¡¯s no way a father wouldn¡¯t adore a one-in-a-million genius,¡± Akshuller answered.


    ¡°What the fuck are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°Have you forgotten what the empire was like at the time?¡±


    Aaron¡¯s eyes slowly widened in realization.


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer never spared anyone who would be a threat to him. He wanted to take you hostage,¡± Akshuller reminded Aaron.


    ¡°...A hostage?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s easier than you think. You remember how you had to be trained in the pce for three years because you were the next head of the family? It was to instill loyalty to the emperor and learn the virtues of a family head.¡±


    The longer Akshuller went on, the harder it was for Aaron to maintain hisposure.


    ¡°Grand Duke Lucifer was a madman but he was still the de-facto ruler of thend. On the day Father summoned me, he ran into Grand Duke Lucifer. He asked Father who his heir would be. Father said that Grand Duke Lucifer seemed certain that you were going to be Father¡¯s heir. There was no knowing what he would do to you if Father sent you to the Pce, so he called me that night to protect you¡ª¡±


    At this revtion, the resentment for his father that Aaron held in the corner of his heart faded away.


    ¡°That¡¯s why you took the me for the fire even though you knew the culprit¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I like freedom and didn¡¯t want to sacrifice myself.¡±


    Although he had survived in the end, Aaron had constantly been struggling against other nobles and Lucifer ever since Akshuller had left the family.


    ¡°You cowardly piece of shit!¡± Aaron screamed at the top of his lungs. ¡°After that pretentious good brother act, you just ditched the position of Duke Killian so that you could live!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Aksuller nodded. He didn¡¯t regret the choice he made. If he had be the duke instead of Aaron, Akshuller wouldn¡¯t have been able to raise the Killian family to the heights it was at now. The only way to stop the birth of an ipetent leader was to step down.


    Just then, a battle cry was heard from the ground. The imperial army was holding out much better than Aaron had anticipated. Each and every one of the Killian knights was well above average, but the imperial army had managed to fend them off¡ªalthough it was clear that the loyalist army was at its limit because the victorious battle cry they''d just heard was the west gate¡¯s defenses being broken through.


    ¡°¡­Forget about the past. Just pay the price for your cowardice here.¡± Aaron released his ice aura once again.


    Suddenly, a series of battle cries which were iparably louder than thest broke out. They wereing from all four gates.


    Aaron came to a halt, but his smile grew. ¡°¡­I see that the reinforcements have finally arrived.¡±


    The shouts came from Thran¡¯s troops.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s only a matter before we take over the pce,¡¯</em> Aaron thought.


    But to Aaron¡¯s dismay, Thran¡¯s army started to attack his army from behind. The Killian army had thought that the Thran army was on their side, so they were helpless in this sudden turn of events.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­?¡± Aaron gasped. For a moment, he even forgot about Akshuller¡¯s presence.


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. You can¡¯t beat me.¡±


    Aaron quickly looked up at the voice. In the sky stood a woman pompously staring down at him.


    ¡°Anna¡­!¡±


    ¡°My, my, what a shame. You put in all that work for this moment, but you lost that entire army to me.¡±


    That instantly told Aaron what was going on.


    ¡°Those idiots¡­!¡± he growled.


    ¡°You have to admit that the tide has turned, don¡¯t you?¡± Anna beamed. ¡°Surrender now and you can at least keep your life.¡±


    * * *


    In the underground vault, Creshua continued his inner conversation.


    -You¡¯re putting me in a difficult spot.


    Creshua frowned. <em>¡®I don¡¯t think this is the time for you to say that. If I die right now, you¡¯ll have an even bigger problem on your hands.¡¯</em>


    -¡­Didn¡¯t I tell you this several times already? I¡¯m about toplete the defrosting. I have to focus on that, which is why I said you need to take care of any problems on your own.¡¯


    <em>¡®Look at the humans in front of me and then tell me that again. Those people are strong enough to eradicate my race.¡¯</em>


    Joshua sighed, knowing that Creshua was blowing the problem out of proportion¡ªalthough he understood that Creshua wouldn¡¯t want humans to sway him any longer.


    -Two weeks. Give me two weeks.


    <em>¡®Two weeks?¡¯</em> Creshua became baffled.<em> ¡®How did that be that short all of a sudden? I thought it was going to take a lot longer than that.¡¯</em>


    -If there was ever a time to push myself, this is it.


    Creshua thought for a moment. It didn¡¯t sound like Joshua was going to stop working on annihting the Demon Spirit. In that case, Joshua was trying to speed up the defrosting at the same time; however, that would be significantly more taxing.


    -¡­Are you¡ª


    <em>¡®I guess there¡¯s no other choice right now.¡¯</em>


    Before Creshua could finish, Joshua revealed himself. There was nothing difficult about it because Creshua had already given him permission to use his body.


    A spear was created in Creshua¡¯s hand using Lightning Spear, a Fifth Circle spell. Even though the spell was mainly used as a projectile weapon, Creshua spun the spear around in his hands. The Martial Knights instantly burst into peals of mockingughter.


    ¡°Haha! Since when did the oh-so-mighty dragons start mimicking battle mages?¡±


    ¡°Out of all the weapons he could have chosen, he¡¯s using a spear¡­?¡±


    ¡°Who knows? Maybe he was deeply impressed by the one human who uses a spear as his main weapon.¡±


    Every Martial Knight was sneering except for one.


    ¡°Wa-wait, this presence¡­¡± Liper stammered, his face ashen.


    Creshua¡ªJoshua in Creshua¡¯s body¡ªsimply continued to walk toward them. This kind of contempt had always been part of his life, so he knew better than anyone else what the most effective way to change it was.


    ¡°H-Hold on!¡± Liper shouted as his fellow Martial Knights were approaching Joshua, but it was already toote.


    Joshua swung his spear, drawing a line in the air that bisected both man and space itself. Nothing in the path of this line could survive¡ªit was the Magic Spear Arts Level 6: Obliteration Spear.


    Hawke, themander of the Martial Knights, was a few steps away because his instincts had warned him at thest moment. He stared, eyes wide.


    ¡°...Magic Spear Arts?¡±


    It may look slow, but it was faster than anything else in the world. The moment someone thought he had avoided the attack, he would be split from head to toe. It was an absolute technique that couldn¡¯t be blocked or dodged. Yes, Hawke was certain that this was a technique of the Martial God¡¯s Magic Spear Arts, like he had seen some time ago.


    The sound of the cut was only heard long after Joshua swung his spear.


    At the same time, five of the Martial Knights rushing toward Joshua turned into dust.


    Even in the suffocating silence, Joshua kept on walking. Only after Joshua had arrived in front of him did Hawkee to his senses.


    Joshua¡¯s voice was monotonous.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask you this only once: where is Bel?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 299

    Side Story Chapter 299


    Bel, whose whereabouts were everyone¡¯s greatest question, was far away from Avalon right now. The original n was to take Joshua Sander¡¯s country and family captive so that Joshua would break out of the ice boulder on his own; however, that n changed after Bel had witnessed Joshua¡¯s family flee from Avalon.


    Hence, Bel was mming his foot into the ground with every bound, sinking the ground so deep that the sky looked impossibly distant. The Human Realm was already on the verge of destruction, so if Joshua''s family¡¯s goal was to buy time¡­


    <em>¡®I can just bring the entire continent down, not just Avalon.¡¯</em> Bel grinned.


    After the Martial God got out of the ice boulder, he was going to see the world hurtling to its doom, not his family weing him.


    ¡°¡­Yggdrasil.¡± Bel came to a halt in front of his destination.


    Yggdrasil was the tree that was the center and origin of this world. It was also the source of life, but it was withering like the copsing Human Realm.


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Bel chuckled as hended before the tree.


    The day of his final battle with the Martial God was near.


    ***Meanwhile, the civil war in Swallow was alsoing to an end.


    ¡°Do you¡­ really think I¡¯ll stop now?¡±


    Despite Aaron¡¯s ice-cold voice, Anna calmly answered, ¡°Unless you surrender now, your people¡¯s casualties will only increase.¡±


    ¡°My people and I will fight to the end. There are no cowards in the Killian family.¡±


    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be a genius? You¡¯re their leader, so make a wise choice; the longer you think about this, the more of your people will die.¡±


    Anna pointed at the ground. As she said, the Killian knights were helpless before the joint attack of the Thran and Imperial armies. Aaron¡¯s troops had been caught off guard and were being attacked from both the front and the back, putting them in a tactically disadvantageous position.


    ¡°You fight awfully dirty for an empress¡­¡±


    ¡°Wow, did you just recognize me as your empress?¡± Annaughed despite the obvious insult. ¡°And what do you mean by ¡®dirty¡¯? I know you worked hard to gain Thran¡¯s favor, but it¡¯s not my fault that they joined my side.¡±


    ¡°You coaxed them to join your side with a sweet offer that you aren¡¯t even going to keep. Am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°You really look down on Thran, don¡¯t you? But didn¡¯t you guys work together for a while? They would be so very hurt if they heard you say that.¡±


    As a matter of fact, some of Thran¡¯s army heard Aaron and were looking up at the roof with eyes that radiated murder.


    ¡°Well, keep in mind that I¡¯m willing to be a lot nastier if you aren¡¯t nning to surrender.¡±


    Anna gave a signal to Arash, who was with the Thran army. Arash came forward with one man being dragged by multiple people behind her.


    Aaron¡¯s eyes widened when he realized who the man was. ¡°Haron¡­!¡±


    ¡°What choice do I have if you want to continue fighting? Unfortunately, your brother will be the first casualty.¡±


    ¡°Ha.¡± Aaron chuckled dryly. He knew that he had lost this fight. The Mercenary King, two Master-level Vaikals, and a powerful elemental spirit mage were bearing down on him. On the other hand, the army of Thran, had turned its back on him when he needed them most.


    From the me Emperor¡¯s death and the mercenaries¡¯ arrival to Thran¡¯s betrayal, it had just been one problem after another for Aaron. He got goosebumps when it urred to him that Arash, who was looking up at him from the ground, had nned all of this.


    ¡°Brother! These people are nning to dissolve the empire!¡± Haron shouted at the top of his lungs, scraping every drop of mana he had left.


    Aaron''s eyes widened. ¡°...You¡¯re going to disband the empire?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. I believe a rotten tree should be rooted out,¡± Anna answered.


    Aaron narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°...Is it because of Draxia bel Grace?¡± he asked, knowing Anna¡¯s background,


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not doing this for revenge. I just thought that it was more than possible for me to meet the same fate.¡±


    Aaron silently acknowledged Anna''s point. She wasn¡¯t technically a pureblooded member of the imperial line.


    <em>¡®If she means what she says¡­ then I still have a chance.¡¯</em>


    Aaron knew that he had lost this fight, but there was one question he wanted to ask from the man who used to be his brother.


    Aaron looked at Akshuller.


    ¡°¡­Hey, coward.¡±


    Akshuller tilted his head. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°You said that you left the family because you wanted freedom and didn¡¯t want to sacrifice yourself for the family. Was that the real reason?¡± Aaron asked.


    That question had always haunted Aaron. Even if it was Akshuller¡¯s true motive, there was no need to go through the trouble of taking the fall; given theirte father¡¯s personality, he wouldn¡¯t have given the duchy to such a pathetic son in the first ce.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Akshuller looked at Aaron with mixed emotions for a moment before he shrugged. ¡°Forget it. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re going to believe me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my call, so just answer the question. I believe I deserve that much.¡±


    Akshuller broke his silence with a telepathic message.


    -If I renounced my inheritance, everyone in the Killian family would have lost hope.


    ¡°What?¡±


    -I believed that, being an older brother who was lesspetent than his younger brother, it was better to make that look like I was getting kicked out. If I left the family voluntarily, it would look like I was terrified of Grand Duke Lucifer


    Aaron smiled crookedly. ¡°Are you saying you weren¡¯t?¡±


    -Well, not really. I just trusted you to lead the family a lot better than I could. And I wasn¡¯t wrong. Look at yourself. You grew up to be a fine man.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that pretty bullshit. Do those excuses really make you feel better?¡±


    -I told you you wouldn¡¯t believe me, but since we¡¯re already at it¡­ my n was to help the family from outside. That¡¯s why I chose to be a mercenary. But I was stuck from the beginning. Just like I told you earlier, Barbarian, the Mercenary King at the time, was a monster.


    ¡°You¡¯re just pathetic and weak,¡± Aaron scoffed.


    -That may be so, but even he lost to a twenty-year-old man. Although I have to admit that I was lucky when I became the Mercenary King, I could finally help the family drive out Grand Duke Lucifer. I was going to take action the moment I stabilized my position as the Mercenary King, but¡­


    Aaron knew what Akshuller was going to say.


    -¡­Even the Crimson Sky was defeated by the Martial God. I was grateful, but it still left me feeling empty. By that time, there was no ce for me in the family, and bis, the me Emperor, was Joshua¡¯s friend, so I was ufortable about returning home and making Thran my enemy.


    ¡°Hah¡­¡± Aaron shut his eyes.


    -Which means that the life I live now has been my fate all along.


    Aaron knew that Akshuller hadn¡¯t told a single lie. There was no reason for him to do so right now.


    The duke threw his sword on the ground. Even though he had wondered for a moment, a coward never truly piqued his interest.


    ¡°Forget it. This is enough. Spare my family.¡±


    The knights on the ground witnessed everything. All of the Killian knights froze in shock.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! We wonnnnnnn!¡± Duke Voltaire showed up from somewhere and burst intoughter. It seemed like it was only yesterday that he had been suffering from his injury, but Voltaire showed up at the perfect time to make his presence known.


    ¡°¡­But.¡± Aaron¡¯s eyes gleamed like a beast.


    Aaron shot out his energy in carefully aimed directions, revealing five presences on the ground. They were so strong that it was a wonder where they had been hiding until now.


    These five ck-clothed people immediately took off sprinting toward Voltaire.


    ¡°What?!¡± Voltaire shouted as he was surrounded.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world?¡±


    Dozens of the Killian Family¡¯s soldiers took off their clothes, revealing their peculiar white uniforms; this was Aaron¡¯s secret weapon, carefully reserved until the right moment.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Anna angrily screamed.


    ¡°¡­It hurts my pride to just surrender like this. Besides, you said you¡¯re going to root out everything before you start changing things, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Let me give you a hand.¡± Aaron signaled his agents with a wave of his hand.


    The Imperial Knights had thought the fight was as good as over, so they couldn¡¯t even respond properly¡ªa testament to the sheer potency of Aaron¡¯s secret weapon.


    ¡°Arghhhhh!¡±


    Horrible screams rose into the air as the key figures in the court were killed off; some of Aaron¡¯s assassins were themselves killed in the process, but they didn¡¯t hesitate for a moment.


    ¡°I would have fought until the end if you hadn¡¯t told me about your n to dissolve the empire¡­ I¡¯ll just be satisfied with this ending.¡±


    ¡°You¡­?¡±


    ¡°My people and I will leave right after we¡¯ve taken care of those hyenas. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to stop us.¡±


    Instead of answering Aaron, Anna looked down at Arash. Anna didn¡¯t have the slightest idea what to do in a situation like this.


    <em>¡°Let him go,¡±</em> Arash mouthed.


    Despite the chaos the imperial army was in, she didn¡¯t give any instructions, so Anna had a feeling that Arash didn¡¯t n on stopping the massacre unfolding before her.


    Nevertheless, Anna was torn. If she were to let Aaron go now, he would raise another force¡ªno, he was going to build a new country. That was why¡­


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll let you go on one condition,¡± Anna quietly said.


    ¡°You must have misunderstood something here. Can¡¯t you tell that your people will also suffer if we fight until the end?¡±


    Anna could tell that Aaron¡¯s assassins were extraordinary, but her gaze was unwavering.


    ¡°Bring it on.¡±


    Aaron silently regarded her for a moment before jerking his chin. ¡°Let¡¯s hear it.¡±


    ¡°Your n is to bring together the tribes whose interests align and then build a new country¡ª maybe you¡¯re going to build another empire?¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Alright.¡± Anna smiled, relieved by his answer. ¡°But you need the world to be in one piece to build a country.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    Anna pulled out a recording crystal ball from her inner pocket and infused her mana into it. The crystal ball hummed, projecting the evidence of the world¡¯s copse.


    ¡°...The world tree is crumbling.¡±


    Anna shrugged. ¡°I told you the world is headed toward its doom.¡±


    ¡°That nonsense is actually the truth?¡±


    Aaron couldn¡¯t take the situation lightly because of the evidence he was watching now.


    ¡°Stop denying reality, and let¡¯s save the world. Do what you want with this country afterward.¡±


    Aaron gave the crystal ball a nk look and swallowed.


    ¡°How? How in the world are we supposed to stop that?¡±


    ¡°The key is in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°Avalon¡­?¡±


    Anna nodded. ¡°So let¡¯s save Avalon from their crisis first, for the world we live in¡ªno, for your new country.¡±


    ***


    In the underground vault of the pce of Avalon, Joshua grabbed Liper by the nape. The knight groaned in pain, but none of the Martial Knights could help him after witnessing Joshua¡¯s overwhelming power.


    ¡°Purion, I know you can hear me.¡±


    Purion¡¯s power rang angrily in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill your owner. Then you won¡¯t be able to maintain your existence anymore.¡±


    The ringing grew louder.


    ¡°But I¡¯ll spare your owner¡¯s life if you use your power to stabilize my son¡¯s condition.¡±


    The ringing quieted a little.


    Joshua smiled bitterly. Purion¡¯s power was a temporary measure, but Kireua needed any time he could get.


    It seemed that Joshua¡¯s ckmail had worked. Purion jumped out of Liper and then disappeared into Kireua.


    ¡°Wake up, Kireua.¡± Joshua gently shook his son.


    ¡°Your¡­ Majesty?¡±


    Kireua slowly pulled himself together as faint shouts came from aboveground.


    ¡°¡­It seems your mothers and reinforcements have arrived.¡±


    ¡°Is it¡­ really you, Your Majesty?¡± Kireua mumbled.


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m on my way to myst fight. ¡°


    Kireua¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°After all, you and the Human Realm are in this state because of me. I have to take responsibility for what I started.¡±


    After a great deal of contemtion, Joshua had begun to speed up his defrosting using his own vital force. Despite his efforts so far, Joshua was forced tomit himself to a path that would lead to his own end for a singr reason: he wouldn¡¯t be able to stop the Human Realm¡¯s copse otherwise, even if he annihted the Demon Spirit.


    ¡°This is the world where you and the others live, so I will protect its future.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s lip quivered with emotions because he understood what Joshua was saying.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so sad. This is the karma I have to pay for.¡±


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty¡­¡±


    Joshua smiled gently. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with the rest, my son.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 300

    Side Story Chapter 300


    ¡°Im¡­ possible¡­!¡±


    The remaining Martial Knights shook in their boots. They couldn¡¯t believe that they were facing the real Martial God. Hawke, theirmander, was the most shocked because he had believed that if he ever ran into the Martial God, he would be able to bring Joshua Sanders to his knees. In fact, Hawke had been certain that he would be able to defeat anyone except Bel. It turned out that he couldn¡¯t have been more wrong. The Martial God was the very definition of overwhelming power.


    One of the Martial Knights swallowed. He had been part of the Four Pdins¡¯ surprise attack on Arcadia and had caught a nce of the Martial God then, but Joshua hadn¡¯t given off the energy he was exuding right now. What in the world had changed?


    ¡°My power has recovered.¡±


    The answer came from¡ªof course¡ªJoshua, who opened and closed his fists several times. His voice was loud as if he wanted everyone to hear him.


    ¡°He¡­ recovered his power?¡±


    ¡°Shall we continue?¡± Joshua asked. His ferocious energy slowly spread throughout the area.


    Tension filled the air.


    Actually, Joshua was bluffing. Even though he had the power to kill every one of them, he wanted to save as much power as possible for his final fight.At that moment, bright light lit up the area. The Martial Knights turned, assuming it was their reinforcements, but they were startled to discover that the new arrivals were their enemies.


    ¡°Selim¡­?¡± Joshua whispered, equally surprised.


    Selim turned, his head cocked. When heid eyes on Joshua, he was stunned.


    ¡°...Your Majesty?¡±


    Although Joshua was using Creshua¡¯s body, Selim instantly recognized Joshua¡¯s energy. When they heard him, Selim¡¯s ck Knights also stared.


    ¡°Hi-His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s a boy¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, watch your mouth!¡±


    ¡°They and I will handle it from here,¡± Kireua told Joshua as he staggered to his feet. ¡°We can handle the Battle God¡¯s knights on our own.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes burned with quiet conviction; he was determined not to lose consciousness at this crucial moment like he had every other time. This time, Kireua wanted to show something, knowing that it may be hisst chance to show his father how much progress he had made.


    Kireua unleashed ebon mes on his sword. Reading the air, Selimced his spear with arcs of lightning.


    As expected from themander of the Martial Knights, the strongest order in Hubalt, Hawke calmly gave orders despite the disadvantageous turn of events.


    ¡°The Seventh and Eighth Martial Knights will deal with the princes! The rest of you will deal with the ck Knights while the two captains and I will handle the Martial God!¡±


    ¡°Seventh and Eighth?¡± Kireua frowned.


    ¡°They¡¯re obviously underestimating us,¡± Selim scoffed.


    As one, Kireua and Selim started to excite their mana halls in the same way. A great amount of mana wasid over their weapons, a sign that they were going to use their ultimate techniques. They were, in fact, preparing to use the same technique; the only difference right now was their choice of weapon.


    <em>¡®The Magic Sword Art Level 1.¡¯</em>


    <em>¡®The Magic Spear Art Level 1¡¯</em>


    Selim hefted his spear and Kireua his sword to release their aura like two lightning storms.


    <em>¡®Lightning sh.¡¯</em>


    The Martial Knights who were facing them readied their swords.


    ¡°What?!¡± Hawke¡¯s attention was ripped away from the Martial God. His hands clenched in surprise.


    Kireua and Selim vanished and Hawke¡¯s knights couldn¡¯t even follow their movements. The Martial God¡¯s intimidating presence was not helping them in the least.


    Selim and Kireua¡¯s des cut through the Seventh Martial Knight¡¯s shoulder and Eight Martial Knight¡¯s thigh with a neat <em>swish</em>, followed a momentter by the princesnding nimbly back on the ground. Even at a nce, it was obvious that the Seventh and Eighth Martial Knights¡¯ injuries were critical. If they didn¡¯t stop the bleeding now, they would have to worry about bleeding out.


    ¡°Ugh¡­!¡±


    The Seventh and Eighth Martial Knights groaned in pain. Their eyes were filled with confusion.


    ¡°You people underestimate us too much. Have you forgotten that we¡¯ve already fought the Battle God?¡± Selim frowned.


    Kireua casually jerked his chin at the Martial Knights. ¡°Next.¡±


    <em>¡®This is not good.¡¯</em> Hawke bit his lip. He couldn¡¯t deny the fact that Selim and Kireua were better than before, but he got the impression that all of the Martial Knights were unable to use their full power because they were too intimidated by the Martial God¡¯s presence. Otherwise, Hawke¡¯s knights wouldn¡¯t have allowed Selim and Kireua¡¯s attacks that easily.


    Hawke made a decision.


    ¡°Get into the counter-god formation!¡±


    The Martial Knights got into formation in an orderly manner.


    The Martial Knight Order had been founded for Bel¡¯s entertainment because he needed training puppets that wouldn¡¯t be destroyed easily. They had to survive, so they had worked incredibly hard to earn Bel¡¯s approval; earning his approval was what had made them into the famed Martial Knight Order. That was possible because of this counter-god formation. Now they were going to use the formation against the Martial God¡¯s children, not the Battle God.


    After surrounding Kireua and Selim, the Martial Knights exuded energy thatpletely eclipsed what they had demonstrated before.


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡± Kireua grunted quietly as he watched the Martial Knights prepare. He could sense a multitude of gods¡¯ energy in the Martial Knights¡¯ ferocious formation and knew that his attack had onlynded because he was lucky.


    <em>¡®But I don¡¯t have to y along.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Coju!¡± Kireua yelled. ¡°Eat everything!¡±


    Coju, who had been swallowing the demonic power that the undead were releasing, quickly came running to Kireua. Living up to its title, the power of Greed, Coju didn¡¯t care if it was swallowing demonic power or divine power.


    -Wowsieeeeeee!


    <em>Gulp!</em>


    ¡°What?!¡± Hawke¡¯s jaw dropped to the floor as his knights¡¯ authorities vanished and their energy dwindled before his very eyes.


    Kireua grinned. ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the era when people only used mana. We¡¯ll test our martial might against each other until one of us.¡±


    Kireua couldn¡¯t have been more pumped right now. Both Selim and his father were watching him¡ªtoday was going to be Kireua¡¯s tribute to the little boy who had had to leave his home because of hisck of talent.


    ¡°...An Evil Sin is incredible indeed.¡± Selim approached Kireua with his spear at the ready.


    ¡°My skills are even more incredible,¡± Kireua boldly dered.


    ¡°Leave the rest to us and go aboveground,¡± Selim told Joshua. ¡°The Queen Consorts are waiting for you.¡±


    Kireua was startled. ¡°Uh¡­ N-No, he can¡¯t go yet.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡± Selim turned to look at Kireua with a furrowed brow.


    The anxious look on Kireua¡¯s face only deepened Selim¡¯s confusion.


    ¡°¡­Haha.¡± Joshua burst intoughter. ¡°Kireua, it¡¯s okay even if you don¡¯t show me. I know better than anyone how much you¡¯ve improved.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face reddened¡ªJoshua saw through him.


    Selim chuckled after discovering the truth. ¡°What are you, a child?¡±


    ¡°Sh-Shut up.¡± Kireua brandished his sword. ¡°It sounds like something is going on aboveground. Go ahead, Your Majesty. Selim and I¡¯ll be right behind you as soon as we wrap things up here.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you guys will be okay on your own?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°You said you¡¯d trust me with the rest. Leave it to me,¡± Kireua responded with a confident smile.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m here too,¡± Selim spoke up. His eyes zed with determination.


    The battle in the underground vault was quickly sorted out. The undead never died, so they inevitably cornered Hubalt¡¯s knights, and since the Martial Knights had lost their authorities, they weren¡¯t that big of a problem anymore.


    ¡°Oh, yeah! You can take the undead with you, Your Majesty!¡± Kireua shouted.


    Hawke realized that he was thest of the Sanders family¡¯s concerns right now and was about ready to blow his lid.


    ¡°You fucking basta¡ª!¡±


    Selim shook his head before Hawke could continue. ¡°No, we can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that? Lost your confidence?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. Her Majesty Icarus told me not to bring the undead aboveground.¡±


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡± Kireua was surprised. ¡°Her Majesty Icarus did? Why?¡±


    ¡°Do you think we gave up our home without reason? We haven¡¯t been sitting on our hands,¡± Selim shrugged, but he was stealing nces at Joshua.


    ¡°You must have gone through a lot,¡± Joshua said.


    ¡°Not at all. But¡­ I would like to apologize for my ipetence. If I were you, we wouldn¡¯t have had to give up our home like this,¡± Selim bitterly answered.


    Joshua smiled. ¡°No, Selim and Kireua. You two have done a better job than I could ask for.¡±


    Kireua scratched his cheek, and Selim eagerly infused more mana into his spear.


    Joshua looked at his sons for a moment and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you two with the rest. Teach those insolent invaders a lesson for trespassing in our home.¡±


    ¡°Your will be done, Your Majesty!¡±


    Buoyed by his sons¡¯ energetic shouts, Joshua walked into a pool of light that would teleport him aboveground. The finale was drawing near.

 Side Story Chapter 301

    Side Story Chapter 301


    ¡°Are you scared because we¡¯re on our own?¡± Kireua taunted.


    ¡°¡­Are you talking to yourself?¡± Selim scoffed.


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°Hey, Selim.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s enemies right in front of us. We don¡¯t have any time for small talk.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be so uptight. Do you actually want to be emperor?¡±


    Only then did Selim turn to look at Kireua, though his spear remained pointed forward. ¡°Not really.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? I¡¯m also not really big on the throne. Shall we just hand over the throne to Iruca and travel the world?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡±


    ¡°Right back at you.¡± Kireua¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°You and I both want to be His Majesty¡¯s heir. Am I wrong?¡±¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°His Majesty¡¯s heir should be as strong as him so that Avalon remains prosperous.¡±


    ¡°¡­An emperor can¡¯t rely on martial prowess alone. The position demandspetence in all fields, so martial ability is the most useless in some ways.¡±


    ¡°Although I understand what you¡¯re saying, I couldn¡¯t disagree more, especially in troubled times like this.¡± Kireua looked forward pointedly.


    As Selim had had an idea of what his brother was trying to say from the start, he simply shook his head. ¡°Just ask me to make a bet that whoever defeats more enemies will be His Majesty¡¯s heir. That¡¯s more like you.¡±


    ¡°Oops.¡± Kireua burst intoughter.


    Unwilling to be ignored any longer, the Seventh and Eighth Martial Knights approached the brothers despite the injuries on their thigh and shoulder, respectively.


    ¡°Do you think we¡¯re decoration?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t going to be lucky again.¡±


    Maybe because Joshua was gone, the other Martial Knights didn¡¯t join in on the fight out of respect for their fellow Martial Knights¡¯ wounded pride.


    Although the Seventh and Eighth Martial Knights had gathered as much of their mana as they could, not a single trace of their gods¡¯ presence could be detected.


    Kireua and Selim turned to look at the two Martial Knights with a gleam in their eyes.


    ¡°Get out of our way, you minions.¡± Kireua narrowed his eyes.


    He and Selim immediately leaped forward, so the two Martial Knights hastily raised their swords.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Before they realized how much danger they were in, the two Martial Knights had lost their heads. It was over so fast that even Hawke couldn¡¯t maintain his usual poker face.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Hawke¡¯s quivering lip betrayed his shock.


    ¡°Do you know what the biggest difference between me and you people is?¡± Kireua asked as hended next to the two headless corpses. ¡°I may have Evil Sins, but I never thought of these abilities as my power.¡±


    Even though he spoke with confidence, Kireua had only learned this lesson after oveing several close brushes with death.


    ¡°Compared to me, you people have been relying too much on authorities, right up until you lost them just now.¡±


    ¡°Me and the Martial Knights¡­ relied on our authorities?¡± Hawke murmured.


    ¡°I understand. Your authorities must have been essential to have any chance against the Battle God¡¯s strength.¡±


    Hawke frowned slightly.


    ¡°Your boss is a freak,¡± Kireua continued. ¡°Although I hate to admit it, he reached the zenith through pure skills. I have no idea where a freak like him came from.¡±


    ¡°All that effort to win the approval of their god, but it led to the worst possible oue, huh?¡± Selim chimed in.


    Selim¡¯s honest yet hurtful remark crushed the pride of the best knights in Hubalt.


    ***


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    Joshua emerged from a pool of light into the council chamber of his pce. His lip trembled when he discovered hundreds of men on their knees, waiting for him.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Joshua gasped.


    They were Joshua¡¯s loyal Imperial Knights, those who had formerly been part of the Auxiliary Battalion. They had been together with Joshua for the longest time.


    ¡°Hail, Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Hail, Your Majesty!¡±


    Viper and Cazes were kneeling at the front. Despite Joshua¡¯s current boyish appearance, they instantly recognized him.


    Not only was the Auxiliary Battalion gathered, most of Joshua¡¯s people were in the chamber. But¡­ some of them were missing.


    ¡°Why¡­?¡±


    ¡°Duke Tremblin¡­ was killed in action,¡± Valmont answered. Having spent his entire life protecting the Imperial Family from shadows as Duke Tremblin did, Valmont was still bitter about his loss.


    ¡°I see¡­ That¡¯s what happened to Duke Tremblin¡­¡±


    ¡°Ranger¡¯s life is also hanging by a thread. Well, he had beencent with his training recently, so¡­ I guess he brought it upon himself.¡± Cazes let out a sigh before he continued his report. ¡°Although he isn¡¯t from Avalon, I heard that the me Emperor has passed away.¡±


    Joshua was silent, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. It was harrowing to realize that the brilliant stars from the past were falling one after another.


    <em>¡®I guess this is the cycle of life,¡¯</em> Joshua thought.


    The news saddened him and hurt his heart, but it wasn¡¯t the time tomemorate the deceased and wounded, not while they were still at war. Besides, it was time for those of the previous generation to step down so that the new generation could lead the world. It would be best to bequeath them a safe, peaceful world where there was no conflict, but not everyone got to enjoy a happy retirement after a time of change.


    ¡°Fortunately, we¡¯ll be able to take care of the invaders,¡± Cazes said.


    ¡°Hubalt without the Battle God is a piece of cake for us,¡± Valmont added with forced optimism.


    Even if Bel wasn¡¯t around, Hubalt was currently the strongest country on the continent, so Joshua wondered what brilliant tactics his people were using to take care of the forces from such a strong country.


    ¡°Would you like to go up to the top? You¡¯ll be able to get your answer there.¡± Icarus came forward and asked Joshua.


    He nodded in response.


    On their way up, they saw scattered piles of the corpses of Hubalt¡¯s knights all over the hallways and stairs¡ªand the sounds of swords shing could still be faintly heard.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Joshua eximed when they reached the top of the pce. Their vantage point gave them a full view of Arcadia. From the pce garden to the nearby streets, most of Hubalt''s forces had already been removed from the battlefield. Without Bel and the Martial Knights, Avalon¡¯s army was crushing the enemy.


    Having already dealt with the Four Pdins¡¯ attacks, Avalon¡¯s troops knew the most effective way to deal with these enemies and could execute their ns without specific instructions. Magic traps installed in the major streets went off with perfect timing, throwing Hubalt¡¯s army into chaos. After the Four Pdins¡¯ attack, Arcadia had been rebuilt into a veritable fortress.


    However, that wasn¡¯t all.


    ¡°Take back the Pce!¡±


    ¡°The Martial God is the hope of our alliance!¡±


    ¡°To Avalon¡¯s aid! We will fight until the end!¡±


    There were people who were helping the Avalon army with theirck of manpower. Various country¡¯s gs flew in the air, borne by the alliance¡¯s knights. They were fighting alongside Avalon¡¯s army as if it was their war. It must have been Icarus¡¯s idea to have the alliance pretend to strike Hubalt¡¯s capital when they were actually heading for Avalon.


    ¡°If they didn¡¯t have faith in Avalon, they wouldn¡¯t have listened to me in the first ce.¡± Icarus smiled.


    ¡°Icarus¡­ You must have gone through a lot to make up for my ipetence.¡±


    ¡°No¡ªthis is all thanks to the trust you gave to these people.¡±


    Joshua''s eyes widened. Charles¡¯s eyes were glued to the ground, and Iceline¡¯s eyes were bloodshot from trying to hold her tears in.


    ¡°I know that you¡¯ve been ming yourself over and over. You thought that the world ended up in this state because you broke the bnce.¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Even if everyone in the world calls you a selfish jerk, your family will never do that to you,¡± Icarus dered. ¡°We are on your side. We¡¯ll wait for you forever, so make sure youe back to us. No dying.¡±


    Joshua trembled, overwhelmed by emotion. Maybe because they were husband and wives, Joshua¡¯s wives already knew what he was going to do.


    ¡°Did you really think we wouldn¡¯t notice it, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°Dad¡­¡± Iruca teared up from a few steps away.


    ¡°You¡¯re a mean man.¡± Charles pouted.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to chase you to the end of hell if you don¡¯te back,¡± Iceline added.


    Icarus turned to look at her. ¡°You¡¯re going to follow him anyway even if I tell you not to.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s face reddened, which Icarus found adorable.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Icarus giggled. ¡°At least one person should be with him until the end, and it should be someone who¡¯spetent.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Iceline was at a loss for words.


    ¡°...Master.¡±


    Everyone turned toward the stairs. There was Cain, staggering up the stairs.


    ¡°What? Why are you here?¡± Viper eximed. He quickly approached Cain to help him walk.


    ¡°¡­Cain¡­¡± Joshua looked at his knight sorrowfully.


    Cain was a mess. One of his arms waspletely gone¡ªseeing him like that broke Joshua¡¯s heart.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t even gotten married. You can¡¯t treat yourself like this¡­¡± Viper bitterly chastised.


    However, Cain¡¯s eyes were as clear and calm as ever as he walked toward Joshua.


    ¡°¡­I never regretted bing the Martial God¡¯s First Knight, although I ended up like this and you weren¡¯t exactly a good master,¡± Cain said with a deliberate air of mischievousness as he hugged Joshua. ¡°¡­I won¡¯t be able to follow you, but my heart will be with you until the end. ¡±


    Cain took a step back and pressed his fist against his heart. ¡°¡­No, even if I¡¯m born again, I¡¯ll be the first knight of Joshua von Agnus while he¡¯s still a bastard.¡±


    ¡°Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°Thank you for bing my master.¡± Cain smiled.


    At the same time, all of the knights gathered ced their hands over their hearts.


    ¡°Thank you for fighting with us to protect our future!¡±

 Side Story Chapter 302

    Side Story Chapter 302


    The entire Martial Knight Order was stunned. The knights had been confident that they were the best in Hubalt, but their seventh and eighth best were killed without putting up a fight.


    ¡°We dedicated our entire lives to our training¡­¡±


    ¡°But we¡­ were relying on our authorities?¡±


    ¡°N-no, I haven¡¯t lived my life in such a meaningless way!¡±


    The more chaotic the Martial Knights became, the more confused their captains were. Hawke, theirmander, was no better off. Eventually, he let out a sigh as he came to a decision.


    ¡°I¡¯ll deal with the two princes.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the one who¡¯s least affected by this.¡±


    Hawke wasn¡¯t wrong. The two captains couldn¡¯t find anything to say.¡°Take the knights with you and go aboveground.¡±


    Despite their distress, thest thing the two captains could do was to ept that order.


    ¡°Commander!¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Hawke was adamant.


    ¡°You heard what the princes said. Avalon doesn¡¯t n on using their undead for the war. They probably don¡¯t want to upset their alliance.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°Which means we have no reason to deal with the undead since they aren¡¯t going to die anyway.¡±


    Even as they spoke, the Martial Knights were being overwhelmed by the undead, and many of them had already died. This battle in the underground vault alone was a crushing defeat. Hawke was forced to abandon his pride and ept reality.


    ¡°As yourmander, I order you: go! I¡¯ll stop them.¡±


    ¡°What are we, tombstones for your graves?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way we¡¯re going to let you walk away.¡±


    Selim¡¯s ck Knights stopped the Martial Knights, but they were startled when the Martial Knights ferociously released their mana and began shouting at the top of their lungs.


    ¡°We¡­ are the Martial Knights. We are the finest knights in the Hubalt Empire.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve worked ourselves to the bone to survive. No one may say that we¡¯ve wasted our lives, and we won¡¯t lose to people like you!¡±


    ¡°Commander! We¡¯re with you until the end!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re with you!¡±


    ¡°¡­Idiots.¡± The determination of Hawke¡¯s knights made him heave a sigh.


    ¡°We won¡¯t run away!¡±


    ¡°We are the Martial Knights who survived even our god!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    Hawke smiled wryly. ¡°We might die here, and this isn¡¯t even our home.¡±


    ¡°Death doesn¡¯t scare us!¡±


    ¡°History is written by the victors, so no one will remember our deaths anyway.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going to win and write history ourselves!¡±


    ¡°¡­Even if my knights and I die here today, you will never be able to protect your country,¡± Hawke told his enemies.


    As his mana blended with that of his Martial Knights in the air, the tension grew so strong that the ck Knights stumbled backward.


    ¡°¡­Listen, all of you. Avalon will be our grave,¡± Hawke solemnly said.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Draw your swords. If you aren¡¯t used to utilizing your mana, use your true mana. There won¡¯t be another fight!¡± Hawke instructed as he drew up his true mana himself. The space around him rippled. True mana was the source of life, and this powerful energy could never be recovered after it was used.


    The ck Knights and the two princes of Avalon swallowed nervously as the Martial Knights¡¯ wrath bore down on them.


    ¡°Our god will be back and he will hear of our deeds. Let¡¯s make ourst fight one we won¡¯t be ashamed about.¡±


    ***


    There was one ce behind the pce which people were reluctant to visit¡ªbecause it was a graveyard. Some may wonder why a graveyard was in the center of a pce. This was no ordinary graveyard.


    With only Valmont, Cazes, and Viper to keep himpany, Joshua quietly looked down at the graveyard. This solemn ce made their faces tighten with sorrow.


    Weapons, helmets, shields¡­ Many items were scattered over the ce, much like the Knight¡¯s Tomb at the Agnus manor, but it was weapons thrust into the ground that brought Joshua true sorrow.


    Joshua approached a saber that seemed to have been ced the most recently. Even the slight tilt it stood at exuded elegance.


    ¡°¡­Hello, Duke Tremblin.¡± Joshua offered a silent prayer for the deceased. He would never him again even if he wanted to.


    He and the others were about to go into a major battle. As a matter of fact, Avalon¡¯s army and the alliance were still fighting, but Joshua wanted to visit this ce no matter how short a visit it would have to be.


    ¡°I was worried, actually; fortunately, it seems the enemy didn¡¯t desecrate this ce,¡± Valmont said.


    ¡°¡­The people of Hubalt wouldn¡¯t want to be dishonorable graverobbers,¡± Cazes replied.


    Hubalt''s forces tried to avoid stirring up controversies. Bel didn¡¯t care about that one bit, of course, but his people were not him. Their country was already vilified for starting the war without justification, so they had to think about the future after the war.


    Joshua stroked the back of the saber. It hummed in response, which made Valmont and the others fall silent. Even the air felt heavy. Yes, this was what the war was about.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Joshua turned.


    ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡± the three men simultaneously answered.


    However, Cazes tapped his cherished weapon, adding, ¡°Your Majesty, even if I were to die, I would be honored to receive your tribute. And I know these guys would feel the same.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re being silly.¡±


    Viper and Valmont smiled faintly, in contrast to Joshua.


    But suddenly, Valmont whipped around.


    ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± he shouted, his eyes gleaming sharply.


    Cazes and Viper leaped into action, surrounding a woman who had been hiding in the shadows, but all three men immediately halted upon Joshua¡¯s next words.


    ¡°Stand down. I know her.¡±


    Isaac quietly held up her hands to show that she had no intention of fighting. ¡°¡­When did you notice?¡±


    ¡°From the beginning.¡±


    Isaac was left speechless by the realization he had noticed her following him ever since they had left the vault.


    ¡°Why did you choose to reveal yourself now?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­I wanted to know more about you.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    ¡°Martial God, you¡¯re looking for Bel, and I know his location,¡± Isaac continued.


    ¡°What?¡± Valmont interrupted. ¡°Seriously?¡±


    ¡°¡­You can¡¯t trust her.¡± Cazes was as wary as usual.


    ¡°I¡¯m Bel¡¯s fiance,¡± Isaac added.


    Everyone except Joshua looked at her with surprise.


    ¡°¡­All the more reason not to trust her.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising to hear that the Battle God has a fiance¡­¡±


    Cazes and Valmont also began to exude murderous energy, but Isaac was unperturbed because there was one thing she was counting on.


    ¡°You owe me, Martial God.¡±


    She had helped stabilize Kireua¡¯s condition by informing Joshua which Martial Knight had the authority of Purion, the God of Harmony.


    Joshua was silent for a long moment.


    ¡°Alright,¡± he finally said, and nodded. ¡°Come with me.¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Cazes immediately objected. ¡°We don¡¯t know what she¡¯s up to!¡±


    ¡°I believe I do.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡± Cazes nkly asked.


    Isaac¡¯s lip quivered.


    ¡°Martial God, are you¡ª¡±


    Whatever Isaac was going to ask was forgotten when the group detected multiple hostile presences.


    ¡°¡­Ah, fuck,¡± Cazes quietly cussed.


    On the other hand, Valmont and Viper wordlessly drew up their mana.


    ¡°I knew it¡­¡± Cazes narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s not me!¡± Isaac quickly shook her head, but when she realized the identity of the people who had just shown up, she fell into confusion. ¡°Th-The Blood Flower Knight Order? There are¡­ survivors?¡±


    ¡°What is it? Aren¡¯t they from Hubalt too? Why are you so shocked to see people from your own country?¡±


    Isaac stared at them in disbelief for a long time while she struggled for words. ¡°¡­It¡¯s said in Hubalt that while the Martial Knights serve Bel in the light, the Blood Flower Knights work for him in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°Forget it,¡± Cazes interjected, shaking his head. ¡°You¡¯re just saying that they¡¯re the second group of puppets that were created to train Bel so that he can fight the Martial God.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not,¡± Isaac quickly refuted. ¡°They were created for the same purpose as Bel.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°My father, Zactor the Martial Emperor, was one of the three Celestials, but he still died to the Martial God¡¯s spear. Therefore, Hubalt¡¯s leaders didn¡¯t solely rely on Bel to take care of the Martial God.¡±


    The three men gasped. This was thest moment that they would have expected to discover more about Isaac¡¯s identity.


    ¡°...You¡¯re the Martial Emperor¡¯s daughter¡­?¡±


    However, Isaac wasn¡¯t done.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Bel is an unprecedented genius, but Joshua Sanders isn¡¯t someone who can be taken down by one person, so Hubalt came up with hundreds of countermeasures.¡±


    ¡°And these people are one of them?¡±


    Isaac nodded. ¡°Bel and the Blood Flower Knight Order were the only sessful projects.¡±


    There was a good reason why these people were named the Blood Flower Knights. Their sword techniques left behind flower patterns made from bloody remains of their enemies


    ¡°¡­But this doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±


    There was another reason why Isaac was so shocked. While Bel was an individual who was trained to fight the Martial God, the Blood Flower Knights were an entire order of knights that had been founded to do the same¡ªbut the Blood Flower Knight Order was abandoned due to the emergence of the new powers that became known as authorities.


    With humans wielding gods¡¯ abilities, the original sword techniques that used mana were useless. That was why the powerful in Hubalt had neglected the Blood Flower Knight Order and scrapped the project in the end.


    The murderous energy that the Blood Flower Knights emitted was suffocating, but Joshua¡ªin Creshua¡¯s body¡ªmused, ¡°Blood Flower, huh? ¡­I like it.¡±


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°It bothered me that I didn''t bring a single flower to my friend¡¯s grave.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s group watched in amazement as a spear appeared in Joshua¡¯s hand. He smiled faintly and eyed the eighteen uninvited guests.


    ¡°But I have eighteen flowers now.¡±


    Joshua was going to pay tribute to the dead in his own way.

 Side Story Chapter 303

    Side Story Chapter 303


    The Martial Knights were the strongest in Hubalt while Selim¡¯s ck Knights were the best in Avalon. The finest knights of the two warring nations were now being tested against each other.


    ¡°Don¡¯t retreat! Fight back!¡±


    ¡°Prince Selim is watching us!¡±


    ¡°Fight for Lord Bel!¡±


    The fight was gruesome. The Martial Knights fought with no regard for their lives. When they lost an arm, they swung their swords with their other arm; if both of their arms were cut off, they held their swords in their teeth to continue fighting. The Martial Knights that had lost their legs dragged themselves toward the enemy and kept fighting. Their fanatical dedication to the fight unsettled even the valiant ck Knights.


    ¡°Crazy freaks, why in the world are they going this far¡­?¡± one of the ck Knights mumbled with a pale face. He still thought that he was just as determined as them, but whether or not they used their true mana made a big difference between the two knight orders.


    Although the enemy was prepared to die today, Avalon¡¯s army was not. They dreamed of their happy future¡ªafter reiming their country, they would live happily ever after in Avalon under Selim¡¯s benevolent rule. However, that dream was possible only if they survived.


    ¡°Shit! We should use true mana as well¡ª!¡±


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t let them get into your heads!¡± Selim yelled.The ck Knights froze at Selim¡¯smand, but the momentary hesitation proved to be a lethal mistake.


    ¡°Ah, fuck! Rufel!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you, you Hubalt sons of bitches! I¡¯ll kill you all!¡±


    ¡°¡­Are they going to be okay?¡± Kireua asked.


    Selim bit his lip for a moment, but didn¡¯t change his orders.


    ¡°¡­ Nomander has the right to tell their people to fight to their death. I don¡¯t want to lose any more of the people I love,¡± he said.


    Duke Tremblin had been Selim¡¯s anchor, but he had already lost Tremblin. Selim never wanted to experience that bitterness again.


    ¡°You seem to be misunderstanding something here. Your dear knights, your family, your home¡­ They¡¯ll all be gone if we lose here.¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s why I¡¯ll risk my own life and ughter the enemy with my spear,¡± Selim muttered to himself. His eyes were filled with a fighting spirit that was stronger than ever and his murderous energy overwhelmed the area.


    Instead of making empty promises, Selim took action. He charged into battle moving so fast that even the two Martial Knight captains couldn¡¯t track him. In the span of a heartbeat, Selim had prated into the center of the Martial Knights. While the enemy was still processing, Selim began to dance with his spear, demonstrating a series of the techniques that had made Joshua Sanders the Martial God.


    Like a wolf in a herd of sheep, Selim cut off three Martial Knights¡¯ heads in no time and then moved on to the rest of them.


    Of course, the two captains weren¡¯t sitting on their hands.


    ¡°You have to go through us first!¡±


    Right before Selim was about to im his fourth kill, the captains delivered a joint attack against him. Kireua quickly tried to assist Selim, but Hawke, the Martial Knights¡¯mander, stood in his way.


    Kireua let out a sigh.


    ¡°You¡¯re my opponent, huh?¡± he asked with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°You told me and my knights earlier that the biggest difference between us and you is how much we rely on our supernatural abilities.¡±


    ¡°So?¡±


    ¡°Do you still think the same?¡± Hawke pointed at the Martial Knights.


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°You¡¯ve be quite confident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit that our authorities helped us a lot, but unlike you, we never let our authorities take control of us.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face twisted, drawing a sneer from Hawke.


    ¡°Besides, there is no way that the great Martial Knights will lose to a daddy¡¯s boy,¡± Hawke guffawed.


    ¡°...You¡¯ve crossed the line.¡±


    Hawke fixed his grip on his sword, silently provoking Kireua.


    Despite what he said, the situation wasn¡¯t in Kireua¡¯s favor because even at this moment, the ck Knights¡¯ casualties were increasing drastically.


    <em>¡®¡­Selim¡¯s knights being weakened is good news for me if I want the throne¡­¡¯</em>


    Kireua immediately shook his head to break away from that line of thought. It must be the desireing from the power of Greed¡ªbut Kireua was never going to let it take control of him.


    ¡°¡­Congrattions,mander. You sessfully pissed me off.¡±


    Hawke smirked as if to tell Kireua that his anger didn¡¯t mean anything to Hawke.


    ¡°To prove you wrong, I just need to show you that my Evil Sins haven¡¯t taken control of me, right?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you think you can.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to taunt me. In fact, I was too short-sighted. I don¡¯t have to give up my advantage just because you people aren¡¯t using your authorities.¡± An evil smile spread on Kireua¡¯s face. ¡°This was my stage to begin with.¡±


    ¡°Your stage?¡±


    ¡°Even though Selim is out there fighting hard, he has his ck Knights, and your knights are ready to die. And I have loyal subordinates of my own. In fact, they¡¯re an immortal legion that can¡¯t die.¡± Kireua¡¯s smile grew increasingly crooked.


    Hawke¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°So why don¡¯t you try your best to survive?¡±


    ¡°You¡­¡± Hawke red at Kireua.


    ¡°I shouldn¡¯t bring these undead aboveground, but that¡¯s not a problem if we keep fighting down here.¡±


    The undead¡¯s demonic power was directed at Hawke.


    ***


    Behind the pce, the Blood Flower Knight Order surrounded Joshua and the others.


    Valmont stepped forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take three of them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take three of them as well,¡± Cazes said, looking at the rear ranks of the Blood Flower Knights.


    ¡°I¡¯ll do the same.¡± Viper turned to the left, leaving Joshua to deal with the Blood Flower Knights on the right.


    ¡°If all three of you are taking on three knights each, I¡¯m supposed to deal with nine of them?¡± Joshua grumbled.


    ¡°The glorious Martial God ought to be capable of eat least that much,¡± Valmont mischievously answered.


    Joshua shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m still your emperor, right? What is with this treatment¡­?¡±


    Isaac was dumbfounded by the quartet¡¯s unshakable confidence.


    ¡°¡­You heard them. Numbers ten and lower will deal with the minions. The rest of you will focus on the Martial God.¡±


    Nine Blood Flower Knights took action in an orderly manner, but Joshua tilted his head in confusion when they started getting into a formation that resembled a magic circle.


    ¡°Is that a sword formation?¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    That wasn¡¯t it. The Blood Flower Knight leader pulled out a stick and began reciting something iprehensible.


    ¡°Oh, no! We need to stop them!¡± Isaac shrieked.


    However, it was toote. The Blood Flower Knights¡¯ formation was enveloped in light, and Joshua suddenly couldn¡¯t move like he usually did. Even his hands were trembling.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    -¡­Something is wrong.


    <em>¡®What?¡¯</em>


    -My heart is getting out of control.


    Creshua¡¯s statement made Joshua ''s eyes widen.


    ¡°I knew as soon as I saw you, Joshua Sanders. Your body must still be in the ice boulder, and you¡¯re using a dragon¡¯s body, aren¡¯t you,¡± the Blood Flower Knights¡¯ leader said.


    Joshua simply looked at the leader.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a name, but I¡¯ve been called the First Flower all my life.¡±


    ¡°...Then you¡¯re theirmander?¡±


    ¡°Commander? No, all Blood Flower Knights are equal. We¡¯re just cogs in the machine that was built to kill you.¡± The Blood Flower Knight leader pointed at Isaac. ¡°Although I¡¯m sure you heard that from that traitor, Bel and the Blood Flower Knights have been trained to kill you our entire lives, Joshua Sanders.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor, I suppose?¡±


    ¡°It began decades ago with five thousand people. But now there are only neen of us left, including Bel,¡± the leader said, his voice bitter. ¡°We survived in the end, and we¡¯re skilled enough that we¡¯re confident no one can beat us. But we needed to go through a final test before we went up against you.¡±


    ¡°A test? I¡¯m curious.¡±


    ¡°You deserve to be that confident.¡± The Blood Flower Knight leader readily admitted Joshua¡¯s strength; otherwise, he would be denying the meaning of the Blood Flower Knights¡¯ entire existence. ¡°However, there was a problem: no human on the continent isparable to the Martial God, so we came up with an alternative. Our final test would be to eradicate an entire race.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve realized. We set out to eradicate the dragons. Only those supreme creatures of the Human Realm wereparable to the Martial God.¡±


    The reason why Hubalt had wiped out the dragons was revealed.


    ¡°¡­I thought Bel had killed innocent dragons for entertainment, but I guess I was wrong.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true that Bel killed most of the ancient dragons, including the dragon lord. We started the mission together, but Bel wiped out most of the dragons before we¡¯d killed three of them.¡±


    The Blood Flower Knight leader smiled wryly. ¡°I guess it was inevitable because we¡¯re just ordinary humans,pared to him. To be honest, we could barely kill one dragon without using special measures like we¡¯re doing right now¡­¡±


    Joshua began to tremble harder; he was able to feel Creshua¡¯s pain now.


    ¡°¡­The final test led to the abolishment of the Blood Flower Knight Order, but we already spent our entire lives training to kill you. We don¡¯t know anything else, so we¡¯ve been wasting away until we heard the news about you. ¡±


    Joshua¡¯s legs gave out.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Valmont and the others tried to help Joshua, but no one could because the moment they reached out for Joshua, the other Blood Flower knights immediately threw themselves in their path.


    ¡°If I and my fellow knights are challenging Joshua Sanders in a dragon¡¯s body¡­ I¡¯m sure we have a chance too.¡± the leader quietly said.


    ¡°Heartbreak!¡± Isaac realized.


    Although he was in the middle of a fight, Valmont couldn¡¯t couldn¡¯t stay focused.


    ¡°Hey!¡± he demanded. ¡°What is that supposed to be? How the hell does it do that to His Majesty?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the masterpiece of ancient human mages who were close to bing ninth circle mages¡­!¡±


    ¡°What?


    Isaac trembled. Yes, Hubalt wasn¡¯t the first country of humans to challenge the dragons. Unlike today, the age of knights, there was a time when magic had flourished. The mages of that era had been the first to challenge dragons, but they and their entire nation had met a tragic end.


    ¡°¡­Joshua Sanders, we¡¯re your worst possible enemy right now.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 304

    Side Story Chapter 304


    Hawke wasn¡¯t the only one who sensed the energy of death. It seemed that all of the Martial Knights had also noticed given that they abruptly stopped talking. For a moment, the sound in the vault was the knights¡¯ swords shing, and eventually the odd tension led the two knight orders to cease fighting entirely.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡± One of the Martial Knights cussed aloud, looking at skeletons that surrounded the knights.


    The undead had killed everyone from Hubalt except the Martial Knights. The concentrated energy of death sent shivers down the ck Knights¡¯ spines even though they were on the same side.


    ¡°...They¡¯re on our side, right?¡±


    ¡°O-Of course. We¡¯re the just, and they¡¯re the viins.¡±


    Despite what they said, the ck Knights continued to steal nces at Kireua. As they were from Avalon, they were somewhat used to undead, but they were still humans. A situation like this made them feel uneasy.


    Kireua ignored them and pointed his sword at the Martial Knights. ¡°I need to wrap this up quickly before I be hated. So why don¡¯t you help me out here and surrender?


    The undead released their demonic power.


    ¡°You make me look like a viin here, but you guys are the invaders.¡± Letting out a sigh, Kireua smiled crookedly. ¡°Keep in mind that I will use any means necessary to protect my people.¡±The taunt made Hawke¡¯s face crumple up.


    ¡°Don¡¯t back down!¡± he shouted. ¡°They¡¯re still just undead!¡±


    He and the Martial Knights were already using their true mana, so there was no turning back. They tried to rally their spirits with a chorus of energetic battle cries.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s your answer.¡± Kireua signaled the skeletons. ¡°Guys, get rid of them.¡±


    Kireua swung his sword and the undead swarmed the Martial Knights, initiating a fight between the legion of death and the knights burning away thest of their vital force.


    ¡°Die! Die!¡±


    ¡°We are the great Martial Knights!¡±


    ¡°Arghhhhhh!¡±


    It was a massacre. Even Selim could do nothing but watch nkly. The undead legion was not only effective against pdins, who primarily used divine power, but also against the Martial Knights. Even though the Martial Knights were burning up their vital force, the undead rose again and again, no matter how many times the knights put them down. Even when the undead lost their limbs, they used their teeth to bite the Martial Knights.


    While the undead lived up to their name, humans¡¯ stamina was finite. Over time, it was the Martial Knights who fell, never to stand again.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s a viin,¡± Selim muttered unwittingly.


    Kireua frowned. ¡°You¡¯re insulting His Majesty, you know. Besides, only an idiot wouldn¡¯t make use of the weapons they have.¡±


    Selim didn¡¯t say anything, but Hawke was less restrained.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Hawke shouted. ¡°Martial Knights, listen! Stop fighting and try to escape!¡±


    Kireua and Selim gave him a wide-eyed look. That was thest order they had expected him to give.


    ¡°Are you nning on running?¡± Kireua shouted. ¡°You said this ce would be your grave!¡±


    ¡°The Martial Knights aren¡¯t foolish enough to insist on fighting when it¡¯s clear that their odds aren¡¯t in our favor¡ªbut don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll stay here until I¡¯ve cut your head off.¡± Hawke brandished his sword.


    His two captains saw that Hawke had embraced death and clenched their fists in frustration.


    ¡°Commander! We¡¯ll stay too.¡±


    ¡°No! You need to lead the knights for me! Go! This is myst order as yourmander!¡± Hawke firmly shouted.


    The Martial Knights had no choice but to change tactics. Instead of maintaining their defensive line, they turned to offense, but their primary focus wasn¡¯t on taking down the enemy anymore.


    ¡°¡­Martial Knights! Clear a path and run for the exit!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Selim frowned. ¡°Kireua! Get them! Take the undead and the ck Knights!¡±


    ¡°What? What about you?


    Rather than answering Kireua out loud, Selim turned to Hawke.


    ¡°So you¡¯re taking the main dish, huh?¡±


    ¡°The undead are your weapon; I can¡¯t use them,¡± Selim bluntly answered.


    He and Kireua couldn¡¯t afford to let any of the Martial Knights get away. If they were to go above ground, the war in Avalon would shift, leading to additional damages to the Emperor and the Queen Consorts. To prevent that, the undead¡¯s help was essential.


    ¡°¡­Alright. You can have him. Make it count. I¡¯ll be waiting for you to catch up after I take all of them down.¡±


    ¡°You cocky shits¡­!¡± Hawke gritted his teeth, revealing his murderous energy.


    In contrast, Selim smiled, his eyes gleaming with fighting spirit. ¡°I¡¯ll be there in ten minutes.¡±


    <em></em> ***


    ¡°Run! The exit is near!¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. Trael!¡±


    In the rear of the group, the captains watched as a Martial Knight went down under the barrage of the attacksing from all directions. Those fucking undead didn¡¯t miss the chance and quickly surrounded Trael. The captains immediately turned around, ready to rescue their knight, but a shout from Trael halted that n.


    ¡°Go! It¡¯s toote for me, so go! Protect our dream!¡±


    Trael scraped up every drop of true mana he had left, leaving the captains no choice but to abandon him.


    ¡°Fuck¡­¡±


    ¡°Even if it''s just for a second¡­ I won¡¯t let you get them!¡±


    ¡°Go! Run!¡± one of the captains shouted, desperately trying to block out Trael¡¯s screams. ¡°Don¡¯t turn back!


    The sight gave the ck Knights mixed feelings, but they didn¡¯t let their emotions affect their work.


    ¡°Gosh¡­¡±


    ¡°Your Highness, they¡¯ll reach the exit soon.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re unlikely to take them down at this rate.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re using all their true mana to run,¡± Kireua agreed, his eyes narrowed.


    ¡°We, the ck Knights, will use true mana too.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened in surprise; he was impressed by how the ck Knights said that without any hesitation.


    ¡°His Highness Selim is concerned that the war will be disrupted if those Martial Knights escape the vault.¡±


    Kireua frowned. ¡°Hey, you must have forgotten that the Martial God is up there. You don¡¯t need to risk your lives.¡±


    ¡°A butterfly¡¯s wings can cause a storm.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what Queen Consort Icarus always says.¡±


    Kireua stared at them, speechless.


    ¡°It was odd that they¡¯re suddenly running away after they were determined to die. If they have the means to bring the Battle God here when they get outside¡­ It would be a disaster.¡±


    ¡°That is¡­¡± Kireua trailed off.


    ¡°So let us do it.¡±


    The ck Knights were swallowed by bright lights, signaling that they were drawing on their true mana.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m envious,¡± Kireua murmured.


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I envy about Selim. I don¡¯t want his gift in the spear as desperately as I do you guys. I always wanted to have my own knights¡ªno,rades who I can trust to have my back on the battlefield.¡± Kireua chuckled.


    His sudden confession made the ck Knights¡¯ jaws drop.


    ¡°But you know what? I haverades I can trust now.¡±


    The ck Knights were only more confused.


    Kireua grinned. ¡°Those low-ss undead weren¡¯t the only things I inherited from His Majesty.¡±


    Kireua unleashed a great amount of demonic power and sent it rushing toward the exit.


    ¡°The Second Prince of Avalon¡¯s Dark Knights will handle this.¡±


    The Martial Knights were getting close to the door now; they had almost escaped the vault.


    ¡°We¡¯ll smash through the door!¡±


    But then, several people came flying out of the ground.


    ¡°What?!¡± The Martial Knights¡¯ stumbled, shocked by the identity of the people now blocking their path.


    ¡°D-Death knights!¡±


    The death knight standing in the rear stood out the most; the sawtoothed greatsword he held was as big as he was.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ll trust you with this, Wild King.¡¯</em>


    -Leave it to me.


    Kireua smiled. ¡°Now, let¡¯s finish this hunt.¡±


    <em></em> ***


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit!¡±


    Another intense battle raged in the graveyard behind the pce.


    Cazes, Viper, and Valmont had reached the Superhuman level long ago, but the Blood Flower Knights fought them on equal terms; it made them wonder how they hadn¡¯t been aware of these knights'' existence until now.


    The biggest problem was that Joshua, the person they had been counting on the most, was on the floor for unknown reasons.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Are you alright, Your Majesty?!¡±


    ¡°...Interesting,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    Valmont''s eyes widened as he watched Joshua stagger to his feet between swings of his sword.


    ¡°You¡¯re pushing yourself too much,¡± First Flowermented with a furrowed brow.


    ¡°Now¡­ is the time to push myself. Actually, this body¡¯s owner¡­ is also quite annoyed.¡±


    First Flower chuckled. ¡°Then let me tell you one more important fact.¡±


    ¡°Are you¡­ buying time?¡±


    Joshua knew that time was not on his side because this damned spell was only causing more pain.


    ¡°It costs you nothing to listen to the story.¡±


    Joshua drew up his aura, but First Flower¡¯s next remark made hime to a halt.


    ¡°Even if you survive and recover your original body, you¡¯ll never be able to beat Bel because he¡¯s like this spell but designed specifically for you.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°He was born to be your counter.¡± First Flower smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know how a one-of-a-kind genius like Bel suddenly showed up out of nowhere?¡±

 Side Story Chapter 305

    Side Story Chapter 305


    ¡°Bel was brought into this world because of you, Joshua Sanders,¡± First Flower said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Bel isn¡¯t a god or a human. He¡¯s like you, a demi-god.¡±


    ¡°What is that supposed to mean?¡±


    Bel¡¯s birth was quite surprising, enough to shock Joshua, who was famouslyposed.


    First Flower pointed at the sky. ¡°You know about the neutral zone that isn¡¯t part of the Angel Realm or Demon Realm, yes?¡±


    Joshua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Are you talking about the Gray Zone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s called Chaos. I heard it''s now also known as the Great Battlefield of Angels and Demons. It isn¡¯t part of any realm, and nothing can exist there.¡± First Flower looked into Joshua¡¯s eyes. ¡°After the Angel Realm¡¯s copse, the universe¡¯s bnce was broken, leading to the copse of the Demon Realm. Obviously, the neutral zone would not have been spared, especially when the Human Realm is also crumbling.¡±


    ¡°You¡­ know the Human Realm is copsing,¡± Joshua said, suppressing his pain.¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Anyhow, it¡¯s very well-known that the neutral zone is so barren that almost no one can make it their home¡ªbut some people still managed to survive.¡±


    Joshua knew about these inhabitants from his memories of his past life. Some fallen angels had ended up in Chaos after being banished from the Angel Realm like Joshua had been. Some demons had fled to the neutral zone to escape the fierce battle for survival.


    ¡°Many of those survivors were stranded in the neutral zone after passing through a dimension rift after the Great War of Angels and Demons.¡±


    Joshua was extremely curious about First Flower¡¯s identity now because there was no way an ordinary human would be this familiar with the neutral zone.


    ¡°Those ones were strong. What doesn¡¯t kill you makes you stronger, even if you¡¯re an angel or a demon. Ny-nine percent of them were annihted in the dimension rift, but one percent of them managed to survive and arrived at the neutral zone. They were waiting for an opportunity to go back, but that became impossible after you caused the destruction of both the Angel and Demon Realms¡­¡±


    ¡°Are you telling me that even the colossal neutral zone copsed? Wait, so who in the world are you?¡±


    ¡°¡­You already guessed, haven¡¯t you? We carry the authorities of the gods stranded in the neutral zone.¡±


    In other words, the Blood Flower Knights also had the tenacity of the rare few gods who had managed to survive in the neutral zone until the end.


    ¡°Then does that mean Bel also has an authority from one of those gods?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°No, Bel is Chaos itself.¡±


    ¡°Chaos¡­ itself?¡±


    ¡°The Demon Realm had an owner named the Demon Spirit, and the Angel Realm had the Angel Spirit. Why do you think the neutral zone wouldn¡¯t have one?¡± First Flower shrugged.


    Joshua had a hard time epting that. After being abandoned by both the Angel and Demon Realms, he had reigned over the neutral zone. Even though the ce was endless, Joshua should have run into the owner at least once.


    ¡°Talk to Bel himself to hear the rest¡ªbut of course¡­ you¡¯ll have to hear it from inside your ice boulder where your original body is.¡±


    The light that had enveloped Joshua was gone now, meaning that Creshua¡¯s dragon heart waspletely sealed. Once all possible precautions were in ce, the rest of the Blood Flower Knights took action.


    ¡°Your Majesty! Let me help you!¡± Cazes was the first one to notice that something was off and immediately tried to aid Joshua.


    However, he was stopped by the Blood Flower Knights, who thrust their swords at him from all directions. Viper and Valmont couldn¡¯t even look because they were too busy taking on their share of the Blood Flower Knights.


    ¡°¡­Then let me tell you something now,¡± Joshua quietly said.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°If you people have inherited the memory of those gods, you must have heard about my past life,¡± Joshua said with small smile.


    The First Flower and the eight other Blood Flower Knights¡¯ faces darkened.


    ¡°You people are greatly mistaken if you still think I¡¯m just trapped in a ck dragon hatchling.¡± Joshua manifested a white spear and pointed it at the Blood Flower Knights. ¡°I am Joshua Sanders.¡±


    <em></em> ***


    Only Selim and Hawke, themander of the Marital Knights, were left in the underground vault. The enormous space was silent like the calm before the storm.


    ¡°What is your name?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s Hawke. Selim Sanders, do you actually believe you can stop me on your own?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully confident for a person who lost his authority,¡± Selim nonchntly answered. In contrast to the Martial Knights, he reached his current level with only his Magic Spear Arts.


    ¡°You¡¯re misunderstanding something here.¡±


    ¡°Misunderstanding what?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t have an authority in the first ce,¡± Hawke said.


    Selim''s eyes widened. Hawke was amander of the Martial Knight Order, a group of people with authorities, so it seemed preposterous that Hawke didn¡¯t have an authority.


    ¡°I did think that themander would be different from his knights¡­ but this is still surprising.¡±


    ¡°Zactor the Martial Emperor was the best in Hubalt, and Sir Bel is the strongest in Hubalt now. But they both reached their supreme level without any authorities, and I¡¯ve been personally trained by Sir Bel the longest. Do you seriously think I would rely on an authority?¡± Hawke cracked and grinned. ¡°Keep in mind that I surpassed Zactor long ago.¡±


    ¡°You certainly like to bluff.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll just have to see about that.¡±


    Hawke threw a punch. It looked like a light punch, but Selim could immediately feel rms going off in his head.


    A giant tiger, made from the air pressure of Hawke¡¯s fist,unched itself toward Selim, roaring.


    Selim gasped and quickly swung his spear in response.


    The impact catapulted Selim away and sent him rolling across the floor several times.


    ¡°I see¡­¡± Selim hacked up a mouthful of blood. ¡°You had a good reason behind your confidence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote to regret it. You¡¯re not going to leave this ce alive.¡±


    Hawke strode toward Selim.


    Wiping off the blood on his face, Selim slowly stood up. ¡°¡­Let me ask you onest question. Why do you and the Martial Knights worship Bel?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an odd question.¡±


    ¡°If I were you guys, I would be furious if I had to train my entire life for someone else¡¯s satisfaction. Do you genuinely like your life?¡±


    Bel chuckled. ¡°That¡¯s because you haven¡¯t witnessed Sir Bel¡¯s true power.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°When you faced a wall you knew you¡¯d be able to surmount for your entire life, what did you feel?¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Selim concluded that there was no such thing. If he ever ran into such a wall, he would have tried to climb over the wall using any way he coulde up with.


    ¡°You¡¯re an open book, aren¡¯t you? Let me rephrase my question: there is a wall you will never be able to climb over¡ªon top of that, the ¡®wall¡¯ is a human like you.¡±


    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±


    ¡°To the other Martial Knights and I, Sir Bel was that wall. He instilled piety in me even though I never thought I was capable of such an emotion,¡± Hawke answered.


    He thought back to his first encounter with Bel.


    <em></em> ***


    Like a rabbit thrown into a hungry tiger¡¯s cage, Hawke was forced to fight the vicious monster that Hubalt was raising in secret. He lost.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s a monster¡­¡¯</em>


    Just like the rumors said, the monster was strong. It was everything one would expect from the weapon created to counter the Martial God.


    Hawke had already heard about the demise of the monster¡¯s puppets; he realized when he was defeated that he was going to meet the same ending.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting tired of killing people.¡± Bel sighed. ¡°Why don¡¯t you be my friend?¡±


    The bewilderment Hawke felt was indescribable.


    ¡°Just stay here. Pretend you don¡¯t know anything and don¡¯t tell anyone about it.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What are you talking about¡­?¡± Hawke stammered.


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m a human after all, because I¡¯m getting a little lonely. It got me thinking: although it feels good to wreak havoc on my own, Joshua Sanders is an emperor, isn¡¯t he? He¡¯ll have an army of his own, so it seems like a good idea to have a couple of reliable friends on my side.¡±


    ¡°...Why did you choose me?¡±


    Bel shrugged. ¡°Out of all the guys who were brought to me, you have the most potential. And I like the fire in your eyes.¡±


    ¡°Hah¡­¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know it¡¯s ridiculous. I get tired of my wishy-washy emotions too. Anyway, I¡¯ll just tell those people outside that I want to keep the more durable puppets a little longer, so stay by my side and pick some people who have potential like you. I¡¯ll spare them.¡±


    <em></em> ***


    That was how the Martial Knight Order had been founded.


    ¡°¡­Just think of it this way: the strongest man in the continent spares and decides to personally train you. For a knight, it¡¯s rarer than a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so how can I not be loyal to him?¡±


    Selim nodded. ¡°I understand now.¡±


    If the Emperor of Avalon were to teach his spear skills to a knight who wasn¡¯t even his family, the knight would try to pay his grace with their life.


    ¡°Then is this going to be a battle between the Battle God¡¯s best student and the Martial God¡¯s?¡±


    Hawkeughed quietly. ¡°A battle? What we¡¯re going to do is called one-sided violence.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well¡­¡±


    Hawke stiffened when an overwhelming rush of Selim¡¯s energy hit him. Selim inhaled and exhaled sharply.


    <em>¡®I¡¯ve been dying it, but it¡¯s time to move to the next level¡¯</em>


    From their fight so far, Selim was certain that his enemy was strong. He instinctively knew that he had a ny percent chance of defeat, but he had to win even if the odds were against him. That meant, even though he was still in his early twenties, that he had to reach a level that even the Emperor of Avalon had only aplished close to his thirties.


    <em>¡®The Magic Spear Arts, Level 8.¡¯</em> Selim tightened his grip on his spear before charging toward his enemy like a lightning bolt.

 Side Story Chapter 306

    Side Story Chapter 306


    The moment Hawke noticed the ray of blindingly bright light shooting toward him, he thrust his fists out. Unlike the first punch, a rain of aura strikes was fired toward Selim¡ªthe ray of light¡ªhitting him head on.


    Instead of dodging Hawke¡¯s aura strikes, Selim chose to parry them.


    ¡°You idiot!¡± Hawke sneered.


    The biggest advantage of a spear was its attack range, but Selim had voluntarily given that up and closed the distance between him and Hawke! His mistake had painful consequences. Before Selim could swing his spear, he noticed an aura strike right in front of him and quickly turned his torso. Nevertheless, the aura strike brushed his waist.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Selim groaned quietly and had to wipe blood off of his face.


    A long weapon like the spear was strong, and that had the advantage of reach; however, it also had a distinct disadvantage because its length and weight made it slower. In contrast, Hawke used himself as a weapon. Even though his attack range might be short, he was nimble, which he continuously used to get inside Selim¡¯s reach.


    ¡°I¡¯m not done!¡± Hawke leaped and spun in the air to demonstrate a technique that had even impressed Bel.


    Hawke turned into a hurricane. His fists, legs¡­ His entire body was his weapon. His fists were more deadly than any sword ever made, and his legs could deliver attacks that struck like a halberd. His faith in himself would drive him to destroy his enemy.


    Mach Storm. That was the Martial Emperor¡¯s ultimate technique.Selim didn¡¯t even have time to use the Magic Spear Arts techniques as he could barely manage to block the barrage of attacks, but he continued to recall the exquisite principles of the Magic Spear Arts and utilized his mana hall ordingly.


    However, Selim ended up coughing up a fountain of blood, like a person who surfaced after spending a long time underwater. Hawke¡¯s eyes gleamed when he saw this; he felt certain that his victory wasn¡¯t far away.


    But instead, Hawke was startled by Selim¡¯s blood sshing right on his face. The sticky blood blocked his view. Hawke was unable to hold back a grunt.


    <em>¡®Was he nning this from the start¡­?¡¯</em>


    Nevertheless, it wasn¡¯t the time to stand around like a fool. Even if his eyes were covered, he still had his ears and nose to detect the changes in the air. Hawke focused on his other senses while quickly distancing himself from Selim, but no matter how long he waited, Selim didn¡¯t make another attack. Hawke finally wiped the blood from his eyes and nearly fell over as soon as he saw what Selim was doing.


    The air trembled like an earthquake, with Selim Sanders standing in the epicenter. Selim pointed his spear at Hawke, blood still dripping out of his mouth.


    ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡± Hawke¡¯s instincts warned him that he was in serious danger. He wasn¡¯t a fool, so heunched an aura strike immediately.


    However, Hawke¡¯s giant tiger vanished before it even reached Selim. His concern grew.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡±


    Selim breathed out a white plume. In contrast to Hawke, Selim forgot about everything around him, including the situation he was in. It was time for him to finally finish climbing up the stairs and surmount the wall that had been in his way for a long time.


    <em>¡®The Magic Spear Arts Level 8: Infinite Spear.¡¯</em> Selim narrowed his eyes.


    A series of attacks with an end wasn¡¯t infinite. But by that logic, the three techniques of the Magic Spear Arts Level 8 were infinite.


    Selim finally leaped high into the air. Hawke stiffened for a moment, but he quickly swung his fist.


    <em>¡®How is he this fast?!¡¯</em> Hawke bit his lip.


    Selim was quicker than Hawke. Before Hawke could exim, Selim drew a big circle in the air with his red spear. Hawke was baffled. Despite the golden opportunity Selim had, he had chosen to swing his spear in the air meaninglessly.


    ¡°Did you give up?!¡± Hawke smirked at Selim, but a growing sense of incongruity quickly silenced him.


    <em>¡®He¡¯s showing his back during a battle¡­?!¡¯</em>


    Hawke thrust his fist toward Selim, but his heart immediately sank. He tried to speak, but he couldn¡¯t move his lips at all; the same went for his hands, feet, and everything else. In fact, the world around him waspletely silent, as if he had lost the ability to hear.


    <em>¡®What in the world¡­?¡¯</em>


    The only thing Hawke could manage to move was his eyes. He painfully rotated his eyes and found himself, to his shock, in the center of Selim¡¯s circle. The world within the circle lookedpletely different from the outside, like a world detached from where he had been.


    ¡°Infinite Circle.¡± Selim tapped the floor with the end of his spear before he went down on one knee.


    His stamina was exhausted by the technique he had just used. This ultimate technique allowed Selim to sever space itself, trapping his opponent in a spatial rift. It earned its name because its victims were stuck in the rift forever.


    <em>¡®¡­Ah!¡¯</em> Hawke saw a ray of light as darkness swallowed the world around him like ink staining paper. A smiling man stood in front of him, untouched by the abyss.


    ¡°¡­Sir Bel,¡± Hawke muttered.


    The rift¡¯s gate closed behind Hawke, sending him outside this world.


    <em></em> ***


    The unexpected arrival of the death knights made the Martial Knights¡¯ captains grit their teeth. Even without engaging them, the captains could feel the death knights¡¯ strength from the suffocating energy of death alone.


    <em>¡®They aren¡¯t just monsters. Each and every one of them is equal to us, so our chances of winning are unclear even if we use all of our true mana¡­!¡¯</em>


    Where in the world had such monsters been hiding?


    ¡°His Majesty said that he needs you and the others to stay here for the time being.¡± Kireua smiled bitterly.


    -Ah¡­ that is a bummer. It¡¯s been some time since I looked around the pce.


    While the Wild King mumbled to himself, the death knight beside him came forward, the light in his eyes waving from side to side.


    -My master is cruel. Even if I look like this, I used to be a prince.


    ¡°Oh, yeah. I heard a lot about you, Your Highness¡­¡±


    Kireua tried to bow but the death knight waved his hand to stop him.


    -It¡¯s embarrassing to be addressed like a prince now. I¡¯m old enough to be your grandfather if I were still alive.


    The death knight¡¯s name was Kasselon ben Britten. He was the prince who had tragically perished in the schemes of Kaiser ben Britten. In the Britten family, Kasselon used to be the greatest martial artist.


    -Wild King, you and I will be enough to take care of them on our own, yes?


    Without answering Kasselon, the Wild King smiled as he released more of his demonic power. As their allies, the ck Knights let out a cheer; in contrast, the Martial Knights¡¯ faces darkened.


    ¡°¡­Houl, as their leaders, we have to make a decision,¡± one of the captains told the other.


    ¡°What? What decision?


    ¡°Only one of us has to get out of here. Once we manage to let Sir Bel know the situation, we¡¯ll be able to turn the tide of the battle instantly. ¡±


    Their voices were quiet, but their conversation was loud enough for the surviving Martial Knights to hear them.


    ¡°Captains! We¡¯ll stop them!¡±


    With their eyes burning with fighting spirit, the Martial Knights released thest of their true mana, pushing away the demonic power that the death knights exuded.


    ¡°¡­One of us had to stay with them,¡± the captain quietly said.


    ¡°Decker!¡± Houl screamed.


    Decker joined the other Martial Knights. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    Before Houl could stop them, the Martial Knights charged toward the legion of death. Houl cussed out loud. His fellow knights were risking their lives¡ªthe more time he wasted here, the more meaningless their sacrifice would be.


    ¡°Captain Houl! This way!¡±


    ¡°Clear a path so that Captain Houl can reach the exit! Don¡¯t worry about anything else!¡±


    ¡°Urgh!¡±


    ¡°C-Captain, please tell Sir Bel¡­!¡±


    Houl¡¯s knights copsed to the ground one after another in a desperate bid to help Houl reach the exit. Houl gritted his teeth and leaped through the battlefield.


    Kireua looked up after cutting down another of the Martial Knights and noticed Houl¡¯s attempt.


    ¡°Stop him!¡± Kireua shouted. ¡°We can¡¯t let anyone get out of here!¡±


    The Emperor of Avalon trusted him with this job, and there was no knowing what would happen if he and the others let the Martial Knights go. Kireua couldn¡¯t afford to fail.


    -I got him.


    Just as Houl reached the exit, the Wild King stood in his way.


    The Wild King flung his chained, sawtoothed sword toward Houl, who threw himself toward the exit anyway.


    Although Houl tried to dodge the attack, the Wild King could feel his sword bite into his target; when he pulled his sword back, the sawteeth around the de tore out Houl¡¯s flesh and bones.


    Houl used his sword to cut off the affected chunk of his shoulder and kept going without a second thought.


    -¡­Hmmm¡­


    The Wild King frowned. He found himself at a loss; he wanted to go after Houl, but Kireua had told him that his master wanted him to stay in the vault for the time being.


    -¡­I guess there¡¯s no other choice.


    The Wild King gave up on chasing Houl and rejoined the battle intending to ughter the remaining Martial Knights so that no one else would slip away like a weasel.

 Side Story Chapter 307

    Side Story Chapter 307


    Houl stood in a hallway, panting for breath. His escape from the vault had earned him a weeping wound on his shoulder.


    He stopped the bleeding using his mana and turned his eyes back to his path. In front of him were the giant doors that led to the council chamber of the pce; having been in the pce for several days, he knew that the chamber was the only way to escape from the vault.


    ¡°...I have to let Sir Bel know about the situation here.¡±


    Houl put his hand in his pocket and felt for the magic firework stick he would use to signal Hubalt¡¯s forces. However, in order to use it effectively, he had to get to a ce where he could see the sky.


    The moment he tried to open the door, however, he heard the mor of battle. He instinctively backed away. Nobody was supposed to be there.


    ¡°Someone¡¯s fighting¡­¡±


    There were at least ten people. Judging from the strong mana in the air he could feel on his skin, each and every one of them was just as skilled as he was.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s the Blood Flower Knights!¡±[1] Houl¡¯s face brightened up once he recognized his reliable allies¡¯ mana.


    Houl shoved the door open without hesitation. As expected, the Blood Flower Knights were there, locked in an intense battle against three enemies. It was obvious that they were winning given their three-on-one advantage.A nce to the side, however, revealed half of the Blood Flower Knights copsed on the floor.


    Houl¡¯s jaw dropped. ¡°Who in the world defeated them¡­!?¡±


    Houl was greatly dismayed because he knew how strong the Blood Flower Knights were¡ªbut the moment he saw the enemy confronting the Knights, Houl understood the situation instantly.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    It was Joshua Sanders the Martial God. Although the Martial God looked like a boy, Houl was certain that it was him.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    However, the Blood Flower Knights¡¯ sacrifice wasn¡¯t meaningless. Despite his unfathomable power, the Blood Flower Knights had forced their enemy down onto his knee, although eight of the Blood Flower Knights had been defeated to do it.


    ¡°Die, Joshua Sanders!¡± First Flower, the sole survivor, swung his gleaming de down on Joshua.


    Despite his precarious posture, Joshua parried First Flower¡¯s sword with the grace of an acrobat, shrouding himself in a curtain of sparks.


    ¡°You freak!¡± First Flower gritted his teeth.


    However, Joshua wasn¡¯t in a good condition.


    <em>¡®Creshua isn¡¯t answering me. Did he pass out after taking the shock to his heart?¡¯</em>


    Strong heart beats <em>thumped</em> in his ears. Joshua sank to the floor, his limit exceeded. First Flower¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply as he swung his sword once again.


    His sword was parried away once again, but it wasn¡¯t done by Joshua¡¯s spear.


    -¡­Long time no see, master.


    A truly gigantic death knight stood in front of Joshua, bathing the air with his energy of death. There was no way Joshua wouldn¡¯t recognize the death knight.


    ¡°Wild King!¡± Joshua eximed, his face bright.


    ¡°We¡¯re here too!¡±


    Selim and Kireua also rushed into the chamber, making Joshua¡¯s smile grow.


    ¡°B-But what happened to the ceiling¡­?¡± Kireua gaped at the huge hole.


    Selim recognized the traces of a Magic Spear Art technique and shrugged. ¡°...His Majesty must have used one of his Magic Spear Art techniques.¡±


    However, no one expected how the hole in the ceiling was going to be used.


    Something yellow suddenly soared into the sky, making Selim and Kireua''s eyes widen.


    ¡°If I can already see the sky¡­ I don¡¯t need to bother going outside.¡± Houl grinned as the magic firework burst. He then immediately lost consciousness, his final missionplete.


    The chamber fell silent. Everyone ceased fighting and stared nkly at the sky.


    * * *


    Yggdrasil, the tree of life, had numerous branches of various sizes. Among those branches were twelve giant branches that made up the base of the continent.


    With only his fists, Bel had snapped off six of them, but nothing could destroy the remaining branches.


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Bel sat down on Yggdrasil¡¯s branch and frowned.


    He knew that he had to destroy all the twelve branches to speed up the Human Realm¡¯s copse.


    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure that it¡¯s not because I got weaker.¡±


    Bel tilted his head in confusion and threw a light aura punch into the air.


    It wiped out everything in its path.


    Close to Yggdrasil were seven old buildings that made up the Magic Tower, clustered around the tree as if they were protecting it. Bel¡¯s punchnded among them with an enormous <em>boom! </em>One of those centuries-old buildings crumbled into dust, unable to withstand Bel¡¯s aura punch even from a distance.


    ¡°You!¡±


    In the blink of an eye, Bel was swarmed by mages.


    ¡°You guys are quicker than I thought.¡± Bel he looked at them and grinned.


    The mages already knew that Bel was raising havoc nearby, so why had they only shown up after he¡¯d destroyed one of their buildings?


    ¡°The Tower Master must adore his mages a lot,¡± Bel said. His eyes were glued to the leader of the mages.


    Thetapirion Whitesox, the Tower Master, gave Bel a death re. ¡°¡­Mages of the Magic Tower, listen. We shall stop that monster today even if it costs us our lives. I¡¯m not asking you to do this to save the continent; I wouldn¡¯t be so pretentious.¡±


    As the eight Circles in his heart began to work, Theta shouted, ¡°This fight is to protect our home! Yggdrasil won¡¯t be destroyed, but that monster will obliterate our home. We must defend our home from that monster by any means necessary.¡±


    Bel watched, amused, as the mages let out vigorous shouts.


    ¡°¡­Yeah, that¡¯s right.¡± He tilted his head again. ¡°Come to think of it, I was trying to test my level.¡±


    Bel turned to look at Theta.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m sorry to interrupt your pep talk, but you know why Yggdrasil can¡¯t be destroyed, don¡¯t you?¡±


    This was the biggest question on Bel¡¯s mind. It wouldn¡¯t have been a question at all under normal circumstances, but the Angel and Demon Realms had fallen and the realms¡¯ leaders¡ªthe Angel and Demon Spirits¡ªwere also gone. The Human Realm¡¯s bnce was almost nonexistent, and Yggdrasil was the foundation of the realm. If Yggdrasil could still withstand Bel¡¯s assault¡­


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s strange. I can forget about the Demon Spirit since he¡¯s still alive, even though he¡¯s close to being erased, but the Angel Spirit is¡­¡± Bel¡¯s eyes slowly widened in realization as he mumbled to himself. ¡°¡­I actually haven¡¯t verified if all traces of the Angel Spirit are gone.¡±


    Bel came up with a theory: what if traces of the Angel and Demon Spirits were still left in the Human Realm and they were maintaining the Human Realm¡¯s precarious bnce? That would exin the current situation.


    ¡°¡­Interesting.¡± Bel suddenly wasn¡¯t bored anymore. Well, he would feel quite empty if the Human Realm copsed like this, especially since he wanted to fight Joshua Sanders once again.


    ¡°Ready your spells! Don¡¯t worry about Yggdrasil. On my signal, fire everything you¡¯ve got at that monster,¡± Theta coldly ordered.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    Bel wasn¡¯t worried in the slightest. He simply cracked his knuckles, eager to y with his new toys.


    Just then, his smile froze on his face. Bel caught a distant scent, so faint that only he could sense it.


    Immediately, Bel leaped from Yggdrasil¡¯s branch, but Theta wasn¡¯t going to let him go just yet.


    ¡°Fire!¡±


    A rain of spells followed Bel, but he nullified all the spells with a shout.


    ¡°What the fuck¡­? He disrupted the flow of mana with his voice?¡±


    Bel flew higher into the sky, unbothered by Theta¡¯s frustration. And¡­ as expected, he could see a faint pir of smoke in the distance.


    ¡°¡­I knew it!¡±


    As he¡¯d thought, a pir of smoke was rising from Avalon. Although it was very far away, Bel had surpassed the level of an Absolute long ago and had no trouble seeing it. The smoke was no doubt a signal made by one of his knights, which meant that the person Bel had been waiting for had appeared.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! You finally showed up, Joshua Sanders!¡± Bel burst into manicughter and turned into a ray of light headed for Avalon.


    1. Earlier chapters stated that they were fighting in the graveyard. It¡¯s unclear when or how (or why) they moved. ?

 Side Story Chapter 308

    -I¡¯m sorry.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s okay. You tried your best, Wild King,¡¯ </em>Kireua answered with a bitter smile. The butterfly effect was in full force.


    -Even if I did, it doesn¡¯t matter if I failed.


    The Wild King nced at Houl, the captain of the Martial Knights. He was a slowly cooling corpse thanks to the Wild King rearranging his insides with demonic power, but his final mission wasplete.


    Despite what happened, the Wild King focused on protecting Joshua. The fight between the Wild King and First Flower threw off a steady shower of sparks.


    ¡°¡­Let¡¯s get rid of them first,¡± Kireua said.


    Selim nodded. ¡°Okay.¡±


    To Cazes and the others, Selim and Kireua¡¯s arrival was a windfall; with their help, they were able to break the impasse.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± First Flower cussed aloud in frustration while he swung his sword. He had been trained his entire life like an animal with the sole purpose of taking down Joshua Sanders. Bel wasing, but this wasn¡¯t how First Flower wanted the Blood Flower Knights to end.¡°Joshua Sanders is already in a critical condition! It¡¯s only natural for his soul to be affected after he¡¯s taken that much damage! Focus on our main target!¡±


    The Blood Flower Knights stopped fighting Cazes, Valmont, and Viper, and threw themselves at Joshua.


    Joshua¡¯s knights weren¡¯t going to let that happen. While Cazes cut off an enemy¡¯s leg, Viper cleaved his opponent in half and Valmont¡¯s sword pierced one of the enemy knights in the heart. But the Blood Flower Knights didn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders!¡±


    The Blood Flower Knights thrust their swords. Their eyes were glued to Joshua Sanders, their lifetime target, as they scraped up every drop of their mana.


    ¡°Kireua!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on him!¡±


    Kireua and Selim¡¯s sword and spear took down one Blood Flower Knight each; however, the Blood Flower Knights continued to advance without regard for their lives. Four of them managed to reach First Flower alive.


    First Flower attacked the Wild King with everything he had, keeping his saw toothed sword upied.


    ¡°Go! Cut off his head!¡± First Flower screamed.


    All four of the rtively unscathed Blood Flower Knights struck with everything they had, despite Joshua¡¯s already critical condition.


    -It looks like this isn¡¯t the time to sit back and admire the view of the pce.


    At that moment, another death knight appeared in front of Joshua. This death knight used to be a noble prince of Avalon, so he had been reluctant toe out in public; however, it didn¡¯t stop him from diving into the battle and blocking two swords.


    The problem was, there were still two more Blood Flower Knights.


    ¡°Vaikals!¡±


    Kireua revealed his aces in the hole, Swallow¡¯s ultimate weapons lent to him by his friend.


    Thest two swords were blocked by the Vaikals¡¯ smooth yet sturdy arms.


    ¡°Golems¡­?¡± Selim boggled at the monsters.


    As Kireua willed, the two golems crushed the two Blood Flower Knights¡¯ heads, bringing them a miserable demise after an entire lifetime dedicated to survival.


    ¡°Fuck¡­!¡± Thest survivor, First Flower, clenched his teeth.


    However, Wild King shredded First Flower with his saw toothed sword.


    Joshua ended his meditation and slowly opened his eyes.


    ¡°¡­Mmm¡­¡±


    Selim was the first one to approach Joshua.


    ¡°Are you okay, Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°There is no need¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­It looks like this body will need to hibernate for the time being,¡± Joshua interrupted.


    Selim¡¯s eyes widened slightly. He had heard that supreme dragons could hibernate for centuries.


    ¡°...Like you, Your Majesty?¡±


    Joshua nodded with a frown. Creshua¡¯s body reached its limit. Unless he received treatment now, Creshua wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain his existence because of how strong the Blood Flower Knights¡¯ seal was.


    ¡°Bel is going toe soon.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s quiet yet clear voice brought a suffocating silence onto the chamber.


    Selim mulled over the problem.


    ¡°¡­We need to split our group in two. One group has to stay here, and another needs to go out and help our people outside.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Valmont gave him a look of disbelief. ¡°What are you talking about, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°A lot of Hubalt''s forces still remain outside the pce. They will be difficult for the Queen Consorts to handle on their own.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°Besides, they must have noticed that we came back. They¡¯ll bring everyst soldier, including the ones outside the castle walls,¡± Selim added.


    Hubalt had over three hundred thousand troops in Arcadia. Although Avalon had the alliance¡¯s help, Avalon¡¯s own army still constituted the majority of the friendly forces.


    ¡°And If Hubalt was to put Arcadia to the torch, our people would suffer.¡±


    ¡°I-I doubt that¡ª¡±


    ¡°¡­I agree with His Highness,¡± Viper said, looking serious as usual. ¡°We should protect our country. Besides, if people of our skill remain inside the pce, it might lead to an unnecessary misunderstanding. They might think Avalon is trying to protect its elites by letting the other countries fight our war for us¡­¡±


    ¡°I would like three of you to join the fight outside. Kireua and I will stay here,¡± Selim said in an authoritative tone.


    ¡°I¡¯ll also stay,¡± Viper answered with a resolute look. ¡°I¡¯m an Imperial Knight, and there are over one thousand of us in Avalon. At least one of us has to stay by His Majesty¡¯s side.¡±


    Viper had a point. It looked like Cazes and Valmont also wanted to stay, but they didn¡¯t insist after what Selim had said.


    ¡°We, the ck Knights, will also stay here.¡±


    ¡°¡­You guys¡­¡± Selim frowned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even think about stopping us. You¡¯re our leader, Your Highness. If something bad happens to you, our entire existence is meaningless.¡±


    The bond between Selim and the ck Knights made Joshua beam. He was happy enough forget about the pain in his soul.


    ¡°You have good people by your side,¡± heplimented.


    ¡°¡­No, they¡¯re just incredibly stubborn¡­ My apologies for doing this in front of you.¡±


    Contrary to his remark, a smile was tugging on Selim¡¯s lips. On the other hand, Kireua envied Selim for havingrades unlike him.


    ¡°Kireua.¡± Joshua turned.


    ¡°Ah, yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Where did you get these golems?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­¡± Kireua wrestled with the answer for a moment. ¡°My friend lent them to me.¡±


    ¡°Your friend?¡±


    ¡°Right,¡± Kireua answered.


    The two Vaikals he had brought were Swallow¡¯s ultimate weapons, and therefore one of Swallow¡¯s best kept secrets. Exining everything about them would put Anna in quite a difficult position.


    Joshua nodded. ¡°You made a good friend.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s face brightened up a bit. ¡°¡­Yes, she¡¯s a good friend.¡±


    ¡°Selim and Kireua, I believe I have to leave it to you two again.¡± Joshua beckoned them closer.


    The brothers exchanged nces before approaching Joshua.


    Joshua putting his hands on his sons¡¯ shoulders.


    ¡°I have faith in you,¡± he whispered. ¡°Please hold on. You only need to wait for half a day at most.¡±


    Josuha would be lying if he wasn¡¯t worried because he had already experienced how strong Bel was. In addition, Joshua had also received a troubling piece of information from First Flower, but there was no other choice.


    <em>¡®Creshua.¡¯</em>


    Joshua got no response back, which meant that he couldn¡¯t waste any more time. After getting Creshua to safety, Joshua had to return to his original body in the ice boulder to lessen the pressure on the dragonling. Joshua already had a ce in mind: the pce¡¯s underground vault. Since Creshua used to live in the vault with Crevasse, there couldn¡¯t be a better ce for Creshua to rx and focus on healing.


    <em>¡®¡­I must save Creshua,¡¯</em> Joshua thought. He closed his eyes.


    Creshua was the only surviving dragon in the Human Realm. For the future of thend¡ªafter stopping they¡¯d prevented its copse¡ªCreshua had to survive until the end and be the protector of the Human Realm.


    Just then, everyone in the council chamber felt a colossal mass of mana flying toward them and turned.


    ¡°That monster¡­¡± Valmont grunted. His words expressed everyone¡¯s feelings.


    It felt like a dragon was flying toward them. If all humans could move as fast as Bel, expensive warp gates or teleportation spells wouldn¡¯t be necessary.


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s here!¡±


    The council chamber was rattled by a tremor that eventually spread throughout the entire pce. Selim, Kireua, Viper, the ck Knights¡­ everyone who would have to fight Bel was tense. One question filled their thoughts: would they be able to stop that monster?

 Side Story Chapter 309

    Joshua arrived at the underground vault with a heavy heart. Aisha Sestropi, a dark elf and the famous Assassin King, weed Joshua with a bitter smile.


    ¡°¡­Fancy seeing you here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with him.¡±


    Aisha nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Creshua. He¡¯s safe here.¡±


    Like Aisha said, this enormous vault was filled with countless undead; each one would guard Creshua. Not many people in the world would be able to breach their protection and harm Creshua.


    Aisha looked pensive. ¡°¡­Do you want my help?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°For the fight up there,¡± Aisha added, pointing upward.


    Joshua shook his head without considering it for a second, Joshua shook his head.¡°It¡¯s already been over two decades.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how long it¡¯s been since youst worked as an assassin.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Aisha murmured.


    After such a long time, people were slowly forgetting about the notorious Assassin King. However, if Aisha were to show up again, her long seclusion in the underground would have been for naught.


    ¡°That is my karma to bear.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s thoughts remained unchanged.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s karma that time will solve as long as you don¡¯t help me up there.¡±


    ¡°¡­You truly are a good person.¡± Aisha beamed. ¡°How long do you think your children will be able to hold out?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to trust that they¡¯llst for half a day at least.¡±


    Truthfully, it would be a miracle if Joshua¡¯s children seeded, based on his experience with Bel. However, there was no hope for the Human Realm if they couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°Half a day¡­¡± Aisha¡¯s expression turned grim; she could judge the odds as well. ¡°¡­But I have to say, you¡¯re being hasty. You might do something you can¡¯t fix.¡±


    ¡°To be honest, that¡¯s my biggest concern.¡±


    The more Joshua hurried the defrosting, the higher the chances of the Demon Spirit¡¯s survival were. However, Joshua didn¡¯t have the time to do it the safe way. He had sealed in the ice boulder with the Demon Spirit to save the world, but it was pointless if it was destroyed before hepleted the process.


    ¡°...If the worstes to worst, I can still take him down with me.¡±


    Aisha¡¯s eyes widened after sensing the determination in Joshua¡¯s voice.


    <em></em> *


    Selim, Kireua, Viper, and the ck Knights headed outside with grim expressions and arrived at the garden. One man was looking around, making no attempt to hide his presence in the slightest.


    It was Bel.


    ¡°Hahaha. How have you been?¡± Bel asked, but his eyes were on the ground as he leaned closer to hear their answer. ¡°I can feel the Martial God¡¯s presence down there, though. Did the ground copse and trap him or something?[1]¡±


    Viper immediately drew his greatsword. ¡°I¡¯ll kill you today.¡±


    ¡°<em>You¡¯re</em> going to kill me?¡± Bel turned to look at Viper and sneered. However, his eyes lit up when he saw Kireua and Selim standing with Viper. ¡°¡­Oh?¡±


    Selim¡¯s current level actually surprised Bel.


    Bel nodded. ¡°You¡¯ve be much stronger than before. It¡¯s like you¡¯re apletely different man. You are indeed the Martial God¡¯s son.¡±


    Bel¡¯s reaction hurt Kireua¡¯s pride.


    ¡°Don¡¯t forget about me!¡± Viper leaped high in the air.


    ¡°ck Knights, cover Sir Viper!¡± Selim calmly ordered. Their approach had been nned well in advance.


    ¡°Yes, Your Highness!¡±


    The ck Knights got into a formation, surrounding Bel.


    Bel¡¯s attack style was actually quite simple. Before his enemies got ready to attack, Bel crushed them with his overwhelming power. That was why Viper took the lead in this fight. Even among the more than one thousand Imperial Knights of Avalon, no one could break through Viper¡¯s defense. Viper¡¯s sword techniques focused on defense, capitalizing on his naturally high stamina and draining his enemies¡¯ instead.


    Bricks weren¡¯t the only material that could be used to build a fortress. Sometimes, even a sword could be an impregnable fortress or a wall to fend off an arrow. Even a sword coated with refined aura would shatter against Viper¡¯s aegis. This was the ultimate technique that Viper, the vicemander of the Imperial Knights of Avalon, had spent his entire life perfecting.


    Viper threw himself into battle with a loud battle cry.


    <em>¡®¡­Iron Wall Sword Technique Number Five.¡¯</em>


    Viper repeatedly struck the ground with the pommel of his sword; each strikended with such force that it shook the ground, but the surprising part was that over time, more of his aura wasid over his sword, making the de stronger and stronger.


    ¡°Try destroying it if you can!¡±


    ¡°Interesting,¡± Bel murmured before he nimbly leaped into the air.


    In a blink of the eye, Bel was right in front of Viper, startling him.


    Nevertheless, Viper growled. ¡°Bring that on!¡±


    ¡°I always like fighting head-on like this!¡± Bel grinned.


    Viper witnessed the space around Bel¡¯s fists distort as Selim and the others quickly tightened their encirclement around Bel.


    <em>¡®How strong is his aura?¡¯</em>


    Viper was dismayed, but he continued to m the ground with his sword three more times, reinforcing his weapon with yet more aura. Viper scraped up every drop of mana in his mana hall. Never before in his entire life had his defenses been sturdier. He was certain that he would also be able to take several attacks from the Emperor of Avalon like this.


    Viper could feel that something was wrong as soon as his Iron Wall met Bel¡¯s fist. It sounded like a piece of leather was being ripped in half.


    ¡°What in the world¡­?¡± Viper murmured.


    ¡°If you create a wall of aura this big, destroying it is easier than you think.¡± Sparks flew from Bel¡¯s fists. ¡°Your defense skill is quite good, but the method you use your mana with is too crude. Did your emperor not teach you that?¡±


    ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± Viper¡¯s face was red with humiliation.


    Viper''s eyes widened. With an odd sound, cracks spread across the breadth of the entire Iron Wall.


    ¡°Watch and learn. If you focus your power at one point, it¡¯s easy to breach a wall this size.¡±


    ¡°Aaagh¡­!¡±


    ¡°Your ultimate technique might be useful against multiple enemies, but it isn¡¯t if you¡¯re fighting one on one and your opponent is strong.¡±


    Before Viper could answer, Bel broke through Viper¡¯s Iron Wall and mmed his fist into Viper¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Oops. I identally punched too hard. I guess you should reflect on our fight in the otherworld.¡±


    In less than twenty seconds, the ck Knights, Kireua, and Selim had created a perfect encirclement. Unfortunately, the battle was not going their way from the very start.


    ¡°Sir Viper!¡±


    Viper coughed up blood.


    <em></em> *


    ¡°Everyone, march! To Sir Bel!¡±


    Bel wasn¡¯t the only one who had seen the fireworks rising above the pce. The army stationed outside Arcadia immediately took action too. It had been quite a long time since the battle had begun, but half of Hubalt¡¯s army was still fighting in the outskirts of the city because they were wary of traps; however, when they saw the signal, they had no reason to wait any longer.


    ¡°We¡¯ll crush those nobodies from those teeny-tiny countries! We are the army of the mighty Hubalt Empire!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhh!¡±


    Before they entered Arcadia, Hubalt''s forces went after the alliance forces behind them to massacre the alliance forces. They were an eyesore, and thest thing Hubalt''s forces wanted was to get stabbed in the back while they focused on conquering Arcadia.


    Hubalt¡¯s sudden rush bewildered the forces of the alliance, whose primary job had been holding a defense line.


    ¡°Wh-What is wrong with them?!¡±


    ¡°C-Contact the main force! We need reinforcements!¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we retreat first? There are too many of them!¡±


    ¡°The alliance will retreat! Don¡¯t fight Hubalt head-on!¡±


    Not long after Hubalt attacked, the alliance¡¯s forces decided to retreat. Their resolve was different from the beginning. Hubalt''s forces had been itching to fight and now were set loose; on top of that, the Battle God was with them in Avalon, so their morale was high. In contrast, the alliance was trying to protect as many of their people as possible because this wasn¡¯t their battle.


    In the end, the alliance¡¯s defensive line quickly broke down while Hubalt¡¯s morale skyrocketed. Hubalt¡¯s troops let out cheerful shouts as if they had already won the battle.


    Then things took an unexpected turn. Gyo, the actingmander of the forces stationed at the outskirts of the city, was the first one to notice it. He examined the battlefield from behind his forces.


    ¡°¡­Wait.¡± Gyo¡¯s lips slowly curled downward.


    The alliance¡¯s forces were scattering everywhere, but additional troops were arriving from their rear, blowing their horns loudly to announce their arrival to as many people as possible.


    Gyo¡¯s jaw dropped to the ground when he realized what gs that the troops were holding up. He had initially thought that some random country was sending more fodder to die, but the gs waving over their heads belonged to thest country he was expecting to see.


    ¡°...Isn¡¯t that the Swallow Empire¡¯s banner?¡± Gyo murmured.


    Anna, d in full armor, examined the battlefield from atop her white horse. Beside her was Arash bel Grace, who was wearing her fox mask.


    ¡°We¡¯ve arrived.¡± Anna giggled.


    The biggest surprise was that one of their g bearers was Aaron del Killian, one of the best knights in the Swallow Empire.


    ¡°¡­We will show those fools the might of the Swallow Empire,¡± Aaron dered. As Swallow¡¯s army let out energetic shouts, Aaron bowed slightly. ¡°¡­I await your orders, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go save my hubby.¡± Anna grinned. Using mana, she shouted, ¡°Everyone, march!¡±


    1. The raw is ??? ??? ???¡¯. It¡¯s simr to the English saying ¡°disappearing into thin air¡±. ?

 Side Story Chapter 310

    Side Story Chapter 310


    The one-sided battle changed with the sudden arrival of new allies, but that also perplexed the alliance forces.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that Swallow¡¯s g¡­?¡±


    ¡°Why in the world would they suddenly do this?¡±


    ¡°No way¡­ Did Avalon and Swallow ally?¡±


    The faces of the alliance¡¯s troops brightened. On the other hand, Hubalt''s forces couldn¡¯t be more baffled. They were so close to winning the battle, but then Swallow''s forces showed up, which put them back to square one!


    ¡°Let¡¯s drive out Hubalt!¡±


    ¡°You crazy Swallow freaks! Do you really want to do this with us again?!¡±


    ¡°We should put an end to the bad blood between our countries!¡±


    ¡°You shameless sons of bitches! Your Grand Duke Lucifer was the one who betrayed Hubalt at Reinhardt!¡±¡°Who cares? No one remembers that dusty relic!¡±


    The knights from Swallow were throwing out the most taunts under instructions from Arash, the Fox Master and their strategist, because everyone was prone to mistakes when they lost their cool.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty,¡± Arash said.


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°I believe this is the right time to tell you that I¡¯ll be temporarily away to finish a job.¡±


    Anna turned, shocked. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of an important battle. Is it more important than this?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Unless I go now, the continent is doomed even if we win the war.¡±


    Anna went quiet.


    ¡°I have to go to the mountain in north Avalon. Without the Marital God, there is no way we can stop that man.¡±


    After pondering for a moment, Anna nodded. ¡°¡­Okay. Take those Vaikals with you.¡±


    ¡°The Vaikals? But¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get there in time with a horse. Vaikals are a lot quicker. Besides, you might get attacked on the way.¡±


    Arash was still hesitant, so Anna quickly reassured her.


    ¡°I have those Vaikals that I lent to Kireua. They¡¯re here too,¡± she reminded Arash.


    ¡°¡­Thank you for your concern.¡±


    Anna smiled. ¡°No problem. Bring the Martial God back and save the continent.¡±


    Just then, a pool of light appeared nearby Anna and Arash, the unmistakable sign of a teleportation spell. Someone wasing. The nearby knights tensed up and surrounded Anna and Arash protectively.


    ¡°Whoa, whoa. Take it easy, it¡¯s us. And you don¡¯t need to go to the north.¡±


    The voice came from a man floating in the air.


    Anna gaped at the light. ¡°Wh-When¡­?¡±


    When the light disappeared, hundreds of mages were standing in its ce.


    ¡°Does everyone have their spells ready?¡± Theta, the flying man, shouted.


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°Good. Fire!¡±


    Each and every one of the mages that came with Theta was at least Fifth Circle. The alliance forces couldn¡¯t have asked for better reinforcements. The colorful spells they had cast rained down on the Hubalt forces.


    ¡°Ar-arghhhh!¡±


    ¡°R-Run! It¡¯s magic!¡±


    ¡°Ah, shit!¡±


    The battlefield descended into pandemonium, demonstrating why mages were the lynchpin of a war.


    ¡°...Tower Master?¡± Anna beamed when she recognized his face. ¡°Is the Magic Tower finally joining the war too?¡±


    ¡°¡­Hubalt crossed the line and dered war on us first,¡± Theta said in an ice-cold voice. ¡°Bel tried to destroy Yggdrasil and blew up one of the Magic Tower¡¯s buildings in the process.¡±


    ¡°Yggdrasil¡­?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s the continent¡¯s source of life. Without it, the continent can¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Huh? They¡¯re all crazy shits. Do they want to die along with everyone else or what?¡±


    ¡°Tower Master,¡± Arash quickly interrupted, ¡°what do you mean I don¡¯t need to go to the north?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re going to bring the ice boulder Joshua is in over here.¡± Theta pointed at a group of mages behind him. ¡°Bel destroyed theirbs and home, so they¡¯re angry.¡±


    The mages in question were the Ice Archmage and her mages.


    ¡°The reason why Joshua bothered to go all the way to north Avalon to trap himself in the ice boulder is because that region is unusually cold even for the far north. But¡­¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°...Joshua has no reason to suffer in that barrennd if this ce is as cold as northern Avalon.¡±


    Arash¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°My mages and I came up with a n to save as much time as possible, but if you have another n in mind¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, I do, but can I ask you to proceed with your n too?¡± Arash pleaded.


    Theta looked at Hubalt''s forces, who were scattering in panic, with eyes that promised death.


    ¡°¡­Leave it to us. We¡¯re going to make those fuckers pay for messing with the Magic Tower.¡±


    <em></em> *


    The pce¡¯s garden was suffocatingly silent and covered with craters as if a mage had struck the ce with a Meteor spell.


    Viper was the vicemander of Avalon¡¯s Imperial Knights, and the ck Knights were considered among the best in the empire; the death knights and Vaikals were the unshakable foundations of theirnds. However, all of them were scattered across the ground, moaning in pain as they slowly died.


    ¡°¡­Gah!¡±


    ¡°Kyle!¡± Selim hastened over to his knight despite his own wounds.


    ¡°...Your Highness¡­ I¡¯m¡­ sorry.¡±


    ¡°No, no. Why are you apologizing to me?¡± Selim shook his head, his voice uncharacteristically hoarse.


    Just like Viper, Kyle had a big hole in the center of his abdomen. Selim knew that nothing could save him now.


    Kyle was a kind-hearted man. Because Selim didn¡¯t celebrate his birthday, Kyle and his wife had always brought homemade food to throw Selim a birthday party.


    Selim¡¯s dear knight¡¯s head slowly drooped. ¡°I¡­ am happy that I was your knight, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Traham!¡±


    Another voice cried out from not so far away. Amid the thick fog, Traham was muttering something as if he was speaking hisst words. Traham had always kept Selimpany during his training; when Selim had started learning to use the spear, Traham was also beginning his journey with the sword.


    They were simr in age, so they had been friends for a long time. Traham had sometimes whined about Selim growing much stronger than him despite that they put the same amount of effort into their training. Whenever Traham hadined like that, annoying as it could be, Selim had pulled a joke about his innate gifts, which he rarely did in front of other people. However, his old friend was dying as well.


    Selim panted. His eyes were bloodshot.


    He heard footsteps. It didn¡¯t take long for Selim to recognize them.


    ¡°¡­Kireua.¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you okay?¡±


    Selim rubbed his teary eyes. ¡°How long has it been¡­since that fucking son of a bitch came here?¡±


    ¡°Thirty minutes at most. It¡¯s less than an hour for sure,¡± Kireua answered as he wiped blood off his cheeks. ¡°Half a day against that monster¡­ <em>Phew</em>. I did think it was going to be tough, but this is too much.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll use my true mana.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Kireua gave Selim a startled look.


    ¡°Our original n didn¡¯t work, so there¡¯s no other choice.¡±


    ¡°¡­Hey, I¡¯m a prince too. I¡¯m not going to make you sacrifice yourself on your own.¡± Kireua looked at the fog where Bel was likely waiting. ¡°I¡¯ll risk my life too.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s eyes shifted to his half-destroyed death knights, battered as they were. The sturdy Vaikals which Anna had lent to him were also irreparably damaged. He had told his father that the Vaikals were treasures that his dear friend had entrusted him with, but they ended up in that mess¡­


    <em>¡®¡­Anna is going to give me hell of a scolding for this.¡¯</em>


    Kireua smiled bitterly and tightened his grip on his sword.


    ¡°Ah, I suddenly miss her,¡± Kireua muttered. The looming threat of death had brought Anna to his mind for some reason.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Hey, Selim.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yeah?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re certainly better than me at it, so you should lead Avalon for me.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡± Selim immediately turned to look at Kireua. ¡°What do you mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m the better man for this kind of job.¡±


    Selim stiffened as the power of Kireua¡¯s two Evil Sins spilled over the garden.


    <em>¡®Coju and Wrath, let¡¯s make a deal,¡¯</em> Kireua brightly said.


    -Huh?


    <em>¡®My body, my soul¡­ I¡¯ll give you two everything you want.¡¯</em>


    The fog slowly subsided, revealing Bel, who was stretching his neck.


    <em>¡®In return, help me get rid of that guy.¡¯</em>


    Kireua¡¯s eyes gleamed sharply.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Selim slowly stumbled backward, unable to withstand the demonic power that Kireua unleashed.


    Coju, a ck cotton ball, jumped up and down like a child, but the expression it wore was quite peculiar. On the other hand, the power of Wrath manifested in the form of a demon, smiling from ear to ear.


    -The deal


    -has been made.


    Kireua¡¯s demonic power concentrated at one point and then exploded.


    ¡°¡­Oh.¡± Kireua had managed to draw Bel¡¯s interest for the first time. ¡°I thought there was only one entr¨¦e in this fight, but there¡¯s one more.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 311

    Side Story Chapter 311


    Kireua¡¯s sword and Bel¡¯s fist continued to sh, sending aura sparks flying everywhere. It was like Kireua became a totally different man; Selim couldn¡¯t even follow Kireua¡¯s movements.


    ¡°Hahahahahaha! Now this is exciting! You Sanders boys are so interesting!¡± Bel guffawed. He was genuinely enjoying the fight.


    In contrast, Kireua looked quite bizarre. All of his veins were bulging grotesquely, and his eyes were bloody red.


    ¡°Kireua¡­!¡± Selim clenched his fists. Frustrated, he watched the fight, waiting for the right moment to join in.


    That moment never arrived. Kireua attacked Selim when he got within a certain distance, as if he¡¯d gone mad. Kireua¡¯s state reminded Selim of a story about ancient warriors named berserkers who fought in a frenzy. However, the situation wasn¡¯t totally abysmal.


    ¡°Hmm¡­?¡±


    Anyone would have been taken aback when they realized that the confused grunt came from Bel.


    A subtle <em>crack</em> tickled Bel¡¯s ear. He wasn¡¯t mistaken¡ªevery time Bel shed with Kireua¡¯s sword, he could feel the aura enveloped around his fists dissipate.


    <em>¡®This is quite a hassle. Greed is living up to its name; it won¡¯t stop trying to devour my aur</em>a.¡¯The moment Bel reached that conclusion, he dodged an attack for the first time¡ªa striking contrast from his insistence on tackling problems head-on. It was sopletely unexpected that Kireua lost his bnce.


    Bel didn¡¯t miss the opportunity and kicked Kireua, catapulting him into the corner. Bel clenched and unclenched his fists several times.


    ¡°Those abilities are a real nuisance.¡±


    Bel could sense two Evil Sins from Kireua. To make up for the unfathomable gap in their physical abilities, Kireua was using Wrath. At the same time, Kireua also used Greed to slow Bel down.


    ¡°¡­But that kind of method has limits.¡± Bel smiled and bumped his fists together.


    Once again, Bel made an unexpected move. He summoned his subspace in the air and pulled out something that shocked everyone watching.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a very long time since I felt the need to use a weapon.¡± Bel giggled.


    ¡°W-Wait¡­¡± Selim was utterly appalled. The fact that Bel used a weapon was a shock, but the nature of his weapon was even more surprising.


    ¡°...A spear?¡±


    The ominous-looking weapon was a spear that looked exactly like Longin, Selim¡¯s cherished weapon.


    -Agh! Gah!


    Greed suddenly coughed as if it were choking on something.


    -Master?


    ¡°¡­Master¡­?¡± Greed¡¯s goofy voice brought Kireua to his senses. His Wrath-reddened eyes regained their focus.


    ¡°Hahaha. Do you get it now, Greed? I am the sole god of Chaos, your true master.¡±


    Bel whirled his spear and mmed the butt into the ground.


    ¡°Come to me, Greed.¡± He beckoned toward Kireua. ¡°It¡¯s me, the Shining Darkness, whom even the Demon Spirit feared.¡±


    Although Kireua couldn¡¯t really move himself like he wanted to, his mind was swearing up a storm. What in the world was Bel talking about? Kireua shared the memories of Greed and Wrath, so he knew better than anyone that the Shining Darkness was the Emperor of Avalon¡¯s title in his previous life!


    ¡°Kireua Sanders, there¡¯s no need to be confused.¡± Bel chuckled.


    ¡°¡­What¡­?¡±


    ¡°Those people up in the Angel and Demon Realms made a grave mistake.¡±


    ¡°A mistake¡­?¡±


    ¡°They only heard the rumors of the Demon Spirit betraying and killing the Shining Darkness. No one actually saw the Shining Darkness¡¯s end with their own eyes.¡± Bel nodded. ¡°If you know that, it should be easy to understand what¡¯s going on right now.¡±


    Bel pointed his spear at Kireua, grinning. ¡°Do you want to know what kind of end the Shining Darkness met?¡±


    <em></em> *


    The troops Hubalt sent to invade Avalon were in hell right now.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t feel my hands and feet.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s cold¡­ I-It¡¯s too cold¡­¡±


    ¡°Someone help me please¡­¡±


    The sound of ttering teeth was heard all over the battlefield as the temperature plummeted. The cause of the sudden change in the weather was clear: the Ice Archmage and her mages were pouring a barrage of attacks on them using all of their mana. They were furious after losing their home. When their mana was nearly depleted, they used top-grade mana stones they had brought from the Magic Tower.


    ¡°Ice Field!¡±


    ¡°Ice Rain!¡±


    ¡°Blizzard!¡±


    While over one hundred mages cast Ice Field, the Fifth Circle mages cast much more destructive and brilliant spells, although they were fewer in numbers. While two of them cast a Sixth Circle spell named Ice Rain, the Ice Archmage herself cast Blizzard, a Seventh Circle spell.


    The mana they poured out was freezing over the entire area.


    ¡°L-Let¡¯s retreat! Everyone, get back inside the city!¡± Gyo ordered, as actingmander of the forces stationed outside Arcadia.


    ¡°The enemies are retreating!¡±


    The alliance forces cheered as they watched the enemy disappear. The alliance¡¯s forces and mages couldn¡¯t have asked for a better result, but Theta wished for more.


    ¡°Tower Master! Our enemies are retreating, so how much longer should we continue with our spells?¡±


    ¡°Ugh¡­ I feel like my heart¡¯s going to burst!¡±


    ¡°A little longer! We need it to be colder, so hang on just a little longer!¡± Theta personally walked among the mages, cheering them up.


    As the first human Eighth Circle mage, Theta wished to help, but he had another job.


    <em>¡®This isn¡¯t enough. The amount of mana itself is fine, but I didn¡¯t ount for how much pressure the mages¡¯ Circles would be under after using so many high tier spells in a row.¡¯</em>


    In their haste, Hubalt''s forces had left behind their frozen colleagues. No one was left alive in the attack range of the Ice Archmage and her mages anymore. It seemed the enemy¡¯s next strategy was to force the alliance into a siege, but Theta couldn¡¯t stop.


    ¡°Not yet! Hold on a little longer!¡±


    ¡°Ahhhhhhhh!¡± The higher-circle ice mages scraped up every drop of their mana.


    The low-circle mages didn¡¯t sit on their hands either.


    ¡°Ice Fog!¡±


    ¡°Ice des!¡±


    ¡°Ice Arrow!¡±


    Theta watched everything anxiously. What he needed was the ultimate cold. He couldn¡¯t let it get warmer when the sun was high, creating a White Night, a phenomenon that couldmonly be found in arctic regions.


    However, one element was missing.


    ¡°Shit¡­¡± Theta cursed, biting his fingernails.


    ¡°¡­Ice Tempest.¡±


    Although that was a single spell, it was as powerful as dozens of others. A tempest that was colder than Blizzard swept over the area. Theta turned to where the spell had been cast from, surprised.


    When she noticed Theta¡¯s eyes on her, Iceline beamed, in contrast to her typical expressionlessness. She was extremely grateful that the Magic Tower was here to help Avalon.


    ¡°Iceline!¡± Theta¡¯s legs gave out in relief. ¡°Phew.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Avalon!¡± one of the mages shouted in delight. Avalon¡¯s forces, who had been fighting on the other side of Hubalt¡¯s army, were trickling into the area.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know the Magic Tower was the reason why the enemies were suddenly retreating.¡± Icarus came forward with a gentle smile.


    ¡°But¡­ what is going on here, Tower Master?¡± Charles asked, watching the mages casting their spells at an empty field.


    Although Iceline had cast her spell because she believed that Theta had a good reason for their behavior, the question was on the minds of everyone who wasn¡¯t from the Magic Tower.


    ¡°Well... my mages and I shouldn¡¯t do this in the city, so I should scare them like this at least.¡±


    ¡°Then I think you¡¯ve done a marvelous job. The enemies must have wet their pants by now,¡± Iruca joked.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m joking. My n is to move the ice boulder from north Avalon over here with the help of the mages who are already there.¡±


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°I-Is that possible?¡±


    ¡°I have to make it possible if we want to have a world to live in.¡± Theta pointed at the tightly shut gates. ¡°Anyhow, how do you guys propose dealing with that? It doesn¡¯t look like Hubalt''s going toe out any time soon, but directing our spells at the city might ruin it...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have a n,¡± Icarus confidently answered. ¡°The special unit inside the city will open the west gate, so we¡¯ll wait there for their sess.¡±


    ¡°Oh.¡± Theta¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Do you still have that many people inside the city? It¡¯ll require quite a bit of skill to breach the enemy¡¯s security and open the gates¡­¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re some of the most skilled people in Avalon.¡±


    ¡°It bodes well that even the Heaven¡¯s Mind speaks so highly of them.¡±


    Icarus nodded with a smile. Over one thousand three hundred people were hiding all over the city, disguised asmon citizens.


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll count on Avalon as I proceed with my n,¡± Theta said. He pulled out a crystal ball.


    After a short hum, the crystal ball projected the image of a familiar ce¡ªthe snowy mountain in north Avalon. A handsome man with ck hair was trapped in an ice boulder, his eyes closed.


    ¡°¡­Your Majesty¡­¡± Charles watched the image with sorrowful eyes.


    Although they didn¡¯t say anything, Icarus and Iceline felt the same way.


    ¡°Are you guys ready?¡± Theta asked.


    -Yes, Tower Master.


    After confirming that their magic circle had beenpleted near the peak of the mountain, Theta nodded. ¡°We¡¯re ready on this side, so let¡¯s get started.¡±


    -We¡¯ll activate the magic circle of summoning.


    The air thrummed with an incredible amount of power and the magic circle below Theta released radiant golden light.

 Side Story Chapter 312

    Side Story Chapter 312


    Icarus¡¯s vaunted special unit was gathered in one of Acardi¡¯s sewer tunnels.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡±


    ¡°Yes! All of the imperial knights have arrived except for those knights who are on a different mission!¡±


    The unit wasposed of the Imperial Knights of Avalon, led by Cain, who wasn¡¯t fully healed yet. They hadid low in the basements of various buildings, disguised as civilians, until it was time to rendezvous.


    ¡°We¡¯re here too.¡±


    Cazes and Valmont arrived a littleter.


    Cain¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°How did it go in the pce?¡±


    ¡°Prince Kireua and Prince Selim, Sir Viper, and the ck Knights stayed behind.¡±


    ¡°¡­Do you think they¡¯ll be okay?¡± Cain asked, concerned.Selim, Kireua, and the others were only facing one person, so the question might be seen as an insult to them. However, it was only natural for Cain to be worried because they weren¡¯t dealing with any ordinary enemy. They were dealing with Bel¡­


    ¡°They¡¯re His Majesty¡¯s sons,¡± Cazes firmly said.


    Cain nodded in agreement. Yes, he had to trust them. Besides, he and the others didn¡¯t have the time to worry about other people because they had a difficult mission of their own to carry out.


    ¡°Hubalt¡¯s stationed all of their troops to protect the four gates,¡± Cazes reported. ¡°They didn¡¯t expect the Magic Tower to participate in the war, so they must have changed their tactics. They¡¯ll be preparing for a siege.¡±


    ¡°That was why we were able to rendezvous so easily, so I guess that¡¯s one silver lining,¡± Cain added.


    None of this would have been possible without Icarus. She had gone through the trouble of constructing basements throughout the city just for this moment, despite the shortage of manpower during the restoration of Arcadia.


    ¡°...But it would be problematic if Bel regrouped with Hubalt''s forces earlier than nned,¡± Valmont said. ¡°If he manages to escape the pce andes after us¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Like I said earlier, the princes are the rightful heirs of His Majesty. Trust that they will hold..¡±


    Cain, Cazes, and Valmont briefly looked toward the pce.


    ¡°Now, we have our own mission to worry about. If we fail to open the west gates, it¡¯s safe to say Avalon will lose the war.¡±


    ¡°Hehehe, I can already imagine the enemy running around in panic.¡±


    Cain¡¯s crystal ball turned blue. ¡°That¡¯s the signal from Queen Consort Iceline. Let¡¯s go.¡±


    ¡°There are a little over one thousand of us, and we have to get through twenty thousand people at the west gate¡­¡± Valmont snickered. ¡°I can already feel my blood boiling.¡±


    Cazes clenched his fists. ¡°While we¡¯re at it, let¡¯s be as loud as possible to cause more panic.¡±


    One after another, the Imperial Knights climbed up adder which led to one of the fanciest mansions in Arcadia. The mansion, owned by Charles¡¯s Pontier Merchant Group, was only around a hundred meters away from the west gates.


    ¡°Is everyone out of the tunnel?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡±


    ¡°The moment you get out of the mansion, scream as loudly as possible so that our people outside can break the siege sooner!¡±


    ¡°Understood, sir!¡± the Imperial Knights shouted at the top of their lungs.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡±


    The Imperial Knights rushed out of the mansion and let out ¡°panicked¡± screams.


    ¡°Wh-What?!¡±


    ¡°Th-The enemy! The enemy is inside the city!¡±


    Hubalt''s forces had been calmly firing arrows at Avalon''s forces as they were slowly approaching the city¡ªthe screams immediately put them into a panic. At the same time, the troops led by Iruca initiated their attack.


    ¡°Mages! Please start your first wave of attacks!¡±


    ¡°Tornado!¡±


    ¡°re!¡±


    ¡°Wind Cannon!¡±


    A dazzling barrage of spells rained down on the west gate. Hubalt''s forces screamed as they dodged the attacks.


    ¡°Get to your assigned positions and charge, everyone! Our first priority is to take control of the gate winch!¡±


    In response, one thousand three hundred Imperial Knights rushed into battle with a thunderous battle cry.


    <em></em> *


    The Shining Darkness hadn¡¯t been weed in either the Angel and Demon Realms because the overwhelming power he had been born with stirred up everyone¡¯s envy. After the Demon Spirit¡¯s betrayal, the Shining Darkness had met his demise. That was the story known to the people of the Angel and Demon realms.


    ¡°After losing his soul, the Shining Darkness¡¯s body became an empty shell; it ended up in the bottommost dimensional rift, called the Gray Zone or the Great Battlefield of Angels and Demons,¡± Bel went on.


    ¡°...A shell?¡±


    ¡°Annihting a god isn¡¯t easy. Your father had to trap himself in an ice boulder to annihte the Demon Spirit, so there¡¯s no way the body of the Shining Darkness, whom even the Demon Spirit feared, would be destroyed that easily.¡± Bel spun his spear. ¡°I thought a weapon was cumbersome, but this is pretty good, actually. It¡¯s like a part of myself. ¡±


    Kireua gasped. ¡°Wait, are you telling me that you took the Shining Darkness¡¯s body? How is that possible?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it hasn¡¯t been done before.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Aden von Agnus and Marcus ben Britten gained power by bing the Demon Spirit¡¯s Fragments. And there¡¯s the Angel¡¯s Spirit''s heir somewhere in this realm.¡±


    Kireua''s eyes widened. ¡°A Fragment? Wasn¡¯t that a term for an authority that was chipped off of a god¡¯s soul?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a term of convenience. Simply put, we call everything that was chipped off of the gods ¡®Fragments¡¯.¡±


    After ying with his spear for a while, Bel mmed the butt on the ground.


    ¡°But such Fragments can onlye from gods like the Demon and Angel Spirits because they¡¯re so supreme that annihting them is a tremendous feat. The Shining Darkness was every bit their equal¡ªno, he was superior to them. He was even harder to destroy.¡±


    ¡°Then you are¡­¡± Kireua asked back nkly.


    Bel grinned. ¡°Yes, there¡¯s no way a genius like me showed up out of nowhere. The Shining Darkness was called the Chaos Spirit in both realms, so it would be safe to say that I¡¯m the Chaos Spirit¡¯s Fragment.¡±


    Kireua and Selim trembled with horrified disbelief. Dragons were considered the strongest creatures in the realm, but with the Shining Darkness¡¯s body, Bel could drive the entire race of dragons to the verge of extinction without any weapons, even though he was still a human like them.


    And now he was armed.


    ¡°This is actually a spear made from the dragon lord¡¯s bones.¡±


    Bel fired an aura strike at Selim, releasing sparks.


    Selim gasped and instinctively held up Longin to block the strike.


    Selim was flung into a wall with a deafening <em>boom</em>, and an unsettling <em>crack</em>.


    ¡°Selim!¡±


    ¡°Because of the Demon Spirit, your father is too busy traveling from body to body to even recognize his Fragment. But I¡¯m going to im his soul and be the sole god of this world,¡± Bel continued, revealing why he didn¡¯t care about the Human Realm¡¯s copse.


    <em></em> *


    After all of the avable forces had headed to the west gate, the area near the south gate was quiet. The very terrain was different now, resembling the antarctic region where the snowy mountain in north Avalon was. A snowstorm raged, centered around a huge ice boulder.


    -¡­You¡¯re the Angel Spirit¡¯s Fragment.


    ¡°You noticed that long ago, didn¡¯t you?¡± Arash answered with a smile. Her eyes were fixed on the ice boulder.


    -Somewhat. If the Human Realm¡¯s copse was caused by the imbnce of light and darkness, it should have been ruined right after the Angel Spirit¡¯s death.


    ¡°Then you must know the only way to save the Human Realm.¡±


    When she received no response, Arash smiled bitterly. There were actually two ways to save the Human Realm. Since the copse was caused by Joshua annihting the Demon Spirit, the world would be safe if the Angel and Demon Spirits were saved. The other way was to erase all traces of both Spirits from the world and find a new Spirit to bnce the realm. However, the answer was already decided.


    ¡°You¡¯re the Human Realm¡¯s only hope,¡± Arash continued.


    Once again, Joshua didn¡¯t answer because he knew exactly what his answer would start.


    ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Arash turned to Anna.


    ¡°H-huh?¡± Anna stammered. She¡¯d thought Arash was just talking to herself.


    ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with the empire.¡±


    Anna''s eyes widened. ¡°Wh-What?! Why do you suddenly sound like you¡¯re saying goodbye¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is a goodbye.¡±


    ¡°¡­What?¡±


    ¡°This has been my destiny from the beginning.¡±


    Anna was quick-witted, so everything immediately fell into ce.


    ¡°Hey! You asked me to build a new Swallow with you!¡±


    ¡°A new Swallow can only exist when there is ground to build the new country on.¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop. This is¡­ too sad.¡± Anna was unable to meet Arash¡¯s eyes.


    Arash smiled once again. ¡°I¡¯ve spent my entire life being someone else¡¯s puppet; my life has been nothing but gray.¡±


    Anna choked up. ¡°I told you to stop.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re here now. A reliable empress. I can have hope even if I don¡¯t y my role as a puppet anymore.¡±


    ¡°Seriously¡­!¡±


    ¡°Besides, a real member of the Imperial Family came back, so it¡¯s only right for the fake to step off the stage,¡± Arash gently said.


    The area fell into a solemn silence. Although no one from Avalon had met Arash before, Anna was already quite attached to her. She was bawling.


    ¡°Look up, Your Majesty. I¡¯m proud of the life I lived as Arash bel Grace.¡± Arash¡¯s voice¡ªno, her entire being faded away. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the rest after the defrosting. It looks like I have a little time left.¡±


    -Okay.


    Arash beamed contently. ¡°Farewell, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Arash! Hold on! Wait!¡±


    Before Anna could say anything, Arash turned into a ray of light and was absorbed into the ice boulder. The area fell silent once again. Anna couldn¡¯t bear her emotions and left.


    After some time, Joshua''s eyes opened.


    ¡°Y-Your Majesty!¡±


    Shortly after, the seemingly indestructible ice boulder was obliterated.

 Side Story Chapter 313

    Side Story Chapter 313


    ¡°Mmm¡­¡±


    When Joshua finally broke out of the ice boulder, he clenched and unclenched his fists and stretched. He was in good condition¡ªso good that it was hard to believe his body had been inside a block of ice for the past decades.


    ¡°¡­I have a chance of winning this fight.¡±


    -Be careful. Bel is thest person you can take lightly.


    Arash, the Angel Spirit¡¯s Fragment now within Joshua, cautioned him.


    ¡°¡­I guess so. Even I never thought I would meet someone who¡¯s as skilled as me.¡±


    -What do you mean? There is and will never be anyone like you.


    Joshua couldn¡¯t understand what Arash was saying given that she¡¯d just warned him about Bel.


    -Can¡¯t you tell what Bel¡¯s true identity is by now?Pondering for a moment, Joshua closed his eyes and focused on sensing the energy in the pce. After some time, Joshua¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    ¡°¡­Why can I detect my energy from Bel?¡±


    -It¡¯s because he¡¯s your Fragment.


    Bel¡¯s overwhelming strength, his thirst for a higher level of martial arts, his slightly terrifying obsession with Joshua¡­ Everything made sense to Joshua now.


    -Are you shocked?


    Not many people in the world would actually fight themselves, but it didn¡¯t take long for Arash to realize that she was dead wrong.


    ¡°¡­Things always end like this. Maybe it¡¯s for the better,¡± Joshua muttered.


    -Pardon? What in the world do you mean¡­?


    ¡°I¡¯ve already experienced something simr. Besides, I¡¯m much morefortable fighting an opponent that I know than one I know nothing about.¡± Joshua shrugged.


    Joshua remembered that after losing Aden von Agnus and Marcus ben Britten, the Demon Spirit had chosen to use the body of Joshua¡¯s doppelganger.


    ¡°I¡¯m used to this kind of fight.¡±


    On top of that, Joshua had been reflecting on hisst fight against the Demon Spirit inside the ice boulder for decades.


    ¡°Hey, buddy.¡±


    Joshua turned toward the voice and saw Theta, the Tower Master, looking back. Theta¡¯s weariness was clear to see.


    ¡°Since there aren¡¯t many people around, I can drop the formalities, right? I went through a lot of trouble to bring you here.¡±


    Joshua smiled faintly. ¡°Avalon and I will never forget what the Magic Tower did for us.¡±


    ¡°You can repay us by getting rid of Bel, that fucking shit. If you do that, the Magic Tower is more than willing to provide more deluxe service.¡± Theta grinned, pointing at the skies to the west, which were decorated by the spells cast by the Magic Tower¡¯s mages.


    ¡°Joshua Sanders, Arash is still alive within you, isn¡¯t she?¡± Anna came forward after quickly regaining herposure. ¡°She¡¯s a poor kid. Please take good care of her.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve grown up a lot.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Anna nkly blurted.


    Joshua gave her a mischievous look ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re the same girl who always ran for her life whenever she caught a glimpse of me.¡±


    ¡°Wh-What? Haven¡¯t you heard that I¡¯m an emperor like you now?¡± Anna asked, feigning nonchnce.


    In response, Duke Aaron del Killian and Akshuller slowly approached Anna. Akshuller winked at Joshua¡ªcarefully keeping it hidden from Anna¡ªand gave him a desperate look.


    ¡°...Hmm. Then am I wrong about how you¡¯re in a romantic rtionship with Kireua?¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Anna¡¯s face reddened like a tomato; the question had caught herpletely off guard.


    The three Avalon Queen Consorts stopped and stared. They were so surprised as well that they forgot about maintaining theirposure.


    ¡°After Arash told you that she asked Kireua to marry him, you gave her a death re. So jealous¡ª¡±


    ¡°Argh! Stop! Stop! Stop!¡± Anna waved her hands around and then tried to cover Joshua¡¯s mouth.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t work on Joshua; he simply took a step back and dodged her following attempts.


    ¡°You must be quite embarrassed, but being in love and dating is part of life. There¡¯s no reason to be embarrassed¡­ You know, the empress of the great Swallow Empire can be a little bolder,¡± Joshua teased with a naughty smile. His three wives burst into quietughter.


    ¡°Arash, you bigmouth! I take back what I said! Do what you want with her!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both emperors, but doesn¡¯t this make me superior? Call me father-inw, not ¡®you¡¯.¡±


    ¡°Fine. Be superior to me all your life. That would be marvelous,¡± Anna sarcastically answered.


    ¡°It¡¯s interesting that you act like you hate it but you don¡¯t try to deny it.¡±


    ¡°Cut it out already! What is wrong with you?¡± Anna snapped. She floated into the air with her elemental spirit. ¡°I¡¯m going to go help out with the battle! Swallow, follow me! We¡¯ll breach the west gates first!¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes, Your Majesty!¡±


    The remainder of Swallow''s forces followed Anna. After watching her and her people in interest for a moment, Joshua turned away.


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s finally quiet.¡±


    The three Queen Consorts silently eyed Joshua. He knew how much they had sacrificed for him.


    Whenever she had a chance, Iceline came by the mountain to take care of the ice boulder and make the ce colder. After watching him for several days without saying anything, Iceline had returned to Arcadia.


    Icarus was the true ruler of Avalon. The throne had been empty for decades, but she had been ruling the empire near perfectly such that the vacancy was hardly noticeable. In fact, Joshua wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to be as good a ruler as she was once he returned to his throne.


    Charles was the same. During Avalon¡¯s difficult times, she had used her merchant group¡¯s private assets to bring public opinion to the Imperial family¡¯s side. As always, people with power grew greedy without their rulers. As a matter of fact, a long civil war had taken ce in Avalon, but Charles had been using her astronomical assets to protect Joshua¡¯s throne.


    ¡°¡­We¡¯ll wait for you.¡±


    As the four of them shared a deep bond, they didn¡¯t need to make any apologies.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    That was all they needed to hear from each other.


    <em></em> *


    Kireua coughed up dark blood. He looked at his hands; they were a mess. He didn¡¯t have any strength left to hold his sword, and the others were even worse off than him.


    ¡°...Monster.¡± Kireua gritted his teeth as Bel arrogantly looked back at him.


    The main reason he was able tost until now was the powers of Greed and Wrath. Viper and the ck Knights had been incapacitated long ago; even Selim, the greatest genius of his generation, couldn¡¯t withstand ten attacks against Bel once he had a spear in his hands.


    ¡°He¡¯sing,¡± Bel abruptly said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but all of you should leave. I don¡¯t want to be interrupted during this moment.¡±


    He suddenly approached Selim, who was lying motionless on the ground.


    Kireua¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°W-Wait! What are you doing?!¡± he shouted.


    ¡°I want Joshua Sanders to fight me with his full power. I need an indisputable victory to achieve my goal. ¡±


    A being now existed in two forms, a body and a soul. In order to make that beingplete again, any unnecessary personalities had to be gone, so Bel had to bring Joshua down to his knees by breaking his current body and mind. That was the only way for him to be dominant when they merged.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do it, you son of a bitch!¡± Kireua screamed.


    Bel simply raised his foot as if he couldn¡¯t hear Kireua. The moment he dropped his heel, Selim¡¯s fragile human skull would be crushed like an egg.


    But then things took a turn that no one expected.


    ¡°¡­Why didn¡¯t you dodge it?¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s you, I can tolerate it,¡± Bel casually answered despite the dagger sticking out of him.


    Isaac¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Are you¡­ insulting me?¡±


    ¡°Did it sound that way? I meant what I said.¡±


    Isaac¡¯s head filled with despair. It felt like she would never be able to escape the fence that herte father put around her. Her grip on the dagger trembled.


    ¡°Die, you fucking bastard!¡±


    Someone else jumped into the fight, swinging their sword. Unlike before, Bel lifted his finger to block the sword.


    ¡°Carmen von Agnus¡­?¡± Kireua couldn¡¯t pull himself together.


    Bel firmly gripped her sword, preventing her from moving.


    ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± he mumbled. ¡°You¡¯re still here.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll¡ª I¡¯ll kill you no matter what it takes!¡±


    ¡°You think you can?¡± Bel grinned as he mobilized his spear that had been floating around in the air on its own. ¡°I¡¯ll put an end to both of your bitter, pathetic lives.¡±


    The spear spun three times and pierced Carmen through the chest.


    ¡°¡­Ach!¡±


    ¡°Carmen von Agnus!¡± Kireua, dismayed, got up and ran toward her.


    Even though Carmen von Agnus led the rebels during thest civil war, she was no stranger. Kireua could not let her die like this. It felt like his arms and legs weren¡¯t attached to his body because he could barely move. Nevertheless, he desperately kept on running. He struggled onward, slowly but surely.


    But then someonended on the ground.


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s enough now. Leave it to me.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s head went nk when he recognized the back of the man in front of him¡ªthe most reliable man in the world.


    Kireua¡¯s lip quivered.


    ¡°...Your Majesty?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve raised quite amotion.¡±


    Joshua¡¯s voice made everyone¡¯s eyes fly open.


    ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Bel threw away the two women in his hands.


    Joshua¡¯s gaze grew frigid. ¡°¡­Let¡¯s start the final chapter of our fates, my ursed karma.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 314

    Side Story Chapter 314


    Joshua quietly looked around the garden. Over one hundred of his people were scattered all over its grounds; around half of them had already breathed theirst. Most of the dead and wounded were the ck Knights, but two people caught Joshua¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°¡­Viper.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t get an answer back, which told him that Viper was near his end. Ever since Joshua had first set foot in the pce, Viper had been with Joshua asmander of the Auxiliary Battalion. He was a dear old friend to Joshua, but Joshua didn¡¯t even get to say goodbye to him.


    ¡°Guh!¡±


    Joshua turned to look at someone who still had some energy left.


    ¡°Carmen von Agnus.¡±


    ¡°Joshua¡­ Sanders¡­¡±


    It was obvious that she was reaching herst day in this world. She desperately tried to stand up despite the blood dripping out of her mouth.


    -Why are you refusing to use my power! Why?! You wouldn¡¯t have ended up in this mess if you used my power!Meric, the Permeation Demon, screamed from within her, but Carmen paid the demon no mind. She looked at Joshua. He could tell from her eyes that the spite and grudges she had harbored against him had faded significantly.


    ¡°I never¡­ thought¡­ it would end¡­ like this¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­Are you angry that you didn¡¯t get to get revenge?¡± Joshua asked.


    ¡°¡­Even if¡­ I get to go back to the past¡­ I will¡­¡±


    Before Carmen could finish speaking, her head drooped as death came to greet her. Joshua looked away from her after a moment. He assumed that herst words were that she would make the same choice. Aden von Agnus was her only sibling, so, just as Joshua had after being betrayed, she wouldn¡¯t be able to think straight after losing her only brother.


    Regardless, Carmen should have given up on revenge long ago. The tragedy of the Agnus family wouldn¡¯t have urred in the first ce if Aden von Agnus hadn¡¯t been blinded by his own desire for revenge. It was safe to say that the Agnuses had brought their downfall upon themselves.


    ¡°¡­Revenge is surprisingly meaningless,¡± Joshua muttered to himself.


    He had thought that he would at least feel free, but his regrets only grew over time. With the second chance he had in life, he could have focused on something other than revenge. Many things in his life might have been better.


    Bel slowly walked toward Joshua.


    ¡°Finally¡­ Finally¡­¡± he mumbled.


    Joshua extended his hand. In response, Longin quickly found its ce in Joshua¡¯s hand. Joshua thrust the spear toward Bel, leaving a long red streak in the air.


    ¡°Lightning sh, huh?¡± Bel parried the attack with ease using his spear made from the dragon lord¡¯s bones.


    Of course, that didn¡¯t discourage Joshua one bit. He simply swung his spear with extra force the next time.


    Inside the storm that Joshua created, he and Bel crossed spears, adding fountains of aura sparks to the tempest.


    Bel¡¯s lips stretched into a smile. ¡°It¡¯s Thunderstorm now?¡±


    As if he was unting his skills, Bel used the same technique as Joshua to nullify his attacks. Despite the remarkable moves he had shown, Bel¡¯s smile disappeared into a frown. He spun his spear this way and that for a moment before he just threw it on the ground.


    ¡°I don¡¯t like it.¡±


    Bel¡¯s spear loudly <em>nged</em> against the ground.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    ¡°Using a spear isn¡¯t bad, but I still prefer this way.¡± Bel smiled and held up his fists. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I lived my entire life like this.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awfully arrogant.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? I¡¯m your Fragment¡ªbut I also want to prove that I¡¯m my own man.¡± Bel cracked his knuckles. He bent his legs, a fresh smile growing on his lips. ¡°¡­Here I go!¡±


    Bel vanished.


    The men¡¯s figures disappeared behind a cloud of sparks. In the blink of an eye, over one thousand attacks were exchanged, showing that Bel had a good reason for his confidence. Not many people would be able to fight Joshua in closebat.


    The problem was that their battle was affecting their surroundings. The ground shook and lightning bolts roared down from the sky; each blow elerated the Human Realm¡¯s destruction. It was like looking at the end of the world.


    And that wasn¡¯t the only problem. Red dimensional rifts were forming in the sky, like w marks through the fabric of reality.


    ¡°Hehehe. The dimensional rifts are widening now,¡± Bel rejoiced as he casually parried Joshua¡¯s thrust. ¡°Yggdrasil¡¯s remaining branches can¡¯t hold on any longer. The world can¡¯t handle our power anymore.¡±


    Joshua ignored Bel and calmed his breathing. It was clear to him that he shouldn¡¯t drag out this fight. After a moment, Joshua lowered his spear, distancing himself from Bel.


    ¡°You realized that the Magic Spear Arts won¡¯t work on me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    Bel grinned confidently. He knew everyst detail of the Magic Spear Arts¡¯ techniques. Because he was aware of the mana cirction and utilization methods in each technique, Bel knew the most effective ways to nullify them. On top of that, their physical abilities were on par. Naturally, they were at an impasse.


    ¡°¡­Then I should create a technique that even you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Bel gave him a look of disbelief. An improvised martial arts technique would never work on someone like Bel. ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡±


    Joshua didn¡¯t care what Bel said. He was going to do what he said he would. A true god of martial arts would be able to create high-level techniques as the situation demanded.


    When he looked around the area, Joshua could see that Kireua was watching him with worried eyes. Joshua smiled faintly. Yes, he liked his life because he had his people; despite his selfishness, his knights always trusted him. Even though he was a pathetic husband and father, his wives and children devoted themselves to him. He was grateful to them and loved them so much that he would give them his life without a second thought.


    ¡°Let me show you.¡± Joshua raised his spear again.


    Now it was his turn to repay everything by using his ultimate technique.


    It was named¡­


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level 10, Origin: Sacrificial Spear.¡±


    Bel flinched for the first time as the air grew turbulent.


    ¡°Magic Spear Arts Level 10¡­?¡±


    rms ringing in his head, Bel charged forward, his fist flying at Joshua.


    However, Joshua was quicker.


    <em>¡®Eternal Regression.¡¯</em>


    Time worked like a circle, and people¡¯s lives repeated in the circle forever. That would mean he would have a next life, but even that life might put him through trial and tribtion that would make him into a grudgeful monster who was obsessed with revenge. Nevertheless, he would go through it again if that was what it took to meet his loved ones¡ªbut he was never going to repeat the life of neglecting them and forcing them to sacrifice themselves.


    <em>¡®If I have another chance, I¡¯ll live a life of sacrifice for my people.¡¯</em>


    At that moment, Joshua became the spear itself. He used his body and soul to use the Magic Spear Arts to its full potential.


    ¡°What¡­?¡± Bel¡¯s eyes widened.


    Before him stood another red dimensional rift¡ªspace itself had been severed by Joshua¡¯s swing.


    Apocalyptically powerful bolts of lightning rained down around them. The dimensional rift tried to swallow the entire world, especially Bel.


    ¡°What the fuck? Are you going to destroy the world just so you can kill me?!¡± Bel desperately drew up more mana so that he wouldn¡¯t be sucked into the red hole, but it was meaningless. He clung to the edge, screaming. ¡°Arghhhhhhh!¡±


    Joshua himself wasn¡¯t in a good condition. His attack had exhausted his stamina, putting him through the side effects that he had been worried about.


    <em>¡®¡­You were so happy when I broke out from the ice boulder earlier than I nned.¡¯</em>


    The Demon Spirit¡¯s power hummed happily as if the Demon Spirit himself was eagerly watching the fight. Although the Demon Spirit¡¯s personality had been annihted, his power still remained within Joshua. However, Joshua had no intention of letting the Demon Spirit¡¯s power enjoy itself.


    <em>¡®Angel Spirit¡¯s Fragment,¡¯</em> Joshua called.


    -Call me Arash.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m going to be a new Spirit by embracing everything that is left of the Demon Spirit and Angel Spirit in this world.¡¯</em>


    -¡­Bing a new Spirit to rece the destroyed bnce of light and darkness is theoretically possible, but if you do that¡­


    <em>¡®I will no longer be able to stay in this realm.¡¯</em>


    After the Angel and Demon Realms¡¯ destruction, the gods had descended to the Human Realm, destroying the realm¡¯s bnce. He had to restore the bnce to stop the Human Realm¡¯s copse.


    -Gods and humans belong in different ces. There is no way that aplete Spirit can stay in the Human Realm.


    <em>¡®It would be better than letting the world fall.</em>¡¯


    Joshua strode forward. It was his turn to sacrifice himself to protect his loved ones.

 Side Story Chapter 315

    Side Story Chapter 315


    At every sh sent another head flying, all of which belonged to themanders of Hubalt¡¯s forces.


    ¡°I repeat! All Imperial Knights of Avalon, prioritize taking control of the west gates!¡±


    ¡°Th-The I-Imperial Knights?! I knew they were too skilled to be ordinary knights!¡±


    Avalon¡¯s special unit wasprised of one thousand three hundred knights. Compared to the twenty thousand enemies they faced, the unit was too small, but they were crushing their enemies regardless. The main reason that was possible was that Avalon''s army had attacked the gate from the inside and outside simultaneously. In addition, the mages magnificently demonstrated why they were called the greatest weapons of war.


    ¡°Blizzard!¡± Iceline¡¯s spell swept over the west gates, chilling the enemy to the bone.


    Hundreds of archers instantly went rigid, unable to nock their bows. Theta jumped on the opportunity and cast another spell.


    ¡°Tempest.¡±


    ¡°Arghhhhhhhhhhh!¡±


    The Eighth Circle spell increased the range of Iceline¡¯s Blizzard, expanding the snowstorm to reach the entire unit stationed at the west gates.Thanks to the mages, the special unit could seize the winch without a problem.


    ¡°We¡¯ve secured the winch!¡±


    ¡°Open it!¡±


    The west gate noisily creaked open. The moment it was fully open, the army outside rushed through with a bloodthirsty cry.


    Hubalt''s forces were caught in a dilemma. The gate had already been breached; even if their forces wererge, it was impossible to stop their enemy¡¯s charge.


    ¡°Fuck! Abandon the gates! Hubalt! We¡¯re retreating! Regroup with the main force at the south gate!¡±


    Avalon and the alliance¡¯s forces cheered when the gate was reimed.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the rest,¡± Ireuca shouted. ¡°Your Majesties! Head to the pce with the Imperial Knights, please!¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Iceline hesitated, concerned.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Theta quickly reassured her. ¡°I¡¯ll help them too.¡±


    ¡°No, this isn¡¯t right. We¡¯re winning, but that might change very easily if all the Imperial Knights leave,¡± Icarus pointed out.


    Valmont came forward. ¡°I believe that something bad happening to His Majesty would be far worse than anything that happens out here. Avalon would lose the war for sure.¡±


    Cazes pondered the problem for a moment and came up with apromise.


    ¡°How about this? Half of the Imperial Knights will stay behind, and the rest will escort Your Majesties to the Pce,¡± Cazes said.


    The Imperial Knights exchanged nces. All of them wanted to go running to the pce right then and there.


    ¡°No, I still think that¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s also rude to our allies after they came all the way over here. We should trust His Majesty and focus on the battle¡ª¡±


    ¡°How about this, then, Your Majesty?¡±


    A person shrouded in ck cloth silently appread from the shadows under a tree near the gates, startling everyone.


    ¡°Who are you?!¡±


    No one had seen this person before. The Imperial Knights quickly surrounded her. Cazes and Valmont could feel cold sweat running down their backs because even people who were as skilled as them hadn¡¯t sensed this person until they decided to step out of the shadows.


    Iceline was going through a different emotion, though.


    ¡°You are¡­¡±


    The voice of the mysterious intruder resembled the squeal of metal being forced against metal. It was obvious to Iceline that they were using a voice-changing artifact¡ªone that Iceline had created.


    ¡°People call me the Assassin King.¡±


    ¡°Th-The Assassin King?¡±


    The end of Aisha¡¯s long seclusion came as a great shock, but she didn¡¯t have the slightest regret about her choice. She and Joshua had settled her doubts.


    <em>¡®Joshua, you told me that everyone will have to pay for their karma someday.¡¯</em>


    If there were people who still harbored grudges against her, that was the karma that she would have to endure. That was why she was no longer going to hide. She was going to step out into the light and pay for her sins.


    ¡°Without their leader, they¡¯re just a bunch of nobodies, so I¡¯ll assassinate their leader.¡±


    ¡°Bel and the Martial Knights aren¡¯t participating in the battle, so Gyo is theirmander right now!¡± yet another new voice interjected.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes widened when they recognized who was speaking.


    ¡°The Silver Eyed Ghost Sword? Why are you here¡­?¡±


    ¡°I had the Magic Tower¡¯s help. It took me a while to persuade the pdins, but they¡¯re alsoing to Arcadia.¡±


    The group turned to look at Theta, silently asking for further exnation.


    He shrugged. ¡°¡­Hubalt contacted me first. Said that they want to set things right by helping Avalon.¡±


    ¡°As soon as the Magic Tower¡¯s military teleportation gate isplete, ten thousand pdins wille to Arcadia,¡± Lilith added. ¡°It won¡¯t take long.¡±


    Regardless of which faction they belonged to, their country was still responsible for war crimes. Lilith could understand if the people showed enmity against her, so she just went on.


    ¡°It¡¯s not much, but Hubalt wishes to help everyone. And the empire would like to deliver its sincerest apology.¡± Lilith bowed to the allied forces. ¡°I know it won¡¯t be enough to atone for what the empire has done¡­ But Hubalt will pay the price. Please let the pdins and I help you on the front lines.¡±


    ¡°¡­Stand up, Ghost Sword.¡±


    Lilith stiffened. She had prepared herself to be pped in the face, but the alliance and Avalon were weing her with open arms. The Imperial Knights were especially delighted because even if half of them headed to the Pce, the pdins could fill in for them.


    ¡°A rebellion can take ce in any country.¡±


    ¡°The bully is elsewhere and yet someone else is apologizing on their behalf. Hahaha. Don¡¯t do it, please. It feels really awkward to receive your apology.¡±


    ¡°Wee. We need all the help we can get.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s talkter and fight together first. There would be nothing more meaningful than bringing back peace to the continent with our own hands.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s eyes welled up.


    ¡°The enemies are divided between all four gates, and they¡¯re panicking because we breached the west gate, so we¡¯ll use this opportunity to take them down gate by gate and then put down their leader!¡± Icarus decided.


    ¡°I noticed on our way here that the majority of the enemies were near the south gate. We, Avalon, will take the south gate with the pdins.¡±


    ¡°Then Swallow will take the east gate,¡± Anna volunteered.


    ¡°In that case, the Magic Tower will attack the north gate.¡±


    ¡°The alliance will assist you at all three gates.¡±


    The n was decided in an instant. Against one giant evil, everyone was united. Their morale was sky high.


    ¡°All the countries have finally united against Hubalt. Let¡¯s win. Let¡¯s win this war and bring back peace.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Bel was making a franticst-ditch effort for survival.


    ¡°I! Won¡¯t! Go! Down! Like! This!¡±


    Using every ounce of strength he had, Bel reached for Kireua.


    ¡°Greed and Wrath! Come to me! I¡¯m your true master!¡±


    Surprisingly, the two Evil Sins reacted to Bel¡¯s demand. Kireua stumbled. Although he had been hoping that someone would take away his Evil Sins, he had never thought about losing them like this.


    However, Kireua¡¯s concerns proved unwarranted.


    Bel was ecstatic when he saw the two Evil Sins leave Kireua¡ªbut Wrath and Greed chose Joshua. As the Seven Evil Sins were prideful powers, they weren¡¯t interested in losers.


    ¡°Wh-What in the world¡­? Ahh¡­! Me! I am your master!¡± Bel screamed at the top of his lungs.


    Joshua didn¡¯t even give a nce in Bel¡¯s direction. His eyes were fixed on Kireua, who looked a lot better than before.


    ¡°Those Evil Sins are too greedy, and they won¡¯t help you at all in bing stronger,¡± he gently said.


    ¡°Your Majesty¡­?¡±


    ¡°Create your own path, Kireua.¡±


    The Seven Evil Sins were too dangerous, so it was better to take them with him.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m still selfish even at this moment. I wish I could say goodbye to the others.¡¯</em>


    -No, I see the most selfless person in the world. For the people you hold dear, you trapped yourself in the ice for decades and now you are trying to sacrifice yourself.


    Joshua frowned. <em>¡®¡­Everything happened because of my personal vendetta, so I¡¯m simply reaping what I sowed.¡¯</em>


    -Well, I¡¯m also well aware of Avalon¡¯s history, and I still think the same.


    <em>¡®What do you mean?¡¯</em>


    -Evergrant con Aswald and Kaiser ben Britten were the former Master of the Magic Tower and the fourth prince of Avalon, respectively. But they were building an army of undead underneath the pce¡ªand the Demon Spirit used the former Emperor of Avalon as his vessel.


    Arash meant what she was saying; it wasn¡¯t just to console Joshua. The Demon Spirit had been very greedy, so it was obvious what would have happened to the empire.


    -Let¡¯s say you didn¡¯t have your so-called ¡°personal vendetta¡±. Do you think the Human Realm would havested until now? What I¡¯m trying to say is that although there are people who suffered because of your choices, many people were also saved.


    <em>¡®¡­I never thought I would be consoled right now.¡¯</em> Joshua chuckled.


    -To be honest, I feel bad about my empress. I didn¡¯t really get to say a proper goodbye to her either.


    Joshua smiled at Kireua. <em>¡®Don¡¯t worry about it. My children will tell her and the others about what happened.¡¯</em>


    -Please tell Prince Kireua to take good care of my empress.


    <em>¡®Can I also ask for a favor?¡¯</em>


    -¡­I have a feeling I already know what it is.


    Joshua strode toward Selim and Viper, who were lying on the ground.


    <em>¡®I¡¯m going to pour out all my divine power thisst time. I think I can treat Selim, but I¡¯m worried about Viper. I would very much appreciate the help of the Angel Spirit¡¯s Fragment.¡¯</em>


    -I¡¯m ready.


    A bright light burst out of Joshua¡¯s chest, enveloping Selim and Viper and being absorbed into them.


    ¡°Mmm...¡±


    Due to using too much power at once, Joshua feltnguid, but they were sessful. Selim¡¯s cheeks grew rosy and Viper¡¯s breathing became more stable. Joshua beamed.


    ¡°And¡­ Kireua.¡± Joshua turned to look at his other son.


    ¡°Yo-Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Call me Father.¡±


    Kireua trembled as it sank it that this was his father¡¯s way of saying goodbye.


    ¡°I promised your mothers that I¡¯de back, but I¡¯ll have to break my promise again,¡± Joshua said bitterly.


    ¡°Please¡­ please don¡¯t do this.¡±


    ¡°Your father has always been selfish.¡±


    ¡°No, no, you¡¯re not.¡± Kireua¡¯s eyes grew teary.


    ¡°Do I really have the right to love you?¡±


    Kireua immediately shook his head. ¡°You aren¡¯t selfish. You¡¯re my beloved, adored father.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you, Kireua. And from now on, live your own lives. Don¡¯t try to be Joshua Sanders¡¯s sons. Be Kireua and Selim Sanders.¡±


    Tears crawled down Kireua¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sad. This is just the karma that your foolish father has to pay.¡±


    Despite what he had said, Joshua couldn¡¯t help but feel reluctant to leave.


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    The Imperial Knights burst into the gardens, shaking the ground with their footsteps. The three Queen Consorts were with them, obviously. As soon as Icarus saw Joshua, she understood what was going on.


    ¡°No!¡± She shouted. ¡°You promised you¡¯re going toe back!¡±


    Iceline drew up her mana so that she could get to Joshua, but the dimensional rift between them was too wide. On top of that, Joshua had covered the rift with his mana so that no one else would be affected by it.


    ¡°You¡¯re cruel¡­ Too cruel¡­¡± Charles clutched her chest as she wept.


    Just like Kireua, the three women also instinctively realized that Joshua had made a choice to stop the Human Realm¡¯s copse.


    ¡°No, I¡¯ll keep my promise. I¡¯lle back, no matter what¡­¡±


    Joshua repeated his promise over and over. Tears crawled down his cheeks as he made his oath.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ a promise.¡± Charles forced a smile.


    Joshua could feel that he was at his limit. Even at that moment, the dimensional rift was widening. It was not going to give Joshua and the others any more time.


    Cazes bit his lip so hard that it bled, but he quickly pulled himself together.


    ¡°¡­Salute to His Majesty!¡±


    Sensing the imminent farewell, the Imperial Knights quickly formed into two lines and raised their swords high above their heads with their free hands against their chests.


    Joshua smiled again as he looked at the Imperial Knights. Other people might think Joshua was out of his mind, but he had never felt more free than he felt now. With his selfish sacrifice, he could save his loved ones and the entire world. That was much better than the time he had spent as a revenge-obsessed monster.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go, my other karmas,¡± Joshua told the powers of Wrath and Greed.


    After Joshua had used all of his divine power on Selim and Viper, Greed and Wrath had be more. Using those powers, Joshua pushed Bel into the rift as hard as he could.


    ¡°Ahhhhhhh!¡± Bel screamed.


    With his eyes on his loved ones, Joshua clutched the dimensional rift¡¯s ends and pulled it close. Revenge? Joshua wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to give up on revenge if he had another chance of regression, especially if his enemies were leading happy lives.


    ¡°Come back! We¡¯ll wait for you, so you muste back!¡±


    However, if getting revenge meant that his loved ones had to sacrifice themselves for him, Joshua would give up without a second thought. Only after bing a father and husband to his three children and wives had Joshua realized that dedicating his entire life to revenge would consume him and destroy the lives of his loved ones. Joshua loved his family with all his heart, so he was more than willing to forget about his enemies if by some miracle he were to get another chance at life.

 Side Story Chapter 316

    Side Story Chapter 316


    Three monthster, Arcadia had returned to its original self. Hubalt''s forces hadn¡¯t sacked the city to avoid controversy, so the restoration process waspleted a lot earlier than expected. Hubalt officially announced that they had lost the war and promised to make reparations to each country.


    Some of the countries resisted, naturally, and wanted to outright dissolve Hubalt. However, Avalon epted their surrender. Since the country had suffered the most and the leader of the alliance was willing, the dispute ended quickly, putting a close to the Second Continental War.


    ¡°Is everyone here?¡± Sersiarin asked, acting as temporary ruler of Avalon.


    Iceline, Icarus, and Charles stood by her side to lend her their support.


    They weren¡¯t alone. Cain, Valmont, Viper, Cazes¡­ Countless nobles and the Imperial Knights filled the arena. The stands, while big, were rather cramped on this important day in Avalon¡¯s history.


    ¡°¡­Then, would the candidates for the throne pleasee forward?¡±.


    Two people approached.


    ¡°Selim Sanders, the First Prince of Avalon, is present to receive the imperial decision.¡±


    ¡°Kireua Sanders, the Second Prince of Avalon, is present to receive the imperial decision.¡±In the center of the arena, Selim and Kireua faced each other.


    With a nod, Sersiarin solemnly dered, ¡°Following the decision made in the previous imperial meeting and respecting the candidates¡¯ wishes, the heir to the throne shall be decided through trial bybat between the two candidates today. If anyone has any objections, speak now.¡±


    ¡°There are none!¡±


    As if they had been waiting for Sersiarin¡¯s question, shouts arose from all over the arena.


    ¡°¡­Very well. Both candidates have proven how essential they are to Avalon, so now it is time to prove which one of you is more suited to take the throne. Show us your skills.¡±


    Selim and Kireua unleashed their energy on each other.


    <em>¡®Can I do it?¡¯</em> Kireua could feel his grip on his sword getting sweaty.


    He didn¡¯t have Coju or the power of Wrath, leaving him with only his own skills to go up against his incredibly strong opponent. However, he felt confident for some reason. It would have been unimaginable before.


    ¡°¡­I feel like I can win,¡± Kireua muttered to himself. A faint smile tugged at his lips. He no longer had his ebon mes or the two Evil Sins, but he still had his experience from the war. He was no longer the boy who had run away from the pce.


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Selim asked.


    Kireua nodded. ¡°Ready when you are.¡±


    Selim leveled his spear at him. ¡°Keep in mind that I don¡¯t n on going easy on you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d better not¡ªotherwise, you¡¯re going to get embarrassed again in front of so many people.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Selim frowned.


    ¡°Did you already forget that you were unconscious during our entire fight against that fucker Bel?¡±


    It was rare for Selim to let his emotions get the best of him, much less for veins to bulge on forehead like they were right now, but bringing up what had happened that day was taboo to Selim. It remained his greatest regret that he didn¡¯t get to say goodbye to his father.


    Selim decided to express his anger in a different way.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll put everything into this fight like Lady Sersiarin told us to.¡±


    In a fraction of a second, Selim enveloped his spear in a massive amount of aura andunched a barrage of attacks aimed at Kireua¡¯s head.


    <em>¡®Fuck!¡¯</em> Kireua quickly raised his sword. It felt like Selim¡¯s n was to stab Kireua¡¯s head and ruin his handsome looks. Kireua whipped his head to the side and Selim¡¯s spear grazed his cheek. He could feel the sparks flying from the spear stinging his skin.


    Kireua didn¡¯t just sit on his hands. He struck right in the center of Selim¡¯s spear, knocking it downward and creating an opening.


    Selim¡¯s eyes narrowed. <em>¡®It¡¯s undeniable that a sword is much quicker than a spear, but he¡¯s¡­¡¯</em>,


    Although he didn¡¯t express it out loud, Selim was quite surprised. This single incident taught Selim several things: most swords couldn¡¯t have budged Selim¡¯s spear, but Kireua had struck far harder than most people could; in addition, he had the skill to find the spear¡¯s center of bnce so that he could deliver his attack as effectively as possible; on top of that, Kireua used the opening to his advantage as soon as it was created!


    <em>¡®¡­Good.¡¯ </em>Selim smiled eagerly.


    Yes, Kireua had to be able to do at least this much if he wanted topete with Selim!


    Instead of meeting Kireua¡¯s attack head-on, Selim followed his spear¡¯s momentum, spinning in the air.


    Selim and Kireua exchanged five hundred attacks in a blink. They fought with everything they had.


    ¡°My goodness¡­¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t both of them in their early twenties? They already fight like experienced Masters¡­¡±


    ¡°If they wanted, they would easily be able tomand a battalion of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    The spectators¡¯ excitement grew as the fight went on. No one could predict who would be the winner.


    The tips of Kireua¡¯s sword and Selim¡¯s spear shed one more time before they distanced themselves from each other.


    ¡°It¡¯ll never end at this rate,¡± Kireua grumbled.


    Selim agreed with Kireua. They knew each other too well because their sword and spear arts came from the same foundation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve seen enough of each other¡¯s skill, so let¡¯s end this fight with the strongest techniques we can use.¡±


    ¡°¡­Alright.¡± Selim nodded. The energy he unleashed began to move differently. Before, it had been like a cid ocean, but now its movement resembled a tsunami.


    ¡°¡­You freak of nature.¡± Kireua infused as much of his mana into his sword as he could manage. His mana turned into burning aura thatshed out at Selim like a ming snake¡¯s tongue. Kireua met Selim¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll start.¡±


    Selim nodded. ¡°Come.¡±


    As soon as they were ready, Selim and Kireua charged. They closed the distance between them in no time.


    Just then, the fire of aura enveloping Kireua¡¯s sword turned ck.


    <em>¡®Dark me!?</em>¡¯


    Those mes were known to be capable of burning anything in the world.


    Selim inhaled sharply and drew deeply from his mana hall.


    When the voltage of lightning exceeded a certain level, even its color changed. The blue lightning that decorated Selim¡¯s spear turned white, blinding Kireua.


    The collision between their aura created a thunderous <em>boom</em> of apocalyptic proportions. The collision of fire and lightning forced everyone in the arena to close their eyes and cover their ears.


    When the air finally cleared, the spectators were eager to see the aftermath.


    ¡°Wh-Who won?¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ He¡¯s a monster.¡±


    It was undeniably Selim¡¯s victory. In contrast to Kireua, whose legs had given out, Selim still stood tall, his spear pointed at Kireua.


    ¡°I surrender.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡­¡± For some reason, Selim¡¯s face was crumpled up even though he was the victor. ¡°¡­Why in the world did you do that?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    -Do you think I¡¯m an idiot? Why did you withdraw your aura at thest moment?


    -What about you? The technique you used just now isn¡¯t your strongest, is it?


    -¡­You never nned to win this fight. Why¡­?


    -Well, I just think the throne isn¡¯t meant for me.


    Kireua met Selim¡¯s stare for a moment before shrugging.


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡± Selim asked out loud, unable to contain his frustration.


    ¡°I lost,¡± Kireua insisted. ¡°Even if that wasn¡¯t for this duel, I¡¯m a prince who can¡¯t control his power properly. I¡¯m inept in too many ways to lead a country.¡±


    The arena was utterly silent except for his voice.


    ¡°I also have the history of almost ruining Avalon after losing myself to the power I acquire.¡± Kireua slowly stood up. He looked somehow liberated. ¡°That¡¯s why I believe the First Prince over here is more suited to be the next emperor.¡±


    Everyone was silent. Perhaps it was out of surprise, but it could be that they had interpreted Kireua¡¯s choice in a negative fashion.


    Which meant that Sersiarin and the three Queen Consorts had toe to a decision.


    After a period of contemtion, Sersiarin broke the silence.


    ¡°¡­Kireua¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes, which is why you need someone who can help you control your power,¡± a voice dered from the entrance of the arena. It was followed by a bted announcement from the bewildered Imperial Knights guarding the pce.


    ¡°A-Announcing the arrival of Her Majesty Anna bel Grace, the fifty-third empress of the Swallow Empire!¡±


    ¡°Is my visit too sudden?¡± Anna beamed at the three Queen Consorts, who gaped nkly at her.


    ¡°I seem to have arrived at the perfect timing, though¡­¡± Anna tilted her head.


    Charles managed to gather her wits first.


    ¡°M-May I ask why you¡¯re here¡­?¡± she asked.


    Anna¡¯s smile grew. ¡°My, my, there¡¯s no need to be so formal. You¡¯re my mother-inw, after all.¡±


    ¡°M-Mother-inw?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a bitte, but I came here to pick up my hubby.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 317

    Side Story Chapter 317


    The sensational news from the pce hit Avalon like a hurricane.


    ¡°S-So the new emperor of Avalon will be His Highness Selim.¡±


    ¡°And His Highness Kireua will marry the empress of Swallow? Then what will his title be¡­?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s going to be the empress¡¯s husband, so he¡¯ll probably be a grand duke.¡±


    ¡°So he¡¯s going to be like Grand Duke Lucifer¡­?¡±


    The people couldn¡¯t stop talking about it. To the entirety of Igrant, especially Swallow, the title of grand duke carried a lot of meaning because of Lucifer, the Crimson Sky, who had ruled the Swallow Empire for decades.


    ¡°In any case, that basically means that both princes will rule a nation!¡±


    ¡°Everything worked out perfectly!¡±


    Even before the people had recovered from the war, the entire country was in a festive mood. However, not everyone was enjoying themselves. After the duel ended, Kireua was mobbed by nobles and Imperial Knightsing to congratte him even though Kireua wasn¡¯t the victor. It took a tremendous effort for Kireua to escape them, so the first thing he did was to go and take it up with the person who was responsible for the whole mess.


    ¡°Are you out of your mind?!¡± Kireua yelled.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°How can you just say that in front of that many people without talking to me first? Do you know how much I¡¯ve had to put up with because of you?!¡±


    ¡°Your face is redder than a tomato.¡± Anna giggled. ¡°You¡¯re cute.¡±


    ¡°Are you kidding me?¡±


    ¡°Why do you keep ying hard to get? You said you loved me too, didn¡¯t you?¡± Anna asked with a grin.


    ¡°You could have at least given me a heads-up!¡±


    ¡°Well, you might take back your confession. This way, you¡¯ll be mine forever.¡± She tugged Kireua closer by his cor. ¡°Just trust me. I¡¯ll take care of everything.¡±


    Kireua gave up on fighting and let out a long sigh.


    A quiet knock on the door dragged their attention away.


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    ¡°¡­Excuse me.¡±


    Kireua¡¯s and Anna¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°This voice is¡ª¡±


    ¡°I-It¡¯s your mother!¡± Anna shouted. She hastily straightened out her clothes, but Charles stepped inside before she was finished.


    ¡°¡­Oh? I didn¡¯t know you were here, Empress Anna. I¡¯m sorry I interrupted¡­¡± Charles covered her mouth with her hand.


    Anna quickly shook her head. ¡°N-no, you didn¡¯t.¡±


    Despite her confident personality, Anna couldn¡¯t get used to meeting her future mother-inw in private like this. She would rather confess her love in front of a crowd again.


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Can I have a moment of your time, both of you?¡±


    ¡°O-Of course.¡± Anna nodded obediently.


    In contrast to Anna, Kireua swallowed nervously. He worried that his mother would oppose the marriage. Since the groom and bride-to-be were certain about their marriage, they would still go through with it, but the opposition would be a tragic start to their married life. It was only natural to want to not be hated by their significant other¡¯s parents even if they didn¡¯t have their blessings.


    ¡°I was flustered, honestly.¡±


    Both Kireua and Anna stiffened. They tried putting themselves in Charles¡¯s shoes: her son suddenly brought a woman home and told her that he and this woman already had the wedding scheduled. What would they have done if they were Charles?


    <em>¡®Over my dead body,¡¯ </em>Kireua and Anna thought to themselves. It did anything but calm their nerves.


    ¡°I¡¯m especially disappointed in you, Kireua.¡± Charles scowled at him for a moment.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, Mother.¡±


    ¡°This is all my fault. I should have told you about the wedding sooner¡­¡± Anna trailed off, restlessly twiddling her fingers.


    ¡°¡­Empress Anna.¡±


    ¡°Y-Yes?!¡± Anna sat up. It was rare for her to be this tense.


    ¡°When are you nning to have children?¡±


    ¡°...Children?¡± Anna¡¯s jaw dropped.


    ¡°W-Wait a minute, Mother. Isn¡¯t it too early to ask that question¡ª??


    Charles narrowed her eyes. ¡°Be quiet.¡±


    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am¡­¡±


    Charles sighed and put her hands on her waist. ¡°You¡¯re a man, so what do you know? You¡¯re still young, but Empress Anna over here is older than you are. You two might miss your chance.¡±


    ¡°F-First of all, please call me Anna. Don¡¯t be too formal.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°A-And I¡¯m pretty confident about my health. Yes, it¡¯s true that I¡¯m older than most women who give birth, but I¡¯m sure I can give birth to at least three children.¡±


    Charles eyes sparkled as if she¡¯d been hoping to hear exactly that.


    ¡°¡­Then can I expect to see my grandchildren within this year?¡±


    Anna¡¯s jaw dropped again.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Kireua hissed.


    ¡°Gosh, you surprised me¡­¡±


    ¡°We haven¡¯t even had a proper date yet. It¡¯s too soon to ask that kind of question¡ªand besides it¡¯s already spring. Even if we get married right now¡­¡± Kireua¡¯s voice petered out.


    It was the most embarrassing conversation someone could have in front of their mother. However, Anna, who was a lot more experienced in life than Kireua, held his hand.


    ¡°I heard that it¡¯s trendy to have a wedding with a baby in the womb already.¡±


    ¡°Are you saying¡ª¡±


    Anna beamed. ¡°We¡¯ll get it done today.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Sighs filled the Second Queen Consort¡¯s pce.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Unsurprisingly, the sighs belonged to Icarus, who had recently been separated from her husband against her will. Iruca smiled bitterly as she watched her mother. She¡¯d visited the pce to report on the progress of the restorations; she was taking charge of the field work so that Icarus wouldn¡¯t have to force herself to act cheerful.


    ¡°Are you hiding in your room again?¡± Iruca asked.


    ¡°¡­Hey.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t even notice meing in, did you. Isn¡¯t it about time you think about getting married to someone else?¡±


    ¡°¡­Stop joking around.¡±


    ¡°Everyone will understand. You have my blessing, and I¡¯m sure that Kireua, Selim, and the other Queen Consorts would give you theirs.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to keep this up, get out. I¡¯m not in the mood to joke with you.¡±


    ¡°You know I¡¯m right. What Dad has done is very cruel¡ªin fact, calling him a bad husband would be an understatement. When his wives were at the most beautiful time of their lives, he forced you and the others to live like widows for decades. What did he do in the end? He went up to the heavens.¡±


    Icarus¡¯s lips slowly twisted. Even though she could ignore someone insulting her, she would not let anyone talk badly about her husband. As her daughter, Iruca knew that fact better than anyone, but Iruca couldn¡¯t bear to watch her mother torture herself like this anymore.


    Iruca shut her eyes before she got to the main reason why she was here today.


    ¡°Besides, you have someone decent nearby¡ª¡±


    ¡°Iruca¡ª!¡±


    Someone knocked on the door at the perfect time.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ming!¡± Iruca immediately ran for the door. When she saw who the visitor was, her eyes widened like a child who was caught doing something naughty.


    ¡°Huh¡­? Si-Sir Cain¡­?¡± she stammered.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you were here, Your Highness.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my business here is done!¡± Iruca knew how to read the room. ¡°I¡¯ll excuse myself, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Iruca!¡±


    Iruca mmed the door shut, her heart thumping loudly. Instead of leaving the pce¡ªwhich she knew would be a huge mistake¡ªshe put her ear to the door, focusing all her senses on the conversation happening within.


    Since Cain was far greater than a Superhuman, he knew that Iruca was lurking outside, but he still asked, ¡°I assume you¡¯ve been holed up inside your room?¡±


    ¡°...It¡¯s not easy to pull myself together. I feel like my heart is empty.¡±


    Cain suddenly had a good idea. It would be perfect to lighten the mood and give Iruca a good teasing.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s disrespectful of me, but¡­ I thought you had feelings for me, Your Majesty.¡±


    There was a muffled <em>thump</em> outside the door.


    ¡°Huhhhhhh?¡± Icarus gave Cain a dumb look.


    Cain guffawed. ¡°We¡¯ve been together for a long time and had more than our fair share of brushes with death.¡±


    ¡°What in the world do you mean I had feelings for you?¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°I thought you were the one who liked me. I told you about our age gap back then, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    Cain readily nodded. ¡°I agreed with you, so I gave up long ago. But now that I think about it, it wouldn''t have been a problem since His Highness Kireua has also made it work.¡±


    Icarus quietly looked into Cain¡¯s eyes. The man she knew wasn¡¯t someone who would make an overdue love confession because although he looked carefree, he was very serious.


    ¡°I don¡¯t even remember when it all started, but maybe making all kinds of excuses is just in my bones.¡± Cain chuckled.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I gave up everything, one after the other, all for my family¡ªor so I told myself. When I met my master, I told myself I had to do it because he was the first one to acknowledge my abilities. I kept making my life harder even though no one asked me to do it.¡±


    ¡°¡­The problem was your master, not you. I can guarantee that.¡±


    Cain smiled bitterly. ¡°But I don¡¯t have the slightest regret in my life. I wanted to make those choices, and people envied me for serving the strongest man on the continent¡­ Hahaha! Who else would get to live such a life?¡±


    Cain quietly looked up at the ceiling as if Joshua was there. ¡°I can be certain that I wouldn¡¯t have been who I am if that hadn¡¯t been for my master.¡±


    ¡°¡­His Majesty would think the same.¡±


    ¡°Pardon¡­?¡±


    ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for Cain de Harry, there wouldn¡¯t have been Joshua Sanders, the Martial God.¡±


    Their eyes met for a moment before faint smiles crept onto their faces.


    ¡°¡­How close I got to death gave me a chance to reflect on my life, and¡­ it made me think about living a different life. That is why, with your permission, I would like to spend the rest of my life for myself, not for other people.¡±


    ¡°You want to¡­¡± Icarus¡¯s eyes gradually widened.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to enjoy the twilight years of my life and go on a journey. I¡¯ll meet new people; maybe I¡¯ll also date and marry someone. I¡¯d love to raise a family of my own like other people.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    Cain bowed politely. ¡°I would like to retire. Please ept my resignation, Your Majesty.¡±<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    3x3Minime¡¯s thoughts: I always thought this novel would be better as an Icarus x Cain ro where they were always getting dragged into Joshua¡¯s shenanigans. s, it was not meant to be.</blockquote>

 Side Story Chapter 318

    Side Story Chapter 318


    As Kireua had already decided to leave Avalon, he didn¡¯t linger. He began preparing right away. Since the next emperor of Avalon had been decided, dragging it out wouldn¡¯t be wise.


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Charles said with worried eyes.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t skip meals even if you¡¯re busy.¡±


    Kireua chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not a baby.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always be a baby even when you be a father.¡± Charles took Kireua into her arms. ¡°You can alwayse back if living abroad is difficult.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll drop by from time to time.¡±


    ¡°Come by often,¡± Charles firmly instructed before she turned to Anna. ¡°I¡¯ll trust you with my Kireua.¡±


    ¡°Yup, I¡¯lle back with adorable grandchildren.¡± Anna beamed confidently.Charles nodded, but she still had mixed feelings.


    Behind Charles, Iceline and Icarus also quietly waved their hands at Kireua. Selim, however, wasn¡¯t with them; he still didn¡¯t approve of Kireua¡¯s choice to leave Avalon.


    ¡°Then please give my regards to Selim!¡± Kireua shouted.


    Iruca waved her hand at him wildly. ¡°Have a happy marriage! Don¡¯t evere back!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, it¡¯s about time you shut up,¡± Kireua snapped at her.


    Kireua¡¯s group was swallowed by the light of the warp gate.


    Shortly after their departure, Icarus quietly leaned over.


    ¡°¡­I need to talk to you about something.¡±


    Icarus gestured to the Imperial Knights to give them privacy, but they didn¡¯t move more than a certain distance away so that they could be faithful to their duty as guards.


    ¡°¡­You want me to go too?¡± Iruca pointed at herself.


    ¡°Yeah, you too.¡±


    Iruca stepped backward with an awkward look. People with heightened senses still could hear the conversation despite the distance, so Iceline blocked that possibility entirely by using her magic.


    ¡°¡­Silence.¡±


    Icarus silently expressed her gratitude before continuing, ¡°Sir Cain recently submitted his resignation, and¡­I had to respect his choice. He¡¯s essential to Avalon, but I couldn¡¯t ask him to stay after all he¡¯s done for our country.¡±


    ¡°You made a good choice,¡± Charles assured her after a brief silence.


    Iceline didn¡¯t say much but she nodded in agreement.


    ¡°And¡­ I would like to offer my opinion on one more matter.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m listening,¡± Iceline responded.


    ¡°This is just my opinion, but I believe it¡¯s right for us to retire as well after Selim¡¯s coronation.¡±


    The three of them weren¡¯t interested in keeping their positions as the Queen Consorts anyway, so Iceline and Charles didn¡¯t raise any objections.


    ¡°I agree. It¡¯s time for Selim to stand on his own. Besides, it¡¯s the right move unless we want to be known as evil masterminds who use the young emperor as their puppet.¡± Charles chuckled.


    ¡°Sir Cain¡¯s choice gave me a lot of things to consider. On that note¡­ what are your ns for the future?¡± Icarus asked with a serious look. ¡°I¡¯ll share my retirement n first.¡±


    ¡°You already know?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m going to go to the Academy where I first met His Majesty.¡± Icarus smiled.


    Charles and Iceline gave her a look of astonishment, to Icarus¡¯s amusement.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware of it before I started to teach Iruca, but I enjoy teaching quite a lot.¡±


    ¡°Training future schrs¡­ The Academy would be thrilled to have the Heaven¡¯s Mind as a professor¡ªbut are you sure you¡¯ll be okay?¡± Charles inquired, concerned.


    Although it was a noble cause, it was certainly not one of the first choices for a queen consort.


    ¡°All jobs are honorable, and I just want to spend the rest of my life doing what I want to do. I may be overstepping my bounds a little, but I hope you two will do the same.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to continue running my family¡¯s merchant group,¡± Charles immediately said, as if she¡¯d already been thinking about it. ¡°That is what my family is known for, and that has been my dream ever since I was little. I jumped for joy when the Pontier Merchant Group became one of the five biggest in Igrant.¡±


    Icarus smiled gently. ¡°You¡¯ll do a great job.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    An old memory came to mind. Although they now spoke formally with each other as a sign of respect, they used to be like actual sisters. Icarus hade to save the Pontiers from a crisis¡ªif it hadn¡¯t been for her, the Pontier family would have disappeared into history. Charles wanted to give all the support she could muster for Icarus¡¯s retirement life.


    ¡°And¡­¡±


    Icarus and Charles turned to look at Iceline. Her path was the most unpredictable.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m thinking about going back to the Magic Tower,¡± Iceline whispered.


    ¡°...The Magic Tower?¡±


    Icarus and Charles blinked. Iceline¡¯s decision caught them by surprise, even knowing that she could do anything.


    ¡°No ce has asrge a collection of books and materials as the Magic Tower does,¡± Iceline exined.


    ¡°So¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t give up on him, so I want to focus on research for the time being.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    Icarus and Charles fell silent. All three of them loved Joshua equally, but if they had topare it, Iceline¡¯s love would be the deepest. Like Aqua, the primordial stone, everything she had done was for Joshua, which showed why she was the First Queen Consort. The other two could only solemnly ept her devotion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll find a way no matter what. I¡¯ll make him descend to this world or be a god myself.¡± Iceline clenched her fists in determination.


    ¡°I¡¯m embarrassed to say this, but please tell us when you find a way.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll cheer for you. Tell me any time if you need anything. My merchant group and I will support you.¡±


    A faint smile broke Iceline¡¯s stoic expression.


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll dly ept your help.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Anna returned to the Swallow Pce with the confidence of a victorious general. However, her good mood didn¡¯tst as long as she had hoped. As soon as the war hade to an end, Swallow¡¯s greedy nobles showed their true colors. No matter what she said from the throne, the nobles were silent. Some of them even scoffed when Anna told them the empire should remain on good terms with Avalon.


    ¡°If you have a problem, speak now,¡± she spat. ¡°Stop getting on my nerves like that.¡±


    ¡°There is no way we would have a problem with ady, Your Majesty.¡±


    Anna knew that the nobles were deliberately emphasizing her gender. Swallow was a country where sexism was still prevalent, so it was the biggest insult they could give to Anna.


    Besides, many of these nobles here supported Duke Voltaire. The war was over, and Arash, the strategist, was also gone; Anna was now on the throne with no support of her own, so the nobles must have concluded that this was the perfect timing to make their move.


    ¡°¡­They¡¯re really annoying.¡± Anna gritted her teeth.


    ¡°I told you that you would need support, Your Majesty.¡± The man who had been quietly standing beside Anna came forward and took off his mask. ¡°Hello, Mercenary King here. I apologize for the sudden interruption, but I don¡¯t have much time.¡±


    ¡°A-Akshuller?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided to move my mercenary guild¡¯s headquarters right next to the pce,¡± Akshuller announced.


    The nobles opened and closed their mouths several times. The Mercenary King¡¯s sudden deration of support for the new empress of Swallowpletely blindsided them.


    Akshuller gestured at the nobles. ¡°Anyhow, I look forward to working with you.¡±


    The nobles came to their senses, exploding into rage.


    ¡°Why is a lowly mercenary in the council chamber?!¡±


    ¡°What right does he think he has to be here!¡±


    A quiet footstep crushed their furious shouting.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t a ¡®lowly mercenary¡¯.¡±


    The nobles turned toward the voice. It belonged to a man who wielded such power within the empire that they could not ignore his presence.


    ¡°D-Duke Killian?¡±


    ¡°¡­He¡¯s my brother.¡±


    It took a while for the nobles to realize what Aaron meant. When it finally sank in, they looked like they¡¯d been hit by a tsunami. Akshuller the Mighty was a Killian.


    However, one more person showed up tond the knock-out punch.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching. How disgusting. After staying silent for so long, you hyenas go wild as soon as a woman is left on her own.¡±


    Despite the tant insult, the nobles¡¯ jaws were left on the floor because the person who walked out from behind the throne was no ordinary man.


    ¡°Kireua Sanders!¡±


    ¡°Why is the Prince of Avalon here again?¡±


    The nobles instantly recognized Kireua from hisst visit.


    Anna lorded over them with a snide grin.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s here to marry me.¡±


    <em></em> *


    The nobles bowed out for the time being, ending the council meeting. That wasn¡¯t just because of Kireua and Akshuller, the outsiders; if it were only them, the nobles'' pride would never have let them back down. The main reason was the other half of the nobles, who were on Aaron del Killian¡¯s side. They remained silent throughout the meeting and didn¡¯t join in on the argument.


    That was not to say that they didn¡¯t have their own grievances.


    ¡°Your Grace, are you really going to let the empress have her way?¡±


    Even though they had remained silent during the meeting because of their leader, the nobles on Aaron¡¯s side weren¡¯t pleased about the state the empire was in either.


    ¡°After all we¡¯ve endured¡­ this isn¡¯t right.¡±


    ¡°Even the barons and viscounts areining about having a woman on the throne.¡±


    Aaron smiled bitterly. ¡°I understand how you feel, but it¡¯s still wrong.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°All of you were in Avalon, so you knew what sacrifice the Martial God made to save the continent.¡±


    The room fell into silence. Joshua Sanders had sacrificed himself to save the world, despite the overwhelming power he had. To Igrant, he was a savior.


    ¡°His son is going to be the empress¡¯ husband. Attempting to overthrow the government right now would be poorly received.¡±


    ¡°You do have a point¡­¡±


    ¡°And there is a practical reason too.¡± Aaron looked in Thran¡¯s direction. ¡°Out of all the people in the world, we know how desperate the people of Thran are.¡±


    Once again, Aaron and his people went quiet. No one else would know Thran like the Killian family did; they had been living among the people of Thran for decades to escape Grand Duke Lucifer¡¯s surveince.


    ¡°We¡¯ve already betrayed them several times,¡± Aaron continued after a long silence. ¡°Even if a new person sits on the throne, they won¡¯t trust us.¡±


    On top of that, Thran¡¯s beloved me Emperor was dead because of Swallow. Anyone could take advantage of the country¡¯s chaos and start a civil war right now. That was thest thing they wanted.


    ¡°But the story changes if Kireua Sanders, the me Emperor¡¯s only student, marries the empress. Stabilizing Swallowes first, so we should help them.¡±


    The nobles'' eyes widened in realization.


    ¡°Apologies for our ipetence. We should have known sooner.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s wait and see for the time being. We can oust herter if we really don¡¯t like how they get things done.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Grace.¡±


    The nobles came to agree with Aaron¡ªbut despite what he had said, Aaron didn¡¯t believe that he would ever rebel. From what he had seen of Kireua Sanders, the Martial God¡¯s son, he didn¡¯t doubt that Kireua would be able to do it.

 Side Story Chapter 319

    Side Story Chapter 319


    Lilith let out a long sigh. It seemed her sighs had gotten longer every day of thest month.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡±


    Hubalt was no longer one of the three strongest nations in Igrant. There was no emperor or pope to make order out of chaos. A single woman took on these responsibilities as the temporary leader of the empire because that was what all the countries that had fallen victim to the Second Continental War wanted.


    ¡°...I really want to give up on everything.¡± Lilih copsed on the desk, her fatigue unconcealed.


    The empire was deeply unsettled. She missed the good old days when she could focus on her training. The issue of repatriations was problematic enough, but she also had to resolve the conflict within Hubalt.


    ¡°Bel, you somehow manage to torture me even after your death.¡±


    Lilith picked up a report. After losing the war against Avalon, the remnants of Hubalt''s forces wereing for Hubalt¡¯s capital.


    ¡°It¡¯s surprising that there are still that many of them¡­¡± Lilith clenched her fists on the desk. She had no reason to fear her enemies orin about the situation she found herself in. That was the price she had to pay as the leader of Hubalt and for relying on foreign help to drive out the rebels.


    ¡°Urgh¡­¡± Lilith frowned again as her headache red up again.She wasn¡¯t afraid of the enemy¡¯s numbers. Thirty thousand men didn¡¯t bother her, the bigger problem was that the enemies were the followers of Bel, who sought to be as strong as possible. In fact, the enemies had five Masters, including Gyo, theirmander. In contrast, the only master in Hubalt was, frankly, Lilith. Even though most of her support was from the Great Temple, the decades of imperial dominance had put the church into a steady decline. The current pdins were very weak.


    ¡°What should I do¡­¡±


    One man came to Lilith¡¯s mind. No tactic worked against him; he could turn his enemies upside down on his own and yet his enemies could never even dream about challenging him.


    ¡°I never needed you like I do now¡­¡± Lilith bemoaned.


    <em></em> *


    Ororis, a city three days away from Hubalt¡¯s capital, was taken by the rebels.


    ¡°We will win!¡± Gyo dered. ¡°With our victory, we shall take back the country and drive out the ignorant, blinded pdins!¡±


    ¡°Yeahhhhhhhh!¡±


    ¡°There are no gods in this world anymore, so what¡¯s the fucking point of priests or pdins?¡±


    The alliance¡¯s counterattack, the Magic Tower and mercenaries¡¯ participation in the war, the Battle God¡¯s defeat¡­ One surprise after the other had sent the rebels retreating here all the way from Avalon. Many of them had died or deserted on the way. The main reason was the defeat of Bel, the Battle God¡ªnevertheless, the rebels were still more than thirty thousand strong. More than enough to drive out the weaklings in the capital.


    ¡°How many are left in the capital?¡± Gyo asked.


    ¡°Around fifteen thousand infantry and one thousand pdins remain.¡±


    ¡°Around sixteen thousand in total, huh? It¡¯s said that an advantage of three to one is needed to break a siege, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, we won¡¯t have any problem. It would be different if they had Absolutes like the Masters, but the enemies only have one of them.¡± Gyo¡¯s aide grinned. ¡°They¡¯re a bunch of nobodies.¡±


    Gyo smirked as well. Those weaklings had been persecuted for years under the Battle God and Martial Knights¡¯ reign. Since the pdins had been locked up in the dungeon for more than a decade, they would be like rusty swords. He doubted they could even handlemon rabble on their own.


    ¡°Our forces¡¯ morale can¡¯t be higher right now because we have you, one of the five strongest Martial Knights.¡±


    Gyo¡¯s aide was right. Gyo was a skilled strategist, which was why Gyo had left in charge of Hubalt''s forces while the Battle God had been away to deal with the Martial God¡ªalthough he was a lot less skilled than Hawke and the two captains.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take on Lilith Aphrodite.¡±


    Gyo¡¯s knights and soldiers let out thunderous shouts of joy. He told them exactly what they had been waiting for.


    <em></em> *


    Three dayster in the Hubalt Pce, a pdin delivered a grim report.


    ¡°¡­The rebels have entered the capital.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about time we go out and greet them,¡± Lilith answered.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m still not sure if this is the right choice.¡±


    Lilith had made a shocking choice. To deal with thirty thousand rebels, instead of relying on the city¡¯s fortifications, she opened all four of its gates.


    ¡°Our people are innocent. They shouldn¡¯t suffer because of our power struggles anymore.¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes, I¡¯m aware.¡±


    ¡°The fight shall be contained to the pce. Everyone will stand by on the ramparts of the inner courtyard.¡±


    In contrast to the outer courtyard¡¯s ramparts, those of the inner courtyard were significantly smaller and lower. That meant that Lilith had very limited space to position her soldiers and pdins. Nevertheless, she had no other choice; if the public opinion turned against her, her new government would be dead before it even began.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good leader, Lady Lilith. Cardinal Erman is surely happy up in heaven.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to win for the sake of my father and everyone else who was sacrificed.¡± Lilith¡¯s voice was filled with determination.


    ¡°Do you have a n?¡±


    All of the pdins waited for Lilith¡¯s answer with grim expressions.


    Lilith took up her sword. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about challenging theirmander to a duel.¡±


    The pdins¡¯ jaws dropped to the floor.


    ¡°A-A duel?!¡±


    ¡°Th-There¡¯s no way they would ept the duel and give up their advantage of numbers!¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll ept it because they¡¯re the Battle God¡¯s followers.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°Everyone in the empire will be watching the fight, so I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    The pdins'' eyes widened. Lilith had already given up their defensive advantage. If she gambled on a duel, what would happen if the enemy tried to crush them using their superior numbers out of fear of losing the duel?


    ¡°Both sides¡¯ goal is to take control of the country, so they can¡¯t afford to embarrass themselves,¡± Lilith added.


    ¡°D-Did you choose the inner courtyard as the battlefield for this¡­?¡±


    The enemy was confident. They already knew that Lilith didn¡¯t have too many skilled individuals on her side, so it was only natural for them to try to minimize casualties.


    ¡°L-Lady Lilith, then who should be inmand?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s kind of a pointless question, isn¡¯t it? There¡¯s no one else except for me.¡± Lilith quietly stepped outside the council chamber.


    The pdin who asked the question averted his eyes, looking embarrassed. Lilith was currently the ruler of Hubalt, but her pdins were socking that they could not act without her.


    ¡°They¡¯reing!¡±


    Lilith and the pdins climbed up to the rampart. They could see the rebels confidently marching toward the pce.


    ¡°How have you been?¡± Gyo shouted using his mana.


    ¡°Long time no see, Gyo.¡±


    ¡°I never imagined you would give up the walls. Or did you decide to surrender? In that case, I would like tomend you for your wise choice.¡±


    Lilith waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Let¡¯s just cut to the chase. I challenge you for a duel.¡±


    Gyo¡¯s eyebrow furrowed. The rebels around him began to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°A duel¡­?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s crazy. We have no reason to ept her ridiculous challenge. We have enough numbers to wipe them out.¡±


    ¡°Using our numbers isn¡¯t a good choice,¡± Gyo mused once he¡¯d regained hisposure. ¡°You might have not noticed on the way, but everyone in the capital is watching us.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­¡±


    ¡°If we were in foreignnds, we wouldn¡¯t care and could just cut them all down, but those people are the citizens of the country that we have to lead. We have to establish order in Hubalt, not make fools of ourselves. I believe it¡¯s better to ept her challenge. Otherwise, it would look like we¡¯re scared of the Ghost Sword. We can¡¯t let that happen, and it isn¡¯t what the Battle God would do.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm¡­¡±


    ¡°Crush everything in our path. That is the Battle God¡¯s spirit, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Then how about this, sir?¡±


    Things were turning out as Lilith had expected¡­ until Gyo¡¯s aide approached him and whispered into his ear.


    ¡°That is an excellent idea,¡± Gyo answered. Crooked smiles came to his and his aide¡¯s lips.


    ¡°I ept your challenge,¡± Gyo shouted. ¡°Since whoever bes the victor shall have to embrace everyone, let us not waste any lives!¡±


    Lilith¡¯s face brightened. Although the pdins¡¯ faces couldn¡¯t be seen, their reactions weren¡¯t any different from Lilith¡¯s.


    ¡°But!¡± Gyo raised his finger. ¡°In return for epting your challenge, I will decide how we settle the duel. I¡¯m sure you don¡¯t have any problems with that?¡±


    Lilith had an uneasy premonition, but she remained outwardly calm.


    ¡°¡­How do you want to do this?¡±


    ¡°Instead of a one-on-one duel, we will have apetition of five versus five, and the victor will continue to fight until defeated or until all members of the other side have been eliminated!¡±


    Lilith turned pale. It was clear now that Gyo already knew that she was the only one on her side who was capable of taking on the rebels right now. Thepetition basically meant Lilith had to defeat five Masters on her own. Thest term must have been added so that he could defeat her himself at thest moment, so he would probably choose to fight in thest round.


    The pdins despaired.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m so sorry, Lady Lilith. We won¡¯t be of much help¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so¡­ It¡¯s so frustrating. Only if Sir Christian was here¡ªif we at least had the White Lion¡­!¡±


    Lilith quietly shook her head. The pdins had endured the most brutal torture, so she didn¡¯t see any reason that they should me themselves.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t your fault,¡± she reassured them.


    ¡°But¡­¡± Despite her words, the pdins couldn¡¯t look her in the eyes.


    ¡°I assure you that we wouldn¡¯t even have rebels to deal with if you ended your lives in the dungeon,¡± a new voice interrupted. ¡°¡­I may not be the White Lion, but how would you like the ck Lion in his ce?¡±


    Lilith and the pdins turned, shocked, as their uninvited guest lowered his head.


    Recognizing the man¡¯s face, Lilith stammered, ¡°Si-Sir Cain?! How?¡±


    ¡°Christian told me about the secret passage from the Great Temple to the inner courtyard some time ago, and I noticed that it¡¯s still there. I apologize for using it without permission.¡±


    ¡°N-No, I¡¯m not talking about that. Why in the world did youe here?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I was traveling around the continent and went where the roads took me. And here I am.¡± Cain shrugged.


    He was lying. As soon as he had heard about Hubalt¡¯s crisis, Cain had changed his destination.


    Regardless of why Cain was actually here, the pdins were bursting with excitement. They were practically glowing. The Martial God¡¯s First Knight hade to their aid!


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t let you do that,¡± Lilith firmly stated. ¡°Avalon has already provided more than enough help with our reparations. I can¡¯t trouble the empire any more than I already have.¡±


    Cain shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m already retired. My actions have nothing to do with Avalon anymore.¡±


    Cain turned his gaze toward the rebels and drew his sword. ¡°I¡¯ll go first and take on three. Then you can deal with the rest of them.¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try finishing four of them if I can.¡±


    Lilith¡¯s clenched fists trembled. ¡°Why would you go out of your way to help Hubalt?¡±


    ¡°I already told you before, didn¡¯t I? Although I¡¯ve been living my life however I like, I¡¯m going to live for myself from now on.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I don¡¯t understand,¡± Lilith said. ¡°What does Hubalt have to do with you?¡±


    Cain smiled wryly. ¡°¡­There¡¯s a saying in the eastern regions of Igrant. I¡¯m not sure if you heard it before.¡±


    ¡°What saying?¡±


    ¡°Misery lovespany.¡±

 Side Story Chapter 320

    Side Story Chapter 320


    ¡°The gate to the inner courtyard is opening!¡±


    Gyo trembled with excitement. Even though he had proposed the duel, he had been skeptical about whether Lilith would take it or not. She might be called the Silver-Eyed Ghost Sword, but it was impossible for her to take on five Masters on her own. Although her choice actually didn¡¯t matter. Gyo and his people were already in the pce; if Lilith had refused, she would have be aughingstock.


    A handsome man who looked barely over thirty walked out from the gate.


    ¡°You¡¯ll fight me first,¡± Cain said.


    Because of his overly normal appearance, Cain had requested a Reipon from Iceline which would make him appear as handsome as his master. He wanted to try living the life of a handsome man.


    ¡°Huh? I don¡¯t recognize him.¡±


    ¡°Was there a pdin like him?¡±


    Jugir, one of the five Masters on Gyo¡¯s side, frowned. ¡°Hah, he reminds me of that pretty boy I ran into back then. I want to kill him.¡±


    He had aplex about his ogre-like appearance; pretty boys always set him off.¡°I would like your permission to go first, sir.¡±


    Gyo nodded at Jugir. A handsome appearance didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the person was skilled, and such a young man wouldn¡¯t be a Master. Jugir would blow him away with one swing of his greatsword.


    ¡°It¡¯s important to crush our enemies psychologically before thepetition begins. It looks like they sent him to check our level, so defeat him with one attack.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jugir strode forward. Although he hadn¡¯t noticed before because his opponent was half covered by a cloak, Jugir realized as he got closer that his opponent also used a greatsword¡ªone a lot bigger than his own, even.


    ¡°Hey, boy. Can you even swing that sword?¡± Jugir scoffed. ¡°What? Cat got your tongue? Wait a minute¡ªyou must have wet your pants because you¡¯re so awed by me.¡± Jugir chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t be too scared. I¡¯ll finish you in¡ª¡±


    Thest thing Jugir ever saw was a ray of light flickering across his vision.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    His head flew into the air, still looking confused.


    ¡°Next.¡± Cain gestured at his enemies.


    The fight made everyone¡¯s jaw hit the ground. Lilith¡¯s first champion was obviously vastly more skilled than he looked. The pdins on the ramparts were cheering, and the city¡¯s citizens, who were watching the fight from a safe distance, began to murmur among themselves.


    ¡°He¡¯s q-quick!¡±


    ¡°That idiot! When his opponent¡¯s specialty is speed, he should have attacked as he approached his opponent, not taunted him!¡±


    The sound of the rebel knights panicking brought Gyo to his senses.


    ¡°Aaren, it¡¯s your turn now!¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Aaren went running toward Cain. Unlike Jugir, his guard was raised to the utmost.


    However, his preparations didn¡¯t change the result of the right. Before they had exchanged a hundred attacks, Aaren¡¯s head was rolling across the cold, hard ground.


    ¡°Next.¡±


    Gyo couldn¡¯t believe what was going on. He would have been appalled if he realized that Cain was actually going easy on Gyo¡¯s knights. In truth, Cain could have taken his opponent¡¯s head within ten attacks.


    ¡°S-Something is wrong, sir. I didn¡¯t hear anything about a pdin this skilled still in the pce.¡±


    ¡°Shit¡­!¡±


    Unfortunately, the rebels could not back out of thispetition. If Gyo ordered his people to attack, they would ruin any legitimacy they had. That would make it extremely difficult to rule the empire even if they defeated Lilith¡¯s forces that way.


    ¡°Whew¡­¡±


    Gyo¡¯s ears caught the opponent¡¯sbored breathing. His eyes narrowed. ¡°He¡¯s tired.¡±


    ¡°Say again?¡±


    ¡°Look at him. His energy is much less controlled than before, and he¡¯s covered in sweat.¡±


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re right¡­¡±


    <em>¡®Yes, that young pdin is pretending to be strong, but he must be exhausted by now. Now that it¡¯se to this, I¡¯ll have his head no matter what it takes.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Harigen!¡± Gyo shouted.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring you his head, sir!¡±


    Harigen was his best knight, so Gyo was certain of victory.


    Harigen gave them a proper, thrilling fight. One hundred, five hundred¡­ Harigen exchanged around one thousand blows, but, in contrast to what Gyo expected, it didn¡¯t look like the fight was going to end any time soon.


    When a streak of blood finally spurted out of Cain¡¯s shoulder, Gyo clenched his fists without even realizing it.


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it!¡±


    That was literally it.


    ¡°I¡­ can¡¯t believe it¡­!¡±


    Once again, Harigen was the one who lost his head. After losing three times in a row, Gyo¡¯s people couldn¡¯t be more uneasy.


    Cain sank to the ground, mock-panting.


    <em>¡®It¡¯s certainly a lot harder to put on a show than to just kill them.¡¯</em>


    ¡°Aaaaaaaah!¡± Oblivious to what Cain was thinking, Gyo charged forward. ¡°I¡¯ll kill him myself!¡±


    Lilith jumped in front of him and blocked Gyo¡¯s sword.


    ¡°¡­Your opponent is me.¡±


    ¡°Lilith Aphrodite!¡± Gyo gritted his teeth.


    As expected from the woman who was called the Ghost Sword and Hubalt¡¯s best genius, every one of Lilith¡¯s attacks was sharp and lethal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    A wave of Gyo¡¯s blue aura rippled over his sword; it was a perfect Aura de, which only Masters could use.


    In response, Lilith drew up every mote of mana in her mana hall to create an Aura de of her own. Instead of dodging Gyo¡¯s charge, Lilith resolutely closed the distance. It seemed she was nning to take his attack head-on


    <em>¡®Idiot!¡¯</em> Gyo couldn¡¯t suppress a smile. Lilith¡¯s choice must have been made conscious of the citizens watching her. She was trying to protect her pride, but she specialized in technique and speed. She couldn¡¯t have made a more idiotic choice¡ªthere was no way Gyo would lose to a woman in a contest of physical strength.


    Gyo confidently swung his Aura de, only for it to dissipate on impact. His eyes widened in surprise.


    ¡°Huh¡­? What in the world? How¡ª?¡±


    Gyo couldn¡¯t finish speaking because Lilith cut him and his sword in half.


    ¡°¡­While you people relied on authorities, I focused on cultivating myself.¡±


    Thanks to a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, she had recently reached a level where she learned that it was possible to dissipate aura like this.


    ¡°Not anyone can experience being one with the strongest man in the continent.¡± Lilith shrugged.


    The days she had spent with Joshua were invaluable. By watching all of his fights, she had learned how to utilize her aura and interpret martial arts in a different way.


    The moment Gyo¡¯s halved corpse copsed onto the ground, the pdins broke into raucous cheers.


    ¡°Yeahhhhh!¡±


    ¡°Lady Lilith won!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s our victory!¡±


    In contrast, the rebels cried out in disbelief.


    ¡°Im-impossible¡­!¡±


    Without a leader, an army was just a group of rabble, but Jake, the sole surviving Master on Gyo¡¯s side, screamed.


    ¡°Gah¡­ We¡¯ll fight until the end!¡±


    Cain took action at the speed of lightning.


    ¡°What?!¡± Jake, shocked, hastily tried to counterattack. However, it was futile. Cain shed his feigned fatigue and cut Jake¡¯s head off in the blink of an eye, showing the rebels that he had been ying with them the whole time.


    ¡°Wh-Who in the world¡­ are you?¡±


    The rebel knights stumbled backward, their willpletely broken. Cain didn¡¯t spare them a nce; he was walking back to Lilith like it was already over.


    He flicked the blood off of his sword.


    ¡°¡­I¡¯ll get going now.¡±


    ¡°H-Hold on!¡± Lilith stammered. ¡°You¡¯re going to leave now?¡±


    ¡°For Hubalt¡¯s sake, it¡¯s best I remain anonymous so that you can use me to keep those buffoons in check.¡±


    Hubalt would undoubtedly suffer more losses than benefits if the rebels discovered who Cain was; once again, it would look like Hubalt was so weak that it had to rely on foreign help.


    Lilith let out a sigh.


    ¡°Then can I ask where your next destination is, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a wanderer, so I¡¯ll go where the road takes me.¡±


    Lilith contemted that for a moment.


    ¡°What do you think about actually bing Hubalt¡¯s secret weapon?¡±


    Cain tilted his head in confusion. ¡°What are you talking about, Ghost Sword?¡±


    ¡°I want to recruit you.¡±


    ¡°Recruit me¡­?¡± Cain nkly murmured. He scratched the back of his head. ¡°It¡¯s embarrassing to say this myself, but I¡¯m quite expensive.¡±


    Cain was experiencing his first taste of freedom at the very twilight of his life,, so he wasn¡¯t about to give it up even for a million gold.


    ¡°In return, I¡¯ll help you get married before you die.¡±


    ¡°Get married¡­?¡± Cain looked tempted.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re free anyway, you should try out everything that other people do. And to be honest, most senior homes wouldn¡¯t take you in because you¡¯re too old.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyebrow furrowed. He looked no older than forty, so Lilith would probably be wrong. Besides, he was still young at heart too.


    However, Cain had one very real issue: women of his age were all old enough to have grandchildren, and Cain would feel extremely guilty trying to hit on someone young enough to be his granddaughter.


    ¡°Although I¡¯ll call you Hubalt¡¯s secret weapon, you don¡¯t have to do anything,¡± Lilith quickly decided. ¡°You prefer it that way, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t dec¡ª¡±


    ¡°I respect that you¡¯ll only have one master, so you¡¯re going to be at Hubalt as a free knight,¡± Lilith interrupted. ¡°If you wish, you can remain a man of Avalon.¡±


    Her terms were not bad at all. Even though he was going to receive a title, he wouldn¡¯t have to bear any obligations. Since it wasn¡¯t a job that he had to put any work into, he could still travel the world if he wished.


    ¡°¡­But how did you know I was looking for a date?¡± Cain asked.


    Lilith gave Cain a knowing look and grinned. ¡°You said it yourself, didn¡¯t you? Misery lovespany.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Cain¡¯s eyes slowly widened. ¡°¡­I didn¡¯t expect the Ghost Sword to be eager to have a date.¡±


    Lilith pouted. ¡°Of course I am; I just never had time to date anyone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a real sin to not date with your looks.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my.¡± Lilith gave him a mischievous look. ¡°I wasn¡¯t telling you to seduce me.¡±


    ¡°I was just speaking the truth,¡± he casually replied.


    They never would have imagined it right now, but Cain ended up staying at Hubalt a lot longer than both of them expected. And they didn¡¯t have to search far to get a date.<blockquote>


    Namu''s Thoughts


    Minime¡¯s thoughts: The two characters who hit on someone significantly younger than them are now getting together. Who¡¯da thunk it.</blockquote>

 Side Story Chapter 321

    Side Story Chapter 321


    One yearter, Cain was still in Hubalt despite his original ns. He dedicated most of his time to training, but he wasn¡¯t alone¡ªthat wasn¡¯t how he wanted to spend the twilight of his life.


    Cain and Lilith exchanged theirst attack. As the sparks settled, they backed away from each other and bowed.


    ¡°Phew¡­¡± Cain stretched his neck. ¡°You seem to get better day after day, somehow.¡±


    ¡°It was a pleasure to spar with you.¡±


    Their skills were on par with each other, so it was hard to tell who would win if they put their hearts into it. That was why they could also learn a lot from each other. After spending a year sparring with each other, they knew each other like the back of their hand.


    ¡°I never thought you could counter myst horizontal sh like that,¡± Lilith wondered.


    ¡°Due to yourck of physical strength, you made a habit of relying on your techniques at crucial moments. You¡¯re already strong, so if you took my attack head-on, you would have had three more ways to fight back.¡±


    ¡°I learned something new today too. Thank you as always.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± Cain wiped the sweat from his forehead.¡°Here. Use this.¡± Lilith handed him a flower-patterned handkerchief, which smelled faintly of her.


    ¡°By the way, have you gone to those club meetings I introduced you to?¡± she innocently asked.


    ¡°I have, but they weren''t to my taste.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s strange. I checked the club members myself, and there were a lot of young, beautiful bachelorettes¡­¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t find anyone who I felt attracted to. ¡°


    Lilith grinned. ¡°Do you realize that your standards are sky-high?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Then you need to lower them a little to find your date.¡±


    ¡°At this point in my life, I don¡¯t really want to date someone if I have to lower my standards.¡±


    ¡°Can you cut me some ck, please?¡± Lilith gave him a look of disbelief. ¡°Do you know how difficult it is to find a girlfriend for a grandpa in his sixties?¡±


    ¡°I can say the same thing to you. Why do you bother sparring with a grandpa? Every bone aches because of my age.¡±


    ¡°For my country, of course. It¡¯s a harsh world, and new rebels might show up any day.¡±


    ¡°Not many people in this country would be able to stand up to you.¡±


    Lilith shrugged. ¡°Better safe than sorry. What about you, Sir Cain? You¡¯re already retired, so why bother with these workouts? Why do you always say yes when I ask you to spar with me?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still a knight. I guess it¡¯s fun in its own way; it¡¯s not easy to have fun like this during retirement.¡±


    ¡°I agree with that.¡°


    Cain gave her a long, thoughtful look. ¡°¡­Do you remember our conversation before? About how we¡¯re the same.¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ would you like to try dating me?¡±


    Lilith¡¯s head went nk.


    Eventually, she managed to ask, ¡°Is this a love confession? This is more sudden than a bolt out of the blue.¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ I guess you could call that that.¡±


    Lilith smacked her forehead in frustration. ¡°Oh, my goodness. What happened to waiting for the right timing and setting up a romantic mood? I finally realized why you couldn¡¯t find a date.¡±


    ¡°Nothing I can do about it. This is who I am.¡±


    ¡°Are you aware that I had feelings for your master? In fact, I did for a very long time. ¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I know. I was there at the time.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re still okay with it?¡±


    ¡°Why would that bother me? It was more like a one-sided crush; it¡¯s not like you two dated.¡±


    Lilith sighed exasperatedly. ¡°¡­You aren¡¯t wrong, but that kind of hurts my pride. It¡¯s awkward to admit, but back in the day, I could fill the capital with people who wanted me.¡±


    ¡°Alright. But why did you think I would care about it?¡±


    ¡°I just¡­ I just thought a loyal knight like you would feel guilty.¡±


    Cain chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m a lot more shameless than I look.¡±


    ¡°I can tell.¡± Lilith giggled.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m worried about my readers¡­ I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll understand.¡±


    ¡°¡­Pardon? Your readers?¡± Lilith tilted her head in confusion.


    ¡°Ah, did I not tell you that I¡¯ve recently taken up writing as a hobby?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you had an interest in writing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m writing about my master,¡± Cain answered.


    Lilith¡¯s eyes widened slightly.


    ¡°He isn¡¯t here anymore, so I wanted his story to live on at least,¡± Cain quietly exined. ¡°That will make his sacrifice mean something.¡±


    ¡°¡­You¡¯re a good person. I envy Josuha for having you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not toote. This is your chance to get this charming knight as your boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°You really have no conscience, do you?¡±


    Cain burst intoughter.


    ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t for my master, I always liked stories about heroes and I wanted to write one myself when I had the chance.¡± Cain looked up at the sky. ¡°Every man¡¯s heart pounds when he reads a story about a hero ruling over the world with many beautiful women by his side. But I happened to have such a hero as my master, so I have to live my dream.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a child at heart.¡±


    ¡°Anyhow, my readers will understand even if the protagonist¡¯s loyal knight goes out with one of those beautiful women.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s apliment, right?¡± Lilith asked with her eyes narrowed.


    ¡°Yes, of course. You can quote me on that.¡±


    Lilith couldn¡¯t believe him, but it didn¡¯t feel unpleasant.


    ¡°To be honest, I thought you would end up with Her Majesty Icarus.¡±


    ¡°Everyone did. That¡¯s why I¡¯m going to write about it, so I can feel less guilty and create a good excuse about seducing you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re more cunning than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I try not to be, but I¡¯m going to be cunning and ck off from time to time. It¡¯s about time, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Other people might buy it, but I don¡¯t,¡± Lilith said. She didn''t know anyone who was more diligent than Cain was. Although he was already at a high level, he never skipped a day of training nor even shortened the long hours.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to put down my obligations and duties, so I¡ªno, let¡¯s be happy from now on.¡± Cain took a step forward, looking a bit nervous. ¡°So would you like to go out with me?¡±


    Lilith pretended to ponder for a moment before holding her sword up and grinning. ¡°Let¡¯s go for another round before I give you my answer.¡±


    Cain frowned. ¡°¡­I wanted to have a date, but it looks like I¡¯m going to be a swordsman for the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? It must be your destiny.¡±


    The training ground got hot again.


    <em></em> *


    After over a year since his coronation, Selim was now a well-respected ruler, but he himself was extremely stressed.


    Iruca looked at him with her arms crossed and a scowl on her lips. ¡°Recite the seventh sentence in the first chapter of <em>The Emperor</em>.¡±


    ¡°¡­The emperor should prioritize his people¡¯s safety in all choices.¡±


    ¡°Yet you ask me such a silly question?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand. If we build a fortress on our border, our people would naturally¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d need people to build the fortress, wouldn¡¯t you? Aren¡¯t they also people of Avalon?¡±


    Selim realized that it was time for Iruca¡¯s daily nagging, so he stopped trying to argue.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you just handle this on your own?¡± he grumbled. ¡°I want to go out and practice my sp¡ª¡±


    ¡°My, my. How irresponsible. That¡¯s not what you would expect from an emperor.¡±


    ¡°¡­Damn you, Kireua¡­¡±


    Iruca looked around to check that no one was around them before turning back to Selim and giving him a look of disgust. ¡°Your Majesty, you don¡¯t need to bother bad mouthing Kireua. He¡¯s busy as hell too¡ªand do you think I enjoy being here? Let me be frank here: I¡¯m busier than you. All of the Queen Consorts retired on the same day, so I¡¯m handling all of their work too!¡±


    Not many people would have realized, but the former Queen Consorts had handled a lot of responsibilities. They had to greet the nobledies, regrly host balls, and assist the emperor in national affairs. On top of that, Iruca had also taken Icarus¡¯s position as the head strategist of Avalon, so she had more work than she couldplete in twenty-four hours these days.


    ¡°So take it up with them, not me!¡±


    ¡°Then let me retire too!¡± Iruca shrieked.


    Selim immediately shook his head. ¡°No way in hell. You aren¡¯t letting me suffer alone.¡±


    ¡°Forget it. I¡¯m going to give you a list today, so choose one and get married as soon as possible.¡±


    ¡°What¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not going to fill in for our mothers forever, and I don¡¯t care if you''re the emperor! I won¡¯t hear any excuses, so pick one! Today!¡± Iruca almost flipped the bird at the reigning emperor of Avalon because no one was around, but she managed to hold herself back.


    ¡°¡­Now I get why Father did it. It would be easier to fight the Demon Spirit.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for that,¡± Iruca scoffed as she walked away from the throne.


    ¡°¡­Maybe I really should run away tonight?¡±


    Selim was his father¡¯s son. He didn¡¯t like the throne, which came with a lot of responsibilities as well as power; it was like he was wearing clothes that weren¡¯t his.


    ¡°I miss you even more today, Father.¡±


    Selim stood up from the throne. He decided to reach out to his mother today. It had been a while, and he¡¯d heard that his mother had made progress with her research.

 Side Story Chapter 322

    Side Story Chapter 322


    With his father on his mind, Selim hurried over to the imperialmunication center wheremunication crystal balls were ced.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡±


    The servants he ran into bowed respectfully. Selim just nodded; he¡¯d gotten used to it by now.


    <em>¡®Did Mother seed?¡¯</em> he wondered.


    Iceline had been cooped up in herb at the Magic Tower for over a year, determined to find a way to meet Joshua again even if it took her the rest of her life.


    ¡°I hope she¡¯s close to a breakthrough¡­¡± Selim abruptly stopped in the middle of the long hallway, baring his energy slightly. ¡°¡­Stop hiding ande out. Who are you?¡±


    He detected a faint trace of energy. Even with his finely honed senses, he couldn¡¯t feel without concentrating. Well, to get past the Imperial Knights, they¡¯d have to be at least that skilled.


    Selim didn¡¯t think too much about it and unleashed more of his energy.¡°I said,e out.¡±


    ¡°You should look down, not up.¡±


    Selim gasped and stumbled several steps backward.


    A woman leaped out of the shadows on the ground.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to surprise you¡­¡±


    Cold sweat dripped down Selim¡¯s back. If the woman had wished, Selim would have been long gone from this world. Fortunately, she showed no signs of hostility.


    <em>¡®Have I gotten too soft? Even if I was too busy with my duties¡­!¡¯</em>


    Selim decided to spend more time on his training.


    ¡°¡­You almost gave me a heart attack,¡± he said.


    Selim recognized the woman; her ck robe revealed her unrealistically beautiful face and nothing else. She was one of the few people Selim treated with respect even though he was an emperor. On top of being a dark elf who was several times older than Selim, she was also known as the notorious Assassin King.


    ¡°How is your stay in the pce? Has everything been okay?¡± Selim asked, to which Aisha nodded.


    It had been over a year since she had begun living in the pce.


    In the past, Aisha had conducted countless assassinations as part of the ck Wind, Avalon¡¯s former intelligence agency. Her hands were stained with blood. Once it became known that Aisha¡¯s seclusion had ended, those who still held grudges against her woulde to the pce first. That was why Aisha hade to Selim requesting that he let her stay in the pce after the war. Selim had been more than willing.


    ¡°I would like to thank you again for having me,¡± Aisha said.


    ¡°No problem. But I heard you had some visitors.¡±


    ¡°¡­Humans¡¯ lives are short,¡± Aisha said, beating around the bush. ¡°Many men came to take revenge for their fathers¡­ but most of them were fakes.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°Some of the visitors were actually victims of my past, though.¡±


    ¡°Did they forgive you?¡± Selim cautiously asked.


    ¡°No, they said they¡¯ll curse me even after they die.¡±


    It took a while for them to continue their conversation.


    ¡°¡­I never thought it would be easy to receive forgiveness, so I¡¯m going to apologize over and over for the rest of their lives. But I¡¯m not sure if that will be enough to earn their forgiveness.¡±


    Selim gazed at Aisha¡¯s beautiful face.


    ¡°Speaking of which, can you let me stay here a little longer?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s why you visited me today, is it?¡± Selim chuckled.


    ¡°Please.¡± Aisha bowed.


    Selim let out a long sigh. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this. You¡¯re my father¡¯s friend, so you¡¯re wee to stay as long as you need.¡±


    ¡°¡­Thank you.¡±


    Aisha turned to leave, but Selim quickly grabbed her sleeve.


    ¡°Hold on!¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Can I ask you a favor?¡±


    Aisha looked back with her starry eyes and nodded. ¡°Go on.¡±


    ¡°...If it¡¯s alright with you, could you keep mepany from time to time during your stay?¡±


    ¡°...Keep youpany?¡± Aisha nkly repeated.


    ¡°Well¡­ Being emperor is a lonely job, like an assassin,¡± Selim blurted. He immediately fumbled for excuses. ¡°A-And if you show up out of the blue like this, it¡¯ll be a great practice for me to handle assassins. That¡¯s something that all emperors have to prepare for.¡±


    Aisha broke her long silence with a bright smile. She was usually expressionless, so Selim found himself somewhat dazed.


    ¡°¡­I understand. The emperor¡¯s safety equals the country¡¯s future¡ªbut if that¡¯s what you want, I won¡¯t go easy on you.¡±


    Selim came to his senses and beamed. ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Like everyone expected, Iceline¡¯s research took a very long time. Theta, the Tower Master, announced that all mages in the Magic Tower were to support her in any way they could. In addition, Iceline had the Pontier Merchant Group to supply the funding and rare materials she needed for her research, which helped her make significant progress.


    Unfortunately, the research was still ongoing. It had already been over ten years since the Martial God had sacrificed himself for the sake of the continent, but Iceline was still trying to bring him back.


    ¡¶The end of <em>Joshua Sanders the Martial God¡¯s Chronicle</em>¡·


    <em></em> *


    ¡°¡­Hmm¡­¡± Cain put down his pen and rolled his shoulders. ¡°I feel like I missed something¡­¡±


    Cain was bing forgetful; maybe he was just getting old. But, if possible, he wanted to serialize the chronicle¡¯s side stories before he died.


    ¡°¡­What happened after my master came back will make perfect side stories though,¡± Cain muttered to himself.


    ¡°Dad!¡±


    ¡°Daddy!¡±


    Cain turned his head and saw twins peeking around the door; they were his dear children who took after both his wife and him.


    ¡°Are you done with your work?¡±


    ¡°y with us!¡±


    His son and daughter came running in his arms, so Cain picked them up with a bright smile.


    ¡°What game shall we y?¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­ I want to ride on your shoulders!¡±


    ¡°How about we have sword practice this time? It¡¯s been a while,¡± Cain suggested.


    ¡°Then I want to use a spear! I¡¯m going to be a spear knight!¡± his son shouted, raising his arm high in the air.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be the Martial God!¡± his daughter immediately yelled.


    ¡°What do you mean? You yed the Martial God thest time, so you should be Dad this time!¡±


    ¡°Why do you always try to be the cool one?¡±


    ¡°You should have been born sooner if you have a problem with it!¡±


    ¡°Are you joking?! You were only born a few minutes earlier! That¡¯s it!¡±


    His twin began to bicker again. Cain burst intoughter. Although it would be natural for him to feel jealous, Cain wasn¡¯t bothered at all. He actually liked listening to thempliment his master more than when they ttered him.


    ¡°You guys shouldn¡¯t cut in line, you know,¡± Lilith said as she walked into the room.


    At the sound of her voice, the twin immediately jumped down from Cain¡¯s arms and went running over to her.


    ¡°Mom!¡±


    ¡°I reserved Dad¡¯s time first, so you guys will have to take a rain check,¡± Lilith dered.


    ¡°Ehhhhhhh!¡±


    Cain looked away from the groaning children, his head in confusion. ¡°I don¡¯t think I know anything about this reservation.¡±


    ¡°You forgot about it again?¡± Lilith put her hands on her hips. ¡°We have a ceremony to attend at the Great Temple.¡±


    Cain frowned. ¡°The Great Temple? The pdins will bully me again. They never stop asking me to spar.¡±


    ¡°Did you think that it would be easy to be a cardinal¡¯s husband?¡± Lilith giggled. Like herte father, she was now a cardinal¡ªthe first woman to do so.


    After the Second Continental War, Hubalt had reinstated the papacy, with the sole surviving cardinal assuming the pope¡¯s mantle. The new pope was a long-time acquaintance of Lilith¡¯s father, so she was pleased by the arrangement.


    ¡°¡­Alright, let¡¯s go. Thedy of the house has ordered and I shall obey.¡± Cain stood up.


    His chair bumped into the desk, sending his pen rolling off. With his quick reflexes, Cain caught the pen before it hit the floor, but it felt like someone was yelling at him for leaving when he wasn¡¯t done writing. He scratched the back of his head.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t forgotten that tomorrow is my turn to have you, right? You need toe with me to the Magic Tower, remember?¡±


    ¡°Oh, my. Is it that day already?¡± Lilith covered her mouth yfully.


    ¡°Come on! You can¡¯t forget about this.¡±


    The question about what happened to Cain¡¯s master was about to be answered soon.

 Side Story Chapter 323

    Side Story Chapter 323


    In the grandiose ballroom of the imperial pce of the Avalon empire, all of the nobles and the imperial family were gathered together to celebrate the tenth year of the emperor¡¯s reign. Naturally, as the first knight of Joshua Sanders, the greatest man in the history of Avalon, Cain was invited. The younger generation kept stealing a nce at Cain de Harry, eager to bask in his greatness.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± A man recognized Cain and came running over.


    Cain could see the years in the man¡¯s face. It had been a long time since their master had departed, after all. In fact, most of Cain¡¯s acquaintances from the pce were retired or now held high positions. This man was one of the few people who hadn¡¯t¡ªno, perhaps it could be said that he was, indeed, retired. While he was still receiving sry each month, he cked off more than most people who were actually retired.


    ¡°Valmont,¡± Cain greeted him.


    ¡°How long has it been?¡±


    Valmont dun Brown was theziest man Cain knew. Even Cain¡¯s master had acknowledged Valmont''s gifts and skill, but after the war, Valmont returned to his habit ofzing away his time.


    ¡°You still haven''t retired?¡±


    Valmont''s eyes widened like he couldn¡¯t believe Cain had asked him that. ¡°Why in the world would you say that? There¡¯s no way I would retire from a job like this. They feed and pay me because I¡¯m a glorious Imperial Knight.¡±


    ¡°¡­I really should put you through hell before I die.¡±¡°Hehehe. I went through enough during the war, so I¡¯m going to enjoy my life now. Besides, I¡¯m just going with the flow here. Bigshots rarely work in any organization, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young, so get married or something.¡±


    ¡°Die alone if you don¡¯t want to die. Don¡¯t drag me into it.¡±


    Cain was irked because he¡¯d been serious, but he dropped the point because he knew Valmont would never listen.


    ¡°Announcing the arrival of Empress Anna bel Grace and Grand Duke Kireua Sanders of the Swallow Empire!¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­!¡± Valmont eximed. He was excited to see Kireua.


    It was expected of Kireua to take the bel Grace name after marrying the empress of Swallow, but he kept Sanders name. Cain had heard that Anna herself had told Kireua to keep it; she had apparently imed that it would be a waste for him to give up a chance to show that he was the Martial God¡¯s son.


    ¡°We¡¯re here!¡±


    ¡°There are your grandmas~¡±


    Anna and Kireua first went to meet his mothers, who weed them with warm smiles. Cain watched them from a distance, so that they could enjoy their family reunion.


    ¡°¡­I feel bad though.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Valmont gave him a confused look. ¡°What brought this on?¡±


    Cain silently watched his master¡¯s grandchildren. They were the same age as Cain¡¯s twins, but the twins would have been as old as Kireua and Anna if Cain had only gotten married at the usual age. He couldn¡¯t help but envy Kireua and Anna because parenting was a lot more difficult than he had expected. Knowing that he was going to have kids, he regretted not starting a family a lot sooner.


    ¡°Announcing the arrival of His Majesty Selim Sanders and Her Majesty Aisha Sanders of the great Avalon Empire!¡±


    Or Cain could have chosen to live happily after with just Lilith like the couple that was entering the ballroom right now.


    After a short silence, everyone went down on their knees.


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesties!¡±


    ¡°Greetings, Your Majesties!¡±


    Beside Selim, Aisha Sanders, Avalon¡¯s¡ªno, Igrant¡¯s first dark elf empress, unted her impossible beauty.


    ¡°¡­Today is a day of celebration. Don¡¯t mind me; enjoy the day, please.¡± Selim smiled gently.


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Congrattions on the tenth anniversary of your reign!¡±


    The ball put the entire country in a festive mood. Some people believed that it was a waste of money¡ªSelim Sanders, the man of the day himself, was one of those people. But despite his personal beliefs, he made sure to host a ball every year.


    It was a necessary act to keep the nobles in check, really. Their participation and the face-to-face conversations with them were great ways to see if they were nning something behind his back, which helped him secure his reign.


    ¡°Hello, Sir Cain.¡±


    Cain turned and saw Icarus smiling at him.


    ¡°Ah, Your Majesty.¡± Cain bowed slightly while furtively looking around to see where Valmont had gone. It looked like he¡¯d already disappeared somewhere for a nap. Cain chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I came here, so everything feels new. I barely recognize any of the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°It was a lot better when you were around.¡±


    They smiled at each other.


    ¡°How is the married life?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s killing me, to be honest. The children get bigger every day, but I¡¯m only getting slower,¡± Cain grumbled.


    ¡°Hahaha. You look a lot better than before, though.¡±


    ¡°Right back at you, Your Majesty.¡±


    Icarus grinned mischievously. ¡°If you ever get bored, you¡¯re wee to drop by the Academy. There will always be a ce for you there.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even say that, please. Raising two beagles would be easier than parenting my twins. I can¡¯t afford to teach other children too.¡±


    ¡°Come on. It¡¯ll be a piece of cake for the Martial God¡¯s first knight.¡±


    The mention of Cain¡¯s master instantly put a damper on his mood.


    ¡°¡­It seems Her Imperial Majesty Charles is already head over heels for her grandchildren,¡± Icarus noted, astutely changing the subject. ¡°Hahaha. My Iruca should really get married too.¡±


    ¡°Is Her Imperial Majesty Iceline¡­ still working on her research in the Magic Tower?¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m nning to head over to the Magic Tower with everyone after this ball is over. ¡±


    Cain¡¯s lip trembled. ¡°Does that mean¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, I recently received a message from the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    Cain¡¯s outburst drew nces from the ball¡¯s other guests. However, Cain couldn¡¯t suppress his restlessness.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what results her research has yielded. She could have failed¡­ but she must want to tell us the results herself.¡±


    ¡°W-Wouldn¡¯t she have found a way if she asked you to visit the Magic Tower?¡± Cain asked hopefully. ¡°Otherwise¡­ why would she bother?¡±


    ¡°¡­That¡¯s what I want to think, but I¡¯ll only be more disappointed if I get my hopes up too high.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡±


    ¡°In any case, can I ask you a favor before I leave for the Magic Tower?¡± Icarus cautiously asked. This, it seemed, was why she had approached Cain.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­?¡±


    ¡°The children of Their Majesties Iceline and Charles are all happily married. That leaves mine as the exception. Even if my dreames true, I¡¯ll be too ashamed to meet him.¡±


    Cain¡¯s eyes slowly widened.


    Icarus smiled sheepishly. ¡°I want my old bachelorette daughter to marry, so I¡¯m hoping you can talk to her¡ªsince you used to be like her. ¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure if I can be of help.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you will be,¡± Icarus answered with certainty. ¡°She¡¯s following in your exact footsteps.¡±


    <em></em> *


    Before Cain headed to Iruca¡¯s Pce, Icarus had given him her personal opinions: although Iruca still spent her days working, it didn¡¯t look like she was against the concept of marriage. She simply didn¡¯t have time to date, which reminded Icarus of Cain.


    Well, Cain was going to find out if that was true. He knocked on the door to Iruca¡¯s office.


    ¡°Come in,¡± a fatigued voice answered.


    When Cain opened the door, he saw a beautiful, bespectacled woman poring over paperwork.


    ¡°Excuse me, Your Highness.¡±


    Cain¡¯s voice made her spring to her feet.


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡± she eximed.


    ¡°You¡¯re still drowning in paperwork, I see.¡± Cain chuckled.


    ¡°It¡¯s been so long! Come in,e in!¡± Iruca gestured at Cain to sit. She fixed her clothes and brushed her hand through her tousled hair. ¡°What brings you here tod¡ª Come to think of it, a ball is going to be held today to celebrate the tenth anniversary of His Majesty¡¯s reign. Isn¡¯t that why you¡¯re in the pce?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. I feel like I don¡¯t need to ask how you¡¯re doing nowadays, though.¡±


    ¡°Pardon?¡±


    ¡°Your question just now told me everything.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha. Such is life. Come on, sit.¡±


    Cain took the offer and seated himself on the sofa.


    ¡°Are you not going to get married, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask? Do you have a decent man to set me up with?¡±


    ¡°There are a lot, actually, but only if you¡¯re interested¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh, my.¡± Iruca giggled. ¡°I would have taken you up on that right away if I had more time on my hands.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how I ended up being a bachelor until I reached my sixties. But you know, you can always make time.¡±


    The sincerity in Cain¡¯s voice made Iruca stop and seriously examine.


    ¡°Are you happy with your married life?¡±


    Cain nodded. ¡°I am.¡±


    Iruca¡¯s question was simr to Icarus¡¯s, but Cain gave a different answer this time. This kind of question had different answers depending on who was asking.


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    ¡°I truly hope you will find this happiness too.¡±


    ¡°Mother asked you, didn¡¯t she?¡± Iruca asked.


    Both the mother and daughter were too smart.


    ¡°Was it that obvious?¡±


    ¡°A little too much.¡±


    The room was silent for a while.


    ¡°...But I¡¯ll have to bear more responsibilities in marriage.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°In marriage, I¡¯m responsible for my partner and the children we¡¯ll have. It¡¯s too much for me to handle right now.¡± Iruca looked up and met his eyes. ¡°You understand me, right?


    ¡°¡­Yes, I do.¡± As the head of his own family, Cain couldn¡¯t agree more.


    ¡°I knew you would!¡± Iruca beamed. ¡°Please talk to my mother about it. Shees by every day and yells at me to get married. I think she feels lonely when she sees Kireua¡¯s kids Since you¡¯re her dear friend, she¡¯ll listen to you.¡±


    ¡°¡­Your mother and I are indeed close friends, and I know she¡¯d trust me with her life¡ªbut my thoughts on this matter aren¡¯t any different from hers.¡±


    Iruca frowned. ¡°You said you understand me.¡±


    ¡°Romance and reality are different.¡±


    ¡°What in the world do you mean?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re talking about reality, but you¡¯re ignoring the romance in life.¡±


    ¡°Romance?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll understand once you meet someone you truly love.¡±


    Iruca went quiet.


    Even if married men insisted that married life was hell, the youth never listened when they were blinded by love. Cain sincerely hoped Iruca would go through the same phase.

 Side Story Chapter 324

    Side Story Chapter 324


    ¡°Love¡­ No matter how hard I think about it, I think it¡¯s a luxury I can¡¯t afford.¡± Iruca smiled bitterly.


    However, Cain didn¡¯t give up.


    ¡°I received a special order from Queen Consort Icarus.¡±


    ¡°...A ¡®special order¡¯?¡±


    ¡°I promised her that I would get you a boyfriend before she leaves for the Magic Tower.¡±


    Icarus had simply asked him to talk to Iruca about it, but his motto as the Martial God¡¯s first knight was that any job worth doing was worth doing right.


    On the other hand, Iruca¡¯s attention went elsewhere.


    ¡°Hold on. She¡¯s going to the Magic Tower?! I-Is it because of Father¡­?¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. She got a message from Queen Consort Iceline. I guess you haven¡¯t heard the news.¡±Iruca sprang to her feet excitedly. ¡°Seriously?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m serious. Which is why you should get a boyfriend, regardless of whether you like him or not. You might get to meet your father, so it would be rather sad if you were the only one who was single.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care if I¡¯m standing among a hundred couples!¡±


    ¡°It matters because your father will scold me, not you,¡± Cain answered.


    ¡°¡­Huh?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯ll say, ¡®You¡¯re married even though you¡¯re all wrinkly, so why didn¡¯t you help my baby girl get married too?!¡¯¡± Cain mischievously mimicked.


    Iruca went silent.


    Cain pounded his chest. ¡°Just trust me, Your Highness. I¡¯ll bring you a man you¡¯ll like.¡±


    ¡°¡­I¡¯m sorry to say this, but it¡¯s a little¡ªno, it¡¯s very hard to trust you on this.¡± Iruca narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    ¡°You were single up until your sixties¡­¡±


    Cain was left speechless.


    Iruca sighed. ¡°Give me some time to think about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m asking you to date someone at least.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to. Do I look like I have time for that?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still young! You can¡¯t give up yet!¡± Cain insisted.


    ¡°No, I think I can give up dating in this life,¡± Iruca answered firmly as she made her way back to her desk. ¡°I need to get some work done so that I can follow Mother to the Magic Tower.¡±


    ¡°Your work isn¡¯t what needs your attention right now, Your Highness. You¡¯re at the perfect age to get married. In only a couple of years, you¡¯ll be thirty and it¡¯ll be harder for you to get married.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that I¡¯m young? Besides, I don¡¯t want to marry someone whom I don¡¯t love just because it¡¯ll get harderter.¡± Iruca scowled at Cain, silently telling him not to bother her any further.


    In the end, Cain could only sigh. ¡°But I still have to save face when I report to Lady Icarus, so do me a favor, please? Three dates. Go on one blind date with each of the three men I bring.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s too many. Let¡¯s make it one date.¡±


    ¡°What? That¡¯s too¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d actually prefer not going on any dates,¡± Iruca interrupted in a monotonous voice.


    As expected from the daughter of Cain¡¯s master, Iruca was stubborn.


    ¡°¡­Phew. Okay. One date it is.¡±


    ¡°In addition, you won¡¯t bother me about marriage after this date. Don¡¯t even try to send me on more dates.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Your Highness.¡±


    Cain gave uppletely. He felt he had done enough for the sake of his old friend.


    ¡°Y-Your Highness!¡± One of Iruca¡¯s strategists ran into the office.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ We ran into a problem during the renovation of the main pce. The architects say that they¡¯ll have to change the blueprints because some parts don¡¯t meet the specs¡­¡±


    ¡°Ahhh¡­ Nothing gets done without me.¡± Iruca sighed dramatically. ¡°See? This is why I don¡¯t have time to date, Sir Cain.¡±


    ¡°Hold on, Your Majesty. Can¡¯t your strategists handle it if it¡¯s just about the renovation? It¡¯s not like Avalon¡¯s fate depends on this.¡±


    ¡°I was in charge of every stage in the construction. It¡¯s better this way. Even if I give people step by step instructions, surprises like this still ur.¡±


    ¡°But that would increase your workload too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better to work more than stress about it. That¡¯s why I¡¯m the leader of these strategists.¡±


    Cain realized that Iruca¡¯s meticulousness was both her greatest strength and weakness at the same time.


    ¡°I seriously can¡¯t stand people who work inefficiently. They might as well go outside and y. Hmm. Actually, I think I would hate that even more,¡± Iruca murmured.


    <em></em> *


    After Iruca left her office, Cain headed outside. Staying in a room without its owner was too awkward.


    Cain zoned out for a moment as he felt the sunlight on his face. Even though he had boldly dered that he would bring men that would attract Iruca, Cain wasn¡¯t sure if he would be able to do it. He sighed. Anyone would feel the same, considering how picky and focused Iruca was.


    An irritating noiseing from the pce¡¯s roof jarred Cain from his thoughts. It was almost inaudible, but it was loud enough for his heightened senses to pick up. When Cain realized that the sound was snoring, he looked up at the sky.


    ¡°Everyone is working right now and yet someone dares to take a nap. If I hadn¡¯t retired, I would be beating them within an inch of their life.¡±


    Cain nimbly leaped onto the rooftops to see who it was. It was Avalon¡¯sziest bum: Valmont. The moment Cain realized who that was, he immediately lost the urge to teach him a lesson. Well, not many people had the audacity to do what Valmont was doing anyway.


    ¡°¡­Gosh,¡± Cain muttered.


    It was said that one shouldn¡¯t mess with a person who was close to their retirement[1], but it bugged Cain quite a lot to see Valmont was napping, especially after he had just met Iruca, who was drowning in paperwork.


    ¡°Hold on.¡± A brilliant idea shed across Cain¡¯s head. Iruca and Valmont were total opposites of each other, so maybe¡­


    ¡°¡­They might actually be a good match.¡± Cain¡¯s face lit up as he began to draw ns.


    Marriage was supposed to be aboutplementing each other. And while Iruca was the most meticulous person in the world, Valmont couldn¡¯t bezier. What would happen if they started dating?


    ¡°It¡¯s a match made in heaven. Hahaha.¡± Cain couldn¡¯t stop chuckling at the idea of putting Valmont through the wringer just before his retirement. The age gap wasn¡¯t much of a problem. The first time was always the hardest, but Kireua had gotten off to a fantastic start with Anna. The world couldn¡¯t look more beautiful in Cain¡¯s eyes as he gently shook Valmont awake.


    ¡°Hey, wake up.¡±


    ¡°Urgh!¡± Valmont tried to fend off Cain. ¡°Who dares interrupt my sle¡ª Huh? Sir Cain?¡±


    Valmont sat up, blinking.


    ¡°How was your sleep?¡± Cain cheerfully asked.


    ¡°Huh? Umm, well, it was okay.¡± Valmont nkly wiped his cheek.


    Cain gave him the most gentle smile he could manage. He hoped that his friend would get to experience a happy marriage too.


    <em></em> *


    A hugeb in the Magic Tower lit up. Theta quickly put down his book, eyes wide with wonder, and ran over to Iceline where she stood in front of the light.


    ¡°D-Did it work?¡±


    ¡°¡­This is thest one.¡± Iceline solemnly looked at the product of her long research.


    It had already been close to a decade, but she hadn¡¯t changed much. While she still had her beauty from her twenties, she had also be elegant with age. Being one of only two Eighth Circle mages in Igrant had its benefits.


    Both of the aforementioned Eighth Circle mages were working on this project, which made the impossible possible. However, dedicating both of their lives would still not have been enough without¡­


    ¡°Thank you, Creshua. This was only possible because of you.¡± Iceline smiled.


    ¡°No need to thank me. I did it because I wanted to.¡±


    The supreme dragon already exceeded the Eighth Circle, bing the sole living Ninth Circle mage¡ªbut Iceline suspected he might have reached the legendary level of the Tenth Circle.


    Iceline shook her head. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t given me a piece of your heart, this research would never have met any sess.¡±


    The final key in their research was a dragon¡¯s heart, but because of the Battle God, their race had been ughtered¡ªexcept for one. If Iceline hadn¡¯t had the sole survivor¡¯s help, her dream would never havee true.


    ¡°¡­I wouldn¡¯t have been here if it hadn¡¯t been for him, so don¡¯t concern yourself with it, human mage.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯m really grateful to you.¡± Iceline excitedly bowed to Creshua over and over. She had endured everything for this day, so she was smiling from ear to ear. ¡°I¡¯m going to see you again no matter what it takes. Hold on a little longer, Joshua.¡±


    1. The raw is ??? ??? ???? ? ?????. It¡¯s a Korean military joke. The military tends to go easy on people who are about to be discharged from their service because people could fileints against their officers after they¡¯re discharged. ?

 Side Story Chapter 325

    Side Story Chapter 325


    Cain waited idly on top of Iruca¡¯s pce. She came out over four hourster, visibly fatigued.


    ¡°The Imperial Knights seem to have a lot of free time on their hands¡ªin contrast to you, Your Highness,¡± Cain grumbled.


    Iruca looked up at the roof and Cain jumped down.


    Iruca massaged her temples. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you returned to your amodations, Sir Cain?¡±


    ¡°I happened to witness an Imperial Knight neglecting his duty up there, actually.¡±


    Iruca was already tired, so this made her particrly annoyed.


    ¡°Ah, fuck¡­¡± she cussed. ¡°Dereliction of duty? I¡¯m d you were there. Did you teach him a lesson?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m just a random old man now, so I have no right to reprimand the Imperial Knights.¡±


    ¡°Pah. What¡¯s his rank and battalion? I¡¯ll kick his ass myself.¡±¡°I had a feeling you would say that, so I¡¯ve been keeping the culprit right here.¡± Cain gestured to Valmont on the roof.


    ¡°Wow.¡± Left with no choice, Valmont came down. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you actually snitched on me.¡±


    ¡°Wait a minute. You were talking about Sir Valmont?¡± Iruca became surprisingly calm in contrast to how she had been huffing and puffing with anger a moment ago.


    <em>¡®Huh? This isn¡¯t how I thought this would go,¡¯</em> Cain thought, bewildered.


    ¡°You must have a lot of free time to waste, too, Sir Cain. You know Sir Valmont always loafs around.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about, Your Highness.¡± Valmont nodded fervently.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t apliment.¡±


    ¡°Hahaha.¡± Valmont immediately stood at attention. ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet now.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You¡¯re going to leave him be?¡± Cain asked disbelievingly. ¡°You hate people loafing around.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s done a lot for Avalon and the empire can¡¯t afford to lose him. If I reproach him, he might decide to leave the empire one day, like you did.¡±


    ¡°But still¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better this way. Besides, he gets the job done when he needs to. It¡¯s not like he¡¯s going to sit around while an assassin roams the pce.¡±


    ¡°You seem to be the only person in the pce who understands my dedication to the job, Your Highness,¡± Valmont chimed in.


    Cain clicked his tongue in disgust.


    Iruca looked into his eyes. ¡°Sir Cain. Stop bullying Sir Valmont and be honest with me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Are you trying to make me want to date him? He¡¯s someone I have to worry about, so caring for him might make me want to try dating other people.[1] Something along those lines?¡±


    Although he didn¡¯t show it, Cain was surprised at how close Iruca was to the answer. However, maybe because of their age gap, Iruca didn¡¯t seem to consider the possibility that Cain actually wanted her and Valmont to be together.


    ¡°Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have brought Sir Valmont after your talk about blind dates.¡± Iruca shrugged.


    ¡°Blind dates? Hold on¡ªwhat is going on?¡± Valmont interrupted.


    Iruca shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Sir Valmont.¡±


    The one thing that Cain had overlooked was Valmont¡¯s strongpetitive spirit¡ªand their conversation was bringing it on in full force.


    ¡°No, it sounds like you had a very interesting conversation without me. I¡¯m going to be very sad if you keep leaving me out of it, Your Highness,¡± Valmont grumbled.


    ¡°It¡¯s a boring story. Besides, you aren¡¯t interested in dating, are you? You prefer loafing around,¡± Iruca responded.


    ¡°Who said I¡¯m not interested in dating?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re interested? Hmm¡­ But women don¡¯t likezy men¡­¡± Iruca looked away.


    ¡°Come on! You said that I get the job done when I need to!¡± Valmont refuted.


    ¡°Women care more about how men usually act. You may be romantic on anniversaries, but you would sleep away most days.¡±


    ¡°I, Valmont dun Brown, am as warm as a bonfire, but my love can be hotter than magma!¡±


    ¡°Well, let¡¯s just say you are. I¡¯m tired, so can you two leave me?¡± Iruca waved her hand to dismiss them.


    ¡°What kind of an answer is that?!¡±


    Cain looked nkly between Valmont and Iruca. Maybe because they were both geniuses in their fields, they were the most prideful people in Avalon.


    ¡°¡­You two are simr after all, huh?¡± Cain murmured.


    Iruca and Valmont both turned to look at Cain.


    ¡°She and I are alike¡­?¡±


    ¡°How am I like thatzy man?!¡± Iruca shrieked.


    The veins on Valmont¡¯s forehead bulged. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t I be the one offended here, Your Highness?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Do you not know what your reputation is like? You¡¯re a cold-blooded workaholic who never let your staff rest¡ª¡±


    ¡°My, my. You do realize you¡¯re insulting a member of the Imperial Family, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°You two are definitely simr,¡± Cain interrupted. ¡°And someone told me that all bickerings between a woman and a man eventually end with them calling each other honey or sweetie.¡±


    A suffocating silence fell upon the area as Valmont and Iruca stared at Cain.


    ¡°¡­Sir Valmont.¡± Iruca narrowed her eyes dangerously. ¡°Sir Cain¡¯s joke was extremely insulting.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an Imperial Knight, so please tell me you¡¯re going to do something about it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll execute him right now.¡± Valmont immediately drew his sword.


    Cain giggled. ¡°You¡¯re denying it a little too hard¡­¡±


    ¡°Sir Cain!¡±


    Cain turned around and ran. His job here was done.


    ¡°Stop right there!¡±


    ¡°Hahahaha!¡± Cain burst intoughter. He had a feeling that Iruca and Valmont would make a great couple.


    <em></em> *


    ¡°Hello, everyone,¡± Iceline said.


    A week after the ball, Cain was at the Magic Tower, joined by highly renowned figures in utmost secrecy. Selim, Kireua, Charles, Icarus, Iruca, Valmont¡­ People who were close with Joshua gathered today. All other matters had been pushed aside.


    ¡°Mother!¡±


    ¡°Your Majesty!¡±


    Iceline looked a little thinner than before. Selim and Iruca approached her worriedly. Everyone also expected Theta, and he was haggard like Iceline as expected, but no one anticipated a the teenage-looking boy.


    ¡°Y-You¡¯re¡­¡±


    No one actually took him as a teenager.


    Iceline gestured for the boy toe forward. ¡°Everyone, please wee Mr. Creshua. He helped me a great deal with my research.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Everyone in theb bowed regardless of their status because all of them sincerely hoped that this research would go well.


    ¡°Shall we, then?¡± Iceline took the lead, feeling no need to wait around any longer.


    Cain raised his hand to ask, ¡°Are we teleporting there?¡±


    ¡°No, we¡¯re going to walk there. Our destination is right around here.¡±


    ¡°Right here, you say? You mean¡­¡±


    Although she looked a little fatigued, Iceline expression was bright.


    ¡°We¡¯re first going to where the world begins and ends.¡±


    <em></em> *


    In less than an hour, Cain and the others arrived at an endlessly tall tree: Yggdrasil, which was also called the World Tree.


    Cain nodded to himself. <em>¡®So that¡¯s why she answered my question with a riddle.¡¯</em>


    ¡°...I¡¯ve pondered this for over a decade. Even if I find a way to bring Joshua back here, he¡¯s already a god, so it would ruin the world¡¯s bnce again after all that hard work.¡±


    Iceline was right. After the Angel and Demon Spirits¡¯ Fragments had arrived in the Human Realm, theirnd had been driven to the precipice of annihtion. Even though Iceline and the others were Joshua¡¯s family, they couldn¡¯t risk the entire world for their personal wishes.


    ¡°¡­But¡­¡±


    Iceline trailed off. In the silence, the sound of someone swallowing was easily heard.


    ¡°¡­I thought that a descent may be different.¡±


    Iceline¡¯s audience was wide-eyed.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to make Joshua¡¯s soul descend, just like how the popes and saints from Hubalt embraced Hermes¡¯s soul¡­¡±


    ¡°H-Hold on, Your Majesty. That would need a vessel to embrace his soul¡­ we don¡¯t have one.¡±


    ¡°You have one right here. In fact, I¡¯ve already done it before,¡± Creshua answered on Iceline¡¯s behalf. He immediately had everyone¡¯s full attention.


    <em>¡®Indeed. Dragons are supreme creatures, so¡­!¡¯</em>


    Contrary to Cain, Charles raised a concern.


    ¡°Although I¡¯m extremely grateful for the offer, it would still be immensely taxing for you to embrace a god¡¯s soul even if you are a dragon¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind it. And he has a debt to settle with me.¡±


    ¡°A debt¡­?¡±


    ¡°He promised to find me a reason to live on, but that arrogant human ran away. Even if he¡¯s a god right now, I¡¯ll drag him back down here. No one escapes an oath made with a dragon.¡±


    Charles¡¯s jaw hit the ground.


    ¡°Thest ingredient we need for this is faith,¡± Iceline continued, chuckling. ¡°For a god to be in the Human Realm, they need the faith of many followers.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Cain nodded in realization.


    ¡°The greater our faith is in Joshua, the higher our chances of sess will be.¡±


    Cain instantly went down on his knees. ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡±


    He was far from religious, but he was a devout follower at this moment and prayed as sincerely as he could. It was actually rather easy because he was praying to the Martial God. His faith in his master would never waver even after thousands of years.


    Everyone around Cain did the same.


    After who knew how long, Cain¡¯s faith was suddenly tested.


    Lightning bolts suddenly struck down from the clear sky. Cain gasped and retreated with cold sweat running down his back, still on his knees.


    One of those lightning bolts had almost turned him into a lump of charcoal¡ªbut his brush with death was quickly forgotten. The extreme danger put the people around him in as much danger as him, but they were still praying with their eyes firmly closed. Iceline, Charles, and Icarus didn¡¯t even budge even as the ground next to them burned from the lightning strikes.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t right!¡± Ircua sprang to her feet to put out the fire. ¡°All of this isn¡¯t worth it if one of us dies! Sir Valmont, help me out here!¡±


    ¡°Huh? Ah, yes!¡± Valmont answered a littleter.


    Iruca was right, so Cain also stood up to help her.


    ¡°Huh¡­?¡±


    Just then, Iceline, Charles, and Icarus began to emit a radiance which seeped into Yggdrasil.


    The dark clouds that had hurled lightning bolts retreated, and the sky slowly cleared up.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Cain dumbly mumbled as he a path of pure white open in the sky. Was a god actually descending?


    Something shed down from the path,nding right on top of Creshua¡¯s head. And¡­ And¡­


    ¡°Master¡­? Cain whispered.


    Creshua floated, enveloped in white light. His eyes gradually gained focus, and Cain could feel that the air around Creshua had changed, bing an entirely different person¡­


    ¡°M-Master!¡± Cain went down on his knees, tears welling in his eyes. He would always recognize his master.


    Cain could say anything else, Icarus, Charles, and Iceline were already in Joshua¡¯s arms, crying. Yes, the man whom they had been desperately waiting for was standing in front of him.


    As if he¡¯d juste back from a short trip, Joshua calmly said, ¡°Long time no see, everyone.¡±.


    .


    .


    The end.


    1. The raw is ? ???? ????? ??. It¡¯s about how mothering someone can lead to love. ?

 Message from the TLSR Team

    Message from the TLSR Team


    Namu:


    I''m pretty sure that those of you who saw from elsewhere knows how much I appreciate you guys and my team. (XOXOXO)<ul><li>


    Yojj: She''s talking about her message in TDTR /novel/the-divine-twilights-return , so if you haven''t read that novel, you should go check it out</li></ul>


    So let me just leave a short message for our Joshua.


    I never thought I''d be together with a MC''s journey until he had his grandchildren.


    Thank you for a new experience.


    And... there is a saying in Korean that no news is good news. Let''s keep it that way.


    Minime:We''re finally done! I''ve been working on TLSR since chapter one and boy, it''s been a long journey. Initially, TLSR was just a way to stop myself from goingpletely crazy when cabin fever was setting in during Covid lockdown. I can proudly say that in the intervening seven hundred-ish chapters, I haven''t gotten less crazy¡ªbut I did be stubbornly invested in finishing TLSR. Despite all the grousing and shenanigans behind the scenes, I think we did a great job.


    I''m d you all came along for the ride.


    If there''s one thing I''d take away from TLSR, it''s that Joshua''s hair and eyes are a dark, dark blue. The author went out of his way to mention it every five chapters, so it must be meaningful somehow... right?


    Also, remember Joshua''s younger half-sister, Arsha? Wonder what happened to her.


    The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and


    continue reading tomorrow, everyone!